Healthy Mind, Healthy Life

What happens when a breast cancer surgeon decides that the most powerful thing she can do for young patients isn't in the operating room, it's on the page? This episode is for anyone who's been carrying a creative idea for years and keeps finding reasons not to start.

Dr. Rachel Wellner, board-certified surgeon and creator of the Doctoroo children's book series, shares what it truly looks like to build something meaningful from scratch while navigating self-doubt, a crowded market, and the very real bumps of entrepreneurship. You'll walk away with a clearer sense of how to move from idea to action, and why building a brand from the heart matters more than chasing a number.

About the Guest:

Dr. Rachel Wellner is a board-certified general surgeon and breast oncology surgeon with over two decades of experience. She is the creator of the Doctoroo children's book series, designed to help young children understand health through adventure and mystery. She is also the founder of a diagnostic biotech company working on cancer detection technology.

Key Takeaways:

Follow passion first, profit second. Dr. Wellner's advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is direct: don't build something because you think it will make money. Build it because it matters to you. That's what makes the hard days survivable.

Children are more capable of understanding health than we give them credit for. When health education is framed as adventure and mystery, kids engage, retain, and stop being afraid.

A children's book can be more than a book. From series, to TV, to games, to merchandise, a strong creative idea has the potential to become an entire brand ecosystem, but only if you protect your rights early.

The first version doesn't have to be perfect. Dr. Wellner revised her very first book years later. Starting imperfectly is still starting.

Practice is the actual secret. Whether it's surgery, music, or writing, the only way to get good is to keep showing up. Mastery is earned, not arrived at.

Fear of a medical setting is real, and it starts young. Stories that normalize health experiences help children face doctor visits, vaccinations, and procedures with curiosity rather than dread.

Connect With the Guest:

Website: www.doctoroo.health

Wellness site: www.drwellnerwellness.com

Amazon: Search  "Doctoroo books"

Instagram: @doctoroobooks

Email: [email protected]

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction: Where the Best Ideas Actually Begin

[04:37] Meet Dr. Rachel Wellner: Surgeon, Author, Entrepreneur

[06:36] Why Passion-Led Ideas Outlast Profit-Chasing Ones

[07:47] How Medicine and Creativity Overlap More Than You Think

[09:18] Building a Brand, Not Just a Book

[15:59] What Happens When Children Don't Understand Their Own Health

[19:30] From Idea to Action: Overcoming 15 Years of Self-Doubt

Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik

Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements.

If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here

By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here.

Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate.

With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. 👉 Subscribe and be part of this healing journey.

Contact: 💼 Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ 📧 Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact 🌐 Website: https://www.podhub.club 📍 Based in: India & USA

🎧 Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork 🤝 Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest 📩 Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/

 

#podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #childrensbooksauthor #kidshealth #healthliteracy #doctorookids #entrepreneurship #authorpreneurship #medicalentrepreneur #femalefounders #childrenswellness #healthyhabitsforlife #growyourbrand #purposedriven #parentingpodcast #mindfulparenting #HealthyMindHealthyLife

There are things your body knows before your mind catches up. A feeling in your chest before the phone rings. A quiet sense that something has shifted before anyone says a word. Most of us have been taught to explain that away. But what if that inner signal was never noise? What if it was always information?

In this episode, Avik sits down with sisters Stephanie and Natalie, co-founders of Immersive Spirit, for a grounded and deeply human conversation about intuition. Not as something mystical or reserved for the gifted few, but as a natural form of intelligence that lives in every one of us. From navigating corporate environments to learning how to listen to your own body, this conversation is an invitation to stop overriding what you already know.

About the Guests:

Stephanie and Natalie are sisters and co-founders of Immersive Spirit. Together, they work as spiritual coaches, intuitive mediums, energy workers, astrologers, and paranormal investigators. They help individuals connect to their intuition, understand their energy, and navigate both the seen and unseen dimensions of life with clarity and courage. Stephanie also brings a background in corporate management, giving their work a unique bridge between the professional world and inner wisdom.

Key Takeaways:

Intuition is not a gift that only some people have. Stephanie and Natalie are clear on this: everyone is intuitive. The question is whether you are paying attention to what your body is already telling you.

Cutting yourself off from your inner knowing has a real cost. Ignoring your gut adds unnecessary stress, anxiety, and wasted time to your life. Your body responds before your mind finds the language for it. Learning to notice that is one of the most practical things you can do.

Intuition shows up in corporate spaces too. When the energy in a room shifts the moment someone walks in, that is intuitive data. Natalie and Stephanie offer pattern recognition and signal detection as entry points for those who need a more logical frame.

The first step is deceptively simple: start writing things down. When a strange thought flashes through your mind, when you feel something in your chest, when a dream lingers, write it. Looking back, you will begin to see a language that was always speaking to you.

Grounding does not have to look the way you think it does. It can be touching water, lying on the floor, or two quiet minutes just absorbing the stillness. Find your version and do it regularly.

Boundaries are not just for relationships. They are also how sensitive people do this work sustainably. Natalie and Stephanie describe how they protect their own energy through journaling, grounding, self-care, and clear spiritual boundaries, so they can remain open without being overwhelmed.

Episode Chapters

[00:00] Introduction: What your body knows before your mind does

[07:56] Growing up with extrasensory perception and thinking it was normal

[11:52] The biggest misconception people carry about intuition

[13:24] What it costs to ignore your inner signals

[15:20] How intuition shows up and gets suppressed in corporate environments

[20:00] Bridging the gap for the skeptical and analytically wired

[23:10] The Intuitive Operating System: what the new program is designed to do

[31:30] The very first step anyone can take right now to reconnect

[34:00] How they protect their own energy while doing this kind of work

[38:00] A message to everyone who was pulled to listen to this at exactly this hour

Connect With Stephanie and Natalie

Website: www.immersivespirit.com

Intuitive Operating System Program: https://www.immersivespirit.com/intuitive-operating-system 

Free Soul Pillars Toolkit: Available at immersivespirit.com, no obligation, just tools to get started

YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Facebook, Substack: All accessible via immersivespirit.com

Free Consultation: Visit immersivespirit.com, go to Services, and book a no-obligation introductory call

 

Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik

Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements.

If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here

By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here.

Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate.

With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. 👉 Subscribe and be part of this healing journey.

Contact: 💼 Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ 📧 Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact 🌐 Website: https://www.podhub.club 📍 Based in: India & USA

🎧 Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork 🤝 Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest 📩 Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/

 

#podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #intuition #mindbodyspirit #innerknowing #spiritualwellness #trustyourgut #intuitivedevelopment #immersivespirit #soulliving #energyhealing #spiritualcoach #chakrabalancing #astrology #personalgrowth #mentalwellness #selfawareness

This episode discusses childhood trauma, grief, and emotional healing. If any part of this conversation touches something personal for you, please know that support is available. Reach out to a trusted adult, counsellor, or a mental health helpline.

 

What if the struggles we see in teenagers today are not just about school stress or social media, but echoes of stories that began much earlier in childhood? And what if the silence around those early experiences is precisely what shapes the anxiety, self-doubt, and emotional patterns we carry into adult life?

Stacy Schaffer, a licensed professional counselor with over two decades of experience working with children, teens, and young adults, joins Sayan on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life for a conversation that is raw, compassionate, and long overdue. Drawing on her book With Love from a Children's Therapist and her own lived journey through grief and healing, Stacy explores how unspoken childhood experiences shape identity, what parents and caregivers can watch for, and why the most powerful thing any adult can offer a struggling child is not advice, but space to be heard.

ABOUT THE GUEST:
Stacy Schaffer, MA, LPC is a licensed professional counselor, founder of Strong Hearts Counseling in Arvada, Colorado, and the author of With Love from a Children's Therapist: #lessonsihavelearnedalongtheway (2025). With over twenty years of experience specialising in childhood grief, trauma, and Synergetic Play Therapy, she also leads youth and family programs at The Refuge, a community healing center. Her book weaves together her personal story and professional insight into a guide for anyone navigating childhood wounds or supporting a young person through them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Childhood experiences do not disappear with time. What goes unprocessed tends to surface later, often sideways, in how people relate, connect, and feel about themselves.

There is no universal checklist of warning signs in children. The most important thing a parent or caregiver can do is deeply know their child's baseline, so they can recognise what is different.

The concept of masking matters. Children who appear high-performing or "fine on the outside" may be carrying significant emotional weight that simply has not surfaced yet.

