Addiction Makes Three

You love them and you’re exhausted.

One day there’s hope, the next there’s heartbreak.

And the question won’t stop circling your mind: Should I stay, or should I leave?

In this episode, Amanda helps you step off the exhausting mental treadmill of “what ifs” and find solid ground again.

You’ll learn:

• Why both staying and leaving are hard
• The real question you need to ask instead
• How doing your own inner work is the key to clarity

Whether your partner is in active addiction, early recovery, or somewhere in between, this conversation will help you stop waiting for a sign, start choosing you and get you stepping closer to making decisions that feel good, even when they are hard.

Listen next:

• Ep 42 - How many chances is too many?
• Ep 27 - Should you Leave or Stay? Why that's not the Only Question
• Ep 23 - How to get through a relapse without losing hope

1️⃣ join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

2️⃣ You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

3️⃣ If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

4️⃣ Connect with Amanda on Instagram @addictionmakesthree

5️⃣ Questions or reflections → [email protected]

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you’re grieving someone who’s still alive?

In this episode, Amanda explains living grief, the hidden heartbreak of loving someone in addiction. Learn why it feels confusing, how grief shows up in your body, and gentle ways to begin healing without losing yourself.

It’s the tension between hope and heartbreak.

Between who they were and who they are now.

You can love them and still grieve them.

You can hold hope and still hold boundaries.

Listen next:

• Ep 47 - 11 Subtle Signs Your Partner’s Addiction Is Controlling Your Life
• Ep 3 - Where is my lasagne?
• Ep 20 - You’ll achieve more in 1 year focusing on your own wellbeing...

1️⃣ join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

2️⃣ You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

3️⃣ If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

4️⃣ Connect with Amanda on Instagram @addictionmakesthree

5️⃣ Questions or reflections → [email protected]

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve sniffed laundry, counted bottles, checked phones, screenshotted bank statements.

Me too.

You’re not crazy, you’re trying your best to cope the only way you know how.

In this episode, I unveil my long list of whack and unhinged behaviour and unpack why the “detective mode” makes sense and why it’s quietly breaking you, and how to step out of it with compassion.

You’ll learn:

• The gaslighting → doubt → evidence-hunt loop (and why it’s addictive)
• Why hyper-vigilance feels like control but creates burnout
• A kinder swap: put down the magnifying glass, pick up the mirror
• One tiny action to retire (today) + what to do instead
• 
  

If you’ve been living on high alert, this is your permission slip to choose peace over proof.

And truly - send me a DM on Instagram or drop me an email - let me know the one thing you are going to 'stop' doing... and let's get a plan together.

Listen next:

• Ep 53 - Are You Gaslighting Yourself?
• Ep 57 - 4 Signs Your Boundaries Aren’t Working
• Ep 48 - Why Sobriety Isn’t the Finish Line

1️⃣ If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

2️⃣ You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

3️⃣ Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They’ve got a good job.

They pay the bills.

They make people laugh.

So how could this be addiction, right?

That’s what we tell ourselves. Until being high-functioning for them starts feeling like being high-alert for you.

In this raw and honest episode, Amanda pulls back the curtain on one of the most misleading labels in addiction: “high-functioning.”

You’ll learn:

Why “holding it all together” can actually be a form of denial

The hidden emotional cost for partners and families

How this label gaslights you into doubting what you already know

What true wellbeing actually looks like and how to start measuring it differently

If you’ve ever thought, “It’s not that bad, they’re still working, they’re still funny, they’re still paying the bills,” this episode will help you see that “fine” isn’t the same as “healthy.”

🎧 Listen now to learn how to stop minimising, start trusting yourself, and take the first step towards real steadiness and peace.

1️⃣ Join Boundaries workshop - Boundaries That Build Connection & Protect Your Peace: Why They Matter, What Works, & How to Set Them Without Guilt. Happening on Thursday 9th October - 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT - sign up here

2️⃣ If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

3️⃣ You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

4️⃣ Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you overwhelmed, resentful, or carrying everyone else’s chaos? Those are not personality traits, they’re signs you need new boundaries.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 4 common signs it’s time to set new or better boundaries.
• Why resentment is your body’s boundary alarm.
• How over-functioning and people-pleasing (tendencies) keep you stuck.
• The heartbreaking cost of neglecting yourself.
• How boundaries help you separate what’s yours from what’s theirs.

If this episode resonated, join me for my upcoming Boundaries Workshop. Let’s protect your peace and step forwards in a healthy way, together - without the confusion and self doubt.

👉 Other Episodes Mentioned

Ep14 - The Power of the Pause

Ep30 - Why boundaries matter way more than we think

1️⃣ Join Boundaries workshop - Boundaries That Build Connection & Protect Your Peace: Why They Matter, What Works, & How to Set Them Without Guilt. Happening on Thursday 9th October - 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT - sign up here

2️⃣ If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

3️⃣ You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

4️⃣ Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever found yourself holding your breath when the front door opens?

Or Googling at 2am, ‘Is my partner an alcoholic?’ before deleting the search?

You’re not crazy, these are the blurry early signs of addiction. And today, we’re naming a few of them.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The subtle early signs of addiction you might be overlooking.
• Why denial (yours and theirs) keeps you stuck.
• How behaviours like walking on eggshells or late-night Googling are actually red flags.
• Why you don’t need a label to validate your experience, it’s enough that it’s a problem for YOU.
• A gentle reframe: awareness is the first step toward change.

If this episode resonated, join me for my upcoming Boundaries Workshop. Let’s protect your peace and step forwards in a healthy way, together. Without the confusion and self doubt.

Join Boundaries workshop - Boundaries That Build Connection & Protect Your Peace: Why They Matter, What Works, & How to Set Them Without Guilt. Happening on Thursday 9th October - 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT - sign up here

If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The middle of the night. The house is quiet. You’re scrolling with the brightness turned down low, Googling questions you never thought you’d type:

“Is drinking every night normal?”

“Why does he lie about it?”

“Am I overreacting?”

If that’s you, this episode will feel like an exhale.

In this conversation, I dive into:

• Why those late-night Google searches are already a sign something’s not okay
• The subtle ways your body knows before your brain is ready to admit it
• Common red-flag searches (and what they really mean)
• How shame makes us clear the history… and silence ourselves
• The simple reframe that turns “I’m paranoid” into “I’m aware”

This isn’t about shaming or blaming.

It’s about recognising that if you’re secretly Googling at 2am, something in you already knows it’s time to pay attention.

🎓 Grab the Discovery to Recovery workshop - a bitesized 3 part workshop to get grounded and clear on what's going on and your next smallest steps forward: get it here

If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’re trying to love someone through addiction and you’re exhausted.

Because helping someone you love should feel good… right?

In this episode, I go deeper on the conversation from Episode 19 and talk about the confusing, messy, emotionally-charged reality of trying to “help” someone impacted by addiction.

You’ll hear:

• How to tell if your “support” is actually costing you your health, peace, or wellbeing
• Why the advice you’re getting from others even well-meaning family might be hurting more than helping
• A powerful mindset shift: stop asking “Am I enabling?” and start asking “Is this healthy for me?”
• Real examples from Amanda and the women inside the Pathway to Wellness program about setting boundaries that are loving and firm
• A compassionate reminder that you don’t have to break yourself to help someone else heal

Amanda shares practical, heart-centred questions to help you move from guilt-ridden guesswork… to grounded clarity.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re walking on eggshells around your partner’s addiction
• You’ve been told you’re “enabling” and you feel shamed or confused
• You want to help… but not at the expense of your own wellbeing

🎧 Subscribe and follow to never miss an episode and please share this with a woman in your life who might need this message today.

🎓 Grab the Discovery to Recovery workshop: get it here

🎧 Binge other helpful episodes:

• Episode 19: Debunking the myth of enabling in addiction
• Episode 43: Why everyone has opinions (and none of them help)
• Episode 35: When You’re Scared to Set the Boundary… Start Here

📩 DM Amanda on Instagram @addictionmakesthree to share what landed

If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When someone you love struggles with addiction, there’s often a voice in your head that says:

“Maybe I’m overreacting.”

“Maybe it’s not that bad.”

“Maybe I’m the problem.”

💥 That, my friend, is self-gaslighting.

In this gentle but truth-filled episode, Amanda explores:

• What gaslighting really is (and what it looks like in your loved one)
• How gaslighting becomes internalised and turns into your own inner voice
• Why we gaslight ourselves (hint: it’s about survival, not weakness)
• How this quiet habit keeps us stuck in shame, silence, and confusion
• What it really looks like to stop gaslighting yourself and start trusting yourself again

If you’ve ever second-guessed your reality or felt like you needed “evidence” before trusting your gut then this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in now and come back to this one any time you need a reminder:

You're not crazy.

You're not imagining things.

You're not too sensitive.

You're just exhausted from carrying a truth no one else is acknowledging.

And that ends today.

🎓 Grab the workshop: get it here

🎧 Binge previous episodes: What if waiting is the most dangerous choice - 52, Why sobriety isn't the finish line - 48, I'm smart, so why do I feel so stuck - 40

📩 DM Amanda on Instagram @addictionmakesthree to share what landed

If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you stuck waiting for your loved one to drink less, admit they have a problem, or finally change?

If you’ve been whispering “maybe this is just my lot in life”... this episode is for you.

I am getting real about the hidden choices we make every day in addiction-impacted relationships, especially when it feels like we don’t have any choices at all.

Inside this episode:

• The quiet ways women become passengers in their own life
• How addiction can trick you into feeling powerless
• Why both choices might feel hard, but choosing still matters
• What it looks like to set boundaries with love (not ultimatums)

You’ll also hear the story of one woman who stopped waiting for her partner’s rock bottom and reclaimed her own power instead.

BONUS: If you want to start choosing differently but don’t know where to start…

I have created a 3 session self-paced workshop for women just like you.

👉 It’s called Discovery to Recovery and it’s only $77.

Get clarity, calm, and your next small step here: Get the workshop in your pocket

🎓 Grab the workshop: get it here

🎧 Binge previous episodes on boundaries - 35, how to get through a relapse without losing hope - 23, Why sobriety isn't the finish line - 48

📩 DM Amanda on Instagram @addictionmakesthree to share what landed

If you haven’t the Crisis Conversation Guide (What to say and what not to say when addiction takes over) ? Grab it now—it’s free and full of practical scripts to help you say what you mean (even when it’s messy):

👉 Download the guide

You can also book a friendly, no-pressure chat with Amanda and explore what support might look like - without doing this alone, because you know you’ve been trying ‘that way’ for long enough by now.

👉 Book in a friendly chat - Click here to find a time and let's talk about what's possible

Or join the waitlist for Pathway to Wellness, my signature program designed to help you rebuild your life alongside (or beyond) a loved one’s addiction.

You can find your way through this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.