Shows
Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Getting Spiritual in Sobriety with Seth Perry, The Vegan PastorSeth Perry started using drugs and alcohol as a teenager to feel acceptance, and later to manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder, but after his addiction spiralled into drug psychosis and damaged his relationships with friends and family, he got clean. Then, a chance meeting put him on the path to becoming a pastor, and now he helps recovering addicts developing their own spiritual practice. In this incredible discussion, Seth shares:
How a lack of openness around emotions impacted his beliefs around masculinity
How bipolar disorder contributed to his substance abuse, and how attempts to manage it developed...
2021-03-3059 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Building Better Men with Dr. Jeremy Goldberg, Long Distance Love Bombs“When nothing is certain, anything is possible.”Dr. Jeremy Goldberg grew up in a household with an alcoholic mother and got a crash course in acceptance and personal responsibility. Now, he uses the lessons he learned through those struggles to help build a generation of better men. In this powerful conversation, he discusses:
How men can lead with heart and wholeness
How the meaning of being a man is evolving
The lack of initiation rituals for men in western culture
How his mother’s alcoholism shaped him
Dr. Jeremy Goldberg is trying to mak...
2021-03-021h 03Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Personal Growth and Getting Uncomfortable with Kevin Bellack, The Sober GingerKevin Bellack had a great career and a loving family, but watched his drinking spiral out of control as he used it to manage job-related stress and keep his emotions at bay. After spending time stuck in the cycle of wanting to quit, he finally reached out to a therapist—a single step that changed his life.In this episode, Kevin shares:
How sobriety has given him the opportunity to understand himself better and invest in himself more
How much of his personal growth has come through acceptance with discomfort
How he’s grown...
2021-02-1652 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Long Term Sobriety with Graeme DuffyGrowing up, Graeme found himself on the outside a lot, so he turned to alcohol and drugs to finally find a sense of belonging. Once he started to feel the pain of his actions and see the broken promises to himself stack up, he realized he had a problem. After living in rock bottom for four years, at 27 years old he found himself in an AA meeting and has stayed sober for the past 19 years.
The message of hope he found in connecting with others who were sober
How he managed himself in early, middle, and late sobriety
...
2021-02-021h 02Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Seeking Support and Managing Depression with Josh BeharryA decade ago, Josh Beharry tried taking his own life. Now he devotes his life to helping other men identify symptoms of depression or suicide and overcome the stigma of discussing them.In this episode, Josh tells us about:
His journey of recovery from his suicide attempt, and why recovery isn’t always linear
The prevalence of depression and suicide amongst men
Tools he uses to manage his depression now
How speaking up about mental health issues can save your life
Since recovering from experiences with depression in 2010, Josh has become a pa...
2021-01-1940 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Building a Purposeful Life with Lou RedmondSix years ago Lou Redmond, by all accounts, had a pretty good life—a good job, an active social life, partying on the weekends, plenty of Seinfeld—but it wasn’t the life he wanted, so he set out to discover how he could build a life that was more aligned with who he was, and now he spreads his message of purpose, mindfulness, and self-confidence all over the country.In this episode, Lou joins us to discuss:
His ‘hero’s journey’ from corporate ladder climber to life of purpose
The difference between finding a pu...
2020-12-291h 13Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Battling Addiction Through Vulnerability and Storytelling with Alex Kaplan of Of SubstanceA 23-year-old Alex Kaplan buried his father and then buried his grief in alcohol and cocaine. Now he uses his passion for filmmaking to share stories highlighting the human experience and spread the gospel of openness and vulnerability to people lacking connection and struggling with addiction. In this interview with Alex, we discuss:
How his father’s passing led to his addiction to alcohol and cocaine
Why he believes vulnerability is a superpower
How he’s creating community through the power of story
Why connection in sobriety is so important
Alex Kaplan is a native of Philadelphia and...
2020-12-081h 05Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Sober Safe Spaces with Chris Marshall of Sans BarWhen Chris Marshall was five years old, his dad was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and he was thrust into a role as ‘man of the house’, kicking off a multi-decade odyssey to figure out what ‘being a man’ really looked like, including using alcohol as a substitute for belonging. Now, he uses social media and live events to spread a message of sobriety and self-acceptance around North America. In this interview with Chris, we discuss:
Early life trauma
Becoming the ‘man of the house’ as a child
Alcohol as a vehicle for belonging
Creating sober spaces
The science of self disc...
2020-11-241h 04Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Get BroliticalOn an unexpectedly (or expectedly) political episode of Brobriety, we discuss something everyone is already sick to death of hearing about: The U.S. election! Specifically, the right’s attack on Hunter Biden’s addiction, Biden and Trump’s sobriety, rugged individualism as a symptom of toxic masculinity, the strength of community, protecting your mental health from politics, and why everyone deserves a yearlong nap.Show Notes:Note: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or professional advice. If you, or someone you care about...
2020-11-1149 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Welcome to the ThunderbromeWho are we? What is a man? Why did we spend decades of our lives addicted to alcohol and drugs? Is masculinity inherently toxic? All these questions will be answered and MORE in the first episode of Brobriety, your new favorite podcast tackling sobriety and mental health for men, women, and the men and women who love them. Also: rat facts!Show Notes:Note: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or professional advice. If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from...
2020-10-2752 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Introducing BrobrietyYo, it's a new podcast about sobriety and masculinity, by the guys for the guys (and anyone who knows a guy) tackling substance abuse, relationships, mental health, trauma, and what it really means to be a man in the modern era. New episodes coming soon!
2020-10-2300 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 15: This Is The EndEveryone has their own journey to sobriety—for some people, it's waking up one day and asking yourself 'why do I need to drink?' For others, it's a car crash and criminal charges. In this meeting of the Club Soda Club, Scott and Derek share what got them to sober up, the many failed attempts before that, finding gratitude for their darkest moments, and how this pandemic is fucking with our mental health. Also: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT!Recommendations:Uli's Restaurant in White Rock, B.C.The Lonely City by Olivia LaingNo...
2020-05-3051 min
The After Party: A podcast about sobriety, from The Sober KatesThe After Party with Friends: Derek of VanSoberFour and a half years ago, podcast producer (and Big Kate's boyfriend) Derek finally did something bad enough to quit drinking for good. This week, he joins the Kates to discuss his greatest hits and lowlights, how sobriety helped him evolve as a person, how he started drinking, how sobriety has made him a better father, and how he got sobriety to stick this time. BONUS: why does he like the Kates so much? Follow Derek on Instagram at @van_sober.
2020-05-211h 01Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 14: Feels Like The First TimeAnother week in isolation, and the club is feeling nostalgic. Scott talks about how his routine remains largely interrupted, Derek shares how he drove halfway across the country to visit his dying grandfather, and they both share their stories of the first time they remember getting drunk, how it made them feel, and the enduring lessons they learned from those early days of drinking. Also: teenage self-loathing, sober strip club visits, sober home brewing, and serving as sober role models for the youths.Recommendations:Developing your own film at home...
2020-05-1346 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 13: Social Isolation ClubWhat is there left to do when every possible distraction from yourself has been stripped away? After an extended hiatus, Scott and Derek are back to discuss, in great detail, about how they’re managing being stuck at home just like everyone else. How sobriety set us up to cope with a pandemic, the dark side of socially isolated drinking, the long term effects of drinking to cope, why we need to start seeing alcohol abuse as a public health crisis, and how this situation has made everyone a little more empathetic and vulnerable.Re...
2020-04-2955 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 12: Sober Lovin'Valentine's Day is around the corner and love is in the air, so we welcome new official cohost Big Kate of The Soberkates, take the opportunity to look at alcohol as a substitute for intimacy, how drinking impacted our own romantic histories, the vast difference between how men and women process drunken hookups, the grey area of drunk consent, codependency, sex and vulnerability, sober dating and the benefits of dating someone who is also sober, Derek and Kate talk about THEIR relationship, overcoming a fear of sober sex, drunk food when sober, and sober date alternatives.
2020-02-111h 11Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 11: The Pink Cloud and Maintaining Sobriety feat. Big Kate of The SoberkatesJust in time for your new year's resolutions, we're joined by the amazing Big Kate of Philadelphia's The Soberkates to discuss her journey to sobriety, the 'pink cloud' of early sobriety, realistic strategies for maintaining sobriety long term, the self-improvement journey that often accompanies sobriety, why it's not easy to become a yoga teacher, sober influencer culture, addiction transference, everyone needs therapy, when self-improvement becomes compulsive, and how to take your Dry January through 2020 and beyond.Recommendations:Follow The SoberkatesAlso VanSoberThe Pink Cloud of Early Sobriety
2020-01-1645 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 10: Sour Grapes: The Rise of Wine Mom Culture‘Wine mom’ culture is suddenly everywhere—but is it a healthy outlet for socially isolated mothers, or a cynical marketing ploy by alcohol advertisers? We’re joined by newly sober new mom Julie Robertson to discuss the inherent sexism in wine mom critiques, drinking habits for new moms and dads, the community role in raising children, healthy outlets for parenting stress, why problematic drinking is on the rise with women, alcohol as part of ‘wellness’ culture, gender roles in parenting, and a whole lot of other meaty stuff on the intersection of alcohol and family.Recommenda...
2019-11-141h 00Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 9: Dealing With DrunksInto every sober person's life, a few drunk people must fall. In this episode, the Club Soda Gang (including Jess!) discuss the joys of driving home early, the Irish Goodbye, withholding judgment on those who continue to drink, tips for extricating yourself from drunk people, and more. Also: bacteria pancakes, Star Wars (because Scott), and Jess shares a VERY long-winded story about a haircut.Recommendations:The Avett Brothers - Closer Than TogetherMaking your own kombuchaI Met The Woman of My Dreams, and She Lives 2,400 Miles Away (The Gottman Institute)...
2019-10-3149 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 8: Alcohol: Not Safe For WorkAlcohol contributes to many things, but we can conclusively say that 'professionalism' is not one of them. So why is drinking so entrenched in North American work culture? On a Jess-less episode, Scott and Derek discuss alcohol abuse in the workplace, drunken office party mishaps, whether sobriety is a career-limiting move, drinking for work travel, how workplaces can accommodate healthier lifestyle choices, drinking isn't as fun as you remember (unless you remember it isn't fun).Recommendations:CheckingIn, an app for self awareness1619, a podcast about American history
2019-09-2652 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 7: The Sobriety So FarAs three different people at varying stages of our sober journeys, we share our successes, our struggles, what makes someone an 'alcoholic', how we identify ourselves, our shifting addictions, our favorite non-alcoholic drinks, and where we see ourselves going next.Recommendations:Scott’s a dork(For those of you who missed the reference, which I assume is everyone)VanSoberThe StopDrinking SubRedditTikTok: Occasionally EntertainingChill Gaming With JessNote: nothing in this podcast is...
2019-09-0551 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 6: A Wedding PartyIt’s wedding szn, baby! Weddings are a fact of life for...basically everyone, and yet they can be especially daunting for the newly sober. Scott rejoins us this week to discuss our worst drunk wedding experiences, how we’ve navigated weddings without alcohol, dancing like no one is watching, could an all-sober wedding be in the cards for one of our hosts, and more!Note: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or professional advice. If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from addiction or substance abuse, visit one of t...
2019-08-2255 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 5: Portrait of a FamilyWhen it comes to the people around you profoundly impacted by alcoholism and addiction, none ranks higher than family. Derek contrasts his experience as a child in a house where alcohol was always present with his experience as a drunk and then sober parent. Jess opens up about the family she grew up in, why she emancipated herself when she was 17, and how she's been able to pull herself up to where she is today. Also: is kombucha alcoholic? Codependency, family trauma, boundary-setting, video games, this episode has it ALL.Note: nothing in this podcast is intended...
2019-08-011h 13Brobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 4: Sailing the RelationshipRomantic relationships are a complex thing to navigate at the best of times—so how are we doing it sober? We look at how we're showing up differently in our relationships since sobering up, kombucha as a romantic gesture, the many roles that alcohol plays in relationships, tips for dating a drinker if you're sober, the benefits of dating a fellow sober person, how sobering up helps build authentic relationships, and how alcohol either directly or indirectly contributed to our previous relationships ending.Note: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or pr...
2019-07-1849 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 3: Have Soda, Will TravelNote: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or professional advice. If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from addiction or substance abuse, visit one of the confidential, non-judgmental resources below:The Recovery Village HotlineHealth Canada Substance Use ResourcesThe Alcohol Addiction Center Resource PageRecommended:The Art of Noticing (book): https://www.amazon.ca/Art-Noticing-Creativity-Inspiration-Discover/dp/0525521240 Big Lebowski bar in Portland (with kombucha on tap): http://www.biglegrowlski.com/ ...
2019-07-0337 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 2: Running Without the DevilWhat impact has sobriety had on our physical health? In short: it exists, now! Scott, Derek, and Jess discuss sobriety-related weight loss, drunk food for sober people, elevator mishaps, sober running, when alcohol culture and running culture collide and wellness apps.Note: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or professional advice. If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from addiction or substance abuse, visit one of the confidential, non-judgmental resources below:The Recovery Village HotlineHealth Canada Substance Use Resources...
2019-07-0342 minBrobriety: Sobriety, Mental Health, and Wellness For Men (And Women, and the Men and Women Who Love Them)Club Soda Club Episode 1: Meet the ClubIn the inaugural meeting of the Club Soda Club, club members Jessica Couture, Derek Bolen, and Scott (indeterminate last name) share what led them to cut alcohol out of their lives. Also: anxiety hangovers, actual hangovers, the social stigma of abstaining from alcohol, healthy hobbies, therapy, and fitness.Note: nothing in this podcast is intended to be a replacement for medical or professional advice. If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from addiction or substance abuse, visit one of the confidential, non-judgmental resources below:The Recovery Village...
2019-07-0346 min