Michael Bates' journey from correctional officer to Deputy Director of Rehabilitation and Reentry at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice reveals what true transformation looks like, both personally and systemically.

When Bates began his career in 2008, he saw TDCJ primarily through the lens of security and public safety. Today, he champions a more holistic vision: one where rehabilitation, dignity, and second chances stand alongside those crucial safety measures. His rapid rise through the ranks—becoming assistant warden at just 30 years old—taught him valuable lessons about leadership, humility, and the importance of experience.

What makes this conversation particularly powerful is Bates' candor about his own shortcomings. He shares how his younger self lacked empathy for staff with family responsibilities, and how becoming a parent himself transformed his understanding of work-life balance. This personal growth mirrors the evolution he's helping lead throughout TDCJ, where innovative programs are changing lives daily.

The Bartlett Innovation Unit stands as perhaps the most visible example of this new approach. Here, incarcerated individuals care for animals, receive vocational training, and participate in moving "bell ceremonies" when someone completes their sentence. Dressed in donated suits with jobs often already secured, these individuals ring a bell symbolizing their transition to freedom while the entire facility cheers them on.

Bates also speaks truthfully about the mental and physical toll correctional work takes. His personal health journey—giving up Dr Pepper, meal prepping, and exercising despite grueling schedules—offers practical wisdom for anyone in demanding professions. His definition of "the good life" as achieving meaningful work-life balance resonates far beyond prison walls.

Whether you work in corrections, public service, or simply care about how our justice system might better serve both public safety and human dignity, this conversation offers hope that through dedicated leadership and innovative approaches, transformation is possible—one person, one program, one bell ceremony at a time.

If you are interested in donating a suit to the Bartlett Innovation Unit, please send to: 1018 Arnold Drive, Bartlett, Texas 76511. Attention: JessieMajors

Kristi Docwra shares insights about intuitive eating, a science-backed approach that helps us reject diet mentality and rebuild trust with our bodies to find freedom in how we nourish ourselves.

• Intuitive eating is about connecting with bodily cues and rebuilding interoceptive awareness
• Mindful eating focuses on the eating experience while intuitive eating addresses the diet mentality
• Children are naturally intuitive eaters until external rules override their natural abilities
• Rejecting the diet mentality means challenging temporary, restrictive approaches that don't work long-term
• Honor your hunger by recognizing body signals before reaching extreme hunger
• Use the STOP technique (Stop, Take breaths, Observe, Proceed) to manage emotional eating
• Challenge the "food police" that assign moral value to food choices
• Practice respecting your body for what it can do rather than focusing on appearance
• Intuitive eating helps bring joy back to food experiences instead of making meals just about nutrition

Join Kristi's mindfulness sessions through Work Well Texas to practice techniques that support intuitive eating.

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Ever sneezed and leaked a little? Felt an urgent need to use the bathroom the moment your key touches your front door? You're not alone—and contrary to what many believe, these symptoms aren't just normal parts of aging or motherhood that you have to accept.

In this conversation with Dr. Bijal Toprani, physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor health, we unpack the hidden world of pelvic floor function and dysfunction that affects up to one-third of women. Dr. Toprani demystifies what exactly the pelvic floor is (those muscles extending from pubic bone to tailbone), the common issues that arise (from various types of urinary incontinence to pelvic pain), and why waiting an average of six years to seek help is unnecessarily prolonging your discomfort.

We challenge widespread misconceptions, including the belief that Kegels are the universal solution (they can actually worsen certain conditions!) and explore the fascinating connection between stress, trauma, and pelvic tension. Most importantly, Dr. Toprani emphasizes that these conditions are highly treatable, with many patients seeing a 50% reduction in symptoms within just three months of consistent therapy.

For Health Select of Texas and Consumer-Directed Health Select participants, there's now a convenient virtual option through Hinge Health that eliminates the typical three-month wait to see a specialist. Whether you're experiencing issues during pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, or any stage of life, this episode delivers practical insights that can transform your relationship with your pelvic floor and overall quality of life.

Take the first step toward addressing what's been normalized but shouldn't be. Your pelvic floor deserves attention, and relief is more accessible than you might think. Listen, learn, and reclaim control of this crucial but often overlooked aspect of your wellbeing.

Learn more about Hing Health's Pelvic Floor program and see if you may be eligible through the HealthSelect website.