Voices In Recovery Podcast

This week, Melissa stops by and we talk protests, ongoing anti-racism work, losing community, fear, love, sobriety, and a whole lot more. We speak about the original voices of truth for human rights, civil rights, and equality for all. The Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour shared and continue to share these messages of truth  despite the violence, racism, ignorance they face at every turn.
We talk literature ideas to expand thinking. She mentions Toni Morrison. Some influencial authors for me are Richard Wright, Assata Shakur, Angela Davis, James Baldwin and beyond....in no particular order other than most recent reads. 
We explore addiction support found inside the twelve step rooms. What lingers with me after these discussions is the deeply ingrained cult mentality and language used. Even years after leaving.
I told myself I would die without the rooms...it is simply not true. In fact, I was closer to dying inside them. I was not alone in believing once we leave, we will drink, use and die. It is so common that it is a part of the overall program now, which of course serves to reinforce the toxic belief. 
If you leave, you will die. 
This phrase rings out in my brain to this day and who knows, maybe it always will. 
Thank you for your vulnerability and openness Melissa, we are so grateful!

This week, Darcy and I discuss a whole bunch of things! We talk state of the world, recovery, mental health, and a lot inbetween.
This Friday afternoon at noon until the memorial walk for Levon Fox is finished. Please check out online adds for the meet up location. 
There is a Peace rally Friday at 530pm at Riley Park in the north west corner of the park closest to the hospice.
On Saturday at 5pm at CalgaryCity Hall, there's a rally and march for Palestine and an end to Western Imperialism. 
Please don't forget to grab your tickets for the Peace Brunch on Sunday morning!

This week, Hussam stops by and shares so much love that we're both crying half way through our chat. He has been a part of organizing and supporting the YYC Peace Table and the delicious, YYC Peace Brunch which is happening May 31, 2026 at The Confluence in Calgary. He shares portions of his journey as a Palestinian man living in Canada. This includes him being arrested and deported unjustly by the Canadian government. Through our conversation we both started to feel the weight of everything we were chatting about. There's a moment when our rage, sorrow, joy, and love all come together and we pause to feel. Pause to reflect and grieve for the bleeding world around us. For our own wounds. Pause to regain some strength so we could keep moving forward and not get lost in the horrors alone. Thank you for being you and for attempting to share your love every day in every direction. That kind of humanity is something I want to strive for.

Check him out on instagram: @peacetableyyc

This week Steve from Stonewall Recovery Center stops by for our monthly Recovery talk episode! We have an open conversation of recovery ideas, limiting beliefs, and the importance of creating a program that actually works for you and isn't just a collection of someone else's ideas. We are responsible for our recoveries. What this process looks like because no one else will be there to pay the consequences and outcomes for you. There will always be criticisms faced by anyone; however when stepping outside of what has been generally accepted, this isolation may be felt more acutely. Thank you Steve, we value you so much.

This week, Darcy and I toss some salad around....word salad that is. Minds out of the gutter, I'm joking if course; that's as good a place as any for your minds to be. We talk about racism, bigotry and some dark stuff. We also touch on the regular subject of trying to find joy when it's so fucking dark in every direction. We try and remember the little things. Thank you to all of our supporters and for all of the folks out there making a difference in your way. One day, one action, one second at a time.

This week The Milkmaid band: Jade, Marissa, and Meghana stop by and we get to talk about something we all love very much. Music. Now these gals rock out and scream lyrics because some lyrics need to be screamed. I am blown away by their presence, intellect, and natural compassion for human beings. We talk about some of the myths surrounding Metal and Punk music that have literally been given by different church groups in order to stop metal from corrupting our youth. Let us say, Metal and Punk are here to stay and there's nothing anyone can do about it. That's the point of it all. The authorities can never silence people if they refuse to be silenced. We cover a dynamic cross section of topics and find out that these young rockers really give a shit about what they're doing in music and otherwise. Their sense of community is unrivalled and beautiful. If we said anything at all, "do not go gentle into that good night..."
Thank you ladies, rock and roll!

Check them out on Insta: www.instagram.com/milkmaidband

This week, Doug stops by and we talk about his incredible journey. He takes us from his youth when he lied about his age to join the army, through many years embracing activism in one form or another. He talks about standing with folks because it's the right thing to do, which is his approach to living out his life in general. I'm grateful to know him and call him a friend. 
***The day after we recorded this episode; Doug and I were at a protest for Palestine, Iran and Lebanon. This day, the calgary police service decided to engage both Doug and I in a heckling campaign playing out nearly, as we describe in the episode. Neither Doug nor I speak for any group or organization. Only for ourselves. 
***We talk about hard subjects in this episode, which may be incredibly triggering for folks. All of us in the room during recording; cried at several moments throughout. Thanks Doug! 
Please follow the Voices in Recovery Podcast on Patreon and share if you can. Thank you for listening!

This week, our comrade and activist Wesam stops by and we discuss the illegal war in Iran and West Asia, as a whole, for American and Israeli control of the region. Our conversation revolved around the imperialist powers on this planet, hell bent on completely wiping out indigenous populations and creating a world far too bleak for me to imagine. 
The Palestinian struggle is all of our struggle. It always has been. It's the struggle for life. The right to live without fear of genocide! For many this is still a far off dream. Those of us with passing or white complexion may never fully comprehend the suffering faced everyday by humans who have been set for extermination. Not yet anyway. We talk about the out of touch world, as it sits back while others massacres humans and preach peace in the same breath. Our conversation also circles the truth that if they come for you in the morning, they'll come for us in the evening. We illustrate the lack of safety for humans to exist as they are. Thank you Wesam, please keep up the good work in spite of the hatred ypu face everyday.

This week Steve from Stonewall Recovery Centre stops in for what we both hope is a monthly podcast discussing ideas of recovery, healing, "wellness", self harm, identity, and whatever else is going on in the world of recovery and at large.
This week we talk about recovery as a broad subject. The way it was always supposed to be. Broad and open ended because all of the "knowledge" there seems to be about recovery - changes everyday, as humans continue to figure out multiple ways to live, recover and heal. Treating illnesses and each other with compassion is a good start.
There is no business as usual while humans are experiencing genocide around the world at the hands of imperialist, human greed.
Keep talking about Palestine, Iran, Sudan, Congo, Syria, Lebanon...and all of the very real humans suffering at the hands of war mongers.
Please consider looking into mutual aid groups if you're interested in supporting other humans, who are there for even more humans. It sounds like maybe a good way to put humanity back into supportive work.

This week, Gary stops by and shares his story of coming out. We talk about growing passed our religious indoctrination and the great harms it has done. Of course we chat about queer love (my favorite subject) and trying to move forward in life as queer men. Every time I get to sit with queer folks, I am reminded of our power. Of our courage. Of our capacity to love others