From Survivor to Thriver

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver,  we sat down with Keri Blakinger who struggled with mental health issues, chronic suicidal ideation, and drug addiction for years before it landed her in prison for two years. 

Keri shares her story of how she emerged from the depths of depression and addiction and found healing with journalism and community. 

Keri Blakinger is a Texas-based journalist and the author of Corrections in Ink,...

For some people that suffer from depression and anxiety, medication is not enough. Despite their best efforts to get better, it just doesn’t help. If this sounds like what you’ve experienced, you aren’t alone. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Dannie De Novo to talk about her journey through severe depression and suicidal thoughts. After trying multiple medications and even electro-shock therapy, she fou...

Have you ever felt lonely and misunderstood? For many people, these feelings make it even harder to find meaningful connections and friendships. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Lee Hopkins to dive into the topic of friendship and finding your tribe by searching within. After moving from state to state and struggling to find his people, Lee began therapy and realized that he had to start by taking a loo...

In this special episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we had the honor of sitting down with Andrew Velazquez to talk about his journey as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and how he uses his experience as someone who has suffered from trauma and thoughts of suicide to help others in a similar position. 

He recently released his book, “Amore es Arte | Arte es Amore. Love is Art | Art is Love” with a goal to be a source of positivi...

 Have you heard of intermittent fasting? 

It’s the practice of switching between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. While most people think of it in terms of the physical effects, it can also positively impact your mental health. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Fred Rutman who has died and come back to life numerous times. This brought serious physical and mental health challenges for him but he ...

It takes a lot of courage to face your traumas. Though it’s hard to sit in your pain, sometimes that’s what you need in order to do the inner work and finally heal. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Ulrika Karlsson to talk about her journey with depression and how she learned to do the inner work so that she could raise her vibration and find true healing. Through her work and books, she now inspires peo...

For athletes, sports injuries can be devastating not only physically, but emotionally as well. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Keagen Hadley who experienced a career-altering injury that changed his life. Knowing what athletes in this position go through both mentally and physically, he found his passion in helping injured athletes work through their injuries with occupational therapy and psychological...

Have you ever struggled with an eating disorder? 

Many things can cause disorders like anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Whether it’s trauma, feeling out of control, or even anxiety, eating disorders can put your life in danger if you don’t get the help you need. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Dr. Cristina Castagnini, who struggled with an eating disorder herself and has gone on to change the message around...

Do you struggle with OCD? 

According to the World Health Organization, it is one of the top ten most debilitating disorders, but it is one of the most misdiagnosed. This means that many people with this disorder aren’t getting the help they need. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we have a special two-part episode with Zach Westerbeck, where we talk about the things that people don’t know or understand about OCD, what it ...

Do you struggle with OCD? 

According to the World Health Organization, it is one of the top ten most debilitating disorders, but it is one of the most misdiagnosed. This means that many people with this disorder aren’t getting the help they need. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we have a special two-part episode with Zach Westerbeck, where we talk about the things that people don’t know or understand about OCD, what it ...

More and more, people are talking about manifestation, spirituality, and the law of attraction. 

In this episode of From Survivor To Thriver, we sat down with Krysta Francoeur to talk about her healing journey.  After suffering from a lifetime of chronic illness, Kyrsta came across The Secret and learned about the law of attraction. After discovering it, she went down a path of spirituality, magick, and healing which has led her to ...

How do you cope when you are struggling with your mental health? 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Louise McMilan, to talk about her mental health struggles while battling cancer and how she now uses her experience to help other people overcome their struggles by finding healthy ways to cope and live life more fully. 

Louise McMilan is an Inspirational Speaker on her personal experience of mental health a...

Depression and suicide rates among veterans are high, and not enough veterans get the support they need to heal from their experiences and trauma. 

In this episode of From Survivor To Thriver, we sat down with Sgt Q to talk about his journey through his own mental health struggles as a veteran and how he used his experiences and faith to help other people struggling by shifting from reactive to proactive responses when in mental hea...

When you are struggling with things like depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, you may need more than just your therapist, psychiatrist, and medication to feel better.  It may be that you need to reconnect with or find something new that brings you joy. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Nita Sweeney to talk about her personal mental health struggles and how she found happiness in movement. ...

Meditation has numerous benefits, especially when it comes to mental health. However, many people have the misconception that they can’t meditate or it just doesn’t work for them. The truth is, meditation doesn’t help all people the exact same way. It’s something you have to discover with time. 

Your meditation practice doesn't need to look like anyone else’s meditation practice. In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we s...

Many people base their self-worth on what others think. It can be scary to change something about yourself or break harmful patterns because of the fear of what others will think of you, even if it’s for your own highest good. We are all unique and oftentimes, we don’t recognize the power we truly have because this fear that we won’t be accepted holds us back.

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with special gue...

There are many synonyms for pain. You can call it anxiety, stress, irritation, struggles, overwhelm… the list goes on and on. No matter what you call it, the same parts of the brain are being activated. Emotional pain can feel like physical pain, and there is no way to completely avoid it. 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Dr. Julia DiGangi to talk about how to embrace the idea of pain rather than avoid ...

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with your emotions that you felt like you could just burst? This is a common feeling for people struggling with anxiety or trauma. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. There are ways you can release those emotions and heal in a healthy and safe way. 

Today on From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Lauren Fonvielle to talk about how you can release those emotions by using EFT and tapping. T...

Have you or anyone you know ever struggled with infertility? 

In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Meirav Zur to talk about infertility and the significant impact struggling to conceive can have on the mental health of those involved. 

Meirav experienced this firsthand and brought light to the issue by doing what she does best: comedy. In doing so, she inspired those around her to open up and talk about the m...