Karena Dawn

The Big Silence

Health EN ↓ 209 episodes

The Big Silence is a top-rated mental health and self-development podcast for anyone ready to build resilience, heal deeply, and grow with intention. Welcome to The Big Silence podcast. This is a space for real, honest conversations about mental health, resilience, and the things we’re all navigating but don’t always say out loud. I’m your host, Karena Dawn—mental health advocate, wellness entrepreneur, and owner and co-founder of Tone It Up—and each week I’m sitting down with psychologists, wellness experts, and people I deeply admire to talk about what healing actually looks like in real lif...

Author

Karena Dawn

Category

Health

Podcast website

thebigsilence.com

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

83. Break the Cycle: How To Heal From Intergenerational Trauma with Dr. Mariel Buqué 13.12.2023

Is trauma passed down in our DNA? How can we break that cycle to heal our families and ourselves? These are questions that have been coming up a lot for me, my friends, and our podcast community. Today, I’m excited to tackle these topics with Dr. Mariel Buqué.  Dr. Buqué is a Columbia University trained psychologist and author of the new book, Break The Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerati...

82. How To Create Heaven on Earth & More Lessons From the Spirit World with Medium Rebecca Rosen 15.11.2023

We can learn some of our greatest life lessons from those who have passed on. Today, we have a spiritual medium on the podcast for the first time ever. This incredible conversation brought me to tears of joy. It’s an experience I’ll never forget. Rebecca Rosen is an internationally acclaimed medium, speaker, and author of the new book, What’s Your Heaven? Her mission is to open the lines of commun...

81. Who Is Caring for Our Healthcare Workers? Mental Health & Nursing with Dr. Donna Gaffney & Nicole Foster 08.11.2023

Nurses are on the frontlines caring for us, but how can they best care for their own mental and physical health? In today’s episode of The Big Silence, we pose the question to psychotherapist and psychiatric mental health nurse Dr. Donna Gaffney and wellness coach Nicole Foster. Donna and Nicole are the authors of the new book, Courageous Well-Being For Nurses. This book – and today’s warm hug of...

80. Everything You’ve Wanted To Know About Psychedelic Therapy with Derek Du Chesne & Dr. Sam Zand 01.11.2023

I’m really excited to dig into a new topic you’ve been asking about – psychedelic therapy. Today, Derek Du Chesne and Dr. Sam Zand demystify the sometimes controversial practice and explain how it is transforming the future of mental health treatment.  Derek and Dr. Zand are the co-founders of Better U, an alternative mental health platform that offers at-home ketamine therapy and other holis...

79. Revisiting Narcissism: Identifying a Narcissist in Your Life with Dr. Jaime Zuckerman 25.10.2023

Today’s re-air puts the spotlight back on Dr. Jaime Zuckerman, aka Dr. Z. She's a national expert in narcissistic abuse and a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of adults with anxiety and mood disorders. She's also a relationship coach and she has her own podcast. We break down narcissistic personality disorder, harmful Disney messaging, golden child syndrome manipulation...

78. Listen to Your Gut: Food as Medicine, Gut Health & Intuition in Entrepreneurship with Kerry Song 18.10.2023

On this beautiful new day, we welcome the talented Kerry Song to chat about my favorite topics – healthy eating, mental wellness, and impact-driven entrepreneurship. Kerry is the founder and CEO of Abbot’s Butcher, a brand that makes delicious, plant-based meats from quality, ethically-sourced ingredients.  Kerry has always been driven by a mission to serve others. While working with a market...

77. Secrets of a Top Trainer: Fitness Motivation & Finding Inner Strength with Eric Rakofsky 11.10.2023

Personal trainer and amateur boxer, Eric Rakofsky, has always been a fighter. After a challenging upbringing and losing his father at a young age, Eric found purpose in his passion for fitness. He now helps his clients – including influential CEOs and supermodels – connect with their inner strength, in and out of the gym.  Eric is also a trainer at my favorite gym in Austin, The Kollective. I...

