Episodes

  • Dr. Peter Coleman Helped Thousands Beat Addiction, Here's What He Learned

    Dr. Peter Coleman Helped Thousands Beat Addiction, Here's What He Learned
    Jun 18 2026
    What if everything you thought you knew about addiction was incomplete? This week on Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with addiction medicine pioneer Dr. Peter Coleman, whose work has helped transform the way people approach recovery from alcohol and opioid dependence. With more than three decades of experience and thousands of lives impacted, Dr. Coleman shares the lessons he's learned from treating addiction, supporting families through recovery, and challenging long-held beliefs about what healing really looks like. Together, they explore the realities of the opioid epidemic, why so many people struggle to access effective treatment, the science behind addiction, and the importance of compassion in recovery. Dr. Coleman also reflects on founding one of the nation's first outpatient detox programs and building a treatment model that restored dignity, hope, and possibility to those seeking freedom from substance use disorders. This powerful conversation is a reminder that recovery is not only possible, it happens every day. #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #mentalhealth #Sobriety #recoveryispossible #healing #recoverycommunity #alcoholrecovery #mentalhealthawareness #hope #resilience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • How Michael Dean Built a Legacy Across Music, Media & Entrepreneurship

    How Michael Dean Built a Legacy Across Music, Media & Entrepreneurship
    Jun 11 2026
    Before podcasts, before social media, and before artists had direct access to fans online, Michael Dean was already building communities, creating content, and documenting music history. On this episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, Michael shares his remarkable journey from Seattle's underground hip-hop scene in the late 1980s to touring with influential independent artists, becoming an entrepreneur, author, musician, and one of the earliest voices in the online Prince community. This conversation goes far beyond music. Michael opens up about purpose, artistic independence, staying true to your vision, and the importance of building something meaningful over time. From personal interactions with Prince during the early days of the internet to lessons learned through decades of creativity and reinvention, this episode is packed with insights for artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone searching for their own path. If you've ever wondered what it takes to create a lasting legacy while remaining authentic to yourself, this conversation is for you. #Prince #MichaelDean #PrimaryPurposeWithPej #Pej #MusicIndustry #HipHopHistory #IndependentArtist #Entrepreneurship #CreativeJourney #ArtistLife #MusicPodcast #PrinceFans #Storytelling #PurposeDriven #MusicBusiness #LegacyBuilding #CreativeEntrepreneur #SeattleHipHop #MusicHistory #PersonalGrowth #Inspiration #PodcastInterview #IndependentMusic #ContentCreator #ArtistDevelopment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Relapse & Survival: The Truth About Addiction Recovery with Sam Kamkar

    Relapse & Survival: The Truth About Addiction Recovery with Sam Kamkar
    Jun 4 2026
    For years, Sam's life was trapped in a cycle that seemed impossible to break. Addiction, fentanyl, Xanax, jail, treatment centers, relapse, and self-destruction became his reality. Every path he was on pointed toward becoming another tragic statistic, and many people had already written his ending for him. In this powerful episode of Primary Purpose with Pej, Sam shares the unfiltered truth about addiction, recovery culture, body brokering, manipulation within the treatment industry, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life after years of chaos. This conversation goes beyond sobriety and explores what it really takes to break free from toxic environments, reclaim your identity, and create a future when all hope seems lost. If you or someone you love has struggled with addiction, this episode offers a raw, honest look at both the darkness of addiction and the possibility of recovery. #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #RecoveryJourney #FentanylCrisis #MentalHealth #PrimaryPurposeWithPej #RecoveryPodcast #SobrietyPodcast #AddictionAwareness #InspirationStories #Healing #RecoveryCommunity #PodcastClips #LifeAfterAddiction #HopeAndRecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • “I Should Be Dead”, Benjamin Lerner on Addiction, Relapse & Redemption

    “I Should Be Dead”, Benjamin Lerner on Addiction, Relapse & Redemption
    May 28 2026
    Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, we sit down with Benjamin Lerner, rapper, composer, recovery advocate, and the great-grandson of legendary songwriter Irving Berlin. Behind the music, talent, and family legacy was a devastating battle with fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine that nearly cost Benjamin his life.Now sober since 2016, Benjamin has turned his pain into purpose. Through a unique blend of classical piano and hip-hop, he’s built an audience of hundreds of millions by speaking openly about addiction, relapse, shame, recovery, and redemption. This conversation dives deep into generational pressure, self-destruction, creativity, sobriety, and what it really takes to face the truth and rebuild a life from the ground up.If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode is proof that recovery is possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • She Beat a 13-Year Addiction — Now She’s Exposing What Recovery Really Looks Like | Mandi West

