We're Out of Time

On this episode of We’re Out Of Time, host Richard Taite sits down with Marci Hopkins, host of Wake Up With Marci and author of Chaos to Clarity. With 10 years of sobriety, Marci shares the defining moments that shaped her recovery journey—from childhood sexual abuse and generational alcoholism to the DUI that became her wake-up call on October 3, 2015.Marci opens up about coping with trauma through alcohol, confronting her stepfather years later, and mourning the mother she wished she had. She reflects on losing her mother to addiction, the complicated grief that followed, and the realization that recovery meant rebuilding her life from the ground up. “Once everything fell to the ground, I had to start rebuilding.”The conversation explores surrender in 12-step recovery, rewiring the brain through daily habits, and why recovery is not about willpower—but transformation. Marci explains how forgiveness, self-love, and spiritual connection became the foundation for lasting sobriety, and how motherhood ultimately fueled her decision to change. From “popping the tape” to avoid relapse to learning how to laugh sober, she shares practical tools for thriving after addiction.Richard and Marci also discuss breaking the stigma around substance use disorder, the dangers of fentanyl-laced street drugs, and the urgent need for parents to act when a child is using. They highlight resources like Shatterproof, founded by Gary Mendell after losing his son, and the importance of education, in-network treatment options, and family involvement in recovery.Marci shares insight from her new book, Wake Up, You’re Not Broken: What to Expect in the First 30 Days of Sobriety, offering guidance on cravings, triggers, shame, and the science behind early recovery. This episode is a powerful conversation about trauma, faith, forgiveness, parenting through addiction, and transcending chaos to build a beautiful, purpose-driven life.

On this episode of We’re Out Of Time, host Richard Taite sits down with rabbi, entrepreneur, and recovery coach Asher Gottesman for a raw, deeply human conversation about addiction, faith, accountability, and connection.Asher opens up about experiencing profound separation anxiety and loneliness at just five years old, growing up as the rabbi’s son, and feeling different from his peers. He shares how resentment toward faith and fear-based religion shaped his early relationship with God, eventually contributing to eating disorders, substance use, and a lifelong sense of unworthiness. Asher candidly recounts waiting two years to end his life so a life insurance policy would pay out, followed by the collapse of his multi-million-dollar business and filing for bankruptcy.From there, the episode explores his first real experience of unconditional love, sobriety, and community through recovery, including the moment he felt truly seen and accepted for the first time. Asher explains how keeping suicide “in his back pocket” paradoxically gave him the courage to rebuild, and how accountability, faith, and human connection became central to his healing.He reflects on Judaism as a framework for responsibility rather than fear, challenging performative spirituality and emphasizing kindness, humility, and lived amends. Asher also discusses the tension of being a “wounded healer,” balancing vulnerability with leadership, and offers compassionate advice for people in their 20s: you don’t need to do anything to be worthy of love.The conversation closes with insights on relapse, mentoring others, why social media is not real connection, and how true healing happens in community. Asher also shares how his work through Transcend Recovery and his podcast Showing Up With Asher G centers on helping people feel seen, heard, and unconditionally valued.

On this episode of We’re Out Of Time, host Richard Taite sits down with bestselling author, counselor, and recovery expert Erica Spiegelman for a powerful conversation on addiction recovery, mindset, and personal transformation. Erica, co-founder of New Spirit Recovery and creator of the Rewired Method, has helped transform thousands of lives through her counseling work and online programs, including an initiative that has reached over 11,000 incarcerated learners nationwide.The conversation begins with Erica breaking down The 8 R’s of Recovery, the core framework behind her new book The Rewired Method, and how neuroplasticity allows people to change their lives by changing their thoughts and routines. She explains why reframing is essential in recovery—shifting from self-judgment and failure narratives to growth, learning, and opportunity.Erica then explores how healthy habits and routines play a critical role in overcoming addiction, emphasizing repetition, self-care, and movement as tools for rebuilding identity and self-worth. From there, the discussion dives into the damaging impact of unhealthy narratives, often shaped by parents, childhood experiences, and comparison, and why constantly measuring ourselves against others is a “recipe for feeling sh*tty.”As the episode continues, Erica highlights the importance of self-love, compassion, and positive self-talk, reminding listeners that lasting recovery requires becoming your own best friend. She explains how affirmations and refocusing attention help reclaim personal power, reinforcing the idea that where we put our focus is where we give our energy.The episode closes with a deep reflection on reinvention, purpose, and why long-term sobriety is impossible without replacing addiction with something of equal or greater value. Erica also addresses gaps in the current treatment system and shares how the Rewired Method is expanding access through online education, prisons, and professional training programs.

On this episode of We’re Out Of Time, host Richard Taite sits down with Dr. Wendy Walsh—renowned relationship expert, psychology professor, author, and host of The Dr. Wendy Walsh Show. Known as one of the most trusted voices on the science of love and human behavior, Dr. Walsh breaks down why relationships aren’t about luck, but skill—and how biology, psychology, and culture shape who we love and why.Dr. Walsh explains why love is often about familiarity rather than happiness, unpacking attachment patterns that lead people to repeat the same relationship mistakes. She dives into the modern mating marketplace, exploring the oversupply of successful women, the decline of ambitious men, and how the high-supply sexual economy has reshaped dating, commitment, and desire.The conversation tackles the effects of chronic pornography use, testosterone, aggression, empathy, and why relationship satisfaction does not equal frequency of sex. Drawing from evolutionary psychology, Dr. Walsh explains how anthropologists measure monogamy, why men unconsciously seek fertility cues, and how testosterone influences behavior and bonding.She shares practical insights on boundaries—why they’re about consequences, not control—and breaks down why the “price of sex” is at an all-time low. Dr. Walsh also addresses OnlyFans, long-term relationship goals, and why short-term sexual strategies often conflict with building lasting partnerships.The episode continues with candid reflections on power, female mating strategies, her early connection to Lauren Sánchez, and the unintended consequences of the Me Too movement. Dr. Walsh closes with research-backed advice on the three daily practices couples need for healthy, loving relationships, followed by a rapid-fire Love Lab lightning round covering chemistry, compatibility, honesty, and modern dating myths.

On this episode of We’re Out Of Time, host Richard Taite sits down with Mike Bayer for an unfiltered conversation about addiction, long-term sobriety, relapse, and redemption. Mike opens up about growing up in Orange County, excelling in high school basketball, and how early struggles with mental health led to substance use. After heading to New York to play basketball at Fordham University, his partying escalated and ultimately landed him in treatment at just 22 years old.Richard shares how his own sobriety journey led him to open a treatment center, setting the stage for Mike to walk through his path to recovery and purpose. Mike details his rise in the recovery space, including becoming a New York Times bestselling author with the help of Dr. Phil, who later mentored him for four years and helped launch his media career.The conversation takes a powerful turn as Mike reveals relapsing after 19 years of sobriety due to a medication prescribed by a doctor—an experience that deeply reshaped his understanding of recovery. He reflects on what relapse after long-term sobriety taught him, the emotional toll it took, and why humility and honesty remain essential to sustained recovery.The episode closes with raw discussions on freedom, identity, and compassion, including Mike’s belief that he is no better than anyone else and his decision to help an assistant who is now serving four years in prison—highlighting the complexities of service, boundaries, and humanity in the recovery world.