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27 Aug 2025
From Pain to Purpose

Pain is something we all face—but how we respond to it is what shapes our story.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Local, Sarah sits down with two incredible women who turned their hardest seasons into a powerful purpose.

Julia Hoffman walked through the challenges of divorce and, out of her own healing, founded Hoffman Collaborative Therapy to guide families through similar struggles.

Our producer, Shanon, faced the unimaginable loss of her nephew, Ethan, to drowning. Determined to honor his memory, she became a certified ISR Instructor to help protect other families from the same heartbreak.

Their stories are proof that even when life feels unbearable, resilience and hope are possible. We hope their journeys inspire you to discover your own light at the end of the tunnel.

0:00
Sarah Zubiate Bennett
Host
Shanon Murphy
Producer
Julia Hoffman
Guest

Episode Timeline

All Episodes
01:46
How did Julia decide to become a therapist?
06:32
How should we talk to our kids who are now in school with Camp Mystic survivors and who are missing friends who passed away in the flood?
10:30
Ways to deal with grief when there’s no absolute resolution
18:25
Julia talks about her clientele/ Dealing with divorce as a family
26:54
Sarah visits with ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) parents about their child doing lessons
43:51
Sarah asks Shanon about her “why” for becoming an ISR Instructor and for more details about the program
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Join host Sarah Zubiate Bennett on Let’s Talk Local as she uncovers the stories, people, and places shaping Dallas, fostering a stronger and more connected community—let's get to know the real Dallas!
featuring our host.
SARAH ZUBIATE BENNETT
Venture Philanthropist, Host and Executive Producer of Let’s Talk Local, bold leader driving growth in private and social sectors.