The Big Silence

Karena Dawn

Where there is darkness, there is an immense opportunity for light. The Big Silence aims to normalize conversations around mental health and empower people to turn their challenges into triumphs. Hosted by Karena Dawn – mental health advocate, wellness entrepreneur, co-founder of Tone It Up, and New York Times bestselling author – The Big Silence is creating a safe space to share our story, and for you to share yours. Like so many, Karena has experienced profound grief and trauma. Growing up with a mother diagnosed with paranoid-schizophrenia, her childhood was filled with traumatic experiences that resulted in repressed emotions of guilt, shame, depression, and eventually, a suicide attempt. Though filled with this darkness, Karena was able to find deep joy. And with The Big Silence, she's creating a space for you to find that joy, too. This podcast will feature in-depth conversations with psychologists, spiritual leaders, public figures, friends, and anyone who has been impacted by a mental health condition – either themselves, or through a family member or a friend. Suffering in silence only reinforces the stigma behind mental health issues and builds boundaries that prevent healing. Wherever you are, whatever you're going through, you have a spark of greatness inside of you. No more embarrassment, no more shame, only healing. -- A non-profit 501(c)3, The Big Silence Foundation provides resources and support to anyone directly or indirectly impacted by mental illness. 'The Big Silence' theme song was written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney. Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    The Other Side of Trauma: Surviving the Unthinkable Opened the Door to the Other Side | Susan Grau

    What if your worst childhood trauma became the gateway to your greatest gift? In this profoundly moving episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with Susan Grau: soul healer, grief and addiction therapist, and Hay House bestselling author. Her near-death experience transformed a childhood marked by extreme trauma into a life devoted to healing. Susan had a childhood that most people can't imagine surviving. But she’s transformed unimaginable pain into a life of powerful healing. Now a grief and addiction therapist who works with spirits from the other side, Susan shares how she learned to survive by becoming her unstable mother's "ally," how codependency became her survival strategy, and why she believes therapists need lived experience to truly help people heal. How do you heal from a childhood that tried to destroy you, and then use that pain to help others?True healing comes from walking through the fire, not just studying it from afar. (02:43) A Near-Death Experience That Changed Everything Susan's story of being locked in a freezer at age 5Growing up with sexual abuse and traffickingHow childhood trauma shaped her entire life journey and awakened her abilitiesThe beginning of her connection to the spirit world (05:51) Growing Up with a Mother with Mental Illness Susan's mother: borderline personality disorder, seeing spirits, and extreme inconsistencyLearning how to stay safeThe confusing duality: loving and giving one moment, frightening and abusive the nextWhy Susan became her mother's "ally" while her siblings didn't understand howUnderstanding codependency as a survival strategy for children of mentally ill parents (14:18) Addiction, Alcoholism & A Household of Dysfunction Growing up in a home with addiction, alcoholism, and abuseHer brother’s schizophreniaThe unpredictability of never knowing which version of your parent you'd getHow dysfunction becomes normal when it's all you know (27:33) Her Brother's Suicide & Choosing to Become a Therapist Why that loss pushed her toward becoming a grief and addiction therapistThe importance of therapists having lived experience with trauma and lossHow walking through darkness prepares you to help others find light (38:13) Why Your Therapist Needs to Have Walked Through Fire Too Why Susan doesn't want to see a therapist who hasn't experienced real traumaspan class="ql-ui"...

    48 min
  2. 25 JAN · BONUS

    The Power of Gratitude: A Guided Meditation to Create More of What You're Thankful For

    What if gratitude isn't just something you feel, but something you create more of every time you practice it? In this grounding Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through an 8-minute practice designed to help you reconnect with gratitude for your body, your breath, and your journey. Using breathwork, visualization, and mantras, this meditation invites you to pause and give thanks for all that has carried you to this moment. Perfect for finding beauty in the everyday, shifting your perspective, or simply celebrating all that you have and all that you are. How do you cultivate gratitude as a way of living, not just a fleeting feeling?Gratitude is a practice. And every time you acknowledge it, you create more of it. (00:00) Finding Your Peaceful Place & Connecting to Beauty Settling into a quiet space, either indoors or in nature Recognizing that you are surrounded by beautyPausing to give thanks for all that you are and all that has carried you here (03:30) Bringing Gratitude to Mind & Holding It in Your Heart One thing you're grateful for todayGratitude for your body, your breath, a loved one, a lesson you've learnedUnderstanding gratitude as a practice, a perspective, a way of living (06:00) Mantras & Radiating Gratitude Outward "I am grateful for my body. I am grateful for this breath. I am grateful for my journey."Letting your gratitude radiate outward into your life and everydayCelebrating all that you have If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources: Connect with The Big Silence Community Order: The Big Silence Memoir audiobookShop The Big Silence Self Love CollectionSubscribe on YouTubeDonate to The Big Silence FoundationFind exclusive offers from our supporters: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners Show Resources: VISIT THE CHALLENGE...

    9 min
  3. 22 JAN

    Dr. Will Cole on The Body-Brain Connection | Your Gut is Why You’re Anxious

    What If Your Gut Could Heal Your Mind? In this deeply personal episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with functional medicine pioneer and bestselling author Dr. Will Cole. From growing up with a bodybuilding dad in the '80s to building the first functional medicine telehealth clinic, Dr. Cole shares his unconventional path to becoming one of the most trusted voices in holistic health. He opens up about the gut-brain connection, why psychiatry still ignores the organ it's treating, and how he practices what he preaches. If you've ever felt dismissed by traditional medicine, struggled with anxiety, or wondered why your mental health and digestive issues seem connected, this conversation will validate everything you've suspected and give you the tools to finally heal. Can you heal your mind by healing your gut? True healing requires looking at root causes, not just symptoms. Mental and physical health aren't separate—they're the same conversation. (00:00) From Bodybuilding to Functional Medicine Pioneer Growing up in the '80s with a Gold's Gym-owning bodybuilder dadHow his childhood of "crunchy granola" health became his life's workStarting the first functional medicine telehealth clinic 16 years ago (08:00) Why Doctors Told Karena They "Don't Deal With Mental Health" The devastating disconnect between mental and physical health in conventional medicineWhy psychiatry is the only field that doesn't test the organ it's treatingThe gut-brain connection: how inflammation, microbiome imbalance, and stress show up as anxiety and depressionBreaking down the stigma and siloed approach to healthcare (15:00) The Shame-Inflammation-Trauma Loop No One's Talking About How toxic shame inflames your body and destroys gut healthThe science behind stress, trauma, and autoimmunityWhy unresolved emotional pain manifests as physical symptomsDr. Cole's personal struggle with anxiety and overthinkingThe tools that work: vagus nerve stimulation, peptides, nature, and movement (25:00) When Everything Hit at Once His father's sudden death The "Gwyneth bone broth" controversy Navigating professional chaos while grieving (33:00) The Real Tools for Anxiety, Stress & Staying Grounded Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation: what it is and why Dr. Cole wears it dailyThe role of peptides in healing and stress managementspan class="ql-ui"...

    52 min
  4. 18 JAN · BONUS

    The 10-Minute Meditation Fix For Your Overthinking Brain

    What if the answer to your racing thoughts isn't fighting them—but watching them float by? In this week's free meditation for Mental Wellness Month, Karena guides you through a powerful practice designed for anyone whose mind won't shut up. This session teaches you to observe your thoughts without getting swept away by them—whether it's worry, planning, or that relentless inner critic. If you've been feeling mentally overwhelmed or caught in cycles of rumination, this 10-minute practice will help you remember: you are not the noise in your head. You are the one witnessing it. How do you create peace when your mind feels like chaos?Peace doesn't come from silencing your mind. It comes from changing your relationship with it. (00:00) Setting the Intention: Mental Wellness Month & Weekly Meditations Creating space for mindfulness, stress reduction, and mental well-beingPerfect for seasoned meditators and complete beginners alike (02:00) The Stream Visualization: Watching Your Thoughts Like Leaves on Water Finding stillness in your body and releasing physical tensionThe powerful metaphor of sitting beside a streamLearning to notice thoughts (worry, planning, self-doubt) without catching or fixing themUnderstanding that you are the observer of your thoughts (06:00) Anchoring in Awareness: Returning to Presence Repeating the mantra: "I am not my thoughts. I am the awareness behind them."Understanding that 80,000-100,000 thoughts per day is normalUsing breath as your anchor If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources: Connect with The Big Silence Community Order: The Big Silence Memoir audiobookShop The Big Silence Self Love CollectionSubscribe on YouTubeDonate to The Big Silence FoundationFind exclusive offers from our supporters: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners Show Resources: a href="https://my.toneitup.com/pages/new-year-new-tiyou-challenge" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    9 min
  5. 15 JAN

    The Weight of Being the “Perfect Immigrant”: Dr. Joan Sung on Letting Go of Expectations

    What if breaking your family’s silence was the first step to truly finding yourself? Author and educator, Dr. Joan Sung, joins Karena in Austin for a candid conversation about identity, intergenerational trauma, and what it really takes to prioritize mental health, especially within Asian American family systems. From the model minority myth to “tiger mom” dynamics, fetishization, and going “no contact”, Joan shares the tools, boundaries, and mindset shifts that helped her reclaim her story and raise her son with compassion and strength. She also opens up about therapy, inner-child work, and why an “emo tour” became her unexpected self-care. How do you heal when culture tells you to stay silent? Stripping away expectation starts with telling the truth about your past, your pain, and your needs, so you can build a life rooted in self-trust rather than approval. (1:25) Writing the Story That Wouldn’t Let GoTreat creative expression as catharsisExpect to re-encounter traumaSave old pages; fragments from earlier life chapters can become anchorsName your “why”: sharing openly helps others feel seen (and keeps you honest). (5:01) Dismantling the Model Minority MythLearn the history so you can spot manipulationReject perfectionism as belonging; create your own definition of “enough”Call out gendered stereotypes that penalize Asian women who self-advocatePractice bias disruption at work (10:49) When Silence Hurts: Stigma, History & Mental HealthReframing care as protecting the whole family lineIf talking feels foreign, blend modalities to ease inName intergenerational trauma so symptoms stop looking like “character flaws”Education heals: how learning context validates present pain (16:04) Tiger Mom, Pressure, and PerformanceSeparate love from achievement: high standards without shame build resilience, not anxietyChoose attunement over fearReplace internalized critics with compassionate coaching languageMeasure success by nervous-system safety (21:52) Boundaries that Break Cycles: Going No Contact“No contact” isn’t punishment; it’s acknowledging your capacity and choosing safetyExpect pushback; your healing doesn’t need consensusGrief comes with relief and tending to the inner child who still hopesli...

    41 min
  6. 11 JAN · BONUS

    Rise Into Your Power: A Meditation to Remember Who You Really Are

    What if the powerful version of you isn't something you need to become—but something you already are? In this empowering Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through a 9-minute practice designed to help you reconnect with your inner strength and rise into your most confident self. Using breathwork, visualization, and affirmations, this meditation reminds you that you're not waiting to become someone else; you're remembering who you've always been. Perfect for moments when you need to tap into your power, trust yourself, or move through life with intention and clarity. How do you access the strength that's always been inside you?Your power isn't something you build from scratch. It's something you remember and reclaim. (00:00) Settling In & Breathing Into Strength Finding a comfortable seated position with spine tall and shoulders backInhaling strength and power into your entire bodyExhaling doubt and anything holding you back (04:00) Visualizing Your Empowered Self & Calling It Forward Seeing yourself standing tall, rooted, and readyVisualizing a version of you who walks with purpose and speaks with clarityYou're not becoming someone else, you're remembering who you've always been (06:30) Affirmations & Rising Into Your Power "I am powerful. I am grounded. I trust myself."Letting the feeling of empowerment fill you completelyBringing awareness back to your body and carrying this power forward Subscribe to Karena’s NEW podcast! Tone It Down brings you real conversations about fitness, wellness, lifestyle, and more. If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources: Connect with The Big Silence Community Order: The Big Silence Memoir audiobookShop The Big Silence Self Love CollectionSubscribe on YouTubeDonate to The Big Silence FoundationFind exclusive offers from our supporters: a href="https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    9 min
  7. 8 JAN

    Why You Can't Stop Self-Sabotaging: Therapist Kati Morton on Control, Patterns & How to Break Free

    What if your need for control is actually what's keeping you stuck? In this revealing episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with licensed therapist, YouTuber, and bestselling author Kati Morton to dive into her most personal book yet: Why Do I Keep Doing This? From toxic independence to people-pleasing as manipulation, Kati unpacks the precarious relationship we have with control—and why trying to control what we can't is the root of so much unhappiness. She opens up about her own daddy issues, hyperindependence, and the patterns that kept her dating emotionally unavailable men. Whether you're a perfectionist, a people-pleaser, or someone who can't seem to stop repeating the same mistakes, this conversation will hit home. Hard. How do you break the toxic patterns that keep you trapped, and learn to let go of what you can't control?Understanding why we repeat destructive behaviors is the first step toward real change and healthier relationships. (00:00) Control, Perfectionism & People-Pleasing The thread that runs through everything: our relationship with controlWhy control can be both good and badPeople-pleasing as a form of manipulationWhy trying to control what's outside your "locus of control" only hurts you and others (09:24) The Blueprint: Daddy Issues, Emotional Unavailability & Running Away Growing up believing "I can only depend on me, I will save myself."How childhood patterns shape who you're attracted to as an adultDating emotionally unavailable men (17:48) Breaking the Pattern: Therapy, Self-Discovery & Learning to Stay Figuring out what your "why" isThe importance of a therapist who challenges you, not just affirms youRewiring your nervous system and learning what safety actually feels likeSetting boundaries without being controlling or manipulativeHow to tell the difference between protecting yourself and pushing people away (26:12) Self-Care That Actually Works: Journaling, Movement & Showing Up for Friendships Why journaling has been life-changing for Kati's mental healthThe power of morning pages and releasing control over a "perfect timeline"Why friendships matter more than we realize (33:35) YouTube Evolution, AI Therapy & Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic Why personal experience changes minds more than DSM criteriaThe problem with AI therapyspan class="ql-ui"...

    43 min
  8. 4 JAN · BONUS

    Protect Your Peace: A 9-Minute Meditation to Release What You Can't Control

    What if you could choose where your energy goes and protect what matters most? In this special Mental Wellness Month meditation, Karena guides you through a powerful practice designed to help you protect your peace and release what's not yours to carry. Using breathwork, visualization, and affirmations, this meditation creates a protective boundary around your energy and reminds you that not everything deserves your attention—and not everyone is owed access. Perfect for starting your day, resetting after stress, or finding your center when life pulls you in too many directions. How do you protect your peace in a world that constantly demands your energy?Learning to choose where your energy goes is an act of self-preservation and self-love. (00:00) Settling In & Releasing the Day Breathing exercise to release tension from shoulders and jawLetting go of the day and everything pulling at your mindBringing awareness to your body and the present moment (04:30) Visualizing Your Protective Light & Setting Boundaries Creating a soft light boundary around youGrounding into the truth: not everything deserves your attentionNot everyone is owed access to your spirit (07:00) Affirmations & Carrying Peace Forward "I choose peace. I release what is not mine to carry. I protect my energy."Bringing awareness back to your body and the room around youRemembering: your peace is yours, and it's not up for negotiation This is part of our Mental Wellness Month series. Enjoy a new free meditation every week throughout January. For more guided meditations with Karena, download the Tone It Up app. If this episode moved you, please consider supporting The Big Silence Foundation and exploring our resources: Connect with The Big Silence Community Order: The Big Silence Memoir audiobookShop The Big Silence Self Love CollectionSubscribe on YouTubeDonate to The Big Silence FoundationFind exclusive offers from our supporters: a href="https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

    9 min

Trailer

About

Where there is darkness, there is an immense opportunity for light. The Big Silence aims to normalize conversations around mental health and empower people to turn their challenges into triumphs. Hosted by Karena Dawn – mental health advocate, wellness entrepreneur, co-founder of Tone It Up, and New York Times bestselling author – The Big Silence is creating a safe space to share our story, and for you to share yours. Like so many, Karena has experienced profound grief and trauma. Growing up with a mother diagnosed with paranoid-schizophrenia, her childhood was filled with traumatic experiences that resulted in repressed emotions of guilt, shame, depression, and eventually, a suicide attempt. Though filled with this darkness, Karena was able to find deep joy. And with The Big Silence, she's creating a space for you to find that joy, too. This podcast will feature in-depth conversations with psychologists, spiritual leaders, public figures, friends, and anyone who has been impacted by a mental health condition – either themselves, or through a family member or a friend. Suffering in silence only reinforces the stigma behind mental health issues and builds boundaries that prevent healing. Wherever you are, whatever you're going through, you have a spark of greatness inside of you. No more embarrassment, no more shame, only healing. -- A non-profit 501(c)3, The Big Silence Foundation provides resources and support to anyone directly or indirectly impacted by mental illness. 'The Big Silence' theme song was written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney. Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.

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