Broken-ish

di Roman Braly, Christopher Bennett

Miglioramento personale Salute mentale

Stagione 1

What Makes Someone Truly Dangerous?

What actually makes someone dangerous? Not violence. Not toughness. Not ego. Belief. In this episode of Broken-ish, Roman Braly and Christopher Bennett unpack what it means to become dangerous when you have an unshakable belief in something bigger than yourself. They talk about the constraints Ava Health has faced trying to change behavioral healthcare, what happens when the system doesn’t respond the way you thought it would, and why obstacles can either break you or force you to become more creative, strategic, patient, and relentless. The conversation gets personal too. Where does that level of belief come from? When does confidence become ego? What happens when insecurity fuels ambition? How much are you willing to sacrifice for something you believe in? And what does it mean to attach your identity to a mission when there’s no guarantee it works? Roman and Chris also dig into recovery, hopelessness, leadership, delayed gratification, the people behavioral healthcare continues to leave behind, and why meaningful change requires more than one loud voice. It takes people, organization, strategy, trust, and the willingness to keep moving when the path gets narrow. Maybe being dangerous isn’t about having nothing to lose. Maybe it’s about finally knowing exactly what you’re unwilling to give up. This is Dangerous. Subscribe to Broken-ish for real conversations about addiction, recovery, mental health, leadership, behavioral healthcare, and the beautifully broken parts of being human.

The game is the game

What happens when the person sitting across from you reminds you of who you used to be? This episode of Rome’s Reveille is a real conversation about addiction, incarceration, recovery, identity, and second chances. I’ve lived the chaos. Today, life looks different. But I haven’t forgotten that early version of me. Keep going. You have no idea who you might become if you survive long enough to meet yourself. Real stories. A brighter tomorrow.

Recovery After Trauma: A Powerful Story of Hope

She ran away at 12 years old. She survived rape, addiction, homelessness, losing her children, multiple suicide attempts, and decades of pain. Today, she's been in recovery for 13 years and spends her life helping others find hope. How do you survive that much trauma without completely breaking? In this episode of Brokenish, we sit down with one of Grand Junction's most respected recovery advocates for an honest conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, relapse, faith, and finding purpose after losing nearly everything. She shares what it was like to run away from home at 12, navigate foster care, experience sexual assault, battle addiction for decades, lose custody of her children, survive multiple suicide attempts, and ultimately discover a reason to keep living. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered: Can someone really recover after years of addiction? Is it possible to heal from childhood trauma? What keeps someone going after losing everything? Can faith and purpose actually change a life? One of the most powerful moments comes when she says: "I don't say I'll never get high again. I just say... not today." Her story is proof that no one is too far gone and that recovery is possible, no matter where you've been. If this conversation encouraged you, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who needs to hear this story today. Subscribe for more real conversations about addiction, mental health, recovery, and the people proving that healing is possible. Follow Ava Health 🌐 www.HelloAvaHealth.com Listen to Brokenish 🎙️ Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. #Brokenish #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #Sobriety #TraumaRecovery #Healing #Faith #Hope #Podcast #AvaHealth

The Next Addiction Is Already Here... And Nobody Is Ready | Jonathan DeCarlo

When we think about addiction, we usually think about substances. But what if the next addiction is already here? In this episode of Broken-ish, Christopher Bennett sits down with behavioral health leader Jonathan DeCarlo to explore the future of mental health, AI, human connection, and recovery. Together, they discuss why hospitality belongs in healthcare, why restoring our humanity matters, and how technology is reshaping the way we live, connect, and heal. If you care about mental health, addiction recovery, or where our world is headed, this conversation is one you won't want to miss. #Brokenish #MentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #AI #BehavioralHealth

I Answered Your Toughest Questions | Recovery, Leadership & The Truth About Ava Health

In this special solo episode of Broken-ish, Roman answers questions from listeners, staff, and the community. From his own recovery journey and what led him into behavioral health to the biggest lies addiction tells us, what recovery actually feels like, and the mission behind Ava Health, this is an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about hope, leadership, and the people fighting to change lives.

Life Has Never Been Easier... So Why Is Everyone Miserable?

What if the very thing we're chasing is the reason so many of us feel empty? Life has never been more convenient. Food arrives in minutes. AI can think for us. Entertainment never stops. Yet anxiety, depression, loneliness, and addiction continue to rise. In this episode of Broken-ish, Roman Braly and Chris Bennett unpack the "comfort crisis" and ask a question that could change the way you see your life: Has comfort become our biggest obstacle to happiness? They dive into why discomfort creates purpose, how social media and AI can either make us stronger or weaker, why boredom might be one of the healthiest things we've lost, and why every meaningful thing in life exists on the other side of doing hard things. The conversation also explores parenting, emotional resilience, recovery, and the uncomfortable truth that growth has never come from staying safe. If you've ever felt stuck, unmotivated, anxious, or wondered why life feels harder even though it's easier than ever, this episode is for you. 👍 Subscribe for honest conversations about addiction, mental health, recovery, and becoming the person you're meant to be. #MentalHealth #SelfImprovement #AddictionRecovery #ComfortZone #AI #Motivation #BrokenishPodcast #PersonalGrowth #Psychology #Recovery

Put up or Shut up

What happens when you spend years building trust, creating hope, and preparing to deliver something your community desperately needs... only to hit a roadblock you never saw coming? In this episode of Inside Ava Health, Roman Braly and Christopher Bennett pull back the curtain on one of the most challenging chapters in Ava Health's journey so far. After years of building relationships across Mesa County and the Western Slope, the vision was working. People were calling. Referrals were coming in. The community was ready. Then, just days before opening, everything got more complicated. This conversation is about accountability, transparency, trust, and what it means to keep showing up when things don't go according to plan. The promise hasn't changed. The mission hasn't changed. The timeline just got a little longer. Because in the end, trust isn't built through words. It's built through delivery. #InsideAvaHealth #MentalHealth #BehavioralHealth #Recovery #WesternSlope #MesaCounty #Leadership #CommunityImpact #Healthcare #AddictionRecovery

Don’t Trust a Therapist Who Doesn’t Go to Therapy

In this episode of Brokenish, we sit down with a clinician who was helping people recover from addiction… while quietly struggling with his own. This is the reality most people never see. We talk about: What it actually feels like to be a “wounded healer” The pressure of helping others while falling apart internally Why some therapists shouldn’t be practicing The truth about masking, people-pleasing, and childhood trauma Addiction as a way to disappear And what it really takes to come back and reappear One of the most powerful moments in this episode: “I used heroin because it worked the fastest… I just wanted to disappear.” If you’ve ever struggled, felt like you had to hide who you are, or wondered if the people helping you actually understand… this conversation will hit. Recovery isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty. — If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health or addiction, you’re not alone.

Trust Beats Marketing

What if everything you’ve been told about marketing in behavioral health is wrong? In this episode of Inside Ava Health, we break down how we launched a treatment program in a community that didn’t trust providers… without relying on ads, big budgets, or traditional marketing strategies. No Google campaigns. No massive ad spend. No shortcuts. Instead, we focused on something most organizations ignore: real community engagement and trust. And the results speak for themselves: • 168 qualified referrals in the first 90 days • 47 employees hired with no hiring struggles • Near-perfect early retention • Clients and staff who felt connected before ever walking through the door This episode dives into: Why “marketing” in behavioral health is broken How authenticity and content outperform paid ads The power of embedding into a community before opening Building trust with both clients and employees at the same time Why most treatment centers feel “beige” and how to stand out If you’re in behavioral health, business, or building anything that requires trust… this conversation will change how you think about growth. This isn’t theory. This is what actually worked. 🎙️ Inside Ava Health is a behind-the-scenes look at building one of the most innovative behavioral health programs in the country. Subscribe for real conversations on mental health, addiction, recovery, and what it actually takes to build something that works.

He Used to Glorify Addiction… Now He Promotes Sobriety

“I went hard for a life that destroyed… now I go hard for a life that creates.” This episode of Broken-ish is raw, unfiltered, and real. Hectik shares his story of growing up surrounded by addiction, getting his first charge at just 8 years old, and spending 17 years behind bars. What started as something that looked “cool” quickly turned into a cycle of destruction, prison, and losing the people who mattered most. But this isn’t just a story about addiction. It’s a story about choice. About rock bottom. About what happens when you finally ask yourself… “what do I actually want?” Now 5 years sober, Hectik is using music, events, and community to normalize sobriety and prove that life after addiction isn’t just possible… it can be powerful. In this episode, we talk about: How addiction gets normalized early The truth about “rock bottom” (and why it’s different for everyone) Losing family, identity, and self-worth The moment everything finally changed Building a life rooted in purpose, not destruction Why connection is the cure If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation could change everything. 👇 Drop a comment: What did YOU take away from this episode? — 🎙️ Broken-ish Podcast Real stories. Real recovery. Real people. #addictionrecovery #sobriety #mentalhealth #recoveryjourney #podcast #brokenish #soberlife #addiction #healing #recoveryispossible

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