Critical Conversations

Microdosing psychoactive psilocybin mushrooms is becoming more mainstream than ever as states legalize its use in therapeutic settings and people around the world advocate the countless associated benefits. Listen firsthand to the journey of an already licensed psychotherapist training to add psilocybin treatment to her professional practice and how to integrate this sacred healing modality into o...

Habitat For Humanity does everything they can to provide as much quality housing to as many deserving families as they are able in as convenient a time as possible. Their funding is provided largely through city and state municipalities and private donors, but, in reality, how is this money spent? In a time when many businesses are being investigated for embezzlement, fraudulent spending and embel...

You’ll thank yourself for transforming thoughts about thought transformation and lifting the veil to find the courage to bring your true authentic self to each moment. In this life-changing conversation, hear how it is possible to slow down and bring yourself to the present, and explore a 2,500 year-old practice that anyone can use at any time to break through mental barriers, move through trauma...

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we can use to create understanding and compassion, and this is Kenny Adams’ main focus with his documentary Blend: On Being Black in Bend . By creating a film that provides an unfiltered look at lived experiences, he hopes to be an agent of change, urging that we all carry this burden together, and we need to actively coach each other’s behaviors in o...

Through his own journey of depression and darkness comes a light so bright that people all over the world are reaching out to embrace and heal their wounds with personalized, handwritten hope. After spending time writing and journaling, Robert Mason’s situation had improved. He immediately felt compelled to lead others to the same destiny by sending letters of inspiration and healing, illuminating...

All humankind has a generous heart, and it is people like Mary who remind us how many different ways there are to give back to the community. In her younger years, she herself was homeless and continued to work at the food bank to make the world a better place. We all have gifts to share and the opportunities are endlessly available to be helpful to others in order to connect to the greater world...

Young and old, it turns out urinary and sexual dysfunction are super common, but it doesn’t have to be anyone’s reality. Open conversation successful treatments to support struggling individuals to bring comfort and formality to an experience that’s generally left unattended. There is no shame in leakage, but there are ways of moving through with dignity to get back to sharing healthy intimate tim...

The scope of women in the workplace has shifted immensely during the recent past and the professional world is offering more resources than ever for female business owners. Women have also stepped up to listen to and support fellow women; connecting to and for each other. The simple act of networking and sharing ideas creates more mental agility and the consistent communion encourages strength. Or...

A highly controversial topic, the existence of contrails or chemtrails in the skies above and a current government program designed to alter planet Earth’s climate, is brought to light in this fringe conversation. A group of climate activists questions and spreads awareness about dangerous and multifaceted weather control technology and its use of toxic nano-materials linked to several life-threat...

In true craft spirit, the owners of Cascade Lakes Brewing Company are breaking the beer industry mold by becoming the first nonprofit brewery in Central Oregon. In the past, they have worked alongside Habitat For Humanity, Central Oregon Trail Alliance and Brightside Animal Center but decided to take it to the next level. In addition to donating all proceeds to local nonprofits, they are also sign...

Planned Parenthood’s Bend Health Center Manager, Joanna Dennis-Cook, gives us an update on services and affairs after the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. Neighboring states have since banned abortion and other reproductive services, putting more pressure than ever on the clinics in independently-supported states. Anytime someone has to travel for health care, the risks and costs skyrocket, and,...

A true innovator and interpreter of the local landscape takes an interesting look at the current components in the school system that are meant to support yet hinder students to reaching their full potential. We must first fully acknowledge, as a society, that there is a problem and that students do fall short, not because of their own downfalls but because of the weaknesses of the system as a who...

Homelessness has increased at an amazing rate in recent years in Central Oregon, and the available homeless services don’t come close to serving this incredibly under-counted population of struggling community members. It is going to take full commitment to engaging diverse perspectives, having open ears and focusing on a solution-oriented attitude to understand the vastness of this issue and offe...

How do we raise children to be racially responsible and what does this mean in our ever-changing social world structure? At the collegiate level, sociology professor Tom Barry recognizes and teaches the sometimes unpleasant realities of our collected times in order to understand the present situation with honor and respect for the past. Here we discuss the link between white supremacy and capitali...

Drag queens are champions of the community, declares Alex Simpson AKA Deb Auchery, because of their boldness, excitement and celebration of liberation. Hear how the journey into drag helped Alex learn about Deb and be able to finally love and express herself completely. The LGBTQ+ community continues to honor Stonewall yearly with Pride events which encourages the community to come together to cre...

An immensely brave veteran and human, Javier Romo, turns his back on the mainstream VA medical system and finds freedom from his trauma with natural ways of healing. After struggling for years with prescription drugs, alcohol use and criminal activity to suppress his pain, he knew he needed dramatic changes and leaned in to exercise, lifestyle changes and a healthy diet as the catalyst for well-be...

Gun control activism continues to gain momentum as younger and older generations are coming together to lift their voices and draw national attention to the issues that taunt them daily. Adults are now reaching out to youth protesters to add support and organizational assistance and highlight the challenges faced when inspired youth feel ignored. Yet grassroots organizations to collegiate-educated...

From rescuing rabbits and tortoises to studying PTSD in elephants in Africa, animals are in desperate need of our compassion to harness healthy relationships within their own communities and beyond. The fact is that every sentient being can undergo trauma and the lasting effects are devastating for them and for the continuation of inter-species understanding. It is within our power to limit their...

Virtually every conversation we have about death is actually about life and can positively alter the way we perceive our time, the people we spend it with and our all-around life experience. If we can be more involved in the end-of-life process with loved ones, it can give us the renewal to honor life and chase unfulfilled dreams. This amazing discussion reveals that we must face our own mortality...

As clean drinking water continues to become a scarce resource around the world, it is baffling to understand why we are endlessly giving away water “rights” to those who do not have the best for the planet in mind. Columbia Insight is bringing awareness to water allocation issues and pushing for big changes in decision-making procedures to this life-sustaining commodity. Environmental protection o...

Students hold lawmakers accountable for continued school shootings and call for gun control laws to be implemented in Oregon. Open-hearted youth share perspectives they hold on second amendment rights, the availability of military-grade weapons to the public and arming their teachers while continuing to grapple with their own emotions and daily fears. It is scary and exhausting, but they are commi...

Helping students succeed socially and emotionally is the end-goal for parents and teachers, but we all run into tough times one way or another during the process. The best thing we can do for children and ourselves is to stay calm and connected in order to remain regulated and ready to teach. We must demonstrate to kids how to use these skills, be empathetic and create a sense of accountability if...

Most negative feelings we experience are about things that never happen and can be described as self-imposed suffering. Cy Wakeman gives timeless strategies for making subtle shifts in moving through the world to raise your level of daily contentment. We cannot prevent adverse human experiences, but we can become skillful at emotionally processing them. We must feel our feelings instead of intelle...

Topics our grandmothers would frown upon are taking the spotlight in this important discussion about women’s sexual, urinary and reproductive health. Incontinence, pain during sex and other dysfunctions prevent women from having a healthy and life. The good news is that treatment is approachable and there are options to support the body to be at its best. Working with the body to help heal itself,...

During any traumatic time in life, Dr. Elena Lister encourages everyone to be open, honest and share their experience with trusted loved ones in order to ease their pain. This is especially true with children, who are instinctively very perceptive of and continually seeking guidance from their role models. The best way to arm the youth for the future is to face the tough stuff by having real conve...