The Curious Introvert

When Silas Scauzillo was 7, a classmate made fun of his sister, who has Downs Syndrome. In this episode, Silas & his mom, Amanda, share how he responded, the reaction of the bully & the movement they started that even got the attention of Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Guest:  https://www.facebook.com/PeaceLoveGianna | https://www.facebook.com/groups/KindnessSquad | https://www.instagram.com/plg...

Bri Snellgrove is the owner of a PR firm in small town America. She is a police officer’s wife. She is the mom to two kids under 6 years old. In this episode, she describes how her need to be in control morphed into anxiety controlling her & how she recently become a medical marijuana patient. We talk stigmas, new patient experiences & the history of cannabis use in the United States. Gues...

This episode is a free guided breathwork session compliments of episode 61 guest, Jesse Coomer. He is the author of A Practical Guide to Breathwork, a certified Wim Hoff instructor as well as a breathwork coach. This is an episode you’ll want to use as a tool to flush out the stress & negative effects of 2020 & set fresh intentions for the New Year. Follow along laying down. Guest: https:/...

In this episode, I share how knowing my patterns gives me clues on what to do for my mental health, how sticking to my cornerstones keeps me from crashing emotional rollercoasters & my favorite tools & tricks that I rotate out to help support my well being and stave off depression. None of this is meant to be medical or mental health advice. It’s instead an opportunity for you to get to kn...

Jake Davis is mental health counselor and someone who loves someone with anxiety. He, himself, experienced a season in his life with daily anxiety attacks. In this episode, he offers tips on how to support someone with anxiety including practical tips on what to say and what not to say, boundaries & the issue of enabling. Guest: https://santarosacounselingcenter.com/ | https://www.facebook.com...

Jesse Coomer, a certified Wim Hof instructor & breathwork instructor, explains why the lifestyle of the modern human can take a toll on our breathing patterns, causing us to be in a constant state of fight or flight. He explains the function of the autonomic nervous system & shares practical tips to hack your vagus nerve in order to achieve either a sympathetic or parasympathetic state, af...

Instead of being sent to tennis camp, Rocky Kandola was sent to a nightmarish WWASP teen rehab center in Mexico, where he served an indefinite sentence with an arbitrary points system. He describes how this was the beginning of a cycle of abuse, imprisonment & bad decisions, but not the end of his life. Hear how he sifted identity from trauma and what gave him hope to keep going. Guest: https:...

World renown artist Jay Alders sheds light on how art & mental well-being go hand in hand. He explains the connection between creativity & problem solving & the importance of left-right brain integration. He also shares personal insights recently writing a book as well as from growing up with a mother with bi-polar disorder. Guest: https://jayalders.com/   | https://www.instagram.com/j...

What does it mean to be depressed? How do we know if we are just sad? Does depression present differently in men and women? Dr. Megan Stodard helps unpack the important aspects of mental health with humor and in plain language. Guest: https://www.harbor-wellness.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/harbor_wellness/ | www.harbor-wellness.com/blog | https://www.facebook.com/harborwellnesspcola Host: www...

If you watched the Netflix special (un)well, you may have seen Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Rachel Bernstein, in the episode on Tantric Sex. She is a mental health professional specializing in cult psychology, manipulators & systems of control. In this episode, we discuss what defines a cult, answer a gut-wrenching listener question & active cults in Florida. Guest: https://www.instag...

Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Phedra Smith, is back to help us worry, anxiety & stress (check out her first chat with me in episode 24 on How Not to Lose Your Sh*t During COVID19). We talk about how to know if you’re not fine, new ways to view mental health & daily rituals & routines that work. Guest: https://www.facebook.com/ghousecounseling/ | www.instagram.com/greenhouse_counsel...

Erik Waterman is a 4th generation Maine Lobsterman. In this episode we talk about fishing culture, how he almost died (twice), fishing feuds & THE major fishing scandal in the American Northeast. Guest: https://fb.watch/1pPb77Mpxj/ Host: www.meredithforreal.com | www.instagram.com/meredithforreal | meredith@meredithforreal.com | www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | www.facebook.com/meredithforrea...

Sue B Zimmerman has been teaching business owners how to make more money with their businesses using Instagram almost since Instagram started. She’s been an entrepreneur since her early 20s, but she’s enjoying midlife now, making her voice a credible, to-the-point authority in the space. In this episode, we talk about practical tips & large scope approach to using social media as a tool to con...

Rashmi Sharma grew up in various parts of India thanks to her military father & spent the last decade in the United States thanks to her pursuit in higher education. In this episode, we compare & contrast Indian & US cultures. She shares her biggest disappointment coming to the States, her biggest thrill & the inner workings of Indian match making. Guest: https://uwf.edu/ceps/depar...

C David Newton is board president of STAMPED, a festival showcasing LGBTQ film & filmmakers from all over the world, creating opportunities for viewers to not only see people like them on screen, but also build bridges in the community. The festival is named after the stamped money brought into the community by pride event attendees. In this episode he shares his personal experience attending...

Pensacola, FL was the FIRST settlement in the United States, making it old AF & ripe for ghost stories. Jessie Drossos has been professionally sharing these stories for the last 20 years. In this episode, she shares some of her favorite stories as well as her theory on ghosts. If you’re in Pensacola in October, be sure to book one of her tours through the University of West Florida Historic Tr...

Breanna Wilson is a freelance travel writer & photographer who found out her travel plans got Corona cancelled mid flight & ended up being stuck in the country of Georgia. She shares stories of how this & other uncomfortable moments have caused her to thrive. We talk wild horses, reindeer & yak yogurt. Guest: https://breannajwilson.com/   |  https://breannajwilson.contently.com/ |...

Sriram Ganesan’s family is from Southern India. Growing up in the U.S., he learned language like most Americans – late in life & well enough to pass an exam. Since traveling to 78 countries, spending about 1 month in each place, he now speaks 8 languages & works as a language trainer & tourism consultant. In this episode, he shares how learning languages can not only connect you to the...

Fraidy Reiss, founder of Unchained at Last, shares her own story of forced marriage & how she escaped, explains how this is happening IN THE UNITED STATES & how her organization expanded to advocate to end child marriage. Guest: https://www.instagram.com/unchainedatlast/ | https://www.unchainedatlast.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/UnchainedAtLast | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0LxkeD...

In part 2 of Sean Murphy’s story, he tells how he got into gay photography, his surprising gateway drug and why he decided to check himself into rehab. We also talk dopamine, 12 steps & the crazy Irish guy & the horse. Explicit language warning. Guest: https://seanmurphyphoto.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/murphyphoto/ | https://www.facebook.com/seanmurphyphoto/ | SAMHSA National Helplin...

Sean Murphy shares his story of going from barely graduating high school to being an award-winning photographer who’s worked with Weezer, Kid Rock, & Dr. Dre to name a few. In part 1 he shares how his journey started with $600 & a shipping container, how he got into photography (& drugs) & how a failed MTV Real World audition was the perfect set up to become THE photographer to som...

1 in 54 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It’s a wide spectrum that often gives individuals enhanced perception on some areas & diminished abilities in other areas. In this episode I talk with 11 year old Evan Hunley & his mom, Ellen. Evan’s autism super powers include enhanced memory, pattern recognition, deep empathy & a heightened desire to make those...

Adventure journalist, Kinga Philipps & I talk about the keys to connecting cross cultures, share stories of excessive kindness & how her dual background in journalism & anthropology work together to investigate global unsolved mysteries in her Travel Channel TV series Lost in the Wild. She also shares the weirdest (& most wonderful) travel memento ever! Guest: www.kingaphilipps.com...

Married couple Brent & Angela Lane share how they paid off $80,000 in debt when 40% of Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency with cash. They tell what systems really worked for them, how Angela was resistant at first, signs you might be headed for disaster & how they avoided a huge financial tragedy during breast cancer treatments. Guests: https://www.facebook.com/brentlanecat | https://w...

Ryan Schneider & wife Taeko Ariga both come from non-circus families. Ryan got his first job as the motorcycle on a high wire act at 31. The two met in Japan and now are a flying trapeze duo. In this episode, they describe the behind-the-scenes of their international performances, Ryan shares his philosophy on what makes a great performer & their parents reactions to their announcement the...