In this episode of the Recovery Vow Podcast with Eric Kennedy, James Mathis shares how years of hidden addiction took a toll on his marriage, his identity, and the kind of father he wanted to be.

Growing up in a long line of alcoholism and without a relationship with his father, James carried more into adulthood than he realized. As addiction progressed, what began as an escape eventually became something he could no longer control or hide.

Now two years sober, James reflects on what recovery has revealed about his past, the work of rebuilding trust, and his decision to show up differently for his wife and daughter.

You don’t have to navigate recovery alone. Join the Recovery Vow Collective community today at skool.com/recovery-vow.

ABOUT RECOVERY VOW
Recovery Vow exists to help individuals, couples, and families find hope, healing, and practical support through addiction and recovery.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
🌎 Website: https://recoveryvow.com
🤝 Recovery Vow Collective (Free!): https://www.skool.com/recovery-vow

CONNECT WITH RECOVERY VOW
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RecoveryVowPodcast
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/recoveryvow
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryvow
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@recoveryvow
📧 Email: [email protected]

BOOKS & RESOURCES
📘 Marriage After Addiction: https://a.co/d/06HGtfCx
📘 Loving Them Without Losing Us: Coming to Amazon September 22

ABOUT ERIC KENNEDY
Eric Kennedy is the founder of Recovery Vow and the author of Marriage After Addiction and Loving Them Without Losing Us. Drawing from his own journey through addiction, recovery, and more than fifteen years of sobriety, Eric helps individuals and couples navigate the difficult work of rebuilding trust, strengthening relationships, and creating a healthier life after addiction.

NEW EPISODES
🗓️ New episodes every other Monday.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST
🔔 Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.
⭐ Rate and review the podcast.
💬 Follow and share Recovery Vow on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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In this episode of the Recovery Vow Podcast with Eric Kennedy, Katie Garner shares her journey through addiction, motherhood, and finding her reason to get sober.

Katie opens up about the desire for acceptance that followed her from a young age, how drinking became a way to cope, and the moments that ultimately forced her to look at the life she was living. Now in recovery, she reflects on motherhood, mental health, and discovering a reason to choose a different future.

Katie's story is a reminder that understanding your "why" can become a powerful part of recovery.

You don't have to navigate recovery alone. Join the Recovery Vow Collective community today at skool.com/recovery-vow.

CONNECT WITH KATIE GARNER
TikTok: @kate_garn 

ABOUT RECOVERY VOW
Recovery Vow exists to help individuals, couples, and families find hope, healing, and practical support through addiction and recovery.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY
🌎 Website: https://recoveryvow.com
🤝 Recovery Vow Collective (Free!): https://www.skool.com/recovery-vow

CONNECT WITH RECOVERY VOW
🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RecoveryVowPodcast
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/recoveryvow 
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryvow
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@recoveryvow
📧 Email: [email protected] 

BOOKS & RESOURCES
📘 Marriage After Addiction: https://a.co/d/06HGtfCx
📘 Loving Them Without Losing Us: Coming to Amazon September 22

ABOUT ERIC KENNEDY
Eric Kennedy is the founder of Recovery Vow and the author of Marriage After Addiction and Loving Them Without Losing Us. Drawing from his own journey through addiction, recovery, and more than fifteen years of sobriety, Eric helps individuals and couples navigate the difficult work of rebuilding trust, strengthening relationships, and creating a healthier life after addiction.

NEW EPISODES
🗓️ New episodes every other Monday.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST
🔔 Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.
⭐ Rate and review the podcast.
💬 Follow and share Recovery Vow on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or your favorite podcast platform.

By the time Ryan Peel realized how far his addiction had gone, getting high was no longer the goal. He was just trying not to get sick.

In this episode with Eric Kennedy, Ryan shares how prescription pain pills became a hidden addiction that cost him nearly $1,400 a week. He reflects on the grief and injuries that led him there, the ultimatum that forced him to face the truth, and the realities of detox and treatment.

Ryan also shares how the redemptive love of his then-girlfriend helped him believe a different life was possible. Nearly ten years sober, he is now married to her, raising a family, and living far beyond survival.

You don’t have to navigate recovery alone. Join the Recovery Vow Collective community: https://www.skool.com/recovery-vow

Connect with Recovery Vow:
https://recoveryvow.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryvow
Email: [email protected]
Order Marriage After Addiction Here: https://a.co/d/06HGtfCx

New episodes every other Monday.

Top ways to support this podcast:
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When your child is battling addiction, how do you love them without losing yourself—or your marriage?

Jeff and Pam McFadden share the painful journey of watching their son spiral into opioid and heroin addiction, the ways they unknowingly enabled him, and the difficult boundaries that ultimately changed everything. Together, they reflect on how addiction nearly destroyed their marriage, what helped them find unity again, and why surrendering their son to God became one of the hardest and most important decisions they ever made.

No family is prepared for addiction, but no family is beyond hope. Jeff and Pam's story is a reminder that healing often begins when we choose faith over fear.

Join the Recovery Vow Collective for free: https://www.skool.com/recovery-vow

Connect with Recovery Vow:
https://recoveryvow.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryvow
Email: [email protected]
Order Marriage After Addiction Here: https://a.co/d/06HGtfCx

New episodes every other Monday.

Top ways to support this podcast:
🔔 Subscribe to our channel
💬 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music

Shame has a way of convincing us that we'll never be enough. But real healing begins when we're willing to make amends to ourselves, take responsibility for our choices, and move forward with honesty instead of shame.

In this special Recovery Vow Collective bonus conversation, Collective Contributors Bridget Price and Jordan Clower share how recovery transformed the relationship they had with themselves before it transformed their relationships with others. Drawing from their own lived experience, they explore self-amends, letting go of shame, and becoming the kind of people they never believed they could be.

Their stories remind us that healing isn't about erasing the past. It's about choosing a different future.

As Recovery Vow Collective Contributors, Bridget and Jordan are creating workshops and practical resources inside the Recovery Vow Collective to help others walking a similar path pursue healthier relationships and lasting transformation.

The Recovery Vow Collective is an online community where individuals and couples impacted by addiction can find practical recovery resources, live workshops, expert teaching, and a supportive community committed to lasting healing.

Join the Recovery Vow Collective for free: https://www.skool.com/recovery-vow

Connect with Jordan: @jclowww
Connect with Bridget: @soberbridge

Connect with Recovery Vow:
https://recoveryvow.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recoveryvow
Email: [email protected]
Order Marriage After Addiction Here: https://a.co/d/06HGtfCx

New episodes every other Monday.

Top ways to support this podcast:
🔔 Subscribe to our channel
💬 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music

Brandon, Founder and Clinical Director of Southern Pines, survived years of IV heroin and meth addiction. Emily, Lead Therapist at Southern Pines lived as a functioning alcoholic, holding together a career and family while quietly falling apart.

Before helping others find healing, both fought their own battles with addiction. In this episode, they share the moments that nearly cost them their lives. 

Brandon recounts survivaing a near-fatal overdose. Emily shares what it was like to enter treatment and discover she was pregnant. Together, they discuss what finally led them to recovery, how addiction impacts families, and why recovery is about more than simply getting sober.

They also share the heart behind Southern Pines Recovery, an outpatient recovery center in Evans, Georgia that helps individuals and families take the first steps toward lasting healing. 

Whether you're struggling yourself or supporting someone you love, this conversation is a reminder that recovery is possible.

To learn more about Southern Pines Recovery or connect with their team, visit the links below.

Connect with Southern Pines Recovery
Website: https://southernpinesrecovery.com/
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: 706-534-2567
Socials: @southernpinesrecovery 

Connect with us:
Socials: @‌RecoveryVow
Website: Recovery Vow
Email: [email protected]

New episodes every other Monday.

Top ways to support this podcast:
🔔 Subscribe to our channel
💬 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music
Join the Recovery Vow Collective community: 
https://www.skool.com/recovery-vow

Addiction nearly cost Eric Kennedy his life.

In this special episode, the tables are turned as Recovery Vow founder and host Eric Kennedy joins Larry Hagner on The Dad Edge Podcast to share the story behind his recovery journey.

Eric opens up about his battle with alcohol, cocaine, and crack addiction, multiple suicide attempts, divorce, and the road that ultimately led him to lasting recovery. He reflects on the childhood wounds that fueled his addiction, the mistakes he made as a husband and father, and the turning point that changed everything.

Now 15 years sober, Eric shares what he's learned about rebuilding trust, restoring relationships, and becoming a generational breaker instead of a generational blamer. He also discusses the principles behind his workbook, Marriage After Addiction, and why recovery is not just about the person struggling with addiction, but also the spouse learning to walk with them and rebuild trust. 

For listeners who know Eric as the host, this episode offers a candid look at the story that led him to start Recovery Vow and the experiences that shaped its mission.

