Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads

Podcast for Mental Health Insights, Compassion, and Friendship

This Episode will drop on Tuesday at 3 am Eastern

👋Hey beautiful humans,

We’re back with another soul-stirring episode dropping Tuesday, 06/17/25 at 3 AM ET—and trust us, you won’t want to miss this one.

🎙️ Episode Title:Faith, Fatherhood & Forgiveness: Austin Davis Breaks the Cycle This week, we’re getting real with Austin Davis, a therapist, faith leader, and founder of Clearfork Academy. From childhood burdens to heartfelt healing, Austin walks us through how one moment—being told “You’re the man of the house now”—reshaped everything.

🏆 Doing Things That Make You Proud

You’ve probably heard me mention this book over the past two and a half years—like, a lot. 😅 It’s been a journey filled with starts, stops, bursts of inspiration, long dry spells, and more than a few inner critics yelling in my head.

But this weekend, something incredible happened: ✨ I finished the first draft.

Cover to cover. Prologue, dedication, acknowledgments, resources—the whole damn thing.

And I wrote it in my voice. That means it’s raw, it’s hilarious, it’s emotional, and yes—it’s full of F-bombs. Because sugarcoating my story would’ve felt like a betrayal. This book is me, unfiltered and honest, and every word feels like a victory over the doubts that once told me I couldn’t do it.

I’m still tweaking the chapters to get the flow just right before I send it off to an editor, but I can already tell you: this is a masterpiece of survival and truth. I laughed. I cried. I unearthed parts of myself I didn’t even know were still buried. This was more cathartic than any therapy session I’ve ever had.

📚 Want to learn about your journey? Write a book. It’s like looking in a mirror you didn’t know existed. You see where you’ve been, who you’ve become, and what it took to keep going. For me, it brought back that same glimmer of light that found me on Christmas Day—the one that whispered, “The world needs to hear this story.” That glimmer lit the path through writer’s block, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome. And here I am… still standing, still writing.

🎧 On top of that, Dirty Skittles and I had another recording session this weekend—and, as always, it was therapy in real time. Every session is sacred to us. Every story we tell, every resource we share, every laugh and tear—it’s all part of a bigger healing journey. And that includes you, our listeners. Watching how far this podcast has come—and how far we’ve come—is something we don’t take for granted.

🌟 We got to talking about doing an “Ask Us Anything” episode soon, and we want YOUR questions. Head to our website, scroll to the bottom right corner, and leave us a voicemail. Nothing is off limits.

💬 Journal Prompt: What’s something you’ve done that made you stop in your tracks and think, “Damn. I really did that”? What’s your book, your moment, your masterpiece?

📝 Podcast Reflection Worksheet

Turn inspiration into action! Our Podcast Reflection Worksheet helps you process each episode’s impact. Jot down what stood out, what moved you, and how you’ll use it. 🖋️Podcast Worksheet _06_17_25_Faith, Fatherhood & Forgiveness- Austin Davis Breaks the Cycle.pdf

🧠 The Weight of Ten: Becoming “The Man of the House” Before You’re Even a Man

Austin Davis was 10 years old when his father told him, “You’re the man of the house now.”

Suddenly, life became about responsibility—not recess. Cooking dinner, mowing lawns, caring for his little brother. That phrase became a silent script that dictated how Austin showed up in the world—for decades.

💥 This episode is for the kids who had to grow up too fast, and the adults still carrying the weight of those childhood roles.

💡 Why Childhood Labels Stick—and How to Let Them Go Austin’s journey shows us that early labels shape us more than we realize. “Don’t feel. Don’t need. Don’t ask for help”—sound familiar?

He’s now working to rewrite those scripts in real-time: not just being a strong father, but a gentle one. 💛

🫂 Quote That Hit Us Right in the Feels:“You don’t have to be in control. God’s got it.” Because sometimes, surrender is the bravest move of all.

🎙️ Real Talk From the Hosts 🗣️ “Austin’s honesty cracked something open in me. We don’t talk enough about the weight we carry from things we were told as kids.” – G-Rex 🗣️ “I saw my own childhood in his story. That push to ‘hold it all together’—even when you’re falling apart.” – Dirty Skittles

✍️ Journal Prompts to Sit With: • What title or role were you given as a child—and how did it shape you? • Who would you be if you didn’t feel responsible for everyone else? • What would it feel like to trust that it’s not all on your shoulders?

🌿 Gentle Reminder: You don’t have to earn rest. Your worth isn’t tied to your hustle. You deserve to be held, too.

🎧 Meet Our Guest: Austin Davis, LPC-S

When you sit down with Austin Davis, you’re not just speaking with a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor—you’re sitting with someone who has lived every layer of the healing he offers others.

Raised in Texas, Austin’s story begins long before he ever opened a therapy practice. At just ten years old, he was told by his father, “You’re the man of the house now.” That sentence would cast a long shadow, shaping his view of responsibility, masculinity, and self-worth. Instead of letting that weight break him, Austin chose to transform it into purpose.

Today, Austin is the founder and heart behind Clearfork Academy, a Christ-centered residential treatment facility that supports teens navigating the harsh storms of mental health and substance use. But his path to becoming a beacon for struggling youth wasn’t linear—it was forged through pain, reflection, and radical surrender.

🛠️ A Bridge Between Church and Clinic Austin’s professional foundation is uniquely layered—rooted in both clinical mental health and pastoral ministry. His formal education began with a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University and a Master of Arts in Counseling from The Church of God Theological Seminary. He later became a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in Texas.

That fusion of spiritual care and evidence-based practice allows him to connect with clients on both a practical and soul-deep level. Whether he’s guiding teens through trauma or comforting parents in crisis, Austin’s approach is holistic, authentic, and deeply empathetic.

💬 “Teens always ask me, ‘What do you know about what we’re going through?’” He doesn’t just answer with credentials—he answers with his story. From being a child caregiver to a big brother who grieved the sudden loss of his sibling, Austin understands emotional weight because he’s carried it.

📚 Author of My Kid, My Crisis In 2023, Austin published My Kid, My Crisis, a vulnerable and illuminating guide that brings the voices of parents and teens into the spotlight. Through real stories and spiritual insight, the book unpacks the hidden realities of addiction, depression, and recovery in adolescence—while providing tangible tools and faith-rooted hope. 👉 Available now at:https://a.co/d/0QMcKSd

🎸 A Life That Reflects His Values Austin isn’t just a therapist. He’s a husband, a father of three, a musician, and a builder—literally and figuratively. His mornings start with journaling, prayer, and lifting weights in his garage gym. His therapy office has guitars on the wall. His church community sees him lead worship and mentor young people. Everything he does reflects his mission: to be a gentle, present force in a chaotic world.

💡 “I try to be the most gentle version of myself,” he says. “That means patience. That means kneeling. That means speaking to my kids with belief in their strength.”

🔁 From Trauma to Transformation Through Clearfork Academy, Austin has created more than a facility—he’s created a lifeline. Teens who enter broken and bruised leave with tools, insight, and a new sense of identity. His focus isn’t just to treat symptoms—it’s to rewrite stories. And he’s done it for hundreds of families who thought healing was out of reach.

🔗 Explore His Work:Clearfork Academy

✨ Key Takeaways

Childhood labels can shape us well into adulthood—unless we consciously challenge them.
Fatherhood is more than leadership—it’s about gentleness, presence, and patience.
True healing starts when we stop pretending to have it all together.

✅ Actionable Takeaways

Carve out sacred time each morning for yourself—write, pray, reflect, move.
Reframe responsibility: Being in control isn’t your only option.
Start that conversation with your teen today—ask, don’t assume.

🧠 Mental Health Quote of the Week

“Making time for yourself isn’t selfish. It’s survival. You can’t pour from an empty cup—so refill it like your peace depends on it. Because it does.” 🕊️

💬 Listener Engagement

Let us hear from YOU! Drop a voicemail at the bottom right of our website—we’re cooking up a “You Ask, We Answer” episode soon! 🎧✨

⭐ Subscribe, Rate & Review

If this episode moved you, uplifted you, or made you feel seen—show us some love! Hit subscribe, leave a 5-star rating, and drop a review 💌 Your voice helps us keep the conversation going.

🫶 Closing Thoughts

Each episode, we strive to break the silence, soften the stigma, and strengthen the village. Thank you for letting us be part of your journey. Keep showing up. Keep asking questions. And remember:

You are not alone.

With love & grit, G-Rex & Dirty Skittles