Podcasts about addiction and recovery

Frank Schaeffer In Conversation with Sally McQuillen, exploring her work and the themes of her book, Reaching for Beautiful: A Memoir of Loving and Losing a Wild Child._____LINKShttps://www.sallymcquillen.com/https://www.lovechildrenplanet.com/events/in-conversation-with-frank-schaeffer-sally-mcquillen_____I have had the pleasure of talking to some of the leading authors, artists, activists, and change-makers of our time on this podcast, and I want to personally thank you for subscribing, listening, and sharing 100-plus episodes over 100,000 times.Please subscribe to this Podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, on your favorite platform, and to my Substack, It Has to Be Said. Thanks! Every subscription helps create, build, sustain and put voice to this movement for truth. Subscribe to It Has to Be Said. Support the show_____In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer is a production of the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship. It is hosted by Frank Schaeffer, author of Fall In Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy. Learn more at https://www.lovechildrenplanet.comFollow Frank on Substack, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube. https://frankschaeffer.substack.comhttps://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16https://twitter.com/Frank_Schaefferhttps://www.instagram.com/frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.threads.net/@frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.tiktok.com/@frank_schaefferhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FrankSchaefferYouTube In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer Podcast

Your nervous system dictates how you think, feel, and act. The problem? The moments you most need perspective are the very moments your biology shuts it down. A racing mind, tense muscles, and cortisol surges aren't proof you're broken—they're proof your survival system thinks you're facing a predator, when in reality it's just an email, a bill, or a sideways glance at the grocery store. In this episode, Colleen explains how your sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight/freeze/fawn/flop) can hijack your focus in an instant—and why the real threat isn't the stressor, but your body's reaction to it. She shows how mindfulness gives you the skill to step into the observer role, notice the storm without fusing with it, and create the space to calm your body so your brain can come back online. True power lies in reclaiming your pause.

Today I'm back with Sunnyside podcast host Mike Hardenbrook for a conversation that pops the hood on why willpower isn't enough to change your drinking habits. We talk about what's really happening in your brain and nervous system when you reach for a drink, why your desire to drink has nothing to do with alcohol. Your body craves relief from stress and anxiety and the pressure of everyday life.  You'll walk away with the exact, science-backed shifts I teach my clients that make drinking in moderation a natural side effect of feeling more grounded and at ease. If you've ever wondered why wanting to change doesn't stop you from pouring another drink, this episode will show you how to break the cycle from the inside out. Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc YouTube: @hangoverwhisperer —Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!

Life has a way of throwing things at us that can feel overwhelming and hopeless as we witness the broken world around us. How can we celebrate our recovery and even have an ounce of gratitude when there's so much brokenness and turmoil happening outside and around us? In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, walks us through some important reminders of how to stay anchored to those things that cannot be taken from us to help us walk through what we may be facing and experiencing today toward health and longevity of recovery.

In this episode, Colleen draws from Keira Bobinet's Unstoppable Brain to unpack how perfectionism wires the brain for shame and shutdown. The real shift isn't about tallying wins and losses—it's about adopting an iterative mindset, where results are just feedback and every moment is a new chance to adjust. When you stop chasing the highs to avoid the lows, you stop living on a scoreboard and start reclaiming your power. One of the biggest mistakes women make when they start changing their drinking is believing early wins mean they've “arrived.” A mindful weekend or a stretch of moderation feels like victory—but if you tie your worth to performance, a setback feels like failure. And that's the trap.

In this final chapter of her West Virginia series, Colleen shares a mysterious story about her daughter Anna—and what felt like a sign from Laura, reminding them both that their needs matter. Whether coincidence or something more, it revealed a deeper truth: your voice is your lifeline back to yourself. Choosing to name what you need is not selfish—it's how you stop living by others' expectations and start living by your own. When you use your voice, the truths that once ruled you quietly from the shadows lose their power.

Today, I'm sharing a conversation that first aired on the Sunnyside podcast—home of the #1 mindful drinking app. I sat down with co-founder and host Mike Hardenbrook to talk about how to change your thinking about drinking so that you can trust yourself with alcohol again. We cover my own personal journey about why I overcorrected my heavy daily drinking with three years of full sobriety, and how I arrived in the balanced, less-is-more life I live now. You'll hear the exact mental shifts that I teach my high-achieving female clients who want to cut their drinking by up to 80% without shame, rules or life long commitments. Whether you're sober-curious or simply tired of promising yourself that you're going to change and then not following through, this conversation will change how you think about both the problem and the solution.  Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc YouTube: @hangoverwhisperer —Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!   

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Severn Lang. Together we explore:

The enemy loves to be deceiving in giving us something like the motivation of longing for validation and recognition to meet our needs. What the enemy doesn't share, though, is the closing costs of getting us off the focus that God directed us, which ultimately takes us off mission. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, unpacks some of the things that we need to be aware of around the topic of seeking validation and recognition and how that can pull us away from God's plan in our life.

Driving away from West Virginia, Colleen realized she no longer needs perfect conditions to feel like herself—because that version of her now lives within her. She explores how emotions are echoes of the past, and how clinging to them corrodes self-trust. Through the story of her sister-in-law Laura, she shares how denying your truth disconnects you from your voice—and how letting it surface is what makes healing possible.

After years of trying to fix her life by rearranging circumstances, Colleen finally stopped—and turned inward. This is the story of how admitting “I'm not okay” became the first real act of self-trust. Instead of solving her life, she began tending to herself like someone worth saving, and discovered that clarity comes from action, not overthinking.

I'd been a daily drinker for over a decade when somehow, I found the motivation to stay sober for an entire weekend. It was actually easy and felt so good that I took the whole next week off. And I remember feeling giddy, like, OMG, It's over. Apparently, I don't have to worry about that anymore! Sadly, habits don't just disappear overnight. I was soon back to drinking every day, wondering why I couldn't just snap my fingers and go back to being that version of myself who wasn't obsessed with alcohol. What happened to the willpower I had found that week and why couldn't I get it back? In today's episode, we're going to talk about the hidden habit that keeps you stuck in a cycle of overdrinking. I'll explain what actually causes alcohol use disorder—and why staying sober doesn't fix it. This isn't about willpower, or how much or how often you drink. It's how you respond to yourself when you make a mistake. Inside this episode, you'll learn: Why beating yourself up after a “bad night” locks the pattern in deeper How to retrain your brain to treat your hangovers with compassion instead of shame And what happens when you set realistic expectations and learn how to fail forward. This episode will give you a foundational perspective shift so you can finally make sense of why trying to rely on willpower doesn't work—and what actually does.   Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking.   Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc YouTube: @hangoverwhisperer   Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!   

Victor Reynolds shares his powerful recovery journey on the Recovery Matters Podcast. Raised in an environment of violence and addiction, he was taught to be heartless from a young age. By nine, he was on the streets, caught up in crime, substances, and chaos. Years of dust, drinking, robberies, and prison time left him broken, but also searching for meaning.His turning point came when he faced federal charges and later battled congestive heart failure while incarcerated. After multiple near-death experiences and what he describes as a divine encounter with an “angel,” Victor embraced faith and recovery. Today, he lives with humility, gratitude, and a mission to help others who are still struggling. His story is one of transformation, hope, and the belief in second chances.00:00 – Introduction: TJ & Victor00:21 – Growing up without emotions00:44 – Father's influence & gangster lifestyle01:18 – Early street life & family struggles02:17 – First substances: dust & drinking02:43 – Crime, stickups, and first arrest03:30 – Denial of addiction problems04:00 – Prison life & getting high inside05:00 – Feeling invincible on substances06:05 – Father's Day with his sons – breaking moment07:21 – Facing federal charges & prison time08:10 – Congestive heart failure diagnosis09:49 – Near-death experiences & survival13:11 – Belief in God's protection & a new heart15:02 – The mysterious Dr. Kennedy encounter18:25 – Faith, recovery, and humility19:00 – Advice for people in their first 24 hours of recovery ----Across the Web----

In our culture, scars are often seen as flaws—symbols of brokenness, weakness, or something to hide. But in recovery, scars tell a very different story. They become powerful reminders of survival, healing, and God's grace at work in our lives. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, unpacks how scars can shift from shame to strength, from pain to purpose, and how they serve as markers of beauty, growth, and hope on the road to recovery.

In this continuation, Colleen shares how West Virginia shifted her in ways she didn't see coming. She found herself in a community where image didn't matter, where people belonged by being present, not by performing. That freedom to be—messy hair, bare face, imperfect and real—awakened something deeper: the possibility of self-trust. The relationships and experiences from that time became a compass she carried forward. Even as life evolved, that season revealed what authenticity feels like, and how quickly it disappears when we chase approval instead of honoring ourselves.  

In this episode, Colleen begins a five-part mini-series by reflecting on a season of life where everything looked perfect on the outside—four children, big career moves, and daily discipline to name a few. But on the inside she was hollow, disconnected, and coping in ways that kept her stuck. The move to West Virginia became more than a change of scenery; it became a field trip into herself. It was here she first began to see the difference between living to perform and learning to be. What felt like upheaval at the time now stands out as a turning point—the beginning of finding her own voice beneath the roles and responsibilities.  

You know that feeling after you push through a big event or deadline—the letdown that leaves you tired, unmotivated, and maybe even sick ? Most women assume it's either “burnout” or “laziness.” But according to my guest, Dr. Aimee Apigian, it's actually a trauma response. Dr. Aimee is a medical physician, trauma expert, and host of The Biology of Trauma podcast is here to explain why our bodies store trauma and how that trauma quietly drives brain fog, fatigue, autoimmune disorders, and even nightly drinking habits. In this conversation, we unpack: How to tell the difference between a stress and trauma response based on what you're thinking Why extended periods of stress without recovery cause trauma What it actually looks like to complete the trauma response instead of storing it Simple ways to give your body time, safety, and energy so it can reset I'm also going to share my own story of the crash I had after a recent retreat I hosted,  and what changed when I treated my trauma response with compassion instead of my usual bullwhip. You'll hear Dr. Aimee break it down in real time. If you've been blaming yourself for not having enough willpower, for being “too tired,” or for never getting it together… you need to hear this. Your body isn't broken, it's protecting you. You just have to learn how to return the favor.    Click here to order Dr. Aimee Apigian's book The Biology of Trauma: How the Body Holds Fear, Pain and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It.    Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hangoverwhisperer —Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!   

In Celebrate Recovery two foundational practices and guidelines we follow to ensure safety are anonymity and confidentiality. Why does Celebrate Recovery honor these two important practices? Is it just for small groups and how does that apply to outside the small group setting or even in the public setting and community? In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through some things to consider as we honor others' dignity over our curiosity and/or desire to share through anonymity and confidentiality for the overall safety of our ministry.

In this episode, Colleen explores the powerful intersection of science and spirituality—from dopamine research and environmental design to Michael Singer, Don Miguel Ruiz, and Bruce Lipton. Drawing on both brain science and lived experience, she makes a simple but life-changing point: reality isn't what's “out there.” It's what your brain chooses to notice. Out of millions of possible inputs, your brain filters just a few—and those choices shape your emotions, your energy, and your life. Truth is not abstract dogma or moral code—it's the felt sense that opens your heart and mind. When you learn to notice what you're noticing, you reclaim the power to create a reality that feels expansive, joyful, and true.    

In this episode, Colleen shares a personal story of missed flights, expired licenses, stolen wallets—and how choosing bat-shit positive over bat-shit negative turned each obstacle into an unexpected gift. With humor and honesty, she reframes setbacks not as evidence that life is against us, but as opportunities to practice trust, adaptability, and creativity. Through this lens, even a canceled car rental or lost wallet becomes training ground for a deeper truth: the problem is never the problem. It's the mindset that labels it as wrong that keeps us stuck. When we shift into curiosity—asking, “How is this happening for me?”—the very circumstances we once resented become portals to wisdom, resilience, and growth. This is more than a pep talk. It's a lived reminder that shit makes the best fertilizer—what looks like a mess today might be the soil for everything you've been waiting for.    

