Today’s reading is a hilarious essay by our wonderfully prolific friend and podcaster Sara Dean of the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast. Sara is a generous resource for women, mothers, and her fellow podcasters. She also gave me the honor of being the opening keynote speaker at Shameless Mom Con 2020 and has been a huge supporter of The Only One In The Room from day one. Sara has also been a guest on our show twice, (The Now Normal, July 2, 2020 and Episode 22 - The Only Mom Who Couldn’t Have a Baby). The Shameless Mom Academy Podcast is a top-rated podcast with over 2 million downloads. Her biggest passion is helping women own their space. Sara motivates and inspires women to stop shrinking and start growing in every aspect of their lives. She is on a mission to inspire women and moms, in particular, to live bigger, bolder, braver #everydamnday.  Connect with Sara: www.shamelessmom.com Listen to Shameless Mom Academy Podcast Free Facebook Group: www.shamelessmom.com/facebook Instagram: @shamelessmomacademy Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Wally Green right after the show. Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine that everyone you grew up with was destined for jail or an early death? Celebrity Table Tennis pro and co-founder of SPIN, New York, Wally Green joined a gang while growing up in one of the most dangerous housing projects in Brooklyn and was constantly abused by his stepfather who told him repeatedly that he would never amount to anything. But what would you do if someone noticed you and offered to pay you to go to Germany to play at an elite ping-pong school? Would you laugh in their face and continue to live a life filled with violence? Or would you take him up on his offer and leave the streets behind you? More from Wally Green: Visit: https://www.whoiswallygreen.com If you're in NYC & want to learn ping pong visit: Spin NY Finding Wally Green: Instagram: @wallygreennyc Twitter: @wallygreennyc Special thanks to our sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Frew is the co-host of the podcast Husband In Law. Along with her husband and ex-husband, they share their stories of love, marriage, coming out, infidelity, divorce, and co-parenting. Jessica and her ex-husband were married for just over a year when he came to terms with the fact he was gay. They then remained married for another seven years.   Instagram: @husband_in_law Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s reading is from the chapter titled, Catherine’s Brestovac by the critically acclaimed author, Catherine Kapphahn. I have to admit that I was afraid to approach the reading at first, because of all the Croatian words, but her story is so poetically beautiful that it seemed to just carry me along. American-born Catherine knows little of her Croatian mother's early life. When Marijana dies of ovarian cancer, twenty-two-year-old Catherine finds herself cut off from the past she never really knew. As Catherine searches for clues to her mother’s elusive history, she discovers that Marijana was orphaned during WWII, nearly died as a teenager, and escaped from Communist Yugoslavia to Rome, and then South America. Through travel and memory, history and imagination, Catherine resurrects the relatives she's never known. Traversing time and place, this lyrical narrative explores the collective memory between mothers and daughters, and what it means to find wholeness. It is a story where a daughter gives voice to her immigrant mother’s unspoken history, and in the process, heals them both. http://catherinekapphahn.com Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Mikal Vega right after the show. Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine being a Navy SEAL and being deployed to Iraq to serve your country. Twenty-two-year combat veteran and Vital Warrior nonprofit founder and CEO, Mikal Vega, was set to deploy yet again when he was called to another type of duty, one that allowed him to be closer to his son. But what would you do if that child you loved so much tragically died when he was a young adult? Would you numb yourself with chemicals and shut the world out? Or would you heal yourself through the power of different modalities and realize that your son’s death might actually be a gift from the infinite? More From Mikal Vega: Visit: https://www.vitalwarrior.org Check out his course Vital Warrior (LIVE attendance possible if in L.A area) Finding Mikal Vega: Instagram: @mikalvega Twitter: @mikalvega Special thanks to our sponsors: Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nate Kelly is a recovering alcoholic and sober coach that was inspired to start a podcast during the pandemic. His goal is to share the stories of other recovering alcoholics and addicts in hopes of helping those who may still be struggling. Nate's own story is one that is hard to believe unless you understand the alcoholic mindset. He had an alcohol-related stroke at age 32, and yet the drinking continued.  https://www.thesobrietydiaries.com/ Email: [email protected] Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I wrote this article a few weeks ago in an effort to have a better understanding of what we’re teaching our kids in school. The resulting article went viral and received as much criticism as it did praise, and I’m excited to share it with you all today. Laura Cathcart Robbins is an author, freelance culture writer, and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room, living in Studio City, California. She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her recent articles in Huffpo and The Temper on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2018 LA Moth StorySlam winner and currently sits on the advisory board for the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival. Laura is also a founding member of Moving Forewords, the first national memoirist collective of its kind. Find out more about her on her website, or you can look for her on Facebook, on Instagram, and follow her on Twitter. Read the HuffPo Article Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Mistress Marley right after the show. Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine celebrating your 27th birthday in Tulum, Mexico. A trip financed by your online suitors who obeyed your financial commands and waited only for you to tell them how much money you required. Pro Dominatrix or Findomme, Mistress Marley googled “how to make more money” after getting her degree in fashion design and discovered the world of BDSM.  But what would you do if when it came to the psychological kink of controlling someone’s wallet, you realized that you had a very special skill set? Would you take the safe route and pursue a career in fashion? Or would you take the money that men were lining up to give you? More From Mistress Marley: Visit: https://www.thechocolatedomme.com Finding Mistress Marley: Instagram: @thechocolatedomme_, @blkandknky Twitter: @eyesxonfire Special thanks to our sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arranged marriage" is a Western term for how marriage has developed historically in many regions of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. An arranged marriage usually distinguishes itself from other kinds of unions by the role parents or older family members play in choosing a spouse.  Ghostwriter-turned-communication-strategist and founder of the Biznality™ process, Abbi Wood left her childhood home in the dead of night (if you can call 6 am the dead of night). She was 24 years old. The whole house was sleeping; she cracked the door to her mum’s room and whispered goodbye, and prepared to never see her again. She did that to get to a place where she could be herself, unapologetically and awkwardly herself. As a woman of colour, Abbi has heard more than her fair share of what to say and do in the world. At times a whisper, and other times a yell, she's used her voice to flip the script and create what she calls a messy-but-fulfilling life. Find Abbi on IG: @biznality Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s reading is from the chapter titled, Freedom Of A Ponytail by award-winning writer and author, Keah Brown. When we interviewed Keah, (season three, episode 26) it was obvious that we were in the presence of greatness. Not only is Keah a phenomenal writer, but she is a formidable disruptor, advocate, and activist. I love the way she brings us into her world and allows us to understand what life is like as a Black, #DisabledAndCute person. Keah Brown is a journalist, author, and screenwriter. She is the creator of #DisabledAndCute. Keah has a B.A. in journalism from The State University of New York at Fredonia. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire UK, And The New York Times, among other publications. Her Debut essay collection, The Pretty One is out now. Her debut picture book, Sam’s Super Seats will be out Fall 2022 via Koklia books. Add it on Goodreads. Keah loves TV and film, and she tweets, at @Keah_Maria, about cheesecake and how she should be writing. Visit: https://keahbrown.com Listen to Keah’s Season 3 Episode: Keah Brown Is The Only "Pretty One" Speaking Out Against Ableism Episode 26 Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Chad Foster right after the show. Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you imagine what it’d be like to watch the sunset, or a football game, or even take a picture, knowing that it would be the last time that you could see what was in front of you? Author and inspirational speaker, Chad Foster, was just three years old when he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that gradually robs you of your eyesight. Twenty years later, he was self-medicating with alcohol, riddled with embarrassment, depression and grief about going blind and thinking that his life was over. But what would you do if you’d decided that feeling sorry for yourself wasn’t how you wanted to spend the next fifty or so years? Would you cower from a future that was too scary to imagine? Or would you transform yourself from “poor me” to a leader that inspires others to improve their vision? More from Chad Foster: Visit: https://chadefoster.com Get his book Blind Ambition Finding Chad Foster: Instagram: @findchadefoster LinkedIn: Chad E. Foster Special Thanks To Our Sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Beth O’Connor is a Berkeley Law graduate, a retired federal judge, Board member and secretary for She Recovers Foundation and is a board member of LifeRing Secular Recovery. Mary Beth started using Methamphetamine in high school and was an addict for sixteen years. She was ordered to surrender to a higher power on her first day in rehab, even though she didn’t believe in God. Being an atheist in a 12-step world forced her to forge her own path out of addiction. She believes the saga of how she transitioned from junkie to judge can provide hope and guidance in this time of increasing secularity and with the streets again flooded with meth. https://junkietojudge.com/ Special Thanks To Our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My friend Dana lives in Charlottesville, Virginia and was greatly impacted by the events that took place there in 2017. I love this reflective, poignant essay she wrote for Tinhouse about her experience as a Jewish woman and mother during that time and I’m very grateful that she’s allowed me to share it with you. Dana Mich is a Jewish mother and writer living in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her memoir-in-progress commemorates her life with her father, who she lost to suicide, and her grandfather who survived the Holocaust. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Times of Israel, Brevity’s Nonfiction blog, The Manifest-Station, Folio Literary Journal, PsychCentral, and DIYMFA. Follow her @DanaMichWrites, and her memoir writers collective @movingforewords.  https://tinhouse.com/the-erosion-of-stone/ Special Thanks To Our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine that most of the people who know you, also know that you’re in recovery and that you never drink alcohol or do drugs. When writer and editor, Emily McCombs hit a low point in her life she thought that she couldn’t possibly feel any worse if she drank, so she did. But what would you do if six months after that first drink, you were using cocaine daily and facing financial devastation? Would you try harder to conceal your unmanageable life from the world? Or would you find the humility that it takes to come back after a relapse? More from Emily McCombs: Visit her website: http://www.emilymccombs.com Check out her HuffPost Articles Finding Emily McCombs: Instagram: @emilymccombs Twitter: @msemilymccombs Special Thanks To Our Sponsors: Voyage et Cie: Voyage et Cie's curator Melanie Apple has cultivated a passion for notable moments using the sense of smell. Voyage et Cie is the ultimate luxury blend of travel, fragrance, and design. Each original fragrance is created by Melanie, 100% organic and natural which will transport you on a journey. Visit https://www.voyageetcie.com/ and enter the code: theonlyone to get your 10% off your purchase! Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eating disorders have historically been associated with heterosexual, young, white females, but in reality, they affect people from all demographics of all ethnicities at similar rates. People of color – especially African American women – are significantly less likely to receive help for their eating issues. Today with us we have Shanetta McDonald, a Los Angeles-based creative. After spending more than 10 years in PR & Sales with executive-level roles for national and global brands, Shanetta decided to move her passions for wellness and storytelling to the forefront of her life with Motif, a community focused on supporting the healing, well-being, and connection among women of color by sharing their stories. Motif was inspired by Shanetta's personal story which involves battling and recovering from an eating disorder, stemming from childhood traumas, and also learning to break skewed societal perceptions of what it means to be a Black woman in America. Shanetta found that opening up and sharing about her struggles with food and body - through writing and conversations with other BIPOC women - was a tool that supported her healing and created invaluable connections with women like herself. She believes that by sharing our stories, we create deeper connections with others like us and forge a path for our healing and blossoming. To learn more about Motif visit: https://www.ourmotif.co Instagram: @ourmotif or @_iamshan Special thanks to our sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I saw Madeline Grayer perform/read this hilarious essay at a storytelling show earlier this year and I laughed out loud all the way through. Couldn’t wait to share it with you all. Madeline Grayer has written about dating for Cosmopolitan magazine and fashion for InStyle.com. She was a consultant in the writer’s room for HBO’s “Sex and the City”, and is currently writing a collection of humorous personal essays. She lives in New York with her husband, son, and dog. Follow her on Twitter @madelinegrayer.  Special thanks to our sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Zoe Abbott right after the show. Special thanks to our sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine being three hundred pounds, not being able to buckle your seatbelt on planes, and needing two people to push you down into your seat on a rollercoaster. When Financial entrepreneur and mentor, Zoe Abbott, decided to change her life and lose the weight, she was scared that afterward she might look like a deflated balloon. So what would you do if after losing a hundred and fifty pounds, you found yourself considering skin removal surgery? Would you think that the health benefits of weight loss were enough? Or would you take that extra step, deciding that it was okay to want to love the person you saw in the mirror? More From Zoe Abbot: Visit: https://thezoeabbott.com Finding Zoe Abbot: Instagram: @thezoeabbott LinkedIn: Zoe Abbott Special thanks to our sponsors: Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The D.A.R. tried in recent decades to attract members of diverse backgrounds, and in doing so, it had to overcome as many decades of bad press. Because of their reputation, they have historically had trouble attracting African-American members. The Daughters of the American Revolution is an organization with more than 1,000,000 women. They became members to honor their heritage as well as learn more about the amazing history of the D.A.R and what members are doing today to continue that legacy. Reisha Raney is the president and founder of Encyde Corporation, currently ranked in the top 4% of all women-owned businesses in the United States, protecting clients’ technology program investments by providing business analysis, systems engineering, independent testing, and post-implementation solutions for some of the world’s largest systems; a Living Classrooms Board Member- promoting STEM through hands-on learning using urban, maritime, and natural resources; the Organizing Secretary for the Maryland State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R) – the first black state officer in Maryland and only one of four African American state officers in the history of the 125+-year-old, 180,000-member society; a descendant of Thomas Jefferson’s grandfather, a non-resident fellow at Harvard University under Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., host of PBS Special “Finding Your Roots”; and creator of DaughterDialogues.com- a website that explores the lives of women of color in the D.A.R. Website: www.daughterdialogues.com Special thanks to our sponsors: BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one   Savage X Fenty has it all! Get into it and become a new VIP. Get two bras for $29 plus 50% off everything site-wide at savagex.com/ONLYONE Best Fiends: Join us and the millions of Americans who are already playing this game. Download Best Fiends for FREE on The Apple APP store or Google Play. That’s friends without the R, Best Fiends. Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Sunday Times best-selling author, Catherine Gray asked me to contribute an essay to her new book, Sunshine Warm Sober, I jumped at the chance. When I found out that she wanted my essay to tell the story of what it’s like being Black in white recovery spaces, I knew exactly which story I wanted to tell. Laura Cathcart Robbins is an author, freelance culture writer, and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room, living in Studio City, California. She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her recent articles in Huffpo and The Temper on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2018 LA Moth StorySlam winner and currently sits on the advisory board for the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival. Laura is also a founding member of Moving Forewords, the first national memoirist collective of its kind. Find out more about her on her website, or you can look for her on Facebook, on Instagram, and follow her on Twitter. Catherine Gray can be found at @unexpectedjoyof and www.unexpectedjoy.co.uk  Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before we dive into today's Scott Talks, we would like to share with you an honest spoken-word piece by the talented Blu Nyle. We love spoken word and the imagery and honesty it evokes. We hope you enjoy it as much we do. More about Blu Nyle: BLU NYLE IS A Musical Artist, Poetess, Artivist, Actor, Speaker, Writer and Healer! Blu is a Reiki Master and Transformation Coach.Her Company is ROOTED IN POWER. Blu signed her first record deal at the age of 16 and was off to the races. The girl group toured London and North America— opening up for Diddy, Jay Z, 112, Ja Rule, Ginuwine, Neyo and many more. Blu was born in Boston— Moved to NYC and Landed in Los Angeles in 2009-- started training with the worlds greatest Choreographers and Creative Directors.  She has recorded with Dr.Dre and been in the likes of music's heaviest hit makers! Performing at The BET Awards and gracing The Grammys— Blu Nyle is a humble super star, serving as a muse to the worlds biggest celebrities.  Blu Nyle is a force to be reckoned with—Living her Art Limitlessly. As an advocate for Mental Health and Healing ourselves to truly achieve genuine happiness. Instagram: @BLUNYLEWORLD Today's Scott Talks Interview: Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Mario Van Peebles right after the show. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture this if you will, your father is THE brilliant, iconic filmmaker, actor and revolutionist, Melvin Van Peebles. And when you are just thirteen years old, he gives you a pivotal role in a movie that will change the way the world looks at black men and women forever. Mario Van Peebles, actor, eco-activist, director and producer, took that role, playing the younger version of his father, Melvin’s character in the mega-hit indie film, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. An experience that would put Mario on the actor/filmmaker track for the rest of his life and allow him to bring his own vision of black people to the silver screen. But what if you found yourself confronted by ignorance and prejudice each time you sat in that director’s chair? Would you give up your vision and continue to allow Hollywood to whitewash America? Or would you stand your ground and make films that cast black people in all the starring roles? Finding Mario Van Peebles: Instagram: @mariovanpeebles Twitter: @mariovanpeebles Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if, while looking to adopt, two babies stole your heart, one white and one Black. And when you looked at them, you just knew that they were both your daughters. William Fitzsimmons, singer, songwriter and producer, adopted his two daughters with his now ex-wife, knowing that as a White man, it would be important to learn to take care of his Black daughter’s hair and educate himself about her African-American culture. But what would you do, if a cultural reckoning swept across America and put a harsh spotlight on the racial differences in your family? Would you try to stay low until things settled down? Or would you celebrate your daughter’s heritage for all the world to see? More from William Fitzsimmons: Visit his website: https://www.williamfitzsimmons.com Listen to William on Spotify Finding William Fitzsimmons: Twitter: @wfitzsimmons Instagram: @williamfitzsimmons Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To continue our celebration of Pride month, today I am reading the deeply personal essay, The Definition Of Brave by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor.  Stefanie Wilder-Taylor is a guest from season one of The Only Only One In The Room (an OG!) She is the author of five books, including the best-seller, Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay. She’s been seen on NickMom hosting her humorous talk show Parental Discretion with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, she’s also the host of three podcasts: For Crying Out Loud, Bored AF, and Rose Pricks - A Bachelor Roast. She lives in LA with her husband and three teenagers.  www.stefaniewildertaylor.com Instagram: @swildertaylor Listen to Stefanie’s episode from Season One Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Esera Tuaolo right after the show. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you were known as the NFL player with the voice of an angel and your reputation for making the ladies swoon was rivaled only by your reputation for making big plays on the football field?   Esera Tuaolo, proud Samoan, Hawaii native, Superbowl winner and contestant on The Voice, had everything that he’d ever dreamed of: A career playing the sport he loved, the ability to support his family and the respect of his peers and fans.   But what would you do if you had a secret? One so devastating that it would not only derail the career that you loved, but could also put a bounty on your head? Would you redouble your efforts to keep your truth hidden? Or would you relieve yourself of your burden and tell your story to the world? More From Esera Tuaolo: Check out his organization www.hateiswrong.org Book him for speeches through GreaterTalent Finding Esera Tuaolo: Twitter & Instagram: @eseratuaolo Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All Black Lives Matter came on my radar last week after it was painted down the center of Hollywood Blvd here in Los Angeles. The issue on the table is that black queer people in this country have been hit twice. Being black and queer in America can be seen as a double threat and not necessarily in a good way. Many black members of the LGBTQ+ community feel like a people without a country. They experience racism within the LGTBTQ+ community and they experience prejudice and homophobia from straight, cisgender members of the black community. And now that the George Floyd protests and Pride month are erupting at the same time, where do our Queer black people stand? How do you know which identifier to fight for first? Black or Queer?  Travis Coles is an actor, comedian, air force brat born in Germany and then raised in Texas, DC and Maryland. He still looks great in lederhosen. He attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and began his improv training after moving to Los Angeles. Instagram & Twitter: @travesties Opportunities To Educate Yourself: Definitions: Heteropatriarchy- a society or culture dominated by a ruling class of heterosexual males whose characteristic bias is unfavorable to gay people and females in general.  Cis gender (adj)- one’s personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex.  Microaggression- a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group, such as a racial minority.  (Webster Dictionary,https://www.merriam-webster.com/)  People Mentioned Whose Names You Should Know: Dominique Fells Riah Milton Breonna Taylor James Baldwin Resources Mentioned: Los Angeles LGBTQ Center Donate to the LALGBTQ Center  Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s reading is an excerpt from chapter seven, Guilt and Gods by the critically acclaimed writer and editor, Hari Ziyad. Hari Ziyad is a cultural critic, a screenwriter, and the editor-in-chief of RaceBaitr. They are a 2021 Lambda Literary Fellow, and their writing has been featured in BuzzFeed, Out, the Guardian, Paste magazine, and the academic journal Critical Ethnic Studies, among other publications. Previously they were the managing editor of the Black Youth Project and a script consultant on the television series David Makes Man. Hari spends their all-too-rare free time trying to get their friends to give the latest generation of R & B starlets a chance and attempting to entertain their always very unbothered pit bull mix, Khione. For more information about Hari, visit www.hariziyad.com. Instagram: @hariziyad Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Nick North right after the show. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine you were assigned female at birth, but nothing ever quite felt quite right. And you found yourself wondering over and over, why you couldn’t just be a boy like all the other boys? Brand strategist, Nick North lived as a woman and married a man, giving birth to four beautiful children before meeting Catherine, the love of his life. But what would you do if you came to understand that you weren’t gay, but trans, and it was something you could no longer ignore? Would you conceal your real identity and try to be the mom your kids had always known, or would you take the steps to live in your truth and share your journey with the world? More from Nick North: Visit: https://wethenorths.com Finding Nick North: Instagram: @wethenorths Youtube: We the Norths Facebook: @wethenorths Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tara Reed is the CEO and founder of a million-dollar tech startup called Apps Without Code. After running marketing initiatives at Google, Foursquare and Microsoft, Tara branched out to launch her own startups using unconventional techniques. Her online school has trained over 85,000 entrepreneurs across 14 countries, and teaches people how to build their own apps, validate their business ideas, and build revenue-generating businesses. She is a TEDx speaker, Forbes & Entrepreneur magazine special feature, past participant of 500 Startups Accelerator, and alumnus of Columbia University. Instagram: @tarareed_ & @appswithoutcode LinkedIn: Tara Reed & Apps Without Code Twitter: @tarareed_ & @appswithoutcode Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.  Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s On My Nightstand reading is the essay, May 29, 2021, by Holly Whitaker. Holly is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, Quit Like A Woman, a memoir/self-help book about her own recovery. She is the founder and CEO of Tempest (formerly Hip Sobriety), the first female-focused recovery program. With years of experience in the fields of healthcare and tech, she created a human-centered recovery modality and virtual platform offering education, community, and support services, in 2014. Holly has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, and TechCrunch and was named in Inc’s 2019 Female Founders 100 List. Visit: https://www.hollywhitaker.com/ Quit Like A Woman: https://www.quitlikeawoman.com/  Buy the book Quit Like A Woman Instagram: @holly Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Dedee Pfeifer right after the show. Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine growing up Pfeiffer, younger sister to Michelle and an actress in your own right. And then during a ten-year absence from Hollywood, you earn a Bachelors and a Masters from UCLA, before dealing with something that you’d thought you might be able to keep to yourself - alcoholism. For years, Actress Dedee Pfeifer presented a good front, but one day after starting to dial an 800 number for help, she decided to go to the place she’d been trying to avoid - rehab. But what would you do if you were newly sober and your famous producer brother-in-law offered you the role of a lifetime? Would you politely decline and keep quiet about your sobriety? Or would you take the role and go on a podcast and tell your recovery story for the very first time? More from Dedee Pfeifer: Watch Big Sky on ABC Finding Dedee Pfeifer: Instagram: @dedeepfeiferofficial Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals. Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blood alcohol concentrations aren’t just something police measure with a breathalyzer. Yes, your blood alcohol concentration or BAC is used by police when measuring just how intoxicated you were when you made the decision to get behind the wheel of your car, but your BAC is also used by doctors when determining just how drunk you really are. There are a lot of reasons to be concerned about some people’s level of intoxication, especially considering that there have been documented cases where someone registered a BAC that’s past the lethal level of .40 and they’ve lived to tell the tale.  Speaker, personality and motivator, Brandon Anthony, known as Brandon Be Happy, runs the nonprofit organization, Santana's Foundation with his father and is currently hosting a month of videos and dialogue on The Tempest platform. His daily show, Recovery Road, is currently the largest recovery group on Reddit, reaching over 100K people per day. Visit: www.SantanasFoundation.org Instagram: @brandonbehappy Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.  Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's reading is from Chapter Five of Group, the critically acclaimed writer and essayist, Christie Tate. Christie O. Tate is a Chicago-based writer and essayist. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Pithead Chapel, McSweeney’s, Motherwell, Entropy Magazine, A Perfect Wedding, Together.com, Brain, Child and others. Her debut memoir, Group, published in October 2020 was a Reese’s Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller.  Visit her website: https://christietate.com/ Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Meg Weber right after the show. Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine contacting someone through a dating app, only you’re not looking for a date, you’re looking for someone to dominate you, to be the top to your bottom. Meg Weber, Memoirist and mental health therapist spent a year with Mr. Lucky, the moniker she’d given to the top she wanted to bottom with, but she ended up catching feelings for him, just before he ghosted her. So what would you do if you were grieving someone and needed to get closure? Would you pine away, hoping that they reappeared in your life? Or would you seek out another top to create scenes with, so you could finally say goodbye? More From Meg Weber: Visit her website: https://www.megweberwriter.com Finding Meg Weber: Instagram: @megweber8 Twitter: @meg8weber Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals. Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parental alienation occurs during a high-conflict divorce in which the child identifies strongly with one parent, usually the custodial parent. The alienating parent programs the child to despise their other parent by criticizing the alienated parent and interfering with their relationship.  Here to dive into this with us is Dr. Petra Deeter. Dr. Deeter is an award-winning film director and a social impact builder. As a survivor of child abuse and domestic violence, she is passionate about creating social impact to advocate for victims. She is the founder and a parental alienation strategist at the Victim To Hero Institute where she provides resources and support for victims, raises public awareness, and champions system and social changes. Visit the website: http://VictimToHero.com Victim to Hero Facebook Page Victim to Hero Pinterest Page Instagram: @victimtohero, @petradeeter Twitter: @victimtohero Tik Tok: @victimtohero LinkedIn: Victim To Hero Visit the Patreon Page: http://patreon.com/VictimToHero Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.  Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is Meditation Awareness Day, and in honor of that we are departing a bit from our typical reading and bringing you two of our favorite calming, restorative and relaxing meditations from two of our favorite previous guests, Katie Krimitsos and Jeff Kober. I read the first one, by Katie and then Scott follows with his reading of Jeff's. We really hope you enjoy them. Katie Krimitsos Katie is an ever-curious woman who continues her evolution as a loving being of light - who is having fun being a mom, wife, creator, and friend in this life. Whose softness and wisdom has often come as the result of painful experiences. Whose ego is always trying to get the best of her. Who's deeply in love with a Greek man she's definitely known in another life. Who's lived through 12-step-programs, athletics, and half a dozen businesses. Who creates meditations for women as songs to light their souls and wants to save all the animals of the world. She believes life keeps on getting better the older she gets. Meditation for Women podcast Sleep Meditation for Women Morning Meditation for Women Visit the Women’s Meditation Network: https://womensmeditationnetwork.com/  https://linktr.ee/womens.meditation.network  Pod Fest: https://podfestexpo.com/  Instagram: @womens.meditation.network, @katiekrimitsos  Twitter: @katiekrimitsos  Facebook: @womensmditationnetwork  Jeff Kober: Is an actor. Jeff has appeared in many TV series, recently recurring on NCIS: Los Angeles, Shameless, The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and The New Girl and many others. His new series, Big Dogs will be released shortly. Film work includes Leave No Trace, Sully, Beauty Mark, Tank Girl, and the upcoming Topology of Sirens, Block Island, directed by Tony Glazer, and Lie Exposed, which he also wrote and for which he did the wet collodion portrait photography. With his co-author and spouse Adele Slaughter, Jeff wrote Art That Pays: The Emerging Artist's Guide to Making a Living, a handbook that has been used in many college arts programs. For the past seven years he has written a Daily Thought about meditation and consciousness that he sends out to subscribers and which he is in the process of organizing into book form; as well, he is working on another book, The Mythology of Self: Discovering and Changing the Stories We Tell Ourselves. Jeff also makes wet collodion tintypes and ambrotypes in his studio in Studio City. Visit his website: https://jeff-kober.com/ Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Tim Brown right after the show. Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals. Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand. Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine responding to an emergency call on September 11, 2001 and finding yourself at the base of the south tower as it collapsed. Tim Brown, retired, decorated 20-year FDNY firefighter and a survivor of the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, lost 93 of his friends on Sept. 11th, including his two best friends. So what would you do if you’d survived the most horrific attack ever to take place on US soil? Would you try to forget about it and decide to go on with your life? Or would you spend your time and resources telling your story to make sure that none of us ever forget? More from Tim Brown: Ray Pfeifer Foundation https://theraypfeiferfoundation.org/  Tunnel to Towers Foundation https://tunnel2towers.org/donate/  Visit his website: http://www.fftim.com/ Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals. Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Feifer is the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine and host of two podcasts: Build For Tomorrow, a show about the things from history that shaped us and how we can shape the future and Problem Solvers, about entrepreneurs solving unexpected problems in their business. Twitter: @heyfeifer Instagram: @heyfeifer  Website: jasonfeifer.com  Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jasonfeifer/  Podcasts: Build For Tomorrow Problem Solvers Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp: Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.  Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series.  Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura wrote this (slightly) racy piece back in 2019 and The Temper published it in 2020 with a new title (and a few edits).   Laura Cathcart Robbins is an author, writer, podcast host, mother of Miles and Justin, Hon’s GF, dedicated inclusionist, disruptor, thought leader, ally, volunteer, storyteller, public speaker, and often the only one in the room. Find out more about her on her website, or you can look for her on Facebook, on Instagram, and follow her on Twitter. Read the article here: https://www.thetemper.com/porn-in-sobriety/ Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.  We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices