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What if the patterns you’ve been trying to “fix” the over giving, the overthinking, the holding on too tightly, were never flaws at all, but intelligent survival strategies shaped by the nervous system itself?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with emotional healing specialist and Lift Oneself founder Natalie “NatNat” Bedard for a grounded and deeply revealing conversation about trauma, embodiment, nervous system safety, and the hidden motivations behind the choices we make. From surviving childhood trauma and life-threatening brain lesions to rediscovering her own emotional and somatic truth, Natalie shares how she returned home to herself and how listeners can begin doing the same.

Together, Amanda and Natalie explore why mindset work alone can’t carry you through every challenge, how the body stores what the mind tries to outrun, and why overgiving or “proving a point” often stems from fear rather than empowerment. The two also share an unplanned breakthrough moment as Natalie gently reflects a long-standing survival pattern Amanda didn’t realize she was still holding. It’s raw, honest, and deeply human.

This episode also marks a meaningful seasonal pause: Amanda announces that Manders Mindset will be taking the month of December off to rest, reset, and integrate after a transformative year, a reminder that pausing is powerful and allowed.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 Why the nervous system operates to protect, not sabotage
 💔 How early trauma and emotional neglect shape identity, resilience, and coping
 🧬 Natalie’s near-death health crisis and how somatic work became her lifeline
 🌀 Why you can’t “mindset” your way through everything and where the body takes the lead
 💸 The connection between overgiving, self-worth, and fear of abundance
 💃 Regulation tools like dancing, humming, breathing, and sensory shifts
 🪞 A new way to understand shame, forgiveness, and emotional data
 📖 Why rewriting your story around relationships, purpose, and identity...is both valid and necessary
 🕊️ And why Amanda is modeling the importance of rest by pausing new episodes in December

⏰ Timeline Summary

[2:15] Natalie opens with a grounding mindful moment to drop listeners into presence
 [4:58] Amanda recounts how the podcast began and how breathwork unlocked her voice
 [7:37] Exploring fear, abundance, and the deeper wounds 
 [10:33] Why mindset alone isn’t enough, the nervous system’s role in real transformation
 [19:15] Natalie shares who she is at her core: compassion, pain, and embodied presence
 [20:50] Her childhood story: nature, trauma, emotional absence, and early motherhood
 [27:12] How meditation and somatic work helped her release stored trauma
 [31:17] Why dancing, humming, and movement can shift emotional states instantly
 [39:20] Shame, forgiveness, emotional honesty, and understanding the body’s signals
 [45:22] Marriage, societal pressure, and redefining partnership on your own terms
 [58:05] A real-time breakthrough as Natalie highlights one of Amanda’s survival patterns
 [1:02:00] Amanda feels the shift as she realizes what she was never meant to carry
 [1:11:11] Final reminders about following the body’s wisdom

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

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What if the key to fighting hate wasn’t politics or arguments online, but one courageous story that makes you feel what’s at stake?

In this powerful episode, Amanda is joined by guest, Dr. Robert J. Wolf, retired radiologist and author of Not a Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Man’s Fight for Freedom. Robert shares his father’s miraculous survival as a Jewish man in Nazi and Communist-controlled Hungary, his family’s multiple escapes, and how those 20 “impossible” miracles eventually led to a new life and medical career in America.

Amanda and Robert explore how his decades in medicine, a near-fatal health scare, and the discovery of his parents’ manuscript shifted his own mindset about purpose, time, and what really matters. Through stories of resilience, integrity, and redemption, Robert shows why antisemitism isn’t just “history", it’s a present danger that affects everyone, and why indifference is never neutral. This conversation is for anyone who wants to understand history on a human level, feel inspired to use their voice, and remember that one story can change how we see the world.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

 ✡️ How Robert’s parents survived the Holocaust and Hungarian Revolution and rebuilt life in the U.S.
 🩺 Why ninth grade and a role model father led him into a 35+ year career in medicine
 ⏳ How a sudden heart condition forced him to ask, “Do I want to die at a desk or truly live?”
 📖 The unbelievable way he found his father’s autobiography and turned it into an award-winning book
 🧠 Why indifference is more dangerous than disagreement and how prejudice shows up in subtle ways
 🕯️ How teaching Holocaust history and sharing his father’s story became his way of fighting antisemitism
 🧱 The core messages of the book: hope, integrity, resilience, and redemption in the face of hate

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[1:03] “I’m just a guy”: who Robert is at his core, his love for sports, food, history, and his mission to fight antisemitism
[2:25] Growing up in Detroit as the child of Holocaust survivors and one of only a few Jewish kids at school
[5:09] The ninth-grade moment that sparked his desire to go into medicine 
[7:58] A life-threatening heart condition, being “on the wrong end of the needle,” and rethinking time as the only true commodity
[10:29] Discovering his parents’ manuscript and how he began turning his father’s autobiography into a biography between radiology cases
[12:57] Agents, rejections, and the eventual “bottom of the ninth” acceptance from a Holocaust specialty publisher in Amsterdam
[20:24] Using the book to educate about antisemitism
[22:47] Key themes: hope, determination, fear, resilience, redemption and why kids today are afraid to send their children to school
[24:02] The “20 miracles,” how readers respond to the book, and why some say it should be a movie
[28:47] Why nobody who knew him years ago would have predicted he’d write a Holocaust book and why it was “better late than never”

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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To Connect with Robert: 

📖 Not a Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Man’s Fight for Freedom
🌐 robertjwolfmd.com

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In this short solo episode, I’m sharing a moment from my recent conversation with Laura Bratton, Awoman who became blind as a teenager and learned to anchor herself through her breath.

Talking with her reminded me of something so simple but so profound:

Even when someone can’t use their eyes, they can still come back home to their breath.

It showed me AGAIN just how powerful our breath truly is.

Her full episode on my Breathwork Magic podcast (released Friday) is linked below. 

I truly believe this episode will shift your mindset.

When The World Went Dark, The Breath Lit The Way, w/ Laura Bratton: 

Listen HERE

Keep breathing.

Keep shifting.

Everything is figureoutable.

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

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What if the biggest block to your growth wasn’t fear... but shame, disguised as perfectionism, procrastination, or self-sabotage?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Emma Lyons, a trauma-informed healer and founder of The Trauma Matrix, for an unfiltered conversation about breaking free from the invisible grip of shame. Drawing from her own experience as a childhood scapegoat in a covertly narcissistic family system, Emma shares why shame is never about care... it’s always about control.

Together, Amanda and Emma explore how shame becomes internalized, why emotional abuse is so often dismissed, and how to break up with the inner narcissist that’s been stealing your voice. Through deep insight and grounded tools, Emma introduces her signature D.R.E.A.K. method to help listeners finally step out of the shame trance and into their full power.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt like too much and not enough at the same time, or who’s ready to reclaim their worth, voice, and visibility.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 Why shame is not a normal emotion and where it really comes from
 ⚠️ The inner narcissist: how shame disguises itself as your own voice
 🔥 The D.R.E.A.K. Method to dismantle shame and reclaim your truth
 🚫 Why “feel your shame” might be the worst advice you’ve received
 👀 How perfectionism, procrastination, and imposter syndrome are all shame in disguise
 🧘‍♀️ The body’s role in healing emotional trauma and releasing shame
 🧠 How to become “shame-less” without losing empathy or humanity

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:10] – The scapegoat child: Emma’s early story of invisibility and emotional abuse
 [10:45] – Covert narcissism, emotional neglect, and the silent trauma no one talks about
 [19:30] – Why society protects mothers even when abuse is present
 [26:50] – Shame as a cultural implant: control, compliance, and colonialism
 [35:40] – The hidden cost of perfectionism and how shame hijacks the nervous system
 [41:05] – Breaking free with D.R.E.A.K: the 5-step method to release internalized shame
 [55:50] – Shame vs. guilt: how false compassion keeps us stuck
 [1:04:15] – Somatic healing, Breathwork, and the path to authentic empowerment
 [1:12:20] – Final reflections: your shame voice is not you and you don’t owe it anything.

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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To Connect with Emma: 

Substack: https://traumamatrix.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trauma.matrix/#

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@trauma.matrix

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What if the key to your next level of peace, purpose, and alignment was already written... not in your planner, but in your soul’s own records?

In this transformative episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Bree Delacruz, a CPA turned Akashic Record reader and energy healer, to explore how working with energy and intuition can completely shift your reality. From her upbringing surrounded by Filipino healers to her pivot from corporate accounting to spiritual entrepreneurship, Bree shares her personal awakening and how the Akashic Records became a guiding tool for clarity, healing, and self‑trust.

Together, Amanda and Bree unpack what the Akashic Records are, how they connect past lives, present lessons, and future possibilities, and why energetic and subconscious healing can unlock your highest timeline. They also dive into a powerful true story of miraculous energy healing within Bree’s own family and discuss the balance between spirituality and science.

This episode is for anyone feeling the call to explore energy work, reconnect with their intuition, or co‑create a life that feels aligned, grounded, and purpose‑driven.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🌙 What the Akashic Records are and how they reveal your soul’s blueprint
 💫 How Bree shifted from CPA to clairvoyant and built a business around both logic and light
 🧬 The miraculous healing story that changed her view on energy forever
 🧠 Why subconscious work and hypnotherapy deepen the healing process
 🌸 The truth about “highest timelines” and how to step into yours
 🪞 How to protect your energy and avoid burnout as a healer or empath
 💖 Why authenticity and self‑trust are key to any spiritual journey

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:10] – Bree shares who she is at her core, multifaceted, grounded, and intuitively connected
 [5:30] – Childhood stories of growing up around Filipino healers and spiritual practices
 [11:45] – From CPA to healer: a corporate awakening that changed everything
 [17:20] – Akashic Records explained: how they access past lives, future timelines, and guidance
 [25:10] – The incredible story of Bree’s grandfather’s healing through Filipino energy work
 [34:50] – Combining Akashic Records, energy healing, and hypnotherapy for deep transformation
 [42:15] – Advice for skeptics: how to stay curious and open to spiritual healing
 [48:00] – Maintaining energetic hygiene and protecting your vibration as a healer
 [56:30] – Bree’s wisdom on authenticity, self‑belief, and stepping into your purpose

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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A Neighbor Listened, A Life Was Saved, And Gratitude Found New Meaning...

This episode wasn’t what I planned to share. I had a guest lined up, a topic ready... but life had other plans. Something unexpected happened that brought me face to face with surrender, grace, and the quiet power of human connection.

In this deeply personal reflection, I share what it felt like to be held when I didn’t even know I needed help, how control slipped through my fingers, and what it truly means to receive each breath as a gift. I invite you to listen with an open heart as I explore the ways life shows up for us, often through others, and always in the breath.

Timeline Summary:

[0:33] - Why this week’s episode is not the one I had planned

[1:12] - A quiet moment that sparked a chain of care

[3:48] - Waking up disoriented and realizing something profound had happened

[6:35] - Feeling grace in the spaces I couldn’t control

[8:40] - Breathwork, redefined in the most unexpected way

[10:22] - Letting go of control and discovering what holds us

[12:01] - Breathing as a gift, not a task

[14:30] - A moment of breath together

[16:10] - Final reflections on connection, gratitude, and being held

• Share this with someone who needs a reminder they’re not alone

Closing Note: If this episode moved you, I’d be so grateful if you rated, subscribed, or reviewed the show. It helps others find these conversations. And remember: As long as you have your breath, you have options. 

Keep breathing, keep shifting, and remember everything is figureoutable.

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

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What if credit card debt isn’t what it seems  and freedom from it starts with changing your mindset, not your payment plan?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo is joined by Tommy Kilpatrick, a reflexologist, former CPA, and self-described “wonderful healer” to explore the hidden truths behind credit card debt and the financial systems most people never question.

After being promised an infomercial deal that fell through, Tommy was left with $85,000 in credit card debt. But instead of drowning in it, he turned to his background in accounting and discovered what he calls the greatest financial misconception of our time: that credit card “debt” isn’t debt at all, it's an alleged liability built on flawed contracts and banking fraud.

This conversation goes far beyond dollars and cents. Tommy shares stories of his early life, spiritual awakening, and mission to bring peace, healing, and freedom to others through sustainable living, dome-building, and mindset work. A blend of financial wisdom, soulful storytelling, and practical tools, this episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling stuck in financial stress or looking for a different path forward.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

💳 Why most credit card “debt” is technically an alleged liability
 📉 How banks create money and why it matters
 🧠 Why language, mindset, and consent shape your financial reality
 🛠️ The practical steps to dispute and close alleged credit accounts
 🌿 How Tommy built a life of peace, purpose, and zero debt in the Philippines
 🏠 His vision for the “Free Revolution”... housing, food, and healthcare for all
 🔋 The connection between energy healing and financial empowerment

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:11] – Tommy explains his body, mind, and soul identities
 [8:45] – A visualization method to discover one's soul name
 [15:12] – Stories from Tommy’s youth: diving, entrepreneurship, and independence
 [24:06] – Working in mental health and connecting with autistic children
 [32:19] – Transitioning into accounting and witnessing corporate finance from the inside
 [40:08] – The infomercial collapse that sparked $85K in credit card debt
 [52:30] – Breaking down why most credit card accounts are fraudulent
 [1:09:01] – How banks operate and why terms like “statement” vs. “invoice” matter
 [1:21:20] – Living off-grid, finding peace in the Philippines, and building dome homes
 [1:31:15] – Tommy’s final words on mindset, motivation, and what really matters

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

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What if the real secret to change wasn’t discipline or willpower but learning how to work with your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in harmony?

In this empowering episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Melyssa, a health coach with a master’s in clinical psychology, to explore how lasting change really happens. From her early days as a marine mammal trainer to her journey through group fitness, body image challenges, grief, and burnout, Melyssa shares why mindset matters more than motivation, and how small behavioral shifts can reset everything.

Together, Amanda and Melyssa unpack the power of the cognitive triangle, why emotions shouldn’t drive the car, and how to “sit in the suck but not get stuck.” With refreshing honesty and deep insight, Melyssa shows how movement, mental health, and mindset intersect and why behavior is the one part of change you can control.

This episode is for anyone who's tired of starting over, wants to build sustainable health habits, or is ready to rewrite the story in their head.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How the cognitive triangle connects thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
 💥 Why behavior change works even when motivation is missing
 🧘‍♀️ How grief, stress, and burnout impact wellness and how to move through them
 🩰 The story of ballet, body image, and finding healing through fitness
 🎧 A genius tip for writing a book without writer’s block
 🧬 What lifestyle medicine really means and how it can transform your health
 💬 The mindset mantra: “Sit in the suck, but don’t get stuck”

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:20] – From marine mammal training to mindset coaching
 [7:55] – Childhood, identity, and the roots of her wellness journey
 [14:30] – Discovering group fitness and the healing power of movement
 [21:40] – Breaking down the cognitive triangle: where real change starts
 [30:15] – Body shame, ballet, and redefining strength
 [38:40] – Grief, loss, and honoring emotions without getting stuck
 [46:25] – Coaching vs. therapy: how mindset bridges both
 [55:10] – Size-inclusive fitness, bar classes, and reclaiming joy in movement
 [1:03:45] – Final five: values, legacy, and creating change with kindness

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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What if healing wasn’t about being perfect but about being radically honest, fiercely authentic, and relentlessly committed to growth?

In this unapologetic and empowering episode of Manders Mindset, licensed clinical social worker Zulma Williams also known as The Swearing Therapist, shares her incredible journey of reinvention. From moving to the U.S. alone at 31 with no job, no English, and no clear plan, to surviving breast cancer, going back to school in her 40s, and building a successful therapy practice in her 50s, Zulma proves that it's never too late to change your life.

With humor, grit, and no-filter wisdom, Zulma breaks down why therapy isn’t about advice but about discovering your own answers. She opens up about what cancer taught her about boundaries, how real healing happens between therapy sessions, and why authenticity in mental health spaces matters more than ever.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating fear, burnout, or self-doubt and ready to reclaim their power.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

⚡ Why it’s never too late to start over
 🧠 The truth about therapy, healing, and personal responsibility
 🔥 How breast cancer redefined her priorities and voice
 💬 Why being “The Swearing Therapist” helps clients feel seen
 🛠️ How to use therapy tools like grounding and self-reflection
 🚗 The GPS metaphor for therapy and client-led healing
 🎯 What real progress looks like: shorter recovery time, not perfection

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[1:05] – Moving to the U.S. alone at 31 and starting from scratch
 [9:34] – Early culture shocks, language barriers, and lessons from adaptation
 [15:17] – Going back to school at 42 and overcoming fear
 [20:55] – Breast cancer, boundaries, and reclaiming autonomy
 [32:38] – Why bedside manner matters and how doctors impact healing
 [41:36] – The meaning behind “Dragonfly Therapy” and inner transformation
 [43:19] – Therapy as a partnership: the client drives, the therapist guides
 [52:04] – Understanding real healing: shortening emotional recovery time
 [57:55] – Self-advocacy, self-trust, and trusting one’s own body wisdom

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

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What if the key to healing, clarity, and purpose wasn’t about fixing yourself… but about befriending your shadow?

In this enlightening episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with author and spiritual guide Justin Shaw to explore the inner work that leads to real transformation. From a childhood marked by emotional isolation to years of addiction and disconnection, Justin shares how shadow work, source energy, and a powerful “bliss attack” helped him find meaning and rebuild from the inside out.

Listeners will learn how suppressed pain becomes the “shadow” that shapes behavior, how to separate identity from trauma, and why naming the inner critic is the first step to lasting change. Justin also shares the inspiration behind his book Sorcery 1.0.1, a 13-step spiritual guide to awakening, healing, and living consciously.

This episode is for anyone navigating trauma, identity, or spiritual growth and ready to step into a more empowered, awakened life.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

🌓 What “shadow work” really is and how to make peace with your inner critic
 🌬️ Why most people live on airplane mode and how to turn it off
 ⚡ The difference between reaction and response and how to shift into conscious awareness
 📖 How Justin’s “13 rungs” create a flexible, spiritual path to healing
 🔥 Why naming your shadow helps reclaim your power
 🌿 How to access source energy and reconnect with your higher self
 🎭 The Deepak vs. Tupac metaphor... 

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:22] – Justin's identity as a "Sourcer" and what that really means
 [7:10] – Growing up emotionally isolated and turning to pop culture for connection
 [15:45] – Addiction, failed rehab, and the moment he realized healing is more than physical
 [25:30] – Experiencing a spontaneous “bliss attack” after meditation and shadow work
 [34:50] – Moving to Sedona and receiving the vision for Sourcery 1.0.1
[42:05] – Naming the shadow: How Eminem and Floyd helped him reframe pain
[50:20] – Spirituality vs. religion and why fear-based beliefs fall apart
[58:47] – Turning trauma into transformation by embracing (not fighting) the shadowTo Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

~ Sign Up for Virtual Mindful Mindset Mondays HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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