Thursday Tea with Sami

Send us Fan Mail

Do you know what to eat but still struggle to feel better? In this episode of Thursday Tea with Sami, I'm joined by Elizabeth Aong, an integrative and functional registered dietitian and health coach, to talk about the missing piece in most nutrition conversations: how chronic stress, trauma, and your nervous system affect the way you eat and care for your body.

Elizabeth explains why "just eat better" often falls short and why attunement to your body's signals matters as much as any diet. We talk about the difference between hunger and appetite, why undereating during the day can lead to overeating or binge eating at night, and how the stress response (fight or flight) can slow digestion and contribute to reflux, bloating, constipation, and IBS symptoms. We also explore interoception and why trauma can dampen the body's internal cues.

You'll also hear practical, doable tools, including:

• A simple five-breath practice before meals to help your body shift into rest and digest
• How to notice your eating speed, urgency, and environment
• Why emotional eating isn't a personal failure, and how curiosity beats self-criticism
• How self-compassion supports behavior change and keeps your thinking brain online
• What to do when low motivation is really an overwhelmed or depleted nervous system
• How to untangle childhood food messages like "clean your plate"
• Why sleep, movement, and social connection matter as much as food
• Setting realistic goals and starting small, because action builds motivation

If you've ever blamed yourself for a lack of willpower, discipline, or motivation, this conversation offers a more compassionate way to understand what your body may be telling you.

About the guest: Elizabeth Aong is an integrative and functional registered dietitian and health coach who helps people connect the dots between nutrition, chronic stress, and physical health, and who brings the often overlooked effects of stress and trauma into the conversation about healing.

Connect with Elizabeth: www.nutritionattuned.com | Instagram: @nutritionatuned

Chapters

• 00:00 Welcome and introduction
• 03:34 Why "eat better, feel better" misses something
• 09:05 How chronic stress and trauma affect appetite and the body
• 13:31 Trauma, digestion, and the stress response
• 18:28 Signs to notice in your eating habits
• 23:01 Five deep breaths and mindful eating
• 28:40 Emotional eating, boredom, and self-judgment
• 33:55 Motivation vs. a nervous system stuck in survival mode
• 37:02 Self-compassion and behavior change
• 45:02 Simple ways to begin regulating your nervous system
• 48:35 Sleep, movement, and social connection
• 51:23 Childhood food messages ("clean your plate")
• 55:47 Biggest misconceptions about nutrition and trauma
• 59:51 Motivation, discipline, and realistic goal setting
• 1:05:05 Key takeaway: your body is wiser than you think

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. Listening does not create a therapeutic relationship.

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Untangling the Venus Flytrap: Vulnerability, Trust & Taking Your Power Back

This week on Thursday Tea with Sami, I sit down with Dr. Stephen Paul Edwards, author of The Venus Flytrap: Sex, Lies, and Repercussions, for a raw and often funny conversation about self-awareness, accountability, and the patterns we repeat without realizing it.

We talk about why vulnerability isn't weakness but the foundation of real intimacy, how childhood shame quietly shapes the relationships we choose as adults, and why "everything happens for you, not to you" can be a powerful (if hard-won) reframe for even the most painful experiences. Stephen shares candid stories from his own history — including four marriages — and opens up about the three universal fears (self-worth, abandonment, and trust) that show up in nearly all of our relationship struggles.

We also get practical: what early warning signs of an unhealthy relationship look like, how isolation creeps in slowly, and concrete first steps if you recognize yourself in a "taker and giver" dynamic. Plus, a beautiful story about his mother that ties it all together.

 📖 Read the first three chapters of The Venus Flytrap for free: https://vft23.com/

Grab your tea and get comfortable — this one's a reminder that none of us are alone in the mess of being human.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

You understand your patterns. You can trace them back to childhood. You've done the reflecting, the reading, maybe even the therapy. So why do you still feel stuck?

In this episode of Thursday Tea with Sami, I'm joined by Sarah Rollins, LMSW, SEP, a licensed social worker and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, for a conversation about why insight alone isn't always enough, and what it can look like to work with the nervous system instead of just talking about it.

Sarah explains why stress and trauma live in the body as well as the mind, and we talk about:

➡️ What somatic therapy is, in simple terms
 ➡️ Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, and why these survival responses are often misunderstood
 ➡️ Why "just calm down" doesn't work, and how neuroception keeps scanning for danger
 ➡️ Signs you may be living in chronic survival mode without realizing it
 ➡️ Gentle ways to reconnect with your body, including the "1% more comfortable" approach
 ➡️ Parts work (Internal Family Systems) and the difference between talking from a part and talking for it
➡️ Small, realistic ways busy caregivers and professionals can support their nervous systems
➡️ Subtle signs of healing, including glimmers and lowering your tolerance for overriding yourself

Sarah also shares what she wishes more people understood about trauma and healing: no one gets better by hating themselves.

About Sarah Rollins, LMSW, SEP: Sarah is the owner and therapist at Embodied Wellness, PLLC, a trauma-focused virtual therapy practice serving clients across Michigan, which is also opening a new in-person space in Farmington Hills. With more than 12 years in the mental health field, she works with adolescents and adults navigating trauma, anxiety, and depression, integrating somatic experiencing, EMDR, attachment work, and parts work.

Connect with Sarah:
Website: https://www.embodiedwellnesstherapy.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/embodiedwellnesstherapy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embodiedwellnesstherapy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/embodied-wellness-pllc

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. Listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. Please seek personalized care from a qualified professional.

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Beat Brain Fog: Lifestyle Secrets for a Sharper Mind at Any Age

Ever walk into a room and forget why you're there? Or feel like your brain just isn't as sharp as it used to be? On this episode of Thursday Tea with Sami, I sit down with Dr. Fawad Mian, a board-certified neurologist and regenerative medicine specialist, to uncover the everyday lifestyle habits that keep our minds clear and sharp at any age. We talk about how sleep, stress, movement, food, and even the medications sitting in your cabinet quietly shape memory and focus — often more than people realize. Dr. Mian breaks down the small, doable changes that make the biggest difference, the common mistakes people make when chasing supplements instead of the basics, and shares his own journey through chronic pain that led him into regenerative medicine. If you've ever wondered whether memory decline is just "part of getting older," this conversation will change how you think about aging and brain health. Grab your tea and get ready for practical, hopeful advice you can start using today.

In this episode:

• What brain fog is and how it's different from everyday forgetfulness
• How stress, anxiety, and depression quietly affect memory and focus
• The hidden ways medications (including common antibiotics) can cloud the mind
• Lifestyle habits that build a sharper, more resilient brain
• Why "I don't have time" isn't the obstacle it feels like
• Debunking the myth that memory decline is inevitable with age
• Warning signs that it's time to seek professional help

Connect with Dr. Fawad Mian:
 🌐 prolohealing.com
 🌐 advocareneurowellnessmd.com
 🧠 Reclaim Your Mind quiz: course.prolohealing.com/quiz

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Midlife, Reimagined: Nutrition, Movement & Mindset with Carolyn Scott Hamilton (The Healthy Voyager)

It's never too late to start. In this episode of Thursday Tea with Sami, I sit down with Carolyn Scott Hamilton — holistic nutritionist, plant-based chef, and creator of The Healthy Voyager — for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about navigating midlife with more intention and less pressure.

We talk about the identity shifts and "puberty 2.0" feeling that midlife can bring, why the habits that used to work for us stop working, and how to tell what's situational, psychological, or lifestyle-related when everything feels off at once. Carolyn shares her philosophy on the 80/20 approach to eating, why baby steps beat total overhauls, simple ways to build a meditation practice (starting with a phone-free walk), and how travel — even a day trip across town — can restore curiosity and mental flexibility.

We also get personal, talking about our shared Latina heritage and how growing up with home-cooked, from-scratch meals shaped our relationships with food and wellness today.

Grab your cup of tea and settle in for a conversation about giving yourself grace, letting go of what no longer serves you, and starting exactly where you are.

In this episode:

• Why midlife often brings a "puberty 2.0" identity reassessment
• The 80/20 rule for sustainable eating
• Simple entry points into meditation (no monk cushion required)
• Baby-step habit change vs. total lifestyle overhauls
• How travel supports mental health and joy at any age
• Growing up Latina and how home-cooked food shapes wellness

Connect with Carolyn: healthyvoyager.com

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Reconnecting with Your Body's Wisdom: Trauma, Safety & Radical Self-Care with Robyn Harris

This week on Thursday Tea with Sami, I'm joined by Robyn Harris, founder of W·I·L·D® Wellbeing and author of Take a Walk on the Wild Side. Robyn shares her own journey from feeling stuck in survival mode to helping others reconnect with the wisdom of their bodies.

We dig into what psychological safety actually means, how trauma — big or small — gets stored in the body long after the danger has passed, and why physical symptoms like migraines, eczema, or IBS can sometimes be the body's way of releasing what it's been holding onto. Robyn introduces her W.I.L.D. framework (Wonder, Intuition, Loving ourselves, Dance) and offers simple, practical tools for building a "body vocabulary," practicing radical self-care, and finding safety in stillness — even when meditation or breathwork hasn't felt safe before.

Whether you're navigating chronic stress, feeling disconnected from your body, or just curious about the mind-body connection, this conversation offers grounded, compassionate tools you can start using today.

In this episode:

• Why trauma isn't just "big T" events — it's often cumulative
• How the body stores stress and signals through symptoms
• The W.I.L.D. framework: Wonder, Intuition, Loving ourselves, Dance
• Simple grounding and vagus nerve exercises to try right now
• What "radical self-care" really means (and how it differs from a bubble bath)
• How self-compassion helps us work with our inner critic

Connect with Robyn Harris:
🌐 w-i-l-d.uk
📖 Take a Walk on the Wild Side
📱 Find her on Facebook, LinkedIn, Substack, and YouTube

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Small Shifts, Big Love: Marriage Magic's Secret to Lasting Connection with Barry Dennis & Christi Closson

Healthy relationships are one of the strongest predictors of happiness, resilience, and even longevity — yet so many couples find themselves loving each other while missing the spark, the playfulness, or the closeness they once had. In this episode, I sit down with Barry Dennis and Christi Closson, the husband-and-wife team behind Marriage Magic, to talk about what it really takes to keep a relationship alive and thriving.

Barry is a longtime speaker, bestselling author, and relationship expert who has delivered over a thousand live talks on love, purpose, and transformation. Together, he and Christi teach couples their signature KISS framework — Kindness, Intimacy, Silliness, and Support — and share the wisdom behind Barry's books, including The Chotchky Challenge and his upcoming release, You May Kiss.

In our conversation, we cover:

• How Barry and Christi's own love story unfolded — including the song Barry wrote before they ever got together
• Why your capacity to love your partner is capped by how much you've learned to love and accept yourself
• The concept of "2% shifts" — small, consistent actions that create massive change over time
• What the KISS framework really means, and why intimacy is about so much more than the bedroom
• Barry's concept of "the brown" — the dangerous, comfortable middle ground where couples feel like roommates
• How genetics, childhood wiring, and past relationships shape the conflicts we have today
• Why presence (putting the phone down) is one of the simplest, most powerful acts of love
• Navigating major life stressors together — including a cross-country move and an unexpected health diagnosis
• How silliness and lightness diffuse tension and keep connection alive, even during hard seasons

Whether you're navigating a rough patch, feeling more like roommates than partners, or simply want to deepen a relationship that's already strong, this episode is full of practical, heartfelt wisdom you can start using today.

Connect with Barry & Christi:
Email: [email protected]
YouTube: Search "Marriage Magic" with Barry and Christi

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Clean Beauty, Real Health: What's Really in Your Products with Lynn Power

This week I'm joined by Lynn Power, founder and CEO of Masami (a clean premium haircare brand), Isle de Nature, and Power Beauty Collab — a collective supporting over 65 indie beauty and wellness founders. After nearly 30 years in advertising working on major beauty brands, Lynn made the leap into building clean, high-performing products of her own, and her perspective on the industry is both eye-opening and empowering.

We talk about what "clean beauty" actually means (and why there's no single agreed-upon definition), the surprising gap between EU and US ingredient regulations, and the three ingredients Lynn says almost everyone agrees to avoid. Lynn also opens up about her own cancer diagnosis and how it deepened her commitment to clean products, plus practical, non-overwhelming ways to start transitioning your routine without tossing everything you own.

In this episode, we cover:

• What "clean beauty" really means, and why the US and EU define it so differently
• The three ingredients to watch for first: sulfates, phthalates, and parabens
• Why "natural" doesn't automatically mean safe, and why "chemical" doesn't automatically mean bad
• How to transition your beauty routine gradually instead of overhauling it all at once
• The connection between stress, skin health, and a growing field called psychodermatology
• Why product expiration dates matter more than most of us realize
• How small, indie beauty brands often out-research big companies when it comes to safety and testing
• The power of community for entrepreneurs navigating an ever-changing industry

Whether you're just starting to think about what's in your beauty cabinet or looking for practical next steps, this conversation offers a grounded, judgment-free way to think about the products we use every day — and how they connect to our overall wellbeing.

Connect with Lynn Power:

• Masami: lovemasami.com | @lovemasamihair
• Isle de Nature: @isledenature
• Power Beauty Collab: powerbeautycollab.com | @powerbeautycollab
• LinkedIn: Lynn Power

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

Building Hope When Life Feels Heavy, with Dr. Sarah Porter

Hope isn't just something we have or don't have — it's something we can actively build. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Sarah Porter, a consulting psychologist, keynote speaker, and self-proclaimed "Hope Hustler," to explore what hope really is, why it matters more than ever, and how we can strengthen it even in our hardest seasons.

Sarah is a Stanford alum with a PhD from UC Santa Barbara, and she's spent her career helping individuals and workplaces flourish through research-backed, deeply human strategies. She's been featured in outlets like Forbes and Real Simple, and her work bridges the gap between hope theory and everyday life.

We talk about the difference between hope and toxic positivity, why hope is active rather than passive, and Sarah's simple framework for rebuilding it when you're running on empty.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why hope is grounded and realistic — not the same as blind optimism
• Sarah's "Minding the Gap" framework: Goals, Agency, and Pathways
• Why having multiple pathways toward a goal protects you from giving up at the first obstacle
• The proven links between hope, reduced stress, and less chronic pain
• How values-guided action (from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) fuels hope and agency
• The role of awe — and simple, everyday ways to invite more of it into your life
• How to tell the difference between healthy striving and unhealthy pushing
• Building your own "Hope Hype Squad" and why it can include people, pets, or even fictional characters
• A simple, science-backed way to reignite hope when you're feeling depleted
• A preview of Sarah's upcoming book, The Musts of Trust

Whether you're navigating burnout, chronic pain, or just a heavy season of life, this conversation offers a grounded, doable roadmap back to hope.

Connect with Dr. Sarah Porter:
 Website: drsarahporter.com
 LinkedIn: Sarah Porter, PhD
 Instagram: @drsarahporter

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...

Send us Fan Mail

From Rock Bottom to Resilience: Colin Potts on Faith, Loss, and Learning to Walk Again

In this episode of Thursday Tea with Sami, I sit down with Colin Potts, COO at Regenerative Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, whose life has been shaped by extraordinary loss and an equally extraordinary will to keep living fully. By age 33, Colin had lost both parents, two siblings, and all of his grandparents. After 21 surgeries over 17 years, he ultimately lost his leg — and had to learn to walk, swim, and run all over again.

What struck me most in this conversation wasn't just what Colin has survived, but how deliberately he's chosen to rebuild after each loss. We talk about the six years he spent caring for his mother during her illness, and the reframe they built together during that time: focus on what you have, not what you don't; focus on what you can do, not what you can't. We also talk about grief, the "void" that follows losing someone you've cared for, the vulnerability of sharing hard stories publicly, and the mantra that carried him through learning to walk again: just one more step.

This is a conversation about resilience as something practiced daily — not a personality trait, but a series of small, deliberate choices.

In this episode, we cover:
→ How Colin and his mother restructured her days around her strengths after her cancer diagnosis
→ The concept of the "void" that follows caregiving and loss, and how to begin rebuilding after it
→ Why vulnerability and honest storytelling build trust and connection
→ The emotional and physical process of learning to walk again after amputation
→ Colin's "negativity vortex" concept — and how to avoid getting pulled in
→ The power of finding one positive thing each day, even on the hardest days
→ Why believing in yourself is often the first and most essential step toward rebuilding
→ A strengths-based approach to facing any major life challenge

Connect with Colin at ColinQPotts.com or on Instagram and Facebook @ColinQPotts — and be on the lookout for his new book, coming out this fall.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

Support the show

Find Samia Estrada of Dignus Wellness on social media @DignusWellness

Enjoying the show? Your support means the world to me. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/thursdayteawithsami

 🎶Special thanks to Nothing Short of Tragic for creating the amazing music you hear in our intro and outro—bringing the perfect vibe to each episode! 

 Curious about more? Check out everything I’m working on at Dignus Wellness. https://DignusWellness.com 

Sign up for my newsletter at https://subscribe.dignuswellness.com/

Email me at: [email protected]

Disclaimer:
This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or mental health care. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic or clinician–patient relationship.

The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Dr. Samia Estrada, Psy.D., DipABLM, or Dignus Wellness. Content discussed on this podcast reflects general wellness, lifestyle medicine, and mental health education and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or are in crisis, please seek immediate support from local emergency services or a trusted crisis ...