Dr. Blair Steel's Journey: From Psychology to Substance Abuse Therapy

Rich Bennett 0:00
Thanks for joining the conversation, where we explore the stories and experiences that shape our world. I'm your host, Rich Bennett. And today we are joined by Dr. Blair Steele, an esteemed psychologist and a profound dedicate with a profound dedication to understanding and treating substance abuse. Dr. Steele brings a rich background in psychology and philosophy from Manhattan College and has advanced her expertise with a master's in counseling psychology, followed by a doctorate. Her experience spans from internships in notable rehab centers to roles as a primary therapist and program director in a prestigious treatment facilities. Today, she continues to impact the field through her clinical supervision and private practice, contributing to various health platforms and speaking at major wellness events. Did I miss anything? Is there anything you don't do? 

Dr. Blair Steel 0:57
That covers it, I have to say. 

Rich Bennett 1:01
First of all, how are you doing, Dr. Blair? Do you like Dr. Blair? Dr. Steele. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:05
I prefer a doctor Where? It's Doctor Stills. A little firm, you know. 

Rich Bennett 1:10
Well, And when I say Dr. Steele, I'm thinking of a marvel superhero. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:13
Gregory Yeah, I like I like to have a little more warm, you know. 

Rich Bennett 1:20
So I love to ask this question, especially people in different fields when and I'm surprised by the answers. But when you were going to school, high school. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:32
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:33
Is this what you always wanted to do? 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:34
Always. Oh. 

Rich Bennett 1:36
Really? 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:37
I was 12. I've always been so interested in people and truly what shaped it from there was working in. I got my first job as a bus girl in a restaurant when I was 14 and. 

Rich Bennett 1:50
At 14. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:51
Yep. Yep. 

Rich Bennett 1:53
Wow. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:55
I was actually there till I was 18 and bought my first car. I love that place. It was it was phenomenal. Three guys from Italy and Ken was from New Jersey. Shout out to you. And I just think you can sit down and just look at people's family dynamics. And it just interested me. The people crack me up. They were my heart. They intrigued me. And, you know, as much as I even try to do other things, this is just what I love the most. 

Rich Bennett 2:28
So. So after you finish high school, I guess you went to Manhattan College and got your degree. 

Dr. Blair Steel 2:32
I did. I rolled right into the psychology and philosophy and then and truly felt a little 

discouraged upon finishing that and seeing all this schooling I still had to do. 

Rich Bennett 2:47
Oh, I didn't think about. 

Dr. Blair Steel 2:49
Yeah, that's kind of scratching the surface. And there's this backwards thing in the field where the the less experience you have, the more severe the people you work with are. Like, for example, when I first graduated, I was 20 years old and I was working 

at a place that was serving duly diagnosed adults. So imagine, you know, people who are suffering from and that all diagnosis was a developmental disability with substance abuse. So really severe cases, truly. And with a bachelor's, you know, I was motivated to learn more to help people and also felt like, wow, like someone else really needs to be doing this. You know, I'm too young to. 

Rich Bennett 3:42
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 3:42
Variants that have such a responsibility. 

Rich Bennett 3:46
They had to be tough. I mean, I would think something like that. You would have gotten a lot of anxiety in every. 

Dr. Blair Steel 3:52
You know, I, I, I said. And meanwhile, you know, my peers were graduating, getting jobs and able to. 

Rich Bennett 4:00
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:01
You can move out and whatever. I think I was paid at the time. This is 2006, less than $12 an hour to do this work right? So 

Rich Bennett 4:12
Why? 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:13
and I'm leaving out some details. But you know what? Lo and behold, I said, I'm going to I'm going to move to California. And I became a preschool. 

Rich Bennett 4:22
Wow. 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:23
Played in the Rainbows for for a couple of years. 

Rich Bennett 4:27
Wait, wait a minute. Wait. Me. Hold up. Back off. You moved to California, became a preschool teacher. 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:33
It. 

Rich Bennett 4:35
How in the world? 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:36
I know. It was 

Rich Bennett 4:37
Well, 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:38
my. 

Rich Bennett 4:38
I. Psychology in kids. I guess. 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:42
Still being of service. You know, you're still stressed. 

Rich Bennett 4:44
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:45
You still need to be creative and connect with people with where they're at. So. 

Rich Bennett 4:50
Wow. 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:51
There, and it was just a little more lighthearted. I think I needed that then. 

Rich Bennett 4:56
How long did you do that for? 

Dr. Blair Steel 4:58
Let me think about two years. And before you know it, I was I was I found myself really driven to incorporate a child with autism That was in my class. And so I was back at it kind of individualizing treatment plans with which in my mind 

Rich Bennett 5:15
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 5:15
is kind of the name of the game, right? Whether you're at a treatment center or you're in a private practice or whatever you're doing, it's it's really important to look and see who's in front of you and adjust 

Rich Bennett 5:26
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 5:27
accordingly. So as I was working with him, I said, okay, it's time to go to graduate school and really, really give this thing, you know, take it for all it's worth. So that's what I did. 

Rich Bennett 5:40
So now which graduate school would you go to? 

Dr. Blair Steel 5:42
There is a school, but here it was. I don't believe it's still running. Actually, I think it was purchased by the Chicago school, so it was called Art University at the time. They were pumping out empties and MBAs. So I got my master's there and went straight into a doctoral program from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. 

Rich Bennett 6:03
So you're now you're at your preschool and you say you're working with kids on the spectrum, right? 

Dr. Blair Steel 6:08
I just had one student who was on this. 

Rich Bennett 6:11
Just one. Okay, 

then. So you. You finished college? You get back to the field. Right. How is it you came to working with people that, well, will have a substance abuse problem? 

Dr. Blair Steel 6:27
It's my very first internship. It was. 

You know, when you do your hours, you're not getting paid, right? So you are you really. And for. Well, my story, I really had to hustle. So I was still working in restaurants and trying to find ways. And I remember thinking, well, there's no way that Los Angeles that I would be traveling from the west side of Los Angeles all the way to Burbank at. 

Rich Bennett 6:54
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 6:54
Whatever. So I felt there was this phenomenal treatment center called Beit Shuba that was about three miles from my apartment. And I said, That's where I want to do do my hours. I had an interest in substance abuse. But to be completely honest, I was really interested in the convenience and location of that place. 

