•    Learn about entrepreneur Dr. Vernice Nellon 
•    Find out about her products Kool Breeze Solar Hat and Kool Breeze Solar Hard Hats 
•    Discover the challenges and rewards of marketing and advertising her products.
•    See how she inspires and encourages women inventors.
•    Discuss her book “The World of Manufacturing; Through the Eye of a Minority Woman”.
Dr. Nellon, is the owner of Kool Breeze Solar Hats, Inc & Kool Breeze Solar Hard Hats, Inc. and manufactures her own patented renewable energy solar cooling hats in Central California. She currently sells her hats all over the world, and is the only Minority Women-Owned Solar Hat Manufacturing Company in the United States.

&bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Learn about entrepreneur Dr. Vernice Nellon&nbsp; &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Find out about her products Kool Breeze Solar Hat and Kool Breeze Solar Hard Hats&nbsp; &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Discover the challenges and rewards of marketing and advertising her products. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;See how she inspires and encourages women inventors. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Discuss her book &ldquo;The World of Manufacturing; Through the Eye of a Minority Woman&rdquo;. Dr. Nellon, is the owner of Kool Breeze Solar Hats, Inc &amp; Kool Breeze Solar Hard Hats, Inc. and manufactures her own patented renewable energy solar cooling hats in Central California. She currently sells her hats all over the world, and is the only Minority Women-Owned Solar Hat Manufacturing Company in the United States.

It's Your Life with Dr. James JC Cooley a motivational speaker here to equip you to strive for greatness and overcome adversity. Life is a series of circles and cycles, phases, and stages. These are the experiences that teach you the lessons of life. You can either ignore them or EMBRACE them. Dr. Cooley offers motivation and inspiration for life's challenges.

Catch up on the podcast and listen to It's Your Life on The Answer in Dallas or San Diego, on Salem Radio Networks.

For more about James Cooley and how you can support the show or become a guest visit www.CooleyFoundation.org.

It's Your Life with Dr. James JC Cooley a motivational speaker here to equip you to strive for greatness and overcome adversity. Life is a series of circles and cycles, phases, and stages. These are the experiences that teach you the lessons of life. You can either ignore them or EMBRACE them. Dr. Cooley offers motivation and inspiration for life's challenges.
Catch up on the podcast and listen to It's Your Life on The Answer in Dallas or San Diego, on Salem Radio Networks.
For more about James Cooley and how you can support the show or become a guest visit <a href="http://www.cooleyfoundation.org/">www.CooleyFoundation.org</a>.

It's Your Life Podcast

It's Your Life with Dr. James JC Cooley a motivational speaker here to equip you to strive for greatness and overcome adversity. Life is a series of circles and cycles, phases, and stages. These are the experiences that teach you the lessons of life. You can either ignore them or EMBRACE them. Dr. Cooley offers motivation and inspiration for life's challenges.
Catch up on the podcast and listen to It's Your Life on The Answer in Dallas or San Diego, on Salem Radio Networks.
For more about James Cooley and how you can support the show or become a guest visit <a href="http://www.cooleyfoundation.org/">www.CooleyFoundation.org</a>.

It's Your Life

Dr. Vernice Nellon - Inventor of the Kool Breeze Solar Hats

FOUR TALKING POINTS


Why people can feel anxious or low even when nothing is “wrong”
Many people come in saying, “My life looks fine, but I don’t feel like myself anymore.” From a psychiatric perspective, this often happens when the way someone understands themselves, their role, or what gives life meaning begins to shift. The brain and nervous system are built for predictability, so when that internal sense of self changes, distress can emerge even without an external crisis.


What the “in between” phase actually feels like
There is often a confusing period where old motivations stop working, new ones have not formed yet, and people feel untethered. Common experiences include restlessness, emotional flatness, rumination, social withdrawal, or a quiet fear that something is wrong with them. Because most people lack language for this phase, they often interpret it as failure or illness.


How a holistic psychiatric perspective looks at this differently
Rather than focusing only on symptoms, I look at what is happening across the whole system. That includes mood, nervous system regulation, sense of identity, life context, and meaning. Sometimes medication is helpful, and sometimes it is not the primary answer. The goal is to understand what the symptoms are responding to, not just to suppress them.


What actually helps when someone is in this phase
Often the most helpful first step is not fixing or forcing decisions, but creating stability. This includes calming the nervous system, reducing pressure to have immediate answers, and helping people understand what is happening so they do not panic or overidentify with a diagnosis. With the right support, clarity tends to return over time.

SHORT BIO:

Dr. Sarah Hollander is a board-certified psychiatrist, writer, speaker, and founder of Psychiatry of Life. She focuses on how identity shifts affect the nervous system, mood, and meaning, and how psychiatric symptoms often emerge during periods of self-identity change. Her work integrates evidence-based psychiatry with a holistic, existential perspective.

Links:

website: www.psychiatryoflife.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hollander-md

Substack: https://substack.com/@psychiatryoflife?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychiatryoflife/

As seen in KevinMD: https://kevinmd.com/2025/12/joy-in-medicine-a-new-culture.html

The ideas in this article evolved from an earlier podcast conversation exploring these themes: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Bs2dxPy0LHLjyfHptdmNx

Plenty of Positivity podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HelUqQgHhic

FOUR TALKING POINTS
<ol>
<li>
Why people can feel anxious or low even when nothing is &ldquo;wrong&rdquo; Many people come in saying, &ldquo;My life looks fine, but I don&rsquo;t feel like myself anymore.&rdquo; From a psychiatric perspective, this often happens when the way someone understands themselves, their role, or what gives life meaning begins to shift. The brain and nervous system are built for predictability, so when that internal sense of self changes, distress can emerge even without an external crisis.
</li>
<li>
What the &ldquo;in between&rdquo; phase actually feels like There is often a confusing period where old motivations stop working, new ones have not formed yet, and people feel untethered. Common experiences include restlessness, emotional flatness, rumination, social withdrawal, or a quiet fear that something is wrong with them. Because most people lack language for this phase, they often interpret it as failure or illness.
</li>
<li>
How a holistic psychiatric perspective looks at this differently Rather than focusing only on symptoms, I look at what is happening across the whole system. That includes mood, nervous system regulation, sense of identity, life context, and meaning. Sometimes medication is helpful, and sometimes it is not the primary answer. The goal is to understand what the symptoms are responding to, not just to suppress them.
</li>
<li>
What actually helps when someone is in this phase Often the most helpful first step is not fixing or forcing decisions, but creating stability. This includes calming the nervous system, reducing pressure to have immediate answers, and helping people understand what is happening so they do not panic or overidentify with a diagnosis. With the right support, clarity tends to return over time.
</li>
</ol>
SHORT BIO:
Dr. Sarah Hollander is a board-certified psychiatrist, writer, speaker, and founder of Psychiatry of Life. She focuses on how identity shifts affect the nervous system, mood, and meaning, and how psychiatric symptoms often emerge during periods of self-identity change. Her work integrates evidence-based psychiatry with a holistic, existential perspective.
Links:
website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.psychiatryoflife.com/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">www.psychiatryoflife.com</a>
LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hollander-md" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1">www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hollander-md</a>
Substack:&nbsp;<a href="https://substack.com/@psychiatryoflife?utm_campaign=profile&amp;utm_medium=profile-page" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="2">https://substack.com/@psychiatryoflife?utm_campaign=profile&amp;utm_medium=profile-page</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/psychiatryoflife/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="3">https://www.instagram.com/psychiatryoflife/</a>
As seen in KevinMD: <a href="https://kevinmd.com/2025/12/joy-in-medicine-a-new-culture.html">https://kevinmd.com/2025/12/joy-in-medicine-a-new-culture.html</a>
The ideas in this article evolved from an earlier podcast conversation exploring these themes: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Bs2dxPy0LHLjyfHptdmNx">https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Bs2dxPy0LHLjyfHptdmNx</a>
Plenty of Positivity podcast: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HelUqQgHhic" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="6">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HelUqQgHhic</a>

360° Health: When Identity Shifts - How changes in the self-affect the nervous system, mood, and meaning 

Show Highlights

Dr. James JC Cooley along with Co-Host Dr. Michael Mantell- renowned and esteemed mental health architect and prolific author have a sit-down conversation with Dr. Stephen Mateka is the Medical Director of Psychiatry for Inspira Health System and serves as Co-Chair of Psychiatry

Rule #1 is Know Your Audience. You cannot effectively help what you do not understand. Empathetic curiosity is key.

Kids and teens unknowingly give away their power of choice to external forces
and internal thinking traps in how they act, react, the type of effort they have, and
type of attitude they bring.
Empowering youth to take ownership of their unique and individua impressiveness will carry them to overcome future obstacles and challenges.
Support is the top predictor of resilience and top protective factor against
decompensation of mental health.

Biography

Dr. Stephen Mateka is the Medical Director of Psychiatry for Inspira Health System and serves as Co-Chair of Psychiatry. He is the Immediate Past President of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association, Executive Committee member of Eastern Pennsylvania/Southern New Jersey Regional Organization for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric Times Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section Editor, a member of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Inpatient/Partial Hospitalization/Residential Treatment Committee and Public Resources Committee, and works with the state of New Jersey’s Children’s System of Care as Psychiatrist Advisor. Dr. Mateka completed medical school and general psychiatry residency at Rowan University-School of Osteopathic Medicine and his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Michigan. He is double board certified in General and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Mateka resides in southern New Jersey and enjoys spending his free time with family and friends. He is also a passionate fan of Philadelphia sports teams, despite their negative impact on his wellness.

Show Highlights
Dr. James JC Cooley along with Co-Host Dr. Michael Mantell- renowned and esteemed mental health architect and prolific author have a sit-down conversation with Dr. Stephen Mateka&nbsp;is the Medical Director of Psychiatry for Inspira Health System and serves as Co-Chair of Psychiatry
Rule #1 is Know Your Audience. You cannot effectively help what you do not&nbsp;understand. Empathetic curiosity is key.
Kids and teens unknowingly give away their power of choice to external forces and internal thinking traps in how they act, react, the type of effort they have, and type of attitude they bring. Empowering youth to take ownership of their unique and individua impressiveness will carry them to overcome future obstacles and challenges. Support is the top predictor of resilience and top protective factor against decompensation of mental health.
Biography
Dr. Stephen Mateka is the Medical Director of Psychiatry for Inspira Health System and serves as Co-Chair of Psychiatry. He is the Immediate Past President of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association, Executive Committee member of Eastern Pennsylvania/Southern New Jersey Regional Organization for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric Times Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section Editor, a member of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry&rsquo;s Inpatient/Partial Hospitalization/Residential Treatment Committee and Public Resources Committee, and works with the state of New Jersey&rsquo;s Children&rsquo;s System of Care as Psychiatrist Advisor. Dr. Mateka completed medical school and general psychiatry residency at Rowan University-School of Osteopathic Medicine and his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Michigan. He is double board certified in General and Child &amp; Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Mateka resides in southern New Jersey and enjoys spending his free time with family and friends. He is also a passionate fan of Philadelphia sports teams, despite their negative impact on his wellness.

360° Health: Fostering resilience, self-efficacy, and an internal locus of control in youth 

Show Highlights

·       It’s Your Life With Dr James JC Cooley and Co-Host Dr Michael Mantell- Rational Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Coach have a sit-down conversation with

Joanna Moncrieff -- Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London

·       Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?

·       What are antidepressants and why are we taking them?

·       Do antidepressants help?

·       Why have we got things so wrong?

 

Biography

Joanna Moncrieff is a Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London and has also worked as a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS in London for over 20 years. She writes about the nature of mental health problems, how to treat them and how not to treat them. She has led large UK government-funded research studies. She is author of numerous scientific papers and several books about psychiatric drugs including her most recent, Chemically Imbalanced: the making and unmaking of the serotonin myth (Flint Books, 2025). Her website is https://joannamoncrieff.com/, Twitter handle @joannamoncrieff

Show Highlights
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It&rsquo;s Your Life With Dr James JC Cooley and Co-Host Dr Michael Mantell- Rational Emotive &amp; Cognitive Behavior Coach&nbsp;have a sit-down conversation with
Joanna Moncrieff&nbsp;-- Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What are antidepressants and why are we taking them?
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Do antidepressants help?
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Why have we got things so wrong?
&nbsp;
Biography
Joanna Moncrieff is a Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London and has also worked as a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS in London for over 20 years. She writes about the nature of mental health problems, how to treat them and how not to treat them. She has led large UK government-funded research studies. She is author of numerous scientific papers and several books about psychiatric drugs including her most recent, Chemically Imbalanced: the making and unmaking of the serotonin myth&nbsp;(Flint Books, 2025). Her website is&nbsp;<a href="https://joannamoncrieff.com/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">https://joannamoncrieff.com/</a>, Twitter handle @joannamoncrieff

Dr. Vernice Nellon - Inventor of the Kool Breeze Solar Hats

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