Words of Love with Dr Dwayne DrDwayneMD

This episode is quite a departure from what I'm used to delivering to you and what you're used to seeing from me. This episode, though, is so essential. It has stimulated so much growth for me because it was the necessary work that I needed to learn how to make space for all of my humanity. 
Sometimes, shit happens that threatens to bring your alter ego out hopping mad. One early morning in April, I picked up the phone and my alter ego Nagasaki got triggered.
So what ticked me off, and why do you need to hear it? In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about what happened and how it demonstrates the need to defend your boundaries as a human being. I’ll also share a little history that came to bear on this situation and what must be done for us to finally put moments like this in the past.
4:00 - The phone call that set me off and unleashed my alter ego Nagasaki
11:00 - Why the response I got back had me questioning my right to show up in my humanity for a split second
16:30 - What needs to happen for us to consciously evolve into what we say we want to manifest and embody
21:50 - What most people don’t know about Nagasaki, Japan
24:30 - A look ahead to next week’s conversation 

Mentioned in Nagasaki Rants: The Failure of Some People to See the Humanity of Others


“Introducing Nagasaki Jenkins” (paid subscribers)
The Divine Assignment Substack with Dr. Dwayne

You can do much to greatly impact people with just a few hundred dollars...or a high school education.
John Giordano has contributed profoundly to the wellness industry. He’s an addiction expert and specialist in holistic mental health and trauma recovery. He’s appeared on many TV and radio stations and written 80 scientific peer-reviewed research papers. And he did it all with a 9th-grade education and a holistic treatment center he started with only $300!
In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn more about John’s contributions, how they were fueled by his experiences with sexual abuse and severe addiction, and the one rule he followed that has led to his 39-year (and counting) sober journey. He’ll also dive into how the medical profession has been slow to change, how his former treatment center helped addicts and trauma victims recover, and the obstacles that still stand in the way of holistic medicine gaining a greater foothold within our healthcare system.
3:47 - How John’s early life resembled The Sopranos
8:28 - The roadmap that saved John from falling into the abyss of hell
11:38 - The point when John knew he wasn’t going back to his old life of addiction
15:10 - How treatment for addiction, mental health, and substance abuse at John’s center was ahead of its time
20:20 - Why John was able to translate his research into meaningful outcomes decades before the wellness profession (and with “only a 9th-grade education”)
26:36 - The healthcare industry’s reticence (as a whole) to incorporate holistic practices and the fault with the 28-day recovery model
34:29 - Holistic care access pathway that doesn’t involve trying to change the system from within and the need for third-party outcome studies
40:14 - How John’s treatment center used Ibogaine with addicts and the role of plant medicine in substance abuse recovery
48:47 - The problem with the potential for plant medicine and other natural substances to replace antidepressants and antipsychotics 

Connect with John Giordano


It was by no accident that John Giordano chose addiction and mental health treatment as his life’s work. Growing up the son of a heroin dealer and trying to cope with the trauma of being molested as a young boy, he fell hard into drugs and alcohol. Over thirty-eight years ago, at the urging of his family, John entered rehab. He emerged a changed man – committed to helping others afflicted by this terrible disease.
John has authored two additional books “How To Beat Your Addictions And Live A Quality Life”, “Proven Holistic Treatment For Addiction & Chronic Relapse” and was a contributing author for ‘Molecular Neurobiology of Addiction Recovery: The 12 Steps Program and Fellowship’ with the esteemed Dr. Blum and Dr. Gold.
John J. Giordano | Facebook | LinkedIn
The Kid From the South Bronx Who Never Gave Up and other books by John Giordano

Mentioned in How John Giordano Revolutionized Addiction and Mental Health With Holistic Treatment


Physician Referral Network
JC’s Recovery Center
Dr. Deborah Mash’s DemeRX
The Divine Assignment Substack with Dr. Dwayne

