The Thoughtful Advocate

Discover why outdoor time is essential for child development and learn Scandinavian parenting secrets from "There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather." In this episode, we explore the science behind why children need daily outdoor play, plus share environmental good news including Chile's marine protection expansion and the EU's right to repair law.  In This Episode: ✅ Why Nordic babies nap outside in...

Think child labor ended with old black and white photos? Think again. In this eye-opening episode, we uncover the disturbing history of child labor in America from 7-year-old textile mill workers to brutal 'breaker boys' in coal mines. Discover how children were beaten, exploited, and denied education for decades before reform finally came. But here's the shocking part: 160 million children are ST...

Welcome back to The Thoughtful Advocate! I'm your host, Elizabeth Teo. In this episode, we're getting real about sustainable living while exhausted, parenting struggles, and celebrating environmental victories that give us hope. Grab your favorite cozy drink (mine's a chai with oat milk!) and let's dive into honest conversations about eco-friendly choices, family life, and finding magic in everyda...

Tired of doom scrolling? This episode delivers the positive environmental and humanitarian news you won't see in mainstream media. Discover how 350+ political prisoners gained freedom in Nicaragua, learn about Ocean Cleanup's massive 30 million kilogram milestone fighting the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and celebrate the Iberian lynx coming back from near extinction. We're breaking down why conse...

Discover why friendship is the secret to long-term relationship success, backed by science and real experience. In this episode, host Elizabeth Teo shares 10+ years of marriage wisdom, explaining why marrying your best friend beats the "bad boy" romance trope. Learn how shared interests, trust, and genuine connection create relationships that last. Plus, celebrate environmental victories including...

Tired of doom scrolling? Discover the positive changes happening right now in 2025! In this uplifting episode of the Thoughtful Advocate Podcast, host Elizabeth Teo breaks down real progress across four critical areas: renewable energy breakthroughs (US hits 51% clean energy milestone!), child labor accountability legislation, sustainable fashion innovations, and gun safety reforms at the state le...

Ever wondered how to actually get started in sustainability careers? Host Elizabeth Teo breaks down the real, messy truth about building an environmental career, no perfect path required. What you'll discover: How to break into sustainability jobs without an environmental degree Why your first "green" job doesn't have to be your dream job Real career stories from waste management, environmental no...

Are you exhausted from trying to be perfect all the time? Do you spend hours editing emails, feel sick when you think you'll disappoint someone, or say yes when your whole body is screaming no? You're not alone, and you're not broken, you're experiencing trauma responses that once kept you safe as a child. In this deeply personal episode, I share my journey of understanding perfectionism and peopl...

Join Elizabeth Teo on The Thoughtful Advocate as she sits down with Isaiah Hernandez (@queerbrownvegan), the viral environmental educator with 123K+ Instagram followers who's redefining climate activism for 2025. In this powerful conversation, Isaiah shares his journey from facing environmental injustice in LA to becoming a globally recognized climate educator featured in Vogue and The New York Ti...

What are the benefits of having children? How do you bond with your baby? Does parenthood really change everything? Join Elizabeth Teo on The Thoughtful Advocate Podcast as she tackles Google's most-searched parenting questions with raw honesty. As a first-time mom to 8-month-old Ace, Elizabeth shares the unexpected joy of motherhood that transformed her from an independent career woman into someo...

Feeling climate doom from endless bad news? This episode answers the questions everyone's Googling: Can big companies really help climate change? Do individual choices matter? Which companies are actually sustainable? Discover surprising success stories including Microsoft's $1B climate fund, a Danish company that cut emissions by 87%, and how Tesla forced the entire auto industry to go electric....

Join host Elizabeth Teo as she sits down with Niha Elety, climate activist, sustainable fashion designer, and co-founder of Tega Collective and Understory. In this inspiring episode, Niha shares her journey from biomedical engineering student to building two successful impact organizations while maintaining her 9-5 job. Niha shares her transformative journey from Dallas, Texas to spending 7 format...

