Written by Henry Cullen AKA D.A.V.E. the Drummer I was asked to write this an embarrassingly long time ago but actually I think it's probably about the right time to do it. It’s been 4 years 8 months now since I cleaned up my act. At first I was very keen to join online groups […]

Eric was tragically shot and paralysed in a brutal attack. Eric believes that the incident released his potential. He gave forgiveness to the attackers despite never knowing who they were. You can watch the full episode below. I had the great honour of interviewing Eric Patrick Thomas. (a.k.a. Mr. inspire) is a Flint, MI, native […]

Harry McGill is someone who has never been held back by what others think. James on the other hand feels that he was. They both discuss the benefits of not being held back by other's judgement. This is a particularly special podcast because I got to talk to my best friend of over 12 years. […]

Gill Tietz from Sober Powered talks about neuroplasticity and the brain's ability to adapt. Gill Tietz is the host and creator of the fabulous Sober Powered Podcast. She is a recovering alcoholic and has a BS in chemistry and an MS in biology which gives an incredible platform for the foundation of this conversation. She […]

Brooke tells us that she had done some really bad things in her life which had caused harm to others. She felt like she could never tell anyone what she had done and thought that the best thing she could do was to die. Her Mum told her that she believed that if she got […]

Alyssa, who previously managed a fortune 500 company, tells us how she manages conflict. Alyssa is an absolute powerhouse! She has managed a fortune 500 company, been a fund-raising event coordinator, a fitness coach, business owner and she is a public speaker. Today she talks to us about her journey, her battle with eating disorders […]

Alex from Wonk Unit reflects on some of the gifts that getting sober has given him. You can watch the full episode below. In the episode, I speak to Alex Wonk from the legendary Wonk Unit who are key players on the UK punk scene. Alex battled Alcoholism and drug addiction from a young age. […]

Acharya das talks about the role that the mind plays in mental health and the benefits of bringing the mind under control. He speaks about the misconceptions of what freedom means. You can watch the full episode below We talk about some of the fundamental problems that society is facing such as addiction, anxiety, depression, […]

Acharya das describes the deep and profound Vedic perspective and understanding of suffering and the reasons we suffer. You can watch the full episode below. Acharya das is a teacher of the Vedic and Yoga philosophy, meditation and Kirtan. He has been teaching meditation all over the world for over 45 years including in prison […]

After 27 years of addiction to alcohol and multiple suicide attempts, Tim Lodgen finally made the decision to get help. Watch the full episode below In the episode, I talk to ex US marine and MMA fighter Tim Lodgen about his 27 year battle with alcoholism and other substances. Tim tells us that he doesn't […]

After leaving the military because he no longer felt like he could lead people in dangerous places Richard. He described feeling shaky and a year later he started to have 'screaming nightmares' where the dream felt incredibly real. This had a big impact on his sleep and made him reluctant to seek help. He started […]

Michael Hempseed states that a third to a half of all suicides are the result of a same-day crisis such as a breakup or getting fired from a job. He proceeds to tell us about his extremely public and widely broadcast failure on Britain's Got Talent. He states that his superpower is a failure because […]

I speak with Kate Parker from Sea Shepherd and Daughters of the Deep. We discuss the link between endless consumption, the use of plastic and mental health. Kate Parker is well known for her ocean activism with Sea Shepherd and other organisations. You can watch the full episode below. In the episode, we talk about […]

I spoke with my friend and fellow ketamine addict Josh Rhodes to discuss the impact that ketamine had on our bladders. We describe what it was like during our heavy use as well as the recovery our bladders have made since ceasing to use. In the full episode, I talk to Josh about ketamine addiction, […]

Frank Hicks from Guardians of Our Children defines psychological violence in the context of New Zealand Law. In the full episode, Frank Hicks joins us to talk about handling family disputes after spending years in the courts over the custody of his children. He is the founder of Guardians of Our Children (GOOC) which is […]

Josh thinks that the first time he knew he was addicted was when he had health issues because it just seemed like fun before that. He had friends looking in on him from outside of addiction seeing him in screaming pain with no comprehension of why he continued to use. During active addiction, we both […]

Porn Researcher Jo Robertson gives us an objective rundown of the porn landscape. James shares some of his insights from the perspective of someone who has consumed porn daily to someone who made the decision to give up. He noticed a dramatic difference in his concentration levels and mental state. In the full episode, we […]

For anyone who is in a devastating situation where you have been separated from your children, Frank Hicks (founder of Guardians of Our Children Charitable Trust) gives some advice to maximise the chances of seeing your children again as soon as possible. In the full episode Frank joins us to talk about handling family disputes […]

Alika talks about the role of honesty in his recovery journey. He stated that he had to learn how to tell the truth. He said there is nothing harder that he has ever had to do than be honest with himself. Alika states that the more good decisions he made in recovery the easier it […]

Zowie talks about what is was like for her growing up with a mother who was addicted to heroin. She says that she had a good awareness of addiction from a very young age. She had no concept of what a healthy relationship was which has caused her great difficulties in her own life. She […]

Tina explains her experience of bipolar. She describes sweeping highs and lows. The highs fill her full of energy, and she spends all of her money followed by lows of self-doubt, shame, and negative self-talk. This is a really interesting episode, partly because Tina and I used to be in a relationship, and also because […]

How do you change your life? James talks about some of the steps that help you to change your life including your physical and psychological environment.

Is all anxiety bad? James highlights that anxiety can be a good indicator that something is not right. He describes how he would feel anxious every time he went to a pub. He finally realised that this was a helpful form of anxiety telling him that he was in the wrong place. Samantha talks to […]

Māori actor Rob Mokoraka explains how his unresolved trauma manifest as low self-worth and negative self-talk. He felt that he could not share his internal experiences with anyone because that would have made him weak and vulnerable. Things he had been taught to avoid. Rob travels around Aotearoa, New Zealand, sharing his harrowing and inspiring […]

Professional boxer Nathan Decastro came on the show after pulling himself out of a difficult time. He talks about learning hard lessons and how he took responsibility for his own life and choices to get better outcomes. This is an incredibly special episode because Nathan is the closest person in the world that I've ever […]

Entrepreneur and TED speaker Michael Brody-Waite has been sober for 17 years. He states that addicts wear masks to try to present themselves to the world in a certain way but they suffer from not being authentic. He states that there are 4 masks people generally wear: 1. Saying yes when you should say no […]

Mathew Kratiuk grew up on the streets involved in drugs, guns, and gangs. He describes an incident that changed his entire life. He was addicted to methamphetamine and had been given an opportunity to attend rehab. In a heated moment, he screamed at the 'rehab boss' wife. Matt described what this woman showed him as […]

Maddie Kitchen from Sobriety Films talks to us about her relapses and the subsequent anxiety and depression that followed. She describes the first time that she resisted a craving and realised she would be able to stay sober. "I don't have to say yes to this compulsion" Maddie Kitchen has been in recovery from alcohol […]

Louise Ratcliffe shares her personal experience of recovering from an eating disorder. She discussed the idea of intuitive eating and moving away from restrictive eating. She states that the psychological effects of restrictive eating have the same effect as physical restriction slowing down the metabolism and the body storing more fat, making it counterintuitive. Louise […]

MMA fighter and trauma survivor Kyle Walker shares his positive mindset with us. He states that there are only two things in life that we can control.

Katelyn Townsend tells us about her harrowing incidents of sexual abuse. She explains that because her first sexual encounter was at 3 years old it was very confusing because she did not understand how to relate to males in a "normal" way. She talks about the sense of shame and guilt that she has experienced. […]

I speak to my best friend Harry McGill about our decision to leave the UK where we were both addicted to ketamine. This is a particularly special podcast because I got to talk to my best friend of over 12 years. We talk about our journey, which documents our struggles with drug addiction, suicidal thoughts, […]

Gill talks about the role of dopamine in alcoholics and addicts. She explains that the brain recognises a large release of neurochemicals such as dopamine as something important to survival so it prioritises the use of the substance. Gill Tietz is the host and creator of the fabulous Sober Powered Podcast. She is a recovering […]

Eric Patrick Thomas tells us about the night that he got shot and paralysed. A night which changed his life. You can watch the full episode below. I had the great honour of interviewing Eric Patrick Thomas. (a.k.a. Mr. inspire) is a Flint, MI, native and entrepreneur who is passionate about changing the way people […]

In this clip I talk to Callum Keen. Callum Keen is a world record breaking machine. He recently beat the world record for the most ring muscle ups in 24 hours completing over 1100. We discuss the root of motivation and how purpose, meaning, and spirituality contribute to motivation. In this episode, I talk to […]

Brooke Robichaud from Soberbizco gives us her advice for friends and family who have lost loved ones to overdose. She tells us about some of the tools that she has used to navigate her grief, that her grieving process is up and down and she speaks about the perspective that losing her brother has given […]

Alyssa Sulli talks about how she believes her past experiences contributed to her perception of self and eating habits. She stated that by the time she reached her 20's her habits began to control her life. She became a compulsive calorie counted, compulsory exerciser, binge eater, and bulimic. Alyssa is an absolute powerhouse! She has […]

Alex from Wonk Unit talks to us about recovering from an addiction. He talks about the idea of "rock bottom" and how the longer he stays sober and the more knowledge he gains about recovery the less likely he feels like he will relapse. He talks about the importance of putting recovery first. You can […]

Acharya das speaks about the reality of trying to stop engaging in an addictive activity. He states that there is a deep spiritual answer to the question but he speaks to practical realities. He speaks about ways to build motivation and take personal responsibility for the situation. You can watch the full episode below We […]

I was asked this question by spiritual teacher Acharya das and I didn't have a good answer. He pointed out that drugs temporarily relieve the feeling of emptiness, purposelessness, and pain. He states that the mind is separate from who we are and it can become a greater enemy, or friend, to us than anyone […]

Tim runs us through his experience with the 12-step program. At first, he thought they were nonsense but he realised that they made him accountable for his actions and he began to become more grateful. His big realisation was that they were not just steps to get you sober they are steps to help you […]

War veteran and ex psychotherapist Richard Margesson explains post-traumatic stress disorder. He describes it as being a form of anxiety caused by a major traumatic event or a series of smaller traumatic events that build up over time. A part of the brain changes is chemical composition putting you on an elevated stress plane having […]

Michael Hempseeds explains the difference between having a bad day and the illness of depression. He states that depression affects our ability to function and can have symptoms of decreased appetite and sleep, thoughts of not wanting to be alive, and inability to concentrate to name a few. He further explains that depression affects the […]

Kate talks about breaking the chain of habit. She has noticed that having a good diet, working out regularly, good sleep etc. keep her in a good head space. However, if she stops doing one thing she starts to come undone in what she describes as a downward spiral. She has also noticed that just […]

Josh Rhodes warns us about the consequences of the recreational use of ketamine. He describes ketamine cramps and the vicious cycles the drug causes. It causes painful symptoms and then temporarily takes away the pain with its anaesthetizing properties. He describes difficulties urinating and other urinary complications as well as one of the treatments he […]

Sex therapist and porn researcher Jo Robertson gives us some advice for addressing sex addiction. She recommends talking to a professional or support networks, often to address shame. Disclosing to someone that you feel safe with. Researching useful websites such as intheknow.co.nz Using apps such as Fortify 'Finding your why' - understanding your motivating factor […]

Alika Gambill from @pro_recovery_power tells us that not drinking alcohol and doing drugs is the smallest part of the blessing he got from recovery. He acknowledges that the thing he struggled with more than the drugs and alcohol was his relationship with himself and his own insecurities. He stated that his best thinking got him […]

Insights by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa Everyone in this world is looking for happiness. Nobody is making an effort to be unhappy. Nobody gets up in the morning and says to themself, "Oh, what can I do today to make myself unhappy?" Even people who try to find happiness in activities which we would normally […]

Insights by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa  The living entity by nature wants to be happy. This is natural. The reason a person considered a success when he has money is because he can buy the things he thinks will make him happy. But the problem is, is that even though the person has so much […]

Questions & Answers with Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa Question: What are the main benefits of practicing mindfulness meditation? Answer: The practice of mindfulness has a primary benefit and a secondary benefit. The primary benefit from the yoga perspective is that it helps you realize that you are not your mind. Most people falsely identify themselves with either […]

This article was written by James Dear for Meditation New Zealand Happiness... For practically my entire life I have attempted to crack the code.  I jumped from one fix to the next, trying to squeeze as much fun out of it as possible, until it was exhausted. Upon facing the dark and empty void within, […]

Guest author Katy Stark I’m glad I waited until today to write this, with our rapidly changing environment, we can’t be sure where the next 24 hours will take us. I have spent the last couple of months being reminded, everywhere I go,  that this day was looming. It’s hard to ignore when businesses are […]

Written by James Dear A few years ago if someone had asked me what was most likely to kill me before the age of 45, I would never have guessed it could be myself. After losing a close friend to suicide it plagued my mind that I didn’t know anything about the pain he must […]

If you are having suicidal thoughts then please know that you are not your thoughts.  Someone once told me this metaphor and it really helped. Think of yourself as water. Water is pure like you. The negative thoughts that you are having are dirt that has got into the water. Despite the water being dirty […]

I got bullied a lot when I was in primary school, so when I started secondary school I felt like I had a point to prove. I started trying to be a hard man. I would pick fights with people for no reason. The way that this usually ended up was by someone's older brother […]

Guest author Marius Cuit In 2014 I left my normal life in Lithuania to follow my heart. It lead me to Austria to snowboard and to see the mountains. My aim was to find a job that could pay for food and accommodation so that I could spend all day living the dream. This is […]

Written by James Dear Since doing work on various bad habits, and one serious addiction, I have come to realise that everyone is self-medicating in one way or another. Self-medication can be in the form of food, shopping, alcohol, illegal drugs, medical drugs or almost anything that you find comfort in.  I realised that I […]

Guest author - Anonymous Hi James, I have read your story and it has unexpectedly made me want to share my story with you. So here goes… Growing up I had an abusive father who drank heavily, although never physically hurting me or my brother, we witnessed my mum getting beaten. He would call the […]

Guest author Eddie Jury After reading Mr Dear's blog I felt inspired and reading his story compelled me to share my own in the hope that it can help someone too. Here’s my story (I promise there is a happy ending) We are the same age and we partied in the same circles, but we […]

Written by James Dear I feel that I am doing fairly well in life at the moment, but things have not always been this way. Through my stupidity, I have become rich in the wisdom of hard lessons and I would like to start giving back what so many have previously given to me. I […]