Recovery Matters! Podcast

What can nearly five decades in recovery teach us about service, connection, and helping others?

In this episode of the Recovery Matters Podcast, Chris reflects on 47 years in recovery and the experiences that ultimately led him to a life centered around giving back.

Chris shares his journey from years of pain and repeated attempts to find help to the moment he finally surrendered in December 1978. He explains how sharing his experience with others became an important part of his own recovery—and how that commitment to service eventually helped inspire Become Part of the Solution (BPS).

BPS was created to help fill critical gaps when people in recovery find themselves just short of the resources they need to keep moving forward. Chris and John also discuss why stability matters, the importance of accountability, knowing the difference between helping and rescuing, and how genuine compassion can give someone hope at exactly the right time.

This conversation is a reminder that recovery doesn't only change one life. Sometimes, what we survive becomes the very thing that allows us to help someone else.

00:00 Meet Chris & the importance of service
00:41 Chris's 47-year recovery journey
02:36 Filling the gaps for people in recovery
02:59 The story behind Become Part of the Solution
05:19 Building BPS around service
06:49 How BPS and CCAR work together
08:35 Addiction, denial & Chris's experience
10:09 His first recovery meeting
10:56 Six months without drinking—and what happened next
11:19 Faith, surrender & moving through pain
12:37 Love, compassion & hope in recovery
13:39 Supporting BPS through community
16:19 Why stability matters early in recovery
18:14 Accountability and responsible support
20:10 Helping someone vs. trying to save them
21:12 When change finally happens
22:10 Final thoughts

----Across the Web----

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Chason Forehand has spent 45 years in the culinary industry—but his story goes far beyond the kitchen.

After experiencing abuse as a child, Chason turned to drugs at an early age while trying to cope with rage, fear, depression, and shame. His addiction followed him into the restaurant industry, where he was often able to perform even when his life outside of work was falling apart.

Then one chef changed the direction of his life.

After disappearing on a three-day bender and missing the busiest shifts of the week, Chason returned to work expecting to be fired. Instead, his chef revealed that he was 10 years clean and sober himself—and that someone had once given him a second chance. He decided to pay that same gift forward to Chason, becoming his mentor and first sponsor and helping him begin his own recovery journey.

That experience would eventually influence the philosophy behind Transformation Kitchen, a program created to offer people more than culinary training. Participants develop job skills, life skills, financial literacy, conflict-resolution skills, community connections, work experience, and a pathway toward living-wage employment.

But bringing Transformation Kitchen to the United States hasn't been easy.

After coming incredibly close to opening a U.S. location, a lease fell through just before it was supposed to be signed. Chason describes the disappointment as devastating—and shares why, after 30 years in recovery, he found himself returning to NA meetings because he knew he needed to protect what he had built in his own life.

In this episode of Recovery Matters, CCAR Executive Director Stacy Charpentier talks with Chason about addiction, long-term recovery, second chances, Transformation Kitchen, the danger of attaching our identity to outcomes, and why the work of recovery never truly stops.

They also discuss what Chason learned from having a door close, why strong support systems still matter decades into recovery, and why he continues to believe that Transformation Kitchen will find its first home in the United States.

02:36 Chason's Recovery Journey

05:53 Addiction, a Bender & a Second Chance

07:48 The Idea Behind Transformation Kitchen

11:33 What Happens When You Put People First

14:19 How Transformation Kitchen Works

15:25 Bringing Transformation Kitchen Around the World

17:22 Why Hasn't It Happened in the U.S.?

19:55 When the Dream Fell Apart

20:19 Protecting 30 Years of Recovery

22:18 Lessons From the Setback

24:30 When Recovery Work Becomes Your Identity

26:17 "Your Addictions Will Just Morph"

27:42 What Transformation Kitchen Needs Next

30:29 What Transformation Means to Chason

31:14 What to Do When a Door Closes

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

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#1 Amazon Bestselling Author and advocate Paige Dearth joins CCAR Executive Director Stacy Charpentier for a powerful conversation about trauma, addiction, family, recovery, and the experiences that have shaped her writing. Paige shares how surviving childhood trauma eventually led her to find her voice and begin writing stories centered on people who are often judged, misunderstood, or overlooked. She also opens up about living alongside a loved one struggling with meth and heroin addiction, including five years, 13 rehab stays, the financial and emotional toll on the family, and her eventual realization that supporting someone and enabling them are not the same thing. Together, Paige and Stacy discuss why addiction affects entire families, the importance of seeing people as more than the labels placed on them, how small acts of kindness can change someone's life, and why healing and recovery are rarely linear. Paige also shares an exclusive first look at her upcoming book and the real-life experiences that inspired its story. This episode includes discussions of childhood sexual abuse, addiction, trauma, human trafficking, and family experiences surrounding substance use. Recovery Matters Podcast is brought to you by the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR).

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

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In this episode of the Recovery Matters Podcast, Stacy speaks with Stephanie Hazard, recovery coach, author, and person in long-term recovery, about her upcoming book Making Sobriety Stick.

Stephanie shares how recovery coaching became a powerful part of her own journey, why this non-clinical support role can be a missing piece for so many people, and how recovery support can help individuals and families navigate life beyond treatment.

The conversation also explores sober curiosity, eating disorder recovery, recovery capital, family support, and why asking for help can sometimes begin with something as simple as opening a book.

Stephanie’s book, Making Sobriety Stick, is available for pre-order now, and part of the proceeds from pre-orders will support CCAR’s recovery support services.

Pre-order the book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-sobriety-stick-stephanie-hazard/1150265768?ean=9798895151006

00:00 Introduction to Stephanie Hazard
00:18 Stephanie’s Recovery and Coaching Background
02:33 What Making Sobriety Stick Is About
05:39 Why a Book Can Be a Gentle Way to Ask for Help
07:24 What Led Stephanie to Recovery Coaching
08:58 Recovery Coaching as the Missing Piece
11:56 Substance Use Recovery vs. Eating Disorder Recovery
21:00 Process Addictions and Recovery Capital
25:04 Pre-Orders, Proceeds, and Supporting CCAR
27:31 Why Recovery Coaching Helps Families Too
29:51 Recovery Begins After Discharge
32:39 Advice for People Who Are Sober Curious
35:19 How CCAR Provides Free Recovery Support
36:14 CCAR’s Local and Global Impact
37:26 Closing Thoughts

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

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🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

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In Part II of this conversation, Phil Valentine reflects on what recovery looks like after retirement, after leadership, and after life changes the rhythm you once knew.

After decades in recovery and years of leading CCAR, Phil shares how returning to meetings helped him reconnect with something deeply familiar: community. He talks about finding his people again, the difference between solitude and isolation, and why face-to-face connection still matters in a world full of screens, Zoom meetings, and technology.

This episode is a reminder that recovery doesn’t stop growing just because you have time behind you. Sometimes, the next chapter brings you back to the simple things: showing up, being known, encouraging someone, and remembering that the best is still yet to come.

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

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After 25 years leading one of the most impactful recovery organizations, Phil Valentine made the decision to step away… but what came next wasn’t clarity, it was uncertainty.

In Part One of this conversation, Phil opens up about what it really feels like to lose a role that defined your entire life. From battling cancer and burnout to rediscovering purpose, he shares the quiet, honest moments that don’t often get talked about.

This isn’t just about leadership, it’s about identity, ego, recovery, and learning how to let go of something you love without losing yourself in the process.

If you’ve ever wondered who you are outside of what you do… this conversation will hit.

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

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She thought she was going on a date.

Instead, he took her to her first NA meeting—and that moment changed everything.

After years of heavy drinking, drug use, and a near-fatal overdose, Katerina knew she needed to stop… but had no idea how. What started as confusion and frustration inside that meeting quickly turned into something unexpected: connection, honesty, and the realization that she wasn’t alone.

In this episode, she shares the moment that shifted her path, how addiction took over her life, and what finally helped her begin the journey to recovery.

Sometimes the thing you need most shows up when you least expect it.

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

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Margaret Lloyd Seger shares her recovery story—getting sober at just 25 years old and transforming her life into one of purpose, research, and impact.

From early struggles with alcohol and Adderall to becoming a PhD researcher studying addiction and pregnancy, her journey highlights the reality of addiction, the difficulty of early recovery, and the hope that keeps people going.

This conversation dives into:

Recovery is possible. And it starts one day at a time.


0:00 – Margaret introduces herself (15 years in recovery)

1:05 – “I had a great childhood… still became an alcoholic”

1:40 – First exposure to drinking & drugs

2:27 – Early red flags: “I only wanted to drink to get drunk”

3:00 – Why addiction is hard to see when you’re in it

4:00 – Loss + addiction getting worse

5:00 – The moment it finally clicked

5:25 – First recovery meeting at 25

6:10 – “Drugs and alcohol stopped working”

7:30 – Early recovery was the hardest thing she’s ever done

8:00 – 10 days sober… nervous system completely shot

9:15 – Surviving early recovery (meetings + “hope shots”)

10:45 – Rebuilding life in recovery

13:30 – Working with kids affected by addiction

16:50 – Her focus now: pregnancy & addiction

20:40 – Research + TikTok education

22:10 – Cannabis use during pregnancy

24:45 – The risks most people don’t realize

28:50 – Advice for someone in their first 24 hours

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

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Christina didn’t just watch addiction from the outside—she lived it as a sister, trying to make sense of behaviors that didn’t add up, while the rest of her family struggled to even acknowledge what was happening.

In this episode, she shares the quiet warning signs she first noticed, the isolation of carrying that awareness alone, and the emotional rollercoaster of loving someone through years of opioid addiction, relapse, and loss.

But this isn’t just a story about grief—it’s about what came after. After losing her brother, Christina turned pain into purpose, building a new model inside schools that focuses on connection over punishment—giving students support instead of isolation.

This conversation is for anyone who has loved someone through addiction… and wondered what more could have been done.


00:00 – Intro & Christina’s story
01:00 – Early signs of addiction
03:30 – Denial, isolation, and confusion
07:30 – From pills to heroin
10:00 – Rehab, relapse, and reality
13:00 – Loving someone through addiction
16:45 – Loss and grief
17:30 – Turning pain into purpose
19:00 – Changing how schools handle addiction
23:00 – Supporting teens before it’s too late
27:00 – Why every school needs this model
30:00 – Advice for early recovery
31:30 – Closing thoughts

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

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🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/

🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery

📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery

🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Gio doesn’t sugarcoat it.

“I honestly hate it.”

In this raw and honest conversation, Gio opens up about what it’s really like being a young person in early recovery — watching friends party in their late twenties while choosing to stay sober. From COVID day drinking to waking up shaking at 7am… from checking into detox alone to walking back into recovery after a relapse… this episode captures the uncomfortable, necessary truth about getting sober young.

Gio talks about:

Growing up with two alcoholic parents

Realizing AA wasn’t the right pathway — and feeling shame about it

The relapse that brought them back

Why connection at a Recovery Community Center became their “saving grace”

And how hope now looks like helping others

This is an honest look at early recovery — not polished, not perfect — just real.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to choose sobriety when everyone else is “having fun,” this episode is for you.

----Across the Web----

🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us

✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO...

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast?

🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/

🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery

📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery

🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery