This is My Silver Lining

EPISODE 5 REPLAY:  As we mark the 21st anniversary of the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, we want to take this opportunity to honor the memory of one of its victims, FDNY Battalion Chief, Fred Scheffold.  If you haven't had a chance, or even if you already have, please listen to this episode where his daughter, Claudette, shares her experience of that day, her memories of her father, and how she keeps his legacy alive through her writing.      

We will never forget.

It’s hard to imagine finding a silver lining after suffering the loss of a loved one.  Claudette Scheffold tells us that it wasn’t something she was able to see until many years later, as she remembers the huge outpouring of love that she and her family received after they lost her father, Fred Scheffold, FDNY Battalion Chief, on September 11, 2001.  She remembers the kindness of loved ones and of complete strangers–many of whom are now close friends–who would have done anything to help her and her family during this tragic time in her life.  

We talk about what makes a hero and about the importance of having an outlet.  Claudette’s commitment to writing and to running are both critical to her mental health. Claudette shares stories about her memories of her father; about why he was a great parent, and how he lived life to its fullest.   We are thrilled to share this conversation and honored that this podcast is yet another way that the memory of FDNY Battalion Chief Fred Scheffold will endure.  

Episode Links and Resources:
Claudette’s Medium Page:  https://claudettes.medium.com/
Robin Hood Foundation:  https://www.robinhood.org/
Can Running Improve Your Mental Health?  https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a39925963/benefits-of-running-mental-health/

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lynne Sullivan knows the transformative power of education.  After being convicted of second degree murder, she spent the first few years of a life sentence in and out of solitary confinement.  

A new life path opened for Lynne when she was encouraged by another inmate to go back to school.  This path eventually led her to earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Boston University.  A few years later–after she was released early on parole– she earned a master's degree from Boston University in criminal justice.  

Lynne is now focused on giving back.  She is currently the Regional Manager for Massachusetts and Rhode Island at the Petey Greene Program, where she oversees academic support in several correctional facilities, community correctional centers, youth centers, and reentry programs.   

Lynne tells us about the power of someone believing in her and caring about her success–something many of us take for granted. 

Victor Hugo wrote, “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”  Lynne Sullivan is living proof.  

Episode Links and Resources:
Lynne Sullivan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynne-sullivan-ladc-ii-a4b076b5/
Petey Greene Program:  https://www.peteygreene.org
Partakers Program:  https://www.partakers.org/
Boston University Prison Education Program:  https://sites.bu.edu/pep/
Forget Them Not:  https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Them-Not-Holistic-Ministry/dp/1608993205

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

It’s no overstatement to say that middle school bullying changed Rabbi Leora Kaye's life. 

When she was halfway through 5th grade, her parents decided to move.  Her new home, in the Chicago suburb of Willamette, was only a short drive from her old home in Evanston, but the move meant changing schools at a really tough time in the school cycle.  A social kid with a thriving circle of friends from her synagogue’s youth group and Jewish summer camp, Leora had never experienced the kind of ridicule and shaming that soon rained down upon her.  The bullies were relentless.

Leora’s decision to pursue rabbinical studies was 100% motivated by a desire to create safe spaces for others to come together and find community.

Leora found refuge in the Jewish spaces where she was made to feel confident and grounded.  She says that her youth group and Jewish summer camp gave her a foundation beneath her feet. Today, Leora is the Director of Partnerships and Collaboration at Union for Reform Judaism in Brooklyn, NY. Her daughter once asked her what she does at work each day.  After explaining a bit more about how she spends her days bringing people together, Leora’s daughter responded, “Oh, so you’re a friendship manager!”  

Episode Links and Resources:
Rabbi Leora Kaye:  https://urj.org/author/rabbi-leora-kaye
Queen Bees and Wannabes, Rosalind Wiseman
Masterminds and Wingmen, Roasalind Wiseman

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
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© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Casey Erin Clark sang at the Tony Awards a few months ago:  a dream come true for a Midwestern girl who grew up singing in church and starring in school musicals.  But it may not have happened if she had landed the Broadway role that she thought was her ticket to the big-time.  After earning a degree in fine arts, Casey came to New York City to try to make it on Broadway.  After making her off-Broadway debut, she soon found success when she landed a role in the cast of the 25th anniversary national tour of Les Miserables.  A few months after the tour ended, Casey was in final callbacks for the show’s highly anticipated Broadway revival.  It was the role she was made for; she could feel it.  But she didn’t get the part. And that’s when Casey began to realize that she might just have another calling.   

Episode Links and Resources:
Vital Voice Training Website:  https://vitalvoicetraining.com/
Voice (Is) Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voice-is/id1484301232
Casey Erin Clark’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyerinclark/
Broadway Inspirational Voices:  https://broadwayinspirationalvoices.org/

Additional Reading:
Body of Work:  Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together, Pamela Slim
Burnout:  The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily Nagoski, Amelia Nagoski 
Half the Sky:  Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas Kristoff, Sheryl WuDunn  

 Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but some pictures move from the eyes, straight to the heart, without any need for words.  Erin Borzellino is a photographer who captures such images, waiting patiently to catch unpolished moments of raw joy that might otherwise pass unnoticed. Erin is a storyteller, whose photo projects, Unstoppable , Below the Water Line, and Women Who Rock each evoke and celebrate the best of the human spirit.  

After college, Erin’s passion for photography took a backseat to a more “practical” career in financial services.  She moved to London, where she met her husband.  Shortly after having their first child, Giorgio, in the UK, Giorgio was diagnosed with a rare genetic mutation of the NF1 gene, which is responsible for suppressing tumor growth. Erin and her husband had to quickly adapt to the daily uncertainty of Giorgio’s condition and learned how to care for him moment to moment.  Along the way, they also learned to enjoy each day, to focus on the present, not worry too much about the future, and to be grateful for all that they have.  Erin says that in many ways, having a child with special needs changed her life positively in unexpected ways.  

A high achiever destined to be a "Type A" mom, once she started raising her three kids, Erin was surprised to find that she was actually much more of a "Type Z" mom.  Having a child with special needs changed her perspective on a lot of things: career, success, and what really matters.  She’s less inclined to hound any of her children about piano practice and soccer lessons, instead maintaining her focus on their happiness and teaching them to be kind to others. 

Episode Resources:
Erin Borzellino Photography:  https://erinborzellino.com/
Erin’s Instagram: @erinborzellino
The Giorgio Foundation:  https://endnf1.org/

Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Have you ever had that sense of deja vu?  Like you’ve been somewhere before?  Or maybe you meet someone for the first time but you have an instant connection and feel like you must have known them before?  These feelings and experiences may be clues to one of your past lives.  In this episode, we speak with Ann C. Barham, a Certified Regression Therapist and retired Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. For over 25 years, she has worked with clients of all faiths and backgrounds to explore issues that they are having in their current lives by mining their subconscious memories for key past life experiences.  Her book on this topic, The Past Life Perspective, highlights actual case studies from real clients.   

Ann’s work is based on the premise that each of our souls is reincarnated across time in order to go through a series of life experiences on the planet.  Each of us carry memories of past lives from one life to the next. At a conscious level, we may be unaware of our past lives.  However, subconsciously, these memories often have a profound impact on the way we show up and experience life in the present. 

Episode Links and Resources:
Past Life Perspective
The Past Life Perspective: Discovering Your True Nature Across Multiple Lifetimes 
Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives, Brian Weiss, M.D.

Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Vivian Kahn Adler on Suffering Loss, Helping Children with Special Needs, and Choosing to Be Grateful Every Day 

Vivian Kahn Adler is a speech pathologist who specializes in pediatric feeding disorders.  After losing her daughter in 1989 to a rare genetic disorder, Vivian was encouraged by well-meaning friends to shift away from working with children with special needs.  Instead, Vivian leaned in, realizing that helping these children was her “raison d’etre.”  Vivian talks about showing up for others who are going through loss and how she lives a life of gratitude.  

Episode Links and Resources:
Feeding Matters:  https://www.feedingmatters.org/
Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc.:  https://familialdysautonomia.org/
Vivian Kahn Adler Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-kahn-adler-ma-ccc-slp-c-ndt-03002089/?trk=public_profile_similar-profiles_profile-result-card_result-card_full-click

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

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© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Agonizing over your resume?  Put it down and pick up a pen and paper.  The key to career satisfaction might lie, instead, in figuring out your own personal definition of success.  Rather than focusing on title or salary, focus on who you want to help and how, where you want to be, and think about the goals you have for your non-working hours.  Then build your career around that.  We talk about this, and much more, in this episode of This is My Silver Lining, where we speak with Jennifer Sabatini Fraone, Director of Corporate Partnerships at Boston College Center for Work and Family (CWF), about how employers and employees are adapting to make work work for them.  

Episode Links and Resources: 
Jennifer Sabatini Fraone LinkedIn Profile
BC Center for Work and Family
BCCWF Mental Health Executive Briefing Series
BCCWF Research Materials  

Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Nick Priest is not your average 18 year old.  Throughout his life he has focused on how he can give back in a meaningful way that honors the memory of his father, who he lost to oral cancer when he was just six years old.  Nick tells us that playing video games with his father were some of his favorite memories.  Even as his dad’s health deteriorated rapidly, father and son were able to bond through the gaming console.  From a young age, Nick was determined to help other kids who were going through this same struggle with cancer.  He quickly realized in  his first chemistry course that a career in oncology was probably not in the cards, but Nick was inspired by young cancer patients who were under treatment and isolated in the hospital, unable to play with other kids.  Gaming offered the perfect opportunity to connect with these patients, and could create a way for them to connect with one another.  

Nick is an inspiring young man who is committed to making a difficult situation better for so many kids who desperately need it.  And he’s quick to remind us that it isn't even about the video games.  It's all about connecting with other people during their time of need and creating community.  Who can argue with that?

Episode Links and Resources:
Nick’s Power of Play:  https://www.nickspowerofplay.com/

Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

It’s hard to imagine finding a silver lining after suffering the loss of a loved one.  Claudette Scheffold tells us that it wasn’t something she was able to see until many years later, as she remembers the huge outpouring of love that she and her family received after they lost her father, Fred Scheffold, FDNY Battalion Chief, on September 11, 2001.  She remembers the kindness of loved ones and of complete strangers–many of whom are now close friends–who would have done anything to help her and her family during this tragic time in her life.  

We talk about what makes a hero and about the importance of having an outlet.  Claudette’s commitment to writing and to running are both critical to her mental health. Claudette shares stories about her memories of her father; about why he was a great parent, and how he lived life to its fullest.   We are thrilled to share this conversation and honored that this podcast is yet another way that the memory of FDNY Battalion Chief Fred Scheffold will endure.  

Episode Links and Resources:
Claudette’s Medium Page:  https://claudettes.medium.com/
Robin Hood Foundation:  https://www.robinhood.org/
Can Running Improve Your Mental Health?  https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/mental-health/a39925963/benefits-of-running-mental-health/

Support the podcast by subscribing and reviewing!
Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.
Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.
© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.