Acting can be a devastatingly competitive business, and actors can find themselves saying and doing things they never thought they would. In one of our lighter episodes, Brianne and Briana divulge hilarious secrets about their early careers and the shift needed to be your authentic self. Actress and musician Briana Lane is best known for her recurring roles on NBC's The New Normal, Freeform's Young & Hungry and her portrayal of Brook Lynn Quartermaine on ABC's General Hospital. To connect Br...
Dec 07, 2020•27 min•Ep. 26
Transform your past experiences into positive, life-affirming behaviors. Michelle Chalfant's Adult Chair model is an integrated approach that will help you recognize how all of your life experiences have shaped you and then use that awareness to regain control, discover your most authentic self and transform your life! — From time to time, we'll be releasing BONUS EPISODES that will either be following up with past guests or feature specialists in the field of mental health, success, and recover...
Nov 30, 2020•27 min
On the heels of the Secret Life podcast releasing its 27th episode and the 4-month mark, host Brianne Davis and husband/producer Mark Gantt express their deepest gratitude and reflect on their positive personal experiences they've had so far. Humbled by all the love and support, they also share feedback, messages, revelations, and inspiration from the hundreds of notes and reviews they've received. A celebration and thank you to the listeners that the show was created for in the first place. TOP...
Nov 27, 2020•31 min
Debting and underearning were destroying Mark’s relationships, career, and ultimately his sanity. With 20 years of sobriety, he found himself at yet another bottom. Underearning wasn’t just about an inability to pay his bills; it was a more profound belief that he wasn’t ever going to get what he desired. As he uncovered, discovered, and discarded the shame he carried around his money issues, Mark found the willingness to own his talents, speak his truth and created a stronger relationship with ...
Nov 23, 2020•31 min•Ep. 25
Celebrating Transgender Awareness Week: In 1993, DeeDee transitioned from a man to a woman at the age of 33. And though it was an overall positive experience, it was clear that it was much easier to be a man in the world. Driven by a passion for entertaining and educating, DeeDee's journey is both uplifting and inspiring. #TransAwarenessWeek _______ The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, tra...
Nov 16, 2020•25 min•Ep. 24
Ep #23's Jennifer was struck with a powerful realization after listening to her episode and agreed to share more. HHaving had an even greater wave of guilt and shame, she can’t help but wonder if she willed her baby away. Shortly after the miscarriage and the break-up, she moves across the country, drinking and hooking up with men to numb the pain, and fell into a deep depression. She felt hopeless, loveless, and lost her passion for acting. ______ TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE INCLUDE abuse, miscarria...
Nov 15, 2020•18 min
What do you do when you want a baby so bad you’re willing to stay in an abusive relationship to have one? But at 12 weeks, Jennifer began having complications with her pregnancy, and her world was turned upside down. ______ Brene Brown has said this about Guilt and Shame: Based on my research and the research of other shame researchers, I believe that there is a profound difference between shame and guilt. I believe that guilt is adaptive and helpful – it’s holding something we’ve done or failed...
Nov 09, 2020•17 min•Ep. 23
Society conditions us to strive to be perfect — be thin, toned, ripped, trimmed, waxed, peeled, tan, liked, followed, friended, and then... we will be loved. There's a misconception that only women put themselves under a microscope when it comes to their bodies and their looks, but men do too. A new study points to a surprising connection between rising perfectionism in our culture and rising mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. The study, published in the American Psychologic...
Nov 02, 2020•29 min•Ep. 22
**Trigger warning. This episode is about sexual assault and rape.** At 15, Emily was raped by the Homecoming King and at 16, sexually assaulted by a police officer. She swore she wouldn't tell anyone. 1 in 3 women has been sexually assaulted by the time they are 18, yet the majority go unreported. The rape culture that continues to exist needs to change. As a society, why aren't we teaching our impressionable young men about sex, respect, and boundaries? How can we educate our hormone-raging tee...
Oct 26, 2020•37 min•Ep. 21
His sex and love addiction became front-page news, "Talent Scout Arrested on Immoral Charges." His addiction robbed him of a successful career, marriage, and his dignity. 30 years later, Jay has helped hundreds of people recover from the deadly disease of sex and love addiction. ______ Jay Parker, consultant and recovery coach, guides those who struggle with addiction on their journey from shame to grace. To find out more about Jay: https://jayparker.org Jay Parker is a native of New York City w...
Oct 19, 2020•34 min•Ep. 20
Alexandra was 4 1/2 when her father was murdered. Her life was turned upside down, she struggled with the attention, fitting in, and finding herself. ______ Connect with Alexandra on Instagram ______ TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE INCLUDE dishonesty, lying, peer pressure, childhood, trauma, dating, self-love, inspiration, siblings, secrets. ______ If you or anyone you know struggles with addiction, depression, trauma, sexual abuse, or feeling overwhelmed, we've compiled a list of resources the Secret Li...
Oct 12, 2020•25 min•Ep. 19
Keeping a secret about a raging eating disorder meant she didn't have to get better. Christine Lakin breaks down how she isolated her decade long battle with bulimia and anorexia, shifting her focus and perspective and how she created a healthy lifestyle. Christine is a director, producer and actress. She is best known from the 90’s sit-com “Step By Step”. She lives in California with her husband and two children. To connect with Christine Lakin: Instagram | Twitter ______ TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE...
Oct 05, 2020•30 min•Ep. 18
A year and a half into her marriage, Gabrielle Stone finds out her husband has been having an affair. Then she meets a man, and he asks her to marry him. Forty-eight hours before a trip to Italy, he breaks up with her. Her first thought... FML! _______ Gabrielle Stone is no stranger to the world of entertainment. Growing up on set with her legendary scream queen mother Dee Wallace (Cujo, E.T.), she had days of licking off mommy’s fake blood and getting the travel bug at an early age. Gabrielle e...
Sep 28, 2020•28 min•Ep. 17
The impulsive, addictive dark side of toy collecting and the need for people to have "an object of desire." OCD is about control. But what is a 5-year-old trying to control? Alex unpacks a secret he kept from his wife for years, the shame he carried, and his recent OCD diagnosis. Getting to the bottom of the psychology of collecting and why he devoted significant amounts of time, money, and energy making and maintaining his collection. An activity he shared with his now-estranged brother only fe...
Sep 21, 2020•25 min•Ep. 16
Cheating on her with a transexual sex worker was the final straw, but the signs were there from the start for Lucie and the fast and furious seven-month relationship with the quintessential bad boy. ______ Lucie Pohl is a German-American Film, TV and Voice Actor, comedian, writer and the voice of Mercy from Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch. Known for Red Dwarf XI, Homeland, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, David Chase's Not Fade Away. Lucie has written three solo comedy shows which hav...
Sep 14, 2020•27 min•Ep. 15
For 25 years, Johnathon Schaech held a secret very close to him, he'd been sexually assaulted on his first film by the famed Italian director, Franco Zeffirelli. In 2018, at the peek of the MeToo Movement, Johnathon shared his story with the world. But going public, fighting for those who don't have a voice, plunged him further into darkness, anger, and shame. It wasn't until he discovered a program for sex and love addicts that he found recovery, peace, and the tools to live a shame-free life. ...
Sep 07, 2020•25 min•Ep. 14
Dixie steals as a way to connect with her estranged father. Dixie is active in multiple recovery programs and works a great program, yet she still grapples with stealing. She and her father formed a bond while crashing weddings and shoplifting together at a very young age. Dixie Perkinson is an actress (Speechless, Wilfred) and writer (Eat My Prune) living in Los Angeles. You can connect with Dixie on Instagram . TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE INCLUDE addiction, recovery, stealing, shoplifting, father/d...
Aug 31, 2020•26 min•Ep. 13
Checking himself into a psych ward with 29 years of sobriety was the last thing Ricky B. thought he would do. But after an aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis, he found the distant darkness that had plagued him in the past snuck back in. And the only option that made sense was to take his life. Yet he kept that all to himself. Yet another example that people are facing their own battles all the time, even if it isn't obvious. Ricky shares his heart-wrenching story as he turns his life around, i...
Aug 28, 2020•32 min•Ep. 12
What they don’t tell you is that when your child is born, a part of you dies and you have to come to terms with this new identity. Brittany Ishibashi and Brianne share their stories of struggling with postpartum, trying to be the perfect mom and finding time for self-care in times of quarantine. The two swap hilarious stories of fantasizing about just walking out the door (with their masks on of course), only to have their child do something insanely adorable, reminding them why it’s all worth i...
Aug 25, 2020•31 min•Ep. 11
A family member took Shang's innocence; decades later he recognized that it wasn't his fault, his problem, or his shame to carry. What followed was a journey towards self-discovery, self-love, and finding his power as an artist. In effect, breaking the beliefs, his family held about being black, LGBTQ, and the secrets they kept. If you'd like to share your secret and be on the show: send an email to secretlifepodcast@icloud.com . ______ If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, dep...
Aug 21, 2020•34 min•Ep. 10
On the outside, Bonnie's Hollywood career was a success, but when the fun and thrills of drinking had disappeared, she found herself at a critical moment in her life. Her willingness to change and be messy led to an incredible story of transformation, self-love, and the art of being present. Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. As a weekly columnist, she began demystifying the casting process for actors in 1999. Her most popular book is Self-Mana...
