Hosts Scott Martin and Hillary Martin welcome Carrie Eaton for a conversation about burnout, trauma, personal reinvention, and finding new ways to understand yourself. The episode also includes a discussion of Carrie’s upcoming Voice Collective talk, her astrology practice, and a closing public service announcement about substance safety.

In this episode

• Scott and Hillary return after a break, reflecting on burnout and the importance of making time to recenter.

• The hosts share what they’re grateful for and discuss the value of being present during busy or difficult times.

• Scott describes reaching an emotional breaking point during vacation after a stressful period involving work, family, and wedding planning.

• The hosts share a message of hope through the song “Hold On” by Freya and Odin’s Echo.

• Carrie talks about why she chose to speak at the Voice Collective and how sharing personal stories can help people feel less alone.

• She discusses how childhood experiences can shape adult life and parenting, and why bringing painful experiences into the open can support healing.

• Carrie describes a major life reset that included leaving a long-term career and the religion she grew up in.

• She explains how astrology became a way to explore self-understanding and reconnect with her own instincts.

• Carrie outlines her birth chart readings and related services.

• The episode closes with a warning about counterfeit or contaminated substances and a reminder to be cautious.

  
  

  • Ninth House Soul — ninthhousesoul.com

Scott and Hillary Martin sit down with Blu Robinson, the founder of Addict to Athlete, to talk about recovery, identity, movement, and how purpose can be built from pain. Blue shares the personal story behind his work, including family trauma, addiction, therapy, education, and the moment exercise became a recovery tool.This episode is about more than sobriety. It explores how labels shape people, why movement can support healing, and how community can help someone show up at the starting line of change.

Key topics

• Blu shares how his early life was shaped by severe instability, abuse, poverty, and frequent moves, including 22 different homes before age 18.

• He explains how addiction took root in his teens as a way to cope with abandonment, trauma, and the need to belong.

• Blu describes the rock-bottom moment in 1996 that pushed him to leave addiction behind and begin rebuilding his life.

• Mountain biking became an early positive identity shift and later inspired Addict to Athlete.

• Blu discusses his education journey, from adult high school to becoming a therapist.

• The conversation covers the limits of one-size-fits-all recovery and the value of movement-based approaches.

• Hillary shares how negative labels can make recovery more difficult.

• Blu explains the “erase and replace” philosophy: replacing harmful patterns with movement, service, and a new identity.

• Addict to Athlete uses running, biking, races, and community events to build confidence and connection.

• The episode explores grief, relapse, loss, and how service can honor people who have died from addiction.

In this episode of Surviving Life’s Pickles, the conversation centers on suicide prevention, mental health awareness, and how those conversations belong in workplace safety culture—especially in construction, manufacturing, and other high-risk industries.Sarah Galvez shares the personal story that led her into this work: the loss of her ex-husband and the father of her youngest son to suicide. From that pain, she found purpose in speaking, training, and helping organizations strengthen their approach to mental wellness and de-escalation.The discussion explores how companies can do more than check safety boxes. It covers practical tools like active listening, the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method, box breathing, and bringing in backup support when someone needs more help than one person can give. The episode also highlights why mental health should be treated as part of safety, not separate from it.

The conversation touches on:

• Why mental health and physical safety should go hand in hand

• How to respond when an employee is in crisis

• Why consistent training matters for employees, temps, and contractors

• The importance of follow-up, support groups, and checking in long after the initial crisis

• How managers and coworkers can reduce stigma by making mental health a normal part of workplace conversations

The episode closes with a powerful reminder: people may look fine on the outside, but they may be struggling in ways no one can see. Checking in, listening well, and creating real support systems can make a life-changing difference.

Key Topics

• Suicide prevention in the workplace

• Mental health and safety culture

• De-escalation and grounding techniques

• Supporting employees after a crisis

• Training, follow-up, and open communication

  
  

  Notable Takeaway

  A strong safety culture protects more than bodies—it protects people’s lives, families, and futures.