Mental HEALTH Break With Dr. Nafisa Sekandari

Have you ever felt so numb and depressed that you wanted it all to end?  Many teens and young adults lack proper coping skills when they feel overwhelmed with life and often resort to self-harming behaviors such as cutting.  

 Amy Minh Hanh Corey joins me today to share her own experience with cutting and being suicidal after her parent’s divorce and mother’s cancer diagnosis.  

 As a TEDx speaker, musician, and mental health advocate, Amy shares her coping strategies and skills she learned to help her transform her depression and suicidal tendencies and help herself h...

We as a society are more isolated and lonelier than ever but no group is impacted more than the elderly and the youth in our communities.

Eric Peterson and Professor Jason Powell are trying to end that one match at a time.

Together they’ve come up with a program to help the youth not only gain mentorship from the elders in the community but to also provide friendship and companionship.

Eric and Professor Jason developed Seniors4Seniors, a program which brings together the older adults and youth in our communities, enabling enriching, re...

Brianna Shade, an expert traveler who quit her job in 2019 to travel full-time with her husband, joins me today to talk about traveling smart during the pandemic and making the most of your travel plans.  

She embraces the freedom of the nomadic lifestyle and the cultural connections that come with it.  Brianna shares her travel secrets to make the most out of your travel, even during a pandemic.  

Making travel less stressful is at the top of Brianna’s list.

Being prepared, flexible, and having realistic expectations go a long way to making trave...

 Toxic relationships can be traumatic for women and usually take time to get over.  The post traumatic stress associated with such relationships can make it difficult for women to trust themselves and others.

Joelle Maletis, a trauma expert joins me to talk about the negative and lasting impact toxic relationships have on women and explains why some women tend to gravitate towards relationships that are bad for them. 

Joelle addresses the cycle of domestic violence, different types of abuse, and relationship with narcissistic men and how to heal after such relationships.

To learn mor...

Energy medicine, which includes acupuncture and Chinese medicine, has been around for thousands of years but only recently coming into the mainstream conversation.  Energy medicine is typically used to treat the cause and not just the symptoms of illness.  

Nicole DiCristofaro joins me to explain what exactly energy medicine is and how we can use it to heal our ailments at the energetic level. 

When it comes to mental illness, there tends to be a disconnect caused by trauma either at birth or during our lifetime.  There is also a spiritual disconnect that can crea...

In many cultures, including many Asian cultures, the focus tends to be on physical health and mental health is rarely discussed.  

Vanessa Yang, the CEO and Founder of 1st Mentor Street, a mentorship program for youth, joins me to talk about how her Chinese background made it difficult to talk about mental health and wellness and how she’s now helping teens navigate their mental and physical health as they figure out life in general.  

Vanessa addresses the excessive comparison of ability with other kids leading to insecurity and depression without any mental health support.  

...

Through the sharing of her own history starting with conception, Nichol Mills, a life coach, talks about Trauma Incident Reduction and how that helped her put the pieces of her life together. 

Focusing on the goal of releasing the emotional charge with Trauma Incident Reduction, Nichol continued to process her own trauma surrounding her complicated and at times abusive relationship with her mother and used the lessons to be a more intentional parent to her own children. 

Trying to understand her mother in relationship to the trauma she’s experienced has helped Nichol better understand her...

Stress can literally kill us if left untreated or unmanaged.

Stress will also make it impossible for us to heal since it shuts down our immune system and puts us in the fight or flight mode.  This chronic level of stress creates barriers for healing.  

Amber K. Reed,  a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, joins me to talk about the importance of creating a safe space for your body so it can start the healing process.

Her own health challenges forced Amber to address stress directly and through the process she has bee...

Emily Boese (BNatMed, RHT) is a qualified Nutritionist and Medical Herbalist with over a decade of experience, and currently lives in her hometown of Regina in Canada. 

Emily addresses the complex nature of herbs and how by design they can be used to help heal us at the gut level. 

In this episode Emily teaches us what herbs we can use and how improving our understanding of herbs can empower us to reach for herbs for mild health issues. 

