The Mindset Experience®

May 29 2024 12
The Mindset Experience® Podcast artwork

‘The Mindset Experience’ is a personal growth and development podcast presented by The Hidden Opponent, top mental health non-profit recognized as a standout resource for athletes by Kobe Bryant. The podcast is hosted by Arman Taghizadeh, M.D., also known as “Dr. T,” who is a Johns Hopkins trained psychiatrist and former Division 1 athlete. The Mindset Experience integrates Dr. T’s professional expertise and lived experience as he and his guests explore how high performers can overcome challenges and achieve success in order to live their best lives.

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Olympian Kendall Wesenberg: Be kind. Work Hard. Have the Most Fun.

May 29 2024 40 mins  
Kendall Wesenberg has been a competitor from an early age as she “wanted to win before I knew what it was.” She grew up playing all the typical youth sports and continued with club soccer through college. After seeing bobsled during the 2010 Olympic Games, this California girl moved to Park City, Utah 2 years later after graduation to learn more about the sport. She loved the a

Team USA Gymnast Donnell Whittenburg On Unfinished Business

May 22 2024 32 mins  
Donnell Whittenburg was born to be a gymnast. He grew up doing back flips, tucks and handstand walks in his backyard. To help him avoid injury, his mother enrolled him into formal gymnastics classes. The ability to learn new and more challenging skills, share experiences with teammates and focus on the process of improving laid a foundation where he has competed on the internationa

Nikita Ducarroz On Being Stuck in a Room to the Feeling of Freedom

May 15 2024 36 mins  
Nikita played soccer for most of her younger years but struggled with severe anxiety and panic attacks leaving her unable to leave her home. “Forced” to play a sport, she found BMX to fulfill that rule, do it on her own time, and even in the driveway so she didn’t have to leave her home. Little did she know that BMX would soon take over every aspect of her life and become the

Hayley Scamurra on Living Her Dream and “Protecting the Puck”

May 08 2024 35 mins  
Born into a hockey family, Hayley Scamurra wanted to compete just like her brothers and father who had played in the NHL . While she fell in love with the sport herself, she also felt the need to always be the best and live up to her father’s expectations. This pressure began to manifest in severe anxiety for which she sought out therapy. Through this process, she learned to focu

NCAA Lacrosse Player Catie Lang On Walking Away So Others Won’t Be Ignored

Apr 24 2024 45 mins  
As a high schooler, Catie Lang’s identity was embedded in being an athlete to the point that she even loved the ideas of being tough, not quitting and “walking off” any pain or suffering. She had no real concept, awareness, or education of mental health despite having severe anxiety herself. Even after experiencing major panic attacks that were terrifying, she brushed them of

Kim Zmeskal On Dreaming So Big to Achieve Excellence Over Perfection

Apr 17 2024 54 mins  
At the age of 6, Kim Zmeskal watched her first gymnastics class and was upset that she, “wasn’t allowed to play on the playground.” A few years later, training under Bela and Martha Karolyi, Mary Lou Retton came back to their home gym with an Olympic Gold medal showing her early on that any dream was possible. Since then, Kim has become the first American to win the all-aroun

Matt Choi On Discipline, Consistency and Contentment over Complacency

Apr 10 2024 44 mins  
Matt Choi is a 27-year-old former NCAA D1 football player, content creator, entrepreneur, and fitness enthusiast who decided to take on the Murph challenge every day for 30 days as an outlet to maintain his physical and mental wellbeing during the pandemic. Running a total of 60 miles in 30 days inspired a relationship with running that resulted in 12 marathons in 12 different citi

Dr. Madeline Barlow On the Choice to Challenge Or Give Grace

Apr 03 2024 44 mins  
Dr. Madeline Barlow is a former collegiate swimmer, individual and team record holder, and NCAA qualifier. She is also CEO and Founder of Mind-Wise Mentoring LLC, The Director of Programming and Key Note Speaker for The Hidden Opponent, and a Transition Coach for Athletes Soul. Self described as “highly sensitive,” swimming initially provided support, self reflection and muted

Donald Stewart On Maximizing Creativity & Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

Mar 27 2024 41 mins  
Donald Stewart is a former NCAA D1 football player at both Stanford University and Wake Forest University. He is also an HBO actor, published children’s book author and mentor to high school athletes. His dedication to sports was initially fueled by his desire to avoid doing household chores. His success inspired his community to embrace him and his brother who was born with a fa

All American Gymnast Olivia Karas On Overcoming “Rushy-itis” to Become Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

Mar 20 2024 42 mins  
Olivia Karas is a former 6x All-American gymnast from the University of Michigan where she helped the Wolverines win four consecutive Big Ten team titles. She won a share of the Big Ten All Around title in 2019 and finished her career ranked 8th in the country in the all-around. Early in her gymnastics career, she was inspired by Olympic champion Kerri Strug who stuck her vault on