*Whew* How do we explain our conversation with Dr. Robb Kelly.

He's been on thousands of podcasts, so you have likely heard of him before, but just in case you haven't, here's the INCREDIBLE gist.

Dr Robb grew up on the stage. He had his first taste of alcohol at an extremely young age, which sent him down the path of alcoholism. This, eventually leading to the loss of his children, his wife, his home and ultimately, to homelessness.

Caught on his knees, begging for help; someone found him and helped. Two major men came to his aid to help him come out of homelessness and alcoholism, but the shocking piece of where one of these men came from will leave you speechless.

Now (and for many years) Dr. Robb has fully come out the other side of alcoholism and homelessness. And, returning the gift that those men gave him, he has made it his JOB to always make someone's day better. The work that he is doing through The Robb Kelly Recovery Group is absolutely outstanding and is making an impact with people from all walks of life who are working to overcome alcoholism. From A list celebrities, to an unhoused person on the street, Dr. Robb truly desires to help them all.

To learn more about Dr. Robb Kelly and The Robb Kelly Recovery Group, click below:

https://robbkelly.com/

Thank you Dr. Robb, we are truly honoured.

With Love,

Melissa and Sammi

Join us today as we chat with Phil Calvert, the Chief Development Officer at The Mustard Seed. 

If you think The Mustard Seed is just about housing and shelter, then you need to tune into this episode with Phil to learn just how far The Mustard Seed's fingers stretch. We had NO idea all the way in which they are impacting the community. 

Phil shares with us some of the internal goals and visions that The Mustard Seed has, the founding story of The Mustard Seed, as well as some personal (hilarious) stories about how he first got involved with helping those in need.

 If you're looking for more information on The Mustard Seed, please visit their website and of course, if you have the means to donate, please do.

https://theseed.ca/

Thank you Phil and The Mustard Seed for joining us.

With Love,

Sammi and Melissa

Have you met Alyssa David yet?

If you haven't, stop right now and go check out her instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/healing_through_habits?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Aly has changed her OWN life. She has been through a heck of a story and if you want to catch more of what she's been through, head back to the end of season 2 and catch her 5 mini episodes.

Today though, today we are diving deeper into the piece of Aly's story where she spent time being homeless. Living on the streets of Calgary as a young adult.

What was it like living on the streets? What kinds of experiences did she have? Were there any acts of kindness that stood out to her?

And, most importantly, what can we all do to help those experiencing homelessness or living unhoused?!

Aly shares some beautiful insights with us and how, now, she's living her dream shortly after this episode was recorded; took herself to Mexico to fulfill one of her biggest goals.

Thanks so much Aly! We truly treasure this episode.

With love,

Melissa and Sammi

Our first episode for The Unhoused Awareness Month, of course, begins with the conversation that truly started it all. 

When we first spoke with Peter back in May and he shared with us so much about the EDAR program, we knew we needed to rally behind this cause and raise further awareness. 

There is a massive mindset gap that we all seem to have around understanding the Unhoused Community. Most of us shy away from it. Generally, we allow our fears and judgements to cloud our decision making and curiosity.

Not Peter though. Peter took that fear and ran with it. Instead of running away from a person that made him uncomfortable, he decided to get up close and personal. Not only has he had multiple conversations with a vast number of those that are a part of the Unhoused community, but he has had lunch with them in their own spaces, and slept overnight in an EDAR in downtown L.A.

Peter is truly using all he has to understand the community better and make life just a little bit more comfortable for them.

We encourage you to listen to all of the stories Peter shares with us today and take the time to learn more about the EDAR program and how you can help by visiting:

https://www.edar.org/

Thank you again Peter!

Until next time.

With love, 

Melissa and Sammi

Unhoused - homelessness - shelter - program - help - donate - film producer

If you've been following along, you know that we are closing out Domestic Abuse Awareness month for October and November opens a new mini series for the Unhoused Awareness Month.

In todays episode we chat about a few of the moments that stuck out for us around Domestic Abuse and fill you in on whats to come for the Unhoused Awareness Month.

We're so grateful for each and every one of our guests from Domestic Abuse and from The Unhoused Awareness Group.

Please tell us in the comments, what you've learned from each episode!

With love,

Sammi and Melissa

Have you heard of Gems for Gems?

Gems is an organization that is committed to ending the cycle of domestic abuse by focusing on the economic recovery and empowerment of survivors.

To learn more about Gems please visit their website:

⁠https://www.gemsforgems.com/⁠

In todays episode with Jordan Guildford, the founder of Gems for Gems, Melissa dives into how this organization started, the staggering statistics behind domestic abuse, what types of programs the organization has AND, how close this cause is to Jordan's heart.

This episode is full of shocking details about the survivors of domestic abuse, and those that have been lost to it.

Thank you Jordan for taking the time to share more about Gems for us to spread the word.

With love,

Melissa and Sammi

***the information in this episode is not meant to replace professional advice.***

Have you heard of Gems for Gems?

Gems is an organization that is committed to ending the cycle of domestic abuse by focusing on the economic recovery and empowerment of survivors.

To learn more about Gems please visit their website:

https://www.gemsforgems.com/

In todays episode with Jordan Guildford, the founder of Gems for Gems, Melissa dives into how this organization started, the staggering statistics behind domestic abuse, what types of programs the organization has AND, how close this cause is to Jordan's heart.

This episode is full of shocking details about the survivors of domestic abuse, and those that have been lost to it.

Thank you Jordan for taking the time to share more about Gems for us to spread the word.

With love,

Melissa and Sammi

***the information in this episode is not meant to replace professional advice.***

Mona is an inspiration.

Her desire to break free and overcome the struggles she has gone through is powerful.

We don't think we have better words than Mona's about WHY she wants to share on this podcast.

Please read Mona's why:

"I want to share my story because I know what it feels like to be in a relationship that slowly chips away at your sense of self.

I've experienced mental and emotional abuse, and I was dangerously close to enduring physical abuse too. It's a tough, painful place to be, especially when you don't recognize the red flags until you're deep into it.

My goal in speaking up is to spread awareness...

Especially for those who are new to relationships, unsure of what love should look and feel like, or even those thinking about giving love another chance after heartbreak. I want to be a voice for people who might be feeling stuck,
confused, or ashamed.

I am not a professional at this, and I am speaking from experience through my first real relationship.
By sharing my experience, I hope to empower others to recognize the early warning signs of unhealthy dynamics, understand their worth, and prioritize their emotional safety.

Abuse doesn't always start with bruises, it often starts with subtle patterns that can be easy to overlook. If my story can help even one person spot those signs early, then it will be worth it.

No one deserves to feel trapped, small, or unworthy in a relationship. I am still working through my healing journey but, my hope is to inspire strength, self-awareness, and hope for a healthier, more fulfilling future;

For anyone who needs it."

Well said Mona.

With love,

Melissa and Sammi

Rebekah's story is chilling.

And the thing is, we didn't even go into in depth details about some of the worst case scenarios.

6 months into the relationship, Rebekah KNEW she needed to get out. She knew she wasn't safe and it still took 3 years for her to finally be able to leave.

Why? Because of the mental and physical trap she found herself stuck in.

Living in a home with her abuser, isolated from everyone, on an acreage outside of town, he physically had her vehicle stuck there and the first few times she tried to leave, he stopped her.

Rebekah's drive now is to help educate and empower other women who could be stuck in these dangerous situations, to figure out how to get help.

Tune in as Rebekah shares with us how she finally managed to escape and what she did to heal, grow and ultimately find a loving spouse.

With Love,

 Melissa and Sammi

**These episodes are not intended to replace professional advice. If you are in an unsafe situation, please contact local authorities and/or a local shelter to help find a safe way out.**

Join Us as we dive back into the remainder of Rachel's story.

If you missed part 1, please circle back to hear the critical details of how Rachel was sexually assaulted as a child and how she has persevered through and just, what her next steps are now.

**Please note. These episodes are not meant as personal advice or information. If you are in a dangerous situation, please contact a safe house or local authorities.**

With love,

Sammi and Melissa