Podcast
Mayim Bialik's Breakdown
Hosted by Mayim Bialik · EN
Consciousness. Spontaneous healing. UAPs. Near Death Experiences. Manifestation. Psychic phenomena. Angels. Nothing is off limits if it can be approached with curiosity and rigor.
MBB started as a conversation about mental health — and quickly became something much bigger. Because the deeper you go into what it means to be human, the faster you run into questions science hasn’t fully answered yet.
Hosted by neuroscientist and cultural icon Mayim Bialik and spiritual explorer Jonathan Cohen, MBB is a multi-award-winning podcast where science and spirituality meet. Together they break down the assumptions, the misperceptions, and the boundaries between disciplines — and every breakdown is a breakthrough. This is where the biggest questions get taken seriously — and where you realize you’ve never been alone in asking them.
Can the mind actually heal the body? Can quantum physics explain psychic phenomena? What do Near Death Experiences reveal about the nature of consciousness and the seat of the human soul? What if the only thing separating you from your own intuition - or even God - is the assumption that it’s out of reach? And if governments are publicly acknowledging the existence of UFOs, what does that mean for the future of humanity?
These are the questions Mayim Bialik's Breakdown asks every week.
Subscribe on Substack for ad-free episodes and bonus content, and check us out on YouTube (@MayimBialik) for video versions of our episodes!
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Part Two: You Chose This Life Before You Were Born — Robert Edward Grant on Sacred Geometry, Da Vinci’s Hidden Code, Ancient Mathematics & The Simulation of Reality
Today00:49:12Summary readyWhat if EVERYTHING you’ve been taught about science, consciousness, and even your own thoughts…is incomplete? In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Robert Edward Grant (renowned polymath, inventor, entrepreneur, mathematician, philosopher, host of the series Code X on Gaia.com) pulls back the veil on reality itself, revealing why millions are feeling an intense shift right now as humanity crosses into the Age of Aquarius. This isn’t just spiritual talk - it’s a radical fusion of math, physics, ancient wisdom, and consciousness that will leave you questioning everything. Why are so many people experiencing massive life transitions right now? Is the universe actually NOT material? Are your thoughts even happening inside your brain, or somewhere else entirely? We go deep into the hidden patterns that connect numerology, astrology, mythology, and sacred geometry, uncovering why music is literally “the geometry we hear” and how math might be the source code of reality itself. Robert shares his shocking personal journey, from Big Pharma CEO to spiritual seeker, and how repeated betrayal led him to one profound realization: You are here to learn unconditional love. Discover why what you judge is exactly what you attract, why he believes everyone must go through narcissism as part of their evolution, and whether ancient civilizations like Egypt, and even Leonardo da Vinci, have known secrets about higher-dimensional geometry that we’re only now rediscovering. Robert breaks down: - What if the brain isn’t a storage device, but an antenna tuning into a non-local field of consciousness? - Are there hidden codes embedded in da Vinci’s art? - What is the Akashic field, and could all memory (past, present, and future) exist in an invisible infrasonic frequency field connecting Earth, the sun, and human thought? - If reality is a simulation, what happens when you become lucid inside it? - Why science and spirituality are not opposites, but the same language - How all disciplines (math, biology, psychology, physics, philosophy) are just different lenses of one truth - Deeper meaning behind the most popular song the week you were born - Why prime factorization is the foundation of encryption, and possibly reality itself - His belief that God is still learning and evolving - Why he doesn’t fear “dark people”, only those who deny their darkness - How much of your life is actually predestined - Why polymaths appear on the walls of the Vatican - Mystery behind his favorite number, 137 His ultimate message? You don’t need a guru. You don’t need AI. You don’t need religion. Everything you’re searching for is already within you. If you’re ready to rethink reality, consciousness, and your place in the universe, this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for. Robert Edward Grant’s Code X series on Gaia: https://robertedwardgrant.com/code-x/ The Architect AI by Robert Edward Grant is also available on Gaia: https://www.gaia.com/video/architect-a-companion-tool-for-expansion Gaia’s Ancient Civilizations Conference: https://marketplace.gaia.com/products/ancient-civilizations-conference-2026?srsltid=AfmBOop1lbk9d7u5RoGKruBnuMV3OMnP6pZahL1AXhkIVVCKtq2Sp55L Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
You Chose This Life Before You Were Born — Robert Edward Grant on Sacred Geometry, Da Vinci’s Hidden Code, Ancient Mathematics & The Simulation of Reality
