Host:  Mindy McCulley, MS Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, University of Kentucky  

Guest: Natese Dockery, PhD Assistant Clinical Professor for Mental Health and Well-being 

Season 8 | Episode 48

Join host Mindy McCulley and guest Dr. Natese Dockery from University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension as they discuss crisis support and suicide prevention. This episode covers how to recognize signs of emotional distress, when and how to reach out, and why staying connected matters for mental health.

Listeners will learn about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline—how to call, text, or chat for immediate, confidential help—and the basics of QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) as a simple framework for supporting someone in crisis. The conversation emphasizes practical, compassionate actions community members can take, even without professional training.

Key takeaways:

Help, hope, and connection are possible.  Even small acts of presence make a big difference.

Host:  Mindy McCulley, MS Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky

Guest: Kelly May, MS Senior Extension Associate for Family Finance and Resource Management 

Season 8 | Episode 47

Join host Mindy McCulley and guest Kelly May, Senior Extension Associate for Family Resource Management, as they break budgeting into simple, realistic steps to help you spend with purpose, save with confidence, and gain control of your financial future.

Topics include understanding gross vs. net income, categorizing expenses (fixed, flexible, occasional), planning for surprise costs, handling surpluses and deficits, avoiding lifestyle creep, and using side gigs or resources to improve your balance.

Listeners will come away with practical actions: plan with take-home pay, track all food and small cash purchases, build an emergency fund, prioritize or trim flexible expenses when needed, and reach out to local Extension resources for help.

For more information about this topic and other MoneyWi$e topics, visit:

MoneyWi$e Newsletter

MoneyWi$e Website

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Host: Mindy McCulley, MS Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension

Guest: Heather Norman-Burgdolf, PhD, Assistant Extension Director for Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Kentucky  

Season 8 | Special Edition Episode 1

Mindy McCulley sits down with guest Dr. Heather Norman-Burgdolf, the new Assistant Extension Director for Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Kentucky, for a conversation about the future of Extension. Heather shares her Kentucky roots, long history with Extension and 4‑H, and the path that led her from Extension specialist to administrative leadership.

Topics include Heather’s top priorities—alignment, clear roles, strengthened communication, and intentional partnerships—plus how FCS can protect proven programs while exploring new ways to deliver research‑based education. They discuss supporting county agents, specialists, and staff, reaching communities with greatest need, and keeping community impact central to the mission.

Key takeaways:

Expect insights on work–life balance, motivations on tough days, and a relatable look at how personal experience shapes public service.

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Host: Courtney Luecking, PhD, MPH, RDN Extension Specialist for Maternal and Child Health, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition

Guest: Hayden Meza, APRN, Certified Nurse Midwife, UK Healthcare

Season 8 | Episode 46

Join guest host Dr. Courtney Luecking in a conversation with Hayden Meza, a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) at the University of Kentucky, as they explore the history and modern practice of midwifery. Topics include Kentucky’s midwifery roots with Mary Breckenridge and the Frontier Nursing Service, the role of CNMs within the healthcare system, differences between midwives and OB‑GYNs, and common myths about midwifery and birth settings.

Hayden shares patient‑centered examples of midwifery care, evidence on outcomes, guidance on choosing the right care model for individual risk and preferences, and tips for finding midwives locally.

For more information:

About Midwifery | American College of Nurse Midwives

Find a Midwife | Midwives of Kentucky

Core Competencies | American College of Nurse Midwives 

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Host: Alex Elswick, PhD Extension Specialist for Substance Use Prevention and Recovery

Guest: Alex Johansen, UK Harm Reduction Hub Intern

Season 8, Episode 45

Welcome to Talking FACS. In this episode guest-host Alex Elswick speaks with Alex Johansson, an intern with the UK Harm Reduction Hub, about harm reduction and a newer practice called syringe residue testing. They define harm reduction as both a philosophy grounded in respect and dignity and a set of practical strategies to reduce harms from substance use.

Topics include everyday examples of harm reduction, practical interventions like naloxone distribution and syringe service programs, drug checking methods (including single-use test strips and syringe residue testing), and how the Harm Reduction Hub analyzes syringe residue to monitor Kentucky’s drug supply.

Key findings discussed from recent Kentucky testing (February 2026) include widespread fentanyl and methamphetamine detection across five partnered counties (Fayette, Jefferson, Jessamine, Perry, and Rowan), notable county-level differences (e.g., high meth detection in Rowan County and higher fentanyl presence in Fayette/Jefferson), and the identification of additives such as metatomidine. The conversation highlights how timely, local data help target naloxone distribution, inform outreach and treatment providers, and guide public health responses.