From "good Asian girl" to unapologetic activist, Katy Ho's transformation will inspire anyone who's ever felt caught between worlds. In this powerful conversation, the writer behind Bad Asian and contributor to Feminist opens up about growing up in conservative Calgary, meeting feminist icon Gloria Steinem, and why being "bad" is actually revolutionary. What You'll Learn: How to break free from th...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Advocate, host Elizabeth Teo sits down with Eugenia Chow is an environmental educator and content creator who went from growing up in Hong Kong to living and working on a wildlife reserve in Kenya. Eugenia shares her incredible journey into climate advocacy, showing that you don’t need a science degree to make a real impact in conservation and environmental educat...

From Actress to Sustainability Content Creator: Christine's Journey to Intentional Living Join host Elizabeth Teo on The Thoughtful Advocate as she sits down with Christine, better known as @eco.amical, an actress and mom turned sustainability content creator who's inspiring millions to live more intentionally. In this candid conversation, Christine shares her unexpected journey from auditioning r...

🎙️ From STEM to State Politics: How Kelly Nguyen is Shaping a Better Future Welcome back to The Thoughtful Advocate, where real people turn hope into action. In this episode, host Elizabeth Teo reconnects with long-time friend and policy changemaker Kelly Nguyen, a Vietnamese American woman navigating the intersections of tech, public health, and state government.   Kelly shares how growing up as...

Join host Elizabeth Teo as she shares raw, honest insights about the challenges of early motherhood that no one talks about. This essential episode covers the real struggles new parents face during their first year.  Breastfeeding Reality Check: Why breastfeeding is harder than expected Low milk supply struggles and guilt Dysphoric milk ejection reflex (affects 6% of breastfeeding parents) Pumping...

Thinking about having kids? In this brutally honest episode, new mom Elizabeth Teo shares her unfiltered birth experience and the shocking statistics about postpartum depression that might surprise you. From unexpected emergency C-section to the painful recovery reality, this is the birth story preparation you won't find in parenting books. What You'll Learn: Shocking postpartum depression statist...

Welcome back to the Thoughtful Advocate Podcast! This episode is for anyone building something meaningful - whether it's a business, creative project, or a better version of yourself. In this episode, we explore: Why our brains spend 47% of time "mind wandering" and how it affects builders The science behind menstrual cycles and energy levels (and why rest isn't lazy) How to navigate "the valley o...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Thoughtful Advocate, host Elizabeth Teo explores the complex experience of being alone both by choice and by circumstance and what science reveals about loneliness, friendship, and connection. Drawing from her own childhood memories of being isolated at home while others enjoyed pool parties and sleepovers, Elizabeth shares how video games and im...

In this raw and vulnerable episode of The Thoughtful Advocate, host Elizabeth Teo shares her deeply personal story of how growing up in an abusive household created trauma-based perfectionism that followed her into adulthood. Elizabeth opens up about the harsh realities of her Chinese immigrant household where perfection wasn't just expected, it was demanded for survival. From being hit with chops...

In this raw and vulnerable episode, Elizabeth shares her deeply personal journey of cutting contact with her abusive father and the profound impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships. As someone who grew up as a people-pleaser in an immigrant household, she explores the painful but necessary process of choosing your own healing over family expectations. Elizabeth opens up about the decisio...

In this deeply personal episode of The Thoughtful Advocate, host Elizabeth Teo shares the raw and emotional story of the summer she almost didn’t survive. For the first time, she opens up on camera about her struggle with depression, emotional suppression growing up in a Chinese immigrant household, and her experience with suicidal ideation in the summer after high school. Elizabeth candidly discu...

In this deeply personal episode, Elizabeth opens up about a part of her life she’s never shared publicly—her experience with emotional and physical abuse as a child. From road trips filled with fear to hurtful words that left lasting scars, she shares what it was like growing up in a household where silence protected shame. But this isn’t just a story about pain—it's about healing, generational cy...

🎧 Episode Description: Welcome back to The Thoughtful Advocate! I’m your host, Elizabeth Teo, and today we’re diving into how tourism can actually help protect our planet when done right. In this episode, I’m highlighting a hidden gem on Mexico’s Pacific Coast called Huatulco—a breathtaking destination with nine bays, 36 beaches, and some of the cleanest water in the world. 🌊 What makes it truly...