Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast High On Healthy

Richard Zwicky speaks with board-certified psychotherapist and physician Dr. Hans Watson about the intersection of psychedelic-assisted therapy, attachment styles, and intimate relationship dynamics.

Dr. Watson dicusses how substances like MDMA and ketamine lower emotional defenses, enabling couples to experience genuine empathy and break through entrenched behavioral patterns within a safe, structured environment.

He also emphasizes that while psychedelics can reopen neural pathways and foster immediate breakthroughs, long-term therapeutic success depends on careful preparation, individual integration, and developing sustainable communication and conflict-resolution skills to build lasting relationship safety.

In this episode of High on Healthy, host Richard Zwicky sits down with Myriam Barthes, co-founder and CEO of Journey Clinical, to explore how integrating psychedelic medicine with structured psychotherapy creates scalable, meaningful mental health treatment.

Barthes discusses the critical role of medical oversight, preparation, and integration windows in fostering neuroplasticity, helping patients sit with discomfort, and guiding them back to their authentic, creative lives.

Richard Zwicky speaks with Dr. Amy Bucher, the Chief Behavioral Officer at Lirio. They explore how the psychological mechanisms often utilized by social media to capture attention can instead be applied to improve healthcare outcomes, such as encouraging medication adherence, vaccinations, and cancer screenings.

Dr. Bucher outlines how Lirio leverages behavioral science and multi-agent AI systems to deliver personalized communication (or "nudges") via text messages and emails that address individual barriers to care, such as fear or forgetfulness. 

In this episode of High on Healthy, host Richard Zwicky interviews Dr. Theresa B. Skaar, a social psychologist and mindfulness-based stress reduction instructor, to explore the psychological toll of relentless accomplishment. The conversation focuses on how high achievers often tie their identity entirely to milestones, leading to burnout, imposter syndrome, and a deep disconnect from their true selves.

Dr. Skaar discusses the "power of the pause" and using mindfulness to transition from a performance-evaluated life to one focused on inner experience. To break cycles of perfectionism and prepare for major life shifts like retirement, she advocates for cultivating "organic gratitude" and building a curious, non-judgmental relationship with oneself.

In this episode of High and Healthy, host Richard Zwicky joins licensed professional counselors Beth Valdez and Helene Zupanc—co-authors of Sticky Note Mantras—to explore why high-achievers often struggle to enjoy their successes and feel trapped in a cycle of constant striving.

They delve into the neuroscience behind our "predictive" brains, which are wired for survival rather than fulfillment, leading many to believe satisfaction is always just one more milestone away.

Valdez and Zupanc offer actionable strategies for cultivating psychological flexibility, such as using mindfulness, grounding techniques, and "sticky note mantras" to rewire negative neural pathways and shift from a pattern of achievement-driven anxiety to a life defined by authentic values and present-moment appreciation.

Richard Zwicky interviews Dr. Joshua Pritikin, a quantitative psychologist and talk therapy practitioner, to discuss finding meaning in life through spiritual experiences.

Dr. Pritikin introduces a progressive framework utilizing Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, which allows individuals to understand their inner "subpersonalities" and practice "unblending" from reactive emotions to achieve inner harmony.

He details a modified meditation technique designed to build internal trust and prevent spiritual bypassing by addressing distracting thoughts directly. 

High on Healthy host Richard Zwicky speaks with podcast host and mental health advocate Emily LoMenzo Washcovick about navigating attention, technology, and neurodiversity.

Drawing from her personal experience with a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis and her background working at tech companies like Yelp, LoMenzo Washcovick discusses how modern platforms are intentionally engineered to exploit human attention.

Rather than viewing distraction as a personal failure of discipline, she emphasizes the need to actively manage technology by customizing settings, establishing structured routines, and relying on external accountability to mitigate time blindness.

In this episode of High on Healthy, host Richard Zwicky sits down with retired infantry officer Aaron Baty to explore a profound journey of healing from trauma, PTSD, and the invisible scars of military service.

After years of struggling with conventional treatments, alcohol reliance, and a sense of detachment from his family, Aaron shares how psychedelic-assisted therapy—specifically ibogaine—served as a catalyst for deep introspection and nervous system regulation. 

Dr. Saravanan Thangarajan joins High and Healthy to challenge the reactive nature of current mental healthcare systems, which often wait for catastrophic burnout or crisis before intervening.

