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Why You Should Listen to This Episode

What does it take to face the person who shattered your world? Carys Cragg was 11 years old when her father was murdered. Decades later, she chose to correspond with - and ultimately meet - the man responsible. Her story is not about forgiveness on demand. It is about what happens when you decide to walk toward your greatest fear, and what you find on the other side.

In this episode:

Carys Cragg joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the extraordinary journey behind her book Dead Reckoning: How I Came to Meet the Man Who Murdered My Father - a Globe & Mail Best 100 Book of 2017, finalist for the Hubert Evans BC Book Prize, and finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award.

Carys opens up about complex trauma, grief, and the unexpected gifts that can emerge when we are willing to confront what we fear most. Beyond her personal story, Carys brings a professional lens to healing: she is faculty and coordinator in the Child & Youth Care degree program at Douglas College and is completing her Doctor of Education in educational leadership. This episode is dedicated to her father.

The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: https://thepulsecommunity.ca/

Cindy Thompson's website: https://cindythompsoncounselling.ca

Learn more about Carys Cragg: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/caryscragg

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode:

Sean Thomas was 17 years old when he began producing Debbie Gibson's comeback album - the same year he was learning to drive a car. He then took his talents to Las Vegas as her music director, toured with New Kids on the Block and New Edition, and is now releasing his own music entirely on his own terms. Sarah Ronald turned a heritage village courtyard into a concert venue, dreamed up Parksville's longest hopscotch course, and is building a storytelling festival from scratch - because she believes a museum, like a library, has to keep evolving to stay alive. 

This Episode Features:

(28:06) Sean Thomas is a 24-year-old Vancouver-born singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and voice actor who started playing piano at five, founded a charity that raised over $100,000 for BC Children's Hospital at age 11, and co-produced Debbie Gibson's first album in two decades while finishing his Berklee College of Music degree. He has since worked as a music director, writer, mixer, and producer for Joey McIntyre, New Kids on the Block, and New Edition. His debut single "Better" - written, recorded, produced, and mixed entirely himself - features over 100 stacked vocal layers built in his home studio. Sean is now preparing an independent EP and exploring live performance opportunities later this year. https://www.seanthomas.ca/

(06:08) Sarah Ronald is the manager and curator of the Parksville Museum at Craig Heritage Park, overseeing eight heritage buildings, a rich regional archive, and a rapidly expanding calendar of community events. After 18 years as a theatre coordinator for the City of Port Moody, Sarah arrived in Parksville in spring 2024 and has since launched an artisan market, a concert series every Thursday in July, a juried art exhibit exploring repetition, and a multi-week storytelling festival for June featuring theatre, literary artists, spoken word, and workshops. She also drew Parksville's longest hopscotch course - all 300-plus hops of it. https://www.parksvillemuseum.com/

Episode Quotes:

"When I'm in a writing session or doing a production for something, I'll often just take a backseat or keep asking questions until they bring it out themselves - because when it comes from them and it's an idea they thought of, it's more inspired." - Sean Thomas

"A lot of the items in here in some regard were precious to somebody, and you can tell. You can see these stories." - Sarah Ronald

LISTEN: We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond - explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page.

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Recorded on location at the AVICC (Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities) Conference, this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks brings a familiar face to the mic. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome Parksville City Councillor Amit Gaur — their colleague at the council table since the 2022 election — for a candid conversation about what local government actually looks like from the inside.

Amit came to politics without a political background, nudged into running by fellow Councillor Adam Frass after years of attending meetings and raising community concerns that were largely met with silence. Three and a half years later, he reflects on the learning curve, the limits of local authority, and what it means to serve a community of 15,000 people with delegated powers and a tight budget.

The trio cover the gap between public perception and council reality — the misinformation that fills the space when communication falls short, the power of advocacy as a primary tool of local government, and why being nonpartisan is a genuine strategic advantage. They also highlight wins from the term: the short-term rental exemption for Parksville’s Resort Row, the Volunteer First Responder Tax Credit, Amit’s environmental advocacy at AVICC and UBCM, and the Mobi mat beach accessibility project.

Listen for:

Why Amit decided to run — and the one councillor who encouraged him

What local government can and can’t do, and why advocacy is the most powerful tool on the table

How miscommunication breeds misinformation — and what councillors can do about it

The short-term rental exemption win and why staying nonpartisan made the difference

What to look for in a candidate when no one knows what the next term will bring

Two priorities still in motion: the OCP revision and the drinking water sustainability study

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Visit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode

If you've ever felt undone by circumstances that seemed, on the surface, ordinary - this episode is for you. Lynnsay Scollon speaks with remarkable honesty about how a series of seemingly small events converged into a perfect storm during her first year at the University of Victoria. Her willingness to name what many students quietly endure makes this episode both necessary and deeply human.

In this episode:

Lynnsay Scollon joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project for a vulnerable and authentic conversation about her experience as a first-year university student - and what she discovered about herself when the weight of it all became too much to carry.

Navigating the pressures of a new environment, Lynnsay found herself facing the quiet, insidious nature of mental illness - and the way it can erode confidence from the inside out. She speaks candidly about how those experiences, though painful, became the very ground from which her resilience grew. Her story is a reminder that the hardest moments are often where we learn the most about who we are.

Lynnsay brings a perspective shaped by lived experience and a genuine desire to reach others who may be facing similar walls. She reminds us that we are not alone on this journey - and that there is beauty, even in vulnerability.

The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca

Cindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca

You'll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca

Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy

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#LynnsayScollon #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #mentalhealth #studentlife #vancouverislandnews

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Jeff Vircoe walked into a meeting on February 22nd, 1986, and hasn’t had a drink since. Today he’s president of Forward House - the Parksville-based nonprofit marking 25 years of steady, quiet service to people navigating mental health and addiction recovery. Bonnie Bartlett, Forward House’s public relations director, brings her own lived story to the work. And then there’s Tom Sewid: who identifies the Sayward region, the west coast near Nitinat Lake, and the Tofino area as the most active Sasquatch zones on Vancouver Island, and notes a pattern of increasing activity at the urban edge - including along the Englishman River corridor near Parksville.

This Episode Features:

(07:48) Jeff Vircoe and Bonnie Bartlett join the podcast from Forward House, the Parksville-based nonprofit celebrating 25 years of service to adults living with mental health and addiction recovery challenges. Jeff - a Canadian Forces veteran, former journalist, and man in long-term recovery since 1988. He now serves as president of Forward House while working as a counsellor at Edgewood Treatment Centre. Bonnie brings her own family story to her role as marketing and public relations director, speaking candidly about what it means to grow up in a home shaped by alcoholism, and why reducing stigma starts with talking about it openly. They preview the May 23rd Public Education Forum at Knox United Church, featuring Dr. Ian King, one of BC’s top addiction medicine psychiatrists, alongside a panel of local health and community voices. forwardhouse.ca

(31:11) Tom Sewid grew up in Alert Bay and attended high school in Qualicum Beach. Decades as a hunting guide and commercial fisherman along the BC coast gave him something few Sasquatch investigators can claim - a lifetime of direct, close-range encounters. Now based in Washington State, Tom leads guided expeditions is among the most sought-after speakers on the Sasquatch conference circuit. He traces his encounters from a childhood sighting near Campbell River with his father, to a night on Village Island aboard his commercial seine boat when two Sasquatches spent more than an hour visible by spotlight, to a 16-minute, 40-second FLIR video captured on Quadra Island in February - footage that remains among the most compelling thermal recordings on record. Tom studied alongside the late Dr. John Bindernagel for more than 25 years. He notes a pattern of increasing activity including along the Englishman River corridor near Parksville. Tom will be speaking at Squatch Watch Vancouver Island.

Episode Quotes:

“I’ve been within five, six feet of a Sasquatch twice. I’ve had them around me well over 30 times through my life, living and working out in the coastal bush of British Columbia.” - Tom Sewid

“If you’re feeling isolated, if you’re feeling scared, pick up the phone and give us a call or pop by our house. We’ve got a wonderful team here that are willing to talk with you. We just want you to know that you’re not alone, and there is hope.” - Bonnie Bartlett

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode:

If you've ever wondered what it looks like to say yes to a calling — even when it means leaving everything familiar behind - this episode is for you. Karen Huebert-Sanchez and Ricky Sanchez bring an energy and warmth to this conversation that is utterly contagious. Their story is one of extraordinary commitment, hard-won resilience, and the kind of purpose that doesn't waver even in the face of significant adversity.

In this episode:

Karen Huebert-Sanchez and Ricky Sanchez join Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about finding meaning and purpose while serving the community of Thailand - and the valuable lessons about resilience they have learned while creating loving homes for children living with HIV/AIDS.

Karen knew from the time she was eight years old that she would one day start an orphanage. Over the past 20 years, she and Ricky have been on a mission to build safe, loving homes for children in Thailand who are orphaned at a young age and living with HIV/AIDS. Their work has expanded to include long-term partnerships with college athletes who play sports and teach clinics in impoverished communities across Thailand and Southeast Asia - a programme that is changing lives on both sides.

In this conversation, Karen and Ricky open up about what they have learned about themselves while leaning into a deeply meaningful mission, how they celebrate the wins and navigate the inevitable adversities of doing their life's work far from home, and why the resilience they witness in the children they serve continues to inspire them every single day.

This is a conversation about courage, compassion, and what happens when a spark — lit in childhood - becomes a beacon for an entire community.

The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca

Cindy Thompson's website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca

You'll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca.

Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy

Check out Skookum Kid's Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and YouTube Podcasts.

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#RickSanchez #KarenSanchez #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson #Thailand #orphanage #HIV #Aids #sportsmissions

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Ajay Friese grew up on Vancouver Island, spent five years auditioning before landing Lost in Space, sang Bob Marley on screen, moved Laura Linney to tears with his debut single, and just released his first album - all before turning 30. Debora Gurrad gave up the classroom but never stopped teaching: as a certified Master Gardener she travels Campbell River to Nanaimo helping people understand what their soil is actually trying to tell them. Two guests, two origin stories rooted in Vancouver Island.

This Episode Features:

(33:39) Ajay Friese, actor and singer-songwriter, grew up on Vancouver Island and is best known as a series regular across all three seasons of the Netflix reboot Lost in Space. He has recently joined Kevin Kline and Laura Linney in the MGM+ family comedy American Classic. He has released his debut album Postcards - recorded under the name Blue Jay Friese - a deeply personal collection influenced by John Denver, four of whose songs were captured as live one-takes in studio. Ajay talks about the five years of ferry rides and Vancouver auditions before his career broke open, playing comedy opposite Kevin Kline, and what Laura Linney said when she heard his first single in the green room. He also walks through his multicultural upbringing and how that global perspective finds its way into his writing. Contains the song “The Road”. https://www.instagram.com/bluejay_friese/

 (08:22) Debora Gurrad is a certified Master Gardener with the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association, a retired teacher who has been passionate about growing things since a university botany class lit the spark. She presents workshops on soil preparation, pruning, and food gardening from Campbell River to Nanaimo. Debora explains what the Master Gardener movement actually is, why soil preparation is always step one regardless of what you are planting, and which cool-weather crops you can put in the ground right now. She also offers a practical guide to managing the overwhelm of May - the busiest month in any garden. https://www.vimga.org/

 Episode Quotes:

 "It took me completely by surprise, and it was like the most exciting thing I could possibly hear and the biggest compliment." — Ajay Friese (on being asked to sing on Lost in Space)

 "Everything, no matter what kind of garden you have — do your soil prep first." — Debora Gurrad

 We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page. 

Voice message The PULSE and be part of the podcast! 

You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca 

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Episode Sponsors: Ian Lindsay & Associates and Fireside Books

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In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome back BC political reporter Rob Shaw - host of Political Capital and co-author of the bestselling A Matter of Confidence - for the “Criterion Edition” of his rant on first reading at the BC Legislature. They unpack what first reading actually does, why the NDP government’s growing habit of blocking opposition bills chips away at the institution, and how the same procedural dynamics show up around the municipal council table.

From DRIPA to slates to the quiet collapse of caucus power, the conversation is part civics lesson, part warning shot, and very much in the Nonpartisan Hacks spirit of “the process matters as much as the outcome.”

Listen for: 

What first reading actually is — and why blocking it is more serious than it sounds

Why the precedents this government sets will eventually be used against them

The municipal parallel: why “second for discussion” is a small but vital democratic norm

How outrage clips and Facebook groups are turning every procedural vote into a wedge

Why slates are the corrosive factor creeping into otherwise healthy local democracies

Rob’s reliable forecast: every premier eventually falls — usually to someone you’ve never heard of

Text us about this episode: Send us a text

Visit the NonPartisan Hacks website: https://nonpartisanhacks.com/

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode

What happens when you’ve achieved everything you set out to do - and it still isn’t enough? Rob de Toni, a litigation lawyer, and Heather Emmerzael, a Registered Nurse, both built successful careers and found themselves in full burnout. Their story is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t about pushing through - sometimes it’s about having the courage to start over.

 In this episode:

Rob de Toni and Heather Emmerzael join Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to talk about what it truly means to reinvent yourself at any stage of life. As friends and colleagues who both navigated careers that left them depleted, Rob and Heather unpack what was missing, what they discovered about themselves, and what finally motivated them to make a radical shift toward who they were really meant to be.

Their conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply relatable. Whether you’re questioning your own path or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that recognizing burnout is not failure - it’s the beginning of something truer.

 The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca

 Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca

 Learn more about Rob de Toni & Heather Emmerzael: cynosurecoaching.com

 You’ll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca.

 Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy

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 #RobdeToni #HeatherEmmerzael #ResilienceProject #VancouverIsland #ParksvilleQualicum #ThePulseCommunityPodcast #CindyThompson 

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Why You Should Listen to This Episode: Chris Buck has written 500+ songs in Nashville, earned a gold record, and just cracked the top 40 as an independent artist - all while staying unmistakably Canadian. Jim Moroz and the Seaside Cruisers have built a Father's Day tradition that draws 20,000 visitors, 500 classic cars, and gives back to local charities every year. 

This Episode Features:

(19:31) Chris Buck, BC-CCMA Award-winning country artist, spent seven years writing in Nashville - two songs a day, five days a week - and came back to Canada as an independent artist with a nineties-inspired album. He talks about his sobriety journey, collaborating with Gord Bamford and bringing Boots and Boats - a waterfront Singer-Songwriter Festival with 21 artists over three days - to Nanoose Bay for the very first time. This interview contains the song: One Step, Two Step. www.chrisbuckband.com

(06:29) Jim Moroz, President of the Seaside Cruisers Car Club, the volunteer force behind one of Vancouver Island's most beloved annual traditions. The 33rd Father's Day Show and Shine rolls into downtown Qualicum Beach with up to 500 classic vehicles, a poker run, a Saturday night street dance, and a three-day weekend that draws between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors. Last year the club donated $30,900 to local charities. www.seasidecruizers.com

 Episode Quotes:

 "At the end of the day, if you can pay your bills and do what you love, you've won." — Chris Buck

 "For me, it's just seeing the joy in people's faces when they look at these cars. That makes you feel good." — Jim Moroz

 We've had the pleasure of sitting down with musicians from across Vancouver Island and beyond — explore more stories and interviews on our Vancouver Island Musicians page. 

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You'll find all episodes of The PULSE Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart, TikTok, YouTube, and ThePulseCommunity.ca

Episode Sponsors: Tablet Pharmacy, Fireside Books, Ian Lindsay & Associates & SOSD69 — Fore Our Families

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One, Two Step — Chris Buck SOCAN 5068600

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