Talking Addiction & Recovery

Austin Taylor never expected a gambling sponsorship to change the course of his life. A software engineer, military veteran, and Twitch streamer, Austin accepted a crypto casino sponsorship in 2021 that quickly evolved from a side opportunity into a devastating gambling addiction. Within two years, he had lost millions of dollars, damaged important relationships, and entered inpatient treatment in...

In this episode of the Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast, Dr. Rosenna Bakari, author of 7 Exits: Leave Behind What No Longer Serves You, shares a powerful conversation about empowerment, recovery, shame, healing, and personal transformation. The discussion explores how empowerment differs from traditional psychology’s focus on pathology and mental illness. Rosenna shares why people often st...

What if the biggest challenges in behavioral health aren’t due to lack of effort—but how systems are designed? In this episode, we sit down with Isamu Pant, author of The Behavioral Health Fix , to explore a practical and refreshingly honest approach to improving care, staff satisfaction, and operations—without waiting for more resources. Drawing from experience in community behavioral health and...

What role can movies play in addiction recovery? In this episode, Ted Perkins—author of Addicted in Film: Movies We Love About Habits We Hate and creator of Recovery Movie Meetups—joins the podcast to discuss how film can become a meaningful tool for healing, reflection, and recovery engagement. Drawing from a background in Hollywood as both a studio executive and screenwriter, Ted shares how his...

In this powerful episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery, we sit down with comedian, filmmaker, and author Lahna Turner to discuss her deeply personal documentary, Come What May , which chronicles the life, struggles, and legacy of legendary comedian Ralphie May. While audiences knew Ralphie May for his larger-than-life personality and comedic brilliance, the documentary reveals the private ba...

Prediction markets are changing the way people engage with risk, information, and even real-world events—and they may be the next major challenge in gambling and public health. In this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery , Abdullah Mahmood, a counselor at Maryhaven in Columbus, Ohio, joins to unpack the rapid rise of prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi. Unlike traditional sports...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rachel Docekal, CEO of the Hanley Foundation, to explore how one of the nation’s largest addiction-focused organizations is reshaping prevention, treatment, and recovery. Dr. Docekal shares insights into Hanley’s comprehensive model, serving communities across 34 counties in Florida through prevention programs, professional education, and treatment services. T...

What if we view someone’s journey through the “mosaic” approach to therapy, where individuals are seen as complex, evolving works of art rather than defined by a single mistake or diagnosis. Scott Stolarick, a Master’s-level psychotherapist licensed in Wisconsin and Illinois with over 30 years of experience in trauma and addiction work, discusses stigma, storytelling, and how writing—from poetry t...

How much Is enough? Is money the ultimate goal and what happens if we get there?  How do we balance the survival of scarcity and the abundance of wealth?  In this episode, we sit down with John Coleman, author of Good Money: 6 Steps to Building a Financial Life with Purpose , to explore the powerful — and often overlooked — connection between money and well-being. Together, we unpack how financial...

What if love isn’t just something we feel—but something we are ?  In this episode of the Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast , we sit down with David Cunningham, author of Your Love Does Matter, to explore transformation, grace, and the lasting impact of our daily interactions.  Drawing from decades of leadership—including 35 years with the Landmark Forum and now leading The Awakening—David s...

Brian Hyman, author of Recovery with Yoga: Supportive Practices for Transcending Addiction, explores how yoga became a transformative part of his recovery journey.  Brian shares his path from alcohol addiction to sobriety and how yoga offered far more than physical movement. Through breath, mindfulness, and spiritual exploration, yoga became a powerful tool for emotional regulation, self-awareness...

In this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery , we sit down with Caroline Beidler, author of When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide to Understanding Addiction . Caroline shares her deeply personal recovery journey, beginning in her teenage years, and how her lived experience shaped her work supporting families impacted by substance use disorder. Together, we explore what recovery...

In this episode of the Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast, we sit down with Ranae Van Roekel — a former federal inmate turned advocate for criminal justice reform and trauma-informed care. Ranae shares her powerful journey from committing a federal crime to finding healing and purpose during incarceration. She speaks candidly about how trauma, addiction, and unaddressed pain shaped her decis...

What does it mean to grow up loving a parent whose mind is at war with reality? In this powerful episode, Pamela Waggoner shares the deeply personal story behind her book, He Never Let Go: Overcoming the Trauma of Mental Illness with God's Love . Pamela opens up about her childhood with a mother living with paranoid schizophrenia and a father overwhelmed by exhaustion and responsibility. She...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Leah Shepherd, Executive Director of Victoria's Voice Foundation, to explore how one family’s tragedy became a national movement for drug prevention education and naloxone awareness.  Founded by David and Jackie Siegel after the loss of their daughter Victoria Siegel in 2015, Victoria’s Voice works to equip youth, parents, and communities with tools...

What does responsible gambling actually mean—and who is responsible for it? Suzanne Trainor, Communications Manager and Public Information Officer for the Arizona Department of Gaming, joins this episode to explore the intersection of regulation, responsibility, and real-world impact. Suzanne shares her journey from working at DraftKings to now overseeing communications and public information for...

With the expansion of sports betting and prediction markets - the question we often get asked is, “What about young men?”  Christina Cook, founder of the Broke Girl Society podcast, talks about the critical gaps in how gambling harm is recognized, treated, and represented—especially for women. Christina shares her lived experience of problem gambling and the barriers she faced in finding recovery...

What happens when healing steps outside the clinic and into ceremony? Paije and Fletcher from ETEREO join to discuss their psychedelic retreat work, which focuses on ceremonial healing using traditional medicines like Iboga and combining clinical approaches. They explained their philosophy of meeting individuals where they are in their healing journey, serving people dealing with addiction, mental...

What happens when outreach stops being passive and starts becoming relational?  In this episode, we sit down with Megan Poliquin, Gambling Treatment and Prevention Program Manager at the ZEPF Center, to explore how her team transformed their community engagement strategy in Ohio. Megan shares how what began as a grant-funded obligation evolved into a passionate mission—one that has reached more th...

Psychoeducation is often treated as secondary to “real” clinical work—but what if it’s actually foundational?  In this episode of the Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast , we are joined by Tom Karl, Founder and CEO of R1 Learning, to explore the critical (and frequently undervalued) role psychoeducation plays in addiction treatment and recovery. Drawing from Tom’s background in corporate lear...

Sports betting is everywhere. But what has the rapid expansion of legalized gambling actually cost us? In this episode, journalist Danny Funt joins to discuss his book Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling . Together, we explore how America’s sports betting boom has reshaped sports culture, media coverage, public health, and consumer protections.  Danny shares insights f...

Dr. Nicki Monti, therapist, speaker, and author of the memoir The Divine Traumedy of Nicky Joy: A True Grime Tale is an artist when it comes to how she speaks and writes about her story. Dr. Nicki shares her powerful and unconventional journey from addiction to sobriety and how humor became a lifeline in her recovery. From pursuing acting in California to running a phone sex business, and ultimate...

What is it like to be in the shoes of a wife and mother who is drunk?  Emily Redondo, Texas-based author with Minnesota roots and writer of the memoir Wife, Mother, Drunk shares her vulnerability about her experiences. Emily shares her personal journey through alcoholism, recovery, and the challenges she faced as a mother navigating stigma and expectations.  Explore the impact of addiction on fami...

Explore how faith-based principles and professional counseling can work hand-in-hand to support individuals facing life’s most complex challenges. Haley Scully joins this episode to take a deep dive into Hope for the Heart’s Biblical Counseling Methodology, the Care and Counsel Handbook, and the organization’s mission to equip ministry leaders, helpers, and everyday believers.  This conversation c...

Do you think you matter?  Dean Sykes does and brings to the discussion his decades-long mission of helping teenagers understand their worth. Dean shares his personal journey—from experiencing trauma and emotional abandonment to finding healing through forgiveness and authenticity. Together we explore the themes behind his book You Matter, including the importance of self-worth, listening, and bein...