dHarmic Evolution James Kevin O'Connor

Mary Albertoli is a former clinical social worker who is on a mission to execute actionable solutions to help individuals struggling with mental health problems. She has a Degree in Social Work from Columbia University and has practiced for 12 years, specializing in counseling children, adolescents, and young adults suffering from mental illness.
Even though she left the counseling profession, Mary kept up with the news and statistics in the industry. With shocking numbers of a 56% jump in suicide rates, coupled with school shootings and drug overdoses, Mary knew that something had to be done in order to help the youth population from continuing on the path of self-destruction.
Having worked with both individuals and group session clients between the age of 10-24, Mary knows first hand from experience that individuals in this age group don’t tend to open up a lot.
A lot of youth go through mental problems, but because this isn’t a popular topic in society, they end up feeling either disgraced or ashamed of these new feelings, and instead of talking things out, they instead act out.
Social media in current times has only acted to catalyze the rate at which young adults experience loneliness, depression, and social anxiety.
A lot of teenagers using social media end up experiencing ‘splintered identity’ A phenomenon in which teenagers report feeling very good and inspired about one post and feeling the total opposite in the next post.
This has made them disconnect from their true and authentic self, further isolating themselves, and going through more suffering.
Handling depression when growing up.
Growing up back in the day, it was very unpopular for guardians to help you through tough mental problems. A lot of these issues were merely swept under the carpet - as you’re told to ‘power through the pain’
This has proven to expose unhealed wounds of the past that need to be catered to. The pain that you powered through is the reason for your current suffering. And it can only be solved by having open and genuine conversations about your feelings surrounding the traumatic experience, and how it has affected you.
Mary was able to handle the mental pain and depression that she suffered as a child in her adult life.
Having faced the demons in her closet, Mary was inspired to help others accomplish the same. And this is the inspiration behind ‘The Shift’ - A platform where individuals can connect with counselors, peers, and other individuals, to share issues they’re going through without the fear of feeling judged or condemned.
Mary now hopes that the platform can evolve to be a diverse tool with resources that help all demographics in working through their mental problems.
In conclusion, remember to always live in the present moment, because nothing is more important than life itself. Be loving, kindful, and generous to your neighbor, especially in these fraudulent times, because we’re all going through something, and the only way out, is by supporting each other.
Text hello to the crisis hotline 741741 and a counselor will discreetly attend to you.
Quotes
“It’s easy to think that you’re alone in life when you’re isolated, this coupled with the pandemic facto is why so many people are going through depression right now. And when humans suffer, they only isolate more.” - Mary on the quiet loop of depression
“A lot of young adults are embarrassed by their mental issues because this isn’t something they’re accustomed to. The shift is about changing the conversation so that these individuals can know that they’re not alone, and what they’re going through is normal.”
“The important thing to remember is that nothing is permanent, things change, and they’re still changing on a daily basis. Something better will eventually come - How to cope with the current pandemic”
“I l

Welcome to episode #285 of dHarmic Evolution
Chances are that you know of someone who was in some way affected by the 9/11 terror attacks launched by Al Qaeda in 2001.
Where were you on that day? I for one, remember in complete detail all the events for that day.

I was at a seminar in a hotel conference hall that was filled to the brim with people.

I’m not very sure what the person in charge was teaching about, but I clearly remember someone walking in and began doing a play by play of what was happening in downtown Manhattan.
It all felt so surreal. With 2,977 dead, 25,000 injured, September 11th, 2001 was undoubtedly a horrible nightmare for almost all Americans and our allies and friends throughout the world.
Remembering the survivors.
We have details of the first responders and witnesses over what happened on that day. We, however, don’t have as many details from the families on how the experience was for them.

What has been able to help us understand these scenes from the victims' perspective are the phone calls that were made between the people trapped in the building and their families.

Technology still hadn’t evolved as much as it has today, and phones played a very crucial role in how the events of that day played out.

For example, The united airlines' flight 93 which was also hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists, and was initially intended to blast into the Capitol building crashed into a field in Pennsylvania when the passengers and crew tried to regain control of it after getting phone calls from their family members over what had just occurred in New York.
The value of family
Looking back at the whole incident, and also through the phone calls that were made on that day. One can’t help but appreciate the value of family.

Unfortunately, so many of us take our families for granted, up until it’s too late, and we no longer have the time or resources to be with them.

Be grateful for the family you have. So many people out there would give anything to be with their loved ones who have been taken away from them. If you’re one of the lucky few who still has a family by your side, then be with them before it’s too late for you too.
The Tribute in Light
The two columns which are lit up every year on September 11 from the ground upwards (replicating the structure of the Twin Towers that were destroyed) won’t be projected this year.
Commonly known as the tribute in light, the event has been canceled this year, following concerns brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of the projections, the National September 11 museum is planning to host an alternative event that will involve buildings across the city illuminating their structures with blue lights.
Timestamps
02:42 Moment of silence for the 9/11 attacks
03:52 How I spent my day on 9/11
05:21 Remembering the first responders
06:35 What the 9/11 survivors experienced.
09:09 Flight 93
10:53 Appreciate the value of family
13:09 The annual blue lights ceremony
21:09 Listen to Speak to me

Selected links
The New York Times - 9/11 Light Tribute to Take Different Shape
History.com - Flight 93
Reel Truth History Documentaries - 9/11: Phone Calls from People Trapped in the Towers | 911 Documentary
NY Mag - 9/11 by the Numbers
Speak to Me by James Kevin O’Connor
As always, thanks a lot for being a part of the dHarmic evolution podcast, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and connect with us on social media.
Follow our Podcast on Facebook Twitter Instagram 
You can also see the show on The James O’Connor Agency YouTube channel and join our community on dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group

Welcome to episode #284 of dHarmic Evolution
Labor day is celebrated on the first Monday of September and we all have the U.S Labor movement to thank for it.
This years’ Labor day celebration falls on September 7th for both the US and Canada.
However, most countries celebrate Labor Day on the 1st of May.
The history of labor day.
There are two versions explaining how Labor day began.
Version A
The first version is set in September 1882 by the Knights of Labor, who were at the time, one of the most important labor organizations in America.
This organization held a public parade on September 5th every year to honor workers.
With time, the Central Labor Union secretary Mathew Maguire proposed that the holiday be held on the 1st Monday of September to honor the epic public demonstrations held annually.
Version B
In the second version, labor day was proposed to the Central Labor Union by Peter McGuire, the Vice President of The American Federation of Labor in 1882.
He suggested it be held on the 1st Monday of September stating that the date is perfect because the weather is great during that time, and also, this falls between the July 4th celebrations and Thanksgiving.
The Haymarket Affair.
In May 1886, a time in which most American workers toiled for up to 20 hours a day, thousands of the laborers protested countrywide in different cities to demand an 8-hour workday.
The protesters were attacked by the police in Chicago, which resulted in tons of injuries and the death of six protesters.
Another peaceful protest was planned and the Chicago police once again showed up to man-handle the demonstraters.
An unidentified person exploded a bomb that killed an officer, causing the police to open fire. This resulted in a quagmire which led to the death of a dozen workers and police officers.
Labor day vs May day.
Communists and socialists across the globe decided to go with May 1st as the day to mark the Haymarket affair.
A conference was held in 1904 to make the 8-hour day the standard worldwide. This is what came to be known as Labor Day or International worker's day.
Effects of the pandemic
The pandemic had different impacts on individuals. While some people are happy about the opportunity to design a new lifestyle for themselves, others are stressing over the new normal, and can barely keep up with reality.
A lot of individuals have developed counterintuitive habits in order to replace their usual habits. And this has proven to be very stressful.
I think what’s important is that we take time to communicate, connect, and bond with our families.
Family is something that a lot of us usually take for granted, oftentimes until it’s too late and we’re in trouble, or realize that we can longer be with them despite their vital roles in our lives.
Winding up, I'd love to advise you on embracing these difficult times with open arms, and taking the time to reassess your life, in order to develop healthy habits to handle life; like spending time in nature or being in service to others.
More about this on DE265 - What are you doing at home
It’s understandable that a lot of people are suffering during this time. Taking a lesson from Paul in the bible, it’s vital that we learn to develop the spirit of perseverance. Enduring through the pain is what leads to growth and progress in life.
 
TIMESTAMPS
03:55 Trains and labor
05:22 The end of summer and start of Labor day
06:03 The meaning of labor day
08:04 Labor day history
09:55 The Haymarket affair
10:42 The Pullman strike
13:30 Labor day vs mayday
15:46 Other related stories
17:56 How has the pandemic affected your family?
21:37 The importance of family
23:42 Working on your music career
25:09 Getting through your days with advice from my depression manual.
31:46 Advice from Paul in the bible
34:28 Perseverance
36:21 Listen to Connected.
Do

We’ve had the honor of hosting great music artists across the 5-year span that dharmic Evolution has been active. Through the interviews, the various singers/songwriters have shared valuable content in the form of tips, insights, and personal stories.
In a new series titled ‘The Dharmic Evolution Spotlight Series,’ I’ll be sharing tidbits from the various interviews I’ve held. Starting with the most recent and go back all the way to as far as 5 years ago when the show was started.
Spotlight Series Number 1
In this episode, I’ll be featuring the previous interviews I’ve had with;
George Hillman Cynthia Brando Azalea Emily Zuzik George Hillman
Hailing from New Jersey, George Hillman is a Christian artist, producer, and sound engineer.
We had a very spirited conversation and dived into the topics of song production, Christian living, and the changing church culture.
Hillman’s  song featuring on this episode is ‘In God We Trust’
You can listen to the full interview here:
DE279 George Hillman: Songwriter, Musician, Engineer, Pastor, & God's Grace

Cynthia Brando
I’ve had the pleasure of having Cynthia on the show twice. The most recent interview dived into the depression that comes from being an artist, and why so many singers/songwriters experience mental problems.
Cynthia has performed across different states in many venues, festivals, and street performers too.
Cynthia’s song featured on the episode is  ‘The changing skies of my life’
You can listen to the full interview here:
DE274 Cynthia Brando, Why Artists Are Prone To Sadness, Depression, and Suicide.
Azalea
‘Azalea’ is the musical duo of Benjamin and Mia Hackett.
The show they featured in was an amazing roller coaster story of how they had to cancel their ship performance gigs due to the COVID crisis.
They get into how they’ve adapted to the crisis, and how they’ve taken the current pandemic as an opportunity to bond more with each other and explore new music ventures.
Azalea’s song featured on the episode is ‘Your Lullaby’
You can listen to the full interview here:
DE264 Azalea, Australia & Canada combine beauty and Art, then steal your heart!
 
Emily Zuzik
Emily Zuzik is the definition of a diversified and skilled artist.
She’s a singer, songwriter, guitarist, actress, and model.
In the show, we get into her collaboration and the personal connections behind the production of ‘Torch and Trouble album’
She shares how networking has helped her grow and learn while still being a performer in LA.
Emily’s song featured on the show is ‘Alone’
https://dharmicevolution.com/old-blog/de260-emily-zuzik-a-brave-rocker-releasing-her-latest-torch-trouble/
Until next time. Thanks once again for being a follower, and remember to share, subscribe, and review the show across the different platforms that you’re tuning in from.
Timestamps
03:00 The DE Spotlight series; Number one
04:09 George Hillman
05:39 Listen to George Hillman's ‘In God we Trust’
11:03 Cynthia Brando
13:04 Listen to Cynthia Brando’s ‘The changing skies of my life’
17:23 Azalea
25:46 Listen to Azalea’s  ‘Your Lullaby’
31:12 Emily Zuzik
36:04 Listen to Emily Zuzik’s ‘Alone’
45:13 Listen to ‘Connected’
As always, thanks a lot for being a part of the dHarmic evolution podcast, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and connect with us on social media.
Follow our Podcast on Facebook Twitter Instagram 
You can also see the show on The James O’Connor Agency YouTube channel and join our community on dHarmic Evolution Community Facebook Group
 
 

I’m joined by the dynamic Jake Brown on the show today. A man who has written amazing books about the music business, and everything that goes into music writing and production. His books span across all genres, ranging from Country, RnB, Hip Hop, and Pop.
Celebrating his 50th and latest book on the show with me, Jake Brown’s ‘ Behind the Boards’ features behind the scenes stories of country music’s most notable artists, running from Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Vince Gill, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and so many more.

Jake moved into Nashville in 2003 with only two books published at the time. Nashville has been more than a home for him, as it has sparked the inspiration behind his multiple book series. It was here that Jake started focusing on writing his books based on the interviews he booked with songwriters like Jack Douglas, Eddie Kramer, and Bob Ezrin.
In the span of 8 years, Jake was able to write 18 books.
Jake was driven into depression mode when his dog Hanover died. Focused on how to best cheer himself up, Jake started writing his Behind the boards Nashville series.
He began contacting Country song producers and writing the Nashville Songwriter. It was during his book series that Jake began interviewing and learning from songwriters and producers like Dave Cobb, Paul Waley, Shane McNally, Ross Copperman, Zach Crowl, Darius Rucker, Frank Rogers, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, and Nobert Putman.
Different types of Country Song producers.
While interviewing songwriters, producers, and singers. Jake noticed there are basically two types of country song producers.
Track producers - These are producers who play all the instruments and work on the entire track in the home studios.
Old School producers - these are producers who take a more traditional vibe of getting the entire band together for a weekend solely focused on producing music at the studio.
Old school producers can go as far as knocking out a couple of number one hits in an afternoon. Jake tells the story of how Darius Rucker’s friend and Brad Paisley's producer, Frank Rogers worked on a single album in one afternoon which went on to knock out a couple of number one hits in Nashville.
There’s a blend of both unique, short, and long-term relationships between singers, songwriters and producers in Nashville, and Country music as a whole. Jake, for one, has interviewed singer-producer duos that have a 10 - 30 year bond of working together.
In his latest book, Jake also dives into interesting stories of individuals that started off trying to become singers, only to end up working and enjoying songwriting and production. And also how singers, songwriters, and producers build connections that end up being lifetime relationships from the most unlikely of scenarios, with one, in particular, being between Taylor Swift and Nathan Chapman.
With over 300 number one hits included in his book and interviews, Jake dives into the behind the scenes backstories of Country’s biggest stars in the last 20 - 30 years. How vulnerable they were when first starting out and how they’ve been able to grow, adapt, and overcome over time to become the superstars they are today.
Music production is a diverse process and works differently for every producer. It could be a long process of listening to thousands of different songs and picking just 30. Or, it could be an overnight sensation of writing, drafting, and producing number one hits in just one night.
The future of music.
With technology being the driving force over so many industries today, Music has also been majorly affected, both positively and negatively by both technology and the internet.
Streaming, Jake says, is the future of music. With 70% of record sales for weekly billboards coming from online streams and downloads, there’s no denying the revenue powerhouse that the internet has proven t

Joining me on the show all the way from the beautiful Hudson Valley is MK Burnell.

Burnell was formerly the host of a show that aired at Radio Woodstock. She’s also the founder of ‘Locally Grown’, a program at Radio Woodstock that helps feature and promote independent and emerging artists from the Hudson Valley.
She was dropped as part of the budget cuts that Radio Woodstock was trying to implement due to Covid19. Instead of throwing in the towel and regretting how things turned out, Burnell took her laying off as an opportunity to set up her own recording studio at home and start a podcast.
More Music Please - Quarantine Beat is the name of her new podcast, where Burnell interviews professionals from across the music industry about anything they’d love to discuss.
She enjoys performing with different bands, hiking, practicing the trumpet, and learning new languages.

Performing with Different bands.

Burnell is currently a member of 4 different bands. These include Uncle Dad - An all-female group that consists of four ladies. They all have different songwriting techniques, all of which mash-up really great to produce funky songs.
Local Freak - Burnell’s longest-running band project. They perform a mix of covers and originals. They also love dancing and having a good time.
Cold Flair Repair - A local Hudson Valley band that consists of Andy Gladding, Dave Chapman, Chris Machia, and Brad Kelly where they enjoy playing yacht rock and funky soul.
Trailer Swift - Self evocative, Trailer Swift is a band where Burnell and the band members enjoy doing Taylor Swift covers while wearing torn up flannel.
International Relations
Originally an International Relations major at SUNY New Paltz, Burnell found her purpose in working with indie artists.
Burnell majored in IR while at college as she had an interest in learning more about the world and was optimistic about traveling around the world while working.

She’s however very grateful for having gotten the opportunity to work with and learn from different artists while working as a radio host.
Locally Grown.
When she started working at Radio Woodstock 5 years ago, Burnell bugged the radio station to let her do her own show where she’d host local-grown talent.

When granted the opportunity, Burnell began to feature local bands, some of which she had the pleasure of working and performing with when starting out as a young indie artist.
Burnell saw Locally Grown as an opportunity to give back to the community that had once supported her. Locally Grown was also Burnell’s way of improving Radio Woodstock’s brand of featuring and promoting local and independent music.
Starting a new podcast.
Burnell has always had an interest in podcasts. She loves listening to them and always dreamt of starting one. The only obstacle at the time was lack of time and mental energy - because of her full-time work as a music director and radio host.

After losing her job when Corona struck, Burnell jumped at the opportunity of starting her new podcast.

She’s really enjoyed the experience of podcasting so far and loves that she can conduct interviews in her own style and without a time limit - this of course, in contrast to working as a radio host. For instance, in her very first interview with John Ferrara, the duo discussed Midnight gospel - an animated web series featured on Netflix.
Burnell is grateful for the opportunity she got to work at Radio Woodstock, however, she’s found the experience of going fully independent very exciting and hopes to continue being in control of her own projects and ditching the 9-5.
Timestamps
02:58 Enjoying nature
05:04 Practicing with the steel mace
06:42 Different bands that Burnell has worked with
10:24 The gig scene in Hudson Valley
11:34 Experience studying IR
14:46 Burnell’s early music experience
18:22 Reminis