"Steve Strong: Rebuilding from Rock Bottom & Healing Reality Through Tabletop RPGs" | EP062

This week we sit down with Steve Strong of the Dungeons in the Attic podcast for a deeply honest conversation about personal transformation. Steve opens up about his experiences with trauma, mental health, and the emotional weight he carried from childhood into adulthood. We explore how stubbornness shaped him, how tabletop role-playing games became a space for healing and connection, and the unexpected lessons found in the restaurant industry and fantasy storytelling alike. It’s a raw, reflective, and ultimately hopeful conversation about becoming the person you needed when you were younger.

0:00 our guest this week is Steve Strong, part of the “Dungeons in the Attic” podcast

3:30 Steves thoughts on the current state of mental health

5:50 Steve’s love for Kid Cudi

10:00 the value of asking yourself and others important questions

12:00 the power of connecting with people through the service industry

17:00 Atlas from Greek mythology and carrying the burdens of others on your shoulders

19:30 “The person I am now is all the things that I was never given as a child”

23:00 the traumatic and isolating events in Steve’s life that forced him to fix himself or kill himself

27:00 lessons in humility and stubbornness

32:00 a transforming compliment from his stepfather

35:00 You can always work a little bit day by day on yourself

36:30 “my thing now is trying to elevate people, not bury them”

43:45 Steve’s origin in the restaurant industry

48:00 getting addicted to being around other people and avoiding loneliness

51:00 Breaking down Dungeons and Dragons and other story based tabletop RPGs

54:00 escaping reality through these games

57:00 describing the cinematic world of “Dungeons in the Attic”

1:06:00 these games are about the journey, not a winner or loser

01:12:00 prioritizing story over rules in a rules-like game

1:19:00 Steve’s council

1:27:00 Be sure to check out

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