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  • Your Issues Are In Your Tissues with ANISSA HUDAK

    Today I’m talking with Anissa Hudak, a registered yoga trainer who works with PTSD, trauma, and the military. She volunteers with soldiers to provide yoga and other therapies, she founded the Trauma Healing Yoga Therapy program, which uses science-based yoga and holistic techniques to treat PTSD and trauma. 


    Discovering Yoga-Based Therapy


    Anissa found her current calling when she started taking yoga teacher training classes. At first, she wanted to have the skills for her own journey, but after the class ended found opportunities opened up for her. She loved that this new profession felt like sharing a gift rather than teaching. 


    After taking classes geared towards PTSD survivors and veterans, Anissa saw that she had an opportunity to take these gifts back to her community. As the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and the wife of an active duty combatant, she feels a special connection to those in the military and their families. From there, her journey went from one of self-discovery to helping others recover. 


    What Does PTSD Look Like? 


    PTSD presents in many different ways, which can make diagnosing it difficult. Anxiety, depression, and troubles with sleep are more recognizable symptoms. But sensitivity to light and trouble hearing can also be signs of PTSD, Anissa explains, since PTSD is an inflammatory illness. 


    Many factors make up PTSD before it happens, as well. The stress levels of a person before a traumatic incident, their childhood, and any pre-existing mental illnesses can determine why one person may return from an event traumatized while another doesn’t. Anissa explains that PTSD is the body saying, “I need a reset” in the central nervous system. PTSD starts in the body and manifests as a mental health issue. 


    How Does Yoga Help PTSD? 


    Anissa stays away from saying PTSD can be ‘cured,’ but does believe that it can be healed. Yoga allows practitioners to stay in the moment, which is helpful when facing PTSD triggers that try to take you back to the past. Anissa’s practice utilizes yoga to help reset the central nervous system. The more someone does it, the longer they’re able to stay in the upper echelon of their brain, rather than in the fight-or-flight response. 


    Anissa specifically curates her practices for people with PTSD. Slowing down can be triggering for some people, which is why Anissa’s classes are interactive and engaging. The body is allowed to move slower while the brain remains occupied. By sharing her practice, Anissa hopes that more people can start to understand what PTSD is, where it lives in the body, and how it can be treated. 


    Listen in for Anissa’s tips on meditation, the relationship between PTSD and memory, and how to find a yoga therapist for your own needs. 


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    45 min
  • Life Coaching For Kids with RENAYE THORNBORROW

    Today I’m talking with Renaye Thornborrow, a child life coach whose worldwide movement helps bring life coach training to kids with a story-based curriculum. She has worked in the industry for more than 10 years, sharing her teachings with other coaches, educators, and counselors to help children soar in life. 


    Repurposing Coaching for Kids


    Children’s mental health has recently been declared a national emergency by 3 pediatrician institutions, making Renaye’s work even more crucial. She’s worked as a child life coach since 2013, having been interested in personal development since graduating college. She became interested in applying those skills to children when she had kids of her own. 


    Life coaching is about giving support as a preventative measure. Renaye created her company and curriculum to help share skills with her own kids, and from there, the vision grew into helping others. She now has coaches in more than 30 countries, helping children develop skills such as confidence, positive self-talk, resiliency, and more. 


    Developing a Kids’ Coaching Curriculum


    Renaye’s curriculum includes 27 different mindset skills that are taught through stories, games, and flexible coaching. When she had more and more people coming to her to learn more, she created her certification program to allow coaches, educators, and therapists to use her work in their practices. 


    The stories are often 5-8 minutes and typically for children between 6 and 12. These stories are designed to show children these different skills and, with the coach’s support, apply it to their own lives. For kids in elementary and middle school facing serious challenges for the first time, these skills are vital. 



    Teaching Kids Resilience


    Renaye offers a book on positive self-talk on her website, where anyone can read and learn about the skill. Resiliency is another skill that the program focuses on, which is taught by learning to reframe the way we view experiences that happen to us. Renaye calls this, “Wearing your power goggles,” with kids. Even when something terrible happens, there’s a way to take something empowering from it. 


