Podcast
Real Recovery Podcast
Hosted by Julie and Peter · EN
Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 99-1347297) that empowers, enlightens, and inspires those on their recovery journey by sharing authentic stories, practical advice, and community insights. We create a safe and engaging platform for individuals to find solace, strength, and solidarity. Our podcast demystifies the recovery process, celebrates progress, and fosters belonging among listeners. By amplifying diverse voices within the recovery community, Real Recovery aims to be a beacon of hope.
42episodes
Episodes
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RRP 125 — Check-In with Julie and Peter / Be the Mountain
1w ago00:56:51Tap to summarizeRRP 125 — Check-In / Be the Mountain* { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }body { font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; background: #F2EAD5; color: #0F1123; padding: 40px 20px; max-width: 700px; margin: 0 auto; line-height: 1.7; }h1 { font-size: 1.5em; color: #771719; margin-bottom: 8px; }.meta { color: #3C82C1; font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 24px; }.meta span { margin-right: 16px; }.summary { font-size: 1.05em; margin-bottom: 28px; border-left: 4px solid #F45331; padding-left: 16px; }h2 { font-size: 1.15em; color: #771719; margin: 28px 0 12px; }.key-point { margin-bottom: 18px; }.timecode { display: inline-block; background: #0F1123; color: #fff; padding: 2px 8px; border-radius: 12px; font-size: 0.8em; font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; margin-right: 6px; }blockquote { margin: 28px 0; padding: 20px 24px; border-left: 4px solid #F45331; background: rgba(244,83,49,0.08); font-style: italic; font-size: 1.1em; color: #771719; }blockquote cite { display: block; margin-top: 10px; font-style: normal; font-size: 0.9em; color: #0F1123; }.websites { margin: 24px 0; }.websites a { color: #3C82C1; text-decoration: none; }.websites a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }.cta { margin: 32px 0; display: flex; gap: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; }.cta a { display: inline-block; padding: 10px 24px; border-radius: 6px; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9em; }.cta-listen { background: #F45331; color: #fff; }.cta-blog { background: #3C82C1; color: #fff; }.cta-newsletter { background: #771719; color: #fff; }.hashtags { font-size: 0.9em; color: #3C82C1; margin-top: 24px; padding-top: 20px; border-top: 1px solid rgba(15,17,35,0.15); }.footer { margin-top: 32px; font-size: 0.8em; color: rgba(15,17,35,0.6); }RRP 125 — Check-In / Be the MountainJulie P. Lewis & Peter B. Dowell57 minutesJuly 31, 2026Peter's nine years sober and one year cancer-free — and he didn't know which doctor he was seeing until he got there. In this check-in, Peter and Julie catch up on 90 days that changed everything: the clean scan, the TMS study at Another Chance, Julie's expungement after 32 years, and what it means to be the mountain.Key Points00:00 Welcome to the check-in — Peter and Julie catch up after the Glam Lot roundtable. They celebrated three promotions and three birthdays the night before.02:00 Nine years and a parade — Peter hits nine years sober. The Pride Parade falls on his anniversary. He's never been sober — this year he goes with clear eyes.06:00 The cancer scan — Clean one-year scans. When they said he'd see Dr. Leidner instead of the NP, his mind went dark. It was just his annual. Three to four years to remission.19:00 TMS and breaking the cycle — Peter explains transcranial magnetic stimulation and the study at Another Chance, run by former guest John Morgan. Non-medication treatment for addiction cravings.24:00 Julie's expungement — She found the paperwork while hunting for taxes. Eight charges removed. Thirteen dropped charges that still printed. Thirty-two years out of prison.13:00 Dress for Success, full circle — Julie donates five business suits to the same organization that gave her an outfit 33 years ago. She wore those black pants for 12 years.40:00 The mountain — Julie brought Peter to her workplace for the GTD fundraiser. He saw the mountain she prays on. "The mountain doesn't care about the seasons. Be the mountain."30:00 Community shout-outs — Devlin's new apartment. Amanda's 10 years. Rogue Recovery and 4D Jackson County hit one year. Babies, promotions, and Al is out of hospice.52:00 What's next — Two new board members, a media intern, someone writing grants. Fred Meyer sent $11.01. They finally have a standup banner."The mountain doesn't care about the seasons that are coming or the storms that may hit. It stays in the moment, it's strong. Be the mountain."— Peter B. DowellWebsites DiscussedDress for Success •Another Chance Rehab •GTD Go The Distance •True Colors Recovery •Rogue Recovery Center •4D Recovery •Fred Meyer Community Rewards •Real Recovery PodcastListenRead the BlogNewsletter#RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #OneDayAtATime, #RecoveryPodcast, @realrecoverypodcastReal Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 124 — The Glam Lot PDX (Becca S., Bex, Carrington C.) / We Are Not a Glum Lot: Drag, Sober Fun, and Finding Your People
2w ago01:26:47Tap to summarizeRRP 124 — The Glam Lot PDX (Becca S., Bex, Carrington C.) / We Are Not a Glum Lot: Drag, Sober Fun, and Finding Your PeopleJulie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell • 1 hr 34 min • July 24, 2026The Glam Lot PDX brings drag, recovery, and fundraising together under one roof at True Colors Recovery. Becca, Bex, and Carrington join Julie and Peter for a roundtable about why fun matters in sobriety — and how they’re building a community where nobody has to choose between being themselves and staying sober. From Friends in the Park to drag bingo to raising money for the Trevor Project, this crew is living proof that recovery can be loud, colorful, and full of joy.Key Points 00:05 Meet the Glam Lot — Becca (returning guest, EP 18) and Carrington co-founded it, Bex joined about a month ago 00:07 Bex: six months sober, they/them, found community fast 00:11 “If you don’t have fun in your life, you don’t have interests — what’s the point?” 00:14 Friends in the Park: bingo, potlucks, bring a newcomer 00:16 Becca got into drag watching YouTube tutorials during lockdown 00:20 Telling people you’re sober: friends who disappeared, ones who stayed 00:27 Drop the Rock, step work, and defense mechanisms 00:34 Peter on finding Lunch Bunch: “These are my people” 01:04 Carrington on hyperfemme drag as a cis woman: “Is this okay?” 01:10 The mission: spread recovery through drag and raise money for charity 01:13 Raising money for the Trevor Project through True Colors 01:28 Final advice: get a houseplant, don’t give up, have some fun “Our mission basically is to spread the word of recovery through the art of drag.” — BexWebsites Discussed The Glam Lot PDX on Instagram The Glam Lot PDX on Facebook True Colors Recovery Kings and Queens Meeting 4D Recovery The Trevor Project Real Recovery Podcast ▶ Listen ✎ Read the Blog ✉ Newsletter#RealRecoveryPodcast #Recovery #Sobriety #Drag #LGBTQRecovery #TrueColors #WeAreNotAGlumLot #RecoveryPodcast @realrecoverypodcastReal Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297.
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RRP 123 — Jen L / When the Light Found Her, Part 2: Nothing Wasted, Not Even the Hard Parts
3w ago01:03:47Tap to summarizeRRP 123 — Jen L / When the Light Found Her, Part 2 * { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; } body { font-family: 'Georgia', serif; background-color: #ffffff; color: #1a1a1a; max-width: 680px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 32px 24px; line-height: 1.65; } .episode-label { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.15em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #F45331; margin-bottom: 8px; } h1 { font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; color: #0F1123; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 6px; } .meta { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #666; margin-bottom: 20px; } .timecode-note { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; color: #999; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 20px; } .guest-quote { border-left: 4px solid #F45331; background: #faf9f7; padding: 14px 18px; margin: 20px 0; font-style: italic; font-size: 15px; color: #333; } .guest-quote cite { display: block; margin-top: 8px; font-style: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; color: #666; letter-spacing: 0.05em; } .divider { border: none; border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0; margin: 24px 0; } h2 { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #0F1123; margin-bottom: 16px; } .key-points { list-style: none; } .key-points li { display: flex; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: flex-start; } .pill { background-color: #0F1123; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 20px; white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; margin-top: 2px; } .point-text { font-size: 14px; color: #2a2a2a; } .websites { margin-bottom: 20px; } .websites ul { list-style: none; padding: 0; } .websites li { font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; } .websites a { color: #3C82C1; text-decoration: none; } .websites a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .url-pending { color: #999; font-style: italic; font-size: 13px; } .cta-row { display: flex; gap: 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin: 20px 0; } .btn { display: inline-block; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; padding: 9px 18px; border-radius: 4px; text-decoration: none; color: #fff; letter-spacing: 0.04em; } .btn-listen { background-color: #F45331; } .btn-blog { background-color: #3C82C1; } .btn-nl { background-color: #771719; } .hashtags { font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #888; margin-top: 12px; } .footer { margin-top: 28px; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; color: #aaa; border-top: 1px solid #eee; padding-top: 14px; } Real Recovery Podcast — Episode 123 When the Light Found Her, Part 2: Nothing Wasted, Not Even the Hard Parts July 17, 2026 | Hosts: Julie P. Lewis & Peter B. Dowell | Runtime: 1:07:00 Timecodes approximate — pending final edit “I found a sister. I didn’t grow up with a sister, but I have a sister now. And every time I refer to you, it’s, ‘You’re my sister. You’re my spiritual sister,’ and that is everything to me.” — Jen L. Key Points 00:01 Jen spent six months in IOP without once telling her family she had stopped drinking. Recovery was her private project first. 00:02 Her dad was dying of cancer. At 18 months sober, he waved a glass of whiskey in her face. She didn’t take it. She also never told him she’d stopped. 00:05 At age 12, Jen discovered her grandmother Lois in Reno was biological. She found the branch of the family where the disease ran — and finally had a name for it. 00:07 In her first five years of sobriety, Jen walked through what she calls a suicidal depression. She kept showing up anyway. 00:14 Dr. Angela, a Cherokee elder and professor at Reed College, gave eagle feathers at every AA birthday she attended. Jen and Julie both carry one. 00:35 Recovery League Softball: Jen joined five teams and averaged 12 games a week. The obsession for more doesn’t disappear in sobriety. It just finds new rooms. 00:39 Jen met Mickey through softball. She walked into a friend’s house and found a gun and a badge on the kitchen table. Mickey was a parole officer. Jen didn’t run. 00:45 When Peter was going through cancer, the fellowship showed up. What the tools of the program carry people through that willpower alone never could. 00:47 Tammy’s third step gift: “If it adds to you spiritually, it’s God’s will for you. If it takes from you in any way, it’s not God’s will.” Jen still uses it. 00:48 Jen’s higher power: driving into the woods alone. What she finds when she breathes in the wind on her face. 01:01 Jen and Julie have been riding this train together for 29 years. What it means to call someone your spiritual sister — and what Jen says at the end about nothing going to waste. Not the grief, not the hard years, not even the parts she’d trade if she could. Websites Discussed The Grotto — National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, Portland Recovery League Softball Real Recovery Podcast Listen Blog Post Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryIsPossible #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #LGBTQRecovery #AA Real Recovery Podcast is a production of Real Recovery Podcast Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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RRP 122 — Jen L / When the Light Found Her, Part 1: From Bucking Hay to Finding Her People
4w ago01:13:17Tap to summarizeRRP 122 — Jen L / When the Light Found Her, Part 1body{font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#0F1123;background:#F2EAD5;max-width:720px;margin:0 auto;padding:24px;line-height:1.6}h1{font-size:1.5em;color:#771719;margin-bottom:4px}.meta{color:#3C82C1;font-size:.9em;margin-bottom:20px}.summary{margin-bottom:20px}.keypoints{list-style:none;padding:0}.keypoints li{margin-bottom:12px}.tc{display:inline-block;background:#0F1123;color:#fff;padding:2px 8px;border-radius:4px;font-size:.85em;font-weight:bold;margin-right:6px}blockquote{border-left:4px solid #F45331;margin:20px 0;padding:12px 20px;font-style:italic;color:#771719;font-size:1.1em}.attribution{font-style:normal;color:#0F1123;font-size:.9em;margin-top:4px}.websites{margin:20px 0}.websites a{color:#3C82C1}.cta{display:flex;gap:12px;margin:24px 0;flex-wrap:wrap}.cta a{background:#F45331;color:#fff;padding:10px 24px;border-radius:6px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold}.cta a.blog{background:#3C82C1}.cta a.news{background:#771719}.footer{margin-top:30px;padding-top:16px;border-top:2px solid #60C0EA;font-size:.8em;color:#0F1123}.hashtags{font-size:.85em;color:#3C82C1;margin-top:12px}RRP 122 — Jen L / When the Light Found Her, Part 1: From Bucking Hay to Finding Her PeoplePresenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell • Length: 1:18:00 • Release: July 10, 2026Jen L. grew up on a cattle ranch in Roseburg, Oregon, bucking hay and worming cows. She was a science nerd, a jock, and by 15, a blackout drinker buying liquor in small-town stores. By 17, she came out to her mom and left home in the middle of the night. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Jen traces the arc from a rural childhood full of secrets to the kitchen window where a 150-foot cross started shining through — and the recovery that began on the other side of it.00:00 Jen arrives with a broken leg and ice on her foot — "If she can make it, you all can" — as Julie introduces the friend she's known since Lunch Bunch / Extended Family in August 199700:08 "I found my people" — the group conscience that keeps showing up, and the diversity that's grown over nearly three decades00:17 Growing up on the family cattle ranch: bucking hay, worming cows, and hiding from the bull named Caesar in a crabapple tree00:22 Costa Rican exchange student at 15: blackout drinking, discotheques, and Kahlua on the porch with fireflies00:25 Buying liquor at 15 in small-town stores; the party where Michelle got alcohol poisoning — and making amends years later in a Fred Meyer aisle00:31 Coming out at 17, leaving home in the middle of the night, and Auntie Bev: "We love your friend, and she's welcome here any time"00:35 The Chemeketa paramedic program; Embers at 16; and Corey's recovery coin in a cigar box by the river00:39 Kathy's basement ultimatum: "I'm not gonna sit around and watch you kill yourself" — the moment that sent Jen to treatment00:43 The 150-foot Grotto cross shining through her kitchen; Gregorian chants drifting into her yard; her first sober house00:47 First AA meeting: the smoking meeting at the Grotto, the priest who ignored her, and the room of people she didn't believe00:49 James at the gay meeting: "Will I see you tomorrow?" — five words that kept both Jen and Julie coming back00:53 Sixty days sober, furious, "coming around those corners hot" — the parking spot at the rock shop that changed everything00:56 Julie's Friday meltdown that brought Tammy into the meeting — the woman who became Jen's sponsor for 26 years01:01 Tammy's story; the Linda Neely connection; and "Two years ago on Wednesday, Tammy died"01:10 Driving Fred to Yreka for his amends; finding an AA meeting through the Yellow Pages on a payphone01:15 "Once the drugs and alcohol got set down, I was still left with the obsession" — replacing substances with more01:17 Dad dying of cancer at 18 months sober; the whiskey waved in her face — and the family she never told"We'd moved into a different house, and it was finally a house I hadn't used in. That's just what I wanted — a house I hadn't used in."— Jen L.Websites Discussed:The Grotto •Chemeketa Community College •East County Alano Club •Alcoholics Anonymous •Real Recovery Podcast▶ Listen✎ Read the Blog✉ Newsletter#RealRecoveryPodcast, #RecoveryIsPossible, #AddictionRecovery, #SoberLife, #LGBTQRecovery, #AA, #TwelveSteps, @realrecoverypodcastThe Real Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297.
