Manders Mindset

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What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want… is the resistance to change?

In this deeply insightful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Harvard-trained psychotherapist, mindset expert, executive coach, and bestselling author Madeline Weiss for a powerful conversation about identity, self-worth, reinvention, and the hidden psychology behind personal transformation.

From losing her father unexpectedly at 15 years old to rebuilding her confidence through learning, growth, and self-discovery, Madeline shares the experiences that shaped her understanding of mindset, resilience, and human behavior. Together, Amanda and Madeline explore why people often stay stuck in familiar discomfort, how quieting the mind can help uncover purpose, and why real self-esteem comes from witnessing yourself show up in ways you admire.

Throughout the conversation, Madeline breaks down the five-step framework from her book Getting to Great, explains why the brain naturally resists change, and shares how unconscious patterns quietly shape the direction of life, relationships, health, and career decisions.

This episode is filled with honest reflections, practical wisdom, and meaningful mindset shifts about courage, personal responsibility, identity, and becoming the version of yourself you were always capable of being.

💡 In this episode, listeners will learn:

🧠 Why the brain naturally resists change and prefers familiarity
 🌱 How identity shifts create lasting transformation
 💭 The importance of quieting the mind to hear inner guidance
 ✨ What true self-esteem actually comes from
 📖 How grief and life experiences can shape self-perception
 🔥 Why “what you want more” ultimately wins
 💪 The role discomfort plays in growth and evolution
 🌍 How kindness toward both others and yourself can transform life

Timeline Summary:

05:00 – Losing her father at 15 years old
08:15 – Grief, moving, and struggling in school
17:40 – Quieting the mind & polyvagal breathing
26:00 – The GREAT framework explained
31:15 – Why resistance to change is the real work
35:45 – Why people stay stuck in familiar discomfort
39:20 – “What you want more wins”
42:00 – Amanda’s weight loss & identity shift story
46:10 – Manifestation vs becoming the future version of yourself
52:00 – “Just do good work”

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
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To Connect with Madeline Weiss:
Website: 

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What if the shame carried for years wasn’t proof that something was wrong… but proof that healing had never truly been given space to begin?

In this deeply vulnerable episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Zoe Shaw, licensed psychotherapist, relationship coach, author, and podcast host for a powerful conversation about shame, secrecy, identity, and emotional healing. Dr. Zoe opens up about growing up in a strict religious environment, navigating racial identity shame, becoming pregnant as a teenager, and carrying the burden of secrecy for decades after placing her daughter for adoption.

Together, Amanda and Dr. Zoe explore the emotional weight of people-pleasing, perfectionism, trauma, and the ways shame quietly shapes relationships, self-worth, and the ability to show up authentically in the world. Dr. Zoe also breaks down the difference between guilt, simple shame, toxic shame, and what she calls “complex shame”, a deeper form of shame built over years of painful experiences and hidden wounds.

This conversation is an honest and hopeful reminder that healing doesn’t begin through hiding…

It begins through vulnerability, self-forgiveness, and finally allowing the truth to be seen.

⏰ Timeline Summary

[5:40] – Growing up with racial identity shame and strict religious expectations                                                                                                                    [9:15] – Becoming pregnant at 15 and carrying the burden of secrecy                  [14:30] – Using achievement, success, and perfectionism to hide shame [19:05] – The moment she revealed her secret to her children and family [23:45] – The difference between guilt, simple shame, complex shame, and toxic shame                                                                                                            [31:40] – Practical ways to begin untangling shame and finding forgiveness 

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 The difference between guilt, simple shame, toxic shame, and complex shame
💔 How secrecy and people-pleasing can quietly shape identity and relationships
 ✨ The emotional impact of carrying shame from childhood into adulthood
 📖 Dr. Zoe’s personal journey through teen pregnancy, adoption, and self-forgiveness
🪞 How perfectionism and achievement can become coping mechanisms for hidden pain

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Zoe: 

 📖 Get Dr. Zoe's Book Stronger in the Difficult Places: https://a.co/d/bWNSd4G

Get Dr. Zoe's Must Have Resources to untangle Shame: 

https://dr-zoe-shaw-enterprises.kit.com/7247f0bc86 

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What if rebuilding your life after trauma wasn’t about becoming who you once were… but learning how to embrace who you are now?

In this deeply moving episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with author, speaker, and trauma survivor Shannon Michelle for a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, healing, and the life changing power of staying present. After surviving a near-fatal motorcycle accident that left her in a coma for two months, Shannon shares what it was like to relearn how to walk, read, speak, and rebuild her life from the ground up.

Together, Amanda and Shannon explore the emotional journey of letting go of old identities, learning to accept life’s hardest moments, and finding beauty even in the middle of pain and uncertainty. Shannon opens up about surviving childhood abuse, building a successful interior design career, navigating physical and emotional recovery after her accident, and eventually transforming her experiences into a book designed to inspire others through trauma and healing.

This conversation is a reminder that healing isn’t always about returning to who you once were… 

Sometimes it’s about discovering a completely new version of yourself.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 What it was like for Shannon to relearn how to read, walk, and navigate life after a traumatic brain injury
 🌿 Why staying present became one of the biggest lessons of her recovery
 💔 The emotional process of letting go of old identities and expectations
 ✨ How childhood trauma shaped Shannon’s drive, resilience, and independence
 📖 The unexpected journey that led her to writing and publishing her book
 🛁 Why relearning simple daily tasks became some of her biggest victories
 💫 How acceptance, grace, and small moments of joy helped her rebuild her life

⏰ Timeline Summary

[2:10] Shannon reflects on how her accident transformed her identity and perspective on life
[7:50] Growing up in a chaotic and abusive household while learning independence young
[15:40] Starting her first business at 22 and unexpectedly entering interior design
[28:15] The motorcycle accident that changed everything and surviving a two-month coma
[39:20] Relearning how to walk, read, and navigate life after traumatic brain injury
[47:30] Letting go of her old life and learning to embrace “Shannon Michelle 2.0”
[53:50] Writing her book, rebuilding purpose, and helping others through trauma
[58:40] Staying present, acceptance, and finding abundance through life’s hardest moments

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
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To Connect with Shannon:

Website: https://stepintoyourmiracle.com/

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What happens when you’ve spent most of your life believing your voice doesn’t matter… and then you decide to use it anyway?

In this milestone Episode 200 of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with podcast host and sustainability advocate Amy Bolduc for one of the most raw and honest conversations yet. From navigating a challenging childhood and years of self-doubt to building a podcast and showing up consistently despite insecurity, Amy shares what it really looks like to grow through the mess... not after it.

Together, Amanda and Amy unpack the reality of doing things before you feel ready, learning to trust yourself after life-altering decisions, and the quiet but powerful realization that… people actually care. This episode is a reminder that your voice matters, even if you’re still learning how to believe that.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How childhood experiences can shape self-worth and identity
 💭 What it feels like to live with deep-rooted insecurity and still move forward
 🎙️ The reality of starting a podcast (and hitting record) before feeling ready
 🔥 Why “do it anyway” can be the most life-changing mindset shift
 🌱 How growth often comes from uncomfortable, unexpected life transitions
 💔 Navigating big life changes like divorce, relocation, and starting over
 🧭 The powerful realization that your voice matters more than you think

⏱️ Timeline Summary:

[1:30] Celebrating Episode 200 & how Amanda and Amy connected
 [6:00] Amy’s childhood, family dynamics, and early instability
 [14:30] School struggles, insecurity, and not following a traditional path
 [24:00] Early adulthood, relationships, and career journey beginnings
 [34:30] Job transitions, COVID struggles, and emotional burnout
 [43:00] Starting her podcast despite fear and self-doubt
 [52:00] The mindset shift: “do it anyway” & finding her voice
 [1:00:00] Realizing people care & reflections on growth and self-worth

TAKE THE SURVEY TO WIN A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD & A MANDERS MINDSET TEE: https://form.jotform.com/mandersmindset/200-episodes-of-manders-mindset

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Amy:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groundedinmainepodcast_/

Listen to Grounded in Maine Podcast: https://www.groundedinmaine.com/

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What happens when life pulls you so far away from who you once were… that finding your way back feels almost impossible?

In this deeply personal episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Crystal Harrell, Yale-trained public health researcher, bestselling author, and CEO to explore her journey of losing and rediscovering herself. From growing up in public housing as one of ten children to experiencing the devastating loss of her father at just 11 years old, Crystal shares how that pivotal moment reshaped her sense of safety, identity, and connection to the world around her.

Together, Amanda and Crystal unpack how grief, constant change, and emotional survival led to years of feeling disconnected and lost… and what it truly took to begin the journey back home. Through reflection, resilience, and a deep commitment to self-discovery, Crystal reveals how she’s been reclaiming the joyful, fearless version of herself she once knew and what that process looks like in real life.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How early life experiences shape identity and emotional patterns
 💔 The impact of losing a parent at a young age and how it shifts everything
 🏠 What it’s like growing up in public housing as part of a large family
 🔄 How constant change and instability can lead to feeling lost
 🌱 The journey of reconnecting with your younger, authentic self
 🔥 Why healing isn’t about becoming someone new but returning to who you were
 🧭 What it really takes to come back home to yourself after years of disconnection

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:10] Growing up as one of ten children in public housing
 [6:45] Losing her father at 11 and the emotional impact that followed
 [11:30] How her mother changed through grief and survival
 [18:20] The beginning of feeling unsafe, isolated, and disconnected
 [26:40] Navigating mental health struggles and identity loss
 [35:15] The turning point toward self-discovery and healing
 [44:50] Reconnecting with her younger self and finding joy again

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

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What if the anxiety, overwhelm, and patterns people struggle to break aren’t random, but the result of a nervous system that has been conditioned over time?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Rachel Lundberg, owner of Thrive Yoga and Wellness and co-founder of Yoga Oak. With over two decades of experience in yoga and nervous system work, Rachel shares her deeply personal journey through anxiety, identity shifts, and ultimately discovering the science of brain retraining and alignment.

Together, Amanda and Rachel explore how the nervous system, subconscious patterns, and repeated thoughts shape everyday experiences, and why lasting transformation requires more than surface level change. From leaving a lifelong religion to healing chronic anxiety, this conversation sheds light on what it truly means to live in alignment and how small, intentional shifts can begin to change everything.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How nervous system dysregulation can contribute to anxiety, panic, and chronic overwhelm
 🔁 The role of neuroplasticity in rewiring thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses
 ⚡ Why repeated thoughts and focus can reinforce patterns that no longer serve
 🧩 The FAR method and how focus, associations, and repetition shape reality
 🧘‍♀️ What alignment-based yoga is and why it goes beyond physical movement
 🌱 How internal alignment can influence relationships, choices, and everyday life
 🫁 The ABC method for creating pause and making more conscious decisions

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[03:10] Rachel shares the qualities that define her at the core: wisdom, compassion, and freedom
 [07:20] The decision to leave Mormonism and navigate the impact it had on family relationships
 [12:45] Anxiety, panic attacks, and the moment the nervous system reached its limit
 [18:30] The search for healing through counseling, medication, and alternative approaches
 [24:10] Discovering brain retraining and understanding the science of neuroplasticity
 [29:40] Breaking down the FAR method: focus, associations, and repetition
 [35:20] What alignment-based yoga really means and how it supports all bodies
 [40:10] The ABC method for creating space, breathing, and making aligned choices

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

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What if the hardest moment of your life wasn’t the end… but the beginning of your transformation?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Shruti, a cancer survivor, author, and holistic health coach, to share her deeply personal journey through adversity, healing, and self-discovery. From growing up feeling misunderstood to navigating a high-pressure career and a painful divorce, Shruti opens up about the moments that shaped her long before a life-changing cancer diagnosis at just 34.

Together, Amanda and Shruti explore the powerful connection between mindset, emotional health, and physical well-being. Through honest storytelling and transformative insights, Shruti reveals how suppressed emotions, chronic stress, and low self-worth impacted her life and how choosing faith, gratitude, and intentional daily practices helped her shift from surviving to truly thriving. This conversation is a reminder that healing doesn’t just happen physically… it starts from within.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How mindset, stress, and emotional health can shape physical well-being
 💔 The impact of suppressed emotions and low self-worth over time
 ⚡ How a cancer diagnosis became a turning point instead of an ending
 🙏 The role of faith, gratitude, and discipline in the healing process
 🌿 How yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness support recovery
 🔥 The shift from surviving to thriving through adversity
 🤝 Why community and support are essential during and after illness
 📖 How Shruti turned her journey into a mission to help others heal

⏰ Timeline Summary:

 [03:00] Growing up in a large family while feeling alone and misunderstood
 [08:30] Ambition, leadership, and emotional suppression during childhood
 [14:30] Transition into a fast paced fashion career and high-stress lifestyle
 [20:30] Marriage struggles, separation, and hitting rock bottom
 [24:30] Receiving a cancer diagnosis at 34 during a difficult life chapter
 [30:30] Shifting perspective: from “why me?” to taking responsibility
 [36:00] The role of gratitude, faith, and mindset during healing
 [42:00] Discovering yoga, mindfulness, and holistic healing practices
 [47:30] Life after cancer: helping others and building a healing community

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Shruti: 

📸 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/shruti_sethi_?igsh=MWZ2azVjeWdra2Y4OA==

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What if the struggles people face in their lives, whether in relationships, finances, or personal fulfillment aren’t due to a lack of effort, but instead deeply rooted subconscious programming?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Joseph, also known as Joey, a rapid growth specialist and creator of the SMT Method. With decades of experience studying human behavior and transformation, Dr. Joseph shares his journey from living in cycles of struggle, self-doubt, and people-pleasing to uncovering the profound role the subconscious mind plays in shaping reality.

Together, Amanda and Dr. Joseph explore how limiting beliefs are formed, why so many people feel stuck despite doing “all the right things,” and what it truly takes to create lasting change. Through personal stories, client breakthroughs, and deep insights, this conversation sheds light on how shifting subconscious programming... not just surface-level habits can unlock a completely different way of living.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How subconscious programming influences actions, decisions, and results
🎭 The “chameleon effect” and how people-pleasing disconnects from authenticity
⚡ Why traditional personal development often fails to create lasting change
🔍 The hidden belief of “not being enough” and how it shapes life outcomes
🌊 The difference between living by goals vs. living by vision
🧩 What the SMT (Subconscious Mindset Training) Method is and how it works
✨ How aligning conscious and subconscious thinking leads to rapid transformation
🧭 The role of intuition and why most people struggle to access it

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[6:40] The “chameleon effect” and how people-pleasing pulls people away from authenticity
 [11:20] A childhood experience that revealed a different way life could feel
 [17:05] Turning down a major opportunity because of feeling undeserving
 [24:30] Years of searching for answers through books, counseling, and personal development
 [32:45] Discovering the subconscious mind and realizing what truly drives results
 [41:20] Breaking down the SMT Method and how subconscious programming can be shifted
 [49:10] Why visions can be more powerful than goals

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

Connect with Dr. Joseph:

Website: https://www.josephadrolshagen.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ifgtcoach/

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What if the patterns that have shaped someone’s entire life were never actually the problem but the solution waiting to be uncovered?

In this deeply honest episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with boundaries coach, speaker, and author Barb Nangel, whose life transformed at 52 through 12-step recovery after decades of therapy only scratched the surface. From growing up in a dysfunctional environment to years of addiction, codependency, and emotional struggle, Barb shares how hitting a breaking point became the doorway to real healing.

Throughout the conversation, Barb unpacks the powerful shifts that changed everything from recognizing codependency and victim mentality to learning how to build boundaries that create true internal safety. Together, Amanda and Barb explore the role of spirituality, the impact of unresolved trauma, and why lasting transformation requires more than just awareness, it requires action, community, and a willingness to look inward.

At its core, this episode is a reminder that it is never too late to change, heal, and reclaim personal power... No matter how long someone has felt stuck.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🔥 How 12-step recovery can create breakthroughs where therapy alone may fall short
🧠 The hidden signs of codependency and how it shows up in everyday life
💔 How unresolved trauma and family dysfunction shape behavior and relationships
💡 Why boundaries are the key to breaking people-pleasing patterns
⚡ The shift from victim mentality to personal responsibility
🪶 How spirituality and community support long-term healing
🎯 Why it is never too late to transform your life and rewrite your story

⏰ Timeline Summary

[6:40] Childhood, family dynamics, and the early behaviors that pointed to deeper struggles
[12:15] Addiction, compulsive overeating, and the patterns that followed her into adulthood
[18:40] A breaking point, discovering codependency, and the moment everything began to click
[25:10] Finding ACA, CoDA, and Overeaters Anonymous and why 12-step recovery changed everything
[32:45] Grief, family loss, and reconciling with her brother in a powerful new way
[38:20] How recovery led her to boundaries work 
[49:10] The biggest mindset shift of all

Growth and healing are always possible and sometimes, one conversation can be the beginning of everything changing.

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Barb:

Schedule a Free 30 minute "Say No Without Guilt" call with Barb: http://barbchat.net/

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What if the voice that’s been held back… is the very thing meant to lead?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with speaker, author, and soulful speaking coach Lauri Smith for a conversation about leadership, authenticity, and the journey from being the “good girl” to becoming an untamed, fully expressed voice.

Lauri shares a deeply personal story of growing up with unspoken pressure to be perfect, always composed, always doing the “right” thing. But beneath that identity was something more, an intuitive, powerful voice waiting to be expressed. Through theater, coaching, and life experience, that voice began to emerge, reshaping not only how leadership is defined, but how it is embodied.

At the heart of this episode is one transformative idea: leadership doesn’t have to be loud, controlling, or performative... it can be intuitive, creative, and deeply aligned.

This conversation explores how breath, intention, and presence influence communication, and how stepping into an “untamed” version of leadership allows for more impact, connection, and authenticity. From understanding the body’s role in communication to breaking free from templates and expectations, this episode offers a new way to think about voice, power, and purpose.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

✨ What it really means to be an “untamed leader”
🧠 How childhood roles shape identity and self-expression
🎭 Why theater unlocked authenticity and presence
🗣️ The difference between speaking to impress vs. speaking with purpose
🔥 How coaching revealed natural leadership abilities
⚖️ The difference between aggressive, passive, and assertive energy
🌬️ Why breath is the foundation of a powerful voice
💫 A simple framework: intend, align, invite
🚫 Why letting go of templates leads to true expression
❤️ How to speak from the soul, not from expectation

⏰ Timeline Summary

[2:05] Redefining Leadership: Moving beyond outdated ideas and stepping into the “untamed leader” identity
[6:40] The Good Girl Identity: Growing up with pressure to be perfect and composed
[14:10] Finding Theater: A turning point that unlocked authenticity and creative expression
[24:00] Discovering Coaching: The moment natural leadership was recognized
[33:00] Assertiveness vs Aggression: Understanding the body’s role in communication
[41:20] Intent, Align, Invite: A simple yet powerful speaking framework

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!