MH22-20. S.P Brown GIFTS IN BROWN PAPER PACKAGES

May 23, 2022May 22, 2022Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Shanell Parrish-Brown, on air from May 24th

GIFTS IN BROWN PAPER PACKAGES, AN EMOTIONALLY HARD-HITTING COMING OF AGE STORY BASED ON HER REAL LIFE TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY

The Narrative’s No Holds Barred Themes Of Domestic Violence Tie In Perfectly With the Author’s Dedicated Work On Behalf of The Safe Center of Long Island (TSCLI), A Non-Profit Serving Nassau County, NY

Drawing courageously from painful experiences of her childhood while embracing and sharing her hard-won self-truths for the first time, author S.P. Brown’s powerful debut novel Gifts in Brown Paper Packages has earned out of the box acclaim and success – including debuting at #1 in three categories on Amazon within the first 72 hours of its Christmas week release.

Driven by the powerful, often harrowing but ultimately life affirming and triumphant narrative of 17-year-old protagonist Kyrie, the emotionally impactful book ended its second day at #38 in the highly competitive “New Releases Coming of Age” category and #1 “Musical Reference” due to the author’s inclusion of both old school and contemporary artists (from Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell to Deniece Williams, Lauryn Hill, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars) as the soundtrack to Kyrie’s experiences. Currently, it is also ranked on the Kindle Store’s Black & African American Christian Fiction list.

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Evoking some difficult experiences from her own childhood growing up in Harlem, Brown uses the fictional character of Kyrie as a vehicle to reflect on her ability to overcome the trauma of domestic abuse and somehow, miraculously, turn her physical and emotional survival into a triumphant and thriving life. The New York based author wrote the hard-hitting, flashback driven coming of age narrative over the course of one year while working her demanding high profile job as Vice President, Employment Counsel for a major entertainment conglomerate, often in quiet stolen hours in the middle of the night after her three children (now ages 14, 17 and 23) were in bed.

The breathtaking journey chronicled in Gifts in Brown Paper Packages hinges on a single question. In the wake of another emotionally and physically abusive episode with the person she refers to as “Man,” should she take the leap through her bedroom window into the unknown? Leaving her mother and young brother behind, she has no idea if she can make it on her own, but choosing the risk of the streets seemed like a better option than staying. With no plan but survival, Kyrie’s story is driven by strength, personal growth, a journey to self-awareness and ultimately acknowledging her deepest truths.

The theme of Gifts in Brown Paper Packages ties in perfectly with Brown’s dedicated involvement with The Safe Center of Long Island (TSCLI), a non profit agency comprehensively serving the needs of victims of domestic violence and inner personal trauma in Nassau County – and the only organization in the county providing free services to child and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking. In addition helping to raise funds for a Capital Campaign project to build an expanded new safe house facility, she has served on the nominating committee for the past two years, with the goal of helping to identify diverse talent for TSCLI’s Board of Directors; she is currently their only African American Board Member. In 2020, Brown was named Vice President of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. She has agreed to become President of the Board in May 2022.

“For many years, I felt a lot of guilt and shame associated with those stories and felt like sharing them in my professional circles as a lawyer and even in my social circles wouldn’t engender real respect,” Brown says. “Eventually I realized my truth and that every part of my background, including the terrible, painful memories, served a purpose and informed what I consider this fabulous end product. That strength and resilience came from my path. It’s not necessary for readers to know the real life experiences versus the instances where I employed creative license or drew from other’s real life experiences.

“The point of the book,” she adds, “is to inspire readers to look at their lives with the proper lens, and allow those hard knocks and terrible experiences to ultimately work towards defining greatness in them as opposed to defeat. Those lessons don’t always show up beautifully adorned. Sometimes you have to dig through the ugly wrapping to discover the strength within the package. Everyone experiences difficult trials in their lives. The difference between a person who rises above them and succeeds and the one who doesn’t is perspective.”

S.P. Brown’s out of the box acclaim and success with her first novel Gifts in Brown Paper Packages is stunning proof that wherever we may be in our life’s journey, it’s never too late to embrace, share and inspire the world with our inner truths – no matter how raw and painful they may be and how vulnerable they make us feel.

Drawing from some difficult experiences of her own childhood growing up in Harlem, the author uses the fictional character of 17-year old Kyrie as a vehicle to reflect on her ability to overcome the trauma of domestic abuse and somehow, miraculously, turn her physical and emotional survival into a triumphant and thriving life. The New York based author wrote the hard-hitting, flashback driven coming of age narrative over the course of several years while working her demanding high profile job as Vice President, Employment Counsel for a major entertainment conglomerate, often in quiet stolen hours in the middle of the night after her three children (now ages 14, 17 and 23) were in bed.

In the first 72 hours of its Christmas week release, Gifts in Brown Paper Packages debuted at #1 in three categories on Amazon, including ending the second day at #38 in the highly competitive “New Releases Coming Of Age” category and #1 in “Musical Reference” due to her dynamic inclusion of both old school and contemporary artists (from Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell to Deniece Williams, Lauryn Hill, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars) as the soundtrack to experiences. Currently, it is also ranked on the Kindle Store’s Black & African American Christian Fiction list.

Of the dozens of five-star customer reviews posted so far, perhaps this says it best about the book’s enduring impact on its readers: “I truly enjoyed following Kyrie’s journey through life and how she was able to overcome everything that life threw at her. Reading this story and enjoying every page as much as I did has reconnected me with my love for reading. I cannot wait for more from S.P. Brown.”

The breathtaking journey chronicled in Gifts in Brown Paper Packages hinges on a single life changing question. In the wake of another emotionally and physically abusive episode with the person she refers to as “Man,” should she take the leap through her bedroom window into the unknown? Leaving her mother and young brother behind, she has no idea if she can make it on her own, but choosing the risk of the streets seemed like a better option than staying. With no plan but survival, Kyrie’s story is driven by strength, personal growth, a journey to self-awareness and ultimately acknowledging her deepest realities.

Kyrie’s experiences are sometimes amusing, often shocking and so real and intense that it almost reads like a memoir rather than fiction. Along the way, she learns how to embrace the life lessons (gifts) that strife, struggle, perseverance and the tackling of overwhelming challenges can ultimately grace us with, if only we’re open to seeing life’s hardships that way.

The theme of Gifts in Brown Paper Packages ties in perfectly with Brown’s dedicated involvement with The Safe Center of Long Island (TSCLI), a non-profit agency comprehensively serving the needs of victims of domestic violence and inner personal trauma in Nassau County – and the only organization in the county providing free services to child and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking. In addition to helping to raise funds for a Capital Campaign project to build an expanded new safe house, she has also served on the nominating committee for the past two years, with the goal of helping to identify diverse talent for TSCLI’s Board of Directors; she is currently their only African American Board Member. In 2020, Brown was named Vice President of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. She recently agreed to accept the role of President of the Board beginning May 2022.

Brown laid the foundation for her emergence as an influential first time novelist back in 2009, when she began writing fantasy fiction at night to, as she says, “assuage an undeniable creative itch to write something other than corporate policy and emails chock full of legal advice.” Her choice of genre was inspired by her childhood passion for books, and particularly stories that took her mind far from the day to day dark reality. She wrote seven chapters in six months and received incredible encouragement from her long ago literature professor at Hunter College, where Brown earned her BA in Human Communications. But then, for whatever reason, she got a crippling case of writer’s block and shut down.

As a person of deep faith, the author has come to trust that God sets us on certain paths for specific, sometimes mysterious reasons. In Brown’s case, her creative output was on the back burner for years until a lawyer friend who was running a program at the DA’s office for youth development and community reentry of former felons, invited her to audit a writing program – some of whose attendees were formerly incarcerated felons. Though she attended as an observer, she felt challenged when the facilitator asked, “What is your ‘Day One’ story if you had to talk about a specific time in your life? What is the lightbulb moment your life was changed?’”

She felt prompted to share some of her experiences with the group, and the sense of catharsis she felt led her to write what ultimately became the first chapter of Gifts in Brown Paper Packages that night on the plane en route to a conference. After she had written four or five entries, Brown made the decision that she would develop it into a novel written from a third person perspective, telling parts of her story, with fictionalized elements, through Kyrie’s eyes. For a time, she was concerned about writing explicitly about the domestic violence she endured in her youth, but ultimately decided that the narrative could have tremendous impact on others. She felt it was an important part of her life, even though her life had not historically been defined as a domestic violence survivor.

“For many years, I felt a lot of guilt and shame associated with those stories and so felt like sharing them in my professional circles as a lawyer wouldn’t engender real respect,” Brown says. “Eventually, I realized that my truth is characterized by every aspect of my background, including the terrible, painful memories, which served a purpose and informed what I consider this fabulous end product. I acknowledged that strength and resilience came from my path. It’s not necessary for readers to know the real life experiences versus the instances where I employed creative license or drew from other’s real life experiences.

“The point of the book,” she adds, “is to motivate people to look at their lives through the proper lens, and allow those hard knocks and terrible experiences to ultimately work towards cultivating greatness in them as opposed to defeat. Those lessons don’t always show up beautifully adorned. Sometimes you have to dig through the ugly wrapping to discover the strength within the package. Everyone goes through difficult trials in their lives. The difference between a person who rises above them and succeeds and the one who doesn’t, is perspective.”

“I am proud of the story I tell in Gifts in Brown Paper Packages, and the way I was able to put it together,” the author says. “In line with all the musical references, I truly feel there is a melody in the way it was written. What will make me the happiest is if the book is exposed to the masses and people get something out of it and feel inspired. I am so grateful for all the wonderful feedback I have received thus far, and I want to put myself in the position where I have more opportunities to speak to people who need to hear it. I want Kyrie’s story – and ultimately my own – to touch people and make an important difference in their lives.”

AMAZON

BARNE S & NOBLE

http://www.spbrownwrites.com

https://instagram.com/s.p.brownwrites

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MH22-15. JD Mass. Race for What?

April 11, 2022April 10, 2022Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest JD Mass, on air from April 12th

RACE FOR WHAT? A White Man’s Journey & Guide to Healing Racism from Within. In 2017, JD Mass earned his doctorate in Organizational Psychology and became heavily involved in white antiracism groups in Los Angeles, and later in St. Louis.

Race is currently a hot topic of discussion. Questions being considered are: Does racism still exist? What does equity look like? How do we achieve justice?

Anti-black racism is real. It hasn’t been corrected and it won’t go away on its own. Aboriginal (Black) and Indigenous folks have carried the burden for far too long. It is time for white folks to take the next step and complete the mission.

St Louis, MO – JD Mass, PsyD, releases his book, Race for What? A White Man’s Journey & Guide to Healing Racism from Within. Mass tells the story of growing up in a black community and witnessing racism firsthand, as well as his successes and missteps in building powerful alliances with the community in which he was raised. Race for What? released March 29, 2022.
Part memoir, part how-to, and entirely real, this masterfully woven book takes readers back in time to St. Louis in the 80s and 90s, when Mass was growing up with a circle of creative friends and influences. The talent he bonded with, such as the rapper Nelly, would set the stage for a life of music, religion, culture, community development, and politics.

https://soundcloud.com/plv-radio/mh22-15-jd-mass-race-for-what?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

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Mass says, “I have been on a lifelong journey to learn why racism was created and what we can look forward to without it. Change is happening. Will it be the superficial change that doesn’t bring forth justice or the transformational healing that is needed? Race for What? provides a vision for the latter.”
Race for What? provides stories with a unique perspective from a white man’s experience and illustrates seven steps to healing. Mass encourages white people to work through the emotional and psychological obstacles in order to repair and heal the harm racism has caused.

The privilege he had growing up around black folks
His white privilege and experiences
Seven steps for addressing the racial divide
Reparations and why we need them
Why the “it’s not as bad as it used to be” argument is flawed
Being Nelly’s business manager
Why and how Nelly brought JD in to help with everything from nightclub ventures to clothing brands

AMAZON

In 2017, JD Mass earned his doctorate in Organizational Psychology and became heavily involved in white antiracism groups in Los Angeles, and later in St. Louis. This work inspired him to write Race for What? A wise thinker and guide, JD hopes for our society to finally correct the harm of racism and help create a humane world.

https://raceforwhat.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jd-mass-psyd

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Twitter@JDMASS

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MH22-11 How to become Unbroken with Michael Anthony.

March 14, 2022March 13, 2022Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Michael (UNBROKEN) Anthony, on air from March 15th

From homeless to hero, Michael Unbroken, is the Founder of Think Unbroken, best-selling author, award-winning speaker, podcast host, coach, and advocate for adult survivors of childhood trauma.

At 4 years old Michael’s emotionally incestuous mother cut off his right index finger, she was a drug addict and an alcoholic.

At 6 his hyper-abusive step-father beat and hospitalized him.

At 7 he was molested by a den mother in the Mormon Church.

From 8-12 he was often homeless and in deep poverty and did what it took to survive from stealing food and only bathing at school.

He got high for the first time at 12 and drunk at 13. By 15 he was expelled from school for selling drugs.

At 18 he found himself deep in The Vortex and began chasing money to solve his problems.

By 25 Michael was 350 pounds, smoking two packs a day, drinking himself to sleep, and attempted suicide for the second time.

Then he had his mirror moment and decided to stop being a victim of trauma and to be the HERO of his own Story!

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Since 2016, Michael has empowered over 100,000 trauma survivors to get out of The Vortex, learn to love themselves, and become the hero of their own story. Michael has written multiple books including the best seller Think Unbroken: Understanding and Overcoming Childhood Trauma, spoken in over 80 countries, won investments from Undercover Billionaire Grant Cardone and is on a mission to end Generational Trauma in his lifetime.

About Think Unbroken:
Our mission is to empower trauma survivors with the tools and curriculum of Think
Unbroken to get unstuck, learn to love themselves, get “Out of The Vortex” and reclaim their power. We believe that by creating palatable and practical tools that Trauma Warriors around the world can overcome their past, heal from trauma, and BECOME THE HERO OF THEIR OWN STORY!
How to become Unbroken Personal Development Topics: How to get unstuck and out of your own way Why you must educate yourself in order to heal Healing trauma through building a team Changing your life after rock bottom The power of Mentors Business/entrepreneurship Topics: How to own your story and stand out in the marketplace Leadership starts with real vulnerability How to commit even when you are scared You can’t build a successful business without help How to overcome fear to find power in your brand voice I also know the importance of sharing this interview and so if you are kind enough to select me, you can count on me sharing our episode with my entire audience when this goes live.

AMAZON

PAPERBACK

Do you have a scheduling link we can use? If not, I can send you mine. I have an audience of over 100k subscribers across platforms with who I would be happy to share our podcast with. Additionally, I have free value offers to share with your audience including my self-love course, book, and access to my private coaching group on Facebook. Here is my bio for a little more background: From homeless to hero, Michael Unbroken, is the Founder of Think Unbroken, best-selling author, award-winning speaker, podcast host, coach, and advocate for adult survivors of childhood trauma. Since 2016, Michael has empowered over 100,000 trauma survivors to get out of The Vortex, learn to love themselves, and become the hero of their own story. Michael has spoken in over 80 countries, won investments from Undercover Billionaire Grant Cardone, and is on a mission to end Generational Trauma in his lifetime. Additionally, Michael has been an entrepreneur since age eight, led 500 people in his career, built multiple seven-figure businesses, and has consulted with multiple Fortune 500 companies! About Think Unbroken: Our mission is to empower trauma survivors with the tools and curriculum of Think Unbroken to get unstuck, learn to love themselves, get “Out of The Vortex” and reclaim their power. We believe that by creating palatable and practical tools that Trauma Warriors around the world can overcome their past, heal from trauma, and BECOME THE HERO OF THEIR OWN STORY!

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MH22-06 Lara Sabanosh. CAGED.“Abuse within the military a silent epidemic”.

February 7, 2022February 6, 2022Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Lara Sabanosh, on-air from February 8th

Lara M. Sabanosh, author of the new memoir CAGED: The True Story of Abuse, Betrayal, and GTMO. The wall of silence surrounding domestic abuse in the military and in the government is a high one. In her memoir, Lara talks about the secrecy, fear, and despair of being in an abusive relationship, and hopes her story can be used to change a faulted system.

A searing memoir from the widow of former Marine, Christopher Tur—setting the record straight and breaking through the military’s wall of silence surrounding domestic abuse

On January 11, 2015, one day after being reported missing and three days after he was last seen by his family, Christopher Tur, a former Marine working as a civilian employee at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba, was found dead, floating in the water near the base. Over the months following his mysterious death, suspicion was cast on his widow, Lara, and the man exposed as her lover: the base’s commanding officer, Captain J.R. Nettleton.

In CAGED: The True Story of Abuse, Betrayal, and GTMO Lara M. Sabanosh (formerly Lara Tur) speaks out about what really happened on that horrific night her husband disappeared—and throughout most of their nearly 20-year marriage—as well as her relationship with J.R. Nettleton. Writing from the perspective of both a victim and a victim advocate serving Navy families, she also makes an impassioned plea for change in the way domestic violence is handled within the military and government. “The civilian spouse, the government employee, is not a protected individual,” Sabanosh stresses. “Victims are punished in our current system.”

https://soundcloud.com/plv-radio/mh22-06-lara-sabanosh-cagedabuse-within-the-military-a-silent-epidemic?si=ba098e55045f4610aa8405c2484a8d5c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

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Lara first met Chris Tur in the winter of 1994. At the time, she was a college sophomore and barely 19. A six-foot-tall Marine full of bravado, Chris swept her off her feet. In December 1995, they were married and she was pregnant. Early on, Lara dismissed the red flags—Chris’s cruel jokes, erratic actions, excessive partying, and strained relationship with his family. A dishonorable military discharge, DUIs, and job losses followed, along with rages of increasing intensity and mounting secrets and lies. In the winter of 2010, Chris shared an employment possibility overseas. After battling loneliness, depression, and fear, and with two daughters to raise, Lara jumped on board, hoping for a fresh start at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.

In CAGED, Lara Sabanosh recounts how she came into her own at GTMO, finding work she loved and quickly rising to a director role at the Fleet and Family Support Center. With this new career and a newfound self-confidence, Lara found the confidence to face Chris and his outbursts while standing on her two feet, no longer cowering to the abusive tirades. It seemed like they might be able to stay together and live separate lives—until Chris became jealous of Lara’s friendships, particularly with the “CO,” Captain Nettleton. At age 39, Lara had endured two decades with an abusive spouse. Over the years, a number of people had witnessed Chris’s verbal, emotional, and physical abuse toward her. People had heard him call her ugly, stupid, lazy, and worse. People had seen him slap her in the face, slamming her fingers in doors, pulling her hair, and choking her. People had peered at the holes in their walls, pretended not to see her bruises, and listened to his excuses. What happened on the last night of Christopher Tur’s life was not all that different: no one responded when she asked for help.

“Abuse within the military and government is a silent epidemic.” Sabanosh writes. “Domestic violence support should be available to all members of the military, government, and their dependents without the worry of reprisal, without having to fit into ‘someone’s’ quotas for criteria, without the worry of rank, and without issue about whom anyone works for. Program changes need to be made for the safety of those who sacrifice for our country… No one should wait to report abuse. No one should fear freedom. There should be no more cages.”

LARA M. SABANOSH spent much of her adult life as a wife, mother, and student, eventually completing two doctoral degrees. She is currently retired from government service, residing quietly in Pensacola, Florida, surrounded by her loving family, dogs, and grand puppies.

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MH21-41 Brad Schaeffer author of The Extraordinary-Autism & PTSD

October 11, 2021October 11, 2021Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Brad Schaffer, on air from October 12th

Brad Schaeffer, author of The Extraordinary, which tackles two sensitive subject matters — Autism and PTSD. In an interview, Brad can talk about the impacts on not just those who have these conditions, but also the families who support them. In The Extraordinary, a teenage boy on the Autism spectrum narrates his struggles coping with a chaotic and scary world when his Marine Corp father returns from Iraq debilitated by injury and PTSD. In this interview, Brad talks about how the suicide of his father, who suffered from PTSD after returning from war has influenced his writing and this story.

Brad Schaeffer’s The Extraordinaryaddresses Autism and PTSD

The impacts on those who have these conditions, as well as the families that support them

In this interview, Brad will talk about:

How the suicide of his father, who suffered from PTSD after returning from war has influenced his writing and this story.
Why he chose to write the story through the eyes of an autistic child.
Glenn Frankel, a Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist for The Washington Postcalls the book “a compelling tale of vulnerability, endurance, and forgiveness.” How are these themes conveyed in the story?

A family already living on the edge of disaster plunges into despair when the father, a Marine Corps Captain, returns home from Iraq debilitated by wounds. More devastating damage follows, much of it self-inflicted. Brad Schaeffer’s novel recounts the sense of loss, terror and pain through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Wesley, the family’s youngest member, who suffers from Autism. Schaeffer doesn’t avert his gaze from the hurt that members of this wounded family cause each other, yet never loses his compassion for his characters. The result is an intimate and compelling tale of vulnerability, endurance, and forgiveness. – Glenn Frankel, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist for the Washington Post, Washington Post Magazine, Editor, Journalism Professor, and author of four books

Wesley Scott is a teenage boy with autism. He lives within his own intimate realm of sensory overload, dysfunction, sometimes violence, and fear of the outside world. He describes himself as the only actor on a stage without a script. We learn through Wes’ own words that he is a deep, thoughtful young man…but no one knows it.

Wes is unable to connect with anyone other than his father, a captain in the Marine Corps. He in turn adores his extraordinary son, his “Ex-man,” as he fondly calls him. When Captain Scott ships off to fight in the Middle East, Wes is confused and senses foreboding in what it all means, although he cannot express it to his family, friends, or teachers.

With his father overseas, Wes finds himself further isolated in a world of “Ords” (his dad’s term for the ordinaries, unlike his “Ex” son) and a stranger in his own family. His mother is distant and cold, his high school brother resents the inordinate attention his autistic brother constantly steals from him, and his twenty-something sister has chosen to move away from it all to Manhattan. The burden on the family gets exponentially worse when Captain Scott returns home wounded. The family tries to cope as best they can, but when his father succumbs to PTSD, Wes must somehow make sense of all that has happened—which is difficult for a teenager under normal conditions, let alone one on the autism spectrum who’s suddenly lost the only family member who ever really bothered to know him.

The Scotts seem on the verge of unraveling and Wes finds himself in a bewildering land of family turmoil. How will Wes come to understand this tragedy? And how will the family ever come to fill the void left by a father who understood what the rest have yet to discover…that Wes is an extraordinary young man indeed. And that all of us, no matter how much the world seems to scorn our existence—or has simply forgotten our pain—have something extraordinary to offer and make that world a better place.

https://soundcloud.com/plv-radio/mh21-41-brad-schaeffer-author-of-the-extraordinary-autism-ptsd?si=6feb7c7fe3ba46a9adcfd19dcc23ccf0

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Brad Schaffer was born in Baltimore, MD but grew up in a suburb of Chicago. After attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he lived in Chicago where he embarked on his dual career as both a commodities trader and author/novelist. He currently resides in New Jersey. His prolific and eclectic writing can be found in the pages of the Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, National Review, Daily Wire, and other well-read publications. His interests, as reflected in his articles, encompass a wide swath from business, to science, education, the arts, history, politics, social issues, and general day-to-day living. He is also an accomplished guitarist and pianist and can be found playing in local New Jersey clubs with one of several rock bands in which he has played over the years. He is the author of Of Another Time And Place (2018), which takes place in World War II Europe. It is a study of the conflicts that good men confront when compelled by national loyalty and indoctrination to fight for morally reprehensible causes. His latest novel, The Extraordinary (2021), deftly tackles two sensitive subject matters — autism and PTSD — and the impacts they have on not just those who have these conditions, but also the families who support them.