    To Renaye, “empowerment is when your power comes from inside.” Our most powerful tool is our mind and our thoughts shape everything in our world. Empowerment is learning how to create the lives we want. One of Renaye’s goals with her program is to help kids feel empowered so that they’re confident about tackling any challenge that comes their way. 


    Listen in to learn more about the tools Renaye’s program uses, how life coaching helps trauma, and some of her favorite stories of helping kids develop positive life skills. 


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    36 min
  • Finding Acceptance with REBECCA HEIDT

    Today I’m talking with Rebecca Heidt, an artist, entrepreneur, and author of “Acceptance: The Beginning,” the first work of a trilogy that chronicles and teaches the journey of self-acceptance. She’s worked in management and finance but has always had a love for the arts. Rebecca is here to speak loud about how to remain your authentic self when surrounded by society’s boxes. 


    Growing Up LGBT


    When Rebecca was growing up, she had no one to talk to about being LGBT. Her childhood was full of uncertainty and chaos as she explored her feelings. It wasn’t until college that she felt comfortable being open about her relationship with another woman, as she was still navigating homophobia and a lack of representation in her community. 


    While her family had their struggles with accepting her, Rebecca is in a much better place now, happily out and married. She explains, “The only way to benefit me was to be who I was.” She knows that being LGBT is not a lifestyle or a choice, but a part of one’s identity that deserves as much respect and acceptance as anyone else. 


    Spreading the Word of Acceptance


    Rebecca's book, “Acceptance: The Beginning” came from a place of deep loss. During the pandemic, she lost four loved ones, and amongst the heartache and turmoil came growth and art. She felt she was receiving a message telling her that she could get through this and that she could help others do it, too. In writing down her thoughts and feelings, a book was formed. 


    Rebecca’s book—the first in a prospective trilogy—is a vehicle for sharing the messages she wants other people to hear. Things that she wanted to say to others or to herself but never had the chance to are communicated through the book’s characters. The first book, ‘Acceptance’, allows people to face the emotions they’ve shut down, while the second will help them face the trauma now that it’s been unlocked. 


    Art As Healing


    Throughout her childhood, Rebecca was always drawn to art. When she lost her job as an adult during the pandemic, she rediscovered art as a hobby and a love. Art is healing, to Rebecca, and she loves that it’s able to bring others color and joy as well as herself. 


    With her art, she hopes to extend that extra bit of help and light to people who need it. Her purpose is to share a message of peace and positivity, knowing that we will be okay if we do it together. 


    Listen in to learn more about Rebecca’s books, her advice on self-acceptance and the journey, and what makes her feel empowered. 


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    50 min
  • A Higher Road with D. NEIL ELLIOTT

    Today I’m talking with D. Neil Elliott, author of “A Higher Road: Cleanse Your Consciousness to Transcend the Ego and Ascend Spiritually.” Despite appearing outwardly successful, Neil had his own challenges behind the scenes that led him to discover a high road to transform his life. His entire life view changed and now he desires to help others empower, transform, and bring peace, love, and joy into their lives. 


    Connecting Science and Spirituality


    Neil read hundreds of books and attended countless self-help courses, never finding one that fulfilled his needs. As an engineer, spirituality and self-help books—while giving great processes—didn’t give him the key he needed to bridge the gap between science and spirituality. 


    Through a spiritual undertaking, Neil discovered the process necessary to understand the truth and connect to source. “When you change your beliefs, you change what you see,” Neil says. His understanding is that everything we see in the world is a reflection of our beliefs and that the electrical and magnetic impulses that make up our thoughts and feelings create a blueprint for the experiences we call into life. 


    Starting the Spiritual Journey


    Neil’s book outlines the seven steps he took on his own spiritual journey: expand consciousness, unveil new truths, reflection, cleansing beliefs and thoughts, rebuilding consciousness, meditation, and repetition. The process explained in his book will take about a year and will radically transform your life, according to Neil. 


    “Every thought you think creates a like event you manifest in your life,” Neil explains. Understanding this is one of the key tools for transforming your life. His understanding of how the universe came to be and its mechanics, the creation of experience in our life, and the science-based understanding of it are all things that Neil learned.


