In a world where drinking alcohol is glorified as a coping tool for difficult parenting moments, staying sober and raising kids is definitely a challenge. Each age group comes with it's own conflicts and struggles, but many parents find the teen years in particularly to be emotionally exhausting. If you're in recovery, chances are you already have a hard time managing emotions sometimes. Adding the stress of teenagers to the mix can really throw you for a loop.

On the other hand though, your recovery gives you an incredible opportunity to really show up for your kids. In today's episode, we chat with Amos, Seija, and Robbie about how their sobriety has affected their parenting, and what they've learned since showing up sober for their teens.

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Robbie Pike started his sobriety journey due to being sick of the same old story he would put himself though. He found his cannabis and alcohol use getting worse as the years went on. He used them to cope with everything and anything. He is now over two years sober, and couldn’t be happier with his decision to take on this new journey.

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My name is Seija, I am a grateful recovering alcoholic. I have been sober since April 10, 2015. I grew up in the Chicagoland area and we moved to the Denver suburbs in 2014. I am the proud Mom to three sweet young adults; Jackson (23), Maya (19) and Lincoln (14). I am also thankful to be walking this recovery journey with my partner, Greg, and grateful to do life with him.

I am fortunate to be able to be of service in many ways in my life - my career in an assisted living community, volunteer work as a victim advocate with a local police department and a proud Board member at our recovery club.

I am thankful to be able to work with many women in sobriety, honored to be trusted with their story and watch them grow & glow.

If I could share one bit of advice, I’d remind people in early sobriety that nothing will change if nothing changes. I can’t expect the results to come from the work I don’t do - in every area of my life. Just keep going, I promise life only gets better in sobriety!

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Amos Dupuis has been sober for 29 months, embracing a new life filled with opportunities beyond imagination. He attributes his journey to the guidance of his higher power, giving gratitude for the doors that have opened—and the ones that have closed with purpose. With a renewed sense of love and possibility, he is experiencing a life that feels truly limitless.

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"That's the goal: to help our kids exceed us."

Episode Highlights:

• How to show up when our kids are going through hard times
• The added pressure of single parenting
• Learning to balance being the friend with being the parent
• Helping our kids cope with their own trauma
• Supporting them without absorbing their emotions
• How to work through all of the regrets we have about our drinking days
• Taking to teens about your recovery
• How your recovery community will also benefit your teens
• Setting the example
• Keeping conversations open - even when they're difficult conversations

If you need more support and advice for parenting, make sure you check out Episode 87: Talking to Your Kids About Your Addiction.

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We'd love to hear about your experiences with raising teenagers now that you're sober. Come join the conversation on Instagram or Facebook!

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the most widely known path to recovery from addiction, and often it's the only option people are aware of when they decide they're ready to stop drinking. While AA works well for many people, it doesn't always provide what someone needs to achieve lasting sobriety. Our goal is to bring to light how many different options there are for recovering from alcohol use disorder.

Our guests share what their experience in AA was like, how it shaped their recovery, and what they did when they realized they needed something different.

"AA does not have a monopoly on changing your life for the better."

Episode Highlights:

• AA offers a "cookie cutter" recovery plan, but humans are not suffering from "cookie cutter" addictions.
• Validating reasons that AA isn't always possible, such as difficulty getting to meetings
• Using "quitlit" books to support your recovery
• Finding a sense of community outside of Alcoholics Anonymous
• AA offers an instruction manual that can be a good foundation for recovery, but some people find they need more
• Health and wellness as a foundation for recovery
• The people of AA is the core - it's what makes it so valuable.
• Some groups lean heavily on a higher power, others don't. Sometimes it takes trying a few groups to find one that does fit.
• Our recovery needs change based on the seasons of our lives
• Scientific, contemplative, and reflective practices as a basis for a recovery plan

"Take what you need and leave the rest."

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Rich Sullivan and his wife run a local sober and sober curious community on Facebook called Clear + Present Strangers. You can find the group by searching. Also check out their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearandpresentstrangers/

They also offer a self guided coaching course and 1:1 coaching, as well as promote local alcohol-free events, feature restaurants that offer great NA options.

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Rachel Collins is a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Stride Forward Counseling. She is LGBTQIA+ affirming and her mission is to empower you to lead a more meaningful life. Rachel is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-basedcognitive therapy (MBCT). She has a special interest in working with individuals who are struggling with substance abuse, addiction, and that are highly sensitive.

Visit her website at https://strideforwardcounseling.com

Check out Rachel's podcast:

Self-improvement Book Club by Rachel

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-improvement-book-club-by-rachel/id1647601481

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Dr. Joanne Ketch LPC: I’ve walked through most of the major seasons of adult life sober. My own journey inspired me to dedicate my career to transforming the treatment of substance use disorder. Through my master’s and doctoral work, I developed a passion for empowering people to own their recovery and breaking down misinformation and stigma around addiction. I believe recovery is about building a full, rewarding life, and I’m honored to share a bit of my story today. You can find more of my work at www.drjorecoverycoaching.com.

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Resources:

Rewired by Erica Spiegelman - a recovery program based on self reflection and journaling.

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We would love to hear about your experience with AA! We know it works for a lot of people, and it doesn't work for others, and we're always open to hearing stories from both sides of the fence. Come share your thoughts on Instagram: @throughtheglassrecovery or on Facebook

Find full show notes and other resources on our website: throughtheglassrecovery.com

In this roundtable discussion, we dig into the topic of anger. We know that anger can be a driving force behind alcohol use, which means we need to not only understand why we get so angry, but also have the tools to deal with our anger in productive ways. Listen as five people share what they've learned about managing anger in recovery.

• Facing the shame and guilt surrounding anger
• Specific tools to release anger
• Learning to see anger as a signal, and listen to it
• Projecting anger toward others, when we are really angry with ourselves
• Taking responsibility for your part of the anger you experience
• The practice of forgiveness and how it impacts the way we experience anger
• Using anger as an excuse for drinking or other unhealthy behaviors

Tools for coping with anger:

• Write a goodbye letter to anger
• Practice taking time outs - sooner rather than later
• Learn to name anger when it arises
• Validate your anger so that you aren't fighting it

Do you struggle with managing anger in recovery? Share your story with us on Instagram @throughtheglassrecovery

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Meet our guests:

My name is David and I am 20 months into my recovery journey. I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol for 20 plus years. I started in rehab and began putting in the work. I believe everyone can choose their own path in recovery. Through support from family, friends, community, sharing, and counseling, I have been able to begin healing from childhood traumas. It is an honor to be a part of such a beautiful community of people. I didn’t know how lost I was until I found myself. One love!

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At 18, I entered prison. At 19, facing a potential 10+ years for parole violation, a pivotal decision changed my life. In a jail cell on October 12, 1996, at 3 a.m., I swore off mind-altering substances. The 21st encounter with handcuffs pushed me to break free. Living clean and sober for 27 years, I’ve found genuine freedom—earned through work, willingness, and honesty. Sobriety, my most gangster feat, opens doors to a life beyond imagination. – Jason Williams aka Sober Gangster

https://www.instagram.com/sober.gangster

https://www.facebook.com/Sobergangster

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My name is Amy and I am a recovering alcoholic that currently resides in Texas. I have dealt with varying degrees of my alcoholism in the 33 years that I was active in my addiction. I took my first drink with the intent to “get drunk” at 13. In January 2024, I started my healing and sobriety journey.

I am grateful to be in recovery and hope to help others along in their journey by sharing my story authentically. You are welcome to reach out to me through social media or email.

Email: aamymay24@gmail.com

Tiktok: The Sober Amy May @kittykitty_no-no

In this Valentine's Day episode, we've asked our guests how love shows up differently now that they're sober. Not just in romantic relationships, but also in relationships with family and friends, and - perhaps most importantly - how love shows up in their relationships with themselves.

"I always equated love with approval."

When we stop drinking alcohol and we start showing up differently in our lives, we start seeing that how we showed and accepted love wasn't healthy, and it often wasn't realistic. Learning how to love ourselves, so we can share that love with others, is one of the most fulfilling aspects of living a sober life.

Listen as we chat with Sarah Jane and Will about love and relationships in recovery.

