A Quote & a Soapbox About How Mental Health is “Health”

Episode 64: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
View transcript on Buzzsprout

What is you are not the problem? What if you never were?

In this reflective and unscripted episode of the Regulate & Rewire podcast, Amanda shares a powerful quote that reshapes how we view mental health struggles—and how we talk to ourselves through them. If you’ve ever felt broken, hopeless, or confused by your symptoms, this conversation offers a grounded reframe and reminder: healing starts by changing the conditions you’re trying to heal inside.

---

What We Cover in This Episode

• Why so many people feel “broken” when they’re actually in survival mode
• The powerful connection between mental and physical health
• How your environment impacts your nervous system and healing
• The science of epigenetics and why your symptoms make sense
• What healing really requires (and why it’s different for everyone)

---

The Flower Isn’t Broken, the Environment Is

 At the heart of this episode is a conversation about this quote, “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

Amanda opens with this quote to reframe how we view mental health struggles like anxiety and depression. If you haven’t been “blooming,” maybe it’s not because you’re broken—but because the conditions around (and within) you haven’t supported growth.

Over 30% of people will struggle with anxiety or depression at some point. That doesn’t mean a third of the population is defective. It means something about our environments—societal, relational, physiological—is off.

Defining Your “Environment”

Amanda unpacks what she means by “environment” in the context of mental health. Yes, it’s about your physical space and relationships. But it also includes your daily habits, stress load, movement, breath, sleep, nutrition, nervous system regulation, self-beliefs, and more.

This is why the Essential 8 series exists. Because mental health isn’t a mindset problem. It’s a full-body, whole-life puzzle.

Genetics vs. Environment: Enter Epigenetics

What about biology? What about trauma, or nervous system sensitivity from birth? Amanda addresses how genetics do play a role—but they’re only one piece. Epigenetics shows us that gene expression is directly influenced by environment. You may inherit a predisposition, but that doesn’t mean you’re doomed.

Your choices, your inputs, your regulation practices—they all matter. Your nervous system, your thoughts, even your brain chemistry can change.

Healing Requires More Than a Pill

Amanda emphasizes that while medications and talk therapy have value, they’re often incomplete on their own. If we’re not also looking at physiology, lifestyle, and environment, we’re not addressing the root causes.

You can’t force a flower to bloom with a single intervention. Healing is multifaceted. That’s the foundation of Amanda’s approach inside her Restore 1:1 Coaching Program and Regulated Living Membership.

Three Roles You Need to Play

To heal, you need to take on three roles:

• The Scientist – Curious and experimental, willing to try and learn
• The Detective – Looking for clues in your past, habits, relationships, symptoms
• The Self-Compassionate Caregiver – Offering yourself kindness and understanding

This combination of curiosity, critical thinking, and compassion is what makes healing sustainable.

---

Three Tangible Takeaways

1. You are not broken. Your symptoms are messengers, not character flaws.
   
2. Your environment matters. Healing requires assessing what supports or stifles your well-being.
   
3. Healing is a creative process. It’s not about one-size-fits-all solutions—it’s about finding what works for you.

---

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside the  Regulated Living Membership, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Join my Release Class – Monthly guided nervous system regulation class
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!
• Download free resources here

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

---

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.