Megan Barry knows what it means to have your life split into before and after.

In 2015, she became the first woman elected Mayor of Nashville — a milestone moment and the realization of a lifelong dream. A few years later, she resigned after an affair with a colleague became public, a scandal that played out on a national stage.

But that wasn’t her worst day.

Not even close.

Megan also endured the unimaginable: losing her son to a drug overdose. Grief, public judgment, shame, and heartbreak collided — and she was left to figure out how to rebuild a life from the wreckage.

In this raw and deeply human conversation, Amanda and Megan talk about:

• What it’s like to fall very publicly
• Surviving profound grief
• Letting go of the “girl boss” myth
• The impossible expectations placed on women to be everything to everyone
• And how to begin again when you don’t recognize your own life

Megan also shares the story behind her powerful memoir, It’s What You Do Next, and the hard-won wisdom that came from living it.

This episode is honest, unfiltered, heartbreaking, hopeful — and ultimately empowering.

Because if Megan Barry can rebuild after losing everything that once defined her, it’s proof that no single chapter gets to decide your ending.

Follow Megan on Instagram: @mayormeganbarry

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Anastasia Brown is one of the most influential women in the Nashville music industry. She discovered Keith Urban and worked with legends like Peter Frampton, Leon Russell, and Sting. She later became a pioneer in Hollywood, serving as a music supervisor on Emmy-winning film and television projects, including Steven Spielberg’s miniseries Taken and the iconic, music-driven film August Rush.

But this episode goes far beyond her career.

In a heartbreaking period of her life, Anastasia lost her son, her sister, and her father in rapid succession. The trauma and grief that followed didn’t just affect her emotionally — it changed how her brain functioned, impacting her memory, mood, and ability to think clearly.

In this conversation, Anastasia opens up about:

• Child loss and surviving the death of her only son
• Complicated grief, PTSD, and mental health after trauma
• Discovering Keith Urban and building a career in Nashville
• Her transition from the music industry to Hollywood music supervision
• Working on Steven Spielberg projects and August Rush
• Why therapy and medication weren’t enough
• How a brain scan finally revealed what was wrong
• Targeted TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy and brain-based healing

She is also joined live from California by her doctor, Dr. Jabour, who explains how advanced MRI brain imaging and neuro-navigated TMS therapy work, what happens to the brain during extreme grief and trauma, and how the brain can be retrained to support healing from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and complicated grief.

This is a powerful story of resilience, science-backed mental health treatment, and rebuilding a life after unimaginable loss.

If you or someone you love is struggling with grief, trauma, depression, or PTSD, this episode offers honesty, hope, and a path forward.

Follow Anastasia Brown on Instagram: @anastasiabrown

Learn more about Dr. Jabour and his ground-breaking therapy: https://www.smartbrainandhealth.com/contents/about-us/our-doctors

Connect with Amanda on Instagram: @askamandaadams

Support the show

Don't forget: new episodes drop every Tuesday! Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss a minute!

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

And don't forget...DRINK MORE WATER!

Lauren Ruth Martin thought she would be a radio deejay...not a therapist. But either way, she was clearly sent here to help us all manage burnout, perfectionism, and eldest-daughter energy. And those planners we all buy every year? It's time to stop because they're stressing us out! But don't worry -- Lauren has us covered with the BEST planner on the planet!

Lauren comes in with so much real-life advice on this episode! Whether you're tired of being called flaky, trying to figure out how to quit a job, or you want to stop worrying about what other people think, this episode is for you!

Real advice. Real tools. From a real therapist. And when it changes your life, you can tell your IRL therapist that you heard it on a podcast (Lauren says they really love that).

Start 2026 with new energy. It's time to look around and find the right doors for you!

Follow Lauren on Instagram: @laurenruthmartin

Follow Amanda on Instagram; @askamandaadams

Support the show

Don't forget: new episodes drop every Tuesday! Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss a minute!

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

And don't forget...DRINK MORE WATER!