The Big Silence

Karena Dawn

The Big Silence is a top-rated mental health and self-development podcast for anyone ready to build resilience, heal deeply, and grow with intention. Welcome to The Big Silence podcast. This is a space for real, honest conversations about mental health, resilience, and the things we’re all navigating but don’t always say out loud. I’m your host, Karena Dawn—mental health advocate, wellness entrepreneur, and owner and co-founder of Tone It Up—and each week I’m sitting down with psychologists, wellness experts, and people I deeply admire to talk about what healing actually looks like in real life. You’ll hear personal stories, expert insight, and simple, powerful tools you can apply to your own life. My hope is that you leave every episode feeling supported, understood, and more confident in your ability to move through whatever season you’re in. No more silence. 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. 3D AGO

    How Creative Writing Heals: Allie Michelle on Journaling, Archetypes & Emotional Strength

    In this conversation with Allie Michelle, poet, spoken word performer, and author of four poetry collections, she and Karena cover the healing power of journaling and radical honesty on the page. They discuss how EMDR therapy rewired her nervous system in just eight sessions, the difference between the Lover and Seeker archetypes, and why fluid identity beats fixed personality systems. Youo’ll hear why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to expand empathy, and where she personally draws the line on AI in the creative process. Can writing become a form of therapy? Allie makes the case that it can. Whether you've never touched a journal or you've been writing for years, this conversation will change the way you think about creativity, honesty, and what it means to truly feel your feelings. Highlights: (00:52) From Library Kid to Poet: Finding Words That Held Her Allie ditched school to hide in the poetry section and found writing before she found herself Growing up shy, she used poetry to process emotions she couldn't speak out loud Working the Teen Line crisis hotline at 14 gave her emotional tools way beyond her years How slowing down in Hawaii finally made space for her voice (05:31) Journaling as a Lifeline: How to Get Radically Honest on the Page Why her journals are her favorite writing: stripped down, unperformed, completely true "We don't have as much negative space to process our feelings like we once did. Journaling is that space of just, how am I really feeling today?" For beginners: the prompted journal Becoming a Warrior as a diving board and the rule of big pen energy (11:52) AI, Authenticity & Where Allie Draws the Line "Integrity is not a line in the sand. It's a state of awareness." — the framework she uses to navigate AI ethics How fiction bridges empathy gaps and why that matters more than ever right now The difference between feedback from people you trust and the noise of the internet (22:41) Healing the Self: EMDR, Somatic Work & Coming Back Into Your Body Spending the first half of her life dissociated and what finally brought her back EMDR as a game-changer: eight sessions that completely altered her nervous system  From craniosacral therapy to holotropic breathing- how she built a full toolkit for self-regulation "It's not about being perfect. It's just learning to be this really wonderful container for myself." (24:52) Archetypes, Identity & The Many Versions of You Why she loves archetypes and how they allow for fluidity, not fixed identity The Lover: tasting life fully, Eros, the sweetness of doing nothing, and its shadow of codependency The Seeker: obsessed with growth, the itch to stretch your spirit "Part of loving ourselves and also loving people really well is listening for which one is alive and present." Thanks for the support from our partners, including: Guest Resources Follow Allie Michelle on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/alliemichellel) New Poetry Collection: Don't Wait to Light the Candles (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/dont-wait-to-light-the-candles-allie-michelle?variant=44262764806178) Fantasy Novel: Legends of Lemuria (https://shopcatalog.com/products/legends-of-lemuria) Resources Mentioned: Gabby Bernstein describes EMDR therapy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYI_0VDMVGk) 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 audiobook (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/audiobook) Shop The Big Silence Self Love Collection (https://thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all) Subscribe on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaL3RrbvDLuTTGFN4VYzEpw) Donate to The Big Silence Foundation (https://thebigsilence.com/donate) The Big Silence Resource Guide (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/resources) Find exclusive offers from our supporters (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners)

    40 min
  2. MAR 26

    ADHD, Dopamine & Brain Fog: What Your Brain Is Trying to Tell You | Dr. Steven Storage

    Dr. Steven Storage is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist at Amen Clinics, where brain SPECT imaging is used to diagnose and treat conditions like ADHD at the neurological level. In this episode, he and Karena cover the four pillars of brain health, how social media hijacks your dopamine, why ADHD is both genetic and environmental, the seven subtypes of ADHD, what low dopamine actually feels like, and a simple cognitive technique to stop negative thoughts from running your day. What happens to your focus, your mood, and your sense of self when your brain isn't getting what it needs — and how do you even know? Dr. Storage breaks down the neuroscience in a way that's impossible to unhear, from why one bad night of sleep costs you 30% of your executive function to how your social media habit may be draining the same brain chemical you need to feel motivated. This is the brain health conversation that has been missing from the wellness space. (00:38) The Four Pillars of Brain Health Sleep, exercise, nutrition, and avoiding toxins — the foundation for a functioning brain 20 minutes of higher-intensity cardio every other day shown to be as powerful as antidepressant medication for the brain What the brain is actually doing while you sleep  Food is fuel or garbage — why refined sugar and processed foods are inflammatory for the brain (07:07) Social Media, Dopamine & the Addiction Loop Social media is engineered to produce a dopamine spike, and the crash after is real Doom scrolling depletes the same chemical needed for focus, motivation, and productivity Why students who decompress with video games before homework are setting themselves up to struggle (11:59) ADHD Explained — Genetics, Perimenopause & What's Really Happening ADHD is one of the most genetic conditions in psychiatry ADHD as a supply-demand issue: blood flow to the prefrontal cortex vs. the demands placed on it Why perimenopause triggers ADHD-like symptoms  The difference between brain fog from perimenopause and preexisting ADHD — and why one makes the other worse (21:04) ADHD as a Superpower — And Why Medication Isn't the Enemy Why traits coded as ADHD likely survived evolution  Creativity, hyper-focus, intuition, outside-the-box thinking — the real strengths of an ADHD brain The mismatch between ADHD wiring and traditional classrooms: why Dr. Storage doesn't view ADHD as a disorder Stimulants vs. non-stimulants — what Adderall actually does to the prefrontal cortex The goal isn't to eliminate the superpower — it's to modulate the brain so you can access focus when you need it without losing creativity (32:35) Brain Development, Early Diagnosis & Rewiring Negative Thoughts The prefrontal cortex isn't fully developed until mid-to-late 20s — so how do you know when to treat? New MRI data: kids treated for ADHD before age 12 showed accelerated prefrontal cortex development Dr. Storage's three-step method for negative thought patterns Why meditation builds metacognitive awareness and helps thoughts pass like luggage on a conveyor belt Thanks for the support from our partners, including:  Guest Resources Follow Dr. Steven Storage on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/drstevenstorage/) Follow Dr. Steven Storage on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/discover/dr-steven-storage) Visit Amen Clinics (https://www.amenclinics.com) 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 audiobook (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/audiobook) Shop The Big Silence Self Love Collection (https://thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all) Subscribe on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaL3RrbvDLuTTGFN4VYzEpw) Donate to The Big Silence Foundation (https://thebigsilence.com/donate) The Big Silence Resource Guide (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/resources) Find exclusive offers from our supporters (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners)

    42 min
  3. MAR 19

    Author & Executive Coach Amina AlTai on Burnout, Core Wounds & Escaping the Ambition Trap

    Executive coach and bestselling author Amina AlTai joins Karena to unpack the hidden psychology behind burnout, overachievement, and what she calls the "ambition trap" — the exhausting space between feeling too much and never enough. After her own health crisis brought on by relentless overworking and undiagnosed autoimmune disease, Amina went back to study coaching, nutrition, and mindfulness, and built a practice helping high-achieving women reconnect with purposeful ambition. In this episode, they explore the five core childhood wounds that quietly shape our careers, how invisible labor fuels resentment, and the concrete steps to set boundaries, stop tolerating what's costing you, and find work that's truly yours. How do you stop building your ambition on a foundation of childhood wounds and start living from a place of purpose? Recognizing the core wounds quietly driving your hustle is the first step toward breaking free from the ambition trap and reclaiming a life that's actually yours. (00:16) The Burnout That Nearly Broke Her Amina's origin story: marketing career, immigrant family pressure, and the relentless pursuit of achievement How two autoimmune diseases became the catalyst for an entirely different life Why burnout isn't just exhaustion; it's what happens when achievement becomes identity (03:01) The Five Core Wounds Driving Your Ambition Amina's framework: abandonment, rejection, humiliation, betrayal, and injustice, and the masks we wear for each Why the control mask often leads directly to burnout Awareness is the first and most powerful step to breaking the pattern (10:44) How Core Wounds Show Up at Work The withdrawal mask: avoiding opportunity out of fear of rejection Masochism and martyrdom as the blueprint for burning out Perfectionism (the rigidity mask) and why waiting for 110% keeps you stuck The real cost of micromanagement and what it signals about the betrayal wound (16:07) Boundaries, Burnout & Invisible Labor The SBIS model (Situation, Behavior, Impact, Solution) for navigating hard workplace conversations Invisible labor = the unpaid, unseen work women carry at home and at the office How tolerations silently drain your energy and how to start raising the standard (31:13) Reinvention, Purpose & the Passion Myth Why the idea of one singular career no longer fits how long or how fully we live The crucial difference between passion and purpose  Amina's five elements of purposeful work  Joy sparkers vs. fire starters: a practical tool for building more of what lights you up into daily life Thanks for the support from our partners, including: Guest Resources Get the book: The Ambition Trap — How to Stop Chasing and Start Living Visit Amina's website Follow Amina on Instagram 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 audiobook Shop The Big Silence Self Love Collection Subscribe on YouTube Donate to The Big Silence Foundation The Big Silence Resource Guide Find exclusive offers from our supporters Show Resources: VISIT THE CHALLENGE PAGE THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST TONE IT DOWN PODCAST Tone It Up App Tone It Up YouTube Tone It Up Instagram Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn

    42 min
  4. MAR 12

    How Fitness Saved His Life & Why Community Is the Most Underrated Health Tool

    In this conversation with Kenny Santucci — personal trainer, entrepreneur, and founder of Strong New York — Karena explores how growing up broke in New Jersey shaped his relentless work ethic, why he lost millions and kept going, and how fitness became his anchor through canceled deals, failed businesses, and a suicidal crisis. Kenny also shares his philosophy on building real community through fitness, what the industry gets wrong, and why he believes a healthier city starts one workout at a time. How do you rebuild your life when every external win has been stripped away — and still choose to get up? Resilience isn't a personality trait. It's a decision you make in the dark, over and over again. (00:46) Jersey Roots, Zero Hand-Outs Growing up broke in Newark and learning early that work was the only way out Why Kenny's never taken investor money How coming from nothing shapes your hunger as an entrepreneur (03:15) The Fat Kid Who Became a Trainer Kenny's upbringing and the gym that changed everything How getting in shape shifted the way the world treated him — and what he actually thinks about that "If you want people to add to your cup, you need to give them some sort of value." (13:57) From the Docks to the Gym Floor From the Port Newark shipping yard to New York City What television taught him and why he walked away Why everyday clients, not celebrities, are the ones who make lasting changes (17:50) Getting Canceled and Going Broke Losing two gyms to bad partners  Being canceled and the dark spiral that followed How he climbed out by chalking up wins, leaning on family, and just going for a run (32:57) What the Fitness Industry Gets Wrong  Selling aesthetics over community is the industry's biggest disservice The "gateway drug" approach: try yoga, boxing, Pilates — and don't marry any of it Why you push 30–40% harder alongside other people (53:29) Strong New York, Plant Medicine & the Supplement Stack The mission behind Strong New York's September 26th event  Kenny's take on psilocybin, microdosing, and the mental health case for plant medicine His actual supplement priority list: creatine, protein, nootropics Why a brain isn't a brain without other brains around — and what AI therapy is getting wrong Thanks for the support from our partners, including: Guest Resources: Follow Kenny on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kennysantucci) Follow Strong New York on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/strongnewyork) Strong New York on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@StrongNewYork) 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 audiobook (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/audiobook) Shop The Big Silence Self Love Collection (https://thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all) Subscribe on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaL3RrbvDLuTTGFN4VYzEpw) Donate to The Big Silence Foundation (https://thebigsilence.com/donate) The Big Silence Resource Guide (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/resources) Find exclusive offers from our supporters (https://thebigsilence.com/pages/our-podcast-partners) Show Resources: VISIT THE CHALLENGE PAGE (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/new-year-new-tiyou-challenge) THE BIG SILENCE PODCAST (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-silence/id1607181597) TONE IT DOWN PODCAST (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-down-podcast) Tone It Up App (https://my.toneitup.com/pages/tone-it-up-app) Tone It Up YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@toneitup/featured) Tone It Up Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/?hl=en) Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air! Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawn

    1h 3m
  5. How to Stop Repeating Your Parents' Patterns | Dr. Shefali Tsabary on Conscious Parenting

    MAR 5

    How to Stop Repeating Your Parents' Patterns | Dr. Shefali Tsabary on Conscious Parenting

    In this conversation with Dr. Shefali Tsabary, clinical psychologist and author of The Conscious Parent, Karena explores how unhealed childhood wounds get passed down through generations, why traditional discipline doesn't work, and how the three-step process of awareness, acceptance, and action can help you break toxic patterns — whether you're a parent or not. How do we stop unconsciously passing our unhealed wounds onto the people we love most? The path to conscious parenting begins not with your child — but with you. (00:23) From Psychologist to Conscious Parent: The Origin Story Why Dr. Shefali's work applies to anyone who has ever had a parentHer journey from clinical psychology to meditation to motherhoodHow unhealed childhood baggage gets projected onto the people we love most(06:55) Triggers, Boundaries & Breaking the Cycle Why nothing outside of you is truly the trigger, only the matchWhy real boundaries are internal actions, not instructions to other peopleThe three-step path forward: awareness, acceptance, action(11:12) Screens, Mental Health & the Disconnection Crisis “Screens are the worst thing to happen to children."Anxiety in girls has doubled; suicidality in boys is at an all-time highThe real culprit: Overstimulation and disconnection from the present momentConnection is the antidote to all emotional disease(15:10) Control, Happiness & the Wake-Up Call We're All Avoiding Why the need to control comes from having been controlled in childhoodThe numbing epidemic: Netflix, dead-end relationshipsWhat it takes to honestly say "I don't like my life" How compliance in children (and adults) leads to eventual breakdown(23:11) Role Reversal, Self-Love & the Books That Can Change Your Life A community question on growing up as the caretaker and what happens when you need careKarena shares her painful experience as her mother's caretaker in her final five yearsDr. Shefali's truth: "No one can love us the way we need — that's everyone's ultimate lesson."Thanks for the support from our partners, including: Guest ResourcesVisit Dr. Shefali's websiteGet a 30-day free pass to Dr. Shefali's community! Email her office and mention The Big SilenceOrder her booksFollow her on Instagram 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 audiobooka href="https://thebigsilence.com/colle

    35 min
  6. Permission To Feel: Dr. Marc Brackett on Male Emotions, Grief & the Science of Regulation

    FEB 26

    Permission To Feel: Dr. Marc Brackett on Male Emotions, Grief & the Science of Regulation

    In this conversation with Dr. Marc Brackett, founder and director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Karena explores the science of emotional regulation, the RULER framework (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions), and why traditional approaches to handling feelings often fail. Dr. Brackett shares his personal story of childhood trauma, discusses the unique challenges men face with emotional expression, and provides practical strategies for dealing with grief, anxiety, and everyday emotional overwhelm. How do you actually deal with your feelings instead of suppressing them—and why is emotional intelligence the key to better mental health, relationships, and longevity? Understanding how to regulate your emotions isn't about fixing or judging them—it's about building the vocabulary and tools to recognize, understand, and work with what you're feeling. (01:23) The RULER Framework & Navigating Grief Without Judgment How to be present for others during loss while protecting your own well-beingBecoming an "emotion scientist vs. emotion judge" during difficult timesEmotionally intelligent time travel: recognizing temporary circumstances and taking space when needed(07:18) Why Men Are Drowning in Suppressed Emotions & The Uncle Marvin Story Gender differences in emotional expression are socialized, not biologicalHow "toughen up" culture teaches boys to deny and suppress feelingsDr. Brackett's childhood sexual abuse, bullying, and why suppression creates emotional debt(15:42) From Trauma to Yale: Building Emotional Vocabulary & Understanding Anxiety How childhood pain sparked Dr. Brackett's career researching emotional intelligenceWhy precise emotional vocabulary mattersBuilding emotional granularity to better understand your internal state(27:35) Realistic Optimism, Toxic Positivity & Six Strategies for Dealing With Feelings Why "everything will be fine" is dangerousLearn to deactivate your nervous system through meditation and breathworkThe biology of regulation: sleep, nutrition, and movement directly impact your ability to manage emotions(38:46) The Dealing With Feeling Wheel: Monthly Check-Ins for Emotional Health Monitoring self-talk, breathing practices, reflection, and social connectionAssessing sleep quality, nutrition habits, and movement patternsWhy all these elements work together for mental health and longevityThanks for the support from our partners, including: Guest Resources

    45 min
  7. Why Eating Disorders Kill & How to Heal: Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt Explains

    FEB 19

    Why Eating Disorders Kill & How to Heal: Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt Explains

    In this conversation with Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in eating disorders and founder of Within Health and Galen Hope treatment centers, Karena explores the life-threatening reality of eating disorders as serious mental illnesses that claim one life every 52 minutes in America. Dr. Oliver-Pyatt explains the biopsychosocial foundations of eating disorders, shares her personal journey from ballerina to eating disorder specialist, and discusses the warning signs in athletes and high achievers. She reveals the controversial truth about GLP-1 medications and eating disorder risk, and provides actionable tools for reframing your relationship with your body through self-compassion and intentional self-care practices. How do you stop fighting your body and start healing your relationship with food, weight, and self-worth?Understanding that weight stigma is trauma opens the door to compassion—and real recovery. (01:13) The Deadliest Mental Illness You've Never Heard Of Eating disorders kill one person every 52 minutes in AmericaWhy they aren't classified with "serious" mental illnesses despite being more lethal than manyThe confusion between societal pressure and actual mental illness diagnosisUnderstanding the biopsychosocial foundation: biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors(04:47) From Ballerina to Eating Disorder Psychiatrist Growing up as the child of a Holocaust survivor with a mildly autistic motherHow ballet and puberty collided to create impossible body standardsThe danger of narrow frameworks about what's "acceptable" in our bodies(18:32) Athletes, Perfectionism & the "Healthy" Eating Trap Why high-achieving athletes and fitness enthusiasts face elevated eating disorder riskThe difference between disordered eating behaviors and diagnosable eating disordersHow orthorexia disguises itself as "clean eating" or "wellness"Warning signs to watch for in competitive sports and fitness culture(32:47) What Real Treatment Looks Like The biopsychosocial-spiritual treatment model that addresses all aspectsHow nutritional rehabilitation and medical stabilization work togetherFamily-based treatment approaches for adolescents and young adults(47:36) The GLP-1 Controversy: Ozempic, Wegovy & Eating Disorders "It's asinine there's no eating disorder warning"How rapid weight loss medications trigger and worsen eating disorders, especially in teensThe danger

    59 min
  8. Your Brain Is Lying to You — Bizzie Gold on Childhood Trauma, Self-Deception & Brain Patterns

    FEB 12

    Your Brain Is Lying to You — Bizzie Gold on Childhood Trauma, Self-Deception & Brain Patterns

    In this conversation with Bizzie Gold, founder of Break Method and creator of brain pattern mapping technology, Karena explores how childhood experiences create predictable patterns that shape your relationships, career, and mental health—and how understanding your source belief pattern can help you break free from self-deception and build a healthier life. How do you rewire the brain patterns formed in childhood that still control your life today?Understanding your source belief pattern is the first step toward breaking free from self-deception and building the life you actually want. (02:05) Brain Pattern Mapping & Bypassing Your Story How Bizzie created a predictive algorithm with 98.3% accuracyUnderstanding childhood experiences as a "distortion filter"Helping people see their own blind spots(06:16) The Sweet Spot of Trauma That Makes Great Entrepreneurs Why childhood instability creates self-trust and self-efficacyDeveloping situational awareness to stay safe and how it translates to businessBeing able to "think five rings down" when others can't see what's comingAttracting chaotic people because you have too much empathyWhy workaholism is easier than intimate relationships for abandonment patterns(13:47) Enmeshment Patterns & The Right Side of the Spectrum The struggle with self-trust and decision-makingWhy enmeshed patterns need to learn to disappoint peopleUnderstanding why some people can't say no(27:18) Self-Deception & Why Your Brain Lies to You How childhood patterns create self-deception mechanismsWhy Bizzie keeps giving chances to people with bad intentionsThe lesson: don't let empathy destroy your business from the inside(40:33) Growing Up with Psychiatric Illness & Finding Your Drive Bizzie's experience with an unstable, abusive childhoodActivities and achievement as a distraction from chaos at homeWhy self-preservation instincts don't come naturally for some patterns(49:08) Self-Care for Workaholics & Pattern Opposition Why self-care is actually mental health work for go-go-go peopleDoing things that make you feel accomplished in self-careFor avoidant patterns: the opposition is to just...

    1 hr

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
146 Ratings

About

The Big Silence is a top-rated mental health and self-development podcast for anyone ready to build resilience, heal deeply, and grow with intention. Welcome to The Big Silence podcast. This is a space for real, honest conversations about mental health, resilience, and the things we’re all navigating but don’t always say out loud. I’m your host, Karena Dawn—mental health advocate, wellness entrepreneur, and owner and co-founder of Tone It Up—and each week I’m sitting down with psychologists, wellness experts, and people I deeply admire to talk about what healing actually looks like in real life. You’ll hear personal stories, expert insight, and simple, powerful tools you can apply to your own life. My hope is that you leave every episode feeling supported, understood, and more confident in your ability to move through whatever season you’re in. No more silence. 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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