From the Line to the Light

From the Line to the Light Former NFL lineman (Saints/Packers) turned mental health advocate. 31+ years sober. Helps others heal from trauma, addiction, and PTSD.

Speaker & mentor using his Four C’s: Chaos to Calm, Clarity & Communication. Empowering lives through resilience.

Happy Fathers day!!! Hope you have an awesome day all the dads out there.
06/20/2026

Happy Fathers day!!! Hope you have an awesome day all the dads out there.

Anger itself isn’t always the problem.It’s healthy to feel angry when something painful, unfair, or harmful happens.The ...
06/18/2026

Anger itself isn’t always the problem.

It’s healthy to feel angry when something painful, unfair, or harmful happens.

The issue is when anger becomes uncontrollable rage, when your reaction feels bigger than the situation in front of you.

That’s often a sign that something deeper is being triggered.

Trauma teaches the brain to stay alert, expect danger, and react quickly. Over time, even small situations can activate those old survival responses.

Understanding that connection doesn’t excuse harmful behavior, but it does help explain where healing needs to begin.

06/14/2026

One of the biggest blessings from sharing my story has been realizing how many people relate to it.

The conversations around trauma, addiction, recovery, identity, faith, and healing matter, and I’m excited to continue speaking about them through podcasts, public speaking, and interviews.

So I wanted to ask:

What podcast, radio show, church, men’s group, or event do you think I should be on?

Drop recommendations in the comments or send me a message. I’m always looking for opportunities to have honest conversations that might help someone feel seen.

I always say that if at least one person gets something out of my story then it was worth it. Thank you Sara for invitin...
06/11/2026

I always say that if at least one person gets something out of my story then it was worth it. Thank you Sara for inviting me to speak. I truly enjoyed it and I think at least one did get something out of it!

06/11/2026

A lot of people think rage means they’re just an angry person.

But sometimes what’s really happening is your nervous system is reacting to old pain, not just the current moment.

That’s why small things can suddenly feel huge.
A disagreement.
A mistake.
A spilled glass of milk.

To someone carrying unresolved trauma, those moments can trigger fear, panic, shame, or rage that feels completely disproportionate to the situation.

And that’s why traditional “just calm down” advice doesn’t always work.

Healing trauma means teaching your brain and body that you’re no longer living in survival mode.

That’s where real change starts.

A lot of people think anger comes out of nowhere.But usually, your nervous system has been building toward it long befor...
06/07/2026

A lot of people think anger comes out of nowhere.

But usually, your nervous system has been building toward it long before the explosion happens.

When you feel anger starting to rise, try slowing the moment down instead of feeding it.

Here are a few things that help:

- Pause before responding
- Take a walk or change environments
- Breathe slowly and deeply
- Ask yourself: “What is this really about?”
- Give yourself permission to revisit the conversation later

You don’t have to solve everything in the heat of the moment.

Most anger isn’t asking you to attack.

It’s asking you to pay attention to what’s happening inside you.

What’s something that’s helped you calm down or diffuse anger when it starts building up?

Drop it in the comments, someone else might need it too.

06/06/2026

The football career ended.

The addiction nearly took everything.

The anger wasn’t really anger.
It was trauma.

The business closed.
The identity cracked.
The plans changed.

And the thing nobody prepares you for is what happens when the roles you’ve hidden behind disappear.

Former NFL player.
Business owner.
Husband.
Provider.
Athlete.

When those things are stripped away, you’re left with one question:

Who are you now?

For me, the answer wasn’t found in another achievement.

It was found in recovery.
In healing.
In faith.
In learning that God loved me before I ever performed for Him.

Thirty-two years sober.

Years of facing Complex PTSD.

Countless lessons learned in the darkness.

And what I discovered is this:

Your greatest breakdown may be the beginning of your greatest breakthrough.

“From The Line To The Light” isn’t a book about success.

It’s a book about surviving what was supposed to destroy you…

and finding out that God was walking with you the whole time.

— Glenn Derby

A lot of people think anger is always bad.It’s not.Anger is useful when there’s real danger, real injustice, or a situat...
06/04/2026

A lot of people think anger is always bad.

It’s not.

Anger is useful when there’s real danger, real injustice, or a situation that requires immediate action. But when anger is constantly running in the background, it usually means something deeper needs attention.

Learning when to use anger — and when to put it away — is part of emotional maturity and healing.

You don’t have to react to every feeling immediately.

06/03/2026

I am not anonymous.

I am not ashamed.

For years, addiction was my secret.
Today, recovery is my testimony.

What once nearly destroyed my life has become the very thing God uses to help others find theirs.

If you’re struggling, hear me:

Your story isn’t over.
Your mistakes are not your identity.
Your worst chapter does not get the final word.

There is life after addiction.
There is hope after hopelessness.
There is freedom after bo***ge.

I know because I’m living it.

And I pray every person still trapped in the darkness finds the same freedom that saved my life.

— Glenn Derby

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Janesville, WI

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