In this powerful episode of the Let’s Get Naked Podcast, Akshay Nanavati opens up about his journey from self-destruction to strength. He shares his early struggles with drug use, the appeal of joining the Marine Corps, and what life in the infantry is truly like—including the heartbreak of losing friends and a wild story inside a 7-ton truck. Akshay reflects on the challenge of returning to civilian life, the transformative power of trauma, and how suffering can become a source of purpose if we choose to reframe it. He also discusses the insights that inspired his book and recounts an incredible survival story from Antarctica. This episode is a raw, inspiring reminder that pain is inevitable—but how we use it defines us.

Akshay Nanavati has overcome drug addiction, PTSD from fighting in Iraq with the Marines (where one of his jobs was to walk in front of vehicles to find bombs), depression and alcoholism that pushed him to the brink of suicide. Since then, by embracing his demons, he has built a global business, run many ultramarathons, spent 17 days in darkness and solation, spent 100 days alone dragging heavy sleds for over 1200 miles in the polar regions.

Despite 4 biological defects including a blood disorder that 2 doctors told him would kill him in boot camp, he is now a sponsored athlete and most recently he pushed his body to the brink of death, spending 60 days alone in Antarctica dragging a 420 sled for 500 miles on what has been called "the boldest Antarctic expedition in modern times."

Combining his life experience with years of research in neuroscience, psychology and spirituality, he wrote the book "Fearvana," about which the Dalai Lama said "Fearvana inspires us to look beyond our own agonizing experiences and find the positive side of our lives." Now Akshay travels the world sharing the wisdom he has unearthed from the most extreme depths of solitude and suffering. He is on a mission to help our human family explore the edges and fall in love with both play and suffering in order to create a life of greater meaning, joy and fulfillment.

https://www.instagram.com/fearvana/#

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fearvana/

https://fearvana.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/fearvana

This podcast dives deep into real, raw topics—think vulnerability, triggers, and childhood trauma. But just so we're super clear: I’m not a licensed therapist, mental health professional, or anything close. I’m just a human sharing stories, lessons, and life hacks based on personal experience and a whole lot of curiosity.

So, while you might find some golden nuggets here, this is not therapy and should never replace professional mental health care. If you or someone you love is going through it, please—seriously—reach out to a licensed therapist or healthcare provider. You deserve the real deal.

Need Help Now?
Here are a few amazing resources:

· 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988
· NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or nami.org/help
· Therapy Directory: psychologytoday.com
· Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The opinions expressed on this show are ours and ours alone—no official organizations are responsible for what we say (or how much we overshare).

In this Let’s Get Naked Podcast mini-episode, we explore how to reframe emotional triggers as valuable assignments in life’s classroom rather than obstacles to avoid. Listeners are encouraged to approach discomfort with curiosity, asking why certain interactions spark strong reactions and how those moments can fuel personal growth. The episode offers practical tools—like pausing to reflect, journaling, or taking a mindful walk—to help process triggers thoughtfully instead of reacting defensively. By doing this inner work, we can pull emotional “weeds” at the root, reduce unnecessary suffering, and build deeper, more authentic connections with others.

This podcast dives deep into real, raw topics—think vulnerability, triggers, and childhood trauma. But just so we're super clear: I’m not a licensed therapist, mental health professional, or anything close. I’m just a human sharing stories, lessons, and life hacks based on personal experience and a whole lot of curiosity.

So, while you might find some golden nuggets here, this is not therapy and should never replace professional mental health care. If you or someone you love is going through it, please—seriously—reach out to a licensed therapist or healthcare provider. You deserve the real deal.

Need Help Now?
Here are a few amazing resources:

· 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988
· NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or nami.org/help
· Therapy Directory: psychologytoday.com
· Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The opinions expressed on this show are ours and ours alone—no official organizations are responsible for what we say (or how much we overshare).

In this powerful episode of the Let's Get Naked podcast, Bee Bannard opens up about her personal journey with shame, fear, and self-discovery. She shares how internalized shame—especially around sexuality—can root itself in the body from an early age, and how personifying fear can help reclaim power. Bee discusses the transformative role of pleasure, the difference between discomfort and danger, and why fostering curiosity—especially in our most vulnerable thoughts—is vital to healing. Her insights on parenting, embodied practices like the hand-washing technique, and the universal nature of shame offer listeners a path toward greater self-acceptance and authenticity.

As a child my time was split between two very different households from the age of three. While looking "normal" on the outside, my insides were in constant questioning and disarray as I navigated growing up prior to college. I feel very fortunate to have attended college, however I realized quickly after graduating (during covid) that a career in Biology was not going to quench my hunger for life. My next move? My partner and I sold everything we owned and flew to Thailand to travel around Southeast Asia. This ended up being a year long adventure and my time there was nothing short of life changing. When I returned, I decided to go all in and pursue my newfound dream of becoming a sex and intimacy coach by enrolling in the Somatica Institute. I'm overjoyed to say I recently completed my training!

I feel so grateful to have found something I'm so passionate about it hardly feels like work. Supporting people in leaning into their own vulnerability to create the connections and life they crave is such a pleasure. I believe that our vulnerability is a superpower capable of creating the belonging we desire at our core. And I couldn't think of a better way to dive in than to talk about sex and intimacy! Pursuing the things that ring true to my soul hasn't been an easy path, but its a path I would walk 1000X over. I would love to talk more and, as you probably can guess, there's far more to my story than I can type here. I love seeing what you're doing and I look forward to hearing from you!

https://www.facebook.com/bee.bannard/

https://www.instagram.com/hive_intimacy/

https://www.hiveintimacy.com/

This podcast dives deep into real, raw topics—think vulnerability, triggers, and childhood trauma. But just so we're super clear: I’m not a licensed therapist, mental health professional, or anything close. I’m just a human sharing stories, lessons, and life hacks based on personal experience and a whole lot of curiosity.

So, while you might find some golden nuggets here, this is not therapy and should never replace professional mental health care. If you or someone you love is going through it, please—seriously—reach out to a licensed therapist or healthcare provider. You deserve the real deal.

Need Help Now?
Here are a few amazing resources:

· 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988
· NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or nami.org/help
· Therapy Directory: psychologytoday.com
· Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The opinions expressed on this show are ours and ours alone—no official organizations are responsible for what we say (or how much we overshare).