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"I started to really come to the awareness that, you know, heaven and hell are not places we go to, they're states of awareness that we embody." – Greg

On this inaugural episode of Mental Health in a Modern World, you’ll meet Greg, a former Division I athlete whose life was turned upside down virtually overnight by debilitating anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Guided by his unrelenting quest for healing, Greg transformed his deepest struggles into a profound source of purpose—evolving from a bewildered patient into an insightful teacher and holistic practitioner. Drawing wisdom from Eastern philosophy, gut health, and family systems, Greg now helps clients all over the world reconnect with their wholeness. Curious to hear how surrender became his greatest tool, and why he sees every coaching session as a mirror into his own growth? Tune in and discover why his journey makes him such a captivating presence in the mental health space.

5 Key Takeaways

This episode is packed with transformative insights to help you reclaim your mental well-being and empower your healing journey.

1. See your challenges as opportunities for growth, not obstacles—every wound has the potential to become your greatest source of purpose.
2. Replace forced effort with surrender—true healing comes from letting go and allowing, rather than trying to control or resist your mind.
3. Build a strong foundation through nutrition and lifestyle—prioritize sleep, movement, healthy food, and self-care practices for lasting change.
4. Seek understanding and connection—find practitioners, mentors, or communities that truly “get you” to create a safe space for healing and personal growth.
5. View yourself as a forever student—embracing humility and curiosity will keep you evolving, learning, and deepening your transformation.

Start putting these into action today and take empowered steps toward your own healing journey!

Memorable Quotes

"Every honest teacher must first be a humble student. For me, the first step to being an honest teacher is to be a humble student and to always stay in a state of humility."

"I started to really come to the awareness that heaven and hell are not places we go to—they're states of awareness that we embody."

"I'm interested in giving people their power back, not taking their power away from them. That's why a three to six month commitment is usually what I ask for, for clients to get started. Anything less than that, then you run the risk of getting into more victim-rescuer territory."

Connect with Harry

FullCast (done-for-you podcast production): https://fullcast.co

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harryduran/

Connect with Greg

Website - https://www.healing4d.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/

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Mentioned in this episode:

Embark on The HTM Journey

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Embark on The HTM Journey

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it was quite a shock to the system.

2

Like it felt like my reality shifted

overnight where I was going from being

3

a division one athlete, to within 48

hours just in this, you know, chaotic

4

mental space and really feeling

like I was kind of drowning inside.

5

Welcome to our inaugural episode

of Mental Health in a Modern World.

6

I'm super excited for today's

episode because we have my producer

7

Harry, on the show, and we're going

to turn the tables a little bit.

8

So he's actually gonna interview

me and together we're going to

9

explore how this show came to be.

10

So Harry, welcome to the show.

11

Harry Duran: Thanks for, uh,

having me on as the first guest.

12

I feel honored and, uh, it's

been great to get to know you.

13

When we first met, uh, it was at, uh,

Mike smis Men of Movement, uh, retreat

14

back in seems like such a while ago.

15

He is, got the new one coming up

already in two time flies by so fast,

16

but that was, uh, October and you

were facilitating, you were one of

17

facilitators there, and so I was really.

18

Moved by the work we were doing there.

19

Um, so I think it'd be helpful

to dig in to some of the origin

20

stories of, of how you got there.

21

Um, so I'm just, I'm just curious what

that journey's been like to be like a

22

facilitator for other people's groups.

23

Greg Schmaus: Hmm.

24

So

25

my journey as a facilitator, you know,

I, it's interesting because when I, as

26

a facilitator am working with groups,

the way I see it is I'm actually just

27

working with reflections of myself.

28

So when I'm working with people, whether

it's individual clients or a group of

29

men, really my facilitation comes from

finding those individuals inside of me

30

and working with the mirror, so to speak.

31

So I actually never feel like I'm

actually working with another person.

32

I always feel like I'm working with

aspects of myself and I feel confidently

33

that's what's allowed me to be a good.

34

You know, coach, therapist, facilitator,

practitioner is because as long as I

35

can find some aspect of Harry within

Greg or some aspect of Mike within

36

Greg, I'm always coaching from an

authentic place and it allows me

37

to really connect with whoever I'm

working with on a deeper level.

38

And for me, just the participation.

39

Participation in my own healing journey

has been really the foundation that's

40

allowed me to do that successfully.

41

Harry Duran: So in some of the stuff

that I've read about your origin story,

42

if you will, you were, it seems like you

were an active athlete at some point,

43

and then you were struggling with, uh.

44

Several things that were help, that

were challenging for you at the time.

45

So I'm wondering, as far back as you

want to rewind the clock, you know, can

46

you talk a a little bit about where you

were in that pre era, um, before you

47

start to, to, to come online and, and

figure out what was happening with you?

48

Greg Schmaus: Yeah, so I was an athlete

as far back as I could remember.

49

Um, initially I was a soccer player.

50

I was a ski racer, but then

golf was really my main passion.

51

And so I left home at the age of 16.

52

And I went to a boarding school

down in South Carolina so I

53

could play golf year round and

it was a golf and tennis academy.

54

And so I, um, spent two years there and

then got a, a division one scholarship

55

to go to the University of Houston.

56

And during my freshman year at Houston

was when I, um, had a physical trauma.

57

Had to have a, um, a surgical repair,

which then after my, um, surgery

58

when I was recovering, I started

having, started having severe anxiety.

59

I started having a lot of obsessive

compulsive disorder, a lot of like

60

ruminating thought patterns and

started having a lot of insomnia.

61

So I started to really struggle

mentally and psychologically,

62

and this really kind of.

63

Took my path in a different direction

where I really wasn't able to, you

64

know, focus on my golf as much.

65

I actually wasn't really able to sit in

a classroom for more than 20 minutes,

66

so I had to take a leave of absence

and let go of my scholarship and just

67

really devote time to my own healing.

68

And so I struggled for a good.

69

You know, 3, 4, 5 years with severe

obsessive compulsive disorder.

70

And it was really, really challenging.

71

And, you know, I went through a lot

of, like the mainstream psychiatric

72

system, but I never really found

any results, through that system.

73

And so I.

74

You know, I stumbled across meditation

and started practicing meditation and

75

instead of hitting golf balls for four

hours, I would sit in my dorm room and

76

I would meditate for four hours just

trying to learn how to work with my own

77

mind and trying to quiet my psyche and.

78

and what I started to learn was,

you know, first of all, I wasn't

79

the thinker of my thoughts.

80

I was the witness or the observer of them.

81

And I started to notice how, you know,

the mind works and how a lot of these,

82

you know, what we call like mental

health pathology start to come about.

83

And eventually I was blessed with

finding the right teachers and

84

mentors, Paul Check being one of them.

85

And, you know, it really set me

on this healing journey and this

86

journey of, you know, self-discovery.

87

And, you know, over time it started to

transition more into also a professional,

88

you know, career and a sense of purpose.

89

And I think that's very common in

this field is where you, you know,

90

take the pain that you've been through

and you turn the pain into purpose.

91

And so that's really kind of my story.

92

you know, that brought me into a lot

of the work that I'm doing today.

93

Harry Duran: I feel, um, and what

I've seen is that athletes have a

94

very, committed, uh, regimen and,

and when they tackle something, they

95

do it with all their enthusiasm.

96

So do you feel like that that, um,

level of dedication and effort that you

97

were putting into the, the, the golf.

98

When it came time to switch, 'cause you

said you went from four hours of hitting

99

golf balls to four hours of meditation.

100

So no one, you know, people

usually don't make that jump.

101

They try to ease their way.

102

Do you feel like some of that training

from a sports perspective helped

103

you when you did find something

that was working for you to go,

104

go ahead, head first into it?

105

Greg Schmaus: I would say it

was a blessing and a curse.

106

You know, the blessing was the

commitment to really, you know, seeking.

107

And discovering and practicing.

108

but the curse is, you know,

when it comes to healing the

109

mind, it's always a paradox.

110

And so when it comes to healing

the mind, the more effort you

111

put in, the more it works against

you, what you resist persists.

112

You know, if I would, you know,

try and get rid of something, it

113

would feed more energy into it.

114

So the, the funny thing is the.

115

The real healing happens in

the surrendering process.

116

So an athlete is always trying

to force an outcome, but when it

117

comes to things more mentally or

spiritually, it's always a paradox.

118

So it's more in the surrendering

process that allows things to happen.

119

And so even though I was putting a lot

of time and energy into, let's say four

120

hours of meditation within those four

hours, it was really just a surrender.

121

So it wasn't really, it was.

122

Like the, the old zen term wa Wu way,

which is action through non-action,

123

Harry Duran: Okay.

124

Greg Schmaus: right?

125

So it was really four hours of

learning how to not do, learning how

126

to surrender, learning how to soften.

127

And so it was.

128

Yes, the, the dedication to it, but

it was also the opposite polarity

129

of what I was used to, which was

the force, which was the power

130

through it, which was the resilience.

131

So it was, it was just the

opposite polarity that I

132

needed to embody and learn.

133

And it's more kind of like the,

the feminine side or the, the

134

yin to the yang, so to speak.

135

Harry Duran: And so did you find

you had to, uh, ease your way

136

into those four hour sessions, or

did you get there pretty quickly?

137

Greg Schmaus: I wouldn't

sit four hours straight.

138

It was maybe over the course

of a day where, you know, and

139

for me, I was quite desperate.

140

So there were times where my mind

was just looping and intrusive

141

and, you know, pretty much all day.

142

So meditation started

to feel like a relief.

143

It started to feel like.

144

Almost like a, a sky of dark

clouds that would stand, that

145

would start to have little cracks.

146

And in those little cracks you would

see a little blue sky or you would

147

see a little sunlight coming through.

148

it took me a few hours a day.

149

To begin to shift my identification

with the clouds, to the identification

150

with the sky, which is the

identification from thought to

151

the identification of awareness.

152

And so that transition was where

I was really dedicated in terms

153

of daily practice because I was

starting to get really relief from

154

the suffering that I was experiencing.

155

Harry Duran: When did you feel like,

uh, you turned the corner where

156

you were starting to see that the

practices and the work you were doing

157

was helping you get out of this?

158

This.

159

Funk that you are in and you know

this, this pain, you're suffering.

160

Greg Schmaus: I would say about

161

three or four years into it,

162

Harry Duran: Hmm.

163

Greg Schmaus: I started to have some

really deep experiences and some, you

164

know, paradoxical experiences where.

165

When I was really struggling with

obsessive compulsive disorder, I might

166

be on vacation with my family on the

beach in Mexico, but because of what I

167

was experiencing in my own mind, I felt

like I was in like a hellish realm.

168

But then let's say a year later.

169

I would be sitting in my one bedroom

apartment in New Jersey and be in this

170

state of stillness and felt like I was

just swimming in kind of like this bliss.

171

Harry Duran: Mm.

172

Greg Schmaus: And I started to really

come to the awareness that, you know,

173

heaven and hell are not places we go to.

174

They're states of

awareness that we embody.

175

And so that was really when I started to

turn the corner, and not just in a way of

176

seeking relief, but in a way of actually

expanding awareness into higher states

177

of consciousness that I started to learn

and discover a lot of deep truths that

178

a lot of the mystics would speak about,

but through my own journey of suffering.

179

And you know, going inward and awakening

through that process, I started to

180

really understand what they were saying.

181

I started to understand a lot of the

Zen teachings and a lot of the Eastern

182

philosophies, and they were very healing

for me to come across because they were

183

explaining what I was experiencing.

184

And so it was probably four or five

years in that I started to really.

185

Not just come back to baseline, but start

to actually move beyond that, um, and have

186

experiences that otherwise, you know, I

couldn't really, um, access or explain.

187

Harry Duran: Was a lot of that possible,

um, because of the, the teachers

188

you were having, uh, exposure to.

189

Greg Schmaus: Yeah, I would say that, you

know, at the time, Paul Check was the main

190

teacher that I was working with and the

main mentor that I was working with, so.

191

You know, I had the, the blessing

of being a client of his for,

192

um, two and a half years.

193

Harry Duran: How did you find Paul?

194

Greg Schmaus: so when I was in college and

I was competing as a golfer, my trainer at

195

the time, uh, his name was Justin Price.

196

He was a check practitioner.

197

Harry Duran: Oh, okay.

198

Greg Schmaus: And so I was working with a

check practitioner at the time, but more

199

on the strength and conditioning side.

200

Harry Duran: Yeah.

201

Greg Schmaus: And so at the time I

didn't know that Paul also did a lot

202

of mental, emotional, spiritual work.

203

but I started doing a lot of research

and I, I felt like he was really

204

the person that could help me.

205

And so.

206

He has a long waiting list, but you

know, it just came to be that he was

207

willing to take me on as a client

and it was, it was such a blessing.

208

Harry Duran: Mm.

209

And then as you started to enter this

world of teachers, like Paul Check

210

was, was that, uh, eye-opening for you?

211

Because, you know, if, if you're not

aware of this world that exists of

212

these teachers that can move you,

you know, to levels that you, you

213

didn't know were possible or teach

you concepts that were, you know.

214

Probably not on your radar when you're,

when you're training, to be a golfer.

215

When you're trying to be a golfer.

216

Greg Schmaus: Yeah.

217

You know, I, I grew up

in a family of doctors,

218

Harry Duran: Mm-hmm.

219

Greg Schmaus: but mostly western medicine,

220

Harry Duran: Yeah.

221

Greg Schmaus: which,

you know, has its value,

222

Harry Duran: Yeah.

223

Greg Schmaus: but it

also has its limitations.

224

Harry Duran: Yeah.

225

Greg Schmaus: And so for me, the

value of Western medicine is in a

226

lot of like acute traumatic care,

227

Harry Duran: Mm-hmm.

228

Greg Schmaus: but when it comes to chronic

conditions, um, it really falls short.

229

And so what I was experiencing

were a lot of chronic conditions

230

Harry Duran: Okay.

231

Greg Schmaus: so.

232

Initially going kind of the

mainstream psychiatric route.

233

Even some physical health challenge

I was struggling with really just

234

wasn't finding answers there.

235

So once I found Paul Check and a

few other people that I was working

236

with, it all made sense to me.

237

Like there was something inside of

me that said their answers here.

238

Like there's truth here.

239

And I think I had the

gift of awareness where.

240

I was able to see the interconnection of

all the things that I was experiencing.

241

I could see how my anxiety OCD and mental

health challenges were, for example,

242

creating a lot of gut issues and digestive

243

Harry Duran: Hmm.

244

Greg Schmaus: and I could even

see how my digestive issues were

245

exacerbating symptoms of anxiety or OCD.

246

So I would start to see the.

247

The interconnections between the mind,

the body, the emotions, and how everything

248

was really one integrated system.

249

And so once I found people like

Paul who were able to really explain

250

that to me, it allowed me to really

understand on a deeper level what I

251

was already experiencing, but maybe

couldn't put the right words to it.

252

Harry Duran: Yeah, that makes

253

Greg Schmaus: And so.

254

On a deeper level, it actually, meeting

the right practitioners actually met

255

the deep need of feeling understood,

256

Harry Duran: Hmm.

257

Greg Schmaus: which is something

that, as a child, I would say I never

258

felt was actually to feel understood

and to find people that speak a

259

shared language that when you speak,

you know, they're actually really

260

understanding what you're saying and

that creates such a deep sense of safety.

261

The nervous system, and that's

where healing takes place.

262

Harry Duran: That's beautiful to hear.

263

Uh, that journey that you've been

on, when did you start to think

264

about, um, moving from being

more of a student and a, uh, to.

265

Helping other people.

266

Was that a slow process one off,

or, or did you start to feel

267

as you were experiencing these

teachings that this is something you

268

wanted to help other people with?

269

Greg Schmaus: Well, you know, the initial.

270

Traumas that I went through and it was,

it was quite a shock to the system.

271

Like it felt like my reality shifted

overnight where I was going from being a

272

division one, a division one athlete, to

within 48 hours just in this, you know,

273

chaotic mental space and really feeling

like I was kind of drowning inside.

274

And so.

275

For some reason inside of me,

I always had this felt sense of

276

this is happening for a reason.

277

There's some purpose behind this because

it's so far out like of left field

278

that I don't have any explanation as

to how I could go from here to here

279

in a matter of a few days without

there being some reason behind it.

280

And so.

281

I was always curious what that was.

282

And once I started to experience

a lot of deep healing, I knew

283

that my purpose was within it.

284

You know, like they say, every

wound is a womb that you know, has

285

a gift that's, you know, ready to be

birthed, you know, from the inside.

286

And so.

287

Even when I met Paul check, he said, you

know, Greg, this is not your therapy.

288

This is your internship.

289

And, you know, those were

really true spoken words.

290

And so I always had this sense,

like, there was something here

291

that I meant to do with this.

292

I meant to share.

293

I meant to, you know, serve in some way.

294

It really allowed me to also not

move into any victimhood where this

295

was happening to me, and to feel

powerless in relationship to it.

296

It allowed me to really use it as a

vehicle, not just to grow and heal

297

myself, but then also to serve others.

298

Harry Duran: Hmm.

299

And so what was that process like

for you, um, as you started to.

300

Figure out what, what it, what it

meant, or what it means to be a, a

301

teacher and a practitioner yourself.

302

Greg Schmaus: you know, something that,

that came through to me in a, actually

303

a recent plant medicine ceremony, which,

304

that every honest teacher must

first be a humble student.

