Manders Mindset

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What if the things you've spent your entire life searching for were never outside of you to begin with?

In this deeply vulnerable episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with speaker, author, coach, and founder of Angel Goddess Healing, Shannon Curtis, for a powerful conversation about trauma, addiction, grief, forgiveness, healing, and the journey back to self.

Shannon opens up about the experiences that shaped her life, from childhood struggles and multiple miscarriages to a seven-year addiction to prescription pain...

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What if the dream you've spent your entire life chasing is no longer the dream you're meant to live?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Shannon Russell, business coach, speaker, author, and host of the Second Act Success podcast, for a conversation about career transitions, entrepreneurship, identity, and having the courage to reinvent yourself.

Shannon shares her journey from landing her dream job at MTV and spending 16 years in the television industry to walking away from a successful...

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What if one of the most common pieces of advice we've ever been given isn't actually true?

In this thought-provoking episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with author Adam Brownlie to explore one of life's biggest questions: Can we actually choose to be happy?

Drawing from years of research and the philosophy behind his book Happypedia, Adam challenges many of the beliefs society holds about happiness, emotions, forgiveness, and human behavior. Together, Amanda and Adam dive into the science of...

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What if one of the most powerful things you could do for yourself wasn’t helping someone else… but learning how to stop abandoning yourself?

In this heartfelt episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with former bodybuilding pro turned functional health and fitness coach Allie Cass for a powerful conversation about self-worth, resilience, grief, identity, and the courage to choose yourself.

Allie opens up about a toxic teenage relationship that shaped much of her early life, sharing what it was like...

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What if happiness isn't something you're born with... but something you can learn?

In this deeply honest and inspiring episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda sits down with author, keynote speaker, happiness coach, and former business executive Todd Patkin for a powerful conversation about mental health, perfectionism, burnout, and the habits that create a truly fulfilling life.

From being bullied as a child and struggling with homesickness to building a $100 million business, Todd spent much of his life chasing achievement, validation, and success. On...

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What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want… is the resistance to change?

In this deeply insightful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Harvard-trained psychotherapist, mindset expert, executive coach, and bestselling author Madeline Weiss for a powerful conversation about identity, self-worth, reinvention, and the hidden psychology behind personal transformation.

From losing her father unexpectedly at 15 years old to rebuilding her confidence through learning, growth, and self-discovery, Madeline shares the experiences that shaped her understanding of mindset, re...

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What if the shame carried for years wasn’t proof that something was wrong… but proof that healing had never truly been given space to begin?

In this deeply vulnerable episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Zoe Shaw, licensed psychotherapist, relationship coach, author, and podcast host for a powerful conversation about shame, secrecy, identity, and emotional healing. Dr. Zoe opens up about growing up in a strict religious environment, navigating racial identity shame, becoming pregnant as a teenager, and carrying the burden of s...

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What if rebuilding your life after trauma wasn’t about becoming who you once were… but learning how to embrace who you are now?

In this deeply moving episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with author, speaker, and trauma survivor Shannon Michelle for a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, healing, and the life changing power of staying present. After surviving a near-fatal motorcycle accident that left her in a coma for two months, Shannon shares what it was like to relearn how to w...

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What happens when you’ve spent most of your life believing your voice doesn’t matter… and then you decide to use it anyway?

In this milestone Episode 200 of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with podcast host and sustainability advocate Amy Bolduc for one of the most raw and honest conversations yet. From navigating a challenging childhood and years of self-doubt to building a podcast and showing up consistently despite insecurity, Amy shares what it really looks like to grow through the mess... not af...

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What happens when life pulls you so far away from who you once were… that finding your way back feels almost impossible?

In this deeply personal episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Crystal Harrell, Yale-trained public health researcher, bestselling author, and CEO to explore her journey of losing and rediscovering herself. From growing up in public housing as one of ten children to experiencing the devastating loss of her father at just 11 years old, Crystal shares how that pivotal moment re...

