From The Depths of Darkness to The Light of Success

"So I don't necessarily blame social media. I think that is a problem that I have within myself. I do think social media can be toxic. Of course, I think there's such thing as toxic positivity. I think there's such thing as irresponsibility on social media. I think that I can't say anything really bad about social media."

You can follow Hayley and her journey over on Instagram @recoverybaddie, she is always happy to get DMs, if you're struggling reach out to her. She'd be happy to talk with you. 

In today's episode I sit down with Hayley Waters and talk about her struggles with addiction. She got sober in 2020.

Hayley talks about how she was an alcoholic and was addicted to drugs and how she struggled with mental health too. However, she found a way to get sober and has been sober since August 2020. She also shares the steps that helped her get there!

Here are some of the topics we talk about on today's episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

"Oh, what do I want more of in my life right now? Oh, I want more opportunities to make a difference. I really, when I was serving as a pastor, I got to work in shelters. I get to work with lots of different people who'd seen marginalization. I got to work with families who were raising children and varying beloved family members after they died. I really loved getting to make a difference in their lives, just even the small differences here and there."

You can follow David Giffen over on Instagram @giffontheway or you can also check him out on Facebook under his name David Giffen! If you would like to purchase his book "Redemptive Trauma Confession of a Defrocked Priest" please goto this link here www.bookshop.org/books/redemptive-trauma-confession-of-a-defrocked-priest. 

Join us for our interview with David Giffen, an author, priest, advocate for mental health and addiction awareness.

Join us for this episode where we are speaking with David Giffen, author of "Redemptive Trauma Confession of a Defrocked Priest". We talk about his journey to becoming an author and how he uses his experience as a priest to help others in crisis. We also discuss how he has dealt with his own personal struggles involving childhood trauma and addiction.

Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

"I started to do panels at sober livings in my area. And then we became a nonprofit. Probably I would say maybe two months ago or something like right around there. We were officially, it's a process. That's why a lot of paperwork, a lot of headaches. Like detailed, tedious things that like, it doesn't excite me too much, put a drug addict in front of me, that gets me excited. Let's do that. But my wife has been a huge helper, huge support for me all in my own personal recovery. Along with Pro Recovery Power as well. She's a registered agent for the non-profit. My wife is involved with everything that I do. My wife supports me in everything that I do."

You can follow Alika Gambill over on Instagram at @alikagambill or follow his Non Profit @pro_recovery_power 

Here are some of the topics we touch on in this episode:

SpiritualityA very important part of recovery is spirituality. The podcast discusses spirituality and why it's important to have a spiritual practice. It also discusses the benefits of having sobriety for oneself, for one's family, and for society as a whole.

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

"It was a straight trip. I make a bad joke in the book about if I was able to bottle up that and sell it as some sort of a non-addictive drug we'd all have one hell of a ride. I went through some of the craziest stuff I've ever been through. I've done lots of drugs in the past hallucinogenics and other crazy things and combinations thereof, and had some crazy trips, but never till I went through that withdrawal. Did I ever experienced something so frightening and enlightening at the same time!"

If you would like to follow JT and his journey head over to Instagram and follow him @jtwahlberg 

You can also purchase his book "I forgot to stay sober, and I almost died!" through this link. It is in audio, paperback, or hardcover form. Head over to this link and check it out www.books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000158551725

Here are some of the topics we touch on in this episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

"Yeah, I'm sure you had that experience too, going into rehab. Suddenly, those strangers don't feel like they're strangers anymore. It's very fascinating to me how that could happen. You can have very similar experiences to people you just met. And you suddenly feel really close to them and yeah, that was what drove us to do this documentary!"

If you would like to follow Tegan and Zeina's journey follow them on their personal pages on Instagram @teganduncan_ or @zeinabeidas, you can also follow their account about their documentary "Gain" @gain.film where they talk about their story with Eating Disorders and break down the stigma around these types of disorders. You can also check the full length film out on YouTube! www.youtu.be/HJDAcrgbIuQ

Here are some of the topics we discuss in this episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

"Yeah, man I learned that vulnerability is a strength and I feel like we've been programmed to think that it's a weakness because especially like you said, men, like we're supposed to be like strong and like sure of ourselves and the moment that we have feelings and something to talk about, we look like a bitch. You know what I mean? And it's that's not the case, but you're actually, I feel like for me, when I get that projection put on me, it's makes me, silence myself."

If you would like to follow Wes and his journey make sure you check him out on Spotify or Apple Music, or you can also follow him on Instagram @realwesgray

Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

In this episode we will be talking with blogger Cecile Leger and all about blended families. 

A blended family is defined as a family with at least one child from one or both parents' previous relationships. The rearing of children of different biological parents is not new, but it is significantly more prevalent than in previous generations. Blended families are often the result of remarriages and divorces.

A blended family is formed when two families, usually married couples, come together. One type of blended family is when one partner has children from a previous relationship. Another type of blended family is when both partners do.

A step mom or dad is often called an "auntie" or "uncle". When there are step siblings living in the same home, it gets more complicated. It may take time for the eldest siblings to adjust to this new situation and accept their new half-siblings as full siblings.

"I think the reason why they fail it's because we are teaching what is a traditional family from when we're child and. We're expecting to be the same, but it's not the same. So that's, I think number one and lack of preparation and tools for blended families!"

You can follow Cecile and her families adventure over on Instagram @ellas_blended_family or go checkout her blog over at www.ellasblendedfamily.com

Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!

Good friends are a very important commodity. You know what I mean by that is obviously! It doesn't mean that it has to be a longtime friendship. Although I will say this as I've gotten older, my long-term friendships, especially people that I've known for a very long time or have known me for a long time. Those are super important to me, and I try to feed those as much as I can, which means, like you said, reaching out to people, sending a text, making a phone call, just checking in with them is important. 

In this episode I bring a former guest back on the show again, musician and good friend Nick Johnson, who hails from the Nashville area. We have become good friends since we started chatting. If you would like to follow Nick and his journey check him out on Instagram @musicbynickjohnson or checkout his website at www.musicbynickjohnson.com

Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode:

If you would like to support the show please leave a 5 star review over on Apple Podcasts or leave a voice message on Anchor FM. You can also follow the show and my journey on IG @depthsofdarkside!

Thanks for listening and have a great day!