Manders Mindset

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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

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What if the secret to living with joy wasn’t about control or perfection… but about rediscovering curiosity, wonder, and the courage to explore the unknown?

In this inspiring episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo is joined by Aisha Makara, a Mongolian-born artist, engineer, and entrepreneur who has journeyed from being orphaned in Russia to building businesses across the globe, sending her art to space, and traveling to more than 70 countries.

Aisha opens up about the challenges of growing up without belonging, the healing power of creativity, and the life-changing lessons learned from solo travel. She shares how she built her “joyful bubble” to protect her energy as an empath, why she believes curiosity is the key to transformation, and how adults can reclaim the childlike wonder that helps us feel alive.

This conversation is for anyone craving more joy, freedom, and purpose and ready to break free from fear, gossip, and limitations to live fully.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover
🌍 How Aisha transformed her orphaned childhood into a life of global exploration
💫 The power of curiosity and wonder in building a joyful mindset
🛡️ Practical ways to protect your energy as an empath without isolation
✈️ Why solo travel can shift your perspective on fear, abundance, and connection
🧒 What children can teach adults about forgiveness, presence, and play
🔥 How to create your own “joyful bubble” and invite others in

⏰ Timeline Summary
[0:00] Introduction to Aisha and her extraordinary journey
[5:10] Defining herself as a “wonderous spirit” who sees the world as a playground
[10:45] Growing up as an orphan in Russia and building independence early on
[17:22] Learning boundaries as an empath and creating a “joyful bubble”
[25:50] Teenage struggles, belonging, and mapping out her life vision at 15
[33:15] Solo travel and exploration... Choosing adventure over fear
[40:05] Why adults should relearn play, forgiveness, and curiosity from children

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 forgiveness wasn’t about letting someone else off the hook... but about setting yourself free?

In this powerful and deeply honest episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with public speaker and mindfulness teacher Cesar Cardona to unpack his remarkable journey from gang life and trauma to healing, forgiveness, and inner peace. Cesar opens up about growing up between two cultures, joining a gang as a teen, surviving a violent assault, and how that moment ultimately became a turning point toward transformation.

The conversation dives deep into what it truly means to heal not by denying pain, but by understanding it. Cesar shares how Buddhism, storytelling, and intentional mindset shifts helped him move forward, and why forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves. This is an inspiring episode for anyone carrying emotional scars, struggling to let go, or ready to reclaim their peace.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover

🧠 How childhood instability shaped Cesar’s search for identity
 🔥 What led him from gang life and violence to self-employment and public speaking
 🚨 The traumatic assault that nearly took his life—and how he recovered
 💡 Why forgiveness is more about you than the person who hurt you
🧘‍♂️ How Buddhism and mindfulness supported his emotional healing
💬 Why asking how instead of if is a powerful mindset shift
📖 The spiritual and symbolic threads that tie us all together

⏰ Timeline Summary

[2:16] Growing up between two cultures and never quite fitting in
 [5:26] School struggles, rebellion, and early gang involvement
 [13:53] Realizing it was time for change and buying a house at 20
 [18:51] Driving across the country to LA and starting over
 [25:53] Becoming a boxing trainer and slowly building a new life
 [30:36] The power of metaphor and being discovered as a speaker
 [36:16] The brutal assault that changed everything
 [44:57] Recovery, trauma, and the physical and emotional scars
 [48:10] Choosing forgiveness over revenge, what that really meant
 [57:12] Buddhism, mindfulness, and the journey to inner peace
 [1:04:58] What forgiveness is really about

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:
📱 Instagram: @MandersMindset
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To Connect with Cesar: 

📸 Instagram: @_cesarcardona

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What if the path to true health and happiness wasn’t about pushing harder… but about listening to your body and choosing alignment over burnout?

In this soulful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo is joined by Maddison Sutton, certified integrative health coach and functional nurse nutrition practitioner, to explore how high-achieving women can reclaim their energy, prevent burnout, and create sustainable wellness.

Through her journey from corporate tech to holistic health and the profound loss of her father to cancer, Maddison discovered that success without alignment comes at a steep cost. She opens up about anticipatory grief, the toll of overwork, and how women can shift from people pleasing and box checking to redefining success on their own terms.

Together, Amanda and Maddison unpack why stress and misalignment often show up as physical symptoms, the importance of slowing down, and why self-prioritization isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.

This conversation is for anyone who’s ever felt exhausted by expectations, stuck in autopilot, or ready to finally prioritize their own joy and wellness.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover
🌱 How childhood dynamics and sibling roles shape leadership and caretaking
💼 Why being good at something doesn’t always mean it’s right for you
⚡ The hidden health costs of corporate success and anticipatory grief
🧘‍♀️ Why 5am workouts and HIIT might not serve every woman’s body
💤 How sleep, stress, and hormones impact energy and weight loss
🌸 The concept of healthy beauty and embracing aging with confidence
📝 How journaling and asking why can help uncover what’s really misaligned

⏰ Timeline Summary
[3:03] Growing up in a turbulent household and stepping into the big sister role

 [7:20] Discovering nature, dyslexia struggles, and choosing geography in college

 [11:03] Corporate tech career, her father’s cancer diagnosis, and the turning point

 [14:15] The physical cost of anticipatory grief and overwork

 [18:38] Stress, misalignment, and how they manifest as health symptoms

 [25:31] The 5am fitness trap and learning to honor your own rhythm

 [30:33] Perimenopause, cortisol crashes, and why more effort isn’t always better

 [36:05] Redefining beauty, aging, and confidence through holistic wellness

 [43:20] Journaling and the power of asking why to uncover truth

 [50:35] Maddison’s vision for healthcare

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 the secret to motivation, energy, and focus wasn’t about doing more… but about doing things in the right order?

In this transformative episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo is joined by Andy West, author of Dopamine Mountain, to explore why effort before reward changes everything. Through her journey with bullying, addiction, depression, and chronic fatigue, Andy discovered that dopamine isn’t just about pleasure, it’s about balance, timing, and learning to do the hard but not extreme things first.

Together, Amanda and Andy unpack how small daily choices can rewire your brain, why the order of effort and reward is the missing key to motivation, and simple tools to break free from craving cycles. Andy also shares how journaling, affirmations, and micro-wins helped her rebuild optimism and self-worth after years of struggle.

This conversation is for anyone who’s felt stuck in burnout, brain fog, or endless loops of craving and is ready for a new way forward.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

🌊 Why dopamine is a wave, not a switch and how to ride it
 💡 The difference between effort, reward, and burnout
 🛑 A simple tool to interrupt cravings and reset your brain
 📚 How books by Louise Hay and Eckhart Tolle shifted Andy’s mindset
 ⚡ Why “hard but not extreme” actions create lasting growth
 📝 The power of journaling, affirmations, and micro-wins in rewiring mindset
 ⏰ How the order of your daily tasks impacts motivation and energy

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:14] – Andy’s childhood, bullying, and early struggles with self worth
 [10:48] – Depression, suicidal thoughts, and the turning point with Louise Hay
 [19:33] – Addiction, dopamine “wanting vs. liking,” and how she broke the cycle
 [28:15] – Chronic fatigue, anhedonia, and learning to reset her brain chemistry
 [37:42] – Why effort before reward changes everything
 [48:06] – Journaling, affirmations, and reframing optimism
 [56:29] – The “hard but not extreme” principle in action
 [1:03:50] – Practical steps for using dopamine to fuel growth

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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In this soul awakening episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo welcomes Clementine Moss, founding drummer of the Led Zeppelin tribute band Zepparella, solo artist, author, and certified spiritual counselor. Clementine shares how her unexpected path into music at age 27 unlocked a deeper connection to joy, breath, and presence and how the drum kit became a gateway to spiritual discovery.

