Loud Enough Podcast

In a culture that often demands immediate conformity, vulnerable teenagers face an uphill battle trying to figure out where they fit in. We sit down with Joi McGowan, a licensed professional therapist in Northwest Arkansas with over a decade of experience, to tackle the raw challenges facing teens today, particularly those within the LGBTQ community. We get into the specific tactical elements of a...

The youth mental health crisis is no longer a quiet conversation happening behind closed doors. Statistics show that one in five teenagers will experience depression before adulthood, and in states like Arkansas, access to care remains a significant hurdle. When teenagers feel they have to "mask" their struggles to avoid judgment or parental worry, the isolation only deepens. We sit down...

A lot of people still treat teen community service like a chore or a consequence. We see something different: volunteering is one of the fastest ways for teenagers to build purpose, empathy, and real-life skills that stick. Dawn Spragg sits down with Brady Herbert, Manager of Youth Empowerment Programs at the Teen Action and Support Center (TASC), to talk about what “service learning” looks like o...

Teen life isn’t noisy, it’s deafening. Between social media pressure, constant comparison, academic strain, and invisible grief, many teens carry more than adults realize. We invited a seasoned parent and financial planner who’s also a former board member, along with a newly licensed counselor who once navigated profound loss as a teen, to unpack what true investment in young people looks like, an...

Want to see what happens when a city decides teens truly matter? We pull back the curtain on two decades of work at the Teen Action and Support Center and show how Northwest Arkansas is moving beyond labels to real support. Our focus is simple and bold: build protective factors early, amplify youth voice, and align the whole community around belonging. We start with the origin story, spotting a ga...

Ever wonder what teens actually want from a new year? We kick off Loud Enough by asking them directly, and the answers might surprise you. Think more sleep, less scrolling, better friendships, small wins that build momentum, and a deeper sense of purpose. We talk about why teens share goals with friends before adults, how to reduce pressure without lowering expectations, and what it takes to turn...