It's 2026 and the world is more connected than ever. And yet, making friends can feel hard! If you want tips on making friends (from two certified friends), give the newest episode a listen. 

We're back! This episode features CHASE youth Max! He shares insights on fishing, guitar playing, and his interest in cars. Thanks for tuning in! 

Have you tried to nail down a gratitude practice but find it difficult to maintain? Maybe you're not the gratitude journal type, and that's okay! Gratitude can be brought to all areas of life and experiences, sometimes it just takes thinking outside of the box. Luckily, Jorden is here to help us do just that. 

Enjoy this episode, and please remember to rate and share our show! 

Amy Ballinger is the Community Engagement Leader at Independence, Inc. -- a Kansas Center for Independent Living (CIL). Amy and her team are taking up a collaboration on IEPodcast with the Families Together CHASE gang, offering youth and young adults in Kansas City, KS a new opportunity to join a podcast about their own IEP! Listen in for a sneak peek, and contact Amy directly for more information on how to get started: aballinger@independenceinc.org. 

In this Teach From The Heart episode, CHASE team member Natalie Moyer invites listeners to explore the power of belief systems and how reframing your mindset can help you push past limits, create space for abundance, and CHASE your dreams with confidence.

Through personal stories of multiculturalism and upbringing, Natalie and special guests, Melodie Moyer and Jorden Durkee, share their insights and journeys of breaking free from self-limiting beliefs and creating space for an abundant and joyful life.

When Brad attended a national leadership conference focused on improving youth transition services, he met Michael Scanlon, Director of Community & Partnerships at Street Smart Ventures.

In this episode, Michael joins us virtually to share the mission of Street Smart Ventures, his role in building community connections, and the core values that fuel his passion for empowerment and growth. 
 

In this episode, we sit down with Edgar Palacios, founder of the Latinx Education Collaborative and Revolución Educativa, two powerful organizations advancing Latino representation and leadership in education. Edgar shares his personal journey, and his views on creating pathways for Latino educators, students, and families to be seen, heard, and empowered. From dismantling systemic barriers to building community-driven change, this conversation is an inspiring look at what happens when advocacy meets action. 

https://latinxedco.org/

https://revedkc.org/

CHASE team members Natalie, Jorden, and Jacob gather to discuss takeaways from the 8-week CHASE Youth Program. Plus they add insights into new topics that could be fun to consider! Tune in for a thoughtful discussion about how the CHASE work impacts daily life, relationships, and more. 

Youth voices matter—but so do the voices of parents and guardians. Join us for a powerful conversation with Kansas City parent Lamar Nixon as we dive into parenthood, navigating system involvement, and how families can help shape stronger communities.

With a rich background in both agriculture and the restaurant world, Kendall Harris brings a fresh, down-to-earth perspective to navigating both parenting and profession. In this episode, he shares how the slow rhythms of farming have taught him powerful lessons in patience, growth, and raising kids. Listen now on the CHASE Your Dreams Podcast!

Sensitive Content Warning: This episode contains discussion around the topic of suicide. 

Christopher Williams is a physical trainer, author, and survivor of multiple major health events. His story inspires us to dig deeper, find purpose, and give our gifts to the world. Thank you for tuning in! 

This Mental Health Awareness Month, the CHASE team dives deep into what mental health really means—how it compares to physical health, the powerful role relationships play in our well-being, and how philosophy and faith can shape our mental landscape. Join us for an honest conversation that reminds us all: mental health matters.

CHASE team members Jorden, Natalie, and Brad discuss this year's CHASE FEST sessions and how they tie into overall themes of community. Building our own healthy communities is a critical step toward fully living our dream life — thanks for tuning in! 

Join us for another dip into the IEPodcast project, a new way for students to self-advocate in their IEP meetings. Kansas State School for the Blind is a Kansas City-based school that has existed for over 150 years as a catalyst and leader in the development of programs in Kansas vision services. Enjoy some fun insights from Dan, Mary, and Mr. C! More to come on this collaboration. 

In this episode, we’re excited to introduce two new team members who are joining the Families Together CHASE family: Josie Newman, our talented new Multimedia Coordinator, and Jacob Dunn, our driven Data Coordinator. Get to know Josie and Jacob as they share their backgrounds, passions, and what they’re most excited about in their new roles. Tune in to hear how they’ll be making an impact on the team and the exciting projects ahead!

Today we're sharing two tracks from students in our JAM class (Just Arts & Music). Thank you to Brandon Yangmi with Art As Mentorship for recording and engineering the songs. JAM is offered in Olathe, KS at an alternative high school. Students learn the benefits of music and art on things like collaborative skills, mental health coping skills, and honing creativity. Enjoy! 

The CHASE "IEPodcast" (Individualized Education Podcast) is a project that seeks to give youth in Kansas a new way of self-advocating in their IEP meetings. For youth involved, audio from the episode can be shared with school staff leading up to the IEP meeting, giving everyone a great head start on things like goals and/or educational needs. 

Tune in for a chat with our intern Echo Miller. Thank you, Echo, for your vulnerability and willingness to share your experience! 

We are back with another installment of "Teach From the Heart" - a CHASE educational series highlighting team topics that we are passionate about! Join us as CHASE Youth Specialist Gina Reyes guides us through Mood & Food, an episode digging into the vital connection between our gut health and mental health. 

Guest starring on this episode are Fort Scott's Heather Shepherd and Trinity Presley, two key partners in our work with CHASE. Enjoying CHASE Your Dreams Podcast? Remember to throw us a review! 

This year CHASE is exploring a new project called "Teach From the Heart" - an opportunity for each CHASE team member to teach about something they are passionate about. First up is Youth & Family Support Specialist, Jorden Durkee, serving up some amazing knowledge about sensory environments and making sure your physical surroundings work for your specific needs. Very fun episode, thank you Jorden for everything you do! 

We love encouraging people to "CHASE their dreams" but under one condition - does your dream serve the greater good? If not, it's worth stepping back and considering how you are using your unique gifts in life. Tune in for a new episode! 

This week we dig into our key findings from 2024's Social Media Balance Study. Tune in to find out the ways reduced screen time on social media can positively impact your life! 

The year 2025 is underway, and with that comes new year's resolutions and lofty goals. This is a good time to examine our relationship with failure, and finding for ourselves ways to associate our personal success and confidence with the act of trying more so than achieving. Tune in for a short episode about "failing forward"! 

CHASE team members Natalie, Leia, and Brad sit down to discuss 2024 in retrospect. Hit play to hear more about our team's accomplishments, plus some voice clips from our community at the recent Tinsel & Tape event! Thank you for listening to this podcast in 2024! We appreciate you. 

"What's in the water in Eldon?" This is a question the Eldon, MO school district despises, but not for the reasons one might think. As a district, they have been able to dig out of almost last place in Missouri schools, and transform their school community into a top class thriving hub for education. So, "what's in the water in Eldon" is because everyone wants a taste! But that is not the Eldon way. They are a humble bunch who believes in good old-fashioned hard work. Ask them and they'll tell you -- they aren't doing anything special. We beg to differ!

CHASE had the great pleasure of sitting down with two of Eldon, Missouri's finest: Meghan Opie (Community Health Worker) and Aaron Berendzen (Director of Special Programs) to try and understand what has gone RIGHT in this town of 5,000. Tune in to find out! 

There's so much to be thankful for this season. Enjoy this special episode highlighting various members of our organization, each sharing a personal note of gratitude for this work we to together. From our family to yours - HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

CHASE recently helped organize a community scavenger hunt in the wonderful town of Fort Scott, Kansas. Tune in for a loose and fun conversation with community members and program youth! 

Should we do more of these? Let us know on the text line! 

Dr. Stephanie Punt is a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles where she cares for individuals with acute and chronic illness, including post 9/11 Veterans through Operation Mend. She grew up toggling between rural and urban communities in the Pacific Northwest and has a longstanding interest in improving rural health. Dr. Punt earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Psychology at the University of Kansas with specialization in Health Psychology. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Washington. 

She was recently recognized by the National Academy of Neuropsychology and was awarded the Early Career Tony Wong Diversity Award for her dedication to leveraging her neuropsychology training to enhance the well-being of students and families, especially those with marginalized identities in rural Kansas. Her mission is to enrich brain health equity, and alongside a multidisciplinary team of colleagues at the University of Kansas, has helped create the infrastructure for and deploy community health workers to rural communities across Kansas. These community health workers, known as trusted "boots on the ground," play a crucial role in helping marginalized students and families access essential social determinants of health such as food, shelter, and transportation. She also has presented on and has multiple peer-reviewed publications on a breadth of health psychology topics.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering with two non-profit organizations—Creative Healing for Youth in Pain (CHYP)—a resource for adolescence experiencing chronic pain (https://mychyp.org) and Gather Pax Mentis—a program that builds community for adolescents with developmental disabilities and their families (www.gatherpax.org).

Listening to this podcast or using this platform does not imply nor establish any type of doctor/patient relationship. No diagnosis or treatment is being provided by the use of this platform. The use of this platform does not constitute nor offer any specific medical or psychological advice to anyone and is not intended for that use. This platform is not responsible for any misinterpretation of the information provided within this podcast or any consequences resulting from the use of this platform.

Dr. Stephanie Punt website:
https://www.stephaniepuntphd.com/ 

Dr. Stephanie Punt on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniepunt

For more information about UCLA Operation Mend: https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/operationmend

Dr. Rachel Eva Dew is a double-board certified Doctor of Natural and Integrative Medicine. She is additionally certified in more than 20 healing modalities that support her integrative approach to whole person health and well-being and has been in clinical practice for over 20 years. Dr. Rachel has supported hundreds of patients through her private practice over the years, and thousands more through her books and conference appearances. 

Integrative Wellness Academy: 

Personal website: https://drracheldew.com/

Follow Dr. Rachel Eva Dew on Instagram and Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/drracheldew/
https://www.facebook.com/drracheldew/ 

Today we round out the four-part wellness series with spiritual health. Are you a spiritual person? Remember, spirituality doesn't necessarily mean religious. There is a whole world of possibilities waiting in the power of meditation, prayer, and connection to nature. We are best honoring our life's mission and service to others by tapping into our spiritual side. Thanks for tuning in!

Join Brad for part 3 of the Wellness Series -- digging into physical health and how it may impact our lives. Your physical health also includes things like physical surroundings and finances, giving us a more holistic view of our total health picture. Enjoy!

We've covered mental health as our first dip into overall wellness, and now it's time to plunge into another key aspect of our health -- emotions. Tune in as Brad describes three key components of emotional health: processing emotions, your relationship to self, and your relationship to others. Thanks for listening!

"Wellness" is the state of being in balance in all of the four main health systems: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. When we are in balance, we experience a great life with positivity and joy! We will be exploring all four health systems with a new four-part Wellness Podcast Series, starting off with mental health. 

When our mental health is in balance, we experience healthy thought patterns, positive self-image, a good view of the world, and the rest of our life is impacted for the better. What should we be considering with our mental health, and what does it look or feel like when we are out of balance? Tune in to find out!

Please reach out if you need mental health help: brad@familiestogetherinc.org. 

Big news! We now have a new team member, Gina Reyes, based in Garden City, KS. Gina has a background in nutrition and we are so excited to leverage her many talents to improve our program. Tune in as we chat about Garden City, food, Mr. Beast, visualization techniques, living from the heart, and much more!

Please share our podcast with a friend if you enjoy the content, and remember to leave us a review! Thank you for listening. 

Join us as we sit down with two team members from the TASN (Kansas Technical Assistance System Network) School Mental Health Initiative team. Erin and Laura both have lots of experience dealing with trauma and how it impacts many systems. Dive into a thoughtful discussion about how to influence the effects of trauma at both individual and community levels!

Learn more here: https://ksdetasn.org/resources/2491

We'd all benefit from a little love and kindness. Being kind can be simple, and you can even set goals to pursue acts of kindness. In this episode, Brad breaks down the SMART goal model as a means for achieving goals around kindness in your community. What goes around comes around, so go spread some loving kindness! 

At CHASE, we place an emphasis on tools that can be applied today to make a difference. We understand people are busy and long-term commitments aren't always easy, that's why we like to find ways to be impactful on a short timeline. With this, we wanted to give you all some quick tips for reducing screen time. 

Tune in for part three of our four-part social media series. Brad, Natalie, Jorden, and Echo (our high school summer intern) discuss ways they have successfully reduced screen time that can be applied today!

Here are a few resources that were shared on the episode: 

https://www.alltrails.com/

https://www.opal.so/

As the old saying goes, "the only constant in life is change". It's our responsibility to stop resisting change in order to grow and mature. But it can be hard! Consistent times are alluring and sometimes what we need to stabilize. But in order to advance our lives and increase capacity for service to others, we must stop resisting the necessary changes that come with growth. Tune in for two quick ways to accept change! Thank you for listening. 

This conversation was recorded just a few days after our first-ever CHASE FEST back in April. The team chats through our favorite memories from the event, takeaways for CHASE FEST 2, plus we dream big for future events across the state! Thank you for listening. 

Explore the rocky terrain of life with a new map! Controlling your actions and reactions to your environment with a sense of agency is key to making great decisions. This week, dive into a few quick tips for developing more agency, or "growing your map" of possibilities! Self-help with a nature twist -- enjoy! 

Perfect doesn't exist, so it's time to stop perfectionism in its tracks. This episode delves into the ways we can encourage ourselves and others to disrupt negative patterns of perfection by focusing on connection as a meter for success. 

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with a friend and rate our podcast. Thanks for tuning in!

Last month, we chatted about social media from the adult perspective on our four-part social media podcast series. Today we are featuring the youth voice, starring our very own summer intern Echo Miller. Echo is in high school and participated in our JAM program last school year!

Tune in as we discuss youth statistics, personal experiences from Echo around social media, and advice or considerations for balanced social media usage for young people. 

On today's episode we dig into the nitty-gritty of our program's origin story, plus how it has evolved since beginning in 2020. Take a look under the hood of CHASE and learn the "why" behind our work, as well as the many future projects we have underway. 

If you'd like to learn more about our program and how we can support your community, feel free to email brad@familiestogetherinc.org. Thank you for listening! 

Today we feature our friend and fellow youth empowerment advocate, Carrie Greenwood. Carrie is the Program Coordinator at KYEA (Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy), and also leads the organization Ms. Wheelchair Kansas, Inc. as President and CEO. 

We delve into KYEA, lived experience with a disability, inner beauty, faith, and much more! Thank you for listening. 

Audio Engineering Credits: Brad Girard, Echo Miller 

On this Juneteenth, we celebrate the life and legacy of one of our nation's most significant civil rights leaders -- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "CHASE you dreams" is a moniker we use to support and empower our community to aim high. MLK chased his dreams fervently until his untimely passing at just 39 years-old, but remains an iconic figure for equality all over the world. His legacy and message endures today. Enjoy!

There are many reasons why we avoid asking for help — inconveniencing others, feeling embarrassed or incompetent, and generally being “too good” for it are among some of the most common. But with life experience, you realize that receiving and providing help are basic needs built into the fabric of humanity. We rely on help to grow, to change, and to become stronger people.

Join Brad to on this week’s episode to create counterarguments for negative thought patterns about asking for help. This mindset shift may be just what you need to create quantum leaps in your life! We are better together, so ask for help!

From Broadway lights to Kansas City coffee, join us for an inspiring conversation with Jackie Nguyen, the entrepreneurial force behind Cafe Cà Phê. Jackie opens up about her incredible transition from performing on musical theater stages to launching Kansas City's first Vietnamese coffee shop during the pandemic. Her journey is not just a tale of career change but a mission to elevate the Asian voice in her community, proving the transformative power of resilience and creativity.

Current data reveals that there are over 5 billion social media users globally. Join Brad, Jordan, and Natalie on a deep dive into the dynamic world of social media with a four-part series. We take an honest look at the pros and cons of social media usage, review some global data, read responses from our adult survey, and hear from a full-time social media influencer. 

Part 2 will focus on youth voices and experiences! Thank you for listening. 

Harvard University research stands by us, affirming that this pose isn't just for comic book heroes; it genuinely lowers stress and primes us for action by a whopping 33%!

Soar with Natalie as she takes us through one of our favorite activities -- the Superhero Pose! View this YouTube video for the full effect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jloDsWMmYao. Thanks for listening!

Living a fully committed life will maximize our odds at success! Often times, we consider the big proactive steps toward committing, while failing to recognize the power of smaller actions that compound over time. 

