
Hosted by Levi Pollard—Author, Filmmaker, Artist · EN
The Smith & Savage Podcast is about crafting your best life—conversations with artists, makers, entrepreneurs, and adventurers. Hosted by Levi Pollard, each episode explores the grit behind the craft, the courage behind the story, and the uncommon path chosen by those who dare to build something meaningful.

In this episode, Levi sits down with longtime friend and therapist/coach Christy Hey for a wide ranging conversation about freedom, grief, creativity, coaching vs. therapy, and what it means to live with intention. Christy shares her personal journey through work, play– and why real growth often begins in discomfort.ListenSpotify | Apple Podcasts | YoutubeConnectInstagram | Coachmate CollectiveResourcesFilms & TelevisionOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestReferenced in relation to Christy's work at Oregon State Hospital, where the film was set.Watch Here: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's NestThe White LotusDiscussed for its exploration of men in crisis, identity, wealth, despair, and suicide.Watch Here: The White LotusIt's A Wonderful LifeReferenced as a meditation on gratitude, perspective, and the value of life. Also depicts exploration of men and crisis.Watch Here: It's A Wonderful LifeTherapy & Coaching PlatformsBetter HelpWebsite: betterhelp.comCoachMate CollectiveNon-profit co-founded by Christy to provide coaching for individuals impacted by incarceration.Website: coachmatecollective.orgAcademy of Coaching ExcellenceThe training organization behind the coaching model used in CoachMate collective.Website: acecoachtraining.comBooksThe Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchristExplores the relationship between the brain's hemispheres, arguing that the creative holistic mind should lead, with logic serving it – a central theme in Christy's reflections on balance, creativity, and meaning.The Art of Loving by Erich FrommA foundational work on mature love, individuality, and connection. Christy reads this quote from the book" "Quotes From Christy Hey"Therapy helps us heal to a baseline. Coaching helps us move beyond it into what's possible." – Christy Hey"Grief is actually a really beautiful thing, but only if we let it move through us." – Christy Hey"When identity is based only on achievement, we lose connection to ourselves." – Christy Hey"Stories are essential to our humanity." – Christy Hey

A conversation with professional drummer Mark Danger Powers on the unseen work behind mastery, the discipline of listening, and why curiosity is the engine of a creative life.ListenSpotify | Apple Podcasts | YoutubeConnect You can find Mark Powers here Website | Instagram | Facebook ResourcesMaster ClassBooksSlammin' SimonQuotes From Mark“These instruments will tell you the truth immediately. You can’t fake it.”“The work is mostly invisible. That’s where everything actually happens.”“Sometimes the most important thing you can play is nothing at all.”

Bobby Hooper is the owner of Afterlife Bar in Portland Oregon. He is also a musician, an artist, and if you know Bobby, you know he is a main hub that connects so many wonderful people from every corner of the world. In this deeply human conversation, Bobby reflects on love, grief, the Maui wildfires, and the ways suffering can either harden or deepen us. The episode balances tragedy with grace, presence, and hope.Sponsored byGoing to the Sun Gallery Website | Instagram | GoogleListenSpotify | Apple Podcasts | YoutubeConnect You can find Bobby Hooper at Afterlife in Portland, Oregon Afterlife | Website | Instagram | FacebookResourcesLahaina Strong👉 WebsiteThis is a community-led effort rooted right in Lahaina — run by people from the island who are focused not just on relief but on rebuilding a resilient, sustainable, and just future for the town and surrounding communities. Donations help with local initiatives, advocacy for equitable support, and long-term recovery efforts that put Lahaina residents first.GoFundMe Maui Wildfire Relief Fund👉 WebsiteEvery fundraiser on this page has been verified by GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety experts — donors can give to the general fund or browse individual/ community fundraisers they trust.Maui Strong Fund (Hawai‘i Community Foundation)👉 WebsiteThis fund was created by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation to support both immediate relief and long-term recovery needs for people and places affected by the wildfires.HeadspaceVisit WebsiteBooksYour Forces and How to Use ThemThe Artist's Way (Morning Pages)