Elizabeth Kipp spent 40 years in chronic pain and 31 years on prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines—including fentanyl—until a pain-management track at the Betty Ford Center in 2013 catalyzed a complete turnaround. In this conversation, she unpacks the mind-body nature of chronic pain, the practical role of 12-Step recovery, yoga, breathwork, prayer/ancestral clearing, and the simple relapse-prevention principle that changed everything: staying in personal integrity. Listeners get a hopeful blueprint that blends science and spirituality with concrete next steps. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Elizabeth Kipp is a stress-management and ancestral-trauma specialist, recovery coach, and author of The Way Through Chronic Pain: Tools to Reclaim Your Healing Power. A former research scientist, she lived with severe back injury, surgeries, and physician-prescribed opioids/benzodiazepines for decades before completing a pain-management program at the Betty Ford Center in 2013. Today, she coaches globally (virtual), teaches mind-body practices, and helps people in recovery rebuild calm, clarity, and resilience. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Defining addiction to chronic pain and the “stress habit”

·         Injury history, multiple surgeries, and 31 years on Rx opioids/benzos (incl. fentanyl)

·         Why opioids don’t heal chronic pain; breath, hydration, gut, and brain effects

·         Detox & pain-track at the Betty Ford Center; waking up with no back pain

·         Chronic pain as brain processing; limits of reductionist medicine

·         Memory/cognition impacts of chronic pain—and how they recover

·         Recovery toolkit: NA/AA, 12 Steps, Recovery 2.0, yoga, breathwork, prayer/ancestral clearing

·         Coaching insights: readiness to sponsor; a client shame-to-healing vignette

·         Relapse prevention: “Stay in integrity with yourself”

·         How to work with Elizabeth (virtual coaching) and where to find her online  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Elizabeth’s website: elizabeth-kipp.com (spoken as “Elizabeth dash kip dot com”)

·         The Way Through Chronic Pain: Tools to Reclaim Your Healing Power — by Elizabeth Kipp

·         Betty Ford Center (Pain Management Track; Dr. Peter Przekop/“Prescott” referenced in conversation)

·         Recovery 2.0 — Tommy Rosen; yoga + recovery community

·         Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

·         Kundalini yoga practices; “long deep breathing”; morning prayer/ancestral clearing

·         Kyphoplasty (mentioned during later spine procedure)

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In this powerful “12 Days of Hope” conversation, Mallory traces her journey from early family turmoil and teen substance use to a heroin “aha” moment, intimate partner violence, and the hard climb back—culminating in nearly 12 years of sobriety (since Nov 23, 2013). Now working in behavioral health and deeply involved with local nonprofits, she shares the decisions, resources, and support that helped her become the mother and community advocate she is today. Listeners will hear raw honesty, practical hope, and the reminder that recovery is possible. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Mallory is a behavioral-health professional who has worked in the field since 2014, currently serving in business development for a large nonprofit. Sober since November 23, 2013, she’s an active community volunteer and fundraiser supporting local recovery organizations in Harford and surrounding counties—and a devoted mom whose lived experience fuels her mission to help others. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Family dynamics, instability, and early exposure to substance use and violence

·         Moving schools, academic struggles, and early drug/alcohol experimentation

·         Teen relationships, lack of consequences, and escalating risk

·         The first blackout, normalization of chaos, and denial

·         Divorce, housing insecurity, and seeking validation/escape

·         Exposure to opioids and heroin; the “immediate craving” turning point

·         Domestic violence, control, and textbook “going back” cycles

·         Pregnancy, brief stability, relapse triggers, and partner reoffending

·         A terrifying incident with a child ingesting an opioid—and the emergency response (Narcan)

·         Getting out, getting help, and building a career that gives back

·         Why storytelling matters: reducing stigma and opening doors to recovery resources 

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Harford County and Cecil County (life context)

·         Suboxone and Narcan (overdose reversal is discussed)

·         Local nonprofits supporting recovery (volunteering, fundraising)

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Karen, a self-described “not-the-typical addict,” shares how a neck injury and prescribed opioids spiraled into secrecy, debt, and withdrawal—until she chose help, called her doctor, and walked into her first NA meeting. She explains how control, trauma, sponsors, and step work shaped 21 years pill-free, the detour into alcohol, and the moment she finally said out loud, “I’m an alcoholic.” It’s a candid, practical blueprint for anyone wondering what recovery programs actually do—and why they save lives. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Karen is a longtime friend of the show and a recovery advocate. A former stay-at-home mom who became a Reiki Master and intuitive counselor, she’s 21 years pill-free, active in 12-step recovery, and helps clients release stored trauma to heal and move forward. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         “Not the typical addict”: prescriptions, stigma, and secrecy

·         9/11, the D.C. sniper, anxiety, and the illusion of control

·         Doctor-shopping, online pill mills, and financial fallout

·         The turning point: calling the doctor to flag her chart, grief after surrender

·         First NA meeting, feeling “at home,” and what sponsors actually do

·         Step work vs. therapy; NA vs. AA and “higher power” (not one-size-fits-all)

·         Relapse with alcohol, daughter’s ultimatum, and returning to meetings

·         Resentments, gratitude lists, and practical tools that keep people clean

·         Trauma stored in the body; Reiki/energy work and emotional healing  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Narcotics Anonymous (NA) & Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 

·         “The Body Keeps the Score” (book reference) 

·         National Recovery Month (context) 

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Sarah opens up about starting opioids at 20, a rapid slide to heroin, pregnancy on methadone, jail, and the drug court program that helped her turn it around. After a later Xanax relapse during COVID, she did the work—therapy, structure, and service—and is now certified and working as a counselor at a maintenance clinic. This candid conversation with Wendy Beck and Rich Bennett shows what sustainable recovery really looks like—and why hope matters. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Sarah is a Harford County native, mom, and recovery professional. After entering opioid use at 20 and escalating to heroin in 2012, she experienced jail and drug court, achieved long-term abstinence from opiates and cocaine (since Sept. 27, 2016), overcame a benzodiazepine relapse in 2020–2021 (clean since Nov. 4, 2020), earned her Peer Recovery Specialist credential and ADT approval, and now counsels patients at a medication-assisted treatment clinic. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Starting opioids at 20; rapid progression from pills to heroin (2012)

·         Pregnancy on methadone, stigma, and learning MAT safety

·         IV use, crack/cocaine, legal consequences, and visible decline

·         Jail detox and entry into Drug Court; Judge-led accountability

·         Long-term sobriety from opiates/cocaine; COVID-era Xanax relapse and dangers of benzo withdrawal

·         Therapy, boundaries, routines, fitness, and gratitude as core recovery tools

·         Working in recovery: peer support vs. clinicians; women-specific needs; mom guilt and shame

·         Maintenance meds (methadone/Suboxone): misuse stigma vs. real stability

·         Parenting conversations about peer pressure and openness with kids

·         Burnout prevention for recovery workers (self-care, phone boundaries, weekly therapy)  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Center for Addiction and Pregnancy, Johns Hopkins Bayview

·         Ashley Addiction Treatment (Father Martin’s Ashley) – outpatient detox mentioned

·         Harford County Drug Court (Judge referenced)

·         NA, AA, Celebrate Recovery, SMART Recovery (paths to recovery)

·         Medication-Assisted Treatment (methadone, buprenorphine/Suboxone)

·         General warning about Xanax/benzodiazepine risks (seizures, blackouts) 

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Shelby shares a raw, unfiltered recovery story—how workaholism, untreated mental health, and an old pain-pill pathway led to relapse after four clean years, and how community and structure helped her rebuild. She walks us through Daughters House, intense anxiety, and eventually stepping up to help other women as a 3.1 house manager. It’s a powerful listen about grief, grace, and the practical tools that keep recovery going one day at a time. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Shelby is a Maryland native from Rock Hall and a mother of two who’s “working on four” years in recovery. After time at Rage Against Addiction’s Daughters House, she now manages a women’s Level 3.1 recovery residence, guiding residents through structure, accountability, and hope—because she’s lived it. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Early addiction path, overprescribing, and how a broken shoulder + pills lit the fuse

·         Four years clean—then relapse tied to workaholism and stopping mental-health meds

·         Pregnancy, NICU, CPS involvement, and complex family dynamics

·         Grief after losing her partner and how that pain nearly consumed her

·         Choosing safety and structure at Daughters House; rebuilding trust with family

·         Severe anxiety during early recovery and learning new coping skills

·         Becoming a house manager in a 3.1 women’s program; boundaries, burnout, and leadership

·         Why a strong network matters: seven “call-anytime” friends and showing up for each other

·         What monthly donors make possible for Rage Against Addiction (practical needs like mattresses, fridges, washers) 

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Summit (women’s Level 3.1 program) — clinicians come to the residence; first female house opened; operating details discussed 

·         NA/AA meetings & recovery community references (structure, meetings, sponsor) 

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Celebrate the Magic of Words in Bel Air, Maryland!

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In this Podathon for Recovery episode, Rich and co-host Wendy Beck talk with Kat Leonard Scott—a Harford County native, mom of two, and treatment professional—about her winding path through early success, trauma, addiction, a brief relapse after eight years clean, and the hard reset that followed. Kat shares how jail, community support, and a renewed focus on “safety” helped her rebuild life, motherhood, and purpose. Listeners will hear candid lessons on accountability, boundaries, and why joy is possible in recovery. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Kat Leonard Scott is a recovery advocate and treatment professional from Harford County, Maryland. A graduate of Bel Air High School, she works in long-term residential treatment operations and is a devoted mom of two. After eight years clean, a short relapse led to new accountability, renewed recovery, and a mission to help others access care and community. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Early life: fitting in, sports & academics, unseen struggles

·         Trauma in high school and how dissociation shaped later behavior

·         First DUI at 20; ineffective early interventions; “learning to be a better criminal”

·         Caring for her father through terminal cancer; grief and escalating use

·         Multiple treatment attempts; the power of sober living and community in Annapolis

·         Becoming a house manager; court, “backup time,” and accountability

·         Motherhood, work in treatment, and building a recovery network in Harford County

·         The brief relapse after 8 years clean; DUI with kids in the car; blessing in disguise

·         IOP, jail, and doing every program available; coming home and setting boundaries

·         Protective orders, divorce, and rebuilding stability for her children

·         Working in long-term residential treatment; finding purpose in service

·         The new focus: personal and family “safety” as a foundational recovery practice  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Serenity Sistas sober living (Annapolis) / house manager experience

·         Harford Community College (HCC); Cecil College; Wilmington University

·         University of Maryland (chemo/radiation trips with her father)

·         Harford County Detention Center; IOP (intensive outpatient)

·         Individuals referenced in support/justice contexts: Judge “Kerry,” Angel Traynor, Danny McGee (as noted by Kat)

·         Bel Air High School; Harford County (MD) community and meetings network 

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In this Podathon For Recovery episode, Evie shares an extraordinary 44-year sobriety story—beginning with childhood trauma in post-war Austria, prescription drug misuse after a 1973 car accident, and the moment a newspaper listing led her to AA and a new life. She later sought help for sex addiction, moved to Los Angeles in 1982 for deeper recovery, and now helps clients as a coach and hypnotherapist. It’s a candid, hopeful conversation about breaking cycles, choosing healing, and why support programs still save lives. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Evie is a recovery advocate with 44 years of sobriety (since March 31), a former journalist, and a coach/hypnotherapist who started her practice in 2014. After healing from alcohol and prescription drug dependence—and doing deep work in Sex Addicts Anonymous—she specializes in helping clients with sexual dysfunction and weight issues often linked to trauma. Her story spans Vienna to Los Angeles and demonstrates the power of AA, mentorship, and sustained inner work. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Childhood stress and early substance use in Austria; family trauma from the Holocaust era and post-war antisemitism 

·         Codependency and marriage to an alcoholic; later escalation with prescriptions after a 1973 car accident and PTSD 

·         The turning point: finding AA via a newspaper listing and committing to sobriety; first meetings in Vienna (including men-only and international groups) 

·         Moving to Los Angeles in 1982, sober living, women’s and mixed meetings; seeking help in Sex Addicts Anonymous 

·         Long-term recovery practices; choosing singleness to avoid unhealthy patterns; sponsoring others and “Eskimo” outreach approach 

·         Journalism career and interviews (e.g., Matthew Perry) touching on recovery; later training in spiritual psychology; launching a coaching/hypnotherapy practice in 2014 

·         Smoking/vaping discussion and health concerns; practical advice on timing help when people are ready to quit 

·         “If I hadn’t found that meeting: six feet under” — the stakes and hope of sustained recovery  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in Vienna and Los Angeles; “Big Book” referenced 

·         Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) and Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) (she attended SAA; noted SLAA wasn’t a fit for her) 

·         University of Santa Monica (spiritual psychology program) — graduation prior to starting her practice in 2014 

·         Austrian Ministry of Education scholarship; study at an institute in Los Angeles (as transcribed) 

·         Matthew Perry (discussed sobriety in interviews) 

·         New England Journal of Medicine article(s) on vaping harms (mentioned) 

·         Evie’s website: https://coacheviesullivan.com/

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Kayla shares a raw, resilient journey from childhood trauma and early addiction to a terrifying DUI wake-up call—and the decision to fight for her life and for her daughter. With support from Rage Against Addiction’s Sister’s House and Daughters’ House, she embraced meetings, structure, and service, eventually becoming a house manager and now helping other women enter recovery. This conversation shows how community, accountability, and motherhood can fuel lasting change. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Kayla W is a young mother in long-term recovery and a former resident—and later house manager—within Rage Against Addiction’s sober living program. After treatment, 90-in-90 meetings, and rebuilding custody and stability, she joined a local treatment center (Achieve) and now helps women access sober living and recovery supports. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Childhood loss, instability, and abuse—and how unresolved trauma fed addiction

·         Early dependence, homelessness with an infant, and escalating alcohol use

·         Moment of clarity, the first rehab stay, and misconceptions about “detox only”

·         Relapse, DUI crash, and fearing her daughter was in the car

·         Entering Sister’s House; routine, meetings, sponsorship, and structure

·         Becoming senior resident and house manager; learning leadership with compassion

·         Opening a women & children’s house and then working in treatment (Achieve)

·         Co-parenting progress, rebuilding trust, and maintaining life balance in recovery  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Ashley (residential treatment) & Achieve (treatment center where Kayla works) 

·         Vivitrol shot (mentioned during early treatment plan) 

·         WIC (nutrition support), crisis hotline, AA/NA “90 meetings in 90 days” 

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In this Podathon for Recovery episode, co-hosted with Wendy Beck, Kayla G shares how an emotional plea—“try harder”—and a brutal bottom pushed her to choose recovery, detox at home during COVID, and rebuild her life through Narcotics Anonymous. Now five years clean, a mom and a certified peer recovery specialist, Kayla advocates for mothers in Baltimore City navigating CPS and the courts, bringing empathy, accountability, and hope to families in crisis. It’s a raw, honest look at what it really takes to get clean and stay clean. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Kayla G is a parent advocate with the Office of the Public Defender in Baltimore City and a certified peer recovery specialist. In recovery since 2020, she sponsors women in NA, supports mothers working toward reunification in CPS cases, and speaks candidly about addiction, domestic violence, accountability, and faith. She’s a devoted mom, engaged to be married, and passionate about turning pain into purpose. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         The “try harder” moment: a friend’s grief-stricken plea that became Kayla’s mantra

·         Early meetings, NA as a safe space, and choosing recovery daily

·         Detoxing at home during COVID and why desperation mattered

·         Leaving an abusive relationship; accountability for harming others

·         Working a program: sponsor/sponsee relationships, home group, step work

·         Parenting in recovery and rebuilding trust with family

·         Advocacy: what parent advocates do in CPS cases; “Better Together” emphasis on mother-baby placement

·         System realities: time, patience, setbacks, and discouragement in reunification

·         Grief in the work: losing a client and not taking credit—or blame

·         Hope and resilience: weekends in jail, long processes, and the life she has today  

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         Narcotics Anonymous (NA) – meetings, literature, home group, sponsorship

·         Office of the Public Defender – Baltimore City – Parent Advocate role

·         CPS / DSS – shelter hearings, supervised/unsupervised/overnight visits

·         “Better Together” mother-baby placement approach (MD)

·         Mommy-and-Me treatment programs

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Celebrate the Magic of Words in Bel Air, Maryland!

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In this National Recovery Month special, co-host Wendy Beck and program director Rachel share how Rage Against Addiction (RAA) went from a mother’s mission to a three-home sober living program for women, emphasizing that “healing begins with safe housing.” They walk through RAA’s structure—from 30-day acclimation to workshops across the Eight Dimensions of Wellness—and the powerful alumni network that proves long-term recovery is possible. Listeners hear how monthly giving fuels essentials like drug testing, linens, and even emergency appliances—practical support that protects women’s dignity and safety. 

Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction 

Guest Bio:  

Rachel is the Program Director at RAA. In recovery herself, Rachel helped open RAA’s first women’s sober living home in 2018 and now oversees three homes, day-to-day structure, resident mentorship, and the alumni network—creating safe, welcoming homes where women can rebuild. 

Main Topics: 

·         Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction

·         Why Wendy founded Rage Against Addiction in 2014; growth to three women’s sober homes (Harford County, serving women from across the U.S.) 

·         Program structure: 30-day “blackout” period focused on stabilization, healthcare, employment steps, and 12-step engagement (sponsor, home group, step work) 

·         Workshops & wellness: yoga, meditation, sound bath, goat yoga, budgeting, resumes/interviews; rollout of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness track via a new grant 

·         Alumni network: monthly shares, rides, volunteering; one standout success story from early resident to graduate, mother with custody restored, and RAA board member 

·         The real costs of safe housing: drug tests, linens, utilities, repairs, snow removal, appliances—and why recurring gifts matter 

·         Annual Memory Walk & Recovery Run; Fall Bingo; Pampered Chef (double donations in August); Christmas Kids initiative; corporate sponsorships needed 

·         Past episodes with Rachel: 

1.      Rage Talk - Early Recovery Emotional Needs and Support and Rachel Bongiorno's Story

2.      A Mother's Love For Her Daughter In Recovery

3.      Healing Together: The Power of Community in Recovery 

Resources mentioned: 

·         Donate to Rage Against Addiction 

·         12-Step Fellowship (sponsor, home group, service commitments) 

·         Memory Walk & Recovery Run (annual, April; recruiting corporate sponsors and speakers) 

·         Fundraisers: Fall Bingo; Pampered Chef (August double donations); Christmas Kids holiday support for families; ongoing online campaigns 

·         Wellness Add-ons: yoga, meditation, sound bath, goat yoga; budgeting; resume/interview coaching; Eight Dimensions of Wellness 

·         Public figures they’d love to host: <

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Rage Against Addiction
Rage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their famili

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