The Dr. Melissa Show & The Stories That Shape Us

What if the moments that nearly break us are the ones that reveal us? In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show, Dr. Kaushal “K-Daddy”  Nanavati shares the hidden layers of his journey—from an immigrant childhood and academic collapse to becoming a physician, author, and Assistant Dean of Wellness. Through laughter, love, and honesty, he reveals how self-trust, family roots, and daily mindset shifts...

When Carlos Tearney walks into a room, he brings more than world championship titles and a fifth-degree black belt. For those of us lucky enough to know him, we know he brings his mega-watt smile, but he also brings depth.  Carlos' story was shaped by the streets of Syracuse, forged through loss, transformation, and an unshakable commitment to helping others rise. In this episode of The Dr. M...

When everything changes in an instant, what do you hold onto? For Dianne Vitkus, the answer is resilience, determination, and a new way forward as she works to transform trauma into purpose.  In this episode, Dr. Melissa sits down with Dianne Vitkus—former Division I athlete, surgical PA, and current disability advocate—to explore what it really means to rebuild a life after trauma. After a spinal...

Eric Devendorf  isn’t just a former basketball standout—he’s a living testament to how one’s love for the game can evolve into a mission. From scoring 1,680 points at Syracuse University and playing professionally to coaching, broadcasting, and launching a foundation in Central New York, Eric blends passion, resilience, and relentless commitment into everything he does. In this heartfelt conversat...

As a business founder, nothing is more exciting than scaling . . . but are you scaling and growing in a way that is sustainable?  In this episode, Dr. Melissa sits down with Christen Belcher, founder of Tre Cani Consulting and the woman behind some extremely successful operational turnarounds. With over two decades of experience building systems that scale, Christen has a gift for seeing what most...

 Episode 4: All In. Jeff Knauss on Legacy, Leadership, and the People Who Shape Us In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show , serial entrepreneur Jeff Knauss (Digital Hyve, Opin, Arcovo AI) shares how poverty fueled his hustle, why he made every employee an owner before selling his company in a multi-million-dollar deal, and how family remains the compass behind every decision he makes. Some people...

In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show: The Stories That Shape Us , Dr. Melissa Carman—licensed therapist, executive coach, and founder of CNY Mental Health Counseling—sits down with Arel Moodie , award-winning speaker and founder of Talkadot, a software platform helping speakers, educators, and coaches collect powerful audience feedback to grow their impact and credibility. Arel’s story spans fr...

In this episode of The Dr. Melissa Show: The Stories That Shape Us , Dr. Melissa Carman—licensed therapist, executive coach, and founder of CNY Mental Health Counseling—sits down with Kate Houck , Executive Director of David’s Refuge and founder of Brave CNY. Kate is a seasoned nonprofit leader, speaker, and culture-builder who shares what it really takes to lead with intention, build trust, and h...

Welcome to the first episode of The Dr. Melissa Show: The Stories That Shape Us —a podcast exploring the quiet, defining moments of identity, growth, and transformation that often unfold behind closed doors. In this powerful premiere episode, Dr. Melissa Carman—licensed therapist, executive coach, and founder of CNY Mental Health Counseling—sits down with Christine Phillips , a former educator tur...