Special Guest CEO of Soul Sanctuary in Laguna Beach, CASpecial Guest CEO of Soul Sanctuary in Laguna Beach, CA
The Issues of Life Podcast with Deron "Malibu" McBee
Deron “Malibu” McBee talks with Joshua Hamburg about his journey from heavy fentanyl use and drug dealing to leading Soul Sanctuary, a treatment centre in Laguna Beach. Their conversation blends personal history, Christian reflections, and practical views on modern recovery and 12‑step work.
1:00:07•8 Jan 2020
From Fentanyl to Soul Sanctuary: Josh Hamburg’s Road to Recovery Work
Episode Overview
- Recovery is presented as a journey of regaining control and power, not just admitting powerlessness.
- Joshua describes learning early that external things like food or drugs seemed to fix internal discomfort, setting up later addiction.
- Fentanyl use escalated to a $1,000‑per‑day habit, overdoses, and near‑constant bed‑bound living before treatment became unavoidable.
- Soul Sanctuary focuses on stabilising clients, reducing resistance to recovery, and bringing in different clinicians based on each person’s needs.
- Deron stresses a Christian view that a ‘God‑shaped void’ sits in every person, arguing that no substance or success can truly fill it.
“"Really, recovery has been a process about regaining control and regaining power."”
Curious about how others manage their sobriety journey? This conversation on The Issues of Life Podcast brings together raw honesty, humour, and a very candid Christian perspective on addiction and recovery. Host Deron “Malibu” McBee sits down with 28‑year‑old Joshua Hamburg, CADC‑CS, ICCS and CEO of Soul Sanctuary in Laguna Beach, to talk about how a kid who once smoked fentanyl in a dorm room ended up running a treatment centre.
Joshua shares that his first "drug" was actually food, recalling how, at three years old, he walked off the football field and chose a Happy Meal instead, realising early on that "something externally could fix something internally." From there, he walks through years of pot dealing, festival culture, and a staggering $1,000‑a‑day fentanyl habit that left him with bed sores and multiple overdoses.
One of the most striking lines he offers is, "really, recovery has been a process about regaining control and regaining power," challenging the common idea that 12‑step work is only about powerlessness. The chat moves easily between heavy topics and light banter.
Deron weaves in a Christian message about a "God‑shaped void" and questions how anyone stays sober without a spiritual foundation, while Joshua explains how Soul Sanctuary focuses on stabilising clients, reducing resistance to recovery, and building truly individual treatment plans. They also tackle cigarettes, rehab romances, and why quick fixes feel like a great “return on investment” until they don’t.
If you’re interested in faith‑centred conversations, honest talk about drugs like fentanyl, or how modern treatment programmes mix clinical practice with spirituality, you’ll find plenty to chew on here. It might even nudge you to ask: what are you using to fix what’s going on inside?
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