The St. Louis Girl Podcast

Pam Wilson

Have you ever wondered about St. Louis and the people and places that make up St. Louis and the surrounding areas? I love St. Louis. I am a St. Louis girl through and through. Born and raised here, as well as raising my own family here, St. Louis is my home. Every time I travel and explore the world, I know that St. Louis is waiting for me. And every time I fly in and see the Arch, I exhale. Home. I also believe in endless possibilities. In everything I do, everything I see, and every person I know. Join me as we explore the people who make up St. Louis and the places, we all love. And stay around to hear all the endless possibilities we offer one another. Including what St. Louis offers us and what we offer back!

  1. 10/30/2025

    Pam and Lauren Stewart Discuss Lessons in Courage and Bravery: The Alice Effect

    Fortunate to have a friend in Lauren who shares insightful ideas, asks relevant questions, and encourages me to think through situations, I was happy to talk with her about strategies for dealing with toxic people we sometimes have to be around. Not wanting to pander to their inappropriate behavior, we spoke about The Alice Effect. The reality is that we can find ourselves in a situation where somebody is making it a less happy place for us. We can choose to be the bigger person, keep our energy level high and not let people bother us, talk to someone if we feel they are open to listening and find our Zen place. Jessica Kutcha-Miller, an ombudsman at Washington University advises to think about the time and place to have these conversations. The Alice Effect is a lesson in bravery, courage, and accountability. It is a friendship born from appropriate, emotionally mature behavior. After mounting frustration, I asked Alice something and it was the straw the broke the camel’s back. Alice burst into tears and then came back from it. Alice demonstrated backbone and moxie and was able to accept my apology-after she pointed out why I had hurt her feelings. We were able to move forward. I’m grateful to say that Alice and I are friends and I am forever humbled by her example. What I learned is that I can say something in the right way with kindness and respect with the intention of everyone getting their needs met, it becomes a win/win situation. Lauren suggests that as women we can appreciate an apology and if need be, work on the something that needs to be smoothed over or healed. Lauren also reminds us that it’s, “hard to hate up close. (although she doesn’t advocate the use of the word hate) If you get to know someone, learn their story and take the time to get to know someone, there is usually more of a sense of connection, empathy, and less toxic feeling. Sometimes this can grow into a beautiful, unexpected friendship.” Lauren reminds me that there’s not any one way to do this, that’s right. We use our gut and experience and lean on what others have taught us, what we know about the experience, and apologize when we screw up. Many thanks to Lauren who is a wise, loving being. I’m lucky to call her a friend, too. Expect Good. Defy Gravity. Sparkle ON! Use the Alice Effect and take the high road. #stlouisgirlstorytelling.com #stlouisgirlpodcast #strategiesfordealingwithtoxicpeople #braverycourageandkindness #thealiceexample

    Pam and Lauren Stewart Discuss Lessons in Courage and Bravery: The Alice Effect
  2. 10/08/2025

    Shari Brune: Friends for Life

    Shari Brune creates community, connection, and inspiration just by being herself! Spend a few minutes in the company of Shari and you will immediately feel as if the world is a better place. She is simply a bright light in our world. And I feel lucky to know her. Shari and her daughter Paige are part of the Friends Group here in St. Louis. Started twenty years ago by Shana Meyer who created Abilities Awareness at Shendoah Valley Elementary in the Parkway School District Shana wanted to celebrate everybody’s abilities. It was an idea for her own daughter Gabby-and all the kids benefited. With the support of Bruce Hunter, the Principal and the entire staff, our students came to understand their own abilities as well. While it takes a very special person to do what Shana did, it also takes a very special person like Shari to step into those very big shoes and take over the Girlfriends Group when Shana and her family moved. When asked to chat about the Friends Group, Shari answers, “That’s my favorite thing to talk about!” Working diligently to create a space where the young adults can come together, the Friends Group is also a place for parents and families. It’s the place to share strategies and to bounce ideas off people who walk in the same shoes. “Nobody can do this by themselves. We share encouragement, Insight, advice, and suggestions from one another. We laugh and cry and share a lot of meals!” Shana wanted to get everyone together and kicked it with a pajama party at her house, calling it The Girlfriends Group. This group is now celebrating twenty years, and they are still going strong. Along the way, they included dads, siblings and other family members and it became the Friends Group. Shana’s idea was for inclusiveness which supports the involvement of the entire family. The Friends Group collaborate with community organizations including The Down Syndrome Association and The Pujols Family Association. The organizations work together referring back and forth with one another. The Friends Group is interwoven yet separate. Shari says, “They support what we do. We have a special niche because of the parent connection. It’s amazing to have the moms and dads come together and have that time of sharing and fun. We have a great time celebrating with these young adults. We love being together as a group.” From a grass roots beginning based on the needs of a child to the Golden Friends of today, Shari Brune is keeping the light of the Friends Group shining. Expect Good. Defy Gravity! Sparkle ON. Bring your unique and special abilities to the world. To find out more, contact: Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis https://dsagsl.org/ The Pujols Family Association https://www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org/ To read more about the Friends Group: https://www.stlouisgirlstorytelling.com/post/friends-group-moms-and- daughters-on-a-fitness-journey #shiningalight#friendsgroup#community#connection#inspiration

    Shari Brune: Friends for Life
  3. 07/23/2025

    Memories of Uncle Steve: Harvey Lehrer and Pam talk about Pam’s Uncle Steve.

    I was born when Uncle Steve was 18, a senior in high school. He was the tallest person I knew and loved to laugh. My earliest memory of life was when I was 4 years old and my sister Staci was 18 months. We were flower girls at his first wedding. (We were also at his second wedding.) To this day, I feel we were the luckiest people to have Uncle Steve as our Uncle. Listen here as Pam and Steve’s good friend Harvey Lehrer talk about Steve’s influence on their life. As Harvey says, “Most of us followed life’s highway. Except for Steve. He heard a different drummer, a different orchestra. He was just brilliant. You would never come away thinking that… Steve could say something in a sentence…not a paragraph. Our friend group still gets together, and we often talk about Steve.” When I began writing seriously, I couldn’t quite find my voice. In an email, Uncle Steve wrote: You need to find your voice. I wrote and I thought and finally I wrote something and sent it to him. His reply: “Oh, you found your voice”. He loved to read anything I wrote and we were each other’s biggest fans. Thank you, Uncle Steve, for the postcards, the laughter, the stories and for believing in all of us. Thank you to Harvey, too, for sharing his thoughts about his friend Steve Wilson. To read more: https://www.stlouisgirlstorytelling.com/post/post-cards-from-my-uncle https://www.stlouisgirlstorytelling.com/post/post-cards-from-my-uncle Expect Good. Defy Gravity! Sparkle On. I will always love you, Uncle Steve! #stlouisgirlpodcast#stlouisgirlstorytelling#uncles#friendship#family

    Memories of Uncle Steve: Harvey Lehrer and Pam talk about Pam’s Uncle Steve.

About

Have you ever wondered about St. Louis and the people and places that make up St. Louis and the surrounding areas? I love St. Louis. I am a St. Louis girl through and through. Born and raised here, as well as raising my own family here, St. Louis is my home. Every time I travel and explore the world, I know that St. Louis is waiting for me. And every time I fly in and see the Arch, I exhale. Home. I also believe in endless possibilities. In everything I do, everything I see, and every person I know. Join me as we explore the people who make up St. Louis and the places, we all love. And stay around to hear all the endless possibilities we offer one another. Including what St. Louis offers us and what we offer back!