My guest today is Stacy Schaffer, an author and therapist, with over twenty years of experience helping children navigate emotional and behavioral challenges. Specializing in both grief and Synergetic Play Therapy, Stacy creates a safe and nurturing place where people can take a deep breath. She also leads youth and family programs at The Refuge, a non-profit community center dedicated to healing community. Knowing children, teens, and young adults can feel heard and empowered energizes her soul and helps redeem all that has been lost. Outside therapy, Stacy loves spending quality time with amazing friends, surfing in the summer, reading at any opportunity, loving her golden retriever, Willow, kickboxing year round, and daydreaming about being a stand-up comedian. She continues to do her own therapeutic work in order to be genuine about her passion for healing. She loves to travel, but one can only escape the real world so many times. Her commitment to ensuring that children, teens, and young adults feel heard and empowered drives her practice, which offers essential support and recovery for those in need..

In With Love from a Children’s Therapist, Stacy takes readers on a deeply personal and professional journey through trauma, resilience, and healing. As a survivor and a therapist with more than twenty years of experience, Schaffer weaves together her story with the lessons she’s learned from working with children, teens, and young adults. She explores the lasting impact of childhood trauma and the path to recovery, how anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation manifest in young people, and practical ways to create safety, understanding, and healing for ourselves and others.

Learn more about Stacy at https://authorstacyschaffer.com

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

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My guest today is Lauren Beane, an author, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker and podcast host. Laurent is the mom of two children and a Boston Terrier.

Lauren helps audiences take the leap and believe they are ready enough by offering tools, coaching, and her personal stories so they can embrace and own their unique talents. Too often, she found herself not taking action on her goals unless she felt that she had all the answers. But in 2020, she grew tired of waiting until she felt ready to pursue new opportunities. After taking a huge leap and launching her dream consulting business, she’s now on a mission to empower other women to feel they are ready enough (even with only 50% of the answers) and live out the life they deserve.

Through her podcast, Ready Enough, she is empowering women to take action, build confidence, and chase big goals. No perfect plan required!

Learn more about Lauren at https://www.laurenbeane.com

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

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My guest today is Amy Bryant, author of Let Them Play and owner of Bryant College Coaching. Amy has spent over 20 years coaching in the NCAA. Amy is a mother of two student athletes and in her free time enjoys hiking and traveling.

Let Them Play offers practical advice for parenting athletes, emphasizing fun, balance, and personal growth over pressure and success. It guides parents to nurture holistic development through youth and high school sports, as well as the college recruitment process.

In the early years of youth sports, the focus should be on fun, exploration, and development. Let Them Play offers practical strategies for parents to help their children build confidence, develop a passion for sports, and navigate challenges like teamwork and competition.

As student-athletes enter their high school years, the dynamic changes, and so do the challenges. Let Them Play explores how to help teenagers balance the increasing demands of academics, athletics, and social pressures.

Learn more about Amy at https://bryantcollegecoaching.com

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

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My guest today is Bella Wright, co-writer & producer of The Gardening Club, a new pop rock musical that debuts in London this coming Thursday. Bella was the winner of Robbie’s Hope’s Hall of Personal Expression in 2020 as a junior in high school.

Bella is an actress, musician, composer, musical director and producer from Missoula, Montana, now based in Liverpool, England. After completing her high school diploma from the Interlochen Arts Academy, she moved abroad to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where she founded and fronted her alternative rock band. She has played shows with her band across venues in Liverpool, such as the BBC-hosted night at The Cavern Club, Rough Trade, and The Jacaranda. Wright also has three successful single releases, one with over 100K streams.

In 2022, Wright co-wrote and composed the book, music and lyrics to a new feminist rock musical, called The Gardening Club, with Carleigh McRitchie. This story that debuted onstage with three sold-out shows in Liverpool March 2024, and went on to a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2024, of which she performed in the cast. The Gardening Club has been named by Playbill as Top 20 Shows to See at Edinburgh Fringe, out of 4,000.

A timely tale about life’s bitter pills, The Gardening Club is set in 1960s Georgia, where six girls scheme to illegally distribute the birth control pill with their gardening club as a cover up. The pop-rock soundtrack showcases themes of pleasure, self-discovery, and the power of female friendships.

Read more about The Gardening Club in Playbill at https://playbill.com/article/the-history-of-the-birth-control-pill-blossoms-at-the-edinburgh-festival-fringe

Follow Bella at: https://maestramusic.org/profile/bella-wright/

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My guest today is Rebecca Heiss, author of Instinct and an Evolutionary Biologist and Stress Physiologist. Her book reveals the science behind our behaviors that affect our productivity, success, and ultimate happiness.

“Our instincts were developed hundreds of thousands of years ago t help us survive a world ruled by scarcity and danger. But they are devastatingly mismatched to our current environments. We live in a diverse world of abundant choices and almost limitless connections, which means they outdated instincts now stop us from succeeding.”

https://rebeccaheiss.com

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

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My guest today is Abby Moore, an inspiring young Crossfit athlete who is on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Abby started participating in Crossfit at age 11 when her parents joined a local gym. In the last 7 years she has participated in the Crossfit Open 5 times and qualified to attend the Crossfit Games twice. In 2021 she was ranked 11th in the world.

Abby is currently a senior at Holy Family High School in Colorado. Like most teen athletes, she has had to discover who she is, and decide on what is going to define her. Through physical and mental struggles she is finding balance in her life.

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

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My guest today is Kate King. Kate is an author and Licensed Professional Counselor and a Board-Certified Art Therapist. Kate’s book is titled The Radiant Life Project, Awaken Your Purpose, Heal Your Past, and Transform Your Future. This book is based on Kate’s clinical psychotherapy career and her own humble life learnings. Kate’s mission is to create a ripple effect of well-being. Her book is considered a groundbreaking self-healing guide. Kate’s work of writing and teaching is a deep and clear template that builds awareness, confidence and self acceptance. Kate believes authenticity is always the answer and helps her clients find theirs.

Website: https://theradiantlifeproject.com

For additional resources visit us at: https://robbies-hope.com

My guest today is Kat Zempolic. Kat is a Co-Founder, Board Member, Vice President, co-host of The Mental Matchup and Director of Podcasting for Morgan's Message. She grew up in northern Virginia and attended Duke University. She was a member of the Duke Women’s lacrosse team with Morgan. She graduated from Duke’s Trinity College in 2018 with a B.A. in Public Policy, certificate in Markets and Management Studies and minor in Visual and Media Studies. After graduating, Kat attended Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and graduated in 2019 with a Master’s of Science. She currently lives and works in Boston.

Morgan’s Message was founded in 2020 after the death of Morgan. In January 2017, just before the beginning of her sophomore season, Morgan endured a dream-shattering knee injury. She spent the next 12 months determined to return to the field, undergoing surgery and dedicating herself to an intensive rehabilitation program. Morgan struggled with this abrupt change because she felt she had lost control within her life. As a result, Morgan’s self-worth plummeted. While she presented a strong, happy and resilient face to her community, she grappled with feeling that she was not living up to her expectations. Her feelings of isolation from the team and stress caused by other relationship issues accelerated the return of anxiety and depression. This time, Morgan chose to suffer in silence, keeping family and friends in the dark as she battled her mental health. As a result, Morgan died by suicide July 11, 2019 at the age of 22.

Their mission is To amplify stories, resources and expertise to strengthen student-athlete mental health, build a community by and for athletes through peer-to-peer conversations and provide a platform for advocacy.

Website: https://www.morgansmessage.org

For additional resources download or order our Athlete Handbook from our website. Written by teens for their peers, coaches, and parents on how to maintain positive mental health in athletics.

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