In this episode of Empower Hour, April and Audrey sit down with a powerful new voice, Tavia Calhoun. As a college student, part of Gen Z, and a deeply thoughtful observer of culture, Tavia has been ringing the alarm bells on artificial intelligence and what it may be quietly costing us as humans.

This is not an anti-technology conversation. It’s an intentional one.

Together, we explore how AI is shaping education, mental health, creativity, work, and even our natural resources, often without people realizing the full impact. Tavia brings a refreshing and grounded perspective, challenging the assumption that faster and easier always means better.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The environmental cost of AI, including how massive data centers drain local water supplies

• Why AI can be helpful but also dangerous in mental health spaces, especially without human judgment or reality-checking

• The growing concern around AI replacing critical thinking in education, not just supporting it

• How reliance on AI can erode confidence, creativity, and authentic voice

• The ethical issues of AI entering art, music, and creative industries without transparency

• Why boundaries, awareness, and intention matter more than total rejection

• The difference between technology that supports development and technology that replaces it

Tavia also shares what it’s been like to be encouraged by a college professor to use AI for coursework, raising important questions about what learning is supposed to cultivate in the first place.

At its core, this episode is about something simple and vital:

Human connection, discernment, and responsibility still matter.

Technology isn’t going away, but how we choose to engage with it will shape the future of our work, our creativity, our mental health, and our humanity.

If this episode resonated with you, we would love to hear your thoughts. Reach out to us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or through our website and join the conversation.

In this powerful and deeply affirming episode of Empower Hour, April and Audrey welcome Tasha Cofer, a certified postpartum and bereavement doula, grief and life coach, and host of the Holding Women Through Grief podcast.

Tasha brings wisdom, honesty, and tenderness to a conversation many women desperately need but rarely hear spoken aloud. Together, they explore the realities of postpartum life, grief in all its forms, and the vital importance of support, advocacy, and permission to heal at your own pace.

💛 What You’ll Hear in This Episode

What a Postpartum & Bereavement Doula Really Does

Tasha explains the difference between birth doulas and postpartum doulas, and how bereavement doulas specifically support women through miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, and other forms of grief. Unlike traditional therapy settings, her work often begins in the home or even at the hospital, meeting women exactly where they are.

Grief Is More Than Loss of a Person

Grief can come from miscarriage or infant loss, but it can also come from unmet expectations, traumatic births, NICU stays, breastfeeding struggles, body changes, or the loss of identity and independence after becoming a parent.

Postpartum Depression vs. Grief

Tasha breaks down how grief, mourning, depression, and anxiety can overlap, and how to recognize when someone may need additional mental health support beyond grief care.

The Pressure to “Bounce Back”

The episode confronts the harmful societal expectations placed on postpartum women. Tasha shares why rest, not performance, is essential and why social media often adds pressure instead of support.

Boundaries, Advocacy, and Saying the Hard Things

From hospital rooms to family visits, women are often unsure how to speak up. Tasha explains how doulas can help advocate when women aren’t ready or able to do so themselves and why it’s okay to let someone else be the “bad guy.”

Three Essential Postpartum Needs

• Rest (not just sleep)

• Self-care (beyond basic hygiene)

• Connection and community

Trusting Yourself as a Parent

Tasha emphasizes the importance of trusting your instincts, asking questions, slowing providers down when needed, and avoiding the overwhelm of Google and social media rabbit holes.

Honoring Loss and Creating Meaningful Remembrance

From candles and prayer to memory bears and keepsakes, Tasha shares many ways families can honor babies and experiences they’ve lost, with no pressure to grieve “the right way.”

What Loved Ones Should (and Shouldn’t) Say

Tasha introduces the powerful concept of WAIT: Why Am I Talking? and explains why silence, presence, and practical help often speak louder than words.

Rapid Fire Wisdom

• Every postpartum parent needs more grace

• It’s time to ask for help when functioning and connection feel impossible

• The smallest acts of care, like meals and chores, can make the biggest difference

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📍 How to Find Tasha Cofer

Tasha shares several ways to connect with her and her work:

• Email: holdingwomenthroughgrief@gmail.com

• Podcast: Holding Women Through Grief (available on all major podcast platforms)

In this honest, funny, and deeply validating episode of Empower Hour, April Thorndyke sits down with Jess Gambill, an LCSW at Empower Counseling’s Boise location, to tackle some of the most common myths people believe about therapy.

This is not the polished, clinical version of therapy talk. This is the real, human, sometimes spicy truth about what therapy actually is, what it is not, and why so many misconceptions keep people from getting the support they deserve.

Together, April and Jess break down the beliefs that create fear, shame, or unrealistic expectations around therapy and replace them with clarity, compassion, and common sense.

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✨ What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why therapists do not have their lives perfectly together

• The truth about “therapy is just talking” and why that misses the point

• Why therapists don’t tell you what to do (even when they want to)

• Whether there’s a “right” way to act, talk, or show emotion in therapy

• Why crying in therapy is not weakness, but progress

• The myth that therapists have all the answers

• Why one session (or a few) can’t magically fix everything

• What it really means when therapy takes longer than expected

• Whether therapists ever get emotional about their clients’ stories

• Why therapy can’t fix your partner

• The harmful belief that therapy is only for “broken” people

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💬 Key Takeaways

• Therapy is a relationship between two humans, not a hierarchy

• Progress is not linear and cannot be rushed

• The goal of therapy is insight, regulation, and growth, not perfection

• You are allowed to give feedback, change therapists, and advocate for yourself

• Therapy is for growth, maintenance, and support, not just crisis

As Jess beautifully puts it in this episode: “Broken crayons still color.”

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👩‍⚕️ About Today’s Guest

Jess Gambill, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Empower Counseling’s Boise location. She also serves as a Director of an Outpatient Group Therapy Program and specializes in bariatric assessments and telehealth counseling. Jess is known for her grounded, real-world approach and her ability to create safe, human therapeutic spaces.

In this powerful continuation of our grief and loss conversation, Susan Boswell returns to Empower Hour to help listeners better understand what actually helps when grief feels overwhelming. This episode moves beyond platitudes and dives into practical, compassionate tools for coping, setting boundaries, and supporting both yourself and others through loss.

April and Susan talk honestly about why grief is not something you “move on” from, but something you learn to walk with. They explore the importance of giving yourself permission to rest, release expectations, and adjust traditions that no longer serve you in this season. Grief is not linear, and there is no right timeline. Wherever you are is allowed.

This episode also unpacks boundaries in grief. From protecting your time and space to learning how to say no without guilt, Susan explains why boundaries are not about pushing people away, but about caring for yourself when your emotional capacity is limited. You will also hear thoughtful guidance on how to identify what kind of support you actually need, even when you do not yet have the words for it.

April and Susan discuss support systems and why support may not come from the people you expect. They talk about when professional support may be helpful, how community and faith can play a role in healing, and how to recognize when grief is impacting daily functioning.

The conversation closes with practical guidance for those supporting someone who is grieving. What to say. What not to say. And why sometimes the most loving thing you can do is simply sit with someone and acknowledge that this really does hurt.

This episode is for anyone grieving a person, a relationship, a season of life, or an identity they once held. You are not weak. You are not behind. You are human.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why grief is not something you fix or rush
• Giving yourself permission to change expectations and traditions
• Setting boundaries around time, space, and emotional energy
• How to identify what kind of support you need
• When professional support may be helpful
• How to support someone who is grieving with compassion and presence
• What grief looks like in the body and why awareness matters

If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who may need it. Grief is something we all carry, and no one should have to carry it alone.

What makes learning truly stick? In this episode of Empower Hour, April sits down with Dr. Jill Chonody, PhD, MSW, LCSW, Professor of Social Work at Boise State University, to explore what it looks like to engage students beyond lectures, slides, and rote memorization. From creative classroom activities and experiential learning to AI tools, podcasts, and empathy-building exercises, this conversation dives deep into how education shapes the next generation of social workers.

Dr. Chonody shares the inspiration behind her newest book, Teaching Activities for Social Work, a collaborative handbook featuring creative pedagogical tools from educators across the globe. Together, April and Jill discuss why social work education must balance challenge with support, how meaningful learning experiences prepare students for real-world complexity, and why empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking matter now more than ever.

This episode is a must-listen for educators, students, clinicians, and anyone passionate about learning that lasts.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Why student engagement matters more than ever in today’s classrooms
• How creative and experiential learning builds real clinical skills
• Using AI ethically and effectively as a teaching and practice tool
• Building empathy through storytelling and immersive activities
• Teaching social work in online and asynchronous environments
• The importance of challenge, curiosity, and human connection in education
• Dr. Chonody’s global research on aging and ageism

About Our Guest:

Dr. Jill Chonody, PhD, MSW, LCSW is a Professor in the School of Social Work at Boise State University and a nationally and internationally recognized scholar. Her research focuses on aging, ageism, social justice, and innovative teaching practices. She has authored and co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, presented her work around the world, and written multiple books, including her newest contribution, Teaching Activities for Social Work: Creative Pedagogies to Engage Students. Dr. Chonody has also served as a Fulbright Specialist, working with universities internationally to strengthen teaching and learning practices

Why This Episode Matters:

Education shapes practice. The way social workers are taught directly impacts how they show up for clients, communities, and systems. This conversation offers a hopeful, practical look at how learning environments can foster confidence, compassion, and competence in a rapidly changing world.

Connect With Empower Hour:

If this episode resonated with you, be sure to follow Empower Hour, leave a review, and share this conversation with someone who cares about education, mental health, or social impact.

Grief is something we all experience, yet so many people feel confused or ashamed when they are in it. In this episode of Empower Hour, April sits down with Empower therapist Susan Boswell, LMSW, for an honest and grounding conversation about grief, loss, and why the holidays can make everything feel heavier.

Susan helps break the myth that grief only applies to death. Loss can come from relationships, health changes, infertility, military moves, pets, dementia, addiction, identity shifts, and unrealized futures. Grief is complex, personal, and often misunderstood.

Together, they discuss why the stages of grief are not linear, how emotions like anger, guilt, anxiety, and loneliness are normal, and why you can feel lonely even when surrounded by people. They also explore anticipatory grief, ambiguous loss, and the pressure many people feel to “show up” during the holidays when they are already emotionally exhausted.

This episode is a reminder that there is no timeline for grief, no right way to feel, and no need to rush healing.

You are not broken. You are grieving.

In this heartfelt and practical episode of Empower Hour, April and Audrey dive into the real meaning of gratitude and what it looks like to practice it when life feels overwhelming.

Gratitude is often presented as something we should already be good at, yet many of us struggle with it, especially during seasons of grief, stress, or emotional exhaustion. April gently reminds listeners that this struggle does not mean anything is wrong with them. It simply means they are human. Our nervous systems are wired for survival, and when we are in survival mode, gratitude does not come naturally.

Throughout the conversation, April explains the science behind gratitude and how it literally retrains the brain by building new neural pathways. When practiced consistently, gratitude shifts our focus from what is missing to what is already present, leading to healthier emotional patterns, more peaceful states of mind, and greater awareness of the people and experiences that support us.

Audrey shares deeply personal stories, including walking through fear while awaiting medical answers for her son and how gratitude reshaped her perspective during that season. The discussion highlights how gratitude does not deny pain or hardship. Instead, it creates space for meaning, comfort, perspective, and emotional healing even in the midst of uncertainty.

Listeners will learn simple, realistic gratitude practices that do not require perfection or hours of journaling. These include:

• Writing down just one to five things daily.
• Practicing gratitude verbally during daily routines like driving or cooking.
• Reflecting on meaningful memories that bring positive emotional connection.
• Acknowledging even basic necessities such as shelter, food, safety, and rest.
• Ending the day by focusing on positive inputs to support emotional wellness.

April also shares how gratitude helps clarify boundaries. When we identify what brings us peace, support, and safety, we gain clearer awareness of what we want to protect emotionally and relationally. Gratitude becomes not only a mindset shift but also a tool for healthier relationship patterns and self-compassion.

The episode closes with encouraging reminders that gratitude is a practice, not a personality trait. There is no “right way” to do it, no quota to meet, and no timeline to follow. Even small steps count. One thought of thankfulness, one grounding breath, or one meaningful conversation is a powerful beginning.

If gratitude feels out of reach right now, you are not failing. Your nervous system is doing its job. Start where you are. That is enough.

Guest: Becca McKinney, Therapist

Two recent losses of 11-year-olds to suicide have shaken communities and left parents asking hard questions. What is happening with kids today? Why are anxiety, depression, and loneliness rising so fast? And what can parents and communities actually do to help?

In this heavy but hope-filled episode, Audrey and April are joined by beloved guest and child therapist Becca McKinney, who works in private practice and nonprofit settings with children and families in Alabama. Together, they unpack what’s fueling the current youth mental health crisis and offer practical, grounded ways to move toward healing and connection.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The powerful role loneliness plays in childhood anxiety and depression

• How COVID disrupted social and emotional development

• Social media’s impact on comparison, isolation, and emotional regulation

• Why connection and “bids for connection” from kids matter more than we realize

• The difference between permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative parenting

• Why kids need both boundaries and emotional validation

• How over-fixing or rescuing can unintentionally weaken resilience

• The importance of modeling healthy emotional expression for our children

• What Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches kids about mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation

• Misunderstandings around diagnosing kids and how labels should empower, not limit

• ADHD, trauma overlap, and challenges within the school system

• Why parent involvement is essential in child therapy and healing

• The truth about school counselors vs. licensed therapists

• What teachers are seeing and why schools need more mental health partnerships

• The protective power of routines like shared meals or intentional daily connection

• Simple strategies parents can implement today to strengthen emotional safety at home

Rapid-Fire Parent & Teen Takeaways:

• Teens need to hear: “You are seen, you are heard, you are believed, and you are not alone.”

• One of the strongest protective tools for kids is consistent connection

• Breathing skills like Cake Breathing help regulate the nervous system

• Play is not optional. It is essential for development and healthy attachment

• Boundaries keep kids emotionally safe when paired with compassion

This episode brings clarity, validation, and actionable wisdom to an issue that touches so many families. If you have a child, teen, work with youth, or simply want to better understand what kids today are facing, this is a must-listen.

Guest TikTok:

Follow Becca here for parenting and mental health insights

TikTok Username: wifemomandtherapist