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

What if your “mental health solution” quietly stole the very essence of who you are?

In this raw and riveting episode, I sit down with Amanda Burnett, a 30-year-old nurse turned activist, to talk about what happened after one panic attack led to a decade on Lexapro. From the initial relief to the soul-numbing side effects, Amanda shares the harrowing truth about SSRI withdrawal, the silence surrounding it, and the system that never taught her how to come off safely.

This isn’t anti-medication, it’s pro-informed consent. We talk about lifestyle shifts, the power of community, and the urgency of honest conversations around psychiatric drugs. Amanda’s story is one of grief, grit, and deep reclamation and her voice is one every woman needs in her healing arsenal.

If you’ve ever questioned your meds, your symptoms, or the silence surrounding both, this is your sign to start asking the deeper questions.

💡 Check out Amanda’s resources for psych med withdrawal

📥 Report your withdrawal experience to the FDA through the Antidepressant Coalition for Education website: antidepressantinfo.org 

💌 Get in touch with Amanda on Instagram @thatfunctionalnurse

💻 More Resources for tapering/psychiatric medication withdrawal:
www.theinnercompass.org 

www.outro.com 

taperclinic.com  

www.survivingantidepressants.org 

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What if that tension in your friendship isn’t a sign it’s falling apart but an invitation to grow deeper?

In this intimate and hilariously real convo, I sit down with Caitlin Raymond, certified trainer, transformation queen, and deep-feeler in heavy-lifting skin, to unpack the messy, beautiful truth about friendship conflict, especially when business and boundaries collide.

We talk about the power of vulnerability, why avoidance kills connection, and how nervous system safety is the secret sauce to keeping your sisterhoods alive. From ayahuasca awakenings to voice note apologies, this episode is a raw exploration of what it really means to do the work with yourself and the women you love.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your friendship can survive the hard stuff, this episode is your reminder that rupture can become a doorway to real, unshakable connection.

👟 Get on Caitlin’s 1:1 Personal Training Consultation

📱 Follow Caitlin on Instagram @bodiesbycaitlin.fatlosscoach & TikTok

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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 happens when the woman who holds everyone else together finally breaks?

In this deeply resonant episode, I sit down with Jen Wernicke, holistic nurse, nervous system expert, and founder of The Calm Mom Comeback, to talk about what happens when the caregiving system breaks you. Jen shares her raw story of leaving conventional nursing to save her own mental health, reclaim her body, and create a new legacy for her family.

We explore the crushing weight of silent survival mode, the trauma patterns no one talks about in motherhood, and how healing the nervous system (not just “self-care”) is the key to becoming the calm, connected woman and mother you were always meant to be.

If you’ve been holding it all together while secretly falling apart, this episode is your lifeline.

🔖 Check out Jen’s Free Guide "Mom Stress Reset: 3 Little-Known Ways to Chill Out"

✅ Join Jen's Facebook Community: Mom's Who Snap

📱 Follow Jen on Instagram @jenwernicke & Facebook

💌 Connect with her via email: [email protected]

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

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What if the labels you were given weren’t life sentences, but the beginning of your breakthrough?

In this powerful and intimate conversation, I sit down with Jess Brown, writer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manifest Everyday, to unpack her 15-year journey through the mental health system, from misdiagnosis and inpatient care to radical self-healing and full liberation.

Jess gets real about the trauma that shaped her, the damage of being overmedicated and misunderstood, and the moment she said no more. We talk about what it takes to reclaim your mental health without meds, why trauma-informed care matters, and how belief work, energy healing, and deep lifestyle change brought her back to life.

This one is for every woman who's ever felt broken, mislabeled, or silenced, and is ready to rise anyway.

💡 Check out all of Jess’ resources for Wellness Transformation
💻 Dive into Jess’ Blog "Manifest Everyday"
💌 Get in touch with Jess on Facebook facebook.com/hijessbrown and facebook.com/manifesteveryday | Pinterest | TikTok | YouTube

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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 the diagnosis was never the full story, just the start of your reclamation?

In this fiercely honest and hope-filled conversation, I sit down with Dr. Ashleigh Moreland, neurophysiologist, therapist, and founder of the Re-MIND Institute, to unravel the deeper layers of mental health: childhood trauma, shame, nervous system dysregulation, and the generational cycles we’re done repeating.

We talk about the difference between the brain and the mind, the subtle ways trauma shows up in parenting, and the high cost of staying the “good girl.” Dr. Ashleigh shares the science behind neuroplasticity and the emotional truth behind self-forgiveness, while offering a vision for healing that’s grounded in compassion, curiosity, and radical self-awareness.

If you’ve ever felt like your strength was hiding your pain… this episode is your permission slip to start healing for real.

💡 Get on any of Dr. Ashleigh’s FREE email education series
💻 Check out Dr. Ashleigh’s website: www.re-mind.institute/mentalhealth
💌 Get in touch with Dr. Ashleigh on Instagram: @remind.institute | Facebook | LinkedIn

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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 the real frontier of mental health isn’t in another pill, but in your own energy field?

In this paradigm-shifting conversation, I sit down with Dawson Church, best-selling author, research powerhouse, and founder of the Veterans Stress Solution, to explore how trauma impacts our biology, how healing actually happens, and why energy therapies like EFT and meditation are shaking the foundations of traditional psychology.

We dive into post-traumatic growth, the science of gene expression, and the deeply human need for compassion and personal responsibility in healing. Dawson brings decades of research, heart, and straight-up hope into this conversation and his insights will radically expand how you think about mental wellness.

If you're craving a healing path that honors your body, your biology, and your inner power, this one is unmissable.

📕 Grab Dr. Dawson’s Book “Spiritual Intelligence”
💻 Check out Dr. Dawson’s website: www.dawsongift.com
💌 Get in touch with Dr. Dawson on Instagram @theeftuniverse | Facebook | YouTube | X / Twitter | LinkedIn

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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

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What if the side effects they warned you about were just the tip of the iceberg?

In this bold and deeply personal conversation, I sit down with Brooke Siem, chef, "Chopped" champion, and author of the award-winning memoir May Cause Side Effects, to talk about what happens after 15 years on psychiatric medication... and what it takes to reclaim your life on the other side.

We get into the grit: the trauma of antidepressant withdrawal, the complexities of medicating kids, and the power of naming your rage instead of numbing it. Brooke shares how healing doesn’t come from one magical moment, but from choosing presence, pattern recognition, and saying yes to life again and again.

If you’ve ever questioned the meds, the system, or what real happiness actually looks like—this one’s for you.

📕 Grab Brooke’s Book “May Cause Side Effects”
💻 Check out Brooke’s website: www.brookesiem.com
📱 Subscribe to “Happiness Is A Skill” Substack
💌 Get in touch with Brooke on Instagram: @brookesiem

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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

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What if the key to regulating your mood, calming anxiety, and healing your nervous system has been around for thousands of years—but most of us were never taught to trust it?

In this enlightening (and wildly refreshing) convo, I sit down with Dr. Tom Ingegno—Doctor of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine, clinic owner, educator, author, and certified no-BS truth teller. We dive into the powerful role acupuncture can play in treating mental health challenges, clearing inflammation, and restoring nervous system balance.

Dr. Tom brings over two decades of experience to bust through the stigma of “pseudoscience,” sharing the real research, the right questions to ask your practitioner, and how ancient modalities are being validated in today’s science-backed world. He also offers grounded, empowering self-care tips to support your healing between sessions.

If you’re craving a more holistic approach to mental wellness—this one’s a game changer.

📕 Grab Dr. Tom’s Book “The Cupping Book: Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Healing”

📱 Check out Dr. Tom’s website: www.charmcityintegrative.com 

💌 Get in touch with Dr. Tom on Instagram @ccintegrative | Facebook | LinkedIn

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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

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What if everything we’ve been told about helping teen girls is... missing the mark?

In this radically honest conversation, I sit down with Breanna Kulwin—a mental health transformation coach who’s helped over 1,000 girls and young women break free from the cycles of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt—to talk about what actually supports emotional healing in our daughters.

We go beyond the surface to unpack the unspoken pressure parents feel to medicate, the limitations of traditional therapy, and the deep need for community, emotional processing, and choice. This episode is a soul mirror for every mom, educator, or coach who wants to raise emotionally resilient girls without handing their power over to a broken system.

If you're raising, loving, or mentoring a girl in this wild world—this one’s essential listening.

💡 Get on Breanna’s digital course “Unshakable Confidence”
📺 Watch Breanna’s “Awakened Heart” coaching program for girls and young women

📱 Check out Breanna’s resources: breannakulwin.com 

💌 Get in touch with Breanna on Instagram @breannakulwin

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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 your pharmacist questioned the whole system—from inside it?
In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Dr. Lindsey Elmore, a pharmacist turned functional medicine practitioner, to talk about what really goes on behind the scenes of traditional healthcare—and why so many of us are waking up to holistic alternatives.

We dive deep into gut health, mental wellness, psychiatric meds, the ethics of pharma marketing, and how legislative changes are needed to truly empower patients. Lindsey brings her personal story, clinical insight, and fierce advocacy for better care into this honest, bold conversation.

If you’ve ever felt dismissed or disillusioned by the system, this one’s a must-listen.

🔊 Listen to The Lindsey Elmore Show
📕 Grab Lindsey’s Book “The 5 R’s of Healing Leaky Gut”
📱 Check out Lindsey’s Pinterest board
💌 Get in touch with Lindsey on Instagram @lindseyelmore

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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