Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington

She had the career. The marriage. Two beautiful daughters. The confidence. The respect of her colleagues. From the outside, Dr. Ify looked like she had it ALL together. Behind the scenes, she was fighting for her life.

In this deeply honest conversation, Dr. Ify shares what happened when a devastating chapter in her life brought her face-to-face with depression, suicidal thoughts, medication, therapy and the stigma that can make even the most educated, accomplished people believe mental illness is something that happens to someone else.

We talk about what it means to be the strong one. The woman with high standards. The physician who spends her days caring for other people while quietly falling apart herself.

And we talk about what helped bring her back: family. Faith. Medication. Therapy. Her “army.” Purpose. And finally allowing herself to be seen.

Because here's the thing, my loves: you can be wildly successful and still be struggling. You can be the person everybody depends on and still need somebody to hold you. You can know ALL the things about mental health and still have a hard time recognizing it when the darkness belongs to you. And sometimes the bravest thing we can do is stop pretending we've got it all together.

This conversation is about mental health, yes but it's also about judgment, courage, women owning their voices, finding your people, and what becomes possible when we finally tell the truth about the hard chapters.

We were never meant to do any of this alone.

This one matters. Listen to the latest episode of Unlonely wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow Dr. Ify Here:

@drifywomenshealth

drifywomenshealth.com

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We feed our families every day. But when was the last time we actually slowed down and ate together?

Between hockey practices, work trips, and whatever the hell we’re supposed to make for dinner, feeding ourselves can become one more thing to get through. And somewhere in all that rushing, we miss the chance to be with each other.

This week, I’m joined by Ayurvedic chef and Food Brilliance founder Ryann Morris to talk about what happens when we make room for connection in the kitchen.

After complications from a routine surgery led to years of health struggles, Ryann found her way to culinary school and a different relationship with food. She shares that journey, her approach to cooking, and the joy she finds growing and sharing food with her community.

We also get into parenting teenagers who think we know absolutely nothing, the pressure to do everything well, and why involving someone in making a meal can matter as much as sitting down to eat it. There’s dancing in the kitchen, a community garden full of characters, and three teenage boys making brownies in my house at three in the morning.

The meal doesn’t have to be perfect. Let someone roll out the dough. Ask about the recipe they grew up with. Put on a song while you do the dishes.

There are so many ordinary moments where we can find each other again.

In this episode:

• How Ryann’s health struggles changed her relationship with food.
• Her Ayurvedic approach to cooking and paying attention to your body.
• Moving beyond “good food” and “bad food.”
• Getting teenagers involved in the kitchen.
• How shared meals carry memories, culture, and family stories.
• Making room for joy and connection in a busy household.
• Ryann’s documentary, Food Is Everything.

Your invitation this week: dance in your kitchen. Let your kids roll their eyes. You might be making a memory they’ll keep.

Links and resources

https://www.foodbrilliance.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkE-eS-iU_U

https://www.drjodycarrington.com/

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If you’ve ever wondered why so many men struggle to say what they feel, this conversation will hit home.

Dr. Jody talks with Samir Mourani about men’s mental health, grief, masculinity, fatherhood, and the trauma that gets carried quietly from one generation to the next. Samir shares the impact of his family’s experience fleeing civil war in Lebanon, his father’s PTSD and anger, losing his dad just before becoming a father himself, and what that has changed in the way he sees men, boys, and emotional connection.

They also unpack loneliness, why vulnerability can’t be manufactured, what Samir has learned through Gent’s Talk, and how honest conversation becomes a lifeline when people are starved for real connection.

You’ll hear practical insight on what boys actually need, why one conversation is never enough, and how we build cultures at home, at school, and at work where men don’t have to carry everything alone.

They also touch on burnout and Samir’s wellness-workspace project, Balance, designed to help people regulate without having to choose between their health and their work.

Follow Samir Here:

@samirmourani

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What if you're not burned out? What if you're heartbroken?

In this deeply personal solo episode, I share the story of climbing onto a mechanical bull at 50 years old (against all better judgment), and the unexpected lesson it taught me about grief, joy, aging, and what it means to be truly bone-tired.

As I work on my upcoming book, The Best in Us, I explore a powerful question: Are we really burned out—or are we carrying heartbreak that we've never made space to acknowledge?

From losing my dad, navigating menopause, and feeling disconnected from joy, to recognizing how grief shows up as exhaustion, cynicism, numbness, and disconnection, this little monologue is a reminder that maybe there's nothing wrong with us.

Maybe we're just carrying too much. Maybe what we need isn't another productivity hack, morning routine, or life optimization strategy. Maybe what we need is connection. A little more grace. A little more time to feel. And a little more permission to be human.

If you've been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, disconnected, or like you're just trying to keep your head above water, this episode is for you. Take a breath. Give yourself some space. And remember: you don't have to earn rest.

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What if your legacy isn’t something you leave behind…but something you practice every single day?

This conversation with the incomprable Arndrea Waters King stopped me in my tracks.

Because in a world that feels divided, heavy, and overwhelming…the answer isn’t bigger platforms or louder voices. It’s this:

Leave things just a little better than you found them

Choose connection over division

And remember… you matter more than you think you do

We talked about legacy, loneliness, allyship, and what it really means to lead with love—not the soft kind…

the powerful kind. The kind that says: “I may not fully understand your path, but I see you. And I’m walking with you.”

Because this isn’t about perfection. It’s not about getting it right every time. It’s about showing up. Being curious. And taking responsibility for the kind of world we’re creating together.

And maybe the most important reminder of all: Service isn’t just what we do… it’s who we become.

If the world feels heavy right now, this one’s for you.

Go listen. Sit with it. And then ask yourself: What’s one small way I can make things better today?

Follow Arndrea Here:

https://x.com/ArndreaKing

https://www.instagram.com/arndreaking_official/

https://www.facebook.com/arndreawatersking/

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What if the people who hurt us are also the people who heal us?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Jody sits down with actor, speaker, community leader, and all-around remarkable human Jesse Lipscombe to talk about empathy, resilience, hope, and what it means to truly see another person.

From growing up in a mixed-faith household to navigating racism, parenting, acting, and life in a rapidly changing world, Jesse shares the lessons that have shaped the way he understands humanity and why he refuses to give up on people.

Together, Jody and Jesse explore:

• Why empathy is one of the bravest things we can practice
• What acting teaches us about human connection
• How relationships can both wound us and heal us
• Why play is essential at every age
• The difference between toxic positivity and genuine hope
• What it means to stay soft in a world that often asks us to harden

This episode is a reminder that people are hard to hate up close. That every person is carrying a story we can't see. And that hope isn't something we find, it's something we choose.

If you've been feeling discouraged by the state of the world lately, this conversation might be exactly what your heart needs.

Follow Jesse Here:

https://www.instagram.com/thelipscombe/

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/lipscombe

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What do you do when you feel unheard…misunderstood…or completely shut down in a conversation that matters?

This episode with Rebecca Zung is a game-changer.

Because the truth is, most of us were never taught how to navigate high-conflict situations. We either shut down… or we explode. And neither works.

In this conversation, we dive into what it actually takes to:

Stay regulated when everything feels intense

Be heard in conversations where you’ve felt invisible

And negotiate from a place of power—not panic

Because here’s the shift:

It’s not about controlling the other person…It’s about learning how to lead yourself first.

And when you do that? Everything changes.

This one is for:

– The people navigating hard relationships

– The ones stuck in conflict at work or at home

– And anyone who’s ever thought, “Why can’t I just say what I mean and be understood?”

You can. You just need a roadmap.

Go listen and take your power back.

Follow Rebecca Here:

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccazung/

https://x.com/rebeccazung

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnhT4fBE1OWOn7c0Quxdf4w

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccazung/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSeqgmeWa/

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What if leadership isn’t about having the answers…but about understanding what’s happening underneath the behavior?

In this conversation with the amazing DeDe Halfhill, we go deep into what most leaders miss:

You can’t fix what you can’t see

And what you can’t see is often emotion

Fear. Uncertainty. The question every human is quietly asking: “Do I still matter?”

This episode challenged me in the best way because it’s not about being “soft”…It’s about being effective.

Because when leaders ignore emotion, everything gets harder. But when they learn to name it, hold it, and lead through it…everything changes.

This is the kind of conversation that stays with you.

Listen in if you care about:

– Real leadership (not performative leadership)

– Emotional intelligence that actually drives results

– Leading humans… not just managing outcomes

And maybe the most important reminder of all: We don’t lose our ability to be great, we lose access to it.

Follow DeDe Here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dedehalfhill/

https://www.instagram.com/dedehalfhill/

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This one had me in the feels and on edge.

In this episode of Unlonely, I sit down with Paul Hutchinson (@liberating.humanity), philanthropist, entrepreneur, and executive producer of Sound of Freedom and we dive into some of the hardest, messiest questions a human can ask:

Why do people do terrible things?

Is it possible that even the ones who hurt others are hurting too?

Can trauma and healing actually exist in the same sentence?

Paul has been part of over 70 undercover missions to rescue trafficked children and is now working to understand why this suffering happens in the first place.

We talk trauma, psilocybin, nervous systems, and that slippery slope between justice and healing. We don’t shy away from the hard stuff. Because if we want to change the world, we have to be willing to look at the pain that breaks it.

Maybe the revolution starts with curiosity. Not certainty.

Maybe the monsters weren’t born that way.

And maybe healing is possible, even in the darkest corners.

You might not agree with everything in this episode. That’s okay. But damn, it’ll make you think.

Find Paul Here:

instagram.com/liberating.humanity

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We’re all just trying to hold it together in a world that feels like it’s burning down. Uncertainty. Fear. No end in sight. These are not just buzzwords, they are the ingredients of dysregulation. And they’re stealing the best parts of us.

In this raw, real, and soul-shifting conversation, I sat down with the incredible @gilldeacon to talk about her book A Love Affair with the Unknown and the question we're all asking right now: How do we be okay when things are not okay?

Here’s what we landed on:

We don’t get stronger by avoiding fear—we grow by naming it and sitting in it.

Healing starts when the nervous system feels safe again. Not before.

Curiosity is the antidote to control. Certainty is a myth—but wonder is medicine.

Slowing down is NOT weakness, it’s where the wisdom lives.

Let this be your reminder: Hope is a choice. You are not broken. You’ve just lost access to the best parts of you. Let’s get it back.

You matter more than you know. We’re in this together.

Follow Gillian Here:

@gilldeacon

@aloveaffairwiththeunknown

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Work isn’t just “work” anymore—it's become the place where burnout brews and bad bosses break us.

⁠

In this fire-filled episode with Dr. Laura, we unpack the real cost of stress at work, what defines a truly toxic leader, and how to know when it’s not just you—it’s the system you’re stuck in. Spoiler: surviving a toxic boss isn't just possible—it's necessary. ⁠

⁠

We dive into:⁠

What makes a boss toxic vs just difficult⁠

Why stress isn't soft—it’s strategy⁠

The burnout scale (and where you fall on it)⁠

Why rest isn't lazy—it's survival⁠

And how to get out of the damn cage⁠

⁠

Whether you're quietly quitting or just questioning everything, this one’s for you. ⁠

Follow Dr. Laura Here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwhDncPCadKKgWOnTxW72ow

https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Laura.whereworkmeetslife

https://www.instagram.com/drlaura.live/

https://www.tiktok.com/@drlaura.live

https://x.com/drlauralive

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In this episode of The Unlonely Podcast, Dr. Jody Carrington sits down with business powerhouse Arlene Dickinson for a deeply honest conversation about leadership, emotional strength, and navigating a chaotic world. From her journey as an immigrant to becoming one of Canada’s top business leaders, Arlene shares hard-earned insights on resilience, the evolution of leadership, and why emotional regulation, not emotional suppression, is the real power skill of our time. The episode explores gender, perception, and what it truly means to lead with both strength and humanity.

Follow Arlene Here:

https://arlenedickinson.com/

https://instagram.com/arlenedickinson

https://www.youtube.com/@arleneisalone

https://tiktok.com/@arlenedickinson

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If you’ve been worried about the men you love—or you are one—this conversation is for you.

Dr. Jody Carrington sits down with Nick Koumalatsos to talk about male loneliness and brotherhood, the state of men’s emotional health, and why so many men are carrying crushing pressure without the words or space to name it. Nick makes a bold case: men aren’t struggling because they’re weak. They’re struggling because they’re isolated.

Together, they unpack the “lone wolf” myth, the weight men often feel to keep performing no matter what, and how stress, anger, exhaustion, and disconnection can quietly harden into burnout, addiction, or despair. Nick also shares his own story—from childhood hardship to special operations, trauma, identity loss, and the long road back to connection.

This one is honest, intense, and deeply practical.

You’ll hear:

• Why male isolation is such a serious mental health issue

• The difference between solitude, loneliness, and disconnection

• How trauma gets buried when the job has to get done

• What happens when identity cracks in midlife or after a major life chapter ends

• Why men need brotherhood, not performance

• How to notice who drains you, who fuels you, and where healing begins

Jody and Nick also get into boundaries, nervous system care, purpose, and the small next steps that help people come back to themselves.

If you care about men’s mental health, modern masculinity, burnout, or building real human connection again, start here.

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Links & Resources:

• Dr. Jody Carrington: https://www.drjodycarrington.com/

• Nick Koumalatsos: https://nickkoumalatsos.com/

• Nick Koumalatsos Shop: https://shop.nickkoumalatsos.com/

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If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to speak up after abuse, this conversation is for you.

Dr. Jody Carrington sits down with women’s rights attorney, author, and survivor Alreen Haeggquist for a powerful conversation about childhood abuse, silence, shame, healing, and the life-changing work of finding your voice after trauma. Alreen shares how surviving profound abuse shaped her work advocating for women facing sexual abuse, harassment, and discrimination—and why telling the truth can become part of coming home to yourself.

Together, they unpack what trauma-informed law should look like, why survivors are so often misunderstood in legal systems, and how the process of being believed can be healing in and of itself.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Alreen’s journey from surviving abuse to advocating for other women
• Why secrecy can keep trauma alive—and what begins to shift when you speak
• How trauma affects memory, storytelling, and credibility in legal spaces
• What a trauma-informed law practice actually does differently
• Why many survivors speak up first for others—and heal in the process themselves
• The mission behind the HAA Fired Up Foundation

A raw, practical, deeply human conversation about trauma, truth, and what becomes possible when women stop carrying it alone.

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Links & Resources:

• Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlonely-with-dr-jody-carrington/id1708644669
• Dr. Jody Carrington: https://www.drjodycarrington.com/
• Alreen Haeggquist: https://www.alreen.com/
• Haeggquist & Eck, LLP: https://haelaw.com/

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re walking through a hard season, or love someone who is, this one will stay with you.

Dr. Jody Carrington sits down with Chance Toder for an unforgettable conversation about resilience after childhood stroke, medical trauma, and rebuilding a life that looked nothing like the one he expected. Born at 1 pound 15 ounces, Chance survived multiple heart surgeries, went into a coma after a stroke at 11, and had to relearn how to talk, walk, and breathe on his own.

But this isn’t just a survival story. It’s a conversation about what happens next: the long rehab, the grief of watching other people move on, the fight for accessibility, the courage to keep asking for a chance, and the kind of family love that holds you together when everything changes.

You’ll also hear about Chance’s wheelchair hockey journey, his lawn care business Leave It to Chance, his dream of public speaking, and the mindset that keeps him aiming for anything and everything.

In this episode:

- Chance’s resilience story after stroke and heart surgery

- What recovery really looked like after coma and rehab

- The emotional toll of disability, dependence, and delayed independence

- Why accessibility matters in everyday life

- How sport, work, and speaking gave Chance new purpose

- The message he wants every listener to remember: just give people a chance

This one is raw, practical, funny in places, and deeply human.

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Links & Resources:

• Dr. Jody Carrington: https://www.drjodycarrington.com/

• Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington: https://www.drjodycarrington.com/podcast

• Dr. Jody Carrington on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjodycarrington/

• Dr. Jody Carrington Linktree: https://linktr.ee/drjodycarrington

• North American VOLT Hockey Tournament / VOLT Hockey Canada: https://varietyontario.ca/event/north-american-volt-hockey-tournament/

• Art for the Heart (Variety Manitoba / historical event reference): https://mayberryfineart.com/blog/96/art-for-the-heart-gallery-media-release-1

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If you’re a parent, partner, helper, or human who feels like you’re holding it all together by a thread, this conversation is for you.

Dr. Jody Carrington sits down with Dr. Brooke Weinstein - occupational therapist, nervous system educator, and expert in sensory and emotional regulation - to talk about why so many parents are emotionally dysregulated right now, and what it actually takes to come back to yourself.

They unpack the impact of social media, pressure, burnout, and self-neglect on parent mental health, why understanding your own brain and body has to come before trying to “fix” your child, and how nervous system regulation changes the way we show up in our relationships.

This is a deeply honest conversation about emotional regulation for parents, single motherhood, partnership, grief, and the slow, brave work of choosing yourself without abandoning the people you love.

You’ll hear:

- Why modern life keeps parents in a dysregulated state

- What occupational therapy sees that many mental health conversations miss

- Why self-regulation is the foundation of supporting your kids

- How to stop taking a partner’s needs personally

- Why caring for yourself is not selfish—it’s necessary

- What small, sustainable regulation work actually looks like

- Why doing your own work often helps the whole family rise

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re so exhausted, reactive, or checked out, and why quick fixes never seem to stick, start here.

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Links & Resources:

• Dr. Jody Carrington: https://www.drjodycarrington.com/

• Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlonely-with-dr-jody-carrington/id1708644669

• Dr. Brooke Weinstein: https://drbrookeweinstein.com/

• Dr. Brooke Weinstein on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brookeweinst/

• Carrington Practice: https://carringtonpractice.com/

• Dr. Jody Carrington Courses: https://drjodycarrington.teachable.com/

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Loneliness isn’t just uncomfortable - it’s costly. And the scariest part? Most of us are living it without calling it what it is.

Dr. Jody talks with Ken Stern (*Healthy to 100*, *Century Lives*) about the loneliness epidemic and the link between social isolation and mortality risk - plus the practical shift that changes everything: building your social life with the same intention you’d bring to nutrition or exercise.

They get into what “lonely” actually looks like in real life, why we’re spending less time with friends than we did a generation ago, and how proximity, community design, and technology have quietly pulled us apart.

This is a call back to connection - with a plan, not just a wish.

Links & Resources:

• ABOUT CENTURY LIVES The Longevity Project: https://www.longevity-project.com/centurylives
• Healthy to 100: Secrets from Countries Where Retirees Age Best: https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/happy-retirement/healthy-to-100-secrets-from-countries-where-retirees-age-best
• Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review (PLoS Medicine, 2010): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2910600/
• Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon Generals Advisory (May 3, 2023): https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

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If you’re exhausted by the tension - at work, online, even with people you love - this episode is for you.

Dr. Jody and Rachel DeAlto talk about what’s driving the empathy dip (and the “why is everyone so mean lately?” vibe), how social media trains us out of critical thinking, and why more options in dating/work/friendship can actually make us choose worse.

This is a real-talk episode about rebuilding emotional intelligence, finding your way back to the kind of connection that actually regulates your nervous system, and learning when to dig in and do the work - versus when it’s time to go.

Links & Resources:

• Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington (podcast page): https://www.drjodycarrington.com/podcast
• Dr. Jody Carrington (official website): https://www.drjodycarrington.com/
• Rachel DeAlto (official website): https://www.racheldealto.com/

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve built your whole life around being capable, dependable, and “fine”… what happens when your body says otherwise?

Dr. Jody talks with Malaysia Harrell about the hidden cost of being the helper—how childhood trauma can fuel achievement, how high-stakes service roles stack layer upon layer of vicarious trauma, and why so many women stay in fight-or-flight until something finally forces a reckoning.

This episode connects the dots between:

• Overfunctioning and emotional shutdown
• Repeating patterns in work and relationships
• Trauma that’s neatly “packed away”… until it isn’t
• That unsettling moment of success without satisfaction

Content notes: childhood abuse, death row/corrections, murder of a family member, severe illness/sepsis, near-death experience.

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Links & Resources:

• Malaysia Harrell | Sepsis Alliance: https://www.sepsis.org/faces/malaysia-harrell/

• 413: Rising from the Ashes with Malaysia Harrell - The PBT Institute: https://thepbtinstitute.com/risingfromashes-malaysiaharrell/

• HOME | Malaysia Harrell: https://www.malaysiaharrell.com/

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is ADHD really a "superpower"? Or is that just a toxic label that sets high-performers up for a massive crash?

In this episode, Dr. Jody sits down with executive coach Cathy Rashidian (aka The Candid Empath) to dismantle the popular "superpower" narrative. They unpack the visceral reality of leading with a "fast brain"—from the dopamine-fueled highs of hyper-focus to the crushing "hangover" that inevitably follows.

They also tackle the "Accidental Leader" trap: why so many of us are promoted eight years before we’re actually trained, why we become "self-appointed fire marshals" just to get our dopamine hits, and why "resilience" has become a dirty word for leaders who are tired of bouncing back.

In this conversation

• The "Superpower" Trap: Why Cathy views her brain as a "messy roommate" rather than a superhero—and why that distinction matters.
• The Hyper-Focus Hangover: The biological cost of flow states and why you need a "body budget."
• The 8-Year Gap: The "peer-to-boss" transition and why you’re likely DIY-ing your leadership style.
• Marination vs. Procrastination: Why doing nothing is actually when the real work happens.
• Toxic Resilience: Why we need to stop proving we can handle it all and start setting boundaries that fuel us.

If you’ve ever felt like your "genius" comes with a heavy price tag, or if you are tired of being the most resilient person in the room, this conversation is the permission slip you didn’t know you needed.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Cathy Rashidian, ACCG, PCAC, PCC - ADD Coach Academy (Coach Directory): https://addca.com/adhd-coach-directory/coach/cathy_rashidian/
• From Peer to Boss: How New Managers Overcome the Challenges: https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/management-tips/from-peer-to-boss-how-new-managers-overcome-the-challenges
• How to Prevent Burnout in Leaders | DDI: https://www.ddi.com/blog/prevent-burnout
• Leadership Fatigue: Burned Out Leaders Are Quiet Quitting At Work Too: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianehamilton/2025/02/03/leadership-fatigue-burned-out-leaders-are-quiet-quitting-at-work-too/
• ADHD Coaching for Professionals | Ready Set Choose: https://www.readysetchoose.com/
• Cathy Rashidian - PAAC: https://paaccoaches.org/cathy-rashidian/

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