George Visger - From the NFL to Brain Injury Advocacy
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Release Date: 03/07/2025
Behind the Mic: Season Wrap-Up with Producer Hammond Chamberlain
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Hello gorgeous souls, and welcome to this special season wrap-up episode of The Meredith Patterson Podcast! Today, I have a very special guest—someone who’s been with me behind the scenes from day one, making every single episode possible. He’s not just my producer, he’s a creative force, an audio wizard, and someone I am so lucky to collaborate with—Hammond Chamberlain! 🗣️ My Ed McMahon PART 1: Getting to Know Hammond PART 2: Behind-the-Scenes Insights PART 3: Season Highlights PART 4: Creative Growth and Vision 🌀 WRAP-UP & WHAT'S NEXT This...
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#MentalHealthMonday - Radical Acceptance
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Radical Acceptance: My Career, My Life, My Dreams Today I’m going to speak from my heart about something that’s changed my life. Radical acceptance. Not just of my career — although that’s a big one. But of everything I’ve ever dreamed of. The life I thought I’d have. The love I imagined. The body. The home. The timeline. The moments that never came… and the ones that did, but didn’t look like I thought they would. This episode is for anyone who’s ever asked: “Why didn’t this go the way I hoped?” Or… “Am I still enough if my life doesn’t look the way I planned?”...
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Steven Schauer - Stories Sustain Us: How Storytelling Shapes Resilience, Equity, and Environmental Change
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Welcome back to The Meredith Patterson Podcast, where we explore the power of stories, resilience, and purpose. Today, we’re diving into something truly powerful—how storytelling isn’t just art, but a tool for change, connection, and sustainability. Our guest is someone who lives and breathes this mission. Steven Schauer is a public servant, an environmental communicator, and the creator of the incredible podcast Stories Sustain Us, which highlights change-makers who are improving our planet and our humanity. He’s also a documentary filmmaker, a seasoned public affairs strategist,...
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#MentalHealthMonday - The Blind Spots We Don’t See… Until We Do
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Today’s episode is a little different. I’m pulling back the curtain—not on a show or a project—but on me. On the inner world I often keep running past in the name of getting things done, lifting others up, staying strong, being inspiring. And maybe… just maybe… you’re doing that too. Because what I realized recently is this: There are blind spots in my life. And they’ve been quietly steering the wheel. So today, I’m naming them. Not because I have it all figured out, but because healing starts when we tell the truth—out loud. THE BLIND SPOTS 1. I tie my worth...
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Religion vs. Spirituality: Losing Trust, Surviving a Cult, and Finding My Own Source
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Hi everyone. Welcome to The Meredith Patterson Podcast. This episode is raw. It’s vulnerable. And it’s deeply personal. I’ve hesitated to share this, but I’ve learned that silence around abuse—especially spiritual abuse—only allows it to thrive. And I know I’m not alone. Today, I’m talking about the difference between religion and spirituality—and how deeply religion has hurt me. From growing up in a guilt- and shame-based Catholic system steeped in silence and abuse… to being aggressively recruited into a cult here in New York City—the International Church of Christ… I...
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#MentalHealthMonday - Attention Is The New Currency
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Welcome to The Meredith Patterson Podcast, where we explore how to live with more intention, more creativity, and more joy—especially in a world that often feels designed to distract us. And I want to start by asking you something that might stop you in your tracks… When was the last time you truly paid attention? I mean, deep, undistracted, fully present attention—to someone speaking, to something you're watching, or even to your own thoughts? The truth is, we are living in a world that is starving for our attention. And at the same time, we are hemorrhaging it. The Shrinking...
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Cinematic Storyteller April Wright
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Today on The Meredith Patterson Podcast, I have the absolute joy of sitting down with a true cinematic storyteller—award-winning filmmaker April Wright. April’s passion for film began in the glow of drive-ins and majestic movie palaces, and she has since carved a powerful path in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. From celebrating the unsung heroines of Hollywood stunt work to honoring the nostalgic charm of roller rinks, April is a creative force dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and preserving cinematic history. Her work is deeply personal, empowering, and always...
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#MentalHealthMonday - Microplastics: The Uninvited Guests at Your Dinner Table
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Today’s #MentalHealthMonday episode? Might shock you a little. Because we’re talking about something that’s in your water, your food, your clothes, your makeup—heck, it’s probably in your bloodstream right now. Microplastics. “Your Gut Called—It’s Tired of Eating Tupperware” “Breaking Up with Plastic (It’s Not Me, It’s You)” Tiny pieces of plastic that are everywhere—and I mean everywhere. Including inside you. But don’t panic—this episode isn’t about fear. It’s about awareness. And power. Because once you know where plastic came from, what it’s doing to...
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Healing Through Vulnerability with Laverne Friesen
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
My guest is someone who embodies resilience and authenticity. is a former law enforcement officer whose life has been shaped by incredible challenges—childhood abuse, a painful divorce, a mental health crisis—but rather than being broken by them, he chose to transform. Through his work as a peer supporter, public speaker, and the host of the , Laverne is on a mission to shatter the stigma around mental health and masculinity. He’s showing others—especially men—that healing is possible, and that vulnerability is not a weakness, but a superpower. This conversation is raw, real, and...
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Let Go Of What You Can’t Control & Reclaim Your Energy
The Meredith Patterson Podcast
Today, I want to talk about something that every single one of us deals with. Every. Single. Day. How to let go of what you can’t control, and how to refocus your energy on what actually matters. Because here’s the thing: We spend so much of our precious energy trying to manage the uncontrollable—people’s opinions, outcomes, the past, the future, the weather, the Wi-Fi connection (let’s be real). And all of that? It drains us. It leaves us frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed, and disconnected from our power. So let’s shift that. Right now. The Illusion of Control...
info_outlineWelcome to today's episode. Today I am honored to have George Visger with us—a former NFL defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl champion, wildlife biologist, dedicated advocate for traumatic brain injury (TBI) awareness, and author of Facing Giants: My 38 year battle that is out this month.
If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and be sure to visit www.GeorgeVisger.com and buy his new book Facing Giants: My 38 year Battle.
You can also connect with me on Instagram @merpatterson and visit www.meredithpatterson.com for all the latest updates.
www.biausa.org
Every March, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month. This year, we have exciting new developments for the brain injury community, including new advocacy initiatives, events, fundraising opportunities, and more.
Remember—have vision for what you want, and be grateful for where you are every single day.