OTR - Achieving Mental Health for Real

In this episode, Jon Edlin walks us through the night an EF3 tornado tore his Nashville home apart in six seconds while he and his family sheltered in a hallway — the only part of the house left standing. He describes the moment of impact, the shock that followed, and the long months of PTSD symptoms that reshaped his daily life. Jon explains how trauma lived in his body long after the storm passe...

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and trauma that may be triggering for listeners with PTSD or related experiences. Listener discretion is strongly advised. This is the conclusion of the story of Andrew Mclean who spent 18 years as a police constable with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, after starting his career as a news reporter. He served three yea...

This episode is NOT about Binge‑Eating DIsorder(BED). But still falls into the mental health category and is important to talk about ; It’s that everyday moment where one small bite turns into too much. Our guest Nan — short for Nadège Saysana — is a coach who helps women stop binge(or over) eating most commonly occurring after dinner. Her work is simple, kind, and grounded in emotional skill, not...

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and trauma that may be triggering for listeners with PTSD or related experiences. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Andrew spent 18 years as a police constable with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, after starting his career as a news reporter. He served three years as a Detective in the General Investigations Un...

Special announcements Coming in May a new voice in the OTR Universe OTR Universe Blog is here, start at: https://realplus.bearblog.dev/otr-lies-from-the-tablecloth/ Today’s guest is someone whose story reaches into the deepest places of grief and still finds a way to breathe life back into the room. Her name is Marcia Earhart — founder of The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, grief and trauma responder, He...

Special announcement OTR Universe Blog is here, start at: https://realplus.bearblog.dev/otr-lies-from-the-tablecloth/ **Today’s guest is Dr. Tony Iezzi — a clinical psychologist with more than 35 years on the front lines of trauma, chronic pain, and the behavior loops that keep people repeating the past. He’s the co‑author of *Reenactments: Break the Behavior Patterns That Keep You Stuck in Trauma...

Warning: Please be advised that this episode has adult content about young child abuse and an account of attempted suicide. This may contain triggers for some. Matthew F. Stevens, CCTRP, is our guest in this episode. He is the host of EQ Unlocked Podcast on Emotional Intelligence and Nervous System Informed Growth. Matthew and I went through several recovery subjects which included Matts terrible...

Lindsay Stadel is a wife, mother, grandmother, and accomplished entrepreneur who leads four successful companies: Stadel Farms, Inc., S & S Harvesting, LLC, Flinthills Transport, LLC, and TLS Logistics, LLC. Her commitment to mental health advocacy is rooted in personal experience with suicide loss and her own journey through mental health challenges. As an award‑winning author, she uses her w...

Most dyslexic professionals grow up believing they’re behind. Coach Willie Blake knows that story from the inside. Diagnosed in first grade, he spent years trying to hide, trying to catch up, and trying to be someone he wasn’t. Eventually, he made a different choice — if he was going to live with dyslexia, he was going to lead with it. Today, Willie is the go‑to high‑performance coach for dyslexic...

Season XI Premiere — Welcome to OTR Universe Today marks the start of Season XI of OTR – Achieving Mental Health for Real, and the beginning of something larger: the official launch of OTR Universe. OTR Universe is more than a podcast. It’s a connected space built for people who want honesty, clarity, and a real path home to a different kind of life. At the center of this expansion is Public Squar...

________________________________________ Here is a transcript of what's in this episode. Bob talks first , the following will be read by a voiceover. This is an important message for all OTR listeners, and I want to make sure I reach everybody. This is also in the description, but it’s presented verbally next. This will bring everyone up to date on the exciting rebrand starting January 27th at mid...

In this episode, we sit down with Kerry — mother, shaman, and newly published author of My Inner Heroine: Exploring Feminine Pain — to explore a life shaped by trauma, awakening, and radical self‑belief. As you can hear in the episode, her wisdom can apply in general to men. Kerry grew up in a single‑mother household in Southern California, navigating isolation, social struggle, and the early pres...

Welcome to Real 7 the best of 2025 part 2. there is much more information and inspiration left in the second part of of the season. From tackling grief to addressing the seriousness of the eating disorder known as binging. Each episode moves you closer to the tools you need to achieve mental health for real. So, Relax and injoy the last best of till next year. Big Boys Don't Cry - Handling Grief A...

Creating Spaces with Natalie Bedard (ADHD, PTSD,OCD) . We open with Natalie Bedard (NatNat), an Energy Healing Specialist who helps people regulate the nervous system and transform anxiety into empowerment through her brand LiftOneSelf. She’s been featured on multiple podcasts, always reminding us that self‑care is personal and that understanding our own biology is essential. This episode is speci...

Amber Abila helps women stop binge eating and overeating by rewiring their brains so they can finally feel normal and in control around any food. Over 3% of the US population struggles with binge eating and so many more do so in silence. For years, Amber struggled with her own relationship with food, trying everything from therapy and calorie counting to weight loss coaching. Nothing seemed to wor...

Hello and welcome back to, Real, the best of OTR from 2024 as promised. In 2024 the show had a lot of good mental health advice and stories of recoveries to help aid in achieving mental health for real through conventional and holistic methods. Enjoy each episode at the Captivate player by clicking the title link or search the title at your favorite host player (I.e. Apple podcast , Spotify). Amer...

Meet Dr. Corey Jentry the author of "Selling Sanity: The Troubled-Teen Industry, the Insane Profits, and the Kids Who Pay the Price." A survivor himself with a Ph. D. in Political Science from the London School of Economics, Corey talks about his rough upbringing and his experience at a troubled teen program. He exposes how troubled-teen programs marketed as “help” often cause lasting harm. Corey...

Amy Vincze struggled with PTSD from childhood trauma in her family growing up. Her father was an alcoholic who left home when she was just four. This led to her PTSD later in life as she felt her father’s abandonment must be because there was something wrong with her. This led to anxiety, and depression and she believes led to her cancer at just 31. Amy was always fascinated by the complexities of...

This episode explores some heavy topics with Zulma Williams from the podcast "Keeping it Real with Zulma the Swearing Therapists" . I talk to her about my anxiety, demons, worries and more. Which includes handing Death and Grief and how she handled her diagnosis of cancer at age 46. This is raw and real and a can't miss Zulma was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During her lifetime she...

Join me as I talk to Dr. Victoria Mattingly about Allyship in the workplace, which is the active practice of using one's privilege and influence to support, advocate for, and create a more equitable and inclusive environment for colleagues from marginalized or underrepresented groups. An example in mental health would be a neurotypical assisting a nuerodivergent Dr. Victoria Mattingly is CEO and f...

This episode is packed with goodies as we get down to it with our guest Estefana Johnson who shocked me when i asked her to describe herself. She noted that she was "Just a Person" and didn't read off a list of her many accomplishments. We talked about how you should live as your authentic self and never mask and be your real self. Later we got into how Estefana is leading the launch of Critical M...

This is a special episode explaining in detail the new changes coming up for OTR, if you want them. We are implementing a community forum and a quarterly blog for all in Real Plus. This is being done for three reasons. First to develop a community around healing from any Mental health condition and thriving. I think it’s important as we grow together to achieve Mental Health for Real. Secondly, to...

Meet Jenn Robb—author, coach, wife, and fiercely devoted mom. With over 20 years in acute care medicine and certifications in functional and integrative approaches, Jenn brings both clinical expertise and lived compassion to her work. She’s the author of Warrior Mom Rising, a raw and powerful account of her journey through her teen daughter’s severe anxiety, depression, and trauma. Through that fi...

Dale Walsh has faced—and transcended—one of the most formidable mental health challenges: schizophrenia. His journey from the depths of psychosis to a place of clarity and purpose informs every aspect of his work. Through his unique "inside-out" perspective, Dale coaches families of individuals living with serious mental illness, helping them bridge emotional gaps and navigate their daily challeng...

In this compelling conversation, Andy Y. West shares her journey from debilitating long COVID and cognitive decline to full recovery—achieved by hacking the dopamine reward system through intentional, science-backed habits. Drawing from her acclaimed books Planet Dopamine, Dopamine Mountain, and Anhedonia Wastelands, Andy explains how we can retrain our brains to produce dopamine naturally and saf...