Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

In this episode, I chat with Matt Kovachis, who is a life coach and the host of the podcast "The Men in The Arena". Matt shares his journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Matt talks about the pivotal moments that led him to make changes in his life, including ending a long-term relationship. He emphasizes the importance of seeking support and the power of therapy in his transformation. Matt also explains why he started a po...

In this episode, Tarik Carroll (AKA AMIR), a Brooklyn-based creative, photographer, musician, and fat liberation activist, shares his journey of self-discovery and healing through art. He discusses the intersection of photography and music in his life and the role of art in his healing process. Tarik also delves into the concept of fat liberation and the challenges of navigating fetishization in media as well as within the queer co...

Justin Levenson, a music industry professional and author, shares his journey of mentorship, service, and maintaining a positive mindset. Growing up in a multicultural household, Justin recognized the impact of music educators and mentors in his life. He emphasizes the importance of balance, service, and self-love in his personal and professional growth. Justin's experience with brain cancer further deepened his commitment to helpi...

Mark Marshall shares his journey from growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania to becoming a successful musician and composer in New York City. He discusses the challenges of living with disabilities and the impact of a toxic environment on his life. Mark's love for music and his desire to escape his situation led him to pursue a career in music. Moving to New York City provided him with the freedom and opportunities he had alway...

Nick Gordon is a veteran music executive and is also the owner and proprietor of Love, Velma, a music and lifestyle venue in Ellenville, NY. Over the course of our conversation, Nick traces his history in the music industry and discusses how he's managed a lot of the potentially damaging habits that come with the rock and roll lifestyle. He also discusses the importance of community (y'all know that's a favorite topic of mine), his...

Content warning: Graphic discussions about physical and emotional abuse, and suicide.

I do most of the sourcing when it comes to finding guests for the show, but every once in a while a friend surprises me by saying "hey, I'd like to be a guest". That was the case with my dude Almar Reyes, who I've known for something going on twenty years via the internet. Almar is a Bay-Area based veteran of the tech world, and is most recently adjusting to life as an empty-nester after raising two kids. That forms the basis of ou...

Chris Loper is a habit coach based in the Pacific Northwest. What is a habit coach, I bet you're asking. Well, listen to the episode and it'll all be explained to you :-) Chris is also a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie and we talk about how his penchant for thrill-seeking led him down a bad path, only to come to a head after a near-death experience. His journey from there to here is also documented in a memoir, entitled Wood Floa...

I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Dave Holmes to the podcast. You might know Dave as an MTV VJ and host of TRL, you might know him as an author (his memoir, Party of One, is excellent), you might be familiar with his work as an actor, podcaster, even as an advice columnist. Dave's relatability and his pop culture obsessiveness have contributed to a decades-long stint in the public eye. Our conversation covers everything from stru...

Bill Harrison is a licensed therapist working in the Chicago area. He specializes in men's issues, and works primarily (although not exclusively) with creatives/people in the arts. Bill has also spent many years working as an artist himself. Prior to devoting himself to mental health, he was a successful gigging musician. Our conversation follows Bill's journey from traveling troubadour through his own mental health journey and ult...

Grammy nominated singer/songwriter YAWNYBLEW visited us for Episode 134, and folks enjoyed our conversation so much that I got several requests to bring him back. Well, what our listeners want, our listeners get! My second conversation with Yawny focuses on the ups and downs of the music industry and how he has struggled to maintain mental health practices due to the stress of having to survive as a working creative. Yawny and I al...

This episode features my friend Sonny Harding. He's based in the Atlanta area, and in addition to being a drummer and a fairly new Dad, he's also a high school teacher. Education is a profession that fascinates me, and I ask Sonny how he picked that as a vocation and we also talk about the generational divide that naturally exists between teachers and students. We also go into some depth about Sonny's Southern upbringing and common...

Hi everyone! This episode features counselor/therapist Tommy Mattera, who is based out in California. He specializes in men's work, helping men through issues with relationships, anxiety, depression and raising families. I'm endlessly curious about what drives mental health professionals to choose their work, and Tommy talks about the experiences that led him to pursue mental health as a vocation. We also talk about processing ange...