In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with James Granger, COO of Southeastern Integrated Care, to explore what it really means to treat the whole person, blending mental health, primary care, and even unconventional therapies to improve lives in rural North Carolina.

James shares his unique journey from hospitality into healthcare leadership and how that background shaped his servant leadership style. He opens up about the challenges of bringing integrated care to proud, self-reliant farming communities, and the innovations his team is pioneering to close gaps in care.

Topics include:

-Why bridging behavioral health and primary care is critical for outcomes

-Overcoming stigma and educating rural communities on wellness

-Creative approaches like equine therapy and working farms

-Transportation, nutrition, and workforce development as keys to recovery

-Building partnerships with hospitals and law enforcement to launch mobile crisis and behavioral health urgent care

-James’s story is about service, innovation, and the courage to do things differently in order to meet people where they are.

Resources:

-Southeastern Integrated Care website: https://seintegratedcare.com/

-Book: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Nick Howell, CEO of Northern Illinois Recovery, to explore what it really takes to build sustainable, community-based recovery care.

Nick shares his journey from corporate healthcare into behavioral health leadership, weaving in his own recovery story and the operational lessons he’s applied to grow a local treatment center into a nationally recognized program.

Topics we cover:

-Bridging the gap between clinical and administrative teams

-Using data to prevent clinician burnout

-Engaging families early to improve retention and outcomes

-Building culture around a mission of restoring human connection

-Lessons from scaling Northern Illinois Recovery from startup to three locations

Nick’s story is one of recovery, leadership, and building systems that actually serve both patients and providers.

Episode Resources:

-Northern Illinois Recovery Center website: https://www.northernillinoisrecovery.com/

Mentioned Books:

-Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler

-Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

-The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson

-How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, Humberto Buniotto sits down with Tom Sauer: A former Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer and now the Co-Founder and CEO of MacArthur Group. Tom shares his personal journey from losing his father to addiction, serving in some of the most high-stakes military environments, and ultimately building a network of veteran-focused mental health and addiction programs in Southern California.

We discuss:

-Why dignity and agency are essential for patient recovery

-The systemic challenges veterans face in accessing timely care

-Lessons from military leadership that apply to running a treatment center

-Navigating ethical challenges in behavioral health

-The role of psychedelic-assisted therapy

Tom’s story is one of resilience, mission-driven leadership, and refusing to compromise on care quality. Whether you’re a behavioral health professional, veteran advocate, or leader in any field, you’ll walk away with insights you can apply today.

Connect with Tom Sauer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasbsauer/

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Heather Signorelli, a board-certified pathologist, healthcare executive, and founder of NatRevMD. With experience managing lab services for nearly 200 hospitals and building a thriving medical billing company, Heather brings a unique perspective on fixing what’s broken in the business side of healthcare.We talk about why too many practices ignore their numbers, the most common billing mistakes she sees, and how to decide between in-house billing vs. outsourcing. Heather also shares lessons on building a company from scratch, balancing entrepreneurship with a full-time role, and how she’s using AI to make operations more efficient.Topics include:-The KPIs every practice should track (and why they matter)-Avoiding the #1 billing mistake in healthcare-How to prepare for mergers and acquisitions-Hiring “rock stars” and knowing when to outsource-Practical uses for AI in revenue cycle managementMentioned Resources:NetRev MD: https://natrevmd.com/10x Is Easier Than 2x, by Dan SullivanReferenced Podcasts:The Game with Alex HormoziMy First Million#HealthcareBusiness #RCM #MedicalBilling #PracticeManagement

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Jacintha Field, the founder of Happy Souls Kids. Happy Souls Kids is a digital platform that helps children build emotional regulation and resilience through gamified tools, storytelling, and real-life role models.Born out of her own solo parenting journey during a difficult separation and COVID, Jacintha's mission is to give kids the emotional tools she wished her own son had access to, and to guide parents in creating connection-first homes where kids feel heard, seen, and safe.Topics include:- Creating emotional safety for kids through connection and consistency- Tools like “yes days” and play-based boundary-setting- Why parents must be willing to examine their own emotional habits- How tech and gamification can teach kids to process big feelingsMentioned Resources:Happy Souls Kids website: https://www.happysoulskids.com/Human Medicine by Charlie GoldsmithThe Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle#ChildrensMentalHealth #ParentingTools #BehavioralHealth #PlayTherapy #EmotionalWellness #Healthcare #HealthcareTech

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Peter Oykhman, co-founder and CEO of PsyTech VR, to explore how virtual reality is transforming the delivery of mental health care, from exposure therapy to stress recovery and beyond.With 30+ years in tech entrepreneurship, Peter shares how he shifted from IT to behavioral health and built a platform designed to help patients overcome anxiety, PTSD, and phobias through immersive, AI-assisted experiences.Topics include:-Why traditional exposure therapy doesn’t work for everyone-How VR can make treatment more controlled, visual, and effective-The role of AI in customizing therapeutic environments-Getting skeptical clinicians to embrace innovationWhether you're a provider, innovator, or simply curious about the future of behavioral health, this episode is packed with insight and practical takeaways.Mentioned Resources:PsyTech VR: https://psytechvr.com/Author Recommendation: Thomas Sowell

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we talk with John Ketcham, Chief Revenue Officer at DAW Systems, the company behind ScriptSure — a powerful ePrescribe tool used by over 30,000 healthcare professionals.John shares what treatment centers often overlook when it comes to prescription workflows, and why better prescribing isn’t just about convenience. It’s about outcomes, compliance, patient trust, and provider sanity.In this episode:-Why controlled substances require digital compliance (and why most states now mandate it)-How mobile-friendly tools help moonlighting doctors prescribe from anywhere-Red flags to watch for when evaluating an ePrescribe tool-How improving prescription speed improves care and retentionKey Resources:DAW Systems / ScriptSure: https://www.dawsystems.com/Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ketcham-9686a240/Book mentioned: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Johnny Crowder, suicide survivor, death metal frontman, TEDx speaker, and founder/CEO of Cope Notes: a text-based mental health support service grounded in peer connection and science-backed psychology.

Johnny opens up about his early resistance to therapy, the slow and unglamorous nature of real recovery, and how he transformed personal pain into a global support platform now reaching tens of thousands of users.

Topics include:

• Why many people never get an “aha moment” in therapy, and why that’s okay

• Building Cope Notes as a tool for the “in-betweeners” in care

• The power of peer support and lived experience

• Faith, music, and aligning your whole self with your mission

This is an unfiltered conversation about what it means to keep showing up, and how even the smallest efforts toward healing can make a difference.

Resources mentioned:

• Cope Notes: www.copenotes.com

• Johnny’s band (Prison): https://www.youtube.com/@prisonlives

• TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Zb_TLhPOw

• Book recs: Whole Again by Jackson MacKenzie; The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama and Dr. Howard Cutler; Questioning Christianity podcast by Tim Keller

In this episode of Brainwaves, we meet with Austin Davis, founder and CEO of Clearfork Academy, a recovery center for teenage boys based in Texas.

Austin shares how his work is helping adolescent boys navigate anxiety, depression, substance use, and identity, while also helping parents and families heal alongside them.

From the impact of social media to the role of faith and community, this episode dives into the real-life challenges and solutions in adolescent mental healthcare.

Plus, we explore Austin’s tech-forward approach to treatment documentation with Sophia, an AI-powered notes platform built for clinicians.

Are you looking to scale or sell your practice?

Jacob Lynch from Healthcare Capital Advisors specializes in scaling and selling behavioral health practices of all shapes and sizes. Throughout this episode of Brainwaves, Jacob offers tips that every behavioral health practice should implement whether they're looking to merge, sell, or just increase value.

You can find Jacob's company Healthcare Capital Advisors at www.healthcarecapadvisors.com or you can email Jacob at [email protected]