Recovery (Sort Of) - The Podcast

We are going through listener feedback, comments, and the like. Listener feedback on episodes provides a great opportunity for a little closer look at the topics recently covered. Billy and Jason also share a little about where their lives are at and what they've been up to. Listen in, participate, comment, and share your thoughts with us. Episodes mentioned: MARA TranqDope Caffeine Marijuana Anonymous Tolerance ACA Tradition 1 How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com

We are exploring the program of Sexaholics Anonymous. Rick joins us to talk about how the program works, how it differs from more traditional recovery programs, and what you can expect when going to a meeting or working the program. We talk about the differences that we know between the different sex addiction programs. We talk about concerns and questions we have with the program. We explore why the program might feel useful. And we talk about some of the ways you might know that a meeting about sex addiction might be beneficial for you. Listen in as we explore Sexaholics Anonymous and then share your thoughts with us.  From the episode: Sexaholics Anonymous website Baltimore area Sexaholics website Sexaholics quiz Episodes mentioned: Sex addiction programs Porn addiction How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com

We have on Caroline Beidler, MSW and author of the book, Downstairs Church, to help us explore the world of recovery from a female perspective. We talk about the lack of housing options for women in recovery, the lack of access to treatment, lack of childcare supports at every step of the recovery process, and what we might be able to do right now to ease some of these struggles. Listen in as Caroline joins the Recovery (Sort Of) crew to talk about the challenges women face in recovery, then share your thoughts with us.  From the episode: Caroline Beidler's Website Amplifying Women's Stories in Recovery Advocacy Downstairs Church Episodes mentioned: Mommy and me housing How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com

We are exploring the difficult topic of what it's like to be a survivor of suicide loss. We have Austin on to help us explore the challenges of navigating life after losing someone you love to suicide. We talk about the grief, the ways recovery helped, other things that have helped, and ways to try to assist when we see someone struggling. Listen in as we explore this tough topic.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Humility Grief From the episode: 988 Trevor Project

We are talking about the spiritual principle of humility. What does it mean to be humble? It sounds similar to humiliation, but it's very different. We try to define humility. We talk about thinking of ourselves less instead of thinking less of ourselves. How can we increase our humility? Is there a way to practice it? Then we make Billy take a quiz on humility. Listen in and then share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Tolerance Step 2 Spiritual principles

Have you taken antidepressants? How much did your prescriber tell you about them, their side effects, and their withdrawal? We have on Brooke Siem, author of May Cause Side Effects, to help inform us and our listeners about the potential risks of antidepressants, and what prescribers either do not know, or are not telling people. We talk about the length of time to potentially be on antidepressants, confusing withdrawal symptoms as mental health symptoms, and being the leader of your medical treatment. Listen in to get more informed about your body and then go grab Brooke's book on Audible, then share your thoughts with us.  When you sign up for a free Audible trial using our link, we earn a commission at no cost to you. This money then goes to keeping the show going and further to giving back to the recovery community. We thank you. How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Brooke Siem's May Cause Side Effects on Audible Brooke Siem's website Happiness is a skill

Caffeine, by definition, is a mind and mood altering substance. However, along with it's partner in crime nicotine, flies under the radar in 12 step fellowships that abstain from all other mind and mood altering chemicals. What makes caffeine acceptable to ingest? We talk about caffeine, reasons why it is not treated the same way as other drugs, and some of the possible benefits and drawbacks of caffeine use. Jenny and Caraline join us to help explore some of the lesser known facts about caffeine, and best practices for caffeine use in your day to day life. Listen in, then go listen to Michael Pollan's book, Caffeine, on Audible, through this link [Recovery (Sort Of) is working in partnership with Audible. When you use links to Audible from Recoverysortof.com, we receive a small portion]. How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Polyvagal Theory Tolerance Big Book What is clean? Beginner's mind Other: Caffeine by Michael Pollan on Audible Audible free trial sign up Huberman Lab caffeine episode

We are exploring the spiritual principle of tolerance. What does it mean to be tolerant of something? Is it purely to be able to put up with it? Or is tolerance being open to it? Is there such a thing as too much tolerance? Billy, Caraline, Jason and Jenny try to figure out just what tolerance, or to tolerate, is, and also how to practice this spiritual principle.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Polyvagal Theory Meditation  Dave  Spiritual Bypassing Spiritual Principles Tolerance Quiz

We are talking with a member of Marijuana Anonymous (MA) to find out more about the program. Do they work similar steps to the more familiar programs of NA and AA? What kind of requirements do they have for membership. Do they call it clean time? What is different from a more typical 12 step meeting? Also, listen in to learn about the free literature in Marijuana Anonymous, the app that you can answer your step work in for free, and how to access meetings and more about the program. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Marijuana Anonymous Website

We are doing a recap episode! Instead of doing our recap here and there as we were, we are going to try to have recap episodes every so often to talk about the feedback and add everyone's voice to the show. We talk through lots of messages that were sent our way, some of our plans for 2023, and some of the highlights of accomplishments from 2022. We also introduce our Audible sponsorship thing where we earn money from people signing up for Audible memberships. You can click here on the Audible link to sign up for a trial membership for 30 days. When you sign up for a free Audible trial using our links, we earn a commission at no cost to you. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: The Promises Drug Court Other things: Dave's Empty Circle Meditation Don't Count Me Out - Book about Bruce The Weight of Air - Book by David Poses

We are exploring MARA, Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous. This program, created to address the need of a place for persons using medication assisted recovery methods, is intended to provide a space for all to feel welcomed in recovery. We have Murk on to help us understand what to expect from MARA, how to access their meetings, what might surprise us coming from a more traditional 12 step fellowship, and the importance of language in recovery. If you've ever wondered what a medication assisted recovery program could look like, or if you or someone you know is looking for a place to rest and find like minded people, listen in and then share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Big Book episode Beginner's Mind episode Other episodes about different programs Episodes about steps Other things: MARA website MARA facebook

We are talking about the concept of beginner's mind. Dave joins us to teach the Buddhist idea of beginner's mind. Does beginner's mind mean to not know? Does it mean to come to a situation as if you have never seen it before? What is beginner's mind useful for? Why is it good for your loved ones if you practice beginner's mind? We also talk about what is NOT beginner's mind. And when beginner's mind might not be the most useful or practical tool in your toolbox. Listen in as we explore beginner's mind, and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Books mentioned: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind - Shunryu Suzuki Click the link above to access on Audible and sign up for a free 30-day trial. When you use our link to sign up, we earn a small commission! Episodes mentioned: Spiritual Bypassing Zen in Recovery Other things: Empty Circle Meditation Group - The group Dave leads Woody Curry

We are talking about Certified Peer Recovery Specialists. Or certified peers. Or peers. Or certified recovery peers. Whatever you want to call them, peers are making an impact in the recovery world. We talk with Jenn, from Voices of Hope, about the peer movement. We explore what a peer is, what training goes into becoming a peer, what the peer job entails, and what peers should not be doing in their role as a peer. Have questions about peers? We have answers. Listen in as we explore the world of Certified Peers and then tell us your thoughts.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Boundaries

TranqDope, aka xylanzine and fentanyl, is becoming more and more prevalent in the Baltimore/Philadelphia area. Xylazine in a tranquilizer, hence the tranqdope term. This is a dangerous mixture to anyone who does not know what they are getting, because narcan does not work on a tranquilizer overdose. Further making this terrible for anyone struggling with using, is the wounds that sometimes appear after using xylazine. We talk with Nurse Jason about this scary new mix of drugs that are on the street in place of heroin, how to recognize it, what to do with it once you know, and safest methods of taking care of the wound. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Wound Care 

Unconditional love. Seems like a lofty goal. We investigate and explore unconditional love as a spiritual principle. How can we practice this? Where is a model of unconditional love in the world? Is unconditional love the deepest love, or the most basic love? Is unconditional love, abuse? Is love more about the feeling, or the actions that go with it? How can we practice unconditional love when we are being harmed by the person? We dive into all this and more in our episode. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Openminded Honesty Forgiveness Faith

We are talking about the promises from AA's big book and program. Originally a reading in the 9th step section of the Big Book, the promises have been made into a reading in AA, and separated out into 12 promises. We go through each promise to see if we believe that it's a promise we feel like the 12 steps could live up to fulfilling. Are these even possible ways of being in the world? And if they are, can the 12 steps promise that they can get us there? Join us as we talk through our thoughts on the promises, and then share your thoughts with us.  Books referenced in this episode: AA’s Big Book Myth of Normal – Gabor Maté, Daniel Maté Click the links above to access these titles on Audible and sign up for a free 30-day trail. When you use our link to sign up, we earn a small commission! How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Polyvagal Theory Bruce Other materials used: 12 Promises

With many states enacting medical marijuana laws at this point, and most of those also having recreational marijuana laws, we thought it was time to explore the legalizing marijuana debate. We explore some of the topics around the idea of marijuana legalization. Some of the research has conflicting results, but we talk through some of the basic points. Listen in and then tell us your thoughts.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Cult Pros and Cons

Ever thought your life would make for a good book? We have Bruce come on to discuss the book written about his life. We explore what motivates someone to think a book would be useful? What intention goes into a process like this? If a book about your life is against the 11th tradition. Going public with your story of addiction recovery. And anything that might be fascinating about the book writing process. Listen in to learn more about Bruce and his book - Don’t Count Me Out. When you use our link to sign up for a free 30-day Audible trial, we earn a small commission. How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Journaling Get The Book: Don’t Count Me Out. 

Is faith really a spiritual principle? What is it? A belief in something? What does this belief do for us? How in the world would you practice faith? Faith is defined in many ways. Some level of belief applied to a situation that you may not be able to know for sure. We discuss the spiritual principle of faith. Is faith so closely tied to Christianity that it makes our non-religious 12 step program religious anyway? We talk about what faith might be useful for, whether it's something we can increase, or just a description of where we already are, and if it's actually any different than hope or trust. Listen in as we take a deep dive into faith, and then share your thoughts with us. How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Moms Self-discipline

Is you or someone you love struggling with getting into a detox or rehab for alcohol use? Have you felt like you've been getting the run around? Does it seem like people who are entering treatment for other substances have an easier time getting in? Not to go too conspiracy theory on you, but we have Charlie on to talk about the problems people face when trying to gain access to treatment for alcohol use disorder. Spoiler alert: it all comes down to profit, money, and capitalism. Listen in and share your thoughts and experiences with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Mommy and Me AA vs NA Legal Action Center Webinar

Ever heard of mommy and me housing? Or a mommy and me program? What comes to mind when you think of a service like that? Do you think of people that you've known who were in mommy and me housing? Is it safe to have kids with their newly recovering mothers? What supports are present to help the new moms in recovery? We talk with Sarah Jo about her time in the mommy and me house and what to expect if you are going there. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Mothers

What do you do when meetings stop working? Conventional 12 step wisdom says it's not the meetings that are the problem, it's the individual, who isn't doing enough, trying enough, or looking at it the right way. And if you don't hit meetings, you'll use and die. But we explore the options in case that's not true. What do you do when meetings stop hitting the spot? What need was it that meetings used to fill for you? Have you found another way to get that need met? We explore what to do when it does not feel like going to meetings has any value to it currently. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Mothers Willingness Self-Discipline

We explore the spiritual principle of self-discipline. Is self-discipline different than self-control? Are both of these also different than willpower? What actually is self-discipline? How does it work? Do we train ourselves to get better at sticking to a plan? Do we actively find ways to calm our nervous system over time so that we are more capable of sticking to a set routine or schedule? Can you increase self-discipline and how? We talk all about how self-discipline can help you in life, where it comes from, and what we believe can help you develop more of it. Listen in and share your thoughts with us! How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Polyvagal Theory ACEs

Do you have boundaries? In today's episode we explore the world of personal boundaries. We talk about why personal boundaries are important to your life. We look at signs that might show up in your life if you are needing to set some boundaries. We explain some of what we understand about why we suffer from struggling to set boundaries, as it's related to our childhoods. We explore the myths about boundary setting. We talk about the benefits you might experience from having set boundaries. Finally, we walk through some practices that could help you explore where your boundaries might need to be, and how to put them in place. Dive into boundary setting with us and then tell us what you've learned about setting your personal boundaries.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Shutting Down Someone Sharing Polyvagal Theory Packet we used for this episode: Boundaries Packet

You know when you are in a meeting and THAT person shares? Yeah, that one. Do we ask people to stop sharing? Or shut down their share? If someone is clearly talking about a mode of recovery that is not the 12 step approach, is there benefit to stopping their share? We tend to think about keeping the integrity of the program intact, or about the atmosphere of recovery, but what about for the individual that gets asked to stop speaking, is there any benefit to them? Or harm? We explore what types of things can be shared at meetings that might invite a home group member to ask someone to stop sharing, and also possible best practices of taking that action. Listen in and then share your experience with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Clean Time Counting Traditions

Clean time seems to be held as the end all, be all of the recovery world. Yet, we already know that the word "clean," which evolved from urinalysis results, is a stigmatizing word. Because that means those who aren't clean, are dirty. And what about the modern research and science that has proven more effectiveness with other forms of recovery? Are people following the science in their recovery shunned away because they can't participate in clean time? And while counting your time personally might be an effective tool for some, what about the way the 12 step fellowships use clean time as some sort of Purity Test? Listen in as we debate whether the concept of counting time of abstinence is more helpful or more harmful, and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: What Does Being Clean Mean Family Members Fentanyl Dispensary Gamanon Changing Sponsors Forgiveness Abstinence Chronic Illness Articles use in this discussion: Healthline Article

What do you know about forgiveness as a spiritual principle? It is suggested we practice forgiveness, but how? Is forgiveness only accepting and letting it go, or does it involve ultimately wishing well the purpose you needed to forgive. Does forgiveness mean there must be reconciliation of the relationship? Why is forgiveness important? Are there health benefits from practicing forgiveness? Is forgiveness related to self-compassion somehow? Is there a strategy or steps to practice when desiring to forgive? Listen in as we talk about all these questions and more. Then reach out and share with us how forgiveness has helped you, or how you learned to practice forgiveness.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Compassion Polyvagal Theory Spiritual Bypassing Articles use in this discussion: Forgiveness article 1 Forgiveness article 2

Have you encountered a family member at a 12 step meeting? I think it's generally common practice at an anniversary, but what about at another meeting? Did you feel like they didn't belong there, or were bothered by their presence? Did the non-program member feel like they hindered the meeting process in any way? Or have you always thought of family members attending as a positive, a family that wanted to be involved. We talk with a mom who attends meetings with her daughter about why mom goes, what mom has gained from attending meetings with her daughter, and how the family system can help support recovery. Listen in as Brook joins us to help us explore family members in meetings.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Polyvagal Theory Al-Anon Principles

Ever heard of a fentanyl dispensary? In Vancouver, Canada, they now have a maintenance program that dispenses fentanyl instead of alternative medications. There are a lot of feelings about this, positive and negative. We talk about whether this is a good idea, if the implementation seems to be ina  useful way, and how this could impact the struggle with opioid use disorder. We also mention how many people are confused by the idea that this is a treatment for "addiction," which it is not. Further, we address some of the concerns around giving people drugs, taxpayer costs, etc. Listen in as we explore ideas around harm reduction by talking about a pilot program that gives people fentanyl. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Compassion Moms in Recovery Marriage Spiritual Bypassing Big Book Update Voices of the Abstinence Movement Alcoholism vs Addiction Chronic Pain Article used for this episode: New York Times

This month we look at the spiritual principle of compassion. Interestingly, while compassion is the source of the 12 step world, we rarely talk about the principle of compassion by name. You'll hear honesty, open-mindedness and willingness in most meetings, but when's the last time you heard someone say compassion? We get into defining compassion, exploring the benefits of compassion, and looking at ways science has said we can increase compassion. And if you have a ton of extra time on your hands, we take a compassion quiz at the end. Listen in and share your thoughts on compassion with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Books Mentioned: Recovery Dharma - How to Use Buddhist Practices and Principles to Heal the Suffering of Addiction Click the link above to access on Audible and sign up for a free 30-day trial. When you use our link to sign up, we earn a small commission! Episodes mentioned: Willingness Honesty Polyvagal Theory Nostalgia

We explore the question: Is alcoholism different than drug addiction? Further, are process or behavioral addictions different than drug addictions? Do these different ways of experiencing obsession and compulsion actually act differently in the body? Not the substances themselves, but the addictive process, or features? How does the half-life of alcohol possibly impact the difference? Is the way society views alcohol, versus the way society views drugs, the only difference? Listen in and contact us with your thoughts about alcoholism versus drug addiction.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Robb Kelly Gamanon Problem Gambling Technology Addiction Sex Addiction 1 Sex Addiction 2

Martin joins us to discuss what it's been like trying to recovery from substance use and also tragedy. We get into the shame that separates us from finding joy in our current lives. We talk about trying to stay on the positive side while being in a negative environment. We explore dealing with the unfairness of life. Martin brings an incredible voice to the table to discuss his life which has gone from horror to miracle. Listen in and share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Mental Health Hotline 988 Martin's website

We attempt to tackle the topic of marriage in recovery. Joining us as guests are Jenn and Kim. Jenn is married to Billy and Kim is married to Jason. Jenn is in recovery with Billy, while Kim is not a member of the recovery community. Together, we explore what makes a marriage work whether both members are in recovery or only one member. Are there rules around recovery marriages, such as keeping your recoveries separate, or having different homegroups? Or is that all a myth? Listen in and share your thoughts about marriage in recovery with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Big Book episode

We are talking all about patience. Is there science behind the idea of patience? Is patience a spiritual principle, to be applied in all situations? Or is patience more of a virtue, that is meant to be practiced in a proper balance? Are there times patience can be a negative in your life? How would you go about increasing patience? Are there practices you can use to gain more patience? Listen in as we discuss all of these ideas and more and then share your thoughts with us.  How to find us and join the conversation: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Email: RecoverySortOf@gmail.com Episodes mentioned: Pain Medicine Chronic Pain Polyvagal Theory Problem Gambling Holistic Rehab

What is holistic rehab? Is it just some place that overcharges for the same information you can get from anywhere else? Is there any benefit to a holistic rehabilitation? Why use alternative practices when we can use the typical practices? We invite Chris on to explore holistic rehab and what takes place there. We look at how holistic methods treat the mind, body and spirit, as opposed to just stopping drug use and recommending 12 step programs only. Listen in as we explore the pros and cons, the benefits and drawbacks, and who a holistic method of rehab might be a good idea for. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Big Book episode

Much has been said about updating the Big Book of AA. Written in 1939, the language of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous can be confusing for people in the modern world. We invite Emily on to talk about her experience of navigating the Big Book. We look at the chapter To Wives, which seems like an incredibly dated and sexist part of the book. Not to mention completely not in touch with any modern science, research or understanding in our world. We also take a peek at the We Agnostics chapter of the book. Ultimately, we give our opinions on whether the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book should be updated, or even changed altogether. Listen in to learn about updating the Big Book. And check out AA's Big Book on Audible. When you sign up for a free Audible trial using our link, we earn a commission at no cost to you. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Alcoholics Anonymous episode Cult episode Nostalgia episode

We are talking all about journaling. Jenny joins us to help us understand the benefits of journaling. Have you always thought journaling was just like keeping a diary of how you felt each day? Well there's so much more to journaling. Artistic expression, keeping track of events, organization, lists, bullet points, etc. Journaling doesn't even have to be writing, it can be audio recordings. There's no wrong way to journal. Listen in to learn about the benefits of journaling, different ways you can journal, and share with us how journaling has helped you. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Commitment episode Dark Side episode Death episode

This month we are talking about the spiritual principle of commitment. Jenny joins us to examine what commitment is, how it might be different than any other choice we make, and how to practice commitment. Commitment can seem like a lifelong decision, or an eternal choice, but maybe commitment is softer and more like choosing to do something for now that works. Listen in as we discuss commitment and share your thoughts on how commitment works in your life. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Trust episode Spiritual Bypassing episode Nostalgia episode

What do you do when you find recovery, only to find out you have a chronic illness that will impact you the rest of your life? We have Drew join us to talk about Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and what it's like to try to adjust to a new life after adjusting to a life without drugs. How do you deal with finding out that your life will not be the 'normal' life that you came into recovery to get? What new levels of acceptance are needed to shift to a new way of life all over again? Listen in and find out about the struggles of chronic illness in recovery. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. ACEs episode Spiritual Bypassing episode

We are talking about problem gambling, disordered gambling, or gambling addiction, whichever feels right for you to call it. We invite Will on to teach us all about the life of a problem gambler. Will shares his story, talks about the work he does now as a peer assisting with the problem gambling community, how to recognize problem gambling, the seriousness of the obsession and compulsion to gamble, and what can be done once someone decides they want to change their relationship with gambling. Listen in to learn more about this destructive behavior and how you might be able to help. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. National Council on Problem Gambling website National Problem Gambling Hotline 1-800-522-4700 Gamanon episode SMART Recovery episode Celebrate Recovery episode

We are talking about spiritual bypassing and what it's like to explore our dark sides. We have on Dave and Jenny to help us explore what spiritual bypassing is, how it is used, and what the drawback to it is. In spiritual bypassing, we try to move into the solution, or some positive frame of being, too quickly. We go around the feelings of the current struggle instead of actual dealing with them. In order to deal with them, we have to look at our dark side, or shadow self. Listen in to learn about the process of being present with where you are. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Meditation episode Death episode

We are talking about death. Like, your death. And our death. Death is a topic that we mostly avoid as a society. Even when we see it happening before our eyes, it's often the elephant in the room. Can we help normalize talking about death? We are all going to die. Can we get comfortable in that idea? Can becoming more comfortable with death help us live a more fully realized life? Can the impermanence of our journey help us to live it more fully? Listen in and share your thoughts about how death has helped you live your life. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Grief episode

The spiritual principle of trust. We continue to examine a spiritual principle each month. We delve into what trust is, how to practice trust, ways that might be useful to create more trust in our lives, and if there is an unhealthy level of trust. Just like some other spiritual principles, it seems there is a balance of trust that feels like the appropriate and healthy amount. Too little trust is harmful to our lives, and yet too much trust could also be harmful. How do you practice trust in your life? Are there particular ways in which you feel you have cultivated trust? Listen in to learn more about trust and share your experiences with us. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Judgment episode Polyvagal Theory episode Honesty episode Willingness episode Courage episode Grief episode

Continuing in with Billy's story, this is part 2, the recovery years. Billy shares about what it was like to get into recovery, the challenges of early recovery, some of the many events that have happened along the way, and the different pieces he has picked up along the way to help transform him into the person he is today. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Billy's Story Part 1 episode Openmindedness episode Willingness episode Isolation episode Courage episode

Billy steps up to tell his story. This isn't a story told in the sense of a 12 step share, more of just a personal history. Billy recounts the events from his childhood and into his time of use of mind and mood altering substances. Listen in to learn more. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Courage episode

We are talking about courage today. What is courage? How would we develop and strengthen courage? Is it a process of being braver? Or is courage what happens when we practice other spiritual principles? We define what courage is not, which is not having fear, courage is walking through fear. Is courage a good thing to have fully, or is there a balance of courage and fear that is more useful? Listen in and share your ideas about courage to help us understand the concept. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Harm Reduction episode Safe Use Sites episode Honesty episode Polyvagal Theory episode

We are talking about isolation. You might have heard the saying that "An addict alone is in bad company." Or maybe "You're never really alone because your higher power is always there with you?" Or how about "A person with no sponsor has a fool for a sponsor." It's often said that isolation leads to relapse. If the understanding that the disease of addiction, or substance use, tends to stem from a lack of connection, this could very well be true. We dig into isolation and examine if there are times when it's okay to isolate, if there is a difference between isolation and solitude, and the feeling of being lonely. Listen in and share your thoughts with us about isolation. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Willingness episode

In the world of scientific data, new understandings of the internal mechanisms that create substance abuse, and harm reduction, have we lost the voice of abstinence? We have on Alexis and Giuseppe from the New West area of Vancouver to talk about how they feel that the abstinence option of drug treatment and recovery is being lost. Treatment for addiction is often funded based on evidenced based practices, which anonymous programs do not meet the criteria for. We explore why all the funding seems to go towards medicated assisted treatment and there is no funding for the abstinent individual. And when it comes time to have a conversation about how to help people, the abstinence voice is missing from the table. Listen in and share your opinions with us about what needs to be done. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Harm Reduction episode Recovery Kidz Last Door Recovery Better App

What is harm reduction? Why would we want to offer harm reduction to people? Does harm reduction already exist in other areas of life? Does harm reduction limit people's desire to find recovery? Is harm reduction killing people? We talk with Jerah about harm reduction and how it looks in action in a small, rural community. Listen in and tell us why you agree or disagree with harm reduction methods. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. David Poses episode Voices of Hope harm reduction

What is willingness? The ability to be willing? Being willing? The readiness to do something? How do we actually practice willingness? Is there a tactic to be more willing? Can we possible make ourselves more willing that we are? Is the answer to just keep doing the wrong thing until we are ready to do the right one? Is willingness gained from taking a beating? Is willingness openmindedness in action? We talk all about whether we even believe in willingness and our ideas around this spiritual principle. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Judging episode

