In today's episode I am speaking with a former coaching client and dementia specialist Tammy Pozerycki. With 551 days of sobriety under her belt, Tammy opens up about her long history of addiction—from food and smoking to alcohol—and the emotional roots that kept her stuck for years. She shares how body image issues, disordered eating, and generational trauma shaped her coping mechanisms.

Tammy reflects on the internal pain that motivated her to change, the chronic health conditions that reinforced her decision, and the role of coaching in helping her face the truth, shed the victim mindset, and commit to growth. Her honest and relatable story is a reminder that recovery isn’t linear, but it is absolutely possible—even later in life.

Key Takeaways:

• Addiction doesn’t discriminate—being in healthcare doesn’t automatically mean you understand recovery.
• Tammy’s addiction shifted forms throughout her life: from food to smoking to alcohol, always as a way to escape emotional pain.
• Emotional wounds from childhood, including body shaming and generational trauma, can fuel disordered coping habits.
• Long-term sobriety required Tammy to build accountability, especially through women's recovery groups and coaching.
• Her turning point came from emotional exhaustion and a heartbreaking comment from her husband—not a public fallout or external crisis.
• Chronic health issues like pancreatitis and liver damage later reinforced the need to stay sober, but she had already made the internal shift before diagnoses.
• Coaching, especially with someone who has lived experience, helped her unpack denial, build healthier narratives, and stop seeing herself as a victim.
• Reclaiming her life included confronting past stories, healing family wounds, and learning to finally put herself first.
• Sobriety isn’t just about not drinking—it's a commitment to becoming your authentic self, even if that means rediscovering who you are in your 50s.

Connect with Tammy:

https://www.facebook.com/tammy.pozerycki

Work with Kate: https://linktr.ee/KateVitela

Email Podcast: [email protected] 

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Mentioned in this episode:

Gut Check: A Private Self-Inquiry Course