Many of us use herbs without really considering them herbs.  When you use chamomile tea...

Vibha Arora, a Transformation Coach in Southern California, has been providing a safe, judgement free space for parents to process thoughts, feelings, beliefs, challenges and goals for the past 12 years.

She has her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, is certified in a variety of subconscious modalities and is also a certified parent (and teacher) positive discipline facilitator. 

She is an expert at uncovering patterns that are keeping parents stuck and shifting perspectives to that of limitless potential and possibilities.

Vibha’s passion in life is to empower parents and guide them tow...

Dr. Brandi Moore is a mom, wife, Naturopathic Doctor, mentor, speaker, and host of The Pretty Healthy Podcast. 

 She specializes in women's health and helps them rebalance their hormones, get their energy back, and lose weight. It is her mission to help women to understand their bodies and advocate for their health.

Dr. Brandi Moore addresses the following during this episode:

Functional Medicine can help you get to the root of your health problems.  Ruby Ali,  a functional registered dietician and a transformation coach joins me to talk about getting healthy mentally and physically.  

 She completed her training at Cleveland Clinic, the Center of Functional Medicine, at the Institute of Functional Medicine, and the school of life. She specializes in helping people get to the root of their health issues by healing the deeper part of themselves.

By focusing on gut health, hormonal health, and emotional health, they can live a life full of health, vitality, and...

Cathy Cuddy, a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified Holistic Health Coach has a passion for health, wellness, great food and good living .

Cathy works closely with clients to develop personal nutrition plans that work specifically to meet their needs.

Cathy’s interest in Food and Nutrition came at an early age as she watched her mom prepare meals with vegetables grown in the family garden.

  When her dad was diagnosed with high cholesterol and heart disease, she took a keen interest in Nutrition and the difference that Healthy eating makes to manage chronic dis...

Dr. Anna Carchi is a Board-Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and founder of The Healing Ring.  

Dr. Anna received her master’s degree and certification as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and clinical nurse specialist from the University of California, Los Angeles.  She received her clinical doctorate from California State University Los Angeles and continued her education to receive her certification in Integrative Medicine from George Washington University.  

Dr. Anna has been practicing as a pulmonary-critical care specialist in both the hospital and clinic setting.  

After years spent working in this high intensity area o...

Our environments are full of toxic chemicals, from the air we breathe to the water we drink.  Given the negative impact to our mental and physical health, what steps can we take to reduce our load and protect ourselves?

Rebecca Faulkner a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner is joining me to break down what toxins we need to be aware of and the steps we can take to reduce our exposure and toxic load.  

In this episode Rebecca answers the following questions:

 ·     How to reduce your toxic load?

·     Should you...

Is medication the only option when your child is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder? 

 Janice Miles, a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist at a state psychiatric center with specialized training in the areas of Mental Health and Addiction Recovery, wanted to explore her options when her own son was diagnosed with ADD and oppositional defiance disorder

 Given her background as a nutritionist, Janice began using whole food and natural supplements to help her son.

 Her son went from being suspended regularly and on the verge of being kicked out of school to ending up gain...

The majority of people are not aware of the direct connection between mental health and oral health.  The health of your teeth and gums can tell you a lot about the health of your brain, heart, and lungs.  The Queen Of Dental Hygiene, Barbara Tritz joins me today to talk about this important connection.

Barbara K. Tritz RDH, BS, MSB, HIAOMT is a practicing biological dental hygienist in the office of Green City Dental in Edmonds, Washington.

She is also the owner of Washington Oral Wellness in Kirkland, WA where she practices orofacial myofunctional therapy.  She...

Given our busy lifestyles, sleep might feel like a luxury.  From a mental health perspective, it's absolutely essential to get a good night sleep if you want to keep your immune system strong and keep your body and brain healthy.

Vanessa Osario is a sleep science coach at Sleepopolis, a sleep health destination. One of her main duties at Sleepopolis is creating sleep health content that informs consumers on sleep health and helps them make smart choices surrounding their sleep related purchases. 

Vanessa has valued the importance of sleep after getting certified in sl...

Getting a divorce is one of the most stressful times in our lives.  There are so many things to consider all while dealing with the emotional roller coaster associated with divorce.   Cindy Stibbard, a certified Divorce Specialist joins me today to talk about navigating the choppy waters of the divorce process.  

As a Professional Certified Divorce, Career & Empowerment Coach, and as a Certified Divorce Specialist, Cindy helps individuals navigate successfully through challenging times in their lives.

After 26 years in the field of Education and 12 years as a stay-at-home mom, it was Cindy’s own divorce that...

Rachel Vanderpool Rosario is a registered dietitian nutritionist with an integrative approach. She holds licenses in MA and MD and has a virtual practice called Insight Nutrition & Wellness Counseling. Rachel offers nutritional therapy and counseling for gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune hypothyroid, depression/anxiety, and general wellness. Rachel identifies as Afro-Dominican and is passionate about maintaining traditional foodways as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

In this episode, Rachel joins me to talk about the hidden racism that no one talks about.  Before talking to Rachel I was not aware of how the food industry perpetuating social injustice o...

Zainab Afridi, who prefers to be called Zen, is a 17 year old young woman and self described schizophrenic artist.  Despite the deep stigma about mental illness in her home country of Pakistan, Zen has been working toward spreading awareness about and destigmatizing mental illness, and how we shouldn't be ashamed of getting the treatment that we need and embracing it.   

In this bonus episode, originally aired May 2020, Zainab shares her personal struggles with schizophrenia and what she's doing to educate others about her diagnosis through her art. 

Unfortunately currently her Facebook and Youtube accounts are comp...

Dr. Mariza Snyder is a functional practitioner, women’s hormone expert and the author of eight books: The newest book, The Essential Oils Menopause Solution, focuses on solutions for women in perimenopause and menopause and the #1 National Bestselling book, The Essential Oils Hormone Solution, focuses on balancing women’s hormones naturally.  Other bestselling books are: The Smart Mom’s Guide to Essential Oils and The DASH Diet Cookbook.  

For the past twelve years, she has lectured at wellness centers, conferences, and corporations on hormone health, essential oils, nutrition, and detoxification.  She has been featured on Dr. Oz, Oprah Mag...

Emily Sadri is a Holistic Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Midwife with over a decade of experience working with women and families.

She spent the last five years catching babies in a busy urban practice in Cleveland, Ohio, and recently left to open her own functional medicine for women practice.

In this episode Emily joins me to talk about postpartum depression and staying mentally and physically healthy after giving birth.  

Emily addresses the following in this episode:

Deepa Deshmukh is a dietitian practicing functional and Culinary nutrition.

 When treating people she focuses on identifying factors that are contributing to their health issues, identifying the underlying  nutritional deficiencies and comes up with a sustaining plan.

 She specializes in treating  chronic diseases conditions such as digestive health, diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions.  Deepa focuses on the issues  related to health, wellness, nutrition, knowledge empowerment, planet health and anything in between that affects people and their behavior.

 In this episode, Deepa Deshmukh joins me to talk about cleaning up your diet and lifesty...

One of the most toxic relationships in our lives is the relationship with our inner critic.  Instead of being our own biggest champion, we allow our inner critic to bully us into believing the negative and live our lives from a place of irrational fear.

Megan Zaharas joins me to talk about how this inner critic can create limitations in our life.

As a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and coaching certificates in lifestyle medicine and diabetes prevention, Megan's passion is to promote overall well-being and teach tiny steps for big impact.

Je Je Noval, a registered dietitian and gut health specialist joins me to talk about the common causes of dysbiosis, hormonal imbalance, and the role lifestyle plays in common ailments like weight gain, skin disorders, and PMS.  

 Je Je also addresses the impact antibiotics, birth control, and acne medication have on our gut biome, and the long term impact on our hormonal balance.  

 Je Je also provides practical advice for teens struggling with hormonal balance and skin disorders.   

 Addressing the root causes of hormonal imbalance instead of settling for quick solutions that only mask yo...

Jonathan de Potter is the Founder & CEO of Behold Retreats, and advocates for self-improvement and elevating consciousness as the most meaningful way to better the world.

Jonathan’s priority is to raise education and awareness about plant medicines like ayahuasca and psilocybin, and guide others to maximize the potential benefits – ultimately leading him to launch Behold Retreats.

Behold Retreats promises 7 years of growth in 7 weeks for leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs, providing safety, expertise, and curation to the discerning, with memorable private and group retreats available in idyllic locations.

 Prior to founding Behold Retreats, Jonat...

Holly Chayes is a style coach & consultant helping you build and keep the wardrobe you want. In this episode Holly talks about how improving our physical appearance can help improve our mental health.

To learn more about Holly, please visit https://www.whowearswho.com/

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Watch Video Recording on Youtube

To learn more about Dr. Sekandari's Transforming  Anxiety Course, a self paced, online course that helps you manage and c...

Lyndall Farley is a Sabbatical Coach and Wellbeing Specialist, helping people and companies thrive using the power of time off to boost wellbeing. Lyndall has taken 10 sabbaticals and now helps people navigate the logistical and emotional process of taking a break from work themselves.

Lyndall left her decade-long corporate career to train as a Co-Active Coach and founded Beyond a Break in 2019.

She believes that we can all live our best lives by getting more out of our breaks from work. Whether it’s a short break or a transformational sabbatical, it’s a chance to p...

 At the age of 48, Karen Polanchek, A functional nutritional therapy practitioner, experienced a divorce, a death in the family, a move, and final exams (within 3 mo.’s), all of which, threw her into menopause.  Karen spent three months in bed with adrenal exhaustion, depression, panic attacks and eventually, suicidal thoughts.  

Her tendency towards over exercising and extreme dieting led to adrenal fatigue but now at the age of 54, Karen reports she feels better than ever.  Through nutritional and hormonal support, Karen learned how to create balance in her hormones as well as in her life.  

Gaining...

Is hard work enough to achieve success in life?  

Vanessa Lech, a licensed clinical social worker and writer joins me to discuss the myth and fallacy of hard work always leading to success in life.  

Despite her efforts and credentials, Vanessa admits it has not led to financial freedom for her.

For women and people of color hard work rarely leads to the kind of success we associate with making it.  Obstacles such as poverty, racism, underfunded schools create barriers that can seem impossible to overcome.

Women for example have to wor...

Is medication….or NOT wanting to take medication standing in the way of treating mental illness?

In this episode I discuss how medication is just one part, if any, to getting treated for mental illness.

With so many treatment options available, medication doesn’t have to be part of the treatment plan.

In my work with my patients and students, I empower them to learn about all the options available and make the best decision for them.

My goal is to reduce dependency on outside sources and focus more on internal tool...

Spring is often associated with deep cleaning and decluttering our house but should we be doing the same for our body?

If you're suffering from low energy, brain fog, inflamed joints, or difficulty sleeping, it could be that you're over exposed to chemicals and toxins in your environment and your body's detoxification system may be overwhelmed and could benefit from a cleanse or a detox.

 Bridgit Danner, a licensed Acupuncturist and detox specialist joins me today to tell us about the proper ways to detox for better mental and physical health.

Bridgit became i...

Therapy can work best when you make the most of the sessions.

In this video I discuss the steps you can take to make sure your sessions are beneficial.

To download the Free PDF “Top 5 Strategies for Great Mental Health”, please visit https://www.drsekandari.com/top5

Follow Dr. Sekandari on:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.sekandari

Watch Video Recording on Youtube
Learn more about Dr. Sekandari's 6 week online course "Transforming Anxiety" by visiting https://www.drsekandari.com...

Making your mental health a priority can improve your life in all areas, including financially and your relationships.

Not investing in your mental health can also cost you time, money, jobs, and joy in your life.

In this video, I address the importance of making time for therapy and investing in your mental health.

Watch the video for this episode Here

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Do you dream about the day you'll be so successful that all your problems will go away?  

Tamanna Roashan, also known as @DressYourFace with 2.5 million followers on Instagram, is an LA based makeup artist- turned- business woman, who used her unique teaching talents and ethnically diverse artistry to create a full fledged beauty business making her a founder & CEO at 29 and a self-made millionaire by age 30. 

Today, she is one of the most sought-after International Beauty Educators in the world, selling-out massive hands-on master class shows across the globe, and teaching weekly classes on her ve...

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder  (OCD) can be debilitating if you don't understand it or know how to manage it.   OCD is an anxiety based disorder and in this video I discuss how OCD can impact your life and what you should do to take back control.  OCD can be managed and you can live in control of your life with an  OCD diagnosis and actually make it work for you.  Tune in to find out more. 

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Joelle Maletis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who incorporates CBT and DBT skills, somatic work, EMDR along with talk therapy and solution-focused therapy, to provide a structure that allows clients to make changes in their own lives.

 By offering a safe space, Joelle works with a diverse clientele that includes C-suite executives, content moderators, active and retired military personnel, first responders, police/law enforcement and those experiencing various forms of trauma, PTSD and Post Traumatic Growth.  

Joelle has appeared in several TED Talks, as well as ABC’s 60 minutes, Beyond the Headlines. 

 In...

Devon Loftus is a writer, author, speaker and the founder of Moon Cycle Bakery — a wellness based business that focuses on the menstrual cycle and creates sweet treats and food related products to help support women hormonally, spiritually and emotionally. Inside and outside of her business, Devon values emotional and mental health. 

Devon started her Mooncycle Bakery after she realized the need for hormonally balanced nutrition during a woman's menstrual cycle.  

Devon's own history with depression and suicidal ideation deepened her understanding between the connection of food and mood.  Devon's deep love and connection to her m...

Understanding the root cause of your behavior requires digging deeper in order to understand why you do the things you do.  In this short bonus episode, Dr. Sekandari addresses how you can start looking deeper, and peeling back the layers in order to gain more insight into your behaviors. 

Follow Dr. Sekandari on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_nafisa_sekandari
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.sekandari

Watch Video Recording on Youtube
Learn more about Dr. Sekandari's 6 week online course "Transforming Anxiety" by visiting https://www.drsekandari.com/course

Did you know that having a history of mental illness can increase your risk of having a higher BMI and possible weight gain? 

I didn’t know that before talking to Dr. Alexis David, an Obesity Medicine Specialist. 

In this episode, Dr. David talks about how obesity can worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety, lead to body image problems, and low self esteem, along with sleep disturbances, overall impairment with cognition, mental clarity, and brain fog.

Dr. David also addresses the role stress plays in our ability to lose weight. 

 Tune in to...

Saba Malik, a teacher, author, and Life Coach shares her personal struggle with Bi-polar Disorder while also dealing with the stigma and limitations of mental illness that come with it. 

Due to the stigma towards mental illness within the Muslim community, Saba has struggled with leveling the playing field when it comes to social opportunities such as marriage and relationships. 

Saba shares her own story of how she openly discussed her mental illness with potential suitors and what her husband said to her when they first met that set him a part from the others. 

What is normal and why do we use typical behavior as the standard for normal behavior?

Marissa Loewen, a transformational Business Coach, Community Catalyst, and Creative Entrepreneur, as well as someone diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, and Anxiety, dispels the belief that there is only one way to be normal. 

 Marissa shares her own struggles with autism, that may not fit the typical profile of autism but still impacts her life.  Marissa challenges the concept of “functional” and states you can still “function” even if you are non verbal or require aides to speak or hear. 

 Mariss...

Navigating the services available at the school level can be frustrating and overwhelming for parents new to the process.  Many don't even know what to ask for in terms of help for their children. 

Zarlasht Ahmad, a school psychologist, joins us to talk about the services available at the school level for children needing additional academic support.  

As part of her duties, Zarlasht conducts psycho-educational assessments and collaborates with both school staff and families in developing plans that offer educational supports and/or services necessary for students to be successful in school. 

In t...