On 5/14/21 at 8pm EST we will talk with Kate Wallinga - the host of the podcast "Ignorance Was Bliss". Kates podcast is about making just about anything sound normal, from PTSD to podcasting to serial murder. She also has her own story of overcoming after having broken her back in 2014. So lets chat with Kate, about her journey through life with her careers in different fields, talk about her back and lessons learned in her recovery, and about her podcast. Lets find out if Ignorance was Bliss?

You can find out more about Kate at IWBpodcast.com

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Addiction, Mental Health, and Recovery

This week's guest has chosen to remain anonymous, and we will only call him Sam. Sam is a recovering Alcoholic with years of sobriety, still attending his AA classes. He tells us about his small town, religious upbringing. He talks about how that affected his outlook on life, his relationship with his parents and resulted in his being sent to boarding school. He tells us about how he started drinking, how it sent him to rock bottom. He also tells us about his struggles with his own mental health, the need for counseling and why the stigma around mental health hospitals needs to go away. There is a lot here to unpack and there are parts of this story that you have to hear to understand. Please share Sam's story with those you know who either need to enter recovery, or who are fighting for their sobriety.

For more information - Alcoholics Anonymous - www.aa.org Narcotics Anonymous - www.na.org Suicide Hotline - suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 800-273-8255

Find us on Social Media - Instagram - @focusedonforward Twitter - @podcastfof

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Our Story Pt. 2 - Series Finale

3 years ago I started this journey of storytelling. To be honest, story sharing, is probably more accurate. This journey was started on the heels of the most intense thing I have endured as a person and as a parent, and so I decided to share "Our Story" in Episode 1. My daughters diagnosis of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) and the 97 day hospital stay to follow shaped our future more than we would know at the time. Coming home from the hospital didn't take away the problems, and it made me want to know how to move forward in life. I wanted to talk with people who had endured all that life could throw at them and who walked away with their heads held high. Those who had looked life in the eye and decided to fight back. Those who were TRULY - Focused on Forward. And for 3 years you have joined me on this journey. You have heard these amazing stories from truly inspirational people who are choosing to be Focused on Forward. These people are the stars of this show and I am forever thankful that they entrusted me, just a guy Michigan who had been through some stuff to help them share that story. I am deeply honored.

Today though, we close out the show. This is the series finale. And I say WE for a reason - today I am joined by my daughter Kendall and we talk about Our Story Part 2. How we got from there to here ...

And again ... from my family to yours, THANK YOU!