Gratitude & Recovery: Lessons from Bev Vance Aikins’ Journey

As we move into the Thanksgiving season, gratitude becomes a cultural talking point — but in mental health and addiction science, gratitude is far more than a holiday theme. It’s a measurable driver of resilience, emotional regulation, and long-term recovery.

In this episode of The Dr. Suzette Glasner Podcast, I explore why gratitude matters so deeply in addiction recovery and mental health…and why lived experience helps us understand the research better than any textbook.

To do that, I reflect on my recent interview with Bev Vance Aikins, mother of JD Vance. Bev spent 15 years in active opioid addiction before entering recovery. Her story is deeply human — filled with guilt, shame, repair, and ultimately, transformation. And throughout our conversation, one theme surfaced over and over again:

Gratitude changed the trajectory of her life.

But she didn’t always call it “gratitude.”

Sometimes she called it being blessed.

Sometimes it showed up in noticing the “little things.”

Sometimes it emerged through spirituality and connection.

Those moments map directly onto what research tells us:

Gratitude is not passive. It’s an active psychological process that strengthens recovery.

In this episode, I break down:

What you’ll learn

• Why gratitude is such a powerful driver of mental health

• What Bev Vance Aikins’ journey teaches us about healing

• How gratitude supports long-term addiction recovery

• How spirituality and meaning-making strengthen resilience

• Why spiritual connection improves treatment outcomes

• How mindfulness helps us notice the “little things” after addiction

• How guilt and shame transform through self-forgiveness

• How gratitude + forgiveness rebuild damaged relationships

• What self-compassion really means — and why it matters

• The Dalai Lama’s insight on self-love as a prerequisite for compassion

• Gratitude and compassion meditations that can support daily practice

• A closing Thanksgiving reflection on staying grounded all year

Bev’s willingness to confront her past — even when portrayed negatively in a memoir and film — shows how gratitude and self-forgiveness work together. They make sustained recovery possible.

They make connection possible.

They make healing possible.

If you missed the full Bev interview, I strongly recommend watching it: https://youtu.be/2OP4BlGJZwA

It’s one of the clearest lived examples of applied recovery science I’ve seen in years.

As always, thank you for being part of this community.

Wishing you a grounded, compassionate, mindful Thanksgiving — wherever you are in your journey.

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