76. Rewrite Your Inner Story: How To Shift Your Self-Talk & Live Fearlessly with Katie Horwitch 04.10.2023

Let’s talk about self-talk. How you speak to yourself sets the tone for everything else in your life. That’s why I’m so excited to welcome Katie Horwitch – passionate writer, mindset coach, and women’s empowerment activist – to The Big Silence podcast today. Katie is the founder of WANT: Women Against Negative Self-Talk, a platform that gives women tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift their...

75. How to Build Unbreakable Confidence & Resilience with Demi-Leigh Tebow 27.09.2023

I’m so excited to welcome Demi-Leigh Tebow, a powerhouse entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and former Miss South Africa and Miss Universe to the show today. After a traumatic carjacking experience, Demi dove into learning about gender-based violence and human trafficking. She then founded Unbreakable, a confidence-building conference that educates, empowers, and equips women to overcome challeng...

74. Rewriting 50+ Years of Mental Health Stigma: A Raw Conversation with Rocker Snake Sabo 20.09.2023

Snake Sabo spent years suffering in silence, afraid to talk about his experiences with severe depression, anxiety, trauma, and self-harm. Now, he speaks openly about his journey and shares our passion for breaking the stigma around mental health.  We’re thrilled to welcome Snake Sabo, a legendary musician and the guitarist of heavy metal band Skid Row. In this vulnerable conversation, Snake o...

73. You Can Transform the World: An Unforgettable Conversation with Marianne Williamson 13.09.2023

It is a great honor to have bestselling author, spiritual leader, and 2024 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson on the podcast. She has changed millions of lives – including mine, I have been following her work since I started my own spiritual journey in my 20s – and she continues to do so every day with her deep passion and purpose for healing our world.  In this dynamic, thought-provo...

72. Connect With Your Inner Knowing: A Revealing Conversation with Kimberly Van Der Beek & Peggy Rometo 06.09.2023

I am thrilled to welcome Kimberly Van Der Beek and Peggy Rometo to the show. Recently, I chatted with them on their amazing podcast, Bathroom Chronicles, instantly falling in love with their warm energy, vulnerability, and deep insights. I know you will too! Peggy is a spiritual teacher and world-renowned energy expert who helps others discover their intuitive gifts. Kimberly was a strategic advis...

71. Are You Living Like You Mean It? And More Big Questions With Author & Cancer Thriver Kris Carr 30.08.2023

We’re all going to die. But how many of us live along the way? That is the question that wellness leader, Kris Carr, poses to the community today. After following one another for many years, she finally joins us on the podcast for a deep dive into her journey and mission. As a New York Times bestselling author, wellness activist, and cancer thriver, Kris leads the charge in the fight against disea...

70. Resilience as a Superpower: Tone It Up Girl Katrina Surdi’s Story of Loss, Love & Community 23.08.2023

I’m honored to introduce you to Katrina Surdi, a radiant Tone It Up girl, mental health advocate, devoted kindergarten teacher, and certified yoga instructor. Katrina has been a leader in the Tone It Up community for more than twelve years, where she has forged lifelong friendships and motivated others with her strength, positivity, and vibrant spirit.  You can count me as one of the countles...

69. Unmasking Resilience: From Messy Minds to Mental Mastery with Dr. Caroline Leaf 16.08.2023

We are truly honored to welcome Dr. Caroline Leaf, a renowned communication pathologist, audiologist, and clinical and cognitive neuroscientist with an expertise in psychoneurobiology and metacognitive neuropsychology. For over four decades, Dr. Leaf has been at the forefront of mind-brain research, tirelessly exploring the profound ways our minds shape our brains, control our thoughts, and ultima...

68. Falling into Fulfillment: Unraveling the Inspiring Story & Deep Impact of Jenna Phillips Ballard 09.08.2023

Jenna Phillips Ballard remembers experiencing severe depression as a teen, crippled by a fear of being misunderstood, bullied by classmates, ruminating on the experience of her own funeral. Then, she fell – suffering a traumatic head injury that would influence the rest of her life. Today, we’re joined by a powerhouse woman, leader, coach, trainer, author, and now – musician! Jenna Phillips Ballar...

67. MacKenzie Bourg’s Journey through Adversity, Grief & Healing Through Music 02.08.2023

I am thrilled to have MacKenzie Bourg as our guest today. MacKenzie has carved out a unique path in the world of music. From being an aspiring athlete in Lafayette, Louisiana, to battling a life-threatening virus that triggered congestive heart failure, his journey has been anything but conventional. In this episode, he illuminates how his inability to be physically active at a young age fueled hi...

66. Healing After A Toxic Relationship: Finding Harmony in Self-Love with Dr. Najwa Zebian 19.07.2023

Today, on The Big Silence, we’re joined by Dr. Najwa Zebian, renowned activist, author, speaker, and educator in the mental health and relationships space. Her multifaceted self-help audiobook, Conversations on Letting Go, is a TBS favorite – packed with real-world advice and introspective thought exercises to help people get through the hard times and enjoy the good ones.  We cover her inspi...

65. What is Long COVID? And How to Move Forward with Dr. James C. Jackson 12.07.2023

Today’s guest, Dr. James C. Jackson, is an internationally renowned expert on long COVID and its effects on cognitive and mental health functioning. He is a research professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Vanderbilt, where he is also the co-founder and director of Behavioral Health at the award-winning ICU Recovery Center, one of the first comprehensive clinical resources devoted to diagnosing an...

64. Bobby & Karena AMA: Lessons from Our 10-Year Relationship, Tips for Calming Race Day Anxiety & More 05.07.2023

It’s been a while since Bobby and I have gotten together for an AMA, so we’re back with a Wine Not Wednesday AMA episode! As we’re sipping on our Slate Theory Wine, we talk about our first impressions of each other and reflect on my growth, from a shy introvert to being more confident in myself and my mission in this world. We give our honest tips for a healthy marriage and what’s been important t...

63. Brain Breakthroughs: Investing in New Mental Health Technology with Dr. Amy Kruse 22.06.2023

Today’s guest Dr. Amy Kruse is the General Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Satori Neuro, a stage-agnostic venture fund focused on mental health, neurotechnology, and human flourishing. Amy leverages her decades of experience as a neuroscientist and her prior roles as an operator and a government program manager to discover transformational companies addressing the largest mental health, br...

62. Unlocking the Mind-Body Connection Through Therabody Wellness Technology with Dr. Jason Wersland 14.06.2023

Today, we’re talking all about integrating the mind and body through innovative technologies with Dr. Jason Wersland, the Founder and Chief Wellness Officer of Therabody. He is deeply involved in Therabody’s R&D process, starting with the invention of Theragun, the world’s first handheld percussive therapy device, to leading a team of scientists and engineers in creating the brand’s full ecosy...

61. Redefining Your Purpose with 2-time Olympian Trey Hardee 07.06.2023

Today's guest, joining us live in The Big Silence studio, is Trey Hardee, 2-time World Champion and 2-time Olympian (Silver in 2012) in the Decathlon. Trey was the World’s #1 ranked Decathlete four times throughout his career while racking up 4 US titles. A 7-time All-American, he also set the Collegiate Record in the Decathlon – no big deal. Trey is also an ambassador for Flatwater Foundation, a...

60. What Is Healthy? Reframing Food Language & Diet Lifestyle with Kim Shapira, MS, RD 24.05.2023

Today’s super informed guest on The Big Silence is Kim Shapira, MS, RD, a practicing celebrity dietitian and nutrition therapist for the last 25 years. She’s famous for her 6 rules to develop and sustain a normal relationship with food, which forms the outline of her new book, This Is What You’re Really Hungry For, and our insightful conversation, today. Kim specializes in helping people lose weig...

59. Sasha Pieterse on Knowing Your Value, Rejection Resilience, PCOS & Motherhood 17.05.2023

I am so excited to have Sasha Pieterse-Sheaffer on the show. A passionate actress, author, and entrepreneur, she’s been an actress for 22 years with the privilege of working on some fantastic television shows and films, including the hit series Pretty Little Liars.  She’s also the author of In Good Taste, a book inspired by her love of hosting and passion for healthy living. Sasha is a proud...

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