Episode #50 on The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel examines core issues associated with adoption. Our guest, John Longbottom, shares his experiences as an adopted child, his ups and downs, and his takeaways regarding adoption. He helps us examine the triad of adoption: The Adoptee, The Adopted Parents, and the Birth Parents.
While the conversation here represents the views and lessons of one man, it reminds us that adoption is more than what happens to or for the adopted child. It affects many for years—if not life. John discusses core issues associated with adoption: Loss, rejection, guilt/shame, grief, identify, intimacy, mastery/control.
He shares the range of emotions he experienced. And his journey led to his realization that each person of the “triad” (adoptee, adopted parents, and birth parents) confronts the same core issues.
Note: During the episode, John’s visit and performance in a college classroom is mentioned. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/eP5AXknH1kg.
Podcast music ("Walk with Me") by ©John Longbottom. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Podcast ©Steve Piscitelli. 2020. The Growth and Resilience Network®
Episode #49 on The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel, dives into the emotional, wrenching, jolting, transformative subject of how a parent deals with the death of a child. Does one ever "deal" with it? If so, how? If not, why not? Abby and Michael Steele will help the listening audience understand how they navigated these uncharted waters. In addition to how they chose to move forward, they will share what worked for them and what did not. If you ever found yourself face-to-face with a parent who lost a child, perhaps you did not know what to say or do--and what not to say or do. While their might not be a "How-To Guide" for such circumstances, Abby and Michael share what helped them move forward following the death of their daughter, Liz.
How does a parent deal with such a loss? Is it ever dealt with? Does one ever move on? Is there a so-called new normal?
Ten years later, you will hear the story of two parents and life after the death of their child.
For information about the Liz Rosenfeld Legacy Fund go to https://www.jaxcf.org/donate Search Key Word : Liz Rosenfeld.
Music ©Billy Bowers. Used with permission. All rights reserved. www.billybowersjax.com
©2019. Steve Piscitelli
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
This episode on The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel explores the connection between a community’s vitality and access to sustainable homeownership. Beaches Habitat for Humanity President and CEO Curtis Ford and Mary Anne Christensen, Development Director, help us examine how Beaches Habitat helps build communities within a community, the importance and financial realities of sustainable home ownership, and how the greater community can come together to help strengthen the entire community one home at a time.
Music ("T2D") by Billy Bowers©. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019
The Growth and Resilience Network® www.stevepiscitelli.com
This episode on The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel explores the DNA of bands—from the perspective of the women in the band. Beyond the musical talent, what is the "x" factor that keeps the bands together, making music, and connecting with their audiences. In short, what is the "It" of successful bands. And, are there gender dynamics that bands need to content with during formation, rehearsal, and performance.
Seasoned musicians and band members/leaders Lauren Fincham, Tamara Colonna, and Sarah “Mama Blue” Sanders break it down for us.
Topics covered include musical collaboration, respect, gender dynamics, intentionality of purpose, self-care, respect for home-town talent, and potential stumbling blocks for cohesiveness.
Music ("T2D") by Billy Bowers©. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
This episode on The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel explores the DNA of bands. Beyond the musical talent, what is the "x" factor that keeps the bands together, making music, and connecting with their audiences. In short, what is the "It" of successful bands.
Seasoned musicians and band members/leaders Brother John Mortensen, The Legendary Roy Peak, and Crucial Eddy Cotton break it down for us in this riveting conversation. Topics covered include basic business principles all bands need to address, dressing for the gig, band names, recording and technology, the importance of respect for people working the club in which the band is playing, laying of "the sauce," and when to pay the band members. If you think a band is just about the stage time, listen to these three talented and veteran band members share lessons learned along the way to becoming The Leaders of the Bands.
Music by Billy Bowers©. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Community transformation does not just appear. It requires vision, thought, communication, respect, difficult questioning, and attentive listening. Transformational leaders help orchestrate that communal dance. They recognize that establishing a “shared vision” requires tough conversations. Everyone around the table typically sees his or her agenda item as the most important. They struggle to understand what “community” means beyond their narrow framework. Intentions may be good, but attention may not stray far from an individual agenda. The bigger picture can get lost in collective monologues.
Two long-time community activists and leaders, Linda and Michael Lanier, sat down with me and shared a few leadership skills and strategies. You can read more in my book "Community as a Safe Place to Land."
Music ©Billy Bowers. Used with permission.
www.billybowersjax.com
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
This episode explores how a beach community (Atlantic Beach, Florida) came together to create a venue for musical dreams that in turn helps create pathways for other rainbows.
And when that happens, hope lives. When people take time to listen to and give gratitude for the gifts of others, community strengthens. As Izzy sings in one of her original compositions (at the end of the podcast), “You’re my friend, and I love you.”
