In this stripped-back solo episode, your favorite co-hosts return to one of their original recording spots — but they’re not the same people they were when they started. It’s a full-circle moment, and what follows is an open, emotional conversation about growth, fatherhood, sobriety, and self-work.

They reflect on the idea that quitting drinking didn’t solve everything. “I thought quitting drinking would fix everything. It didn’t.” Sobriety, they realize, was just step one. The real challenge was facing the emotional pain, the loneliness, the avoidance, and the hard truths about themselves.

They talk about impending fatherhood, breaking generational trauma, navigating identity without numbing, and the quiet struggle of maintaining self-care when it doesn’t feel like it’s working. The most powerful theme? That healing isn’t about one big moment — it’s about showing up, again and again, even on the days that suck.

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NEW EPISODES WEEKLY!

"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh.

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In this powerful and heart-centered episode, we sit down with Federico Fridman, co-founder of Cacao Lab, to explore how plants, fatherhood, and men’s work transformed his relationship with himself and the world around him.

Federico shares how ceremonial cacao went from a personal healing practice to a thriving business built with his sister and rooted in ancestral connection. He opens up about what it means to lead as a man today — one who holds space, embraces softness, and unlearns shame — all while navigating the real-life challenges of entrepreneurship, emotional growth, and fatherhood.

This episode is an honest look at how we break cycles, find purpose, and choose presence — even when life doesn’t go as planned.

Whether you're curious about cacao, evolving as a leader, or simply trying to show up more fully in your life, this conversation is a beautiful starting point.

Join Federico's Men's circle and other mindful events at Kelta here: https://www.kelta.life/events

Support Cacao Lab Here: https://www.instagram.com/cacaolaboratory/ https://cacaolaboratory.com/

And watch our episode with Federico's partner Taylor Lyons here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMWk3V0MoAY&t=880s

00:00 – Intro: What ceremonial cacao really is and why it matters
05:20 – Building a business rooted in ancestral respect & family healing
12:00 – From personal ritual to a global cacao brand
17:40 – Men's circles: creating space for honesty, softness & safety
22:00 – How fatherhood shifted everything emotionally & spiritually
30:50 – Burnout, boundaries & showing up as a leader who’s still healing
38:50 – Sobriety, ceremony, and the joy that came after nightlife
46:30 – The moment Federico found out he was becoming a father
52:50 – Identity, roots, and building a life between Argentina & upstate NY
59:00 – Legacy, love, and preparing for what's next
01:10:30 – Final reflections & where to connect with Federico

Join our exclusive community on GROUPED where you can find uncut episodes, messaging with your hosts, and early access to promotions

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Join Whoop with our promotional code and get your first month free!

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Sign up for online therapy with our referral link.
Get 20% off your first month with our podcast's link:

Shout out to our favorite neighborhood screen printer JOKER INK https://www.jokerink.com/

NEW EPISODES WEEKLY!

"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh.

https://linktr.ee/whothoughtwedbeherepod

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In this episode, we sit down with Katie Parent, a licensed therapist and holistic healer, to explore what healing really means—beyond talk therapy and into the body, the nervous system, and lived experience.

Katie shares how she combines traditional mental health practices with somatic tools, nervous system regulation, and energy work like Reiki to support people through trauma, burnout, and the messy process of becoming more whole. We discuss the difference between survival mode and true self-awareness, how trauma often lives in the body long after the mind thinks it’s healed, and why so many people are stuck in patterns that aren't their fault—but are their responsibility to shift.

She also opens up about her own healing path, including childhood trauma, divorce, and what it means to show up as a therapist who’s still doing the work. We dive into addiction as an expression of unmet needs, the impact of little-t trauma, and why healing doesn't happen in isolation—it happens in connection.

If you've ever felt burned out, numb, overly responsible, or like you're doing all the "right" things and still not feeling better, this one’s for you

00:00:00 – Meet Katie: therapist, healer, space holder
00:01:00 – Therapy, energy work & bridging science with spirituality
00:05:00 – Trauma in the body vs. talk therapy
00:10:00 – The nervous system, survival mode & burnout
00:17:00 – Chronic stress, digestion & trauma in the organs
00:22:00 – Childhood patterns, anxiety & confidence
00:30:00 – Relationships, parenting, and healing through connection
00:38:00 – Katie’s personal trauma & therapist identity
00:44:00 – Shame, addiction, self-talk & emotional reparenting
00:53:00 – Root-cause healing & readiness for change
01:00:00 – Reiki, emotional pain & asking for help
01:10:00 – Daily practices: hydration, cold showers, nervous system care
01:15:00 – Where to find Katie + what’s coming next

Join our exclusive community on GROUPED where you can find uncut episodes, messaging with your hosts, and early access to promotions

https://app.grouped.com/whothoughtwedbeherepod

Join Whoop with our promotional code and get your first month free!

https://join.whoop.com/us/en/Whothoughtwedbeherepod/

Sign up for online therapy with our referral link.
Get 20% off your first month with our podcast's link:

Shout out to our favorite neighborhood screen printer JOKER INK https://www.jokerink.com/

NEW EPISODES WEEKLY!

"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh.

https://linktr.ee/whothoughtwedbeherepod

Please Like, Follow, Share, and Enjoy!!!