Introduction 

What if "mental health" isn't everything we've been told?

What if there's more to it than just a “brain chemistry imbalance?”

What if what we consider a pathology is actually an ability and a possibility?

What if these are not permanent conditions but ones, 

that with the proper interventions, can actually be changed?

 

Welcome to the Kaleidoscope of Possibilities: Alternative Perspectives on Mental Health, a podcast hosted by Dr. Adriana Popescu, a licensed psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach. In each episode, Dr. Adriana examines what is beyond the traditional point of view of mental health diagnosis, care, and treatment. She speaks with leaders and visionaries in the fields of Energy Psychology, consciousness, healing, and empowerment about what is beyond what we have decided we know about mental illness.  

She also explores the unique and fascinating stories of individuals, and those who care for them, who have used “alternative” treatments and paths to recovery. This show is a journey of discovering the possibilities of holistic care and treatment through a variety of lenses: from the spiritual to the shamanic, the naturopathic and beyond. Each conversation is designed to empower listeners to embrace their own awareness, gifts and capacities, and to create a greater world with them. 

  

“I see everything as energy, and that everything is interconnected. So you can’t really treat the body without also treating the mind. And if you want to change something that isn’t working, a place where someone is stuck, you’ve got to shift the energies. And we can do that through a variety of modalities that are incredibly powerful.” – Dr. Adriana

 

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/KaleidoscopeOfPossibilities/

 

About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide.
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit:https://adrianapopescu.org/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
 
Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Podcast

To watch the video of this episode please visit: https://youtu.be/Ksw4P3y3-ok

EP 87 – The Power of Vulnerability with Nicholas Moore

What are the masks we wear and what do they create?

How do open to being more vulnerable and authentic?

What is possible when we get out of self-judgments and more deeply love ourselves?

Find the keys to vulnerable and authentic living in this powerful and inspiring episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities: Alternative Perspectives on Mental Health, in which Dr. Adriana Popescu speaks with author and self-love expert Nick Moore.  

You will not want to miss this real and unfiltered conversation about taking off the masks, getting out of judgment and being our true selves.

In this episode:

Nick’s journey 
Shame and guilt 
Self-love, self-compassion 
Masks
Parents and family
Deep and authentic relationships 
Psychedelics and DMT
Helping people feel less alone
Communication 
Self-discovery
Consent
Romance and sex
Empathy and forgiveness
Post-traumatic growth

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Nick’s Book: https://a.co/d/eQz1CZr

Nick’s Website: https://www.vulnerabilitybook.com/

About Nick Moore:
Nick’s extraordinary journey has led him to become an expert and leader in the areas of vulnerability, self-love, and compassion. Along with sharing pieces of his incredibly vulnerable story, Nick shares his insights for overcoming the inner critic, letting go of the opinions of others, and how to gracefully ride the ever-changing waves of life.

“The reason why I am put on earth, the reason why I am here with you all today is to help people embrace more vulnerability.” – Nicholas Moore

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/)


About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, author, speaker and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide. She is the author of the new book, What If You're Not As F***d Up As You Think You Are?
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/

To find the book please visit: https://whatifyourenot.com/

To learn about her new trauma treatment center Firebird Healing, please visit the website: https://www.firebird-healing.com/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflL0zScRAZI3mEnzb6viVA
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dradrianapopescu?


Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.
This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope Of Possibilities Episode 87 - The Power of Vulnerability with Nicholas Moore

To watch the video of this episode, please go to: https://youtu.be/fXKrtk3PYDI

Introduction 

What if "mental health" isn't everything we've been told?

What if there's more to it than just a “brain chemistry imbalance?”

What if what we consider a pathology is actually an ability and a possibility?

What if these are not permanent conditions but ones, 

that with the proper interventions, can actually be changed?

 

Welcome to the Kaleidoscope of Possibilities: Alternative Perspectives on Mental Health, a podcast hosted by Dr. Adriana Popescu, a licensed psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach. In each episode, Dr. Adriana examines what is beyond the traditional point of view of mental health diagnosis, care, and treatment. She speaks with leaders and visionaries in the fields of Energy Psychology, consciousness, healing, and empowerment about what is beyond what we have decided we know about mental illness.  

She also explores the unique and fascinating stories of individuals, and those who care for them, who have used “alternative” treatments and paths to recovery. This show is a journey of discovering the possibilities of holistic care and treatment through a variety of lenses: from the spiritual to the shamanic, the naturopathic and beyond. Each conversation is designed to empower listeners to embrace their own awareness, gifts and capacities, and to create a greater world with them. 

