ROCK BOTTOM with Mayssa

Olivia Amitrano: Breaking the Family Curse, Forgiving Her Mother & Choosing Herself Over Success

In this episode of ROCK BOTTOM, host Mayssa Chehata sits down with singer, herbalist, founder of Organic Olivia, and What’s The Juice host Olivia Amitrano — a woman whose life’s work has been shaped by ancestral wounds, a near-loss of both parents, and the decision to step away from runaway success to reclaim her art. Olivia opens up about growing up in a chaotic home with “genius but unregulated” parents, the mother wound that shaped her self-worth, and the long line of women before her who survived arranged marriages, war, and hardship. She shares how being the gifted, performing child — perfect grades, perfect piano, perfect daughter — slowly pulled her out of her own body and into a lifetime of codependency, performance, and self-abandonment. From there, Olivia takes us to 2020, when both of her parents were hospitalized with life-threatening COVID at the same time, while her business exploded in the wellness boom. Suddenly, she was managing hospital calls, massive revenue, and a growing brand — all while realizing that the “hungry monster” inside her could never be fed by numbers, followers, or the next productivity hack. That reckoning led her to question everything: her relationship to herbalism, to success, to her body, and to the family “curse” she thought she was destined to repeat. This conversation dives into generational trauma, codependency, nervous system healing, forgiving our parents, and the radical act of building a life around joy instead of survival. Olivia shares how she spent a year gently removing the things she was dependent on, reconnecting with her creative child, and allowing herself to be a beginner again as a songwriter and musician. Today, she calls her greatest achievement not her company or her album, but becoming her own friend — someone who does what she says she’ll do and lives from the inside out.If you’ve ever felt like you’re performing your life instead of living it, terrified of repeating your parents’ patterns, or afraid to walk away from “success” that doesn’t feel like yours, Olivia’s story is a powerful reminder that you can rewrite the meaning of your past — and that forgiveness might just be the portal to your real life. Resources This episode is sponsored by GEM — the real food daily bite delivering 20+ essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in one delicious chew. Use code ROCKBOTTOM or visit dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM [https://dailygem.com/pages/rockbottom/?discount=rockbottom]for 15% off your order. Organic Olivia | Website [https://www.organicolivia.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/organic_olivia/] | What’s The Juice Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@whatsthejuicepod] | ROCK BOTTOM | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rockbottom.pod/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rockbottom.pod] GEM | Website [https://dailygem.com/pages/rockbottom/?discount=rockbottom] BEHAVE Candy | Website [https://www.eatbehave.com/]

Flynn Skidmore: A Decade at Rock Bottom, Transforming Toxic Masculinity & the Shock of Spiritual Awakening at a Young Age

In this episode of ROCK BOTTOM, host Mayssa Chehata sits down with therapist, teacher, and guide Flynn Skidmore, whose work in internal family systems and somatic healing has quietly supported millions online. At 18, Flynn had what he describes as a spiritual shock to the system, a violent awakening that left him dissociated, depressed, and unable to make sense of the world around him. What followed was nearly a decade-long rock bottom that forced him to confront toxic masculinity, rage, shame, and his own desire not to be here anymore. Flynn opens up about growing up as one of the only white kids in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, navigating race and power dynamics in his neighborhood, while also surviving an explosive home shaped by generational violence and “rite-of-passage” masculinity. He shares how being jumped as a kid, watching his father battle chronic illness and addiction, and getting into physical fights with the man he loved most in the world all shaped his understanding of what it meant to be a man and why he eventually had to burn that model to the ground. This conversation dives into toxic masculinity, celibacy, sexuality, lying as a childhood survival strategy, and what happens when you lose access to your own desire. Flynn talks about committing to radical honesty, pushing through grad school and therapy training while secretly questioning his own will to live, and the moment he realized that the only way out was to design his own value system and his own life. Today, he helps people transform self-hatred into radical self-love by treating even the cruelest inner voices as parts that are just trying (badly) to keep us safe. If you’ve ever felt like you “now know too much,” along your own path and journey, like you’re stuck in a matrix you can’t unsee, or like there’s a version of you that might not make it out, Flynn’s story is a powerful reminder that creation is the antidote to despair, and that the parts of you that hate you are really just begging to be loved in their own way. Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicidal thoughts and self-hatred. Please listen with care. Resources This episode is sponsored by GEM — the real food daily bite delivering 20+ essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in one delicious chew. Use code ROCKBOTTOM or visit dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM for 15% off your order. Flynn Skidmore | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/flynnskidmore/?hl=en] ROCK BOTTOM | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rockbottom.pod/] GEM | Website [https://dailygem.com/pages/rockbottom/?discount=rockbottom] BEHAVE Candy | Website [https://www.eatbehave.com/] If you or someone you know is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit their website for chat and resources. Credits: Created by Mayssa Chehata Produced by Desta Wondirad and Wondir Studios Production Support and Audio Recording by Johnny Simon

