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She thought she was going on a date. Instead, he took her to her first NA meeting—and that moment changed everything. After years of heavy drinking, drug use, and a near-fatal overdose, Katerina knew she needed to stop… but had no idea how. What started as confusion and frustration inside that meeting quickly turned into something unexpected: connection, honesty, and the realization that she wasn’t alone. In this episode, she shares the moment that shifted her path, how addiction took over her life, and what finally helped her begin the journey to recovery. Sometimes the thing you need most shows up when you least expect it. 00:00 Introduction 00:19 Childhood & Early Exposure to Alcohol 01:00 Drinking Becomes a Daily Habit 02:00 Life in Colombia & Escalating Drug Use 04:00 Daily Drug Cycle & Loss of Control 05:00 Overdose & Waking Up in the Hospital 06:20 Trying to Stop But Can’t 09:50 First NA Meeting Experience 11:30 Asking for Help & Going to Rehab 13:00 Early Recovery Struggles 15:00 Returning Home & Rebuilding Life 16:30 Recovery Routine & Personal Growth 17:30 Moving to the U.S. & New Opportunities 19:10 Relapse After Success 20:30 Loss, Grief & Finding Recovery Again 21:50 Discovering Multiple Pathways to Recovery 23:20 Advice for Someone New in Recovery ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Margaret Lloyd Seger shares her recovery story—getting sober at just 25 years old and transforming her life into one of purpose, research, and impact. From early struggles with alcohol and Adderall to becoming a PhD researcher studying addiction and pregnancy, her journey highlights the reality of addiction, the difficulty of early recovery, and the hope that keeps people going. This conversation dives into: What early addiction really looks like The hardest parts of early recovery How recovery can rebuild a life The truth about substance use during pregnancy Why people deserve recovery—no matter what Recovery is possible. And it starts one day at a time.0:00 – Margaret introduces herself (15 years in recovery) 1:05 – “I had a great childhood… still became an alcoholic” 1:40 – First exposure to drinking & drugs 2:27 – Early red flags: “I only wanted to drink to get drunk” 3:00 – Why addiction is hard to see when you’re in it 4:00 – Loss + addiction getting worse 5:00 – The moment it finally clicked 5:25 – First recovery meeting at 25 6:10 – “Drugs and alcohol stopped working” 7:30 – Early recovery was the hardest thing she’s ever done 8:00 – 10 days sober… nervous system completely shot 9:15 – Surviving early recovery (meetings + “hope shots”) 10:45 – Rebuilding life in recovery 13:30 – Working with kids affected by addiction 16:50 – Her focus now: pregnancy & addiction 20:40 – Research + TikTok education 22:10 – Cannabis use during pregnancy 24:45 – The risks most people don’t realize 28:50 – Advice for someone in their first 24 hours ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Christina didn’t just watch addiction from the outside—she lived it as a sister, trying to make sense of behaviors that didn’t add up, while the rest of her family struggled to even acknowledge what was happening. In this episode, she shares the quiet warning signs she first noticed, the isolation of carrying that awareness alone, and the emotional rollercoaster of loving someone through years of opioid addiction, relapse, and loss. But this isn’t just a story about grief—it’s about what came after. After losing her brother, Christina turned pain into purpose, building a new model inside schools that focuses on connection over punishment—giving students support instead of isolation. This conversation is for anyone who has loved someone through addiction… and wondered what more could have been done.00:00 – Intro & Christina’s story01:00 – Early signs of addiction03:30 – Denial, isolation, and confusion07:30 – From pills to heroin10:00 – Rehab, relapse, and reality13:00 – Loving someone through addiction16:45 – Loss and grief17:30 – Turning pain into purpose19:00 – Changing how schools handle addiction23:00 – Supporting teens before it’s too late27:00 – Why every school needs this model30:00 – Advice for early recovery31:30 – Closing thoughts ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Gio doesn’t sugarcoat it. “I honestly hate it.” In this raw and honest conversation, Gio opens up about what it’s really like being a young person in early recovery — watching friends party in their late twenties while choosing to stay sober. From COVID day drinking to waking up shaking at 7am… from checking into detox alone to walking back into recovery after a relapse… this episode captures the uncomfortable, necessary truth about getting sober young. Gio talks about: Growing up with two alcoholic parents Realizing AA wasn’t the right pathway — and feeling shame about it The relapse that brought them back Why connection at a Recovery Community Center became their “saving grace” And how hope now looks like helping others This is an honest look at early recovery — not polished, not perfect — just real. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to choose sobriety when everyone else is “having fun,” this episode is for you. ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

She got sober at 18 years old after a suicide attempt — convinced she had “lost her zest for life.” What followed wasn’t just long-term recovery… it was growing up in it. In this powerful episode of Recovery Matters Podcast, Wendy shares what it was like to build a life from nothing — 90 meetings in 90 days, cleaning houses, becoming a stockbroker, raising three children, losing everything financially, and refusing to pick up a drink through it all. But the real test came years later — when her own son became trapped in addiction. How do you stay grateful for your recovery when the same disease is killing your child? How do you set boundaries when every instinct says “save him”? And what does it look like to let go… without giving up? This is a story about resilience, tough love, motherhood, and the kind of faith that only comes from surviving the unthinkable. If you’ve ever wondered whether recovery can survive divorce, financial collapse, shame, or watching your child struggle — this episode is proof that it can.   ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

What starts as a simple cup of coffee turns into a life-saving turning point. In this episode of the Recovery Patterns Podcast, Kris Robles shares how getting sober at just 18 years old set him on a path filled with relapse, honesty, homelessness, healing, and ultimately long-term recovery. Kris opens up about using substances to feel connected, surviving a suicide attempt, learning how to live without secrets, and discovering that recovery is bigger than meetings—it’s about relationships, balance, and staying honest with yourself. This is a raw conversation about growing up in recovery, redefining success, and learning how to live a full life without drugs or alcohol. 00:00 – Introduction & Recovery Dates 01:00 – The Mirror Moment That Sparked Change 02:30 – “Just Coffee” and the First Meeting 04:00 – Getting Sober at a Young Age 05:00 – Using Substances to Feel Connected 06:00 – Relapsing in Secret While Going to Meetings 08:45 – Suicide Attempt & Hospitalization 10:45 – Choosing Honesty in Recovery 11:45 – Homelessness & Starting Over at 21 13:45 – Finishing School & Building Stability 15:00 – Codependency & Unhealthy Relationships 17:30 – Learning What Healthy Relationships Look Like 20:30 – Recovery, Family, and Parenting 23:30 – Letting Go of Guilt Around Meetings 26:00 – Finding Community in a New Place 28:00 – Becoming a Social Worker 30:30 – Working in Behavioral Health & Substance Use 31:45 – Losing a Friend to Overdose 32:45 – Speaking Openly About Recovery 33:20 – Advice for Someone in Their First 24 Hours ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Michaela shares her powerful recovery journey shaped by trauma, homelessness, substance use, and mental health struggles. After surviving a suicide attempt that became her turning point, she found healing through peer support, holistic practices, and breathwork. Now the Executive Director of Advocacy Unlimited, Michaela reflects on long-term recovery, embodied healing, and helping others reconnect with themselves beyond their circumstances. 00:00 Intro & long-term recovery 01:00 What Advocacy Unlimited does 02:00 Childhood trauma and early substance use 03:00 Pregnancy, getting sober, and pushing everything down 04:45 Relapse, suicide attempt, and rock bottom 05:30 Choosing to live and beginning recovery 06:45 Early recovery and learning adulthood 08:30 Education, identity, and rebuilding life 10:30 Finding purpose through advocacy work 12:00 Discovering holistic and mind-body healing 14:30 Recovery beyond sobriety 16:00 Breathwork and nervous system regulation 19:00 Guided breathwork practice 24:00 How breathwork changed relationships and work 25:00 Advocacy Unlimited programs & resources 28:00 How to get involved / closing ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Andrew Grazen shares his journey from a seemingly normal childhood into years of addiction, incarceration, and near-death experiences, and how recovery, community, and writing ultimately saved his life. From discovering substances at a young age to overdosing in his car and writing a memoir while incarcerated, Andrew reflects on loss, resilience, and why staying connected—and holding onto hope—can change everything. ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Raised around biker culture, gangs, and addiction, Dave began using drugs and alcohol at a young age, experienced multiple overdoses, and lived a life surrounded by violence, crime, and loss. After losing both parents, surviving near-death experiences, and reaching a breaking point, Dave made a life-changing decision to seek recovery. In this episode, Dave talks about trauma, addiction, spirituality, accountability, and what it truly means to rewrite your story. Today, he is a tattoo shop owner, mentor, and someone deeply committed to service, recovery, and personal growth. This is a raw, honest conversation about addiction, recovery, faith, and transformation. 00:00 Introduction & Dave’s recovery time 01:00 Growing up around biker culture and gangs 03:00 Early trauma, loss, and first substance use 06:00 First overdose and rehab at 14 09:00 Exposure to heroin and escalation 12:00 Gangs, weapons charges, and self-destruction 15:00 Spiritual breaking point and near-death experience 18:00 Entering treatment with willingness 21:00 Emotional breakthrough in rehab 24:00 Early recovery and rebuilding trust 27:00 Tattooing, service work, and purpose 30:00 Life today in recovery 33:00 Giving back and redefining success ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

