Episode 107: Kim Botto, Author of Boundless Hope for Every Child

Written By Susie Gurley

This episode is a don’t-miss for all. Kim is passionate about all kids belonging, particularly in church settings. But Kim’s book and principles apply to all of us, and we ended our time together by saying, “Just be a decent human being.” While this can seem so simple, Kim helps us understand the ways that we don’t do this well and how we can do it better, especially with kids and adults who have “invisible disabilities”. Kim talks about how trauma impacts children and their attachment and how neurodivergence affects the brain.  Kim also gives great tips for parents on finding support for themselves as well as finding a good fit with a therapist for their child. Kim encourages us to be curious, to be kind, and to be flexible. Kim’s book, Boundless Hope for Every Child, can be found here:  https://www.amazon.com/Boundless-Hope-Every-Child-Misunderstood/dp/B0DY6DD4DY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UN3KTWKHSSGZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BZrM7D3BKQXhFHXk8tIyF6Ofdilp5qNvisH5bNO0xeLGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps._2EKj8LaRoHuja85mrh0Giy8vo7uzQhXnFafG_md4-  or on her website: https://kimbotto.com/

Susie Gurley

Susie Stapp Gurley was born and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She married her college sweetheart, Dan Gurley, shortly after graduating from TCU with a degree in advertising and public relations. In her first career, Susie worked in college admissions and academic advising. Simultaneously she pursued a master’s degree from The University of Central Missouri in sociology and then worked for the Sedgwick County, KS Department of Aging as a case worker. Susie stepped away from the professional world in 1997 to become a stay-at-home mom. She spent the majority of the last 25 years as a wife, mother, and volunteer, primarily in her church and her three children’s schools and activities.

Susie became a mental health advocate after her youngest son became a teen spokesperson about his battle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. In 2018, at the age of 15, Will founded the You Matter Festival, a music festival promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Will shared his personal mental health struggles with the 1,000-person crowd, which started his role as a local KC teen advocate for mental health. Because of Will’s involvement, Susie recorded a video #Zeroreasonswhy (https://zeroreasonswhy.org), a Kansas City area organization working to end teen suicide in the Johnson County, Kansas area. This video was viewed over 10,000 times, which was the impetus of the Just A Mom podcast. Susie decided that she needed to follow the brave trail blazed by her son and became an outspoken advocate for parents of children who struggle with mental illness. The Just a Mom podcast launched in September of 2022 and encourages parents to know that they are not alone and there is hope.

Susie served as the Executive Director of the You Matter Festival and is currently on the Friends of Johnson County Mental Health Board. Susie has grown three children, two daughters-in-law, and a son-in-law.

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Episode 106: Anna McCasland