201. Why You Can’t Separate Mental Health from Mental Performance
Release Date: 10/07/2025
216: Never Out of the Fight — Healing Trauma, Identity, and Addiction After Military Service with Anthony Dyer
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In this episode, Chuck Thuss sits down with Anthony Dyer for an honest, deeply human conversation about military service, accumulated trauma, identity loss, addiction, and the long road to healing. Anthony shares his 21-year career in the United States Air Force, including high-risk missions, elite rescue operations, and the emotional weight that followed him home long after the uniform came off. From the quiet moments that haunt servicemen and women to the stigma around asking for help, Anthony opens up about how suppressed trauma and alcohol nearly cost him everything. What followed was a...
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215: Healing Unresolved Trauma and Learning to Accept Yourself with Dr. Brian Alman
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214: Surviving the Holocaust, Finding Purpose — The Extraordinary Life of Charles Van Kessler
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213: Healing Head Trauma, Finding Hope — The Journey of Team USA Bobsledder William Person
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212: Finding Freedom After Addiction — The Inspiring Journey of Mary Beth O’Connor
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211: From Underground Hacker to Healing: The Remarkable Journey of Ryan Merket
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210: Unbroken: Adrienne Caldwell on Surviving Trauma, Finding Peace, and Rewriting Her Story
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209: Overcoming Adversity: The Inspiring Journey of Navy Seal David Brown
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208: Courage, Perseverance, and Mental Health: A Veteran’s Tale of Resilience
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207: Basking in Grace: Marcia Earhart's Journey Through Grief, Healing, and Divine Strength
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In this episode of Warriors Unmasked, Chuck Thuss welcomes Marcia Earhart, a certified life, grief, and trauma coach, along with being a trained educator and mental health first responder. The deeply personal and emotional interview reveals Marcia's arduous journey through chronic illness, the loss of loved ones including her two sons, and how she found healing and purpose through her faith. Discussing her roles as a mother, wife, and coach, Marcia elaborates on the importance of trust, surrender, and abiding in God's presence. Her ministry, the Sterling Rose Sanctuary, and her book 'Gripping...
info_outlineThis week on Warriors Unmasked, Dr. Christine Silverstein, Peak Performance Coach, registered nurse, hypnotherapist, and author joins Chuck to explore the powerful connection between mental health and mental performance.
With decades of experience helping athletes, students, and professionals, Dr. Silverstein specializes in working with children, teens, and adults, offering her transformative program Winning Ways for Teens. Through her unique approach to mindful toughness, she equips people of all ages to heal from trauma, strengthen resilience, and perform at their highest potential.
From stories of Olympians like Simone Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin to her own childhood skating victory and deeply personal experiences of overcoming trauma, Dr. Silverstein shows how the mind can either hold us back or launch us forward.
You’ll hear about:
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Why mental health and performance are inseparable
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How trauma and the “recency effect” can sabotage even elite athletes
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The origin of mindful toughness and how it shifts stigma into strength
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Dr. Silverstein’s powerful personal journey of healing childhood trauma
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Practical techniques anyone can use to build confidence, resilience, and performance
Whether you’re an athlete, parent, or professional striving to show up fully, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you heal, grow, and perform at your best.
Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & Intro: Chuck introduces the theme of mental health and performance
02:00 – Mental Health vs. Mental Performance: Dr. Silverstein explains why they can’t be separated
03:30 – From “Mental Toughness” to “Mindful Toughness”: Reframing the stigma
05:00 – Olympic Stories: Simone Biles, Mikaela Shiffrin, and the recency effect
10:00 – Childhood Lessons: Roller skating race and discovering inner strength
15:00 – Fear, Imagination, and Performance: How mindset shapes outcomes
17:00 – Defining Mental Health: Beyond diagnoses and stigma
22:00 – Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): How early trauma affects performance
23:30 – Personal Story: Dr. Silverstein’s eye surgery trauma and healing journey
30:00 – Helping Teens Heal: Wrestling stories and mindful toughness techniques
34:00 – Writing Wrestling Through Adversity: Why she wrote the book
37:30 – Mindful Toughness Tools: Practical skills in the book
40:00 – Hope and Healing for All: Final words of encouragement
Chuck’s Challenge:
Reflect on an old wound or challenge that might still shape how you show up today. Take one small, intentional step this week to begin healing it.
Connect with Dr. Christine Silverstein:
Website: drchristinesilverstein.com
Website: idealperformance.net
LinkedIn: Dr. Christine Silverstein
Connect with Chuck:
Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/
Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked
Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we’re breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.