Becoming Your Best Self with Beth Young: Small Steps to Big Change

In this inspiring episode of Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, I sit down with Beth Young — keynote speaker, health and wellness coach, founder of The Great Calm, and recipient of the Houston Women in Excellence Award — to talk about how to become your best self through small, consistent changes.

Beth’s life is a testament to the power of intentional living. Raised in a home surrounded by smoking and drinking, she made a bold decision early on: “That’s not how I want to live.” That choice, rooted in self-awareness, would go on to serve her through some of life’s toughest challenges — including surviving a brain tumor and a traumatic brain injury from a devastating car accident. Her neurologist was amazed by her recovery, saying, “You’re six months ahead of others with the same injury because you live your 5 pillars.”

Beth shares her powerful 5 Pillars of Health:

1. Nutrition
   
   
2. Movement
   
   
3. Relationships
   
   
4. Quality Sleep
   
   
5. Mindfulness
   
   

These pillars are simple, accessible, and profoundly effective — especially when practiced consistently. “It’s not rocket science,” Beth explains. “We just do the basics, and we do them consistently.”

We also dive into:

• A unique breathing technique that can prevent anxiety attacks
  
  
• The importance of “starting small” when making life changes
  
  
• Why movement-based meditations, like tai chi, are perfect for those who struggle with traditional meditation
  
  
• How “walkie talkies” — walking with a friend — can enhance both physical and emotional wellness
  
  

One of my favorite takeaways from our conversation: “Did you know you cannot have an anxiety attack if you're getting enough oxygen to your brain? So I'm going to show you this really cool, unique way to breathe...”

This episode is a beautiful reminder that becoming your best self doesn’t require perfection — just consistent, mindful effort.

Connect with Beth Young:
 🌐 https://thegreatcalm.com/

Instagram @findthegreatcalm 

 Choosing You First – with Michelle Bishop
 Guest: Michelle Bishop – Master Certified Life Coach, Podcast Host, and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author of Choose You First

 Guest Links:
🌐 bishoplife.com
📸 @MichelleBishopLife
📧 [email protected]

💡 Episode Overview:

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, I sit down with the incredible Michelle Bishop, who embodies the essence of resilience, courage, and transformation. Michelle is a Master Certified Life Coach and bestselling author of Choose You First. She opens up about her personal journey from surviving childhood trauma and losing 100 pounds, to overcoming a traumatic brain injury — all while discovering the true meaning of choosing herself first.

Michelle’s story reminds us that choosing yourself is not selfish — it’s essential. From that place of inner strength and self-love, we can live more authentically, influence others more positively, and raise the next generation to thrive rather than just survive.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Your past doesn’t define your future. Michelle grew up in an environment of abuse and dysfunction, but instead of letting it limit her, she used it to fuel her passion to help women heal and rise.
  
  
• Choosing you is an act of courage. It means facing the uncomfortable truths, feeling the hard feelings, and making intentional choices to move in a new direction.
  
  
• Trauma doesn’t have to be the end of your story. After a traumatic brain injury, Michelle had to relearn basic life functions and rebuild her career. Her comeback story is a testimony to the power of resilience and mindset.
  
  
• Self-love isn’t vanity — it’s vitality. Michelle emphasizes that when we are full from within, we become the best version of ourselves and give more to others, not less.
  
  
• You have the power to change generational patterns. When you choose you first, you model emotional courage and agency for your children, showing them what it looks like to thrive.
  
  
• You are enough — in every chapter of your story. Whether you’re in the middle of the storm or walking into the sunshine, you matter. You have value.
  
  

💬 Memorable Quotes:

“Self-love is so important because from within that self-love I am full, and I get to be the best version of myself with someone else — a version I never even thought was possible.”

“To put yourself first is to choose. To be brave enough to look at hard things and to say, ‘I matter. I can do something different.’”

“You are enough in every chapter of your story.”

What does it mean to live boldly when life throws you curveballs that knock you off your feet? In this powerful episode of Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, we’re joined by adventurer, photographer, podcaster, and resilience expert Travis Robinson.

Travis was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at just 35 years old—a life-altering moment that forced him to confront a new reality. But instead of giving up on his passions, he’s chosen to adapt and thrive in the face of ongoing physical and emotional challenges.

And if that weren’t enough, Travis recently lost his home and all of his photography equipment in the devastating Eaton Fire in January 2025. His journey isn’t one of past struggle—it’s a present-day battle that he meets with unwavering courage and determination.

Travis’s story is raw, inspiring, and a true testament to the human spirit. Whether you’re facing your own mountain or walking beside someone who is, this episode is a must-listen.

🎧 Tune into Travis’s podcast “I’m Not Dead Yet!” for more stories about living vibrantly with Parkinson’s at indypodcast.net. 

#ParkinsonsAwareness #Resilience #PodcastEpisode #Inspiration #Adventurer #Photographer #TravisRobinson #LindasCornerPodcast #LiveBoldly #OvercomeChallenges #MentalStrength #FireSurvivor #MountaineerMindset #ImNotDeadYetPodcast

 Mind, Body, and Energy: Breaking Free with Dr. Amy Albright 

In this powerful episode of Linda's Corner, we’re delighted to welcome Dr. Amy Albright, a transformational healer and expert in neuroscience, energy work, and spiritual integration. With a background in cognitive psychology and Chinese medicine, Dr. Amy has spent over two decades helping people break free from trauma, anxiety, and limiting beliefs by harmonizing the mind, body, and energy.

Dr. Amy shares how our brainwaves—from delta to gamma—function like colors in a rainbow, each serving a different purpose in our mental and emotional health. She explains how getting stuck in high beta can lead to overwhelm and anxiety, while accessing gamma opens the door to insight, forgiveness, innovation, and deeper consciousness.

We also explore the truth about mental health from a neurobiological perspective. “If your car is pinging, you don’t feel shame—you just take it to the mechanic,” Dr. Amy says. “The same should go for your brain.” Her work integrates highly precise neurological diagnostics, spiritual insight, and intuition to help people rediscover who they truly are underneath the layers of trauma and societal expectations.

🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How different brainwave states affect your thoughts, emotions, and energy
  
  
• Why high beta brainwaves can feel like being trapped on a hamster wheel
  
  
• What an EEG can reveal about your personality, trauma history, and thinking patterns
  
  
• How neurofeedback, spiritual insight, and intuition can unlock rapid, lasting healing
  
  
• Why you are not broken—and how to step into your wholeness and potential
  
  

✨ Dr. Amy reminds us: “We expect miracles for our clients.” Healing is possible. Wholeness is within reach.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Amy Albright:
 Website: https://www.holonexperience.com 

Unlocking Fulfillment and Empowerment with Zerina Derveni: A Life Coach for High-Performing Women

In this empowering episode of Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, we welcome Zerina Derveni, a distinguished Life Coach who specializes in helping high-performing women and organizations unlock their full potential. With over a decade of experience in strategic consulting for Fortune 500 companies, Zerina brings a unique blend of executive insight and transformational coaching to her clients.

Zerina’s personal transformation journey is a powerful testament to her work—she achieved traditional success but felt unfulfilled. Now, she’s on a mission to help other women experience deep, lasting change. Her “bespoke coaching” is individually tailored to each client, creating a path to clarity, purpose, and fulfillment.

Together, we explore thought-provoking questions like “What is success?” and “Who am I?”, diving into how curiosity, alignment with values, and personal investment are essential to living a meaningful life. Zerina shares her holistic five-aspect framework for transformation, including:

1. Subconscious: 95% of our behaviors and emotions are shaped subconsciously—true change starts here.
   
   
2. Somatic: The body keeps the score. Tuning into our physical self helps reduce anxiety.
   
   
3. Spiritual: Awakening and personal growth are key to holistic healing.
   
   
4. Behavioral: Awareness leads to change—transform unhelpful habits.
   
   
5. Emotional: Learn to feel good and trust your intuition.
   
   

Zerina emphasizes that she doesn’t “fix” clients—she awakens the greatness already within them. She reminds us that confrontation is just a conversation, and it's okay to clarify and stand in your truth.

We also dive into practical strategies to overcome anxiety and overwhelm:

• Anxiety is wisdom. Shift from absorbing stress to observing it to regain control.
  
  
• Prioritize your priorities. Focus on 1–3 meaningful things each day instead of getting lost in a task list.
  
  

This episode is a must-listen for any woman seeking clarity, courage, and empowerment on her self-discovery journey.

🎧 Tune in and be inspired to say, “I know what I want—and nothing is going to stop me.”

Connect with Zerina Derveni:
 🌐 Website: www.zerinalifecoach.com

🎙️ Healing Addiction and Trauma with Microdosing Mushrooms | Keegan Downer of Mindful Meds

📘 Show Notes:

In this deeply moving episode of Linda's Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, we sit down with Keegan Downer, founder of Mindful Meds, to talk about the healing power of microdosing mushrooms, and how it’s helping people overcome addiction and trauma.

Keegan’s journey is raw, real, and incredibly inspiring. Born into generational trauma, he watched his father self-medicate with alcohol and die young. Keegan himself rose to early success, but one decision haunted him and sent him spiraling. After cheating on his girlfriend and hiding it for a year, he was overcome with shame and guilt. He began to drink to numb the pain, ultimately ending up on the edge of a building, contemplating ending it all.

✨ “Don’t ask ‘why the addiction,’ ask ‘why the pain.’” — Gabor Maté
This quote beautifully frames our conversation. Addiction is not a moral failing; it’s a coping mechanism. Keegan’s story illustrates that truth vividly.

Despite surviving that harrowing moment, Keegan continued down a destructive path until his body gave out and landed him in the hospital. That moment was his wake-up call. He entered rehab, learned tools like breathwork and mindfulness, and began the long journey of healing.

But sobriety isn’t a straight line. When life got stressful again, Keegan felt the familiar pull of addiction. That’s when he was introduced to microdosing psilocybin mushrooms—and everything changed.

In 2020, he launched a study involving 40 people struggling with addiction. The results? Life-changing. People found healing not just from substances, but from the root causes of their pain.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How trauma lies at the root of many addictions
• Healing is all about reverse engineering how you got there
• Why guilt and shame can be just as deadly as any substance
• The powerful role mushrooms can play in trauma recovery
• How microdosing helps rewire the brain and release emotional pain
• The difference between managing addiction and healing from it

🎁 Free Gift: Keegan is offering a free 62-page Microdosing Guide and a complimentary 1-on-1 session with a facilitator. Just DM him on Instagram to claim yours!

👉 Connect with Keegan:

• Website: mindfulmeds.io
• Instagram: @mindfulmeds_
  
  

This is a conversation about pain, truth, healing, and the courage it takes to face your darkest moments—and rise. Whether you or someone you love is struggling, this episode offers hope.

A Hospital Without Walls: Redefining Healing with Dr. Ross Ellenhorn
Guest: Dr. Ross Ellenhorn, CEO of Ellenhorn
Website: https://www.ellenhorn.com

In this thought-provoking episode of Linda’s Corner, we’re joined by Dr. Ross Ellenhorn—pioneering psychiatrist, sociologist, and CEO of Ellenhorn—to explore a radical reimagining of mental health care. Dr. Ellenhorn has created what he calls a “hospital without walls,” offering community-integrated services that honor autonomy, human dignity, and the healing power of social support.

Together, we dive into threat assessment theory, which views life’s difficulties as either challenges or threats—and how that perspective shifts based on the resources we believe we have. Many people avoid looking inward because it feels like a threat, not a challenge. But when we are surrounded by supportive relationships and people who believe in us, our self-efficacy grows. We begin to say, “I can do this.”

Key Topics Discussed:

• The dangers of the “fix-it” model in psychological care
  
  
• Why true healing requires respecting a person’s autonomy
  
  
• The importance of collaborative relationships in creating change
  
  
• Why change is a choice—and how people resist it because staying the same feels safer
  
  
• The role of social support in helping people want to change
  
  
• Understanding the fear of hope and how it’s really the fear of disappointment
  
  
• Moving from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to me?”
  
  
• Why depression is not a trait, but a temporary state that can be changed
  
  
• How treating people with respect and viewing them as the experts of their own lives creates the conditions for transformation
  
  

Dr. Ellenhorn’s work challenges traditional models and invites us into a more compassionate, empowering approach to mental health. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in healing, hope, and human potential.

Connect with Dr. Ross Ellenhorn:
 🌐 www.ellenhorn.com

Join the Conversation:
 If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review!
 🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you listen.

Untangling the Past: Dr. Joan Peters on Psychoanalysis, Childhood Trauma, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

Episode Summary:
In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of Linda's Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, I’m joined by Dr. Joan Peters—professor emeritus of literature and writing at California State University and author of Untangling: A Memoir of Psychoanalysis. Together, we explore Joan’s deeply personal journey through psychoanalysis as she worked to understand the hidden roots of lifelong nightmares, inner turmoil, and a mystery that lingered since childhood.

From the outside, Joan’s family appeared ordinary—a mother, a stepfather, a brother, and a seemingly normal life. But beneath the surface, she was waking up screaming multiple times a week, haunted by dreams where someone was trying to kill her. Why?

The trauma didn’t come from abuse—it came from a little girl’s desperate attempt to make sense of the incomprehensible. When Joan was born, her father was dying of cancer. Her overwhelmed mother administered morphine shots to ease his suffering, often while Joan sat nearby in her high chair. Though she couldn’t understand what was happening, Joan felt that something was terribly wrong—and she internalized the grief, fear, and silence around her. When her father died just before her second birthday, his memory was erased from family life, never to be mentioned again.

Through decades of silence and self-blame, Joan carried the belief that she was responsible—that she was the "angel of death," and that someone would one day kill her because she was bad.

In this moving conversation, Joan shares how psychoanalysis helped her unravel the stories she created to explain her pain—and how retelling those stories with compassion became the key to healing. We also discuss the power of acknowledging trauma, the danger of unspoken grief, and how rewriting our inner narratives can transform our lives.

Learn more and connect with Dr. Peters at UntanglingJoan.com.

Key Topics Covered:

• The hidden impact of early childhood trauma
• How children internalize grief and pain
• The silence surrounding death and how it affects family dynamics
• The power of psychoanalysis in untangling subconscious fears
• Rewriting our personal narratives to find peace and healing
  
  

Connect with Linda:
Website: HopeForHealingFoundation.org
Podcast: Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life
Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review—it helps others find the show and join our healing journey. 💛

#UntanglingThePast
#ChildhoodTraumaHealing
#PsychoanalysisJourney
#RewriteYourStory
#EmotionalHealing

Spring Flower: A Journey Through Generational Trauma, War, and Hope with Dr. Richard Perkins-Hsung

Episode Description:
In this profoundly moving episode of Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, we sit down with Dr. Richard Perkins-Hsung—university professor, son of immigrants, and the devoted compiler of his late mother Jean’s extraordinary memoir, Spring Flower. Together, we explore the deep impact of the immigrant experience and generational trauma, as seen through the lens of Jean’s powerful life story.

Jean was born into extreme poverty in China, where girls were considered worthless, and female infants were often abandoned. Her own mother endured the ancient, brutal custom of foot binding, breaking and reshaping feet to meet cultural ideals. As an infant, Jean survived one of the deadliest natural disasters of the 20th century when the Yangtze River flooded, killing millions through drowning, famine, and disease.

Miraculously, Jean was adopted by compassionate American missionaries who devoted their lives to serving the Chinese people. From there, Jean’s journey would span Japanese occupation during World War II, a fateful encounter with Mahatma Gandhi, the terror of the Communist Revolution, and a dramatic escape to the United States—all while leaving behind a husband and daughter.

Through Jean’s story, we see history come alive—her resilience, sacrifice, and determination shaped not only her son Richard’s childhood but also the generational narrative passed down through trauma and healing.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The devastating culture of gender inequality in early 20th-century China
• Jean’s survival through the Yangtze River flood and WWII
• Her inspiring American missionary adoptive parents and their humanitarian work
• Life under Mao’s Communist Revolution and the personal cost of political upheaval
• Jean’s heartbreaking separation from her husband and daughter
• Richard’s journey as an immigrant boy in America and how his mother’s legacy shaped him
• The importance of understanding ancestral stories to find personal healing and identity
• The creation of Spring Flower, Jean’s posthumous memoir, honoring her voice and life

Dr. Richard Perkins-Hsung offers deep insights into how historical trauma becomes generational, and how retelling these stories with compassion can become a tool for healing.

Connect with Dr. Richard Perkins-Hsung:
 🌐 YangtzeRiverByTheHudsonBay.site

 🌐 https://richardperkinshsung.com/

Mentioned in the Episode:
 📘 Spring Flower – A memoir of resilience, love, and survival through war, poverty, and generational trauma.

Thank you for supporting Linda's Corner! Please take a moment to share this episode, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a rating and review. Visit the Linda's Corner website at lindascornerpodcast.com, and follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @lindascornerpodcast.

Discover free resources to increase happiness, build confidence, improve relationships, manage stress, and calm feelings of depression and anxiety at the Hope for Healing website: hopeforhealingfoundation.org.

For a transformative experience in deep inner healing, visit healingbreathworkdetox.com—a digital platform offering life-changing results.

Become the champion of your own story as you overcome life’s challenges and unlock your full potential! 

Now I See the Good, Not Just the Pain: Julie Barth’s Story of Resilience, Healing, and Hope 

Episode Description:
In this deeply moving episode of Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, we welcome Julie Barth—trauma survivor, devoted mother of six, author of Notes from a Blackberry, and founder of the Colin James Barth Outreach. Julie opens her heart and shares a powerful story of navigating life through profound grief, trauma, chronic medical challenges, and ultimately finding hope and healing. 

Julie is the mother of Tatum, a remarkable young woman living with primordial dwarfism—a rare and complex condition. At just 24 years old and weighing 24 pounds, Tatum has endured over 40 surgeries, countless medical challenges, and even a battle with a rare form of cancer. Despite severe physical limitations, Tatum shines as a self-taught artist and a bright light of joy to those around her. 

For years, Julie carried the heavy belief that she needed to “fix” Tatum—believing that joy and fulfillment could only come if her daughter were “normal.” Over time, she came to a life-changing realization: Tatum is the hero of her own story, and it's okay to let go of the need to fix what simply is. Julie now embraces the journey with love, acceptance, and presence. 

Amidst the ongoing health challenges, Julie’s husband Colin was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. His passing left her with deep survivor's guilt and the immense weight of parenting through grief. Eventually, she remarried—but the relationship became emotionally and financially abusive. Trapped in a cycle of self-blame and suffering, Julie believed she deserved to be punished and lived for years on auto-pilot—pretending to be happy while trying to outrun the pain of her past. 

Her healing journey began when she bravely chose to stop pretending and start unpacking the trauma she had carried for so long. Julie now uses her experiences to fuel her passion for helping others. As CEO and founder of the Colin James Barth Outreach, she supports women-led households by providing the resources and aid needed to find security and stability in times of crisis. 

Julie’s story is raw, courageous, and incredibly inspiring—a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of healing. 

In this episode, you’ll hear about: 

• Parenting a child with a rare condition and over 40 surgeries
• Why letting go of the need to “fix” can open the door to deeper connection and joy
• Losing her beloved husband Colin to cancer and the aftermath of grief
• Surviving an abusive relationship and rediscovering her worth
• Learning to face the past in order to create a better future
• Julie’s mission to help other women rebuild their lives with dignity and hope
• Her powerful book Notes from a Blackberry and the story behind it

Connect with Julie Barth:
📖 JulieBarthAuthor.net
💛 CJBOutreach.org