What happens when you’re a full-time caregiver, navigating Filipino family expectations, queer identity, and the decision to get sober without a program?
This week, I sit down with my friend Sam Hosea, a queer Filipino American caregiver who got sober without AA, rehab, or a 12-step program.
We talk about:
• The emotional and physical toll of caring for an aging parent
• Drinking culture in Filipino families and queer communities
• How Sam found sobriety without traditional recovery spaces
• The loneliness and liberation of “doing it your own way”
• What it means to hold boundaries while caregiving
If you’ve ever struggled with cultural expectations, burnout, caregiving, or getting sober without a program, this episode will speak directly to you.
Samuel Raphael Hosea (he/him) lives in Maryland in the home where he grew up. He is a full-time caregiver for his dad, who suffered a stroke in 2023. Prior to caregiving, Sam was a grad student researching the intersection of theology and capitalism. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years, obtaining his Bachelor’s from Golden Gate University and then working primarily with the unhoused population in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. His writing has appeared in multiple scholarly and literary journals. You can find him on instagram @ samuelraphaelhosea where he documents his caregiving journey.
To book a call with me to discuss your own path forward without drinking or using, click here: https://calendly.com/thopp84/30min