(Season 6) Friends-Together Relaunches!

Upcoming World AIDS Week & Addressing Misinformation About HIV/AIDS From Charlie Sheen News Coverage

World AIDS Week is fast approaching, and I'd like to cover some key points regarding HIV/AIDS. There has been a lot of misinformation about HIV with all the news coverage of Charlie Sheen's announcement, and it's important people know the facts. * How does a person get HIV/AIDS? * What are the treatment methods? * How do sexually active people avoid getting HIV/AIDS and STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections)? Respect. Yourself. Enough. To. Protect. Yourself. Get tested this World AIDS Week! There are hundreds of free testing sites throughout the U.S. https://locator.aids.gov [https://locator.aids.gov] Additional Resource Links: www.CDC.gov [http://www.CDC.gov] (HIV/AIDS [http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/], STIs [http://www.cdc.gov/std/]) www.ProjectInform.org [http://www.ProjectInform.org] www.TheAIDSInstitute.org [http://www.TheAIDSInstitute.org]

(Season 6) A Plea for Gun Control After the Recent FSU Shooting and While Country Waits for Ferguson, Missouri Grand Jury Decision

Did you know the recent FSU shooting was the 91st school shooting since Newtown? INCOMPREHENSIBLE. It's time for our country to make a change -- NOW! We NEED Congress to pass major gun control legislation, and we (particularly young people and parents) need to demand that from them. In this episode, I'm sharing with you my plea for effective gun control. What do I think about hunting guns/small-caliber handguns vs. assault weapons? Listen to this episode to find out what this "woman with something to say" has to say. I'm also bringing up the important topic of mental health counseling. Lastly, I'll be talking about the pending grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri. I am sincerely concerned for the safety of people in Ferguson and across our country. We need to have honest conversations with our friends & family and stress they need to be safe in the coming weeks.  http://straighttalkwithcathy.com [http://straighttalkwithcathy.com] http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod [http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod]

(Season 6) Saying Goodbye to Tobacco & Nicotine

The Great American Smokeout [http://www.cancer.org/healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/greatamericansmokeout/index] is coming up on Thursday, Nov. 20. Do YOU currently use tobacco, and are YOU ready to quit? Whether you smoke, dip, chew, or vape, there's no better time to start making the commitment to yourself, your family and friends. According to the American Cancer Society, tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S. Discussion:  * Tons of quit programs & resources (many are FREE) - One great resource is 1-877-U-CAN-NOW * The addiction to nicotine * Typical process for quitting * Jessica's remarkable quit experience (one year out)   http://straighttalkwithcathy.com [http://straighttalkwithcathy.com] http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod [http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod]

(Season 6) Friends-Together Relaunches!

Get pumped about episode 2 of Straight Talk with Cathy... We're enthusiastically talking about the relaunch of Friends-Together! Joining me for the first time on the show is my son, Garrett Robinson. Topics: - History of Friends-Together (how it formed, who came together in the early years, strong focus on HIV/AIDS) - What Friends-Together has recently been up to  - Our Future -- Creating a "Better Tomorrow" -- expanding our mission to cover more social justice issues. Educating and providing safe spaces for open and informed conversations on topics such as HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, domestic health, bullying and sexual orientation.  - Climb For A Cause -- Returning to Africa! - Our Need for Donations & Volunteers  Learn more about Friends-Together and check out the new site at www.friendstogether.org [www.friendstogether.org]. http://straighttalkwithcathy.com [http://straighttalkwithcathy.com] http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod [http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod]

(Season 6) Domestic Violence Scandals Plaguing Professional & Collegiate Sports - Stopping the Patterns of Bad Behavior/Abuse

Welcome to Season 6 of Straight Talk with Cathy! It's been hard turning on the news in the last several weeks and hearing all of the updates surrounding the recent domestic violence scandals plaguing the NFL and other sports. What will the punishments of the players ultimately be? What's fair, and whether it comes to an athlete or an everyday person, how do we tackle this issue?   What we all need to know is domestic violence knows no boundaries. It doesn't matter what your socioeconomic background, race, ethnicity, or religion is when it comes to this topic. In this episode, we're talking about: - The recent news coverage & penalties/consequences - My domestic violence experience -- why I stayed - History of domestic violence -- when did it start?  - Stopping the "pattern of bad behavior" -- example, quarterback at Florida State - The different types of domestic violence (physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, economic, self-imposed) -- sharing examples and true stories http://straighttalkwithcathy.com [http://straighttalkwithcathy.com]  http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod [http://twitter.com/straighttalkpod]