What if the struggles you face today as a woman didn't start with you—but with your mother, and her mother before her? In this powerful conversation, therapist and certified mother-daughter coach Erica Thomas shares how our earliest identity as “daughter” shapes our personality, our relationships and even how we show up at work.   We're breaking open the cultural and familial scripts that keep women small—silencing our voices, worrying more about how things look than how they feel, and losing ourselves in people-pleasing servitude. You'll hear Erica's personal story, why she believes the patriarchy often lives inside us, and how healing the mother-daughter wound creates generational change that ripples both forward and backward in time.   This episode is part truth-telling, part blueprint: a call to every woman who wants to stop carrying the emotional weight she inherited, and start living with authenticity and personal power.   Erica Thomas is a licensed psychotherapist of over 20 years and a mother-daughter relationship expert driven to create generational change for women. As the founder of Vita Nova Counseling and Vita Nova Mother-Daughter Coaching, Erica guides women to heal past hurts and growth into their God-given potential and helps mothers and daughters transform generational legacies into ones that leave healing, hope, reconnection, and empowerment.    Find Erica on social media Facebook: @vitanovaLHTX Instagram: @vitanovacounseling LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ericagthomas Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc YouTube: @hangoverwhisperer —Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!   

One of the ways that the enemy will keep us from moving forward is through the conniving tactic of comparison. In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through some of the ways that the enemy will use comparison to take us off mission and prevent us from living out and celebrating our recovery. Listen in as he walks through some of the things to be aware of, but also ways that we can guard our heart to prevent comparison from taking us out.

In this follow-up episode, Colleen shares a personal holiday stumble—an experience she originally recorded in late 2024, but one that still rings true as we look ahead to the upcoming season. She names it a “relapse,” not because of how much she drank but because of the disconnect between what she wanted and what actually happened. Instead of hiding it, she walks through the three-question framework from Part One, showing in real time how to turn what looks like failure into data, compassion, and next steps. Through honest reflection, she reframes her week of drinking with family as a learning lab: noticing where it could have been worse, expanding the timeline to see real improvement, and uncovering the lesson that unrealistic expectations set her up to struggle. What emerges is a radically different take on relapse—not as proof you're broken, but as proof you're still learning. This isn't just a confession—it's a model of how to meet yourself in the mess, stay curious, and come back stronger.  

As the holiday season approaches, this episode—originally recorded after Thanksgiving 2024—offers perspective that's just as relevant now as it was then. Colleen pulls apart one of the biggest myths of change: that it's the behavior itself that's hard. The truth? It's the act of change—the moment you take your brain off autopilot—that feels so uncomfortable. From holiday chaos to daily overwhelm, she shows how perfectionism and constant performance keep you stuck, and why setbacks are not proof of failure but invitations to learn. She reframes relapse, stress, and “slip-ups” as tests—opportunities to gather information instead of self-destruct. She makes the case that baby habits can't yet compete with old, well-worn patterns in times of stress, and that setting realistic expectations is the most compassionate, powerful strategy for lasting growth. This is more than a pep talk. It's a playbook for walking through the holidays (and any high-pressure season) without letting setbacks steal your progress—or your self-trust.  

Our culture teaches that when someone is struggling with substance use, the correct response is tough love. It's better to let them hit rock bottom than to enable their behavior.   My guest today is Heather Ross, host of the Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction podcast. She's also a dear personal friend. We're letting you eavesdrop on one of the many raw conversations we've had about the devastating impact the “tough love” mindset has on both the giver and the receiver. And why compassion is not the same as enabling.  You'll hear Heather's first-hand account of what happened when she shifted her goal from controlling the situation to connecting with her daughter. Her story is both heartbreaking and inspiring, because despite losing her daughter to a fentanyl overdose, she will never regret that she was a safe place for her daughter–and a source of unconditional love.   Buckle up, because this one's a tear jerker. But whether you're a parent, partner or just wondering how to show up for someone you love, you'll walk away with a clear understanding of how to release fear, find your ground and support your person without losing yourself.    Click here to get Heather's free guide: A New Perspective about “Enabling”--A guide for parents who want to help their kids but aren't sure how.  Find Heather on social media @HeatherRossCoaching, and listen to her podcast Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction.   If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL.  Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen's NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer  X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc   Transcript

One of the ways that the enemy will get us off focus in the path of recovery is through discouragement. What are some ways that he will use discouragement to sidetrack us and get us off course from the mission and focus of living out Recovery? In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will walk us through some of those things to be aware of and ways that we can guard our heart to stay the course in our recovery journey.