305

For me, the first step to being an honest

teacher is to be a humble student and

306

to always stay in a state of humility.

307

And so I always wanted to make sure that

even though I'm starting to coach people,

308

to always remind myself that

I'm a forever student as well.

309

And so.

310

Like I shared when we started, I always

saw my clients as aspects of myself, and

311

by doing so, the transition was quite easy

because I never felt like I was teaching

312

somebody else or healing somebody else.

313

I was always just working

with the mirror itself.

314

And the mirror just happened

to be a client or a student.

315

Harry Duran: Okay,

316

Greg Schmaus: So, you know, there was

obviously a transition in terms of

317

building confidence as a practitioner.

318

Like I would say where I am today compared

to 10 years ago, I feel infinitely

319

more confident in the work that I

do because when you're just getting

320

started, you're just getting started.

321

so I would say my confidence level

has increased tremendously in my.

322

Skillset has increased tremendously.

323

But even within that, there's still

the deep humility that says, I'm always

324

learning from my clients just as much

as they're learning from me because I am

325

just working with other aspects of me.

326

Harry Duran: Hmm.

327

Did you know what you would be

teaching or how you would be serving?

328

Clients in those early days, were

there specific, um, modalities that

329

you were attracted to more than others?

330

Greg Schmaus: it was a

journey of stepping stones.

331

Like I, I started out actually

just doing more personal training

332

and corrective exercise coaching,

like through the Check Institute.

333

And then I slowly focused a

little bit more on the nutrition

334

and lifestyle coaching and then.

335

After that I went to massage

therapy school and you know,

336

got my massage therapy license.

337

'cause I really wanted to be able

to work hands on with people.

338

Harry Duran: Yeah.

339

Greg Schmaus: And then after that I

went and studied, um, shamanic energy

340

medicine because after doing a lot of

body work for many years, I realized

341

that you can get a lot of results

just working with the energetic body.

342

Harry Duran: Hmm.

343

Greg Schmaus: Rather than just

working with the physical body

344

because it was the energetic body

that was holding the information

345

that was informing the physical body.

346

Harry Duran: Yeah.

347

Greg Schmaus: And then after doing

a few years of that, then I realized

348

that working with the psyche.

349

Was the most important thing because it's

the psyche that's informing everything.

350

It's our thoughts, it's our beliefs,

it's the core archetypes, which is the

351

language of the psyche that we carry that

is really informing everything, in the

352

physical body and the emotional body.

353

And so it was just kind of like

this evolution of awareness that.

354

My, my career has almost felt

like a breadcrumb trail that I'm

355

just following back to the source.

356

You know, most recently it's been a

lot of work with family Constellation

357

because I realized that if you're working

with an individual, that individual

358

comes from a whole constellation.

359

Harry Duran: Yeah.

360

Yeah.

361

Greg Schmaus: So if you don't know

the constellation that the individual

362

comes from, you can't really fully

help and understand the individual.

363

So now it's been working more with

the constellations itself rather than

364

just thinking that you're working

with this isolated individual.

365

So it's, it's been this

organic, evolving process.

366

Um, like I said, it's been following

this breadcrumb trail back to what

367

feels like the source, uh, or the root.

368

You know, we always talk about finding

the root cause and, you know, humbly

369

as the continuation of being a student.

370

It seems as though the source keeps,

you know, going a little bit further

371

back and a little bit further back

and a little bit further back.

372

So it's kind of like Paul Check

says, like, the horizon is you

373

can never reach the horizon.

374

You know, it's always a moving target, so

375

Harry Duran: yeah, yeah, yeah.

376

Greg Schmaus: you know?

377

Harry Duran: So bring us to present day.

378

What's, what's the practice

look like now and, and how are

379

you, you helping your clients?

380

Greg Schmaus: So I work

with people one-on-one.

381

Um, and most of my work is

done remotely, so I work with

382

people all, all over the world.

383

and most of it's done on Zoom.

384

I, I still see some people in person,

but it's mostly a remote practice.

385

I generally work with clients once a week

for, you know, from 75 to 90 minutes.

386

And you know, I, I, I generally, um,

387

try and ask clients to commit to at least

a three to six month process because

388

healing doesn't happen overnight and I'm

not really interested in quick fixes.

389

Harry Duran: Yeah.

390

Greg Schmaus: Um, 'cause people that

are looking for quick fixes are usually

391

people that are looking to be rescued,

392

Harry Duran: Mm-hmm.

