The Way Out Podcast

In this installment of The Way Out we’ve got an outstanding interview with person in long term recovery, Yoga and meditation practitioner and advocate, as well as a Yoga Teacher and founder of The Balanced Self – Will Black. Will recounts his journey through alcoholism and to and through recovery to this point in extremely relatable, authentic, and transparent fashion. Of specific value is to hear Will share about his personal struggle with alcohol and depression and how tapping into a recovery community combined with meditation and ultimately Yoga provided a transformational pathway to lasting and meaningful recovery. Undoubtedly one of the key recovery truths Will’s story highlights is how important connecting to a recovery community with others in sobriety is in entering and maintaining recovery. This is how we learn and really begin to believe that if other folks that are like us can get better, then indeed we can too. Of equal importance is finding a recovery pathway that both speaks to you and works for

In this edition of the way out our exceptional co-host Jason brings us an outstanding interview with person in long term recovery and author of the new addiction memoir Savage: A Journey Through the Opioid Epidemic, Stephen J Sacchi. If you’re like us, you’ll be instantly smitten with Stephen’s quick wit and always honest and often dark and self-deprecating humor that is artfully interwoven into a spellbinding recounting of his often-rocky road to recovery. He shares honestly about the struggles he had along the way and what it was like writing his memoir Savage. Without question, Stephen’s story illuminates two irrefutably universal truths about addiction and recovery. First, our rock bottom is when we stop digging and often that is an emotional and spiritual bottom – not a monetary or material one. Second, and equally as instructive, is that recovery and building a new life is a process that takes time, often years or even decades. If we allow ourselves to be patient and bite it off in one day at a time chu

In this installment of The Way Out we have an ultra-informative and super-instructive interview with person in long term recovery and Author of the new, and folks I don’t say this often, absolute must-read book  - 50 Ways to Worry Less Now -  Gigi Langer. Gigi shares with us her journey to and through recovery and what she’s learned up to this point in 35 years of sobriety including many of the recovery, spiritual, energy, and cognitive tools that can put an end to the pernicious worry, anxiety and ultimately fear that dogs so many of us prior to, and even in sobriety. Without question one of the overriding and compelling elements arising out of Gigi’s story is the series of reckonings and recoveries that occur throughout her recovery journey, starting with addiction and alcoholism, all the way through codependency and being an adult child of an alcoholic. Equally as fascinating is the phenomenon and experience of being an a Highly Sensitive Person, first identified by Dr. Elaine Aron and how profou

We have Author of the new book Tri-Polar: The Story of a Bipolar Athlete and person in long term recovery Tim Davis. Tim, as you may have guessed, lives with Bipolar disorder and shares an exceedingly instructive and remarkable story of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction in the midst of also having to come to grips with and learn to successfully cope with his mental health. Tim’s story is ultimately one of personal triumph over two seemingly intractable afflictions; addiction and bipolar disorder. Out of this victory we gain incredibly valuable wisdom and insight into what it took for Tim to overcome the very diseases that threatened his very life and come to understand that if we apply the same formula to our own lives, we too can achieve meaningful and enduring recovery. Without question, Tim’s story bears irrefutable witness to the redeeming value of true surrender, absolute willingness to do whatever it takes to get better, and the commitment to addressing mental health alongside a recovery program

In this edition of the The Way Out our tremendous co-host Jason gets the straight truth in his interview with Veronica Powell. Veronica talks about growing up on the south side of Chicago, becoming a product of the harsh and difficult environment in which she grew up, and how trying it was to navigate her childhood without any real positive male role models. After years of abusive relationships and struggling with drugs and alcohol, Veronica tells us how God set her free from the chains of addiction and gave her a newfound purpose and a servant's heart! She definitely sticks to the truth and keeps it real on this episode so listen up. Best piece of advice: Just be YOU! Book Recommendation: Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren Song that symbolizes recovery for Veronica: Your Love by William Murphy Recovery Resources: changingourcity.org minnesotahopedealerz.org  and Truth101 via FaceBook --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/message