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What if the anxiety, overwhelm, and patterns people struggle to break aren’t random, but the result of a nervous system that has been conditioned over time?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Rachel Lundberg, owner of Thrive Yoga and Wellness and co-founder of Yoga Oak. With over two decades of experience in yoga and nervous system work, Rachel shares her deeply personal journey through anxiety, identity shifts, and ultimately discovering the science of brain retraining and alignment.

...

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What if the hardest moment of your life wasn’t the end… but the beginning of your transformation?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Shruti, a cancer survivor, author, and holistic health coach, to share her deeply personal journey through adversity, healing, and self-discovery. From growing up feeling misunderstood to navigating a high-pressure career and a painful divorce, Shruti opens up about the moments that shaped her long before a life-changing cancer diagnosis at just 34.

Together, Aman...

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What if the struggles people face in their lives, whether in relationships, finances, or personal fulfillment aren’t due to a lack of effort, but instead deeply rooted subconscious programming?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Joseph, also known as Joey, a rapid growth specialist and creator of the SMT Method. With decades of experience studying human behavior and transformation, Dr. Joseph shares his journey from living in cycles of struggle, self-doubt, and people-pleasing to uncovering the pr...

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What if the patterns that have shaped someone’s entire life were never actually the problem but the solution waiting to be uncovered?

In this deeply honest episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with boundaries coach, speaker, and author Barb Nangel, whose life transformed at 52 through 12-step recovery after decades of therapy only scratched the surface. From growing up in a dysfunctional environment to years of addiction, codependency, and emotional struggle, Barb shares how hitting a breaking point became the doorway to re...

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What if the voice that’s been held back… is the very thing meant to lead?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with speaker, author, and soulful speaking coach Lauri Smith for a conversation about leadership, authenticity, and the journey from being the “good girl” to becoming an untamed, fully expressed voice.

Lauri shares a deeply personal story of growing up with unspoken pressure to be perfect, always composed, always doing the “right” thing. But beneath that identity was somethin...

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What if the smallest moment… a compliment, a conversation, an email almost deleted… could change the entire course of a life?

In this deeply moving episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with motivational speaker, author, and “motivational firewood guy” Steve Gamlin for a conversation about mindset, awareness, resilience, love, and the unexpected moments that shape a life.

Steve shares how a childhood filled with curiosity and imagination eventually led him into radio, stand-up comedy, DJing, public speaking, and writing...

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What if the hardest parts of someone’s past didn’t have to define their future?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with transformational speaker and Air Force veteran Logan, whose life story is a testament to resilience, personal responsibility, and the power of rewriting your own narrative. From growing up in a restrictive religious environment to serving in Iraq and navigating PTSD, divorce, and moments of suicidal ideation, Logan shares how he learned to take ownership of his heal...

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What if the constant mental noise, overthinking, and self-doubt many people experience isn’t something they have to live with forever?

In this insightful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist, and founder of Mindful Matters LLC, Nikki Gangemi. After pivoting from a career in acting to 15 years in teaching before becoming an entrepreneur, Nikki shares the personal journey that led her to help others break free from limiting patterns and reclaim control of their mindset.

Together, Am...

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What if hitting rock bottom wasn’t the end of the story…
 but the beginning of rebuilding everything?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with entrepreneur and Uplift 360 founder Wes Towers to explore what happens when life completely falls apart and how those moments can become the catalyst for profound transformation.

After experiencing divorce, emotional breakdown, and sleeping under his office desk while trying to keep his business alive, Wes shares the mindset shifts, healing practices, and deep...

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What if intimacy isn’t lost because love disappears… but because anxiety takes over?

In this thought-provoking episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Bruce, a Vermont-based psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with couples, to unpack what really breaks relationships apart and what actually brings them back together.

After navigating his own personal heartbreak and career pivot from statistician to licensed psychologist, Bruce has spent decades guiding couples through infidelity, emotional disconnection, and crisis. Through that work, he deve...

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What if the reason your relationship feels stuck… isn’t because of them but because of what you’re carrying?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with marriage and mindset expert Larry Bilotta for a powerful conversation about emotional patterns, childhood programming, and why it only takes one person to begin healing a relationship. After spending 27 years in what he calls “a marriage made in hell,” Larry shares the internal shift that transformed everything, not by changing his wife, but...

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What if the authority you’ve been taught to look for outside of yourself has actually been within you all along?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with holistic doctor and former midwife Dr. Marissa Heisel for an expansive conversation on women’s health, pregnancy, midlife, and the radical act of self-trust. With more than 26 years of experience working with women and families, Marissa shares how her journey from conventional medical aspirations to holistic care reshaped her understanding of heal...

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What if pain wasn’t the enemy… but a messenger?

What if stress wasn’t just something to “push through”… but the root of nearly every ache, tension, and health challenge in the body?

In this deeply insightful episode, host Amanda Russo sits down with Njideka Olatunde, founder of Focus on Healing Wellness Institute, reflexology educator, and pioneer in medication-free pain relief… for a conversation that reframes everything listeners think they know about pain, stress, and healing.

Njideka shares how growing up with home r...

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What does it really take to rise from rock bottom and build something meaningful?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Michael Leung for a raw and deeply human conversation about grief, identity, resilience, and rebuilding after adversity. From immigrating to Canada at six years old to losing his mother to cancer during his teenage years, Michael shares how that devastating loss unraveled him, leading to years of anger, rebellion, and self-destruction before ultimately becoming the foundation for purpose.<...

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What if the reason burnout keeps coming back… isn’t because there’s not enough time but because too much of that time is going to things that don’t actually matter to the life someone wants?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala, clinical psychologist, professor, and bestselling author for a grounded, eye-opening conversation about values, boundaries, and what it really takes to create change that lasts. Dr. Sauer-Zavala shares her journey from being a “messy, shy kid” t...

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What if the reason most bras don’t feel right… is because brands aren’t actually listening? 

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Kristen Anderson, co-founder of Iteration, to unpack what happens when product design is guided by real women, not guesswork.

From Kristen’s “Skirt Girl” origins and a wild childhood fashion story to her path through lingerie startups and Target swimwear, this conversation explores the mindset behind creating with...

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What if the healing you’ve been searching for doesn’t start in your thoughts… but in your body?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with trauma-informed healer and spiritual educator Heather Ann Ferri for a powerful, wide-ranging conversation on trauma, remembrance, and reclaiming inner sovereignty. Heather shares her extraordinary life journey from Broadway stages and creative success to profound dark nights of the soul and how those experiences shaped the healing work she offers today.

T...

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What if one recorded conversation could become a living archive... something that speaks long after you’re gone and changes someone’s life in ways you’ll never witness?

In this deeply moving episode, host Amanda Russo sits down with Adam Torres, co-founder of Mission Matters, author, international speaker, and host of over 6,000 interviews... for a conversation that weaves together mindset, storytelling, grief, and legacy.

Adam shares his unconventional path from left-brained finance to storytelling at scale, includ...

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What if the “small changes” you keep putting off are actually the ones that would change everything?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with author and acupuncturist Elizabeth Bruckner, creator of The Homesteader Mindset, for a conversation that feels equal parts grounding, funny, and quietly life-altering. Elizabeth shares how a lifetime shaped by immigrant family history, chronic illness, and deep curiosity led her to the unexpected path of homesteading… starting in a Southern California suburb...

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What if the reason “starting over” feels so hard… is because you’re trying to change habits before you’ve changed the way you see yourself?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with mindset and movement coach Christiaan Hoffman for a wide-ranging, thought-provoking conversation about identity, comfort zones, and why real transformation starts in the mind long before it shows up in the body. Christiaan shares how his life experiences—from growing up in the Netherlands to solo back...

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What happens when someone has been “the strong one” for so long… they forget they’re allowed to need support too?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with PK (Prakash) for a conversation that’s equal parts grounding, honest, and deeply human. PK opens up about growing up in the UK in a South Asian family while helping care for two older siblings with profound learning disabilities, one of whom is his twin and how that responsibi...

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What if healing, success, and freedom weren’t about pushing harder… but about clearing what’s been running the show beneath the surface?

In this expansive and thought-provoking episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Alain Salas, bestselling author, chiropractic physician, and mind-body expert, to explore how subconscious programming shapes our health, relationships, goals, and sense of self. Dr. Salas shares his unconventional life journey from chasing freedom across the world on a sailboat to answer...

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What if the moments you brushed off as “just being good at your job” were actually something deeper... an inner intelligence quietly guiding you long before you had language for it?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with ER nurse and author Jen Johnson for a raw, honest, and unexpectedly hopeful conversation about intuition, burnout, and survival inside one of the most demanding professions. With over 16 years in emergency medicine, Jen opens up about toxic workplace culture, bullying, and the...

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What if true wealth had less to do with how much you make… and more to do with how consciously you live?

In this powerful and grounded conversation, host Amanda Russo sits down with Terry Nicklas, certified financial planner, wealth coach, and success coach, to explore the emotional side of money and what it really means to build a life of true wealth.

Terry shares her journey from a shy child with little confidence to a successful entrepreneur who re...

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What if the path to healing, motivation, and self-trust wasn’t about fixing yourself… but about staying long enough for change to happen?

In this deeply honest episode, host Amanda Russo is joined by Nita Sweeney, bestselling author, ultramarathoner, mindfulness coach, and mental health advocate. Nita shares her powerful journey from growing up in a family shaped by alcoholism, navigating depression and addiction, and surviving suicidal ideation, to finding healing through sobriety, meditation, and movement.

Together, Amanda and Nita explore what it r...

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2025 Year in Review: Listening Sooner

In this solo Year in Review episode of Manders Mindset, I reflect on a year that didn’t ask me to do more, it asked me to listen sooner.

2025 was expansive, tender, and slower than I expected. While parts of the year looked grounded and productive on the outside, much of the real work was happening beneath the surface. I learned that stillness doesn’t always mean rest, and movement doesn’t always mean progress.

This...

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What if confidence isn’t something you’re born with but something you earn by taking action before you feel ready?

 What if fear isn’t a sign to stop, but an invitation to step forward anyway?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Devin Gonzalez for a grounded and empowering conversation about mindset, self-belief, and what it truly means to bet on yourself. From teaching martial arts as a teenager to building a six-fig...

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What if the patterns you’ve been trying to “fix” the over giving, the overthinking, the holding on too tightly, were never flaws at all, but intelligent survival strategies shaped by the nervous system itself?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with emotional healing specialist and Lift Oneself founder Natalie “NatNat” Bedard for a grounded and deeply revealing conversation about trauma, embodiment, nervous system safety, and the hidden motivations behind the choices we make. From...

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What if the key to fighting hate wasn’t politics or arguments online, but one courageous story that makes you feel what’s at stake?

In this powerful episode, Amanda is joined by guest, Dr. Robert J. Wolf, retired radiologist and author of Not a Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Man’s Fight for Freedom. Robert shares his father’s miraculous survival as a Jewish man in Nazi and Communist-controlled Hungary, his family’s multiple escapes, and how those 20 “impossible”...

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In this short solo episode, I’m sharing a moment from my recent conversation with Laura Bratton, Awoman who became blind as a teenager and learned to anchor herself through her breath.

Talking with her reminded me of something so simple but so profound:

Even when someone can’t use their eyes, they can still come back home to their breath.

It showed me AGAIN just how powerful our breath truly is.

Her full episode on my Breathwork Magic podcast (released Frid...