Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Untether Your Life
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Untether Your Life
Untether Your Life episodes
- 83: Sharanya Rao - When Passion Meets Purpose: Global Coaching Works, Anklets in the Boardroom, Svadharma, and much more
Many of us lead very fragmented lives. If we're lucky, we set aside a couple hours a week to what really lights us up in between our busy "9-to-5"s and hectic social and family obligations.
I find it very inspiring, therefore, to connect with people like this week's guest Sharanya Rao, who succeed in "bringing their whole selves" to their day to day and follow their passion.
Sharanya is an expert on making transitions, having lived in 4 countries, and changed careers from being a commercial litigation lawyer to government and then to becoming a professional coach. Now, as the head of Global Coaching Works and the Artistic Director of Leela - An Indian Community Theatre, she focuses on empowering individuals and developing their potential through Co-Active Coaching, mindfulness and creativity. She is a champion of diversity and inclusion, and a true believer in the power of community.
In this episode, we touch on numerous topics including:
- The concept of a Third Culture Kid (TCK), and the implications of straddling the cultural norms of three countries (India, Singapore, and the United States) on adaptability and authenticity. Further, how this unique background helped Sharanya navigate a career shift from law into leadership coaching.
- An overview of Leela, and its showcase project Anklets in the Boardroom, a project story-telling inspired in part by the Theater of the Oppressed and leaders such as Deepa Purushothaman; how these initiatives helped Sharanya follow her passion and give voice to South Asian women struggling with workplace discrimination.
- Exciting announcements for the Leela team, including funding from the City of Austin and a partnership with Austin PBS.
- The concept of svadharma and how can it help us achieve the show's mission of breaking free of templates
- How somewhat "dodgy" questions in the foreign service application process contributed to Sharanya's disenchantment with this profession
- How the field of coaching, and connections formed through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) provided Sharanya with a community where people would "bring their whole self to work."
- Sharanya's journey into spirituality starting with her introduction to Swami Chinmayananda at the age of 14
- The lifelong learnings at Chinmaya Mission in oneness / Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam / "The World Is One Family"
You can connect with Sharanya via numerous channels, notably her LinkedIn profile.
- To learn about Global Coaching Works, visit the Website, connect with them on Instagram, or check out their Facebook page.
- You can find out more about Leela and Anklets in the Boardroom at their Website, as well as on Instagram and Facebook
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
41 min - 82: Dr. Puja Shah - A Dharma-Filled Journey from Dentist to Award-Winning Author, Meditation Teacher, Philanthropist, Mom and Much More
This episode is a first in Untether Your Life history, in bringing on a husband and wife duo. On the heels of my interview with Amish Shah in 2023, I'm proud to release my discussion with his wife, the incredibly insightful Dr. Puja Shah.
Puja is a visionary poet who shares her voice through written and spoken word, guided meditations, and teaching. Born in Queens, New York to immigrant parents, she defied teachers who questioned her English skills by winning countless poetry and short story awards in her youth.
With over 10 years of nonprofit experience and a long public health career, she has pivoted careers to follow her passion for writing and created a campaign aligned with girls rights awareness causes for her triple award winning novel, For My Sister.
Puja holds a D.M.D. doctorate degree and has completed multiple training courses in yoga, meditation and ancient wisdom. She teaches corporate mindfulness guided meditations and is currently president of The Shah Education and Exploration Foundation, 501c3. For My Sister is her first novel.
Puja and I touched on so many amazing topics in our far-ranging interview, including:
- The meaning of the Paulo Coelho quote "we will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen"
- How the Buddhist practice of Vipassana or "seeing things as they really are" can help us question default stress management behaviors like alcohol or social media
- The impact of Puja's award-winning book For My Sister in shining a light on the dark practices of human trafficking in India and other parts of the world.
- The lessons of Puja's book on intuition, the duality that exists in all of us, and the benefits of following our dharma
- How serving underprivileged girls' communities in India and Uganda pushed Puja to reconnect with her life-long passion for storytelling
- Puja's journey from a lucrative but unfulfilling career in private practice dentistry and in government, to teaching children in India and Uganda, to teaching yoga, launching a 501(c)(3) non-profit and finally as a award-winning author
- The impact of COVID-19 in allowing Puja to "press pause" on life, reassess, and also attend multiple writers' events virtually
- The importance of community (or "sangha") in Puja's journey, notably The Chai Mommas group that she co-founded
- How Alka Joshi, who wrote her book, The Henna Artist, at age 60, provided inspiration to Puja and her fellow "chai mommas"
- How a "safe" career with high salary, benefits, and stability serves as "golden handcuffs" can prevent us from realizing our true dharma, or calling.
- Puja's impactful experience with plant medicine, which helped her connect with her true essence
Find out more about Puja's incredible journey and work by visiting her Websites, puja-shah.com and formysisterbook.com. You can also connect with her on Instagram at psnamaste, or check out her guided meditations on Spotify or other streaming platforms under psnamaste.
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
51 min - 81: Piotr Ciepiel - Global Champion of Mindful Fitness and Cancer Warrior on "Unpacking Yourself" for Transformation
I've been blessed to cross paths with some of the most dynamic, impactful souls across the planet through my involvement in Mindvalley, SOMA Breath, and other global communities. One of these is Piotr Ciepiel, who I met during a breathwork retreat in Ibiza, Spain. His evolution - which includes healing from cancer - is a powerful demonstration of the transformation that is possible when we untether our lives.
Piotr, MiFit Mindful Fitness founder, takes his transformative body / mind / energy programs worldwide. A dynamic public speaker, retreat leader, and breath master, he guides people to embrace emotions, vulnerability, and authenticity. A health and wellbeing advocate, Piotr shares his cancer and chemotherapy journey, compelling us to prioritize physical and mental health now.
This invigorating, inspiring discussion, touches on numerous topics, including:
- How Piotr's cancer diagnosis at 28 forced him to re-examine the "templates" he'd had been following in terms of lifestyle, health, and career decisions.
- What Piotr did to interrupt and completely transform his life by embracing mindfulness, breathwork positive self-talk and unlocking his true "superhuman" powers
- How retreats and in person events can 10x the benefits of informational resources for breathwork, physical fitness, public speaking, and many other personal transformation disciplines widely available online; how they can deliver the true benefits of sangha, or community
- How breathwork offers a powerful one-two punch of research-based science and soul-shaping spirituality, and can "bring you to places that you've never been before"
- The philosophy behind Piotr's MiFit ("mindful fitness") platform and programs like "Unpack Yourself," which bring together activation, strength training and awareness to everyday activities like taking a walk, to more transformational peak experiences like retreats in San Miguel de Allende, Ibiza, and Marrakech.
To connect with Piotr and learn more about MiFit and Unpack Yourself, visit him on Instagram or LinkedIn, or check out his Website
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
47 min - 80: Nikhil Torsekar's "Pivotal" Appearance on The Life Shift Podcast
This week marks the 80th episode of Untether Your Life. It's "kind of a big deal" in the podcasting space, where 90% of shows don't make it past episode 3.
For this important milestone, I chose to rebroadcast my appearance on The Life Shift, hosted by my friend Matt Gilhooly - largely to help commemorate the two year anniversary of his incredible podcast. Congrats Matt on this "pivotal" moment!
Matt is an incredible host, who I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with about:
- The meaning of the "Untether Your Life" mantra; how a seemingly stable life of ticking off all the items on a checklist can mask huge discontent that requires a radical breakthrough.
- When reflecting on the triumphs and breakthroughs in later chapters of our "life book," the importance of honoring the difficult, messy, and often painful lessons from "Chapter One"
- The genesis and mission of The Life Shift Podcast; how Matt tapped into the tragic, premature loss of his mother when he was 8, to create a powerful platform for guests to share the pivotal moments of their lives.
- The difficulty of correctly diagnosing bipolar disorder, given that patients with this condition only come to seek treatment when they're in a depressive state - thereby exacerbating the problem.
- The vital importance of humility and awareness in seeking resolution for mental health challenges - beyond the "hacks" / "just add water" models circulating on YouTube, Instagram, and other channels.
- The irrelevance of titles, salaries, or other traditional hallmarks of "making it" when defining how aligned we are with our true dharma - or "right way of living"
- The role of serendipity in the journey of a podcaster in storytelling, and diving deep into topics that make their heart sing.
- The implication of bipolar disorder on oscillations between types on extroverted and introverted personality types.
To learn more about Matt and his podcast, please visit The Life Shift Podcast Website, or look for The Life Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with Matt on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
59 min - 79: Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, CMO of Modern Age - On "a Mission to Add Millions of Years of Healthy Life Expectancy to the World"
One of the goals of this show is to empower you the listener to break free of templates for managing physical and mental wellness. I'm inspired by organizations that facilitate this journey for patients through clinical and technological innovation.
One shining example is Modern Age, a New York City-based startup "on a mission to add millions of years of healthy life expectancy to the world."
We were therefore honored to have their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, as a guest on this week's episode of Untether Your Life.
Prior to Modern Age, Dr. Vinjamoori was a product leader at Virta Health, and attended Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, and Stanford University for his internal medicine residency, medical degree and MBA, and undergrad degree in biology respectively.
In this episode, we touch on numerous topics, including:
- The role of biohacking in putting more power into the hands of the consumer, and how doctors can use its principles to develop a more collaborative relationship with patients. Side note: Dave Asprey, if you're listening, would love to have you on the show.
- How Modern Age is making neurotherapy or brainwave therapy - once limited to professional athletes, celebrities, and wealthy executives - available to the masses seeking to optimize performance and manage their mental health.
- What folks can do to improve their odds of living to a 100, especially if they don't have the luxury of living in Sardinia, Okinamwa, or other "Blue Zones" as covered in the Netflix documentary by Dan Buetner.
- How attitudes toward health and wellness have evolved over the past 5 years - from merely "staying out of the penalty box," to really optimizing longevity and the quality of life.
- The limitations of the current medical system in finding ways to manage how genes might impact our health - beyond the cookie cutter approaches of exercise and a healthy diet.
- How more science-driven, consumer-focused wellness assessments can help patients optimize the 12 hallmarks of aging - which include mitochondrial dysfunction and nutrient sensing.
- The counterproductive approach of many anti-aging clinics that bombard patients with a data dump of information lacking context.
- How the efficacy of modern cutting edge longevity practices be enhanced by the incorporation of ashwagandha, turmeric (or "haldi") and other staples of Ayurveda - the Indian wisdom tradition dating back over 5,000 years.
To connect with Anant and find out more about his work at Modern Age, check him out on Instagram and LinkedIn, or visit modern-age.com
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
45 min - 78: Dr. Tanmeet Sethi - Integrative, Psychedelic Medicine Physician, TEDx Speaker, Author - Joy Is My Justice
One of the most rewarding parts of hosting this podcast is connecting with brilliant, compassionate polymaths, whose knowledge and experience extend across numerous realms. Dr. Tanmeet Sethi, MD is a prime example. She is an Integrative and Psychedelic Medicine Physician, activist, TEDx speaker, and author of the incredibly powerful book Joy Is My Justice. She’s also been featured on Oprah Daily.
Tanmeet has dedicated her career to caring for marginalized patients all over the globe from Seattle to Puerto Rico to Ukraine, as a senior faculty member at The Center for Mind Body Medicine. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor and a primary clinical investigator there on psilocybin at the University of Washington.
In this episode, Tanmeet and host Nikhil Torsekar touch on numerous topics, including:
- The role of movement in releasing myokines / what scientists call hope molecules - whether it's a quiet walk in nature or vigorous dancing to bhangra music.
- How the vagus nerve regulates our parasympathetic nervous system and helps us feel safe, and how pranayama (or breathwork) facilitates this.
- The fundamental distinction between happiness (a binary cognitive evaluation) and joy, and how the latter actually comes from the same deep well as pain.
- An overview of Dr. Sethi’s impactful book Joy Is My Justice, which captures her beautiful journey to thrive and embrace with gusto all that life has to offer after her three year old son Zubin received the challenging diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
- Growing up in the South Asian diaspora – the good (solid foundation in community, cultural traditions such as pranayama and Ayurveda), the bad (pressure to live up to impossible standards, tendency to suppress challenging emotions), and the ugly (Nikhil’s bhangra moves)
To order a copy of Tanmeet’s incredible book please visit her Website, or connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook. You can also check out her Substack titled “Beautiful and Brutal.”
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
50 min - 77: Sumit Shukla - South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC) and Breaking the Silence on Mental Health
Two years since our first guest interview episode of Untether Your Life with clinical psychologist Dr. Jyothsna Bhat, many strides have been made in mental health in the South Asian diaspora. This is due to the work of groups like South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC), co-founded by Rupal Joshi, Keerthi Channarasappa, and this week’s guest - Sumit Shukla.
In addition to this role, Sumit is an accomplished pharmaceutical expert with nearly 15 years of industry experience, a dedicated husband and father, and a passionate mental health advocate.
Driven by personal experiences with depression and anxiety and overcoming alcohol addiction, Sumit established SAAFC with a mission to dismantle mental health stigma and promote holistic well-being in the South Asian American community through arts, education, and community-building events.
Breaking the Silence, Sumit’s YouTube documentary series featuring renowned comedian Nimesh Patel and previous Untether Your Life guest Ankur Varma, serves as a platform for raising awareness and sparking conversations on mental health, particularly among South Asian men.
