Episodes

Thursday Mar 13, 2025
4.5 Prenatal Alliance and a Global Sisterhood Celebrate Pregnancy and Motherhood
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Dana and Shannon are joined by Susana Lopes and Laura Uplinger from the Prenatal Alliance. They are preparing for their upcoming virtual summit on prenatal wellness, March 21-23, 2025 and the celebration of World Pregnancy Day March 22.
“There’s no frontiers for what human beings can do when we are together and we value and cherish humankind.” - Susana Lopes
“Mothers are nurturers; they are teaching through love and care. Mothers are healers; they are soothing their babies with their voice, their presence. They are naturally intuitive, naturally knowing what feels right for their babies. And they are guides; they help their babies feel secure, feel loved through every beat of their hearts.” - Susana Lopes
The Gift of Giving Life - book that Dana read
“That’s why we need the sisterhood, we need to know that we belong together . . . it’s a divine polarity, we were made the ones that can deal with matter, and matter matters! My physical body matters, otherwise I won't be here, bridging heaven and earth. I need this body, it is my instrument! Please let’s give better and better instruments to the newcomers on this planet. “ Laura Uplinger
Register for free for the summit
https://worldpregnancyday.com/

Thursday Feb 27, 2025
4.4 Love and Service as Empowerment, with Proviah Tutoreinwe and Dana Robb
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Dana Robb is joined by Proviah Tutoreinwe from Uganda as they discuss inherent worth, the value of loving and serving those around you, and the importance of education for mothers and empowering women.
“I am worthy of respect because of how unique I am with the gifts and the talents that Heavenly Father has given me. And this is the time to act.” - Proviah Tutoreinwe
“That was a time when I needed to kneel down in prayer, and through personal reflection the Holy Spirit helped me to realize that my worth was not tied to what I could achieve with my academic, quality credits, credentials, or family title, but what my efforts were to love and care for those I was going to meet.” - Proviah Tutoreinwe
“Remember your worth is inherent and not determined by circumstances. I would say take time to count your blessings, name them one by one, just like a song says. And similarly, reflect on your strengths, if they seem to be small or teeny, you can surround yourself with people who can uplift you… You can also try to seek spiritual guidance. Like I said, praying to reaffirm your value, like I had lost it, but through prayers I came back, I said, ‘No, I'm supposed to be this.’ Because growth comes through challenges, … that's the time that you have to realize your worth.” - Proviah Tutoreinwe
“I love what you said at the beginning of that: your worth is inherent. The root of that word is the same as the word inherited or inheritance. And that reminds me that, that's something that we come with. It's not something that can be taken away or changed or devalued no matter what we lack, no matter what we have, we don't get to change our worth. It is just inherent.” - Dana Robb
Proviah Winnie Tutoreinwe Katsigazi aka senga
The Professional Nurturer
Creative and innovative
Passionate Farmer
Rooted in Faith
Honoring ancestral wisdom
Guided by truth
Thriving in purpose
Cultivating strong families and holistic self reliance
Whenever presented with the opportunity for adventure, Dana Robb is all in. Currently, this includes riding the local mountain biking trails with her husband, canyoneering, and climbing the hills of southern Utah. She loves to learn and explore with her six kids. She is drawn to the opportunities being involved with Big Ocean Women provides. Dana loves connecting to a global sisterhood where women’s issues are being addressed through reframing and an abundance mindset.

Monday Feb 17, 2025
Monday Feb 17, 2025
Carolina Allen discusses Innate Worth with Jeremy Boberg, LCSW, who specializes in treating trauma and unmet needs and addictions.
*Trigger warning for discussion of suicide, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.
Carolina and Jeremy discuss the value of seeking help if you’ve been the victim of abuse or trauma. Help is available in many forms. Everyone is of worth, regardless of what they’ve experienced in life. Domestic violence and abuse were exacerbated Covid as people had to shelter in place and women and children around the world have experienced the brunt of it. We need to start discussing these issues, break down barriers, and find ways to offer support and help.Abuse can happen on a large scale or small scale.
