Human School

If this conversation resonated, Onsite offers immersive therapeutic experiences to help you slow down, reconnect, and get honest about what matters most. With campuses near Nashville and San Diego, Onsite supports people navigating burnout, relationship strain, addiction, trauma, or the sense that life feels off. Learn more at experienceonsite.com or call 1-800-341-7432. A simple conversation can be the first step toward living more fully.
 
What happens when you stop performing your life and start living it?
What if the exhaustion you're feeling isn't a sign you're doing something wrong, but proof you're finally doing something real?
 
Mallory Ervin has lived much of her life in front of people—as Miss Kentucky, on The Amazing Race, as a creator who's built an expansive online community, and as the founder of brands like Living Fully and In My Sundays. But what makes her story compelling isn't the resume. It's what she's done underneath all of it. Instead of hardening or hiding, Mallory has softened. She's let her life shape her work, and she hasn't rushed past the hard seasons or cleaned them up before telling the truth.
 
In this conversation, Mallory opens up about the cost of being known, the weight of building businesses while raising young kids, and the moments that forced her to ask whether she was living fully or just filling her days. She talks about the difference between being busy and being present and why rest became the foundation of her most successful business. She reveals what it's like to rebuild your sense of self when the world already has an opinion about who you are.
 
This isn't a conversation about balance or having it all figured out. It's about what it takes to stay human in the middle of a life that moves fast, feels full, and demands more than you sometimes have to give.
 
In this conversation, you'll learn:
How to stop living in the performance and start living in the presence
How grief doesn't follow a timeline and why that's okay
How motherhood forces you to confront who you really are
How to build a business around rest when you've spent your life running
How to navigate the gap between who you are in public and who you are at home
How to stop waiting for permission to take up space
How to let your life shape your work instead of the other way around
How to stay soft in a world that rewards being hard
How to honor the liminal space instead of rushing to the next thing
How to stop apologizing for being human
 
Welcome to Human School, where we learn what matters most - Miles Adcox
 
Follow Human School:
YouTube - Human School Podcast
Instagram - @humanschoolofficial
Threads - @humanschoolofficial
TikTok - @humanschoolofficial
 
What We Discuss:
00:00:00 Intro - Welcome to Human School
00:00:17 Meet Mallory Ervin
00:02:02 Showing Up Tired and Grateful
00:05:19 Why Authenticity Became Non-Negotiable
00:07:32 Why Recovery Was the Greatest Gift of My Life
00:17:20 Rock Bottom, Surrender, and Radical Honesty
00:23:10 You Don’t Have to Hit Rock Bottom to Change Your Life
00:32:57 Distraction, Social Media, and Avoiding Yourself
00:41:15 When Help Turned Into Addiction: Mallory's Journey to Recovery
00:58:52 What Recovery Support Actually Looks Like
01:08:30 Earning a PhD in Yourself
01:13:38 The Temptation to Go Back to Old Patterns
01:18:58 What Recovery Taught Me About Daily Life
01:35:52 Defining What "Live Fully" Really Means in Life
01:40:33 The Balance in Being Driven to Excellence and Staying Present
01:43:44 Creating a Life Your Kids Can Learn From & Be a Part Of
01:55:33 The Entrepreneur: Live Fully & In My Sundays 
01:59:03 Closing Reflections on Authentic Living

Transform your trauma at Onsite. Visit onsiteworkshops.com to explore life-changing programs designed to help you heal, grow, and rediscover hope.

What if the worst moment of your life became the foundation for everything that came after?
Country music artist Drake White collapsed on stage in 2019 during a performance in Roanoke, Virginia. He was diagnosed with an AVM (arteriovenous malformation), a tangled mass of blood vessels in his brain that ruptured mid-song, paralyzing his left side. What could have ended his career and his life became the beginning of a deeper story about faith, resilience, and purpose.
In this conversation, Drake shares the surreal experience of having a stroke on stage and waking up in the hospital, unable to move half his body. He talks about how his wife duct-taped her leg to his and helped him relearn how to walk, only to face her own paralysis months later. He reflects on the moment a buck appeared on a trail camera behind his house and how that single image reignited his will to live. Drake goes into the basement of rock bottom, the power of covenant in marriage, and why listening to the quiet pull to “turn right instead of left” has reshaped how he lives.
This is a conversation about losing everything you thought made you who you are and discovering that rebuilding teaches you who you’ve always been.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:
How to find purpose when everything that defined you is stripped away

