The Modern Meeting

The Casinos open back up and Adam has a rough weekend. Brian Ward is an International Gambling Recovery Specialist, IGCCB Board Approved Recovery Advisor, Certified Gambling Recovery Mentor, and SMART facilitator. He is also someone with lived experience. Growing up around gambling, it wasn’t until age 21 that a big win on Oregon’s VLTs set him on a dangerous path. What began as “easy money” became an escape from unresolved trauma and inner chaos. His rock bottom came when he stole to fund his habit—but instead of waiting to be caught, he turned himself in. That moment became the start of his recovery. 

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Adam and Eric are Out of Breath. Adam sits down with Abdullah Mahmood, the Administrative Coordinator of the gambling program at Maryhaven. Abdullah shares what inspired him to enter the field, how he moved from chemical dependency into gambling disorders, and why he takes pride in educating himself to connect with those he serves—even without lived experience of gambling. The conversation explores the changing landscape of gambling treatment, where funding comes from, and why more research and prevalence studies are desperately needed. Abdullah’s optimism for the future shines through, and the episode closes with Adam stepping back into 2018, imagining his first appointment, to give listeners a rare glimpse of what that first meeting with a clinician might actually feel like.

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Adam starts playing online poker again. Gail F sits down with Adam to tell her story. A compulsive gambler in recovery who for nearly two decades, she truly lived a double life. Gail started gambling in her late 30s, chasing escape through online casinos that were legal in Canada long before the U.S. What began as a way to numb stress quickly grew into a secret addiction that consumed everything. When she finally came clean to her family at 56 years old, she had nothing but the wreckage of her choices — and she had to start over. Now, five years into recovery, Gail is proving that rebuilding is possible, reclaiming her future, one honest step at a time.

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The world shuts down and Adam shaves his head. Adam sits down with his cousin Matt to talk about a bond that’s been tested by time, addiction, and recovery. As kids, they only saw each other a few times a year — but when they both dropped out of college around the same time, their lives collided. For five wild years, gambling consumed everything: late night trips to the casino, sports bets they couldn’t afford, even running poker tournaments just to stay in the action. Eventually, Matt met his future wife and chose a new path, while Adam kept spiraling for years. Their friendship bent under the weight of gambling and Adam's addiction, but somehow it never broke.

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Adam previews the beginning of the end with some clips from his past.   With addiction and recovery in her family, Jodie Nealley had her own struggles with alcohol until her late 30's. She stopped drinking and had years sober when she developed a gambling problem at the age of 50. This led to a two-year spiral that cost her hundreds of thousands of dollars, her relationships, and eventually her freedom. From that rockiest of rock bottoms, she found recovery. Now 17 years from her last bet, she is a leader in the space as the Director of Recovery Services at the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, using her lived experience to help those who are still struggling.

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Adam and Hillary drive cross country. Adam sits down with Odessa Dwarika, Chief Programs Officer for the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health. Drawing from more than 30 years in public health and seven years at MCGH, Odessa shares insights on why gambling often goes underfunded compared to drugs and alcohol, the overlooked links between gambling and domestic violence, and the role organizations like MCGH play in prevention and recovery. Together, they discuss what it will take — from individuals, communities, and society at large — to address the rise of gambling-related harm and create a healthier future.

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Adam says goodbye to MGM Springfield and consolidates his debt. Inspired by today's guest, Adam starts a research project. Rob Bumbaco is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Mental Coach, former Division 1 athlete, and is the COO of The Better Institute. He sits down with Adam to discuss how it was founded, his work specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as the unique risks athletes face, and the urgent need for awareness and support in an era of widespread legalization.

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Adam begins to prepare for another move. In Part 2 of Daniel's story, he arrives in Australia and it feels like a second chance. His credit was reset, his slate was clean, and for a while he stayed away from the casino. But in 2017, a new temptation appeared — Bitcoin. What looked like opportunity became another trap, drawing him into secrecy, lies, and manipulation to fund his trading. Even after surrendering control of his finances, he found ways to keep going. Recovery wasn’t linear. Daniel stumbled again even after treatment, but since 2021, with the help of many he has been able to stay away from all forms of gambling — and today he is using his story and YouTube Channel to help others break free.

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Adam starts looking for a way out. Daniel Bullen, host of the Addicted Recovery YouTube channel, sits down with Adam to share his powerful story of gambling addiction and recovery. Daniel began gambling at just 12 years old — horses, sports betting, and those infamous UK slot machines quickly pulled him into a destructive cycle. Over the years it had ruined relationships, as he found himself drowning in debt, dodging collectors, and even working for free to pay off what he owed his boss. As his addiction deepened, alcohol entered the picture, leading to the first of many rock bottoms — a serious drunk-driving accident that nearly cost him everything.

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Adam can't even enjoy a 33-0 Patriots Win. Adam sits down with Linda, a mother of five and grandmother of 12, who for nearly 30 years, gambled "once or twice a year for 50 bucks." But in her mid-50s, after major traumas shook her world, casual play spiraled into compulsion. Soon, Linda was stealing from family to fund her addiction, drowning in shame, and even considering self-harm because she couldn’t stop no matter how hard she tried. It wasn't until she stumbled upon The Broke Girl Society and attended their Zoom meetings that she had found some hope. Now 15 months into her recovery, she is a fixture on the BGS Zoom Meetings -- staying connected, showing up, and leaning into growth. 

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