The Big Silence

In this conversation with Dr. Marc Brackett, founder and director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Karena explores the science of emotional regulation, the RULER framework (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions), and why traditional approaches to handling feelings often fail. Dr. Brackett shares his personal story of childhood trauma, discusses the...

In this conversation with Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in eating disorders and founder of Within Health and Galen Hope treatment centers, Karena explores the life-threatening reality of eating disorders as serious mental illnesses that claim one life every 52 minutes in America. Dr. Oliver-Pyatt explains the biopsychosocial foundations of eating disorders, sh...

In this conversation with Bizzie Gold, founder of Break Method and creator of brain pattern mapping technology, Karena explores how childhood experiences create predictable patterns that shape your relationships, career, and mental health—and how understanding your source belief pattern can help you break free from self-deception and build a healthier life. How do you rewire the brain patterns for...

What if gratitude isn't just something you feel, but something you create more of every time you practice it? In this grounding Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through an 8-minute practice designed to help you reconnect with gratitude for your body, your breath, and your journey. Using breathwork, visualization, and mantras, this meditation invites you to pause and give thanks...

What If Your Gut Could Heal Your Mind? In this deeply personal episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with functional medicine pioneer and bestselling author Dr. Will Cole. From growing up with a bodybuilding dad in the '80s to building the first functional medicine telehealth clinic, Dr. Cole shares his unconventional path to becoming one of the most trusted voices in holistic health. He o...

What if the answer to your racing thoughts isn't fighting them—but watching them float by? In this week's free meditation for Mental Wellness Month, Karena guides you through a powerful practice designed for anyone whose mind won't shut up. This session teaches you to observe your thoughts without getting swept away by them—whether it's worry, planning, or that relentless inner critic. If you've b...

What if breaking your family’s silence was the first step to truly finding yourself? Author and educator, Dr. Joan Sung, joins Karena in Austin for a candid conversation about identity, intergenerational trauma, and what it really takes to prioritize mental health, especially within Asian American family systems. From the model minority myth to “tiger mom” dynamics, fetishization, and going “no co...

What if the powerful version of you isn't something you need to become—but something you already are? In this empowering Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through a 9-minute practice designed to help you reconnect with your inner strength and rise into your most confident self. Using breathwork, visualization, and affirmations, this meditation reminds you that you're not waiting...

What if your need for control is actually what's keeping you stuck? In this revealing episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with licensed therapist, YouTuber, and bestselling author Kati Morton to dive into her most personal book yet: Why Do I Keep Doing This? From toxic independence to people-pleasing as manipulation, Kati unpacks the precarious relationship we have with control—and why t...

What if you could choose where your energy goes and protect what matters most? In this special Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through a powerful practice designed to help you protect your peace and release what's not yours to carry. Using breathwork, visualization, and affirmations, this meditation creates a protective boundary around your energy and reminds you that not every...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if the thoughts that torment you don’t have to define you anymore? In this eye-opening episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with Jon Hershfield, MFT, director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt. From his own...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if grief isn't just about what you've lost, but also about honoring who you were and how far you've come? In this raw and heartfelt episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with entrepreneur, artist, and mental health advocate Ta...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if the sign you needed appeared at your darkest moment—and changed everything? In this deeply moving episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with actress, producer, and mental health advocate Sarah Gilman. Best known for her star...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if the thing you're running from is the exact thing holding you back from everything you're meant to be?  In this raw and powerful episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with podcast host, author, and co-host of Impaulsive , M...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What happens when you fight for a year to reclaim the company you built—and finally win? In this raw, emotional solo episode of The Big Silence , Karena Dawn breaks her silence and shares the news her community has been waiting for: she's...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if the invisible air around you was quietly impacting your sleep, your energy, and your overall health? In this eye-opening episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with Wes Greenwood, Wellness Director at Jaspr and a former fire...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if your intuition was the key to rewriting your story? In this illuminating episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with bestselling author and renowned intuitive Laura Day, whose new book The Prism: Seven Steps to Heal Your Pas...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if your lowest moment became the foundation for your purpose? In this heartfelt episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with country music artist Chase McDaniel, who transformed generational trauma, addiction, and mental illness...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if one terrifying night became the catalyst for a lifetime of healing? In this powerhouse episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with Angelo Keely, co-founder and CEO of Kion, to unpack his extraordinary path—from a near-fatal s...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if redefining success started with your nervous system?  In this powerful, live from New York conversation, Karena sits down with therapist and author Israa Nasir to unpack why achievement alone can still leave us feeling empty. You’...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if the moment you thought would end your life became the start of a mission to save millions? In this extraordinary episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with suicide prevention advocate, storyteller, and best-selling author K...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if fear wasn’t an enemy to conquer, but a source of fuel for creativity?  In this powerful episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with actor, teacher, and Committed Impulse founder, Josh Pais . From growing up in New York’s gri...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What happens when a cancer diagnosis collides with raising $10 million in venture capital? On this episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with Vanessa Rissetto, registered dietitian, CEO and co-founder of Culina Health, and cancer s...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What happens when the “perfect” relationship is powered by control, confusion, and intermittent kindness?  In this powerful conversation, Dr. Nadine Macaluso, somatic psychologist and author of Run Like Hell , breaks down trauma bonds. Sh...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn What if the breakdown you feared was actually the doorway to your greatest sense of peace? In this transformative episode of The Big Silence , Karena sits down with #1 New York Times bestselling author, spiritual teacher, and Dear Gabby po...