Listeners are invited into a conversation about the intersections of rhythm and mindfulness, the power of silent retreats, and how Clementine’s journey from literary ambition to stage performer ultimately led her to a more grounded, awakened life. This episode offers a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t follow a timeline and that curiosity, breath, and self-trust can guide anyone to their most aligned path.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

🥁 How Clementine discovered drumming in her late twenties with zero formal background
 🧘‍♀️ The life-altering insights from 10-day silent meditation retreats
 📚 How literature and psychedelics sparked early spiritual curiosity
 🎤 The link between meditation, rhythm, and inner stillness
 🌟 A new perspective on imposter syndrome, self-judgment, and creativity
 💭 How thought awareness, not control, is the real key to healing
 📖 The inspiration behind her memoir From Bonham to Buddha and Back

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[0:00] Introduction to Clementine Moss and her multi-faceted journey
 [3:20] Rediscovering joy through meditation and childhood reflection
 [10:10] Growing up as a bookworm and curious learner
 [14:45] Bartending in NYC, picking up drums, and choosing passion
 [20:30] Silent meditation, internal voices, and the start of spiritual practice
 [30:15] Playing drums as a form of meditation and embodied presence
 [40:00] Navigating imposter syndrome as a late-blooming musician
 [47:10] Her memoir’s message of integrating mindfulness into daily life
 [52:25] Becoming a certified spiritual counselor and healer
 [1:00:05] Releasing ambition and embracing gratitude as a way of being

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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In this soul-expanding episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo is joined by Kerie Logan, a human consciousness guide, empowerment strategist, and channeler with over two decades of experience helping people around the world align with their highest self.

Together, they dive into the unseen layers of emotional energy, spiritual awakening, and how mastering your mindset at every level—3D, 4D, and 5D—can radically transform your life. Kerie opens up about growing up in a violent, chaotic home and how forgiveness, energetic awareness, and self-trust helped her alchemize pain into purpose.

She breaks down the energetic “set points” that keep people stuck, the emotional vibration of forgiveness, and how to free yourself from generational trauma by shifting your frequency....not just your thoughts. 

If you're ready to release your past, elevate your energy, and become who you're truly meant to be, this episode is your invitation.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

🔮 The difference between 3D, 4D, and 5D human consciousness
 💫 How trauma and emotional pain are actually portals to healing
 🧘‍♀️ A practical method to release past wounds and shift energy instantly
 🙏 The Ho’oponopono prayer Kerie uses to dissolve emotional attachments
 🔥 Why forgiveness is freedom and how to feel it fully
 🌍 What it means to “embody” consciousness instead of just understanding it
 💎 How to stop watering seeds of pain and start planting seeds of peace

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[1:04] – Kerie shares her soul identity and divine connection
 [3:23] – Religious trauma and how she came to channel divine love
 [7:30] – Growing up with violence and using suffering as a teacher
 [12:55] – Spiritual awakenings and the first moment of channeling
 [19:20] – What 3D, 4D, and 5D consciousness really mean
 [25:28] – Free tools to balance life and elevate your vibration
 [32:56] – Coaching through pain: shifting stories into soul lessons
 [46:14] – The power of ho’oponopono and forgiving without speaking
 [57:30] – Self-awareness, energetic triggers, and mindset traps
 [1:04:13] – Her most powerful mantra for the “dark night of the soul”
 [1:10:29] – The law Kerie would create if the world were listening

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:
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What if success wasn’t about hustle... but about aligning with a vision so bold it scares you?

In this transformative episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo is joined by Dr. Nona Djavid, international speaker, mindset mentor, and the author of Elevate Your Life. With a background in neurology and chiropractic, and a career that spans entrepreneurship, energetics, and personal transformation, Dr. Nona brings a uniquely powerful perspective to what it truly takes to create a life and business by design.

Together, they explore how childhood adversity shaped Dr. Nona’s drive, what it really means to live with an “unreasonable vision,” and how shifting identity is the secret behind sustainable success. She unpacks the four-step process behind a quantum leap and opens up about her own breakdown moment that redefined her life path. This conversation is for anyone feeling stuck in burnout or on the edge of breakthrough, ready to collapse time and reclaim their freedom.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

💥 Why quantum leaps start with an “unreasonable” vision
 💸 How scarcity mindsets secretly drive burnout and overwork
 🧠 Why 80% of success is identity and energetics—not strategy
 ⏳ How to collapse time and create a “one week a month” lifestyle
 🚪 What to do when the version of success you've built no longer fits
 🌱 How to rewire your daily identity to align with the life you desire
 🔥 The 4-step process for reinventing any area of life

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[1:32] – How early tragedy and scarcity shaped her healer’s heart
 [4:49] – From war-torn Iran to the U.S. and into entrepreneurship
 [7:23] – Building a thriving business… and burning out in the process
 [13:28] – Her teenage tutoring hustle and first taste of freedom
 [17:27] – The closet breakdown moment that changed everything
 [22:49] – Designing the “One Week a Month” freedom lifestyle
 [31:15] – Why mindset and energy outweigh strategy in business
 [37:27] – Her signature 4-step framework for quantum leaps
 [56:18] – The daily habits that anchor her identity and clarity
 [1:03:21] – A simple way to begin if you're feeling stuck or unclear

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 Dr. Nona Djavid: 

🌐 Website: https://www.elivate.me/

📸 Instagram: @nonadjavid

📖 Book: Elevate Your Life

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Author and former smoker Jessi Hartnett joins Amanda Russo to share how she broke free from decades of nicotine and marijuana addiction by shifting her mindset, listening to her intuition, and embracing self compassion.

In this deeply moving episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Jessi Hartnett, wife, mother, author, and former smoker to explore the emotional roots of addiction and the mindset shifts that make lasting freedom possible. With raw honesty, Jessi shares her decades long struggle with cigarettes and marijuana, the cultural myths that kept her hooked, and the self compassion that ultimately set her free.

From her first cigarette at 13 to the day she realized she was done for good, Jessi unpacks how cravings, self-talk, and emotional avoidance can keep people stuck far longer than they realize. She opens up about “practicing quitting” over a five-year period, discovering that the heart (not the mind) holds the key to lasting change, and why she believes cravings are an invitation to listen to your deeper needs. The conversation also dives into her book Honor Your Heart, written as a guide for her daughter and anyone seeking to break free from destructive patterns, and her recent transformative experience with holotropic Breathwork.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating addiction recovery, supporting a loved one through it, or simply wanting to build a healthier, more intuitive relationship with themselves. Jessi’s story offers hope, practical insight, and a reminder that every craving, relapse, and breakthrough is part of a bigger journey back to yourself.

🎙️ In this episode, listeners will discover:

💭 Why willpower alone rarely works — and what to replace it with
 🔎 How “practicing quitting” can reveal the real drivers of addiction
 💔 The hidden link between negative self-talk and cravings
 🛠️ Tools Jessi used to regulate emotions without smoking
 🌱 How self-compassion and intuition changed her recovery
 📖 The inspiration behind her book Honor Your Heart
🌬️ What holotropic Breathwork revealed AND released for her

🕒 Timeline Summary:

[1:35] – Who Jessi is at her core and why “happiness” drives everything
 [2:02] – The first cigarette, initiation, and early emotional wiring
 [6:45] – Marijuana addiction and why it was just as hard to quit
 [12:46] – Practicing quitting: what repeated relapses revealed
 [14:41] – The mindset shift from willpower to kindness
 [20:34] – Allowing emotions instead of avoiding them with addiction
 [22:07] – Writing Honor Your Heart for her daughter and others
[26:29] – Reframing cravings as clues to deeper needs
[29:21] – Heart vs. mind: which truly leads to lasting change
[34:58] – Jessi’s #1 tip for breaking any addiction
[35:58] – Holotropic breathwork and releasing emotional control

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!