In this edition of The Way Out co-host extraordinaire Jason has a certified must listen interview with person in longtime recovery and co-founder of the Recovery group Sober Squad, Colin Cash. Colin was born on a reservation in northern Minnesota but was raised as a ward of the state, bouncing between foster homes and group homes. With no roots and no loving home, he shares about where his problems took him and how he ultimately found a way out. No doubt one of the over-arching themes of Colin’s recovery story is the false beliefs that kept him stuck and in his addiction, and the positive beliefs, like in that of his Higher Power, that helped him achieve a meaningful and lasting recovery and a very special belief that led him to start a movement which would help those within and outside of his community! Colin’s come from thinking he was a zero to a being a true recovery hero and he’s just getting started so listen up. Contact Info: Sober Squad Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SoberSquad2016/?r

This week Jason’s got a wonderful interview with the founder and creator of the YouTube Recovery Series Our Recovery Life. Tom's story resonates on so many levels as he shares his journey to and through recovery thus far with a no holds barred approach on sharing what it was like, what happened, and what it’s like now. There’s some downright insane moments that will leave you wondering how he gets through and equally inspiring moments that provide real, honest to goodness hope. Tom has developed new passions on this journey and found some great meaning and purpose in his own life along the way. You quite simply can't help but be inspired by the story you're about to hear so Listen Up. Book Recommendation: NA Basic Text and The Journey Continues Recovery Song :High Cost Of Living by Jamey Johnson Best piece of advice: Never give up Most difficult thing Tom did: Ask for help Most rewarding thing Tom did: His Family Contact Tom via email : ourrecoverylife@gmail.com Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/Our-Re

In this edition of The Way Out we’ve got a must listen interview with Richard Capriola who shares with us invaluable tools that can serve as a guide we can use should we have an adolescent child or loved one that may be engaging in Substance Abuse. Many of us know all too well, how devastating addiction and alcoholism can be to a family, especially if the addicted individual is a child or adolescent.  For over two decades, Richard has been providing mental health and addiction counseling services to both adults and adolescents, giving him a wealth of experience and knowledge in the areas of addiction and mental health diagnosis and treatment. One critical fact we explore in our discussion is the key differences in how addiction manifests itself in the life of an adolescent as compared to an adult. These key differences impact how we identify a substance abuse problem in an adolescent versus an adult and can make all the difference in making a real and meaningful difference in a child’s life.  Richar

We have a truly remarkable story to share with you about a woman, who’s life throughout her adolescence and for most of her adult life, had two constants - chaos and alcohol. Like so many of us who have battled King Alcohol or the Dictator that is Addiction the all too familiar company of trauma and mental health issues make their appearances in this truly extraordinary story of how this remarkable woman who’s relationship with alcohol never seems to be a problem. In fact, in so many ways Alcohol becomes so tightly integrated into her identity it becomes nearly impossible to separate herself from the alcohol fueled escapades that only serve to add to the wild and enigmatic persona that is always the life of the party and surely the last one to call it a night. A story, told through the eyes of mother, writer, and soon to be published Author, and indeed the one person who had the best view of it all, Victoria Vanstone herself. Victoria’s story is chalked full of relatable experiences, wisdom, and sobriety trut

We’ve prepared for you an incredibly relevant and applicable Power Topic to serve as the main feature of this rendition of The Way Out Podcast. If we’ve been in recovery for any substantial length of time, it’s quite likely we’ve experienced a common and often subtle enemy to our serenity, happiness, and indeed sobriety itself. Regression, or backsliding as it may be dubbed, is process in which we revert to either old patterns of thinking or behavior, or pickup new counter-productive thoughts or conduct that actively work against our forward progress in Recovery. These attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors, if left unchecked can very much erode our serenity and peace of mind, often referred to us being “dry” or suffering from “untreated alcoholism or addiction” and even could present the ultimate consequence – relapse. These warning signs are also an opportunity to apply the HOW in our recovery toolkit, wherein we apply rigorous honesty about the attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors we’re currently and actively en

