Friend Request
Justin Lamb has in-depth interviews with interesting people. Friend Request dives deeper than the usual surface banter and tries to create a more meaningful conversation about the individual, tying in commonalities and struggles that are not only extremely relatable, but also fall across the entire spectrum of the human experience.
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170 - Kelley Doyle
04/22/2024
170 - Kelley Doyle
Kelley Doyle is a mother, wine connoisseur, and Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) survivor. She discusses growing up as the oldest child and how some of her innsecurities were shaped by her siblings. Kelley also talks about her parents' divorce and how her father's substance use and physical abuse set her up for acting out as she got older. Kelley then discusses getting into substances herself at a young age, and how that and an attempt at running away landed her in boot camp, followed by a cult, disguised as a boarding school. She then talks about becoming a mother, dating, the worst day of her life, and how she has learned forgiveness through all of her experiences. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your cult photos: [email protected]
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169 - Neal Simms
04/08/2024
169 - Neal Simms
Neal Simms is a plant worker, guitarist, musician, songwriter, and all around cool dude. He discusses being born to a couple that was trying to make their way in life, both in college as he was growing up. Neal also talks about moving around a lot as a kid and how the combination of that disruption and his own mental illness culminated in him being locked up as a preteen. He also discusses moving to Michigan and how patterns quickly continued until he had dropped out of school and began living the life of a transient. Neal then discusses how bands saved his life and kept him from being homeless, and also how he met his first long term relationship and how the desire to be good enough for her temporarily took over the power his poor mental health had on him. He then discusses making significant occupational changes and finally a decision to quit inviting in something that always ends badly. Follow us on socials @FriendRequestPod Email us your favorte Detroit bands: [email protected]
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168 - Eric Johnson
04/01/2024
168 - Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson is a pastor, author, father, husband, and trivia host. He discusses the good and bad of being an only child and growing up in northern Ohio. Eric also talks about the role church and religion played in his life as a child and how his involvement with Nintendo won him a youth group award. He also discusses his relationship with Young Life and how a former romantic interest told him he would be a pastor one day. Eric then talks about his parents divorce when he was 23 and all of the jobs he bounced around in before finding his calling, having two daughters, and settling down as a pastor in Lake Orion, Michigan. Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Email us your Enterprise Rent-a-Car bill summaries! [email protected]
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167 - Jacob Roderick
03/25/2024
167 - Jacob Roderick
Jacob Roderick is a former marine, father of twins, and hopeful comedy writer. He discusses growing up with divorced parents and what it was like to have his father take off. Jacob also talks about his sibling order and how his relationships have grown or changed with his siblings as he's grown up. He then discusses his decision to join the Marines and how he fit in marriage and classes while enlisted, getting out just soon enough to have his twin daughters be born. Jacob also talks about his struggle with alcohol and how it has played a role in his relationships. Finally, he discusses losing his mom last year and, in the same year, having his sister end up in the ICU for an extended period of time, and how therapy has helped him cope with the anxiety that accompanied the entire load. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your mom pics! [email protected]
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166 - Katie Mills
03/18/2024
166 - Katie Mills
Katie Mills is a swimmer, psychology enthusiast, and professional counselor. She discusses growing up in a small town in the upper peninsula of Michigan, including the large percentage of native people she had the prvilige of growing up with and learning from. Katie also discusses her early interest in psychology and how that took her through two master's degrees and landed her in her current role as a therapist. She also talks about being a self-described awkward kid and how she didn't start dating until later in college, eventually finding her current relationship right under her nose. Katie then touches on her bouts with depression and how she found purpose in environmentalism. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your environmental tips: [email protected]
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165 - Evan O'Hara
03/11/2024
165 - Evan O'Hara
Evan O'Hara is a teacher, former marketing man, and future therapist. He discusses growing up the youngest of three to a polar opposite set of parents: a surgeon and an artist. Evan also discusses his love for anime and manga in school and how he had to tamper that in order to meet his defintion of cool. He also connects that defintion of cool with the path of inspiration he has followed his whole life, using direction, but following his interests as they come. Evan then talks about how he ddecided to begin a master's program in one field shortly after finsihing his previous master's program in another field, as well as how he saw growth in chasing drones in Ireland and working on insights at a marijuana company. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your Ireland pics! [email protected]
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164 - Rudy Kellersohn
03/04/2024
164 - Rudy Kellersohn