Why rock bottom has a basement and how foundations are built there

How to turn trauma into testimony without skipping the pain

How to navigate marriage when both partners are hurting

How nature and hunting became part of Drake’s healing journey

Why honoring bad days doesn’t cancel hope

How to break free from negativity loops and victim narratives

How to listen to the quiet pull guiding your next step

Welcome to Human School, where we learn what matters most—Miles Adcox

Follow Human School:YouTube – Human School PodcastInstagram – @humanschoolofficialThreads – @humanschoolofficialTikTok – @humanschoolofficial

What We Discuss:00:00:00 Intro - Welcome to Human School00:00:30 Drake White's Story: From Collapse to Comeback00:02:31 Rock Bottom Has a Basement: Building a Foundation in the Hole00:03:43 The Building Science Degree and Why Foundations Matter00:04:52 Getting Through Your Twenties Without Real Adversity00:10:40 Being in Her First Wedding: The Story of Pursuing Alex00:14:10 Diagnosed with an AVM: A Mass the Size of a Lime in His Brain00:16:21 August 16th, 2019: Taking the Stage in Roanoke, Virginia00:22:06 "I Thought I Had a Flat Tire, Not That the Engine Was Going Down"00:23:20 Exploration Over Fear: Surfing the Wave Psychologically00:25:19 The Deep Sleep Where He Had His Interaction with God00:26:22 Alex Drives Seven Hours: What Love Looks Like in Crisis00:28:43 Four Months Later: Alex's Paralysis in Steamboat Springs00:30:29 Calling for Help from Their Moms - "Nobody Loves You Like That"00:33:25 Relearning to Walk: The Thread of Hope Running Through It All00:35:39 Growing Up Baptist and Questioning Everything00:44:54 "The Ability to Have a Good Day in Bad Situations Is a Superpower"00:46:52 Taking a Right This Morning: Listening to the Pull00:51:02 Instinct, Intuition, Faith, and Self-Awareness00:53:03 Science and Religion Coexist: The Western Civilization Experiment01:00:05 "There's Always a Deeper Route" - Why Am I Here and Where Am I Going01:02:27 Coming Home After 40 Days and 40 Nights in the Hospital01:03:35 The Trail Camera Behind the House: A 175-Inch Deer01:12:11 Neuroplasticity: The Brain Forms New Pathways Around Lesions01:15:18 Make Your Trauma a Testimony for Somebody Else01:18:30 Ladder to the Sky: A Hunts the Healing Story01:21:38 Breaking the Negativity Loop, Blame Cycle, and Victim Narrative01:24:03 The Benefit for the Brain: A Night of Advocacy and Encouragement01:28:55 Be the Quarterback for Your Own Care

Ready to do deeper work? If this conversation resonates and you’re feeling stirred to look more honestly at your own story, visit experienceonsite.com or call 1-800-341-7432. Onsite offers immersive therapeutic experiences just outside Nashville and San Diego—spaces designed to help you slow down, look under the hood, and reimagine what’s possible in your relationships and life.

Have you ever wondered why the villain's journey matters more than the hero's? What if the worst thing that ever happened to you could become your greatest competitive advantage?

Donald Miller didn’t set out to become one of the most influential voices in modern communication. He started by trying to write his way out of pain. From feeling invisible as a kid in Texas to becoming a bestselling author and the creator of StoryBrand, Donald’s work is built on one core truth: clarity creates connection.

In this conversation, Donald opens up about the experiences that shaped him—father abandonment, poverty, ambition, and the inner villain stories we rarely examine. He shares why understanding the villain’s journey matters as much as the hero’s, how pain can become fuel rather than a prison, and why one of the most powerful phrases in leadership and parenting is simply, “Will you forgive me?”

Donald and Miles explore how cognitive load impacts nearly every area of life—from relationships and parenting to business, culture, and politics. Donald reflects on becoming a father at 49, the fear of loving something you can’t control, and why congruence—not perfection—is the most effective parenting tool we have. He also offers a thoughtful critique of modern political messaging and the incentives that keep problems unsolved.

This is a conversation about responsibility, healing, and learning to tell the truth—first to yourself, then to others.

Follow Human School:YouTube – Human School PodcastInstagram – @humanschoolofficialThreads – @humanschoolofficialTikTok – @humanschoolofficial

In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Pain Can Become the Birthplace of Purpose
Why the Villain’s Journey Deserves as Much Attention as The Hero’s
How Reducing Cognitive Load Helps People Actually Hear You
Why "Will You Forgive Me" Is as Powerful as "I Love You" 
How One Single Sentence at Onsite Unlocked Years of Stuck Pain 
Why Congruence Is the Most Powerful Parenting and Leadership Tool You Have 
How to Know When to Get on the Plane and When to Stay Home

