We Have A Problem

What happens when the policies designed to help people struggling with addiction and homelessness actually make it harder for them to recover?

Tom Wolf knows this crisis from both sides.

After a surgery and a prescription for opioid pain medication, Tom developed an addiction that eventually cost him his job, his home, and nearly his life. His addiction progressed from prescription opioids to heroin and fentanyl, ultimately leaving him homeless on the streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin and cycling through the criminal justice system.

Today, Tom is eight years into recovery and has become a leading advocate for changing the way California—and the country—responds to addiction and homelessness.

In this episode of We Have A Problem, Kaylyn sits down with Tom for a candid conversation about what he believes we’re getting wrong.

Together we discuss:

How a legitimate opioid prescription after surgery led Tom into addiction

Why Tom believes housing alone isn’t enough to solve homelessness when severe addiction is involved

How California’s assistance and harm-reduction policies can unintentionally enable continued drug use

Why America’s response to the fentanyl and overdose crisis is failing so many people

The debate over permanent supportive housing vs. recovery-oriented and drug-free housing

Why accountability—and even Tom’s own arrests—played a pivotal role in getting him off the streets

Why Tom believes compassion should mean helping someone move toward recovery, not simply making active addiction safer

The complicated debate surrounding harm reduction, treatment, personal autonomy, involuntary intervention, and recovery

What San Francisco’s experience can teach the rest of America about homelessness and addiction policy

Tom’s perspective isn’t theoretical. He’s lived the very system he’s now fighting to change.

His argument is simple but controversial: keeping someone alive is essential—but the ultimate goal should be helping them get their life back.

So where is the line between compassion and enablement? Does providing housing without requiring recovery actually solve homelessness? And what should society do when someone suffering from severe addiction is no longer capable of choosing recovery for themselves?

This is a conversation about addiction, homelessness, fentanyl, public policy—and what it really means to help someone.

So, let’s talk about it.

We Have A Problem with Kaylyn Easton

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Follow Tom on X @twolfrecovery

There was a time when going to the movies felt like an event.

Hollywood gave us unforgettable romantic comedies, original blockbusters, quotable comedies, and stories that became part of our culture. Today, many moviegoers feel like they're watching an endless cycle of sequels, reboots, remakes, and franchise films. Original stories seem harder to find, streaming has transformed how we consume entertainment, and artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the creative process itself.

So… what happened to Hollywood?

In this episode of We Have A Problem, Kaylyn sits down with professional screenwriter and content creator Julia Yorks to explore why so many people believe modern movies have lost their magic.

Together, they unpack the creative, technological, and economic forces changing the film industry—from the decline of the classic romantic comedy to the rise of streaming platforms, the financial realities driving studio decisions, and whether artificial intelligence will fundamentally change storytelling.

Rather than simply criticizing modern movies, this conversation asks a bigger question:

Have audience expectations changed, or has Hollywood changed?

Whether you're a lifelong movie fan, an aspiring filmmaker, or someone who misses the days of original storytelling, this episode offers an inside look at one of the biggest cultural shifts happening in entertainment today.

• Why Hollywood isn't producing as many original films
• What happened to the romantic comedy?
• The rise of sequels, remakes, and franchise filmmaking
• How streaming services changed the economics of Hollywood
• Why audiences feel modern movies have lost their magic
• Can artificial intelligence replace writers, actors, or creativity?
• The future of filmmaking in an AI-driven world
• Whether Hollywood can rediscover the stories audiences truly want

Julia Yorks is a professional screenwriter based in New York City and a content creator who shares insightful commentary on screenwriting, filmmaking, Hollywood, and storytelling across social media. Through her work, she helps audiences better understand how the entertainment industry operates plus shares her own starting over advetnure - she is great!

Follow Julia:

• YouTube: @JuliaYorksWriter
• Instagram: @juliayorks
• TikTok: @juliayorks

The conversation explores several questions shaping the future of entertainment:

• Why original movies are becoming increasingly rare
• Whether streaming permanently changed Hollywood's business model
• Why so many people feel nostalgic for the movies of the '90s and early 2000s
• The role AI may play in writing, acting, and filmmaking
• What audiences really want from modern cinema

At one point, the American Dream felt attainable. Work hard, save your money, buy a home, and build a better life for the next generation. Today, for millions of Americans, that dream feels increasingly out of reach.

Housing prices continue to climb. Rent consumes larger portions of paychecks. Inflation has stretched household budgets, while wages have struggled to keep pace. Many people are asking the same question:

How did life become so unaffordable?

In this episode of We Have A Problem, Kaylyn sits down with Zachary Foust to explore one of the defining economic challenges of our time: the rising cost of living in America.

Together, they discuss why homeownership has become increasingly difficult, whether corporate greed is contributing to higher prices, how stagnant wages have affected the middle class, and whether the American Dream is slipping away for younger generations.

Rather than reducing the conversation to politics or headlines, this episode examines the broader economic forces shaping everyday life—and what those changes mean for families, communities, and the future of opportunity in America.

Whether you're trying to buy your first home, wondering why your paycheck doesn't stretch as far as it once did, or simply looking to better understand today's economy, this conversation offers thoughtful insight into one of the biggest issues facing Americans today.

• Why housing has become so expensive
• The growing gap between wages and the cost of living
• Inflation and its impact on everyday Americans
• Is corporate greed driving higher prices?
• Why homeownership feels out of reach
• The shrinking middle class
• Is the American Dream still achievable?
• What the future of housing and affordability may look like

Zachary Foust joins We Have A Problem to discuss the economic realities affecting millions of Americans. From housing affordability and wage stagnation to the broader forces reshaping the middle class, Zachary offers thoughtful perspectives on the Federal Reserve, Real Estate, and Economics. Follow him at @zachary.loft on IG and @zachary_foust on TT or his YouTube Channel @ZachFoustShow

Millions of people have mailed off their DNA hoping to learn where they came from. But what happens when those results reveal a family secret no one was supposed to know? Hidden siblings. Affairs. Donor conception. And what genetic genealogists call a "non-parent event." Today's guest found out at 60 years old that the man who she called "dad"... wasn't really her biological father.

Show Notes:

23&Me Blog - Kayla's Story: https://www.23andme.org/blog/articles/an-only-childs-dna-surprise/?srsltid=AfmBOorqablZj7594yozdpayG2dtG0oWEEF9IrQTA2mXBtRjlo7-JDlM

Non-Parent Event Facebook Group 9.5K Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NPEGateway