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Dominick Domasky's story reads like a masterclass in resilience. From losing half a million dollars in a failed restaurant venture in his twenties to founding a publishing company that's helped hundreds of authors worldwide, his journey embodies the power of perseverance and reinvention.

"I went bankrupt. I was broke. I was in my early 20s, couldn't even pay for a spaghetti dinner," Dominic recalls. During those darkest moments, he discovered writing as both therapy and purpose. What began as simple stories in a notebook evolved into a mission to help others share their voices.

The path wasn't straightforward. Dominick spent years in pharmaceutical and insurance sales while slowly building his publishing knowledge. His first book taught him every painful lesson possible—selling away his rights, dealing with poor editing, and accepting subpar cover design. These mistakes became the foundation for Motivation Champs Publishing, created specifically to help others avoid similar pitfalls while yet enabling others to share their story.

Perhaps most moving is Dominick's deeply personal book "My Name is Sharon," chronicling his mother's decade-long battle with Alzheimer's. From this experience comes his heartfelt advice to caregivers: "Your loved one is still in there... When you were a baby, they loved you unconditionally. They didn't get mad when you couldn't respond. Now it's your time to reciprocate that."

Beyond publishing, Dominick hosts a regional cable show exploring Western Pennsylvania's trails called Bikes and Hikes. Dominick also helped co-found Cre8tive Con, a place for creative entrepreneurs to share ideas, collaborate, and learn from one another.

Throughout our conversation, one theme remains constant: the power of believing in yourself and helping others do the same. As Dominick puts it: "Be the best you, you can be. Nobody else can tell your story." One thing that stands out is his speech from Cre8tive Con at the 2024 inaugural conference "You've got to believe in yourself."

Connect with Dominick at Motivation Champs across all social platforms and discover why his mission of sharing "inspiration, positivity, and smiles" resonates with so many.

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Who believes one story has the power to change someone's life? I know I certainly do, and you know who else does? No other than the Wendy Babcock, Founder of WHEN stories.

As we all are well aware, 2020 changed the world. Many of our work schedules changed, as we had to make that transition from going to a workplace to having to use our home as our office. Wendy Babcock's work was no different in that her public speaking opportunities during that time dwindled. However, she coached speakers on getting paid gigs, and she noticed something fascinating – their most compelling material wasn't their achievements but those pivotal moments when everything changed. This realization sparked the creation of WHEN Stories, a platform dedicated for people to share their authentic story.

What makes Wendy's journey particularly remarkable is how her personal revelations have fueled her professional evolution. During our conversation, she shares the profound impact of discovering her neurodivergence later in life – a revelation that helped her understand lifelong feelings of difference and ultimately connected her two passions: storytelling and songwriting. "I feel like both things came together... songwriting is storytelling," Wendy explains, describing how this realization made her feel whole for the first time.

Perhaps most moving is Wendy's insight into mental health communication, drawn from her relationship with her daughter who has borderline personality disorder. Her innovative approaches – like creating a color-coded heart system for text messaging during difficult periods – demonstrate how meeting people where they are can transform relationships. Having experienced both personally and with her daughter's challenge with mental health, Wendy wrote a compelling song called "Two-Sided Mirror" that discusses what's behind the scenes that people don't always see.

Apart from "Two-Sided Mirror" her song "She Was Here" that discusses the importance of all women's stories is what landed her to win an Independent Music Award in Hollywood, CA.

Ready to discover how sharing your story might change someone else's life? Listen now and consider: what pivotal moment changed everything for you, and who might need to hear about it?

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Lindsay Abernathy shares her powerful journey through domestic abuse and offers practical guidance for survivors trying to rebuild their lives after toxic relationships.

• Abuse can hide behind the appearance of a perfect life with fancy houses and cars
• Many victims don't identify their situation as abuse because it doesn't match stereotypical portrayals
• Abusers collect vulnerabilities early in relationships to weaponize them later
• Warning signs include love bombing followed by devaluation, criticism, and control
• Financial abuse keeps many victims trapped with no access to money or resources
• Trauma creates poor decision-making abilities, increasing the difficulty of leaving
• Documentation is crucial both during the relationship and after leaving
• The most dangerous time in an abusive relationship is when attempting to leave
• Safety planning includes securing documents, building a support network, and having an exit strategy
• Never confront an abuser in person when leaving - get safe first, then communicate
• Strong boundaries are essential after leaving, especially when co-parenting
• Self-worth can't be stolen - rebuilding after abuse means reclaiming what was always yours

For resources and support, check out TheHotline.org, Aimeesays, or join Lindsay's community at BitchIsABadWord podcast. Also, check out her apparel at 2WeeksNotice.com

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Trigger Warning: Suicide and SA was discussed.

What if everything we think we know about the Gen Z mental health crisis is incomplete? In this eye-opening conversation, suicide survivor, author, and mental health advocate Aly Vredenberg challenges conventional wisdom by revealing four interconnected factors driving declining mental health among young people: economics, isolation, environment, and meaning.

Aly shares her deeply personal journey, beginning with a suicide attempt at age 14 following sexual assault and severe bullying. After surviving this darkest moment, she dedicated herself to understanding mental health, only to face profound grief when her best friend died by suicide in 2020. Rather than retreating into her pain, Aly channeled it into researching the complex roots of our mental health epidemic, culminating in her book "Out of Focus."

Unlike many discussions that point to social media as the primary culprit, Aly presents compelling evidence that the crisis began in 2007 - before Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat existed. She reveals startling statistics about Gen Z's economic disadvantages, the physiological impact of decreased access to nature, and how modern city design has systematically eliminated opportunities for human connection. The conversation dives deep into how these structural factors create conditions where meaninglessness and isolation flourish.

Most powerfully, Aly introduces prevention-based solutions that address root causes rather than symptoms. From universal healthcare with mental health parity to trauma-informed schools and national service programs, she outlines practical approaches that could transform mental wellbeing at a societal level. We also learn about her forthcoming nonprofit "The Belonging Lab" where people who struggle with mental health can come together and feel supported.

More information about Aly can be found at:

www.belonginglabsd.org

www.outoffocusbookcom

Instagram: @alyvredenburg

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By now, everybody has heard of traditional going to therapy and taking medications, if necessary. However, what role does neurofeedback play in treating mental health?

Meet Meg Stuppy, founder of the Los Angeles Neurofeedback Center and co-founder of Clarity Direct Neurofeedback, who joins us to illuminate how neurofeedback technology is transforming mental health treatment by helping rebalance the brain's natural rhythms. With 13 years of experience in the field, Meg explains in accessible terms how this brain-based approach works and why it's gaining recognition as a powerful complement to traditional therapies.

At its core, Direct Neurofeedback uses EEG sensors to read brainwave patterns and send back customized microcurrent signals that help dysfunctional patterns recalibrate. The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity for clients – they remain completely passive during the 30-minute sessions, yet many report feeling shifts in their mental state.

What makes this conversation particularly compelling are the real-world examples Meg shares. From adults stuck in anxious hypervigilance who suddenly find themselves navigating LA traffic without honking, to children on the autism spectrum who significantly reduce self-injurious behaviors, the results speak to neurofeedback's potential to improve quality of life. One particularly moving case involves a child who went from biting his hand to bleeding 5-6 times daily to experiencing entire days without the behavior after just 15 sessions.

Whether you're a mental health professional looking to expand your toolkit or someone struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or neurodevelopmental differences, this episode offers fresh insights into how addressing nervous system dysregulation might be the missing link in your healing journey. By the end, you'll understand why so many clients say, "I haven't felt this way in years" after experiencing what a balanced nervous system truly feels like.

Ready to explore how neurofeedback might complement your existing mental health approaches? Listen now and discover why balancing the brain might be the foundation everything else can build upon.

Meg Stuppy can be reached at info@losangelesneurofeedbackcenter.com

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What if neurodivergence isn't just something to be accommodated, but a powerful gift that can transform leadership? Rita Ramakrishnan, a person with Autism Spectrum and ADHD, found strengths behind her diagnosis, and she used it to excel in executive leadership.

Amongst the strengths Rita found was her remarkable hunger for knowledge that stemmed with her voracious appetite of curiosity. Rita, unlike others who would make assumptions based off what they feel other people are thinking or feeling through social cues, doesn't make such assumptions and is not shy about asking others the questions she feels need to be asked. Rita is giving back to others, especially women who are neurodivergent by helping them succeed in the workplace by providing them the tools needed to set them up for success.

Currently pursuing a master's degree focused on neurodivergent leadership at the University of Pennsylvania, Rita represents the vanguard of a movement that's transforming how we think about cognitive diversity in the workplace. Connect with her at www.iksana.com to discover how embracing neurodivergence as a gift might unlock possibilities you never imagined.

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As many may know, May is mental health awareness month. However, what still needs more conversation about mental health is the fact that men too have mental health challenges. Men too deserve to share their stories and be heard. Men too deserve to be vulnerable without being told to "man up" or "suck it up."

Aaron Ash bravely shares his challenges of having undergone complex trauma through incidents with his family. As a lot of people tend to do, Aaron tried to find solace in chasing extrinsic things versus turning the mirror to face inwards. However, once Aaron began his healing journey and took the brave step of turning the mirror inwards, the real magic began. Aaron shares his healing journey, gives valuable insight to lessons he gained along the way, and also is a co-host of No Streetlights Podcast where he turned his pain into a mission to help others be heard, seen, believed, and understood when it came to mental health and challenges people face.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and subscribe to On the Spectrum with Sonia podcast. Visit nostreetlightsorg.com to learn more about Aaron's work or listen to No Streetlights Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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Andrea Andree takes us on a transformative journey from being a corporate Engineer to becoming a leadership and embodiment coach for high-achieving women who want to get out of their heads and into their bodies.

• Former project manager with two engineering degrees who felt unfulfilled despite checking all the boxes of success
• High achievement often stems from childhood wounds and patterns of seeking validation or attention
• Achievement becomes an identity and unconscious driver when it's how we learned to receive love
• 90% of our behaviors are driven by unconscious patterns that manifest as physical sensations in our bodies
• Learning to identify and sit with bodily sensations rather than automatically reacting to them breaks unhealthy patterns
• Generational and even past life trauma can create fears and behaviors that don't make logical sense in our current lives
• Transforming achievement means moving from pain-driven to aligned, intentional success
• Working with the body through embodiment practices helps access and clear unconscious programming
• Holding a positive perspective is possible even while processing difficult emotions

If you are interested in working with Andrea or wanting to even have a consultation with Andrea, she could be found on LinkedIn Andrea Andree and through her website https://andreaandree.com/

Remember to rate, review and subscribe to this podcast. My book "Dropped in a Maze" is available at all major book retailers online. If you write a review on Amazon, I'll read it out loud on future episodes.