Join host Nikhil Torsekar and Sumit Shukla this week as we discuss:
- The upcoming annual SAAFC event - The Healing Through Art - on March 2, 2024 at Tendenza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tickets available at the SAAFC Website.
- What Sumit and his cousin Nimesh Patel – an Emmy award-nominated comedian and writer for Chris Rock, Hasan Minhaj, and Saturday Night Live - uncovered when they teamed up with Ankur Varma to create Breaking the Silence.
- The application of the operating systems analogy when we look at updating values, traditions, and behaviors passed down from our parents. How the outdated template of gender norms has prevented many South Asian males from focusing on mental health.
- Second-generation South Asian immigrants’ destructive habit of “toxic gratitude” and feelings of inferiority when comparing their struggles to those of their immigrant parents.
- How Sumit had turned to alcohol throughout his undergrad years at Ohio State University and many years afterward; how this ineffective form of self-medication prompted a wake-up-call, and intervention from his wife Rupal, cousin Nimesh Patel, and other family members.
- The origin of SAAFC, which sprung from a discussion between Sumit, Rupal, and Keerthi, and coincided with many of the board members relocating to Philadelphia to launch the organization. How Sumit’s desire to – as a father of a young son – “break the cycle” of mental health issues.
- How the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization achieves this mission through online workshops, social events, and the upcoming The Healing through Art Gala on March 2nd, 2024.
Visit the SAAFC Website to learn more about the organization, or get tickets for the The Healing Through Arts gala. You can also connect with the team on Instagram at @saaforchange, or with Sumit directly at @sumit112
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
44 min - 76: Tracy Vadakumchery - The Bad Indian Therapist
This podcast takes aim squarely at the templates that many of us in the South Asian diaspora grew up with – around the ideal career path, marriage, and managing our mental health.
It’s therefore gratifying to connect with others in the community who question the norms and fight against the status quo that has caused us great turmoil over the years. One of these iconoclasts is Tracy Vadakumchery, aka "The Bad Indian Therapist."
Tracy is a licensed therapist in New York, California, and Florida. She helps South Asian Americans who struggle with toxic guilt, shame, and cultural stress and trauma. Tracy continues to challenge her own toxic guilt and shame as it relates to cultural norms about mental health. She is currently taking on new clients in the above states.
In this episode, she and host Nikhil Torsekar examine many issues, including:
- The rationale behind Tracy branding herself as "The Bad Indian Therapist," and her goal of providing a platform and safe space for Indian Americans who think they are "not Indian enough," or feel guilt for not conforming to the norms of our collectivist culture.
- The active use of Instagram, TikTok, and other channels by South Asian mental health therapists for drumming up awareness and brand building.
- How the idyllic portrayal on social media may conflict with the challenging reality of being a South Asian therapist in private practice in 2024.
- The concept of toxic gratitude, and how being thankful may give way to inadequacy, shame, and invalidation of powerful feelings.
- The rationale for South Asian clients in selecting a therapist with the same, or different cultural backgrounds, through services such as southasiantherapists.org.
- How "self-gaslighting" can manifest in issues with mental and physical health for members of the South Asian diaspora.
- Tracy’s multifaceted journey to becoming "The Bad Indian Therapist," which included group practice, private practice, as well a stint at Rikers Island
To connect with Tracy, please visit thebadindiantherapist.com, or connect with her on Instagram at @thebadindiantherapist.
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
38 min - 75: Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen - Author of Aloha Vietnam, Multidimensional Psychiatrist, and Water Keeper
Mental Health is a mixed bag in 2024. I'm thrilled about the community that has blossomed since I launched this podcast two years ago - especially within the Asian diaspora. However, I'm disheartened by the assembly line approach that has evolved as a by-product of the skyrocketing demand for psychiatrists, therapists, and other providers.
In this environment, Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen - a highly credentialed California-based psychiatrist - is a breath of fresh air.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dr. Nguyen had parents who were refugees from Vietnam who arrived in Honolulu in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. She received her BA from Stanford University in Human Biology, her MD from Northwestern University, and her Psychiatry Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship training at University of California, Davis.
She started her career in community mental health, with specific interests in cross-cultural psychiatry, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and the healing power of water and the natural world.
Dr. Nguyen lives in Davis, California, where she is in private psychiatry practice. She is also the author of the book Aloha Vietnam, "a rich journey across the Pacific Ocean to find one’s true home and identity amidst loss, grief, and mental illness."
In this episode, we touch on numerous topics, including:
- The role of our relationship with water - both externally and within our body in optimizing mental wellness
- How resources such as Dr. Nguyen's Water Keepers community and books such as Wallace Nichols Blue Mind can help nurture our appreciation for this dynamic
- An overview of multidimensional psychiatry, as conceptualized by Dr. Nguyen: how looking at a patient's cultural background, their spiritual leanings, and other elements of their journey can provide a more effective alternative to the limited, check-the-box approach seen in the mental health field today
- Dr. Nguyen's book Aloha Vietnam, which interweaves her own lived experience with fictional narrative of a Vietnamese American refugee family that finds their way to Honolulu to provide rich insight into the Asian immigrant experience with bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.
- The importance of language in conceptualizing mental illness in other cultures - i.e., the lack of the word "bipolar" in the Vietnamese language
- Personal inclinations (i.e., a love of storytelling) that led to Dr. Nguyen choosing psychiatry as a specialty
- How the Western model of psychiatry falls short of serving its patients by only looking at the individual, as opposed to within the context of the patient's relationship with the culture and family.
- The importance of collaboration that involves investment of time from the patient as well as the provider in ensuring favorable mental health treatment outcomes
To learn more about Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen, water healing, multidimensional psychiatry, and her book, please visit multidimensionalpsychiatry.com, or connect with her on Instagram at multidimensionalpsychiatry or waterkeeperscommunity.
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
48 min - 74: Untether Your Life: A Gratitude-Filled Look Back at 2023
And that's a wrap!
2023 was such a transformational year, thanks in large part to the more than 20 epic souls I spoke with on the Untether Your Life podcast.
In recognition of their contributions to the raising of our collective consciousness, I've published a highlight reel recapping the most impactful moments of our conversations.
I've provided their information below, in case you'd like to learn more about their platforms and / or connect with them.
- Jonaed Iqbal (02:18) - Founder, NoDegree.com | Website
- Jason Goldberg (03:22) - Celebrity Mental Performance Coach, Author, Keynote Speaker | Website
- Benoit Kim (04:29) - Psychotherapist, Psychedelic Therapist, Podcaster | Website
- Shermin Kruse (05:41) - TEDx Producer / Speaker, Law Professor, Author | Website
- Ankur Varma (07:20) - Clinical Therapist, Founder, Brown Man Therapy | Instagram
- Jenny Thrasher (08:58) - Keynote Speaker, Author, Mental Health Advocate | Website
- Erwin B Valencia (10:37) - Performance Coach, Wellness Expert, the "Godfather of Gratitude" | Instagram
- Robert Pardi (12:17) - Speaker, Author, Coach - Possibility in Action | Website
- Tanya Mitra (13:54) - Relationship Coach, Founder, The Remixed Relationship | Instagram
- Neal Bakshi (15:25) - Spiritual Guide, Energy Healer, Breathwork Author | Website
- Dr. Nilesh Satguru (17:00) - Self Mastery Coach, Doctor, Entrepreneur | Website
- Vasavi Kumar (18:39) - Keynote Speaker, Coach, Author, Podcaster | Website
- Niraj Naik (20:17)- Founder, SOMA Breath | Website
- Neelu Kaur (21:53) - Executive Coach, Author, Speaker | Website
- Laura Carney (23:32) - Writer, Author, Artist, Activist | Website
- Freeman Fung (25:11) - Coach, Author, TEDx Speaker | Website
- LeRon Barton (26:42) - 3x TEDx Speaker, Author, Writer | Website
- Nikhil Torsekar & Shelly Sood (28:17) - Authors, Entrepreneurs, Breathwork Experts, Podcasters | Website
- Chris McDonald (29:54) - Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Podcaster | Website
- Kyle Peche (31:27) - Founder, Jyoti Mineral Balancing | Website
- Amish Shah (32:58) - Entrepreneur, Film Maker, The Natural Law | Website
- Final Wrap Up (34:28)
Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects:
Instagram
Website
LinkedIn
Twitter
36 min
About Untether Your Life
From the publisher's feed
Untether Your Life empowers listeners to own their own health and break free of "templates" for managing physical and mental wellness, along with key issues impacting the South Asian diaspora. Nikhil Torsekar speaks with experts in meditation, folks who have struggled with mental illness, clinicians with insights on the South Asian experience, and other incredible guests.
Untether Your Life is part of The Shelly Story platform, which captures Nikhil and Shelly’s journey in a blog, book, and movie. For more info visit shellysood.com or untetheryourlife on social media.
More shows like Untether Your Life
Good Life Project
3,311 Listeners
10% Happier with Dan Harris
12,708 Listeners