Connect with Larry Hagner:
Podcast: The Dad Edge
Website: https://thedadedge.com/

Connect with us:
Join our community collective: https://skool.com/recovery-vow
Socials: @‌RecoveryVow
Website: https://www.recoveryvow.com/
Email: [email protected]
Order Marriage After Addiction Workbook: https://a.co/d/0gSVwF6U

New episodes every other Monday.

Top ways to support this podcast:
🔔 Subscribe to our channel
💬 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music

How do you repair a relationship when “sorry” is no longer enough?

In recovery, there comes a point where apologies stop carrying weight and start sounding like empty words to the people you love.

In this episode, Eric Kennedy sits down with Jeff Breedlove, CEO of American Addiction Recovery Association, to talk about one of the hardest truths in addiction recovery: trust is rebuilt through consistent actions over time, not words.

Jeff shares his journey through 30 years of active addiction, 9 years of sobriety, and the reality of rebuilding relationships with his family. Together, they unpack the difference between apologies and living amends, why “I’m sorry” can become triggering for loved ones, and what genuine reconciliation actually looks like.

Whether you are rebuilding trust or waiting to see real change in someone you love, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

Connect with Jeff Breedlove:
Organization: American Addiction Recovery Association
Website: https://eliminatethewhisper.org/
Socials: @‌AARA on all major platforms

Connect with us:
Join our Community Collective: https://skool.com/recovery-vow
Socials: @‌RecoveryVow
Website: Recovery Vow
Email: [email protected]

New episodes every other Monday.

Top ways to support this podcast:
🔔 Subscribe to our channel
💬 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music

In this deeply honest episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast…
We sit down with Dave Willis, marriage coach, pastor, and co-host of the Naked Marriage Podcast. Dave joins Eric Kennedy to unpack one of the most overlooked foundations of recovery: emotional safety. What starts as a conversation about rebuilding trust quickly reveals something deeper… why even after the addiction stops, the relationship can still feel broken.

Eric and Dave take us inside the reality many couples face: the tension at home, the lack of trust, and the quiet distance that replaces connection. From hidden addictions and secrecy to the painful process of rebuilding trust “one drop at a time,” they expose how recovery isn’t just about quitting a behavior… It’s about becoming a safe person again.

This episode is a wake-up call: you can be sober and still unsafe. And if your relationship doesn’t feel safe, nothing you build will last. Real recovery isn’t just about changing actions, it’s about showing up with consistency, honesty, and presence… every single day.

On This Episode:

- Why emotional safety is the true foundation of recovery
- How secrecy and unpredictability silently destroy trust
- The “bucket vs. drops” analogy that explains rebuilding trust
- Why defensiveness and tone can damage more than your actions
- The difference between behavior change… and emotional consistency
- Five pillars that create real safety in relationships
- How small, daily actions rebuild connection over time

Connect with Dave and Ashley Willis:
Podcast: The Naked Marriage Podcast
Socials: @‌daveandashleywillis

Connect with us:

Socials: @‌RecoveryVow
Website: http://recoveryvow.com
Email: [email protected]

New episodes every other Monday!

Top ways to support this podcast:
- Give this video a thumbs up
- Subscribe to our channel
- Follow us on FB and IG
- Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music

When trust is broken, even a simple touch can feel unsafe.

In this powerful and honest episode, Eric sits down with Jeremy Hinote, a counselor and founder of Savannah River Counseling, to unpack what happens when couples try to rebuild intimacy after addiction. What seems like “getting back to normal” can quickly turn into something deeper… learning how to feel safe again.

Jeremy breaks down the four layers of intimacy: 

• Emotional 
• Conversational
• Experiential 
• Physical

Most couples try to fix the last one first. But when trust is broken, even a simple touch can feel unsafe. What once felt like connecting now creates distance.

The takeaway is simple. Intimacy is not rebuilt through pressure; it is rebuilt through consistency. Small steady actions. Showing up. Being honest. Creating safety again. When safety returns, connection follows.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Why your brain shifts into “danger mode” after betrayal
• The 4 layers of intimacy most couples ignore
• Why fixing sex first often backfires
• The role of guilt, shame, and broken trust
• How small daily actions rebuild connection
• What emotional safety actually looks like

Connect with Jeremy Hinote:
Savannah River Counseling / savannahrivercounseling.com

Top ways to support this podcast:
👍 Give this video a thumbs up
🔔 Subscribe to our channel
💬 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music
👩🏻‍💻 Join the Collective! skool.com/recovery-vow