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 Asprey

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 Email

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 Off

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 Doing

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.