It's a matter of weeks before Adam surrenders in Texas. Adam sits down with Ted Hartwell, Director of Storytelling at the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling and someone approaching 19 years away from his last bet. Ted’s relationship with gambling began early—normalized through family trips, childhood poker games, and growing up around it—but didn’t become a problem until much later in life.

Living and working in Las Vegas, Ted shares how gambling slowly shifted from nostalgia to escape, especially during periods of personal and medical crisis, including a rare condition that temporarily took away his voice. He opens up about hidden debts, being in and out of GA before it finally stuck, and what it means to choose recovery while living in the heart of the gambling world.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Adam and the Botelho family discuss a variety of topics while snowed in. Danny Funt is an investigative journalist and the author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Betting. In this episode, we talk about how sports betting went from illegal and taboo to completely normalized — and what that shift has meant for fans, gamblers, and the people behind the scenes. We dig into VIP programs, league partnerships, media influence, and why this industry exploded so fast with so little pushback.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
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Adam sits down with Andrew Schreier — a counselor, public speaker, and podcaster with over 20 years of experience in addiction and mental health. Andrew shares how his work in counseling, gambling recovery, and education has shaped the way he thinks about language — and why the words we use around addiction matter more than we realize. From stigmatizing labels to well-meaning advice that misses the mark, this conversation explores how language can either create distance or build connection. Andrew challenges us to move away from fixing, judging, or labeling — and instead ask a simple but powerful question: What’s it like to be you?

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Adam makes it to Texas. Todd F is approaching two years in recovery from compulsive gambling, but his journey to get here wasn't linear. In this raw and honest conversation, Todd opens up about the intersection of bipolar disorder and gambling addiction—how manic episodes fueled his gambling, how two relapses tested his resolve, and how gambling ultimately cost him his marriage. Todd talks about what it's like to battle low self-worth even in recovery, why he leans on his GA family to get through the hard days, and how he's finally found peace—and love—on the other side.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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Adam sits down with Pedro Romero — a psychologist, safer gambling expert, and former Head of Gambling Therapy — to explore what’s actually driving gambling addiction beneath the surface. From the evolution of safer gambling inside the industry to the emerging research around psychedelic-assisted therapy, Pedro offers a rare perspective that blends clinical psychology, lived experience, and real-world impact.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

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In this special collaboration episode, Adam Lyons of The Modern Meeting and Christina Cook of The Broke Girl Society, sit down for a reflective and forward-looking conversation on recovery, growth, and intention. Together, they look back on their biggest wins from 2025, unpack the difference between goals and resolutions, and share how they’re approaching 2026 with clarity instead of pressure. Adam names Consistency as his word for the year ahead, while Christina chooses Conversation, reflecting her mission to keep honest, sometimes uncomfortable discussions about addiction and recovery—especially for women—alive and visible.If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.

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Adam makes a decision on his future at National Harbor. Adam sits down with Kiki Marriott, who shares her story of trauma, addiction, and recovery. Kiki grew up in London in a chaotic and abusive environment and was introduced to drugs at a young age. She spent over 20 years addicted to cocaine before compulsive gambling entered her life during the final years of her addiction. Having never set foot in a casino, she still "lost her soul" due to gambling on her phone. Now 18 months clean and sober, Kiki reflects on how trauma shaped her addictions, why gambling became such a powerful escape, and what recovery has required of her emotionally and spiritually. Today, she uses her voice to speak throughout the UK, sharing her story while advocating for women and ethnic minorities in recovery.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
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Adam is waiting for the other shoe to drop at National Harbor. Stephen Matos shares his story of growing up around gambling and addiction, and how his father’s lifestyle quietly shaped his own. Stephen first found recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous, but for years didn’t recognize that gambling had become part of his daily routine — spending his days at the OTB while staying sober through AA at night. It wasn’t until someone pointed out the pattern that Stephen walked into his first GA meeting — a moment that changed the course of his life. Now, with 38 years in recovery, Stephen reflects on the overlap between addiction and awareness and how his lived experience eventually led him to a second career as a recovery support specialist, leading the charge in Connecticut.

If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone.
Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com

The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive!

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