Thought Factory Podcast

#611 || Physiology Behind Student Depression and Anxiety

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  Depression and anxiety are gripping adolescents and there is no easy pill to swallow to eradicate this from their lives.  Someone cannot just simply “cheer up” or “snap out of it” to solve the problem. Twenty percent of youth between 13-18 live with a mental health condition and that number seems to continue to grow each year.  Jackie Sheppard, who has over 50 years of study and research in this area of science and medicine, discusses the connection between the gut and the brain.  Issues start in the gut, which affects the brain, and the body affects the mind, will, and emotion of a person.  Could the solution to overcoming mental illness be more than just taking medication? Could it be found in replacing the things we've deprived from our bodies? 

#610 || Neuropsychology of an Adolescent Brain

Dr. Michael Wolff is a co-owner of Brains, an organization that is about maximizing the potential of families through understanding the complex relationship between the brain, the body, and real life. He is a Neuropsychologist and Diplomate, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology.  Since the advent of the iPhone in 2007, middle school students are the first generation that has never known a world without the device.  How does the smartphone affect the development of an adolescent brain and how can we prevent students from becoming addicted to screens?

 

#609 || Julie Morgenstern | Students and Schedules

Julie Morgenstern is an organizing and productivity consultant, New York Times best-selling author, and speaker. For over 30 years, Julie has been teaching people all around the world and at all stages of life how to overcome disorganization to achieve their goals. Her mission is to free each individual to make their unique contribution to the world—by helping them design their own systems for managing time and space that feel natural and are easy to maintain.  Today, students are busier than ever. They’re overwhelmed, and it’s affecting them in more ways than one. What if there was a way to experience breakthrough in how they manage their schedules so that they’re not filled with anxiety?

#608 || Jack Easterby | Students and Sports

Today's guest is Jack Easterby, former New England Patriots' Character Coach (now with Houston Texans), who is widely praised within the team and a part of the last three Super Bowl winners.  He discusses the significance of sports in a student's life and encourages us to recognize what the most important thing is.  As leaders and parents, how can we help them balance their faith and their commitment to sports?  Sports are a mainstay in students’ lives and provides numerous benefits.  But, it appears sports has only demanded more time and commitment in students’ schedules.  So, how do we not see sports as a competition with our faith, but to see how our faith can be present in our athletic competitions?

#607 || Students and Sleep

No one is exempt from sleep.  We must succumb to its embrace each day, even if we resist embracing it back.  But, has the advent of the smartphone and other digital devices in our bedroom distract us from what we need?  Sleep.  Does the lack of sleep have greater affects in other areas of our lives?  We hear directly from students about their sleep habits, if they are up late on their phones, and how it can affect their daily activities.  We also discuss the current culture of surrendering the need for a sabbath and how we can begin to reclaim it in our lives.

#606 || A Middle School Perspective on Race

Nick is a 7th grader who was born in South Africa.  He moved to the United States when he was 7 years old.  He provides a unique and, at times, a profound perspective on the topic of race in America, coming from a different culture.  Just like any adolescent, he is trying to figure out where he fits in, both racially and ethnically.   Racism is not an adult issue, but can be experienced regardless of age.  Are we willing to take the time to listen to students to hear their perspective on tough topics like this?

#605 || The Dream King | A Story of Racial Reconciliation

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream over 55 years ago, but was that dream merely poetry or was it prophecy?  This is a story about two grown men, Will Ford & Matt Lockett, pursuing their connection to the past which caused them to face injustice and racial reconciliation that went beyond their imagination.  Their personal dreams brought these two men together which turned into a fulfillment of a historic dream.  Now their dream together is to actively work toward the ending of the next great injustice in this country, the injustice against the unborn.  Their desire is to see the legal ending of abortion.  Will and Matt have recently written a book together called The Dream King, found where books are sold.

Originally released March 17, 2017
https://neverthesame.podbean.com/e/302-a-dream-fulfilled/

To learn more, go to http://bound4life.com/. 

To learn more about their story, go to http://www.thegodofprovidence.com/blog/. 

#604 || Ministering to the Marginalized

Marginalization can come in many different forms.  We can recognize the external factors that may cause people to become marginalized, but how do we go beyond just identifying those who are experiencing marginalization but instead speak to a student’s identity to say they are significant and they are believed in?  When a student feels believed in, not just being noticed, there is a different level of trust that you build.

Nicole Smithee, founder of Iridescent Women, joins us to share her story and the importance as leaders to recognize those who are marginalized, to say there is a great future for them and how we can cheer them on toward that future.

 

#603 || Steve Carter | Life, Leadership, and Integrity

Steve Carter, former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, joins the Thought Factory Podcast to discuss his journey in ministry, as well as, some of the thoughts, the emotions, and the aftermath he experienced while navigating the transition of leadership at Willow Creek, when the church's founder, Bill Hybels, stepped down amid sexual misconduct allegations and the ensuing investigation.

#602 || How One Guy Changed Snapchat

We continue the conversation about our life online with Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, and how he used his voice and passion to confront Snapchat about some of the X-rated content Snapchat was willing to present to their users without any age restrictions.  A caution to any parent or adult who are disengaged and passive about their child going online.