Nicoa is joined by her friend and waterway neighbor Ana Shellem, owner of Shellem Seafood and Red Dogs Bar in Wilmington, and an amazing, resilient creator of a true Life by Design. Before becoming a bar owner and fisherman, Ana was a childhood star who appeared on Disney’s Bear in the Big Blue House. She left this career to find balance and escape what had turned into a trauma-filled life and headed to the shores of North Carolina. Nicoa talks with Ana about how she managed to shift from an unfulfilling toxic existence as a performer to living the life of her dreams on a sailboat and harvesting sustainable seafood for a career. 

In this conversation, please note that they also talk about mental health, eating disorders, sexual abuse, and trauma. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, or mental illness we encourage you to seek help and support. NAMI, the national alliance on mental illness has a helpline and a host of other resources including support for family and caregivers. NAMI’s website is nami.org. And NEDA the National Eating Disorder Association also has a helpline Their website is national eating disorders.org. And please know that you are not alone. According to the World Health Organization, 70% of people will experience trauma in their lifetime. Jennifer, our producer and marketer, is one of them. To read her story visit Medium or listen to her podcast Resilience and Recovery. 

We also want to give a special shout-out to Seabird Restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. It’s Jennifer’s favorite restaurant in Wilmington and a wonderful place to try Ana’s oysters! Jenifer orde

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