Hear Me See Me

Episode 48: Making sense of the silence

How do you react when you're faced with life-altering news? Matt Hay was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF) when he was in college. NF is a genetic condition causing tumors to grow on your nerves. In Matt's case, he was told a tumor on his auditory nerve would take away his hearing. He shares the journey that followed in his book "Soundtrack of Silence,"using music to guide lessons learned. What songs would you want to keep in your head if your world would soon go silent?

Episode 47: Helping your kids cope through school, summer

The school year is winding down. But parents, take note: stress doesn’t end for kids once summer vacation arrives. We’re giving you tools for both experiences in the latest Hear me. See me. podcast. School counselors Mallory Jacobs with Topeka Public Schools and Nick Brummet with Clay Center Community Schools offer insights into what’s taking a toll on mental health of young people, and why summer brings its own set of concerns. They offer signs to watch for that could indicate your child is struggling, and practical advice to connect, communicate and support.

Episode 46: Helping athletes handle the heat - and what you can learn from it!

We've seen athletes at the highest levels struggle under pressure. It's something Dr. Anne Weese works with at the college level as director of mental wellness and sports psychology for Kansas State University Athletics. In this Hear me. See me. podcast, she explains how stress and pressure impact us mentally and physically, and why it's an extra challenge for young people. She also shares strategies for the playing field that we all can use in the workplace, too.

Episode 45: Crafting connections for rural women

Rachelle Coe launched “Wild Haven” specifically to reach women in rural areas. She says the farm and ranch life can be uniquely demanding for women, and she wants to help them foster connections, rather than feel isolated. Rachelle shares what led her to this mission on the Hear me. See me. podcast.

Episode 44: Using words to heal, connect

Words have power to make you think and help you heal. Poet and spoken word artist Matt Spezia shares how he uses words to help himself and others in this Hear me. See me. episode. Matt is a multi-national award winning artist, who often visits mental health-related themes in his work. In March, he'll present for a second time at Mental Health Advocacy Day at the Kansas Statehouse. In this conversation, Matt reveals what first motivated him to advocate for mental health awareness, and what he hopes people take away from his poems.