Not Quite Zen

I’ve had mental health problems for most of my life, but a few years ago I finally learned how to overcome my anxiety and live in the moment. My mental health improved so much that I started this podcast in hopes that it would help others get better, faster. But, when I was hit with a heart scare, broken ankle, two bouts of COVID-19, the flu, and a sinus infection over the course of a few months my mental resiliency was tested. I f...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dai Manuel, author of the book “Whole Life Fitness Manifesto.” Dai has an upbeat contagious personality and offers great wisdom in what it takes to incrementally improve your life little by little, physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

 He is also an award-winning digital thought leader, Distinguished Toastmaster, keynote speaker, and former partner and Chief Operating Officer of a multi-million doll...

Today’s episode is about how to dive into a world of self-discovery to find a more fulfilling life and work. With so many of us searching for meaning and purpose, it can be challenging to find the right path. That's why I'm thrilled to be joined by JJ DiGeronimo, an author and former woman in tech who shares how letting go of your ego, mindfulness, and finding your fuel stations – the activities that fill you up, can lead...

In this episode, I speak to Chad Peevy, author of “Break & Untangle: Discover the Freedom To Be You Despite The Inherited Mindsets Holding You Back.” 

Chad grew up gay in an emotionally and physically abusive family in rural Arkansas. He had to spend years learning how to overcome the trauma, depression, and anxiety that followed him into adulthood from that experience. Inspired by his own journey, Chad has created a system for ...

On today’s episode, I invited Megan Nolan to join us. Megan is a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and vitality coach with more than 17 years of experience. She is passionate about helping people prioritize their mental, physical and spiritual health so they can thrive at work and still have time and energy to enjoy their lives.  

Megan is going to share tips on how to start making progress when you’re overwhelmed, insight into the...

Are you experiencing holiday anxiety? It’s not uncommon. According to a survey from BetterHelp, nearly half of Americans worry about their mental health during the holidays. But why is this the case when it’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year?

There are a variety of potential triggers for holiday anxiety. You may be stressed about an obligation to spend time with toxic family members. Perhaps you’re worried about fi...

Have you ever felt like you were not quite normal, a little bit out of place compared to everyone else? Well, today I have a great guest for you. 

Marc Paisant is the creator and host of the Relatively Normal podcast.  In his show, he shares his experiences with ADHD, anxiety, and depression.  He shows that no one is alone and there is always someone willing to listen and assist when it comes to coping and managing all kinds of stre...

At the beginning of a romantic relationship, things can seem perfect. We often call this the honeymoon period. But as time goes on, challenges will surely show up. Every relationship will experience some form of stress and anxiety as time marches on. All relationships require a lot of time and effort to be successful. But what happens when one or both partners have an anxiety disorder or some form of mental illness? 

Caring for some...

Have you ever felt burnt out? Like you’re so overwhelmed that you can barely hang on? 

Employee burnout is a global concern. According to a Deloitte survey, 77 percent of people say they have experienced burnout at their current job. 91 percent say that unmanageable stress or frustration impacts the quality of their work, and 83 percent say burnout can negatively impact personal relationships.

What about outside of work? For most peo...

Today, I have with me, Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller — a veterinarian and certified mental health coach who specializes in helping women who have experienced childhood trauma overcome their mental illness. 

At a young age, Dr. Mulller herself had to learn how to overcome the unique challenges of having a mother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. 

Fueled by the passion to help other women create a new, positive self, she has created a...

For most of my life feeling depressed was my default. It felt normal to me, and any sliver of happiness I ever experienced seemed odd. I didn’t know how to cope with depression. Luckily, I was able to break free from depression and change my mental health for the better.

That’s not to say I don’t still get depressed, I do, it’s normal to feel down from time to time. However, when I get depressed now it typically only lasts a few hou...

I want to talk again about one of my favorite subjects – anxiety. 

Do you ever have those days when your mind is racing with negative self-talk and worry? Does the thought of going anywhere makes you want to throw something across the room, or make you start to panic? As your stress levels increase, does your anxiety also go up? 

If you regularly suffer from anxiety or you have experienced it in the past, you know how difficult it ca...

It's hard enough to raise your hand and say I need help, but what happens when you go to therapy and you're not getting the results you hoped for? 

When you’re in therapy, you hope that it will be helpful. You hope that it will help you to deal with whatever issues you’re facing and get past them once and for all. But sometimes the reality of going through therapy doesn’t always match expectations. While therapy ...

Today, we’re gonna talk about mindfulness, meditation, and how it can improve your life. 

I have with me, Neil McKinlay. Neil is a meditation teacher who has vast experience practicing and leading embodied meditation. He’s also the host of the Bringing Meditation to Life podcast. In this episode, Neil and I discuss:  

• His own struggle with mental health
• What he did to get his life back on track
• How people can get started with medit...

If you’ve struggled with mental health, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “It’s ok to not be okay,” but have you ever wondered what that truly means? 

I’m this episode, I’m joined by Erik DaRosa, known by friends and clients as “Yoda,” he is an inspirational speaker and the Founder and Co-host of the podcast From Survivor to Thriver.

Erik is a guy who has truly struggled with anxiety and knows that life is a journ...

Today, I’m excited to bring you a fantastic and motivating guest. 

Kevin Palmieri grew up in a broken home without a lot of money. He didn’t meet his father until the age of 27. No doubt these were contributing factors to the anger he experienced in his everyday life. Something I’m sure many of us can relate to, myself included. Eventually, he got to a point where he didn’t think life was worth living. 

When he shared this feeling wi...

Anger is a very difficult emotion to regulate because it’s a natural response to feeling threatened. Our primitive brains are wired to protect us from perceived danger, and when we feel threatened, it triggers our fight or flight response. It’s that all too familiar adrenaline rush that floods through your body, tenses up your muscles, and signals to your brain that it’s time to stand up and fight or run away. 

In many cases, anger ...

In this episode, I bring you a remarkable mental health success story. Kai Smit, was a normal 19-year-old kid from the Netherlands, who was getting ready to head off to university and start his life when a sudden brain hemorrhage would change everything. His odds of survival were incredibly slim, but luckily he made it. Then came the hard part. Kai had to learn how to walk, talk, and gain control of his body all over again. At firs...

In this episode, we’re going to talk about trauma. I have with me former psychotherapist and current executive coach Mike Hynes. Mike is the author of “The Myth-Guided Mind: Unleash Your God-Given Genius at Work and at Home,” and he’s going to share about his personal struggle with PTSD, the start and stop nature of healing from trauma, the importance of persistence when building mental resiliency, and what it truly takes to get yo...