Ep. 6: Holding Hope with B!

In this raw and intimate solo episode, B, your bestie in the hope department, shares deeply personal reflections from a transformative year — turning 38, celebrating five years alcohol-free, navigating loss, trauma, and resilience, and finding new meaning through community action and self-care.

You’ll hear stories of growth through grief, volunteering, finding spiritual peace in unexpected places, returning to in-person work, and discovering hope amidst chaos. Whether it’s confronting religious trauma, healing from systemic injustices, or simply finding a reason to smile, this episode is a gentle reminder that you are not alone — and if you're not ready to hold hope just yet, B will hold it for you.

💛 Featuring:

* Milestones + mental health reflections

* Community activism & local change

* Navigating grief, religious trauma & systemic privilege

* Reclaiming joy through connection, service, and self-love

Sticky Note of the Week: “With gratitude, optimism is sustainable.” — Michael J. Fox

⏱️ Under 20 minutes (ish)


🎧 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share what resonates!
📲 Follow on IG--@StickyHopeboxSoapbox for bonus content & behind-the-scenes.

⚠️ Quick but important note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care, and it discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. Resources are linked in the descriptions of podcast episodes. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. A gentle reminder that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, financial, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Resources Specific to this Episode:

https://oia.lacounty.gov/kyr/ --Know Your Rights

https://100happydays.com/ ---100 Happy Days

https://blog.gratefulness.me/gratitude-exercises/ --Gratitude Exercises

https://www.religioustraumainstitute.com/ -Religious Trauma Support

✨ Ep. 5: Meet Jess! Spoons, Sleep, and Safe Spaces

🎂 Recorded during her 30th birthday weekend in 2024, Jess shares her journey of navigating narcolepsy through the lens of the spoon theory, where she's found healing and hope, and what coping tools support her journey.

🌈 We also reflect on Pride Month, the importance of queer community, and how finding the right stories—whether in books, music, or TV—can anchor us in hard times.

⚠️ Content note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care. It discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. Not every episode will resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. Please remember that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

🎧/ 📄 Listen/Read now, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

🛼 Follow Sticky Hopebox on socials for behind-the-scenes clips!

✍️ Resources in Episode:

✨ https://narcolepsynetwork.org/

✨Trevor for Support: therevorproject.org

✨Trevor to Help/Donate: thetrevorproject.org/donate

✨Text 'Trevor' to 1 (212) 695-8650

✨ lgbthotline.org, 888-543-4564

✨translifeline.org

✨transyouthemergencyproject.org

✨afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/

✨ Trevor The Musical: Currently on Disney+

✨ Episode 5: Meet Jess! Spoons, Sleep, and Safe Spaces

🎂 Recorded during her 30th birthday weekend in 2024, Jess shares her journey of navigating narcolepsy through the lens of the spoon theory, where she's found healing and hope, and what coping tools support her journey.

🌈 We also reflect on Pride Month, the importance of queer community, and how finding the right stories—whether in books, music, or TV—can anchor us in hard times.

⚠️ Content note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care. It discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. Not every episode will resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. Please remember that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

🎧/ 📄 Listen/Read now, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

🛼 Follow Sticky Hopebox on socials for behind-the-scenes clips!

✍️ Resources in Episode:

✨ https://narcolepsynetwork.org/

✨Trevor for Support: therevorproject.org

✨Trevor to Help/Donate: thetrevorproject.org/donate

✨Text 'Trevor' to 1 (212) 695-8650

✨ lgbthotline.org, 888-543-4564

✨translifeline.org

✨transyouthemergencyproject.org

✨afsp.org/lgbtq-crisis-and-support-resources/

✨ Trevor The Musical: Currently on Disney+

Ep. 3 – Meet Will!- (Part 1) Grief, Growth, & Gratitude

Welcome back to Sticky Hopebox Soapbox! I’m B—as in your Bestie in the HOPE department—and I’m so glad you’re here.

This week, I’m honored to introduce you to Will: veteran, author, mental health advocate, and father of four, including eight-year-old twins! Will’s story is layered, deeply human, and full of hard-earned wisdom.

In Part 1 of our two-part episode drop, we talk about:

-How grief shaped Will’s life from childhood through adulthood

-His journey into the military—and the mental health challenges that preceded it

-What therapy taught him about ownership and acceptance

-A simple breathing technique he uses on hard days

-What hope means to him now

We first met 15 years ago working backstage in live theater, and it’s no surprise that Will’s story and friendship has stayed with me since. His insight, grounded humor, and unwavering honesty are a gift.

💬 As always, we wrap with a sticky note of the week and reflections from past guests—including a powerful update from Felicia (Ep. 2) as she celebrates 7 years of sobriety and a bold new career move!

🎧 Part 2 of Will’s episode drops at the same time, centered around our shared grief for a beloved friend and how we each carry her legacy forward.

If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who may need it. And if you like it---don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow along on socials:

@stickyhopeboxpodcast – IG + more

🎵 Podcast Music From: #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):  https://uppbeat.io/t/ilya-kuznetsov/dawn Ilya Kuznetsov-Dawn

⚠️ Quick but important note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care, and it discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. A gentle reminder that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, financial, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

✍️ Specific Resources for this Episode:

🖤 Book: Daily meditations and practices

🩶 Grief Day by Day: Simple Practices & Daily Guidance For Living With Loss by Jan Warner

🖤 IG & FB: OptionB-Navigating Grief & Hardship

🔗 https://vets4warriors.com/

🔗 https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/

🔗 https://mhanational.org/resources/helping-children-deal-with-deployment/

https://www.defense.gov/Resources/Military-Support-Organizations/

For Those Under 18 or who are guardians to those under 18:

🔗 https://www.dougy.org/

Ep. 4-Meet Will!-(Part 2) Remembering Bri with Will- A Cacophony of Cosmic Coincidences


Welcome back to Sticky Hopebox Soapbox! I’m B—as in your Bestie in the HOPE department—and I’m so glad you’re here.

This bonus episode is a tender, cosmic, and heartfelt tribute to Bri—our unforgettable friend and colleague—who died unexpectedly at 28, eleven years ago last month. In this special Part Two, we reconnect with guest Will (first introduced in Episode 3) as we reflect on Bri’s impact on our lives, her incredible strength and humor, and how her memory continues to echo through our work and healing journeys.

💬 Together, we talk about:


-Navigating personal grief in theater and beyond


-The powerful bonds of work friendships


- How Bri helped us survive our darkest seasons


– Coping strategies, growth, and honoring someone’s memory with intention


– Unexpected signs from the universe that brought this episode full circle

🎧🎭 This is not just an episode about loss—it's about living with loss, finding hope in the echoes, and remembering out loud. Whether you knew Bri or you’ve ever loved someone who’s no longer here, this episode is for you. And includes a surprise connection to two-time Tony nominee Lindsay Jones and the legendary Avery Brooks. This episode weaves together threads of loss and love across time, music, and space.

✨ If this episode resonates with you, please share it with someone who may need it. And if you like it---don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and follow along on socials:

@stickyhopeboxpodcast – IG + more

🎵 Podcast Music From: #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):  https://uppbeat.io/t/ilya-kuznetsov/dawn Ilya Kuznetsov-Dawn

⚠️ Quick but important note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care, and it discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. A gentle reminder that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, financial, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

🕯️ A link to Bri’s memorial fund:

https://hss.mnsu.edu/academic-programs/dance/student-resources/theatre-dance-scholarships/

✍️ Specific Resources for this Episode:

🖤 Book: Daily meditations and practices

🩶 Grief Day by Day: Simple Practices & Daily Guidance For Living With Loss by Jan Warner

🖤 IG & FB: OptionB-Navigating Grief & Hardship

🔗 warmline.org

🔗 https://www.centerforloss.com/2023/12/mourners-bill-rights/

🔗 https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/grief/coping-with-grief-and-loss

Ep. 2: Meet Felicia! – Tattoos, Truth, and Turning Points

Welcome back to Sticky Hopebox Soapbox! I’m B—your Bestie in the HOPE department—and I’m so glad you're here. Every week in under 20 minutes, we bring you a pocket-sized dose of hope, a resource or coping skill, and of course, a sticky note of the week to help you hold on through the hard stuff.

In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Felicia, a former certified peer support specialist whose journey through addiction, loss, and healing is as powerful as it is relatable. In this warm and real conversation, she opens up about embracing her difference, reclaiming her creativity, and finding joy in the small things after years of darkness.

We talk about what recovery and hope mean to her, how music and nature have been vital tools in her healing, and how she uses her lived experience to support others navigating their own storms. She why peer support can be life-changing.

If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out, if you’re in the middle of your own healing, or if you just need a voice to say you are not alone—this episode is for you.

Let’s keep going, together. 💛

Ep. 1: Meet Cynthia! – Hope, Humor, and Holding On

Welcome to the very first episode of Sticky Hopebox Soapbox! I’m B—as in your Bestie in the HOPE department—and I’m thrilled you're here! Each week in under 20 minutes, we bring you a pocket-sized dose of hope, a resource or coping skill, and a sticky note of the week to help you hold on through the hard stuff.

Our first guest is Cynthia, an Asian American woman whose humor shines both on stage as a standup comic and in everyday life while working a full-time corporate job. She opens up about what hope means to her, how comedy helps her mental health, and her best tips for tough days.

https://www.cynthiaxwangcomedy.com/

As we head into Mother’s Day weekend, I also briefly reflect on my own grief journey—15 years without my mom, 9 without my grandma, and 12 since my dad’s passing. Whether this is a celebratory weekend for you, a painful one, or a mix of both, I see you.

This episode is tender, funny, and full of heart—just like Cynthia.

Let's start this journey together!

💬 Let us know what stood out to you, and don’t forget to subscribe and follow along on socials for video clips and extras!

@stickyhopeboxpodcast -IG

🎧 Podcast Music From: #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/ilya-kuznetsov/dawn Ilya Kuznetsov-Dawn

⚠️ Quick but important note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care. It discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. Not every episode will resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. Please remember that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Each Episode Under 20 Minutes!

Sticky Hopebox Soapbox is a bite-sized podcast hosted by mental health advocate B, where real stories meet resources and hope! Each episode is a journey to destigmatize mental health and substance use challenges by centering voices from all walks of life. Whether it's a powerful snippet from an interview with an incredible guest, a coping strategy someone swears by, or a tool B personally finds helpful, every episode is packed with motivation and practical support. Using humor, hope, and honesty, B opens up conversations on the tough stuff, all while helping listeners imagine what a better, more supportive future could look like in their communities!

B appears in this podcast not as a professional but as a fellow peer. Her early life was marked by domestic violence, frequent upheaval, and profound grief—including the loss of her parents and grandparents by her mid-20s. For over a decade, she worked behind the scenes in entertainment while navigating PTSD, addiction, chronic depression, and caregiving. Now, nearly 5 years alcohol-free, she works as a Peer Support Specialist for a mental health organization, volunteers as a facilitator for a Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group, and shares photos she's taken and mental health content frequently on her Instagram b.a.lensfor hope and her website https://www.balensforgood.com/.

Podcast Music From: #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ilya-kuznetsov/dawn Ilya Kuznetsov-Dawn

Quick but important note: This podcast is for peer connection, not professional care. It discusses topics that may be sensitive to listeners. Discretion is advised. Not every episode will resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. This space welcomes varied experiences and opinions but will always remain rooted in kindness. Please remember that this podcast does not provide medical, legal, nutritional, spiritual, or therapeutic advice. Always consult your trusted professionals for guidance. And if you or someone you love is in crisis, please call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.