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

What if your child’s symptoms weren’t just random—but clues from the body asking for support?

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Dr. Nina-Marie Rueda, a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in women’s and children’s health, to talk about the holistic foundations of true healing.

We dive into everything from postpartum recovery to pediatric issues like eczema, ADHD, and autism—and how clean air, water, minerals, and the right nutrition can make a world of difference. Nina-Marie also shares how genetic testing and deeper root-cause work can empower parents to support their kids without defaulting to a pharmaceutical approach.

Whether you’re a parent, a practitioner, or someone who believes in the body’s ability to heal, this one’s filled with both practical tools and real hope.

📱 Check out Dr. Nina-Marie’s Blog

💌 Get in touch with Dr. Nina-Marie on Instagram @doctorninamarie

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What if understanding your personality could change your relationships—and your mental health?
In this heart-opening conversation, I sit down with Christa Hardin, MA—relationship expert, best-selling author, and host of the Enneagram & Marriage Podcast—to explore how the Enneagram can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and connection.

Christa breaks down the nine Enneagram types, sharing how each one impacts the way we love, grow, and navigate the world. From recognizing unhealthy patterns to unlocking potential for healing, this episode is full of “aha” moments for anyone craving deeper self-awareness and more meaningful relationships.

Whether you're brand new to the Enneagram or you've been down the rabbit hole, you'll walk away with practical insights and inspiration to thrive—in life and in love.

🔊 Listen to the Enneagram + Marriage Podcast
📕 Grab Christa’s Book + Bonus chapter
📱 Subscribe to Of Light and Joy Substack
💌 Get in touch with Christa on Instagram @enneagramandmarriage

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What does healing really look like when you ditch the quick fixes and take your power back? In this soulful and honest episode, I sit down with Sofia Fiotaki, a holistic anxiety coach on a mission to help women overcome social anxiety from the inside out.

Together, we explore the contrast between life in Crete and Australia, and how culture, family dynamics, and environment shape our mental health. Sofia opens up about her own powerful healing journey—from battling anxiety, addiction, and disordered eating to discovering the power of yoga, mindfulness, and inner child work.

This episode is a reminder that healing isn’t one-size-fits-all, it’s personal, intuitive, and deeply transformative. Tune in for real talk about lifestyle shifts, reconnecting with nature, and the radical courage it takes to choose a new path.

🔊 Get on Sofia’s weekly live free trainings

🎁 Book your Discovery Call

💌 Get in touch with Sofia on Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

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If you're interested in my recommended red light therapy tools, visit https://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 brain isn’t just remembering trauma but predicting it? In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Brian Tierney—somatic psychologist, neuroscience professor, and psychotherapist—dives deep into the science of healing. We explore the power of the cerebellum in trauma processing, the default mode network’s role in processing reality, and how bodywork and energy play a critical role in transformation.  

Dr. Brian shares his personal healing journey, the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in therapy, and how finding the right practitioner can make all the difference. Plus, we get an inside look at his upcoming book and why it’s set to change the way we understand trauma and healing.  

If you're ready to challenge conventional trauma narratives and discover how neuroscience and somatics intersect, this episode is for you.

🔊 Listen to Dr. Brian’s podcast “Boundless Body”

🎁 Grab Dr. Brian’s Free consultation: somaticdoctor.com

💌 Sign up for Dr. Brian’s newsletter

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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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In this episode, I meet again with Jessica Parente, to go through a live brainspotting session where I show how vulnerable and powerful deep healing looks like. Jessica is an ANCC Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and trauma-informed coach.

We dive into:

🔹 How brainspotting helps process trauma stored in the subconscious

🔹 The connection between childhood wounds and adult relationships

🔹 Why physical symptoms like migraines can be linked to unresolved emotions

🔹 How healing doesn’t have to be scary—it can be gentle, supportive, and empowering

This is a rare, unfiltered look at what true healing feels like in real time. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your healing journey, this one’s for you.

🎧 Check out Episode 7 for the first part of this powerful conversation.

📖 Grab “The Unseen Wounds of Women” book on Lulu

🔎 Discover Jess’ women’s retreat

🔎 Join “The Healing Hive Circle”

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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: www.instagram.com/andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

Mental health is more than just managing symptoms, it’s about healing at the root. This week, I sit down with Jessica Parente, an ANCC Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Somatic Trauma-Informed Coach, and Level IV Brainspotting Practitioner. Jessica bridges the gap between Western medicine and holistic healing, combining low-dose medication with powerful modalities like Brainspotting, Polyvagal Theory, and Internal Family Systems Therapy to help clients achieve deeper, lasting transformation.

In this conversation, we dive into:
🎯 Why traditional psychiatry alone isn’t enough—and what’s missing from the system
🎯 Generational trauma & sensory gating—how past pain shapes mental health
🎯 Brainspotting & somatic healing—why your body holds the key to emotional release
🎯 The power of self-discovery—how true healing comes from within

If you’ve ever felt like the standard mental health system doesn’t fully serve you, this episode will open your eyes to a compassionate, science-backed path to real healing.

📖 Grab “The Unseen Wounds of Women” book on Lulu
🔎 Discover Jessica’s women’s retreat: "Codependency No More"
🔎 Join “The Healing Hive Circle”
💌 Get in touch with Jessica: Facebook // Instagram

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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: www.instagram.com/andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

In a world where facts are nearly indistinguishable from fiction, how do you know what to believe? This week, I sit down with Jonathan Davis, a former U.S. Army Special Operations Civil Affairs Soldier and author of the Question Things book series, to expose how propaganda shapes our reality and how to break free from it.

We explore:
 🔎 Why fact-checkers, media, and even Wikipedia push agendas—and how to see through the noise
 🔎 Big Pharma’s influence on medicine and mental health—including the truth about ADHD meds and the narratives we’re sold
 🔎 How to avoid being a victim of propaganda—and why being less certain is key
 🔎 The scariest part? Propaganda often isn’t a lie—it’s just presented in a way that keeps you from questioning it

From media narratives to medical misinformation, we’re unpacking the hidden forces controlling what you believe. It’s time to wake up.

📖 Grab “Question Things” books on Audible and Amazon
📹 Watch Jonathan’s “Socially awkward life lessons” on YouTube
💌 Get in touch with Jonathan on Facebook

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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: www.instagram.com/andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

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In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the reality of the mental health system—how therapists are forced to work within a framework that often manages symptoms instead of truly healing people.

I dive into:
 💡 Why many trauma therapies fall short in fully integrating and neutralizing trauma
 💡 How insurance dictates treatment, making powerful healing modalities inaccessible
 💡 The problem with long-term therapy cycles—and why it’s not the client’s fault
 💡 The truth about mental health diagnoses—how they’re required for insurance but can be weaponized against you
 💡 Why therapists need to look beyond their scope to address physical health, sleep, hormones, and more

The system is broken, and it’s time we start talking about it. If you’ve ever felt frustrated with therapy or wondered why healing feels like an uphill battle, you need to listen to this episode.

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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: www.instagram.com/andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Mary Wagstaff, a holistic alcohol coach who helps high-achieving women break free from alcohol, not through willpower or labels, but by reclaiming their intuition, nervous system regulation, and feminine power.

We dive deep into:
 ✨ The nervous system-alcohol connection – How alcohol mimics trauma’s effects and keeps women stuck in stress cycles.
 ✨ The feminine approach to healing – Why true wellness isn’t about control, but about restoring intuition, embodiment, and balance.
 ✨ Breaking free without shame – A revolutionary perspective on sobriety that isn’t about rules or rock bottom, but about expanding into joy, pleasure, and empowerment.

If you’re ready to rethink alcohol, reclaim your power, and step into deeper freedom, this conversation is for you.

🔊 Listen to her podcast “Stop Drinking and Start Living - The Feminine Way”

🎁 Grab her Free Gift: “6 Simple Cheat Phrases To Calm The Urge To Drink And End The Internal Battle”

💌 Get in touch with Mary: Facebook // Instagram

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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: www.instagram.com/andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok

In this enlightening episode, I’m joined by Dr. De’Nicea Hilton Harper, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Holistic Well-Being Consultant, to explore a whole new way of looking at health. We dive into how the body communicates what’s really going on beneath the surface—beyond just our thoughts—helping us understand ourselves on a deeper level.

Dr. De’Nicea also shares a powerful perspective on health as a journey rather than a destination, and we unpack the surprising ways that setting boundaries can sometimes work against what we truly desire. If you’re ready to shift how you see healing, balance, and personal growth, this episode is a must-listen!

Find her resources at www.deniceahilton.com and www.theperfectplayground.com and reach out to her on www.instagram.com/itstheperfectplayground and www.facebook.com/itstheperfectplayground

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

Reach out to me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/andrea.clark.mft

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealthpodcast on Instagram

Follow @truthaboutmentalhealth on TikTok