🎸 Breaking the Stigma: What I Learned from Talking with Bowling for Soup’s Jaret Reddick

When I saw Bowling for Soup live at the Four Chord Music Festival, I expected a night of singing, dancing, and pure pop-punk nostalgia…not tears. I never imagined that after shouting along to 1985, Almost and Girl All the Bad Guys Want, I’d end up emailing the lead singer to invite him on my podcast. But when Jaret Reddick performed “Turbulence,” something shifted. The song stopped me in my tracks…emotional, raw, and real in a way that caught me completely off guard.

It reminded me why music has always been more than just entertainment to me. It’s connection, catharsis, and truth. That performance moved me enough to reach out, and it led to one of the most honest, human conversations I’ve ever had…about mental health, midlife, and the man behind the music.

Here are five lessons I learned from our conversation that every midlife listener - woman or man - can take to heart.

1. Vulnerability Is the Real Strength

Jaret grew up in a world where men weren’t encouraged to talk about their feelings. Yet his turning point came when he finally shared his story publicly:

“I never want to go [to therapy], and on the way there I think about a hundred ways to cancel… then you walk out and you’re just like, My God, am I glad I went.” -Jaret on The Midlife Edit

That moment reminded me that showing up - whether to therapy, a workout, or a hard conversation - is the win. It’s literally the first step. Vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s courage in action.

2. You Can’t Fix Someone Else’s Pain…But You Can Listen

As women, many of us are natural fixers. We want to do something when our partners or friends are struggling. But Jaret offered a truth that hit me hard:

“It helps if you just understand that there’s nothing you can do and it’s not you. It’s not your problem. It’s my problem.” - Jaret on The Midlife Edit

Sometimes support looks like silence, patience, or a simple “I’m here.” Listening without judgment can be the most healing act of all.

4. Therapy Isn’t a Last Resort — It’s Maintenance

Jaret shared that he still sees a therapist, attends couples counseling, and checks in regularly with his doctor:

“I still to this day have to maintain and take my medicine… I see a therapist and we go to couples counseling for maintenance.” - Jaret on The Midlife Edit

He treats mental health the way we treat physical health…ongoing care, not crisis response. It’s a reminder that therapy isn’t about being broken; it’s about staying balanced.

4. Music Can Heal What Words Can’t

When Jaret talks about Turbulence or There Is You, you feel it.

“Music is magical… it’s the only thing in the world that can make you see, hear, smell, and truly feel something just by audibly hearing it.” - Jaret on The Midlife Edit

Whether it’s punk rock, pop, or a playlist that carries you through your morning walk, music connects us to the moments - and people - that remind us we’re not alone.

5. Purpose Can Come from Pain

Jaret’s journey from “the funny guy in a band” to a mental health advocate didn’t happen overnight. But it gave his life new meaning:

“I think that mental health and the struggles I went through were so that I could be an advocate for people who just can’t quite get over that hump… I think that is my purpose.” - Jaret on The Midlife Edit

It’s a lesson for all of us: our hardest seasons can become our greatest impact stories when we’re willing to share them.

Final Thoughts

Talking with Jaret reminded me that midlife isn’t just about reinvention…it’s about reflection. It’s about finding strength in honesty, healing through community, and realizing that even the best, loudest rockstars are still human behind the mic.

If you or someone you love is struggling, start small: talk to your doctor, text a friend, or listen to a song that makes you feel seen. You never know whose life - including your own - it might save.

🎧 Watch + Listen:
Want to hear the full conversation with Jaret? Trust me, you’ll laugh, cry, and walk away feeling a little more human.
👉 Listen to “Breaking the Stigma with Bowling for Soup’s Jaret Reddick” here
or watch it on YouTube.

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