Jeremy cited that the biggest sexual trafficking busts happen around the Super Bowl every year. Then there is the small-scale ritualistic abuse happening in homes that often goes unnoticed and victims feel voiceless.
A good therapist can help you shift focus and work through the trauma and abuse. Our bodies store trauma and hold a record of our experiences. Jeremy shares some typical traumas held in different parts of the body, specifically throat and hips.
Jeremy has seen success with many clients willing to put in the work and shares a story of one specific woman who has come back from a meth addiction, risen from dissociative disorder, regained custody of her children and now works as a successful therapist.
QUOTES:
“People who've been hurt, betrayed and have unmet needs, are also the people who are desperate to be seen to be valued, to be nurtured and wanted.” - Jeremy Boberg, LCSW
“Doing what we're supposed to do means we have to give a voice. We have to be willing to have the humility to do something different. And when we start to be willing to talk about it, when we're willing to share our story, by leaning into that vulnerability, life changes and it is an incredible journey, incredible experience.” - Jeremy Boberg, LCSW
“I love that we're having this discussion. After previously talking about faith and the role that faith plays, because I think it's integral in this yearning for something better, you know and that we can't do it ourselves that we need help and help comes in the forms of therapists like you and a community, and family possibly, but definitely a higher power. Definitely, you know, God, I, I can't help but see the common thread between anyone that has survived something so, so horrific.” - Carolina Allen
“I really do because I want any listener out there feeling like they're broken or like, you know, they're reluctant about going into this new year after so many blows after so many hardships and heartbreaks that the future is bright and that there are so many people who are battling Life right alongside you that you're not alone and that you are completely unique, completely valuable and worthy.” - Carolina Allen
“It’s okay to seek help. It's okay to find people you can share your story to. And as you do so that's where healing takes place. We are, we are a people that need one another, and loneliness is the darkest abyss of humanity. Don't be lonely. It's up to you to find and reach out.” - Jeremy Boberg, LCSW
With 24-years in behavioral health and dual diagnosis treatment, Jeremy founded and is CEO of the Utah Trauma and Addiction Centers. As a trauma-focused psychotherapist, he is trained in the Othmer method of neurofeedback and practices using a holistic person-centered treatment approach for mental health and addictions. He specializes in the treatment of substance abuse, sexual/pornography addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, dissociative disorders, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). He completed his Master’s in Social Work at the University of Utah and holds several specialty certifications. He is certified by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), is a National Interventionist II, National Chemical Addiction Counselor II, Equine Assisted Psychotherapist, and is a Certified Sex Addiction and Multiple Addiction Therapist (CSAT/CMAT) through the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals. He is a past president of the Association of Utah Substance Abuse Professionals and has served on multiple state and national boards for the treatment of mental health and substance abuse. In 1995, he married his high school sweetheart, Emily, and together they have four children. Cherished time with his family often includes outdoor activities including mountain biking, hiking, hunting, and travel.
Carolina Allen is the founder and leader of Big Ocean Women, the international maternal feminist organization representing perspectives of faith, family, and motherhood throughout civil society. Carolina holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Utah with an emphasis in cultural religions and philosophy of science. Her inspirational and philosophical work has been presented at various international U.N. conferences. She is a native of Brazil, and a fluent trilingual. She and her husband Kawika are parents to 7 children. She is an avid soccer fan and had a brief career as a semi-professional player.

Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
4.2 From Survival to Purpose; Karola De Cuesta's Journey of Faith and Freedom
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Dana and Shannon are joined by Karola de la Cuesta, whose story is told in the book, Faith, Love, and Human Trafficking: The Story of Karola de la Cuesta by Raquel Caspi. They discuss Karola’s experiences and how faith has helped her to heal and become an advocate for survivors and human rights. Karola expresses that it is vital to be aware, as parents and friends, of signs of abuse, and to also be the safe place where our loved ones can turn to to be believed and helped, no matter what.
Links to purchase her book: https://a.co/d/19DdE2t https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fait...
To learn more about Big Ocean Women: https://bigoceanwomen.org/
Quotes from this episode: “When I was ready, I stopped being a victim and I became a survivor. Why? Because I was not blaming everybody for what had I suffered…
First I was a victim, then I was a survivor, and then, God gave me a purpose.” - Karola de la Cuesta
“But what I am 100%, 1000% sure, is that God is supporting me every minute, every second of my life on this earth so that gives a lot, that lot of faith and freedom and security.” - Karola de la Cuesta
“I absolutely believe that. I know God supports those who are doing his work and helping his children.” - Dana Robb
“I love that you made the point, both of you, that when you put your trust and your faith and turn it over to God, you will see the results. He will make miracles in your life, and not only will you recognize them, but others will recognize them because you carry that light with you, and they'll want that, they'll want to know how to make their suffering and their trauma and their, whatever it is that they're going through, their experiences be lighter.” - Shannon Russell
Karola de la Cuesta is a survivor of human trafficking from one of the most severe and high-profile cases in the entertainment industry in Mexico. Thanks to love, faith in God, and the support of her family, she gradually recovered from these terrible events. Now an activist, she shares her testimony with international media, government, churches and organizations to prevent and eradicate human trafficking worldwide. She is currently the CEO of Kaleido Org. Her brave and tireless work has been crucial in creating policies and programs aimed at eradicating human trafficking and offering new hope to those who have suffered these terrible experiences. Karola is an example of resilience and dedication, transforming her pain into a mission to protect and empower the most vulnerable. She continues her work directly at the shelter for trafficking victims in Cancun, Mexico, where she has lived with her family for over 20 years.
Whenever presented with the opportunity for adventure, Dana Robb is all in. Currently, this includes riding the local mountain biking trails with her husband, canyoneering, and climbing the hills of southern Utah. She loves to learn and explore with her six kids. She is drawn to the opportunities being involved with Big Ocean Women provides. Dana loves connecting to a global sisterhood where women’s issues are being addressed through reframing and an abundance mindset.

Tuesday Jan 21, 2025
Tuesday Jan 21, 2025
A Heart to Heart Conversation About Faith
“I think that my faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ, has really anchored me and given me hope amidst a lot of heartache and in navigating different relationships.” - Carolina Allen
“I'm really grateful that I can go to the Lord in prayer, and that I am loved unconditionally. You know, I think that that feeling of unconditional love sets me up for hope in the future.” - Carolina Allen
“When I think about faith in Jesus Christ, for me, it is a conviction. It is a trust that doesn't matter what comes in the future is going to be the best for me and for my family.” - Vilma Sagebin
“I felt better about myself, but it was because I understood who Jesus Christ is and what he was able to accomplish with me. It was faith, and like Vilma said, trust in Him that He’ll get me there. It's not about me. It's about him. It's about what he's able to do, not what I'm able to do. That made a huge difference in my life.” - Elizabeth Ann Takasaki
“When my heart is filled with love, and I can let that pour out in service to others and my family, I’m happier and I feel more fulfilled, and it’s easier to do again.” - Carolina Allen
Carolina Allen is the founder and leader of Big Ocean Women, the international maternal feminist organization representing perspectives of faith, family, and motherhood throughout civil society. Carolina holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Utah with an emphasis in cultural religions and philosophy of science. Her inspirational and philosophical work has been presented at various international U.N. conferences. She is a native of Brazil, and a fluent trilingual. She and her husband Kawika are parents to 7 children. She is an avid soccer fan and had a brief career as a semi-professional player.
Ann Takasaki and her husband, Roman are Japanese Americans with three adopted children, also Japanese Americans. This Japanese heritage is not the most important piece of Ann's identity, but it is valued and preserved. Ann also values faith, immediate and extended family relationships, and friendships. Big Ocean Women provides meaningful and important experiences for all of these. Ann strives to give her time to God's work, and sees Big Ocean Women as an important vehicle to do that work.

Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Carolina Allen interviews Dana Robb, our usual host, about her visit to the CESE summit to address ways to protect our children online.
We need to start and, and be very, very basic with parents. What is extortion? Because I think that sometimes we as parents, we just can't fathom that this is happening and that it's as prevalent as it is. —Carolina Allen
TikTok's safety investigation team actually has done some really remarkable things. So they now have at least 20,000 safety investigators that are full time looking for child sexual abuse material on TikTok or harmful, extorting images on TikTok.
