Steppin' Out Radio

Television Legend Gavin MacLeod @itsgavinmacleod is known for his roles on long-lasting TV shows. He was Joseph "Happy" Haines on McHale's Navy, Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Capt. Merrill Steubing on The Love Boat. But all though his success as a leading TV actor, MacLeod battled depression and alcoholism to the point he nearly took his own life. But he chose to quit "cold turkey" one day in 1974 and has been sober since. MacLeod discusses his life and his transformation achieved through strength and hope.

Artie Lange (@artiequitter), the actor, comedian, and talk show host best known for his escapades on the Howard Stern Show reveals how he came back from rock bottom. He was one of the most successful comedians in the country at the time, selling out theaters and reaching millions of listeners a day as Howard Stern's sidekick. But just as his first book, Too Fat To Fish, was released, Lange stabbed himself in the stomach nine times while deep in the throes of heroin addiction. He wouldn't appear on a comedy stage for the next year and a half, and to this day he hasn't stepped foot back inside Howard Stern's studio. Hear Artie's terrifying and fascinating story straight from his new book, Crash and Burn, about how he finally found peace in his life, and what he does on a daily basis to stay sober.

Lee can never remember a time in which he felt as if he fit in. Growing up a gay male in a Southern Baptist family & town, he could not be comfortable. But one day at age 17, he had his first drink. And Lee thinks that first drink, which lead to an increased comfort and confidence, would lead to his use of Crystal Meth. His regular dealer would teach him to smoke the drug, which turned his world upside down and into hell. From that point on, he became the typical junkie; Lee couldn't hold a job.

Mike is a recovering alcoholic who whole enjoying sobriety tried crystal meth for the first time at a party. At the very beginning, Mike loved meth; it allowed him to stay up longer, have more fun, push his creative output more, etc. But in six months, it all turned horrible for Mike; he tried smoking the meth instead of snorting it. He says the drug's potency increased in multiples; and soon he found himself forgoing work and every other responsibility. He would combine his meth use with marijuana and club/sex drugs like ecstasy. Within two years, he was unemployed and unemployable.

As founder of the Full Recovery Wellness Center in New Jersey, Brian McAlister is dedicated to helping recovering people achieve spiritual, personal and financial empowerment. He understands through personal experience that everything needed to live a harmonious life of progress and prosperity already exists within us. The Full Recovery program is designed to draw it out while simultaneously administering a holistic addiction treatment solution. Brian is also the author of the best-seller Full Recovery.

Kimberly Cramer is a therapist with Reawakenings Wellness Center in Miramar, Fla. During her career she has worked with addictions and co-occurring disorders in state court ordered, community, and private environments at different levels of care. Her vast experience with family, addictions, trauma, and mood disorders have facilitated success with clients, who have one or several relapses, from all different backgrounds.

Greg Fitzsimmons is a stand-up comedian and television writer/producer. A regular guest on The Howard Stern Show, Chelsea Lately, The Adam Carolla Show, and The Joe Rogan Experience. His 2011 book, Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons received critical praise from NPR and Vanity Fair. But Greg is also an addict who had found recovery early on in life. He discusses his addiction and recovery in his book.

Author Michael Lassman writes: "There are 100 different ways to get sober and I've tried them all. But there is only ONE common element in every recovery, and that is God. Without His grace, His power, and His direction the battle is unwinnable… is about the journey of recovery. If I had to single out one turning point, it came one day in my last treatment facility and I can't explain why it was that day, and not the hundreds of other days I so desperately wanted to get sober. The best way to describe why that day was different would be with one word, 'Surrender'. Something just came over me that afternoon and I just gave up, threw up my hands, and was ready to let go of everything I was desperately trying to hold on to. It was like the "old me" just died that day and the next morning I awoke as a new person. Letting go of my pride, my ego, my possessions, my reputation, and most importantly my family were all the critical ingredients for my survival. "

Karen Casey, Ph.D., a Naples, FL resident since 1991, published her first book, in 1982. This daily meditation book for women in recovery has sold more than 3 million copies. Her memoir, My Story to Yours, which was published as an e-book and available on Amazon and from Hazelden. Karen has written more than 25 books in her career. Her love of writing began in elementary school but it lay dormant for many years as she fought with her own self through trials of addiction. It was not until she began working on her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, that she discovered both her passion and her sobriety through twelve-step support groups, to which she continues to participate and coach others.

Aaron is an Emotions Addict. He is a member of a fellowship, Emotions Anonymous, which offers a twelve-step style approach to dealing with emotional issues such as rage and depression, who also might see these issues as root causes of other addictive behaviors. An emotions addict, Aaron says, can't resolve emotional distress most as people might be able. For him, he says, he can become angry at another person to the point he could lose control and erupt in rage to the point he'd even hurt himself.