Porn Free Millennial Podcast

In this end-of-year conversation, we are honored to have returning guest and counselor Jeanie Hosken creator of the Restoration Center Encouragement Substack for a deep dive into emotional intelligence in a porn-saturated culture - what emotional intelligence is, how porn quietly stunts it, and how it can be rebuilt through awareness, honesty, and connection.Together, we explore why many men struggle to name what they’re feeling, how early exposure to porn trains emotional avoidance rather than emotional awareness, and why intimacy requires far more than physical closeness. Jeanie explains emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize, name, and respond to emotions - both in ourselves and in others - rather than reacting, numbing, or shutting down.This episode covers:* What emotional intelligence actually is (and why most of us were never taught it)* How porn becomes a shortcut for avoiding loneliness, fear, shame, and pain* Why “I’m fine” is often a sign of emotional disconnection* The role of naming emotions as the first step toward healing* How porn creates false comfort while eroding real intimacy* Why defensiveness kills connection and what emotional safety looks like instead* Practical ways to start rebuilding emotional intelligence through daily practice* How learning to respond (not react) transforms relationships and recoveryThis conversation is especially relevant for anyone working to break free from porn, strengthen relationships, or learn how to feel again after years of emotional numbing.Resources & Links🔗 Jeanie Hoskin – Counseling & Substack👉 Jeanie’s Restoration Center Encouragement Substack👉 Jeanie & Jeff’s counseling services🔗 Previous Conversation with Jeannie👉 Episode 44: Healing Porn Addiction Through Emotional Intimacy, Connection, and Comfort (with Counselor Jeanie Hosken)🔗 Emotional Awareness Tools👉 Developing Emotional Intelligence Document (Includes Feeling Wheel)🔗 Porn Free Millennial Resources👉 Porn Free Millennial Substack👉 Podcast Archive👉 Ever Accountable Software - Free 30-Days & 20% A Year Subscription This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pornfreemillennial.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I open with a poem I wrote (The Brushpopper) about a wayward steer trapped in a thorny ravine - a picture of how so many of us get stuck in the thickets of porn, shame, and isolation.In every herd, there’s always one who wanders, and I was that steer for a long time.Today, I’m joined by two men who have become true brothers to me - Jim Hastings and Eric Guevin. We met in Reno for what we jokingly called “Uncle Vern’s Porn Camp,” but what ultimately became something so much deeper, The Brushpopper Retreat.These guys took me in as family, threw mousetraps at each other in a old school minivan, walked me through the hills, mines, and history of Nevada - and most importantly, they showed me what real brotherhood looks like.This episode is raw, funny, honest, and deeply spiritual - a full journey through connection, recovery, and the brushpopper metaphor that now shapes my own walk.What We Talk About in This EpisodeThe Reno Retreat StoryI tell the story of meeting these guys at the airport, getting thrown into a white minivan, and driving all over Nevada looking for lead weights for our final night’s activity. We toured Genoa, Virginia City, the outskirts of the Bonanza set, old mine shafts, and wild Mustang territory. It was hilarious, chaotic, meaningful, and exactly what my soul needed.The Brushpopper MetaphorEric shares how this old cowboy job, riding into thorn-filled ravines to rope out wayward cattle, became a picture of rescuing brothers stuck in porn and shame - and how this theme shaped our entire July retreat.Why Fun Matters in RecoveryJim said something I’ve thought about ever since:“Fun is the oven joy cooks in.”We tend to think recovery has to be grim and serious. But joy, laughter, and shared adventure played a huge part in the connection that formed between us.Porn as Fool’s GoldWe break down how porn looks attractive on the surface, but robs men of real gold:* Our integrity* Our relationships* Our purpose* Our walk with God* And our connection to real communityThe Napkin of TruthJim’s tool - a set of Level 1, 2, and 3 questions - is one of the most powerful relational tools I’ve encountered.I answer some of the questions live during the episode, including:* What tattoo I’d get* My “cell phone battery level”* And what I believe God feels when He thinks about meConnection as the Opposite of AddictionWe talk about the Harvard Happiness Study, Gabor Maté, why disconnection fuels porn addiction, and why genuine brotherhood heals it.Men don’t break free in isolation.We break free in a herd.The Refiner’s Fire CeremonyOn our final night at the retreat, each of us dropped a dirty lead wheel weight into a melting pot over a fire. As the impurities rose, we talked about our own pain, trauma, and history.Then we poured the purified metal into a bullet mold - a new shape, a new strength.That moment changed me.It symbolized the very thing God did in my divorce, my relapse, and my own recovery.For more about this ceremony and the retreat, check out my article - The Reforging of Impurity.A Message for Wives, Girlfriends, and Loved OnesWe address how recovery and brotherhood don’t threaten your marriage, they strengthen it.Healing doesn’t pull you away from your spouse, girlfriend, or partner.It makes you more honest, present, and whole for them.Resources Mentioned* The Napkin of Truth - Created by Jim Hastings* Vern Tompke - Finding Traction & Pastors on Porn Podcasts* Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong | Johann Hari | TED* FASTT Check-Ins Article (Feeling Wheel Illustration Included) & Podcast* Brushpopper Retreat Interest - If this episode stirs something in you, reach out at pornfreemillennialcoaching@gmail.com. We’re building this slowly, intentionally, relationally.Final EncouragementWherever you are - stuck in the thicket, climbing out, or saddle-ready - you’re not alone.This podcast, these brothers, and this mission exist so nobody has to fight in the dark.Saddle up.Stay in the herd.And keep fighting the good fight.For more Porn Free Millennial:* Porn Free Millennial Subtack* Mac’s Musings Substack* Apple Podcast* Spotify Podcast* Youtube Channel* XAccountability Software: Try 30 days Free and then 20% Off Ever Accountable - The accountability software that I personally use!1:1 Coaching: Email me at pornfreemillennialcoaching@gmail.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pornfreemillennial.substack.com/subscribe

Hey everybody, it’s been a minute. I’m back on the mic after some time on the road and some time in the fire. This episode is raw. No script. Just me talking about what really happened these past few months - relapse, the recovery, and the renewal that’s followed.I open up about how I slipped after almost two years of sobriety, what led up to it, and how I’ve been finding my way back through faith, accountability, and honesty.This episode is focused on what it means to stand back up, instead of laying down in shame.I talk about the tools and truths that have kept me grounded:* Daily FASTT check-ins with my little brother - Episode 13* Accountability software like Ever Accountable and Accountable2You* For 20% Ever Accountable for 1 year* Simple things like locking up my Phone and IPad at night* And ultimately, returning to Christ, the true source of renewalIf you’ve relapsed, if you’ve drifted, if you’ve felt like you’ve failed…this one’s for you. There’s purpose in the fall. There’s renewal in the return.For more Porn Free Millennial:* Porn Free Millennial Subtack* Youtube Channel* Mac’s Musings Substack* Apple Podcast* Spotify Podcast* XAccountability Software: Get 20% OFF your first year with Ever Accountable.1:1 Coaching: Email me at pornfreemillennialcoaching@gmail.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pornfreemillennial.substack.com/subscribe

In this special 50th episode of the Porn Free Millennial Podcast, I sit down with the man who helped me take my first real step toward recovery back in 2018 and who inspired me to launch the PFM Podcast and Publication - Matt Dobschuetz. He’s the host of the long-running podcast Porn Free Radio, the author of Porn Free: Becoming the Type of Man Who Does Not Look at Porn, and the founder of RecoveredMan.com, where he coaches men to lasting freedom.When I hit rock bottom, Matt’s voice reached me at a time when I didn’t know if change was possible. His message was raw, honest, and full of hope - and it helped lay the foundation for the freedom I walk in today.In this episode, we:* Reflect on the man ahead of you and why we all need someone who's walked the road before us* Share our personal recovery philosophies, focusing on getting to the root of our relationship with porn* Talk about living in the real world without hiding from it - building a new identity instead of avoiding everything* Dive into the origin of Porn Free Radio and Matt’s coaching work with men all over the world* Laugh hard, tell honest stories, and celebrate the messy beauty of real transformation* Offer encouragement and guidance for the man listening today who might be taking his first stepWhether you're years into recovery or still wondering if freedom is possible, this conversation is a reminder that you're not alone - someone has already walked ahead and is reaching back to help.For more Matt Dobschuetz:* Porn Free by Matt Dobschuetz * Porn Free Radio Podcast* CoachingFor more Porn Free Millennial:* Porn Free Millennial Subtack* Youtube Channel* Mac’s Musings Substack* Apple Podcast* Spotify Podcast* XAccountability Software: Get 20% OFF your first year with Ever Accountable.1:1 Coaching: Email me at pornfreemillennialcoaching@gmail.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pornfreemillennial.substack.com/subscribe

Is porn addiction a form of possession? In this gripping fifth interview, Dr. Gregory Borse professor of English, Philosophy, and Film - joins host Mac for a deep dive into The Exorcist, addiction, and the hidden spiritual battle many men are losing without even realizing it. From jump scares to soul scars, this episode explores how The Exorcist reveals the nature of evil: both direct and insidious. Together, Mac and Dr. Borse unpack how porn subtly enslaves, how shame isolates, and how hope, habit, and spiritual resilience are the keys to lasting freedom. We explore:* What The Exorcist gets right about evil, possession, and faith * How addiction mirrors demonic seduction * Why porn is a quiet spiritual assault on identity and intimacy * The power of daily decisions to shape your soul * How to build habits of hope and reclaim your agency This is not just film analysis - it’s a battle cry for freedom. Watch, listen, and share if you're ready to break free! How to find Dr. Borse:* X* YouTube* Substack* Latest Lecture: The Necessity of the Arts & Humanities for CivilizationFor more Porn Free Millennial:* Porn Free Millennial Subtack* Mac’s Musings Substack* Apple Podcast* Spotify Podcast* Youtube Channel* X This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pornfreemillennial.substack.com/subscribe

In this powerful episode of the Porn Free Millennial podcast, I sit down with Tyler Patterson, the founder and CEO of Ever Accountable, one of the most trusted accountability software tools for porn recovery. We dive into the origin story of the app, how it's evolved over the years, and why it works - especially when willpower and white-knuckling just aren’t enough.We break down how Ever Accountable uses real-time AI detection, screen scanning, and accountability reports to create life-changing behavior shifts. Tyler also introduces Ascend, a 30-day recovery course designed to help users not just avoid porn - but replace it with a meaningful, purpose-driven life.If you're ready to live with integrity and reclaim your attention, this episode is for you.📱 Try Ever Accountable FREE for 14 days with this link and get 20% OFF your first year with this link or by scanning this QR Code.🔗 Resources Mentioned:* Ever Accountable Website* Ascend 30-Day Recovery Course* Ever Accountable Blog* PFM Article – "5 Reasons the Porn Industry Is a Predator"* Laila Mickelwait’s Book: Takedown🧠 Key Takeaways:* The origin of Ever Accountable: built from a need to be honest with Tyler’s wife, not blocked by flawed filters.* Why filters fail and accountability succeeds.* The role of AI in detecting porn across websites, social media, and even in-app content.* The difference between white-knuckling and true recovery.* How accountability creates space for honesty, integrity, and growth.* Tyler’s philosophy: “The easiest amount of porn to watch is zero.”The power of Ascend, Ever Accountable’s 30-day program to help users build a vision and a better life.🎯 Final Word from Tyler:“Every effort you put into quitting pornography will pay itself back a thousand times over. It’s always going to be a challenge, but it can be a beautiful one.”💬 Join the Conversation:What part of Tyler’s story or strategy hit home the most for you?Drop a comment below and let us know - we’d love to hear what resonated with you.If this episode gave you clarity, encouragement, or a new tool in your fight for freedom, please like, share, and send it to someone who needs it. You never know how far one honest conversation can go.ev This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pornfreemillennial.substack.com/subscribe