Going in Blind with Zach Tidwell

Ashlea Dillard is a firefighter/paramedic turned hypnotherapist, ketamine-assisted therapist, neurosomatics practitioner, and Licensed Professional Counselor(LPC). The wear-and-tear of being a firefighter was taking it’s toll on Ashlea, at a time when she was already pursuing her graduate education in the mental health space, and it took her down an entirely different path. We delved into hypnotism and hypnotherapy, what percentage of the population can be hypnotized, how hypnosis sessions work, regression therapy, epigenetics, and generational trauma, neurosomatics, the limbic system, fight or flight, why reprogramming the nervous system is critical when addressing mental health challenges, psychedelic therapies and plant medicines, ketamine-assisted therapy, and so much more. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & Meet Ashley Dillard 01:24 Leaving Firefighting After 10 Years 03:48 Burnout, Compassion Fatigue & Quality of Life 06:02 “You’re Not Gonna Make It” 06:46 Transitioning Into Mental Health 08:51 Disconnecting From Your Humanity to Survive 11:27 Ketamine & Psychedelic Assisted Therapies 14:00 First Responder Culture & Coping 18:22 Getting Into Hypnotherapy 29:25 Understanding Regression 32:07 Ashley’s Personal Regression Experience 35:49 Regression, Early Memories & Grief 40:24 The Nervous System & Survival 53:06 Understanding the Nervous System 1:03:51 Psychedelic Assisted Work 1:25:14 Working With Veterans 1:28:00 Final Thoughts & Closing You can find Ashley in the following places: Website: https://ashleadillard.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCb_NKej6NBIiZm_xZLTjhng Website: zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW #firefighter #firstresponders #mentalhealth #trauma #hypnotherapy #GIB #GoingInBlind

Jack Hager is a Vietnam combat veteran, convicted drug/weapons smuggler, and minister who believes victim mentality is tearing our society apart. Topics covered include how Jack survived on his own from 14 through graduating in the top 10% of his class, what Vietnam was like, how poorly American veterans were treated upon returning home, how prevalent drugs were amongst GIs in the Vietnam War, the effects of false flag operations like the Gulf Of Tonkin Incident, the parallels Jack saw between the Afghanistan pullout and Saigon pullout, how history repeats itself, why a lack of self-responsibility is the plague of America, why it’s so important to think freely, how a lack of thinking leads to a lack of understanding, how he turned his life around, and the difference between passive and active worship. Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: "It's Not My Fault" and Personal Responsibility2:58 Why America Has a Victim Mentality8:00 Addiction, Accountability, and Personal Choice14:42 Human Trafficking, Moral Courage, and Taking Action19:40 Lying to Join the Army During Vietnam24:00 Military Intelligence and an Unexpected Career31:55 Intelligence Work Then vs. Today40:00 Coming Home From Vietnam and Public Backlash47:55 The Vietnam War, Government Trust, and Difficult Questions55:55 Why Critical Thinking Is Disappearing1:04:03 Prison, Finding Faith, and Getting Sober1:12:00 Why Jack Still Volunteers in Prison Ministry1:25:55 Understanding the Bible Through Life Experience1:35:55 Disability, Victimhood, and Personal Responsibility1:41:45 Temptation, Integrity, and Raising the Next Generation1:47:10 Passing Along Wisdom and Final Reflections You can find Jack on his website: https://jackedup.blog/Follow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Beth Kromer is the Co-Founder of FieldGuide9, a nonprofit organization that hosts guided Ayahuasca journeys rooted in ancient shamanic Ayahuasca practices that trace back to the Peruvian jungles via oral traditions thousands and thousands of years. Ayahuasca is not legal in the United States, though it is starting to gain traction in Western cultures for journeys like the ones FieldGuide9 facilitates in small groups of no more than 6 participants. This is not medical advice. But the topics discussed in this episode include how the role of intentionality in Ayahuasca work, ancient Peru and the passing of oral shamanic traditions, why individuals seek out Ayahuasca and other plant medicines and the outcomes they experience, Ayahuasca research, Ibogaine research, how psychedelics affect spiritual beliefs, and more. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Ayahuasca & Field Guide 905:50 Ayahuasca, Addiction Recovery & Common Misconceptions11:01 What an Ayahuasca Experience Feels Like16:48 Inside an Ayahuasca Ceremony & Why Integration Matters23:06 Beth Cromer's Journey from Corporate Success to Plant Medicine31:45 Religious Upbringing, Trauma & Spiritual Transformation39:48 Ancient Wisdom, Consciousness & Spirituality49:10 Indigenous Traditions, Mental Health & Psychedelic Research55:43 Safety, Screening & Who Should Consider Ayahuasca01:05:27 The Legal Status of Ayahuasca in the United States01:12:45 Building Field Guide 9 & Expanding Access to Healing01:14:57 Suicide, Hope, Community & Finding Purpose01:23:33 Final Reflections on Healing, Joy & Living Fully You can find Beth and her team at FieldGuide9.com.Follow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Angela Harger Thompson is a documentarian, actress, and author exposing the darker side of Hollywood, and using her own experiences as a sexual assault survivor to help sex trafficking victims reclaim their lives. In this conversation you’ll learn about the predators lurking in Hollywood and Hollywood’s terrible trend of drugging and sexually assaulting people chasing their dreams, how little support some sexual assault victims receive, how supports for sexual assault victims can be improved, how Angela’s intentional work facilitated her healing, what it’s like to be stranded at sea, how terrifying it can be to sail through the North Pacific, what it’s like to be in a financially and emotionally abusive relationship, the sex tourism in Thailand and Costa Rica, and more. Timestamps:00:00:00 Introduction & Meet Angela Harger06:08 Voice Acting, Hollywood & Career Goals12:49 The Night Everything Changed19:58 Reporting the Assault & The Justice System29:39 Therapy, PTSD & The Long Healing Process35:15 Helping Other Survivors & Lessons Learned40:58 What Could Improve the System?42:40 Leaving Hollywood for a Documentary Adventure46:19 Sailing Into the COVID-19 Pandemic53:17 Making Quarantined at Sea59:07 Returning to Hawaii & Life After Lockdown01:06:40 Escaping an Unhealthy Relationship01:12:18 Online Harassment & Protecting the Film01:20:05 Writing Worst Tits Ever01:26:14 Why Sharing the Story Matters01:31:39 Where to Find Angela & Closing Thoughts You can find Angela and her work on her website: angelahargerproductions.comFollow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Sandi Griffin is a 10-year competitor in the world of international bodybuilding(IFBB), a strength and condition coach who worked to rehabilitate wounded special forces members during the Global War on Terror, and eventually even Olympians. Having had suicide contantly touch her and her family as she followed her husband around the world during his military career—and eventually almost losing two children—she’s now a leader combating the suicide epidemic in Colorado, which has the 7th-highest suicide rate in the country, despite being the 5th-healthiest state. She’s the Founder of the Colorado Springs Health And Fitness Expo, where she’s doing things a little differently; 100% of ticket proceeds are donated to mental health and suicide prevention programs, they’re mentoring other businesses along the way, and paving paths in the adaptive fitness world as well. You’ll learn how a mother of three considering gastric bypass surgery transformed her life through bodybuilding, the power of accountability, how showing wounded soldiers perspective changed and saved lives, why the suicide warning signs we’re told about are incomplete, why construction workers are a high risk for suicide, how to save someone in crisis, and how you can form a mission-driven, charitable organization making a difference in the world. You can find Sandi at SandiGriffin.comWant To Know More About Zach If you’re new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com, where you can also reach out to have him speak at your company or event. To get the big news when his book going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Bob Ginsberg is the Co-Founder of the Forever Family Foundation, a 100% volunteer-run organization dedicated to educating the public that we are more than our physical bodies, whilst providing support to those in mourning. Bob was a straight-edged professional when he and his wife lost their daughter—and almost their son—in a car accident his wife had a premonition about. The loss, experiences during grief, and resulting research led him to change his beliefs. Today, the organization funds continued consciousness (life after death), near-death experience, and consciousness research, holds workshops for the bereaved, and has conducted rigorous testing to attempt to determine the validity of individual medium’s claims to be able to communicate with the dead. In over twenty years, they’ve only confirmed 30 mediums’ abilities—resulting in Bob’s belief that only 10-15% of mediums can really do what they claim. Other topics include the limitations of the human body to perceive reality, losing a child, research into shared consciousness, life after death, religious implications of near death experiences, being saved by helping others, whether or not holding on to a deceased loved one may prevent someone from healing, victim mindsets, DMT and psychedelic research, navigating guilt after a suicide, and where consciousness might originate. Timestamps:00:00 Near-Death Experience That Changed Everything06:12 Is There Proof of Life After Death?15:19 Scientific Research on Consciousness & the Afterlife24:34 CIA Remote Viewing Experiments Explained33:46 Real Paranormal Experiences at Home39:58 Do Psychic Mediums Actually Work? (Tested)52:12 A Powerful Encounter That Defies Explanation1:04:33 How Facing Death Changes Your Life Perspective1:23:00 The Truth About Death, Grief, and What Comes Next You can find Bob at foreverfamilyfoundation.org. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Laura Sicola is an educational/cognitive linguist, TED/TEDX speaker, former professor, Neurolinguistic Programming(NLP) practitioner, and Executive Communication Coach with decades of work in the field. Topics covered include what cognitive linguistics is, the art of social sciences, how we process language, what’s wrong with academia, why most doctoral graduates don’t end up being professors, how to sound like a leader, how experts fail to communicate their expertise to people outside their field, what’s breaking down your communication, how much of our communication lies in things other than our words, how metaphors help us understand, what upspeak is, how to fix it, and Neurolinguistic Programming. You can find Laura on her website: laurasicola.comWant To Know More About Zach If you’re new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com, where you can also reach out to have him speak at your company or event. To get the big news when his book going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Lynn Johnson is the Founder of All In Empowering Futures. A social worker by trade, her work in the penal/probation system has led her to work with the country’s most vulnerable populations. from leading an innovative program in Colorado to help guide families out of poverty, to being appointed in President Trump’s first term as the Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children and Families in the US Department of Health and Human Services(HHS), where she worked to eliminate abuse and neglect, end child and human trafficking, and similar efforts showing impoverished families and individuals a way to a better life.Today, her work through All In Empowering Futures is filling a crucial gap in serving young adults who have aged out of the foster care system—kids who, upon reaching the age of 18, are commonly left homeless and entirely on their own due to overlooked gaps in our foster care system.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Lynn Johnson02:28 From Probation Officer to National Leadership04:05 A Framework For Fighting Generational Poverty08:40 Why Community Matters More Than Government Programs17:45 Lessons From Probation, Parole & Social Work24:00 The Child Trafficking Case That Changed Everything36:50 The Scale of Human & Child Trafficking in America43:00 Social Media & Online Grooming’s Role In Trafficking46:30 Getting Presidentially-Appointed To Serve The Most Vulnerable Americans51:45 Listening to Youth Who Aged Out of Foster Care53:00 Founding All In Empowering Futures56:00 Why Foster Youth Need Family, Not Programs58:45 Stories of Transformation1:17:30 What Should Happen After Foster Care Ends?1:22:30 Why Aging Out of Foster Care Must Become a National Priority1:25:20 How to Support All In Empowering FuturesYou can find Lynn at allinempoweringfutures.org.Follow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Kevin Young is a historian, author, and professor specializing in Latin American history, Revolutions, and U.S. foreign policy in the region who believes the recent indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro suggests potentially imminent American military action in Cuba, given the recent kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro following similar legal moves.In this conversation, we explore whether the recent indictment could signal a new phase in U.S.-Cuba relations, and why many observers see parallels with recent events in Venezuela. Kevin explains the historical roots of American intervention in Latin America, the strategic relationship between Cuba and Venezuela, and why sanctions have become one of Washington’s most powerful foreign policy tools. We discuss the Monroe Doctrine, Cold War regime change operations, China's growing influence across Latin America, the humanitarian impact of economic sanctions, and the broader question of whether military intervention can ever achieve lasting political outcomes. Along the way, Kevin examines Cuba’s economic struggles, the legacy of the Cuban Revolution, the future of international law, and the geopolitical tensions shaping the Western Hemisphere today. This is a conversation about power, history, sovereignty, sanctions, diplomacy, and the forces that continue to shape global politics. Expect to learn why Cuba and Venezuela are strategically connected, how U.S. intervention in Latin America evolved over the last century, what sanctions actually do to civilian populations, how China is reshaping the geopolitical landscape in the region, whether military action against Cuba is a realistic possibility, and what these developments reveal about the future of American foreign policy. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Could the U.S. Be Preparing for Military Action in Cuba? 08:06 – The Origins of U.S.