Powerfully Broken

Depression, stress, and brain fog can feel like emotional problems, but we keep circling back to a blunt question: what if your food is making your mood worse? We sit down with Jasmine Flynn to talk about the food and mood connection in a way that’s practical and honest, from sugar cravings to the “low energy” meals that quietly drag you down all day. We get into how a bad diet can lock you into a loop: you feel low, you reach for donuts or other ultra-processed comfort food, your body slows...

What happens when you stop negotiating with fear and jump anyway? We sit down with Elec Simon—world-class bucket drummer, event MC, Jiu-Jitsu gold medalist, and relentless builder—to unpack the mindset that turns setbacks into fuel. From winning on stage to getting humbled on the mat, Elec shows how quiet discipline beats loud ego, and how listening to mentors can save you years of pain in business and in life. We trace his path through private struggles, including divorce and the motel nigh...

If love keeps feeling like a storm, maybe the problem isn’t romance—it’s access. We sit down with Apostle Andre Dodson to talk about the kind of boundaries that change outcomes, the difference between truth and omission, and why respect means protecting someone’s heart when no one is watching. Andre brings the lived experience of a father, husband, and community leader to redefine what healthy partnership looks like when you finally choose maturity over chaos. We walk through the early red f...

The story opens on a fast street where violence felt normal and kids learned to run before they could read the signs. Melvin Cantrell takes us through Edgewood’s split reality—games and laughter on one side, stabbings and speeding cars on the other—and shows how a simple, stubborn no to drugs became the first brick in a new life. He talks about father wounds, the rush of being an athlete with a secret, and the moment friends’ funerals made people say, “We thought you were dead,” forcing a shi...

In this powerful Season 2 episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast, host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S sits down with Ateira Ashley—mother, wife, cheer coach, and AKA—to unpack the real blueprint for long-term, healthy relationships. Together, they discuss: Why friendship first matters more than chemistryHow faith, family, and maturity sustain marriage through hard seasonsLetting go of unrealistic expectations and embracing growthWhy “80–90% love” beats chasing a mythical 100% partnerThe impo...