Shows
40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 78: NA cocktails with renowned mixologist Derek BrownDerek Brown is a world-renowned mixologist who's now leading the charge in the booming market of non-alcoholic cocktails. He graciously shares the story of the hellish addiction he was living in, how he got clean, and - just in time for holiday parties! - he shares some of the go-to recipes in his book Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails.
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This episode was presented by bambu werx, a Boulder-based company that creates sustainably sourced athletic apparel. Not only are product materials sources in an eco-friendly m...
2022-11-1558 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 77: Bad Year's Joey Jonas beats the drum kit, addictionJoey Jonas is the kit-pummelling drummer in the Milwaukee punk band Bad Year. A former heroin addict, he also does overdose outreach and provides peer support for Community Medical Services, an opioid treatment program that provides medication-assisted interventions including methadone, Suboxone, and Vivitrol in combination with behavioral health services.
Check out Bad Year on all music streaming services, and keep an eye out for their new EP!
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This episode was presented by MKE Overdose Prevention, which provides free tools and education on harm reduction, fosters conversations on...
2022-11-0153 min40,000 Steps RadioFrequency change: I love myself - and you can, too!Burnout and self-love comes up a lot in the podcast. I'm practicing what I preach by dialing back the frequency and putting out an episode every other week. But wait until you hear about the super human who's coming on next week ...
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christopher-heimerman/message
2022-10-2505 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 76: Shot, abondoned, but unbroken with J.J. CelliJ.J. Celli is a detective who was shot by her ex-girlfriend and then victimized by her own department, which swept the incident under the rug. She completely rebuilt herself, training herself to fire her weapon with her left arm and overcoming the horrifying trauma from that fateful night. She also got sober and bravely shares her story through poetry. Follow her on Instagram: @J.J.Celli.
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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal La...
2022-10-1856 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 75: Award-winning creator Katie Mack chooses adventureWhen deciding whether to take on a project, do something challenging, or try something new altogether, Katie Mack chooses the adventure. Nearly 3 years sober and someone who has been in and out of the rooms for a long time, Mack is a storyteller who is an actor, writer, podcast creator, and producer. She created the brilliant, Webby Award-winning podcast “Fucking Sober”, and she’s a former This Is My Brave cast member - apropos given that we’re putting on a show Oct. 13 in DeKalb, Illinois.
TRIGGER WARNING: This conversation includes discussions of substance abuse an...
2022-10-111h 0640,000 Steps RadioEpisode 74: Chelsea England on harm reduction, recovery for allChelsea England, founder of MKE Overdose Prevention and a social worker assisting Milwaukee’s homeless population, isn’t sober. But she hasn’t used opioids in many years. In August 2021, she founded MKE OP, which provides resources and education on harm reduction, while fostering discussion on recovery - including that abstinence is not required for people to get free of the grips of destructive drugs like heroin.
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This episode was presented by MKE Overdose Prevention, which provides free tools and education on harm reduction, fosters conversations on recovery, and hosts...
2022-10-041h 0140,000 Steps RadioEpisode 73: Dan Zwart serves coffee, spreads love, hosts NARCAN trainingDan Zwart is the owner of The Daily Bird, a coffee shop in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee known for its great coffee, delicious Scratch ice cream, and the countless positive messages in its bright-yellow setting. Dan has spent most of his life in the throes of addiction and lost both of his brothers to overdose. He works with MKE Overdose Prevention to provide free life-saving NARCAN training at the shop, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this November.
TRIGGER WARNING: Substance abuse, overdose, suicidal ideations.
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This episode...
2022-09-271h 0440,000 Steps RadioEpisode 72: Author Dr. Charlotte Markey talks body image for kidsDr. Charlotte Markey is a psychologist and the author of two brilliant books geared toward children (but they also taught me a lot): "The Body Image Book for Girls" and "Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys". She hopped on the pod to talk about the books, and was also gracious enough to share her personal story - of what it was like to be told as a child that she didn't have a "dancer's body", and what it's like as a parent raising a boy and a girl.
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2022-09-201h 0240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 71: Rising like The Phoenix with Byron ThompsonByron Thompson is the director of the Milwaukee chapter of The Phoenix, a national organization focused on physical fitness in recovery. He's also the owner of Rebound Recovery House, and as of the date this episode drops, the owner of 22 years of sobriety.
Byron graciously went back to some dark places to share his story - something he hasn't done "in a minute." But we mostly keyed his turning point, and the amazing things he's doing in the community today.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation...
2022-09-131h 0340,000 Steps RadioEpisode 70: My divorce storyMy wife and I are going through a divorce. We all just moved from Illinois to Wisconsin. Our beloved black lab, Dexter, is going to die soon. It’s a lot. And it’s important to me that I get you an update, and share some lessons I’m learning.
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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or looking to tackle an ultramarathon, she will build an indiv...
2022-09-0629 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 69: Sending fentanyl packing with Greg StudzinskiGreg Studzinski is backpacking 123 miles from Lambeau Field to his alma mater, Cudahy High School in the south Milwaukee suburbs. It’s a far cry from the 8 years he spent in the throes of fentanyl addiction. He failed to stay clean after his first few times through rehab, but finally made it stick when he fully addressed his mental health woes. Studzinski is raising money for Street Angels, a Milwaukee nonprofit assisting the unhoused. Check out his Packer 2 Packer GoFundMe page and make a contribution: https://bit.ly/3wIeGtY
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2022-08-3057 min
40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 68: Facing fertility issues with Josephine AtluriMindfulness and meditation coach Josephine Atluri has seven children, including three sets of twins. She has experienced all the highs, the lows, and tangled messes of complicated emotions that come with having children. Because of fertility issues and a miscarriage, she and her husband adopted. Then they were pregnant with twins, and rather than enjoying the miracle of being able to carry children, she lived in constant fear of miscarrying again. Faced with the decision of what to do with their extra embryos, they went the surrogate route. Twice. And in both instances, those surrogates had twins.
