In this episode of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Pfeiffer and Courtney Milan sit down with Dr. Avni Patel, board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Mississippi Psychiatry and Wellness.

Dr. Patel shares her journey from growing up in Columbia, Mississippi, to choosing psychiatry after nearly pursuing anesthesiology, and why staying in Mississippi to serve her community became part of her purpose. The conversation explores mental health stigma, lifestyle psychiatry, trauma, addiction recovery, social media, grief, high achievers, sports psychiatry, and the power of truly listening to patients.

At the heart of this episode is one simple but powerful message: healing starts when you are willing to bet on yourself.

Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

In this powerful conversation, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Robert Green, founding pastor of Fondren Church, husband, father, leader, and one of Mississippi’s most respected voices on faith and community.

Robert shares his journey from Starkville to college ministry, meeting his wife Susan, and ultimately taking the leap of faith to plant Fondren Church. Together, they explore what it means to trust God when the path ahead is uncertain, the risks involved in building something meaningful, and the challenges of leading with humility and integrity.

The conversation dives into the intersection of faith and recovery, including:

• Why surrender is often the hardest step in recovery and life
• The relationship between spirituality and the 12 Steps
• Mental health, addiction, and how the church’s response has evolved
• Leadership, pressure, and learning to finish well
• Pain, betrayal, forgiveness, and resilience
• Raising children, taking risks, and trusting God’s plan
• The difference between groaning to God and grumbling about God
• Why community and connection are essential for healing

Throughout the episode, Robert shares practical wisdom, personal stories, and timeless truths that resonate whether you’re in recovery, leading a team, raising a family, or simply navigating life’s challenges.

This episode is a reminder that none of us have all the answers. We’re all just fellow travelers learning to trust, grow, and take the next right step.

Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

In episode 13 of the 365 Proof Podcast, Courtney and Carly sit down with Ray Coleman, Director of Communications for Mississippi Veterans Affairs, for a powerful conversation about leadership, crisis communication, public service, and honoring Mississippi’s veterans.

Ray shares his journey from sports broadcasting to state government, the pressure of communicating during high-stakes situations, and how Mississippi Veterans Affairs serves veterans through benefits assistance, veterans homes, cemeteries, and community support. This episode is a reminder that every veteran has a story worth hearing, a life worth honoring, and benefits they have earned through service.

Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.
#365ProofPodcast #VeteransAffairs #MississippiVeterans #VeteranSupport #MentalHealthMatters #RecoveryAndPurpose #Leadership #PublicService #MississippiPodcast #AudioAlchemyProductions

Episode 12 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness brings a raw and eye-opening conversation with Robert McCaslin and Patrick Cheney of Alta Loma Transformational Services.
This episode pulls back the curtain on a side of mental health most people don’t understand, severe mental illness, psychosis, and what happens when traditional systems fall short. Robert and Patrick break down the gap between short-term stabilization and real, long-term healing, and how Alta Loma is creating something different, a place where people aren’t just managed, but rebuilt.

The conversation dives into the reality of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and complex mental health conditions, and challenges the all-or-nothing thinking around “success.” It’s not just about diagnoses or labels, it’s about stability, purpose, connection, and giving people a real shot at life again.

There’s also an honest look at risk, faith, and what it takes to walk away from comfort to build something that actually matters. From early recovery to fatherhood, from burnout to purpose, this episode reminds you that growth is messy, slow, and worth it.

If you’ve ever wondered what real mental health care should look like, or if someone in your life is struggling beyond what quick fixes can handle, this one will stick with you.

This episode is produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.
#365Proof #DefiningWellness #MentalHealth #Recovery #AltaLoma #Psychosis #BipolarDisorder #Schizophrenia #AddictionRecovery #Healing #Purpose #LongTermRecovery #FathersInRecovery #Growth #AudioAlchemyProductions

In Episode 11 of the 365 Proof Podcast, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Victoria Hardy for a deeply honest conversation about the pain addiction brings into families, and the hope that healing is still possible.

Victoria, a licensed marriage and family therapist and Certified Family Life Educator at Defining Wellness, shares why family work matters so much in recovery and why addiction is never just about one person. This episode explores the heartbreak, dysfunction, fear, shame, and emotional exhaustion that families often carry in silence, while also shining a light on the healing that can begin when people are finally willing to face the truth and do the work.

Together, they talk about codependency, broken trust, boundaries, grief, emotional sobriety, and the reality that recovery is not instant. It takes time. It takes humility. It takes courage. But this conversation is a powerful reminder that no family is too far gone, no person is beyond help, and no story is too broken for restoration.

If you are struggling, love someone who is struggling, or have ever wondered whether peace is possible after chaos, this episode will meet you right where you are. There is hope, there is help, and you do not have to walk through it alone.

Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.

#365ProofPodcast #DefiningWellness #VictoriaHardy #DanielPhyfer #CourtneyMilan #AddictionRecovery #FamilyHealing #MentalHealth #RecoveryJourney #Codependency #EmotionalSobriety #HopeAfterAddiction #HealingFamilies #YouAreNotAlone #WellnessPodcast