Recovering Out Loud

Jennifer Baxendale and Kirstin Rajala were in NYC to attend the February 2020 show. Inspired by the night, and with their shared passion for women’s stories and lively events, they’ve signed up to bring the series to Canada.

Generation Women blends a lively literary salon with the tradition of handing down wisdom from community elders. Join us around the matriarchal campfire for an intimate events that celebrates the hearts and minds of many. Alongside cis women, we cast all gender expressions including non-binary folk and trans women.

What these 2 women are doing is incredible and you need to check them out now! Generation women. Im looking forward to attending these shows in Toronto! For tickets click the link!

https://www.generationwomen.ca/

Matthew Perry was more than Chandler Bing. In this powerful, 15-minute episode, we go beyond the laugh track to explore his real story — from childhood pain to global stardom, through a decades-long battle with addiction, near-death experiences, and hard-won moments of recovery.

Using insights from his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing and credible sources, we dive deep into the man behind the sarcasm. This episode is part tribute, part cautionary tale, and part message of hope for anyone battling their own “Big Terrible Thing.”

You’ll hear:

• ​How Perry’s early life shaped his humor and hunger for fame
• ​The inside story of Friends and why he doesn’t remember three entire seasons
• ​His terrifying health battles, including a 2% chance of survival
• ​What recovery meant to him — and how he wanted to be remembered

🎧 If you’re struggling with addiction, this episode is for you. You are not alone.

“I thought I was the biggest piece of shit walking on God’s green earth.”
In this gripping episode of Recovering Out Loud, Anthony sits down with Bo as he shares his raw journey through crystal meth addiction, terrifying psychosis, and over 50 stays in mental hospitals.

From feeling hated by everyone and hearing voices telling him he didn’t deserve to live, to finally discovering the spiritual tools that saved his life, this story is a brutally honest look at the cunning, baffling, and powerful nature of addiction.

This conversation is proof that even in the darkest moments, recovery and purpose are possible.

00:00 – “I thought everyone hated me”
02:30 – Discovering service through video creation
04:50 – Reliving stimulant psychosis through film
13:40 – Alcohol as the gateway to everything else
15:30 – “I went to the mental hospital 50 times”
18:05 – Rock bottom: broken mentally, physically, spiritually
20:15 – Daily reprieve and spiritual principles
27:00 – Resentment, relapse, and the gift of returning
33:00 – “The greatest gift is being of service”
41:00 – Living faith one day at a time
48:20 – Closing poem: I, The Addict

Patrick spent over two decades trapped in daily use, denial, and isolation. From high school parties to bartending life, from weed dependency to cocaine spirals, he believed recovery wasn’t possible. After losing relationships, hiding debts, and nearly losing his health, Patrick finally reached a breaking point when his family discovered the truth.

In this powerful conversation, Patrick shares how honesty and surrender opened the door to treatment — and how the support of family and the 12 steps gave him a new life. He opens up about childhood insecurity, the destructive grip of marijuana and cocaine, his eye-opening rehab experience, and the spiritual practices that keep him grounded today.

This is a raw and hopeful story about faith, service, and the freedom that comes with letting go. If you’ve ever felt alone in addiction, Patrick’s journey is living proof: recovery is possible.

• 00:00 – Introduction & Patrick’s first steps toward recovery

• 02:00 – First retreat experience & early sobriety milestones

• 05:40 – Childhood insecurity, masks, and constant worry

• 08:30 – High school party life: weed as his “higher power”

• 10:00 – Cocaine enters the picture in university

• 14:00 – Twelve years off hard drugs, but dependent on weed & alcohol

• 17:20 – Progression into bartending, debt, and isolation

• 20:20 – Dad’s stroke & the breaking point of honesty with family

• 24:00 – Entering rehab: resistance, breakthroughs, and self-love

• 29:00 – Discovering spirituality & meditation in recovery

• 40:00 – Daily essentials: prayer, meetings, kindness, connection

• 44:00 – The role of service and helping others in sobriety

• 47:00 – Letting go of outcomes & trusting the process

• 52:00 – Best advice: acceptance, empathy, and radical honesty

Mikes story is truly inspirational. Mike shares his raw and inspiring journey through addiction, near-death experiences, and the path to recovery. From early childhood substance use to brushes with death, Mike opens up about the pain, chaos, and turning points that led him to sobriety.

We dive deep into his experience with breathwork, meditation, spirituality,, and how these tools helped him transform his life. Mike’s story is proof that no matter how far gone you feel, there is always hope, healing, and a way forward.

👉 If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode will show you that recovery is possible.

JOIN ME ON MY SOCIALS - FREE RECOVERY GUIDE AND COACHING

https://linktr.ee/Recoveringoutloudpod

After serving four years in prison, Emily O’Brien didn’t just rebuild her life—she built a brand. Comeback Snacks is now in over 1,500 stores, but the story behind it is about much more than popcorn. It’s about resilience, accountability, and using your past to fuel your future. In this episode, Emily shares her path from addiction to entrepreneurship, and why she believes everyone deserves a second chance.

After being sentenced to a four-year jail term, Emily set out on the mission to transform herself and make her time in jail as meaningful as possible. Having fostered an entrepreneurial career before her sentence, Emily developed the idea for Comeback Snacks to create mouth watering popcorn flavours, inspired by her experience of it being the perfect social snack to bring her and her fellow inmates together, and make the most of a tough time. 

Aware of the hardships of being incarcerated, Emily is driven to help remove the stigma surrounding people with prior convictions, as well as connect them with opportunities for reintegration through training, empowerment and education.

Mary’s story will shake you — and give you hope.From losing her mother at just four years old, to growing up in an orphanage, and facing childhood trauma and abuse from her father, to falling into the grip of alcohol and cocaine… Mary knows darkness. She’s felt the hopelessness of relapse, the shame of rock bottom, and the fight it takes to claw your way back.

Now, with 26 years of sobriety, Mary is living proof that you can build a life you don’t need to escape from. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, she reveals:

• ​The exact moment she dropped to her knees and begged God to help her
• ​Childhood trauma and abuse
• ​The hard truth about why relapse happens — and how to prevent it
• ​The fine line between enabling and truly supporting a loved one
• ​Why service work might be the secret weapon to staying sober
• ​The tools she still uses every single day to keep her peace

Whether you’re in recovery, love someone who is, or just need proof that change is possible — Mary’s story will hit you straight in the heart.

MEET Jeff Wenninger

Retired LAPD Lieutenant, Nationally Recognized Law Enforcement Expert, and Founder & CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants, LLC

With over 33 years in law enforcement—primarily with the LAPD—Jeff Wenninger has seen the best and worst of policing. Rising through the ranks to lieutenant, he led officers through some of the most complex and high-stakes moments in modern law enforcement. Now, as the Founder & CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants, LLC, Jeff specializes in police use of force investigations, crowd management, school safety, and developing leadership practices that align policing with public trust.

His work isn’t about surface-level “reforms” or political catchphrases like “defunding the police”—it’s about driving the honest conversations that ignite change.

He focuses on leadership accountability, science-based training, and open communication that earns public trust while meeting the challenges of 21st-century policing.

In this episode, Anthony sits down with Jeff Wenninger—retired LAPD sergeant, consultant, and author of On Thin Ice—to discuss the raw realities of law enforcement, mental health, and addiction. Jeff shares how his upbringing shaped his empathy on the job, why culture always outweighs training, and the urgent need to reimagine policing. From personal stories on the front lines during the Rodney King riots to insights on breaking the stigma around mental health in law enforcement, Jeff pulls no punches. Whether you’re interested in mental health, policing, or just want to hear real talk about change, this episode delivers.

Jeffs upcoming book

On Thin Ice

https://jeffwenninger.com/prologue-download/

Welcome to another powerful episode of the Recovering Out Loud podcast!In this raw, unfiltered conversation, we dive deep into what it really takes to break the cycle of addiction—especially when it runs in the family.

Candice opens up about her journey from active addiction to recovery, the pain of watching her daughter struggle, and how both found freedom in their own time.

We explore tough questions like:

• ​What’s the line between enabling and supporting a loved one?
• ​How do you deal with shame that lingers even after you get sober?
• ​Why does recovery sometimes feel harder than addiction?
• ​The impact of trauma, spirituality, and finding real community in sobriety.

Whether you’re struggling, supporting someone who is, or just want an honest look at recovery—this episode is for you.Subscribe, share, and leave a comment if this resonated!

Welcome to recovery rap! Follow Benjamin on instagram @benjamin.Lerner

https://www.instagram.com/benjamin.lerner?igsh=MTB3dm1pNnc1b3d1MQ==

What happens when you take addiction, pain, and trauma—and turn them into art that saves lives? In this episode, I sit down with Benjamin Lerner, better known as the “recovery rapper,” to unpack his raw journey from privileged beginnings and opioid addiction to finding purpose and truth through music.We dive deep: childhood struggles, crashing cars, hitting spiritual—and literal—bottom, and the turning point that kept him alive. Benjamin shares the real story behind his social media rise, how authenticity beats algorithm, and the life-saving power of service, creativity, and honesty in recovery.If you’ve ever felt like the drugs stopped working, or your story didn’t matter, this conversation will remind you: You have a voice. Pick up the phone. Hit post. Don’t quit before the miracle.Subscribe for more real recovery conversations and inspiration.