Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up, is a wellness entrepreneur, NY Times best selling author, NAMI board advisor and a passionate mental health advocate. Growing up with a mother who was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic, her childhood was filled with traumatic experiences that resulted in repressed emotions, guilt, shame and a suicide attempt. She knows from experience that suffering in silence only reinforces the stigma surrounding mental health issues and creates barriers which prevent healing.She overcame a dark period of depression, anxiety and substance abuse in her teens and 20s, was able to forge a path to self-discovery, build a nurturing community that has helped millions, and ultimately find peace. She has always used her platform and influence to inspire people around the world through fitness, mindfulness and spiritual empowerment and founded The Big Silence Foundation to further her mission and erase the stigma surrounding mental health..If this episode of Bodies By Brent has inspired you, please share it on your favorite social media platform. You can also support the podcast by making a purchase with the show’s sponsor Athletic Greens. What You’ll LearnWhat it was like for Karena growing up with a mother who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia What an early 00’s Compton crack house was likeKarena’s transformation from taking ketamine and crack cocaine to training for triathlonsHow to cope with overwhelming griefKarena’s key principles for a happy, healthy lifeLinks and Resources Karena DawnKarena Dawn on InstagramKarena Dawn on FacebookKarena Dawn on TwitterKarena Dawn on LinkedInKarena Dawn on YouTube The Big Silence Non-Profit The Big Silence on AmazonCrisis line: Text “HERO” to 741741 Bodies By Brent Bodies By Brent on YouTubeBodies By Brent on InstagramBodies by Brent on TikTok This episode’s sponsor, Athletic Greens     Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.