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“How to Stop Getting Pulled Into the Spiral: Finding Peace When Addiction Takes Over”

When addiction takes control, it doesn’t just destroy the person using — it pulls everyone around them into the chaos. In this powerful episode, Jason Coombs explains the spiral — that heartbreaking stage when addiction hijacks logic, love, and trust — and shows families how to stop getting dragged down with it.

If you’ve ever felt torn between helping and enabling, this episode will give you the clarity and courage to step back without giving up. Jason shares practical tools for detaching with love, setting healthy boundaries, and protecting your own peace while your loved one finds their bottom.

In this episode:

• Why promises keep breaking — and what’s really happening in the brain
• How to recognize when you’re getting pulled into the spiral
• The truth about rescuing: why helping often hurts
• The “Emotional Raincoat” — a mindset that lets you stay loving without losing yourself
• What it means to be powerless over them but powerful over you

If you’re exhausted from trying to fix someone else’s addiction, this episode will show you how to find peace, strength, and hope — even when they’re still in the spiral.

👉 Resources:

Jason’s book Unhooked is available on Audible and Amazon.

Learn more at brickhouserecovery.com.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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The Essential Ingredient — Why Consequences Are the Most Loving Thing You Can Do

Description:

What if the most loving thing you could do for your addicted loved one… is let them feel pain?

In this powerful episode, Jason Coombs opens Chapter 4 of The Brick House Way and pulls no punches: without consequences, there is no change. Families often believe love means rescuing, softening the blow, or giving one more chance. But those well-meaning instincts? They may be keeping your loved one sick.

Inside this episode:

• Jason’s personal story of hitting bottom—prison, homelessness, and losing everything
• Why “change happens at the speed of pain”
• The Get Off the Beach metaphor that changed everything for his parents
• How rescuing rewires the brain to expect escape instead of growth
• Why boundaries aren’t punishment—they’re protection
• Simple boundary examples families can set today

Whether you’re a parent, spouse, or friend, this episode will challenge you to rethink what real love looks like in the face of addiction. Because sometimes love sounds like:

“I won’t stop you from facing the weight of your choices… but I’ll still be here when you’re ready to rise.”

Resources:

Jason’s book Unhooked is available on Audible and Amazon.

Explore support options at brickhouserecovery.com

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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Episode 26: "The 4 Questions That Can Unhook You from Obsession"

If your loved one’s addiction has taken over your thoughts, your sleep, and your sanity — this episode is for you. Learn the four simple questions that can free you from mental obsession and restore your peace.
 Listen to Episode 26 of Get Unhooked now, wherever you get your podcasts.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

It’s not just their addiction keeping you up at night — it’s your thoughts about it.

In this mind-opening episode of Get Unhooked, Jason Coombs introduces Byron Katie’s transformative framework The Work — four powerful questions that can help you stop spiraling in fear, guilt, and “what ifs.”

Whether you're obsessively tracking your loved one’s behavior, stuck in a loop of self-blame, or emotionally drowning in their addiction, these four questions can help you break free — without abandoning love or hope.

Inside the episode:

• The number one thought that traps families in suffering — and how to flip it
• How to stop trying to control what you can’t (and start healing what you can)
• What “radical acceptance” actually means — and why it’s not giving up
• The mindset shift that turns fear into calm, chaos into clarity
• A personal story that shows how accepting what is can change everything

This episode is a must-listen for anyone caught in the exhausting cycle of fixing, pleading, and over-functioning. If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, start here.

The 4 Questions That Can Unhook You from Obsession
You can’t control their addiction. But you can learn to live free — no matter what they do.

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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Episode 25: Why They Won’t Listen (And How to Fix It)

“People don’t recover in programs—they recover in relationships.”

You can’t help someone who doesn’t feel safe with you.

In this episode, Jason Coombs reveals the real reason your loved one may resist change—even when the consequences are obvious. Spoiler: It’s not about logic, advice, or control. It’s about what the relationship feels like.

Programs don’t change people. Trust and connection do.
Jason shares why rapport opens the door to healing—and trust keeps it open long enough for change to walk through.

Whether you’re watching your loved one spiral, or trying to rebuild from another relapse, this episode gives you a new way to engage that actually works.

What You’ll Learn:

✔️ The difference between trust and rapport (and why you need both)
 ✔️ How the PACE method helps you build influence without enabling
 ✔️ The story of Amanda: a real-life example of connection over control
 ✔️ How to stop reacting in fear—and start responding with strength
 ✔️ Why relapse doesn’t mean failure (and what it can mean)
✔️ Practical daily habits that rebuild emotional safety
✔️ What to say when they don’t want to talk

📣 Free Webclass for Families:

How to Help an Addicted Loved One Recover—Without Wasting Another Dime on What Doesn’t Work
If you’ve tried everything and nothing is working, this is for you.
Learn what actually helps—and what quietly sabotages recovery (even with the best intentions).
➡️ Register at www.liveunhooked.com

📚 Resources:

• Jason’s book: Unhooked: How to Help an Addicted Loved One Recover – on Amazon or Audible
  
  
• Learn more about faith-based recovery and support at www.BrickHouseRecovery.com

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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Register for Warrior Heart Bootcamp // Use Code UNHOOKED100 for $100 off!

🎙 Episode 24 — Why They Keep Slipping: The One Truth Families Miss About Relapse

You watched them take the first step.
 You hoped this time would be different.
 Then out of nowhere… they slipped again.
 Why?

In this eye-opening episode of the Get Unhooked Podcast, Jason Coombs unpacks the most overlooked truth about relapse — and why families so often misread what’s really happening when their loved one "falls off track."

You'll learn:

• What relapse actually means in the recovery process
• Why your loved one may be in two different stages of change at the same time
• How ambivalence (not defiance) drives the maddening back-and-forth behavior
• And the one shift families can make that changes everything

Jason also shares raw personal stories — including how he ignored finances and gained 90 pounds after getting sober — to show how recovery impacts all eight life domains, not just substance use.

If you’ve been caught in the cycle of hope, disappointment, and confusion, this episode will give you clarity, relief, and the tools to finally support your loved one without losing yourself in the process.

👉 This is the episode every family needs to hear.

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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Episode 23: Hyper Sensitive? The Secret to Reframe Emotional Vulnerability to Heal From Addiction

What if the trait you’ve spent years hiding could actually be your greatest strength?

In this episode of the Get Unhooked Podcast, Jason Coombs shares how hypersensitivity—often seen as a flaw—can become a powerful tool for healing, empathy, and connection. Through his own story of addiction and recovery, Jason shows how emotional sensitivity is not a weakness to overcome but a superpower to embrace.

Highlights include:

• Why sensitivity often leads to perfectionism and people-pleasing
• How addiction is less about rebellion and more about seeking relief
• The “allergy analogy” that reframes addiction without shame or judgment
• Reflection questions for families to better understand what addiction solves for their loved one—and for themselves

Jason’s journey is a reminder that recovery begins with honesty, not perfection. If you or your family have ever felt “too sensitive,” this episode will help you see that the very thing you’ve been running from might be the key to lasting transformation.

📘 For deeper insights, check out Jason’s book Unhooked on Audible or Amazon.

🌐 Learn more at brickhouserecovery.com.

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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Episode 22: “What Hooked Him?” The Hidden Moment That Starts the Addiction Spiral

What if the addiction didn’t start with a party, a choice, or even curiosity—but with a moment his brain responded differently than yours would have?

In this raw and eye-opening episode, Jason Coombs breaks down “the hook”—the invisible turning point when substance use becomes something much more powerful and dangerous. He opens up about his own experience, the voice inside that addicts wrestle with, and why some people can walk away after using… while others get trapped instantly.

Whether you’re a mother, spouse, or loved one desperate to understand what happened to him, this episode will give you a new lens. You’ll learn:

• What “the hook” actually is—and why it’s not about willpower
• The internal battle between the addict voice and the rational mind
• How mental health issues like ADHD and anxiety make addiction more likely
• Why some people spiral faster—and how to spot the signs early
• How empathy (not enabling) becomes the turning point for healing

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What happened to him?”—this is your answer.

Featuring tools and insights from Jason’s book Unhooked: How to Help an Addicted Loved One Recover, and his work at Brick House Recovery.

https://a.co/d/g2LT2ph

Listen now, and share with someone who feels lost and alone in their loved one’s addiction.

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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When addiction takes hold of someone you love, it can feel like your whole life is consumed with fear, anxiety, and constant exhaustion. In this episode, Jason Coombs shares how one simple but powerful tool—a daily affirmation—can transform the way you respond to the chaos of addiction in your family.

Drawing from his own journey through depression during his wife’s cancer battle, Jason reveals how morning routines and affirmations helped him rebuild resilience, restore peace, and show up differently for the people he loves. Whether you’re a parent, spouse, or family member walking alongside an addicted loved one, these practices can help you reclaim your strength and hope.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• [00:30] The Miracle Morning framework for rising above daily challenges
• [04:44] The SAVERS method: six daily practices for mental wellness
• [08:08] How the Ideal Life Vision Course reshaped Jason’s future
• [14:24] Seven affirmations for seven days of intentional living
• [17:29] The meta-affirmation: I am healing
• [18:02] A question that will change how you speak to yourself
• [20:32] Understanding “Genshai” — never making anyone feel small (including yourself)
• [22:49] How to receive compliments with gratitude instead of deflection
• [25:32] Why authentic communication builds trust with addicted loved ones

Practical Takeaways for Families:

• Start small: 10 minutes of silence, affirmations, or journaling each morning
• Use the seven-day affirmation framework to reset your mindset
• Try the mirror exercise to shift your self-talk
• Practice Genshai—treat yourself and others in ways that never make anyone feel small

Even when your loved one isn’t ready for recovery, you can find healing, peace, and strength for yourself. As Jason reminds us: “The future is bright and beautiful when we commit to daily practices that align us with our highest selves.”

📘 Grab Jason’s book Unhooked at https://a.co/d/c357XBz

www.brickhouserecovery.com for more tools and resources.

📖 Explore Dan McCormick’s book and affirmation framework at affirmiam.com.

🎓 Register for Jason’s free web class at www.livunhooked.com to learn how to break free from the cycle of addiction in your family

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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After 31 years without a drink, bestselling author and recovery coach Arlina Allen realized something powerful: sobriety alone doesn’t guarantee freedom.

In this episode of the Get Unhooked Podcast, Jason Coombs sits down with Arlina to explore what recovery really means beyond abstinence. Arlina shares her journey of hitting bottom at 25, the tough love that saved her, and the simple daily practices that keep her grounded today. Together, they unpack why the 12 steps are so often misunderstood, why emotional sobriety matters just as much as physical sobriety, and how to move from merely surviving to truly living.

What you’ll learn in this conversation:

• Why abstinence doesn’t automatically equal recovery
• The role of mentors and hope in long-term healing
• How “I statements” can transform relationships
• Practical routines that keep recovery sustainable (without perfectionism)
• The real gift of emotional sobriety—and why it matters for families, too

About Arlina Allen:
Arlina is a Certified Coach, bestselling author of The 12-Step Guide for Skeptics, and host of The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast. She is also the founder of Sober Life School, where she helps people achieve sobriety and create lives they love. With 30 years of research and personal experience, Arlina brings deep insight to the process of transformation. Originally from Sunnyvale, CA, she now lives in Idaho with her husband of 30 years, their two sons, and their silly English Bulldog, Teddy.

Whether you’re in recovery yourself or love someone who is, this episode is packed with wisdom, encouragement, and practical takeaways you can start using right away.

👉 Ready to go deeper? Register for Jason’s free webclass for families and individuals at www.liveunhooked.com
📍 Learn more at the12stepguideforskeptics.com

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com

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When Faith Feels Forced, Recovery Shuts Down—Here’s What Works Instead

Families often hear that spirituality is essential for recovery—but what happens when your loved one resists it at every turn? In this heartfelt episode of the Get Unhooked Podcast, Jason Coombs shares how his own hardened ego and spiritual resistance nearly cost him his life in treatment. What finally broke through wasn’t pressure, lectures, or rules—it was unconditional love.

Jason recounts his fifth attempt at treatment, where pride, shame, and defiance collided with a group that refused to let ego poison recovery. At the breaking point, he packed his bags to leave—but an unexpected moment of divine intervention stopped him. What followed was a vision that revealed God’s love in a way he could finally receive.

For families, this story offers a crucial insight: faith cannot be forced, but it can be nurtured. Validation, patience, and steady boundaries become the soil where a spiritual awakening can finally take root.

Episode Highlights

• [00:01:18] Treatment as a Mirror – Why group living exposes hidden defenses and becomes a training ground for real life.
• [00:05:01] Ego vs. Willingness – Entering treatment arrogant, rule-breaking, and masking fear with pride.
• [00:07:48] Protecting the Culture of Recovery – How Jason’s peers (including his brother) confronted his ego head-on.
• [00:11:36] The Fork in the Road – Packed and ready to leave, Jason faces divine intervention that keeps him in treatment.
• [00:16:33] Spiritual Anorexia – Why “force-feeding faith” doesn’t work, and the power of gentle encouragement.
• [00:18:28] A Vision of Nathan’s Face – The breakthrough that revealed God’s unconditional love.
• [00:21:40] Hope for Families – Trusting that God’s providence is always at work, even when change feels delayed.

Key Takeaways for Families

• Faith can’t be forced: Pushing spiritual conversations often makes resistance stronger.
• Validation melts walls: Simple acknowledgment of where your loved one is can open doors pressure never will.
• Ego is fear in disguise: What looks like arrogance often masks shame and insecurity.
• Secrets keep people sick: Encourage safe spaces for honesty and truth.
• Boundaries create space for growth: Small, consistent commitments can nurture lasting transformation.

Closing

Jason’s story reminds families that spirituality isn’t about coercion—it’s about creating the conditions where God’s love can be received in His timing. Families can’t force awakening, but they can nurture it by validating, holding boundaries, and trusting that God is already at work.

For more encouragement, read Jason’s book Unhooked: How to Help an Addicted Loved One Recover (Amazon & Audible) and find family support resources at brickhouserecovery.com.

Register for Live UNHOOKED to reclaim your clarity, your strength, and your sanity starting today!

JOIN the next FREE Webclass at liveunhooked.com
For more information on treatment services, check out brickhouserecovery.com