Fearlessly Authentic

In this episode featuring one of my favorite guests, I'm accompanied by psychotherapist Dr. Jenn Mann, renowned author of The Relationship Fix. Our conversation delves into effective strategies for handling stress, anxiety, and emotional eating. We explore topics such as identifying triggers, establishing boundaries, and cultivating self-compassion. Recognizing the importance of mental well-being, we emphasize the empowerment of saying 'no' when it aligns with prioritizing your mental health. Dr. Jenn Mann is a highly recognized psychotherapist, best known as the host and therapist on VH1's popular shows Couples Therapy with Dr. Jenn and Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn. She has made numerous appearances as a guest expert on various television shows and has hosted or been a cast member on several series. As an accomplished author, Dr. Jenn has written multiple best-selling advice books, including The Relationship Fix, SuperBaby, and The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy Confident Kids. She also co-authored the children's book Rockin' Babies with her mother, Grammy award-winning songwriter Cynthia Weil. Dr. Jenn's advice columns have received widespread recognition, and she has been featured in magazines such as In Style Magazine with her weekly column Hump Day with Dr. Jenn. Her expertise in relationships and parenting has earned her several awards, including the March of Dimes Community Award and the Molina Literacy Award. Beyond her media career, Dr. Jenn has a background in rhythmic gymnastics, having been part of the United States National Team. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on weight loss, eating disorders, and body image and developed the No More Diets app based on her research. Dr. Jenn is also a licensed Marriage, Family, and Child Therapist with nearly three decades of private practice experience. She has worked extensively in the field of assault prevention and counseling, having been a rape and domestic violence counselor for the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women. Click here for Dr. Jenn's book, The Relationship Fix https://amzn.to/3GzpleM

Join us in this empowering episode of Fearlessly Authentic as we dive into the incredible journey of twenty-year-old dynamo, Carrie Berk who already has a life’s worth of accomplishments under her belt. It’s no wonder Bella Magazine declared her “an ambitious and dedicated boss babe,” and The Wall Street Journal dubbed her “a community-minded young creator.” She is a verified content creator across several social media channels including TikTok (3.9M followers; 119M likes), Instagram (950K followers), Snapchat (133K followers), YouTube (101K followers) and Pinterest (227K followers; 10M monthly views), with a combined monthly engagement of more than 100M. Carrie has collaborated with top fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands including Netflix, HBO Max, Walt Disney World, Pixar, Instagram, Revolve, Wet n Wild, MAC Cosmetics, Roller Rabbit, VS PINK, Alice + Olivia, Chips Ahoy!, Dunkin’ and more. She has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, New York Daily News and others. Carrie is currently a reporter/contributing writer for the New York Post, Page Six, HuffPost, Newsweek, Decider and more, on topics ranging from beauty and style to celebrity and sports. She has served as an on-camera correspondent for TigerBeat and Girls’ Life, interviewing red carpet arrivals at the Radio Disney Music Awards, New York Fashion Week and the Teen Choice Awards. She has contributed to Seventeen Magazine and Girls’ Life’s print and digital channels. She has acted on two Brat TV series, Stage Fright (as Karina) and Crown Lake (as the voice of Heather), and appeared on the Paramount+ series Next Influencer. She is a bestselling children’s book author with twenty-one books to her credit. She co-penned her first book, Peace, Love and Cupcakes, in 2012. The Cupcake Club series went on to publish twelve books (selling 300,000+ copies worldwide), and became an award-winning Off-Broadway show and featured selection in the 2017 New York Musical Festival. Carrie co-wrote the script for and starred in the show, earning her critical praise and an award for Outstanding Individual Performance. Carrie’s second book, Fashion Academy, stems from her passion for fashion. The six-book series also became an Off-Broadway production at Vital Theatre and is currently licensed worldwide by Concord Music Publishing. Her most recent series, Ask Emma, springs not just from her boundless imagination, but from her personal experience as a teen lifestyle website creator and someone who has experienced cyberbullying firsthand. To purchase My Real-Life Rom Com by Carrie Berk, click the link below https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWWM4VZ6?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_HD8F2ENDH0GQR8KGJHAN

Meeting Andy Sarkany today was a true honor. Andy dedicates his time to educating young people across the country about the Holocaust. As a young survivor, he is a valuable source of firsthand information, especially considering that many older survivors have unfortunately passed away. It is crucial that we seize the opportunity to learn from individuals like Andy who can still share their powerful stories with us. Endre (Andy) Sarkany was born in Budapest, Hungary on October 31, 1936. The building he lived in was located inside the Budapest ghetto which is where he remained during the Holocaust. The building housed a nursery/kindergarten on the ground floor. The school was affiliated with the Jewish Agency of Hungary and was led by Mr. Eugene Polnay. The building also housed on the top floor a dance, acrobat, and ballet studio. These facts were significant in Endre’s survival and that of at least 150 orphaned children. Endre’s father was taken to Mauthausen concentration camp in the spring of 1944, fortunately, he survived. After WWII, Hungary became a communist nation. Although Endre graduated high school in 1955, he was not accepted to university because he was deemed an undesirable element of society. This label was given to anyone who owned a business before the communists took over the country. Endre was fortunate to escape Hungary after the October 1956 uprising and was able to immigrate to the United States.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Tusculum College in Tennessee and his Master of Science degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.  Endre worked for both the McDonald Douglas Corporation and the IBM Corporation. Over the past 10 years, Endre has been speaking to students about his personal experiences during the Holocaust, living under the brutality of the Soviet regime in Hungary, and finding a home in the United States. Andy is married, has a daughter and son, and five grandchildren.