The holidays can be one of the hardest times to stay sober — especially in early recovery or when you’re sober curious. In this conversation, Derek Benson shares why he created the Sober Holiday Hotline, a peer-to-peer support line for anyone struggling to get through holiday gatherings, family pressure, or moments of temptation. This hotline isn’t affiliated with rehabs, government agencies, or 12-step programs. Instead, it offers anonymous, lived-experience support from people in recovery who understand what those moments feel like. From practical tips to simple human connection, the goal is to help someone get through the night sober — and remind them they’re not alone. If staying sober during the holidays feels overwhelming, this conversation explains why connection matters and how support can make all the difference. ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Carrie and Michelle talk openly about how addiction, trauma, and unhealthy relationships often go hand in hand. They share lived experiences with abusive relationships, codependency, and emotional manipulation — and how recovery became the foundation for learning self-love, boundaries, and healthy connections. From leaving toxic partners to rebuilding trust in themselves, this episode explores what healing relationships actually look like in sobriety, why community matters, and how spaces like The Phoenix helped them rediscover who they are beyond addiction. 00:00 – Introductions & Recovery Backgrounds 01:00 – Why Unhealthy Relationships Are Common in Addiction 02:00 – Addiction, Insecurity, and Chasing Validation 03:15 – Substances Amplifying Relationship Chaos 04:16 – Knowing a Relationship Is Unhealthy but Staying 05:24 – Trauma Bonds and Why It’s Hard to Leave 06:20 – Self-Love, Boundaries, and Codependency 08:09 – Escalation, Gaslighting, and Emotional Abuse 08:40 – How Each Person Finally Got Out 10:19 – What Self-Love Looks Like in Recovery 11:43 – Healthy Friendships vs. Old “Using” Relationships 13:47 – Finding Support and Community in Recovery 15:00 – Hitting Bottom and Choosing Something Different 16:08 – Therapy, Boundaries, and Learning Red Flags 18:25 – Seeing People for Their Actions, Not Words 20:41 – Choosing Peace and the Cost of Chronic Stress 22:04 – Building Healthy Relationships in Recovery 23:25 – Confidence, Community, and Personal Growth 26:16 – Healing, Self-Respect, and Facing the Past 29:22 – What The Phoenix Is and Why It Matters 31:18 – Recovery Events, Connection, and Belonging 36:16 – Recovery Is About Discovering Who You Are 39:38 – Advice for Someone in Their First 24 Hours ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Tony’s story is a whirlwind of loss, chaos, identity struggles, and years spent chasing anything that would make him feel whole. Growing up without a father, he searched for belonging everywhere except within himself. That search eventually pulled him into a fast-moving lifestyle that brought consequences, arrests, and years of feeling stuck in a cycle he couldn’t escape. Everything changed when a moment in detox — triggered by a story on TV — cracked him open and forced him to confront the life he’d built. That spark became surrender, and surrender became a complete transformation. Tony rebuilt his life from the ground up: he found purpose, lost over 100 pounds, restored his driver’s license after 15 years, and today he works at the CCAR New Haven Recovery Community Center, helping others find the hope he once needed. His story is proof that discipline, purpose, and community can pull anyone out of the darkest places — and into a life they never believed they deserved. 0:00 — Introductions 0:24 — Growing Up Without a Father 1:02 — Early Behaviors & Searching for Belonging 2:20 — First Experiences With Substances 3:10 — Feeling “Not Enough” as a Kid 4:12 — Losing Control in Young Adulthood 5:07 — Slipping Into a Dangerous Lifestyle 6:05 — Trouble, Consequences & Prison Time 7:20 — The Cycle of Relapse 8:32 — The Breaking Point 9:43 — Spiritual Awakening in Detox 10:58 — Starting Over at Davenport House 12:18 — Beginning His Fitness Journey 13:12 — Losing 100 Pounds 14:10 — Food, Obsession & Filling the Void 15:22 — Finding Purpose at CCAR 16:30 — Coaching Others in Recovery 17:50 — Living With Hope & Discipline 18:45 — Gratitude, Growth & Becoming a Better Man 20:00 — Rebuilding His Life Step by Step 22:00 — Getting His License Back After 15 Years 23:40 — Working, Volunteering & Relearning Life 25:00 — Big Wins & Small Steps Forward 26:40 — Advice for Someone in Their First 24 Hours ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Mark Mongiardo shares the shocking truth behind years of being misunderstood, judged, and even criminally charged — all caused by a rare condition called Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS). Without drinking a drop of alcohol, his body would