Join Brad in this episode to discuss pathways for nurturing commitment, and challenging ourselves to think through restricting freedoms as a means for committing,  the power of small acts of service, and much more!

Our team led a breakout session at CHASE FEST called "Art of Conversation - Live Podcasting" where we recorded a conversation with youth using PowerCards, showing that podcasting is collaborative just like other art forms. 

Enjoy these fun recordings, and kudos to the youth for bringing their personalities and vulnerability to the session!

How often have you considered your values in life? Ensuring that our goals are aligned with our value system is one way to create a life well-lived.

Join CHASE teammate Jorden on a 10 minute interactive episode that will help you establish your personal values! Write a letter to yourself from the perspective of your 90 year-old self. What did you do? Where did you go? What did you accomplish?

Once finished, circle every emotion, skill, or location. This will help you establish your values. From there, you can set goals that align with your value system leading to a higher quality of life!

Join us for a special episode with LeDerick Horne, our keynote speaker at CHASE FEST 2024. LeDerick uses his gift for spoken-word poetry as the gateway to larger discussions on equal opportunity, pride, self-determination and hope for people with disabilities. 

We dig into Horne's spirituality, advice for youth in finding their unique voice, ways to become more conscious of our environments, and much more! 

Learn more about LeDerick at https://lederick.com/. 

If fear of failure is  holding you back, this episode is for you! We'll examine the advantages of adopting a growth mindset in order to achieve new heights, and how to avoid the pitfalls of staying stuck in a fixed mindset. 

Much of this episode is based on the work of Carol Dweck, Ph.D. and her book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" released in 2006. 

Thanks for listening! 

In a world where trust can be as fragile as it is essential, this episode touches on the delicate balance of building bridges between educators and families. We recount personal stories of the trials and victories of advocating for every child's right to a fresh start. 

Listen in with Belinda O'Dell, Assistant Special Education Director at Keystone Learning Services, and Families Together's Leia Holley.  

Have you ever been pushed to a point that sparked a transformation? That's exactly what happened to Wyatt Starz, a Topeka, KS youth who took the torment of bullies and turned it into a force of good. Together with his fiercely supportive mother, Laci Reamer, Wyatt shares his journey on our CHASE Your Dreams podcast that is sure to leave you packed with inspiration and practical wisdom. 
 
 Uncover the transformative power of forgiveness, as articulated by Laci and Wyatt. Their insights into overcoming the long-term trauma of bullying, recognizing signs of depression, and creating a safe environment for their family. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or someone who has endured bullying, this episode underscores the need for a supportive network and knowing the right resources. Dive into this moving narrative and let Wyatt's story embolden you to be an advocate for change.

Want to weave a touch of magic into your daily routine? Let me, your host Brad, guide you on a transformative journey where you'll learn the power of setting an intention and aligning your attention with it. I'm about to unveil a game-changing habit that I've adopted, one that's proved to be a powerful antidote to negative self-talk and fostered a more positive, expansive outlook.

Ever imagined what it would be like to control your thoughts and actions?  I'll walk you through my personal experiences and real-life examples that illustrate the efficacy of this practice. By the end of this episode, you'll be ready to incorporate this practice into your daily routine. So, tune in and let’s embark on this journey of intentional living together. Grab a journal and let’s redefine the narrative of your life!

Episode 5 is all about SPEAKING UP! As people, we must learn to advocate for ourselves and speak up in order to thrive in the future. Thanks for listening!

Episode 4 is all about the power of GRATITUDE! We talk through what it means to be in the "flow" of gratitude, and how keeping a gratitude journal can add up to big things in your life. Thanks for listening!

This episode centers on the importance of breathing in order to regulate our bodies during high emotional times. Specifically, this episode goes over a technique called "square breathing". Enjoy!

This episode is all about the benefits of connecting with nature. This can be simple! Going on walks and observing our surroundings is a great way to calm the mind and get more present to the moment. Thank you for listening!

This episode is all about self-talk and ways to improve how we speak to ourselves! Making an effort to become self-aware about our self-talk, as well as developing ways to be more gentle and positive in our minds, will ultimately improve our self-confidence and motivation. Thank you for listening!