TRIGGER WARNING: This episode features heavy and extensive conversation surrounding suicide, facing suicide loss, suicide prevention, and more.

For today’s episode of “Harder to Breathe'', host and former drummer of “Maroon 5” Ryan Dusick is joined by co-host and actor Brian “Duck” Maillard alongside special guest: Actor, Comic, Influencer, and Founder of “Mourning Glory”: Aleksei Archer.

Aleksei Archer is truly one-of-a-kind. Her mission is to bring together victims of Suicide Loss through her foundation “Mourning Glory”, and to face a very dark topic like suicide with both humor and sex appeal. It’s an extremely fine line to walk, yet undeniably a fascinating and unique one. The trio dive deep into Aleksei’s relationship with her father, who she lost to suicide, and how joining a community of victims to Suicide Loss has been a powerful and necessary step in her growth and healing process.

Along the way, important and useful topics come up including the stress of Social Media, Generational Trauma, Sexual Identity and so much more… with plenty of laughs along the way– the forte of Aleksei’s groundbreaking approach to trauma.

More on Aleksei Archer:

www.mourningglory.com - Mourning Glory, Aleksei’s Suicide Loss Program

Instagram: @alekseiarcher 

www.alekseiarcher.com - Her Professional/Personal Website

0:00:00 Introduction & Reminiscing on Duck’s Band

0:08:10 Intro to Today’s Guest: Aleksei Archer

0:09:33 Duck’s Free Therapy Session – Will He Ever “Make It?”

—

0:18:46 Aleksei Archer Joins the Podcast

0:21:40 What is “Mourning Glory” and “Active Grieving”?

0:26:53 Ryan and Duck’s Connection to Community 

0:32:14 How Aleksei Grows and Grieves Today

0:35:16 Ryan’s Family Connection to Suicide

0:37:37 How to Build Resilience

0:40:29 The Importance of Our Language Around Suicide

0:42:16 Humor and the Psychology Surrounding It

0:47:04 Generational Trauma

0:50:24 How Aleksei Identifies, and the Importance of Identity

0:53:31 Anxiety and Pressure Surrounding Social Media

1:03:53 The Focus on Suicide Loss vs. Suicide Prevention

1:05:20 What People Should Understand About Grief (Community Part 2)

1:09:42 Know Your Unhealthy Healing Modalities

1:13:53 How to Have Healthy Conversations Surrounding Suicide

1:26:40 Aleksei’s Upcoming Show, “Venice Beach Scumbags”

1:26:04 Wrap-Up & Conclusion

Ready to Dive Deeper?:

https://www.ryandusick.com/

BenBella Books Author Page - https://benbellabooks.com/authors/dusick-ryan/ 

Amazon Book Page - https://www.amazon.com/Harder-Breathe-Memoir-Finding-Recovery/dp/1637742339/ 

WWSG Speaker Page - https://wwsg.com/speakers/ryan-dusick/ 

Psychology Today Therapist Profile - https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/937599 

Stay Up to Date on the Podcast: @hardertobreathepodcast

Follow Ryan on Social Media:

IG - @ryan_michael_dusick

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-dusick-ma-amft-26460894/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ryan.m.dusick

Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/RyanMichaelDusick/ 

X / Twitter - @DusickRyan 

Follow Duck on Social Media:

IG - @Newyorkduck

X / Twitter - @DuckMaillard

For today’s episode of “Harder to Breathe'', host Ryan Dusick is joined by longtime friend and occasional collaborator Brian “Duck” Maillard. Duck’s successful acting career (as well as his anxiety) began on the Off-Broadway stage in New York City. After deciding to turn his focus to film and tv, he moved to Los Angeles where he would go on to meet Ryan at a Costume Party just before the end of Ryan’s time as the drummer of Maroon 5.

Despite seeming like he had it all together, Ryan was dealing with heavy alcohol addiction for the first decade of their friendship– something that Duck never knew he was going through. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the trauma that Duck experienced as a result of growing up under his father’s alcoholism, has led him to a lifetime of complete sobriety which he maintains to this day.

Ultimately, the conversation allows both men to be vulnerable about their experiences, one of the main goals here on the “Harder to Breathe'' podcast. The two discuss the importance of being upfront and honest with yourself about what you’re feeling and what you’re going through. It may not always help to be “positive”, but it does help to have an awareness of what you’re feeling– especially if you are comfortable sharing that experience with others.

0:01:25 How Ryan met “Duck”, the Harder To Breathe Podcast Co-Host

0:06:08 The Effect of Alcohol on Ryan’s Past

0:07:20 Duck’s Background & Start as an Actor

0:011:20 Does Ryan Miss Life as a Musician?

0:14:43 Ryan’s Involvement in Duck’s One-Time Band

0:17:25 Duck’s Connection Between Music and Acting

0:22:18 The Pressure Ryan Felt Growing Up

0:26:04 How Does Duck Deal With Pressure?

0:31:31 The Power of Feeling Like You “Belong”

0:34:03 Duck’s Thoughts on “Fake it ‘Till You Make It”

0:38:40 Ryan’s Thoughts on “Fake it ‘Till You Make It”

0:40:54 The Background of Duck’s Sobriety

0:45:03 The Manifestation of Duck’s Anxiety

0:52:17 Can People Change?

0:59:39 The Power in Learning From Bad Role Models

1:03:11 The Willingness to be Vulnerable

1:12:12 Wrap Up & Conclusion

Ready to Dive Deeper?:

https://www.ryandusick.com/

BenBella Books Author Page - https://benbellabooks.com/authors/dusick-ryan/ 

Amazon Book Page - https://www.amazon.com/Harder-Breathe-Memoir-Finding-Recovery/dp/1637742339/ 

WWSG Speaker Page - https://wwsg.com/speakers/ryan-dusick/ 

Psychology Today Therapist Profile - https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/937599 

Stay Up to Date on the Podcast: @hardertobreathepodcast

Follow Ryan on Social Media:

IG - @ryan_michael_dusick

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-dusick-ma-amft-26460894/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ryan.m.dusick

Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/RyanMichaelDusick/ 

X / Twitter - @DusickRyan 

Follow Duck on Social Media:

IG - @Newyorkduck

X / Twitter - @DuckMaillard

Welcome to “Harder to Breathe”, a brand new podcast hosted by founding drummer of the world’s favorite band “Maroon 5”, and current therapist, author, and speaker, Ryan Dusick.

In this Pilot episode Ryan will set the stage for what’s to come, giving you a brief taste of the mental and physical struggle he dealt with as the first drummer of Maroon 5. At that point in his life, pressure was high, and without being properly equipped to handle the accompanying anxiety, Ryan became physically unable to perform. He couldn’t play the drums, and was forced to leave the band, simultaneously leaving behind the identity that he had crafted for himself over the course of a decade in the band.

In the ensuing years Ryan turned his struggles into a chance to help others, eventually going back to school to become a Therapist. Now, with his “Harder to Breathe” book and this newly launched Podcast of the same name, he’s seeking to inspire vulnerability from other people who also find themselves in the public eye. He’ll be discussing mental health in all aspects with performers, musicians, entrepreneurs, athletes, and more– all with the intention of learning how they manage to keep a healthy mind amidst a chaotic and high-pressure life.

01:41 Introduction: Who is “Ryan Dusick”?

02:54 How Did We Get Here?

09:46 Where I’m At Today

10:42 What’s the Meaning Behind “Harder to Breathe”?

16:34 What to Expect From the Show

22:34 How YOU Can Relate

25:34 Look at problems as a Challenge… Not a Threat

30:36 Anxiety is Nature’s Performance Enhancer

35:29 Curiosity for Self, Others, & for Living

40:34 Wrap Up, Conclusion, and What’s Coming Up

Ready to Dive Deeper?:

https://www.ryandusick.com/

BenBella Books Author Page - https://benbellabooks.com/authors/dusick-ryan/ 

Amazon Book Page - https://www.amazon.com/Harder-Breathe-Memoir-Finding-Recovery/dp/1637742339/ 

WWSG Speaker Page - https://wwsg.com/speakers/ryan-dusick/ 

Psychology Today Therapist Profile - https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/937599 

Stay Up to Date on the Podcast: @hardertobreathepodcast

Follow Ryan on Social Media:

IG - @ryan_michael_dusick

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-dusick-ma-amft-26460894/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ryan.m.dusick

Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/RyanMichaelDusick/ 

X / Twitter - @DusickRyan