Yesterday01:14:00Summary readyWhat if EVERYTHING you’ve been taught about science, consciousness, and even your own thoughts…is incomplete? In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Robert Edward Grant (renowned polymath, inventor, entrepreneur, mathematician, philosopher, host of the series Code X on Gaia.com) pulls back the veil on reality itself, revealing why millions are feeling an intense shift right now as humanity crosses into the Age of Aquarius. This isn’t just spiritual talk - it’s a radical fusion of math, physics, ancient wisdom, and consciousness that will leave you questioning everything. Why are so many people experiencing massive life transitions right now? Is the universe actually NOT material? Are your thoughts even happening inside your brain, or somewhere else entirely? We go deep into the hidden patterns that connect numerology, astrology, mythology, and sacred geometry, uncovering why music is literally “the geometry we hear” and how math might be the source code of reality itself. Robert shares his shocking personal journey, from Big Pharma CEO to spiritual seeker, and how repeated betrayal led him to one profound realization: You are here to learn unconditional love. Discover why what you judge is exactly what you attract, why he believes everyone must go through narcissism as part of their evolution, and whether ancient civilizations like Egypt, and even Leonardo da Vinci, have known secrets about higher-dimensional geometry that we’re only now rediscovering. Robert breaks down: - What if the brain isn’t a storage device, but an antenna tuning into a non-local field of consciousness? - Are there hidden codes embedded in da Vinci’s art? - What is the Akashic field, and could all memory (past, present, and future) exist in an invisible infrasonic frequency field connecting Earth, the sun, and human thought? - If reality is a simulation, what happens when you become lucid inside it? - Why science and spirituality are not opposites, but the same language - How all disciplines (math, biology, psychology, physics, philosophy) are just different lenses of one truth - Deeper meaning behind the most popular song the week you were born - Why prime factorization is the foundation of encryption, and possibly reality itself - His belief that God is still learning and evolving - Why he doesn’t fear “dark people”, only those who deny their darkness - How much of your life is actually predestined - Why polymaths appear on the walls of the Vatican - Mystery behind his favorite number, 137 His ultimate message? You don’t need a guru. You don’t need AI. You don’t need religion. Everything you’re searching for is already within you. If you’re ready to rethink reality, consciousness, and your place in the universe, this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for. Robert Edward Grant’s Code X series on Gaia: https://robertedwardgrant.com/code-x/ The Architect AI by Robert Edward Grant is also available on Gaia: https://www.gaia.com/video/architect-a-companion-tool-for-expansion Gaia’s Ancient Civilizations Conference: https://marketplace.gaia.com/products/ancient-civilizations-conference-2026?srsltid=AfmBOop1lbk9d7u5RoGKruBnuMV3OMnP6pZahL1AXhkIVVCKtq2Sp55L Get 15% off + a FREE bottle of MassZymes ($20 value) when you go to https://bioptimizers.com/breaker and use code BREAKER. Limited-time offer, only available through this link (not on Amazon or in stores). Grab it while it lasts. Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at https://www.tumbleliving.com/BREAK #Tumble #adhd Text BREAKDOWN to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code BREAK at https://mudwtr.com/BREAK ! #mudwtrpod Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryRe-Air: #1 Menopause Doctor: How to Lose Fat, Improve Sleep, & Feel Better Now
4d ago01:17:25Summary readyIn honor of Women’s Health Month, we’re revisiting one of our most informative episodes about women’s health and menopause from last year with board-certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist, Dr. Mary Claire Haver. Think menopause is just about hot flashes? Think again! Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, FACOG, CMP (board-certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist) is here to expose the hidden truths about menopause and perimenopause– weight gain, mood swings, anxiety, depression, sleep disruptions, how perimenopause can often be worse than menopause, and the myths surrounding hormone replacement therapy! Most doctors only had one hour of study on menopause education. Dr. Haver also reveals proactive steps you can take TODAY to lessen future symptoms including how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can tackle brain fog, fatigue, and how to avoid losing muscle mass which is critical to healthy aging. Dr. Haver tells Mayim the best exercises for menopause weight loss and shares perimenopause and menopause success stories! Plus, get the lowdown on gut health myths, including why women’s gut health is so different from men’s. Empower yourself to take control now and get the support you deserve! Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Re-Air: I Nearly Died so I Stopped Lying. Surprising Way to Overcome Childhood Trauma, Stop Anxiety, Increase Intuition, and Finally Heal! Dr. Martha Beck (Oprah’s Life Coach)
