Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Chaiara Barbera, on air from April 22nd
Join Chiara Barbera as she shares her journey from Australia to the heart of Calabria, where a deep connection to her Italian roots sparked a mission to preserve disappearing traditions. Through her project Vera Italia, Chiara invites travellers to become active participants in sustaining culture—connecting with artisans, farmers, and families whose way of life tells the story of the real Italy. This episode is for anyone seeking more than a postcard-perfect trip—for those who crave meaning, connection, and a chance to help keep Italy’s soul alive, one experience at a time.
Chiara Barbera is the founder of Vera Italia, a mission-driven platform connecting travellers with the true spirit of Italy through cultural and culinary experiences. Born in Brisbane to four Italian grandparents, Chiara grew up surrounded by stories, recipes, and values deeply rooted in her heritage. Her grandparents’ courage to leave Italy in search of a better life laid the foundation for her own journey—a return to the homeland they once left, with the hope of giving something back.
Now dividing her time between Italy and Australia, Chiara begins this journey in Calabria, Italy’s hidden gem, to connect with the Culture Creators—artisans, farmers, cooks, and families—who keep the spirit of Italy alive. Through Vera Italia, she helps others discover the beauty of these traditions, not only to experience them but to ensure they continue for generations to come.
Her work is a love letter to her roots, a calling she believes was guided by faith, and a legacy that she is determined to honour, preserve, and pass on.
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Quantum Spirituality with Sara Troy and her guest Ronald Okuaki Lieber, on air from April 22
His award-winning poetry reveals key messages about identity, belonging, and the human experience, deeply shaped by his upbringing as the child of a Japanese mother and an American Jewish father in a military family. Having moved 14 times in his first 14 years, he developed a unique lens on culture, adaptation, and inner resilience. These themes echo through both his writing and his 24-year career as a psychoanalyst, where listening deeply to others has enriched his understanding of the human psyche. Drawing profound connections between psychoanalysis and poetry, he explores how the unconscious mind and the creative process intertwine, offering insight, healing, and a shared sense of truth.
“Many people who come to see me, as a psychoanalyst, are searching for answers, either in how to live or how to understand the world,” says Lieber. “Some have serious concerns about love, life and purpose, and others feel like something’s not quite right, that something’s missing. The search for how to live life can be aided by psychotherapy, but also by poetry.”
Ronald Okuaki Lieber, born in Tokyo just after World War II to a Japanese mother and a Jewish American soldier father, brings a richly woven cultural perspective to his debut poetry collection, The Long Journey Out, which earned praise from Kirkus Reviews and was a finalist for the North American Poetry Books Award. His poems—finalists in competitions such as The Knightsville Poetry Prize and the New Ohio Review Poetry Contest—have appeared in esteemed journals, including The Nation, American Poetry Review, New England Review, and Seneca Review. Having lived in 14 places by age 14 before settling in Petersburg, Virginia, Lieber’s life has been shaped by constant movement, deep listening, and cross-cultural insight. After earning a BS in Biology and serving in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, he completed an MFA at Columbia and went on to deepen his literary voice through international residencies. In his late 40s, he trained as a psychoanalyst, eventually becoming director and journal editor at the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies. With over 24 years in private practice and experience as a retired English professor and plant medicine guide, Lieber brings a rare and profound depth to both his poetry and his psychoanalytic work, where language, healing, and the unconscious beautifully intersect.
He resides in New York, splitting time between New York City and Copake in the Hudson Valley.
‘Lieber uses small and infinite details to explore the mind in this poetry collection…. A penetrating, measured group of poems exploring wonder, emotion, and the ways the world moves us.”—Kirkus Reviews
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Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Paul D Corona, MD, on air from April 15th
Paul D Corona, MD, a Southern California-based physician who is reshaping the future of psychiatry and family medicine? With over 30 years of medical experience, Dr. Corona is not your typical physician. Starting his career in family medicine, he seamlessly transitioned into psychiatry, ultimately pioneering an approach he calls “Mind and Body Healing.”
Dr. Corona has authored three books in his “My Mind & Body Healing” series, offering revolutionary insights into the treatment of mental health and challenging conventional methods that have been stagnant for decades.
Are you tired of one-size-fits-all mental health solutions? Dr. Corona offers an unconventional yet tried-and-true approach to psychiatry, which includes the off-label use of medications, combined treatment methods, and aggressive strategies that get results. Above all, he believes that mental health treatment is not about quick fixes but a carefully calibrated balance that leads to holistic healing.
In an insightful interview, Dr. Corona sheds light on what makes his treatment methods revolutionary in the realm of psychiatry, offering a refreshing divergence from traditional models. Central to his practice is Mind Body Medicine, a holistic approach that acknowledges the profound interconnection between physical health and mental well-being. He challenges the conventional psychiatric model, questioning its dependency on symptom-based diagnoses and long-term pharmaceutical solutions, advocating instead for root-cause healing. Known for embracing the off-label use of medications, Dr. Corona sees this as a practical necessity rather than an anomaly, emphasizing real-world patient results over rigid protocols. With a foundation in family medicine, he brings a unique perspective to psychiatry, understanding the body as a whole system and often identifying underlying medical conditions that manifest as mental health issues. He also explores the role of supplements and complementary therapies, cutting through the commercial noise to highlight what truly supports recovery. In an age increasingly attuned to holistic health, Dr. Corona’s methods align with modern wellness trends while remaining grounded in science and compassion. Lastly, he boldly addresses the societal implications of mental health, arguing that early and integrative intervention in psychiatry could help curb crises like school shootings and suicides, underscoring the need for proactive, not reactive, care.
Dr. Paul D. Corona, MD, is a Southern California-based physician reshaping the future of psychiatry and family medicine with his pioneering approach, “Mind and Body Healing.” He is the host of The Dr. Paul Show, available on Roku, Amazon Fire, and YouTube. A leading voice in mind-body medicine, his latest book, The Corona Protocol: A Scientifically Proven Medical Solution to STOP Addiction, Bullying, Homelessness, School Shootings, and Suicide 30 Years in the Making, is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats. Dr. Corona unveils groundbreaking insights into mental health treatment, challenging conventional approaches that have stagnated progress.
With a career spanning over three decades, Dr. Corona began in family medicine before transitioning to psychiatry—a shift that led to the development of the “Healing the Mind and Body” series of books. His holistic approach integrates emotional and physical well-being, offering an innovative alternative to traditional psychiatric treatments. The Corona Protocol presents his revolutionary methods as solutions to major societal challenges and serves as a resource for patients, families, and healthcare professionals alike.
A Southern California native, Dr. Corona earned his BS in Biology/Pre-Med from the University of Southern California before obtaining his medical degree from New York Medical College. He completed a rigorous three-year residency in family practice at California Hospital in Los Angeles. Today, he runs a private practice in Laguna Niguel, California.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
Nature of Addictions with Sara Troy and her guest Ian Fee, on air from April 16th
My wild ride to sobriety, from Drunken oblivion to profound clarity.
“I was the life of the party when I was drunk, and I’m still the life of the party today.” —Ian Fee
Buying into the myth of the “work hard, play harder” mentality, Ian Fee immersed himself in a culture that celebrated excessive drinking. But as the days turned into years, alcohol became more than just a means of entertainment and high finance; it became a destructive force that eroded his personal relationships, wreaked havoc on his body, and clouded his judgment.
In Wild Ride to Sobriety, Fee tells a remarkable tale of a man who found the courage and determination to face the skeletons in his closet and achieve healing and personal growth. From therapy and self-reflection to embracing vulnerability and restoration, he made a conscious choice to benefit from the gift of sobriety without sacrificing the enjoyment of life.
I wrote a book to make a positive impact on others to be a better husband, mother, son, daughter, business owner, and friend. My experience of thinking booze was my superpower building my business, while neglecting my family coupled with 2 failed marriages. I found sobriety 7 years ago, and boy was it a game changer for life, Business, Relationships and most importantly, ME. I have lost 80lbs, found health and wellness as my new addiction, and aim to be a better person every day. I live every day to make a positive impact on people and bring epic positive Energy to the people around me. My new superpower is to share my story and make an impact on others on the benefits of sobriety, health, mindset, stack baby wins, nothing good came out of drinking NOTHING. The power of looking inward and forgiving your younger self, believing in your current self and creating your future self.
I’m a fellow Canadian. I was born in New Westminster, then moved to Bellingham till I was 12.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
Mental Health Awareness with Sara Troy and her guest Mohan Ranga Rao, on air from April 15th
A Life of Seeking, Seeing, and Surrender
Grief isn’t something to “get over,” especially when it comes to the unique, soul-shattering pain of losing a child. It becomes a companion, sometimes silent, sometimes screaming, but always present. Faith, once simple or unquestioned, often morphs through suffering—shifting, deepening, or even breaking before it rebuilds. Relationships, too, must be rewoven, as loss strains connections and reshapes how we relate to others. The myth of healing as a destination and the insistence on positivity can feel like a betrayal of the real, raw emotions that come with mourning. Numbness, confusion, and emotional disorientation often take over, especially when you’re parenting while processing trauma, walking the line between being present for your children and drowning in your own sorrow. Yet within that darkness, a strange light can flicker—purpose found not in spite of pain, but because of it. Real resilience doesn’t deny emotion; it holds space for it, even when it hurts. And in the quiet of suffering, profound truths often rise—truths that transform, not erase, the person you were before.
Mohan Ranga Rao never imagined he would become a writer. He was an entrepreneur, building businesses and chasing success, grounded in the world of numbers, strategy, and ambition. His life followed a structured, intentional path—until that path collapsed beneath him.
Mohan’s daughter, Yogita, was born blind—a moment that shattered every expectation he had about fatherhood, love, and the future. What followed was not just a medical journey but an emotional and existential one. He had to unlearn everything he thought he knew about strength, masculinity, and success. He had to sit in the discomfort of uncertainty, in the shame of societal judgment, and in the raw, unfiltered love of a father who could not “fix” his child. And just as he was beginning to understand what it meant to see beyond vision truly, she was gone.
His first book, Inner Trek: A Reluctant Pilgrim’s Journey to Tibet, was born from an unexpected calling. What began as a physical challenge—a trek through the Himalayas Kailash Mansarovar, a holy mountain pilgrimage in Tibet, became a profound spiritual reckoning. Struggling with altitude, exhaustion, and self-doubt, Mohan found himself stripped of the control and certainty that had once defined him. Each step through the ancient, mist-covered mountains peeled away layers of his identity, revealing something deeper: an invitation to surrender. The book became a reflection of that awakening, resonating with readers searching for meaning beyond the material world.
His new book, Myopia: A Father’s Journey into Love, Loss, and Sight Beyond Vision, is not just the story of Yogita’s brief but luminous life. It is the story of a man undone by grief, reshaped by love, and ultimately transformed by a painful but profound truth: that suffering, if we let it, can be our greatest teacher. Myopia does not offer platitudes or closure—it is a raw, unfiltered meditation on loss as an invitation to wake up.
His latest book, Myopia: A Father’s Journey into Love, Loss, and Sight Beyond Vision, is not just a story of grief—it is a meditation on love stripped of all conditions, on pain as a force of transformation, on the kind of sight that only comes when the world as you know it disappears. Unlike books that seek to inspire, Myopia does not offer easy resolutions or clichés about healing. It is raw, unflinching, and honest about what it means to love deeply and lose completely.
From the ashes of his grief, Mohan founded Amopia™, a philosophy and community that helps individuals see suffering not as an enemy but as a guide. The name itself is a fusion of “Amo” (Latin for love) and “Opa” (Greek for vision), representing a practice rooted in the love of seeing oneself fully—even in pain. Amopia™ blends science, spirituality, and personal resilience into a framework for growth, offering courses, workshops, and a community for those ready to engage with suffering as a path to wisdom.
Today, Mohan is more than an author—he is a guide for those navigating the depths of loss and transformation. His work, whether through his books or Amopia™, does not seek to provide comfort; it seeks to provoke a deeper understanding. His question is not how we escapesuffering but rather what if suffering is the doorway to something greater?
Through his words, journey, and teachings, Mohan invites us to step into the unknown—not with fear, but with the courage to truly see.
Mohan Ranga Rao, an accomplished Indian entrepreneur based in Mysore, built a successful career in pharmaceuticals and manufacturing as the founder of Arvee Chem Pharma Pvt. Ltd., continuing the legacy of enterprise instilled by his father, N. Ranga Rao, who established the renowned incense and fragrance company N. Ranga Rao & Sons in 1949. While born into business, Mohan carved his own unique path—one deeply shaped by personal transformation after the birth of his daughter, who was born blind. His global search for answers, including time spent in the U.S., expanded his understanding of disability, healing, and cultural perspectives on suffering. These insights became the foundation for his two books: Inner Trek, a memoir of spiritual awakening in the Andes, and Myopia, a heartfelt reflection on love, loss, and seeing beyond the physical. From this journey emerged Amopia™, a movement he founded to reframe suffering as a gateway to self-discovery—blending love (“Amo”) and vision (“Opa”) into a guiding philosophy that unites science, spirituality, and resilience.
Mohan Ranga Rao was a hard-driving entrepreneur until the birth of his blind daughter, Yogita, shattered everything he thought he knew about success, strength, and love. His new book, Myopia, is a raw, unflinching look at grief—not as something to fix, but as something that reveals. It’s about what we start to see when the world we built disappears.
All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.
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