Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will

Will Cashman
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Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will is a raw, honest podcast about addiction, recovery, mental health, and the conversations people are often afraid to have out loud. Hosted by Nick Fantozzi and Will Cashman, each episode brings real experience, clinical perspective, and direct conversation into topics like substance use, shame, relapse, chemsex, grief, relationships, recovery culture, LGBTQIA+ identity, and what it actually takes to rebuild a life. It's a bit unfiltered, but our experience has shown that recovery itself is unfiltered.  Whether you are in recovery, love someone who is, work in the field, or are still trying to figure out where you fit, this podcast is a space for real conversation and connection. If you would like to be a guest, have a topic you think should be discussed, or any questions, email: therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 26: Making a Difference At Stella Maris | Chelsea Puda

    Recorded on location at Stella Maris in Cleveland, this episode of Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will welcomes Chelsea Puda, a specialty services counselor celebrating eleven years in recovery. With humor and remarkable openness, Chelsea shares her experience with heroin addiction, childhood trauma, mental health struggles, and returning to recovery after a relapse. She talks about the moments when getting honest allowed her to accept help, the support of her parents and partner, and the daily practices that continue to sustain her recovery. Chelsea also takes us inside her work at Stella Maris, where she helps clients understand trauma and develop skills for managing difficult emotions. We discuss the power of connection in group counseling, the emotional weight of losing clients, and the importance of a workplace where staff can ask for support and be themselves. The conversation extends to families, rebuilding trust through consistent actions, and how Nar-Anon helped Chelsea’s parents find support of their own. Through it all, Chelsea offers a message grounded in experience: honesty can open the door to help, and healing takes continued care, connection, and effort. Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes explicit language and discussions of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, heroin use, overdose, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts. STELLA MARIS & FAMILY SUPPORT Learn about Stella Maris: https://www.stellamariscleveland.com/ COMING UP: HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR Join Nick and Will live on Facebook with special guest Dr. Nicole Labor on October 29 at 7 PM Eastern! https://www.facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast SUPPORT THE SHOW Shop Team Nick and Team Will T-shirts and podcast merchandise: https://colorsacrossthesky.printful.me/ Support Nick and Will with your Top Host vote: https://tophost.org/2026/will-cashman SEASON ONE NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHTS Dignity Suds & Duds provides free laundry access for people experiencing homelessness. Donate or share: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-complete-our-road-map-to-clean-clothes-for-the-unhoused Rescuing Families, featured in Family to the Rescue, helps families facing disabilities and financial hardship with home repairs and modifications. Learn more or donate: https://www.rescuingfamilies.org/ Thank you to our listeners and viewers for your continued support. Follow, subscribe, and share this episode to help these conversations reach more people. Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered clinical advice and does not replace professional counseling, diagnosis, or treatment.

    Episode 26: Making a Difference At Stella Maris | Chelsea Puda

  2. 4d ago

    Episode 25: Before You're Ready | Alec Perez on Mental Health, Self-Discovery & Finding Courage

    What happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and finally decide to take the first step? In Episode 25 of Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will, we welcome Alec Perez, Long Island native and author of Before You're Ready, for an honest, emotional, and often hilarious conversation about mental health, self-doubt, personal growth, and finding your purpose. Growing up with ADHD and auditory processing challenges, Alec struggled academically, experienced bullying, and often felt like he was falling behind everyone around him. After spending years in a career that left him unfulfilled, he made a decision that would change everything. From quitting his job while stranded in Peru to meeting strangers who became friends across the world, Alec shares how embracing uncertainty helped him rediscover himself and ultimately inspired his book. Alec's story reminds us that growth can be uncomfortable, recovery is an ongoing process, and sometimes the most important decision we make is simply deciding to begin. You don't have to have everything figured out to take the first step. CONNECT WITH ALEC PEREZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alecperez29/ Purchase Before You're Ready on Amazon: https://a.co/d/05zv1TX2 Alec is also the owner of Loyal Hearts Pet Care in Long Island, New York. VOTE FOR NICK & WILL: TOP HOST 2026 We've been nominated for Top Host! Your vote supports BOTH Nick and Will and helps us continue sharing stories that break stigma and promote recovery. Vote here: https://tophost.org/2026/will-cashman SEASON ONE SPOTLIGHT NONPROFITS DIGNITY SUDS & DUDS Providing free laundry services, clothing, hygiene supplies, and resources to people experiencing homelessness and others in need. Just $10 can help provide two loads of clean laundry. Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-complete-our-road-map-to-clean-clothes-for-the-unhoused Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DIGNITYSUDNDUDS FAMILY TO THE RESCUE / RESCUING FAMILIES Helping families facing disabilities and financial hardship through home renovations, repairs, and accessibility improvements that restore safety, independence, and dignity. Donate: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/67605dce-3ee5-448f-8f0d-efd79e184829 Website: https://www.rescuingfamilies.org/ Family to the Rescue: https://www.familytotherescue.org/ CONNECT WITH Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast Guest inquiries: therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com WHAT KEEPS YOU IN RECOVERY? Send us a 15-second video sharing what keeps you in recovery for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode! Email: therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com Substance use support: SAMHSA, 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Mental health crisis support: Call or text 988

  3. Oct 5

    Episode 24: Staying In Recovery After Unthinkable Loss | Teri Busse

    Six months into recovery, Teri Busse learned that her 21-year-old son, Rylee, had been murdered. She was already carrying the loss of her husband, years of trauma from her career as a paramedic, and the consequences of an alcohol addiction that had taken over her life. In this episode of Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will, Teri shares her story with honesty, humor, and a willingness to talk about the parts that are difficult to admit. We discuss the emotional toll of emergency services, drinking to shut off your brain, abusive relationships, motherhood, and accepting help. Teri also opens up about staying sober through devastating grief, living with PTSD, and finding support that helped her keep going. Teri leaves us with a message of hope: “Your worst day doesn’t have to define the rest of your life.” CONNECT WITH TERI BUSSE Teri’s website: https://teribusse.com/ Purchase 13 Days of Silence: The Murder of Rylee James: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4V2NQ8D Purchase When Getting Out of Bed Is the Hardest Part: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GCNW4QFD Grief Navigation, a resource link shared by Teri: https://lnkd.in/gf3hM9BJ Teri’s podcast, 13 Days of Silence: Living in the After: https://teribusse.com/other-writings/13-days-of-silence-living-in-the-after-podcast VOTE FOR NICK AND WILL IN TOP HOST! We’ve been nominated, and we’re grateful for your support! Vote here: https://tophost.org/2026/will-cashman GIVE BACK WITH US: OUR SEASON ONE SPOTLIGHT NONPROFITS This season, we’re spotlighting Dignity Suds & Duds and Family to the Rescue / Rescuing Families, two organizations whose guests joined us on the show and shared the incredible work they’re doing. Dignity Suds & Duds serves people experiencing homelessness and others in need in New Jersey. Their work includes free laundry access, clothing, food, hygiene supplies, and connections to community resources, all while respecting the dignity of the people they serve. A $10 donation helps cover washing and drying two loads of laundry. Donate to Dignity Suds & Duds: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-complete-our-road-map-to-clean-clothes-for-the-unhoused Follow Dignity Suds & Duds on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DIGNITYSUDNDUDS Rescuing Families, the nonprofit behind the PBS show Family to the Rescue, helps families facing disabilities and financial hardship by repairing and modifying their homes. Their work helps make everyday life safer and more accessible for families who need support. Donate to Rescuing Families: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/67605dce-3ee5-448f-8f0d-efd79e184829 Visit Rescuing Families: https://www.rescuingfamilies.org/ Explore Family to the Rescue: https://www.familytotherescue.org/

    Episode 24: Staying In Recovery After Unthinkable Loss | Teri Busse

  4. Sep 28

    Episode 23: Season One Spotlight #1 | Dignity Suds & Duds: More Than Laundry

    What does a clean load of laundry mean when you’re trying to get through the day? In this episode, Nick and Will sit down with Jamie and Manny of Dignity Suds & Duds, one of our Season One Spotlight Nonprofits. Their New Jersey organization provides free laundry access across Ocean and Monmouth counties. Jamie and Manny share how their own experiences with homelessness shaped the work they do today, and why putting on clean clothes can make a hard day feel a little more manageable. Their laundry events also offer clothing, hygiene supplies, food, and connections to other community resources. We talk about the barriers people face when they’re trying to get help, the small volunteer team behind each Wednesday event, and what a $10 donation can do: cover the washing and drying of two loads of laundry. We chose Dignity Suds & Duds for our Season One Spotlight because we want more people to know about their work and help them keep showing up for their community. If you can give, please consider donating. If you can’t, following their page and sharing their story helps, too. Connect with Dignity Suds & Duds Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DIGNITYSUDNDUDS Donate or share their GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-complete-our-road-map-to-clean-clothes-for-the-unhoused Connect with Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast We want to hear from you, too. Send a 15-second video answering “What keeps me in recovery?” to therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode. Listener discretion is advised. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only.

    Episode 23: Season One Spotlight #1 | Dignity Suds & Duds: More Than Laundry

  5. Sep 23 ·  Bonus

    Carrying Dom’s Light: Christine Russo and Becky Russo on Grief and Purpose | Bonus Episode

    In this bonus episode of Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will, Will sits down with Christine Russo and her cousin Becky to talk about their lives after the loss of Dominic Russo. Netflix’s The Crash brought renewed attention to Dom’s story. Christine and Becky share the person they knew: his humor, his kindness, his love of basketball, and the place he still holds in their family. They speak openly about grieving in public, finding comfort in one another, and carrying his memory forward through advocacy and the Change the Game for Dom Foundation. Connect with Christine and Becky The Big Sister: Unhinged Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1295046795933588 The Big Sister: Unhinged on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBigSisterUnhinged Support the Change the Game for Dom Foundation: https://www.gofundme.com/f/change-the-game-for-dom-foundation Learn about Ohio House Bill 505: https://ohiohouse.gov/legislation/136/hb505 Connect with Recovery: Unfiltered Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast Merch: https://colorsacrossthesky.printful.me/ Guest inquiries: therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com This episode discusses homicide, grief, and trauma. Listener discretion is advised. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only.

    Carrying Dom’s Light: Christine Russo and Becky Russo on Grief and Purpose | Bonus Episode

  6. Sep 21

    Episode 21: Built Through Failure - Wrestling, Recovery and Resilience | Mason Miller

    What if failure became the foundation for growth? Nick and Will welcome Mason Miller, a licensed mental health counselor, wrestling coach, and doctoral student specializing in peak-performance psychology. Mason shares how leaving competitive wrestling forced him to rebuild his identity and eventually inspired his work helping young athletes develop emotional regulation, confidence, resilience, and a stronger sense of self. The conversation explores performance anxiety, external validation, identity after athletics, healthy competition, harmful coaching practices, and the pressure young athletes carry both on and off the mat. Mason explains why he intentionally allows his wrestlers to experience failure and how learning to face disappointment can prepare them for challenges throughout life. Mason also discusses his vision for helping coaches create supportive environments where athletes can grow without being ridiculed, emotionally torn down, or taught that their worth depends on winning. Whether you are an athlete, coach, parent, counselor, or someone learning how to get back up after life knocks you down, this conversation offers a powerful reminder: growth begins when we approach our limits, learn from the experience, and choose to try again. Connect with Mason Miller: Website and resources: https://masonmillertraining.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masonmi11er/ Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will is provided for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice, counseling, diagnosis, or treatment. Want to be a guest? Send an email to: therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com Follow Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast Shop official podcast merchandise: https://colorsacrossthesky.printful.me/

    Episode 21: Built Through Failure - Wrestling, Recovery and Resilience | Mason Miller

  7. Sep 18

    Episode 20: HIV, Stigma, Sobriety and Hope | Andrew Liam Oakes

    HIV advocate Andrew Liam Oakes joins Will for an open and deeply personal conversation about receiving an HIV diagnosis, confronting stigma, rebuilding his life, and celebrating three years of sobriety. Andrew shares what happened when he learned he was HIV-positive on Christmas Day and how the loss of family support affected his mental health. He speaks honestly about using alcohol and drugs to numb his pain, surviving a suicide attempt on his 30th birthday, and making the decision to pursue a different life. Together, Andrew and Will discuss the meaning of U=U, undetectable equals untransmittable, the importance of regular HIV testing, and the shame people still experience surrounding sexual health. Andrew also describes his advocacy work with George House Trust, his training in integrative psychotherapy, and his plans to support people living with HIV and members of the queer community through his private practice. Andrew also introduces his forthcoming book, Unbreakable: Rising with HIV, A Journey of Resilience, Determination and Triumph, and offers a message of courage, community, and hope to anyone facing a new diagnosis or feeling alone. Connect with Andrew Liam Oakes: Instagram: instagram.com/andrewliamoakes Facebook: facebook.com/andrew.liam.944 Learn more about George House Trust: ght.org.uk Content advisory: This episode includes discussions of HIV, sexual health, family rejection, alcohol and drug use, suicidal thoughts, and a suicide attempt. Listener discretion is advised. Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will is provided for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice, counseling, diagnosis, or treatment. Want to be a guest? Email therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com. Follow Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will on Facebook: facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast Podcast merchandise: colorsacrossthesky.printful.me

    Episode 20: HIV, Stigma, Sobriety and Hope | Andrew Liam Oakes

  8. Sep 16

    Episode 19: Chemsex Recovery Round Two | Dallas Bragg

    In Episode 19, Nick Fantozzi and Will Cashman welcome Dallas Bragg, a recovery coach and advocate specializing in sexualized methamphetamine use among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Dallas shares his experience of coming out later in life, searching for belonging, rapidly losing stability after meth entered his life, and encountering treatment systems that struggled to address the connection between substance use, sex, shame, and identity. Together, Dallas, Nick, and Will examine the needs that can exist beneath the behavior, including belonging, validation, intimacy, escape, and relief from rejection or internalized stigma. They discuss how meth and sex can become connected in the brain, how smartphones and dating apps can provide immediate access to old patterns, and how secrecy can allow those patterns to continue. Dallas offers practical guidance on telling someone, limiting digital access, building a specific accountability team, preparing for high-risk periods, and developing a clear vision for life in recovery. The conversation also explores learning how to experience sexuality without substances. Dallas discusses reconnecting with the body, challenging beliefs about sober sex, communicating boundaries, rebuilding intimacy, and grieving the subculture, rituals, hiding places, and identity someone may leave behind. Nick and Will share candid reflections from their own experiences with triggers, relationships, fear, shame, and finding connection through honesty. Follow Dallas Bragg on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg For more information on Dallas Bragg, visit https://www.recoveryalchemy.org/ This is an explicit and deeply personal conversation about recovery, sexuality, identity, and the importance of creating support that understands the full experience. Content advisory: This episode includes explicit discussions of methamphetamine use, sexual behavior, pornography, stigma, and recovery. Listener discretion is advised. Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will is provided for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice, counseling, diagnosis, or treatment. Want to be a guest? Send an email to therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com Follow Recovery Unfiltered with Nick and Will on Facebook! facebook.com/therecoveryunfilteredpodcast For Podcast Merch: https://colorsacrossthesky.printful.me/

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About

Recovery: Unfiltered with Nick and Will is a raw, honest podcast about addiction, recovery, mental health, and the conversations people are often afraid to have out loud. Hosted by Nick Fantozzi and Will Cashman, each episode brings real experience, clinical perspective, and direct conversation into topics like substance use, shame, relapse, chemsex, grief, relationships, recovery culture, LGBTQIA+ identity, and what it actually takes to rebuild a life. It's a bit unfiltered, but our experience has shown that recovery itself is unfiltered.  Whether you are in recovery, love someone who is, work in the field, or are still trying to figure out where you fit, this podcast is a space for real conversation and connection. If you would like to be a guest, have a topic you think should be discussed, or any questions, email: therecoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com

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