The Zac Clark Show – Details, episodes & analysis

Michael Allio and Jade Chapman join me for a powerful conversation about grief, addiction, recovery, and the unexpected path that brought them together. Michael is a former contestant on The Bachelorette, author of the children's book Where the Wild Heart Grows, and co-founder of St. James Therapeutics, a company focused on advancing cancer treatment and care. He opens up about losing his wife, Laura, to cancer, raising his son as a single father, and the dependence on painkillers he developed in the aftermath of her death. Jade is a beauty entrepreneur, educator, and content creator whose work has inspired millions. She shares her journey with alcohol, the impact her sister's decade-long heroin addiction had on her family, and what finally led her to embrace recovery. Together, they discuss what it means to love someone through struggle, how recovery transformed their relationship, and why honesty, service, and community have become the foundation of their lives. In this episode, we discuss: Michael's experience with grief after losing his wife, Laura The opioid addiction he developed following her death Jade's journey with alcohol and recovery Her sister's battle with heroin addiction and long-term recovery Supporting a partner through sobriety Love, second chances, and starting over Raising children through loss, healing, and change Finding purpose through service and helping others Whether you've experienced addiction, loss, recovery, or simply the challenges of loving another person through difficult seasons, this conversation is a reminder that our past doesn't disqualify us from love – it often prepares us for it. Follow Michael Allio: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/michael_alliol4/⁠ ⁠https://thewildheartgrows.com/⁠ ⁠https://www.stjamestherapeutics.com/⁠ Follow Jade Chapman:⁠https://www.instagram.com/jadeywadey180/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jadecomplexions/⁠ Connect with Zac ⁠https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark⁠ ⁠https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/zacwclark⁠ If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At 17, Corey Warren was shooting heroin. At 18, he robbed a convenience store to support his addiction and faced up to 30 years in prison. What followed was a journey through addiction, recovery, success, relapse, and redemption. After more than a decade of sobriety, Corey began drinking again – which nearly cost him everything. Instead, it led to a powerful spiritual awakening, a relationship with God, and a deeper commitment to recovery. Today, Corey is more than four years sober and has built Rise Recovery into one of Michigan's largest recovery communities, helping thousands of people find freedom from addiction. Through his advocacy, treatment programs, and social media platform that has reached hundreds of millions of people, Corey has become one of the most influential voices in the recovery space. Corey is unapologetically open about the perils of alcohol and addiction, and why he believes his relationship with God transformed his recovery.   We also discuss: Shooting heroin as a teenager and robbing a convenience store at 18 Facing prison and rebuilding his life through recovery Alcohol addiction, AA, and finding lasting sobriety Drinking after 10 years sober -- and the profound spiritual experience that followed Faith, purpose, and spiritual transformation Building Rise Recovery into one of Michigan's largest recovery communities Growing a social media platform that reaches millions and inspires people to seek help Family, fatherhood, and staying grounded through success Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Zac and Jay sit down with Rivkah Reyes – actor, musician, and the bass player from School of Rock – for a candid, nuanced conversation about growing up in the spotlight, addiction at a young age, and finding sobriety. Together, they walk through Rivkah’s journey from child stardom into substance use, the role drugs and alcohol played in coping with pressure and identity, and how getting sober transformed her relationship with herself, her emotions, and her life. Rivkah opens up about the realities of addiction behind the scenes, and reflects on the stigma, shame, and courage involved in getting sober while still figuring out who you are – including coming out and embracing her sexuality. This is an honest, grounded exploration of what it means to heal, grow, and build a life in recovery. Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclarkhttps://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564releaserecovery.com@releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Zac sits down with Release Recovery’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael McCormick, for a candid, nuanced conversation about one of the most controversial questions in recovery: can drugs ever help sobriety? Together, they break down three major categories of medications – benzodiazepines, stimulants, and opioid medications like Suboxone, methadone, and Vivitrol – and explain how each works in the brain, why they can be both lifesaving and dangerous, and how clinicians decide, case by case, when medication is part of recovery and when it becomes a risk. Dr. McCormick challenges black-and-white thinking about “being sober,” addresses the stigma many people face in the rooms of recovery, and shares how careful monitoring, individualized care, and real behavioral change are essential if medication is used at all. This is not a pro-drug or anti-drug episode – it’s an honest, clinically grounded exploration of the gray area where medicine, addiction, and recovery meet. Connect with Zachttps://www.instagram.com/zwclark/https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c 746b96254/https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclarkhttps://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery:(914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com@releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Ask Me Anything episode, Zac kicks off 2026 by answering real questions from the community about sobriety, recovery, and mental health. Zac shares honest, grounded insight on topics people are often afraid to ask about – including California sober, medication-assisted treatment like Suboxone, dry January, cravings, acceptance, and whether a relationship with alcohol can ever truly change. He breaks down why recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all, why community and purpose matter more than labels, and how autonomy plays a critical role in lasting change. The conversation also speaks directly to partners and loved ones: how to support someone in sobriety, how to recognize when drinking may be a problem, and why taking care of yourself is essential when someone you love is struggling. If you’re sober, curious about sobriety, supporting someone else, or just trying to make sense of it all, please give his episode a listen. If you’re struggling, you don’t have to do it alone. Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of The Zac Clark Show, Grace Adams joins Zac and Jay for an honest and funny conversation about what early sobriety actually looks like.  They start with a hot topic that brings all sorts of opinions: dating in sobriety. Is “don’t date for a year” real wisdom… or an arbitrary rule people cling to? Zac and Jay break down why recovery can’t be one-size-fits-all – and how the wrong guidance can push people into obsession, fear, or dependency on personalities rather than recovery-building principles.  Then Grace opens up about her story: a disciplined performing arts kid who hit college freedom like a hurricane, the moment the police found her blacked out in her dorm, and the brutal truth that shame didn’t make her stop drinking. She shares what it looked like to “control” drinking — switching alcohols, counting glasses, and even going to a restaurant with a journal to write about her relationship with alcohol… while getting drunk. The conversation gets real about the hidden danger for young women: blackout culture, risky situations, sexual trauma, and the isolating belief that you should be able to fix it alone. Zac, Jay, and Grace land on the thing that keeps showing up: peer-to-peer recovery — one person sharing their story with another so shame breaks, hope shows up, and life becomes possible again. If you’re newly sober, thinking about getting sober, or love someone who is – this is a great conversation for you. If you’re struggling, you don’t have to do it alone. Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jared “Flash” Gordon is a UFC veteran known for his grit, longevity in the sport, and a career that defied the odds — not just in the cage, but in life. Before he became a professional fighter, Jared survived 13 treatment centers, 8 arrests,  and a felony case in Florida where he was facing 25-to-life. In 2015, he overdosed and woke up in a hospital bed, finally ready to change his life forever.  Now, nearly a decade into a successful UFC career and 10 years sober, Jared talks to Zac about the fight that didn’t stop when the drugs did. They explore emotional sobriety, identity pressure in professional sports, and the exhausting cycle of comparison — especially when no amount of wins or recognition ever feels like enough. The episode also covers the grounding force of community and meetings, and the shift in priorities that came with becoming a father. They talk about Jared's continued work to face childhood trauma and how healing is a lifelong journey.  Through it all, Jared remains committed to recovery — the only thing that has ever given him stability, connection, and a chance at freedom of mind. This is an honest, human conversation about ambition, self-worth, fatherhood, trauma, and staying committed when the world keeps moving the goalpost. Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kratom is everywhere – in gas stations, bodegas, vape shops, and even pharmacies. But most people don’t actually know what it is. In this episode of The Zac Clark Show, Zac and Jay break down the truth about kratom: what it is, how it works in the brain, and why treatment centers across the country are seeing a sharp rise in kratom-related addiction and relapse. This is not a PSA and it’s not an attack on people who say kratom has helped them. It’s an honest conversation grounded in real-world experience from the recovery and behavioral health space – including why kratom often goes undetected on drug tests, how it can act as both a stimulant and an opioid, and why it can be especially dangerous for people with a history of substance use. They also unpack the phenomenon of craving, the misconception that kratom doesn’t require detox, and the growing concern around stronger kratom products now being sold over the counter. If you or someone you love is sober, in recovery, or simply trying to understand what’s being sold so casually in everyday places, this episode is worth your time. Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is neuropsychology? What does a psychological test actually measure? And what if it were possible to understand how we learn, think, and behave in a totally non-judgmental, deeply informative way? This week on The Zac Clark Show, we sit down with Dr. David Rowe, Director of Neuropsychology at United Assessment, to demystify the entire world of psychoeducational testing. Dr. Rowe explains how these assessments uncover the real story behind attention issues, learning differences, and emotional struggles — and why missed diagnoses often push people toward anxiety, shame, and even drugs and alcohol as a way to cope. We talk about how the brain actually works, why so many kids (and adults) fall through the cracks, and what happens when someone finally gets clarity on challenges they’ve been carrying their whole life. Fast, fascinating, and surprisingly hopeful — this episode might change how you see yourself, your kid, or your past. Learn more about United Assessment: https://www.unitedassessment.com/psychoeducational-assessments Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanksgiving can be beautiful – and brutal – especially in early sobriety. In this special Thanksgiving Sober Edition, Zac and Jay bring in guests Grace Adams (Release Marketing Director & former client), Dave Megenis (VP of Outreach & Continuing Care at Wellbridge, a leading addiction treatment and recovery center), and Michael Ahearn (Wellbridge Addiction Treatment & Research) to talk about: Going home in early sobriety Navigating family dynamics during the holidays Embarrassing Thanksgiving stories Gratitude that actually feels real Staying grounded through holiday stress If you’re sober, sober-curious, or simply trying to have a healthier holiday, this episode is for you. Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564/ releaserecovery.com/ @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices