Fishing Without Bait: A Full Impact Mindfulness Podcast

In Part 1 of this special conversation, Fishing Without Bait host Jim Ellermeyer sits down with Monica Ruiz of Casa San Jose to talk about advocacy, community, human dignity, and what it means to truly listen to the people you are trying to serve.

Monica discusses her path as a social worker and how her work eventually brought her to Casa San Jose. She shares the organization’s beginnings with Sister Janice Vanderneck and its growth from a small operation working out of a church basement into an organization with more than 35 staff members serving communities in Allegheny County and beyond.

The conversation explores an important distinction in Casa San Jose’s mission: advocating not simply “for” the Latino community, but “with” the community. Monica explains why people need the opportunity to speak for themselves and why assumptions about what others need can get in the way of meaningful change.

Jim and Monica also discuss belonging, racism, fear-based thinking, privilege, immigration narratives, and the challenge of deciding when a difficult conversation is worth having. Monica reflects on being both proudly Latina and proudly American, the importance of having a seat at the table, and why changing systems requires people from affected communities to be part of the decisions.

Throughout the conversation, the themes return to ideas at the heart of Fishing Without Bait: human dignity, openness, listening, compassion, and finding ways to move from frustration toward meaningful action.

This is Part 1 of our conversation with Monica Ruiz.

Programming note: We’ll return to the rest of Melissa Carey’s interview in the following weeks.

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What if you aren’t broken and don’t need to be “fixed”?

In Fishing Without Bait Episode 533, host Jim Ellermeyer welcomes Melissa Carey for Part 1 of a four-part conversation about mindfulness, anxiety, self-awareness, and reconnecting with ourselves.

Melissa begins with a powerful reflection on learning to love who she is today. From there, she and Jim explore her belief that we are already whole, even when layers of experience, relationships, expectations, and our own self-talk make that wholeness difficult to recognize.

Melissa discusses the anxiety and life transitions that often bring people looking for support and explains why listening is at the heart of her approach. Drawing from her background in music therapy and her work with sound, meditation, breathwork, and energy practices, she shares one deceptively simple starting point: notice your breath.

Jim and Melissa also discuss mindfulness during both difficult and positive moments, learning from obstacles, practicing coping tools before a crisis arrives, and why sometimes the most helpful next step is simply encouraging someone to seek an impartial ear through counseling or therapy.

This is Part 1 of our conversation with Melissa Carey.

Learn more about Melissa and her work with Into the Spirit Healing at:

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In Part 3 of our conversation with Austin Cairns, host Jim Ellermeyer explores what Austin has learned from working in professional wrestling and sports broadcasting—and how those experiences connect with the mindfulness principles at the heart of Fishing Without Bait.

Austin opens up about the colorful personalities he has encountered in independent wrestling, along with a less glamorous side of the business: tribalism. He discusses the tension that can develop between promotions, the pressure of navigating different groups, and why he believes collaboration can ultimately make wrestling better.

The conversation then moves beyond the wrestling ring and into Austin’s expanding broadcasting career. He shares his experience contributing Pittsburgh Steelers reports for radio, reflects on interviewing established Pittsburgh sports broadcasters, and talks about his long-term goal of traveling and working in broadcasting on a larger stage.

Jim and Austin also explore changes in sports culture, including NIL, fantasy sports, sports gambling, and the increasingly common sight of fans watching their phones instead of the event happening directly in front of them.

That observation leads directly back to mindfulness. Austin describes himself as someone who wants to live in the moment, and when Jim asks what advice he would give someone pursuing a dream, Austin’s answer is simple: put yourself out there.

Growth rarely happens by waiting for the perfect opportunity or remaining completely comfortable. Austin reflects on going from a shy student to working across sports, wrestling, radio, television, and journalism by accepting opportunities that pushed him beyond what felt familiar.

It’s a conversation about ambition without losing awareness of where you are right now—and having the courage to enter uncomfortable spaces in order to discover what you can become.

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Sometimes the hardest accomplishment to recognize is your own.

In Part 2 of Jim Ellermeyer's conversation with sportscaster Austin Cairns, Austin opens up about learning to slow down and appreciate the people, experiences, and accomplishments already in his life.

Austin talks about the trusted circle of family and longtime friends who have been there for him and how, especially during college, constantly trying to “go, go, go” could quickly lead to burnout. More recently, he has learned to put down the phone, step away from the computer, spend time with his family, and remember that time may be more valuable than money.

The conversation also follows Austin's educational and professional journey from CCAC to Point Park University and into the world of sports broadcasting. He recalls helping create a live charity event at Point Park that combined sports, entertainment, media, and professional wrestling and ultimately raised more than $365,000.

But even after accomplishing something that significant, Austin admits that being proud of himself didn't come naturally.

Jim and Austin discuss the difference between arrogance and confidence and why recognizing your own progress doesn't mean putting yourself above anyone else. For Austin, that lesson also meant realizing that the kid who grew up watching professional wrestling was now calling matches, working in sports, creating content, and meeting people he once watched on television.

Austin also shares how an internship with an independent wrestling promotion gave him a foot in the door, what he learned from experienced broadcasters, and why storytelling is such an important part of professional wrestling commentary.

It's a conversation about gratitude, purpose, family, ambition, burnout, confidence, and giving yourself permission to acknowledge how far you've already come.

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In Part 1 of our conversation with Austin Cairns, Jim Ellermeyer explores how a shy kid who wasn't sure what he wanted to do began creating a path toward broadcasting.

Austin grew up in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, attending a small high school where opportunities could be limited. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived during his high school years. Remote learning, isolation, uncertainty, fear for his frontline-worker parents, and spending most of his time at home left Austin feeling increasingly complacent and unsure about what came next.

A seemingly ordinary moment with his father changed his perspective.

While watching ESPN together, Austin's father told him he could imagine his son working in television. Austin didn't immediately believe him. At the time, he considered himself shy and struggled to imagine speaking comfortably into a microphone, much less appearing on camera.

But Austin tried.

He started looking for opportunities wherever he could find them. His first announcing experience came introducing his high school's marching band during football halftime. That small opportunity connected him with his first mentor in broadcasting and eventually led to announcing more school sports.

Austin also began creating his own practice. He muted television broadcasts and attempted play-by-play himself. He practiced wrestling commentary. He cut mock promos. He recorded his voice and listened back, even when hearing himself made him cringe.

That discomfort became part of the education.

Jim and Austin discuss the importance of repetition, getting outside the comfort zone, learning through failure, and being willing to ask, “How can I improve this?”

Austin also reflects on the people who helped him move forward, including his family and Pittsburgh broadcasting mentor Alby Oxenreiter. A relationship that began with Austin listening closely to an experienced broadcaster eventually developed into a moment where Austin was asked to take the lead himself.

Underlying the entire conversation is something central to Fishing Without Bait: we don't have to wait until we feel completely ready before taking action.

Sometimes the first step is simply trying.

Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player and follow the conversation as Austin Cairns continues sharing how he got here from there.

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Why are we revisiting this episode now?

As students head back to school, conversations around social media, young people, screen time, online identity, and mental health are once again dominating the news. Recent legal action involving major social media platforms has also renewed questions about how these spaces are designed and how they affect the people using them.

That makes this conversation from Fishing Without Bait Episode 452, originally released January 14, 2025, feel particularly timely.

Jim Ellermeyer is joined by Chris Maverick, professor of digital narrative interactive design at the University of Pittsburgh and a former professional wrestler, for a fascinating discussion about storytelling, performance, identity, escapism, and mindfulness.

Chris draws a connection between professional wrestling and social media: both involve creating a version of yourself for an audience.

The difference is that we usually understand that a professional wrestler is playing a character. On social media, those lines aren't always as clear.

We see someone's vacations, accomplishments, relationships, perfect photos, opinions, and carefully selected moments—but rarely see the arguments, frustrations, insecurities, bills, bad days, or ordinary moments happening outside the frame.

When we compare our complete lives to someone else's edited presentation, we create expectations that reality can never satisfy.

Jim and Chris explore:

• Why social media should be understood partly as a performance medium

The technology continues to change, but the central Fishing Without Bait question remains the same:

What do you know for sure, and what is actually right in front of you?

Originally released January 14, 2025.

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What does it actually mean to fish without bait?

In Episode 529 of Fishing Without Bait, behavioral health therapist Jim Ellermeyer sits down with Producer Mike for a return to the fundamental ideas that have shaped the podcast through more than 500 episodes.

At the center of the conversation is a simple relationship between expectations and serenity:

“The greater your expectations, the lower your serenity. The lower your expectations, the greater your serenity.”

Jim and Mike explore the difference between setting rigid expectations and setting intentions. An expectation can turn life into a pass/fail exercise where anything short of a particular outcome feels like failure. An intention gives us direction while allowing us to remain present, curious, and responsive to what actually happens.

That leads to another question Mike asks himself: “What am I working so hard to get to?”

Jim's answer is equally simple: “There is no there.”

The conversation expands into emotional honesty and the ways people avoid uncomfortable truths. Jim challenges the automatic response of telling everyone we're “good” when we aren't—including situations where honesty with doctors, loved ones, recovery peers, or ourselves could make a meaningful difference.

They also discuss the 12-step idea that “it's our secrets that keep us sick,” the discomfort involved in confronting fears and resentments, and the tendency to keep “kicking the emotional can down the road” instead of dealing with what is immediately in front of us.

Mindfulness, as Jim and Mike describe it, isn't escaping daily life or spending hours in meditation. It is practical:

Paying attention on purpose.

It's pausing before reacting. Questioning assumptions. Making choices based on facts instead of beliefs. Recognizing how our words and actions affect others. And allowing our words to pass through three important gates:

Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

The episode closes by returning to impermanence and non-attachment. Everything and everyone in our lives is shared with us temporarily. Rather than making life meaningless, that understanding can make the present more valuable.

We don't live by years, months, weeks, days, or hours.

We live by moments.

Make this one count.

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What does it actually mean when someone tells us to “be like the Buddha”?

In Fishing Without Bait Episode 527, Jim Ellermeyer sits down with longtime co-host and Producer Mike to explore Buddhism not as an unreachable ideal, but as a practical way of approaching everyday life.

Being awake doesn't mean being perfect. It means noticing what is happening around us, recognizing what is happening within us, and becoming more intentional about what we do next.

That leads Jim and Mike into a discussion about living on autopilot. Jim even brings up the longtime Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel as a playful connection to the idea of “sleepwalking through life.” How many days do we simply go through the motions without really participating?

Learn more about Asleep at the Wheel:

The conversation moves through compassion, boundaries, time, emotional reactions, expectations, and the Buddhist “middle path.” Jim reminds us that compassion does not mean becoming a doormat. We can care about other people while still deciding where our time, effort, and resources belong.

Jim and Mike also explore non-attachment and the expectations we place on our future. Wanting a new job, a different career, a bigger house, or another version of life isn't inherently wrong—but suffering can begin when we convince ourselves that those outcomes must happen.

That discussion leads Mike back to the spoken-word track “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” a piece that has stayed with him since his teenage years. He reflects on its message about the role chance plays in our choices: sometimes things work, sometimes they don't, and we don't have to spend our lives regretting a road that didn't lead where we expected.

Listen to “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”:

Throughout the episode, Jim and Mike return to one central idea: mindfulness creates a space between what happens and how we respond. In that space, we can make a choice instead of reacting automatically.

The challenge for this week is simple: stop trying to become perfect. Work on becoming more awake.

Observe. Describe. Participate. And take the next step.

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Pick up “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”:

In Fishing Without Bait 526, we continue our conversation with Vic Costik of the New Rust Pittsburgh Podcast. In Part 2, Vic joins Jim Ellermeyer for a thoughtful discussion about identity, community, safety, recovery and the daily work of becoming a more compassionate person.

Vic explains why they try to approach ignorance through “neutral inquiry,” beginning with questions rather than immediate confrontation. The conversation examines the experiences of transgender people navigating public spaces, the importance of listening to people when they tell us who they are and the need to create communities in which people feel welcomed rather than merely tolerated.

Vic also discusses their commitment to Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ community and the fear that has caused some transgender people to leave their homes in search of safer places. That concern helped inspire Vic’s community involvement and ultimately contributed to the creation of New Rust Pittsburgh.

Jim and Vic connect these ideas to the principles of 12-step recovery, including acceptance, accountability, making amends and changing both thoughts and actions. They consider the pain of perfectionism and the healing that can begin when we acknowledge our flaws, accept responsibility and reconstruct ourselves through what we have learned.

The conversation then turns toward the overlooked side of Pittsburgh. Vic describes the artists, entrepreneurs, makers, small businesses and unusual creative communities that exist throughout the city. From strangers playing music together before the Fourth of July fireworks to the Andy Warhol Museum, neighborhood restaurants, local shops and nighttime bike rides across the Smithfield Street Bridge, Vic shares the memories that have made Pittsburgh feel like home.

The episode closes with a discussion about authenticity, privilege, personal boundaries and relationships. Vic reflects on overcoming people-pleasing, cultivating relationships with people who provide encouragement and stepping away from relationships that repeatedly cause harm.

Ultimately, New Rust Pittsburgh is more than a guide to interesting places. It is Vic’s effort to create a love letter to Pittsburgh—one that embraces the city’s people, creativity, weirdness and potential to become a more welcoming home for everyone.

Explore the New Rust Pittsburgh Podcast at NewRustPodcast.com.

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