This week on Reflect and Grow, I sit down with licensed professional counselor Brenda Joy to talk about the part of weight loss nobody wants to discuss — the mental and emotional side of it.

We get into why diets fail, the difference between motivation and discipline, emotional eating, the gut-brain connection, how shame and guilt sabotage progress, and why “just put down the chips” was never the real answer. Brenda breaks down the psychology behind food addiction, self-talk, and how to mentally recover after falling off track or regaining weight — all while I confess to eating donuts through the entire episode.

If you’ve ever lost weight and gained it back (plus some), this one’s for you.

🎙️ New episodes of Reflect and Grow drop weekly — we reflect, we grow, and we laugh.

Follow Brenda Joy: Instagram/Facebook @BrendaJoyLauer

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Getting sober is just the beginning. This week on Reflect and Grow, Von sits down with substance abuse counselor Stephanie (SteFunny) to talk about what really happens after you put the substance down — the overwhelming emotions, rebuilding your identity, navigating friendships that no longer fit, and learning to enjoy life again without the chaos.

Stephanie brings real talk from her own sobriety journey and her work running a substance abuse group, breaking down codependency, healthy coping versus avoidance, and why faith and routine matter more than people realize. Plus a Reddit story on the loneliness of early sobriety and our weekly “or nah” segment on what counts as healthy coping.

If you’re sober, sober-curious, or supporting someone on that journey, this episode is for you.

This week Von sits down with Jana — blogger, podcaster, single mom, and self-proclaimed self-care thug — to talk about burnout from every angle. They get into how to recognize when you’re burnt out before your body forces you to stop, why being busy and being productive are two completely different things, and how hustle culture has us mistaking exhaustion for ambition.

They also dig into what recovery actually looks like — journaling, controlled anger release, diet, spirituality, flexibility, and yes, punching pillows. Plus they react to real Reddit stories from people drowning in burnout and break down whether Snoop Dogg is proof that you can grind forever or just proof that money insulates you from consequences.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for resting, addicted to being busy, or too burnt out to recover from being burnt out — this one’s for you.

Healing isn’t just therapy and journaling — for a lot of us, it includes taking an honest look at our relationship with substances too. In this episode, Von sits down with therapist Brenda Joy to pull back the curtain on addiction, sobriety, and what recovery actually looks like from the inside.

They get into why asking for help feels so hard, what people get wrong about addiction, and how to think about relapse without letting it define you. Because setbacks don’t cancel your progress — they’re part of it.

Plus — real Reddit stories from people in the middle of their sobriety journey, a Celebrity Sobriety segment, and the “Sobriety or Nah?” breakdown that might make you look at your own habits differently.

If you’re doing the inner work, this conversation belongs in that journey.

In this episode:

• What sobriety actually means beyond just “not drinking”

• The biggest misconceptions about addiction and recovery

• Signs your relationship with substances may need attention

• Why relapse doesn’t mean failure

• How to start the recovery process when you feel overwhelmed

• Why community and support systems change everything

In this episode of Reflect and Grow with Von Mychael, I sit down with Licensed Therapist Brenda Joy and Podcaster Janae Strickland for an honest conversation about childhood trauma and how it affects us in adult life.

We break down what childhood trauma really is, how unhealed childhood wounds show up in your adult relationships and behavior, and what healing from childhood trauma actually looks like with professional guidance.

If you’ve ever wondered why you react the way you do, this episode is for you.

Topics covered:

∙ How childhood trauma affects adults

∙ Professional strategies for healing and mental wellness

∙ Why therapy is an ongoing journey not a one time fix

∙ How to reclaim your life and move forward

What was your biggest takeaway? Drop it in the comments.

Are you struggling to distinguish between healthy, restorative solitude and harmful, isolating loneliness? In this episode of Reflect and Grow with Von Mychael, I sit down with Licensed Therapist Deshala Hunt to break down the reality of adult loneliness and how to navigate it.

We explore the mental health impact of isolation, the signs that suggest you might need support, and how to maintain healthy boundaries in your friendships and daily life. Plus, we play a round of "Healthy or Nah"—an honest evaluation of modern social habits and self-care boundaries.

Episode Highlights:

• ​Defining Isolation vs. Solitude: Understanding when your alone time is healing versus when it’s a symptom of anxiety or depression.
• ​Recognizing Danger Signs: How to identify when isolation is reinforcing negative thought patterns.
• ​Overcoming Isolation: Practical strategies like exposure therapy and engaging with communities to reclaim your social health.
• ​The Reality of Adult Loneliness: Why maintaining friendships becomes difficult in adulthood and how to handle it.
• ​Healthy Boundaries: Evaluating real-world behaviors—like using "do not disturb" or ignoring texts—through our "Healthy or No" game.

Connect with the show:

• ​Reflect and Grow with Von Mychael
• ​Subscribe for weekly insights on personal development, professional growth, and authentic conversations.

Von Mychael sits down with Therapist Brenda Joy, influencer Nonie, and Comedian Shay Clemons to discuss is it healthy to cut ppl off

In this episode, comedian Von Mychael sits down with therapist Brenda Joy and comedian Matt Farkis to talk about perfectionism — how it shows up, why it’s exhausting, and apparently how therapy billing works. Real talk, real laughs

Comedian Von Mychael discussed mental health Stigmas with Jelani Wills and T Graye

Von Mychael dives into different types of shame such as Family, Job, and Religious