Filtrer par genre
Hello my friends, and welcome back to yet another episode of I Love Being Sober brought to you by Camelback Recovery - a proud partner to the most effective way to achieve long term recovery without the pain and suffering and high cost of multiple stints in detox, rehabs, and sober living homes. My name is Tim Westbrook and I am the CEO and Founder of Camelback Recovery here in the always sunny and always sober Scottsdale, Arizona where my team and I over the course of many years have helped thousands of people on their path to long term recovery. I started this show because there is so much misinformation about addiction treatment, mental illness, and addiction recovery in general. There is much more to recovery than just going to inpatient treatment, seeing a therapist, and going to 12 step meetings. Those things are important and AA saved my life. However, to find long term recovery and live happy, joyous and free, there is a lot more to it than just stopping the drinking, stopping the drugs, or stopping any addictive behavior. Sobriety and recovery can and should be fun. That’s not to say that the recovery process is going to be easy and it’s not to say that there won’t be difficult times ahead. However, to live the life that you deserve and for it to be exciting and fun you need new lifestyle habits. New healthy lifestyle habits that promote your mental, spiritual, and physical health. That my friends will lead you to living a KICK ASS SOBER LIFE! Visit CamelbackRecovery.com to learn more about recovery coaching, sober living, and your next step to freedom and happiness.
- 125 - From Rock Bottom to Rescue: Zach Skow's Journey of Sobriety and Salvation Through Paws
I’m honored to host a truly remarkable guest, Zach Skow, whose life story and work exemplify the transformative power of sobriety and compassion. Zach is more than just a survivor; he is a beacon of hope and change. As the founder of Marley's Mutts Dog Rescue and the visionary behind the Pawsitive Change Program, Zach has leveraged his passion for animals to foster healing and redemption. His innovative approach, which pairs rescue dogs with inmates, facilitates life-changing bonds and promotes mutual healing and growth. Zach's journey is also deeply personal. As someone who has maintained sobriety, he embodies the resilience and commitment we celebrate on this podcast. His experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the realm of sobriety provide profound insights and inspiration to us all. Today, we'll learn how exploring sobriety has fueled his mission and how the unconditional love of dogs can lead to profound personal transformation.
[04:23] Before getting sober, Zach's life was completely dedicated to drugs and alcohol. He spent a lot of time making sure he had enough drugs and alcohol to get through the day.
[05:40] He spent a lot of time in the solitude of self-hatred.
[07:51] He also had terminal depression and he now wonders how he got through it.
[08:04] Zach shares the moment that propelled him into sobriety. He was in acute liver failure and everything was going wrong. He needed a transplant and was trying to cope with his own mortality.
[11:04] Things were so bad, he couldn't control anything except for the suicidal thoughts that he was obsessed with.
[13:36] He was at rock bottom and didn't even recognize himself, but his dogs knew he was still there.
[15:57] One glance from his dogs during this terrible time in his life, made all the difference. He stayed up with the dogs, watched the sunrise, journaled, and committed to doing better.
[16:38] Everyday of his life since then has been dedicated to helping dogs. He found a profound purpose outside of himself.
[17:23] Having a purpose outside of himself allowed him to embrace sobriety. He also had to stay sober for 6 months to get a liver transplant. He had to walk, change everything about his diet, and find a will to live.
[18:44] When your energy and mind and spirit are elsewhere, you are required to be present.
[19:28] He also attended 12-step groups and got tools that he needed to stay sober.
[21:03] He also discovered that he liked himself.
[23:30] At first, sobriety was just the means to get a liver transplant, now it's the most important thing in Zack's life.
[27:02] Dogs really made a difference in his recovery, especially in the beginning. You need to introduce structure into a dog's life, so they can be adopted. A person in recovery also needs structure.
[30:22] Marley's Mutts was born out of Zach's struggle to get a liver transplant. He was working with the dogs while waiting for the transplant. After six months, he didn't need the transplant anymore.
[33:02] He started an animal rescue. Marley's Mutts has been around since April of 2009. They have 30 employees, over 100 dogs, and have found homes for more than 10,000 dogs.
[34:55] Zach talks about the four programs that are part of Marley's Mutts including the Pawsitive Change Program.
[35:04] The Pawsitive Change Program came about when one of his buddies adopted a dog after coming out of prison. The dog ended up changing the former inmate's life.
[37:09] There's something about a dog that represents love, compassion, and home. Bringing dogs into the prison really helps with rehabilitation.
[39:13] Zach shares a story about a dog named Smokey who would bite people. Smokey was paired up with an inmate named Jason. Smokey was afraid, Jason introduced him to the world in a new way and kept his needs in mind.
[41:47] Smokey and Jason ended up being rehabilitated.
[43:18] Every prison should have a Pawsitive Change Program.
[45:05] Build your dog's routine into your own healthy routine.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Tue, 16 Apr 2024 - 47min - 124 - The Power of Purposeful Aging: Nourishing Body, Mind, and Community with JJ Virgin
I’m thrilled to welcome a true powerhouse in the world of nutrition and fitness. She is a triple-board certified nutrition expert and a member of the Fitness Hall of Fame. Her passion for the healing power of nutrition goes beyond professional duty; it is her mission to revolutionize our views on aging and longevity. She has an impressive track record of entrepreneurial success, having launched three multimillion-dollar businesses, including a highly successful personal brand. She is the driving force behind the Mindshare Collaborative, a leading professional community in the health industry, renowned for launching numerous New York Times bestsellers, PBS specials, and successful seven-figure brands. Her influence also extends to television and media. She co-hosted TLC’s 'Freaky Eaters' and was the go-to nutrition expert for Dr. Phil’s Weight Loss Challenges. Her expertise has been showcased across various platforms, including PBS, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, Access Hollywood, and The TODAY Show. As an accomplished speaker, she has captivated audiences of over 10,000 and shared stages with luminaries such as Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, Lisa Nichols, Gary Vaynerchuk, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dan Buettner, and Mary Morrissey. Join us as we dive into a conversation with the incredible JJ Virgin, exploring the transformative power of nutrition and wellness.
[05:57] Aging Powerfully: People who are positive about aging live longer. Mindset is key. JJ decided to get in the best shape of her life at 60.
[07:23] Starting around age 30, how we build muscle shifts. Without protein and resistance training, we can lose 3% to 8% of muscle a decade.
[08:20] When we lose muscle, we lose our power. We lose our type 2 muscle fiber which influences everything.
[09:05] We need to train and build a strong foundation.
[11:31] Mental, emotional, and spiritual health ties into physical health.
[14:06] Shifting to exercise and health when you're in recovery will make you feel better than ever.
[15:55] Replace negative habits with healthy habits.
[17:08] Don't be the oldest person in the room in fitness class. We have to continue to progress while aging powerfully.
[18:15] You can progress in your resistance routine by changing the weights and exercises etc. You can also change things up with your other exercises or type of yoga.
[19:29] The true definition of exercise is doing more than your body is used to so that it will get stronger.
[21:34] There's so much to being an expert from knowing the science to having field experience.
[23:44] Mindset is first. The three pillars are food & supplements, exercise & activity, and how you recover.
[27:18] JJ shares how important sleep is.
[29:16] Get curious and pay attention to what works for you.
[30:30] To improve how we age: Have a purpose. Have an amazing group of humans. Move a lot.
[36:25] Speed of stair climbing matters.
[37:05] Alcohol can disrupt sleep and contribute to adipose tissue. It's also a common factor in blue zones.
[39:24] JJ shares her opinion on drinking.
[40:56] The biggest thing that's impacted with grass-fed or wild is the fat. JJ shares what we get when we eat non grass-fed or wild meat.
[44:54] JJ tries to be careful with food, but also lives in the real world.
[47:32] Grass-fed meat is nutrient dense and more lean.
[49:09] We need creatine for explosive exercise. It also helps with mood, brain function, bone health, skin health, and so much more.
[50:11] Foundational supplements include creatine, D3 and K2, fish oil, and magnesium. JJ also likes collagen. And protein powder and essential amino acids.
[54:15] Our bodies can handle acute stress. Our bodies weren't built for chronic stress. This includes not sleeping enough, poor nutrition, and not living enough.
[55:03] Stress raises your cortisol and keeps it up. It also puts you in a catabolic state and makes it very hard to build muscle. Higher blood sugar makes you more insulin resistant and leads to belly fat.
[58:02] Eating healthy and exercise will help with stress, but some mindfulness meditation and breath work is essential.
Links mentioned in this episode:
7-Day Eat Protein First Challenge
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
Wed, 10 Apr 2024 - 1h 01min - 123 - Redefining Recovery: Inside The Sanctuary at Sedona with Dean Taraborelli
I’m excited to have Dean Taraborelli with us. He's the innovative mind behind the Sanctuary at Sedona, where he has developed a groundbreaking method for treating addiction and trauma. This unique, non-12 step residential center in Arizona is renowned for its approach to dealing with a broad spectrum of addictions, as well as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
At the heart of the Sanctuary is its Integrative Addiction Recovery program, a pioneering effort that blends the latest scientific research with ancient healing traditions. This holistic approach treats the whole person rather than just the symptoms. Dean's commitment and dedication have helped countless individuals embark on a journey of healing, empowering them to live fulfilling and enriched lives.
We talk about his personal journey and inspiration for the Sanctuary at Sedona. We explore the moments that set him on the path to recovery and sobriety. Dean shares insights into the core philosophy with an emphasis on health and feeling good. We also discuss the effectiveness of various healing modalities, psychedelics, and more.
[04:33] Dean shares his journey that led to founding the Sanctuary at Sedona. In his efforts to manage his addiction he went to treatment frequently.
[06:03] After many relapses, he started expanding his search worldwide.
[07:06] He realized that he knew more about addiction than many of the counselors, and realized we need a new model of treatment.
[08:04] Sanctuary is a non 12-step program, but it's not anti 12-step.
[09:20] He realized that there was a lot of science that could be applied to getting well and improving mental health.
[10:29] The mind-body connection is indisputable. Our unconscious mind is more powerful than our conscious mind. The holistic approach enhances the other treatment methods.
[12:06] The mind influences the body.
[13:24] Reprogramming the unconscious mind. Repetition, constant hypnosis, and different meditative states. Breath work.
[14:28] The nervous system can be accessed without talking about a lot of stuff. The nervous system is energy. When we begin to understand what influences this energy the work begins.
[15:46] Trauma is stored in our brain and affects all of the decisions we make, especially in a time of stress.
[16:54] We need to work on the monologue that makes our inhibitions.
[17:34] The program drew from experts like David Perlmutter, Mark Hyman, and Joe Dispenza.
[18:27] At Sanctuary people are treated with loving, kindness, and care.
[19:21] Dean went to a conference in Sedona and ended up meeting his future teacher. It was like his talk was for him.
[20:42] Energy medicine dissipates charge.
[22:24] Dean's recovery path is like his wellness path. Recovery means being no longer defined by the use of the substance.
[23:46] A daily process of health translates into recovery.
[29:12] The connection between the gut and the brain. Depression and anxiety being caused by inflammation.
[31:37] For aftercare, the Sanctuary likes the focus on what makes people feel good when finding support.
[33:43] The core philosophy behind the Sanctuary. Every thought changes the brain so use it to your advantage.
[35:42] We can up regulate and down regulate genes. They focus on getting to the root cause also.
[39:01] Inflammation is usually a metabolism related thing.
[41:30] Some of the most impactful modalities utilized at Sanctuary include a combination of modalities that help quiet the brain and open up the possibilities of different neural networks.
[52:34] Psychedelics work on the higher brain as opposed to alcohol or marijuana. What we take is a very personal choice.
[56:50] Helping people and giving them different ideas and strategies for recovery is Dean's goal.
[57:22] Recovery is much better on the other side, and the process isn't going to be as bad as you think it could be.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Dean Taraborelli LinkedInGrof Transpersonal Training
Tue, 05 Mar 2024 - 1h 01min - 122 - The Gift of Continued Relapse with Cole Chance
Today, we explore the inspiring journey of Cole Chance. Her transformation from the depths of addiction into a beacon of hope in the recovery world is both challenging and enlightening. As a trauma-informed yoga instructor, she skillfully blends the wisdom of yoga and Buddhism with insights from modern neuroscience and psychology. Her approach prioritizes compassionate self-inquiry, guiding students to explore their mind and body for deeper understanding and freedom. This episode delves into Cole's philosophy and teachings, shedding light on how to navigate life's complexities with grace and self-compassion.
Cole's journey began at age 13, marked by numerous treatment programs and relapses before she acknowledged her addiction and the need for change. A significant turning point was her discovery of yoga during treatment, which played a crucial role in managing her stress and breathing. We also discuss the concept of nervous system allyship in recovery, emphasizing the importance of recognizing our mental states and actively learning how to shift them when necessary. Cole's story highlights the profound impact of self-awareness and mindful practices in overcoming addiction.
[05:01] Cole was having social anxiety, and the minute she began drinking she felt better. She was 13.[06:25] She felt so great, she decided that she would do it forever.
[08:55] She grew up and was living in Santa Cruz, and she started drinking vodka and orange juice in the morning. She was also hiding drinking from her partner who was also a big drinker.
[12:08] After getting a DUI, she had court ordered treatment. She went to treatment six or seven times, but she wasn't supposed to be there.
[12:57] Cole shares her first AA meeting experience.
[15:04] She had a seizure but blamed it on stress.
[15:37] She had a pattern of going to treatment whenever she hit a wall, but then after sobering up a bit she realized she wasn't supposed to be in treatment.
[19:23] She didn't want to admit that she had a problem, because then she would have to do something about it.
[25:55] She had repeated relapses and the alcohol wasn't making her feel better.
[27:16] A friend said that she was going to come to a point where she could either be high or happy.
[28:02] This realization was when she called a sober living facility and asked for help.
[29:28] Her first job was to make it sober for 3 days. That was 10 years ago.
[30:39] Our lives are a culmination of what happened before so the previous treatments did build.
[31:19] Just because you relapse, treatment isn't for nothing.
[35:49] Yoga during her treatment really had an affect on her.
[39:32] Yoga is great for the stress of recovery, and it regulates your breath.
[43:09] Tim talks about the benefits of a cold plunge and how it can be similar to yoga.
[43:30] Nervous system allyship in recovery. The nervous system and brain like to work in patterns and being an ally means you're working with your nervous system.
[47:18] We shut down when we are in danger. We can mobilize our energy to make something change or just give up.
[48:40] It's healthy to be able to move through all of the different states that we go through.
[49:46] When we understand how we respond, we can do things to help us recreate better patterns. We become an active operator of our nervous system.
[50:45] Understand how your nervous system responds and then find ways to settle down. If you're anxious, you can hum. This will help stimulate the vagus nerve. Shaking can also help.
[51:53] If you're shut down, you need to use energy to get to the green. Invite some movement to move into yellow, and then you can move into green.
[53:42] Whatever state our nervous system is in will be the reality that we see.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Tue, 26 Dec 2023 - 58min - 121 - How To Help Yourself And Others Transform Beyond Addiction With Deanne Adamson
I’m delighted to introduce Deanne Adamson, founder of Being True to You, a groundbreaking program transforming addiction recovery. Deanne combines her extensive background in Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Philosophy, Theology, Psychotherapy, and Personal Development with her experiences in family services and victim advocacy.
Her innovative approach aims to revolutionize addiction recovery by offering a dynamic, purpose-driven, and results-oriented platform. This platform not only combats addiction but also challenges the associated stigma, inspiring intrinsic motivation in individuals. Join us in exploring this transformative journey with Deanne Adamson.
We talk about a multifaceted approach to addiction recovery. Deanne emphasizes the importance of recognizing addiction, committing to change, and actively working through the process. She outlines practical steps including building a support team, self-reflection on addiction's impact, and understanding addiction as a progressive condition often exploited in our culture. We also discuss the role of psychedelic therapies in self-assessment, lifestyle examination, and more. .
[06:57] Deanne likes to help people find inner and outer steps they can take to help themselves.
[08:41] These steps include conceding that addiction has happened and accepting that it's going to be a process to get out of it.
[09:26] Pledge to change and make it personal to you so that it can drive your recovery.
[10:02] Start the work and work with the material as it comes up.
[10:53] External steps include building a support team, finding who you can trust, identifying your support team and finding three people you can confide in.
[11:41] Write down where addiction has a hold of you and what you can do about it.
[13:15] Deanne talks about how addiction is externalizing your problems and solutions and getting attached to a certain thing for a feeling or belief. It's a progressive condition that continues to take over your mind.
[15:14] Addiction is something you do repeatedly in spite of negative consequences.
[16:24] A lot of people get addicted because the phenomenon of addiction is exploited in our culture.
[22:25] Deanne values the work and transformation not the quick fix which is the trap of addiction.
[23:39] Psychedelic therapies can be really helpful with taking an inventory of oneself and assessing where your mind is at. A person can pull apart their lifestyle and look at what they are doing that creates the conditions they are in today.
[25:36] The long-term solution is to feel good on the other side of it.
[27:23] When you work with a coach who understands addiction they'll understand what you're going through.
[31:16] The medicine is going to open doors and windows and help show you what you need to do.
[34:14] Getting and staying sober takes finding a new path in life.
[42:09] The armor that is protecting our self includes anger, projections, resistance, and emotion in general.
[45:41] The ego can create a protective armor and we won't want to let people in.
[47:49] We talk about incremental changes in transformational recovery. Taking the stairs, not the elevator.
[53:08] We talk about how great it feels when you are able to achieve any goal, even a small one.
[54:49] To really help someone you need to get into a place of compassion. Autonomy is also important.
[01:01:59] Deanne shares what they do at Being True to You, her coaching company.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything
833-379-0070
Tue, 19 Dec 2023 - 1h 05min - 120 - Understanding Porn Addiction with Jeremy Lipkowitz
There's a growing body of research that suggests porn addiction is on the rise. Jeremy Lipkowitz, a former porn addict, now dedicates his life to helping others overcome their struggles. As a meditation instructor and digital habits expert, Jeremy is committed to guiding men on a journey of mind mastery and the development of fulfilling relationships.
He helps men combat porn addiction and carve out a life filled with purpose and integrity. His work has been featured in publications like Men's Health Magazine and Livestrong. He also pioneered the Unhooked Recovery program, a 30-day transformative experience aimed at breaking the chains of addiction.
Jeremy's background as a Buddhist monk and his credentials as an ICF-certified Executive Coach underpin his approach. Join us as we dive into a conversation with Jeremy, who is here to share his insights on achieving personal mastery and peak performance, through the power of self-love and scientific principles.
[04:51] Jeremy started looking at porn at a young age and overtime it progressed to addiction.
[07:18] The negative effects of porn addiction build up over time.
[08:17] Jeremy shares when he realized that porn was a problem.
[10:57] He realized that he would never be happy if he was always craving sex with new people.
[11:25] Suffering is the feeling of wanting something you don't have. He was creating this suffering by watching so much porn.
[12:18] He was creating super highways of lust.
[12:54] One of the things that porn does is make you addicted to novelty, instead of cultivating a deep relationship with a person.
[13:59] Meditation is a way of training the mind.
[18:36] Mindfulness is a present moment of awareness of what is happening in an open and spacious way that's not trying to push any experience away or hold on to any experience.
[19:13] Awareness of any of your senses or an emotional state and the orientation you have towards that experience.
[21:53] Awareness is 90% of transformation.
[23:08] Jeremy practices Vipassana, or insight meditation. At a retreat, you do nothing but sit and walk for 10 days. You are really present with what's happening.
[25:45] You feel a deep peace when you don't need anything more.
[29:05] Jeremy has spent 10,000 hours watching porn, and he knows what it is like. He's put in the work, and it's his life's passion to help people with addiction.
[37:18] Porn takes away the sexual energy that you're giving your partner and puts it into porn.
[37:55] If you can stop for 30 days, you likely aren't addicted.
[41:10] Letting go of shame is important. A lot of Buddhism is just looking at what are and aren't wholesome mind states to cultivate.
[48:06] Mindfulness helps with recovery by giving you a choice about how you want to live.
[51:03] Jeremy shares his morning routine.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Jeremy Lipkowitz | Unhooked Podcast Instagram
Discovery Call for 1:1 Coaching
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation
Tue, 28 Nov 2023 - 57min - 119 - Avoiding Mineral Deficiency
Have you ever wondered if your vitamins are working or not? My guest today has the answers. Barton Scott is a biochemist, inventor, and founder of Upgradedformulas.com. In 2015, using his chemical engineering background, Barton crafted a new type of mineral known as Stabilized Nano Minerals.
These minerals are easily absorbed by the body without regular digestion. Plus, his at-home hair analysis testing helps pinpoint nutrient deficiencies, making it easier to address them. Barton is deeply committed to helping people tackle daily stress, sleep issues, hormonal imbalances, and more.
He shares a poignant personal journey inspired by the loss of his mother, underscoring the vital role of mineral balance in our health and emotions. We also touch on the significance of dietary sodium, highlighting the benefits of sea salt. Join us for a captivating exploration into the nexus of nutrition and well-being.
[04:49] Barton is a chemical engineer, and he studied nutrition. He built a process using nanotechnology equipment to improve mineral absorption.
[07:43] He produces an encapsulated gel to help minerals absorb into the bloodstream.
[08:10] He's now writing a book about how nutrition becomes personality. Our energy levels are determined by us and what we consume.
[09:27] Too much iron can cause personality shifts. Lack of magnesium will give you anxiety.
[11:30] We can't help but be addicted if we're missing things. Testing is the first step.
[11:55] Barton's passion was inspired from losing his mother. He was involved with nutrition for himself and his loss of his mother.
[14:35] Problems with mineral absorption affect almost all bodily functions. Testing can give a map of what minerals we need.
[18:37] Hair is tissue and tests with hair are stable.
[20:49] Lack of lithium can cause anxiety. Minerals are also water soluble.
[25:46] Naturopaths actually study nutrition and are likely to give good advice.
[27:27] Upgraded mood has lithium in it.
[29:53] The hair test looks at the hair closest to your scalp. The test is redone every 3 months.
[30:30] The Dutch test is an adrenal test.
[32:16] Some minerals do have lower absorption rates. Some nutrients compete with other nutrients for receptor sites.
[32:55] We need sodium, and sea salt is the best type because it has trace minerals.
[33:51] Barton talks about iodine and our thyroids. People in Japan eat 15 mg of iodine a day.
[37:55] Minerals activate the pathways that vitamins need. Boron activates vitamin D.
[38:27] Barton talks about chelated vitamins and minerals.
[40:21] We talk about Quinton Hypertonic. Upgraded T shows improvements in fertility issues.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Upgraded Formulas Use Code BARTON10 at checkout!
Tue, 21 Nov 2023 - 47min - 118 - Stigma, Shame, and Secrecy
I’m excited to continue my chat with Mary Tilson. Just yesterday, I was on her show, and we discovered we have so much in common. In 2013, Mary overcame alcohol and drug addiction and has since dedicated herself to assisting others on their journey to sobriety. After reshaping her life, she made it her mission to guide others towards recovery, founding Sun and Moon Sober Living—a community rooted in holistic healing.
As an E-RYT 500 Yoga & Meditation Teacher, a certified Professional Recovery Coach, and an International Retreat Leader, Mary draws from a rich tapestry of ancient traditions combined with modern science. When she's not imparting her wisdom, she can often be found soaking in nature's lessons amidst the majestic mountains of Colorado, where she calls home. Join us as we delve into her inspiring journey.
[05:11] Mary didn't think she had a problem until she went to college and started experimenting with various drugs. She was blacking out and ended up in terrifying situations.
[08:36] She desperately needed help, and called her mom asking for help.
[10:01] She also went to yoga daily. When she went back to school, she started drinking and using drugs again, but yoga was also a big part of her life.
[11:16] She had no concept of what someone young would do with their life if they were sober.
[11:36] After graduating, she got a job in digital advertising.
[13:04] She started doing cocaine late at night. She went to work after being up all night and realized that this wasn't working.
[18:58] Trauma informed yoga and meditation. Yoga has an incredible ability to support people during healing. It gives people choice and helps them adapt and make the practice their own.
[20:12] Movement is more than just working on the physical body. Yoga helped Mary with her recovery.
[23:48] Fitness is mental, emotional, and spiritual.
[28:25] Awareness being clean and sober. What are you numbing from?
[30:18] The difference between trauma informed yoga and regular yoga.
[33:56] Mary talks about the importance of mindfulness in recovery.
[36:06] Understanding our nervous system and regulating. Without substances, we do need tools to regulate.
[41:12] Mary loves cold plunges and healthy stressors. Mentally you are safe even though it's cold. It's a peaceful state.
[46:46] The importance of embracing multiple pathways to recovery. It's not one size fits all.
[50:48] Recovery is a program of action.
[51:17] When it comes to habit change, making it small is much more doable. Consistency is also important to carve out new pathways in the brain.
[54:04] There's a lot of positive reinforcement when you are sharing your wins.
[57:50] Having a sober community is really important, because we need that sense of connection.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Sun and Moon Sober Living Instagram
Sun & Moon Sober Living Podcast
Recovery Through Relapsing With Brandon Lee
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything
Tue, 14 Nov 2023 - 1h 02min - 117 - Removing Invisible Armor With Ash Butterss
Isn’t it time we remove the stigma around mental health, trauma, and addiction? That’s the mission of my guest Ash Butterss, a holistic transformation coach and the visionary behind "Behind The Smile" – a podcast tackling this stigma.
After choosing sobriety in 2020, Ash left her corporate world, immersing herself in self-development and spearheading the fight against addiction-related stereotypes. Now, combining her skills in yoga and meditation, Ash aids individuals in realizing their utmost potential and cultivating a purpose-driven life.
We talk about the inspiration behind "Behind the Smile," Ash's personal journey that fueled her passion for recovery, the essence of holistic transformation, and her credentials in the field. We delve into the practices essential for deep self-connection, Ash's morning routine, and the pivotal role yoga and meditation play in her healing journey.
[05:10] Ash created “Behind The Smile” to smash through the stigma of addiction.
[07:43] When Ash realized that she was an alcoholic, she also realized that more people needed to feel safe in order to step out and admit they had an addiction.
[09:51] Ash was a daily drinker for two years and depended on alcohol to numb reality. Eventually, she became physically dependent on it.
[10:08] February 14th, 2020 was when Ash realized it was time to make a change.
[19:02] We talk about relapses. You don't lose the knowledge. Relapse is part of the journey.
[20:36] The 'gift of desperation' helped Ash stay sober. Having a solution and being willing to do the work helped too.
[22:14] She spent 3 weeks as an inpatient. When she got out COVID started and everything shut down.
[24:39] Vulnerability and opening up is a gift of recovery. 12 Step is a beautiful environment to learn to trust. Ash has connected to her authentic self.
[29:51] There are so many amazing things we get to do when we are in recovery.
[30:15] Holistic transformation is the connection between mind, body, and spirit. Getting clean and sober was essential in order to do the deeper work.
[31:01] Removing the alcohol made Ash realize that she had some trauma and things to process.
[31:35] The holistic transformation model looks at the three sides of mind, body, and spirit. Coping mechanisms create invisible armor.
[32:48] The armor weighs you down and prevents you from allowing people to get in. It also prevents you from connecting with your heart.
[33:10] The first thing we have to do to remove the armor is to create awareness.
[34:37] The shame we carry isn't ours and we hand it back over. We also need to learn to question our conditioned thoughts.
[41:05] After Removing alcohol, Ash had to find things to fill the hole. Yoga and meditation became a big part of her life.
[42:28] Steps to cultivate a deeper connection with self.
[46:50] Breathwork has changed Ash's life.
[48:15] Ash shares her morning routine.
[56:01] Reaching out to someone is the most powerful thing you can do.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Tue, 07 Nov 2023 - 59min - 116 - Respect: What does it mean and what does it feel like?
Mike Domitrz has been a featured expert on shows like "Dateline NBC" and frequently quoted in renowned publications like the Wall Street Journal. He is the Founder of The Center for Respect, an acclaimed author, and Hall of Fame speaker. It’s his mission to traverse the globe each year sharing valuable insights with countless businesses, organizations, educational institutions, and even the US military.
He is one of the preeminent voices on the topic of RESPECT. In our conversation today, we'll delve into what drives Mike's passion, who can benefit from his insights, and address prevalent myths about respect. We'll also discuss the standards he believes in and offer guidance for parents and individuals navigating complex topics related to respect.
[04:43] The only way someone can say they are an expert is if the industry says that they're an expert. Mike is referred to as the subject matter expert on respect.
[05:43] When Mike was in college, he found out that his sister was raped. Mike started studying and discovered that consent was something that had to be asked for.
[07:44] Mike wanted to speak about consent and respect. This was 33 years ago.
[09:09] While in college he spoke full-time. He knew society wasn't ready and he took a break.
[10:04] In 2002, he sold his business and decided to start speaking again. He had a family of six to support and no income.
[10:58] Going all in to succeed was the right approach for Mike.
[17:49] Mike shares his audience. He speaks to schools, parents, universities, corporations, and the military.
[18:54] When people feel respected at the office they are way more likely to be happy and do a good job.
[22:08] Mike shares what he teaches about respect to the different groups.
[24:26] One of the big lessons Mike teaches is how to say no.
[26:32] The biggest myth around respect is that it's earned. Everyone should be seen and valued in the workplace.
[28:32] The ideal sexual standard for people. We know what we don't want. We need to know what we want.
[29:52] Consent is the bare minimum requirement, not the standard of excellence when it comes to whether to have sex or not.
[31:08] Mutually amazing consensual sex is the point. This shifts the standard.
[33:51] Consent is a very low bar to teach to our kids as the standard.
[35:24] Sexual decision making has never been confronted in a room by a speaker. This is a triggering discussion for many.
[36:20] One of the most common mistakes that parents make when discussing respect is the part about making people respect you. When someone doesn't treat you with respect, move on to someone that does. You deserve to always be treated with respect.
[40:24] Answer honestly on a date. Be authentic.
[42:04] We don't have to say sorry, when saying no to sex. It's okay to say not tonight.
[45:49] Overcoming that feeling that you owe someone sex. Saying no isn't rejecting someone, saying no is honoring your body.
[50:45] We talk about sex and fulfillment at different stages of life.
[52:34] What do we do from here? Step back and talk to your partner about having mutual amazing sex.
Links mentioned in this episode:
(800)329-9390
Tue, 31 Oct 2023 - 57min - 115 - Sobriety Is A Journey With Pete Sousa
Pete Sousa is the host of the The Payoff with Pete podcast. A podcast for anyone who is working on or thinking about getting sober. He also calls games for ESPN. Pete has been sober for 12 years and is passionate about carrying his message of enjoying a sober lifestyle. Pete’s sobriety was a journey that included ups and downs. His inspiring message is for anyone who needs motivation to continue on their personal sobriety journey.
Some of the things we talk about include: What was Pete's upbringing like and when did he first realize he was an alcoholic? We delve into his professional journey with ESPN and the inspiration behind “The Payoff with Pete”. We also discuss the intriguing concept of “the gift of desperation” and how relapses fit into the recovery journey. Join us as we unravel these topics and more in today's episode.
[06:47] Pete grew up outside of Philadelphia. He had a good life, but his dad was an alcoholic.
[09:39] As a kid, Pete was on Adderall, and it made him feel great.
[11:46] He discovered in high school that alcohol took away his nerves and anxiety. He drank when he could.
[14:14] He also found his mom's old prescriptions and took them.
[15:27] Pete found out he had cardiomyopathy which messed up his football career.
[16:35] Pete realized he was an alcoholic early in high school and college.
[20:11] Talking about your story of sobriety helps you stay sober.
[21:14] After college, Pete took ecstasy. He also got a job and moved to New York.
[22:45] Pete didn't like how he was when he was addicted. Pete started doing cocaine in 2000, and by 2002, he was back at home living with his parents.
[25:02] He took his dad's car and got stopped by the police. The next day he ended up at AA.
[26:14] The meetings started to work and he kept going. He still hung out with his old friends, smoked weed, and began drinking again.
[28:03] He continued drinking for years and when he tried to stop it was hard. He ended up with broken relationships, trouble with the law, and a lot of different problems.
[30:25] It was finally time for him to go to treatment. After going to rehab, he began to change.
[31:37] He had a major shift in his life when he finally became coachable. He listened to people who had a life that he wanted to have.
[33:24] Breaking up while he was in treatment was one of the best things that happened to him. He left a toxic relationship.
[35:28] After his 30 days of rehab, he went to an extended care center.
[36:46] Pete started feeling great in sobriety and chased that feeling the same way he used to chase the alcohol and the drugs.
[37:24] He thought he was above working at KFC, but he got a job there anyway.
[40:08] Recovery jobs help you go all in. His KFC job gave him confidence and humility.
[43:41] After recovery, Pete began getting opportunities that he thought he would never get again. He ended up calling games and doing broadcasting jobs.
[45:31] After being 4 years sober, he got another job with the Hornets. He also saw Michael Jordan again.
[51:13] November 7th, 2011 was Pete's sobriety date.
[52:28] Framing recovery as a journey.
[53:16] The "gift of desperation" was when Pete began to embrace the journey and go to any lengths to get sober.
[58:23] Pete's suggestions for newcomers includes being honest.
[01:00:33] The Payoff With Pete podcast is about sobriety and inspiring people who want to get sober.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Peter Meyerhoff: A Story of Redemption and Drive
Addiction And Mental Illness Can Take Hold Of Anyone But It DOES NOT Have To Define Who You Are
Recovery Through Relapsing With Brandon Lee
Tue, 24 Oct 2023 - 1h 03min - 114 - Sober Friends
Matt Jerr, host of the Sober Friends Podcast is here to talk about his experience and strength on his sober journey. We dive into when he realized he was an alcoholic, why he decided to get sober, and what makes him an expert on sobriety and recovery. We also talk about why he considers himself a “high bottom drunk”.
The Sober Friends Podcast is a weekly show where you can listen to inspiring and honest conversations about sobriety, recovery, and wellness. This podcast is for anyone who wants to learn more about living a sober and fulfilling life. I was on this podcast a few weeks ago, and now it’s time to learn more about Matt.
[03:12] Matt had a lot of trauma in his upbringing. His parents divorced when he was three or four years old. Matt lived with his mom, and he grew up poor.
[04:32] A lot of people in his family had drinking problems. Matt began drinking when he was sixteen years old. It was hard to get alcohol, and he craved it all the time.
[05:05] He was an addict from early on.
[07:50] The moves he made with his mother created a trauma response in Matt.
[08:57] He went to college and almost got kicked out, until he turned his life around. He could focus on doing well.
[10:12] He began drinking like an alcoholic when he was 17 or 18, but he was in college and everyone drank.
[11:14] He drank a lot, and would get sick most nights. He questioned his drinking up until age 38.
[12:50] Matt realized that if he really wanted to stop drinking, everything in his life needed to change.
[13:29] Not drinking was one of the worst feelings in his life.
[14:45] His therapist asked him to go to a meeting, he reluctantly went, and finally felt at home. AA was much more fun than he thought it would be.
[16:27] He felt committed to do it forever. He's never relapsed.
[19:51] Recovery became his new addiction, and he didn't want to disappoint anyone else in the meetings.
[22:40] Matt doesn't feel like he's an expert on sobriety and recovery, but he does feel like he can bring a story. He can share what has helped him stay sober. He's also very vulnerable on his podcast.
[25:26] AA is a program to help people start living.
[28:29] We talk about vulnerability, intimacy, and learning how to connect.
[30:02] The "high bottom drunk" is different from a "low bottom drunk" that has to stop drinking or they'll die or lose their family or something really bad.
[31:25] Matt was "high bottom drunk". Being called an alcoholic was unacceptable and the worst thing that you could say to him. Knowing he was an alcoholic was the bottom that he knew he had to do something about.
[33:07] If you're a "high bottom drunk", go ahead and stop drinking. You don't have to wait until you hit rock bottom.
[35:52] The Sober Friends podcast. Matt had a previous podcast, and he listened to a podcast called Recovery. He thought he could bring something to the table. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. It helps him, and it helps other people.
[37:32] If you want to start your own podcast, do it!
[39:55] Starting a podcast can also be another layer of accountability.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Sober Friends Podcast Instagram
E144: Unmasking the Power of Sobriety: Tim Westbrook's Inspiring Journey
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 - 44min - 113 - The Larry Arnold Approach: A Deep Dive into Active Recovery
I’m thrilled to chat with Larry Arnold, a 2-time national champion with the Nebraska football team and a dedicated health and wellness coach. Larry is not only a biohacker and a red light therapist but also the brain behind the Larry Arnold Approach, aiming to balance understanding, ability, and outcome in health.
I met Larry in 2016, and he quickly became my go-to person for all things wellness. From refining my running technique to offering advice on preventing injuries, Larry has been an indispensable guide in my fitness journey.
In our discussion today, we will be zeroing in on the essential topic of active recovery, touching upon biohacking strategies, NAD and ozone therapies, red light therapy, and power plates. Plus, we will share some tips on efficient ways to lose fat and stay fit without spending long hours in the gym daily.
[05:19] Larry has always loved fitness and helping others. He wanted to help the coach and the other players in sports. He was interested in how to coach.
[06:32] His gift was teaching other people fitness.
[07:10] He learned olympic lifting and training. He then spent years getting every certification possible. He was always interested in the how. Working in physical therapy made him reexamine and get a new perspective.
[08:52] He has years of experience in performance and recovery. He works on active rebalancing. He's passionate about health and recovery.
[10:29] The benefits of fitness only happen after recovery.
[11:16] Athletes have preseason to prepare for performance time. After the season, they rest before they begin their preseason workouts.
Without rest our muscles can't heal and recover.
[12:27] If we're not going to take an off-season in our fitness routines, we need built-in recovery modules.
[13:39] Active recovery includes undoing the damage that you have done.
[15:16] Recovery centers will have things like red light therapy, cold therapy, compression, sports massage, and power plates.
[16:51] Recovery is like undoing the frequency of lifting weights.
[20:57] Recovery is really useful in managing mental health. Recovery helps keep the body in a state of repair to enable us to exercise and focus on our mental health.
[23:07] Red light therapy has an effect on the mitochondria in the blood. It's a no-brainer that eliminates inflammation. You want a hundred watts per centimeter squared.
[29:24] Larry talks about blue light and other colored light therapies.
[30:06] We break down the cells and mitochondria which is the activity center of the cell.
[32:55] More power and health in a healthy body is a good thing.
[35:50] NAD+ is for everyone. It helps grow back receptors. It's the number one anti-aging tool on the planet. Larry breaks down all of the many advantages of increased NAD.
[40:17] We talk about how ozone helps get rid of inflammation.
[43:49] Ozone is super powerful.
[46:04] Recovery is becoming big business. There are a lot of gyms with recovery centers and freestanding recovery centers. Larry has been involved in recovery for so long. He has dug deep and now it's a business. He helps build and equip recovery centers.
[48:10] Recovery is really the other side of fitness. Gyms are incorporating them.
[51:16] Power plate is a vibrating platform. It was usually used by astronauts. It excites and activates the cells. It helps oxygenate the blood.
[53:55] The Larry Arnold approach begins with teaching neuromuscular movements. Then it works on strengthening. Then performing some usage in a practical environment. Then go back to the next set of learning.
[54:54] Recovery is important at some point in the learning when there are mishaps.
[55:32] People who need help with their fitness are many of the people who aren't naturally fit and need to do the learning first.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Tue, 12 Sep 2023 - 59min - 112 - Peter Meyerhoff: A Story of Redemption and Drive
Peter Myerhoff AKA Chappy
Once lost in the grips of hard drugs during his teenage years, Peter Meyerhoff's choices led him down a path of car thefts, burglaries, and eventually, a 12-year incarceration sentence. Inside the prison walls, he was ensnared by the intricate web of prison politics, eventually rising to a position of influence as a shot-caller. Yet, amidst the chaos of violence and addiction, Peter found himself in solitary confinement for the concluding 11 months of his term.
Upon his release, Peter chose transformation over regression. Channeling the resilience and mental fortitude he honed in isolation, he now stands as a best-selling author, riveting motivational speaker, and inspiring podcaster. As the proud owner of a sobriety-focused clothing brand and the innovative mind behind a prison curriculum app, Peter is dedicated to uplifting those battling addiction and reducing recidivism rates.
Above all, he is a testament to the infinite possibilities that await when one harnesses unwavering drive and embraces a life without excuses. Today, besides his professional achievements, Peter cherishes his roles as a devoted husband and father. We dive into his story from everyday athlete to drug-addict to prison and back. We also talk about his journey through recovery, psychedelics for recovery, his prison curriculum app, and wherever the conversation takes us.
[04:39] Peter tells us about his life growing up. His mom was a flight attendant, and he had a lot of freedom to party.
[08:27] We learn about Peter's first sex experience. Unfortunately, his second sex experience turned into a rape allegation.
[10:27] He had to drop out of school and wasn't able to play sports, which were his whole life. He then turned to drugs.
[13:01] The second he got out of rehab, he started doing drugs again.
[16:36] He and his friends ended up robbing a rich friend's house. He ended up with 12 years in prison for stealing a drill, a snowboard, Jordan basketball shorts, and Jordan flip flop sandals.
[19:00] He was 18, and 12 years felt like a life sentence.
[19:41] People do drugs in prison.
[21:02] Peter was 24 and had a relationship with a corrections officer, and he had unlimited drugs.
[24:07] We learn about his first heroin experience.
[25:16] He was put in solitary when he had 11 months to go. He was able to get sober and put on 90 pounds.
[26:49] Peter spent two weeks being dope-sick in solitary.
[27:33] He was so grateful to be sober. He would do push-ups all day. He went from constantly being shackled to out on the streets.
[31:56] Anger can be harnessed to your advantage.
[32:27] Peter was planning on getting a construction job and getting sober.
[35:55] We learn about Peter's fentanyl overdose after he got out of prison. He barely survived.
[39:02] He decided to stop making excuses and get sober for real. He's been sober for seven and a half years.
[41:00] Peter got a job selling cars and went from drug addiction to money addiction. He just quit the dealership a year and a half ago.
[43:58] He wanted to put his life first and do something positive.
[46:30] Once you become responsible, your life changes. Serving people and making a contribution to the world brings happiness and fulfillment.
[47:37] We learn how Peter got the nickname Chappy.
[48:24] We talked about using psychedelics as a tool for recovery. It makes you feel like a little kid again.
[55:42] Most people don't push using psychedelics on other people.
[56:44] Peter talks about his prison curriculum app. People in prison need things that are positive. They are teaching people how to be successful when they get out of prison.
[59:01] Peter shares his positive prison routine which includes getting up early, doing abs, writing, more workouts and more.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Against All Odds: A Gripping True Story of Addiction, Crime, Imprisonment, and Ultimate Success
Plant Medicine Journey Leads to Relapse with Dr. Doug Brackmann
Tue, 05 Sep 2023 - 1h 06min - 111 - Intentional Recovery with Paul Krauss
I’m excited to dive into Intentional Recovery with Paul Krauss MA LPC. Paul is the driving force behind Health for Life Counseling in Grand Rapids, also recognized as The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Wearing multiple hats, he is not only a dedicated private practice psychotherapist but also an esteemed EMDRIA Consultant and Certified Clinician. Beyond his clinical work, Paul hosts the "Intentional Clinician" podcast and stands as the visionary behind the National Violence Prevention Hotline and the Intentional Clinician Training Program for aspiring therapists.
Paul's commitment to enhancing the field is evident as he offers weekly EMDRIA consulting sessions for therapists and has developed valuable resources like the online course for Parents of Young Adults. Although he occasionally practices as a therapist in Grand Rapids, MI, most of his energy is poured into training the next generation of therapists, aiming to uphold Health for Life Counseling as a paragon of excellence in therapy practices in Grand Rapids. With a special expertise in EMDR therapy, Paul is a beacon for individuals grappling with trauma, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges in the West Michigan region. We dive into getting intentionally sober and fixing your mental health. We all know it doesn’t just happen.
[04:30] People need to put intentional effort into getting sober and recovery. Doing something that you've never done requires help.
[05:48] Paul shares how he developed a passion for helping teens with substance abuse problems.
[07:08] He began learning a program that would help teens. It was called The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach. Many situations turned around in 4 to 5 months.
[08:50] Mandated treatment programs do not prevent people from achieving recovery. It doesn't matter how they get there. It matters if it sticks.
[12:35] This approach emphasized early intervention with family therapy, personal therapy, trauma therapy and more. It also focused on getting them into positive activity.
[17:23] Therapists also work on reducing triggers so people can go into things clear headed.
[19:07] We talk about when parents should discuss drug and alcohol use with children.
[22:32] Be honest according to your kid's age development level. Then as they age keep the conversation going.
[29:36] Treat people with respect and dignity. The punishment and consequent needs to be appropriate for the crime.
[33:09] Parents shouldn't expect their children to just grow out of drinking and drugs.
[33:55] Anyone who starts drugs and drinking before the age of 18 is at massive risk of addiction. Genetics and stress also have a lot to do with it.
[37:55] Having an intervention begins with immediately cutting off the source. Part of the treatment plan is also to get the kids involved in pro-social activities.
[42:30] The more time that the parents spend in therapy and get involved, the more likely the kid will not be an addict for the rest of their life.
[43:20] Parents also need to do their own therapy because this process is so stressful.
[44:41] When there's addiction in a family, it's an "us" problem.
[46:57] If people are cynical, that's inside of them.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Intentional Clinician Podcast w/ Paul Krauss
Paul Krauss – Clinical Director
For Parents of Young Adults: What do we do now? (Parenting)
Tue, 29 Aug 2023 - 51min - 110 - Addiction and Recovery
I'm here with someone who's in recovery. I'm super excited for the show, because we're going to talk about her journey. My guest is Alejandra Gastelum who is also working on some amazing projects. She's been working as a recovery coach specialist for the last 4 years. She's also a support companion and a certified peer support specialist. Alejandra is the community liaison for Turning Point Healing Centers and the perfect guest to have on the show today.
We get to hear about how she found purpose helping others on their unique journey, and she's very passionate about helping others achieve long-term sobriety. In this episode Alejandra shares her background and the early trauma she endured. She also tells us how she became a shoe designer, realized it was time to get sober, and went to treatment and was successful the first time. This is an open discussion where she shares everything from her weight, faith, her P.O.W.E.R. Academy, and even the PTA.
[03:38] Alejandra was born and raised in Pasadena, California.
[04:40] We learn about the trauma Alejandra endured during her childhood and early adult years.
[06:39] She was also a star athlete in school. She partied on weekends. She had her first drink when she was a freshman in high school.
[07:40] In 2017, she realized she had a problem. She was functioning for a long time.
[08:40] She had been working in TV production and then decided she wanted to design shoes.
[09:14] She moved to Milan, went to design school, and opened a brand in LA.
[12:50] Alejandra shares when she decided to go to treatment and get sober. She gives all of the glory to God.
[16:03] We talk about the power of surrendering control.
[16:40] She left her company and decided to stay in Arizona. She now works in behavioral health which made her happier than she had ever been.
[21:18] Self-care and things like working out daily and meditation has really helped Alejandra.
[22:33] Working in recovery is really helpful in staying sober.
[28:56] She currently works with adolescents at Turning Point. Alejandra is passionate about helping teens and created P.O.W.E.R. Academy a recovery high school.
[35:36] Alejandro thinks that she's passionate about helping kids, because she's trying to be the person who she needed.
[38:11] ACEs is about adverse child experience. It can identify how you were able to navigate life and how you reacted to things.
[42:54] The school is like a normal high school except that it has recovery coaches. They are there to create a safe sober environment, and there are also requirements to attend.
[44:12] They will also provide boarding.
[45:43] 30 days isn't enough to become sober or stay sober. Avoid people, places, and things.
[47:53] They'll have 70 students at one time, but different kids will transition in and out.
[53:00] We talk about the American Gladiators documentary and how it got started. Sometimes all you have to do is get started.
[55:06] Alejandra is also working with the Arizona PTA.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Tue, 22 Aug 2023 - 59min - 109 - Humility Around Your Darkness with Jordan Bokser
I'm thrilled to be joined by Jordan Bokser, and we're set to delve into the intriguing topic of embracing our inner shadows with humility. Jordan's journey began with undertaking vital work on himself, making a conscious decision to extend the support he received while navigating his own trials towards achieving happiness and success.
Initially, he provided personal counseling and coaching to those looking to modify their lives or enhance their existing circumstances. Over time, his repertoire has expanded to encompass a broad range of services, including life strategy consultations, retreats, and breathwork sessions, all uniquely crafted to suit each individual's needs.
Jordan adopts a holistic methodology, focusing on every facet of human existence - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and even financial. He firmly believes that genuine happiness springs from the entirety of a person, not merely isolated parts. He extends his assistance beyond merely tackling surface-level issues, diving deep into each person's unique circumstances. His ultimate aim is to guide clients towards achieving true happiness and success in their lives.
We talk about the 'Hearty Method', a unique approach developed by Jordan that centers on a heart-based, ecstatic, action-oriented, resilient, truthful, and youthful way of living.
Jordan shares his belief that true happiness emerges from the holistic integration of the individual, examining the depth of this philosophy. We also touch on the role of breathwork in Jordan's practice and more.
[04:08] Jordan shares why he can counsel people to achieve happiness and success. Healing is giving love to someone else's demon.
[08:35] Being an observer and focusing on what we see.
[10:57] Jordan talks about why working with the subconscious is so important. Some people don't even understand what happiness means and they're looking at it through a certain lens.
[12:08] Teaching people to understand what it feels to be expansive and seeing the thoughts that block the layers. What are your true values?
[13:21] When working with clients it can take two to three hours just to figure out what their true values really are.
[14:55] The Hearty Method evolved as Jordan was trying to heal from being sick. It started with his Hearty Gentlemen blog. He was into natural healing, but he had a very negative ayahuasca experience.
[18:11] HEARTY stands for heart focus, ecstatic, action-based, resiliency, truthfulness, and youthfulness.
[19:32] He uses his method to guide people through their darkness the way he was guided through his darkness.
[22:52] Jordan talks about how breathwork takes him to a connected place.
[24:40] Jordan has studied tantric, Qigong, and his go-to standard is elemental breath work. It removes the complication and makes breath work simple.
[29:27] Jordan talks about elemental breath work and how it can be done longer because it's simpler.
[31:30] We go through the Earth breath and the water breath. We can slow down and speed up time with just a breath.
[34:53] True happiness comes from the whole person. This includes mental, physical, and spiritual.
[36:56] We can treat anything as a whole body approach.
[39:13] We need resiliency and action because when we achieve things we feel good.
[40:01] Pushing yourself beyond your limits and getting into a flow state.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer
Tue, 15 Aug 2023 - 42min - 108 - Why Trauma is Your Biology Not Your Psychology with Dr. Aimie Apigian
Dr. Aimie Apigian is here. She’s an expert in understanding how life's experiences leave imprints on our body. Dr. Aimie has distinguished herself in the medical field with her innovative approach to health restoration through her pioneering model known as The Biology of Trauma. She is a dual board-certified physician in both Preventive Medicine and Addiction Medicine, with Masters degrees in Biochemistry and Public Health. She’s also a Certified Functional Medicine Physician, with specialized knowledge in neuro-autoimmunity, nutrition, and genetics pertaining to addictions, mental health, and various mood and behavioral disorders.
She also holds numerous certifications in diverse trauma therapies such as the Instinctual Trauma Response Model (an art-based trauma therapy), Somatic Experiencing (a creation of Dr. Peter Levine), and NeuroAffective Touch (developed by Dr. Aline LaPierre). Her work synthesizes trauma work with medicine to unravel the chronic impacts of trauma on our nervous system and body at a cellular level. We talk about how there are scientifically backed solutions on how to restructure the nervous system. She champions the path of healing, speeding up the journey from recovery to resilience, presence, and vitality. We talk about trauma and the relationship to addiction. This is an enlightening episode for anyone struggling with addiction, physical symptoms, and trauma issues.
[05:09] Aimie talks about her degrees. She went to medical school and got an MD. She also has a Masters in Biochemistry. She also has a Masters in Public Health.
[06:24] She became a foster parent while she was in medical school. She thought she knew what a foster child needed, but she discovered that love was actually triggering him.
[08:11] She knew the clock was ticking, so she threw herself into trying to figure out what was going on in his head. She wasn't aware of biology and trauma stuck in the body, so she was just focusing on psychology. It took her 6 years to find the pieces that he needed.
[08:39] What he needed was different from what she needed. She had a severe Health crash and her body just shut down.
[09:06] The symptoms she was experiencing were related to adverse childhood events or what we call ACE.
[10:15] She didn't understand why she had trauma. She thought it was supposed to be a big event. She went into a whole world of studying trauma and finding out that our bodies are constantly adapting to experience.
[11:01] Did your body have a response of overwhelm?
[12:09] She was trying to find answers to get her health back the fastest.
[13:40] There's so much we can do that supports our biology to help our trauma healing journey.
[15:15] We don't have to be aware of our trauma before we start working through it.
[17:15] She has a 21-day program that teaches basic somatic skills to help us feel safe.
[18:45] Tim did a trauma intensive with a woman named Tara Holbrook.
[21:42] Aimie talks about the autonomic nervous system and where our subconscious memories are stored. The vagus nerve controls our autonomic functions subconsciously. It's a neural pathway inside of us that operates on an unconscious level.
[22:51] Our bodies have three operating systems: parasympathetic, stress mode, and the trauma operating system.
[25:13] Most of us are walking around with a chronic trauma response.
[30:10] Recovery is more than just stopping drinking or drugs. It's mental, emotional, spiritual, and all of these things.
[31:07] Trauma work is a stress just like physical performance.
[33:31] Stored trauma in the body holds energy. People experience fatigue the more that trauma is held in the body.
[34:35] Trauma work frees the body up and opens us up to more energy.
[35:13] Emotional trauma seems to cause a lot of brain inflammation. Stress will retrigger the inflammation that a physical injury caused to our brain.
[38:33] There's a driving force for all addiction. It doesn't appear out of nowhere. Dysregulation is an unsettled feeling inside of us. Addiction is an attempt to make that feeling go away.
[40:10] We need to address what's driving the addiction or it won't go away.
[41:02] Dysregulation is the trauma response.
[51:03] Aimie tells us about The Trauma-Disease Connection Summit. It's August 1-7, 2023
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Trauma-Disease Connection Summit August 1-7, 2023
Tue, 08 Aug 2023 - 52min - 107 - Plant Medicine Journey Leads to Relapse with Dr. Doug Brackmann
Dr. Doug Brackmann is here to share his remarkable story of long-term sobriety, a psychedelic journey, and an unexpected relapse after 36 years. Doug is a clinical psychologist and dual PhD holder. He’s renowned for his work in harnessing the power of thought and action.
Through his counseling techniques and use of meditation, he assists "hunters", highly driven individuals, in navigating their gifts and ambitions. Doug is also the celebrated author of the best-selling book, Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Pro Athletes, and Maybe YOU.
We don’t talk about his book today, our conversation takes a different turn as we explore Doug's encounter with psychedelics and the surprising outcome. He had a relapse after more than three decades of abstinence. He takes us on a journey from when he was living in his car in 1986 to a house fire that almost had devastating consequences, but led to his second quest for sobriety.
We also talk about healing trauma, addictive personalities, boundaries, and staying sober. With mounting evidence supporting the use of psychedelics like ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA for mental and substance use disorder recovery, Doug's story offers unique insights. Get ready for a deeply enlightening discussion.
[04:45] Doug became sober on April 22nd of 1986. He was a high school dropout living in a car. He was a true alcoholic. When he began drinking, things became unpredictable.
[05:56] He went to three or four meetings a week for 20 years. He loved being sober.
[06:20] When he tried psychedelics, it opened the door to THC.
[08:14] He was a clinical psychologist and had patients interested in plant medicine. Doug figured he had everything under control, and decided to try psilocybin and mescaline. It was an amazing experience, and opened his eyes to the potential of trauma healing.
[10:33] This opened the door to experimenting with MDMA.
[15:55] Doug and Tim discuss the different forms of addiction and questions that surround it.
[18:50] Three or four months later, Doug tried MDMA with psilocybin. This opened the door to trying other psychedelics like ayahuasca.
[22:46] During this experience, he felt like his soul left his body and when it entered again all of his PTSD came out at once.
[23:28] Integration work is trauma healing.
[25:40] Complications from life led to THC gummies which led to his relapse. Doug feels that the psychedelics opened the door to the gummies which led to his relapse.
[30:11] Doug shares how his house caught on fire. November 19th 2022 was when he decided to go back to being sober.
[33:35] He began going to meetings again, and it's great to be sober.
[35:47] Psychedelics are an interesting tool for people who know how to use them properly.
[39:44] Doug's advice is once you reach 20 years of sobriety, maintain it.
[41:09] Doug's advice is to pursue trauma healing before pursuing medicine healing. The practices of moving energy through the body are more important than the medicine.
[42:53] Doug shares a website to find a trauma healing practitioner.
[45:37] It's important to go to meetings.
[47:16] Anything medicine will give you, you can find in the 12 steps or meditation or other ways. Look at powerful trauma healing techniques that don't have a relapse potential.
[50:19] Choose your addictions wisely and put boundaries around them.
[51:14] Doug talks about his book Driven. He talks about genetics around boredom and the difference between farmers and hunters.
[55:03] Neuropeptide y serves us as hunters and entrepreneurs.
[57:18] Driven is synonymous with an addictive personality.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Somatic Experiencing International
Tue, 01 Aug 2023 - 1h 01min - 106 - Permanent Alcohol and Life Recovery with David Essel
I'm here with David Essel, M.S., O.M. He's a 13-time number one best-selling author. David is also a counselor, executive coach, international speaker, and a radio, TV, and podcast host. It's his mission to positively affect 2 million people or more every single day.
His latest book, Permanent Alcohol & Life Recovery!: A New Approach to Go Beyond “The Steps” to Peace, Health, and Joy for Busy Executives, and YOU! is so advanced and unique that people who never thought they would be free from addiction are now free. His work of 43 years is also highly endorsed by the late Wayne Dyer, Mark Victor Hansen, and many other celebrities around the world.
David shares his journey through addiction and recovery and how it began in childhood with an inability to cope with life. We also talk about the shift in mental health treatment that is helping men deal with their trauma and coping skills. We talk about trauma, emotional regulation, the influence of the subconscious mind, language and more.
[06:04] David has a master's degree in sports psychology and counseling. He started out working with athletes. In 1990, he went through a mental health crisis and began understanding the root of all of his addictions.
[07:15] He began drinking at 12, because he was a very angry and emotionally unregulated child.
[08:48] In 1990, he discovered the origin of his addiction was a result of an inability to deal with life.
[10:35] More men are seeking treatment, and it's great because men need to come to the forefront and find other men to identify with.
[10:57] Unhealed anger, rage, and sadness are some of the biggest causes of depression. We need to find The Logical origin to understand what to heal.
[13:38] Trauma comes in many levels. A low trauma over many years can turn into a high trauma.
[15:08] Anxiety is another word for trauma.
[16:22] Men's emotions used to always be suppressed. Things have changed for the better. Now men can be vulnerable and have intimacy, not just sex.
[18:40] Spend some time alone without any background media and get to know yourself. It's okay to feel insecure or frustrated and learn how to regulate your emotions.
[21:19] In the world of recovery, we're all trying to become more emotionally regulated.
[24:10] Tim's new meditation routine is 15 minutes of quiet in the morning and evening.
[25:04] David believes that everyone should begin with guided meditation.
[26:29] David talks about transcendental meditation, supplements for people in recovery, and aromatherapy.
[27:43] Tim gets to the bottom of why David claims to be an expert when it comes to addiction and recovery.
[37:06] Tim and David discuss the true cause of any and all addictions. It's the inability to deal with life.
[40:29] David talks about why the current model for addiction and recovery has such a high failure rate. A lot of them are based on the 12-step program with a 90% failure rate. Modern information on recovery has evolved recently.
[42:18] It's okay for organizations to update. Sponsors could use more training.
[47:00] David talks about not saying things that logically don't make sense.
[49:42] One of the number one benefits of the 12-step program according to David is walking into a room and being vulnerable and honest.
[53:17] David talks about the power of permanent recovery and the importance of the language you use.
[58:01] The role that the subconscious mind plays in addiction and recovery. It’s where the work really needs to be done.
[01:03:00] David talks about the most important tool in recovery which is learning the art of emotional regulation.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Tue, 11 Jul 2023 - 1h 06min - 105 - Average Sucks with Michael Bernoff
Michael Bernoff is here. In addition to having long-term sobriety, Michael is the President and Founder of the Human Communications Institute, a leader in the personal and professional development industry. He works directly with individuals as well as corporate executives who desire to transform their corporate culture in an ever changing marketplace. His passion for his work is limitless and his dedication to positively impacting the world by empowering every individual is uncompromising.
He's the developer of Human Interaction Technology™ (HIT), a potent tool that demystifies hidden psychological triggers and teaches effective communication strategies. It's all about elevating your charisma, influence, and ultimately, leaving mediocrity in the dust. Michael doesn't believe in breaking down walls; instead, he focuses on helping people lower their resistance, opening pathways to progress.
Michael is also the author of, Average Sucks: Why You Don't Get What You Want and What to Do About It, a guidebook that's revolutionized many lives, leading to healthier finances, improved physical health, lasting confidence, and yes, even long-term sobriety.
We have a fantastic conversation. Michael shares his background and how he got sober and how he became involved in the personal development space. He shares concepts from his book including how to increase our capacity to grow bigger and what average sucks actually means. Michael shares ideas for real change and a wealth of inspiring information.
[04:38] Michael and Tim talk about the importance of sharing sobriety. It's important and impactful. [06:06] Michael shares his childhood background and the great neighborhood he lived in. [07:27] As a kid, Michael found something that he was good at, making fake IDs. He was also great at drinking. [08:42] He ended up at Arizona State University, the party capital of the world. [09:56] He failed and ended up in Junior College. He read How to Win Friends and Influence People. [10:42] Reading this book and realizing that he could get better at things, instantly started his journey of personal development at 19 years old. [12:42] When Michael was 21, he met Jim Rohn who mentored him. Michael realized that he had to be all of him to get what he wanted. [13:03] He became obsessed with personal development, books, and tapes. [14:42] Michael shares the time when he stopped fighting for what he wanted and started working hard for what he wanted. [17:38] Michael shares how he decided to stop drinking. He didn't want to enable others to drink. [21:09] More energy has been the most positive impact of stopping drinking for Michael. [22:50] People in recovery are attracted to Michael because he's going to hold them accountable to help them, and he offers a solution after recovery. [24:39] Start with figuring out what your definition of success is. You can have what you want, you just have to figure out what the price tag is. [26:08] Our capacity is always bigger. Continue learning and continue growing. [28:57] We all have an average inside of what we do. We need to learn how to raise what our average is. Average sucks because we live our average more than anything else. [29:38] When we raise our average to be what we would like it to be, our lives instantly get easier. [30:04] Michael breaks down limiting beliefs and how everyone says never again. Changing how we see ourselves is what really changes lives. We change our identity. [31:45] Our average is our identity, and the people we want and don't want in our lives. Limiting beliefs and how we identify. [34:22] Our identity is so powerful because our subconscious minds believe them. Identity and roles need to shift and change. [37:22] Michael shares stories of how his book has helped people. [38:57] How many things have you been lying to yourself about that aren't true and that are actually limits that you put on yourself? [41:51] Michael answers why it took him so long to figure it out. He didn't understand. He realized he was making decisions based on past choices. [44:22] Change the language for real change. [49:34] If people have better options, they will try better solutions. Love and connection are stronger than alcohol.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Michael Bernoff Call to Action Michael’s Programs Average Sucks Michael Bernoff Instagram MIchael Bernoff Facebook How to Win Friends and Influence People Jim RohnWed, 24 May 2023 - 56min - 104 - How To Swim Your Way Out Of A Bottle With Ben Tuff
I’m happy to be speaking with Ben Tuff. Ben grew up splitting his time between Atlanta, GA and Jamestown, RI. He attended Colby College where he met his now wife, Gretchen and treasured his times working as a sailing instructor and boat captain in the British Virgin Islands. Ben developed a lifelong appreciation for the ocean and everything it has to offer.
Ben has been a lifelong educator and has worked with hundreds of boarding students from around the world. However, in 2012, Ben realized that he was struggling with alcohol addiction, and he needed to do something about it. Despite not knowing how to swim, Ben turned to triathlon and then to marathon swimming to help him break free from his addiction.
Esteemed producer Matt Corliss chronicled Ben's journey to sobriety and the parallels of his recent swim in the film, Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out Of The Bottle, which is set to be released in Spring 2023.
In today's episode, we discuss Ben’s journey from his upbringing to his path to sobriety. We talk about how swimming has become such an important part of his life. Along with why he started sharing his story publicly, what he hopes to achieve by doing so, and what his biggest struggles were in early sobriety.
[03:03] Ben is super grateful for everything he's been allowed to do.
[05:18] The choice to give up alcohol was a huge divergent path for Ben which has allowed him to find so much success.
[06:03] Quitting drinking was the most important decision Ben has ever made, but the second most important decision was learning to swim.
[08:29] Ben shares his struggles growing up. He had extreme anxiety. When he was 13 his mom gave him some vodka when he was having a panic attack. Alcohol became an escape and a solution.
[10:46] As a teenager, he partied every weekend.
[14:19] Ben's identical twin brother was also an alcoholic and also stopped drinking.
[16:28] Ben shares when he realized that he was an alcoholic. He found himself in the depth of depression and the alcohol made it even worse.
[19:46] Making the decision to go to rehab was freeing. He gave up alcohol and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
[22:10] Three or four years ago, it became a goal for Ben to educate kids about addiction.
[23:02] He's hoping that sharing his story will help others recognize the warning signs and get the help that they need.
[27:51] Ben will be sharing his story in a movie. It's also helpful for Ben to share his story and learn from it.
[30:47] Right after rehab, he began swimming. Spending time in the water would help him be mindful and connect with a higher power.
[35:18] When he swims, he's able to process the difficult questions in his life.
[40:21] Early struggles in sobriety included social struggles. Most of his friends were drinking buddies.
[41:57] Ben sees his life moving towards his passion of helping others get through addiction.
[42:48] Ben's movie, Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out Of The Bottle, is coming out in two weeks. He'll be attending various movie festivals around the world and talking about the movie.
[43:43] Ben and his sister are also working on a book.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Swim Tuff: How I Swam My Way Out Of The Bottle
Wed, 03 May 2023 - 45min - 103 - ADD and Addiction with Dr. Ned Hallowell
I'm so happy to speak with Dr. Nick Hallowell, a renowned board-certified child, and adult psychiatrist and the world's leading expert on ADHD. He graduated from Harvard College and Tulane Medical School and was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School for 21 years. He founded the Hallowell ADHD centers in several major US cities and has helped thousands of individuals with ADHD lead happy and productive lives.
Dr. Hallowell is also a New York Times best-selling author, having written 20 books on various psychological topics, and has appeared on several popular TV shows, including 20/20, 60 Minutes, and Oprah. In this conversation, we discuss the relationship between ADHD and addiction, including how ADHD, dyslexia, and addiction can be markers of talent and even lead to superpowers.
We talk about the misinformation, stigma, and fear surrounding getting treatment. Dr. Hallowell defines dyslexia and ADHD. We also discuss some of the upsides of having ADHD, especially when it is well-managed. The final message is that people need to learn the truth about getting treatment, as it can significantly improve their lives.
[03:27] Dr Hallowell sees ADHD, dyslexia, and addiction are markers of talent. He's seen tremendous talent in the thousands and thousands of people he's treated over the years.
[04:29] He sees these more as traits, and when managed properly, they become super powers.
[05:21] Dr Hallowell talks about the misinformation, stigma, and fear that surrounds getting treatment. The diagnosis and treatment should be stories of good news.
[08:21] Dyslexia is being slow to read and spell your native language.
[11:27] ADHD causes problems with executive function like planning and organizing.
[12:15] The upside of ADHD is being creative, entrepreneurial, intuitive, visionary, and more. It's having a race car brain and bicycle brakes. It's not a deficit of attention. It's an abundance of attention.
[13:37] When people have ADHD, their brains go really fast like a Ferrari.
[15:21] Dr Hallowell has ADHD himself, and he's treated thousands of people for ADHD. He also has medical credentials.
[17:37] There isn't a center devoted for people who have addiction and ADHD.
[19:41] Getting ADHD treated would enable those people to get more done with less effort.
[20:16] People need to learn the truth about getting treatment, because it's a good thing. After diagnosis, your life will get better.
[20:46] ADHD is frequently misdiagnosed.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Dancing Naked in the Mind Field
Tue, 25 Apr 2023 - 23min - 102 - My Child Is An Addict With Jeff Hays
Jeff Hays is an award-winning filmmaker, author, and television producer with a career spanning over three decades. He gained national attention with his documentary Fahrenhype 9/11, a response to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. Jeff has produced numerous documentaries and television series, including On Native Soil and Doctored. In 2017, he co-founded Revealed Films with Dr. Patrick Gentempo, producing multi-part series covering health, wealth, politics, and more. Jeff is also an accomplished author, with two books set for release in 2023 and 2024. He lives in Utah with his wife and has 11 children and many grandchildren.
This episode is about Jeff's connection to addiction. He's going to share his experience as a parent with a son struggling with addiction. We talk about many interesting things, from life with 11 kids to how Jeff doesn't enable his addicted son. Jeff talks about some of his work, including films and his upcoming books. We talk about how the recipe for happiness and overcoming depression and addiction has a lot to do with walking, nature, diet, feeling good, and connection. Jeff shares his views on love along with so many inspiring stories and examples. This is a great episode for anyone who wants to learn more about love, life, and dealing with addiction and trauma.
[04:42] With 11 kids and 20 grandkids, Jeff's assistant uses a spreadsheet for Christmas shopping and an assembly line for birthdays.
[06:19] Having chaos with children everywhere was one of the happiest times of Jeff's life.
[07:13] Investing in your children is investing in your own future happiness.
[07:45] Jeff thought Fahrenheit 9/11 was a flawed documentary. The movie did $100 million at the box office.
[09:30] Fahrenhype 9/11 dismantled Michael Moore's film. Jeff sold the film to Overstock and became a millionaire in one day.
[09:54] He produced On Native Soil the following year. Building his own distribution network is what has allowed Jeff to stay in the film business.
[10:52] The book, Chasing the Scream inspired The Fix on Roku. It argues the case that everything we know about addiction is wrong.
[12:41] Jeff's son Perry has been a heroin addict for over a decade.
[13:27] The book convinced Jeff just to project love as opposed to tough love on his addicted son.
[14:28] Being an addict is a sickness just like cancer.
[15:34] The expectation that someone can stop being an addict in 28 days is unrealistic. Recovery can take two or three years.
[16:26] Perry was a tennis player who experienced an injury and started taking opioids.
[20:32] Perry was arrested and had to be drug tested daily for a year. After that year, he went right back to using again.
[21:23] Perry is currently in rehab and has been cleaned since December.
[22:01] He has to live life differently and learn how to handle situations differently.
[23:48] Hiking, exercise, being out in nature, and connection with friends are the ingredients of a happy life whether you're overcoming depression or addiction.
[33:18] A medical guided MDMA procedure helped Jeff recover from the death of his mother when he was a child.
[36:26] Jeff hopes Perry can keep himself functional until he can resolve his issues.
[39:06] We're all addicted in one form or another. It takes about 2 years to break a sugar addiction. Jeff quit smoking when he was 30.
[40:55] Jeff was never able to fully love until he resolved his childhood issues. He discovered that love needs no protection.
[41:59] The relentlessness of God's love is like sunshine. The sun is always there just like God's love. Jeff aspires to be that pure love for his children.
[44:20] People can benefit greatly from using psychedelics to resolve childhood trauma.
[46:29] Jeff talks about psychedelics and the effect on addiction. People can create new neural pathways quickly.
[51:14] He did a cold plunge everyday in the month of March. Jeff was developing discipline. He keeps commitments to himself.
[53:37] The thing that Jeff is most proud of is that Perry doesn't lie to him, and that's because he doesn't require him to lie to him.
[55:30] Jeff doesn't enable. He also has boundaries. Dependency breeds contempt.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness
PACEs Science 101 (FAQs) — Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences
Tue, 11 Apr 2023 - 1h 00min - 101 - Artist Power: What is it and how was it developed?
Do you remember what you wanted to be or do as a kid? You know, the thing that just might reveal your true authentic self and where your creative power lies. Garrain Jones has achieved fantastic success by doing this very thing after having a very rocky start in life. Garrain is a coach, entrepreneur, and podcaster. His goal is to help people discover the gifts that already live inside them. He does this through retreats, workshops, and 1:1 coaching. He’s a motivational speaker who has spoken in over 60 countries. He’s also the author of Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life: Lessons of Love, Leadership and Transformation. He’s a successful entrepreneur and a devoted husband and father.
Garrain’s journey to get to where he is today is one of the most interesting, diverse, and heartbreaking stories I’ve heard. He had a rough childhood that led him to lose trust in humanity after being put in a running dryer when he was four and being intentionally pushed into dangerous water when he was ten years old. He almost drowned, had a near-death experience, and was miraculously saved. He shares details of his unique journey in this episode. Garrain has been a model. He was in a Beyoncé video and had an opportunity to work with Ludacris and Def Jam. He was arrested for International drug smuggling and served prison time in France. He was even featured in National Geographics Locked Up Abroad. Working on personal growth, mindset, and divine luck brought him to where he is today.
[02:50] Garrain is grateful for the wild journey that he has had, so that he can share wisdom with others. [04:35] Garrain shares some of his backstory. He wouldn't wish the environment he came from on his worst enemies. When he was seven years old, some older kids or teenagers tried to drown him. Someone miraculously grabbed his arm and saved him, yet he saw nobody. This was the experience that made him stop trusting people. [11:23] Garrain's dad was murdered when he was 12 years old. The trauma made him stop caring about anything. He was in and out of jail and busted for smuggling drugs. He was sentenced to 12 years in a French prison, but he got out in two and a half years. [16:14] Garrain always wanted to change his life, he just didn't know how. [16:56] He was modeling in LA and was given The Power of Positive Thinking. Reading this book out loud fixed his speech impediment and gave him amazing results. [20:40] When he stopped reading the book, things changed and he went back to the state that he was in before. [21:26] In Europe, he smuggled drugs from one country to another for the equivalent of $9,000. He did this route seven times within two months. On his 8th trip, he got caught. [25:24] Life doesn't happen to you, it responds to you. [26:39] Garrain has two daughters, a 21 year old and 1 year old. [27:23] He shares his French prison experience. The universe was telling him to stop. He even got a flat tire, but he kept going and got busted at the French border. There was heroin in conga drums that he was transporting. [31:03] He spent five days in a holding cell. [33:06] He felt like the French prison did want him to rehabilitate. Everyone wanted to be his friend in prison and learn about America. [36:56] He spent time in prison rehabilitating. He even began using his non-dominant hand to exercise his brain. [38:10] He began painting and running. He felt more free in prison. When he felt free, he was released early. [41:08] The results of your life are a direct correlation of your beliefs in yourself, your level of selfless service, the love of yourself, and how you see your life. [43:33] We have to beat the bosses of our life or pass the test of resistance. Approach your tests with gratitude. [47:03] Artist power. The artist is the little kid inside of all of us before our passion was stripped away. Garrain teaches people how to safely tap back into that energy and unlock their power. [49:30] Garrain teaches people how to let creativity flow. How to come back to your most authentic state. [53:49] Garrain's company is Artist Power. They launched a week ago and signed up 700 memberships in one day. [55:28] The kid forgets about themselves unknowingly. [58:41] Garrain breaks down authenticity. [01:02:15] We have the opportunity to tap into something big which is us. [01:03:13] Doing what you love and serving your heart is a place to start for authenticity. [01:04:44] Leverage affirmations with something like toothbrushing. Tell yourself who you are. [01:05:36] Write a letter with your dominant hand from your big self to your little self. Then switch to your non-dominant hand and write a letter from your little self to your big self. Process whatever motions come up. [01:08:00] Being a present loving father and husband and leaning in while creating all of this amazing stuff is his current biggest struggle. [01:11:35] Garrain breaks down his morning routine. He uses running to train his breath. [01:16:59] Are you on the right side of change?Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Garrain Jones Awaken The Artist Within Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life: Lessons of Love, Leadership and Transformation Garrain Jones Instagram Garrain Jones Twitter The Garrain Jones Flow Facebook The Power of Positive ThinkingWed, 01 Feb 2023 - 1h 18min - 100 - The New State of Brain Regeneration
Dr. Greg Eckel is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. He began his career focusing on the overmedication of children, but after his wife, Sarieah passed from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, he changed his focus to chronic neurological conditions. After a deep dive, he uncovered regenerative medicine. He co-founded Nature Cures Clinic in 2001 and then bVital, a wellness and recharging center. His current practice focuses on neurology, allergies and asthma, and orthopedics. He's also in the process of rebranding Nature Cures Clinic into Energy for Life Center. He is also the author of Shake it Off: An Integrative Approach to Parkinson's Solutions.
We talk about his background and journey. Then we dive into some of the exciting treatments and principles behind our body, specifically our brain's ability to regenerate. We also discuss what is behind the loss of smell and how to look into treatment options. We learn about prions and treatments, including nasal sprays, stem cells, and light frequencies. Dr. Eckel also shares how environmental factors and even trauma experienced by our grandparents can affect our health and inflammation. People are having symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases younger and younger. It's time to find treatments for prevention and longevity.
[03:38] Dr. Eckel gets more confident in the body's ability to regenerate everyday. [04:47] The illness and death of Dr. Eckel's wife led him on a journey of discovering how to treat the brain. [07:29] He uses everything that he has learned to help regenerate the brain. [08:52] Dr. Eckel shares his background and experience with brain treatment and regeneration. [12:30] Losing your sense of smell is a sign of neural inflammation. Blood work and testing can help discover a potential treatment. [19:19] Prions can cause diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Misfolded proteins also cause other diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. [20:57] Dr. Eckel has been working on a nasal spray to inactivate prions. [24:51] A lot of trauma underlies people looking for relief. Our ancestors' traumas could be expressing today. [27:11] Traumas can create epigenetic changes. [28:17] Loss of smell is an indicator of cellular damage to the brain. [34:08] We discuss cutting edge therapeutics including light stem cell procedures for people with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and even knee and hip issues. [37:23] They also use quantum healing and sound, light, and frequency to help with healing. [38:20] Nature Cures Clinic is rebranding as Energy for Life Centers. [40:28] Camp Nature Cures is going to be a brain regeneration camp with recommendations and treatments. [46:08] Candidates for the camp are people with neurodegeneration, people with concerns about brain health, and people interested in longevity. [49:42] Dr. Eckel talks about brain frequency treatment. [51:07] We learn about Dr. Eckel's morning routine including meditation.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Nature Cures Clinic bVital Shake it Off: An Integrative Approach to Parkinson's Solutions Nature Cures Clinic Facebook Nature Cures Clinic Twitter Nature Cures Clinic Instagram Clear Mind Nasal Spray Brain Frequency David Elliott Neelam Sareen Quantum AlchemistTue, 24 Jan 2023 - 56min - 99 - Building a foundation of health for lifelong happiness
Troy Casey is a leading longevity authority, author, life coach, and healer. He is known as The Certified Health Nut because he has scoured the Earth searching for health and healing methods. He is the author of Rippedat50: A Journey to Self Love, a book about the human body temple and spiritual spacesuit and our symbiotic relationship with our Earth. Troy uses a unique holistic approach with nature-based simplicity to help restore physical, mental, and emotional balance for his clients.
Thirty years ago, Troy was a Versace model in Milan, Italy. He also began using drugs and eventually alcohol at an early age. The demanding party lifestyle and the stresses of being in the superficial world of modeling took its toll on Troy’s health, eventually leading him to a journey of discovering health through nutrition, herbs, and natural purification. Troy shares a lot in this episode. We get a glimpse into his background and how not living a healthful lifestyle can take a toll on even a young body.
Troy shares information about his beliefs and views on health and the Earth. He’s traveled the world, experimented, and explored foods and methods to encourage a healthy body, mind, and spirit. He shares his views on simplicity, taking things back to the basics and focusing on sleep, nutrition, and forgiving ourselves and others. This is an eye-opening interview with many interesting messages about healthful living.
[04:07] Troy's parents were hippies, and they ended up in the Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco in 1967. Troy grew up in San Francisco and On the East Coast. [04:54] He left home at 14 and ended up in juvenile hall. He used that time to rehabilitate himself. [05:54] He tried drugs and started drinking at an early age. He eventually ended up modeling and living a party lifestyle. [10:32] Troy talks about the seven factors of managing stress which are also in his book. [11:48] People kept asking Troy if he was a model, so he went to some agencies and looked into it. He then got a contract with an agent in Milan. [13:47] He discovered a lot of dysfunction in the modeling world. [14:34] He also wasn't very healthy eating processed food. He began educating himself about health. [15:51] He's spent the last 33 years studying internal purification and fasting. [16:57] Troy realized he was wasting his potential with all of the partying and started to reflect on his life. He was especially attracted to step 11 of the 12 step program. He became involved in meditation. [21:37] Troy talks about how self-medication can fall into addiction. Not being able to manage our stress also can lead to self medication. [22:01] Things that can help include movement, hydration, and sleep. Sleep is how the human body heals itself. [25:39] Movement is necessary for health. Living the natural lifestyle gives you clarity of mind and a strong body. [29:41] It's important for men to have direction and purpose in their lives from their hearts desire. Get clear of your heart's desire and do what you love, and the money will follow. [32:26] It's so important to have a purpose that's aligned with your heart and your values. Don't be just blowing in the wind. [34:40] We always feel better when we do the best we can. Also have forgiveness for yourself and for other people. [35:53] Troy shares his passion for creating and living a healthful life. [39:15] Adverse reactions of vaccines that have been reported can be seen at VAERS. [40:58] Flooding your body with deep nutrition can help with imbalances. [42:22] Sugar and food additives can create imbalances in the body. [43:00] Troy's book is all about getting back to fundamental principles for health. [47:50] Troy shares his sobriety story. He feels better when balanced. [51:34] Find tools that work for you to create a balance. [52:55] Traditional values do have value in the world. [58:10] Troy shares his morning routine.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Certified Health Nut Troy Casey Instagram Troy Casey LinkedIn Troy Casey Twitter Troy Casey The Certified Health Nut YouTube Rippedat50: A Journey to Self Love VAERSTue, 10 Jan 2023 - 1h 00min - 98 - Integrating Psychedelics into Traditional Medical Practices
Kathryn Walker is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She worked as an Intensive Care Nurse for nine years before attending anesthesia school. She practiced anesthesia of all specialties for eight years before opening Revitalist 2018. Revitalist is a holistic medical space that helps treatment-resistant clients with chronic mood disorders, pain syndromes, and increasing general wellness.
As CEO of Revitalist, there are now nine mental health and wellness clinics with revenue surpassing $1 million. One of the modalities used by the integrative team of medical and mental health professionals at Revitalist is ketamine. I talk to Kathryn, or Katie as she likes to be called, about how and why it’s used. She takes special care to explain the power of promoting brain growth and how ketamine therapy can open our systems for neuron growth.
Katie focuses on advocating for the patient and achieving real growth and positive outcomes, not just putting a band-aid on the problem. This is a fascinating look into how changing our brains can solve trauma and addiction problems. We discuss how these alternative healing modalities can make a difference, and the future looks promising. This episode is also a great look into successful entrepreneurship and helping people through treatment, education, and advocacy.
[02:18] The VA has deemed Katie an expert with ketamine. She's also a ketamine subject matter expert. [03:49] Katie was amazed by the results of ketamine. [05:14] Medical providers can confuse patients by not advocating for them. She wanted to build a company that looks at the person at the base and then builds the treatment modalities around that person. [06:14] Katie created Revivalist to be an advocating company that's on the same page with the person. [08:17] Feeling compassion for people who are hurting is learned. It's difficult for physicians and nurses to communicate. This is something that needs to be addressed in the future. [09:03] Katie started her business from the ground up. She wanted to help the people who were struggling who don't know how the system works. [10:33] Katie is standing up and advocating for others who can't advocate for themselves. [12:23] Revivalist is helping with education. Revitalist is having a webinar on January 12th on addiction with veterans and psychedelics. They're also having a January 19th webinar about mitigating risk for first responders with ketamine therapy. [15:12] Ketamine therapy can also be useful for people who have addictions to alcohol. [17:16] The VA is being the leader to trailblaze ketamine therapy. [18:11] How can you treat a drug with a drug? [18:40] Ketamine can be given in any capacity. IV is most effective. Ketamine blocks the NMDA receptors telling the brain to send out more glutamate. The glutamate stimulates the BDNF promoting brain growth. [22:17] With the IV, the ketamine peaks at 45 minutes and then it's out of your system just leaving the brain neuron growth. [23:44] The default mode network is how the brain duplicates what it knows. Understanding the patterns of what our brains are doing helps us to actually address those patterns. [24:55] We are all living in the neutrality of the present, but our past behaviors are duplicated. [25:58] Ketamine brings up previously non-processed experiences and allows us to objectively identify them. [27:58] We hold on to what saved us, not the negativity. [28:41] Our brains want to see the whole picture. If our brains can't see the whole picture, they hold on to something to protect us. [29:15] Ketamine brings up the non-processed short term memories and once we identify them, we can process them. [33:45] Ketamine is taking a drug to fix the root cause of your issues, not taking a drug to replace another drug. [36:01] The negative action of addiction creates a positive reward. Ketamine and psychedelics can reset the default mode network. [38:29] We need to stimulate our brains to maximize its capacity. [41:25] After a ketamine induction series, people only have to go back for occasional boosters if needed. [43:27] Katie shares the different therapies and stages of ketamine therapy. [45:30] Barriers include trying to introduce a brand new model to the established medical community. [47:56] The brain is one structure with so many different pieces. The brain comes first and addiction is second. Looking at the brain will make a big impact. [49:12] A big misconception about psychedelics is only that people who use drugs use them. We need to open the doors to learn more about the treatment. [51:36] Katie shares her hopes and ambitions for her business in five years. She wants to help people understand how to help themselves better. [56:40] Advocating for others is one of the biggest impacts that Katie is trying to make. She also wants to increase access to care.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Kathryn Walker Revitalist Revitalist Revitalist Twitter Revitalist Facebook Revitalist Instagram How to Change Your Mind | Official Trailer | NetflixTue, 27 Dec 2022 - 1h 00min - 97 - Nine pillars of Health and Hydration with Tracy Duhs
Tracy Duhs is here today. She is a hydration expert who believes that optimal health is a fundamental right for all humanity, not just a privilege for a select few. Tracy helps people activate their vitality and feel alive by educating on basic health foundations that most people do not know. She works as a modern wellness advocate specializing in the restorative powers of intelligent hydration.
Tracy is an expert in wellness advocacy and education, starting with her podcast, HYDRATE. She frequently consults large corporations and hotels to help build and facilitate wellness experiences. She also serves as the Director of the International Brain Summit. Tracy is the founder of the Sanctuary Wellness Experience in San Diego and co-founder of Hydrate at the Sanctuary. People have so many misconceptions about water and hydration. Tracy shares a wealth of knowledge on the science of hydration and wellness.
[03:16] The volume of water we drink is just a small fraction of the picture of hydration. [03:42] Tracy has devoted her life to learning about health, wellness, and hydration. [04:05] She has an undergraduate degree in pre-med and has run a wellness clinic for 16 years. She also went to herbal school for three years and she has a Ph.D. She's been studying wellness for a long time. [04:44] At a molecular level we are 99% water molecules. [05:34] When she was pregnant with her first daughter, she went through a period where she felt like she couldn't get enough water. [07:00] She discovered that spring water quenched her thirst longer. [08:55] Minerals are helpful, but it's not just as simple as taking electrolytes. Water lacking in minerals makes our cells dehydrated. [10:15] The right balanced set of minerals can help with osmotic flow. [11:44] Our blood plasma is identical to the plasma in the ocean. [13:42] If Tracy could take one product on a desert island it would be Quinton Isotonic. [19:44] She makes her own electrolyte drink with water, lemon, salt, and honey. [20:18] There are different ways to structure your water. [24:19] Spring water picks up minerals. [27:47] Nine pillars of health. Back to the basics of getting enough sunlight, nutrition, hydration, sleep, minerals, connection in a loving community, and grounding. [29:41] A lot of Tracy's patients were missing these basic pillars of health. [33:01] Going back to the basics worked far better than all of the supplements. Cells need an osmotic balance and flow. [33:31] The nine pillars of health optimize the cells to work for you. [34:37] Tracy thinks that shilajit is amazing for detoxification and minerals. [36:21] Top tips include switching to spring water, observing your mindset, and finding a connective and loving community.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Genius Network Annual Event Tracy Duhs HYDRATE The Book Hydrate Podcast Tracy Duhs Instagram Water & Wellness Products Quinton Hypertonic Quinton IsotonicTue, 06 Dec 2022 - 41min - 96 - Addiction and Mental illness can take hold of anyone but it DOES NOT have to define who you are
Megan Racer is our Business Development Representative at Camelback Recovery. She also has quite a story. She’s been sober for almost four years now, but she not only has a past of addiction, but she ended up going to prison. Megan shares her story from her family life and how she was a great student in school to being a people pleaser and being involved with other addicted individuals that eventually led to her addiction.
Her downward spiral began when she started doing drugs, leading to her dropping out of school and losing custody of her daughter. Then she got sober just long enough to have a son. Then she went back to drugs and was arrested and federally indicted on drug trafficking charges This was the rock bottom that eventually led to her recovery from rehab, prison, a halfway house, and back home again. She is now living her dreams with her kids, and she gets to help others in the process. Megan has an inspiring story of how no matter how bad things get, there can be hope on the other side.
[03:15] Megan believes that everything she's been through has served a purpose. [05:07] In the 12-step program, we aren't attached to other people's results. [05:58] Megan was born in Phoenix AZ. There were mental health issues in her household growing up. There wasn't a lot of connection, except for with her Grandma. [10:54] She drank in high school. Her first drink was in eighth grade. She blacked out as a freshman. [13:36] In college, she met her new boyfriend at the gym. He was the catalyst for her finding drugs. [14:33] She came home, and her boyfriend had a bunch of coke on the table. She liked the coke and wanted more. [17:03] She then tried prescription opiate painkillers. [19:12] Eventually, things took a weird turn. She was doing a lot of drugs and her boyfriend was narcissistic and had violent outbursts. [21:16] She broke up with him, but that's when her addiction really took hold. [22:33] Her new boyfriend was addicted to heroin. [23:13] She met her children's father at a wedding. He had a lot of connections for getting drugs. [26:15] Megan never worked on her mental health issues which wasn't helpful with the addiction issues. [26:51] She quit drugs and had her daughter. Then she tried heroin. It was on a whole new level, and she didn't stop for the next two years. [30:01] Her daughter ended up being placed in the custody of her aunt. Megan went to detox and entered a program. [31:21] She hooked up with her ex and got pregnant with her son. [33:18] She wanted the kids' father to be in their lives. [35:20] They started doing heroin for years. [36:53] Megan went to Mexico and ended up being pulled over with drugs in the car. Her kids were with her. [41:29] She went to treatment for 4 months and then was sentenced to 30 months in prison. [43:59] She was given an amazing opportunity to do treatment while she was locked up. She finally got the therapy she needed. [45:47] She was going to do anything and everything to make the pain stop. She wanted to be proud of herself and she wanted her kids to be proud of her. [48:51] Treatment helped her realize that she can connect with all people. She just needed to do it. [54:08] She's now being 100% authentic and making sure that she is around people that are good to be around. [55:39] People in your circle need to be aligned with your values. [01:00:31] There are so many services and assets available to help you and your kids. [01:03:26] Her son has autism which just means he thinks in a different way. Megan can't conform to other people's standards. [01:04:39] She has her kids back in her life. She just got off of probation. She’s supporting her kids and things are going well. [01:08:15] Everyone in the family is in therapy. They are working through the connection piece. [01:09:59] Megan is doing business development at Camelback Recovery. She gets to see available programs and see if they really have the patient's best interest at heart. [01:11:54] Camelback Recovery is like a family that she wants to be a part of. [01:13:32] A good fit would be people who want to look at the mental health side as well as the substance side of recovery.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube mracer@camelbackrecovery.com Megan Racer Facebook Megan Racer LinkedIn Megan Racer InstagramTue, 08 Nov 2022 - 1h 18min - 95 - Why Medication Assisted Treatment Is Necessary For Some
Taran Goodballet is here to talk about Medication Assisted Treatment or MAT. Taran has a PharmD or Doctorate of Pharmacy. She is a licensed pharmacist and part of Camelback Integrated Health and Wellness. She is a neuropharmacology expert with extensive training in treating psychiatric disorders and patient-tailored pharmaceutical approaches. She’s passionate about helping people with mental health and continued recovery. She has intricate knowledge of polypharmacy and drug interactions and can prescribe medications and adjust dosages.
In this interview, she shares her background and why she is passionate about mental health and recovery. We also dive into Medical Assisted Treatment and talk about what it is and how it can be used to help overcome addiction and become a bridge to wellness. We talk specifically about the three main MAT therapies consisting of buprenorphine or suboxone, methadone, and naltrexone. We discuss the importance of continued recovery and finding the underlying issues that started the addiction. We also talk about other modalities and how healing is a continuing process.
[01:56] Starting in 1999, all pharmacists have to have a PharmD or Doctorate of Pharmacy. After that, they can get licensed as a pharmacist. [03:09] Taran knew she was going to go into the medical field. She loved the chemistry aspect of being a pharmacist. [04:18] She's been working in mental health care for four years. She's done pharmacology in every medical category. Taran has a lot of experience with Medication Assisted Treatment or MAT. [06:33] Because of her childhood, doing mental health work as a pharmacist was extremely appealing to Taran. She grew up around substance abuse. [08:01] She wanted to assist people in finding help. [09:13] She's always doing continuing education and looking for new certificates. [11:06] Anyone with a diagnosis of a substance abuse disorder, could be a candidate for medication assisted treatment. It may depend on what substance they use and the available treatments. [13:09] The three main MAT therapies are buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. [14:00] Naltrexone can be used for opioids, alcohol and even gambling. It binds to opioid receptors and blocks cravings. [15:39] There should be a plan to come off of it, but it can be used long-term. [16:28] Buprenorphine or suboxone is used to help with detox and withdrawal cravings. A good candidate would be someone who uses opioids and is having cravings after withdrawing. [20:17] Taran talks about using suboxone and then starting naltrexone. They also have other comfort meds that can help with the transition. They have new modalities to help come off of the suboxone. [22:49] There's an underlying reason why substance abuse starts. MAT is to help survive, not heal the underlying reason. They need to get in a state of mind to work on cognitive modalities to heal the underlying problems. [26:28] Diet, nutrition, and sleep also needs to be addressed. Our nervous systems need to be protected. The brain can constantly change. Medication can help get to a point to do the work and address the underlying problems. [29:36] Taran talks about ESKetamine and patient benefits of building new neural pathways combined with therapy. [33:50] Methadone is used at Methadone clinics. It can be a helpful harm reduction tool. Taran prefers the other modalities and their benefits. [35:50] Her vision is to help people deal with substance abuse and recovery. She knows there is beauty on the other side. [37:10] Camelback Integrated Health and Wellness has the goal of continuing support for people who go through recovery. We offer all of the needed support to stay in recovery. [37:54] Anyone who needs extra support with recovery or mental health is a good candidate for Camelback. [39:27] The goal is to help people after they go through a program with continued support. [40:55] Taran shares her morning routine. [43:40] Let us know what resonated with you!Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Taran Goodballet, PharmD LinkedInTue, 01 Nov 2022 - 44min - 94 - Integrated health and wellness IS the next step in the recovery process
Bobby Wolfe, FNP, is a nurse practitioner at Camelback Integrated Health and Wellness, providing integrated care to people on their path to recovery. He's also the owner and nurse practitioner at Telemed PLLC. He is passionate about working with men and men's health and longevity.
He is trained in Western medicine, but embraces integrative practices. He also has additional training in men's health. We talk about testosterone supplementation and how low testosterone can affect many parts of a man's health. Low numbers affect everything from mental health to heart health and inflammation markers.
Having the correct numbers and balance in life can leave a man feeling better or like he used to. Bobby is also passionate about helping people and those going through recovery. We talk about testosterone, men's health, addiction, the importance of what we eat, and so much more in this episode.
[02:30] Bobby wasn't sure what he was going to do. He was interested in physical therapy and moved on to nursing. He then went to a program to become a Nurse Practitioner. He's been one for about three years now. [05:52] A nurse practitioner can diagnose, treat, and prescribe treatment. Bobby has also done additional training for men's health. [08:10] Diet and exercise and getting blood sugar under control can sometimes change a man's life. [11:05] Bobby also works at an integrative medicine facility. He thinks that people can get great results by integrating both types of medicine. Although, he is more Western medically trained. [18:41] Bobby saw his sister struggle, which fueled his passion for mental health and recovery. [21:55] Most people doing well today have the mindset that past experience and trials have shaped them. [22:31] TRT changed Bobby's life. He never had his levels tested, but when he did they were low. He likes to keep free testosterone scores between 20 and 30. [24:47] He also noticed that his chronic canker sores stopped when he started supplementing testosterone. Low T is associated with inflammation and increased heart disease. [26:00] Low T affects everything from cognitive function to just working the way you should. [27:55] It's not a magic pill, but it will amplify your efforts and get your body to where it should be. [29:41] Bobby and Tim talk about food, inflammation, and testosterone. [31:13] When things get out of balance, that's when we start having problems. Testosterone replacement therapy is a great modality to help people feel better. [32:35] Testosterone abuse can also cause problems. Using testosterone needs to be done in moderation, and it needs to be controlled. [33:46] Bobby shares his morning routine.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Bobby Wolfe Family Telemed (785)835-3633 Bobby Danger Wolfe Facebook Bobby Wolfe LinkedIn Dave AspreyTue, 25 Oct 2022 - 37min - 93 - Wall Street Alcoholic Finds His Calling After Addressing Childhood Trauma
Tom O'Connor is here today to tell his remarkable story of recovery. He grew up in New York and was the youngest of nine children. His mother was a raging alcoholic, and several brothers also had addiction problems. His dad passed away when Tom was 12. With his step dad's help, he was able to go to college. He was still an alcoholic but eventually graduated and started working on Wall Street. He was a functioning alcoholic who became a self-made millionaire at 30.
In spite of his career success, his personal life was in shambles. Tom shares his biggest rock bottom moment that landed him in the hospital after falling from a six-story building. He still didn't become sober until three years later when he looked in the back seat of the car he was driving and saw his six-month-old daughter, and realized he didn't want to be like his mother. He has been sober for 33 years and finds support and comfort by helping other people become sober.
He did the steps of AA, and ACA helped him immensely with his childhood trauma. We discuss ACA, childhood trauma, and sponsoring other people as the greatest form of accountability. Tom shares many personal stories and how other modalities have helped him stay sober. We talk about the benefits of giving it away and helping others by being of service. We also discuss the relapse before the relapse or signs that it will happen. This is an inspiring conversation about taking responsibility, being grateful, and being sober while helping others do the same.
[03:02] Tom grew up in Garden City, New York. They called themselves the Catholic Irish alcoholics or the CIA. There was a lot of dysfunction, and he saw a lot of things that kids probably shouldn't see. [04:32] He started drinking in high school and his older brother dealt pot. [05:16] He would have four or five beers in the first hour and black out. He knew it was a problem from the very beginning. [06:17] He went to the University of Notre Dame but was kicked off campus within six months. His stepfather helped him get through college but drugs and alcohol were problems. [08:10] He ended up getting a job on Wall Street and working his way up through the ranks. His success masked the deuteriation of his personal life. Tom was a raging alcoholic. [10:21] Tom was the youngest of nine children. His mom was a raging alcoholic. He lost his dad to pancreatic cancer when he was 12. He became a self-made millionaire at age 30. [11:04] In September of 1995, he and a friend were drinking at a restaurant and they took mushrooms. He was paranoid and scared and hung off the ledge of a roof. He ended up plummeting six stories onto the concrete below. [12:17] He woke up with a shattered right foot, fractured spine, punctured lungs, broken ribs, and covered in bruises and scratches. [12:41] He recovered. Three years later he was driving around with his six-month old daughter in the car and realized he was just like his mother. [13:07] He got clean and now he's married to his soulmate. [17:58] Tom got sober when he was 33, and he's 57 now. He's also played a role with other members of his family getting sober. [18:48] He retired from his career in finance. Now he has time to help people and sponsor men. [20:13] He also went to ACA Adult Children of Alcoholics. AA is like undergraduate and ACA is like graduate school. ACA is for people with dysfunctional parents. They don't have to be alcoholics. [23:15] Tom had a midlife crisis and went away for 45 days after he was sober. He wants people to know that even in sobriety, you can still go through mental health issues. [26:04] ACA has its own brand of steps, and there's a lot of writing and reflecting. A lot of it is about self-forgiveness. [28:28] When your attention is focused outside of yourself, you don't have the same emotional attachment. You can help others in ways that you can't help yourself. Stepping outside yourself gives you another perspective. [37:21] It's easy to see the relapse before the relapse. Sponsoring other people helps you stay sober. It's the best form of accountability. [40:05] Being connected with people who have your values is so helpful. AA and the other communities make this possible. [42:21] People in meetings need to hear about the stories of people who have had relapses. Stay connected! [48:25] Tom has found other modalities helpful like talk therapy, marriage counseling, Wim Hof breathing, meditation, journaling and more. He's also tried plant medicines in Costa Rica. [49:47] He loves the recovery conversation around meditation. [50:46] Don't pigeonhole yourself into just one community like AA. The work never stops. [52:20] Being sober has had an amazing impact on Tom's family. They have an awareness around alcohol and know where to get help if they ever need it.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube The Meadows Wim Hof Thomas O’Connor Facebook Thomas O’Connor EmailTue, 18 Oct 2022 - 59min - 92 - Personal Story Power
Bo Eason is here today. Bo is the author of There’s No Plan B For Your A-Game, a book filled with inspiring and practical real-world guidance to teach anyone how to be the best at whatever they choose. Many of you are already familiar with master storyteller Bo. He started his career in the NFL and played with the Houston Oilers and the San Francisco 49ers. After an injury, he had to reinvent himself and begin a new career. He wrote and performed a one-man play called Runt of the Litter, which is now being adapted into a major motion picture. He has trained with some of the world’s most brilliant performance and movement coaches, so he can coach others to be excellent presenters and storytellers.
He uses his keynotes and workshops to help others tap into the power of their personal story to become effective and persuasive communicators. I attended his Personal Story Power Event, and it was beyond inspiring. I’m thrilled to interview Bo today. We talk about Bo’s story and what it takes to be a great storyteller. We talk about the difference between being an amateur and a professional. These principles apply in sports, your career, or getting sober. Bo breaks down authentic leadership and the trust factor. We talk about vulnerability and being relatable. Bo talks about course correction, how to write our own story, and the importance of playing a bigger game!
[05:55] Bo wanted to learn to tell his story the way he physically told it on an NFL field. He began studying what it takes to be a great storyteller. [06:27] He knew he needed to make a living in the civilian world and express himself, but he didn't realize the healing aspects of storytelling. [07:23] The difference between being an amateur and a professional. A professional is willing to make sacrifices and do whatever it takes. [08:13] Storytelling is in our blood. It's the best way to teach and what our ancestors used. [09:39] We used to trust all of our institutions. Now when we hear them speak, we often wonder if what they are saying is really true. [10:05] The fastest way for a leader to restore trust is to share a personal story. This creates automatic trust. Storytelling has healing aspects. [12:00] Bo's story made a difference to people's lives. Audiences are attracted to your low moments and what it takes to get to the top. People were drawn to Bo's struggles. [14:59] Exposing your moment can put you in a vulnerable position, but people will also relate to it and trust you. [18:03] People don't trust leadership unless there is some scar tissue on it. [19:44] The new leadership model is the people who've been at the bottom and battled their way to the top. These are people who have scars, and people who we can trust. [22:00] We can't overcome our environment. You can't lose 15 lbs with a chocolate cake sitting in your kitchen, because eventually the willpower will wear off and the environment will win. [23:51] You can change your environment and commit to greatness. Less decisions are better! [31:57] How do you complete a goal? Build an environment, become a pro, and do what you say you're going to do. [33:16] The difference between a pro and an amateur. Pros have no options. When you commit to do something there is no negotiating. Either you are going to do what it takes to become who you want to be or you're not. [37:02] Course correction like an airplane. The autopilot is off course 99% of the time, but it has a built-in mechanism to course-correct. Right the ship from moment to moment. [39:32] You get what you think about most of the time. [40:05] Don't be ashamed to make a goal and be off course, just right the ship. Commit! [41:38] We need to learn to dance with distractions instead of pretending that they're not there. [44:12] Our stories are our destiny. Your personal story, especially the one you keep telling yourself about your life and who you are is your destiny. You get to make the rewrites of your own story. You're the author. [45:56] When writing your own story, make it personal. Make it physical. Give all your spirit when you tell your story. [50:44] The higher stakes game you play, the more you can expect of yourself. We need to play a bigger game. Use words like the best, world-class, and gold medalist. [53:07] Bo shares his morning routine. [55:38] Start your morning routine the night before to start your day off right. [57:05] Bo talks about his workouts! A light workout like a walk or throwing a ball with his son and then a more rigorous workout. [59:12] Listeners go to the review section and tell us one thing that resonated with you in this interview.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube There's No Plan B for Your A-Game: Be the Best in the World at What You Do Bo Eason Bo Eason Instagram Bo Eason Twitter Bo Eason Facebook Bo Eason YouTube Willpower Doesn't Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success How To Capture Your Personal Story Text: Story to (323) 310-5504 Bo’s Personal Story Event Get $1000 OffTue, 11 Oct 2022 - 1h 00min - 91 - Changing the Narrative of Your Story
Wendy Adamson is a mental health professional who has spent over twenty-five years serving individuals struggling with addiction and mental health disorders. She provided counseling, facilitated groups and interventions, crisis management, and executed treatment plans, which led to hundreds of individuals finding a way out of a hopeless state. She has an interesting story and has published two memoirs, Incorrigible and Mother Load, which we talk about a little today as Wendy shares her background, the generational issues she dealt with, and her dramatic wake-up call to turn her life around.
One of the things that turned Wendy’s life around was changing her narrative through writing. She was able to use pen and paper to dissect her past and requalify it from victimhood to empowerment. Wendy had rough times with her early family and schizophrenia mother, who eventually committed suicide. For a long time, she only spoke “victimese.” Reaching out to help a young man who was shot in front of her apartment was the turning point for Wendy to do the work and go from victimhood to empowerment.
We talk about intergenerational trauma and how information can be transmitted through our genes and experiences. We also talk about how stepping into recovery can create a ripple effect and how it’s vital for the entire family to participate and do the work. Wendy shares who her book is for and also talks about her son’s non-profit Hav A Sole, an organization that has given away over 35,000 pairs of shoes and even landed them an appearance on The Ellen Show.
[04:45] Wendy has been sober for 28 years. When she first became sober, she saw everything as if she were a victim. It was everybody else's fault whether it was schizophrenic mother, alcoholic father, or cheating husband. The language of "victimese" is giving your power away to everyone else. [05:20] "I do think writing is for everybody. Writing is a powerful tool, and that's why so often people are told to journal." Wendy Adamson [05:46] Putting your emotions on paper is like taking the bullets out of the chamber. [08:18] Writing is part of the steps of how we frame and see things. It helps us to reflect and take responsibility for our actions. [09:38] The first seven years of Wendy's life her schizophrenic mother was trying to kill herself. Wendy was on high alert at all times. When Wendy was 7 years old, her mother succeeded. [10:05] Wendy swore she would never be like her mother, but saying never is like giving the universe the exact coordinates of where you're going to land. [10:31] Wendy's mother was 38 years old when she killed herself. Wendy was 38 when she had a psychotic break from staying up and doing drugs and alcohol. [10:55] Her husband was also having an affair and Wendy shot the other woman in the arm. [11:38] Wendy had lost all grips on reality and went to the county jail. She also had a 9-year year old and a 16-year-old son [12:25] Wendy spent a year in jail, and while she was there she realized the best way to pay her husband back would be to become a success. [13:57] Wendy talks about the intergenerational pattern of her mother, herself and her oldest son. [14:28] A young man was shot in front of Wendy's apartments, and she went to help him. The police thought she was the young man's mother, and she thought this might be a sign to get help. [15:56] She changed by being of service to another suffering human being. She then started to participate in her own recovery. [16:34] She discovered writing and discovered that she could use her experience to help others with addiction to drugs and alcohol. [19:02] It was time for Wendy to become a mother for her boys and to make amends. Her book Mother Load is about losing her mother and the recovery she had to become the mother that she never had. [19:51] Intergenerational trauma remains unconscious and is transmitted to the offspring. A lot of information can be transmitted through our genes and what we've experienced in life. [21:27] One person stepping into recovery can also create a ripple effect. [22:25] Don't put your energy on what you don't want. Focus on what you want. [24:40] It's important for the family to be part of the treatment process. [28:18] A toxic family member can even sabotage someone they see getting sober. It's always good when an entire family is invested and wanting to do the work. [32:59] Writing about herself and things that happened to her was like an emotional retrieval for Wendy. Writing and going back was like recovering the parts that she left behind. [38:43] Wendy's book is written for anyone who's been struggling with sobriety or people who feel like they need a transfusion of Hope. [39:17] Hav A Sole is an organization started by Wendy's son that enables donations of shoes and sneakers to people who need them. They’ve now given out 35,000 pairs of shoes.Links mentioned in this episode:
Camelback Recovery I Love Being Sober YouTube Wendy Adamson Incorrigible: A Coming-of-Age Memoir of Loss, Addiction & Incarceration Mother Load: A Memoir of Addiction, Gun Violence & Finding a Life of Purpose Hav A Sole Wendy Adamson Instagram Wendy Adamson Facebook Wendy Adamson LinkedIn Hell Yeah or No: What's Worth DoingThu, 29 Sep 2022 - 43min - 90 - 6 Practical Medicines To Help Stop Inflammation With Dani Williamson MSN, FNP
The root cause of your migraines, body aches, high cholesterol, or sleep apnea is inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of most of your chronic diseases. So when you reduce chronic inflammation, your entire world will start to turn around. There are six common sense practical medicines that you can start doing right now. These are to eat well, sleep well, move well, poop well, de-stress well, and commune well. Do all these six and your life will begin to change for the better. Join Tim Westbrook, MS as he talks to Dani Williamson MSN, FNP about those six common sense medicines. Dani owns Integrative Family Medicine and Wild & Well A Wellness Emporium in Franklin, TN. She focuses on gut health, autoimmune thyroid diseases, and hormone health. Learn more about her book, Wild & Well, as she talks more about it today. Discover why inflammation is the devil and why you should stay away.
Tue, 06 Sep 2022 - 1h 03min - 89 - How To Survive A Suicidal Mind With Erin Matlock
Trigger Warning: Suicide
Back then, no one talked about anxiety or depression and that would continue to quietly grow. That would eventually lead to suicidal thoughts and tendencies. People need to be talking about this more to show that everyone gets depressed. If you have depression, you are not alone. Those suicidal thoughts that attack your self-esteem and self-worth should be dealt with. You can recover from depression. There is light at the end of the tunnel where you can go back to living a normal life. There are survivors out there just like the guest today. Join Tim Westbrook as he talks to suicide survivor, TEDx speaker, and author of the book, Worth It, Erin Matlock about overcoming ongoing destructive thoughts and self-worth. Erin had several attempted suicides until she realized that, you got to hang on to what you can. She underwent years of therapy and meds and even spent a whole year unable to move from her bed. Nevertheless, she fought back depression to regain control of her life. Now, she is an advocate for suicide prevention and helps people who are suffering from depression. Learn how you can overcome depression and live another day.
Tue, 30 Aug 2022 - 1h 18min - 88 - Experience, Strength, Hope: An Inspiring Story of a Recovering Addict Turned Psychiatric Provider
The journey to recovery demands changes in behavior and perception. To do that, we must understand the inner workings of what causes these behaviors and how to adjust them properly. Dr. Robbie Westerman, the Founder of Next Step Recovery AZ, joins us for today's episode. Dr. Robbie is a recovering addict who abused substances for years. In his journey to sobriety, he found his love and passion for neurology which he now uses to help educate and guide others to recovery. He learned and now teaches how to properly rewire pathways and transition into healthier behaviors to overcome maladaptive tendencies. There are a lot of great insights from today's episode. Dr. Robbie shares his Urge Theory of Addiction and explains the role developmental trauma plays in addiction. Join host Tim Westbrook to learn more about Robbie and be inspired by his journey with advice on how you can start your path to recovery.
Tue, 23 Aug 2022 - 1h 08min - 87 - Dealing With Unpleasant Feelings Like Grief And Anxiety With Joan Rosenberg, PhD
In order to move through grief or other unpleasant feelings, you need to make sense of the impact and meaning they had on you across time. Grief is just feelings of sadness, helplessness, anger, and disappointment. You can put that all behind you if you just listen to your body. It’s only once you get over those feelings is when you’ll feel confident in everything you do. Join Tim Westbrook as he talks to Joan Rosenberg, PhD, about dealing with unpleasant feelings and why grief is the pathway to forgiveness. Dr. Rosenberg is the founder and creator of Emotional Mastery. She was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary films “I Am” and “The Hidden Epidemic”. She is also a TEDx Speaker and the author of 90 Seconds to A Life You Love. Learn how to gain confidence by understanding your feelings. Discover what happens to the body when you feel. Find out the true goal of speaking up. And, learn how to deal with grief so that it doesn’t linger. Know all of this so that you can put unpleasant feelings behind you.
Tue, 16 Aug 2022 - 45min - 86 - Getting Over The Bubbly: Mrs. American’s Journey To Recovery From Alcoholism And Depression With Hannah Kirkpatrick
Sometimes, no matter how wonderful your life may seem, there can be trauma that exists inside that keeps you from fully living at your best. In this episode, Mrs. American 2021 Hannah Kirkpatrick shares how self-reflection brought about a pivotal moment she needed to turn her life around against alcoholism and depression. And just like you, she’s had disappointments that caused her to question her worth. Worse, what she thought was her leverage ended up being her destruction. She takes us into the ways family support and therapy helped her in the recovery process, transforming her life and seeing through her dreams. So tune in and learn from Hannah and get sober and stay sober. Because you too can win in this pageant called life.
Tue, 09 Aug 2022 - 57min - 85 - Recovery Through Relapsing With Brandon Lee
A relapse doesn't erase your recovery journey. You don't have to start back at square one every time you relapse. People who think like that have a hard time continuing their journey. Know that when you recover from relapse, you will come out even stronger than before. Join Tim Westbrook, MS as he talks to the owner of Art Of Our Soul and host of Escaping Rock Bottom podcast, Brandon Lee as he shares his recovery story. Brandon almost killed himself from all the drug abuse until he was saved. Learn how inner child work and shamanism helped in his recovery story. Discover how relapse is not going to destroy your life and that sometimes it can just clear your path. Find out more about trauma and how it's passed down to you. Listen in so that you can heal that trauma and not leave it untreated.
Brandon Lee is a 5-time Emmy Award winning former news anchor for CBS News based in Phoenix, AZ.
Brandon is also a recovered meth & heroin addict since 2010. When he first got sober, Brandon’s sponsor told him to go to the art store to pick up supplies and start creating. That’s exactly what Brandon did to keep his mind busy during the “alone” times.
Brandon says creating art saved his life and it continues to be his main source of ongoing therapy in recovery. Brandon has also received recognition in the art world for his abstract style painting. He was just nominated in 2021 for the Phoenix Art Museum’s “Emerging Artist Award”.
Brandon’s podcast, “Escaping Rock Bottom”, focuses on mental health. The podcast goes in-depth on all things addiction by talking with addicts in recovery about their experience, strength, and hope. His podcast is currently being used as a daily workshop at more than two dozen treatment centers across the country.
Brandon is also a motivational/keynote speaker at mental health summits – most recently the keynote speaker for the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia’s annual conference with medical professionals.
Additionally, Brandon is a best-selling author. His memoir, “Mascara Boy”, about child sex abuse and trauma remains in the Top 5 Best Sellers on Amazon in the category of Substance Abuse.
Tue, 02 Aug 2022 - 53min - 84 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Frequently Asked Questions
Alcohol, drugs, and other addictions risk your quality of life. If you’re on your way to recovery, you must understand that it is a continuous process. What are the frequently asked questions on how to avoid a relapse? Join your host Tim Westbrook as he dives deep into these questions so you can continue the process of healing while being aware of things to watch out for. He shares in-depth insights on the importance of spending time with the right people, talking to your sponsor, and being determined to become the best you can be. He also discusses healthy eating habits and routines that could help bring out the person you want to be.
Tue, 26 Jul 2022 - 52min - 83 - How To Avoid A Relapse Mistake #5 Hanging Out With Friends You Drank And Used With
It is nothing new to know that the people we hang out with can greatly affect us. But if you are on your recovery journey, it is even more important to distance yourself from those you used to hang out, drink, and use with. In this episode, Tim Westbrook, MS dives deep into the fifth relapse mistake we need to avoid—our drinking buddies. Tune in as Tim helps you navigate into this quite tricky water that involves friendships and our relationships. Human as we are, we crave that connection. However, it is still very important to understand who can best support us in our sobriety.
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 - 13min - 82 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Mistake #4 Getting Into A Relationship
Different scenarios and mistakes could lead to a person having a relapse. And in this episode, we discuss Mistake #4, which is getting into a relationship. Being in a relationship should result in positive outcomes. It should be your safe haven, but listen to find out why this is not recommended if you are trying to recover and heal from some form of addiction. Our host, Tim Westbrook, MS, will even share some examples based on his experiences.
Tue, 12 Jul 2022 - 17min - 81 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Mistake #3 Not Finishing The Steps
Be determined and consistent if you want to strive for a clean and sober life and avoid a relapse. Don’t let your addiction come resurfacing into your life because you’ll only regret it. Tune into this episode as Tim Westbrook explains the mistake you should avoid if you want a smooth recovery and life transformation. Not finishing the 12-step program will not benefit you in any way. So lean in and listen carefully because this episode could significantly impact how you can live a sober life!
Tue, 05 Jul 2022 - 22min - 80 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Mistake #2 Expecting Instantaneous Results
Becoming sober is no easy task. It would take a crazy amount of time, dedication and discipline. One should expect that it’s a long and hard road to get the results needed. On this episode of I Love Being Sober, host Tim Westbrook continues his talk about how to avoid a relapse. On this episode, he talks about Mistake Number 2: Expecting Instantaneous Results. Tune in on this episode to find out more!
Tue, 28 Jun 2022 - 22min - 79 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Mistake #1 Trying To Stay Clean And Sober On Your Own
Becoming sober is no easy task. It would take a crazy amount of time, dedication and discipline. Often times, people who wish to stay sober up and stay clean on their own would tend to relapse after a significant amount of period of improvement. And a relapse is in no way, a part of recovery. On this episode of I Love Being Sober, host Tim Westbrook talks about how to avoid a relapse and its common mistakes. The first mistake is trying to stay and sober up on your own. Tune in on this episode to find out more!
Tue, 21 Jun 2022 - 19min - 78 - 5 Mistakes That Lead To A Relapse
It's easy to get lost on your way to recovery. It only takes a single step in the wrong direction to relapse. In this episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook breaks down five mistakes you don’t want to make, along with how and why avoiding these mistakes can save you from relapse and help you continue on to the kick-ass sober life you want to live. Don’t miss out and navigate your way towards recovery and sobriety.
Tue, 14 Jun 2022 - 26min - 77 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Secret #5 Make Self-Care A Priority
Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally is essential to maintaining a happy and successful life. It's so important that you are willing to do everything to avoid a relapse and stay on your path to recovery. So how can you make self-care a priority? Tune into this episode as we dive deep into why it's important to take care of yourself if you want to take care of your loved ones too. Live a kick-ass sober life and achieve the life you have always dreamed of!
Tue, 07 Jun 2022 - 17min - 76 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Secret #4 Stay In Therapy & Follow Your Recommended Treatment Plan
Do you know that you’ll have a 67% chance of making it to five years if you stay in therapy for a year? Tim Westbrook, MS, discusses how essential it is to follow your recommended treatment plan to avoid a relapse. Your goal should be to make it a year. You NEED the accountability, connection, and support to live a kick-ass sober life. The key is your willingness to follow the plan that’s tailored for you. Be willing to take suggestions even if you disagree with them. Listen to this episode for more tips on how to avoid slipping.
Tue, 31 May 2022 - 13min - 75 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Secret #3 Develop A Positive Support Network
If you're in your first year of sobriety, it's really easy to relapse. This is why you need a positive support network. This is a group of people in a shared safe place where you can connect with them. You can get a sponsor to help you with that or you can stay connected to people who are also in recovery. There are a lot of ways to build a positive support network. Join Tim Westbrook as he shares some secrets to avoiding relapse.
Tue, 24 May 2022 - 16min - 74 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Secret #2 Get Rid Of Toxic Friends
For people in their first year on the road to recovery, the need to avoid a relapse is critical. Like it or not, your friends play a big role in your recovery. In this episode, Tim Westbrook dives deep into why toxic friends are not good for your health. He takes a look at relationships, their impact on your recovery, and why you need to cut those toxic friends out. Tune in for more great insights on sobriety and recovery and live your best life.
Tue, 17 May 2022 - 16min - 73 - How To Avoid A Relapse: Secret #1 Avoid Triggering Situations
Do you know that triggering situations can result in a relapse? Host Tim Westbrook, MS, gives valuable strategies for safeguarding yourself from triggering situations and avoid a relapse. The first thing you need to understand is that addiction is a way to escape the pain. So you need to do your best to cultivate healthy relationships for a happy, serene life. Avoid conflicts as much as possible. The moment you feel any negative emotions creeping up on you, call a friend, therapist, or anyone you trust. Discuss your feelings so you won’t have to end up relapsing. Tune in for more tips!
Tue, 10 May 2022 - 21min - 72 - 5 Secrets To Avoid A Relapse
There are all kinds of addictions, from drinking to drugging, gambling, sexual indiscretions, and many more. It's not easy to break free from those, but it is possible. Getting rid of these is a challenging path, and throughout the recovery, you can have a moment of relapse, which could be dangerous. Join your host Tim Westbrook as he shares the five secrets to avoiding relapse. He is the CEO of Camelback Recovery, a structured, drug-free environment that assists those in early recovery to discover and normalize a new, sober lifestyle and pave the path for long-term sobriety.
Tue, 03 May 2022 - 30min - 71 - Just Follow These Simple Steps: Inspiring Results Of The 12-Step Program With Jason Austin
If you are in your first year of sobriety, the chances are that you have either lost everything or you don’t have much. The chances are that you are miserable. Luckily, there is a 12-step program, consisting of very simple steps that can help you live happy and free. Today, Tim Westbrook is joined by his good friend Jason Austin. Jason’s sobriety date is August 16, 2004. Throughout his time as a sober man he has gotten married and divorced, he has two teenage boys. He is also an entrepreneur and owner of one of the leading fire protection companies in Arizona. Plus, he is an avid squash player and he practices yoga. He will tell you himself, everything he has is a result of the 12-step program. Join in and be inspired by Jason’s recovery journey.
Tue, 26 Apr 2022 - 27min - 70 - Musical Prescriptions: How To Use Music For Health And Happiness With Barry Goldstein
Where are you now emotionally, and where do you want to go? You are your best sound healer in coming up with musical prescriptions that fit you best. Tim Westbrook presents Barry Goldstein, a Grammy Award-winning music productions and musical branding expert. Barry explains that your heart synchronizes to the music tempo. So if you listen to a song with 60 beats per minute, your heartbeat will move into a relaxed state. You need to create a playlist that allows you to move your energy where you want it to. But first, you need to tune in with your internal music. Your breath, and your heartbeat. Doing so brings you to greater self-awareness. Listen to this episode for more tips on using music for health and wellbeing.
Tue, 19 Apr 2022 - 1h 01min - 69 - How To Create Healthy Habits One Step At A Time With Dr. Jaime Hope
How do you create healthy habits? Tim Westbrook, MS welcomes Dr. Jaime Hope, an attending emergency medicine physician at one of the country's busiest level 1 trauma centers. Dr. Jaime talks about how the first step is identifying what habits you want to develop. They should be cognitive load, low choice, and easily repeatable. Then answer the question, why do you want to develop them? Next, start small. If you're going to create a habit of working out, start with just 5 minutes a day. As you become more consistent, you can increase the allotted time. If you want to learn more, this episode’s for you. Dive in!
Tue, 12 Apr 2022 - 43min - 68 - Relationships And Recovery: When Is It Good And When Is It Not? With Love Coach Annie Lalla
Navigating relationships is one thing, but it becomes a whole different ordeal when you're in recovery. In this episode, Love Coach Annie Lalla joins Tim Westbrook to offer insights on what love should and shouldn't look like at this stage. The two discuss when relationships are detrimental versus beneficial to both parties. When does a person know they're in a good place? When should relationships be prioritized? They dive deep to answer these questions and other dilemmas for people trying to balance their love life while battling addiction or other dependencies. Annie also explains why living your best life is the best bird call to find your life mate. Tune in to learn more.
Tue, 05 Apr 2022 - 47min - 67 - The Miracle Morning For Addiction Recovery: Becoming A Better You One Morning At A Time With Hal Elrod
“Life happens for you, not to you.” This old adage could not be truer with the incredible story of our guest today. On a mission to elevate the consciousness of humanity, one morning at a time, Hal Elrod has been impacting so many lives—whether an addict or alcoholic in recovery or just an individual not in recovery. In this episode, he joins Tim Westbrook, MS to continue to pay it forward by talking about The Miracle Morning for Addiction Recovery. He explains the importance of setting yourself up for success for the rest of your life by simply winning every morning. Having been through events that defied all odds, Hal offers great insights about becoming a better version of who you are. So join him as he shares the tools to help you win at life, one morning at a time.
Tue, 29 Mar 2022 - 39min - 66 - Sobriety Program To Live Free: How To Avoid Relapsing With Alex Mandossian
Relapsing is not a part of any sobriety program because the goal is constant recovery. Tim Westbrook, MS welcomes his long-time sponsee, Alex Mandossian, the CEO at Marketing Online and a funnel marketing and conversion coach. Alex shares how he’s been sober for 11 years when he started sliding back to excessive drinking because of the pressure of career and family life. From that experience, he learned the importance of self-awareness. When you’re not self-aware, you get yourself in trouble no matter how intelligent you are or how much money you’ve made. If you want practical strategies for avoiding relapsing, this episode’s for you.
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 - 35min - 65 - High Performance Health, Habits, And Lifestyle With Dr. Nicole Srednicki
With all the toxins around us, we don’t realize that we have to stay healthy. We should be aware of our lifestyle habits, including sleeping patterns, exercise routine, hobbies, interests, and more. But what approach achieves high-performance health? Tim Westbrook interviews Dr. Nicole Srednicki in this episode. Dr. Srednicki is a Doctorally Prepared, board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who graduated from the prestigious Georgetown University, Magna Cum Laude, in Washington, D.C. She utilizes cutting-edge, science-driven, regenerative medical therapies and techniques. Tune into this episode to gain valuable insights into prioritizing our health and focus on essential things. Let's learn how to improve our habits and have a better lifestyle.
Tue, 15 Mar 2022 - 40min - 64 - Nothing Is Wrong With You: Rebooting Your Mind To Freedom And Health With Dr. Don Wood, PhD
Are you suffering from addiction? There’s nothing wrong with you; your mind just needs a reboot. Tim Westbrook welcomes Dr. Don Wood, Ph.D., the CEO at Inspired Performance Institute. Trauma is at the root of all addiction. So to heal addiction, figure out a way to heal the trauma. When you have lingering painful memories, your brain is still trying to resolve them—putting you in a constant fight or flight response. The reaction is an emergency management system designed to turn on when there's a threat and turn off when there's no threat. Join in the conversation and discover how you can start the process of healing.
Tue, 08 Mar 2022 - 44min - 63 - The Art Of Sleeping: Techniques To Improve The Quality Of Your Sleep With Dr. Martone
We all need proper and decent sleep to perform our daily tasks and responsibilities. If we are sleep-deprived, it will negatively affect our personal and professional lives. Discover the art of sleeping with Dr. Peter Martone. Also known as Dr. Sleep Right, Dr Martone has been a chiropractor for over 21 years, innovatively helping patients to help heal from the inside out. His techniques have been featured nationally on CBS NBC ABC in Fox. He’s currently traveling the country, teaching people how to master the art of sleeping. In this episode, Dr. Martone shares these effective techniques and their impact on our everyday lives. So stay tuned and discover ways you could improve the quality of your sleep.
Tue, 28 Dec 2021 - 56min - 61 - Integrative Addiction Recovery: A Holistic Approach To Break Free From Addiction With Dean Taraborelli
Breaking free from addiction doesn’t always mean going through the 12 steps. Alternative therapies are focusing on treating the person as a whole. That’s what is meant by a holistic approach. Joining us on the show is Dean Taraborelli, the founder of the Sanctuary, an integrative addiction recovery center in Sedona, Arizona. Sanctuary is a residential, non-12 step addiction recovery and trauma healing center, specializing in addictions of all types, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Dean has challenged traditional models head on with a revolutionary Integrative Addiction Recovery program that combines the latest advances in science with ancient healing modalities to treat the whole person and has helped hundreds of clients to recover from addiction and to live full, meaningful lives. Today we are going to talk about Dean’s experiences with his own recovery along with the holistic approach to breaking free from addiction.
Tue, 30 Nov 2021 - 49min - 60 - Building Your Spiritual Money With Walter Clarke
Much like alcohol and drugs, money can become an addiction as well. Walter Clarke was once obsessed with earning more to satisfy his never-ending wants, but now leads a better life focused on spiritual money. He joins Tim Westbrook, MS as he looks back on how he chased money all his life, only to become miserable, devastated, and depressed. He reflects on his path to redemption, eliminating his unhealthy relationship with money. Walter has chosen to concentrate on providing value instead of simply being materialistic. He warns everyone not to be consumed by society acting as a huge Madison Avenue, painting happiness as if a by-product of amassing immense wealth and possessions.
Tue, 23 Nov 2021 - 39min - 59 - Breathwork Is The New Yoga: How Breath Therapy Helps With Addiction Recovery With Dan Brulé
Dan Brulé is known as the Bruce Lee of breathwork. He is a modern-day teacher, healer, and a world-renown pioneer in the art and science of breathwork. He has trained a lot of people, from athletes to members of the Special Forces. He teaches them how to use breathing for personal growth, professional development, self-healing, and spiritual awakening. Dan is also the author of several books including Just Breathe: Mastering Breathwork for Success in Life, Love, Business and Beyond. Tim Westbrook brings Dan in to talk about breath therapy and how it can help in dealing with addiction. Tune in and discover why breathwork is the new yoga.
Tue, 19 Oct 2021 - 51min - 58 - Don’t Hide Your Trauma, Be Open And Fight Against It With Marilyn Murray
If you had any kind of trauma and it still haunts you, seek help. The only way you can fight trauma is being open about it instead of hiding it. Tim Westbrook brings Marilyn Murray on the show to walk us through the topics of trauma and abuse. If there's anyone who can speak about this topic, it's Marilyn. She is regarded as a pioneer in the treatment of trauma. Learn how she survived sexual assault at such a young age and how she has given therapy to sex offenders. Find out what the Murray Method is and how the Trauma Egg originated. Learn how to transform your trauma into wholeness with Tim and Marilyn.
Tue, 12 Oct 2021 - 58min - 57 - Addiction Recovery Begins With A Single Step: Understanding Interventions With Nanette Zumwalt
Healing is not a lonely business. It takes a village. With interventions, the family creates a plan to help their loved one struggling with addiction. In this episode, Tim Westbrook, MS invites Nanette Zumwalt to share with us her expertise as one of the top interventionists in the industry, both nationally and internationally. Nanette helps us understand what an intervention is, what role a family system plays, and how the process goes to find the healing they need. She talks about what happens when a family also needs to do the work and how we are navigating this current environment with technology. Encouraging those who want to become interventionists, Nanette then discusses why they need to become more professional and offers advice on how to get there. Plus, she also talks about the individual recovery support services, extending help to those who need that professional support person.
Tue, 14 Sep 2021 - 44min - 56 - Deanne Adamson On Addiction Recovery Through Psychedelic Therapy
When addressing any form of addiction, most people think of going to rehab or AA meetings. But Deanne Adamson takes it to another level and presents another solution: psychedelic therapy. She joins Tim Westbrook, MS to talk about how this can help a person dealing with addiction get into actual work that directly impacts mindset, perspective, and spirituality. She shares how beating alcoholism inspired her to set an example and later start Being True To You, a transformational addiction recovery program. Tim and Deanne also talk about becoming an effective transformative coach, how it differs from a counselor, and how an individual can benefit from working with both experts.
Tue, 07 Sep 2021 - 1h 05min - 55 - How Nutrition Helps Addiction Recovery With Kristin Kirkpatrick
A good nutritional diet and addiction recovery go hand-in-hand. People forget that stress and depression mostly start in the brain, in the mind. So a good and healthy diet will help solve some brain inflammation and other negative things. To learn more about nutritional diets, join your host Tim Westbrook and his guest Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RDN. Kristin is a senior fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare. She is the creator of their fuel well nutrition program. She is also the lead dietician and manager of the wellness nutrition services at Cleveland Clinic. Learn how nutrition helps addiction recovery. Learn why fish and plant-based foods are critical to your health. All of that and more in today's episode.
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 - 51min - 54 - Healing Sex Addiction: Understanding Intimacy And Sexual Issues With Robert Weiss PhD, LCSW
Addiction is a problem faced by many people, and sex addiction is a common one. In this episode, we talk about sex addiction and how to heal and recover from it. Tim Westbrook interviews Robert Weiss PhD, LCSW. He is the Chief Clinical Officer of Seeking Integrity, a unified group of online and real-world communities helping people to heal from intimacy disorders like compulsive sexual behavior and related drug abuse. Dr. Weiss discusses healing sex addiction and other sexual issues and differentiates it to love addiction. He then talks about the path to recovery and why intimacy is important in healing.
Tue, 24 Aug 2021 - 48min - 53 - A Lifelong Journey Of Healing: Ways to Process, Release, And Heal From Trauma With Shalev Amar
Trauma does not appear out of thin air. It comes from deep-seated issues and experiences that start from our childhood. Likewise, healing from trauma does not happen overnight. In this episode, Tim Westbrook is joined by Shalev Amar, also known as Freedom From Trauma on YouTube. Shalev works as a lawyer in his own Amar Law Group but has dedicated most of his life to learning about trauma and finding ways to overcome it. As someone who’s undergone trauma his whole life, he gives personal advice on how he is working to overcome them through various methods. Healing is a lifelong journey, and how you cope matters. Shalev has made it his mission to educate and inform people on healthy methods to do so. Tune in to learn all about them and see what might work for you.
Tue, 10 Aug 2021 - 42min - 52 - Dr. Ramani Durvasula On Narcissism And Its Influence On Addiction
Substance use and addiction are not just born out of external and environment factors. There is often a deep-seated cause that we don’t treat—our personality. In this episode, Dr. Ramani Durvasula joins host Tim Westbrook to discuss how narcissism manifests itself and influences substance-related issues. Ramani is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor of psychology, author, consultant, speaker, and expert on narcissism. Her practice has focused greatly on highly antagonistic personality styles and their impact on mental health and relationships. She dives deeper into the many subtypes of narcissism and how each subtype should be addressed when treating patients recovering from substance use. Ramani explains the parallels between addiction and narcissism and further explains how narcissistic behavior can affect addiction and narcissism as a risk factor for the same.
Tue, 03 Aug 2021 - 57min - 51 - Propelled By Purpose: A Journey Of Recovery With David Hill
Recovery from addiction takes many paths, and one path is recovery propelled by purpose. You have to be prepared to change and find your purpose in life. In this episode, Tim Westbrook interviews lead generation expert and recovering alcoholic David Hill about his journey towards sobriety. David talks about what pushed him towards alcoholism and the spiral of abuse that pushed him towards alcohol. He talks about what brought him to the path of recovery and shares insights on what you need to do and keep doing to continue walking on the road of sobriety.
Tue, 27 Jul 2021 - 30min - 50 - Ancient Healing Traditions Meet Technology: Therapies For Mental Health And Addiction With Dr. Donese Worden
Mental health has been present since the beginning of time. This is something the human race can't get rid of. People back then were using ancient healing traditions to deal with it. As people and technology progressed, therapies have gotten more effective. You have cold water therapy, red light therapy, and more. These all come from ancient traditional healings with a more technological edge. To learn more about these types of therapies, join your host, Tim Westbrook and his guest Dr. Donese Worden. Dr. Worden is an award-winning physician-researcher and global health educator. She is the owner of REPOWER Medical Clinic and is a naturopathic medical doctor. Learn all about mental health issues and what therapies you should use to solve them. Also, learn about the importance of gut health and rotational diets. Live a better lifestyle today!
Tue, 20 Jul 2021 - 1h 08min - 49 - Having Fun In Sobriety! With Courtney Andersen
People who are trying to stay sober don't stay sober. It's not all doom and gloom. Sobriety can also be fun. You've chosen to be sober because you want to be a better and happier person. Look at the bright side of things, learn new hobbies, and connect with healthier people. These are all the things sober lifestyle coach Courtney Andersen does with her clients. Courtney is a lifestyle coach and the host of her podcast, Sober Vibes. Join your host, Tim Westbrook as he talks to Courtney Andersen about having fun in sobriety. Learn how Courtney transformed herself, from alcoholic to life coach. Listen to what she does to enjoy life being sober. Also, learn why safe sober sex is key to all good relationships.
Thu, 24 Jun 2021 - 40min - 48 - Mental, Physical, Emotional, And Spiritual Healing Using Natural Alternatives With Michael Roviello
There is a lot more to recovery than just going to inpatient treatment, seeing a therapist, and going to 12-step meetings. While these things are important, you also need to find long-term solutions that can help you recover and continue living a happy, joyous, and free life. You need not only cut out bad habits from your life, but you also need to form healthy ones in turn. Bringing someone who can help you out on this new path, Tim Westbrook sits down with Michael Roviello, the co-founder of Optimyze, which is the only human optimization center in Phoenix designed to align your mind, body, and breath with the four elements of nature. Here, they talk about mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness using natural methods, including red light therapy, breadboard breathwork, and cold water therapy. What is more, Michael also shares his journey with pain and medications that later on took him to the Amazon jungle exploring healing modalities used by indigenous people to explore the mind-body and spirit with great results. He then founded the Wim Hof Method using cold water, breathing exercises, and a change in his mindset as a tool for self-healing and a deeper understanding of self. Join in on this insightful and jam-packed conversation to learn more about the importance of holistically working on yourself for long-term recovery.
Tue, 30 Mar 2021 - 1h 24min - 47 - Biohacking: Your One-Stop Tool To Health And Fitness During Addiction Recovery With Larry Arnold
Have you heard about biohacking? If you haven’t, then this episode is a must for you. Listen in as Tim Westbrook chats with Larry Arnold, his friend and go-to physical coach. As you go through the addiction recovery process, one of the things that you have to be mindful about is your health and wellness. Made up of edgy and emerging techniques like red light therapy, NAD and power plates, to the older, more established ozone therapy, biohacking is a set of unconventional modalities that help the body heal itself. Curious about how each of these works? Join in and learn how you can incorporate biohacking in to your lifestyle and start building a new life beyond addiction.
Tue, 23 Mar 2021 - 45min - 46 - How To Make Your Messy Life A Memoir: The Path To Long-Term Recovery With Anna David
Following the path towards recovery is not an easy feat. So when one is long on their way at it, we can call for a celebration! New York Times bestselling author of eight books, Anna David is a person in long-term recovery, having recently celebrated her 20th year! In this episode, she takes us behind the work she has to put upon herself to live a happy, joyous, and free life. Her journey shows us that the path to long-term recovery is more than just to stop drinking, taking drugs, or doing addictive behaviors. It takes a complete change, where you need to develop new healthy lifestyle habits. Follow Anna in today's show to learn what those are and how she made it and started living a new and happier life. Plus, she then shares how she is helping people write and publish their books, lending new knowledge on how you can make your messy life into a memoir. Anna has been published in The New York Times, Time, and The LA Times, among many others, and has appeared repeatedly on The Today Show, The Talk, The CBS Morning Show, and dozens of other programs. Her newest book, Make Your Mess Your Memoir, is a combination of a memoir and a business book.
Tue, 16 Mar 2021 - 41min - 45 - Get Comfortably Uncomfortable: Coming Back From Addiction To A Season Record Holder With Darren Waller
They say all addiction stems from trauma. For Darren Waller, it's the mindset he carried of having to constantly prove himself to those around him, even if it meant going down the wrong path. At 16, he started smoking, drinking, and doing drugs. In this episode, he joins Tim Westbrook to share with us his comeback story, his journey to recovery, and how he found peace and purpose in his life. Darren takes us through the highs and lows in his life—how he went from being arrested, getting suspended in college and NFL (including a yearlong ban in 2017), going to rehab, and working at Sprouts to going back to the practice squad to back to back 1,000-yard seasons, the Pro Bowl, and becoming the all-time single-season record holder for receptions in a season in Raiders history. Follow along this conversation to learn how Darren pulled himself back from the dark place he found himself in, got comfortable with the uncomfortable road to sobriety, and took off the mask that has been keeping him from truly living life as it should be.
Tue, 09 Mar 2021 - 1h 15min - 44 - Hapbee: Choose How You Feel With Scott Donnell
Studies have shown that serotonin, known as the “happiness chemical,” promotes well-being and boosts our mood. Do you want to feel good and happy? In this episode, Tim Westbrook brings on Scott Donnell, the CEO of Hapbee, a wearable device that is scientifically designed to promote your desired mental state at the touch of a button. Backed by fifteen years of research, Scott explains the technology behind Hapbee which mimics signals that your brain already understands, using ultra-low frequencies that help you feel calm, alert, focused, relaxed, or sleepy on command. If you want to start taking control of your mind and mood and unlock your potential, you don’t want to miss this episode.
Tue, 02 Mar 2021 - 41min - 43 - Dr. Ramani Durvasula: Understanding Narcissism Through Relationships And Addiction
Without proper rehabilitation for narcissistic people, helping them deal with their psychological difficulties is challenging. On top of the tedious task of understanding narcissism, there's also their higher potential to resort to substance abuse just to address their needs. Going deep into this mental health issue with Tim Westbrook is Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and certified narcissist expert. Together, they discuss how a narcissistic personality is typically fueled by insecurity, manipulation, frustration, and disappointment, leading to drug addiction and alcoholism if pushed to the limits. They also talk about how to properly approach and mingle with such people, especially when getting into a close relationship with them that may involve gaslighting, unbalanced emotions, and numerous relapses.
Tue, 23 Feb 2021 - 38min - 42 - Neural Pathways, Neuroplasticity And Addiction Recovery With Dr. Robb Kelly
Neuroplasticity holds great promise in holding the key to addiction recovery. This is especially true with alcoholism, the mechanism of which relies heavily on hardwired patterns in our neural pathways. While it is certainly true that alcoholics are born with the predisposition towards alcohol addiction, it’s not a fact that we are powerless to change. Joining Tim Westbrook in this episode, addiction consultant and addiction recovery expert, Dr. Robb Kelly explains how we can work with the human brain’s plasticity to change the neural pathways responsible for alcohol addiction. He also shares the highlights of his powerful recovery journey, which he documents in his book, Daddy, Daddy Please Stop Drinking.
Tue, 16 Feb 2021 - 48min - 41 - Sex, Drugs, And Rock N’ Roll: The Healing Powers Of Music From Addiction With Tim Ringgold
How do you deal with or reduce stress and be sober? Most of the time, everyone looks for something when stressed, and for Tim Ringgold, he found recovery in music. In this episode, Tim Westbrook interviews Tim—a certified music therapist, author, and host of Reduce Your Stress—about his journey of recovery from his addictions to a sober life through music. He discovered how music affects the brain and how to get back into the rhythm by listening and playing music or even making music. Join them today as they discuss Tim’s journey through sex addiction to recovery and the healing powers of music. Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll are in that order for a reason!
Tue, 09 Feb 2021 - 49min - 40 - The Champion Mindset With Whitney Jones
Life is not without its obstacles and challenges. How you deal with them is what separates you from the rest. How do you overcome whatever life throws your way? Tim Westbrook is with Whitney Jones—two-time Miss Fitness Olympia, five times Pro Champ, and owner of Pro Physiques—to share with us the champion mindset, learning how to be unstoppable and roll with the punches. Together with it, Whitney also takes us across her own journey, letting us into her own share of struggles with eating disorder, depression, and workaholism. Through it all, she shows the importance of self-care, stepping outside of your comfort zone, and setting high goals. Join Whitney in this episode to find out how she stands in power in her life as the champion that she truly is.
Tue, 02 Feb 2021 - 42min - 39 - Life Gives To The Giver With Joe Polish
"Life Gives to the Giver" is a conversation with Joe Polish, who created one of the most elite business networking groups in the world for industry transformers. His foundation, Genius Recovery, helps people with addiction recovery. His two groups, Genius Network and 100k, are the most sought after connection networks in the world that are tailored to building a better entrepreneur.
Joe’s mission around recovery is to help change the global conversation around addiction to be viewed with compassion instead of judgment. Check out the trailer for Joe’s award winning documentary at https://www.connectedthemovie.com.
Tue, 26 Jan 2021 - 1h 13min - 38 - Sazha Ramos And Rogan O'Donnell: How Recovery Houses Are Hit The Pandemic
Without a doubt, recovery houses have been helping a lot of addicts go through a successful metamorphosis to become sober once more, allowing them to serve society once more. However, in this time of COVID-19, such communities are put to a serious test. Tim Westbrook analyzes the problem currently faced by recovery houses with Sazha Ramos, Founder of Recovery Organization Resources, together with Rogan O'Donnell. They talk about how some people use the fear of pandemic to leave recovery houses, only to become worse and relapse. The three aim to address this through proper self-care, staying healthy, and keeping a critical mind when consuming information from the media.
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 - 52min - 37 - Meditation, Music, And Breathwork For Sober Living With Jason Campbell
There is way more to recovery than just abstaining from drinking and doing drugs. People can get clean and sober by seeking other things to achieve fulfillment. On today’s show, Tim Westbrook chats with Jason Campbell, the Founder of Zen Wellness, an organization committed to health, healing, and longevity using the skillful means of time-tested Medical Qigong, Tai Chi, and Yoga. A 7th-degree black belt and Zen Wellness Master Teacher, Jason has been teaching the eastern healing and spiritual arts for over 25 years. Together, Tim and Jason talk about self-care and discipline, and explore the magic of meditation, music, and breathwork in assisting sober living, emphasizing how quieting your mind is such an important thing to do.
Wed, 23 Dec 2020 - 41min - 36 - Coming Out Of Addiction Bright, Shiny, And Happy With Emily Sadler
We often hear the term "leap of faith." While that may be true for some situations, it’s actually more of a push than a leap in most. For Emily Sadler, it was a push of faith. Emily is the Founder of the staffing service company called ETC. by Emily. Prior to ETC.’s success, she was battling an alcohol addiction, which started when she was a teenager. On today’s show, Emily opens up to Tim Westbrook about her alcohol addiction and how she came out of it bright, shiny, and happy. They also tackle the importance of having a job or some purpose early in a person's recovery, which is what she’s doing through ETC., extending a helping hand by employing people in recovery.
Wed, 16 Dec 2020 - 37min - 35 - If You Want to Change, Start With Tiny Habits
BJ Fogg reveals the truth about habits and why the traditional approach is all wrong. Learn how to untangle negative habits from your life and replace them one tiny habit and behavior at a time, so that you can build momentum and reach your goals easier than you thought possible.
BJ Fogg is a behavior scientist at Stanford, where he directs research and innovation at the Behavior Design Lab. He also teaches his models and methods in graduate seminars. 14 years ago, BJ’s nephew became addicted to opioids after being exposed to steroids and drug culture in high school. BJ and his family tried to support him in his recovery as best as they could, but despite all the effort on his part, his nephew died from an overdose. It wasn’t an intentional overdose. His nephew had been sober for the prior six months and something must have happened in his life where he felt like he needed to go back to using the drugs. Unfortunately, he went with his prior dose, which his body couldn’t handle anymore. BJ’s family believed that his nephew was on the path to recovery and he was going to be okay. It wasn’t until the overdose did that suddenly become an incorrect assumption. BJ usually helps people make habits, which is relatively straightforward. Breaking habits is much more complicated and difficult, especially with addiction. Addictions are a different kind of challenge. If your habits are life threatening, you need to get some help. BJ knew at the time that environment has a major impact on behavior, but he didn’t consider that in regards to his nephew. If he could go back and change something, it would be to take his nephew out of Las Vegas and completely change his environment. There are three ways to create lasting change. The first is an epiphany, which can’t be designed. The other ways are changing your environment and taking small steps to create new habits. One of the answers to addiction is a radical change in environment. Developing new healthy behaviors to replace old, unhealthy behaviors is how you shift your identity. Creating new habits is not that hard if you do it in the right way. The Tiny Habits method can be very approachable. Pick any ambition you have and you can take small actions which will move you towards your goal. You can systematically come up with the golden behaviors that can be turned into positive habits. If you can find a behavior that you really like doing that moves you towards your ambition, it can be very easy to wire that into a habit. You don’t have to pick only one method; try out a bunch that you already like and want to do and you will make it much easier. There are different means to an end. If a program works for you, then stick with it. If there’s something that doesn’t work, be willing to explore and try other things out. If the program or person isn’t a good fit for you, go out and find one that is. BJ grew up as a Mormon and never drank alcohol growing up, but that changed after moving to California with his partner and being exposed to wine culture. He began to notice that alcohol became a feature of his everyday life and decided that he wanted to stop. It wasn’t particularly difficult to stop drinking for BJ as he already had experience with changing behavior. There is a big difference between changing behavior and untangling bad habits with the latter requiring a little more effort. Moderation in all things does not apply to addiction. Quitting something 98% is harder than quitting something 100%. Start with the easiest tangled behavior by either removing the motivation, removing the ability, or removing the prompt. Once you do that, you will feel like you can take on tougher habits. Over time and after developing new habits, cravings, and desires, get redirected to more healthy ways of being satisfied. The temptation eventually goes away. Find those things that you do that works for you and allows you to calm down and reduce your stress. When you have those, you won’t consider your addictive behavior as an option. The urge will pass. If you pick habits that you want, it becomes a delight. You can create habits by feeling good. That’s why you pick habits that you want that help you feel successful. If there is a person in your life that you share a bad habit with, make a new healthy habit together. Surround yourself with people that want to be in recovery and find a sponsor to help you. Stay away from your friends if they aren’t serving you in recovery. One of the interesting things that BJ noticed is that once he and his partner stopped drinking, their social group also started drinking less as well. If you want to stop an unhealthy habit, make a list of all the times in the day those negative behaviors manifest and think of them as a set of related behaviors. Your first response will likely be sadness, but you can get through that by making a plan to untangle those behaviors. Start with the easiest one to eliminate, build momentum, and keep going. Start with the easy wins and build confidence, and the other wins will resolve on their own. The more practice you have at creating habits, the more your skills of change will increase.Mentioned in this Episode:
Check out the Preface of the book for free on Audible
Wed, 09 Dec 2020 - 53min - 34 - Slaying the Dragon of Family Trauma: The Root of Why Your Child Struggles With Addiction
Aaron Huey discusses what it takes for parents to raise a healthy child and the root cause of a lot of the dysfunction we see in our children’s modern lives. Learn how epigenetic trauma is impacting your child’s life, why freedom and privacy are actually making their problems worse, and why treatment is pointless if the whole family isn’t committed to the recovery process.
Aaron Huey is an internationally known lecturer on archetypal imagery, body language, and martial arts as well as the Founder and President of Fire Mountain Programs. Aaron grew up in a small town in Colorado with two hard-working parents. During his childhood, Aaron had spent a very small amount of time with his biological father, and despite having an excellent stepfather, Aaron still went down a risky path. Having a surrogate dad that was amazing didn’t change the wound underneath it all. Partaking in drugs and alcohol was mainly experimental until Aaron went into acting school and was sexually assaulted by his roommate. After that experience Aaron found himself pursuing drugs and alcohol more aggressively in an effort to simply feel happy again. Because there is so much that teenagers can hide from their parents, they need to be extra attentive to any sort of trauma that could result in maladaptive coping strategies. Trauma is the gateway. If something is going to cause pain on a daily basis and the child is not provided with a healthy coping strategy they will come up with a maladaptive strategy. The bottom line truth is that when Aaron was sober he was sad and when he was high he was happy. As he moved into his 20’s it simply became the way he lived his life. Abandonment, Abuse, and Assault are the foundations for Trauma with a capital T. Trauma can be epigenetic as well, studies are showing that family trauma can be passed down for 12 generations. There are different layers of trauma and not all kids will be affected by traumatic events the same way. There is a level of privacy that we afford our kids that is detrimental to our relationships. The third most popular page on the Fire Mountain website is How to Search Your Kids Room. Parents should control the password to their kids’ phones and be more involved in their children’s lives. Parents need to intervene often and early. Do not wait until something is drastically wrong before taking action and looking into what’s happening. We need to play the long game as parents and be willing to have conflict with our children early on. Freedom is important, but not for children. Children need a safe controlled environment where the parents know what’s going on. Parenting is a long term investment. Lying, sneaking, cheating, stealing, and breaking the law are the five big actions that you need to look out for. If the child can avoid those things, you can allow more kinds of freedom in their life. If one of those actions is present, there is almost certainly an underlying issue that needs to be addressed immediately. Kids aren’t making bad choices, they are making the choices that get their needs met. The key to the recovery process is showing people how to get their needs met in a healthy way. Smoking and drinking and drug abuse aren’t the problem, they’re the solution to the problem. Aaron tells the story of how he left California and moved to Colorado, how his first wife left him while he worked a renaissance festival as security, and his experience hitting rock bottom. A year and a half into recovery is where the real work began for Aaron and now he’s more than happy to be sober and clean and living a healthy connected life with his kids and new relationships. Aaron’s parents didn’t get to see the levels of how he was hurting himself, but they did get to see the healing process. Guilt and shame are the twin pillars that hold up the roof of shame. Aaron doesn’t recommend that children under the age of 18 go to a 12 step meeting because they don’t have the developmental tools to benefit from it. Children require a different approach. After an adolescent treatment, the family needs to go into 12 step meetings together. The biggest missing component in a children’s recovery is family recovery. There is no bad child, just broken systems. There is no trauma that a child can go through that hasn’t affected the entire family. If the system stays broken, the child will return to a broken state. You can expect a child to fix a family issue. As a parent, if you haven’t done the work on yourself when your child comes back speaking the language of recovery, you are going to pull them back into sickness. If you’re not taking care of your relationships and your support system, you’re going to have issues helping your child with their problems. The whole family needs to get into recovery. What do you need to do to refill your empty cup as a parent so that you can support your child? Nothing happens well without self-care. You can’t do the right thing if you haven’t taken care of yourself. Your adult relationships need to be tended to. Who else knows what’s going on in your life?Mentioned in this Episode:
Wed, 02 Dec 2020 - 54min - 33 - The West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders is Elevating the Virtual Experience
Dee McGraw is joining Tim to discuss the upcoming West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders and how the event is evolving with the times to help connect addiction specialists and share what’s working in the field right now. Find out how you can register for the symposium and make the most of the conference by learning new treatment strategies and networking with like-minded people.
Dee has a BS in psychology from Vanderbilt University, an MSW from Grand Valley State University, and over 28 years of experience in the substance abuse disorder & prevention field. Not being able to meet in person due to Covid-19 has been very challenging for addiction specialists. C4 has been around for 33 years and was originally founded as a group discussion around the idea that addiction treatment services should be reimbursed and treated in ways that science has shown to be the most effective. They focus heavily on trying to spread the knowledge of the most effective ways to treat addiction. C4 also provides a broad range of continuing education credits to behavior health professionals. Dee is excited about connecting with people again during the next conference because they’ve done a lot to recreate the experience of an in-person event. One of the benefits of the virtual platform for the West Coast Symposium of Addictive Disorders is the ability to allow people to connect and interact with others that have similar interests. This can help them find their tribe a bit easier than a typical conference. Dee is not usually happy about being forced to change, but the current situation doesn’t leave much choice. Dee has had to learn a number of new things in order to help other people understand the new ways of connecting online. The topics that are going to make the biggest impact in light of the pandemic have to do with mental health, self-care, and compassion fatigue. There is a lot of trauma response Dee is seeing due to the pandemic and the general situation in the US. To get the biggest benefit from attending the conference you’ll have to figure out what your biggest ROI will be. For some that could take the form of networking and learning about what other people are offering and for others that could be the value they’ll receive in the educational workshops. Everybody should check out the exhibit hall at the very least. For someone who’s going to the conference just to learn, Dee recommends looking at the agenda, figuring out what you can do in two days and searching for programs that interest you specifically. The system they’ve put in place allows you to search by keyword. The discussion board is also a great place to find out what other people are talking about and ask any questions you may have. Each speaker has their own fan base and following and letting those people know that you are a part of the conference is a big help in raising their profile and letting people know what’s available to them. The C4 group originally negotiated an 18-year contract with the hotel where they’ve been hosting the conference and hopefully they can return to an in-person event again in the near future. Everything is up in the air at the moment but Dee is expecting that future events will likely have a virtual component either way. Dee has always been interested in the field of addiction and helping people. One of her earliest work experiences involved teaching people about themselves and alcohol and drugs. The knowledge was very transformational for people and made a major impact on Dee and what she saw as possible in helping people improve their lives. The common denominator for people in recovery and those that serve them is the simple desire to help others. It’s very humbling to be around such joyous and wonderful people. We all have a morning routine, whether or not we have designed it consciously. Dee decided at the beginning of the pandemic that she wanted to build some introspection into her life. She tries to get some exercise in the morning at least three times a week combined with a healthy smoothie which she sips on all morning as she answers her emails and plans the day.Mentioned in this Episode:
West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders - wcsad.com
Wed, 25 Nov 2020 - 30min - 32 - The Stages of Recovery and Why You Can’t Stay Sober By Just “Not Drinking”
Whatever you focus on grows, and while recovery begins by focusing on avoiding relapse, you can’t maintain that forever if you want to stay sober for the long term. Find out how Tommy Rosen discovered the path to true recovery and what it means to live a life focused on being a positive loving force in the world and not just avoiding suffering.
Tommy Rosen was the first person to introduce Tim to the idea of food causing inflammation in the body. Tommy grew up in New York City and it was always his dream as a kid to live in California where he eventually landed as an adult. His parents divorced when Tommy was only one year old and there was always an underlying sense that something was wrong in his family life. Tommy started experimenting with drugs and alcohol as a way to escape from the sense of foreboding he always felt. He recalls that the first time he smoked cannabis was the first time he felt a sense of control in his life and the tension falling away. For someone with that kind of life, there would be no reason to stop using that substance until it became such a problem that you could no longer use it and are forced to stop. This is basically what happened to Tommy as his cannabis use escalated to alcohol, psychedelics, cocaine, and heroine. It was during his cocaine use that Tommy realized he had a major problem and didn’t have the ability to stop. A person in the addictive mindset like Tommy is usually asking themselves the wrong question. The focus is typically on “Can I do this drug and not have my life implode?” which is not a very high-grade question. With addiction, at a certain point, all you’re focusing on is the drink and the drugs. Every other area of your life suffers as you make using your main priority. Recovery happens in stages, and in the first stage the one job is just not using one day at a time. The most important thing you can do is put some distance between you and drugs and alcohol. Over time you begin to detox physically, mentally, and spiritually. Recovery happens one day, one hour, and one minute at a time. If you get the urge, pick up the phone and call your sponsor. Putting your energy into not doing drugs and alcohol is only a temporary solution. Eventually you will begin to find alignment with what you’re doing and new challenges will come up. For Tommy, the first 12 years of his recovery wasn’t about struggling not to use drugs but in dealing with the challenges in his relationships and life. Tommy was very fortunate to have a committed sponsor who helped him throughout his recovery. The dilemma for people just beginning their journey through recovery is doubt in the process. The most corrosive element for anyone trying to beat addiction is doubt, because if you doubt the process, it isn’t going to work for you. You have to be around examples of victory in order to have enough faith to experience a shift in your life and give yourself the momentum to keep going. Avoiding suffering isn’t enough. You have to move towards trying to be happy with yourself and your life. How much time do you spend chasing nothing and being comfortable with just you, on your own? If you equate financial success with happiness you will be sorely mistaken. If you’re not adding value to the world and the people you meet, you’re going to spend your time chasing things and suffering from the lack you feel. Going to bed tonight sober is enough for some people because that’s an act of self-love. When you love yourself you can begin to love other people in the world. To be content and happy, you have to have a practice of meditation and calming your mind. If you don’t, you will never get off the hamster wheel of chasing happiness which is itself a form of suffering. Tommy’s recovery only came after he hit a new low. It led to a codependency that caused him incredible pain, and he shifted his addiction from alcohol and drugs to bad relationships and gambling. His second phase of recovery came after reaching his second bottom. and Recovery 2.0 was born from meeting a special mentor that showed Tommy the way. Tommy’s gambling addiction nearly destroyed his life over the course of a single disastrous weekend. Despite being in recovery for 12 years, Tommy knew that there was still something that he was missing. Shortly after that Tommy experienced near crippling pain in his back and got the unhappy diagnosis of needing to be on drugs for the rest of his life. Tommy retells the story of meeting his mentor who taught him how to live a pain free life without the need to take medication. Don’t try to just survive your addiction, don’t just focus on not drinking or using. At first you’ll have to do that but the time will come when your life will shift and drugs and alcohol won’t be a problem anymore. Forgive yourself for not being perfect in this world. That’s the basis of a life of beauty and magic and wonder, and it’s available to everybody. Everything has changed in 2020, but so much is still the same. Tommy still has to maintain his practice of meditation, still has to eat healthy food. Mind your own business and pay attention to your own life. Don’t get caught up in the chaos of the external world. Yoga and breathwork are incredible compliments to the twelve step program.Mentioned in this Episode:
Wed, 18 Nov 2020 - 48min - 31 - Remembering Those We've Lost
In honor of National Recovery Month, Allison Merlo is on the show to share the tragic story of how her brother lost his battle with addiction and what she’s doing to raise awareness and raise funds for a special scholarship in his name. Learn how difficult it can be to support a loved one struggling with addiction and how you can help somebody in need right now by contributing to the Mike Merlo Scholarship Fund.
The unfortunate reality of addiction is that it often takes the lives of those who can’t escape its grasp. Allison Merlo is on the show to talk about the story of her brother and how he lost his battle with addiction. Many people have loved ones that are struggling with addiction and don’t know what to do. Growing up Mike was always an entertainer with dreams of being an actor. One of Allison’s favorite memories is of Mike surprising people at a talent show dressed up in a bikini and a blond wig. The turning point for Mike was fairly early. Allison remembers a weeknight where Mike had to get his stomach pumped from drinking too much at a very young age. The severity of the situation scared Allison and her younger brother considerably. Mike continued to struggle with his addiction for the later part of his life from that point on. Allison never really believed that her brother would die from his addiction, but she wasn’t surprised either. The pandemic is putting a lot of extra stress on people right now, which is only making the struggle with addiction more difficult. When Allison was younger she wasn’t sure how to help. Once she moved out to Arizona and built out her network she had an opportunity to teach yoga to inmates in jail, which helped her understand how to communicate with people like her brother, who had been in jail a few times by then and help support them. Looking back at Mike’s later years, Allison realized that she wasn’t in contact very often with him. There is no clear cut answer about how to support someone suffering from addiction. You just have to do what you can with what you have where you are. When you lose someone you will feel like you haven’t done enough. For Allison, there is a sense of wondering if she could have done more, but she does feel good about what she’s done to be of service. Allison is setting up a scholarship fund in her brother’s name to help people that don’t have the resources to get the help they need. If the scholarship fund can save just one life, it will be worth it. The way that she’s fundraising is by doing a rim to rim to rim hike around the Grand Canyon. Donate to Allison’s cause because every single dollar that you contribute is going to help somebody out there that is in need. Follow your heart and lead your life like that. We need to connect and that helps connect with others, and that ultimately helps us heal and recover.Wed, 11 Nov 2020 - 19min - 30 - The Truth About Chronic Pain: How You Can Get Your Life Back
Dr. Mel Pohl reveals his personal struggle with drugs and alcohol and how even professionals suffer from addiction, as well as the truth about chronic pain. Discover some incredible facts about the opioid crisis, and if you suffer from chronic pain, how your life can be better than you could possibly imagine.
There are a lot of myths surrounding the opioid epidemic and chronic pain in general. Pohl was born in New York and studied at the University of Michigan. After training at the University of Buffalo Medical School, he moved to Las Vegas and has been there working in a variety of clinical settings for the past 35 years.. Mel started experimenting with drugs and alcohol in college and eventually cannabis became his drug of choice. He dabbled with other harder drugs like cocaine but cannabis was the hardest drug for Mel to give up. He’s quite concerned about marijuana as a drug right now because the marijuana that he got addicted to was only about a tenth as potent as what is currently available on the market. Mel’s addiction lasted until several years into his residency. He recalls using between calls and having very little respect for the clarity of mind his position required. When you have an addiction, there is usually a voice in your mind that justifies your actions. It wasn’t until Mel worked in a treatment program, learned about alcohol and addiction and found some mentors, that he realized he had a problem. Alcohol became Dr. Mel’s biggest addiction and caused the most issues in his life and work. When you’re in the middle of an addiction you don’t realize some of the ridiculous things you do, especially in a professional environment. It’s not until after you get sober that you see your behavior for what it was. Not everyone is a low-bottom drunk. From all outside appearances, it may look like they are successful but on the inside they’re empty. There are a lot of professionals struggling with an addiction to alcohol. The data suggests that for an addict, profession is one of the last elements of their life to fall. Family and relationships, self care, and self esteem all fall by the wayside before the ability to stay employed suffers. Earning a living financially is a way for many people to justify to themselves that they don’t really have a problem. Mel’s life was on the verge of disaster. It was only a matter of time before it all fell apart, but he was lucky to realize that he couldn't keep up the lifestyle and needed to change. Mel started going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to learn how to be a better doctor, but in the process he started to hear stories and experiences that he could identify with. After getting sober, Dr. Mel found himself in perpetual pain and he struggled to stay sober. It wasn’t until a friend insisted that he attend an AA meeting with her that he found solutions to the problems he didn’t even know he had. When Mel decided to get sober he was committed but he didn’t know how to actually live that life. He wasn’t happy about it but he knew people that seemed very happy with their sobriety and he understood the impact of addiction on the health of the brain, so in some ways Mel’s situation and training were pretty unique. Mel developed a chronic back pain problem and in his journey attempting to treat it, he encountered a number of people suffering from opioid addiction. Those experiences led him to develop a program for people with chronic pain that has now been running for 13 years. Acute pain is related to injury and is purposeful. It’s meant to prevent an action that causes damage to the body. The trouble is the belief that chronic pain is basically the same process extended out over time. Opioids and surgery are not good solutions for chronic pain because they don’t address the thoughts and feelings of the pain or the mental issues that could be contributing to the problem. All pain is real, but thoughts and feelings are the genesis of that pain. Emotion and pain both come from the limbic system within the brain and the emotions associated with the pain can be changed. Challenging the cognitive distortions around pain is the first step of Mel’s program. Dealing with the fear associated with the pain is important to making any sort of progress because whatever you believe about yourself often becomes true. Expectations influence outcomes. Pessimists may have a more realistic view on what’s happening, but optimists generally do better. Placebos are almost as effective as opioids in treating chronic pain. A substantial part of any good physician's job is being a cheerleader and helping the patient believe in their ability to heal and get better. Just as there is a circuit of addiction, there is a circuit of chronic pain that reverberates inside the human brain, and the treatment is uncoupling the stimulus from the response. Opioids are not just problematic for addiction, they are generally very ineffective for pain. Even when they work to treat the pain, the relief is only temporary and this leads to an increased tolerance to the drug. As the cycle continues, the odds of getting addicted only get higher. Opioids can also actually cause pain to increase in the long run. Not starting at all is the only solution without major long-term consequences. Every treatment plan needs an exit strategy, but that’s not very common among opioid prescriptions. If more doctors talked to their patients about the quality of their lives, they would realize the gradual degradation they are causing by constantly prescribing these opioids. These questions are more than a 15-minute pain consultation really allows for. Most pain doctors are so swamped and don’t have the skill set they need to actually treat the root cause of their patient’s problems. Making it harder for doctors to prescribe opioids without giving them the tools to treat pain would leave many patients in a tough spot. One of the most important things you can do for your chronic pain is get moving. Pain in this case doesn’t necessarily mean harm so movement is crucial. Mel’s program integrates many different forms of stretching and exercise in addition to the stress reduction techniques, spiritual, and mindfulness practices. Dealing with addiction involves more than just a single issue, it encompasses all areas of a person’s life. In these Covid-19 days, Mel is seeing an uptick in stress as people’s support systems become compromised. He’s also seeing a rise in relapses in the face of the pandemic. Anxiety causes pain, so anything that helps you down regulate your anxiety is a good way to diminish your pain. If you suffer from chronic pain and take opioids to manage, your life can be better and more enjoyable than you can possibly imagine, but it takes some work to get there.Mentioned in this Episode:
The Pain Antidote by Mel Pohl, MD
Wed, 04 Nov 2020 - 54min - 29 - Interventions Start With Love and Compassion
Joe Capela reveals his personal history with drug and alcohol addiction that led to a $400/day cocaine habit, and how an intervention saved his life. Joe now helps other families intervene in their loved one’s lives and offers them a solution from a place of love and compassion, instead of blame and frustration, that helps them get their lives and relationships back on track.
Tim tells the story of Robert and his brother who struggled with addiction, asking the question about whether it was right to kick his brother out of his house and stop being an enabler. Joe was in denial regarding his addiction and it took a family intervention to get him into recovery. He wasn’t happy initially but a few days into treatment he realized the intervention saved his life. Setting boundaries is easy, keeping those boundaries is the challenge. When families hire Joe to intervene, it’s as much for the family and helping them establish boundaries and make a shift in the family dynamic. Joe grew up in California and looking back on his childhood he always believed his family didn’t have an addiction problem, even though he exhibited that behaviour early on. Even after graduating, getting married and having kids, Joe still enjoyed the party life. He recalls the moment he first tried cocaine was the beginning of the end. What started as a once a month cocaine habit eventually became a $400 a day habit. Joe never realized that he had a drug problem, he thought he had a marriage and a financial problem. When he was in treatment he realized that those problems were actually a direct result of his drug problem. Joe entered into an outpatient problem in 1986 where he managed to complete the one-year program, but not while clean and sober. Three years later Joe was intervened on again and went into a residential program at that point. He’s been clean and sober since. They started by chipping away at his denial and helping Joe realize the extent of his cocaine and alcohol addiction. One of the initial motivations of starting treatment was for Joe to save his marriage, but on the 26th day of the program, his wife informed him that she was filing for divorce. That day was when Joe tried to leave and finally understood the meaning of surrendering. Surrendering to the process and being willing to take suggestions is the reason that Joe is clean and sober today. Many people that get clean want to work in the field and help other people recover as well. For Joe, he felt the call after getting sober and decided to quit working in the automotive industry to go back to school and train to work in a treatment facility. Joe set a 5-year goal for himself and managed to work in the same center he recovered in at the two-year mark. He has since worked at several treatment centers around the world. When Joe got started there weren’t very many interventionists in the world and he never intended to be one. When he went to work with the County he started exploring the interventionist path and fell in love with it. The time to call an interventionist is when you recognize there is a problem. If you have someone who has relapsed or failed treatments, that’s when it makes sense to bring in a professional to help facilitate the process. Joe’s approach to intervening is from a place of love and concern, with no shaming or blaming involved. By the time a family gives Joe a call, they have already tried intervening on their own. They’ve set boundaries but they couldn’t keep them because the family dynamic is usually too close. The trouble is there is a window of opportunity early on and waiting to call an interventionist can cause you to miss that window. When it comes to interventionists, your best bet is to find someone who has experience with the work. A common fear for families is that if they set a boundary the person they are trying to help will kill themselves, and while that is a risk the addict is already killing themselves. By setting the boundary you are at least giving the addict a chance. Joe is trained in multiple models of intervention and it really depends on the family dynamics that determine how he goes about working with people. Joe also brings in the family to help deal with their own issues because addiction is a family disease. It’s crucial for the family to go out and find their own support. Most people don’t understand mental health disorders or how to deal with them. Joe is available to the family up to six months after an intervention and will travel to wherever in the country he needs to be to make sure they get the best results. Joe tries to keep everyone involved engaged for as long as possible because it dramatically increases the odds of success.Mentioned in this Episode:
Wed, 28 Oct 2020 - 46min - 28 - What If You’re Not Broken? Exploring Conscious Recovery
Tim Westbrook and TJ Woodward dive into the power of Conscious Recovery and explore the root causes of addiction. Learn about TJ’s journey in recovery and the powerful spiritual principles he uses to help people change their false beliefs and embrace their infinite potential, instead of viewing themselves as broken people that need to be “fixed”.
Tim wouldn’t know what his life would look like in the midst of the pandemic if he weren’t clean and sober. Addiction, suicide, and mental illness is up by 600% and fewer people are coming into recovery. White collar workers are working from home while still continuing to drink, which means that they aren’t getting into the trouble they normally would and their addiction is getting worse without it being obvious. The impact of the shelter in place policies has created a secondary effect on people and we probably won’t know until this time next year what level the impact is. Being sober is the very foundation for the success that TJ Woodward has enjoyed in his life. Many people have asked TJ how he can know whether he still has a problem with addiction when he got sober at the age of 20. His answer is that he loves his life and being sober so much so having a drink wouldn’t enhance his life in any way so it’s not even a question for him. When your life is so good, it’s not worth the risk of having one drink and going down that path. As long as you continue being grateful and stay connected to other people in recovery, you will know that that life is not what you want. An extensive clinical study revealed that people who had higher levels of anxiety about Covid had higher levels of anxiety before Covid. We don’t change our habits based on what we don’t want, we change our habits based on what we do want. Recovery becomes about “what life do I want?” Whatever you put energy into grows, so if you put energy into what you don’t want, you’re putting it into the wrong place. TJ grew up in the 90’s and recalls coming into the world pretty happy, but that quickly changed into fear and wrongness which changed his worldview. He shut down at an early age, feeling damaged and broken until he discovered drugs and alcohol. One of the narratives that we hear in recovery is that someone has to hit bottom before embracing recovery. For TJ that meant feeling empty and grasping for something or someone just to feel better or feel less. At the age of 13,TJ started experimenting with drugs and alcohol, but he didn’t realize it was a problem until a couple years later. We don’t call drinking or using drugs an addiction as long as it’s working, we call it “fun.” There was no intervention for TJ. The last year of his addiction was particularly damaging internally and his sense of emptiness and disconnection pushed him further. Luckily for TJ, he had a sober friend who planted the seed in his mind that led him to his own recovery. Abusing drugs and alcohol isoften an attempt to fill a sense of emptiness, but it never works. For TJ, what he was really missing was a sense of spiritual wholeness. Relapse is often accepted as part of recovery. TJ was so disconnected that once he discovered recovery he was willing to do whatever it takes. At the time TJ got sober in 1986, the idea of treatment was becoming widespread for the first time. In the beginning, TJ didn’t know that he would be working to help others in recovery, he was in his late 30’s when he went back to school and focused on spiritual counselling, which he now brings to the people he helps. There was no classic addiction in TJ’s family. There is a common narrative that addiction is passed on and if the addiction isn’t present in your family, maybe you don’t actually have a problem. The issue is that addiction takes many forms and doesn’t always manifest as drug or alcohol abuse. TJ took on the generational trauma from his parents and internalized it. Most of the treatment in recovery focuses on symptoms and behaviors. Mental health and addiction were considered separate and unrelated. TJ came into the field with a spiritual approach of reconnecting people with their wholeness in the form of Conscious Recovery. One of the practices that has been very powerful for TJ is listening to his inner wisdom. The idea for writing his Conscious Recovery book came to TJ during meditation. TJ loves the 12-Step program but his path took him in a different direction. Conscious Recovery is not an alternative to the 12-Step program, it’s an additional tool in the toolbox. The 12 Steps are the foundation for the recovery of millions of people. Being with a community of supportive people that helps you connect with others as well as yourself is the goal, whatever form that happens to take. There are more opportunities now to connect in different ways than ever before. TJ’s life changed dramatically early on in recovery after meeting a particular woman who opened his eyes to the story of his recovery. Instead of trying to figure out what’s broken about someone, Conscious Recovery focuses on the infinite potential of what that person is capable of. Personality isn’t permanent, we are changing all the time and we can choose the language we use to describe ourselves and our future. The power of “I am…” is really important. Your “I am…” statements shape how you think of your identity and move you in ways that you may not realize. Recovery is about changing the narrative that you tell yourself. In the Western medical model, we look at symptoms and try to eliminate them. The issue is that the Western approach doesn’t always deal with the root cause. The issue with the DSM is that it often puts people into a category that may not be the right one. It’s not necessarily bad, but a diagnosis can sometimes keep people trapped in a belief about themself that is not necessarily permanent. The root causes of mental disorders are often some unexamined trauma, and just dealing with the symptoms is like putting a bandaid on a bleeding wound. If we only treat symptoms and behaviors, nothing really changes. The seeds you plant in your unconscious grow into fully formed beliefs. Healing your core false beliefs is the path you need to pursue. Your beliefs about yourself also determine who you attract into your life. If you believe you are unworthy, you will choose an unworthy life. You will choose relationships that confirm your core false belief. When TJ was five years old he decided he was stupid. The healing work involved going deep and embracing the emotions of the past and understanding how and where that seed was planted. It takes time to heal. Don’t rush the process but focus on dealing with the root cause as early on as possible. One of the things that treatment practitioners can do right now is start to recognize that they can address root causes much earlier. Conscious Recovery says underneath all your addictive behavior is a whole, imperfect person. The wisdom is within you. It’s not the counsellor, sponsor, or therapist’s job to fix you because you are not actually broken. The person who has relapsed multiple times is carrying a great deal of shame about themselves. If we start to explore anxiety as a strategy than a condition, we can start to explore what it’s managing. If you really want to be clean and sober, take the time to explore what is happening within you and think about what communities you want to connect with to accelerate your recovery.Mentioned in this Episode:
Wed, 21 Oct 2020 - 52min - 27 - Recovery Beyond the 12-Step Program
In this powerful interview, Dr. Georgia Fourlas talks about her personal story of addiction and recovery, and why it’s so easy for intelligent people to deceive themselves. Learn about the root causes of addiction, what resources are available to you if you’re struggling with staying sober, and why living in consultation is vital to your long-term recovery.
Everyone knows someone who has been part of a 12-step program but has been unable to stay sober. Chances are those people are struggling with other issues that they haven’t dealt with. As great as the 12-step program is, some people just need more help. Fourlas tells the story of how she got her Masters degree at the age of 23 while using drugs and alcohol to deal with the challenges of life, and how she fell into a pit of addiction after graduating. It wasn’t until she was exposed to long-term treatment that she finally found a solution. Fourlas knew she had a problem in high school, but she assumed the issue was the people she was friends with. It was always external things that she attributed her issues to and it wasn’t until the long-term treatment and intensive therapy that she saw things differently. For people who walk away from the program, you will keep finding lower and lower bottoms until you either get recovery or you die. Unfortunately, Tim and Dr. Georgia have seen many people die from their addictions over the years. For Dr. Fourlas, long-term use required long-term treatment. She had convinced herself that she was a smart person that could think her way out of her addiction, but she was wrong. All the short term treatment options weren’t enough for Dr. Fourlas. It wasn’t until she was in a therapeutic community for several months that she saw real lasting results. To expect to be cured in 30 to 60 days is unrealistic. When someone is in treatment, they’re in a bubble and protected from the triggers of everyday life. Going back into their old environment and expecting to live a healthy lifestyle is not realistic. Many people in the world use drugs to deal with trauma from their childhood or adult relationships. Not everyone suffers from addiction but for those who do, 30 days is not enough to deal with those deep seated issues. You need a healthy lifestyle, friends, behaviours, and habits to stick with long-term Fourlas’s realization that she needed help came when she was working with her therapist. She realized that she was intelligent enough to deceive herself, and therapy helped her break through those barriers. Just being away from her old life long enough helped her to see more clearly as well. After her long-term treatment, Dr. Fourlas understood that she couldn’t just jump back into her old life, which is why she ended up going into a recovery house. You have to stay in the program until you don’t want to leave. The ones who are the most honest with themselves and understand that they may not be ready yet are closer to being ready than the people who think they’ve got a handle on everything. The key ingredients to a successful recovery are abstinence and connection. You need to be connected with people that are going to be honest with you. Having a healthy purpose and spiritual life is important as well. Introspection is also vital. You need to be able to look inside and see what you’re responsible for. People can be victimized and still take responsibility for addressing the issues and trauma that happened to them. Being a perpetual victim will not lead to healing your pain. Closure from other people is a fantasy. You can’t control others and if you look for healing from people who have victimized you in the past you’re setting yourself up for failure. In the era of Covid-19, anxiety, depression, suicide, and many other issues are on the rise. Distance from family has caused increased suffering and fear as well. The two most profound things though are loss of our normal lives and the overwhelming prevalence of the virus. For some people, the lack of human touch is a major problem that is taking its toll. If you have alcoholic tendencies, being stuck at home makes it much more likely to exacerbate the problem. Without a focus, people are falling into their addiction when they otherwise wouldn’t have. Addiction manifests in a number of forms including drinking, smoking, drugs, pornography, social media, gaming, and more. The problem isn’t the substance, it’s the compulsive behaviours and the underlying issues that cause them. You have to learn how to open up and connect with other people to get closer to recovery. When you repress your emotions and needs, that’s when you get depressed and feel guilty or ashamed, but you also have to be careful not to take hostages regarding your emotional needs. Learning healthy boundaries requires work. You need to be able to deal with your childhood trauma, which can be a challenge, because many people don’t realize what qualifies as trauma. Healthy boundaries are as important as staying in recovery. How else would someone be able to say no to the person pressuring them to have a drink? Without boundaries you will find yourself in relapse and being stepped on. When it comes to social media, it’s hard to know what healthy boundaries look like because they’re different for each person. For Dr. Fourlas that means avoiding politics and religion, and staying out of arguments. Social media is the best example of the world with a lack of boundaries. Fourlas runs several different types of workshops at the Meadows, which are five-day deep dives into one of the areas that are causing people issues in recovery. They usually serve as a foundation for avoiding further addictions or launching you over the obstacles that you might find in recovery. Survivors is a key program that many people have gone through years into their recovery that they’ve found very helpful. One of the best assignments that Dr. Fourlas had ever received from her therapist were two questions: “If you’re so smart, why do you act so stupid? And if you’re so right, why have things gone so wrong for you?” It made her look honestly at her life and her behaviour. We can usually convince ourselves of anything. We need to live in consultation in order to succeed in recovery, with people who know how to guide us through our issues and understand addiction. Dr. Fourlas’s morning routine involves getting up earlier than she needs to to give herself time to get ready, looking at the news through comedy, cuddling her cat, and some light motivational or funny videos. She knows that if she rushes in the morning, the rest of the day is much harder.Wed, 14 Oct 2020 - 50min - 26 - The Ambassador of Hope on Why Understanding Risk is Crucial to Staying Sober
Andre Norman, the incredible and inspiring Ambassador of Hope talks about his journey from violent convict to Harvard fellow, and how he now travels the world empowering people to seek the help they need to build better lives. Andre talks about his struggles with anger and violence, the epiphany that changed the course of his life, and why change is available for everyone.
Andre Norman’s early experiences prepared him for a life of crime and violence, culminating in being sentenced to over 100 years in prison. It was during a two-year stint in solitary confinement that Andre had an epiphany that changed his life. After serving 14 years behind bars, Andre is now known as the Ambassador of Hope and helps empower other people to turn their life around. Andre was born and raised in Boston with a single mother who struggled to provide for him. By the end of high school, Andre was a part of a gang and found himself in prison. Andre tells people that he went to prison because he quit on all the opportunities he had available to him, not because he was black, or came from the inner city, or the son of a single mom. In the first six years of his sentence, Andre convinced himself that he was doing well. He convinced himself all the negative aspects of his life, including being a gang leader and locked up in solitary prison, were good things. He rationalized and justified his whole existence until it all came crashing down when he realized he was the king of nowhere. Once he decided he didn’t want to be where he was anymore, he had to face the truth about who he was and what he had to do to change. Andre wrote down who he was and started working on the list one area at a time. Andre got his GED, he went to anger management and started working on his relationships. It took him eight more years of doing the work to get out of prison after serving 14 years total. Andre didn’t do drugs or drink but he went to every program they had available. It was a friend that eventually brought him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and that’s where he learned how to take accountability and apply the 12 Steps to his anger issues. Alcoholic behaviour can take many forms, for Andre it was anger. Addiction is created from pain, and when you have pain you look for release. Fighting and attacking people was how Andre dealt with his pain. Pain doesn’t always come from someone being a bully or violent, it can be as simple as a misunderstanding and not realizing how the other person feels about something you’ve done. Andre’s last fist fight was in 1991. Once Andre decided that fighting was no longer how he wanted to live he had to figure out another way to communicate and develop better habits. The other initial step was realizing that bad thoughts don’t make you a bad person. Separating thoughts from actions and taking a few seconds to respond instead of reacting violently is how Andre slowly changed his life. When you’re in jail, the only thing you see is failure. That’s why it’s so important to show up in person and show that if you can make it, they can too. Andre’s nickname, The Ambassador of Hope, came organically from helping people all over the world. Andre travels around the world to deliver a message of hope to people who need it. Andre was awarded a fellowship by a Harvard professor as part of his efforts to help heal tensions in Ferguson after Michael Brown was killed. The US has a racial addiction. At some point, the country needs to acknowledge that they have a black/white problem and start working towards fixing it and implementing a solution, instead of focusing on the problem. The instant you say there is no risk, it quadruples the odds of something bad happening because you are no longer guarding against potential problems. When you believe that you can’t relapse, you are putting yourself at risk. When you acknowledge that risk is real you do something about it. When you say risk doesn’t exist, you do nothing about it and make yourself susceptible to anything that can go wrong, and something usually does go wrong. Most people don’t understand the long term consequences of their actions. At age 17, Andre had a chance to be a Junior Counsellor for a foreign exchange student but because he didn’t understand the opportunity he lost it. Understanding the opportunities that are in front of you is very important. Get educated because opportunities are coming at you at a thousand miles an hour, but if we can’t recognize them they will go by without us. You have to get out of your comfort zone to grow. Andre learned to ask for help for the negative habits he had, but he didn’t realize until much later that you can ask for help on the good things as well. Learn the action steps that can rebuild your life and those action steps can take you someplace great.Mentioned in this Episode:
Wed, 07 Oct 2020 - 37min - 25 - Sex, Money, and Sobriety
Walter spent 18 years as a financial educator teaching at many prestigious universities, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, ASU, DePaul, TCU, UNLV, University of San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis and Tecnológico de Monterrey. In 2003 he started his own investment firm. In 2013, he paid a $10,000,000 "Dumb Tax" and lost his firm—the consequence of reliance on others without a full understanding of the issues and risk associated with a transaction. He is committed to communicating and teaching the many lessons he and others have learned in the quest for happiness—keeping wealth without losing oneself or the people they care about.
Thu, 13 Aug 2020 - 1h 08min
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