He outlines a proactive model where AI analyzes subtle vocal biomarkers—such as tone, pauses, and speech patterns—during routine, everyday conversations to detect early shifts in emotional well-being. Unlike standard wellness apps that rely on self-reporting during a crisis,

Dr. Thangarajan’s approach aims to provide an "early warning" signal for clinical teams. He emphasizes that technology must never replace human judgment or empathy; instead, he advocates for a rigorous governance framework where AI alerts trigger a mandatory, human-led clinical pathway, arguing that prediction without a clear, accountable intervention strategy creates only an "illusion of safety."

In this episode of High and Healthy, host Richard Zwicky and guest Nick Jonsson—psychotherapist and author of Executive Loneliness—deconstruct the misconception that loneliness is simply an absence of people.

Drawing on his own experiences with corporate burnout and addiction recovery, Jonsson argues that the "lonely at the top" phenomenon is actually a crisis of authenticity, driven by a corporate culture that rewards masking weaknesses and relentless self-sufficiency. 

In this interview, licensed therapist and founder of Cannectd Wellness, Shari Kaplan, challenges the polarized "pro- vs. anti-AI" debate in mental health care, advocating instead for a "collaborative tool" approach.

Kaplan explains that rather than replacing the therapist, her AI system functions as a supportive bridge between sessions, helping patients practice self-regulation, breath work, and groundedness exactly when they need it most.

By integrating strict ethical guardrails and prioritizing human connection, Kaplan argues that AI can handle administrative burdens like note-taking and bio-psychosocial synthesis, allowing clinicians to focus on the nuanced, non-verbal, and empathetic healing that defines effective therapy. 

In this episode of High and Healthy, host Richard Zwicky interviews holistic health coach Rebecca de Lia about the profound impact of early childhood experiences on adult relationships, nervous system regulation, and overall well-being.

They challenge the misconception that trauma is limited to extreme abuse, discussing how subtle forms of emotional neglect often shape our attachment styles and subconscious behaviors well into adulthood.

Richard Zwicky talks with psychologist Dr. Krista Jordan to explore the powerful role of the subconscious in our daily lives and relationships.

Dr. Jordan explains that a significant portion of our behavior—including perceptions, judgments, and reactions—operates outside conscious awareness, often driven by evolutionary adaptations and childhood experiences.

They discuss the necessity of "depth-oriented" therapy to uncover these deep-seated patterns, arguing that true healing requires the relational connection between two nervous systems rather than a DIY approach. 

In this episode of High and Healthy, host Richard Zwicky speaks with therapist Wendi Dumbroff to explore why individuals frequently fall into repetitive, unhealthy relationship cycles.

Rather than focusing on "fixing" a partner, the discussion highlights the power of self-confrontation and examining one’s own history to understand how childhood experiences unconsciously drive current triggers and relationship dynamics.

By unpacking the "circular" nature of conflict, the importance of maintaining clear boundaries, and the reality behind why we often mistake familiarity for chemistry,

In this episode of "High and Healthy," host Richard Zwicky sits down with neuroscientist and Neurable founder Dr. Ramses Alcaide to discuss the revolutionary potential of brain-computer interfaces to measure mental wellness and performance.

While traditional wearables track physical metrics like heart rate and steps, Dr. Alcaide highlights the critical gap in tracking our most vital, yet "invisible" organ: the brain.

They also explore how monitoring cognitive strain and recovery can empower individuals to make healthier daily decisions, potentially preventing burnout and identifying early markers for neurodegeneration.

Richard Zwicky speaks with Laura Ramos, founder of Redefine Wellness and Treatment, to explore the often-overlooked mental health struggles of high-achieving individuals.

Ramos discusses how many successful professionals use productivity as a coping mechanism, trading emotional and spiritual connection for external validation and wealth—a state she identifies as being "emotionally bankrupt."

The conversation delves into how this hyper-focused, achievement-oriented lifestyle is frequently a trauma response that leads to severe emotional suppression, irritability, and disconnection from loved ones. 

Therapist and practice owner William Schroeder of Just Mind Counseling, Austin, TX joins host Richard Zwicky to explore the transformative yet complex role of AI in mental health. While AI shows promise in streamlining practice infrastructure—such as handling insurance compliance and claims—Schroeder warns against the "robo-apocalypse" of replacing human therapists with chatbots.

They highlight the critical importance of trust, non-verbal cues, and genuine human connection in therapeutic success, elements that AI currently lacks and may undermine through validation-focused, "psychopantry" responses.

