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Have you ever wanted to sell your house and buy a farm? After listening to Zach Gobeil describe his adventurous lifestyle, you might be tempted to. Zach, a science teacher turned farmer, stay-at-home dad, and Instagram influencer, took the risk of moving with his wife and newborn son onto a farm in New Hampshire during the pandemic.

In this episode, Zach explains the value of taking risks and the importance of making time to appreciate passions.

- What inspired him to start a farm (1:00)
- What is Aquaponics (6:32)
- How to make New Hampshire maple syrup (8:55)
- A day in the life on the farm (16:40)
- Life as a stay-at-home dad (22:03)
- Instagram quotes from New England Dad (26:18)
- Maintaining personal passions with kids and the farm (30:47)

Although it can be scary to try something new, Zach’s advice is simple: take chances and you will figure things out. He is chasing his dream so that his kids will be inspired to chase theirs.


Want to know more about Zach?

• Find him on Instagram: smokyvalleyfarms
• And another Instagram account: new_england_dad
• Tweet him:  @New_England_Dad

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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As a teacher, Matt King has always been an advocate for children of all backgrounds. But when he fostered an 11-year-old boy who had endured trauma, his perspective changed. In this episode, Matt describes the common mistakes that schools make in dealing with victims of abuse, and questions some models of discipline. For example, if somebody is acting out, it can be best to bring them in rather than kick them out. Matt explains that much of what is defined as “bad behavior” among adolescents is a result of trauma, and that people’s first experience with violence is almost always as the victim. 

Matt creates his classroom to be an example of one that he would like to see in schools across the United States, full of empathy and acceptance. 

Now as a parent--having adopted that same 11-year-old boy--Matt shares what can be done to enhance inclusivity and better understand children who have endured trauma.

• What sparked Matt's interest in being an advocate for children of abuse (1:15)
• What is trauma? (6:00)
• How Matt advocates for children (14:00)
• What services are currently available for youth with trauma (17:35)
• Societal issues around trauma and neglect (23:30)
• The dynamics of an abusive relationship (30:50)
• Why Matt became a foster and then an adoptive parent (33:11)
• What can be done to help this issue on a larger scale (38:12)

Want to know more about Matt?

• Read his essays:  https://traumainformedteacher.substack.com/?sort=top 
• Find him on Instagram: trauma_informed_teacher
• Tweet him:  @matthewmatika
• Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076463205008 Send him an email: [email protected]

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• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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There are many ways to create a family.  When Mary and Tony McQuinn's two biological sons were 13 and 8 years old, they expanded their family by adopting a baby girl with special needs from Korea.  In the years to follow they would adopt another baby boy from Korea, and three girls from China--ages 13, 9, and 7; all with special needs.  

In this episode, Mary McQuinn candidly shares her initial reluctance to the idea of adopting as well as the many challenges, rewards, and joys they've experienced along their journey:

• Why they sought out international adoptions rather than domestic (01:34)
• How they decided to adopt an older child (age 13) from China (10:13)
• Challenges for children who have been in an orphanage for years (13:12)
• What life was like in the Chinese orphanage their girls lived in (22:28)
• Keeping cultural ties to Korea and China (30:50)
• Advice for others considering international adoptions (35:30)

Mary pushed herself far outside of her "comfort zone" and ended up with a much fuller house--and a much fuller life--than she ever imagined.


Want to know more about Mary?

• find her on Facebook: @mary.mcquinn

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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What do all of these things have in common:  designer, author,  teacher, illustrator, creator?  One answer: Mike Rohde.  Another answer: visual thinking.  If you don't know what visual thinking is, or don't think you are a visual person, Mike has made it his mission to convince you--and me--that we all are visual thinkers!  He even created a new way of taking notes, called Sketchnoting, that combines words and drawings and already has tens of thousands of converts.  

