Épisodes

  • Addiction, Grief, and Grace with Rene Hudson

    Addiction, Grief, and Grace with Rene Hudson
    Jan 12 2026

    Who this episode is for:
    - Anyone who’s ever woken up wondering how the hell they survived their 20s
    - Former party girls turned spiritual gangsters
    - People in recovery who still laugh at their darkest stories
    - Anyone with complicated daddy issues
    - Midwest transplants trying to make peace with the lack of decent tacos
    - And most importantly: the still-struggling, the not-yet-sober, the ones who think it’s too late—this one’s for you

    Addiction, Grief, and Grace with Rene Hudson

    Rene Hudson didn’t just dip her toe in the chaos—she cannonballed straight into it. In this raw-as-hell episode, Chris, Zoe, and (MIA) Jeff sit down with Rene, a certified SoCal wild child turned St. Louis recovery badass, to unpack a story that ricochets from beach bonfires and punk shows to addiction, grief, and spiritual rebirth.

    This isn’t some sanitized, “I found Jesus and now everything’s fine” kind of thing. Rene brings the real: pierced nipples as teenage rebellion, doing shots and hitting rock bottom, crashing on a boat with no working toilet, and falling into a love story that ends in heartbreak and hard lessons.

    You'll hear about her fast spiral into addiction, her time as the life of the party in OC’s house scene, meeting her late partner Noah (who moved in after one night and never left), and how she went from vodka breakfasts to full-body baptisms at The Gathering.

    The crew veers off course plenty—talking bridges, airport food etiquette, Sergeant Sausage the male stripper, and Nicholas Cage melting down at Newport bars—but it always comes back to the raw truth of recovery, trauma, and what it means to rebuild a life from scratch.

    This one’s funny, heartbreaking, weird, and wildly human. Just like Rene.

    00:00 Shoutout to the sponsors
    02:59 Bridge drama and Midwest geography lessons
    06:07 Boomers, Gen Z, and Y2K brain damage
    08:57 Growing up in SoCal
    11:58 St. Louis nice vs. California real
    15:01 Bonfires, beach boys, and busted boat toilets
    18:04 Nick Cage is a freak and we love that for him
    18:55 Con Air, In-N-Out, and late-night cravings
    21:19 Airport food shaming and clean eating confessions
    24:41 Real ones go to church
    27:56 First time telling the whole damn story
    33:37 Turning the wreckage into something valuable
    39:36 Military childhoods and doing it all yourself
    42:01 Teenage love, heartbreak, and “marriage?!”
    45:55 Nipples pierced out of spite
    48:50 Party girl era unlocked
    54:59 It starts out fun—until it’s not
    01:00:02 Running from everything
    01:02:59 A brain full of chaos
    01:04:57 Moving to Florida, still running
    01:06:55 Relationships, broken and breaking
    01:10:01 Losing Noah
    01:16:58 Grief, relapse, and trying to survive it
    01:20:21 Family pain and recovery roadblocks
    01:24:11 Putting the pieces back together
    01:26:40 Finally giving recovery a real shot
    01:27:25 Why extended care isn’t optional
    01:31:40 Love, support, and the shit that saves us
    01:33:20 The slippery slope of sobriety
    01:39:25 Finding your people
    01:42:11 Helping others = healing yourself
    01:46:55 It gets better—but not by accident

    Check out the recovery community that helped change Rene’s life:
    👉 https://gatheringnow.org/recovery

    Sponsored by
    🛡️ McKelvey Insurance – https://www.mckelveyins.com/
    💡 LightSource Psychotherapy – https://findyourlightsource.com/
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    1 h et 52 min
  • Best of Season Two: Sobriety, Chaos, Healing & All the Shit in Between

    Best of Season Two: Sobriety, Chaos, Healing & All the Shit in Between
    Jan 5 2026

    This ain’t your tidy little self-help podcast. This is a molotov cocktail of truth, trauma, healing, heartbreak, and a whole lotta swearing. We’re cracking open some of the rawest, realest, and most *fuck-it-let’s-go-there* moments from Season Two. If you're not ready to get honest, bounce now.


