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  • The Truth About Interventions, Boundaries, and Family Recovery | Scott Stein

    The Truth About Interventions, Boundaries, and Family Recovery | Scott Stein
    2026/01/29
    On this episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Scott Stein — family coach, interventionist, and founder of Capital Companion and Transport — for one of the most honest conversations about addiction, family dynamics, and recovery you’ll hear. Scott doesn’t teach recovery from theory — he lived it. His addiction spanned opioids, alcohol, weed, benzos, nightlife culture, and the “work hard, party harder” mentality that eventually left him homeless, evicted, and disconnected from reality. While everyone around him saw the problem, Scott couldn’t — until his mother’s growth became the mirror he couldn’t ignore. Today, Scott works with families and individuals navigating addiction at every stage: • Before treatment • During treatment • After treatment and re-entry into real life His focus goes beyond sobriety — into executive functioning, boundaries, routines, life skills, accountability, and structure — the areas most people overlook but families desperately need help with. Scott believes: You don’t steal someone’s comeback story — you support it You set boundaries, not band-aids You offer truth, not rescue Whether someone lives on Park Avenue or the streets, Scott shows up the same way: direct, practical, and rooted in real love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 分
  • I Manifested My Worst Nightmare — Until Faith Set Me Free with Marco Ferrante

    I Manifested My Worst Nightmare — Until Faith Set Me Free with Marco Ferrante
    2026/01/22
    In this powerful episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with Marco Ferrante — pastor, mentor, nonprofit leader, and founder of Journey to Solutions — to share a raw and deeply moving story of addiction, identity, and spiritual transformation. Raised in a traditional Sicilian family where reputation meant everything, Marco learned early that admitting addiction was considered weakness. What followed was years of darkness marked by substance abuse, incarceration, homelessness, paranoia, and loss — despite once having scholarships, athletic success, and opportunity at his fingertips. Addiction followed him across borders, from the U.S. to Europe, proving that distance can’t heal what only truth and connection can. Everything changed when Marco encountered Christ not as religion, but as a personal invitation. What began as desperation turned into freedom through faith, community, discipline, and surrender. Today, Marco serves as the Owner of Journey to Solutions Educational Resource Center, President of Journey to Solutions Recovery Ministry, Vice President of PRP Nonprofit, and host of the Journey 2 Solutions Podcast — all rooted in servant leadership and the belief that lives can be restored and purpose rediscovered. This episode is about more than recovery. It’s about identity, redemption, and the power of grace to rewrite even the darkest story. If you’re struggling with addiction, mental health, shame, or feeling too far gone — this conversation is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 17 分
  • From Survival to Strength | Allison Smith’s 10 Years of Sobriety & Faith

    From Survival to Strength | Allison Smith’s 10 Years of Sobriety & Faith
    2026/01/15
    Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Allison Smith — a domestic violence survivor, single mother, and woman who has walked the path of sobriety for over 10 years, one day at a time. Faith-driven and deeply committed to healing, Allison shares her story with honesty and courage. What began as survival became transformation — learning how to rebuild her life, reclaim her voice, and raise her child while staying grounded in sobriety, faith, and personal accountability. This conversation explores what it means to heal after abuse, how sobriety becomes a foundation for empowerment, and why sharing your story can become an act of service. Allison doesn’t speak from theory — she speaks from lived experience, reminding us that recovery isn’t just about staying sober, it’s about choosing yourself every day. This episode is for anyone navigating trauma, addiction, faith, or single parenthood — and for anyone who needs proof that strength can be rebuilt from the hardest places. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 3 分
  • The Best Conversations of the Year

    The Best Conversations of the Year
    2026/01/01
    This year on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sat down with some of the most powerful voices in recovery, mental health, performance, leadership, and personal transformation. This special end-of-year episode brings together the most impactful moments, stories, and insights from our best guests — conversations that challenged perspective, sparked growth, and reminded us what purpose really looks like when life gets hard. From raw honesty about addiction and recovery… To deep conversations around mindset, resilience, and rebuilding your life… To moments of clarity that hit long after the episode ends… This is Primary Purpose at its core. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re just discovering the show, this episode captures the heart of what we do — real conversations with people who’ve lived it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 分
  • From Psychosis to Purpose | Michael’s Journey Through Addiction, Homelessness, and Recovery

    From Psychosis to Purpose | Michael’s Journey Through Addiction, Homelessness, and Recovery
    2025/12/18
    Michael’s life took him across the world — from New Jersey to Puerto Rico to Hong Kong — but addiction followed no matter how far he ran. Despite a strong upbringing and early success in sports, Michael began drinking at 12 and was addicted to heroin by 18. After leaving college and cycling through rehab, he built a successful career in shipping and logistics. On the outside, life looked stable — but addiction pulled him into street life, homelessness, and a near-fatal overdose. What followed was a brutal turning point. Michael survived 70 days of drug-induced psychosis, entered sober living, attended 180 meetings in 90 days, completed all 12 steps, and rebuilt his life from the ground up. Starting with nothing — even cleaning toilets just to survive — he slowly reclaimed structure, dignity, and purpose. Today, Michael is a certified alcohol and drug counselor, the owner of The Hope Experience, LLC, and is opening a sober living home dedicated to helping others find recovery and meaning. This episode of Primary Purpose with Pej is about humility, perseverance, and the courage it takes to start over — one day at a time. Subscribe for more real stories of recovery, resilience, and purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 14 分
  • The Doctor Who Saved 80,000 Lives | The Untold Story of Dr. Faried Banihamd

    The Doctor Who Saved 80,000 Lives | The Untold Story of Dr. Faried Banihamd
    2025/12/11
    Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with a man whose life’s work has quietly transformed tens of thousands of lives — long before addiction medicine was respected, understood, or widely practiced. Dr. Faried Banihamd began his career in academic emergency medicine, teaching and researching at UCLA/Kern Medical Center and later UC Irvine. But despite a prestigious path, his true calling led him somewhere far more difficult and far more meaningful: directly into the world of addiction. He stepped into methadone clinics, detox centers, outpatient programs, and some of the most underserved and complex cases imaginable — years before harm reduction or medication-assisted treatment were accepted, and long before benzo tapers or polypharmacy management became common practice. Patients call him a magician — not because he performs miracles, but because he listens, observes, and treats people who have been dismissed elsewhere. Over the course of his career, he has helped more than 80,000 patients navigate addiction, trauma, medication mismanagement, and the long road back to hope. Today, he runs Zephyr Medical Group in Orange County, continuing his mission to serve the underserved, consult on high-complexity cases, train institutions, work with legal teams, and design private detox and rehabilitation plans for patients around the world. In 2017, he was named one of Orange County’s Top Influencers, recognizing the impact of his work on individuals, families, and systems across the globe. Guided by the St. Augustine quote he lives by — “Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage” — Dr. Banihamd’s story is one of purpose, compassion, and the courage to fight for a better way forward. Please welcome to the show: Dr. Faried Banihamd, MD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 分
  • She Breaks Generational Trauma — And This Is What It Really Looks Like

    She Breaks Generational Trauma — And This Is What It Really Looks Like
    2025/12/04
    On this episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, licensed psychotherapist Dr. Vicky Truong, LMFT, Ph.D. breaks down what it really looks like to heal generational trauma — not just in her clients, but in her own life. Based in Tustin, CA, Vicky specializes in trauma and couples therapy for adult children of immigrants, helping people navigate the emotional, cultural, and relational wounds passed down through generations. She’s certified in EMDR for PTSD and acute trauma, works as a 730 child custody evaluator, and serves as a forensic mental health consultant in high-conflict family cases. Vicky also shares her personal journey: 13 years of sobriety Raising her 10-year-old daughter Healing her own childhood wounds Balancing recovery with a demanding therapy practice What breaking generational cycles looks like from the inside This episode is raw, eye-opening, and deeply human — offering real insight into trauma, healing, sobriety, family systems, and the work required to build a new legacy. 👉 Watch now to see what breaking generational trauma truly looks like — in real life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 6 分
  • He Lost Everything and Then Spent 23 Years Helping Others Find Hope: The Story of Freeman Palmore

    He Lost Everything and Then Spent 23 Years Helping Others Find Hope: The Story of Freeman Palmore
    2025/11/20
    This week on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Freeman Palmore — a man whose life is living proof that redemption is real and recovery is possible. Once a promising athlete, Freeman’s world was shattered after the sudden loss of his father. What followed was a long descent into addiction, isolation, and self-destruction — until one day, he made the choice that changed everything. Now, with over 23 years of continuous sobriety, Freeman has turned his pain into purpose, dedicating his life to helping others find healing. From sponsoring men in recovery to guiding families through interventions, his story is a testament to resilience, faith, and the human spirit’s capacity for change. This episode isn’t just about surviving addiction — it’s about becoming the person you were meant to be after the fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 2 分