Mentally A Badass

In this heartfelt interview, Andre Paradis shares his journey from childhood trauma and emotional neglect to discovering his passion for dance, building a successful career, and finding love and purpose through self-awareness and personal growth. His story highlights the power of vulnerability, resilience, and the transformative impact of understanding oneself. In this insightful interview, Andre...

In this insightful interview, Laurel Van Der Toorn, a seasoned therapist, demystifies EMDR therapy, explores trauma's impact on mental and physical health, and discusses how healing childhood and medical trauma can transform lives. Check out Laurel: https://www.laureltherapy.net/   Connect with Us:   Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our mental health community on Facebook:...

In this heartfelt interview, Sheryl Hauk shares her profound journey from childhood trauma to resilience, highlighting the importance of mental health awareness, breaking stigma, and the power of creativity in healing. Check out Sheryl's Book https://sherylhauk.com/sherylhauk-2898 Connect with Us: Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our mental health community on Facebook: ⁠https://www...

In this heartfelt interview, Hayley shares her inspiring journey of overcoming childhood trauma, managing PTSD, and surviving a stroke at age 20. Discover her coping strategies, artistic passions, and insights on healing and resilience. Check out Hayley's Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/diverse-stories-diverse-paths/ Connect with Us:   Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our men...

In this heartfelt interview, Rachael Hollwey shares her inspiring journey through anorexia, her rare genetic disease, and her path to healing. Discover insights into mental health, the power of resilience, and the importance of sharing stories to foster understanding and hope. Check out Rachael: https://tinyurl.com/mutfbhsk Connect with Us: Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our menta...

In this powerful interview, Savannah Brow shares her deeply personal journey through childhood trauma, generational patterns, and the emotional process of going no contact with her family. This conversation explores the lasting impact of toxic family dynamics, emotional neglect, and unhealthy relationship patterns that often repeat across generations. Savannah opens up about how her upbringing sha...

In this powerful interview, JenniSue Jessen shares her harrowing story of childhood sex trafficking, her journey of healing, and her impactful work fighting human trafficking through her organization, Compass 31. Discover insights on trauma, recovery, and how community and faith play roles in overcoming unimaginable adversity. Check out Jennisue Jessen: https://www.facebook.com/jenni.jessen https:...

Kriss Moreno shares her powerful journey of escaping an abusive relationship, recognizing red flags, and rebuilding her life through healing and entrepreneurship. This episode offers valuable insights into identifying abuse, overcoming trauma, and embracing authenticity. Check out Kriss: https://www.instagram.com/itskrissmoreno/ Connect with Us: Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our...

In this episode, Samantha Mandell shares her journey with PNES, a functional neurological disorder, including her experiences, diagnosis process, and treatment options. Discover insights into how trauma and everyday stressors can impact mental health and neurological conditions. In this insightful conversation, Samantha Mandell shares her journey through functional neurological disorders, the impo...

In this episode, we unpack the realities of cultural expectations, academic pressure, and identity through the lens of a first-generation experience. From the constant push to succeed to the impact of strict parenting styles, we explore what many Chinese-American children grow up navigating—but don’t always talk about.  We also touch on social life, shyness, and the challenges of balancing cu...

If you keep attracting emotionally unavailable people… It’s not random. It’s a pattern. And I know that might be hard to hear, but if you’re always the one confused, overthinking, or trying to “earn” consistency… there’s a deeper reason why this feels familiar to you. In this episode, we’re getting honest about why you keep choosing people who can’t fully choose you — and what it actually takes to...

What happens in childhood doesn’t stay in childhood—especially when it comes to our relationships. In this conversation, Regina Hiremath shares her story of growing up in an abusive environment and how it shaped her views on love, connection, and self-worth. We talk about the emotional void trauma can create, why we seek validation in unhealthy places, and how familiar patterns can keep us stuck i...

She turned one of the worst years of her life into something that’s now changing thousands of others.   After experiencing one of the hardest years of her life, Brianna Fernandez created something that would go on to impact thousands—the “1% Series.”  In this episode, we talk about how pain turned into purpose, and how small, intentional changes can lead to a completely different life. F...

Kelly Weaver shares her inspiring journey through life's challenges, including health crises, personal loss, and finding purpose. This conversation offers valuable insights on resilience, self-care, and navigating life's transitions with grace. Check out Kelly: https://kellyweaverconsulting.com/ Connect with Us: Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our mental health community on Faceboo...

What does it do to a person when they grow up between two cultures that don’t understand each other? In this episode, I sit down with therapist Avni Panchal for a real, unfiltered conversation about mental health in Indian culture — and how different it feels compared to the U.S. We talk about the stigma.  The silence.  The pressure to succeed.  The unspoken family expectations. Avn...

Think you know what it means to be an alcoholic—or what “alcohol freedom” really is? Think again. Stephanie Brislin joins us to break down the myths, challenge what society tells us about drinking, and reveal the truths most people never talk about. Whether you drink or don’t, this episode will make you question everything you thought you knew about alcohol. Check out Stephanie: https://www.thelif...

In this episode, I sit down with author Adriene Caldwell to talk about what it was really like growing up in the foster care system. Adriene shares her story honestly—what happened behind closed doors, how it shaped her mental health, and what it takes to heal when the adults who were supposed to protect you didn’t.  This conversation isn’t sugar-coated or dramatic for the sake of it. It’s re...

Becoming a mom can feel isolating in ways no one talks about. Alli Kushner shares her postpartum experience and opens up about how hard it can be to make friends after motherhood. A real, honest conversation for moms who love their kids but miss feeling connected. Check out Alli: https://allikushner.com/ Connect with Us: Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join our mental health community o...

In this episode, I sit down with psychologist and author Betsy Holmberg , who specializes in negative self-talk and the powerful role it plays in our lives. Betsy opens up about her own divorce, sharing how she felt emotionally blinded in her marriage and what it took to finally see the truth clearly. We dive into how negative self-talk can keep us stuck in unhealthy patterns, why it’s often so ha...

In this episode, I sit down with Barrett Young to have an honest conversation about identity, success, and the rarely discussed reality of returning to employee life after entrepreneurship. Barrett opens up about building a successful business, the obstacles that ultimately led him to step away, and the internal struggle of redefining who you are when your title changes. We talk about ego, burnout...

In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Paolicelli, the creator of Dare to Be Iconic , to talk about the breakup that shattered her—and ultimately shaped her into the woman she is today. Amanda opens up about trauma, healing, self-worth, and how she turned pain into purpose. We dive deep into confidence, empowerment, and what it really means to become “iconic” as a woman rebuilding her life. This...

In this powerful episode, Tanya Kach shares the shocking story of how she was groomed, manipulated, and ultimately held captive for 10 years by her middle school security guard. Locked upstairs and hidden from the world, Tanya endured a decade of fear, isolation, and control before finally finding the courage to escape. We dive deep into: How the grooming began at school The moment she was taken a...

Danielle Young was only 18 when she met a man who seemed charming — but turned out to be a complete loser who preyed on her innocence and controlled her every move. What started as attention quickly became abuse, manipulation, and emotional destruction. In this powerful conversation, Danielle opens up about how she survived years of mistreatment, found the courage to leave, and began rebuilding he...

Motherhood isn’t always picture-perfect — and in this episode, Kayce Hodos gets real about what moms actually go through. We discuss mental health, self-care, and honest motherhood advice without the sugar-coating. Tune in for a refreshing, relatable chat every mom needs to hear. Check out Kayce: https://tinyurl.com/y4d7mvds Connect with Us:   Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠ Join o...

Larry Bograd shares his story of losing his father to suicide and the deep grief that followed. He reflects on how hard it was to mourn in a time when no one talked about mental health or suicide. Through his journey, Larry reveals what it means to heal from a loss that once had no voice. Order Larry's Book: https://amzn.to/4oEQZLz Connect with Us:   Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@MentallyABadass⁠...