Recovery & The Sober Truth

JT gets the honor of interviewing the man who changed the trajectory of his life forever with a simple gesture of friendship that would turn into a human connection and bond that he never thought possible. Thomas Miles, or simply known as Miles, introduces us to his story of pain, suffering, joy and triumph by painting a picture of a complicated childhood filled with struggle, confusion, loneliness and a desperate need to fit into the world surrounding him. Resenting his angry alcoholic father, Miles searches for ways to save his mother and sisters from his constant chaos and abuse. Very early in childhood, Miles developed a severe nervous disposition and protective nature as he helplessly watched his Dad abuse his mother day after day. He recalls his first encounter with alcohol at fourteen when him and his group of friends were given a green light by a reckless parent to drink and party. Miles soon discovered that he would rather focus on academics than alcohol but still struggled to find a way to fit in as the only black student in his high school. A theme that would end up following him into adulthood.
After divorce, Miles family is moved to the inner city with his new father in law that treated him as his own and was a proper role model.
Miles found himself desperate to fit in with the inner city kids and began a young career of robbery, alcohol and drug abuse and gang activity. He tells how smoking a little pot and giving his friends prescription xanax he could be accepted by a group of friends that looked like he did. He forgets his academic dream and focused only on impressing the group and gaining street ‘cred’ with his progressive ability to rob and one up each criminal offense.
Miles walks us through his early adulthood as he continued his crime and drugs as the only way he knew to live. Early fatherhood found him not wanting to do drugs in front of his children and alcohol became his new way of coping with life. Putting his kids mother and his daughters through the same wrath his father put him through Miles fell into the abyss of alcohol abuse and addictive denial for years. After his girl left him and took his daughters he became unchecked and out of control becoming a man with a family and a job to a homeless drunk junkie smoking meth everyday in his stolen vehicle. Desperate, Miles went to the first of many rehabs and was introduced to the rooms of AA. Miles lets down his guard as he takes us through the horrifying struggle of chronic recovery and relapse. Describing his all time low of hearing his baby crying for daddy as he was unable to stop smoking meth in the closet he had locked himself in for days. In a final attempt to help, Miles baby mama and his mother forced him out of their lives after he became completely lost in the grips of chaos and insanity living in a fantasy world based on his own reality. He tells us while living in a sober living house he was able to build unbelievable bonds and started a foundation of alcoholics anonymous twelve step program. While observing the people and friends around him having progressive lives that were getting better, Miles knew that his own life was stagnant as he purposely didn’t work the steps or learn from classes. He observes his own self destructive tendencies as he recalls his final relapse after leaving Sober Living in a hotel room where in four short days he destroyed every single positive thing he built in a year. After knowing his friends would never give up on him, Miles reaches out for help and returns to rehab for a final attempt at a life of sobriety. Eight months after his relapse he discusses with us his new belief in a God, his first honest attempt at the twelve steps and a world of happiness that he has never felt in his entire life. He explains the how the gift of desperation has given him the ability to be open to the possibility that living in a world of sobriety through AA...

Cowboy Up: Daniels Story, JT interviews Daniel F. to hear the story of how Daniel went from being a fun loving boy to a wanted criminal that spent time in federal prison. Daniel recalls starting to drink alcohol at age eleven and by the time he was a senior in high school he had a couple of overdoses and two children. He shares about the stress that was put on him and how once he had a criminal mind and addiction he didn't know any other way to live. Daniel goes on to talk about how he ended up 23 years old on the doorstep of his third rehab with nothing but his shorts, shirt and a walmart bag with a toothbrush. This was his final gift of desperation, he knew it was either change or die. Daniel talks about his experience in rehab and why he decided to go to California for an IOP program and sober living. He is now celebrated 13 months of sobriety, been recently married and working full time. Here how Daniel did it! You can too!

Lets get recovery on! JT shares his personal experience with Step One. How it took him over a decade to finally becoming 'Powerless over his addiction,' in order to change his life or die trying. He had the 'unmanageable' part down and accepted it and goes on to briefly describe his many attempts at REALLY understanding step one, his failed attempts before and after rehabs and a cycle that wouldn't end until he had tried every way possible to sober up with his own 'genius' (hilarious concept) or limit his consumption of drugs and alcohol. JT describes the 'unmanageable' part of step one as something he was willing to accept (being a loser is perfectly fine, haha).) He offers hope to others when he describes what it took for him to finally understand what 'powerless' really meant and shares this short story in hopes that another addict or alcoholic doesn't have to endure the same pain.

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Bonus Episode 2 will be all about step 2! Stay tuned!

Want to share your story on this podcast in order to help and inspiration to your fellow alcoholics and addicts? Send me an email with a brief summary of your story and we can you booked for a recording!
[email protected]

Part two of Carry The Message follows the story of JT's sponsee Cooper Huntington, his inspiring story and how sponsorship is helping on his road to recovery. Cooper recounts the slippery early stages of his relapse and takes us through a chilling tale of how quickly his addiction had a choke hold on his life. He talks openly and honestly about how his thinking patterns were convincing him that it was perfectly okay to drink and become an alcoholic because that wasn't as bad as being a heroin addict. Stepping through his decline, Cooper describes how he began to lose his job, his truck, his home....everything that was good in his life including his dignity and self respect. He talks about the guilt and shame associated with a relapse and how it had an effect on his reluctance to ask for help. We hear the pain and fear in his voice while he talks of arrest, jail, disappointed family and another trip to rehab. Cooper shares his truth and vulnerability throughout and shows us the strength and resolve it takes to start a new life. He discusses his new relationship with his sponsor and how he has noticed the steps already beginning to work in his life. He offers suggestions and hope to addicts and alcoholics in the program who may be reluctant to work with a sponsor. This is a story struggle, pain, courage and triumph. Cooper is at his most vulnerable and honest authentic self in order to try to help the still suffering addict.

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Join me on this incredibly powerful two part podcast where I show the reality of just how important sponsorship is to twelve step programs. I am joined by my sponsor Cory M. as we discuss what it is like to be in a sponsee/sponsor relationship and the weight it had on me staying successfully sober and eventually helping another man begin his journey in the twelve steps by becoming a sponsor myself. I begin the interview with Cory by discussing the beginning of our twelve step relationship and how it evolved into something inspiring for both of us. Cory shares parts of his own story and the incredible frightening circumstances that landed him in a psych ward and a rehab in Dallas and eventually to becoming a sponsor and a sober living house manager in southern California where wet through the grace of God. This is one of my most inspiring interviews because it shows exactly why sponsorship is the cornerstone to any twelve step program and how the lives of addicts and alcoholics depends on its success to survive!

Caught in The Crossfire Part 2 is a compelling story of my Son Tysons viewpoint of how addiction and alcoholism split our thriving family apart. Tyson discusses how watching me fall apart led him to not wanting to be at home any way he could and how it actually allowed him to get away with things due to my forgetfulness and uncaring of what was happening in his life. I share with Tyson the horror of behind the scenes as my addiction turned into a nightmare I could not get out of. Although Tyson wasn't around to see some of the events his brothers did he recalls several stories of what he witnessed and how it affected him. Tyson lets down his otherwise high guard and shares how he felt responsible for what his brothers had to go through because he didn't want anything to do with it once he left the house and got married. He describes how on many occasions his brothers would call him for help with me as he shrugged it off and let them deal with the situation on their own. JT takes Tyson through a decade timeline and asks the hard questions that are heartbreaking to hear but healing as well. There is too much context in this episode to describe, its powerful and offers hope to those that are struggling with an addict or alcoholic as well as those caught in the grips. This is a conclusion to two of the hardest interviews I have ever had to get through. My Sons and I were willing to talk through the pain of the past in hopes that we could help at least one person in need.
Email a brief bit of your sobriety story and be a guest on the program! [email protected]
Please help keep this podcast continue running! Funds go to production and distribution
paypal.me/jtsobertruth

Join me in this raw, powerful and touching podcast where I discuss the effects of addiction and alcoholism on children caught in the crossfire. I am joined by my son Taylor Hawker who discusses his personal story of watching his father fall into the grips of addiction. Taylor shares about the father he once knew, loved and respected as a child and as a teen the father who fated away and became a stranger he resented and hated. I interview Taylor with no holding back questions as I take him through a timeline of my fall into an addiction nightmare of over a decade. Taylor describes seeing his father slowly becoming someone he didn't recognize and eventually turn into a man he was completely embarrassed of, especially around his friends. He discusses how he eventually isolated himself in his room or found any excuse to stay away from home. JT tells the stories throughout the timeline of being a person out of control, creating chaos, becoming selfish and not caring how his actions were causing pain in his children's lives. Taylor is honest and courageous as he talks about specific times he remembers me being in multiple events of psychosis, being taken out of the house on a gurney by paramedics, seeing his two fathers fighting constantly, having his friends witness the madness, having hope when I would go to rehab, the disappointment of constant relapses I went through and when he finally gave up when he saw me in one of my most insane moments of psychosis and shooting a gun out the window. Taylor discusses the difference between the times I have cleaned up versus what he sees in me now. Taylor offers hope to other children of alcoholics and addicts and makes suggestion on how to survive the madness, sadness and worry. This was one of the hardest interviews I have had to do but also one of the most important, not only for me but for other addicts who may not know exactly what their children or loved ones went through and may not know exactly how much love and forgiveness they have for us and are willing to offer. Please join me in listening to The Sober Truth of how addiction and alcoholism impact the lives of our children and how a twelve step program can heal deep routed wounds.

Email a brief bit of your sobriety story and be a guest on the program! [email protected]
Please help keep this podcast continue running! Funds go to production and distribution
paypal.me/jtsobertruth

My most powerful Podcast to date! Join me in a journey of tragedy, triumph and self discovery! This incredible heartwarming episode focuses on the power of serving others and the benefit it not only brings to those receiving help but to those who are freely giving it with love. Beginning the episode I briefly discuss the importance of step 12 in Alcoholics Anonymous and its personal meaning to me and how it keeps me sober, growing and inspired. I am joined by a VERY special guest Marci Maughan Nettles who is a motivational speaker, successful podcaster, survivor & warrior who dedicates her life to empowering people by teaching individuals and teams how to achieve personal growth. She is also a person who has VISION to help build dreams through mentorship, training and a variety of platforms to help those who are seeking a more rewarding fulfilled life. Marci is incredibly vulnerable in the powerful interview as she shares her most personal tragedies and triumphs. She discusses how childhood trauma caused not only pain in her life but personal strength and growth in order to reconnect with God and point her to her true purpose and calling in life. Through marriages, children, divorces, near fatal car accidents, surgeries, finding true love, her parents separation, rape, becoming a police officer, and a breast implant illness that left her deathly ill Marci tears down all walls and shares her very personal story that is compelling and triumphic to say the least. This interview left me in joyous tears and a feeling of hope and inspiration that has called me to action to become a better human being by learning new ways of helping this world become a better place. Marci doesn't hold back on her faith and connection to God that was also a process that unfolded as she grew through her pain and suffering. Please join me in this podcast and feel a sense of connection like never before.

Dedicated to Braxton Sterling Burns. JT shares a personal obituary of his cousin who passed away July 4th, 2021 at the age of 28. JT is joined by special guest Katie Pukash as they discuss how to deal with grief while maintaining sobriety. Katie speaks in detail about her own personal experience of losing loved ones to overdose while still in active addiction as well as while in sobriety and how she overcame grief without relapsing. JT and Katie discuss step one "We admitted we were powerless over our addiction and that our lives had become unmanageable," and how forgetting the powerlessness led them to relapse and what they do different now to remember what life was like at their addictive worst. Katie discusses how leaving the rooms of NA led her to her own path of recovery. JT and Katie also speak about how goal setting and accomplishments have helped them in their journey of recovery and give suggestions on how others can do the same. JT tells a personal story about his last time in rehab and how a literal reinvention of himself was critical in the change he needed to battle addiction and overcome his demons. An episode filled with hope and inspiration as JT and Katie reach out to those still suffering and offer help. And for my family, I love you all so much and especially to Theresa and Sterling-- my prayers are with you everyday.

Special Edition: Love You To Death. JT is joined by his husband Travis to describe what its like to watch a loved one suffer in the grips of addiction and how it affected his life. He shares intimate feelings and stories about seeing the person he loved the most slowly killing himself with drugs and alcohol. Travis gets personal and talks about how working an AL-ANON program has helped him find God, peace and a better understanding of himself. From hospitalizations, rehabs, psychosis, police encounters and shooting guns JT and Travis share their personal horrifying events and how addiction tore their lives and family to pieces. Travis describes how AL-ANON has given him the tools to get his life back and how to love and not enable the addict. They both explain how without their willingness to work a twelve step program they would not be the people they are today or even still together. This special episode gives hope to not only the addict, but also for the people who love them.