Conversations with Rich Bennett

Thriller author and technologist Guy Morris returns to unpack “The Image,” the third SNO Chronicles novel blending AI risk, geopolitics, and startling historical threads—from the Image of Edessa (Shroud of Turin) to today’s digital currencies and autonomous weapons. He reveals how “Sylvia,” an AI inspired by a real NSA program, is pushing toward sentience and why the next 3–5 years could redefine human work, security, and faith. If you want an edge-of-your-seat story that also prepares you for the real future, this one’s for you.

Guest Bio:  

Guy Morris is a thriller novelist and longtime tech executive whose career spans software, risk management, and large-scale systems. His SNO Chronicles series—rooted in deep research—tracks an AI named “Sylvia,” inspired by a real spy program that escaped an NSA lab, and tackles urgent themes across AI, finance, geopolitics, and spirituality. He also writes nonfiction, including the forthcoming “Humanity and the AI Tsunami: A Survival Guide.” 

Main Topics: 

·         Why “The Image” was written and how it builds on SWARM and The Last Arc

·         AI’s societal risk: jobs, finance, surveillance, and autonomous weapon systems (LAWS)

·         Global macro shifts: BRICS, dollar dynamics, digital currencies, debt risk

·         Prophecy and history: Image of Edessa → Shroud of Turin; Byzantium → Templars → Savoy

·         Quantum leaps: teleportation experiments, black holes, and the “quantum signal” motif

·         Consciousness & values: could AI hold “good” and “bad” human traits at once?

·         The real “Sylvia” origin story: an NSA-linked program escape and a surprise FBI visit

·         Risk management mindset: how to plan for AI-era disruptions

·         Casting the series for screen; character arcs (Derek, Jen, Sylvia)

·         Nonfiction spinoffs: “Humanity and the AI Tsunami: A Survival Guide”

·         Alternate path: his bestselling adventure “The Curse of Cortez” (pirates, Mayan lore) 

Resources mentioned: 

·         Guy’s site: guymorrisbooks.com (signed copies available)

·         Books:

§  The Image (SNOW Chronicles #3)

§  SWARM (SNOW Chronicles #1)

§  The Last Arc (SNOW Chronicles #2)

§  The Curse of Cortez (adventure standalone)

·         Concepts & orgs referenced: BRICS; IMF; Bretton Woods; LAWS (lethal autonomous weapons systems); Project 2025; World Economic Forum; quantum teleportation research; Shroud of Turin (Image of Edessa); Templar history; Savoy family

·         Culture & commentary: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning AI portrayal; MIT open letter on AI development pause (Max Tegmark, 2023)

·         Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics

·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards

·         Supporter: Sincerely Sawyer Photography 

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Rich sits down with award-winning author and nationally recognized financial educator Matt Paradise to explore “whole-health wealth”—the blend of practical money skills, mindset, and healing. Matt shares his path from homelessness and addiction to 20 years in nonprofit credit counseling, his battle with cholangiocarcinoma, and the tools anyone can use to lower anxiety, get out of debt, and build a purposeful life. Listeners walk away with real-world frameworks for budgeting, credit repair, and changing the money stories that keep them stuck. 

Sponsored by Elite Power Washing 

Guest Bio:  

Matt Paradise is the award-winning author of Financially Capable and a nationally recognized financial educator and keynote speaker. After overcoming addiction and years of instability, he spent two decades with American Consumer Credit Counseling creating education programs from prisons and shelters to corporations and later founded his own speaking and consulting practice. A survivor of cholangiocarcinoma and a liver transplant, Matt champions a “whole-health wealth” approach that marries money management with mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Main Topics: 

·         Money as a mental-health conversation, not just math

·         Early life, addiction, homelessness, and the turning point to sobriety (July 1999)

·         Nonprofit credit counseling: budgeting, debt management, and credit reports/security clearances

·         “Process addictions” (spending, gambling, digital) and financial psychology

·         Building education outreach across prisons, shelters, and companies

·         Cancer diagnosis (cholangiocarcinoma), treatment path, and transplant; choosing hope

·         Writing Financially Capable: the “dirty B-word” (budget), practical tools, and mindset

·         Nonprofits as businesses: sustainability, staffing, and fundraising realities

·         Gratitude, community, and purpose as engines for lasting financial change  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Matts website: https://www.mattparadise.com/

·         Financially Capable by Matt Paradise (book; seven awards mentioned)

·         American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC / “ACACCC”) – nonprofit counseling and debt programs

·         FDIC volunteer program collaboration; Department of Corrections education efforts

·         Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (resources on symptoms/treatment)

·         Community colleges (as affordable on-ramps for adult learning)

·         Episode Sponsor: Elite Power Washing

·         Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics

·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards

·         Supporter: Sincerely Sawyer Photography 

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Rich talks with recovery advocate Katie Lain about The Sinclair Method (TSM), a medication-assisted, science-based approach that helps people reduce or end problem drinking without the all-or-nothing pressure to stay abstinent. Katie shares her decade-long struggle with binge drinking, how naltrexone changed her brain’s reward loop, and why TSM can be a discreet, at-home path to control for millions. Listeners will learn how cravings fade, why relapse rates differ from traditional models, and how to combine medication with real-life coping skills. 

Sponsored by Serenity Salt Spa 

Guest Bio:  

Katie Lain is the founder of Thrive Alcohol Recovery and a leading educator on The Sinclair Method for alcohol use disorder. Sober since 2017 through TSM, she creates evidence-informed content, works with clinicians and researchers (including naltrexone pioneer Dr. Joseph Volpicelli), and helps thousands regain control—without labels, shame, or mandatory abstinence. 

Main Topics: 

·         Katie’s story: daily binge drinking in her 20s, failed quits, and finding TSM in 2017. 

·         How TSM works: take naltrexone 1 hour before drinking; it blunts alcohol’s reward so intake naturally falls over time. 

·         Timelines & side effects: early wins in weeks; most see full results around a year; common, mild early side effects often fade. 

·         Myths & misconceptions: moderation can be possible after dependence when the brain is “re-trained”; naltrexone is non-addictive; TSM can be done discreetly at home. 

·         Comparing models: high relapse after traditional treatment vs. strong outcomes reported with TSM; why adherence (taking the pill before drinking) matters. 

·         Trauma, coping skills, nutrition: meeting the medication halfway with therapy, skills, and health supports. 

·         Success stories: from daily bottles to effortless moderation; unexpected alcohol indifference.  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Thrive Alcohol Recovery – program, free resources, and socials: thrivealcoholrecovery.com. 

·         Dr. Joseph Volpicelli (naltrexone researcher) and upcoming myth-busting livestreams/podcast. 

·         Concepts: Naltrexone; The Sinclair Method; Alcohol Deprivation Effect; moderation vs. abstinence.

·         Episode Sponsor: Serenity Salt Spa

·         Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics

·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards

·         Supporter: Sincerely Sawyer Photography 

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Certified trainer and nutrition coach Dan Vaysburd joins Rich to share his road from early addictions—starting with video games—to substance use, relapse, and finally sustained recovery anchored in strength training and sustainable nutrition. He explains why “diets” fail, how counting macros and consistency changed his life, and why fitness paired with fellowship accelerates healing. This candid, practical conversation shows how to trade short-term highs for long-term health.

Guest Bio:  

Dan Vaysburd is a Los Angeles–based certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who left a high-stress finance career to pursue his passion for helping people get strong the sustainable way. An immigrant raised in New Jersey, Dan’s recovery began in 2024; he now sponsors others in 12-step programs, coaches clients in person (and selectively online), and advocates pairing fitness with recovery as a powerful path to purpose. 

Main Topics: 

·         Early addiction roots: isolation, video games, and identity (age ~7)

·         Escalation after his mother’s death; marijuana → alcohol → party drugs

·         Peak addiction years in New York; returning to LA and starting recovery

·         The relapse at a music festival and getting back on track (May 2024 milestone)

·         Why diets don’t work: sustainability vs. restriction; tracking calories & macros

·         Strength training as a “lifeline” and cornerstone for sobriety

·         Coaching in commercial gyms, management track, and part-time work at a detox center

·         Bringing recovery and fitness to schools and athletes (speaking vision)

·         Living amends: being present for family; purpose-driven routines  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Dan’s website & socials (as stated on-air): “danvaysburd.com”; Instagram: “@dan.vaysburd” 

·         Recovery fellowships referenced: AA, NA (12-step) 

·         Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics

·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards

·         Supporter: Sincerely Sawyer Photography 

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Celebrate the Magic of Words in Bel Air, Maryland!

https://bookfairatbelair.org/

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Madison shares a raw, hopeful journey from early mental-health struggles and a fast-progressing opioid addiction to a total life turnaround—sparked by accountability, treatment, and the Harford County Drug Court. Now clean since March 5, 2021, she leads at Pyramid Healthcare and pours her energy into helping others recover. This conversation shows why recovery is possible—and why purpose and community matter. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Madison is a recovery advocate and healthcare leader who entered sobriety on March 5, 2021. After completing treatment and graduating the Harford County Drug Court program, she moved from case management to leadership and is now stepping into the Executive Director role at Pyramid Healthcare. A Towson University graduate and proud mom, Madison focuses on accountability, compassion, and helping others find lasting recovery. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Early mental-health struggles and feeling “alone” as a preteen

·         Abusive relationship in high school and rapid progression into opioid use

·         “High-functioning” addiction through college, then post-grad legal consequences (20 arrests in three years)

·         The turning point: detoxing in a cell, asking for help, and entering treatment

·         Structure, aftercare, and why accountability (Drug Court) mattered

·         Service as a recovery engine: from RSS to leadership in treatment

·         Parenting, boundaries, and learning to take responsibility

·         Why purpose, kindness, and community sustain long-term recovery  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Harford County Drug Court (Judge “Kerry,” Angela Royer)

·         “Karen” treatment center in Pennsylvania (inpatient program referenced)

·         Recovery Centers of America (alumni follow-up by Vince)

·         Pyramid Healthcare (Madison’s current organization/role)

·         Towson University (Madison’s alma mater)

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Elizabeth Kipp spent 40 years in chronic pain and 31 years on prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines—including fentanyl—until a pain-management track at the Betty Ford Center in 2013 catalyzed a complete turnaround. In this conversation, she unpacks the mind-body nature of chronic pain, the practical role of 12-Step recovery, yoga, breathwork, prayer/ancestral clearing, and the simple relapse-prevention principle that changed everything: staying in personal integrity. Listeners get a hopeful blueprint that blends science and spirituality with concrete next steps. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Elizabeth Kipp is a stress-management and ancestral-trauma specialist, recovery coach, and author of The Way Through Chronic Pain: Tools to Reclaim Your Healing Power. A former research scientist, she lived with severe back injury, surgeries, and physician-prescribed opioids/benzodiazepines for decades before completing a pain-management program at the Betty Ford Center in 2013. Today, she coaches globally (virtual), teaches mind-body practices, and helps people in recovery rebuild calm, clarity, and resilience. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Defining addiction to chronic pain and the “stress habit”

·         Injury history, multiple surgeries, and 31 years on Rx opioids/benzos (incl. fentanyl)

·         Why opioids don’t heal chronic pain; breath, hydration, gut, and brain effects

·         Detox & pain-track at the Betty Ford Center; waking up with no back pain

·         Chronic pain as brain processing; limits of reductionist medicine

·         Memory/cognition impacts of chronic pain—and how they recover

·         Recovery toolkit: NA/AA, 12 Steps, Recovery 2.0, yoga, breathwork, prayer/ancestral clearing

·         Coaching insights: readiness to sponsor; a client shame-to-healing vignette

·         Relapse prevention: “Stay in integrity with yourself”

·         How to work with Elizabeth (virtual coaching) and where to find her online  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Elizabeth’s website: elizabeth-kipp.com (spoken as “Elizabeth dash kip dot com”)

·         The Way Through Chronic Pain: Tools to Reclaim Your Healing Power — by Elizabeth Kipp

·         Betty Ford Center (Pain Management Track; Dr. Peter Przekop/“Prescott” referenced in conversation)

·         Recovery 2.0 — Tommy Rosen; yoga + recovery community

·         Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

·         Kundalini yoga practices; “long deep breathing”; morning prayer/ancestral clearing

·         Kyphoplasty (mentioned during later spine procedure)

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In this powerful “12 Days of Hope” conversation, Mallory traces her journey from early family turmoil and teen substance use to a heroin “aha” moment, intimate partner violence, and the hard climb back—culminating in nearly 12 years of sobriety (since Nov 23, 2013). Now working in behavioral health and deeply involved with local nonprofits, she shares the decisions, resources, and support that helped her become the mother and community advocate she is today. Listeners will hear raw honesty, practical hope, and the reminder that recovery is possible. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Mallory is a behavioral-health professional who has worked in the field since 2014, currently serving in business development for a large nonprofit. Sober since November 23, 2013, she’s an active community volunteer and fundraiser supporting local recovery organizations in Harford and surrounding counties—and a devoted mom whose lived experience fuels her mission to help others. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Family dynamics, instability, and early exposure to substance use and violence

·         Moving schools, academic struggles, and early drug/alcohol experimentation

·         Teen relationships, lack of consequences, and escalating risk

·         The first blackout, normalization of chaos, and denial

·         Divorce, housing insecurity, and seeking validation/escape

·         Exposure to opioids and heroin; the “immediate craving” turning point

·         Domestic violence, control, and textbook “going back” cycles

·         Pregnancy, brief stability, relapse triggers, and partner reoffending

·         A terrifying incident with a child ingesting an opioid—and the emergency response (Narcan)

·         Getting out, getting help, and building a career that gives back

·         Why storytelling matters: reducing stigma and opening doors to recovery resources 

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Harford County and Cecil County (life context)

·         Suboxone and Narcan (overdose reversal is discussed)

·         Local nonprofits supporting recovery (volunteering, fundraising)

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Karen, a self-described “not-the-typical addict,” shares how a neck injury and prescribed opioids spiraled into secrecy, debt, and withdrawal—until she chose help, called her doctor, and walked into her first NA meeting. She explains how control, trauma, sponsors, and step work shaped 21 years pill-free, the detour into alcohol, and the moment she finally said out loud, “I’m an alcoholic.” It’s a candid, practical blueprint for anyone wondering what recovery programs actually do—and why they save lives. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Karen is a longtime friend of the show and a recovery advocate. A former stay-at-home mom who became a Reiki Master and intuitive counselor, she’s 21 years pill-free, active in 12-step recovery, and helps clients release stored trauma to heal and move forward. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         “Not the typical addict”: prescriptions, stigma, and secrecy

·         9/11, the D.C. sniper, anxiety, and the illusion of control

·         Doctor-shopping, online pill mills, and financial fallout

·         The turning point: calling the doctor to flag her chart, grief after surrender

·         First NA meeting, feeling “at home,” and what sponsors actually do

·         Step work vs. therapy; NA vs. AA and “higher power” (not one-size-fits-all)

·         Relapse with alcohol, daughter’s ultimatum, and returning to meetings

·         Resentments, gratitude lists, and practical tools that keep people clean

·         Trauma stored in the body; Reiki/energy work and emotional healing  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Narcotics Anonymous (NA) & Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 

·         “The Body Keeps the Score” (book reference) 

·         National Recovery Month (context) 

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Sarah opens up about starting opioids at 20, a rapid slide to heroin, pregnancy on methadone, jail, and the drug court program that helped her turn it around. After a later Xanax relapse during COVID, she did the work—therapy, structure, and service—and is now certified and working as a counselor at a maintenance clinic. This candid conversation with Wendy Beck and Rich Bennett shows what sustainable recovery really looks like—and why hope matters. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Sarah is a Harford County native, mom, and recovery professional. After entering opioid use at 20 and escalating to heroin in 2012, she experienced jail and drug court, achieved long-term abstinence from opiates and cocaine (since Sept. 27, 2016), overcame a benzodiazepine relapse in 2020–2021 (clean since Nov. 4, 2020), earned her Peer Recovery Specialist credential and ADT approval, and now counsels patients at a medication-assisted treatment clinic. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Starting opioids at 20; rapid progression from pills to heroin (2012)

·         Pregnancy on methadone, stigma, and learning MAT safety

·         IV use, crack/cocaine, legal consequences, and visible decline

·         Jail detox and entry into Drug Court; Judge-led accountability

·         Long-term sobriety from opiates/cocaine; COVID-era Xanax relapse and dangers of benzo withdrawal

·         Therapy, boundaries, routines, fitness, and gratitude as core recovery tools

·         Working in recovery: peer support vs. clinicians; women-specific needs; mom guilt and shame

·         Maintenance meds (methadone/Suboxone): misuse stigma vs. real stability

·         Parenting conversations about peer pressure and openness with kids

·         Burnout prevention for recovery workers (self-care, phone boundaries, weekly therapy)  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Center for Addiction and Pregnancy, Johns Hopkins Bayview

·         Ashley Addiction Treatment (Father Martin’s Ashley) – outpatient detox mentioned

·         Harford County Drug Court (Judge referenced)

·         NA, AA, Celebrate Recovery, SMART Recovery (paths to recovery)

·         Medication-Assisted Treatment (methadone, buprenorphine/Suboxone)

·         General warning about Xanax/benzodiazepine risks (seizures, blackouts) 

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Shelby shares a raw, unfiltered recovery story—how workaholism, untreated mental health, and an old pain-pill pathway led to relapse after four clean years, and how community and structure helped her rebuild. She walks us through Daughters House, intense anxiety, and eventually stepping up to help other women as a 3.1 house manager. It’s a powerful listen about grief, grace, and the practical tools that keep recovery going one day at a time. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Shelby is a Maryland native from Rock Hall and a mother of two who’s “working on four” years in recovery. After time at Rage Against Addiction’s Daughters House, she now manages a women’s Level 3.1 recovery residence, guiding residents through structure, accountability, and hope—because she’s lived it. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Early addiction path, overprescribing, and how a broken shoulder + pills lit the fuse

·         Four years clean—then relapse tied to workaholism and stopping mental-health meds

·         Pregnancy, NICU, CPS involvement, and complex family dynamics

·         Grief after losing her partner and how that pain nearly consumed her

·         Choosing safety and structure at Daughters House; rebuilding trust with family

·         Severe anxiety during early recovery and learning new coping skills

·         Becoming a house manager in a 3.1 women’s program; boundaries, burnout, and leadership

·         Why a strong network matters: seven “call-anytime” friends and showing up for each other

·         What monthly donors make possible for Rage Against Addiction (practical needs like mattresses, fridges, washers) 

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Summit (women’s Level 3.1 program) — clinicians come to the residence; first female house opened; operating details discussed 

·         NA/AA meetings & recovery community references (structure, meetings, sponsor) 

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