    She Beat a 13-Year Addiction — Now She’s Exposing What Recovery Really Looks Like | Mandi West
    May 21 2026
    This week on Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with Mandi West — a Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor, Certified Recovery Specialist, and Certified Gambling Counselor with over 10 years in sustained recovery after a 13-year battle with substance use disorder. Mandi shares her powerful journey from addiction to recovery, the realities of rebuilding a life after chaos, and how her lived experience now fuels her work helping others heal. Together, they dive into the truth about addiction treatment, stigma, gambling addiction, recovery communities, social media advocacy, and the systemic challenges people face when seeking help. With both clinical expertise and firsthand experience, Mandi brings an honest, compassionate, and deeply informed perspective to one of the most important conversations happening today. If you or someone you love has struggled with addiction, this episode is a reminder that recovery is possible — and that purpose can be found on the other side of pain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • 17 Felonies, 9 Years in Prison… Then She Changed Everything | Ginny Burton on Redemption

    17 Felonies, 9 Years in Prison… Then She Changed Everything | Ginny Burton on Redemption
    May 14 2026
    What happens when someone society gave up on refuses to give up on themselves? This week on Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with Ginny Burton — speaker, reform advocate, and living proof that redemption is real. After 30 years in addiction, 17 felony convictions, and nearly a decade spent in prison, Ginny lost everything: her freedom, family, identity, and hope. But her story didn’t end there. Now over 13 years sober, Ginny has transformed her life into a mission — going from incarcerated woman to scholar, policy advisor, and founder of the OUT Impact Coalition. Today, she’s helping reshape recovery, reentry, and criminal justice reform from the inside out. In this powerful conversation, Pej and Ginny discuss: Addiction and survival Prison and systemic failure Motherhood, shame, and forgiveness Recovery and rebuilding identity Turning pain into purpose Why no one is beyond redemption This is a story of transformation, resilience, and what can happen when someone is finally given a second chance. Subscribe to Primary Purpose with Pej for more conversations on recovery, transformation, and purpose-driven living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Eric Zink Reveals the Moment That Changed His Life Forever

    Eric Zink Reveals the Moment That Changed His Life Forever
    May 7 2026
    Today on Primary Purpose with Pej, Pej sits down with Eric B. Zink, mental health advocate, addiction recovery mentor, and speaker whose message of hope has impacted millions around the world. With more than 2 million followers across social media, Eric has become a powerful voice for those struggling with addiction, trauma, depression, and the difficult journey of rebuilding a life after darkness. Drawing from his own lived experience, Eric opens up about recovery, emotional healing, identity, and the mindset shifts that helped him transform pain into purpose. In this deeply honest conversation, Pej and Eric explore what it truly means to survive the things that tried to break you, and how healing can become a way to serve others. From overcoming addiction and navigating mental health struggles to finding resilience, meaning, and hope, this episode is for anyone searching for strength in difficult seasons. If you’ve ever felt lost, stuck, or beyond saving, Eric’s story is proof that change is possible and no one is too far gone to heal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • How Structure, Community, and Mentorship Changed My Life

    How Structure, Community, and Mentorship Changed My Life
    Apr 30 2026
    In this episode, Pej is joined by therapist Dima Puchkarare for an honest conversation that blends both professional insight and lived experience in the addiction and recovery space. Together, they share what early sobriety really looks like—from navigating intense emotions and struggling with consistency to the challenge of letting go of familiar environments and habits. Drawing from their work with individuals facing substance use and mental health challenges, as well as their own recovery journeys, they speak openly about the parts of recovery that often go unspoken. Dima offers perspective from his experience as a therapist in Los Angeles, supporting clients through life after treatment, while also reflecting on his own path—learning to build stability through structure, community, mentorship, and a willingness to do things differently. Pej adds his own personal and professional lens, breaking down what helped him move from uncertainty to a more grounded, meaningful life. Whether you’re new to recovery, supporting someone who is, or simply looking for a deeper understanding of what lasting change takes, this episode provides practical insight and a grounded, real-world perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins