Pondoff's Anonymous

Who this episode is for: Anyone who feels like they were an alcoholic before their first drink Parents secretly hating the newborn phase Therapists who drink alone and pretend it’s fine People who nurse a beer until it becomes a personality trait Anyone who’s ever made a mess of their life Episode 22: Therapist, Addict, Jesus-Lover — Jeff Brenneman Uncensored Strap in, degenerates. This one veers...

Pondoff's Anonymous – Episode 21 Show Notes Who this episode is for: Anyone who woke up with a Great Dane puppy and no memory of ordering it The families still trying to love a tornado in human form Addicts who’ve checked into rehab more times than they can count (Angela’s got you beat) People in recovery, people out of recovery, people still circling the drain Folks not in recovery but who’ve eve...

Crossover Chaos: The Science of Addiction Who this episode is for: Anyone who’s ever stared down their own addictions Families who don’t get why their loved one can’t “just stop” The “I’m not an addict, but I totally have addictive behaviors” crowd People obsessed with the science behind why their brains keep screwing them over Therapy nerds, recovery warriors, and dudes who need to get over being...

Pondoff’s Anonymous – Cristina Preston Episode Who this episode is for: Anyone outworking pain in the gym Folks from good homes who wrecked their lives People with pasts they swore they’d never share Anyone who’s felt like a fraud—addict or not Church kids hiding chaos behind smiles Chris is on a Staten Island ferry, pizza grease on his fingers, yelling at Lady Liberty and eating humble pie ‘cause...

Who this episode is for: • Anyone battling booze, burnout, or both • Moms hanging on by a thread with a wine glass in hand • Those who think “functioning alcoholic” means everything’s fine • Anyone who ever woke up and said, “How the hell did I get here?” • People not in recovery who’ve ever run from themselves and called it “freedom” Episode Title: "Closet Wine & Corporate Flights: Angel...

Who this episode is for: Anyone who thinks addiction can't touch high-achieving professionals 🧠💉 People who think "functioning alcoholic" is a badge of honor 🥃🏆 Those stalling on help because \"work is too busy\" 🏃‍♂️📅 Anyone who's survived a brutal divorce 💔 Healthcare workers, therapists & rehab skeptics 🩺🧪 Family members who don’t get why their addicted loved one keeps spiraling 😔👨‍...

Guest: Victory Palmisano-Bruckner – Hollywood Producer, Stunt Industry Survivor, and Daughter of a Vietnam Vet/Addict Who this episode is for: Anyone with an alcoholic parent or a complicated grief story Daughters who loved their dads even when it hurt Folks haunted by the war they never fought in Survivors of church trauma, spiritual abuse, and Hollywood bullshit Creatives chasing their own IP dr...

Who this episode is for: Those gutted by playoff heartbreak. Anyone who’s blacked out and called mom from jail. Teachers who taught Spanish while sweating out tequila. The sober curious, the secret drinkers, and the still spiraling. And anyone who’s ever run from a strip club tab and lived to tell it. EPISODE 16: “Señor Tequila & the Long Walk Home” (with Kurt Garner) Chris and Jakob are emoti...

🎙️ EPISODE 15: Cam Janssen – "Painkillers, Playoffs & Garth Fucking Brooks" Who this episode is for: Anyone who’s ever played hurt, lived high, or faked being fine Moms who can smell bullshit before you open your mouth Blues fans screaming “LET’S GO!” and flipping off Winnipeg Kids who grew up begging to stay on the ice till the Zamboni chased ‘em off Those who overdosed in front of their neig...

Who this episode is for:Anyone teetering on the edge of “maybe I need help”Parents of addicts who keep asking, “Am I helping or enabling?”People in recovery wondering if they can keep their phone in rehab (spoiler: no)The spiritually curious and the godless skepticsBosses trying to figure out WTF is going on with their flaky employeeAnyone who’s ever paced around their house yelling at a hockey ga...

Who this episode is for: - Musicians living gig to gig, paycheck to bar tab - Anyone who ever tried to quit drinking with “just a few more beers” - People who’ve played on stage… and people who’ve blacked out in the crowd - Friends who’ve called in a wellness check and hoped to God it worked - Anyone who’s ever made a mess of their life and thought, “F***, I can’t keep doing this” Episode 13: 4-3-...

🎧 WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR: If you’re a mom who’s been up all night worrying. If you’ve lost someone and don’t know how you’re still breathing. If you’re in recovery or barely hanging on to it. If you think one more relapse won’t kill you—listen up. This is for you. EPISODE 12 – THE LIGHT THAT DOESN’T GO OUT: BECKY’S STORY We go deep on this one. Becky Evans—our sister, our friend—joins the pod to...

🎧 PONDOFF’S ANONYMOUS – EPISODE 11 Guest: Alex Kaiser | Host of No Lions Here Podcast 🎧 https://www.nolionshere.com/ WHO’S THIS EPISODE FOR? The morbidly curious Anyone whose secrets are getting heavy Partners of sex addicts who want answers Folks untangling faith, shame, and identity People craving unfiltered recovery talk EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Chris, Jeff, and Jakob dive in with Alex Kaiser, a m...

Back by popular demand (and because we promised), we’re throwing it back to an episode that still slaps five years later. Megan Gehrs sat down with Chris and poured out a jaw-dropping story of addiction, destruction, and one hell of a comeback. From sneaking booze in Catholic school basements to being wheelchair-bound with alcoholic neuropathy, Megan takes us on a brutal, hilarious, and brutally h...

Who It’s For The introvert who thinks they can't recover in a loud-ass world Anyone clinging to the idea of "high-functioning" addiction Parents who think “we raised them right” means addiction-proof The one white-knuckling sobriety and thinking it’ll magically stay that way Folks who think jail and liver failure are just someone else’s problem—until they’re not Megan Gehrs is back to defend her Y...

This week, Chris, Jeff, and Jakob throw down on some heavy hitters: grief, addiction, childhood trauma, and what it really takes to get your shit together in recovery. No fluff, no fake inspiration—just real talk from guys who’ve lived it. Chris opens up about a brutal personal loss and how it shook his sobriety to the core. The crew doesn’t sugarcoat it—grief will mess with your head, especially...

So here’s the deal—Chris kicked off this episode saying Jeff’s out ‘cause his kid’s on spring break. Cute story, totally false. Jeff’s actually home while his wife’s doing parent-teacher conferences, because unlike some people, he listens. I guess you can tell who writes these show notes now… With Jeff out, our guy Eric Conley slides back into the studio alongside Chris and Jakob for a special FAQ...

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses suicide, cyberbullying, and mental health struggles. If these topics are difficult for you, please listen with care. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available—don’t hesitate to reach out. This one’s a tough conversation, but it’s one that needs to be had . We sit down with Tina Meier , the unstoppable force behind the Megan Meier Foundat...

Pondoff's Anonymous - Recovery, Relapse, and Real Talk with Eric Conley Chris, Jakob, and Jeff sit down with Eric Conley, CEO of Illinois Recovery Center, for a no-BS deep dive into addiction, recovery, and the brutal reality of getting clean. If you're looking for sugarcoated platitudes, go somewhere else—this one’s raw, real, and straight from the trenches. 🔥 Recovery is a journey—suppo...

Jakob was MIA, playing nurse for his sick girlfriend, so Chris and Jeff held it down. But don’t worry, this episode still packs a punch. Guest: Cristina Preston Ministry Leader at Celebrate Recovery at Connect Church in Fenton, MO. But don’t let the “ministry leader” title fool you—this ain't some holier-than-thou sermon. Cristina's been through the trenches: heroin, crack, drug dealing, debts, an...

Strap in, folks—this episode gets raw. Chris, Jeff, and special “guest” (aka their own co-host) Jakob Miller get brutally honest about addiction, recovery, and the wild ride in between. They dive deep into childhood chaos, learning disabilities, and that nagging feeling of being different. No sugarcoating here—just real talk about alcohol, weed, and the slippery slope into harder stuff like heroin...

Pondoff’s Anonymous – Family, Recovery & The Hard Truth with Kevin BuntenPondoff’s Anonymous – Family, Recovery & The Hard Truth with Kevin Bunten This episode dives deep into the raw, messy, and real side of addiction recovery—because let’s be honest, it’s never just about the addict. The family plays a massive role, and sometimes, they’re just as deep in the chaos as the one struggling....

Brought to you by: Bertarelli Cutlery & Illinois Recovery Center In this episode, hosts Chris, Jakob, and Jeff welcome Nathaniel Carpenter, who shares his journey of recovery from addiction. The conversation explores Nathaniel's early life in Washington, Missouri, the impact of his environment on his choices, and his transition from casual drug use to addiction. The episode highlights the...

-In this episode of Pondoff’s Anonymous, Chris Pondoff, Jeff Allen, and new co-host Jakob Miller discuss their return after a long hiatus, reflecting on personal growth and the establishment of the Illinois Recovery Center.    -They delve into the importance of community support, family dynamics in recovery, and the realities of functioning addicts. The conversation highlights the dangers of moder...

For Episode 38’s show notes, I’ll leave it to the words from a girl I know… “We gathered to remember Randy Hoff, a life that ended way too early. I never knew Randy but I know those that love him dearly. It is inspiring to see their commitment to talk about something that has been stigmatized for so long - suicide and mental health. The only way to save lives is to talk about this. Pain is what pe...