The Real Deal Conversations

It’s easy to hop on social media, read a single headline, and complain about what’s going on in your hometown—but what happens when you actually step behind the scenes to see how local decisions are made? This week, Megan is joined by Nixa Chamber of Commerce President Whitney Guison and Nixa Mayor Jarad Giddens for an honest, funny, and eye-opening conversation about community l...

Ever feel like the modern workplace treats you more like a cog in a machine than an actual person? This week, Megan sits down with speaker, author, and workplace culture advocate Tony Ary to talk about his new book, From Human Doings to Human Beings . Tony challenges old-school corporate mentalities and makes the case for human-centered leadership across multi-generational teams. He breaks down th...

What do you do when a persistent toddler stomachache turns out to be a parent’s worst nightmare? This week, Megan is joined by Nixa dad Kendal Dingus for a deeply moving conversation about faith, resilience, and walking his son Thatcher through childhood cancer. Kendal walks us through the terrifying moment doctors discovered a five-inch tumor surrounding his 4-year-old’s aorta, leadin...

We often see head coaches on the sidelines under the Friday night lights, but what does it actually take to build a culture that survives public pressure, criticism, and constant change? This week, Megan is joined by Missouri State Football Head Coach Casey Woods  for an authentic look at leadership, family, and what happens behind the title. Coach Woods shares his journey from sleeping...

Bringing a baby home is supposed to be pure bliss, but what happens when the overwhelming emotion isn't instant joy, but intense anxiety, anger, or feeling completely checked out? This week, Megan sits down with licensed perinatal mental health counselor Katie Gerwel from Healthy Roots Counseling in Republic, Missouri, to pull back the curtain on perinatal and postpartum mood disorders. Katie and...

Have you ever gone to the doctor feeling completely overwhelmed, moody, or exhausted, only to be told "your lab work looks normal" or "you're just getting older"? This week, Megan sits down with nurse practitioner Sara McCalley to get real about hormones, health advocacy, and why your symptoms aren't just "in your head." Sara breaks down why perimenopause is starting as early as your 30s, the game...

Ever step into a major life change—like pregnancy, an empty nest, or retirement—expecting pure relaxation, only to find yourself feeling disoriented, anxious, or wondering who you even are anymore? This week, Megan sits down with her personal counselor, Dr. Chasity Arnold from Touchstone Counseling, to break down the psychological and physical realities of life transitions. Dr. Arnold...

Ever feel like your inner critic is winning the daily battle in your head? 🧠 We all want to improve, but with 70,000 thoughts a day throwing curveballs at us, how do we actually stay on track? This week, Megan sits down with Nixa head football coach John Perry and his wife, Stephanie, to talk about what it really takes to never stop getting better . John shares his game-changing strategy for filt...

Leadership in today's divided world can feel like a total battlefield, and let's be honest—sometimes it's easier to just hide out from the critics. This week, Megan is joined by Drew Williams , the lead pastor at North Point Church, for a incredibly honest look at what it really takes to lead well when the heat is turned up. Drew opens up about the massive challenge of stepping into giant le...

Ever look at your teens or twenty-somethings and feel a massive generational disconnect? We worry about their screen time, but the truth is, 83% of Gen Zers are practically begging for a mentor—yet hardly any of them have one. This week, Megan chats with Cam Stillings , a middle school youth director who is living proof of what happens when adults actually show up. Cam flips the script...

In this episode of The Real Deal Conversations, host Megan Deal sits down with Hannah Laxton, a licensed counselor from Wellspring in Republic, Missouri, to discuss the internal work required to maintain a healthy and resilient marriage. Hannah breaks down the staggering reality that roughly 80% of our thoughts are not true and explores how these false narratives can sabotage a relations...

This episode of The Real Deal Conversations features Dr. Stan Tatkin, a world-renowned researcher and clinician who has revolutionized how we understand romantic relationships through the lens of neuroscience and biology. As the developer of PACT (A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy) and author of Wired for Love, Dr. Tatkin breaks down why humans are "unreliable beasts" when under stress...

We’ve all had those moments where our teen’s reaction seems completely disproportionate to the situation. But what if that outburst isn't defiance—it's biology? In this concluding part of our deep dive, Megan and the team at Touchstone Counseling explore the "perfect storm" of adolescent emotional flooding. They discuss how puberty-driven hormone shifts directly impact neurotrans...

Ever feel like you’re speaking a different language than your teenager? In this episode, Megan sits down with the clinical experts at Touchstone Counseling to decode the mystery of the adolescent years. They discuss the critical gap between the amygdala (emotions) and the prefrontal cortex (logic) and why your teen’s "I don't know" might actually be the truth. The l...

We often think our job as parents is to have all the answers, but what if the most powerful thing you can do is admit you’re learning, too? This week, Megan is joined by Jami Arasmith-Glenn, an emotional wellness coach and host of the Emotions With Ease podcast, to discuss the internal shifts required to raise healthy, resilient children. Jami explains why the teen years are a...

We’ve all heard the phrase "pour yourself out for others," but what happens when the pitcher finally runs dry? This week, Megan sits down with Jeremy Alvarez, the Nixa campus pastor for North Point Church, for a candid conversation about the high cost of the "go until it’s done" mentality. Jeremy shares the warning signs his wife noticed before he hit a wall, the spiritual necessity of...

Feeling exhausted is one thing. Feeling numb, disconnected, or like you’ve somehow lost yourself is another. In this episode of  The Real Deal Conversations , host Megan Deal sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Claire Plumbly , author of The Trauma of Burnout , to unpack what burnout actually is and why so many people don’t recognize it until they’re completely depleted...

Jayne Young may be the face you see on billboards, but her story didn’t start there. Before the success, there was selling a car just to buy diapers. There were overdraft fees, pregnancy loss, hard marriage seasons, and prayers whispered in grocery store aisles. In this conversation, Jayne shares the grit behind the growth, how faith carried her through the lowest seasons, why she believes i...

Leadership isn’t glamorous, and Heather Zoromski doesn’t pretend it is. In this honest, grounded conversation with Megan, Heather shares what it really looks like to lead when your name gets criticized, your heart gets tired, and the work still needs done. Everything from school board leadership to nonprofit service, she talks about showing up without needing credit, setting boundaries...

Customer service gets complicated fast when emotions run high, expectations aren’t clear, and boundaries start to blur. Megan Deal sits down with Whitney Guison and Grace Gooley for an honest, often funny conversation about what good  service actually looks like, without burning out your team or bending over backward for bad behavior. They unpack why “the customer is always right&...

Prayer doesn’t always feel powerful. Sometimes it feels quiet, awkward, or like you’re talking into the air. In this conversation, Megan Deal sits down with Laura Johnson to talk honestly about what it looks like to keep praying in the middle of waiting, uncertainty, and unanswered questions. Laura shares how her understanding of prayer has changed over time, why consistency matters ev...

Melanie Blair, the Assistant Executive Director of Lost & Found Grief Center, opens up about the loss of her 9-month-old son, Charlie, and the long, complicated journey of learning how to breathe again after your world falls apart. She shares with Megan the guilt she carried, the way grief reshaped her marriage and family, and how Lost & Found became a lifeline when she felt completely uns...

Dr. Sue Head is back for part two, and this conversation goes even deeper. Megan and Sue talk honestly about the tension women feel between confidence and insecurity, leadership and family, capacity and calling. Sue shares more of her personal stories, the moments that shaped how she leads today, and the lessons she wishes more women knew earlier in their careers and in motherhood. If you’re...

Being a mom is hard. Being a working  mom? That’s a whole different level of juggling. In this episode of The Real Deal Conversations , host Megan Deal  sits down with Whitney Guison  and new guest Grace Gooley to talk about the real, unfiltered side of balancing careers, kids, and everything in between. With kids ranging from toddlers to teens (and a new baby on the way), the...

Dr. Sue Head, VP for Cultural Activities & Institutional Advancement and Dean of Character Education at College of the Ozarks, joins The Real Deal Conversations  with host Megan Deal for a candid talk on what it really means to lead as a woman.  In this first part of their conversation, Sue and Megan dive into the realities of imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the pressure w...