Sober Speak- Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Interviews

Episode 98 In this episode of Sober Speak, Bob S is back at the mic sharing his story of strength and hope. Bob talks about how even after all his drinking shenanigans shared in part 1, it never occurred to him that he was an alcoholic and how a strong program focused on service and connection allowed him to find forgiveness after the unimaginable loss of a child. Second chances, moments in grace and serendipitous meetings prevail in this episode all combining to gift the listeners with an incredibly powerful example of recovery. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 97 In this episode of Sober Speak, Bob S. shares his experience prior to getting sober. He recounts how harrowing moments in Vietnam altered his view of his higher power and how he created chaos in drinking after his return from two tours of duty. Stay tuned next week to listen in as Bob S speaks to his strength and hope. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 96 This episode of Sober Speak is a recording of the inaugural Sober Speak Live event. Listen to some great music as well as Jimmy D at the mic to share his story of perseverance and hope, a little obscure AA history, and answer some live audience questions. Here is a link to Wendy Child's music http://wendychildmusic.com/ Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 95 In this episode of Sober Speak, we have Maria R. Back at the microphone speaking to how the gifts of the program have allowed her to turn her attendance at the Crested Butte Conference into a family vacation. Maria talks about how AA has given both her and her family a way to step out of their comfort zones, to try new things and to grow together. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 94 In this episode of Sober Speak, Gary K revisits his experience of the Steps, in particular, steps 2-9. Gary speaks to how the object of these steps is to become transparent and how keeping secrets prevents intimacy. Gary talks about how the Big Book provides real specific directions on how to complete these steps, how newcomers are always his teachers and how changing your vocabulary can change your attitude and outlook upon life. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 93 http://www.austincitywide.com/ In this episode of Sober Speak, Harris S talks about how the simplest concept of Alcoholism Anonymous is, “Make a friend, Be a friend”. It was this concept that led Harris to form the Austin Citywide Group which is an open fellowship group with potluck and childcare as a way to connect the dots between all the various groups, entities and circumstances in the area. Harris briefly begins sharing his early near-death experiences with alcohol which will be continued in another episode. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 92 In this episode of Sober Speak, Bill C talks about what it was like growing up in a home that was full of recovery and how despite that, he chose to live an alcoholic, drug-abusing, criminal life that scared him senseless. Bill speaks to how he has now found redemption in working with others in Alcoholics Anonymous and how he learned how to "adult" in the program. Now celebrating 34 years in AA, Bill C. shares how the program has gifted him the ability to be an active participant in the transformation of lives and how not even language is a barrier to the miracles of the program. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 91 In this episode of Sober Speak, Gary K is back at the mic sharing what his experience of Steps 1 and 2. Gary speaks to alcoholism not being a therapeutic illness but a spiritual illness whose consequences can be healed by surrender to a higher power. Gary reflects on how you don’t learn recovery but experience it. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 90 In this episode of Sober Speak, Brenda J gives a compelling description of what it was like for her growing up in a very large Latino family, how for a time she found refuge in alcohol and how her desire to get her Dad sober led her into the rooms of AlAnon and then AA. Brenda shares how everything she ever wanted in life came for her the moment she gave away to someone else and how her relationship with God and service work keep her sober. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 89 In this episode of Sober Speak, Howard B shares about his rapid descent into drug and alcohol addiction and how with the encouragement of his family, a sober living house and the 12 steps he was able to become sober. Howard talks about doing the work of the program, how he views amends as a four-part process and how in his experience amends can be received very differently. Howard speaks to how his amends have been a spiritual experience and how he does the best he can learn from his mistakes. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 88 In this episode of Sober Speak we listen in as BillieKai shares her journey of recovery starting with Al-Anon and then transitioning into Big Book Awakenings leading her closer to her higher power. BillieKai speaks to how growing up in an alcoholic family she came to be addicted to chaos and intentionally creating drama for attention. She shares how working the 12 steps in the Big Book Awakening group has taught her how to ask hard questions, truly evaluate her part in all situations and to change the way she thinks which is the miracle of the program. #ifuputyourselfintoityoullgetyourselfoutofit Big Book Awakenings is a method for working through the Steps in the Big Book. https://www.thejaywalker.com/ http://www.bbaworks.com/ http://www.bbaworks.com/gettingstarted Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 87 This episode of Sober Speak is a continuation of Episode 59 (Steps 1,2 & 3), Episode 67 (Step 4 and Episode 73 (Steps 4,5 & 6). In this episode, David G speaks to the humility he found through Step 7 and how doing the work helps you to see yourself as others see you. David speaks to the profound harm we have done to others and how it is these injuries that prevent us from having meaningful relationships with others. Amends are more than just apologies they are a change in our behavior. At the end of the episode, David shares two deeply personal stories about amends he had to make and their effect on others. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 86 In this episode of Sober Speak, Jack Z gifts the listener with an amazing story of the power of hope. Jack shares how with AA, prayer, and mediation he has been able to endure a terminal illness and drops several recovery pearls of wisdom throughout the episode. As with many others in recovery, Jack talks about how lifelong insecurities set the framework for several -ism’s in his life but with being apart of the program instead of apart from the program (service work and connection) and working the steps, he has been able to find a solution to the disease of alcoholism. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 85 On this episode of Sober Speak, Dawn C returns to the Sober Speak mic to answer some listener generated questions. Dawn C talks about how easy it is to become complacent once our lives get better from being sober and how on the verge of her 10-year soberversary she still makes recovery her priority. Dawn shares how she has grown to love meditation and how meditation keeps her growing spiritually. Throughout the podcast, Dawn speaks to how service work is the special sauce that makes everything better and how she has found joy in being an honest, reliable person in sobriety. #recoveryspecialsauce #nomatterwhatgodsgotit Sober Buzz Mentioned in this episode. http://www.soberbuzz.com/ Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 84 This episode of Sober speak is a continuation of Episode 79 where Ricky R began sharing his personal experience and understanding of the steps of AA. Ricky speaks to how he was taught that the program of AA is not for him, but instead, it is for him to take to others in service. Service is an underlying theme throughout this episode and Ricky R recounts how small changes in his own behavior have had dramatic impacts on others and in his relationships. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 83 In this episode of Sober Speak we listen to Laura R share how a traumatic incident as a child rewired her brain leaving her with the inability to properly handle emotions and to make true connections with others. Laura details how this unresolved trauma resurfaced with the death of her father and she found herself completely out of control and full of self-hate. Upon finally surrendering to AA, Laura talks about finding serenity in calamity and how easeful life is without drinking. #desiretodrinkabilitynotto #lovedthepartyhatedmyself #serenityincalamity #bewhereyourfeetare Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 82 On this episode of Sober Speak, Amy and Spencer weave stories of their recovery journey together as well as those of their individual paths (Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-anon). Amy speaks to how her inability to cope with her demanding life led her to turn to alcohol as an escape. She details the moment that saved her life, pushing her over the edge into recovery after years of struggling to get sober. Spencer talks about his personal surrender and how he came to understand that he could not fix his wife but that he could work to fix himself through Al-Anon. It was his personal recovery work that leads him to know serenity while living in the chaos of an active alcoholic. Their stories document how their individual growth in the programs helped them to pair again as partners in marriage and life. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 www.therecoveryshow.com

Episode 81 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/online-meetings/ Above is the organization I mention during listener feedback - JM In this episode of Sober Speak, John W talks about his experiences before he got sober, what it was like getting sober with a sponsor of the opposite sex and how he built an incredible life and business in recovery. John shares step-by-step what the spiritual principles of the program are and how when applied they will solve all your problems.

Episode 80 In this episode of Sober Speak, we listen to Suzanne R tell us about it was like growing up living in a fear-based cult. Suzanne details the characteristics and tactics used by cults to dominate, retain and segregate members from society and how this impacted her recovery during step work especially with the formation of her higher power. Suzanne closes with how her own first bad experiences with AA profoundly impacted her and impressed upon her how imperative it is “to send the newcomer home with the best piece of yourself”. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 79 In this episode of Sober Speak, Ricky R shares how the moment he had his first drink at 14 dramatically marked the downhill progression of his life and alcoholism. Ricky describes what is was what like growing up in an alcoholic family, the repercussions of his drinking, and how plain abstinence made him miserable driving home the importance of doing step-work in obtaining recovery. At the end of this episode, Ricky begins sharing his understanding of the first two steps with the rest of the steps to be continued at a later date. Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 78 In this episode of Sober Speak, we listen in as speaker Jerry J shares his story of recovery starting with an entertaining little story about the family dog using that as a parallel for how he came to understand the definition of alcoholism. Jerry’s story continues with how he came to be sick of himself and how his wife’s participation in Alanon eventually led him into the program. Jerry shares how he realized that his self-sufficiency would not save him from his alcoholism and that he needed help from others. Jerry’s strong relationship with his Higher Power led him to be a pillar for his family through difficult times. #thewayoutisgratitude #jekyllandhyde Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 77 In this episode of SS, Sue speaks about what it felt like growing up feeling different than and apart from others despite being popular and having lots of friends to hitting bottom and almost taking her life in her car one day. Brought into the program by her family who is also in recovery, Sue speaks to what can happen when you stop going to meetings and become spiritually and emotionally depleted and also the importance of service work to bringing joy back into her recovery. #headfullofAA #servicework #cantalwaysbetheteacher #grow Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 76 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 In this episode of Sober Speak, Megan H from California shares how she went from stealing wine coolers from her parents to being an oblivion seeking-addict, getting fired from her dream job and going in and out of the rooms for 8 years until finally having a moment of clarity. Megan speaks to how with the gift of desperation, the help of others, some second chances and a lot of hard work and honesty she was able to get and stay sober, living a life beyond her wildest dreams. Megan H also talks about her decision to recover out loud using her job as a radio personality to help normalize the public perception of addiction and promote the message of hope and recovery to those who need it. #soberforrealz #designforliving #eskimo #intuition #spirituality #sponsorship #beagoodperson #beingofservice #rootedinsolution

Episode 75 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 74 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 73 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 72 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 71 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 70 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 https://www.focusedintensity.org/

Episode 69 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 68 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 Mentioned during the show... Tao of Our understanding; http://taorecovery.libsyn.com/ Transitions Daily Podcast http://dailyaaemails-alcoholicsanonymous-howtogetsober.libsyn.com/ Transitions Daily www.DailyAAEmails.com

Episode 67 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 66 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 65 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 64 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 63 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 62 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 Arlina's website is https://odaatchat.com/

Episode 61 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 Jeanye Mercer shared the Self-Care Breathing Practice Vanessa led. Roshi Joan Halifax told Brené Brown in a conversation she writes about in her book, Braving the Wilderness, “Now it's time to inhale. There is the in-breath and there is the out-breath, and it's easy to believe that we must exhale all the time, without ever inhaling. But the inhale is absolutely essential if you want to continue to exhale". (p.148) Gregory Boyle’s youtube video about why kid’s join gangs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAwaJXmuWtE https://www.homeboyindustries.org/ Brene Brown’s work on Shame Resilience and The Anatomy of Trust can be found on www.brenebrown.com Vanessa's website is www.sanfordsupportsystem.com

Episode 60 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 This link is to John S's version of "How It Works" http://weagnosticsaa.org/how-it-works-2-0/ This link is to John S.'s version of "We Agnostics" http://weagnosticsaa.org/atheist-big-book-study-we-agnostics-as-it-could-have-been-written/ This link is a short primer on how John S approaches the program today: http://secularaakansascity.org/a-primer-for-a-secular-aa-program/ This link is to AA Beyond Belief: https://aabeyondbelief.org/ This link is to AA Agnostica. The person who created this site is a good friend of John S's who encouraged him to start AA Beyond Belief: https://aabeyondbelief.org/ This is a link to a listing of secular AA meetings from all over the world: https://secularaa.org/tsml_meeting/

Episode 59 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 this is the other podcast I mention in this episode....https://www.youwannadowhat.com/

Episode 58 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996

Episode 57 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com Text the word "sober" to 31996 Reiki and Recovery Yoga Step 11- Prayer and Meditation

Episode 56 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 55 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 54 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 53 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com This is Charlie's Podcast website http://www.wayoutcast.com/

Episode 52 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 51 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 50 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com

Episode 49 Leave us a message @ https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @ [email protected] Visit our website @ www.soberspeak.com