Shows
Untether Your Life93: Dr. Priya Nalkur - President, The Roundtable Institute on JEDI Leadership and "Stumbling Towards Inclusion"This episode was released on the heels of perhaps the most dramatic election of our time—one that will have a serious impact on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and leadership initiatives in corporations throughout the United States. So I felt very fortunate to speak to one of the most compelling and dynamic authorities in this space—Dr. Priya Nalkur.
Priya Nalkur, Ed.D. is the President of The RoundTable Institute, where she leads a global group of coaches and facilitators to help companies build more inclusive leaders and workplaces. She is a professional speaker, coach and faci...2024-11-1338 min
Untether Your Life92: Sundarri Rodriguez - The Power of Sound Healing, Kriya Yoga, Breathwork, Music, and Much MoreSince moving to Southern California last year, I've been blessed to cross paths with many souls on a similar journey of spirituality and wellness. I had one of these folks on the podcast a year ago, Kyle Peche, and am now delighted to welcome his wife Sundarri Rodriguez as a guest.
Sundarri is an award-winning actress, musician, and philanthropist. You may have seen her appear in shows on Hulu, indie films, or even local theater. Sundarri is passionate about healing others with sound. She is a performing artist, and plays shows around the Southern California area, with...2024-10-3043 min
Untether Your Life91: Nikhil Torsekar Gets Happy, Human, and UntetheredTo comemorate the 90(ish)th episode of Untether Your Life, I'm rebroadcasting my appearance on the Happy and Human podcast.
I always walk away from my exchanges with the hosts - my friends Dinesh Melwani and Dr. Seema Desai - with some new insight, an expansion of my network, and at the very least, a good chuckle. This conversation was no exception. It's full of light-hearted banter, mixed with discussion of weightier topics such as breathwork, epigenetics, and the triumphs and tribulations of life in the South Asian diaspora.
In this far ranging conversation, we...2024-10-1551 min
Untether Your Life90: Mitul Desai, The Care Hack - A Powerful Champion for Caregivers of Adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)This episode gives credence to the saying that "there are no coincidences in life."
It's being released on the eve of World Mental Health Day, October 10th. Every year on this date, I marvel at the mental health journey I've been blessed to embark on thanks to this podcast.
Further, this episode was recorded on September 20th. Eight years ago on this date, I'd hit rock bottom in a psychiatric hospital in Chicago - divorce, unemployment, complete detachment from my kids, and the nadir of my mental and physical health.
I'm thankfully in...2024-10-0940 min
Untether Your Life89: Amy Green Smith - Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, Keynote Speaker on Being "Enough"As busy, hard-working professionals with families, demanding jobs, and multiple other obligations, we often go into auto-pilot. We mindlessly follow scripts and templates that were passed onto us about what success looks like. We rarely stop to ask "why?" and fail to see that saying yes to too much may in the end lead us on to the people-pleasing road to ruin.
This week's guest, Amy Green Smith, has successfully navigated this dance, and has helped many clients get out of this trap.
Amy is a certified and credentialed life coach and hypnotherapist, masterful speaker...2024-09-1849 min
Untether Your Life88: Sam Kabert - Overcoming the Overwhelm through BREATH to Achieve SOUL/Life BalanceAlways love connecting with folks who share my passion for everything from breathwork to podcasting to cold plunges to the iconic So Cal rock group Sublime. So it was a sincere treat to host this week's guest Sam Kabert.
Sam is a Serial Entrepreneur turned Certified Breathwork Practitioner and TEDx speaker. He is the Author of the #1 Bestselling book, SOUL/Life Balance, and host of the Soul Seekr Podcast. In the past 5 years, he has courageously embraced a transformative path of self-discovery, centering his focus on prioritizing mental health. Sam is on a mission to offer tools...2024-08-2157 min
Untether Your Life87: Dr. Supriya Rao (aka Gutsy Girl MD) on the Essentials of Gut Health and Her Multifaceted Journey as a GI PhysicianIn line with the mantra of this show - to "own your health" - this week we speak with gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Rao, whose Gutsy Girl MD platform has evolved into the go-to resource for all things gut health, nutrition, and lifestyle-related.
Supriya is quadruple board certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine. She received her undergrad degree from MIT, followed by graduation from Duke University School of Medicine.
In addition to her role as managing partner at Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants in 2014, she serves as Director for Medical Weight Loss at Lowell...2024-08-0744 min
Untether Your Life86: Camilia Berrada - Mastering the Waves of Global, Elevated, Conscious Leadership, "From Shamans to Boardrooms"My time at one of the prestigious “Big 4” consulting firms sharpened my analytical skills and built my professional network immensely. It also contributed to me bottoming out physically and mentally. This rock bottom forced me to embrace meditation and go within, while working to shed my dependency on external validation and traditional symbols of "making it."
I'm always fascinated, therefore, to cross paths with Big 4 alums who have also gone on a journey of spirituality and self-realization – such as this week's guest, Camilia Berrada.
Camilia Berrada is a vehicle for change, who spent 8 years professionally mentor...2024-06-2647 min
Untether Your Life85: Dr. Seema Desai - Transformational Success Coach on Gratitude, Finding Calm in the Chaos, and All Things Happy and HumanThere's a concept in Eastern wisdom tradition called sangha, which centers on the power of community. When I launched Untether Your Life two years ago, I had no idea what an incredible sangha awaited me with the podcasting ecosystem.
Connecting with fellow storytellers and content creators has led to impactful collaborations. It's exposed me to life-changing frameworks, and it's given me many a good chuckle. One of these podcasters is this week's guest, Dr. Seema Desai.
Seema is a transformational success coach and speaker, who helps high-achieving leaders go from stressed and overwhelmed to productive...2024-06-1253 min
Untether Your Life84: Mas Vidal Maheshananda, Dancing Shiva Founder, on Yoga, Ayurveda, "Soft Power" and Much MoreSince launching this podcast two years ago, I continually marvel at the power of synchronicity, and the amazing wise souls that it's put in my path. Their books, online videos, and friendship have deepened my understanding of the wisdom traditions I've become so passionate about. This week's guest - Mas Vidal Maheshananda - is a prime example.
Mas Vidal is considered a global ambassador for Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedanta, and the wisdom of the Indian culture. Through his many programs, lectures and private counseling, Mas has become one of the most influential voices for evolutionary living based on...2024-05-221h 04
Untether Your Life83: Sharanya Rao - When Passion Meets Purpose: Global Coaching Works, Anklets in the Boardroom, Svadharma, and much moreMany of us lead very fragmented lives. If we're lucky, we set aside a couple hours a week to what really lights us up in between our busy "9-to-5"s and hectic social and family obligations.
I find it very inspiring, therefore, to connect with people like this week's guest Sharanya Rao, who succeed in "bringing their whole selves" to their day to day and follow their passion.
Sharanya is an expert on making transitions, having lived in 4 countries, and changed careers from being a commercial litigation lawyer to government and then to becoming a...2024-05-0840 min
Untether Your Life82: Dr. Puja Shah - A Dharma-Filled Journey from Dentist to Award-Winning Author, Meditation Teacher, Philanthropist, Mom and Much MoreThis episode is a first in Untether Your Life history, in bringing on a husband and wife duo. On the heels of my interview with Amish Shah in 2023, I'm proud to release my discussion with his wife, the incredibly insightful Dr. Puja Shah.
Puja is a visionary poet who shares her voice through written and spoken word, guided meditations, and teaching. Born in Queens, New York to immigrant parents, she defied teachers who questioned her English skills by winning countless poetry and short story awards in her youth.
With over 10 years of nonprofit experience and...2024-04-2450 min
Untether Your Life81: Piotr Ciepiel - Global Champion of Mindful Fitness and Cancer Warrior on "Unpacking Yourself" for TransformationI've been blessed to cross paths with some of the most dynamic, impactful souls across the planet through my involvement in Mindvalley, SOMA Breath, and other global communities. One of these is Piotr Ciepiel, who I met during a breathwork retreat in Ibiza, Spain. His evolution - which includes healing from cancer - is a powerful demonstration of the transformation that is possible when we untether our lives.
Piotr, MiFit Mindful Fitness founder, takes his transformative body / mind / energy programs worldwide. A dynamic public speaker, retreat leader, and breath master, he guides people to embrace emotions, vulnerability...2024-04-1046 min
Happy & HumanBreathe Better, Live Better with Nikhil TorsekarSend us a textSeema and Dinesh welcome Nikhil Torsekar in today’s episode for a conversation centered around taking care of our mental and physical health, utilizing the tools we’ve been given, specifically breathwork. They dive into the benefits and methods to use when it comes to implementing breathwork and gratitude practices and why it’s so incredibly effective. Nikhil shares his transformative and inspiring experience in how it has enhanced his life and why he is so committed to sharing these practices with others.Nikhil Torsekar is a podcast host, mental health advoca...2024-04-091h 04
Untether Your Life80: Nikhil Torsekar's "Pivotal" Appearance on The Life Shift PodcastThis week marks the 80th episode of Untether Your Life. It's "kind of a big deal" in the podcasting space, where 90% of shows don't make it past episode 3.
For this important milestone, I chose to rebroadcast my appearance on The Life Shift, hosted by my friend Matt Gilhooly - largely to help commemorate the two year anniversary of his incredible podcast. Congrats Matt on this "pivotal" moment!
Matt is an incredible host, who I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with about:
The meaning of the "Untether Your Life" mantra; how a seemingly stable life of ticking...2024-03-2758 min
Untether Your Life79: Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, CMO of Modern Age - On "a Mission to Add Millions of Years of Healthy Life Expectancy to the World"One of the goals of this show is to empower you the listener to break free of templates for managing physical and mental wellness. I'm inspired by organizations that facilitate this journey for patients through clinical and technological innovation.
One shining example is Modern Age, a New York City-based startup "on a mission to add millions of years of healthy life expectancy to the world."
We were therefore honored to have their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, as a guest on this week's episode of Untether Your Life.
Prior to Modern Age...2024-03-1344 min
The South Asian Healing PodcastFinding Light: A Conversation with Nikhil TorsekarIn this episode, we're honored to host Nikhil Torsekar, a remarkable individual whose life and work span across various spheres of influence. Known for his contributions as a podcast host, Nikhil's story is one of passion, resilience, and dedication to making a difference in the world.This episode promises to offer a glimpse into the life of someone who has seamlessly blended his roles as a mental health advocate, healthcare marketing professional, and certified breath work instructor. Through his diverse experiences, Nikhil embodies the spirit of exploration and the pursuit of well-being.Listeners can expect to be...2024-02-2947 min
Untether Your Life78: Dr. Tanmeet Sethi - Integrative, Psychedelic Medicine Physician, TEDx Speaker, Author - Joy Is My JusticeOne of the most rewarding parts of hosting this podcast is connecting with brilliant, compassionate polymaths, whose knowledge and experience extend across numerous realms. Dr. Tanmeet Sethi, MD is a prime example. She is an Integrative and Psychedelic Medicine Physician, activist, TEDx speaker, and author of the incredibly powerful book Joy Is My Justice. She’s also been featured on Oprah Daily.
Tanmeet has dedicated her career to caring for marginalized patients all over the globe from Seattle to Puerto Rico to Ukraine, as a senior faculty member at The Center for Mind Body Medicine. She is al...2024-02-2849 min
Untether Your Life77: Sumit Shukla - South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC) and Breaking the Silence on Mental HealthTwo years since our first guest interview episode of Untether Your Life with clinical psychologist Dr. Jyothsna Bhat, many strides have been made in mental health in the South Asian diaspora. This is due to the work of groups like South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC), co-founded by Rupal Joshi, Keerthi Channarasappa, and this week’s guest - Sumit Shukla.
In addition to this role, Sumit is an accomplished pharmaceutical expert with nearly 15 years of industry experience, a dedicated husband and father, and a passionate mental health advocate.
Driven by personal experiences with depression and an...2024-02-1443 min
Untether Your Life76: Tracy Vadakumchery - The Bad Indian TherapistThis podcast takes aim squarely at the templates that many of us in the South Asian diaspora grew up with – around the ideal career path, marriage, and managing our mental health.
It’s therefore gratifying to connect with others in the community who question the norms and fight against the status quo that has caused us great turmoil over the years. One of these iconoclasts is Tracy Vadakumchery, aka "The Bad Indian Therapist."
Tracy is a licensed therapist in New York, California, and Florida. She helps South Asian Americans who struggle with toxic guilt, shame, and...2024-01-3137 min
Untether Your Life75: Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen - Author of Aloha Vietnam, Multidimensional Psychiatrist, and Water KeeperMental Health is a mixed bag in 2024. I'm thrilled about the community that has blossomed since I launched this podcast two years ago - especially within the Asian diaspora. However, I'm disheartened by the assembly line approach that has evolved as a by-product of the skyrocketing demand for psychiatrists, therapists, and other providers.
In this environment, Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen - a highly credentialed California-based psychiatrist - is a breath of fresh air.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dr. Nguyen had parents who were refugees from Vietnam who arrived in Honolulu in 1975 at the end...2024-01-1047 min
Untether Your Life74: Untether Your Life: A Gratitude-Filled Look Back at 2023And that's a wrap!
2023 was such a transformational year, thanks in large part to the more than 20 epic souls I spoke with on the Untether Your Life podcast.
In recognition of their contributions to the raising of our collective consciousness, I've published a highlight reel recapping the most impactful moments of our conversations.
I've provided their information below, in case you'd like to learn more about their platforms and / or connect with them.
Jonaed Iqbal (02:18) - Founder, NoDegree.com | Website
Jason Goldberg (03:22) - Celebrity Mental Performance Coach, Author, Keynote Speaker | Website
Benoit...2023-12-2935 min
Untether Your Life73: Amish Shah, The Natural Law - Harnessing Ayurveda (the "Wisdom of Life") to Heal Himself and the PlanetAs a member of the South Asian diaspora, I'm humbled by the vast wisdom in our DNA and at our fingertips as evidenced by traditions such as Ayurveda - literally the "science or wisdom of life." I also have great respect for others in our culture who have embraced these holistic modalities to own their health, and have pursued their true dharma or calling in lieu of the limited "doctor, engineer, failure" menu that we grew up with.
I was therefore very glad to speak with this week's guest Amish Shah.
Amish Shah is a...2023-12-1348 min
Untether Your Life72: Kyle Peche - Jyoti Mineral Balancing, and the Benefits of a "Detoxification-Friendly" LifestyleOne of the mantras of this podcast is to "Own Your Health;" while conventional modalities such as surgery are very helpful for addressing trauma, optimizing one's health requires a rigorous exploration of alternative approaches. This week's guest, Kyle Peche, demonstrates the benefits of "ripping up templates" in charting one's health journey, when the tried-and-true comes up short.
After resolving his own 7 year health battle with chronic fatigue, brain fog, panic attacks, and other mysterious symptoms, Kyle developed a passion for healing others and alleviating their suffering as well. A certified Mineral-Nutritional Balancing Practitioner and founder of Jyoti...2023-11-2945 min
Untether Your Life71: Chris McDonald - The Power of Subtle Yoga, Brainspotting, Breathwork and Other Holistic Counseling ModalitiesThis week's guest, Chris McDonald, is a breath of fresh air in a world beset by false dichotomies between "traditional" and "holistic" approaches to mental health.
Chris is a holistic therapist, yogi, meditation teacher, author, and host of The Holistic Counseling Podcast. She owns a group online practice called Path to Hope Counseling. Chris is a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher, is certified in brainspotting and offers gentle yoga to clients in session, and offers private yoga sessions. She specializes in treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma and grief in young adults.
As the author of Self-Care...2023-11-1544 min
Untether Your Life70: Nikhil and Shelly Guest Appearance on Discover More Podcast with Benoit KimAs a podcaster, I love connecting with like-minded hosts such as Benoit Kim, given our shared interests in mental health, mindfulness / mediation, the cultural implications of the Asian-American “model minority” myth, and much more. My wife Shelly Sood and I appeared on his show - Discover More - in early 2023, shortly after the devastating loss of her father / my father-in-law. We found great comfort in this far-ranging discussion, touching on the following topics:
How Albert Einstein’s perspective that "everything is energy" can used to complement surgery, medication, talk therapy, and other traditional healthcare modalities to ensure optimal patien...2023-11-021h 06
Untether Your Life69: LeRon Barton - 3x TEDx Speaker & Celebrated Author on Overcoming Immense Setbacks, Speaking Your Truth, and Disrupting the Status QuoOne of the most rewarding aspects of hosting Untether Your Life is having conversations with folks who have attained great success by overcoming adversity, fighting the status quo / ripping up templates, and staying true to themselves. This week's guest, LeRon Barton, typifies these values.
LeRon L. Barton is a a 3x TEDx speaker, writer, and information technology professional originally from Kansas City, Missouri. LeRon is the author of two books, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture and All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage.
In addition...2023-10-1835 min
Untether Your Life68: Freeman Fung - Travel to Transform and 10X Your Personal GrowthFreeman Fung is an international speaker, best-selling author and certified life coach, who has advocated new global citizenship at TEDx, Mindvalley and world tourism forums.
He left his native Hong Kong at 19 to begin a journey to travel and experience life in over 35 countries.
Freeman's book Travel to Transform teaches readers how to use traveling as a holistic personal growth tool and the fast-track to self-mastery.
In this episode, host Nikhil Torsekar and Freeman explore the following:
The art and science behind Freeman's book Travel to Transform - which shatters the false...2023-10-041h 00
Untether Your Life67: Laura Carney - My Father's List: How Living My Dad's Dreams Set Me FreeLaura Carney is the author of My Father's List: How Living My Dad's Dreams Set Me Free. It's the story of how the author found the courage to go after her own dreams after tackling an ambitious 50+ item "bucket list" compiled by her late father Mick Carney, who had been killed by a distracted driver more than a decade prior.
Host Nikhil Torsekar deeply enjoyed speaking with Laura, as he had lost his own father-in-law earlier this year after a grueling decades-long struggle with Parkinson’s disease and many other illnesses. Like this week's guest, he finds co...2023-09-2056 min
Untether Your Life66: Neelu Kaur - Be Your Own Cheerleader and Thrive in Corporate AmericaSouth Asians often encounter limitations in corporate America in adhering to the model minority myth, a collectivist mindset and many other "unqiue" nuances of the culture. This week’s guest, Neelu Kaur helps clients tackle these challenges head on.
Neelu is an expert in leadership, wellness, and diversity, who has worked with Google, RBC, and many other top firms over her 15-year career in coaching and leadership development. A certified NLP coach and master practitioner with degrees from NYU and Columbia University, she's also a certified Yoga Instructor, Ayurveda Specialist, and trained Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, focused on bringing mi...2023-08-3046 min
Untether Your Life65: Niraj Naik, Tapping Into Your "Inner Pharmacy" via SOMA Breath - Breathwork, Dance, Ayurveda, Community, and More (Encore Episode)Niraj Naik has a highly effective prescription to optimize the health of your mind, body, and spirit. He is a certified UK pharmacist, turned holistic wellness, brain training and breath work expert who launched SOMA Breath. Through SOMA, Niraj has trained thousands of coaches in the powerful, scientifically-backed benefits of breathwork, music, dance, and community.
Niraj developed a course called Breathwork for Life that is among the most popular on Mindvalley, a personal transformation platform with more than 12 million members. His journey is a fascinating one that demonstrates the power of "owning your health" and "untethering your...2023-08-161h 07
Untether Your Life64: Julian Guderley - Legacy Coach & Podcast Host on Empowering Mission-Driven EntrepreneursJulian Guderley is a legacy coach for founders, with a mission to help clients unlock their full potential to become more effective leaders who create positive impact with heart.
Originally hailing from Germany, Julian "untethered his life" from a successful corporate career at blue chip firms like Nike and BMW. He pursued the road less travelled, launch a studio space in Canada and journey into the startup world in Silicon Valley and Vancouver Island.
He also launched the Green Planet Blue Planet Podcast, a global top 3% podcast, while traveling the world. Since 2017, Julian has consulted...2023-08-0246 min
Untether Your Life63: Vasavi Kumar - The Transformative Power of "Saying It Out Loud"Vasavi Kumar is often described as the "Queen of Saying It Out Loud." A first-generation Indian immigrant raised on Long Island, NY, Vasavi has relentlessly searched to find her own voice, access the freedom of her creative spirit, and help others along the way...out loud.
When diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 19, she made it her life’s purpose to understand how her mind works, starting with making room to hear herself think. Her mission is to share everything—the good, bad, and ugly—in order to teach a more mindful, practical, and simple way of...2023-07-1949 min
Untether Your Life62: Dr. Nilesh Satguru - The Science of Compassion and Self-Mastery CoachingGratitude is a topic that gets a great deal of attention in the personal growth space. However, an area that is less discussed is compassion - a subject that this week's guest (Dr. Nilesh Satguru) is very knowledgeable and passionate about.
Dr. Nilesh Satguru is a self-mastery coach, compassion expert and medical doctor. After over a decade practicing medicine, Nilesh now coaches entrepreneurs with powerful missions. His client list includes 7 figure serial entrepreneurs, ex-athletes, authors, executive coaches and award-winning charity founders. He was recently named by LA Weekly as one of "10 Leading Coaches to watch in 2023."
2023-07-0543 min
Discover More#132. How To Live With Mental Illness & The Healthcare Crisis In America - Shelly Sood & Nikhil TorsekarWhat is bipolar disorder? Can you live a normal life with mental illness? What is the healthcare crisis in America?
Shelly Sood and Nikhil Torsekar are founders of GIOSTAR Chicago, a stem cell therapy center, and the Untether Your Life media company.
Their mission statement is to leverage cutting-edge medical science and their incredible mental illness journey to provide clinical breakthroughs and instill hope in seemingly hopeless circumstances.
Expect to learn about bipolar disorder, how to live a happy life with bipolar disorder, what is the difference between mental health and mental illness, th...2023-06-051h 10
Untether Your Life61: Tanya Mitra - The Remixed Relationship, and Managing Mental Health in the South Asian DiasporaOf the many issues impacting the South Asian diaspora, one topic we haven't discussed on this show is relations with other minority groups. So I was very excited to connect on this week's episode with Tanya Mitra, one of the most prominent voices on the topic of Blindian (Black and South Asian) relationships. She is a perfect illustration of a life untethered, as she's broken free of numerous templates in the South Asian diaspora - in her choices of career, romantic partner, and strategies for managing her mental health.
Tanya is an Indian-Canadian-American former luxury fashion executive...2023-04-1954 min
Untether Your Life60: Neal Bakshi - Banking On Angels: From Wall Street To Spiritual AwakeningOne of the most exciting parts of hosting Untether Your Life is connecting with folks with whom I "vibe" on numerous fronts, such as Neal Bakshi. Like me, Neal's parents came to the US from India, he worked for years in the very stressful financial services industry, and he developed a strong affinity for Eastern wellness modalities of a traditional (i.e., Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship) and modern (i.e., Niraj Naik's SOMA Breath) variety.
We touched on numerous topics on this week's episode, including:
Neal's move from the cut throat, always-on world of investment ba...2023-04-0553 min
Untether Your Life59: Dylan Bernstein: Maximizing Mental and Physical Wellness Through Yoga and Other Eastern PracticesAre you looking to improve your mental health and overall sense of wellbeing? Focusing on deep breathing and gentle poses through the practice of yoga may help!
On this podcast, we love to go beyond medication and cognitive behavioral therapy and other traditional modalities in exploring approaches to managing mental wellness.
In this encore episode of Untether Your Life, we discuss yoga as a mental health management tool. To help educate us and our audience, we have invited one of the practice’s preeminent voices, Dylan Bernstein. Nikhil and Dylan met in middle school at Ma...2023-03-291h 01
Untether Your Life58: Happy Birthday to The Life Shift Podcast!This week's episode features my thoughts on The Life Shift Podcast as well as a trailer for the show, which launched a year ago.
One of the things I've loved most about my journey in podcasting is connecting with amazing fellow podcasters such as the show's host, Matt Gilhooly. The Life Shift Podcast features candid conversations with people about the pivotal moments that changed their lives forever.
We all have our stories, but through these conversations, we discover communities. We learn that there are commonalities through the ups and downs that we all face. But...2023-03-2203 min
Untether Your Life57: Natasha Levinger - Author, Healing Your Inner Child; Host, Getting to Know Woo Podcast: Intuition, Inner Child Work, Energy HealingThe central theme of Untether Your Life is going beyond traditional modalities for managing your mental and physical wellness. What does that actually mean though? It’s a very broad statement, but intuition, inner child work, and energy healing are some of the essential elements of this holistic approach.
This week’s guest, Natasha Levinger, is well versed in all of this, and then some. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, she is a professional intuitive reader, energy healer and inner child healing expert. Through her practice Highest Light Healing, she teaches classes and workshops, delivers meditations, and much...2023-03-1534 min
The Brown Girl PodcastEp 39 - How 20 Years of an Undiagnosed Mental Illness Almost Ended Our Marriage w/ Shelly Sood and Nikhil TorsekarIn Episode 39, Julie speaks with married couple, Shelly Sood and Nikhil Torsekar.
Shelly Sood is an author, speaker, mother of 3, wife, and entrepreneur. Her husband of 20 years, Nikhil, had suffered from undiagnosed bipolar disorder for two decades, leading to massive devastation emotionally, mentally, and financially. After helping to save his life and their marriage, Shelly launched a healthcare company (GIOSTAR* Chicago) and discovered the fulfillment gained from diminishing the pain of others.
After becoming suicidal, and ultimately getting diagnosed at the age of 40, Nikhil Torsekar began a journey of introspection and healing, and is now...2023-03-1448 min
Untether Your Life56: Robert Pardi - Possibility in Action: Embracing Impermanence in New York City, Dubai, and Abruzzo, ItalyRobert Pardi is the founder of Possibility in Action™, "a powerful personal growth philosophy that can help unlock a world of limitless possibilities and potential."
Robert embodies the tenets of Untether Your Life: after his young wife passed away of metastatic breast cancer, Robert re-imagined his life and left his comfort zone to achieve new dreams. He now shares the many life lessons he’s learned through his work and fashioned his life as an example of Possibility in Action™.
Prior to his dramatic life change, the New York City native had spent several years in the...2023-03-0841 min
Untether Your Life55: Erwin B. Valencia - NBA Wellness Expert, the "Godfather of Gratitude," Non-Profit & Web3 Founder on the Power of Gratitude and Much MoreThe term “polymath” gets thrown around quite a bit these days, with many people positioning themselves as experts in X, Y, or Z. However, a lot of times it's, as they say, "all hat, no cattle." And then there's Erwin B. Valencia who despite wearing many hats - both literally and figuratively, truly embodies the term.
Erwin – (aka “E,” or the “Godfather of Gratitude”) is a professional polymath: Wellness Expert/High-Performance Sports Clinician/ Life Coach / Community Nurturer / Non-Profit Founder / Mentor / Dance Ninja.
He is the Team Physical Therapist & Wellness Lead for the New York Knicks, the first Filipi...2023-03-0148 min
Untether Your Life54: Jenny Thrasher, All That We Are - Beyond Saving a Life, to Living a Life We LoveJenny Thrasher is on a mission to "shift the mental health narrative from a fear-based, crisis mentality to one of wellness and empowerment." Through her companies All That We Are and Growing Out of Darkness, as well as her writings, she was able to untether herself from the traditionally dire and hopeless approach to navigating the gut-wrenching journey of loss. This is a topic the tireless mental health advocate is all too familiar with, as her father died by suicide, her own daughter nearly took her life, and she herself struggled with suicidal ideation following pregnancy.
In...2023-02-2248 min
Untether Your Life53: Ankur Varma, LCPC - Brown Man Therapy: Sparking Dialogue on Mental Health Among Males in the South Asian DiasporaUntether Your Life has taken a deep dive into mental health in the South Asian diaspora, inspired by the lived experiences of host Nikhil Torsekar and his wife Shelly Sood. One facet of this that merits further exploration is how it impacts South Asian males, a topic near and dear to Ankur Varma’s heart.
Along with serving as Program Director at Northeast Family Services of Illinois, Ankur launched a valuable Instagram-based resource called Brown Man Therapy which is “on a mission to engage more men and normalize conversations about mental health and South Asian cultures outside of w...2023-02-1546 min
Untether Your Life52: Shermin Kruse - TEDx Producer / Speaker, Law Professor, Global Transactions Expert, and Acclaimed Author on Tactical Empathy, Stoicism, and Much MoreThis podcast is all about breaking free of traditional templates and barriers placed upon us by society. Today’s guest exemplifies this in spades. Shermin Kruse is a first generation immigrant from Iran, Northwestern University law school professor, Global Transactions Expert, former law firm partner, TEDx Producer, author, and mother of 4.
Nikhil Torsekar had a wonderful discussion with Shermin about a broad range of topics, including:
Shermin’s interest in Star Trek (dating back to college), and how the Vulcan philosophies of Dr. Spock partly informed her love of stoicism
Tactical empathy - a framework that Sherm...2023-02-0241 min
Untether Your Life51: Benoit Kim: Discovering More with a Podcasting Policymaker Turned Psychedelic Therapist, "Third-Culture Kid" and US Army VeteranBenoit Kim could be seen as the poster boy for the mission of Untether Your Life, as he has broken free of the traditional templates of success for Asian Americans. Further, he’s gone above and beyond in owning his health, exploring the benefits of psychedelic therapies for managing mental illness both in a personal and professional capacity.
Benoit is a former policymaker turned therapist, US army veteran, and host of the Discover More Podcast - a show for introspective thinkers with growth mindsets seeking authentic life stories.
On this week’s episode of Untether Your...2023-01-2655 min
Untether Your Life50: Jason Goldberg Is Ruining Everything (Re-Broadcast) and...Happy 50th to Untether Your Life!Today marks the 50th episode of Untether Your Life. We're commemorating this important milestone by rebroadcasting one of our favorite discussions, with Jason Goldberg. Enjoy! And...enjoy some more!
Do personal growth books and podcasts make you roll your eyes? Are you tired of hearing the same story of “infinite inspiration” rehashed again and again? Then the guest on this episode of Untether Your Life may be the perfect alternative solution to the dry and heavy content that you’re used to.
On today’s episode we speak with an award-winning entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, bacon-atarian (that's a...2023-01-1837 min
Untether Your Life49: Mike and Teresa Florence - Motth: Find Your Light and Untether from the Darkness of Teenage Addiction and DepressionMike and Teresa Florence have been married for 24 years and have 3 sons and 1 daughter. Mike spent over 25 years in the global financial services and management consulting industry. Teresa earned a degree in early childhood development and spent 15 years working with children before leaving the workforce to focus on their family. Mike and Teresa always had a passion for mental health and through their own experiences have begun a journey to create a community focused on providing support to caregivers of individuals struggling with mental health.
Mike and Teresa faced great challenges when their teenage son began struggling wi...2023-01-1245 min
Untether Your Life48: Jonaed Iqbal: Founder of NoDegree.com; Untethering from the Template South Asian "Doctor / Engineer / Failure" Career MenuHappy New Year! With the start of a new year, kids are likely back to the grind - whether it's at high school, college, or other insitutions of higher learning.
So this week's discussion is timely: host Nikhil Torsekar speaks with Jonaed Iqbal, the Founder of NoDegree.com and host of The NoDegree Podcast where he interviews people without college degrees and has them share their stories so others can follow in their path.
Jonaed is also a YouMap® certified career coach who has helped hundreds of candidates land jobs and promotions at Amazon, Google, Mic...2023-01-0543 min
Untether Your Life47: JD Murgolo on "Fragile Moments" in the "Dark Days / Bright Nights" of Managing Mental HealthJD Murgolo, aka JD the Jedi, is an author, ACE Certified Health Coach and Personal Trainer, speaker on anxiety and depression, and founder of the mental health community platform Fragile Moments. Host Nikhil Torsekar connected with him to dicuss several topics, including:
How JD's background as a middle school Montessori teacher informed his love of helping adults "navigate their emotions"
The dubious promise of health and wellness coaches "guaranteeing" elimination of anxiety, or loss of specific amounts of weight
The role of social media in shaping community around mental health, including Fragile Moments
Distinctions between active and passive...2022-12-2835 min
Untether Your Life46: Justin S Grant: Finding Synergies Between Business and Spirituality – Even for Busy People!Spirituality is something that seems quite elusive in a hyper-notified, always-on world where we're glued to our screens, engaged in FOMO, doom-scrolling, or curating our Instagram feed to portray a perfect social and professional life. Justin S. Grant, however, has found a way to artfully blend these two worlds in his book Spirituality for Busy People (an abbreviation of his earlier work Business and Spirituality). In this episode, the Los Angeles, California-based author, entrepreneur, singer, and mentor speaks with Untether Your Life host Nikhil Torsekar about many topics, including:
The distinctions between the views of psychology in eastern...2022-12-2130 min
Untether Your Life45: Inspire with Shani: Guest IG Live Appearance: Breathwork, Mental Health in the South Asian Diaspora, and the Double-Edged Sword of Social MediaToday's episode features a guest appearance by Nikhil Torsekar on an Instagram Live hosted by Shani, a coach based near Lisbon, Portugal who practices breathwork and cold water exposure therapy. After these tools pulled him out of a major depression, he made it his mission to share them with others and help them discover their own power.
They touch on numerous topics geared to help you untether your life and break free of "templates," including:
The mechanics of methodologies such as SOMA breathwork, and how they can help manage mental health
The stigma against mental health i...2022-12-1530 min
Untether Your Life44: Introducing "Untether Your Life"Today marks a new chapter for this podcast: we launched this initiative a year ago alongside our blog, the book we'd co-authored, as well as an upcoming movie. The core themes are owning your own health - i.e., looking beyond surgery, medication, and cognitive therapy to manage your mental and physical wellness.
More broadly, our mission is to help you as the listener "untether your life:" break free of "templates" - professional, cultural, and health-related - that you may have accepted as being written in stone. We do this by speaking with experts in meditation, folks...2022-12-0903 min
Untether Your Life43: Niraj Naik, Founder, SOMA Breath: Tapping into Your "Inner Pharmacy" Through Breathwork, Music, Dance, and CommunityNiraj Naik has a highly effective prescription to optimize the health of your mind, body, and soul. He is a certified UK pharmacist, turned holistic wellness, brain training and breath work expert who launched SOMA Breath. Through SOMA, Niraj has trained thousands of coaches in the powerful, scientifically-backed benefits of breathwork, music, dance, and community.
Niraj developed a course called Breathwork for Life that is among the most popular on Mindvalley, a personal transformation platform with more than 12 million members. His journey is a fascinating one that demonstrates the power of "owning your health" and "untethering your...2022-11-301h 09
Untether Your Life42: The Power of Acceptance in "Befriending Bipolar:" Oliver Seligman, Mental Wellness Coach, Author, and Meditation ExpertBipolar disorder is at its core a global issue: although the systems for managing the disease vary from country to country, it impacts more than 45 million people worldwide. With this, it is always enlightening to speak with individuals around the globe who have found strategies for effectively managing the disorder.
Oliver Seligman, today's guest, is a prime example: mental wellness coach, advocate, meditation teacher, and author of Befriending Bipolar and The Broker Who Broke Free. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Oliver was diagnosed with bipolar type one at seventeen. Having spent time in mental hospitals in Norway, Australia...2022-11-2346 min
Untether Your Life41: Excerpts from the SAAPRI Health Equity Project "Movember" Panel with Nikhil Torsekar, Karan Gowda, and Emmanuel RavichandarOne of the most rewarding aspects of The Shelly Story journey has been collaborating with organizations such as the South Asian American Policy and Research Institute (SAAPRI). SAAPRI is a non-profit nonpartisan organization established in 2001 with the mission to serve South Asian Americans in the Chicago area by using research to formulate equitable and socially responsible policy.
Nikhil appeared as a panelist on the SAAPRI Health Equity Project “Movember” panel held on IG Live. The topic of the discussion was men's health (in observance of the famous “Movember” movement), as well as mental health in the South Asian di...2022-11-1539 min
Untether Your Life40: Rahul Kay, CEO, Sukhi: Finding Mindful Happiness In an Increasingly Burned Out WorldThe crux of The Shelly Story platform lies in "owning your own health," through healing practices beyond surgery, medication, cognitive therapy, and other traditional modalities. Additionally, it is all about untethering ourselves from conventional career paths and "templates" handed down over generations - especially as South Asian immigrants.
As such, we were very excited to speak with Rahul Kay, Founder and CEO of Sukhi, a company that seeks to reduce corporate burnout and promote wellness through both in-person activities and an innovative digital app. The platform focuses on numerous areas, ranging from meditation and mindfulness to improving...2022-11-0845 min
Untether Your Life39: Paris Prynkiewicz: On Strategies to Live Well Bipolar - A Crooked IllnessParis Prynkiewicz was diagnosed with depression at age 16, while her suspicion of having bipolar disorder was ignored by doctors because her productive life didn’t “fit the mold”. A few years later, she was hospitalized and court-ordered into treatment, leading to a life-changing journey of healing.
Podcaster and author of the incredible memoir, Crooked Illness: Lessons From Inside & Outside Hospital Walls, Paris Prynkiewicz is joining host Nikhil to discuss her mental health and how the shame she felt surrounding her bipolar diagnosis affected her road to recovery. You’ll also hear both of their experiences with inpatient psychiat...2022-11-0142 min
Untether Your Life38: Mrinal Gokhale: Author of Saaya Unveiled Reflects on Mental Health in the South Asian DiasporaWith the publication of her book Saaya Unveiled, Mrinal Gokhale is trying to help break the stigma surrounding mental health, especially in her community. She joins host Nikhil on The Shelly Story this week to discuss the harmful model minority myth, and how it can lead to intense pressures and lack of focus on mental health issues.
Host Nikhil of The Shelly Story, and today’s guest, Mrinal Gokhale, reflect on shared similar experiences of being from an immigrant family. Mrinal and Nikhil have dealt with the repercussions of mental illness, which are compounded by shame and st...2022-10-2636 min
Untether Your Life37: Kiersten Parsons Hathcock - Little Voices, Big Impact: Intuitive Powers in Healing from Trauma“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
This quote attributed to Albert Einstein describes our collective misunderstanding of the relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind. For those who have experienced trauma, the learned act to rationalize our experiences can mean missing sometimes life-changing information from our subconscious. By tapping into her own intuition, today’s guest was able to escape an abusive relationship and start to heal.
Joining Shelly on today’s episode...2022-10-1946 min
Untether Your Life36: Jason Goldberg Is Ruining Everything - and Making Us 5% Happier In the ProcessDo personal growth books and podcasts make you roll your eyes? Are you tired of hearing the same story of “infinite inspiration” rehashed again and again? Then the guest on this episode of The Shelly Story may be the perfect alternative solution to the dry and heavy content that you’re used to.
On today’s episode we speak with an award-winning entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, bacon-atarian (that's a vegetarian who still eats bacon), funky sock lover, a former rapper (who opened for the Wu-Tang Clan - YES, really!), and previously a 332lb man (who has since lost over 130...2022-10-1138 min
Untether Your Life35: Dr. Tracy Winter, "Nerd Coach," on Neurodiversity, Stormtroopers, and Solving the World's ProblemsBeing “gifted” doesn’t only refer to intelligence; people can be highly skilled in other areas, such as emotionality, leadership, and interpersonal skills. Neurodiversity captures the broad range of unique strengths of individuals who don’t neatly fit the typical molds that society creates. But who is serving this population of gifted adults?
Dr. Tracy Winter, aka the “Nerd Coach,” is on the show to discuss her experience coaching gifted adults and why their quirky brains are so important. She believes that neurodivergent people can change the world; they just need to live in a world where they’re able...2022-10-0444 min
Untether Your Life34: Cain McQuinley - Owning Your Health: From Near Fatal Car Crash Survivor to Innovator in Regenerative MedicineOne of the key themes of The Shelly Story is owning your own health. Although doctors, nurses, and medical professionals play an important role, we are the ones who are ultimately responsible for optimizing the health of our mind, body and soul. Helping to save her husband's life inspired Shelly to launch GIOSTAR Chicago - a leading stem cell therapy provider - which is how we met today's guest, Cain McQuinley.
Cain is a prime example of the benefits of owning your health. He transformed his life by going against the one-size-fits-alfl treatment model prevalent in today's h...2022-09-2639 min
Untether Your Life33: Dr. Ammara Khalid, Co-Founder, CORE Chicago: Family Issues and Mental Health in the South Asian DiasporaSouth Asian immigrants face a number of mental health challenges associated with the pressures of straddling two different worlds. The stress that comes with acculturation, trauma, and discrimination has been linked with depression, anxiety, and more, and getting help isn’t always as easy as it seems.
Most traditional psychotherapy has been modeled on Western families, which is why today’s guest takes a more collaborative and multicultural approach. Today, we sit down with Dr. Ammara Khalid, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in individual, couples, and family therapy with children, adolescents, and adults of diverse backgrounds.
2022-09-1435 min
Untether Your Life32: Dylan Bernstein: Yoga Expert on Natural Techniques for Managing Mental WellbeingAre you looking to improve your mental health and overall sense of wellbeing? Focusing on deep breathing and gentle poses through the practice of yoga may help!
On this podcast, we speak to people from a variety of backgrounds about diverse issues, most notably mental health, but we also love to dive into topics that might be considered outside the mainstream when it comes to managing mental wellness.
Today we will be discussing yoga as a mental health management tool. To help educate us and our audience, we have invited one of the practice’s pr...2022-09-061h 02
Untether Your Life31: Honoring the Legacy of Joshua Marks: The Larger Than Life FoundationThe need for mental health advocacy is at an all time high right now. Having gone through two years of a devastating pandemic, with mental health services unable to keep up with the demand, we need to speak out on behalf of those who are suffering before it is too late.
Our guests on today’s episode are two people that know how precarious mental health can be, as they watched their brother and son fall victim to mental illness, and experienced how help was not so readily available.
Joining us today are Dana Marks an...2022-08-2359 min
Untether Your Life30. Chris Brogan: A Best-Selling Author, Thought Leader, and Tech Exec Reflects on Managing Mental HealthSome of the most successful people of our age have experienced issues with mental health. From the outside it seems as if things couldn’t be better, but the inner world can be insidious in its ability to show the world one thing but experience the inner turmoil in another way.
This rings true for our guest on today’s episode. Chris Brogan, co-author of Trust Agents, chief of staff at AppFire, executive level strategist, CEO advisor working with companies at the $100 million revenue and up range, sought after keynote speaker, and The New York Times bestselling auth...2022-08-1749 min
Untether Your Life29: William J Kaplanidis: Harnessing Eastern Medicine to Heal Our Inner ChildrenOwning your own health is one of the key precepts of The Shelly Story and GIOSTAR Chicago. As our lived experience showed us, it's important to look beyond "tried and true" methods for managing your body, mind and soul health. Eastern medicine offers many insights that may prove elusive with solely relying on surgery or medication.
With this in mind, Nikhil speaks with William J. Kaplanidis, Acupuncturist, Therapist, Teacher, Author and Founder of Acudragon Wellness. For over 30 years, William has helped people find the insight and courage to transform their lives and move towards true freedom and...2022-08-0153 min
Untether Your Life28: Joe Arrigo: The Power of MBTI and Personality Type"ENTJ." "ISFP." You've likely heard these abbreviations, but what do they mean exactly?
These are two of the 16 types in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - a framework for analyzing individuals' personality types, strengths, and preferences based on a self-assessment. Every day the test is used by hundreds of universities, almost 90% of Fortune 500 companies, and more recently even on dating apps such as So Syncd.
A few years ago Joe Arrigo, author of the recently published Marble and Sculptor: A Personality Type Manifesto, became fascinated with the MBTI and its potential application to his...2022-07-0647 min
Untether Your Life27: From Broken to Beautiful: Mytrae Meliana, Author, Brown Skin Girl, and Holistic Psychotherapist“Trauma” means many things to many people. Mytrae Meliana is innately familiar with its myriad implications, having endured an indescribably abusive marriage, being subject to exile and house arrest in India by her own parents, and fighting against cultural and societal patriarchy to find her own voice. She captured her harrowing, and ultimately redemptive story in a memoir entitled Brown Skin Girl: An Indian American Woman’s Magical Journey from Broken to Beautiful.
Nikhil and Shelly spoke with Mytrae about her incredible story, which provides hope to many South Asian women who feel they are suffering in silence...2022-06-2155 min
Untether Your Life26: Rick Clemons, Host, The Life (UN)closeted Podcast: Managing Depression and the Uncloseted LifeRick Clemons is a globally recognized professional speaker, a published author (Frankly My Dear I'm Gay - A Late Bloomers Guide To Coming Out), successful podcaster (Life (UN)CLoseted and 40 Plus: Gay Men, Gay Talk), and highly regarded public speaking coach. Like more than 15 million other Americas, he also contends with the challenges of depression on a daily basis.
In this episode, Rick speaks with Nikhil about his struggles with mental health, and what it means to live an unapologetic, uncloseted life on your terms. It was a long journey for him - coming out of the c...2022-06-0847 min
Untether Your Life25: Alexa James - CEO, NAMI Chicago: Key Insights on Mental Health Advocacy and SupportAlexa James is the CEO of NAMI Chicago, the Chicagoland chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness - the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Since assuming the role in 2020, she's played an integral role in influencing mental health policies and initiatives in the nation's 3rd largest city.
We were fortunate to speak with Alexa on a broad variety of topics, including:
What led her on the path to a career in healthcare in NAMI Chicago
The challenges of combatting men...2022-05-2548 min
The Desi ConditionEpisode 4.08: Family Mental Health, with Shelly Sood and Nikhil TorsekarIt is 2015, and Nikhil and Shelly are staying in a quaint cabin in Wisconsin. They had been fighting for some time, and are hoping that this is a chance to rekindle their marriage. But back at the cabin, Shelly encounters her worst nightmare. Nikhil's face turns to stone as he says, "I don't love you anymore. I want a divorce." Shelly enters into hysterics. Divorce proceedings follow.
But Nikhil and Shelly's story takes an unexpected twist when Nikhil is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. On this episode, we discuss their mental health journey as a family; sweeping issues under the rug...2022-05-151h 04
Untether Your Life24: Dr. Monica Kathuria, PsyD - CEO, Encircle Wellness; Finding the "Right" TherapistMental health is not a one-size-fits-all concept. It's important to find the a therapist that understands your individual situation, and can help you manage your treatment plan accordingly.
In this episode, Nikhil speaks with Dr. Monica Kathuria, PsyD, CEO and Founder of Encircle Wellness, an established private practice located in Chicago’s West Loop which focuses on mental health and wellbeing. They touch on numerous topics, including the importance of the "five basic food groups" of mental health, the pros and cons of social media, and the importance of gathering input from the patient's family.
Add...2022-05-1153 min
Untether Your Life23: Jeff Brown – App Strategist, Patented Inventor, Bipolar Neurodiversity ActivistJeff Brown is an app strategist and patented inventor by trade, and bipolar and neurodiversity activist by passion and lived experience. He has lived with bipolar disorder for nearly two decades and shares his story and discoveries of his neurodivergence online as The Bipolarist.
In this discussion, he speaks with host Nikhil Torsekar about how bipolar disorder impacts his career; offers guidance for folks with the disorder to navigate professional pathways; and his future plans for his Bipolar and Neurodiversity Advocacy work.
Jeff also touches on one of his forthcoming apps, Peercare, which helps friends...2022-04-2552 min
Untether Your Life22: Pinaki Saha, CEO, Anshar Labs: An Entrepreneur Navigating the South Asian DiasporaPinaki Saha is a creative missionary, digital explorer, and CEO / Co-Founder of Anshar Labs, a global engineering powerhouse delivering outstanding user experiences to Fortune 500 firms, mid-level organizations, and fledgling startups. After graduating from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, he moved to the US in 1996 and launched a flourishing information technology career. This culminated in the launch of Anshar Labs.
In this episode, Nikhil speaks with Pinaki about his journey as an entrepreneur, father, and immigrant, navigating the twists and turns of the American Dream. He touches on the challenges of parenthood, encouraging innovation, managing mental health a...2022-04-1940 min
Untether Your Life21: Neelam Singh, Ayurveda, Breath Work, and NutritionThe Shelly Story explores various methods for optimizing one's health beyond surgery, medication, and other "tried and true" modalities. One of these is Ayurveda, which originated in India thousands of years ago, and has shown great promise in managing numerous health conditions.
We were fortunate to speak with Neelam Singh, who offered serveral valuable insights on this fascinating, yet sometimes misunderstood approach to health.
Neelam is a certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Expert on Eastern Nutrition, and Breath Work Coach. She was raised in an Indian household that incorporated many aspects of this approach to health...2022-04-111h 14
Untether Your Life20: Guest Appearance on Immigrantly Podcast with Saadia KhanSaadia Khan is the host of The Immigrantly Podcast, a weekly program that aims to deconstruct stereotypical narratives of immigrants, their second-generation kids, people of color, and change-makers with cross-cultural, nuanced conversations.
Nikhil and Shelly spoke with Saadia on a range of topics, including their journey of healing, the struggles of being a first generation immigrant, how their experience shaped their parenting philosophies, and the priceless gifts of abundance, awareness, and other elements of happiness.
To learn more about Saadia and The Immigrantly Podcast, please visit https://immigrantlypod.com/. You can find out more about...2022-03-3136 min
Untether Your Life19: Julie Taparia on Vedic AstrologyThe past 2 years have witnessed disruption on an almost unprecedented scale. In this episode, Julie Taparia shares her insights on Vedic Astrology, a school of thought that may provide context to these turbulent times.
Julie has studied Vedic Astrology extensively for over 13 years, and under the guidance of Pt. Sanjay Rath’s, 6-year Parasara Jyotisa Course. Her astrology passion has allowed her to work closely with Anita Dongre, a top fashion house in NYC, the United Nations, and collaborated with Bravo TV personalities on astrology fashion wear and astrology podcasts.
For more information on Julie Tapar...2022-03-0858 min
Untether Your Life18: Vijay Nallawala, Founder of Bipolar India, on Mental Health in IndiaVijay Nallawala is an entrepreneur, author, and mental health advocate. In 2013, he launched Bipolar India as an online portal and community to help those suffering from mental illness.
He also authored A Bipolar's Journey: From Torment to Fulfillment, which details his struggles and ultimate triumphs after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003.
In this episode, Mr. Nallawala speaks with Nikhil about his journey, and the state of mental health in India.
For more information about Vijay, please visit bipolarindia.com. To learn more about Shelly Sood and her book and upcoming movie, please v...2022-02-281h 06
Untether Your Life17: Guest Appearance on The Oh Hell No Podcast with Keisha NicoleKeisha Nicole is the host and producer of The Oh Hell No Podcast and the Side Talk Podcast. The podcasts allow her to share stories of passion, purpose and struggle with the hopes of helping people to push past their fears to move into their next stage of life with awareness, passion and intent. Keisha's goal is to empower people to step outside of their comfort zone and try that thing that they have always wanted to try or do.
In this episode, Shelly discusses with Keisha the triumphs and struggles that she faced in her journey...2022-02-2722 min
Untether Your Life16: Amy B. Scher, Best-Selling Author, Marketing StrategistAmy B. Scher is the bestselling author of This Is How I Save My Life and three other books. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Good Morning America, CNN, and many more outlets.
As a sought-after editor and marketing strategist, she has helped Harley-Davidson, Thrillist, and others—create "quality content that pops."
After surviving a decade of chronic illness and making a complete recovery, Amy spends her time writing, traveling, and relaxing.
In this episode, Amy speaks with Shelly about her struggles with autoimmune diseases, combatting the physical impact of trau...2022-02-2526 min
Untether Your Life15: Dr. Sheila Patel, Chopra Global CMO on Holistic HealingGIOSTAR Chicago – a leader in regenerative technologies – conducted a discussion on holistic healing with Dr. Sheila Patel. The conversation was led by Shelly Sood, GIOSTAR Chicago Founding Partner. Dr. Patel is a board-certified family physician and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Chopra Global – “a modern healthcare company positioned at the intersection of science and spirituality,” founded by renowned healthcare expert Dr. Deepak Chopra. The full interview is available on the GIOSTAR Chicago Website, with an accompanying transcript.2022-02-221h 10
Untether Your Life14: Jo Bevilacqua, on Being "No Longer Last on the List"Jo Bevilacqua is the multi-award-winning founder of Hallmark Carpets and Flooring, Serenity Loves and Jo Bevilacqua Mentoring. She is also a wife and a mother of two beautiful girls.
Jo works with business owners to help them grow profitable and productive businesses. She tries to live and breathe the advice she gives in her best-selling book No Longer Last on the List and encourages you, like the mentor and friend she is, to stop putting your dreams off until tomorrow and start working on them today, because she knows you’re truly worth it.
In thi...2022-02-2043 min
Untether Your Life13: Sujata Day - The "Triple Threat" Behind Top Netflix Hit Definition PleaseSujata Day is a "triple threat:" she wrote, directed, and starred in Definition Please, now available on Netflix. Set in Greensburg, PA, the film takes a uniquely raw, unflinching, and at times comedic look at mental health issues in the South Asian community
In this episode, Shelly and Nikhil speak with Sujata about the motivations behind Definition Please, mental illness in the South Asian community, and what's next for the talented filmmaker and actress.
For more information:
Sujata Day - sujataday.com
Shelly Sood - shellysood.com
The Shelly Story podcast - theshellystory.com
2022-02-1528 min
Untether Your Life12: Dr. Jyothsna Bhat on Mental Health in the South Asian communityDr. Jyothsna S. Bhat, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and mental health advocate specializing in the treatment of anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship and family issues, and stress management. She is a featured contributor on Psychology Today, and runs a practice based out of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Nikhil spoke with Dr. Bhat about the impact of mental health on South Asian communities - both in the United States and abroad. They discuss numerous issues, including the "model minority myth," the role of technology and social media, organizations that are helping address the issues, and ways South Asians...2022-02-141h 03
Untether Your LifeEpisode 12: Dr. Jyothsna Bhat on Mental Health in the South Asian communityDr. Jyothsna S. Bhat, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and mental health advocate specializing in the treatment of anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship and family issues, and stress management. She is a featured contributor on Psychology Today, and runs a practice based out of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Nikhil spoke with Dr. Bhat about the impact of mental health on South Asian communities - both in the United States and abroad. They discuss numerous issues, including the "model minority myth," the role of technology and social media, organizations that are helping address the issues, and ways South Asians...2022-02-111h 04
Untether Your Life11: Guest Appearance on The Bright Side of Life with Melissa BrightMelissa Bright is the host of The Bright Side Podcast, in which she and her guests "navigate and discuss people's successful journeys to happiness." She spoke with Shelly and Nikhil about their journey in getting to the root of Nikhil's mental illness five years ago.
After a harrowing journey, involving near dissolution of her marriage of 15 years, Shelly discovered the unparallaled joy of helping to saving a life. This informed her decision to launch GIOSTAR Chicago - a stem cell therapy center specializing in regenerative therapies for degenerative conditions. Melissa concludes by speaking with them about what "T...2022-02-081h 31
The Bright Side of Life (Mental Health, Self Care)Owning your health. Shelly and Nikhil's story of what it took to save Nikhil's life, when for 2 decades he suffered from undiagnosed bipolar disorder.Nikhil Torsekar seemed to have it all: he had a loving wife and three kids, had attended a top university and business school, and had steadily climbed the career ladder at the world’s top corporations. One day it all came crashing down: he lost his job, found himself in a bitter divorce, and had nowhere to live. Further analysis revealed that Nikhil had been suffering from undiagnosed bipolar disorder, oscillating between staggering highs and incapacitating lows for 20 years. After receiving the diagnosis at the age of 40, he began a journey of introspection and healing, and is no...2022-02-021h 31
Untether Your Life10: The Power of Meditation and MindfulnessBen Fuchs is the host of The Bright Side syndicated radio program. He is a pharmacist, nutritionist and skin care chemist with more than 30 years of experience, most notably his launch of the Truth Treatment Systems™ line of skin care products.
In this episode, Shelly's husband Nikhil speaks with Ben about techniques that have been effective in managing bipolar disorder. These include meditation, mindfulness, metacognition, and regular exercise. Ben and Nikhil speak about the importance of the breath in regulating emotions, and the teachings of Deepak Chopra.2022-02-0117 min
Untether Your Life9: Follow up with Frankie Boyer, The Frankie Boyer ShowFrankie Boyer is the host of The Frankie Boyer Radio Show, carried on BizTalkRadio. She is an impassioned voice for folks seeking information on traditional and alternative approaches to lifestyle, healthcare and wellbeing. Five days a week, Frankie speaks to experts to educate listeners on taking personal responsibility for their own health and graceful aging. Through engaging dialogue with Dr. Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and thousands of other gurus Frankie seeks to explore effective solutions to diseases beyond superficial band-aids.
Shelly Sood appeared on Frankie’s show as a follow up to her earlier appearance. Fo...2022-01-1910 min
Untether Your Life8: Follow up with Shep Cohen, WDVR's The World of WorkThis interview is a follow up to Shelly's discussion with Shep Cohen (host of WDVR's The World of Work radio program). In this episode, Shelly's husband Nikhil talks about his experience with bipolar disorder, his family relationships, and what has helped him to better manage this illness.
To learn more about Untethered, the book about Shelly and Nikhil's story, please visit shellysood.com. You can find more information about GIOSTAR Chicago at giostarchicago.com.2022-01-1752 min
Untether Your Life7: Shelly Discusses Quantum Healing with Dr. Motherella and WalkerQuantum healing is a holistic approach to health that appeals to folks looking for alternative approaches to mind, body, and soul care. In this episode, Shelly Sood speaks with Dr. Motherella and Walker, experts in this discipline. They touch on neuroplasticity, cellular vitality, and the role of authenticity in healing.
To learn more about Motherella and Walker, please visit drmotherella.com or avatararmory.com. Learn more about Shelly Sood at shellysood.com, or giostarchicago.com.2022-01-071h 27
Untether Your Life6: Guest Appearance on Poppoff with Mary Jane PoppMary Jane Popp is the host of Poppoff, a fast-paced magazine radio show hosted on the KAHI radio network in Sacramento, California. The energetic and upbeat host is dedicated to keeping her listeners on the cutting edge of today’s hot button issues.
In this episode, Shelly speaks with Mary Jane about what it means—as a mother of three, a wife, an entrepreneur, and author—to “have it all.” They discuss her four tips in achieving this elusive goal, as well as the past, present, and future for GIOSTAR Chicago—Shelly’s regenerative medicine practice.2021-12-3027 min
Untether Your Life5: Guest Appearance on The Frankie Boyer Show with Frankie BoyerFrankie Boyer is the host of The Frankie Boyer Radio Show, carried on WADK Newport, WCRN 830 Worcester, and other stations. She is an impassioned voice for folks seeking information on traditional and alternative approaches to lifestyle, healthcare and wellbeing. Five days a week, Frankie speaks to experts to educate listeners on taking personal responsibility for their own health and graceful aging. Through engaging dialogue with Dr. Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and thousands of other gurus Frankie seeks to explore effective solutions to diseases beyond superficial band-aids.
Shelly Sood appeared on Frankie’s show to discuss he...2021-12-1616 min
Untether Your Life4: Guest Appearance on Conversations with Rob with Rob NobregaRob Nobrega is host of the Conversations with Rob podcast, carried on 20 radio stations throughout the country. He interviews guests from all walks of life, with amazing stories to tell about climate change, mental health, politics, and myriad other issues. Previous guests include hedge fund manager and 2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer. In this episode, Shelly speaks with Rob about what shaped her journey in launching GIOSTAR Chicago, and her upcoming book and movie Untethered.2021-12-1114 min