  

“I see everything as energy, and that everything is interconnected. So you can’t really treat the body without also treating the mind. And if you want to change something that isn’t working, a place where someone is stuck, you’ve got to shift the energies. And we can do that through a variety of modalities that are incredibly powerful.” – Dr. Adriana

 

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/

 

About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide.
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit:https://adrianapopescu.org/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/kaleidoscopepossibilities
 
Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Episode 1 – Introduction with Dr. Adriana Popescu

To watch the video of this episode, please go to: https://youtu.be/QVi4m4oy-kE

The Other Side of Bipolar 

 

What is it like to be diagnosed as bipolar?  

How does that shape your world and your choices?

 

In this episode Dr. Adriana Popescu talks with author Lauren Polly about her book The Other Side of Bipolar: Revealing Your Strengths to Move Beyond the Diagnosis.

What if there is hope, inspiration, and a different possibility? Join us as we discuss Lauren’s personal journey from a bipolar diagnosis to a happy, creative life, and what she discovered along the way. 

 

In this episode:

Lauren’s story
A bipolar diagnosis, or something else?
What does a diagnosis create?
Lauren’s turning point
Holistic treatments 
Empathic capacities vs. pathologies
Getting support along the way
The importance of taking care of you
 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Lauren Polly’s website: LaurenPolly.com

The Other Side of Bipolar book

Lauren’s Lighten Up podcast

Access Consciousness®

 

About Lauren:

Lauren Polly is many things, a Certified Speech Language Pathologist who runs a hospital department; a Coach who empowers college students, individuals, and businesspeople; a gifted speaker and author. Chiefly what she is, is an inspiration: someone who stirs people to be more proactive, find their way, and make the proverbial lemonade out of what we’re handed.

 

“I’m actually a bigger thing than this label. And when I started to develop my sense of self that way, a whole new world opened up for me.” – Lauren

 

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/
 

About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide.
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/kaleidoscopepossibilities
 
Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Episode 2 – The Other Side of Bipolar with Lauren Polly

To watch the video of this episode, please go to: https://youtu.be/l7nw9OOi6ug

A Different Take on Kids with ADD, ADHD, OCD, and Autism

 

What if there is nothing wrong with kids who have ADD, ADHD, OCD, and Autism? 

What gifts, talents, and abilities do they have?

What is it like to empower them?

 

Join Dr. Adriana Popescu on this episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities for a lively and informative discussion with Anne Maxwell, LCSW, RPT-S, a psychotherapist who specializes in working with kids who have been diagnosed with these labels.

This show offers invaluable tools, fascinating stories, awareness, and possibilities for kids, families, teachers, and mental health professionals. 

 

In this episode:

How Anne’s background and experience allowed her to see these kids from a different perspective
Kids with ADD/ADHD, OCD, and Autism – What if their “disabilities” are actually abilities?
Questioning the diagnoses and the mental health system
Anne’s revolutionary book, Would You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree? 
Kids, schools, and how to create new perspectives in the system
X-Men, superpowers, and abilities we all have
Empowering parents and kids
Anne’s classes and creations
 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Anne’s website: annemaxwelllcsw.com/

Would You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree? book

Access Consciousness®

 

About Anne:

Anne Maxwell, LCSW, RPT-S, has over 25 years of experience working with children who struggle with not fitting in, being labeled with “disorders,” and with being different. She has developed a unique and empowering approach to working with these kids, their families, and teachers. In addition to her clinical practice, Anne travels around the world teaching classes and speaking to parents, teachers, and psychotherapists who work with or on behalf of children.  

 

“Behavior is a form of communication…so what are people saying?” – Anne 

 

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/

 

About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide.
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/kaleidoscopepossibilities
 
Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Episode 3 – A Different Take on Kids with Autism w Anne Maxwell, LCSW

To watch the video of this episode, please go to: https://youtu.be/NQIOxdtTOgo

 

Conscious Recovery: A Fresh Perspective on Addiction

 

What are the deep root causes of addiction?

How does trauma influence addictive behavior?

How can we move from addiction treatment to addiction healing?

 

In this episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities, Dr. Adriana chats with revolutionary recovery expert, bestselling author, inspirational speaker, and addiction treatment specialist TJ Woodward about The Conscious Recovery Method™.   

Frustrated with the limitations of the traditional treatment system, and informed by his own journey, TJ developed a new and unique perspective on addiction recovery that integrates the spiritual in a holistic process of empowering the client.

