Dr. Ardeshir Mehran's Podcast

There is a moment many high achievers quietly know: the life they built works, on paper, but something essential no longer fits. Not a crisis. Not failure. Something more unsettling: success without a sense of self. I'm speaking with Adria Firestone, The Reinvention Architect™, about what it means to rebuild from the inside out, reclaim your voice, and design a life that reflects who you are becoming, not who you used to be. The voice as the architecture of identity. A conversation about reinvention, presence, performance, and how leaders can reclaim their authority, not by starting over, but by returning to their essence. Adria Firestone, The Reinvention Architect™, keynote speaker, voice and presence expert, best-selling author of You Are the Artist of Your Life. She is an international opera and musical theater performer, Carbonell Award winner, Woman of the Year at the Spoleto Festival, and university educator with 20+ years of teaching voice, presence, and performance. Adria helps women and leaders reclaim their voice, identity, and authority through the Reinvention Architecture™ framework.View the Podcast on YouTube. TIMELINE0:00 — Introduction — "You're Not Depressed, Just Unfinished" 0:30 — Meet Adria Firestone — Opera Singer, Professor & Reinvention Coach 3:59 — The Duality: Life Looked Fabulous But Felt Empty 4:32 — Escaping to the Stage — Running Away to the Circus at Age 10 15:42 — Safe on Stage, Unsafe at Home — Roots of People-Pleasing 19:40 — Hearing the Voice: "This Is Your Last Carmen" 20:16 — Walking Off Stage Into the Unknown — What Comes After Identity? 22:18 — Following the Breadcrumbs — How Life Guides You Without a Script 23:31 — Hiding in Caregiving — Trading One Role for Another 25:04 — Coming Home to Yourself — When All the Hiding Places Are Gone 29:46 — Reinvention Architecture: The 4 A's — Accept, Ask, Act, Allow 41:13 — The SHINE Framework — Seen, Heard, Included, Nurtured, Empowered 42:58 — Invisible People in Organizations — The Real Engagement Crisis 46:24 — Contact Adria Firestone and Learn More About HerCONTACT ADRIA FIRESTONEWebsite: https://adriafirestone.com/speaker-coaching-2/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriafirestone/Book: You Are the Artist of Your Life on Amazon

What happens when the life you worked so hard to build no longer feels like you?In this episode of “Not Depressed. UnFinished.” Dr. Ardeshir Mehran speaks with Loredana Regep, MD, a physician, former global biotech leader, integrative health coach, Positive Intelligence coach, and creator of The Elevation Method™, about the quiet moment when achievement no longer nourishes the soul.Together, they explore the difference between ambition that expands you and ambition that empties you, the inner voices that keep high achievers performing old scripts, and the courage it takes to stop being the actor in someone else’s story and become the writer of your own.This is a conversation about reinvention, whole-person health, conscious leadership, and the life still waiting to be lived — not after collapse, but after truth.Key themes include: The "two transparent sheets" metaphor for the widening gap between the life you planned and the life you wantThe danger of mistaking burnout for overwork when the real issue is misalignmentThe difference between expanding ambition (values-driven) and hollow ambition (status-driven)The role of positive intelligence (PQ) and the "sage vs. saboteur" framework in shifting from fear-based performance to love-based livingThe courage required to let a successful life evolve into a truer one.Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GFh7VTPN3HM?si=n7NGNAJUyOxkDKNiTIMELINE6:03       Opportunities that no longer held joy; instinct to return to medicine7:26       The signal grew louder until it could no longer be ignored7:45       Where did the signals come from? An inner calling to help people directly10:49     Many people channel the calling into systemic change within their organizations11:45     Burnout reframed, not overwork, but misalignment of who you are and what you do12:34     "Living by somebody else's script" — deciding to become the writer of your own life14:07     High achievers apply more discipline when they feel pain — it doesn't work15:14     "I don't think I'm going to make it to retirement" — a pivotal realization15:52     What does life look like for those who are doing better on "God's scale"?16:33     Past the failure feeling: being in the lead of your own life for the first time17:09     When life gains meaning and purpose; colors become brighter18:13     Research on post-retirement depression; living a life of intention18:22     Celebration of life; a clean house, cooking, smiling at strangers19:37     Ambition that expands vs. ambition that empties  21:03    Hollow ambition: short-lived joy, external status, identity tied entirely to achievement21:43     The "wilderness" after achievement — addiction and distraction as coping mechanisms23:32     Loneliness on the path — who understands? Confiding only in husband, then one leader in Canada24:49     A clarity moment: "I'm simply becoming something different"25:07     Feeling crazy, feeling like something is wrong with you25:23     Advice to listeners — the "younger Loredana" message: acknowledge, explore, reach out, you are not alone27:07     Spiritual journey as a companion — 30 years of inner work as a guide through lost moments29:02     What is PQ (Positive Intelligence)? Saboteurs vs. the Sage29:43     The inner critic as origin of imposter syndrome30:43     Career fueled by fear of not being good enough → learning to perform from love31:19     The "I'm not good enough" narrative — guilt vs. shame; messages learned early in life CONTACT LOREDANA REGEP, MDLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loredanaregep/Website: loredanaregep.com

