Jim Ward: Sparta, Therapy and Survival

Erin Tate is the former drummer for Minus the Bear. For 14 years, Erin played, wrote, and created with Minus the Bear, but after alcohol and substance use took over his life, he hit rock bottom. Erin lost everything: his marriage, his kid, and his band. After getting sober through AA, Erin has tried to make amends for the harm he has caused and keep himself accountable.  Erin is now the site manager for a permanent supportive housing non-profit that helps homeless people transition from the street into housing. This is Erin's story as he has lived it. 

In this episode, Jim Ward and I talk about Jim's music career, his non-profit "You Rock," and how anxiety, ADHD, and substance use have all affected his life.  We also go over Jim's views on his own therapy journey, and how careful he is not to talk about mental health as some badge of honor he wears. 

Bailey Pope is a comedian, social media personality, and lover of music. Listen as Bailey talks about growing up Christian, discovering punk, emo, and hardcore, and taking the brave step into living into who she truly is even when it cost her everything. 

Dan Weyandt is the lead singer for the band ZAO. Behind that powerhouse of vocals is a Dad, Husband, Tattoo artist, and someone who suffers with severe anxiety, panic, and OCD. This episode is less about his band ZAO and more about Dan as a person and his struggle with his own mental health.  Through the interview, listen as Dan and I discuss the anxiety that binds us and the ways we deal with it.   

What Safe In Sound is all about. 

Rachael Dietkus is a social worker, designer, and founder of Social Workers Who Design, an organization that helps and teaches designers to create from a trauma-informed lens. Rachael was also a part of the late 90's and early 2000's Midwest emo scene, as part of the skate scene and playing violin in the band Very Secretary with Braid's first drummer, Roy Ewing. Listen as we talk about Rachael's time in the band and her career as a social worker, designer and how she melded the two into something special. 

In this episode, I'm joined by Dan Didier, drummer for the legendary Midwest emo band The Promise Ring. Dan sits down with us for a conversation that’s equal parts funny and refreshingly honest as we dive into drumming, recording, and the creative process behind the kit. We also get into something deeper — how playing drums became an outlet for managing anxiety and stress, and the role music can play in mental health. Dan opens up about his experiences with vulnerability, creativity, and finding balance both on and off stage, including his work with Maritime. It’s a conversation full of laughs, real talk, and plenty of insight for musicians, fans, and anyone who’s ever used music to cope.

Ben Jorgensen is the lead singer and guitar player for Armor For Sleep. Ben and I chronicle his journey through his younger years as he was awakened to the NJ punk scene, his journey in vulnerability in songwriting and overcoming failure. 

In this episode of Safe In Sound, I’m joined by Andy Squyres for a real, honest conversation about faith, identity, and what happens when the Christian story you were handed starts to fall apart. We talk about disrupting the Christian narrative, stepping outside of the “safe” version of belief, and what it means to enter the uncomfortable space—the darkness—without rushing to fix it, explain it away, or slap hope on top of it too soon. This is an episode for anyone who’s felt trapped inside religion, confused by deconstruction, or exhausted by toxic positivity. If you’ve ever wondered “What if I don’t believe the way I used to?” or “Who am I without this framework?”—you’re not alone. Andy brings insight, humor, and depth as we explore what it looks like to rebuild meaning from the ground up, and how stepping into the unknown can sometimes be the most honest form of faith there is. 🎧 Press play for a conversation that’s raw, thoughtful, and deeply human.

Knox Burnett is a friend and colleague practicing trauma therapy out of Seattle, Washington. In this episode, Knox and I talk about how music and therapy correlate to provide healing in one's own life.