Elizabeth Muhle was 28 when her fiancé Cameron was diagnosed with high-grade spindle cell sarcoma. He passed away a year and a half later. In this episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Elizabeth — now a social worker, therapist, and author of the memoir Soaring with Burnt Wings — shares what it was like to become a caregiver in her 20s, rebuild her life afterward, and turn that loss into her life's work supporting others through grief and trauma. Belinda opens up about her own loss too: her mom passed from cancer at 54, just months after Belinda's wedding. Together they talk about the stigma around therapy, how to find the right therapist ("it's like dating"), why grief shows up in the body and not just the mind, and what healing actually looks like season to season — not a straight line, and never fully "over." We also cover practical resources for parents whose kids are struggling with anxiety or mental health, including 811, Access Mental Health, and the Strongest Families program. In this episode: - Elizabeth's own journey to becoming a social worker after struggling with suicidal ideation and self-harm as a teen - Losing her fiancé Cameron to sarcoma at 27, and life as a young caregiver - Belinda's story of losing her mother to cancer at 54 - Why "finding the right fit" with a therapist matters more than credentials - The stigma around therapy — especially for men - The mind-body connection and how grief manifests physically - The "bowling ball" analogy for carrying grief - Elizabeth's memoir, Soaring with Burnt Wings - Illumination Therapeutic Services & the Healing Cocoon Collective - Resources for parents of struggling kids: 811, Access Mental Health, Strongest Families About Elizabeth Muhle: Elizabeth is a registered social worker and founder of Illumination Therapeutic Services and the Healing Cocoon Collective in Okotoks, Alberta, specializing in grief therapy and support for the terminally ill and their loved ones. She is the author of Soaring with Burnt Wings: Lessons in Love, Life, Laughter and Surviving Unimaginable Loss. If this episode resonates with you, please like, comment, and subscribe to Hear Me Out with Belinda for more honest conversations about resilience, mental health, and life's hardest moments. This episode discusses grief, loss, and mental health, including references to suicidal ideation. If you're struggling, please reach out to a professional or a crisis line in your area.

0:00 Cold open: Elizabeth's story of losing Cameron

1:20 Intro: resilience, trauma & finding hope

1:52 Meet Elizabeth: Illumination Therapeutic Services & Healing Cocoon Collective

2:43 Why Elizabeth became a social worker

3:24 What a social worker actually does

3:44 Finding "the right fit" in a therapist

5:16 Elizabeth's memoir: Soaring with Burnt Wings

6:19 Belinda's story: losing her mom at 54

8:28 The losses within the loss 9:30 The "bowling ball" analogy for grief

10:18 Grief is ever-unfolding

12:29 Overcoming the stigma of therapy

13:07 What to say to someone on the fence about therapy

17:16 The mind-body connection in trauma and grief

23:00 Resources for parents: 811, Access Mental Health, Strongest Families

25:57 What healing looks like

29:07 Closing thoughts

#GriefJourney #MentalHealthMatters #Resilience #GriefSupport #HearMeOutWithBelinda

Hearing Loss, Motivation & Taking Chances With Bobbi-Jo Marlatt
Hearing care is about more than devices — it’s about communication, confidence,
empowerment, and helping people take the next step.
In this episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Belinda Waites sits down with Bobbi-Jo Marlatt, a Hearing Instrument Specialist, author, educator, and lifelong hearing aid wearer, for a powerful conversation about hearing loss, patient care, motivational interviewing, and what it means to help people feel empowered in their better hearing journey.
→ How Bobbi-Jo’s childhood hearing loss shaped her career in hearing care
→ Why good communication habits made hearing loss feel normal in her family
→ What motivational interviewing is and how it can empower healthy change
00:00 Introduction
01:22 Bobbi-Jo’s Personal Hearing Loss Story
03:23 Growing Up Around Hearing Aids
05:19 Writing A Book On Motivational Interviewing
06:44 What Motivational Interviewing Really Means
10:04 Using Better Conversations In Everyday Life
12:47 Vulnerability, Speaking, And Women In Business
14:48 The Story Of Wally The Chicken
16:35 Taking Chances And Pushing Past Limits
18:52 Where To Find Bobbi-Jo’s Book
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ABOUT BOBBI-JO MARLATT
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Bobbi-Jo Marlatt is a passionate Hearing Instrument Specialist who has worn hearing aids since
childhood. After earning her BA in Psychology, she became an HIS and later pursued a Master
of Applied Health Sciences and a Master of Education. Her work focuses on hearing care,
patient-centered communication, education, and motivational interviewing.
Instagram: @pluralpub
Website: www.bobbi-jo-marlatt-mclsc-med
Sometimes the biggest opportunities come when you stop asking whether something is possible and simply take the chance.
If this conversation helped you better understand hearing loss, motivational interviewing, patient-centered care, or the power of taking chances, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe.
Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement on their own better hearing journey or a reminder to take the next step.
#HearingLoss #HearingAids #HearingCare #MotivationalInterviewing #PatientCenteredCare
#BetterHearing #HearMeOutWithBelinda #HearingInstrumentSpecialist #CommunicationSkills
#WomenInHealthcare #HearingHealth #Okotoks
Host: Belinda Waites
Watch full episode Youtube: @belindawaites
Instagram: @belindawaites
Belinda Waites - Hear Right Canada – Okotoks: where better hearing starts with listening.
🌐 hearrightcanada.ca
"Hearing Loss, Motivation & Taking Chances With Bobbi-Jo Marlatt"

What does it take to rebuild your life when everything falls apart?
Sometimes the darkest chapters of our lives become the foundation for our greatest purpose. In this powerful episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Belinda Waites sits down with Yulia Pisanova to share her remarkable journey of immigrating to Canada, overcoming isolation, surviving an abusive relationship, rebuilding her confidence, and finding purpose through community service and volunteerism. This is a story of resilience, courage, personal growth, and the power of never giving up.
Yulia opens up about the challenges many immigrants face, including language barriers, starting over professionally, raising children without a support system, and navigating life after trauma.
Through the support of organizations like Rowan House, community connections through Rotary, and her own determination, Yulia transformed her life and now gives back by helping others.
If you're struggling through a difficult season, rebuilding after hardship, or looking for inspiration to keep moving forward, this episode is for you.

→ The realities many immigrants face when starting over in Canada
→ Why community support can change the course of someone's life
→ How abuse and manipulation can happen gradually and quietly
→ The importance of trusting yourself and rebuilding confidence
00:00 Introduction
02:14 Finding Community Through Rotary
03:52 Moving to Canada From Russia
06:08 Building a Life Without a Support System
10:58 Starting Over and Career Challenges
13:01 Recognizing the Warning Signs of Abuse
24:58 The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
30:25 Rowan House and Rebuilding Life
37:14 Finding Purpose Through Volunteering
42:38 Lessons, Gratitude, and Moving Forward
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ABOUT YULIA PISANOVA
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Yulia Pisanova is a resilient immigrant from Russia, children's book author, community volunteer, and advocate for personal growth and healing. After overcoming significant personal challenges, she rebuilt her life in Canada through determination, community support, and service to others. Today, she is actively involved in Rotary and volunteers with organizations that helped her during her own journey.
Your circumstances do not define your future. With courage, support, and persistence, even the most difficult chapter can become the beginning of a new story.
If this conversation helped you find hope, courage, or inspiration, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe.
Share this episode with someone who may need encouragement to keep moving forward.
#Resilience #ImmigrantStory #PersonalGrowth #WomenSupportingWomen
#CommunityLeadership #Rotary #MentalHealthAwareness #DomesticAbuseAwareness
#Inspiration #Hope #CanadianImmigrant #HearMeOutPodcast

How Volunteering Builds Community and Connection in Okotoks Connection doesn't happen by accident—it happens when people choose to show up.
In this episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Belinda Waites sits down with Oliver Hallmark, Okotoks Town Councillor, hairstylist, and community volunteer, for an inspiring conversation about volunteering, belonging, community connection, and civic engagement.
Oliver shares his journey from moving to Okotoks in 2009, facing discrimination as an openly gay man, and eventually becoming one of the community's most active volunteers and elected leaders. Together, they explore why volunteering creates meaningful connections, why youth voices matter, and how communities become stronger when people step forward to contribute.
Whether you're new to Okotoks, looking for connection, or wondering how you can make a difference, this conversation is full of practical ideas and inspiration.
Host:
Belinda Waites — Host, Hear Me Out
Website: hearrightcanada.ca
Instagram: @belindawaites
Guest:
Oliver Hallmark — Okotoks Town Councillor
Website: okotoks.ca
00:00 Introduction
02:11 Moving to Okotoks and Early Challenges
04:19 From Volunteer to Town Councillor
06:02 Why Youth Voices Matter
09:25 Volunteering Creates Connection
13:19 Community Events and Giving Back
15:13 Volunteer Opportunities in Okotoks
18:27 How Volunteers Strengthen Community
Connection is often the real reason people volunteer—and stronger communities are built when
people choose to show up for one another.
Host:
Belinda Waites — Hear Me Out
Website: hearrightcanada.ca
Instagram: @belindawaites
Guest:
Oliver Hallmark — Okotoks Town Councillor
Website: www.okotoks.ca
If this conversation helped you discover new ways to connect with your community, make sure
to like, comment, and subscribe.
Share this episode with someone who is looking for purpose, connection, or a way to get
involved in their community.
#VolunteerOkotoks #Okotoks #CommunityLeadership #Volunteerism #TownCouncil
#CommunityConnection #MentalHealth #VolunteerLife #Belonging #CivicEngagement
#HearMeOutPodcast #OkotoksAlberta

How Nurse Practitioners, Hearing Loss, and Mental Health Shape Aging
Nurse Practitioner Jessica Tsang explains how bringing primary care into people’s homes removes real barriers — from mobile blood draws and on‑site X‑rays to ultrasound‑guided injections for chronic pain. In this episode we dig into why hour‑long visits reveal the true drivers of illness, how team‑based home care supports aging in place, and why mental health must be part of every primary-care conversation. If you care for seniors, work in community health, or want smarter access to care, this episode is full of practical solutions and human stories.
02:11 Concierge clinic model & house calls explained
05:42 Billing, policy & provincial updates for NPs
07:19 Why hour‑long appointments matter (social determinants)
09:08 In‑home pain care: ultrasound‑guided injections
14:48 Jessica’s nursing journey & resilience story
20:09 Mental health, isolation, and seniors
Host: Belinda Waites
Watch full episode Youtube: @belindawaites
Instagram: @belindawaites
Belinda Waites - Hear Right Canada – Okotoks: where better hearing starts with listening.
🌐 hearrightcanada.ca
Guest:
Jessica Tsang
Nurse Practitioner
Instagram: @jessica_np_yyc
If you found value in this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with someone
who’s on their own journey toward purpose-driven leadership.
“How a Nurse Practitioner Brings Medical Care Home — Mobile Clinic & Pain Care”
If this episode gave you new ideas for helping a loved one or improving access to care, please
like, comment, and subscribe. Share it with someone who’d benefit from home‑based
healthcare solutions.
#healthcareaccess #nursepractitioner #conciergemedicine #homehealthcare #mobilexray
#painmanagement #aginginplace #mentalhealth #primarycare #communityhealth #telemedicine
#patientcare

How Rotary Creates Leaders and Stronger Communities
Rotary is not just about meetings, business networking, or fundraising — it is about people coming together to create real change in their communities and around the world.
In this episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Belinda Waites sits down with Manon Mitchell, Rotary District Governor for District 5360, for a powerful conversation about leadership, service, women in Rotary, youth programs, the Rotary foundation, and what Rotary looks like today.
Together, they unpack how Rotary has evolved from its early business-networking roots into a global movement of people of action. Manon shares how saying yes changed the direction of her life, why Rotary is a powerful place for personal growth, and how local clubs can create impact both close to home and internationally.
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
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→ How Rotary began as a business networking group and grew into a global service
organization
→ Why saying yes can open the door to leadership, friendship, and purpose
→ How women are stepping into leadership roles within Rotary
→ Why Rotary is a powerful place for personal growth and community impact
→ How the Rotary Foundation helps fund local and international projects
→ Why Rotary youth programs can change the lives of young people
→ How Rotary Action Groups support causes like sustainability and health
→ Why Rotary today is open to anyone who wants to make a difference
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TIMESTAMPS
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00:00 Introduction
00:46 How Manon first discovered Rotary
03:40 Saying yes to leadership and service
05:34 Women in Rotary and leadership growth
07:25 The business networking roots of Rotary
10:10 How women officially joined Rotary
12:09 Rotary as a safe place for personal growth
15:30 Rotary Action Groups and sustainability
22:28 Rotary Foundation and people of action
27:58 Rotary youth programs and leadership camps
33:54 How Rotary has changed today
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ABOUT MANON MITCHELL
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Manon Mitchell is the Rotary District Governor for District 5360 and a passionate advocate for
service, leadership, community impact, and belonging. In this conversation, she shares her own
journey into Rotary, the power of saying yes, and how Rotary continues to create lasting change
locally and globally.
Instagram: @rotarianmanon
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IF THIS HELPED YOU
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If this conversation helped you see Rotary in a new way — as a place for leadership, purpose,
friendship, and real community impact — make sure to like, comment, and subscribe.
Share this episode with someone who wants to make a difference in their community.
#Rotary #RotaryInternational #RotaryClub #WomenInLeadership #CommunityLeadership
#ServiceAboveSelf #PeopleOfAction #PurposeDrivenLeadership #Okotoks
#HearMeOutWithBelinda #CommunityImpact #VolunteerLeadership
Host: Belinda Waites
Watch full episode Youtube: @belindawaites
Instagram: @belindawaites
Belinda Waites - Hear Right Canada – Okotoks: where better hearing starts with listening.
🌐 hearrightcanada.ca
Guest:
Manon Mitchell
Rotary District Governor
Instagram: @rotarianmanon
If you found value in this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with someone
who’s on their own journey toward purpose-driven leadership.
“Rotary Today: Leadership, Service and Creating Real Impact”

What happens when a winemaker decides to trade the cellar for a clinic? In this episode of Hear Me Out, Belinda sits down with Dr. Regan Kapach, a Traditional Chinese Medical Doctor and Acupuncturist, to explore the bridge between ancient wisdom and modern health.
From battling chronic menstrual pain to uncovering why "inexplicable" nerve pain appears when we suppress our emotions, Dr. Kapach breaks down the powerful synergy of needles and herbs. We dive deep into the philosophy of "patterns of disharmony" and why your body might be screaming for help even when your labs look "normal."
→ The difference between a 3-year and 4-year TCM education (Acupuncture vs. Herbology).
→ Why Western and Eastern medicine are most powerful when used side-by-side.
→ How the "root cause" philosophy prevents symptoms from manifesting in other parts of the body.
00:00 Introduction
01:05 Why "normal" pain shouldn't be ignored
03:45 The path to becoming a TCM Doctor
06:10 Why herbs are "half the medicine"
07:15 Belinda’s personal story: From migraines to maternity
11:15 Why natural healing takes time
13:30 The Chinese hospital model: Emergency vs. Chronic care
18:30 The danger of suppressing symptoms with "Band-Aids"
23:10 Why patients are getting more "complicated" today
27:40 Conclusion and where to find Dr. Kapach
Dr. Regan Kapach is a registered TCMD and Acupuncturist based in Alberta. She specializes in finding patterns of disharmony to help patients move from "coping" to "healing." 🔗 Website: birdsofafeatheracu.com
Question of the Day: Have you ever tried acupuncture for something other than physical pain? Let us know in the comments!
#TCM #Acupuncture #HolisticHealth #ChronicPain #AlternativeMedicine #WellnessJourney #BelindaWaites #HearMeOut #TraditionalChineseMedicine
Host: Belinda Waites Watch full episode Youtube: @belindawaites Instagram: @belindawaites Belinda Waites - Hear Right Canada – Okotoks: where better hearing starts with listening. 🌐 hearrightcanada.ca
Guest: Dr. Regan Kapach Acupuncturist and TCMD Website: birdsofafeatheracu.com
Dr. Kapach mentioned that symptoms are just the body's way of asking for help. Are you listening to yours or just putting a 'Band-Aid' on it?
Why Your Body "Pops Out" New Pains (The Root Cause Secret)

In this crossover episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Belinda sits down with Carlin Lutzer from The Okotoks Podcast for a thoughtful conversation about community, mental health, local identity, and why real connection still matters. They talk about what makes Okotoks special, how small-town life is changing, and why so many people are quietly craving more honest, offline connection.

From men’s mental health and the need for safe spaces, to coping pressures, the rise of gambling, social media isolation, and community growth — this episode is a real conversation about what it takes to build belonging in today’s world.

What You’ll Learn

→ Why Okotoks is more than a bedroom community

→ How podcasts can help strengthen local connection

→ Why men’s mental health needs more safe spaces

→ How gambling and coping pressures are quietly affecting men today

→ How social media can increase isolation

→ Why people are craving real offline community

→ How small actions can rebuild connection in a town

→ Why service clubs and local spaces still matter

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

02:32 Why The Okotoks Podcast Started

08:03 Men’s Mental Health and Safe Spaces

11:16 Coping, Gambling, and Modern Pressure

19:42 Why Real Connection Feels So Hard

23:37 Growth and Keeping Okotoks Connected

About the Guest

Carlin Lutzer is a realtor, community voice, and host of The Okotoks Podcast. In this episode, he shares his perspective on local identity, growth, men’s mental health, and why meaningful conversations are so important in building a strong community.

If This Helped You

If this conversation resonated, like, comment, and subscribe. Share it with someone who cares about community, connection, and building a stronger Okotoks.

Host & Guest

Host: Belinda Waites — Hear Right Canada, Okotoks. Where better hearing starts with listening.

YouTube: @belindawaites | Instagram: @belindawaites | hearrightcanada.ca

Guest: Carlin Lutzer — host of The Okotoks Podcast

Website: carlinlutzer.com | Instagram: @carlin_lutzer

Listen to The Okotoks Podcast