Only One In The Room

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

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Emily McCombs 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 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

Occasionally we run across a podcast so good that we just have to share it with you. Today, it’s Role Model, which dropped this week. Role Model, hosted by British model and fashion designer Leomie Anderson, sits down with industry “role models” who have carved out a space for themselves at the cutting edge of culture and business. Leomie chats with her guests to explore how on their road to success, they have faced and dealt with discrimination, sexism and prejudice. Role Model is meant to serve as an uplifting podcast, focused on empowering women of all ages. Listen to Role Model on Player.Fm 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 Cheo Hodari Coker 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

What if you were like the Black kid from Stranger Things, and you grew up knowing everything about comic books, and Dungeons and Dragons but you had to drive half an hour out of town to get a haircut? Cheo Coker grew up in Storrs, Connecticut playing with multi-colored dice and reading J.R.R. Tolkien. But then after covering music while at Stanford University he found himself right at home in another world, one that better matched with his outsides: Hip-Hop So what would you do if you could speak the language of two cultures and felt perfectly comfortable in both? Would you pick a side and stay in one lane? Or would you become the only one in the room translating Black culture for white people? More from Cheo Hodari Coker: Check out his book: Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G Finding Cheo Hodari Coker: Instagram: @Cheo_Hodari_Coker Twitter: @Cheo_Coker 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

Today is Mother’s day and to honor what this day is and what it means, we want to talk about birth with advanced birth doula, postpartum educator, child sleep consultant and podcaster, Adriana Lozada. Adriana believes in, and advocates for the transformational power of giving birth. She’s also a bestselling author, speaker, and the creator and host of the acclaimed Birthful podcast. Visit the website: www.birthful.com Check out her birthing courses: www.birthfulcourses.com Instagram: @birthfulpodcast Facebook: @Birthful 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, in honor of Mental Health Month, I am reading the essay, Not Just Me, by best-selling author, Lisa Jakub. Lisa Jakub is an author, therapeutically-focused yoga teacher, mental wellness educator, and retired actor who has more than FORTY film and television credits to her name. At the age of twenty-two, Lisa retired from her eighteen-year acting career and found a more purposeful path as a writer, teacher, and advocate. Lisa leads yoga classes for the management of anxiety and depression, and created a yoga program for combat Veterans with post-traumatic stress. Lisa is the author of YOU LOOK LIKE THAT GIRL: A CHILD ACTOR STOPS PRETENDING AND FINALLY GROWS UP and NOT JUST ME: ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND LEARNING TO EMBRACE YOUR WEIRD. Lisa’s books: Not Just Me: Anxiety, depression, and learning to embrace your weird You Look Like That Girl: A child actor stops pretending and finally grows up (Don't) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health Lisa’s website: RealLisaJakub.com Lisa’s podcast: EmbraceYourWeirdPodcast.com Connect with Lisa: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube Listen to our interview with Lisa HERE 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 Karen Brailsford 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

What if, as a child, you were drawn to the church, not necessarily by what was being preached from the pulpit, but by the music and spirit that you felt and heard while you were there? Karen Brailsford author, spiritual guide, and intuitive creator was always a seeker and found herself on many different career paths throughout her life, but never gave up hope that there was something out there for her that would take her back to that feeling from her childhood. But what would you do if you were called to take a job helping people heal their grief? Would you decide to put it off and continue looking for your purpose elsewhere? Or would you say yes to the job and write a book to help others to align with the divine wherever they are? More From Karen Brailsford: Visit the website: https://www.karenbrailsford.com Buy her book Sacred Landscape of the Soul Finding Karen Brailsford: Instagram: @iamkarenbrailsford Facebook: Karen Brailsford 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

Heather is a strategy and experiential content consultant. During quarantine, she created an anonymous matchmaking experiment based on the exchange of voice memos and then proceeded to spend the next 11 months creating the experience into the 6-episode podcast, It's Nice to Hear You. Heather is an enthusiastic hobbyist, consumer of culture, seeker of connection, fan of Dutch golden age paintings and the Container Store. Heather is a nomadic New Yorker seeking partners who are also interested in making stories about the human experience. Instagram: @itsnicetohearyou Website- itsnicetohearyou.com Listen to It's Nice To Hear You 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 I am reading the essay, The Dissemble, by author, blogger and art dealer, Carine Fabius. From Carine’s “about” page on her website: I am an author and blogger, art dealer, freelance museum curator, jewelry designer, and co-owner of Lakaye Studio, which manufactures all-natural temporary tattoo kits, using henna and jagua, a fruit from the Amazon. I am a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I came to the States when I was eight years old; grew up in New York, spent several years in Miami, and headed west to Los Angeles, where I remain to this day. Life is good in California. Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.carinefabius.com http://www.huffpost.com https://cfabius.medium.com/ Instagram: @carinefabius 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 Andrea Owen 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

Have you ever thought it was love at first sight only to find yourself obsessing over that person to the point where you wonder if there’s maybe something else going on? In 2007, author, podcast host, and professional certified life coach, Andrea Owen, read the book, Facing Love Addiction, by Pia Melody and wondered, “how did this woman sneak into my life and spy on me?” So what would you do if you struggled with an addiction that many people don’t even believe is real? Would you keep your self-diagnosis a secret and try to deal with it on your own? Or would you talk about your struggles on your hit podcast and let your experience be a guide for others? More from Andrea Owen: Visit the website: https://yourkickasslife.com Check out the books: https://yourkickasslife.com/books/ Listen to the podcast: Make Some Noise Finding Andrea Owen: Instagram: @heyandreaowen Twitter: @heyandreaowen Youtube: Your Kick Ass Life 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

A few weeks ago I received a pitch that read, “The current addiction system doesn’t work and is killing more people every year. But here’s the catch, the system continues to blame the individual. Something has to be done before more lives are lost, which is why Dr. Adi Jaffe is going against the status quo in order to completely change the way addiction is thought of and help millions of people break free from their addiction." Adi Jaffe, Ph.D. is a #1 best-selling author of The Abstinence Myth and a nationally recognized expert on mental health, addiction, relationships, and shame. He lectured in the UCLA Psychology department for the better part of a decade and was the Executive-Director and Co-Founder of one of the most progressive mental health treatment facilities in the country - until he started IGNTD. Visit: www.igntd.com Instagram: @dradijaffe 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 the chapter titled, “Scene Number One” by the critically acclaimed author, Meg Weber. Meg Weber writes memoir about sex, grief, love, family, therapy, and tangled relationships. Meg's writing gives voice to the ways her life continues to unfold outside the boundaries prescribed for her. She is a queer mental health therapist who specializes in gender and sexuality. She lives in her hometown of Portland, Oregon with her teenager and their labradoodle named Portland. Visit her website: https://www.megweberwriter.com Instagram: @megweber8 Twitter: @meg8weber 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 Matt Cox 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