Coffee with Demons

NPHS graduate has his own podcast

Anam Vaziri, Editor-in-Chief|December 19, 2019

Johnny Guethlein (right), the creator of Coffee with Demons. “I just knew I wanted to help, and help as many people as I could,” he said. Photo courtesy of Johnny Guethlein

“I just knew I wanted to help and I wanted to do something where I could help as many people as I could,” said North Platte High 2015 graduate Johnny Guethlein. 

Guethlein began a podcast called “Coffee with Demons” in May of 2019, and has been releasing approximately two podcasts a month, with the goal of destigmatizing mental health. “I wanted to interview people who had inspirational stories and who had fought demons, like we all do, and also have done something successful,” he said. 

 

The inspiration for the podcast began with Guethlein’s own battles with mental illness. “I was never someone who people would look at and think had a lot of issues, but I was still dealing with stuff, and I didn’t know where it was coming from, so I figured other people were doing the same,” he said.

Photographs that were taken from episode eight and twelve of “Coffee with Demons”. Episode eight features Gage Mruz, and talks about the environment, sutainability, and how he is combatting the climate crisis. Episode twelve discusses Dr. Dave Miers, who is the Counseling and Program Development Manager at Bryan Health. Photo Courtesy of Johnny Guethlein.
Photographs that were taken from episode eight and twelve of “Coffee with Demons”. Episode eight features Gage Mruz, and talks about the environment, sutainability, and how he is combatting the climate crisis. Episode twelve discusses Dr. Dave Miers, who is the Counseling and Program Development Manager at Bryan Health. Photo Courtesy of Johnny Guethlein.

Guethlein assumed that since he wasn’t speaking up about his experiences, no one else was either. He wanted to give people a place to share their stories. “All of my guests have had amazing stories and something different to share, and it has really put my life in perspective,” Guethlein said. He has interviewed a few North Platte High graduates, but he talks to people from all over Nebraska. Guethlein does the talking and interviewing, and NPHS 2013 graduate Jacob Engel shoots and does the photo and video editing. 

Guethlein began blogging after his freshman year of college, and that’s what began the inspiration for his podcast. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I moved to New Zealand to try and find myself, and what I wanted to do, and it led me to believe that life is what you make it,” he said. 

Guethlein’s message to high schoolers is that things always get better, and that time heals all wounds. “Even if you’re in a good place, there’s just so much to learn, and life is really just whatever you want it to be,” he said. Guethlein believes that there is no set path you need to follow. “You just need to write your own story,” he said. 

The podcast “Coffee with Demons” is on every podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.