For more on this event and community building and sustainability see the book "Community as a Safe Place to Land" by Steve Piscitelli (Atlantic Beach, FL: The Growth and Resilience Network®
Music by BIlly Bowers©. Used with permission. All rights reserved. www.billybowersjax.com
Music ("It Rained Today") by Izzy Moon Mayforth. Used with permission.
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019
The Growth and Resilience Network®
All rights reserved.
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Episode #43: Trust as a Core Value takes us inside The Clara White Mission (www.theclarawhitemission.org) in Jacksonville, Florida.
Today the Clara White Mission feeds, houses, educates, and ministers to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the homeless and low-income. Regardless of the service provided, the goal is to provide relevant training and support for long-term self-sufficiency.
CEO and President of the Clara White Mission, Ms. Ju’ Coby Pittman, understands that each client arrives at the front door “broken, with a laundry bag of challenges,” and in need of someone to believe in and assist them. They require a community of resources.
But how does an agency ministering to the needs of a transient population develop a sense of community? Is that even possible? Pittman told me it is possible, and it comes down to one core value. Trust.
Music by Billy Bowers©. Used with permission. All rights reserved. www.billybowersjax.com
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019
The Growth and Resilience Network®
All rights reserved.
www.stevepiscitelli.com
This SPECIAL podcast episode complements my latest book "Community as a Safe Place to Land." The book builds on 7 core values for purpose and growth—7 core values that can help communities grow: relationships, relevance, resources, rainbows, responsibility, reflection, and resilience. They all inter-connect and support one another. As followers of this podcast channel know from previous episodes, each of the book’s 7 sections opens with a transformational story about community. During the writing of the book I had the opportunity and honor to visit with the amazing people who make up those stories. That resulted in 7 podcast episodes. You can access each live episode through my website @ https://stevepiscitelli.com/media-written/community-as-a-safe-place-to-land. This episode features one short clip from each of those stories. The order represents the order you will find their stories in the book. So, let’s get started!
To order the book, visit www.stevepiscitelli.com. '
Music by Billy Bowers©. All rights reserved. Used with permission. www.billybowersjax.com
'©Steve Piscitelli. 2019 The Growth and Resilience Network®
Episode #42 looks at one community's challenges and hope. When people move toward their collective rainbows—their dreams—the community can see all manner of hope and possibility. Whether they seem impossibly distant or close at hand, they need to marshal strength, energy, and resources to move forward. The community members step up and take responsibility for vision and actions. We have heard that the village raises up a child. But what can be done if the village itself needs to be raised up? What do we do, for instance, if the village has inadequate infrastructure, health disparities, high crime and poverty, lack of accessible pharmacies and fresh foods, and educational and financial literacy challenges? Threatened on many levels, the village nears the breaking point. If you’re Executive Director George Maxey, you listen and help the villagers create a movement--the New Town Success Zone movement.
More can be found in my newest book Community as a Safe Place to Land.
Music by ©Billy Bowers. Used with permission. www.billybowersjax.com
©Steve Piscitelli. 2019 The Growth and Resilience Network www.stevepiscitelli.com
his episode of The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel focuses on the power of resources for community building and sustainability. If you look for the best resource in a community, look to the people. A community is more than bricks, mortar, stores, streets, and parks. Those, to be sure are important resources…but it’s the people who remain the biggest asset.
Celebration, Florida is a community that understands that premise. You will hear from Gloria Niec the executive director of the Celebration Foundation; Mary Pat Rosenthal, their program manager; and Eileen Crawford, a foundation board member. In particular they will educate us about one of their signature programs: Thriving In Place. You can read more about all of this in my July 22, 2018 blog post at www.thegrowthandresiliencenetwork.net. They, also, will be featured in my forthcoming book on community building and sustainability. Thriving In Place proves a home is more than the sum of its architectural codes, zoning requirements, and pedestrian friendly streets. Home is a feeling of comfort, peace, and community.
Music ("T2D") ©Billy Bowers. Used with permission. www.billybowersjax.com
©Steve Piscitelli. 2018
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Episode #40 of The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel explores the importance of relationships to building and sustain a community. This is part of The 7Rs for Purpose and Growth. The Reverend Billy Hester of Savannah's Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church, along with Lay Leader, Preston Hodges, Jr., explain how a congregation not only resurrected itself but continues to thrive today because of the power of the people. Leaders and congregants have come to embrace values of acceptance, authenticity, listening, reflection, vulnerability, and growth.
Sit back and listen how one congregation continues to evolve and develop its community as a safe place to land.
Music ("T2D") ©Billy Bowers. Used with permission. www.billybowersjax.com
©Steve Piscitelli. 2018
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Episode #39 of The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel explores the interconnections of community, resilience, relationships, and breast cancer. You will hear from two Jacksonville, Florida community activists who have been voices for the countless women facing a breast cancer diagnosis. One as a survivor, and one as an organizer for survivors. Both helped those diagnosed with breast cancer develop their own voice.
Bobbi de Cordova-Hanks was enjoying life as a bass guitar player, magazine editor, and newlywed, when she got the news in 1986 that she had breast cancer. In 1988 she formed the support group “Bosom Buddies.”
Jeannie Blaylock, co-anchor of the evening news for First Coast News (Channel 12) in Jacksonville, Florida, was not a cancer survivor. Nor was she living with a diagnosis. She was grappling, however, with the sudden and tragic death of her twenty-nine-year-old friend to breast cancer. In 1993, Jeannie used her visibility as a news reporter to shed light on the topic. She initiated “Buddy Check 12,” encouraging women to connect and remind one another, on the 12th of each month, to conduct a breast self-exam. With her persistence the station aired segments showing actual models conducting breast exams in the shower, lying down, and sitting up. This was unheard of for the time and market. And most definitely needed. The first night, the station received 234 calls from women.
Thanks to these two forces of nature, a door had been opened and once the conversation started, no one was going to stop it.
Music (“T2D”) by ©Billy Bowers. Used with permission. www.billybowersjax.com
©Steve Piscitelli. 2018
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Episode #38 of The Growth and Resilience Network podcast channel explores the world of improv comedy. What is it? Why do it? How does it benefit our world and the people who perform it? Co-founders of the Mad Cowford Improv Comedy troupe (http://www.madcowford.com/) Rachel Stromberg and Johnny K break it down for us.
Music ("T2D") by ©Billy Bowers and use with permission. www,billybowersjax.com.
©Steve Piscitelli. 2018
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Welcome to the Third Anniversary Celebration of The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel. Here, in 30 minutes, you will be able to grab the best of the best. The best my conversation guests had to share during the past 12 months. Twenty guests offered insights about 4 themes: 1. Importance of being true to yourself; 2. Power of relationships for hope and resilience; 3. Weak signals from the future; and 4. Empathy. The guests included Entertainer Mike Shackleford (with concert promoter Ray Lewis); Pole Dancers and Fitness buffs Shannon Burbridge, Carol Cullen, Christie Loesch; artist Gary Mack; four participants in the Brooks Adaptive Sports Program; college student Elijah Armstrong; attorneys Camille Wilson and Fernando Dutra; development director Mark Johnson (with me); four Atlantic Beach (FL) 5th grade leaders; and the Rev. Liz Teal (animal-assisted interventions). You will note I have two "final" clips--the students and Rev. Teal. There was just too much of a good thing this year to have only one ending! Thanks for listening and sharing and supporting.
©Steve Piscitelli. 2018. www.stevepiscitelli.com
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Music by Billy Bowers©. Used with permission. www.billybowersjax.com.
Episode #36. "How Can You Help Heal The World?" examines the topic of animal-assisted intervention. Reverend Elizabeth Teal help us understand pet therapy/service dogs/working dogs help people access their life, liberty, and happiness. She share insights about the qualities of therapy dogs, basic skills, and, her basic message that we all have the power to make a difference in our piece of the world.
Pet therapy is a service that needs to be entered mindfully and with all appropriate training and registrations. It is more than just having a "friendly and happy dog." Much more. And Rev. Teal shares the differences between pet therapy dogs and service dogs--what they are and what they are NOT.
For more about her go to her website at https://ministryofanimals.org/.
Music by Billy Bowers (www.billybowersjax.com). All rights reserved. Used with permission.
©2018. Steve Piscitelli.
www.stevepiscitelli.com
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Episode #35. "Confidence from the Inside Out While Hanging Upside Down: The Power of Pole Dancing" examines the attraction, challenge, and transformation pole dancing has for its adherents. Shannon Burbridge (www.auraaerialandyoga.com), Carol Cullen, and Chrisite Loesch help us understand a form of fitness they say addresses the whole person (physcially, emotionally, spiritually). Their insights also give us a view of why some may hold a negative image of pole dancing--and why they have found it empowering, freeing, and confidence building.
Music by Billy Bowers (www.billybowersjax.com). All rights reserved. Used with permission.
©2018. Steve Piscitelli.
www.stevepiscitelli.com
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Episode #34: "Promoting Original Music, Local Musicians, and Touring Performers." Concert Presenter Ray Lewis and Performing Songwriter Mike Shackelford speak about the importance of quality venues for our performing artists.
©Steve Piscitelli. www.stevepiscitelli.com
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Music by Billy Bowers (www.billybowersjax.com). All rights reserved. Used with permission
In Episode #33 on The Growth and Resilience Network® podcast channel, Attorneys Camille Wilson and Fernando Dutra (www.wilsondutra.com) share ideas, strategies, and insights about protecting intellectual property. Topics include: performing due diligence when contracting with an attorney, reasons to protect your intellectual property, a mistake creative types make regarding their creative property, the so-called poor man's copyright, and difference between copyright, trademark, and patent. They also give insights into "virtual law."
©Steve Piscitelli. 2018
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Music by Billy Bowers. Used with permission. All rights reserved. www.billybowersjax.com
Former teaching colleague and current Director of Development for The Arc of Alachua County, Mark Johnson stopped by The GRN studio to guest host this episode. His guest? Me. Yes, we turned the tables and he interviewed me about the promises and challenges of public education. Our topics ranged from the power of a good teaching, to the importance of being a "maverick," to appropriate resources for teachers, to funding and the "marketplace," to, finally the hope and future of public education.
This would be an instructive podcast to listen to with your team, neighbors, school advisory team, and community at large. Go beyond my (Steve's responses). Use Mark's probing questions as a way to begin or continue a true conversation (not pontification; not collective monologues; not yelling). Listen, share, learn.
©2018. Steve Piscitelli
The Growth and Resilience Network®
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Music by Billy Bowers. Used with permission. All rights reserved. www.billybowersjax.com
For Episode #31 we visit with visual artist, Gary Mack. He shares his views and experiences when it comes to the interplay between art, community, passion, drive, connections, influence, and resilience.
For more about Gary and his creations from the heart, go to www.garymackart.com.
The Growth and Resilience Network®
©2017. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.
www.stevepiscitelli.com
Music by ©Billy Bowers (www.billybowersjax.com). Used with permission.
This episode follows up on a topic we explored in our April 2017 podcast titled “Enhancing Life Through Sports and Recreation" (https://youtu.be/imSNwj8aEsE). We had a specific focus at that time on people with disabilities. In addition to the usual work-life demands, our friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors with disabilities have a few more challenges to address on a daily basis. How do they do it? What services are available for them?
This episode shines the spotlight on four participants from that program who will tell us what this program means to them and their fellow participants.
*Don Bergman
*Sarah Williford
*Matt Sechrist
*Chris Fonner
©Steve Piscitelli. 2017. All rights reserved. www.stevepiscitelli.com
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Music by Billy Bowers (www.billybowersjax.com). Used with permission. All rights reserved.
This episode looks into the connection between growth, resilience and accommodations for our students. While there are laws/mandates that guide accommodation requests and approval, what happens if a student does not get what he/she needs? How can students advocate for themselves—and how can parents advocate for their children? Sometimes the process might seem overwhelming.
Elijah Armstrong helps us (begin to) sort through these topics. Elijah, a college student at the time of this recording, explains accommodations from the perspective of someone who challenged (in court) his high school for appropriate classroom accommodations. He uses that experience to share his insights about what parents, students, and the school personnel can do to help students.
His website: www.equalopportunitiesforstudents.org.
You can read more about the lawsuit, Elijah mentions in the podcast at these two links:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-05-10/story/jacksonville-mother-alleges-disability-discrimination-against-sick-son
http://jacksonville.com/metro/news/education/2017-05-10/duval-school-district-settles-stanton-discrimination-suit-80000.
The Growth and Resilience Network®.
©2017. Steve Piscitelli. www.stevepiscitelli.com
Music by Billy Bowers (www.billybowersjax.com). Used with permission.
My guests for Episode #28 take a look at leadership as it relates to elementary school students. And their perspective is that of student leaders. Listen to four 5th grade students who lead their 1st-5th grade classmates at Atlantic Beach Elementary School (Florida). How do they help themselves and their classmates reflect and grow when it comes to experiences with failure, for instance? Or bullying? Or simply the challenges of childhood? What are the attributes of effective leaders?
Rather than listen to "adults" tell us what the students need to do, for this episode we hear about leadership in their own voices!
The Growth and Resilience Network(R).
(c) 2017. Steve Piscitelli. www.stevepiscitelli.com
June 2017 marks the second anniversary of The Growth and Resilience Network(TM) podcast channel. Join me for this retrospective of the guests who took time to share insights about growth and resilience. I have grouped the clips into categories (with a few guests to each category). Here are the approximate points at which each category starts:
*It's about the audience: 00:00
*Leadership: 05:34
*Working parents and work-life integration: 06:24
*Thriving with disabilities: 09:44
*Children and resilience: 12:36
*Physical fitness and discipline: 16:18
*Women, entrepreneurship and leadership: 17:18
*Creativity: 22:44
*Planet earth and climate change: 28:11
*Community service and integration: 30:58
*Curiosity and making a difference: 37:29
*It's not about me. It's about you: 39:29
*A comment about the soundtrack: 40:04
You can also download this podcast at http://www.piscitellipodcasts.libsyn.com/ and on iTunes.
Music by Billy Bowers. All rights reserved. www.billybowersjax.com.
(c)2017 Steve Piscitelli www.stevepiscitelli.com. The Growth and Resilience Network(TM)