5d ago01:54:14Summary readyIn honor of Mental Health Month we’re revisiting an episode from last year with Harvard-educated sociologist, NYT bestselling author, & Oprah’s life coach, Dr. Martha Beck, a leading authority on personal growth, resolving childhood trauma and fixing anxiety. Dr. Beck uncovers the link between stress and disease and provides practical tools and strategies to fix anxiety, overcome illness, and unlock your hidden power. Her cutting-edge techniques with foundations in CBT, somatic experiencing, sociology, and psychology to help you BREAK FREE to live your authentic life! She also explains How Trauma Hijacks Your Body (including how your body can distinguish between old trauma & new experiences, and what you can do to heal it), the Physical Dangers of Lying (Spoiler Alert: Your muscles literally weaken when you’re not honest!), and How to Heal Spiraling Anxiety - why creativity is the key to calming your mind & boosting your mental health! Dr. Beck also breaks down: - Her near-death experience & how she harnesses the feelings of love and happiness she experienced – anytime, anywhere - Her incredible psychic experiences, including her mind-blowing “remote viewing” abilities - Surprising connection between healing trauma and increasing your intuition Don’t miss this chance to transform your life with powerful insights & practical tips to get in touch with your body and heal TODAY! Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code BREAK at https://mudwtr.com/BREAK ! #mudwtrpod Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
The GLP-1 Warning No One Is Giving You: Dr. Stacy Sims on Muscle Loss, Birth Control, Perimenopause & the Female Physiology Research That Was Never Done
1w ago01:38:35Summary readyWhat if everything you’ve been told about fitness, hormones, dieting, and “healthy habits” was built for the WRONG body? In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Stacy Sims (exercise physiologist and leading expert in female nutrition & performance) exposes the shocking truth about why women are STILL misunderstood in science, and how it’s silently wrecking health, metabolism, and longevity. Dr. Sims breaks down: – Why women are drastically underrepresented in research (and why it’s more complicated than just sexism) – Hidden biological & hormonal differences that make “one-size-fits-all” health advice completely ineffective for women – Dark side of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, diet culture, and over-exercising, and how they’re quietly destroying quality of life – Strength training: Why lifting heavy is the key to fat loss, brain health, longevity, & hormonal balance – Alarming link between contraceptives, brain development, anxiety, & bone density in young women – Why fasting doesn’t work the same for women & how it can backfire hard – Why women NEED higher body fat & why chasing “lean” can be harmful – Overlooked connection between muscle, glucose control, brain function, & osteoporosis prevention – How poor nutrition is ruining your sleep (and the surprising food that can fix it fast) – Dangers hiding in peptides – Why most multivitamins are failing you (and how too much of ONE nutrient can actually harm you) – Nutrient deficiencies almost everyone is dealing with (especially if you’re busy, stressed, & overworked) – Why diet & exercise feel impossible for so many women & the systemic reasons behind it – Science behind saunas, cold plunges, & whether they’re actually worth it – Creatine explained like never before: brain fog, stress resilience, ADHD, sleep cycles, muscle performance - who needs it & how much – Why you might be drinking water WRONG (and how overhydration is making you bloated) – Shocking differences in lifespan vs. healthspan between men and women, especially for Alzheimer’s & dementia – How strength training can literally protect your brain as you age – 5 NON-NEGOTIABLE habits every woman needs during perimenopause & menopause – Fiber intake mistakes that are wrecking gut health and hormones (especially after 40) – Why Hormone Replacement Therapy isn’t the answer for everyone, and what to do instead – How AI & social media are spreading dangerous health misinformation (why women are the biggest targets!) This isn’t just another health episode, this is a wake-up call. If you’ve ever felt like your body isn’t responding the way it “should”…you’re not broken. The system is. This could be the most important health conversation you hear this year! If you're struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/BREAK They can't harm you, if they can't find you! Use code MAYIM at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/mayim Get 20% off all IQ Bar products - plus free shipping by texting BREAKDOWN to 64000.For a limited time, get $250 off Cove Pure water filtration at http://www.covepure.com/breakdown Get 15% off + a FREE bottle of MassZymes ($20 value) when you go to https://bioptimizers.com/breaker and use code BREAKER. Limited-time offer, only available through this link (not on Amazon or in stores). Grab it while it lasts. Revised edition of Dr. Stacy Sims book, ROAR: Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong Body for Life: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592889/roar-revised-edition-by-stacy-t-sims-phd-with-selene-yeager/ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