And rumor had it that they had these incredible team meetings where they made fresh baked cookies and I was sold. 

Rich Bennett 7:35
I take it you're still there because of the cookies? No, you're not. 

Oh, God. 

Dr. Blair Steel 7:42
That's what got me there. It really did. But let me tell you, I fought tooth and nail to get in there when I had gotten. 

Rich Bennett 7:49
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 7:50
They were full and I just would not take no for an answer. So I just kept showing up and kept showing up. And finally, the clinical director is like, okay, fine. You know, like, you could do your hours here. And I'm so glad I did. You know why I'm still in touch with her to this day? I made some very special relationships there, one of whom is my husband. I met him there. So. 

Rich Bennett 8:15
Really? 

Dr. Blair Steel 8:16
Gravitated towards that place and how many years later now I'd have to think. Close to 13. 14 years later, I still am in touch with. 

Rich Bennett 8:26
Wow. 

Dr. Blair Steel 8:27
There. And it really launched. It really launched me as a person, as a person, a psychologist, as a professional. 

Rich Bennett 8:38
So very important question Are you still in touch with the women that made the cookies? 

Dr. Blair Steel 8:43
You know, I don't even know who did it. They just can't. 

Rich Bennett 8:46
It was probably your husband. He just didn't want to tell you that. 

Well. Oh, she's Just marry me for my cookie. I'll have to bake them all this time. 

Oh, God. So I just I'm sure I can picture that with You said that all I can picture, especially since you kept going back, trying to get in, trying to get in all these I can pictures. You going in there? Just. 

Dr. Blair Steel 9:16
Now better. 

Rich Bennett 9:17
They finally said. Coming in for the cookie pie her. 

Oh, God. 

Now working up a sweat from laughing to. 

Okay. So when you were there, you were working with, well, probably a little bit of everything, right? 

Dr. Blair Steel 9:40
Little bit of everything. Yeah, but it really clicked. Something really 

Rich Bennett 9:44
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 9:45
clicked for me. 

You know, I and I said this before, and I don't love repeating myself, but this is really the truth. Everyone that I met there, I saw like these just incredible people. 

Rich Bennett 10:01
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 10:02
I really did. I didn't have the judgment that I think standard society had. I feel like we've come so far, even in the years that I've been doing this, we've really come such a long way with stigma and we're talking about it so, so much more. Like, even for example, I noticed when I first started working and I would meet with someone and inquire like, Who knows that you're here? Like, maybe it would be a spouse or a parent, but very rarely was it like, Oh, and my co-workers and my friends at the gym and you know, everyone. And nowadays it's more common than not that when people enter treatment, there is no and they haven't told. And I think that's very cool. 

Rich Bennett 10:49
Yeah. The one thing I've noticed, especially since I started doing this, is and I don't want to say, is because of podcasts, but I do believe podcasts have made it their. To where more people are talking about it. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 11:09
Not just and not just people like yourself, like, you know, doctors and everything, but even people that have gone through it that are in recovery. They're telling their story. And when they do, it's making a difference. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:24
It really is. And the fact that it's like we're normalizing vulnerability 

Rich Bennett 11:29
Mm hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:30
and honesty is so righteous. 

Rich Bennett 11:35
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:35
It's incredible. 

Rich Bennett 11:36
Yep. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:37
I'm so grateful that my kids will have that as a norm. I mean, I feel like. So I'm 30. I just turned 39. I feel like I'm on that cusp of like the hush hush culture and 

Rich Bennett 11:50
Mm 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:50
the 

Rich Bennett 11:50
hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:51
like, you know, coming out and and being who you are and the authenticity there. 

Rich Bennett 11:56
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 11:56
Like, I kind of have, I'm like, right on that edge. And I'm just I'm loving that. It is widely accepted to to not just be imperfect, as we all know that we are and we've always known. But to talk about it and it's something 

Rich Bennett 12:12
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 12:13
that you feel like you're going to be judged or or lose your job over. I mean, to think like, you know, I think Ellen who who came out right and like got fired because of that, that wasn't that long ago. That wouldn't happen today. 

Rich Bennett 12:28
Now. Now. 

Dr. Blair Steel 12:29
I'm all for it. 

Rich Bennett 12:32
One of the things that I've always I've always told my kids this. I don't care how bad somebody is or problems are going through. There's something good about everybody. And now, unfortunately, yes, there are people that are going through problems and they don't believe that there's anything good about themselves. But when they talk to somebody, especially like yourself, they realize after a while, you know what, there is there is a lot of good about me. 

Dr. Blair Steel 13:03
I. 

Rich Bennett 13:04
And above all else. Hmm. I had I was talking to somebody a while ago, and this has brought tears to my eye when they told me their story and they said because of the support group that they were in, she learned to love herself again. 

Dr. Blair Steel 13:24
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 13:26
And I think that's something that's missing. A lot of people don't they don't love themselves. They don't even respect themselves. And I think that's missing in the world. 

Dr. Blair Steel 13:34
You know, shame does not motivate change. 

Rich Bennett 13:38
Mm hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 13:38
Doesn't guilt can you know, guilt can be adaptive. 

Rich Bennett 13:44
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 13:45
Right. You know, if you're if you're behaving in a way and you're like, you know, this really isn't aligned with who I want to be, and I feel a little guilty for the things that I've done that could be that can be productive. Shame, however, is like it's paralyzing. 

Rich Bennett 14:02
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 14:03
So if you're in. 

Rich Bennett 14:04
Yeah, you're right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 14:05
Then you don't even want to. You don't think you're worth even seeing the therapist or or reaching out to the friend. And that's, you know, that can be a real slippery slope. 

Rich Bennett 14:17
With being a therapist. I she. Let me ask you this. Or when did you start your own practice? 

Dr. Blair Steel 14:24
Let's see. You know, I keep my practice small. I'll be honest with you, because I. I had my first daughter six years ago, so I had her. And then it was COVID and then another baby. I've been pretty isolated. 

Rich Bennett 14:40
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 14:40
Even currently, I have about four patients. So my prayers. 