Compare that to Meta, they only have five individuals employed. —Dana Robb
What should we do? Yeah. First of all, the phrase that we kept talking about was delay is the way—delay, delay, delay, delay, giving your kids an iPhone or a smartphone. Delay giving them a smartphone as long as possible.
Practice recognizing content that's fed to you. , and tune your mind and take those things out.
In my opinion, I feel like we just need to step away from it, just reconnect to real life.
The biggest thing that we want mothers to know is that you are the greatest influential power for your Children. You need to be. For your families and for your communities, and assert ourselves and regain that kind of confidence in that position of leadership.
We're all pioneers in this, this age of technology, but we can take it as an opportunity and we can be inspired to know what to do for our families.
https://www.angelkids.ai/waitlist
Freespoke web browser
Delevit.com
NCMEC takeitdown.ncmec.org
endexploitation.org NCOSE

Thursday Sep 12, 2024
Thursday Sep 12, 2024
In this episode of Currents, special guest Grace Rajay, who heads up the global strategy committee at Big Ocean Women, discusses her experiences attending the UN hosted Nairobi Civil Society Conference and the upcoming Summit of the Future.
The conversation delves into the true happenings at the UN, the relevance of grassroots perspectives, and the importance of self-reliance and family-oriented solutions.
00:00 Introduction of Grace Rajay and Her Role
01:20 Contrasts Between Textbook UN and Real UN
02:22 Youth Engagement and UN 2.0
04:34 Restructuring and Rebranding the UN
06:55 Documents and Compacts from the Summit
07:50 Experiences at the Nairobi Civil Society Conference
10:37 Emerging Themes and Debriefs
11:51 Concerns Over UN's One World Order Vision
15:18 Disconnect Between UN's Vision and Grassroots Realities
29:14 Pushing Digital Literacy Amidst Basic Challenges
35:21 Preparation for the Summit of the Future
37:00 Positive Feedback Loop of Effective Models
40:23 Successful Grassroots Projects
39:04 Upcoming Action Days Event
46:59 Call to Support Small NGOs
UN discussions with Carol on the Big Ocean Women youtube channel:

Tuesday Aug 06, 2024
Tuesday Aug 06, 2024
Exposing Social Engineering in Media and Protecting Family Values
In this episode of the Currents Podcast by Big Ocean Women, Carol delves into a conversation with Andrew Young about the troubling admissions from major animation studios like Disney that their storytelling has been tarnished by social engineering and political agendas. They discuss the widespread acknowledgment of this issue,
peel the layers back to see where the issues originated, the societal impact, and the backlash from parents.
The episode also explores global orchestration by organizations like the United Nations and their influence on social policies. Listeners are provided with strategies for protecting children and preserving family values amidst these challenges. Andrew shares insights on legislative efforts and personal initiatives aimed at countering these
issues, including potential film projects highlighting these themes.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:27 Disney and the Decline of Storytelling
01:56 Social Engineering and Public Awareness
05:19 Mothers' Outrage and the Power of Consumer Choice
08:17 Global Orchestration and the United Nations
12:55 Sexualization of Children and Alfred Kinsey
25:25 Parental Actions and Legislative Efforts
30:39 Screen Time and Family Dynamics
31:02 Maternal Feminism and Community Action
32:10 Challenges of Section 230 and Big Tech
33:15 The Dark Side of the Internet
37:13 Parental Vigilance and Child Safety
41:14 Hollywood Project on Exploitation
49:13 Cultural Preservation and Family Values
54:19 Conclusion and Call to Action
Find out more about NCOSE and get involved:
https://endsexualexploitation.org/legislation/
https://endsexualexploitation.org/action-center/
“I think that … we need an education; all of us need to know what's going on and we can't just live blindly.” - Carolina Allen
“Our love has to be bigger than our fear, and we need to know who we love. Who do we love? We love our children.” - Carolina Allen
“I think that as a humanity, we have to draw the line in the sand where if you have ill intentions towards children. I'm sorry, I can't negotiate with you.” - Carolina Allen
Carolina Allen is the founder and leader of Big Ocean Women, the international maternal feminist organization representing perspectives of faith, family, and motherhood throughout civil society. Carolina holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Utah with an emphasis in cultural religions and philosophy of science. Her inspirational and philosophical work has been presented at various international U.N. conferences. She is a native of Brazil, and a fluent trilingual. She and her husband Kawika are parents to 7 children. She is an avid soccer fan and had a brief career as a semi-professional player.
