Beautiful Shifts

Thoughts on Love & Belonging

This Valentine's week, we're talking about love and belonging. We share about our visit to The Other Side Academy, the rehab program that changed the life of our past guest, Dylan Gibson. The love and community we saw there were powerful reminders of what true belonging looks like. We also reflect on Brene Brown's insights and the importance of extending love and belonging to those around us. Hope this episode leaves you feeling inspired to spread a little extra love in your lives. Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

The Other Side: Overcoming Heroin Addiction, Trauma, and Finding Hope (Part 2) with Dylan Gibson

In the second half of this powerful two-part series, we pick up where Dylan's story takes a pivotal turn. After years of addiction, crime, and incarceration, Dylan faced a life sentence - until he made a decision that changed everything. Encouraged by the unwavering belief of his grandmother, he took a leap of faith and joined The Other Side Academy. Through accountability and the support of a community that refused to give up on him, Dylan committed to rebuilding his life with integrity and purpose. Now a staff member at TOSA, Dylan is paying it forward, helping others find the same hope and transformation that saved him.
 
Join us as we explore the moment Dylan chose to change, the struggles and victories of his journey, and the life he has built on the other side. The is a story of second chances, resilience, and the power of choosing a new path. 
 
Find Dylan on Instagram @dylandevongibson
 
Find The Other Side Academy @theothersideacademy and online at www.theothersideacademy.com. 

The Other Side: Overcoming Heroin Addiction, Trauma, and Finding Hope (Part I) with Dylan Gibson

Dylan Gibson's life spiraled from a childhood marked by trauma leading to years of drug addiction, crime, incarceration, and despair. In this first episode of a two-part series, we follow his journey from a turbulent upbringing and struggles with heroin dependency to rock bottom - when an unexpected act of love from a stranger and the unwavering belief of a family member spark hope. This pivotal moment leads him to The Other Side Academy, setting him on a life-changing path.
 
Join us for the first half of this raw, inspiring story of resilience, redemption, and the power of connection and second chances. 
 
*Episode trigger warning - childhood trauma and abuse
 
Find Dylan on Instagram @dylanddevongibson
 
Find The Other Side Academy @theothersideacademy and online at www.theothersideacademy.com. 
 
 

Crisis Prevention, Mental Wellness, Teaching, and Moving with Lindsay Staples

In this episode, our guest Lindsay Staples (one of Lindsay's closest friends!) shares her experiences moving and living in various parts of the country, being an elementary school teacher in Harlem, New York, and the lessons she learned along the way, including how these experiences shaped her approach to life. From navigating major life transitions like becoming a mom to working in crisis prevention for mental health, Lindsay offers practical insights and tools to prioritize mental wellness. We discuss talking to kids about mental health and destigmatizing surrounding conversations, the importance of addressing suicidal thoughts without fear, strategies for building mental strength, and being intentional about well-being. 
 
Thanks again to Lindsay for sharing her valuable insights and experiences in today's episode! You can find Lindsay on Instagram @l_stapes. Contact her with mental health coaching questions/needs at lindsay.m.staples@gmail.com
 

Going Through Cancer at a Young Age, Finding Strength and Acceptance, and Building a Life Abroad with Ellen Young

Today we talk with Ellen Young about her journey through several major transitions. From going through cancer as a young teenager and living with a resulting disability to studying women's studies in college, to navigating cultural and personal shifts including marrying young, going through a divorce, and leaving the LDS church, Ellen shares how these experiences shaped her life and how she came to a place of acceptance a growth. Ellen reflects on how traveling abroad helped her find herself again, how she has built a life abroad, and how she learned to embrace her story and the challenges and unexpected beauty found in life's transitions. 
 
We loved this thoughtful conversation about resilience, identity, and growth through life's turns and are honored Ellen joined us to share her story. 
 
Find Ellen on Instagram @ellen.ey

Overcoming Self-Doubt and Embracing Growth for the New Year with Brandie Paterakis

We're kicking off the New Year with a good one! Brandie shares her journey of overcoming self-doubt to reach her goal of becoming a therapist and offers insights on self-esteem, radical acceptance, and navigating life transitions. We discuss embracing personal growth, avoiding common goal-setting and mindset traps, and finding humor along the way. Brandie's perspective is an inspiring and uplifting start to 2025!
 
Find Brandie and her clinic, Blue Bee Counseling Services, on Instagram @bluebeecounseling and at bluebeecs.com.

2024 Highlights & Happy Holidays!

In this episode, we reflect on the guests we’ve had in December—people who look outward, give back to their communities, and remind us of the good happening in the world. We share highlights from Season 3 of 2024 and the amazing guests we've had on the podcast, and share some recent personal highlights. 
Thank you for being part of our podcast community and for continuing to listen and support us. We are so grateful for you all and wish you a joyful and peaceful holiday season!

Honoring Don Ward: A Life of Teaching, Service, and Compassion

Today, we're honored to share a special re-release of our conversation with the late Don Ward, a beloved teacher and lifelong advocate for Utah's refugee community. Known as "everyone's favorite teacher," Mr. Ward taught for 35 years at Jordan and Alta High Schools in Sandy, Utah, and spent the last 15 years supporting refugees through the Ward Foundation, a nonprofit he established through his efforts and connections with former students to provide aid and support for refugees. 
 
In this episode, Don shares his inspiring story - from his teaching career and cancer diagnosis to his incredible work with refugees - and the profound impact it had on his life and those around him. We're so grateful for the chance to share his legacy of service and compassion for others. 
 
Learn more about the Ward Foundation and how to get involved at donwardfoundation.org and on Instagram @wardfoundation. 

Continuing a Legacy of Compassion: Supporting Those Experiencing Homelessness with Beth Young

In this episode, we meet Beth Young, an inspiring woman who has dedicated her life to compassion and service. Drawing on her family's legacy of helping others, Beth has made it her mission to support those experiencing homelessness. From her socially conscious upbringing to her service in the U.S. Army, Beth shares how these experiences shaped her life leading to a passion for advocacy. Settled in Utah, Beth actively serves those experiencing homelessness while cherishing her role as a wife, mother, and grandmother. Tune in to be inspired by her wisdom and commitment to making a difference.
 
Learn more about ways to get involved in helping those experiencing homelessness below (as suggested by Beth in this episode):
Circles USA - Building Community to End Poverty 
Salt Lake Harm Reduction Project 

Thoughts on Gratitude

This week we continue our tradition of having a gratitude episode Thanksgiving week, sharing a few thoughts on gratitude and revisiting a past episode. We love having a chance to reflect on the impact gratitude can have and how we can incorporate it into our lives. 
 
Speaking of gratitude, we're so grateful for all you! Those who continue listening and supporting the podcast, those that are new here, and especially our amazing guests who so graciously and vulnerably share their stories, making this podcast possible. 
 
We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving (and Wicked!) weekend!