Till The Wheels Fall Off

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

In this episode, we talk with a guest who opens up about the quiet, painful, and often invisible process of leaving a long-term relationship with someone struggling with addiction. This is not a story of one big moment. It’s about years of internal conflict, emotional detachment, financial planning, and facing the truth that love alone wasn't going to fix it.

She shares what it felt like to carry the weight of the home, raise children in chaos, and slowly lose pieces of herself while hoping things would change. When nothing did, she stopped hoping and started preparing. This conversation is a powerful reminder that even when it looks fine on the outside, there can be a storm raging within.

If you're stuck in the cycle of waiting, wondering, or trying to convince yourself it's not that bad, this one is for you.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

A lot of people believe that once the drinking or drugs stop, life will finally start to feel better. But for many people in recovery, the opposite happens at first. The chaos disappears and what’s left can feel like a huge void. No excitement, no purpose, and no clear direction.

In this Mindset Monday episode, we’ll talk about why that happens. Addiction hijacks the brain’s reward system, which is why early recovery can feel flat, boring, and emotionally heavy. Sobriety removes the destruction, but it does not automatically rebuild a life.

This episode also speaks directly to spouses and partners. Many of you think that once the addiction stops everything should go back to normal. Instead, you may find yourself staring at the life you’ve been surviving for years and wondering who you are without the chaos to manage.

We’ll discuss the science behind this stage of recovery, why both people often feel lost at first, and what actually fills that void. Community, purpose, contribution, and rebuilding a life that feels meaningful are what turn sobriety into something worth protecting.

Sobriety isn’t the finish line. It’s the starting line for building a completely different life.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

In this episode of Paige’s Perspective, Paige speaks directly to those who feel like they are just surviving each day.

If you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted… if simple decisions feel overwhelming… if you wake up feeling dread or wonder if you will ever feel stable or joyful again… you may be living in survival mode.

Survival mode happens when your nervous system has been under stress for too long. Your brain starts scanning everything as a threat, your body stays in fight-or-flight, and even the smallest tasks can feel like too much. It can leave you feeling broken, unmotivated, or like you are failing at life.

But there is nothing wrong with you.

Your body is responding to chronic stress the way it was designed to. The challenge is that survival mode is not a place we are meant to live long term. Left unaddressed, it can take a serious toll on our mental, emotional, and physical health.

In this episode, Paige explains what survival mode really is, how it shows up in everyday life, and why so many spouses and partners of those struggling with addiction find themselves stuck in this state. She also shares practical ways to begin stabilizing your nervous system and taking the first steps toward feeling safe, regulated, and capable again.

If you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you are barely holding things together, this episode is for you.

Thriving may feel impossible right now, but it is still available to you.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

This week you’re hearing from a different Matt.

Not Matt Robinson, but Matt Frates, the editor behind the scenes at Till the Wheels Fall Off.

Matt shares his story of growing up as the son of an alcoholic, navigating emotional immaturity, estrangement, therapy, fatherhood, and ultimately learning that you cannot control the people in your life, but you can take ownership of your own.

This episode is about breaking cycles, choosing intent, and finding light even when it feels small.

If you have ever felt stuck, unseen, or shaped by someone else’s dysfunction, this one is for you.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

This episode is a direct conversation with the person who’s still drinking, still using, still bargaining, or quietly telling themselves they’re fine while their life feels smaller than it should.

It was originally created for spouses to share with their partner, but over time we realized something: this message isn’t just for the people loving someone through addiction. It’s for the person in it.

Matt speaks from lived experience, not theory. He walks through the fears that keep people stuck, the lies we tell ourselves about alcohol, and the real cost of staying the same. This isn’t about shame, control, religion, or being told what to do. It’s about honesty. It’s about taking a real look at what alcohol is actually giving you versus what it’s taking from your life, your relationships, and your potential.

We talk about masculinity, accountability, legacy, early recovery, and why you can’t fix this alone. This conversation is uncomfortable on purpose, but it’s also hopeful.

If something in you knows there’s more to life than this cycle, this episode is for you.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

In this episode of Paige’s Perspective, Paige dives into a conversation we don’t have often enough: our own patterns. We spend a lot of time analyzing the behaviors and cycles of others, especially our partners, but rarely pause to examine the patterns we live inside of ourselves.

Paige breaks down why patterns are so hard to recognize when we’re in them, why they feel justified and situational, and how the same responses can quietly keep us stuck. She explores common patterns like falling off self-care when things feel good, caretaking at the expense of ourselves, and overthinking as a way to feel safe or in control.

This episode isn’t about blame or fixing yourself. It’s about awareness, choice, and growth. When we can see our patterns clearly, we gain the power to interrupt them, respond differently, and evolve in ways that actually move our lives forward.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

This is Part 3 of our Boundaries series and the final episode in the three part framework.

In Part 1, we focused on values, because boundaries only work when you know what matters to you. In Part 2, we identified the behaviors that violate those values and create confusion, anxiety, and resentment.

In this episode, we get practical.

We walk through what boundaries actually are, what they are not, and the most common mistakes that cause boundary setting to fail. Then we break down how to set a boundary that protects you without trying to control, convince, or manage the other person.

This conversation is especially important for spouses and partners in addiction impacted relationships who have spent years prioritizing someone else’s recovery while losing themselves in the process.

This episode was originally released in July 2023. Some of the language may sound slightly different than how we would say it today, but the message and framework still stand.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

We’ve been taught that not trusting people means something is wrong with us. That if we don’t open up quickly, we must be closed off, bitter, or unhealed. I don’t agree with that at all.

In this episode of Paige’s Perspective, I talk about why trusting everyone by default is not healthy and why trust should be earned over time. We explore discernment versus avoidance, why caution gets pathologized, and how trusting yourself first is essential, especially after living with addiction or repeated betrayal.

Not trusting everyone isn’t a flaw. It’s common sense. Let people show you who they are.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

In Part 1, we started with values, because boundaries only work when you know what you stand for. In this episode, we move to the other side of the equation.

What are the behaviors that make you feel uneasy, disrespected, or unsafe?
What crosses a line for you, even if you have been taught to tolerate it?

In Part 2, we break down what we call anti-values. The actions, patterns, and dynamics that create anxiety, erode self trust, and slowly disconnect you from yourself. We talk through real examples like yelling, interrupting, dismissing feelings, prying, criticism, gossip, violations of consent, and emotional and physical safety.

From there, we define non negotiables. The lines that, once crossed, change the relationship. Period.

This episode is about getting honest with yourself, trusting your internal signals, and preparing to set boundaries that are clear, grounded, and enforceable.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here

Have an episode suggestion? Text us!

What if the thing holding you back isn’t your past…it’s the story you keep telling yourself about it?

In this Mindset Monday, I’m coming for limiting beliefs. The quiet “rules” you picked up in survival mode and never updated. The lie that you’re not smart enough, not disciplined, not the “type” who gets sober, not the “type” who succeeds, not the “type” who gets a healthy relationship or a fresh start.

I break down how these beliefs form (childhood chaos, early failure, being labeled), why they made sense back then, and why they’re costing you everything now. Then we run a simple exercise we use in Reclaiming You: find the belief, name the cost, question it, and test it - because new evidence doesn’t come from thinking, journaling, or “getting ready.” It comes from action.

If you’ve ever looked at people with their life together and thought, “That’s not for someone like me,” this episode is your wake-up call. You’re not made of different stuff. You’re just still buying the narrative that you accepted wholesale without scrutiny once upon a time.

Find video clips and full length video from this episode on YouTube and our other social media pages!

On the web:
www.twfo.com

Support the Show:
Buy Us a Coffee!

Online Program:
www.reclaiming-you.com

Soberlink Device:
www.soberlink.com/wheels

Check out our blog:
https://twfo.com/blog

Follow us on TikTok:
https://tiktok.com/@twfo_couple

Follow us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/twfo_couple/

Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TWFOCouple

Follow us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@twfo_couple

Find Taylor Counseling Group:
https://taylorcounselinggroup.com/

Donate to Counseling for the Future Foundation:
Donate Here