A decade ago, the actor Tom Pelphrey couldn’t have imagined the shape his life would take today: a father to a two-year-old daughter, starring in the new HBO series Task alongside Mark Ruffalo, and engaged to actress Kaley Cuoco. He was gripped by alcoholism and dissociation, having spent years working long, demanding days on the soap opera Guiding Light and ignoring his feelings to keep up with the grind. Then, he broke loose and started to heal. We talk about the realizations and practices that helped him get here (and to projects like Ozark) — including, at first, acquainting himself with the uncomfortable thoughts he’d been trying so hard to avoid. It’s clear from our conversation that Tom is tremendously grateful, and it’s inspiring to see him on the other end of these struggles.

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