Fishing Without Bait: A Full Impact Mindfulness Podcast

Be More Awake: Lessons From the Buddha | Episode 526

August 11th, 2026  |  26 mins 16 secs

12 step recovery, acceptance, being awake, boundaries, buddhism, buddhist philosophy, compassion, compassion with boundaries, emotional regulation, emotional wellness, expectations, healthy habits, intentional living, jim ellermeyer, letting go, living in the present, meditation, mental health, mental wellness, michael sorg, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, non attachment, personal growth, positive habits, producer mike, recovery, recovery podcast, self awareness, self improvement, spirituality, wellness, wise mind

What does it actually mean to “be like the Buddha”? Jim Ellermeyer and Producer Mike explore how being more awake, compassionate, intentional, and less attached to outcomes can help us participate more fully in the life happening right now.

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.

Political Differences Without Losing Each Other | Episode 524

July 21st, 2026  |  26 mins 6 secs

active listening, ad-free podcast, bipartisan friendship, bridging political divides, civil discourse, compassion, critical thinking, curiosity, doomscrolling, echo chambers, emotional regulation, empathy, forgiveness, friends across the aisle, friendship, healthier habits, hostile comments, jim ellermeyer, kindness, listening to learn, mental wellness, mindful communication, mindfulness, mindfulness journal, mindfulness podcast, missy sorg, online arguments, pause before reacting, personal growth, physical books, political conversations, political differences, political identity, political polarization, recency bias, recovery, reducing screen time, relationships, respectful disagreement, screen time, sleep hygiene, social media, social media echo chambers, stimulus and response, understanding, wellness

In the third and final part of their conversation, Jim Ellermeyer and Missy Sorg explore how active listening, critical thinking and a mindful pause before reacting can help people move beyond political labels and social-media echo chambers. Missy shares a personal story about revealing her political affiliation to a longtime friend and explains how their disagreement became a conversation rather than the end of their friendship. The episode closes with a challenge to become more open, informed and willing to understand people across the political aisle.

Beyond the Party Line | Episode 523

July 14th, 2026  |  23 mins 54 secs

abortion discussion, accountability, adoption, bipartisan conversation, civic engagement, communication, community, compassion, critical thinking, difficult conversations, emotional intelligence, family support, forgiveness, foster care, infertility, jim ellermeyer, lifelong caregiving, listening to learn, mental health, mindful living, mindfulness, mr. rogers, personal responsibility, political dialogue, political representation, producer mike, recovery, representative democracy, republican perspective, respect, respectful disagreement, social media echo chambers, special needs care, teenage pregnancy, voter education, wellness, wise mind

In Part 2 of our conversation with Missy Sorg, we explore difficult questions surrounding abortion, adoption, foster care, family support, voter education, and personal responsibility. Missy and Jim Ellermeyer also examine how political labels and social media echo chambers interfere with our ability to listen, learn, and treat one another with respect.

Eamon & Merlin on Faith, Curiosity, and Healing | Episode 520

June 23rd, 2026  |  26 mins 48 secs

a gay and his enby, authentic conversations, compassion, curiosity, deconstruction, eamon, emotional wellness, faith, forgiveness, healing, hope, identity, jim ellermeyer, meditation, mental health, merlin, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, personal growth, recovery, resilience, self awareness, self reflection, sorgatron media, spirituality, trauma recovery, wellness

In Part 3 of our conversation, Eamon and Merlin explore the power of curiosity, challenging deeply held beliefs, and finding healing through honest self-reflection. They share personal experiences around faith, identity, trauma, and spiritual growth while encouraging listeners to embrace compassion—for themselves and others.

The Stories We Carry — and the Ones We Release with Santina Grace | Episode 497

January 6th, 2026  |  19 mins 39 secs

choice and freedom, clairvoyant perspectives, compassion, emotional regulation, emotional wellness, empathy, fishing without bait, healing conversations, inner peace, intentional living, jim ellermeyer, letting go, life stories, listening skills, mental clarity, mental health podcast, mindfulness, mindfulness and recovery, mindfulness podcast series, mindfulness practice, non judgment, personal growth, recovery podcast, recovery support content, santina grace, self awareness, spiritual growth

In Part 4 of our conversation with returning guest Santina Grace, we explore listening, compassion, and the stories we carry — and the ones we’re ready to release. This episode reflects on mindfulness, choice, and letting go of mental noise in order to live with greater clarity and freedom.

