In this powerful episode, Ryan and Steve dive into the crucial topic of mental preparation before leaving prison. They explore how building the right mindset can dramatically increase the chances of success on the outside.

💡 Key themes discussed:

• The importance of programming, reading, and mentorship in shaping a new path

• How dreaming and planning for the future can fuel motivation and resilience

• Practical steps to make meaningful changes before release

This conversation sheds light on the tools and strategies that can help individuals transition from incarceration to freedom with confidence and purpose.

👉 Whether you’re directly impacted, supporting a loved one, or simply interested in personal growth, this episode offers valuable insights into transformation and hope

In this episode, Ryan and Steve continue their candid conversation about rehabilitation programs within the system, sharing personal experiences and insights from the inside. They break down the nuts and bolts of individual programs, exploring what each offers to participants and how they can shape lives.

Programs discussed include:

• Prison Fellowship – a faith-based weekend led by Christian volunteers

• Surviving and Thriving – building resilience and hope

• Alternatives to Violence (AVP) – conflict resolution through nonviolent communication

• Anger Resolution – tools for managing emotions constructively

• Vocational Training & Jobs – hands-on skills in welding, carpentry, upholstery, wheelchair repair, kitchen work, and even license plate production

Ryan and Steve dive deep into how these opportunities provide structure, purpose, and pathways toward growth, offering listeners a raw and authentic look at rehabilitation in practice.

In this powerful first installment, Ryan and Steve dive deep into the realities of rehabilitation behind bars.

They explore the range of programming available within the system—from state-sponsored initiatives to religious, educational, and inmate-led efforts—and reflect on how each plays a role in personal transformation.

Through candid storytelling, they share the programs that helped them change, the challenges of staying out after release, and the mindset required to break the cycle of recidivism.

This episode is a raw, insightful look at what it really takes to rebuild from the inside out.

🎙️ Episode 3 – Needed Leadership
Leadership isn’t just about authority—it’s about moral courage, vision, and the power to transform lives. In this episode, Ryan and Steve unpack the deeper dimensions of leadership through the lens of rehabilitation and redemption. They spotlight Warden Burl Cain’s radical transformation of Angola Prison, once known as the bloodiest prison in America, into a place of hope and purpose. Through stories of moral leadership and second chances, this conversation challenges listeners to rethink what true leadership looks like—in institutions, communities, and within ourselves.

Episode 2: Redemption & Missing Statistics
This week on Unconfined Conversation, we get personal. Ryan and Steve open up about their own journeys of redemption—what it took, what it changed, and what still lingers. Along the way, we explore how missing data can erase stories that matter, and why reclaiming your narrative is sometimes the most radical act of all.

Jon Michaels interviews Ryan and Steve, hosts of Unconfined Conversations, about their mission to spotlight stories of incarceration and those who’ve lived through it.

🎙️ Episode 1 – Perspective

Real stories of incarceration, mentorship, and the moments that turn pain into purpose. In this first episode of Unconfined Conversations, we dive deep into stories of pre-incarceration and incarceration, exploring how personal experiences and powerful mentors inside shaped moments of lasting change.

Through open dialogue, we uncover how perspective transforms pain into purpose — and how the lessons learned behind walls continue to influence life beyond them. This is a conversation about growth, redemption, and the human capacity to evolve, even in the most confined places.