The Big Silence

The Big Silence book launch is in the Big Apple! We’re joined by brilliant author and psychotherapist, Terri Cole, and the always thoughtful, former NFL player, Dale Moss, who you might also remember from the sixteenth season of The Bachelorette. 

This lively panel discussion retells stories from the book, highlights the mission of our brand new foundation, and explores other important parental and relational themes as they relate to mental wellbeing. Creating healthy boundaries, recounting family traumas, finding (and losing) love – we cover it all. Don’t miss a special guest performance by James Nicholas Kinney!

I want to thank James, Terri, and Dale for making time to join us on this special evening in New York City. We all know how, in years and decades past, discussions on mental health were ignored, even shamed. With the help of influential voices like these – and the other guests we’ve had the pleasure of chatting with on this podcast – the message becomes louder, the energy grows, and our impact deepens. Thanks for listening. 

Resources:

• Website: terricole.com
• Read: Boundary Boss
• Follow Terri Cole on Instagram: @terricole
• Get a free guide on boundaries and codependency at boundaryboss.me/bigsilence
• Follow Dale Moss on Instagram: @dalemoss13
• Follow Dale Moss on Twitter: @DaleMoss
• Read: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing 
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced by Crate Media.

We’re home! Rachel and I were so excited to get together in our hometown of Indianapolis for this special leg of The Big Silence book launch tour. For this extra family-centric episode, Rachel kicks us off with a reading of some of her beautiful poetry from the book.

We’re joined by the uber-prepared Leslie Bailey, who’s building something fantastic of her own in Indianapolis as the co-founder and CEO of Indy Maven and the brand new venue where we recorded this interview, Maven Space, a coworking and social club for women. 

We start with my childhood here in Indiana, where the bad influences (and bad behavior) first surfaced, before detailing my journey to California, rock-bottom inspiration for Tone It Up, and five-year writing process.

Special guest: my dad! My loving father also steps up to the stage to add a professional therapist’s perspective on a few brave audience questions – and to add poignant personal comments to a few stark themes and stories from the book.

Resources:

• Website: Indy Maven
• Venue: Maven Space
• Leslie Bailey: LinkedIn
• Read: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing 
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced by Crate Media.

The Big Silence book release tour has landed in beautiful Houston, Texas, where Yami Mufdi, an inspiring Tone It Up fitspo trainer in her own right, joins me to preview this deeply personal memoir, its painful stories, and its important lessons. 

I share how I first learned of my mother’s schizophrenia diagnosis – only after she disappeared for long stretches of time, forgetting she had a family at all. We close the loop on her story, even just for one day, by recounting one of the last conversations I shared with her, in hospice care, explaining how this nonprofit organization was dedicated to her and her struggle.

We also unpack the power of visualization (Hint: a vision board led Yami to her current position with Tone It Up) before discussing the grounding power of nature, a beginner’s guide to meditation, and my own positive experience integrating a cold plunge practice into my wellness routine. 

Many laughs and tears are shared. Big thanks to Yami for coming out on short notice to host this conversation and shed her bright light onto this important project. See you on the road!

Resources:

• Instagram: @yamimufdi
• Meet Your Tone It Up Trainer: Yami 
• Get Karena's book, 'The Big Silence,' available now
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.

I’m on the road with The Big Silence book launch tour and I want you to come along, no matter where you’re at. On our first stop in LA, we have Krista Williams of Almost 30 leading the conversation. She asks me to dive into more detail on the stories I cover in the book, my thoughts on the writing process, and the hardest chapter for me to write. 

We also talk about how sharing your story and breaking the silence can jumpstart the healing process. Tune in for this energetic and inspiring episode; this was such a great way to kick off this tour! 

Resources:

• Get Karena's book, 'The Big Silence,' available April 26, 2022
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

Produced by Crate Media.

Kyle Cease was a comedian at the top of his career before something shifted. He realized that living his dream life – or what he believed to be his dream life – only made him more miserable. As he began to explore this, he stepped away from everything he knew to dive into the world of spiritual healing and personal evolution, first for himself, and then sharing with the world what he discovered.

In this episode, he coaches me through an evolutionary process, helping me move away from past traumas and step more fully into the Karena I am today. It’s a powerful look at what it means to evolve out loud and demonstrates what’s possible for any of us out there if we commit to doing the work.

Resources:

• kylecease.com
• Instagram: @evolvingoutloud
• Get the Absolutely Everything Pass
• Get Karena's book, 'The Big Silence,' available April 26, 2022
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.

I first met James Nicholas Kinney over 15 years ago at a barbeque and the vibes were flying as fast as his freestyling. Since then, we’ve played a serendipitous role in each other's lives, including his return to music in recording the amazing theme song for this show. We talk about his mental health journey from anxiety, agoraphobia, and depression, and how he got back into music after taking years away from his passion. James is a dear friend of mine and a very special part of The Big Silence family, which makes this conversation one you don’t want to miss.

Resources:

• jamesnicholaskinney.com
• Instagram: @jamesnicholaskinney
• Read: Living at 30kFT
• Order: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness & Healing
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.

Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist and global empowerment and relationship expert with a gift for making complex psychological concepts accessible and actionable. Her own experience of being a self-described “boundary disaster” led to writing the book Boundary Boss: The Essential Guide to Talk True, Be Seen, and (Finally) Live Free. We discuss some of the fears people have around setting boundaries, the dangers of forgiveness and codependency, and taking the first steps to establishing your own boundaries.

Resources:

• terricole.com
• Read: Boundary Boss
• Get a free guide on boundaries and codependency at boundaryboss.me/bigsilence
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.

Yovana Mendoza is a successful wellness and healthy living entrepreneur who made her name on YouTube. Her personal health, starting with the decision to go all-out vegan, has gone on as wild a ride as her career has. 

After experiencing the kind of trauma no ten-year-old should ever face, Yovana developed serious eating disorders. The road to regaining trust – both in people and in food – was long and difficult. After documenting much of her dietary journey, some personal changes made for health reasons were exposed online, and the pressure of the aftermath was almost too much to bear. 

We talk about recovery on many different levels, how she took the first steps to trusting again, and how healing it was to reestablish the critical delineation between real life and social media.

Resources:

• Learn more at yovanamendoza.com
• Follow Yovana on Instagram: @yovana
• Watch Yovana on YouTube: youtube.com/c/YovanaMendozaa
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.

Luke Trembath, aka “The Dingo,” first came to America as an aspiring snowboarder, by himself, at the young age of 15 years old. Like many struggling with depression, he looked like the image of happiness and success. He masked his deep depression by putting a smile on his face every morning, but at night, his thoughts drifted back to dark places.

Luke’s brother got into drugs at a young age, and Luke got to see the dark side of that as he grew up. Tragically, his brother was lost to suicide in 2019.

Today, Luke knows the stress put on young kids to figure out what they’re going to do with their lives. He’s helping the next generation gain the self-awareness, clarity, and confidence to discover their own path.

Resources:

• Follow Luke “The Dingo” Trembath on Instagram: @thedingoinsnow
• Learn more about Find Your Grind: findyourgrind.com
• Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn
• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence
• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.

Zak Williams has spent a long time thinking about the ramifications of mental health as a result of traumas experienced within his family. His father, Robin Williams, was tragically lost to Lewy Body Dementia in 2014.

Our stories, in that respect, are similar. Today, though, we’re focused more so on, well – today. 

It’s impossible to avoid acute awareness of the pandemic we all find ourselves (still) in the middle of. But alongside that, there is another, parallel issue, a serious mental health pandemic taking hold. After everything that’s happened over the last few years, we’re finally coming to acknowledge the very real impact that prolonged isolation and fear have put us in as a collective society. 

We discuss this complex issue before Zak shares actionable first steps to begin the healing process, discusses the downsides of taking any healing method too far (even gaming), and opens up about the visceral experience of grieving in public.

Resources:

• youcanpym.com
• bringchange2mind.org
• Read: "The Mood Cure"
• The Big Silence YouTube Channel
• Pre-Order: The Big Silence by Karena Dawn
• Sign up for The Big Silence newsletter at TheBigSilence.com to stay up to date with our upcoming May book tour!

Donate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!



“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.

Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

The Big Silence is produced and published by Crate Media.