Skull Sessions Podcast: The Art and Science of Kickin' A$s Between the Ears

In this episode of the Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise and Nate Last sit down with Dr. Kiersten Janjigian, founder of Dr. Kierst, her private mental performance practice, to explore the science behind the brain-body connection and performing under pressure.

Dr. Kierst, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and Board Certified Neurofeedback and Biofeedback practitioner, breaks down biofeedback, heart rate variability (HRV), resonance breathing, and neurofeedback, explaining how regulating your physiology can help manage stress, quiet mental chatter, and improve focus. She also shares why the exhale matters under pressure and how athletes can turn breathwork into a practical performance tool.

The conversation also explores the benefits and limitations of wearables, the impact of sleep and recovery scores on mindset, and the differences between biofeedback, neurofeedback, and neurocognitive training. Dr. Kierst shares practical ways to train the brain and nervous system without relying solely on technology.

Key Takeaways:

• How biofeedback helps you understand and regulate your nervous system

• Why HRV can provide insight into resilience and adaptability under stress

• How resonance breathing can help improve nervous system regulation

• Why extending the exhale can help you calm down before a high-pressure moment

• How to progress from practicing breathwork to applying it during competition

• Why wearable data can be useful—but can also influence how you think and feel

• The difference between biofeedback, neurofeedback, and neurocognitive training

• Why brain training should be specific to the performance you're trying to improve

• How mental skills and physiological regulation work together to improve performance

• How music, rhythm, and mental imagery can support self-regulation and quality mental reps

Dr. Kierst also developed the NIL Mental Performance and Resilience Toolkit for aspiring and current collegiate athletes looking to strengthen the mental side of navigating performance and the NIL environment.

Learn more about Dr. Kierst and her work at drkierst.com, follow her on Instagram @drkierst, or contact her at [email protected].

Whether you're an athlete, coach, leader, parent, or high performer, this episode provides practical, science-backed tools for understanding your nervous system, managing stress, and training your brain and body to work together when it matters most.

Listen now and learn how to kick ass between the ears.

In this episode of the Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise and Nate Last break down how routines, rituals, and deliberate discomfort can help you perform when pressure hits.

From AJ Brown reading on the sidelines during an NFL playoff game to the unique routines athletes use to get mentally ready, Andy and Nate explore why the best performance routine isn't necessarily what everyone else is doing—it's what is personal, powerful, and meaningful to you.

They unpack the difference between routines, rituals, and superstitions, and explain how to build a repeatable process for preparing, performing, and recovering. The conversation also shifts to performing when there is no perfect plan, using real-world crises and high-pressure situations to explore how breathing, staying present, and focusing on the next action can keep you effective when things get chaotic.

Key Takeaways:

• Why your performance routine should be personal, not copied from someone else

• The difference between rituals, routines, and superstitions

• How to build routines for before, during, and after performance

• Why practice is for weaknesses and competition is for strengths

• How breathing helps you regain control under pressure

• Why having a plan matters—even when the plan falls apart

• How deliberate discomfort builds resilience for real-world challenges

• Why doing hard things creates confidence, connection, and lasting memories

Whether you're an athlete, coach, parent, leader, or simply trying to handle life's pressure better, this episode provides a practical framework for preparing your mind before the moment arrives.
Listen now and learn how to kick ass between the ears.

Please leave a review to help us grow the show and continue bringing these conversations to more people.

For more episodes, resources, and learning tools, visit www.skullsessionspodcast.com

In this episode of Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise and Nate Last sit down with executive coach, workplace performance expert, and author Krista Ryan for an honest conversation about resilience, adversity, and the mindset required to keep moving forward through life's hardest moments.

Krista shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped her "Keep F*!#ING Going" (KFG) philosophy—from surviving the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting to recently being diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. Rather than avoiding the difficult moments, she explains how embracing hardship, practicing gratitude, and choosing neutral thinking have allowed her to transform pain into purpose.

Together, Andy, Nate, and Krista explore why resilience isn't about pretending everything is okay, but about accepting reality, controlling your response, and taking the next right step. They discuss the importance of self-forgiveness, emotional regulation, parenting through adversity, and how simple daily habits can strengthen mental fitness over time.

Krista also introduces her PONO framework—Pause, Observe, Neutral, Onward—a practical reset tool that helps people respond intentionally instead of reacting emotionally when life becomes overwhelming. Throughout the conversation, the hosts emphasize that while everyone will face hardship, everyone also has the ability to build the skills needed to navigate it.

Whether you're facing a personal setback, leading a team through uncertainty, supporting your family, or simply looking to strengthen your mindset, this episode offers practical tools and inspiring reminders that growth often begins on the other side of adversity.

Key Takeaways

• The story behind the Keep F!#ING Going (KFG)* philosophy

• Surviving the Las Vegas mass shooting and finding purpose through adversity

• Navigating a Stage 3 cancer diagnosis with resilience

• Why neutral thinking is more effective than forced positivity

• The PONO framework: Pause, Observe, Neutral, Onward

• How gratitude changes your perspective during difficult seasons

• The importance of self-forgiveness and self-compassion

• Parenting through adversity and modeling resilience for others

• Turning trauma into growth through intentional action

• Practical habits to build mental fitness every day

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, teammate, coach, parent, leader, or family member who could benefit from the conversation.

To learn more about Andy's work, visit www.andyriise.com and www.designtoperform.org.

To learn more about Krista Ryan, her coaching, speaking, and her book Keep F!#ING Going*, visit www.kristaryan.com or share your own story at www.mykfgstory.com.

Please leave a review to help us grow the show and continue bringing these conversations to more people.

For more episodes, resources, and learning tools, visit www.skullsessionspodcast.com.

In this episode of Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise takes a seat on the other side of the microphone as co-host Nate Last dives into the experiences that shaped Andy's journey as a leader, father, soldier, mental performance coach, and lifelong student of resilience.

From growing up as the hardworking kid who relied on effort over talent, to overcoming adversity at West Point, serving in the U.S. Army, working in the NFL, and raising a family through years of military deployments, Andy shares the defining moments that transformed his passion into purpose.

Together, Andy and Nate explore the difference between physical and mental toughness, the importance of recovery alongside hard work, and why life's greatest performances often happen far away from the spotlight.

This conversation goes beyond sports and leadership. It's about embracing adversity, learning to perform under pressure, building resilient families, and developing the mindset needed to navigate life's inevitable challenges with courage, humility, and intention.

Key takeaways:

• Mental Toughness vs. Physical Toughness
• Leadership and Purpose
• West Point and Military Leadership
• Resilience Through Adversity
• Performance Under Pressure
• Recovery, Burnout, and Sustainable High Performance
• Parenting with Mental Performance Principles
• Growth Mindset and Self-Talk
• Deliberate Discomfort and Personal Growth
• Building Mental Fitness for Everyday Life

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, teammate, coach, parent, leader, or family member who could benefit from the conversation.

To learn more about Andy's work, visit www.andyriise.com and www.designtoperform.org

Please leave a review to help us grow the show and continue bringing these conversations to more people.

For more episodes, resources, and learning tools, visit www.skullsessionspodcast.com.

In this episode of the Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise and Nate Last sit down with Daniel Roby, CEO of Austin Street Center, one of North Texas' largest emergency shelters serving people experiencing homelessness. Daniel has spent his career working on the front lines of one of society's most complex challenges, helping thousands of people find stability, dignity, and hope.

Daniel shares his journey from volunteering at Austin Street as a child to leading the organization today, overseeing major growth initiatives, expanding services, and helping transform the way communities think about homelessness. Along the way, he reveals the mindset, resilience, and daily habits that allow him to lead through constant uncertainty and crisis.

The conversation explores what homelessness actually looks like, why many common assumptions are wrong, and how housing instability is often the result of a crisis combined with a lack of support—not personal failure.

Key Takeaways:

• Why purpose is often more important than productivity.

• The daily habits that help leaders perform under pressureHow homelessness can happen to almost anyone.

• The biggest myths people believe about homelessnessWhy affordable housing, crisis, and lack of support often intersect

• How caregivers and helping professionals avoid burnout.

• The role compassion and community play in creating lasting solutions.

• What it means to lead when there are no easy answersWhy meaningful impact starts with showing up and taking action.

Whether you're a leader, coach, entrepreneur, parent, or someone searching for deeper purpose, this episode offers a powerful reminder that making a difference doesn't require having all the answers—it starts with the willingness to serve.

Austin Street Center operates a candle business to benefit our clients. Candles can be ordered at www.xelaaroma.com

Listen now and learn how to kick ass between the ears.

In this episode of Skull Sessions, Andy Riise and Nate Last sit down with retired Navy SEAL Master Chief and co-creator of the U.S. Navy’s Warrior Toughness Program, Stephen Drum, for a raw conversation about mental toughness, leadership, emotional regulation, resilience, and performing under pressure.

Stephen shares lessons from 27 years in the Navy SEAL Teams, including BUD/S training, combat leadership, and helping develop the Navy’s Warrior Toughness program. He opens up about self-doubt, anger, stress, identity, and how mental skills like visualization, mindfulness, detachment, and preparation helped him navigate life both on and off the battlefield.

The conversation dives into:

• The reality of SEAL training and elite performance
• Why commitment matters more than confidence
• Emotional regulation and managing stress
• Mental rehearsal and visualization under pressure
• The concept of “Life on the X”
• Leadership, preparation, and performance psychology
• The importance of recovery, self-awareness, and self-forgiveness
• Stephen’s work with the Mental app and practical mental fitness tools for men

Stephen also discusses his new book, Life on the X, and how the lessons learned in high-stakes military environments apply directly to business, leadership, parenting, relationships, and everyday life.

Find more about Stephen and his company here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review, share it with a friend, teammate, or family member, and check out Skull Sessions Podcast

For more episodes, resources, and tools to help you kick ass between the ears.

In this episode of Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise sits down with co-host and mental performance coach Nate Last for a raw and honest conversation about failure, pressure, identity, resilience, and the mental battles that high performers often fight in silence.

Nate shares his journey from walking off a golf course during a state tournament at 15 years old to discovering sport psychology in college and spending nearly a decade struggling to build a career in mental performance coaching. Together, Andy and Nate unpack the realities of performance anxiety, perfectionism, self-talk, entrepreneurship, and what it really means to “kick ass between the ears.”

This episode goes beyond sports. It’s about learning how to fight through adversity, believe in yourself when nobody else does, and build the mental grit needed to perform under pressure in life, business, school, relationships, and competition.

Topics include:

• Performance Anxiety
• Mental Toughness vs Toxic Positivity
• Identity and Self-Worth
• Failure and Resilience
• Sport Psychology and Mental Performance
• Entrepreneurship and Betting on Yourself
• Confidence Under Pressure
• Ironman Training and Deliberate Discomfort
• Leadership, Growth, and the Mental Game of Life

If this episode helped you think differently, share it with a friend, teammate, coach, athlete, parent, or family member who could benefit from the conversation.

Follow Nate through www.mentalgritconsulting.com and on Instagram

Please leave a review to help us grow the show and continue bringing these conversations to more people.

For more episodes, resources, and learning tools, visit www.skullsessionspodcast.com

In this episode of the Skull Sessions Podcast, Andy Riise and Nate Last sit down with Valerie Alston, a mental performance expert who has spent over 16 years helping soldiers, athletes, and leaders build resilience, mental toughness, and high-performance habits.

Valerie shares her journey from college athlete to working with the U.S. Army, where she applies sport psychology principles in high-stakes environments. She breaks down the real process behind mental performance—moving beyond theory to practical tools that actually help people perform under pressure.

The conversation dives into the gap between knowledge and application, why most mental skills training fails, and how coaches, parents, and leaders can create environments that support both performance and well-being.

Valerie also opens up about building her own business, the challenges of working with youth athletes, and the critical role parents and coaches play in shaping mindset and development.

Key takeaways:

• The simple framework to assess, build, and apply mental skills
• Why “control what you can control” is more than a cliché
• How to translate complex psychology into practical tools
• The biggest mistakes parents and coaches make with young athletes
• Why mental toughness requires both challenge and support
• Lessons from working with military leaders in high-pressure environments
• The reality of building a business in performance psychology

If you’re a coach, parent, athlete, or leader looking to improve performance and build stronger mental habits, this episode delivers practical, real-world insight you can apply immediately.

Listen now and learn how to kick ass between the ears.

In this powerful episode of Skull Sessions, Andy Riise and Nate Last sit down with Patty de Vries (“Oma”), founder of Living Well USA, to explore what it really means to master your mindset and create a life aligned with who you truly are.

Patty shares her deeply personal journey—from high-level athletics at Stanford to transformational breakthroughs in mindfulness, neuroplasticity, and self-awareness. Together, they unpack one of the biggest barriers to performance and fulfillment: judgment—of ourselves and others.

This conversation goes beyond theory. You’ll learn practical tools to move from being “below the line” (stuck in fear, frustration, and negativity) to “above the line” (calm, creative, and aligned).

Key Takeaways:

• Why judgment is the hidden performance killer in life and sport
• How your brain creates “doom loops” vs. positive momentum (the flywheel)
• The difference between accepting emotions vs. getting stuck in them
• A simple framework to clarify what you truly want: Want / Don’t Want / Nice-to-Have
• How gratitude and awareness can instantly reset your state
• Why authenticity—not external success—drives fulfillment and performance
• The role of mindfulness and neuroplasticity in becoming your best self

Patty also shares powerful stories from her athletic career, her work with organizations like Stanford Medicine, and the philosophy behind Living Well USA—a growing movement focused on helping people reconnect with themselves and live with intention.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from who you really are, this episode gives you a roadmap to get out of your own way and start living fully aligned.

Listen now and learn the art and science of kickin' ass between the ears.

Follow us on social: https://linktr.ee/skullsessionspodcast

In this episode, host Andy Riise sits down with Theresa Larson, a Marine Corps officer turned physical therapist, entrepreneur, and leadership wellness expert.

Dr. Larson shares her powerful story of overcoming trauma, battling an eating disorder during deployment, and learning how true resilience comes from self-leadership, vulnerability, and choosing your hard. The conversation explores mental toughness, leadership under pressure, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and the connection between physical and mental health.

You’ll learn practical strategies for building resilience, leading with empathy, slowing down to gain clarity, and creating sustainable high performance in work and life.

Follow Skull Sessions for conversations with experts, high performers, and everyday heroes training their minds to lead, grow, and win from within.

Follow us on social: https://linktr.ee/skullsessionspodcast