Aug 18, 2020•26 min•Ep. 9
* Please note that this episode contains topics of sexual abuse, trauma and abortion. Some people may find disturbing.* Robbed of her innocence, a beautiful Lisa finds herself in the throes of addiction and self-harm. As a young woman, she regretfully used abortion as a form of birth control. Lisa's journey towards healing her inner child, forgiving herself, and the shame she carried around for decades is both courageous and inspiring. ______ If you'd like to share your secret and be on the show...
Aug 14, 2020•27 min•Ep. 8
Britt Rentschler shares her hilarious stories about the ridiculous things women do to their bodies in an attempt to look effortlessly beautiful. Britt is an American actress best known for her role as ‘Linda’ in the Paramount Picture's comedy, “Instant Family” opposite Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne. Britt’s first recurring TV role was on the TBS show “The Detour,” appearing with Jason Jones, which she says was one of the highlights of her career. She continued on to book recurring roles on some o...
Aug 11, 2020•30 min•Ep. 7
Battling depression and having a hard time asking for help, Kristin shares her heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story as she almost died by suicide. September is Suicide Prevention Month -- You're not alone: Whether you have struggled with suicide yourself or have lost a loved one, know you are not alone. Hear about personal experiences from people in your local community whose lives have been impacted by suicide. Please check out American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.or...
Aug 07, 2020•31 min•Ep. 6
Kellee Stewart's rollercoaster 7-year relationship ends with a surprisingly beautiful outcome on the other side. Kellee Stewart is a writer, producer, and actress last seen Ava Duvernay’s CHERISH THE DAY and CW’s ALL AMERICAN. Catch her in Peacock’s upcoming comedy A.P. BIO this fall. To reach Kellee : @kstew222 Instagram | @Kellee_Stewart Twitter ______ TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE INCLUDE relationships, cheating, infidelity, love, sex, marriage, red flags, success, acting, recovery, narcissists, ins...
Aug 02, 2020•30 min•Ep. 5
With the help of therapy, support groups and 12-step programs, Paul shares his journey to release the shame and move on. Comedian Paul Gilmartin hosts a weekly, hour-long audio podcast, The Mental Illness Podcast, consisting of interviews with artists, friends and the occasional doctor. Podcast: The Mental Illness Happy Hour Podcast | Website | Instagram | Twitter ______ If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, depression, trauma, sexual abuse or feeling overwhelmed, we've compile...
Aug 02, 2020•28 min•Ep. 4
Robert Gonzalez Gant share's about coming out as a proud gay man in Hollywood, and the shift that is possible for those who struggled with acceptance. Robert has been a full-time actor, producer, and writer for over twenty-six years. He was a cast member of the groundbreaking Showtime series QUEER AS FOLK and was an early actor to come out publicly in 2002. His wide-ranging credits, both dramatic and comedic, include such shows as 13 REASONS WHY, NCIS, SUPERGIRL, MIKE & MOLLY, HOT IN CLEVELA...
Aug 02, 2020•26 min•Ep. 3
Dr. G, Dr. Howard Gluss, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Psy21522), Founder of Daraknot Health: Addiction Coaching and Private In-Home Rehab Care and cofounder of Sobriety Think Tank. He is also an executive coach, speaker, author, psychotherapist and former radio talk show host. Currently Dr. Gluss is launching his television show on BeondTV, Dr. G: Engaging Minds, where he helps people struggling with addiction transform their lives. His upcoming podcast, Rock With The Doc, will focus on ...
Aug 02, 2020•33 min•Ep. 2
I had this dark hole I was trying to fill with outside things. I couldn't stop even when I desperately wanted to. When I walked into my first meeting almost ten years ago, I was a shell of a person. As I listened to people share about this thing called sex and love addiction, tears started to form in my eyes when I said I was a newcomer. I was crying not out of sadness but an overwhelming feeling of hope. Every day I see people at the lowest of lows. They are clawing their way out from under thi...
Aug 02, 2020•19 min•Ep. 1
They say you're only as sick as your secrets. My name is Brianne Davis-Gantt. Every Monday on Secret Life Podcast, I pull back the curtain on the deepest, darkest, heartbreaking, and even silly secrets from Hollywood celebrities to anonymous guests. They share their true confessions of love, sex, addiction, food, money, and hidden taboo topics that are often hilarious, uplifting, and hopeful. With over a decade of recovery, I seek to create an intimate and safe space for my guests to bare their ...
Jul 29, 2020•50 sec
