Many birth doulas teach their clients to ask a series of questions when a doctor recommends an intervention.The same decision-making framework can be handy when you’re facing any big medical decision.
When stakes are high, remembering the acronym B.R.A.I.N may help:
B: What are the BENEFITS of this intervention?
R: What are the RISKS?
A: What are the ALTERNATIVE options?
I: What does my INTUITION tell me?
N: What happens if I do NOTHING right now?
“ It’s essentially a framework for talking to your healthcare provider when you’re coming to a decision or a pivot point,” said Margaret Buxton, a certified nurse midwife and
vice president of clinical operations at Diana Health, a network of women’s healthcare practices in the South.
“We know that people who feel seen and heard in their healthcare visits, their anxiety goes down, their stress level goes down,” she said. “And their ability to process information, think and listen, all of that improves.”
And if you don’t have time to consider five questions (perhaps your doctor is talking to you between contractions), here’s the QTip: Even in a fast-paced medical setting, it’s OK to ask: What happens if I do nothing right now?
Illustration by @studioria
Producers: Katherine Ruppelt and Emily Siner
Editor: Megan Jones
Today is Election Day in Tennessee.
Voters will decide the state’s next governor, a senator, and state lawmakers. Ballots also include several open U.S. House seats, as well as three amendments to the state constitution.
Polls will be open until 7 p.m. in Middle Tennessee; bring a valid ID.
Tap link in bio for updates and information on the races, candidates, and where and how to vote.
Photos: Daniel Potter
Prducer: Daniel Potter
Editor: Megan Jones
Tennessee voters will choose their next governor, a senator, U.S. House representatives, and state lawmakers tomorrow.
Nashville Public Radio breaks down what to expect during the voting process and after polls close.
You can keep up with elections results by following, reading our live blog, or tuning into live special coverage streaming on our site.
You can also find our voter guide for any last-minute research on candidates or constitutional amendments on the ballot.
Tap link in bio for our full election coverage and that voter guide.
Producer: Alexis Marshall
Photos: Ryan Murphy / AFP via Getty Images, Justin Barney, Samantha Max, Davidson County Election Commission, Tony Gonzalez
Editor: Megan Jones
Tennessee abounds with reportedly supernatural spots to get your thrills during spooky season.
One Curious Nashville listener recently asked: “What is the most haunted place in Nashville?”
That prompted an investigation by reporter Justin Barney (@justinbarney) highlighting sites like Second Avenue and Two Rivers Mansion. Then WPLN’s daily show This Is Nashville widened the scope of our search, finding haunted prisons, an abandoned colony, and places associated with the famed Bell Witch.
You can hear more about all these supernatural sites and more in the This Is Nashville podcast feed.
Producers: Alexis Marshall, Justin Barney, This Is Nashville
Photos: Mary Vaughan, Tennessee State Library and Archives
Editor: Tony Gonzalez
In the final week of early voting, the GOP candidate for Tennessee’s new 9th Congressional District has become embroiled in a sexting scandal.
State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, acknowledged sending unsolicited nude photos of himself to multiple women as recently as 2021. But, as WPLN’s Marianna Bacallao (@ba.marianna) reports, he won’t say how many times it happened or with how many people.
“It really doesn’t matter whether it was one or 21, one was too many,” Taylor said. “I’m willing to be held accountable.”
Taylor, 58, has characterized the extramarital sexting as a “youthful indiscretion,” despite being in his 50s at the time.
“My wife and I have worked through that together, and we have moved on. And the frustrating part is that now she has to relive all this again,” Taylor said. “Tennesseans are not interested in the pain that is occurring in my family; they’re more interested in the pain that occurs in their family.”
Taylor is running to flip Memphis’ former district red after Republicans redrew the map to favor their party. His opponent, state Rep. Justin. J Pearson, D-Memphis, has condemned Taylor’s behavior.
Photo: Marianna Bacallao
Producer: Marianna Bacallao
Editor: Megan Jones
About a third of older adults are taking five or more medications a day. The more you take, the higher the risk of the meds interacting poorly with one another.
Sometimes five, six, even 10 medications are what’s needed for your health. But DeLon Canterbury, CEO of North Carolina-based GeriatRx, says it’s a good idea to bring a list to your doctor. Your health provider may not be aware of everything you’re taking, he said.
“Do not assume that someone is checking all of these things in the background. There isn’t this magical unicorn pharmacist just making sure everything is safe. Yes, even at the local pharmacy,” Canterbury said. “So make sure, if you notice something is off, that you advocate for yourself.”
The QTip: If you’re taking medications and supplements, keep your own up-to-date list and have it with you.
Video producer: Katherine Ruppelt and Emily Siner
Editor: Megan Jones
Illustration: studioria
If you’ve always dreamed of owning an acclaimed Tennessee whiskey company, now might be the time to snag a deal.
Editor Daniel Potter (@hellodanpo) reports that Uncle Nearest (@unclenearest), which has been in receivership as the company navigates huge debts, unpaid taxes, and federal investigations, is looking for a buyer.
The court-appointed attorney in charge has to make regular updates, and the one out this month is not stellar. The company remains insolvent, and it’s not the best time to be in the whiskey business.
Still, not all hope is lost. The report says “three potential purchasers remain in ongoing discussions,” and the attorney “feels that he is close to executing an asset purchase agreement.” If that doesn’t happen, he’s “concerned about the continued deterioration of the brand’s value.”
In other words, it’d help if a sale happened soon.
Photos: Daniel Potter / WPLN and Adam Hunger / AP
Producer/Editor: Megan Jones
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn received strong pushback after she posted an AI video of herself imitating Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX performance ahead of early voting in Tennessee.
WPLN’s Marianna Bacallaso (@ba.marianna) reports Lamar’s actual halftime show itself drew pushback from conservatives at the time.
Right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson called Lamar a “talentless mumbling pagan satanic cultist.” The late conservative activist Charlie Kirk said, “This music is not my style,” while some asked for subtitles to understand the show.
Cultural consultant Cecilia Olusola Tribble said Blackburn’s use of the song is itself an attempt to erase Black artists from the culture they created.
“Colonization is dependent on erasure,” Tribble said. “To erase the voice and the people who are responsible for the very fabric of the culture that her team was trying to copy in this ad.”
Tap link in bio for our ongoing election coverage.
Video Producer: Marianna Bacallao
Editor: Megan Jones
Video: Williamson Scene, 2025 Apple Music Halftime Show, Fox 13 Memphis
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4 tales from Tennessee election history to read during early voting that may surprise you
The NashVillager podcast rounds up four of the most influential and insightful election stories from Tennessee’s history.
Curious Nashville Returns!
Back by popular demand, the WPLN fan favorite series Curious Nashville is here to investigate oddities, share local history, tell stories of interesting people, and explain how local institutions operate.
You ask the questions, and we answer.
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