In this personal episode, I open up about intimate moments from my life, those hidden struggles I endured and wished to keep to myself. These were pivotal experiences that marked significant growth in my journey from being a single mom in my 40s to where I stand today. The path wasn't smooth; it demanded resilience to be acknowledged and heard. I had to stand firm in my truth, even when tears and fear of taking a leap of faith clouded my vision. Despite the challenges, I refused to let those around me diminish my spirit. Recognizing my worth, I began to find my voice and inner strength, pushing back against the urge to remain silent for the sake of harmony. Instead, I dedicated myself to self-improvement, nurturing my self-esteem and confidence. This transformation evolved through trust in my instincts, stepping away from people and situations that no longer aligned with my growth, and intentionally gravitating towards those who embraced and uplifted me. It was a time to shed the cloak of concealment, a moment to embrace fearlessness and embody my most authentic self.

In this episode, Jodi engages in a conversation with Natalie Holloway, the Co-Founder of Bala, who delves into the origins of their brand. The concept for Bala was born during a rather casual yoga session with her then-boyfriend, now-husband, Max. This lightbulb moment was captured on a napkin, which served as the initial blueprint. Subsequently, they transformed this vision into a tangible prototype, secured funding to bring it to market, garnered sales to validate their concept, and even made a compelling pitch on Shark Tank, all centered around their flagship product, the Bala Bangle – a versatile set of hand and ankle weights. Their pitch was convincing enough to secure investment from two of the Sharks. However, just two weeks after this exciting development, the world was thrown into a frenzy due to the global lockdown imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This unexpected turn of events led to a surge in demand for workout equipment as people sought ways to maintain their fitness routines at home. Bala, with its stylish and luxurious approach to fitness accessories, experienced a meteoric rise in popularity. Join us in this episode to listen to the remarkable journey of taking a simple idea, essentially an evolution of traditional ankle weights, and elevating them into beautiful, luxurious accessories that not only enhance workouts but are also a pleasure to wear and handle. Natalie is the cofounder of Bala, a Los Angeles-based movement company. Natalie – a certified yoga instructor – and her fellow cofounder / eventual husband shipped the first 75,000 units of their now infamous Bala Bangles from their garage before appearing on Shark Tank, where they secured an investment from Mark Cuban and Maria Sharapova. Bala has since been featured in the likes of Forbes, The New York Times, Esquire and was dubbed one of The 17 Items That Defined 2020 by Vogue.  Prior to Bala, Natalie worked at’ best-in-class’ ‘advertising agencies on marquee brands including Starbucks, Google and Jeep.  Natalie attended Fashion Institute of Technology before graduating from The University of Texas at Austin.  Natalie is a mother to Watson & Uma and dog-mom to Penny and Naomi.

Today I am joined by Dr. Edward Jacobson who is an expert in the management of natural hormone supplementation for symptom relief and long-term preventative health care. We will discuss menopause symptoms and how Dr Jacobson helps so many find relief during and after menopause ( like me!) He practices completely by telemedicine. In addition to Connecticut and New York he is licensed in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhodwe Island, Florida and California. Dr. Jacobson is a Board-Certified gynecologist in private practice for over thirty years in Manhattan and Greenwich, Connecticut. He trained at the New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center where he remained an attending physician until moving his practice to Greenwich 30 years ago. Dr. Jacobson is BHRT Accredited by Worldlinkmedical.com He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a Member of the Bioidentical Hormone Society, the International Hormone Society, the Bioidentical Hormone Initiative, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) and the LDN Research Trust. He is on the attending medical staff at Greenwich Hospital and Stamford Hospital in Connecticut. Dr. Jacobson has appeared in numerous television, radio shows and podcasts, including with Suzanne Somers, and has been interviewed by the New York Times, the London Times and Fox News.

In this episode, I sit down with Heidi D'Amelio, best known as mom to Dixie and Charlie, two of the most popular names in social media today. We discuss it all from being a Mom and living their quiet lives in suburban Connecticut to just how Charli made one dance video on the fly as they rushed out of the house for dance lessons. Heidi describes how on their hour ride Charli was watching the views increase. By the time her class was over, it had gone viral, and little did they know how much their lives were about to change. Heidi talks about balancing motherhood, business, and fame, and why the mental health of her entire family is the number one priority, including her own. This is a wonderful episode on having it all and juggling it all and Heidi does a damn good job of it. She was incredibly open and sounded like a Mom who worries about her daughters the way we all do. About Heidi: Heidi D’Amelio, may be best known as mom to Dixie and Charli, two of the most popular names in social media today, but there is a lot more to juggling being a wife and mom than meets the eye.  Heidi started her professional career as a model and fitness trainer but when she met her husband Marc in NYC, she knew her dream of always wanting to be a mom was the path she wanted to take. The couple married, moved to Connecticut, and started their family where, teaching her children about values, reputation and giving back to others became a central conversation for all 4 members even before the family skyrocketed to fame.   Utilizing her love for dance and a decade of practice, Heidi’s youngest daughter Charli started posting dances on the popular app Tik Tok and literally overnight became the most followed name on the platform. The family soon joined in and currently have a combined following of over 300 million. Heidi’s dedication to being a present but not overbearing mom has grown her own following of over 10 million and growing. On top of being a full-time mom and overseeing her family’s demanding schedules, Heidi continues to pursue her passions which include health and wellness, fitness, and philanthropy. Balancing personal and work life and ensuring the internet is a safe place not only for her daughters but for other teens is always her main priority. Heidi recently competed on season 31 of Dancing with the Stars alongside pro, Artem Chigvintsev. You can also catch Heidi on the family’s docuseries The D’Amelio Show (on which she serves as an executive producer) the third season is coming to Hulu in the fall. Heidi has also made it a point to use her and her families’ platforms for good raising awareness and donations for Covid-19, childhood cancer causes and natural disasters such as the hurricanes in her hometown of Louisiana. Heidi resides with her family and their four dogs in Los Angeles, CA.

In this episode, we will be giving you the scoop on who each woman is and our feedback on each!

In this episode with Dr. Layne Norton, he breaks down all the truths and myths in the fitness and nutrition world. After getting frustrated by so-called fitness influencers Layne took matters into his own hands and began to use his own scientific research and conclusion to show the truth from BS. A self-proclaimed nerd who lifts heavy things, Layne completed his BS in Biochemistry with honors from Eckerd College in 2004 and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences with honors from the University of Illinois in 2010. His competitive athletic career highlights include four USA Powerlifting National titles (93kg weight class), 2015 Arnold Classic Champion (93kg), and an overall silver medal at the 2015 IPF World Championships (93kg). At the 2015 World Championships, he also won a gold medal in the squat, setting a world record (at the time) of 303 kg/668 lbs., breaking the previous record by 3kg. He attained natural bodybuilding pro status in 2006 and won the 2010 IFPA Pro International (heavyweight) and finished top 5 in the world championships. In 2022 Layne won gold at the IPF World Championships (93kg), making it back to Worlds for the first time since 2015. Most recently, Layne again won gold at the IPF National Championships (93kg), and will be heading back to Worlds to defend his title. As an innovator in the fitness industry, Layne helped popularize flexible dieting and online nutrition coaching/contest prep using an evidence-based and science-backed approach. From 2005 - 2018 he worked with over 1700 clients and over 500 competitors, with over 70 of them attaining pro status. Since moving away from online coaching, Layne has focused on writing books (Fat Loss Forever, The Complete Contest Prep Guide, and The Complete Reverse Dieting Guide), developing Carbon Diet Coach, a nutritional coaching app, and creating certification courses offered through the Clean Health Institute. In 2016 Layne co-founded and launched the Biolayne Workout Builder subscription platform which offers over 50 evidence-based workout programs for subscribers to choose from, with more being added monthly. In 2020 he launched Outwork Nutrition, an evidence-based supplement company, and in 2023 he partnered with Dr. Bill Campbell and the Clean Health Fitness Institute in the development of the Physique Coaching Academy. The Physique Coaching Academy is an in-depth mentorship program for current and aspiring fitness and nutrition coaches. Layne’s passion is helping others achieve their goals through education and hard work!

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with and learning from Tay Sweat,  an 8-figure millionaire, business innovator, investor and author who has helped thousands of people globally become 6 & 7-figure earners. As a full-time business investor and stock market trader, he combines timeless principles with a forward-thinking approach to help his clients achieve their goals of financial freedom. If you are interested in making more money by working smarter, you need to listen to this episode.   Tay launched his first business, Sweat For Life, a health and fitness brand, in 2010. Shortly after, he also built and sold an 8-figure Supplement company. Starting with minimal funding and support, he built his businesses into an eight-figure enterprise. As his success afforded him more opportunity for financial expansion, he took the stock market space by storm and began compounding his money through trading and investing. With now 12 plus years of comprehensive experience, he is committed to constantly learning, improving, and staying at the forefront of his industry.   Tay now has coached over 12,000 people globally and is committed to using his skills and wealth of knowledge to help build stronger communities that can prosper for generations.