RRP 102 — Lee Anne K.; Turning On the Light: Recovery, Resilience, and Radical Self-Acceptance

Presenters: Peter and Julie

Episode Length: 1 hour, 28 minutes

Release Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Summary

In this heartfelt episode, Julie and Peter welcome Lee Anne K. — a nearly nine-year member of the recovery community, proud straight ally, devoted letter-writer, and self-described number one fan of the Real Recovery Podcast. Hailing from Scappoose, Oregon, Lee Anne arrived at AA in May 2008 and holds a current sobriety date of March 12, 2017. Her story is one of remarkable honesty: a first marriage entered too young, a relapse after treatment, the slow climb back through step work, and the grace she found in service, connection, and radical reframing of life’s hardest moments.

Lee Anne shares how letter-writing became a cornerstone of her recovery, how self-care bingo cards and a 140-item “things to do instead” list keep her grounded, and why she chooses to love everyone “with a beating heart” — especially those in the LGBTQ+ community. Recorded on February 12, 2026 — the 20th anniversary of a traumatic assault — this episode is a testament to what is possible when you choose, day after day, to turn the light on.

Key Highlights

00:01:28 Julie and Peter introduce Lee Anne as the podcast’s “number one fan” — a title she lovingly concedes to Julie’s daughter Cassandra. Lee Anne recounts bingeing roughly 70 episodes after finding the podcast business card, then deciding to donate.
00:06:36 A significant and moving disclosure: the recording date is the 20th anniversary of Lee Anne’s rape. She arrived in the rooms 18 years ago — “it takes what it takes.”
00:29:32 The Simpsons moment: watching Homer accept Marge’s 30-day no-Duff-beer challenge, Lee Anne sat thinking her family must be thinking about her. The next day she texted them “I’m going to beat Homer Simpson” — they had no idea what she meant. She did 37 days, then relapsed when a neighbor offered a vodka orange juice.
00:30:57 At a women in IT meeting at Nike, a colleague stood up and shared 17 years of sobriety. Lee Anne turned around so fast she nearly broke her neck. After the meeting she couldn’t get words out — the woman simply handed over her name tag with her extension written on it. Fran became Lee Anne’s first sponsor.
00:35:43 A DUI led to required counseling, which led to an opening at Pathways in St. Helens — a treatment center across the street from a small park. Lee Anne reframed the experience as “summer camp” to make it bearable.
00:56:46 Lee Anne met her current husband two weeks after her last relapse — not recommended, she emphasizes — but she was upfront: “I’m new in recovery, my time will be limited.” He respected that. Her current sobriety date is March 12, 2017.
01:01:00 Her 140-item “things to do instead” list: send love texts, cook a meal for others, review the church prayer list and mail cards, read a comic book, dust picture frames. The list exists to break negative thinking and redirect energy.
01:02:37 Lee Anne distributes 10-minute coins to newcomers: one side reads “Unity, Service, Recovery — 10 Minutes,” the other side carries the Serenity Prayer. Her message: if you can wait 10 minutes, you might be okay.

“If you are in a dark place, turn the light on. There are light switches around, there are candles. You have a choice. You are responsible for your own happiness.”

— Lee Anne K.

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