On this episode: Nate flies solo and goes to conferences. Aaron visits guys.This week, Nate interviews Troy Haas. Troy is CEO of a less expensive and longer term onsite recovery program from sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Troy talks about hiding his sexual acting out for seven years while on the mission field in Africa. He shares how he was removed from the mission field and sent for recovery and healing in California, where he learned grace and love. He and others started a residential treatmen...
Jul 03, 2025•54 min•Ep. 469
On this episode: Nate talks about things he sees. Aaron pops over to the waterpark.This week, Nate and Aaron interview Chris Chandler. Chris is a Christian therapist in San Diego who brings surfer Jesus to his clients. He shares his story of getting expelled from school, DUI’s, and one-night-stands that led to his deconstruction of faith and eventual healing. Chris hosts male and female therapy groups online and is licensed in 22 states. Chris uses an approach of behavioral and emotional work to...
Jun 25, 2025•49 min•Ep. 468
On this episode: Nate Luau’s at Presbyterian Church. Aaron withholds his “arr,” he wants it so bean something. This week, Nate and Aaron interview Gail Stucker. Gail is an Allender Center trained story work coach working with individuals, couples, and groups. She shares her story of finding Jesus in para-church ministries. Gail shares her experiences of “purity culture” not being fireworks, relationship bliss, and all the promises from Ephesians. Discussing that if men don’t feel desired, they w...
Jun 19, 2025•54 min•Ep. 467
On this episode: A new Samson website updates and an opportunity for IT volunteers. Nate takes his ear muffs off. Aaron shares what makes Jesus like you more. This week, Nate and Aaron interview Molly LaCroix. Molly is a therapist and author from Bend, Oregon. She helps Nate, and Aaron apply the principles of I.F.S (internal family systems) to the lives of Samson and David (from the Bible). Discussion includes the potential that both Samson and David were sex addicts with details that aren’t fre...
Jun 12, 2025•57 min•Ep. 466
On this episode: Nate gets cheap airline tickets. Aaron navigates and revisits what it’s like to be under pressure. This week, Nate and Aaron interview Ian Cron. Ian has a new book out called: The Fix, looking at the light hearted transformation that the 12-steps have. Ian shares how he unconsciously audited the 12-steps in 1987. He shares how his spiritual misadventures were an invitation from God for deeper intimacy. The suggestion that a setback is a better name than relapse. Ian also shares ...
Jun 05, 2025•49 min•Ep. 465
On this episode: Nate reads and Aaron asks questions. This week, Nate and Aaron interview returning guest Dr Eddie Capparucci. Eddie has authored a new book to help betrayed partners who feel stuck and like they aren’t finding freedom. He reminds us that we can’t go deep without help from others. Eddie gives hope that we don’t have to have future relationships that are repeats from our past wounded relationships. He shares ten roles of inner children and how addressing them heals past wounds. He...
May 29, 2025•47 min•Ep. 464
Title: Ongoing Recovery w/ Alec Gibson On this episode: Aaron is thinking and collects quote books. Nate discusses the roles of dads and friends.This week, Nate and Aaron interview fellow Pirate Monk, Alec Gibson. Alec shares his story of how he was cured in 4-6 months, just like everyone else. He talks about the importance of ongoing recovery, continuing to attend summits and intensives multiple times. Also, how healing happens when giving back to others in service. Alec shares his story of aba...
May 22, 2025•46 min•Ep. 463
On this episode: Nate met God in bigger, better, closer ways in 12-step. Aaron chose the correct 1 of 33,000 options.This week, Nate and Aaron interview returning guest Michael John Cusick. Michael is back with a new book, Sacred Attachment . In his new book he discusses attachment styles, spiritual exhaustion, and how to understand and continue on the journey of transforming, growth, and changing. He also talks through the role of care givers when we were growing up, and how they help us develo...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 462
On this episode: Aaron moves to the dam lake. Nate recommends bbq. Also this week, Nate and Aaron talk to Lorne Williams. Lorne is a middle child who lives in the bigger city of Appleton, WS. He hosts the Friday Morning Studs Samson Society meeting. He shares how his epileptic mom died when he was a kid, his dad was an alcoholic, and his sibling who had developmental disabilities, led to where he is today. His escape to comic books were a gateway to when he found his dad’s soft-core porn stash w...
May 07, 2025•42 min•Ep. 461
On this episode: Aaron talks about his socks. Erin explains that rubber wears. Nate hasn’t returned from the bathroom.This week, Nate, Aaron, and Erin talk to Meredith Phipps. Meredith is a trauma informed certified yoga instructor. She shares her journey of how she numbed the pain with infidelity as she discovered self-care and healing in exercise and yoga. Investigating that the pose you don’t want to do, maybe the pose you need to do. Similarly, the anger, pain, fear you want to avoid, is lik...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 460
On this episode: Aaron and Nate return from Florida separately. Aaron asks if girls or guys are better.Also, Updates on the walking retreat for 2025 as well as many other retreats. Sign-up now!This week, Nate and Aaron have a discussion with our very own pirate monk: Storm Myers. Storm isn’t an author or pedaling his wares. He’s a guy with a story inviting others to join with him to share their stories too. Storm discusses his journey of affairs, drugs, over working, seeking relationships to avo...
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 459
On this episode: Aaron is in Texas or Mississippi, maybe, networking. Nate is solo and talks about “the great unplugging”. This week, Nate interviews Mike Novotny. Mike is an author, pastor, husband, and father. Mike serves from Appleton, WI, one of the top ten drunkest towns in the United States, where he is known for having sermon series’s that discuss the difficult things. Topics include, but are not limited to porn and its damages, transgender, confession, and masturbation. Mike talks about ...
Apr 17, 2025•52 min•Ep. 458
On this episode: Nate provides tough support to extended family. Aaron asks how Jesus would show up. They also discuss an adventure Samson weekend and want your feedback .This week, Nate and Aaron talk to adrenaline junkie Ryan George. Ryan is the oldest of six siblings, a preacher's kid, a home school kid, traveler, wing walker, author, speaker, husband, and father, and is experienced in "cloisteration". He shares how his search for Jesus has taken him to over 30 countries. The guys discuss Rya...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 457
On this episode: Aaron sees two sets of footprints in the sand and has weird thoughts about transitions. Nate thinks about going back in time.This week, Nate and Aaron talk to Charlie Peacock. Charlie was married at eighteen, has been a performing musician since 14, is an author, song writer, producer, and has played most types of music. Charlie talks about his northern California music influences that led him from blues, raw country, funk, soul, rhythm and blues, and many other genres. He share...
Apr 03, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 456
On this episode: Aaron is missing someone to feed him grapes. Nate is home in Mount pleasant.This week, Nate and Aaron interview Joel Burns. Joel is a blogger and musician who is not a minister or college educated. He writes about and questions the journey of Christian manhood. Joel is a self professed skeptic and critic who helps ask why and leads others to question “church culture” and compare it to what the Bible actually says. Joel talks about lots of “myths” in the church that are dispensed...
Mar 20, 2025•44 min•Ep. 455
On this episode: Aaron is late and compromised, and Nate forgot. They discuss crisis management and cold fish.This week, Nate and Aaron interview Carl Lehenbauer. Carl is an author and pastor in Wisconsin. He shares that churches are often prudish and avoid the book of the Song of Songs, so he studied and wrote about it. Carl guides us on the model we should use in pursuing one another in a relationship. The book teaches that we should eat, drink, and be drunk with the wife of your youth. He tal...
Mar 10, 2025•54 min•Ep. 454
On this episode: Nate is disjointed for southern migration. Aaron loves appetizers and dips. Both discuss limiting outrage porn and news. This week, Nate and Aaron interview David Kerwin. David is a registered nurse who became a certified health addiction counselor and uses internal family systems in his practice. He shares his background of multigenerational addiction, depression, and suicidality. His personal experiences include alcoholism from childhood and being caretaker for his dad, and fa...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 453
Nate enjoys a closed road. Aaron likes snow days and rocks his underwear. This week, Nate and Aaron interview returning guest Ron Williams and first timer Rob Schettler. Ron refreshes us on his story of over 20 years as a minister, prison time, and becoming an addiction recovery coach. He shared in more detail on episode 372. Rob shares about his journey as a Chaplain in pastoral care. They discuss how they assist others in healing from early childhood abuse through shepherding and story work. R...
Feb 20, 2025•47 min•Ep. 452
On this fresh and Crunchy episode, Aaron likes soggy cereal. Nate gives instruction on the right way to approach cereal.This week, Nate and Aaron interview Dr Jim Wilder. Dr Wilder prefers to be called Jim. Jim is a neuro-theologian. Jim has studied the science of character change and given us the findings in his book, Renovated . He helps understand why thinking differently won’t change us, but connection will. Some of the other topics include: sugar is a distraction from the relational circuit...
Feb 06, 2025•59 min•Ep. 451
Title: Transformation w/ Art Blanchford Aaron talks about the awkwardness of candy crushing your penis. Nate is Live. The guys discuss goals, resolutions, perfectionism, gamifying recovery, and increased success with community, support and feedback.This week, Nate interviews Art Blanchford. Art is a recovering workaholic, Tennessee local, and host of the Life in Transition Podcast. He is also a business consultant, coach, and leads midlife transformational retreats. They discuss the depth, growt...
Jan 30, 2025•57 min•Ep. 450
The Brain Wears History Colored Glasses w/ Juliane Taylor Shore Aaron recaps the 2024 Samson Summit. He shares his takeaways on vulnerability, storytelling and five senses activities. Then he has bad internet. Nate discusses the first ever Canadian retreat June 6-8, eh. This week, Nate interviews Juliane Taylor Shore. Juliane is an author, speaker, teacher, therapist, and leads online and in-person intensives and workshops. She nerds out (in a good way) on neuroscience as she shares ways with us...
Jan 24, 2025•48 min•Ep. 449
On this episode: Nate and Aaron are live and in color. Aaron says interesting things and swallows spit. Nate escapes the bitter cold of Tennessee, because he is old. Exciting News: Pure Desire, 7-Pillars is moving from Portland to the Nashville area, and there will be an Austria Samson retreat in 2025! Our Guest: Dr. Alexandra Repke has a background in criminology, correction, forensics, and personality disorders as they relate to addiction and recovery. She discusses her understanding of why ps...
Jan 09, 2025•55 min•Ep. 447
On this episode: Aaron interviews Mark and Michelle Hollingsworth. Our Guests: Mark and Michelle are trauma trained at the Allender Center and Art of Living Counseling Center in narrative focused healing as marriage counselors. They come from experience, navigating and recovering from an affair. They discuss offloading the burdens of trauma and secrets. Mark and Michelle talk about shame in the ministry, lack of Christian and church support, and navigating people that don’t know what to do with ...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 446
On this episode: Nate and Aaron end 2024 with hope. Aaron feels it in his chest. Nate revisits old recovery. Nate predicts the best national retreat ever, and Aaron may hula. Our Guest: Dr. Tom Bellamy is from the UK and an expert on the topic of limerence. He explains that limerence has properties similar to drugs and expires fairly quickly. He discusses the history and how to recognize the limerence type of love. Dr. Tom also gives help on how to end it, and even how to prevent it in the futur...
Dec 26, 2024•55 min•Ep. 445
On this episode: This week, it's Friday to Aaron. Our Guest: Kimberly Panganiban is a Gottman-trained LMFT with a Filipino last name. She tells her story of being curious about people and her parent's divorce that led her to the therapy field. Kimberly shares that many sexual problems in marriage are simply misalignments and are repairable with the help of an outsider. She discusses the importance of sexual communication, so that a couple is connecting, not merely having a mechanical event. How ...
Dec 19, 2024•45 min•Ep. 447
On this episode: Aaron is excited. Our Guest: Christine Baker is a PHD, CSAT, LPC, SEP, and a sex addiction therapist. She shares her journey from working at the Baptist Children’s home and attending a lecture that led her to pursue sex addiction therapy for women. Christine later transitioned into sex addiction therapy for men and women, stating the value and importance of helping men heal and relate to women in a healthy and appropriate way. She talks about why it's easier for males to get int...
Dec 12, 2024•59 min•Ep. 446
On this episode: Nate and Aaron talk about different seasons of life. They share how important it is to balance parts of life, including: work, friends, play, and scheduling. Our Guest: Sam Jolman shares how he asked his brother to clarify sexual questions for him. They discuss how many people are sexually awakened and then immediately shamed. Sam shows us how to welcome one's sexuality, learning to respond with awe instead of lust. He talks about the different experiences of coming to sexual in...
Dec 05, 2024•59 min•Ep. 442
On this episode: Nate and Aaron talk about healthy play. Nate shares what it's like to attend 3 intensives in 2 months. He shares the joy and relief in attending intensives instead of leading them. Our Guest: Shane Ramer is an old school skater, recovery coach, and podcaster. They discuss recreation and fun in sobriety and fighting the boredom. Shane shares why community is important, even when we may have found it in the wrong places at times. How giving back and volunteering helps to heal and ...
Nov 28, 2024•56 min•Ep. 441
On this episode: Nate and Aaron are back for another episode of the podcast a few people will enjoy. This podcast took a year off of Aarons Life. Planning for the Italy and Germany retreats are discussed, as well as Octoberfest. Our Guest: Dr. Carrie Cole is director of research, training, and runs the “Love Lab” at the Gottman Institute. She performs analysis of relationships. Carrie shares through research that men are more emotional than women and stay that way longer. Discussion includes rea...
Nov 21, 2024•59 min•Ep. 440
On this episode: Nate and Aaron bring the podcast back. Aaron wears pants and a hat on Thursday. Nate is still swimming and reads Lonely All the Time. And Aaron goes to jail. Our Guest: Vickey Easa is a therapist and podcaster in Boston Mass via SoCal. She discusses the cultural challenges of how sarcasm is avoiding vulnerability and also blocks intimacy. Understanding how males use insults to show love, especially in the show Friends. Vickey helps couples work through why we keep reacting and n...
Nov 14, 2024•59 min•Ep. 439
