Fishing Without Bait: A Full Impact Mindfulness Podcast

Vic Costik’s Love Letter to Pittsburgh | Episode 526

August 3rd, 2026  |  35 mins 50 secs

12-step recovery, accepting flaws, accountability, authentic living, authenticity, belonging, community building, compassion, emotional wellness, empathy, healthy boundaries, jim ellermeyer, kindness, lgbtq community, lgbtq inclusion, local podcasts, love letter to pittsburgh, making amends, mental wellness, mind of awareness, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, neutral inquiry, new rust pittsburgh, new rust pittsburgh podcast, overcoming fear, people-pleasing, perfectionism, personal growth, pittsburgh artists, pittsburgh community, pittsburgh culture, pittsburgh makers, pittsburgh podcast, pittsburgh small businesses, pittsburgh weird, privilege, queer pittsburgh, recovery, self-acceptance, social awareness, toxic relationships, trans visibility, transgender community, transgender safety, vic costik, wellness podcast

In Part 2 of our conversation with Vic Costik of the New Rust Pittsburgh Podcast, we explore community-building, LGBTQ+ belonging, authentic living and the importance of approaching unfamiliar experiences with curiosity instead of contempt. Vic also shares how Pittsburgh’s artists, makers, local businesses and unexpected corners inspired a podcast that serves as a love letter to the city.

Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait in your favorite podcast player, support ad-free episodes at https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait, and pick up “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book” at https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4.

Vic’s Story: Identity, Transition & Finding Community | Episode 525

July 28th, 2026  |  18 mins 20 secs

acceptance, authentic self, authenticity, belonging, community, community advocacy, connection, curiosity, empathy, found family, human connection, identity, jim ellermeyer, lgbtq community, life transitions, mental wellness, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, new rust, new rust podcast, overcoming judgment, personal growth, personal transformation, pittsburgh, pittsburgh community, pittsburgh creatives, pittsburgh culture, pittsburgh lgbtq, pittsburgh podcast, queer community, recovery, self acceptance, self discovery, trans identity, trans masculine, transgender community, understanding, ux design, vic costik, wellness

Fishing Without Bait welcomes Vic Costik, creator of the New Rust podcast, for the first part of a conversation about Pittsburgh, community, identity, and finding the freedom to live authentically. Vic shares how moving from New York City to Pittsburgh helped him discover found family, embrace his community, and ultimately begin meeting himself for the first time.