Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I talk about how to tell when your pain is protecting you by dialoguing with our emotions. And the pain that I will be referring to is guilt, shame, remorse, maybe judgment, self judgment caused by the inner critic. WHAT WE’LL LEARN What are the types of pain? The pain of guilt or shame, remorse or judgm…

"Never let a good crisis go to waste." Winston Churchill Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I list 3 ways to build your resilience in the face of pivotal events. I announce a new project I’m excited about and invite you to join me on my new journey! WHAT WE’LL LEARN What types of events are pivotal (e.g. arrest, loss of a job, divorce/bre…

“You had someone to go places with. You had a date on national holidays!” -Marie, When Harry Met Sally, 1989 Welcome to today’s show! Loneliness is a feeling that I know a lot of us try and avoid. And the thing is, we've all felt lonely at different points in our life. So it's an important topic. I've described loneliness as an epidemic in previous…

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own persona. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” -Oliver Wilde Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I talk about the masks that do more harm than good. The masks we wear because we are afraid; we are afraid that it anyone see’s how incompetent we are at our job, relationships, parenti…

“Creativity is a basic human response to trauma and a natural emergency defense system,” Louise DeSalvo Welcome to today’s show! I spend some time talking about what writing can do for us and why writing works. I talk about how writing in community can be beneficial and how I will structure my upcoming writing groups based on the literature and per…

People who are resilient allow themselves to be changed by the experience of adversity. To be resilient is not to avoid difficulty but to play an active role in how difficulty transforms you. -Kelly McGonigal, PhD, health psychologist, Stanford University Welcome to today’s show! I’ve found that if one can focus their attention on resilience in the…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN What is narcissism really? I discuss the myth of narcissism and how social media gets it terribly wrong. How do you know if you’ve been in a relationship with a narcissist? You’ve tried to be who your partner needed and when they are gone, you’ve lost yourself. Now what? How writing helps with healing. I gi…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I list 3 ways writing takes you from hopeless to hopeful:. And I’ve decided to end the Atheists in Recovery podcast so this is the final episode. I thank you all for listening. I announce a new project I’m excited about and invite you to join me on my new journey! WHAT WE’LL LEARN Writing as a coping mec…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Johnathan’s early view of religion helped shape his identity in the world. How his southern baptist “angry form of Christianity” messages made him question life. At age 37, Jonathan found himself at a critical crossroads when staring into a garbage can. The three steps to help you overcome your sugar a…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I’m sharing how I use hypnotherapy to treat addiction. Below I outline 5 takeaways hypnotherapy can help you with addiction. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Hypnotherapy is not new. Hypnotherapists have been getting to the root cause of one’s suffering for years Say hello to your future self. You are the storytell…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Rob’s community wanted to thank him for his contribution to the community and invited him to meet the Queen. And what his inner dialogue was like (hint: he was not happy). Rob talks about his childhood growing up and how his identify was formed but it was not an easy road to becoming a successful entrep…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How David’s earliest memories were rooted in sadness & depression and he felt like something was terribly wrong with him. David was put on anti-depressants is his early teens but felt “nothing was working.” How a Cop was the greatest endorsement for heroin use. When at Hazelden, David was told by staff he n…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Derek earliest memories were rooted in religion but his connectedness and place of belonging was found (and still is) in nature. While Derek was in active addiction he watched his brother, father, and mother pass away from complications due to alcoholism which threw him into a deeper state of depression…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Valley’s earliest sense of self was formed during “alot of using and instability.” Valley’s mother thought since Valley grew up in AA those values would transmit but Valley had other plans. Valley majored in love addiction, alcohol addiction, and codependency during her college years. When Valley sat wi…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How hearing a sermon in a church led Peter to “wake up” and start to heal the suffering within. How his Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. household normalized alcohol use. What led Peter to get “interventioned” at work. Why Peter found SMART recovery early on in his recovery and how it helped him. What is SMART…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How atheists/agnostics have found sobriety in AA. The A.I.R. audience has spoken: we talk about these four categories: tolerance, losing one’s religion, the language of addiction, and coming out of the Atheist closet. When is the right time to come out of the Atheist closet? How you should come out of the …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Episode 22 starts our December series, Movies That Move Us. Learn why Adina loves this movie and its relevance in the recovery space. Learn what it means to be codependent. The movie portrayed the subtle way drinking goes from being “fun” to more of a progressive disorder in which shame and fear are ubiqui…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I list 5 journaling prompts I use most often (and why I think it’s the greatest recovery tool). And I’m taking a pause in August through the end of September to focus on family time, travel, self-care and to tweak a few things with the podcast. In the meantime, you may want to catch up on episodes 1-105 …

Welcome to today’s show! Vulnerability “Vulnerability smells like rotten eggs, feels like slimy fish, tastes like ash.” WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is Vulnerability? What events led to Adina knowing she needed to address her own vulnerability. How Adina previously handled vulnerability. What the family motto was in her early days that led to her feeling…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Paul’s deepest roots came from living with a family of doctors that pushed him to excel at school. He deeply wanted to learn more about the nervous system and what makes up the brain & spinal cord. You have to “rob” the tumor in a stealth manner so as not to awaken the brain. Think Jedi Warrior :) How addi…

Welcome to today’s show! Stories I reference a quote which I feel sums up the episode well. Write Often and Edit Well -Esther Perel WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is Brainspotting? We look at a case study with Tina and pay attention to her insecure attachment style. What the outcome was after Tina’s first brainspotting session & why Adina was surprised :) …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Please listen to EP 101 where we learn Arlina’s background before listening to this one :) Why our brains are designed to focus on the negative. And how to increase our awareness of this. Arlina, at a young age, kept finding reasons that she wasn’t “good enough” and “smart enough” and whenever she would ha…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Arlina described her deepest roots as having come from two traumatic incidents early on. She learned some survival skills that “did not translate into healthy adult relationships.” How at age 8 or 9, Arlina discovered alcohol. And she described the first drink vividly. She stated, “The self-confidence & se…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I outline 6 questions to ask yourself in order to create a recovery routine that works for you. My bullet points below are a series of questions rather than statements. This is similar to what I do with my monthly newsletter. I’m a big journaler and our brains are problem solving machines so let it …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: John described his deepest roots led him to Syracuse New York...from his upbringing, to his professional development, to his professional career and to his sobriety. John’s sobriety journey is intertwined with a dual diagnosis with Mental Health issues. How he needs to maintain his mental health so that he…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I outline 3 tips on how to overcome guilt, shame, & regret in early recovery. A sober life means feeling all the emotions and in early recovery that can be very triggering. Let's start our show with how I define guilt, shame & regret. WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How to Increase your self-forgiveness. In order…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Chris described his deepest roots as being introduced to spirituality by way of “special event Catholicism” God and the idea of a higher power was a novelty to Chris How his relationship with sobriety was one of coercion by being court ordered into fellowships, group therapy, jail, and house arrests. Chris…

Quote: The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it.” J.M. Barrie (Author of Peter Pan) Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I outline 5 takeaways for utilizing journaling to manifest your dreams in …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Kristen describes her deepest roots and her mother’s influence on shaping her future identity. How to use technology to remove barriers for mental health. Ketamine as a dissociative and what that means for our treatment. How is Ketamine different from the traditional medications we take to reduce depressio…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is anxiety? And why is brainspotting perfect for resolving anxiety? Brainspotting as a dual attunement process. We look at a case study with Raphael. What the outcome was after Raphael’s first brainspotting session. What are the challenges with brainspotting for Raphael (and especially in our western …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Why Adina feels the word Anxiety is overused in our society What is an Anxiety disorder What are the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to Anxiety disorder Learn about “Brad” and his recent relapse What is the relationship between alcohol and anxiety How do we build an anxiety tool kit? Adin…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Mishka’s “second hand smoke” of religion had helped him develop in the world. How living a Godless life impacted his recovery. Why Mishka “reluctantly” self-identifies as an Agnostic. What are the key takeaways from the book- one of the tools is quite similar to AA. Why Mishka says you need to “pay you…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How D.J.’s earliest roots were “tangled, buried, diseased and complex.” Learn why D.J. thought he was adopted (even at a young age) because things were “just so bad.” D.J. talks about his fearful experience of spirituality growing up and how God would not “show up for” him and he had proof that God was not …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Michael’s deepest roots shaped her identity in the world How Michael took some interesting routes to get to where she is today in the decluttering space What are some practical questions to get us started with evaluating our belongings An exercise in mindfulness What’s the first step in the purificatio…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I outline 3 reasons why I love journaling (and why I think it’s the greatest recovery tool). And I’m taking a pause in April to focus on self-care and to even get a bit ahead with the podcast. In the meantime, you may want to catch up on episodes 1-88 or relisten to a few of your favorites. WHAT WE’LL LE…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Luke’s mother’s death at age 10 caused severe trauma throughout his life. And how learning about this masculinity code shaped his identity in the world. How coping mechanisms of not showing emotions kept him safe in his household. A turning point for Luke was when a friend pierced his denial. And Luke …

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I outline 6 questions to ask yourself on how routines & rituals have helped you in your recovery. My bullet points below are a series of questions rather than statements. This is similar to what I do with my monthly newsletter. I’m a big journaler and our brains are problem solving “vessels” so let it do…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Eli’s deepest roots shaped his identity in the world in a very orthodox Jewish community in New York called Crown Heights. How his childhood felt “very unsafe.” As he was growing up he started to group people as “safe” and “unsafe.” When an older community boy took advantage of him sexually, Eli uncons…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I outline 5 Ways Hypnotherapy Can Help You Break through Emotional Rock Bottom. Hypnotherapy is this podcast is a tool but it can be replaced with any resource you like: Brainspotting, Yoga, Meditation, and Memoirs (love a good memoir). Emotional Rock Bottom I reference a quote which I feel sums up the e…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How David’s earliest roots brought up feelings of isolation and sadness. Learn why being one of only a few Catholics from East Tennessee had a huge impact on David. How David’s first drink as an altar boy sipping the Priests wine gave him a feeling that “everything’s going to be okay.” David recalls a real…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I discuss a pandemic of loneliness and outline 3 ways to combat loneliness during Covid19. On Measuring Loneliness I reference a quote from Jack: I received a DM from an old college friend the other day who said he missed me and wanted to catch up. I was so touched that I started to cry. I feel strange s…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Liz’s deepest roots shaped her identity in the world which led her to write about stress and trauma. She says she is “exhibit A” of what she writes about How we as a society undermine resilience and how this shows up in addictions Liz’s definition of Trauma: “a condition when our survival brain perceiv…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I outline 5 ways Hypnotherapy Can Help you Find Unexpected Meaning in recovery. Hypnotherapy is this podcast is a tool but it can be replaced with any resource you like: talk therapy, yoga, Memoirs (love a good memoir). Digging for Unexpected Meaning I reference a quote which I feel sums up the episode w…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Elizabeth’s deepest roots shaped her identity in the world When she recognized how much of a lack of emotional attunement parents can have in their child’s lives Elizabeth managed those really hard emotions with substances because she did not know how to manage her emotional state and/or her Childhood …

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Derek earliest memories were rooted in religion but his connectedness and place of belonging was found (and still is) in nature While Derek was in active addiction he watched his brother, father, and mother pass away from complications due to alcoholism which threw him into a deeper state of depression …

Welcome to today’s show! Is low self-esteem holding you back? In today’s solo episode I outline 5 ways to banish negative self-talk, increase self worth and take back your relationship with yourself to keep you from “ruining” your recovery. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Listen to your language. They are the sentences that begin with, ‘I am…’ or ‘I am not…’. Who…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, As we embark on the New Year, I outline 3 things to let go of in the form of verbs (and 3 things to hold onto). This can apply to your recovery but it can also apply to your everyday life-your finances, your sexual story, your relationship with self & others. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Hypnotherapy can be a highly…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How David’s earlier experiences helped him to realize his calling was to help cultivate stories in other people. How living near a crime scene had prompted David to ask “Why do people commit crimes” and further searching questions like: “Why did his life turn out this way?” And “Does he want a better life?”…

Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I’m sharing a book that has helped me to better understand Depression-especially male depression. In the show, I outline 5 takeaways from the book. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Here is what I want to spend time highlighting as if we were sitting together having an iced decaf mocha! How you can pass depression o…

Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: This episode features 15 of our past guests. Each guest submitted an audio recording answering the question: “What’s the one thing you wish you knew in early sobriety.” This show was so much fun to work on. This episode is also a celebration of sorts as we mark the one year anniversary of the podcast! Afte…