suddenly produce dangerously high blood-alcohol levels, leaving him intoxicated, confused, and fighting for his freedom and reputation. Mark opens up about losing his teaching career, facing felony prison time, and being labeled an alcoholic by coworkers and even family — all while knowing deep down that something wasn’t right. His emotional diagnosis came only after two DWIs, a glucose challenge test, and relentless research by his mother and aunt. Once he finally had the truth, he began the long, painful journey of rebuilding his life from scratch. Through strict diet changes, nonstop monitoring, and unbelievable family support, Mark has become a voice for others silently suffering from ABS. His vulnerability, advocacy, and message of E + R = O — Event + Response = Outcomemake this episode one of the most gripping stories we've ever shared. 00:00 – What Is Auto Brewery Syndrome? 00:36 – Mark’s Symptoms and Early Confusion 02:00 – Blood Alcohol Spikes Without Drinking 03:20 – Two DWIs While Sober 05:50 – The Turning Point: Something Was Wrong 07:25 – Arrested Sober… Again 09:00 – Living With Constant Accusations 10:15 – The Search for Answers Begins 12:00 – The Glucose Challenge Test 13:35 – The Emotional Diagnosis 15:10 – Family Misunderstandings and Strain 17:00 – Years of Being Labeled an Alcoholic 19:00 – Learning to Manage Daily Flares 21:00 – Fears About His Children and Genetics 24:00 – Rebuilding His Life From Nothing 27:00 – Losing His Career and Home 29:00 – Starting Over With E+R=O 30:20 – The Strict Zero-Carb, Zero-Sugar Lifestyle 32:00 – Support Groups and Advocacy Work 34:00 – Finding Community and Spreading Awareness ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Ryan’s story is a powerful journey through early substance use, deep loss, incarceration, and ultimately finding real recovery. From growing up seeking acceptance, to losing his closest friend at 16, to years of cycling between numbness and despair, Ryan opens up about the turning points that shifted his life. He reflects on the moment he almost gave up, how connection inside prison planted the first seeds of recovery, and how service, honesty, and community helped him rebuild his life. Today, with six months in recovery, a thriving small business, and strong family relationships, Ryan talks about healing, purpose, and the simple daily actions that keep him grounded. His message to anyone struggling: you’re not alone, and recovery is absolutely possible. 00:00 – Intro & Recovery Dates 00:52 – How They First Met 01:19 – Reuniting Inside AA Meetings 02:07 – Ryan’s Childhood 03:26 – Meeting the Friend Who Shaped Everything 04:00 – First Time Trying to “Feel Something” 05:00 – Becoming the “Go-To” Guy 05:36 – The Night Everything Changed 07:27 – Grief He Never Faced 08:30 – Homeless at 18 09:30 – Crossing Lines & Getting Arrested 10:19 – “Recovery Curious” 12:43 – Hearing the 15-Year Offer 14:17 – The Serenity Prayer Moment 16:05 – Tier 4 Program & Real Change 17:15 – Coming Home With Purpose 18:44 – Finding Community Again 19:58 – Being Around Recovery vs. In Recovery 21:42 – Substitution & Spiraling 22:28 – Losing Himself Again 23:08 – New Year’s at His Friend’s Grave 24:21 – Choosing Recovery For Real 25:00 – Returning to CCAR 25:46 – Life in Recovery Today 26:43 – Rebuilding Family Bonds 27:27 – Growing His Landscaping Business 28:20 – Daily Program & Service 28:59 – “If I Can Do It, Anyone Can” 29:25 – Advice for the First 24 Hours ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery

Tyler shares his raw and emotional journey, detailing a chaotic childhood where addiction was the family norm. He recounts the shocking progression of his own drug use, the moment his mother introduced him to heroin, and how his father was the first person to put a needle in his arm. After years of the "jail, rehab, rehab, jail" cycle, hear how the loss of his 'perfect' life and a moment of desperation led him to a permanent path of recovery. Now sober and working at the very treatment center that saved him, Tyler discusses finding his identity, the power of fellowship, and how he navigated the grief of losing both parents while staying clean.   [00:00] Podcast Introduction and Tyler's Clean Date (October 1st, 2023)  [00:00:45] The Host's Initial Doubt: "He's not gonna make it"  [00:02:29] Finding God and a "Physically New Person"  [00:03:30] Growing Up in a Vicious Cycle of Family Addiction My Mother Gave Me My First Perk; Sniffing Heroin Together  [00:07:28] "My Father Was the First Person to Put a Needle in My Arm" [00:07:47] Playing the S****y Cards: Winning with the Disease of Addiction  [00:09:26] The 10-Year Cycle: Jail, Rehab, Rehab, Jail  [00:11:37] The Gift of Desperation: Leaving the "White Picket Fence"  [00:14:13] The Genetic Factor of Opiate Addiction [00:15:55] Identity Crisis: Who Am I Without Drugs?  [00:17:59] Life in Recovery & The Power of Fellowship (NA/AA)  [00:20:18] Faking the Funk: Why Half-Stepping the Work Fails [00:30:52] Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes  [00:31:35] Grieving in Sobriety: Losing Both Parents  [00:34:33] Final Thought: It's Easier to Keep Your Seat Than to Get It Back  [00:36:06] Conclusion and Gratitude ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery