The Way Out Podcast

In this installment of The Way Out, person in long term recovery and recovery advocate Ryan Hampton joins Jason for a tremendous recovery discussion. A prominent advocate, speaker, author, and media commentator, Ryan travels coast-to-coast to bring solutions to our national addiction and drug overdose crisis. In recovery from a decade-long opioid addiction, Hampton is regarded as a prominent expert and thought leader in America’s rising addiction recovery advocacy & drug policy reform movements.  His first bestselling book, “American Fix — Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis and How to End It,” was released by St. Martin’s Press in August 2018. His second book, “Unsettled: How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis,” was released in September 2021 and chronicled his behind-the-scenes efforts representing tens of thousands of victims in the Purdue Pharma opioid settlement litigation. Ryan is currently working on his third book, scheduled to be released in 2024. Ryan

In this edition of The Way Out I’m delighted to bring you my interview with person in long term recovery, wellness advocate and author of the book Bamboozled: The Guide to Getting EVERYTHING You Want in Life by Giving Up Alcohol, Ken Middleton. Ken shares his journey to and through sobriety to this point with us in an exceptionally enlightening and inspiring fashion. For Ken, getting sober wasn’t born out of debilitating alcoholism leading to an ultra-low bottom of despair and hopelessness. No, Ken reckoned with his relationship with alcohol, despite not having severe internal or external consequences and essentially asked himself one big question. What would life look like if he didn’t drink? Out of that question an experiment was born, and Ken realized that though Alcohol wasn’t destroying his life in the classic crash and burn style, what ken discovered was all the things alcohol was preventing him from being and doing. Said in another way, Ken had a remarkable realization: Alcohol was limiting him and was

In this rendition of The Way Out I’m pleased to bring you my interview with Professor, author, and person in long term recovery Lisa Sargese. Lisa shares her journey to and through Recovery from compulsive overeating as well as physical and emotional trauma in a way that cuts to the case and gets down to the heart of the matter, which for her was that her compulsive overeating was inextricably linked to an unwillingness to tolerate very specific dark emotions, which is what Lisa refers to them as and is rather apropos to what negative emotions feel like. This revelation for Lisa didn’t come easy, in fact it came at quite the high cost, an experience many of us can relate to. Understanding her triggers was just the beginning for Lisa, as she then leaned into 12-Step Recovery, Qi Gong, mindfulness, and a daily spiritual practice to build a happier, healthier life. As Lisa so profoundly states and I paraphrase, if you earnestly connect to your spirituality in a way that is meaningful to you every day, you will c

We’ve got a truly special episode for you to celebrate 350 episodes sharing powerful Recovery stories and Recovery Power Topics on the regular since 2016. In this rendition of The Way Out, Jason and I share why stories matter to us as human beings, why our Recovery Stories matter to ourselves and each other, and provide some practical ways you can share your own powerful recovery story. We’re combining the two major themes of The Way Out into one spectacular episode; a topic episode on Why Your Recovery Story Matters and How to Share It - which is admittedly more than a little meta but nonetheless it’s a topic we’ve never directly covered and one that is not only central to this podcast, but to Recovery and indeed the human experience. Your recovery story matters, all of ours do. They are the very lifeblood of the Recovery community, and they provide the essential hope, inspiration, relatability, and The Way Out no doubt someone desperately needs to hear so they too might recover and then share their story. S

In this edition of The Way Out, our spectacular recovery podcast co-host with the most Jason is back with a fabulous interview with licensed psychotherapist, addictions counselor and person in long term recovery, Dr. Donna Marks. Dr. Donna Marks is also a certified gestalt therapist, psychoanalyst, hypnotist, and sex therapist. In addition, she’s facilitated A Course in Miracles for over 30 years. In her new book The Healing Moment, Dr. Donna Marks integrates evidence-based psychological principles with spiritual lessons into 7 unique paths for finding lasting peace and change. Dr. Donna Marks speaks rather candidly about her own journey of recovery and provides some valuable insights into the process of healing, so do be sure to listen up.   Contact info, media and resources: https://drdonnamarks.com/ Dr. Marks' Book Links: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Moment-Paths-Messes-Miracles/dp/1582708738/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AAL2QQ7TSNDL&keywords=the+healing+moment+dr.+donna+marks&qid=1682951226&spref

In this edition of The Way Out I’m honored to bring you my interview with Physician’s Assistant, Speaker, Mom, Wife, Dog Lover, and Author of Incurable Hope: A Memoir for Coping with a Loved One’s Addiction Lisa Gennosa. Lisa’s story is in part a story of a Mother who had to reckon with her son’s substance use, in part a story of a Mother who had to reckon with her own part in what is truly a family disease, and indeed in part a story of Lisa turning these first two parts of her journey into an amazing purpose which is to be the change she wishes to see in the world. Lisa is a fierce advocate and ally for addiction recovery and for the families and loved ones of those who are facing addiction and has dedicated herself to this important work in her role as a Physician’s Assistant, in her work in her community, and with her sharing her story like she did in her new book and as she does with us on this here episode so do be sure you listen up. Contact Lisa and learn more about her new book Incurable Hope: A Mem

In this rendition of The Way Out I’m ecstatic to bring you my interview with psychologist, author of the new book Co-Crazy One Psychologist’s Recovery from Codependency and Addiction: A Memoir and Roadmap to Freedom, and person in long term recovery Dr. Sarah Michaud. Dr Sarah shares her journey to and through recovery from addiction and codependency to this point with us in a way that really helps us understand both in an extremely beneficial way. On its face, addiction and codependence appear to be polar opposites of one another. Addiction involves the compulsive use of a substance or behavior to change one’s feelings, or default state of mind and body. Codependency on the other hand, is on its surface, about trying to change the addict or alcoholic. Underneath this behavior, however is a compulsion that is precisely the same but looks very different on the surface. Co-dependent behavior ultimately is about trying to change others in order to change one’s own feelings. It often manifests like this: I feel a

In this edition of The Way Out I’m pleased to bring you my interview with person in long term recovery and CEO of Desert Hope Treatment Center, George Gatski. George shares his journey to and through recovery this point with us with the refreshing candor and insight we’ve come to know quite well here at The Way Out Podcast and the fashion in which Greg shares his Recovery journey is a shining example of a Powerful Recovery story that is ultra relatable and extremely illuminating. Especially enlightening and instructive in George’s story are the following messages: first is the exceptionally common experience of our drug of choice being an instant answer to our problems - as George phrases it, like a key in a lock and equally important to understand is most folks don’t feel that way when the drink or use substances. Second, and we’re fierce advocates of this message, there are no rock bottoms in addiction. The only true rock bottom is when we’re dead. Anything short of that is when we stop digging. Instead, th

In this edition of The Way Out I’m honored to bring you my interview with composer, performing artist, coach for musicians and artists in recovery, and person in long term recovery Skip Sams. Skip shares his journey to and through recovery to this point with candor and insight that is rooted in humility, self-awareness, spirituality, and healthy doses of humor sprinkled throughout a story that is about Skip coming to grips with his addiction, mental health, sexuality, and ultimately finding and embracing Recovery. For Skip, Recovery is very much about recovering his spirituality and his creative purpose using his gifts, talents, skills, and abilities which has now led Skip to live the spiritual axiom that in order to keep what we have in Recovery we have to give it a way, Skip now helps others in Recovery discover their own creative purpose through his Creative Purpose Project so listen up.   Contact Skip: skipsams.com Tel: (917) 387-6197 ​skip@skipsams.com Mention you listened to this episode and receive a F

In this rendition of The Way Out, I’m over the moon about having Teacher, Author and person in long term recovery Tim Moon – see what I did there – back on the show to share about his newest book, Tomato Fields which at once has nothing to do with Recovery while at the same time has everything to do with Recovery. Tomato Fields is on it’s face an action/mystery/horror/adventure work of fiction that isn’t about recovery at all, and a very good one at that, yet the only reason this book exists is because of Recovery, specifically Tim’s recovery. It is in fact, a fruit of Tim’s Recovery and a phenomenal example of what Recovery and spirituality can enable us to do when we lean in and do the inside-out work we need to do to Recover and get out of our own way in an increasingly meaningful way which allows the opportunity to become ever closer to the people we feel called to be. Because I stopped believing in coincidences rather early in my own Recovery as one of the fruits of my spiritual experience it’s no coinci

In this rendition of The Way out I’m pleased to bring you my interview with the one and only Pastor Jim Downs, formerly known as Big Jim Downs who appeared on this here podcast in one of our very early episodes, when this podcast was in it’s infancy. His story was amazing then, and it’s only become more amazing since. Pastor Jim shares his journey to and through recovery to this point with us, as well as the amazing things he’s doing with Rockhouse Ministries. Though Pastor Jim has dropped the Big from his name, he in no way has stopped the big things he’s doing for the Recovery community so listen up.   More about Rockhouse Ministries: https://www.rockhouserecovery.com/ Phone: (423) 365-7077 Email: rockhouse@rockhouserecovery.com Recovery Literature (Quit-Lit) Recommendations: The Bible The Power to Choose by Mike O'Neil: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Choose-Mike-ONeil/dp/0963345400 Purpose driven life by Rick Warren: https://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Driven-Life-What-Earth/dp/031033750X Best Piece of Recove

In this edition of The Way Out I’m honored to bring you my interview with person in long term recovery, co-founder of the Recovery Organization She Recovers, and author of the new daily mediation book She Recovers Every Day Dawn Nickel. Hearing Dawn share her journey to and through Recovery to this point is at once an absolute delight and truly enlightening as she shares the reality of her own experience with addiction while dispensing Recovery insights and wisdom rooted in compassion and grounded in reality and practicality. Her work with the She Recovers Foundation and her new offering in the recovery literature genre are tremendous examples of what a true treasure Dawn is for the Recovery community, as is the outstanding interview with Dawn that is about to unfold before your very ears so listen up. Contact Dawn Nickel:   https://dawnnickel.com/contact/   More about She Recovers:   https://sherecovers.org/   More about the new Daily Meditation Book by Dawn Nickel:   https://dawnnickel.com/book/   Recovery

In this edition of The Way Out, I’m absolutely honored to bring you my interview with President of Visions of Recovery Inc, Director and Author of Visions Theater, and Person in long term recovery Bob Lo Bue. Bob shares his journey to and through recovery to this point with us with unbridled honesty and a refreshing humor that makes it all the more enjoyable when we are taking in the rather poignant spiritual and recovery wisdom that is embedded within it and all the more inspirational when we learn what Recovery has enabled Bob to do as a result. Namely the divinely inspired Visions Theater which is a play by and for people in Recovery that depicts various iterations of two of our most defining shared experiences as people in Recovery – our moment of reckoning, followed by our entry into Recovery. This powerful performance has the power to do what all good recovery stories have the power to do, and that is to break through our denial and terminal uniqueness and inspire within us the idea that Recovery may in

In this rendition of The Way Out co-host extraordinaire Jason had the distinct pleasure of talking with Will House, the creator of the Oberit App. Oberit is an app where wellness and recovery are rewarded! Earn for doing consistent healthy actions and build the fundamental habits you need to be your best self. The app uses simple neuroscience techniques designed to better manage stress, anxiety, and unhealthy addictive behaviors in a rewarding and motivating way. It also features the Become Program video lessons which are full of great practical tools you can use in your recovery. We learn all about Oberit and get to know Will on a personal level so listen up. Contact Will: will@getoberit.com More the Oberit App: Oberit - Build Healthy Habits, Reward Your Recovery (getoberit.com) Recovery Literature (Quit-Lit) Recommendation: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller: https://www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776 Best piece of R

In this edition of The Way Out our intrepid co-host Jason talks with person in long term recovery Lori Windfeldt, who likes to call herself the perpetual volunteer. Lori is also a recovery coach, best-selling author, speaker, podcast host and runs the nonprofit organization Dry Society Social Club that throws a fancy recovery gala every year. Her shining personality and heart for service will have you truly smitten. You won’t be listening long before you realize how great a time both Jason and Lori had sharing space together and I couldn’t be more excited to turn it over to these two power houses in recovery so listen up.   Contact Lori: hello@loriwindfeldt.com Lori’s Links: https://linktr.ee/loriwindfeldt Best piece of Recovery advice: You are not the center of the universe." or " I will no longer allow myself to be uncomfortable so that you can be comfortable." Recovery Literature (Quit-Lit) Recommendation: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van

In this edition of The Way Out I’m absolutely thrilled to bring you my interview with Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Person in Long term recovery and author, Dr. Laura Petracek. Laura shares her journey to and through recovery from alcoholism and addiction while at the same time coming to terms with, and addressing her bipolar disorder which together ended up being the struggle of her lifetime, and one that eventually motivated her to implement Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT for short in her own life along with the 12-Step program she’d been working for years. A struggle, that ultimately informed her new book The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Skills and Strategies for Emotional Regulation, Recovery, and Relapse Prevention which is chalked full of Recovery tools that are centered in DBT and the 12 Steps, which increasingly enable us achieve the often illusive balance between the extremes we’ve been accustomed to, and thereby enabling us to become increasingly clos

Contact Glenn: https://www.instagram.com/glenndoughertyjr/ About this Life Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/about-this-life-with-shafondra-matthews-glenn-dougherty-jr/id1606295848 Recovery Literature (Quit-Lit) Recommendation: The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink: https://www.amazon.com/Dichotomy-Leadership-Balancing-Challenges-Ownership/dp/1250195772 Best Piece of Recovery Advice: Share your story Baby by Fabolous Ft. Mike Shorey: https://youtu.be/V5g4pxDreYo Don’t forget to check out “The Way Out Playlist” available only on Spotify. Curated by all our wonderful guests on the podcast! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6HNQyyjlFBrDbOUADgw1Sz (c) 2015 - 2023 The Way Out Podcast | All Rights Reserved Theme Music: “all clear” (https://ketsa.uk/browse-music/) by Ketsa (https://ketsa.uk) licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-way-out-po

In this edition of The Way Out I’m pleased to bring you my interview with Caroline Beidler who is a person in long term recovery and the author of the new book “Downstairs Church: Finding Hope in the Grit of Addiction and Trauma Recovery”. Caroline shares her journey to and through recovery to this point in a way that is heavy on the solution and what got her and keeps her well and that is firmly rooted in connecting with and being of service of others in Recovery, which exactly what her new book and this here interview is all about so I highly recommend staying tuned as Caroline Recovers Out Loud in the most inspirational and instructive way so listen up.  Check out the Recovery Revolution Podcast Network:  http://wayoutcast.com/recovery-resources  Contact Caroline and learn more about Downstairs Church: Finding Hope in the Grit of Addiction and Trauma Recovery:  https://www.carolinebeidler.com/  Recovery Literature (Quit-Lit) Recommendations:  The Life Recovery Bible  http

In this rendition of The Way Out co-host extraordinaire Jason returns and shares a marvelous interview where he reconnects with a very old friend who just celebrated 1 year of sobriety! Jason and Jeff Rogers hadn't seen each other in 25 years until Jason recognized him at a recovery event. Jeff is doing some amazing service work here in Minnesota, where he lives with his beautiful family, and together are building a beautiful life today. His journey to and through recovery to this point is instructive in large part because it shows that we don't have to lose it all in order to achieve a deep and durable recovery. All that is required to make a beginning is to be honest with ourselves and a sincere willingness to make a change when we see what lies in store for us if we don’t. One thing that is surely in store for you is this gem of a recovery talk so listen up. Contact Jeff: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004183186616 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rollhardplayhard/ Facebook Disc G

In this edition of The Way Out I’m beyond honored to bring you my interview with Author of the new book entitled “Get Me to The Abbey” and person in long term recovery, Lisa Avelleyra. Lisa shares her ultra-relatable journey to and through recovery to this point with us only in the way a true story teller can and with a distinctly wry humor and an unmistakable authenticity that will no doubt have each and every one of you laughing, connecting, and feeling like we’re all old friends in Recovery, a feeling I reckon is one of the best there is. The genuine Recovery and Spiritual wisdom that emanates from Lisa’s story is truly something to behold as is the nothing short of miraculous experience she has while at The Abbey, where she finds so much more than she ever thought possible. She finds her Higher Power at The Abbey. She finds community at The Abbey. She finds hope at The Abbey. Lisa finds herself at The Abbey, and perhaps most importantly, what Lisa finds at The Abbey is that meaningful and enduring Recover