Metabolic Mind, a nonprofit initiative of the Baszucki Group, has introduced the Fresh Start Award to honor individuals who have reclaimed their mental health through ketogenic therapy. This annual award provides a one-time prize of $10,000 to support recipients in their advocacy, education, or professional advancement.

The Fresh Start Award celebrates the courage, strength, and resilience of those who have embraced ketogenic therapy to overcome serious mental illnesses. Many individuals facing such challenges often set aside personal and professional ambitions to focus on recovery. Even after achieving robust recovery through metabolic psychiatry, restarting life can be daunting due to the time lost to illness. The Fresh Start Award aims to assist these individuals in pursuing goals that once seemed unattainable.

In its inaugural year, Metabolic Mind recognized ten remarkable individuals with the Fresh Start Award:

Caroline Beckwith

Caroline recovered from anorexia nervosa, one of the most deadly psychiatric conditions, through ketogenic metabolic therapy. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, making recovery not only life-changing but life-saving. She now runs a private coaching business in collaboration with a ketogenic therapy dietitian and serves as a peer counselor, helping others on their own healing journeys. Caroline also shares her powerful story and resources on her website anorexit.com/journey, offering a rare and deeply honest look at recovery through a metabolic lens. With support from the Fresh Start Award, she plans to launch a scholarship program to help others access ketogenic therapy for anorexia — a transformative step toward healing and hope. Learn more about Caroline’s amazing story in her interview with Dr. Brett Scher of Metabolic Mind above.

Neseret Bemient, RN

After experiencing debilitating symptoms from antidepressant-induced bipolar disorder, Neseret turned to ketogenic therapy and found profound healing. Now in recovery, she is deeply committed to educating others about metabolic therapies and holistic mental health. Neseret is the founder of mentalhealthreset.org, where she shares resources, personal insights, and tools for those navigating psychiatric drug tapering and alternative healing paths. She also hosts the Mental Health Reset YouTube channel, where her compassionate and empowering voice reaches viewers looking for hope and real-world strategies. With the Fresh Start Award, Neseret plans to expand her coaching practice and continue building a supportive community rooted in metabolic healing and personal transformation. For more details on her incredible story, check out her interview with Dr. Ian Campbell and Matt Baszucki on the Bipolarcast podcast linked above.

Oliver Seligman

A mental health advocate, speaker, and author, Oliver has achieved remarkable recovery from bipolar disorder with the support of ketogenic therapy. He is the author of Befriending Bipolar, a heartfelt and insightful book that explores his journey with the condition and how cultivating compassion, self-awareness, and humor became key tools in his healing. In addition to continuing his academic pursuits with support from the Fresh Start Award, Oliver shares his lived experience on his YouTube channel, Thriving with Bipolar, where he offers hope, education, and real talk about living well with the condition. His work continues to inspire others who are navigating the complexities of mental health recovery. For a deeper look at Oliver’s journey, check out his interview with Metabolic Mind’s Dr. Brett Scher above.

Robyn Dobbins

Robyn is a passionate health advocate, host of the Less of Me Success Stories channel on YouTube and the founder of Harbinger of Health LLC, where she offers coaching, resources, and hope to others navigating mental health challenges. After decades of treatment-resistant bipolar disorder and a long, painful road of medication trials and side effects, Robyn discovered ketogenic therapy — and everything changed. Through a carefully implemented metabolic approach, she found not only symptom relief but a renewed sense of stability, purpose, and empowerment.

Now in recovery, Robyn uses her lived experience to support others who feel like they’ve run out of options. Her coaching practice combines science-backed nutritional strategies with compassion, insight, and the wisdom that can only come from someone who’s walked the path herself. With the Fresh Start Award, Robyn plans to expand her outreach and continue building a community for those seeking alternative pathways to healing — especially in spaces where metabolic mental health is still underrepresented. To hear more insights about Robyn’s powerful journey in her own words, don’t miss the interview above.

Dyane Harwood

Dyane is an award-winning author and mental health advocate whose journey through postpartum bipolar disorder has inspired thousands. For years, she cycled through hospitalizations, medications, and even electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), searching for relief from treatment-resistant symptoms. Though antidepressants eventually eased the depression, Dyane still felt like she was only surviving — emotionally flat and disconnected from herself and her loved ones.

Everything began to shift when she discovered the ketogenic diet. What started as a pursuit of better physical health evolved into an unexpected mental health breakthrough. As Dyane adopted a vegan ketogenic lifestyle, she experienced renewed energy, joy, and a deep emotional reawakening. She began setting goals again, reconnecting with her daughters, and rediscovering the purpose and vitality she feared had been lost for good.

Dyane chronicles her earlier mental health journey in her powerful memoir, Birth of a New Brain: Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder — a courageous and deeply honest account that has become a resource for others navigating similar paths.

In her recent Metabolic Mind interview linked above, Dyane shares how ketogenic therapy has helped her reduce psychiatric medications, regain vitality, and bring laughter back into her life. She also offers compassionate guidance to those considering this path — emphasizing the importance of medical supervision and support at every step.

Shannon Harwood

Shannon is a dedicated mental health advocate and researcher based in Tasmania, Australia. Her personal journey with bipolar disorder led her to explore alternative treatments, ultimately discovering the transformative benefits of ketogenic therapy. Through lifestyle modifications and adherence to a ketogenic diet, Shannon achieved full remission from bipolar disorder without the need for medications.

Professionally, Shannon has extensive experience in the mental health sector. She has worked as a lived experience peer within the Tasmanian Public Mental Health Services and is currently employed as an early career researcher and project coordinator at the University of Tasmania's Tasmanian Centre for Mental Health Innovation. In this role, she contributes to projects like "No Body Left Behind," focusing on fostering physical health in individuals with mental health conditions.

Beyond her research endeavors, Shannon is passionate about developing the lived experience workforce and promoting metabolic psychiatry. She integrates her peer support qualifications into her ketogenic and recovery coaching business, Mindbody Coaching, where she assists others in managing mental health challenges through lifestyle interventions.

Shannon intends to utilize the Fresh Start award to enhance her coaching tools, attend relevant conferences and webinars, and expand her professional networks, furthering her mission to support others on their mental health journeys.

For more in-depth insights into Shannon's work and her contributions to mental health advocacy, check out her interview on the Boundless Body LLC’s YouTube channel, linked above.

Donika Hristova

Donika Hristova is a Certified Integrative Nutrition and Keto for Mental Health Coach based near Washington, D.C. Her personal journey through health challenges, including struggles with weight, severe binge eating, and the debilitating effects of bipolar depression, led her to discover the transformative power of the ketogenic lifestyle. Through this approach, Donika achieved significant improvements in her mental and physical health, inspiring her to support others on similar paths.

In her practice, Transformation Evoked, Donika offers personalized coaching that integrates metabolic health strategies with mindset development. She emphasizes self-trust, confidence, and personal responsibility, guiding clients toward creating lives by design. Her holistic approach addresses the root causes of health challenges, aiming for sustainable well-being and vitality.

Donika extends her reach through the Transformation Evoked YouTube channel, where she shares insights on metabolic psychiatry, interviews experts, and discusses holistic health strategies. While she frequently features others' stories, her own journey is highlighted in a podcast episode titled "Transformation Evoked—Healing with Metabolic Psychiatry with Donika Hristova!" on Boundless Body Radio. In this interview, Donika candidly shares her experiences and the impact of ketogenic therapy on her life.

Donika plans to use the Fresh Start Award from Metabolic Mind to enhance her coaching tools, attend relevant conferences and webinars, and expand her professional network, furthering her mission to assist others in their health transformations.

Mia Mendez

Mia Mendez is a complex trauma recovery coach and ketogenic lifestyle mentor who has transformed her life and now guides others on their healing journeys. After enduring over a dozen mental health diagnoses—including bipolar disorder—and chronic pain for decades, Mia reached a breaking point in 2018. At 41, as a single mother of four, she discovered the ketogenic diet, which led her to full remission from bipolar disorder and chronic pain without the need for medication. This profound transformation inspired her to support others seeking similar paths to recovery. recoverwithmia.com

In recognition of her dedication and resilience, Mia was honored with the 2024 Fresh Start Award from Metabolic Mind, a $10,000 grant supporting individuals who have reclaimed their mental health through ketogenic therapy. With this support, she launched online support groups via Meetup, providing community and guidance for those on similar healing journeys. Mia continues to share her insights and experiences through her website, Recover With Mia.

For a deep dive into Mia’s story, check out her interview with The Bipolarcast podcast on YouTube and get an in-depth look at her journey in this riveting interview with fellow Fresh Start Award winner Donika Hristova of Transformation Evoked YouTube channel here: Ketogenic Therapy for Bipolar- Interview with Mia Mendez

Nina Carbone

Nina Carbone's journey through anorexia nervosa was marked by resilience and determination. Through the implementation of ketogenic therapy, she achieved significant recovery, allowing her to reclaim aspects of her life that had been overshadowed by her illness. Currently, Nina is attending community college and is on the path to earning her Associate of Arts degree. The Fresh Start Award has provided her with the means to continue her education, symbolizing a new chapter filled with hope and opportunity.

Isabella (Bella) Hyatt

At just 18 years old, Isabella Hyatt has demonstrated remarkable strength in her battle against schizoaffective disorder. Her journey included challenges such as anxiety, depression, and a diagnosis of schizophrenia during middle school. Through ketogenic therapy, Isabella has achieved remission and is now pursuing a degree in forensic science—a dream she once thought unattainable. The Fresh Start Award has played a pivotal role in supporting her educational aspirations, marking a significant milestone in her recovery journey.

The selection process for the Fresh Start Award was highly competitive, with numerous inspiring applicants. Hannah Warren, Mental Health Communications and Advocacy Manager at Metabolic Mind, emphasized that the selection was not based on the merit of an individual’s recovery journey, as every story was equally inspiring and powerful. She acknowledged the privilege and challenge of selecting awardees from such an outstanding pool of candidates.

The Fresh Start Award underscores Metabolic Mind's commitment to transforming mental health care by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. By recognizing and supporting individuals who have utilized ketogenic therapy in their recovery, Metabolic Mind aims to inspire others and promote the potential of metabolic strategies in mental health treatment.

For more information about the Fresh Start Award and the inspiring stories of the awardees, visit Metabolic Mind's official website. metabolicmind.org

Fueling Mental Health Recovery: The Inspiring Winners of Metabolic Mind’s Fresh Start Award