One Hidden Cause for Six Different Symptoms. The Psychiatrist Explaining Why 50% of Physical Complaints Begin in the Mind | Dr. Paul Conti
2w ago01:40:30Summary readyWhat if everything you’ve been told about mental health is backwards? In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown in honor of Mental Health Month, Dr. Paul Conti (psychiatrist & President of Pacific Premier Group PC) reveals why focusing on what’s wrong with you may actually be keeping you stuck, and how a completely different approach can unlock resilience, hope, and real change. We dive into the shocking truth that MORE THAN HALF of physical health issues may originate from mental health, and why treating symptoms alone (with medication or endless information) often misses the root cause entirely. You’ll learn why overdiagnosis is more dangerous than you think, how self-fulfilling prophecies quietly shape your reality, and why “feeling fine” might be the biggest thing holding you back. Dr. Conti breaks down the hidden long-term effects of trauma, including how it impacts longevity and can even be passed down genetically, and why the cycle of intergenerational trauma can stop with you. He shares his personal story, the critical difference between grief and trauma, and why letting go of guilt and shame is essential for true healing. We explore why mental health stigma still exists despite everyone talking about it, why it’s so emotionally difficult to examine your own mind, and why you can’t separate mental and physical health, no matter how much we try. We also discuss: - Hidden root behind multiple symptoms you didn’t know were connected - Why more information won’t help unless you can actually apply it - Surprising reason relief from distress doesn’t equal happiness - How your recurring thoughts may be shaping your entire life - Why giving back can make you feel whole in ways nothing else can Plus, we tackle some of the most controversial topics in modern mental health: - When medication should (and shouldn’t) be used - Dangers of turning to AI for therapy - Why elevating science to the level of “truth” can actually limit human growth Most importantly, Dr. Conti introduces a powerful, practical framework: using compassionate curiosity to re-examine your life story - so you can begin healing, even without professional therapy. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re missing something important about your own mind, this conversation might change how you see yourself forever! Check out Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam and subscribe: https://unpacked.bio/q1e Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code BREAK at https://mudwtr.com/BREAK ! #mudwtrpod Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BREAK at https://www.oneskin.co/BREAK #oneskinpod Get 15% off + a FREE bottle of MassZymes ($20 value) when you go to https://bioptimizers.com/breaker and use code BREAKER. Limited-time offer, only available through this link (not on Amazon or in stores). Grab it while it lasts. Dr. Paul Conti’s latest book, What’s Going Right: A Powerful New Method for Optimizing Your Mental Health: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/paul-conti/whats-going-right/9781538776049/ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Part Two: Vincent Tolman Died in a Dairy Queen Bathroom at 25 — He Was Gone for Over an Hour and Came Back With 10 Messages About the Afterlife
2w ago01:13:17Summary readyHe was dead for 90 minutes. What he saw will shatter everything you think you know! Doctors say this should have been impossible. Vincent “Vinney” Tolman wasn’t just clinically dead - he was gone for somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, with no brain activity and no chance of returning without severe damage. Yet somehow, he came back - fully conscious, forever changed, and carrying a story that has left even medical professionals stunned. What happened during that time? According to Vinney, everything we think we know about life, death, and reality is only the beginning. After an accidental overdose in a restaurant bathroom, Vinney crossed over - and what he experienced on “the other side” goes far beyond a typical near death experience. He describes leaving his body and entering a state where he could hear the thoughts and feel the emotions of others, moving through a realm where time doesn’t exist the way we understand it, and encountering a level of unconditional love so overwhelming it defies human language. In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, he shares the moment he met his spirit guide, learned how to raise his energetic frequency to travel, and underwent a profound life review, reliving not just his own actions, but feeling every ounce of pain and joy he had ever caused others. After being resuscitated and placed in a coma for 3 days, Vinney returned with 10 specific messages he says were given to him from “the other side”, including insights into: - Why we’re really here on Earth - Hidden purpose behind suffering, conflict, & evil - Why free will is essential to existence - Truth about authenticity, love, & judgment - How tech & other negative influences shape our spiritual path - Why our value has nothing to do with what others think He also reveals why he believes Earth has existed far longer than we’ve been told, how it moves through energetic cycles, and why children seem more spiritually connected. But coming back wasn’t peaceful. Vinney opens up about the dark psychological aftermath of returning to his body: waking up in a hospital, desperately wanting to go back "home", seeing what he believed were departed souls, and nearly losing himself trying to process it all. From being prescribed antipsychotics to a supernatural turning point that pushed him toward spiritual understanding instead, his journey didn’t end when he came back - it only got more intense. Now, he shares how he connects with his spirit guide, the premonitions and guidance he receives, what he believes “Earth angels” really are, and how anyone can begin connecting with their own spiritual guidance. He even links his NDE to childhood trauma, explaining how dissociation may relate to the ability to leave the body and what that means for human consciousness. Vinney believes we are currently in a global “shedding phase”, and his mission is clear: to awaken as many people as possible. This isn’t just a story about death. It’s a story about why you’re here…and what you’re meant to remember. Vincent Tolman’s book, The Light After Death: My Journey to Heaven and Back: https://thelightafterdeath.com/ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Vincent Tolman Died in a Dairy Queen Bathroom at 25 — He Was Gone for Over an Hour and Came Back With 10 Messages About the Afterlife
2w ago01:11:42Summary readyHe was dead for 90 minutes. What he saw will shatter everything you think you know! Doctors say this should have been impossible. Vincent “Vinney” Tolman wasn’t just clinically dead - he was gone for somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, with no brain activity and no chance of returning without severe damage. Yet somehow, he came back - fully conscious, forever changed, and carrying a story that has left even medical professionals stunned. What happened during that time? According to Vinney, everything we think we know about life, death, and reality is only the beginning. After an accidental overdose in a restaurant bathroom, Vinney crossed over - and what he experienced on “the other side” goes far beyond a typical near death experience. He describes leaving his body and entering a state where he could hear the thoughts and feel the emotions of others, moving through a realm where time doesn’t exist the way we understand it, and encountering a level of unconditional love so overwhelming it defies human language. In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, he shares the moment he met his spirit guide, learned how to raise his energetic frequency to travel, and underwent a profound life review, reliving not just his own actions, but feeling every ounce of pain and joy he had ever caused others. After being resuscitated and placed in a coma for 3 days, Vinney returned with 10 specific messages he says were given to him from “the other side”, including insights into: - Why we’re really here on Earth - Hidden purpose behind suffering, conflict, & evil - Why free will is essential to existence - Truth about authenticity, love, & judgment - How tech & other negative influences shape our spiritual path - Why our value has nothing to do with what others think He also reveals why he believes Earth has existed far longer than we’ve been told, how it moves through energetic cycles, and why children seem more spiritually connected. But coming back wasn’t peaceful. Vinney opens up about the dark psychological aftermath of returning to his body: waking up in a hospital, desperately wanting to go back "home", seeing what he believed were departed souls, and nearly losing himself trying to process it all. From being prescribed antipsychotics to a supernatural turning point that pushed him toward spiritual understanding instead, his journey didn’t end when he came back - it only got more intense. Now, he shares how he connects with his spirit guide, the premonitions and guidance he receives, what he believes “Earth angels” really are, and how anyone can begin connecting with their own spiritual guidance. He even links his NDE to childhood trauma, explaining how dissociation may relate to the ability to leave the body and what that means for human consciousness. Vinney believes we are currently in a global “shedding phase”, and his mission is clear: to awaken as many people as possible. This isn’t just a story about death. It’s a story about why you’re here…and what you’re meant to remember. --- Get 15% off + a FREE bottle of MassZymes ($20 value) when you go to https://bioptimizers.com/breaker and use code BREAKER. Limited-time offer, only available through this link (not on Amazon or in stores). Grab it while it lasts. Receive a free LMNT Sample Pack with purchase just visit https://drinklmnt.com/mayim Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at https://shopify.com/breakdown Go to helixsleep.com/breakdown for 27% off sitewide. --- Vincent Tolman’s book, The Light After Death: My Journey to Heaven and Back: https://thelightafterdeath.com/ Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Re-Air: We Aren’t Our Thoughts! Simple Steps to Achieving Inner Peace, Letting Go of Negative Thoughts & Becoming Happier, Healthier & Calmer
3w ago01:18:29Summary readyIn honor of Mental Health Month, we’re revisiting an episode that resonated with so many of you from last year with Joseph Nguyen, the New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Believe Everything You Think: Why Your Thinking is the Beginning and End of Suffering. He gives tips on how to stop overthinking, achieve better mental clarity and elaborates on his teachings on how to surrender and start letting go. He will show you how to have more effective meditation practices, why your current meditation practice might not be working, and how he adapted his practice from the meditation teachings of other experts. Plus! He reveals how he hit his rock bottom, the life transformation he made to stop suffering, and how he paid off his family’s debt. This episode will provide you with tools to cope with anxiety, recover from burnout, and manage workplace stress. From our Breakdown to the one we hope you never have, we wish you a well and healthy Mental Health Awareness Month! Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
Part Two: Charged With Murder at 19, Sentenced to 40 years, and Came Out Freer Than Most People Will Ever Be — Shaka Senghor on Forgiveness, Shame, and Escaping the Prisons Nobody Talks About
3w ago01:21:40Summary readyYou won’t believe the transformation behind this story. From a runaway teen escaping a traumatic home, to addiction to crack cocaine, being shot and living with PTSD, committing a murder that led to a potential 40-year prison sentence, and enduring 4.5 years in solitary confinement...this is the unbelievable life journey of Shaka Senghor. In this episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the resilience expert and bestselling author of How to Be Free: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons shares the raw, unfiltered truth about the darkest moments of his life, and the mindset that helped him rebuild everything. What began in violence, addiction, and trauma ultimately led Shaka to become a global thought leader who now inspires executives, entrepreneurs, elite athletes, and audiences around the world. And the turning point? It happened inside a prison cell. Shaka Senghor breaks down: - Growing up in chaos & running away from home as a teenager - How drug culture & crack cocaine addiction nearly destroyed his life - The traumatic experience of being shot, and later discovering who pulled the trigger - PTSD & emotional trauma that followed - The night that changed everything: the murder that sent him to prison for up to 40 years - Support he wishes he had before prison - The desperate moment he tried to escape prison - The heartbreaking 4.5 years he spent in solitary confinement and other tragedies & injustices he witnessed behind bars - How literacy and journaling kept him sane - Wrestling with anger toward God & finding connection to a higher power through nature - How mentorship from older incarcerated men changed the trajectory of his life He also reveals the powerful mindset shift that transformed his life, including how he used the Law of Attraction to eventually get out of solitary confinement. One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is Shaka’s process of healing: - Learning to track the sources of physical & emotional trauma - Identifying emotional triggers - Releasing shame for things he wasn’t responsible for - Understanding how anger often grows from suppressed shame - Concept of “weaponizing the past” and how he learned to reconcile anger for what he did, and what was done to him We're also diving deep into forgiveness in ways you’ve likely never heard before. Shaka shares what it meant when the godmother of the man he killed forgave him, the life-changing moment when the person who shot him apologized, how that apology helped him forgive his mother for years of abuse, and why forgiveness isn’t weakness, but liberation. After finally being approved for parole, Shaka created a plan to rebuild his life from the ground up. That plan eventually led him to become a successful author and speaker, advocate for prison reform, and even develop a close friendship with Oprah Winfrey. Shaka also talks about the surreal experience of reentering society, including the technological shock of cell phones and computers, his lasting PTSD symptoms from prison, the impact incarceration has on families and loved ones (not just the inmate), and his advice for supporting someone returning home from prison. Even if you’ve never experienced incarceration, Shaka's story is more universal than you might think. He explains: - Why uncertainty is one of the hardest emotions humans face - How many of us live inside “hidden prisons” of fear, shame, & trauma - Why vulnerability, forgiveness, & resilience are the keys to breaking free - Why every human being deserves hope, love, joy, & success...no matter their past Shaka's mission is simple: Help people reclaim agency over what ails them and realize that freedom starts within. Shaka Senghor’s latest book, HOW TO BE FREE: A Proven Guide to Escaping Life’s Hidden Prisons: https://www.shakasenghor.com/how-to-be-free Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary