Recovery Culture

Why do we feel the need to control everything? And what if fear is what's really driving it?

In this episode of Recovery Culture, Val and Steven explore the connection between fear and control—and how our attempts to protect ourselves and the people we love can sometimes do more harm than good.

Drawing from personal experiences with addiction, codependency, relationships, and recovery, they discuss the emotional toll of trying to control outcomes, the importance of recognizing underlying fears, and the ongoing process of learning to let go.

Letting go doesn't mean you stop caring. It means recognizing what's within your control—and finding peace with what isn't.

We all have habits that shape our lives, but are they helping us grow or holding us back?

In this episode of Recovery Culture, Valerie and Steven explore the power of building healthier habits—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. From improving sleep and limiting screen time to changing negative self-talk, practicing gratitude, and surrounding ourselves with the right people, they share practical ways to create meaningful change.

Whether you're navigating addiction recovery or simply looking to grow, building better habits takes intention, consistency, and a little grace along the way.

Remember, progress isn't about perfection. It's about showing up, even when you stumble, and choosing to do the next right thing.

What happens when the treatment meant to help becomes part of the struggle?

This week, we sit down with Ellen to hear her deeply personal journey through childhood bullying, mental health struggles, psychiatric treatment, physical disability, and dependence on prescribed medication. After years of feeling defined by diagnoses and treatment decisions, Ellen began asking questions, advocating for herself, and discovering the importance of informed consent and having a voice in her own care.

Today, she openly shares both the difficult and hopeful parts of her story while advocating for others through the Mental Health Choice Project. Her message is simple but powerful: you are more than a diagnosis, you are allowed to ask questions, and it’s okay to say, “I’m not okay.”

Marilyn’s story is one of deep hurt, remarkable forgiveness, and ongoing healing. After growing up in an abusive home, she carried those wounds into adulthood through unhealthy relationships, pregnancy loss, cancer, and two difficult marriages.

When most people hear the word “recovery,” they immediately think of drugs or alcohol. But what if recovery is much bigger than addiction?

In this episode, we talk about the difference between sobriety and recovery—and why the principles of recovery can apply to all of us. From anger, control, codependency, shame, and unhealthy coping mechanisms to forgiveness, accountability, connection, and asking for help, we all have areas of our lives that need healing and growth.

Recovery isn’t about having life completely figured out. It’s about recognizing the patterns that keep hurting us, being willing to do the work, and learning healthier ways to navigate life.

Erin grew up surrounded by chaos, never knowing how much those early experiences would shape the relationships she chose later in life.

In this episode, Erin shares her story of childhood trauma, two difficult marriages, loving someone struggling with addiction, and the heartbreaking moment she realized she had to choose between holding onto a relationship and protecting her children.

She opens up about learning to set boundaries, becoming a single mother again, rebuilding her support system, and rediscovering the faith and community that helped carry her through some of the hardest seasons of her life.

Erin’s testimony is a powerful reminder that sometimes love alone can’t change another person—and that choosing safety, setting boundaries, and walking away can be the beginning of healing.

Jealousy has a way of showing up everywhere—in relationships, friendships, success, social media, recovery, and the comparison game.

In this episode, Val and Steven have an honest conversation about jealousy and envy: where it comes from, how it can turn into resentment and criticism, and why someone else’s success can sometimes be so hard to celebrate.

They also talk about recognizing jealousy when it shows up, turning it into motivation instead of bitterness, and learning to genuinely celebrate the wins of others.

Can you celebrate someone else getting what you want while you’re still waiting for it yourself?

Forgiveness is hard—but sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself.

In this episode, we talk about letting go of the things we can’t change, separating who we are today from the things we’ve done in the past, and learning to move beyond shame, guilt, resentment, and self-punishment.

We also talk about making amends, extending grace to ourselves, breaking negative thought patterns, and why forgiveness doesn’t excuse the past—it gives us the freedom to stop living there.

You can’t undo what happened. But you don’t have to carry it forever.

There’s a difference between choosing to be alone and slowly shutting everyone out.

In this episode, Valerie and Steven talk about loneliness, healthy solitude, and the isolation that can quietly take hold after hurt, rejection, grief, shame, or struggle. They share their own experiences with isolation, why it can become especially dangerous in recovery, and how old thinking can start sounding reasonable again when we disconnect from the people around us.

Because sometimes the hardest thing to do when you want to be alone is exactly what you need most: reach out.

This week, Kelley joins us to share a story shaped by service, trauma, loss, faith, and resilience.

Kelley opens up about her time in the Army and Desert Storm, surviving military sexual trauma, navigating an abusive marriage, experiencing devastating loss, and eventually facing the lasting effects of PTSD. She shares how those experiences affected her life long after they happened — and what it has looked like to begin healing.

Through faith, Celebrate Recovery, community, and the willingness to ask for help, Kelley has continued to find hope even in some of her hardest seasons.

This is an honest conversation about surviving what you never expected, living in recovery, and discovering that healing doesn't always mean forgetting what happened — sometimes it means learning how to keep moving forward.