Voices for Voices®

Why a Puppy's Medication Sent Me Back to the Worst Day | Episode 485

A syringe shouldn’t be able to time-travel, but sometimes it does. I’m connecting a few moments that still live in my nervous system: my grandma’s declining health, her move through care facilities, the day she kept saying “we need to get out of here,” and the shock of being asked to hold her still while staff gave her a shot. It’s a raw look at how caregiving, elder care, and grief can create trauma triggers that don’t fade just because t...

Sexual Assault Awareness Needs Real Action, Not Just Promises | Episode 484

We’ve got a lot of “special days” on the calendar, but I keep coming back to one question: why do we wait for a date to care? I walk through a handful of April awareness days and holidays and use them as a mirror for how we live the other 364 days, from health and family to the environment and the way we treat one another when no one is watching.

That includes a frank look at Easter and how easily meaning gets buried...

Novocaine Brain And The Accidental Kardashian Vibe | Episode 483

A cracked filling doesn’t sound like a big story until you’ve lived through the years that lead up to it. I’m Justin, and I’m talking candidly about what happens when mental health and major depression knock out your routines, including brushing, dental cleanings, and basic maintenance. When I finally got back into the dentist chair after that “mental health valley,” the bill wasn’t just money, it was reality: fillings, crowns, and the slow work of rebuilding what I’d let slide.

I also walk...

When Technology Gives Disabled Artists a Real Voice | Episode 482

A commercial stopped me in my tracks: a young girl onstage making music with her eyes. Not metaphorically, literally. That moment sent me straight back to my experience with a special needs orchestra where musicians use iPads and GarageBand to play songs with confidence, structure, and joy. It also reminded me why Voices for Voices exists in the first place: “having a voice” is not limited to spoken words, and access to expression can be life-changing.

We dig into what assistive technology and disability incl...

How Folklore Becomes A Shared Universe For Every Community | Episode 481

Your hometown has lore. Someone saw something. Someone swears it happened. And most of the time, those stories stay trapped inside a diner booth, a school hallway, or a local police report. We want to pull them into the light and build something bigger than another random monster tale.

We’re joined by David Solomon, CEO and founder of Mythical Creatures Around the World, to share the blueprint for a shared universe built from small-town folklore, cryptid sightings, and regional legends across the Un...

The Gap Between What Companies Promise and What They Do | Episode 480

A “we care about mental health” slogan is easy to print. Living it as a workplace policy is the hard part. I’m Justin Alan Hayes, and I’m getting real about how expectations, judgment, and chaotic work culture can pile up into stress and anxiety that follows you home. If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing when the system is actually broken, you’re not alone.

I walk through what it looks like when onboarding falls apart: no clear direction, no...

My Mom Saved Me At That Funeral | Episode 479

A funeral can be a strange kind of trigger, even when you think you’re prepared. I share what it felt like to walk into a service with my anxiety running high, why grief-heavy spaces are hard for me, and one simple choice that made it more manageable: I didn’t go alone. If you deal with stress, panic, or emotional overload, this conversation offers something practical and human, not polished advice from a distance.

That day also brought me back into a church I hadn...

The Song That Broke Open Everything At This Funeral | Episode 478

A funeral can make everything else feel quieter and somehow sharper at the same time. We start with gratitude for the Voices for Voices community and the mission to reach and help billions, then the day takes a turn into something more personal: showing up for family, sitting in a Catholic Mass, and letting grief do what it does.

What stayed with us most was the way a life got honored through meaning, not perfection. The urn was a golf ball, a simple...

Diagnosed With Autism in My 30s | Why People Doubted Me | Episode 477

Some people hear “loud concert” and think inconvenience. I hear it and think sensory overload, the kind that can flood your body with too much sound, too much light, and too much motion all at once. For Autism Awareness Month, I’m getting personal about being diagnosed on the autism spectrum in my thirties, what that clarified for me, and why so many autism and mental health challenges stay hidden in plain sight.

We talk about the parts of autism you can’t easily...

Fear of Being Forgotten When Nobody Comes | Episode 476

A quiet cemetery can say more than you expect. After Easter weekend, I drive to visit my dad’s grave and I find myself sitting in the car, trying to gather my thoughts before stepping out. The grief is real, but what hits me next surprises me even more: I look around and see so many headstones with nothing on them. No flowers. No flags. No small sign that someone stopped by. And my mind goes straight to the mental health questions we don’t always admit we c...

Challenge Your Limits or Stay Stuck in Them | Episode 475

What if the biggest thing holding you back is not effort, luck, or timing, but the number you quietly decided you deserve? We get honest about limits, the sneaky kind that live in everyday expectations and turn into a ceiling for confidence, mental health, and momentum.

We start with real life: gratitude for the community behind Voices for Voices, why sharing the show matters, and how the nonprofit mission stays alive through listeners. Then we take a detour to a humid baseball field with...

Artemis II And The Question Every Dreamer Must Answer | Episode 474

A Moon launch has a way of making you feel like a kid again and also forcing you to face what you are actually afraid of. I’m watching Artemis II lift off and suddenly I’m back in that old dream of wanting to be an astronaut, back in the reality of what space training costs, and back in the bigger question: what do we do when something we love collides with fear, anxiety, or the limits of our own bodies?

We talk...

You Don't Have to Forget to Forgive | Reclaiming Your Boundaries | Episode 473

Forgiveness is supposed to bring peace, but what happens when “moving on” starts to feel like erasing yourself? Justin Alan Hayes takes a straight, human approach to one of the most loaded phrases we hear in mental health conversations: forgive and forget. We unpack why forgiving can be a real act of strength while forgetting can feel impossible or even unsafe, especially when the original words or actions created stress, trauma, or lasting doubt.

We also challenge a question that quietly follows a lo...

Gloomy Days Hit Different When You're Depressed | Episode 472

A gloomy morning can feel like a weighted blanket you never asked for and no amount of “just get up” advice touches it. Justin Alan Hayes gets real about what it’s like to wake up on an overcast, rainy day with depression and seasonal affective disorder, when your body moves slower, your mind needs more time, and the world still expects the same pace. He shares a laugh-out-loud moment of being attacked by an energetic dog while trying to steal a few more seconds of sleep, then z...

More People Die as You Get Older: Facing That Reality | Episode 471

Death does not wait for a “good time,” and grief does not follow a script. I sit down and speak plainly about what it feels like when more people start passing away as you get older, how losing a parent stays with you, and why those emotions can turn into real mental health challenges. If you are navigating bereavement, trauma, depression, anxiety, or addiction recovery, I want you to hear one clear message: you are not alone, and you do not have to pretend you...

Months Into a Case and Still No Evidence | Episode 470

A lawsuit can say almost anything on paper. The hard part is proving it when someone is under oath and the details have to add up.

We talk about the First Amendment, freedom of speech, and why I’m willing to speak publicly when the subject is my own livelihood and the people around me. I also share a blunt reality many listeners face in silence: if you’re paying for legal help and your attorney isn’t listening or acting on what you bring...

Exposing A Stephen D. Reimers Fundraising Fraud | Episode 469

Somebody asks you for money “for a creative project,” the logo looks real, the story sounds urgent, and the paperwork feels just official enough to quiet your doubts. That’s the moment we want you to pause.

We talk with David and Amanda Solomon about what they allege happened around Mythical Creatures Around the World and related writing and publishing efforts: unpaid work, suspicious employment letters, “investment offers,” donation outreach that doesn’t appear to benefit the creator, and documents they say raise serious questions about who co...

Stephen D. Reimers: Wage Theft & Fraud EXPOSED! (Ep. 468)

Somebody can steal more than money. They can steal time, trust, and a name you worked years to build. We talk about what we describe as employee abuse with Stephen D Reimers as the supposed "Employer" through nonpayment, how “contracts” and job promises can be used to pressure people into unpaid labor, and why that crosses the line into fraud in our view, which is exactly what Stephen D Reimers has done.

We also address the confusion created when newsletters and donation appeals circulate using some...

Inside the Reimers Fraud: A Scandalous Deception (Ep 279)

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The invisible chains of human trafficking extend far beyond initial captivity. Today we tackle the disturbing reality that trafficking survivors in America face more barriers to essential services than both illegal immigrants and prisoners—a system failure that defies comprehension and basic human dignity.

David Solomon's story represents thousands of trafficking victims forgotten by our justice system. Trafficked by Bryan Davis in 2012, David continues fighting not just for...

Legacy Thoughts | Episode 467 | What Will People Remember?

Someday, a whole life gets squeezed into a few paragraphs and that fact can either haunt you or wake you up. We sit with that uncomfortable truth and talk about legacy in a way that has nothing to do with fame, mansions, or money, and everything to do with time, choices, and the people we touch along the way.

A simple scene from a family movie sparks the core metaphor: exhibits come alive, but if they don’t make it back before morning, they turn to du...

He Found a Six-Year-Old Who'd Never Slept in a Bed | Episode 466

A kid sleeping on the floor isn’t a sad metaphor, it’s a real crisis hiding in ordinary neighborhoods. I sit down with Luke Mickelson, the founder of Sleep In Heavenly Peace, to talk about the moment he learned children in his own small Idaho town had no beds and why that realization changed the direction of his life. What started as a simple garage build turned into a growing network of local chapters focused on one practical mission: build and deliver beds so k...

Shannon Miller Talks 10 Years to Build 90 Sec & Salto | Ep 465

Ninety seconds on a balance beam can look like effortless perfection. Shannon Miller pulls back the curtain and shows what it really costs: ten years of 40-hour training weeks, the mental battle to stay steady under pressure, and the support of coaches, parents, and teammates who help carry the load behind the scenes.

We also go to the moment her Olympic dream nearly ended. Ten weeks before Olympic Trials, Shannon breaks and dislocates her elbow and faces the terrifying thought that her career might...

Choosing Your Own Path When Everyone Else Has Opinions | Episode 464

We reflect on how Voices for Voices grows past 460 episodes on community support and a mission bigger than budget. We share why gratitude, resilience, and honest mental health talk help us keep going and help others keep going too.
• celebrating the Voices for Voices milestone and thanking supporters across the world
• building a 501c3 nonprofit and creating content with a near zero budget
• what it means to share your voice and to help others share theirs
• mentors and teachers who shape confiden...

Why You're Not Behind (Antarctica Taught Me This) | Episode 463

If you’ve been staring at a goal that feels too big to carry, this live conversation is for you. We’re recording “untitled” on purpose, because life doesn’t show up neatly labeled and neither do the moments that test us.

We celebrate a major milestone for the Voices for Voices podcast and Voices for Voices TV: 461 episodes of conversations rooted in mental health, trauma recovery, and practical hope. Then we get honest about the trap of metrics and podcast analytics. Numbers can make you f...

If His Lips Are Moving He Is Lying | Episode 462

Someone can use your name, your mission, and your audience as a shortcut to steal trust. That’s the uncomfortable reality we tackle as the Voices For Voices platform keeps growing worldwide.

We start by grounding the conversation in why we built this show in the first place: to be a voice for ourselves and for others in need, and to talk openly about human topics like mental health, trauma, and healing. With more listeners comes more visibility, and with visibility comes a “celebrity” label...

Your Unorthodox Path Is Working Even When It Doesn't Feel Like It | Episode 461

Waiting is easy when you don’t care. When you do care, the clock feels personal. We get real about impatience, the kind that shows up when you’re building something meaningful and you want proof that it’s working right now.

I’m Justin Alan Hayes, and I share what it feels like to carry a long-term mission through short-term frustration at Voices for Voices. We talk about the everyday triggers of impatience, then connect them to bigger goals like gro...

Two Overlapping Shows Nearly Broke Us | Here's What Changed | Episode 460

Everyone sees the camera and the microphone. Almost nobody sees the stress, the admin, the bills, and the repetition it takes to keep a mission driven podcast alive. We get real about what’s happening behind Voices for Voices, why the work can look easy from the outside, and what it actually costs in time, energy, and focus to publish consistently across platforms.

We also tell the honest story of our early setup: running two separate audio shows that often overlapped, paying for st...

This Folklorist Rewrites His Own Stories When He Gets Details Wrong | Episode 459

A myth can entertain you for five minutes or it can carry a culture for generations, and that’s why the details matter. We sit down with folklorist and creator David Solomon for a wide-ranging update on Mythical Creatures Around the World, including what’s changing, what’s coming next, and what the pressure feels like when tens of thousands of people treat your stories like a shared public record.

We talk about accountability in storytelling and why David goes out of his...

Your Body Isn't Lazy, It's Recovering | Episode 458

Some mornings, you wake up, sit down for a second, and suddenly you’re nodding off. It’s easy to blame your meds, blame your schedule, or blame yourself. I wanted to slow down and talk honestly about that foggy, confusing space where depression, fatigue, and sleep collide and where the world is quick to label people as “lazy” when something deeper may be going on.

We dig into why extra sleep can be a form of mental health recovery, not a personal weakness. I share what I’v...

Saying I Love You Before It's Too Late | Episode 457

455 episodes sounds like a number until you hear what’s underneath it: a clock you can’t stop, a mental health journey you can’t fake, and a choice to lead by example even when life feels heavy. I talk about why the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast keeps moving, and why creating something meaningful with very little budget can still change lives. If you’ve ever wondered whether your anxiety, depression, trauma, or diagnosis disqualifies you from building a mission, I want this to be a...

