Chitty Chats with Stacy

The Power of One Caring Adult: A Chitty Chat with Jim Sporleder

In this heartfelt Chitty Chat, Stacy sits down with Jim Sporleder, longtime educator, administrator, trauma-responsive pioneer, and one of the familiar faces from Paper Tigers. Together, they reflect on more than four decades of work with students, schools, and communities — and the powerful truth that one caring adult can change the direction of a child’s life. Jim shares how his unexpected start in special education shaped his entire career, why relationships remain at the center of trauma-responsive practice, and how the work continues today through bus drivers, school systems, and the often-overlooked adults who shape a student’s day before they ever enter the classroom. This conversation is a reminder for educators, helpers, and anyone who cares about kids: the wins may not always show up today. Sometimes they arrive years later, in a message, a lunch, a memory, or a story from someone who finally gets to say, “You mattered.”  Jim's Bio:  33 years in Public Education. 12 yrs Special Education Teacher 4 yrs Assistant Principal-Garrison Middle School 10 yrs Principal-Garrison Middle School 7 yrs Principal Lincoln Alternative High School Lincoln Alternative High School became one of the first schools in the nation to implement a trauma responsive approach school-wide. Due to the dramatic impact on less student discipline, increased graduation rates, and higher student performance in state testing, Lincoln was recognized by Jane Stevens from Aces Connections in which her article went viral reaching international attention, which then caught the attention of Jamie Redford and KPJR Films. Jamie Redford spent a year filming Lincoln High School where Paper Tigers was released at the Seattle International Film Festival and went on to become nationally and internationally recognized. Since my retirement from Lincoln High School, I have traveled the country helping schools transform into trauma responsive schools. I retired from full time travel in 2023, and have been working with the Modesto City School District, California 3 days a month for the past two years. My life has been enriched by the many colleagues and friendships made on this special journey.

Tangled, Not Broken: EMDR, Neurodiversity, and the Nervous System with Laurie Belanger

In this episode of Chitty Chats with Stacy, Stacy sits down with clinical social worker, trauma therapist, EMDRIA-approved consultant, educator, and Safe and Sound Protocol provider Laurie Belanger for a rich conversation about trauma, neurodiversity, EMDR, dissociation, and nervous system healing. Laurie shares her belief that people are “tangled, not broken,” and offers a deeply compassionate way of understanding complex trauma, especially in children, adoptive and foster families, neurodiverse individuals, and adults still carrying the impact of early experiences. Together, Stacy and Laurie explore why trauma and neurodiversity do not always fit into neat diagnostic boxes, how EMDR helps bridge the body and the mind, and why clinicians must remember they are not just technicians following steps—they are regulated humans bringing presence, discernment, and relationship into the room. They also unpack the Safe and Sound Protocol, using Laurie’s powerful explanation of the “sticky lever” in the ear and how our nervous system can become tuned to emergency settings. This conversation is full of practical wisdom, clinical depth, and the kind of nervous-system-informed language that helps people feel seen instead of labeled. This episode is a beautiful listen for therapists, educators, parents, caregivers, and anyone interested in trauma-informed healing, complex developmental trauma, dissociation, EMDR, neurodiversity, and the power of feeling safe enough to become more fully yourself.  Laurie's Bio:  Laurie Belanger, LCSW-R, is a seasoned psychotherapist specializing in the practical, individualized use of EMDR therapy integrated into complex presentations. She is known for being creative and adaptive. Over a career of 25 years Laurie has developed skill treating complex trauma, sensory differences, chronic pain, adoption trauma, SMH diagnosis, and neurodiversity. As an approved EMDR Consultant and Education Provider through EMDRIA, she helps colleagues build a sustainable and enjoyable best practice. Dedicated to providing cross discipline education, Laurie enjoys translating complex ideas into relatable, impactful material. Website: lauriebelanger.com  FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/laurie.belangerlcsw  Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-belanger-lcswr-1266113a  Instagram laurie_the_adhd_trauma_geek  You can also find some courses with me at UB School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education https://ubswce.ce21.com/item/emotional-safety-therapy-room-tools-strategies-resourcing-clients-ages-127442#tabFaculty

Chitty Chats with Stacy with Andy Grant: Success, Suicide, and the Space Men Need to Heal

In this episode of Chitty Chats with Stacy, Stacy sits down with Andy Grant—author, coach, energy worker, and host of the long-running Real Men Feel podcast—for a deep and honest conversation about men, masculinity, emotional numbness, suicidal thoughts, and the gap between outward success and internal emptiness. Together, Stacy and Andy explore why so many men feel alone in their pain, how cultural expectations can keep men disconnected from themselves, and why asking for help may be one of the bravest things a person can do. Andy shares practical tools for moving through heaviness, including movement, journaling, gratitude, affirmations, mirror work, and finding real connection with other men. This conversation is about more than masculinity. It is about being human, learning to feel again, and remembering that healing often begins when we stop carrying everything alone. Andy Grant has been helping people for over fifteen years as a best-selling author, speaker, Transformational Energy Coach, Healer, teacher, suicide prevention activist, and host of the award-winning podcast, Real Men Feel. He holds certificates in Positive Psychology, the Enwaken Coaching System, Akashic Records, Life Activation, and other leadership programs and energy work modalities. Known as the King of Authenticity, Andy is the founder of Real Men Feel, a movement encouraging men to come out of the emotional closet. Andy has been producing and hosting the Real Men Feel podcast since February of 2016. As a survivor of multiple suicide attempts, Andy knows how low we as human beings can feel, and he is committed to helping people realize how magnificent life is meant to be. His Amazon best-seller, Still Here: How to Succeed in Life After Failing at Suicide, has helped people around the globe and includes everything he wished he knew at a younger age. Andy is also an initiate of the Modern Mystery School. Learn more at TheAndyGrant.com TheAndyGrant.com Connect with Andy on Facebook: facebook.com/afgrant facebook.com/realmenfeelshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theandygrant/ https://www.instagram.com/realmenfeelshow/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theandygrant LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfgrant/ See all of Andy's books https://amazon.com/author/andygrant Real Men Feel Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-men-feel/id1107137758 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/78U5M6iDR2QWkPUl6Ch62c YouTube https://www.YouTube.com/realmenfeel

Listener Questions: Childless Not by Choice in a Child-Centered World: Alexandra

In this Listener Questions episode, Stacy responds to a powerful and tender question from Alexandra about navigating life as someone who is childless not by choice while working in an environment centered around children. This conversation explores the reality of living grief, the unexpected triggers that can surface in classrooms and child-focused spaces, and the importance of regulating your body without making children responsible for your emotions. Stacy offers practical, compassionate ways to sit with grief, locate it in the body, use bilateral movement or music to process the heaviness, and ask the deeper question: How can this live inside of me without wrecking me every day? This episode is also a reminder that you do not have to be a parent to deeply impact children. Your presence, steadiness, compassion, and emotional awareness matter. Stacy closes by reflecting on Alexandra’s insight that stress and trauma responses are physiological, not character flaws—and that when we move from judgment to understanding, empathy, and compassion, everything changes.

Chitty Chats with Stacy with Bryce: Gym, Counseling, and Truth Bombs: What Actually Keeps You Alive

In this episode of Chitty Chats with Stacy, Stacy sits down with her longtime friend Bryce—someone she met during her time in the military—for an unfiltered, honest conversation about mental health, military culture, parenting, and what it really looks like to grow after hard experiences. Bryce shares his personal journey into mental health support, sparked not by himself—but by his children. Together, they unpack the stigma around getting help, the myth of “suffering in silence,” and why so many veterans struggle to transition from a team-based military life to feeling like they have to carry everything alone. This conversation dives into: *  The truth about mental health stigma in the military  *  Why “suck it up” was never actually how soldiers operated  *  The powerful role of the gym and counseling in long-term health  *  Parenting after divorce, guilt, and learning to let go of control  *  What veterans actually need when transitioning to civilian life  *  How educators can better support military-connected kids  *  The importance of rebuilding your “team” after service  Bryce brings humor, honesty, and real-life perspective—reminding us that growth doesn’t come from pretending you’re fine… it comes from doing the work. Whether you’re a veteran, a parent, an educator, or just someone trying to figure it out as you go, this episode will challenge the way you think about strength, support, and what it means to truly take care of yourself.