The Truth About Mental Health: What They Don’t Tell You

Most people believe their health struggles are random, or worse, that they’re failing because of willpower. But what if your genes were silently shaping how your body handles stress, nutrition, and even mental health?

In this episode, I sit down with Tom Nikkola, a veteran in the health and fitness industry with more than 23 years of experience. Tom breaks down the truth about MTHFR gene variants and methylation, explaining how these genetic factors can impact everything from your mood to your energy levels.

We also talk about the basics most people ignore: sleep, nutrition, and simple, methodical resistance workouts, and how these foundations can transform your health, even if you’ve never been tested for MTHFR.

Have you ever felt like you’re doing “all the right things” and still not getting the results you want?

This isn’t about fear or genetic determinism. It’s about knowing how your body works, where your blind spots might be, and what simple, practical steps will actually move the needle in your health and life.

💻 Check out Tom’s resources and recommendations: www.tomnikkola.com
💌 Get in touch with Tom on Instagram @tomnikkola

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If you're interested in testing your mineral levels, check out hormonehealingrd.com and get 20% off with my code: MHM20
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Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

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What if grief isn’t just about surviving but about being cracked open to a completely new polarity of living?

In this episode, I sit down with Melani Sessa, founder of Grace and Grief Healing, to have one of the most profound and tender conversations we’ve ever had on this podcast. After the unexpected loss of her son, Melani found herself navigating not only the depths of sorrow but also the birth of a movement, a community where grieving mothers are met with faith, honesty, and presence.

We talk about the truths most people never say out loud: how grief reshapes your body, mind, and relationships… how faith can anchor you when the ground has completely given way… and what it really means to show up for someone in loss.

This isn’t about finding silver linings. It’s about hearing from a woman who has lived the unthinkable and chosen to create light in the darkest valley. If you or someone you love is walking through grief, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.

📘 Read Melani's book "Grace & Grief" a 90-day journal of prayer, reflection and remembrance
📚 Take a look at Melani’s guides and resources
💌 Get in touch with Melani on Instagram @grace_and_grief_healing

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If you're interested in my recommended red light therapy tools, visit boncharge.com and get a 15% discount with my code: MHM
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Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

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What if your “money problems” were never really about money?

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Paige Pritchard, founder of Overcoming Overspending™ and financial coach featured by NBC, The Washington Post, and The Dr. Phil Show, to talk about the deeper truth behind overspending. Paige shares her own story of blowing through a $60K salary in just one year and how she transformed that low point into a mission to help women rewrite their money story.

We dive into the emotional roots of overspending, the role of identity and self-worth in our financial choices, and the guilt and shame that keep women trapped in the cycle. Paige brings both practical tools and compassionate wisdom for budgeting, debt management, and saying no without fear.

If you’ve ever felt out of control with money, or defined by the mistakes of your past, this episode is your roadmap to empowerment, clarity, and freedom.

Where to find and work with Paige:

Instagram: @overcoming_overspending

TikTok: @overcoming_overspending

YouTube Channel

The Money Love Podcast

Work with Paige: Overcoming Overspending Group Coaching Program

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If you're interested in my recommended red light therapy tools, visit boncharge.com and get a 15% discount with my code: MHM

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Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft 

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

What if the glass of wine you reach for at night isn’t harmless, but the thing keeping you from your full awakening?

In this solo episode, I get deeply personal about my sober curious journey and why walking away from alcohol became one of the most radical acts of self-love in my midlife. I unpack the cultural lies that glorify drinking, the coping mechanisms hiding beneath every pour, and how alcohol quietly disconnects us from our bodies, our clarity, and our healing.

This isn’t a lecture: it’s an invitation. I share the messy truths, the awkward social moments, and the profound empowerment I found after 90 days sober. If you’ve ever wondered what life could feel like without numbing, this episode is your permission slip to find out.

🎧 Jump into my new masterclass: Soft Is Power™ and reclaim your femininity.

📚 Check out my guide: Her Over-Functioning Recovery Guide™

💻 Visit my Mental Health Hub for more resources & how to work with me.

📲 Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

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If you're interested in testing your mineral levels, check out hormonehealingrd.com and get 20% off with my code: MHM20

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Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

What if the most powerful thing you could do for your child’s autism diagnosis wasn’t just therapy hours, but healing their body from the inside out?

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with pediatric dietitian and holistic health trailblazer Greer McGuinness to unpack the journey that began with her own son’s autism diagnosis. We explore the biochemistry, environmental factors, and overlooked medical pieces that can influence autism symptoms, and how addressing them can unlock a child’s potential.

Greer shares the integrative tools she’s used in her practice and her own home: biomedical testing, gut healing, detoxification, and nutrient optimization. We also talk about the roadblocks parents face in the conventional system, and why trusting your instincts as a parent might be your most valuable tool of all.

If you’ve ever felt powerless in the face of a diagnosis, this episode will show you there is always more you can do and that your child’s story is still being written.

📚 Take a look at Greer’s guides and recommendations

💻 Check out Greer’s free resources

💌 Get in touch with Greer on Instagram @biomedicalhealingforkids

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If you're interested in my recommended sensory swing, visit outree.com and get a 24% discount with my code: MHM

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Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

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What if the story of your trauma, your resilience, and your rebirth has been living in your pelvis all along?

In this transformative episode, I sit down with Sophianic medicine woman and visionary mentor Caytlyn Dee to explore the power of pelvic work as a gateway to healing. We talk about how trauma imprints in the fascia, why women armor their bodies to survive, and what it really takes to feel safe enough to soften back into yourself.

Caytlyn shares her own story of trauma and healing, the gentle practices that begin to release what’s been locked away, and why creating safe, sacred community is essential for the journey. From nervous system science to womb wisdom, this conversation is both a map and an initiation.

If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body, numbed out, or afraid of your own softness, this episode will remind you that your body isn’t betraying you. It’s carrying your story, waiting for you to set it free.

🙌 Join Caytlyn’s Unity Mentorship

🎵 Get Caytly’s Free Meditation “I am Safe In My Body”

💻 Visit Caytlyn’s website: freespiritliving.com 

💌 Get in touch with Caytlyn on Instagram @caytlyndee

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If you're interested in my recommended red light therapy tools, visit boncharge.com and get a 15% discount with my code: MHM

---------------------

Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

What if your fatigue, mood swings, and period problems aren’t random… but rooted in your minerals?

In this game-changing episode, I sit down with Amanda Montalvo, hormone healer, educator, and founder of Master Your Minerals, to talk about the missing link in most women’s health care: mineral balance. Amanda breaks down how birth control, copper toxicity, and undiagnosed deficiencies quietly wreck your hormones and why testing (not guessing) is the real revolution.

We cover everything from postpartum depletion to perimenopause chaos, thyroid issues, and why even “clean” diets can keep women sick if mineral loss isn’t addressed. Amanda’s journey from PCOS and hypothyroidism to full-body healing through mineral testing is the proof that knowledge + nourishment = power.

If you’ve ever felt dismissed by your labs, this episode will show you the data behind the dysfunction and what to do about it.

📚 Check out Amanda’s freebies:

• Mineral 101 free guide 
• Free thyroid mini course 
• Master Your Minerals course

💻 Visit Amanda’s website: hormonehealingrd.com

💌 Get in touch with Amanda on Instagram @hormonehealingrd 

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If you're interested in testing your mineral levels, check out hormonehealingrd.com and get 20% off with my code: MHM20

---------------------

Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

What if the very movement that promised to free us is now keeping us guarded, resentful, and disconnected from our deepest desires?

In this solo episode, I pull back the curtain on the shadow side of modern feminism, how it’s shifted from empowering women to perform independence, to subtly shaming softness, safety, and the desire to be held. I dive into my own journey with polarity, partnership, and nervous system healing, and why reclaiming the soft woman is the most radical rebellion of all.

We talk about healthy leadership in relationships, mutual growth (without the mothering), and the difference between self-responsibility and hyper-independence masked as empowerment. If you’ve ever felt torn between being the strong one and secretly craving to be led: you are so not alone.

This is your permission slip to be safe, supported, and still sovereign.

📚 Check out my guide: Her Over-Functioning Recovery Guide™
✅ Get in my VIP List to be the first to know about my new masterclasses and resources
💻 Visit my Mental Health Hub for more resources & how to work with me
📲 Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

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If you're interested in my recommended red light therapy tools, visit boncharge.com and get a 15% discount with my code: MHM
---------------------

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram
Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

What if puberty wasn’t a crisis to manage, but a sacred initiation to honor?

In this deeply needed episode, I sit down with Dr. Tara Rawana, naturopathic doctor, youth educator, and co-founder of All About Mental Empowerment, to talk about what it really takes to raise emotionally grounded, confident daughters in today’s hyper-connected world.

We unpack the five stages of puberty, the impact of social media on body image, and the difference between just “educating” our daughters vs emotionally attuning to them. From shame-free sexuality talks to building trust and family connection, this episode is both a guide and a healing space for every parent navigating this rite of passage.

If you’re raising a daughter, or healing the girl you once were, this conversation is a must.

📚 Check out Dr. Tara’s freebies:

• Period Kit Checklist
• Overview of the 5 Stages of Puberty
• 5 Essential Conversations to Have With Your Daughter Before Her Teen Years

💻 Visit Dr. Tara’s website: www.tararawana.com 

💌 Get in touch with Dr. Tara on Instagram @dr.tararawana

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If you're interested in my recommended sensory swing, visit outree.com and get a 24% discount with my code: MHM

---------------------

Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

What if the most radical healing of your life didn’t come in a white coat but in your own kitchen, your own soul, and your refusal to give up?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Doris Kun, aka Detoxing Dori, who said no to conventional cancer treatment and yes to trusting her body. After a thyroid cancer diagnosis, Dori forged her own healing path through deep detox, emotional release, energetic healing, and fierce commitment to holistic wellness.

We dive into the limitations of the Western medical model, the metaphysical roots of illness, and the mind-body connection most doctors never mention. Dori shares how she created her own protocol, went into remission, and now helps others do the same by remembering that true healing is not just physical… it’s personal.

If you’ve ever wondered if there’s another way, this episode is your reminder that your body already knows the way.

📕 Check out Dori’s Guide: “Forgotten Cancer Therapies”
📲 Find more of Dori’s resources: https://linktr.ee/doriskun
💌 Get in touch with Dori on Instagram @detoxing_dori

---------------------
If you're interested in my recommended sensory swing, visit outree.com and get a 24% discount with my code: MHM
---------------------

Reach out to me on Instagram @andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok