In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Debbie Gilmore, Executive Director at the Arrowsmith Program. Debbie shared her powerful personal journey—both as an educator and as a parent—exploring how neuroplasticity can transform lives for students with learning differences. She discussed the groundbreaking cognitive approach of Arrowsmith, the importance of acknowledging challenges, and the real potential for brain change at any age. Debbie Gilmore is a passionate change-maker ...
Jul 01, 2025•31 min•Ep. 144
On today's episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate sat down with Paul Glover, the no BS Leadership and Executive Coach, whose extraordinary journey took him from successful trial attorney to ex-convict and now trusted executive coach. Paul shared powerful lessons on transformation, the value of failure, and the ripple effect of service. If you're ready to face your blind spots, embrace personal responsibility, and take your career—and life—to the next level, you won't want to miss this conversat...
Jun 24, 2025•45 min•Ep. 143
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by cross-genre author Martina Faulkner. The discussion focuses on the power of gratitude and its role as both a feeling and a practical tool. Martina shares insights on authentic versus performative gratitude, highlighting how gratitude is most powerful when it comes from within rather than being externally imposed or demanded. The conversation wraps up with reflections on gratitude as a pathway to shift from stressed, overwhelmed to a mo...
Jun 17, 2025•30 min•Ep. 142
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate sits down with psychologist, Dr. Jenny Hughes. The conversation explores grief, both in traditional forms and as it relates to lost opportunities and changes brought by trauma. Dr. Hughes illustrates how trauma often manifests through physical sensations and patterns in the body. She introduces brain spotting, a somatic therapeutic approach which helps heal deeply rooted trauma. Jenny Hughes, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in ...
Jun 10, 2025•26 min•Ep. 141
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Donna Dupont, an award-winning designer, futurist, and the Founder of Purple Compass. The discussion focuses on her unique journey from healthcare to futures and foresight. Donna shares how her early work as a respiratory therapist, especially during the SARS crisis, shaped her interest in large-scale health system planning, public policy, and emergency management. She highlights the importance of anticipating long-term change and syst...
Jun 03, 2025•30 min•Ep. 140
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Dr. Jennifer Gentile for a conversation exploring the evolution of mental health care, innovations in digital health technology, and the challenges of balancing a purposeful career with family life. Dr. Gentile shares her career journey from clinical psychologist at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School to her groundbreaking work in digital mental health. Dr. Jennifer Gentile is a thought leader and mental healthcare in...
May 27, 2025•31 min•Ep. 139
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by cross-genre author Martina Faulkner. They delve into the complex and universal experience of grief. Martina shares the inspiration and process behind her new book, Understanding Grief, which is part of a larger series exploring foundational human experiences. The conversation highlights how grief is a universal emotion, yet always profoundly unique. Martina E. Faulkner is a cross-genre author whose work focuses primarily on exploring w...
May 20, 2025•29 min•Ep. 138
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with Sheila Buswell. The discussion focuses on Sheila's journey from the military to entrepreneurship, her creation of an upward mobility device, and the challenge of overcoming imposter syndrome. Central take-aways include the importance of not comparing oneself to others, recognizing and celebrating small wins, and trusting one's intuition. Sheila emphasizes how embracing her individuality and focusing on her strengths led her to solve real...
May 13, 2025•32 min•Ep. 137
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate speaks with Professor MS Rao about his compelling journey of perseverance and resilience. They delve into Professor Rao's forthcoming memoir, which reflects a slice of his life story, entwined with the challenges he faced, including a brain stroke and other health struggles. Despite these hurdles, Professor Rao has managed to write numerous books and hopes to inspire readers with his message of never giving up. Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D. is the Fath...
May 06, 2025•21 min•Ep. 136
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by Marie Deveaux, an accomplished leadership coach and founder of High Tides Consulting. Marie shares her journey from working in the education sector to focusing on leadership development and facilitating dialogues in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of communication in leadership and how her practice aims to instill inclusive leadership in organizations through learning experiences. Marie Deveaux is a 3rd generation entrepre...
Apr 29, 2025•28 min•Ep. 135
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate sits down with Jarid Beck, co-founder of Risk Management Advisors. They dive into Jarid's journey from aspiring stockbroker to entrepreneur in the niche field of captive insurance. Jarid shares the trials and triumphs of building a successful business alongside maintaining a balanced personal life. The conversation highlights the importance of flexibility, resilience, and adapting to unexpected challenges. Additionally, Jarid imparts insights about...
Apr 22, 2025•32 min•Ep. 134
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by a cross-genre author whose work focuses primarily on what it means to be human. They delve into the topic of karma, discussing its role as a universal law. Martina emphasizes that karma isn't about good or bad, but rather about understanding the consequences of actions and the accountability that comes with them. She shares insightful tools for healing karma and stresses the empowering potential of perspective shifts, which can drive p...
Apr 15, 2025•32 min•Ep. 133
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by executive coach and public speaker Evan Kirstein. Evan shares his journey to becoming an executive coach with a focus on helping those with ADHD to optimize their lives across domains. Through the discussion, Evan highlights strategies to help clients identify their strengths, redefine their narratives, and flourish within their unique contexts. He emphasizes the role of empathy and understanding in nurturing the self and enriching rel...
Apr 08, 2025•36 min•Ep. 132
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with Christiane Constantineau. The discussion focuses on navigating personal and professional challenges, particularly in the face of a cancer diagnosis. Central take-aways include the importance of breaking down overwhelming obstacles into manageable steps, maintaining focus on personal values, and prioritizing self-care. Christiane Constantineau is a Canadian-based C-Level Executive, CFO-to-hire, Cash flow expert, and Entrepreneur known for...
Apr 01, 2025•32 min•Ep. 131
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with Dr. Lucette Beal. The discussion focuses on mindset transformation and personal empowerment. Central take-aways include the importance of developing a positive mindset through consistent appreciation practices, understanding and flipping negative mental scripts, and living from the inside out to unlock personal potential. Dr. Lucette, a veterinarian with over three decades of experience, has seamlessly transitioned her passion for healin...
Mar 25, 2025•31 min•Ep. 130
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by podcast host and speaker Jason Shupp. The discussion focuses on Jason's eclectic career path and the resilience built through his diverse experiences. Central take-aways include the importance of being present, managing stress through both high-adrenaline hobbies and meditation, and finding success in well-being and contentment. Jason Shupp is a podcast host, speaker, and empathic collaborator. Jason’s early professional life was quite...
Mar 18, 2025•39 min•Ep. 129
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Kate talks with Kaneshi Hart. The discussion focuses on Kaneshi's journey from the corporate world to becoming a successful podcast host and speaker. Central take-aways include the importance of building robust systems, the power of authenticity in achieving success, and practical strategies to overcome fear and enhance resilience. Kaneshi emphasizes the significance of client retention, having a solid client onboarding process, and the value of continual p...
Mar 11, 2025•42 min•Ep. 128
In this captivating episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate welcomes Kyle McDowell, an inspiring and seasoned leader. Kyle shares the transformative power of his book, "Begin with We," and the profound impact of the 10 “We” principles on organizational culture and beyond. Kyle reflects on the journey that led him to notice an increasing sense of apathy despite advancing in his career. Realizing the need for a cultural reset within his organization, Kyle developed the 10 We principles, which beca...
Mar 04, 2025•30 min•Ep. 127
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate is joined by franchise consultant and coach Adam Goldman to delve into the intricacies of franchising, his professional journey, and the lessons learned along the way. Chapters: Franchising Insights Exploring Franchise Types Optimism and Resilience The Importance of Trust in Franchising Handling Rejection and Teaching Children This Important Lesson The nation’s top franchise coach and consultant, Adam Goldman, knows that even with well-paying jobs,...
Feb 25, 2025•29 min•Ep. 126
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate welcomes Professor MS Rao back to the show. The two delve deeply into the evolution and development of soft leadership. Professor Rao explains how he blended principles from his PhD in soft skills with leadership theories to create a new leadership style. He highlights the importance of people skills, emotional intelligence, and collaboration while emphasizing that leaders must still maintain task orientation. Drawing on examples of renowned figure...
Feb 18, 2025•23 min•Ep. 125
In this engaging episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate sits down with Brian Morgan, a dedicated field sound mixer, business owner and endurance athlete, to delve into the parallels between ultra marathons, parenting, personal growth, and resilience. Together, they explore the many lessons learned from pushing physical boundaries and how this relates to nurturing resilient children. Chapters: Navigating Life's Challenges Parenting with Perseverance Encouraging Risk-Taking in Kids Personal Devel...
Feb 11, 2025•51 min•Ep. 124
Innovative Speech Language Pathologist Courtney Byrd joins Dr. Kate this week on The Optimized Mind. Dr. Byrd, an esteemed speech language pathologist who brings a wealth of experience and insight into the conversation. This episode dives deep into Byrd's 20-year journey in developing an innovative alternative treatment for stuttering, sparked by a poignant early experience during her college years. Byrd recounts how working with a teenage boy who stuttered left a lasting imprint on her career a...
Feb 04, 2025•33 min•Ep. 123
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with child life specialist and founder of Child Life On-Call Katie Taylor. The discussion focuses on the role of child life specialists in children’s hospitals. Central themes which emerge through the discussion include the impact of trauma and hospitalization on children and ways to ease this stress for kids and parents; the evolution of Child Life On-Call – an app to support parents and empower them as they care for their hospitalized child...
Jan 28, 2025•30 min•Ep. 122
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with franchise expert Ewell Smith. The discussion focuses on Ewell’s book – Your First Franchise Roadmap, and the many possibilities for building a successful franchise. Central themes which emerge through the discussion include the many paths for success in franchising and in life, the importance of mindset and goodness of fit as a successful franchise owner, and the power of relationships. Ewell Smith is the host of the CloseTheDeal.com Pod...
Jan 21, 2025•42 min•Ep. 121
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with successful trader and author Anmol Singh. The discussion focuses on Anmol’s path to learning about the markets and developing a passion for trading which has evolved into a successful business. Central themes which emerge through the discussion include the importance of managing mindset in trading and in life, the difference between knowing and doing and the importance of putting knowledge into action. Anmol highlights the core principle...
Jan 14, 2025•36 min•Ep. 120
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with Cary Sparrow, founder and CEO of Wagescape, a company focused on labor market trends. The discussion focuses on Cary’s rich experiential history and career path which led him to starting Wagescape. Central themes which emerge through this powerful conversation include transparency in the labor market, the value of experiential learning in work and in life, the ways in which access to the right information leads to organizational resilien...
Jan 07, 2025•26 min•Ep. 119
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with entrepreneur Akash Rupareliaa. The discussion focuses on the ways in which Akash and his team serve others by helping entrepreneurs build their businesses and gain visibility in a way which helps them to create a massive impact for those they work with. Central themes which emerge through this powerful conversation include the importance of a service mindset and living in your zone of genius, lessons learned while living as a monk, the c...
Dec 31, 2024•29 min•Ep. 118
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with researcher and author Professor MS Rao. The discussion focuses on Professor Rao’s most recent book See the Light In You, along with his more general ideas on resilience and overcoming challenges. Central themes which emerge through the discussion include the power of perseverance, the ways in which spirituality relates to well-being, the reality that happiness lies within and the importance of living in the moment. Professor M.S. Rao, Ph...
Dec 24, 2024•29 min•Ep. 117
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with executive and leadership coach Luann Horobin. The discussion focuses on Luann’s path to coaching from a career in healthcare. Central themes which emerge through this powerful conversation include the ways in which difficult experiences can lead to breakthroughs for people wanting to change, the power of the subconscious mind, overcoming limiting beliefs and the ways we can do that. Luann is a native Albertan, one of 1600 ICF Master Coac...
Dec 17, 2024•24 min•Ep. 116
In this episode of The Optimized Mind, Dr. Kate talks with trust expert and author Dr. Darryl Stickel. The discussion focuses on Darryl’s path to building a business focused on building trust. Central themes which emerge through this powerful conversation include overcoming early challenges and setbacks and how this often fosters empathy and an understanding of others, how people learn to trust and why this is so important, how to help our kids build trust and the relationship between resilience...
Dec 10, 2024•40 min•Ep. 115
