The Write Brain

This might be one of the most vulnerable episodes we’ve ever done.Today on The Write Brain podcast, we sit down with actor Johnathon Schaech to talk about dyslexia, shame, Hollywood, sexual abuse, addiction, and what real healing has looked like for him.Johnathon opens up about growing up as a creative, right-brained kid in Baltimore, excelling in art, dance, and sports while secretly struggling in school. He shares how he went from drawing and “breaking” to booking a Franco Zeffirelli film in his early 20s… and then reveals what really happened behind the scenes during that movie — including the night Zeffirelli came into his room.For years, Johnathon didn’t have language for what happened to him. It wasn’t until the Me Too movement — and reading Rose McGowan’s story — that he realized he was a survivor of the same thing. He talks about how that one minute of his life shaped decades of shame, self-destruction, substance abuse, and sabotaged opportunities… and how EMDR, brain-based work, and 12-step recovery helped him finally get free.⚠️ Content note: This episode includes discussion of sexual abuse, trauma, addiction, and self-destructive behavior. Please take care of yourself while listening.In this episode, we talk about:Johnathon’s childhood as a creative right-brain kidDyslexia, remedial classes & the shame of “feeling stupid”Creating games, drawing, dancing, and discovering actingThe wild path from Baltimore to Wilhelmina Models to LALanding a Franco Zeffirelli film — and the casting story behind itThe night Zeffirelli came into his room and how it changed everythingDissociation, the freeze response, and how trauma lives in the brainHow shame drove addiction, bar fights, and self-sabotage in HollywoodLosing a huge role opposite Meryl Streep because of drinkingGetting sober, finding AA, and learning he’s not “broken,” he’s an addictEMDR, brain-spotting & making the unconscious consciousHow healing trauma changed his acting, relationships, and self-worthFinally working shame-free on his TV series Blue RidgeAdvice to survivors: it wasn’t your fault, and you’re not alone

We finally did it — after 50 episodes, we’re revealing The Right Brain Box. This is the kit we’ve spent years talking about, experimenting with, and using in real life… and now we’re putting it into one place so anyone can start balancing their brain at home.In this episode, Ellis and Dr. Robert Melillo walk through everything inside the new Right Brain Box (and the upcoming Left Brain Box): vibration tools, TENS units, visual stimulation glasses, essential oils, brain-specific vitamins, primitive reflex tools, smell integration, and even The Brain Driver.Whether you struggle with anxiety, shame, dyslexia, ADHD, gut issues, overthinking, sensory overwhelm, or mood swings—this episode explains why these tools work and how they fit into right- vs. left-brain dominance.In this episode, we cover:• Why we built the Right Brain Box after 50 episodes • What each tool does — vibration, TENS, smell, vision, vitamins & more • How right-brain dominance shows up (anxiety, dyslexia, shame, sensitivity) • How left-brain deficits affect mood, memory & development • Using sensory tools to activate one hemisphere and calm the other • Why couples should know their brain dominance before having kids (!?) • How gut issues, chronic stress & neurodevelopment are all connected • Early signs of imbalance—and what you can do at homeThe Right Brain Box Includes:• TouchPoint vibration tools • TENS unit for hemisphere-specific activation • Essential oils for smell-based stimulation • Left/Right brain vitamins & digestive support • Eyelights (visual stimulation) • Dry brush for primitive reflex work • The Brain Driver (top-down stimulation device)Why this matters:Most people struggle with symptoms—anxiety, mood swings, gut issues, focus problems—without ever realizing the root cause is an imbalance between the hemispheres. These tools are designed to help you balance your brain, support your nervous system, and improve emotional regulation at home.

What is consciousness, really — and how does your brain build your reality?In this episode of The Write Brain podcast, Ellis and Dr. Robert Melillo dive into the trippy but practical side of consciousness: how your brain stitches together sight, sound, memory, and emotion into a “movie” of your life… and what happens when that timing gets thrown off (anxiety, paranoia, psychosis, false memories, and more).They get into gamma waves (40 Hz), quantum entanglement, parallel realities, why two people can remember the same moment totally differently, and how brain timing tools like the Interactive Metronome can actually help rebalance perception.All of that… plus Jackie’s pastries and Ellis’s croissant cravings as B-plot. 🥐In this episode, we talk about:What consciousness actually is (and why it’s the #1 question in neuroscience)How the brain “binds” sight, sound, memory, and emotion into one realityWhy your brain is really a reality emulatorHow timing issues between the hemispheres can warp perceptionFalse memories, paranoia & “filling in the blanks”Quantum entanglement & the idea of a collective consciousnessHow tools like Interactive Metronome help sync the brain’s timingWhy big life changes (moving cities, quitting drinking) can feel like “timeline jumps”Timestamps00:00 Intro, fasting, pastries & live audience energy 02:30 What is consciousness? Self-awareness & subjective experience 06:30 The “binding problem”: how the brain turns fragments into a single reality 10:30 40 Hz gamma waves & the brain as a reality emulator 14:30 When reality in your head doesn’t match the outside world 19:30 False memories & the left brain “filling in” stories 23:30 Right-brain big-picture paranoia (texts, tone, overthinking) 27:30 Quantum entanglement & universal/collective consciousness 33:00 Timelines, “quantum leaping” & changing your reality 38:00 Interactive Metronome, timing, and balancing the hemispheres 42:30 Wrap-up: how all of this connects back to mental health

Can sound actually balance your brain? In this episode, Ellis and Dr. Robert Melillo break down the science of sound: high vs. low frequencies, why one ear can stimulate the opposite hemisphere, bone-conduction hacks, and how music choice (yes, even Mozart vs. jazz) can shift mood, focus, anxiety, and reading/rhythm issues. We also share quick at-home tests and everyday listening tweaks you can try safely.What you’ll learnHigh vs. low frequency sound and which hemisphere they stimulateWhy listening in your right ear targets the left brain (and vice versa)Bone conduction vs. air conduction (and when bone wins)Dissonance vs. resonance: turning brain “noise” into flowMusic types that tend to be more left- or right-brain activatingEasy daily tweaks: one-ear listening, volume biasing, playlist swapsTimestamps 00:00 Cold open & dinner debrief (Nashville updates) 02:15 Sound ≈ frequency—how the brain “hears” waves 05:40 High vs. low notes: which side of the brain they hit 08:55 Bone conduction headphones 101 (why they help vertigo/reading) 12:20 Jazz, classical, sad songs & what they say about your wiring 16:45 DIY tests: the one-ear trick, volume bias, tuning forks 21:10 Anxiety triggers (honks, dryers) & the startle/Moro reflex 25:30 Building a smarter playlist for focus or calm 30:10 Quick recap & how to experiment safelyTry these quick experimentsRun with one earbud in your right ear for focus (left-brain boost).Swap to lower-frequency, slower music when you feel overstimulated.Test bone-conduction headphones if you struggle with motion/reading rhythm.Notice which genres soothe vs. spike your nervous system—keep notes for a week.Resources mentionedDisconnected Kids (chapter on sound & color) – Dr. Robert MelilloBrain-balance music concepts & left/right-leaning playlists (Ellis’s notes)

In this episode of The Write Brain podcast, Ellis and Dr. Melillo sit down with singer-songwriter and viral bird-watcher Bonner Black to talk about ADHD, maladaptive daydreaming, and the brutal emotional comedown after big performances and life wins.Bonner opens up about panic attacks, self-harm, and growing up as a homeschooled, right-brained kid on a Tennessee farm—plus how bird-watching unexpectedly became one of the most powerful tools for calming her nervous system and activating her left brain.They break down right-brain vs left-brain ADHD, why creatives often feel intense shame and self-loathing after being in the spotlight, and the hopeful reality that you can retrain your brain without losing your gifts.