    First up, Megan Gehrs and Bree Badgley are back after five years. These two come in hot—talking relapses, divorces, cookie cakes, sober birthdays, and how to sit in self-pity without drowning in it. Megan shares what it’s like staying sober with a fully stocked liquor cabinet in the house. Bree opens up about blackouts, bruises, and holding her newborn niece in the hospital while still swollen from the night before. This ain’t Instagram recovery—it’s the messy, beautiful kind.


    Then Christina Preston drops a fucking hammer: kidnapped, trafficked, and held in a hotel room with a pistol on the console. She survived it. Barely. And now she’s helping women claw their way back from the same hell she escaped. This is not a movie. This is real. And it happens down the damn street.


    Kurt Garner swings through next—radio host, tequila junkie turned sober globetrotter. From Mexican strip clubs with angry bouncers to solo Valentine’s Day JT concerts in Chicago, he proves life doesn’t end when the bottle does. His turning point? A 10 a.m. tequila binge after a failed date that led to pouring out the bottle and walking toward something better.


    Then we go deep with Sean Weiss—yeah, *that* Sean Weiss. Goldberg from *The Mighty Ducks*. You’ve seen the mugshots. But this dude has lived through shit most people wouldn’t survive. $20K gone in three months. Dope. Shoplifting. Using a needle he *knew* was HIV-positive because detox hurt more than death. This conversation isn’t for the faint of heart—but it’s for the ones still out there thinking there’s no way back.


    And finally, Rafe Williams takes the mic. Stand-up comic, radio guy, and full-time truth-teller. He cracks jokes about Southern Illinois, grandma’s Doral cartons, and Paducah gas station cigarettes—but make no mistake, he’s lived it. The rooms, the relapses, the rollercoaster of finding peace in a loud-ass world. He gets honest about masculinity, depression, and why vulnerability is a hell of a lot scarier than any open mic.


    This one’s for anyone who’s tired of hiding. You don’t have to pretend anymore. Just press play.


    ---


    CHAPTERS

    00:00 Introduction to Honest Conversations

    02:08 Returning to Recovery: Megan Gehrs and Bree Badgley

    05:01 Personal Struggles: Divorce and Alcoholism

    12:15 The Impact of Alcohol on Relationships

    19:52 Mental Health: Anxiety and Depression

    25:35 The Journey of Healing and Community Support

    26:03 Understanding Human Trafficking and Addiction

    35:00 Finding Redemption and New Beginnings

    40:41 The Wild Night Out in Mexico

    45:43 Rediscovering Life Without Alcohol

    51:31 Finding Joy in Sobriety

    56:14 The Cost of Addiction

    01:01:05 The Importance of Family in Recovery

    01:06:15 The Journey of Recovery and Transformation

    01:20:13 Reflections on Home and Change

    01:23:14 Growing Up in Small Towns: A Unique Perspective

    01:26:00 The Struggles of Vulnerability and Masculinity

    01:29:18 The Battle with Addiction: A Personal Journey

    01:31:07 The Impact of Sobriety on Relationships

    01:33:02 The Downfall of a Sports Star: Addiction and Consequences

    01:40:13 Finding Humility in Recovery

    01:45:59 The Role of Faith in Overcoming Addiction

    01:47:50 Understanding Identity and Acceptance

    01:59:29 Gratitude for Honest Conversations


    ---


    Sponsored by McKelvey Insurance

    https://www.mckelveyins.com/


    And LightSource Psychotherapy

    https://findyourlightsource.com/
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    2 h
  • S2 E45 A Mother’s Story with Shelly Viverito

    S2 E45 A Mother’s Story with Shelly Viverito
    Dec 29 2025
    A Mother’s Story with Shelly Viverito

    Who this episode is for:
    - Parents who’ve lost a child and are still standing somehow
    - Anyone who’s ever loved an addict and didn’t know how to help
    - Folks who’ve been burned by shady recovery programs
    - Those struggling with meth, depression, or both
    - Anyone trying to make meaning from unimaginable grief
    - And anyone who’s ever made a mess of their life and lived to tell the tale

    This one’s not for the faint of heart.

    Shelly Viverito joins the Pondoff’s Anonymous crew to tell a story no parent should ever have to tell — the rise, fall, and redemption of her son Nick, who battled brutal addiction, got clean, rebuilt his life, and then was ripped away by a random, deadly brain bleed. He beat meth. He beat depression. And he still died at 39.

    This is a mother’s war story. From locking her door at night during his meth psychosis… to getting a tattoo of his sobriety date… to launching a foundation in his name that now funds sober living for other young men fighting for their lives.

    Nick Wilson may be gone, but his light — and his pit bull Jax — continue to move mountains through Shelly’s advocacy, fundraising, and raw honesty.

    Learn more:
    💥 The Nick Wilson Foundation: https://www.thenickwilsonfoundation.org
    💥 Learn to Live Recovery: https://learntoliverecovery.com
    💥 Harris House: https://www.harrishouse.org

    Time Stamps:
    00:00 Introduction to Recovery and Support
    02:51 Navigating Personal Stories and Backgrounds
    12:51 The Journey of Addiction and Recovery
    26:19 Understanding the Impact of Addiction on Families
    27:22 The Cost of Recovery Programs
    28:44 The Challenges of Interventions
    30:34 The Impact of Hope in Recovery
    32:18 Navigating Relapse and Recovery
    37:30 Finding Support in Recovery Programs
    40:10 The Role of Family in Recovery
    43:55 The Journey to Independence
    53:28 Tragedy and Loss in Recovery
    56:35 The Gift of Life: Organ Donation and Its Impact
    57:57 Navigating Grief: A Mother's Journey
    01:00:02 Finding Purpose Through Pain: Advocacy and Speaking Out
    01:02:57 Creating a Legacy: The Nick Wilson Foundation
    01:07:34 Community and Connection: The Power of Support Groups
    01:12:57 Healing Through Fun: The Importance of Joy in Grief
    01:22:33 Creating Community and Support
    01:25:06 The Power of Shared Experiences
    01:29:50 Fundraising and Community Events
    01:31:11 The Importance of Mental Health Awareness
    01:34:40 Finding Hope in Tragedy
    01:39:04 Celebrating Life and Connection

    Sponsored by:
    👉 McKelvey Insurance: https://www.mckelveyins.com
    👉 LightSource Psychotherapy: https://findyourlightsource.com
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    1 h et 45 min
  • S2 E44 The F*ck Around Show Preview 2

    S2 E44 The F*ck Around Show Preview 2
    Dec 22 2025
    Welcome to the unfiltered chaos of Pondoff’s Anonymous, where recovery meets real life with no bleep button. This week, it’s a full‑house f*ck‑around session with Chris, Jeff, Zoe, and special guest Kenny “Iggy” Strode — the St. Louis radio legend with a sharp tongue, a broken filter, and a suspiciously high body count.You want deep? We’ve got deep. You want weird? Strap the hell in.Iggy drops stories from Bermuda beaches (where topless tourists get scolded by dudes in linen), explains how a freaky music review got him a nickname that’s lasted 50 years, and claims full credit for the BlueChew catchphrase that celebrities now scream into the void. Zoe brings warmth, humor, and grounded honesty — talking about music, recovery, and showing up with heart. Chris puts it best: it just means more having a strong female voice in the mix. Jeff and Chris unveil the upcoming Pondoff Anonymous Media Network and the new app that’ll put recovery, resources, and rogue banter in your damn pocket.Also covered:– How to apologize for Facebook ghosting live on‑air– Why “I’d like that” is the worst line in any movie ever– The theology of poop mirrors and peanut butter mishaps– When grief, comedy, Jesus, and erectile dysfunction collide– Singing for the Spirit, shaving your balls, and showing up anyway📲 New app drops January🎙️ Pondoff Anonymous Network launching with three weekly shows💀 Recovery, mental health, addiction, grief, nudity, and boner jokes — all wrapped up in love and laughter00:00 Introduction to Recovery and Community Support05:52 The Importance of Mental Health and Therapy12:06 Building a Podcast Network and Future Plans14:52 The Role of Humor and Lightheartedness in Recovery17:59 Reflections on Pets and Personal Growth24:19 Cultural Norms and Nudity25:30 Identity and Nicknames26:42 High School Dynamics and Music29:28 Relationships and Social Connections31:10 Podcasting and Community Engagement35:23 Mental Health and Recovery Advocacy39:09 Personal Stories and Impact42:56 Humor and Lighthearted Banter47:18 Navigating Personal Challenges49:10 Pet Peeves in Movies and TV Shows50:57 The Art of Performance and Stage Presence54:52 The Power of Authenticity in Sharing Stories01:01:12 The Impact of Addiction and Recovery01:07:01 The Importance of Community Support01:15:46 Podcasting Insights and Personal Reflections01:18:40 Navigating Mental Health and Social Work01:21:31 Community Building and Support Systems01:26:09 Creative Ventures and Future Aspirations01:32:33 Personal Stories and Connections01:38:26 Exploring Love and Connection01:39:05 Family Bonds and Shared Experiences01:41:06 Navigating Life’s Challenges01:42:01 Pet Peeves and Movie Critiques01:43:34 The Role of Nudity in Film01:45:32 Understanding the Adult Industry01:49:41 The Complexity of Relationships01:50:27 Empathy and Understanding in Recovery01:52:00 The Importance of Female Voices01:54:19 Grief and Loss in the Industry01:56:34 The Impact of Online Interactions01:58:44 Finding Peace Amidst Chaos☕ Check out the coffee that fuels the chaos:Light in the Dark – A bold Colombian roast born in recovery, made with Long Story Coffee.Available now at: https://www.pondoffsanonymous.comSupport Kenny “Iggy” Strode’s Patreon:👉 https://www.patreon.com/IggyUncutSponsored by:McKelvey Insurance – https://www.mckelveyins.com/LightSource Psychotherapy – https://findyourlightsource.com/
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    2 h et 5 min
  • S2E43 Anthony Slaughter on God, Guts, and Getting the Hell Back Up

    S2E43 Anthony Slaughter on God, Guts, and Getting the Hell Back Up
    Dec 15 2025
    Who this episode is for:- Anyone who’s ever been fired and thought maybe I am the problem- People in recovery who still have a bottle whispering their name- Anyone working a toxic job and trying to smile through it- Foster parents or those considering the leap- LGBTQ+ folks living under labels that don’t fit- News junkies who wanna know what really goes down off-camera- And of course, anyone who’s made a flaming, glorious mess of their lifeSeason 2, Episode 43 – Anthony Slaughter on God, Guts, and Getting the Hell Back UpSponsored by:🛡️ McKelvey Insurance🧠 LightSource PsychotherapyAnthony Slaughter — former TV weatherman, credentialed meteorologist, single dad, and walking miracle — pulls no punches in this unforgettable episode.He talks about growing up in a Black-Portuguese family, losing his mom at age 7, and stepping up to adopt his twin nephews — babies born into chaos and addiction. And just when it seems the story can’t get heavier, it does.This is the first time (that we know of, in long form anyway) Anthony publicly opens up — really opens up — about getting fired from KSDK.One week he’s in a yearly review. The next? Walked out the door. Suddenly, managers had “concerns.” He was too goofy. Too confident. Too...himself.“It turned from me wanting to please the community… to just wanting to please one person — the boss.”He talks about the confusion, burnout, and identity crisis that came with getting dumped by a job he gave everything to. He saw coworkers vanish, leadership flail, and mediocrity rewarded.Here’s where it gets real: Anthony was already in recovery. Already had whiskey in the rearview. That firing? Could’ve broken him. Almost did.“You leave work so annoyed the first thing you wanna do is drink.”But this time… he didn’t.He journaled. He lifted. He moved.And out of the wreckage came peace.Instead of spiraling, he cracked open.Instead of drinking, he started dreaming again.Instead of chasing ratings, he started living.Now he’s building a YouTube channel. Selling weather shirts. Playing pickleball. And most importantly — telling the truth, finally, on his own terms.Time Stamps00:00 Introduction to Recovery and Coffee08:01 The Emotional Connection to Weather16:05 Life Changes and Family Dynamics28:01 Navigating Foster Care Challenges32:55 The Importance of Community Support35:29 Understanding Developmental Delays36:54 Therapy in Parenting39:00 Personal Struggles with Addiction42:04 Reflections on Life Choices44:15 Impact of Trauma on Children49:40 Lessons from Privilege51:36 Rebellion in Parenting55:19 Health Scares and Wake-Up Calls59:30 The Non-Linear Path of Recovery01:00:46 The Cost of Authenticity01:02:51 Anthony spills the tea on KSDK01:05:46 Challenges of News Ratings01:08:54 Navigating Career Changes01:12:08 Life Beyond News01:14:55 Struggles of Media Management01:18:02 Personal Growth and New Beginnings01:24:21 Theater and Connection01:27:07 Instincts and Self-Discovery01:29:09 New Ventures and Creativity01:31:04 Importance of Free Headspace01:32:38 Alcohol and Personal Choices01:40:13 Substances and Coping01:43:00 Identity and Acceptance01:49:06 Self-Acceptance01:51:30 Breaking Religious Constraints01:54:10 Biblical Misinterpretations01:57:10 Journey to Self-Acceptance02:04:02 Love and Community02:10:03 Supporting Foster Youth02:16:07 Culinary Passions02:21:58 Power of TransformationFollow Anthony Slaughter📸 Instagram: @theweatherguru📘 Facebook: facebook.com/WthrmnSlaughter▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@wthrmnslaughter👕 Merch: skywx.myshopify.comSupport the Aralean Brown Older Youth Readiness Fund:foster-adopt.org/older-youth-readiness-fundTry PONDOFF’S COFFEE:☕ “Light in the Dark” – Colombian roast with Long Story CoffeeBuy it at: pondoffsanonymous.com
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    2 h et 24 min
  • S2 E42 Something to Write Home About: Recovery with Matt Pryor

    S2 E42 Something to Write Home About: Recovery with Matt Pryor
    Dec 8 2025
    Sponsored by McKelvey Insurance and LightSource Psychotherapy.Who this episode is for:Anyone who’s ever tried to outrun their demons with a six-pack and a Stratocaster.Those who believe pain is the price of creativity.Anyone who's fallen down the rabbit hole of booze, bar tabs, and backstage passes.Recovering musicians, sober-curious punks, and people who've hit rock bottom with a guitar in hand.People who don’t believe in rock bottom—until they slam into it face first.And especially: anyone who thinks addiction is somebody else’s problem.Matt Pryor, frontman of The Get Up Kids, joins the Pondoff’s Anonymous crew and brings the fucking heat. From teenage Alateen meetings to tour bus whiskey benders, Pryor lays it all out—no filter, no fluff. This is the raw-ass story of a man who went from punk rock poster boy to broken, bedbound, and ready to die… before clawing his way out and writing a brutally honest record about the whole damn mess.Chris, Jeff, and Zoe dig deep with Pryor into the romanticized chaos of the music industry, the quiet hell of performing for thousands while dead inside, and what it takes to rebuild your soul from the inside out. We get real about diabetes, depression, spiritual recovery, and the hot mess that is AA vs. Dharma vs. “whatever keeps you alive and growing.”Also on deck:The shittiest non-alcoholic beers of the '90sWhether deep dish pizza is a valid hangover cure (spoiler: no)Detoxing with a diabetic’s nightmare hospital staffSatanic recovery groups and why they might be your jamWrestling, wrestling, and more goddamn wrestlingTouring Europe sober (and terrified)And the raw fucking truth about hitting a stage clean for the first time in decadesPryor’s not selling redemption stories or tidy endings. He’s here to tell the truth: recovery is weird, hard, slow—and fucking worth it.Episode Time Stamps:00:00 Introduction to Recovery and Coffee02:59 The Journey of Matt Pryor: From Music to Recovery06:08 The Impact of Addiction on Lives and Music08:46 Navigating the Music Scene: Drinking and Creativity11:56 Romanticizing Addiction in the Music Industry14:54 Finding Creativity Beyond Substance Use18:00 The Shift in Music Culture: Sober-Friendly Spaces20:58 Personal Reflections on Recovery and Creativity23:55 Defining Success in the Music Industry31:07 The Evolution of Passion in Music32:46 Navigating Early Success and Its Pitfalls34:41 Hitting Rock Bottom: A Journey Through Darkness36:10 The Road to Recovery: Detox and Sobriety39:23 Relearning Life: Sober Living in a Party Environment41:28 The Impact of Alcohol on Health and Relationships44:31 Diabetes and Alcohol: A Dangerous Combination48:31 Challenges in Medical Detox and Recovery52:45 The Stigma of Addiction and Recovery56:35 Finding Alternative Paths in Recovery01:01:10 The Importance of Community in Recovery01:06:00 Navigating Spirituality and Recovery01:11:25 Understanding Human Nature and Addiction01:13:15 The Creative Process: Writing and Recovery01:20:00 Artistic Expression and Personal InterpretationLinks & Resources:Matt Pryor on Instagram: @mattpryorsongsListen to Matt’s brutally honest record “The Dishonesty”: mattpryorsongs.substack.comCatch Matt live – Tour dates & tickets at: mattpryorandthesaltonsea.comSupport the Show:Grab Light in the Dark Coffee: A bold, Colombian roast made by the show with Long Story Coffee.Buy it at: pondoffsanonymous.comSponsored by McKelvey Insurance and LightSource Psychotherapy.
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    1 h et 26 min
  • Before the New Show Begins: Chaz Franke on Pain, Healing & Growing the F*ck Up

    Before the New Show Begins: Chaz Franke on Pain, Healing & Growing the F*ck Up
    Dec 1 2025

    Who this episode is for:
    Those walking through the fire of addiction.
    Anyone who grew up in chaos and called it normal.
    Parents raising kids with trauma in their eyes.
    Social workers hanging by a thread.
    Therapists questioning if they’re helping or just absorbing.
    And anyone who's ever face-planted in life, looked up, and thought, “Fuck. Now what?”

    CHAZ FRANKE RETURNS: MENTOR, THERAPIST, TRAUMA SHERPA

    We took last week off because of Thanksgiving—calm down, we're allowed to have lives. But to make it up to you, we're throwing it back to one of the most powerful convos ever recorded in the Pondoff’s Anonymous studio: Chris and the inimitable Chaz Franke, therapist, mentor, and walking embodiment of “safe adult.”

    And here’s the real kicker—this isn’t just a rerun. It’s a preview. Chris and Chaz are teaming up to launch a brand-new show under the PA umbrella in the new year. He’s the brilliant. Chris is… well, let’s just say it’s appropriately titled.

    In this episode, you’ll hear why Chaz has been the go-to guy for the hardest shit in Chris’s life since the ice rink days. They unpack everything from adolescent chaos and Zamboni-fueled misadventures to trauma, addiction, meth, grief, and how the fuck we’re supposed to survive it all.

    Chaz breaks down why people turn to drugs not because they’re weak, but because the pain is unbearable—and why the world’s answer to that has been to shame them. He explains the realm of hungry ghosts, the devastating weight of childhood neglect, and why trauma isn’t what happened—it’s what never got healed.

    Raw, funny, heartbreaking, and deeply human—this one’s a time capsule of the broken-to-healing pipeline. And a taste of what’s to come.

    Chapters:
    00:00 Thanksgiving Reflections and Show Launch
    01:30 Insurance and Mental Health Support
    02:17 Introducing Light in the Dark Coffee
    03:39 Personal Milestones and Family News
    04:35 Welcoming Chas Frankie: A Mentor's Perspective
    08:11 Exploring Trauma and Addiction
    10:15 Nostalgic Ice Rink Stories
    12:31 Friendship and Shared Memories
    20:09 Reflections on Personal Growth and Challenges
    27:54 The Journey to Social Work
    34:09 First Experiences in Counseling
    40:20 Understanding Addiction and Its Roots
    49:57 The Impact of Trauma on Addiction
    56:02 The Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
    01:04:39 Navigating Mental Health Conversations
    01:06:08 Creating Safe Spaces for Therapy
    01:09:27 The Concept of Light Source in Therapy
    01:12:42 Community Investment and Support
    01:14:02 The Impact of Telehealth on Therapy
    01:19:35 Feedback and Adaptation in Therapy
    01:22:38 The Importance of Safe Adults in Trauma Recovery
    01:28:12 Reflections on Personal Growth and Support

    Mentions:
    🧠 Chaz Franke’s therapy practice: https://findyourlightsource.com
    ☕ Light in the Dark Coffee: https://pondoffsanonymous.com
    📚 Book drop: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté
    📍 Location: LightSource is located at 114 East Lincoln St, Belleville, IL

    Sponsored by:
    McKelvey Insurance
    LightSource Psychotherapy
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    1 h et 32 min
  • S2 E41 The F*ck Around Show

    S2 E41 The F*ck Around Show
    Nov 24 2025

    It’s the F*ck Around Show — and this one is the full buffet: trauma, texting, family dysfunction, emo heart emojis, and coffee that’ll punch you in the soul.

    Chris, Jeff, and Zoë go deep and unhinged in this raw ride through recovery, relationships, and roasting the sh*t out of each other (and themselves). From whether ghosts can be good friends to why Zoë refuses to text anyone back unless you’re sending emojis with flair, this episode hits all the avoidant-attached neurotic highs and lows.

    We get into how ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) meetings saved people’s a**es, why support groups are for more than addicts, and what it means to be haunted by unhealed sh*t. Pondoff opens up about surviving real violence (yes, whiskey bottles and all), and Zoë shares the exact story of her conception — yes, weed, cheesecake, and genitals are involved.

    There’s also:

    • Emotional support punch cards
    • Coffee that funds the pod (https://www.pondoffsanonymous.com)
    • A musical interlude about inclusive worship songs that’ll have you crying in your recovery mug
    • A debate about Siri voices and Amish communication standards
    • A collective obsession with The Sopranos
    • A quick pitch for executive assistants who also respond to texts (aka unicorns)

    This ep also features one of the wildest detours into strip clubs, pit bulls, bouncers, and the logistics of Zoe and Kathy house-sitting without burning down Chris’s life.

    Also, Pondoff says something outrageous in a sermon. So there’s that.

    Time stamps (DO NOT MISS):

    • 00:00 Introduction to Recovery and Coffee
    • 02:03 Navigating Communication in Friendships
    • 05:56 Understanding Attachment Styles
    • 11:59 Exploring Personal Relationships and Boundaries
    • 17:59 Humorous Anecdotes and Family Dynamics
    • 23:56 Navigating Family Dynamics and Healing
    • 26:20 The Importance of Support Groups
    • 28:00 Avoidance and Communication Challenges
    • 29:49 The Necessity of Change in Recovery
    • 32:00 Facing the Fear of Change
    • 33:58 Reflections on Personal Experiences
    • 35:59 The Role of Music in Healing
    • 39:00 Introducing New Show Concepts
    • 41:55 Promoting Community and Connection
    • 45:02 Coffee and Community Engagement
    • 48:04 Struggles with Weight and Substance Use
    • 51:30 Reflections on The Sopranos
    • 56:03 Personal Dynamics and Relationships
    • 01:01:05 Plans for Future Shows and Guests
    • 01:10:37 Building a Supportive Community
    • 01:13:46 The Power of Shared Stories
    • 01:17:33 Creating a Safe Space for Healing
    • 01:19:55 Redefining Church and Community
    • 01:24:56 The Importance of Connection and Outreach
    • 01:29:50 Transformative Stories of Recovery
    • 01:34:58 Encouragement and Affirmation in Community
    • 01:39:01 Looking Ahead: Future Initiatives

    Find the good sh*t:

    • Light in the Dark roast – a bold Colombian collab with Long Story Coffee. Available now at pondoffsanonymous.com
    • Song: Plowshare Prayer by Spencer LaJoye
    • longstorycoffee.com – use code PONDOFF15 for 15% off anything except the show’s roast

    Sponsored by:

    • McKelvey Insurance
    • LightSource Psychotherapy
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    1 h et 42 min