Pam Botterill is an Indigenous woman from the Wei Wai Kum First Nation in Campbell River BC, who was adopted at the age of 9 months and was raised by a non-Indigenous family in Powell River, BC. Pam describes her experience of adoption as a good-news story.

In this episode Angel Pearl Talemwa is speaking with us from Magoggo, a remote village in Uganda. Angel is the founder and has been the team leader of DEWI Stronger Communities for the past 3 years. Growing up in a polygamist family and one of 12 children, Angel talks of the poverty, as well as the social and geographic challenges to receiving an education in the remote villages of Uganda. Losing both parents at an early age, Angel speaks of her amazing journey to become a social worker and what inspired her to support vulnerable children, youth and women.

In this episode I reflect on some of the pivotal moments of growth and resilience in the course of my life and career. As with 20/20 vision, looking through the rear-view mirror these learnings become much clearer. Sharing some of the vulnerable, beautiful and courageous experiences that have stood out for me, I can now honour that each of these challenges have contributed to who I am today.

With a wealth of expertise in cultivating resilience among humans, Dr. Doug Walker Registered Psychologist and Chief Programs Director of Mercy Family Center in St. Louis shares his experience of surviving Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and how this prompted him to develop Project Fleur-de-lis, New Orleans largest school-based Mental Health program devoted to students struggling emotionally and academically.

Alicia Nicholsen is the author of The Resilient Mommy Blog, a space where she speaks to the resiliency of being a mommy. Sharing her story of loss after a miscarriage and a second child at 23 weeks, Alicia is no stranger to grief. With an insight that only lived experience can teach us, Alicia is now committed to providing resources and support to women who have experienced loss in motherhood.

Karen Peters, Registered Clinical Counsellor talks about the decision she and her husband Chris made to grow their family through adoption. With a very special conversation on what it can mean to adopt interracially, Karen shines a light on their eye-opening and heart wrenching opportunity to learn and actively dismantle their white privilege as parents while celebrating and instilling black culture and identity in their beautiful girls.

In this episode we are talking with Marj Busse, Master Certified Coach. Growing up in a military family Marj shares the timeless wisdom she learned from her father as a little girl, what inspired her to pursue leadership coaching and the insights she discovered about herself in the process.

Jeannette Ambrose, Registered Psychologist and family therapist speaks about surviving the loss of her mother to suicide and how this early trauma transported her into a long career of helping others through traumatic grief and loss. This episode will discuss the nature of sudden traumatic loss and some of the considerations in navigating this very challenging journey.

Frank & Linda Seitz have been married for 52 years and would suggest that together they make one person. With a long career as a psychiatric nursing attendant, Frank had a common interest with Linda as she also worked at the Brandon Health Centre as a Psychiatric nurse.

Dr. Erica Harris shares how Leukemia took her on a significant detour from the highway in life she had been on, and how a terminal illness propelled her on to the path she was supposed to be on. Prior to 2012 Dr. Harris was happily married with two little boys, with a successful career as a Chiropractor and Kinesiologist.