The Mental Breakthrough (TMB)

Welcome to Episode 39 of The Mental Breakthrough, where I am joined again by Brodie Farber, a familiar face from my mixed martial arts days. In this episode, we delve into the current state of the world, discussing the whirlwind of events unfolding around us.  Our conversation traverses our individual life trajectories, spanning the time before we knew each other, our shared experiences in trainin...

Welcome to Episode 38 of The Mental Breakthrough, where I'm joined once again by Josh Converse for a multifaceted discussion that spans a wide array of intriguing subjects. Our conversation primarily orbits around Andrew Klavan’s book, "The Truth and Beauty," which Josh generously shared with me along with several other thought-provoking reads.  This episode is much more than a book...

Welcome to Episode 37 of The Mental Breakthrough, featuring Paul Binder, a schoolmate from my Oroville, California days. While Paul and I share a history that dates back to elementary and middle school, our reconnection came through social media, leading to this enriching podcast conversation.  Our discussion was ignited by my previous episode with Josh Converse, another high school peer. As Paul...

In the 36th episode of The Mental Breakthrough, I welcome back Ross Clift for an in-depth and thought-provoking discussion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As we delve into the complexities of war, occupation, and terrorism, we navigate the emotional narratives that often pull at the world's heartstrings, urging a stance of division.  We acknowledged the challenge of discerning the mainstr...

Welcome to Episode 35 of The Mental Breakthrough, where I sit down with Josh Converse, a comrade from high school days. Our paths, both shaped in part by the inspiration we drew from a memorable English teacher, Mark McKinnon (RIP), led us to careers in teaching English. However, today's dialogue wasn't just a stroll down memory lane; it was sparked by a provocative Facebook post Josh shar...

Join us on the 34th episode of The Mental Breakthrough, where I welcome Jim Ponzo, a connection forged through the bonds of martial arts. This episode takes us through a fascinating journey back to the Sacramento martial arts scene in the '80s and '90s—a time that Jim and many like him consider to be the pioneering days that birthed what is now known as Mixed Martial Arts.  Jim, an enginee...

Welcome to the 33rd episode of The Mental Breakthrough. Once again, I'm joined by the ever-insightful Robert Habibi for our 7th discussion together. This episode delves deeply into personal territory. I shed light on my week, touching on my farming adventures. However, our primary focus is on the journey of my mother, who is living with dementia. Currently residing in a supportive care resort...

Welcome back to the 32nd episode of The Mental Breakthrough! In this installment, Robert Habibi graces us once again, marking our sixth enlightening conversation together. We kick things off with a personal touch, delving into the realms of human development and evolution. As a new father, I've been granted the privilege of experiencing life's firsts through the eyes of my three-year-old s...

Welcome to Episode 31 of The Mental Breakthrough. Today's guest is Alvaro Fernandez, an inspiring individual I had the pleasure of getting to know through a mutual friend who's deeply rooted in martial arts and philosophy. It's not every day you encounter someone who truly understands the intricate harmony between the mind and body. While many merely utter this as a cliche, for Alvaro,...

Welcome back to "The Mental Breakthrough," Episode 30, where I dive deep into weekly discussions with Robert Habibi. Our conversations are spontaneous and refreshing, with Robert always bringing something unique to the table that often I'm unaware of. This week was a heartfelt one; we journeyed into the emotional topic of my beloved cat, Meesap, nearing the end of his life. This led us into a deep...

Welcome to the 29th episode of TMB! While many of you might recognize it as "The Mental Breakdown," I've transitioned the name to "The Mental Breakthrough." However, we're continuing the episode count and not starting afresh. Today's episode features an incredibly unique guest, one I've not had the pleasure of meeting personally. Introduced to me by Brodie Farber, a mutual friend and martial artis...

Welcome to the 28th installment of The Mental Breakdown. In a delightful twist, my frequent guest Robert Habibi, joining us for the 4th time, takes the reins and interrogates my psyche. This episode unfurls organically as Robert prompts me about my week, which then blossoms into a more profound discussion about Earthroot - the project I'm passionately cultivating. Earthroot is my envisioned hu...

Welcome to the 27th episode of The Mental Breakdown. Joining me for the third time is Robert Habibi. As one of my regular contributors, our sessions might be shorter compared to our inaugural chat, but each conversation is focused and insightful. Today, we delve into the subject of motivation, particularly exploring obesity and the influence of our environment. I trust you'll find this discuss...

Welcome to Episode 26 of The Mental Breakdown, where I sit down with a dear friend and brother, Nelson Ocampo. Our journey began with martial arts, and while our paths are contrasted, they cross and verge closely. We have found profound similarities in our life experiences. In this candid conversation, we delve into a myriad of topics: from the challenges and lessons of drug use, the philosophy of...

Welcome to the 25th episode of "The Mental Breakdown." Today's guest is the unparalleled Kiet Se, my Kyokushin trainer during my MMA journey. We first crossed paths at Sacramento State University when he sought sparring partners. Throughout my travels, Kiet remained a constant ally, aiding me during pivotal fights, particularly in enhancing my handwork for battles like the Pure Comba...

THE MENTAL BREAKDOWN (Ep. 24) Welcome to episode 24 of The Mental Breakdown. Today, I have the pleasure of chatting with Brodie Farber, a pivotal figure in my life for several transformative reasons. Our paths crossed at Sierra College Wrestling; while I was on the mat, Brodie, a martial artist, had identified the potential of wrestlers in the world of mixed martial arts and sought to enhance his...

In this episode, I reconnect with an old friend, Jesse Lobato, Sr. We reminisce about our days in America, including the time he drove me to The BART station before my journey to Thailand. Despite the miles, our friendship has grown, especially as we've both embraced fatherhood since our last in-person meeting. Our shared passion for martial arts led to countless stories, sparring sessions, an...

The Mental Breakdown (Ep. 22) w/Robert Habibi Welcome back to another episode of 'The Mental Breakdown'. For the second time, we're joined by Robert Habibi, an accomplished life coach known for flipping the script and questioning me. Today, we delve into his personal experiences while deeply exploring the concepts of self and self-actualization. Discover how these essential aspects of...

Welcome to the 21st episode of The Mental Breakdown. Join me as I sit down with Randy from Soundwave Productions, a fellow expat living 12 hours apart on the opposite side of the world. Though our paths once crossed in Sacramento through our mutual friend, Chris Adams (who'll soon grace our podcast one-on-one), our chat dives deeper into our shared interests. Randy brings a wealth of experienc...

THE MENTAL BREAKDOWN (Ep. 20) From Scrolling to Speaking: The Evolution of Social Media Dr. CD & Ramzey Prentiss Welcome to the 20th episode of "The Mental Breakdown." Today, I'm thrilled to introduce Ramzey Prentiss as our guest. Our paths first crossed when I appeared on his martial arts podcast, which forms the basis of our connection. As we've both ventured into podcastin...

THE MENTAL BREAKDOWN (Ep. 19) Join me in revisiting my very first podcast episode, where I was joined by Dr. Della Mae Chadwick, an expert acupuncturist with an intense passion for Chinese medicine, holistic health, and the exploration of the psyche. Though this inaugural episode had its fair share of initial hiccups—be it organization or screen formatting—what truly shines through is the depth an...

In Episode 18 of The Mental Breakdown, I reconnect with an extraordinary guest: a fellow mixed martial arts competitor I once faced in 2006 and was defeated. Our connection has transcended a mere battle in the cage, growing into a unique friendship that has lasted almost two decades. Together, we explore our initial clash where we knew little about each other, and how we stayed connected through s...

Welcome to the podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of introducing Peter Wall, a seasoned educator who played a significant role in shaping the host's early career at the university. Together, they navigated the challenges of integrating English language learning in Thailand, where native English speakers were not prevalent. The discussion centers around the psychological and persona...

Dr. CD & Dr. Phillip Galloway As fellow English lecturers at a Thai university, we delve into culture, politics, sociology, psychology, and pedagogical practices. One underlying theme Dr. Phillip explains is that of language, a component that makes and breaks us as a species. We discuss the events that led to our lives as expats. He shares his journey of defeating cancer on multiple fronts and...

Dr. CD & Milla Budiarto  Add on Facebook, IG, Youtube, and Tiktok @safespacephuket Milla was a colleague of mine at the University where I had taught before making my venture northward to the jungles of Chiang Mai Province. She continued her teaching and administration work with foreign affairs until recently where she embarked on a new journey. Before having left, we would discuss the need for me...