Rich Bennett 14:44
But you know what? To me, in all honesty, that's good, because then you can you can show more focus to them. 

Dr. Blair Steel 14:51
Yes. Yes. Yeah, exactly. And I and I really like being a part of a team and going to CORERA, which is a letter that I'm working with as I work with another one as well called Page Wellness. So to answer your question, you know, I'm trying to think exactly when it began, because I was working privately under a supervisor. For me, I would say do that. To answer your question, 2018 was when I was licensed 

Rich Bennett 15:19
Okay. 

Dr. Blair Steel 15:19
and I was ready to to do my own thing. 

Rich Bennett 15:23
Okay. So with the I don't know if you can share this or not, but I just love hearing the feel good story. 

I mean, 

I keep I keep going back to the preschool thing and just that one kid which helped you decide to get back into it. But is there a moment that really just sticks out to you that really makes you proud of doing what you're doing? 

Dr. Blair Steel 15:56
There's so many. 

Rich Bennett 15:59
Which is a good thing. 

Dr. Blair Steel 16:00
There are. There are. It's, you know, it's it's the person I'm working with, but it's also 

Rich Bennett 16:05
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 16:07
the family. 

When you have us a parent, say, oh my God, or spouse or even a child say like, I missed my parents. 

Rich Bennett 16:23
Sure. Yeah. 

Yeah. With what you do, you have to have a I don't want to say a thick skin. 

It's. 

I don't know if I'd be able to do it at all, honestly, because 

you hear you're hearing the stories, you're hearing everybody's problems. I just. I know when I talk to people all the time that are in recovery, and then when they tell me their stories, I start crying. 

Dr. Blair Steel 16:55
Yeah. And then. 

Rich Bennett 16:56
How in the hell do you know how to turn it off? 

Dr. Blair Steel 16:59
That's okay. I mean, who said you have to? There have been times when I've choked up, and I think that's a. 

Rich Bennett 17:06
Right? 

Dr. Blair Steel 17:06
Men, you know, 

Rich Bennett 17:08
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 17:10
because this is some real shit. This is real. 

Rich Bennett 17:13
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 17:13
This is real life. So it's pretty old school. You know, I think it was back in the day that it was like, you know, in the Freudian years where the therapist is the kind of the clean slate. Right. And you had like, the. Well, one and the other one or there was this this gap. 

Rich Bennett 17:28
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 17:30
The provider, I think, nowadays. Granted, you don't want to be fallen apart, but it's okay. It's okay 

Rich Bennett 17:37
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 17:38
to show your humanity. In fact, when people see that they've touched you, maybe that's where they remind themselves that they're that they actually do have an impact on the people around them. And they're not invisible. 

Rich Bennett 17:52
Mhm. 

They've actually. Wow. Yeah. They've helped I guess in a way that a lot of times they help you as well. Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 18:02
Of course. Of course. There's there's a chemistry that's happening in therapy and in group. I love doing groups. And really the best groups like when they use the word facilitator, it truly is that. And I'll start it with like, you know, this this will go as far and as deep as you guys take it. Right. It's kind of here. I'm like tossing a ball around here and there and like, okay, like, how about you catch this one? But for the most part, the work the real work is being done between the individuals who are there and themselves. And you can really see magic happen, just like you were saying earlier when when someone can look at another person who's just for their heart out, you know, the good, the bad and the ugly and everything that comes with it. And they can see the good in them. They start to build that self-love and self-compassion. Which is essential. For the motivation of change and behavior and to get back on the saddle and to do the things and the work that's necessary to get back right in living the life that they intended to lead. 

What brings you to this field, Richard? Can I ask you? 

Rich Bennett 19:23
What podcast? 

Dr. Blair Steel 19:24
Well is substance use Is this dear to your heart? 

Rich Bennett 19:28
It's all right. So when he came, I had no idea that I would ever be talking about addiction or mental health on my podcast. When I started the podcast in 2015, the original plan was to talk to people that lived where I lived, mainly business owners, but I also wanted to talk to 

people to hear their stories. Because the first episode, which was on YouTube when I brought the camera, I had three breast cancer survivors on. I just wanted to hear their stories. But when I started and I got the thing, Wendy, one of my co-hosts who started a non-profit called Rage Against Addictions because of her and the Harvard Kennedy Health Department that I started talking more about addiction and recovery and mental health 

and it just 

you when you start talking about it and then you realize, you know, somebody if you're not going through it yourself, you know, somebody that has. Now, granted, yeah, I did stupid stuff when I was younger, you know, But I never went in for recovery or to or anything like that. I just learned. I know I need to stop. And I did, you know, the drugs and everything is like, Nope, that's it, I'm done. Nowadays, I don't know, because of the different drugs out there. 

Dr. Blair Steel 21:04
Gary. 

Rich Bennett 21:05
Yeah. Yeah, But I mean, I've lost friends and relatives to substance abuse as far as the mental health part, I went through, you know, I went through I You never get rid of it. At least that's what I because I've had anxiety and depression and was suicidal. 

And I've had friends that even recently that have killed themselves. And I 

that made me feel bad because with what I talk about all the time on the podcast, I think about all I could think of was why didn't they contact me and talk to me? Yeah, maybe because even though I'm not a therapist, you know this. If somebody talks about it, it helps. 

Dr. Blair Steel 21:55
Right. And you clearly hold a lot of space for people to. 

Rich Bennett 21:59
Yeah. And it just 

I just it amazes me how many people are going through this. But what amazes me more is the ones that are coming out and talking about it now. And so Wendy and I have talked about this before to, you know, the addiction circle is big. However, the recovery circle is huge and it's like a family. Because they they stick. They're helping each other out. They have your back. When you're an addiction, you really don't. You don't have anybody's back. And that's really got me into it. And I just want to help as many people as I can. If I help one person from here because they heard somebody message on my show, then I know I'm making a difference. 

Dr. Blair Steel 22:56
That's beautiful. Really? 

Rich Bennett 23:00
It just it. I mean, I've cried. I've laughed. 

But 

it's just I'm just glad people are talking about. 

Dr. Blair Steel 23:09
Me, too. It is. It makes shame worse. And that 

Rich Bennett 23:16
Mm hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 23:16
is always a theme with everything. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance. 

