The Village Solution-Interview with author Carl Nassar

I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments.

Loneliness doesn’t always look like being alone. Sometimes it looks like being a caregiver with a full calendar, a heavy heart, and nobody to hand the weight to. I sit down with psychotherapist and writer Carl Nassar, author of The Village Solution, to name the thing so many of us feel but struggle to explain: we’re exhausted because we’re living without the kind of village humans evolved to rely on.

Carl walks us through how village life used to spread care, work, and emotional support across a whole community and how consumer culture quietly replaced that with isolation, striving, and the promise that the “right stuff” will bring our people near. We talk about why ads hit so hard, why achievement can become its own trap, and why even the hero’s journey makes more sense when the real ending is a return to belonging. We even bring in Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin as a surprisingly accurate map for building a community that accepts us the way we are.

We also get practical about what to do when grief, trauma, or dementia caregiving makes you feel cut off. Carl shares what “village support” actually looks like today, from therapy and grief circles to intentionally showing up for a small group every week and letting care spill into real life. We close with two grounded tools you can start practicing right now: stillness and compassion, the qualities that make it safer to be honest and easier to be together.

If this conversation helps you feel a little less alone, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a village, and leave a review so more caregivers and grievers can find Patty’s Place.

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Welcome To Patty’s Place

0:10

Welcome
to
Patty's
Place,
a
place
where
we'll
talk
about
grief,
dementia,
and
caregiving.
I
named
this
podcast
in
honor
of
my
mom,
Pat,
who
passed
away
from
dementia
about
two
years
ago.
I'm
your
host,
Lisa,
and
we
will
talk
about
things
that
help
us
not
feel
so
alone
today.
So
grab
your
cup
of
tea,
your
cup
of
coffee,
or
if
you're
having
that
really
bad
day,
your
glass
of
wine,
and
come
join
us.
So
today
we
have
our
guest
is
Carl
Nassar.
He
is
a
psychotherapist,
author
of
The
Village
Solution,
and
a
regular
contributor
to
psychology
today
and
the
Joseph
Campbell
Foundation.
So
welcome,
Carl,
to
Patty's
Place.
Yes,
thank
you
for
having
me.
I'm
very
glad
to
be
here,
Sydney,
with
you.
Yes,
I'm
I'm
excited
to
uh
to
talk
to
you
about
all
this.
One
of
the
things
that
I
noticed
uh
when
I
was
looking
up
all
your
information,
you
have
a
thing
that
says
why
you're
exhausted
and
why
it's
not
your
fault.
Yes,
I
do.
Yes,
so
can
you
can
we
explore
that
a
little
bit?
Because
I
feel
exhausted
a
lot.
Absolutely.

Why Modern Life Feels Exhausting

1:13

Happy
to
do
it.
Ties
well
into
the
theme
you
brought
up
about
loneliness.
You
know,
for
we
humans
have
been
on
this
planet
for
some
two
million
years.
And
over
the
course
of
that
two
million
years,
for
almost
the
almost
the
entirety
of
that
time,
we
lived
in
villages.
We
lived
in
these
places
where
if
we
were
born
into
a
village,
if
if
you'd
been
born
into
a
village,
Lisa,
there'd
have
been
46
eyes
lovingly
looking
at
you.
There'd
be
46
pairs
of
hands
ready
to
scoop
you
up.
When
you
cried,
your
cry
would
be
responded
to
in
25
seconds
or
less.
You'd
be
held
close
for
nine
hours
a
day.
As
you
grew
up
in
that
village
setting,
you
would
work
collectively
with
your
fellow
villagers.
You
would
together
work
to
meet
all
your
needs.
And
because
you're
working
together,
you'd
only
have
to
work
for
three,
four
hours
a
day.
And
by
the
end
of
that
day,
uh,
you
know,
this
was
a
village
that
would
realize
that
work
was
in
the
service
of
life,
not
the
other
way
around.
And
so
once
that
work
was
done,
the
day
would
open
wide.
And
what
would
you
do
at
that
time?
Well,
someone
might
start
singing
and
song
would
rise
in
the
air.
You'd
linger
around
meals
for
a
long
time,
swapping
stories.
Some
would
start
a
fire
at
night
and
you'd
talk
about
the
origins
of
the
stars
together.
And
there
was
all
this
time
to
be,
to
connect,
to
be
with
each
other.
But
starting
some
20,000
years
ago,
toward
the
end
of
the
last
great
toward
the
end
of
the
last
great
ice
age,
and
carrying
forward
until
about
500
years
ago,
the
villages
began
to
slowly
disappear.
And
500
years
ago,
they
began
to
disappear
at
a
remarkably
fast
pace.
Until
today,
they're
pretty
much
all
but
gone.
The
ones
that
remain
live
on
the
edge
of
extinction.
And
what's
replaced
them,
what's
stepped
in
in
their
place,
is
consumer
culture.
So
when
you
and
I
arrive
into
the
world,
you
know,
um,
we
arrive
with
minds
still
wired
by
two
million
years
of
evolution.
So
our
minds,
when
we're
born,
look
around
and
say,
hey,
my
village
should
be
here.
I'm
ready
to
be
held
in
25
seconds
or
less
when
I
cry.
I'm
ready
for
46
people
to
greet
me.
But
when
we
show
up
in
this
world,
that's
not
what
we
get
at
all.
We,
to
our
amazement,
there's
just
two
people
here,
right?
Our
parents.
And
they're
worn
thin
because
these
two
people
alone
are
being
asked
to
do
what
a
whole
village
once
did.
They
must
meet
all
the
needs
of
life
on
their
own.
And
so
it's
early
mornings
to
work,
uh,
evenings
spent
picking
up
groceries,
cooking
meals,
doing
dishes,
folding
laundry,
paying
bills.
So
at
the
end
of
the
day,
you
arrive,
um,
you
know,
collapsed
in
front
of
a
TV,
and
that's
even
before,
but
even
before
we're
born,
right?
And
then
we
arrive
on
the
scene
with
all
the
emotional,
relational
needs
of
a
child.
There's
no
way
our
parents
can
give
us
what
a
village
once
did.
Right?
So
from
a
very
early
age,
we
cry
from
our
cribs,
and
sometimes
no
one
comes.
Sometimes
someone
comes
worn
thin.
But
either
way,
we
know
uh
what
our
what
our
little
heart
needs
isn't
met.
And
what
arrives
in
its
place
is
somewhat
of
a
loneliness,
uh
quiet
that
sort
of
creeps
in
under
our
bedroom
door
and
arrives
beside
our
crib
and
doesn't
leave.
So
from
a
very
early
age,
we're
be
we're
beginning
to
realize
we're
gonna
have
to
figure
out
how
to
do
this
life
together,
do
this
life
on
our
own.
It's
a
very
big
shift
in
this
culture
where
everyone
is
asked
to
do
an
individual
work
life,
an
individual
home
life,
an
individual,
you
know,
life,
as
opposed
to
what
it
used
to
be,
where
we
did
things
collectively
together.
So
the
exhaustion
we
feel
is
the
exhaustion
of
living
in
a
way
that
really
we're
not
have
not
evolved
to
live
in,
which
is
doing
everything
on
our
own
by
ourselves,
as
opposed
to
doing
things
collectively
as
a
shared
group.
When

Belonging And The Consumer Culture Trap

5:05

you
were
talking,
it
made
me
think
of
when
I
was
in
Ireland
two
years
ago.
And
I
feel
like
uh
when
I
was
there,
I
felt
like
I
was
part
of
something.
I
felt
like
I
was
part
of
the
villages
and
things
because
um
the
time
was
just
so
much
more
relaxed
and
like
just
even
going
with
the
pubs
and
stuff.
And
I'm
not
even
talking
about
the
drinking
part,
you
know,
just
being
there.
Yeah,
I
just
that's
what
it
reminded
me
of
instantly.
Like
when
I
was
in
Ireland,
you
know,
and
I
that's
how
I
felt.
I
felt
so
connected
there
with
that.
Well,
that's
right.
I
mean,
that's
so
that's
so
much
our
wiring.
It's
so
innate
in
us
to
to
want
to
belong,
to
want
to
be
a
part
of,
to
want
to
connect
with,
you
know,
and
what's
remarkable
about
this
is
this
is
the
very
thing
that
consumer
culture
exploits
when
we're
young.
Because
think
about
when
we're
really
small,
um,
and
consumer
culture
arrives
with
two
million
advertisers
and
a
trillion
dollar
budget
every
year.
And
what
do
these
ads
sell
us
on?
They're
not
selling
us
the
product,
they're
selling
us
the
promise
this
product
will
bring
our
people
near.
Right?
You
look
at
the
ad
for,
say,
uh
hamburger
helper,
right?
A
mom
and
daughter
sitting
in
the
kitchen
kind
of
distant.
Mom
rips
open
the
hamburger
helper
package,
yeah,
and
what
happens?
Poof,
presto
in
an
instant.
Right.
They're
in
their
dining
room,
mom
and
dad
leaning
forward,
daughter
leaning
with
them,
you
know,
and
the
promise
is
hey,
tear
open
that
hamburger
helper,
and
you
know,
there's
your
family
right
there
around
you.
And
if
you
watch
the
ads,
whether
it's
McDonald's
or
Kentucky
Fried
Chicken
or
ads
for
Frisbee's,
you
know,
ads
for
the
Hot
Wheels,
right?
You're
alone
in
your
room,
all
of
a
sudden
you
click
the
Hot
Wheel
pieces
together,
and
what
happens?
The
lonely
room
transforms,
friends
appear,
racing
cars
together,
right?
Ads
just
sell
us
on
this
promise.
They
say,
Look,
you
know
why
your
people
aren't
here?
You
just
don't
have
the
right
stuff.
If
you
just
have
the
hamburger
helper,
if
you
just
have
the
Hot
Wheels
set,
your
people
will
show
up.
And
the
rub
is,
as
children,
this
is
what
we
know
in
the
field
of
psychology,
children
believe
advertisers
the
same
way
they
believe
their
parents
and
their
teachers.
So
children
actually
believe
a
hamburger
helper
will
bring
your
family
near,
Hot
Wheels
will
bring
your
friends
into
your
bedroom.
And
so
we
start
to
get
hooked
on
this
idea
if
I
could
just
get
the
right
stuff,
my
people
will
come.
And
this
is
the
sort
of
this
is
consumer
culture's
trick.
It
knows
we
long
for
our
people.
And
so
it
uses
that
and
exploits
that
to
get
us
hooked
on
consumption.
And
it
does
the
same
thing
actually
to
get
us
hooked
on
on
producing.
Because
we
get
to
school
age,
we
go
to
school,
teachers
start
to
say,
hey,
succeed,
achieve,
get
a
perfect
score.
We
come
home
with
that
Red
A
plus,
and
our
parents
go,
great
job,
and
they're
proud
of
us.
We
come
home
with
a
report
card
full
of
them.
Our
parents
go,
look
at
that.
And
they
take
us
out
for
ice
cream.
We
go,
look,
this
might
work.
Yeah.
Achieve
really
well,
people
will
notice
me,
like
give
me
attention,
I'll
finally
be
seen,
my
people
will
appear.
And
so
early
on
in
life,
we
get
hooked
on
this,
you
know,
uh
acquiring
stuff
and
achieving,
um,
really,
you
know,
fueling
consumer
culture.
Um,
but
it's
really
just
a
trick,
it's
a
treadmill.
It
never
actually
takes
us
where
we
want
to
go
to
that
pub
in
Ireland
where
we
feel
like,
hey,
there
I
am,
I
belong
here.
That's

The Hero’s Journey Back To Village

8:32

right.
Yes,
I
I
belong
here.
Uh
and
when
you're
talking
about
the
village,
I
read
one
of
your
articles,
the
hidden
truth
in
every
hero's
journey,
what
Christopher
Robin,
Winnie
the
Pooh,
and
Joseph
Campbell
teaches
us.
Can
you
talk
about
that
with
Winnie
the
Pooh
and
the
Village?
Because
I
I
really
enjoyed
that.
No,
I
appreciate
that.
Yeah,
it's
uh
uh
I
appreciate
reading
the
article,
and
it's
a
charming
story,
so
thanks
for
asking.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You
know,
in
1949,
Joseph
Campbell
wrote
a
book
called
The
Hero
with
a
Thousand
Faces.
Okay.
And
the
premise
of
his
book
was
this:
that
in
every
great
story,
you'll
find
as
you'll
find
this
similar
narrative.
Whether
you're
opening
a
children's
book,
whether
you're
opening
a
sci-fi
trilogy,
whether
you're
reading
a
script
for
a
Hollywood
blockbuster,
in
all
of
them,
the
same
thread,
the
same
narrative
is
woven
through
it.
And
he
called
it
the
hero's
journey.
And
it
has
three
parts.
The
hero
departs,
he
leaves
his
ordinary
life,
the
hero
transforms,
he
goes
on
some
journey
that
changes
him,
then
the
hero
returns.
And
in
our
culture,
we
tend
to
think
of
this
as
in
a
very
individual
individualistic
way.
We
think
of,
you
know,
the
common
townsfolk
who
leaves
the
town,
goes
out
to
slay
the
dragon,
along
the
way,
grows
and
becomes
somebody
bigger
than
he
was
before,
and
returns
home.
And
on
his
return,
what
does
he
get?
He
gets
the
princess's
hand
in
marriage.
Or
he's
handed
the
big
pot
of
gold,
or
the
crown
is
placed
on
his
head.
And
we
think
of
it
as
a
story
of
individual
triumph.
But
really,
I
think
so
many
of
these
heroes'
journeys
really
don't
aren't
about
ending
in
individual
glory.
They're
much
more
about
the
return
to
the
village.
Um
I'll
explain
what
I
mean
using
using
that
story
of
Christopher
Robin
and
Winnie
the
Pooh.
Right?
I
read
those,
my
parents
read
those
stories
to
me
when
I
was
three
years
old
as
bedtime
stories.
So
they're
they're
very
familiar
to
me.
In
fact,
the
books
are
sitting
here
in
my
office
on
a
bookshelf
not
too
far
from
me
right
now.
But
the
story
of
Christopher
Robin,
it
begins
with
really
sadness.
It's
a
story
of
a
young
boy
who's
left
alone
in
his
room
by
parents
who
are
busy
with
social
engagements
and
work
commitments.
He
doesn't
have
aunts
or
uncles
around.
And
what
does
he
do?
He
does
what
children
do
that
is
just
remarkable.
He
dreams
up
the
world
he
wants
to
be
a
part
of,
right?
He
dreams
up
this
hundred-acre
wood
and
he
fills
it
with
the
stuffed
animals
to
come
alive.
Right?
So
you've
got
Piglet
and
his
constant
worry,
you've
got
rabbit
and
his
need
for
order,
you've
got
Tigger
and
the
boundless
energy,
and
of
course
you
have
Winnie
the
Pooh,
and
who
I
think
sort
of
embodies
stillness
and
compassion
because
he
kind
of
moves
to
the
world
with
a
honey,
honey
sort
of
sweetness.
And
what
happens
uh
in
the
Hundred
Acre
Wood
with
Christopher
Robin
and
his
imagined
friends?
Well,
remarkably,
they
just
go
on
small
adventures
together,
right?
They
find
Eeyore's
tail
and
stick
it
back
on
Eeyore,
or
Pooh
goes
to
Rabbit's
house,
eats
too
much
honey,
gets
stuck
in
his
hole,
stuck
on
the
way
out
in
Rabbit's
hole,
and
they
have
to
pull
them
out
together.
Um,
you
know,
or
they
chase
imaginary
heffalumps
and
woozles.
But
what
happens
along
the
way
in
these
adventures?
Well,
what
happens
is
they
start
to
belong
to
each
other.
They
come
together
and
they
become
a
village
of
sorts.
And
that's
really,
I
think,
the
story
of
Winnipeg
Pooh.
It's
the
story
of
this
lonely
boy
who
dreams
up
a
village
and
then
becomes
a
part
of
that
village
he
dreams
up
of.
And
that
I
think
is
really
the
journey,
the
real
hero's
journey
for
all
of
us
to
take.
That
we
arrive
here
in
the
isolation
of
consumer
culture.
Uh,
and
we
need
to
find
our
way
back
to
our
own
villages,
to
that
place
of
belonging,
to
our
own
Irish
pubs
where
we
feel,
ah,
I've
arrived,
I'm
here.
Like
in
cheers,
when
Norm
arrives
and
cheers,
and
they
all
go,
Norm!
He's
known,
he's
home,
right?
Now,
I'm
not
suggesting
the
pub
is
our
true
village.
Right,
right.
But
thematically
we
get
the
idea,
right?
Right.
Well,

Grief, Caregiving, And Shared Support

12:29

and
in
terms
of
when
um,
you
know,
when
you're
a
caregiver
or
you're
going
through
an
illness
or
even
any
type
of
traumatic
event,
you
do
feel
very
lonely.
And
to
find
that
village
of
somebody
that
understands
you,
like
I
always
think
of
when
you're
talking
about
Winnie
the
Pooh,
how
they
always
say
Eeyore
kind
of
basically
had
he
was
depressed,
but
his
friends
accepted
him
that
way,
you
know.
Right,
right.
You
know,
like
they
didn't
try
to
make
him
say
you
have
to
be
positive.
They
just
they
comforted
him
when
he
could,
right,
you
know,
with
it.
And
you
talk
about
too
how
we
hear
a
lot
about
how
loneliness
and
the
mental
health
crisis,
like
how
do
we
how
do
we
go
about
like
how
do
we
find
those
villages
of
the
people
that
just
kind
of
they
get
us,
you
know,
and
you
feel
accepted.
Yeah.
So
there's
two
things
you
said
I
want
to
res
I
want
to
I
want
to
talk
about.
One
is
something
really
important
that
you
shared,
which
is
grief
and
isolation,
because
as
you
pointed
out,
or
loss
and
isolation,
or
trauma
and
isolation,
and
how
difficult
that
is,
because
we're
really
not
wired
to
go
through
these
things
alone.
That's
just
not
how
we're
wired
as
humans.
I
mean,
the
way
it
used
to
work
in
in
you
know
villages
of
long
ago,
even
in
even
in
villages
today,
the
few
that
remain,
in
many
of
them,
is
you
know,
if
you
were
a
young
child
and
we'll
just
say
your
your
father
had
died,
for
example,
you
know,
what
would
happen
would
be,
you
know,
the
village
would
lay
down
everything.
If
someone
was
sharpening
a
spear,
they'd
put
the
spear
down.
If
someone
was
cooking,
they'd
stop
the
cooking.
And
if
someone
was
weaving,
they'd
stop
weaving.
And
they'd
come
together
and
they'd
form
a
circle
around
you.
And
they'd
arrive
and
they'd
stay.
Not
just
for
hours,
but
sometimes
for
days,
sometimes
for
weeks.
And
they
wouldn't
stay
and
ask
anything
of
you,
much
as
you
know,
no
one
asked
anything
of
Eeyore.
They
would
stay,
right?
They
would
stay
and
they
just
hold
this
still
space
where
it
would
be
whatever
comes
up
is
welcome
here.
And
they'd
hold
this
compassionate
space
where
you
could
feel
them
saying,
We
don't
want
you
carrying
this
alone.
This
is
too
much
for
you
to
bear
by
yourself.
We
want
to
be
here
to
carry
this
with
you.
And
in
that
space,
what
could
happen?
Well,
that
child's
grief,
that
child's
sadness,
that
child's
loss
could
start
to
just
bubble
up
and
erupt
out
of
them
because
they
would
know
there
was
room
for
it.
It
was
a
welcome
there.
And
they
could
just
allow
this
to
move
through
them.
Now,
this
isn't
some
instant
process
where
after
three
days
of
crying,
they're
fine,
their
father's
gone,
it's
no
problem,
right?
It's
just
a
process.
But
there
is
that
felt
sense
of
you
don't
have
to
carry
this
alone.
We
will
carry
this
together.
And
the
relief
that
comes
from
knowing
someone's
here
to
hold
me,
to
pick
me
up
and
keep
and
swoop
me
into
their
arms
and
let
me
know
I
don't
have
to
go
through
this
by
myself
is
is
transformative
in
terms
of
our
capacity
to
go
through
grief.
And
we've
in
many
ways
lost
that
in
our
culture.
Yes,
we
have.
And
in
many
ways,
modern
day
therapy
is
really
an
attempt
to
recreate
what
the
villages
already
had.
You
know,
that
really
is
in
some
ways
what
the
firelight
of
therapy
is,
right?
The
firelight
of
therapy
is
very
much
come
into
this
office,
let
me
hold
a
still
open
space
for
you.
And
in
this
space,
let
me
support
the
um
what's
the
word?
The
catharsis
of
what's
inside
you.
Let
it
come
on
out
of
you,
saying,
Let
me
hold
it
with
you
so
you
don't
have
to
hold
it
alone.
Um,
and
so
you
know,
we
do
have
these
venues
in
our
modern
culture
where
we
try
to
find
spaces
where
this
can
happen.
It's
just
not
everywhere.
It's
a
little
more
hidden
in
our
culture.
Yeah.
You
can
find
it
in
a
therapy
office,
you
might
find
it
in
a
church,
you
might
find
it
in
an
AA
group,
you
might
find
it
in
a
grief
circle.
They're
there,
but
our
culture
doesn't
point
to
them,
right?
What
does
our
culture
point
to?
The
headlines
say,
look
at
the
powerful
person,
look
at
the
rich
person,
right?
Yeah.
They
don't,
there's
never
a
headline
that
says,
you
know,
uh,
man
sits
beside
grieving
woman,
puts
arm
around
her,
says
nothing.
That's
never
headline
news,
right?
No.
And
yet
it's
the
most
important
thing
we
can
do
for
each
other.
It
is.
So,
you
know,
that's
why
it's
hard,
it's
hard
to
remember,
but
it's
still
there,
those
those
places
where
people
want
to
sit
with
us
in
our
grief,
in
our
trauma,
in
our
loss.
And
it's
really
important
we
find
those
places
so
that
we
don't
have
to
go
through
them
alone.
It
it
is,
because
you
do
feel
very
alone,
whether
you're
in
that
caregiving
process
or
when
that
your
loved
one
dies,
you
do.
Even
when
you're
in
a
room
full
of
people
who
have
all
lost
the
same
person,
you
still
feel
alone
because
you're
trying
then
to
figure
out
who
you
are
after
that
person
has
passed,
or
who
you
are
as
a
caregiver,
because
your
life
is
turned
completely
upside
down.
And
and
you
do,
you
just
you
feel
very
lost
and
alone
through
all
of
it
with
that.
And
I
think
it's
important
for
people
to
be
able
to
say
it's
okay
to
ask
for
help,
and
I
think
that's
part
of
finding
your
village,
because
I
think
we
think
it
it
makes
us
not
strong
if
we
ask
for
help.
And
absolutely.
And
and
we
need
to
ask
for
help.
It's
I
mean,
it's
hard,
it's
hard
to
do
it,
but
you
you
have
to
in
order
to
take
care
of
yourself
with
it.

