In this honest and deeply human conversation, speaker, author, prevention advocate, and Executive Director of RISE TOGETHER, Nadine Machkovech, joins Lisa Wall of Mission Programs & Community Care at SHE RECOVERS. Together, they explore what becomes possible when we loosen our grip on perfection and the pressure to hold it all together as recovery advocates, leaders, mothers, partners, and friends. They reflect on recovering out loud with honesty and courageous vulnerability as a pathway to healing, connection, and empowerment.

Nadine shares her journey of entering recovery in her early twenties, navigating the expectations of being a visible voice in the recovery space, and the profound loss of her teenage son to overdose. She speaks to the turning points that invited her to stop hiding her pain and grief, and to the role that connection and storytelling have played in her healing, especially in reaching and supporting the next generation.

Together, Nadine and Lisa delve into what it means to redefine recovery, to listen to intuition as a guide, and to permit ourselves to show up just as we are. They also offer a clear reminder that we do not have to wait to hit rock bottom to pursue recovery. 

Woven throughout the conversation are reflections from Nadine’s book, Enough Already: A Journey from Hiding to Healing, along with an invitation to consider authenticity, community, and self-compassion as essential forms of recovery medicine. Nadine reminds us that no one should have to navigate their struggles alone, and that sharing our stories can create a ripple effect of meaningful change.

About Nadine Machkovech

Nadine Machkovech is a TEDx speaker, author of Enough Already, and Executive Director of RISE TOGETHER. She leads evidence-backed, connection-centered prevention work informed by research published and indexed through the NIH, validating the power of storytelling and trusted relationships in strengthening youth mental health. Through lived experience and practical tools, Nadine helps audiences build resilience, deepen connection, and turn vulnerability into meaningful action. Having transformed personal pain into purpose, she has reached over one million people with her message of self-worth, healing, and courageous truth-telling.

Episode Resources:

NadineSpeaks.com: Featuring Nadine’s books, workshops, and resources
Book: Enough Already, A Journey from Hiding to Healing
TedX Talk: The Secret to Being Enough
RiseTogether: a peer-led, connection-centered prevention model that helps communities create spaces where young people feel safe speaking honestly. EmpowerHER: Organization dedicated to redefining care, reclaiming health, and empowering women.

SHE RECOVERS Support for the Next Generation is here for you. 

If you’re a young woman or non-binary individual aged 18-35 who is navigating recovery, you don’t have to do it alone. Facilitated by SHE RECOVERS Certified Professionals, this monthly online support group and gathering was designed to meet the needs of young adults like you. Learn more here.