10 Things That Pulled Me Out of Rock Bottom: Spirituality, Celibacy, Plant Medicine, & More

✨ Episode Description In this solo episode of ROCK BOTTOM, host Mayssa Chehata opens up for the first time about the tools, rituals, and mindset shifts that helped her climb out of her own rock bottom. From choosing isolation and celibacy, to inner child work, breathwork, and plant medicine, Mayssa shares the ten practices that became the foundation for her healing and spiritual growth. She reveals how nervous system regulation, emotional release, and radical self-honesty allowed her to rebuild her life and why she believes every rock bottom hides the seed of transformation. This intimate conversation is both practical and deeply personal, offering a roadmap for anyone who’s ever felt stuck, lost, or on the verge of starting over. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to begin again, this episode is it. Show Notes: * (00:00) Welcome to Rock Bottom — finding the trampoline in the fall * (01:00) Isolation and sitting with sadness instead of running from it * (02:30) Choosing celibacy and closing emotional loops * (04:00) The To Be Magnetic program and healing the inner child * (08:30) Moving from New York to Mexico City — changing energy and environment * (10:30) Letting go of old dynamics and shifting your circle * (14:00) Mushrooms, plant medicine, and spiritual purging * (19:30) Asking the universe for signs and learning to trust again * (25:00) Discovering breathwork as emotional and spiritual release * (33:00) Prioritizing mental health over hustle and redefining success * (38:30) Cutting out alcohol and aligning with clarity and purpose * (42:00) Closing reflections — transformation as the gift of rock bottom Resources: This episode is sponsored by GEM — the real food daily bite delivering 20+ essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in one delicious chew. Use code ROCKBOTTOM or visit dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM [https://dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM] for 15% off your order. Mayssa Chehata | Instagram ROCK BOTTOM | Instagram GEM | Website [https://dailygem.com] BEHAVE Candy | Website Credits: Created by Mayssa Chehata Produced by Wondir Studios

Kendra Austin and The Power of Burning it All Down

In this episode of ROCK BOTTOM, host Mayssa Chehata sits down with Kendra Austin: writer, model, and creator behind The Realest Oracle deck and The Eldest Daughter podcast. Known for her wit, depth, and spiritual clarity, Kendra opens up about the journey that led her to rock bottom — and how burning her old life to the ground became the beginning of her rebirth. Together, they explore Kendra’s path through emotional abuse, overachievement, and the perfectionism that masked deep pain. She shares how stillness, solitude, and plant medicine became portals to healing — and how she transformed her defensiveness into self-trust, her anger into art, and her chaos into clarity. This intimate conversation dives into themes of nervous system regulation, emotional reprogramming, inner child healing, and reclaiming creative power. It’s a raw and revelatory story of how rock bottom can be the clean slate you never knew you needed and a reminder that transformation begins when we stop running from ourselves. If you’ve ever felt stuck in survival mode or trapped in cycles of chaos, Kendra’s story will remind you that you are never broken, only becoming. Show Notes: * (00:00) Introduction — What is Rock Bottom? * (02:00) Kendra’s childhood: chaos, old souls, and survival through imagination * (06:00) Growing up in emotional volatility and learning self-protection * (13:00) The “little lawyer” — how defensiveness becomes identity * (19:00) Learning that no one is coming to save you * (22:00) Kendra’s 2020 rock bottom: an abusive relationship and financial collapse * (31:00) The psychic metaphor — cleaning the house within * (34:00) The “scorched earth” chapter — anger as liberation * (43:00) Healing through psilocybin, journaling, meditation, and walking * (52:00) From victimhood to responsibility — taking ownership of your healing * (1:05:00) Creating The Realest Oracle deck and redefining spirituality * (1:14:00) Rewiring the nervous system and rebuilding self-trust * (1:25:00) Discipline without self-hate — the power of joyful choice * (1:31:00) Curiosity, evolution, and embracing the next rock bottom Resources: This episode is sponsored by GEM — the real food daily bite delivering 20+ essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in one delicious chew. Use code ROCKBOTTOM or visit dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM [https://dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM] for 15% off your order. Kendra Austin | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kendramorous?igsh=cGwzazduOWJ6cmxv]The Realest Oracle | Website [https://www.amazon.com/Realest-Oracle-Deck-Authentic-Guidebook/dp/1797222244]GEM | Website [https://dailygem.com/] BEHAVE Candy | Website [https://www.eatbehave.com/] Credits: Created by Mayssa Chehata Produced by Desta Wondirad and Wondir Studios Production Support and Audio Engineering by Johnny Simon Recorded in New York City by Wondir Studios

Babba Rivera on Grief, Healing, and Rebirth: Finding Strength on the Other Side of Tragedy

In this episode of ROCK BOTTOM, host Mayssa Chehata sits down with her close friend Babba Rivera — award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Ceremonia, the clean hair care brand rooted in Latinx heritage. Together, they explore Babba’s journey through unimaginable loss, healing, and spiritual transformation. Babba opens up about growing up as a Chilean immigrant in Sweden, redefining success, learning to reconnect with her body, and how grief ultimately became the foundation for the most meaningful chapters of her life — including motherhood, spirituality, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship. This intimate conversation dives into topics like mental health, emotional resilience, ancestral healing, and the power of gratitude. It’s a story of rebirth, faith, and finding light when all seems lost. If you’ve ever hit a low point and wondered how to climb out, Babba’s story reminds us that the only way out is through — and that something beautiful always lies on the other side of rock bottom. Show Notes:     •    (00:00) Introduction — What is Rock Bottom?     •    (02:00) Growing up in Sweden as a first-generation Chilean immigrant     •    (10:30) Family patterns, cultural expectations, and self-worth     •    (25:00) The moment that changed everything — losing her brother     •    (40:00) Learning to live with grief and finding new meaning     •    (50:00) How therapy, acupuncture, and daily rituals became healing anchors     •    (1:05:00) Reconnecting with the body and finding joy again     •    (1:20:00) Spiritual awakening, clairvoyance, and trusting the universe     •    (1:35:00) Building Ceremonia and motherhood as acts of rebirth     •    (1:50:00) Rapid-fire reflections and advice for those at rock bottom Resources: This podcast is sponsored by GEM. Their Daily Bite delivers 20+ whole-food vitamins, minerals, nutrients, probiotics and prebiotics for foundational health in one delicious bite. Use the code ROCKBOTTOM, or visit www.dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM [http://www.dailygem.com/ROCKBOTTOM] for 15% off your order. Babba Rivera | Instagram [Instagram.com/babba] Ceremonia | Website [Ceremonia.com] GEM | Website [dailygem.com] BEHAVE Candy | Website [eatbehave.com] If you or someone you know is in crisis or having through of suicide, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and crisis lifeline | Website (link to 988lifeline.org/) or call or text 988 Credits: Created by Mayssa Chehata Produced by Desta Wondirad and Wondir Studios Production Support and Audio Recording by Johnny Simon