The Facing Project

Genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events—all contributing factors to the more than 40 million adults in the U.S. who suffer from anxiety or depression. Yet, with nearly 12% of the overall population battling these illnesses, mental health is still stigmatized and misunderstood.

Join J.R. Jamison as he shares the story of a missionary who battled depression 4,000 miles from home, and another from a college student with a “broken brain” who says the best way to help is to listen. Later in the show, J.R. is joined by that former college student who is now a high school English teacher at a virtual public school in Washington state.

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Seth Jackson: https://flic.kr/p/TrtEhh.

Stories included in this episode –
• It’s Not the Common Cold: Bailie Sage’s story as told to Jon Toronto from Facing Depression in Cache Valley, Utah. Performed by Amy Leffingwell.
• It’s Not My Fault My Brain is Broken. Kiah Penfield’s story as told to Chris Bavender from Facing Depression in Muncie, Indiana. Performed by Melinda.

Music used in this episode –
• "spring_thaw" by The Green Kingdom. Released under an Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) license. From the Free Music Archive.
• "There Is Always A Reason" by Borrtex. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction.
[00:56] "It’s Not the Common Cold" - Bailie Sage’s story. 
[09:24] "It’s Not My Fault My Brain is Broken" - Kiah Penfield’s story. 
[16:10] Interview with Kiah Penfield.
[18:27] Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
[22:00] Relations between depression and identity.
[24:11] Depression and anxiety with young people and navigating it as a teacher.

Original air date: Mar. 26, 2022

Teachers and educators are facing challenges like never before, including battling misinformation, burned-out kids, parents, and of course—COVID.

Join J.R. Jamison as he explores these challenges and shares the story of a man who stays in teaching despite external pressures; another from a woman who uses empathy to teach multicultural education; and one from a teacher who decided to make her own kind of change—at the Statehouse.

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Phil Roeder: https://flic.kr/p/2kf6XeR.

Stories included in this episode – 

• This Is Why I Teach: An anonymous story as told to Suzanne Clem from Facing Teaching.
• Mrs. Miller, You Set Us Up!: Barbara Miller’s story as told to Clarissa Cheslyn from Facing Teaching.
• Votes for My Students: Melanie Wright’s story as told to Susan Volbrecht from Facing Teaching. 

Music used in this episode –
• "GREEN LEAVES" by Jason Shaw. Released under an Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[04:42] This Is Why I Teach. 
[11:59] Mrs. Miller, You Set Us Up!
[18:01] Votes for My Student. 
[23:15] Aloha Shirt Man Thanks the Students Who Made His School Psychology Career a Gift. 

Original air date: Feb. 26, 2022

J.R. Jamison is joined by journalist Ann Larson to discuss her new book, Cleanup on Aisle Five, a deep dive informed by her time behind the register that examines supermarkets and how they operate from the inside out with low-wage workers stocking shelves, to the customers who roam the aisles at night, to the communities these stores serve and the larger capitalist forces and corporate interests at play that control how we shop for food.

Chapters
[00:00] Introduction.
[01:26] Interview with Ann Larson.
[05:58] Surprising aspects of every day grocery store work.
[13:14] The grocery store as a reflection of class relations in America.
[23:27] The history and context of grocery stores and franchising.
[31:47] Grocery stores are only one part of a larger food supply and poverty system.
[40:29] The links between education and financial stability.
[46:52] Learning from the experience of working in a grocery store and living through people's stories.

Original air date: Aug. 29, 2026

J.R. Jamison is joined by former co-host Kelsey Timmerman to discuss his latest book, Regenerating Earth: Farmers Working with Nature to Feed Our Future, and later Kelsey sits down with Indiana farmer Chris Baggot to explore how he’s working to build a local food system while healing the land through regenerative farming practices. 

