Just in time for the holidays, Dr. Dan Hochman joins us to offer oodles of great advice when it comes to the "messy" areas of sobriety. I'm looking at you, holiday stress.

Follow Self Recovery on ...

Facebook: facebook.com/Selfrecoveryhealth

Instagram: @selfrecoveryhealth

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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Call 877-505-HOPE to schedule a consultation, or visit gatewayfoundation.org for more information.

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If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

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Sign up for our free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Jason Wood is an author and a mental health advocate who suffers from orthorexia - a little-known eating disorder defined by obsession with eating healthy foods. Back when he was a self-described "fat kid," he discovered the surefire way to gain praise and to achieve what he then considered successes was to adhere to a strict, albeit downright dangerously restrictive diet.

Jason's first book, "Starving for Survival" comes out Jan. 11, 2022, and you can preorder it now. He's taken on the mission of sharing his personal experiences with not just orthorexia, but dealing with an eating disorder as a man. He's also only recently come to terms with being gay, despite having been married his husband back in 2019.

Does this all sound intimidating? To Jason, it sounds exhilarating. Yes, he still has a lot of growing to do. But he's come a long way, and he's thrilled by the opportunity to keep getting better.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions on eating disorders, trauma, mental illness, and alcohol abuse.

Follow Jason on Instagram.

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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an individualized plan and be at your side from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation today at mindful-marathon.com.

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Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

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If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

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Sign up for our free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Brian James is on a mission to tap out the stigma surrounding addiction and mental illness. While he and I share a number of passions - running, music, and off-beat humor, to name a few - he's way into something that's unfamiliar to me: jiu-jitsu. He leaned hard on the discipline during 2020, when he lost his father and, shortly thereafter, a close friend.

Brian got sober from meth in the early 2000s, but it was first March 3, 2014, when he put down the drink for good. He boldly shares his story to inspire others, and to dispel myths surrounding masculinity.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions on substance abuse and suicide.

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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.

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If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Reba Buhr, actor, author and mental health advocate, has nearly 100 credits on IMDB. She’s probably voiced a character in one of your favorite animated shows or video games - including one of my daughters’ favorite joints, Miraculous.

But Reba’s dream is to take her show on the road and speak to students at universities about her mental health journey. She’s written a book titled “Get Thee to a Therapist”, in which she shares her struggles with anxiety and panic attacks that came on during college, while educating readers how to navigate the mental healthcare system. Her Instagram account that goes by the same name is packed with her unique brand of humor and invaluable insights.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions on anxiety and panic attacks.

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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Call 877-505-HOPE to schedule a consultation, or visit gatewayfoundation.org for more information.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Kim Sundling is a behavioral health pharmacist. As someone who prescribes medicine, one can only imagine the hell she was living through over the course of 11 months, as she, along with her psychiatrist and therapist, tried to figure out the right medication cocktail to treat her bipolar disorder. At last, in August, they hit the jackpot, and she's finally fully living her life.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions about suicidal ideations and eating disorders.

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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Charlie Engle has seen some things, man. He's run across the Sahara Desert and summited ice-covered volcanoes, and his next goal is to run from the Dead Sea to the top of Mount Everest. He's also spent a year and a half behind bars in federal prison.

Charlie is coming up on 30 years sober, and as a public speaker, author, and relentless advocate, he's made a significant impact on treatment for substance abuse, and the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery.

Whether it's training for another near-impossible physical feat or simply becoming a better human, Charlie has a universal credo: "Comfort is overrated."

We obviously couldn't get to everything Charlie's done and hopes to accomplish in a 1-hour interview. For his entire incredible story (up until now), check out his memoir, "Running Man."

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions on substance abuse.

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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an individualized plan and be at your side from start to finish. Schedule a free consultation today at mindful-marathon.com.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Ed Latimore knows how to take a punch and roll with it. And he knows how to counter with the best of them. That's why he's 13-1-1 as a professional boxer, a chess enthusiast, and most germane to this podcast, the owner of nearly 8 years of sobriety from alcohol and pornography.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions on substance abuse and pornography addiction.

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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Call 877-505-HOPE to schedule a consultation, or visit gatewayfoundation.org for more information.

************************************

Catch me on IGTV (@40000_Steps) and Facebook Live at 11 a.m. CST every Tuesday and Thursday. Join the discussion. Bring your own snacks.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Mireya Lopez is a mother of one and the celebrated host of the podcast Mothering Anxiety. She's built a devoted following by opening up about her battles with anxiety, and by interviewing guests about their struggles.

She's also the wife of a recovering alcoholic. Her husband gave up the drink a little more than a year ago.

We discuss what it's like being the partner of a substance abuser, the many faces of anxiety, and what it was like for Mireya to learn she was having a girl after being treated like her mother's biggest f***-up as a child.

TRIGGER WARNING: We discuss alcohol abuse and suicidal ideations.

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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.

Emily Saldana, an eight-time marathoner and mother of four, has gone through an ugly divorce. She's survived cancer, a traumatizing childhood, and resulting anxiety that saw her putting herself to sleep with panic attacks.

Emily recently shattered her marathon PR, but her next race, the Chicago Marathon, was her true breakthrough performance.

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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Call 877-505-HOPE to schedule a consultation, or visit gatewayfoundation.org for more information.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read Christopher's regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio

Travis Eastman knows his addiction recovery program, 12 Weeks to Freedom, works - because it continues to work for him. Travis is a chef, a meditation guide, and an ultramarathoner who officially launched the program in October.

TRIGGER WARNING: Travis opens up about his lows - from burying booze in parks near his home to multiple suicide attempts.

But as always, we focus most of our conversation on how incredible life is on this side of addiction.

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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.

************************************

If you or someone you know would like to star on the podcast, or be interviewed on IGTV, email us at [email protected].

************************************

Sign up for our free newsletter and read my regular musings in The Big Blog at 40000steps.com, where you can also read about and listen to every episode of 40,000 Steps Radio.