Episode Summary: Feeling Seen & the Future of Ellicott City

In this episode of I Grabbed the Branch, I share a deeply personal reflection on what it means to feel seen—as a survivor of the 2016 Ellicott City flood and as part of a community that has fought to be heard.

For a long time, the experience of that day—and everything that followed—felt invisible outside of those who lived it. But recently, something shifted.

I talk about the progress of the North Tunnel project in Ellicott City and what it represents. This isn’t just infrastructure—it’s acknowledgment. It’s proof that stories, losses, and voices are being recognized through real investment and action.

This episode connects the emotional and the tangible: healing, validation, and the ongoing work of flood mitigation. Because being “seen” isn’t just about words—it shows up in policy, progress, and a commitment to doing better.

🔗 Read my story featured on CBS News Baltimore:
https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/howard-county-ellicott-city-progress-key-flood-mitigation-project-tunnel-north/

🔗 Learn more about the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Program:
https://www.howardcountymd.gov/county-executive/ellicott-city-safe-and-sound

After time away, this prelude episode of I Grabbed the Branch marks a return shaped by challenge, change, and reflection. As 2026 unfolds with unexpected transitions, including job loss, this episode sets the stage for a more intentional and honest Season 2.

With the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 Ellicott City flood approaching, this prelude revisits the foundation of the journey—resilience, healing, and what it truly means to rebuild.

This is where the next chapter begins.

In this bonus episode, Heather shares a forward-looking reflection on the year ahead — not through resolutions, but through refinement.
Grounded in the lessons of the last decade, she speaks honestly about purpose, healing, leadership, boundaries, pursuing her legal education, and choosing peace for her family.

This episode is an intimate look at how hardship shaped the path she’s stepping into — and how 2026 will be a year defined by clarity, courage, and becoming.

Nine years after the flood that changed everything, Heather Owens reflects on how healing has unfolded—not in a straight line, but in waves. In this deeply personal episode, she opens up about losing her dad, John (2011); her fiancé, Joe (2016); her stepdad, Curtis (2021); and her granddad, Jim (2025)—the four men who shaped her heart and taught her strength through love.

Heather shares the raw truth of grief, the power of therapy, and the importance of community—the counselor who helped her process pain, the psychiatrist who guided her through dark seasons, and the friends, family, and coworkers who continue to anchor her in light.

Through every heartbreak and every moment of grace, Heather shows that healing isn’t about moving on—it’s about learning to carry both love and loss in the same breath.

In this powerful episode of I Grabbed the Branch, Mike opens up about his extraordinary path from the front lines of military service to the soulful world of music. Through stories of courage, healing, and resilience, he shares how songwriting became both a sanctuary and a means to honor those who’ve served and sacrificed.

This episode is a heartfelt reflection on the battles we fight both abroad and within — and how finding your voice through art can help turn pain into purpose.

🌿 “Healing is not linear — it’s a slow unfolding of grace.”

At just 13 years old, Zahra left everything she knew behind — her home, her culture, her sense of belonging — to start over in a new country. What followed was a journey through identity shifts, faith, self-discovery, and healing from the inside out.

In this deeply moving conversation, Zahra opens up about the years it took to rebuild herself after trauma, learning how to find strength that isn’t rooted in external validation but in quiet, grounded self-awareness. From navigating cultural assimilation to redefining what it means to be resilient, her story is both raw and restorative.

Join Heather Owens as she and Zahra explore how our hardest moments can become our greatest masterpieces — when we choose to transform rather than remain trapped in the past.

Links to Zahra's Socials: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnesswithzahraLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zahra-batool-99871a265/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/wellness.nutrition.nlp/Fb Profile: https://www.facebook.com/Zahra.Batool.CoachFb page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562168041544

Wellness Warriors Unleashed: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14QKx2HKZek/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coach.zahra.batool?lang=en

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ZahraBatoolCoach

In this powerful episode of I Grabbed the Branch, host Heather Owens sits down with Paige Swanstein — co-founder of the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) — to explore how one student’s struggle to survive became a national movement for change.

Paige opens up about working three jobs in college, skipping meals, and facing the impossible choice between rent and education. Those experiences became the roots of her advocacy: helping students meet their most essential needs so they can focus on learning, not just surviving.

Together, Heather and Paige talk about resilience, leadership, and the moment Paige realized that sharing her story could create systemic change. Listeners will hear how the SBNC grew from a student-led initiative into a nationwide network influencing policy, empowering campuses, and giving students a voice in shaping their futures.

This conversation is a reminder that change often starts with one brave voice — and that even when you’re barely getting by, you can still build something extraordinary.

🎙️ I Grabbed the Branch — real stories of resilience, purpose, and the people who turned pain into power.

• Learn more about SBNC at https://www.studentbasicneeds.com/

• Follow Paige and her journey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigeswanstein/

In this special bonus episode, Heather Owens opens up about the recent loss of her granddad — her rock and constant source of strength. It’s the first time Heather appears on camera to share what grief feels like in the raw, unfiltered moments after loss. This heartfelt episode offers an intimate look at love, loss, and the space in between.