Play is not trivial. For children, play is language. Modalities like Sand Tray therapy offer a way to express what words cannot reach.

Doing your own inner work is the best gift you can give the young people in your life. Unhealed experiences in caregivers directly affect their capacity to hold space for a child's pain.

What struggling children and adults need most is not to be fixed. They need space to be heard, without interruption, without feedback, without advice, unless they ask.

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST:
Website: https://authorstacyschaffer.com/ 

Therapy practice: https://stacyschaffer.com/ 

Instagram: @HOPERESTORED Book: With Love from a Children's Therapist by Stacy Schaffer, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Spotify (audiobook), and Audible. First chapter free at https://authorstacyschaffer.com/ .

EPISODE CHAPTERS:
[00:00] Cold Open: What If the Silence Around Childhood Is What Shapes Us?

[06:30] Welcome & Introducing Stacy Schaffer

[08:30] What Called Stacy to This Work: Grief, Loss, and Finding a Safe Place

[10:30] Do Childhood Experiences Really Shape Who We Become?

[12:00] What Happens When Families Stay Silent: Masking and Leaking

[15:00] How Caregivers Can Recognise Emotional Struggles in Children

[21:30] Synergetic Play Therapy and the Sand Tray: When Play Becomes Language

[25:00] Breaking Generational Patterns: The Grief of Facing Childhood Honestly

[30:00] The Most Important Thing Any Adult Can Offer: Space to Be Heard

 

Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik

Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements.

If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here

By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here.

Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate.

With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. 👉 Subscribe and be part of this healing journey.

Contact: 💼 Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ 📧 Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact 🌐 Website: https://www.podhub.club 📍 Based in: India & USA

🎧 Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork 🤝 Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest 📩 Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/

 

#podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #childhoodtrauma #youthmentalhealth #playtherapy #childrenstherapist #traumahealing #griefsupport #generationalhealing #parentingmentalhealth #innerchild #emotionalresilience #silencebreaking #withlovefromathearpist #healthymindhealthylife

What if the distance you feel in your relationship isn't about love fading, but about losing touch with your own body? In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Sayan sits down with Dr. Laura Jurgens, somatic sex and intimacy specialist, to unpack one of the quietest struggles in long-term partnerships: desire discrepancy.

Laura shares her own turning point, why nearly 80% of couples experience desire gaps, and what actually helps. You'll walk away understanding the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire, why women's arousal often needs more time than culture allows, and the golden rule that can shift intimacy overnight: go at the pace of the slowest body. No shame, no quick fixes, just a grounded conversation on reconnecting with yourself and your partner.

About the Guest:

Dr. Laura Jurgens is an intimacy and relationship coach and host of The Desire Gap Podcast. She specialises in helping individuals and couples navigate desire and arousal challenges, reconnect with their bodies, and communicate openly about intimacy without blame or shame.

Key Takeaways:

Desire discrepancy affects roughly 80% of long-term couples, making it more common than rare, and it does not mean your relationship is broken.

The "honeymoon chemicals" of a new relationship fade for everyone, returning you to your baseline libido. That's not dysfunction, that's biology asking you to learn what actually turns you on.

Intimacy is an embodied experience, not a head-driven one. Living disconnected from your body all day and expecting arousal at night often leads to performing intimacy rather than feeling it.

Bodies with higher estrogen often need 30 to 45 minutes to reach full arousal, while bodies with higher testosterone respond faster. Understanding this difference removes shame from both sides.

The golden rule of intimacy: go at the pace of the slowest body. Rushing arousal suppresses desire over time, especially for the lower-desire partner.

Shame, cultural conditioning, and past hurt often sit quietly in the way of open communication and self-knowledge. Getting curious about those blocks is where real change begins.

Connect With the Guest:

Podcast: The Desire Gap (available on all major podcast platforms)

Website: https://laurajurgens.com/ 

Free resource: https://laurajurgens.com/libido (5 Steps to Start Solving Your Desire Discrepancy Without Blame or Shame)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura.jurgens.coach

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurajurgenscoaching

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] Cold Open: When the Gap Isn't About Love

[01:30] Meet Dr. Laura Jurgens and Why This Conversation Matters

[03:00] The Moment Laura Realised She Didn't Know Her Own Desires

[05:30] Why 80% of Couples Hit a Desire Gap (and Why It's Normal)

[09:00] Getting Out of Your Head and Back Into Your Body

[13:00] What Men and Women Each Need to Understand About Arousal

[19:00] The Golden Rule: Go at the Pace of the Slowest Body

[24:00] Where to Find Laura and the Free Starter Guide

 

Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik

Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements.

If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here

By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here.

Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate.

With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. 👉 Subscribe and be part of this healing journey.

Contact: 💼 Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ 📧 Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact 🌐 Website: https://www.podhub.club 📍 Based in: India & USA

🎧 Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork 🤝 Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest 📩 Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/

 

#podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #desiregap #intimacycoach #mismatchedlibido #relationshipadvice #couplescommunication #embodiment #sexualwellness #mentalhealth #healthyrelationships #mindbodyconnection #emotionalintimacy #longtermrelationships #healingmindset

Most conversations about employee benefits start with the spreadsheet. The premiums, the plans, the cost-per-head. But underneath all of that is a question that most business owners carry quietly and never quite put into words: am I doing right by my people?

Brian Calvert, owner of Business Health Market and former mall manager turned benefits strategist, joins Healthy Mind, Healthy Life to talk about what employee benefits actually do for a business, and just as importantly, what they do for the owner who provides them. From the guilt of not offering coverage to the quiet pride that comes when you finally do, Brian brings a perspective that is grounded in real experience on both sides of the hiring table. This is not a conversation about insurance products. It is a conversation about what it means to genuinely care for the people in your orbit.

About the Guest:

Brian Calvert is the owner of Business Health Market, a benefits strategy firm helping small and mid-sized businesses navigate employee health insurance and benefits planning. Before entering the benefits space, Brian spent years as a mall manager leading teams in demanding operational environments. That background gives him a ground-level understanding of what employees actually need, and what employers feel when they are trying to do right by the people who depend on them. He offers free consultations and works with businesses of all sizes to find affordable, human-centered coverage strategies.

Key Takeaways:

Benefits are not just for big companies. Small businesses have more options than they know, including stipends, level funding, and alternative coverage structures that keep costs manageable while still providing real support for employees.

Level funding changes the math. With level-funded plans, a portion of monthly premiums goes into a claims pool, and unused funds can be refunded at year end. A stop-loss carrier protects against overspending. For many small businesses, this makes coverage genuinely accessible.

The cost of not offering benefits is often higher than the cost of offering them. Replacing an employee costs significantly more than retaining one through a well-designed benefits package. People leave for better benefits even when the salary is lower elsewhere.

Business owners carry more than most people see. There is a real emotional weight that comes with knowing your team does not have coverage. And there is a real relief, even pride, when that changes. That emotional dimension of benefits leadership is almost never talked about.

The first step is simpler than it looks. Start with the question: can we allocate anything? Then find a trusted advisor, not a search engine or an AI tool, to help you build from there.

Healthy employees lower your costs over time. Wellness programs, preventive care, and a culture of genuine support are not just good for people. They reduce claims, which keeps premiums lower in level-funded and self-funded models.

Connect With Brian Calvert:

Website: https://businesshealthmarket.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-calvert-31aa3a49/

 

Episode Chapters:

[00:00] The Conversation Nobody Is Having: What health insurance really says about leadership

[07:16] From Mall Manager to Benefits Strategist: Why Brian's background changes everything [10:57] The Someday Myth: What the belief that benefits are only for big companies actually costs

[12:45] What It Does for the Owner: The pride, the guilt, and the relief that nobody talks about [15:11] The First Practical Step: How to begin when you have no HR department and no clear roadmap

[16:55] Level Funding and Self-Funding Explained: What these options make possible that traditional insurance does not

[19:26] Holding the Long View: What to say when short-term pressure makes you want to delay again

 

Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik

Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements.

If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here. By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here.

Healthy Mind By Avik™ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate.

With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. Subscribe and be part of this healing journey.

Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ | Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact | Website: https://www.podhub.club | Based in: India & USA Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork | Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest | Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/

 

#podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #healthymindandlife #employeebenefits #smallbusiness #humancenteredleadership #businesshealth #employeewellness #levelFunding #benefitsbroker #workplacewellbeing #leadershipmatters #businessowner #mentalhealthatwork #peopleFirst #smallbizowner #retentionculture