Burnout, Fatherhood & Netflix’s “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” | Real Talk + Mental Health

Feeling fried, stuck, or just plain over it? In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, Dmitry and Patrick dive into burnout, honest fixes that actually help, and how trying to be present dads collides with real-world stress. We also unpack Netflix’s “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”—casting surprises (yep, “Jax” from Sons of Anarchy), fact vs. fiction, and why true-crime storytelling can both fascinate and disturb.

You’ll hear candid talk on:

• Burnout symptoms and the “flat-line” phase
• Building small wins and rituals that beat overwhelm
• A sobriety check-in: swapping the “pause button” of drinking for plans that reset your brain
• Real-life dad moments—school conferences, teen milestones, discipline, and imperfect wins
• A spicy ethics thought experiment you’ll want to weigh in on

⚠️ Content Advisory: Explicit language + graphic references during the true-crime segment.

Join the conversation:
How have you handled burnout? What did Monster get right or wrong? Drop your take below—best comments get read next episode.

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Support the show: Like, subscribe, and share with a friend who needs a nudge out of burnout.

Next week’s watch-along: The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix). We’ll review it and tie it back to mental health and community.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 – Cold open & welcome back
00:45 – Why Monster: The Ed Gein Story hooked us
01:30 – “Wait…is that Jax?!” Casting surprises & first impressions
03:15 – Shock factor vs. storytelling: where’s the line? (graphic talk)
05:05 – Fact vs. fiction: what the show gets right (so far)
07:10 – Unassuming villains & the “how did no one notice?” question
09:00 – Craftsmanship, creep factor, and the ethics of fascination
10:50 – Mental health lens: dissociation, treatment then vs. now
13:10 – Does graphic TV glamorize violence? Our take
15:05 – Pivot to burnout: “feels like a flat line” phase
16:30 – When small wins disappear (and how to manufacture them)
18:55 – Equipment issues, people problems & the month from hell
21:10 – Career lanes, ceilings, and creating new paths
22:50 – Sobriety check-in: replacing the “pause button”
24:40 – Planning joy: pumpkin patches, crafts, movie nights
26:20 – Drinking as procrastination vs. real recovery
28:45 – Health goals vs. weekend backslides (real talk)
31:30 – Discipline, pressure, and why urgency helps some of us focus
34:00 – Choosing impact: kids, legacy, and doing more than a job
36:05 – MCP: Moments of Child Pride (bikes, school, testing nerves)
38:30 – Parenting chaos: discipline, boundaries, and keeping cool
40:05 – Parent-teacher wins, leadership, and college acceptance
43:05 – Milestones: turning 18—what actually changes?
52:00 – Ethical curveball: 1 close friend vs. 1,000 strangers?
55:10 – Recap, community ask & your burnout playbook
56:40 – Next week’s watch-along: The Perfect Neighbor
57:20 – Wrap & CTAs (like, comment, subscribe)