A Culture Of Guilt Imposed By Religious Structure | Episode 491

November 18th, 2025  |  15 mins 34 secs

12-step recovery, acceptance, behavior health, compassion, emotional healing, fishing without bait, healing journey, intentional living, jim ellermeyer, letting go, mental health, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, personal development, recovery, recovery podcast, resilience, self-discovery, self-growth, spiritual wellness, stress management, surrender

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, Jim Ellermeyer guides listeners through one of the most transformative practices in mindfulness and recovery: letting go. Whether it’s old fears, expectations, resentments, or the emotional weight we’ve carried for years, Jim explains how release is not weakness—it’s liberation.

Fishing Without Bait 490: What Would Jesus Say to Today’s World Leaders?

November 3rd, 2025  |  16 mins 44 secs

behavioral health, compassion, emotional awareness, empathy, empathy in leadership, faith, fishing without bait, forgiveness, good samaritan, honesty, hope, humility, inspiration, integrity, jesus of nazareth, jim ellermeyer, justice, kindness, leadership, mental health, mike sorg, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, moral courage, moral responsibility, motivation, peace, personal growth, podcast, positivity, reconciliation, self compassion, self improvement, self reflection, servant leadership, spiritual growth, spirituality, truth

In Episode 490, Jim Ellermeyer and producer Mike Sorg explore what leadership truly means through the lens of Jesus of Nazareth. From the radical humility and servant leadership he modeled 2,000 years ago to his timeless call for justice and compassion, Jim examines how these teachings apply to the world’s political and social climate today.

Stochastic Rhetoric: The Scary Trick Politicians Use to Manipulate Minds | Episode 489

October 28th, 2025  |  20 mins 19 secs

anxiety reduction, behavioral health, choose kindness, cognitive bias, compassion, critical thinking, dog whistle politics, emotional intelligence, fear and awareness, fishing without bait, free thinking, information overload, jim ellermeyer, kindness, media literacy, media manipulation, mental health, mike sorg, mindful communication, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, misinformation, obfuscation, plausible deniability, podcast, political language, politics and psychology, random acts of kindness, self awareness, social awareness, stochastic rhetoric

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, Jim Ellermeyer and producer Mike Sorg wade into some deep—and dangerous—waters. Together, they explore how stochastic rhetoric and obfuscation have become the most powerful tools in modern political communication.

What do those words mean? In short, they describe how leaders and media use vague, coded, or confusing language to manipulate emotions, create division, and dodge accountability. From “dog whistles” to “plausible deniability,” Jim explains how these tactics quietly shape behavior and beliefs—without ever saying things outright.

Mindfulness & Impermanence with Clairvoyant Santina Grace | Episode 434

August 20th, 2024  |  21 mins 42 secs

ancestor wisdom, buddhist philosophy, clairvoyant, collective consciousness, compassion, duality, fishing without bait, impermanence, jim ellermeyer, medium, mindfulness, reincarnation, respect, santina grace, spiritual growth, spirituality

In this episode of Fishing Without Bait, host Jim Ellermeyer welcomes back the insightful and highly requested guest, Santina Grace, a clairvoyant medium. Together, they dive deep into profound spiritual concepts, focusing on the Buddhist philosophy of impermanence and its role in releasing anxiety and stress. Santina shares her unique perspective on duality, reincarnation, and the eternal nature of the soul’s journey, offering guidance on how embracing impermanence can lead to personal growth and freedom. The discussion also explores the significance of collective consciousness, the wisdom of ancestors, and the importance of respect and compassion in our daily lives. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in mindfulness, spiritual exploration, and the deeper meanings of life. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that encourages listeners to celebrate their uniqueness and live authentically.