In this episode, Colleen unpacks one of the most common struggles in early sobriety and beyond: bone-deep exhaustion. She shares her own experience quitting alcohol (and much more) all at once, and how the “post-acute withdrawal syndrome” myth left her believing she'd be tired and unmotivated for years. What she eventually discovered is that tiredness isn't just physical—it's an emotional signal tied to how you're thinking, what you're carrying, and how you're responding to your body. She reframes fatigue as a feeling, not a fixed fact. She lays out the calls to action—hydration, movement, thought work, environment shifts—that help you recharge in real time instead of waiting for some mythical “dopamine reset.” This episode will show you how to trust your body as the litmus test for truth and to respond in ways that restore energy, purpose, and hope.    

In this episode, Colleen gives an update on the behind-the-scenes of what happened after being suddenly cut from a program she'd once called home. At first, she carried the weight of unfairness and betrayal, convinced it would take a long time to heal. But what started as a sting that clung to her body and mind turned into something radically different: a live demonstration of releasing the story that was holding her hostage. Through an unexpected NLP exercise with her coach, she revisits the childhood wound at the root of her pain and dismantles the old belief that others get to decide her worth. In real time, you'll hear how her body shifted, her brain rewired, and her story transformed from “I've been wronged” to “I'm free.” What looked like rejection became a clean slate, a wider horizon, and a reminder that freedom comes when you reclaim the pen and rewrite your own narrative. This isn't just an update—it's a case study in emotional sovereignty, showing how quickly you can drop a heavy story and walk away lighter.    

Sometimes submitting to the process to go deeper can be scary. Why do we fight change and why is it so scary to discover the roots of the dysfunction in our life that's leading to unhealthy patterns? What does it look like to embrace change versus fighting change? In this episode join Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, and Andy Petry, Landing Director of Celebrate Recovery as they discuss the value of clinging to Jesus instead of wrestling and fighting with him as he brings change to our life.

In this episode, Colleen pulls back the curtain on a personal “bitch slap from the universe” that arrived in the form of a sudden, unexplained expulsion from a coaching program she once considered family. What could have been a spiral into shame became something else entirely—a masterclass in emotional sovereignty. She walks you through the shock, the grief, and the moment she realized: this wasn't actually about her. Instead of chasing fairness or demanding explanations, she chose action over rumination, redirecting her energy toward opportunities that actually align with her values. With candor, humor, and zero self-pity, Colleen models what it looks like to process hurt without handing away your power—and to see a painful ending as a door swinging wide to something better. This is more than a story about rejection; it's a real-time demonstration of the freedom that comes from owning your emotional narrative and refusing to let someone else's decisions define you.    

In this episode, Colleen dismantles one of the most costly habits we carry through life: the obsession with figuring out whose fault it is. She makes a powerful distinction between fault—the cause of a problem—and responsibility—your power to choose how you respond. The moment you stop waiting for someone else to make things right, you stop handing them your power. With humor, wordplay, and grounded examples, she shows how clinging to blame keeps you stuck, resentful, and drained—while letting go frees you to act from a place of choice, not victimhood. Whether it's waiting on an apology, reimbursement, or just “closure,” the real cost is the energy you lose while holding someone else accountable for your own next move. Colleen invites you to reclaim your response-ability, stop making other people's actions the condition for your own happiness, and give situations “all the attention they deserve—none.” Because when you drop the weight of fault, you gain the freedom to create the life you actually want.    

When my client, Michele, told me she was going to reintroduce alcohol. I'll be honest — I was nervous. Actually, that's bullshit. I felt like a failure. She'd been sober for 10 months.  I was her sobriety coach. And at that time, I was still operating on the mindset that once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. Because everybody knows you can't unpickle a cucumber.  But as we learn in coaching school, the client is the expert on their own lives. Telling people what they should and shouldn't do is condescending, not coaching. So I checked my own fear and anxiety and held space for her. Michele is the first client I coached with a truly open mind — where there is no “right” way to drink, no moral high ground for whoever has the most sober days, and no starting over after you have a drink. Alcohol is neutral–it's not good or bad or right or wrong. It's not the problem and it's not the solution. Working with Michele completely changed the way I think about recovery from alcohol use disorder. She is my patient zero, if you will. This experience laid the foundation for the work I do now as a mindful drinking coach. And she's here today to share her story and talk about what it's really like to learn how to trust yourself again…to heal your relationship with yourself so you don't have to worry about your relationship with alcohol. It's raw. It's honest. It's messy. And for me, it's personal — because this opened my eyes, my mind and my heart to see what's really possible when you stop using the past to predict the future.    If you are ready to get support from a community of women who are co-creating this change with intention and clarity— Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL.    Do you want help from Colleen with a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question for Colleen's NEW Q& A episodes. Your name will not be mentioned on air!    Find me on: YouTube: @HangoverWhisperer TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer  X (Twitter) : @NotAboutTheAlc

We are continuing the conversation around adult children of dysfunctional families, and how those unhealthy and dysfunctional roles that we can develop can move toward healing and a new healthy future. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, global field director of CR, will walk us through part two of how Celebrate Recovery can ultimately create a safe space, through Jesus and biblical truth, and a structure process to understand those old dysfunctional labels and ultimately replace them with our true identity in Christ.

In this episode, Colleen shares a raw, behind-the-scenes moment from her own emotional funk and breaks down exactly how she worked through it—thought by thought, feeling by feeling. From vacation wine to love-bombing exes to that post-holiday productivity pressure, she shows how even seemingly minor emotional clutter can trigger deep, subconscious beliefs that hijack your nervous system. Instead of bypassing or blaming her mood, Colleen slows down and listens—uncovering the core belief underneath it all: I've done something wrong. What follows is a masterclass in emotional self-leadership. You'll hear how she clears the subconscious “rock in her shoe,” replaces it with a more empowering truth, and reclaims her mental space, energy, and creative flow. This isn't emotional perfectionism. This is radical presence—and it's how you clear the emotional backlog that's actually running your life.    

In this episode, Colleen reframes one of the most misunderstood experiences in recovery: anxiety. Far from being just a diagnosis or a quirk of personality, anxiety is presented as a signal—an embodied alert system that points to the quality of your thoughts. She breaks down the real reason alcohol feels impossible to control: not because you're broken, but because your brain, hijacked by stress, is obsessing over a problem it thinks it must fix. And when that problem is alcohol, you become trapped in a loop of overthinking, guilt, and trying harder—while your body begs for presence, stillness, and care. She offers a radical shift: your anxiety isn't something to be solved. It's something to listen to. Not with your mind, but with your body. This isn't a mindset hack—it's nervous system healing. And it starts by learning how to stop listening to your brain's recycled stories, and start thinking on purpose.    

Scott Watson talks with Rachelle Gardner about Hope Academy High School which is celebrating its 20th year this week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've ever been told you're “too sensitive,” this episode is for you.. Today, I'm talking with podcast host Tina Marx to explore the deep connection between being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and the tendency to use alcohol to self-soothe. This isn't a conversation about addiction or willpower. It's about how sensitivity without emotional safety often leads high-achieving women to drink in secret—while still keeping everything else together on the outside. We talk about why HSPs are more susceptible to overwhelm, anxiety, and perfectionism, and how alcohol becomes a temporary escape—not just from stress, but from the full-body experience of feeling too much. If you've ever said, “I just need to turn my brain off,” or “I wish I could stop overreacting,” this episode will help you reframe what's really going on—without shame, without labels, and without needing to commit to permanent sobriety.

Often when we walk into recovery, we experience revelations on how dysfunctional our family system was growing up. Growing up in these family systems we can take on dysfunctional roles that can be helpful to understand why we do what we do, but ultimately move us to do something different in health. In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, global field director of celebrate recovery, will walk us through some common roles and the functions of those roles toward ultimately understanding how celebrate Recovery can bring healing toward a new healthy future.

In this episode, Colleen names the real culprit behind so many evening drinking spirals: not lack of willpower, but an overloaded nervous system weighed down by thought patterns we treat as facts. She challenges the idea that we need to “solve” our problems in order to feel better—and instead offers a radical invitation: what if the problems aren't the problem? What if it's our focus that's keeping us stuck? Through candid stories from her own life, Colleen models what it looks like to let go of the drama we're not meant to carry. From ex-spouses to global politics, she demonstrates the power of conscious disengagement—choosing presence over rumination, joy over justification, clarity over control. This isn't emotional avoidance. It's sovereignty. When we stop trying to manage what was never ours to fix, we finally free up the energy to create what we actually want.    

In this episode, Colleen shares a game-changing reframe about why we actually get stuck—even when we have the motivation, the clarity, and the plan. Building on fresh neuroscience from Dr. Kira Babinet, she introduces us to the habenula, a lesser-known part of the brain that slams the brakes on our behavior when failure is perceived—whether it's already happened or we're just afraid it might. Colleen unpacks how the brain's bias toward failure and loss doesn't just stall action—it can kill our momentum completely. But instead of forcing progress through pressure or willpower, she offers a gentler, radically effective solution: the iterative mindset. One that removes failure from the equation entirely, replacing it with curiosity, experimentation, and self-compassion. No more proving, no more perfection—just real change, one tiny tweak at a time. This isn't about setting better goals. It's about learning how to stop punishing yourself with the gas pedal when your brain's already hitting the brakes.    

If you've been trying to change so that you can feel ready, healed, better and in control, this episode will explain how it's possible to feel those things now–before you've figured everything out. I'm going to explain how to access your higher self—not as a future fantasy, or as someone you'll be someday when you get everything right, but as a real-time frequency shift grounded in neuroscience, nervous system regulation, and the principles of manifestation.. You'll learn: Why your higher self isn't someone you become—it's someone you tune into How to use quantum physics to attract positive thoughts and feelings that alter your reality The role your subconscious mind plays in your brainwave states and vibrational coherence between your heart and brain A simple daily practice using breath, emotion, and intention to align your internal frequency This episode blends science and soul. I'll show you how to reprogram your internal signal so that your reality reflects who you already are—not who you're still trying to become. Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking. Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc YouTube: @hangoverwhisperer —Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!

We talk about shame a lot in the recovery process, but what does it look like to have a posture of shamelessness in our share time through open share, small, and step study small groups? Is there a line between being real and reckless? In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, will unpack some things to consider when we are sharing in small groups with Celebrate Recovery, and how dangerous it can be moving from a posture of humility, honor, and truth spoken in love to a posture of shamelessness for the sake of shock value or self-promotion.

In this episode, Colleen shares a quiet but powerful moment from one of her recent coaching calls—where a client celebrated a huge win, and Colleen noticed her own body signaling that something was off. What unfolded wasn't a rupture, but a subtle shift: a reminder that even seasoned leaders can bypass consent in moments of well-meaning reflex. And that noticing the signal doesn't mean spiraling—it means listening. Through her own self-check-in, she unpacks what it looks like to be emotionally sober in the face of mild shame: not resisting it, not fixing it, just feeling it long enough to hear what it's pointing to. Rather than defending her role or projecting the discomfort outward, Colleen models the kind of internal pause that turns self-awareness into relational repair—and deeper self-trust. This episode isn't about coaching techniques. It's about what happens when we make space to feel the moment before we justify it. Because sometimes, the most responsible thing we can do is let the feeling teach us—before we write the story.    

In today's episode, Colleen walks us through a deceptively simple question that came up on a recent coaching call: How do I actually feel my feelings? The answer isn't mindset. It isn't a technique. It's presence. She explores the difference between thinking about emotions and physically experiencing them—without adding a story, a solution, or a label. With grounded metaphors and everyday honesty, she invites you to see emotions as temporary energy—not identity. You'll hear what happens when we resist that energy, and how easily it creates stagnation, self-protection, and shame loops that can shape entire patterns of behavior. If you've been trying to “work on yourself” without shifting how you relate to your emotional state, this episode may open a quieter, more embodied door.    

