Small Changes Big Shifts

"This experience awoken a grace in me towards other parents." - Diana Toman

Parenting can open new doors to community. While kids may be different from one another, parents are still able to speak the same language and navigate similar things happening in their lives. However, raising a child with autism spectrum disorder or other special needs can be a different experience for a parent – one that comes with a realization that you aren't speaking the same language as everybody else. These parents say isolation can be the hardest part of the journey. In today's episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Diana Toman to tell her story about raising her son who is on the spectrum, graduating high school, and soon entering college. She shares some of the challenges and triumphs that came while raising him in those early years, and why support and community made a difference in her family's life and her well-being. Diana also provides some guidance and advice to co-host Desiree Cole, whose son is also on the spectrum and beginning his journey into school and the community. By the end of the episode, Diana explains why she has no doubt that God selected her to raise her son, and that every parent should trust that they are the right parent whether they are raising a neurotypical or neurodivergent child.

About Today's Guest and Co-Host:

Diana Toman is the CEO of Toman Advisory Group and a former Fortune 500 Chief Legal Officer, who has parlayed years of large company experience into an advisory firm focused on corporate governance, ESG, risk management, and strategy. She is a mom of two teenagers, Parker and Reagan, passionate about being involved in the community, and advocate for the things she believes in.

Desiree Cole is the Content Director and Brand Manager at Small Changes Big Shifts. She creates, writes, and manages the voice and content for the brand. She has loved all things wellness since she was introduced to the lifestyle in college, where she learned to cook more plant-based food and care for the whole body in holistic ways. She began her journalism career in Chicago and New York City, where she worked in Manhattan as an editor for news agencies, magazines, and book publishing. She's part of the Small Changes Big Shifts team because she believes words are powerful messengers to the spirit, heart, and mind. Desiree was born and raised in Kansas City and believes there's no place like it. Her husband (Zach), son (Ollie), and two golden retrievers (Linus and Lucy) live in a loud and happy house with its eight paws and a very joyful little boy who loves them.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• The Joshua Center
• Your Wellness Connection
• Toman Advisory Group

"It's the small choices we make that determine the rest of our lives." - Robyn Rosenberger

Each year, more than three million children are hospitalized – either for procedures or ongoing treatment for chronic or terminal illness. Additionally, one in six children have a disability in the U.S. such as autism, ADHD, Aspergers, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, to name a few. During today's show, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Robyn Rosenberger to share her awe-inspiring story about what led her to become the founder of TinySuperheroes in 2013 to help these kids fight unimaginable battles. Since launching her tiny cape organization, she has served over 120,000 children and families by providing capes for each child. Robyn shares how it all started with a little girl named Brenna and tells how the organization has evolved into ways these kids can experience extracurricular activities since 80% of them almost never get to participate in them. By the end of the episode, your heartstrings will be pulled by some of the powerful encounters she has had with kids who have received her capes and all the ways it has transformed their lives by giving them courage and strength.

About Today's Guest and Co-Host:

Robyn Rosenberger is a passionate and dedicated entrepreneur who is committed to making a positive impact in the world. As the founder and CEO of TinySuperheroes, a social enterprise that empowers children with disabilities or illnesses, Robyn has helped thousands of children to embrace their inner strength and courage. Her organization has been featured in numerous media outlets, including CNN, NBC News, and The Huffington Post. She is an inspiring example of a mission-driven entrepreneur who is passionate about building for-profit businesses that create social impact. She believes that businesses can be a force for good. Robyn's commitment to building a profitable business that makes a difference has resulted in a growing community of supporters and advocates who share her passion for social entrepreneurship. Through her work, she is a true champion for those who face adversity. She is dedicated to helping every other child feel like a superhero and inspiring others to make a positive difference in the world.

Desiree Cole is the Content Director and Brand Manager at Small Changes Big Shifts. She creates, writes, and manages the voice and content for the brand. She has loved all things wellness since she was introduced to the lifestyle in college, where she learned to cook more plant-based food and care for the whole body in holistic ways. She began her journalism career in Chicago and New York City, where she worked in Manhattan as an editor for news agencies, magazines, and book publishing. She's part of the Small Changes Big Shifts team because she believes words are powerful messengers to the spirit, heart, and mind. Desiree was born and raised in Kansas City and believes there's no place like it. Her husband (Zach), son (Ollie), and two golden retrievers (Linus and Lucy) live in a loud and happy house with its eight paws and a very joyful little boy who loves his dogs.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• TinySuperheroes website
• Nominate a child at TinySuperheroes
• Sponsor a cape for a child
• TinySuperheroes Mission Program
• John O'Leary

"The families we serve can feel isolated – even scared at times. We want to provide a tangible first step that brings comfort and creates a path." - Heath Burch

The latest research shows 1 in 44 children are on the autism spectrum – a major change from the early 2000s when those numbers were 1 in 150. While environmental factors are something to consider, researchers say we have made advances over time that have helped build a greater understanding and awareness to it. During today's show, Dr. Michelle Robin welcomes Heath Burch from CommunityAmerica Credit Union to talk about their Special Needs Planning Center. Heath shares an inspiring and personal story about why he and his business partner, Scott Adams, decided to launch this center. Both of them quickly realized that families oftentimes felt stuck when raising a child with special needs. They couldn't rely on a book or course to walk them through each of their unique situations – which is what inspired them to do something about it. Today, they have helped guide and connect thousands of families to resources that may be available to them. They have helped create a path forward for families to be better equipped and financially prepared to raise a special needs child in the now, but also provide hope for the road ahead. Desiree Cole, one of Heath's clients, joins in on the conversation to speak to what the Special Needs Planning Center has done for her family as they begin raising their son who is on the spectrum. We encourage you to share this episode with any friends or family who may benefit from having this resource introduced in their lives!

About Today's Guest and Co-Host:

Helping members create a path to their financial goals drive Heath Burch's passion for being an advisor. His focus is to leverage two decades of experience as an advisor to help members navigate their complex financial planning needs. From integrating wealth management plans with trust and estate plans to diversifying wealth in a business, he empowers members to manage the transition of their wealth to the next generation. Heath has also dedicated focus on assisting families who have loved ones with special needs, building plans that can support more than one generation. His wife, Martha, and three sons are invested in being involved in the Kansas City community that they love. He currently sits as the President of the Board for Variety Children's Charity of Kansas City and as chair of the Board of Directors for the Liberty Education Foundation.

Desiree Cole is the Content Director and Brand Manager at Small Changes Big Shifts. She creates, writes, and manages the voice and content for the brand. She has loved all things wellness since she was introduced to the lifestyle in college, where she learned to cook more plant-based and care for the whole body in holistic ways. She began her journalism career in Chicago and New York City, where she worked in Manhattan as an editor for news agencies, magazines, and book publishing. She's part of the Small Changes Big Shifts team because she believes words are powerful messengers to the spirit, heart, and mind. Desiree was born and raised in Kansas City, and believes there's no place like it. Her husband (Zach), son (Ollie), and two golden retrievers (Linus and Lucy) live in a loud and happy house from its eight paws and the most joyful little boy in the world who loves his dogs.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Connect with Heath at CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• CommunityAmerica Credit Union website
• Special Needs Planning Center website

Securities and advisory services offered through Copper Financial Network, LLC ("Copper Financial"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Copper Financial is a SEC registered investment adviser. Products offered through Copper Financial: are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured, are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union, and may involve investment risk, including possible loss of principal. Copper Financial is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CommunityAmerica Credit Union. Special Needs Planning Center is a marketing name used by Copper Financial.

Today's show is a special treat as Dr. Michelle Robin is celebrating her 57th birthday this weekend. During her solo episode today, she spends some moments reflecting on the things that she and our listeners have learned from all of our guests on the show in the last few months. She'll also tee up what's to come on the podcast in the next few months and they are some near and dear topics to her heart. To end the show, she will also explain some wellness tips she's embodied over this last year and the things she's taking with her as she walks into this new year of life. She wraps up with some tips about how you can celebrate this year with her, and how you can watch some changes she's been seeing in the younger generations through the Big Shifts Foundation.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Big Shifts Foundation birthday fundraiser
• Big Shifts Foundation scholarship
• Big Shifts Foundation new video
• Big Shifts Foundation website
• Sit in Peace meditation video
• Dr. Robin's 30 lessons
• Isaac Lee Collins episode
• Kim Newton episode
• Whitney Bartelli episode
• Brett Blair episode
• Dr. Heath and Nicole Wilt episode
• Mark Hulet episode
• Dr. Michelle Dew episode
• Dr. Georgia Nab episode
• Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer episode
• Brooke Seiz episode
• Amy Grothaus episode

"Counseling helped me befriend my nervous system." - Brooke Seiz

Did you know we only need one teaspoon of sugar in our body at a time? During today's episode, Dr. Robin invites Brooke Seiz to unpack why sugar can oftentimes be a culprit for anxiety. Brooke shares what inspired her to become a counselor and functional medicine practitioner for others, including her own bout with anxiety, an eating disorder, and other mental health challenges. She goes on to describe why there can often be many root causes of anxiety, but when our blood sugar levels are too high or low, our cortisol levels (stress response) get activated and we easily enter that fight or flight mode. Brooke also covers how sugar is often disguised on labels, and how fast our bodies can experience inflammation (even pain) after we consume too much sugar. By the end of the episode, she'll provide some ways you can test if sugar may be causing problems. She'll also provide what foods can help aid in regulating sugar levels. Grab a pen and paper – this episode is packed with helpful tips!

About Today's Guest:

Brooke Seiz with Evolve Wellness & Counseling helps individuals as well as couples find a better quality of life, fulfillment in their relationships, and comfort in their body through counseling and functional nutrition. She is a licensed counselor and helps individuals as well as couples in therapy to befriend their nervous systems using Somatic Experiencing and in turn improve trauma, PTSD, anxiety, as well as binge and emotional eating. She also provides sex therapy to individuals and couples, in addition to couples' therapy. For those interested in functional nutrition, she takes a deep dive into gut, hormonal. health and more to address the root cause for their symptoms with nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Brooke is a mom of three awesome young people, and also enjoys going out to sing at local music venues with her spouse. She's grateful to be involved with the Small Changes Big Shifts team and mission!

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Connect with Brooke Seiz on LinkedIn
• Evolve Wellness & Counseling
• Signos CGM technology – glucose monitor
• Glucose Goddess on Instagram
• Resistance Starch

"Overseeing your own health is so valuable – and we're at the cusp of it in America. We are giving people the information that can finally help themselves in a unique way." - Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer

Did you know trillions of dollars are being poured into chronic conditions in America – and many of them are unknowingly rooted in glucose challenges or mismanagement? During today's show, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer to share his reasons for co-founding Signos – a CGM technology that shows how your body uniquely reacts to what you eat, plus other lifestyle factors such as stress patterns and sleep habits that are affecting your glucose levels. Sharam tells his personal journey of weight management issues growing up and why he finally figured out that glucose spikes and dips were causing more harm on the overall body than he realized. He explains how Signos technology works and some stories of people who have tried everything from diets to exercise, but the Signos CGM monitor is the first thing that has made them feel empowered to see what their bodies need on an individual level to reach their goals. Sharam also unpacks why glucose monitoring is not just for people who have diabetes, and why this can be a powerful tool in life to manage pain, weight management, increase energy, and even impact mental health.

About Today's Guest:

Growing up in upstate New York, Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer fluctuated between obese, overweight, athletic, and back again before he founded Signos to tackle the obesity epidemic in America. Sharam is also the Board Director and Co-Founder at Onclusive, an Al software company to measure the impact of PR, as well as originally serving as the company's founding CEO. Prior to Onclusive, he was an entrepreneur in residence at Shasta Ventures focused on consumer internet and the social graph. Before joining Shasta, Sharam was a Venture Capitalist at Sierra Ventures and served on the Board at Makara (sold to RedHat) and TouchCommerce (sold to Nuance). Sharam began his career as an early employee at Appian (NASDAQ:APPN), a low-code software company. He graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He played NCAA D-1 ice hockey and lives with his family in California.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Signos website
• What is Signos?
• Dr. Georgia Nab's podcast
• Signos is hiring

"Blood sugar is like comparing water to Kool-Aid – while water flows through our body, Kool-Aid can't flow as well because it's stickier. When we have too much sugar in our bloodstream, our body has a harder time carrying out the processes it needs to." - Dr. Georgia Nab

About 1 in 5 people in the United States have diabetes but don't know it, according to the CDC. While people generally know sugar isn't good for the body, most people don't know why our consumption of it needs to be managed – not eliminated. In today's show, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Dr. Georgia Nab – a Functional Medicine doctor at Your Wellness Connection – to help people understand what's really happening in the body once we consume sugar and why it's then converted to blood sugar. If you have ever wondered what glycemic and glucose mean – or the difference between metabolic syndrome (prediabetes), Type I, Type I.5, Type II, and Type III – this week's episode will give you a clearer understanding of each one in very simple terms. Dr. Nab even dives into how our blood sugar numbers have a tremendous impact on our hormonal levels and anxiety issues in today's world. She encourages listeners that small changes can make a big difference. At the end of the episode, Dr. Nab will also share why sleep and movement matter in managing your blood sugar – ending with some tips that can help you get on a better path toward wellness.

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Georgia Nab entered the chiropractic industry in 1992 by owning a chiropractic clinic in Wichita, Kansas. From 2012 through 2017, she joined a manufacturing facility in Wisconsin to provide chiropractic care, nutritional counseling, and educational training to the employees at the company's corporate headquarters. While there, she authored her book called 1 Degree of Change, in addition to numerous other publications. In 2015, she graduated with her Master's degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine degree. She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Western States for their Master's program. Dr. Nab is a Certified Nutrition Specialist from the Board for Nutrition Specialist and works with Affiliated Monitors, an independent monitoring company for professionals.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Your Wellness Connection
• 1 Degree of Change book by Dr. Georgia Nab – contact Dr. Nab for a free PDF version

"Our CEO was very passionate about making a positive impact in our community, and what better way to do that than to give people a direct connection to the resources that they need, all in one single place." – Amy Grothaus

Many people don't know where to turn when they have a goal in life, especially when it's a financial one. CommunityAmerica Credit Union is an advocate for changing that, and they are doing it through their brand-new Community Access Center in Kansas City. During today's episode, Dr. Michelle Robin welcomes Amy Grothaus to talk about what this center is helping to fulfill in our community. The space is designed to promote the overall well-being of its all who enter its door. The entire 6,000-square-foot top floor is occupied by the Metropolitan Community College (MCC), which offers classes and other educational support to compliment the resources that CommunityAmerica provides. Their goal is to help break down barriers of banking and promote financial literacy for all, but to also to connect individuals with the support and resources they need to achieve overall well-being, beyond financial needs. Certified Financial Well-being coaches are on-site to help their visitors achieve as many of their goals as possible. Tune in as Amy shares more about how this building is designed, plus why they have a heart to see people step into their brightest future by introducing them to all the resources, organizations, and nonprofits available as they journey through life.

About Today's Guests:

Amy Grothaus is the Senior Vice President of Community Development at CommunityAmerica Credit Union in Kansas City. She is a motivated, passionate, and results-driven leader with experience in overseeing and directing member/customer experience and sales initiatives for organizations in the financial services industry. She has 20 years of expertise in customer service, retention and loyalty, strategic planning, and relationship building. Amy has proven results in launching new initiatives, driving sales, and technology implementation. She is a trusted visionary with the ability to energize teams, partner cross-functionally, and influence at all levels.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• CommunityAmerica Credit Union website - Search for "Access Center"
• Big Shifts Foundation Scholarship Program

"You have to feed both hearts – the one in your chest and the one that is upstairs." - Dr. Michelle Dew

As we continue to celebrate the heart this month – both mechanically and emotionally – Dr. Michelle Robin has invited a cardiologist on the show today to share why the heart encompasses so much of how we experience life around us. Dr. Michelle Dew shares her inspiring journey of becoming a cardiologist, including how one family emergency greatly impacted her. Her encounter with a remarkable doctor and their energy in a room will remind listeners how important every individual is on earth – because you never know when (or how) your presence will change someone's life forever. At the end of the episode, Dr. Dew explains why joy is a vital part of our well-being, why the heart needs it, and how she founds hers.

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Michelle Dew is a Board-certified cardiologist with AdventHealth Medical Group Cardiology & Cardiovascular Surgery. She joined AdventHealth in 2022 and provides general cardiology care to Lawrence-area patients within our Primary Care in Lawrence. Her clinic interests include women's cardiac issues including during pregnancy and menopause, men's cardiac care, and general cardiac care such as prevention, maintenance and pre- and post-surgical care. In addition to having earned a reputation for providing excellent, compassionate patient care, Dr. Dew is well-respected among her peers as a standout physician leader and cardiology expert. Her passion for patient education and her vast clinical and leadership experience have earned her countless honors, including being named a Kansas City Top Doctor by Ingram's Magazine in 2021 and 2022. Dr. Dew's personal interests include family and friends, dogs, reading, hiking, flying kites, traveling, playing spades, dominoes and board games, and riding dressage.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu
• AdventHealth
• Wellness on a Shoestring Book by Dr. Michelle Robin

"We're all connected to serve." - Mark Hulet

Mark Hulet's life was forever changed when he decided to leave football coaching days behind him and take a job at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, where he would serve for the next 22 years in a variety of roles. In today's episode, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Mark to share his journey with the Y, and how this organization brings people in from the community to build a connection with others. Because this month's theme is about heart, Mark will also share how the Y supports the heart for people – not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. People may come in to get on a treadmill or take a swim, but he shares that once they come inside and get to know the "heart" of the organization, a lifetime relationship is made. At the end of the episode, Mark shares his dream of being able to take people forward with all the seeds they are currently planting in our community.

About Today's Guest:

When Mark Hulet left college, he began college football coaching. But after bouncing around from city to city with his young family, they decided to permanently move back to Kansas City where he landed his first job at the YMCA, now 22 years ago. Mark has been with the YMCA of Greater Kansas City ever since that day, serving in a variety of roles. Today, he is the Interim President & CEO of the YMCA in KC. The reason he has stayed with the YMCA all these years is because of the people. He especially loves being able to see the connection kids, families, and seniors are making here within their community.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• YMCA – Find a location near you in the U.S.
• YMCA of Greater Kansas City
• Drive-thru food pantries at the YMCA