In this insightful conversation, Nate Larkin, founder of the Samson Society and author, shares his journey from battling porn and sex addiction to finding redemption. He explores the deep pain addiction causes in relationships and how isolation exacerbates struggles. Larkin emphasizes the necessity of community and authenticity for recovery, recounting how vulnerability transformed his life and marriage. Listeners will find hope through his candid reflections on overcoming shame and the power of brotherhood in healing.
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Early Exposure And Secret Shame
Nate discovered Playboy at age 10 after his mother died, which triggered guilt and a lifelong secret struggle with pornography.
He hid the habit while building a reputation as the “Christian kid,” and the secrecy deepened the problem.
insights INSIGHT
Porn As A Learned Soothing Strategy
Pornography became a default distress-management strategy that automated into compulsive behavior over time.
Moving from still images to immersive moving images increased reward-system activation and accelerated addiction.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Seminary Escalation And Rock Bottom
While in seminary Nate first saw hardcore porn in a Times Square peep show and rapidly escalated his seeking behavior.
The addiction eroded his emotional connection with his wife and culminated in an encounter that convinced him he had hit bottom.
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I’ll never forget the first time I heard Nate Larkin’s story. His honesty, his pain, and his redemption hit me in a way that few testimonies ever have. As men, so many of us live with secret battles—porn, addiction, shame—that we think we can fight alone. But Nate’s story proves that isolation only leads to destruction, while brotherhood and authenticity lead to freedom.
In this week’s BraveCo Podcast, I sit down with Nate Larkin, founder of the Samson Society and author of Samson and the Pirate Monks. Nate opens up about his hidden struggle with pornography and sex addiction, the devastating impact it had on his marriage, ministry, and faith, and the powerful way God restored his life. This isn’t just theory—it’s lived experience, raw and unfiltered.
If you’re a man wrestling with addiction, shame, or feeling like you can’t measure up, this episode is for you. Nate’s story will challenge you, encourage you, and show you that freedom is possible—but only when we stop hiding and start walking in brotherhood. Don’t miss this conversation.
Timestamps: 00:00 – Why masculinity is under attack today 01:22 – Meet Nate Larkin: From ministry to addiction 04:02 – The first encounter with pornography 06:31 – Marriage, ministry, and the hidden battle 10:29 – Planting a church while struggling in secret 12:15 – The moment Nate hit rock bottom 13:17 – The words from his wife that saved his life 15:23 – Rebuilding trust in marriage after betrayal 20:07 – Understanding addiction, trauma, and shame 26:02 – Why recovery only happens in brotherhood
ABOUT BRAVECO: We live in a time where men are hunting for the truth and looking for the codebook to manhood. At BraveCo, we are on a mission to heal the narrative of masculinity across a generation; fighting the good fight together because every man should feel confident and capable of facing his pain, loving deeply, and leading a life that impacts the world around him.
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