Tattoos used to be taboo (except among the bikers and rock stars). Back in the day, you wouldn’t dare show them in the professional workplace.
But we’ve come quite a way since then. From neighbors to high society celebrities, we see people from all stripes of life with body art in the form of tiny tattoos, sleeves, and even the full body.
My special guest Friday Jones has seen firsthand how society’s view on tattooing has changed since she entered the industry in the early 1990s. She’s a trailblazing tattoo artist who’s worked on the likes of Angelina Jolie, Lydia Hearst, Aaron Neville, and other worldwide famous figures and leaders. For her, though, tattoos go beyond just being an art form.
In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about the trajectory of tattoo culture in society and how tattoos have come to symbolize freedom, self-expression, and more. Friday will also discuss her journey in the industry, her work with practitioners on mastectomy tattoos, and the process of legalizing tattooing in Montenegro (while discovering its secret regional history along the way).
6:00 - How Friday got started tattooing cancer patients and helping with their breast reconstruction
10:39 - How nurse practitioners and patients responded to the idea of nipple tattoos
14:15 - How society has embraced tattoos and how they’ve become a symbol of empowerment and freedom (for myself included)
22:18 - Friday’s favorite illustrative mastectomy tattoos and how women’s partners react to their body art
25:15 - The idea behind Friday’s first tattoo and why she almost passed out when the needle hit her arm for the first time
29:41 - How Friday helped legalize tattooing in Montenegro and uncovered a forgotten cultural history of tattooing in the region

Connect with Friday Jones


Friday Jones is a trailblazing tattoo artist, known for her exceptional talent and innovative approach to the art of tattooing. With a client list that reads like a who's who of award-winners, supermodels, and world leaders, Friday has left an indelible mark on the industry. Her work has graced album covers and even iconic guitars, making her a true luminary in the world of tattoo artistry.
Friday is also a pioneer, having legalized tattooing in Montenegro and opening the country's first legal tattoo shop, Tattoo Montenegro, in 2018. With over 26,000 hours of expertise, she has become a trusted name in post-operative tattoos, collaborating with top hospitals, plastic surgeons, and even developing training programs for nurse practitioners for 3D nipple tattoos, areolar repigmentation, and scar therapy.  Friday's journey from a prestigious apprenticeship to her extensive academic pursuits showcases her dedication to pushing the boundaries of tattoo art.
Friday Jones | Instagram

Mentioned in How Tattoos Symbolize Freedom and Autonomy Throughout History with Friday Jones


“The Deep Work of Being a Speaker and Influential Voice with Tricia Brouk”
The Big Talk Academy
The Big Talk Virtual Masterclass
The Divine Assignment Substack with Dr. Dwayne

From mythology to Godzilla’s King Ghidorah to that funny meme online, the three-headed dragon is such a popular motif. Yet, those heads can also represent the shadows you need to fight to get out of the low points of your life.
What if, for example, the three dragon heads represented divorce, death or a loved one, and depression? My guest Jeremy Murphy had to fight back against those three Ds to emerge from the lowest point of his life. Now, he combines his mixed martial arts and fitness background with his coaching education to help others slay the monster and gain physical, mental, and emotional strength and endurance.
In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear Jeremy’s story and how he developed his F.I.G.H.T. framework. He’ll teach you his philosophy and how it was inspired by mixed martial arts, the need for men to learn how to exude and embody masculine energy, and much more!
2:44 - The concept of having long-distance mentors and how it reflects the way we learn
6:16 - How Jeremy got into martial arts, became an MMA fighter, and started dipping his toe into coaching
12:29 - How pain often relates to your purpose and an example of how men end up being so driven due to issues with their dads
28:10 - How Jeremy’s F.I.G.H.T. philosophy helped him get out of a spiraling depressive state at the lowest point of his life and transition to coaching
37:27 - What Jeremy’s F.I.G.H.T. framework is all about and how it was influenced by his MMA experience
Connect with Jeremy Murphy


JDM Coaching and Training
F.I.G.H.T. Back course (use code purpose200 for instant $200 discount)
Facebook | LinkedIn
Mentioned in How to Fight Your Way Back From Your Lowest Point with Jeremy Murphy


CSULB Shotokan Karate Club | Shotokan Karate of America
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Big Talk Virtual Masterclass
The Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
Jay Shetty Certification School
Mindvalley Business Coach Certification Program
Heart on Break by Nakada Brown
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette
The Divine Assignment Substack with Dr. Dwayne

Within all of us are spiritual and universal truths we recognize before we’re born. Some of us remember those truths while we’re still here in physical form. And while these journeys can share similarities, we also have unique attributes we bring to the table.
Take Mark Weisman, for instance. He went from being a minister to a modern-day Shaman and sworn Ulfhednar to his ancestral Norse gods. His spiritual studies and academic degrees helped him develop methods of dealing with psychological trauma so that people can get back to fulfilled and joyful lives.
In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about Mark’s journey and how to respond to situations that trigger negative emotional reactions. Mark will also teach you about the power of perspective choice in day-to-day life and how spiritual studies can both change and make more sense of your life.
6:10 - How Mark first discovered his Norse heritage and what it means to be an Ulfhednar
12:22 - How embracing his spiritual studies changed Mark’s life and helped it make sense
24:21 - How Mark affects meaningful change on a person-to-person level in his daily work
30:25 - An example of tools you can use when triggered into negative emotional reactions
42:32 - How opposing viewpoints on death illustrate the idea of perspective choice in every facet of life
53:47 - A quick overview of how Mark’s book Turn to Final addresses spirituality
Connect with Mark Weisman

Mark Weisman is a modern-day Shaman and sworn 53rd-generation Ulfhednar to his ancestral Gods, Odin and Freya in Asgard by Norse legend. As a former pastor with the Christian Church, he has studied religions extensively throughout the world, and ultimately being called to a Shaman, he arrived at this cultural, spiritual home of the Celtic Norse.
With several advanced academic degrees, he has developed successful methods of dealing with psychological trauma, thereby helping his friends to build living mechanisms to get back to their lives filled with joy and comfort. As a sworn Ulfhednar, his primary mission is to use his gifts from his Gods to help friends and family overcome their obstacles and see their way to a successful life’s journey. He produces a simplistic message of love, peace, and hope by the teaching and demonstration of the wisdom of his ancestors.
Whispers of the Norse | Alaska Outlaws LLC
Turn to Final by Mark-Nathaniel Weisman
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X | YouTube | Tumblr | Reddit | Patreon
Mentioned in How Embracing Spirituality Can Help With Better Mental Health with Mark Weisman


The Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
The Big Book from Alcoholics Anonymous
The Divine Assignment Substack with Dr. Dwayne

Is there a disconnect between what you do and the results you want to get? Do you feel like you’re not making the difference you want in the world?
My guest Dr. Joe Sherman has always enjoyed helping out and getting to know other people beyond superficial levels. They were the seeds that put him on the road to becoming a pediatrician.
At some point, though, he realized he was burned out and teetering between who he felt he truly was and the career label he chose. It brought him to the edge of a defining moment.
In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about Dr. Sherman’s journey advocating greater healthcare access for underserved families and communities, his mental health struggles, and how he discovered what his soul yearned to be. We’ll also discuss the mental health stigma among medical practitioners and why it’s such an important conversation for more of us to have.
4:56 - Why Dr. Sherman decided to get into the healthcare profession and become a pediatrician and advocate
9:25 - The ongoing tension with healthcare delivery in the U.S. and how what drove me away from pediatrics drove Dr. Sherman toward it
19:09 - How an experience in Bolivia ignited a desire to connect with people on a deeper level and broader healthcare perspective
31:09 - The moment Dr. Sherman realized he was wrestling with his identity as a doctor versus as a person working as a doctor
34:23 - Taking the opportunity to tear down some of the mental healthcare stigma for physicians
43:03 - How Dr. Sherman helps individuals, medical teams, and organizations struggling or at a crossroads 
Connect with Dr. Joe Sherman
Joe Sherman, M.D. is a pediatrician, coach and consultant to physicians and healthcare organizations in the areas of provider well-being, leadership, and career discernment. His services include individual coaching, medical team support, physician retreats and workshops. He is a trained facilitator with the Center for Courage & Renewal and a Master Certified Physician Development Coach with the Physician Coaching Institute.
Joe Sherman, MD Coaching and Consulting | LinkedIn
Mentioned in Improve Your Mental Health and Bring Soul to Your Healthcare Role with Dr. Joe Sherman

Center for Courage & Renewal
Physician Coaching Institute
The Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
“Doctors Aren’t Burned Out From Overwork. We’re Demoralized by Our Health System.” | New York Times
“Let’s Beat Physician and Caregiver Burnout” | Dr. Dwayne Jenkins | Oxford Talks
Physicians Anonymous
The Divine Assignment Substack with Dr. Dwayne