The Other Side of Addiction

Al Richards

This is a podcast that focuses on addiction. It is an engaging and informative platform that explores various aspects of addiction, offering valuable insights, personal stories, expert interviews, and practical advice. Such a podcast seeks to raise awareness, foster understanding, and provide support for individuals struggling with addiction or those affected by it. The podcast may cover a wide range of addictive behaviors, including substance abuse, alcohol, gambling, sex, porn, gaming and more. It aims to shed light on the complexities and challenges faced by individuals dealing with addiction, while also addressing the impact on their relationships, mental health, and overall well-being. A podcast discussing addiction typically combines a compassionate and non-judgmental approach with evidence-based information and strategies. It may feature interviews with addiction specialists, psychologists, counselors, and individuals who have overcome addiction themselves. These discussions often touch upon the causes of addiction, physiological effects, treatment options, and the importance of support networks. The podcast may also delve into related topics like relapse prevention, coping mechanisms, harm reduction strategies, and the process of recovery. It can provide practical tips, resources, and techniques to manage cravings, develop healthy habits, and rebuild a fulfilling life after addiction. Listeners of an addiction-focused podcast can expect to gain a deeper understanding of addiction, dispel misconceptions, and discover valuable resources to support their own recovery or that of a loved one. The podcast serves as a source of inspiration, encouragement, and education, offering hope and a sense of community to those affected by addiction.

  1. 2d ago

    I Couldn't Say NO, It't Time To Take Our Power Back With Saige Whitney

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com I Couldn't Say NO, It's Time To Take Our Power Back How many times have you said "yes" when every part of you wanted to say "no"? For many of us, saying yes feels safer than disappointing someone else. We fear rejection, conflict, or not being accepted. But over time, constantly putting everyone else's needs ahead of our own comes with a price. We slowly lose our identity, our peace, and our power. On this episode of Through The Storm, I sat down with Saige Whitney to discuss one of the most important life skills many of us were never taught: healthy boundaries. Saige shared how so many people spend their lives believing that self-sacrifice is the price of love. We become people-pleasers, caretakers, and rescuers, hoping that if we're nice enough, available enough, or give enough, we'll finally feel worthy. But here's the truth... Being kind doesn't mean abandoning yourself. Real love doesn't require you to lose who you are. We talked about the importance of protecting your energy and intentionally surrounding yourself with people who respect your time, your values, and your peace. Boundaries aren't walls designed to keep good people out. They're healthy fences that help keep unhealthy behavior from taking root in your life. One of the most powerful parts of our conversation centered around narcissism. Saige explained many of the common traits people should be aware of and why narcissists are often drawn toward highly empathetic people. Empaths naturally want to understand, forgive, and help others heal. Unfortunately, those beautiful qualities can also make them vulnerable to manipulation when healthy boundaries aren't in place. We also discussed something that's often overlooked... Many people who display narcissistic traits carry deep unresolved trauma themselves. While trauma never excuses abusive or controlling behavior, understanding where it comes from can create awareness without sacrificing accountability. Healing isn't about blaming others forever. It's about recognizing unhealthy patterns, learning from them, and refusing to continue living inside them. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this conversation is this: Every time you say "yes" to something that violates your peace, you're often saying "no" to yourself. Learning to say no isn't selfish. It's self-respect. It's teaching people how to treat you. It's reclaiming ownership of your own life. As Saige beautifully shared, empathetic and soft-spoken people have spent too long playing by rules created by people addicted to control and power. Maybe it's time we stop apologizing for protecting our peace. Maybe it's time we stop believing that love requires self-sacrifice. Maybe it's time we remember that our voice matters. Because the moment you learn to say "No" with confidence... You finally give yourself permission to say "Yes" to the life you deserve. **Remember... storms don't just reveal our strength—they also reveal where our boundaries need to be rebuilt. Sometimes the most powerful word you'll ever say isn't "yes." It's "no."** A Lights Out Narcissistic Podcast Website Instagram: @a_lights_out_narcissistic_pod

  2. Aug 9

    Mind, Body & Spirit: Healing the Parts of Ourselves We've Forgotten, With Peter McLaughlin

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com Mind, Body & Spirit: Healing the Parts of Ourselves We've Forgotten What if true healing isn't just about changing your thoughts or strengthening your body... but reconnecting with your spirit? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with certified hypnotherapist, life coach, and creator of BlueSky Hypnosis, Peter McLaughlin, to explore the often-overlooked third piece of healing: our spirit. Too often we focus on the mind and body while neglecting the part of us that gives life meaning, purpose, and peace. Peter shares how a leukemia diagnosis in 2003 became the catalyst for his own healing journey and ultimately led him to help others uncover the root causes of emotional pain through Havening, present and past life regression, and spiritually-centered healing practices. We discuss why trauma isn't always defined by what happened to us, but by what we continue to carry within us. As Peter says, "If it bleeds, it leads." Our minds naturally hold onto painful experiences for survival, but healing begins when we stop allowing those experiences to define who we are. One of the most powerful moments of our conversation came when Peter shared the phrase: "As within, so without." In other words, what we carry inside—our beliefs, wounds, fears, and unresolved emotions—eventually becomes reflected in the life we experience on the outside. When we begin healing internally, our relationships, purpose, and perspective begin to change as well. Whether you're healing from addiction, grief, trauma, or simply searching for a deeper connection with yourself, this conversation reminds us that lasting transformation isn't about fixing what's broken—it's about reconnecting with who we've always been. Because sometimes the greatest healing doesn't happen by changing the world around us... It happens by healing the world within us. Peter also runs the BlueSky Hypnosis YouTube channel, where over 130,000 people (many focused on weight loss and spirituality) gather to access practical healing tools and stories of hope Storms don't just test our strength—they reveal what still needs healing. When we learn to care for our mind, strengthen our body, and reconnect with our spirit, we don't simply survive life's storms... We become transformed by them.

    Mind, Body & Spirit: Healing the Parts of Ourselves We've Forgotten, With Peter McLaughlin
  3. Aug 6

    Healing The Emotional Pain, With Laura de Silva

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com Healing The Emotional Pain with Laura da Silva What if addiction isn't the real problem—but the symptom of something much deeper? In this powerful episode of Through The Storm, I sat down with therapist and Lighthouse Counseling Services founder Laura da Silva to explore what true recovery really looks like. We discussed why lasting recovery is about far more than breaking a habit. It's about healing the emotional pain underneath it, rebuilding trust, restoring relationships, and learning to live a life that no longer needs an escape. One of the most impactful parts of our conversation was Laura's perspective on trauma. She explained that trauma isn't measured by the event itself, but by how each person experiences it. What may seem like a "Big T" trauma to one person could be a "Little T" trauma to another—and both deserve compassion and healing. There is no scoreboard for pain. We also talked about something we often overlook in recovery and life: celebrating the small victories. Healing isn't always found in giant breakthroughs. Sometimes it's choosing to get out of bed, making one healthy decision, asking for help, or simply refusing to give up. Those small wins become the foundation of lasting transformation. If you've ever wondered why emotional healing is essential to recovery, or if you're supporting someone through addiction, this conversation offers hope, understanding, and practical insight. Because recovery isn't just about changing what we do... It's about healing who we've been hurting.

    Healing The Emotional Pain, With Laura de Silva
  4. Jul 27

    Our Darkest Moments Can Become The Foundation For A Life of Purpose With Dalton Tarufelle

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com Our Darkest Moments Can Become The Foundation For A Life of Purpose Some people believe their past disqualifies them from living a meaningful life. Dalton Tarufelli is living proof that it doesn't. On this episode of Through The Storm, Dalton shares a journey marked by unimaginable loss. He lost his father to cancer at just 17 years old, his brother to addiction while battling his own substance use, and then, only one year into recovery, lost his mother to alcoholism. Each loss brought another wave of grief, guilt, and questions that so many people silently carry. We talked about survivor's guilt and the heavy burden of wondering if you could have done more to save someone you love. It's a painful place to live, especially when addiction has touched every corner of your life. But as Dalton shared so honestly, healing begins when we stop carrying responsibility for battles that were never ours to control. Today, nearly four years sober, Dalton has transformed his pain into purpose. Working in the recovery field, he now uses his experiences to remind others that no matter how dark life becomes, there is always hope. Your story isn't over because you've experienced tragedy. Sometimes the very things that nearly break us become the strongest foundation we have to help someone else. One of my favorite takeaways from our conversation is that our greatest purpose is often found in the places where we've experienced our deepest pain. The storms we survive don't just change us—they prepare us to become a light for someone who's still walking through theirs. If you've ever wrestled with grief, addiction, guilt, or questioned whether life could ever get better, this conversation will remind you that healing is possible, purpose is real, and hope can be found even after life's greatest losses. Remember... The storm may shape your story, but it never has to define your ending.

    Our Darkest Moments Can Become The Foundation For A Life of Purpose With Dalton Tarufelle
  5. Jul 21

    "On Going Consequences From Prison That Are Still Painful" With Marnie Breitsprecher

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com On Going Consequences From Prison That Are Still Painful | Through The Storm Podcast What happens after prison? What happens when you've served your sentence, found freedom in Christ, but still live with the consequences of your past? In this powerful episode of Through The Storm, I sit down with Marnie Breitsprecher, whose life was forever changed by addiction to prescription pain medication. What began with medication prescribed after surgery slowly spiraled into years of addiction, fraudulent prescriptions, multiple arrests, and ultimately a six-year prison sentence after a car accident that could have ended in tragedy. Looking back, Marnie now says prison became the very place where God transformed her life. We talk openly about addiction, shame, consequences, forgiveness, and the freedom that only faith can bring. While many of the earthly consequences remain—including strained family relationships—Marnie refuses to live as a prisoner of her past. She knows that the Highest Judge has already declared her forgiven. One of the most powerful moments of our conversation came when Marnie shared these words: "Expectations are premeditated resentments." Instead of expecting others to restore what was broken, she has learned to trust God's timing, God's grace, and God's plan. Marnie also shares how, during some of her darkest days in prison, she would remind herself: "This is not my forever." That hope carried her through six years of incarceration, three years of parole, and into the beautiful life she now shares with her husband Jimmy—a relationship neither of them ever saw coming but one they believe was orchestrated entirely by God. This episode is about much more than prison. It's about redemption. It's about understanding that while we may continue to live with earthly consequences, we don't have to carry eternal condemnation. No matter how broken your past may be, there is still hope, there is still purpose, and there is still a future waiting on the other side of the storm.

    "On Going Consequences From Prison That Are Still Painful" With Marnie Breitsprecher
  6. Jul 14

    "Finding That Balance Every Day, In God's Word With Jimmy Breitsprecher

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com Finding That Balance Every Day, In God's Word Life has a way of pulling us in every direction. Between stress, distractions, hardships, and the constant noise of the world, finding balance can feel almost impossible. This week, I sit down with former Navy SEAL, commercial airline captain, and man of faith Jimmy Breitsprecher to talk about what it truly means to stay grounded—not through perfection, but through a daily relationship with God. Jimmy shares an incredible journey that has taken him from the battlefield as a Navy SEAL, to over 2,000 parachute jumps with the Navy Leap Frogs, to the cockpit of commercial airliners, while also overcoming battles with pornography and alcohol through faith and perseverance. Together, we discuss why true balance isn't something we achieve once—it's something we intentionally pursue every single day. We talk about the importance of beginning each morning on our knees in gratitude, seeking God's guidance before stepping into the chaos of life. Because when we try to navigate life on our own, it's easy to become consumed by fear, pride, and the distractions that surround us. We also explore how God often works through the people He places in our lives. None of us were created to carry life's burdens alone. Healing, growth, accountability, and freedom often come through community, faith, and the willingness to surrender what we were never meant to control. Whether you're navigating addiction, grief, loss, anxiety, or simply searching for more peace in your everyday life, this conversation is a reminder that balance isn't found by having fewer storms—it's found by walking through them with God. Sometimes the greatest freedom begins with a simple prayer. "The strongest people aren't the ones who do life alone. They're the ones who know when to fall to their knees and let God lead."

    "Finding That Balance Every Day, In God's Word With Jimmy Breitsprecher
  7. Jul 6

    ADHD Wasn't My Hurdle, It's Been My Biggest Advantage W/Scott Proposki

    The episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY/emergoacademy.com What if the thing you've spent your life trying to "fix" is actually one of your greatest gifts? On this episode, I sat down with Scott Proposki, former National Geographic and White House event photographer, author of Camera Focus, and creator of The Camera Focus Method™. Scott shares an incredible journey of building a successful seven-figure photography business, losing everything during the pandemic, and discovering that his ADHD wasn't the obstacle he believed it was—it was one of the biggest reasons he had been able to succeed. We talked about the unique strengths many people with ADHD possess. While others may overthink every decision, those with ADHD often have the ability to take action before having all the answers. That willingness to jump into the unknown, adapt, and learn along the way can become an incredible advantage when paired with resilience and purpose. Scott also opened up about the difficult process of rebuilding after losing not only his business, but much of his identity. We explored what it means to start over, embrace uncertainty, and recognize that our greatest setbacks often become the foundation for our greatest growth. One of my favorite parts of our conversation centered around the importance of sharing our stories. In a world increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, Scott reminded us that technology can process information, but it can never replace lived experience. AI can't feel heartbreak. It can't overcome addiction, loss, trauma, or failure. It can't inspire hope through scars that have healed. Our stories, our voices, and our experiences are what truly connect us and give others permission to believe their own healing is possible. Whether you've been diagnosed with ADHD, faced a major setback, or simply feel like life has knocked you off course, this conversation is a powerful reminder that your greatest challenge may also become your greatest advantage. Sometimes the very thing we've been trying to overcome is the gift we've yet to fully embrace. One of my favorite takeaways from this conversation was this: "Your story isn't valuable because it's perfect. It's valuable because it's real. AI can share information, but only you can share transformation." ScottProposki.com scott@scottproposki.com My book, Focus on the Profits (free digital download): https://businessfocusmethod.com/free-book My website: www.businessfocusmethod.com There's also a great video on compound interest that shows how it can grow to more than $5 million over time.

  8. Jul 3

    Is There Another Side of Addiction? With Garret Biss

    This episode was sponsored by EMERGO ACADEMY / emergoacademy.com Today’s episode asks a powerful question… Is there another side of addiction? My guest, Garret Biss, is a retired Marine Corps pilot, TEDx speaker, and addiction recovery coach who knows firsthand what it feels like to lose your sense of identity. After retiring in 2015, Garret faced something so many veterans experience—anxiety, depression, and a deep sense of displacement. Like many, he turned to alcohol as a way to cope… until that road led him to a place of suicidal ideation. But what makes Garret’s story different… is what came next. Instead of a traditional path, his recovery was shaped through mentorship—focused on self-worth, rediscovering identity, and reconnecting with the strengths that had always been within him. In this conversation, we go beyond addiction. We talk about guilt and shame… why we become our own worst enemy… and why it makes no sense to shame people who are already carrying shame. With over 40 million people battling addiction, we ask the question— could there be 40 million paths to recovery? And what happens when we stop focusing on what’s “right”… and start focusing on what actually helps people heal? This one will challenge you… and maybe even change the way you see recovery. View Garret's thought-provoking and heartfelt TEDx - https://UnspokenTrauma.vet https://garretbiss.com/shownotes garretbiss.com/podcast-guest

    Is There Another Side of Addiction? With Garret Biss
5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

This is a podcast that focuses on addiction. It is an engaging and informative platform that explores various aspects of addiction, offering valuable insights, personal stories, expert interviews, and practical advice. Such a podcast seeks to raise awareness, foster understanding, and provide support for individuals struggling with addiction or those affected by it. The podcast may cover a wide range of addictive behaviors, including substance abuse, alcohol, gambling, sex, porn, gaming and more. It aims to shed light on the complexities and challenges faced by individuals dealing with addiction, while also addressing the impact on their relationships, mental health, and overall well-being. A podcast discussing addiction typically combines a compassionate and non-judgmental approach with evidence-based information and strategies. It may feature interviews with addiction specialists, psychologists, counselors, and individuals who have overcome addiction themselves. These discussions often touch upon the causes of addiction, physiological effects, treatment options, and the importance of support networks. The podcast may also delve into related topics like relapse prevention, coping mechanisms, harm reduction strategies, and the process of recovery. It can provide practical tips, resources, and techniques to manage cravings, develop healthy habits, and rebuild a fulfilling life after addiction. Listeners of an addiction-focused podcast can expect to gain a deeper understanding of addiction, dispel misconceptions, and discover valuable resources to support their own recovery or that of a loved one. The podcast serves as a source of inspiration, encouragement, and education, offering hope and a sense of community to those affected by addiction.