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RRP 121 — Devlin F / Burying Bradley: Dropping the Shovel on Addiction, One Day at a Time
Jul 301:40:01Tap to summarizeRRP 121 — Devlin F / Burying Bradley: Dropping the Shovel on Addiction, One Day at a Time * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; } body { font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #0F1123; background: #F2EAD5; max-width: 720px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 40px 24px; line-height: 1.7; } h1 { font-size: 1.6em; color: #771719; margin-bottom: 8px; line-height: 1.3; } .meta { font-size: 0.95em; color: #3C82C1; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.6; } .summary { font-size: 1.05em; margin-bottom: 28px; padding-bottom: 20px; border-bottom: 2px solid #F45331; } h2 { font-size: 1.2em; color: #771719; margin-bottom: 12px; } .key-points { list-style: none; margin-bottom: 28px; } .key-points li { margin-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0; } .timecode { display: inline-block; background: #0F1123; color: white; padding: 2px 10px; border-radius: 14px; font-size: 0.82em; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; margin-right: 6px; vertical-align: middle; } .websites { margin-bottom: 28px; } .websites p { margin-bottom: 4px; } .links { margin-bottom: 28px; } .links p { margin-bottom: 4px; } blockquote { border-left: 4px solid #F45331; padding: 16px 20px; margin: 28px 0; background: rgba(242, 234, 213, 0.5); font-style: italic; color: #771719; line-height: 1.6; } blockquote footer { font-style: normal; margin-top: 10px; color: #0F1123; font-size: 0.95em; } .cta { display: flex; gap: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin: 28px 0; } .cta a { display: inline-block; padding: 10px 24px; border-radius: 6px; text-decoration: none; font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.95em; color: white; } .cta-listen { background: #F45331; } .cta-blog { background: #3C82C1; } .cta-newsletter { background: #771719; } .hashtags { font-size: 0.9em; color: #3C82C1; margin-bottom: 4px; } a { color: #3C82C1; } footer.footer { margin-top: 32px; padding-top: 16px; border-top: 1px solid #60C0EA; font-size: 0.82em; color: #0F1123; }RRP 121 — Devlin F / Burying Bradley: Dropping the Shovel on Addiction, One Day at a TimePresenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. DowellEpisode Length: 1 hour 41 minutesRelease Date: July 3, 2026Devlin F.'s addiction began at six years old when his father gave him a sip of beer while he was choking. What followed was decades of trauma, meth use, street survival in San Francisco's Tenderloin, and a quarter-million-dollar inheritance that nearly killed him. After years of IV drug use and a moment in August 2023 when he saw only two choices — “find a new way to live or jump off a bridge” — Devlin walked into Another Chance. Today he works there as a certified recovery mentor, sponsors others, and has done something remarkable: he gave his addiction a name and buried it. Julie opens up about why she was genuinely scared of him during his active addiction — and why watching his transformation has been one of the greatest gifts of her own recovery.Key Points00:04 Fred Meyer Community Rewards and Bottle Drop — two easy ways to support the podcast without spending extra00:08 Julie refused Devlin a hug during active addiction — she was genuinely scared he wouldn't survive00:12 First sip of beer at age six from his alcoholic father; first drink and marijuana at 14 after witnessing domestic violence between his parents00:15 Childhood trauma: sexual abuse at age 4 by a family member, massive stroke at age 1000:27 First hit of meth at 24 — instantly hooked after burning out from 150-hour workweeks as a caregiver00:29 Life on the streets of San Francisco's Tenderloin — 11-day benders and a system built around the drug00:33 Father died from alcoholism on January 5, 2015 — Devlin didn't make it in time to say goodbye00:35 A quarter-million-dollar inheritance fueled four years in Mill City and even deeper addiction00:37 IV drug use — “the final frontier” — and suicidal despair in August 202300:38 Entered treatment September 23, 2023; Jessica Anderson gave him “the first taste of compassion in a long time”00:42 Extended Family meeting — Colette told him “You're gonna be back here tomorrow” — and he came back00:59 April 28, 2024 — sober date begins. “I had another relapse in me. I didn't have another recovery in me.”01:05 Fourth step at a creek with his sponsor — five to six hours — “the weight of the world came off my shoulders”01:12 Started sponsoring at steps six and seven — his first sponsee now has seven months sober in Arizona01:33 Named his disease “Bradley” and buried him: “I dropped the shovel. He's still buried.”Websites DiscussedFred Meyer Community Rewards: fredmeyer.com/community-rewardsAnother Chance treatment center: anotherchancerehab.comSober Housing Oregon: facebook.com/soberhousingoregonCrystal Meth Anonymous (CMA): crystalmeth.orgEast County Alano Club: pdxaa.org/venue/east-county-alano-clubReal Recovery Podcast: realrecoverypodcast.comListen: mdcr1.com/121Blog: mdcr1.com/121b“I got the inspiration to name my disease. The name of my disease is Bradley, which is my first name. Devlin is my middle name. Bradley was the person that loved sticking a needle into his arm. That was the only thing that he wanted to do. Devlin buried Bradley.”— Devlin F.ListenBlogNewsletter#RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #AddictionRecovery, #OneDayAtATime, #12Steps, #RecoveryPodcast, @realrecoverypodcastReal Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297.
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RRP 120 — Hope Dealers: A Peer Services Round Table with Luciano, Ebony & Jack
Jun 2601:19:58Tap to summarizeRRP 120 — Luciano, Ebony & Jack / Hope Dealers: Peer Services — We’re Here to Love You Until You Can Love YourselfPresenter: Peter B. and Julie L. | Length: 1:18:00 | Release Date: June 26, 2026Recorded live at True Colors Recovery in Portland, three returning guests — Luciano Nicolas (Atlas Treatment Center), Ebony Brawley (4D Recovery), and Jack Taylor (True Colors Recovery) — join Peter and Julie to break down peer services: what they are, how they differ from sponsorship, and what it looks like when someone meets you exactly where you are — on the streets, in jail, or in a tent with a dog you won’t leave behind.Key Points00:04:00 Jack introduces True Colors Recovery — a drop-in community center for the LGBTQ+ community, with AA, Dharma, and SAA meetings. Walk-in hours: 12:00 PM–8:00 PM, Sunday–Friday. Peer mentors Mordecai and Leo support transgender members through sobriety and the affirmation journey.00:08:30 Ebony describes her outreach role with 4D Recovery: teams reach the houseless population in East County and near the Central Library with supplies, wound care, and same-day assessments. “We’re like little hope dealers out there.”00:11:30 Luciano introduces Atlas Treatment Center — PHP, IOP, OP, and DUI program — and the peer and housing partners they work with: The Peer Company, Sober Housing Oregon, Sober Living PDX, Galia Recovery, and Northwest Recovery Homes.00:13:00 Peter asks the group to define peer services. Ebony: “A peer has lived experience with substance use disorder — they help navigate recovery and reintegration.” Peer mentors differ from sponsors: professional, no 12-step work, focused on removing barriers.00:19:00 Luciano shares how peer mentorship changed his own life — connecting with a peer specialist at a True Colors meeting and getting into detox that same day. On July 3rd, his peer mentor said the sentence that kept him in: “In reality, if you leave now, you may not come back.”00:21:00 Jack describes the True Colors intake process — answering every call, even from jail — listening without judgment and connecting people with peer mentors. “I’m the glue.” No one is turned away.00:26:00 Ebony on outreach: building trust over months, visiting the same person many times before they say yes. The story of two brothers who took nearly a year to go into detox — and what happened when one left early.00:44:00 Common barriers: losing belongings, not being ready, court dates, and pets. Galia Recovery offers dog-friendly housing. Ebony finds fosters through anonymous Facebook posts. The Pathway Center stores belongings while someone sobers up.00:57:00 Jack’s story: homeless at the Holgate MAX station in 2015, soaking wet in the rain, he passed out and woke up to find a warm coat zipped around him by a stranger never identified. “When I think about it, it stirs something in me.”01:06:00 “If you can get one month, you can get two. Sky’s the limit — you don’t have to be broken. You can become whole.” Jack is celebrating ten years of continuous sobriety.01:13:00 Closing statements — Jack: “If you don’t fit in somewhere, go somewhere else.” Ebony: “You’re worth it. If you are alive, you matter.” Luciano: “We’re not here to judge you. We’re here to help you, guide you, and love you until you can love yourself.” “We’re not here to judge you. We’re here to help you. We’re here to guide you, and we’re here to love you until you can love yourself.” — Luciano NicolasWebsites DiscussedTrue Colors Recovery4D RecoveryAtlas Treatment CenterGalia RecoveryThe Peer CompanyPathway CenterSober Housing OregonSober Living PDXNorthwest Recovery HomesOxford HouseSnowCap Community ServicesReal Recovery Podcast #RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #PeerServices, #HopeDealers, #RecoveryCommunity, #TrueColors, #4DRecovery, #AtlasTreatment, #SoberLife, #RecoveryPodcast, @realrecoverypodcast Real Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 119 — Cassandra P. / Love Wasn't Enough, Part 2: Finding Her People, Setting Boundaries, and the Life Recovery Actually Built
Jun 1901:05:03Tap to summarizeRRP 119 — Cassandra P. / Love Wasn’t Enough, Part 2 body { font-family: Georgia, serif; max-width: 680px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 24px; color: #222; background: #fff; } h1 { font-size: 1.25em; color: #0F1123; line-height: 1.35; margin-bottom: 8px; } h2 { font-size: 1em; color: #0F1123; margin: 20px 0 10px; } h3 { font-size: 0.95em; color: #0F1123; margin: 20px 0 8px; } .meta { font-size: 0.88em; color: #555; margin-bottom: 16px; } .summary { line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 20px; } .summary a { color: #3C82C1; } ul.key-points { margin: 0; padding: 0; list-style: none; } ul.key-points li { margin-bottom: 14px; line-height: 1.65; } .pill { display: inline-block; background: #0F1123; color: #fff; font-size: 0.72em; padding: 2px 8px; border-radius: 12px; margin-right: 6px; font-family: monospace; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; } ul.key-points a { color: #3C82C1; } blockquote { border-left: 4px solid #F45331; margin: 24px 0; padding: 12px 20px; background: #fdf6f0; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.75; } blockquote cite { display: block; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 8px; color: #555; font-size: 0.9em; } .websites ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 6px 0; } .websites li { margin-bottom: 4px; } .websites a { color: #3C82C1; } .cta { margin: 24px 0; display: flex; gap: 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; } .btn { display: inline-block; padding: 10px 18px; border-radius: 4px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; font-size: 0.88em; } .btn-listen { background: #F45331; color: #fff; } .btn-blog { background: #3C82C1; color: #fff; } .btn-newsletter { background: #771719; color: #fff; } .hashtags { font-size: 0.82em; color: #555; margin-top: 16px; line-height: 1.6; } footer { margin-top: 32px; padding-top: 14px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; font-size: 0.78em; color: #888; }RRP 119 — Cassandra P. / Love Wasn’t Enough, Part 2: Finding Her People, Setting Boundaries, and the Life Recovery Actually Built Presenter: Peter B. and Julie L. | Length: 1:05:00 | Release Date: June 19, 2026In Part 2 of this mother–daughter conversation, Cassandra P. picks up where she left off — walking through the doors of Another Chance treatment center in May 2024 not fully convinced she had a problem, and walking out six months later with something she didn’t expect: her people. Cassandra shares what the IOP structure gave her, how she navigated early sobriety while still living with her ex, and what it finally felt like to be in a healthy relationship. She also opens up about her two-year sobriety milestone, the morning routine that’s changing how she starts her days, and the Jersey Shore quote she keeps coming back to.Key Points 00:03:00 The Another Chance philosophy in Cassandra’s own words: “Recovery’s new to me. Whatever someone suggests, I’m gonna do it.” IOP ran Monday–Friday, 9 AM–3 PM, with drug testing three times per week. 00:06:00 Cassandra didn’t graduate until November 2024 — heavy marijuana use before treatment kept showing in her system. She also admits she used cocaine and drank the night before admission to be sure she’d test positive. 00:08:00 DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) was her favorite class at Another Chance, run by her favorite person, Julia. The program also included a free MUV Fitness gym membership, with an affordable rate post-graduation. 00:11:30 The bond she built with classmates brought back the feeling of high school friendships. Jerry said it best at her graduation: “Another Chance has been good for you, but you’ve been good for Another Chance.” 00:19:00 The moment she knew she was an addict: “The answer is when I had to go without it.” Still living with her ex during early IOP, she set hard limits — boundaries broken within days. 00:22:00 Meeting partner John at Another Chance — friendship that became the healthiest relationship she’s ever had. “I didn’t realize how shitty my previous relationships were until you actually have one that’s good and healthy.” 00:32:00 A candid admission: stopped going to meetings for two months. “If you make your recovery a priority, you’ll find the time.” Now attending Extended Family Saturday and doing secretariat for the first time. 00:34:00 On complacency — and Tristan’s quote: “Recovery is your first job. Your second job pays your bills.” 00:47:00 Morning routine built around the SAVERS framework from The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod — Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, Scribing — plus a guided journal and affirmation playlist for the commute. 00:55:00 Just hit her two-year sobriety mark. Looking at CNA certification starting late June and exploring peer support specialist credentials to test whether a career in recovery is the right path. 01:00:00 Parting words: Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s quote — “The comeback is greater than the setback” — and the reminder: “There’s no one-size-fits-all hat that we wear.” “I never wanna get complacent, and I never wanna take for granted the things that sobriety and recovery has given me thus far, like in my two years.” — Cassandra P. Websites Discussed Another Chance MUV Fitness Alcoholics Anonymous SMART Recovery Wellbriety The Miracle Morning — Hal Elrod Real Recovery Podcast Listen Now Read the Blog Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #AnotherChance, #FindingYourPeople, #MorningRoutine, #TheMiracleMorning, #SAVERS, #TwoYearsSober, #AA, #SoberLife, #RecoveryPodcast, @realrecoverypodcast Real Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 118 — Cassandra P. / Love Wasn't Enough, Part 1: Growing Up Inside Recovery — Then Having to Find It Herself
Jun 1201:37:17Tap to summarizeRRP 118 — Cassandra P. / Love Wasn’t Enough, Part 1 body { font-family: Georgia, serif; max-width: 680px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 24px 20px; color: #1a1a1a; background: #fff; line-height: 1.6; } h1 { font-size: 1.25rem; color: #0F1123; margin-bottom: 4px; line-height: 1.4; } .meta { font-size: 0.85rem; color: #555; margin-bottom: 20px; } p { margin: 0 0 16px; } ul { padding-left: 20px; margin: 0 0 16px; } li { margin-bottom: 10px; } .pill { display: inline-block; background: #0F1123; color: #fff; font-size: 0.72rem; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding: 2px 8px; border-radius: 12px; margin-right: 6px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; } blockquote { border-left: 4px solid #F45331; margin: 20px 0; padding: 12px 16px; background: #fdf8f5; font-style: italic; color: #2a2a2a; } blockquote cite { display: block; margin-top: 8px; font-style: normal; font-size: 0.9rem; color: #555; } .websites { margin: 20px 0; } .websites h3 { font-size: 0.95rem; color: #0F1123; margin-bottom: 8px; } .cta-buttons { display: flex; gap: 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin: 24px 0; } .cta-btn { display: inline-block; padding: 10px 20px; border-radius: 4px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9rem; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; } .cta-listen { background: #F45331; color: #fff; } .cta-blog { background: #3C82C1; color: #fff; } .cta-newsletter { background: #771719; color: #fff; } .hashtags { font-size: 0.8rem; color: #555; margin-top: 16px; line-height: 1.8; } .footer { border-top: 1px solid #ddd; margin-top: 32px; padding-top: 12px; font-size: 0.75rem; color: #888; text-align: center; } a { color: #3C82C1; } RRP 118 — Cassandra P. / Love Wasn’t Enough, Part 1: Growing Up Inside Recovery — Then Having to Find It Herself Presented by Peter B. and Julie L. • 1:37:00 • June 12, 2026 Cassandra P. grew up in the best possible version of a recovery household. Her mom, co-host Julie, got sober cold turkey while pregnant and never looked back. Cassandra attended AA meetings from age five, knew Julie’s sponsors by name, and never once saw either of her parents high. She was the sports girl — basketball, softball, water polo, Girl Scouts for ten years straight. And at 32, she still ended up in addiction. In Part 1, Cassandra and Julie trace the arc from a genuinely blessed childhood through the slow drift that loving structure couldn’t prevent forever. 00:05:00 Julie shares how Cassandra came into the world — Michael in prison, a doctor’s ultimatum, and quitting drugs cold turkey with no recovery plan. 00:12:00 Julie pays two months’ rent with the abortion money her mother gave her, stays clean throughout pregnancy, and graduates college — Cassandra in tow. 00:16:00 Cassandra on growing up “blessed” — AA was the norm, and she had a front-row seat to what recovery actually looks like from the inside. 00:35:00 Michael’s last basketball game: Cassandra hits three three-pointers, he’s screaming from the stands — the last time they see him before his death from a drug overdose. 00:48:00 Community college, a lost identity, and the first time Cassandra ever smoked weed — watching Friday on a Friday with her friend Travis. 00:57:00 The party years: close calls with police while drunk, and passing a field sobriety test she had no business passing. 01:08:00 The job that broke her, the three-month break that removed every guardrail, and a boyfriend whose money came easy. 01:28:00 Why Cassandra avoided Julie during her active addiction — and what it cost both of them. 01:32:00 Six months behind on the mortgage, cocaine and alcohol to cope, and the moment she signed up for Another Chance treatment — May 2024. “I’ve never seen either of my parents high or caught in addiction. That’s another blessing I have in my life.” — Cassandra P. Websites Discussed Another Chance — Portland, OR treatment center Real Recovery Podcast ▶ Listen 📋 Read the Blog ✉ Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryIsPossible #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #MothersInRecovery #FamiliesInRecovery #PodcastsAboutRecovery #TwelveSteps #Oregon #Portland • @realrecoverypodcast Real Recovery Podcast — A 501(c)(3) organization — EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 117 — Skyler Ray / Skyler Ray's High-Energy Road to Recovery — Revisited (Summer Bash 2026 Special Edition)
Jun 501:50:00Tap to summarizeRRP 117 — Skyler Ray / Skyler Ray's High-Energy Road to Recovery — Revisited body{font-family:Georgia,serif;max-width:680px;margin:0 auto;padding:24px;background:#F2EAD5;color:#0F1123;} h1{font-size:1.1em;color:#771719;border-bottom:3px solid #F45331;padding-bottom:8px;margin-bottom:4px;} .meta{font-size:.85em;color:#3C82C1;margin-bottom:16px;} p{line-height:1.7;margin-bottom:14px;} ul{padding-left:18px;} li{margin-bottom:6px;line-height:1.6;} .pill{display:inline-block;background:#0F1123;color:#F2EAD5;font-size:.72em;padding:2px 7px;border-radius:10px;margin-right:6px;font-family:monospace;} blockquote{border-left:4px solid #F45331;margin:20px 0;padding:10px 16px;background:#fff;font-style:italic;color:#771719;} blockquote cite{display:block;margin-top:8px;font-style:normal;font-weight:bold;color:#0F1123;font-size:.9em;} .cta-row{display:flex;gap:10px;margin:20px 0;flex-wrap:wrap;} .btn{padding:10px 18px;border-radius:4px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-size:.9em;} .btn-listen{background:#F45331;color:#fff;} .btn-blog{background:#3C82C1;color:#fff;} .btn-news{background:#771719;color:#fff;} .hashtags{font-size:.82em;color:#3C82C1;margin-top:16px;} .websites{font-size:.9em;line-height:1.8;} .websites a{color:#3C82C1;} footer{margin-top:24px;font-size:.75em;color:#771719;border-top:1px solid #F45331;padding-top:10px;}RRP 117 — Skyler Ray / Skyler Ray’s High-Energy Road to Recovery — Revisited (Summer Bash 2026 Special Edition)Presenters: Julie P. Lewis & Peter B. Dowell | 1 hr 50 min | June 5, 2026Julie and Peter revisit one of their most beloved episodes — Skyler Ray’s story from Episode 22. Since that first conversation, Skyler has grown to over 250,000 followers, launched the Road to Recovery Tour into its third national year, and married his musical partner Kala Mulcahy. This special edition is timed to Skyler’s Summer Bash 2026 performance at 4D Recovery Vancouver on June 13th (7201 NE 18th Street, 2–5 PM, free).The original interview is as powerful as ever. At nine, Skyler’s mother left him at a Portland shelter and never came back. Police split him from his brother into separate foster homes the same week. He masked the loss for years — through fights, expulsions, meth at ten, selling, and cycling in and out of Portland’s Justice Center. He rose to sales manager at an office looking directly down on the street corners where his addiction played out, then lost it all. In prison, alone on his bunk, he finally asked himself honestly what he wanted: music. He had never done it sober. His clean date is December 6, 2018. 0:00 Re-release intro: 250K+ followers; married to Kala; Summer Bash June 13th at 4D Vancouver 16:00 Age 9: mother leaves him at a shelter; police separate him from his brother into different foster homes 24:00 Age 18, homeless; meth use and street life around Paranoia Park (O’Brien Square) 28:00 Starts selling meth — abandonment issues fuel the addiction to power and acceptance as much as the drug 38:00 Sales job to manager of 100-person office in Union Bank Tower — private window overlooking Paranoia Park 44:00 Relapse to IV meth at the office; VP personally offers to fund rehab; Skyler declines 57:00 The conversation in prison: “I owe it to my nine-year-old boy” — decides to pursue music sober 1:04:00 Vision boards cover every wall of his Central City Concern room 1:06:00 Meets Kala Mulcahy — opera-trained — at dinner; they write their music dreams together as strangers 1:11:00 Everything on that list has happened: 250K+ followers, tens of millions of plays, opening for Kevin Gates 1:14:00 “My significant other has never seen me under the influence” 1:24:00 Road to Recovery Tour: 3rd year, 70+ events, performing in rehabs, jails & prisons nationwide 1:27:00 Upcoming: Gresham Smith Center June 28th (free); 4D Hillsboro Aug 10th; Recovery Out Loud Sept 6th Websites Discussed: OfficialSkylerRay.com — Music, tour dates & We Do Recover merch 4D Recovery — Tony V’s recovery community organization 4D Summer Bash 2026 — June 13th, 2–5 PM, 7201 NE 18th St, Vancouver WA 98661 4D Gratitude Night — Early Bird Tickets RRP Episode 22 — Original Skyler Ray Interview Real Recovery Podcast ▶ Listen Now Read the Blog Newsletter “Recovery has provided me everything I have ever wanted, right? There’s still levels to it, but it’s still provided me everything I have ever wanted.” — Skyler Ray#RealRecoveryPodcast #SkylerRay #Recovery #SummerBash2026 #RoadToRecovery #AddictionRecovery #MusicInRecovery #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #4DRecovery @OfficialSkylerRay @4DRecovery @RealRecoveryPodcastReal Recovery Podcast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 116 — Aaron Burrell / From "Money" to Hope Dealer: Gangs, Prison, and the Walk That Does the Talking
May 2901:49:12Tap to summarizeRRP 116 — Aaron Burrell / From “Money” to Hope Dealer: Gangs, Prison, and the Walk That Does the Talking body { font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-color: #f9f6f0; color: #1a1a1a; max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 2rem 1.5rem; line-height: 1.75; } h1 { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4rem; color: #0F1123; border-bottom: 4px solid #F45331; padding-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-bottom: 0.25rem; } .meta { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.85rem; color: #555; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; } h2 { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.05rem; color: #771719; margin-top: 2rem; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.04em; } p { margin-bottom: 1rem; } ul { padding-left: 1.25rem; } li { margin-bottom: 0.85rem; } .timecode { display: inline-block; background-color: #0F1123; color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.72rem; font-weight: bold; padding: 0.15rem 0.5rem; border-radius: 3px; margin-right: 0.4rem; vertical-align: middle; letter-spacing: 0.03em; } blockquote { border-left: 5px solid #F45331; margin: 1.5rem 0; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; background-color: #fff8f0; font-style: italic; color: #333; font-size: 1.05rem; } blockquote .attribution { display: block; margin-top: 0.5rem; font-style: normal; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.85rem; color: #771719; font-weight: bold; } .cta-row { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 0.75rem; margin: 1.5rem 0; } .cta-btn { display: inline-block; padding: 0.55rem 1.25rem; border-radius: 4px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9rem; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; color: #ffffff; } .cta-listen { background-color: #F45331; } .cta-blog { background-color: #3C82C1; } .cta-news { background-color: #771719; } .websites a { color: #3C82C1; text-decoration: none; } .websites a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .hashtags { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.82rem; color: #3C82C1; margin-top: 0.5rem; line-height: 1.9; } footer { margin-top: 3rem; padding-top: 1rem; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.78rem; color: #888; text-align: center; }RRP 116 — Aaron Burrell / From “Money” to Hope Dealer: Gangs, Prison, and the Walk That Does the Talking Presenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell | Episode Length: Approximately 1 hour 48 minutes | Release Date: May 29, 2026SummaryAaron Burrell grew up in Salem with his father in federal prison for twenty years — and a gang heritage he tried to live up to under the street name “Money.” After his father paroled, relapsed, and pulled him into a crystal meth operation, Aaron ended up in the same county jail as his dad. A note slipped under his cell door brought him to his first prayer. What followed was another prison bid, a near-suicide in Two Rivers, a dream that pointed to a single Bible verse, a courtroom turn no one saw coming, and the path to peer recovery work. Today Aaron is 30 months clean — the first sustained sobriety of his adult life — and wears a Hope Dealer hat to work.Key Points 00:03:00 Father in federal prison from the time Aaron was one year old — attempted murder and a bank robbery spree. The gang heritage that surrounded him was idolized in Aaron’s circle. 00:06:00 First prison bid at 21. Aaron is called for a visit thinking it’s a girlfriend — turns around and meets his father face-to-face for the first time at Oregon State Penitentiary. 00:11:00 Father paroles, becomes a recovery poster child, then relapses. Aaron walks into a duffle bag of cash and crystal meth on his own kitchen table. 00:22:00 Both in Marion County Jail. A note appears under Aaron’s cell door: two names, two addresses, an order to make sure they don’t make it to court. 00:24:00 First prayer of Aaron’s life: “If you’re real, I need you to do something.” The next morning his father is sent to the hole. Aaron opens a Bible at random to Matthew — do not worry. 00:31:00 Aaron refuses to carry out his father’s orders. His father’s response: “You’re dead to me. Change your last name.” 00:42:00 A relapse, a revocation, and over 50 more months inside. Aaron renounces his gang life, finds Celebrate Recovery, and facilitates step studies for the first time. 01:00:00 In court for a second revoke, the judge sentences him to 48 months without looking up. Aaron charges him. Another 18 months are added. October 16, 2023. 01:18:00 Three nights of dreams that all point to 1921. On the fifth night Aaron opens the Bible at midnight and lands on Proverbs 19:21. 01:22:00 A new judge plays the video of him charging the old one — then pulls out letters from released inmates and corrections officers vouching for who Aaron is now. “You’re going to City Team.” 01:34:00 From City Team → mentor at 4D Recovery → The Peer Company. 30 months clean — his first sustained sobriety. He wears a Hope Dealer hat from Be Bold Street Ministries to work.Guest Quote “In that darkness is when I seen the light.” — Aaron BurrellListen & Connect ▶ Listen Now 📖 Read the Blog ✉ NewsletterWebsites Discussed City Team 4D Recovery The Peer Company Be Bold Street Ministries Celebrate Recovery Real Recovery Podcast Hashtags & Mentions #RealRecoveryPodcast #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #HopeDealer #OregonRecovery #PrisonToPurpose #PeerSupport #SecondChances #CityTeam #4DRecovery @realrecoverypodcast @cityteampdx @4drecovery Real Recovery Podcast Inc. — 501(c)(3) Nonprofit — EIN: 99-1347297 — www.realrecoverypodcast.com
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