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Episode 18: “The Night I Packed My Bags to Relapse… and the Secret That Kept Me Sober”

In Episode 18 of the Get Unhooked Podcast, Jason Coombs takes listeners back to his fifth and final treatment center experience at age 31. This episode reveals the pivotal moment that changed everything - a moment balanced precariously between walking away from recovery forever and embracing the uncomfortable truth that would save his life.

Episode Highlights

[00:27] Jason introduces the person-centered approach and the "oxygen mask" principle
[03:43] Defining success as earning respect and trust from those closest to you
[05:39] The reality of being in his fifth treatment center with previous failures
[08:49] The dangerous mindset of thinking you have "treatment figured out"
[13:48] The miraculous moment of falling asleep instead of leaving treatment
[15:08] Kris's direct confrontation: "You gotta feel it to heal it"
[16:16] The two non-negotiable requirements to stay in treatment

The Moment Everything Changed

Jason's story reaches its climax at what he calls "the jumping off point" - that critical moment where addiction either claims another victim or loses its grip forever. After four failed treatment attempts, Jason arrived at his final program thinking he had mastered the art of appearing compliant while remaining unchanged.

But this treatment center operated differently. The staff refused to coddle or enable. They wouldn't co-sign his manipulation tactics. Most importantly, they challenged him to step outside his comfort zone.

The pivotal night arrived when Jason packed his belongings in anger, ready to walk 20-30 miles downtown for drugs. What happened next defies logical explanation - he simply fell asleep. "I don't even remember thinking about falling asleep," Jason reflects. "The reality is it may have well has been and probably was [divine intervention] because I don't remember thinking about falling asleep."

The Power of Therapeutic Confrontation

Upon waking, Jason encountered Kris, a counselor who would deliver the message that changed his trajectory. Her approach wasn't gentle or accommodating. Instead, she offered stark clarity:

"I could tell you're struggling, but I want you to feel it. In fact, you have to. You gotta feel it. You gotta heal it. Don't run from your emotions anymore."

Kris presented Jason with two simple requirements if he wanted to stay:

1. Follow the rules
2. Make amends to the patients he had wronged

These weren't suggestions or therapeutic recommendations. They were boundaries - clear, firm, and non-negotiable. Kris risked losing a client and the associated revenue, but she prioritized Jason's genuine recovery over financial considerations.

The Speed of Change and Pain

Jason introduces a fundamental principle that governs transformation: "We change at the speed of pain." This concept explains why some people remain stuck in destructive patterns while others breakthrough to lasting recovery.

Pain serves as the catalyst for change, but only when we stop running from it. As Kris taught Jason, emotions become teachers when we honor them rather than numb them. "Those feelings will be the gurus to teach me things if I don't numb and run and stuff 'em."

Wiser individuals learn from observing others' journeys rather than requiring personal catastrophe. This observation-based learning allows people to change before hitting their own rock bottom.

The Influence Principle

Perhaps the most practical insight from this episode centers on influence versus control. Jason emphasizes a truth that every family member needs to understand: "I can't change anyone else. All I can do is influence."

This realization shift

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100

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Episode 17: She Planned to Leave Him After Sobriety—Then This Happened…with Jeff & Bree Crabtree. 

 Recovery doesn’t end at sobriety—it begins there. In this raw, hope-filled episode, Jeff and Bree Crabtree return to share what happens after the first year, after the promises, and after the chaos settles… or doesn’t.

🔹 Bree opens up about the moment she planned to leave Jeff—even after three years sober.

🔹 Jeff reveals the daily routines that helped him transcend recovery “ceilings.”

🔹 Together, they unpack how trust, communication, and faith transformed their marriage, family, and even their business.

🎯 This episode isn’t just for individuals in recovery—it’s for families walking through the long game of healing.

⏱️ Episode Highlights:

• [00:31] Follow-up with Jeff & Bree
• [04:59] Breaking through recovery plateaus
• [12:58] Bree’s moment of truth: “I was going to leave him.”
• [21:15] The long road to rebuilding trust
• [34:03] The turning point at 3 years sober
• [40:59] Their daily spiritual + recovery routines
• [51:06] How recovery influences their tattoo business

✨ Whether you’re married to someone in recovery or navigating your own healing, this episode gives tangible hope—and a reality check.

