Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life

#19 Season 1 Recap – Returning for Season 2 February 3rd

Thank you to every single person who has listened, shared, and supported this podcast. Whether you’ve been here since episode one or you tuned in for just a single conversation, thank you. Your presence matters more than you know. As we close out Season 1, this recap isn’t just about numbers or milestones, it’s about growth. I’ll be talking about what I learned, the mistakes I made along the way, what surprised me, what challenged me, and how each step shaped the mission we’re building. We’ve reached listeners in over 50 countries, which humbles me , but it also fuels me. Because the goal is never less, it’s always more. Our mission is simple and unwavering: reach as many people as we possibly can. If this podcast helps save just one life, that alone is a miracle. Let’s be honest gambling isn’t just a public health problem, it’s a public health emergency. And if you’re struggling right now, please hear this: you are not alone, and you are not beyond hope. We will keep pushing, keep learning, and keep showing up . I’m looking forward to Season 2 on February 3rd. Thank you for supporting our mission.

#18 Massachusetts State Senator John F. Keenan and the Bettor Health Act: A call to help save lives from Gambling

Today’s guest is someone who chose integrity over silence.  Massachusetts State Senator John F. Keenan, who represents the Norfolk and Plymouth District, has emerged as one of the most courageous voices in America calling out sports betting for what it has become: a growing public-health crisis. While many celebrate the revenue, Senator Keenan has been willing to confront the human cost. Insanity, jail and death.  He is leading the charge behind the Bettor Health Act, a bold legislation that would ban prop bets, restrict in-game wagering, remove gambling advertisements from broadcasts. Finally placing much needed  guardrails around a growing addiction.  What makes Senator Keenan’s voice so powerful is his honesty. He has publicly expressed regret for his vote to legalize sports betting, something rarely seen in politics, and apologized to those in recovery, to families affected, and to those who have lost loved ones to gambling-related suicide. This conversation isn’t about politics. It’s about people. It’s about sounding the alarm before more lives and families are torn apart, and about what happens when someone with a voice chooses to listen, learn, and speak up.

#17 The Wife of a Gambler: Karen S.’s Story of Love, Empathy, and Accountability

You heard Bob S. share the night his gambling addiction finally brought him to his knees in episode 2, along with the years of secrets, anxiety, and quiet unraveling that led him there.
Today, we’re turning toward the other side of that story.
Karen, Bob’s wife, lived through every part of this journey without a guide: the confusion, the red flags, the half-truths, the moment everything came crashing down, and the long, deliberate work of rebuilding trust while keeping her family safe.

This isn’t a story about blame. It’s about the very real human cost of addiction , and the strength, clarity, and courage it takes to stand beside someone you love while also protecting your own well-being.
 
In this conversation, Karen opens up about what it was like to love someone in active addiction, how she navigated finances and safety, what helped and what didn’t after disclosure, and what recovery looks like for an entire family, not just the gambler.

#16 A Father’s Reckoning: The War Within, and the Love & Empathy That Pulled Him Back

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Dane L, someone who’s lived through many painful layers of gambling addiction: the rush, the secrets, the chaos, and the fallout that touches every corner of life.
Dane talks about burning through jobs, lying to family, and sinking deep into debt , convinced that fixing the money would fix everything. But instead, the addiction took more: his peace, his marriage, and moments with his newborn children he can’t get back.
After multiple relapses and rock-bottom moments, Dane finally walked into a GA room for the third time , completely broken, and finally ready to surrender.
This conversation is raw, emotional, and deeply human. A reminder that recovery doesn’t begin when the money comes back, it begins when we tell the truth and surrender. 
If you’ve ever felt trapped or alone in this addiction, this episode will help you feel seen and remind you that even in the darkest places, light is still possible.

#15 - Casinos in Our Pockets - How Legalized Gambling is taking over sports & our lives!

In this episode of Gambling Recovery: Taking Back Your Life, im going to take you inside one of the fastest growing addictions in American sports gambling. A mental health emergency  What started as a game has become a business built on human weakness and temptation. 
Once about heart, competition, and being present with friends and family,  sports have been rewritten by odds, profits, and algorithms. The leagues that once called gambling a threat now profit from it , while lives quietly fall apart behind the numbers. I’ll explore the scandals, the billions of dollars at stake, and the hidden costs no one wants to talk about, the families torn to pieces , the athletes caught in temptation, and the young people growing up believing every play needs a bet. But this isn’t just about what’s broken. It’s about what can be rebuilt.
Through honesty, vulnerability , and recovery, I share how it’s still possible to take your life back ,even in a world where every moment has a price tag. When we start betting on everything, we forget what really matters , being present with the people we love.

#14 Thirty Years Free. Allen H.’s Journey of Service and Gratitude

Today’s episode features Allen H., a man whose story of recovery spans more than thirty years. Even after more than three decades free from gambling, Allen remains deeply committed to his recovery , still attending three to four GA meetings each week and giving back through service. He’s a living example of humility, gratitude, and what it means to never forget how powerful this disease truly is.
His journey began in his early teens, playing poker and chasing that first thrill, a thrill that would one day lead to unimaginable lows. You’ll hear how Allen’s path took him from weekend poker games in the Navy to a hospital stay that changed everything , and how, through the rooms of Gamblers Anonymous, he rebuilt his life one day at a time.

#13 Hope, Healing, and Redemption The Story of Steve Kapela

Today I sit down with Steve Kapela, a man whose life is proof that recovery can take you further than you ever imagined. Steve has been free from gambling, alcohol, and drugs since May 12, 2008, and in the years since, he’s not only rebuilt his own life but dedicated himself to helping others do the same. He’s become a trailblazer in peer recovery, a licensed social worker, and one of the earliest certified gambling counselors in Ohio, eventually earning international recognition through the ICGC II and BACC credentials. Soon, he’ll be licensed as a Master Clinical Social Worker in five different states. But titles and degrees don’t tell the whole story. Steve’s journey took him through homelessness and two years in jail before he received a full pardon from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a powerful symbol of how far he’s come. With more than three decades of lived experience combined with professional expertise, Steve knows addiction from the inside out, and he’s made it his mission to show others that change is always possible. Our paths crossed in a way I don’t think was an accident, through one of his clients, who also happens to be my sponsee. I believe there are no coincidences in life, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring you this conversation.

#12 Teddy S had a choice-Get Help or Lose It All . The Moment That Saved a Marriage and a Life

At 23 years old, Teddy S. first walked into the rooms of Gamblers Anonymous with his mother by his side. He wouldn’t see the inside of another GA room until the age of 45. And by then, the addiction had only grown darker and more destructive. When Teddy finally made the decision to take recovery seriously, everything changed, and he has never looked back. But recovery is never a journey walked alone. At home, his wife Linda was caring for their two young children, carrying the weight of uncertainty and heartache. Reaching her breaking point, she gave Teddy a clear ultimatum: get help, or lose it all. That moment not only marked a turning point for Teddy, but also began Linda’s own path, one that has led her to become a a leader in the Gam-Anon community, giving strength and guidance to countless families. On a personal note, Teddy has been much more than a friend in recovery, he’s been a steady presence, a mentor, and someone who has never given up on me, even in the moments when I wanted to give up on myself. His support, along with Linda’s example of courage and compassion, has had a profound impact on my journey. I am deeply grateful to have both of them here with me today.

#11 Adam H stood on the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge, ready to let go. Despair turned into a return to life, faith, and purpose.

Sometimes in recovery, you meet someone whose story feels less like coincidence and more like destiny. That was the case when I first heard Adam H share his journey. On an ordinary Saturday morning, while celebrating 15 years free from gambling, Adam spoke with a depth and honesty that felt like a spiritual awakening. In that moment, it was clear his path and mine had crossed for a reason.
Adam’s life before recovery was marked by loss, of peace, stability, and even the will to go on. His addiction took him to the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge, where he believed his suffering had reached its end. But that same moment of despair became the beginning of something greater: a return to life through the rooms of Gamblers Anonymous, and his faith in God. 
Today, Adam stands as proof of what honesty, humility, and perseverance can restore. His journey is not only about breaking free from gambling, but about rediscovering faith, reclaiming identity, and embracing the power of community. His story reminds us that even in our darkest hours, hope has a way of finding us, and leading us back to life.

#10 This episode is for my parents , the ones who stood in the storm of my addiction and taught me what love really means

This episode is for my parents, and my brother 
Today, I’m doing something I’ve been carrying in my heart since the day I entered recovery. This episode is for my parents ,the two people who stood in the storm of my addiction long before I ever saw it for what it was.
My mom passed two years ago. My dad, just this past May. And as I try to make sense of life without them, I find myself reflecting on everything they went through because of me. The lies. The worry. The helplessness. The pain I brought into our home , and the strength they carried in silence.
This is what my addiction looked like through my eyes… but it’s told in honor of theirs. Their perspective. Their resilience. Their love ,even when I was lost in the darkest parts of myself.
I also want to acknowledge my brother ,who had to watch it all unfold, powerless in so many ways. He bore a different weight, one that often goes unseen but never unfelt.
Grief has a way of making everything clearer. In losing them, I’ve come to understand the depth of what they gave… and what my addiction took.
This episode is about pain, yes ,but it’s also about love. And legacy. And the hard-earned gratitude that only comes with time, healing, and loss.
So here it is.