Let's Meet Renee Excelbert, PhDSo many people are trained to dismiss fear, outrun pain, dismiss illness, and “stay strong” when life is asking them to listen. But the body keeps the score. It also holds the wisdom. I’m speaking with Dr. Renee Exelbert about what happens when adversity interrupts our identity, and how movement, mindset, and the mind-body connection can help us rise again, not as the old self, but as a more powerful and truthful one. The body as a source of truth. A conversation about adversity, illness, identity, movement, visualization, and how entrepreneurs can build resilience without simply “powering through.”Renee is a licensed psychologist, certified elite personal trainer, body-building competitor, two-time breast cancer survivor, author of Chemo Muscles, founder of The Metamorphosis Center, and creator of Visual Emotional Kinetics, keynoter, and TEDx speaker, blending positive thought, visualization, and movement to reclaim strength and performance.Timeline7:10  The moment of diagnosis; being blamed by her doctor in the same breath as the news11:00  The power of human touch; havening, self-massage, and the science of physical connection15:20  Body betrayal & reconnection; trauma, assault, and reclaiming physical connectedness17:00  Identity in crisis; perfectionism dismantled by mastectomy and cancer18:20  Writing Chemo Muscles Book; a seven-year journey from shame to radical openness20:50  Vulnerability as strength; how sharing her story became her greatest gift23:19  Bodybuilding origin; using exercise and nutrition science to reclaim control26:40  Getting on stage; the transformation process, not the competition day, is the point 28:40  Current health; living with ongoing monitoring while maintaining strength and positivity30:20  Family & marriage; how daughters and husband witnessed and were shaped by her resilience33:10  Host's reflection on his own book and sharing vulnerability with his son35:50  Evolving as a clinician; more body-attuned, present, and boundary-flexible since illness37:10  Faith, prayer & gratitude; spiritual practice, presence, and what she prays forCONTACT DR. RENEE EXCELBERT Website: https://drexelbert.com/TEDx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCP4e6UFRmsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-exelbert-ph-d-59137b89/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.renee.exelbert/

High-achieving women are some of the most disciplined people on the planet — at work, for their families, in every area except one: themselves.I’m speaking with Ariel Hoffman, a Los Angeles-based Master Trainer and holistic wellness coach who has spent nearly two decades asking a different question — not “why can’t you stick to it?” but “why is the system not working for you?” This is a conversation about energy, consistency, and what sustainable strength actually looks like in a real, busy life.A practical, science-backed conversation about why high-achieving women keep losing their energy, falling off their routines, and starting over — and the real system-level shifts that create lasting strength, consistent habits, and a body that actually works with your life.Ariel Hoffman is a Certified National Academy of Sports Medicine Trainer, Certified Health Coach, Certified Primal Health Coach, Pre & Post Natal Specialist, and founder of Ariel Hoffman Wellness. With nearly two decades of experience transforming high-achieving women, executives, and working mothers, Ariel brings a hybrid of nutrition coaching, customized fitness, and sustainable lifestyle strategy — rooted in the science of how real bodies actually work.Episode Timeline3:52           Key observations about professional women  5:47           What clients really want, body fixes vs. feelings6:56           The transformation sequence: feel → see → sustain9:37           Why high-performing women lose their energy12:44          The "Yes for everyone else" trap13:36          Why habits fall apart — misalignment explained14:41          Building a baseline vs. chasing the perfect week17:54          Understanding your own energy — what depletes vs. fuels you18:56          Cyclical energy, hormones, cortisol19:54          Tips for listening to your body20:46          Motivation is a myth — implementation is everything24:26          Design for the hard week, not the perfect week25:39          Energy crashes & brain fog, nutrition science27:06          The three levers: nutrition, movement, lifestyle27:48          Managing indulgences, the replace vs. restrict method29:39          Substitution over restriction (kids, screens, habits)30:24          Women over 40, body changes & what actually works33:28          Stopping the fight with your body34:14          Ariel's approach: gentle but deliberateCONTACT ARIELLE HOFFMANLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-hoffman-59229860/WEBSITE: https://www.wellxariel.com/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wellxarielhoffman/ 

What Your Doctor Didn't Tell You!Dr. Susan Payrovi is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is an anesthesiologist, until multiple sclerosis ended her surgical career and sent her on a very different kind of medical education.Now, triple board-certified and trained in functional and integrative medicine, she's traded symptom management for something more interesting: finding out why you got sick in the first place.In this episode, Dr. Payrovi breaks down the science your doctor probably didn't have time to explain and the gut-brain axis. You learn how your microbiome runs your immune system, hormones, and mood, and why what you eat, how you sleep, and even your dog may be shaping your health more than any prescription.She explains leaky gut in plain English and walks through her "inside-out" approach to chronic disease, including her own diagnosis with multiple sclerosis (MS). She shares surprisingly doable practices, more fermented foods, less ultra-processed everything, and actually respecting your circadian rhythm.If you've ever felt like you were just managing your illness rather than understanding it, this podcast is for you.Timeline1:32 — Dr. Payrovi's Background & MS Diagnosis3:22 — Journey into Integrative Medicine8:18 — Holistic vs. Conventional Medicine15:28 — The Gut-Brain Connection17:05 — What Is a "Gut Feeling"?20:39 — Gut Health in Daily Life23:43 — Leaky Gut Explained29:23 — Food Allergies & Rising Gut Issues30:59 — Gut Health & Emotional Wellbeing33:36 — Practical Tips for Gut Health35:28 — Where to Find Dr. PayroviCONTACT SUSAN PAYROVI, MDWebsite: https://www.drsusanpayrovi.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsusanpayrovi/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsusanpayrovi/

I want to start by asking you something.And I want you to really sit with it.Have you ever woken up in the morning and felt... heavy? Not tired. Not sick. Just heavy. Like something invisible is pressing down on your chest. Like you're moving through life, but you're not really there. Like everyone else seems to know why they're here, and you're the only one who missed the memo.You go through the motions. You show up. Maybe you even smile. But inside — inside there's this quiet, persistent voice that says: Is this it? Is this all there is?If that sounds familiar, I want you to know something.You are not broken.You are not weak.And you are absolutely not alone.Welcome to this podcast series.I'm Dr. Ardeshir Mehran, psychologist, depression, anxiety, trauma expert and someone who has sat with many of people in their darkest moments. And today, I want to talk to you about something that might completely change the way you see yourself.I want to talk about depression. But not in the way you've heard before.Thank You for Listening.TimelineBig Idea: "Depression is deprivation. Depression is data." Shift the question from what's wrong with me? to what's missing?7 Emotional Rights introduced — Elemental needs, present throughout human history, that we are born to experienceRight 1. I Belong: Deep connection; 50% of CEOs report loneliness; we're trained to achieve, not connectRight 2. I Am Complete: Freedom from past shame, trauma, regret; being present and whole right nowRight 3. I Am Boundless: Physical aliveness; moving, breathing, full-body presence; what no medication can replicateRight 4. I Matter: Being seen, included, respected; invisibility as emotional violence Right 5. I Make: Engagement and meaning in work; 2/3 of Americans disengaged; disengagement → depression; here's whyRight 6. I Am: Speaking your truth without apology; silencing your real voice causes inner deathRight 7. I Soar: Life direction, calling, legacy; Maya Angelou quote: "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you" The Transformation: Living the 7 rights doesn't cure depression; it ignites fuel. You wake up pissed, restless, alive Closing message: "You are not depressed, you are unfinished." Depression as proof you care and have been tolerating a life not right for you Call to action: Ask a different question, be honest with yourself, don't wait for perfect circumstances CONTACT DR. ARDESHIR MEHRANWebsite: https://ardeshirmehran.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ardeshir-mehran-a3457/