Breaking Through, The Ellina Abovian Podcast

Episode 58: Neuroplasticity & Trauma - How We Change Our Brain to Change Our Life

Dr. Kate Truitt is a clinical psychologist, neuroscientist, and trauma and resilience expert, and she leads an award-winning psychology practice in Pasadena that specializes in neuroscience-informed therapy for trauma, anxiety, and stress. Her team offers individual, couples, and group therapy using evidence-based approaches like CBT, IFS, neurofeedback, and more — with both in-person and telehealth options available across California.
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
 
Guest:
 
Dr. Kate Truitt
Psychologist & Mental Health Author
____________________________________
Dr. Kate Truitt | Social 
Dr. Kate Truitt | Website
 
 
Host:
Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom

Episode 57: Friends, Unfiltered: Life, Love & Laughs With My 30-Year Best Friend - Mariam Bandarian

Mariam Bandarian is a mother of three boys, a longtime advocate of holistic living, and one of my closest friends of nearly 30 years. She chose the path of being a stay-at-home mom while nurturing a deep interest in nutrition, mindfulness, and intentional living. Known for her consistency, grounding presence, and quiet wisdom, Mariam values authenticity, meaningful connection, and protecting her energy — including taking intentional breaks from social media. She brings honesty, humor, and a deeply lived perspective on motherhood, friendship, and what it means to live in alignment.
 
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Chapters
00:00 Navigating Toxic Relationships
01:23 Balancing Personal and Professional Life
07:36 The Evolution of Friendship
26:27 Balancing Work and Motherhood
31:36 Navigating Social Media and Mental Health
43:01 Embracing New Relationships and Personal Growth
 
 
Guest:
Mariam Bandarian | Board Certified Health Coach
 
 
Mariam Bandarian| Social
https://www.instagram.com/miss_nutritionista/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D#author
https://missnutritionista.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio
 
 
Host:
Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom

Episode 56: Beyond the Game: Fighting Uncertainty & Finding Resilience with Gary Chivichyan

Gary Chivichyan — also known as “The Armenian Sniper” — made history as the first Armenian to be drafted into the NBA G League, becoming a trailblazer for an entire community that had never seen itself represented on that stage before.
 
Now 29, Gary is in a new chapter — one defined not just by basketball, but by identity, reinvention, and purpose. He’s a husband, a mentor, and a speaker who’s using his platform to remind the next generation that success isn’t always about becoming the next Michael Jordan — sometimes it’s about becoming the most authentic version of yourself, again and again.
 
Chapters
00:00 Tattoo Stories and Their Meanings
01:47 Journey into Basketball
07:14 Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success
26:00 The Journey of Jamie Kern Lima
26:56 Embracing Individuality and Authenticity
31:46 Guidance, Growth, and Future Aspirations
 
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Guest: Gary Chivichyan
Professional Basketball Player
Gary Chivichyan | Social
 
Host: Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom

Episode 55: Caring for a dying parent & finding strength in stoicism with Dr. Dave Dickey

Episode 55 of Breaking Through, I’m sitting down with someone I not only admire professionally, but care for personally — my friend Dr. Dave Dickie.
 
Dave works in national security as a Senior Intelligence Analyst for Peraton, where he helps guide teams operating in high-stakes, high-pressure environments. He’s a father, a husband, a coach, and someone who understands what it means to carry a lot at once — emotionally, mentally, and operationally.
 
But the reason he’s here today is because of the journey that shaped his new book, The Stoic Cheat Sheet — a book he wrote while navigating more than two years of caregiving and hospice for his father. In that season of intense responsibility — balancing family, work, caregiving, and personal resilience — Dave turned to Stoicism not as a philosophy to study, but as a toolkit to survive. And eventually, to transform.
 
Today we’re talking about strength, presence, pressure, caregiving, grief, and the kind of inner steadiness that can carry us through our hardest chapters.
 
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Guest
Dr. Dave Dickie
Senior Intelligence Analyst & Author
Dr. Kate Balestieri |
Dr. Dave Dickie | Social
 
Host: Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom

Episode 54: How Emotional Labor Shapes Women’s Sex Lives with Dr. Kate Balestieri

Dr. Kate Balestrieri is a licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist. She is the author of “What Happened to My Sex Life?: A Sex Therapist’s Guide to Reclaiming Lost Desire, Connection, and Pleasure.” Dr. Kate …. Is the founder of Modern Intimacy, and host of the podcast Get Naked with Dr. Kate―uncovers the twelve most common causes of a loss of libido.
 
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Guest: Dr. Kate Bslestieri
Licensed Psychologist and Certified Sex Therapist
Dr. Kate Balestieri |
Dr. Kate Balestieri | Social
How to Break Up with Someone
 
Host: Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom

Episode 53: Scott 2.0: Surviving a Near-Death Experience and 19 Surgeries to Be Reborn

Scott Minker is a husband, father, son, entrepreneur, and storyteller living his “2.0 Life” after surviving a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2024, an experience that radically transformed his understanding of success, gratitude, and purpose. What was once a relentless pursuit of performance and achievement evolved into a life guided by presence, patience, and the practice of being where his feet are.
 
After waking up blind in the ICU at UCLA, enduring 19 surgeries, and making a miraculous full recovery (beating the 17% odds), Scott is devoted to helping others experience their own awakening with the awareness that tomorrow is never guaranteed. He shares his journey as proof that growth and meaning can emerge from even the most unexpected and challenging moments.
 
Scott graduated from Georgetown University and received his MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. A native Texan, he now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Tracy, and their two teenagers.
 
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Guest: Scott Minker — Entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker Scott Minker | Social Media | Instagram 

Episode 52: The Daughter Who Walked Away & Came Back:Tania Khazaal on Repairing the Family Dynamics

Tania Khazaal is a family healing educator and reconnection mentor specializing in mother–daughter dynamics, emotional safety, and generational trauma repair. Her work blends compassionate communication, boundary restoration, and trauma-informed practices to help families move from conflict and estrangement into healthier, more secure relationships. Rooted in her own personal story of separating — and ultimately reconnecting — with her mother, Tania’s teachings combine lived experience with a deep understanding of emotional patterns and family systems. She now guides thousands through workshops, writing, and one-on-one support designed to help people heal the wounds they once believed were impossible to mend.
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Guest: Tania Khazaal
Award-Winning Journalist, Parenting Educator, and Author
Tania | Instagram: instagram.com/taniakhazaal/
 
Host: Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom

Episode 51: Solo - Ask me anything you want! with Ellina Abovian

Episode Description (Solo Q&A – Ellina Abovian | Breaking Through Podcast)In this special solo episode of Breaking Through, Ellina Abovian sits down for an intimate conversation with you — the listeners. She answers fan-submitted questions about her career in journalism, personal growth, dating, and the behind-the-scenes moments that shaped her journey. Honest, warm, and unfiltered, Ellina dives into the lessons she’s learned, the risks she’s taken, and what truly keeps her inspired. Tune in for storytelling, insight, and a closer look at the woman behind the mic.
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
00:00 Celebrating 50 Episodes: A Journey of Growth and Learning
09:12 Navigating Social Media and Personal Challenges
13:58 Career Reflections and Personal Insights
30:39 Navigating the Dating World
34:29 Self-Discovery and Personal Growth
38:49 Life Lessons and Reflections

Episode 50: Parenting from Presence, Not Perfection with Donna Tetreault

Donna Tetreault is an award-winning journalist, parenting educator, and author whose work has been featured on The Dr. Phil Show, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, and The Washington Post.
She’s spent years translating child-development science into real-life guidance for families — helping parents everywhere build homes rooted in connection, compassion, and calm.
 
Her new book, The CASTLE Method, offers a framework of seven pillars — Compassion, Acceptance, Security, Trust, Love, Expectations, and Education — a roadmap for creating emotionally safe, resilient families.
 
Today, we’re breaking through the myth of “perfect parenting” and exploring what it truly means to build emotional foundations strong enough to hold the hearts of our children — and our own.
 
00:00 The Unexpected Call from Dr. Phil
01:07 From Reporting to Parenting
03:50 The Castle Method: Building Your Dream Family
25:36 Embracing Children's Unique Talents
26:43 The Importance of Trust and Gentle Parenting
40:15 Setting Expectations and Encouraging Leadership
 
Sponsor
Sponsored by Keosian Law, LLP Office in Sherman Oaks, CA
Website: https://keosianlaw.com/
Phone:(866) 222-2020
 
Guest: Donna Tetreault — Award-Winning Journalist, Parenting Educator, and Author 🌐www.donnatetreault.com/ | Donna | Instagram
 
Host: Ellina Abovian | KTLA 5 News reporter, Armenian American storyteller, and proud single mom
 

Episode 49: Rewriting her own story with Nona Melkonian

Nona Melkonian is a Multimedia Journalist, Event/Red Carpet Host and Content Creator. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Nona moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment and lifestyle journalism and has interviewed hundreds of prominent figures and celebrities. Recently, she’s launched her own media company, Melkoni Media where she amplifies small businesses, local events and fascinating people and organizations. When not interviewing celebrities on award shows and red carpets, she enjoys telling stories on and off camera. She believes everyone has a story and using her voice to help amplify the voices of others is the best way bring attention to new perspectives, build connections and and create community.
Thank you, Keosia Law, LLP for sponsoring this episode
https://keosianlaw.com/
Nona Melkonian | Social
https://linktr.ee/nona.melkonianfbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnrN0CRL71Jdm3obd6lKkYMqyfS6qMZkiz_WwtqtMalJNUHNJhDocuAszYk_aem_5ST0aoqQ4Ru91A-Y32TC4A