Conversations with Rich Bennett

Rich Bennett

Join Rich Bennett and his dynamic cohosts as they engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds—authors, entrepreneurs, activists, and everyday heroes—uncovering their unique stories and insights. Each episode offers a deep dive into personal journeys, community initiatives, and transformative experiences, providing listeners with inspiration and practical takeaways. Tune in to discover stories that uplift, inform, and connect us all. Subscribe now to be part of these compelling conversations. Interested in being a guest on Conversations with Rich Bennett? Reach out to Rich Bennett through PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/richbennett.

  1. Dan Vaysburd on Addiction, Fitness, and a Life Rebuilt

    15 HR AGO

    Dan Vaysburd on Addiction, Fitness, and a Life Rebuilt

    Certified trainer and nutrition coach Dan Vaysburd joins Rich to share his road from early addictions—starting with video games—to substance use, relapse, and finally sustained recovery anchored in strength training and sustainable nutrition. He explains why “diets” fail, how counting macros and consistency changed his life, and why fitness paired with fellowship accelerates healing. This candid, practical conversation shows how to trade short-term highs for long-term health. Guest Bio:   Dan Vaysburd is a Los Angeles–based certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who left a high-stress finance career to pursue his passion for helping people get strong the sustainable way. An immigrant raised in New Jersey, Dan’s recovery began in 2024; he now sponsors others in 12-step programs, coaches clients in person (and selectively online), and advocates pairing fitness with recovery as a powerful path to purpose.  Main Topics:  ·         Early addiction roots: isolation, video games, and identity (age ~7) ·         Escalation after his mother’s death; marijuana → alcohol → party drugs ·         Peak addiction years in New York; returning to LA and starting recovery ·         The relapse at a music festival and getting back on track (May 2024 milestone) ·         Why diets don’t work: sustainability vs. restriction; tracking calories & macros ·         Strength training as a “lifeline” and cornerstone for sobriety ·         Coaching in commercial gyms, management track, and part-time work at a detox center ·         Bringing recovery and fitness to schools and athletes (speaking vision) ·         Living amends: being present for family; purpose-driven routines   Resources mentioned:  ·         Dan’s website & socials (as stated on-air): “danvaysburd.com”; Instagram: “@dan.vaysburd”  ·         Recovery fellowships referenced: AA, NA (12-step)  ·         Supporter: Real Life Prosthetics ·         Supporter: Full Circle Boards ·         Supporter: Sincerely Sawyer Photography  Send us a text Donate Here Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    32 min
  2. Podathon For Recovery: Madison’s Road to Recovery

    3 DAYS AGO

    Podathon For Recovery: Madison’s Road to Recovery

    Madison shares a raw, hopeful journey from early mental-health struggles and a fast-progressing opioid addiction to a total life turnaround—sparked by accountability, treatment, and the Harford County Drug Court. Now clean since March 5, 2021, she leads at Pyramid Healthcare and pours her energy into helping others recover. This conversation shows why recovery is possible—and why purpose and community matter.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Madison is a recovery advocate and healthcare leader who entered sobriety on March 5, 2021. After completing treatment and graduating the Harford County Drug Court program, she moved from case management to leadership and is now stepping into the Executive Director role at Pyramid Healthcare. A Towson University graduate and proud mom, Madison focuses on accountability, compassion, and helping others find lasting recovery.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         Early mental-health struggles and feeling “alone” as a preteen ·         Abusive relationship in high school and rapid progression into opioid use ·         “High-functioning” addiction through college, then post-grad legal consequences (20 arrests in three years) ·         The turning point: detoxing in a cell, asking for help, and entering treatment ·         Structure, aftercare, and why accountability (Drug Court) mattered ·         Service as a recovery engine: from RSS to leadership in treatment ·         Parenting, boundaries, and learning to take responsibility ·         Why purpose, kindness, and community sustain long-term recovery   Resources mentioned:  ·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction  ·         Harford County Drug Court (Judge “Kerry,” Angela Royer) ·         “Karen” treatment center in Pennsylvania (inpatient program referenced) ·         Recovery Centers of America (alumni follow-up by Vince) ·         Pyramid Healthcare (Madison’s current organiz Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    50 min
  3. Podathon For Recovery: Elizabeth’s Road to Recovery

    4 DAYS AGO

    Podathon For Recovery: Elizabeth’s Road to Recovery

    Elizabeth Kipp spent 40 years in chronic pain and 31 years on prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines—including fentanyl—until a pain-management track at the Betty Ford Center in 2013 catalyzed a complete turnaround. In this conversation, she unpacks the mind-body nature of chronic pain, the practical role of 12-Step recovery, yoga, breathwork, prayer/ancestral clearing, and the simple relapse-prevention principle that changed everything: staying in personal integrity. Listeners get a hopeful blueprint that blends science and spirituality with concrete next steps.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Elizabeth Kipp is a stress-management and ancestral-trauma specialist, recovery coach, and author of The Way Through Chronic Pain: Tools to Reclaim Your Healing Power. A former research scientist, she lived with severe back injury, surgeries, and physician-prescribed opioids/benzodiazepines for decades before completing a pain-management program at the Betty Ford Center in 2013. Today, she coaches globally (virtual), teaches mind-body practices, and helps people in recovery rebuild calm, clarity, and resilience.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         Defining addiction to chronic pain and the “stress habit” ·         Injury history, multiple surgeries, and 31 years on Rx opioids/benzos (incl. fentanyl) ·         Why opioids don’t heal chronic pain; breath, hydration, gut, and brain effects ·         Detox & pain-track at the Betty Ford Center; waking up with no back pain ·         Chronic pain as brain processing; limits of reductionist medicine ·         Memory/cognition impacts of chronic pain—and how they recover ·         Recovery toolkit: NA/AA, 12 Steps, Recovery 2.0, yoga, breathwork, prayer/ancestral clearing ·         Coaching insights: readiness to sponsor; a client shame-to-healing vignette ·         Relapse prevention: “Stay in integrity with yourself” ·         How to work with Elizabeth (virtual coaching) and where to find her online   Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    55 min
  4. Podathon For Recovery: Mallory’s Road to Recovery

    5 DAYS AGO

    Podathon For Recovery: Mallory’s Road to Recovery

    In this powerful “12 Days of Hope” conversation, Mallory traces her journey from early family turmoil and teen substance use to a heroin “aha” moment, intimate partner violence, and the hard climb back—culminating in nearly 12 years of sobriety (since Nov 23, 2013). Now working in behavioral health and deeply involved with local nonprofits, she shares the decisions, resources, and support that helped her become the mother and community advocate she is today. Listeners will hear raw honesty, practical hope, and the reminder that recovery is possible.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Mallory is a behavioral-health professional who has worked in the field since 2014, currently serving in business development for a large nonprofit. Sober since November 23, 2013, she’s an active community volunteer and fundraiser supporting local recovery organizations in Harford and surrounding counties—and a devoted mom whose lived experience fuels her mission to help others.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         Family dynamics, instability, and early exposure to substance use and violence ·         Moving schools, academic struggles, and early drug/alcohol experimentation ·         Teen relationships, lack of consequences, and escalating risk ·         The first blackout, normalization of chaos, and denial ·         Divorce, housing insecurity, and seeking validation/escape ·         Exposure to opioids and heroin; the “immediate craving” turning point ·         Domestic violence, control, and textbook “going back” cycles ·         Pregnancy, brief stability, relapse triggers, and partner reoffending ·         A terrifying incident with a child ingesting an opioid—and the emergency response (Narcan) ·         Getting out, getting help, and building a career that gives back ·         Why storytelling matters: reducing stigma and opening doors to recovery resources  Resources mentioned:  ·         Donate t Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    1h 35m
  5. Podathon For Recovery: Karen’s Road to Recovery

    6 DAYS AGO

    Podathon For Recovery: Karen’s Road to Recovery

    Karen, a self-described “not-the-typical addict,” shares how a neck injury and prescribed opioids spiraled into secrecy, debt, and withdrawal—until she chose help, called her doctor, and walked into her first NA meeting. She explains how control, trauma, sponsors, and step work shaped 21 years pill-free, the detour into alcohol, and the moment she finally said out loud, “I’m an alcoholic.” It’s a candid, practical blueprint for anyone wondering what recovery programs actually do—and why they save lives.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Karen is a longtime friend of the show and a recovery advocate. A former stay-at-home mom who became a Reiki Master and intuitive counselor, she’s 21 years pill-free, active in 12-step recovery, and helps clients release stored trauma to heal and move forward.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         “Not the typical addict”: prescriptions, stigma, and secrecy ·         9/11, the D.C. sniper, anxiety, and the illusion of control ·         Doctor-shopping, online pill mills, and financial fallout ·         The turning point: calling the doctor to flag her chart, grief after surrender ·         First NA meeting, feeling “at home,” and what sponsors actually do ·         Step work vs. therapy; NA vs. AA and “higher power” (not one-size-fits-all) ·         Relapse with alcohol, daughter’s ultimatum, and returning to meetings ·         Resentments, gratitude lists, and practical tools that keep people clean ·         Trauma stored in the body; Reiki/energy work and emotional healing   Resources mentioned:  ·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction  ·         Narcotics Anonymous (NA) & Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)  ·         “The Body Keeps the Score” (book reference)  ·         National Recovery Month (context)  Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    1h 11m
  6. Podathon For Recovery: Sarah’s Road to Recovery

    8 SEPT

    Podathon For Recovery: Sarah’s Road to Recovery

    Sarah opens up about starting opioids at 20, a rapid slide to heroin, pregnancy on methadone, jail, and the drug court program that helped her turn it around. After a later Xanax relapse during COVID, she did the work—therapy, structure, and service—and is now certified and working as a counselor at a maintenance clinic. This candid conversation with Wendy Beck and Rich Bennett shows what sustainable recovery really looks like—and why hope matters.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Sarah is a Harford County native, mom, and recovery professional. After entering opioid use at 20 and escalating to heroin in 2012, she experienced jail and drug court, achieved long-term abstinence from opiates and cocaine (since Sept. 27, 2016), overcame a benzodiazepine relapse in 2020–2021 (clean since Nov. 4, 2020), earned her Peer Recovery Specialist credential and ADT approval, and now counsels patients at a medication-assisted treatment clinic.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         Starting opioids at 20; rapid progression from pills to heroin (2012) ·         Pregnancy on methadone, stigma, and learning MAT safety ·         IV use, crack/cocaine, legal consequences, and visible decline ·         Jail detox and entry into Drug Court; Judge-led accountability ·         Long-term sobriety from opiates/cocaine; COVID-era Xanax relapse and dangers of benzo withdrawal ·         Therapy, boundaries, routines, fitness, and gratitude as core recovery tools ·         Working in recovery: peer support vs. clinicians; women-specific needs; mom guilt and shame ·         Maintenance meds (methadone/Suboxone): misuse stigma vs. real stability ·         Parenting conversations about peer pressure and openness with kids ·         Burnout prevention for recovery workers (self-care, phone boundaries, weekly therapy)   Resources mentioned:  ·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction  ·         Center for A Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    56 min
  7. Podathon For Recovery: Shelby’s Road to Recovery

    7 SEPT

    Podathon For Recovery: Shelby’s Road to Recovery

    Shelby shares a raw, unfiltered recovery story—how workaholism, untreated mental health, and an old pain-pill pathway led to relapse after four clean years, and how community and structure helped her rebuild. She walks us through Daughters House, intense anxiety, and eventually stepping up to help other women as a 3.1 house manager. It’s a powerful listen about grief, grace, and the practical tools that keep recovery going one day at a time.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Shelby is a Maryland native from Rock Hall and a mother of two who’s “working on four” years in recovery. After time at Rage Against Addiction’s Daughters House, she now manages a women’s Level 3.1 recovery residence, guiding residents through structure, accountability, and hope—because she’s lived it.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         Early addiction path, overprescribing, and how a broken shoulder + pills lit the fuse ·         Four years clean—then relapse tied to workaholism and stopping mental-health meds ·         Pregnancy, NICU, CPS involvement, and complex family dynamics ·         Grief after losing her partner and how that pain nearly consumed her ·         Choosing safety and structure at Daughters House; rebuilding trust with family ·         Severe anxiety during early recovery and learning new coping skills ·         Becoming a house manager in a 3.1 women’s program; boundaries, burnout, and leadership ·         Why a strong network matters: seven “call-anytime” friends and showing up for each other ·         What monthly donors make possible for Rage Against Addiction (practical needs like mattresses, fridges, washers)  Resources mentioned:  ·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction  ·         Summit (women’s Level 3.1 program) — clinicians come to the residence; first female house opened; operating details discussed  ·         NA/AA meetings & recovery community references (struct Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    58 min
  8. Podathon For Recovery: Kat’s Road to Recovery

    6 SEPT

    Podathon For Recovery: Kat’s Road to Recovery

    In this Podathon for Recovery episode, Rich and co-host Wendy Beck talk with Kat Leonard Scott—a Harford County native, mom of two, and treatment professional—about her winding path through early success, trauma, addiction, a brief relapse after eight years clean, and the hard reset that followed. Kat shares how jail, community support, and a renewed focus on “safety” helped her rebuild life, motherhood, and purpose. Listeners will hear candid lessons on accountability, boundaries, and why joy is possible in recovery.  Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction  Guest Bio:   Kat Leonard Scott is a recovery advocate and treatment professional from Harford County, Maryland. A graduate of Bel Air High School, she works in long-term residential treatment operations and is a devoted mom of two. After eight years clean, a short relapse led to new accountability, renewed recovery, and a mission to help others access care and community.  Main Topics:  ·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction ·         Early life: fitting in, sports & academics, unseen struggles ·         Trauma in high school and how dissociation shaped later behavior ·         First DUI at 20; ineffective early interventions; “learning to be a better criminal” ·         Caring for her father through terminal cancer; grief and escalating use ·         Multiple treatment attempts; the power of sober living and community in Annapolis ·         Becoming a house manager; court, “backup time,” and accountability ·         Motherhood, work in treatment, and building a recovery network in Harford County ·         The brief relapse after 8 years clean; DUI with kids in the car; blessing in disguise ·         IOP, jail, and doing every program available; coming home and setting boundaries ·         Protective orders, divorce, and rebuilding stability for her children ·         Working in long-term residential treatment; finding purpose in service ·         The new focus: personal and family “safety” as a foundational recovery practice   Send us a text Donate Here Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their familiDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media: Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | Facebook Twitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennett TikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills: Hosted on Buzzsprout SquadCast Subscribe by Email

    1h 2m
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About

Join Rich Bennett and his dynamic cohosts as they engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds—authors, entrepreneurs, activists, and everyday heroes—uncovering their unique stories and insights. Each episode offers a deep dive into personal journeys, community initiatives, and transformative experiences, providing listeners with inspiration and practical takeaways. Tune in to discover stories that uplift, inform, and connect us all. Subscribe now to be part of these compelling conversations. Interested in being a guest on Conversations with Rich Bennett? Reach out to Rich Bennett through PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/richbennett.

Information

  • Creator
    Rich Bennett
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    734
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Conversations with Rich Bennett
  • Show Website
    Conversations with Rich Bennett
  • Provider

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