"Steve Strong: Rebuilding from Rock Bottom & Healing Reality Through Tabletop RPGs" | EP062

This week we sit down with Steve Strong of the Dungeons in the Attic podcast for a deeply honest conversation about personal transformation. Steve opens up about his experiences with trauma, mental health, and the emotional weight he carried from childhood into adulthood. We explore how stubbornness shaped him, how tabletop role-playing games became a space for healing and connection, and the unexpected lessons found in the restaurant industry and fantasy storytelling alike. It’s a raw, reflective, and ultimately hopeful conversation about becoming the person you needed when you were younger.0:00 our guest this week is Steve Strong, part of the “Dungeons in the Attic” podcast3:30 Steves thoughts on the current state of mental health5:50 Steve’s love for Kid Cudi10:00 the value of asking yourself and others important questions12:00 the power of connecting with people through the service industry17:00 Atlas from Greek mythology and carrying the burdens of others on your shoulders19:30 “The person I am now is all the things that I was never given as a child”23:00 the traumatic and isolating events in Steve’s life that forced him to fix himself or kill himself27:00 lessons in humility and stubbornness32:00 a transforming compliment from his stepfather35:00 You can always work a little bit day by day on yourself36:30 “my thing now is trying to elevate people, not bury them”43:45 Steve’s origin in the restaurant industry48:00 getting addicted to being around other people and avoiding loneliness51:00 Breaking down Dungeons and Dragons and other story based tabletop RPGs54:00 escaping reality through these games57:00 describing the cinematic world of “Dungeons in the Attic”1:06:00 these games are about the journey, not a winner or loser01:12:00 prioritizing story over rules in a rules-like game1:19:00 Steve’s council1:27:00 Be sure to check outJoin our exclusive community on GROUPED where you can find uncut episodes, messaging with your hosts, and early access to promotionshttps://app.grouped.com/whothoughtwedbeherepodJoin Whoop with our promotional code and get your first month free!https://join.whoop.com/us/en/Whothoughtwedbeherepod/Sign up for online therapy with our referral link.Get 20% off your first month with our podcast's link:Shout out to our favorite neighborhood screen printer JOKER INK  https://www.jokerink.com/NEW EPISODES WEEKLY!"Who Thought We'd Be Here?" is hosted by Steven Aigner and John Pugh. https://linktr.ee/whothoughtwedbeherepodPlease Like, Follow, Share, and Enjoy!!!