What I Didn't Know: Building the Life You Recovered For

"Gratitude makes what I have enough.” In this episode, I sit down with Chuck Shanlever, a recovery veteran and student of the human experience with over 38 years of sobriety. Together, we strip away the image management of daily life to explore what happens when we stop trying to "arrive" at a destination and finally start embracing the journey. This conversation is an exploration o...

"I realized that my comfort was becoming a cage." Whether you’ve hit every milestone on a high-achiever’s list or you’ve simply been playing it safe on autopilot—have you ever looked at the life you’ve built and realized you’ve lost the person it was all supposed to serve? This week, I’m sitting down with Lily Peterson, who honored her own nudge over a high-level leadership career and a...

This week, I sat down with the incredible Isabel Serafin, and we explored the notion that the "perfectionist" mindset is actually a one-way ticket to the loneliness epidemic. We often treat perfectionism like a personality quirk, but in this conversation, we look at it for what it really is: a barrier to the very intimacy that heals us.  Isabel opens up about her journey as a queer woman...

I’ve spent years realizing that I wasn’t always in a relationship with the person in front of me—I was often in a relationship with a blueprint from my past.   I’m so excited to be joined again by my first repeat guest, Jeff Browning, to dive even deeper into the Jungian psychology of why we love the way we do.  In this episode, we pull back the curtain on why so many of us "self-abandon&quot...

You are an expert in your own experience.  In this raw, soul-stirring conversation, I sit down with Michael Harrell to pull back the curtain on the non-linear path of healing. From our first "deep dive" meeting on a couch to Michael’s current journey through post-traumatic growth, we explore the radical idea that recovery—and life— isn't one-size-fits-all.  In this episode, we dive...

In today's conversation with Rad Marshall, we dive deep into the art of self-reclamation and the powerful discipline of growth. We explore the messy process of breaking old patterns and what it actually takes to stop "self-abandoning" for the sake of comfort. Rad and I break down the literal power of language: the profound idea that your words aren't just describing your life—t...

In this soul-stirring and expansive conversation, I sit down with professional songwriter and recovery veteran Wes Hamil. With 34 years of sobriety and a deep-rooted apprenticeship in Native spiritual traditions, Wes provides a profound roadmap for navigating the tension of the human experience—learning to hold ourselves accountable without falling into self-abuse and finally stepping into a life...

In this episode, I sit down with Mark Martin, who is currently nine months into a deep process of personal transformation and recovery. We dive into the raw, honest reality of what it looks like to dismantle an old life and the vulnerability of starting over at 36—reminding us that "on time" is wherever you happen to be right now.  This isn’t just a conversation about sobriety; it’s a pr...

Today’s Tuesday episode is a little different. No guest this week—just a raw, honest conversation about what happens when things don't go according to plan.  I’m opening up about a technical glitch that forced a choice: scramble to maintain the illusion of "perfect," or lean into the messy truth of my reality. As someone in recovery from perfectionism—I’m choosing the latter. In thi...

Are You Carrying the Weight of the World?  We often use the term "compassion fatigue" to describe the exhaustion of caring, but counselor Angela Melzer suggests a profound shift in perspective: compassion itself is an infinite resource. What actually drains us—what leaves us hollow and reaching for our phones to numb out—is empathy fatigue .  When we over-identify with another person&apo...

“The biggest fight I’ve ever fought in my life was with myself.”  When Joe Singer texted his boss at a beer distribution company to admit he was an alcoholic, he expected to lose his livelihood. Instead, he was met with a simple: “Welcome to Step One.” It was a moment of radical transparency that redefined Joe’s relationship with his work and himself. In this raw and un-sugarcoated conversation, I...

What happens when the life you dreamed of finally arrives, but you’re too "broken" to actually live it? This week, I’m talking with Russ Pollard, a professional musician and DJ who has lived the full arc—from touring the world on a bus to finding a profound, quiet peace in the present. We look past the early days of survival to talk about the practice of presence and what it really takes...

Is addiction a genetic defect, or a survival superpower trapped in the wrong century? In this episode, I sit down with Casey Hyatt, a Master’s level clinician with over 15 years of experience, to look beyond the clinical labels of addiction. We explore a perspective that is both intellectually stimulating and deeply humanizing: the idea that the traits often branded as "disorders" are ac...

"We want what you guys are on!"   That’s what a young couple told today’s guest Haven Thomas while she was dancing sober at a club with her partner.  Their secret? No "magic potions"—just recovery, better company, and a reclaimed sense of self. One of the biggest hurdles to starting recovery is the fear that life is about to become stiff, bitter, and boring. In this episode, Ha...

"She’s not giving me a hard time; she’s having a hard time." We often think of leadership and parenting as acts of control. But the greatest tool you have isn’t your ability to "fix" a situation—it’s your ability to stay steady within it.  In this deeply soulful episode, Talmadge Lowe and I sit down to explore the life-changing shift from living in a "bracing" stance—...

"Our secrets keep us sick, but our truth sets us free."   There is a specific kind of exhaustion that comes from keeping our own secrets. We think we’re being strong by staying silent, but that 'safety' is what keeps us stuck. Today’s guest, Alan Horsnell, lived behind that wall of silence for over two decades before realizing that raw honesty is the prerequisite for healing. N...

Have you ever realized that the 'bag of rocks' you’ve been carrying doesn't even belong to you?   In this reunion, Leah and I reflect on the two years since we met in Bali, diving into the raw and often difficult work of true personal healing. We pull back the curtain on how suppressed anger can hide behind sadness, sharing our own stories of walking away from careers in education a...

Why do we stay in cycles that hurt us? In this episode, we explore the true catalyst for transformation: the moment the pain of staying in a destructive pattern finally becomes greater than the pain of making a change. I share my personal story of recovery, highlighting why "loud" consequences were the necessary factor in my shift and how we often accidentally hinder others by shielding...

This week, I sat down with Reed Hendricks for one of the most moving conversations I’ve ever hosted. We trace his journey from the silence of childhood trauma to a life guided by radical authenticity. Reed shares openly about how gaslighting led to years of people-pleasing and compartmentalization, and the profound internal work—rooted in sobriety—that allowed him to finally find his voice and est...

Is the standard recovery path the only path to a healthy life? This week’s episode features certified recovery coach and digital marketer Steve Sarin, who shares an open, honest perspective, challenging traditional concepts in sobriety to make room for a more flexible, individualized approach. This powerful conversation affirms that all pathways are valid .  We dive into controversial but crucial...

On this week's episode, I talk with Molly Martin, founder of the culinary events company Juniper Green, about one of the most vital acts of leadership: finding the courage to protect your biggest aspirations from the well-intentioned people who love you but sometimes struggle to grasp the scope of your vision. We open with the "Running into the Room" experience—when enthusiasm tempo...

Your life path does not have to be a straight line. That feeling of being "behind" or having a disjointed journey is a common struggle—but it might simply be a sign that you have a multi-faceted purpose, one that branches out like a strong, deep-rooted tree.  In this week’s philosophical yet grounded episode, we explore why embracing a non-linear path is crucial to long-term fulfillment....

Do you feel rigid and stuck, even after years of sobriety? Many reach this plateau, but the key to moving forward isn't just abstinence—it's emotional sobriety and psychic integration. Jungian Analyst in training, Jeff Browning , offers a revolutionary perspective: the parts of ourselves we push into the Shadow (like anger or old complexes) don't disappear; they emerge sideways , ke...

"I think that the essence of reinventing yourself is owning who you are. "  Join us for a heartfelt and profound conversation with Anne Taylor that redefines what it means to age powerfully and joyfully. We dive deep into the silent struggle of cultural pressures surrounding body image and explore how our deepest self-worth is often unnecessarily tied to professional presentation. Throug...

This week, in a deeply personal conversation, Vanessa James takes us through the years she spent quietly concealing her identity. She speaks openly about the emotional struggle of navigating childhood trauma, overcoming explosive addiction within the music and hospitality scenes, and the immense hurdle of a shocking 164-year initial prison sentence, ultimately arriving at a place of true self-acce...