Building Your Own Village In Real Life

17:38

So
do
you
think
it's
fixable,
this
loneliness
and
finding
the
village?
Like
how
do
we
find
our
way
back
to
each
other?
Yeah,
you
know,
I
mean,
look,
you
know,
I
I
think
in
many
ways
the
way
back
is
much
easier
than
we
imagine
it
to
be.
Uh,
because
I
think
it's
inside
of
us
already.
As
you
said,
you
walked
in
that
pub
and
there
it
was,
and
you
knew
I
have
a
sense
of
belonging
here.
It's
it's
it's
innate
in
us
to
want
it,
it's
innate
in
us
when
we
feel
it
to
want
more
of
it.
It's
just
the
fact
that
the
culture
sort
of
hides
these
places
from
us.
They're
not
obvious
or
evident
to
us.
And
you
know,
my
my
invitation
to
people
is
to
is
to
try
something.
You
know,
be
try
something
that
requires,
you
know,
a
little
bit
of
courage,
a
little
bit
of
bravery,
but
but
take
the
risk,
right?
See
if
you
can
find
a
group
of
five,
six,
seven,
up
to
twelve
people,
you
know,
perhaps
an
interpersonal
processing
group
in
a
therapist's
office,
as
one
example
of
many,
you
know,
and
set
aside
three
hours
a
week
to
sit
down
together
as
that
group
and
just
uh
do
what
the
culture
doesn't
allow
us
to
do.
You
just
pointed
out
the
culture
doesn't
allow
us
to
do.
Because
as
you
just
said,
in
some
ways,
right,
we
live
in
a
culture
that
really
um
looks
for
positivity,
looks
for
cheerfulness,
uh,
wants
us
to
just
be
okay.
How
are
you?
I'm
fine.
Right.
Right?
You
know,
um
and
enter
this
group
and
go
ahead
and
let's
have
the
courage
to
just
speak
our
truth,
to
arrive
with
vulnerability,
to
arrive,
you
know,
with
willingness
to
share
those
soft,
tender
places
inside
of
us,
and
then
to
greet
each
other
in
that
space
with
soft
eyes
and
tender
hearts,
so
that
it
becomes
a
space
where
you
know
we
do
form
that
village
circle
where
stillness
and
compassion
can
grow.
Uh
and
you
know,
um,
from
that
space,
you
know,
when
I
brought
that
up
to
someone,
they
said,
Well,
that's
not
realistic.
Nobody
has
three
hours
a
week
to
just
spend
sitting
down
with
each
other.
We're
all
really
busy.
And
I
said,
Well,
in
some
ways
that's
true,
but
in
other
ways,
think
about
this,
right?
I
mean,
the
most
popular
sport
in
America
is
football,
right?
And
most
people
will
find
three
hours
a
week
to
sit
down
and
watch
a
football
game
every
Sunday.
Yeah,
and
sometimes
on
Thursday
and
Monday.
That's
right.
Yeah.
That's
right.
You
know,
so
if
you
could
find
three
hours
to
watch
a
football
game,
I'm
sure
we
can
find
each
three
hours
to
sit
with
each
other.
Because
once
we
start,
as
soon
as
we
start
and
we
feel
that
sense
of
place,
that
sense
of
belonging,
that
sense
of,
oh,
this
is
like
walking
into
cheers
and
having
everybody
say
norm,
we
feel
welcome
here.
We
want
to
go
back.
It
pulls
us
to
go
back,
you
know,
and
to
just
sit
in
that
space
with
those
people
to
get
to
know
each
other's
stories,
but
also
to
get
to
know
each
other's
hearts.
Because
what
starts
to
evolve
after
a
certain
amount
of
time
of
sitting
in
a
group
like
that
is
we
naturally
want
to
extend
our
care
to
each
other
outside
that
group.
We
start
to
say,
what
would
it
look
like
if
we
cared
for
each
other
outside
those
three
hours
each
week?
And
we
decide,
hey,
let's
bring
let's
bring
soups
to
each
other
when
someone's
sick.
Um
let's
offer,
let's
show
up
at
2
a.m.
when
someone's
in
crisis
and
needs
child
care.
Let's
call
on
Tuesday
morning
and
say,
Lisa,
how
are
you?
I've
been
thinking
about
you.
Are
you
okay?
Um
we
just
start
to
want
to
do
that
for
each
other.
And
as
soon
as
we
start
to
do
just
those
simple
things,
show
up
three
hours
a
week
to
talk
openly
and
start
to
extend
that
care
into
every
everyday
life,
just
that
alone
has
taken
us
back
to
at
least
some
version
of
that
village.
Because
all
of
a
sudden
we're
not
living
lives
all
by
ourselves.
There
are
lives
that
have
begun
to
be
woven
into
each
other,
that
have
begun
to
be
woven
together.
Our
sense
of
security
stops
coming
from
just
trying
to
build
that
individual
pile
of
wealth
and
starts
to
come
more
and
more
from
I've
got
you
because
you
got
me,
and
we've
got
each
other,
we've
got
each
other
covered
here.
Uh,
you
know,
and
that
safety
starts
to
settle
in
as
well.
Now,
you
know,
go
ahead.
You
jumped.
I
was
gonna
say,
what
do
you
say
to
somebody
who
isn't,
they
say
maybe
they're
not
a
group
joiner?
You
know,
like
how
about
if
they
are
around
people
that,
you
know,
maybe
they
feel
the
village
is
is
a
couple
dogs
or
a
few
cats,
or
or
maybe
for
them
it's
walking,
you
know,
walking
uh
in
nature.
That's
where
they
feel,
you
know,
their
safety
or
their
comfort.
Absolutely.
So
a
couple
things
I'm
glad
you
brought
that
up.
So
a
couple
things
about
that.
You
know,
I
think
um
people
have
brought
this
up.
Well,
that
feels
like
too
much
for
me.
I
don't
think
I
want
to
sit
down
with
a
group
of
people
for
Three
hours.
I
think
that
freaks
me
out.
You
know?
Well,
then
find
the
group
of
people
you
join,
just
doing
something
that's
shared,
right?
If
you
like
to
hike
in
the
woods,
find
the
hiking
group,
right?
If
you
like
to
play
pickleball,
find
the
pickleball
group,
right?
At
least
begin
in
that
way.
Begin
to
form
those
communities
that
center
around
the
things
you
already
love
that
are
easy
to
join
and
use
that
as
the
starting
point
to
start
to
build
those
connections.
You
know,
and
then
as
you
spend
time
with
those
people,
just
start
to
linger
a
little
bit
more,
start
to
lounge
a
little
bit
more.
Don't
hurry
off
at
the
end
of
the
pickleball
game
or
the
end
of
the
hike
if
you
don't
have
to.
You
know,
um,
so
that
you
make
time
for
each
other
and
just
allow
the
connection
to
happen
in
that
slow,
easy
space
of
just
being
with
each
other.
Well,
and
too,
and
when
you're
going
through,
like
you
you
said,
that
we're
not
wired
for
the
trauma
and
everything.
When
you
are
going
through,
whether
it's
a
caregiver
or
or
it's
grief,
to
allow
yourself
that
time,
even
if
it
is
an
hour
or
two
playing
pickleball
or
going
for
a
hike,
it's
important
to
help
to
help
you
with
your
mental
health
with
all
of
that.
Even
though
we
we
think
we
should
be
more
productive,
but
absolutely.
It's
the
funny
thing,
right?
The
time
we
most
need
to
slow
down
is
when
we're
most
anxious.
We
don't
think
we
can.
Yes.
Right?
The
time
we
mostly
do
the
people
is
the
time
where
we
feel
like
nobody's
gonna
want
me
the
way
I
am
right
now,
right?
You
know,
because
you
know,
sometimes
we
feel
like,
man,
I'm
just
in
a
I'm
just
sad
right
now,
nobody's
gonna
want
to
be
around
me.
If
we
can
find
those,
if
we
can
find
those
people
who
are
comfortable
with
just
whoever
we
are,
as
you
know,
the
uh
the
folks
in
the
poof
were
with
Bior.
If
we
can
find
those
people
that
are
just
okay
with
us
being
that
way,
suddenly
we
feel
okay
with
being
that
way,
right?
Because
a
real
important
part
of
what
we
really
need
so
much
of
is
compassion.
And
what
is
compassion
at
the
heart
of
it
all?
Well,
compassion
is
just
the
ability
to
keep
our
heart
open
to
whatever
is
rising
up,
to
whatever
life's
bringing
in
this
moment.
Maybe
it's
joy,
maybe
it's
beauty,
but
maybe
it's
suffering.
And
so,
you
know,
when
we
arrive
with
compassion
or
somebody
meets
us
with
compassion,
and
we're
in
a
place
of
sadness,
we
go,
oh,
it's
okay
to
be
sad.
And
suddenly,
whew,
I'm
not
fighting
my
sadness
anymore.
It's
just
okay
that
I'm
here.
And
the
relief
of
being
okay
with
where
we
are
is
is
what
we
all
need
all
the
time.
My
mom
used
to,
for
her
with
her
really
good
friends,
when
they
would
say,
Oh,
I'm
fine,
and
she
knew
stuff
was
going
on,
she'd
look
at
them
and
go,
No,
you're
not.
You're
not
fine.
Now
tell
me
what's
wrong.
She
would
be
like
That's
right,
go
mom,
let
you
go,
right?
Like,
come
on,
let's
be
real
with
each
other
here,
right?
We're
only
on
this
planet
for
a
little
bit
of
time.
Right.
The
least
we
can
do
with
this
time
together
is
be
willing
and
willing
to
tell
each
other
the
truth
so
that
we
can
feel
like
we're
all
going
through
this
truth
together.
Yeah,
and
I
think
that's
why
people
kind
of
came
to
her
because
she,
you
know,
she
was
that
safe
space
for
people.
You
know,
she
didn't
she
she
didn't
expect
people
to
be
happy
all
the
time.
You
know,
she
I
don't
want
to
say
she
embraced
the
sadness,
but
it
didn't
bother
her
if
people
were
sad.
You
know.
That's
the
way
to
live.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And
I
get
the
sense,
I
get
the
sense
you've
got
that
in
you
too,
Lisa.
Uh
well,
yeah,
be
you
know.
Well,
my
mom
had
a
lot
of
tragedies
growing
up
and
stuff,
so
I
think
she
just
knew
that
that
was
part
of
life,
you
know.
Uh-huh.
So
that
that's
it,
right?
It's
part
of
all
our
lives,
right?
Nobody
nobody
gets
nobody
escapes
this
life
free
from
trauma,
free
from
loss,
free
from
grief.
Yeah,
you
know,
as
much
as
we'd
like
that
to
happen,
that's
just
not
the
reality
of
it.

Stillness, Compassion, And Being Present

25:37

With
it
You
also
say
on
the
path
home,
we
need
we
need
two
companions,
stillness
and
compassion.
Why
do
you
why
do
you
say
those
two?
You
know,
I'll
tell
you
what,
these
there
are
these
researchers,
and
what
they
did
was
they
studied
methods
to
wholeness.
Um,
like
what
are
the
things
that
that
lead
us
to
a
sense
of
wholeness
within
ourselves,
that
lead
us
to
a
sense
of
wholeness
together,
a
sense
of
being
connected
to
each
other.
And
what
they
did
was
they
studied
um
mythic
traditions
that
lent
themselves,
that
led
to
wholeness.
They
studied
depth
psychologies,
they
studied
theories
of
counseling,
and
they
metaphorically
pulled
out
a
scalpel
and
cut
open
this
um
these
deaf
psychology,
they
cut
open
the
theory
of
counseling,
they
cut
open
the
spiritual
tradition,
uh,
and
they
said,
what
is
it
inside
of
these
things
that
leads
people
to
wholeness?
And
what
they
found
in
many
ways
amazed
them.
There
were
just
two
elements,
two
common
factors,
two
gentle
forces,
I
call
them
two
golden
threads,
that
they
found
inside
every
one
of
these
methods.
And
they
were
stillness
and
compassion.
That
whenever
stillness
and
compassion
were
present,
these
methods
led
to
wholeness.
And
when
they
were
absent,
they
didn't.
And
um,
you
know,
uh
researchers
studying
just
psychology
alone
found
out
that
it
doesn't
really
matter
what
modality
your
therapist
practices,
as
long
as
they
hold
a
still
compassionate
stance,
um,
the
therapy
tends
to
be
quite
effective.
It
matters
far
more
than
any
method
they
might
use.
And
so,
you
know,
let
me
just
say,
what
are
stillness,
what
are
compassion,
right?
So
what
are
they?
What
do
they
mean,
right?
And
by
stillness,
what
I
mean
is
the
ability
to
show
up
in
this
moment,
right
here,
right
now,
free
from
judgment,
free
from
expectation,
just
open,
just
curious,
huh?
What
is
this
moment
going
to
bring
me?
What's
coming
here?
Right?
And
then
there
is
compassion,
which
is
once
we
arrive
in
this
moment,
keeping
our
heart
wide
open
to
it,
right?
To
whatever
life
is
bringing,
the
beauty,
the
suffering,
so
that
if
we
arrive
in
this
moment
and
find
our
own
pain,
we
stay
open
to
it.
If
we
arrive
in
this
moment
and
see
pain
in
the
stranger's
eyes,
we
stay
open
to
that.
If
we
arrive
in
this
moment
and
see
the
loneliness
in
a
loved
one's
um
stance,
we
stay
open
to
that
as
well.
And
you
know
what
um
and
what
we
find
when
we
feel
this
still
compassion
sense
is
hey,
I
want
to
keep
living
this
way.
When
we
arrive
in
those
moments,
we've
all
had
those
moments,
right,
where
we
just
feel,
ah,
I'm
just
right
here
in
this
very
still
moment,
my
heart
is
wide
open.
We
feel
like,
man,
if
I
could
just
stay
here,
this
would
be
great.
This
would
be
so
good.
I
would
love
to
just
be
here
all
the
time.
That's
how
I
felt
in
Ireland,
not
just
in
the
pub.
Like
I
didn't
want
to
come
home.
Right.
I
just
it
was
it
was
it
was
the
stillness
and
it
was
the
beauty,
and
it
just
uh
yeah,
I
just
felt
so
good
there.
I
was
like,
do
I
have
to
come
home?
I
was
right,
right.
You
know,
and
it's
funny
because
these
are
in
many
ways
the
counter
forces
to
of
consumer
culture,
right?
Consumer
culture
promotes,
you
know,
striving,
achieving,
accumulating,
right?
Those
are
the
forces
that
drive
consumer
culture.
And
yet
the
forces
that
really
have
us
feel
settled,
that
bring
us
back
to
ourselves,
that
bring
us
back
to
each
other,
that
bring
us
back
to
the
village,
are
just
being
more
still,
more
compassionate.
And
the
wonderful
thing
about
stillness
and
compassion
is
they
are
innate
in
who
we
are,
unlike
striving
and
you
know,
accumulating,
which
in
some
ways
are
taught
to
us
by
the
culture.
Stillness
and
compassion
are
are
innate
in
all
of
us
from
the
time
we
arrived.
And
so
the
work
for
us
really
is
in
many
ways,
how
do
we
pull
them
out
from
inside
of
ourselves
so
we
can
hold
hands
with
them
in
our
everyday
lives?
And
of
course
I
can
talk
about
that,
but
I
just
wanted
to
get
to
that
space.
And
I
think
that's
hard
for
people
because
it's
scary
to
be
still.
It's
it's
much
easier
to
be
busy,
busy,
busy
and
not
be
still
and
face
what
whatever
it
is
that's
going
on
because
it's
it's
hard.
That's
right.
If
I
stop,
everything
that
I've
been
running
from,
everything
that
I've
been
hurrying
away
from
will
finally
catch
up
to
me.
That's
the
fear,
right?
And
as
some
of
my
clients
would
say,
if
I
start
crying,
I'm
gonna
cry
forever.
Right.
So
don't
get
me
to
start
crying
right
now,
because
you
don't
want
to
see
me
cry
forever,
and
I
don't
want
to
see
me
cry
forever.
And
I'm
saying,
no,
no,
no,
that's
not
how
it
works.
You
know,
slow
down,
come
in
this
moment.
If
the
tears
come,
I'll
hold
them
with
you.
And
don't
worry.
You
know,
the
crying
will
just
you'll
there'll
be
a
lightness
that
comes
as
you
start
to
empty
that
bucket
that's
been
that's
been
filled
up
inside
of
you.

Dementia Lessons, Resources, And Closing

30:21

The
one
thing
that
I
did
learn
uh
with
my
mom
with
her
dementia
is
that
people
who
have
dementia,
Alzheimer's,
they
truly
do
live
in
that
moment
because
that
is
all
they
know.
Right.
So
being
there
with
her,
I
learned
more
and
more
how
to
be
present
in
that
moment
because
one
moment
she
you
know,
I
would
joke
with
her.
She'd
be
like,
she
was
hot,
and
then
two
minutes
later
she
was
cold.
I'd
be
like,
You're
hot,
cold,
hot,
cold,
you
know.
Um
but
I
learned
more
how
to
be
mindful
and
to
be
in
that
moment
with
her
because
that
was
the
only
moment
I
had
with
that.
Right.
You
know,
and
it
is
really
hard
to
do
in
general
to
find
that,
but
by
being
mindful,
you
can
kind
of
try
to
find
your
village
again.
And
your
book,
The
Village
Solution,
it
is
on
your
website,
correct?
Yes,
there's
a
sample
chapter
there.
Okay.
And
now
is
it
available
to
purchase
anywhere?
Not
yet.
It's
uh
not
quite
yet
in
print.
It's
coming
soon,
but
it's
not
out
yet.
Okay.
Um
so
if
people
wanted
to
learn
more
about
all
this,
they
can
go
to
your
website,
correct?
Yes,
the
website
has
sample
chapters,
um,
it
has
uh
free
free
hour
talks
people
can
attend.
Uh
there's
uh
sign
up
for
a
newsletter.
Uh
there's
there's
a
fair
bit
there
for
people
to
to
learn
more.
Okay.
And
it's
Carl
Nassar.com
slash
landing.
Is
that
correct?
Or
is
that
you
can
just
do
carlnassar.com.
Okay.
That'll
work.
That'll
get
them
right
there.
That'll
get
them
right
there
for
that.
And
then
and
you
also
have
a
lot
of
that's
where
I
found
a
lot
of
your
articles,
which
I
thought
were
very
interesting
as
well.
Yeah.
Because
you've
been
in
psychology
today
for
a
lot
of
times,
correct?
Yeah,
for
a
couple
of
years
I've
been
writing
a
column,
call
a
regular
column
for
them.
Oh,
okay.
So
yeah,
you
can
uh
people
can
get
your
your
um
your
articles
and
that.
Uh
I
was
talking
earlier.
Have
you
speaking
of
Winnie
the
Pooh,
but
did
you
ever
read
the
the
Tao
of
Pooh
and
the
Tay
of
Piglet?
The
Tao
of
Pooh
is
sitting
just
across
from
me
over
here.
Okay.
Very
familiar
with
it.
I
never
did
pick
up
the
second
book.
Okay.
I
must
admit
to
not
having
the
second
one.
But
uh
I
bought
that
back,
I
think,
in
the
early
90s,
was
it
when
it
first
came
out?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Loved
that
book.
I
absolutely
fell
in
love
with
it.
Yeah.
People
can
learn
a
lot
from
Winnie
the
Pooh.
I
agree.
Yeah.
I'm
right
there
with
you.
Yeah.
Yes.
So,
you
know,
and
even
though
we're
feeling
lonely,
we
need
to
find
our
village,
whoever
they
are.
That's
right.
Whether
it's
a
pig
and
a
bunny
and
a
bear
and
a
bouncing
tigger.
Um,
you
know,
we
whatever,
whatever
eclectic
set
of
characters
it
takes,
finding
our
way
back
to
each
other
is
what
matters
so
much.
Yes,
and
that
can
help
you
through
all
of
the
hard
times
in
life
for
it.
Absolutely.
Thank
you
so
much
for
joining
us.
I've
learned
so
much
today.
Yeah,
I
really
enjoyed
my
time
with
you.
Thanks,
Lisa,
for
having
me
on
and
for
having
the
show
in
the
first
place.
And
what
a
beautiful
way
to
honor
your
mother.
Well,
thank
you.
So,
well,
I
hope
everybody
has
enjoyed
this
episode.
Hopefully,
we
can
help
you
find
your
village.
Uh
so
uh
please
make
sure
you
leave
a
review,
like
us,
subscribe
to
us
on
YouTube,
and
hopefully
you
enjoyed
your
cup
of
coffee,
your
cup
of
tea,
or
if
you
had
that
really
bad
day,
a
glass
of
wine,
and
just
know
you
are
not
alone.
And
join
us
for
another
edition
of
Patty's
Place.

The Foundation of Recovery: A Tribute to Dr. John part 4 of 5

Podcast Summary: The Inside Out of the “ISM”

Hosts: Mike & Glenn

Guest: Dr. John

In this episode, Dr. John rejoins Mike and Glenn at the coffee shop to continue their deep dive into alcoholism, sharing pivotal moments from his journey and breaking down the true nature of addiction, connection, and relapse.

Redefining the “ISM”

Dr. John challenges the traditional view of alcoholism, stating that he was “born scared” and that alcohol itself didn’t cause his disease. Instead, he describes alcoholism as an “ISM”—a universal, internal yearning to fill an emotional void.

  • The Universal Void: Humans are the only creatures on Earth who torment themselves trying to fill this emptiness.
  • The Admission Tickets: The “ISM” manifests differently for everyone. There are hundreds of 12-step programs identical to AA; they simply have different “admission tickets” (e.g., alcohol, shopping, eating).
  • Religion vs. Spirituality:
  • “Religion fills the void. Spirituality teaches us to embrace the void.” While religion relies on a set of rules, spirituality is about building a strong relationship with something greater. Dr. John doesn’t label himself as “happy, joyous, and free”—rather, he views his ISM as God continuously poking his void, reminding him it is a never-ending process.

The Power of Connection

The core message of the episode is that intellect alone cannot cure addiction. True transformation happens through human-to-human interaction.

  • Wounded Healers: Healing occurs when the wounded heal the wounded. As the famous quote goes: “The opposite of addiction is connection.”
  • The Ultimate Need: Dr. John shares a powerful story about his dog, Samantha, who taught him how to give unconditional love. He concludes that giving love is our only true need, summarizing it as: “You can’t keep it if you don’t give it away.”
  • Heaven on Earth: For Dr. John, heaven is pouring yourself into someone else. “I don’t know what heaven is, but the closest I’ve come to is when I lose myself in another.”
  • The “We” of AA: Glenn and Dr. John agree that Alcoholics Anonymous works strictly because of the “We.” We cannot see our own blind spots without others.