Rich Bennett 23:24
Oh. 

Dr. Blair Steel 23:25
The thread. 

Rich Bennett 23:27
Yeah. Yeah. It's funny, because of the PTSD, I started another podcast called Lifetime Shoot, and one of the reasons I started that was I wanted to talk to veterans and active military and first responders that were going through that, but it was hard to get any of them to come on. And I figured if they talked to another veteran, they'd be comfortable. But now a lot of them 

Dr. Blair Steel 23:55
Real. 

Rich Bennett 23:55
are. 

Dr. Blair Steel 23:56
And if you think like these masculine men, like let's assume the majority were men. I know a lot of. Wow. Which is awesome. But the message of of of being emotionally vulnerable is really not there. And we're getting better at it, but it like it locks people up. So the programming that we're given as children and and even the I'd imagine the military is is. Tough guy mentality. Right. And. 

Rich Bennett 24:31
Well, it's changed. Yeah, the military has changed big time. But when I was in, you didn't talk about it if you had problems. And it keep in mind, too. Actually, I think PTSD was a thing then. I think they still called it shellshock. 

But no, if you had any male mental health problems, you did not talk about that at all. 

Dr. Blair Steel 24:55
And they really are wrong. And, you know, the onset of PTSD takes an average of six months. So they were screening people just upon returning from being deployed or from wherever their active duty was and the symptoms wouldn't even surface in. 

Rich Bennett 25:12
No. 

Dr. Blair Steel 25:12
So then he got all 

Rich Bennett 25:13
No. 

Dr. Blair Steel 25:13
the funky reports like, Oh, talking to people actually made it worse, which is really a myth. Like, that's a giant 

Rich Bennett 25:22
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 25:22
fail There. I guess if you actually know about the syndrome itself, it wouldn't have the onset until after the fact anyway. 

Rich Bennett 25:30
Yeah. And with that with PTSD. The other thing that gets me, I mean, yeah, granted military, a lot of people in the military are going through it, even during peacetime, they still go through it. But another group of people that really, I think, need a lot of help when it comes to PTSD and 

unfortunately, I believe a lot of them are ignored. Is your first responders, your police and your firefighters and your EMT? I think they have it. They see it more and more than when you're in the military. Did you think about it? Those images just there burning your head a lot of times. It's I don't think you ever get rid of the images. You know, but you need to talk about you need to. 

Because if you keep it bottled up, you're just going to make things worse for yourself. 

Dr. Blair Steel 26:28
True. It's true. We have these internal battles, you know, and we think time will heal. And it could, but not necessarily right. 

Rich Bennett 26:39
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 26:40
We fight it, we resist it. We we have like, I'll ignore it, it'll go away. And I really wish it were that simple. 

Rich Bennett 26:48
So I have to ask you this, since you turned it around and asked me a question. 

Dr. Blair Steel 26:53
That's. 

Rich Bennett 26:54
Actually is a two part quest. 

Dr. Blair Steel 26:56
To. 

Rich Bennett 26:57
Number one. When's the book coming out? 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:00
Oh, good question. 

Rich Bennett 27:04
Are you actually working on a book? 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:05
I'm not. You know, I. 

Rich Bennett 27:08
I'm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:08
Like I have these ideas swirling around in my brain. That's as far as it's gotten. 

Rich Bennett 27:14
I think you should. 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:15
Yeah, I would love. 

Rich Bennett 27:17
Because you all the people you've helped, you can tell their stories, of course. Like the old Dragnet episode, you're well, you are too young to remember them. But the names have been changed to protect. Innocent or whatever. But to tell the stories and my second part to that question, how come I haven't started a podcast? 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:37
I like being the get. 

Rich Bennett 27:38
I know you got the microphone now. 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:41
I do. Look at how cool it is. 

Rich Bennett 27:44
See that. 

Because think about it. Talking about it helps people. 

Dr. Blair Steel 27:50
Right. 

Rich Bennett 27:51
Yes, Being a guest is good. You're going around the world talking about it. But if you had your own show. You're bringing in people to tell their stories. Imagine the impact that would make you. 

Dr. Blair Steel 28:08
One fine day, one fine day, you know, and some in some fields. Being 39, you're kind of like on the top of the rainbow and you're going, you know, down from there. But not in this field, because this really is a field about, I think, about lifespan and and development. So I'm I'm just getting started, honey. 

Rich Bennett 28:33
Good luck with that. With therapy. 

This is something I never understood. I've talked to different people. Everybody's got different approaches with you. I mean, because you have what? The holistic approach you have medicine in. Yeah. I don't even know what else. Meditation, whatever. For you. What is it that you always recommend? 

Dr. Blair Steel 29:03
It really depends. It depends on so many factors. I can't 

Rich Bennett 29:08
Right? 

Dr. Blair Steel 29:08
stress that enough. And when you have a treatment center like CORERA that is so well staffed. With so many different providers from the body work people to the meditation and the sound people to therapist like myself and psychiatrists and so on. It really depends. And, you know, it's super interesting. Like I have, I just talked to someone over the weekend who said when he first saw therapy, they were giving him a lot of CBT, which is cognitive behavioral therapy. It's very tool based. So you get a lot of great tools. It's basically like, you know, if you if you can reframe your thinking. 

Rich Bennett 29:53
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 29:53
Your behavior will change. Right. So it kind of put you more in control. And at the time, however, I think he needed he just needed some validation. 

Rich Bennett 30:05
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 30:06
So we're kind of in the moment missed what he needed. However, one year later, those tools that he learned, so whatever seeds that were planted are what's helping him today. 

Rich Bennett 30:20
Okay. 

Dr. Blair Steel 30:21
So it depends on the individual. It depends on so many variables. Right. 

Rich Bennett 30:26
Mm hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 30:27
Maybe even things like culture will have a huge variable. Sometimes, you know, certain cultures aren't going to want to dive into the family work that that's like way too much for them and they want to stay in the solution. If that's the case, let's do that. And if and when that that has been it felt it feels satisfied. It feels like this stage of where someone's at is complete. Then perhaps later you go, you take another route. You know, things like meditation and all of that not that long ago. We're like California, Woo woo. And. And now. 

