September is National Recovery Month. In honor of that, I'm really focusing on people who don't get a lot of support, and those are the people who don't resonate with traditional recovery programs. If you are someone who wants to find your own path, and you are willing to do the work of recovery, then I got you! I am doing a mini-series called Sobriety 101 where you'll get practical advice on the tools and practices that will help you overcome common obstacles along your journey so you can stay sober too.

Be sure you're subscribed to the podcast in your favorite podcast player and on youtube!

Today I sit down with Daniel Chase, a kitchen and bath remodeling business owner who spent over a decade living a double life: a Bible quizzer and gang member at once, a successful plumber running crews across three states while still using meth. He was arrested 16 times. His father checked into rehab 11 times before he took his own life.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How forgiveness helped Daniel stay sober

• Why his father's 11 stays in rehab shaped Daniel's own recovery

• The moment of true surrender that broke him open at a men's retreat

• How he built a new 12-step curriculum blending faith, the traditional steps, and DBT, now used in four inpatient programs and

• Why he believes mental health has to come before addiction in real recovery

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think!

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website: https://finallyheflew.com/

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

September is National Recovery Month, so I'm kicking off a mini-series called Sobriety 101. This one's for anyone who wants a path to recovery outside of the traditional 12 steps.

I'm a 12-stepper myself, but after 450+ episodes of this podcast, I know there isn't just one way to get and stay sober. In this episode, I'm sharing what I would do first if I were starting over today and didn't want to go the 12-step route: get brutally honest with myself about whether I can actually moderate.

I talk about my own two years of trying (and failing) to control my drinking, the writing exercise I'd use to get clarity fast, and a warning about "coaches" who prey on people who aren't ready to fully give up alcohol.

Today marks 11,821 days sober for me, one day at a time.

This episode is brought to you by Soberlink, a high-tech breathalyzer with facial recognition and tamper sensors that sends results straight to the people who need proof you're doing the work. Go to soberlink.com/oneday to claim your $100 enrollment bonus with a qualifying plan.

Next week: how to get through your first week of sobriety, nervous system regulation, and how to identify (and survive) your drinking triggers.

If there's a topic you want me to cover in this series, leave a comment and let me know.

Subscribe on YouTube and Apple Podcasts, and share this with someone who needs it.

This episode is a continuation of the step work I've been doing with friend Sonia Kahlon the host of the Sisters In Sobriety Podcast. We've both been getting really positive feedback so I'm excited to share this one with you!

Today we dig into Step Six: which is "Were entirely ready to have God remove our character defects" Let me say right off the bat, that we do address that term "character defects" and offer maybe more palatable phrasing, so if that bothers you just know it doesn't have to be a barrier.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Step Six is really the "ish" step, and what that means for perfectionism in recovery

• How envy quietly becomes the thief of joy

• Why resentments build like pebbles in a sack until we collapse under the weight

• What internal family systems work (and "Manager Marge") looks like on an anxious morning

If you find this podcast helpful in any way, please share it with a friend! And if you haven't watched these on YouTube yet, I highly recommend it. Be sure to subscribe and all that stuff. It really helps me get the message of recovery out to those who need it most.

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Sonia!

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website: https://thesobercurator.com/

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

Relapse is one of the biggest problems people in recovery face, especially in the beginning. For most of us, it takes multiple attempts before we can stay sober.

Today I sit down with Paul Schulte, an EMDR expert and trainer to talk about how EMDR can help with relapse prevention. Paul is bbased in Barcelona and he is coming up on 23 years of sobriety! He's the creator of the iMover app, a guided EMDR tool that helps with relapse prevention. This app has also helped people with extreme cases of trauma, like soldiers, refugees, and abuse survivors.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How EMDR helped Paul finally integrate decades of unprocessed grief

• Why talk therapy so often can't reach trauma, and how EMDR does

• How childhood trauma gets hardwired in the nervous system and repurposed under adult stress

• Why relapse, not the physical symptoms we usually name, is the real number one symptom of alcoholism

Before we jump in, did you know we have a youtube channel with over 750 videos? It's called, you guessed it, The one day at a time recovery podcast! Oddly enough my team tells me that only 43% of listeners subscribe. So if you could do me a huge favor, and so that you don't miss new episodes, please hit that subscribe button. It costs you nothing, it only takes a second, and it's a huge help to me in getting the message of recovery out to those who desperately need it. Thanks friend!

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Paul.

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website: https://emdrbypaul.com/

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

If you've been listening to the podcast for any length of time, you know that I love to support sober authors.When I got sober 32 years ago, there were exactly zero memoirs about recovering from alcoholism and addiction. I'm so grateful that nowadays, so many people are sharing their stories, so the people who are thinking about quitting can see that it's possible for them too.

Today I sit down with Tracy Viola, author of Pretty Wrecked: Confessions of a Teen Addict, who got sober at 19, over 30 years ago, after a childhood shaped by her parents' divorce, an abusive stepfather, and an absent, alcoholic father.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Tracy's NERD mantra keeps her making the next right decision, one day at a time

• The trash can metaphor she uses to describe carrying (and finally unpacking) trauma

• How she made peace with her father by separating fault from responsibility

• Why she teaches teenagers about the "red zone" and a "yellow light" approach to risk

• How surviving a college sexual assault shaped the work she does with teens today

There are a lot of insightful nuggets in this conversation, especially if you're early in recovery. If you need a basic breakdown of how to stay sober for your first 30 days, there's a free guide at odatchat.com. There's also links in the show notes for all the action steps and resources mentioned there, including Tracy's new book!

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Tracy.

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website: https://www.tracyviolaauthor.com/

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

Since it has been 10 years since I started the podcast, I wanted to highlight some of the most popular episodes with you. This one is with Dr. Anna Lembke. She is Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University and author of the #1 Bestseller "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance In the Age of Indulgence".

Over the years, I have found myself repeatedly sharing what I learned from her book, to explain the role dopamine plays in addiction, why we get so depleted of dopamine after drinking and using, and how we can speed up the process of healing.

If you are early in recovery and you're struggling you don't have to do this alone. There are many paths to recovery, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. If traditional methods haven't worked for you, you might want to consider coaching. I have been supporting people in early recovery for over 30 years now. In my process, I use methods like internal family systems, hypnosis, and goal-oriented coaching to help you get to the root causes and help you build momentum in sobriety. If you'd like to learn more, visit makesobrietystick.com to see if coaching is for you.

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Dr. Anna Lembke.

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website:

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

Have you ever felt like the shame after a relapse was worse than the relapse itself?

Today I sat down with Tyler Patrick, a licensed marriage and family therapist and co-founder of Therapy Brothers, who has been in his own recovery for nearly 20 years.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How the trauma tree shows the real roots behind relapse and acting out

• The racetrack of shame and why beating yourself up keeps you stuck

• The three Cs of shame resilience

and

• A simple self-compassion practice you can use today

Don't forget to check the show notes for a podcast summary with links to resources we mention and a list of action steps that will improve the quality of your sobriety.

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Tyler.

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website: https://www.therapybrothers.org/

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

00:00 Introduction to Tyler Patrick and today's topic

01:00 What you'll learn by the end of this episode

01:30 Tyler's background as a licensed therapist since 2005

02:00 Tyler opens up about his own recovery journey

03:00 Why shame can be more destructive than addiction itself

05:00 The "trauma tree": how core beliefs drive relapse

07:00 The racetrack of shame explained

12:00 The "case of the fuck its" and the "what the hell effect"

17:00 Why self-trust matters more than willpower

18:30 C1: Using context to normalize your struggle

21:00 C2: Courage: telling your story for the first time

27:00 The four qualities of a safe person to confide in

33:00 C3: Compassion and the Kristin Neff method

36:00 Why repetition rewires your nervous system

41:00 Tyler's real-life story of catching a trigger before church

46:00 The law of 51%: why you don't need to be perfect

50:00 Tyler's closing word of hope for newcomers

51:00 Where to find Tyler and Therapy Brothers

I sat down with Sunshine Witchski to talk about what happens when you finally stop hiding the parts of yourself that don't fit the mold.

➡️ Creating a safe place for people who want to get sober

➡️ How she rebuilt every single one of the twelve steps with her own spiritual spin...

➡️ What being a "witch" actually means and why it has nothing to do with what you've been told...

Sunshine got sober on October 9, 2019, six months before the world shut down, and she describes that first year as one of the loneliest of her life. She'd found the rooms that saved her, but she still felt like she had to leave part of herself outside the door. So over time, she built the thing she wished had existed: a recovery community where you don't have to choose between your sobriety and your spirituality.

Here is what you will take away from this episode:

✴️ The two mantras that have carried her through her whole healing journey - change is constant, and everything happens for a reason

✴️ What does a witch actually believe? It's less pointy hats, more healer, empath, and psychic arts

✴️ Recovery is not one-size-fits-all - she rebuilt the twelve steps her own way and it worked

✴️ Trusting her intuitive gifts became one of her biggest protections against relapse

✴️ Building community means nobody has to feel alone in this anymore

Today I sit down with Brannon Patrick, co-host of the very popular podcast, "Therapy Brothers", and as you may have guessed, he and his brother-in-law are therapists! Brannon has spent 20 years treating addiction. I loved talking with him, not only because he really understands addiction but because he is also very compassionate. I feel like I found a new friend and I can't wait for you to meet him!

This is a back-to-basics episode. So whether you're at the beginning of your sobriety journey or you want to prevent a relapse, this episode is for you.

In today's episode, you'll learn:

- Why the right intention matters more than willpower

- Why you need outside support and other voices in your first 30 days

- Why big life decisions should wait until after year one

- The Five A's for handling a craving: aware, accept, acknowledge, assess, act

- Why treating your addiction like a frenemy, not an enemy, can reduce shame

One more thing I have to share before we jump in, is I now have 50 Beta users for the ReInvent manifestation journaling app! I am already getting exciting feedback. Yolanda is my number 1 user and she reported the biggest win since I launched the app. She told me "Some really good things have happened, and it could be a coincidence, but I just signed a new client that had been stalling, with a contract value of $2,500/mo!" I'm so happy for her! Great work Yolanda!

If you want to experience the power of manifestation journaling, you can still get a free trial by visiting getreinvent.app

So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Brannon.

SHOW NOTES:

Guest Website: https://www.brannonpatrick.com/

👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

Here are 3 ways to get started:

🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

https://www.makesobrietystick.com

Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE.

You can also watch the interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast

Before I jump into this week's episode, I have a new resource that will help those who struggle with finances. After announcing that I launched a manifestation journaling app called ReInvent that helps reframe limiting belief, I realized that I didn't really provide much context!

To remedy that, there is now a blog . I have posted my own personal story of how I tripled my income with this practice. I also include some of the science behind creating empowering beliefs, law of attraction, and wealth creation. You can find it at blog.getreinvent.app. If you are into manifesting, journaling, and reinventing your identity, you can try the app free at https://getreinvent.app

Today, I have a very important episode for you, especially if you are going through a high conflict divorce or if you are dealing with post divorce abuse.

In this episode I sit down with Ksenia Muench, a divorce coach who specializes in high-conflict divorce and post-separation abuse. Ksenia walked through her own six-figure, high-conflict divorce, and she now helps women go from feeling completely powerless to becoming the CEO of their own divorce.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to self-soothe without numbing or reaching for a substance

• Why the harassment doesn't stop when the papers are signed

• The gray rock method for staying grounded without reacting

• How to rebuild trust in yourself and redefine who you are

Guest Website: https://www.thriveagaindivorcecoaching.com/