In this episode:

• Self hatred vs. self love
• Understanding who you are
• Mirror Talk - what it is, and how it's done
• Making personal ammends and practicing self-forgiveness
• That moment when you realize that drinking isn't self love at all
• Relationships must constantly evolve together - even moreso in recovery
• The childhood messages we received from parents defines the way we see love today
• People pleasing to gain approval is, in fact, not the same thing as being loved
• We must love our whole selves - including our flaws and shortcomings
• Love leaves space for genuine connections.
• You can't shame yourself into lasting change; you can only love yourself there.

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Will Gordon – a Boston native and middle school teacher whose hard-fought battle with alcohol addiction led to total organ failure and a life-saving double transplant in 2023. Through the gift of organ donation and unwavering support from my wife and family, I found my way back from the edge. Today, I share my journey from rock bottom to recovery with raw honesty and hard-earned hope hosting TheWillpowerPodcast, reminding others that even our darkest chapters can lead to meaningful change.

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Sarah-Jane is the founder of Content Healers, a business dedicated to helping individuals restore balance and well-being through sound healing and energy healing practices. With 4 years of personal sobriety, Sarah-Jane brings a deep sense of resilience and commitment to healing into her work. A proud mother of four boys, she understands the importance of nurturing both oneself and others.

She uses her expertise to guide others on their journey to physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness, offering transformative healing experiences for those ready to make lasting changes in their lives.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dtbvq1KhG

https://www.instagram.com/content_healers?igsh=aXJ3NWh5OXhwajYx

Contenthealers.co.uk

We tend to use the words recovery and sobriety interchangeably. Reality is that they are two very different things.

Generally sobriety is defined as not using a mind altering substance. Recovery is doing the healing and processing necessary to remain free of the substance and live a happy and fulfilling life without it.

In this podcast episode, we have invited Steve, Mike, and Will to join us for a conversation about what recovery has looked like in their lives. Recovery looks different for every person, based on their life experiences and their needs. Listen as these three men - plus your hosts, Steve and Julie - share how they figured out what needed healing, and the steps they took to do the work of recovery.

In this episode:

• "Sober is a state of mind"
• How to find your why
• Using therapy, journaling, internet support systems to aid in self discovery
• Letting go of the identity of "drinker"
• The unseen dangers of the functioning alcoholic
• Post Traumatic Stress vs. Post Traumatic Growth
• How a 30 day committment could be your answer

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My name is Mike and I recently celebrated 6 years of sobriety, my sober date is 01/17/18. I publish a newsletter for men living a sober lifestyle called Own Sobriety. It can be found at ownsobriety.com and @ownsobriety on Instagram, Facebook & X (Twitter). I also post sober lifestyle content on my personal Instagram, @mikeunwasted.

I was an all-the-time drinker for 9 years, from age 25 to 34. Every aspect of my life revolved around alcohol and I suffered from several physical & mental health issues. It took several attempts to make sobriety stick, but my life is completely different today. I’ve been able to hold a job and advance my career, address health issues head-on, and create a stable, happy lifestyle. I have recovered out loud from the beginning of my sober journey and credit the decision to my long-term success.

Through Own Sobriety, I am able to connect with other men who are living a sober lifestyle which keeps me grounded to my own sobriety. Building a sober community and maintaining a support system has been critical to keeping me on track in sobriety. Even after 6 years of sobriety, I do my best not to take a single day for granted and constantly remind myself how bad it was. I worked my ass off in early sobriety to get to this point and build a life that no longer has room for or a need for alcohol.

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Will Gordon - a Boston native and middle school teacher whose hard-fought battle with alcohol addiction led to total organ failure and a life-saving double transplant in 2023. Through the gift of organ donation and unwavering support from my wife and family, I found my way back from the edge. Today, I share my journey from rock bottom to recovery with raw honesty and hard-earned hope hosting TheWillpowerPodcast, reminding others that even our darkest chapters can lead to meaningful change.

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Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com to sign up for our weekly newsletter, and to gain access to our FREE weekly recovery meetings.

You can also find Julie and Steve on:

Instagram

Facebook