The Charlene Gisele Show

Understand & Break the Addiction Cycle: Signs, Causes, Rehab & Recovery Strategies

In this deeply raw conversation, I sit down with Quinn Stanfield Bruce, former corporate executive turned humanness visionary, for the most vulnerable episode we've ever recorded. Quinn shares his decades-long battle with cocaine addiction. And I reveal my own work addiction that enabled my ex-husband's substance abuse. Quinn exposes the uncomfortable truth about enablement: staying with an addict isn't love, it's codependency. I share what it's like to mix drug cocktails at 3am because you're too afraid to call an ambulance. And together we unpack why workaholism is just as destructive as substance abuse—it's just socially acceptable. This isn't a conversation about recovery as a destination. It's about recognizing that any time you use something outside yourself to change how you feel—whether it's cocaine, work, or status—you're running from the same core wound: I am not enough. * The Core of Addiction: Why the decision to use drugs or alcohol is simply wanting to change how one feels, regardless of the substance. * The Escalation: How drug use went from early experimentation (weed) to a cocaine habit, which allowed for staying awake and creating maximum damage. * The Deadly Cocktail: The reality of co-addiction, using massive doses of sedatives like Valium to cope with stimulant use. * Enabling vs. Love: Why the only loving action for a partner of an addict in active addiction is to leave and shut the door. * Workaholism as an Addiction: The "insidious" parallel between drug use and work as a form of escapism and a void filler. * The Sneaky High: How sneaking into the office at the weekend provides an adrenaline kick and thrill similar to having an affair or taking drugs. * Self-Worth and Conditional Love: The root cause of high-performance addiction and finding worth in professional status rather than unconditional love. * The Path to Change: Being willing to change everything in life and what that first step looks like. Quinn doesn't sugarcoat recovery. He reveals that he'd rather have been dead than continue living as a functioning addict with house, car, marriage, kids, and job intact. And I share the painful realization that my work addiction fed his cocaine addiction in a toxic codependent dance. * 05:25 The brutal truth: addiction was never recreational, just a way to change how he felt. * 08:16 The breaking point: realizing the rest of his life would be spent routinely taking drugs to cope. * 09:39 The drug of choice: why cocaine was "amazing" compared to weed and alcohol. * 12:00 The cocktail: taking up to 110 milligrams of Valium in one night to sleep. * 16:27 The hard truth about leaving: why anything but walking away is enabling. * 19:25 The connection: how a partner's workaholism bred codependency and guilt. * 25:26 The amazing parallel: sneaking into the office felt like an affair and gave an adrenaline high. * 28:03 The real dishonesty: using work to alter a state and fulfill a void. * 31:28 Parenting and pride: learning to tell children you are proud of them just because. Quinn's Work: Humanness [https://wearehumanness.com/]: Quinn helps leaders and businesses rebuild cultures with empathy, creativity, and purpose. Show Sponsor: * CaptureBee.io [http://capturebee.io]: A done-for-you outreach service that books warm leads and gets you featured on leading podcasts. 🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com [https://charlenegisele.com]  📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele [https://instagram.com/charlenegisele]  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charl%C3%A8ne-gis%C3%A8le-bourliout/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charl%C3%A8ne-gis%C3%A8le-bourliout/] What we cover: Timestamps: Resources: 📲 Connect with Me:

Burnout, Work Addiction & Marriage: How to Navigate Stress at Home & Work

Burnout, Work Addiction & Marriage: How to Navigate Stress at Home & Work

The Hidden Epidemic: How Mold Toxicity Is Destroying Your Health with Dr. Jill Carnahan

In this critical functional medicine episode, I sit down with Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD, a medical detective, breast cancer survivor at 25, and leading expert on environmental toxicity. Dr. Jill reveals how conventional medicine keeps missing the root cause of chronic illness: the toxic load from our environment. She shares her shocking personal journey, explaining how her idyllic childhood exposed her to the very chemicals that triggered her cancer. Dr. Jill exposes the invisible epidemic of mold toxicity, explaining why up to 50% of U.S. homes may have mold and how the resulting mycotoxins, as small as a virus particle, are inhaled and suppress immune function. Learn why brain fog and fatigue are the number one and two symptoms of mold exposure , and how this toxicity is fueling the skyrocketing rates of cancer, autoimmunity, and dementia. Whether you're a professional struggling with fatigue, a new homeowner, or just seeking to detox, Dr. Jill provides free testing methods, home safety tips (including the 48-hour rule for water leaks ), and the non-negotiable three pillars for rebuilding your health: Clean Air, Clean Water, Clean Food. * Wounded Healer Journey: How breast cancer at 25 led Dr. Jill to functional medicine. * Toxicity Epidemic: 300,000 chemicals released annually, plus forever chemicals (PFAS) in nonstick pans. * Mold vs. Mycotoxins: Why the invisible toxins are more dangerous than visible mold. * Cognitive Crisis: Why brain fog and fatigue are the #1 and #2 symptoms of mold exposure. * Free Testing: Use a symptom timeline and the Visual Contrast Test (VCT) to check for biotoxin illness. * New Home Guide: Red flags, the 48-hour rule for water damage, and the best ERMI/QPCR dust testing. * Immune Resilience Crisis: How the 6-month immune suppression post-COVID reactivates dormant viruses like Epstein-Barr and Lyme disease. * Microplastic Dilemma: Why tap water is the safer choice than sun-exposed plastic bottles. * Detox Trifecta: The combination of glutathione, liver support, and binders that actually works. Dr. Jill doesn't just talk about environmental toxicity. She proves that with proper testing and targeted detoxification, people can recover from conditions that stumped 40 other doctors. * 01:49 Dr. Jill's story: breast cancer at 25 and the farm toxicity connection. * 07:53 Environmental toxicity 101: 300,000 chemicals and forever chemicals explained. * 13:35 The #1 and #2 symptoms of mold exposure you need to know. * 16:18 FREE testing methods: timeline analysis and visual contrast tests. * 20:44 The shocking truth: 1 in 2 homes may have mold exposure. * 21:12 Buying a new home: red flags, fixable problems, and what to test. * 34:09 The longevity crisis: why immune resilience matters more than biohacking. * 43:37 Microplastic dilemma: tap water vs. plastic bottles (the surprising answer). * 45:07 Detox protocols: glutathione, liver support, and binders that work. Dr. Jill's Book & Clinic: * Unexpected: Finding Resilience Through Functional Science, and Faith: Available on Amazon. * Dr. Jill Carnahan's website: https://jillcarnahan.com [https://jillcarnahan.com] * Dr. Jill's products and services: https://drjillhealth.com [https://drjillhealth.com] * Free Visual Contrast Testing: https://survivingmold.com [https://survivingmold.com] or https://freevctesting.com [https://freevctesting.com] Other Testing Resources: * ERMI/QPCR dust testing: Available through environmental testing labs. * Urinary mycotoxin testing: Multiple labs available (consult with functional medicine practitioner). 🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com [https://charlenegisele.com]  📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele [https://instagram.com/charlenegisele]  💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charl%C3%A8ne-gis%C3%A8le-bourliout/] What We Cover: Timestamps: Resources: 📲 Connect with Me:

From Procrastination to Flow: The High Performer's Playbook with Steven Puri

In this flow state mastery episode, I sit down with Steven Puri, former film studio executive and startup founder who's raised over $20 million venture. We expose why traditional productivity advice keeps high performers burnt out. And we reveal how understanding your brain energy can unlock sustainable excellence.Steven reveals why the last minute rush is slowly destroying you. He explains how Ron Bass writes $2 million scripts by refusing to speak to his family before 9am. He destroys the myths around hustle culture and shows you how to do your best work in less time without burning out.Whether you're a type A overachiever who procrastinates until 1am, a team leader watching your people work inefficiently, or a professional convinced you need to sacrifice sleep for success, this conversation will revolutionize how you think about productivity. It will show you that flow states aren't just for artists. They're for anyone willing to understand their chronotype.What we cover:Time boxing revelation: why declaring time limits makes tasks magically fitThe procrastination paradox: how type A achievers create their own dramaChronotype awareness: discovering when you do your best work naturallyThe 15 to 23 minute rule: how long it takes to drop into flow statesEmail epidemic solutions: why inbox zero is a pipe dream (and what to do instead)Ron Bass morning ritual: the $2 million screenwriter who won't talk before 9amLocation triggers: how Roland Emmerich's $5 million villa unlocks creativityMusic and flow: why 60 to 90 BPM ambient tracks help you focusBrown noise discovery: how Himalayan rain became the third most popular playlistBeauty as fuel: why galleries and operas feed creative workSocial media as smoking: the next generation's view of our distraction epidemicSukha origin story: how a Bali honeymoon named a flow state companySteven doesn't just talk about productivity hacks. He proves that with proper time boxing, chronotype awareness, and flow state triggers, high performers can achieve more in less time. And they can actually have energy left for their families.Timestamps:04:38 – Time boxing explained: why declaring time limits makes tasks fit08:24 – Chronotype discovery: finding your natural productivity rhythms15:36 – Email scheduling: the thoughtful leader's secret weapon20:41 – Flow states defined: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's groundbreaking research25:09 – The 15 to 23 minute drop in rule and why interruptions kill flow29:29 – Charlene's French assembly debate: the first conscious flow experience35:05 – Music for flow: why opera distracts but classical music activates42:20 – Location association: how $5 million villas and Hilton rooms trigger creativity48:21 – Environment and beauty: why museums and galleries fuel keynote writing52:12 – Film industry lessons: what Hollywood taught about sustainable performance01:01:26 – The Bali honeymoon story: how Sukha got its Sanskrit nameResources:The Sukha Company (flow state app): https://thesukha.co (7 day free trial)Steven Puri on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/stevenpuriCal Newport's "Deep Work": https://calnewport.com/writingMihaly Csikszentmihalyi's "Flow" book: https://amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202Steven Kotler's Flow Research Collective: https://flowresearchcollective.com📲 Connect with Me:🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charl%C3%A8ne-gis%C3%A8le-bourliout/

Drift into Deep Sleep With this Guided Meditation

Drift into Deep Sleep With this Guided Meditation with Charlene Gisele