In this rendition of the The Way Out we’re truly honored to bring you a special interview with The Very Reverend Canon Dr. John Crean Jr., an ordained Episcopal Priest, Professor, Author, and now distinguished guest of this very podcast. Father John is an expert in Religious Medieval German literature as well as foreign language teaching methodologies. During his work, Father John struck upon on an incredible document with roots going all the way back to 480 AD, written by Saint Benedict. This document originally penned in Latin during a very chaotic time in the Roman Empire had been translated to German for Female Convents. Benedict had fled Rome for the desert due to the rampant sin, debauchery, and decidedly unchristian behavior that had befallen Rome at the time and others began to join him in search of a more God centered life than what Rome had to offer. While there, he authored what’s now called the Rule of Saint Benedict – a guide for how monasteries should be run.  Father John, no stranger to th

In this installment of the Way Out we give you a truly rare and extraordinary opportunity to hear both sides of the proverbial war on drugs. We hear from the point of view of the undercover cop, who dedicates his life to the often dangerous and clandestine world of informants, drug dealers, and addicts – and how that can color their perception of those who suffer from addiction and alcoholism. Then, we hear from the addict, who didn’t intend to become one, but nonetheless finds himself in a knock down drag out battle with opioid addiction, even turning to selling narcotics to feed his growing and out of control addiction. The kicker you ask? The addict turned dealer and the thrill seeking undercover cop is the same person – and that’s just the start of what is genuinely an incredible story of a man who at one point has to make the ultimate split second decision as a police officer, finds himself growing to hate the addicts and dealers he’s chasing, and ultimately becomes one himself – that is the story of Bro

This week our unfailing superstar co-host Jason has a truly raw and authentic interview with his friend and fellow in recovery, Robyn Wyttenback. Robyn talks about her Recovery path which has been riddled with pain and adversity. She has overcome losing her children, a devastating addiction, self-destructive codependency, and every kind of abuse you could possibly imagine. Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds she has achieved meaningful and lasting recovery to the tune of 4 years, has reunified with her kids and has dedicated her life to them and to sharing the message of hope for recovery so listen up. If you'd like to reach out to Robyn here is her contact info - rrwytt75@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/support

In this edition of The Way Out we have 2 spectacular guests sharing some genuine and downright legit experience, strength, and hope. Laura and Tom are the Mother Son duo behind the new book Unraveled, and are both now in long term recovery from alcoholism and addiction. Laura and Tom’s stories are inextricably intertwined and one of family alcoholism and addiction, followed by meaningful and enduring recovery. The dueling perspectives of Mother and Son while in the throws of addiction and coming into lives of Recovery are at once refreshing and revealing, and most certainly provide ample hope and reason to believe that we can indeed break the cycle of addiction through the miracle that is 12-Step recovery so Listen Up. Unraveled by Laura and Tom Boldt: https://unraveledthebook.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/support

In this rendition of the The Way Out our ever-reliable co-host Jason has a wonderfully enlightening interview with Mindset Coach Phil Garrie.  Phil shares with us his own experience battling mental illness and suicidal ideation and how he has learned to transcend his own struggles with mental illness, as well as how he became inspired to start helping others do the same so listen up Phil's Facebook group- Positive Energy Phil (facebook.com) On Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/positiveenergyphil/ Phil's YouTube channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg3eliJz-OKPAK2EECJlO7A?view_as=subscriber Phil's podcast(also available on other platforms) https://open.spotify.com/show/2gVi01qoZoykXwtb2FLzVX Best piece of advice= Love Yourself Book recommendations= 7 habits of highly effective people - Stephen Covey You can put yourself next on the list - Louise Hay Song that reminds Phil of his own recovery- 'Sunny days' by Lighthouse --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/message S

In this installment of the way out we have a tremendous interview with our new friend Tierni M. Tierni’s story is not unlike that of many of us who have wrestled with addiction and alcoholism. Tierni’s early childhood was marked by unexpected tragedy, fueling an overwhelming combination of anxiety and depression which led an eating disorder and ultimately substance use – and for Tierni Alcohol became the solution that made everything better. And as so often is the case it absolutely works until it stops working absolutely and turns into what can ultimately be, as Tierni learned firsthand, a fatal progression. Tierni shares her true tale of alcoholism and at long last recovery with us in only the way she can; genuinely and authentically – complete with all of the warts of imperfections, failures, and losses. That’s the beauty of Tierni and her story – it’s not polished up and clean, with a fairy tale ending. It’s a work in progress, it’s flawed and imperfect, and there’s things that she doesn’t have back – YET

In this edition of The Way Out our intrepid and talented co-host Jason has a profoundly personal and powerful interview with Judge Dyanna Street. Judge Street is the person that chose to give Jason another chance at life by awarding him a downward departure in his felony case in lieu of 98 months in prison. You'll get to know her as a person and get a rare opportunity step inside the mind of a judge. We learn what challenges and rewards come from doing this type of work, as well as hearing lots of powerful personal stories from her career So listen up. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/support

In this rendition of The Way Out we have two truly remarkable guests with one incredibly powerful message, that true and lasting recovery is possible – if you’re willing to do the necessary and yes, often hard work. Sean McCann and Andrea Aragon are each at once disarming and enchanting  and are not just husband and wife, but also a compelling example of love, perseverance, and the embodiment of what a relationship can look like coming out the other side of the devastating toll alcoholism and addiction can wreak on a marriage. You might know Sean from his days with Great Big Sea and indeed you’d be well served to give a listen to his solo material, and believe me when I tell you, you won’t have to listen to Andrea long to understand why Sean adores her so. We talk a just a wee bit about the book they co-wrote, One Good Reason, and a whole lot about shedding shame, speaking our truth, and leaning into the difficult and essential work that leads to enduring and meaningful recovery not to mention a truly sp

This week the best recovery podcast co-host in the business, Jason has an outstanding interview with veritable Recovery Powerhouse Sherry Gaba. Sherry Gaba is a licensed clinical social worker, Psychotherapist, Life Coach, and Certified Recovery Coach specializing in individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy as well as the editor of Recovery Today Magazine. Sherry was the go-to expert for Dr. Drew Pinsky’s Celebrity Rehab show on VH1 and later on the spin-off, VH1’s Sober House as well as Celebrity Rehab’s Sex Addiction. As you’ll soon discover, Sherry frames addiction and codependency as two sides from the same coin, indeed codependency has a lot more in common with addiction than we might think. We get to know Sherry, learn a lot from her about her life's work, addiction, and codependency, as well as how we can identify and overcome it so #Listenup Sherry's books FREE E-BOOK! "The truth about codependency" plus quiz https://wakeuprecovery.com/codependency-quiz/ The Law of Sobriety: Attracting pos

In this edition of The Way Out we’ve got Holly Wilson; a Woman in long term recovery and the founder of Women's Recovery – a Treatment and Recovery Center for Women. Holly shares her story and journey through alcoholism and into long term recovery openly, honestly, and with a singular goal – that her story might inspire others to seek and achieve enduring and meaningful recovery. From early childhood trauma and battles with perfectionism, over-achieving, and self-harm to a bonafide battle with alcoholism, and a profound moment of clarity followed by honest the transformational work embodied in the 12 Steps - Holly’s story indeed has it all. Without question she’s an absolute treasure and talking recovery with a dynamo like Holly makes for tremendous recovery radio – so listen up. Women's Recovery Treatment and Recovery Center https://www.womensrecovery.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-podcast/support