.gfh-episode-wrap{max-width:900px;margin:0 auto;line-height:1.7} .gfh-episode-wrap h1,.gfh-episode-wrap h2,.gfh-episode-wrap h3{line-height:1.3;margin:0 0 .4em} .gfh-eyebrow{font-size:.9rem;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;opacity:.7;margin-bottom:.25rem} .gfh-title{font-size:clamp(1.6rem,2.5vw,2.4rem);margin-bottom:.75rem} .gfh-meta{font-size:.95rem;opacity:.8;margin-bottom:1rem} .gfh-hero{margin-bottom:1.5rem} .gfh-quote{border-left:4px solid #6be2db;padding-left:1rem;margin:1rem 0;font-style:italic;color:#333} .gfh-list{list-style:disc;margin-left:1.5rem} .gfh-cta-btn{display:inline-block;background:#6be2db;color:#000;padding:.65em 1.25em;border-radius:2em;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;margin:0 .5em .5em 0} .gfh-cta-btn:hover{opacity:.9} Glow For Hope: Sparking Conversation on Mental Health Lux (Ashley Elzinga) on Mental Health, Reinvention, and the Power of Cannabis Education Hosts: Kelly Poelker & Delisa Richardson
Guest: Lux (Ashley Elzinga)
Category: Lived Experience, Mental Health, Cannabis Education

What happens when you walk away from a 15-year dream career, hit a wall with your mental health, and choose to talk about it publicly anyway? In this episode, radio host and community-builder Lux (Ashley Elzinga) shares her journey from St. Louis to Kansas City, how loneliness and suicidal thoughts showed up in her life, and why cannabis education became an important tool in her mental health toolkit. She opens up about asking for help, breaking stigma inside and outside the doctor’s office, and using storytelling and community to remind people they’re not alone.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Lux went from “dream job” radio in St. Louis to starting over in Kansas City — and what that transition did to her mental health.
• What it looked like to be honest with her employer about suicidal thoughts and take time away from the mic.
• How loneliness during the pandemic magnified anxiety and depression, and the role therapy and medication played in her support system.
• Why cannabis became more than a “fun” substance and how education helped her use it intentionally and safely.
• Ways stigma around both mental health and cannabis shows up in doctor’s offices, workplaces, and even family systems.
• How journaling, content creation, and soccer community helped her reconnect with purpose and identity.
• Why storytelling matters so much for people who feel like they’re the only one going through something hard.
• The message Lux hopes people take away when she uses her platform to talk openly about being human, messy, and still moving forward.

Guest Spotlight: Lux (Ashley Elzinga)

Lux (Ashley Elzinga) is a Missouri native, longtime radio host, storyteller, and passionate mental health advocate. She spent 15 years on 105.7 The Point in St. Louis before stepping away from daily radio to explore new paths in cannabis education, social media, and sports — including coaching youth soccer and working as a PA announcer and in-game host. Today, she co-hosts Sparks & Lux on 101 The Fox in Kansas City, creates content that brings people together, and uses her voice to talk honestly about ADHD, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and how cannabis education became part of her wellness support. Her mission is simple: help people feel seen, heard, and less alone when life gets heavy.

Key Quotes “I loved radio, but I could feel my light dimming. If I didn’t choose to leave, my listeners would eventually hear it in my voice.” “During the pandemic I was alone in a three-bedroom house. Cannabis helped pull me out of the past and future and bring me back into the present.” “If I’m not willing to talk about mental health and suicidal thoughts on a public platform, who will? I wanted people to know it’s not just ‘someone else.’” “You don’t have to destroy your life to decide something isn’t working for you anymore — whether that’s a job, alcohol, or anything else.” “I just want people to see that I’m human and they’re human — and that whatever we’re going through is something we can face, together.” Resources & Next Steps

• Connect with Lux on social media:
  Radio & life: @luxstlou
  Cannabis journey: Midwestern Mary Jane (as mentioned in the episode)
• If cannabis is part of your curiosity or care conversation, talk with a licensed medical professional who is informed about cannabis and your specific health history. If your current provider can’t have that conversation, it’s okay to seek a second opinion.
• If you’re feeling isolated, consider simple connection points: journaling honestly, sending a text to a trusted friend, joining a local support group, or showing up to a community event where you don’t have to “perform” — just be present.
• Explore Glow For Hope’s mission to spark conversations, create community, and ignite hope in real-life spaces — from events to resources for parents, caregivers, and trusted adults.

Next Episode

Stay tuned for upcoming conversations with guests who bring lived experience, professional insight, and real talk about mental health, suicide prevention, and the power of community. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss what’s next.

Support the Show

Glow For Hope is a nonprofit organization focused on mental health and suicide prevention through education, community, and conversation. If this episode resonated with you, there are a few ways you can support our work:

• Share this episode with a friend, family member, or coworker who might need to hear it.
• Leave a rating or review in your favorite podcast app so more people can find the show.
• Consider making a donation to help us expand resources, events, and outreach in the community.

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Crisis Resources

This conversation touches on anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone — and you do not have to navigate it by yourself.

• In immediate danger: Call 911 or your local emergency number.
• United States: Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use chat at 988lifeline.org.
• Outside the U.S.: Visit findahelpline.com to locate free, confidential support in your country.
• If you’re not in crisis but need support, consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, faith leader, teacher, coach, or mental health professional.

Disclaimer

Glow For Hope and the Glow For Hope podcast do not provide therapy, medical care, or crisis services. The conversations in this episode are for education, awareness, and connection only and are not a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or individualized medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare or mental health professional for questions about your own situation, safety, or treatment options.

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