187253-image-1592841694

Spotlight with Laurie Hardie

Each week host Laurie Hardie brings you the issues affecting the Pacific Northwest and the people making a difference in our community and sometimes beyond. Expect compelling conversations with local leaders and influencers. Spotlight is dedicated to presenting you with issues that matter - including education, health, mental health, and the environment.

Latest Episodes

Spotlighting We Connect Recovery

We Connect App, the founders are in long-term recovery; we know recovery is unique to every individual. We believe your recovery tool should be as flexible and supportive as you need it to be to help you improve your life. That’s why WEconnect exists. Through our incentives-based app and dedicated peer support, founder Daniella Tudor says they help members build a strong, personalized foundation for their recovery.
When Covid hit it took away many options for people in recovery so Weconnnect/Recovery got to work and made a free version of their app so people could stay, well, connected.
https://www.weconnectrecovery.com/

Spotlighting Anti Bullying with Dr. Glenda Brown

Dr. Brown, author of Gap Tooth Smile Girl and National Bully Prevention Month advocate, offers guidance to parents on how to navigate the shifting nature of personal interactions as their kids return to school. She can comment on how to promote a positive climate at school and a community where bullying is prohibited, to foster a clear and consistent standard for the mental health of children:
https://www.gaptoothsmilegirl.com
pacer.org
stopbullying.org

Spotlighting Retired Navy Seal, Eric Frohardt and DEFY

Retired Navy SEAL Eric Frohardt, following his service in the military, Eric became the COO of DEFY, a leader in premium performance beverages and wellness products.
Eric served as a SEAL for 12 years and, as a disabled veteran himself, wants to educate people on the many struggles that disabled veterans in the U.S. face every day and what they can do to help. He has been a champion of supporting his fellow veterans and has developed numerous programs for them through DEFY. For example, a portion of the proceeds from every bottle of DEFY Water sold is donated to Disabled American Veterans.
Eric is committed to helping veterans transition into civilian life.
https://drinkdefy.com/pages/story

Spotlighting “Groomed” by Elizabeth Good

Elizabeth Melendez Fisher Good is our guest, she wrote the book “Groomed”, she talks about sex trafficking and how it can be happening right under our noses, some of the children are even coming home every night. The secrets have to stop and she is on a mission to Stop Sex Trafficking. She also has a program rolling out in schools to teach EVERY one how to see the sings and help these kids get out of their entrapment.
https://www.freewithe.com/
https://www.theselahway.org/

Spotlighting Depression with Comedian Mickey Bell

Mickey Bell is a comedian, encourager, and author of the book Reverse The Course Of Depression: The Self-Help Guide to Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and Living Daily with a Sound Mind, a step-by-step guide in handling the emotions the come with the disease. He is a full-time comedian who travels the world using the gift of laughter to help battle the mental illness epidemic.
Whether an adult or teenager, man or woman, having to deal with depression is impossible to manage on your own. When you think about what comes with the illness, low self-esteem, anxiety and stress… most of the time it can become impossible to manage on your own. And why should you? “Reverse The Course of Depression” is a self-help book which teaches us that setting small, reachable goals is definitely the right choice when it comes to providing the necessary guidance you need to deal with the effects of depression. https://www.themickeybell.com/

Spotlighting Zgirls.org

Joining me today is Monique Thees
Director of Programs & Fun with Z Girls., Most girls struggle with self-doubt, insecurity, and constantly beat themselves up. They start to wonder if there’s something wrong with them. But please hear us…there is nothing wrong with them. Zgirls believe no girl should ever be held back by her own self-doubt. We understand how easy it is to mentally beat yourself up. That’s why they make it easy and fun to learn confidence-building mental skills. kick self-doubt to the curb and start celebrating success! Zgirls.org

Spotlighting “Bake Away” No Kid Hungry

Sahana Vij is the author of “Bake Away” a cook book full of recipes, stories, and amazing pictures. She decided to create the book in order to help support NoKidHungry.org. No Kid Hungry is the only national campaign committed to ending childhood hunger in the U.S. This is a problem we know how to solve – but we need your help. Book Larder book store is hosting a free event to support Sahana and 100% of the proceeds will go to No Kid Hungry. Bake Away is a celebration of baking’s impact on our creativity, self -expression, and personal experiences. It’s a reflection of what’s important in our lives.
https://www.booklarder.com/events/info/in-store-event-sahana-vij-bake-away
https://www.nokidhungry.org/

Spotlighting The Seattle Aquarium

Joining me this week is Tim Kuniholm Director of Public Affairs at the Seattle Aquarium. Tim covers not only the hours and the COVID information. He talks about special exhibits and favorite PNW fish. He also talks about diving in the aquarium tank to feed some rowdy salmon and diving off pier 59. The Seattle Aquarium isn’t just entertainment, but education, science, recovery and even a nursery for some choral. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/pacific_spiny_lumpsucker
https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/grunt_sculpin
https://www.seattleaquarium.org/

Spotlighting Cleaning up the Mental Mess with Dr. Caroline Leaf

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist with a Masters and PhD in Communication Pathology and a BSc Logopaedics, specializing in cognitive and metacognitive neuropsychology. She shares her 5 step Neuro cycle system. Gather/Reflect/Write/Recheck/active reach. It is all in her new book called “Cleaning up the Mental Mess. She addresses mental illness/trauma and brain injury. She believes our mind can change our brain. She also has a weekly podcast called Cleaning up the Mental mess.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cleaning-up-the-mental-mess-with-dr-caroline-leaf/id1334767397 https://drleaf.com/

Spotlighting Mental Health with Dr. Shauna Springer

Dr. Shauna Springer with the Stella Center talks about mental health from Olympic Athletes to Veterans and PTSD. She has launched a new program for people who work with veterans and first responders. Redefine Your Mission at https://redefineyourmission.com/. She has book out called “Warrior”. The Stella Center offers a procedure for PTSD called Stella Ganglia Block find out more at https://stellacenter.com/