Welcome back to the Wanderers of Weird Podcast! This week the ladies are continuing their journey into spooky season with some stories of creepy things children have said.
Happy frolicking and don't forget to be a good human this week!
.:Non-Profit of the Month:.TN Voices https://tnvoices.org/ Mental health is something that is near and dear to my heart and as we approach the darker months of the year when seasonal depression can ramp up, I wanted to touch on one of the resources we have in TN.
The Mental Health Crisis in Tennessee: Why TN Voices Exists:Across Tennessee, tens of thousands of children, adults, and families are struggling with untreated mental health conditions, generational trauma, and the crushing stressors of poverty. These challenges aren’t isolated. They ripple outward into classrooms, workplaces, and communities, driving up costs for schools, healthcare systems, and taxpayers.
- Nearly 4 in 10 Tennessee adults report symptoms of anxiety or depression, a rate higher than the national average.
- Tennessee ranks among the top 10 states for both mental illness prevalence and limited access to care, with rural areas facing extreme shortages. Some counties have only one provider for every 6,800 residents.
- Half of U.S. children experience at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), such as abuse, neglect, parental incarceration, or household addiction. These events significantly increase the risk of depression, chronic illness, academic failure, and economic instability in adulthood.
Without intervention, these factors create self-perpetuating cycles. A child raised in a home with untreated trauma often becomes an adult struggling to parent, compounding stress for future generations. The economic burden is staggering: mental health crises lead to ER overuse, workforce disruptions, and public system strain—costing far more than preventive, community-based care.
How TN Voices Responds:TN Voices, now united with Nurture the Next, is Tennessee’s collaborative leader in mental health and family well-being. Each year, we serve thousands of children, parents, and adults across all 95 counties with services that prevent crisis, heal trauma, and build long-term stability, including:
- School-based and outpatient counseling for children and teens.
- Peer and clinical support for adults, addressing trauma, depression, and substance use.
- Family-centered services, including caregiver therapy, parenting coaching, and early childhood home visiting.
- Housing stabilization and wraparound programs to keep families intact and prevent system involvement.
- Advocacy and education to reduce stigma, expand access, and change the policies that perpetuate inequity.
Our model works because it’s whole-family, trauma-informed, and community-driven. By healing parents alongside their children, providing critical resources like housing and mental health support, and advocating for systemic change, TN Voices helps families thrive and communities grow stronger.
Donate Directly: https://donate.nurturethenext.org/campaign/659005/donate
.:Our Socials:.Buy our stickers: https://brittersells.etsy.com/listing/1859322392/wanderers-of-weird-podcast-stickerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086927584791
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderersofweir
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wanderersofweird.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wanderersofweird?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Youtube:...