Richard Zwicky talks with Dr. Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), explore the overlap between AI chatbots and mental health crisis intervention. As more people in distress turn to AI for immediate help,

Dr. Moutier distinguishes between purpose-built mental health LLMs and broad-use platforms, where AFSP is focusing its energy on risk detection and upstream prevention. A key concern is the risk of AI hallucinating, providing inappropriate advice, or creating a dangerous dependency through "synthetic emotional intimacy". 

Richard Zwicky and licensed professional counselor Eileen Borski discuss the critical question of whether the brain can learn safety again after experiencing trauma, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intergenerational trauma.

Borski explains that many symptoms, like anxiety or a racing heart, are "flashing yellow lights" indicating a chronically disregulated nervous system, not a flaw in personality. 

Richard Zwicky welcomes practicing therapist Phil Macleod, founder of Thought Reader, discuss the risks of over-relying on generic AI for mental health and decision-making, which Macleod calls "chat AI confusion syndrome".

The central concern is that AI, which is fallible and often confirms a user's existing biases with "false confidence," encourages people to outsource their identity and rational thinking, thereby preventing emotional growth that is naturally formed through friction and mistakes.

The speakers identify the danger point as when individuals stop trusting their own knowledge for basic daily questions and instead seek certainty from AI, which diminishes their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Richard Zwicky and licensed therapist Erin Pash discuss the responsible integration of AI into mental health care, exploring how this emerging technology can enhance—but not replace—human connection in therapy. 

Pash advocates for therapists to embrace AI and establish personalized "guard rails" for clients using tools between sessions. When used correctly, AI can be a powerful tool to aid clients in clarifying their thoughts, reframing communication (e.g., changing "you statements" to "I statements"), and managing their feelings, allowing therapists to focus on core work rather than "pre-work".

Richard Zwicky interviews therapist Alissa Allen to explore the often-misunderstood concept of high-functioning depression. Allen describes this condition as a "high-performance mask" where individuals appear successful and overflow with social and professional commitments while internally battling chronic stress, emotional numbness, and exhaustion.

Drawing from her background in neurotheology and Chinese medicine, Allen emphasizes the importance of intrinsic self-worth and mental resilience, advocating for holistic healing that addresses root causes rather than just managing symptoms.

In this episode of High on Healthy, Richard Zwicky and Dr. Sulagna Misra explore the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare. Dr. Misra highlights the tension between AI's potential for efficiency—such as robotic surgery and data collection—and the critical risks of losing the human relationship essential to healing.

They delve into the dangers of AI "hallucinations" in psychiatric care, the necessity of physician-led guardrails, and the vital role of medical intuition in picking up on nuances, like a patient's silence, that a machine might overlook. While AI is a powerful assistive tool, it must be carefully regulated to enhance rather than replace the delicate human element of medical practice.

Richard Zwicky sits down with Dr. Adi Jaffe, a UCLA-affiliated specialist and author of Unhooked, to dismantle the traditional stigma surrounding addiction.

Dr. Jaffe shares his powerful journey from a felony conviction to a PhD, arguing that addictive behaviors—ranging from substance abuse to workaholism and digital dependency—are actually adaptive coping mechanisms developed to survive emotional pain and trauma. 

High on Healthy explores the "gut-mind" connection with Shirley Billigmeier, the founder of Innergetics. Moving beyond the restrictive rules of traditional diet culture, Shirley discusses how we often lose the biological "eating boundaries" we were born with due to early childhood conditioning and emotional "food noise."

She introduces the concept of the hunger scale as a tool for metacognition, teaching listeners how to distinguish genuine physical signals from the nervous system’s desire to "detour" into eating to mask discomfort.

In this insightful episode of High and Healthy, host Richard Zwicky sits down with systemic coach and Breathing Flame founder, Oscar Trelles, to deconstruct the "slow roasting" of modern burnout.

Oscar shares his personal journey from running a high-flying global market research firm to a total identity collapse during the pandemic, revealing how consumer culture trains our nervous systems to prioritize material accumulation over biological safety.

Richard Zwicky and licensed marriage and family therapist Zoe Spears, discuss the psychological cost of modern achievement and consumer culture. 

They explore how industrialism and capitalism have tied self-worth to productivity and monetary gain, leading many high achievers and perfectionists to struggle with anxiety, burnout, and chronic dissatisfaction. 

Spears notes that this pressure is often internalized, causing a fear of failure and an incessant drive to optimize. The conversation also addresses how consumerism acts as a short-term "dopamine fix" and a form of addiction, compensating for an underlying feeling of emptiness or lack of self-worth that may stem from deeply rooted issues. 

Richard Zwicky interviews social psychologist Dr. Andre Walton, who proposes a provocative redefinition of burnout, asserting that it is primarily caused by how we think rather than simply by workload or being restricted to workplace stress. 

Dr. Walton explains that burnout stems from "thinking too narrowly," which suppresses the core human drive for creative thought. Adults, trained to be efficient, often default to analytical and convergent thinking, which is the opposite of the divergent thinking required to see all options. 

This analytical rut is worsened by chronic stress, leading to the social science phenomenon of "seizing and freezing," where individuals cling to the first available option and fail to search for new possibilities, making them rigid and less innovative.

Richard Zwicky talks with licensed professional counselor Hunter Cook examines "high functioning depression," a silent mental health challenge faced by successful professionals who appear accomplished but internally struggle with chronic stress, anxiety, and emotional disconnection. 

Cook explains that this non-clinical phenomenon is often rooted in conditional love, trauma, or societal expectations—especially for neurodivergent individuals—which forces them to suppress emotions as a survival technique and drives a destructive cycle of perfectionism. 

Recovery involves embracing vulnerability and the process over the outcome, clarifying personal values using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and consciously separating self-worth from professional performance. 

Dr. Todd Coleman, an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, explores the profound and literal connection between the stomach and the brain, often referred to as the body's "second brain" due to the approximately 300 million neurons in the GI tract. 

Dr. Coleman explains that "gut feelings" are scientifically grounded in the concept of interosception—the sense of the body's internal state—which modulates cognition and decision-making. His research uses the electrogastrogram (EGG) to measure the stomach's electrical activity, revealing a crucial dialogue with the brain during non-REM sleep. 

Loretta Graziano Breuning, founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, challenges the cultural myth of constant happiness. Drawing on her work examining how "happy chemicals"—dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins—evolved in animals,

Breuning explains that our brains are naturally wired for emotional peaks and valleys, which serve the purpose of survival. She discusses how the pursuit of constant "jackpot dopamine" leads to unhealthy habits, and instead advocates for finding contentment through small, consistent steps. She also addresses the complexities of modern dating, rejection, and the "cortisol pathways" of stress.

Richard Zwicky speaks with Dr. Jenna Budreau-Roman, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Love and Theory, explores the paradox of highly successful people who struggle with imposter syndrome and a sense of conditional self-worth.

Dr. Budreau-Roman explains that this often stems from a childhood where identity becomes synonymous with achievement, making worth conditional on performance. The discussion covers the addictive and isolating cycle of constantly pushing through pain, which can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression—with high performers often being the last to notice their struggles.

Dr. Jennifer Fraser and Richard Zwicky focus on the subliminal and socially acceptable forms of abuse, such as gaslighting, which many people—including high-achieving professionals—fail to recognize due to a lack of sophisticated vocabulary.

The discussion broadens to systemic bullying embedded in culture and politics, analyzing the dangerous "DARVO" (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) cycle that leaders use to protect aggressors and their own complicity.

To address both individual and systemic toxicity, Dr. Fraser advocates for a courageous shift from an ethical/shame-based model to a brain-informed medical model, where the core principle is: "Hurt brains hurt."

This approach reframes the issue to offer abusers rehabilitation and creates a system genuinely focused on healing and protecting the health and well-being of everyone.

Richard Zwickey interviews Naveen Khalfan, a licensed family therapist and mental health professional at Headspace.

The discussion explores the "data gap" in mental health, examining why progress is harder to measure than physical healing and how traditional self-reporting tools often fail to capture the nuances of internal growth.

Khalfan shares insights on the rising role of AI in mental health, emphasizing that while technology can provide valuable biometric data and accessibility, it cannot replace the essential human elements of vulnerability, empathy, and connection. 

Richard Zwicky speaks with physician and behavioral change designer Kyra Bobinet to explore why traditional willpower models consistently fail. ]

Dr. Bobinet highlights the "data gap" in mental health, arguing that subjective questionnaires fall short of the precision offered by modern brain science.

The conversation centers on the habenula—the brain’s "anti-reward" pathway—which can trigger failure loops and kill motivation when we face setbacks.

Dr. Jennifer Fraser and Richard Zwicky introduce the concept of bullying and abuse not as merely a moral or behavioral issue, but as a brain-altering experience and a verifiable physical injury.

Dr. Fraser details how extensive neuroscientific research shows that repeated exposure to abuse can cause physical damage, including the demyelination of the corpus callosum, the shrinking of the hippocampus due to high cortisol levels, and an enlarged amygdala, the brain’s threat-detection center.

The discussion highlights that this "brain injury" is often unseen, leading organizations to minimize its effect. Furthermore, the conversation explores the damage done to the bully's brain, noting the erosion of affective empathy, and emphasizes the bottom-line impact of abuse culture on businesses, leading to significant stress-related turnover and talent loss.

In this episode of High on Healthy, host Richard Zwicky sits down with Dr. Justin Jacques, founder of the Human Theory Group, to explore the critical need for objective data in mental health treatment.

Dr. Jack highlights the limitations of traditional self-reporting—which is often inconsistent and subject to personal bias—and discusses how advanced tools like neurofeedback (qEEG) and natural language processing can provide a more precise "map" of the brain. However, as a "radical humanist,"

Dr. Jack emphasizes that data should never replace the sacred therapeutic bond; instead, it should serve as a "guardrail" to help clinicians identify therapeutic ruptures, personalize care, and navigate the unique cultural and gender-based barriers that often prevent patients from reaching the core of their issues.

Dr. Sharad Paul, author of Biohacking Your Genes, discusses the core principle of epigenetics: that while genes are a blueprint, they are not destiny, and we can influence them through personal actions. He advocates for optimizing health span—or performance in the present—over extreme, unproven longevity interventions.

Dr. Paul highlights the most overlooked health principles as personal responsibility and the profound impact of diet and non-constant exercise, such as changing your running routes or practicing free-form dance like tango, to maintain brain health.

He shares that the MIND Diet can significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and underscores the power of emotional health and mindset, noting that optimism and a sense of purpose are critical factors that influence physical healing.

He cautions against common mistakes like over-supplementation without proper genetic testing.

Dr. Jeff Feinman, a veterinarian, molecular biologist, and founder of Holistic Actions, joins Richard Zwicky to explore the profound, often unarticulated connection between animals, human mental health, and consciousness.

Dr. Feinman reveals that his deep understanding of this interrelationship came not from his scientific training but from a half-century of observation, leading him to recognize how relationships with animals are directly tied to the balance of life processes, a concept overlooked in conventional veterinary medicine.

He highlights that animals are masters of "energetic hygiene," possessing the ability to rapidly "shake off" overstimulation and remain entirely focused on the present moment, a valuable lesson for humans who tend to ruminate and overthink.

Charles Patti is Chief of Growth at Eleusis, a groundbreaking venture described as the world’s first legal luxury psychedelic research immersion retreat/resort. Eleusis is scheduled to open its first public immersion retreats on March 18th and March 25th on the island of Beckway in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

This location was chosen because the organization secured a rare government license to utilize all psychedelic compounds for research purposes. The Eleusis model is a luxury, medically supervised, research-focused experience that is explicitly distinct from traditional group-based ceremonies like Ayahuasca.

It emphasizes personalized medical care, with all vital signs being monitored and pharmaceutical-grade medicine sourced from a GMP certified laboratory in Canada, representing a "new paradigm" for the therapeutic use of these medicines.

In this episode of High on Healthy, host Richard Zwicky sits down with Dr. Sandra Bailey, a registered nurse and holistic practitioner who navigates the intersection of conventional healthcare and ancient shamanic traditions.

Dr. Bailey discusses her unique approach to treating depression, anxiety, and trauma by scanning the body for energetic "roots" and addressing spiritual concerns such as soul retrieval, past-life vows, and auric attachments.

While she maintains a background in clinical nursing, she explains how her remote shamanic practice—which includes wealth activation for businesses and central nervous system resets—offers a path for those who haven't found relief through traditional psychiatry or medication alone.

 Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers explores the pervasive issue of sexual shame, tracing its roots to early childhood experiences, particularly caregivers' negative reactions to a child's natural discovery of their genitals.

Dr. Sellers and Richard Zwicky discuss how this emotional abuse, often unintentional, creates a core feeling of shame that negatively impacts attachment styles, trust, and intimacy in adult relationships.

They highlight the need for comprehensive sex education and introduces the process of "deconstruction"—curiously examining the origins of one's shame and reconstructing a healthier narrative. 

Richard Zwicky explores the hidden depths of the mind with hypnotherapist Juliet Annerino, who specializes in high-performance environments. They dive into how the subconscious governs 95% of our actions and how techniques like hypnotherapy and lucid dreaming can bridge the gap between our conscious goals and subconscious roadblocks.

Annerino shares powerful methods for "reprogramming" recurring nightmares, reframing performance anxiety as excitement, and using somatic tools like the "Superman pose" to instantly boost confidence.

By addressing core issues like imposter syndrome and the "inner child" through integration rather than willpower, this episode provides a roadmap for anyone looking to achieve lasting self-acceptance and mental clarity.

Richard Zwicky speaks with Reverend Connie Habash—a licensed marriage and family therapist and interfaith minister—to explore how reconnecting with the physical body and the natural world can dissolve the blocks of anxiety and depression.

Habash introduces the "back to grazing" concept, explaining how we can retrain our nervous systems to shift from a constant state of "fight or flight" to the safety of the present moment. By utilizing "sit spots," sensory engagement with nature (even through something as simple as a houseplant or a river rock), and the yoga principle of santosha (contentment),

Habash demonstrates that healing isn't a destination to reach, but a journey of rediscovering joy and aliveness in the here and now.

Richard Zwicky sits down with certified sex educator and author Suzannah Weiss to explore pleasure not just as a physical act, but as a fundamental pillar of emotional resilience and nervous system regulation.

Weiss challenges societal stigmas and "gendered norms," explaining how mindfulness—from savoring a walk on the beach to intentional self-care—can help individuals, particularly trauma survivors, reconnect with their bodies. 

Dr. Tammy Nelson, a sex and relationship expert, and Richard Zwicky explore how modern life is fundamentally changing the nature of committed relationships.

]Dr. Nelson, author of Open Monogamy, argues that traditional models are no longer applicable due to longer lifespans and a cultural shift toward processing emotions and trauma.

She emphasizes that commitment today is less about moral promises and more about integrity, transparency, and frequently "rebooting the mission" of the partnership. 

Renelle Nelson, creator of The Pleasure Agenda, explores her unique approach as an intimacy and betrayal recovery specialist, focusing on healing after a relationship rupture.

Nelson emphasizes that betrayal often includes a "betrayal of self"—losing authenticity—which is frequently rooted in childhood trauma and attachment styles.

Her work is centered on helping individuals and couples reclaim pleasure as their birthright, a process that involves unlearning the societal narrative that pleasure must be earned through struggle.

Licensed psychotherapist Michelle Smith joins "High on Healthy" to discuss her trauma-informed, client-centric approach to therapy, emphasizing the importance of nervous system regulation and addressing the subconscious mind.

Working virtually across Florida, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Oregon, Smith utilizes modalities like EMDR, clinical hypnosis, and internal family systems to help clients struggling with feelings of being "stuck" due to trauma and chronic stress.

The conversation explores how unresolved adverse childhood experiences and a chronic "fight or flight" response can manifest in daily life as a struggle to rest, disconnection in relationships, and dissociation, which is often misinterpreted as normal life busyness.

Trauma-informed coach and researcher Melissa Swonger joins host Richard Zwicky to explore the profound connection between unresolved trauma and physical health. Swonger shares her personal journey of recovery after two life-altering accidents, illustrating how the body often "keeps the score" through chronic pain, inflammation, and emotional dysregulation.

She introduces her Integrative Transformation Blueprint, a three-step process of awareness, connection, and movement designed to help individuals move past "stagnant" healing by addressing the mind, body, and spirit as an interconnected system. Throughout the conversation, Swonger emphasizes the power of radical kindness and the importance of creating a safe internal environment to bridge the gaps between who we are at work, at home, and within ourselves.

In this episode of High on Healthy, host Richard Zwicky sits down with scientist and practitioner Brooke McKeever to explore the transformative power of Photobiomodulation (PBM).

McKeever explains how targeted light therapy works at a cellular level by stimulating the mitochondria to produce ATP (cellular energy), which accelerates tissue repair and reduces systemic inflammation.

Drawing from her personal journey of using light therapy to avoid a major spinal surgery after a severe car accident, she discusses how PBM can be used to treat everything from chronic pain and traumatic brain injuries to seasonal affective disorder.

By utilizing specific pulse frequencies, McKeever demonstrates how this non-invasive technology can "entrain" the brain into healing states, offering a holistic alternative to traditional symptom suppression and medication.