In this episode, hosts Sam and Steve, engage in an insightful conversation with Tyler, the founder of Ever Accountable, an app designed to help individuals overcome porn addiction through accountability. Tyler shares his personal journey of creating the app, which monitors and reports browsing activities to chosen accountability partners, helping users stay accountable. They discuss the effectiveness of accountability versus traditional internet filters, the challenges of developing such technol...
Jan 21, 2025•44 min
In this episode, Chris, Steve and Sam delve into the complexities of discussing pornography and sexual addiction among friends. They explore the shame and fear associated with sharing one's story, the impact of cultural stigma, and the intimate connection between sexuality and identity. The conversation includes practical advice on discerning who to share with and how to approach these sensitive topics, emphasizing the importance of compassion, understanding, and safe spaces. The hosts also high...
Jan 14, 2025•19 min
In this powerful episode, Steven and James are joined by Beckie Hennessy, a seasoned therapist with nearly two decades of experience, to delve deep into the intricacies of betrayal trauma. They discuss Beckie's personal journey through betrayal, her professional insights, and the challenging process of recovery and healing. From defining betrayal trauma to addressing the role of accountability and the impact of personal growth on relationships, this episode offers invaluable advice for anyone st...
Jan 07, 2025•53 min
In this episode, Steve, Sam, James and Ella discuss the challenges and necessity of reaching out for support. They explore personal experiences and societal messages that discourage people from seeking help, such as beliefs that reaching out is a sign of weakness. They also touch on the roles children often take in families and how these roles affect their willingness to seek assistance. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to challenge their barriers and reach out when they...
Dec 31, 2024•21 min
The episode is a conversation among Sam, Steve, and Chris about Sam's personal journey through addiction, recovery, and healing. Sam shares his story of growing up in a seemingly picture perfect Christian family, facing emotional challenges, and struggling with addiction from a young age. He discusses key moments of realization, the effects of trauma, pivotal experiences in therapy, and the impact of finding hope and authenticity. The discussion also explores the dangers of the "try harder" mind...
Dec 24, 2024•49 min
Join us in this special episode as we dive into the details of The GLORY Retreat [God's Love Opens the Real You], an interfaith Christian retreat designed exclusively for women. With guests Jayne, Beckie, and Tricia, we explore the retreat's mission to guide you in experiencing the real you, the real God and your real story. Set at the beautiful Lost Canyon Camp in Williams, Arizona, the retreat promises a blend of worship, adventure, and experiential activities, catering to women from all walks...
Dec 17, 2024•49 min
Join James, Ella, Steve, and Sam as they explore the challenges and benefits of mindfulness practices and how they can aid in emotional healing. They discuss the misconceptions around meditation, often misunderstood as a quick path to calm, and instead highlight its true purpose: being fully present with emotions—whether joyful, angry, or sad. Along the way, they share personal experiences with meditation, talk about the role of focus, and address common pitfalls, like using it to avoid emotions...
Dec 10, 2024•16 min
In this episode of Unashamed Unafraid , Steve is joined by Cameron Staley, a researcher, therapist, and author with deep expertise in the intersection of sexuality and spirituality. Cameron opens up about his journey from academia to clinical practice, revealing how his work on problematic pornography viewing and compulsive behaviors is rooted in a desire to help people reconcile these issues with their values. It’s a thoughtful discussion on how to shift from shame-based perspectives to a healt...
Dec 03, 2024•53 min
In today’s episode, Steve, Sam, and James are joined by Ella as they take a deep dive into the role of spirituality in recovery. They discuss the balance between spirituality and religion, exploring what it means to seek a connection with something beyond oneself without necessarily aligning with organized religion. Each guest shares their unique struggles and perspectives, from dealing with judgment and perfectionism to the courage required to open up to others. They consider how shame and perf...
Nov 26, 2024•20 min
In this episode, Kaleb joins Steve and James for a raw, courageous discussion about his journey through addiction, shame, and recovery after a series of legal consequences and time in jail. Kaleb opens up about facing the labels of "addict" and "sex offender" and the impact they had on his self-image and spiritual life. They emphasizes the importance of maintaining perspective, the power of forgiveness, and the impact of having a positive, future-oriented mindset. This episode provides a heartfe...
Nov 19, 2024•48 min
This episode dives deep into the role of grace in addiction recovery. Sam joins hosts Steve and James in a candid conversation about how grace not only fosters personal healing but also helps bridge the gaps in relationships harmed by addiction. The episode unpacks the depth of grace, its transformative power, and its ability to inspire positive change. They emphasize that grace is not a "hall pass" to excuse harmful behaviors but a force that leads to true reconciliation. The discussion also to...
Nov 12, 2024•19 min
Steve and Lisa dive into exactly how to respond to compulsive sexual behavior in your home, especially as a parent. There are now more resources than ever to help families have healthy conversations that appropriately frame sexuality without shame. Steve offers specific language for loved ones starting the conversation with their significant other or child, as well as strategies to protect emotional and physical safety in the meantime. Whether the conversation is with a spouse or a child, it's p...
Nov 05, 2024•23 min
*This is a reposted episode from The Lisa Show Podcast* byuradio.org/the-lisa-show In this special episode, Steven joins Lisa for a conversation about recovery, outlining seven critical aspects of the healing process. They discuss the the most common pitfalls that keep people from healing and recovering, including the "try harder" fallacy, and outdated labels and language. Whether the issue at hand is pornography use, affairs and infidelity, or betrayal trauma, anyone can heal. Steven and Lisa d...
Oct 29, 2024•36 min
In this episode, Steve, James and Sam take a new approach discussing the topic of shame. They explore how shame thrives in secrecy and judgment, acting as a tool of negative forces to undermine self-worth. Through personal experiences, they reveal how recognizing and addressing shame—through therapy, spiritual retreats, and open communication—can heal and strengthen personal relationships, especially in marriage. The conversation underscores the necessity of discussing shame openly to identify i...
Oct 22, 2024•18 min
In this episode, Steve and James are joined by the Therapy Brothers, Tyler and Brannon, who are both experienced therapists specializing in marriage, family therapy, and recovery from shame and trauma. They discuss their podcast 'Therapy Brothers' and the retreats they host aimed at helping men and women reclaim their identity and heal emotionally. The conversation explores topics such as healthy masculinity, the importance of experiential therapy, and tips for finding effective recovery resourc...
Oct 15, 2024•47 min
In this episode of Live Unashamed, hosts bring on their friend, Sam, to discuss the differences between sobriety and recovery. They explore the challenges and misconceptions surrounding these concepts, emphasizing that sobriety is about abstaining from undesirable behaviors, while recovery involves deeper healing. Personal stories highlight struggles with perfectionism, codependency, and self-sabotage. The conversation probes the reasons behind continued relapses despite significant recovery pro...
Oct 08, 2024•20 min
In this episode we invite Rhoda, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and seasoned podcaster to discuss critical aspects of couples therapy and relationships. Rhoda shares her extensive experience in the mental health field, emphasizing the importance of hard conversations, self-honesty, and long-term thinking for relationship recovery—especially in the context of addiction. She provides actionable advice for both partners struggling with difficult subjects like relapse disclosure and managi...
Oct 01, 2024•45 min
*This is a reposted episode from The Therapy Brothers Podcast* therapybros.com In this special episode, Steve is interviewed by Tyler and Brannon Patrick, hosts of the Therapy Brothers Podcast. Steve shares his powerful and raw personal journey of addiction, recovery, and the reclamation of his own heart. He opens up about his struggles with addiction while in prominent church roles and the pivotal moments of grace that guided him towards healing. Steve emphasizes the importance of vulnerability...
Sep 17, 2024•42 min
In this episode hosts Steven and James are joined by their friend Josh. They answer questions sent in by Josh and in doing so, they dive into a personal and candid discussion about recovery, touching on themes such as discipleship, shame, and the concept of being 'broken.' The conversation includes a deep dive into what it means to be 'recovered' versus 'in recovery,' the significance of self-care in a spiritual context, and the powerful idea that brokenness can lead to greater strength and beau...
Sep 10, 2024•50 min
In this episode, Steve and Chris embrace the power of vulnerability as they introduce Gavin, a guest who courageously shares his journey through addiction, shame, and recovery. The candid conversation goes into the deeper, poignant narrative of Gavin's experiences from teenage struggles with pornography and masturbation, through tumultuous high school years, and eventually, unexpected betrayal within his marriage. Through honest dialogue and unwavering support from the Unashamed & Unafraid c...
