Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

DetoxPod 98: Tom Tenney (Educator/Co-Founder of Radio Free Brooklyn)

Tom Tenney is the co-founder and executive director of Radio Free Brooklyn. He is also an actor, a community organizer, and a professor. In our episode, Tom discusses his bipolar diagnosis and how treatment has changed his life. He talks about growing up as kind of an outcast as a punk kid and a theater kid in conservative early '80s Catholic Massachusetts and how that shaped his worldview. Tom is gifted with candor and a level of honesty that makes him a great fit for Detoxicity.

DetoxPod 97 : Michael LoBue (Touring Professional/Musician)

Michael LoBue is a veteran musician and touring professional. Currently, he's on the road with veteran rock band Little Feat. I met Michael through a support group for music industry employees (shout out to my friends at Backline), and not only did we have an instant connection, we quickly realized we lived barely a mile from one another in Brooklyn. He was an early candidate for a Detox episode, but we spent so much time actually becoming friends that recording an episode kept getting pushed aside--till now.
 
The COVID-19 pandemic gave Michael a reason to pump the brakes and assess what was really important to him, and after decades of living the rock and roll lifestyle, what stood out to him was the need for personal growth. During our conversation, we discuss why taking a break from the action allowed him to get a better idea of what he wanted out of life, we talk about not allowing yourself to be consumed by your own ego, and staying positive in a negative world. Michael is one of my favorite humans walking this earth, and I hope that after this, he'll be one of yours too.

DetoxPod 96 : Shoef Cohen (Artist/Podcaster)

Shayne (Shoef) Cohen is a Syracuse, NY-based artist and the host of a podcast called TSS Office Hours. He is also an accomplished chef, having worked in kitchens across the country for the last decade or so. During our conversation, we chat about how service workers are often under (or un-) appreciated. And that's just the tip of the iceberg! Shoef and I also talk relationships, growing up poor with a single mother and how that shaped his views on parenting, his love for fashion (specifically sneakers) and personal aesthetic, and the prism through which he views life as a recently diagnosed human on the autism spectrum. Enjoy the conversation!

DetoxPod 95 : Richard Gentle (Academic/Explorer)

My guest on this episode goes by the pseudonym "Richard Gentle" (while I usually don't welcome guests who are willing to share their true identities, I'm making an exception here). He is Midwest born and based, and currently works in higher education. Richard comes from humble beginnings, and was often teased for and warned against his aspirations. We discuss that in depth, as well as his decision to get married at a young age, the struggles that came with being a person with a bigger-sized body, and delving into therapy and how that's led him to exploration internally as well as sexually. It's an interview that goes into some sensitive and interesting topics, but I think it's fascinating! (of course, I'm biased...)

DetoxPod 94 :Jared Salekin (Mental Health Educator/Podcaster)

What's the dream for you? Do you think that status and money can buy you happiness? Is a six-figure paycheck and a jet set lifestyle your ultimate goal? While I'm not saying those aren't good goals to have, there are plenty of people who have reached what they thought was the mountaintop, only to realize that what they really wanted wasn't there.
 
Such is the case with this episode's guest, Jared Salekin. For a while, Jared was a baller. He put his entrepreneurial mindset to good use, and then had an epiphany at the tender age of 25, turning his back on everything that had built him up till that point. These days, he runs a food business and works primarily as a mental health advocate, with a podcast called  The Journey with Jared.
 
In addition to discussing Jared's quarter life crisis and why he now is such a staunch supporter of mental health awareness, he and I also go deep on body dysmorphia and how it can affect men, how he feels these days about honesty and confrontation, and we talk about the stereotypes that (somewhat fairly) apply to his native Canada. Enjoy the conversation.

DetoxPod 93 : Dr. Ali Mattu

This podcast is, among other things, about mental health. And there's plenty of good advice one can get from a clinical perspective. There's plenty you can get from a human experiential perspective. But those perspectives don't have to be mutually exclusive, and that's proven by this episode's guest, Dr. Ali Mattu. Dr. Mattu hosts a wildly popular YouTube series about mental health and anxiety, and works with an organization called Loop, which hosts a community-centered mental health app. Ali and I talk about things that have revolutionized mental health in the last few years (including Telehealth and psychedelic treatment). We also discuss Ali's own struggles growing up with severe social anxiety. We talk about his love for science fiction, his trial by fire in a public speaking class, and the social and economic barriers to entry for proper mental health care. Hope you enjoy this episode!
 

DetoxPod 92 : Jay Kumar (Journalist/Podcaster)

Jay Kumar has been a professional in the journalism world for over three decades. He's been podcasting for more than 10 years. I guested on Completely Conspicuous (one of his two shows) way back in 2012, and again in 2015. In addition to being a podcast pro, Jay is also a second-generation American who has lived in two of the three North American countries. He talks about culture shock (maybe not as crazy when you move to the U.S. from Canada), raising two awesome young women, the mistakes his parents made that he didn't, his incredible love for a diverse array of music, and he might still be a little sore about missing his after-prom (because his mom forbade him). Listen on for more on Jay, and make sure you check out his other, more music-centered show, Stuck in Thee Garage.

DetoxPod 91 : Grant Palmer (Educator/Academic)

Grant Palmer is an educator and academic based in Southern California. Our conversation starts with music, which is only fitting because music is how Grant and I connected. From there, we uncover a somewhat turbulent young life marked by several medical mishaps. As with most of Detoxicity's guests, self-discovery and enlightenment is the name of the game here. Grant discusses how he intends to use his privilege to help less fortunate people, he discusses what it's like to raise a stepchild, and he ponders his future as a potential caretaker. It's a typically wide-ranging discussion that I hope you enjoy!