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What if pain wasn’t the enemy… but a messenger?

What if stress wasn’t just something to “push through”… but the root of nearly every ache, tension, and health challenge in the body?

In this deeply insightful episode, host Amanda Russo sits down with Njideka Olatunde, founder of Focus on Healing Wellness Institute, reflexology educator, and pioneer in medication-free pain relief… for a conversation that reframes everything listeners think they know about pain, stress, and healing.

Njideka shares how growing up with home remedies, herbal “concoctions,” and doctors who made house calls shaped her early vision of becoming a healer. After witnessing gaps in the medical system as a social worker, she followed a new path into naturopathy and reflexology, where she has now spent over 40 years helping thousands find relief without relying on pharmaceuticals.

At the heart of the episode is one core truth: pain and stress go hand in hand. Njideka explains why the body never betrays us, how stress internalized becomes physical pain, and why listening is the first and most powerful form of touch. She introduces the concept of multiple forms of touch, physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, and even financial and reveals how something as simple as a smile, gratitude, or holding space can begin the healing process.

The conversation also explores personal responsibility in healthcare, asking better questions, stepping “out of the box,” reconnecting with the inner child, and why healing requires participation... not passive prescriptions.

It’s a powerful reminder that the body is intelligent, healing is collaborative, and empowerment begins the moment we decide to take back control.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🖐️ Why pain and stress are inseparable
🧠 How internalized stress becomes physical symptoms
👂 Why listening is the first and most powerful form of touch
🌿 How reflexology activates the body’s natural pain relievers
💊 Why medication should be questioned, not blindly accepted
💰 How financial stress silently contributes to illness
🎈 Why reconnecting with your inner child relieves tension
🙏 Why gratitude is the foundation of healing
🔥 How taking responsibility transforms the healing journey

⏰ Timeline Summary

[3:12] Childhood home remedies and the early vision of becoming a healer
[8:45] The stress pain connection explained simply
[12:18] The “mechanic” analogy
[16:40] Listening as the first form of touch
[22:55] Reflexology explained through the nervous system
[31:07] Financial pain as a root cause of stress
[38:42] Creating a “silly day” to reconnect with your inner child
[47:10] Celebrating 40 years of impact in reflexology

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What does it really take to rise from rock bottom and build something meaningful?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Michael Leung for a raw and deeply human conversation about grief, identity, resilience, and rebuilding after adversity. From immigrating to Canada at six years old to losing his mother to cancer during his teenage years, Michael shares how that devastating loss unraveled him, leading to years of anger, rebellion, and self-destruction before ultimately becoming the foundation for purpose.

Together, Amanda and Michael explore toxic friendships, heartbreak after a 12-year relationship ended, navigating partial blindness, and the mindset shifts that transformed pain into impact. What began as survival eventually evolved into innovation, including the creation of an affordable hearing device now helping seniors and individuals with disabilities. This episode is an honest reflection on humility, ownership, and the courage to evolve when life forces change.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧳 How immigrating at a young age shaped resilience and identity
💔 The profound impact of losing a parent and how unprocessed grief can manifest as anger
🔥 Why destructive behaviors are often rooted in deeper emotional pain
🧠 How adversity can either harden someone or refine them
🍻 The turning point that led to sobriety and cutting toxic influences
🎧 How personal disability inspired the creation of an affordable hearing solution
📈 Why feedback, humility, and evolution are critical for growth
💡 The “aha” moment that redefined fulfillment and purpose

⏰ Timeline Summary

[5:45] Immigrating to Canada and adjusting to a new culture
[11:10] Losing his mother to cancer and the emotional shift that followed
[18:30] Falling into destructive patterns and feeling completely lost
[27:50] A major career setback that reignited feelings of injustice
[34:40] Being diagnosed with partial blindness and confronting uncertainty
[38:20] The creation of his hearing device and building a purpose-driven company

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Michael:

https://www.theinnerflo.com/

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What if the reason burnout keeps coming back… isn’t because there’s not enough time but because too much of that time is going to things that don’t actually matter to the life someone wants?

In this episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala, clinical psychologist, professor, and bestselling author for a grounded, eye-opening conversation about values, boundaries, and what it really takes to create change that lasts. Dr. Sauer-Zavala shares her journey from being a “messy, shy kid” to building a career in treatment research, and why redefining success became non-negotiable once motherhood, burnout, and real priorities entered the picture.

Together, Amanda and Dr. Sauer-Zavala unpack why burnout isn’t a productivity problem, how saying “no” can actually bring better opportunities, and why values aren’t just inspirational words, they’re behavioral instructions.

Expect a conversation that cuts through hustle culture, reframes what “success” is supposed to feel like, and brings everything back to one powerful question:

Does this move closer to your values… or farther away? 🧭

💡 In this episode, listeners will learn:

🧭 Why values are the missing link between wanting change and sustaining change
🔥 The 2 burnout mindset traps: treating burnout like an efficiency problem + normalizing exhaustion because “everyone is burnt out”
🚫 Why saying no can lead to more aligned opportunities (not fewer)
📩 The surprising downside of “Inbox Zero” and why it’s not a life goal
🧠 How CBT helps challenge fears like “If a boundary is set, everything will fall apart”
📉 Why aiming for 80% effort can reduce overwhelm without lowering performance
🧩 A new way of understanding borderline personality disorder as trait vulnerabilities
🧑‍⚕️ How to find the right therapist: what to ask when someone claims they “do CBT”

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[12:40] Grad school systems: planners, structure, and reducing overwhelm with organization
[16:40] Why treatment research matters: impact beyond one-on-one work and “moving the needle”
[21:10] Redefining success: stepping away from academic metrics and toward values-based living
[27:30] Boundaries and opportunity: why saying no created better-aligned yeses
[33:10] Introducing BPD Compass: the book, the framework, and the goal of accessible treatment
[38:45] The most hopeful truth about BPD:
[46:40] Burnout reality check: it’s not a planner problem, it’s a too-much problem

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

To Connect with Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala:

Website: https://personality-compass.com/

Shannon's Suggested search: “Values identification worksheet”