The Big Silence

What If Your Gut Could Heal Your Mind?

In this deeply personal episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with functional medicine pioneer and bestselling author Dr. Will Cole. From growing up with a bodybuilding dad in the '80s to building the first functional medicine telehealth clinic, Dr. Cole shares his unconventional path to becoming one of the most trusted voices in holistic health. He opens up about the gut-brain connection, why psychiatry still ignores the organ it's treating, and how he practices what he preaches. If you've ever felt dismissed by traditional medicine, struggled with anxiety, or wondered why your mental health and digestive issues seem connected, this conversation will validate everything you've suspected and give you the tools to finally heal.

(00:00) From Bodybuilding to Functional Medicine Pioneer

1. Growing up in the '80s with a Gold's Gym-owning bodybuilder dad
2. How his childhood of "crunchy granola" health became his life's work
3. Starting the first functional medicine telehealth clinic 16 years ago

(08:00) Why Doctors Told Karena They "Don't Deal With Mental Health"

1. The devastating disconnect between mental and physical health in conventional medicine
2. Why psychiatry is the only field that doesn't test the organ it's treating
3. The gut-brain connection: how inflammation, microbiome imbalance, and stress show up as anxiety and depression
4. Breaking down the stigma and siloed approach to healthcare

(15:00) The Shame-Inflammation-Trauma Loop No One's Talking About

1. How toxic shame inflames your body and destroys gut health
2. The science behind stress, trauma, and autoimmunity
3. Why unresolved emotional pain manifests as physical symptoms
4. Dr. Cole's personal struggle with anxiety and overthinking
5. The tools that work: vagus nerve stimulation, peptides, nature, and movement

(25:00) When Everything Hit at Once

1. His father's sudden death
2. The "Gwyneth bone broth" controversy
3. Navigating professional chaos while grieving

(33:00) The Real Tools for Anxiety, Stress & Staying Grounded

1. Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation: what it is and why Dr. Cole wears it daily
2. The role of peptides in healing and stress management

What if the answer to your racing thoughts isn't fighting them—but watching them float by?

In this week's free meditation for Mental Wellness Month, Karena guides you through a powerful practice designed for anyone whose mind won't shut up. This session teaches you to observe your thoughts without getting swept away by them—whether it's worry, planning, or that relentless inner critic. If you've been feeling mentally overwhelmed or caught in cycles of rumination, this 10-minute practice will help you remember: you are not the noise in your head. You are the one witnessing it.

Peace doesn't come from silencing your mind. It comes from changing your relationship with it.

(00:00) Setting the Intention: Mental Wellness Month & Weekly Meditations

1. Creating space for mindfulness, stress reduction, and mental well-being
2. Perfect for seasoned meditators and complete beginners alike

(02:00) The Stream Visualization: Watching Your Thoughts Like Leaves on Water

1. Finding stillness in your body and releasing physical tension
2. The powerful metaphor of sitting beside a stream
3. Learning to notice thoughts (worry, planning, self-doubt) without catching or fixing them
4. Understanding that you are the observer of your thoughts

(06:00) Anchoring in Awareness: Returning to Presence

1. Repeating the mantra: "I am not my thoughts. I am the awareness behind them."
2. Understanding that 80,000-100,000 thoughts per day is normal
3. Using breath as your anchor

If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources:

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Show Resources:

1. https://my.toneitup.com/pages/new-year-new-tiyou-challenge" rel="noopener noreferrer" ...>

What if breaking your family’s silence was the first step to truly finding yourself?

Author and educator, Dr. Joan Sung, joins Karena in Austin for a candid conversation about identity, intergenerational trauma, and what it really takes to prioritize mental health, especially within Asian American family systems. From the model minority myth to “tiger mom” dynamics, fetishization, and going “no contact”, Joan shares the tools, boundaries, and mindset shifts that helped her reclaim her story and raise her son with compassion and strength. She also opens up about therapy, inner-child work, and why an “emo tour” became her unexpected self-care.

Stripping away expectation starts with telling the truth about your past, your pain, and your needs, so you can build a life rooted in self-trust rather than approval.

1. Treat creative expression as catharsis
2. Expect to re-encounter trauma
3. Save old pages; fragments from earlier life chapters can become anchors
4. Name your “why”: sharing openly helps others feel seen (and keeps you honest).

1. Learn the history so you can spot manipulation
2. Reject perfectionism as belonging; create your own definition of “enough”
3. Call out gendered stereotypes that penalize Asian women who self-advocate
4. Practice bias disruption at work

1. Reframing care as protecting the whole family line
2. If talking feels foreign, blend modalities to ease in
3. Name intergenerational trauma so symptoms stop looking like “character flaws”
4. Education heals: how learning context validates present pain

1. Separate love from achievement: high standards without shame build resilience, not anxiety
2. Choose attunement over fear
3. Replace internalized critics with compassionate coaching language
4. Measure success by nervous-system safety

1. “No contact” isn’t punishment; it’s acknowledging your capacity and choosing safety
2. Expect pushback; your healing doesn’t need consensus
3. Grief comes with relief and tending to the inner child who still hopes

What if the powerful version of you isn't something you need to become—but something you already are?

In this empowering Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through a 9-minute practice designed to help you reconnect with your inner strength and rise into your most confident self. Using breathwork, visualization, and affirmations, this meditation reminds you that you're not waiting to become someone else; you're remembering who you've always been. Perfect for moments when you need to tap into your power, trust yourself, or move through life with intention and clarity.

Your power isn't something you build from scratch. It's something you remember and reclaim.

(00:00) Settling In & Breathing Into Strength

1. Finding a comfortable seated position with spine tall and shoulders back
2. Inhaling strength and power into your entire body
3. Exhaling doubt and anything holding you back

(04:00) Visualizing Your Empowered Self & Calling It Forward

1. Seeing yourself standing tall, rooted, and ready
2. Visualizing a version of you who walks with purpose and speaks with clarity
3. You're not becoming someone else, you're remembering who you've always been

(06:30) Affirmations & Rising Into Your Power

1. "I am powerful. I am grounded. I trust myself."
2. Letting the feeling of empowerment fill you completely
3. Bringing awareness back to your body and carrying this power forward

Subscribe to Karena’s NEW podcast! https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-down-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tone It Down brings you real conversations about fitness, wellness, lifestyle, and more.

If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources:

Connect with The Big Silence Community

1. https://thebigsilence.com/pages/audiobook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Order: The Big Silence Memoir audiobook
2. https://thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shop The Big Silence Self Love Collection
3. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaL3RrbvDLuTTGFN4VYzEpw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe on YouTube
4. https://thebigsilence.com/donate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donate to The Big Silence Foundation
5. Find exclusive offers from our supporters: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners" rel="noopener noreferrer" ...>

What if your need for control is actually what's keeping you stuck?

In this revealing episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with licensed therapist, YouTuber, and bestselling author Kati Morton to dive into her most personal book yet: Why Do I Keep Doing This? From toxic independence to people-pleasing as manipulation, Kati unpacks the precarious relationship we have with control—and why trying to control what we can't is the root of so much unhappiness. She opens up about her own daddy issues, hyperindependence, and the patterns that kept her dating emotionally unavailable men. Whether you're a perfectionist, a people-pleaser, or someone who can't seem to stop repeating the same mistakes, this conversation will hit home. Hard.

Understanding why we repeat destructive behaviors is the first step toward real change and healthier relationships.

(00:00) Control, Perfectionism & People-Pleasing

1. The thread that runs through everything: our relationship with control
2. Why control can be both good and bad
3. People-pleasing as a form of manipulation
4. Why trying to control what's outside your "locus of control" only hurts you and others

(09:24) The Blueprint: Daddy Issues, Emotional Unavailability & Running Away

1. Growing up believing "I can only depend on me, I will save myself."
2. How childhood patterns shape who you're attracted to as an adult
3. Dating emotionally unavailable men

(17:48) Breaking the Pattern: Therapy, Self-Discovery & Learning to Stay

1. Figuring out what your "why" is
2. The importance of a therapist who challenges you, not just affirms you
3. Rewiring your nervous system and learning what safety actually feels like
4. Setting boundaries without being controlling or manipulative
5. How to tell the difference between protecting yourself and pushing people away

(26:12) Self-Care That Actually Works: Journaling, Movement & Showing Up for Friendships

1. Why journaling has been life-changing for Kati's mental health
2. The power of morning pages and releasing control over a "perfect timeline"
3. Why friendships matter more than we realize

(33:35) YouTube Evolution, AI Therapy & Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic

1. Why personal experience changes minds more than DSM criteria
2. The problem with AI therapy

What if you could choose where your energy goes and protect what matters most?

In this special Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through a powerful practice designed to help you protect your peace and release what's not yours to carry. Using breathwork, visualization, and affirmations, this meditation creates a protective boundary around your energy and reminds you that not everything deserves your attention—and not everyone is owed access. Perfect for starting your day, resetting after stress, or finding your center when life pulls you in too many directions.

Learning to choose where your energy goes is an act of self-preservation and self-love.

(00:00) Settling In & Releasing the Day

• Breathing exercise to release tension from shoulders and jaw
• Letting go of the day and everything pulling at your mind
• Bringing awareness to your body and the present moment

(04:30) Visualizing Your Protective Light & Setting Boundaries

• Creating a soft light boundary around you
• Grounding into the truth: not everything deserves your attention
• Not everyone is owed access to your spirit

(07:00) Affirmations & Carrying Peace Forward

• "I choose peace. I release what is not mine to carry. I protect my energy."
• Bringing awareness back to your body and the room around you
• Remembering: your peace is yours, and it's not up for negotiation

This is part of our Mental Wellness Month series. Enjoy a new free meditation every week throughout January. For more guided meditations with Karena, download the https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tone-it-up-workout-fitness/id1252077383" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tone It Up app.

If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources:

Connect with The Big Silence Community

• https://thebigsilence.com/pages/audiobook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Order: The Big Silence Memoir audiobook
• https://thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shop The Big Silence Self Love Collection
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaL3RrbvDLuTTGFN4VYzEpw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe on YouTube
• https://thebigsilence.com/donate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donate to The Big Silence Foundation
• Find exclusive offers from our supporters: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air!



Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn>

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air!

Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn

What if the thoughts that torment you don’t have to define you anymore?

In this eye-opening episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with Jon Hershfield, MFT, director of the Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt. From his own lived experience with OCD to becoming a leading voice in evidence-based treatment, Jon unpacks what OCD really is, looking beyond the stereotypes. He shares how obsessions and compulsions hijack your life, why diagnosis matters, and how exposure therapy and mindfulness can help you reclaim control. Whether you're struggling with intrusive thoughts, supporting someone with OCD, or just want to understand this widely misunderstood condition, Jon's wisdom offers clarity, hope, and a roadmap forward.

Understanding the difference between personality and pathology is the first step toward compassionate, effective treatment.

(00:00) From Lived Experience to Leading Expert

• Jon's 20-year battle with OCD 
• Finding community in online support groups 
• Why he decided to pursue a career helping others with OCD
• The power of treating the whole person, not just compartmentalized diagnoses

(08:00) What OCD Really Is: Beyond the Stereotype

• Breaking down the difference between being "quirky" and having a disorder
• Obsessions: unwanted intrusive thoughts that violate your values
• Compulsions: ineffective strategies to relieve distress from obsessions
• The "psychic damage" of mental rituals: ruminating, analyzing, and seeking certainty
• Recognizing when the "D" (disorder) part matters

(16:00) Diagnosis, Identity & the Modern Mental Health Landscape

• Navigating multiple diagnoses in a world of one-hour evaluations
• The danger of letting diagnoses become your identity
• How OCD can coexist with other conditions like autism, ADHD, and personality disorders
• Why specialization matters when seeking OCD treatment

(25:00) ERP, Mindfulness & Doing the Work

• Why Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard for OCD treatment
• How mindfulness helps you observe thoughts without attaching to them
• The importance of homework in therapy
• Facing your fears until your brain realizes you can survive the uncertainty
• Meditation and being present with discomfort

(33:00) Finding Help, Resources & What Brings Joy

• Where to start if you think you might have OCD
• Why working with an OCD specialist is crucial for effective treatment
• Jon's upcoming book: Being a Parent with OCD (2026)
• The privilege of helping people expand their world when OCD has made it small

Reconnect with yourself and your community: We start the New Year, New TI-YOU Challenge January 5th in the Tone It Up App. Just download the Tone It Up App at http://toneitup.com/app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ToneItUp.com/app and we will see you January 5th!

• https://thebigsilence.com/blogs/share-your-silence/the-inaugural-not-alone-summit-and-awards-show" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch The Big Silence...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air!

Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn

What if grief isn't just about what you've lost, but also about honoring who you were and how far you've come?

In this raw and heartfelt episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with entrepreneur, artist, and mental health advocate Tallulah Willis. The youngest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore shares what it was like navigating life in one of Hollywood's most iconic families. We talk about confronting eating disorders, ADHD, autism, and her father's dementia journey, Tallulah opens up about the many forms grief can take. She shares how she's learned to embrace "good grief," build unshakeable self-trust, and find healing through creativity and vulnerability. Whether you're processing your own loss, struggling with identity, or searching for permission to feel it all, Tallulah's wisdom will reassure you that you're exactly where you need to be.

True strength comes from acknowledging your feelings, giving yourself the dignity of your process, and knowing you can handle whatever comes your way.

(00:00) Redefining Grief & The Power of "Yes, And"

• The concept of "Good Grief" and making space for celebration within the pain
• How DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) helps navigate the "yes, and" of complex emotions

(3:30) High School: ADHD, Autism & Feeling Invisible

• Her recent autism diagnosis and lifelong ADHD 
• Believing she was unintelligent 
• Feeling "mid" and overlooked by adults who should have seen her

(06:02) Growing Up in the Spotlight: Life as Bruce and Demi's Daughter

• What it was like being raised by "the last era movie stars"
• Fielding paparazzi from a young age 
• How early experiences shaped her adaptability

(8:39) Eating Disorders, ARFID & Using Control to Cope

• How her eating disorder became a catch-all for unprocessed emotions
• Living with ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder) her whole life
• The journey to recovery and learning to nourish herself 

(20:57) Surrounding Yourself with People Who See You

• Grieving relationships with people who didn't see her
• Being surrounded by people whose reflection of her she loves
• Her fiancé's recognition of her ability to adapt and roll with new situations
• Learning what it means to be truly seen and valued

(24:08) Her Father's Dementia, Love & Finding Joy

• Navigating Bruce Willis's FTD diagnosis and the family's decision to go public
• Why she initially avoided learning the clinical details 
• Handling invasive questions with grace
• How transparency opens doors for others to get checked and seek help

(31:06) Self-Trust, Pausing & Acknowledging Your Feelings

• The power of naming what's real
• Focusing on her art practice: drawing, interior design, and creative expression
• Why she's leaning into discomfort and pushing herself into new spaces
• The magic of curiosity

Reconnect with yourself and your community: We start the New Year, New TI-YOU Challenge January 5th in the Tone It Up App. Just download the Tone It Up App at...

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air!

Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn

What if the sign you needed appeared at your darkest moment—and changed everything?

In this deeply moving episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with actress, producer, and mental health advocate Sarah Gilman. Best known for her starring role as Delia Delfano in Disney Channel's "I Didn't Do It," Sarah has built an impressive career in Hollywood. But behind the bright lights lies a powerful story of survival. From her first suicidal thoughts at age eight, Sarah's journey is one of raw honesty and radical hope. Now, as the founder of the DD Hirsch NextGen Advisory Council, she's dedicated her life to mental health advocacy, making sure no one feels alone. Whether you're struggling yourself, supporting someone you love, or working to understand mental health better, Sarah's courage will inspire you to keep going.

Stripping away shame and finding community proves that healing isn't linear. It's about showing up for yourself, even when it's hard.

(01:37) When the Darkness Started

• Sarah's first journal entries about suicide as a young child
• Coping mechanisms that became self-destructive
• The suicide attempt that made her realize she wanted to live
• That split-second moment of regret—and why survivors often feel the same way

(05:34) The Roots of Mental Illness: Family, Genetics & Environment

• Growing up with threads of OCD, anxiety, and depression in Sarah's family
• The collision of genetics and lack of emotional education
• Shared experiences as suicide survivors

(08:03) Rock Bottom, Therapy & The Fork in the Road

• When friendships dissolved 
• Her moment of reckoning: keep going and die, or ask tough questions and heal
• Deep diving into psychology, sociology, philosophy, and neuroscience
• Learning she's a "big feeler" who just needed healthier ways to express emotions

(18:45) Finding Your People: Community, Connection & Healing

• How sharing experiences becomes part of the healing process
• The power of being seen in your struggle
• Why normalizing mental health conversations changes everything

(27:30) Breaking the Stigma: Advocacy, Education & Social Media

• Using personal stories to create change in mental health spaces
• How younger generations are reshaping mental health conversations
• Navigating social media as both a tool and a potential trigger

(38:15) Body Image, Eating Disorders & What Really Matters

• Sarah's experience with eating disorders and recovery
• Why she doesn't post body pictures on social media anymore
• The realization: "My body is the least interesting thing about me"

(50:19) Live from Vegas: The Not Alone Summit & 988

• 16.5 million people have used 988 since 2022
• How 988 works: call or text for immediate, anonymous support
• Debunking myths: less than 1% of cases escalate to 911, over 90% are de-escalated
• Specialized support available for LGBTQIA+, veterans, and different languages

Reconnect with yourself and your community: We start the New Year, New TI-YOU Challenge January 5th in the Tone It Up App....

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air!

Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn

What if the thing you're running from is the exact thing holding you back from everything you're meant to be?



In this raw and powerful episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with podcast host, author, and co-host of Impaulsive, Mike Majlak. From 10 years lost to heroin and OxyContin to 15 years clean and helping millions navigate their own mental health journeys, Mike's story is one of brutal honesty and hard-won wisdom. He opens up about recognizing anxiety as a teenager, the probation officer who saved his life, and why the path to healing isn't always a straight line. Whether you're battling anxiety, supporting someone through addiction, or just trying to show up for yourself every day, Mike's no-BS approach will remind you that you have something, and you're still here for a reason.

How do you rebuild your life after losing everything to addiction, and learn that taking care of yourself isn't selfish—it's survival?

Going back to basics proves that healing doesn't require perfection. It's about sleep, movement, and treating yourself like you matter. Because you do.

(02:39) Anxiety at Age 13

• Feeling like something was always "off"
• Constant questions: Why was I picked last? Do people not like me? Did I say something wrong?
• The onset of the opiate epidemic 
• 10 years of addiction

(04:56) His “Aha” Moment

• Getting clean from opiates 
• The probation officer who wouldn't be finessed
• Detoxing from methanol, Xanax, heroin, and crack cocaine all at once
• How hurt became fuel

(07:34) Managing Addiction

• The new wave of recovery: showing the journey, the faults, the reality
• Still struggling with gambling and other addictions
• Learning control tactics 
• Being curious about mental health instead of seeing it as a detriment

(12:01) Longevity, Biohacking & Why Basic Actually Works

• We're in an era obsessed with optimization
• Nail the basics: sleep, nutrition, movement
• Huberman talks about sleep constantly for a reason

(12:45) Go Towards What Gives You Resistance

• That feeling is showing you where to go
• First episode of Impaulsive: Mike sweat so bad he had a panic attack and walked off set
• When your gut tells you "this isn't for me", it actually IS for you

(13:37) Don't Burn Out: Your Mental Health Is Your Bottom Line

• The most important thing to your EBITA, your ROI, is your own mental health
• Take time for yourself to feel better, to get better
• It will make you a better business person, speaker, human—whatever you're trying to do
• Rest isn't weakness; it's strategy

Reconnect with yourself and your community: We start the New Year, New TI-YOU Challenge January 5th in the Tone It Up App. Just download the Tone It Up App at ToneItUp.com/app and we will see you January 5th! 

Episode Resources

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