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2022-05-101h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 67: Rephrasing mental health with composer OndrewOndrew is a brilliant composer, who also records under the names Sangfroids and Joculatrix. They are a data scientist. They are a self-described change-maker fighting socioeconomic and environmental injustice. They are also a wide-open book about their diagnoses, which include bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.
But rather than saying mentally ill, Ondrew uses the term neuro-divergent. And rather than overcoming mental illness, they’re focused on overcoming society and its barriers.
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This episode was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is...
2022-05-031h 0940,000 Steps RadioEpisode 66: Addiction specialist Robb Kelly shares allDr. Robb Kelly has lived many lives. He was a bassist at Abbey Road studio who played - and partied - with the likes of Queen, Bowie, and Sir Elton John. He fled England for Spain after stabbing his wife for trying to take away his vodka. He went from millionaire to homeless, living on the streets of Manchester for nearly a year.
He remembers his moment of clarity, at a convenience store before sunrise. His hands trembled as he reached for a bottle of vodka. When he touched it, his hands stopped shaking. He realized then...
2022-04-261h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 65: Landon Ballard, child addict-turned advocateAs a magnetic, talented 13-year-old member of the MWAH troupe, Landon Ballard danced, acted and sang songs about the importance of staying away from drugs and asking for help. Yet he was already headed down the spiral of drug addiction - a plummet that would land him in jail and rehab multiple times.
Now he bravely shares his recovery story in middle and high schools, and he’s directing a show called This Is My Brave, in which locals take the stage and share their stories of triumph over mental illness and addiction.
TRIGGER WARNING: Th...
2022-04-191h 1040,000 Steps RadioEpisode 64: Agota Gabor, polio survivor and former Ukrainian ballet phenomAs a child growing up in Hungary, Agota Gabor was destined for Swan Lake - until she caught polio and was partially paralyzed. While she mostly recovered through relentless hard work, the virus did enough damage that she’d never be able to dance ballet professionally.
She suffered from depression and an eating disorder, but persevered to become a chorus girl, a TV celebrity who taught millions how to dance, and a celebrated journalist.
On the topic of journalism, we talked about how hard it is for her to track the war in Ukraine, and ho...
2022-04-121h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 63: Ex-NFL star, prolific musician Joe Barksdale is not OKJoe Barksdale is a former NFL player who won a National Championship with the LSU Tigers in 2008. But he'd rather talk about his second career as a musician - and his third as a comedian. Joe dropped five albums in 2021 alone, and he has another on the way.
When Joe does talk sport, it generally centers on advocacy for athletes struggling with mental illness. After all, Joe is on the autism spectrum, and he bravely shares in our conversation that every morning, he wakes up thinking about taking his own life.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode i...
2022-04-051h 0640,000 Steps RadioEpisode 62: Danielle Lewis overcomes depression, becomes IronwomanDanielle Lewis, at the time this episode was recorded, was 40th in the Ironman World Rankings. Ironman is the ultimate test of mental toughness, so it was inspiring to learn that Danielle, like the rest of us mortals, has dealt with severe depression.
Danielle talked about illness, injuries and devastation that once led to her putting on 50 pounds and temporarily giving up on her goals. Ultimately, though, she made the decision that depression wasn’t going to rob her of her dream of being a world-class athlete.
Danielle and I found lots of commonality, including th...
2022-03-291h 0240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 61: Becoming Ironwoman, staying clean with Steph WilliamsTriathlete Steph Williams has taken the leap into the deep end - figuratively and literally. She recently got sober and resumed sharing her mental health journey as a Still I Run ambassador, years after a nastygram from a friend led her to go silent.
Steph also taught herself to swim and has her eyes on her first Ironman in 2023. She opened up about losing multiple loved ones to suicide, and what it's like to truly live, not just try to survive.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions about substance abuse, mental illness, and suicide.
2022-03-221h 2240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 60: Mental health advocate Ashley Perkins gets vulnerableAshley Perkins is a mental health advocate and founder of We Matter Too with a background as a pharmacist and educator. She's also a TEDx speaker, and in one of her talks, she bangs one of my favorite drums: Mental health professionals can empower their clients by sharing their own struggles with, and triumphs over, mental illness.
We Matter Too amplifies voices of people in recovery, no matter where they are in their recovery journey. Five years, or five days, Ashley empowers everyone in recovery to share their story. In this episode, she shared her extraordinary journey t...
2022-03-1558 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 59: Actress Sylvie Mae Baldwin talks eating disordersSylvie Mae Baldwin performed her one-woman show, Skinny Crazy Small six days a week, first in Seattle and then in New York City. Then she sporadically performed for healthcare professionals. Each time, she had to go back to sixth grade, when her eating disorder took over her life. She couldn't just perform. It had to be authentic. She had to go back there and relive it, to make the audience feel her pain, her struggles, and her triumph.
Name a role in producing a show, and Sylvie has filled it. Her CV reads like a scroll. But...
2022-03-081h 0640,000 Steps RadioEpisode 58: Reformer, harm reduction champion Morgan GodvinIt took former heroin addict Morgan Godvin going to prison for her to realize her purpose. She did 5 years for selling the drugs that killed her close friend. Now she’s shaking up the criminal justice system and leading substance abuse treatment reform. Morgan founded Beats Overdose, a collaboration with hip-hop icons like Cypress Hill and Atmosphere, through which she and her crew provide harm reduction education and resources at concerts.
Among Morgan's many accomplishments: Through her work as a commissioner on Oregon’s Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, she helped pass a measure that decriminalized drug poss...
2022-03-011h 05
Running on Optimism25. Chris Heimerman | Ultra Runner, Host 40,000 Steps RadioIn today’s episode, Chris Heimerman, host of the podcast 40,000 Steps Radio shares with us his deeply personal journey to sobriety. Chris is an incredible advocate and resource for those struggling with addiction. He and I really dive into a lot in this conversation and what running meant for him before and after deciding it was time for him to seek help in battling alcoholism.
Chris was an accomplished journalist who had already run several marathons. He lived with his wife and two kids, and like many people was hiding a secret in nearly plain sight: he wa...
2022-02-281h 0640,000 Steps RadioEpisode 57: Ex-NHLer Clint Malarchuk on dodging death, becoming an advocateClint Malarchuk nearly bled out on national television when an opponent's skate came up and slit his jugular. Years later, he pointed a rifle to his chin and pulled the trigger. If the skate or the bullet had traveled another centimeter, he would not be here today.
Clint made an NHL All-Star team. He coached some of the greatest goaltenders of our generation. Yet he considers his book, "A Matter of Inches: How I Survived in the Crease and Beyond", his crowning achievement. In it, he tells all: about the abuse he endured as a child, his...
2022-02-221h 0740,000 Steps RadioEpisode 56: Elaine Sephton, two-time suicide survivorElaine "The Real English Elaine" Sephton is an author, a fierce mental health advocate and educator, and a two-time suicide survivor.
Elaine spent 30-plus years in corporate America before she bet on herself and dived into a career in advocacy. Now she's published her book "My Crazy Summer", she has another on the way, and she's working to open a recovery retreat. She also educates students on how to become mental health ambassadors.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions about mental illness and suicide attempts.
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2022-02-1556 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 55: Dietician Megan Hammis talks sobriety, runningMegan Hammis is a registered dietitian and a runner who recently finished her 100th race. She's also an advocate for recovering addicts. After all, she's been sober since Oct. 10, 2020. And her mother would have celebrated 24 years of sobriety this month - if she hadn't died unexpectedly in April 2021.
Megan's running resume includes six marathons, nine half-marathons and 85 races of other various distances. She's also an Ambassador of Still I Run, a group of runners stomping out the stigma surrounding mental illness.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussions on substance abuse, mental illness, eating disorders and...
2022-02-081h 0240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 54: Healthcare entrepreneur Steve Andrzejewski on his son's suicideSteve Andrzejewski is grateful that running was there for him after he lost his 20-year-old son, Ryan, to suicide. Ryan convinced his parents to get a husky, who now runs with Steve every single morning, "before everyone else is awake," Steve said. "It's a time for me to cry, and to scream, and just to run. Honestly, it was the only thing that got me through those first 3 to 6 months."
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions about suicide and mental illness.
The Andrzejewskis have made it their mission to raise awareness of the threat of...
2022-02-011h 0440,000 Steps RadioEpisode 53: Acclaimed author Nita Sweeney’s mental health journeyNita Sweeney is the award-winning author of "Depression Hates a Moving Target". As the title suggests, she uses running (with her amazing doggo) to overcome mental illness.
Getting started with running and making it stick at age 49 was not easy for Nita. Now, she's run three full marathons and dozens of half-marathons since 2010. She even ran her first 50K last year. Her stories from the ongoing journey will make you laugh, cry, and go out for a run, of course.
Nita's new book, "How to Make Every Move a Meditation", comes out this summer. And...
2022-01-251h 0040,000 Steps RadioEpisode 52: Survivor Dave Scarpello can't believe this is his lifeDave Scarpello has endured enough trauma for multiple lifetimes. He was abused as a child. He was caught in crossfire in Germantown, a poverty-riddled neighborhood in Philadelphia. He was hit by a car driven by a drunk driver who had no insurance, and was told he'd never walk again. He lost his job. His home.
But he never lost his hope, or his belief in himself.
Now, Dave has run about 10 marathons and completed his first ultra, a 12-hour endurance run, last summer. He's been named a Still I Run Ambassador for the third year...
2022-01-181h 0840,000 Steps RadioEpisode 51: My StoryI'm Christopher, and I'm a recovering alcoholic, marijuana abuser, people pleaser and so much more. More importantly, I'm a mental health advocate thriving in sobriety. I figured with so many new listeners tuning in, and seeing as how I've never done so, I'd lay out my story to kick off Season 2. I grew up completely opposed to alcohol and drugs, yet I became an addict in college. I went through rehab in the spring of 2019, got sober for good May 21 that year.
It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows, but I've reached a point where I virtually...
2022-01-1148 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 50: Ellis Miller talks suicide, bipolar disorderIf it weren't for one last, desperate cry for help, Ellis Miller might not be here today. After years of struggling with undiagnosed bipolar disorder and wrestling daily with suicidal ideations, she set out to end it all in the dead of night when she was a high school senior. But Ellis' friend picked up the phone when she called, and now she's on a mission to help others muster up the strength to make that phone call.
Ellis is a clinical psychology graduate student, a dancer, and as a bisexual woman, a fierce advocate for gender...
2021-12-2159 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 49: Addiction doc Dan Hochman gives social gathering tipsJust in time for the holidays, Dr. Dan Hochman joins us to offer oodles of great advice when it comes to the "messy" areas of sobriety. I'm looking at you, holiday stress.
Dan has worked extensively in treatment centers, and in his private practice he focuses on treating addiction cases in which other programs, fellowships and interventions simply haven't worked. Frustrated by the number of people who felt let down, even hopeless, he created his own online program called Self Recovery, through which participants take ownership of their recovery and design the program that works specifically for t...
2021-12-141h 0440,000 Steps RadioEpisode 48: Author Jason Wood on orthorexia, sobrietyJason Wood is an author and a mental health advocate who suffers from orthorexia - a little-known eating disorder defined by obsession with eating healthy foods. Back when he was a self-described "fat kid," he discovered the surefire way to gain praise and to achieve what he then considered successes was to adhere to a strict, albeit downright dangerously restrictive diet.
Jason's first book, "Starving for Survival" comes out Jan. 11, 2022, and you can preorder it now. He's taken on the mission of sharing his personal experiences with not just orthorexia, but dealing with an eating disorder as...
2021-12-071h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 47: Getting weird, talking sobriety and jiu-jitsu with Brian JamesBrian James is on a mission to tap out the stigma surrounding addiction and mental illness. While he and I share a number of passions - running, music, and off-beat humor, to name a few - he's way into something that's unfamiliar to me: jiu-jitsu. He leaned hard on the discipline during 2020, when he lost his father and, shortly thereafter, a close friend.
Brian got sober from meth in the early 2000s, but it was first March 3, 2014, when he put down the drink for good. He boldly shares his story to inspire others, and to dispel myths...
2021-11-3056 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 46: Voice actress Reba Buhr on anxietyReba Buhr, actor, author and mental health advocate, has nearly 100 credits on IMDB. She’s probably voiced a character in one of your favorite animated shows or video games - including one of my daughters’ favorite joints, Miraculous.
But Reba’s dream is to take her show on the road and speak to students at universities about her mental health journey. She’s written a book titled “Get Thee to a Therapist”, in which she shares her struggles with anxiety and panic attacks that came on during college, while educating readers how to navigate the mental healthcare system. Her...
2021-11-2353 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 45: Pharmacist Kim Sundling shares her struggles with bipolar disorderKim Sundling is a behavioral health pharmacist. As someone who prescribes medicine, one can only imagine the hell she was living through over the course of 11 months, as she, along with her psychiatrist and therapist, tried to figure out the right medication cocktail to treat her bipolar disorder. At last, in August, they hit the jackpot, and she's finally fully living her life.
Kim, a Boston Marathon qualifier who plans to conquer her first ultramarathon next year, puts her entire story out there as an ambassador for Still I Run, a running community determined to break the...
2021-11-161h 0640,000 Steps RadioEpisode 44: Ultra icon, acclaimed advocate Charlie EngleCharlie Engle has seen some things, man. He's run across the Sahara Desert and summited ice-covered volcanoes, and his next goal is to run from the Dead Sea to the top of Mount Everest. He's also spent a year and a half behind bars in federal prison.
Charlie is coming up on 30 years sober, and as a public speaker, author, and relentless advocate, he's made a significant impact on treatment for substance abuse, and the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery.
Whether it's training for another near-impossible physical feat or simply becoming a better human, Charlie...
2021-11-091h 0740,000 Steps RadioEpisode 43: Boxer Ed Latimore talks recovery from booze, porn addictionEd Latimore knows how to take a punch and roll with it. And he knows how to counter with the best of them. That's why he's 13-1-1 as a professional boxer, a chess enthusiast, and most germane to this podcast, the owner of nearly 8 years of sobriety from alcohol and pornography.
Ed also has a physics degree, and as he describes, looking to hit rock bottom isn't just a fool's errand. It's dangerous. Because when you hit the floor, or a wall, at full speed, the equal and opposite reaction force is not something to mess...
2021-11-021h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 42: Podcaster Mireya Lopez is an anxiety warriorMireya Lopez is a mother of one and the celebrated host of the podcast Mothering Anxiety. She's built a devoted following by opening up about her battles with anxiety, and by interviewing guests about their struggles.
She's also the wife of a recovering alcoholic. Her husband gave up the drink a little more than a year ago.
We discuss what it's like being the partner of a substance abuser, the many faces of anxiety, and what it was like for Mireya to learn she was having a girl after being treated like her mother's biggest...
2021-10-261h 0140,000 Steps RadioEpisode 41: Distance runner Emily Saldana talks loss, traumaEmily Saldana, an eight-time marathoner and mother of four, has gone through an ugly divorce. She's survived cancer, a traumatizing childhood, and resulting anxiety that saw her putting herself to sleep with panic attacks.
Emily recently shattered her marathon PR, but her next race, the Chicago Marathon, was her true breakthrough performance.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Ga...
2021-10-1957 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 40: Chef Travis Eastman talks sobriety, suicide survivalTravis Eastman knows his addiction recovery program, 12 Weeks to Freedom, works - because it continues to work for him. Travis is a chef, a meditation guide, and an ultramarathoner who officially launched the program in October.
TRIGGER WARNING: Travis opens up about his lows - from burying booze in parks near his home to multiple suicide attempts.
But as always, we focus most of our conversation on how incredible life is on this side of addiction.
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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling...
2021-10-121h 0040,000 Steps RadioEpisode 39: Runner Ally Garber a fierce recovery, mental health advocateAlly Garber is relentless with her love, and her work. She’s a half-marathoner, a public speaker, and a fervent advocate for those of us recovering from addiction, and everyone living with mental illness.
On Oct. 1, Ally’s tracker app told her she was 3 years sober, and it broke down all the money and time she’s saved. But the biggest reason she got clean was to be fully present with her mother after she got sick in the final year of her life.
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This episode was presen...
2021-10-051h 0440,000 Steps RadioEpisode 38: Social worker, social justice champion Denise WilliamsAs Denise Williams points out, there's a dearth of queer women of color in social work. Thank Sweet Baby Jesus she's here, and that after working extensively with children at the elementary level, her true passion is to work with adolescents. Show of hands: Who could have used a social worker like Denise Williams when they were a teenager?
Denise joined the podcast to talk about life as a suicide survivor and mental health champion, social justice issues, and the art of picking our battles when fighting for what's right. We also discussed the vast gender identity...
2021-09-281h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 37: Relentless runner, advocate Kimmey Hill talks sobrietyKimmey Hill earned the nickname “Bulldozer” as a kid, and the name still fits. When she sets her mind to something, nothing is going to stop her.
Two years ago, she committed to saving her own life by getting sober. Despite a debilitating knee injury, she’s committed to running a half-marathon in every state. And she’s dedicated her life to bulldozing the patriarchy, bigots, and anyone who gets in the way of equal opportunities for EVERYone.
No matter what battles lie ahead, every day starts the same for Kimmey. She’s grateful to still be he...
2021-09-2259 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 36: Documentary artist Robyn Symon talks physician burnoutRobyn Symon is an award-winning director and producer whose recent documentary, "Do No Harm: Exposing the Hippocratic Hoax", sheds light on the epidemic of burnout and suicide among physicians.
Robyn has more that 20 years of experience with network TV series, documentary films and web content including PBS, Discovery Health, and HGTV. She began her career as a TV reporter, so we'll certainly delve into another epidemic: the mental health challenges and trauma that journalists face.
Robyn has won two Emmys for her writing and covered topics from self-help giant Werner Erhard to the war on...
2021-09-141h 0040,000 Steps RadioEpisode 35: Ultrarunner extraordinaire Pam Rickard talks recoveryPam Rickard has tackled more than 100 marathons and ultra-marathons. She's run across the Gobi Desert, and she was on a six-member Icebreaker Run team that ran across the United States to increase awareness of the importance of mental health.
Pam exudes gratitude and joy, and calls herself "obnoxiously optimistic." But who wouldn't be after racking up 15 years of sobriety and tens of thousands of miles? She's made it her life's goal of helping others not only survive addiction, but thrive in sobriety. Through her work with Herren Project, she's raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to increase...
2021-09-071h 0340,000 Steps RadioEpisode 34: Influencer Christina Kimbrough on sobriety, eating disordersChristina Kimbrough has overcome addiction, mental illness, religious trauma, domestic violence, eating disorders, and more. And as a fervent advocate for others in recovery, she’s here to talk all about it via her social media presence, her blog and more.
No matter how much she’s survived and experienced, there’s always more to learn. That’s why she’s chasing her dream of becoming a therapist.
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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and C...
2021-08-311h 0240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 33: Musician Dustin DelMar talks sobriety, serviceDustin DelMar is the prolific guitarist from the Tool and A Perfect Circle tribute band A Perfect Tool. He's also 10 years sober and regularly speaks to residents at a rehab facilities about his recovery.
Dustin talks about how he used alcohol to cope with being an "egomaniac with an inferiority complex" - a familiar tale for your dear podcast host.
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Our conversation with Dustin was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love...
2021-08-241h 1340,000 Steps RadioEpisode 32: Soccer coach Matt Kadow on traumatic brain injuriesAs a coach, teacher and political strategist, words are very important to Matt Kadow. He can rally the troops and turn a phrase with the best of them.
So imagine his shock when he reviewed his virtual teaching lessons and noticed he was dropping words and losing his train of thought altogether.
So he got his brain examined, and was relieved that he wasn’t suffering from the fallout of multiple traumatic brain injuries he suffered as an athlete over the years.
But he came away with a number of tools to manage hi...
2021-08-171h 0740,000 Steps RadioEpisode 31: The Return of Martin Parker, brain surgery success storyIf you've ever wondered what it's like to undergo brain surgery, you're in luck. Martin Parker remembers every moment of his procedure, during which doctors inserted an electronic device into his brain to address his Parkinson's symptoms.
He never could have anticipated what would happen once the doctors turned that device on, and asked him to walk down the hallway.
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Our conversation with Martin was presented by Mindful Marathon. Exercise is medicine, and pediatrician/running coach Michelle Quirk is ready to write a prescription. Whether you’re tr...
2021-08-1058 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 30: Rehab director Jim Scarpace on treatment, compassionJim Scarpace was on track to become a special agent with the the Drug Enforcement Agency in the late-1990s, but the agency's criminalization of substance abuse disorder and its militarization didn't sit right with him. After all, he was working in a residential treatment center, where he saw people from all walks of life suffering, many of them having turned to using or dealing drugs out of desperation.
Today, he's the executive director of Gateway Foundation in Aurora, where I underwent treatment in early 2019. He's amassed a quarter-century of experience helping people with not just substance...
2021-08-0358 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 29: Yoga teacher Will Black on sobriety, psychadelicsWill Black, a Self Mastery coach and owner of The Balanced Self, got sober in Australia, of all places, in April 2018. A world traveler and adventurer, he was studying geography Down Under when he decided the only way he could find happiness was to put the drink down.
(CONTENT WARNING: Will and I discuss ayahuasca, a psychedelic drug in the form of a drink that’s brewed from plants. We also briefly discuss drinking.)
Will’s abuse of alcohol, which saw him blacking out regularly, stemmed from his lifelong battles with anxiety, depression, and the gene...
2021-07-271h 0240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 28: Tennis pro Erika Sandor-Zur on horrific trauma, recoveryErika Sandor-Zur took one hit of crack at age 17, and went from the top-ranked girls tennis player in northeastern Ohio to 20 years of sheer, unadulterated hell. She was raped. She stole cars. She was arrested several times in multiple states. She lost custody of her kids. She ended up homeless, helpless and all but dead. On July 11, 2017, she got clean, and now her goal is to become the first 42-year-old woman in recovery to play in a Grand Slam.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and...
2021-07-201h 0540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 27: College track star Allison Grady on eating disorders, mental illnessCollege sprinter Allison Grady would look at pictures of herself competing and tell herself, "I wasn't sick enough." She was battling bulimia, anxiety and depression, yet she continued to post outstanding times for North Central College, while earning accolades for her academics. Yet because she didn't look like she was suffering, she continued to do just that.
The brutal reality is that women's bodies change more significantly than men's, and Allison struggled to accept that she'll never be as fast as she was as a senior in high school. Add in a society obsessed with body image...
2021-07-131h 1340,000 Steps RadioEpisode 26: Dr. Christian Cable: “I thought I was a werewolf”As a teenager, Dr. Christian Cable experienced a full psychotic break. During a sleepover at a friend’s house, he woke during the night and was convinced he was a werewolf. He stripped down and wandered naked through the streets. After being picked up by a police officer, he was institutionalized for the first of five times over 2-year stretch of agony, hopelessness and despair.
Apart from an intense prayer session “in a moment of desperation,” he can’t pinpoint exactly what led to his full recovery. But today, he’s a leader in the field of oncology a...
2021-07-061h 0840,000 Steps RadioEpisode 25: Dr. Michelle Chestovich opens up about sister's suicideIn January, Dr. Michelle Chestovich launched her podcast Re-Mind Yourself, through which she offers tips and insights on mental health topics from burnout to perfectionism. On Feb. 3, she addressed the topic of allowing ourselves to feel ALL of our emotions.
Never could she have imagined how important that would be when her kid sister, Gretchen, committed suicide in early March.
The unthinkable tragedy led Michelle to set forth on a grief journey, and she's bringing her listeners, her social media followers, and anyone who will listen with her as she speaks openly about the pain...
2021-06-2954 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 24: Counselor Brian Hazard on adult ADHD, sobrietyBrian Hazard suffered from ADHD as a kid. It made school hell. It made him feel like an outcast. It contributed to his suicide attempts and his descent into addiction. At age 20, after setting his hair on fire with grain alcohol (I have your attention now, don't I?), he checked into rehab and set forth on a journey that on June 17 saw him celebrate 24 years of sobriety.
While Brian will always have ADHD, he no longer suffers from it. It's part of what defines him. It's why he's an attention whore, but he's learned to leverage that...
2021-06-221h 1340,000 Steps RadioEpisode 23: Ultrarunning icon Catra "Dirt Diva" Corbett on sobriety, mental healthTo say Catra Corbett is recognizable would be the mother of all understatements. Eternally neon-clad, tatted from her head to her toes, and boasting so many piercings she doesn’t feel comfortable in thunderstorms, she’s a household name in both the recovery community and the trail-running community. The “Dirt Diva” is approaching 27 years of sobriety, and she’s completed about 150 races of 100-plus miles. While she extols the virtues of sobriety in her super-public persona on Instagram, she spends much of her time addressing mental illness, and she takes immense pride in responding to DMs from her followers.
...
2021-06-151h 1240,000 Steps RadioEpisode 22: Dawn Kepler, 21 years sober, builds college recovery communityDawn Kepler is the coordinator of the Collegiate Recovery Community at Michigan State University, where she's seen - no joke - a decrease in alcohol use on campus.
To truly appreciate that feat, imagine life as a student at a Big Ten university. The tailgates. The parties. The lines outside bars. The general overwhelming pressure to fit into what's been drilled into us as the traditional college student experience. If a student is self-aware enough to say enough is enough, it's going to be tough sledding staying clean without an all-conference support team.
Dawn herself...
2021-06-081h 0040,000 Steps RadioEpisode 21: Podcaster Miguel "Migs" Reyes talks fitness as a sobriety toolFamily. Faith. Fitness. They're the three cornerstones of Miguel Reyes' recovery program, and they're the reason he's celebrating three years of sobriety.
If you enjoy a good story, you're going to love spending an hour with "Migs". There's the one about the drug deal gone bad. There's a couple of stories of him thinking he'd duped Johnny Law, only to be called out on his bullshit. The best story, though, is the one where he looked into his newborn's eyes and decided enough was enough. He was getting clean for good.
Pretty quickly, "Migs" built...
2021-06-011h 1540,000 Steps RadioEpisode 20: War vet, former first-responder Ryan Mains on PTSDRyan Mains is an Iraq War veteran and a former firefighter of 14 years who just recently won his disability pension case, in light of PTSD forcing him out of his career. Even more recently, on May 22, 2021, he took on a 115K - one kilometer for every firefighter who completed suicide in 2020. It's an annual fund- and awareness-raising run called Run for Our Lives, which Ryan and his wife, Danielle, started in the summer of 2019.
But Ryan was only able to completed about 95 of those kilometers because of overwhelming heat and humidity that left paramedics unable to find...
2021-05-2556 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 19: Pediatrician, coach Michelle Quirk on mindful runningRunning has been vital for Michelle Quirk as she's grieved her father, who lost his life to cancer in 2012. It also helps her deal with the trauma she endures daily as a pediatrician. Think about it. Not every child comes through the clinic door with the sniffles. She sees kiddos who are terrified to see a doctor. Little ones with terminal illnesses. Tiny tots who are clearly being neglected and abused at home.
So Michelle, like many of us, works out her problems through running. She took that one step further a couple of years ago, when...
2021-05-1859 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 18: Rock star Max Bergstrom talks sobriety, character defectsMax Bergstrom is 8 1/2 years sober, but he's all too aware that he needs to work a daily program to address his character defects - vanity, insecurity and others to keep himself on the righteous path, and to continue his healing process.
Max went through rehab multiple times, tried and failed to take his own life twice, but it took him breaking down after his father's funeral, calling his AA sponsor, and fully committing to following the Big Book to the letter for him to finally get clean and make it stick.
Max is the frontman...
2021-05-111h 1440,000 Steps RadioEpisode 17: Tony Xu talks Asian-American hate crimeTony Xu, born and raised in China, has lived in the United States for 8 years. Despite knowing very little English upon arrival, to the point that he needed help finding the bathroom, he rose to the rank of editor-in-chief of the student newspaper at Bradley University.
This conversation, as you might imagine, was spurred by the horrible recent violence against Asian-Americans - not just the incidents the media has reported in the past couple of months, but the spike in such hate crimes since the beginning of the pandemic.
Tony's response to racism, and the...
2021-05-0446 min
Staying Fit ODAATChristopher Heimerman - A Story's worth "40,000 Steps"Christopher badly sought help. He wouldn't give up until he got it. He then ran a Marathon on his first day out of rehab. Since then he has also created a podcast 40000 steps sharing stories of others with remarkable journeys. Hear his story!
Website: 40000steps.com
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/christopher-heimerman
Facebook: facebook.com/40000steps
Instagram: @40000_steps
Patreon: www.patreon.com/40000steps
2021-05-021h 1740,000 Steps RadioEpisode 16: Former addict Martin Parker talks life with Parkinson'sMartin Parker and I are shockingly similar in a number of ways. We've both spent far too much of our lives beating ourselves up. We both used alcohol to try to fit in, whether that meant dumbing ourselves down or making ourselves feel more interesting. We did that because we're deep-thinkers who suck at small talk.
There are some ways we're starkly different. Martin was diagnosed with Parkinson's while he was in the thick of his addiction to alcohol and cocaine. He's gone through a painful separation with the mother of his daughter. Yet when he awoke...
2021-04-2958 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 15: Sex abuse victim advocate Lynnea Erickson LaskowskiLynnea Erickson Laskowski spends her days educating students about sexual assault. She teaches the littles about their bodies and how to set boundaries. She teaches kiddos and teenagers alike how to notice signs of abuse, and how to report them.
While our host Christopher was sexually abused as a kid, Lynnea concedes she didn't have such a traumatizing experience. She does, however, wish a Lynnea-like person showed up in her small-town Iowa school to teach her about relationships and self-love.
The discussion with Lynnea addressed the impact sexual abuse has on all aspects of the...
2021-04-2758 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 14: Sober podcaster Dora Gosselin on abuse, recoveryDora Gosselin is the host of the popular podcast Soberoso, and a survivor of what's a lifetime for many of drinking and drugging, having taken her first sip of booze at age 12.
Dora also survived an abusive relationship, and when she finally walked out for good, with a carry-on suitcase and her little dog, she realized that maybe, just maybe, if she quit drinking, she'd have the power to not go back to him. She was right, and now she's living her very best life. It got even better when she made another recent revelation, one that...
2021-04-2258 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 13: Danielle Mains on partner’s role in trauma, recoveryDanielle Mains is outspoken. She speaks plainly on social issues and doesn't pull punches. Yet while her husband, Ryan Mains, was suffering crippling PTSD from his time in the service and 14 years as a firefighter, she tried to keep their home as quiet as possible in order to avoid loud noises triggering him and setting him off.
Danielle stood by Ryan as his cumulative trauma caused the man she fell in love with to withdraw more and more every day leading up to him checking into inpatient treatment in March 2019, and when he started intensive outpatient that...
2021-04-201h 0140,000 Steps RadioEpisode 12: Ultrarunner, coach Eric Wilden found peace in BuddhismEric Wilden began studying mindfulness at age 12, and he's been studying Buddhism for 30 years now. He has a Master of Divinity degree, and he's a Road Runners Club of America-certified coach, both of which play into his success as a mindful running coach.
Eric, like our host, does some ... different stuff. In the past few months alone, he's run a marathon on a treadmill, and another in his cul de sac. He also ran across the state of New Jersey to memorialize the beginning of the pandemic. We learned shortly after the interview (to which he wore...
2021-04-1353 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 11: Ironman Corey Harrington on surviving opioid addictionIn November 2020, Corey Harrington completed one of the most grueling races out there: a full Ironman. What makes that even more incredible is that he'd spent 10 years in the throes of opioid addiction.
Corey opened up about the loneliness and hopelessness that comes from suffering in silence, what it took for him to finally say it out loud that he was an addict, and the immediate obstacles he faced in his recovery.
He and Christopher also made sure to talk about just how great life is in recovery, and what it's like to become an...
2021-04-0656 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 10: Andre Williams on mental health in minority communitiesAndre Williams pulled no punches when he joined 40,000 Steps Radio to discuss mental health and the challenges of getting help to people in minority communities. Andre has done time in prison. He's struggled with mental illness. But he's since conducted street ministry, worked on early invention programs, and he's in the process of becoming a preacher. His question to anyone addicted to drugs, alcohol, or a lifestyle, or anyone who's resisting getting help: Is today going to be day one, or one day?
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs...
2021-03-2937 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 9: Rehab buddy Domenick Cascio joins the podcastDomenick Cascio, the first fellow resident our host Christopher met in treatment, joins the program to celebrate his 2-year sobriety anniversary.
The guys talk about life before treatment, their experiences in rehab, and how different their lives are now that they're clean.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be honest and enlist some help. Gateway offers life-saving inpatient services, as well as virtual treatment. Ca...
2021-03-201h 0040,000 Steps RadioEpisode 8: Back by popular demand, my psychiatrist, Jada ButlerBack by popular demand, Christopher's psychiatrist, Jada Butler, joined the show to talk about regular mental health maintenance. After Christopher broke down the prongs of his recovery program, Jada compared those tenets to regular upkeep on our vehicles. Rather than simply waiting for the engine to blow, regular maintenance is key.
As Christopher points out, a program isn't just for people who battle addiction or mental illness. The end game with a program is to make the very most out of our time on Earth, so everyone can benefit from building a list of ways they take...
2021-03-0342 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 7: Counselor J.J. Wett on the science of traumaTherapist J.J. Wett came on the podcast to explain the science of trauma. He even related his own experiences and pointed out that by working through his own trauma, he became a better person and a better therapist. J.J. gave me a lot of comfort in explaining that the brain can be changed. It's not a static organ. So if we address our trauma, we can better deal with the traumatic events we'll undoubtedly encounter the rest of our lives.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation...
2021-02-1742 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 6: Pastor Wes helps famous podcaster open up about sobrietyPastor Wesley Dixon, of United Methodist Church of New Lenox, used to work with Christopher's wife, Kayla, at the aptly named Wesley United Methodist Church in Sterling, Illinois. He had no idea Christopher had battled alcohol addiction and gone through rehab in early 2019. After achieving his greatest accomplishment by beating Kayla at the Madison Mini Half-Marathon in August 2019, Pastor Wes helped convince Christopher to put his story out there and become an advocate for people battling addiction and mental illness.
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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling...
2021-02-0344 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 5: DUI counselor Ron Partch on compassion in recoveryRon Partch dropped truth bombs. He provided clutch advice for people trying to get help, or trying desperately to get through to their loved ones. He offered hope. And he's got plenty of street cred. As the owner and operator of three DUI and Behavioral Health Counseling Centers in northern Illinois, he's seen people in every stage of addiction.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs and alcohol are starting to take over your life, or the life of someone you love, it’s time to be ho...
2021-01-2749 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 4: Jason Kowalski on watching best friend struggle with addictionOur host's best friend, Jason Kowalski, joins the show to talk Wisconsin drinking culture, the pain of watching a loved one sink into addiction, and toxic masculinity.
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This episode was presented by DUI & Behavioral Health Counseling Centers, which has offices here in northern Illinois – in Sycamore, Plano, and Crystal Lake. If you suspect you or someone you love has a problem with drinking, drugs, mental illness or anger, call 815-895-9000 today and set up an evaluation. Visit duisycamore.com for more information.
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2021-01-0639 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 3: Still I Run founder Sasha Wolff shares her mental health journeySasha Wolff is the founder of Still I Run, a community for runners affected by mental illness. She shared her mental health journey and talked about the way running can serve as medicine.
We also talked about Still I Run's upcoming virtual race, the Breaking Stigma in Stride 5K, and the nonprofit's amazing scholarship program. Sign up for the race and learn more at stilliruncommunity.com.
We also played Christmas Party Playlist. There was much merriment.
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This episode was presented by Gateway Foundation. If drugs...
2020-12-2344 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 2: Pub owner Bobby Greenya gives view from behind the barWhy would we have a bar owner on a show about addiction, recovery and mental illness? Because Bobby Greenya, owner of Champions Pub in Milwaukee, is a champion of all things positive. He regularly posts unprompted messages of encouragement on Facebook, and he thinks of the patrons at his neighborhood bar as family. He keeps close tabs on them to make sure they're in a good state of mind, and he'll encourage them to confide in him if he sees them drinking more heavily, or showing signs that they're sinking into addiction.
We also played a Christmas...
2020-12-0939 min40,000 Steps RadioEpisode 1: At the starting line with my psychiatrist, triathlete Jada ButlerWe come out of the gates swinging in the debut episode, by taking a sledgehammer to the stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction.
Host Christopher Heimerman, a recovering alcoholic, shares his story of struggling to come to grips with his depression and anxiety in his teen years, and the steep step of finally getting help.
Today, he sees a therapist and a psychiatrist - in fact, they're the same person: Jada Butler. She joins the program to talk about breaking through the stigma to get help, addressing the epidemic of toxic masculinity, and her favorite...
2020-12-0139 min