The Reality of Relapse

The conversation shifts to a cautionary tale from John, who shared his experience with relapse, proving that “every bottom has a trap door.”

Dr. John emphasizes that triggers are just excuses—relapse is a calculated choice where a person thinks through the action and does it anyway. He breaks down relapse into three distinct stages: Emotional, Mental, and Physical.

The 5 Steps to John’s Relapse:

  1. Complacency: Becoming bored and complacent.
  2. Distraction: Losing focus on recovery.
  3. Skipping Meetings: Halting attendance.
  4. Loss of Mentorship: His sponsor moved away.
  5. Isolation: He stopped connecting with his own sponsees as they drifted.

Ultimately, it was his gradual movement away from the program that caused the relapse. Despite this, the hosts emphasize a philosophy of grace: hate the sin, love the sinner.

Advice for the Newcomer: The “Karate Kid” Metaphor

Dr. John offers a grounded, realistic perspective for anyone new to recovery. He reminds them that “AA is not a feel-good program; it is a get-well program.” Life is still going to be life, and while medical schools don’t teach spirituality, it is readily available in AA as the best therapy on the planet.

To close, Dr. John shares a “must-listen” metaphor inspired by The Karate Kid. Just like Daniel Larusso learning martial arts from Mr. Miyagi, a newcomer in recovery must possess three essential qualities:

  • Openness
  • Willingness
  • Honesty

Final Takeaway

Glenn notes that through this program, there is no situation in life he cannot get through sober. Because alcohol remains “cunning, baffling, and powerful,” the episode concludes with a call to move forward into today with confidence, balanced by cautiousness.

“Snake and Eggs” & “Mom likes to party!”

The guys discuss why you should definitely eliminate salmon from your diet if you’re allergic to cocaine, when the right window treatments can prevent you from accidentally keistering an outdated
brick phone, and how a noise cancelling shed next to a bus stop is all but irrelevant if you can’t convince your wife to “list it”. 

Caregiver Support Is The Best Medicine-Interview with Dr. Warren Wong

I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments.

We sit down with Dr. Warren Wong to rethink what dementia care should look like when the goal is love, dignity, and real quality of life for both the person living with memory loss and the caregiver. We share hard truths about emergencies, wandering, and burnout, plus practical ways to build trust and get meaningful support instead of trying to white knuckle it alone. 
• Dr. Wong’s journey into geriatrics and the PACE model for keeping seniors in the community 
• Why “call 911” can trigger hospitalization and loss of independence for frail older adults 
• Cultural expectations and caregiver guilt that block families from asking for help 
• Our personal story of refusal to test, crisis diagnosis, and the overwhelm of finding memory care 
• Trust building, routine resistance, and the green light yellow light red light days 
• Why showering can be terrifying and how to approach care with more safety 
• Medicare GUIDE, caregiver training, respite options, and 24 7 dementia support 
• Care navigation versus care coordination and why checklists are not enough 
• Dementia villages, memory cafes, and social connection as part of care 
• “Doing to” versus “doing for” versus “doing with” as a dignity framework 
• Wandering risk and why the first 24 hours matter 
Make sure you leave us a review or subscribe to our YouTube channel 

Support the show

Welcome To Patty’s Place

SPEAKER_02
0:08

Welcome
to
Patty's
Place,
a
place
where
we're
going
to
talk
about
grief,
dementia,
and
caregiving.
This
podcast
is
in
honor
of
my
mom,
Pat,
who
passed
away
from
dementia
about
two
and
a
half
years
ago
now.
I'm
your
host,
Lisa,
and
this
is
a
place
where
you'll
know
that
you're
not
alone.
So
grab
your
cup
of
tea,
your
cup
of
coffee,
or
if
you're
having
a
really
bad
day,
a
glass
of
wine,
and
we
will
get
talking
today.
Today
I'm
very
excited
about
our
guest.
It's
Dr.
Warren
Wong
out
of
uh
he's
a
clinical
professor
with
the
University
of
Hawaii
School
of
Medicine.
Uh,
and
you
focus
on
geriatric
services
uh
with
in
design
for
the
senior
segmentation.
So
I'm
very
excited.
Thank
you
for
being
here
today.

SPEAKER_00
0:48

Thanks
so
much,
Lisa.
I'm
happy
to
be
on
Patty's
place.

SPEAKER_02
0:52

Yes,
I
think
there's
just
so
much
to
talk
about.
Uh
you're
also
the
founder
of
geriatric
services
at
Kaiser
Permente
in
Hawaii,
is
that
correct?

SPEAKER_00
1:02

That's
right.
And
uh
I'm
uh
I'm
retired
from
Kaiser,
but
uh
I
was
part
of
the
National
Planning
Committee.

SPEAKER_02
1:08

So
okay.

Dr Wong’s Path To Geriatrics

SPEAKER_02
1:10

Well,
can
you
tell
us
a
little
bit
about
your
background?
Like
what
drew
you
to
specialize
in
geriatric
medicine.

SPEAKER_00
1:17

Well,
you
know,
I've
been
at
it
for
uh
40
years,
and
um
even
before
I
ever
applied
to
med
school,
um
I
was
really
drawn
to
care
of
seniors.
And
uh
it
was
a
way
of
both
serving
the
community
that
I
I
um
felt
uh
affinity
to
that
I'm
Chinese
American
and
I
felt
a
strong
affinity
to
um
uh
uh
my
uh
hometown,
Chinatown,
San
Francisco,
Chinatown.
And
uh
there
were
some
very
uh
innovative
things
being
done
back
then,
and
I
was
thrilled
to
um
experience
the
working
in
in
a
team
with
one
of
the
original
PACE
sites,
or
the
actual
original
PACE
site
uh
called
Onlock
in
San
Francisco.
And
I
just
really
enjoyed
the
um
the
work,
the
um
more
holistic
way
of
providing
care
for
seniors,
not
just
putting
them
in
nursing

How PACE Keeps Seniors Home

SPEAKER_00
2:19

homes.
So
and
what
what
is
the
PACE
program
The
PACE
program
is
a
national
uh
program.
It
started
in
San
Francisco
at
Onlock.
Onlock
is
Chinese
for
peace
and
happiness.
And
it's
a
program
that
uh
people
enroll
in
and
get
all
their
services,
both
traditional
Medicare
services
and
an
expanded
set
of
support
services,
uh,
while
continuing
to
live
in
the
community.
Um
and
there's
a
lot
of
emphasis
on
them
being
at
a
day
health
center
uh
to
get
services
during
the
day.
Uh
during
while
they're
at
the
day
health
center,
they
uh
can
get
uh
physical
therapy,
a
lot
of
recreational
therapy,
socialization,
and
your
providers
are
right
there.
So
uh
it
would
be
typical
for
uh
a
person
to
be
involved
in
activities.
And
if
I
wanted
to
see
the
person,
uh
that
person
would
just
be
wheeled
into
a
separate
area
and
we
would
do
uh
a
short
clinic
visit.
Or
once
in
a
while
I
would
just
drop
by
into
the
activities
area
and
just
feel
the
person's
pulse
just
to
make
sure
that
person
was
doing
fine,
and
that's
the
work
way
uh
the
PACE
sites
work,
they're
all
across
the
country
now.
It's
a
Medicare
benefit
for
people
who
qualify,
and
there
are
a
large
number
of
uh
of
Medicare
um
programs
across
the
country,
uh
PACE
programs
across
the
country
now.

SPEAKER_02
3:51

Oh,
okay.

When 911 Is The Wrong Answer

SPEAKER_02
3:52

And
in
your
opinion,
how
should
healthcare
for
seniors
evolve
to
better
meet
their
unique
needs?

SPEAKER_00
4:00

Well,
I
think
it
it
must
it
really
needs
dramatic
change
in
terms
of
not
just
thinking
about
disease,
but
thinking
about
the
person,
how
it
impacts
the
person
and
how
to
um
to
optimally
provide
you
know
quality
of
life,
dignity
and
and
and
respect
for
older
people.
And
the
uh
I'll
give
you
a
very
specific
example
of
of
that,
uh
Lisa,
is
that
uh
you
know,
throughout
the
country,
you
you
when
you
call
your
physician,
they'll
it'll
pretty
much
end
with
the
comment
if
you
are
have
any
kind
of
emergency,
please
call
911.
Right.
Well,
that
doesn't
really
serve
a
lot
of
older
people
very
well.
I
mean,
if
you're
a
frail
older
person,
uh
I
always
like
to
make
the
point
that
if
you're
frail
and
elderly,
calling
911
can
be
a
one-way,
a
one-way
call.
And
by
that
I
mean
it's
invariably
that
if
you're
if
you're
about
age
of
85
or
older,
um
if
you
go
to
the
emergency
room,
there's
a
50%
chance
you're
gonna
be
hospitalized.
And
once
you're
hospitalized,
there's
about
a
50%
chance
you're
not
gonna
go
straight
back
home.

SPEAKER_02
5:19

Oh,
I
did
not
know
that.
Okay.

SPEAKER_00
5:22

Yeah,
so
um
it's
not
the
most
supportive
way.
And
uh,
you
know,
a
lot
of
older
people
say,
please
don't
send
me
to
the
emergency
room.
And
there's
a
lot
of
reasons
for
that,
and
they're
legitimate
reasons.

SPEAKER_02
5:34

Yeah,
I
I
wasn't
aware
of
that
statistics.

Culture Guilt And Asking For Help

SPEAKER_02
5:38

Can
we
talk
a
little
bit
about
like
cultural
expectations
and
like
the
language
barrier
and
maybe
the
prejudice
that
plays
the
role
for
caregivers?
I
know
uh
you
highlighted
this
in
uh
the
the
your
future
book
coming
out
that
you
sent
me
some
information
on
it.
But
I
think
that
cultural
expectations
plays
a
role
in
things.

SPEAKER_00
5:59

Yeah.
So
uh,
you
know,
uh
it'd
be
really
great
if
we
talk
about
the
importance
of
support
for
caregivers.
Um
and
you
know,
the
whole
concept
is
that
uh
you
you
know,
the
traditional
healthcare
system,
you
go
to
a
physician,
then
you're
always
expecting
a
medicine.
Uh
and
of
course,
as
you
know,
Lisa,
uh
medicines
for
all
Alzheimer's
disease
and
dementia
in
general
are
only
modestly
effective
at
most.

SPEAKER_02
6:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_00
6:33

And
I
like
to
make
the
point
that
the
the
best
medicine
for
a
person
who
lives
with
dementia
and
for
the
caregiver
is
to
get
support.
And
that's
more
effective
than
than
uh
the
the
just
getting
a
medicine
from
your
doctor.
And
there's
some
cultural
aspects
of
that
is
in
that
you
know
many
people
uh
who
are
older
have
uh
you
know
come
from
different
cultures,
and
getting
support
uh
means
a
lot
of
different
things.
Um
a
lot
of
caregivers
feel
like
within
their
culture
that
it's
their
obligation,
um
and
asking
for
help
from
other
people
and
imposing
that
help
from
other
people
on
a
person
uh
who
uh
in
a
frail
elder
person
is
is
not
uh
it's
not
what
is
expected.
It's
it's
um
it's
expected
within
culture
that
it's
done
within
the
family.
And
um
uh
I
think
there
are
things
some
things
that
need
to
be
overcome
with
that.

SPEAKER_02
7:43

Yeah,
I
think
that
is
hard
because
I
know
that
when
with
my
mom
when
she
was
in
memory
care,
uh
there
were,
you
know,
I
got
to
know
different
family
members
of
other
patients,
uh
other
residents,
and
that
came
up,
you
know.
The
the
one
woman,
she
was
like,
Yeah,
she
was
Hispanic,
and
she
said
it
was
just
in
the
culture
that
she
was
supposed
to
take
care
of
her
mom,
and
she
had
to
fight
her
brothers
because
her
mom
was
getting
into
cars
with
people
she
didn't
know,
you
know,
and
like
they
just
they
just
kept
saying,
Well,
you
can
take
care
of
her,
and
she's
like,
No,
I
I
can't.
I
need
help.
And
she
struggled
with
that.

SPEAKER_00
8:18

Yeah,
yeah.

Getting A Dementia Diagnosis During COVID

SPEAKER_00
8:20

Why
do
you
think
what
are
your
thoughts,
uh
Lisa?
Uh,
did
you
seek
out
uh
help
uh
in
caring
for
your
uh
for
Patty?

SPEAKER_02
8:30

Well,
my
mom,
I
noticed
my
mom
was
wasn't
herself
for
quite
a
while.
And
I
tried
to
get
her
help
and
she
refused
to
go
to
the
doctor.
I
even
had
her
at
our
at
our
primary
doctor,
uh,
who
she
knew
and
loved
for
years.
She
refused
to
take
the
simple
little
memory
test.
She
just
would
not
take
it.
Wow.
Yeah.
She
just,
and
um,
I
think
on
some
level
she
knew
something
wasn't
right,
but
if
you
brought
it
up
to
her,
she
got
very
upset.
So
finally,
when
she
didn't
know
who
my
dad
and
I
were
in
the
house,
I
told
my
dad,
we
have
to
do
something.
You
know,
and
luckily
my
parents
had
done
powers
of
attorney.
Uh,
and
and
this
was
all
during
COVID
as
well,
of
course.
And
uh,
we
took
my
mom
to
the
emergency
room
with
the
power
of
attorney,
and
you
know,
they
diagnosed
her
right
away
with
dementia.
And
uh,
she
they
diagnosed
her
with
moderate
to
severe.
Um,
she
lived
with
me
for
a
month,
and
that
as
we
were
trying
to
find
a
place
for
her
because
they
told
us
we
weren't
gonna
be
able
to
take
care
of
her
at
home
because
she
was
very
mobile
still,
even
though
which
was
highly
unusual
for
the
state
of
her
dementia.
So
it
you
know,
it
did.
It
took
a
while
and
it
was
very
overwhelming
because
I
was
like,
I
I
don't
know
where
to
go.
What
do
I
do?
You
know,
like
what's
the
best
place
uh
for
that
uh
with
that.

SPEAKER_00
9:56

So
it's
interesting.
Um
you
raised
so
many
points
there
right
away.
One
point
is
that
um,
and
that's
a
whole
different
subject,
but
uh
how
people
are
so
afraid
of
memory
loss.
You
know,
they're
afraid
of
memory
loss
in
a
way
that
they're
not
afraid
of
a
failing
heart
or
failing
kidneys,
they're
much
more
afraid
of
a
of
a
failing
brain.
And
I
think
uh
those
kinds
of
fears
actually
make
the
problem
worse,
not
better.

SPEAKER_02
10:28

Yeah,
and
my
dad
had
a
very
hard
time.
He
just
kept
telling
me,
you
know,
oh,
she's
fine,
and
it's
just
age.
And
I
was
like,
something's
not
right.
And
so
I
I
struggled
for
a
long
time.
So
in
many
ways,
I
feel
like
I
lost
my
mom
years
before
I
actually
lost
her.
You
know,
because
I
I
could
just
tell
she
wasn't
and
people
came
to
me
and
said,
something's
not
right
with
your
mom.
And
I
was
like,
I
know,
but
I
can't
get
her
to
go,
you
know,
even
though
as
you
as
you
said
previously,
there's
really
not
a
lot
of
medications,
there's
not
much
they
can
do
for
it
um
with
that.

Trust Routines And The Green Light Days

SPEAKER_02
11:08

So
you
talked
about
too
uh
that
people
with
dementia,
they
resist
a
lot
of
new
routines.
So
what
advice
can
you
give
the
caregiver
for
that?
Because
I
I
noticed
that
with
my
mom
about
with
that.

SPEAKER_00
11:22

Yeah.
Well,
you
know,
there's
the
the
emotional
dementi
dimension
to
people
who
are
starting
to
um
lose
memory,
and
there's
uh
less
a
feeling
of
comfort
and
security.
So
the
space
that
a
person
feels
comfortable
becomes
smaller
and
smaller
and
um
and
there's
more
and
more
uh
anxiety
about
unfamiliar
situations.
So
um
uh
that
that
that
is
um
something
that
uh
you
know
need
needs
to
be
um
dealt
with.

SPEAKER_02
12:08

So
um
and
and
I
did
notice
that
with
my
mom,
like
she
didn't
want
to
go
out
as
much,
like
even
to
the
grocery
store
where
my
dad
ended
up
going
to
the
grocery
store
more
and
more.
Um
and
then
even
when
she
was
in
memory
care,
little
by
little
she
didn't
want
to
come
out
of
her
room
anymore.
You
know,
so
I
I
did
notice
that
she
just
she
just
didn't
want
to
do
it
anymore.
Like
I
could
tell
that's
where
she
felt
safe.
And
you
know,
uh
with
that.
So
would
you
oh
go
ahead.

SPEAKER_00
12:43

Well,
underneath
all
that
is
the
subject
of
trust
um
and
trust,
you
know,
if
it's
important
to
build
up
as
much
trust
as
possible.
And
it's
very
similar
to
building
trust
in
a
child.
You
know,
if
a
tr
a
child
trusts
you,
uh
they're
willing
to
do
more.
And
uh
trust
is
something
that's
really
important
uh
when
people
are
are
seeking
uh
out
to
um
move
things
along.

SPEAKER_02
13:17

I
was
gonna
say
that
is
very
true
because
there
were
different
times
with
my
mom
that
I
knew
she
trusted
me,
even
though
she
didn't
know
who
I
was,
even
in
memory
care.
Uh
she
would
get
very
upset
with
showers.
She
she
did
not
like
getting
showers,
and
she
would
like
get
so
upset.
And
if
I
was
there,
she
would
like
grab
onto
my
hand
and
be
like,
please
don't
leave
me,
please
don't
leave
me.
And
and
I
didn't.
And
I
it
sometimes
it
took
me
over
an
hour
to
calm
her
down
with
things,
but
it
was
like
I
knew
she
trusted
me.

SPEAKER_00
13:50

So
yeah,
and
it's
really
interesting
that
uh,
you
know,
there's
a
lot
of
uncertainty
when
you're
taking
care
of
a
person
uh
who
has
uh
uh
dementia
or
Alzheimer's
disease,
and
every
day
is
different.
There
may
be
a
day
in
which
everything
seems
fine,
and
it's
it's
a
green
light
for
things,
and
other
days
in
which
it's
a
yellow
light,
and
other
days
in
which
it's
a
red
light.
When
it's
a
red
light,
you
may
as
well
not
try.
Uh
the
skill
is
when
it's
a
yellow
light
and
turning
that
yellow
light
to
a
green
light,
and
sometimes
what
you
find
is
that
you
can't
get
things
done,
but
sometimes,
you
know,
for
whatever
reason
somebody
else
can
get
things
done,
which
I
which
gets
back
to
the
whole
issue
of
why
support
is
so
important
and
getting
different
people
to
help
out.

SPEAKER_02
14:48

Yeah,
because
sometimes
uh
I
used
to
be
able
to
get
my
mom
to
change
her
her
pants
when
she'd
have
accidents,
and
then
after
a
while
I
she
wouldn't
let
me
do
it,
but
a
caregiver
could
do
it
for
her,
you
know,
with
it,
the
ones
that
she
knew
and
she
liked
uh
with
that.
Uh
do
you
do
you
have
any
idea?

SPEAKER_00
15:08

The
really
things
in
life
really
change
uh
when
a
support
system
uh
gets
put
in
place.
And
sometimes
you
may
be
the
most
familiar
person
and
less
likely
less
able
to
get
things
done
than
someone
who's
less
familiar,
but
somehow
seems
to
be
in
a
different
role.
Um
so
that's
why
it
takes
a
whole
team.

SPEAKER_02
15:33

Yeah,
it
definitely
does.
Do
you
have
any
insight
as
to
why
people
with
dementia
don't
like
to
take
showers?
Like
on
the
medical
side
of
it?

SPEAKER_00
15:44

Well,
uh,
you
know,
um
that
is
a
very
common
um
problem.
And
my
own
personal
opinion
is
that
it's
it's
it's
a
very
um
it's
it
it's
not
it's
in
the
more
in
the
primitive
areas
of
the
brain
about
the
relationship
between
living
in
water
and
and
fear
of
water.
And
uh
that
uh
being
in
an
environment
that
uh
being
surrounded
by
water
is
something
that
uh
people
start
to
feel
a
fear
of.

SPEAKER_02
16:29

Well,
my
mom
always
had
a
fear
of
water,
so
that
would
explain
a
lot
for
my
mom.
Uh
with
that.
And
and
you
mentioned
before
that
it
takes
a
village,
and
I
know
that's
uh
one
of
your
is
that
the
gonna
be
the
title
of
your
book,
or
is
that
was
the
title
of
the
one
chapter?
So
let's
talk
about
you
have
a
book
coming
out
soon.

SPEAKER_00
16:47

It's
it's
a
theme
in
that
one
chapter.
I
think
the
title
of
my
book
uh
will
relate
it,
relate
will
relate
to
gold,
G-O-L-D,
which
is
an
acronym
for
for
getting
older
with
love
and
dignity.
And
uh,
you
know,
when
you
talk
about
the
healthcare
system,
uh,
does
it
really
help
people
get
older
with
love
and
dignity?
I
would
say
if
you
look
at
the
way
things
are
actually
done,
um,
you
know,
in
some
ways
yes,
but
in
many
ways
no.

SPEAKER_02
17:20

I
would
agree
with
that.
Uh
and
you
have
a
lot
of
information
uh
that
you
had
sent

Medicare GUIDE And 24 7 Support

SPEAKER_02
17:26

me.
So
you
said
that
there's
some
uh
Medicare
has
some
new
initiative
guide.
Where
could
people
find
some
of
that?
Because
that's
very
overwhelming
too
with
Medicare.

SPEAKER_00
17:40

Yeah,
so
um
there's
a
new
uh
program
uh
from
Medicare
called
Guide,
G-U-I-D-E.
And
uh
it's
not
available
everywhere,
but
it
uh
was
created
because
there
was
a
broad
understanding
that
uh
the
traditional
healthcare
system
doesn't
really
provide
for
the
needs
of
people
who
have
dementia,
uh,
especially
as
it
gets
more
severe.
And
what
the
guide
program,
and
you
need
to
uh
do
a
little
bit
of
a
search
for
the
Medicare
guide
program,
and
they
will
actually
tell
you
sites
in
which
it's
offered.
It's
only
offered
via
traditional
Medicare
fee
for
service,
which
means
that
if
you
have
a
Medicare
Advantage
plan,
uh
they
won't
offer
it.
But
it's
being
rolled
out
across
the
country,
and
what
it
does
is
it
does
something
that
the
healthcare
system
doesn't
do
now.
Uh,
for
instance,
one
thing
it
will
do
for
is
that
24
hours
a
day,
it
will
provide
uh
uh
on-call
services.
So
if
you
have
any
question,
somebody
is
on
the
other
end
of
the
line
who
actually
knows
the
person's
record
and
history
and
has
expertise
in
dementia
care,
and
that's
24-7.
And
then
uh
for
certain
people
who
qualify,
they
will
actually
get
some
in-home
services
as
well.
Oh,
so
that
is
an
innovative
program,
yeah,
that's
being
um
rolled
out
across
the
United
States,
but
it's
not
uh
well
developed
in
many
sites
yet.
Um
but
it
is
something
that
is
important.
It
is
only
specifically
for
people
with
dementia.
They
also
offer
sometimes
some
degree
of
respite
services,
and
they
offer
uh
training
and
education
for
caregivers.

SPEAKER_02
19:46

Oh,
well,
it's
just
important
because
I
think
the
more
training
and
education
a
caregiver
gets.

SPEAKER_00
19:50

It's
much
better
than
what
exists
now
in
general
for
people
with
uh
dementia
and
their
caregivers.

SPEAKER_02
20:00

That's
good
to
know
uh
with
it
because
it's
so
overwhelming.

Care Navigation Versus Care Coordination

SPEAKER_02
20:04

You
also
mentioned
about
uh
care
navigation
and
care
coordination.
What
is
that?

SPEAKER_00
20:13

Yeah,
there
there's
a
big
difference.
So
it's
pretty
traditional
uh
I
I
don't
know
if
your
mom
Patty
was
ever
in
the
hospital,
um
Lisa,
but
it's
very
very
typical
that
after
a
person
is
discharged
or
in
the
process
of
being
discharged
from
a
hospital,
it's
a
little
bit
overwhelming
because
a
lot
of
things
have
changed.
Um
a
person
uh
may
become
maybe
significantly
less
physically
capable,
and
people
will
say,
How
come
mom's
being
discharged
from
the
hospital?
She
isn't
well
yet.
And
the
answer
is,
well,
that's
not
the
purpose
of
an
acute
care
hospital.
It's
the
purpose
of
an
acute
care
hospital
is
to
just
get
them
out
of
the
woods
for
now
to
get
them
out
of
their
acute
illness.
And
uh
when
the
person
is
discharged
from
either
a
nursing
home
or
from
a
hospital,
a
lot
of
questions
is
uh,
where
do
we
uh
go
from
here?
And
the
typical
response
is
well,
this
is
what
you
need
to
do.
And
they'll
give
you
a
list
and
said,
You
need
to
do
this,
you
need
to
do
this,
and
you
need
to
do
this.
That
is
called
care
navigation.
It's
widely
available,
it's
done
in
most
hospitals
throughout
the
country.
It's
one
of
the
things
hospitals
are
rated
on
is
did
you
tell
the
family
what
to
do?
That's
a
lot
different
from
helping
the
family
do
it.
That's
true.
And
that's
what
care
coordination
is.
And
so,
care
coordination,
when
you
look
at
it,
is
not
widely
available.
And
that
is
one
of
the
things
that
the
Medicare
Guide
program
really
helps
with.
It
doesn't
just
tell
you
what.
To
do,
but
helps
you
get
things
done.
And
um
it's
a
little
bit
overwhelming
for
most
caregivers
to
say,
just
get
a
piece
of
paper,
well,
you
need
to
do
this,
this,
this,
and
this.

SPEAKER_02
22:13

And
it
was
overwhelming.

SPEAKER_00
22:17

And
that's
a
lot
different
from
care
coordination,
which
says,
Well,
this
is
what
needs
to
be
done.
Would
you
would
would
it
be
okay
if
I
help
you
do
it?
And
I'll
help
you
coordinate
this,
I'll
help
you
set
this
up.
That's
not
typically
available
from
hospitals.
It
is
available
sometimes
from
specialized
programs.
Uh,
like,
for
instance,
uh,
in
some
places,
like
if
they
have
a
a
memory
care
uh
clinic
in
a
major
hospital,
uh,
sometimes
they'll
do
things
like
that.
It's
very
similar
to
what
happens
when
a
person
has
cancer,
that
they
will
actually
coordinate
care.
They
will
make
sure
that
care
is
seamless.
They
won't
just
give
you
instructions.
And
that's
a
big
difference
between
navigation
and
coordination.
And
that's
a
big
gap
in
our
healthcare
system.

SPEAKER_02
23:10

I
would
agree
with
that.
Yeah,
because
they
gave
me,
you
know,
here
and
I
had
to
do
most,
pretty
much
all
of
it
on
my
own.
Uh,
you
also
talked
about
uh
dementia
villages
and
memory
cafes.

Dementia Villages And Memory Cafes

SPEAKER_02
23:23

Uh
I
know
in
is
it
Finland
that
they
have
like
a
dementia
village,
but
you
said
that
there's
some
places
in
the
United
States
are
starting
to
possibly
do
this.

SPEAKER_00
23:33

Yeah,
it
it's
a
concept
that
uh
is
uh
was
started
in
uh
Holland
and
uh
is
has
been
replicated
in
very
in
which
people
live
in
very
safe
environments.
Um
they
they
they
become
eligible
when
they
have
dementia.
And
the
safe
environments
are
environments
that
feel
uh
very
familiar
to
them,
and
so
it
might
be
something
that
feels
stuck
in
time.
Now
it's
it's
an
interesting
concept,
and
they've
also
had
some
similar
efforts
in
Japan.
Um
and
in
the
United
States,
um,
there
is
one
site
that
is
preparing
that.
I
think
those
are
interesting
things.
I
don't
think
they're,
you
know,
those
things
are
definitely
not
widespread
in
the
United
States.
But
uh
the
memory
cafes
are
um
also
a
concept
that
is
somewhat
familiar
in
the
United
States,
and
you
need
to
Google
search
it,
but
various
sites
will
uh
have
little
social
meetings
in
which
people
with
memory
problems
get
together
and
uh
either
have
activities
or
um
just
talk
about
uh
things
from
the
past.

SPEAKER_02
24:51

So
and
I
have
to
say
sometimes
it
was
quite
entertaining
listening
to
uh
two
or
three
different
dementia
patients
talk,
you
know,
because
like
they
talked
about
all
kinds
of
things
and
you
just
followed
along
with
them.
And
sometimes
it
was
funny
just
listening
to
them.
And
I
didn't
mean
I
don't
mean
that
in
a
bad
way,
but
like
it
was
just
entertaining,
and
like
you
just
listened
and
went
along
with
them,
and
you
I
would
laugh,
you
know,
uh
for
it.

Doing Things With Not To

SPEAKER_02
25:17

You
also
talk
about
a
cut
these
concepts
of
doing
two,
doing
four,
or
doing
with,
and
you
recommend
doing
with.
Can
you
explain
that
for
people?

SPEAKER_00
25:28

Yeah.
So
doing
two
is
something
that
the
healthcare
system,
again,
uh
does
too
often
to
um
people
who
are
frail
and
ugly.
Doing
two
means
if
you
have
an
emergency,
call
911.
Because
doing
two
means
that
it's
not
something
that
is
very
friendly
or
supportive
of
dignity.
Um
and
it
actually
imposes
something
on
a
on
a
on
a
person
that
the
person
may
not
actually
want.
Um
so
a
very
typical
example
of
doing
two
um
is
putting
a
person
in
a
nursing
home.
So
there's
a
double
whammy
that
you
become
frail
and
elderly
and
you
may
have
memory
problems,
and
then
on
top
of
that,
you're
re
you're
instead
of
being
supported
uh
with
all
those
challenges,
you're
put
in
a
nursing
home,
which
is
probably
you
know
one
of
the
reasons
that
people
don't
like
to
be
diagnosed
as
having
memory
problems
because
of
the
fear
that
this
is
what's
going
to
be
done
to
them.
Now,
I
can
see
that
yeah
to
them
is
worse
than
for
them,
which
is
a
lot
of
times
people
say,
Well,
this
is
good
for
you.
You
need
to
do
this,
and
people
say,
Well,
this
is
good
for
you,
take
a
shower,
get
a
bath,
this
is
good
for
you.
And
it
is
good
for
them,
uh,
but
it's
not
something
that
they
really
necessarily
really
want
to
do.
And
the
optimal
is
when
a
person
is
able
to
do
something
that
says,
I'm
doing
this
with
you,
so
that
the
person
feels
like
this
is
helpful
to
me
as
well.
Now,
it's
it's
an
ideal
goal
is
doing
things
with
a
person,
um,
but
um
I
think
it
needs
to
be
thought
of.
So
when
it
comes
to,
for
instance,
like,
what
are
we
gonna
do
with
mom
as
she
gets
into
a
more
advanced
stage,
or
what
are
we
gonna
do
with
mom
when
uh
when
it's
just
becoming
overwhelming
in
various
ways,
people
have
to
make
decisions
and
they
have
to
think
a
little
bit.
Are
we
doing
this
to
her,
for
her,
or
with
her?
And
you
really
want
as
much
as
possible
to
do
things
with
her.
It's
not
always
possible,
but
certainly
you
don't
you
really
want
to
avoid
doing
things
to
a
person,
which
means
for
your
benefit,
but
not
really
something
they
wanted.
And
uh,
you
know,
as
a
geriatrician,
uh
that's
a
a
conceptual
framework,
but
what
it
actually
means
in
specific
situations
needs
to
be
tailored.
For
instance,
you
were
saying
that
despite
your
mom
having
a
significant
degree
of
cognitive
impairment
dementia,
she
was
still
able
to
walk.
And
so
uh
an
intervention
that's
tailored
to
her
is
a
lot
different
from
an
intervention
that's
tailored
to
somebody
who
can't
walk.
And
of
course,
somebody
who
walks,
one
of
the
common,
you
know,
specific
issues
that
comes
up
is
wandering.
And
how
do
you
manage
that?

SPEAKER_02
29:04

Yes,
and
she
did,
uh,
she
got
out
twice
in
one
night
uh
when
she
was
living
with
me
in
the
house,
and
I
was
right
there
when
she
did
it.
I
mean,
she
was
fast,
and
luckily
I
caught
her.
She
only
got
to
like
my
neighbor's
driveway
and
is
like,
you
know,
in
the
middle
of
the
night,
you
know,
and
she
just
thought
she
was
gonna
go
visit.
And
I
was
like,
no,
no,
no,
we
we
need
to
come
in,
but
it
is
really
scary
when
that
happens,
you
know.
I
I
I
see
how
easily.

SPEAKER_00
29:33

Yeah.
The
Alzheimer's
Association
really
uh
talks
a
lot
about
wandering
and
it's
uh
Lisa,
you
mentioned
how
scary
it
is,
and
it's
scary
for
a
reason.
The
statistics
actually
are
really
concerning.
Um
if
a
person
gets
lost
for
more
than
24
hours,
you
can't
find
them
for
24
hours,
there's
a
good
probability
um
that
there's
a
major
injury.

SPEAKER_02
30:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_00
30:07

So
if
you
don't
find
a
person
within
the
first
24
hours,
it's
definitely
a
situation
uh
in
which
the
outcomes
become
more
and
more
problematic.
So
um
that's
why
when
somebody
gets
lost,
it's
important
to
to
to,
and
there's
there's
a
different
chapter
in
my
book
about
special
situations
that
it's
really
important
to
seek
out
help
right
away.
And
um
you
really
want
to
find
a
person
within
the
first
hour.
Um
the
the
it
gets
more
and
more
difficult
to
find
a
person
as
the
time
passes.

SPEAKER_02
30:49

I
would
I
would
believe
that
because
they
they
don't
know
where
they
are
in
in
that.
So,
but
yeah,
that
was
very,
very
scary.
And
I
remember
calling
my
dad
at
4
30
in
the
morning,
and
he
came
like
a
few
hours
later
and
he
changed
the
lock
on
my
door
and
and
all
that.
But
I
I
didn't
sleep
well
because
I
knew
what
if
she
got
out
through
the
patio
door
and
stuff
like
that.
So
it
was
very
scary.

The First Step Toward Support

SPEAKER_02
31:10

So
when
what
do
you
know
when
your
book
will
be
coming
out?

SPEAKER_00
31:15

Uh
there's
a
good
you
know,
it's
taken
me
years,
um,
but
there's
a
good
chance
it's
gonna
come
out
this
year.
Okay.
Um
the
the
chapter
that
I
shared
with
you
is
about
um
uh
what
kinds
of
support
exists.
And
the
that
chapter,
I
won
uh
there
were
a
number
of
different
things
I
I
I
uh
I
delved
into.
One
is
that
you
know
it's
important
for
everybody
to
get
support,
um,
but
there's
a
large
number
of
people
who
really
hesitate
to
get
support,
and
there's
a
lot
of
different
reasons
for
that.
Um
and
then
I
also
talk
about
the
different
kinds
of
support
that
exists,
and
there's
a
lot
of
evidence
that
people
who
reach
out
for
support,
the
um
the
outcomes
are
a
lot
better.
Um,
the
outcomes
are
better
for
the
caregiver,
and
the
outcomes
actually
better
for
the
the
patient
as
well.
Um,
you
know,
caregivers
who
get
support
do
much
more
better
on
their
own
uh
emotional,
physical,
um
uh
well-being,
and
uh
are
able
to
lead
lives
that
are
that
still
feel
a
lot
more
connected.
Um
and
for
patients,
um,
when
support
is
in
place,
they
actually
are
able
to
live
at
home
a
lot
uh
significantly
longer.

SPEAKER_02
32:34

So
and
I
did
you
had
a
lot
of
good
information
on
in
there,
you
had
um
uh
were
people
books
that
you
recommended,
uh
different
things
they
could
watch
or
listen
to.
You
also
said
there's
a
best
practice
caregiving
database
that
people
could
have
access
to
as
well.

SPEAKER_00
32:55

Yes,
yeah,
and
and
again,
it
it
does
need
to
be
tailored.
And
part
of
it
is
that
you
know,
everybody's
different.
Like
some
people
will
readily
reach
out
for
help,
other
people
are
uh,
you
know,
for
a
lot
of
different
reasons,
maybe
cultural,
maybe
feeling
like
like
this
is
my
responsibility.
Some
people
feel
like
I
can
do
this
better
than
anybody
else.
Um
people
just
feel
overwhelmed.
Uh,
some
people
feel
um
that
um
they're
that
they
they're
that
the
help
out
there
is
not
really
that
good.
So
a
lot
of
people
approach
it
in
many
different
ways.
And
my
my
my
message
is
always
take
take
a
first
step,
no
matter
how
small
it
is.
If
it
if
you
want
to
just
start
out
with
a
really
small
step,
that's
fine.
But
uh
it's
really
important
that
to
seek
some
sort
of
help,
just
the
same
way
that
for
your
mom,
you
know,
she
was
not
willing
to
take
that
first
step
of
actually
getting
evaluated.
But
taking
a
small
step,
and
then
it
even
if
it
doesn't
lead
you
immediately
to
the
to
the
best
tailored
in
intervention,
the
best
tailored
support,
it
gets
you
started.
And
um,
then
you
kind
of
tailor
it
from
them.
And
you
know,
a
lot
of
times
when
people
have
at
the
early
stages,
they
mostly
want
education,
and
there's
a
lot
of
different
ways
to
do
that.
So
things
such
as
your
podcasts,
there's
some
um
uh
websites
that
just
provide
information.
Alzheimer's
Association
is
wonderful
for
that.
Um
there
are
some
sites
that
provide
structured
trainings
that
are
either
on
your
own
timeline,
like
you'll
you
go
through
different
modules
about
managing
this,
managing
that,
managing
financial
issues,
managing
behavioral
issues,
um,
uh,
managing
laundering.
Uh,
and
then
there
are
more
structured
uh
uh
courses
that
say,
well,
on
this
day
we're
gonna
talk
about
this,
we'll
discuss
it
on
this
day.
And
so
you
just
pick
out
what
works
best
for
you.
You
know,
there's
the
educational
aspect,
and
then
the
which
your
podcast
is
mostly
educational,
then
there's
others
that
are
more
about
caregiver
support,
emotional
support,
you
know,
support
groups
and
people
chat
together,
and
I
I
belong
to
some
of
those.
Um
uh
and
support
groups
are
really
good.
People
once
they
start,
they
really
find
uh
a
sense
of
being
able
to
talk
with
people
who
are
in
the
same
situation,
similar
situations
to
them.
But
what
I
find
is
that
a
lot
of
people
hesitate
to
ever
get
involved
in
a
support
group,
and
then
you
know,
then
other
things
like
you've
done,
Lisa,
is
which
actually
get
hands-on
support.
You
know,
you
you
got
your
mom
into
a
memory
care
unit
and
stuff
like
that.
And
so
there's
different
kinds
of
things
that
you
can
try.
Um,
and
of
course,
it
because
it's
very
individualized
because
uh,
for
instance,
there's
more
resources
in
urban
settings
than
there
are
in
rural
settings.
In
urban
settings,
you
know,
you
might
actually
find
programs
that
are
readily
available,
whereas
in
rural
settings,
you
might
need
to
just
get
more
help
online.
Um
and
then
there's
always
also
the
financial
issues,
you
know.
I
mean
if
you
have
a
significant
amount
of
money,
it's
gonna
help
a
lot.
If
you
don't
have
money
though,
you
should
not
just
give
up
and
say,
There's
no
help
for
me.
Um,
right.
You
know,
the
Alzheimer's
Association
is
very
good
for
that
with
the
helpline
with
live
people
that
say,
you
know,
how
can
I
get
help?
Um
in
every
region
in
the
United
States,
there
is
an
area
offices
on
aging,
and
they're
usually
more
knowledgeable
about
what
actually
exists
in
specific
areas.
But
it
does
take
that
first
reaching
out,
and
part
of
um,
you
know,
what
I
find
is
that
people
are
just
so
overwhelmed
with
just
what
they're
doing
that
they
really
don't
have
any
time
to
even
reach
out
for
that
little
bit
of
help
that
would
actually
make
a
difference.
Uh,
but
they're
so
they're
drowning
basically
in
their
immediate
day-to-day
activities
that
even
reaching
out,
and
the
analogy
I
use
is
you
know,
somebody's
in
the
water
and
they're
they're
they're
they're
afraid
of
drowning
and
they're
they're
they're
you
know
um
moving
their
hands
and
their
legs,
and
somebody
in
a
in
a
in
a
rescue
boat
comes
out
and
says,
just
grab
my
hand,
and
and
they
won't
grab
the
hand
because
they're
just
so
busy
just
trying
to
stay
alive
that
they
don't
reach
that
hand.
I
just
I
I
just
really
want
to
make
people
recognize
that
that's
the
that's
the
critical
time
they
need
to
reach
out
when
they're
when
they're
at
what
I
call
the
red
light
zone,
when
they're
not
sleeping
well,
uh,
when
they're
not
eating
well,
when
they
feel
totally
isolated,
when
they're
turning
to
sleeping
pills
and
and
alcohol
and
drugs
and
and
just
uh
uh
being
feeling
like
totally
overwhelmed,
that
is
a
big
red
light
sign.
That
is
exactly
the
time
you
desperately
need
to
reach
out
for
help.
And
the
help,
you
know,
it's
there.
I'm
not
saying
it's
always
easy
to
find,
but
it's
there.
You
just
have
to
take
that
first
step
and
just
reach
out.

SPEAKER_02
38:23

I
would
agree
with
that
because
all
the
time
we
spend
on,
you
know,
Instagram
or
Facebook
or
any
of
the
other
social
media
sites
just
doing
silly
stuff,
you
could
take
that
five
minutes.
And
even
if
you
start
with
like
the
Alzheimer's
Association,
you
know,
and
or
calling
the
helpline,
just
little
by
little,
even
if
you
do
it
for
five
minutes
every
couple
days,
it
it
helps
a
lot.
And
I
would
agree
with
you.
And
even,
you
know,
um
support
groups
sometimes
in
the
memory
care
facilities,
they
have
a
support
group
there.
Um
I,
you
know,
I
was
never
really
a
support
group
type
person,
but
now
I
go
to
a
few
of
them,
and
it
helps
just
because
I
know
that
there's
people
there
that
understand
what
I'm
going
through.
You
know,
they
they
understand
the
feeling.
And
a
lot
of
times
you
don't
even
have
to
say
anything.
If
you're
somebody
that
doesn't
want
to
participate,
you
could
just
sit
there
and
then
later
on
just
talk
with
the
person.
And
it
just
helps.
You
don't
feel
so
alone
with
that.

SPEAKER_00
39:18

So
so
you
you
like
that's
that
sounds
really
great,
Lisa.
That
that's
exactly
right,
you
know.
Uh
and
this
whole
point
you
make
is
you
don't
have
to
say
anything.
I
think
that's
a
really
important
point.

SPEAKER_02
39:30

Yeah,
you
don't.
You
could
just
listen
and
then
talk
to
somebody
later.
So
uh
we
look
forward
to
your
book
coming
out.
So
it's
uh
gold,
is
that
gonna
be
the
name
of
it?

SPEAKER_00
39:41

Uh
well,
we're
working
on
it,
but
the
concept
of
gold,
you
know,
getting
older
with
love
and
dignity.
And
uh,
you
know,
we
have
a
long
way
to
go.
I
I
sometimes
think
about
geriatrics
as
being
the
mirror
image
of
pediatrics.
And
uh,
you
know,
when
people
have
Alzheimer's
or
dementia,
it's
there's
an
analogy
to
to
children
with
special
needs
and
autism
and
issues
like
that.
And
you
know,
there's
a
very
strong
community
in
the
pediatric
world.
Um,
the
community
for
seniors
is
not
nearly
as
strong,
and
we
need
to
get
there.

SPEAKER_02
40:18

Yes,
I
would
agree
with
that.
We
really
do.
So
uh
so
I
hope
we
get
to
see
your
book
out
soon
then.
At
least
this
show.

Closing And Staying Connected

SPEAKER_02
40:27

Yeah,
thank
you
so
much
for
joining
us.
So
I
hope
you
enjoyed
this
edition
of
Patty's
Plays.
So
um,
I
hope
you
enjoyed
your
cup
of
tea,
your
cup
of
coffee,
or
if
you're
having
that
really
bad
day,
your
glass
of
wine.
Make
sure
you
leave
us
a
review
or
subscribe
to
our
YouTube
channel,
and
just
so
you
know
that
you're
not
alone
in
all
of
this.
We're
here
in
this
together,
and
hope
you
join
us
for
another
edition
of
Patty's
Plays.

The Foundation of Recovery: A Tribute to Dr. John part 3 of 5

Episode Guest: Dr. John – This is a “Get Well” Program, Not a “Feel Good” Program

Hosts Mike and Glenn welcome Dr. John to the sober.coffee shop for a raw, straight-shooting conversation about Alcoholics Anonymous, the reality of working the program, and what it truly takes to get well.

The Reality of Recovery

Dr. John doesn’t sugarcoat it: AA is not about rainbows, unicorns, and puppies. It is about getting well.

With sobriety dating back to 1980—including a five-year “research sabbatical” (relapse) before getting sober for good in 2000—John uses his hindsight to fuel his insight. He views alcoholism as an “inside job.” Alcohol was his soul food, and removing it leaves a void that must be filled. Even when joy and gratitude are hard to find, John emphasizes that you are still getting better.

Key Takeaway: AA is a get well program, not a feel good program. When you are full of doubt and in a dark place, you have to trudge along, plot along, and stick around. It is in these tough times that you spiritually grow.

The 3 Basics of Working the Program (In Real Time)

When life gets heavy and you aren’t “feeling it,” John relies on three foundational steps:

  1. Be aware. Recognize where you are at.
  2. Check in. Talk with your sponsor and/or others in recovery.
  3. Pray on it. Seek guidance outside of yourself.

The Trap of Self and Ego

The guys agree that when we have a problem with others, the root of the problem usually lies within ourselves. However, self cannot transform self, and ego cannot conquer ego. Because disturbed emotions impair our judgment, we cannot rely solely on our own thinking. God works through people—which is why AA is inherently a “we” program.

When you find yourself emotionally disturbed, John offers a 3-step triage plan:

  • Freeze: Stop and do not act.
  • Check in with a sponsor: A pain shared is a pain halved, and an outside perspective is better equipped to take inventory.
  • Pray for willingness: Pray for the willingness to accept and take direction.

The 3 Types of Direction You Might Receive:

According to Glenn, guidance from a sponsor or the program usually boils down to one of three truths:

  1. “It’s none of your business.”
  2. “Live the Serenity Prayer.”
  3. “That’s just what an AA is supposed to do.”

The Art of Sponsorship & Surrender

Surrender means accepting direction. John notes that a sponsor can only be as effective as the sponsee allows them to be, adding that working with a sponsor is much more of an art than a science.

  • The Power of “I”: John’s sponsor famously corrected him on using pronouns like “he, she, or they” when pointing fingers. The focus must always be on “I.”
  • Humility Check: John’s sponsor also gave him a great reality check: “When you think you have God’s will figured out, come check with me.”
  • The “Broken” Paradox: The more broken we feel on the inside, the more potent we can become on the outside. John reminds listeners: You aren’t a jerk/bad person; you are just acting like one.

Honesty and Evolution

Once you are sober, there is no longer a reason to lie. However, John drops a profound truth about the nature of recovery: “You can only be as honest as you are well.” Because we grow over time, your truth today will look very different than your truth did five years ago.

Final Thought

What is relapse? According to Dr. John, relapse is simply what happens when you turn your back on recovery. Keep doing the basics, stay honest, and stick around.

5 Signs You’re Training Too Hard (And Killing Your Progress)

Are you falling into the “Annihilation Trap?” In this episode of “The Art of Wellness” podcast, Dr. Gerry Robles DPT (Art of PT owner in Naperville Illinois) and Coach Ramy Daoud (Phoenix Sports Empire) expose the toxic fitness culture that is destroying athletes’ longevity. We break down why being “dead” after a workout is actually a sign of failure and how to train for a body that lasts into your 60s and 70s.

What You’ll Learn:
– The 5 Signs of Overtraining: How to tell if your “hard work” is actually killing your progress.
– Stimulate, Don’t Annihilate: The biological secret to consistent gains without the “recovery – hole”.
– Real Physical Therapy vs. “Passive” Scams: Why massage and heat aren’t enough, and what active exercise prescription actually looks like.
– Gym Cults & Alpha Energy: Identifying toxic training environments that prioritize ego over technical mastery.
– Longevity in Combat Sports: Why “mileage” matters more than age and how to stay on the mats for life.

Shop my favorite supplements at Thorne,  @Thornehealth   GET 10% OFF USING MY LINK BELOW:
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For sponsorship or business inquiries reach out to  artofptsports@gmail.com

For podcast inquiries, please DM me @aptdoctorg on Instagram!

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TIMESTAMPS: 
[00:00:10] – The Best Feeling: Owning Your Own Training Space
[00:03:49] – The Truth About Overtraining in Combat Sports
[00:04:36] – My Pro Fight Nightmare: Training While Sore
[00:07:23] – Stop Chasing Soreness: Sweating vs. Real Progress
[00:09:39] – Build, Don’t Destroy: A Coach’s True Objective
[00:14:31] – Real Physical Therapy vs. The Passive Treatment Myth
[00:21:58] – Stimulate, Don’t Annihilate: The Secret to Longevity
[00:30:51] – Avoiding “Gym Cults” and Toxic Training Environments
[00:37:32] – 5 Signs You Are Training Too Hard
[00:41:35] – Why You Should Feel Energized (Not Depleted) After Training
[00:46:04] – Grand Opening: The New Phoenix Sports Empire Storefront

