Hi friends, Kerry here. In today's episode of The Grace of Being Podcast, I'm riffing on one of the most important questions you can ask yourself: Who the hell do you think you are?

This is a question that's come up countless times in my private practice over the years. I've sat with some of the kindest, most accomplished humans you could imagine—people who seem to "have it all together" on paper—yet are quietly at war with themselves. Somewhere along the way, they began building a story about who they are based on cherry-picked negative experiences, old wounds, and a brain that's wired to focus on what went wrong instead of what went right.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why your brain clings to the negative and how that shapes your self-concept
• The role of media, social comparison, and fear in distorting your self-worth
• How conformity and our deep need for acceptance influence who we "pretend" to be
• What happens when you finally spend time alone and start reconnecting with your true self
• A simple but powerful daily mantra that helped me shift from self-doubt to self-confidence

I'll also share a story from my own life—the moment I realized how much fear and self-judgment were running the show—and how I began re-writing the story in my own head.

If you've ever found yourself stuck in the loop of "not good enough," this one's for you. It's the start of a deeper conversation about self-belief, self-knowledge, and the grace that comes with being fully yourself.

✨ Try This: Spend some time alone this week. Turn off the noise, step outside, and get quiet with yourself. Notice the thoughts that come up—and begin to rewrite them with compassion and intention.

Resources & Links

• 📧 Want to share your thoughts or be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]
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In this conversation, I sit down with someone whose story has stayed with me long after we stopped recording. Juan Manzer spent 25 years in the military—believing deeply in the mission, the structure, and the purpose behind it all. But when the stories he was told no longer matched what he was witnessing, everything he thought he knew about the world began to unravel.

What followed was a profound spiritual awakening—one that challenged his understanding of truth, identity, and faith itself. Juan shares openly about the collapse of old beliefs, the grief of losing who he thought he was, and the freedom that came from realizing he is not the uniform, not the title, not even the name—he simply is.

This is what we talk about:

• Growing up feeling "different" and questioning everything
• Finding purpose and identity in the military
• The shock of realizing the systems we trust aren't what they seem
• Awakening from the role of "the soldier" into spiritual awareness
• Learning to release ego and control
• How love and authenticity transform relationships
• Finding truth, presence, and purpose beyond labels

This episode is for anyone who's ever felt the ground shift beneath them and wondered who they are without the labels and roles the world assigns.

Resources & Links 📧 Want to share your thoughts or be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

When we talk about healing, we tend to imagine progress - advances in science, better treatments, safer medicine. But what if the origins of psychiatric drugs tell a different story altogether?

In this episode of The Grace of Being, I explore the dark and often hidden history of psychiatry's "chemical revolution." From coal tar and petroleum byproducts to the CIA's mind control experiments under MK Ultra, we look at how powerful industrial forces shaped what we now call "mental health treatment."

I trace how the first psychiatric drugs weren't born from brain science, but from accident and opportunity and how their effects, once used to subdue behavior or control the mind, became rebranded as cures. Along the way, I ask what this legacy means for us now, when so many of these same substances circulate not just through our prescriptions, but through our very water supply.

You'll hear:

• How psychiatric drugs emerged from industrial chemistry—not neuroscience
• Why the 1950s marked psychiatry's rebrand from asylums to "modern medicine"
• How MK Ultra blurred the line between healing and control
• The lingering chemical legacy still shaping minds, bodies, and ecosystems today
• The question we have to keep asking: what are we really being healed from, and by whom?

This conversation isn't about rejecting medicine - it's about reclaiming awareness. When we know the story behind the story, we can begin to choose differently.

Resources & Links 📖 Mad in America by Robert Whitaker 📖 Rockefeller Medicine Men by Richard Brown 📧 Want to share your thoughts or be a guest on the show? Email me at [email protected]

What if the "help" you were prescribed at 15 quietly reshaped your brain, your body, and your sense of who you are—for the next 20 years?

In this episode of The Grace of Being, Leela Ehrhart shares a raw, courageous account of life on—and off—SSRIs. From vivid nightmares on day one to a years-long, safer taper that ended on November 12, 2020, Leela maps the terrain few are warned about: withdrawal that looks like "relapse," whole-body effects, and the inner resolve it takes to meet yourself again without the meds.

You'll hear:

• How withdrawal can masquerade as your symptoms "coming back"—and why that distinction matters
• What "don't stop abruptly" really means for your brain and nervous system
• The surprising, full-body fallout (sleep, GI, skin, pain, cognition) that rarely gets discussed
• What helped Leela: community, boundaries, trauma-informed support, and a much slower taper
• Life after the last dose: rebuilding identity, capacity, and purpose—and why she now supports others on this path

This conversation isn't anti-person or anti-medicine; it's pro-informed consent. If you're considering changes to psychiatric medication, please work with a knowledgeable prescriber and support team.

Resources & Links Leela's Website: https://leelaehrhart.com 📧 Want to be a guest or know someone who would be? Email: [email protected]

What if depression isn't simply a "chemical imbalance," but the body's alarm system signaling that something deeper needs attention?

In this episode of The Grace of Being, I continue my series on nutrition and mood—this time focusing on inflammation, sugar, and their impact on mental health. We'll explore how everyday choices—processed foods, hidden toxins, poor sleep, even the products we put on our skin—can quietly fuel inflammation and affect how we feel.

I'll share:

• Why sugar depletes magnesium and leaves you restless, irritable, and craving more
• The surprising connection between chronic inflammation and depression
• Simple, real-world ways to lower inflammation and boost mood
• How hydration, sweating, and natural detox supports can shift your energy and clarity
• The role of NAC in calming oxidative stress and restoring balance

This isn't about quick fixes or shame—it's about understanding how your body and mind are connected, and how small choices can add up to big changes in mood and well-being.

Resources & Links

EnergyBits Spirulina – 20% off with code Graceofbeing AquaTree Home Growing System – 10% off with code Thomas10 ZeroWater Filter

📧 Want to be a guest or know someone who would be? Email me: [email protected]

What if your hardest days weren't a "chemical imbalance"… but a medication effect no one warned you about?

For decades, we've been told that antidepressants correct something broken in the brain. But what if that story is not only incomplete—it's dangerously misleading for many people? What if what you're feeling is withdrawal, not relapse?

In this episode of The Grace of Being, Sylvia Huseyin shares a courageous, decades-long journey: 33 years on antidepressants, 21 years trying to get off, and what it took to finally step away. This is a raw, compassionate look at informed consent, withdrawal, and the real-world supports that helped her begin to heal—body, mind, and spirit.

We'll talk about:

• How withdrawal can masquerade as "your depression coming back" (and why that distinction matters)
• Half-life basics: why missing a dose by an hour triggered full-blown symptoms for Sylvia
• Why the last 10% of a taper is often the hardest (and why "slower than you think" can be safer)
• "Kindling": why repeated stop-start attempts can intensify symptoms
• The wide range of effects people report during withdrawal—brain zaps, dizziness, anxiety, emotional blunting—and why they're not "all in your head"
• How nutrition, omega-3s, and reducing inflammation supported Sylvia's nervous system
• Faith, mindset, and community: rebuilding hope when fear is loud
• Self-advocacy in clinical settings and questions to ask when you don't feel heard

I'll also share why I believe deeply in informed consent—and why sitting with real feelings, supported and resourced, can become a doorway to strength instead of a diagnosis.

If you've ever felt worse on or coming off a medication and wondered what's real, or if you're supporting someone in that process, this conversation is for you.

This isn't about shame or blame. It's about truth-telling, honoring lived experience, and remembering that the body is designed to heal when we create the right conditions.

Content note: We discuss suicidality and difficult medical experiences. Please listen with care. Nothing here is medical advice; talk with a qualified, taper-savvy clinician about your situation.

Resources & Links

🌿 EnergyBits Spirulina – 20% off with code "Graceofbeing" https://energybits.com

🌱 AquaTree Home Growing System – 10% off with code "Thomas10" https://aquatreegarden.com

📧 Want to be a guest or know someone who would be? Email me: [email protected]

Sylvia isn't sharing public contact info at this time. If her story resonated, email me at [email protected], and I will pass along thoughtful messages.

What if depression and anxiety aren't just "all in your head"?

For decades, we've been told that mood disorders come down to a simple chemical imbalance. But what if that story is not only incomplete—it's misleading? What if your brain health has far more to do with what's on your plate than with a prescription bottle?

In this episode of The Grace of Being, I'm inviting you into a conversation that could transform the way you think about mental health. Together, we'll explore how the brain and body are one interconnected system—and how the foods you eat can either fuel joy and clarity or feed anxiety and depression.

We'll talk about:

• Why your gut is often called your "second brain" (and how its trillions of microbes shape your mood)
• How glyphosate and other chemicals are quietly disrupting your microbiome and mitochondrial function
• The surprising link between blood sugar swings and feelings of panic, brain fog, or irritability
• Why inflammation—not serotonin—may be the real biological driver of depression
• Simple, practical steps you can take to feed your gut, support your mitochondria, and stabilize your mood naturally

I'll also share pieces of my own story—how shifting my diet reversed chronic pain and brain fog—and what I've witnessed with clients who have made these same changes. Spoiler: when we nourish the body, the mind begins to thrive.

If you've ever wondered why you feel anxious, depleted, or disconnected—and if you're ready to learn how to reclaim joy and mental clarity from the inside out—this episode is for you.

This isn't about fad diets or calorie counts. It's about remembering that food is medicine, that your body holds the keys to healing, and that you have more power over your mood than you've ever been told.

Grab a pen, find a quiet spot, and let's begin.

Resources & Links

EnergyBits Spirulina – 20% off with code Graceofbeing AquaTree Home Growing System – 10% off with code Thomas10 📧 Want to be a guest or know someone who would be? Email me: [email protected]

What if the "safe" prescription you're given could take everything from you?

Twenty-two years ago, Kim Witczak's life changed forever. Her husband Woody—a vibrant, healthy, funny, bigger-than-life man—was prescribed Zoloft for insomnia. Five weeks later, he was gone. No history of depression. No warning signs. Just a prescription that was supposed to "help take the edge off."

What followed was Kim's journey from advertising executive to accidental drug safety advocate, uncovering what pharmaceutical companies and regulators knew—and kept hidden—about the risks of psychiatric medications.

In this deeply personal and eye-opening conversation, we talk about:

• Woody's story and the five weeks that changed everything
• The hidden side effects of antidepressants—like akathisia—that most patients never hear about
• How FDA warnings came to be (and why they still aren't enough)
• Why informed consent in mental health care is still missing
• The cultural conditioning that makes us blindly trust prescriptions
• How to ask better questions about your own care—and your children's

Kim also shares how grief became her fuel for advocacy, her role on the FDA's Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, and why she believes one voice can make a difference, even against the most powerful industries in the world.

If you've ever believed the story that a pill is your only option—or if you've lost someone and never got the full truth—this episode may challenge everything you think you know about "safe and effective" medicine.

Resources & Links

• Follow Kim on X (Twitter): @woodymatters
• Subscribe to Kim's Substack: (UN)Acceptable Collateral Damage
• Woody Matters: https://www.woodymatters.com
• Woody Matters on Facebook
• Woody Matters on YouTube
• Follow Kim on Instagram

What if the story you've been told about depression—and the pill that's supposed to fix it—isn't just incomplete, but dangerously misleading?

We're looking squarely at a narrative that's been whispered in exam rooms, wrapped in glossy pharmaceutical ads, and repeated so often it feels like truth: that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, and an antidepressant will correct it.

It's a story polished by marketing, fueled by billion-dollar incentives, and quietly shaping how millions think about mental health.

But here's the hard truth—this story has not stood the test of time, and the science tells a very different tale.

Today, I'm walking you through research-backed risks of antidepressants that rarely make it into the conversation, including:

• How these drugs can worsen depression over time and create long-term dependency
• Why withdrawal isn't "relapse" and why tapering too fast can feel like torture
• The emotional numbing that flattens both pain and joy
• Links to mania, suicide risk, and even violent behavior in vulnerable people
• Sexual side effects that sometimes never go away
• Increased risks of stroke, dementia, diabetes, and immune disruption
• How antidepressants can alter your biology in ways that may affect future generations
• The sobering data on all-cause mortality

If you've ever taken an antidepressant—or love someone who has—this is essential listening. My goal isn't to shame or scare, but to offer the informed consent we all deserve and to point toward safer, more holistic paths to healing.

You are not broken. You never were. And your healing doesn't have to come from a bottle.

This is the start of an honest, sometimes uncomfortable, but deeply necessary conversation about reclaiming our mental health—and our humanity—from an industry that profits when we believe we're defective.

Resources & Links 📧 Want to share your story or be a guest? Email me: [email protected]

What if everything you've been told about your feelings is wrong?

For the last 25 years, I've sat in small rooms having big, intimate conversations—about love, loss, fear, joy, and the messy, complicated experience of being human. I've heard people's deepest confessions, their private heartbreaks, and their quiet victories. And I've learned something that I can't keep to myself anymore:

We're living in a world that's more medicated, disconnected, and disempowered than ever before—and it's costing us our ability to truly be.

In this very first episode of The Grace of Being, I'm inviting you to take a seat with me as I share what I've seen, what I've lived, and what I believe needs to change if we're going to reclaim our humanity. We'll talk about:

• Why so many people—kids included—are being put on psychiatric medications (and what we're not being told about them)
• How a culture built on fear keeps us from accessing our creative, solution-focused selves
• The dangerous belief that feeling sadness, grief, or dissatisfaction means something is wrong with you
• Why avoiding pain flattens our entire emotional landscape—including joy
• How reconnecting to yourself (and nature) can be the most radical act of empowerment you take

I'll also share parts of my own story—the losses, the wake-up calls, the inconvenient truths—and why I believe this is Earth School. We're here for the full range of the human experience, the heartbreak and the awe.

If you've ever felt "meh" about life, doubted your worth, or wondered if there's more to this whole human thing than chasing solutions in pill bottles or self-help books, this is your invitation to explore with me.

This isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking better questions. It's about waking up from the trance and remembering who we really are: sparks of the divine, creative beings, here for a fleeting moment to live deeply and fully.

Buckle up, friend. It's going to be a hell of a ride.

Resources & Links 📧 Want to be a guest or know someone who would be? Email me: [email protected]