We explore the world of judging. We hear early on not to judge others, or take other's inventory, but then we are told to stick with the winners? Well, how do we judge the winners? Judging is a slippery slope. On one hand, every thing we do is a judgment. We judge if we want to get out of bed in the morning. On the other hand, judging can leave us feeling pretty bad about ourselves and others. Do we judge ourselves by the same measuring stick we judge others? Is it even possible to not judge? Can judging help us? Is there a useful way to approach judging? We talk about all these concepts, and ways to cope or help with our judging habit. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Openmindedness episode Perfectionism episode Safe Use Sites episode

We welcome Idalia, the public outreach coordinator for Al-Anon in the Maryland and DC area, to help us explore the world of Al-Anon. We talk about what Al-Anon is, who might find it useful, what types of struggles Al-Anon helps people address, what you might find when you go to an Al-Anon meeting, and who might not find benefit from Al-Anon. Idalia shares parts of her story, what Al-Anon has helped her with, and some of the specifics of how the Al-Anon program works. Listen in to learn more about Al-Anon, if it might be beneficial for you, and where to start. And check out How Al-Anon Works on Audible. When you use our link to sign up for a free 30-day trial, we earn a small commission! Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Al-Anon Newcomers Packet Maryland and DC Al-Anon

We explore the world of being in recovery from substance abuse and also having bipolar disorder. Erin joins us to help describe the world of bipolar. What's the overlap like? Are parts of recovery from one struggle also relevant to helping recover from the other? Are there any practices that we generally suggest to people in recovery that might not be the best for individuals that deal with bipolar? We start out explaining the diagnostic criteria of bipolar disorder, move into what it might feel like, look at some of the risk factors, address some of the triggers, and finally talk about some of the best coping strategies. Listen in and learn about bipolar disorder, to either help yourself in your recovery or maybe better understand someone close to you. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Honesty episode

We talk about the safe use sites, also known as safe consumption sites, also known as harm reduction sites, also known as legal injection sites. We explore the 2 locations that have recently opened up in New York City, what they do, how they work, and if it seems to be helping. There has been much criticism of the idea of having safe use sites, even within the recovery community. The idea of safe consumption sites is to meet people where they are. If they aren't ready to get in recovery, let's keep them alive. And also decrease the shame associated with drug use, in order to guide them toward recovery. We talk the facts and a bunch of opinions about the safe injection sites. Listen in and learn. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Drug Court episode David Poses episode Nostalgia episode

On this episode, we explore the world of family members who are affected by problem gambling. We are joined by Christine, who shares her story of how problem gambling in her family led to her introduction to Gam-Anon. We talk about what the program of Gam-Anon has to offer, how it addresses the struggles of the "Anon" member of the family system, and how to start the journey of getting help. Gam-Anon is a 12 Step self-help fellowship of men and women who have been affected by the gambling problem of another. We ask what constitutes problem gambling, how a family member might know that it is a problem in their lives, if codependency is a factor, and more. Listen in as we explore Gam-Anon. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Gam-Anon website Gam-Anon family questionnaire

Continuing our dive into spiritual principles, we focus this month on openmindedness. We explore the world of having an open mind. Are you openminded? How many people think they are closeminded? I bet very few people think they have a closed mind, and yet, we encounter so many people that are not open to new ideas outside of what they already think. Science has shown that the brain seeks out information that verifies what it already believes, and discredits information that is contrary to our beliefs. So how do we measure our openmindedness? Are there practices to increase our open mind? Jenny joins us and we take a couple quizzes to explore our own openminded ability. Listen in as we talk about the world of being openminded, and take the quizzes with us to see if your mind is as open as you think it is. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Wise Speech episode Simplicity episode Other Openmindedness episode

We have Jenny on to teach us about wise speech. Wise speech, or right speech, is one of the 5 precepts of ethical conduct in Buddhism. Jenny, with her exposure to the Recovery Dharma and Refuge Recovery programs, explains what wise speech is, and we try to learn how it applies in our daily life. We explore the universe of 12 step world to see if any of the principles taught in 12 step programs are equivalent to this idea of wise speech. We look at false speech, malicious speech, harsh speech, and idle chatter as types of speech that we want to avoid. We give our own takes on how useful we feel wise speech is to our lives and if we totally agree with Buddha. Ultimately, taking more time to set the intentions or goals we hope to gain from what we are about to say seems like a pretty good idea that we don't necessarily practice enough. Listen in to learn all about wise speech. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Books Mentioned in this episode: The Four Agreements - don Miguel Ruiz The Five Levels of Attachment - don Miguel Ruiz Jr. Click the links above to access these titles on Audible and sign up for a free 30-day trial. When you use our link to sign up, we earn a small commission! Honesty episode Zen episode Work episode Polyvagal Theory episode

What is drug court? We have on Ray, a drug court case manager to talk all about drug court. How does drug court work? Who qualifies for drug court? Is drug court mandatory? What is the point of drug court? What types of requirements are there once you get into drug court? How long is the program of drug court? Is drug court effective? While Ray can only speak for what he knows about the local drug court in a specific county, the information should be useful and comparable to drug courts nationwide. Have any questions about drug court? Listen in to be educated and form your own opinion about whether drug court is a valuable resource, a step in the right direction, or a complete waste of time. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Honesty episode Recovery House episode

Just get honest! Or is that always the best way to go about life? Is honesty a principle that we are meant to practice in all our endeavors? Or is honesty a virtue, where the goal isn't honesty 100% of the time, but to find a balance? We explore the concept of honesty, some of the theories about levels of honesty, what we believe the goal of honesty is, and if it's okay to be dishonest if the intention is a positive one. We talk about how deceit is usually a negative when the lie is told with the goal of some self-gain, but lies tend to not be as bad when the goal is to help someone else. Then we take a quiz on honesty to see just how honest we are. Listen in, take the quiz with us, and share your thoughts about being honest. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Honesty Quiz Our other Honesty episode Nostalgia episode Cliches part 1 episode Work part 2 episode Top Recovery Podcasts list

We talk with John about recovery houses. How effective is recovery housing? Are there certain practices that take place in some recovery houses that are useful to assisting recovery to take place? Are there things recovery houses are doing that aren't beneficial at all? What makes a "good" recovery house? What can house owners and managers do differently that might inspire recovery? Should recovery housing in some way become part of the medical recovery process, so that there's more oversight and evidenced based practices in place, and also so that it can be somewhat covered by insurance? Listen in as we explore the world of recovery housing. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. War on Drugs episode AA episode

We welcome back Pete to talk about his struggles and successes in dealing with chronic pain in his life. Pete talks about herniated discs in his back, which led to being prescribed pain killers by doctors. The more pain killers he used, the more pain he ultimately felt. The consequences that occurred in his life as a result of being on a ton of pain killers for an extended period of time. And eventually him finding a pain management recovery program that has led him on a path of living mostly pain free and a much happier existence. We talk with Pete about what his experience was like, the things he has done to manage the pain since stopping pain killers, suggestions for those who struggle with chronic pain, the failings of our medical system, and what recovery is like for him now. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Finances episode

We sit down with David Poses, author of The Weight of Air, to talk about his book and the world of science as it applies to opioid addiction. David's, through the story of David's life and trying to find recovery from heroin and pill abuse, tackles many of the tough topics around medication assisted treatment and the many misperceptions our society has. We talk about harm reduction and how our practices have not caught up with the science. David tells us how alcohol is not legal because it's safer, it's safer because it's legal and regulated. We investigate the science that is showing how much safer it is to use assistance in recovery as opposed to the old ideals of complete abstinence which are based entirely on a moral belief. We debate the old belief systems versus the new scientific evidence. Listen in and then go check out David's book, The Weight of Air. When you use our link to sign up for a free 30-day Audible trial, we earn a small commission! Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. The Weight of Air

Are you a perfectionist? Is perfectionism a way of life for you? Do you struggle with taking way too much time to do things because the result has to be perfect? Is this a bad habit, or a positive attribute to your personality? Do you find that perfectionism adds value to your life? Or do you find being a perfectionist to be a drain on your resources? Do you have a hard time being satisfied with the tasks you do? Does having something turn out less than perfect mean something about you, personally? Is it really that you "just like doing things well" or do you actually not like yourself and it's through trying to be perfect that you attempt to gain value? Do you hold those around you to your perfectionist standards? Listen in as we talk perfectionism and take the quiz with us to see if you qualify as a perfectionist. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Ego episode Nostalgia episode Expectations episode Perfectionism Quiz

We explore nostalgia. From it's roots as a medical diagnosis, to a feeling of being homesick, to it's present, positively associated longing for simpler times, we take a look at what nostalgia really is, and if it's useful or not. We explore how nostalgia is not an actual memory, but a sanitized version of the past, with positive feelings attached to it. Our brains trick us into thinking that things were better at some other time, although much of what that time was actually like is missing from our felt memory sensation during nostalgic recall. We talk about whether nostalgia can be used for positive growth in the present or not. At it's root, we find that nostalgia often refers to a time of ease and comfort - namely a time before we were adults and had adult responsibilities or a clearer perception of the world. It makes sense, everything felt better when we didn't have bills, kids of our own, or any burdens hanging over our heads. Finally, we examine the dangers of nostalgia for the person in recovery, and what to do about it when we feel overwhelmed by a longing to go back to using a substance that we have made a choice to get away from. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. For more episodes, or to watch the video versions, go to recoverysortof.com

Tradition twelve: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. We explore the ins and outs of what the Twelfth Tradition is all about. What is anonymity, and how is it used in this tradition? What is it to be the spiritual foundation? What does it mean to place principles before personalities, and how do we put it into practice? How long is the proper amount of time to hold a particular service position, according to the literature? Why would there be a limit on the amount of time we should hold a position? How does humility apply to this tradition? Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Tradition 10 episode Work 2 episode

We talk about things we used to believe. And not just believe, but things we would argue to the death were right, and now we don't even believe them anymore. We examine some of the things we have shared in meetings, with people in our network, with sponsees, that we not only don't believe anymore, but actually think is unhealthy or bad information. We examine ideas like: NA is right for everyone/the only way to recovery If people did what I did, they would get what I got 1 disease means we only need 1 program Talking about past beliefs we don't agree with anymore helps us to not be so firmly connected to any of the beliefs we hold today, because some of them will also change as we continue to learn and grow in the recovery process. We don't need to be so attached to our beliefs at any given moment. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

If you've been around a 12 step fellowship or program for any length of time, you've probably heard about a convention. Heck, you've probably been to a convention. It just seems like part of the package. But why do we have conventions? Why are they outside of the basic service structure of the program or fellowship, but instead are their own incorporated entities? Does Narcotics Anonymous have say over the conventions? Some conventions, especially at the world level, have lost quite a bit of money. Is the purpose of conventions to make money? If the purpose of conventions is fellowship, can we afford to lose large amounts of money to put them on? How are they funded? Should we be putting on conventions? In this episode, we look at what conventions are, how they work, and if we believe that they serve a helpful purpose in the program. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. AA episode  Tradition 11 episode Work episode

We explore taking spiritual principles into the work world. This part 2 episode, follows episode 103: Working in Recovery to talk about how we can apply the spiritual principles, values and morals that we find are right for us, in the workplace setting. Do we have to do nonprofit work to be spiritually fit, or is there a way to take principles into any job? Is it okay to aspire to make money? What "good" can I do at the job I am at? Do I ever ask myself how love and being of service fit into my job description or daily duties? What are my motives for doing a good job at work? Would the customer or my employer want to hire more people like me? Can I trust that showing up and being of service will have outcomes I am happy with? We explore all these questions and more as we talk about using spiritual principles in our profession. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Work part 1 episode Tradition 11 episode Polyvagal Theory episode

Tradition 11: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films. We examine all the aspects of the 11th tradition. What does it mean to attract rather than promote? Does tradition eleven mean that we are not allowed to advertise? Our public relations groups have purchased billboard spots, placement on mass transit, and even spots on diner placemats, to name a few. Does this not violate the eleventh tradition? We explain the 12 step program stance on what promotion means, which is to make false claims or overstate what the program has to offer. Tradition 11 goes on to explain that while we try to remain anonymous at the level of press, radio and films as individual members, the 12 step program is not a secret society and is not anonymous in itself. We further examine how podcasting and social media fit into this tradition, both invented since the tradition was written, and not specifically addressed. Is the internet at the level of press, radio, and films? What are the dangers this tradition tries to keep us from? Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Tradition 9 episode Being of Service episode Recovery Dharma episode Simplicity episode

Simplicity is a spiritual principle. We have Jenny on to talk about simplicity and how it impacts and effects our lives. Have you ever considered simplicity in your daily practice of spiritual principles? How do you practice simplicity? What does that actually look like? We tell people to "keep it simple" and take it "one day at a time," but is that the whole of practicing simplicity? How do we keep it simple? Do we do less things? Think about things less? Life is not simple, so how can we best use this spiritual principle to help us stay focused and positive? We examine all these questions and look at times in our lives that we might be able to practice simplicity more. Included is some tips for helping move toward simplicity in your life. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Clean episode Enabling episode Tradition 9 episode Polyvagal episode Peer episode

What is Polyvagal Theory? Polyvagal Theory, or PVT, is a a theory in the therapy world that our nervous system, through evolutionary adaptations, has 3 branches that inform our current state of being, and that these different nervous system states affect all areas of our life, without us ever knowing. Working the the dorsal, sympathetic and ventral branches of the nervous system, understanding our nervous system reactions to different cues of danger or safety, and finding homeostasis can assist us in becoming more in control of our daily life and reactions. In this episode, we explain the basics of PVT, attempt to relate it to our current model of recovery from substance use, and talk about ways to become more comfortable in our own skin. We ask questions like: Does the 12 step model take into account our nervous systems? Is there something we could do better in our programs to help people who are attempting to find recovery to feel more safe? How can we use this information to better serve the recovery community? Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Peer episode

What is our responsibility, or commitment, in our recovery? Is it solely to the program or fellowship environment we belong to? We have spent most of our recoveries believing that showing up at a meeting to be of service to the newcomer arriving at that place is all we need. But is there more? Are there needs in the recovery/addiction community that go unmet when we only show up at our local meeting? Maybe if we invest some of the time in a bigger picture, we can be of greater benefit to our society and recovery community. We talk with Jenn T. about how she has branched outside of her program to take a proactive approach to helping the addiction recovery community. Jenn talks about how there is money earmarked to be spent on recovery, but in many areas, this money ends up going to for-profit treatment centers by default, because there are no other programs available in the community. Jenn goes on to talk about how to get involved with existing non-profits, or start your own if none exist in your area. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Jenn T's email: voicesofhope414@gmail.com Wound Care episode Drug Policy Alliance episode Health Department episode Jokes episode Recovery Cafe episode

The 10th tradition, Narcotics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the NA name ought never be drawn into public controversy, is under discussion in this episode. What does it mean we have no opinions? About nothing? That seems impossible. Why would tradition ten guide us away from having opinions about anything? Don't we think we should have opinions about what treatment works if there is evidence to prove it so? Or at least have opinions about what treatment doesn't work? In looking at the tenth tradition, we examine if there is any controversy about this idea of having opinions. Also, we mention that having opinions only stands at a fellowship, or program, level. Our members individually have lots of opinions and that's okay. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Enabling episode AA episode

Where do we start when we are ready to enter the workforce? Do we look for a career, or start with just any old job? How do we stay motivated to keep looking for a job after we already have one? What about criminal background checks, how do we approach those on applications? And further, what about for those of us that have felonies? Are felonies completely limiting to what we can do, or is there room for pursuing our interests no matter our criminal history? How do we address work history gaps on our applications? Is honesty always the best policy? Or are there times we might want to use a little discretion? We explore the work world for people entering the workforce from a perspective of those of us finding recovery and getting back into society. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

Have you ever wondered if you are codependent? Have you ever even heard of codependency? Jenny fills in for Billy this week and we explore the world of codependency. We talk about what codependency is, what it can look like, if you can be codependent on behaviors and not just people, and ultimately some possible tips on what might help alleviate some of the need to be codependent? What makes us feel like we won't be able to go on without that certain someone or something that seems to be hijack our reason for being? Is it about attachment? Is it about self-worth? Are there support groups that help address codependency? Jenny and Jason take a look at their own codependency through the use of a codependency quiz. Take the quiz along with us and see if your relationship might have some areas that could improve to provide you with more freedom and choice in whether you belong there or not. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Enabling episode

Tradition Nine: NA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. What is the ninth tradition really saying? Are Narcotics Anonymous, and other 12 step fellowship, supposed to be disorganized? Does this apply to meetings and groups, or only to the service bodies? How can a program or fellowship be successful if they aren't organized? How can we use tradition 9 to better our own spiritual wellbeing inside and outside of the fellowship? We discuss everything about the 9th tradition and even sticky peanut butter and jelly in this episode. Check it out and then check out all the tradition talks we've done. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Expectations episode Enabling episode

Enabling. It's bad right? You don't want to be called an enabler. The person that is just letting their loved one use without consequence. Because all those consequences like being homeless, not eating, being totally alone when you do your street drugs, they are going to get you clean or sober, right? We have Jenny join us to take a deep dive into the idea of enabling. We discuss if enabling is harmful behavior, or if it's possible that it keeps you alive long enough to possibly seek treatment. Is tough love really the answer? Are people really better off on the other end of tough love? Are those types of consequences really what pushes people to get clean? We've considered the idea of enabling to be a bad thing for a long time, but it's time we think more about harm reduction and helping people stay alive. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Expectations episode

Do you talk to your kids about drugs? Do you remember what your parents and others said to you about drug use? Was it helpful? We explore the idea of how to prepare our children for a world where drug abuse, alcoholism, and severe mental health problems exist. Was the DARE program actually useful? The world of addiction being a moral failing is all but gone, yet we still hold onto the idea of "just say no" as the way to talk with our children about drug use. Knowing how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) substantially increase the odds of addiction and mental health outcomes, do we do our best to avoid ACEs in our kids' lives? Is that the best we can do? Can telling our children about our own experiences and warning them that there is a biological link to the chances of them also struggling help at all? Generally, we agree that being honest is useful, age appropriately, of course. Join us as we explore the topic of how to break the cycle of addiction and mental health struggles, then let us know any strategies you've come up with that you think are useful. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. ACEs episode

We are guided in recovery to avoid unrealistic expectations, but what makes an expectation unrealistic? Are we supposed to walk around in our lives and not expect anything? Are realistic expectations healthy? Can we still be let down when our realistic expectations aren't met? Is there really a way to get rid of our expectations? Or even alter our expectations? Is tempering expectations an actual thing we are capable of, or do we just stuff them down and still get hurt by the outcomes? Are we giving up time that we could have been feeling hopeful by lessening our expectations? Is there a spiritual principle that can be applied to tempering our expectations? We have on Caraline to help us explore the world of expectations in recovery, what they are, if they are overt or covert, how to examine them, and hopefully, how to find more freedom from feeling let down when our expectations aren't met. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Mom episode Clean episode Grief episode

Many persons in recovery have a strong pull to help others find recovery. It's a very human experience to want to lead others to the same freedom you have found. However, we have watched many people struggle in this environment. Not to say that it isn't a good idea, but maybe there are some ways to do it that are better than others. We have on Basile to help us talk about what it's like to get into the treatment field. What are some of the drawbacks? Do people really think that their job is also their service? Do we need to keep our professional lives separate from our recovery, or is there a good way to unite them? How do we keep our egos in check once we think we have this all figured out? How can we deal with our recovery life bleeding into our work and vice versa? Do we need to go further away to meetings if we work in our area? How do we deal with people in a complete abstinence program who judge us for supporting other types of recovery at our job? We delve into all these questions and also learn about Elevate Recovery. Listen in and then reach out with your tips for how to navigate working in addiction treatment while also being in recovery. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Elevate Recovery website Elevate Recovery Facebook

We call ourselves clean. And most of us think we know exactly what that means. But what does it really mean when someone says they are clean? Are they clean like us? Are they cleaner? Less clean? When someone gets a keytag or medallion, do we really know what they are celebrating being free from? Is it complete abstinence from ALL drugs, including caffeine and nicotine? Have they never taken prescriptions that are mind or mood altering? Have they never received pain medication after a surgery? Do they take mind and mood altering medication from a psychiatrist? Why are caffeine and nicotine considered different and allowable? If someone has 22 years "clean," then has a motorcycle accident and is forced to take pain management for the rest of their lives, are they no longer clean? And if all of this idea of clean is debatable, why do we hold so strongly to the idea that suboxone isn't clean? Is suboxone used to treat addiction, or just heroin overuse? Wasn't the drug use just a symptom of the actual addiction that we are trying to treat? We debate all these questions and more. Listen in and then let us know what you think clean is and why. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.  Moving episode AA episode Information Pamphlet episode Nursing episode

Being a mom in recovery seems like a topic we need to talk about more. How often do we see moms, especially new moms, not at the meetings we used to see them at all the time? How hard is it to adjust to the new pressures and stresses of being a mom when one of the most valuable resources you had for dealing with stress and pressure was seeing your support network at the meeting? What about the unspoken societal and internal pressure to always be with your child and not take time for your own health? We have Stephanie and Jenny on to talk about what it's like for moms in recovery. How they found ways to adjust that helped them stay on the recovery path. What things might we be able to do to assist new moms in recovery when we encounter them. Listen in and then share your experience, thoughts and feelings about what might help mothers in recovery to keep recovering. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Grief episode

Tradition Eight: Narcotics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers. We delve into the Eighth Tradition and what it means to NA. Or any 12 step program. What is the purpose of not having professionals? We identify the definition of professional in the context of the 8th Tradition, and also the definition of special worker. We talk about the reasoning we can allow special workers and how they differ from professionals. We also speak to a few instances that we know of where we don't seem to be following this tradition. Something as basic as getting flyers printed up. Special workers are supposed to operate within the traditions, and the printing companies that we use do not follow our traditions, they are outside entities. Then, to cap it off, Billy and Jason argue about recovery. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Cult Episode Recovery Dharma Episode

We are talking financial health. In recovery, we mention physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health, but we never talk about financial health. Money and finances are a huge trigger for many people early in recovery. Also, many people in recovery have never been exposed to the idea of any healthy balance with their financial picture. It's an often overlooked aspect of recovery. We have Pete on to help us explore the topic of financial health. We look at creating a budget, what to do about some of the debt we might have when entering recovery, and the importance of starting some form of savings. We go further into investing, and prioritizing what financial aspect of our lives needs attention first. Listen in as we talk financial health and help yourself get your finances straight. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

This week we look at the battle between AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, and NA, Narcotics Anonymous. Which program is more helpful? We have on Louis to discuss the misconceptions that each program has of the other, and the truths behind those ideas. Is NA getting it wrong by taking so long to do the steps? Is AA not really getting to the heart of the matter by just talking the steps? Do people in AA only use alcohol? And why do people who use heroin go to Alcoholics Anonymous in the first place? Do alcoholics only do the steps once and then they are done? Do people in AA work on other aspects of their problem, the areas that our disease tends to move into when we remove the drugs or alcohol, like sex, gambling, shopping, etc. We dive deep into the rumors and hash out which program might be the best fit for you. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. The Robb Kelly episode

The Seventh Tradition, every NA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. We look at all aspects of the 7th tradition. While most people focus on the money aspect, this is just one tiny part of what self-supporting means. We examine the ways self-supporting looks at the group level, how it might look at the personal level, and what it means for subcommittees. Tradition Seven tells us that we don't accept outside contributions or gifts, and we talk about why that is beyond just that someone might ask us for something in return that would hamper our ability to carry the NA message. This tradition warns us of having too much money, explains that we don't need a lot of money to have the basic group functions, and explains that money can cause more problems. Listen in to the talk about tradition 7 and give us your feedback as to what you've learned about this tradition. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Tradition 6 episode Top 80 Recovery Podcasts List

We are back to talk about some more recovery clichés. We evaluate the truthfulness and usefulness of some of the things we often hear at meetings. Guest co-host Caraline helps explore: The newcomer is the most important person at any meeting It's a simple program for complicated people Learn to listen and listen to learn Meeting makers make it People who don't go to meetings don't hear about what happens to people who don't go to meetings You have to give it away to keep it Is the newcomer the most important person at the meeting? Are we complicated people? Do meeting makers only make meetings? Does giving it away assure us that we will keep it? What is it, anyway? We discuss these clichés in way too much detail. Listen in and reach out to us to weigh in with your opinion on these recovery clichés and their value to your recovery. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Cliches episode part 1 Discrimination episode with Sylvia Sponsorship episode Top 80 Recovery Podcasts List

We all know the old saying that geographical changes aren't cures for our addiction. But what happens when we move in our recovery? We have some clean time and recovery, feel pretty "established" in our area, are used to the meetings, the people, the way it all works. How hard is it to just do that somewhere new? Well, as it turns out, it's pretty damn tough. It's hard to be a newcomer in a new area when you have some time, recovery, and steps under your belt. Meetings in a new area feel alien. We miss the way it was in our original recovery area. We even miss that one guy who shared that same crap at every meeting we saw him at. Jim joins us to talk about the experience of moving in recovery. We discuss how to meet new people, how to get plugged in to a new area, how to find a new network, and how to use our old network to help us fill in the gaps. This episode might be more of a "what not to do" episode, but still useful in trying to find our way in our new locale. Listen in and reach out with any of your tips on how to keep recovery moving forward when everything in the new area feels "wrong." Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

When is it the right time to get a new sponsor? Are there certain signs that let us know? Do we change whenever we hear something we don't like? Do we wait until well after the expiration date and let it die on it's own? We have on Jason to talk with us about figuring out when it's the right time to change sponsors and how to go about making the switch to a new sponsor. We explore if there are any reasons you have to get a new sponsor, or if it's all a choice. We also look at what you might be looking for in a new sponsor and if it's different than what we looked for in our original sponsors coming into recovery. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. 

We have on Dr. Robb Kelley to talk about his research and thoughts on treatment of alcoholism. Dr. Robb fills us in on some of his personal history, when he remember his drinking starting, key moments of his drinking, and how he came to find freedom from alcohol use. Dr. Robb tells us about how he has used that experience to find his calling, and how he treats people who struggle with alcohol use. We discuss if there is any difference between alcoholics and addicts, what sorts of evidenced based treatments are out there, and why the solutions aren't more widespread. Listen in as Dr. Robb explores how the brain of alcoholics is affected by childhood trauma, and then check out his website and podcast links below. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Dr. Robb Kelly's website: https://robbkelly.com/ Dr. Robb Kelly's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-through-addiction/id1527640123

The 6th Tradition: An NA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the NA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property or prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Tradition six deals with the problems that can go wrong when we decide to get involved by endorsing, financing or lending the name of the 12 step group to outside facilities or ventures. What happens is that money, property and prestige can divert us from our primary purpose. What does that mean? Well that's what we look at in the Sixth Tradition episode. We talk about ways this can go wrong if we were to do it. While the tradition seems self-explanatory, we look at the why's and how's it can all go wrong. We even mention the part where it talks about persons and literature from other fellowships being used in our meetings. This tradition can be a slippery slope. We do our best to understand how this tradition can apply to our personal lives, and the community at large. Listen in and learn about Tradition 6 and why it matters. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We all experience pain in recovery, but what does recovery teach us about grieving? Do 12 step programs/fellowships leave room for grief? Does the program tell us that we should bypass the stages of grief? Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are the stages. Do 12 steps try to have us skip to the acceptance and not allow us the space to feel the other stages? We have Caraline on to talk about her experiences with grieving in recovery. Do we grieve missing our old using life? Are we allowed space to grieve losses of jobs? What is a helpful thing to say or do to someone who has just experience a loss? What is a harmful thing to say or do to someone going into a grief state? We talk about all this and more on the grief episode. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We take another look at meditating. We have on Dave(Ryūmon) , a novice Zen priest to talk all about meditation. We talk about all the intricacies of meditation and ask the questions about what really matters when it comes to meditating. Is posture important? Do you have to sit, or can you stand or be laying? Is it only about not moving, or are there movement meditations? What are we supposed to think about or concentrate on while meditating? Is there a certain amount of time we have to spend in meditation in order to benefit from it? What's the rule about farting in Zen meditation? Dave (Ryūmon) helps us explore all these questions and more. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Empty Circle Meditation website - http://emptycirclemeditation.com/ Soji Zen Center website - https://sojizencenter.com/

Pain medicine in recovery. A slippery slope. We talk about our experiences when having to take pain pills, as prescribed by a doctor, and how the body doesn't know the difference between these prescription medications and the drugs we bought on the street. We examine the ways medical professionals entice us to use pain medication by stating that it's a part of the healing process, and try to understand if there's any truth to that idea. We explore the attitudes of persons in 12 step fellowships towards people who end up having to use pain management, and whether that's a great way to treat our members. Pain medicine in recovery is a scary idea, even if it's the right thing to do in the situation. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We are talking the 5th Tradition - each group has but one primary purpose, to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. Tradition Five says that the 12 step fellowship has one primary purpose. Does this leave room for secondary purposes? Can a 12 step program also have other goals or objectives? Why is it that we come to a program to get clean, but our primary purpose in the Fifth Tradition isn't to get and stay sober? Are we aware that our primary purpose is to carry the message? What is the message we carry? That an addict, any addict, can stop using, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live. We examine how our groups can be proactive in carrying that message: by creating an environment of empathy, honesty, caring, sharing and service. Is one addict helping another truly without parallel? Is the group more powerful than the literature when it comes to carrying the message? What would happen if the group had a different purpose? We talk about all this and how we might be able to apply Tradition 5 in our lives outside the 12 step program. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We talk with Nikki Myers, the founder of Y12SR, to find out more about the program and how it works. Nikki shares her story about how she came to find yoga, what made her want to incorporate it into her program of recovery, and how studying the foundations of yoga led her to see the connection between yoga and the healing process of recovery. We find out answers to some of the questions you may have about the program: What does a Y12SR meeting look like and how does it run? Are there any requirements for membership? How does a yoga practice incorporate the 12 steps? Listen in as Nikki gives us all the information on how the Y12SR program works, what it can do for your recovery, and how to get involved. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Y12SR's Website: https://y12sr.com/

Is local government doing enough to address the opioid epidemic? It can often seem like the local health department or government, especially in smaller, more rural areas, isn't doing enough. We talk with Cecil County Health Department's Deputy Director, Division of Addiction Services, Mike Massuli, to find out more about the services the county offers. We explore why certain services are picked to be implemented, why some might not be chosen, and the challenges faced in trying to establish programs to help the community. We explore using scientifically backed methods and what the health department sees as the definition of their role in addressing the opioid epidemic. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Here is the website for Rewrite Your Script Cecil Addiction Treatment Coordination Hotline (CATCH) phone line: 443-245-3257

How do we eat for recovery? How do we make healthy choices around what we put into our bodies? We have all seen people leave the drugs behind but continue to consume chemicals in the form of food. We might be those people. What is your plan for eating in a way that promotes health to your body, mind and spirit? Recovery needs to involve our mental, physical, spiritual and emotional selves. Do we replace the drug with food? Are we eating to fill the void? Did you put down the spoon only to pick up the fork? Did you know that eating processed food is linked to increased mental health problems and decreased quality of life? Do you track your food intake at all? We aren't so much talking about counting calories, as making calories count. Do you read any of the labels on the food you eat? Do you know what's in what you take in? We discuss the idea that if we don't have a plan to end up in a particular destination, nutrition wise, we can end up any old place. And most of us don't want to be in any old place. Having a history of drug use puts us at greater risk for having an unhealthy relationship with food. Join us as we talk about general ideas of having a nutrition idea, monitoring what we take in, and try to eat for life. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

Today we have on guests from Recovery Café, a recovery model gaining popularity for it's usefulness, and find out everything you could want to know about the program. Becky and Ethan join us from Clark County, Washington, to talk about all things Recovery Café. We find out what inspired them to join the Recovery Café movement, to have a huge part in bringing Recovery Café to their town, and how their program has grown. Becky and Ethan also answer all our questions about the Recovery Café program. We learn what Recovery Café has to offer, what to expect when you visit the café, how they help people gain access to needed resources in the recovery process, and so much more. This program welcomes all modalities of recovery under one roof. Our guests also tell us about the process of starting a Recovery Café in your own neighborhood, if you don't already have one. This program works so well as a hub for persons in recovery, and fills a much needed gap in the medical treatment model that just sends you home after 28 days. Listen in and find out if Recovery Café is right for you. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Here is the website for Recovery Café Clark County Here is the website for the Recovery Café Network

We examine the 4th Tradition, Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or NA as a whole. What does the Fourth Tradition actually tell us? When does Tradition Four say we have crossed the line into what affects other groups or NA as a whole? Is there any clear lines drawn in the sand about what groups can and cannot do? We further explore the idea that some consider virtual meetings to not be actual groups because they do not have a meeting place. Is the internet a place? In the end, we come to an understanding that Tradition 4 is less about setting the rules for what groups can and can't do, but more about while groups are practicing their autonomy to self-govern, it's imperative that they remember the second part of the tradition, to maintain the focus of practicing principles to not make anyone else's life worse. This tradition is all about part two, to keep in mind how our actions can possibly harm others. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

When the medical system is set up to see as many people as possible, and attempts to combat the opioid epidemic by shaming anyone who uses substances, what options do we have to help those in the community? How about taking vigilante nursing to them? We talk with Jason B. to find out what exactly he does in his work. Jason fills us in on why he got into helping the substance use community, how he goes to their houses and provides education on how to take care of wounds, and advises people on if they need to visit the hospital or not. Jason uses care and compassion to help those in the area who have found care and compassion to be highly lacking in the medical community. Jason also informs us about best practices for preventing the need for wound care, how he has changed his mind about harm reduction, and how he believes the medical field needs to be built again from the ground up to actual meet it's original goals of helping people. Listen in and learn all about vigilante nursing and renegade wound care in our modern society. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

When is it okay to make fun of people? In a spiritual program, when do we stop to consider what the line is and if we have crossed it? Can we make fun of people we are close to? Can we make fun of people who will never know about it, and therefore not be hurt by it? Are there certain topics that aren't okay to joke about? Is there a universal line about what is allowed to be laughed at and what isn't funny, or do we each draw our own line? If we have ever made fun of anyone, laughed at a joke about someone, or even watched a comedy show, can we claim the high ground when we think someone has crossed our personal line? We invite Chris B on to help us explore the rules around jokes. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We examine tradition 3, the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. What does this actually mean in the 12 step fellowship world? Are we becoming members of the program, or of the fellowship? What does this mean about how we treat people at our meetings? Is everyone truly welcome there? Are we also free to leave at any time we don't want to be there? How does this apply to the influx of persons on medication assisted treatment or harm reduction methods? Are they just as welcome? Do we have the right to ask them not to share if we consider them to have used that day? We address all these questions as we talk about the third tradition. We also talk about how this might look if we applied this tradition to the government level. How do the principles of tradition three carry over into our outside lives? Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We have Jenny on to talk about being non-anonymous. Jenny recently decided to tell the world of her substance use history, and the fact that she is in recovery. We talk about what led up to her making the decision to let her world know that she identifies as having struggled with alcohol, and as someone who no longer drinks. Jenny tells us about what made now the right time to make the decision to tell everyone. We also discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of exposing this part of herself to the world. We also explore recommendations, as someone who just outed themselves, for the process of how to go about it, what things to consider first, and what implications it might have in your life. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. Jenny has previously been on our episode about Recovery Dharma and a cohost on our episode about Adult Children of Alcoholics. We also talk about our Stigma episode. 

We invite Carlos H onto the show to talk about his experiences with drug policy, advocacy, and activism in the Baltimore recovery community. Carlos has been deeply involved in policy work since he first found recovery. He has been involved in many organizations in Maryland, in different ways trying to improve the recovery scene to help save lives. Today we focus on the struggles with recovery housing, how grant funding seems to end up in the hands of for-profit treatment centers instead of non-profit community organizations, and how policy has failed to solve the problems in minority communities. Carlos also explores what it will take for change to happen in communities of color. Listen in as we celebrate all the work Carlos has done for the recovery community with Maryland Recovery Organization Connecting Communities, Light Street Housing Corporation, Citizens Planning and Housing Association, Maryland Chapter of National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems,  Maryland’s State Drug and Alcohol Council, and is currently working at Dee's Place. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We invite Kassandra Frederique, the Executive Director at Drug Policy Alliance and Tracie Gardner, Vice President of Policy Advocacy at Legal Action Center to help us explore the war on drugs through the lens of racial justice. We learn about the beginnings of drug policy, which started out punishing only the mode of opium use that was popular among Asian immigrants, the progression to the politics of Nixon changing his stance from one of therapeutic interventions to one of tough on crime during his run for presidency, the devastation the Rockefeller Drug Laws had on communities, and how the modern day war on drugs has seeped into every government system, as a form of controlling minorities. Kassandra and Tracie excellently explain how each governmental system has it's own version of the war on drugs, how professional health care has abandoned helping persons with mental health, and how the system continues to exclude people of color. The conversation further goes into how the systems that started out as discriminatory toward race, have further taken on discriminatory attitudes toward class, only leaving the wealthy in our society not impacted by it. In celebration of Black History Month, we acknowledge the impact these systems have had on the vulnerable minority population, and celebrate how amazing humans such as Kassandra and Tracie are leading the charge of policy reform to create a better landscape so that future generations won't have to be negatively impacted in the same ways and so we can create a safe and healing environment for all. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. To learn more about Drug Policy Alliance, go here: https://drugpolicy.org/ To learn more about Legal Action Center, go here: https://www.lac.org/

Tradition 2: “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority— a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern." We talk about the difference between group conscience and group opinion. We explore the idea that spiritual principles can never be in conflict. We mention that we have to pick the right person for the individual job, not just the person we like the most. We mention how egos and personalities can get in the way of group conscious, and our responsibility to the group to clear our ego out of the way before proceeding with a vote. We try to extend the principles and concepts of tradition 2 into the family, community, and government levels as to how it might look if we practiced it there. Further, we explore whether we would be better parents and partners if we led by example and with humility versus leading by dictating. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We explore Sexaholics Anonymous (SA), Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA), and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) this week. We look at what each defines as acting out behavior, and what each program defines as sobriety or sexual clean time. We talk about SAA's 3 circles concept, and similarly, SLAA's idea of top and bottom lines. We give some descriptions of what sex or love addiction can look like in your life, to give you some new ways to examine your own life to see if you might qualify. Ritualistic masturbation, seeking comfort from emotionally unavailable partners, and other attention seeking behaviors often go unnoticed in our society or are made out to be normal behaviors. Finally, we answer some of the questions on SLAA's quiz to see if a person identifies with some of the behaviors and feelings of a sex and love addict. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. To take the SLAA quiz for yourself, go here: https://slaafws.org/40-questions To take the SAA quiz, go here: https://saa-recovery.org/am-i-a-sex-addict/self-assessment/

This year we are going to examine the traditions and how they apply to life inside and outside the 12 step program life. Sounds incredibly boring, for sure, but hopefully we can find connections and ways to make it interesting. We explore themes such as "does having a singular purpose in our program ensure unity?", "can you have unity without having a common goal?", "is unity a spiritual principle, or the outcome of working spiritual principles?" and "is there a time when it makes more sense to not act in unity?" How often have you thought about the goals or purpose of your family? Or your community? Or country? Amazing that we don't ever consider what the goal or purpose of our family is, much less what other members of our families think the goal or purpose is, and what goal or purpose actually unites us. Maybe this is why family units struggle to find unity, they are all working towards a different goal. Listen in and see if you agree with the idea of how unity works. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We talk with Joshua Shea from RecoveryPornAddict.com about porn addiction, sex addiction, and partner betrayal trauma. Joshua is a porn addiction and betrayal trauma services expert, in recovery himself, who helps persons struggling with addiction and their partners to find recovery. Joshua has written 3 books about porn addiction, and offers a wide variety of courses to help people become more knowledgeable about the often untalked about world of porn addiction. We talk with Joshua about his peer support services, how sex addiction is similar and different than drug addiction, the stigma surrounding porn addiction and pornography in general, signs to look for in your life that could mean you are having a problem with pornography, and what partners can do to help. Listen in to hear all these topics and more. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. To visit Joshua's website, go here: RecoveryPornAddict.com To find Joshua on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/PAddictRecovery

Is there a god? A higher power? If there is, does this god have a particular will? Is it a punishing god that harms us to teach us lessons? Or is it a hands off god that just shows up to comfort people when life happens due to free will? Or something else entirely? Are we all just being suckers? We started this episode just talking about things we hear in meetings that we don't believe, and ended up having a big debate about our stances on higher power and what that means in our lives. Billy is not a believer in god, per se, as in the magic man in the sky. Jason believes in a universal energy (think Starbucks chick, but cooler). We debate the existence of a higher power and how that works in our lives. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We have Stephanie on to talk about the mental health of our children. Mental health is generational, and also involves epigenetics. Many of the issues in our personal childhood homes get carried over into our adult families, leading to our kids getting a lot of the same inputs we had. This can happen during our using or even after finding recovery, before we learn healthier ways to parent. Even if we get everything right, there is still the danger of our children struggling with their mental health. What do we do about it? We explore how to recognize, how to help the best we can, some resources, and mostly how to take care of ourselves while trying to help our children, since we will be of little use to them if we can't find our center. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 Screening tool for parents: https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/parent

We take a look at how months of quarantine, pandemic, coronavirus, Covid-19 has taken it's toll on our recoveries. What we miss from before, how we feel about our current practices, guilt about not feeling as attached to our 12 step programs, what we have done in place of meetings to fill our lives. We look at the 4 legged table concept and how even without meetings, 3 legs of the table can be pretty sturdy. Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com.

We have Matt on the show to talk about recovery and how it relates to the intersection of the community of LGBTQ persons. We explore what little is being done research wise to determine if this population needs something specific in their recovery programs, what risk factors are greater for the LGBTQ population, the statistics around being LGBTQ and what that means for your chance at substance use disorder, and much more. Thank you to Jenny for the suggestion of the topic and Matt for coming on the show.  Join the conversation by leaving a message, emailing us at RecoverySortOf@gmail.com,  or find us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or find us on our website at www.recoverysortof.com. To check out Matt's blog: https://miserycontest.com/ To find Matt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SobrietyMatt To check out our episode on specialty meetings: https://recoverysortof.com/24-special-interest-meetings-versus-the-traditions-should-you-go-to-that-womens-rap-sort-of/

Today we talk all about the ego. Often referred to as