After 25 years in behavioral health, Ian found himself wondering if all he had left to offer was a bowl of candy on his desk — a small gesture in a system that had lost its soul. What followed was a reckoning with profit-driven treatment models, personal burnout, and a rediscovery of what real recovery work looks like.

In this deeply honest and thought-provoking conversation, Ian shares how being fired from a for-profit program became the catalyst for transformation — leading him to embrace trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and a radical truth: the expert on the client is the client.

From challenging outdated addiction models to unpacking the thin line between support and enabling, Ian’s story is a powerful look at what happens when compassion meets accountability — and when professionals learn to truly listen.

If you’ve ever questioned the ethics of “the industry,” this episode will hit home.

He lost his job, his home, and his car—all in one freezing Wyoming day. Homeless, addicted, and out of options, Chris stood at a crossroads: live or die.

What happened next would change everything.

From relapsing after his grandmother’s funeral to sleeping in fields and shelters, Chris’s story isn’t just about survival—it’s about rebirth. He went from hopelessness and addiction to leading one of Colorado’s most impactful nonprofits, helping others rise from the same darkness he once lived in.

This is the story of what happens when you refuse to quit, even when life gives you every reason to.

💭 Raw. Honest. Transformative. If you’ve ever felt like giving up, this episode will remind you exactly why you shouldn’t.

From a childhood of trauma and abandonment to addiction, prison, and ultimately purpose — this episode is a raw and inspiring conversation about resilience and redemption. Roman opens up about how pain shaped his identity, how love shattered his beliefs of unworthiness, and how becoming a father ignited his mission to help others heal.

If you’ve ever felt broken, hopeless, or unseen — this episode will remind you that even the deepest wounds can lead to the greatest transformations.

🎧 Listen now to hear how one man’s story of survival became a movement of hope.