The Back 9 - Midlife, Best Life. | Listen Free on Castbox.

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TB9, S14, E16 | Actor Paul Adelstein: Growing Up and Growing Older in Hollywood

2026-10-1343:50

After decades in Hollywood, Paul Adelstein still isn't sure he's made it. And maybe that's part of what's kept him going. This week on **The Back 9**, the star of *Private Practice*, *Prison Break*, *Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce* and *The Audacity* joins us to talk about his unlikely start in Chicago theater, his big break with John Cusack, and the experience of growing older in an industry where the roles change right along with you. And how did his high school class manage to produce four successful Hollywood actors, including one who became a major star? Along the way, Paul shares stories of old friends, famous collaborators, divorce, fatherhood and what it means to keep challenging yourself creatively. For Paul, success isn't necessarily a role, a paycheck or a particular milestone. It's doing meaningful work with people he respects and staying excited about what might come next. Not a bad way to approach the Back 9.

TB9, S14, E15 | Attorneys Amy Shield & Roger Levine — Divorce Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

2026-10-0635:09

Divorce has a nasty habit of turning bad decisions into permanent ones. This week on The Back 9, mother-and-son appellate attorneys Amy Shield and Roger Levine, authors of Divorce SOS, share the legal mistakes people often don't recognize until it's too late — from financial records and settlement agreements to choosing the wrong attorney. But some of their best advice happens outside the courtroom. When an ex knows exactly how to push your buttons, that angry text or email can feel pretty satisfying, until it gets used against you. Amy and Roger join us to talk about lowering the temperature, protecting your kids and finances, and making decisions today that you can still live with tomorrow...and all the way through your Back 9.

TB9, S14, E14 -- Dennis and Josh on How to Engage with the World

2026-09-2930:01

Being engaged with the world doesn't mean we have to let all of it into our heads. This week on The Back 9, it's just Dennis and Josh, talking about everything from the crime against humanity that is mixing 12-year Scotch with Coke to movies, anxiety, meditation, social media and the things we allow to occupy way too much space in our lives. Dennis shares what happened when he dramatically cut back on social media. Josh talks about recognizing his own anxiety around conflict. And together, we wrestle with a bigger question: how do we stay curious, informed and connected without getting consumed by all the noise? Maybe the answer isn't disengaging from the world. Maybe it's becoming more intentional about how we engage with it — and what actually deserves our attention.

TB9. S14, E13 Entrepreneur Philip Crutchfield — Don't Miss Your Life

2026-09-2235:56

Sometimes we get to a point in life and realize that we are spending so much time focused on the future for our family, that we've lost sight of the life we're living right now. This week on The Back 9, entrepreneur Philip Crutchfield talks about becoming a father young, building successful businesses, and confronting his own role in the end of his second marriage. Philip spent years working long hours and traveling to give his family a life he never had, only to realize -- a little too late -- that they already had a pretty good life. Now 50, with four children, he reflects on ambition, fatherhood, divorce and the years we can't get back. Sometimes figuring out what happened isn't about assigning blame. It's about recognizing what we want to do differently with the years ahead. It's an opportunity to change the game -- on the Back 9.

TB9, S14, E12 -- Divorce Professional Kurt Heide -- Divorce Is Emotional. Your Decisions Can't Be.

2026-09-1537:07

Divorce can feel like the worst thing that's ever happened to you. For Kurt Heide, it once did. When his first marriage ended, Kurt suddenly found himself raising three young children as a single father while trying to hold together his career and his life. This week on The Back 9, he shares what he learned about putting his kids first, keeping anger from driving important decisions, and eventually building the relationship he's now been in for 18 years. Kurt also talks about his work with the National Association for Divorce Professionals and why the right legal, financial and emotional support can matter when you're least equipped to make clear decisions. Because the choices we make during the worst moments of our lives long after it's over, and that's a lesson worth heeding on the Back 9.

#box-pro-ellipsis-179211076923283{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}The Back 9 - Midlife, Best Life.

The Back 9 - Midlife, Best Life.