Crosstalk

Mitch Prager shares the raw story behind 28 years of sobriety and the creation of Soberman’s Estate, a treatment center built for high-achieving men who need real recovery without losing touch with real life.
From the “smash the glass” moment to building a one-of-a-kind healing environment, this conversation is about addiction, loss, and what true support can look like.

Stephen first got sober at 20 and remained sober for 22 years before relapsing during COVID. He spent 13 months back in addiction, eventually finding himself back at rock bottom. 

In this honest conversation, Stephen shares how a growing resentment toward God and disconnection from the recovery community contributed to his relapse -- and how returning to the 12 steps, service, and fellowship helped restore his life.

Stephen reflects on why a functional alcoholic may not lose their job but can still lose their soul, the importance of staying open-minded and teachable, and the simple truth that keeps recovery strong: we get involved, and we stay involved.

His evolving understanding of faith is captured in one powerful realization: “I understand God less than I ever have, and I feel closer to God than I ever have.”

Most of us do everything we can to avoid our deepest pain. Craig Olson’s story is about what happened when he finally stopped running from his grief and addiction and began facing both honestly.

After losing his 17-year-old son in a car accident and spending years in active addiction, Craig reached a turning point that changed his life. In this episode, he opens up about the reality of addiction, what finally pushed him to get sober, and how spirituality, community, accountability, and making amends helped him begin to heal.

Craig’s story is honest, painful, and ultimately hopeful. For anyone dealing with grief, addiction, or the feeling that it may be too late to start over, this conversation is a powerful reminder that change is still possible.

Most people never see the silent struggles beneath a seemingly successful life—until one moment changes everything. In this candid episode, Karthik shares how he moved from denial to recovery through the transformative power of the 12 steps.

Karthik opens up about his struggles with alcohol, work addiction, childhood trauma, and the pressure to meet cultural expectations around identity, success, and arranged marriage. After finding sobriety at 26, he began to understand how his past shaped his addiction—and how vulnerability, acceptance, and community helped him reclaim his life.

This conversation explores the intersection of addiction, culture, family expectations, and healing, offering an honest look at what it means to stop hiding and start living with authenticity.

Melissa S., aka The Healed Professional, joins Jake and Jim for a powerful conversation about the moment that changed her life: sharing on a work conference call that she was an alcoholic. That honest, vulnerable moment became the catalyst for a complete career shift and a new calling as a sober coach.

We also talk about trying different recovery methods, what healing really looks like, and how recovery is not one-size-fits-all. It’s a real conversation about courage, transformation, and what it means to live an authentic life.

Billy B. joins Crosstalk to talk about hitting bottom during COVID, getting sober for his daughter, and finding a new path through SMART Recovery. Honest, funny, and direct, this episode is about what happens when you finally decide enough is enough and start doing the work to become someone better.

In this episode, Magoo shares how Step 2 and the principle of hope helped shape her recovery. Sober since 2001, she talks about building an “evidence file,” a way of looking back at all the times life could have gone much worse but didn’t, and finding proof of something greater at work. It’s a powerful conversation about humility, surrender, and learning to keep coming back.

In this episode of Crosstalk, we sit down with Megan L. for an honest conversation about the quiet forces that shape our lives—fear, love, and the stories we tell ourselves.

Megan opens up about living with what she describes as a “disease of perception,” navigating life as a professional perfectionist, and the exhausting pursuit of external validation.

Together, we explore the pivotal question at the center of it all: are you choosing love, or are you choosing fear? A thoughtful, vulnerable episode about unlearning old patterns and finding a more grounded way forward.

In this episode of Crosstalk, Bob S. shares a powerful story of addiction, identity, and resilience shaped by growing up in Oklahoma. Living a life fueled by impulsivity and heavy drinking, Bob entered recovery and came to understand his alcoholism and his sexuality, discovering both truths through AA. Along the way, he faced profound loss, strained family relationships, and the ongoing challenge of staying sober while learning to fully accept who he is. Bob’s story is one of hope and grace, and a reminder that there is serenity through acceptance. 

In this episode of Crosstalk, we’re joined by John H., founder of SEALs in Recovery, for an honest conversation about accountability, loss, and surrender. John shares how the SEAL principle of 100% accountability applies to recovery, why connection is protection, and what it’s like to embrace surrender after a lifetime of being taught never to quit.