On May 7, 2019, Ellie Wyse was a high school freshman with an hour left in her day when a routine drill turned into an active shooter situation.

In this powerful and essential conversation, Ellie bravely recounts her experience surviving the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting and the complex realization that one of the perpetrators was a peer. She shares the aftermath of the trauma, the unexpected loneliness of the subsequent COVID-19 lockdown (which she says was harder to process than the shooting itself), and her path to healing through EMDR therapy.

Now a psychology major, Ellie is turning her survival story into purpose, aiming to become a counselor to fill the critical mental health gap for teenagers affected by violence.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation:

• When a Drill Isn't a Drill: Ellie describes the chilling moment she realized the prolonged lockdown was real and how the fear was compounded by snipers surrounding the building.
• The Second Trauma: Ellie explains why the COVID-19 lockdown was worse than the shooting trauma—it was a two-year period of unknown, isolation, and the destruction of the progress she had made with her anxiety and depression.
• Healing with EMDR: Ellie gives the clearest explanation of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy—how it moves a traumatic memory from the emotional brain (amygdala) to the long-term memory (hippocampus), making it manageable.
• Guns vs. Mental Health: We discuss the importance of mental health intervention, especially when concerning signs are reported, and the responsibility to treat—not stigmatize—mental health issues seriously.
• Redemption Through Purpose: Ellie shares why she views her trauma as a gift that has given her direction and passion, allowing her to serve as a voice of hope for others.

📌 Episode Guide

• 00:00 - Intro
• 17:30 - Early Life & Faith
• 21:10 - The Day of the Shooting
• 26:00 - Finding Out Who the Shooter Was
• 30:45 - The Mental Health Intervention Debate
• 33:50 - The Immediate Aftermath
• 38:20 - Therapy & the Golden Retriever
• 39:35 - The Non-Linear Healing Process
• 45:30 - Finding Her Calling
• 47:00 - The Trauma of COVID-19 Lockdown
  
  

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This is not a conspiracy theory; it's a mental health crisis.

Returning guest Hillary Spiritos joins the hosts for a crucial discussion on the challenges facing young people in the age of AI and pervasive social media. We explore the profound effects of the algorithm—a system so isolating it mirrors the environment of a cult or a totalitarian state—and how it's fueling a loneliness epidemic and widespread cynicism.

Hillary offers guidance on how parents and peers can foster critical thinking and authentic connection to help young people push back against the constant barrage of misinformation and isolation.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation:

• The Cult of the Algorithm: We discuss how the structure of social media (isolation, filtering information, demanding obedience) is psychologically identical to the processes used by cults and dictatorships.
  
  
• The Antidote is Connection: The way to bridge political and social divides is not more argument, but somatic experience—physically engaging with others (like at concerts or playing sports) to remind us of our shared humanity.

• The AI/Erotica Problem: The conversation addresses the dangers of generative AI leaning into erotica, which furthers disconnection by providing immediate pleasure without the need for real human connection or the work of giving and receiving.

• Avoiding Numbness: The most cynical outcome is total desensitization (the Idiocracy effect). We must maintain our awareness that the current crisis is driven by greed, power, and the illusion of a quick fix.

📌 Episode Guide

00:00 - Intro
12:30 - "That Saves Me Time": The Double-Edged Sword of AI for Research and Creativity.
30:45 - "Question Everyone": Hillary's Advice on Fostering Critical Thinking in a Manipulative Digital World
44:30 - The Need for Boredom
46:25 - The AI & Erotica Danger
50:08 - The Male Loneliness Epidemic
52:45 - Dating App Distortion
1:03:13 - Somatic Connection Over Words
1:15:35 - No More Quick Fixes

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This is an unvarnished look at the path to recovery. Ryan reconnects with his old friend, musician Davis Rowan, whom he met at the Betty Ford Center. Davis shares his powerful story of how alcohol, which once felt like a "solution" to social anxiety, became a destructive force, culminating in a terrifying diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) during a severe bender.

This conversation goes beyond mere sobriety to explore the deeper rewards of recovery: finding genuine community, cultivating new passions (like ultra-marathoning), and using lived experience to fuel a new purpose as a music school owner.

Davis's story is a testament to the fact that you can not only survive addiction but thrive beyond it.

Key Takeaways from the Conversation:

• The Solution That Wasn't: Both Ryan and Davis admit that alcohol initially "served" them by alleviating social anxiety and shyness, making them feel more present.
• The Body Gives a Warning: Davis shares the terrifying consequence of his addiction when he woke up unable to feel his legs due to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune disorder.
• The Power of Shared Trauma: We discuss why the bonds forged in rehab, surrounded by people who "get it," are so profoundly healing and lasting.
• Addiction Doesn't Discriminate: Davis reflects on the Betty Ford Center experience, realizing that addiction touches every demographic, emphasizing the shared human experience.
• Recovery is Service: Davis explains how working at a music school and focusing on bringing joy and community to students became a vital part of his continued sobriety.
• Extremes in Recovery: From an obsessive practice schedule to running 100-mile ultra-marathons, Davis discusses how he manages his personality's tendency toward extremes in a healthy way.

📌 Episode Guide

• 00:00 - Intro
• 24:20 - The Paradox of Addiction
• 45:20 - Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) & Alcohol
• 47:06 - The Danger of Denial
• 55:00 - The Turning Point
• 56:10 - The Healing Power of Shared Experience
• 01:07:05 - Addict's Mind, Runner's Body
• 1:10:45 - From Touring Drummer to Music School Owner:

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