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Yeah,
0:00
>> I’m happy for you. I think it’s super cool that you have
0:03
>> your own your own spot, which
0:05
>> Thank you. Thank you.
0:06
>> We’ll talk about more at the end, but Yeah. Yeah. How do you feel about it? Do
0:09
you feel good?
0:10
>> I feel Man, it feels just to be in control of your own space, to have your
0:14
own energy there. No one else’s energy or issues being associated with you and
0:20
your students and your your business is the best feeling. Yeah. Like
0:24
>> I can’t believe how happy I am just to spend time there. You know, after class,
0:28
my students hang out. you know, it’s tough to get people to leave. Like, it’s
0:31
just a such a good positive spot to be at. And yeah, it’s different when
0:35
you’re, you know, renting other people’s spot. It’s It’s different. It is
0:38
different.
0:39
>> Depends on who you’re renting from. I guess
0:40
>> that’s makes a big difference.
0:41
>> Yes. But it sounds like you got a good spot over there and
0:44
>> it looks cool.
0:45
>> Yeah, it does. We made it look cool.
0:47
>> Is it all red?
0:48
>> It’s all red. The walls are all red. Um, we’re hoping local blood members uh
0:53
gravitate towards us. We
0:56
>> Yes. All the Neighborville Blood. the Neighborville Blood chapter. Uh we
1:00
apologize to the Neighborville [ __ ] chapter who might
1:03
>> find issue with the color choice, but we we are uh not affiliated with any
1:09
officially. Yes. There we go. Thank you for bringing that. Yes.
1:11
>> Only red. Uh it’s all red, right? That the walls are all red and you have like
1:14
>> the walls are red, the mats are black, so there’s some cool contrast there.
1:17
Yeah. I can’t wait.
1:18
>> You did that? Yeah. I’m going to go for it, man.
1:20
>> You did that all with your students, you said?
1:22
>> Me and my students, man. I have one student named Michael who, man, he took
1:26
the lead on everything. He works. He’s like a handyman. He has a small business
1:30
and
1:31
>> he was like without him it would just be a mess. He really took the reign.
1:35
>> It seems like he got it done super fast. Like I was looking Well, I was talking
1:38
to you and then like the next week it was already all painted. I saw on
1:40
Instagram. I was like whoa that was quick.
1:42
>> Every day after training at our old location, him and I would go there and
1:47
just paint for like 3 4 hours. On the weekends
1:50
>> sometimes he would be there for like 10 12 hours. Like he’s the man. Like he did
1:54
so
1:55
>> much. Um, and he didn’t ask for anything. I had to offer, you know,
1:59
stuff to
2:00
>> reimburse him because he’s that good of a person. Like, he just wanted to help
2:04
us build our academy. My students came and volunteered,
2:07
>> you know, they I would buy them food and stuff and it still wasn’t even close to
2:11
enough for how much.
2:11
>> What’ you buy them? What kind of food?
2:13
>> Every day I ordered, man, especially me and Michael, we were Uber eating like
2:15
like pros. Every every night we’d get something different. And for me, I don’t
2:19
usually eat out that much. I try to eat healthy. So, this was a nice excuse for
2:22
me to pick out a little bit. Um,
2:24
>> but yeah, man. My students wanted to come. They were painting. They were
2:28
installing flooring. They changed the lights. Like they You saw what it looked
2:32
like. It looked like a like a classroom maybe something. Yeah. Now it looks like
2:36
>> like a real real gym. I don’t know how else to say it, but it looks like it’s
2:40
professional. It looks clean. It looks like like your sanctuary.
2:44
>> Yes. That’s what we wanted. We wanted it to be unique and represent us. We didn’t
2:48
want it to be like cookie cutter and look like every other place. Like you
2:51
never walk in someplace and like the walls are red and there’s cool like
2:54
>> Yeah.
2:55
>> I don’t know. You don’t see that that often. Um you see it more in the city in
2:58
like cool neighborhoods, right? Where you have more unique businesses. Yes. In
3:03
quotes.
3:03
>> Cool. Chicago neighborhoods. Yeah.
3:05
>> But in Neighborville, not so much, right? Usually they’re following some
3:08
sort of formula or, you know, so we wanted to be a little bit different
3:11
because we’re a different business. You know, we don’t want to look like LA
3:15
Fitness, right? Yeah. We No, knock on LA Fitness to anyone here.
3:20
LA
3:21
>> anyone listening? Yeah. Old LA Fitness crowd watching today.
3:23
>> Are they even still around?
3:24
>> I think so. Yeah, I think so.
3:26
>> I feel like they got bought out by something. I don’t know.
3:28
>> You might be right. I think one of my students works out at LA Fitness. That’s
3:32
the only reason I think there’s one in existence. Yeah, I think there’s one in
3:34
Neapville.
3:35
>> Neighborville. Yeah, we just keep calling out stuff in Neighborville. We
3:38
love Neighborville.
3:39
>> Yes, we do. Absolutely.
3:41
>> Anyways, welcome back to the podcast. I’m Dr. Jerry. Coach Rammy is here and
3:47
the theme for today that I wanted to talk about was mainly
3:51
like overtraining, training too much, which I think is notorious for people
3:56
who train combat sports, right? So, I want to ask you like up front, was
4:17
there ever a time in your training where you just kept training too much and you
4:21
knew you were, but you still kept doing it? You know what I mean?
4:24
>> Yeah.
4:25
>> Just couldn’t stop yourself, you know?
4:26
>> Yeah. Great question. in uh let’s see, was it my
4:30
in my second or uh the training leading up to my second or third pro fight, I
4:35
remember I had a strength and conditioning coach who was just so
4:39
overzealous, man. I remember the week of the fight, we were doing some super
4:44
intense workouts to the point that I remember when I competed, I competed on
4:47
a Saturday. I remember I was very sore when I competed, which is the worst
4:52
thing. You want to be fresh, you want to be eager to
4:55
>> go out there and perform. But I remember being like my calves were sore. You know
4:58
when you’re so sore when you just walk up the stairs? And that’s how I felt
5:01
going into a pro fight. And it’s because this guy had us doing incline sprints,
5:06
you know, a few days all this.
5:08
>> Yeah. What kind of stuff was he having you do? Now I’m curious like give me
5:11
some specifics.
5:12
>> So this was at the beginning where strength and conditioning became more
5:15
prevalent in MMA. So we were doing, you know, all the
5:19
>> at the time trendy exercises, flipping tires, battle ropes, sprinting on an
5:24
incline treadmill. Yep. All of that cable, you know, punching with the
5:28
cable, all the cool looking stuff that was trendy that you’d see in the behind
5:32
the scenes UFC videos.
5:34
>> Um, this guy, I believe, came from a CrossFit background.
5:38
>> Take uh from that what you will. Um, and I think
5:41
>> nothing. We take nothing from
5:42
>> nothing. We have no issues with anyone. Yes. Um, and I think he was in a he was
5:47
a in a weird spot because he didn’t train in combat sports. And I think he
5:51
felt like he had to prove that his side of things was just as tough and intense
5:55
as the combat side of things. So, it’s like, “Oh, you guys think you’re tough?”
5:58
Which, no, I don’t. I never said that. Um, we’ll try this workout and let’s see
6:03
how tough you are. That was kind of Now, looking back, I think that’s what it
6:06
was.
6:07
>> So, again, we’ve talked about people’s insecurities in the past. I think he’s
6:11
projecting his insecurity. For some reason, he’s insecure that he is not a
6:14
combat sports athlete and he wants to show combat sports athletes, listen, I
6:18
am the end all be all. I am very tough. In fact, look at this brutal workout I’m
6:22
going to put you through. Leading up to the fight, the workouts did not taper
6:27
down so that we’d be fresh for the fight. It was still like, let’s go,
6:30
let’s go. You can do never give up, never this, and
6:33
>> I’m fighting for John Cena. Yeah,
6:37
>> never give up.
6:37
>> It’s horrible, man. It’s horrible. And it affected my performance. Thank
6:41
goodness I was still able to uh find a way to win, but it was despite his
6:45
methods, not because of them.
6:47
>> So, you still won the fight?
6:48
>> I still won. And to his credit, aesthetically, like I was very lean. I
6:51
looked like I was in great shape, but
6:54
>> I was still like tired after the first round. You know, it’s it wasn’t very
6:57
functional. I looked like I was in much better shape than I was. Now, looking
7:02
back, the training should have been more functional. I didn’t need to destroy my
7:06
body during strength and conditioning. I was doing enough of that in sparring.
7:09
right now. I needed strength and conditioning that would strengthen my
7:12
body, increase my mobility, my flexibility, my agility, my reflexes.
7:17
Yeah. Yeah. But instead, it was just the hammer. Everything just beating us down,
7:21
>> beating yourself to the ground.
7:22
>> Didn’t know any better, man.
7:23
>> Yeah. And I think a lot of people equate a good workout. So, I’m just speaking
7:27
more like generalities here, like Ramy’s going to talk about obviously more fight
7:31
sports, combat training stuff. Um, I think a lot of people just with exercise
7:35
in general, they feel like they have to be super sweaty after a workout. They
7:40
have to be super sore after a workout. Like all that constitutes a great
7:43
workout.
7:44
>> When in reality, like, you know, if you think about it, just sweating is just a
7:48
cooling mechanism. It’s just your body trying to cool off. Like a sauna, right?
7:51
You’re in a sauna,
7:53
>> you’re sweating like crazy. It’s not making you any stronger, more agile,
7:56
more powerful, more, you know, explosive.
7:58
>> Yeah.
7:59
>> Um, so think about sweating that way. it’s not a a good indicator of a good
8:02
workout. Uh same thing with soreness. Soreness is more so like a your body
8:08
responding to novelty, something new, a new movement, right? That’s when people
8:12
get more sore.
8:14
>> When in reality, if you get more fit, you get less sore. Your body becomes
8:18
more efficient and at repairing itself,
8:21
>> right?
8:22
>> So, I think a lot of times people want to be like, “Well, it wasn’t a good
8:25
workout because I wasn’t like sweating like crazy at the end or I wasn’t super
8:28
sore the next day.” When in reality, if you’re more fit, you’re going to be
8:32
doing less of those things in a way. Also, if you’re always chasing soreness,
8:36
you’re never really chasing mastery in certain movements. You keep changing
8:39
your program. You know what I mean?
8:41
>> Yes.
8:41
>> And you’re never actually mastering like when you’re throwing jabs or something
8:45
like first learning boxing, you throw a zillion jabs. You don’t go to something
8:48
else right away.
8:50
>> You have to master those things first,
8:52
>> right?
8:52
>> Um,
8:54
>> so I think those two things are very important to talk about when talking
8:57
about was it a good workout? You know what I mean? Like, did I sweat a lot?
9:01
Was I super sore? Don’t worry about that so much. And we’ll kind of get into that
9:05
a little bit more as we go. But, um,
9:07
>> where do you think this came from, by the way, in your opinion? This
9:09
mentality,
9:10
>> dude. Yeah. I was going to ask you a similar question cuz I think
9:15
>> they go hand in hand, right? I was going to ask you like, why is that a thing in
9:18
fight training? Like, why do you have to be so like hardcore all the time? Same
9:21
thing with just working out in general. Like,
9:23
>> why do we have to be so hardcore? Like, I was going to ask you, you think it’s a
9:27
ego thing? Yeah.
9:28
>> And you could give me the same question. I think it is a lot of the times, you
9:32
know what I mean? Like, so what do you think it is? And then I’ll kind of give
9:35
you my response, too.
9:36
>> I think as related to combat sports, I think it is a ego thing. Often times,
9:41
I’m surprised. So, for example, at PSC, none of the coaches will be tell the
9:46
class, hey, you guys are going to be real sore tomorrow. Get ready. It’s
9:50
oftentimes the members who will before taking their first class be like, “Yeah,
9:54
you know me, if I’m not sore and, you know, dead after, I don’t feel like I
9:58
got a good work.” Like, that’s what they’re telling us they want. And I’m
10:01
thinking like, I don’t know. That’s not really my objective is to beat you down
10:06
your first class. It’s not my objective at all. In fact, my goal is to build
10:11
you, not to destroy you. Right? But they have this mentality and sometimes
10:16
they’re disappointed. They will tell us, you know, let’s say a technical class,
10:19
they learn techniques, they sparred. Yes. Of, you know, they’re moving, their
10:23
body gets hot, they sweat, of course, but they’re like, “Oh, no, you know, I
10:27
wanted more of they wanted more intensity.” In their mind, intensity
10:30
means like damage to their body, soreness. I don’t
10:33
>> Do you get that a lot with potential clients? get that with mostly I
10:39
unfortunately comes from a lot of men who were athletes before and maybe they
10:44
were trained incorrectly or had those types of coaches
10:47
>> um and they bring that mentality into combat sports not understanding that my
10:52
job is to teach you the techniques of combat sports. That’s my priority,
10:55
>> right?
10:56
>> Not to make you do like a bunch of push-ups and you can go anywhere for
10:59
that. You’re coming hopefully paying us a premium for our expertise, right? You
11:04
want to learn how to throw a knee, how to pivot, how to do arm lock. Anyone
11:08
could tell you, “Hey, do 100 push-ups, run around your building 20 times.”
11:12
Like, I don’t for me, I think that’s a waste of their time and mine to just
11:16
break their body down.
11:17
>> Right. Right.
11:17
>> Yeah.
11:18
>> Like,
11:18
>> have you had that recently with somebody? Like
11:20
>> I have. I have.
11:21
>> What did you tell them? Like, what what’s your conversation look like with
11:24
them when they say those things? I tell them that the doing combat sports is
11:30
going to be challenging for your body, especially if you don’t have a
11:32
background in it. You know, if you do jiu-jitsu and you’re trying to
11:36
somebody’s on top of you, you’re trying to, you know, push them off you, for
11:39
example. It’s going to be tiring. It’s going to be physically challenging, but
11:43
I don’t train in that way that you might be expecting. So, I tell them, I don’t
11:47
want to I want to manage their expectations. I don’t want to lie. I
11:49
don’t want to delude them. Again, I’m not a salesperson. So, I tell them, I’m
11:52
like, “Hey, some of the classes will be challenging. You will get fit by
11:56
practicing martial arts and combat sports, but that is not my goal is for
12:01
you after your first class for you to be on the mat like unable to move and I
12:05
have to peel you up off and that means it was a good training session.
12:07
Sometimes a good training session is, oh, now I know how to throw that jab
12:12
from this position. Now I know how to set up this takedown. That to me is a
12:16
good training session. So
12:18
>> yeah, I try to tell this isn’t that we’re not a boot camp. We’re not like
12:22
this is a combat sports gym where your objective and your goal should be to
12:25
learn combat sports.
12:27
>> Yeah. And let’s I mean again we’re trying to answer the question like where
12:30
does that mentality even come from?
12:32
>> Um yeah it’s I guess maybe just working out
12:36
in general is associated with like being hard and being hardcore all the time. I
12:40
mean, fighting is the, you know, the most hardcore thing you could do that I
12:43
could think of when it comes to like
12:45
>> animalistic instincts or physical um getting physical in some way,
12:50
>> right?
12:50
>> Um
12:51
>> so maybe it’s from that.
12:53
>> I know in wrestling it’s very prevalent. A lot of people come from a wrestling
12:56
background.
12:57
>> That’s where you’ll hear I hear wrestling coaches to this day saying
13:00
overtraining is a myth. There is no such thing. And they’ll cite specific
13:04
examples of people who, you know, perfor like someone like Dan Gable. When you
13:08
read the stories of his training, it’s like he ripped his body to shreds, won a
13:12
gold medal. So people think he won a gold medal because he ripped his body to
13:15
shreds. It’s like he won a gold medal despite tearing his body to pieces,
13:19
right?
13:20
>> Yeah. The mental toughness of course is a huge uh asset in wrestling, but I
13:25
don’t think you need to destroy your body to achieve that mental toughness.
13:28
So, do you tell your students like to scale back a lot? You know what I
13:33
mean? Like if they let’s say a group of them come up to you afterwards like,
13:36
“Hey, that wasn’t a hard workout or something.” Like, do you just tell them
13:39
like, “Hey, let’s Today’s objective was not to just kill you.”
13:42
>> You know what I mean? Like, how do you tell them that?
13:45
>> Yeah, that’s a it’s it’s tough. I luckily my my people my students who
13:49
have been with me for a while, they know what to expect. They know that some
13:54
class, for example, if you do a lot of sparring, you’re going to be pretty
13:56
tired. Sparring is stressful. Therefore, it’s tiring, right? Your heart rate’s
14:00
up, there’s you’re nervous, people are throwing strikes at you, it’s tiring.
14:04
Um, but if you come to a uh technical kickboxing class or even an advanced
14:09
kickboxing class, our goal is again not to tire you out. If that happens through
14:14
the process of you learning the techniques and you enjoy the workout,
14:17
wonderful. But that’s never our goal. I’ve never talked with
14:20
>> our coaches and said, “Oh, today we’re really going to take it to them. We want
14:23
everybody to feel like dead at the end.” We never say that. Mhm.
14:26
>> So, I know some people are looking for that and I guess we’re not the right fit
14:30
for them.
14:30
>> Yes,
14:31
>> that makes complete sense. I think this is I just thought of this right now, but
14:34
like you know, working in physical therapy, people think
14:37
>> physical therapy is just like me massaging them for an hour,
14:40
>> right?
14:41
>> When that could not be further from the truth.
14:44
>> Uh physical therapy is called physical for a reason. You know what I mean? It’s
14:47
exercise prescription for your specific pain or injury, right? You can’t get
14:50
better just laying there doing nothing.
14:53
>> Like I mean, equate it to anything. Like if you have back pain for example
14:57
>> I mean if you do nothing will it go away maybe probably um are you fortifying the
15:03
area your back getting it stronger building capacity so it won’t happen
15:06
again no if you just sit there and do nothing happens there’s no adaptations
15:10
in your body right so I think the flip side of that like in PT with me again
15:16
people think it’s just like I’m going to massage their back it’s going to feel
15:19
good that’s all we do when in reality real physical therapy is
15:24
>> you know people start sweating. We do a lot of core exercises, a lot of hip
15:27
mobility stuff, a lot of thoracic mobility stuff, whatever that person
15:30
needs that I’ve assessed, whatever impairments that I find, you
15:35
know, that’s how we um actually do the treatment plan and it’s a lot of
15:39
exercise and they’re sweating. And then at the end they’re like, “Hey, Jerry,
15:42
why was that? That was like a workout.” I was like, “Yeah, that’s real physical
15:45
therapy,
15:46
>> you know?” And if your physical therapist is not doing that with you,
15:49
please leave cuz they suck.
15:51
>> Um but yes, that’s real PT. Um,
15:54
>> where do people have why do people have that misconception that physical therapy
15:58
is somebody being massaged for like an hour for example? Where does it
16:01
>> Oh, I I mean maybe because it was that in the beginning and research has
16:06
shifted to active treatments. Active meaning the patient is actually moving.
16:11
>> Yeah.
16:11
>> You know what I mean? As opposed to passive treatments meaning the patient
16:14
is just laying on the table and you crack their backs or you massage them or
16:18
you
16:19
>> dry needle them which are fine. And I mean there’s nothing wrong with those
16:22
things if it makes them feel better.
16:24
>> But if you spend the whole session doing that and the person is not moving and
16:27
getting more functional and getting stronger, building capacity,
16:31
>> they’re never going to learn the tools to stay painf free their whole life.
16:34
>> I see.
16:34
>> You know what I mean?
16:35
>> Yes.
16:36
>> And I don’t know why that’s still around. There’s plenty of PT clinics,
16:40
other clinics that just have the person lay there and
16:43
>> do a weird stretchy machine and, you know, do some other bull crap that does
16:48
nothing. M
16:49
>> um yet they still sell it as real physical therapy when it’s not.
16:53
>> I see. I see. Would you say most people in your profession that’s how they
16:58
approach the sessions is through this method that you feel is not?
17:01
>> Yeah. I mean Yeah. Yeah. I mean I think it’s definitely shifted but I think it
17:04
should still be more on the exercise prescription uh part of it. Got it.
17:09
>> Depending on the person mostly I would say more people need more movement than
17:14
laying on a table getting their hands put on them by somebody.
17:17
>> Right. Makes sense. Um, and again like you know coming from corporate
17:20
healthcare, corporate physical therapy, um, a lot of it is
17:26
I’m going to start going on a rant here. I don’t want to.
17:29
>> So I’m trying
17:29
>> We’ll come back to that.
17:30
>> We’ll come back to that at the end. Um, but I wanted to ask you more so about
17:35
like
17:36
>> um the ego stuff, you know, and fighting.
17:40
Um,
17:41
>> do you think that’s a big part of it? like just like guys wanting to be like,
17:46
you know, macho guys and like I have to train it hard or else it wasn’t a good
17:49
workout. Is that like a a root cause of this in a way? You know what I mean?
17:54
>> I think so. I think um you know, every combat sports gym will say they’ll
18:00
advertise and say, you know, we don’t allow egos in here. And of course,
18:03
they’re all liars, right? You go the gyms that say we don’t have ego here are
18:08
the ones where you’re going to find the most ego. Um,
18:11
>> so yeah, it’s a big part of combat sports, unfortunately. And that’s
18:15
something where I was so tired of it that when I started PSSE, I’m like, I
18:21
don’t want to be repeating the same toxic nonsense that I’ve been a part of,
18:26
you know, as a student, as an athlete, as a fighter for decades now. So, I was
18:31
like, okay, in my own little world, we’re going to change this. And I
18:34
noticed
18:35
>> when we go to competitions, our our athletes, we’re very lucky. they do very
18:39
well. But it’s funny cuz we don’t walk around with the same kind of weird like
18:45
alpha male energy. And to me that’s exhausting. Um it’s super performative.
18:51
It comes from as we’ve talked about in the past from extreme insecurity and it
18:55
has nothing to do with a triangle choke or a butterfly sweep or a switch kick.
19:01
your ego and your weird, you know, self-d delusion and
19:05
>> your insecurities have nothing to do with performing techniques correctly and
19:08
making good decisions, which is what leads to a a good fighter. So, yeah, ego
19:12
is a huge pro a huge problem in combat sports and it leads to things like
19:16
overtraining, training through injuries, uh students being led by their coaches,
19:21
and usually, of course, it’s always the coach’s fault, right? Everything’s from
19:24
the top down. You can the students might not know and say, “Hey, I want a good
19:28
workout. I want to be sweating. I want to feel dead tomorrow. It’s the coach
19:31
that should say, “Hey, that’s actually not the good thing that you think it is.
19:35
My job is to train you to be a skilled
19:37
>> uh combat sports athlete.” So, I think this is an issue from the the top down.
19:42
Like most issues, the the problem starts at the top. And
19:46
>> when we push this narrative, even when you see
19:50
>> and come and when you watch the behind the scenes stuff of like a UFC fighter,
19:52
you oh man, he’s the only seven days a week and this that’s nonsense, man. I
19:57
know these people. They’ve not trained seven days a week. They’re not trained
19:59
eight hours a day. They’re they’re overdoing it. They’re they’re
20:03
>> faking it because the story is very exciting. We’re influenced from
20:07
>> everything from Rocky movies to this where it’s like you always train
20:10
non-stop. It’s just not true, man. Your body can
20:14
only, as you know better than anyone, your body can only handle so much,
20:17
right? You have to be smart with that output. Y
20:20
>> when you overdo it, at a certain point, there’s definitely diminishing returns.
20:24
I’d rather somebody if you’re a skilled fighter, just my opinion, I’d rather you
20:29
be slightly undertrained than slightly overtrained going into a competition.
20:34
That’s just me in my I could be wrong. Some people will be. But if you have the
20:38
skill, you have the aerobic base, you have the experience,
20:41
>> I’d rather you just go in there and be efficient, use technique, be smart,
20:44
breathe, be tactical, than to be overtrained going there with a weakened,
20:49
depleted body,
20:50
>> sore,
20:51
>> sore, cutting too much weight. Like we see that that it doesn’t help. Um we see
20:56
fighters in the tail end of their career drop like another weight class down
21:00
thinking this is going to be it for and now they’re getting knocked out cuz
21:03
they’re dehydrated and their brain’s getting rattled.
21:07
>> So it doesn’t help anyone. It’s um it’s it’s it’s negative. It’s negative to
21:11
have this mentality that we need to harm ourselves to become stronger.
21:15
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21:58
>> I think the a very old saying, but I think it’s still a good one, is the
22:02
whole like stimulate, don’t annihilate
22:04
>> uh saying.
22:05
>> I haven’t heard that. It’s new to me.
22:06
>> Um, it’s definitely again like exhaustion training, if you want to call
22:11
it that. You could apply it to any sport, you know what I mean? Not just
22:13
fighting. Um, I I work with people that, you know, Olympic weightlifterss, um,
22:20
people training for the high rocks. Everybody loves the high rocks nowadays.
22:23
>> Well, I hear about I don’t know what stuff is. I’ve heard I think I have a
22:26
student who has done it, too. Yeah. I don’t know what it is, though.
22:28
>> People getting injured left and right from the high rocks from pickle ball.
22:32
Um, but
22:33
>> high rocks is just like a competition, a bunch of different lifts and stuff and
22:36
like Yeah. Big fitness competition.
22:39
>> Got it. Got it. Um,
22:40
>> but like you know exhaustion training for those things like needing or having
22:45
to think you need to train super hard all the time.
22:47
>> You’re just annihilating yourself and you’re just digging a recovery hole that
22:51
you can’t get out of or you can but it takes a longer time than you think it
22:54
does,
22:55
>> right?
22:55
>> Um,
22:56
>> your body needs
22:58
>> to have stress put on it, right, in training. That’s what training and
23:01
exercise is. It’s stress, right?
23:03
>> But you need just enough to recover from efficiently and not too much to where,
23:07
like I said, you’re digging yourself into a hole. Yeah.
23:09
>> And then again, you feel like crap and then your training suffers and you’re
23:13
think, why is this happening to me? Well, cuz your training is not well
23:16
built. It’s not well progressed. It’s not planned out accordingly by a good
23:19
coach, a good trainer.
23:21
>> Um, so
23:23
>> yeah, I mean, I see it all the time still because I mean, the people I work
23:26
with now, they’re more so like higher level athletes. They’re active people.
23:29
They want to compete in a high rocks. They want to do a a weightlifting
23:32
competition. They want to do
23:34
>> jiu-jitsu competition. And you know, they have this
23:38
misconception of I need to be training hard all the time.
23:41
>> Yeah.
23:42
>> And it’s true in every sport, man. Most sports. Um, and again, it’s it’s it’s
23:49
hard to tell where that comes from in a way, but you know, part of my job is
23:54
telling them to, hey, like that’s not smart. And it’s part of your job, too,
23:57
like you said, right?
23:58
>> Um, and people don’t like to hear that sometimes, and they’re like, well, well,
24:02
why not? Like I need to be hardcore all the time. Then they get injured. to have
24:05
these weird aches and pains. I’m like, well, that’s why cuz you’re not
24:08
progressing accordingly.
24:10
>> Yes.
24:10
>> You need to have recovery days. You need to have appropriate rest days and like,
24:14
you know, D lo weeks, whatever you want to call them.
24:17
>> Um, and it still shocks me that people uh higher level athletes or people that
24:22
um are very fit don’t know this.
24:25
>> Yeah. And I have to kind of rewire their brain a lot when it is someone competing
24:29
in a high rocks or an avid marathon runner that I have who tweaked their
24:33
knee or a jiu-jitsu guy who has back pain forever because he can’t stop
24:39
training super hard.
24:40
>> Yes.
24:41
>> And is that like and again I talk to people like this all every every time
24:45
and it’s like it doesn’t click in them right away. They’re like what do you
24:48
mean? They’re like their brain blows up. Like do you see that too? like they it
24:52
can’t they can’t compute that for whatever reason
24:54
>> all the time, man. They think that this is just
24:58
>> your destiny as a combat sports athlete is to destroy your body. And that’s why
25:03
you see you don’t see a lot of 50, 60, 70 year olds doing jiu-jitsu. Yeah, they
25:08
you should you should be in theory you should be able to do jiu-jitsu at any
25:12
age, right? Or even boxing, kickboxing. You’ll see rare you’ll see outliers and
25:17
those are people who took care of their body, right? Um, I always tell people,
25:21
in my opinion, it’s not the age, it’s the mileage. Right? You could be 25 and
25:25
have a real, you know, two torn knees, a torn this, torn that, and you could be
25:29
done for. Or you could be 50 with no serious injuries or or physical trauma,
25:33
and you could keep training for another few decades.
25:36
>> Um, I know jiu-jitsu people who, you know, by the time they’re 45, they can’t
25:41
walk up the stairs, their fingers are all messed up, both knees are me, and
25:45
they think it’s normal. I’m like, this is not normal. The way you trained was
25:48
actually,
25:49
>> you know, people are going to make fun of me and say like I’m so The way they
25:52
trained was actually abusive. Literally, like you
25:55
>> were led, misled by irresponsible instructor. Usually they worship. So
26:00
it’s hard to tell them, hey,
26:02
>> your instructor might be a well-intentioned good guy. I’m not
26:05
saying they’re not, but he was wrong. The way you train was wrong, right? You
26:08
know, tearing your body up by the age of 30 or 35 is wrong. That means the
26:13
training was incorrect. means something was yes not
26:16
>> being performed uh or not being done correctly at your academy. Doesn’t mean
26:20
your coach is an evil person, but it means he didn’t know what he was doing
26:23
in terms of training people for longevity. My job isn’t to just let
26:27
people train during their prime so that they compete a few times when they’re
26:31
28.
26:31
>> I want people to train when they’re 50. I want people to train when they’re 60.
26:35
>> Yeah.
26:36
>> It’s depressing when you can’t perform the sport you love. I know people who
26:39
can’t do jiu-jitsu anymore. And you It’s depressing, man. they lose a part of
26:43
themselves.
26:44
>> So, it’s like why should we aim to destroy our body
26:47
>> by the earliest age possible to what? To have some war stories to prove
26:51
something.
26:52
>> You know, most of the time, even if you’re a jiu-jitsu world champion, most
26:55
of the time you’re paying to compete. You’re getting some plastic metal that
26:58
nobody cares about and you’re destroying your your health and your physical
27:02
wellbeing for this.
27:02
>> Isn’t it funny how like I mean that’s exercise, right? Exercise is for
27:06
longevity and feeling good, not beating yourself down. So, they’re kind of doing
27:10
the complete opposite. what they should be doing.
27:13
>> And again, like I told you, it’s hard to rewire somebody’s brain when they’ve
27:16
been,
27:17
>> you know, taught that or that thinking is embedded in them for for years.
27:21
>> And but the funny thing is when it does click in them
27:24
>> and you you know, I kind of get my point across to them, they’re like, “Oh,
27:28
>> I do feel better.”
27:29
>> Yeah.
27:30
>> Oh, you mean doing adding in some prehab work and mobility stuff and like scaling
27:34
back my training a little bit
27:35
>> and like getting better each week? Like, oh, that that actually works. I’m like,
27:39
“Yeah, magic, right? figure. Yeah.
27:41
>> Um, and the funny thing is like those guys that like you say like, you know,
27:44
that do jiu-jitsu and their, you know, their back is all messed up and their
27:49
shoulders all messed up, then they go to PT, they go to a crappy PT and they say,
27:54
“Oh, it doesn’t work.”
27:55
>> Well, because they saw a crappy physical therapist and they just massage them the
27:58
whole time or they did some weird stuff that does nothing.
28:00
>> Yeah.
28:01
>> They did some electrode stuff and red light therapy up there, you know, in
28:05
eyeballs or whatever.
28:06
>> Right. Right. um when they should be, you know, like I said, a lot of it is
28:10
lifestyle changes, you know, checking their programming, uh like I said,
28:14
lifestyle habits, um and active movement, moving and you know, getting
28:18
stronger for their respective sport.
28:21
>> Um but that’s a whole other topic. Again, we’ll come back to that as I keep
28:25
going on my PT rants here. I think a good a good mindset shift for people is
28:29
like
28:30
>> instead of like gauging how depleted you are after a workout, gauge how you
28:36
perform during the workout.
28:38
>> You know what I mean? Like don’t gauge the workout based on how
28:41
>> uh exhausted you feel afterwards. Base it how’s your performance during the
28:45
workout? Did you feel strong? Did you feel fit? Did you feel explosive,
28:49
>> agile? Was your footwork good? Whatever, right? as opposed to like um gauging it
28:54
off how depleted you feel after a workout. Um
28:58
>> and again, it’s it just it’s crazy how people don’t understand these things and
29:02
I have to
29:04
>> and again, you would think they’re they’re more wellversed in exercise. At
29:07
the same time, it’s it’s great. Like I love helping them and kind of doing my
29:10
best to rewire their brain, but um it takes a while, but once you kind of get
29:14
through to them, they’re like, “Oh, this does I do feel better now. My body is
29:18
not fighting me.”
29:19
>> Because it shouldn’t be. Like I said, like exercise supposed to make you feel
29:22
better, give you more energy, not make you feel run down all the time?
29:26
>> I agree, man.
29:27
>> So,
29:28
>> um, yeah. Was there ever a time when your training like you plateaued
29:32
>> and how did you get out of that training like feeling overtrained?
29:36
>> Yeah, I think, you know, for me it was I didn’t know at the time because I
29:41
trained at a very reputable, renowned uh academy for a long time.
29:45
>> Oh, you want to call them out? I’m just kidding.
29:48
>> They already hate me enough. So, I’ll
29:51
>> um
29:53
>> and I thought, you know, I joined this academy maybe when I was around 20 years
29:57
old. So there’s UFC fighters there and people I looked up to
30:01
>> and you know so I thought that because they had successful pros
30:06
>> um that they of course knew what they were doing and to some extent they did
30:09
in terms of teaching skill set they they did
30:12
>> but I remember as fighters would get closer and closer to 30 they’d be done
30:17
for and the coaches would even you know when I’d hear them talking about
30:20
fighters that and they didn’t know that anyone could hear like oh yeah that guy
30:23
he’s 28 he’s almost 30 like he’s going to be done
30:26
>> over the hill
30:26
>> and I’m like Wait a minute, that doesn’t make any sense. Um, and I realized it
30:30
was their training methods. The way that they trained, you are destined to be
30:34
done for by age 30. If you have 10 years of, you know, horrible training, um,
30:39
this was a gym where people would be knocked out regularly during sparring.
30:43
>> Um, it was no big deal. Like sparring was at 100%. You know, two, three times
30:48
a week at 100%. Leaving this environment is the best.
30:53
Whether it’s, you know, a fitness gym, a boot camp, whatever. Leaving this type
30:57
of environment is the number one way to extend your career and have longevity.
31:01
You have to leave
31:02
>> people who believe that this is the right way to train. Even if
31:06
>> yeah, they have a fighter who is this champion or this. Remember, these people
31:09
are doing well despite these training methods, not because of them. And it’s
31:13
hard when you’re in the thick of things to
31:14
>> Oh, yeah.
31:15
>> determine what’s what, right? Especially when you’re
31:18
>> young and you’re, you know, you don’t know. you think this is the way and I’m
31:21
just not tough enough.
31:22
>> And after a while you realize like I’m not gaining anything except a bunch of
31:26
lingering injuries and a bunch of
31:28
>> So you were feeling that.
31:29
>> I was feeling Yeah. Like you know man my el I can barely extend my arm. I can I’m
31:33
like in my you know early to mid20s and you know now I still have elbow pain in
31:38
both elbows from you know submissions being cranked like crazy in in jiu-jitsu
31:43
or MMA practice. And I remember the way people would spar there. It was
31:47
ridiculous. And I feel like it’s important to look at your training
31:51
environment objectively so you make you can make the best decision for yourself.
31:55
And unfortunately a lot of especially in combat sports, your training environment
31:59
becomes
32:00
>> almost like a second family, right? So you really feel like you’re a part of
32:04
this crew and it’s hard because you’re not only losing your academy, but you’re
32:08
losing a social circle.
32:10
>> And most gyms do operate unfortunately like cults where when you leave them
32:14
your persona nonrada, right? like, “Oh, you left like forever.” Yeah, it’s
32:18
>> it’s very weird, but this is very common, actually.
32:22
>> Still Oh, yeah. There are coaches now that I know of that will not allow their
32:26
students to train at other gyms. Allow. How do you tell a grown adult where they
32:30
can go and what they can do? Imagine having that control.
32:34
>> You can’t stop them, but they’re not allowed, right? So, you’re not going to
32:37
physically stop them, but you’ll be kicked out. It’s weird.
32:40
>> Yeah. I would have people visit PSC and they’d be like, “Hey, please don’t take
32:43
any pictures or any video.” Like if my coach sees this, you know, I’m going to
32:47
go
32:47
>> these are like grown men, you know, these are lawyers and engineers and
32:51
accountants, like people with careers and families, and they have to hide from
32:54
their jiu-jitsu coach.
32:56
>> It is very, this is way more prevalent. Uh people don’t talk about it. I don’t
33:00
know why
33:01
>> because I think most jiu-jitsu are like this to some extent. Most combat
33:05
sportsmies are like this to
33:06
>> around Neapville. Should we start
33:08
>> everywhere, man? Neapville and everywhere else. And if people are
33:12
watching and they train, they can at least think of if they have training and
33:15
they’ve trained at several gyms, I guarantee they can think of one gym
33:18
where they’re like, “Oh, yeah. This this definitely fits.” It’s
33:22
>> it’s common, man. Especially martial arts is weird cuz
33:25
>> it comes with that such a power imbalance from instructor and student,
33:29
right?
33:29
>> And that can create a really weird
33:32
>> place and a really weird environment for all types of abuse, right? So that’s why
33:37
it’s prevalent. And that’s why if you pay attention to combat sports, you see
33:40
more and more stories coming about instructors behaving inappropriately
33:44
with members, instructors grooming people, instructors abusing people,
33:48
harassing people. It is normal and um it shouldn’t be. It’s it’s horrible. But
33:54
this is the type of environment that combat sports and martial arts can
33:57
create.
33:58
>> Uh unfortunately, anytime there’s a severe power imbalance, you’re going to
34:01
find
34:01
>> like that weird power dynamic. Yeah.
34:03
>> Yeah. Unfortunately. So, like when you were training at that gym, like how did
34:07
you get out of all those aches and pains that you were having? You just kind of
34:11
stopped going there and you kind of just took a break from it or like what do you
34:14
think helped you the most get out of those many injuries?
34:17
>> I I didn’t. While I was there, I didn’t. I would what I would think is, okay,
34:22
when I’m in there and I’m warmed up, I’ll be okay. And yeah, it was true. I
34:25
was able to get through the sessions once I was warmed up and that injury I
34:29
can’t feel it and I have some adrenaline my body’s warm but then after I’m in the
34:32
car feeling like I got ran over by a truck all over again. So while I was
34:35
training there, I you know, some days I would skip sparring, for example, which
34:40
would which got earned me the ridicule of my coach, right? Who would say that I
34:45
was afraid of sparring or I didn’t want to? I mean, I I found out, you know,
34:50
through through uh reputable sources. And I’m think I’m like, I’ve been here
34:54
for years. I’m a pro fighter. I’ve spar I’ve got gotten knocked down from body
34:58
shots. I’ve gotten liver shots here. I can’t bre I think I’ve proven that I’m
35:02
tough. So, if I don’t want to get my brain rattled three times a week at 100%
35:06
power, mind you, by people who are sometimes 30, 40, 50 pounds bigger than
35:10
me. Yeah. Right. Isn’t that horrible on my end?
35:14
>> Um, so yeah, if you didn’t follow the protocol, you were seen as
35:18
>> somebody who didn’t buy into the program. And that is a threat to a
35:21
program that is running effectively as
35:24
>> a cult of sorts. It wasn’t a cult like we weren’t doing weird, you know,
35:28
ceremonies and stuff, but I think cultish behavior
35:32
>> it would be more interestingly I have better stories to tell. But
35:35
>> for me, cult behavior is when you just blindly follow whatever the leader is
35:39
saying. And in my case, it was show up to sparring no matter what. Show up to
35:42
training no matter what. Do this. The way we do things are right. Don’t train
35:46
anywhere else. Blah blah blah. To me, this is cultish behavior. It’s not a
35:50
normal academy behavior where I’m paying for a service and somebody’s supposed to
35:54
teach me something, right? Imagine you go to learn to play the violin and the
35:57
instructor’s like by the way if you ever go to any other violin teacher we will
36:00
find you and we will you know you’d be like okay yeah exact but at martial arts
36:05
that’s normal this this conversation will really happen as laughable as it is
36:09
right now with you and I but
36:11
>> I’m telling you man this is the norm and that’s why
36:14
>> just like you feel so strongly about your business and it being a response to
36:19
the normal ways of physical therapy I feel the same about PSSE this is a
36:23
>> PSC is here because it’s a response to the
36:27
horrible ways that people are being treated.
36:28
>> Same with art of PT like man like like you just said like
36:33
>> you know working with a client or a patient like it’s a collaboration. It’s
36:36
not like I say do this you do everything I say like if someone tells me something
36:41
>> I take you know inventory of it and we work together as a team. It’s not just
36:45
like
36:46
>> I’m the end all beall like uh you know those cultlike trainers you know what I
36:50
mean? It should be similar. Like if your student comes up to you like, “Hey, like
36:54
whatever.” They say something to you, you’re like, “Okay.” You listen to them
36:56
and you kind of adjust a little bit. You’re not like, “No, that’s the wrong
36:59
way of doing it.” That’s just weird. Like
37:02
>> it is strange, man.
37:03
>> I don’t get how. Yeah. But again, it’s a response. Like
37:06
>> your response to those bad cultish uh training uh gurus or whatever. My
37:11
response to bad PT is like
37:14
>> it’s a collaboration. It’s more um more active um on the patients part. But
37:20
again, it’s a it’s something that we both feel strongly about and yeah,
37:24
that’s why we’re here talking about all this and we’re gonna keep doing it. So,
37:27
>> absolutely.
37:28
>> Um,
37:28
>> so I think a few good things to remember about
37:32
>> knowing that you’re training too hard. Like a few signs that I came up with are
37:36
like
37:36
>> lingering soreness for more than 48 hours.
37:40
>> Okay.
37:40
>> Um, like after two days, it should stop to you should stop being so sore. If
37:44
you’re still sore for like a week, you’re probably training too hard. Uh
37:48
same with uh if your performance starts to drop week to week that means you’re
37:53
doing too much.
37:55
>> Also if motivation starts to drop also a sign you’re doing too much in your
37:59
training whatever training again for you combat sports high rocks training
38:03
crossfit Olympic weightlifting runners my runners are very are notorious for
38:08
running a lot and not stopping.
38:11
>> Like why do I have knee pain? I yeah you I keep running a zillion miles a day. I
38:14
don’t know what to do. Um, but I’m there to help you obviously. Um, you know,
38:19
small nagging aches and pains, like I said, that kind of stack up that you
38:22
you’re kind of ignoring throughout the week or week to week. Yeah.
38:25
>> Like, well, this isn’t going away. Well, you’re doing too much probably. That’s
38:28
why,
38:28
>> right?
38:29
>> Um,
38:30
>> also a big one I feel is or you know, I know is more so like, you
38:36
know, hopefully you warm up right before prior to training. Um, you’d be
38:40
surprised how many people don’t warm up still for anything, any sport, any
38:44
weightlifting activity. Um, runners, yeah,
38:47
>> runners don’t even they just start running.
38:49
>> That’s a good point.
38:50
>> Please warm up. And we’ll talk about that a different podcast, but like
38:53
>> if you’re doing your warmup and you already feel like crap,
38:57
>> you’re probably doing too much before all that. You know what I mean? Your
39:00
performance should be good during the warm-up to prep you for,
39:03
>> right,
39:04
>> uh, your sport.
39:04
>> Yes. Um, but if you’re doing your warm-up and you already just feel like
39:08
dump,
39:09
>> well, that’s a sign you probably been doing too much the past few weeks. So, I
39:12
think those five signs are a good way or a good barometer for people to kind of
39:16
like um think about like, hey, am I doing too much?
39:20
>> Yeah.
39:20
>> So, um, great five things right there that I I came up with. Um but um
39:27
again like I think a big thing is like that culture of exercise and fighting
39:33
like we have to do more.
39:35
>> Yeah.
39:36
>> Um so what do you think the best way is to
39:40
>> I guess rewire someone to not think that. What’s like a give me some
39:45
examples of like I don’t know phrases you use to somebody or how you tell them
39:49
to like not do that as much. Like say someone comes to you in one-on-one and
39:54
you’re like you try to tell them like hey scale it back a bit. How do you how
39:58
does that conversation look?
39:59
>> Yeah that’s a great question. Um I remember for us as a hobby you you know
40:04
GSP’s trainer amazing coach.
40:07
>> He said something interesting years ago. He said if you work out let’s say you
40:12
want to do pull-ups and your maximum is 10 pull-ups. He’s like, “When you do
40:17
that max, you’re going to be sore for so long.” And basically what he was saying
40:22
is somebody who does two or three pull-ups a day over the course of a year
40:26
will do far more pull-ups than the guy who does his max and then takes a week
40:30
to recover.
40:31
>> So I always try to instill in my students that it’s consistency over
40:36
intensity. A lot of people start and they come in and they’re
40:40
>> gung-ho, super intense. Coach, I want to fight. You know, usually anyone who
40:43
comes in saying they want to compete,
40:45
>> first of all, never ends up competing, right? It’s usually the students who
40:48
come in because they want a new hobby or they want to learn something. People
40:51
have more like humble goals at the beginning actually turn out to be the
40:56
most successful competitors. The people that come from day one, yeah, I want to
40:59
be a fighter. It’s, you know, something I’ve always wanted. But
41:02
>> I can’t even think of one example of somebody who came in saying they want to
41:05
be a fighter who ended up competing. Wow.
41:07
>> Yeah. Cuz the idea of fighting is way cooler than the reality, right? getting
41:11
your hand raised. Yeah. Looks think of all the work that gets that goes behind
41:16
that, right?
41:17
>> Um,
41:18
>> so yeah, I I try to always say consistency beats intensity. I’d rather
41:21
you be consistent than intense. I’d rather you come two or three times a
41:25
week for five years than to come seven days a week for three months and then
41:29
fizzle out. Your body’s done. You you hate the sport. You’re not looking
41:32
forward to it anymore.
41:34
>> Um,
41:35
>> and I like what you said that you should feel energized. Because you should feel
41:39
good after a workout. You should you should be like buzzing almost after a
41:43
good training session. You feel like, man, this feels great. I feel good. You
41:46
should feel confident, right?
41:48
>> You shouldn’t feel,
41:49
>> you know, depleted and done for and exhaust. Like, man, how am I I can’t
41:53
even drive home. I remember nights where I’d be sitting in the car, like too
41:56
tired to even start my car and drive home. Like, that’s that’s not good.
41:59
Something went wrong during that during that training session. So,
42:03
>> yeah, I tried to change the way they view their workouts, their training
42:08
sessions. Are you better today than you were one month ago? Are you getting
42:11
better with every class? Are you improving? Would you of today defeat the
42:16
U of three months ago or six months ago? And if the answer is yes, we’re on the
42:19
right track. You know, if you want to compete, yeah, there will be challenging
42:23
training sessions where you’re going to be fatigued and you’re going to be
42:25
pushed because you need to in order to be a competitor.
42:28
>> Um, but we’re not just going to
42:30
>> break your body down every day because you have some weird idea of what a
42:34
training session should look like. Yeah.
42:36
>> You know, I’m they’re coming to us. We are the experts, right?
42:41
>> We’re not going to I don’t really This sounds I don’t care much about like
42:45
feedback or their opinion or blah blah blah. Like I know what I’m doing. You’re
42:49
coming here. I’ve been doing martial arts for 34 years.
42:52
>> I will I will organize this.
42:54
>> Yeah. We want what’s best for them. You know, I’m not telling you this to like
42:57
why would I tell you this to make your training worse. Exactly. It’s not my job
43:01
to That’s just weird. Like why would I do that?
43:03
>> I’m trying to help you as you are trying to help your students. Uh, I think a big
43:07
a big kind of mindset shift too with people recently that I’ve had um is like
43:13
they always tell me like, “Well, I felt good that day, so I did more.”
43:17
>> Like my weightlifterss, my runners, they’re like, “Well, I felt great that
43:21
even though it’s not in their plan that I’ve given them.”
43:24
>> Yeah.
43:24
>> They’re like, “Well, I felt great that day, so I maxed out on my squat or my
43:28
overhead squat.”
43:29
>> And then the next day, they’re like, “Well, I feel like crap again.” I’m
43:31
like, “Well, that wasn’t in the plan. Just because you feel good doesn’t mean
43:35
you should do more. Stick to the plan.
43:37
>> Stick to being smart about your training.
43:39
>> And again, just be just because you feel great doesn’t mean you should be doing a
43:43
zillion more squats or a zillion more miles on the run, a zillion more
43:46
pull-ups, like you said,
43:48
>> a zillion more sparring sessions.
43:50
>> Right. Right.
43:51
>> Save that for later. Save that for your competition.
43:54
>> And again, that’s a big u mindset shift for people. And again, you can kind of
43:59
see that in in their heads when I tell them that. They’re like, “Wait, that’s
44:02
right.” but I don’t want to listen.
44:04
>> You know what I mean? But eventually they get it. And again, we want what’s
44:07
best for our clients. You know, we want them to succeed in fighting in getting
44:11
painfree with physical therapy.
44:13
>> Um so we’re not telling you this to like not make you be hardcore. You can still
44:19
be hardcore, you know?
44:20
>> Exactly. Exactly.
44:21
>> Um hardcore and smart.
44:23
>> Yes.
44:23
>> Um
44:24
>> but yeah, man. I mean, again, like you mentioned in the beginning, like overt
44:28
training is very hard to get to. Um, so I agree in that way, but the people I
44:33
work with, they’re such go-getters and um, they’re already like very good
44:37
athletes. So, I have to kind of tell them to kind of chill a bit,
44:40
>> add in some of this rehab stuff we’re doing, exercises, prehab stuff,
44:44
>> and then we’ll come back to that stuff. And again, in the beginning, it’s tough.
44:47
It’s a tough conversation,
44:49
>> but again, in the end, it they’ll feel better in the long run, and their
44:53
longevity will it’ll last.
44:57
>> That’s so true.
44:58
>> Their their bodies will last longer. um they’ll feel better, they’ll be more
45:02
energized. Um and again, that’s what exercise and training, any type of
45:06
training is for in reality is to to feel better, be more confident,
45:10
>> body and mind, all that stuff. Um but yeah, man.
45:15
>> No, you’re I like what you said. And I I also I want to clarify something I said
45:19
earlier. I said like, oh, like you know, for me feedback isn’t important. I
45:23
shouldn’t say feedback is important. What I should say is this that people
45:25
come to you or come to me because they are looking for expertise. Imagine if
45:30
people came in to you and you were like, “Hey, well, what do you think we should
45:33
do today?” They’d be like, “Where? Why did I come here?” Right? Some people
45:36
come to me and they’re like, “Hey, I want this.” And I’m like, it’s like,
45:39
“Cool. I understand that. That’s but
45:41
>> we have to we’re going to do things a certain way that I believe based on my
45:45
experience is the best thing that I could provide for you.”
45:48
>> So, it’s not like, “Oh, I ignore feedback because I’m a you know, I know
45:51
it all blah blah blah.” But when somebody comes in, it’s more likely that
45:55
I have a little bit more experience than them and it’s my responsibility to use
45:59
that experience to make sure they’re safe, that they progress, that they
46:03
learn new things. So that’s why I remember sometimes I’ll have coaches
46:06
that are new. They really will consider feedback too much. Student will come in,
46:11
hey coach, I want to do this today. And they’ll be like, okay, you got it. You
46:14
know, they want to and it comes from a good place. They want to make them
46:16
happy.
46:17
>> And I’ll tell them like, listen, yeah, some people, hey coach, can we work a
46:20
spinning back gentle balance? It’s okay. But hey, coach, today I want to be, you
46:24
know, I want to do 20 rounds of sparring. No, you don’t say, “Yeah, you
46:27
got it. Whatever you want.”
46:29
>> You are the expert. You are there to lead them, right? They don’t know
46:33
sometimes what they want. They think they want this, this, and that. They
46:36
really don’t. They might say they want to spar 20 rounds. Have them spar 20
46:39
rounds. They’re going to be going to the emergency room, right? So, you can’t
46:43
just listen to what people want. You have to be
46:46
>> confident enough to know that you have their best interest in mind, right? So,
46:50
>> and we do have the best intentions for people. Absolutely. Um, and we get that
46:52
a lot. I mean, I get that a lot. People, you know, they have this idea of, you
46:56
know, their their rehab. They know how to do this. They know how to rehab their
46:59
knee. Like, well, I saw on, you know, or chat GBT tell me this or like YouTube,
47:03
this YouTube guy told me this. I’m like, that’s great, but at the same time,
47:07
like, they didn’t actually assess you. And
47:09
>> that’s my job is to assess you first and see if
47:12
>> some of this stuff may or may not work.
47:14
>> Yeah.
47:14
>> Um, at the same time, again, the full assessment is key here. That’s why it’s
47:18
individualized. Like that’s how we are hands-on with our clients. You know what
47:22
I mean? Is like
47:23
>> just like you know well I have back pain chat GBT tell me what to do
47:27
>> right
47:28
>> and that’s when again people have this rigid thinking of like well this is my
47:32
pain
47:33
>> this is what I have to do
47:35
>> and you again I take that into account here and there because they they know
47:38
their pain they’ve had it for if it’s chronic pain they’ve had it for a long
47:41
time
47:42
>> so I can’t dismiss what they say. At the same time we have to input our expertise
47:46
that we’ve been doing for for years now.
47:48
>> Absolutely. Um, so, uh, but it’s fun, you know, I love helping people. Um,
47:54
it’s it’s definitely something that there’s an art to um, as you know, a
47:59
common theme with my stuff is art of everything. Art of PT, art of wellness.
48:04
>> Um, but again, that’s what that’s what comes with being individual with people
48:09
or having an individualized plan for them like you do with your students. I
48:13
do with their physical therapy plans. And again, I think people appreciate or
48:16
I hope they appreciate that personal touch of us receiving their feedback and
48:20
then giving our input and then in the end it’s a gentle balance of we’re
48:23
working together to make them a better fighter
48:26
>> or overcome their back pain.
48:28
>> Yeah.
48:28
>> Stuff like that.
48:30
>> Um so I think you have a big announcement here. I’m going to put you
48:34
on the spot right now.
48:37
>> But um yeah, you got a new space, a new spot in Neighborville. Yes.
48:40
>> That looks super cool.
48:42
>> Yes. Thank you, man. And it’s the official spot for PSSE now, right?
48:46
>> Yes, we do. After uh 10 years of operating out of other people’s
48:52
>> um spaces, we finally have our first storefront um in Neapville. I don’t know
48:57
how they let us in, but they did. And uh so yeah, we’re just so I saw it, too.
49:03
>> Yeah. Yeah, exactly. It was almost uh Dr. Derry spot.
49:06
>> We were working together on
49:07
>> That’s right. So yeah, we’re so excited.
49:09
>> We’ll still tag team it a little bit. Exactly. make some YouTube videos there
49:12
or something.
49:13
>> Yeah. Oh, that would be great. I would love that actually. It would look cool
49:15
for your for your content. I think that’d be awesome.
49:17
>> For both of our content, not just me.
49:19
>> Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. I know. I got to get
49:22
better at that.
49:22
>> Post it on me. Yeah. Whatever.
49:24
>> Um but yeah, we’re so excited. Um we have our own Phoenix Sports Empire
49:29
location now. It’s at uh 32 Foxcraftoft, Sweet 108. So, anyone watching this,
49:35
come on down, check us out, and uh I’d love for you to come visit. It’s a
49:39
really cool spot. We made it look unique. We have classes seven days a
49:42
week. We have youth classes, classes in MMA, boxing, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu.
49:47
So, uh it’s been a ton of fun and uh it’s like a dream come true to have our
49:50
own spot and to have it have our energy and our mentality, our approach to
49:56
combat sports. Um you know me, I’m kind of stubborn. I when how I want to
50:01
operate the business and now I get to fully operate the way that I think is
50:04
best for our members. And so far, we’re all so happy, man. So, we’re
50:08
>> What are your hours? Are they Are you there all the time? All day, every day?
50:12
>> We, you know, we do one-on-one lessons throughout the day, and then we usually
50:15
have group classes in the evening, during the week, and in the afternoon,
50:18
during the weekend. So,
50:20
>> you have the schedule on the
50:21
>> We have the schedule on our website. Yeah. Phoenix Sportsmpire.com.
50:24
>> Great website.
50:24
>> Yes. Please come check us out. And, uh, you could text us 331-481-6441.
50:30
Um, and we’ll get back. If you have any questions or any complaints or any
50:34
insults you want to throw at us, just text that number and we’ll get back to
50:38
you.
50:39
>> Yeah, man. We’re easy to find in Neighborville. We’re everywhere. We have
50:42
our websites. We have I mean, I’ll link it in the YouTube description, man.
50:45
Thank you so much. Your website, all that, which I think I have been doing
50:48
anyway. Hopefully, they have. I think so. I think they should be on there. If
50:51
not, not Instagram. We collaborate on I tag you and stuff all the time. Again,
50:54
we’re easy to find in April. So, like
50:57
>> art of PT, sports and performance PT. Uh, that’s my practice where I help
51:02
active people, athletes around Neapville. We’re, you know, we’re in
51:06
Neapville. We’re deep in it. So, if you guys are in the area, surrounding
51:09
suburbs, too. So, we’re there to help. If you want to learn some martial arts,
51:12
some com some boxing, jiu-jitsu, hit up Ramy. If you have back pain, neck pain,
51:16
shoulder pain,
51:17
>> whatever pain, postsurgical pain,
51:20
>> um, and you’re an active person or you’re an athlete, come check me out.
51:23
Again, I’m easy to find as well. Like, my website’s on here. You can contact me
51:26
through Instagram. Um, I’m on Threads, which I keep telling you to go on and
51:31
never use Right. You’re right.
51:33
>> You know, we gota tag team some of these combos. Um, follow me on there.
51:38
Instagram, like I said, apt drg. My website is www.artofpt.com.
51:46
Uh, what else do I have to plug? Uh, my newsletter, which is free every
51:50
Thursday. Every other Thursday. It’s free. Like I said, just sign up. It’s in
51:55
the description on the YouTube uh channel and in this video. Um it’s all
52:01
things sports medicine, rehab, um busting rehab myths, stuff like that.
52:06
It’s great. You’ll love it. It’s short. It’s not super long. Um I think that’s
52:11
it, man. Anything else you want to plug? Should we plug?
52:14
>> Uh I want to thank all my students and coaches who helped us get the new space
52:19
ready. Man, they were amazing. I am the least handy person on earth. I cannot
52:24
even like
52:25
>> hang up a picture, right? So, without my students, um, we wouldn’t have the So, I
52:30
want to I mentioned Michael who was at the forefront of everything, but
52:34
Michael, uh, Lisa for helping
52:36
>> cut mats so that they fit our space. Like, this is something I have no Yeah,
52:41
she’s brilliant. Lisa, Michael, um, Sophie for helping with painting. Coach
52:46
Brooks for helping with painting. Shout out to them.
52:48
>> Uh, Aaron for helping with painting. Danny, uh, Angel, uh, I hope I’m not
52:53
forgetting anyone. Pedro, uh, thank you to for everybody who came down to help
52:57
us get the new gym, um, ready. Emmer, for Coach Enrique, Coach Haimey, thank
53:03
you guys for everything you do for PSC. Um, I wouldn’t be here without our
53:09
members and our coaches. We’re just so lucky, so fortunate. So, thank you to
53:13
everybody. Thank you to all of our members, too, because
53:16
>> you are the only reason we can have our own space. So, thank you so much for
53:19
helping me, you know, make my my dream a reality. I’m I’m I’m grateful. I really
53:24
appreciate it.
53:24
>> That’s awesome, isn’t it? Isn’t it fun building this stuff?
53:26
>> Yes. Oh, and Asha for helping me run the business, which I have no idea how to
53:30
do. So, thank goodness she’s there. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Right, for helping
53:35
me run the business. Yeah. Thank you so much,
53:36
>> Awesome, dude. I I love that you have your own space. I’m super happy for you.
53:39
And again, I’ll be there uh whenever,
53:41
>> but we got to record some content there. We’ll do something.
53:44
>> I’d love to.
53:44
>> And we’ll get Brian involved back there.
53:46
>> Oh, that’d be awesome, man. That’d be awesome. But yeah, uh that’s it. We’ll
53:50
talk to you guys next time. Peace.

“She was yelling at me through her tooth!”

The guys discuss how a defective port-a-potty will ruin your sex life, when having “special socks”  makes playing left field for the Mets at 50+ a possibility, and why having sex with your neighbor 72 times almost always results in a lawsuit. 

Old School vs New School

Old school vs New School- which one are you? Let’s get into it- please leave a 5 star rating, follow to receive alerts, and share. 
Let’s enlighten TOGETHER. 

Stop Saying “Let Me Know If You Need Anything”-Interview with Kelly Edmundson

I would love to hear from you. Send me questions or comments.

The funeral ends, the messages slow down, and suddenly the calendar becomes the hardest part of grief. We sit down with Kelly Edmondson, founder and CEO of Timely Presence, to talk about what support should look like after the sympathy flowers are gone and real life returns. As a former trauma nurse and now a certified grief counselor, Kelly brings both clinical experience and the honesty of living through profound loss as a bereaved mother.

We get specific about the moments that sting: a loved one’s birthday, Mother’s Day, the holiday season, and the first anniversary of death. Kelly explains why “If you need anything, let me know” often fails, and what helps more: steady, practical presence that doesn’t ask the griever to manage everyone else’s discomfort. We also talk about grief brain and the hidden symptoms people don’t expect, from exhaustion and low motivation to forgetfulness and trouble focusing at work, especially when bereavement leave runs out long before you feel like yourself again.

Kelly walks us through how Timely Presence supports someone through the first year with heirloom-quality memorial gifts delivered on key dates, including an engraved memory box, interactive wind chimes, a crystal votive candle holder, and a 3D photo crystal keepsake. We also explore creating new rituals, planning for triggers, and why even pet loss can feel like a “loud absence” after years of caregiving routines.

Year-Long Sympathy & Memorial Gift Collections | Timely Presence

If you’ve ever wanted to show up better for someone grieving, or you’re trying to navigate your own loss with more tenderness and less isolation, listen through and share this with a friend. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what milestone date is hardest for you to face.

Support the show

Welcome To Patty’s Place

SPEAKER_01

0:09

Welcome to Patty's Place, a place where we will talk about grief, dementia, and caregiving. I named this podcast in honor of my mom, Pat, who passed away from dementia about two years ago. So I want this to be a place where everyone knows they're not alone and they can share all their feelings with all of all of these issues that go on. So please grab a cup of tea, a cup of coffee, or if you're having a really bad day, your glass of wine, and let's get talking today. So today our guest is Kelly Edmondson. She is the founder and CEO of timelypresence.com. You're also, she's also a former trauma nurse who has put her compassion into actions with timely presence. Welcome, Kelly, to Patty's place.

SPEAKER_00

0:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

0:57

So tell me how did Timely Presence come about?

Why Grief Starts After Goodbye

SPEAKER_00

1:01

Yes. So as you referenced, I have spent my career, I've been a nurse for 25 years. I started out in trauma ICU and in emergency departments, and very quickly was introduced to tough moments, difficult conversations in death. My maiden name is Thomas, and I kind of developed a knack for supporting people at end of life. And so they nicknamed me Trauma Thomas. And it kind of became what I did. I thought I was really quite gifted at that work. Over time I became a leader, a healthcare leader. And one of the things that you learn in leadership is that there's a lot of counseling you do in that, right? Your employees, your patients, their families. People are grieving all over. And so that work expanded even further. But in 2023, um I um lost my oldest son. He had epilepsy and um had a seizure in his sleep and aspirated. And so despite 20 years of caring for people in their most vulnerable moments, I learned that I really didn't understand grief at all. And so I really set out on a journey to better understand the process, um, what I was going through, what the people I had cared for and will care for go through. Um, I became a certified grief counselor, and I have really leaned into the work. And so timely presence is a result of 25 years of nursing experience, um becoming a grief counselor, and then my experiences as a bereaved mother.

SPEAKER_01

2:58

So let's talk a little bit about the website. So what if somebody goes to the website, which is uh it's thetimelypresence.com, correct? What will they find out there?

SPEAKER_00

3:10

Yeah. So what what I learned is that um grief doesn't end with the funeral.

SPEAKER_01

3:16

Very true. Very, very true.

SPEAKER_00

3:18

Right? In fact, in fact, much of the process begins there.

SPEAKER_01

3:22

That's exactly how I felt. Somebody asked me that like the day after my mom's service, and they were like, How are you? And I go, I feel like it's all just beginning now. Once all that's over. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

3:33

Because you're so busy, right? There's so much planning, there's so much work, and then it is um, what do I do with the rest of my life? Exactly. You cared for your mom, you were very intimately involved, and now you have all this time. Yes. Well, I experienced the same as a bereaved mother, and so what we built really leans into that space. We show up after the funeral through the first anniversary of death. Okay, and we bring heirloom quality memorial gifts on all the milestone events. So you lost your mother, you understand this. The for her first birthday.

SPEAKER_01

4:17

Well, the funny story with that is her very first birthday was the day of her service. Oh, because she she died 10 days before her birthday, and it just worked out that way. So we ended up having a cake and everything for her. So it was really technically her second birthday where I was like, Oh, okay, what do I do with this?

SPEAKER_00

4:39

That's right. That's right. Um, and so you know, we show up on that day, and um we show up on Mother's Day. Yes. We show up on during the holiday season, right? Whatever holiday you celebrate, it's different without someone that you love.

SPEAKER_01

4:59

It is. Um Mother's Day is is um it is difficult. And but I I laugh in a sense because my mom used to always tell me my whole life, uh, first she would say she didn't care because her mom passed away when she was in her early 30s. So she was like, she didn't care. And then she used to tell me, I should be nice to her all year long, not just on Mother's Day. And then she would say, and you are, so you know, I mean, I always got her a gift and we always ate whatever she wanted, but then she should be like, Well, she should be nice to me all year long. I'm like, okay. Noted, noted, right? But I I understand now what she meant when she said that you know her mom wasn't here anymore, and it is just different, you know. It's different. It it is, you know, when you see all the commercials and all that stuff, it's just there's just something missing. Same thing with birthdays or Christmas or all the different holidays with it. So how so you do this? I noticed you said on the website, and there were people don't know what to say to somebody who's grieving, you know, and they're like, if you need something, let me know. And people would say that to me, and I'd be like, I don't know what I need.

SPEAKER_00

6:15

Yeah, yeah. I I I mean if you're asking me what I need what I want, I want my mom back, right? Right, yeah. Um, and and I can't do that. And so um, it is, it's very uncomfortable. You know that we are not a society that's comfortable with facing mortality, with with bringing it up. People don't know, they know it's Mother's Day. People don't even think, oh, this Mother's Day is different for Lisa Pads gone, it's different. They they don't even think that, not because they're not caring, but right because life goes on.

Dates, Collections, And Automatic Support

SPEAKER_01

6:51

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it does. And uh, and and I noticed too, like people will do it the first, like the the first Mother's Day. Well, the first Mother's Day I was actually in Ireland, which that helped a lot. But everybody everybody texted me that day, but then sometimes it's like like last year, then it was like, okay, how do I feel? Like I just didn't really even acknowledge it because that's just how I could deal with it um with it. But I saw so you have different collections then on here that people can do. So do you like does can somebody like put in those dates that are important for it?

SPEAKER_00

7:28

So the this is what we do. We we we've we've started out with what I'll say um the most common relationships. So we have one for parents and children, right? We have one for spouses and significant others. Okay. Um, we have a general one for friends and family, and then we did one for what I call kind of the silent grievers, um, women that have a miscarriage or a still murder. Yeah, it's such a vulnerable place because nobody remembers a child they never met.

SPEAKER_01

8:02

Very true.

SPEAKER_00

8:03

That is very true. Yeah. And so we've created a package for them. But but throughout our process, as a gift giver, is trying to figure out how do I support this person I care for? How do I give ongoing support? Um, we collect a few pieces of information. You tell us the relationship they had to the departed, and then we ask for a couple of dates, and then the gifts just automatically come. There's nothing else for you to do. We send you an email that says, hey, just remember Lisa's mom's birthday is next week. The wind chime is on its way. Um, and Lisa gets a note from you. Um, and uh a wind chime with just um a note about memory, staying alive. People love the wind chime, it's interactive. Uh, it feels like someone's talking to you. And we do this all year long on all those events. The gift will arrive that just says, You're not alone. We're still thinking of you, and you know, your mom's your mom mattered.

SPEAKER_01

9:06

Um I I did see the wind chime on there, and then you have some other like they're very beautiful gifts. They're are you said they're handmade, like there's a a memory box and like a crystal cube, is it with the person's picture?

SPEAKER_00

9:21

Yeah, you know, we were so thoughtful on on these gifts. So I I actually unfortunately people die every day.

SPEAKER_01

9:31

Yes, that's very true.

Memorial Gifts That Don’t Feel Sad

SPEAKER_00

9:33

So after my son, after my son passed, and this idea came to me, I just began um thinking about the gifts that I like the m the best, but I began buying gifts for people and seeing how they responded to them, what resonated, what was super impactful. And so we've tried to build gifts that aren't sad, right? They're they're not, you don't look at them and think, oh, this is, you know, a sad thing. But the the memory box, I'm so glad you brought that up. It's the first gift you receive. Okay. It's an engraved memory box. And we did it because after the funeral, you have so many things. There's an obituary. Yeah, there's photos, there's there's there may be a flower or something from the service. Where do you put them?

SPEAKER_01

10:27

I still have some of those flowers that I dried out. I I I had I took some of them. There was a convent close by, and they took the petals and they made them into different like jewelry or bookmarks and stuff like that. So I got a lot of those made, you know, not just for myself, but for family. But I still have other dried flowers and I'm like, I want to do something with this, but I don't know what to do with it.

SPEAKER_00

10:50

And people don't know what people have told me they have them in cardboard boxes, shoe boxes, they're just all around. And so I wanted to make something that was beautiful and um personalized where you could just collect those things until you figured out what's next, or if there's a what next. Sometimes you just go through. I have cards in mind, right? So I may look through and and read a note. Um, my son had written a song for me, and I actually transcribed it, and I just open it and read the song lyrics sometimes. So it's just a place to center around your loved one.

SPEAKER_01

11:30

Yeah, because I do. I still have like uh the sign-in book and and and cards, and I still have the little um I don't know what the actual word is for it, but the little memorial cards you get, sometimes it's services. So I have those. Yeah, to put them in something like that memory box or anything else would is nice for that. Because yeah, you don't know what to do with it. You don't want to throw it out, but you don't know where to put it. That's right. You're like, okay, yeah. For that. So you get the memory box first with the one collection, and then um then you can get like the wind chimes and the other, like the they look like they're crystal for that.

SPEAKER_00

12:14

Yes. So you get the wind chime for the birthday for the holiday season. We tried to think of I wanted something people would use. So I was speaking to someone last week. We don't do an ornament, and she said, I'm so glad you don't do an ornament because I wasn't ready to put up a tree. Right? That's true. For first few years, I wasn't ready for a tree. And my son's birthday is actually Christmas Day.

SPEAKER_01

12:40

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00

12:42

We don't mean it's really tough, and he died on January 3rd, so the whole holiday season's different.

SPEAKER_01

12:50

No, I understand because uh my mom died on January 6th, and and her birthday's January 16th, and her like last week star it was on New Year's Eve. So from that whole the whole holiday, I totally understand. Like it's just different now. It's just different.

SPEAKER_00

13:09

So what we do is we take a trip at Christmas now. We I take some, we had him cremated, so I take some of his ashes with us, and he's traveling the world. That's that's our that's our new um way of doing it. But I didn't want to do an ornament for that reason. So what we do is a beautiful crystal votive candle holder. Okay. And it's engraved, but it's it's really a way to share light, right? And so um we use we give it at Christmas because people like to light candles, or someone at Hanukkah may want candles, you know, it's just what we do at that time of year, but it's beautiful, it can be in your office or anywhere at any time, and it doesn't look like death, right? Um and it it also doesn't look like Christmas, it's just a um a beautiful gift, and then the gift that comes um on the anniversary of death is a um 3D photo keepscape that's engraved in a crystal block, and they are stunning, they're stunning. It looks like your loved one is in the room with you. Um it's everyone's favorite. Um, it's memorable, and it's just a way to keep their, it's a way of saying, may the legacy of your loved one go forward with you.

SPEAKER_01

14:33

And so that's beautiful. I I saw on the well your website too, it says your purpose is where love, loss, and light come together.

SPEAKER_00

14:41

That's right.

Saying The Name Without Awkwardness

SPEAKER_01

14:43

That's right. Cause it is it's lost, but there is still that love, and you you are dark feeling in that dark spot, but you still want some light to come in. It's like finding that balance is so hard uh with it. Uh and I see you have several different, you have like different collections that people can do uh for that. Um depending on what what they feel is right for their loved one or their their friend or that for it. Um with that. But I think it's such a nice thing because yeah, people don't know what to say and they don't know what to do, and then they feel weird about bringing it up, and this way it's like they feel so weird about Yeah, they're like, should I bring it up? Should I not bring it up? You know, and then this way you're supporting your person without, you know, because I think what most people forget about grief is that the griever will if you if you hold that space for them, they'll tell you what they need. But it it's hard for the person on the other side to to to know what to do.

SPEAKER_00

15:49

That's right. Yeah, you know, people say to me, I I don't want to make them remember. And you know, I I I my answer's always the same. I I wish there were a day I could forget my son's dead.

SPEAKER_01

16:07

Right. Right, yeah. Yeah. And I always told everybody, I tell everybody that I find comfort in talking about my mom. That's right. I I do because it it makes me feel you know, I like telling stories about her because sometimes I realize, man, she was kind, she really was funny at times. The stuff that she came out with, you know. And I'm like, and I'm not making it up. She would tell me these things all the time, you know. Um, but I find comfort. Like she's, you know, she's still here uh with it. Um, but it makes the other person more uncomfortable, I think, than the griever.

SPEAKER_00

16:41

That's right. That's that's how they're that's how they live on. They live on in the stories, in the memories, in the laughter, right? That just just like you said, she was funny, or you think that I remember that time she got so mad about this, and it it makes you chuckle thinking about how she got over it quickly, or just you know, yeah. I love to talk of he's my person. I love to hear his name.

SPEAKER_01

17:11

Yeah, yeah, with it. Well, how old was your son? He was 28. Oh, that's young, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

17:20

And um, you know, just really starting to get his groove in life. He had gotten diagnosed with seizures at 18, which is a really tough time to get a chronic disease diagnosis.

SPEAKER_01

17:34

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Grief Brain, Work, And Real Symptoms

SPEAKER_00

17:36

Where you can't drive, you have to take medicine every day. The medicine makes you lethargic, a little confused. So, you know, it took him a few years to work through all that. Um, so he was a little later graduating college, but he was done and working in his career and really um had just bought a house and was just really um doing all the things that he wanted to do. Um, and you know, if there's any peace that comes, he died happy.

SPEAKER_01

18:11

Well that's happy. That's that's a good thing. I mean, not you know, that he was happy at least for that. I uh I also noticed too on your website you have a blog on there and you have a lot of different articles for the griever. Uh I noticed the one, uh I think it's your most recent one about the quiet months after a loss can feel so hard. And it kind of lists all the different things that grief can look like that people don't realize. Like you you're really tired and you have low motivation for that. And I think a lot of times people don't understand that. They can get mad sometimes. Um, or you have trouble focusing and you forget. Like you're like, what'd I come in this room for? You know? Like that's awful, right?

SPEAKER_00

18:57

For me, that was probably the worst thing. Uh right. I've just what I it was very difficult. I had to take time off work because I couldn't, I just couldn't concentrate, right?

SPEAKER_01

19:09

I and I think that that's hard too, because you know, you like you you go back to work because you're like, okay, you want this somewhat of a normal schedule, but yeah, you have a hard time concentrating. And then I think the workplace doesn't know how to handle it either.

SPEAKER_00

19:24

3.5 days. That's the average breathing time.

unknown

19:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

19:28

3.5 days.

SPEAKER_01

19:29

Otherwise, you gotta take you have to take family leave, which is what I had to do with my mom, you know, uh, which was fine, I got it. But yeah, then you come back and you're like, I I I I don't know what's going on. That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_00

19:43

And I'm a different me, right? The things that were the most important now may be different.

SPEAKER_01

19:50

Mm-hmm. Yeah, you are a different person. You know, you can't always explain how you're different, but but you are with that. Uh or like you're irritable or you just feel numb, or you just don't you withdraw from plans. You just like, I just don't want to do it, you know, with it.

SPEAKER_00

20:07

And you hope you have people that understand that, right? I'm not anti-social, I'm just grieving. And so I don't want to go to dinner tonight. I uh, you know, count me out.

SPEAKER_01

20:19

Um yeah, it is people just don't always uh completely understand that, or they are like, oh, they should be over it. And it's like you're not over it.

unknown

20:29

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

20:30

That's right.

SPEAKER_01

20:30

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, like I know some people, what do you say to some people might be like, oh, this is kind of morbid to give these types of gifts, you know, because some people might feel really uncomfortable with it.

SPEAKER_00

20:41

You know, what I say is as a society, we have to learn how to care more about one another than around the discomfort that facing something brings us, right? And so if if you care for someone who's grieving, then there's two realities you have to realize. One is you don't understand it, right? Um, every loss is different and every relationship is different. So the the lot the pain you felt, the loss of losing your mom is different than the loss of do losing my son. And so right, it's just different, which is different than the loss of my neighbor losing her husband. Everybody grieves differently. It there is no playbook, so you have to understand that. And number two is it's not about you. So if you care about them, then the goal is to give them what they need to help get through this, and so it's about not, it's a I was gonna say too, and somet a lot of times the griever doesn't know what they need.

SPEAKER_01

21:45

And like I said earlier, like if you can be that safe split safe place for the person, or even be able to say to that person, you know, when they're complaining about what they're feeling, or you know, like, I don't know why I'm tired or whatever, to be able to say it. grief you know to acknowledge that and say and that's okay that it is you know and and you know for me that the first year the sixth of every month was just so difficult you know because you know i it just it was a trigger for me that first you know the first year another month another month yeah it's been three it's right you know um but I I tried to to know that and so some days I looked ahead and I took the day off of work because I knew I didn't know how it was gonna be you know and I thought if I want to cry all day I will you know or do something that's so important Lisa that kind of planning around what I call new rituals creating new rituals um I think is so important I think it's so important yeah because I I I'd be like I don't know and some some months I did cry all day and other months I I was not that I was okay but you know or I did something that reminded me of my mom or something like that uh for it but to be able to say that to people and and and say it's you know and it's okay you know but think about it or you know Mother's Day or you know whatever day it was for me uh also the Fourth of July is a bit of a like trigger for me because it was the last holiday I celebrated with my mom at at my house before she had to go into memory care and she didn't know she was going into memory care. So it was the 4th of July I think it was a Saturday and she wanted we brought her to memory care on that Monday the sixth. So like I it just makes me think of all of that you know for it.

SPEAKER_00

23:56

So I'm like eh I'll see a little fireworks and then I'll just you know yeah tender moments right so how do you plan for that now? So July will be here before we know it. What will you do this year?

Cards, Customization, And Avoiding Harm

SPEAKER_01

24:09

Uh usually what's neat is uh I live in a townhouse and so I have a really nice patio and where my patio is is I can see a lot of different suburbs uh fireworks plus the neighbors uh you know close by in the other subdivisions and so usually myself and my neighbor a couple other neighbors we can sit out on the patio and we just relax and we can watch all the fireworks and then that you know that's always a nice way to celebrate it you know with it um for that nice right so again it's about people supporting you and just being there right so if somebody is interested then in go they can go to your website and then do you help somebody like figure out what would be the best like collection for them or how would they do that?

Pet Loss And The Loud Absence

SPEAKER_00

25:02

Yeah we kind of guide them um just based on relationships. So for friends and and close family there's one for spouses and significant others one for grieving parents and then one for people with pregnancy loss. That's our rec kind just our kind of recommendations. Okay. But as people play around in the site you may find that um the package that's for parents really works for an adult child that's lost a parent right because we celebrate Mother's Day Father's Day or Mother's Day and Father's Day depending so um you know we we try to guide by who the gift recipient is that that's our goal. The holidays have already been planned out so there's no additional work to do there for any kind and the gifts have been a match to them. So there's opportunity to customize cards but if people don't want to do because again people don't know what to say right we have um very um evidence based um cards that go out with every gift that kind of reference the holiday that they're celebrating or the milestone event that they're recognizing that we would hand sign from the gift giver. So we've we've tried to make it very easy for people because in general they just don't know what to do they don't know what to say and we certainly don't want anyone to do or say the wrong thing because there's wrong things to say. Oh very true yeah very true yeah that then and we've we faced that so we don't want to cause more harm um and so we've made it easy for people to to say do the right thing easily will you ever do one for pets for pet loss I you are maybe the 103rd person who's asked that so we are looking and working on you know why because the loss is real right people say all the time I lost my very best friend last night right and so yes um we're looking at a way to do that um in a way that is meaningful and valuable because I think um it it's it's it's a super unique relationship um that's long term um and as you know as a caregiver these are relationships where you've cared for you you've cared for this pet for a very long time and and that um when when a pet's gone the absence of having the work to care for someone something is so loud the absence of that is so loud yeah and it doesn't matter how little or how big the pet was it's like when they're not there to greet you you know you hear the little pitter patter uh uh with that and just their own you unique personalities as well you're just like oh I remember when they did this or that and um for me my mom my parents had a dog but she was really like my mom's dog and I ended up taking care of her and so you know there was this part of me that when I had to put her to sleep and and she had you know it was time I felt like I was losing part of my mom before I lost my mom you know oh yeah yeah with it because I was like you know she was so you know she she would tell my dad if it's between you and the dog the dog is winning she would tell so it was like you know um you know this little 14 pound dog was very important to her so was your mom in memory care already when you had to put the dog down yes okay yeah yeah so I was able to bring uh Annie was the dog and I was able to bring Annie to see her uh and she was very good with my mom which was surprising because she had quite the feisty attitude for a little 14 pound that she was uh but yeah you know and sometimes it is with pets you know there's a different type of relationship with that so yeah I think that would be very popular um on top of everything else. I think so too.

Where To Find Timely Presence

SPEAKER_01

29:14

Oh yeah well thank you so much for joining us today this has been very very insightful so if someone is interested the website is the timelypresence dot com and they can go to that and find some good gifts to give to the griever with that yes we try to make it we try to make it beautiful and easy so the timelypresence dot com we'd be happy to serve. Yes yes and I have been on the website and is really user friendly so no great thank you so thank you for joining us today thank you like so hopefully you have enjoyed our conversation today uh so please leave us a review join our subscribe to our YouTube channel and hopefully you enjoyed your cup of tea your cup of coffee or if you're having that really bad day a glass of wine and join us for another episode of Patty's Place

The Foundation of Recovery: A Tribute to Dr. John part 2 of 5

Podcast Summary: What is Sober? ☕

Doctor John rejoins Mike and Glen in the Sober.coffee shop to dissect a foundational question: “What is sober?” Together, the hosts challenge common misconceptions about recovery, emphasizing that true sobriety is a gritty, transformative journey rather than an instant emotional fix.

Key Takeaways

The Roadmap to True Sobriety

  • Abstinence is only the baseline. True recovery requires moving past being “dry” by actively cultivating a willingness to change.
  • The happiness myth. Abstinence does not automatically guarantee happiness, and expecting immediate joy can cause doubt.
  • Insides vs. outsides. Comparing your internal struggles to the external appearances of others is a dangerous trap.
  • A “get-well” program. Alcoholics Anonymous is designed for healing, not for providing a constant emotional high.
  • Suffer better. Sobriety means learning to endure the “ism,” understanding that spirituality—not AA alone—fills the inner void.
  • Fluctuations are normal. It is completely acceptable to not feel okay, as enthusiasm for the program naturally ebbs and flows.

The Karate Kid Metaphor

  • Broken healers. Members of the program act as wounded healers, passing down survival tools to the next person.
  • The humble guide. Like the janitor in The Karate Kid, a sponsor simply guides the newcomer using lived experience.
  • Trust the process. Newcomers must practice honesty, openness, and willingness (“wax-on, wax-off”) even when the steps do not make immediate sense.

Principles of Recovery

  • Action over emotion. Willingness is the greatest principle, defined not by how you feel but by the actions you take.
  • Feelings are not facts. Doing what feels good often leads to pain, while doing what is right eventually brings fulfillment.
  • The second opinion. Check with a sponsor regularly to audit your true motives and align with a higher power.
  • The ultimate definition. Being sober means fulfilling the ultimate human need to give unconditional love through 12th-step service work.

Highlight Quotes

🎙️ “We are broken healers to each other.”🎙️ “If I do what feels good, it will eventually feel bad. If I do what is right, it will eventually feel good.”

🎬 Action Items for Listeners

  • Stop the comparison. Identify one area where you are comparing your internal feelings to someone else’s external life, and let it go.
  • Call your sponsor. Schedule a check-in this week to get a second opinion on your current motives and choices.
  • Act without feeling. Choose one recovery action item today that you do not feel like doing, and execute it anyway.
  • Engage in 12th-step work. Find a small, concrete way to offer unconditional love or support to a newcomer in your circle.