Dr. David Wiss: What If Your Anxiety Isn't All in Your Head?

Dr. David Wiss: What If Your Anxiety Isn't All in Your Head?

What happens when you've done everything you're supposed to do to improve your mental health—and you're still struggling? This week on Primary Purpose with Pej, Dr. David Wiss joins the show to challenge the way we think about anxiety, depression, addiction, brain fog, and emotional suffering. As a functional medicine clinician, registered dietitian nutritionist, researcher, and mental health expert, Dr. Wiss believes that many symptoms commonly treated as purely psychological may actually have underlying biological causes. From gut health and hormones to inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, genetics, and environmental toxins, he explains how the body and brain are deeply connected in ways that are often overlooked. Drawing from more than 14 years of clinical experience and over 30 published research papers, Dr. Wiss shares why so many people remain stuck despite seeking help and what can happen when we move beyond symptom management to uncover the root causes of suffering. This conversation offers a fresh perspective on healing, recovery, and the possibility that your body may have been trying to tell you something all along. #mentalhealth #anxiety #depression #healing #recovery #wellness #brainhealth #mindset #selfimprovement #personalgrowth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Dr. Peter Coleman Helped Thousands Beat Addiction, Here's What He Learned

What if everything you thought you knew about addiction was incomplete? This week on Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with addiction medicine pioneer Dr. Peter Coleman, whose work has helped transform the way people approach recovery from alcohol and opioid dependence. With more than three decades of experience and thousands of lives impacted, Dr. Coleman shares the lessons he's learned from treating addiction, supporting families through recovery, and challenging long-held beliefs about what healing really looks like. Together, they explore the realities of the opioid epidemic, why so many people struggle to access effective treatment, the science behind addiction, and the importance of compassion in recovery. Dr. Coleman also reflects on founding one of the nation's first outpatient detox programs and building a treatment model that restored dignity, hope, and possibility to those seeking freedom from substance use disorders. This powerful conversation is a reminder that recovery is not only possible, it happens every day. #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #mentalhealth #Sobriety #recoveryispossible #healing #recoverycommunity #alcoholrecovery #mentalhealthawareness #hope #resilience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

How Michael Dean Built a Legacy Across Music, Media & Entrepreneurship

Before podcasts, before social media, and before artists had direct access to fans online, Michael Dean was already building communities, creating content, and documenting music history. On this episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, Michael shares his remarkable journey from Seattle's underground hip-hop scene in the late 1980s to touring with influential independent artists, becoming an entrepreneur, author, musician, and one of the earliest voices in the online Prince community. This conversation goes far beyond music. Michael opens up about purpose, artistic independence, staying true to your vision, and the importance of building something meaningful over time. From personal interactions with Prince during the early days of the internet to lessons learned through decades of creativity and reinvention, this episode is packed with insights for artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone searching for their own path. If you've ever wondered what it takes to create a lasting legacy while remaining authentic to yourself, this conversation is for you. #Prince #MichaelDean #PrimaryPurposeWithPej #Pej #MusicIndustry #HipHopHistory #IndependentArtist #Entrepreneurship #CreativeJourney #ArtistLife #MusicPodcast #PrinceFans #Storytelling #PurposeDriven #MusicBusiness #LegacyBuilding #CreativeEntrepreneur #SeattleHipHop #MusicHistory #PersonalGrowth #Inspiration #PodcastInterview #IndependentMusic #ContentCreator #ArtistDevelopment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Relapse & Survival: The Truth About Addiction Recovery with Sam Kamkar

For years, Sam's life was trapped in a cycle that seemed impossible to break. Addiction, fentanyl, Xanax, jail, treatment centers, relapse, and self-destruction became his reality. Every path he was on pointed toward becoming another tragic statistic, and many people had already written his ending for him. In this powerful episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, Sam shares the unfiltered truth about addiction, recovery culture, body brokering, manipulation within the treatment industry, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life after years of chaos. This conversation goes beyond sobriety and explores what it really takes to break free from toxic environments, reclaim your identity, and create a future when all hope seems lost. If you or someone you love has struggled with addiction, this episode offers a raw, honest look at both the darkness of addiction and the possibility of recovery. #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #RecoveryJourney #FentanylCrisis #MentalHealth #PrimaryPurposeWithPej #RecoveryPodcast #SobrietyPodcast #AddictionAwareness #InspirationStories #Healing #RecoveryCommunity #PodcastClips #LifeAfterAddiction #HopeAndRecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

“I Should Be Dead”, Benjamin Lerner on Addiction, Relapse & Redemption

Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Benjamin Lerner, rapper, composer, recovery advocate, and the great-grandson of legendary songwriter Irving Berlin. Behind the music, talent, and family legacy was a devastating battle with fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine that nearly cost Benjamin his life.Now sober since 2016, Benjamin has turned his pain into purpose. Through a unique blend of classical piano and hip-hop, he’s built an audience of hundreds of millions by speaking openly about addiction, relapse, shame, recovery, and redemption. This conversation dives deep into generational pressure, self-destruction, creativity, sobriety, and what it really takes to face the truth and rebuild a life from the ground up.If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode is proof that recovery is possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]