The Modern Meeting

Ep. 113 - Bookmaking in The Berkshires with Brian Dolan

Brian Dolan grew up in The Berkshires, won $500 in a March Madness pool in fourth grade, and spent the next 15 years chasing that feeling. By his freshman year of college he was dealing drugs to cover gambling debts. By his mid-20s he had $80,000 cash in a shoebox from a "hot streak," and lost it all, plus more, within months. Three treatment centers. Multiple relapses. A night he thought about jumping off a bridge. And then, five years to the day before Adam's own sobriety date, Brian surrendered. He's now a master's level counselor, recovery coach, and board member of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling — with nine years away from a bet and a practice built entirely around helping others find their way out. Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide and mental health, which may be distressing for some listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling, please consider seeking support. Help is available. In the U.S., you can contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 — available 24/7. For more information on Brian:  www.briandolancounseling.com Brian Dolan MHC, CRC | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dolan-mhc-crc-4330854b/] If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone. Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive! Evive meets you exactly where you are.  Download Evive today or visit www.getevive.com

Ep. 112 - We Cannot Do This Alone | Gambling Recovery in Real Time

I still have zero urge to gamble, but in the last few months I went from one meeting a week to four. And it's been awesome. This week I share not just what I've been learning in those rooms, but what I've been contributing — including a different way to look at ego in recovery, how to navigate the early days, and how one person's energy can completely change the course of a meeting. I also took a break mid-record to take a phone call from someone who slipped as they were closing in on a milestone.  If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone. Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive! Evive meets you exactly where you are.  Download Evive today or visit www.getevive.com

Ep. 111 - A Ferrari With No Brakes | Edgar Jones’ Story

On December 1st, 2012, his birthday, Edgar Jones' teammate took his own life and his girlfriend's life outside the Kansas City Chiefs facility. The team played the next day. Edgar played. And then he spent years trying to outrun everything he felt, with pills and alcohol, while performing at the highest level of professional football. In this conversation Edgar talks about survivor's guilt, substance abuse, what it took to finally get sober, and why he believes the most important thing any of us can do is find the right container to pour our fuel into. He also gets into the current state of mental health in professional sports, what's happening with young athletes and gambling, and why staying quiet is the worst thing we can do. If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone. Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive! Evive meets you exactly where you are.  Download Evive today or visit www.getevive.com

Ep. 110 - The Geographic Cure: Why Moving Never Fixed My Gambling

I've moved 18 times in almost 25 years. Every single time, I convinced myself the new place would fix things. New city. Fresh start. Maybe this time I wouldn't gamble. It never worked. Because I took myself with me every time. In this episode, I'm unpacking what recovery calls the "geographic cure" — and how it played out in my own life across 18 addresses. I also just moved into what might be the best apartment I've ever had in my life. And within 48 hours, I was already being tested. If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone. Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive! Evive meets you exactly where you are.  Download Evive today or visit www.getevive.com

Ep. 109 - Therapy Did What Meetings Couldn't | Jacob's Story

Jacob grew up in England, moved to Australia, and spent 15 years losing everything to sports betting. He tried GA meetings. They helped, but only so much. What actually saved him was therapy. Nearly 100 sessions later, all with the same therapist, and he's still going strong. Now 7+ years removed from his last bet, Jacob sits down with Adam and talks about losing his mother to cancer when he was 10 years old and never dealing with it and how gambling became the escape that filled that void for the next two decades. He breaks down what it looked like to burn through an entire month's salary in a week, rely on payday loans just to survive, and slowly lose the respect of everyone who loved him.  If you’re struggling right now, you’re not alone. Email me anytime at modernmeetingpod@gmail.com The Modern Meeting is supported by Evive! Evive meets you exactly where you are.  Download Evive today or visit www.getevive.com