The Unhooked Podcast

The Unhooked Podcast

By Annie HighwaterSociety & Culture
Download on the App Store

The Unhooked Podcast episodes

  • A&E's Interventionist Jeff Van Vonderen

    This week's conversation is with someone who not only has his own Eminem lyric, but has also been featured in an episode of Southpark!   Author, motivational speaker, former pastor, and interventionist Jeff VanVonderen is best known for his appearances on A&E reality show Intervention.  


    Listen in as he unwraps SO MUCH interesting information, from addictions that are the most challenging to work with, to toxic church situations and spiritual abuse.  Van Vonderen has the perfection combination of a kind spirit with strong boundaries.   He shares great pearls of wisdom and just as he does on the show ~ will leave you feeling reflective, cared about and hopeful. 


    You can find his work or contact him at: https://www.jeffvanvonderen.com/

    1 hr 22 min
  • "Somebody's Someone" Singer Daphne Willis
    This week's conversation is with talented singer, songwriter Daphne Willis! I first heard Daphne’s powerful song “Somebody‘s Someone” last year and could not stop listening. It has become an anthem for family members and loved ones of anyone struggling with addiction or mental illness. The lyrics ring true for those dearly missing a much loved family member. Listen in to hear Daphne’s story and how she creates deep lyrics out of real life experiences that we can all relate to.
    41 min
  • Joe, my mentor and friend
    This week's conversation is with one of my own recovery mentors and good friend, Joe.  
    A few years ago I found myself "in the rooms," where I met who is now one of my all-time favorite people. Joe looks like a biker with a ZZ Top beard, and has an amazing way of saying profound truths at just the right moment.   His statements are simple, yet powerfully impactful.  It's been my privilege to witness Joe facilitate family groups—always reminding people who and what we can control, that there's SO much to be grateful for, and feeling sorry for yourself is not a great option!
    Listen in to Joe tell his own story of recovery  which involved waking up and finding peace in the midst of family turmoil.  
    Thanks for everything, Joe!  My life is better because you're in it.
    For support: https://www.facebook.com/TheAddictsParentsUnited/
    https://members.alliesinrecovery.net/
    https://www.nar-anon.org/
    https://al-anon.org/
    39 min
  • Amanda.
    This week's conversation brings the recovery with my friend Amanda.  Amanda discovered Al Anon some years back after realizing her marriage was in trouble due to her husbands excessive drinking and the chaos it caused personally, and professionally.  Looking back over her experiences and awakening, she shares rich truths that those who have been in these depths will understand.    
    Listen in to this week's real, raw, ENCOURAGING conversation!
    58 min
  • Grief's a B*tch! Blogger, Advocate and Author Susan Furniss
    If you or someone you know have ever experienced loss so sudden, shocking, and deeply felt that it took your breath, and kept it...this is the episode to hear.  Author Susan Furniss describes living through the loss of a daughter, husband and one of her dearest friends within a short span of time.  Her grief was so overwhelming at times she had to leave the grocery store before checking out.  
    Susan has written "Beneath the Surface. Grief." as a love letter for anyone walking the heavy road of mourning. Each page has relatable, short and easy to read passages and prose that provide comfort, encouragement and validation. Her newly released book is a perfect gift for yourself, or someone you care about if you don't quite know what to say.  
    Listen to this conversation to hear great suggestions, soothing assurances and information that we can all apply at some point.  GREAT episode!
    1 hr 22 min
  • Katie Hamilton
    This week's conversation is with one of the sweetest women I have ever encountered.  Katie Hamilton, the now ex-wife of American League MVP baseball player Josh Hamilton.   Katie shares her story of finding strength and hope in her faith in the aftermath of a painful divorce from a marriage she poured her heart and soul into, and how she still cherishes the good within him.  
    Despite being a bewildered passenger on the rollercoaster of addiction, Katie learned to be strong, to stand up for herself, and to speak openly about their trials in an effort to find a way out of them.  Listen in as she shares from a place of kindness and compassion about the power of forgiveness, faith, hope and above all else—love.  
    An encouraging episode for anyone needing a reminder to never give up!
    1 hr 35 min
  • My Brother's Friend Ben

    This week's conversation is with lifelong family friend Ben.   In order to be as open and real with listeners, as all of my guests are, I feel that sharing my own story, as I have with Ben over the years, would be a great way to open up my life and give highlights from my own personal journey of family recovery.    Listen in as Ben and I discuss his first impression of coming to my  family's home when I was a confused, highly stressed teenager with a great big chip on my shoulder.  Ben describes what he thought of the extreme religious conversations he was first introduced to by my family in those days, and how it led to years of study of psychology, faith and stoicism.  Great conversation with "my brother's friend, Ben!"  

    39 min
  • Lisa Romano, Breakthrough Life Coach
    Have you ever experienced a “smear campaign” led by a once trusted partner, friend, or family member? It can feel suffocating. Those who join in against you add overwhelming confusion and pain. Everything you do to try to defend yourself and bring an end to it, seems to only make it worse! So what CAN you do? This is an amazing part of this week's podcast with Breakthrough Life Coach Lisa Romano!
    Along with that, learn how dysfunctional childhood homes create codependency. You don't have to spend your life walking around on eggshells, feeling invisible, unimportant, or unworthy. Lisa has great suggestions for overcoming a toxic, codependent lifestyle. She describes her own revelation about being "codependent, not crazy." We discuss narcissists, narcissism versus Aspberger's, and female narcissists who seem like your very best friend. Ending with an example of a “Splitter,” which is someone who bonds and feels safe by dividing and manipulating people.
    Lisa's work has been instrumental in healing my life. I loved this conversation!
    You can find Lisa on Youtube, Facebook and on her website: www.lisaaromano.com
    www.facebook.com/groups/adultchildrenofalcoholics
    1 hr 10 min
  • Tiffany Jenkins from "Juggling the Jenkins!!!"
    I love her videos SO much and I'm pretty sure we are now best friends! Tiffany Jenkins was so gracious and kind to share in this week's conversation how she has a life better than she could have planned for. As funny as she is, Tiffany is serious when it comes to addiction, mental health and all things recovery. She has a direct message of hope and strength to ANYONE struggling. Sometimes all it takes for a breakthrough when your life needs to heal - is a small glimmer of hope.
    Had Tiffany not believed in her darkest moments that life getting better was possible, none of us would even know of her hilarious videos. Hers is a life that was rebuilt by hope!
    If you or anyone you know is in need of a solid message of recovery, triumph and GREAT hope, listen to this week's episode!
    53 min
  • Lara Frazier, a True Story of Healing and Hope
    Almost daily I hear from parents, partners and family members who think their loved one might be too far gone in addiction, or too deep in a drug induced psychosis to ever have a normal life. Well, it just does not get better than Lara Frazier when it comes to giving hope that life CAN be fully recovered! In this week's conversation Lara shares her rise from the ashes of addiction into a life that is thriving. Hers is a story of beautiful transformation! From living in her car (as her Dad walked the streets of L.A. searching for her, carrying her picture) to now living a sober, joyful, abundant life. Lara recovers out loud, openly sharing how the love of her family ran parallel to addiction's grip, guiding her to the decision to recover. Listen in to this week's episode that is overflowing with information and HOPE!
    You can meet Lara on: larafrazier.com where she has an open letter to parents of an addicted loved one. So much hope!
    1 hr

About The Unhooked Podcast

From the publisher's feed

True stories and lessons learned from those still standing through adversity and fiery trials. Hosted by Recovery Writer Annie Highwater, Author of books "Unhooked", and "Unbroken." Created for sharing the lives of those who have struggled with (or have been adjacent to), addiction, alcoholism, codependency, crisis and chaos.

More shows like The Unhooked Podcast

On Purpose with Jay Shetty by Perfect Strangers

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

27,847 Listeners