In today's episode, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Gisele Gonzalez, a licensed mental health counselor, alligator trainer, and mixed martial artist. Gisele's diverse range of interests has taken her on an extraordinary journey. From completing her masters-level training in mental health counseling to captivating audiences with her impressive alligator training skills at the Miccosukee Indian Reserve, Gisele's passion for these various fields is truly remarkable. We also ex...
Sep 27, 2023•2 hr 23 min
Melissa Rivera is a multi-talented individual who wears many hats as an author, videographer, photographer, and mental health advocate. Melissa specifically reached out to Dr. Adrian Mesa to come on the Finding Balance Podcast and, for the first time, publicly discuss her experience of living with bipolar disorder, being hospitalized in a psychiatric unit, access to mental healthcare and so much more. Melissa was raw, real, and vulnerable. Thank you for coming on and sharing your story.
May 08, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 25
In this inspiring episode of our podcast, we sit down with Cameron Adams, a personal boxing trainer who has worked with some of the most prestigious gyms in the country, including Anatomy, Gotham, Lion Heart, and Rumble. Not only is Cameron an accomplished trainer, but he is also a professional model who has traveled the world. Despite his success in the modeling industry, Cameron's true passion lies in boxing and helping others. He has overcome incredible challenges, including a motorcycle acci...
Mar 03, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Ep. 24
We had the incredible honor of hosting Darryl Stingley, a world-renowned parkour athlete, on our podcast. You can find Darryl on Instagram under the handle @iamwavezilla, where he showcases his jaw-dropping skills in parkour. Darryl's passion for superheroes and comic books inspired him to pursue parkour as a way of becoming a real-life embodiment of his favorite heroes. If you visit his Instagram page or watch any of his videos on YouTube, you'll be amazed by his seemingly effortless ability to...
Feb 16, 2023•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 23
Dr. Klaus Blandon is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He has a vast array of experience working with patients with neurological conditions, such as strokes or brain injuries, but is also well versed in orthopedics and sports injuries. Additionally, Dr. Blandon is a trained wellness coach and aims to blend principles of wellness with physical therapy to achieve maximum outcomes to his clients. In this episode we discussed wellness, exercise, cold plunge (cold water immersion), neuroplasticity, and t...
Feb 09, 2023•1 hr 54 min
Andrea Arostegui is a wedding photographer, a creator, and a DIY extraordinaire. She builds, designs, photographs and creates. She does it all! In fact, Andrea and her friend Dubraska launched a podcast of their own called "The Breaking Bread Podcast" which you should definitely check out! She’s bold, outspoken, and her intention is to show love and help others through sharing her life experiences. Her ability to display strength while being vulnerable is why I brought her on. From capturing wed...
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 34 min
Gabriel Robledo is a Music Producer by the name XIII, Videographer & Photographer. With a musically inclined family, his love for music began in 6th grade through to obtaining a Bachelor's in Audio Production. His journey is one for the books! After working an entire decade at Apple, he parted ways to pursue his passion. In doing so, Gabriel has discovered that his talents aren't just in the music world, but a creative one overall. Stepping out of his comfort zone to chase his dreams, severa...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 21
This episode of AMPed Up podcast bring us to one of Miami's biggest fitness influencer and entrepreneur, Ramses Principe. We cover his journey beginning in the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky where a career ending injury torpedo his dreams of becoming a pro at the NFL. Some time forward and not without his share of obstacles, through hard work and resilience Ramses is now one of Miami's leading faces in the fitness industry. With his web-based fitness company MIA Fitness....
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In this episode we get to talk one of my oldest friends, the one and only Hector Mendez. We begin by reminiscing about our upbringing in Hialeah and by asking the question that has been on my mind for a long time. How the hell does Hector makes a living? As an entrepreneur, Hector oversaw the strategic positioning of Studio Center as one of the top recording studios in Miami. Budget planning of all projects with Artists, Producers, Writers, Musicians to meet specific deadlines. Managed the day t...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 18
On this episode of AMPed Up Podcast we sat down with Gabriel Russo, a young entrepreneur and co-host of “ The Mindset Podcast”. We discuss themes in entrepreneurship such as hard work, setting an example as a leader and quality of life over monetary value. We also explore Gabe’s personal journey. How he was able to overcome adversity when his dream of playing college basketball was cut short due to injuries, his early working experiences in Home Depot and what led him to start “The Mindset Podca...
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 49 min•Season 1Ep. 17
This episode of AMPed Up Podcast brings my friend and my most trusted Physical Therapist, Dr. Juan Guzman. Dr. Juan Guzman has been in the fitness industry for the past 12 years and has worked in many different facilities as a coach as well as consultant, including: Orangetheory fitness, Barry’s Bootcamp, Kamps fitness, Antidote Wellness labs, Cinderfit and ERA fit. Dr. Guzman graduated from the University of Mami a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. We will discuss fitness related topics and obesit...
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr 23 min
This episode of AMPed Up Podcast brings us another long awaited guest: Irwin Rivera. Irwin is a mixed martial artist currently competing in the Bantamweight division of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC. He’s a former Titan FC champion and former UFC fighter. In this episode, we talk with Irwin about his journey to becoming a fighter and what currently drives him to be the best. He also shares what happened the days leading up to his psychotic break and the events that transpired afterwards, includ...
Jul 08, 2022•2 hr 12 min
This episode of the AMPed Up Podcast brings us the person behind one of our team’s favorite psych accounts to follow: Dr. Lina Haji, licensed clinical psychologist and the face of @rise_psychological_services Dr. Lina Haji specializes in “psychodiagnostic assessment, forensic assessment, dual diagnosis, serious and persistent mental illness, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and substance abuse treatment.” Her resume is impressive, to say the least, with experience that spans four stat...
Jul 01, 2022•1 hr 40 min
On this episode of AMPed Up Podcast we sat down with Mojo, a professional contemporary artist based in Miami. To be honest, we thought this episode was going to be focused on art, but it took a pleasantly surprising turn right from the start as Mojo opens up about all things fatherhood. From custody battles to raising a teenage boy, to finding newfound healing after the death of his own father, Mojo lays it all out on the table. What Adrian jokingly refers to as a therapy session for dads demons...
Jun 24, 2022•2 hr 45 min
Today’s episode brings us our office neighbor, Dr. Juan Lesende, or Juan, as he prefers. Juan is a psychologist and the CEO and founder of Adaptive Center, an IOP (intensive outpatient treatment) center in Miami that focuses on depression, anxiety and depression. A Cuba native, Juan recounts what it was like being part of the first waves of immigrants to arrive in Miami and how that influenced his life up until his first experiences with depression. From discussions of The Dark Night of the Soul...
Jun 07, 2022•1 hr 10 min
This episode of AMPed Up brings us Miami singer and actress, Vikina. Vikina has been performing and writing music for over 10 years. Most recently, she was a semi-finalist on Reina De La Cancion, a singing contest on Univision produced by Daddy Yankee and featuring judges Joss Favela, Natti Natasha and Olga Tañón. Inarguably one of the show’s fan favorites, Vikina demonstrated great potential and had high hopes for success after the show. But 2020 happened and the pandemic derailed all of that. ...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 34 min
On this episode of AMPed Up Podcast we’re covering all things kindness, mental health, and self-care with Marly Q. A self-proclaimed Kindness Influencer, Marly is an event planner, personal/professional development coach, founder of The Park Project, and host of Time To Be Kind. From the importance of a self-care routine for parents to the pandemic’s effects on her business, Marly’s sincere self-awareness and desire to help others is reflected in stories of her successes and her failures. In one...
May 18, 2022•2 hr 4 min
For this episode of AMPed Up Podcast we brought on Nedal Ahmad, an entrepreneur and lifelong childhood friend of Dr. Mesa. This intimate conversation covers everything from Nedal’s time in Palestine as a child, parenthood, business, men’s mental health and more. A co-founder of Pincho Factory, the award-winning Miami-born restaurant chain, Nedal opens up about the struggles of entrepreneurship, running Crackers Southern Dining in Miami Springs, and now venturing into the non-profit world. His la...
