Cole spent over two decades caught in eating disorders and substance addiction before finding lasting freedom. Today, he works in Customer Success and Brand Strategy, coaches competitive gymnastics, and serves as a CCAR-certified Recovery Professional. He’s also the founder of Life Unadulterated, a platform helping gay men use sobriety as leverage to build meaningful, fulfilling lives.

In this episode, we explore how identity, shame, and addiction can become deeply intertwined — especially within queer communities. Cole opens up about childhood bullying, body image, chem sex, and the role substances played in allowing him to feel temporarily safe in his own skin.

Rather than focusing on abstinence alone, this conversation centers on life design: how recovery becomes sustainable when you stop trying to escape your life and start intentionally creating one you actually want to stay present for.