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.
43episodes
Episodes
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RRP 106 — Megan C.; Six Years Clean: Megan C.’s Journey from Homelessness and Heroin to Leading Others Home
Mar 2001:26:55Tap to summarizeRRP 106 — Megan C. | Real Recovery Podcast body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6; color: #1a1a1a; background: #fff; max-width: 760px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 24px 20px; } h1 { font-size: 22px; color: #0F1123; margin: 0 0 4px; } h2 { font-size: 17px; color: #771719; margin: 22px 0 8px; border-bottom: 2px solid #F45331; padding-bottom: 4px; } .subtitle { font-size: 15px; color: #3C82C1; font-style: italic; margin: 0 0 6px; } .meta { font-size: 13px; color: #555; margin-bottom: 18px; } ul { margin: 0; padding-left: 18px; } ul li { margin-bottom: 6px; } .timecode { color: #771719; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px; } blockquote { border-left: 4px solid #F45331; margin: 0; padding: 10px 16px; background: #fdf6f0; font-style: italic; color: #333; } blockquote cite { display: block; margin-top: 6px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px; color: #771719; } .links a { display: block; color: #3C82C1; text-decoration: none; margin-bottom: 4px; } .links a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .cta { background: #0F1123; color: #F2EAD5; padding: 14px 16px; border-radius: 4px; margin-top: 18px; } .cta a { color: #60C0EA; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; } .hashtags { font-size: 12px; color: #555; margin-top: 16px; line-height: 1.8; } .footer { font-size: 12px; color: #888; margin-top: 16px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; padding-top: 10px; }RRP 106 — Megan C.Six Years Clean: Megan C.'s Journey from Homelessness and Heroin to Leading Others HomePresenters: Peter and Julie | Release Date: March 20, 2026 | Episode: 106Episode SummaryPeter and Julie welcome Megan C., a peer recovery mentor and program manager whose road to recovery wound through opiates, heroin, homelessness, domestic violence, and two near-death hospitalizations — including a nine-week ICU stay and coma after bacteria ate a hole through her lung the size of a baseball. Now with six years clean, Megan oversees nurses, caseworkers, and peer recovery mentors. She talks about Oxford House, medication-assisted treatment, breaking the cycle of trauma for her daughters, and why giving back keeps her sober.Key Points [00:01:23] Megan introduced via Lunch Bunch AA — connected through mutual friend Darrell (EP 53). [00:03:10] Episode records on the two-year anniversary of RRP — 104 episodes, every Friday. [00:18:08] Always feeling different; Adderall in middle school made her feel "normal" for the first time. [00:18:45] Cocaine in her early twenties — the first time something could grab hold of her. [00:19:42] Addiction escalated via a boyfriend: hydrocodone, then fentanyl patches and oxycodone. [00:20:44] Went through a sick woman's stockpile of 14 bottles of 480 oxycodone. First severe withdrawal. [00:25:11] Methadone for approximately six years — describes it as one of the biggest mistakes of her life. [00:26:37] Domestic violence: a man broke her jaw and eye. He went to prison for seven years. [00:27:25] Vowed never to touch heroin. Moved a heroin addict in. Within days, fully addicted. [00:28:00] Kicked off methadone after heroin showed in her system — which may have saved her life. [00:31:15] Homeless on Portland's streets in winter. Kicked heroin over 10 days on a stranger's floor. [00:33:30] Julie and Megan share candid parallel experiences in sex work — rarely discussed publicly. [00:45:10] Near-death: bacteria entered her lung, ate a hole the size of a baseball. Nine-week quarantine ICU. Went into a coma. [00:47:00] Woke on methadone, switched to Suboxone too soon — precipitated withdrawals. Also went septic in a separate stay. [00:48:20] Inpatient treatment, then Oxford House — a cornerstone of her recovery. [00:52:28] Clean date: checked into detox on her daughter's birthday. Six years clean as of last month. [00:53:00] Oxford House led to her career at Our House. Best friend from treatment called about the job. [01:08:45] Promoted to program manager last August — now oversees nurses, caseworkers, and peer recovery mentors. [01:13:33] Younger daughter now three. Asked father to leave so she would never witness what the older daughter saw. [01:14:07] Older daughter, now 18, rebuilding their relationship and talking about moving in. [01:21:07] At 40, Megan is entering the first chapter where she gets to choose everything.Guest Quote "Anything is possible. You get to a point where you could never even see going back. And anything is possible." — Megan C.Websites Discussed Oxford House Our House — Portland Recovery Housing Lunch Bunch / Extended Family AA Online Real Recovery Podcast Listen & Connect ▶ Listen to this episode 📄 Read the blog post ✉ Subscribe to our newsletter#RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryPodcast #SoberLife #HeroinRecovery #OpiateRecovery #MedicationAssistedTreatment #MAT #Suboxone #OxfordHouse #CleanAndSoberLiving #SixYearsClean #BreakingTheCycle #PeerRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #RealRecovery #TraumaRecovery #PortlandRecoveryReal Recovery Podcast Inc. | 501(c)(3) Nonprofit | EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 105 — Mark S.; The Group Is My Higher Power: One Atheist’s Path Through Addiction and Back
Mar 1301:02:12Tap to summarizeEpisode 105 • Season 3RRP 105 — Mark S.The Group Is My Higher Power: One Atheist’s Path Through Addiction and BackPresenters: Peter and JulieRelease Date: March 13, 2026Episode: 105Runtime: 1:00:27Episode SummaryIn this episode, Peter and Julie welcome Mark S., a long-time member of Extended Family — the online AA community where he and Julie first met. Mark’s story spans more than five decades of addiction, survival, and hard-won sobriety. From a Pentecostal upbringing that condemned him for being gay, to the streets of Southern California in the 1970s, to a near-fatal suicide attempt that left him in a coma for three days, Mark’s journey is unflinching and deeply human. Now more than two years sober and homebound with COPD, Mark has found his footing through service work, a sponsor with 42 years of sobriety, and a higher power he defines entirely on his own terms: the group of Alcoholics Anonymous itself. This is Episode 105 — the first episode of Season 3.Key Points00:01:40First Zoom-recorded guest — a new format for the show.00:03:21Episode 105 opens Season 3.00:04:06First drink: 1968, a family wedding. Raised in a strict Pentecostal household; no alcohol.00:05:00From a young age, Mark believed he was going to hell for being attracted to other boys — reinforced by his church and father.00:07:00Junior high: bullying, a 1.4 GPA, early sexual activity driven by shame.00:10:18At 16, his father discovered he was gay and kicked him out.00:16:30First AA contact: ~1979–80, Laguna Beach. AA members came to his motel room, dumped his alcohol, took him to a meeting.00:22:25Drunk, threw a TV through a window. Hit by a car on Laguna Canyon Road — hospitalized with partial paralysis.00:28:43Moved to Oregon around 1984–85, fleeing the AIDS crisis. Met partner Greg; together 28 years.00:33:31Suicide attempt: took all his medications, slashed his wrists. Coma for three days.00:35:09One month in hospital; one month rehab at Cedar Hills, Beaverton, OR.00:35:41Four years of sobriety — ended after smoking marijuana. Drank heavily until COVID.00:36:06During COVID, a friend introduced Zoom AA. Found Extended Family / Lunch Bunch AA Online — where he met Julie.00:37:39Final drink: June 14, 2023. Sobriety date: June 15, 2023. Now two years and eight months sober.00:38:21Homebound with COPD, on disability. Hosts his own Zoom AA meeting; active in service work.00:43:32Higher power: not a traditional God — the group of AA. “One person will let me down, but the group doesn’t.”00:46:34Recent losses: father died November 5, 2024; mother died early March 2026, days before recording.00:51:00Family of choice in sobriety and the LGBTQ+ community — parallels drawn by Peter, Julie, and Mark.00:58:00Closing: Mark’s attitude toward death, service, and staying spiritually healthy in recovery.Guest Quote “My higher power is the group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Not one person — ‘cause one person will let me down — but the group of Alcoholics Anonymous. And the principles behind the group don’t let me down.” — Mark S.Listen & ConnectWebsites DiscussedExtended Family / Lunch Bunch AA OnlineCedar Hills Hospital — Behavioral Health, Beaverton, ORReal Recovery PodcastHashtags & Mentions #RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryPodcast #SoberLife #AARecovery #AlcoholicsAnonymous #AtheistRecovery #SecularRecovery #HigherPower #LGBTQRecovery #SoberCommunity #RecoveryIsReal #TwoYearsSober #ZoomAA #ExtendedFamily #RealRecovery Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP 104 — Justin Rye; From the Streets to Service: Finding Faith, Sobriety, and Purpose in Recovery
Mar 601:15:11Tap to summarizeRRP 104 — Justin Rye | Real Recovery Podcast *, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; } body { font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; color: #1a1a2e; background: #fafaf8; } .page-wrapper { max-width: 780px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 48px 32px 64px; } .ep-header { border-left: 5px solid #c0392b; padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 28px; } .ep-label { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.12em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #c0392b; margin-bottom: 8px; } .ep-title { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: 700; color: #1a1a2e; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 8px; } .ep-subtitle { font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; color: #444; } .meta-bar { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 6px 20px; background: #1a1a2e; color: #fff; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding: 12px 18px; border-radius: 6px; margin-bottom: 32px; } .meta-bar strong { color: #e8b4b8; } hr { border: none; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; margin: 28px 0; } h2 { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #c0392b; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 5px; border-bottom: 2px solid #f0e0e0; } .summary p { font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.8; color: #2c2c3e; margin-bottom: 10px; } .kp-item { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; } .pill { display: inline-block; background: #1a1a2e; color: #fff; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 700; padding: 3px 9px; border-radius: 20px; white-space: nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; margin-top: 3px; } .kp-text { font-size: 14px; color: #2c2c3e; line-height: 1.55; } blockquote { border-left: 5px solid #1a1a2e; margin: 0; padding: 16px 22px; background: #f5f0eb; border-radius: 0 6px 6px 0; } blockquote p { font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; color: #1a1a2e; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 8px; } blockquote cite { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; color: #666; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; } .cta-row { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 10px; margin-top: 10px; } .btn { display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase; text-decoration: none; padding: 10px 20px; border-radius: 4px; } .btn-primary { background: #c0392b; color: #fff; } .btn-secondary { background: #1a1a2e; color: #fff; } .btn-outline { background: transparent; color: #1a1a2e; border: 2px solid #1a1a2e; } .websites li { list-style: none; padding-left: 0; margin-bottom: 7px; font-size: 14px; } .websites li::before { content: "2"; color: #c0392b; margin-right: 8px; } .websites a { color: #1a1a2e; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; } .hashtags { font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: #555; line-height: 1.8; } footer { margin-top: 48px; padding-top: 20px; border-top: 1px solid #ddd; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #999; } footer a { color: #999; text-decoration: underline; } @media (max-width: 560px) { .page-wrapper { padding: 24px 16px 48px; } .ep-title { font-size: 20px; } } Show Notes — Episode 104 RRP 104 — Justin Rye From the Streets to Service: Finding Faith, Sobriety, and Purpose in Recovery Presenters: Peter and Julie Runtime: 1:16:42 Release Date: March 6, 2026 Summary Justin Rye grew up in Fresno, California, where gang culture and early drug use shaped his world. He started smoking weed at nine, was sent to juvenile hall at 12, and cycled through 16 group homes. His mother was the first person he ever used meth with. Released from the California Youth Authority at 19 with nothing, he spent the next two decades in and out of prison. After seven years in a van, Justin arrived in Portland in 2017 for the National Rainbow Gathering. A relapse at Skidmore Fountain led to five years living unhoused and using intravenous meth. A bank robbery — note only, no weapon — landed him two years in federal prison. Released to a halfway house on Killingsworth, he was found unresponsive from synthetic marijuana and kicked out. A fellow resident named Cilo handed him a phone number. That number was Rob Black’s. On July 3, 2023, Justin moved into sober living. The woman he had smoked spice with that same night died from it. He never touched it again. Now nearly three years sober, Justin carries 12 clients at Adult and Teen Challenge in Estacada, Oregon, runs three groups a day, and is working toward his CADC certification. Key Points 00:09:34Growing up in Fresno — weed at 9, juvenile hall at 12, 16 group homes 00:10:49First meth use with his mother; California Youth Authority until age 19 00:11:57Life on the installment plan: ~12 incarcerations, 2 state + 1 federal prison 00:13:59Seven years in a van; 2017 National Rainbow Gathering brought him to Oregon 00:18:45Five years unhoused in Portland; bank robbery by note; two years federal prison 00:21:45Spice, the halfway house, and Rob Black — sobriety date July 3, 2023 00:24:02Fellow resident dies from spice the night Justin moved into sober living 00:24:42AA structure, faith, and Pastor Tara connecting him to Adult and Teen Challenge 00:26:0012 clients, 3 groups/day, 90 CEUs toward CADC certification 00:30:28“Real recovery takes time to build.” 00:35:23Thanking the court — federal prison saved his life 00:45:37“If you’re not comfortable, you’re not growing.” 00:58:39Relapse is a part of relapse — not a foregone conclusion Guest Quote “Real recovery takes time to build.” — Justin Rye Listen & Read Listen to Episode 104 Read the Blog Post Subscribe to Newsletter Websites Discussed Adult and Teen Challenge Skyler Ray Real Recovery Podcast Hashtags & Mentions #RealRecovery #RecoveryPodcast #AddictionRecovery #SoberLiving #FaithAndRecovery #AdultAndTeenChallenge #SubstanceAbuse #MethRecovery #PeerSupport #RecoveryIsPossible #StreetToService #RecoveryWorks@RealRecoveryPodcast @SkylerRayOfficial Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297 <a href="https://www.realrecoverypodcast.com/" target="_blank" rel="n...
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RRP 103 — Luciano N.; Don’t Stop Before the Miracle: One Man’s Journey Through Homelessness, Relapse, and Real Recovery
Feb 2701:40:58Tap to summarizeReal Recovery Podcast — Episode 103RRP 103 — Luciano N.Don’t Stop Before the Miracle: One Man’s Journey Through Homelessness, Relapse, and Real RecoveryPresenters: Peter and JulieRelease Date: February 27, 2026Episode Length: 1:40:20Episode SummaryIn this episode, hosts Julie and Peter welcome Luciano N., a Salem-raised, bicultural gay Latino man whose story winds through family upheaval, discovering his identity, competitive cheerleading, the Portland nightlife scene, and a decade-long struggle with alcohol and drugs. From sleeping on MAX trains and in parks downtown to finding his footing at Blanchet House and Another Chance treatment, Luciano’s road to recovery was anything but straight. Now nineteen months sober and serving as Director of Operations at Atlas Treatment Center, he shares what it finally meant to stop performing for everyone else and start showing up for himself.Key Points00:05:53Luciano grew up in Salem, Oregon with a bicultural background — his mother’s Americanized family and his father’s roots in Veracruz, Mexico. His father was incarcerated when Luciano was five, leaving his mother as the sole provider for four children. When Luciano was 13, his father was released from prison in Georgia and deported to Mexico.00:16:27By his sophomore year of high school, Luciano was navigating his sexuality, exploring faith, and had his first drink at a family gathering — all at once. Sports, choir, cheerleading, and a natural gift for dancing gave him belonging, but alcohol was creeping in.00:25:48Luciano moved to Portland for Portland State cheerleading, worked as a server and bartender, and became Mr. Junior Gay Portland No. 7. Drinking escalated from weekends to weekdays as anxiety, identity pressures, and people-pleasing intensified.00:35:00A three-year relationship with a trans man who had three children pulled Luciano into a seven-year codependent dynamic. Drinking became daily. During the pandemic, he and a roommate drank from morning to night for months. He went through seven jobs in a single year.00:41:49After losing housing and sleeping in parks and on MAX trains, Luciano ended up at the Portland Rescue Mission, then Blanchet House, where he worked in the kitchen serving meals as part of their 90-day program.00:59:29A relapse led to ten days of bar-hopping and losing everything again. Collapsing at Laurel Hurst Park, unable to get up, Luciano crawled back to the hospital and then walked to The Peer Company (formerly MHAAO) — where peer support specialist Terry connected him to detox at Hooper and treatment at Another Chance.01:11:58Luciano became house manager at a Sober Housing Oregon residence, learning to set boundaries for the first time. He experienced the death of a housemate to overdose — one of the most defining moments of his recovery.01:21:43The day before his second treatment graduation, Luciano was offered a position at Atlas Treatment Center as Director of Operations. Now nineteen months sober, he describes his recovery as leaning into life rather than outrunning it.Guest Quote“Don’t give up on yourself in the journey. The journey is the miracle, the path that you lead every day.”— Luciano N.Websites DiscussedBlanchet HousePortland Rescue MissionAnother Chance RecoveryThe Peer Company (formerly MHAAO)True Colors RecoverySober Housing OregonAtlas Treatment CenterReal Recovery PodcastHashtags & Mentions#RealRecoveryPodcast #AddictionRecovery #SoberLiving #RecoveryIsPossible #LGBTQRecovery #HomelessnessAndRecovery #MiraclesHappen #DontStopBeforeTheMiracle #PortlandRecovery #SoberCommunity @RealRecoveryPodcastReal Recovery Podcast Inc. — A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — EIN: 99-1347297Real stories lead to real recovery. realrecoverypodcast.com
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RRP 102 — Lee Anne K. Turning On the Light: Recovery, Resilience, and Radical Self-Acceptance
Feb 2001:28:15Tap to summarizeRRP 102 — Lee Anne K.; Turning On the Light: Recovery, Resilience, and Radical Self-AcceptancePresenters: Peter and JulieEpisode Length: 1 hour, 28 minutesRelease Date: February 20, 2026Episode SummaryIn 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 Highlights00:01:28 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.Websites DiscussedLunch Bunch / Extended Family AA OnlineAlano Club of PortlandGO THE DISTANCE — Recovery Through Physical FitnessOregon RecoversReal Recovery PodcastListen & Read More▶ Listen Now📄 Read the Blog✉ Subscribe to Newsletter© 2026 Real Recovery Podcast Inc. — A registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. EIN: 99-1347297
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RRP Episode 101 – Building a Life After Prison: Austin’s Path Through Recovery and Service
Feb 1301:28:12Tap to summarizeRRP Episode 101 – Building a Life After Prison: Austin’s Path Through Recovery and ServicePresenters: Julie and PeterGuest: Austin ColeLength: 1 hour, 28 minutesRelease Date: 2/13SummaryIn this episode of the Real Recovery Podcast, Julie and Peter sit down with Austin Cole for a deeply reflective conversation about incarceration, recovery, identity, and growth. Austin shares how his time in prison became a period of education and self-examination rather than an endpoint, and how mentorship, community, and recovery principles helped shape his reentry. Together, they explore how recovery evolves over time, the importance of meeting emotional needs in healthy ways, and what it truly means to build a meaningful life after prison.Key Points (with Time Codes)[00:01:27 – 00:03:30] Austin meets Julie and Peter at the Oregon Recovery Walk and introduces himself, sharing his background, age, and early context for his story.[00:01:57 – 00:02:26] Austin talks about meeting Mike Covey while incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary and how that relationship helped shape hope and direction for life after release.[00:24:07 – 00:25:00] Discussion about mentorship and friendship, including the role trusted relationships played during reentry and early recovery.[00:25:49 – 00:26:09] Austin reflects on the length of his incarceration and the circumstances surrounding his release, including health considerations and opportunities for education while incarcerated.[00:28:10 – 00:28:49] Conversation about changing values, developing self-love, and how recovery evolves as core beliefs shift over time.[00:29:32 – 00:30:04] Austin discusses meetings, recovery environments, and balancing personal recovery while working within recovery spaces.[01:03:52 – 01:06:00] Reflections on recovery philosophies, emotional needs, transcendence, and how wisdom develops through sustained self-work.[01:06:16 – 01:07:39] Exploration of unmet emotional needs, conflict, communication, and learning to de-escalate and respond with compassion in recovery and community settings.[01:27:18 – 01:28:29] Closing reflections on responsibility, service, and the impact of recovery work, including the idea that changing even one life has meaning.Quote“I’m doing this for myself and I’m doing this because I love myself.”— Austin ColeLinksAustin’s Book – Chains to Changehttps://www.amazon.com/Chains-Change-Addiction-Incarceration-Becoming/dp/B0G3668Z2QCleanse Wellness Company:https://cleansewellnessco.org/Listen to the Real Recovery Podcast:https://mdcr1.com/listenPodcast Blog:https://mdcr1.com/blogReal Recovery Podcast Website:https://www.realrecoverypodcast.com/ConclusionAustin’s story illustrates that recovery is an ongoing process of growth, reflection, and accountability. His journey highlights the power of mentorship, the importance of community, and the work required to meet emotional needs in healthy ways while building a life after incarceration. This episode offers insight and hope for anyone navigating recovery, reentry, or personal transformation.Hashtags & Mentions#RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryJourney #LifeAfterPrison #AddictionRecovery #Reentry #Healing #CommunitySupport #SecondChances
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RRP Episode 100 – Bill M: One Honest Day at a Time in Long-Term Recovery
Feb 601:14:11Tap to summarizeRRP Episode 100 – Bill M: One Honest Day at a Time in Long-Term RecoveryPresenters: Julie and PeterLength: 1:08:00Episode SummaryEpisode 100 marks a meaningful milestone for the Real Recovery Podcast, and we honor it the same way we always have—by centering lived experience and honest conversation. In this episode, Bill M joins us to talk about what long-term recovery truly requires. Together, we explore accountability, humility, relapse, rebuilding trust, and learning how to stay emotionally present even when it’s uncomfortable. Bill shares openly about the work it takes to sustain recovery and the importance of community, connection, and service along the way.Key Points00:03:40 – Bill reflects on early recovery and the importance of honesty00:14:12 – Accountability and taking responsibility for past actions00:27:05 – Relapse, self-reflection, and lessons learned00:41:30 – Rebuilding trust through consistent effort00:55:18 – Community, connection, and service in long-term recovery01:07:45 – Staying emotionally present and continuing the workQuote“I had to stop blaming everything else and really look at my part in it. That’s when recovery actually started to stick.” — Bill MLinksListen to the episode: https://mdcr1.com/100Read the blog: https://mdcr1.com/100bReal Recovery Podcast: https://www.realrecoverypodcast.com/Hashtags & Mentions#RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryJourney #Episode100 #LongTermRecovery #Accountability #OneDayAtATime
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RRP Episode 99. Ebony — Choosing Recovery, Rebuilding Trust, and Living the Work (Part Two)
Jan 3000:56:20Tap to summarizeRRP Episode 99. Ebony — Choosing Recovery, Rebuilding Trust, and Living the Work (Part Two)Presenters: Julie and PeterLength: 00:57:17Episode OverviewIn part two of this two-part conversation, Ebony’s story turns toward recovery. Beginning where part one left off, this episode explores the shift from awareness into action, the realities of early recovery, and the ongoing work of healing. Ebony shares what it meant to begin choosing something different, how accountability and support became essential, and why recovery is a process that continues to unfold over time.Key Points with Time Codes[00:57:17] Transition point — awareness begins turning into action[01:01:40] Entering recovery and facing the realities of early sobriety[01:07:55] Learning new tools and letting go of old survival patterns[01:15:20] Accountability, support systems, and asking for help[01:23:10] Rebuilding trust with self and learning to stay present[01:31:45] Understanding recovery as ongoing work, not a single event[01:39:30] Reflection, growth, and staying grounded in lived experience[End] Closing thoughts and encouragement for listenersWhy This Episode MattersThis episode focuses on the after — what happens once awareness turns into commitment. Ebony’s story emphasizes that recovery is not instant or linear, but built through honesty, consistency, and support. For listeners navigating recovery, this conversation offers realism, hope, and permission to take the process one step at a time.Transcript-Verified Quote“I had to learn how to sit with myself instead of trying to escape how I felt.” — Ebony(Part Two, post-00:57:17)Listen & ReadListen: https://mdcr1.com/99Blog: https://mdcr1.com/99bPart One ReminderIf you haven’t listened yet, Part One (Episode 98) explores the roots of trauma, identity, and survival that shaped Ebony’s path before recovery began.Listen to Part One: https://mdcr1.com/98Hashtags & Mentions#RealRecoveryPodcast, #AddictionRecovery, #RecoveryJourney, #EarlyRecovery, #LivedExperience, #HealingInProgress, #SobrietyStories
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RRP Episode 98. Ebony — Trauma, Identity, and the Road That Led to Recovery (Part 1)
Jan 2300:59:53Tap to summarizeRRP Episode 98. Ebony — Trauma, Identity, and the Road That Led to Recovery (Part One)Presenters: Julie and PeterLength: 57 minutes, 17 secondsEpisode OverviewIn part one of this two-part conversation, Ebony shares the early chapters of her lived experience, focusing on trauma, identity, and the survival strategies that shaped her path into addiction. This episode centers on understanding the roots of substance use, the impact of lived experience, and the early moments of awareness that begin to open the door to recovery.Key Points with Time Codes[00:02:10] Ebony introduces herself and begins sharing early life context and formative experiences[00:06:45] Childhood and adolescent trauma and its impact on identity and self-worth[00:12:30] Early coping mechanisms and survival patterns taking shape[00:18:55] Emotional disconnection, belonging, and internal conflict[00:26:10] Substance use as a way to manage pain and unresolved trauma[00:33:40] Recognizing patterns and the cost of staying disconnected[00:41:15] Moments of awareness that begin to challenge old narratives[00:49:30] Naming the underlying pain and beginning to question old coping strategies[00:57:17] Part One concludes, setting the stage for what comes nextWhy This Episode MattersThis episode focuses on the before — the context, pain, and lived experience that often go unseen. Ebony’s story highlights why trauma-informed conversations matter and how understanding the roots of addiction is a critical step toward meaningful recovery.What’s NextThis conversation continues in Part Two (Episode 99), where Ebony shares how recovery began to take shape, what healing looked like in practice, and how her story continues to unfold.Listen & ReadListen: https://mdcr1.com/98Blog: https://mdcr1.com/98bTranscript-Verified Quote“I didn’t even realize how much I was carrying until I finally stopped running from it.” — EbonyHashtags & Mentions#RealRecoveryPodcast, #AddictionRecovery, #TraumaAndRecovery, #LivedExperience, #RecoveryJourney, #HealingThroughUnderstanding, #SobrietyStories
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RRP Episode 97 – Quentin: Relapse, Shame, and the Courage to Come Back
Jan 1701:26:47Tap to summarizeTitle: RRP Episode 97. Quentin — From Anger and Isolation to a Safe Space in RecoveryPresenters: Julie and PeterLength: 1:25:57 Summary:In this episode, Quentin shares a raw, honest look at how anger, isolation, and untreated mental health fueled his drinking—and what it took to finally reach for help. Julie and Peter walk with him through the turning points: asking for culturally specific support, learning how to feel again, rebuilding connection, and finding “safe space” and chosen family through community.Key Points[00:42:45] Quentin reflects on how anger shaped his drinking—and how the “just stop being angry” advice didn’t match reality. [00:43:14] He shares the moment he asked for culturally specific mental-health support (“black people problems” and “trans people problems”). [00:47:31] Early recovery: IOP/Zoom meetings, learning to face feelings he’d never dealt with, and what it was like hearing others’ grief. [00:50:53] A heavy, honest turning point: therapy as a last stop before something worse—and why he’s grateful he chose help. [01:16:18] Quentin’s creative side: Julie shouts out his photography and where listeners can find his work. [01:16:54] Four years in: seasonal depression, navigating family dynamics, and learning to “feel all the feels” without numbing out. [01:19:48] Holidays in recovery: realizing he didn’t want to be alone—he needed to be in a safe space. [01:23:29] Found family and community care: “I definitely gained a whole nother family.” LinksListening Link: https://mdcr1.com/97Blog Link: https://mdcr1.com/97bCucumber Studios (mentioned): https://cucumberstudios.com GTD Go the Distance (mentioned): https://gtdgothedistance.org Quote“You are going to kill yourself, sir. So going to therapy was like my final attempt before I really attempt something bigger.” — Quentin Hashtags and Mentions#RealRecoveryPodcast #Recovery #Sobriety #MentalHealth #LGBTQRecovery #TransInRecovery #HolidayRecovery #CommunitySupport #PortlandRecovery #GTDGoTheDistance @4DRecovery
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