Hi Friend, If you're new to the podcast, my name is Arlina, I've been sober for 31 years, I'm a recovery coach, a bestselling author, and I'll be your host.

If you're a long time listener, you may have noticed I recently enabled ads at the beginning of each episode. Something I haven't done before in the 9 years that I've been hosting the podcast.

With the growing expenses of hosting, and the podcast production team, combined with a decrease in donations, I decided to give ads a try.

If you would like to hear ad free episodes, you can join my YouTube membership for as little as $1.99 per month. I will also have an additional membership level that includes private community chat rooms, live stream Q&A and Recovery Coaching with me, so you can overcome obstacles, keep you motivated, and on track. Just visit my youtube channel "the One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast" or you can find a link in the show notes at odaatchat.com

So, what happens when you grow up with an alcoholic father and a narcissistic mother—and no safe adult in sight?

In this powerful and revealing conversation with Pi Venus, we explore what it's like to grow up in a home where you're told, in words or in silence, that your needs are a burden. My guest shares her story of early emotional abandonment, internalized shame, and the moment she poured her first drink at age 12… and the long road to reclaiming her power, identity, and joy.

We talk about the real root causes of addiction, why recovery doesn't stop at quitting substances, and how to reparent the parts of ourselves that still carry fear, shame, and longing. She shares what it's like to heal from narcissistic abuse—first from her mother, then from a romantic partner who mirrored her childhood patterns—and the tools that helped her finally feel safe in her own skin.

You'll also hear about:

• The subtle signs of covert and overt narcissistic abuse

• Her "spontaneous sobriety" moment and what made it stick

• How losing everything became a path to finding her true self

• Why peace can feel boring—and how to get comfortable with it

• The role of daily ritual, play, and myth in deep healing

• Her book Mother Medusa and how ancient stories help us rewrite our own

This one is for anyone healing from dysfunctional family systems, narcissistic abuse, or unresolved childhood trauma. It's vulnerable, validating, and ultimately empowering.

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think!

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

🎁Free Journaling Exercise: How To Get Unstuck, Be Consistent & Reach Your Goals

Download Here: https://www.innercompassprogram.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

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Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE. You can also watch the interview on YouTube.

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