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

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After 20 years of compulsive gambling, bankruptcy, lies, constant moves, and living a double life, everything changed on February 8th, 2022. That night — my first GA meeting — was the beginning of a life I didn’t think was possible. In this episode, I walk through the exact steps I took early on: an honest breakdown of the first 10 things I did in my first 60 days of recovery. None of this is a blueprint — every path is different — but this is what helped me stay away from a bet.

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

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Adam's "Winter Routine," in 2021 is not productive. Ken Feldstein joins to talk about his unique path of recovery from substance abuse. Growing up in 1960's Long Island as a teenager caught up in heroin use and the legal trouble that followed, Ken was sent to an 18-month therapeutic program that would end up changing the direction of his entire life. He’s been clean for more than fifty years — without ever returning to any "traditional" recovery work. And now, after retiring, and being inspired after watching someone close to him struggle with the same demons, he now works as a counselor helping others find their way.

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Mike Sciandra didn’t fall into gambling — he was brought up in it. He placed his first bet at 9 years old, growing up in a family marked by addiction, chaos, and incarceration. What felt normal as a kid turned into decades of hustling, secrecy, and living a double life through his 20's and 30's. Keno bars. Casino nights. Pull Tabs. Whatever he could find. Today, Mike hasn’t placed a bet since December 2020, and he now serves as the Executive Director of the Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling, using his lived experience to help others break the cycle he grew up inside.

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Adam has his work cut out for him at his new job. Adam sits down with Janice Pierce, a financial planner who specializes in helping people rebuild their relationship with money — especially after chaos, addiction, and life transitions. Janice breaks down the behavioral side of finances: why we spend the way we do, how old habits follow us into recovery, and what it really takes to create a healthy plan that lasts. She also answers common questions about budgeting, debt, savings, and financial shame — then turns the conversation toward Adam’s own money habits, offering clarity, guidance, and a framework for long-term stability.

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