A Side of Hope
by Side of Hope
A SIDE OF HOPE PODCASTStories of hope and grit: amplifying voices in human servicesIf you are a human service professional, social worker or one in the making, you’re in the right place. We’re here to help you navigate the messiness of human services with inspiration, tools, and support.
Episodes
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You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup: Self-Care in Human Services
Melanie Bazile talks about the seasons when she has pushed past her limits, and why staying in this work for decades depends on refilling yourself before you run dry. Drawing on more than 30 years in human services, she walks through five buckets (physical, relational, emotional, purpose, and...
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The Line Between Struggle and Suffering: What It Means for the People You Support
Cara Yar Khan uses a power wheelchair and can no longer raise her arms. She says everything she does is hard, even touching up her lip gloss. She also crossed the Grand Canyon on a wild mustang. In this conversation, Melanie and Cara get into the difference between struggling and suffering, and...
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Act Like You Own the Place (When You Don't)
About This Episode What does leadership look like when you're not the CEO? When you don't own the organization, don't get the final say, and technically don't have your name on the building, yet you find yourself lying awake at night thinking about the culture, the people, the decisions, and what...
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Connection Doesn't Happen by Accident: Here's Why It Matters for Your Work
About Ginger Johnson Known as a "Chief Connecting Officer," Ginger Johnson has built a career around one core belief: everything we want in life is powered by connection. From firefighter to teacher to executive, Ginger's journey has shaped a deep understanding of what it takes to help people…
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What Expectation Bias Costs Us in Human Services
What Expectation Bias Costs Us in Human Services A Side of Hope with Melanie Bazile In this episode, Melanie Bazile explores expectation bias, the tendency to perceive, interpret, and remember information in ways that confirm what we already expect to be true. Drawing on more than 30 years in…
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Inclusion Isn't a Program. It's a Bridge You Build Toward the Rest of the World
Human services has spent decades trying to build inclusion from our side. Lisa Drennan's 40 years in the field taught her the opposite: inclusion can only be built by the side of the bridge that isn't there yet, the YMCAs, the camps, the faith communities. Her work is teaching that side how to...
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Heart-Led, Head-Managed: Why Systems and Compassion Belong Together
There's a word that makes a lot of people in human services flinch. Not burnout, not funding cuts. Sales. Melanie says it out loud in this episode, and she doesn't apologize for it. But the real tension she's sitting with is bigger than one word: how did 'corporate' become an insult in a field...
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Beyond the Diagnosis: How Cancer Taught Us to See Hope in Hard Places
Most people, when they get a cancer diagnosis, think about survival. Lauren Huffmaster did too, until she realized that surviving and living are two very different things. Lauren Huffmaster is a metastatic breast cancer survivor and the founder of Adventure Therapy Foundation, where she's working...
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Staying When Everything Says Leave
There are people in human services who have been showing up for years, not because it's easy, not because the system cooperates, not because anyone is watching. This episode is about what actually keeps them there. Melanie Basil is the Director of Innovation and Expansion at Compass and the host…
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The Whirlwind Isn't Going Away. Here's How to Lead Inside It.
If you lead in human services, your day probably started with a plan. And then reality showed up. This episode is about building leadership structures that can hold up inside that reality, not in spite of it. Sunil Bhaskaran is a global community builder and the founder of Global Business...
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Promises That Heal: Rethinking Accountability in Human Services
Episode Overview Most people in human services have a complicated relationship with the word "accountability." It tends to land like a warning, like someone's about to get in trouble. In this episode, Melanie revisits her conversation with leadership coach Sunil Bhaskaran and unpacks what...
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Creating Futures, Not Just Managing Problems: A New Paradigm for Caregiving
What if leadership wasn’t about keeping up with the chaos, but about creating a future your team can actually move toward? Sunil Bhaskaran is a global community builder and the founder of Global Business Mastermind, where he helps entrepreneurs grow their reach and impact. With a network of over...
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Running Toward the Fire: Why Some Hearts Are Drawn to Human Services
What makes someone choose a life of caring for others, even when it costs them something? Some people don’t run from the fire… they run toward it. In this episode, we step into the heart behind human services and the people who choose this work every day. Through a personal story of finding a…
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Speaking Their Language: Appreciation Across Abilities and Generations
Exploring how the five languages of appreciation can be used not just in the workplace, but in personal lives and caregiving relationships, featuring real stories and practical tips for building connection and trust.Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, author, and leadership expert known for helping...
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Beyond Recognition: How to Build a Culture of Appreciation in Human Services
A deep dive with Dr. Paul White into the difference between recognition and authentic appreciation, and how these concepts can radically improve engagement, retention, and well-being for both caregivers and those they serve.Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, author, and leadership expert known for...
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The Currency of Trust: Lessons for Human Service Leadership
In human services, trust isn’t optional—it’s everything. In this solo episode of A Side of Hope, Melanie explores Stephen M.R. Covey’s The Speed of Trust through the lens of human service leadership. Drawing on real-world stories and years of experience, she unpacks why trust may be the most...
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Home, Choice, and Belonging: A Conversation with Beth Gallagher
In this episode of A Side of Hope, Melanie sits down with Beth Gallagher, CEO of Life Works in San Diego County. Beth leads an organization committed to providing customized supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities—helping them live in their own homes, shape their own...
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Person-Centered Thinking: More Than a Form
We’ve all heard the phrase person-centered thinking—maybe in trainings, maybe on forms, maybe in passing. But what if it’s more than a professional concept? In this solo episode of A Side of Hope, Melanie reflects on her journey in human services and why person-centered thinking is about more…
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Full Circle: Joe on Supported Living, Family, and Building a Legacy of Hope
Melanie sits down with Joe, co-founder of Choices, to talk about supported living, mentoring new agencies, and his journey from provider to parent. Together, they explore partnership with families, self-determination, and what it means to build a legacy of hope.
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Can Gratitude Make You Resilient?
Gratitude isn’t just a feel-good idea—it may be one of the most powerful tools we have for resilience. In this solo episode of A Side of Hope, Melanie reflects on how gratitude has profoundly shaped her life, both personally and professionally. Drawing from positive psychology research and lived...
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Why Social Capital Might Matter More Than a Service Plan
In this episode of A Side of Hope, Melanie reconnects with longtime colleague and keynote speaker Al Condeluci, whose work has inspired the human services field for decades. Together, they explore a bold idea: that social capital—the relationships, trust, and community that surround us—may matter...
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What Hot Dogs and Disneyland Taught Me About Privilege
When Melanie first entered the world of human services, she was fueled by passion and a deep desire to help—but she also found herself learning on the fly, making mistakes, and navigating the messiness of working with people. Over time, the work taught her something unexpected: the very people…
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Humor as a Bridge: Breaking Down Disability Stereotypes with Zach Anner
Melanie Bazile is joined by Zach Anner—writer, comedian, disability advocate, and storyteller—who shares his journey with humor, heart, and deep insight. From the mountain hike where friends carried him on their backs, to the quiet guilt and later clarity that followed, Zach’s reflections remind…
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The unexpected leadership superpower
In this solo episode, host Melanie Bazile gets personal about her early days in human services—where passion met inexperience, and leadership was full of stumbles, growth, and grit.With honesty and heart, Melanie shares the messy, meaningful journey that led her to this work, and why A Side of…
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You Can’t Fake Culture: Hard Truths from Danny Silk
With decades of experience in leadership development, Danny has empowered countless leaders to build cultures of trust, accountability, and connection. As a renowned speaker, author, and consultant, Danny’s unique approach has helped leaders around the world create lasting, transformative change...
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Post-Pandemic Reflections
Melanie Bazile is a longtime leader in the human services field, known for blending honesty, grit, and hope. With decades of experience navigating the messiness of people work, she brings sharp insight into leadership, resilience, and systemic change. On A Side of Hope, Melanie explores the real...
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Innovation in Human Services
A few years ago, Sarah found herself feeling lost—unsure of her direction or purpose. She had big dreams but wasn’t certain how to bring them to life. That all changed when she discovered techniques that helped her visualize the possibilities ahead. Through that journey, she embraced her identity...
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Innovation
Are you a visionary or integrator? This assessment can identify this for you: https://rocketfueluniversity.com/quiz/crystallizer-quiz-hs-norandom-privateapp.php
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Interview with Peter Liedy
Peter Leidy is a consultant, speaker, teacher, and singer/songwriter with a background in support and inclusion for people with disabilities. He works with families and organizations throughout the US and abroad and frequently speaks at conferences, using humor and music in interactive sessions....
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From Theory to Practice: Bridging Academia and Human Services with Dr. Andy
Andy has been a social worker since 2008 after he received his master of Social Work degree from CSU Chico. He worked as a Clinical Social Worker for 4 years specializing in addiction and recovery for adolescent males. He now works as a data specialist at Compass. He brings an extensive…
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The Power of Support: Jenelle’s Perspective on Social Work
In this episode of A Side of Hope, Jenelle shares powerful insights and wisdom drawn from her personal experience receiving Supported Living Services (SLS). Her story is a must-listen for anyone interested in human services or social work. Jenelle opens up about her background, the services she...
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Caregiving with Humor and Heart: An 18-Year Journey in Human Services
Guest Bio: Aaron Zint works as as a Payroll Manager by day and an author and coach by night. He has grown up in the Human Services field starting out as a caregiver at the age of 18. Aaron shares about his experience coming into his own as a leader in the field and what it could like to be in a...
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Disrupting the Norm: An Unconventional Approach to Excellence in Human Services
Eric is the CEO of Compass, an agency that supports adults with disabilities in California. He joined the mission of Compass when he saw that Sadie’s (his wife) dream would need to be a family affair. He wanted to lend his strength and skills to further the company’s mission and vision. He has…
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Unscripted Moments: Capturing the Raw Realities of Independent Living
Cassandra works as the program manager of the ILS wing of Compass. She found her home at Compass in 2011 at the ripe ol’ age of 24. She began in the field in SLS, had a baby, was promoted to ILS Coach, had another baby and was promoted to ILS Manager. Her final promotion was not the result of a...
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From Caregiver to CEO: One Woman's Journey to Founding Compass
Podcast Summary: Sadie and Melanie shared their insights on navigating leadership transitions within the human services field, emphasizing the critical role of compassion and empathy in effective leadership. They discussed the challenges of moving from hands-on caregiving roles to more strategic...
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Amplifying Voices in Human Services
I’m Melanie Bazile, a long-time professional in the human services arena. It seems like just yesterday when I was getting my serendipitous start in human services discovering the messiness of working with people. I had a passion and a work ethic but lacked experience and found myself fumbling...
About this show
A SIDE OF HOPE PODCASTStories of hope and grit: amplifying voices in human servicesIf you are a human service professional, social worker or one in the making, you’re in the right place. We’re here to help you navigate the messiness of human services with inspiration, tools, and support.
Hosted by
Side of Hope