From Reality TV to Redemption: Nathaniel Blackburn’s Journey of Healing & Faith

Welcome back to the Stand Up Dude Podcast! In this episode, your hosts Tim Bisagno and Stewart White sit down with Nathaniel Blackburn—TV personality, addiction overcomer, founder of True North Retreats, and a man who’s turned real-world brokenness into a mission for true freedom in Christ.If you’re a man dealing with father wounds, secret struggles, loneliness, or just want more than the status quo, this conversation will hit home.

Nathaniel gets radically honest about everything—from childhood trauma, addiction and fame, to that life-altering moment in a jail cell where he finally met the relentless grace of Jesus.We go deep into what it means to be a true son of God, break down the real barriers that keep men from intimacy with their Heavenly Father, and offer practical wisdom for breaking free from self-reliance, shame, and the “checklist Christianity” that leaves so many men empty.

What You’ll Experience in This Episode:

• Nathaniel’s raw story—from abandonment and fame (MTV’s Real World) to addiction, suicide, and radical rescue by Jesus
• How “successful” men silently struggle (and why you’re not alone, no matter how it looks on the outside) • The journey from orphan mindset to knowing God as Father—and why most men never get there
• Why solitude with God changes everything (and why most of us have never truly experienced it) • How to break the cycle of shame, secrecy, and performance-driven faith
• What father wounds do to a man—and how to find true healing and identity as a beloved son
•  Real talk on originality, comparison, and why you don’t have to have it all together to be used by God
• Nathaniel’s calling to set the table for other men: the story behind True North Retreats
• Practical steps for making space for God in the chaos, hearing His voice, and letting Him father you
• An invitation to radical grace: why you can finally stop performing and start receiving…and much more!
  
  Men, if you’re ready for more depth, more freedom, and more of God’s relentless love—this is your invitation. Don’t settle for distraction, overwhelm, and going through the motions. Join us for real talk that will help you step into sonship and become the man you were created to be.

🌟 EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:
True North Retreats – Encounter God, Rediscover Sonship, Find Your True North
https://www.truenorthretreats.org/

Want to start or grow your relationship with Christ?
https://www.standupdude.com/standup/

Stand Up Dude Tools & Resources—Level Up, Get Connected:
https://standupdude.com/be-more

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Timestamps:
00:00 – Nathaniel’s Story: From Brokenness, Addiction & MTV to Grace
10:00 – Fame, Success & the Empty Life No One Talks About
17:00 – The Power of Father Wounds and Fatherlessness
25:00 – Sonship: Learning to Let God Love You
37:00 – How Nathaniel Was Called Into Men’s Ministry
44:00 – What Happens on a True North Retreat?
53:00 – Why Solitude Matters & Finding Your Worth in Jesus
1:00:00 – How to Start Over and Receive God’s Grace

ABOUT THE GUEST:
Nathaniel Blackburn is the founder of True North Retreats—a movement to help men meet Christ father-to-son, step out of shame, and walk in freedom. Once a star on MTV’s Real World, trapped in cycles of addiction and despair,