Michael
Leahy is a husband, a father, and a recovering sex addict. As founder
and Executive Director of BraveHearts, he has an ambitious goal
of building a global healing community that transforms lives through
the power of personal story. Their mission is to educate others
about sexual addiction and the sexualization of our culture, and
to inspire those who struggle and their loved ones to have hope
and seek out help.
His
new book is Porn
Nation.
A
successful technology industry executive who worked for blue chip
firms like IBM, Unisys, and NEC for over two decades, Michael was
first exposed to porn at age 11. Over the next 30 years, his relationship
with pornography continued to grow before escalating into a full
blown sexual addiction and culminating in an affair that cost him
a 15 year marriage, his family of 2 boys, and a promising business
partnership, bringing him to the brink of bankruptcy and suicide.
Now, ten years into recovery, Michael publicly shares his redemptive
story of how he fought back to overcome America’s #1 but least
talked about addiction. Widely recognized as an expert and spokesperson
for the 18-24 million Americans who are sexually addicted, Michael
has inspired millions through appearances on national television
programs like ABC’s 20/20, The View, CNN, and Fox News; in
major media publications like USA Today, the Chicago Sun Times,
and the Miami Herald; and on such diverse nationally syndicated
radio programs as The Michael Reagan Show, Dr. Drew Live, Janet
Parshall’s America, and Sirius satellite’s Playboy Radio.
As an author and expert on sexual addiction and the sexualization
of our culture, Michael has spoken on over 200 college campuses
to over 100,000 students attending his Porn Nation event or The
Great Porn Debate with porn industry legend Ron Jeremy. Michael
also appears often in churches and at conferences to share his life
changing story of reconciliation and recdemption. His unique brand
of tactful openness and honest authenticity has earned him high
marks from audiences and event planners alike.
A native of Chicago, IL, Michael is the father of two boys and has
recently remarried. He and his wife Christine currently reside in
the Washington, D.C. area.
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