Music in this episode -
"I Leaned My Back Against an Oak (after The Water is Wide)" by Axletree
Licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License.
From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters -
[00:00] Introduction.
[01:15] Interview with Kelsey Timmerman.
[05:11] The various definitions of regenerative agriculture.
[14:14] The returning generation of agrarian people.
[22:51] Regenerative agriculture in urban environments.
[26:36] Expanding regenerative agricultural into conventional farming.
[36:04] Staying in a place and learning to care for it as a community.
[41:58] Interview with Chris Baggot.
[44:20] What farmland can be like before regenerative farming practices.
[47:42] The rising cost of farmland ownership.
[52:45] The upcoming transition of significant amounts of farmland to the next generation.
[57:58] The role of consumers in motivating the supply of regenerative farming.
[01:01:58] Differences in experiencing regenerative and conventional farming.

Original air date: Jun 28, 2025

Each year, more than half a million people are released from state and federal prisons, some of them after years of incarceration. But with an unemployment rate of over 27% for the formerly incarcerated, what does life on the outside look like for them?   

Join J.R. Jamison as he explores this question, and shares the story of a woman with a felony who is working on a new life with her kids, and another from a retired prison doctor who works on re-entry program reform.  

Later in the show, J.R. is joined by Dr. Jacquelyn B. Frank, Professor of Aging Studies and Human Services at Eastern Illinois University, whose research and community engagement work focuses on long-term incarceration and life after prison. 

The co-host this time around is 15-year-old Charlie Isaacs who is a fan of the show and hopes to someday go into radio.  

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Michael Scott at Felons Get Hired.

Stories included in this episode –
• You Can Only Go So Far with Optimism: An anonymous story as told to Rodrigo M. Jr. and Allison W. from Behind the Faces of Criminal Justice in Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin. Performed by Tiffany Erk.
• Ken’s Story: Ken Adler’s story as told to Rachel E. and Nicole B. from Behind the Faces of Criminal Justice in Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin. Performed by Larry Beck.

Music used in this episode –
• "The Collector" by Broke For Free. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0)license. From the Free Music Archive.
• "I Will Wait For You" by Scott Gratton. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[02:40] “You Can Only Go So Far with Optimism.” 
[07:22] Ken Adler's story. 
[11:36] Interview with Dr. Jacquelyn B. Frank, Professor of Aging Studies and Human Services. 
[14:01] What can be done to reduce the unemployment rate for the formerly incarcerated. 
[18:22] Success stories of ex-prisoners. 
[24:13] Interview with Charlie Isaacs, self-professed “radio nerd.” 

Original air date: Dec. 18, 2021

In August of 2021, over 200,000 Afghans fled their country in a matter of days, adding to the 2.5 million who left in the months prior to the Taliban takeover. But where did they go and what would be their fate? 

Join J.R. Jamison as he explores the past and present of Afghanistan, and shares the story of Dr. Mohammad Saber Bahrami—a man who fled the country after the Soviets invaded in 1979 and made Muncie, Indiana his new home.   

Later in the show, J.R. is joined by Dr. Bahrami’s wife, Bibi Bahrami, the founder and president of AWAKEN, a nonprofit organization that provides key educational programs, vocational opportunities, health care services, and timely emergency assistance to women and children in Afghanistan, and works with Afghan refugees to ensure that the systems, structures, and support are in place to help them thrive in their new home. 

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Afghanistan Matters. 

Story included in this episode –
• From Khwara Banda to Muncie: Dr. Mohammad Saber Bahrami’s story as told to Bibi Bahrami from A Midsummer Night’s Narrative: Stories of Home, performed by Bryn Marlow   

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[04:47] “From Khwara Banda to Muncie, Indiana” - Mohammad Saber Bahrami’s story. 
[14:15] Interview with Bibi Bahrami. 
[16:14] The impact of the Taliban on education & health efforts in Afghanistan. 
[22:53] Getting involved with helping refugees. 

Original air date: Nov. 27, 2021

Host J.R. Jamison sits down with GLAAD award-winning journalist Samantha Allen—author of Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States, and the novels Patricia Wants to Cuddle and the forthcoming Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet.

Photo Credit – Samantha Allen, photo provided.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[02:39] Getting into writing and publishing. 
[08:09] Experiences of finding LGBTQIA+ communities in unexpected places. 
[17:16] Queer world-building through real world encounters in the digital age. 
[27:25] The importance of physical spaces in an interconnected world. 
[36:11] Advice on being your authentic self. 
[42:48] Developing creative ideas in non-fiction LGBTQ storytelling. 
[46:44] Differences and similarities between fiction and non-fiction writing. 
[57:11] Creating a more empathetic world. 

Original air date: Jun. 29, 2024

Bathrooms. Pronouns. Sports. These are a few of the topics in which transgender people have become the center of a debate on who is allowed to exist and where.   

Join J.R. Jamison and Kelsey Timmerman as they explore Beyond the Binary and share the stories of a trans man’s journey with hormone therapy; a non-binary person who found acceptance at home; and a pastor who struggled with her faith and identity before finding peace. Later in the show, they are joined by Charlize Jamieson, a transgender “book” in the Human Library.   

Image – Non-Binary Pride Flag, inspired by Kye Rowan. 

Stories –
• Superman: Shea Hollis Beal’s story as told to Cory Ross from Facing Intolerance in Springfield, Ohio, performed by Patrick Oneal.
• They Will Always Be My Child: C.S. Hendershot’s story as told to Tania Said from Facing LGBTQ+ Pride in Muncie, Indiana, performed by C.S. Hendershot.
• Awake: Pastor Avery Sledge’s story as told to Kailey Mau from Facing Intolerance in Springfield, Ohio, performed by Charlize Jamieson. 

Music –
• "The Dweller on Coyote Hill" by Little Glass Men. Released under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.
• "You Are a Child" by State Shirt. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction.
[01:09] “Superman” - Shea Hollis Beal’s story.
[05:44] “They Will Always Be My Child” - C.S. Hendershot’s story.
[09:31] “Awake” - Pastor Avery Sledge's story.
[16:52] Interview with Charlize Jamieson, a transgender "book" in the Human Library.
[23:04] It's never too late to realize your authentic self.
[29:18] The experience of new documentation and new identity.

Original air date: Oct. 30, 2021

Racism has existed for millennia, but as laws and time have passed it can now show up in covert ways.

Join J.R. Jamison as he shares the stories of three women—one Black, one Muslim, and one Native American—and what their lives are like in a mid-sized Midwestern community, and he sits down with Yvonne Thompson, Director of the Human Rights Commission, to talk about what everyday people can do to combat discrimination.

Photo – By Pug50 via Flickr Creative Commons: https://flic.kr/p/914nNU.

Stories –
• The Question Mark: Dr. Maria Williams-Hawkins’s story as told to Lizz Alezetes from Facing Racism in Muncie, performed by Chandra Ford.
• The Need to Belong: The Life of a Muslim in America: Heather Gilvary Hamad’s story as told to Angela Jackson-Brown from Facing Racism in Muncie, performed by Amy Leffingwell.
• A Person Without a Story, A Person Without a Name: Christine Satory’s story as told to Michael Brockley from Facing Racism in Muncie, performed by Dr. Melinda Messineo.

Music –
• "Anti-Exposed Video" by Captive Portal. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.
• "Candy Moon Mandala" by Dave Keifer. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction.
[02:05] "The Question Mark," Dr. Maria Williams-Hawkins’s story.
[06:26] "The Need to Belong: The Life of a Muslim in America," Heather Gilvary Hamad’s story.
[12:07] "A Person Without a Story, A Person Without a Name," Christine Satory’s story.
[15:53] Interview with Yvonne Thompson, Director of the Muncie Human Rights Commission.
[19:10] JEDI and understanding the terminology through poetry.
[23:26] What everyday people can do to support community equity.

Original air date: Aug. 28, 2021

J.R. Jamison is joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author, psychotherapist, and public thinker Thomas Moore to discuss his new book, The Cure at Walden Pond, a beautiful and accessible insight into the human condition that helps readers slow down, be more present and mindful in their relationships with their loved ones, and appreciate the beautiful world we share. The Cure at Walden Pond embodies Henry David Thoreau’s essence, guiding readers through his precepts to find more harmony in our communities and to move and inspire anyone in search of a new way of being.

Chapters
[00:00] Introduction
[06:29] How our place affects our story.
[12:40] The roles of opposites in a divided society.
[19:25] Ritual as a part of community.
[27:05] Allowing life to show you the path.
[36:42] Public spaces for open lectures.
[45:33] Living deliberately in a technology-focused world.

Original air date: July 25, 2026