Frederick Vars, Empowering People With Mental Illness

Deborah Kobylt Live

Mental Illness has many faces. It also has vastly different treatments. Today, we welcome mental health law expert, professor, and author Frederick E. Vars, whose book, “Through the Fire: How People with Mental Illness Are Empowering Each Other,” offers an inside look at the mental health challenges in America and the community-driven, peer-led solutions that seem to be helping.

Vars blends his professional expertise with his own personal experience inside the mental health system after suffering a psychotic break. The book examines how traditional approaches, such as police-led crisis responses and involuntary hospitalizations can negatively impact individuals, sometimes with devastating outcomes.

He highlights successful, frontline reform that emphasizes community and compassion, including respite housing programs and peer-to-peer services. Hismessage advocates treating mental illness strictly as a medical disease rather than a character flaw, empowering individuals to act as mentors and advocate for one another. And he said the long-term results have been positive and successful.

People with mental health challenges and their families don’t have to suffer, Vars says, and there are alternatives. Please find my full conversation with Frederick E. Vars on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host,
#DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Michael Gier, Heroism of 9/11 Narrated by Gary Sinise

Deborah Kobylt Live

Actor Gary Sinise narrates the powerful documentary, “The Heroism and Resiliency of 9/11: From Tragedy to Triumph,” and today we speak with the director/producer of the film, Michael Gier, who says his documentary focuses on some of the uplifting stories that rose from the ashes of 9/11, attempting to bring hope to thousands who have been affected by this great American tragedy.

This year is the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and the film highlights the bravery of first responders, survivors, and everyday citizens who spring into action on September 11th and the days and weeks that followed.

The film focuses on the World Trade Center and Pentagon response, in addition to the bravery of the passengers on Flight 93. It is produced in association with SoldierStrong and The 9/11 Legacy Foundation, and will stream on Amazon Prime and Apple TV starting August 21. It’s an important part of our history, told from the perspective of hope.

Please find my full interview with #MichaelGier on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here and support this film.

Gary Hoffman & Valentina Castellani-Quinn, The Life of Italian Journalist Oriana Fallaci

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

The life, career, and loves of Italian journalist and author Oriana Fallaci is historic, complicated, and needs to be told on a grand stage. Please welcome award-winning Hollywood screenwriter Gary Hoffman, along with internationally-acclaimed producer Valentina Castellani Quinn, who join us to speak about their one-woman play currently in production, “Fallaci – A One Woman Show,” which they hope to premiere soon in New York and London.

A world-renowned Italian journalist and political interviewer, Oriana was well-known for her aggressive, uncompromising interviewing style. As a teenage partisan in the anti-fascist Italian resistance during WWII, she developed a life-long distain for authoritarianism, which later defined her career as a war correspondent and political interrogator – almost unheard of for a woman.

Oriana interviewed Kissinger, Khomeini, Gaddafi, Meir, Arafat, Gandhi, among others. In fact, Kissinger called his interview with Oriana, “the most disastrous conversation I ever had with the press.” In addition, Oriana was a front line reporter during the Vietnam War, Indo-Pakistani War, and conflicts across Latin America, the Middle East, and in Mexico City.

Oriana also had a very complicated love life, as her need for affection often dominated her personal life. There’s much to uncover with this multi-talented, iconic woman, and we’ll get into all of it with Gary and Valentina.

Please join our full interview on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here. And please share with your friends, too.

Diana Giovinazzo, The Story of Three Sisters from 1940s Naples

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please welcome Diana Giovinazzo, author, “Daughters of Naples,” whose newly-released historical fiction is inspired by the real-life Italian women who risked everything to fight for their homeland against Fascist domination and Nazism.

It’s a fascinating read, one I could not put down! The story centers around three Cozzolino sisters who navigate changing wartime dynamics that threaten to tear their family apart. Set in 1940s Naples under Mussolini’s regime, it’s got all the elements of survival, sisterhood, romance, and shifting loyalties during the time of Italian resistance, a complicated time in the history of Italia.

We will speak with Diana about the historical significance behind this book, and the research that went behind it. A self-proclaimed “history nerd,” Diana enjoys writing about historical fiction based in Italy, and has achieved high acclaim for her previous novels. She is also the creator of the Wine, Women, and Words Podcast, a weekly show featuring interviews with authors over a glass of wine! Love this!

Please find my full interview with Diana on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

J. J Flowers, A Dog’s Mission To Heal

Deborah Kobylt Live

Dogs aren’t just our best friends. They have the power to connect with humans on a spiritual level, providing emotional comfort and even physical safety because they can read us intuitively. And dogs react accordingly.

Please welcome to our show JJ Flowers, author, “The Spiritual Dog, Emissary of Unconditional Love and Healing,” which details physical, emotional, and spiritual gifts dogs are born with, and how they instinctively use those gifts to provide spiritual guidance to the people in their lives.

Flowers details how the canine energy field physically and emotionally connects to the human energy, allowing dogs to connect to humans and help them to heal by providing comfort. Anyone who has a dog as a family member knows this to be true, and JJ goes deeper into the understanding of dogs and humans and the powerful bond between them.

Please find my full interview on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, and invite your friends, too. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Mike Crispi, Italian American Civil Rights League & Little Italy NY Advocate

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Mike Crispi, president of The Italian American Civil Rights League, joins us to discuss the recent uproar over the Little Italy New York enclave being removed from the City’s list of immigrant neighborhoods. Italians took notice and fought back.

In fact, Crispi’s resume reads as a man who has been fighting for justice much of his life as a political activist, frequent commentator, and talk show host. And this topic made the top of his list.

Cristi points out that much of New York – from the skyscrapers to underground tunnels, was built on the backs of Italian immigrant laborers, many of them settling into the lower east side of Manhattan, commonly referred to as #LittleItaly, so he joins us today to talk about the history of the people there and how it matters today. It’s a lesson in history that many might not know, and one that should not be forgotten.

Please join us today on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Johnny “Mandolin” Anello, Italian American Radio founder

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please welcome infamous mandolin player #JohnnyAnello, also the founder of Italian American Radio, who joins us to talk about the history of Italians who came to this country through Ellis Island, settled primarily in #LittleItaly on the lower east side of Manhattan, and became the heart and soul of New York, building bridges, digging subway tracks and tunnels and anything else that needed to be done to help make the City of New York great.

Johnny has had a decorated career as a musician, performing LIVE throughout NY and the entire tri-state area, but particularly in Little Italy, New York. In fact, he will be opening this year for the 100th anniversary of the San Gennaro Festival in NY, a terrific honor. Needless to say, Johnny knows much about current life in New York’s Little Italy, in addition to its rich history. And since the recent uproar over Little Italy not being included in the map of immigrant communities in NYC, he’s got a lot to say about it.

Johnny also founded Italian American Radio, and we’ll be talking about that, too. He’s a terrific preservationist of all things Italian, and I’m honored to speak with him today.

Please find my full discussion with Johnny “Mandolin” Anello on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Andrew Cotto, Co-Founder of Appetito Magazine & Award-Winning Author

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Award-winning author and co-founder/editor-in-chief of Appetito Magazine, #AndrewCotto, joins us to discuss the deep-rooted history of Italians and Italian Americans in New York through hard-work, grit, culture and their culinary expertise, literally taking over the food scene from the moment the Italians landed on our shores.
When it was discovered that #LittleItaly was no longer included on the map of immigrant communities in NYC, Italians stood up and fought back for their ancestors to be recognized for their contributions to making NY and America prosperous.
Andrew has written extensively for the New York Times, Appetito, Condé Nast Traveler, Italy magazine, and others, and has extensive knowledge of Italians in NY,and he joins us today to talk about that and the strong sense of pride Italian Americans continue to fight for, including the history Italians want to make sure is not forgotten.
Please join us on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s an honor to have you with us.

The Unspoken Rules Women Face in Broadcast Journalism

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

My interview with Alexis Melocchi, host of “The Art of Showbiz Podcast.” This time, I was interviewed, so the tables were turned. I talked about my early career, the struggles, what it taught me. Also about some of the major newsmakers I’ve covered from presidents to the Supreme Court, the Oscars, fires, trials, and more. Hope you’ll listen!
#DeborahZaraKobylt
#DeborahKobyltLIVE

Sara Chana Silverstein, Author, “Moodtopia” & “Moodtopia For Kids”

Deborah Kobylt Live

“Moodtopia for Kids: Nurturing Emotional Wellness with Nature’s Remedies” is a guide to help parents balance medical and holistic care for their children, written by Sara Chana Silverstein,” a renowned homeopath and master herbalist. And her research is based in years of research working with children and families, helping to find balance while treating various issues that young people are facing, from neurological to emotional.

The book focuses on supporting a child’s nervous system first to build long-term resilience rather than defaulting immediately to pharmaceuticals.

She talks about how to alleviate day-to-day anxiety, tension, insomnia, anger, depression, and other issues. Sara also talks about how to manage ADHD and other neurological issues to help children grow into functioning adults without the constant need for meds.

Sara also wrote “Moodtopia,” which applies the same principals in adults, and has been wildly successful.

Please find my full interview with Sara Chana Silverstein on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.