Loud Enough Podcast

Dawn Spragg
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Self-Improvement

Loud Enough: is a podcast from the Teen Action and Support Center that creates space for honest dialogue about what teens are really facing today. This podcast is hosted by Dawn Spragg, MS, LPC, CEO of TASC and will include teens, parents and caregivers, community partners, and trusted experts. Each episode will aim to elevate teen voices and explore practical, compassionate ways to support them. Through real stories and thoughtful conversation, Loud Enough invites families and communities to move beyond fear and judgment toward connection, understanding, and hope. This podcast is for anyone who believes teens deserve to be heard, supported, and empowered as we build a healthier, more positive youth development narrative—together.

Episodes

  1. Jun 24

    Ep. 6 - Belonging Matters: Saving Vulnerable Youth

    In a culture that often demands immediate conformity, vulnerable teenagers face an uphill battle trying to figure out where they fit in. We sit down with Joi McGowan, a licensed professional therapist in Northwest Arkansas with over a decade of experience, to tackle the raw challenges facing teens today, particularly those within the LGBTQ community. We get into the specific tactical elements of adolescent mental health and family dynamics. Our conversation breaks down why traditional adult frameworks fail to decode a teenager's behavioral cues, the intersection of identity and somatic based attachment, and how to spot hypervigilance in struggling youth. Joi shares a unique perspective on tracking behavioral shifts, offering a fresh way for parents to view disruptive behaviors not as defiance, but as misdirected reaches for connection. The reality of this work means moving past quick fixes and stepping into the messy, slow process of active emotional work. Adults often misinterpret a teen's anger or isolation as a desire to be left alone, missing the underlying grief or fear entirely. Viewers will walk away from this conversation with a practical framework for practicing unconditional curiosity, learning how to validate a teen's internal world even when they do not share the same background or spiritual framework. If you care about adolescent well being, building safer community spaces, and understanding the nuances of youth identity, you will get a lot from this episode. Please subscribe to Loud Enough and share this video with a parent, educator, or leader who needs to hear it. What is one way you can practice active curiosity with the teenagers in your life this week? Let us know in the comments below.

    31 min

  2. May 19

    Ep. 5 - Youth Mental Health: Breaking the Silent Struggle

    The youth mental health crisis is no longer a quiet conversation happening behind closed doors. Statistics show that one in five teenagers will experience depression before adulthood, and in states like Arkansas, access to care remains a significant hurdle. When teenagers feel they have to "mask" their struggles to avoid judgment or parental worry, the isolation only deepens. We sit down with Alicia Salinas, a high school senior who has navigated anxiety and depression since elementary school, to get a raw look at what it actually feels like to grow up in this environment. We sit down to discuss the physiological reality of panic attacks and the specific "roots" that trigger long term anxiety. Alicia Salinas shares her perspective on the comparison trap fueled by academic pressure and the nuanced role social media plays in modern teen relationships. We get into the unvarnished truth about "missing class" as a survival mechanism and the pivotal moment Alicia Salinas decided to transition from self isolation to professional counseling. The conversation highlights the "secret sauce" of recovery: finding a safe mental space and utilizing concentrated breathing to regain control when the body feels like it is failing. The unglamorous truth is that recovery is not a linear path and "just breathing" is a skill that must be practiced under duress. For parents, the reality check is that your child's struggle isn't necessarily a reflection of your parenting, but your reaction to it can determine their willingness to heal. You will walk away from this episode with a better understanding of how to listen without jumping to conclusions and why professional therapy is a tool for empowerment rather than a badge of shame. If you care about youth advocacy, mental health resources, and supporting the next generation, you will get a lot from this. Please subscribe and share this video to help us amplify teen voices that often go unheard. What is one way you can create a safer space for the young people in your life to speak their truth?

    41 min

  3. Apr 15

    Ep. 4 - Full Circle Service: Helping Teens Find Their Voice

    A lot of people still treat teen community service like a chore or a consequence. We see something different: volunteering is one of the fastest ways for teenagers to build purpose, empathy, and real-life skills that stick. Dawn Spragg sits down with Brady Herbert, Manager of Youth Empowerment Programs at the Teen Action and Support Center (TASC), to talk about what “service learning” looks like on the ground in Northwest Arkansas and why the way we frame it matters. We unpack how TASC started supporting teens with mandated community service hours and why we refuse to call service a punishment. Brady shares what happens when teens move from “I have to do hours” to “I can actually contribute” through projects like visiting senior homes, supporting the Diaper Collective, and volunteering at food pantries. Along the way, we talk resiliency builders such as contribution, connection, competence, confidence, and caring and how trusted adults and teen-to-teen leadership can change a young person’s trajectory. You will also hear the barriers that keep teens from volunteering more often, especially transportation, time, and stigma, plus practical ways schools, nonprofits, and families can lower those hurdles. We end with ideas for National Volunteer Week, family volunteer nights, and a simple way to get started if a teen is bored and looking for something meaningful to do. If you care about youth empowerment, service learning, and volunteer opportunities for teens, this conversation will give you stories, research, and practical next steps. Subscribe for more, share this with a parent or community partner, and leave a review to help more people find Loud Enough.

    37 min

  4. Mar 15

    Ep. 3 - Making and Investment in Teen Lives

    Teen life isn’t noisy, it’s deafening. Between social media pressure, constant comparison, academic strain, and invisible grief, many teens carry more than adults realize. We invited a seasoned parent and financial planner who’s also a former board member, along with a newly licensed counselor who once navigated profound loss as a teen, to unpack what true investment in young people looks like, and why it delivers the best return you’ll ever see. We draw a sharp line between contribution and investment. A contribution is a one-off gesture; an investment is patient, engaged, and adaptive. You’ll hear how a family moved from panic and pride to therapy and openness after a 19-year-old’s breakdown, and how that shift, “care, but don’t carry," changed everything. We talk frankly about anxiety, depression, substance use, and the shame that keeps parents quiet, then show how dropping secrecy accelerates healing. Alongside that, we spotlight grief that teens often face alone, not only through death but through broken friendships and sudden life changes, and how chosen family and steady routines can keep a young person grounded. The heart of our conversation is speed and specificity. Four-to-six-month waitlists are unacceptable for a teen in crisis; it’s the mental health version of sending someone with a broken bone home without a cast. We make the case for more teen-focused therapists, rapid access pathways, and integrated support models where counseling sits next to programs that meet basic needs, teach life skills, and keep teens connected to purpose. When we treat teens as experts in their own story and build systems around that truth, autonomy grows, stigma drops, and progress compounds. You’ll leave with practical steps: learn what typical adolescent behavior looks like, practice hard talks early, build contacts with school counselors and youth leaders, and make a clear promise, if you’re overwhelmed, we’ll find help fast. If this conversation resonates, share it with a parent, teacher, or coach who needs a roadmap. Subscribe for more grounded, hopeful stories, and leave a review to help other caregivers find tools that work.

    28 min

  5. Feb 15

    Ep. 2 - Northwest Arkansas Goes All In for Teens

    Want to see what happens when a city decides teens truly matter? We pull back the curtain on two decades of work at the Teen Action and Support Center and show how Northwest Arkansas is moving beyond labels to real support. Our focus is simple and bold: build protective factors early, amplify youth voice, and align the whole community around belonging. We start with the origin story, spotting a gap in teen-focused services, and the decision to invite teens and local partners to co-design solutions. From there, we dig into what adolescents actually need: space to figure things out, adults who listen without fixing, and safe-to-fail environments that turn missteps into learning. We explore a trauma-informed shift from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what happened, and what do you need?” and why adolescent brain development demands patience, structure, and empathy. Social media raises the stakes, so consistent mentorship and meaningful after-school options matter more than ever. Evidence guides the path. We connect the dots to the Iceland prevention model and Communities That Care, showing how coordinated investments in family supports, arts, sports, and youth leadership can reduce risk behaviors while boosting graduation, employment, and community pride. Then we ground the data in lived results: service learning that builds identity instead of punishing, teen parents graduating on time at a 95 percent rate, and former TASC participants returning as volunteers and therapists. Prevention isn’t soft; it’s strategic, and it saves both money and futures. We also share practical takeaways for parents, educators, and civic leaders: set a no-questions-asked pickup plan, ask better questions at school (“what’s needed?”), fund inclusive after-school choices, and retire labels like “troubled.”  If you want a hands-on way to help, our All In For Teens casino night brings the community together to fuel prevention and intervention while highlighting powerful youth stories. Join us, subscribe for more conversations that center on teen voices, and leave a review to help more people find these tools. Ready to go all in for teens? Let’s build it together.

    42 min

  6. Jan 30

    Ep. 1 - Stop Scrolling, Start Listening: A New Year with TASC

    Ever wonder what teens actually want from a new year? We kick off Loud Enough by asking them directly, and the answers might surprise you. Think more sleep, less scrolling, better friendships, small wins that build momentum, and a deeper sense of purpose. We talk about why teens share goals with friends before adults, how to reduce pressure without lowering expectations, and what it takes to turn good intentions into everyday habits. Our team breaks down a whole teen well-being approach, physical, social, emotional, mental, and environmental, so parents and mentors can see the full picture. We unpack how constant exposure to social media, global news, and school stress fuels silent trauma and comparison, and we offer practical ways to respond with support instead of judgment. Then we dig into the eight Cs of resilience, competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, control, and compassion, and share real stories of teens growing these muscles through service, skill-building, and low-stakes practice that leads to high-stakes readiness. We also spotlight teen parents, who balance their own growth with caring for a child. From play dates that rebuild community to step-by-step plans for licenses, jobs, and childcare, we focus on connection and dignity. Throughout, our goal is simple: shift the question from “What’s wrong with teens?” to “What’s happening to teens?” and respond with tools that build autonomy and safety. If you care about youth mental health, positive youth development, and raising resilient, confident teens, this premiere sets the tone for a year of honest, actionable conversations. Subscribe, share with someone who supports teens, and leave a review with one insight you’re taking into your week.

    49 min
  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Loud Enough: is a podcast from the Teen Action and Support Center that creates space for honest dialogue about what teens are really facing today. This podcast is hosted by Dawn Spragg, MS, LPC, CEO of TASC and will include teens, parents and caregivers, community partners, and trusted experts. Each episode will aim to elevate teen voices and explore practical, compassionate ways to support them. Through real stories and thoughtful conversation, Loud Enough invites families and communities to move beyond fear and judgment toward connection, understanding, and hope. This podcast is for anyone who believes teens deserve to be heard, supported, and empowered as we build a healthier, more positive youth development narrative—together.

Information

  • Creator
    Dawn Spragg
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Loud Enough Podcast
  • Show Website
    Loud Enough Podcast