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July 5, 2025

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

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Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: Adolescence on Film and About Parents

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As part of our ongoing monthly series on mental health, The Spy welcomes back Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, to help us navigate one of the most urgent issues facing families today: the emotional toll of adolescence in the digital age.

This month’s conversation centers on the critically acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence, which has sparked national reflection on how social media shapes — and sometimes distorts — the lives of teenagers. With raw, emotional storytelling, the series captures the growing crisis among young people who, under the unrelenting gaze of online platforms, make irreversible decisions with devastating consequences.

Together, we explore the show’s relevance for Mid-Shore families, the warning signs adults often miss, and what community resources are available when young people find themselves overwhelmed by anxiety, shame, or hopelessness.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons, please go here. To read more about Adolescence on Netflix, please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Erectile Dysfunction on the Shore: A Chat with Dr. Robert McDonough

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As Men’s Health Month draws to a close, The Spy, in collaboration with Shore Regional Health, felt it was a good time for a candid and timely conversation about erectile dysfunction.

Long considered too personal or stigmatized to discuss openly, ED has increasingly come into the light over the past decade, as veterans, accident survivors, and aging men seek medical solutions to restore not only sexual function but a sense of vitality and wholeness.

To help us explore this important topic, we spoke with Dr. Robert McDonough, who outlines the full range of treatment options available today. More importantly, he explains why ED is often more than a quality-of-life concern—it can be an early indicator of severe vascular or cardiac conditions that deserve urgent attention.

This video is approximately seven minutes in length. For more information about ED treatment at Shore Regional Health please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: Mental Health, Parents and Adolescence

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This month, Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, explores the profound challenges parents face as their children enter adolescence. While parenting is never easy, the teenage years often present the most demanding and emotionally charged phase, particularly when mental health concerns emerge unexpectedly. In this two-part series, Beth Anne offers thoughtful insight into how parents can support their children through this turbulent stage of development. In part two, she reflects on the recent Netflix drama Adolescence, which portrays a family grappling with the unthinkable trauma of a child in crisis.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons please go here. To read more about Adolescence on Netflix please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Let’s Talk About It with Beth Anne Dorman: For All Seasons in All Seasons

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This month, Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, makes the compelling case that at a time when state and federal budgets are being cut or suspended, the need to support For All Seasons in all seasons is literally true these days.

In their “Give With Your Heart” campaign, running in April, For All Seasons in taking the opportunity to remind the Mid-Shore  The campaign highlights how mental health affects everyone—regardless of age or circumstance—through powerful, real-life stories of healing and hope. As Dorman explains, this initiative is more than a fundraiser—it’s a reminder that no one should face trauma, depression, or anxiety alone.

This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about For All Seasons, please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Let’s Talk about It: Dare to Lead Training Shapes Mid-Shore Leaders with For All Seasons Beth Anne Dorman

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The opportunity to participate in For All Seasons’ Dare to Lead™ training last month opened my eyes to learning who I am as a leader and how I want my leadership to evolve moving forward. For All Seasons’ Center for Learning is offering community leaders the opportunity to develop bold, authentic leadership through this courage-building program based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. This January, the agency welcomed 12 local professionals to participate in the four-day training, designed to help us embrace vulnerability, cultivate meaningful connections, and develop a leadership approach rooted in integrity.

As both a community leader/volunteer and owner of my own company, I have had many great mentors over the years who have taught me about the qualities of a good leader. This course helped me to reflect on those lessons and to evaluate how I show up for those whom I serve. While we all have the will to be good leaders, I learned that there are specific skills that, when used correctly, enable us to be more effective in our leadership.

Even though I have been in the field of communications my entire life, this training offered me a new perspective in how to engage in problem-solving with my peers, leaning into vulnerability, and paying attention to my emotional literacy and the emotional literacy of others – showing up with an open heart and mind to discussions, conversations and meetings. I also learned how my body language, how I form my words, and how I organize my thoughts can be powerful tools in effectively communicating with others.

The section on values was particularly valuable in helping me understand the filters I use when making hard decisions. While I lead with my key values, I also learned that I need to be aware of the values of others when problem-solving—whether at home with my family, in the office with colleagues, or in the community.

One of the most confirming parts of the training was realizing that I am a risk taker and that when I take risks, there are often unexpected finds as a writer and as a civic leader/volunteer. Brené Brown uses a quote from Joseph Campbell to explain this concept, saying, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” That quote now holds special meaning for me. Understanding how to navigate the cave, having courage, and not being averse to risk will enable me to have better success in the future as I follow my heart.

One unique aspect of the Dare to Lead training was getting to know the 12 people training with me. I asked a few of them about what they took away from the training, and these are a few that were shared with me.

“The Dare to Lead™ course allowed me to explore my leadership style and to identify my strengths and areas to improve on. There were great takeaways for me to make immediate improvements in communication with my team. My team meeting structure has improved, as has our expectation of one another. I highly recommend this course for any leaders young or old(er),” comments Beth Brewster, Supervisor of Food Services, Caroline County Public Schools.

“The thought-provoking training encouraged me to embrace new perspectives, think deeper about how I engage with others, and helped reshape how I approach leadership,” shares Kelly Simonsen, Director, Corporate Communications for Easton Utilities.

The Dare to Lead program is facilitated by Beth Anne Dorman, President & CEO of For All Seasons, and Lesa Mulcahy, LCSW-C, Chief Clinical Officer, both Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitators and two of fewer than 300 professionals nationwide authorized to teach Brown’s leadership curriculum. Participants explore the foundational principles of courage-driven leadership, learning to build trust within teams, align their actions with their values, and confidently navigate challenges.

“The courage was contagious during this week of inspiration,” shared participant Sharon M. Pepukayi, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Talbot County Public Schools.

For All Seasons will offer another Dare to Lead™ training session from May 13 to 16, 2025, at Anchor Church in Easton. The program is open to professionals from all industries who want to enhance their leadership skills in both professional and personal settings. Each session runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. over four consecutive days, with breakfast, lunch, and training materials provided.

The training curriculum covers four core leadership skill sets: Rumbling with Vulnerability, which challenges common misconceptions about vulnerability and its role in effective leadership; Living into Our Values, which focuses on aligning personal and professional behaviors with one’s core beliefs; Braving  Trust, which teaches leaders how to build and maintain trust within their teams; and Learning to Rise, which explores resilience, growth, and how to navigate failure with courage.

Participants who complete the training will receive a certificate of completion and the right to display an “I am Dare to Lead™ Trained” badge on LinkedIn. Additionally, clinicians attending the program will be eligible to receive 24 Category I CEUs issued by For All Seasons, an approved continuing education provider for Maryland social workers and professional counselors.

The total cost for the training (inclusive of meals and materials) is $650, with a non-refundable deposit of $100 required at registration. Limited scholarships are available, and payment plans are offered to make the program more accessible. Interested individuals can register or learn more by visiting https://supportforallseasonsinc.org/daretolead or by contacting [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mid-Shore Health: Getting to the Heart of Heart Disease with Dr. Ian Davis

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Ian Davis, MD, is the medical director of the Congestive Heart Failure Clinic at the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health and one of the newest providers with the University of Maryland Shore Medical Group-Cardiology.

During our recent interview with Dr. Davis, he discussed some of the signs and symptoms of heart failure and how the transitional care clinic at UM Shore Regional Health can help patients with heart failure transition from a hospital stay back to their home. The transitional care clinic enables patients to be better equipped to stay home, reducing the chance of a future hospital stay while working to improve their quality of life through a long-term care plan. A patient’s long-term care plan may include medication adjustments that will help strengthen the heart, prolong life, and reduce heart failure symptoms. Dr. Davis also discussed some ways to lead a heart-healthy life.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length. For more information about the Congestive Heart Failure Clinic at Shore Health please go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Let’s Talk About It: A Different kind of Valentine with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman

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For All Seasons is bringing love and generosity with its annual Valentine’s Day Silent Auction, running online from February 8 to February 14.

Featuring exclusive experiences and unique getaways, this exciting event supports the organization’s mental health and victim services, helping those in need. Bid on incredible items like sports tickets, spa packages, luxury vacations, and local experiences—all with starting bids below their actual value! Don’t miss this fun, meaningful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day while giving back.

The Spy chatted with For All Seasons CEO Beth Anne Dorman last week about the plans.

This video is approximately three minutes in length. To preview and bid please go to ForAllSeasonsInc.org

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mid-Shore Health: The role of forensic nursing with survivors of sexual and physical assault

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For the Spy’s continued interview series with UM Shore Regional Health, we asked Shannon Temple, their long-tenured forensic nurse coordinator, to stop by the Spy Studio earlier this month to talk about the unique challenges related to helping survivors of sexual and physical assault. Shannon highlights forensic nurses’ critical role in providing compassionate care to those suffering such traumatic experiences while aiding investigations to bring their assailants to justice.

This video is approximately ten minutes in length. For more information about Shore Regional Health’s programs for victims of sexual and physical assault, please go here. 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Qlarant Foundation takes a big step forward with first executive director Amanda Neal

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To state that philanthropy is in the DNA of Qlarant is a matter of fact. From the day the company began operations to combat fraud in Medicare and Medicaid, it was charted as a nonprofit organization with a mission to help society and protect its health system.
For the last twenty years, it has also made it a point to make direct grants in the health and human services sector. That commitment has grown to $8 million to community organizations in supporting communities in D.C. and Maryland.
But as Qlarant continues to grow with over 500 employees working in seven states, there was total agreement with its board of directors and senior management that as part of the business growth, it would mean moving its funding arm, the Qlarant Foundation, to a higher orbit as well.
As part of this doubling down, Qlarant hired its first full-time executive director to expand the foundation’s grants to Texas, Florida, and Georgia in addition to the Mid-Atlantic.
The Spy sat down with the new executive director (and former Qlarant director), Amanda Neal, to learn more.
This video is approximately six minutes in length. For more information about the Qlarant Foundation please go here.

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Mid-Shore Health: The war against lung cancer with Drs. Rashmi Benda and David Oliver

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It is very much the case that society’s health war against cancer has made significant, sometimes astonishing progress in this century, but there remain certain forms of this dreaded disease that simply are harder for modern science to conquer, and one of them is lung cancer.

Despite significant investment in research and care, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and accounts for nearly 25% of all cancer fatalities. Despite advancements in early detection and treatment, the disease takes a severe toll on Americans, with smoking remaining a major contributor.

Nonetheless, progress is taking place. Early detection, such as low-dose CT scans and targeted therapies, have significantly improved lung cancer outcomes in the United States in 2024, leading to earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments. As a result,  survival rates have steadily increased, offering hope to patients and families alike.

In the Spy’s continuing series on Mid-Shore health, we asked local experts, Dr. Rashmi Benda, the medical director of UM Shore Regional Health’s Requard Radiation Oncology Center, and Dr. David Oliver, its director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program at UM Shore Regional Health, to talk about the state of lung cancer on the Eastern Shore and how early detection remains the key factor is survivability.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length. For more information about UM Shore Regional Health’s screening program, please click here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.