Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of psychiatric hospitalization, medication withdrawal, and suicidal thoughts. Please listen with care and support.

These are personal experiences and in no way meant to be medical advice.

In this raw and vulnerable conversation, Sarah sits down with millennial mental health advocate and wellness creator Ariella Sharf to talk about something both of them know intimately: living on and trying to withdraw from SSRIs and other psychiatric medications.

Ariella shares how a “simple” breakup in college led to an ER visit, an unexpected psychiatric admission at the famous McLean Hospital, and her first prescriptions for benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Over a decade later, she found herself trying to safely taper off Zoloft—only to be thrown into severe nervous system dysregulation, protracted withdrawal, and a crash that left her barely able to walk, eat, or tolerate light and sound.

Together, Sarah and Ariella explore what happens when the mental health system doesn’t fully understand withdrawal, why some people become more unwell on medications, and how they’re both learning to honour their own timelines for healing—without the pressure to “get to zero at all costs.”

You’ll also hear the practical, grounded tools they each rely on to regulate an overwhelmed nervous system: food choices, gentler movement, nature, sunshine, community, and learning to track “micro-wins” on the hardest days.

Mentioned in this episode:

Deprescribing / tapering work by Dr. Mark Horowitz

Other organizations and clinicians specializing in psychiatric medication tapering and withdrawal support:

Outro

Taper Clinic

Mindful Medicine by Monica

Helpful Books:

Crossing Zero by Anders Sorensen

May Cause Side Effects by Brooke Siem

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines by Dr. Mark HorowitzAriella’s Instagram account where she shares real-time updates on her journey

Download Sarah's "Master Your Mornings" Freebie an djoin her mailing list here

Connect with Sarah on IG or here

In this deeply personal solo episode of From the Mouth of a Woman, Sarah opens up about a transformation years in the making—her return to biblical Christianity after decades immersed in New Age spirituality.

This conversation isn’t preachy. It isn’t prescriptive. It’s the story she wished she could have heard years ago when she felt confused, spiritually hungry, and unsure what she believed.

Sarah shares the moments, influences, and quiet whispers that slowly drew her back to Jesus—from unexpected friendships and her husband’s unwavering faith, to her son’s experience at a Christian high school, to the clarity and conviction she found through books like The Screwtape Letters and her studies in quantum biology.

She also speaks honestly about what led her to step away from popular New Age teachings, why they no longer felt aligned, and how she now sees many of them as subtle forms of self-worship rather than surrender. Through the lens of scripture, discernment, and a changing heart, she explains why concepts like “I am enough,” “I have all the answers within,” and “all paths lead to God” no longer resonate with her.

Above all, this episode is about coming home—slowly, imperfectly, and wholeheartedly.

Sarah breaks down the subtle ways self-based spirituality can pull people away from repentance, humility, and a relationship with God.

She reframes repentance not as shame, but as a shift from self to Savior—an invitation into grace and transformation.

True peace is not found in a guru, a technique, or a $2,000 meditation. It is given freely through faith, surrender, and God’s presence.

Many people are currently wrestling with faith, leaving New Age behind, or navigating a spiritual reorientation. There is room for all of these conversations here.

Books to Read:

The Screwtape Letters — C.S. Lewis

Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis

The Case for Christ - Lee Strobel

The Bible

Stay updated on new episodes, writing, workshops, and upcoming projects:
📬 Join the email list: www.sarahsturino.com

Keywords

disruption, sovereignty, mental health, education, holistic wellness, personal growth, self-reflection, systemic challenges, community support, writing

Summary

In this episode of 'From the Mouth of a Woman', host Sarah Sturino engages in a profound conversation with former educator and fello co-author Lindsay Hayes. They explore Lindsay's journey through the education system, her health crisis that led to a reevaluation of her life, and the systemic challenges faced in mental health and education. The discussion delves into the impact of the pandemic on educational practices, the importance of sovereignty in personal health decisions, and the transformative power of community and writing. Lindsay shares her insights on breaking cycles, embracing personal growth, and the ongoing journey of self-discovery.

If you enjoyed this episode please hit the subscribe button, share it with a friend, leave a comment - I would love ot hear from you.

You can find Lindsay here on IG

You can find me on IG here or at my website www.sarahsturino.com

Order The Sovereign Volume 2 here

Please join my mailing list to be kept up to date about future episodes and projects - you can scroll to the bottom of my home page to join or download my FREE Morning Blueprint Inspired by Quantum Biology.

In this solo episode, Sarah breaks down Reiki energy healing - what it is, how it works, and what to expect from in-person and distant Reiki sessions. Drawing from her background in Pilates, mindfulness, and quantum biology, Sarah explains the biofield (your body’s electromagnetic, information-rich field), why coherence matters for health, and how practices like Reiki, grounding, prayer, light exposure, and breathwork support the body’s own healing processes. You’ll hear real stories from Sarah’s practice, how she returned to Reiki, and why she offers Soul Sessions locally in Waterloo, Ontario and virtually for clients everywhere.

Work with Sarah & Resources:

If this episode resonated:

• Leave a review
• Follow/subscribe
• Share with a woman who would benefit from listening.

In this unplanned solo episode of From the Mouth of a Woman, Sarah opens up about her faith journey, Christianity, and response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. With the world feeling increasingly heavy - from public violence to censorship - Sarah reflects on how grief and chaos impact our nervous systems, our communities, and our spirits.

She shares her personal story of drifting from Catholicism, experimenting with New Age practices, and ultimately gradually finding her way back to the heart of Christian faith in Christ. Along the way, she offers practical tools for navigating heaviness.

Sarah also discusses how her son and many young people are deeply impacted by Charlie Kirk’s death, and why moments like this remind us that we are part of the body of Christ.

The episode closes with Sarah’s favorite Bible verses — 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 12:2, and Proverbs 3:5–6 — as calls to live boldly, disrupt cultural conformity, and lean fully on God.

If you’ve been feeling the weight of the world, this conversation is both a faith-filled encouragement and a reminder that you’re not alone.

Your energy is your greatest currency. Spend it wisely.

Angela Sena, a former Catholic school teacher who was fired after refusing to conform during the pandemic. Her story went viral after a Starbucks incident, sparking backlash, legal battles, and public defamation.

Angela shares how she turned that devastating moment into a calling — founding The New School, a faith-based alternative learning community in Southern Ontario. Together, Sarah and Angela explore the brokenness of the mainstream education system, the rise of homeschooling and alternative schooling, and the importance of parental sovereignty, faith, and empowerment in raising the next generation.

This is a conversation about courage, community, and creating a new vision for education — one child at a time.

This is a story of faith, disruption and re-direction.

If this episode inspired you, please share it with another woman or parent. Follow, rate, and review From the Mouth of a Woman so more women can discover these bold conversations on faith, freedom, and personal growth.

To get in touch with Angela and explore The NEW School: https://newearthwondersschool.com/Inspired by Angela’s story of courage and rebuilding? If you’re ready to reclaim your own energy and sovereignty, book a Soul Session with Sarah. This one-hour energetic reset uses Reiki, mindfulness, and quantum biology to release stuck energy, ease physical or emotional pain, and bring you back to clarity and balance — so you can move forward feeling lighter, freer, and more aligned.

In this raw and powerful episode, Sarah Sturino is joined by entrepreneur and community builder Sarah Swain, who opens up about her deeply personal journey through panic attacks, and the difficult decision to cancel her signature event, Wealth Stock. They dive into the paradox of being a strong, visible leader while secretly unraveling, and the internal war between intuition, fear, and burnout.

Together, they also introduce their newest project: “Reclaiming Mental Health,” a collaborative book that gives women the space to share their mental health stories outside the confines of diagnosis and shame.

Apply to write in “Reclaiming Mental Health”, the latest Sovereign Sub-Series book co-led by Sarah Sturino and Sarah Swain by clicking here.
To connect with Sarah Swain:

MYM Community

Sovereign Acres Publishing

IG

To connect with Sarah Sturino (host):

Leave a Message or Book a Chat

Download FREE Quantum Morning Blueprint

IG

This episode pulls no punches. I sit down with entrepreneur and co-author of The Sovereign Vol. 2, Kelly Childs, to talk about cancel culture, entrepreneurship and why sovereignty has never been more urgent.

Together, we unpack what it means to be labeled, shamed, and misunderstood and how to rise anyway. Kelly shares the behind-the-scenes truth of being targeted for her beliefs during COVID and how she found her footing again, and the inner work that’s shaped her healing journey.

This is a raw, powerful conversation between two women who won’t be silenced.

In This Episode We Cover:

• What really happened when Kelly was “canceled”

Links and Resources:

Kelly’s Bake Shoppe

The Kelly & Erinn Show Podcast

The Sovereign: Vol. 2 (Amazon)

Sarah's Quantum Mornings Blueprint

Book A Discovery Call with Sarah

In this unfiltered episode, Sarah sits down with co-author (The Sovereign Volume 2) Darrel-Lynne Thiessen (known as Dee) a woman who refused to let medical labels like bipolar and schizophrenia define her story. From corporate burnout to soul awakening, Dee shares her raw, radiant journey through psychosis, stigma, misdiagnosis, and ultimately, self-reclamation.

We discuss:

• The life-changing power of safe, supportive relationships in healing mental and emotional wounds  

• The often-ignored spiritual initiations that get labeled as illness

• Foundational tools for regulation, like sleep, light, boundaries, and food

• Why community and spirituality are the real medicine
  

This episode is a call to disrupt the system, reclaim your story, and honor the soul behind the symptoms.

Connect with Dee: Instagram or OGSoul.ca

Connect with Sarah on Instagram

If this episode stirred something in your soul; don’t brush it off. ✨ Share it with another woman who needs to hear it ✨ Follow, rate, or leave a comment to help more women find this space ✨ Book a free discovery call and let’s talk about what’s really possible for your health, energy, and next chapter

You were not meant to play small. Let’s disrupt the old stories together.

In this episode of From the Mouth of a Woman, I sit down with Akashic practitioner and fellow Sovereign co-author Paige Kaufman to explore the soul-awakening moments that change everything. From walking away from a “successful” life that didn’t feel true, to navigating a dark night of the soul brought on by addiction in the family, Paige shares how the Akashic Records, plant medicine, and deep self-inquiry helped her reclaim her power.

We talk about:

• What the Akashic Records actually are (and how to access them)

• How to find your own soul’s evidence of courage and clarity

If you’ve ever felt stuck between the comfort of the known and the call of something more - this one is for you.

🔗 Connect with Paige + explore her Akashic offerings here
📖 Grab your copy of The Sovereign, Volume 2 to read both of our stories on Amazon
🌞 Download my free Quantum Morning Blueprint for more clarity + alignment

Please share with a woman who needs this medicine.