Laughing Through the Dark: Second Chance Comedy, Addiction Recovery & Dismantling Stigma One Show at a Time

Send us Fan MailWhat if the most powerful tool for dismantling shame around addiction and mental health wasn’t a lecture, a 12-step meeting, or a therapy session — but a really good stand-up comedy show?In this episode, Heather Zimmerman sits down with Joe Huisman — founder of Second Chance Comedy — for a genuine, funny, and unexpectedly moving conversation about recovery, spiritual awakening, the healing power of laughter, and what it means to belong.Joe shares:•       His history with major drug addiction and the rock-bottom moment — a walk home in the rain, a weekend in jail, and screaming at God to take him off the planet — that became the turning point•       25 years of sobriety and the spiritual journey that followed, including a deep dive into Christianity as a stepping stone to where he is today•       How a bucket-list stand-up comedy class became Second Chance Comedy — 60+ shows across Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota•       Why he committed to getting on stage 100 times before allowing himself to quit — and what changed when he did•       The mechanics of stand-up comedy and why the best material requires emotional distance: close enough to connect with, far enough to laugh about•       Why Second Chance Comedy is a real comedy show first — not a speaker series, not a lecture — that happens to chip away at stigma in the process•       The woman at a Colorado Springs show who said “I feel like I belong” — and why those four words captured the whole mission•       20% of show profits going to Sobriety House, an organization serving people who can’t afford recovery help•       Why he believes some of the most beautiful souls who ever came to this earth are the ones who went down the darkest roads•       His vision for expanding nationally — and the Washington State connection that might be comingThis is not a typical episode for this show — and that’s the point. Healing takes many forms. Sometimes it sounds like a channeled transmission. Sometimes it sounds like a punchline. Connect with Joe Huisman / Second Chance Comedy:•       Website: https://www.secondchancecomedy.com/ Connect with Heather Zimmerman:•       Website: https://www.divineascensionco.com•       Book — Becoming Divine: available on Amazon💛 Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you, consider supporting the show with a contribution — every bit helps keep this work going.📖 The BookBECOMING DIVINE: The Awakening No One Prepared Me For — and the Method That Showed Me the Way. The honest account of what a real awakening looks like and the framework that emerged from it.🔮 Work With Me🌿 The Self-Spirit Method™My signature 14-step awakening program — behavioral psychology meets soul work.🎵 All My Links💙 Join the Free CommunityEnjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.Thank you to everyone who has supported me and this work. Each and every ...