Welcome to The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast! I’m your host, Laura Ollinger, teen and parent well-being coach—and today I’m joined by Laurie James, certified somatic practitioner, coach, author of Sandwiched, and host of Confessions of a Freebird podcast.

In this powerful episode, Laurie shares her deeply personal journey through caregiving, divorce, burnout, and healing—and how somatic experiencing helped her reconnect with her body, her emotions, and her true self. We dive into nervous system regulation, stress recovery, and practical somatic tools you can use today to calm your body and shift out of survival mode.

If you’ve ever felt like your body is holding onto more than your mind can process, this conversation is your invitation to slow down and finally listen.

💬 In This Episode:

• What is somatic healing—and how does it work?
• Signs your body may be dysregulated
• Laurie's journey through caregiving, motherhood, and divorce
• How to complete the fight-flight-freeze stress cycle
• Simple nervous system regulation tools you can use anytime
• Why burnout often shows up after everything “seems fine”
• The importance of rest, body awareness, and micro-moments of calm
• Grounding, orienting, and vagus nerve support techniques
• How moms can stop overriding their own needs
• How to teach teens self-regulation without pushing them into shutdown

📘 About Laurie James

Laurie James is a certified somatic practitioner and coach who helps women navigate midlife transitions with more calm, clarity, and connection. After raising four daughters while caregiving for her aging parents and experiencing the unraveling of her marriage, Laurie turned her healing journey into the memoir Sandwiched and now supports others through somatic coaching, nervous system education, and her podcast Confessions of a Freebird.

🔗 Connect with Laurie James

🌐 Website: laurieejames.com [https://www.laurieejames.com/]
📸 Instagram: @laurie.james [https://www.instagram.com/laurie.james/]
📘 Facebook: Laurie James [https://www.facebook.com/laurie.james.79219754]

🎧 Podcast: Confessions of a Freebird

📥 Free Guide: Beginner’s Guide to Somatic Healing (link in show notes)

👩‍💻 Learn more about the podcast:
🌐 positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast [https://www.positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast]

📲 Follow us for more:
📘 Facebook: Positively Healthy Coaching
📸 Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

✨ If this episode spoke to you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share it with a fellow mom who could use more peace, body awareness, and breath today.

#somatichealing #nervoussystemregulation #mindbodyconnection #burnoutrecoveryjourney #momwellbeing #traumainformedparenting #midlifemomsupport #bodyawarenesstools #positivelyhealthymom #positivelyhealthycoaching

Understanding Somatic Healing | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Laurie James

Welcome back to The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast! I’m your host, Laura Ollinger—teen and parent well-being coach—and today I’m joined by Taralee Eddington, Certified Relationship & Resilience Coach and founder of Peaceful Heart Journey. She’s also the host of The FOCUS Podcast with Taralee, where she helps families strengthen their most important relationships through emotional clarity and intentional communication.

In this heart-centered episode, Taralee introduces the STARVED needs framework—seven core needs that, when unmet, often lie at the heart of conflict in relationships. Together, we explore how to identify, communicate, and navigate these needs to create deeper connection, understanding, and peace at home.

Whether you're managing a marriage, raising teenagers, or trying to break free from overwhelm and resentment, this conversation offers practical, faith-grounded strategies to help you feel seen, supported, and stronger.

💬 In This Episode:
• What unmet needs may be fueling conflict in your home
• The 7 STARVED needs: Safety, Trust, Appreciation, Respect, Validation, Encouragement, Dedication
• How to communicate your needs without sounding like you're complaining
• Why “nagging” is often just an unmet need in disguise
• How to coach your teens through emotional growth with calm and clarity
• Letting go of control and parenting from peace, not fear
• Navigating adult children, boundaries, and broken expectations
• Why appreciation matters more than you think
• The truth about respect, autonomy, and letting go

📘 About Taralee Eddington
Taralee is a Certified Family Educator & Relationship Coach helping individuals, couples, and families move from conflict to connection through her signature FOCUS Framework™️. Her work is shaped by her own life as a wife and mom of three, her daughter’s cancer journey, and her mission to help others lead with peace and purpose. Her mantra: What you focus on expands.

