Sharing Without Shame

What happens when you get a second chance at life but still struggle to cope with pain, grief, and addiction?

In this episode of Sharing Without Shame, host Donna Marston sits down with Matt Sisneros, author of The Devil Lost Another One, to discuss his journey from addiction and a 13-year federal prison sentence to faith, personal transformation, and recovery.

Matt opens up about his experience with methamphetamine addiction, the challenges he faced after leaving prison, and how his mother's death triggered a series of relapses. After relapsing eight times in five months, he made the decision to enter Teen Challenge, a Christian-based recovery program that helped him deepen his relationship with God and develop the tools to navigate difficult moments.

Through his story, Matt shares why recovery requires more than simply completing treatment. It involves learning to cope with grief, practicing self-discipline, recognizing risky environments, and making different choices even when temptation feels overwhelming.

He also discusses the importance of planning for life's difficult moments, learning how to have fun sober, and understanding that mistakes do not have to mean the end of the journey. His experiences in prison also taught him valuable lessons about mentorship, perseverance, and the courage it takes to change.

Matt's book, The Devil Lost Another One, captures his transformation as it unfolded, offering readers an honest look at the changing thoughts and perspectives behind his journey. He hopes his story reminds others that they are not too far gone and that there is always hope for a different future.

In this episode, you'll discover:

💠How addiction led Matt down a path that resulted in federal prison.

💠Why grief following his mother's death contributed to repeated relapses.

💠How a Christian-based recovery program helped him strengthen his faith and develop new coping skills.

💠What it means to counsel yourself through temptation by considering the consequences of your choices.

💠Why learning to have fun sober is an important part of recovery.

💠How mentors in prison helped Matt understand the courage required to change.

💠Why families should plan for life after treatment instead of assuming recovery will automatically be smooth.

💠How Matt's book documents his transformation and offers hope to people who feel defined by their past.

About Matt Sisneros

Matt Sisneros is a speaker, author, and advocate for redemption and personal transformation. After serving more than a decade in federal prison, he began rebuilding his life through recovery, faith, and personal responsibility. He is the author of The Devil Lost Another One and is working on The Challenge, a journal-style book documenting a year of personal transformation.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GM33WQDL

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

What happens when shame has shaped the way you see yourself for years, and recovery begins to change that?

In this episode of the Sharing Without Shame Podcast, Donna Marston sits down with Tanya D., a woman in long-term recovery who shares her deeply personal journey from alcohol misuse and shame to sobriety, self-compassion, spiritual growth, and helping others thrive in recovery.

Tanya opens up about growing up with bullying, a difficult home environment, and being an adult child of an alcoholic. She explains how shame followed her into adulthood and how her alcohol use gradually became more destructive—even while she maintained a job, marriage, home, and other parts of what appeared to be a functional life from the outside.

Tanya shares the turning point that ultimately led her to Alcoholics Anonymous after an alcohol-related hospitalization and explains how finding a supportive recovery community changed the direction of her life.

The conversation also explores why getting sober is only one part of recovery. Tanya talks about the importance of therapy, meditation, energy healing, self-compassion, accountability, spirituality, and continuing to grow rather than becoming stuck in recovery.

In This Episode, Tanya Discuss:

💠How shame influenced her life before recovery

💠Growing up with bullying and being an adult child of an alcoholic

💠How her drinking progressed while she continued to appear “high functioning”

💠The experience that became her final drink

💠How she found her first AA meeting and why that recovery community remains important to her

💠Why 12-step recovery gave her a foundation but she eventually felt she needed additional tools

💠How yoga, therapy, meditation, energy healing, and self-compassion became part of her recovery

💠The importance of accountability and finding the right recovery community

💠How her relationship with herself changed through sobriety

💠Why recovery can have a ripple effect on spouses and family members

💠How she and her husband have worked through challenges in their marriage

💠How lived experience can help create a safe environment for others to become vulnerable

💠The inspiration behind her Thriving in Sobriety program

💠Why continuing to “do the work” matters even years into recovery

About Tanya D.

