Episode 176: Offline Now: Rethinking Digital Balance Without Shame or Rules (featuring Eli Singer)

In this episode of the Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast, we sit down with Eli Singer, author of Offline Now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance, to explore how our relationships with screens, social media, and technology impact mental health, recovery, and everyday life.Drawing from decades of experience in digital culture and coaching individuals with ADHD, Eli shares a compassionate, non-judgmental approach to digital balance that moves beyond willpower, shame, or rigid screen-time rules. The conversation dives into Eli’s four-quadrant matrix framework—Ready, Overwhelmed, Stuck, and Unconcerned—and how this model can help clinicians, families, and individuals better understand digital habits without labeling or blaming.We also discuss how conversations about screen use can be integrated into clinical assessments, why setbacks should be viewed as learning opportunities, and what emerging technologies like AI may mean for future relationships with devices and digital companionship.This episode offers practical insight for clinicians, people in recovery, educators, parents, and anyone trying to build a healthier relationship with technology.About the GuestEli Singer is a Toronto-based founder, writer, and speaker focused on helping families build healthier relationships with technology. He is the author of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance and the founder of Offline.now, a new wellness platform dedicated to helping families achieve healthy digital balance in a realistic, non-judgmental way.Eli’s approach is grounded in the belief that lasting change comes from confidence, not willpower. Rather than promoting abstinence, alarmism, or “all-or-nothing” digital detoxes, Offline.now offers practical micro-steps and simple frameworks families can use immediately - especially during common friction points like mornings, homework transitions, bedtime, and screen-time boundaries. The platform also includes a growing Digital Wellness Directory, connecting families with vetted professionals - therapists, coaches, and specialists - who can support issues ranging from screen-time conflict and digital dependency to sleep, focus, and family dynamics.Before launching Offline.now, Eli built a career at the intersection of behavior, media, and modern culture. He founded one of Canada’s early social media agencies and worked with leading brands and institutions, giving him a front-row seat to how technology and design influence the “attention economy”, habit formation, and everyday well-being. His work has been featured in Harvard Business Review.Links:Take the quiz - https://offline.now/quiz/Homepage - https://offline.nowADHD & Anxiety resource page - https://offline.now/adhd/adhd-anxiety-the-brain-how-screens-harm-your-focus/Directory homepage - https://offline.now/experts/Support the showThank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail [email protected] podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education.  Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost.  Listen to an episode.  Take a quiz.  Complete an eval.  Earn a certificate.  Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-educationTalking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier.  This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery.  Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field.  Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery.  Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.