GenFree: Unplugging 2 Connect

In this episode, Kathleen Barlow speaks with Avery Gonzales, a Utah Valley University student and advocate for cutting back on digital technology, about her personal journey navigating technology, social media, and intentional disconnection. Avery shares how growing up in a close-knit Utah community shaped her childhood, how she experienced the gradual introduction of smartphones and social media,...

A lovely Mother's Day conversation with my mom, Barbara Butler, and sister, Tara Flora Johnston. We talked about her experiences as a child growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts in the 1940s & 1950s. So grateful that we finally sat down to record some of these precious memories.

🎙️ Raising Screen-Conscious Kids in a Digital World with Emily Cherkin & her daughter, Sylvie In this episode of Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect , Kathleen Barlow sits down with Emily Cherkin, also known as “The Screen Time Consultant”, and her daughter Sylvie for a candid conversation about growing up with intentional tech boundaries. Emily Cherkin is a nationally recognized screen time exper...

Harrison Haynes was the victim of online harm as a teenager, beginning when he was only 12 years old. He has courageously turned this difficult experience into advocacy and is the founder of DIM (Digitally Intentional Movement). He also serves as the chair of the end OSEAC (Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children) Survivors Council. Harrison and I were able to chat about his studies at Ja...

Bradley is an 8-year-old second grader and a member of Gen Alpha, who had a conversation with his Lolli (aka his grandmother, Kathleen), about what it's like attending his Waldorf-inspired charter school. Whether it's learning to knit, gardening, or reading in the school's cozy library (which even boasts a fireplace!), Bradley is enthusiastic about school and engaged in the learning pr...

Ryan Huh is a director and photographer based out of the NYC metro area. He is fascinated by the power of stories to inspire the collective imagination, starting from a single moment passed down through generations. He holds a BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in Film/TV Production. His recent documentary,  Starting Over , was awarded the Lookup. Live grant. He is currently in post-production...

Elianajoy Volin is a senior at Kenyon College, majoring in English with a Creative Writing emphasis, a concentration in Gender and Sexuality Studies, and a minor in Neuroscience. She is passionate about living an intentional, low-screen lifestyle. From spending her childhood without a TV, to a year abroad studying at the University of Exeter in Devon, England, to spending a few days living at a mo...

In this episode, Kathleen engages in a heartfelt conversation with Liddy and Corinne Johnson about the challenges of navigating digital technology and social media. Liddy, a 17-year-old advocate against social media addiction, shares her personal journey from addiction to recovery, while her mother, Corinne, discusses her advocacy for parental rights and digital safety. Together, they explore the...

Hillary Kimball is a 16-year-old high school student who was published in the Salt Lake Tribune for an editorial based on the challenges of growing up in the age of digital technology. Hillary enjoys cheerleading at her school and loves to travel. 

Ngozi Edema is a children’s book author and time management coach who helps busy moms, writers, and entrepreneurs reclaim their time and turn minutes into milestones. With nearly two decades of writing experience, she’s passionate about storytelling and believes productivity should feel purposeful, not overwhelming. Through her coaching, books, and podcast, she empowers others to create space for...

Michael Perrone resides with his wife and 6 children in the PNW. He’s a consultant who helps fathers lead in their home, their work and in their community. His mission is to help 1 million fathers unleash their leadership potential. 

Richard Freed, PhD, is a psychologist, author of the recently released book Better Than Real Life, and his insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other media outlets. Dr. Freed has devoted his career to revealing how Silicon Valley is using its clandestine science of persuasive design to pull childhood away from the real world to exist on social media, video ga...

Morgan Monet is a 27-year-old licensed marriage and family therapist and proud “elder” Gen Z-er. She works at the intersection of mental health, identity, and connection, and brings a thoughtful, relational approach to her work, centering the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals and anyone seeking more authentic relationships with themselves and others. Her work emphasizes mindfulness, emotional grou...

Morgan is a 17-year-old high school senior whose mom is Hillary Wilkinson, co-founder of ⁠" Healthy Screen Habits." ⁠   Morgan and her older brother have been raised by parents who practice a minimalist approach, when it comes to screen time.   Morgan has a TED talk called ⁠" Embracing Community" ⁠ , in which she beautifully speaks about the people in her neighborhood whom she...

Jayden Davis is the Programs and Office Manager at an organization called The Policy Project, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kathleen and Jayden connected over an initiative called The Focused Student, in which TPP worked to get a bill passed during the 2025 legislative session. The two-pronged initiative would enable students to have improved focus in school, both by being off cell phones and by...

Seán Killingsworth is the 22-year-old founder of The Reconnect Movement. Reconnect is a student-led club that hosts phone-free social events at universities. Reconnect is currently established on 3 campuses and expanding. At 17, Seán began speaking about the effect of social media and phones on Gen Z. He has spoken at Virginia Tech, The Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Dopamind, The Suicide Prevent...

* Disclaimer: Since our conversation, Gabriela's org has undergone some re-branding. You can now find her at APPstinence.org, rather than APPstinent.org. Meet Gabriela - graduate student at Harvard and founder of an organization called APPstinence. This is what Gabriela has to say: "I’ve always had two wolves inside when it comes to media consumption. On the one hand, my father’s experien...