What We Discuss:
00:00:00 Intro – Welcome to Human School00:01:37 The Origin Story of Human School00:06:55 When StoryBrand Got Busy and Life Took Over00:08:38 The Three-Ring Binder That Changed Everything at Onsite00:10:26 How Onsite Reshaped Don’s Relationships00:13:07 Connection Is Where You Get the Most Meaning00:14:16 How Early Wounds Quietly Fuel Ambition00:19:12 Heroes, Villains, and The Stories We Avoid Examining00:24:10 "Onsite Healed and Redirected My Villain Story" 00:30:03 When Don Realized Writing Was an Effective Tool for Struggle00:38:15 How Don Went to Onsite in His Mid-Thirties and Everything Changed00:45:27 Having Your Heart Run Around the Room - The Fear and Wonder of Parenthood00:49:51 The Power of an Apology to Your Kid00:54:10 A Costly Business Mistake00:57:50 Why Leaders Fall into the Wizard of Oz Trap01:01:29 From Memoirs to Business Messaging
01:06:15 The Spectrum Brands Story: "Kids Love Aquariums" 01:08:30 The Jeb Bush Campaign vs. "Build a Wall" 
01:10:08 Why Cognitive Load Applies to Parenting, Music, and Everything 
01:14:05 The Doubling Tool: How Therapists Reduce Cognitive Load in Real Time01:17:48 How Onsite Gave Don His Sister Back01:19:26 AI, Clarity, and Communication01:25:20 Why Political Incentives Rarely Reward Solutions01:33:42 Why Nuance Doesn't Work in Storytelling  01:37:07 America’s Capacity for Self-Correction01:42:21 WeeklySoundbite.com and Don’s current work

What happens when you stop hiding from the hardest parts of your story? What if the moments that nearly broke you are actually the ones that wake you up?
 
Joshua Bassett—Emmy-winning actor, musician, and creator of the deeply honest album The Golden Years—opens up about navigating heart failure at a young age, surviving public heartbreak, wrestling with suicidal ideation, and discovering that vulnerability isn't weakness, it's the pathway to freedom. From growing up homeschooled with emotional distance in his family to living in his car in Los Angeles at 16, Joshua shares how he's learned to turn pain into purpose, shame into connection, and fear into art.
 
In this raw and revealing conversation, Joshua talks about the family meeting that changed everything, the lies he believed about his intelligence, the spiritual awakening that followed a psychedelic experience, and why he believes chronic fight-or-flight is the biggest problem of our time. He introduces practical tools like his "thought-feeling-impulse-truth" exercise, breathing techniques to calm your nervous system, and why artists have to "pave the road" through their own pain so others can walk it more easily.
 
Joshua also shares about Sammy Sundays, the homeless outreach he co-founded, why safety matters more than talent in the creative process, and how learning to say the unsaid became his greatest act of courage. This isn't a conversation about fame or celebrity. It's about what it takes to become fully human in a world that rewards performance over presence.

And if you want to hear more of Joshua's story, his book ROOKIE comes out May 5, 2026. Pre-orders are available on joshuatbassett.com.
 
In this conversation, you'll learn:
How to Use the "Thought-Feeling-Impulse-Truth" Framework to Process Anxiety
How Vulnerability Creates Connection, Even When It's Terrifying
How to Get Out of Fight-or-Flight Using Science-Backed Techniques
How to Stop Apologizing for Your Unique Way of Thinking
How to Recognize When You're Pushing Emotions Down Instead of Processing Them
How to Create Safety in Creative Spaces
How to Stop Letting Other People's Perceptions Define Your Identity
How Love Is Worth Living For Even in Your Darkest Moment

Learn More About Onsite
Discover the transformational experiences that support deep healing and growth. Visit experienceonsite.com to learn about Onsite's immersive programs in Tennessee and Southern California, or call 1-800-341-7432.
 
Follow Human School:
YouTube - Human School Podcast
Instagram - @humanschoolofficial
Threads - @humanschoolofficial
TikTok - @humanschoolofficial

What We Discuss:
00:00:00 Welcome to Human School
00:00:41 Meet Joshua Bassett
00:03:19 Why Vulnerability Is Always Met With Vulnerability
00:07:53 The Hospital Room Confession: When Heart Failure Brought His Family Closer
00:10:33 The Family Meeting Where Everything Shifted
00:19:17 Why Polarization Sells and Productive Conversations Don't Have Winners
00:22:29 How Artists Are the Ones Who Will Bring Culture Back Together
00:28:04 The Film Role That Gave Him Back Pain From Vicarious Trauma
00:30:02 Mirror Neurons: How We Catch Emotions Like a Cold
00:35:09 Why Fight-or-Flight Is the Biggest Problem of Our Time
00:39:27 The 20 Tools He Uses to Get Out of Fight-or-Flight
00:41:21 Thought-Feeling-Impulse-Truth: The Framework That Changed His Life
00:43:10 Life Lessons from Universal Studios Experiences
00:50:14 Sammy Sundays: The Homeless Outreach That Radically Changed His Life
00:53:07 The Vagus Nerve and Science-Backed Ways to Calm Your Nervous System
00:57:09 Guided Breathing Exercise: 4 Seconds In, Hold for 7, Out for 8
01:00:36 Why He Can't Be Attached to Someone Else's Plan
01:10:05 What Brought Him Back to Music
01:13:08 Why Safety Matters More Than Talent in the Creative Process
01:18:09 How Public Perception Shapes and Distorts Who We Think Someone Is
01:21:25 The Night He Almost Gave Up
01:28:18 What He'd Say to Someone at a Crossroads Right Now

What if the loneliest position you'll ever hold is the one you worked your whole life to achieve?
What if everything you learned about leadership left out the most important part?

Janet McDonald, CEO of Onsite, didn't start her career planning to lead with vulnerability. She started at 14, running a ladies boutique in downtown Franklin, TN while her friends worked as her employees. At nine years old, she was already holding her family together after her parents' divorce, learning early that "if it is to be, it's up to me." That message drove her through a successful career in management consulting, always climbing and achieving, until she realized something was missing.
 
Janet first heard about Onsite the way many do: someone told her, "It changed my life." Then another person said it. Then another. Her curiosity piqued, but she was skeptical. Either they had a really good marketing campaign, or something real was happening an hour outside Nashville, TN. When she applied to be Chief Operating Officer, she thought, "Who in their right mind is going to drive an hour every day out here?" But as she drove up the hill to the campus, something shifted immediately.
 
What makes Janet's leadership distinctive is that she bridges two worlds that rarely meet: strategic clarity and courageous vulnerability. In this conversation, Janet opens up about the cost of leadership, including the loneliness and isolation, and reveals how her pre-teen self still shows up in boardrooms. She shares why curiosity is the number one skill of any leader, and why the 18-inch journey from head to heart is the hardest one you'll ever make.

In this conversation, you'll learn: 
How to Lead from Behind Instead of in Front
How Your Nine-to-Fourteen-Year-Old Self Still Shows Up in Boardrooms
How to Change Your Observer to Open Up New Possibilities for Action
How to Ask "What Is It Like to Be on the Other Side of Me?"
How to Depersonalize Conflict After Establishing Connection
How to Navigate the 18-Inch Journey from Your Head to Your Heart
How to Bring Soul Back into Leadership and Life
How to Love Others Really Well by First Learning Everything About Yourself
How to Unlock Capacity in Already Successful People
How to Fill in the Blanks Without Assuming You're Right
 
Welcome to Human School, where we learn what matters most. - Miles Adcox

Learn More About Onsite
Discover the transformational experiences that changed Janet's life and leadership. Visit experienceonsite.com to learn about Onsite's immersive programs in Tennessee and Southern California, or call 1-800-341-7432 to explore how we can support your journey.

Follow Human School:
YouTube - Human School Podcast 
Instagram - @humanschoolofficial 
Threads - @humanschoolofficial 
TikTok - @humanschoolofficial

What We Discuss:
00:00:00 Welcome to Human School
00:00:31 Meet Janet McDonald: Leading from Alongside, Not in Front
00:03:04 Getting Interested in Leadership at a Young Age
00:06:56 Second Half of Life: Helping Others Have Their Best Career
00:09:23 What Leadership Afforded Her and What It Cost
00:11:48 What's Missing from Traditional Leadership
00:15:30 Everyone Kept Telling Her About Onsite
00:17:25 Applying to Be COO at Onsite
00:22:00 Teaching What Traditional Leaders Are Starving For
00:25:42 The Onsite Effect: Watching Transformation Happen in Real Time
00:26:58 You Become a Better Leader by Becoming a Better Human
00:29:00 Our Observer & It's Impact
00:31:56 Your Inner Child Is Always with You
00:35:49 The Exercise: What's It Like on the Other Side of Me?
00:38:30 Making Assessments and Acting Like They're Facts
00:40:00 Onsite: Growth as a Human, Not Just a Leader
00:45:28 How Dialog Changes After Connection
00:50:10 The Myth of Work-Life Balance 
00:57:00 The Number One Skill Is Curiosity 
01:00:25 Regenerative Leadership: Bringing Soul Back 
01:01:58 Three Lessons from Janet's Living Centered Program 
01:04:28 The Plot Twist: It's Not Just Leadership, It's Life