Have A Seat with Manny Rodriguez and Guests

The Pink Cloud’s False Sense of Recovery and Medications: Fact or Fiction

In this episode of Fact or Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT, LPCC breaks down the Pink Cloud — the euphoric phase of early recovery where sobriety feels effortless… until it doesn’t. We separate fact from fiction by exploring the neurobiology of addiction recovery, including dopamine rebound, serotonin repair, neuroplasticity, and why the Pink Cloud is real, temporary, and often followed by PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). Designed for gay men, the LGBTQ+ community, and mental health professionals, this episode explains relapse risk, why the first year of recovery is critical, and how medication-assisted treatment (MAT), therapy, and structure can support long-term healing. Understanding what’s happening in the brain isn’t just helpful — it can be lifesaving.

Confusing Sobriety With a Pink Cloud? Fact or Fiction

In this episode of Fact or Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT, LPCC breaks down one of the most confusing and misunderstood phases of early recovery: the Pink Cloud. That euphoric rush where sobriety feels effortless, life feels bright, and everything finally makes sense — until it doesn’t. We explore the neuroscience of addiction recovery, unpacking how dopamine rebound, serotonin repair, and neuroplasticity create the Pink Cloud, and why its inevitable fade can leave people vulnerable to relapse, PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome), anxiety, and depression. Whether you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, or a mental health professional supporting clients in recovery, this episode explains why the Pink Cloud isn’t a cure — it’s a phase. Understanding what’s happening in the brain can help you build structure, lean into support, and stay grounded when recovery gets real. Knowledge isn’t just power here — it can be lifesaving.

Dancing Between Falling and Rising with Scott Fowler

In this powerful episode of Have A Seat, Manny Rodriguez sits down with Scott Fowler, a former Broadway and film dancer whose career took him from working with the greats to losing himself to addiction — and then rebuilding a life rooted in sobriety, purpose, and mentorship. Scott shares his journey through early success, substance use, career collapse, intervention, and recovery, including the pivotal moment that ended his Broadway career and the long road back to himself. This conversation is an honest look at addiction in the performing arts, recovery in the LGBTQ+ community, and what it means to stay for the whole show. Today, Scott travels the country mentoring young dancers, proving that creative life after sobriety is not only possible — it can be richer, deeper, and more meaningful. If you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, a mental health professional, or a creative questioning whether recovery means the end of your dreams, this episode offers hope, truth, and hard-earned wisdom. This is a story about resilience, reinvention, and choosing faith over fear — again and again. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkz7zPindqs1nu2e-RLw3Hs3 [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkz7zPindqs1nu2e-RLw3Hs3] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkyCdAqpodEzlWcDhZsTNvbA [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkyCdAqpodEzlWcDhZsTNvbA] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkxudleLuX4AcfoNCtRvqEub [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkxudleLuX4AcfoNCtRvqEub] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkz7zPindqs1nu2e-RLw3Hs3 [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZhtH6UcCkz7zPindqs1nu2e-RLw3Hs3] www.lafuentehollywood.com

Dry January and Harm Reduction in LGBTQ+ Culture

Is Dry January actually helpful — or just another wellness trend wrapped in shame? In this episode of Fact or Fiction, Rory Hunter, LMFT LPCC breaks down the truths and myths around Dry January, harm reduction, and what changing your relationship with alcohol can look like in the LGBTQ+ community. From unpacking why queer spaces have historically centered around drinking, to explaining how harm reduction approaches to recovery meet people where they are, this conversation offers clarity without judgment — whether you’re sober, curious, or somewhere in between. If you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, or a mental health professional supporting clients navigating alcohol use, this episode explores why taking a break from drinking can be valuable — and when stopping suddenly may require medical support. Dry January isn’t a test, a diagnosis, or a lifelong commitment. It’s an invitation to pause, notice, and reflect. And if alcohol use is starting to feel concerning, La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center offers queer-affirming care, including medically supervised detox and comprehensive treatment options. You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Have A Seat The Real Reset

Welcome to Have A Seat and our first conversation of the year: The Real Reset. Not the kind built on pressure, perfection, or pretending everything’s fine — but an honest reset, rooted in truth, accountability, community, and healing. In this episode, Manny Rodriguez reflects on what this space has always stood for: real conversations about addiction, mental health, and the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people. From naming systemic failures in LGBTQ+ treatment, to honoring resilience, survival, and joy, this is about remembering who we are and why community has always been our greatest strength. At a time when LGBTQ+ rights, safety, and dignity are once again under threat, The Real Reset is a call to choose connection over isolation, history over fear, and the long game over quick fixes. Whether you’re a gay man, part of the LGBTQ+ community, a mental health professional, clinician, ally, or someone quietly searching for clarity, there’s space for you here. This year, we don’t erase the past — we build on it. Pull up a chair. Take a breath. Stay connected. This is Have A Seat.