The Be Brave Podcast

Episode 18: Interview with Christine about Coming Out as Gay

When she was 23, Christine called off her wedding to her boyfriend of four years just a few months before the big day.  Within the next six months, she came out as gay to her family and friends.  That was back in 1993, right around the time the movie "Philadelphia" was released and HIV/AIDS was still considered a "gay disease".  Christine shares what it was like to come out to her parents, who are devout Catholics, and how she realizes now that coming out is not only a process for the gay person, but also for their family members. 

If you would like to get in touch with Christine, she can be reached at ccgannon@hotmail.com.

Episode 17: Interview with Audrey whose Daughter was Murdered at Age 24.

At 24 years old, Audrey's daughter, Elizabeth, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend and her family's life was forever changed.  In the midst of her grief, anger, and loss, Audrey felt Elizabeth's presence on one day in particular and knew she had to make a pact with her husband and surviving daughter.  She said, "I don't know how we're going to get through this.  We're never going to get over this... however we have choices.... we are to never blame each other.  If we do, we will lose each other, not just Elizabeth." 

Audrey shares her journey with us about keeping Elizabeth's memory alive and the difficult task of learning forgiveness.  She is a big believer in manifesting the life you want and has a cute story to illustrate the right and wrong ways to do it.  

If you have experienced a similar event in your life, or know someone who has, Audrey can be reached at Audreyabc77@gmail.com.

If you'd like more information about the Hartford Happiness Club, click here.

Episode 16: Interview with Patty about her Battle with Depression and Addiction

Patty grew up feeling pressure to be thin and was bullied for being overweight.  "Fatty Patty" was the nickname given to her by the kids in school who bullied her.  She struggled with depression, loneliness, and addiction while striving unsuccessfully for perfection. Patty walks us through the dark times and how they led to a suicide attempt.  In her mid-20s, someone called her a "fat-ass" and she vowed it would be the last time!  Hear how she gained her confidence and became a better version of herself.

Episode 15: Interview with Cara who was Bullied as a Child

In this podcast, co-host Cara tells her story of being bullied in grammar school and how it led to people pleasing, loneliness, and thoughts of suicide.  She talks about seeing a therapist and finally learning how to put herself and her needs first.

Episode 14: Interview with Eileen who Dropped Out of School at age 18 to Raise her Daughter

At age 18, Eileen started her career by making a conscious decision to drop out of college when she became pregnant with her daughter.  She tells us the story of how she navigated being a single mom while climbing the corporate ladder without a degree.  Eileen talks about feeling "less than", but also finding advocates who pushed her outside her comfort zone and encouraged her to succeed.  Eileen is the author of "In The Company of Men: How Women Can Succeed in a World Built Without Them".

Episode 13: Interview with Rebecca, Part 2, who Teaches us How to Retrain our Brains to Think More Positively

Dr. Rebecca Heiss is back to teach us how to retrain our brains to think more positively.  We have too many ANTS crawling around in our heads (Automatic Negative ThoughtS).  No wonder we get down on ourselves so quickly!  Rebecca walks us through several exercises to show us how easy it is to trick our brains into being more positive.  With a little practice, we can be more optimistic and increase our motivation.  

If you're stuck in Learned Helplessness... "Nothing I do will ever matter...", then you need to listen to this podcast!

Episode 12: Interview with Rebecca, Part 1, who Battled Anorexia at Age 11.

When Dr. Rebecca Heiss was just 8 years old, her house burned to the ground one week before Christmas.  At 11, she battled anorexia. In this episode, Rebecca shares with us feelings of unworthiness and how the love of her family helped save her.

Rebecca is a scientist who studies the evolutionary limitations of humans.  She shares with us a significant "fight, flight or freeze" moment in her life and explains that even though you may be hardwired to react in one of these three ways, it doesn't have to seal your fate.

This is Part 1 of a 2-part interview.  In Part 2, Rebecca will go behind the science to teach us how we can overcome the ancient fears that hold us back!

Episode 11: Interview with Maria who was Wrongly Accused of Child-Trafficking in a Foreign Country.

In the early and mid-2010s, Maria was actively supporting an orphanage in Argentina.  She worked several jobs and gave a lot of her own money to the orphanage to purchase personal items, books, vehicles, computers, and other things needed by the children and the staff to run the facility and the programs they offered.  She also gave a lot of her time, visiting often, and getting to know the staff and the children.  They were like family to her.  But in 2018, things changed.  The Argentinian government became skeptical of what Maria was doing, thinking she was part of a child-trafficking ring.  She spent the next six months fighting to defend the work she had been doing and trying to keep herself out of jail. 

In this episode, Maria talks about her mission to continue her work to support orphans who are aging out of the system.  She talks about feelings of betrayal and fear, but also about hope and determination.   

Episode 10: Interview with Madison who was Born without a Uterus

At age 13, when all the other girls were talking about starting to menstruate, Madison was wondering why she wasn't having the same experience.   A visit to her doctor would reveal that she was born without a uterus, with a condition known as MRKH.  Madison takes us through her initial devastation, feeling she was "robbed of her birthright to have children."  She talks about the shame and embarrassment she felt, her low self-esteem, using food to comfort her (up to an unhealthy weight), and when she decided to start learning to love herself.

Madison, Patty and Cara also collectively share their experiences of being women without any children of their own.

Episode 9: Interview with Taelor who was Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 16, and Cured Herself by her Early 30s

Taelor's active teenage years playing volleyball came to a sudden end when she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 16.  For the first few months, she saw significant changes in her body and was scared that she would never be the same.  However, with her parents' support, a strong belief in herself, a lot of research with traditional medicine and naturopathic modalities, and the determination to not let this disease define her, she was able to rid herself from almost every RA symptom.