393

Greg Schmaus: I'm not.

394

I'm, I'm in the realm of

healing, not, not rescuing.

395

Harry Duran: Quick

396

Greg Schmaus: Um, I've, I've

played the rescuer role too much

397

in the past and it never ends well.

398

Because whenever you're in the rescuer

archetype, you're always locking

399

the other person into the victim

400

Harry Duran: Mm mm.

401

Good point.

402

Greg Schmaus: And the victim, you

know, is the, the archetype of,

403

I'm powerless and I'm interested in

giving people their power back, not

404

taking their power away from them.

405

So that's why a, you know, a three to

six month commitment is usually, What

406

I ask for, for clients to get started,

anything less than that, then you're,

407

you know, you run the risk of getting

into more victim rescuer territory.

408

and so most of my work, you know, the,

the foundation of my coaching always

409

starts with, diet and lifestyle, you

know, 'cause that's always the foundation.

410

You can't really.

411

Do deeper work if, if someone's eating

processed food and not getting to bed

412

on time and not moving their body.

413

So it always starts with the

nutrition and lifestyle foundation.

414

I really like Paul Check's four

doctor system, um, of diet,

415

quiet movement and happiness.

416

and then after that, then there's all the

other healing modalities that I work with.

417

And some of the main healing

modalities that I work with are.

418

Archetypal work.

419

Family constellation work and parts work,

you know, so working with the psyche as

420

a collection or multiplicity of parts,

um, is really, really supportive and

421

it's, it's been incredible doing parts

work with people, in conjunction with

422

Family Constellation work and archetypes.

423

So those are kind of my key

modalities and I kind of sprinkle in.

424

Various forms of breath work and

meditation and Qigong and all

425

the, you know, disciplines and

practices that are really supportive.

426

so that's, that's really what working with

me looks like, in a one-on-one fashion.

427

And then I also have prerecorded programs.

428

So I have my 21 day mental health

program, which is Healing the

429

Mind, A Journey to Wholeness.

430

I have a prerecorded archetype program,

healing your core archetypes, a journey

431

of empowerment, and then I do some

group coaching with, um, what's called

432

the archetype wheel, which you had the

opportunity to experience in Mount Shasta.

433

So, so that pretty much kind

of encapsulates my one-on-one

434

coaching work, group coaching work,

and then prerecorded programs.

435

Harry Duran: Which leads us nicely

into the, the origins of this show,

436

but I'm curious when you started, um,

your own podcast journey, even just

437

as a listener and then subsequently

having people find out about you and,

438

and wanting to have you on their show.

439

Greg Schmaus: So my, my journey as a

podcast listener goes back to, you know,

440

10 years ago when I just started to

get into this line of work, and it was

441

really just a, being a curious student

of all aspects of holistic health.

442

and then my, my journey into

actual podcasting started

443

with, Guest appearances.

444

And so this goes back about six

445

fully in-person coaching practice.

446

I had my own studio

447

Harry Duran: Yeah.

448

Greg Schmaus: and COVID hit

and I needed to shut it down.

449

Harry Duran: Yeah.

450

Greg Schmaus: And so as most, you

know, things happen when a crisis

451

hits, you have to get creative.

452

And so I had to kind of shift gears

and adapt and build an online business.

453

And so during COID and the, the pandemic

was when I got into the podcasting

454

world and started reaching out to ge,

uh, reaching out to podcasters and

455

looking to be a guest on their shows and

started creating my own online program.

456

I had the amazing opportunity to.

457

Work with a good friend of mine,

Josh Trent, who has an amazing

458

podcast, wellness and Wisdom, and

he actually really helped me, learn

459

how to build an online business

and, um, build online courses.

460

And so Josh was actually an

instrumental person in my journey

461

into the podcasting world.

462

My first guest appearance was

actually on Paul Check's podcast,

463

and so since he and I did, you know,

a lot of healing work together, and

464

I'm also a check practitioner, so

being a client and student of his,

465

you know, we did a wonderful podcast

back then and that just kind of

466

opened the doors to many other guest

467

Harry Duran: Hmm.

468

Greg Schmaus: and eventually, you know,

started to build my own online platform.

469

Harry Duran: Yeah.

470

What were those early days like

when you were showing up as a guest?

471

Was it, uh, did it feel natural

to you to share kind of, you know,

472

your expertise on, on a show in

a, in a public format like that?

473

Greg Schmaus: it was always the

same, where initially I would be

474

incredibly nervous 'cause I've always

had a hard time with public speaking.

475

Harry Duran: Yeah.

476

Greg Schmaus: And also I was always

very, very quiet as a child and I'm,

477

I'm a much more introverted person.

478

So for me, getting on stage so to speak

has always felt quite uncomfortable,

479

but I noticed it would take me like

two minutes to get through like the

480

anxiety and the fear and the nerves.

481

And then I found that it

came really natural to

482

Harry Duran: Hmm.

483

Greg Schmaus: and it started to

feel quite effort, effortless.

484

and so it was an interesting

experience where.

485

There was a lot of fear stepping

into it, but once I stepped into it,

486

then things just flowed and I got

into like just really a, a beautiful

487

state where, it would just kind of

come through me quite organically.

488

And so yeah, it was a, it was a challenge

to step into it, but once I did it was

489

really a, brought a lot of joy for me.

490

Harry Duran: So this is actually your

second attempt at, uh, launching a show.

491

You wanna talk a little bit about

the, the first show and, and

492

what that, what that was like?

493

Greg Schmaus: Yeah, so a few years ago, I,

I initially was approached by a friend of

494

mine, um, and he asked me if I wanted to,

if I was interested in starting a podcast.

495

And so at the time I didn't really.

496

Know the territory too much in

terms of starting my own podcast.

497

And I wasn't ready to really

fully invest, you know, the

498

way I'm doing now in this show.

499

And so it made sense to kind of like

do it with someone else, um, and kind

500

of test the waters a little bit and,

you know, maybe did about, you know,

501

15, 20 episodes and it was great.

502

It was a great experience.

503

Um.

504

But that's what I would say it was.

505

It was testing the waters

to kind of see how it felt.

506

'cause also, I, I had this sense

that at the time I was great as a

507

guest, but I wasn't really sure how

it, how I would be as a host, because

508

of my introverted nature to kind of

like hold the energy and hold the

509

container as a host is very different

than answering questions as a guest.

510

So I kind of dabbled in it, but I didn't

really fully commit to it 'cause I had so

511

many other things that I was focused on.

512

And so I would say this is really

the first time that I'm going all

513

in, on really building my own show.

514

so yeah, that was kind of

the, the initial experience.

515

Harry Duran: How does the energy feel now

versus back then in terms of what we're

516

working on together and, and what we,

we've, we've, we've planned and mapped out

517

and your excitement about what's to come.

518

Greg Schmaus: What feels

different now is it, it feels

519

much more refined as a mission.

520

You know, the podcast for

me feels like a mission,

521

Harry Duran: Okay.

522

Greg Schmaus: and some of it relates to.

523

Also where I feel and see the world at

the moment and where the world is going.

524

and so it feels like, like many other

things in life, timing is so important.

525

Harry Duran: Yeah.

526

Greg Schmaus: You might have the right

thing at the wrong time, you know?

527

And so now it feels like the

right thing at the right time.

528

Harry Duran: Yeah.

529

Greg Schmaus: And so really focusing

on mental health in a modern world,

530

with everything that's going on

in the world, it feels like the

531

right time and the right mission.

532

And so it just feels much more

aligned and also much more focused

533

on this kind of topic, which I feel

like is so essential right now.

534

Where back then I was still kind of

testing a lot of different areas, but I

535

wasn't really honing in on this specific

area that we're gonna dive into together.

536

Harry Duran: Yeah, it's so interesting

as we were having conversations

537

leading up to this, you know,

for, for a couple of months.

538

Um, and then as we were getting closer.

539

And this convergence of everything

that's happening in the world.

540

And we're recording this March, 2026.

541

But, I feel it personally,

you know, because I'm very.

542

Tech forward, and I'm very

AI interested, but also tied

543

deeply into the spiritual world.

544

And I, and I see this confluence of

all these things happening and people

545

realizing that, uh, these ais, you

know, are, are questioning whether

546

they have a personality or a soul.

547

And people are wondering if the aliens are

coming are really like spiritual beings.

548

And so we're being overwhelmed

and, and bombarded and, and

549

also the nature of the Always on

socials, the always on 24 7 news.

550

You know, when I was growing up, you,

you didn't know what was happening on

551

the other side of the world immediately,

you know, that, that bombs are

552

being like launched and it, I think

it's just having a, a huge, impact,

553

uh, on, on people's mental health.

554

And so I think, you know, speaking

to, to your point that the timing

555

on this is, is very needed, I think

for, for what a lot of people are

556

going through and feeling right now.

557

Greg Schmaus: there's interesting

research that says the, the average person

558

today consumes more information than

our ancestors did in a whole lifetime.

559

Harry Duran: I believe that,

560

Greg Schmaus: you know, the mind

has to digest, metabolize, and

561

assimilate information, just like.

562

The physical body has to digest,

metabolize, and assimilate food,

563

you know, so food is really just

energy and information, right?

564

So food would be calories

and nutrients, right?

565

So calories are units of energy, and

nutrients are bundles of information.

566

Harry Duran: Mm.

567

Greg Schmaus: So when we're eating food,

we're consuming energy and information

568

going into the physical digestive system.

569

When you consume information on

your phone, you're consuming energy

570

and information that your psychic

digestive system has to process.

571

It has to metabolize.

572

It has to assimilate.

573

And so if you imagine that quantity,

574

Harry Duran: Yeah.

575

Greg Schmaus: you know,

if you think about if the.

576

If the amount of food that we ate

in one day was the amount of food

577

our ancestors ate in a lifetime,

what that would do to your digestive

578

system, it would explode your body,

579

Harry Duran: Yeah.

580

Greg Schmaus: you know?

581

So we are doing that to our

psyche on a regular basis.

582

So it's, you know, it's quite

understandable why there's so much

583

anxiety and depression and addiction

and A DHD and all these pathologies.

584

As a result of just the flood of

information and overstimulation and you

585

know, there's many other factors that

obviously we'll get into on this show.

586

Harry Duran: Yeah, so talk a little bit

about the format that we've landed on.

587

I think we're gonna be doing a mix of,

uh, some solo and some guest content.

588

Greg Schmaus: Yeah.

589

So we're going to have solo episodes.

590

We'll all be delivering a

message, offering a teaching.

591

I'm going to have guests that I will

be interviewing in various fields of

592

mental health and holistic health.

593

so we'll have some guest interviews

and then I'm also going to bring on

594

some volunteers and some clients, um,

to actually do some live recorded,

595

coaching and healing sessions.

596

So it's almost like the, our listeners

get to actually step into the room.

597

Of a live coaching or healing session.

598

So we're gonna have all three, solo

episodes, guest interviews, and

599

then actual recorded, you know,

healing and coaching sessions.

600

Harry Duran: I think that's a

fantastic format because it really

601

gives, uh, the listener and the viewer

like a, a taste of your world and

602

what it's like, you know, for the

people that work with you, but also.

603

There's something dynamic that happens

when you're in conversation with another

604

person who's got an expertise in one field

and you sort, sort of riff off each other.

605

And just from seeing like the shows on

which you've been a past guest, and I

606

imagine some of those folks maybe stopping

by to make a guest appearance on this

607

show, I think, uh, there'll be, um,

this wonderful dynamic of, um, you know,

608

uh, what, what's the saying, uh, steel

sharpened steel or, or our instructions

609

iron, something to that effect.

610

So I'm looking forward to that as well.

611

So, yeah, I'm really excited

to see where this goes and to

612

be partnering on this with you.

613

Uh, right now we've settled

on a weekly cadence.

614

So new episodes will be coming out

every Friday, so you'll have them

615

queued up for your weekend listening.

616

Um, and then I believe we want

to direct people to mental

617

health in a modern world.com.

618

Is that the right UR?

619

Okay.

620

So that's, uh, the, the place

where you'll be able to see all.

621

Existing episodes, uh, and you'll

be able to sign up for Greg's email

622

list and also, uh, see all the

different places you could listen.

623

So it's gonna be available on all

the platforms like Spotify, apple

624

Podcast, YouTube, anywhere you

can see your favorite podcasts.

625

So Greg, thank you for giving me this

opportunity to turn the tables a little

626

bit and, and then just get a little bit

more of a deeper dive into, uh, your

627

background and, and how you ended up here.

628

Um, it's been.

629

Exciting to get to know you and I, I

already know more about you than I did

630

Greg Schmaus: Hmm.

631

Harry Duran: from when we first met,

and I'm excited to have listeners come

632

in, uh, along on this journey with you.

633

Greg Schmaus: Thank you, Harry.

634

Thank you so much for your support and

thank you all to the listeners tuning in.

635

I'm really excited to go on

this journey with you all.

636

Harry Duran: So don't forget,

subscribe, and follow.

637

That's my job as Greg's

producer to keep reminding you.

638

So we'll see you soon on the next episode.