Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

Michael G Orlowski
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Mental Health

The Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health podcast shares real stories of resilience and transformation. Raw Stories, Real Emotion. increasing mental health awareness isn't about being perfect — it's about being honest. Get your MOJO Back!

  1. 4d ago

    You Don't Have to Be Healed to Live Fully | Rita Garnto | #33 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    Rita Garnto has been diagnosed with dysthymia — chronic low-grade depression. She's not waiting for it to go away. In this conversation, she shares what it actually feels like to live with ongoing depression while building a full life, and the uncomplicated self-care framework that's kept her going for over 15 years. Connect with Mike Orlowski • https://www.mojomotivates.com  • https://www.mojoww.com • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ • https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski • https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates • https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide   Connect with Rita:   ·  www.simpleselfcare.net   ·  https://www.linkedin.com/in/simpleselfcare/     ·  Rita@simpleselfcare.net | Free Simple Self-Care Text Club (Tuesday morning missions) | 6-week workshop series launching October 15 in Charlotte   In this episode: ·       What dysthymia actually feels like — the shadows, the mood swings, the misunderstanding ·       The 2009 turning point: sobbing on the back deck after adopting two toddlers at 45 ·       A doctor's question that changed everything: "What changes are you going to make?" ·       How she started with one tiny practice — stretching while brushing her teeth ·       Why she says "I've been diagnosed" instead of "I have" — don't own your diagnosis ·       Caveman software in a smartphone world: why our stress response can't tell the difference between a tiger and a Tuesday ·       Weightlifting at 63 with a titanium plate in her neck and arthritis for 20 years ·       Why saying it out loud is where healing begins   Uncomplicated Self-Care Rita's framework — simple, consistent practices that fit your daily life and compound over time. Three categories: ·       Movement — walking, stretching, weightlifting, punching a bag, gardening ·       Mindfulness — pausing, breathing, awareness of what triggered you ·       Brain-Dumping — journaling, writing down what's rattling around Science-based, no cost, 30 seconds is enough to start resetting your nervous system.    If you or someone you love is struggling: ·       Call or text 988 — Suicide and Crisis Lifeline ·       Call 911 for emergencies

  2. Sep 29

    He Was Addicted to His Own Business | Alan Stein | #32 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    Alan Stein built Kadima Careers into a $5M business, helped thousands navigate their careers, and burned himself out in the process. In this conversation, he shares what happens when career success turns into burnout, depression, and addiction — and what recovery looks like when there's no clear roadmap forward. In this episode: ·       Alan's career across 21 companies and 30 jobs, from American Express and Google to Salesforce, Meta, and professional baseball ·       How Kadima Careers became both his purpose and his prison — 12-17 hours a day, 5-7 days a week ·       Why his wife and kids saw the warning signs before he did, and the Sunday Zoom that led to rehab ·       Business addiction, weed as self-medication, and the digital detox that was hardest of all ·       Shutting down Kadima in March: "like pulling a band-aid off" ·       Being diagnosed with Type 1 Autism at age 51 — and what it explained ·       The identity crisis of losing "CEO," "founder," and "involved dad" all at once ·       Why employee assistance programs are underused, and how stigma keeps people silent ·       Alan's practical advice for anyone in career transition: five chats a week, listen 2-to-1, build from referrals Five Chats a Week Alan's core advice for anyone in career transition: ·       Aim for five conversations a week with people who can teach you something ·       Listen at a 2-to-1 ratio — two ears, one mouth ·       The best jobs come through referrals and human connection, not online applications   Connect with Mike Orlowski •  https://www.mojomotivates.com   •  https://www.mojoww.com •  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ •  https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski •  https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates •  https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide   Alan Stein Resources •  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanjstein/ ·  Alan@KadimaCareers.com

  3. Sep 22

    Losing Her Son. Saving Lives. | Leslie Weirich | #31 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    Leslie Weirich lost her son Austin to suicide in 2016. Now she travels to military bases teaching young men how to stay alive. In this conversation, she shares Austin's story, the counterintuitive triggers driving military suicide, and the practical 3-8-3 Challenge that anyone can use to calm the nervous system before crisis hits. In this episode: ·       Austin's story and how loss became Leslie's mission ·       Why young men 18-30 are the highest-risk group ·       The doorbell at 2:30 a.m. and the chaplain who walked them through it ·       Why relationship breakups — not combat — trigger most military suicides ·       Suicide as a brain injury: the amygdala hijack and undeveloped prefrontal cortex ·       Childhood sexual trauma in the enlisted population ·       Alaska's Mission 100: how connection reduced suicides from 17 to 6     Connect with Mike Orlowski ·       https://www.mojomotivates.com ·       https://www.mojoww.com   ·       https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ ·       https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski ·       https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates ·       https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide Connect with Leslie Weirich ·       https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-weirich-a55a73159/ ·       https://leslieshope.org/ •     https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Grief-Four-Decades-Shaped-ebook/dp/B0CR6S2R5P?ref_=ast_author_mpb   8 Warning Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship Austin missed eight out of eight. If you see even one, it's time to look closer. 1.      Excessive jealousy 2.      Constant guilt without knowing why 3.      Always being told you're at fault 4.      Feeling like you're never good enough 5.      Giving up the things or people you love 6.      Never knowing when they'll explode 7.      Non-acceptance of your flaws and demands to change 8.      Pressure to conform to their risky behavior

  4. Sep 15

    How He Broke Free From Opioid Addiction | Hans Weygoldt | #30 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    Master the Pause: Breathwork, Coaching, and Reclaiming Personal Power Hans Weygoldt spent 15 years in corporate management before burnout and substance abuse forced a breaking point. What he discovered next changed everything: breathwork isn't just a relaxation technique—it's a tool that creates neurological space between stimulus and response. Paired with coaching, this "pause" becomes the gateway to freedom. Hans shares his journey from opioid addiction to recovery through plant medicine, breathwork, and consciousness exploration, revealing why the simple act of taking three conscious breaths can rewire reactive patterns and reclaim your power. His core message: stop blaming external circumstances, take responsibility for your nervous system, and master the pause. Everything changes in that space.   Connect with Mike Orlowski • https://www.mojomotivates.com • https://www.mojoww.com   • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ • https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski • https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates • https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide   Connect with Hans Weygoldt • https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-andreas-weygoldt-151777356/ • https://www.facebook.com/hans.whygold   Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome, support message, and why breathwork plus coaching matters 01:30 - Hans Weygoldt’s background and core principle of the pause 03:08 - Corporate success that felt empty from the inside 04:20 - The breaking point and deciding drastic change was necessary 05:18 - How prescribed painkillers led to addiction 06:56 - Fatherhood, denial, and realizing the habit was taking over 08:11 - Therapy helped relationships but not the substance abuse 09:09 - Ayahuasca in Peru and the search for consciousness 10:11 - Discovering holotropic breathwork after Peru 11:19 - What a deep breathwork session feels like 12:43 - How breathwork helped dissolve guilt and shame 15:19 - The pause between stimulus and response 18:40 - Why breathwork needs integration coaching 20:41 - How breathwork reveals unconscious patterns 22:30 - Shame, masking, and the pressure on corporate leaders 25:26 - Global perspective, multicultural family, and human connection 27:19 - Group sessions versus one-on-one online work 29:00 - Why helping one person still changes many lives 31:54 - Where to start if you are stuck in reactive patterns 35:35 - Freedom, responsibility, and becoming the master of your own mind 37:40 - Hans’s biggest lesson about addiction and reclaiming power 38:59 - Final takeaway: practice the pause, reset the nervous system, and choose your response

  5. Sep 8

    Grief Isn't Just About Death | Melissa Douaire | #29 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    Grief Beyond Death: Identity Loss, Caregiving, and the Power of Presence Mike Orlowski talks with Melissa Duair, a grief support specialist and caregiving advocate, about why grief is not limited to death. They explore how identity loss, role transitions, divorce, retirement, empty nesting, and caregiving can all trigger real grief. Melissa also explains why toxic positivity can block healing and how presence, validation, and intentional choice create space for real recovery.   Connect with Mike Orlowski • https://www.mojomotivates.com • https://www.mojoww.com   • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ • https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski • https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates • https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide   Connect with Melissa Douaire • https://a.co/d/09dIfCM9 - The Care You Give, Amazon • https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadouaire/ ·  www.wholepersonconversations.com   Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome, crisis resources, and why this episode matters 02:16 - Grief beyond death: identity loss, transitions, and the sandwich generation 04:11 - What is actually lost in caregiving and empty nesting 06:46 - Rediscovering self after the children grow up 08:42 - Gray divorce, family change, and the ripple effects on kids 13:39 - Questions instead of answers: Melissa’s coaching approach 15:02 - The concentric circles framework for inherited narratives 16:59 - Choosing agency over toxic self-talk 18:24 - Stickies on the wall: making overwhelm visible and manageable 22:11 - Why the Ministry of Presence matters more than fixing 25:16 - How presence helps in grief after death 27:39 - The secondary loss of friends who do not show up 29:07 - Why toxic positivity dismisses real fear and grief 33:24 - Sitting with pain instead of rushing past it 34:09 - Loss needs meaning, witnessing, and validation 36:36 - Testing inherited stories against reality 39:30 - Melissa’s grief work during the pandemic and in corporate settings 41:26 - Graduation, retirement, and athletic identity as forms of loss 46:08 - The Care You Give and the hidden burden on caregivers 49:54 - Why caregiving expectations create fear and resistance 52:19 - Sustainable support for the sandwich generation 53:34 - Planning ahead for DNRs, healthcare power of attorney, and final wishes 55:25 - Taking the burden off the next generation 59:12 - What changes when grief is something to learn from, not fix 60:33 - Complicated relationships create complicated grief 62:28 - Where to find

  6. Sep 1

    Stage 4 Cancer to Kona Iron Man | James Logan | #28 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    James Logan is a stage four colorectal cancer survivor, Ironman athlete, author, and cancer advocate.  He speaks about what mental toughness really looks like when life gets stripped down to the essentials. The conversation centers on surviving a terminal diagnosis, steering suffering instead of surrendering to it, and finding purpose through faith, movement, and service. James shares how cancer became both the worst and best event of his life, and why the mindset that carries someone through Ironman training can also carry them through chemotherapy, surgeries, and uncertainty.   Connect with James Logan ·  https://www.instagram.com/stage42025/ ·  Ironman Foundation Donation Link:  https://bit.ly/3UWNq9N ·  Book “Just Keep Tri-Ing” at Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX3JNLF7?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Connect with Mike Orlowski • https://www.mojomotivates.com   • https://www.mojoww.com • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ • https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski • https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates • https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide

  7. Aug 25

    The Parent Burnout No One Talks About | Devora Segall | #27 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    The parent crisis most people don’t talk about This conversation with licensed therapist and parenting coach Devora Segall looks at the work-home emotional disconnect that leaves many parents regulated all day at work and then depleted at home. Devora, who raised 10 children and wrote The Peaceful Parenting Solution, explains why burnout often shows up as yelling, guilt, and disconnection, and how parents can rebuild emotional regulation with learnable skills. We discuss why emotional regulation drains over the course of the day, how DBT can be adapted for parenting, and why self-compassion matters more than self-criticism when a parent is overwhelmed.   Connect with Mike Orlowski • https://www.mojomotivates.com   • https://www.mojoww.com • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ • https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski • https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates • https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide   Connect with Devora Book – The Peaceful Parenting Solution https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8BBGWQ1?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback • https://segallcoaching.com/   Timestamps 00:00 - Why this conversation matters for burned out parents 03:16 - Why parents regulate at work and collapse at home 04:45 - The moment Devora realized she needed new parenting tools 07:21 - Emotional regulation as a limited resource 08:07 - The first step is safety, then pause and notice 11:01 - Why focusing on parent emotional health changes behavior 12:05 - What DBT is and how it applies to parenting 14:35 - Mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness 15:05 - Wise Mind Accepts as a practical reset tool 17:27 - Using activities and the five senses to lower intensity 18:46 - The role and limits of comparisons 19:14 - Redirecting with thoughts and mental tasks 20:35 - Strong sensations that can interrupt emotional escalation 22:12 - Why self-compassion works better than shame 23:37 - How parents stay out of crisis with proactive support 25:19 - Burnout prevention through partnership, rest, and identity beyond parenting 29:11 - What The Peaceful Parenting Solution teaches 31:01 - Real-world examples in the book 33:35 - Where a burned out parent should start 34:18 - Observe, describe, participate 35:41 - Why skipped meals and low fuel make parenting harder 36:24 - What becomes possible when parents get emotional health back 37:22 - Where to find Devora Segall and her work 39:05 - The main takeaway: parent emotional health is family mental health

  8. Aug 18

    Choose to Be More Than Your Diagnosis | Nic Angai-Galindo | #26 | Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health

    Connect with Mike Orlowski • https://www.mojomotivates.com    • https://www.mojoww.com • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeorlowski/ • https://x.com/MichaelOrlowski • https://www.facebook.com/MOJOMotivates • https://www.tiktok.com/@mojoworldwide   Contact Nic Angai-Galindo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicthegbw/   We Choose To Be More Than Our Diagnoses Vol 2: https://a.co/d/03BcNcPG   We Choose To Be More Than Our Diagnoses Vol 1: https://a.co/d/03ub9Otx   nicthegbw@gmail.com          Turning Mental Illness into Purpose Through Publishing and Storytelling This conversation features Mike Orlowski and Nic Angai-Galindo, a hybrid publisher who has turned her lived experience with bipolar disorder into a mission-driven publishing platform. Nic shares how recovery, sobriety, and community helped her rebuild her life, then how storytelling became both a healing practice and a way to help others break mental health stigma. We discuss her immigrant journey from Trinidad and Tobago, the lowest point of her mental health crisis during the pandemic, how she built Guiding Brilliant Writers Publishing, and why her anthologies center author empowerment over gatekeeping. The episode closes with a powerful message about choosing to be more than a diagnosis, especially for anyone navigating mental illness, recovery, or the urge to tell their story.

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The Mojo, Motivation & Mental Health podcast shares real stories of resilience and transformation. Raw Stories, Real Emotion. increasing mental health awareness isn't about being perfect — it's about being honest. Get your MOJO Back!

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