Tanya D. is a Certified Meditation Instructor, Reiki Master, Pranic Healer, holistic recovery and spiritual life coach, SHE RECOVERS® Coach, Yoga4Sobriety Ambassador Liaison, and experienced group facilitator. Drawing on more than a decade of personal recovery from addiction and chronic pain, she combines evidence-based practices with spiritual and energetic modalities to help others move beyond simply surviving and truly thrive in sobriety. Through her signature Thriving in Sobriety approach, Tanya helps clients build emotional resilience, cultivate self-compassion, reconnect with purpose and peace, and create sustainable holistic wellness routines that support freedom, joy, and serenity in everyday life.

Links:

Website: https://www.thepeacewecrave.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepeacewecrave

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepeacewecrave

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpOd02znfwOFjpY_7mXjKkA

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

In this episode of the Sharing Without Shame Podcast, Donna Marston welcomes Amy Tostenson, a nurse with more than 20 years of experience, trauma-informed life coach, and founder of Rise of the Phoenix Coach.

Amy opens up about her personal journey through childhood trauma, addiction, recovery, and rebuilding her life. She shares how destructive behaviors can take many forms and how, for her, addiction shifted over the years from cigarettes and alcohol to other substances, food, over-exercising, sex, and other behaviors.

Amy also explains why simply stopping one addictive behavior isn't always enough. She discusses the concept of cross-addiction and the importance of addressing the underlying trauma, emotional pain, and unmet needs that can fuel destructive behaviors.

In This Episode, Donna and Lisa Discuss:

💠Amy's experience with childhood trauma and addiction

💠How addictive and destructive behaviors can change over time

💠Cross-addiction and replacing one behavior with another

💠Why addressing the root causes of addiction can be important for lasting recovery

💠Amy's experience with homelessness and rebuilding her life

💠The connection between trauma, addiction, and self-esteem

💠Learning self-love, self-worth, and self-respect

💠Amy's experience with AA and Recovery Dharma

💠Why recovery isn't one-size-fits-all

💠The role of mindfulness and meditation in recovery

💠Nervous system regulation and healing

💠Breathwork, grounding, mindful movement, and Tai Chi

💠Developing healthy habits and making them part of everyday life

💠Vulnerability, accountability, and asking for help

💠Why a slip doesn't have to mean giving up

💠Finding hope during difficult seasons

About Amy Tostenson

Amy Tostenson is a nurse with more than 20 years of experience, a trauma-informed life coach, and the founder of Rise of the Phoenix Coach. Drawing from her own experiences with trauma, addiction, recovery, and personal transformation, Amy works with people who want to heal from trauma, maintain recovery, and create greater peace, clarity, purpose, and happiness in their lives.

Links:

Website: https://riseofthephoenixcoach.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiseofthePhoenixCoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riseofthephoenixcoach

Substack: https://riseofthephoenixcoach.substack.com/

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

What happens when alcohol becomes more than something you drink—and starts becoming the way you cope, connect, escape, and survive?

In this conversation, Donna Marston sits down with Lisa Van Slyke, speaker, veteran, author, and creator of the Three Moves Rule, to talk openly about addiction, sobriety, shame, relationships, identity, and the difficult but transformative journey of healing.

Lisa shares that she is six years sober and opens up about a time when alcohol had become her “best friend.” Despite continuing to function as a parent and participating actively in her children's lives, she describes the physical, emotional, and mental toll that drinking was taking on her.

