Primary Purpose with Pej

Rhapsody Voices | Pej Media
  • 5.0 (153)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Primary Purpose with Pej, the podcast where host Pejman "Pej" Alaghamandan dives deep into the moments that define us. Through raw and insightful conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, recovery advocates, and thought leaders, Pej explores what truly drives people to change, grow, and find purpose. Each episode unpacks powerful stories of resilience, transformation, and personal discovery—offering inspiration for anyone seeking direction, clarity, or motivation. Whether you're on a journey of self-improvement or just love a compelling story, Primary Purpose is here to ignite your passion and fuel your pursuit of meaning. Subscribe now and join the conversation!

  1. 3D AGO

    Stop Enabling, Start Helping: How to Love an Addict Without Losing Yourself | Katie Sanders

    "You don't steal someone's comeback story, you support it." In this episode of Primary Purpose, Pej sits down with Katie Sanders (NCACIP, NCFRC), a family recovery coach who specializes in turning household chaos into clinical clarity. Katie didn’t just study recovery; she built her practice in the high-stakes world of private detox and intervention. With a background in Finance and Risk Management, she brings a "grounded and practical" approach to the emotional whirlwind of addiction. Pej and Katie dive deep into why families are often the missing piece of the recovery puzzle and how to move from desperate reaction to a purposeful response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min

  2. FEB 6

    Finding Your Rhythm in Recovery, Patrick O’Neill on Music, Sobriety, and Purpose

    In this heartfelt episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Patrick O’Neill, a Southern California native whose life story is rooted in adventure, creativity, and hard-earned growth. From years behind the bar and travels across the globe to his transition into the corporate world, Patrick shares how connection, curiosity, and music have always been guiding forces in his life. Now 16 months sober, Patrick opens up about recovery, self-work, and learning how to live with intention one day at a time. As a lifelong musician, single father, and someone who continues to embrace life’s evolution with humility and humor, Patrick reminds us that recovery isn’t the end of the story — it’s the moment you finally start playing your own music again. This episode is a powerful reminder that purpose is found not in perfection, but in progress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 25m

  3. JAN 29

    The Truth About Interventions, Boundaries, and Family Recovery | Scott Stein

    On this episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Scott Stein — family coach, interventionist, and founder of Capital Companion and Transport — for one of the most honest conversations about addiction, family dynamics, and recovery you’ll hear. Scott doesn’t teach recovery from theory — he lived it. His addiction spanned opioids, alcohol, weed, benzos, nightlife culture, and the “work hard, party harder” mentality that eventually left him homeless, evicted, and disconnected from reality. While everyone around him saw the problem, Scott couldn’t — until his mother’s growth became the mirror he couldn’t ignore. Today, Scott works with families and individuals navigating addiction at every stage: • Before treatment • During treatment • After treatment and re-entry into real life His focus goes beyond sobriety — into executive functioning, boundaries, routines, life skills, accountability, and structure — the areas most people overlook but families desperately need help with. Scott believes: You don’t steal someone’s comeback story — you support it You set boundaries, not band-aids You offer truth, not rescue Whether someone lives on Park Avenue or the streets, Scott shows up the same way: direct, practical, and rooted in real love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    57 min

  4. JAN 22

    I Manifested My Worst Nightmare — Until Faith Set Me Free with Marco Ferrante

    In this powerful episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with Marco Ferrante — pastor, mentor, nonprofit leader, and founder of Journey to Solutions — to share a raw and deeply moving story of addiction, identity, and spiritual transformation. Raised in a traditional Sicilian family where reputation meant everything, Marco learned early that admitting addiction was considered weakness. What followed was years of darkness marked by substance abuse, incarceration, homelessness, paranoia, and loss — despite once having scholarships, athletic success, and opportunity at his fingertips. Addiction followed him across borders, from the U.S. to Europe, proving that distance can’t heal what only truth and connection can. Everything changed when Marco encountered Christ not as religion, but as a personal invitation. What began as desperation turned into freedom through faith, community, discipline, and surrender. Today, Marco serves as the Owner of Journey to Solutions Educational Resource Center, President of Journey to Solutions Recovery Ministry, Vice President of PRP Nonprofit, and host of the Journey 2 Solutions Podcast — all rooted in servant leadership and the belief that lives can be restored and purpose rediscovered. This episode is about more than recovery. It’s about identity, redemption, and the power of grace to rewrite even the darkest story. If you’re struggling with addiction, mental health, shame, or feeling too far gone — this conversation is for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 17m

  5. JAN 15

    From Survival to Strength | Allison Smith’s 10 Years of Sobriety & Faith

    Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Allison Smith — a domestic violence survivor, single mother, and woman who has walked the path of sobriety for over 10 years, one day at a time. Faith-driven and deeply committed to healing, Allison shares her story with honesty and courage. What began as survival became transformation — learning how to rebuild her life, reclaim her voice, and raise her child while staying grounded in sobriety, faith, and personal accountability. This conversation explores what it means to heal after abuse, how sobriety becomes a foundation for empowerment, and why sharing your story can become an act of service. Allison doesn’t speak from theory — she speaks from lived experience, reminding us that recovery isn’t just about staying sober, it’s about choosing yourself every day. This episode is for anyone navigating trauma, addiction, faith, or single parenthood — and for anyone who needs proof that strength can be rebuilt from the hardest places. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m

  6. JAN 1

    The Best Conversations of the Year

    This year on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sat down with some of the most powerful voices in recovery, mental health, performance, leadership, and personal transformation. This special end-of-year episode brings together the most impactful moments, stories, and insights from our best guests — conversations that challenged perspective, sparked growth, and reminded us what purpose really looks like when life gets hard. From raw honesty about addiction and recovery… To deep conversations around mindset, resilience, and rebuilding your life… To moments of clarity that hit long after the episode ends… This is Primary Purpose at its core. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re just discovering the show, this episode captures the heart of what we do — real conversations with people who’ve lived it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 min

  7. 12/18/2025

    From Psychosis to Purpose | Michael’s Journey Through Addiction, Homelessness, and Recovery

    Michael’s life took him across the world — from New Jersey to Puerto Rico to Hong Kong — but addiction followed no matter how far he ran. Despite a strong upbringing and early success in sports, Michael began drinking at 12 and was addicted to heroin by 18. After leaving college and cycling through rehab, he built a successful career in shipping and logistics. On the outside, life looked stable — but addiction pulled him into street life, homelessness, and a near-fatal overdose. What followed was a brutal turning point. Michael survived 70 days of drug-induced psychosis, entered sober living, attended 180 meetings in 90 days, completed all 12 steps, and rebuilt his life from the ground up. Starting with nothing — even cleaning toilets just to survive — he slowly reclaimed structure, dignity, and purpose. Today, Michael is a certified alcohol and drug counselor, the owner of The Hope Experience, LLC, and is opening a sober living home dedicated to helping others find recovery and meaning. This episode of Primary Purpose with Pej is about humility, perseverance, and the courage it takes to start over — one day at a time. Subscribe for more real stories of recovery, resilience, and purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 14m

  8. 12/11/2025

    The Doctor Who Saved 80,000 Lives | The Untold Story of Dr. Faried Banihamd

    Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with a man whose life’s work has quietly transformed tens of thousands of lives — long before addiction medicine was respected, understood, or widely practiced. Dr. Faried Banihamd began his career in academic emergency medicine, teaching and researching at UCLA/Kern Medical Center and later UC Irvine. But despite a prestigious path, his true calling led him somewhere far more difficult and far more meaningful: directly into the world of addiction. He stepped into methadone clinics, detox centers, outpatient programs, and some of the most underserved and complex cases imaginable — years before harm reduction or medication-assisted treatment were accepted, and long before benzo tapers or polypharmacy management became common practice. Patients call him a magician — not because he performs miracles, but because he listens, observes, and treats people who have been dismissed elsewhere. Over the course of his career, he has helped more than 80,000 patients navigate addiction, trauma, medication mismanagement, and the long road back to hope. Today, he runs Zephyr Medical Group in Orange County, continuing his mission to serve the underserved, consult on high-complexity cases, train institutions, work with legal teams, and design private detox and rehabilitation plans for patients around the world. In 2017, he was named one of Orange County’s Top Influencers, recognizing the impact of his work on individuals, families, and systems across the globe. Guided by the St. Augustine quote he lives by — “Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage” — Dr. Banihamd’s story is one of purpose, compassion, and the courage to fight for a better way forward. Please welcome to the show: Dr. Faried Banihamd, MD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min
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About

Welcome to Primary Purpose with Pej, the podcast where host Pejman "Pej" Alaghamandan dives deep into the moments that define us. Through raw and insightful conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, recovery advocates, and thought leaders, Pej explores what truly drives people to change, grow, and find purpose. Each episode unpacks powerful stories of resilience, transformation, and personal discovery—offering inspiration for anyone seeking direction, clarity, or motivation. Whether you're on a journey of self-improvement or just love a compelling story, Primary Purpose is here to ignite your passion and fuel your pursuit of meaning. Subscribe now and join the conversation!

Information

  • Creator
    Rhapsody Voices | Pej Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Pej Media
  • Show Website
    Primary Purpose with Pej