Listen, watch & follow:
Healing doesn’t always begin with answers. Sometimes it starts with the questions no one ever thought to ask.
Before she became the voice behind Smarter in Seconds, Blair Imani was navigating a deeply personal journey through mental health, identity, and belonging, quietly and in plain sight. In this powerful conversation, Blair shares the story most people haven’t heard: the one that came before the platform, the book deals, and the viral success. From early struggles with depression and institutionalization to navigating faith, queerness, and sobriety in public, Blair opens up about what it really means to heal in real time. Not perfectly. Not all at once. But bravely and out loud. This episode isn’t just about one woman’s recovery. It’s about what it means to live at the intersection of identities, expectations, and survival and how choosing joy, setting boundaries, and speaking hard truths can transform not just a life, but a legacy.
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Watch/Listen/Subscribe to the Show:
↳ YouTube
↳ Apple Podcast
↳ Spotify
↳ Instagram
↳ Tiktok
↳ Facebook
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Patrick Custer – Host
↳ Instagram: @thepatrickcuster
↳ TikTok: @thepatrickcuster
↳ YouTube: @thepatrickcuster
↳ Facebook: @thepatrickcuster
↳ Website: linktr.ee/patrickcuster
Blair Imani – Guest
↳ Insta: @blairimani
↳ Facebook: @blairimani
↳ YouTube: @blairimani
↳ Tiktok: @blairimani
↳ Website: www.blairimani.com
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Resources:
Promises Behavioral Health – Treatment for addiction, mental health/trauma:
↳ Admissions: (888) 648-4098
↳ Insta: @promises_bh
↳ URL: www.promisesbehavioralhealth.com
Mental Health America:
↳ URL: www.mhanational.org
About Monte Mader:
Monte Mader is an American singer-songwriter, activist, and cultural commentator whose journey from a conservative Christian upbringing to a voice for deconstruction and social justice has captivated audiences nationwide.
Born and raised on a cattle ranch in Wyoming, Mader’s early life was steeped in Christian fundamentalism and conservative politics. She pursued theological studies in Israel and was immersed in environments that emphasized obedience and traditional gender roles. However, personal experiences and critical reflection led her to question and eventually deconstruct these belief systems.
Mader’s musical career gained momentum in New York City with her band The Big Sky, and her debut EP Skydive earned acclaim for its raw honesty and genre-defying sound. Her work has been spotlighted by outlets such as Guitar Girl Magazine, which noted her gift for healing through storytelling.
Today, Monte is best known for her viral content on TikTok and Instagram, where she unpacks religious trauma, purity culture, and the misuse of political power in faith communities. Her work speaks to a generation caught between inherited beliefs and a hunger for truth, blending education, mental health awareness, and advocacy with her signature empathy and edge.