In This Episode, Donna and Lisa Discuss:

💠What it felt like to be “crying for help” while believing nobody was listening

💠How normalized alcohol use can make recognizing a drinking problem more difficult

💠Her experience with alcohol culture in and around the military

💠How childhood expectations and societal pressure contributed to her struggle to discover who she really was

💠What finally helped her move away from alcohol and toward sobriety

💠Why recovery requires more than simply stopping a substance—it requires healing and changing behaviors

💠How alcohol affected her relationships and her sense of self

💠The importance of recognizing when a relationship or situation is “complete”

💠How shame, guilt, and the desire to avoid failure can keep people stuck

💠Why parents and loved ones can become addicted to rescuing, fixing, or controlling outcomes

💠The concept of the “messy middle”—the uncertain space between who you were and who you're becoming

💠Lisa's Three Moves Rule, a practical framework for moving forward when you're overwhelmed

💠Why taking one small action can be more powerful than overthinking the entire future

💠How Lisa continues to intentionally train her mindset around being alcohol-free

💠Her powerful realization that she had been waiting for herself all along

About Lisa Van Slyke:

Lisa Van Slyke is a speaker, transformation coach, Army veteran, and creator of the Three Moves Rule™, a practical framework designed to help people stop spiraling, manage overwhelm, and take their next clear step forward.

Links:

Website: https://stan.store/thelisav

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLisaV/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelisav

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

"Never give up. It's never too late. And no one's ever too far gone.”

In this episode of the Sharing Without Shame Podcast, Donna Marston welcomes author, interventionist, life coach, and recovery coach Jamie McKibben-Reese for an honest conversation about addiction, recovery, family dynamics, codependency, and the healing that happens when we learn to use our voices.

Jamie openly shares that she is in recovery from alcoholism and has been sober since 2017. Rather than presenting recovery as a destination, she describes it as a continually evolving lifestyle that requires self-awareness, accountability, support, and a willingness to keep growing.

In This Episode, Donna and Jamie Discuss:

💠Jamie's personal journey of recovery from alcoholism and what sobriety has taught her

💠Why recovery is a lifestyle rather than simply abstaining from alcohol or substances

💠Jamie's experience with SMART Recovery, cognitive behavioral approaches, mindfulness, yoga, Bible study, and other tools

💠How anxiety contributed to Jamie's drinking and why changing thought patterns became an important part of her recovery

💠The importance of surrounding yourself with safe people who will provide honest accountability

💠Why people in the helping professions also need permission to struggle and give themselves grace

About Jamie McKibben-Reese

Jamie McKibben-Reese is an author, interventionist, life coach, recovery coach, and motivational speaker. She draws from her own experience with alcoholism and recovery to help individuals and families navigate difficult seasons and move toward healing and restoration.

Jamie has been in recovery since 2017 and incorporates a variety of approaches into her own recovery journey, including 12-step principles, SMART Recovery concepts, mindfulness, yoga, Bible study, and community support.

She is also the author of I Never Left You, I've Been Here the Whole Time and God, This Is Your Story Workbook.

Links:

Website: https://authorjmreese.com/

Books: https://books.by/jm-reesebookstore

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifegivinglife/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_jmreese

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

What does it take to rebuild your life after decades of addiction, mental illness, and unimaginable loss?

In this episode of the Sharing Without Shame podcast, host Donna Marston sits down with author Robert Rickelman to discuss his deeply personal journey through childhood trauma, severe anxiety, alcoholism, psychiatric hospitalization, and ultimately, lasting recovery.

Robert shares how growing up with an alcoholic mother shaped his early life, why alcohol became his way of coping, and how addiction nearly cost him everything—including his health, relationships, and future. After years of detox programs, suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and searching for answers, Robert was diagnosed with serious mental health conditions that finally helped explain the struggles he had faced for most of his life.

Together, Donna and Robert also explore:

💠How childhood trauma and anxiety can contribute to addiction

💠The connection between mental illness and substance use disorders

💠What alcohol cravings really feel like

💠The challenges within today's mental health and recovery systems

💠The impact addiction has on families and loved ones

💠The importance of compassion, persistence, and never giving up on recovery

💠Finding purpose by sharing your story with others

Whether you're struggling with addiction, supporting a loved one, or searching for hope after years of setbacks, this conversation offers encouragement, honesty, and the reminder that it's never too late to change your life.

About Our Guest

Robert Rickelman is the author of Jumping to the End, a memoir chronicling his lifelong battle with alcoholism, mental illness, and recovery. Through candid storytelling, he offers readers hope, resilience, and proof that healing is possible—even after decades of struggle.

Website: https://robertrickelman.com/

Book: https://robertrickelman.com/books/jumping-to-the-end

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

Many people believe recovery is simply about quitting alcohol or drugs. But true healing goes much deeper.

In this powerful episode of Sharing Without Shame, Donna Marston sits down with therapist, life coach, recovery support worker, and motivational speaker Kimberly Deziree to discuss how childhood trauma, unresolved emotional wounds, and unhealthy relationship patterns shape our lives—and how doing the inner work can lead to lasting freedom.

Kimberly shares her deeply personal recovery journey, from addiction and destructive relationships to becoming a therapist who now helps others reclaim their lives. Together, she and Donna explore why boundaries are essential, how childhood experiences influence adult behavior, and why healing yourself is one of the greatest gifts you can give both yourself and your family.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

💠 Why addiction is often rooted in unresolved childhood trauma

💠How unhealthy relationships mirror unhealed emotional wounds

💠The importance of boundaries in recovery and emotional health

💠Why healing begins with taking responsibility—not blame

💠How faith, therapy, self-reflection, and inner child work can transform your life

💠Breaking generational cycles of addiction and dysfunction

💠Why recovery is about treating the nervous system—not just stopping substance use

💠The difference between awareness and acceptance

💠How forgiveness creates freedom

💠Why showing up for yourself is the foundation of healing

About the Guest:

Kimberly Deziree is a New Hampshire-based licensed therapist, Certified Life Coach, Certified Recovery Support Worker (CRSW), motivational speaker, and retreat facilitator. With more than a decade of experience helping individuals recover from addiction and trauma, Kimberly combines lived experience with professional expertise to guide others toward healing, personal transformation, and self-actualization. She is currently writing a book focused on reclaiming your life and becoming who you were meant to be.

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.naya/⁠

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

Family addiction doesn't only affect the person using drugs or alcohol—it impacts every person who loves them.

In this episode of Sharing Without Shame, Donna Marston welcomes Dr. Rita Renee, TEDx speaker, author, coach, and founder of Ultimate Powerhouse. While Dr. Rita never struggled with addiction herself, she grew up surrounded by it. Her mother battled alcoholism, her brother struggled with drug addiction, and she carried the silent burden that so many family members know all too well.

Together, Donna and Dr. Rita explore the hidden trauma loved ones experience, why boundaries are an act of love—not punishment—and how healing yourself is just as important as supporting someone else's recovery.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

💠Why addiction affects the entire family—not just the person using

💠The hidden shame carried by parents, siblings, and loved ones

💠How childhood trauma shapes adult relationships

💠Why boundaries are an act of love and self-respect

💠The difference between rescuing someone and supporting them

💠How to stop carrying responsibility for someone else's choices

💠Turning your pain into purpose through healing

💠Why finding your voice is an essential part of recovery

💠Helping teenagers develop resilience and emotional intelligence

💠The importance of breaking generational cycles

About Our Guest

Dr. Rita Renee is a TEDx speaker, international keynote speaker, author, coach, and founder of Ultimate Powerhouse. Having experienced the impact of addiction within her own family and overcoming childhood trauma, she now empowers women to transform adversity into leadership, purpose, and influence.

Through coaching, books, speaking, and mentorship, Dr. Rita helps women discover their authentic voice, heal from past wounds, and confidently step into their calling.

Connect with Dr. Rita Renee

🌐 Website: https://drritarenee.com

🎙️Podcast: https://drritarenee.com/unmute-the-mic/

📚 Powerhouse Speaker: Unmute Book: https://www.amazon.com/power-house-speaker-unmute-shadows/dp/b0fcc9qntv

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

What happens when addiction, mental illness, and unresolved trauma collide within a family?