-Cuba Relations and the Monroe Doctrine 12:15 – Why Cuba Remains a Target of American Foreign Policy 18:30 – The Geopolitical Importance of Cuba in 2026 22:05 – China’s Growing Influence in Latin America 23:40 – Chinese Investment, Infrastructure, and Regional Development Through The Belt And Road Initiative 36:26 – Economic Isolation, Sanctions, and Cuba’s Global Position 42:45 – The Humanitarian Consequences of Fuel and Food Shortages 49:07 – Regime Change: What Is the End Goal? 55:55 – What Happened in Venezuela After Maduro? 59:45 – Could a Cuba Intervention Create a Failed State? 01:03:18 – The Cuban Revolution and Land Reform 01:07:30 – Why Socialism Took Root in Cuba 01:11:16 – Cuba’s Healthcare Crisis and the Impact of Sanctions 01:13:30 –the Human Cost of U.S. Sanctions 01:18:12 – The Future of International Law and Global Stability 01:19:30 – Nuclear Risk, Diplomacy, and the Global Order 01:24:00 – What Americans Should Understand About Cuba 01:28:28 – Historical Lessons for the Future of U.S. Foreign Policy 01:30:36 – Closing Thoughts You can find Kevin at KevinYoung.org Follow And Support The Show Website: zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell YouTube: @ZachCTidwellPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Betty Kovacs’ life’s work in comparative literature and theory of symbolic/mystic language has culminated in discovering that much of ancient history—and especially early spiritual teachings—may have been deliberately hidden, altered, or destroyed. The conversation dives into newly surfaced texts, the formation of religious canon, and how institutional power may have reshaped the original message of figures like Jesus.Key Topics:00:00 Introduction & Guest Background 26:27 Questioning Beliefs & Narratives 45:04 When the Church Gained Power 46:47 Who Decided the Biblical Canon? 49:51 The Nag Hammadi Discovery & Destroyed Texts 51:18 Reframing Jesus as a Mystic Teacher 51:50 Transhumanism & Modern Control Systems 52:16 “You Are Nothing” – The Loss of Human Divinity 01:03:41 Original Sin & Psychological Conditioning 01:10:00 Control Through Religion & Belief Systems (discussion continues) 01:18:00 Are These Control Patterns Still Happening Today? 01:25:00 Closing ThoughtsYou can find Dr. Kovacs and her work here:kamlak.comFollow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Sean Baptiste is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer(CCO) Of DreamKey Syndicate, where he and his team are reinventing the wheel of creative artificial intelligence platforms to ensure humans continue being the foundation of creative endeavors, whilst making sure they always get paid when their work is used, and setting a new precedent for ethical artificial intelligence implementations. A lifelong creator himself, Sean lost his career working as a writer, entertainer, animator, and more at some of the world’s biggest entertainment companies, like Bethesda, Harmonix, and Adult Swim to repetitive traumatic brain injuries(TBI) from abrain tumor and endless surgeries. But he’s built himself back up, and is now a leader in the space. Other topics include LLM, transformer architecture, reinventing the wheel, reinvention, identity, purpose, creation, mental health, resilience, and creating a path for yourself no matter what the odds. You can find Sean at dreamkey.aiZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Scott Silver is the Managing Partner of Silver Law Group. His began his legal career defending corporations on Wall Street, and has since switched teams to deliver justice and reclamation compensations for those wronged by corporate greed, Ponzi Schemes, fraudulently marketed funds, products, and more. You can find Scott at silverlaw.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

John “TIG” Teigen is a United States Marine Corps veteran and former CIA Ground Response Staff(GRS) paramilitary contractor who defended a CIA annex and American consulate in Benghazi, Libya during the 13-hour battle that began on September 11, 2012. John shared his story from Marine Corps infantryman, to private contractor, and eventual path into the elite GRS unit that took him on more than 60 deployments around the world conducting covert personal security detail(PSD) and security operations for CIA Case Officers carrying out America’s intelligence gathering efforts around the globe. Other topics include the repeated requests for additional security preceding the attacks, how the State Department, Obama Administration, and CIA reacted to the attacks, how John became a GRS operator without any prior combat experience, Blackwater, Triple Canopy, and how prime security contractors funnel shooters to the CIA’s covert paramilitary branch. John is running for Mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado in the Spring of 2027, and you can find him on his website: https://tigtiegen.com/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Albert “Skip” Rizzo, Ph.D., has been named one of the Top 25 Greatest Innovators in the field of virtual reality(VR), and has been innovating in using the technology to diagnose, analyze, and treat complex mental health conditions for decades. He is also the Director of Medical Virtual Reality at the Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California. In addition to designing and developing these breakthrough technologies, some of his platforms are being used nationwide throughout the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, and even to help clinicians train in handling particularly dynamic and difficult patients. In addition to covering all of this, Skip covered how it all came to be, and where he and his peers are driving this incredible future. Other topics include exposure therapy, previous guest Dr. Barbara Rothbaum, 9/11, military sexual trauma, sexual trauma, how innovation occurs, how to coordinate teams from different disciplines in combined efforts, PTSD, how virtual reality is used to train active duty military, how additional immersion accentuates these VR experiences, augmented reality, how virtual reality developers can create entire, immersive worlds, and more. You can find Dr. Rizzo here: https://ict.usc.edu/about-us/leadership/research-leadership/albert-skip-rizzo/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Danny Combs is many things; a Grammy-winning musician, entrepreneur, educator, disability advocate and policymaker, to name a few—but today we focused on his work in teaching the autistic community trades, the namesake for his nonprofit, TACT. After his own son was diagnosed with Autism 15 years ago, without being given resources to assist him, Danny decided to pave a path forward for his son and others like him. In just 10 years, TACT has shifted the entire narrative around employing people with Autsim, partnering with companies all over the world, including Toyota and AutoNation, to flip the script on the statistic that 90% of autistic people are unemployed. It's an untapped workforce no one is talking about, so Danny came on the show to do just that, and break down the stigma around the subject. Other episodes mentioned include episode 73 with Kilroy’s Workshop, 83 with Steve Bigari, and 17 with Josh Thurmond. Other topics covered include public perceptions and narratives around disability, how to shift cultures and mindsets, how having a disabled person in you family expands your world view, Northrup Grumman, engineering, being a trailblazer, role models, and more. You can find Danny in the following places:TACT website: https://www.buildwithtact.org/Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Richard Anderson is a microbiologist with an expertise in molecular biology and biochemistry, who has now written several books: “Evolution of Life: Big Bang To Space Colonies”, a nonfiction book that spans from the beginning of our universe, through the formation of life, all the way through human evolution and to our seemingly inevitable future amongst distant stars. He and Zach tackled those subjects before diving into AI, freedom of speech, censorship, and how LLMs may give way to sentient nonhuman intelligence—topics all covered in Richard’s sci-fi trilogy, the Outbound series. You can find Richard’s work on his website: richardandersonauthor.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