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube! If you've ever wondered whether medication could help you drink less — or you've tried naltrexone and felt disappointed — this episode is for you. I'm joined by Katie Lain, founder of Thrive Recovery and a fierce advocate for the Sinclair Method — a science-backed approach that uses naltrexone to reduce alcohol cravings over time. Katie shares her personal story of going from daily binge drinking to finding freedom without needing to get sober. She's also going to explain what most people get wrong about relying on medication alone to change their relationship with alcohol. If you've been stuck in the “gray area” — drinking more than you want to, but not seeing yourself as an alcoholic — you'll love this conversation. You'll walk away with a big-picture understanding of what it takes to rewire the brain for lasting change, and how to move through the messy middle of behavior change without shame, guilt, or black-and-white thinking. Katie Lain is the founder of Thrive Alcohol Recovery. You can find her @thrivealcoholrecovery on YouTube, Instagram, Linked-In and Facebook.  Want daily updates from me? TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer Instagram: @thehangoverwhisperer Twitter (X): @NotAboutTheAlc YouTube: @hangoverwhisperer   Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL if you're ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober. Side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking.   —Do you want coaching from Colleen on a situation you're struggling with? Click here to submit your question. Your name will not be mentioned on air!  Email  

Addiction is not a new problem in the workplace. In fact, about 70% of folks that are using illicit drugs are employed in the workplace, either full-time or part-time. However, this is not a comfortable topic for people to talk about obviously due to the stigma around it. How do we then bridge that gap and break the silence so people get the help they need, and for total recovery to take place?On today's episode, Duane speaks with Cheryl Brown-Merriwether, HR professional and recovery support professional, about the innovations in the workplace as well as addiction and recovery from a workplace perspective and a human relations perspective. Cheryl holds a number of certifications with several years of experience working with clinical professionals in addiction and recovery support services. Through educational programs, Cheryl is committed to helping people in the workplace understand addiction, substance use disorder, and recovery. Cheryl hopes to reduce the stigma and change the whole perspective around addiction and recovery in the workplace. In this episode, you will hear:What's changing in the workplaceHow to break the stigma of recoveryThe benefits of external partnershipWorking with people who struggled with addictionThe importance of connecting at all three levels of the workplaceHow to extend the workforce and empower the frontlinersAbout the International Center of Addiction and Recovery EducationSubscribe and ReviewHave you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Supporting Resources:ICARE International Center for Addiction and Recovery Education⁠NovusMindfulLife.com⁠Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at⁠ https://emeraldcitypro.com⁠ Let them know we sent you.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sometimes, in the deepest pits of our dysfunction, we don't realize how much our heart is longing for a safe place to call home in recovery. What is the impact of finding a safe place to process our hurts, hang-ups, and habits while moving toward health and recovery? In this podcast, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews a sister in Christ, Christina. Listen as she walks us through her important life-change story about her journey toward health and growth.

In today's episode, Colleen shares a personal and refreshingly honest story about her relationship with nicotine—and how emotional sobriety has shifted the way she responds to temporary imbalance. What starts as a candid reflection on sneaky vape relapses becomes a powerful reminder that healing isn't about perfection. It's about how we respond when we veer off course. Colleen takes us through her own journey of regulating her nervous system, loosening old beliefs about addiction, and trusting that balance always returns—especially when we stop making a big deal out of being human. This isn't a story about failure; it's a blueprint for self-trust, grace, and gently coming home to yourself without shame. If you've ever found yourself back in an old habit and wondered, "Did I just ruin everything?"—this episode offers a softer, smarter answer: No. You just forgot for a second how resilient you really are.

In today's episode, Colleen lifts the veil on a common self-sabotage mechanism that often flies under the radar: worry. What begins as a moment of genuine joy and success quickly dissolves into anxiety—and not because something actually went wrong, but because her nervous system quietly panicked at how good it all felt. Using a relatable personal story and the concept of the “upper limit problem,” Colleen explores how we unconsciously block positive emotions the moment they start to expand. Whether it's a burst of pride, creative momentum, or a deep sense of peace, many of us unknowingly kink the hose of our own emotional flow—defaulting to worry as a way to shut it all down. This episode offers a practical and empowering reframe: your worry isn't a warning—it's a signal that something good is trying to get in. If you're ready to stop letting anxiety pull the plug on your joy, this one's for you.

One of the blessings of CR is partnering with incredible ministries like Prison Fellowship's "Angel Tree." In this episode, Rodney Holmstrom, Global Field Director of Celebrate Recovery, interviews John Brennan of Prison Fellowship to help us understand the incredible blessings of partnering with Angel Tree and loving the kids of the incarcerated. Learn how to get involved in this world changing ministry!