Manders Mindset

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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 secrecy for decades after placing her daughter for adoption.

Together, Amanda and Dr. Zoe explore the emotional weight of people-pleasing, perfectionism, trauma, and the ways shame quietly shapes relationships, self-worth, and the ability to show up authentically in the world. Dr. Zoe also breaks down the difference between guilt, simple shame, toxic shame, and what she calls “complex shame”, a deeper form of shame built over years of painful experiences and hidden wounds.

This conversation is an honest and hopeful reminder that healing doesn’t begin through hiding…

It begins through vulnerability, self-forgiveness, and finally allowing the truth to be seen.

⏰ Timeline Summary

[5:40] – Growing up with racial identity shame and strict religious expectations                                                                                                                    [9:15] – Becoming pregnant at 15 and carrying the burden of secrecy                  [14:30] – Using achievement, success, and perfectionism to hide shame [19:05] – The moment she revealed her secret to her children and family [23:45] – The difference between guilt, simple shame, complex shame, and toxic shame                                                                                                            [31:40] – Practical ways to begin untangling shame and finding forgiveness 

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 The difference between guilt, simple shame, toxic shame, and complex shame
💔 How secrecy and people-pleasing can quietly shape identity and relationships
 ✨ The emotional impact of carrying shame from childhood into adulthood
 📖 Dr. Zoe’s personal journey through teen pregnancy, adoption, and self-forgiveness
🪞 How perfectionism and achievement can become coping mechanisms for hidden pain

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Zoe: 

 📖 Get Dr. Zoe's Book Stronger in the Difficult Places: https://a.co/d/bWNSd4G

Get Dr. Zoe's Must Have Resources to untangle Shame: 

https://dr-zoe-shaw-enterprises.kit.com/7247f0bc86 

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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 walk, read, speak, and rebuild her life from the ground up.

Together, Amanda and Shannon explore the emotional journey of letting go of old identities, learning to accept life’s hardest moments, and finding beauty even in the middle of pain and uncertainty. Shannon opens up about surviving childhood abuse, building a successful interior design career, navigating physical and emotional recovery after her accident, and eventually transforming her experiences into a book designed to inspire others through trauma and healing.

This conversation is a reminder that healing isn’t always about returning to who you once were… 

Sometimes it’s about discovering a completely new version of yourself.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 What it was like for Shannon to relearn how to read, walk, and navigate life after a traumatic brain injury
 🌿 Why staying present became one of the biggest lessons of her recovery
 💔 The emotional process of letting go of old identities and expectations
 ✨ How childhood trauma shaped Shannon’s drive, resilience, and independence
 📖 The unexpected journey that led her to writing and publishing her book
 🛁 Why relearning simple daily tasks became some of her biggest victories
 💫 How acceptance, grace, and small moments of joy helped her rebuild her life

⏰ Timeline Summary

[2:10] Shannon reflects on how her accident transformed her identity and perspective on life
[7:50] Growing up in a chaotic and abusive household while learning independence young
[15:40] Starting her first business at 22 and unexpectedly entering interior design
[28:15] The motorcycle accident that changed everything and surviving a two-month coma
[39:20] Relearning how to walk, read, and navigate life after traumatic brain injury
[47:30] Letting go of her old life and learning to embrace “Shannon Michelle 2.0”
[53:50] Writing her book, rebuilding purpose, and helping others through trauma
[58:40] Staying present, acceptance, and finding abundance through life’s hardest moments

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Shannon:

Website: https://stepintoyourmiracle.com/

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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 after it.

Together, Amanda and Amy unpack the reality of doing things before you feel ready, learning to trust yourself after life-altering decisions, and the quiet but powerful realization that… people actually care. This episode is a reminder that your voice matters, even if you’re still learning how to believe that.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How childhood experiences can shape self-worth and identity
 💭 What it feels like to live with deep-rooted insecurity and still move forward
 🎙️ The reality of starting a podcast (and hitting record) before feeling ready
 🔥 Why “do it anyway” can be the most life-changing mindset shift
 🌱 How growth often comes from uncomfortable, unexpected life transitions
 💔 Navigating big life changes like divorce, relocation, and starting over
 🧭 The powerful realization that your voice matters more than you think

⏱️ Timeline Summary:

[1:30] Celebrating Episode 200 & how Amanda and Amy connected
 [6:00] Amy’s childhood, family dynamics, and early instability
 [14:30] School struggles, insecurity, and not following a traditional path
 [24:00] Early adulthood, relationships, and career journey beginnings
 [34:30] Job transitions, COVID struggles, and emotional burnout
 [43:00] Starting her podcast despite fear and self-doubt
 [52:00] The mindset shift: “do it anyway” & finding her voice
 [1:00:00] Realizing people care & reflections on growth and self-worth

TAKE THE SURVEY TO WIN A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD & A MANDERS MINDSET TEE: https://form.jotform.com/mandersmindset/200-episodes-of-manders-mindset

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Amy:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groundedinmainepodcast_/

Listen to Grounded in Maine Podcast: https://www.groundedinmaine.com/

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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 reshaped her sense of safety, identity, and connection to the world around her.

Together, Amanda and Crystal unpack how grief, constant change, and emotional survival led to years of feeling disconnected and lost… and what it truly took to begin the journey back home. Through reflection, resilience, and a deep commitment to self-discovery, Crystal reveals how she’s been reclaiming the joyful, fearless version of herself she once knew and what that process looks like in real life.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How early life experiences shape identity and emotional patterns
 💔 The impact of losing a parent at a young age and how it shifts everything
 🏠 What it’s like growing up in public housing as part of a large family
 🔄 How constant change and instability can lead to feeling lost
 🌱 The journey of reconnecting with your younger, authentic self
 🔥 Why healing isn’t about becoming someone new but returning to who you were
 🧭 What it really takes to come back home to yourself after years of disconnection

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:10] Growing up as one of ten children in public housing
 [6:45] Losing her father at 11 and the emotional impact that followed
 [11:30] How her mother changed through grief and survival
 [18:20] The beginning of feeling unsafe, isolated, and disconnected
 [26:40] Navigating mental health struggles and identity loss
 [35:15] The turning point toward self-discovery and healing
 [44:50] Reconnecting with her younger self and finding joy again

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

Feedback on the show? Send us a message!

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.

Together, Amanda and Rachel explore how the nervous system, subconscious patterns, and repeated thoughts shape everyday experiences, and why lasting transformation requires more than surface level change. From leaving a lifelong religion to healing chronic anxiety, this conversation sheds light on what it truly means to live in alignment and how small, intentional shifts can begin to change everything.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How nervous system dysregulation can contribute to anxiety, panic, and chronic overwhelm
 🔁 The role of neuroplasticity in rewiring thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses
 ⚡ Why repeated thoughts and focus can reinforce patterns that no longer serve
 🧩 The FAR method and how focus, associations, and repetition shape reality
 🧘‍♀️ What alignment-based yoga is and why it goes beyond physical movement
 🌱 How internal alignment can influence relationships, choices, and everyday life
 🫁 The ABC method for creating pause and making more conscious decisions

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[03:10] Rachel shares the qualities that define her at the core: wisdom, compassion, and freedom
 [07:20] The decision to leave Mormonism and navigate the impact it had on family relationships
 [12:45] Anxiety, panic attacks, and the moment the nervous system reached its limit
 [18:30] The search for healing through counseling, medication, and alternative approaches
 [24:10] Discovering brain retraining and understanding the science of neuroplasticity
 [29:40] Breaking down the FAR method: focus, associations, and repetition
 [35:20] What alignment-based yoga really means and how it supports all bodies
 [40:10] The ABC method for creating space, breathing, and making aligned choices

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!