In this episode of Sharing Without Shame, Donna Marston welcomes Burton Fischler, a trauma survivor, Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor, life coach, and author of The Gift: From Trauma to Triumph.

Burton shares the unimaginable losses that reshaped his life—including the murder of his wife by her son who struggled with severe mental illness and addiction, and the suicide of his second stepson just one year later. Together, Donna and Burton explore the devastating impact addiction has on families, why shame keeps so many people suffering in silence, and how healing begins when we learn to set boundaries, practice self-compassion, and reconnect with our authentic selves.

Burton also explains the role trauma plays in addiction, the science of neuroplasticity, and why recovery is less about punishment and more about love, connection, and taking small actions toward change. If you've ever wondered whether healing is possible after profound loss, this conversation offers hope, wisdom, and practical tools for moving forward.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

💠Why addiction is a biopsychosocial-spiritual disease rather than a moral failing

💠How shame influences enabling behaviors in families

💠 The difference between supporting and enabling a loved one

💠 How neuroplasticity allows the brain to heal and rewire itself

💠 Why changing actions often leads to healthier thinking

💠 The connection between childhood wounds, trauma, and substance use

💠 How self-love and re-parenting practices can support recovery

💠 Why connection, purpose, and compassion are essential components of healing

💠 Burton's journey from surviving tragedy to helping others overcome trauma and addiction

About The Guest:

Burton Fischler holds a Master's degree in Psychology and is a Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and life coach.

After enduring the tragic loss of his wife and stepsons, Burton transformed his pain into purpose. Today, he works at a medically supervised outpatient treatment center in New York City, helping individuals navigate substance use disorders, trauma, and mental health challenges. He also facilitates trauma recovery and self-love workshops and is the author of The Gift: From Trauma to Triumph.

Resources and Links:

(Book) The Gift: From Trauma to Triumph: https://www.amazon.com/GIFT-TRIUMPH-Survivors-Suicide-Addiction-ebook/dp/B0DZK87JFJ

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

In this episode, Donna Marston sits down with Bonnie Tisdale, mother, business owner, recovery advocate, and author of Messy in the Middle: Love, Addiction, and All the Rest.

Bonnie shares the heartbreaking story of losing her son, Frankie, to addiction in 2021 and the lessons she learned navigating years of uncertainty, hope, recovery attempts, relapse, and grief.

Together, Donna and Bonnie discuss the realities of addiction, the stigma families face, and why parents must stop carrying blame for a disease they cannot control. This episode is a powerful reminder that addiction impacts entire families—and that healing begins with compassion, understanding, and connection.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

💠Bonnie's journey as a mother supporting a son struggling with addiction

💠Why addiction is far more complex than simply making bad choices

💠The emotional impact addiction has on siblings, children, and grandparents

💠How shame and stigma prevent families from seeking support

💠Why parents often blame themselves—and why they shouldn't

💠The challenges of relapse after periods of sobriety

💠How Bonnie found healing after losing her son

💠The inspiration behind her upcoming book, Messy in the Middle

💠The importance of loving people for who they are, not who we want them to be

💠Why compassion is one of the most powerful tools in recovery

About the Guest:

Bonnie Tisdale is a mother, entrepreneur, recovery advocate, and author of the upcoming book Messy in the Middle: Love, Addiction, and All the Rest. After losing her son Frankie to addiction in 2021, Bonnie became passionate about helping families understand addiction, navigate grief, and find hope in the midst of life's most difficult challenges.

Through her story, Bonnie offers parents and loved ones reassurance that they are not alone and that healing is possible, even after unimaginable loss.

Resources and Links:

The Messy Middle: Love, Loss & Addiction: https://a.co/d/0aWgiJgH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tizzyfun/

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide here: ⁠ https://swos.sharingwithoutshame.com/5-boundaries

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.