Welcome back to the Smile Spa Podcast! I’m Dr. Aimee Russo-Mounger — and each week, I sit down with amazing guests to talk about personal growth, mindset, and whole-body wellness. My goal is to help you feel beautiful, balanced, and at peace — inside and out. 💗

This episode is one of the most personal and sacred conversations I’ve ever shared.

I sat down with my dear friend Angela Bertone, a woman whose life has been marked by profound suffering — and even greater miracles. We talk openly about addiction, homelessness, psychosis, grief, and the moments where everything feels completely out of control as a parent… and yet God still shows up.

Angela shares her journey walking her son through a 14-year battle with addiction, the miracles she witnessed while enduring her own darkest season, and how neuroscience, neuroplasticity, and faith beautifully intersect. We talk about how the brain remembers trauma, how the body holds pain, and how healing doesn’t come from numbing symptoms — but from restoring connection.

This conversation reminded me that some of the worst seasons of our lives can coexist with extraordinary miracles. If you’re a parent walking through fear, shame, grief, or exhaustion — this episode is for you. You are not alone. There is hope. And healing is possible.

🔥 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Why addiction is often rooted in unresolved pain and trauma

How the brain can rewire itself through neuroplasticity

The connection between fight-or-flight, inflammation, and chronic disease

Why grief and trauma live in the body — not just the mind

How non-pharmaceutical neurotechnology can support healing

What it means to truly “know” God through suffering

How parents can release shame and reclaim hope

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – A mysterious encounter and divine protection
04:10 – Parenting through addiction and fear
09:45 – Shame, survival, and surrender
14:30 – Addiction, psychosis, and the brain
18:40 – Neuroplasticity explained simply
24:00 – Faith, science, and miracles colliding
31:20 – Fight-or-flight and emotional healing
38:00 – Grief, trauma, and restoring peace
44:10 – Rethinking medication and advocacy
50:00 – Hope for parents and final reflections

📌 CONNECT WITH US

🌐 Website: https://www.thesmilespa.com
🌐 Website: https://www.thesmilespawellness.com
🌐 Make Wellness: https://meet.makewellness.com/?referral=512320
🎧 Spotify: The Smile Spa Podcast
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smile-spa-podcast/id1842164674
📸 Instagram: @the_smilespa
👍 Facebook: The Smile Spa Baton Rouge

🎙 GUEST INFO
Angela Bertone
Neurofeedback practitioner, spiritual mentor, and advocate for brain-based healing

🌐 Website: www.angelabertone.com

📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/angelaqbertone/

👍 Facebook: www.facebook.com/angela.q.bertone/