    Practicing Enlightenment Daily 


    When striving for enlightenment, Neil first recommends meditation. He meditates first thing in the morning as part of his daily ritual when his brain isn’t so busy with the external world. External factors often drive our thoughts and actions in life, but through meditation, you can learn to live ‘from the inside out’—allowing your inside voice to drive what you say and do. 


    Neil spent years listening to audiobooks in order to train his brain to take in auditory information, which he says has allowed him to focus while meditating. Along with these practices, he recommends cutting out anything that doesn’t align with the message of unconditional love, and not let fear motivate your journey to enlightenment. “No matter where you are, you can change your life,” he promises.


    Listen in to learn more about the role of Ego in enlightenment, Neil’s golden aspirations, and the Great Awakening happening in our world today. 


    Resources Mentioned

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    1 hr 4 min
  • Turning Your Trauma into "SASSI" with CHRISTINE MALEK

    Today I’m talking with Christine Malek, the founder and creator of “The SASSI Coach” program for women in or recovering from abusive situations. She is an advocate for women against domestic violence and uses a unique coaching approach to bring out the strength and light in every woman she works with. Her life mission is to help others “ruffle some feathers and blow some minds” as they identify and reach their goals. 


    Shining a Spotlight on Abuse


    Christine experienced every abuse in the book. Her defining moment was in 2018 when her abuser shot her in the back of the head after an altercation. She remembers the night vividly and recalls her thoughts at the time the gun went off: “Fuck, I’m not dead,” and, “Oh, I’m not dead.” She was described as ‘lucky’ that her abuser must have tilted the gun to only graze her at the last moment, but Christine knows that this moment was her angels stepping in. 


    This was what forced Christine to admit that something had to change. The abuser wasn’t worth her life or freedom. Her guides had set her down a new path, one that meant shining a spotlight on the subject of abuse and those suffering in silence. She had to put her foot down—first for herself and then for others. 


    Following Your Own Path


    Christine emphasizes the importance of having a plan when escaping an abusive situation. “I don’t care how lame the plan is,” she says. It’s more important to have one. 1 in 7 women never escape their abuse. The small steps—setting dollars or even coins aside, stashing go-bags with important items and records—are crucial in leaving an abusive situation. 


    Ironically, Christine’s journey as a coach was unplanned. But it was soon clear to her that this was her path in life. As a business consultant, she had clients tell her that she should be a coach. Eventually, she signed up for a virtual program, planning to use it for her consulting business, but during one session, the lightbulb went off. “Oh,” she thought, “this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” Now, it’s Christine’s goal to help everyone she can and end domestic violence. 


    Finding the SASSI Sisterhood


    “SASSI” stands for “Strong, Assertive, Sexy, Smart, Independent.” Christine chose this to represent women as more than just “strong and independent,” as the phrase often goes. Through her programs and podcasts, she’s helped an innumerable amount of women by spreading the love and the word.


    Part of that mission is attacking the stigma of women who are abused and the judgments they face when coming out with the truth. The key is communication: you have to tell someone. If not a family member or close friend, Christine recommends a church—any church—a police station, a school counselor, or a hotline. Just as those suffering abuse need to talk—those who they confide in need to listen. 


    Listen in to learn more about the SASSI Program’s ‘Seven Steps to SASSI,’ Christine’s eye-opening experience with her guides, and her future plans as an abuse advocate. 


    Resources Mentioned

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    Reach out to Christine on The Sassi Coach



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    59 min
  • Trauma Informed Care through Ayahuasca with MICHAEL THORNHILL

    Today I’m talking with Michael Thornhill, co-founder of Casa Galactica, an ayahuasca healing and evolutionary retreat based in Peru. He’s a traditionally-trained plant spirit healer and professional advocate for trauma-informed care. With Casa Galactica, Michael and his wife blend Eastern medicines with Western mindsets to transform years of suffering into an empowered state of mind. 


    Michael’s journey with plant medicine began with his journey in healing from addiction, trauma, and abuse. His struggle with substances began young and continued into his late 20s when he started to explore meditation and sound healing. From there, he was drawn to ayahuasca. 


    For Michael, ayahuasca was able to address the root cause of his addiction, alerting him to the fact that the life he lived was out of line with his deeper self. Following the medicine to Peru, Michael learned with indigenous teachers and found a deeper calling in guiding others to the same freedom and liberation he experienced. “There’s more to your life than just healing trauma,” Michael says. “It’s waiting for you.” 


    Ayahuasca refers to the ayahuasca vine and the leaves of the chacruna plant. The plant has a high concentration of DMT, while the vine acts as an MAO inhibitor. allowing for a deeper journey with the medicine. Journeys can last from 3-6 hours, in which the “veil of illusion dissolves,” allowing you to dive deeper, reframe repressed trauma, and heal past events. 


    Ayahuasca ceremonies are part of the national heritage of Peru, stemming from a long history of plant medicine wisdom. Ayahuasca is not only legal in Peru, but encouraged and protected as a form of healing. Other indigenous cultures throughout the world have lost their practices with plant medicine. Michael explains that ayahuasca is not a ‘drug,’ but a plant medicine, as it is something that helps you heal. Drugs are to escape. Plant medicines let you look closer,  


    Casa Galactica advocates for trauma-informed plant medicine journeys, sharing shamanic wisdom in a context that’s empowering and accessible for Western mindsets. Michael and his wife’s 10-day retreats consist of 4 ceremonies, which they found was enough time to get the most out of the plant’s healing. 10 days at Casa Galactica can catalyze life for the next 10 years, in Michael’s opinion. 


    Sitting with ayahuasca can be a difficult experience, especially when repressed trauma is surfacing. That’s why Michael and his wife focus on holding a safe space and being with their clients every step of the way. They pride themselves on transparency and intention, providing as much information and preparation as they can leading up to and throughout the retreat. Despite the difficulty, Michael says that sitting with the medicine “has always been worth it.” Even after ‘bad’ ceremonies, he himself came out feeling like a different person. 

    Michael hopes listeners learn that there are different options for healing and that while plant medicines are less known or understood in the western world, they are an option. “It’s all going to be okay,” he says as something he knows for certain. 


    Listen in to learn more about the medical and diet guidelines for ayahuasca journeys, the cost of Casa Galactica’s 10-day retreats, and how to book a free 30-minute consultation with Michael and his wife. 


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    37 min
  • Its Ok To Be A Work in Progress with Host TIFFANY BARNES

    Today I’m taking the time for a solo episode to talk about a few topics that have come to mind as I approach 40-years-old. A few conversations with friends and online interactions have brought inspiration for this episode of talking about how childhood trauma follows a person all the way into their adulthood behaviors. 


    Reflecting and Reminiscing 


    As I approach my birthday, I’ve been reminiscing and reflecting on the last and the next 40 years. I recently made a post on Facebook on the signs of high-functioning anxiety. On the outside, a person may appear as hard-working, organized, and someone who can work well under pressure—but beneath the surface, they may be overwhelmed, burnt out, and set unrealistic expectations. 


    All of this resonated with me greatly. To a stranger, my need to be busy might make me look like a hard worker rather than someone who doesn’t like to sit alone with their thoughts. The age-old adage, “You never know what someone else is going through,” still rings through, especially through the lens of social media. 


    Acknowledging Trauma-Based Behaviors


    I recently did a poll asking, “What are some things you don’t realize you’re doing because of childhood trauma?” I found myself resonating with many of the answers and thought it would be helpful to share some of the responses. Childhood trauma can manifest in strange ways, such as attention-seeking behavior or a fight-or-flight mindset. 


    I, for one, find myself wanting to be recognized and heard. I often catch myself being too much of a people-pleaser or striving for perfection in order to be acknowledged. These were things I learned because of trauma, but there are ways to turn these behaviors into strengths. For example, since I work in hospitality, that people-pleasing thoughtfulness actually has positive impacts on my career. Recognizing trauma-related behaviors is the first step to healing the inner child. 


    Learning to Be Vulnerable


    Having done this soul-searching leading up to my birthday, I think it’s important to say that it is okay to be vulnerable and share your struggles with others. You’re not alone in your suffering, and everyone—myself included—needs to know that it’s okay to have things that still need to be healed. Being a bit more honest with your struggles can, I think, lead to better conversation surrounding childhood trauma across the board. 


    Listen in to hear more on dealing with the repercussions of trauma as an adult and other ways childhood trauma manifests as unconscious behaviors. 


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    35 min
  • Finding A Friend in the Mirror with NATHAN OSMOND

    Today I’m talking with Nathan Osmond, keynote speaker, actor, entertainer as well as humanitarian. He’s had 4 consecutive hit country singles, won the John C. Maxwell Leadership Award 2 years in a row, and been the recipient of Honorary Command Sergeant Major. He uses his music and platform to recognize non-profits and to make a difference. Nathan is here to speak loud about being your own friend in the mirror through self-talk and resilience. 


    Nathan has had his struggles with self-talk and self-image. Not long after returning from his mission abroad, he was cast in the leading role in ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.’ He made extensive efforts to get into character but realized he may have internalized too much when he noticed self-esteem issues out of character. He had a heaviness that he couldn’t explain. 


    Nathan knew he had to be still and figure out what was going on with him, so he went to the temple where his parents were married to think and pray. Sitting in his car, he swears he heard a voice ask, “Why don’t you love yourself the way that I love you?” as if someone was in the passenger seat. Nathan decided then that he would love himself, be his own friend in the mirror, and stop taking himself so seriously. 


    When Nathan was a child, he was shy in the spotlight while the rest of his family was comfortable. After a nerve-wracking talk show appearance, his father told him that people wanted to hear what he had to say. Sometimes, Nathan recounts, you have to believe in someone else’s belief in you. He later went on to do more and more talk shows and eventually become a motivational speaker and podcaster. 


    During the pandemic, Nathan was affected by the change and uncertainty and started experiencing episodes of panic and worry. He even visited the hospital to see what was wrong. Eventually, he called his uncle, Donny Osmond, to tell him what was happening, who just laughed and said, “Welcome to the club.” Talking with his uncle, Nathan learned something: to stop seeing things as black-and-white and to live in the gray and let those feelings go. Own your moment. 


    To Nathan, there’s nothing that says, “This is how life has to be.” He’s found that he helps himself by helping others and listening to his own advice. “You’re speaking because you know what you need to hear,” he says. He wants to leave his mark on this world, whether it’s through music, speaking, or just being a father and husband. Sometimes you just need to ‘take a bit,’ as actors say, and pause to breathe before stepping into the spotlight. 


    Nathan knows that we’re all human with unique challenges, and hopes that listeners find value in what he’s shared, whether that’s loving themselves more, learning to laugh at themselves, or finding peace and joy in the journey. He encourages everyone to be their own friend in the mirror, and to ask, ‘What are you saying to yourself?’ and ‘Would you say it to someone else?’


    Listen in to hear Nathan’s thoughts on seeing messages from a higher power, finding identity in who we are rather than what we do, and books he’s discovered in his journey with self-image. 


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    1 hr
  • LEARNING TO ADAPT with JEFF SOELBERG

    Today I’m talking about Jeff Soelberg, an amputee peer visitor, activist, and founder of the Jeff Giving a Hand Foundation. After losing three of his fingers in an industrial accident, Jeff has become a prominent advocate for amputees and how amputation affects all aspects of a person’s life. “Life happens when you adapt,” according to Jeff, and he believes in the resilience of the human spirit. 


    On July 6th, 2016, Jeff was in an industrial accident that resulted in the loss of three of his fingers, along with tendon and nerve damage up to his elbow on his dominant hand. He had been shining a pump shaft when his glove got caught and his hand was pulled in to the wrist. Despite his shock, Jeff was able to instruct his coworkers and the on-site nurse on what to do and was soon taken to the hospital for surgery. 


    Jeff underwent a total of 9 surgeries, 7 of them in the first 9 months. He recalls looking at his hand while waiting several hours in the hospital, knowing that his fingers weren’t there but not registering where they were. He describes the shock response as a sort of tunnel vision, and after leaving the hospital he was forced to relearn everyday functions while also dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial toll of his accident. 


    Fingers are medically labeled as cosmetic, not essential. Jeff’s responds that anyone with ten fingers can’t tell him what is or isn’t essential. It may only be a finger, but we do so much with our fingers from dawn to dusk. Part of his work has been advocating to insurance agencies in order to increase the availability of prosthetics for amputees, without clients paying thousands of dollars. 


    Recently, Jeff had the opportunity to go to London and educate a group of doctors on the necessity of finger prosthetics. Despite the advancements in prosthetic technology, the majority of hand surgeons are completely unaware of what prosthetics are available for the people they treat, and therefore won’t even think to prescribe a prosthetic. Jeff asked the group, “Where would you be without your fingers?” Education is a simple but incredibly important part of advocacy for amputees. 


    The Jeff Giving a Hand Foundation has an emphasis on physical fitness and living life as an amputee. If life has handed you a challenge, it’s an opportunity to step back and figure things out. For those struggling mentally, Jeff advises the basics: just try. Go for a short walk, do something to elevate your heart rate, as sitting at home will only take you to dark places. Looking to the future, Jeff plans to continue doing everything he can to make prosthetics available to everyone who needs them. 


    When Jeff first lost his fingers, he was unable to look at his hand when the doctor removed the bandage. Months later, he showed the same doctor a video of his most recent deadlift, and the doctor replied, “I always knew you had it in you.” Jeff hopes listeners know that a dark situation can be turned into something better, and encourages them to meet everyone with empathy and acceptance, whether their impairments are physical or invisible.


    Listen in to learn more about para-athletes and competitions, types of finger prosthetics, and how Jeff adapted and adjusted to life after his amputation. 


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    1 hr 6 min
  • Resilience with MARY JEAN WINN

    Today I’m talking with Mary Jean Winn. Mary Jean grew up in northern Utah and has spent a lifetime she describes as not recognizing her own self-worth. She has 6 kids and 12 grandkids. Mary Jean is a business owner and a writer, and is starting a non-profit to help others find their own empowerment and identity.


    Being Silenced on Abuse 


    Mary Jean shares that she’s repressed the early parts of her childhood as a result of her abuse and has struggled to piece together how that early programming has affected the person she is today. She had a father who was physically abusive to her, her siblings, and her mother, and one of her earliest memories is of abuse witnessed at 9 years old. 


    Throughout her childhood, Mary Jean didn’t go to therapy and didn’t speak about what was happening to her. People didn’t talk about abuse. Physical discipline was more common, but the line between discipline and abuse was often in question. Everything was silent, according to Mary Jean, and no one ever came to help. In her opinion, the worst thing that someone can do while abuse is happening is to be silent. 


    Speaking Her Truth 


    As an adult, Mary Jean has found comfort in writing about her experiences. She has filing cabinets full of journals that she uses as a healing modality. Being in survival mode for the majority of her life, she found there was a lot for her to process.


    Mary Jean’s book, “Lessons I Learned On a Dirt Road,” is a project 30 years in the making. The title was inspired by the clarity she feels while out in nature on a dirt road, where she feels the most grounded and closest to God. Although she struggled with the structure of the book, she hopes to begin the process of publishing in September. There is a need for her to tell her story. “You have your own roadmap,” she says and encourages listeners to make sure they’re not following someone else’s. 

    Connecting People in Need


    Mary Jean’s nonprofit “Building Connextions” aims to create an empowerment center for at-risk people. She calls it a connection center where people can learn how to find their voice and live their truth in a safe, comfortable environment. The nonprofit is in its early stages, but Mary Jean is excited about the amount of potential it has. 


    Mary Jeans wants to be a guide for people who are struggling, helping them find their best path in life. She’s in the process of putting together programs and growing the nonprofit into her dream, showing others how to live the life they’ve never lived before.  Mary Jean hopes listeners know to never give up, even in their darkest moments. If they keep putting one foot in front of the other, eventually everything will pass. This is a lesson she has taught to her kids and herself. 


    Listen in to hear more of Mary Jean’s journey, why she decided to write her book, and what modalities she uses to stay on the right path in life. 


    Resources Mentioned

    Join Me on Speak Loud Platform

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    Connect with Mary Jean on her website 



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    59 min

About Speak LOUD

From the publisher's feed

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Tiffany has made it her mission create real change, one person at a time; this was the premise for her podcast, ‘Speak Loud’. The objective of ‘Speak Loud’ was to…