In this powerful episode of the Recovery Vow Podcast, we sit down for an honest roundtable conversation about what real recovery looks like behind closed doors with Jordan Shelton, Dr. John A. King and Matt Robinson. This episode dives deep into the struggles we face when addiction impacts trust, intimacy, and emotional safety—and how healing happens through vulnerability, accountability, and community.

You’ll hear practical insights, hard-earned wisdom, and hope-filled encouragement for those navigating betrayal, rebuilding trust, and pursuing lifelong recovery together. Whether you’re in early recovery or years into the journey, this conversation will remind you that transformation is possible—and you don’t have to walk it alone.

Top ways to support this podcast:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Recovery Vow Podcast, host Eric Kennedy sits down with two very special guests — Zack Straughn and Katherine Straughn — and their story comes full circle in the most beautiful way.

Katherine first joined the podcast in February 2025. Zack followed in May 2025. At the time, they each shared their individual journeys of recovery — stories marked by honesty, growth, and transformation. What no one fully saw coming? They would later find love in each other… and get married.

In this heartfelt conversation, Eric brings them together to talk about what it looks like to build a relationship in recovery. Both Zack and Katherine are in recovery, but their struggles don’t define them — they are defined by resilience, faith, commitment, and love. Their story is a powerful reminder that recovery doesn’t disqualify you from a beautiful future. It doesn’t mean you have to walk alone. Healing and healthy love are possible.

Together, they open up about:

- Finding love while doing the hard work of recovery

- Building trust, vulnerability, and spiritual intimacy

- Navigating relationship dynamics with sobriety at the center

- Why recovery is part of their story — but not the whole story

If you’ve ever wondered whether lasting love is possible after addiction, this episode is for you.

Connect with us:

Top ways to support this podcast:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with AJ—Director of Community Engagement at End Overdose, a nonprofit on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis—who is turning his past into purpose.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this gripping episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with Jonathan, a former high-profile business manager who represented stars like Linkin Park, Halsey, and Matthew McConaughey. Jonathan opens up about the "pseudo self" he created to hide a dark secret: a severe gambling addiction that led him to embezzle $7 million from the very clients who trusted him as a friend.

Jonathan courageously details his six-year double life, the delusion of "borrowing" money he couldn't pay back, and the rock bottom moment where he used cocaine hoping to induce a heart attack to escape the shame. He shares his journey through federal prison, the humility of being fired from a fast-food job after managing millions, and how he found a new calling as a therapist helping others.

This conversation is a raw look at the destructive power of addiction, the weight of accountability, and the incredible truth that no matter how far you fall, you can rebuild a life of service and integrity.

On This Episode:

• Managing millions for celebrities while living a double life

• The psychology of the "Pseudo Self" and hiding trauma

• How a gambling addiction spiraled into $7 million in theft

• The rock bottom: Suicidal ideation and heart disease

• Life in federal prison and the difficulty of re-entering society

• Getting fired from Dunkin' Donuts: A lesson in humility

• Making amends when you can't speak to the victims

• Finding true purpose as a therapist and program director

Connect with us: 

Socials: @RecoveryVow

Website: recoveryvow.com 

Email: [email protected]

New episodes each Monday!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this harrowing and miraculous episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with Jacob Klein, a music producer and speaker who survived the unimaginable: five fentanyl overdoses in just two weeks.

Jacob shares his intense journey from a child with a "busy mind" to a heroin addict following in the tragic footsteps of a father he lost to the same disease. He opens up about the insanity of the addictive cycle—describing how he would wake up from an overdose only to plot how to use again immediately.

From the heart-stopping moment an EMT recognized him on a McDonald’s bathroom floor to the quiet desperation of detoxing alone in a dingy motel room with only a mantra to keep him alive, Jacob’s story is a testament to the human will to survive. This conversation proves that no matter how many times you fall, or how close to death you come, it is never too late to rewrite your legacy.

On This Episode:

• The genetic legacy: Losing a father to addiction and a mother’s recovery

• From snorting to shooting: The rapid escalation of opioid addiction

• The "insanity" of trying to cheat an overdose

• Waking up to the same EMT three times

• The Facebook photo that made him realize he lost 8 years of time

• Detoxing in a motel: "I don't want to die a junkie"

• How Jacob is using music and his voice to help others today

Connect with Jacob: 

Music: J-Klein on all streaming platforms 

Instagram: @officialjkline

Connect with us: 

Socials: @RecoveryVow 

Website: recoveryvow.com 

Email: [email protected]

New episodes each Monday!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thought-provoking episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with Jeff Burningham, an entrepreneur who built billion-dollar companies and ran for Governor of Utah, only to realize his greatest struggle wasn't failure—it was an addiction to "doing."

Jeff opens up about climbing the mountain of success only to find a "cold, howling wind" at the top. He shares the profound realization he had on the banks of the Ganges River regarding life and death, and how that led him to write his national bestselling book, The Last Book Written by a Human.

Together, they discuss the rise of AI as a "cosmic mirror" for humanity, why we numb ourselves with achievement and technology, and why the simple act of sitting in stillness is the most radical tool for healing we have. This conversation is a wake-up call to stop "human doing" and start "human being."

On This Episode:

• The "addiction to doing" and the emptiness of outer achievement

• The Ganges River moment: Seeing life, death, and rebirth simultaneously

• Why AI is a "cosmic mirror" that forces us to look at ourselves

• Meditation: Why sitting still is terrifying but necessary

• How to find "flow states" in nature to heal the brain

• Why "Heaven is Now" and the importance of the present moment

Connect with Jeff Burningham: 

Book: The Last Book Written by a Human 

Website: jeffburningham.com

Connect with us: 

Socials: @RecoveryVow 

Website: recoveryvow.com 

Email: [email protected]

New episodes each Monday!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this inspiring episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with "Recovery Jon," a social media influencer and advocate who turned a life of trafficking, addiction, and arrests into a platform that reaches millions.

Jon opens up about the childhood trauma that severed his connection with God at age 12, leading to an anger-filled adolescence and a spiral into opiate addiction. He shares the harrowing reality of the opioid epidemic—from trafficking drugs across state lines to staring down the barrel of a gun and feeling nothing but apathy.

Together, they discuss the moment of surrender in a holding cell that changed everything, the power of the 12 steps, and how Jon used social media to show the world that recovery is possible. This conversation is a powerful testament that no matter how far you fall—even if you end up in a jail cell instead of Yankee Stadium—God’s plan for your life is bigger than your past.

On This Episode:

• The childhood trauma that led Jon to stop praying for years

• From baseball dreams to the nightmare of opiate trafficking

• The "gun to the head" moment and the apathy of addiction

• The jail cell realization: "This is not Yankee Stadium"

• How posting a "before and after" photo launched a movement

• Finding a "spiritual bank account" and rebuilding self-worth

• The full-circle moment of standing in center field at Yankee Stadium

Connect with Jon: 

TikTok/Socials: @RecoveryJon

Connect with us: 

Socials: @RecoveryVow 

Website: recoveryvow.com 

Email: [email protected]

New episodes each Monday!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Trauma, Sex Addiction & Necrophilia. Viewer Discretion Advised

In this raw and intense episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with Evelyn to share her harrowing story of discovery, betrayal, trauma, and the fight to save a marriage that was built on lies. After twenty years of what she thought was a happy union, a transatlantic cruise became the setting for a nightmare when her husband began confessing to a decade-long double life....

Evelyn courageously opens up about the devastating reality of "trickle truth"—from learning about massage parlors to discovering a history of prostitution and disturbing addictions that spanned their entire marriage.... She details the immense emotional and financial toll of sex addiction, the grueling process of full disclosure, and how therapies like EMDR and brain mapping helped her navigate the shock....

This heart-wrenching conversation is a testament to the complexity of the vow "for better or for worse." Evelyn’s journey reminds us that while betrayal shatters trust, finding one's voice through truth and recovery can lead to a new kind of survival.

On This Episode:

• The "cruise ship confession" that changed everything

• Understanding the pain and damage of "trickle truth" 

• The reality of sex addiction, process addiction, and betrayal trauma

• How EMDR and brain scans aided in processing the shock

• Counting the cost: The financial and emotional price of addiction

• Why Evelyn chose to stay and how she found an outlet in writing

Connect with Evelyn: 

Book: Shattered Vows

Music: Evelyn Reed on iTunes/Spotify

Connect with us: 

Socials: @RecoveryVow Website: recoveryvow.com 

Email: [email protected]

New episodes each Monday!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode delivers an honest and deeply grounded conversation about recovery, trauma, and long-term healing.

Eric is joined by Arlina Allen, recovery coach, author, and podcast host, who shares her story of getting sober at 25 after years of childhood sexual abuse, family dysfunction, and emotional pain that shaped her relationship with alcohol, identity, and self-worth.

Arlina opens up about how early trauma and parental divorce created a deep sense of shame, powerlessness, and self-blame—patterns that later fueled addiction and destructive coping. She explains how trauma impacts the nervous system, why reactions are often “historical” rather than situational, and how unresolved pain shows up in relationships, anger, anxiety, and perfectionism.

With more than three decades of sobriety, Arlina reflects on the practices that supported her healing, including self-inventory, gratitude, mindfulness, and redefining her understanding of God in a way that felt safe, compassionate, and accessible. She also breaks down common misconceptions about 12-step recovery, the difference between meetings and the program, and why long-term sobriety requires ongoing spiritual and emotional maintenance.

This episode is a thoughtful exploration of what it means to heal from trauma, release shame-based beliefs, and build a life rooted in honesty, service, and personal responsibility.

On This Episode:

Arlina’s path to sobriety and early childhood trauma

How sexual abuse, neglect, and divorce shape addiction

Why emotional reactions are often tied to unresolved pain

The role of gratitude and mindfulness in recovery

Redefining God after religious wounds

Clarifying myths and misunderstandings about 12-step recovery

Connect with Arlina Allen:

Instagram: @arlinaallen

Book: The 12-Step Guide for Skeptics

Connect with Us:

Socials: @RecoveryVow

Website: recoveryvow.com

Email: [email protected]

New episodes every Monday

Support The Recovery Vow Podcast:

👍 Like this video

🔔 Subscribe to the channel

💬 Share with someone who needs encouragement

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Recovery Vow Podcast, Eric sits down with Kelly Wafford and Aubrey Howard, the women behind Rock & Meadow, to talk about grief, calling, faith, and why healing can’t be rushed.

What started as premarital counseling turned into grief work, deep friendship, and eventually a calling that required patience, obedience, and a willingness to sit in the waiting room with God.

They share why skipping grief creates long-term damage, how control can mask unprocessed pain, and what it looks like to build a life — and a mission — rooted in faith, courage, and resolve.

If you’re in transition, recovery, or asking “what’s next?”, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

In This Episode:

Why skipping grief isn’t healthy

The danger of rushing healing and “reframing too fast”

How Rock & Meadow was birthed in a waiting season

Faith, counseling, and doing the work together

“You’re doing better than you think — but there’s more”

Connect with Rock & Meadow:

Website: rockandmeadows.com

Instagram: @rockandmeadows

Connect with us:

Socials: @RecoveryVow

Website: recoveryvow.com

Email: [email protected]

New episodes every Monday!

👍 Like this video

🔔 Subscribe to the channel

💬 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook

🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices