Wired & Worthy

Hosted by Dr. Amelia Kelley

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186

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Oct 2026

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Ever been told you’re too sensitive, too emotional, or just too much? You’re not. You’re wired differently, and you’ve been worthy all along. Hosted by Dr. Amelia Kelley, Wired and Worthy explores the beautifully complex ways humans experience the world, from sensitivity, ADHD, and trauma to relationships, burnout, and personal growth. Through honest conversations, humor, and practical trauma-informed tools, Dr. Kelley and her guests create a space to laugh, learn, and stop apologizing for who you are, reminding you that what once felt like “too much” may actually be part of your strength.

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October 15, 2026Episode 2055 min

Adult Children of Alcoholics: Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma with Dr. Tian Dayton

In this insightful episode of Wired & Worthy, Dr. Amelia Kelley sits down with psychologist, psychodramatist, and author Dr. Tian Dayton to explore the lasting impact of growing up with addiction. Drawing from her latest book, Growing Up with Addiction, Tian explains how childhood experiences in families affected by addiction can shape our nervous systems, relationships, and emotional responses long into adulthood. Together, they discuss codependency, complex PTSD, narcissistic family dynamics, and the intergenerational patterns that keep trauma alive. Tian also shares deeply personal stories about her own healing journey, including a profound near-death experience and a powerful moment with her daughter that changed how she understood breaking generational trauma. This episode offers a compassionate reminder that while we cannot change our childhood experiences, we can learn to recognize unhealthy patterns, take responsibility for our healing, and build healthier relationships for future generations. Key Takeaways: Growing up with addiction can create lasting emotional wounds, hypervigilance, and codependent behaviors. Trauma can pass through generations, even when addiction itself does not. Recognizing emotional triggers helps us understand unresolved pain rather than projecting it onto others. Narcissistic family dynamics can leave children feeling responsible for managing a parent's emotions. Recovery involves self-awareness, emotional honesty, forgiveness, and supportive relationships. Breaking generational trauma begins when parents take responsibility for their reactions instead of repeating learned behaviors. About the Guest Dr. Tian Dayton is a psychologist, psychodramatist, trauma specialist, and bestselling author whose work focuses on addiction, codependency, and relational trauma. She is the creator of Relational Trauma Repair (RTR), an experiential, body-based approach to helping individuals and clinicians address unresolved emotional wounds. Drawing on decades of professional experience and her personal recovery journey, Tian is passionate about helping people break unhealthy family patterns and build emotional resilience. Her books include Growing Up with Addiction, Emotional Sobriety, and The ACOA Trauma Syndrome. Connect with Dr. Tian Dayton Website: https://www.tiandayton.com/ Relational Trauma Repair: https://relationaltraumarepair.com/ Book: Growing Up with Addiction Free Reader's Guide: https://relationaltraumarepair.com/ Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley: 🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/ 👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

October 8, 202628 min

How to Accept Yourself Even When You Mess Up

In this insightful and refreshingly honest episode of Wired & Worthy , Dr. Amelia Kelley is joined by psychologist, spiritual teacher, and author Patrick Marando to explore the connection between self-worth, emotional healing, and finding inner peace. Patrick shares how trauma, perfectionism, and self-rejection can disconnect us from our authentic selves, and why learning to accept uncomfortable emotions is essential to developing a healthier relationship with ourselves. Together, they discuss how overthinking often serves as a way to avoid difficult feelings, why embarrassment and guilt don't have to define our worth, and how to break free from conditional self-acceptance. In an unexpected twist, technical difficulties interrupt their conversation, giving Patrick and Dr. Amelia a real-life opportunity to practice the emotional acceptance they're discussing. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, rejection sensitivity, perfectionism, or rediscovering yourself after trauma, this episode offers practical insights to help you navigate difficult emotions, reconnect with your true self, and recognize that your worth has never depended on being perfect. Key Takeaways Trauma can disconnect us from our sense of identity, but self-discovery helps us reconnect. Overthinking is often an attempt to avoid uncomfortable emotions. Mistakes are opportunities to learn, not signs of failure. Accepting difficult emotions helps reduce self-judgment and anxiety. Guilt is about what happened, while shame affects how we see ourselves. True inner peace comes from self-acceptance, not external validation. Your self-worth is inherent and doesn't depend on perfection or approval. About the Guest Patrick Marando is a spiritual teacher, psychologist, energy healer, and author of Waking Up to Your Self: A Guide to Living Your Truth . Combining modern psychology with spiritual insight, he helps people break free from conditioned patterns, navigate difficult emotions, and reconnect with their authentic selves. Through his SOULL™ Method, meditation, and energy work, Patrick guides individuals toward greater self-awareness, inner peace, and emotional healing. His approach emphasizes that true peace and self-worth are already within us. We simply need to learn how to reconnect with them. Connect with Patrick Marando 🌐 Website: patrickmarando.com 📷 Instagram: @patrickmarando ♪ TikTok: @patrickmarando1 Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley: 🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

October 1, 2026Episode 1852 min

How to Know When to Leave Your Marriage: Grief, Divorce, and Starting Over

In this deeply honest episode, Dr. Amelia Kelley is joined by certified grief support specialist and Grieve Leave founder Rebecca Feinglos for a conversation about the grief of leaving a relationship you still love. Rebecca shares how losing her father forced her to reevaluate her marriage, the warning signs she once normalized, and the moment she realized how peaceful life could feel outside of an unhealthy relationship. Together, Rebecca and Dr. Amelia explore the cycle of abuse, silent treatment and love bombing, the grief of the future you thought you would have, and why missing someone does not necessarily mean leaving was the wrong decision. Rebecca also shares practical ways she rebuilt her life after divorce, from leaning on friends instead of reaching back toward her ex to learning how to be alone, creating new friendships, and finding community through grief. Key Takeaways Healthy conflict is less about how often couples disagree and more about how they communicate, repair, and treat one another during conflict. Silent treatment, love bombing, and repeated cycles of disconnection and intense affection can make unhealthy relationships especially difficult to leave. Leaving a relationship can mean grieving both the person and the future you imagined with them, including milestones that may never happen the way you expected. Rebuilding after divorce happens one day at a time through new routines, supportive relationships, and learning what life feels like outside the relationship. Community can be an important part of healing. Rebecca suggests attending gatherings hosted by people you already know, seeking events around your interests, and actually following up when you meet someone you connect with. You can still love someone and choose not to return to the relationship. Grieving involves allowing your brain to gradually learn a new reality without that person. About Rebecca Feinglos Rebecca Feinglos, MPP, is a certified grief support specialist, founder of Grieve Leave, and host of the Grief’d Up podcast. After losing her mother as a teenager, her father suddenly in 2020, and navigating the end of her marriage, Rebecca took a year-long “grief sabbatical” that ultimately grew into Grieve Leave. Today, the organization helps individuals, workplaces, and communities better understand and support grief through education, storytelling, resources, workplace training, and community experiences like Sad Hours. Rebecca’s work has been featured in publications including TIME, the Los Angeles Times, Fortune, and Slate. Connect with Rebecca Website: Grieve Leave Instagram: @grieveleave Rebecca’s Instagram: @rfeinglos Podcast: Grief’d Up Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley:🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

September 24, 2026Episode 1748 min

Bipolar Isn't What You Think: Creativity, Sleep, and the Spiritual Side of Mania

What does bipolar disorder actually feel like beyond the stereotypes? In this episode of Wired & Worthy , Dr. Amelia Kelley sits down with artist, physical therapist, and energy healer Cait Schmitt for an honest conversation about bipolar disorder, hypomania, creativity, sleep, medication, and the spiritual experiences that can sometimes accompany mania. Cait shares her lived experience of learning to recognize bipolar cycles and distinguish genuine happiness and creative inspiration from the early signs of hypomania. She explains why changes in sleep have become one of her most important warning signs and how she has learned to protect her stability while still making space for creativity. They also explore the complicated relationship between bipolar medication and creative expression, the misconceptions surrounding bipolar disorder, and Cait’s experience of mania through both scientific and spiritual lenses. The conversation offers a nuanced look at what it means to manage bipolar disorder while maintaining a connection to creativity, identity, relationships, and spirituality. Key Takeaways Why emotional sensitivity or moodiness alone doesn’t necessarily indicate bipolar disorder How recognizing bipolar cycles can help identify changes in mood Why sleep can be an important warning sign for hypomania and mania How Cait distinguishes creativity and inspiration from an escalating bipolar episode The relationship between bipolar disorder, creativity, and hypomania Cait’s experience balancing medication with creativity and spiritual connection How support systems can help someone living with bipolar disorder Why managing bipolar disorder can involve learning your individual patterns, triggers, and boundaries About Cait Schmitt Cait Schmitt is an abstract painter, physical therapist, and energy healer based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her art practice explores art as an alchemical and healing medium through which transformation and personal evolution can occur. She works with students, private clients, and designers around the world. Cait studied Religious Studies and Dance at UC Berkeley before exploring the body from a scientific perspective at Northern Arizona University, where she earned her Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy. She later deepened her spiritual practice through intuitive healing, shamanic mentorship, Reiki, and Angelic Healing training. Her work brings together creativity, spirituality, energy healing, and emotional transformation. Through her art and healing practice, Cait creates spaces for people to process and integrate emotional and energetic experiences. Cait began painting in 2018 and is a self-taught artist who has learned from several mentors along the way. She primarily works with acrylic on canvas while also exploring watercolor, collage, charcoal drawing, and dance. Connect with Cait: Website: https://www.caitlinschmitt.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alchemy_and_intuition Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley: 🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

September 17, 2026Episode 1642 min

Rewriting Your Reality: The Science of Manifestation

In this episode of Wired & Worthy , Dr. Amelia Kelley is joined by manifestation coach and author Latha Jay to explore the connection between manifestation, limiting beliefs, sensitivity, and healing. Latha shares the approach behind her book, The 24/7 Manifestation Method , and explains how intentional handwriting, present-tense affirmations, and consistent action can help shift thought patterns. She also opens up about a painful childhood experience that shaped her belief that her voice did not matter—and how therapy and EMDR helped her work through it. Together, Amelia and Latha discuss how trauma and sensitivity can influence the way we see ourselves, why focusing on what we want matters, and how small mindset shifts can create meaningful change. Key Takeaways: Limiting beliefs can quietly shape our choices and keep us playing small. The 24/7 Manifestation Method uses handwritten, positive, present-tense affirmations. Manifestation involves aligned action—not just visualization. EMDR and self-reflection can help process painful experiences and old beliefs. Highly sensitive and neurodivergent people may experience mindset practices differently. Focusing on what you want, rather than what you fear, can help shift your direction. Consistency matters more than perfection when creating change. About the guest: Latha Jay is a manifestation expert, speaker, author, and founder of the Institute for Conscious Creation, where she helps people create lasting transformation by integrating psychology, neuroscience, spirituality, and identity work. With a background in psychology, biology, integrative medicine, and Ayurvedic science, Latha is known for turning complex concepts into practical tools for transformation. Her teachings have reached millions around the world, helping people move beyond mindset alone and become the person capable of creating the life they desire. She is the author of the upcoming Wiley book The 24/7 Manifestation Method: Becoming a Magnet for Success in Just 7 Days and is on a mission to make personal transformation both deeply spiritual and scientifically grounded. Connect with Latha Jay: Website - https://www.lathajay.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/latha_jay_/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@latha_jay YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@lathajay8081 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/latha-jay/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LathaJay8/ Book - The 24/7 Manifestation Method: Becoming a Magnet for Success in Just 7 Days https://a.co/d/04XvGVhf Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley:🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

September 10, 2026Episode 1550 min

How to Live Without Regret at the End of Your Life

What if the biggest regret isn’t failing, but never trying? Dr. Amelia Kelley welcomes psychologist Dr. Maike Neuhaus to Wired & Worthy to explore regret, finding your purpose, and making choices that reflect who you are. They discuss why success can feel unfulfilling, how ADHD and sensitivity can shape your path, and why self-compassion matters when you feel stuck. Through an honest conversation about difficult decisions and missed possibilities, they explore how to live more intentionally, and make peace with the regrets you cannot avoid. Key Takeaways Recognise “miswanting”: chasing goals you expect to make you happy that leave you unfulfilled. Use your values to guide decisions instead of other people’s expectations. See midlife change as an opportunity to grow. Allow yourself to grieve a path you didn’t take, even when your decision was right. Replace self-criticism with curiosity about what you need. Build a meaningful life with varied experiences, rather than expecting constant happiness. About Dr. Maike Neuhaus Dr. Maike Neuhaus (she/her) is a psychologist, speaker, coach, educator, and founder of The Flourishing Doc. Specialising in positive psychology and behaviour change, she helps individuals and organisations improve well-being and realise their potential. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and a PhD in Public Health from The University of Queensland, where she previously developed and led consultancy services for two research centres. Connect with Dr. Maike Neuhaus Website: The Flourishing Doc LinkedIn: Dr. Maike Neuhaus Instagram: @theflourishingdoc Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley: 🌍 Website: ⁠https://www.ameliakelley.com⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/ ⁠ 👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

September 3, 2026Episode 1447 min

The Psychology of Violence: How It Develops and How We Can Stop It

What if someone on the path to violence is not beyond reach, but waiting for someone to listen? In this powerful episode, Dr. Amelia Kelley speaks with Paul Krauss about what happens psychologically before violence occurs, and how compassionate intervention may help prevent tragedy. The National Violence Prevention Hotline supports people experiencing violent thoughts and those concerned about someone in their life. Call: 888-664-6652 Visit: violencepreventionhotline.org Paul explains how unresolved pain, rejection, anger, and trauma can develop into grievances and violent thoughts. He and Amelia discuss the nervous system’s role in anger, why having violent thoughts does not automatically make someone dangerous, and how feeling heard can create an opportunity for a different outcome. Anger is a natural nervous-system response. Unresolved pain can develop into violent thoughts. Violent thoughts do not always lead to action. People contemplating violence may still want help. Early, compassionate intervention can prevent tragedy. Loved ones can also contact the hotline. About the guest: Paul Krauss, MA, LPC, is the co-founder of Health for Life Counseling, home of the Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. He is a private-practice psychotherapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant and Certified Clinician, behavioral health consultant, clinical trainer, and counseling supervisor. Paul created the National Violence Prevention Hotline and the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Therapists. He also hosts the Intentional Clinician podcast, leads weekly EMDRIA consulting groups, and developed the online course Parenting Young Adults . National Violence Prevention Hotline: violencepreventionhotline.org Health for Life Counseling: healthforlifegr.com Instagram: @violencepreventionhotline YouTube: Violence Prevention Hotline LinkedIn: National Violence Prevention Hotline Content note: This episode discusses homicide, suicide, domestic violence, mass violence, and violent thoughts. Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley: 🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/ 👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

August 27, 2026Episode 131 hr 5 min

Rejection Sensitivity Isn't a Mindset Problem, It's a Nervous System Response

You know the goal. You've had the idea circling in your head for a while now. What's actually missing isn't more willpower or another productivity system. It's the people who see you clearly and carry the belief when yours runs out.In this episode, Dr. Amelia Kelley welcomes back two of her closest friends and past guests: Tara Lafon Gooch, TEDx speaker and CEO of Best Branding Solutions, and Dr. Amna Shabir, physician and wellbeing expert whose TEDx talk on socially prescribed perfectionism has resonated with high-achieving women everywhere. Together, the three unpack how real female friendship, the kind that says "I see you, girl" without needing an explanation, can defuse rejection sensitivity, quiet the perfectionism spiral, and actually get you to the finish line of the goals you've been circling for years.If you've ever gotten yourself to the starting line of something big and then frozen, this one's for you.In this episode you'll learn:- Why "borrowing belief" from a trusted circle is often the missing ingredient for ADHD and neurodivergent women chasing big goals- How rejection sensitivity (RSD) shows up as a nervous system response, not a mindset failure, and what actually helps you move through it- The difference between internal and external locus of control, and how to build it on purpose even if it wasn't your default- Why socially prescribed perfectionism is rising fastest in young adults, and how it quietly robs joy from every micro-moment- Dr. Amna's four ways to get objectivity when you're too close to your own problem to see it clearly- Tara's "ridiculously small steps" method for anything that feels too big to start- Why every "no" you collect is proof you're closer to a yes, not further from itConnect with Tara Lafon Gooch:🌐 https://taralafongooch.com/🎧 Grasp Confidence Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/3CpfzhPSQxCUiuC1fvYaqW?si=c47d73bef4b2490d📸 https://www.instagram.com/taralafongooch/Connect with Dr. Amna Shabir:🌐 https://dramnashabbir.com/ 🎧 Success Reimagined Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/0m8I4sx8DFI7tz73aO4yTU📸 https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley:🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

August 20, 2026Episode 1246 min

How to Let Go of Resentment Without Forcing Forgiveness

You said you forgave them. So why does your body still flinch? Forgiveness isn't a decision. It's a somatic process, and if you've been trying to think your way through it, your nervous system has been quietly keeping score. In this episode, Dr. Amelia Kelley sits down with Dr. Deborah Sandella, PhD, award-winning psychotherapist and creator of the Regenerating Images in Memory (RIM®) Method, to unpack why traditional forgiveness advice fails highly sensitive people and neurodivergent women, and what actually moves the pain out of the body. In this episode: Why forgiveness is somatic, not a mental decision The over-empathizer trap that keeps sensitive women stuck What "waiting for the other shoe to drop" says about self-trust The difference between anger and disgust in relationships A real-time self-compassion exercise to try along with Dr. Amelia How the RIM® Method shifts what years of talk therapy sometimes can't Dr. Deb's morning nervous system practice for low-serotonin hours About Dr. Deborah Sandella Author of the international bestseller Goodbye Hurt & Pain , award-winning psychotherapist, university professor, and originator of the evidence-backed RIM® Method. Featured in USA TODAY, CBS, and NBC. Connect with Dr. Deb LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdebsandella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkPositivewithDebSandella/ Published Research: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1539079/full Learn about the RIM® Method YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrDebRIMinstitute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/riminstitute/ Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley:🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/

August 13, 2026Episode 1154 min

Inherited Trauma: How to Break Generational Cycles That Didn’t Start With You

You've named every wound you can remember. You've done the childhood work. And still, the same pattern, the same panic, the same quiet fear of being too much keeps coming back like it doesn't belong to you. This week on Wired & Worthy, inherited trauma pioneer Mark Wolynn sits down with Dr. Amelia Kelley to explain why it might not have started with you. Mark is the author of the international bestseller It Didn't Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle , translated into 40 languages with over 3 million copies sold. In this conversation, he unpacks how the traumas of our parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents live in our unexplained depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and relationship patterns, and how epigenetics, attachment, and what he calls "the turbulent womb" shape us long before we have memory. If your struggle has ever felt too big for your story, this episode gives you a name for it and a starting place for what to do next. Key takeaways: Why "just how I am" is often inherited family trauma, not personality What Mark calls the turbulent womb and how prenatal stress wires the nervous system before memory The one sentence that repairs a child's nervous system in real time Why highly sensitive people carry what their family shut down, and how to give it back Why forgiveness is not the point, and what the real inner work is instead About the guest: Mark Wolynn is a leading expert in the field of inherited family trauma. He’s the director of The Family Constellation Institute in the US and is renowned for his work that bridges epigenetics, neuroscience, and somatic healing, and shows how the traumas of our parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, can live in our bodies as unexplained depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and chronic health conditions. His book It Didn't Start with You is an international bestseller, which has sold more than three million copies worldwide. It won the Silver Nautilus Book Award for Psychology and has been translated into 42 languages. Mark has just released the 2025 revised edition of It Didn't Start with You and The Official It Didn’t Start with You Workbook. Connect with Mark Wolynn: Website Instagram (@markwolynn) Connect with Dr. Amelia Kelley: 🌍 Website: https://www.ameliakelley.com📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drameliakelley/👩🏼‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drameliakelley/