Samson Society

12/22/2025

As men, many of us were taught to keep things to ourselves—to stay strong, stay silent, and handle life alone. But that silence has a cost. It leaves us isolated, overwhelmed, and carrying burdens we were never meant to shoulder in solitude.

At Samson Society, we believe something deeply countercultural yet undeniably true: we heal in the presence of other men who listen without judgment, speak with honesty, and walk with us as brothers.

As this new year approaches, you don’t need another resolution to “try harder” or “fix yourself.” You need a place where you can speak freely. A place where you can show up as you are. A place where you can be fully known and fully accepted.

That’s what Samson Society offers.

If you want next year to look different, start by doing something different:
Let yourself be known.
Say out loud what you’ve been carrying.
Choose community over isolation.
Choose brotherhood over hiding.

This year, you don’t have to walk alone.
We’re here—and there’s a seat for you.

Learn more at www.samsonsociety.com

12/21/2025

Today is the Winter Solstice, the threshold of the longest night of the year—a time when the darkness feels most profound, yet the promise of light quietly begins to emerge. This turning point in the year carries profound symbolism for our journeys of recovery and healing.

In recovery, much like in the solstice, we confront our darkest seasons—moments when despair, shame, or fear may feel overwhelming. These nights can seem endless, and the weight of our struggles can tempt us to believe the light will never return. But the solstice reminds us that even in the deepest darkness, a shift is taking place. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the days begin to lengthen, and the light finds its way back.

The journey of healing often mirrors this cycle. It is in the willingness to sit in the darkness, to face the truth of our pain and surrender it, that we create space for hope and restoration. Like the earth tilting toward the sun, our hearts begin to tilt toward renewal. One day at a time, one step at a time, we move closer to the light, carried by the strength of our brothers and the grace of our Higher Power.

As we mark this sacred season, let’s pause to honor the process—the dark nights that have shaped us, the first flickers of hope that keep us moving forward, and the growing light that reminds us we are never beyond redemption. Recovery is not about erasing the darkness but learning to let it transform us into men of integrity, courage, and love.

May this Winter Solstice be a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come and to recommit to the light ahead. Together, we walk the road of healing—stronger in fellowship, united in faith.

Wishing you peace and hope.

12/20/2025

"The shame message is a loud one, after all. Parts of us shout, 'You're not enough - thin enough, smart enough, spiritual enough, disciplined enough.' Maybe this shame voice is even telling you that you don't do Lent well enough. The inner voice of shame can be relentless. It's a primary tool Evil uses to erode loving intimacy with God...
In a season when our spiritual focus can become behavioral and our sense of growth tied to successful fasting from chocolate or Facebook, I'd like to suggest a different practice. What if instead of seeing your 'sinful behavior' as the big problem, you shifted your focus to your original goodness? What if instead of imagining God's disappointment in your lack of discipline you imagined God smiling at his very image in you?..
You see, too often we play the game of mistaken identity. You woke up one day believing that you were a lowly pauper, and many voices within your life conspired to convince you of its truth. Even some spiritual guides along the way participated in this dark conspiracy. They've become convinced that what defines us is the trinity of bentness, badness, and brokenness.

But the Trinity who created you for beauty, goodness, and dignity knows better. The Father designed you, down to that oddly placed freckle. The Son came to remind you of who you are, becoming a pauper to rescue you from indignity and despair. The Spirit was sent to be your deepest voice, your inner Counselor, whispering Beauty and Dignity over your soul day and night.

Together, they long to be your homing beacon, ushering you back to your original design, reminding you of your God-imaged goodness."

- Chuck DeGroat, Falling Into Goodness

12/19/2025

In this deeply moving episode of the Positive Sobriety Podcast, Nate Larkin and David Hampton welcome Dr. Lipi Roy, an internal medicine and addiction medicine physician and national voice for compassionate, evidence-based addiction care. The episode opens with a heartfelt remembrance of Nancy Priya...

12/19/2025

In this episode of the Positive Sobriety Podcast, Nate Larkin and David Hampton explore what happens after treatment—and why long-term recovery depends on more than good intentions and a discharge binder. They are joined by Cooper Zelnick, CEO of Groups Recover Together, a national provider of out...

12/19/2025

In this episode of the Positive Sobriety Podcast, Nate Larkin and David Hampton reflect on how grief, health challenges, and prolonged stress can quietly reopen the door to alcohol. Drawing from their own recent experiences, they explore why alcohol feels regulating in the moment—but ultimately in...

12/18/2025

Dear younger me,

You kept making yourself smaller so others would feel less uncomfortable. You softened your voice, hid your needs, and learned to disappear just enough to stay safe and accepted. That wasn’t weakness—it was wisdom in a world that didn’t always make room for you.

You adapted because you had to. You learned that belonging sometimes felt conditional, and shrinking felt like the cost. I wish you had known that your sensitivity wasn’t a burden, your truth wasn’t too much, and your presence didn’t need to be negotiated.

If I could speak to you now, I’d tell you this: you don’t have to keep disappearing to deserve connection. You are allowed to take up space, to say no, to be seen, and to let others manage their own discomfort.

Thank you for surviving the only way you knew how.
You can rest now. I’ve got you.

12/17/2025

If you’re carrying shame about behaviors you promised yourself you’d stop, pause here for a moment.

You didn’t choose those patterns because you’re weak or broken. You learned them because, at some point, they helped you survive pain, fear, or loneliness. Self-hatred might feel like motivation, but it actually keeps those behaviors stuck in place.

Change doesn’t begin with punishment. It begins with curiosity.

Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” try asking, “What was I needing when this started?” Behaviors soften when the underlying need is finally seen and met with compassion. Awareness builds choice. Choice builds change.

You can learn new ways to cope without erasing your past or shaming your nervous system. Progress may look like fewer episodes, quicker recovery, reaching for support sooner, or simply noticing the urge without acting on it. Those are not small wins—they are real healing.

You are not your worst moments.
You are not beyond repair.
And you don’t have to hate yourself into becoming someone healthier.

Change is possible, especially when it’s rooted in kindness rather than contempt.

12/10/2025

12/09/2025

It may be scary to face it, but we are often the person standing between ourselves and what we want.

Standing in the truth of who we are - who God says we truly are - and how that Imago Dei grafted within our DNA by the hands of God Himself has been shattered or tainted by stories of harm from our past without running away may cause short-term pain. But doing so puts ourselves in a position to find the answer(s) we are looking for.