The Buena Vida Podcast

In this episode, Lacy sits down with Dr. Noel Landuyt, Ph. D. principal researcher, adjunct professor, and Director of the School for Organizational Excellence at the University of Texas' Steve Hicks school Social Work to learn about the Survey for Employee Engagement (SEE). The SEE for is a survey instrument that many state agencies, including ERS,  use to provide valuable insights for organ...

Lacy talks with Rebecca Castillo, who works for the TDCJ Training and Leader Development Division and is a mother of two boys. With her busy lifestyle, she had not been prioritizing herself, and knew something had to change. The decision to take charge of her health literally changed her life. Rebecca shares how her journey toward self-care or her preferred term, “self-love,” got her to schedule a...

Lacy talks with Patricia Hord, the Grant Education and Communications Specialist at the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. How does your personality and family background shape your relationship with money and spending habits. Was your family often struggling financially or were you often the recipient of enormous generosity? These experiences can shape a person’s money mindset. Are you a sav...

Imagine the comfort of knowing that your child (or grandchild) will to be able to go to college. Texas college savings plans can help you turn that dream into a reality. Lacy talks to Linda Fernandez about one of these: The Texas Tuition Promise Fund, which allows participants to prepay their future undergraduate tuition and school-wide required fees at Texas public colleges and universities…  wit...

Lacy interviews her ERS co-workers, Armando Villarreal and Amy Chamberlain about an unusual “office gift exchange.” When Amy learned that Armando was undergoing daily dialysis in January, she already knew what that meant… that his kidneys were failing and that his life had become extremely difficult. In this episode, Amy and Armando share their story about what it’s like to be in need of a kidney...

In the second part of this two-part series on women’s health, Lacy brings your questions about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), urinary incontinence, sex drive, hormones and weight gain (and more!) to Dr. Elisa Brown-Pruitt, M.D., Regional Director for the Laura Bush Institute for Women’s Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gy...

In this two-part series, Lacy brings your questions about menopause and perimenopause to Dr. Elisa Brown-Pruitt, M.D., Regional Director for the Laura Bush Institute for Women’s Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Odessa. In a recent webinar with Dr. Brown, we received more quest...

Lacy talks with Dr. Alex Lesko, Executive Medical Director for the ERS HealthSelect health plans, about how we can support our male family members and friends when it comes to their health and well-being. Up to 60% of men do not see a doctor on a regular basis and are less likely to take ownership of their health and well-being than those who do. For example, 36% of men (vs. 50% of women) get annu...

Lacy talks with Tara Humphreys, Field Interpretation Coordinator with Texas State Parks, who shares her passion for connecting our hearts and minds with all that our state parks have to offer. With 89 parks that are as varied as this state, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department celebrates 100 years our Texas State Parks with special events – making this a particularly fun time to visit! Whether...

In this episode Lacy talks with Todd Whitthorne, a nationally recognized health and wellness speaker about the one key driver for health and happiness, the quality of our relationships.  Todd shares insight on what distracts us from our relationships and strategies for how to be more intentional in building healthy relationships at work and home.  Register for Todd's Webinar through this regi...

If you’re a State of Texas employee, you might already know about the free fitness classes offered online almost every day of the work week. The new Virtual Wellness Calendar features a range of classes lead by other state employees, including Jewell Smith of Office of Attorney General; Mackenzie McIntyre of Texas Department of Transportation, and , Rachel Schey of Alamo College District. In part...

Meet our fitness instructors! If you’re a State of Texas employee, you might already know about the free fitness classes offered online almost every day of the work week. The new Virtual Wellness Calendar features a range of classes lead by other state employees, including Jewell Smith of Office of Attorney General; Mackenzie McIntyre of Texas Department of Transportation, and , Rachel Schey of Al...

In this episode Lacy talks with Lesley Jimenez, MPH, who serves as the Statewide Wellness Coordinator at Texas Department of State Health Services. Lesley shares how the Get Fit Challenge came to be, what she does to support health and wellness of state agencies and how we can participate and get the most of out the Get Fit Texas Challenge! Learn more about the challenge through the Get Fit Texas...

In the final episode of a 3-part “music and wellness” podcast series, we listen to the music and stories from state employees (TxDOT & TDI) who shared their time and musical talent at our 2022 state employee virtual wellness fair.  This episode is co-hosted by Jimmy Anderson, a state worker and drummer for the Austin band The Bandoliers. Experience the power of music in this very special serie...

In this second of a 3-part “music and wellness” podcast series, we listen to the music and stories from state employees ( from ERS, TDI, TPWD and CPA) who shared their time and musical talent at our 2022 state employee virtual wellness fair. Each of the musicians reflects on the how role of music in their lives has changed over time and the ways it contributes to their own well-being. This episode...

In this first of a 3-part “music and wellness” podcast series, we listen to the music and stories from state employees who shared their time and musical talent at our 2022 state employee virtual wellness fair. Each of them reflects on how music has contributed to their own wellness in surprising ways. This episode is co-hosted by Jimmy Anderson, who not only plays in the Austin band The Bandoliers...

How can slam poetry change your day? In this very unique and short episode of the podcast, Lacy introduces Brian Francis, retired executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and a nationally acclaimed slam poet. We get to hear Brian as he uses the words submitted to him from state employees to create a poem on the spot. The words and the poem are inspired by the theme of...

Lacy talks with Dr. Genovese, Chief Medical Officer for Acadia Healthcare, the largest standalone provider of behavioral health care in the U.S., about trauma’s impact on the brain and what we can do about it. Part 1 of this conversation focused on trauma’s impact on the brain and practices that support resiliency when you experience trauma. In this second part of the conversation, Dr. Genovese ou...

Lacy talks with Dr. Genovese, Chief Medical Officer for Acadia Healthcare, the largest standalone provider of behavioral health care in the U.S., about trauma’s impact on the brain and what we can do about it. Learn about the ways we all experience trauma on a daily basis and the unusual amount of trauma experienced by first responders, who make up a significant portion of our state employee popul...

Lacy talks with Holly Cuozzo, a fitness specialist with the Texas Department of Public Safety. At the time of this interview, groceries cost 10% more than they did a year ago. With two teenage boys to feed, Lacy empathizes with other families feeling this impact on her household. Learn how Holly and Lacy approach eating well and economically at home, work and on the go. You’ll be craving Holly’s f...

Lacy talks to state employee and competitive sand sculptor Albert Lucio about “flow,” a mental state that’s highly correlated happiness and well-being. Anyone can experience “flow” by engaging with your passions and even work in ways that challenge you. Having served for 16 years with the Department of Family and Protective Services while pursuing his passion for building giant sand sculptures, Al...

 Lacy visits with Melanie Odums from the non-profit Trellis Company about new information that can have a huge impact your financial health.  If you have been making payments on student loan debt over the years while employed by a state agency (or any governmental entity), a public school or institute of higher educations, or a non-profit, you might be eligible for loan forgiveness from the federa...

Years before Alexis Schminke became a fitness instructor with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Alexis was an active child from an active family, who became a teen who struggled with body image and her relationship with food. She later became a forensic scientist with DPS and even later, found her passion for health and wellness… and for her own changing body. Alexis talks about her journey...

In this short episode Lacy discusses how your mindset impacts your movement. She reflects on her childhood experiences that helped her to build movement mindset and how her mindset changed when she no longer had team sports in her life.  Through a new activity she found a renewed sense of purpose and way to move that has been a cornerstone of her movement practice for the past 18 years.  In this p...

Lacy talks to Dr. Russell Frohardt, neuroscientist and Dean for Academic Success at Northwest Vista College, about keeping chronic stress in check. The human stress system evolved to alert us to immediate danger so that we can act fast and stay safe. But in this modern age, we must manage a stress system that is chronically “on.” Unlike our ancestors, who faced dangers in the natural elements, we...