Behavioral Health Today

You aren’t broken; you are simply buried. True alignment begins the moment you stop "proving" and start playing. In this episode, Peter Fenger welcomes AmyK Hutchens, an international award-winning speaker and #1 Amazon best-selling author. A former corporate executive who now hits the stage in "fun sneakers," AmyK has delivered over 2,700 presentations worldwide, guiding leaders to trade ego-driven dominance for heart-led presence. She is the author of “GET IT: 5 Steps to the Sex, Salary, and Success You Want”, a guide famous for its "magical phrases" that transform high-stakes conversations. Today, we explore AmyK’s transition from the boardroom to a more spiritual path. We dive into the nature of the ego, the art of unburying your authentic self, and how to lead as the "calmest nervous system" in the room. From practical relationship tools to the physics of joy, this conversation is a roadmap for anyone seeking deeper balance and meaningful connection in everyday life.

For more information about AmyK Hutches and Ignite Brillance, please visit: https://www.ignitebrilliance.com

For more information about AmyK’s coaching, please visit: https://www.ignitebrilliance.com/coaching

For more information about AmyK’s retreats, please visit: https://www.ignitebrilliance.com/VIP-Retreat

If you are interested in keynote speaking, please contact AmyK at: https://www.ignitebrilliance.com/keynote

Connect with AmyK on social media:

The beliefs that once protected you may be the very ones quietly holding you back. And closing that gap? That's where real wellness begins. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Garrett Wood, Executive Well-Being Coach, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Executive Function Specialist, whose 18 years of work with high-performing professionals has taught him one defining truth: sustainable success starts from the inside out. As the founder of Gnosis Therapy, Garrett blends evidence-based coaching, hypnotherapy, and therapeutic techniques to help driven leaders move through burnout, chronic stress, and imposter syndrome without sacrificing their health, relationships, or the life they've worked so hard to build. In this conversation, Garrett pulls back the curtain on his distinctive framework, the 7 Drivers of Mental Wellness, and shares how he helps high achievers rewire limiting beliefs, regulate their nervous systems, and turn burnout into lasting breakthrough.

For more information about Garrett Wood and Gnosis Therapy, please visit: https://www.gnosistherapy.com

Learn more about the stages of burnout and breaking through, please visit: https://www.gnosistherapy.com/fromthefield

Connect with Garrett on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gnosistherapy/

Connect with Garrett on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/gnosistherapy/

Connect with Garrett on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/GnosisTherapies/

We often feel trapped by our fears, yet the "cage" of anxiety has no back. Freedom doesn't require a key. It simply requires the courage to turn around and walk out of the false beliefs you have been conditioned to hold. In this episode, Peter Fenger sits down with Jake Yanitz Rubin. Jake is a clinical hypnotherapist, teacher, and author of “From Anxiety to Awakening: 11 Insights That Transform Worry into Wisdom and Fear into Freedom”. After years of battling his own anxiety, Jake reached a powerful realization. He discovered that anxiety was not a problem to fix, but a teacher to listen to. That single insight led him on a journey from fear and overthinking toward peace and lasting transformation. Today, he helps others achieve that same shift by offering a fresh and deeply human approach to healing. We are thrilled to welcome Jake to the show to explore his new book. Together, we discuss his invitation to rethink anxiety as a wise guide leading us toward greater clarity, freedom, and inner awakening.

For more information about “From Anxiety to Awakening: 11 Insights That Transform Worry into Wisdom and Fear into Freedom,” by Jake Yanitz Rubin, please visit: https://anxietytoawakening.com

To listen to the audiobook version of “From Anxiety to Awakening”, visit: https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Awakening-Insights-Transform-Freedom/dp/B0F7J4V5X3

If you are interested in going deeper with Jake's teachings, join the waitlist for the upcoming Anxiety to Awakening course: https://anxietytoawakening.com/courses/

For those looking for a more personal and guided experience, Jake offers one-on-one mentorship to support your journey from anxiety to awakening: https://anxietytoawakening.com/work-with-jake/

For a curated collection of tools, articles, and support around anxiety, visit Jake's resource library: https://anxietytoawakening.com/resources/

Connect with Jake on social media:

If thoughts are the language of the mind and emotions are the language of the body, then art is the language of the soul. Creativity is far more than a hobby. It serves as a portal to a state of consciousness where mental obsessions simply cannot survive. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Rafael McMaster. Rafael is a creative director, artist, and youth mental health advocate dedicated to empowering young people through mindfulness, creativity, and emotional resilience. As the founder of Indivisible Arts, he leads a nonprofit that equips youth, especially those facing adversity, with practical tools for self-control and personal growth. After a successful career in the creative industry, including five years as a Creative Executive at Creative Artists Agency, Rafael shifted his focus to community impact. He now develops programs that blend artistic expression with mental wellness. His forthcoming book, “FundaMental Life Tools: Self-Empowering Toolkit for Being”, offers a hands-on guide designed to help teens cultivate emotional well-being and conscious decision-making. We are excited to have Rafael with us today to explore his personal journey and innovative approach to youth mental health. We will discuss the core principles of “FundaMental Life Tools”, and his vision for empowering millions of teens with practical, life-changing skills.

For more information about Indivisible Arts, please visit: https://www.indivisiblearts.org

Please donate to support Indivisible Arts: https://www.indivisiblearts.org/donate-2

For more information about Rafael McMaster, please visit: https://www.rafaelmcmaster.com

For more information about FundaMental Life Tools: Self-Empowering Toolkit for Being by Rafael McMaster, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/Fundamental-Life-Tools-Self-Empowering-Toolkit/dp/B0F89P3MBL

For more information about Stream of Consciousness, please visit: https://streamofconsciousness.life

Follow Indivisible Arts on social media:

• On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndivisibleArtsSB

• On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVP8eNYx58zbFZuBSZj6b8w

Success on the EPPP requires a structured "Snowball" effect rather than luck. By layering information and building community, you transform a debilitating and isolating process into a manageable path to licensure. In this episode, Peter Fenger sits down with Dr. Erica Ligons. Erica is a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of Crush That Exam, and owner of Vilago Psychology. After overcoming her own ADHD, severe test anxiety, and a history of struggling with standardized exams, she passed the psychology licensing exam with a score far above the requirement and began helping others do the same. She launched her coaching work in 2019 to bring equity, structure, and confidence to overwhelmed test takers. Using her signature Snowball Study Method, Dr. Ligons helps students and professionals master content, calm anxiety, and truly crush their exams. I am excited to have Erica with me today to break down how test anxiety impacts performance, why traditional studying often fails anxious learners, and how coaching and mindset shifts help people study smarter and rebuild their confidence.

For more information about Crush That Exam, please visit: https://www.crushthatexam.com

If you would like to join a free Q&A session, view upcoming events here: https://www.crushthatexam.com/events

Discover what other test-takers are saying about Crush That Exam and their program: https://www.crushthatexam.com/testimonials

If you are an employer or organization that would like to become a partner, please visit: https://www.crushthatexam.com/employers-programs

Connect with Crush That Exam on social media:

Stop relying on the dreaded service page. A generic list of specialties is not a marketing strategy; it is a deterrent. If you want a potential client to trust you with their deepest secrets, you must provide a page that actually speaks their language. In this episode, Peter Fenger sits down with John Sanders, the founder and CEO of RevKey. John leads a specialized digital advertising agency that helps mental health professionals grow their practices through ethical, data-driven Google Ads. Since launching RevKey as a solo operation in 2018, he has built a dedicated team of ten focused on delivering measurable results rather than marketing fluff. John is a trusted voice at leading industry conferences and podcasts, known for helping therapists navigate HIPAA sensitive environments and avoid the common traps of wasted ad spend. Today, we explore his unique approach to practice growth, covering everything from effective website strategies and essential metrics to the latest trends in the mental health space.

For more information about RevKey, please visit: https://www.revkey.com/podcasts

Learn more about Google Ads for Therapists & Group Practices: https://www.revkey.com/google-ads-for-therapists

See how clinets have worked with RevKey: https://www.revkey.com/google-ads-case-studies

Connect with RevKey on social media:

A diagnostic label should be a flashlight that helps you find your way, not a cage that defines who you are allowed to be. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Dr. Alastair Santhouse, a consultant neuropsychiatrist at London’s Maudsley Hospital with nearly 30 years of clinical and leadership experience. From treating complex physical-mental health intersections to serving at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr. Santhouse has spent his career at the front lines of human distress. He is the author of “Head First” (2021) and his timely new work, “No More Normal: Mental Health in an Age of Over-Diagnosis” (2025). Together, we explore the modern "diagnostic creep" and the risks of over-medicalizing the natural spectrum of human experience. Dr. Santhouse offers a vital perspective on how psychiatry can pivot to better serve those with severe illness while restoring personal agency and a healthier societal understanding of what it means to be "normal."

For more information about “No More Normal: Mental Health in an Age of Over-Diagnosis” by Dr. Alastair Santhouse, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/No-More-Normal-Mental-Over-Diagnosis-ebook/dp/B0DB14K81B

For more information about Dr. Alastair Santhouse, please visit: https://www.alastairsanthouse.com

For more information about Alastair’s other books, please visit: https://www.alastairsanthouse.com/author

When "professional" is defined by a paycheck rather than a license, we trade our society's healers for a system reserved only for those who can afford the entry fee. In this episode of BHT Bytes, hosts Sharlee Dixon and Peter Fenger tackle the sobering "declassification" of behavioral health degrees under the 2026 "One Big Beautiful Bill." As the Department of Education narrows the definition of a "professional" career, social workers, counselors, and therapists find themselves sidelined into a lower funding tier, capped at $20,500 in federal loans while their peers in law and dentistry access $50,000. We explore the "funding canyon" created by the death of Grad PLUS loans, the shift toward a 30-year Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), and the dangerous message this sends to the care economy. By prioritizing high-salary ROI over essential service, is the government turning life-saving professions into "elite-only" careers? Join us as we discuss whether the technical definition of "professional" is colliding with the human reality of "essential," and what this fiscal shift means for the future of the mental health workforce and the diverse practitioners our communities desperately need.

Follow Behavioral Health Today on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/behavioralhealthtoday/

Follow us on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@behavioralhealthtoday

Healing is an evolution rather than a graduation. While recovery is often treated as a destination, true healing is the daily process of becoming better than yesterday and gaining the tools to navigate the storm when it returns. In this episode, Sharlee Dixon sits down with Chris Yadon and Ana Megrelishvili. Chris is the Managing Director of Saprea, a nonprofit devoted to liberating individuals and society from child sexual abuse through healing and prevention. As the organization's first employee in 2015, Chris has led Saprea’s growth into a global leader in survivor support. He brings both strategic executive leadership and a deep personal commitment to this critical mission. Joining him is Ana Megrelishvili, a survivor, advocate, and community leader from Atlanta. Ana co-chairs the annual Saprea Gala, where she uses her voice and lived experience to bring visibility to the realities of abuse while inspiring hope for fellow survivors. Together, Chris and Ana share the heart of Saprea’s mission and the profound impact their healing programs have on the community. This conversation explores how Saprea supports adult survivors through connection and prevention efforts, featuring Ana’s firsthand journey of resilience and transformation.

For more information about Saprea, please visit: https://saprea.org

For prevention resources for parents and clinicians, please visit: https://saprea.org/prevent/

To learn more about volunteering opportunities, please visit: https://saprea.org/volunteer/

Consider a donation to Saprea at: https://support.saprea.org/give/230670/#!/donation/checkout

For more information about partnerships, please visit: https://saprea.org/partnerships/

Connect with Chris Yadon on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-yadon-mpa-3533937/

Connect with Chris Yadon on Substack: https://chrisyadon.substack.com

Joy isn't something you chase. It's something you notice, when you finally stop, put down your phone, and look around. In this episode, Peter Fenger sits down with Hiroko Yoda, a Tokyo-born cultural historian, writer, and journalist who has spent decades making Japanese spirituality, folklore, and tradition feel alive and accessible for Western audiences. A certified Shinto cultural historian and former Miko shrine dancer, Hiroko has authored and co-authored numerous books exploring Japan's rich spiritual heritage, and co-founded AltJapan Co., Ltd., a creative bridge helping Japanese storytellers in video games, anime, manga, and film share their work with the world. Her latest book, “Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan”, is at once a memoir, a travel log, and a cultural deep dive. Drawing on the Shinto concept of kami, the countless unseen presences said to inhabit everything from mountains and oceans to the words we speak, Hiroko invites readers to loosen their grip on rigid ideas of belief and discover spirituality as something far more flexible, practical, and personal. Part grief journey, part cultural history, the book shows how small rituals, reverence for nature, and a spirit of play can make us feel less alone, even in the hardest seasons of life. Today, we explore what it means to live as though everything has a spirit, and why that simple shift in perspective might be one of the most powerful tools we have.

For more information about “Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Wisodom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan“ by Hiroko Yoda, please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735293/eight-million-ways-to-happiness-by-hiroko-yoda/

For more information about Hiroko and her work, please visit: https://www.hirokoyoda.com

Join Hiroko’s newsletter at: https://blog.hirokoyoda.com

Connect with Hiroko on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/hi_yoda_1/

Connect with Hiroko on Tiktok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@hiroko_yoda

Connect with Hiroko on X at: https://twitter.com/Ninetail_foxQ