Outside Issues

Nick Casaccio joins us to talk about Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine and its twin dynamics of alcoholism and codependency, relating Mark Kerr’s struggles to our own recoveries. Addiction has a habit of migrating, and we discuss how gambling, shopping, and relationships have taken our stories down new rabbit holes. Nick finished school while he was in treatment more than thirteen years ago, and through Covid, bodybuilding, relationship struggles and physical ailments has continually offered himself in fellowship. The ultimate purpose of celebrating recovery milestones is to inspire newcomers and share our experience strength and hope to those who still suffer. Opening clip by Mark Kerr, from a 2009 interview Episode cover art by Perry Kneisel Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - A Men's Stag Birthday Bash(00:05:42) - How I Learned To Stop Drinking Alcohol During My Dark Times(00:11:08) - Gambling Helped Me Finish High School(00:17:18) - Casinos are a Bad Place for Gambling Stars(00:22:36) - Bipolar Patient Nick On His Spending Sprees(00:26:19) - The Smashing Machine: Ending Explained(00:27:13) - The Importance of 'The Codependent'(00:34:16) - Bipolar patient celebrates her 10th birthday

Audrey welcomes another wounded healer to Outside Issues: spiritual advisor Matthew Blankinship, who helps professionals and peers get stronger in their 11th Step. To become an expert in any field, Matthew believes ten years and ten thousand hours are required, to graduate from “digging the ditches to building the high rise.” After a traumatic brain injury, paralyzed muscles and Vegas nerve severance (among other injuries), Matthew dedicated his life to healing at age 33, beginning his life anew. Divine wisdom - which aided Matthew in his own recovery as it helps Audrey recover from trauma and grief - is something with only light in it. It works for everyone. Our highest and best goods project outward to people and the planet. Politics at their best, can be an extension of this. Mental health care and a spiritual practice give us the tools to keep ourselves in check so we can then help others. Follow Matthew on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattblankinship Opening clip by Brad Dourif and David Milch Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:01) - Outside Issues: The Future of Protest(00:00:56) - The No Kings Protest(00:03:30) - What Happened to My Brain at 33(00:10:18) - "You Just Look Good!"(00:10:43) - In the Heart of a Healer(00:12:10) - Audrey on Her Highest and Best Good(00:16:11) - I gave up hope for my life(00:23:28) - In the Elevator With Divine Wisdom(00:28:08) - Matthew on Working With Audrey's Recovery

Filmmaker and humanist Anna K. Scanlon joins the pod to talk about her recovery from hopelessness, which has led to a great period of creative synthesis culminating in “Toss Up,” her recently-completed film inspired by a career working on political campaigns. Anna's recovery came from a lot of places, notably a nudist resort in Mexico where she found herself after Bernie’s 2020 campaign hit the rocks. With her inspiration she pairs a capacity for forming strategies and executing plans. Moreover, her recovery’s focus on “romanticism rather than reason”, on love instead of anger, has given her a new lease on life.  Anna’s Substack: https://substack.com/@rockfoils “25 Propositions about the New Romanticism” by Ted Gioia: https://substack.com/home/post/p-184683172 Opening clip by Wagner Moura via ACLU “You read something which you thought only happened to you, and you discover that it happened 100 years ago to Dostoyevsky. This is a very great liberation for the suffering, struggling person, who always thinks that he is alone. This is why art is important.” ― James Baldwin, Conversations with James Baldwin Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Outside Issues: The Politics of Art(00:01:24) - Anna on Political Obsession and Mental Health(00:09:55) - Your Thoughts on Love and Reason(00:15:28) - Vaping Is Causing Cardiac Problems(00:16:35) - How to Get Back From Suicidal Ideation(00:20:39) - How Did Your Political Fever Affect Your Recovery?(00:28:04) - "Bipolar 2 Is Real"(00:29:06) - Audrey on Death and Aging(00:33:32) - You're In The Film 'Toss Up'(00:36:55) - In the Elevator With Patrick Flanery(00:41:07) - On 2020 and the Future

Audrey and Patrick welcome Minneapolis native and clinician Brian Dyke to talk about community responses to state violence. The joy in working with recovering people in these tough times can be found through helping them discover their inherent sense of individuality. Looking towards the future and continued ICE occupation in Minneapolis and other American cities, we must remember: these things will only continue to happen as long as they’re allowed to happen. Opening clip and quote by Ilhan Omar, U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District U.S. Citizens Testify About DHS/ICE’s Use of Violent Force: https://www.youtube.com/live/UagENT1CAP0?si=D2_DhzlAA7Mgvn5Y The Paramilitary ICE and CBP Units at the Center of Minnesota's Killings: https://www.wired.com/story/ice-cbp-srt-bortac-units-immigration-operations/?utm_brand=wired&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=aud-dev&fbclid=IwY2xjawP048NleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeR8OQvx5qLqSWcxMLq9EARy9T9RjzUAlf3hE3z65GFLQVJuMvmX6ySK-Nrn8_aem_jFvtTipjPFexdNQl4BdOJA The Execution of Alex Pretti Broke Me: https://youtu.be/nDEAWxG7Bq8?si=uKTHrze3yEn-vRMP Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - ICE's violent occupation of American cities(00:00:44) - Protesters Throw Dildos at Law Enforcement(00:06:00) - Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges on ICE infiltration(00:09:03) - Social Workers on the City's Emotional Weight(00:13:03) - Minnesota doctor on the treatment business(00:14:58) - Medicaid cuts in Washington state(00:19:24) - Tom Brokaw on 12 Step Practice(00:23:09) - Clinical psychologists talk about the politics of their patients(00:31:23) - Minnesota resident on ICE's response to North Minneapolis shooting(00:34:42) - The Need for Self-Care

Every member of the Trump administration is an abuser. Audrey and Patrick discuss Trump’s execution of Stephen Miller’s vision in American cities but most recently in Minneapolis with the murder of Renee Good. Today we mull our new reality of a President not just waging war abroad but on his domestic population, with misogyny and white supremacy at the tip of the spear. Opening clip and quote by Chase Iron Eyes of Ogala Sioux https://www.fox9.com/news/oglala-sioux-leaders-seek-missing-members-detained-ice-minneapolis?utm_source=chatgpt.com This Isn’t 2020: https://www.ettingermentum.news/p/this-isnt-2020 The Anti-'Abolish ICE' Crowd is Living in the Past: https://open.substack.com/pub/discourseblog/p/the-anti-abolish-ice-crowd-is-living?r=ffyqp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Closing quote by Hasan Piker Chapters (00:00:00) - American Indian members held by ICE in Minnesota(00:00:45) - The Renee Goode Shooting(00:07:40) - Anticipating a Civil War with ICE in the Cities(00:17:35) - "What Am I Going to Do To Protect My Family?"(00:19:59) - Escalation and Deescalation in Healthcare(00:21:25) - What a Deescalation Would Look Like for ICE?(00:26:22) - Don't Let ICE Agents Go to Your Neighborhood

We share our gratitudes and resentments for the 2025 that was, preparing for the devastation of HR-1/Trump’s Fuckity Fuck Fuck (see episode 2) that is sure to come. Audrey and Patrick welcome social worker Seth Boun to talk about some of his political advocacy, shedding light on the space where social justice and clinical work meet. In the fight for progress, in the fight for each other’s lives, sometimes we lose. Hope is a verb, as is recovery. Opening quote by Rob Reiner. Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Opening quote by Greta Thunberg Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Why People Do Things They Shouldn't(00:00:53) - Seth Boone on Outside Issues(00:02:03) - Social justice in mental health care(00:07:30) - I'm Not Political but Mental Health Care Is Political(00:15:22) - Talking With My Therapist About Mental Health(00:16:01) - Beyond the Need for Housing: Social Issues(00:19:03) - 2017: Trump's Homeless Executive Order(00:26:09) - Losing a Friend To Addiction(00:29:07) - On Gratitude for the Year(00:32:54) - Thanksgiving Letter: A Year in Recovery(00:36:17) - What Pissed You Off This Year?(00:39:35) - Thanksgiving 2018: What I'm Grateful For(00:45:44) - Seth on His Recovery

Dr. Jamie Marich - clinical trauma specialist, LGBTQIA+ advocate and author of Trauma and the 12 Steps - joins us as we return again to the intersection between recovery and social justice. Audrey and Jamie talk about spirituality, trauma, and the Steps. Is there such a thing as unconditional love? Is there any daylight between helplessness and powerlessness? We submit that there may be spiritual value in praying for those we resent, even Donald Trump. More about Jamie Marich: https://jamiemarich.com/meet-jamie/ Jamie’s recent Substack: “A Good Clinician is a Good Clinician: A Response to the Department of Education: https://open.substack.com/pub/jamiemarich/p/a-good-clinician-is-a-good-clinician?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Opening quote by Greta Thunberg Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Jamie Merrick on Trauma in the 12 Steps(00:09:47) - How to Heal an Addict: Healing the Brain(00:13:35) - The 12 Steps: Healing From Religious Trauma(00:20:50) - Patrick, What's Your Take On Unconditional Love(00:23:33) - Forgive and Regret: The Resentment Prayer(00:32:33) - Has anything changed about your personal recovery practice or your work?(00:36:58) - Have You Redone the 12 Steps?

Before getting into news (Israel Eurovision controversy, continued Trump ICE-fronted bigotry, war crimes) Audrey talks about her 20 year high school reunion and Patrick processes the pain of an ex who struggles with homelessness. Opening quote by Greta Thunberg Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Opening quote by Greta Thunberg Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - The urgency of climate issues(00:01:02) - Bipolar Patient on Being Happy(00:04:07) - My High School Reunion Was A Whack(00:08:34) - I Can't Help My Ex-Girlfriend Who's Trying To(00:15:57) - A movie theater employee's touching story(00:16:23) - I Blocked Her Parents From Contact(00:22:19) - I Had A Lot Of Guilt Over My Relationship With Maddie(00:27:08) - Russell Brand on Israel(00:33:21) - Trump's Racist Comments on Immigration(00:38:00) - Trump's Military Strikes in the Caribbean

Deep thoughts on favorite serial killers from Wisconsin, ghost roommates, and the blue stuff RFK ingests in an attempt to extend his horrible life. Congratulations to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city of New York, and citizens everywhere who refuse to sink into despair. Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Outside Issues With Audrey and Patrick(00:01:20) - I Saw An ICE Raid Outside My Workplace(00:05:10) - What's Your Little Joyful Pocket of Life?(00:11:57) - On Writing With A Horse(00:16:58) - What's The Best Halloween Candy?(00:17:54) - Which Classic Monster Would Make The Best roommate?(00:21:41) - Do You Scare The Kids With Horror Movies?(00:26:10) - Follow The Eyes Of The Clown

For domestic violence awareness month, Audrey shares her experience strength and hope, both from a clinical perspective and from once living in the 90th percentile of homicide risk from her abuser. To show up for survivors, the most important thing we can do is listen to them, believe them, validate their experience. The role of anger can be valid and constructive, not just self-immolating.   We also touch on ongoing ICE kidnappings, the radicalization of the liberal Democratic base, controversy surrounding progressive Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, continued rizz of the Mamdani campaign, and the tsunami of the national No Kings protest.   U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233   Domestic Violence online resources (Instagram) for those who may need help: @ndvhofficial @rainn @childhelp @nrcdv @deafhotline @niwrc @strongheartsDV @futureswithoutviolence @womenforwomen @blackandmissingfdn   Opening quote by Evan Rachel Wood   Title references Tina Turner’s escape from her abuser with little more than the clothes on her back.   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - White Privilege in Domestic Violence(00:07:17) - Graham Platner on Sen. Susan Collins(00:13:43) - October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month(00:22:01) - Domestic Violence Awareness Month(00:25:02) - Domestic Violence Survivor Talking About Healing(00:29:29) - In the Elevator With JD Vance(00:32:00) - One of many places where men can contribute positively to this problem(00:34:23) - No Kings Protest: How Was the Protest?

Audrey and Patrick discuss Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth’s address to top military brass. The continued deployment of U.S. troops to cities (bolstering ICE brutalities) plays a key role in the continued degradation of American institutions and the rapid drop into authoritarianism we’re all experiencing. Met during treatment in early recovery, Audrey’s friend and former service member Richard Orosco joins us. Richard is a third-generation Mexican American from Redondo Beach, California, and a proud U.S. Army veteran. A graduate of Mira Costa High School’s class of 1996, Richard enlisted shortly after graduation and served nearly six years as a truck driver, with assignments in Korea and across the United States. After a service-related injury led to a medical discharge, he has spent the years since focusing on recovery and personal growth, overcoming PTSD and anxiety through dedicated therapy and support from the VA in Long Beach. Today, Richard is happily married, a proud father to his daughter attending Cal State Long Beach, and continues to embrace life’s next chapters with optimism, gratitude, and a passion for travel and self-improvement.   Donate to the ACLU to support trans rights and fight the Trump agenda: https://action.aclu.org/give/pm-donate-fight-trump-agenda The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project:  https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject Every bit helps.   Opening conversation between Elissa Slotkin and Pete Hegseth was taken from his confirmation hearing. Title references the fictional (for now) “Bedford Forrest Medal of Honor” bestowed upon Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another, in theaters now.   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Secretary of Defense: No President Has the Right to Use the Uniform(00:01:29) - Richard's Mother Meets His Sister(00:08:19) - One HIV patient's journey to recovery(00:13:35) - One father's journey back to sobriety(00:17:48) - Richard Orozco on His Journey To Sobriety(00:19:58) - Bipolar 2 and Borderline Personality Disorder(00:27:40) - Richard on the President's Military Speech(00:35:22) - Veterans Talk About Their Fear(00:41:30) - Let Trump Be Trump: Martin Sheen

In light of Charlie Kirk’s murder, this week we talk about political violence and review “Eddington,” Ari Aster’s recent film that explores America's culture war, alienation, and predilection for carnage.   “You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won't have a single gun death. That is nonsense. It's drivel. But I think it's worth it. I think it's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational. Nobody talks like this. They live in a complete alternate universe.” • Charlie Kirk at a Turning Point USA Faith event in 2023.   For excellent journalism focusing on trans rights: https://www.erininthemorning.com/   Donate to the ACLU to support trans rights and fight the Trump agenda: https://action.aclu.org/give/pm-donate-fight-trump-agenda   Support humanitarian aid for Ukraine: https://novaukraine.org   The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net   Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project:  https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject   Every bit helps.   Opening clip from Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine”   Music from Jefferson Ross’ Southern Currency and Herman Kluge’s Society of Little Friends   Episode Art by Perry Kneisel   Main logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Outside Issues With Audrey and Patrick(00:00:58) - Charlie Kirk's Death Is Unthinkable(00:08:53) - Charlie Kirk's Death on the Left(00:14:15) - Matthew Dowd on the Shooting of Charlie Kirk(00:19:19) - Post-Watching The Dark Knight(00:19:53) - The Ballot in(00:24:11) - Emma Stone on 'The Wife'(00:31:25) - Ted Garcia's Campaign Commercial(00:33:23) - On The Left vs The Right(00:39:58) - How to Recharge Yourself During the Holidays(00:40:43) - How Can You Win or Lose?

Our friend Jake shares his experience of being trans, queer and disabled, working overtime to survive a political climate that terrorizes marginalized groups. Central to his survival has been an aggressive pursuit of all the tools available -  mental health support, political action, even home gardening - which can be mobilized to help him live. We need to talk about suicide and how that’s connected to political choices and the material conditions they foster. Trans rights are human rights. The harm visited on any marginalized group is a threat to us all. As the saying goes: if they can do it to “them” - be it immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, Palestinians in Gaza, the unhoused - they can do it to “us.”   For excellent journalism focusing on trans rights: https://www.erininthemorning.com   Donate to the ACLU to support trans rights and fight the Trump agenda: https://action.aclu.org/give/pm-donate-fight-trump-agenda   Support humanitarian aid for Ukraine: https://novaukraine.org   The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net   Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project:  https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject   Every bit helps.   Introductory quote by Hunter Schafer   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Trans People Talk About The Trump Era(00:05:59) - The Need to Leave the United States(00:13:43) - The Suicide Crisis Line for Trans People(00:18:57) - Trans People on the Suicide Hotline(00:22:24) - How To Help Yourself When You're Suicidally(00:26:36) - How Have You Been Stopping Suicidality?(00:35:23) - The Fight for a Just World

In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, Audrey remembers loved one Adam Popp, who passed away far too young from a drug overdose. We talk about harm reduction, soul mates, and Prince. As much as is possible, we encourage those with loved ones in the throes of addiction to try and hold on, in ways big or small. Human connection and socialization remains one of the most effective ways to combat addiction’s isolating effects. Where there’s life, there’s hope.   International Overdose Awareness Day is August 31st. https://www.overdoseday.com/   Prevention toolkit: https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/toolkits/ioad.html   Adam’s DJ moniker “Progress Inevitable” lends our closing song, “Fire.” More of his music is available on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/proginev   Please consider donating to humanitarian aid for Ukraine: https://novaukraine.org   The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net   Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project:  https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject   Every bit helps.   Introductory quote by Chris Cornell   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Scott Weiland on the Need for More Musicians(00:00:43) - Bipolar patient talks about his medication(00:02:58) - Phil Collins on Overdose Awareness(00:09:52) - When You Do Drugs With A Republican For A Week(00:14:09) - My Soulmate Was Abusive(00:19:40) - One More Voice for Recovering From A Drug Overdose(00:27:58) - Bipolar 12 Step Participants on Harm Reduction(00:31:08) - Adam overdosed on Prince's music

"Quiet isn't always peace, and the norms and notions of what is just isn't always justice" -Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate   Audrey and Patrick touch on Trump’s misbegotten attempts to resolve the Russia/Ukraine war and make broader assessment of U.S. imperialism. Classrooms away from each other, we experienced 9/11 on TV in the same high school, separately embarking on journeys towards the anti-war, pro-human perspective we share today.   Considering Taylor Swift’s appearance on the New Heights podcast, we ask what powerful individuals should do with their platforms and influence in our time of omnipresent injustice and systemic collapse. How defensible is silence (an “apolitical” stance) when celebrity can move the needle on important issues, saving lives?   Before we wrap up we talk gun control in the context of mental health and deployment of righteous violence against oppressive systems.    Please consider donating to humanitarian aid for Ukraine: https://novaukraine.org   The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net   Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project:  https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject   Every bit helps.   Introductory quote by Muhammad Ali   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Trump's Attempt to Make Peace With Putin(00:06:21) - "I Was Pro-War When I Was Younger"(00:13:01) - The Problem With Police Training(00:17:02) - Do You Like Taylor Swift?(00:18:09) - I Got Into A Political Argument With Suanne(00:25:36) - Taylor Swift on Kanye's Comments About Politics(00:31:58) - Marathon Gun Owners: The Second Amendment(00:38:47) - Quakers on the Right: Violence

Audrey and Patrick briefly touch on new Trump authoritarianism and Israel’s assassination of journalists, before returning to their own histories of addiction and questions of recovery maintenance. Patrick has chosen not to have children, but Audrey looks forward to being a mom. We touch on the fears but also the hope and promise of bringing a child into a world so fraught with danger and suffering.   In the second part of the episode, Patrick’s sponsor Danny B. joins with his own experience, strength, and hope of fatherhood.   Rest in power Anas al-Sharif, 28-year-old journalist for Al-Jazeera that was among those slain in Gaza this week by the IDF.   Danny’s Substack article on Trump’s replay of the Bush years - Pride Cometh Before the Fall: https://open.substack.com/pub/envelope/p/pride-cometh-before-the-fall?r=ffyqp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false   Please consider donating to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net   Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project:  https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject   Every bit helps.   CNN Interview with Doug Wilson - Christian nationalist pastor with ties to Sec. Defense Pete Hegseth: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/08/politics/video/christian-nationalist-doug-wilson-pam-brown-digvid   More on Trump deploying the National Guard to DC: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/13/mayor-dc-trump-national-guard   Introductory quote is from Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men.   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Baby's First Birthday(00:00:26) - Trump Deploys National Guard to D.C.(00:03:25) - The Smithsonian's plan to censor Trump's History(00:04:37) - How to Talk To Someone About Their Substance Use Problems(00:10:43) - How I Learned To Live With My Addiction(00:17:03) - How To Deal With Anxiety From Smoking Weed(00:21:05) - Doug Wilson on Women and Their Age(00:28:28) - I'm Glad My Friends Are Having Fun Without a Child(00:33:48) - Got the plague as an adult(00:38:12) - What It's Really Like to Walk Through Mud(00:39:09) - Tommy Lee on Giving Everything Up(00:44:29) - The Right Partner for the Kids(00:45:17) - The Secret to Success in Relationships(00:47:44) - Interviewing Amy Poehler(00:50:33) - Bradley on the 2020 election(00:54:49) - Lefties on the Right:(00:58:28) - Dad on His Son's Courage

Attorney and law professor H. Marissa Montes joins us to talk about the plight of immigrants during this period of fascism and white nationalism driven by media, lawmakers and the White House. She articulates strategies for fighting the good fight and advocating for our immigrant brothers and sisters. As Audrey’s best friend for twenty years, we discuss where that impulse towards social justice comes from. In her continued honesty and vulnerability, Audrey touches on her recent struggles with bipolar disorder.   Introductory Quote by Ilhan Omar. https://youtu.be/1aI2k2h7rF4?si=diEm60oaL37cyArM   More about Marissa and the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic: https://www.lls.edu/faculty/facultylistl-r/hmarissamontes   Marissa on the Art of Purpose podcast: https://youtu.be/89UBUtUz_C4?si=Sz37V3yF6RUwU4Zc   The episode title derives from Leviticus 19:33-34 and 24:22: “When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:13) - Outside Issues: Immigration and Trump(00:03:35) - Patrick Tells His Best Friend About The TPing(00:06:00) - The Latina Student Who Walked Out(00:13:55) - On the 2020 Census exclusion of undocumented immigrants(00:21:21) - How Do Immigrant Right Issues Affect My Clients?(00:28:35) - Marissa on the LA ICE Raids(00:37:04) - Mental illness detainees in detention(00:43:26) - What should we ask of our elected representatives vis a vis immigration?(00:47:47) - Mental Illnesses: What's helped you get through this week

“Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor; and if one is a member of a captive population, economically speaking, one's feet have simply been placed on the treadmill forever.” ― James Baldwin, Nobody Knows My Name   Audrey discusses Trump's new executive order: "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets," which seeks to punish individuals suffering from addiction, mental illness and poverty by incarcerating them or denying vital treatments. We touch on the ravages of meth addiction, RFK's healthcare-as-personal-fetish, and the ongoing war on the trans community.   From last week, please consider donating to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF): https://www.pcrf.net  Further relief options to the victims of genocide and famine through The Sameer Project: https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject  Every bit helps.   More on the executive order: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/24/nx-s1-5479139/trump-homelessness-executive-order-civil-commitment-camping    Introductory Quote by James Baldwin: "How much time do you want for your progress?"   Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month https://thearc.org/blog/why-and-how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month/#:~:text=Observed%20every%20July%2C%20Disability%20Pride,norms%20to%20live%20meaningful%20lives    Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:00) - Donor's Notes(00:01:42) - Alcoholics' Issues(00:06:07) - International Meeting for Beyond Belief(00:07:50) - How to manage distress about the world(00:10:05) - Back to Our Regular Shtick(00:10:45) - Trump Signs Executive Order to End Homeless Violence(00:20:38) - Homeless People on Meth(00:25:44) - Domestic Violence Survivors on Skid Row(00:33:02) - On the Need for More Addiction Policing(00:35:09) - RFK Jr Criticizes SSRIs(00:40:57) - The Fight for Real Change(00:41:32) - "This Is For The Palestinians"

“Please God give everyone the strength to say something.” -Ms. Rachel   Following seventy-five years of apartheid and Hamas’ attack on October 7th, Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people has become undeniable. The pact between Israel and the West has made a mockery of international law, corroded institutions, compromised democracies, and claimed thousands of lives. In Gaza now there is a famine, wherein baby formula is seized at military checkpoints and aid workers fired upon.   The physical and mental costs are beyond measure for Palestinians suffering on the ground. Empathetic citizens of the world who watch helplessly are also affected, and Audrey and Patrick speak to it, bringing their own experience and perspectives to bear.   For independent journalism, consider: DropSite News: https://www.dropsitenews.com  The Intercept: https://theintercept.com  Séamus Malekafzali: https://substack.com/@malekafzali   Introductory Quote by Rachel Accurso, Educator (“Songs for Littles”), and Leen, from Gaza.   Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month https://thearc.org/blog/why-and-how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month/#:~:text=Observed%20every%20July%2C%20Disability%20Pride,norms%20to%20live%20meaningful%20lives   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:03) - Outside Issues: When Children's Rights Are Taken Away(00:01:30) - Anti-Semitism On The Air(00:10:59) - Punishment for Palestinian Genocide Images(00:20:11) - When Israel Uses Violence to Control the Palestinians(00:27:17) - Ms. Rachel on The Israel Crisis(00:35:34) - Grabbing a Biker By the Eyes on the Epstein Files(00:42:19) - Bipolar 2 patient talks about uncrustables(00:47:16) - Delinquency and the disability of mental illness(00:52:16) - QAnon: The New Eddington Review

In our ongoing series recognizing disability pride month, we talk to social worker Ryan Padilla, SWAICL, about how an accident which led to his paraplegia motivated him towards a new purpose of helping others in therapy, thinking global while acting local. Even before the injury that brought seismic change to his life, Ryan had always nurtured a desire to heal people. He describes in his experience the darkness as well as the light and even a new perspective of gratitude. He loves the person he is today because of his disability, not in spite of it.   Introductory Quote by Judy Heumann, Disability Rights Activist During a joint House-Senate hearing on discrimination on the basis of disability. September 27th 1988.   Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month https://thearc.org/blog/why-and-how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month/#:~:text=Observed%20every%20July%2C%20Disability%20Pride,norms%20to%20live%20meaningful%20lives   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:02) - The Right to Life for Disabled Americans(00:00:29) - Ryan on Disability Pride Month(00:08:09) - Patients talk about their work as therapists(00:11:55) - Bipolar patients talk about their disability(00:18:30) - Bipolar Disorder Is Not a Disability(00:19:46) - Paralympic Athlete on Mental Health(00:28:05) - What Am I Not Seeing In My Past?(00:29:10) - Bipolar patient on substance abuse recovery(00:34:22) - How To Deal With the State of the World(00:40:04) - How having a disability has helped me as a clinician

Patrick and Audrey break down the “Big Beautiful Bill” (hereby called the Fuckity Fuck Fuck) that was recently made the law of the land by a heartless Republican Party, which seems intent on culling the herd to enrich the very few. In our subsequent exploration of trauma and recovery, Audrey details the long path she’s taken out of her own past of addiction, and the traumatic relationship that kept her in a vise grip of abuse until she finally reached out for help. In brighter news, we touch on socialist Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the NYC mayoral primary, offering a potential progressive, pro-human future we look to for fuel to keep us pushing towards better. If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic violence, text BEGIN to 88788 or call 800-799-7233, or visit thehotline.com     Opening quote by Michael Brooks, formerly of The Majority Report with Sam Seder and The Michael Brooks Show. Left is best <3 Read more from David Dayen at the American Prospect. https://prospect.org/topics/david-dayen Here’s what’s in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-in-trump-big-beautiful-bill-senate-version   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram)   Chapters (00:00:02) - Trump's Big Beautiful Health Care Bill(00:04:14) - Neutrality and Mental Health(00:11:50) - What's the Most Painful Mental Disorder You Can Have?(00:15:10) - On Heroin and Dating(00:21:11) - Married People Use Meth For Two Years(00:25:00) - Domestic Violence Survivor on The Trump Administration(00:31:22) - Social Workers speak out against the GOP's health care plan(00:37:18) - The Future of Political Ideas(00:40:11) - Democrat Ahmed Mamdani Wins New York City Primary

Audrey and Patrick talk social justice, Quaker ancestral truths, and formative romantic relationships before pivoting to the event that sparked this show: the ongoing siege and terrorizing of immigrant communities in Los Angeles and other cities in America by fascist ICE commandos animated by a white nationalist Trump administration.   Introductory Quote by: H. Marissa Montes, esq. Marissa is an immigration attorney and professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles as well as the founder of Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, also located in Los Angeles.   25 Places to Volunteer Your Skills for Immigrants and Angelenos in Need Right Now. https://lataco.com/los-angeles-volunteeer-immigration   Main show theme is “Strangers” by Midnight Prisms Music and lyrics by Alicia Beck Music and production by Max Foreman Mastering by Little Castle Sound Please follow and listen to Midnight Prisms on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/3o5jiLSZMoSXNWL98UBxYI?si=sK-K7IoUSp-QfFKgUwVY7A   Logo art by Patrick Mitchell and Angelina Harvey (@graffitifucks on Instagram) Chapters (00:00:02) - The Importance of Dating While Recovering(00:04:18) - What Was It Like To Date In The Room?(00:07:10) - How I got diagnosed with schizophrenia in my early 20s(00:12:38) - The day I was fired from my job(00:16:47) - Adam Levine on His Drug Use(00:21:43) - Mariah Carey on Her Political Issues(00:26:30) - Teens Talk Political Issues(00:31:21) - "I Should've Seen Trump Win"(00:35:40) - Andrew Breitbart Dead Near His Former Apartment(00:39:35) - Michael Buble Passes(00:42:04) - Antifa Are Extremely Leftist(00:47:40) - "We Want to Kill LGBTQ People By Suicide"(00:56:31) - In the Elevator With a Mental Illness Patient(00:59:01) - Tom and His 8-Year Sobriety