When You Can't Fix It Anymore | Episode 514

When You Can't Fix It Anymore | Episode 514

There’s a moment many people hit where they’re not okay, they know they need help, and they still can’t figure out what to say or who to call. I’m Justin Alan Hayes, and I’m talking straight about that moment the one where asking for help feels harder than suffering in silence. Mental health doesn’t come with a handbook, and there isn’t a laminated card with the perfect words that magically fixes a loved one, a family, or your own mind. That uncertainty can be terrifying, especially when you’re the “fixer” who’s used to solving problems fast. We dig into why support gets complicated when families are scared, kids are involved, and everyone wants behavior to change. One of the toughest truths is also one of the most freeing: no matter how much we love someone, the person has to want the change. I also share what it was like leading up to my hospitalization in November 2017 how isolating it felt, how stigma kept me from calling it mental health, and why swallowing pride was part of getting to real care. We also talk about the practical barriers people rarely mention out loud: pharmacy delays, prior authorization requirements, and the sheer burnout of fighting a system when you’re already struggling. At the same time, there are more resources than there used to be, including 988 and, in some places, non-emergency teams that can evaluate someone at home. If therapy has ever felt exhausting because you have to repeat your story, you’re not alone and it’s okay to search until you find the right counselor or psychiatrist fit. If you or someone you love is navigating mental health, crisis support, or the first steps toward therapy and treatment, listen through and then share this with someone who needs it. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell me what made it hardest for you to ask for help. *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And Why We Show Up * 1:22 When There Is No Handbook * 4:20 The Fixer Instinct And Its Limits * 6:55 Families Want Change Too * 7:40 My 2017 Hospital Turning Point * 9:38 Stigma Makes Help Hard * 10:28 Medication Barriers And Burnout * 22:00 Newer Crisis Resources Like 988 * 23:05 Finding The Right Counselor Fit * 26:52 Closing Thoughts And Share Request #AskingForHelp #MentalHealthAwareness #SupportSystem #EmotionalSupport #SeekingHelp #OvercomingChallenges #LifeAdvice #HelpAndAdvice #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode514 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

Restarting My Fitness Journey After 10 Years | Episode 513

A week can turn on one good update. We start with a grateful check-in, from summer heat and World Cup buzz to a personal moment of relief as my friend’s second hospital procedure finally works and his heart rhythm gets back into the expected range. It’s a reminder that progress is not always linear, but good news still shows up, and it matters. From there, I shift into something I’ve been rebuilding in my own life: movement. After roughly nine to ten years away from the gym and a long stretch of sedentary habits, I just wrapped my first full week back. I’m not chasing a bodybuilding goal or some perfect transformation plan. I’m leaning on light weights, more reps, and a routine that supports self-esteem, stress relief, and the mental reset that can come from simply getting your body in motion, even when depression and anxiety are still along for the ride. We talk through a practical strategy that makes consistency easier: focusing on one body part per workout so missed days don’t derail the whole week. I also share how proximity matters when you’re trying to build a habit, why I keep my head down and stay efficient at the gym, and how to stop comparing your progress to the person lifting heavier next to you. If the gym isn’t an option, we also get into flexible alternatives like Tai Chi, a jump rope workout at home, and small ways to add cardio and stretching for safer warmups. If you’re trying to restart a fitness journey, build a beginner workout plan, or just move more this summer, come hang out with us. Subscribe, share the show with a few contacts, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s one small way you can move today? *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And How To Support * 1:16 Summer Week And World Cup Buzz * 1:56 A Friend’s Hospital Update * 3:15 Kids Summer Memories And Safety * 4:23 First Week Back In The Gym * 10:33 Consistency Over Perfection * 17:51 Tai Chi And Home Workout Options * 20:40 Machines Vs Free Weights * 25:45 Cardio Warmups And Stretching * 26:55 Closing Thoughts And Big Mission #BackToTheGym #FitnessJourney #GymMotivation #ReturningToFitness #HealthyLifestyle #WorkoutRoutine #FitnessAfter40 #FitnessVlogs #justiceforjustin #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #Episode513 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

Denying Last Rites Over Money? Inside the Transactional Hospital | Episode 512

A priest shows up to give last rites, takes a call, then refuses because the person did not donate enough money. That story is hard to hear, but it points to a problem that shows up in more places than we want to admit: when care becomes transactional, dignity gets compromised fast. From there, we talk about patient advocacy in the hospital through a current heart related hospitalization that hits close to home. I share what I saw and heard firsthand: cardiologists coming in without checking the heart, little visible note taking, and a steady push toward procedures like cardioversion or ablation without slowing down to explain the “why.” We get into informed consent, second opinions, and the simple right every patient has to say, “I need time to think, I need to talk to my power of attorney, and I need a clear plan.” We also connect physical symptoms to mental health and trauma informed care. When someone has lived through abuse and ongoing trauma, the nervous system can stay locked in fight or flight, and the body can carry that stress for decades. If a hospital team treats only the number on a monitor and ignores the full life behind it, they may miss a major driver of what is happening. That is why we highlight hospital advocates and holistic care, getting the right people in the room so the left hand knows what the right hand is doing. If you have ever felt rushed, dismissed, or pressured in a medical setting, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more real talk, share this with someone who might need it, and leave a review with the one question you wish every doctor would answer before a procedure. *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:00 Welcome And A Hard Topic * 0:53 The Call Nobody Wants * 3:59 Last Rites Denied Over Money * 5:23 Why Advocacy Still Matters * 8:28 Heart Doctors Who Do Not Listen * 11:56 Pushed Toward Procedures * 13:44 Trauma And Physical Health Collide * 20:20 Slow Down And Ask For An Advocate * 27:50 This Is Not A Hotel Comment * 31:51 Takeaways And How To Support #PatientAdvocacy #HospitalCare #HealthcareSystem #PatientRights #MedicalAdvocacy #HealthLiteracy #AdvocacyInAction #EmpoweredPatients #justiceforjustin #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #VoiceForChange #HealingTogether #Episode512 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

My Realistic Plan to Feel Healthy and Toned | Episode 511

I spent years putting real effort into mental health, recovery, and getting through the hard seasons, but I also had to admit something out loud: I was ignoring my physical health. Not in a dramatic way, just in the slow, everyday way that happens when you sit more than you move, gain weight over time, and keep telling yourself you’ll start “later.” This conversation is my reset, and I’m sharing it in case you’ve been stuck in the same loop. I talk through why I tried a three-day gym trial, what made this gym feel doable (no sales pressure, no credit card hold, and it’s close enough that I’ll actually go), and why my goal is simple: get toned and feel better. No bodybuilding contests, no maxing out, no chasing my 20s. Just lightweight strength training, higher reps, cardio options, and a plan built around consistency instead of perfection. We also get into the mindset side of fitness, because comparison can wreck motivation fast. I share how I’m staying focused on my purpose, plus the backup plan that keeps me moving when I travel: Tai Chi for mobility and calm, and a jump rope for quick cardio anywhere. If you want a realistic approach to physical health that supports your mental health, press play and come with me. If this helps, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Voices for Voices. *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Chapter Markers * 0:01 Welcome And Why Health Matters * 2:14 The Three-Day Gym Trial Decision * 8:10 How Work Stress Broke The Habit * 14:25 Toning Goals And Training Light * 21:55 Travel Backups With Tai Chi * 26:05 Focus Mindset And Closing Ask #healthylifestyle #selfcare #wellnessjourney #physicalhealth #mentalwellbeing #smallsteps #fitnessmotivation #healthtips #justiceforjustin #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #VoiceForChange #HealingTogether #Episode511 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]

When Life Changes with One Phone Call | Episode 510

A friend goes from celebrating 40 years of sobriety to landing in the hospital with a heart number that shocks everyone. That whiplash is where we start, because it’s the moment a lot of us recognize: life can feel stable, and then a call comes that changes your whole week, your whole mindset, sometimes your whole faith. We talk through what we understand as non-medical people, including the basic idea of ejection fraction and why “within range” matters when doctors are watching your heart work overtime. But this is not a medical deep dive. It’s a human story about fear of hospitals, the memories that come back when you’ve lost someone before, and the surprising peace that can show up when you choose to sit with a friend for two or three hours and just be there. We also reflect on recovery and resilience, because Don’s journey of living drug-free is a reminder that transformation is real and hard-won. Then we move into what compassion looks like in practice: keeping someone company, refusing to let them be alone, and showing support without needing the perfect words. A small moment of generosity, including a gift of blessed holy water from Venezuela, becomes a symbol of how people can keep giving even while carrying their own burden. If this conversation hits you, share it with someone who needs encouragement, subscribe for more stories that center empathy and service, and leave a review so more people can find Voices for Voices. Who can you check on today? *Donate Today: LoveVoices.org [https://www.lovevoices.org], CashApp and Venmo **Find our book here: Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW [https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AW] Publisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN [https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN] ***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb [https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgb] Instagram: @voicesforvoices TikTok: @voices_for_voices_22 Facebook: Voices for Voices *Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. #hospitalvisit #mentalhealthawareness #compassionatecare #showingup #supportingothers #unexpectedconnections #humanexperience #healingjourney #justiceforjustin #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #VoiceForChange #HealingTogether #Episode510 Support the show [https://cash.app/$VoicesforVoices]