Episode 32: “A peaceful heart”

Thomas Volmer, 59

Colorado City, CO

(recorded 06/03/2026)

Watching someone solve daily life without electricity or running water changes how you think about “resilience.”

What a humbling conversation that I had with Tom.

Some of the conversation revolves around things like childhood loss, complicated family dynamics, adult ADHD showing up late, and the weird relief that can come with privacy after years of noise.

Tom and myself dig into dopamine, executive dysfunction, unfinished projects, and how a diagnosis can reframe decades of “why am I like this?”

We also go into relationships, divorce, trust, pets as an anchor, and the simple choice to be a good human even when the world feels like it’s falling apart.

If this conversation hits you, help us reach more people dealing with mental health, disability systems, or chronic illness.
and share the episode with a friend.

Thanks for inspiring me Tom, I know good things are right around the corner for your.

Music by Quie

Support the show

Contact & Info:

www.hangingwithhumans.com

https://poplme.co/hash/P5oM9JFj/1/dash

Support the Podcast:

https://gofund.me/2a99e9b7

Video Podcast :

https://www.YouTube.com/@hangingwithhumans

https://rumble.com/c/c-2507620

Special Thanks:

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your important life to listen, It means the world to me.

#HangingWithHumans #Podcast #HWHP

In honor of those who served our country. During times of peace and war. Those who gave the supreme sacrifice, Those still missing and those who came home both whole and broken.

In honor of those still fighting everyday to keep their head above water.

Episode 31: "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

Christie Geahlen, 40

Pueblo, CO

Recorded: 05/11/2026

While walking along the Pueblo Riverwalk, I stumbled into one of the rawest conversations I’ve had yet.

I met Christie, a Kentucky native sitting alone with a hospital bracelet on her wrist and bags at her feet. What followed was the kind of story you can’t script.

We talk about the loss that changed her life as a teenager, how grief reshaped her relationship with God, and what it’s like carrying depression and mental health struggles from childhood into adulthood.

Christie opens up about being prescribed Zoloft at an early age, surviving a suicide attempt at 12 years old, and spending years functioning as a “high-functioning addict” while still holding jobs and pushing forward through chaos.

Her story stretches across the country — from hitchhiking to Florida after being kicked out, to a stint working for Warner Brothers in Las Vegas.

The conversation doesn’t avoid the darker realities. Christie speaks honestly about a collapsing marriage, living on the streets while waiting for assisted housing, and the deep emotional scars tied to pregnancy loss.

But underneath all of it is a conversation about resilience.

Christie is now studying medical billing and coding in college, and together we explore bigger questions about truth, loneliness, mentorship, purpose, and what it really means to keep rebuilding yourself when life keeps testing you.

“There were plenty of eyes on the woman sitting alone with her cigarette that afternoon. But while most people walked past, J.J. tugged on his leash and pulled me in her direction, almost like he already knew we were supposed to stop and say hello.

She kindly invited us to sit with her, and what started as a cigarette turned into a 90-minute conversation about life, pain, survival, and everything in between. As we sat there talking, I noticed something interesting — some of the people passing by who had been staring earlier now wore small smiles on their faces when they glanced over at us.

By the end of it, we helped her carry a few bags and gave her a ride to her next destination.

You truly never know what someone is carrying inside of them unless you slow down long enough to see the human being beneath the situation. I hope we can all find a little more compassion for one another. Sometimes kindness costs nothing more than a conversation.“

P.s. sorry about the birds.

Music by Quie

Support the show

Contact & Info:

www.hangingwithhumans.com

https://poplme.co/hash/P5oM9JFj/1/dash

Support the Podcast:

https://gofund.me/2a99e9b7

Video Podcast :

https://www.YouTube.com/@hangingwithhumans

https://rumble.com/c/c-2507620

Special Thanks:

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your important life to listen, It means the world to me.

#HangingWithHumans #Podcast #HWHP

In honor of those who served our country. During times of peace and war. Those who gave the supreme sacrifice, Those still missing and those who came home both whole and broken.

In honor of those still fighting everyday to keep their head above water.

Episode 30: "Man in the Mirror"

Bradley Richard, 42

Williston, ND

Recorded 12/30/2024

What do you do after you’ve already walked through fire? We close the season 2 with a conversation that’s equal parts confession and compass, sitting with Bradley as he traces a path from early rebellion and first heartbreak to a string of devastating losses that fed a brutal addiction—and the moment he chose to live. He talks about an intentional overdose, seven minutes gone, and the treatment-room wake-up call that shattered his assumptions about who addiction affects. Twenty-one years later, he’s still sober, and he’s honest about what that really takes.

We go beyond sobriety and into mental health: how unguarded thoughts can undo progress, why vulnerability is a daily practice, and how “time equals love” reframed his role as a partner and father. Bradley shares the story he rarely tells—a daughter he didn’t know for two years, a preacher father who spent everything to find him, and the unbearable loss that followed just as recovery began. He also walks us through a home invasion in Seattle, a split-second self-defense decision, and the legal and emotional aftermath that could have sent him back to using. Instead, he doubled down on healing.

Along the way, we talk parenting, family court, and the skills we owe our kids: independence, discernment, and the courage to leave harm. We unpack jealousy, betrayal, and the quiet ways fear of investment destroys connection. This is a raw, grounded look at recovery, grief, and accountability—built on friendship, the power of showing up, and the belief that presence is the only proof of love.

If this conversation moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it. Your words can help others find the courage to keep going.

I can't find the feeling that comes to mind when listening to this for the first time. But I will find the words for this one day. A

Music by Quie

Support the show

Contact & Info:

www.hangingwithhumans.com

https://poplme.co/hash/P5oM9JFj/1/dash

Support the Podcast:

https://gofund.me/2a99e9b7

Video Podcast :

https://www.YouTube.com/@hangingwithhumans

https://rumble.com/c/c-2507620

Special Thanks:

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your important life to listen, It means the world to me.

#HangingWithHumans #Podcast #HWHP

In honor of those who served our country. During times of peace and war. Those who gave the supreme sacrifice, Those still missing and those who came home both whole and broken.

In honor of those still fighting everyday to keep their head above water.