Andrew Young has worked for XBox, DreamWorks, and other kids entertainment companies. He has seen firsthand how deliberate decisions to insert specific scenes and vocabulary take place. He talks about his experiences with what he found out about social engineering when he worked as an animator at DreamWorks, the effects we see in our society, and what we can do to counteract it as we stand for faith, family, and motherhood.

Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
3.6 The Power of Parenthood: A Focus on Fathers with Tim Rarick
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
The Importance of Fathers: A Conversation with Tim Rarick
In this episode of Currents, hosts Dana and Shannon engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Tim Rarick,a professor at BYU Idaho specializing in marriage, family, and human development.
The conversation centers around the critical role of fathers in both parenting and society.
Tim discusses his experiences speaking at the United Nations on the importance of fatherhood,
addressing how societal and media influences often downplay the value of fathers.
He emphasizes that his primary identity is as a father and husband, despite his academic credentials.
The episode explores how fathers can combat toxic masculinity, contribute uniquely to their children’s development,and strengthen family dynamics. Practical advice for fathers, whether married or estranged from their children's mothers,is also provided, along with insights on how to build interdependent relationships between men and women.
The discussion reveals that strengthening familial relationships is foundational to positively impacting society.
“I just found that the better husband I am, I naturally become a better father, and if I’m doing well at those, and it’s not just time allotment, it has more to do with focus and where my heart is.” Tim Rarick
“I think if we recognize that role first, you as a father, me as a mother, then it does influence everything that we do, every decision we make and where we’re going with our lives.” - Dana Robb
“It’s been said by Uri Bronfenbrenner, ‘The family is the most humane, the most economical, and by far the most powerful system known for building competence and character.’ He said that in the mid 80s after researching this quite a bit… but I wonder what he would say now. I still believe that statement is true, that the family has that potential. Sadly, what we’re seeing…is with the rise of screen media, we have now a competitor with parents.” - Tim Rarick
“Research shows that fatherless boys have a greater tendency to become toxic males than boys who have involved fathers.” - Tim Rarick
“It’s the whole idea that power equates worth, and you’ll get power any way you can get it, that’s toxic masculinity. And fathers who are involved and loving are one of the best antidotes to that.” - Tim Rarick
“Fatherless girls are more susceptible to believing that all men are toxic or allowing toxic men to use them.” - Tim Rarick
“The family is never stronger than the marriage.” - Tim Rarick
“What can I do to be intentional about my marriage rather than just being on autopilot? Because that will make you a much better father.” - Tim Rarick
“Sure, have a big goal, but break it down to something bite sized and what’s the next good thing that you can do, and make sure you’re doing it with the right heart because if you’re not, you’re going to run into obstacles and you may quit early.” - Tim Rarick
“I am hopeful that any person can change and anybody can improve their relationships.” - Tim Rarick
“Changing the world begins with changing the home.” - Dana Robb
“No matter where you’re at, what you’ve experienced, we all can decide what we’re going to do moving forward as husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, or sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, we’re all a member of somebody’s family, and we decide what we can do moving forward, if we get the right influences and we get the right information. Everyone can change, and there’s always a brighter future ahead.” - Tim Rarick
Tim Rarick is a husband and father first and foremost. He is also a professor at BYU-Idaho, a public speaker, writer, family advocate, and a Latter-Day Saint.
Additional Resources:National Fatherhood Initiative: Fatherhood.org
Keith Zafran, thegreatdadsproject.org
Take Back Your Marriage, William Doherty
Take Back Your Kids, William Doherty
Books recommended:
Girls on the Edge, Leonard Sax
Improving Father Daughter Relationships, Linda Nielsen
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, Meg Meeker
Families Without Fathers, David Pompenoe
Man, Interrupted, Philip Zimbardp
Of Boys and Men, Richard V. Reeves
Why Gender Matters, Leonard Sax

Wednesday May 29, 2024
Wednesday May 29, 2024
Dana and Shannon meet with Celeste Mergens, founder of Days for Girls and author of the book, The Power of Days to discuss how we are empowered by our feminine nature and honoring our procreative power.
“Today, Days for Girls has reached 145 countries. . . including the USA.
And in fact, I guarantee right where everyone listening to this is, it's happening in our backyard because anywhere where you have to choose between food and a pad, if you need a new job and you have to choose between fuel in the gas tank and pads, you're going to choose fuel to go get the next job, right?” - Celeste Mergens
“It turns out that this small thing that I woke up with to astonishment is a big deal. And sometimes small things create tremendous change.” - Celeste Mergens
“It's amazing what happens when we see each other, value each other, and listen to each other.” - Celeste Mergens
“We need to listen first, and then build a solution together and then enact it together with the power of we. . . it's pay attention, don't judge, keep working.” - Celeste Mergens
“We all have different experiences. We all came with different talents. And that means two really important things. One, we want to hear from the people that think differently than us. We don't have to be afraid of them. We can say, I don't understand. Help me see your mountains. And meet them halfway. And two, It means that the very things that we think are weaknesses, that we're mired in, we don't often see our genius. We don't often see our strengths . . . and we don't see the miracles sometimes because we're in our own path, but when you have that bigger perspective and you invite others in and you build together, amazing things happen. We are in a miracle. No matter what part of our life we're in, we are all part of miracles.” - Celeste Mergens
“Now I get to do the things I'm doing today, and I know there are nexts. And what happens when we're in the middle of our now, sometimes we feel like there is no more coming. Sometimes we feel like I have made my choices, and this is my limit. This is my limit. But in truth, God has so much in store when you say, ‘Yes.’ When you say, ‘Whatever it is, yes. I will do the smallest thing, the biggest thing. It doesn't matter to me. Just tell me what the thing is and I'll lean all in.’” - Celeste Mergens
“I am so glad I said yes to my family and, and that beautiful opportunity that is my greatest blessing, even today, because it didn't mean it was closing the door on the other opportunities to use my fullness of my intellect and capacity. Because honestly, a mother takes all the things, right? So it prepared me to be a global CEO.” - Celeste Mergens
“Sometimes the hardest things turn out to be the thing we needed.” - Celeste Mergens
“We actually matter in every role we hold and each one of them is like a jewel. So live the jewel. Don't fight it. Don't feel like you aren't enough. There's no time for that or energy for that.” - Celeste Mergens
“Every woman's life is like a song, and we don't have to sing every verse at once.” - Shannon Russell
“I just would like to encourage everyone to know that one pebble really can move a big ocean. One action, one day at a time really adds up to this amazing miracle. We're all part of: life.” - Celeste Mergens
Celeste Mergens is an author and sought-after speaker. Founder of Days for Girls, a global award-winning organization that has reached over 3 million women and girls in 145 countries, she has filled three passports with global evidence that what connects us is far more than what divides us.
A specialist in resilience, equity, building teams, and bridging cultural divides, she has been featured in Oprah’s O Magazine and Forbes and been named Conscious Company Global Impact Entrepreneur Top Ten Women, and Women's Economic Forum's Woman of the Decade, to name a few. Her #1 bestselling book, The Power of Days–A Story of Resilience, Dignity, and The Fight for Women's Equity, shares inspiring proof that we can all make a difference.
Whenever presented with the opportunity for adventure, Dana Robb is all in. Currently, this includes riding the local mountain biking trails with her husband, canyoneering, and climbing the hills of southern Utah. She loves to learn and explore with her six kids. She is drawn to the opportunities being involved with Big Ocean Women provides. Dana loves connecting to a global sisterhood where women’s issues are being addressed through reframing and an abundance mindset.
Shannon Russell