365 Proof by Defining Wellness

In Episode 24 of the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness, Carly Caver sits down with Rudy Bazin a Haitian-born entrepreneur, husband, father, author, and founder of Sommet Accounting Systems for a conversation about success, identity, community, and the pressure to carry everything on our own.   Rudy shares how growing up in Haiti shaped his view of community, how his definition of success chan...

In Episode 23 of the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness, Daniel, Courtney, and Linda sit down with Dr. Greg Caudill for a powerful conversation about addiction, recovery, medicine, and the role of spirituality in healing.   Dr. Caudill shares his remarkable journey from struggling with severe opioid and heroin addiction while attending medical school to finding recovery and ultimately becoming...

In Episode 22 of the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with longtime behavioral health leader and ClereConsulting co-founder Doug Lyons. With more than 35 years in the addiction treatment field and decades of personal recovery, Doug shares how his own addiction ultimately became the gateway to a life of purpose. The conversation explores mentorship,...

In Episode 21 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Alison Johnson, a dual-certified family and psychiatric nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, and Defining Wellness detox provider.   Alison shares her path from growing up around healthcare to building Performance Health and Wellness, working on the front lines of acute care during COVID, and finding a dee...

In Episode 20 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Lee and Tiffany Stringer of Fifth Squad, a veteran led nonprofit creating connection, support, and community for veterans, service members, and their families. Lee shares his journey from enlisting in the Army to serving overseas, navigating the transition home, and finding renewed purpose through servi...

In Episode 19 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan welcome longtime friend, colleague and recovery advocate Ruth Ann Rigby for a candid conversation about survival, surrender and a life devoted to serving others. With 29 years in long-term recovery, Ruth Ann shares how growing up in a family affected by addiction, enduring traumatic experiences and reaching a persona...

In Episode 18 of the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer, Courtney Milan, and Carly Caver welcome Tracey Trigg, founder and CEO of Loving Through His Eyes, a Mississippi-based nonprofit dedicated to helping women heal from trauma, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Tracey courageously shares her journey from childhood sexual abuse, shame, bullying, and a severe stutter t...

What does lasting recovery really look like after the substances are gone?   In Episode 17 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness podcast, Daniel Pfeiffer welcomes his longtime friend, Phil Nutt, Director of Marketing and Admissions at Choice House in Boulder, Colorado. Together, they share an honest conversation about addiction, trauma, family dynamics, the Twelve Steps, therapy, faith, and the li...

In this episode of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Dr. Avni Patel, board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Mississippi Psychiatry and Wellness.   Dr. Patel shares her journey from growing up in Columbia, Mississippi, to building a thriving psychiatric practice dedicated to serving her home state. She reflects on the path that led her to psychiatry...

In this powerful conversation, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Robert Green, founding pastor of Fondren Church, husband, father, leader, and one of Mississippi’s most respected voices on faith and community. Robert shares his journey from Starkville to college ministry, meeting his wife Susan, and ultimately taking the leap of faith to plant Fondren Church. Together, they explore wh...

In episode 14 of the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Heather Lary, Director of Referral Relations and Marketing at The Carpenter’s Shed in Monroe, Louisiana. Heather shares her journey from special education and pharmaceutical sales into the mental health and recovery field, where she now helps young men ages 16 to 20 find structure, purpose,...

In episode 13 of the 365 Proof Podcast, Courtney and Carly sit down with Ray Coleman, Director of Communications for Mississippi Veterans Affairs, for a powerful conversation about leadership, crisis communication, public service, and honoring Mississippi’s veterans. Ray shares his journey from sports broadcasting to state government, the pressure of communicating during high-stakes situations, an...

Episode 12 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness brings a raw and eye-opening conversation with Robert McCaslin and Patrick Cheney of Alta Loma Transformational Services. This episode pulls back the curtain on a side of mental health most people don’t understand, severe mental illness, psychosis, and what happens when traditional systems fall short. Robert and Patrick break down the gap between short-...

In Episode 11 of the 365 Proof Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Victoria Hardy for a deeply honest conversation about the pain addiction brings into families, and the hope that healing is still possible.   Victoria, a licensed marriage and family therapist and Certified Family Life Educator at Defining Wellness, shares why family work matters so much in recovery and why addi...

In Episode 10 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Colonel Steven Maxwell, a 30-year public service veteran and current leader in corrections investigations, for one of the most eye-opening conversations yet. Colonel Maxwell brings a rare perspective shaped by decades on the front lines of narcotics enforcement, leadership, and public health. What he re...

On this episode number 9 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Tim Risler, founder and director of Equine Healing Solutions, for a powerful conversation about recovery, trauma, self-awareness, and the life-changing impact of equine therapy. With more than three decades of experience in substance abuse and mental health treatment, Tim shares how his journ...

In episode number 8 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Catherine Hickem and Cindy Barber of The Dash Group. Catherine and Cindy have been key partners in Defining Wellness’ organizational growth following the recent acquisition. In this conversation, they discuss what they often see inside organizations, the cultural and leadership challen...

In episode number 7 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Jordan Jones, Founder and CEO of Holos. With 20 years of experience as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant, Jordan has seen the physical and emotional toll that high-stress environments place on the mind and body. Today, he uses that experience to help military personnel, first responder...

In episode number 6 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Drew Rothermel, CEO of Defining Wellness Centers. Drew shares his journey from practicing corporate law to becoming a leader in the behavioral health field, where he has spent more than two decades designing innovative treatment programs centered on meaningful, lasting patient outcomes...

In episode number 5 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Craig Watson, LPC-S, Owner of Vitality Counseling in Madison, Mississippi. Craig is a leadership consultant, author of The Construction Leadership Field Manual, and creator of the suicide prevention app Hard Hat Help. With extensive experience in supporting individuals facing depressio...

In episode number 4 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer sits down with Jeff Skillen, founder of SkillSet Enterprises. Jeff has built a career helping leaders and organizations find direction in fast-changing environments, offering guidance in strategy, transformation, and growth. With executive experience spanning healthcare, media, technology, and beyond, Jeff has become...

In this episode of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, hosts Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan welcome Neely Carlton Lyons, a compassionate advocate for addiction and mental health who believes healing begins with listening and meeting people where they are. Neely shares insight from her unique journey as the youngest-ever elected Mississippi State Senator, a legal advocate for behavioral health profes...

In episode number 2 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Kimberly McRoy, Human Resources Director at Thermo-Kool. With more than 30 years of professional experience and over three decades in recovery herself, Kimberly leads Thermo-Kool’s Recovery-Friendly Workplace program, which provides meaningful opportunities for individuals rebuilding t...

In episode number 1 of the 365 Proof by Defining Wellness Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Susan Cleland, founder of Mission Vigilant. After losing her son, U.S. Air Force veteran Michael Ryan Vinson, to suicide in 2019, Susan made a courageous decision to transform her grief into meaningful action. Mission Vigilant exists to support veterans, first responders, and their fam...