Shows
The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 75: A Practical Path To Bipolar Recovery This YearSend us a message!I share a practical plan to turn New Year hope into steady recovery by choosing one habit, building agency, and treating sources of symptoms rather than endlessly managing them. I outline seven habits for healing, from mood tracking and nutrition to therapy, mindfulness, yoga, exercise, and mindful living.• healing as a long-term process built on one change • shifting from victim mindset to personal agency • mood cycle survival guide and early warning signs • micronutrients as fuel for brain function • therapy as a facilitator for resolving sources • mindfulness to regain control...
2026-01-0937 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 74: Faith And Bipolar RecoverySend us a message!I share how faith and action led from despair and repeated hospital stays to a practical path for recovery. The story moves from early experiences of God’s love to a step-by-step survival guide, therapy, micronutrients, and an open invitation to choose agency today.• the role of faith as a source of hope and direction• the moment a clear thought interrupted suicidal despair• why healing came through steps, not an instant cure• building a mood cycle survival guide• response team, early warnings, power priorities, system reboot• boundaries tha...
2025-12-1936 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 73: From Labels to Healing: How Diagnosis Can Block RecoverySend us a message!I challenge the idea that a bipolar diagnosis explains your life and show how labels can block curiosity, fuel victimhood, and fuse to identity. I explore the layered tools that helped me heal: micronutrients, trauma work, mindfulness, and a Mood Cycle Survival Guide.• diagnosis as observation, not explanation• relief and fear at first diagnosis• victimhood mindset and its costs• when labels become identity• accountability after harm and repair work• layered healing: micronutrients, therapy, mindfulness• the fire alarm versus the fire• incentives in pharma and training• s...
2025-12-1138 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 72: Micronutrients, Medication Tapers, And Real Recovery with David Stephan, VP of TruehopeSend us a message!In this engaging third conversation with David Stephan, we unpack why symptom spikes during micronutrient use often signal overmedication, not relapse, and how to time reductions for smoother tapers. We share stories, protocols, and tools that make withdrawal safer while building real, durable stability.• intake essentials and complete disclosure of meds and supplements• medication potentiation explained and how to spot it• custom reductions for SSRIs, benzos, stimulants, antipsychotics• tracking patterns and using plateaus to time cuts• med releases from stress or intense exercise and safe responses• why to avoid...
2025-11-191h 35The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 71: How Micronutrients Rewire Your Brain with David Stephen, VP of TruehopeSend us a message!What if the brain isn’t broken—but under-supplied? This episode continues the conversation with David Stephan, VP of Truehope, as we dive into the specifics of how vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and omegas provided in bioavailable, balanced forms, help the brain recover. In this conversation we talk about:The difference between the function of drugs and micronutrients on the brainHow micronutrients actually help resolve bipolar symptoms, including serious symptoms like psychosis.Why eating healthy is not enough to resolve bipolar symptoms and why micronutrient supplementation is necessary.The role that genetics play...
2025-11-101h 11The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 70: From Tragedy to Triumph: Micronutrients Heal Bipolar with David Stephan, VP of TruehopeSend us a message!Join me as I speak with Truehope Vice President David Stephan as we trace how a family’s tragedy led to a nutrient-based approach for mental health, why absorption and balance matter more than labels, and how research and real lives converged. The science behind serotonin and dopamine pathways shows why broad-spectrum micronutrients can restore function where drugs often fall short.• origin of Truehope and early family outcomes• why chelation, ratios, and particle size drive results• building a single consistent 36-ingredient formula• regulatory roadblocks and court validation• serotonin an...
2025-11-031h 25The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 69: When Labels Replace Lives: Reclaiming Choice, Curiosity, and Consent with Jenn Schmitz, MS, LPCSend us a message!We challenge the reflex to medicate and the vacuum around de-prescribing by tracing Jen’s 25-year story with SSRIs, from teenage labels and muted emotions to neonatal withdrawal, metabolic fallout, and a hard-won hyperbolic taper. We share tools for safer tapering, building a support tribe, and reclaiming informed consent and agency.• prescribers trained to start meds, not de-prescribe• teen SSRIs without context of eating disorder or stress• labels and DSM coding shaping identity and care• pregnancy decisions without full informed consent• neonatal withdrawal and long-term family impact• season...
2025-10-141h 24The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 68: Beyond the Medication Merry-Go-Round with Dr. Teralyn SellSend us a message!We challenge the “gold standard” of therapy plus meds and show how nutrition, sleep, and curiosity reveal root causes that the psychiatric labels miss. Dr. Teralyn Sell shares her journey from traditional psychotherapy to functional brain health, and why feeding the brain changes everything.• how siloed systems block simple solutions like omega‑3s• the cost of medication‑first care on memory, mood and agency• subjectivity in diagnosis and the loss of curiosity• thyroid, UTIs, inflammation and blood sugar as symptom drivers• amino acids and micronutrients to support neurotransmitters
2025-10-071h 11The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 67: Beyond Labels: How Your Story Holds the Key to RecoverySend us a message!Understanding the true source of bipolar symptoms requires becoming a detective in your own life rather than accepting diagnosis as the final answer. Approaching symptoms with curiosity instead of judgment allows us to identify what's really happening beneath the surface and find effective paths to healing.• Diagnoses are observations of symptom clusters, not explanations for why you have symptoms• Breaking symptoms into specific experiences rather than broad categories reveals important clues• Looking at circumstances surrounding symptom onset helps identify potential triggers and causes• Coping mechanisms like binge-watching or substanc...
2025-09-2930 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 66: Beyond the Label: Rethinking Bipolar DisorderSend us a message!Michelle shares her transformative realization that bipolar disorder isn't a disease but a cluster of symptoms, and how this understanding freed her from decades of believing she had an incurable condition.• The bipolar diagnosis ends curiosity about why symptoms occur because people believe they've been given a complete answer• Being told bipolar disorder is lifelong and incurable creates helplessness and a victim mindset• The chemical imbalance theory of mental illness has been thoroughly debunked by research• Psychiatric medications cause chemical imbalances rather than correcting them• Common sources of bipolar...
2025-09-1536 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 65: When You Choose Joy Over SufferingSend us a message!Michelle shares why she took a hiatus from her podcast to fully experience planning her daughter's wedding and supporting her son through his senior year of high school.• Decided to pause her podcast, blog, and social media when life became overwhelming with a job change, moves, planning a wedding, and senior year activities.• Realized the purpose of healing from bipolar was to be present for these family milestones• Planning her daughter's wedding became a beautiful healing experience for their relationship• Practiced mindfulness throughout the wedding day to fully experien...
2025-09-0930 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 64: The Serotonin Myth: Rethinking Mental Health with Dr. Joanna MoncrieffSend us a message!In her new book "Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth" Professor Joanna Moncrieff exposes how millions have been misled to believe they have brain chemical imbalances requiring drug treatments when no evidence supports this view.• Depression is a normal human emotional response to life difficulties, not a brain disease• The "drug-centered" model recognizes psychiatric medications as mind-altering substances that temporarily mask symptoms rather than targeting disease processes • Disease awareness campaigns funded by pharmaceutical companies deliberately changed public perception of distress as medical conditions• Scientific studies s...
2025-03-171h 02The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 63: Small Steps, Big Impact: Building Sustainable Recovery Habits with Dr. Sheri JohnsonSend us a message!Dr. Sheri Johnson shares groundbreaking research on how circadian rhythms and reward sensitivity affect bipolar symptoms, offering practical approaches to wellness through lifestyle interventions. Her work at UC Berkeley's CALM program explores how time-restricted eating and Mediterranean diet patterns can strengthen body rhythms and improve mood stability.• Bipolar symptoms affect circadian rhythms, with genetic factors influencing clock genes throughout the body• Time-restricted eating (consuming food within a consistent 10-hour window) helps reset disrupted body clocks• The Mediterranean diet provides essential nutrients for brain health without rigid restrictions• Blue light fr...
2025-03-1054 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 62: Resilience in Marriage: Sue Best on Supporting a Partner with Bipolar DisorderSend us a message!Episode Highlight: After years of navigating the complex intersection of marriage and mental health, Sue Best shares her deeply personal journey of supporting her husband, Travis, through his bipolar disorder recovery. In this heartfelt conversation, Sue opens up about the emotional challenges, pivotal moments of growth, and the resilience required to maintain stability in the face of adversity. This episode offers practical insights and hope for those navigating similar struggles, emphasizing the importance of community, communication, and self-care.Topics Covered in This Episode:Balancing...
2025-01-271h 01The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 61: Love, Resilience, and Bipolar Disorder: Travis and Sue Best’s Journey of Healing and HopeSend us a message!Don't miss this episode! Travis Best, a member of the Upsiders' Tribe recovery program, and his wife Sue share their journey navigating the challenges of bipolar disorder within their marriage. They highlight the profound impact of community, communication, and therapeutic resources. With candid reflections on symptoms, medication struggles, and the importance of mutual support, they emphasize that while healing is challenging, it is possible to find hope and rebuild relationships.• Travis’s experience with bipolar diagnosis and childhood trauma• Experience transitioning from medications to micronutrients• Recognizing and managing delusions (one of Tr...
2025-01-131h 28The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 60: Reframing Core Wounds for Lasting Transformation with Empowerment Strategist JJ FlizanesSend us a message!This episode explores the concept of core wounds—deeply embedded beliefs formed during childhood that shape our emotional lives. Through practical tools and rich discussions, we guide listeners in identifying their core wounds, understanding their impact, and taking actionable steps toward healing. • Introduction to core wounds and their significance • Understanding the formative experiences that create core wounds • Personal stories and examples illustrating core wounds in action • Tools for identifying and processing emotional responses • The journey of healing and self-acceptance • Encouragement to embrace curiosity and accountability in the healing pr...
2025-01-021h 19The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 59: Healing Through Marathon Training: Victor Vizcaíno on Mental Resilience and Holistic WellnessSend us a message!This episode dives deep into the transformative power of running as a means to improve mental health and overall well-being. Victor Vizcaíno shares his journey from disliking running to using it as a therapeutic tool, revealing how mindfulness and gratitude can create lasting change.• Transforming personal struggles into opportunities for growth • Understanding the connection between mental and physical health • The role of mindfulness and gratitude in running • Coaching philosophies that combine holistic approaches • The importance of community support in running • Starting small and the significance of gradual pr...
2024-12-301h 04The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 58: Exploring Holistic Healing for Mental Wellness with Reed Davis, HHP, CNTSend us a message!This episode explores the interconnectedness of holistic health and bipolar disorder, emphasizing the importance of understanding underlying factors over simply alleviating symptoms. Reed Davis discusses his journey and methodologies that highlight the relationship between stress, diet, and gut health, advocating for a comprehensive approach to wellness that empowers individuals to take charge of their health.• Examining the limitations of relief care versus root cause research • Introducing Reed Davis and his holistic health approach • The importance of comprehensive health diagnostics • DRESS protocol: Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress Reduction, Supplementation • The role o...
2024-12-261h 02The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 57: Empowering Teens to Heal: Core Values and Tools for Lasting Change with Austin DavisSend us a message!Episode Shownotes:In this transformative episode, we sit down with Austin Davis, Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and founder/CEO of Clearfork Academy, to explore how core values can empower teens to overcome mental health challenges and find lasting healing. Austin shares his journey, the mission of Clearfork Academy, and the strategies they use to help teens create meaningful change in their lives.Episode Highlights:🌟 Austin’s Journey: The experiences that led him to focus on helping teens with mental health and emotional challenges and h...
2024-12-1150 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 56: Healing Through the Heartache: Dr. Tonya Cunningham on Processing GriefSend us a message!Episode Highlights:In this powerful and enlightening conversation, Dr. Tonya Cunningham shares her personal and professional insights into navigating and processing grief. Her candid storytelling and expert advice provide a roadmap for understanding grief’s impact and embracing healing.What to expect in this episode:Dr. Cunningham’s personal story and transformative realizations about griefThe impact of spiritual bypassing on emotional healthWhat grief is, how it manifests, and its effects on mental healthDifferences between type A and type B traumaThe iceberg analogy of grief’s hidden...
2024-11-2656 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 55: Healing Through the 12 Steps with Coach and Speaker Barb NangleSend us a message!Episode Highlights:In this insightful episode, boundaries coach and recovery advocate Barb Nangle shares her expertise and personal experiences with 12-step programs, offering valuable guidance for anyone on a healing journey.What you’ll discover:Barb’s powerful story of transformation through 12-step programsA clear explanation of ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) and CoDA (Codependents Anonymous)How 12-step programs have evolved and why they remain impactfulThe concept of “info, not ammo” and its role in facilitating recoveryWhat it truly means to “work the steps” in a 12-step programThe i...
2024-11-151h 14The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 54: Healing the Brain Through Sensory Enrichment Therapy: A Conversation with Claudie Gordon-Pomares, M.S.Ed & Kim PomaresSend us a message!In this eye-opening episode, Claudie Gordon-Pomares, M.S.Ed, and Kim Pomares share groundbreaking insights on:The inspiration behind Claudie’s development of Sensory Enrichment TherapyHow Sensory Enrichment Therapy activates the brain’s natural self-healing abilitiesThe remarkable impact of simple Sensory Enrichment Therapy exercisesThe process behind creating the Sensory Enrichment Therapy activitiesHow these straightforward activities cultivate an environment that promotes brain growthWebsite: www.mendability.comYouTube:
2024-11-081h 17The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 53: Transforming Trauma: Healing Attachment Wounds with DNMS Specialist Karen Gardner, LCSWSend us a message!In this thought-provoking episode, DNMS specialist Karen Gardner, LCSW, unveils:How she became a Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (DNMS) practitioner,Why DNMS is such an effective treatment modality for childhood neglect and trauma,What attachment wounds are and how they are addressed through DNMS,How many diagnosed with bipolar and schizophrenia are actually suffering from untreated trauma,The importance of establishing “resourcing” prior to beginning trauma therapy of any kind,How it is possible to resolve trauma that has been...
2024-10-311h 02The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 52: Transforming Through Reparenting and Boundaries with Coach and Speaker Barb NangleSend us a message!In this engaging conversation boundaries coach Barb Nangle reveals:Her journey through recovery,What led her to become a boundaries coach,Why boundaries are so difficult for trauma survivors,Why codependency frequently develops out of trauma,Understanding the concept of 'info not ammo' and its significance in the recovery process, The concept of “reparenting”—what it is, how it functions, and its role in healing,What “boundaries of self-containment” are and their value in healing,The importa...
2024-10-211h 08The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 51: Healing Through Humor with Author and Comedian Dave MowrySend us a message!In this engaging episode author and comic Dave Mowry shares:His story of beginning to use humor to help him deal with his trauma and bipolar symptoms,How he began writing for bphope.com which led to his first book OMG That’s Me!,What helped him grieve his “lost fourteen years”,The daily activities that have helped him to “get out of his head”,Why humor is so powerful in helping to overcome trauma and the suffering...
2024-10-071h 08The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 50: I Moved Without Getting Manic!Send us a message!I’m so excited to share that I conquered my final trigger for mood swings: moving! In this reflective episode I share:My previous experiences with moves triggering mood swings,How my Mood Cycle Survival Guide enabled me to anticipate and proactively manage mood swings caused by moving,A breakdown of how applying my Mood Cycle Survival Guide in my most recent move helped me avoid symptoms,How writing my book helped to solidify my healing and recovery, The importance of vie...
2024-09-2737 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 49: Transformative Healing Through Story with NYT Bestselling Author Bridget Cook-Burch and International Bestselling Author Hannah LyonsSend us a message!In this captivating episode NYT Bestselling Author Bridget Cook-Burch and International Bestselling Author Hannah Lyons share:Their stories that led them to becoming authors, storytellers and mentors,What led Bridget to become a “book whisperer”,How Hannah evolved into an exceptional copy editor,How Bridget helps people uncover their “ikigai” and “elixir of life”,Hannah’s remarkable approach to creating characters that reflect pieces of herself,Bridget’s game-changing tip for kickstarting your writing journey,Hannah’s journey to becomin...
2024-09-161h 16The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 48: Three Keys to Resilience with Author, Speaker and Combat-Wounded Veteran Brian FlemingSend us a message!In this extraordinary episode author, speaker and combat-wounded veteran Brian Fleming shares:His extraordinary story of being wounded by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan,Why it’s so important to not allow the diagnosis to define you,How he discovered the power of sharing his story with others,Why discovering meaning in your suffering is critical to your healing journey,His three keys to resilience that enabled him to recover and then thrive after trauma,The importance of not be...
2024-09-0759 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 47: Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse, Insights and Strategies with Therapist and Author Marcia WilliamsSend us a message!In this empowering episode therapist and author Marcia Williams shares:Her story of how she ended up married to a narcissist,The definition of narcissistic personality disorder and two of the most common types of narcissists,How narcissists often target vulnerable people,Why it is so challenging to recognize you are in a narcissistic, abusive relationship,Her therapeutic journey,How to identify if you’re experiencing narcissistic abuse,Why and how personal healing is...
2024-08-241h 02The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 46: Improving Relationships Through Self-Accountability with Relationship Mentor Emma DeSouzaSend us a message!In this insightful episode relationship mentor Emma DeSouza shares:Her early diagnosis with depression in high school that led to her bipolar diagnosis,Her experience with IVF and bipolar,The power in acknowledging challenges and having healthy, open communication with your partner,How proactive therapy has helped her accept responsibility for herself and improved her relationship,What led her to become certified in mindfulness meditation and yoga,How mindfulness can look different for each person and how to learn...
2024-08-1958 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 45: Discovering Emotional Freedom with EFT Practitioner Dawn NortonSend us a message!In this empowering episode Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner Dawn Norton shares:Her incredible story of trauma in childhood which motivated her to seek healing as an adult,What Emotional Freedom Technique is and how it works and impacts your mind and body,The impact of stress on our bodies and how EFT can help,How “stuck” emotions and trauma can cause physical pain and illness,That emotions are not good or bad, they are just information and EFT helps you process them...
2024-07-021h 06The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 44: Straight Talk About Psychiatric Drugs with Professor Joanna MoncrieffSend us a message!In this illuminating episode Professor Joanna Moncrieff shares:What led her to question and begin researching how psychotropic drugs actually work,The difference between the disease-centered model versus the drug-centered model of treatment and why this distinction matters,How the disease-centered model is preventing curiosity about what is actually causing the symptoms of mental illness and leading to worsening long-term outcomes,The conditions that led to the current condition of the psychiatric industry,How the beliefs that are promoted about psychiatric...
2024-06-081h 00The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 43: The Healing Power of Breathwork with author Anastasis TzanisSend us a message!In this empowering episode author Anastasis Tzanis shares:His incredible story that led him to healing through breathwork,How breath practice can help you heal and improve your mental, emotional, and physical health,What a healthy breath pattern and CO2 levels are,What “box breathing” is and how to practice it,How you can learn how to use breath to calm down (be a better swimmer if you fall out of the boat), but even more important to increase your threshold and...
2024-05-251h 07The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 42: Healthy Boundaries for Caregivers with the Self-Caregiver Jeannette YatesSend us a message!In this insightful episode Jeanette Yate “The Self-Caregiver” shares:Her powerful personal story as a life-long caregiver (beginning at age 8) who was suffering because she didn’t know how to care for herself, to empowered self-caregiver and coach,The therapy modalities that helped her to identify, understand and heal her trauma,How learning how to listen to the signals your body is giving you that you need care and healthy boundaries,Ways to identify, develop and implement healthy boundaries,The importance of tak...
2024-05-171h 12The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 41: From Addiction to Holistic Recovery Expert with John Giordano (TRIGGER WARNING)Send us a message!TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discussed trauma and addiction.In this extraordinary episode holistic addiction recovery expert John Giordano shares:His extraordinary story of trauma and addiction that finally led to his work in addiction recovery,How he discovered and developed holistic treatment options for addiction recovery,What motivated him to do the work to recover from his addictions,The modified EMDR modality he uses to help people process trauma,The importance of treating the whole person and...
2024-04-281h 13The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 40: Food for Thought with Urban Farm Founder Greg PetersonSend us a message!In this compelling episode Urban Farm founder Greg Peterson shares:His story of how he developed a passion for “urban farming” and why he feels compelled to share his knowledge,Why our current food supply system is so lacking in nutrition,How to simplify your approach to begin gardening so you can have success quickly,How he gradually transitioned his small yard in Phoenix, Arizona from basic yard to an “old growth food forest” including 80 different fruit trees (backyard orchard culture),Where so...
2024-04-1757 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 39: Insights into Healing with Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist Justin MartinSend us a message!In this meaningful episode Certified IFS Therapist Justin Martin shares:His story that led him to become an Internal Family Systems (IFS therapist),What IFS therapy is,How identifying your “parts” helps you understand your mind and find healing,Why you may fear of having compassion for your different parts and why compassion is important to the healing journey,How the movie “Inside Out” helps give incredible insight into IFS,That you are not trying to “beat” the parts of yourself but learn how to listen and understand what is motivating t...
2024-04-1351 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 39: Insights into Healing with Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist Justin MartinIn this meaningful episode Certified IFS Therapist Justin Martin shares:His story that led her to become an Internal Family Systems (IFS therapist),What IFS therapy is,How identifying your “parts” helps you understand your mind and find healing,Why you may fear of having compassion for your different parts and why compassion is important to the healing journey,How the movie “Inside Out” helps give incredible insight into IFS,That you are not trying to “beat” the parts of yourself but learn how to listen and u...
2024-04-1251 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 38: Cultivating Mindful Connection with Your Body with Trifecta Pilates Creator Beth SandlinSend us a message!In this engaging episode Beth Sandlin, founder of Trifecta Pilates, shares:Her story that led her to become a pilates instructor and make pilates more accessible,What pilates is and how it can help with caring for physical and mental health,The importance of listening to your body and providing what it needs for nurturing physical and mental health,How pilates can help with regulating your nervous system,How to choose the best way to meet your body/mind’s needs wi...
2024-04-0654 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 37: Empowered to Heal Through Proactive, Personalized Trauma Treatment with EMDR Clinician and Author Megan SalarSend us a message!In this insightful episode MDR Clinician, Trainer and Author Megan Salar shares:Her story that led her to become a therapist,The transformative experience she had with EMDR that helped her see it’s value as a trauma modality,How EMDR is a client centered treatment modality,The EMDR workbook that she developed to empower people to take ownership of their trauma healing,That most therapist are not educated in treating trauma,Misconceptions about how trauma is stored in ou...
2024-04-0352 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 36: Choosing to Thrive, Not Just Survive with Mindset Coach Jon KatzSend us a message!NOTE: There were some technical issues with the recording in this episode, we apologize for the sound quality.In this empowering episode mindset coach Jon Katz shares:His story journeying from wanting to end his life, to finding purpose, healing and value,What motivated him to choose life over death,The benefit of choosing positive actions to change your mindset,How keeping promises to himself helped him change his life,How critical it is to get off...
2024-03-2858 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 35: Healing the Mind, Heart and Soul with PhD Trained Psychotherapist Luella JonkSend us a message!In this enlightening episode Dr. Luella Jonk shares:Her path to becoming a PhD trained psychotherapist,The important distinction between the brain and mind,The importance of looking at the whole person to facilitate healing,How identifying your “soul contract” can help you find purpose and motivation for healing,The value in understanding the difference between the heart and mind,Her “three pillars” for healing: take radical responsibility for their reality, practice daily self-awareness of their ener...
2024-03-1056 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEpisode 34: A Blueprint for Overcoming Suicidal Ideation with Bestselling Author Wendy Beth CozzensSend us a message!TRIGGER WARNING: This episode has discussion of suicide.In this empowering episode author Wendy Beth Cozzens shares:What led her to write her book and share her story,The importance of seeking help when you are struggling with suicidal ideation,The power of discovering stillness within yourself as a daily practice,What “going to Bermuda” is and why it helps,The five principles she shares in her book that helped her find peace and purpose in her life...
2024-03-021h 00The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEpisode 33: Discovering Your Power to Heal with Dr. Jennifer GiordanoSend us a message!In this enlightening episode Dr. Jennifer Giordano shares:Her background in holistic psychiatry, What she learned in her experience as a traditional psychiatrist,The difference between how she approached treatment as a traditional psychiatrist versus now as a holistic psychiatrist,How learning to listen to her clients has helped her help them more effectively,How openness to exploration can lead to recovery,The incredible healing power of the body,How to help people be healthy emotionally, mentally, a...
2024-02-251h 04The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 32: Choosing Hope Through Kindness with Tom Ballard "The Heart Rock Guy"Send us a message!In this uplifting and encouraging episode Tom Ballard “The Heart Rock Guy” shares:His incredible story beginning to help others by sharing “heart rocks”,The beautiful, uplifting ideas he shares with students in school assemblies,How heart rocks become an “artifact” that helps remind you that you matter and your life has value,How reaching outwards in kindness has helped him with his bipolar symptoms,The joy that spreads through sharing heart rocks, or finding your own unique form of kindness,The ben...
2024-01-2747 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 31: Trauma Resolution through Rapid Resolution Therapy with Dr. Jon ConnellySend us a message!In this incredibly enlightening episode Rapid Resolution Therapy founder Dr. Jon Connelly shares:The experiences with trauma survivors that led him to question the generally accepted approaches to trauma healing,How he developed Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) as a form of therapy that doesn’t retraumatize people, Ways that RRT differs from other forms of therapy,How RRT helps to replace guilt, shame and resentment with clarity,The flaws in the mental health system that are preventing healing,How RRT...
2023-12-281h 15The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 30: The Mindset Shift to Heal BipolarSend us a message!In this mindset shifting episode I share:How three of the top beliefs about bipolar disorder are actually myths,The truth about what causes bipolar symptoms to occur, and The integrated, research-based treatment model that leads to healing bipolar.Links mentioned in the episode:EP 21: Investigating Psychiatric Suffering with Award Winning Author Robert WhitakerMicronutrients:EP 13: The Power of Nutrition in Treating Mental Illness with Dr. Bonnie Kaplan
2023-12-2344 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 29: Healthy Boundaries for Bipolar Caregivers with Suzanne CatlettSend us a message!In this insightful conversation Suzanne Catlett, the mother and caregiver of a daughter with bipolar, shares:Her story of her daughter’s symptom onset and diagnosis with bipolar,How therapy helped her understand how to have realistic, healthy expectations for her relationship with her daughter,What helped her finally accept her daughter’s diagnosis and develop compassion,The tips that helped her not dwell on the stresses of her daughter’s bipolar right before bed in order to facilitate healthier more restful sleep,H...
2023-12-0950 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 28: Understanding Trauma and How to Heal with Therapist Julie SicklesSend us a message!In this powerfully enlightening conversation therapist Julie Sickles shares:How understanding how the unconscious mind works facilitates change and healing,The way trauma memory works and how it continues to trigger symptoms,How resolving trauma can lead to healing, transformation and change,Tips for finding an effective therapist,One of the drawbacks of EMDR therapy,Additional trauma therapy modalities to considerRapid Resolution TherapyInternal Family Systems (IFS)Additional trauma modalities—Trauma Focused Co...
2023-12-041h 11The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 27: The Healing Power of Yoga with Dr. Ghada OsmanSend us a message!In this illuminating conversation Dr. Ghada Osman shares:Her discovery of the healing power of yoga for mental health,The fundamental purpose of yoga,How tuning into the feelings in your body helps you process and release emotions,How to understand the different aspects of yoga practice and how they can serve you in emotional regulation,Her three-pronged model and how it can help you move towards emotional and mental healing,How yoga can help enhance the effectiveness of...
2023-11-2057 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 26: Healing Through Therapy with Counselor and TEDx Speaker Tanisha SheddenSend us a message!In this empowering conversation LMSW counselor and TEDx speaker Tanisha Shedden shares:Her personal story as a transracial adoptee and trauma survivor,How her personal experience led her to becoming a counselor and social worker to help others who have been hurt by trauma,The healing power in processing trauma,What trauma processing looks like and how to navigate it,How learning about what therapy is and how to use it can make it more effective,Tips for beginning...
2023-11-021h 14The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 25: Discovering Bipolar Healing with Holistic Healer Lindsay RansonSend us a message!In this revealing conversation holistic healer and mindset coach Lindsay Ranson shares:Her story of depression and psychiatric treatment that led to her bipolar diagnosis,The disruption to her life that was caused by her symptoms,The surprising experience she had with an injury that put her on the path to healing,The discovery of holistic treatments that began helping her heal her symptoms,Knowledge she’s gained in her holistic training about resolving underlying causes of symptoms and ho...
2023-10-311h 07The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 24: Can You Heal Bipolar Disorder?Send us a message!Is bipolar disorder really chronic and incurable? In this episode I share the surprising answer to this question.Episodes referenced:EP 21: Investigating Psychiatric Suffering with Award Winning Author Robert WhitakerEP 22: The Healing Power of Mindfulness with Best Selling Author Dr. Danny PenmanLinks to the free Mood Cycle Survival Guide and Facebook group mentioned are found below.FREE Mood Cycle Survival Guide: https://theupsideofbipolar.com/free/ ...
2023-10-2024 minThe Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 23: Thriving with Bipolar with Author and Podcaster Paris ScobieSend us a message!In this empowering conversation author and podcaster Paris Scobie shares:Her experience being diagnosed with bipolar disorder,What motivated her to learn how to manage her bipolar,How critical healthy boundaries were to her mental health,What motivated her to start her podcast,The keys to managing her bipolar effectively,How she successfully navigated a year of major life changes,How she learned from her mood swings to manage her bipolar more effectively,Some of...
2023-09-041h 14The Upside of Bipolar: Conversations on the Road to WellnessEP 22: The Healing Power of Mindfulness with Best Selling Author Dr. Danny PenmanSend us a message!In this life-changing conversation author Dr. Danny Penman shares:His extraordinary personal discovery of the power of meditation,How he came to partner with Professor Mark Williams to write their first book Mindfulness: An Eight-week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World,The profound discoveries that led to their new book Deeper Mindfulness: The New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World,What Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is and its benefits in...
2023-07-191h 03