87: If You Want to Get Sober, Get ‘Robb’ed (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 87: If You Want to Get Sober, Get ‘Robb’ed (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

86: Tradition 6 – An NA Group Ought Never Endorse, Finance or Lend the NA name… (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 86: Tradition 6 – An NA Group Ought Never Endorse, Finance or Lend the NA name… (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

85: Good Grief – Grieving in Recovery (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 85: Good Grief – Grieving in Recovery (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

84: After Praying, Zen We Meditate (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 84: After Praying, Zen We Meditate (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

83: Pain Medicine – Just What the Addiction Ordered (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 83: Pain Medicine – Just What the Addiction Ordered (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

82: Tradition 5 – Each Group Has but One Primary Purpose – To Carry the Message to the Addict Who Still Suffers (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 82: Tradition 5 – Each Group Has but One Primary Purpose – To Carry the Message to the Addict Who Still Suffers (Sort Of)

81: Y12SR Yoga of 12 Step Recovery – Everything You Wanted to Know (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 81: Y12SR Yoga of 12 Step Recovery – Everything You Wanted to Know (Sort Of)

80: Local Government’s Response to the Opioid Epidemic – Is it Enough (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 80: Local Government’s Response to the Opioid Epidemic – Is it Enough (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

79: Put Down the Spoon and Pick Up the Fruit – Eating for Recovery (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 79: Put Down the Spoon and Pick Up the Fruit – Eating for Recovery (Sort Of)
Published
Categorized as Episodes

78: Recovery Café – Everything You Wanted to Know (Sort Of)

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.

Continue reading 78: Recovery Café – Everything You Wanted to Know (Sort Of)