In The Blood explores our relationships with others, with self, and the connection between the two.

As a boy child, it was made clear that crying was not an option. Shedding tears was met with homophobic or sexist slurs, shame, and other forms of degradation. I cried easily, so there was a lot of this.
When I wasn’t allowed to cry, I’d often get quiet. That wasn’t welcomed either. “Cheer up, sad sack,” or “stop moping,” or any other number of hurtful and dismissive comments were hurled my way.
Worry was interpreted as a lack of faith in God – which was sinful. Anger or frustration were understood to be the devil at work in me. These had to be punished in ways which were severe, to say the least.
Happiness and excitement weren’t allowed either. Laughter was “annoying cackling,” happiness was “empty-headed BS,” and excitement seemed to be a sensory trigger.
I was often told that I should talk about whatever bothered me but my words were almost always dismissed.
As a result, I didn’t really talk. Ever. Not around adults, anyway. As the years passed, I went from being a child who didn’t speak to being an insecure adult with extremely unhealthy communication skills, and a preference for staying quiet.
That changed when I met Michelle. I was doing some repair work at her house, and she was a person who was starved for human interaction. She relentlessly peppered me with questions, and insisted that I be honest in my responses. I told her my story, and she cried with me.
On the last day of the project, she handed me a small box with a card. It read simply: “you have a voice. Use it.” Inside the box was a cheap USB microphone which I used to record my first podcast. From there, I found the voice that I didn’t know I had.
My show is for anyone looking to improve the quality of their platonic relationships through finding versions of self which are obscured by trauma, abuse, poor upbringing, mental health challenges, etc.
My listeners are hurting people from all backgrounds who are ready to work on self, and stop blaming others.

I podcast because I need to. What that means is that I need the therapeutic relief that comes from sharing from my experiences. I also understand how frustrating it is to need insight while dealing with the constant frustration of being unable to find someone who "gets it."
I don't listen to as many podcasts as I used to. I feel like most people who are addressing similar topics are too hung up in unhealthy behaviours and perspectives to offer anything of value to me. I occasionally listen to comedy podcasts, or ones that feature my friends as hosts or guests.
My initial goal was to provide a much needed resource. One that wasn't regurgitating the same thoughts and perspectives as every other resource I'd found. My motivation was simply to be the support I never found.
While I've been podcasting since 2015, my current project is just over one year old at the time I'm writing this.
Once my first episode was recorded, it took about four hours to edit, upload, and release it.

I release one episode per week, on Fridays. The time it takes to produce one varies between two to four hours.
I'm semi retired, so finding the time to produce my own show, co-host one other, and guest on more still is fairly easy.
I keep my podcast costs as low as possible. I don't like to talk specific numbers or sources but I will say that the show doesn't owe me any money.

I don't take sponsorship because I don't want to sacrifice my values or ethics to satisfy a sponsor.
The benefits of podcasting are too many to adequately describe in a couple of paragraphs. In short: personal growth, unexpected connections, and meaningful opportunities have been the main benefits.

My process and setup are fairly simple... I use a Behringer XM 1800s microphone, run through a Neewer NW-02 mixer. I record and edit on an iMac, using Audacity. I create episode art using Canva. I use LibreOffice to write my notes/scripts. Guests are either suggested to me, or found through Facebook groups.
I prepare for solo episodes by writing vague notes, a sentence at a time - usually on my phone. Once I have what starts to look like a clear outline, I switch over to my iMac to start refining my points, and adding some details. I try to avoid scripting anything as I prefer a more natural delivery.
I prepare for guest episodes by chatting casually with the guest to learn just enough to ask meaningful questions. I also like to ask if there are any no-fly zones.
Most of my interviews are done via Zoom or StreamYard, though I have done a few in person.

My listeners can find my show on all major podcast platforms, on YouTube, and through my webpage. The majority (roughly 65%) come from iTunes.
I don't do much in the way of marketing. I share to social media, and mention what I'm working on whenever I'm a guest on someone else's show.

For anyone who is thinking of starting a podcast, I recommend learning how to speak, how to use their recording hardware/software, and how to edit. Record as many things unrelated to your podcast as possible. This will give you a lot of practice speaking and recording, while giving you something to practice editing on. The reason I suggest recording things unrelated to the podcast is because you won't feel like you've wasted good content to a bad recording, and you will feel more relaxed - which will leave room to establish good recording habits more easily.
Don't take advice from podcaster forums. 99% of the people there are just as clueless as you are. If you want advice, reach out to the hosts of shows where you admire the production value. A lot of these people will surprise you by generously giving you their time.

Anyone wanting to learn more about me, my current/past projects, or my guest appearances should visit my webpage at www.acfischer.com