Fishing Without Bait: A Full Impact Mindfulness Podcast

From Wrestling Fan to Broadcaster with Austin Cairns | Episode 531

September 14th, 2026  |  18 mins 22 secs

austin cairns, avoiding burnout, being present, broadcasting, burnout, career development, ccac, celebrating accomplishments, celebrating success, confidence vs arrogance, family, following your passion, full impact mindfulness, gratitude, independent wrestling, internships, jim ellermeyer, life balance, living your dream, mental wellness, mindful living, mindfulness, personal growth, pittsburgh podcast, podcast, point park university, pro wrestling commentator, professional wrestling, recovery, self confidence, self worth, sports broadcasting, sports media, storytelling, time management, trusted relationships, wellness, work life balance, wrestling commentary

In Part 2 of our conversation with sportscaster Austin Cairns, we explore the value of trusted relationships, making time for family, and learning to recognize your own accomplishments. Austin shares how his path through sports broadcasting and professional wrestling helped him realize that sometimes you're already living the dream before you stop long enough to notice it.

Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on 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

Finding Your Voice: Austin Cairns on Taking the First Opportunity | Episode 530

September 8th, 2026  |  17 mins 33 secs

action and effort, alby oxenreiter, broadcasting, career development, comfort zone, confidence, covid 19 pandemic, creating yourself, family support, finding your voice, full impact mindfulness, honest feedback, jim ellermeyer, media career, mental wellness, mentorship, mindfulness, motivation, overcoming fear, pandemic isolation, perseverance, personal development, personal growth, pittsburgh broadcasting, pittsburgh media, podcasting, point park university, practice, professional wrestling, recovery, resilience, self doubt, self improvement, social isolation, sports broadcasting, sports media, wellness, young professionals

Jim Ellermeyer begins a new conversation with Pittsburgh broadcaster Austin Cairns about finding direction during the uncertainty and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Austin shares how encouragement from his father, early announcing opportunities, supportive mentors, repeated practice, and a willingness to hear difficult feedback helped a shy young man begin finding his voice behind a microphone.

Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player.

Support Fishing Without Bait on Patreon for ad-free episodes:
https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait

Pick up “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book”:
https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

A Reintroduction to Fishing Without Bait | Episode 529

August 25th, 2026  |  20 mins 11 secs

12 step recovery, acceptance, awareness, compassion, creating yourself, difficult conversations, emotional honesty, emotional regulation, expectations, full impact mindfulness, healthy communication, impermanence, intentional living, intentions, jim ellermeyer, letting go, living in the moment, mental health, michael sorg, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, non attachment, paying attention on purpose, personal growth, personal responsibility, present moment, producer mike, recovery, recovery podcast, relationships, resilience, responding versus reacting, self awareness, self reflection, serenity, spirituality, wellness, wellness podcast

In Fishing Without Bait 529, Jim Ellermeyer and Producer Mike return to the heart of the show: living with intention instead of being trapped by expectations. They discuss emotional honesty, the courage to face uncomfortable truths, responding instead of reacting, and remembering that ultimately “we live by moments.”

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’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.

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.

Respect Across Political Lines | Episode 522

July 7th, 2026  |  26 mins 28 secs

abortion discussion, birth control, common ground, contempt prior to investigation, difficult conversations, emotional wellness, fertility treatments, friendship, full impact mindfulness, jim ellermeyer, mental health, mindfulness, mindfulness podcast, missy sorg, patriotism, personal growth, podcast, polarization, political differences, recovery, recovery podcast, respectful disagreement, social media, wellness, women’s health

In Fishing Without Bait 522, Jim Ellermeyer welcomes Missy Sorg for Part 1 of a thoughtful conversation about political differences, friendship, respect, and the search for common ground. Together, they discuss how people can move beyond labels, assumptions, and anger to have more honest conversations about difficult topics.

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.

Joanna Lowe on Grief That Changes You Forever | Episode 515

May 12th, 2026  |  23 mins 40 secs

coping with grief, emotional trauma, grief, grief support, healing, joanna lowe, life after loss, loss, mental health, mental wellness, mindfulness podcast, mindfulness practice, podcast interview, prolonged grief disorder, ptsd, recovery journey, self discovery, trauma recovery, wellness

In Part 2 of our conversation with Joanna Lowe, we explore the deeply personal and life-altering impact of grief after the sudden loss of her husband. Joanna shares how trauma reshaped her identity, faith, and ability to feel, offering an unfiltered look at prolonged grief and recovery. This episode is a powerful reflection on loss, survival, and rediscovery.