Brain Cancer Survivor Defies the Odds After 11 Brain Surgeries and a Stroke

Breathwork, Addiction Recovery, and Finding Purpose After Rock Bottom | Jon Paul Crimi

What if the thing that finally helps you heal is not another attempt to outrun your pain, but learning how to sit with it, breathe through it, and come back to yourself? Jon Paul Crimi spent years running from emotional pain through alcohol, drugs, partying, and self-destruction. After hitting rock bottom, he found breathwork, a practice that helped him reconnect with his body, release stored pain, and begin building a life rooted in purpose instead of survival. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Travis sits down with Jon Paul to talk about addiction, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, shame, and the unexpected path that led him from personal pain to helping thousands of others through breathwork. Jon Paul shares why he believes breathwork can help people quiet the mind, access emotions they have buried, and move through the nervous system patterns that keep them stuck. He also explains the difference between different styles of breathing, why circular breathwork can feel intense, and why the goal is not to force healing, but to create space for the body to release what it has been holding. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human. It is about recovery, emotional release, finding purpose, and learning that you are worth the work it takes to heal. What We Discussed * Jon Paul's early life in Massachusetts and the pain he tried to escape * How alcohol, drugs, and self-destruction became coping mechanisms * What changed after Jon Paul hit rock bottom * How breathwork entered his life and helped him begin healing * The difference between box breathing, Wim Hof-style breathing, and circular breathwork * Why breathwork can bring buried emotions and trauma to the surface * How the body can hold grief, stress, fear, and unresolved pain * Why therapy and breathwork can work together * How people can feel stuck even when they understand their problems intellectually * The connection between purpose, self-worth, and emotional healing * Why men and high performers may resist slowing down long enough to feel * What someone can expect from a breathwork class * Why Jon Paul teaches people to trust the breath and stop overthinking the process * How healing can change the way you show up in your life, work, and relationships * Why living authentically often starts when you stop caring so much about other people's opinions Learn More About Jon Paul Crimi * Jon Paul Crimi is a breathwork teacher who helps people use breathwork to navigate addiction, anxiety, grief, trauma, stress, emotional pain, and feeling stuck. * Through his work, he teaches people how to use the breath to quiet the mind, reconnect with the body, and create space for emotional release and healing. * Learn more at https://breathewithjp.com [https://breathewithjp.com]. Call To Action If this episode helped you think differently about addiction, trauma, breathwork, or healing, please follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about resilience, mental health, recovery, and personal growth to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Why You Keep Having the Same Fight With Your Partner: Anger, Resentment, and Repair | Davina Hehn

What if the same argument keeps coming back because neither of you is actually fighting about what you think you are? So many couples get stuck in the same painful loop: one person gets angry, the other shuts down, resentment builds, and the relationship starts to feel unsafe even when both people still love each other. In this episode, Travis White sits down with Davina Hehn to talk about anger intelligence, relationship conflict, parenting pressure, postpartum depression, emotional shutdown, and what it really takes to repair a damaged relationship before resentment takes over. Davina shares how her own marriage nearly fell apart after parenting exposed patterns neither partner knew how to handle. Through anger management training, radical transparency, and a willingness to rewrite the story they were telling about each other, she and her husband began rebuilding their relationship from the ground up. Together, Travis and Davina explore why anger is often misunderstood, how men and women can express anger differently, why new parents can become more reactive, and how couples can stop outsourcing their regulation, confidence, and self-control to each other. They also discuss the mental health stigma that keeps people from asking for help and why healing often starts with radical self-responsibility. If you are tired of repeating the same arguments, feeling reactive, shutting down, or wondering if your relationship can actually change, this conversation offers a grounded and honest look at what repair can look like. What We Discussed * Why couples keep having the same argument over and over * How anger can show up externally and internally * The difference between anger management and anger intelligence * How Davina realized her own role in relationship conflict * Why parenting can expose hidden cracks in a marriage * The emotional weight of postpartum depression and unmet expectations * How sleep deprivation makes parents more reactive * Why comparison can damage connection between partners * How resentment builds when couples do not feel seen or understood * The importance of radical transparency in repairing trust * Why rewriting the narrative about your partner can change the relationship * How emotional shutdown and numbness can be a protective response * Why couples often wait too long before getting help * How to take radical self-responsibility without blaming yourself for everything * The connection between suppressed emotions, the body, and mental health * Why seeking support does not mean something is wrong with you Learn More About Davina Hehn * Learn more at A Steady Space [https://www.asteadyspace.com/]. * Take Davina's "Are You Wired for Parenting or Partnership?" quiz: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6360a042f6e2c50016d6c94e [https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6360a042f6e2c50016d6c94e] Call To Action If this episode helped you understand anger, conflict, or relationship repair in a new way, please follow, share, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about mental health, resilience, relationships, and healing to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Brain Cancer Survivor Defies the Odds After 11 Brain Surgeries and a Stroke

Scott Cook was preparing for a bodybuilding competition when his life changed without warning. In 2009, he collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found a plum-sized tumor at the base of his brain that was blocking drainage and causing dangerous pressure. What followed was a long and painful road through brain cancer, 11 brain surgeries, shunts, a stroke, time in a wheelchair, and the slow work of learning how to move, speak, and trust his body again. Scott was told he may never walk again. He was also told he may never have children. But Scott kept going. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Scott shares how bodybuilding, discipline, nutrition, fatherhood, faith in the human spirit, and a refusal to give up helped him rebuild his life one step at a time. His story is not about pretending recovery was easy. It is about choosing to keep showing up when life becomes heavier than you ever imagined. Scott's message is simple and deeply human: when life gets terrible, we are often stronger than we realize. What We Discussed * How Scott discovered a brain tumor while preparing for a bodybuilding competition * The emergency surgeries that began his fight for survival * Living through 11 brain surgeries, shunts, and brain cancer recovery * How a stroke left Scott in a wheelchair and forced him to rebuild again * The emotional weight of being told he may never walk or have children * Why bodybuilding became more than fitness for Scott * How discipline, nutrition, and small daily actions helped him recover * The role of fatherhood, purpose, and family in his resilience * Relearning speech and navigating invisible challenges after brain injury * Why Scott believes every small victory matters * The difference between giving up and learning how to keep going * How sharing his story can help others believe they can overcome hard things Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

The Hidden Reason Anxiety Won't Go Away: The Missing Piece Nobody Talks About | Tauna Young

What if anxiety isn't a thinking problem at all? What if your body is sounding an alarm long before your mind understands why? Many people believe anxiety starts with negative thoughts. But what if the physical symptoms come first and your brain is simply trying to make sense of them? In this episode, Travis White sits down with psychiatric nurse practitioner Tauna Young, FNP-C, to explore the hidden reason anxiety won't go away and the missing piece nobody talks about: the connection between emotions, the nervous system, and the body's stress response. Tauna shares why anxiety is often a physical experience before it's a mental one, how suppressed emotions can fuel chronic stress, and why so many people feel exhausted even when they appear to be functioning well on the outside. Together, they discuss the relationship between fear and anxiety, why some people struggle to identify what they're feeling, how modern technology impacts the nervous system, and the importance of giving ourselves permission to experience emotions rather than fight them. Tauna also introduces Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES), a non-medication approach designed to help regulate the nervous system and promote calm. If you've ever wondered why your body feels stressed even when your mind knows everything is okay, this conversation offers a different perspective on healing, emotional health, and recovery. What We Discussed * Why anxiety is often a physical experience before a mental one * The connection between fear, emotions, and the nervous system * How suppressed emotions can contribute to chronic anxiety * Why highly functioning people can still feel emotionally exhausted * The difference between fear and anxiety * Learning to identify and accept difficult emotions * How the body reacts to perceived threats * The impact of technology and constant stimulation on mental health * Why rest and relaxation can feel uncomfortable for some people * Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) and nervous system regulation * The role of therapy, medication, and alternative treatment options * Coping versus healing * Mental health stigma and the future of mental health care * Why vulnerability matters in recovery and healing Connect With Tauna Young * Neurovana Calm: https://neurovanacalm.com [https://neurovanacalm.com] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taunayoung_fnpc/ [https://www.instagram.com/taunayoung_fnpc/] * Harmony Mental Health: https://www.harmonymentalhealth.biz/ [https://www.harmonymentalhealth.biz/] Call To Action If this episode helped you see anxiety in a new way, please follow, share, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about mental health, resilience, and personal growth to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Born Blind, Battling Chronic Pain, and Finding Purpose with Daniel Hodges

Born blind and living with severe chronic pain, Daniel Hodges knows what it feels like to be underestimated, isolated, and told what he would never become. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Travis sits down with Daniel Hodges, president and co-founder of Pieces of Me Foundation, for an honest conversation about blindness, Ehlers-Danlos, chronic pain, anxiety, suicidal ideation, disability stigma, faith, law school, advocacy, and finding purpose through service. Daniel shares what it was like to miss years of school because the system did not know how to support a blind student, how bullying and isolation affected his identity, and how mental health struggles followed him into adulthood. He also opens up about a crisis during law school, the moment that helped spark Pieces of Me Foundation, and why stigma reduction matters for people living with disabilities and mental health challenges. This conversation is about more than overcoming blindness or chronic pain. It is about what happens when a person who has been dismissed chooses to create space for others to feel seen, heard, and valued. What We Discussed * Daniel Hodges' experience being born blind and living with Ehlers-Danlos * How chronic pain shaped his daily life, identity, and limits * Missing grades 7 through 11 and the emotional cost of isolation * Bullying, exclusion, and being told what he would never become * Anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation * Why mental pain can feel impossible to explain from the outside * How a law school crisis became part of the story behind Pieces of Me Foundation * Turning pain into purpose without minimizing the pain itself * Why disability stigma and mental health stigma are connected * How organizations, schools, and workplaces can build more people-centered cultures * Why access, inclusion, and accessibility should be framed as a win-win * The danger of comparing pain and ranking disabilities * Why hope dies in isolation * How self-care, faith, and service help Daniel stay grounded Learn More About Daniel Hodges Daniel Hodges is the president and co-founder of Pieces of Me Foundation, an organization focused on reducing stigma, increasing understanding, and helping people with disabilities and mental health challenges feel seen without being reduced to a diagnosis or limitation. Pieces of Me Foundation: https://peacesofme.org [https://peacesofme.org] Daniel explains the spelling this way: people are not broken, and real peace can come from embracing who we are and the value we bring to the world. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube: @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]! Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!