Free Thinking with Montel

What happens when a healthcare professional suddenly becomes the patient?In this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel Williams sits down with Selena Buongiorno, PA-C, a physician assistant, board-certified Lifestyle Medicine practitioner, clinical researcher, MS advocate, and host of the MSwired Podcast.Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2020, Selena found herself navigating a lifelong neurological condition from the other side of the exam table. Despite her medical training, nothing could fully prepare her for the emotional and physical realities of living with MS, chronic pain, fatigue, and invisible symptoms.Selena shares how her diagnosis transformed not only her personal life but also her approach to medicine, patient care, and advocacy.Together, Montel and Selena explore the importance of taking an active role in your health, the science behind lifestyle medicine, the evolving landscape of MS research, and the power of turning adversity into purpose.In this episode:Selena's journey from healthcare provider to MS patientThe challenges of living with invisible symptoms and chronic neurological conditionsHow lifestyle medicine can complement traditional MS treatmentThe role of nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress managementAdvances in neurological research and MS careWhy Selena created the MSwired PodcastFinding community, resilience, and purpose through MS advocacyWith their shared experience of living with multiple sclerosis, Montel and Selena offer a candid, personal conversation about what it really means to live with a chronic illness while continuing to pursue a meaningful, fulfilling life.Learn more about Selena and the MSwired Podcast:https://linktr.ee/mswired.podcastSubscribe to Free Thinking with Montel for more thought-provoking conversations about health, science, resilience, and the issues shaping our lives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does it take to face cancer four times—including two ultra-rare tumors—and still refuse to let a diagnosis define your life?On this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel Williams sits down with Judith Remekie, an award-winning television producer, writer, actor, host, and four-time cancer survivor whose extraordinary personal journey is one she has rarely shared publicly.Diagnosed with breast cancer at just 29 years old, Judith has navigated a harrowing medical journey while building an impressive career in entertainment and journalism. From interviewing legendary athletes like Roger Federer, Nadia Comaneci, and Chris Evert to producing stories for ESPN, ABC, PBS, Discovery, and other major networks, Judith has spent much of her life telling other people's stories.Now, she's sharing more of her own.Montel and Judith explore the emotional and physical realities of surviving multiple cancer diagnoses, the importance of advocating for your own health, and the role fitness, discipline, and resilience can play when life presents unimaginable challenges.They also discuss their shared backgrounds in track and field, the influence of culture and family, and why surviving a serious illness doesn't mean it has to become your identity.In this episode:Facing a breast cancer diagnosis at just 29Surviving four cancers, including two ultra-rare tumorsNavigating medical uncertainty and advocating for yourselfThe connection between athletics, fitness, and resilienceWhy some survivors choose to keep their experiences privateBuilding a successful career in television and entertainmentFinding purpose, strength, and identity beyond illnessThis is more than a conversation about cancer. It's about courage, reinvention, and choosing how to live after life changes everything.Subscribe to Free Thinking with Montel for more candid conversations with extraordinary people who challenge conventional thinking and inspire us to see the world differently.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when silence becomes a survival skill—and then follows you into adulthood?On this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel Williams sits down with author Rich Dunning for a deeply personal conversation about his new memoir, Silence Was My First Language.Rich opens up about growing up amid abuse, poverty, addiction, fear and instability—and how those childhood experiences continued to shape his relationships, identity and life long after he escaped them.Together, Montel and Rich explore the lasting impact of childhood trauma, the complicated nature of healing, breaking generational cycles, forgiveness, addiction and recovery, and what it means to finally find your voice after spending years learning to stay silent.Rich also shares why he decided to tell his story now, what writing the memoir taught him about his own past, and how he hopes his experiences can help others recognize that they are not alone.The conversation also explores Rich's commitment to helping vulnerable children through The First Language Initiative and his decision to use his work as an author to support organizations addressing child abuse, homelessness, hunger and exploitation.Silence Was My First Language is ultimately more than a story of what Rich survived. It's a conversation about what comes next—healing, purpose, connection and the courage to speak.Subscribe to Free Thinking with Montel for more candid conversations with authors, thought leaders, advocates and people whose experiences challenge us to think differently. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when helping one veteran becomes a mission to help thousands?On this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel Williams sits down with Marcie Polier Swartz, founder of Village for Vets, and her brother, Brad Zalben, a U.S. Navy veteran whose personal journey inspired the organization.Brad served in the Navy from 1992–1999 as a Seabee, trained in welding and construction. After his honorable discharge, he faced challenges that eventually required treatment and support. Marcie stood beside him as he navigated the VA healthcare system—sometimes literally walking into appointments holding hands because of the fear and mistrust they both felt.What they ultimately discovered changed both of their lives.Marcie wanted to use what she had learned to help other veterans. In 2016, the successful entrepreneur and entertainment-industry pioneer founded Village for Vets, working alongside the Greater Los Angeles VA and other partners to help vulnerable veterans move from homelessness toward stability and permanent housing.Since its founding, Village for Vets has helped house more than 1,000 veterans, and in 2026 the organization has been operating at a pace of approximately one veteran housed every day.Montel, Marcie and Brad discuss the realities of transitioning from military to civilian life, why some veterans are afraid to seek help, the strengths and shortcomings of the VA system, the gaps that can prevent veterans from getting housed, and why simply putting a roof over someone's head isn't the end of the journey.Marcie also explains the importance of Village for Vets' Emergency Fund, which allows the organization to step in when traditional grants and government programs can't cover the final needs standing between a veteran and permanent housing.This is a conversation about veteran homelessness—but it's also about family, trust, persistence and the difference one person can make by refusing to let someone fall through the cracks.Learn more and support Village for Vets:villageforvets.orgSubscribe to Free Thinking with Montel for more conversations about health, veterans, leadership, innovation and the issues that impact our lives. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if one of the most consequential wars in American history might have taken a different course? On this episode of Free Thinking with Montel, Montel sits down with distinguished attorney, historian, professor, and author C. Evan Stewart to revisit the turbulent months leading up to the American Civil War—and the largely overlooked role of William Henry Seward. Best remembered today as Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of State and the man behind the purchase of Alaska, Seward was also one of the most influential political figures navigating the secession crisis of 1860–61. In his book, William Henry Seward Saves the Union During the Secession Winter, Stewart challenges conventional interpretations of this pivotal moment in American history and argues that Seward’s behind-the-scenes strategy may have done far more to preserve the Union than history has credited him for. Montel and Stewart explore just how fragile the country was as Southern states began to secede, why Seward believed time, diplomacy, and compromise could prevent further division, and whether a different approach might have altered the path toward war. They also tackle the harder questions: Was the Civil War truly inevitable? When does compromise represent pragmatic leadership—and when does it become morally unacceptable? How do leaders make decisions when every available option carries enormous consequences? And how much of what we believe about history is shaped by the narratives that survive? It’s a fascinating conversation about a man often relegated to the margins of the Lincoln story, a nation on the brink, and what the choices made during moments of extraordinary political division can teach us today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.