Rich Bennett 31:08
You're right. You're. 

Dr. Blair Steel 31:09
Really when I first started it, like it really it really was. And now that we have like imaging and sound science, you know, like certain field, certain parts of this field really need the data, which I, I'm a nerd. I love data. Like, let me see the data. But still like Nixon. Now that we have that data, they're like, Oh yeah, that stuff actually does work. Mindfulness, 

Rich Bennett 31:31
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 31:32
which is like maybe another word for just saying like, pay attention, right? Like, be present. That stuff really, really does help. Okay, So go ahead. 

Rich Bennett 31:45
No. With what you just said about paying attention, do you find it challenging? I don't know if you've ever, you know, had a patient that has had it. But when you're talking to somebody that has, say, ADHD. 

Dr. Blair Steel 32:01
Hmm. 

Rich Bennett 32:03
I mean, do you do you find it hard to? Because a lot of times, yeah, they're focused on, you know, go somewhere else. 

Dr. Blair Steel 32:11
Sure. Well, what I'm not going to do is is assign books, certain books, to people with A, B, B, Right. I'm not going to talk to them like you have to hear people if they say, I really struggle with this. That's why you can't have like this one side like this kind of like prescription of like, oh, all of this than that. Like, there's so many variations because someone struggles and has A.D.D.. Reading is not going to come easily to them. Podcasts would be a better recommendation if you're trying to fill in some information gaps in between sessions. Right. So podcasts are phenomenal for people who have A.D.D. if you want, because you really there's a lot to learn and a lot to know, and you want to like have things that can keep the thread of the therapy alive in between sessions. Let's say you're meeting with someone weekly. That's fantastic for other, you know, maybe resources only allow someone to meet with you bi weekly, so you want to be able to do things in between to help a person out, to keep kind of a structure alive in between. 

So. So to answer your question, yeah, I mean, you're going to want to keep that in mind. Trauma is another big one. Trauma is the body's response to it. So to talk like you can really I would say the most effective thing you can say to someone who is seeking support and therapy for trauma is, you know, like you can tell me as much or as little as you'd like to about what happened. Is that what we're. Like, it doesn't have to be this talking and this story and the narrative and, you know, and and all of this. It's like, let's let's treat the body. That's where trauma lives. 

Rich Bennett 34:05
Interesting. 

Dr. Blair Steel 34:06
You want to be flexible? 

Rich Bennett 34:08
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 34:09
In fact, I'll go ahead and say it's essential to be flexible. 

Rich Bennett 34:19
Something else you just mentioned there, too. And of all the people I've talked to, I think you're the first one that has mentioned it. You said you assign books. 

Dr. Blair Steel 34:30
Yes, I do. I've had books that have really changed my life. I mean, like some phenomenal reads that have I find 

you know, I think they've like, shifted my way of thinking. So, of course, if if I come across a book like that, I will suggest it. 

Rich Bennett 34:50
Really? 

Dr. Blair Steel 34:51
Definitely. 

Rich Bennett 34:52
And I love I love you. Seriously, because I that's what helped me. Two books that really helped me a lot, But I've never heard any body else in your field that I've talked to mention that they would assign books to their patients. The. 

Dr. Blair Steel 35:08
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 35:10
Or to listen to now. 

Dr. Blair Steel 35:12
Right, right, right. 

Rich Bennett 35:15
That's. I love that. 

Dr. Blair Steel 35:17
Can I ask? 

Rich Bennett 35:19
What's that? 

Dr. Blair Steel 35:20
Two books for you. 

Rich Bennett 35:23
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. That helped out a lot because it was 

it's hard. And that's what you got to train yourself how to align yourself with the law of Attraction. One of the things and it took me a while, I was always watching the news always and could not figure out why I was going. It was like the anxiety was going up well because I was looking at all this negative crap. I don't even know. I don't even watch the news. And. 

Dr. Blair Steel 35:53
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 35:54
The it's just if there is a good news now. 

That be different? And the other one. So when my mother was battling cancer, I. 

I think I saw it mentioned on when Oprah still had her show because she had that book club or whatever. And she was telling this guy's like, hmm, okay, interesting. Well, I didn't get the book. A movie came out. So I watched the movie say, Oh, that was very good. I got to get the book. 

Dr. Blair Steel 36:33
It. 

Rich Bennett 36:34
I got I got the book, and the book made me cry. The movie did it but the book and that was Tuesdays with. 

Dr. Blair Steel 36:40
Whoever. 

Rich Bennett 36:43
Oh, that book just. It helped me. Deal with everything my mother was going through. And then, of course, I let my mother read that book. I passed around. I think I bought three different copies. And I would just pass him to give him the different people. But no, that that that both of those books really changed my life. 

Dr. Blair Steel 37:08
Wonderful. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 37:10
Changed my life. Aligning yourself with Attraction and with two Tuesdays with Morrie. The biggest one of the big things I got out of that book was when Morey Schwartz said, You know, I'm probably going to get the phrase real, but you don't you don't know how to live until you learn how to do. 

You know, he was if you've read the book, you know. 

Dr. Blair Steel 37:34
Right. You. 

Rich Bennett 37:35
And God, if I could if I could be like that man and know that I'm dying. The one thing he did, which I loved, he had the living funeral. 

Dr. Blair Steel 37:46
Right. 

Rich Bennett 37:47
He's. 

Come shoot me when I'm already tired. I want. We all love her. So now what? That I like that I. 

Dr. Blair Steel 37:56
Great idea. 

Rich Bennett 37:59
So I'm with you because we mentioned this briefly, but 

I don't think I've ever asked of a therapist this. 

What do you do to help with your mental health, especially after talking to a patient? 

Dr. Blair Steel 38:17
Yeah. So I'm in therapy myself. Of course, I you know, I feel like it's it would be a disservice to myself and the people. I have to not do that. And besides, I love this stuff. I'm so interested. You know, I don't feel like I know at all. In fact, I know I don't. So anything I can do to gain some self-awareness and tool is very important. You know, and, you know, it's interesting. I don't know if we talk about this so much when it comes to like, let's say, someone's wellness plan, their treatment plan. Let's say their recovery plan. 

