Episodes

Send us Fan Mail A 12-year-old watching his grandfather die in the hallway doesn’t just lose a person, he loses direction. Our guest, professional boxer Ryizzimmion “Johnny” Ford, grew up in Ohio as one of eight kids raised by grandparents after parental absence, addiction, and incarceration shaped…

Send us Fan Mail A single trip back to Cuba turns into a confrontation with the one place Mario Cartaya never truly left: his own childhood. After 56 years away, he walks familiar streets, returns to his old school, and finds himself pulled toward a balcony where a long-buried scene suddenly plays …

Send us Fan Mail This week’s episode is one everyone needs to hear—a story of miracles, identity, and the kind of closure most people never expect to find. In his book Journey Back into the Vault: In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints, Mario Cartaya shares a life that began in Havana and…

Send a text Today we’re talking about something every parent wants for their kids but often struggles to build in the middle of real life—resilience. We’re joined by clinical psychologist and author Kate Lund, whose work focuses on helping families move away from perfection and toward emotional str…

What if dementia isn’t the end of connection, but an invitation to a different kind of presence? We sit down with author and advocate Marilyn Raichle, whose book Don’t Walk Away, A Care Partner’s Journey chronicles how her mother’s unexpected paintings—and later, simple rituals of song and touch—re…

Send a text What do you say when a five-year-old whispers, “Can someone take the disease out of grandma?” That tender question anchors a conversation about late-stage Alzheimer’s, new diagnoses for our kids, and the gritty, everyday work of loving people where they are when answers won’t come. We d…

Send a text We dig into the real-life supports that help neurodivergent brains thrive, from the hard science of FASD to daily tools for executive function, transitions, sensory needs, and affect regulation. RJ Formanek and Ann Kagarise share candid stories, and swap strategies that trade shame for …

Ever watch someone recite the rules and still miss the first step? We dive into that gap with FASD advocate RJ Formanek to reveal what’s actually happening under the surface —and why replacing blame with understanding can change a life. We’re talking brain wiring, not character flaws; symptoms, not…

Send a text The room changes when a true maestro enters—yet the most revealing stories often happen offstage. We sit down with Nancy Shear to explore the hidden lives behind classical music’s brightest names and the personal courage it takes to step through doors that weren’t built for you. From a …

Send us a text Today on Real Talk with Tina and Ann we are talking about neurodivergence and share a raw, practical look at “diagnosis day,” advocacy, and the tools that actually help our kids thrive. Nothing about our kids changed with labels; only our map did, and that map guides support with les…

Send us a text A teenage girl finds her way through the stage door and into the inner life of a great orchestra, learning how courage, craft and attention can open rooms that seem shut. Nancy Shear reflects on mentors, trauma, Stokowski’s charisma and the quiet work that shapes sound. • sneaking in…

What if you’re not behind at all—you’re right on time for a life that finally feels like yours? We dive into nonlinear living and redefine progress as capacity, not speed. Instead of chasing milestones and highlight reels, we talk about the quiet work that actually changes us: noticing overwhelm so…

Send us a text We sit with creator Deborah Weed to explore how love, loss, and art can coexist, and why self-worth must be defined from within. Her stories of hospice dignity, cross-country wandering, and the evolution of Paisley the Musical point to a courageous path back to voice and purpose. • h…

Send us a text Tina and Ann explore gratitude that tells the truth in crisis: not a list, but a lifeline beside cancer, caregiving, and long grief. Kara Lockwood’s story and Robert Emmons’ research anchor practical ways to find small joys that help us keep showing up. • Cara Lockwood’s remission st…

Fear is not the enemy, until it starts running the show. In this episode, we sit down with USA Today bestselling author Cara Lockwood (aka Cara Tanamachi) to discuss her book, There Is No Good Book for This But I Wrote One An...