Shame can look like freedom on the outside and still keep you locked up for years. Matilde Hernandez reveals how she turned incarceration, silence, and self-protection into a life of real freedom, and why the hardest prison to escape is often the one in your own mind.

Host Dave Roberts sits down with Matilde Hernandez, certified coach, speaker, author of Beyond These Walls, and founder of Dare to Lift It, for a powerful conversation about what it takes to stop surviving and start truly living. Matilde shares the experiences that shaped her, from incarceration to years of mental imprisonment after release, and the moment she realized healing had to begin with forgiveness, self-awareness, and community.

You'll discover:

• Why incarceration is not just physical, but deeply mental and emotional
• How shame, fear, and silence can keep you stuck long after release
• The difference between strength and freedom, and why one does not guarantee the other
• How forgiveness becomes a tool for liberation, not just a moral ideal
• Why community, honest conversation, and aligned support matter for lasting change
• This episode is a reminder that your past does not get the final word. Whether you're navigating trauma, recovery, self-doubt, or a season of reinvention, Matilde's story offers something urgent and deeply practical: freedom is a choice, healing is a process, and your voice matters.

Essential listening if you need encouragement to forgive yourself, reclaim your voice, and step into the life waiting beyond your walls.

Matilde’s Bio and Contact Information

Matilde Hernandez is a , certified coach, speaker, author, and founder of Dare 2 Lift It.

For years, she carried the weight of expectation, silence, and responsibility. Matilde knew how to be strong, but didn’t always feel free. She poured into others, held things together, and kept moving — even when she hadn’t fully acknowledged what I needed to heal.

Matilde’s life shifted when she stopped surviving and started asking better questions. When she chose to pause and examine the patterns that kept pulling her back. When she started reclaiming the parts of myself that were hidden or buried.

Dare 2 Lift It was born out of that process. Not just personal growth, but personal liberation. She is also the author of Beyond These Walls.

• Website: Dare 2 Lift It — spelled “D-A-R-E,” the number 2, “Lift It”
• Podcast: Unpack That Be Free
• Listen on: YouTube and Spotify
• Available through her website: book information, workshops, a free assessment, and a complimentary 30-minute call

Subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes.

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: IPWCP5GHVDFOUAWL, A44QH5EYCGOVCTYH

The most painful part of Alzheimer’s is not always the diagnosis - it’s the slow, heartbreaking loss of the person you love before they’re gone. Sarah Vosburgh shares the story behind Who Will Name the Bees? and the moment a simple question about bees became the title of a memoir about memory, grief, and holding on.Sarah - a psychologist, mother, wife, and memoirist - opens up about her mother’s decline, the emotional toll of caregiving, and the impossible choices families face when autonomy begins to disappear. She and host Dave Roberts talk candidly about memory care, the grief that starts long before death, and why caregivers so often feel isolated even when they’re not alone. You’ll discover:

• Why the title Who Will Name the Bees? carries so much emotional weight
• What Sarah’s mother was like before Alzheimer’s and how dementia changed their relationship
• The painful reality of losing autonomy, driving, and independence
• How Sarah navigated the decision to place her mother in memory care
• Why caregiver guilt is so common, and why grace matters more than perfection

Dave also draws on his own experience with loss, creating an honest, compassionate conversation about anticipatory grief, end-of-life decisions, and the burden so many families carry in silence. If you’ve ever cared for a parent, walked alongside someone with dementia, or questioned whether you made the right choice, this episode will meet you where you are.Sarah’s memoir itself was born in the middle of the night from dreams, memories, and a pile of Sharpie notes on the glass beside her bed - and the result is a deeply personal book shaped by prose, poetry, and family. This is essential listening for anyone navigating Alzheimer’s, caregiving, grief, or the search for meaning inside loss. Sarah Vosburgh is a psychologist, memoirist, and member of the International Memoir Writers Association and San Diego Writers, Ink.

Sarah’s Bio and Contact Information

It was never in Sarah Vosburgh’s plan to be an author or to write a memoir.

As a busy mom, wife, and psychologist, she always saw her life as full (sometimes overfull). But in the dark of night, memories knocked on her brain, compelling her to commit them first to paper, then to bits and bytes. Sarah is a member of the International Memoir Writers Association and San Diego Writers, Ink. Her work has been published in A Year in Ink and numerous volumes of Shaking the Tree: brazen. short. memoir. A native New Englander, she now lives in San Diego with her husband, her daughter, her granddog, and a most extraordinary feline.

Her book Who Will Name the Bees? is available at whowillnamethebees.com, sarahvosburgh.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible.

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: 3DFUAJAMXM8978CV, 65FERJUZUZMY3PKW

Discover the inspiring story of resilience and rebirth in our latest episode featuring Ron Klopfenstein, an adjunct professor at Utica University and host of Hot Seat Media Monday. After suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome for over a decade, Ron shares how he transformed his life from debilitating illness to impactful educator and community activist.

Ron’s journey is not just about overcoming a health crisis; it’s a testament to the power of choice in the face of adversity. He candidly discusses the struggles that come with chronic fatigue syndrome, including the physical and emotional toll it takes. You’ll hear about the innovative treatments that finally helped him reclaim his life, including the surprising role that colloidal silver played in his recovery.

In this episode, you'll discover:

- The lesser-known symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and its elusive causes.

- The unconventional treatment paths that led to Ron's recovery.

- How his experiences shaped his teaching philosophy and approach to life.

- Insights into the importance of choosing gratitude over bitterness after loss.

- The ways in which chronic illness can redefine one’s purpose and passion.

Ron’s story is a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always a path forward. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, the strength found in vulnerability, and the impact of maintaining a positive outlook.

Whether you’re facing your own challenges or simply seeking inspiration, this episode is essential listening. Ron’s journey will leave you motivated to confront your own obstacles with courage and determination. Tune in and be inspired to live with intention and purpose

Ron’s Bio and Contact Information

Ron Klopfenstein is an adjunct professor at Utica University and has taught in the Utica New York school system for several years. He is also involved in various social causes in the Utica area, with his husband Jim Hale. Ron is also the host of Hot Seat Media Monday, a live podcast which highlights individuals and organizations who are having a positive impact in the Utica, New York community.

Ron’s Contact information

All Social Media: Ron Klopfenstein

Podcast: Hot Seat Media Monday

uticapheonix.net/media-monday , 95.5 FM The Heat, Mondays from 5–6 p.m, and on all major podcast platforms

Music licensed through Soundstripe.( For Audio)

Code: KSVELDKHTBG33F1B, VIFGXBNKLK8BORNN