Hears How

The Power of Feeling Seen with Viral Principal Zac Bauermaster

Videos giving his students high-fives and hugs [https://www.instagram.com/zbauermaster/?hl=en] have gone viral online. Despite the duties piled high on the school principal’s lunch tray, Zac [https://www.zacbauermaster.com/] makes it a point to greet his student and teachers so they feel seen. The resulting joy is dopamine-inducing.  In this episode of Hears How, Zac shares how simple acts of kindness performed with the intention of connecting can transform schools, families, workplaces, and communities. He also opens up about his own journey, from battling “crippling” anxiety and depression, to finding strength in vulnerability, faith, and purpose. Host Erin Jensen sits down with Zac to explore: * How a few seconds of presence can change a child’s entire day * What Zac’s mental health journey taught him about slowing down and asking for help * The small ways we can show up more fully for others * Why creating environments of encouragement matters more than we realize * What his viral moments reveal about our universal longing to be seen This heartfelt conversation is for anyone feeling burnt out, disconnected, or unsure of how to make a difference. You’ll walk away reminded that slowing down to truly see people might be the most powerful thing we can do. Stream now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

How Rachel Zimmerman 'found joy again’ after her husband died by suicide

In this episode of Hears How, we talk about suicide and its emotional aftermath. If this topic is sensitive for you, please take care of yourself — whether that means pressing pause or choosing another episode. Remember that help is available, you are not alone, and your life matters. * For the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988 * To reach the Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741741 * Visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention [https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/#]for additional resources  Journalist and author Rachel Zimmerman met Seth Teller in her mid-30s.  “He was a devoted father to our 8 and 11 year old daughters,” she shares. “He was a tenured professor of robotics at MIT. He was very close with his family.”  Rachel and Seth were together for 15 years, married for 12. “That’s partially why it felt so out of the blue,” Rachel says. “From the outside, it looked like he had a charmed life.” In this profoundly moving episode, Rachel opens up about her search for answers, drawing from her book "Us, After: A Memoir of Love and Suicide [https://www.amazon.com/Us-After-Memoir-Love-Suicide/dp/1951631358]." She shares the grief, guilt, confusion, and ultimately, the resilience that followed her loss. “The questions were, ‘Why did he do this?’” she says. “'What was going on in his brain?’ And also, of course, the flip side of that, which is, ‘Could I have stopped it?’ And, ‘Did I miss the signs?’” This conversation is about the messiness of grief, the stigma that surrounds suicide, and the slow, sacred return of joy. It’s about a mother rebuilding a life for her daughters, and it’s a reminder that we can survive the unimaginable. “Grief does not unfold in tidy stages; it lurches,” Rachel says. “It isn’t, ‘At first you’ll feel this, then it’ll move to this and then it’ll be this and you’ll never feel that first thing again.’ It’s messy and ugly and not fair. And you feel all of these things, and it’s okay. And it does get better.” In this episode: 1:40 Rachel and Seth’s life together: “He loved being a hero to the girls.” 3:57 Signs: “It wasn’t the signs we typically look for, but I think in retrospect, there were other signs.” 5:14 Rachel's search for answers: “I really believed that finding answers would give me some form of relief.” 8:33 What Rachel learned in her interviews with doctors and experts 10:45 Rachel interviews Leonard, a man who attempted suicide: “I thought maybe he would unlock this truth about what he was thinking right before.” 13:10 Rachel’s stopping point: “I am never going to understand it fully.” 14:26 Reclaiming joy: “Let’s allow pleasure and joy to come back in.’" 17:54 Rachel’s advice for people who have lost their spouses: “It does get better…and you need to ask for help.” 20:13 Final thoughts: “Obviously it was a disaster and caused tremendous pain. But in the back of my mind, as I was writing, the good was that we survived and thrived and found joy again.”   More: For more of Rachel’s story, read her book, “Us, After,” [https://www.rachelzimmerman.net/us-after] and visit her website [https://www.rachelzimmerman.net/ ].

How Laura Cathcart Robbins recovered from an Ambien addiction and embraced her true self

Laura Cathcart Robbins’ story is for anyone who has ever felt like they had to bury who they really are to be seen, loved, and accepted. She has written about her recovery in her memoir, “Stash: My Life in Hiding,” and candidly shares her experience in this episode of Hears How.  Laura and her husband welcomed two sons in consecutive years. They were energetic little boys, who slept as long as Laura cradled them in her arms. When they got a little bit older, the children went to an elite private school, which tapped Laura as president of its parents’ association. From the outside, her family had everything to be envious of. "We had all the things that people thought, ‘If I had that, I would be happy,’” Laura says. “They looked at us, including me at the time, and thought they have it all together. This is the goal,” and Laura, “worked hard to keep up that facade.  “The only thing I really cared about, really cared about was my connection to my children,” she continues. “But in order for me to do anything, I needed the Ambien and the booze. I had to wash it down with booze in order to get it to be as effective as I needed it to be.” When Laura was first prescribed Ambien in 2002, it gave her, “the best sleep of my life,” she says. “I woke up the next morning full of energy. I can be the fun mom and, ‘Let’s go to the pumpkin patch,’ and let's do all the things that I would be dragging myself to normally.” “I think that the addiction probably wouldn't have come into play if I weren't so separated from who I am authentically,” she assesses. “By the time I had my kids and was physically just kind of devastated by the lack of sleep and by the kids who wanted my attention all the time, I think I was ripe for an addiction. And because I have this front that I like to keep up, I'm not great at asking for help.” In this episode: 1:26: How Laura’s desire to be the perfect mom and wife resulted in silent suffering and anxiety-fueled insomnia 2:54: The start of an addiction and her life in hiding 7:04: How being disconnected from her authentic self made her vulnerable to addiction 9:26: The breaking point: When Laura knew she had to make a change 13:23: Her difficult time in treatment where she met her “person” 15:47: The moment she realized she wanted sobriety 18:56: What has aided her recovery 20:39: Laura’s message to those impacted by addiction 22:50: How to recognize the signs in your own life 23:57: Laura’s “biggest lesson” from recovery   More: For more about Laura’s recovery, read “Stash: My Life in Hiding.” [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Stash/Laura-Cathcart-Robbins/9781668005347 ] You can also follow her podcast, The Only One in the Room [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOnlyOneintheRoomPodcast]. Share this episode with someone you think might benefit. Tag us with your thoughts on Instagram, using @HearsHowPodcast. We love hearing from you. Note: This episode discusses addiction, withdrawal, and recovery. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you love is struggling, help is available. Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the organization online [http://samhsa.gov/].  You may also find the websites for Alcoholics Anonymous [https://www.aa.org/], Narcotics Anonymous [https://na.org/], and Al-Anon [https://al-anon.org/] to be helpful.

How Shayne Burke survived a grizzly bear attack: ‘In my head, I was like … You’re going to die now’

In May 2024, army reservist Shayne Patrick Burke was enjoying his honeymoon. He and his wife, Chloe, visited national parks, with Shayne ready to snap his camera and capture a Great Grey Owl.  Two years earlier, doctors removed a non-cancerous brain tumor about the size of a golfball, and Shayne was eager to get back to doing things he enjoyed, like rock climbing and wildlife photography.  On a solo hike in Grand Teton National Park, Shayne couldn’t shake an “eerie feeling.” “I didn't really quite feel alone,” he says. “I felt like something bad was gonna happen.” Shayne spotted a bear cub, and merely seconds later, “the mom was jumping on me,” he says. “I just told myself I was probably gonna die.” Miraculously Shayne survived. Listen as he reveals what was going through his mind during the attack, his rescue, and his emotional and physical recovery journey. Don’t miss this gripping story of survival, love, and resiliency of the human spirit.  In this episode: 2:29 The honeymoon adventure: Searching for the Great Gray Owl 3:11 Shayne’s solo hike: “I did start to get a real eerie feeling” 4:37 The bear attack: A fight for survival 9:33 Rescue and recovery: “I just blew my whistle. S-O-S, S-O-S constantly.” 13:10 Reflections and gratitude: Life after the attack 14:44 Final thoughts: advice and appreciation

Are you being called for more? Finding strength at any age with Spartan race champion Gwendolyn Bounds

Welcome to another episode of Hears How! I was inspired to talk to Gwendolyn Bounds — or Wendy to her podcast friends like you and me — because I love her story. As she writes in her book, “Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age,” Wendy, now 53, went from the kid being picked last for dodgeball in gym class to a journalist glued to screens all day.  At a dinner party in 2016 she overheard a man ask a young girl what she wanted to be when she grew up.  “And she rattled off all these incredible things, and his eyes kind of glazed over,” Wendy, says on Hears How. “I think he was sorry he asked. But it really stuck with me, hearing her rattle off all these things that, at age 45, no one was ever going to ask me that anymore. And more importantly, I'd stopped asking myself. And that is what led me the next morning to wake up and Google, ‘What are the hardest things you can do?’” Which led her to the world of obstacle course racing. To date she’s participated in more than 50 races and in November finished in fifth place for her age group at the 2024 Trifecta World Championship held in Sparta, Greece. Wendy says she doesn’t know exactly why she searched that particular phrase, “but clearly there was a feeling inside that something was left in my tank, something I hadn't tapped.” And that is why it is so important that you listen to this episode, so you can answer the question Do you hear a whisper or feel a push telling you there’s more? In this show: 1:06 The entire point of this podcast episode: Is there more left in your tank? 3:21 From journalist to athlete 5:52 The dinner party revelation 9:33 The first steps in training 15:28 Facing challenges and overcoming obstacles off the course 17:14 The hardest part of all: Mastery and the plateau 26:56 Wendy’s advice for aspiring racers 28:09 Final thoughts More: To learn more about Wendy, visit her website [https://www.gwendolynbounds.com/] and read her book “Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age.” [https://www.gwendolynbounds.com/books/]  You can also follow her on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gbounds/].  Be sure to subscribe to the Hears How podcast [https://www.instagram.com/hearshowpodcast/] so you don’t miss an episode!