Dementia Care Doesn't Have To Look Like Loss | Episode 456

“If we get dementia, I want you to walk away.” That sentence can lodge in a family for decades, shaping how we talk, how we grieve, and how we show up when memory starts to change. We sit down with author and arts-community builder Marilyn Raichle, who watched both of her parents develop dementia and then discovered something most people never get to hear: a life with Alzheimer’s can still hold wit, warmth, and real connection when we stop treating the diagnosis like the end of per...

When Friendship Becomes a One-Way Street | Episode 455

Waking up with back pain after you finally clean up your sleep hygiene is a special kind of frustrating. I’m Justin, and I’m talking through what it’s like to go to bed earlier, sleep longer, and still start the day sore, stiff, and not operating anywhere near peak performance. We get honest about the mind-body link: how physical pain can ripple straight into mental health, patience, and motivation, even when you’re doing the “right” self-care habits.

Then we move into the bigger life stuff...

Integrity Over Shortcuts: The Ethics of Helping | Episode 454

One life can change fifty more—Justin Alan Hayes makes that case with candor, grit, and a clear call to lead with ethics. We open by thanking the community that’s carried Voices for Voices to 1,000+ cities and 100+ countries, then draw a bright line: mental health first, politics out. That clarity keeps space for real stories about trauma and recovery while protecting listeners from bait-and-switch agendas.

We walk through our guest standards and why some recordings never air. When a story arrives shaped by hidden moti...

Everyone’s Looking At Me… Or Are They? | Episode 453

Ever felt heat rise in your chest because a stranger glanced your way? We dive into that raw, familiar surge—the fear of being stared at—and unpack why our minds leap to judgment, how old wounds keep the script running, and what it takes to speak and act anyway. From quiet benches at the mall to tee boxes on a busy Saturday, Justin maps the everyday moments that trigger performance anxiety and the illusion that all eyes are fixed on us.

We open with the...

Anxiety Relief Nobody Expected | A First-Time Pet Owner's Story | Episode 452

Ever wonder why a few minutes with a dog can quiet a noisy mind? Justin invites you into his home as a first-time indoor dog owner and shares how caring for Lucy, a calm and playful pup, subtly lowers daily anxiety and opens room for better choices. No silver bullets here—just practical shifts that add up: touch that eases tension, walks that break rumination, and simple routines that anchor the day.

We start with gratitude for a community spanning 1,000+ cities, then move in...

Kind Words vs. Real Support | Episode 451

If “we’re here for you” ends with another phone number, it isn’t help. We unpack the brutal gap between kind words and concrete support facing people in crisis—especially those navigating trauma, mental illness, legal threats, and online harassment. With a global audience and a tiny team, we share what it takes to turn empathy into outcomes: real-time follow-through, warm handoffs, and case ownership that doesn’t clock out on weekends.

Across the episode, we walk through the most common failure pattern: the polite intake that leads t...

Build A Life That Adapts When The World Doesn’t | Episode 450

Real life rarely follows a neat script, and that is exactly why we center mental health as health. We open up about the messy parts—seasonal slumps, lost sleep, career shocks, and the pressure to stay silent—and trade quick fixes for the steady work of change you can actually keep. Our goal is bold and simple: reach people everywhere with honest stories and practical steps that help them adapt, recover, and move forward.

We dig into why the phrase “has mental health”...

When You're Not Enough, You're Enough | Real Talk on Anxiety and Authenticity | Episode 449

What if the smallest act you do today quietly steadies a hundred lives tomorrow? Justin steps into that question with raw honesty about anxiety, depression, and the pressure to always be “on,” then shows how tiny, human choices create outsized impact. We talk through the reality of tired brains, the courage it takes to get to tomorrow, and the freedom that comes from aiming for progress over perfection. This isn’t a list of hacks; it’s a map for days when brushing...

The Missing Piece in Inclusion? God As The First Voice | Episode 448

What if real help didn’t come with a price tag—or a catch? We open up about the heart behind our work: a personal mental health journey that still unfolds, the choice to keep our entire catalog free, and a faith-first lens that treats dignity as nonnegotiable. The result is a clear promise to our community: no paywalls, no gatekeeping, and no policies that split parents from children in the name of “access.”

We talk about God as the first voice and how...

Your Therapist Just Left | Now What? | Episode 447

Losing a therapist is hard. Losing a therapist and a psychiatrist back-to-back can unravel your routines, spike anxiety, and make even a 20-minute drive feel like a wall. We open up about that cascade, why fit matters more than prestige, and how to rebuild a mental health team when systems are stretched thin and waitlists run long. Along the way, we unpack the lived difference between psychology, psychiatry, and therapy, and why a licensed clinical social worker might be the right partner for daily coping skills while a...