I shared my addiction and recovery story on the “Recover the Valley” podcast.
Continue ReadingCleaning Up After the Elephant in the Room
On this night, eight years ago, I was wearing a three-piece suit while shoveling elephant, kangaroo, and horse poop. I was living in the Phoenix Dream Center at the time, early in my recovery (12 …
Continue ReadingMy Guest Spot on the “Drop The Needle” Podcast (Record Collecting as a Form of Recovery Self-Care)
This is probably my favorite podcast guest spot ever. I’ve greatly enjoyed every single podcast, recovery website, or recovery-related Facebook group on which I’ve been featured. However, this one was particularly fun, and tied in …
Continue ReadingMy Guest Spot on the SHAIR Podcast
Here it is, my episode of the SHAIR Podcast. This is my whole story of addiction and recovery: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope that hearing this helps someone who might presently …
Continue ReadingTeaching ASIST, Saving Lives
Two days/14 hours later, another amazing ASIST workshop is in the books, and 22 more local individuals are ready, willing, and able to perform suicide interventions and save lives. This was the fifth workshop I’ve …
Continue ReadingGlad I Could Help
I just had a dad of two 18-year-old twin sons leave my office telling me, “Speaking with you was far more productive than any of the prior conversations I’ve had with anyone while trying to …
Continue ReadingASIST Workshop #4: Don’t Call It a Comeback
After a nearly 1.5-year hiatus, I facilitated my fourth ASIST suicide intervention workshop yesterday and today in Gilbert. I am happy to say that two dozen more people are now equipped with the potentially …
Continue ReadingAnthony Bourdain and Suicide
If your social media feed is anything like mine, it’s flooded with posts regarding Anthony Bourdain’s death, and rightfully so. He was an incredibly interesting and talented individual, and one of my absolute favorite authors …
Continue ReadingA Change of Plans
This morning I was scheduled to do a pair of 30-minute breakout sessions as part of a multi-faceted community event hosted by the City of Phoenix at a local school. The material I was going …
Continue ReadingThe Spectrum of Speaking Engagement Feedback
I’m going through the stack of student feedback forms from Monday’s presentations at Saguaro High School. When asked “What was something you liked about the presentation,” one 16-year-old student wrote, “The logos, ethos, and pathos …
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