The Speech Therapist Running for Mrs. Arkansas: Lindsey Woods on The Show with Stephanie Highfill

Stephanie sits down with Lindsey Woods, Mrs. Garland County 2026 and Mrs. Arkansas hopeful, for one of the most soul-stirring conversations to come through the Suite P studio. Lindsey is a speech-language pathologist, creative writing major, and lifelong writer whose platform — The Right to Write — uses reflective journaling as a tool for self-awareness, mental health healing, and meaningful connection. Lindsey opens up about her unexpected journey into pageantry, her year-long spiritual formation course, surviving suicidal ideation in 2018, and the four-step framework she built around writing your way to deeper connection with yourself and others. She also explores the neuroscience of language and emotion, the research behind loneliness and disconnection, and why she believes writing is one of the most underutilized mental health tools available to all of us. This episode is thought-provoking, deeply personal, and full of wisdom nuggets. You won't want to miss it.

🔗 CONNECT WITH LINDSEY WOODS

📸 Instagram: @queenofthewoods17

📘 Facebook: Elle Woods 1722

💛 SUPPORT LINDSEY'S PLATFORM

Monetary donations help offset costs at the state and national level. Reach out via her social media to learn how to contribute.

🤝 SPONSORS Sozo Recovery Center Pioneer Health Like, share, and comment your favorite moment from this episode.

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0:00 – Introduction & Welcome 1:10 – Lindsey's background: Moving to the Village in 2022, meeting her husband on Hinge 3:15 – What inspired her to enter pageantry (spoiler: it started at 5am on Facebook) 6:30 – A year-long spiritual formation course and learning to hold tension 10:00 – The Facebook post that changed everything 12:00 – Her son's reaction to the pageant ("Can I wear a tux?") 13:00 – How her career as a speech-language pathologist shaped her view of writing 15:30 – The neuroscience of emotion and language: why big feelings block our words 17:30 – The Right to Write: her four-step framework explained 18:00 – Step 1: Reflection (gratitude journaling, Ignatian Examen, discernment) 22:30 – Step 2: Integration — living what you see on paper 24:00 – Step 3: Expression — volunteering, showing up, giving without extrinsic motivation 26:00 – Stephanie Highfill's experience organizing the Hot Springs Christmas Parade 28:30 – Step 4: Connection — building community from the inside out 29:30 – How this platform grew from Lindsey's own mental health journey and PTSD healing 31:00 – The difference between being alone and being lonely (Brené Brown, John Cacioppo) 34:30 – The emotional vocabulary gap and why loneliness goes unspoken 36:00 – How to support Lindsey and her sponsors (Sozo Recovery Centers, Pioneer Health) 38:15 – Episode end 38:15–40:45 – 🎁 Bonus content

📌 SHOW NOTES

Books & Resources Mentioned: Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini Richard Rohr / Center for Action and Contemplation (Living School) Ignatian Examen (Jesuit contemplative practice) Lectio Divina (Christian contemplative reading practice) John Cacioppo's loneliness research

Key Themes: reflective journaling, mental health, self-actualization, loneliness, PTSD healing, Mrs. Arkansas pageant, speech-language pathology, spirituality, community, women in public life