This episode covers:

• description of a visual thinker (01:13)
• definition of sketchnoting and possible templates (03:57)
• examples of Mike sketchnoting meals (at Chez Panisse) and travel experiences (Washington, DC and Alaska) (14:31)
• why listening is a secret weapon of sketchnoting (18:49)
• how Mike approaches illustrating books (21:06)
• how it feels to see others using the technique he created (29:37)
• when is a good age for kids to start learning sketchnoting (30:53)
• possible future of sketchnoting (35:04)

... and why Mike once considered giving people just starting out a "diploma" saying, "You have the permission to suck at sketchnoting"!

As promised in the episode, here are links to some of Mike's sketchnotes:

• from his meal at Chez Panisse: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohdesign/albums/72157624361290783
• from his trip to Washington, DC: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohdesign/albums/72157626454253117
• additional images: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohdesign/
• making of The Sketchnote Handbook: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rohdesign/albums/72157629385456752

It's always the right time to try something new, and Mike says we are all up to the task!


Want to know more about Mike?

• go to his website: rohdesign.com
• follow him on Instagram: rohdesign
• find him on Twitter: twitter.com/rohdesign
• link up with him on LinkedIn: mikerohde
• watch his YouTube channel:  https://youtube.com/channel/UCe1elri6WQzEOc7tD18EZOg
• information about The Sketchnote Handbook:  https://rohdesign.com/handbook
• information about The Sketchnote Workbook: https://rohdesign.com/workbook
• information about The Sketchnote Ideabook: https://sketchnoteideabook.com/

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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The Experience Podcast announces its plans for the summer!  Tune in for this mini-episode to hear what's up for the next few months.

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One morning last year as a mom was driving home from the gym, her child called and told her some news that would change their lives, their relationship, and reverberate through their extended family for months (perhaps years) to come: they'd made the decision to transition into a female. 

In this raw, revealing interview, this mom discusses:

• How her child shared the news (01:33)
• Her husband's reaction--which was (and remains) far different from her own (04:41)
• The process of transitioning (16:40)
• Her view on how parents can best support kids going through the process of transitioning (18:31)
• Gender expectations we put on kids (23:47)
• Her feelings about her child undergoing surgery (31:15)
• Thoughts on transitioning pre-puberty vs. as an older person (32:53)
• How this experience has changed her fundamentally as a parent and as a person (39:10)
• The continuing challenges--but since her child had suicidal thoughts, "not having my child alive is not an option" (41:11)

This is a story of unconditional love for a child; of a mother voicing her needs and establishing her own boundaries; of discovery--not just about someone else but about yourself.


Want to know more about families experiencing transition?

• Check out this website: https://www.genderspectrum.org/
• The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and the Human Rights Campaign's guide for families of transgender children: Supporting & Caring for Transgender Children
• Central Toronto Youth Services' guide for families of trans youth: Families in TRANSition

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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When Meagan Wizceb was just over 36 weeks pregnant with her first child, she went in for a check-up--and began living any parent's worst nightmare.  Her baby had stopped moving, and what happened next would forever change her life and her purpose.

In this episode of The Experience Podcast, Meagan bravely and openly shares her story of loss,  finding "blessings" throughout the horrendous process, and how she was able to turn her pain into promise for countless other families.

Just a few months after losing her baby Wyatt, Meagan founded Wishes for Wyatt--and over the course of the past five years she has spearheaded creative efforts to raise tens of thousands of dollars for the very items that she found most helpful during her grieving process.

Meagan's story is one of courage, strength and generosity.


Want to know more about Meagan and Wishes for Wyatt?

• go to their website: WishesforWyatt.com
• find them on Facebook: @Wishesforwyatt 1
• follow them on Instagram: wishesforwyatt

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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In the first two seasons of The Experience Podcast, we've interviewed guests with some pretty interesting and intriguing jobs.  In this episode, we get a taste of what it's like to be: an Olympics photographer, a Googler, a longtime CBS sports producer, a United States Marine veteran, sexual therapists, a mom of eight children, a novelist/children's book author, and a food blogger/cookbook author.

You can listen to the full episode of each by going to theexperiencepodcast.net!

Here is the complete lineup:

Jeff Cable: What it's like to Photograph the Olympics

• He's the photographer for the United States Olympic Committee 
• He has photographed seven Olympic Games

Mike Pegg: What it's like to Work at Google

• He has worked at Google for more than 15 years
• He takes us through a workday at one of the world's most famous companies

Ken Mack: What it's like to Produce NFL Games (and more)

• We get a seat in the production truck as he travels from stadium to stadium producing games

Eric Davids: What it's like to Be in the Military

• Attended the U.S. Naval Academy before becoming an Intelligence Officer
• Describes the day-to-day life in uniform as well as the emotional and physical toll of serving

Cliff and Joyce Penner: What it's like Being Sex Therapists

• Explain how they became "accidental experts" in the field
• Demystify touchy topics; discuss the common issues seen in sex therapy

Jessica Galbraith: What it's like to Raise Eight Children

• She reveals the practical (packing lunches) and the emotional (connecting with so many kids with so many different needs) in this revealing interview

Jess Carpenter: What it's like to Write Novels and Children's Books

• This multi-tasking mom has a full-time job, is a social media influencer, and writes and publishes books on the side
• She gives us  tips to self-publish books, and more

Rebecca Firth: What it's like to Be a Food Blogger and Cookbook Writer

• At DisplacedHousewife.com, she creates, writes about, photographs and shares delectable baked goods
• She shares how she built her business, along with lots of inspirational advice

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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We've had so many inspirational guests on The Experience Podcast with so many impactful life experiences. In this episode, we feature a few who have shared their truly life-changing experiences with honesty, vulnerability, and humor.

Included are clips from the following episodes:

Karen Peterson: What it's like to be an Alcoholic
Yousuf Azhar: What it's like to be in a Muslim Cult
Jeff Gottfurcht: What it's like to Summit Mt. Everest

You can listen to the full episodes by going to theexperiencepodcast.net!

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Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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We've had so many entertaining guests on The Experience Podcast throughout our first two seasons... we decided to compile some of them into this episode! Hear snippets of interviews from people who are involved in the entertainment industry in one way or another: a Broadway lyricist, a television director, an actor/stand-up comedian, a voice-over actor, a TikTok star, and an Academy Awards insider.

You can listen to the full episode of each by going to theexperiencepodcast.net!

Here is the complete lineup:

Amanda Docter: What it's like to attend the Academy Awards 

• She's been eight times with her husband, 3-time Oscar winner Pete Docter ("Up," "Inside Out," "Soul")

Ethan Herschenfeld: What it's like to be a stand-up comedian & What it's like to be an actor and opera singer

• comedy album, "Thug Thug Jew," was #1 on Amazon Music
• currently appearing in "Red Notice" on Netflix

John Malone: What it's like to be a voice actor

• voices national commercials, videogames, audio books, animated works, and more
• won a Voice Arts Award

Glenn Slater: What it's like to write lyrics for musicals

• has written the lyrics to the songs in some of the most popular Broadway musicals, animated movies and television shows of all time--including Disney’s Tangled; The Little Mermaid; Sister Act; School of Rock; and many others
• won a Grammy, an Emmy, and been nominated for three Tony awards
• often collaborates with heavyweight composers like Alan Mencken and Andrew Lloyd Webber

Ken Fuchs: What it's like to direct hit television shows

• directs long-running franchises including The Bachelor/ette, Family Feud, and Shark Tank
• Emmy Award winner

Linda Fruits: What it's like to be a social media star

• has more than 300,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram 
• posts about bittersweet, honest, humorous moments of motherhood

Dan Sturman: What it's like to make documentary films

• won Oscar,  Emmy, and Peabody Awards
• films have been shown at the world’s most prestigious festivals, from Cannes to Sundance
• films include “Nanking,” “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” “The Hollywood Complex,” and “Twin Towers"

Want to know more about The Experience Podcast?

• Sign up to be on our Insiders' List to receive our newsletters and insiders' information! Go to theexperiencepodcast.net (sign-ups are at the bottom of the page)
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