George Goulburn left his corporate life in the Australian government to strike out on a new career as a male escort. He and Zach discussed the shift, George’s past and present relationships, monogamy, open relationships, ethical nonmonogamy(ENM), and what work as a male escort is like. Along the way, George offered surprising insights into how men and women differ in this space, what women want from a male escort, and why it’s been so fulfilling for him and his clients—not to mention the ethical concerns in the space, cultural differences around the sex trade in Australia versus the United States, and what an optimal situation would be for workers in locales making moves to decriminalize or legalize prostitution. You can find George on his website: georgegoulburn.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Patrick Winn is an award-winning investigative journalist and author whose latest book covered a nearly sovereign Methamphetamine state inside of Myanmar, which produces roughly 70% of the world’s methamphetamine using it’s 30,000 troops to project it’s power in the region. China supports them, and their stimulants are flooding the Southeast Asian black markets in a an entirely different way than Americans have been accustomed to from the relationship between the Mexican and South American drug cartels and the US border throughout the War on Drugs. Other topics include human trafficking, the history of the Wa people and their drug empire, historical ties to the US government through heroin and meth, fentanyl crisis in the US, how China has made a deal to arm and provide infrastructure to the Wa people whilst keeping their drugs outside of China, how investigative journalists find sources, what it takes to be an investigative journalist, how Patrick views risks to himself and his sources, living in Thailand for 18 years, and how to know when a book is finished. You can find Patrick and his work on his website: www.patrickwinnonline.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Steve Bigari is a West Point graduate, proponent/facilitator of skilled trades training in underserved communities, and massively successful entrepreneur bringing EI from the cyber world to the real world in all re7alms—from wearables for skilled trades workers like welders, electricians, and carpenters, to medical applications, restaurants, and beyond. The intro for the episode doesn’t do this man or his work nearly enough justice, so buckle up. Steve’sfamily has overcome an incredible amount of strife, from his first daughter being born with what was expected to be deadly birth defects, to adoptinbg multiple children with special needs, almost losing a son to suicide, and almost losing his wife to a brain tumor. They’ve all persevered, and it led Steve to found over 20 companies, build a kingdom of McDonald’s franchises, and now innovate with visionaries like former guest Ron Hardman, and his counterparts at SoundHound AI to lead the fourth industrial revolution. Steve is also bringing skilled trades training to underserved communities with his nonprofit, America’s Family, and it’s newest initiative, 1848 Other topics include why AI is creating jobs rather than taking them, seeing into the future by examining the past, predicting future technologies, why America shifted away from skilled trades to focus on higher education, why skilled trades are the future, how welders are being trained faster than ever, China, Taiwan, national security conerns, America’s skilled trades shortage, why AI applied to the real world is the fourth industrial revolution, how struggle breeds character, persevering through tremendous adversity, almost losing a child, almost losing a spouse, and how life manages to funnel us toward specific paths that culminate in a life’s work. You can find Steve’s efforts in the following places:America’s Family: amfol.orgSoundHound: soundhound.comFollow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Doug Cardell is an Evidentiary economist, author, and economic policy expert discussing why socialism is—and always has been—doomed to fail. His work has spanned from serving as an aide to a Member of Congress, leading as a corporate CEO, consulting the Arizona Department of Education, and teaching as a Professor of Mathematics. His expertise in economics, economic policy, mathematical modeling, and system dynamics modeling makes him uniquely qualified to discuss the matter, because he’s taken one heck of a deep dive into it all. In this episode you’ll hear why both physical and personal value drives worldwide economies, why capitalism works, what socialism, fascism, and communism really are, why socialism will always fail, how overreaching governments erode civilization, the power of meritocracy, how foreign powers are undermining American higher education, how victim mindsets deprive people of their value, and the slippery slope of losing control of property, autonomy, and free choice. You can find Dr. Cardell on his website at dougcardell.com.Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Christopher Willars turned to crime after being kicked out of the Air Force, and wound up with a 144-year prison sentence after being found guilty as the getaway driver in a robbery. The others involved will all likely spend the rest of their lives behind bars, but Christopher is back out after nearly two decades in prison. Combined, he spent multiple years in solitary confinement with the longest consecutive stint lasting 14 months. But today he’s the face of Life Unit, his nonprofit centered around intervention, education, recovery, and reform—with an entirely new life and family. You can find Chris and his work at ChristopherWillars.com.Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Jill Chalsty is the Founder of the Overcoming Obstacles life skills curriculum, which she developer to fill critical gaps in education systems around the world, and has now taught over 180 million students worldwide. She’s achieved this while enduring breast cancer and a double mastectomy—all whilst caring for her late husband, who battled Dementia—and subsequently having gone on to persevere through the ensuing lung cancer that followed his passing. She found a singular purpose in those dark years that led her on a beautiful pilgrimage that culminated with the writing of her new memoir, Packets of Hope. Expect to learn how bullying shakes the foundation of people throughout their lives, how cyber bullying is even more dangerous, what unconditional love is like, how Jill navigated the complexities of being the sole caregiver to her husband while he battled Dementia and she battled breast cancer and a double mastectomy, why life skills are so important for kids and adults alike, and how her losses led her to traveling the world, sustaining the purpose that kept her going through her ongoing battle with lung cancer. You can find Jill in the following places: Overcoming Obstacles: overcomingobstacles.org Packets of Hope: packetsofhope.com Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW YouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlind Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Levi and Stephanie Ware founded the Melodic Caring Project in 2010 after they had to bring a live concert to a sick child’s hospital room after an emergency bone marrow transplant prevented her from attending. Now they’ve worked with bands like Cold Play, The Black Eyed Peas, Direks Bentley, and other major names to help these kids see through the darkness. They’ve also extended their services to music therapy, songwriting sessions, and more— pushing through times so tough they lost their home whilst raising three children— just because they saw a need and believed in their mission. You’ll learn how music therapy allows the brain to remap it’s abilities by facilitating neuroplasticity, how running a for-profit business can support you nonprofit, how music is distinctly stored in the brain, the power of music therapy, the hardships faced by families whose children are battling rare cancers, and more. Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW YouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlind Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Robert Christophor Coppes is a board member of the International Association of Near-Death Studies (IANDS) and author of "Impressions of Near-Death Experiences”. His work points to consistent afterlife experiences across all cultures and religions, veridical out-of-body projections, and an idea that religions centered around a judgement-dependent afterlife have it all wrong. You can find Bob’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Impressions-Near-Death-Experiences-Quotations-Experiencers/dp/0997560894 Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW YouTube: @ZachCTidwell #NearDeathExperience #NDE #Afterlife #Religion #God #GIB #GoingInBlind Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Amie Ichikawa is Executive Director and Founder of Woman II Woman, and a former inmate who started making waves after her years in prison by speaking out against the fraud in our penal system, politicians pushing legislation that opens children to victimization, and men invading women’s prisons. Today, much of her efforts are focused through Woman II Woman , where she’s helping other women navigate post-incarceration life and pushing for legal changes to protect women from men during while they serve their sentences.From drug abuse, outfitting women’s prisons with condom dispensers and issuing every prisoner with Narcan, to corruption, scandals, and questionable political motives, this episode has it all.You can find Aime and her work at womaniiwoman.orgZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Heather R. Spence is a marine bioacoustics expert with a PhD in behavioral neuroscience whose background as a musician and composer led her to focus on how ocean life communicates with sound, the impacts of sound on aquatic environments, and researching the world’s coral reefs. Her groundbreaking the work not only educates the public, but it also bridges the gap between conventional scientists and citizen scientist, and carries broader implications that apply to our terrestrial world. Interesting Topics Covered:Snapping Shrimp Research: How these tiny creatures produce some of the loudest ocean sounds and Dr. Spence's innovative approach to studying them alive rather than preservedSound in Water vs. Air: Why sound travels faster and farther underwater due to water density, making it central to marine lifeDolphin Communication: The sophistication of dolphin vocalizations and echolocation, plus their use of sound for spatial navigationOcean Noise Pollution: How human-generated sounds (boat motors, wind farms) disrupt marine life communication and behaviorOcean World of Sound Initiative: A groundbreaking project using passive acoustic monitoring to collect long-term underwater soundscape data in the Mesoamerican ReefCitizen Science: Making ocean sound recordings publicly accessible via YouTube for community engagement and educationPlants and Sound: How plants produce ultrasonic sounds, respond to acoustic stimuli, and alter soundscapesBlindness and Sensory Perception: Personal discussion about echolocation, spatial awareness through sound, and how blind individuals may inadvertently exhibit body language interpreted as deceptiveYou can find Dr. Spence on her website at heatherspence.net.Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Mario Duarte is President and CEO of Project Dynamo—a group conducting international, on-the-ground operations across the world to free human trafficking victims, remove American citizens stranded in conflict zones and natural disasters, and reunite separated families when governments fail to do so. And he had some chilling information to share about child trafficking in the United States— involving alleged deliberate deliveries of migrant children to sex trafficking rings and how most of these children are used in organ harvesting operations after their abusers have decided their usefulness has come to an end or they simply don’t survive the hells they were subjected to. Make no mistake: Mario is speaking from his experience combating such horrors, not speculation. This team is leveraging their combined experience in intelligence and special operations to exact justice and do the necessary dirty work required to save lives in some of the most severe situations possible. Duarte himself is a seasoned intelligence officer whose experience spans more than 20 years, including the technology industry, Risk and Security Manager for the Houston Airport Authority, Intelligence and Security Consulting for a U.S. Defense contractor, and work in strategic initiatives, in addition to his time in the Army. Other topics covered include the Afghanistan pullout, Project Dynamo’s work extracting Americans and allies from conflict zones like Afghanistan, Jordan, Israel, Ukraine, humanitarian aid missions in North Carolina, Jamaica, and Haiti, how families or family friends turned abusers become traffickers, and more. You can contact Project Dynamo and it’s Archangel team at projectdynamo.net. Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Ron Hardman is a software engineer turned master blacksmith, which led him to founding Kilroy’s Workshop—an American skilled trades school and shared workspace where creators of all kinds can learn everything from blacksmithing and blade smithing, to CNC machining, welding, additive design and manufacturing(3d-printing), and everything in between. Kilroy’s Workshop now has locations in multiple states, and Eli Timm, shop manager of their Colorado Springs location, joined Ron and Zach. It all started with an airplane hangar and a dream, and now Kilroy’s serves over 5,000 creators each year. And Eli climbed the ranks of the organization, having begun as one of Ron’s students as a teenager. Discover how this unique organization is breaking barriers by making trades education accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities, ADHD, and autism, while partnering with programs like Wounded Warrior Project to serve veterans alongside everyone else. Other topics include:7-week welding certifications that lead to $70K+ careers to addressing America's critical skilled labor shortage, America’s manufacturing vulnerabilities, starting over in an entirely new career, shortcomings in our education system, what makes a great teacher, how Ron’s philosophy has enabled him to open doors for so many others, what it takes to build a booming business in a niche, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the spirit of creation. You can learn more about Kilroy's Workshop at kilroysworkshop.com.You can learn more about Kilroy's Workshop at kilroysworkshop.com.Zach’s book is on the wayit’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website.Follow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Mark Steven Porro is a multi-talented creative professional who has lived a remarkably diverse life. His parents lived through the Great Depression, and his career began in industrial design of all places— before rapidly expanding into Hollywood, where he spent 28 years building a career as an actor, writer, and director, appearing in shows like Hill Street Blues, Castaway with Tom Hanks, and even Seinfeld alongside his father. Beyond all of this, he . Also co-founded a snack food company with his brother to honor their father's 1963 invention, achieving national distribution. But his most profound achievement came when he returned to New Jersey to care for his mother during her final three and a half years, an experience he chronicled in his award-winning memoir "A Cup of Tea on the Commode.”. You can find Mark and all his work at ACupOfTeaOnTheCommode.com.Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Alexis Arralynn was born into a fundamentalist Christian doomsday cult. She was groomed and abused throughout her childhood, manipulated by her mother, father, and eventual husband, and only escaped the life after an attempted kidnapping of her children in her thirties. It’s a harrowing tale filled with self-discovery and reinvention. She’s also an entrepreneur and podcaster. You can find Alexis’ podcast here: https://wtbbpod.buzzsprout.com/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Atinuke (“Tinu” Adediran (J.D, Ph.D) is a sociologist and associate professor of law at Fordham University in New York. In her new book, Disclosureland, she analyzed how corporate messaging surrounding race—which had never occurred until after the murder of George Floyd—were largely unmet, and explored the legal implications, the corrupt nature in which majority and institutional shareholders of public companies use their power to manipulate the actions of massive corporations, and the wider impacts on society. Other topics explored were DEI vs meritocracy, racial equity audits, fixing downtrodden American neighborhoods and broken homes, corporate responsibility, homophily, and racism. You can find Dr. Adediran and Disclosureland here: https://www.atinukeadediran.com/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Sacha Dench is a geneticist, freediver, adventurer, high-flyer, change maker, and founder of Conservation Without Borders. Her work with animals began with capturing turtles as a freediver and geneticist off the Great Barrier Reef, and the uniqueness of her path multiplied from there. Competing internationally whilst becoming a national champion freediver, her work eventually took to the skies.A 7,000 kilometer motorized paraglider flight following Buick Swans from the Russian Arctic to the United Kingdom catapulted her into the public eye as she helped combat the decimation of the species. Her grassroots effort carried her across more than 10 countries and connected her with some of the world’s foremost adventurers and pioneers.She’s since flown with the ospreys from the UK to Africa, and is working to fly again with vultures in a new effort. And you can get involved by contacting her at conservation-without-borders.org.Zach’s book is on the wayit’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website.Follow And Support The ShowFollow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends.Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod#GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Join host Zach Tidwell for an inspiring conversation with Wendy S. Huffman, Executive Director and Founder of Let's Make the Difference, as she shares her remarkable journey from interior designer to global changemaker. After losing her partner Bill in Africa, Wendy transformed grief into purpose by creating sustainable enterprises in refugee camps across 11 African countries. Wendy's approach rather than just feeding them is revolutionizing how we think about humanitarian aid. From bakeries producing 1,000 loaves daily to peace ambassadors spreading throughout war zones, this episode reveals how small investments create massive ripple effects. What You'll Discover:How a $14,000 fundraising miracle launched a movement empowering 1,900+ refugeesThe innovative Peace and Conflict Resolution Campaign addressing violence in refugee campsGroundbreaking bakery enterprises creating jobs and feeding communities in Kakuma Refugee SettlementWhy teaching leadership skills beats traditional aid in creating lasting changeThe untapped potential of half a million refugees as the world's largest workforceStrategies for combating toxic politics and division through curiosity-based dialogueYou can find Wendy at letsmakethedifference.org.Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Isabella Young shares her harrowing journey from joining a messianic cult to escaping after losing her son to an alleged murder. As the wife of the cult leader who claimed to be the Second Coming, Isabella reveals the manipulation, abuse, and tragic consequences of cult life, while offering insights on cult dynamics, manipulation tactics, narcissism, abuse, healing, and prevention. You can find Isabella and her books at: feelingbetternaturally.loveZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Laszlo Suhayda escaped communist, Soviet-occupied Hungary in 1956. He shares his story to remind the public that freedom doesn’t come free, and to warn of the dangers of socialism. He shared his story here, examined state-controlled media, power struggles, propaganda, and the dynamic states of Venezuela, China, Cuba, Russia, Iran, the Ukraine War, and the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip, in addition to the recent New York City election of Zohran Mamdani. Laszlo is also a successful entrepreneur and author, and you can find his work here:Book(Twelve Bells to Freedom): https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Bells-Freedom-Suhajda-Story/dp/B0CP2VGD58Website: laszlokomodo.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: @ZachCTidwell #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Aaron Turnage officially served as a police officer and homicide/child abuse detective for 21 years, but his entry into the field began at 8 when he took his first ride along, then again 13 when he entered his local cadet program and logged over 4,000 hours of work by the time he graduated high school. When he finally joined the force, the man who took him on that very first ride along became his partner, and was eventually murdered in the line of duty. This, combined with two decades of avoidance, almost killed him. You can find Aaron’s podcast by searching for “Murders to Music” wherever you get your podcasts. Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Riana Milne is an author, entrepreneur, Licensed Mental Health Counselor(LMHC), and trauma recovery coach, and she came on the show to break down the top 10 childhood traumas that impact adult relationships. From abandonment issues to verbal abuse, discover how early experiences shape our love lives and learn practical tools for healing.Key Topics Covered:The 10 most common childhood traumas and their relationship impactsHow trauma manifests in jealousy, people-pleasing, and communication issues The difference between therapy and coaching approachesAddressing modern relationship challenges: porn addiction, AI relationships, and hookup cultureRed flags in relationships and when to seek helpBreaking generational trauma cyclesTimestamps00:00 Introduction & Guest Background 04:32 Riana's Journey from Tragedy to Healing 14:35 The Top 10 Childhood Traumas Checklist 25:14 Military Families & "No-Fault" Abandonment 39:42 How Childhood Trauma Shows Up in Relationships 52:31 Therapy vs Coaching: Why Riana Made the Switch 01:13:21 Communication: The Root of Relationship Issues 01:18:18 Modern Challenges: Porn Addiction & AI Relationships 01:30:54 Long-Term Relationships & Infidelity Patterns 01:36:13 Where to Find Help & Resources You can find Riana on her website: rianamilne.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Tragedy coupled with Jennifer Hawkins’ unmatched drive in her corporate career ever so perfectly so as to set her up for one wild, unexpected opportunity to arise that would ultimately save her teen son’s life. In this episode, you can expect to hear how nearly losing her brother—and the resulting disabilities of his accident—impacted Jennifer as a young woman and led her to find a mission in her life. In seeing her brother struggle so greatly, she wanted to have an impact, and that came in the form of acquiring a failing Sylvan Learning Center franchise when she was 29—which she purchased with a credit card when she couldn’t raise the required capital through traditional means. Not only did she turn the failing business around, but she became one of the top franchisees in the country, and it ultimately led to miraculously finding that her son had Leukemia after family doctors failed to diagnose him time and time again. Listen to hear how it all went down., what it was like for the Hawkins family, and how it led Jennifer to founding Launched Performance in early 2024. Follow Jennifer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferhawkins/ Website: launchedperformance.com Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlind Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. John David Graham has worn many hats, the latest of which include being an award-winning author and founder of Good Samaritan Home. At 53, John and his wife purchased a home to create a shelter that has since served over 2,500 people transitioning from prison back into society. John shares his journey from a childhood marked by "quiet desperation" through decades of professional detours—from truck driver to construction worker to minister—before finding his calling in prison rehabilitation. His novel "Running As Fast As I Can" has won 48 literary awards and sold 22,000 copies, using fiction to advocate for second chances. This episode explores growing up without guidance in post-Depression America, the intersection of faith and criminal justice reform, Why 60-80% of incarcerated individuals struggle with addiction, how Good Samaritan Home provides "a hand up, not a hand out”, the challenges and successes of reentry programs, the power of community transformation.Connect with John:Good Samaritan Home: https://goodsamaritanhome.org/staff/John’s website: https://johndavidgraham.com/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Baruch “B” Halevi is a former rabbi turned pastoral counselor who holds two doctoral degrees - one in divinity and another in pastoral counseling. Dr. HaLevi practices logotherapy and runs men's peer groups through his nonprofit organization. The conversation explores his unique journey from rabbinical studies in Israel to developing innovative approaches to men's mental health and meaning-making through adversity. We discussed cultural and spiritual realities for many American Jews, the crossover and disconnects between the race, culture, and religion, and explored how he became a rabbi and lived in Israel three different times. We delved deep into how Baruch’s grandmother’s suicide affected his father, and the guilt that often haunts those left behind after a suicide. And B opened up about what set the stage for his father’s eventual suicide, and how the aftermath led him to his work today. This episode, though different as always, touched on several foundational topics that typically arise in the discussions on this show: purpose, meaning, perspective, and identity. You can find “Double Doctor B in the following placesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.BHaLevi/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baruch_halevi/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baruch-halevi/Website: www.menspeergroups.com Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Tae Yeon Lee’s family ties to the Rooftop Koreans of the 1992 LA Riots led him to direct his creative efforts into revisiting the story from a modern day lens. And it made for a different kind of episode. We delved into growing up as the child of Korean immigrants and the stories Lee’s own family shared from living in LA during the riots. But we spent most of our time digging deep into the events that set the stage for the riots to kick off, from Rodney King, to the interracial tensions in minority communities, to the provocative narratives the media was portraying, and the commonly touted assignment of blame placed on Ice Cube in reference to his hit song, Black Korea. Later on, we covered what it was like creating his graphic novel, Return of the Rooftop Koreans, from the perspectives of research, writing, and collaborating with his illustrators and bringing it to print. And to round things off, T.Y. had a few sentiments to share on the legacy of the Rooftop Koreans and their impact on Korean American culture. You can find T.Y. in the following places:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/antiwokebooksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/antiwokebooksWebsite: www.antiwokebooks.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388 Instagram: @ZachCTidwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/ X: @ZachCTidwell Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlind Podcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Julie Barth has navigated an incredible amount of pain. Her daughter, Tayte, was born with Primordial Dwarfism, and her vocal cords were paralyzed from the lifesaving care she received when she was born weighing just three pounds. Then, Julie’s husband, Colin, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at the age of 33. He passed 16 months later, when Taytem was just five. Julie eventually remarried into a cartoonishly abusive relationship, and Taytem was diagnosed with an extremely rare cancer that required the removal of a part of her torso to save her life. But the hardships Julie and her family faced in the medical and divorce arenas led her to founding the Colin James Barth Outreach organization in 2024. Through the foundation, Julie is helping connect other women to services during times of crisis. But she’s also an author, and sells some of Taytem’s artwork to support the nonprofit’s efforts. You can find Julie, Taytem, and all of their work at juliebarthauthor.com.Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Paul Watkins knows a thing or two about doing difficult things. In addition to being an accomplished entrepreneur and mountaineer, he won the 380-mile “6633 Arctic Ultra” race in the Canadian arctic in 2019, and achieved second place in the 2023 Laplandian Arctic Ultra—which was another 300+ mile race. And by the time this episode airs, he’ll have competed in a desert ultra in Namibia too. But this episode was a lot more than just a rundown of Paul’s accomplishments. A discussion into his path towards that first arctic ultra facilitated a much deeper discussion into perspective, mindset, the human spirit, and philosophy—why humans have pushed themselves dating back to our furthest ancestors, how missing opportunities to push ourselves deprives us of opportunity, and what implications those missed opportunities—both in the physical and mental realms—might carry for our species. And as serious as it was at times, there were plenty of laughs and lighter topics too. So strap in for the ride. You can find Paul in the following places:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.rogue.scholar/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-watkins-92125499/ website: paulwatkins.com.auZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Barbara Rothbaum(Ph.D) has spent the past four decades researching anxiety disorders, and specifically Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD). Her career is marked by innovation and dissemination of leading edge treatments, including both the invention of using virtual reality(VR) in exposure therapy, and driving it’s use in prolonged exposure therapy programs for veterans. To top things off, she and her team are now running a groundbreaking study using MDMA and exposure therapy to treat veterans with PTSD, with plans to run follow-on studies in the future. Today, she’s the Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, which she created to provide intensive PTSD treatment to all veterans whilst removing as many barriers as possible—it’s entirely free to anyone who served, regardless of discharge status, so long as they’re struggling with one of the conditions the program treats. She’s also a professor and Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research at the Emory School of Medicine in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department, and Director of the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program, in addition to an extensive list of other titles, credits, and achievements associated with her name.You can find the discussed services here: emoryhealthcare.org/veteransZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Adam Cheyer is a visionary software engineer, AI expert, and entrepreneur behind many of the technologies used by most of us today. In addition to sharing his trajectory, Adam he had some very nuanced things to say on machine learning, large language models, and where “AI” is headed—including his prediction of the next iteration of Cheyer’s Conjecture coming in 2035. He and his team developed the world’s first digital assistant, Siri, which was acquired by Apple in 2010, and was the basis for all that came after: Alexa, Cortana, Bixby, and any others you can think of. In fact, another AI company he started (Vib Labs) became a backbone in Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant in more recent years, before his next company, GamePlanner.AI was acquired by Airbnb. But he also created the world’s first social network for social change: Change.org, amongst other companies, like the company formerly known as Genetic Finance. Along his trajectory, he’s worked as a researcher at the Standford Research Institute(SRI) on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency(DARPA) COLA project. He’s headed massive teams at Airbnb, Samsung, and even worked alongside Steve Jobs whilst leading efforts at Apple. Follow AdamLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcheyer/Website: http://adam.cheyer.com/site/homeZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Ben Patton is the grandson of General George Patton—the famed WWI and WWII General—and son of Major General George Patton IV, a man whose service record is as broad as his own father’s was. But Ben went a different path; he worked across various multimedia industries, co-authored a book, and founded the Patton Veterans Project, where he’s now helping American veterans process their own toughest times through filmmaking. And it’s having incredible outcomes—Ben and his team have conducted studies with the VA and found that veterans with PTSD who’ve completed a workshop with the Patton Veterans Project are much more likely to seek formal mental health treatment at the VA, and Ben shared it’s even saved one veteran’s life. But we dove into much more than just Ben’s nonprofit, we discussed the role of AI/LLMs in the classroom and as a parent, what it was like growing up, Ben’s year at a nunnery, writing, suicide, and everything in between. Connect with BenLinkedIn: https://www.google.com/search?q=ben+patton+linked+in&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1069US1069&oq=ben+patton+linked+in&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQABgNGIAEMgcIAhAAGO8FMgoIAxAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBBAAGIAEGKIEMgoIBRAAGIAEGKIE0gEIMjQwMmowajSoAgCwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8Website: https://pattonvets.org/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Holly Wood is a sex therapist who works with individuals and couples in California. She And Zach got into some spicy territory, covering everything from sex robots, AI companions, and non-monogamous relationships, to sex addiction, navigating infidelity, and helping victims of sexual violence reach a place where they can enjoy being intimate with a partner again. You can find Holly in the following places:Website: www.thehollywoodsexologist.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thehollywoodsexologistZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Tim “F-ing” Barber rose from racing go-carts as a kid, all the way to racing cars at the professional level. Along the way he’s owned multiple businesses, recorded on albums as a drummer, and is now running TFB Performance, where he trains the next generation of racers, builds racecars, and handles every aspect of vehicle and race prep/support for his clients. You can find Tim and his team at TFBPerformance.comZach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm.

Dr. Philip Yanos grew up on the grounds of a psychiatric hospital in New York, and went on to become a world-renowned clinical psychologist known for his work on serious mental illness and stigma surrounding serious mental illness. He’s a professor and Director of Clinical Training for the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at John Jay College, and an author. We discussed his new book about his experiences growing up on the grounds of the aforementioned facility, his work and development of “Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy”, and Phil’s surprising love of punk music—he plays in multiple bands! You can find Dr. Yanos and his work in the following places:Book discussed today: Exiles in New York City: Warehousing the Marginalized on Ward's Island Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/exilesinthecityNECT website: http://www.nectglobal.orgPrevious Book: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/written-off/C04D6187C09919B6964BAF77BA27534AScream Therapy: https://screamtherapyhq.com/Zach’s book is on the way it’s officially in the hands of an editor, and on the final path to publishing! If your new to the show and haven’t heard his incredible story, go back and listen to the show’s trailer, or visit Zach’s website at zachtidwell.com. To get the big news when it’s going to print, join his email list on the website. Follow And Support The Show Follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen. And if that happens to be on YouTube, like this video too before sharing the episode with family and friends. Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: @ZachCTidwellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: @ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FWYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod #GIB #GoingInBlindPodcast theme music by Transistor.fm. #52 Dr. Philip Yanos: Growing up on psychiatric hospital grounds to treating serious mental illnesss