Trust, Crisis, and Community Health with Springfield Director of Public Health Katie Towns

Trust, Crisis, and Community Health with Springfield Director of Public Health Katie Towns

What does it really take to lead a community through crisis, and what happens after the crisis fades from the headlines? In this episode, we sit down with Katie Towns, Director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, for a powerful conversation about public health, leadership, trust, mental health, and what it means to care for a community through uncertain times. Katie shares what it was like stepping into leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, balancing the weight of public responsibility as a single mom, and learning firsthand why boundaries, resilience, and community support matter. We also talk about the lessons public health leaders are carrying forward, from pandemic preparedness and vaccine conversations to mental health access, suicide prevention, social isolation, and the hidden work local health departments do every day. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human. Whether you work in healthcare, care for an aging loved one, lead a team, or simply want to better understand the systems that help keep communities healthy, this episode offers perspective you will not want to miss. Katie brings clarity, humility, and compassion to some of the most important conversations facing our communities today: how we rebuild trust, how we prepare for what comes next, and how we take better care of one another before crisis arrives. Watch now and join the conversation about building healthier, more connected, and more prepared communities. #PublicHealth #CommunityHealth #KatieTowns #SpringfieldMO #GreeneCounty #HealthcareLeadership #MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidePrevention #PandemicLessons #COVID19Lessons #VaccineEducation #CommunityPreparedness #HealthyAging #SocialConnection #HealthcarePodcast #Leadership #LocalHealthDepartment

The Warrior's Journey: Part 2 with Kevin Weaver

In Part 2 of our conversation with Kevin Weaver, Co-Founder and CEO of The Warrior’s Journey, we go deeper into the hidden challenges facing veterans, service members, and their families long after military service ends. Kevin unpacks groundbreaking research from The Warrior’s Journey that reveals isolation, not PTSD, as the number one contributor to invisible wounds. Together, we explore the complex realities of identity loss, moral injury, family strain, deployment and reintegration challenges, grief, hopelessness, and the struggle to find purpose after service. Through powerful stories from veterans he has personally helped, Kevin shares why connection, community, and meaningful relationships are often the most effective tools for healing. He also discusses the unique challenges aging veterans face, the importance of social connection in preventing suicide, and how organizations can work together to provide life-changing support. This episode is a moving reminder that healing begins when people feel seen, valued, and connected, and that no warrior should have to fight their battles alone. Topics covered in this episode: • The hidden impact of isolation and loneliness • Veteran identity and transition after service • Moral injury and unresolved trauma • Family dynamics, deployment, and reintegration • Suicide prevention and restoring hope • Aging veterans and social connection • Finding purpose, community, and belonging • How The Warrior’s Journey supports veterans and families This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Learn more about The Warrior’s Journey: https://thewarriorsjourney.org/ [https://thewarriorsjourney.org/] #Podcast #Veterans #Military #PTSD #MentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #VeteranSupport #Healing #TraumaRecovery #MoralInjury #MilitaryFamily #Purpose #Community #Resilience #VeteranMentalHealth #TheWarriorsJourney #KevinWeaver #Leadership #Connection #InGoodCompanyPodcast

The Warrior's Journey: Part 1 with Kevin Weaver

In Part 1 of this powerful two-part conversation, we sit down with Kevin Weaver, Co-Founder and CEO of The Warrior’s Journey, an organization dedicated to helping veterans, first responders, and their families navigate trauma, healing, and purpose after service. Kevin is a U.S. Air Force veteran and nationally recognized advocate for military resiliency and healing from invisible wounds. This episode dives deep into the unseen emotional battles many warriors face after returning home: isolation, identity loss, PTSD, family struggles, and the weight of carrying trauma in silence. Through raw stories and honest conversation, we explore why connection, brotherhood, and community are essential for healing. The Warrior’s Journey isn’t just about treatment — it’s about reminding people they are not alone. Topics covered in this episode: • Veteran mental health and trauma • PTSD and family impact • Warrior culture and identity • Building trust through shared experience • Why community matters in healing • Supporting veterans beyond service This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Learn more about The Warrior’s Journey: https://thewarriorsjourney.org/ #Podcast #Veterans #Military #PTSD #MentalHealth #Healing #VeteranSupport #FirstResponders #TraumaRecovery #WarriorMindset #Community #Brotherhood #Purpose #Leadership #Resilience #VeteranMentalHealth #TheWarriorsJourney #KevinWeaver #MilitaryFamily #InGoodCompanyPodcast

Protecting the Vulnerable: Inside Missouri Healthcare Oversight

What happens when families file health complaints to the state? In this episode, we sit down with Tracy Niekamp, Mike Fields, and Rebekah Stone from the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) and Bureau of Home Care & Rehabilitative Standards to pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood areas of healthcare: patient protection and facility oversight. From nursing homes and hospitals to hospice care and long-term care facilities, these teams work behind the scenes every day investigating complaints, protecting vulnerable adults, and ensuring healthcare providers across Missouri meet critical safety standards. We discuss: • What actually happens when families file complaints • How investigations are prioritized • The realities of staffing shortages in healthcare • What surveyors look for during inspections • Why protecting vulnerable adults matters so deeply • What families should know when advocating for loved ones This conversation offers an honest, human look at the people responsible for safeguarding some of Missouri’s most vulnerable residents and the emotional weight that comes with that responsibility. Whether you work in healthcare, have a loved one in care, or simply want to better understand how patient safety is protected, this is a conversation worth hearing. #DHSS #Healthcare #PatientSafety #LongTermCare #HealthcarePodcast #MissouriHealthcare #SeniorCare #HealthcareLeadership #WalkToEndAlzheimers #NursingHomes #HospiceCare #HealthcareWorkers #PatientAdvocacy

Repair Not Replace: Natural Joint Relief with Dr. Marc Pietropaoli

In this episode of In Good Company, we sit down with Dr. Marc Pietropaoli, Founder & CEO of Victory In Motion, regenerative medicine pioneer, and fellowship-trained sports medicine orthopedic surgeon, for a powerful conversation about knee pain, arthritis, regenerative medicine, and why the future of orthopedics may be less about replacing joints — and more about helping the body repair itself. Dr. Pietropaoli shares the story that shaped his mission: as a medical student in 1991, he asked whether there was a way to repair a knee instead of replacing it. That question was dismissed at the time, but it eventually became the foundation for his work, his book Repair Not Replace, and his Knee Repair, NOT Knee Replacement™ approach. Together, we explore how the current health care system often focuses on symptoms instead of root causes, why patients are frequently rushed through short appointments, and how a more complete, proactive approach can change outcomes for people dealing with chronic joint pain. In this episode, we discuss: • Why knee pain and arthritis are affecting people earlier in life • The difference between treating symptoms and finding root causes • Why “time is the secret sauce” in patient care • How regenerative medicine may help people avoid or delay joint replacement • The role of inflammation, nutrition, strength, and movement in joint health • What people should know before choosing knee replacement surgery • Misleading claims in the regenerative medicine space • Why Dr. Pietropaoli believes the body’s ability to heal is more powerful than we often realize Dr. Pietropaoli also explains how his team uses a whole-person approach that may include imaging, regenerative therapies, PRP, bone marrow aspirate cells, laser therapy, nutrition, strength training, and physical therapy to help patients improve function and get back to the life they want. Whether you are dealing with knee pain, arthritis, joint problems, or simply want to better understand the future of proactive health care, this conversation offers hope, education, and a fresh perspective on what may be possible. Learn more about Dr. Marc Pietropaoli and Victory In Motion: https://victoryinmotion.com/marc-pietropaoli-md/ [https://victoryinmotion.com/marc-pietropaoli-md/] Find his book Repair Not Replace on Amazon. 🎧 Listen to more episodes of In Good Company wherever you get your podcasts. #Podcast #KneePain #Arthritis #RegenerativeMedicine #Orthopedics #KneeReplacement #JointPain #PRP #StemCells #RepairNotReplace #SportsMedicine #HealthyAging #FunctionalMedicine #Inflammation #Nutrition #PhysicalTherapy #Wellness #Healthcare #InGoodCompanyPodcast