Quality of Life Radio

Author Anna Monardo - After Italy Memoir

This episode of Big Blend Radio features author Anna Monardo who discusses her new and award-winning memoir, "After Italy: A Family Memoir of Arranged Marriage" (Bordighera Press, May 14, 2024).
Author of "The Courtyard of Dreams" and "Falling in Love with Natassia," Anna pivots from her career as an established fictional author to reveal the truths she discovered while investigating her family’s story. Starting in Southern Italy, 1948 leading to the U.S. and igniting a family feud so volatile it leads to separation, domestic violence, and an inescapable legacy of fractured love. At 39, caught in her own failing “marriage of convenience,” Anna looks to her family’s immigration history as she charts her personal path to self-discovery and the adoption of her son.
Anna’s story speaks to those breaking the cycle of family trauma, the cultural conflicts among immigrant families, and the risks we take when going against family expectations. More: https://annamonardo.com/

Dr. Ronald Ruff - Raising Children to Thrive

This episode of Big Blend Radio's QUALITY OF LIFE Podcast features Dr. Ronald Ruff who discusses his book, "Raising Children to Thrive: Affect Hunger & Responsive, Sensitive Parenting."
In this world of information overload and constant distraction, parents are experiencing an urgent need for direction on how to raise their children based on the cutting-edge science of child development. New research shows that infants possess considerable social and emotional capacity to engage their parents in ways that run far deeper than ever before realized.
After running a private practice for forty-eight years, Dr. Ruff, a veteran psychologist, has created an essential resource for parents who are searching for evidence-based, best practice models to help them raise happy, kind, and self-aware kids. The book is available on pre-order now, and will be out on June 11, 2024. More at https://ronaldruff.com/

Dr. Jackie Eubany - Women's Heart Health

Did You Know that Heart Disease remains the Number One Killer of Women in the United States, killing more women than breast and lung cancer combined? In honor of Women's Health Month, this inaugural episode of Big Blend Radio's HEART HEALTHY LIVING WITH DR JACKIE Podcast is all about Heart Health for Women. Hear about prevention, along with easy (and fun) lifestyle and dietary changes that can boost heart health. 
Dr. Jacqueline Eubany is a board-certified cardiologist and electrophysiologist, and author of the best-selling book, "Women and Heart Disease: The Real Story." More: https://womenandheartdiseasebook.com/ 
New episodes of "Heart Healthy Living with Dr. Jackie" air every 2nd Wednesday at 12pm PST. Follow the Podcast: https://hearthealthyliving-drjackie.podbean.com/

Shelley Whizin - Embracing Self-Care

As a Mother's Day Tribute to Nurturing Yourself, this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's SOUL DIVING SUNDAY Show with transformational life coach Shelley Whizin focuses on how to embrace self-care.
 
As Shelley says, "Celebrating Mother’s Day often revolves around honoring the incredible women who have nurtured us. Yet, amidst the busyness of life and caretaking responsibilities, many mothers forget a crucial person in their nurturing equation: themselves. This Mother’s Day let’s explore the beautiful journey of self-care and reflect on the importance of mothering oneself with as much love and tenderness as we give to others." Read her article about it all, here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/embrace-self-care/ 
 
SHELLEY WHIZIN is the founder and CEO of the Soul Diving Institute™ and author of "What Do You Bring to the Table? A Savory, Sensory and Inspirational Guide to Living a Yummy Delicious Life." Keep up with her here: https://www.shelleywhizin.com/ Tune into Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday with Shelley" show every first Sunday here: http://tinyurl.com/2bjbectk  

Faye Brenner - Collywobbles: Tales of Travel, Life, and Anxiety

An irresistible compulsion to travel and a nervous affliction: put these together and you get the collywobbles, that jittery feeling one gets from anxiety. 
This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Vacation Station" Travel Show features author and world traveler Faye Brenner who chats about some of her travel experiences and her book "Collywobbles: Tales of Travel, Life, and Anxiety." 
Part memoir and part travelogue, "Collywobbles" takes readers on amusing journeys from climbing up to the gargoyles atop Notre Dame to crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels in Vietnam, all the while wrought with multiple anxieties - from the fear of heights to the fear of getting lost. As she seeks ways to overcome her angst, Faye continues to pursue worldly pleasures in the arts, food, phalluses, and, oddly enough, toilets. More at https://www.fayebrenner.com/

Poet Lauren Martin - Night of the Hawk

This episode of Big Blend Radio celebrates Earth Month and National Poetry Month with Lauren Martin who discusses her book, "Night of the Hawk: Poems" which will be out on May 14, 2024 through She Writes Press. 
A powerful and wise poetry collection on shamanism, feminism, and disability, "Night of the Hawk" tells untold stories of the marginalized. Inspired by the Lauren's own experiences as an aging woman living with chronic illness, the poems in this collection will inspire readers to seek compassion and kindness in an often inhospitable world. 
LAUREN MARTIN is a psychotherapist, poet, and a devoted Ìyânífá. She lives in Oakland, California. Lauren studied poetry at Sarah Lawrence College. She spent years writing without submitting her work due to a long shamanic journey, which led her to both Ifá, and to the writing of this collection of poems. More at: https://www.laurenmartin.net/ 

Author Cheryl Leutjen - Love Earth Now

Enjoyed this shared episode from Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast featuring Cheryl Leutjen, author of "Love Earth Now: The Power of Doing One Thing Every Day."
As a geologist, environmental law attorney, spiritual practitioner and, most importantly, devoted mother, Cheryl understands that most people don’t have an endless reservoir of time, money and energy to devote to Earth-friendly practices. That’s why she wrote "Love Earth Now," a candid, often humorous exploration that reveals her own imperfect journey toward living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Each chapter includes gentle prompts to help readers uncover their own capacity for making meaningful changes, one step at a time. More: https://loveearthnow.us/
Big Blend Radio's "Nature Connection" Podcast airs every 4th Friday in collaboration with Margot Carrera, a fine art nature photographer who is passionate about the environment. More: http://margotcarrera.etsy.com/

Author Aaron Arsenault - The Climate Diaries

After working in the climate-tech industry for the past fifteen years, debut author Aaron Arsenault is excited to inspire readers ages 9-12 to combat climate change. On this episode of Big Blend Radio, he discusses his climate fiction novel, “The Climate Diaries, Book One: The Academy” (Borrowed Planet Press, April 2024).
"The Climate Diaries: Book One," takes readers on an eco-adventure with troublemaker Jax Wilkinson, who is recruited by a top secret organization dedicated to preparing the next generation of climate-fighters. Learn more at https://www.aaronarsenault.com/