“This is such a nutrient-dense conversation!” – Dr. Adriana Popescu

 

In this episode:

How Adriana & TJ met 
Limitations in the current system with its focus on symptoms and labels
From addiction treatment to addiction healing
The Conscious Recovery Method™
3 deep root causes of addiction
Addiction as a “brilliant strategy”
Therapist burnout
The Four Rooms of Conscious Recovery
TJ's recovery journey
Trauma and addiction
Living in the question
Practicing spiritual principles
 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

TJ’s website: https://www.tjwoodward.com
Conscious Recovery Workbook and other books by TJ Woodward & Dr. Adriana Popescu - https://www.tjwoodward.com/read
 

About TJ:

TJ Woodward is a revolutionary recovery expert, bestselling author, inspirational speaker, and addiction treatment specialist who has helped countless people through his simple, yet powerful teachings.

He is the creator of The Conscious Recovery Method™, which is a groundbreaking and effective approach to viewing and treating addiction.

TJ is a featured thought-leader on wholehearted.org along with Brené Brown, Dr. Gabor Maté, and Mark Lundholm. He was also given the honor of being ordained as an Agape minister by Dr. Michael Beckwith and is also the founding minister of Agape Bay Area in Oakland, which was the first satellite community of The Agape International Spiritual Center in LA. 

TJ is the author of the books Conscious Being: Awakening to your True Nature and Conscious Recovery: A Fresh Perspective on Addiction.

www.tjwoodward.com

 

“I don’t think we really change, unless we want to change.” – TJ 

 

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/

 

About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide.
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/kaleidoscopepossibilities
 
Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Episode 4 – Conscious Recovery with TJ Woodward

To watch the video of this episode, please go to: https://youtu.be/XTw7iFpKFxo

 

The Gift of Spiritually Transformative Experiences

 

Who are we and what are we actually capable of?

What is the gift of transcendent experiences?

What is often missing from traditional psychological approaches? 

 

In this episode of Kaleidoscope of Possibilities, Dr. Adriana is joined by Dr. Katrina Michelle, a psychologist and filmmaker, whose own journey and spiritual awakening profoundly changed her life and inspires her personally and professionally.

 

In this episode:

Katrina’s journey
Transcendent experiences, near death, spiritual emergency
Limits of traditional psychology
What is transpersonal psychology?
Facilitating spiritual emergence
What is ACISTE?
Educating mental health professionals
When Lightning Strikes
 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Katrina's website - http://www.thecuriousspirit.org 
The American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE)
Crazywise documentary - https://crazywisefilm.com/
 

About Katrina:

Katrina Michelle, Ph.D., LCSW is a holistic psychotherapist and adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Social Services and The Institute for the Development of Human Arts. Informed by her doctoral research on spiritual emergence and her own transcendent experiences, she supports people in exploring, embracing, and integrating the multifaceted human experience.

Katrina currently serves as the executive director for The American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE), an organization that reflects her desire to evolve mainstream systems so they acknowledge, honor, and include the spiritual component of human development. As co-founder of Emergent Entertainment, a company on a mission to demystify awakening experiences through storytelling and art, Katrina is also producing her first documentary film, When Lightning Strikes: The Unsexy Side of Awakening.

 

“This idea of one-size-fits-all medicine is just not fair and it’s not helpful.” – Dr. Katrina

 

Would you like to continue this conversation and connect with other people who are interested in exploring these topics? Please join us on our Facebook group! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/kaleidoscopeofpossibilitiespodcast/)

 

About your host:

Dr. Adriana Popescu is a clinical psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, and empowerment coach who is based in San Francisco, California and practices worldwide.
 
For more information on Dr. Adriana, her sessions and classes, please visit: https://adrianapopescu.org/
 
You can also follow her on social media:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAdrianaPopescu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradrianapopescu/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdrianaP
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dradrianapopescu
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-popescu-ph-d-03793
Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/kaleidoscopepossibilities
 
Disclaimer: This podcast represents the opinions of Dr. Adriana Popescu and her guests. The content expressed therein should not be taken as psychological or medical advice. The content here is for informational or entertainment purposes only. Please consult your healthcare professional for any medical or treatment questions.

This website or podcast is not to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in any legal sense or as a basis for legal proceedings or expert witness testimony. Listening, reading, emailing, or interacting on social media with our content in no way establishes a client-therapist relationship.

Kaleidoscope of Possibilities EP 5 – Spiritually Transformative Experiences w Dr. Katrina Michelle

Dr. Adriana Popescu is an energy psychologist, addiction and trauma specialist, author, speaker and empowerment coach based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

She is the host of the Kaleidoscope of Possibilities Podcast, which explores and celebrates alternative perspectives on mental health.