Amanda and Allen get candid about their experiences working together as a Black man and White woman, including recent racist experiences at a conference at which they spoke. Together, they talk about the importance of getting curious about the life experiences of others, the importance of opening your eyes even when it feels easier to close them, and the enormity of racism as a social issue.

For Mental Health Awareness Month we are joined by Aimee Selix, the United States Space Force Spouse of the Year for 2023. Aimee is passionate about mental health awareness and the power of connection. She shines a light on the unique challenges faced by military spouses and families, but anyone who has a demanding job or has a partner with a demanding job can relate to the solutions we discuss in this episode. With Aimee, we talk through practical steps that can be taken to drive connection and help people who are struggling with their mental health, as well as creative solutions for addressing mental health issues – particularly anxiety. 

A Note from Aimee: Receiving the Armed Forces Insurance Space Force Spouse of the Year title has been an absolute honor. I wish it could be a team award, though, as it was years of teamwork in the making – from my husband, Jim, my boys, Ethan and Lukas, family and friends, to my fellow spouses, who have worked with me on countless projects and have spent many hours with me discussing ways to improve family support within our community. Without ALL of these wonderful people supporting my efforts, this would not have happened. I am grateful to all of them. The love I have received is far greater than any title or award. It is my pleasure to serve our military community.

Thank you for joining us, Aimee! We appreciate you and all the work you do to support military members and their families. 

Link for the breathwork course Aimee mentions: https://projectwelcomehometroops.org/sky-resilience-training/

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), so this month we are presenting a two-part mini series sharing our stories. Part 1 features Amanda's story of surviving childhood sexual assault. Amanda and Allen discuss the implications of sexual assault, healing from trauma, thriving, living in truth, and the complexities of interfamilial sexual assault.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), so this month we are presenting a two-part mini series sharing our stories. Part 2 features Allen's story of surviving a family sexual assault scandal. Allen and Amanda discuss the lack of resources for those who know and/or love the perpetrator and shine a light on how far-reaching the impact of one sexual assault truly is. They also put forth a call to action for advocates, social workers, attorneys, law enforcement, and everyone involved in responding to sex crimes to help make resources easily accessible for the loved ones of the perpetrator who are also devastated by the crime.

Amanda and Allen explore the impact the past few years have had on their mental health. They share their stories of severe illness, personal trauma, and family tragedies to normalize the impact life happening has on mental health, moods, and actions. Allen shares about the societal obstacles men face as they go through difficult phases of life and the importance of vulnerability, and Amanda shares her experiences with being taken seriously when she is struggling since people are used to her being "the strong person." Though mental health is a heavy topic, Amanda and Allen infuse the conversation with humorous experiences that illustrate the importance of acknowledging the good things in life while being honest about the bad.