🔗 Connect with Taralee
🌐 Website: peacefulheartjourney.com
📸 Instagram: @peacefulheartjourney
📘 Facebook: Peaceful Heart Journey
🎧 Podcast: The FOCUS Podcast with Taralee (new episodes every Friday)

👩‍💻 Learn more about the podcast:
🌐 positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast [https://www.positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast]

📲 Follow us for more:
📘 Facebook: Positively Healthy Coaching
📸 Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

✨ If this episode spoke to you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with a fellow mom who could use a little more peace and connection.

#PositivelyHealthyMom #TaraleeEddington #UnmetNeeds #STARVEDFramework #RelationshipCoaching #PeacefulHeartJourney #MomBurnoutSupport #TeenParenting #MarriageCommunication #FaithCenteredParenting

Understanding Your Unmet Needs | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Taralee Eddington

Welcome to another episode of The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast! I'm your host, Laura Ollinger—teen and parent well-being coach—and today I’m joined by Simone Knego, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and host of Her Unshakeable Confidence podcast.

Simone is a mom of six, a confidence coach, and a powerful advocate for women learning to lead and live from within. In this deeply honest and energizing conversation, she shares how real confidence is built—not born—and how moms can model leadership right from their own kitchen tables.

Whether you're navigating mom guilt, rediscovering your identity, or just feeling stuck in self-doubt, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom, laughter, and permission to be yourself.

💬 In This Episode
• Why confidence is a skill you can build
• Simone’s “REAL Method” for growing unshakeable confidence
• The truth about mom guilt, people-pleasing, and invisible labor
• Kitchen Table Leadership: what it means and why it matters
• How to stop saying “just a mom” and start owning your worth
• Simple mindset shifts to reset your day and self-talk
• How Simone’s daughter checked her in a Starbucks line 😄
• The power of modeling vs. managing for our kids
• Finding yourself again after the kids are grown

📘 About Simone Knego
Simone is the bestselling author of The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You and the upcoming book REAL Confidence: A Simple Guide to Go From Unsure to Unshakeable (out Feb 2025). She’s been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and in Entrepreneur. Simone empowers women to quiet the “what if” whisperer, step into leadership, and celebrate who they already are.

🔗 Connect with Simone
🌐 Website: simoneknego.com [https://simoneknego.com/]
📸 Instagram: @simoneknego [https://www.instagram.com/simoneknego/]
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/SpeakerSimoneKnego [https://www.facebook.com/SpeakerSimoneKnego]
📺 YouTube: @her_unshakeable_confidence [https://www.youtube.com/@her_unshakeable_confidence]
💼 LinkedIn: Simone Knego [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simoneknego]

👩‍💻 Learn more about the podcast:
🌐 positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast [https://www.positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast]

📲 Follow us for more:
📘 Facebook: Positively Healthy Coaching
📸 Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

✨ Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with a mom who needs a reminder that she’s already extraordinary.

#PositivelyHealthyMom #SimoneKnego #REALConfidence #ConfidenceCoach #MomLeadership #HerUnshakeableConfidence #PositiveParenting #KitchenTableLeadership #MomLife #MotherhoodSupport #WomenWhoLead

Building Confidence for Moms | The Positively Healthy Mom with Simone Knego

Teens today are overwhelmed by pressure, comparison, and uncertainty—and parents often feel unsure how to help.

In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast, host Laura Olinger talks with James McLamb, founder and CEO of Generation Youth, about the three biggest struggles teens face today and how we can guide them through self-image challenges, relationship stress, and finding purpose.

You’ll learn:
✨ What teens themselves say they’re struggling with most
✨ Why self-image shapes everything they do
✨ How relationship skills have changed since COVID
✨ Simple tools to help teens feel confident, grounded, and hopeful
✨ Why investing in mindset matters as much as academics or sports

This conversation will help you understand your teen on a deeper level—so you can support them with more clarity and confidence.

🔗 Connect with James

Website: https://generation-youth.com [https://generation-youth.com/]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generation__youth/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC93wUrUA12HI_PXtEDLEwow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.mclamb1

Follow us for more: 📘 Facebook: Positively Healthy Coaching 📸 Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

3 Core Challenges Youth Face | The Positively Healthy Mom with James McLamb

Everyday Courage: Helping Teens Handle Nerves, Pressure & Comparison | With Mental Coach Heather Sumlin

Your teen doesn’t have to be on a big stage to feel big pressure. Asking someone to homecoming, speaking in class, applying for a first job, trying out for a team or pageant – these “everyday performances” can feel huge for them.

In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast, host Laura Olinger (teen and parent wellbeing coach and founder of Positively Healthy Coaching) talks with Heather Sumlin, mental management coach and owner of Sumlin Solutions, about how to help teens manage nerves, build confidence, and thrive under pressure in school, sports, pageantry, performing arts, and life.

Together they explore:
✨ What the Mental Management System is and how it was born from Heather’s Olympic champion father
🧠 How self-image is formed and why it matters more than you think
🎤 Practical tools for handling nerves before a speech, tryout, date, or job interview
🙋‍♀️ How to shift from “What if I mess up?” to “What if this goes well?”
📱 How comparison (especially on social media) quietly erodes confidence
🏅 Why a parent’s main job is to build self-image, not just chase achievements
🤝 How to match your teen’s level of passion instead of pushing harder than they do

Whether your teen is an athlete, a performer, in pageantry, or just trying to navigate everyday teen life, this conversation will give you language, tools, and mindset shifts you can start using with them right away.

👤 About Our Guest: Heather Sumlin

Heather Sumlin is a long-time mental management coach and owner of Sumlin Solutions. After nearly 20 years working alongside her father, an Olympic champion and creator of the Mental Management System, Heather now specializes in helping women and teen girls in subjectively judged sports and performance arenas (like pageantry, cheer, dog sports, public speaking, and more) learn how to control their minds under pressure.

She works with:

 * Teen & college athletes
 * Pageant contestants
 * Performers & competitors
 * Parents who want to better support their kids’ mental game

Heather also hosts the podcast “She Wins – Solutions and Stories for Women”, where she shares tools, stories, and strategies to help women win in sport, performance, and life.

🔗 Connect with Heather

🌐 Website: https://www.heathersumlin.com/
📸 Instagram: @heathersumlin
📘 Facebook: Heather Sumlin Mental Coach
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SumlinSolutionsStories

✨ Heather offers a free 20-minute evaluation call through her website for women and parents who want to learn more about working together.

If this episode helped you:

Like the video
Comment with your favorite takeaway or a question for Laura and Heather
Share it with another mom of teens who could use these tools
Subscribe for more episodes on teen wellbeing, confidence, and positive parenting

Follow us for more: 📘 Facebook: Positively Healthy Coaching 📸 Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

Overcoming Performance Anxiety | The Positively Healthy Mom with with Heather Sumlin

Your teen’s skin isn’t just about appearance — it’s a key part of their overall health. In this episode of The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast, host Laura Ollinger sits down with Dr. Angela Casey, a double board-certified dermatologist, surgeon, and founder of Bright Girl Skincare, to talk about why teaching teens to care for their skin is one of the best long-term health investments we can make.

Together, they explore:
-How early skincare habits shape lifelong skin health
-Why sunscreen and gentle routines matter more than complicated regimens
-How to talk to teens about self-care in a way they’ll actually listen
-The connection between skincare, confidence, and mental wellbeing

Dr. Casey also shares her journey as a mom of three daughters, her mission to prevent skin cancer through education, and how Bright Girl Skincare was created to make skin health simple, safe, and empowering for the next generation.

🎁 Special Gift for Listeners:
Use code POSITIVELY20 at brightgirl.com [https://brightgirl.com/] for 20% off your order.

Connect with Dr. Angela Casey:
🌐 brightgirl.com [https://brightgirl.com/]
📱 Instagram: @brightgirlbeauty [https://www.instagram.com/brightgirlbeauty] | @angelacaseymd [https://www.instagram.com/angelacaseymd]

About the Host:
Laura Ollinger is a Teen and Parent Wellbeing Coach and founder of Positively Healthy Coaching, where positive parenting meets holistic health.

🎙️ Tune in, learn how to make “self-care = healthcare,” and start helping your teens build healthy habits that last a lifetime.

#PositivelyHealthyMom #TeenSkinCare #BrightGirlSkincare #ParentingPodcast #Dermatology #SkinHealth #DrAngelaCasey #LauraOllinger #SelfCareIsHealthCare

Teen Skin Care is Health Care | The Positively Healthy Mom with Dr. Angela Sanfilippo Casey

Welcome to another episode of Positively Healthy Mom! I’m your host, Laura Ollinger—teen and parent well-being coach—and today I’m thrilled to welcome Alyx Coble-Frakes, a wellness entrepreneur, speaker, and the founder of The Agenda., a platform that helps moms align their energy, productivity, and self-care with the rhythm of their menstrual cycles.

In this candid and enlightening conversation, Alyx breaks down how understanding the menstrual cycle is not just about fertility—it’s about functionality. From managing mood shifts to boosting your sales performance, Alyx shares how cycle syncing can change how you show up in motherhood, work, and life.

If you’ve ever felt like your energy, focus, or mood is all over the place—and blamed yourself for it—this episode will shift your entire perspective.

📘 About Alyx Coble-Frakes
Alyx is a leading voice in hormone-informed wellness. As a mom, CEO, and creator of The Agenda., she empowers women to reclaim their energy, confidence, and emotional balance through practical cycle awareness. She’s been featured on NBC, CBS, and USA Today for her work in helping moms thrive—not just survive.

🔗 Connect with Alyx Coble-Frakes
🌐 Website: www.theagendaperiod.com [https://www.theagendaperiod.com/]
📸 Instagram: @theagendaperiod [https://www.instagram.com/theagendaperiod/]
📘 Facebook: The Agenda. Community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1998573230912347]
💼 LinkedIn: Alyx Coble-Frakes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyx-coble-frakes-3b27845b/]

🎯 Ideal Listener
This episode is for busy moms (30s–50s) who are tired of the burnout cycle and ready to learn how their biology can support their lives—not work against it.

💬 Topics in This Episode
• Why your cycle is your superpower
• The surprising connection between ovulation and sales success
• The four inner “seasons” of your menstrual cycle
• What moms need to know about estrogen, serotonin, and mood
• How to track your cycle and use it for emotional & physical regulation
• Self-care strategies that match each phase of your month
• Why PMS isn’t a personal failure—and what your body is trying to say
• Cycle syncing tips for parenting, marriage, business, and energy management

🔗 Connect with us: Website: positivelyhealthycoaching.com Podcast: positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast

YouTube: @positivelyhealthycoaching

Facebook Group: The Positively Healthy Mom 

Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

#PositivelyHealthyMom #TheAgendaPeriod #FranchiseIncome #WomenInBusiness #CycleAlignment #EntrepreneurMom #AlyxCobleFrakes #HormonalIntelligence #WomenEmpowerment #BusinessForMoms #FranchiseOpportunity #CommissionStructure #PodcastForMoms

Hormonal Intelligence for Moms and Daughters | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Alyx Coble-Frakes

🎧 The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast
Episode: Anxiety Calming Music with Barbara Minton, PhD

In this episode, host Laura Ollinger, Teen and Parent Well-Being Coach, talks with Dr. Barbara Minton, PhD Psychologist and founder of musicandhealing.net [https://musicandhealing.net/], about how music can calm anxiety, improve focus, and support emotional wellness.

Dr. Minton shares how her neuroscience-based approach uses specific music frequencies to shift the brain into states of calm and healing. Her new album Calm the Storm, created with world-renowned guitarist Peppino D’Agostino, is designed to reduce anxiety, support sleep, and ease chronic pain.

💡 In this episode, you’ll discover:

 * How music influences brain waves and emotional regulation
 * Why not all calming music works the same for everyone
 * The connection between rhythm, movement, and stress relief
 * How neurofeedback and music can train the brain toward calm

🎶 Visit musicandhealing.net [https://musicandhealing.net/] to learn more and listen to Calm the Storm.

🔗 Connect with us:
Website: positivelyhealthycoaching.com [https://positivelyhealthycoaching.com/]
Podcast: positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast [https://positivelyhealthycoaching.com/podcast]
YouTube: @positivelyhealthycoaching [https://youtube.com/@positivelyhealthycoaching]
Facebook Group: The Positively Healthy Mom [https://facebook.com/groups/thepositivelyhealthymom]
Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching [https://instagram.com/positivelyhealthycoaching]

#PositivelyHealthyMom #AnxietyCalmingMusic #BarbaraMinton #MusicTherapy #BrainHealth #Neurofeedback #ParentWellbeing #PositiveParenting #MusicAndHealing #MentalHealth

Anxiety Calming Music | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Barbara Minton

🎧 Welcome to the Positively Healthy Mom Podcast!
In this episode, host Laura Ollinger sits down with Coach Bryan Goodman, a seasoned educator turned life coach and future licensed therapist, to explore how parents can strengthen communication, set clear expectations, and help their teens develop executive functioning skills that last a lifetime.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

 * Why allowing your teen to fail builds resilience and confidence
 * How to improve communication and align family expectations
 * What executive functioning really means (and why it matters)
 * How mindfulness helps teens with ADHD and emotional regulation
 * Simple strategies to support your teen’s growth — without burnout

👨‍👦 About Coach Bryan:
Bryan Goodman, also known as Coach Bryan, spent 20 years teaching middle and high school students before founding ImPACTful Mentoring in 2021. He now works with families to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and build emotional resilience. Bryan has conducted graduate research on mindfulness-based interventions for ADHD and is completing his Master’s in School Counseling. Above all, he’s proud to be a devoted husband and father to two sons, ages 17 and 20.

🌐 Connect with Coach Bryan:
Website: impactfulmentoring.com [https://impactfulmentoring.com/]
Instagram: @impactfulmentoring [https://www.instagram.com/impactfulmentoring/]
Facebook: ImPACTful Mentoring [https://www.facebook.com/imPACTfulmentoring]
YouTube: @impactfulmentoring [https://www.youtube.com/@impactfulmentoring]
LinkedIn: Bryan Goodman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryansgoodman/]

💬 Follow Positively Healthy Coaching:
Facebook: Positively Healthy Coaching [https://www.facebook.com/share/1BEBDR52Ub/?mibextid=wwXIfr]
Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching [https://www.instagram.com/positivelyhealthycoaching?igsh=MWpnejF2YTIxbzhnYg==]

🎙️ Subscribe to the Positively Healthy Mom Podcast for more inspiring conversations on positive parenting, emotional wellbeing, and building strong family connections.

#PositivelyHealthyMom #PositivelyHealthyCoaching #ParentingPodcast #MindfulParenting #ExecutiveFunction #ParentCoach #ADHDParenting #ParentingTeens #FamilyWellbeing #CoachBryanGoodman #ImpactfulMentoring

Personalizing Executive Function Solutions | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Bryan Goodman

The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast – Featuring Nicole Van Valin, LMFT

How can moms thrive without burning out? In this inspiring episode, host Laura Ollinger sits down with Nicole Van Valin — Licensed Family Therapist, former NFL cheerleader, and author of The Joyful Leader — to explore how moms can bring strategy to their well-being and rediscover joy every day.

Nicole introduces her Ready. Set. Go. framework, helping moms:

✨ Identify their joy and resilience tools

✨ Design daily systems and boundaries that protect peace

✨ Implement micro-habits that prevent burnout

She also shares practical tools like her “Joy Menu” and “Sphere of Resilience Assessment,” showing how intentional routines and self-awareness can restore balance and fulfillment.

If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, lost in the busyness, or craving more joy — this episode is your permission to pause, refuel, and rebuild your spark.

🔗 Learn more about Nicole Van Valin:

Link to Website: http://www.keaneinsights.com/

Link to Instagram Profile/s: https://instagram.com/keaneinsights

Link to Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/keaneinsights

Link to Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NicoleVanValen

Link to LinkedIn Profile: https://linkedin.com/in/nicolevanvalen

Book: The Joyful Leader

Follow us for more support and soulful conversations:

Facebook: @positivelyhealthycoaching

Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoaching

Linkedin: @ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbklreVljcnJ6R2VPVF9LUHhrVGJFRXZUaGpQZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsUW1Gelc3XzNZQmh3NGZZOEFNSG1GelFJYUt5QVRKd3V6Q0NNaE9RQlp2X2RkY3lWNWhNMmo5dzJHcXNNRHlhM0huXzZpSXpPUWotUnY4b01wdWZkOUYxV3RfLUltOEVOR2RpMEpWZ1pwS2JHYUZJWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Flaura-ollinger%2F&v=Eli3U5SROHA]laura-ollinger

🎧 Tune in now and learn how to recover forward — not just push through.#PositivelyHealthyMomPodcast #NicoleVanValin #TheJoyfulLeader #MomLife #MentalHealth #SelfCareForMoms #Leadership #BurnoutPrevention #JoyfulLiving

The Joyful Leader | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast with Nicole Van Valin, LMFT

Welcome to The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast, your go-to spot for real talk and heartfelt guidance  on raising confident, motivated, and emotionally intelligent teens and tweens. Hosted by Teen & Parent Well-Being Coach Laura Ollinger, this show is all about helping you level up your confidence, deepen your connection, and master your emotions—both as a mom and as a woman. Get ready for inspiring stories, transformative tools (like breathwork and EFT), and candid conversations on everything from ADHD and co-parenting to boundaries and sex education. Each episode equips you with the mindset and skills to tackle challenges head-on while honoring your own health and wellness. Tune in and discover how to show up authentically for yourself and your family—one conversation at a time.


Follow:
IG - https://www.instagram.com/positivelyhealthycoaching/
FB - https://www.facebook.com/positivelyhealthycoaching
YT podcast - youtube.com/@thepositivelyhealthymom [https://www.youtube.com/@thepositivelyhealthymom]
YT coaching - www.youtube.com/@positivelyhealthycoaching [http://www.youtube.com/@positivelyhealthycoaching]
Web - https://www.positivelyhealthycoaching.com/

Laura Ollinger is a Teen & Parent Well-Being Coach dedicated to helping moms of teens and tweens thrive. She holds a Master’s in Health and Wellness Education, is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and maintains multiple certifications—including Elite Certified Neuroencoding Specialist, Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, Dr. Amen Brain Health Trainer, and certification from the HeartMath Institute in Stress, Anxiety, and Emotional Regulation.

As a mom of four (two boys and two girls aged 12–16) and the founder of Positively Healthy Coaching, Laura understands firsthand the challenges and rewards of parenting during the teen and tween years. Through her coaching programs and The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast, she equips parents with the mindset, skillset, and self-awareness needed to cultivate confidence, connection, and emotional mastery.

Learn more at www.thepositivelyhealthymom.com [http://www.thepositivelyhealthymom.com/].

The Positively Healthy Mom

Where Positive Parenting Meets Well-Being.

The Positively Healthy Mom

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