The Recovery Couch

What happens when you've done everything you're supposed to do—and you're still hurting?

In this raw solo episode, Brandon Couch shares the emotional reality of recovery after more than 103 weeks of sobriety. He discusses the loneliness that can follow addiction, the pain of broken relationships, recovery stigma, the difference between being heard and being corrected, and why emotional healing often takes far longer than getting sober.

If you've ever wondered why recovery still feels heavy, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone.

Topics include:

• Emotional sobriety

The Recovery Couch is where authentic conversations about addiction, resilience, faith, mental health, and second chances happen every week.

Brandon Couch flips the mic on himself in this solo episode of The Recovery Couch, opening up about the fear of not knowing what's next — in recovery, in business, and in life. He traces the origin of both the podcast and its parent company, True Story Media, and gets honest about the doubts, growth pains, and faith that have carried him through 17-plus months of sobriety-fueled entrepreneurship. Expect real talk on rock bottom, relapse, trust, and what it means to keep going even when nobody's cheering.

1. How do you recover from addiction without knowing what's next? You recover one day at a time by focusing on the next right action instead of the finish line. Brandon Couch describes it as "drops in a bucket" — small, consistent actions like attending meetings, staying accountable, and trusting God, rather than waiting to see the full outcome before committing to the process.

2. What causes relapse? Relapse often starts with old coping mechanisms resurfacing under stress — money problems, job loss, relationship strain, or simply being around triggers like alcohol or drug use. Brandon Couch explains that fear of these situations can pull someone back toward familiar, unhealthy patterns if they aren't actively working recovery.

3. How can faith help recovery? Faith provides purpose beyond willpower alone. Brandon Couch credits God with calling him out of addiction and into sobriety, using scripture ("God did not give us a spirit of fear") to reframe fear as something to move through rather than obey, giving him strength on hard days.

4. What is the real definition of "rock bottom" in addiction? According to the episode, rock bottom isn't a specific event — it's the moment someone chooses to stop digging. It's a decision point, not a location, meaning anyone can hit rock bottom and begin recovery at any depth of their addiction.

5. Why does growth feel uncomfortable in recovery? Growth requires leaving familiar, even painful, patterns behind. Brandon Couch says growth has been one of the hardest lessons to embrace because comfort — even unhealthy comfort — feels safer than the unknown of change.

What if healing from addiction started with your cells, not just your mindset? In this episode of The Recovery Couch, host Brandon Couch sits down with Debbie Schmitmeyer, owner of Prime IV Hydration and Wellness in Springboro, Ohio, to break down how IV therapy, vitamin injections, and cryotherapy can support the body during recovery from addiction and beyond.

Debbie spent 15 years in pharmaceutical sales before pivoting to holistic wellness, and she brings that clinical background into a candid conversation about nutrient depletion, gut health, and why hydration matters more than most people realize.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Whether you're in recovery, supporting a loved one, or just curious about functional wellness, this episode offers a science-backed, faith-rooted look at healing the whole person — body and mind.

📍 Prime IV Hydration Springboro: 746 Gardner Road, Springboro, OH (across from DLM)

🌐 primeivhydration.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Recovery Couch for more conversations on addiction recovery, sobriety, and holistic health.

#RecoveryCouch #AddictionRecovery #IVTherapy #Cryotherapy #NADTherapy #SobrietyPodcast #HolisticHealth #SpringboroOhio #PrimeIVHydration #Sobriety

Tags: IV hydration therapy, cryotherapy benefits, NAD+ therapy, addiction recovery podcast, opioid withdrawal support, gut health, glutathione, holistic wellness, Prime IV Hydration Springboro, sobriety podcast, functional medicine, recovery nutrition

In this episode of The Recovery Couch, host Brandon Couch talks with Kenneth O'Neal, a behavioral health technician in Shreveport, Louisiana, about his 15-year battle with opiate addiction, homelessness, and the legal system — and the surrender that finally led to sobriety on January 12, 2024.

Kenneth shares candidly about losing a college scholarship, his brother's overdose death, unknowingly ingesting fentanyl-laced meth, cycling through treatment centers and Drug Court, and the toll addiction took on his marriage and children. He and Brandon also dig into the difference between using medication as prescribed versus abusing it, and how to encourage someone on medication-assisted treatment toward full sobriety without shame.

This episode is a testimony of faith, accountability, and gratitude — and a reminder that no matter how far someone has fallen, recovery through surrender to a higher power is possible.

Grab a copy of Brandon's book, "Step Four: A Journey Through Addiction," his own roadmap to finding God and getting sober.

New episodes of The Recovery Couch drop weekly — real stories of faith, struggle, and recovery, one conversation at a time.

Jason Creery spent 30 years battling heroin and meth addiction and over 22 years homeless on the streets of Seattle, Texas, and Florida — surviving violence, addiction, and unimaginable loss.

Today he's 11 months sober from alcohol, years clean from heroin, happily married, in school to become a counselor, and just published his memoir, "Breaking the Chains."

In this raw, faith-centered conversation, Jason opens up about:

✅ Driving an 18-wheeler while drinking a gallon of vodka a day

✅ The moment he called his boss drunk and turned himself in

✅ Surviving 22+ years of homelessness in Seattle, Texas & Florida ✅ Losing his mother to suicide and how it shaped his relationship with alcohol

✅ How a chance encounter with a corrections officer in jail became a divine turning point

✅ Supporting his wife through a multiple sclerosis diagnosis while getting sober

✅ Writing and publishing his first book, "Breaking the Chains"

✅ Launching his own recovery podcast to help others This is a story about rock bottom, radical honesty, transformational love, and the power of faith to rebuild a shattered life. 📖 Get Jason's book "Breaking the Chains" on Amazon (Kindle, paperback & hardback)

🎙️ Follow Jason's upcoming podcast: Breaking the Chains Podcast If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone — there is always a seat on the Recovery Couch.

🔔 Subscribe to The Recovery Couch for new episodes every week featuring real stories of faith, recovery, and transformation.

Is addiction really an incurable brain disease — or is it a spiritual yoke that can be fully broken? In this episode of The Recovery Couch, host Brandon Couch sits down with author Thomas W. Pohl to unpack his book "Deliverance from Addiction: Breaking the Yoke and Healing the Hurt."

Thomas shares the difference between recovery and deliverance, why he believes addiction is rooted in unresolved trauma, and how faith-based deliverance offers a more permanent path forward than lifelong management. Brandon and Thomas also dig into a candid, no-holds-barred debate on marijuana, Xanax, and opiate pain medication — weighing the risks and benefits for people in recovery who may one day face severe pain or anxiety.

🎧 In this episode:

📖 Get the book: https://deliverancefromaddictionbook.com

🛋️ About The Recovery Couch:

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In this episode of The Recovery Couch, host Brandon Couch talks with author and outreach founder Thomas W. Pohl about his book, Deliverance from Addiction: Breaking the Yoke and Healing the Hurt. The conversation explores what it means to be spiritually delivered from addiction rather than simply managing it, why trauma is so often the root cause of substance use, and a candid debate on marijuana, Xanax, and opiate pain medication for people in recovery. Whether you're in recovery yourself, love someone who is, or are simply curious about the intersection of faith and addiction, this episode offers an honest, judgment-free look at healing.

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In this episode of the Learning Together series on The Recovery Couch, host Brandon Couch continues reviewing the Getting Ready to Test preparation manual for drug and alcohol credentialing examinations — breaking down one of the most misunderstood drug categories: All-Arounders.

Unlike depressants or stimulants, all-arounders — also known as hallucinogens or psychedelics — have the unique ability to act as both a stimulant AND a depressant at the same time, making them harder to classify and more complex to understand.

In this episode Brandon covers:

🍄 What all-arounders are and why they're harder to classify than other drug categories

Whether you're studying for your CADC, NCAC, or another drug and alcohol credentialing exam, or you simply want a clear, no-fluff breakdown of how hallucinogens work — this episode is built for you.

📚 This is part of the Learning Together series — a study companion for drug and alcohol counseling certification exams.

0:00 — Welcome & Series Introduction: Learning Together

Primary (High Intent — Exam Prep):

Secondary (Topic Specific):

Long-Tail (AEO/Voice Search Optimized):

❓ FAQ Section

Q: What are all-arounders in drug classification?

Q: What is the difference between a hallucinogen and a psychedelic?

Q: What is synesthesia and how does it relate to drug use?

Q: Do hallucinogens cause physical dependence?

Q: What are psilocybin mushrooms and how do they work?

Q: What caused Vikings to use hallucinogenic mushrooms?

Q: What podcast series covers drug and alcohol credentialing exam prep?

Alisha Bond was six years sober when she told herself one glass of wine couldn't hurt. She tried meth the same night — and the next five years took her home, her career, custody of her son, and her fiancé, who died of an overdose soon after prison. In this raw conversation with host Brandon Couch, Alisha (@LivingFreeWithAJ) traces relapse after long-term sobriety, meth and opioid addiction, a 52-minute police chase, and the peer support and self-love work that finally made recovery stick. Now in harm reduction, she argues that compassion — not tough love — is what brings people back. A hopeful, unflinching listen for anyone touched by addiction. Help (U.S.): 988, or SAMHSA 1-800-662-4357. Follow Alisha: @LivingFreeWithAJ

In this episode, Alicia Bond shares her powerful journey from childhood struggles and addiction to recovery and motherhood. Her story highlights resilience, faith, and the importance of community support in overcoming life's darkest moments. Alicia Bond shares her powerful journey through addiction, recovery, and self-love, highlighting the importance of compassion, mental health, and community support in overcoming life's challenges. Keywords Addiction, Recovery, Motherhood, Faith, Mental Health, Personal Transformation, Substance Abuse, Healing, Inspiration addiction recovery, self-love, harm reduction, mental health, inspiration, sobriety, community support Key Topics Childhood and early exposure to substances The role of faith and church in her life Experiences with addiction and risky situations The impact of family support and boundaries Recovery milestones and relapse moments Motherhood as a turning point The importance of community and sponsorship in sobriety Addiction and recovery journey Impact of trauma and mental health Harm reduction and community support Self-love and spiritual growth Challenges of homelessness and incarceration Takeaways Early exposure to substances at age 12 led to a lifelong struggle with addiction. Faith and church played a crucial role in her healing process. Relapses are part of the journey, but perseverance leads to recovery. Support from family, especially her mother, was vital in her sobriety. Motherhood became a catalyst for positive change and stability.

In this raw and unflinching episode of The Recovery Couch, host Brandon Couch sits down with his cousin Cooper Jackson to revisit one of the most traumatic nights of their family's life — the night 19-year-old Codi Jackson was shot and killed during a $20 marijuana robbery in Xenia, Ohio in March 2011. Cooper was 15 years old and sitting right next to his brother when it happened.

Cooper opens up about witnessing the shooting firsthand, holding his dying brother in his arms, and the years of alcohol, pills, and emotional numbness that followed as he tried to cope with survivor's guilt and grief. This episode is a powerful testimony about where trauma-driven addiction leads — and how faith, family, and talking about it can bring healing.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

If you or someone you love is struggling with grief, trauma, or addiction, this episode is for you.

📲 Subscribe for new episodes every week.

⏱️ Chapter Timestamps

0:00 — Welcome & Introduction: Brandon and Cooper's Background

🔍Keywords

❓ FAQ Section

Q: What is The Recovery Couch podcast about?

Q: What happened to Codi Jackson in this episode?

Q: Who shot Codi Jackson and why?

Q: How did Cooper Jackson cope with his brother's death?

Q: Can grief lead to drug addiction?

Q: What advice does Cooper Jackson give to people dealing with grief and addiction?

Q: Is The Recovery Couch a Christian podcast?