Tune in to learn what syringe residue testing reveals about local risks, how harm reduction agencies communicate alerts, and why this information matters for people who use drugs, families, healthcare providers, and the broader community.

UK Harm Reduction Hub

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Host: Mindy McCulley, MS, Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky 

Guest: Laurie McClouth, PhD, Assistant Professor, Behavioral Science, Markey Cancer Center

Cancer Conversations Episode 74

On Cancer Conversations, Dr. Laurie McLouth, assistant professor of behavioral science at UK and researcher at the Markey Cancer Center, discusses cancer survivorship: who is considered a survivor, how survivorship is evolving, and what it means to live with and beyond cancer.

Topics include the NCI definition of survivorship, national statistics (more than 18 million survivors in the U.S.), advances that extend life with cancer, physical and psychosocial domains of survivorship (late effects, mental health, financial toxicity, work and social roles), the new national survivorship care standards, and Markey’s Cancer Survivorship Research Initiative focused on survivors and caregivers.

Expect practical insights on care coordination between oncology and primary care, the importance of planning long-term follow-up (including for childhood survivors), and growing attention to caregiver needs and community-based support—plus where to find resources from the Markey Cancer Center and UK Cooperative Extension.

Connect with the UK Markey Center

Online Markey Cancer Center

On Facebook @UKMarkey

On Twitter @UKMarkey

Host: Mindy McCulley, MS Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, University of Kentucky 

Guest: Monica Mundy, PhD Assistant Extension Professor for Family and Community Health

Season 8 | Episode 44

In this episode of Talking FACS, host Mindy McCulley visits with Dr. Monica Mundy, Assistant Extension Professor for Community and Family Health. They discuss the importance of knowing and sharing your family health history. They explore how family stories can reveal risks for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and mental health challenges and how that information can inform screenings and prevention.

The episode covers practical advice on when and how to start the conversation with relatives—family gatherings, life milestones, or before a doctor’s visit—plus sample lines to open the discussion, tips for taking notes (with permission), and recognizing lifestyle and environmental factors such as smoking that affect risk across generations.

Listeners will come away with simple, respectful strategies to gather health history, understand its role in prevention and screening, and use that knowledge to protect their families’ future health.

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Host:  Mindy McCulley, MS Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky

Guests: Kristen Jowers, MS Extension Specialist for One Op

Season 8 | Episode 43

Talking FACS host Mindy McCulley talks with Kristen Jowers from One Op about practical bill negotiation strategies that can reduce your monthly expenses without a second job or harsh cutbacks.

They cover what bill negotiation looks like, how companies use retention departments, and step‑by‑step scripts to use on calls. Kristen explains how to prepare (know your numbers, check competitor offers, note your tenure), which discounts to ask for (bundles, autopay/paperless, employer/military), and how often to review bills.

Key takeaways for successful negotiations:

For more information:

Consumer Finance Protection Bureau Online Bill Calendar 

OneOp Blog 

For more information about this topic and other MoneyWi$e topics, visit:

MoneyWi$e Newsletter

MoneyWi$e Website

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Talking FACS host Mindy McCulley talks with Kristen Jowers from One Op about practical bill negotiation strategies that can reduce your monthly expenses without a second job or harsh cutbacks.

They cover what bill negotiation looks like, how companies use retention departments, and step‑by‑step scripts to use on calls. Kristen explains how to prepare (know your numbers, check competitor offers, note your tenure), which discounts to ask for (bundles, autopay/paperless, employer/military), and how often to review bills.

Key takeaways for successful negotiations:

For more information:

CFPB Online Bill Calendar 

OneOp Blog 

For more information about this topic and other MoneyWi$e topics, visit:

MoneyWi$e Newsletter

MoneyWi$e Website

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel

Host: Heather Norman-Burgdolf, PhD, Associate Extension Professor for Nutrition and Health, University of Kentucky Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment

Guest: Liz Combs, EdD, RD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition

Season 8 | Episode 42

In this episode of Talking FACS, hosted by Dr. Heather Norman-Burgdolf, with guest Dr. Liz Combs of the University of Kentucky Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, they explore why nutrition matters for kids who play sports and how proper fueling supports growth, focus, mood, immunity, recovery, and performance.

Topics covered include what a balanced meal and snack look like (carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and colorful fruits/vegetables), timing strategies including pre- and post-practice fueling, hydration guidance and when sports drinks are appropriate, and quick, budget-friendly breakfast and snack ideas for busy families and picky eaters.

Key takeaways:

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

          Website

          Facebook

          Instagram

          FCS Learning Channel