The Big Bear Podcast : A two eyed seeing approach to neurodiversity

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The story opens with gratitude and purpose, then drops you into the messy middle of a life lived at full volume. We talk candidly about toxic love, gaslighting, and the kind of chaos that can feel like romance when you’re starved for safety. From early internet personals and awkward food-court meetups to partners who limit clothes and rewrite history, this is a field guide to red flags we wish we had named sooner.

As school and work collide with anxiety and ADHD, weed feels like relief and becomes a trap that steals focus and momentum. The timeline pivots through a tender but unstable relationship with Dave and a leap into Moncton, where another whirlwind arrives: love bombing, PCP, and a Montreal run that ends with arrests, a hospital bed, a blizzard, and a car flipped in the woods. The notebook left behind—and later exposed—turns into a symbol of truth we try to tell ourselves when denial gets loud.

Pregnancy shatters illusions and forces hard choices. There’s job loss, a long dark season of sleep and counting days, and family stepping in with rides, meals, and childcare when the world feels too heavy to lift. We don’t sanitize the impact on our kids, either: the distance from Devin, the weight Ben carried, and how overlooking ADHD needs can happen when addiction narrows your view. What emerges is not a tidy redemption arc but a real one—moving back to Dartmouth, finding work, dropping the performance of “I’m fine,” and learning the difference between intensity and care.

If you’ve ever confused drama for love, numbed pain to keep moving, or rebuilt after a collapse, you’ll hear your own heartbeat in these moments. We focus on practical insight: how to spot gaslighting early, why love bombing feels so convincing, how ADHD and anxiety shape coping, and which supports actually help you climb out—therapy, structure, honest friends, and family who hold the line when you can’t. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a mirror more than a lecture, and leave a review with the one red flag you’ll never ignore again.

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A breakup that shatters the floor, a lonely search for connection in the age of newspaper personals, and a relationship that turns from charm to control—this is a story told without varnish. We open with our two-eyed seeing approach and step straight into the lived reality of abuse, addiction, and the slow work of rebuilding. From printed explicit photos at a mall food court to a partner who policed clothes and erased memories through gaslighting, we unpack how trauma bonds form, why they’re so hard to leave, and how ADHD can magnify panic, impulsivity, and emotional storms that make bad choices feel like lifelines.

University promised stability and a career in early IT, yet weed seemed to solve everything until it quietly wrecked grades, interviews, and confidence. A kinder chapter arrives with Dave—affection, an engagement ring, and two people trying to choose better—even as substance shadows linger. The move to Moncton brings a new job and then the entrance of Danny: love bombing, PCP runs, and adrenaline that masquerades as love. The spiral is cinematic and terrifying: a Quebec arrest, a hospital bed, a snow-choked crash in an upside-down Ford Escort, and the discovery of a notebook that exposes secrets and ends a relationship on the eve of a pregnancy.

What follows is the hardest stretch: job loss, depression that feels like a blackout, and parents stepping in to keep kids cared for while days are counted one bathroom calendar square at a time. We speak clearly about regrets—missed years with a son, ADHD signs ignored, and a child forced to grow up too soon. Then, a return to Dartmouth, a new IT role, rent paid, and the imperfect grind of starting over. No miracles, just small choices that add up: honesty over denial, boundaries over chaos, and showing up even when it hurts.

If you’ve ever wondered why people stay, how they leave, or what recovery actually looks like off-camera, you’ll find candour, context, and hope here. Subscribe for more two-eyed seeing stories on neurodiversity, resilience, and the messy truths of healing. If this moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not alone, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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Pain leaves fingerprints long before we can name it. Nikki joins us to share how adoption, ADHD, and small-town stigma shaped a childhood of big feelings and constant misunderstandings—and how those early imprints led to teen marriage, addiction, and a life-or-death turning point. We open with a two-eyed seeing lens, blending Indigenous and Western perspectives so we can hold both the science of trauma and the lived experience of being mixed race, neurodivergent, and chronically misread as “defiant.”

Nikki recounts the loneliness of being a girl with undiagnosed ADHD, the pressure of a religious home where her teacher-dad doubled the scrutiny, and the ache that drove her toward any scrap of love. She speaks openly about self-harm, running away at 13, and getting married and pregnant before she could legally drink. After leaving that marriage, a search for freedom collided with alcohol, sexual assault, and the crack culture that pulsed through night life at the time. Even as she returned to high school and tried to parent, shame and survival mode pulled her under. The spiral ends at a locked bathroom door, a bottle of pills, and a partner who sensed the danger and broke in just in time.

What follows is raw, humane, and grounded: waking intubated, facing family who didn’t understand, and learning the language that finally fit—trauma is an experience, not a memory. We explore how neurodivergent girls get missed, why adoption grief can coexist with love, and what recovery really asks for beyond abstinence: safety, attachment, cultural humility, and forgiveness that includes accountability. Through two-eyed seeing, we trace pathways back to dignity, steadier parenting, and a future not ruled by old pain.

If this story resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more two-eyed seeing conversations, and leave a review with the moment that stayed with you most.

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Start here if you want a grounded, human look at neurodiversity that honours where we live and how we learn. We root the conversation on Mi’kmaq territory and carry that respect into a two-eyed seeing approach, weaving Indigenous and Western perspectives to make sense of struggle, resilience, and growth. This update pulls back the curtain on our process, our next set of guests, and the creative choices that help us tell better stories.

We share a production win—moving from a tablet to a proper studio rig—that cuts friction and lets us focus on people, not buttons. Then we walk through the upcoming line-up: Joy Day, a sheriff in Halifax and Dartmouth, opening up about ADHD at work and the tools that turn pressure into performance; Robbie Vino, a local fixture on Argyle Street, offering a Love story that speaks to belonging and identity; and the Bagel Man, a beloved bakery owner whose big suit and bigger spirit remind us to keep humour close to the hard parts. It’s a mix by design: workplace realities, community ties, and entrepreneurship as a neurodivergent path.

We also talk about using AI to support creative work, from scripting to short-form videos featuring Grizzly Bear Bunker. Think practical prompts, fast iteration, and accessible storytelling that meets listeners where they are. These 24-second hits—motivation, quotes of the day, and bite-size reflections—help new folks sample our tone and values before diving deeper. Along the way, we reflect on why small wins matter, how better tools can lower cognitive load, and why laughter belongs next to lived experience.

Got a story of your own? We’re inviting guests with real-life lessons, messy middles, and clear takeaways. Head to our Linktree on Instagram to pitch your angle, then subscribe and share to bring more voices to the table. If this resonated, leave a review and tell us: which guest should we host next?

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A red suit, a pocketful of candy, and a promise to show up—sometimes the simplest rituals change everything. We trace Chad’s journey from a childhood glimpse of “Santa” to stepping into the role himself, guided by a grandfather who turned music and kindness into daily medicine. Alongside Keith, we bring that legacy to Argyle Street, where smiles, small talk, and a gentle presence help turn a busy strip into a place that feels like family.

We open with respect for Mi’kmaq territory and move into the heart of our mission: a two-eyed seeing approach to neurodiversity that pairs tradition with practical, street-level care. Chad shares how playing Santa teaches skills that matter—reading cues, using a calm voice, getting on a child’s level, and building trust without pressure. Those habits strengthen mental health, support recovery, and make social spaces safer for everyone. The community’s response—from shop staff to unhoused neighbours—shows that recognition and joy can be powerful tools for belonging.

Looking forward, we’re taking Santa beyond downtown: recovery houses, women’s shelters, group homes, and seniors’ homes, with karaoke, photos, and a focus on bringing comfort where it’s needed most. We also share what’s next for the Big Bears Podcast—audio-first now, with short-form street videos on the way—to amplify stories of resilience, grit, and growth. If this mix of tradition, service, and neurodiversity speaks to you, tap follow, share this with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Got a place we should visit next season or a story to tell? Reach out and let’s make it happen together.

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We trace Daye’s path from misdiagnosis and heavy depression to an autism diagnosis that reframed struggle as difference, not defect. She shares how creativity, AI, and community-building became tools for agency, culminating in the launch of the Neurodiversity Society at SMU.

• early life, loss, and compounding mental health challenges
• ADHD diagnosis, autism evaluation, and class barriers to access
• reframing through the ankle analogy and hypermobility link
• sensory regulation, heat intolerance, and overstimulation science
• creative strengths at work and translating ideas into design
• AI as a judgment-free collaborator and task offloader
• hustle culture, burnout cycles, and learning boundaries
• returning to school, long-term planning, and stability
• founding the Neurodiversity Society and rapid community growth
• family roots behind the lighthouse logo and meaning
• advice on environment-first accessibility and balanced “superpower” mindset

We would appreciate it if you could listen, subscribe, engage, and share this podcast
Tune in every second Tuesday at 7 a.m. Atlantic time for a new episode

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We sit with Marlon Whitehawk as he traces a path from childhood trauma and gangs to accountability, culture, and healing. The story is raw, grounded by Mi’kmaq community supports, and anchored by a message: there is a way out and it starts with asking for help.

• land acknowledgement and our two-eyed seeing mission
• Marlon’s early loss, foster care, and abandonment
• accidental entry into gang life and escalation
• arrest, reflection, and rejecting violence
• Pathways, elders, and cultural healing
• Diamond Bailey supports and re-entry routines
• ADHD traits, self-sabotage, and new habits
• gratitude, boundaries, and daily accountability
• goals to study psychology and support youth
• reconnecting with Soto roots and leading with care

We would appreciate it if you could listen, subscribe, engage, and share this podcast
Tune in every second Tuesday at 7 a.m. Atlantic time for a new episode

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What if the person you needed most wasn’t a guru or a hack, but a community that refused to give up on you? 

Chad "Grizzly Bear" Bunker shares an unfiltered journey from teenage depression and addiction to relapse, recovery, and the hard-won wisdom that only comes from falling and getting back up. The story is jagged and human: a suicide attempt at nineteen, court dates and probation, detox in Dartmouth, and a recovery house that didn’t feel like progress until it did. Then an indigenous mentor named Emmett opens a door to ceremony, service, and a new way of being that reshapes everything.

The path isn’t straight. Seven sober years, unaddressed ADHD, and grief crack open old patterns. Steroids promise control and deliver chaos. Strongman training becomes both salvation and trap: PRs, medals, and the kind of recognition that rewrites identity, plus a deep sense of Indigenous pride with Mi’kmaq support and a sponsor who believes. Nova Scotia’s and Atlantic Canada’s podiums prove that grit can build a life—but shortcuts always collect their debt. When losses pile up, the crash hits hard, and the mirror is full of a version of self that can lift anything except sorrow.

What changes this time isn’t hype. It’s daily choices. Ten months off steroids. Meetings instead of the liquor store next door. Therapy and prayer. Boundaries and gratitude with bite. We talk about actionable tools: how ceremony and smudge can calm the nervous system; why sharing your feelings early beats crisis management; how community sponsorship and peer support outlast motivation; and why mindset is a practice, not a slogan. This is a story about learning to carry your past without letting it steer, and about turning strength from numbers on a bar to the quiet discipline of showing up today.

If this resonates with you, subscribe and share it with someone who needs proof that change is messy and possible. Subscribe for more honest, grounded conversations, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the one daily practice that keeps you steady?

We'd like to thank our sponsor...

The Big Bears Podcast is sponsored by ADDvocacy ADHD & Executive Function Coaching and Training

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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A smudge to clear the air, then straight into the truth: Chad’s boyhood was loud with conflict and even louder with silence. He grew up between homes and expectations, carrying the weight of abuse he didn’t have words for until he finally told his mother. What follows isn’t a tidy redemption arc—it’s a lived map of detours, from city streets and school suspensions to the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children, where staff and community offered real care, structure, and the first sense of belonging.

We walk through the flashpoints: a violent confrontation with a stepfather, the pull of group homes that felt safer than home, and the slow work of therapy. Mentors step in: a therapist who sticks, a social worker who advocates, foster parents who push and protect. Out west, the story widens—mountain trails, cross-country skiing, and the Duke of Edinburgh award. Volunteer hours turn into dignity. Music, sport, and ceremony stitch together a calmer centre. Along the way, Chad finds identity in motion: black community gatherings, Mi’kmaq teachings on family, drums he builds with his hands, and a practice of collecting feathers and prayers that keeps him grounded when old storms rise.

This conversation is about more than survival; it’s about choosing what gets to speak for you. We talk ADHD, the institutional habits that both shielded and shaped him, and the moment he realized he didn’t have to let anger narrate his life. The takeaway is practical and human: mentorship matters, structure heals, community saves, and ritual sustains. You’ll hear the messy parts, the funny parts—apple wars and yard boxing—and the quiet parts where gratitude finally has room to breathe.

If this story moved you or gave you a new lens on resilience, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a review so others can find it. Tell us what helped you turn pain into purpose—we’re listening.

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A freezing February night, a band with a name you can’t forget, and a conversation between two big guys changed our direction in life. That’s how Big Bears Podcast began—an origin story rooted in a chance meeting, ADHD, sobriety, Indigenous teachings, and a stubborn belief that community is stronger than shame.

We open up about our different paths: early versus late diagnosis,  medication alternatives,  finding structure through therapy and coaching. We also dive into how sweat lodges, smudging, and daily prayer steadied our restless minds. The Two-Eyed Seeing Approach, a term coined by Albert Marshall from Eskasoni in Nova Scotia, guides us in blending Indigenous knowledge with Western medicine, and shows us that healing doesn’t end with a prescription. You’ll hear how mentors, two eagle feathers, and our first sweat together turned isolation into action, and gifted us the vision and motivation to build something useful for others.

That “something” is The Big Bears Social Enterprise, designed for Indigenous and marginalized young adults to teach them to create their own path in life through innovation, entrepreneurship, and inner wisdom. We sketch out low-barrier-to-entry businesses that include, but are not limited to: Landcaping,  pressure washing, window cleaning, car detailing, drone roof inspection, AI-powered businesses, and the creative arts. We also layer in the power of motivational executive function coaching skills, goal-setting, resilience, and a growth mindset. Along the way, we talk about redefining success, why a fist bump can start a career, and how strongman training became therapy that turned anger into PRs and purpose. We also share what’s next: campus partnerships, community workshops, and a growing roster of guests from artists to world-class strength athletes.

If this story hits home—if you’re rebuilding, learning to pray, or ready to make your own job when no one’s hiring—come along. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and message us through our Linktree to tell your story or join our community. Let’s build something that lasts, together.

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