Rich Bennett 38:57
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 38:58
We change and we evolve. And it's important that our our wellness plans, whatever works for us also. Evolves with us. Like what? What? I mean, women. We're changing constantly. Chemically. Right. Men are to a degree, but you know, women certainly. So even like since becoming a mother and. And then time changes. Like how much time we have for ourselves. Changes. So if I'm stuck on one idea of. Of what keeps me feeling well and whole. My life has changed and I don't try to, like, realign these things. I'm going to find myself in a place of frustration or resentment or whatever. So yeah, like I'm right there with everyone when it comes to just trying my best here. 

Rich Bennett 39:55
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 39:55
You know, like, I don't think those days of like the all knowing, you know, therapist and maybe there are those people out there, you know, like I love me a solid like 85 to 90 year old therapist to like you know in the just surrounded by books with like a like a dark cup of coffee in hand, you know, like that's the wise or go like, that's cool. 

Rich Bennett 40:20
Has the war now couching the office in everything? 

Dr. Blair Steel 40:24
You know, I feel like I'm a part of. This. I'm a part I like I'm 

Rich Bennett 40:29
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 40:29
aligned with with everyone else. I don't think I'm any different, really. 

Rich Bennett 40:37
And the other reason I asked that was because you mentioned earlier, well, you have a daughter that at doing COVID, she was 

Dr. Blair Steel 40:44
You just know she's actually about to be six. I have I had my first one in 2018, 

Rich Bennett 40:47
badly sick. 

Dr. Blair Steel 40:48
and then I had my second daughter in 2021. So she just turned three. 

Rich Bennett 40:54
Okay, So, well, still mad, right on the I guess towards the end of COVID or whatever. But you had the young one already, you know, when COVID started and you were doing your practice and then you got pregnant during COVID, how hard was that? 

Dr. Blair Steel 41:11
Very, very it's hard, you know, it's it was really isolating. You know, I. I think I had a lot to be grateful for. Like, I didn't have any fear in my children. They were too young to understand. And I was so lucky to be. I live in Southern California, so I was in a place where I could be outside a lot. Safe place to be. You know, all of my families in New Jersey. So that sucked. So, 

Rich Bennett 41:44
think about 

Dr. Blair Steel 41:44
yeah, 

Rich Bennett 41:44
that? 

Dr. Blair Steel 41:44
just like, just and that's kind of a great example of what I mean, like, just like everyone 

Rich Bennett 41:49
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 41:50
else. It there are parts of it that really were really challenging and there are also, you know, coming out of it, there's silver linings that I can look at now. I mean, look at us on Zoom and how much access to therapy people have now that Zoom is like a thing and deemed effective thing to participate in. Right. 

Rich Bennett 42:13
I wish I had stock in Zoom back then. 

Dr. Blair Steel 42:17
Then. 

Rich Bennett 42:19
God, they made a lot of money. Didn't. 

Dr. Blair Steel 42:22
Yeah, they did, Dad. But yeah, you know, life. Life is like being always. 

Rich Bennett 42:29
Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's. Yeah. So with your practice, because you say you only have four patients. Is that the right word for that piece? 

Dr. Blair Steel 42:39
Sorry, you could say patients. I like seeing clients. I don't like implying or sick, but just 

Rich Bennett 42:44
Okay. 

Dr. Blair Steel 42:44
like, you know. 

Rich Bennett 42:45
Lots of clients 

now. Any plans on taking on? I know you don't want to take on like, hundreds. But any plans on taking on any more claims? 

Dr. Blair Steel 42:56
Course I will. If the fit is good. I would love to. 

Rich Bennett 43:01
You do it virtually as well. 

Dr. Blair Steel 43:03
I do both. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 43:05
Okay. So somebody wants to get in touch with you because they're saying Dr. Blair. They're still my Marvel superhero. How? 

How? How can I get in touch of you so you can help me? 

Dr. Blair Steel 43:18
W w w that d r Bel-Air p s y rd dot com Dr. Blair side dot com you can contact. 

Rich Bennett 43:30
Keep an eye out because I have a funny feeling within the next five years she is going to have 

Dr. Blair Steel 43:35
It could happen. You know, stranger things can also find you on Instagram at Dr. Blair side. Same spelt the same way on Instagram. But also, truly, I want everyone to know about CORERA treatment, wellness and spy because I feel so lucky to be a part of this launch Centre is is in a league of its own. It's like no other. It's got everything one could possibly need to heal in the early stages of recovery. So please check that out. 

Rich Bennett 44:15
Now they only have the one center right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 44:17
There are three here in L.A.. There are? Yeah. Yes, there's one in Malibu and two in the Hollywood Hills. 

Rich Bennett 44:25
Now. Any plans on opening up any more in any other states? 

Dr. Blair Steel 44:30
Not as of now that I'm aware of. And they did just acquire another sensor called one method, which is going to be going in network. So it can really help people with little to nothing out of pocket. 

Rich Bennett 44:49
Nice. 

Dr. Blair Steel 44:50
Because you really want to be able to reach a lot of people. You know, the health care systems monkey and unfortunately money is. So. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 45:03
Oh, come on. 

Dr. Blair Steel 45:04
You say? 

Rich Bennett 45:08
Oh, yeah, it definitely is there. No, that's a whole nother conversation there. So with with your field, you've seen it. Well, it has changed throughout the years. Is there besides better health care, anything that you would like to see? 

I don't know if it's added to the field or brought into the field to help it to help you do your job even easier or better. 

Dr. Blair Steel 45:40
Yeah. You know, 

having health insurance paid for your cover, it would be great. You know, they like. They like my cover. It. And at a rate that they decide and it takes, you know, three months. So that's. 

Rich Bennett 45:56
Yeah, that's. 

Dr. Blair Steel 45:56
Yeah, that sucks. That's really unfortunate. So I feel like the more the more as a as a country and as a system that we can invest in the long term wellness. 

For the better. You know, I feel like a lot of administrations and people, it just tends to be very short sighted. But we all know if people are well and and have access to the education that they would like to have, then the the trickle down effects and the long term resiliency that can build as a whole is fantastic. 

Rich Bennett 46:39
It definitely needs a change. So another question for you as I keep going back to pre-K. 

Have you. Would you love to? 

I would say love because you may be doing it, but when it comes to. 

What? 

Dr. Blair Steel 47:04
Please get me. I was going to say don't get me started, but also, please do. 

Rich Bennett 47:12
Well, when it comes to kids, and I do know that some therapists are some really talk, you know, to certain age groups and some only to adults. And so forth. But with you, when you were doing that pre-K and that young student with autism and now, well, of course, you're helping out adults because of the substance abuse. Any thoughts? Have you ever thought about working with kids? 

Dr. Blair Steel 47:43
You know, my what's hard for me in working with kids? I mean, we mentioned earlier the importance for me to have boundaries and to care of myself. I really come from a place of empowerment when I'm working with people. Like I truly believe that they have control to. To impact their environments and to and 

Rich Bennett 48:08
Right? 

Dr. Blair Steel 48:09
to and to just to do it. I think they have power 

Rich Bennett 48:12
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 48:12
within them. Children don't have control over their environments. And that's kind of heartbreaking. And also, 

Rich Bennett 48:19
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 48:19
the interventions that I use wouldn't wouldn't be fitting. But when it comes from an education place. Imagine if in standard public education there was a class on self-regulation, because if you think about it, Richard. Substance abuse is really that. It's just I feel some type of way and I want to feel differently. And rather than having the the tools and the patience with myself to to to regulate from within. I'm going to reach for something outside of myself and it's going to do it pretty quickly and pretty consistently. Right. So what if we stopped with, like, trigonometry? Because, like, who gives a shit? We all have calculators in our pocket. And we taught people a it's okay to not be okay. Like all of us are at some point. These are some tools on how you can how you can regulate and how you can bring yourself back to a state of peace. Right. Imagine. 

Rich Bennett 49:25
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 49:26
Being standard education as life skills 

rather than some of the other completely useless information that we're all taught in public education. 

Rich Bennett 49:40
A lot for 

Dr. Blair Steel 49:41
It's 

Rich Bennett 49:41
me. 

Dr. Blair Steel 49:41
so much. 

Rich Bennett 49:44
With with the substance abuse, because 

through the years, it's I mean crack cocaine was the. Then you had heroin. Then you have fentanyl. And now I'm going to get the name of this other one wrong. Yeah, he got. We just talked about it. Yes, Marlene or some. Do you know what I'm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 50:07
It starts with an X. 

Rich Bennett 50:10
I think so where you're you're. It'll cause your limbs to 

Dr. Blair Steel 50:13
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 50:13
fall. 

Dr. Blair Steel 50:13
right, Right. Terrible. 

Rich Bennett 50:16
I mean, I have because you're working with people that have a substance abuse 

and each drug controls the mind differently. 

And with this other one that I can't even think of the name of. I don't know if you've come across any clients that have have a problem with that yet. I hope you never do. 

Dr. Blair Steel 50:44
I have. Pretty new. 

Rich Bennett 50:49
But we said, let's say you do something like that because it's I don't know if you've heard about it, but. 

Dr. Blair Steel 50:55
I have. 

Rich Bennett 50:56
It's like leprosy. How in the world? Because you would for each drug. I would think you have to have a different approach with your client. 

Dr. Blair Steel 51:05
Well, sure. And actually, the substance that someone chooses informs you a lot about what their baseline is. 

Rich Bennett 51:13
Mm hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 51:14
Right. So, 

Rich Bennett 51:14
hmm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 51:15
like, then this is a bit of a generalization. I don't want to state this as like a facts or a law. But for the most 

Rich Bennett 51:21
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 51:21
part, if someone's really seeking that the speedier drugs, meth and cocaine and whatever else, then you can assume their baseline is a little bit lower energy. And if people are seeking opiates and the benzos, you can assume that their baseline is like high anxiety, that they're a little more hotwired. And they need a break. Like they need some relief. Right. So. So for sure, the substance does inform an informed treatment. There's a lot of like even personalities involved when it comes to like, I think cocaine, even gambling. Okay. There's the gambler that's like on the craps table and, like, all of, like, slap, fancy dress, talking fast, like, that's like a type of person versus the withdrawn slot. That slot machine person that's like not anyone. And you know and in their own world. So. So certainly the substance that someone's drawn to can tell you a lot. Now, some people like them both like uppers and downers and maybe, just maybe there is a large percentage who have more, some more bipolarity. And when they're feeling, you know, on one side of the swing that they're geared towards another drug and then they can flip back and forth. 

Rich Bennett 52:54
With with substance abuse, especially if you being a therapist, because and correct me if I'm wrong, the main thing you're trying to do is find out what you know, why they're doing that. 

Dr. Blair Steel 53:08
Correct. All of that fruit, right. Because we want sustainable change. 

Rich Bennett 53:11
Right. 

Dr. Blair Steel 53:11
We don't want to be thrown Band-Aids on bullet holes. 

Rich Bennett 53:15
Okay, So but you you even talk with people that aren't don't have a substance to. How much harder is it to find that? You know, the core thing, what's really trigger an issue, somebody that's going through, you know, substance abuse. 

Dr. Blair Steel 53:30
Honestly, my experience, not that much harder. 

Rich Bennett 53:34
Really? 

Dr. Blair Steel 53:34
You know what it can happen is what it can do is because there's the chemical component. Create like you need a good 30, 60, 90 of sobriety. And it's really hard to get that. 

Rich Bennett 53:50
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 53:51
So like, you could be managing, like, the cravings and and the withdrawals and the all of that for a while. So and you have to what you have to treat that like a kind of so that initial like let's call it the first six months can look a lot different where like someone without the substance abuse you can you can go more quickly into that. 

Rich Bennett 54:18
Okay. 

Dr. Blair Steel 54:18
Like just because they're withdrawing or they're craving doesn't mean that they're completely incapacitated. Sometimes you get some real rawness like before the mechanisms start building back up. Right. So So not necessarily that much. Not necessarily that much harder. 

Rich Bennett 54:40
I never thought about that because. Yeah, especially when like drinking a lot of times, although you're not seeing them when you're when they're on drugs or alcohol. 

Dr. Blair Steel 54:50
When they first come in. 

Rich Bennett 54:53
Okay. I was just saying, because lots of people are drinking, it's amazing how a lot of times. 

Dr. Blair Steel 54:57
Right, Right. Right. And actually, they could be a little more tight lips over right or. 

Rich Bennett 55:03
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 55:03
You can assume maybe the substance is the defense mechanism. When you remove that, suddenly there's that like raw person and then, you know, it'll take time to rebuild. Whether it's the intellectual ization or the repression or whatever style of 

defense that can build that we all have, we all have it to a degree. 

Rich Bennett 55:32
Do you ever do any speaking engagements to it, whether be virtually or in person? 

Dr. Blair Steel 55:37
Yeah. Recently. Recently, I. 

Rich Bennett 55:40
Okay. And the reason I ask is because I'm thinking, you know, with all the different recovery places we have around here and the groups and the homes and everything, and you're starting to see that more across the country. It just helps those people in recovery when they because a lot of times they don't know what questions to ask. Therapists know what questions to ask. But a lot of times people in recovery don't know what questions to ask a therapist. 

Dr. Blair Steel 56:09
Right. They're 

right. What's. Well, it's nice to, like, be like a human being who's, like, vulnerable and, you know. 

Rich Bennett 56:19
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 56:20
Because you want to be approachable. And my husband's in recovery, and I love sharing that with people. Right. 

Rich Bennett 56:26
A. 

Dr. Blair Steel 56:27
There's one woman who cried when I told her that. And and I wasn't sure what, you know, what was happening. She's like, wow. It made her think that, like, you know, okay, so, like, I'm lovable still, that you know, that someone could love me, too. Even though I have issues with substances. So it's nice. 

Rich Bennett 56:51
Now. Does he work? 

Dr. Blair Steel 56:52
Being, you know, 

Rich Bennett 56:54
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 56:55
in that. 

Rich Bennett 56:56
Now. Does your husband work in the recovery? 

Dr. Blair Steel 56:57
It is not. Not directly, no. 

Rich Bennett 57:00
Okay. He could have been a recovery. 

Dr. Blair Steel 57:03
No, no, no. But he's in the air and he's active in his recovery. And it's, you know, it's. 

Rich Bennett 57:07
Good. 

Good. And the reason I ask that, too, is because. Which I had no idea what a peer recovery specialist was until I started doing this stuff. But it makes sense that a peer recovery specialist would be somebody that's in recovery, working with people that are in recovery. 

Dr. Blair Steel 57:27
Right. 

Rich Bennett 57:27
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 57:29
A treatment that is even that career, or I would say more often than not, the staff in recovery. 

Rich Bennett 57:33
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 57:34
And if they're not that like I'm not for example, if they're not someone really, really close to them is like it's only like once a room. 

Rich Bennett 57:42
Yeah. 

Dr. Blair Steel 57:43
At that point. 

Rich Bennett 57:45
You may not be in recovery, but you're a therapist that has a therapist. 

Dr. Blair Steel 57:51
Of course. Right. 

Rich Bennett 57:52
You know, I mean, it just to me that for me, that's more qualification for you. 

Dr. Blair Steel 58:00
Yeah. Thanks. I do, you know. Right. 

Rich Bennett 58:05
You've been on. Well, actually, before I get to that question, is there anything you would like to add? 

Dr. Blair Steel 58:11
Just you know, as we're talking here, I want to add that substance abuse, I think, is just another part of the human condition. It really is. I think it's another phenomenon. I don't think any of us are immune to it. 

And and I think it deserves as much love and compassion as as the other things people struggle with, like depression and anxiety. 

Rich Bennett 58:44
One of the things I would love for you to do is definitely stay in touch. 

Dr. Blair Steel 58:47
I would love to. 

Rich Bennett 58:49
We we've done, I think, two so far and we've been talking about doing another one. We've done very well. We do in-person roundtables, but you're in California, so you can't do an in-person. 

Dr. Blair Steel 58:59
Travel. I go see my my peeps in New Jersey make a. 

Rich Bennett 59:04
1a2 hour drive. 

Dr. Blair Steel 59:05
Yes, Nathan, I've actually got a buddy in Maryland. 

Rich Bennett 59:09
Well part. 

Dr. Blair Steel 59:10
What do you. Well, I wouldn't say Baltimore, but you would say Baltimore. 

Rich Bennett 59:15
Don't be picking on. I hear it enough from my wife. Okay. 

No, we've we've been talking about doing another virtual roundtable on mental health. 

Dr. Blair Steel 59:26
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 59:27
I would love. Join in on that. 

Dr. Blair Steel 59:30
I would love to be part of it. 

Rich Bennett 59:32
We've done them and the response has been phenomenal. 

Dr. Blair Steel 59:36
All. 

Rich Bennett 59:38
What I love even more is when somebody contacts me and thanks me. Yeah. So out of all the interviews you've been on, actually, do you even know how many? 

Dr. Blair Steel 59:49
I could count. I knew I will, but I get a handful. 

Rich Bennett 59:56
Only a handful. I'm not talking about just podcast, even whether it be TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, whatever you've been. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:00:05
Let's call it the let's call it a solid dozen. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:09
I would say solid doesn't. 

Well, it makes it easier for you then. Is there is there anything a host has never asked you that you wish they would have asked you? And if so, what would be that question? And what would be your answer? 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:00:25
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:26
It doesn't necessarily have to do of your field either. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:00:30
Yeah, you know, people do and I and I am so game for it. They ask me why I'm in this field and what is it about it and let me think. Let me think something that they haven't asked me. I don't know. You stop me. I'd have to really think about it. 

You know, I would say I would I would like to be asked in the in the in the years that I've been doing this, what has changed? What have I noticed change. That's that's working. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:07
Mm. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:01:09
What has changed? Are people like you and the conversations? Men, women, people of all kinds who are who are speaking and being heard and accessing people in small towns and kids and teens who may not have the parents that will listen or may not have the communities for whatever reason that are open to these sorts of conversations. And this is this is giving them access. And I think that is awesome. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:52
Thank you. Dr. Blair, I want to thank you so much. 

Dr. Blair Steel 1:01:57
Yeah.