The Broke Girl Society Podcast

The Kitty Chronicles: Part 1 - "Advocacy"

In the first episode of this five part series - we explore the role that advocacy has played in one woman's recovery.  We talk about how our words can fuel stigma, choosing anonymity vs. the vulnerable decision to be public about our disordered gambling experience, and how she found true meaning in her brave efforts to impact legislative policy. In 2012, Kitty was homeless and then spent two months in residential gambling treatment where she first experienced the power of doing advocacy work. Today she is the Executive Director of Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery, an Oregon-based non-profit organization that seeks to Advocate, Educate and Promote Recovery in Portland, Oregon.

You can contact her at www.VPGR.net.

Brian's podcast inspired me to create a podcast as a form of my own personal recovery from compulsive gambling. It's was great to have him on and chat. He shares his story and we talk about different issues related to gambling addiction. 

You can email me at [email protected] or find me on most social media sites @thebrokegirlsociety

- Christina

Michelle M. shares her story of going to law school, passing the bar, having an amazing job, and being a leader in her community all while battling her secret addiction to gambling. Listen in as she talks about becoming addicted at 21 and how that addiction would send her to prison years later. There was a part of her story when she shares that the judge at her sentencing told her she shouldn't continue her education because she didn't deserve to follow her dreams. That couldn't be further from the truth. This addiction can take us to the darkest of places, we are human, we make mistakes. We are all worthy of recover and following our dreams. By doing so, we become better human beings, more passionate about changing our lives and the lives of those around us. Please don't ever believe anything different. Michelle's story will prove it!

Christina

[email protected]

Terra and I are back with our Step 4 episode. Making a fearless and moral and financial inventory of ourselves. This is a great conversation about really looking at ourselves and taking stock of what we feel are area's we need to work on to achieve and maintain a healthy recovery. 

Be sure and check out Terra's podcast Ambitious Addicts: Beyond the Twelve Steps

- Christina    

Recovery Road Online Co-Founders (2 of 4) Bruce and Heather come on the podcast and share their own stories of recovery and how RRO came about. RecoveryRoadOnline.com is a great resource for all things recovery healing. They have zoom meetings and 12 step materials. You can also find special guest speaker videos. There is also RRO family group to help affected family members find their own understanding and healing.

You can also join them on Facebook.  

-Christina

Link to RRO: https://recoveryroadonline.com

My friend Josh joins me to chat with Debbie who is just beginning her recovery journey. She's 2 days in and she comes on to share why she thinks this time will be different and what she's doing differently to help her in this journey. Listening to her talk about the different experiences she had while self-excluding reminded me that there is one casino I have yet to ban myself from. Honestly, I just haven't wanted to be anywhere near it but I think that journey is coming up soon.

Thanks for listening in! 

Christina

I just thought I would take a moment (or 20) and tell you how grateful I am for your support and to share with you different tools I've come across in my own personal journey of recovery. 

Jody Bechtold works on the clinical side of problem gambling recovery. She heads up The Better Institute where she helps individuals and families struggling with problem gambling. I was so thankful she agreed to come on the podcast and share her insight and knowledge with us. It was a wonderful conversation and I truly look forward to working with her in the future.

You can reach Jody through betterInstitute.com and as always you can reach me @ [email protected] or @thebrokegirlsociety on most social media.