Jeff Key is an advocate for veterans suffering from the traumas of serving our country. He, himself served in the Iraq war during the "Don't Ask- Don't Tell" era as a gay marine. Talk about adding extra stress to an already stressful circumstance! He has found a path to healing through his writing. He actively works with the Warrior Writers in New Orleans to help others struggling to recover from trauma. In this episode, he shares his journey as a gay soldier serving in the military, his time, in Iraq, and his recovery from the effects of Trauma. This is an extremely important episode to add to the daily fight that these heroes endure each day. 

Everyone has to eat to live and survive. What if the act of eating or not eating hindered your ability to live or survive? So many people suffer from eating disorders. It is an epidemic in line with Opioids. It is also an extremely misunderstood disorder. There are so many different types of eating disorders and so many different types of people who suffer from them. Mary K has recently undergone treatment to recover from her own eating disorder. Mary admits that she felt that she was "too old" to suffer from a food disorder. However, it nearly took her life. She shares with us her harrowing lifelong journey to control and manage her eating. She also shares the message of hope for anyone out there who feels that they need help from this misunderstood addiction.

What came first, the addiction or the mental illness? This is a question many may wonder who suffer from a dual diagnosis addiction. People trying to recover from dual diagnosis are fighting an uphill battle against both a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, borderline personality, bipolar... and active addiction. In this episode, Jess W shares her experience in her climb from the clutches of this dilemma into freedom. She highlights the highs and lows of someone facing this prospect and offers hope for a way out.

Death is not a subject anyone wishes to think about until they are forced to. When confronted with losing someone we love, we know that we will endure excruciating pain and grief. How do doctors deal with losing loved ones? In this episode, I talk with my friend Katherine who is a Physician's Assistant about how she coped with the loss of both of her parents, who died in very different ways. Her perspective is intriguing and healing. 

Anyone who suffers from an addiction knows the baffling nature of the disease. Most people think of drugs and alcohol when it comes to talking about addiction, but there are so many more out there. One of the most curious addictions out there is Sex and Love addiction. This addiction shows itself in the form of toxic relationships, cheating, acting out sexually, and seeks to destroy the addict's life. In this episode, I interview Mindi who is a recovering sex and love addict. She shares her journey as a sex and love addict from the heart of her illness to recovery. If you think you or someone you care about, suffers from this disease, you will not want to miss this powerful 30-minute episode.

There has been so much in the news about the plight of the immigrants trying to enter this country. Some enter illegally but many others are fleeing for their lives.  What happens when something you watch on the news becomes personal? One day I discovered my friend Paula in tears. While seeking to comfort her, I discovered that her world was in danger of collapsing due to her status as an immigrant trying to start a new life in America. Her story is extremely inspiring as she overcame the many obstacles of ignorance and hate to achieve a new life. In this interview, she talks about her journey as an immigrant seeking to save her life and attain what everyone desires-" freedom".

There is a defense lawyer in Las Vegas Nevada who donates his time to help youths that find themselves trapped in addiction and paying the price in the Court System. His story is so fascinating because he was also an addict who found his way out of the darkness to help these kids. Judge Kerns from the YO court (Youth Offenders Court) in Las Vegas hand-picked him to help in this fight. His story is absolutely amazing! What he is doing is nothing short of heroic in the fight to understand and help addicts.

There is a  youth offender court in Las Vegas that is unconventional in its practices. It is called YO Court and it treats not only the addict but the addict's family. Judge Kerns presides over this court with a team of street smart experts as well as learned professionals. They incorporate a mix of practices from recreational therapy, group therapy, and incarceration to help put these kids back on the right track in life.  In this podcast, Judge Kerns sits with us to share his take on helping addicts and their families break free from the clutches of their addictions. The success of this court speaks for itself. If you suffer from addiction or have a loved one who suffers, you do not want to miss this powerful interview.

The life of anyone struggling with substance abuse leads to many dark places. Frequently, they end up in the court systems. Lots of times they are incarcerated as well. In this episode, I talk with Katie who lived this life. Due to her abuse of alcohol and drugs, she found herself at the mercy of the courts. She was lucky enough to have a Judge take a chance on her and offer her a chance to change her life in his Yo Court program. In this half-hour interview, Katie tells her story of what it was like pulling her life back together with the help of Judge Kerns and Yo  Court. Katie has truly blossomed into a beautiful woman today who now gets to share her journey in the hopes of helping those out there who have lost hope.

Something that often gets overlooked in recovery is the effect of the mother and child. We examine in this episode the challenges and rewards of raising a child while in the throes of trying to manage an addiction. Mary K has experience on both sides of parenting a child while actively pursuing her addiction and also while actively pursuing recovery. If you are a mother who wishes to explore what it means to be a mother while battling your addiction, you will not want to miss this episode.