S2 E22 Jeff Brenneman

Who this episode is for:Anyone who feels like they were an alcoholic before their first drinkParents secretly hating the newborn phaseTherapists who drink alone and pretend it’s finePeople who nurse a beer until it becomes a personality traitAnyone who’s ever made a mess of their lifeEpisode 22: Therapist, Addict, Jesus-Lover — Jeff Brenneman Uncensored Strap in, degenerates. This one veers from Bible college to blackout whiskey nights, with a surprise stop for tea with the Taliban. Chris, Jeff, and Jakob welcome Jeff Brenneman, Clinical Director at Illinois Recovery Center. Once on track to be a preacher, Jeff’s life swerved through addiction, fatherhood breakdowns, and some very questionable DIY detoxing (do not recommend). This dude was an alcoholic before his first drink—and you’ll hear exactly why. They hit everything: Borderline Personality Disorder, perfectionism, fear of failure, therapy myths, Enneagrams, hiding from your own family, the dangers of being “the smart kid,” and what sobriety really takes. Also: Jeff’s kid visited Afghanistan. For fun. That’s not a metaphor. And while the Bible and recovery stuff run deep, there’s still plenty of chaos, Chris’s sex life, shame jokes, and Trader Joe’s tears to go around. Timestamps include:00:00 — Marco Bertorelli of Bertarelli Cutlery03:17 — Meet Jeff: therapist, ex-drunk, accidental pastor10:29 — Becoming a drunk despite a "perfect" life25:07 — “I was an alcoholic before I took a drink”30:43 — Borderline Personality Disorder gets real41:17 — His son visits Afghanistan... because why not?48:38 — Met wife in third grade. Cute, until the drinking.53:07 — DIY detoxing while mom’s in the guest room56:41 — The fifth of whiskey night58:59 — Half-assing AA doesn't work (duh)1:03:12 — Sponsorship & brutal honesty1:14:15 — God, guilt, and post-bottle faith1:23:01 — Jakob cries in Trader Joe’s1:32:03 — Accountability: the real rehab1:39:07 — Doing the work even when it sucks1:47:11 — Why Jeff stays at IRCSponsored by Illinois Recovery Center and Bertarelli Cutlery