📍 Jeff & Bree’s business:

Lighthouse Tattoo | Boise, Idaho

Website: lighthousetattooidaho.com

Instagram: @lighthousetattoo.id

Email: [email protected]

📚 Get Jason’s book Unhooked on Audible or Amazon

🌐 More resources: brickhouserecovery.com

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100

Send us Fan Mail

Rewind 90 days ago to when I Couldn’t Get  Out of My Funk—Until I Did This One Thing

I was stuck. Stuck in compulsive overeating. Stuck in brain fog. Stuck in a post-surgery slump. And with the Ironman on the horizon, I knew something had to change.

In this episode, I walk you through my first-ever 3-day fast—from the mental battles on day one to the surprising spiritual clarity on day three. This wasn’t just a detox. It was a wake-up call that reset my body, mind, and soul.

If you’re feeling stuck in your own life, this might be the spark you need.

➡️ Listen in and find out how doing less helped me find more.

If you’re ready to break free from the cycles keeping you stuck—whether it’s with food, substances, or just the noise of life—I want to invite you to go deeper.

Join me for a free webclass at liveunhooked.com, where I walk you through the same framework I use at Brick House Recovery to help people not only get sober—but stay unhooked for good. This is the deeper work that transforms relapse into lasting change.

Also, if you haven’t already, check out my book Unhooked—it’s available on Audible and Amazon. And if you or a loved one are looking for treatment or support, visit us at brickhouserecovery.com.

💡 

Short Description for the Webclass

Discover how to stop enabling addiction and start creating real, lasting change. In this free webclass, Jason Coombs shares the proven framework behind The Brick House Way and the “Get Unhooked” system to help individuals and families experience breakthrough—not burnout.

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Jason Coombs shares the exact 3-step framework that finally brought peace to his family—and has helped countless others stop the cycle of enabling, anxiety, and burnout.

Through powerful stories, practical tools, and the unforgettable “get off the beach” metaphor, you’ll learn how to:

✅ Recognize and exit the B-E-A-C-H cycle (Blame, Enabling, Anxiety, Control, Hopelessness)
✅ Support your loved one without sacrificing your own well-being
✅ Build a daily “emotional raincoat” to protect your peace
✅ Understand the six stages of change and why your efforts keep backfiring
✅ Apply the 3 phases of surrender when nothing seems to be working

This episode features Jason’s personal story, a raw family moment involving his cousin Amanda, and practical tools your family can use starting today.

If you’re exhausted, discouraged, or wondering if anything will ever change—this episode might be your turning point.

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100

Send us Fan Mail

Why does helping hurt? In this episode, Jason Coombs unpacks the 3 common family mistakes—enabling, rescuing, and bargaining—and reveals the system that finally brought peace to his home. Hear raw stories from his mom and Archie Swenson, and discover how the Live Unhooked Family System™ helps families move from chaos to clarity.

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100

Send us Fan Mail

When your loved one relapses, it feels like the ground gives way beneath you—again. You might wonder: Did we miss something? Did we fail? Is there any hope left? In this episode of Get Unhooked for Families, we challenge the panic and shame that so often accompany relapse and offer a new lens to see what it really means.

You’ll hear how relapse isn’t the end—it’s often the turning point. Jason and the team explore how relapse can resolve ambivalence, why it’s a natural (though painful) part of the process, and how families can respond in a way that promotes healing, not control.

If you’re feeling stuck, exhausted, or defeated, this episode will help you step off the emotional rollercoaster—and step into peace, clarity, and purpose.

Highlights Include:

• The unexpected value of relapse on the path to recovery
• Two surrender processes: the individual’s and the family’s
• Why doing “everything right” doesn’t always bring the results you hoped for
• What to celebrate (even now), and what to let go of
• The difference between boundaries and control—with real-world examples

🎧 Listen in to find out why your response matters more than you think—and how to find peace even when things feel messy.

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100

Send us a text

🎙️ 

Day 3 – “I Don’t Need to Escape Anymore”

This is where everything shifted. I didn’t feel deprived—I felt free. I wasn’t white-knuckling it anymore. I felt powerful, peaceful, and more connected to God and myself than I’ve been in a long time. I wasn’t trying to escape life—I was in it. Fully.

If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to stop running, stop numbing, and finally feel grounded again—this is it.

✨ Want to experience this kind of shift for yourself? Join me for my free webclass at www.liveunhooked.com. You’ll walk away with tools to stop coping and start healing.

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

Send us a text

🎙️ 

Day 2 – “Cravings Quiet, Strength Surfaces”

Day Two surprised me. The hunger faded. The inner storm quieted. What surfaced instead was strength—real, grounded strength. My body felt lighter, my mind clearer, and spiritually, something opened up.

This wasn’t just physical detox. This was mental and emotional rewiring. It was the slow burn of transformation.

🔥 If you’re ready to detox more than just your body—and start clearing the emotional and mental clutter too—join my free webclass at www.liveunhooked.com. You’ll learn the exact path to break free from the patterns keeping you stuck.

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

Send us a text

🎙️ 

Day 1 – “The Noise Is Loudest at the Start”

I started this fast feeling foggy, unmotivated, and stuck in survival mode. Day One hit hard. Hunger was just the surface—what really showed up was the noise in my mind: cravings, excuses, self-doubt. But underneath all that, clarity was trying to break through.

This episode is about facing the storm instead of feeding it—and discovering the beginning of real self-control and resilience.

🧠 If you’re tired of living reactive, stuck, and distracted, join my free webclass: www.liveunhooked.com. I’ll show you how to stop numbing and start living free.

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

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Did you know that recovery isn’t just about the person struggling—it can ripple through and heal an entire family?

Most families facing addiction feel heartbreak, frustration, and helplessness. What if the path to healing starts with one person—and the lessons learned go far beyond sobriety?

In this episode, you will:

• Discover the story of the Newport Beach weekend that changed Jason’s relationship with his dad and family
• Hear how one person’s commitment to recovery and boundaries can inspire hope for everyone involved
• Learn the 10 most powerful recovery tips Jason gives anyone in early sobriety—plus how families can support lasting change
• Understand why emotional sobriety, empathy, and small daily decisions are at the heart of real healing
• Get practical wisdom on overcoming shame, negative self-talk, and the challenges of rebuilding trust

___

Quick Preview of Jason’s Top 10 Recovery Tips:

1. Stick with the winners: Surround yourself with people who are growing and honest.
2. Watch your SUDs: Notice the “seemingly unimportant decisions” that can trigger setbacks.
3. Practice Gen Shy: Never treat anyone—including yourself—in a way that makes them feel small.
4. For it is in giving that we receive: Service to others is key.
5. Practice Namaste: Honor the divine within yourself and others.
6. Convalescence: Give yourself time to truly heal.
7. Feel it to heal it: Allow yourself to experience and process emotions.
8. Chase emotional sobriety: Balance neglected areas of your life.
9. Find new fishing holes: Keep your recovery fresh with new connections and experiences.
10. What is to give light must endure burning: Growth comes through facing—and enduring—hardship.

___

If you’re a parent, sibling, or love someone in addiction, this episode is for you.
Jason’s story is proof that healing is possible, hope is real, and you’re not alone.

🎧 Scroll up ⬆️ and hit play now to learn how one person’s recovery can bring light to an entire family.

Resources & Support:

• Free Webclass for Families: liveunhooked.com/family
• Free Webclass for Individuals: liveunhooked.com
• Jason’s Book: Unhooked (on Audible & Amazon)
• More recovery programs: brickhouserecovery.com

Support the show

Join Jason Coombs LIVE each week for tips and tricks and LIVE Q&A’s. Go to https://www.liveunhooked.com/live-unhooked. 

For information about treatment services visit https://www.brickhouserecovery.com/

For more information about Warrior Heart Bootcamp for men visit www.awarriorheart.com

https://awarriorheart.com/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Warrior Heart = 2026Brick100

To learn more about the women’s retreat, Heart of a Woman:
 https://theheartofawoman.net/

$100 DISCOUNT CODE for Heart of a Woman = 2026Brick100