Rudy Kellersohn is a teacher, father, husband, and gratitude enthusiast. He discusses the immigrant history of hs grandfather, growing up with divorced parents, and how he related to each of his step parents. Rudy also talks about the role of identity in his childhood and how that was affected by masculinity norms and bullying, as well as self esteem issues. He also discusses the ole sports played in his life and how important they became in his highs and lows in school. Rudy then talks about body issues, getting married and divorced, losing his father to a brain tumor, and working in a juvenile jail. He then discusses meeting his wife after a DUI and how excited he is about being a father. The enthusiasm for life is alive and well in Rudy! Enjoy! Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your Lions fan art [email protected]
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163 - Margaux Forster
02/26/2024
163 - Margaux Forster
Margaux Forster is a yoga teacher, mental health advocate, and future therapist. She discusses growing up as the child of an immigrant parent and the cultural differences that brought with it. Margaux also talks about struggling with control and perfectionism and how that manifested in her younger life. She then discusses struggling with an eating disorder and the genrational and cultural aspects of that. Margaux talks about finding her dream job in California, only to have COVID move her back to Michigan, where she found her true calling as a therapist. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your French recipes: [email protected]
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162 - Courtney Davis
02/19/2024
162 - Courtney Davis
Courtney Davis is a career counselor, graduate student, and future therapist. She discusses growing up in the suburbs of Chicago before moving to the Northeast. Courtney also discusses how she viewed her older sister and the effect that had on her mental health and eating habits. She then discusses having major back surgery as a teen and how that culminated in one of the worst freshman year experiences of high school. Courtney then talks about going to college and meeting her fiancee, including how they're relationship has evolved due to the values she saw demonstrated in her own home growing up. Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Send me your cult recommendations: [email protected]
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161 - Ryann Swann
02/12/2024
161 - Ryann Swann
Ryann Swann is a graduate student, future counselor, and former soccer star. She discusses growing up as a shy kid and how she took to playing in the woods when others were staying inside. Ryann also talks about playing soccer for her entire life until grad school and how she shows up very differently on a team than she does in a social group. She then talks about going away to college and how she found herself in a toxic and controlling relationship. Ryann then talks about meeting her fiancee and how he proposed in one of the most public places possible. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email us your top soccer pics from Brighton: [email protected]
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160 - Jacob Bellamy
02/05/2024
160 - Jacob Bellamy
Jacob Bellamy is a mental healthcare worker, professional cheesecake maker, and future therapist. He discusses growing up as the quiet kid and struggling to build a social circle. Jacob also talks about self-awareness and how he decided he had enough and sought out help. He the ndiscusses the ins and outs of how he ended up slinging cheesecakes on the side and why baking and cooking is a form of self-care and creativity. Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email your cheesecakes: [email protected]
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159 - Shay Liogghio
01/29/2024
159 - Shay Liogghio
Shay Liogghio is an amateur baker, graduate student, and future therapist. She discusses growing up in a small town and navigating the different friend groups there. Shay also talks about studying psychology in college and the impact moving out had on her relationship with her family. She talks about more family dynamics and and how relationships within that structure evolve as you become an adult. Shay also discusses her meet cute with her husband and the journey they have been on together. Finally, Shay and Justin discuss friendship and the feeling of sometimes being outside looking in. Follow us on socials, unless you're abstaining for a class: @FriendRequestPod Email me your favorite bands [email protected]
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158 - Ashley Brummett
01/22/2024
158 - Ashley Brummett
Ashley Brummet is a future sex therapist and advocate for women's sexual health. She discusses growing up with a unique family dynamic, including meeting her half sister when she was seven years old. Ashley also talks about her relationship with her parents and how it's evolved since her father got sober. She then discusses going through her first marriage with an unexplained vulva pain and how getting a diagnosis and going through therapy pushed her to a divorce and advocacy as a career. Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Email your boats! [email protected]
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157 - Ananya Majumder
01/15/2024
157 - Ananya Majumder
Ananya Majumder is a former teacher and current counseling student. She discusses her life growing up in India, as well as a small stint in Hong Kong and Austrailia. Ananya also talks about how she got into and, more importantly, out of an emotionally abusive relationship and how she turned that into an opportunity for personal growth. She also talks about her passion for helping and how her experience as a teacher opened her up to realize fher dream of becoming a counselor for kiddos. Finally, Ananya and Justin talk about making friends at this stage in your life and what this experience has been like for each of them. This Episode is brought to you in part by Bravus Brewing. Looking to participate in Dry January? Head over to and use code FRIENDREQUEST so save 10% off your order of some of the best NA beers and hop waters out there. Need a buddy? So do we! Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email me your dirty laundry [email protected]
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156 - Rebecca Rush
01/08/2024
156 - Rebecca Rush
Rebecca Rush is a writer, editor, and autism advocate. She discusses her diagnosis on the autism spectrum , as well as her relapse and what she learned from it. Rebecca also talks about the comfort of a familiar TV show and how she learned how to act as a woman from Sex and the City. She also talks about her new writing project, Sobriety on the Spectrum, and Rebecca and justin discuss the percieved hostility of their previous recording. Dry January is upon us! If you want a great tasting NA beer in all of your favorite styles, head over to and use code FRIENDREQUEST for 10% off your order! Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email me your funniest newspaper story: [email protected]
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155 - Cody Senkyr
01/01/2024
155 - Cody Senkyr
Dr. Cody Senkyr is a chiropractor and health enthusiast. He discusses growing up in a high achieving household and how his hobbies and extracurriculars kept him busy and involved. Cody also discusses how team sports were different for him because of the lack of individual recognition and accomplishment. Finally, he talks about his recent interest in weight gain and obesity and what he is doing to combat that in his community. This episode is brought to you in part by Bravus Brewing! Non-alcoholic beer with great flavor to help you get through Dry January. Use code FRIENDREQUEST at to save 10% on your Dry January order. Follow us on socials @FriendRequestPod Email us questions [email protected]
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Happy Holidays & 2023 in Review
12/25/2023
Happy Holidays & 2023 in Review
This final episode of the year features Justin Lamb going through the goals and resolutions he set last year, finding gratitude for those he accomplished and forgiveness for those he did not. What are you grateful for from this year? What are you looking forward to in the next? Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email me your questions! [email protected]
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154 - Emily Kaniarz Taylor
12/18/2023
154 - Emily Kaniarz Taylor
Emily Kaniarz Taylor is a returning guest from episode 052. Find out what she's been up to since we last recorded in the first season! Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Email me, for the love of God! [email protected]
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153 - Philip Brandes
12/11/2023
153 - Philip Brandes
Philip Brandes is the founder of Bravus Brewing and a former computer programmer. He discusses how he got into the non-alcoholic beer space, as well as the how his brewing method is different than his competitors. Philip also discusses the logisitcs of the supply chain and why the NA beers had to stop calling themselves by their names, like dark instead of stout. He also talks about the latest barrel-aged release, Gravitas, and where he sees Bravus in relation to the sober community. <p> Taste it for yourself! Head over to and use code FRIENDREQUEST at checkout to save 10% on your order! <p> Follow us on socials and email us your questions! @FriendRequestPod [email protected]
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152 - Amy Liz Harrison
12/04/2023
152 - Amy Liz Harrison
Amy Liz Harrison is an author of two books, mother of eight children, and inspiration to sober folks everywhere. She discusses growing up in a highly religious household and how some of those rules and restrictions led to her undoing later in life. Amy also talks about the "mommy wine" culture and how easy it can be to fall into a bad habit. She then discusses getting sober after raising four kids only to have four more kids as a sober mom and the difficult conversations that came with an apology to the first four. Amy also discusses her two books, Eternally Expecting and Eternally Awkward, the latter of which addresses her late in life diagnosis of ADHD. You can find out more about Amy and hear her podcast, too, at <p> Follow us on socials: @FriendRequestPod Send me your Christmas list! [email protected]
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151 - Tawny Lara
11/27/2023
151 - Tawny Lara
Tawny Lara is a sober bisexual writer and author of the book Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze. She discusses growing up with separated parents and living back and forth between Texas and California. Tawny also talks about using drugs to self-medicate and the years she spent working in the toxicity of the restaurant industry. She then discusses how she took 10 years to complete a bachelor's degree and ended up very thankful for the insight she was able to gain from that prolonged decision. Tawny then talks about the intricacies of writing and publishing a book, as well as her upcoming book tour. <p> This episode is sponsored by Bravus Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer! Head over to and use code FRIENDREQUEST at checkout to save 10% on your next order! <p> Follow on socials: @FriendRequestPod Email your pics: [email protected]
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150 - Sav Buist (The Accidentals)
11/20/2023
150 - Sav Buist (The Accidentals)
Sav Buist is a songwriter, singer, and musician, as well as a college student and bird enthusiast. She is one of the founding members of The Accidentals and is currently working on a solo album, amongst a million other things. Sav discusses growing up in a home where her parents fostered multiple children and the effect that had on her outlook and crativity. She also discusses how sacred songwriting is and why she prefers to keep her cards close to her chest when it comes to sharing what a song is about. Sav then talks about the effect COVID had on her band, The Accidentals, and whattruths they were forced to face when they suddenly stopped touring over 250 days a year. Find out more about the Accidentals & Sav at <p> Socials: @FriendRequestPod Email: [email protected]
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149 - Etienne Asher
11/13/2023
149 - Etienne Asher
Etienne Asher is the owner and founder of Lumanai, an herbal supplement kava beverage. He discusses his relationship with alcohol and how kava helped him to get sober. He also talks about the decision to rebrand his company a year after it launched, as well as his reasoning for rebranding himself. 'Ash' then discusses the way his drinks, and specifically traditional kava, helps people with their anxiety and overall mood. Etienne Asher, or Ash, first appeared on Friend Request in Episode 020 (2019) as Chad Nini. If you want to try kava or have any questions, head over to <p> Socials: @FriendRequestPod Email: [email protected]
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I Am Not Who I Used To Be
11/06/2023
I Am Not Who I Used To Be
This week, we're taking an unexpected break from interviews to discuss life. Not just life, your life. Who are you? What makes you who you are and how are you possibly using protective behaviors that are no longer neccesary. Let go of your umbrella and come listen to Justin talk about how he has changed and found the joy of not being who he used to be. <p> Send feedback, questions, and comments to [email protected]
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148 - Analisa Six
10/30/2023
148 - Analisa Six
Analisa Six is a songwriter, musician, astrology enthusiast, and an all around badass chick. She discusses growing up with two young parents and a series of mixed families, as well as how her parents stepped in to educate her about music when she began listening to pop punk at a young age. Analisa also talks about joining a band as a teen and what comes along with the success of being a young female musician. She also talks about how her decision to get sober was directly related to her love of music. Analisa then discusses how she got into astrology and what it was like to find the creator of her first deck of tarot cards decades after they were given to her by her mother. <p> Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Email me pictures of dinosaurs! [email protected]
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147 - Danielle Blanchard
10/23/2023
147 - Danielle Blanchard
Danielle Blanchard is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, and teacher. She discusses how she got into music, including the summer she followed Styx around. Danielle also iscusses how the industry has changed over the years and what it means to put out an album now versus then. She also talks about her career in the world of commercial jingles and how she fit that into her life while working as a full time junior high school teacher. Finally, Danielle talks about her brand new album and the first album she has released of her own music. Check it out now at <p> Follow us on Socials: @FriendRequestPod Write us dirty love letters: [email protected]
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146 - Antonio Morell Returns
10/16/2023
146 - Antonio Morell Returns
Antonio joins us once again after four years to catch us up on what's been going on. He discusses his car accident that landed him in the hospital for a total of 78 nights, and how he dealt with that isolation and inability to take care of himself. Antonio also talks about how he processed through the harder parts of the last two years and came to terms with suffering brain damage. He also discusses his creative outlets and how they have changed and shifted since the accident. <p> Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Email us your story! Be a guest on the show! Tell us which version of Total Recall you like more! [email protected]
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145 - Mariah Goodell
10/09/2023
145 - Mariah Goodell
Mariah Goodell is a lover of animals, books, and people. She discusses growing up in Florida and finding herself leaning into her imagination longer than some, as a child. Mariah also talks about going to college, falling in love with her best friend, and moving across the country to Park City, Utah. She then discusses how she got into high-end hospitality and met her husband working on the ski slopes. Mariah also tells us what it was like to move to a brand new place with her husband and how her social netowrks show up in her life. <p> Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Send us money on Patreon! at
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144 - Laurel Day
10/02/2023
144 - Laurel Day
Laurel Day is an entrepreneur, business owner, mother, and former cop. She discusses growing up in a small town in western Michigan and going to college nearby, as well. Laurel also talks about how her waning desire to become an attorney shifted into her becoming a police officer, which brought her to a rough area of North Carolina. She also discusses losing interest and gaining anxiety in that field and how the next career shift pushed her to launch her own business, Do Something Lady. Laurel also discusses her history with alcohol and the events and decisions that led to her getting sober adn how she decided to share that with the community she built. Find more about Lurel and Do Something Lady at or on her Instagram page @DoSomethingLady <p> Follow us on socials! @FriendRequestPod Email us at <p> This episode is brought to you by Bravus Brewing! For all of your non-alcoholic beverage needs, check out Bravus Brewing at and save 10% by using code FRIENDREQUEST at check out!
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143 - Ben Goodvich
09/25/2023
143 - Ben Goodvich
Ben Goodvich is a woodworker, an uncle, and an expert at hospitality. He discusses some of the intricacies of trying to find a career after playing hockey his whole life and why he chose to get into hospitality. Then Ben discusses getting stuck during COVID and finding an outlet in woodworking. He then talks about how his career plans have shifted into tour mangement for country bands and embracing life as much as he can in Nashville, Tennesee. Follow Ben on socials @BenGoodvich <p> Follow us @FriendRequestPod <p> Give me your money for nearly nothing in return at http://www.patreon.com/friendrequestpod/
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