Not Your Average GOAT

From his roots in the Longsdale housing projects of Knoxville, TN to obtaining his Ph.D and championing educational equity, Dr. Bryan Samuel's journey is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance. 

Bryan and I dive into his childhood and the experiences he had growing up in poverty, his health challenges including prone-belly syndrome,  an incarcerated father, and the numerous resulting obstacles he faced–includin...

“I lost my sight, but I gained vision.”
This week, I sat down with Lonnie Bedwell to explore his extraordinary journey from military veteran to motivational speaker–with a life-changing accident sandwiched in between.
We dive into Lonnie’s free-spirited childhood and experiences as a Navy Petty Officer; recount the tragic hunting accident that led to his sudden loss of sight in 1997, an experience that turned his world upside...

This week, Teisha sits down with Elle Billing, a chronically ill artist and former educator, to illuminate all the invisible disabilities and health conditions through a witty and gritty conversation.

We dive into Elle’s childhood, including her experiences with hyperlexia, anxiety, and vivid nightmares; highlight the medical misogyny she faced over the years, recount her experiences with Alice in Wonderland Syndrome and ex...

In part two of this episode, Tricia opens up about the joys and challenges of raising her son, Robert, who manages multiple conditions and disabilities, including dyslexia, tourrettes, bipolar disorder and more; shares the emotional rollercoaster of his medical journey, from misdiagnoses to breakthroughs; and discusses how his experiences have shaped their family. Then, we dive into Tricia’s own experience with vision loss due to r...

Tricia Waechter is not just the CEO of a fashion design company, she is also a woman of many passions and unwavering resilience. In part one of this episode, Teisha explores  the boundless creative that was young Tricia, from her early days crafting plays for her five siblings to the unique adventures she experienced moving all over the mid-west; dive into the tragic turn when she lost her beloved brother to suicide, and how this d...

We're gearing up for an exciting season 3, but we still have so many incredible stories from last season to celebrate! Check out 8 of Teisha's favorite moments from season 2, and if you haven't already, be sure to tune into the full episodes.

Please consider supporting us by subscribing to the show, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and becoming a patron on Patreon by visiting https://www.patreon.com/notyouraveragego...

In the second half of this conversation, we explore the challenges couples face trying to merge "baggage," including what it's like learning to fight and the stigma that still encases couple's therapy, and dive into the accident that left Wallace with a spinal cord injury (SCI) at 19 as well as that helped him discover an undiagnosed learning disability and veer him away from a destructive lifestyle.

Then, we...

Melanie and Wallace Earle are making an incredible splash with their initiative T6Talk, but they’re making even more incredible waives with their vulnerable straight talk about everything from sexuality to mental health, and fearlessly challenging stigma and dispelling myths.

In part 1 of this episode, we dive into childhoods, including Melanie’s journey figuring out what it meant to be feminine, her shame about having a high lib...

In the second half of this conversation, Leeann opens up about her 10-year journey managing postpartum depression, including her struggle with suicidal thoughts, the impact the pandemic had on her mental health, and the myths and misconceptions that exist around mothers experiencing postpartum depression. Then, we dive into her healing journey and explore what motivated her to take the first step, her decision to become a life coac...

A genuine empath by nature, it’s no wonder that once Leeann Romig found her own glimmer of hope, she immediately sought to become that glimmer for others.

In part 1 of this conversation, Leeann opens up about her life-long struggle with weight, including bullying attention she received from other children as a result of her early on-set puberty and inherited metabolic disorder; talks about the depression and anxiety she experienced...

We’re back with part 2 of Chad’s incredible story. If you haven’t listened to the first half yet, head over to part 1.

In the second half of this conversation, Chad and I dive into the deep depression that sent him into a suicidal state, explore his healing journey, and talk about how he made it to positively “going all in on his disability”; discuss the challenges he faced trying to obtain his first job as a blind person, the...

Once naive to the true impact of his incurable, regressive disability, Chad Bouton would end up facing a turbulent storm of self-hatred before eventually finding calm and unwavering pride in himself.

In part 1 of this conversation, Chad and I talk about what it was like growing up in a military family, the impact legacy medical technology had on his  misdiagnoses, and the devastating day his mother learned that both of her childr...

Since she was a child, Shilpi Kapoor has always been an independent spirit that has defied conformity and taking paths of least resistance. This plus her equally altruistic spirit and drive for universal accessibility, has led her to break barriers of incredible impact.

In this conversation, Shilpi talks about what it was like growing up in Mumbai in the 1980's, her struggles with school, and the role her father played in ...

In spite of an unpromising upbringing, three divorces and a bankruptcy, Lisa Curtin’s journey proves that not only is there always a story behind the story, but that reinventing your story along the way is never impossible.

In this conversation, Lisa opens up about her childhood, including the role her Lithuanian roots played, a house-wifery grooming, and growing up amongst alcoholism and a lack of encouragement at home; the e...