May 16, 2022•2 hr 15 min
Ashley Vega is the newest addition to AMP Group's marketing team–literally, this was her first day! We're thrilled to kick-off her role as Social Media Coordinator at AMP with this impromptu episode alongside Dr. Adrian Mesa. While a shorter episode than what audiences are used to, this conversation is jam-packed with advice and insight. Ashley, a recent graduate of Florida International University with a Bachelor's in Broadcast Journalism and a Sports Media concentration, tells us how to avoid ...
Apr 22, 2022•22 min
Today we're joined by Dr. Samuel Heastie, a psychologist and relationship coach. He has over three decades as a coach and counselor, as well as a professor of psychology at Miami-Dade College's Wolfson campus. Dr. Heastie is also TEDx speaker, author, and tv/radio producer. On this episode, Dr. Heastie tackles common myths and misconceptions in dating, love and marriage. From the idea of compatibility, the stigmas of online dating, and the myth of falling in love, Dr. Heastie gives insight and a...
Mar 21, 2022•2 hr 10 min
This episode of AMPed Up brings us Alejandra Estefania. A painter, poet, storyteller and visionary, Alejandra's no holds barred approach to art and life reflects a fearless authenticity and self-love sure to inspire listeners to "step into the world and be who you are." Join us as Alejandra takes us through her childhood and upbringing in Ecuador, being an immigrant in the United States, her personal growth and how it's reflected in her evolution as an artist. From Nike to Bacardi, Miami's Art B...
Mar 21, 2022•1 hr 49 min
On this episode of AMPed Up, we're joined by Dr. Yazmine Marimon. Dr. Yaz is a licensed sex therapist, relationship expert and addiction professional. We had our audiences send in their questions, covering everything from how to get over a cheating spouse, reigniting the passion in a marriage, online dating apps, dating someone with a sex addiction and more! You can follow Dr. Yaz's work on Instagram at @dryazminemarimon Follow us on Instagram @amped_up_podcast for updates on new episodes. Follo...
Mar 21, 2022•1 hr 38 min
The legendary Joseph Stempien joins us on this episode of AMPed Up Podcast to talk about business, fitness, fatherhood and so much more. For 12 years (and counting) Joe has been changing the lives of gym goers across various Legacy Fit locations across Miami, though he's very much a staple of the Kendall one. Joe shares with us the secrets to getting people to work their a** off, giving listeners insight into what makes him such an enigmatic leader in not just the Legacy Fit community, but the M...
Mar 17, 2022•2 hr 15 min
This episode of AMPed Up Podcast is hosted by AMP Group's Director of Marketing Maria Paula Cardona and is the first episode in what will be a Spanish series of AMPed Up. This series will be dedicated to bringing conversations about mental health to Spanish speaking communities where the topic of mental health is often more stigmatized than usual. Here, Maria Paula is joined by Jennifer Sotolongo. Jennifer is a licensed mental health counselor and founder of One-Stop Momma. She specializes in wo...
Mar 17, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Jimmy Camille joins us to talk about his journey to becoming a full-time artist and how mental health shapes his art. He shares with us stories of his toughest battles and how they've only strengthened his work ethic—from growing up neglected at home, being out on his own at a young age, to recent experiences with self-harm. Jimmy's thirst for self-improvement is unparalleled and reflected in his craft. Follow his journey on Instagram @artmonster3 Follow us on Instagram @amped_up_podcast for upd...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 14 min
On AMPed Up's first ever episode, Adrian brings on Alex Roque, a Miami fitness coach and one of Adrian's best friends who helped him bring AMP Group (Adrian's mental health services practice) to life. The two talk about life changes during and post-pandemic, the beginnings of Adrian's business, Alex's transition to coaching, dealing with mental health obstacles, finding purpose and more! Follow us on Instagram @amped_up_podcast for updates on new episodes! Follow Adrian's practice @amp_mental_he...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 45 min