Sep 03, 2024•54 min
In this episode of Unashamed and Afraid, Steve welcomes Melanie, Michelle, and Sally to discuss their experiences with Heart of a Woman, a transformative Christian retreat designed to help women reconnect with God and themselves. Melanie shares the origins of Heart of a Woman, revealing how a call to create a dedicated retreat for women led to a decade-long journey of spiritual growth and female fellowship. Michelle and Sally, past attendees of the retreat, recount their varied experiences, emph...
Aug 27, 2024•53 min
In this heartfelt episode, join hosts James and Steven as they welcome Ian and Niccole to the studio to share their profound journey of overcoming addiction and codependency through faith and mutual support. From their first meeting in college to their struggles with addiction and codependency, the couple provides an authentic narrative of their battles and breakthroughs. Key highlights include their initial honesty with each other about their respective struggles, the transformational moment wh...
Aug 20, 2024•51 min
Jennifer suffered every type of abuse as a child. She was assaulted by her father, then by all the men that her mother brought home over the years. She came to feel that she was worthless, only there to make other people happy, and was filled with guilt. Years later, a therapist recommended she go get a massage to learn that not all touch was sexual. That backfired tremendously when her masseuse ended up raping her. Jennifer was in a dark place, and as she watched her mother succumb to alzheimer...
Aug 13, 2024•49 min
In the final episode of 'Codependency', the hosts discuss the intricacies of codependent relationships. The episode delves into the definition of codependency, its symptoms, and the difficulty individuals face in maintaining self-esteem, setting boundaries, and experiencing healthy intimacy. Through personal anecdotes and discussions, the team explores how codependency manifests and the challenges of overcoming it. They emphasize the importance of self-worth and boundaries in moving past codepen...
Aug 06, 2024•23 min
Having already defined codependency, the team now addresses how to break out of its cycle. The first step is to recognize what our codependent behaviors even are. We cannot choose a different path if we don’t see the choices that are there. Furthermore, if we want to stop manipulating others into meeting our needs, we have to make peace with the fact that we really do have needs and that it is acceptable for us to own and address them. If we aren’t willing to give a full and honest voice to thos...
Jul 30, 2024•24 min
The concept of codependency can be difficult to grasp and identifying it within ourselves or our relationships can prove challenging. In this episode, we break down the definition, assess its relevance, and offer strategies for recognizing and addressing it. If you’ve grappled with resentment in a relationship or felt compelled to manage someone else’s emotions or beliefs, this discussion may provide hope, guidance, and even relief. Follow us on social media! instagram.com/unashamedunafraid face...
Jul 23, 2024•23 min
We’re thrilled to welcome Marc Pimsler back for another episode! Marc, a lover of God, is a therapist, seeker, and a teacher with the heart of a student. He's in long-term recovery and he's here to talk about making repair. Whether we refer to it as making repair, making amends, setting things right, or repairing relationships, there are ineffective or even harmful ways to approach it. Marc shows up with authenticity and passion to advocate for an effective approach. He begins by defining Addict...
Jul 16, 2024•57 min
Alcoholics Anonymous' Dr. Bob's response to Bill Wilson after he complained that no one showed up for a meeting he spent the day organizing— "But you didn't drink today" — speaks volumes. In this episode, Steve, James, and Chris recognize the challenges of forming real connections and a supportive community while providing uplifting advice. Tune in for insightful truths like these: Everyone fears rejection, and introverts face extra hurdles, but there are ways to overcome them. Each connection m...
Jul 09, 2024•22 min
Christian was born the middle of eight children and felt that he had to act out to get noticed. In his early adolescence he experimented with opiates, alcohol, a cigarette, and sex. Kelle met Christian during their senior year of High School, the two started dating, and were quickly married after he returned home from his LDS mission. A few years and a motorcycle accident later, Christian went through a steady progression of painkillers, alcohol, gambling, and adultery. He became unable to hold ...
Jul 02, 2024•53 min
Just as we establish clear boundaries in our relationships with other people, we must also set boundaries in our relationship with digital media, especially when we consider that media use is the "most undiagnosed addiction behavior by a mile." It consumes massive chunks of our time on its own, and can lure the recovering porn addict back into full-blown relapse. Hear the Unashamed Unafraid team speak to all of these points, as well as how parents play a crucial role in modeling healthy media ha...
Jun 25, 2024•21 min
