”It’s A Wrap with Rap”

Welcome to another inspiring episode of "It's a Wrap with Wrap," where your host Ron Rapaport sits down with John Graham to discuss his incredible journey of resilience and transformation. In this episode, John shares his diverse life experiences, from facing homelessness to becoming a successful business owner and an award-winning author. He discusses the founding of Good Samaritan Home, a nonprofit agency dedicated to helping individuals rebuild their lives after leaving correctional facilities. Join us as John delves into his past, growing up during the tumultuous 60s and 70s, navigating instability, and eventually finding his purpose...

Join us in this compelling episode of "It's a Wrap with Rap" as host Ron Rapaport welcomes Paul Doughty, an author, speaker, and TV series creator. Paul's incredible journey from a troubled childhood marked by domestic violence and substance abuse to becoming a beacon of hope and resilience unfolds in this heartening discussion. Through candid anecdotes and poignant lessons, Paul shares how therapy, spirituality, and self-love transformed his life. His mission is clear—empowering individuals to embrace self-discovery and tackle life’s challenges head-on. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that promises to ignite change and offer support to anyo...

Welcome to another inspiring episode of It's a Rap with Rap, where host Ron Rappaport brings you stories of overcomers and insights for better living. In this episode, we meet Gina Economopoulos, an extraordinary woman whose life is a testament to resilience and redemption. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Gina's journey is one marked by overcoming physical challenges, embarking on a spiritual journey, and finding purpose through faith and sobriety. Gina shares her remarkable transformation from bartending in Pennsylvania to living as a nun for 12 years, and eventually becoming a speaker, advocate, and author...

  Meet Jennifer Lee, a survivor of dating abuse, armed robbery, abduction and stalking.  Jen is the author of her memoir "Why I Survived", a podcaster of her show titled "I Need Blue" and is a speaker before local groups nonprofits and national organizations to fulfill her passion and purpose to help trauma survivors feel that they belong, are loved, understood and empowered. Jen is with us on the podcast to reach out to those who have experienced a traumatic event and share and expose the realities of people's experiences.  Sponsors:    Blair Sorre...

Host Ron Rapaport has the privilege of interviewing 15-year-old Cole Baughman, the unofficial 16th man on the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team and an overcomer of a rare genetic disorder Stickler Syndrome that affects connective tissues. Cole and his mother and father join Cole and Ron to tell us about the signs and symptoms of Stickler Syndrome, its treatment, the restrictions it entails to those who have it and Cole's involvement in Team Impact, and his advocacy work regarding Stickler Syndrome. Cole discusses his role as the unofficial 16th man on the basketball team...

In this inspiring episode of 'It's a Wrap with Wrap,' host Ron Rapaport welcomes Lonnie Bedwell, a blind extreme adventure athlete and motivational speaker. Lonnie shares his incredible journey from losing his eyesight in a hunting accident to becoming a renowned blind extreme sports athlete. He discusses overcoming personal challenges to achieve the unimaginable, such as kayaking the Grand Canyon and aiming to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents. Lonnie's story is one of resilience, determination, and the power of pushing beyond limitations. He emphasizes the importance of support from loved ones, the necessity...

                 Andrew Matthews, is an esteemed author whose works on happiness and resilience have touched millions. Discover the lessons from his life and writings that teach us about embracing challenges and cultivating a joyful mindset. Whether you're facing career hurdles or personal trials, Andrew offers wisdom on seeing the positive and turning setbacks into steppingstones. Tune in for an uplifting and informative discussion aimed at equipping listeners with the tools to enhance their resilience and happiness, while celebrating achievements both big and small. Join us on this journey towards a fulfilled and joyful life. Sponsors...

Join host Ron Rapaport in this compelling episode of "It's A Rap With Rap" where he talks to Marcia Moran, author of "Stroke Forward," about her transformative journey to recovery after suffering a major stroke. Marcia shares her insights on the importance of persistence, self-advocacy, and exploring holistic therapies. Delve into Marcia’s personal experiences with aphasia and apraxia, and how she navigated the challenging path from paralysis to empowerment. Her story of resilience and determination to help brain injury survivors offers hope and inspiration to many. This episode serves as a beacon of hope fo...

Join us for an inspiring episode of "It's a Wrap with Wrap," where host Ron Rapaport welcomes Zach Tidwell, a blind Marine Corps veteran from Denver, Colorado. Known for his lighthearted approach to life's toughest challenges, Zach shares his incredible story of survival and transformation. After a failed suicide attempt that left him blind, Zach has turned his life around, becoming a motivational speaker and advocate for inclusive design in the tech world. At just 28, he has founded his own software development company and participates in extreme sports, challenging societal perceptions of disability. Listen as...

In this enlightening episode of "It's a Wrap with Wrap," host Ron Rapaport invites Bailey Parnell, a world-renowned speaker and entrepreneur from Toronto, Canada, to explore the pervasive influence of social media on our mental health and digital well-being. Known for her pioneering efforts in digital wellness, Bailey shares her insights on how our digital lives are an extension of ourselves, impacting our emotional, social, and cognitive health. Bailey delves into the intricate dynamics of digital well-being, emphasizing the blurred lines between our online and offline lives and how our interactions on platforms like Facebook and Twitter...

In this exciting episode of "It's a Wrap with Wrap," host Ron Rapaport explores the adventurous life and career of guest Brian Hite,  PhD, a renowned stuntman, psychologist, and consultant. Brian, with over 100 film and TV credits to his name, shares his journey into stunt work and how it merged with his passion for sports performance psychology. Listeners are taken through Brian's unique blend of high-adrenaline stunts with academic insights, highlighting real-life applications of resilience and performance under pressure. With stories from his film exploits to his role as a mental performance consultant, Brian offers actionable insights o...

In this compelling episode of It's a Wrap with Wrap, host Ron Rappaport welcomes Dr. Fidele Sabahizi, a remarkable individual who has overcome incredible challenges to achieve the American dream. Growing up in a small African village and surviving an ethnically motivated massacre in a UN refugee camp, Fidele's journey is nothing short of inspirational. Fidele shares his experiences as the first immigrant to work for the Abilene, Texas Police Department and the challenges he faced as a member of the Banya Mulengue ethnic group. Despite language barriers and cultural adjustments, he pursued his education and earned...

Join host Ron Rapaport as he sits down with Danny Covey, the remarkable author of Star Tissue and survivor of eight heart surgeries, including four open-heart procedures. In this gripping episode, Danny shares his incredible journey of overcoming adversity and how he transformed profound challenges into a life of purpose and inspiration. From the tender age of 11 months, Danny's life was marked by serious heart issues, leading to multiple surgeries that tested his resilience and faith. Despite the physical and emotional scars, Danny embraces his circumstances and chooses to be a victor instead of a victim. He...

Join host Ron Rapoport and his distinguished guest, Dr. Jan Schwartz, in this enlightening episode of 'It's A Rap with Rap.' Dr. Schwartz, a renowned expert in criminology and forensic behavioral science, shares her incredible journey from teaching young children to unraveling complex criminal patterns. She reveals how her unique insights into mental, emotional, and spiritual intelligence, termed 'Authentic Intelligence,' can empower us in our daily lives. The conversation delves deep into Dr. Schwartz's personal experiences with adversity and overcoming challenges, reflecting her determination and resilience. Her new book on Authentic Intelligence offers a fresh...

Join host Ron Rapaport in an enlightening conversation with Dr. Laura Gabayan, a renowned expert in emergency medicine and the author of "Common Wisdom: Eight Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life." Dr. Gabayan shares her personal journey and breakthrough research on the essence of wisdom, elaborating on eight critical elements that define it—resilience, kindness, positivity, spirituality, humility, tolerance, creativity, and curiosity. Dr. Gabayan discusses how these traits emerged from interviews with wise individuals across North America, shedding light on how these elements contribute to a fulfilling and successful life. Learn about the profound impact her research an...

For Doug Brinker, stories of survival run deep. At the early ages of 8 and 10 he nearly lost his life. Later in life Doug almost lost his life due to two suicide attempts. Doug is a disabled Iraq veteran who now offers hope to those suffering and is a positive light to crisis recovery. He discusses with Ron the issues surrounding Veteran suicide, his Beacon 4 Hope project and his new book release. Sponsors:    Hero Soap Company-Use Code RAP for a 10 % discount                     www.herosoapcompany.com                     Dr Laura Gabayan author of "Common Wisdom, Eight Scientif...

Meet Maria Pendolino an internationally recognized award-winning voice actor. Her signature voice print has been heard across commercials, documentaries, video games and more. Maria has lent her voice to campaigns for global brands such as Comcast/Xfinity, Dannon, American Express, Panera and more. She talks to Ron about her life's work dealing with a disability she contends with namely psoriatic arthritis, her career in musical theatre, comedy, film and television. Maria alerts us to the realities of having a disability and the many kinds of disability situations people have and the public's lack...

Ron interviews Dr.  Joan Ifland who is a processed food addiction specialist. She has broken a lot of ground in the realm of food addiction having released a number of influential books and studies and she is currently working on evidence-based training for health care professionals. In this episode, Dr Ifland brings to light the shady reality of what goes on behind the scenes of big food companies in the United States. She discusses what goes on in a person's brain that causes addiction to processed food and how one can begin to reverse the a...

Ron talks with Sandy Kirkham who is a voice and advocate in the area of clergy sexual abuse.  She was sexually abused at age16 by her youth pastor in the Protestant church. He was 30, married and had two children. His abuse lasted five years until his actions were discovered. He was given a going away party and moved to the next church and Sandy was called by the elders and told to leave the church because of her behavior. Sandy remained silent for 27 years until a trigger factor forced her to face the truth. In 2018 s...

Meet charismatic Maureen Manley whose determination and resilience first came to international attention as a world class cyclist. A member of the U.S. cycling team, she won a national championship, set a national record and won a silver medal at the 1990 world championships. At the height of her career, her dreams came to an abrupt halt. While racing at the 1991 Women's Tour de France her vision blurred, and she crashed later learning it was the result of the onset of multiple sclerosis. Maureen did not let her physical setback stop her from living the...