The Recovery Show » Finding serenity through 12 step recovery in Al-Anon – a podcast

How has your past shaped you? Do you sometimes feel you can't escape it, and that you will never “get it”? Recently, I heard a couple of statements that, in my head, connected to recovery. “We are not defined by what we did or who we were. Those are only the things that brought us... The post It’s the Journey – Episode 206 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I connected with a lot of what Corrie shared. I hope you enjoy her talk as much as I did. Upcoming topics include the 3 P's: Perfectionism, Procrastination, and Paralysis. Do you find it hard to get started because you're afraid you can't do it perfectly? Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions... The post Corrie L. Open Talk – Episode 205 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

The pit of my stomach is churning. My neck and shoulders are tense. I don’t have any energy. My whole body is out of whack. Do you feel this way? Have you felt like this? Let's take a look at how living with alcoholism or addiction can our bodies and our health. How was my body affected... The post My Body, My Codependency – Episode 204 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Did you grow up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family? How has this affected your life today? How can you recover from your childhood experiences? The ACA or ACOA program was created in the 1970s by a group of Alateen members who needed a program that focused on recovery from their experiences growing up in... The post Adult Children of Alcoholics – Episode 203 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Another busy weekend: Mothers Day and yard work. I hope you enjoy this “retro” episode about Letting go of the Process with guest host Harriet, originally published in February, 2015. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. The post Letting go of the Process – Episode 105 replay appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I really enjoyed this open talk by Sam V., who describes himself as “a man who thinks too much.” Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. The post Sam V. Open Talk – Episode 202 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Step 12 says “… we tried … to practice these principles in all our affairs“. It's easy to say but harder to do. Al-Anon doesn't do me much good if I pick and choose where I'm going to put it into practice. Program works best when I embrace it wholeheartedly: give up my excuses, rationalizations,... The post In All Our Affairs – Episode 201 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Brinn Black is a singer and songwriter from Nashville. She wrote a song, Daddy's Medicine, about her experience growing up with an alcoholic father. Our conversation with Brinn was guided by these questions: Brinn, I have to say that the first few lines just grabbed my heart: When you're five you don't know there's a stranger... The post Daddy’s Medicine – Brinn Black – Episode 200 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Is there a stone blocking the tomb of your soul? Have you crawled inside to escape the pain of life? How can we roll that stone away? Yes, it’s Easter again. At this time, I am reminded of the biblical story from Mark 16: When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of... The post Roll Away the Stone – Episode 199 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

As promised, here is one of my favorite recovery speakers, Father Tom W. sharing his experience, strength, and hope in Al-Anon. Upcoming topics include being the sober parent and Alateen. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. The post Father Tom W Open Talk – Episode 198 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you obsess over your loved one's drinking? Do you keep chewing over past actions or wrongs done to you? How can we stop? What is obsessive thinking? What are some other words? Wallowing (in negativity/fear/anger) Resentment (as we discussed last week) Ruminating / chewing over (past wrongs / future problems) Looping What sorts of... The post Obsessive Thinking – Episode 197 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you hold a grudge? Why is this harmful? How can our program help let go of our resentments? What is a “resentment”? Why is it a problem? Where do you find your resentments stem from? Anger at a past injury? Others not doing things “your way”? One method of working Step 4 (“searching and... The post Resentment – Episode 196 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What is Al-Anon? Why do we, who don't have a drinking problem, need the 12 steps? In this “retro” episode, Spencer, Kelly, and Swetha talk about what brought us to Al-Anon, what we found, and why we keep coming. And, maybe, why Al-Anon might help you, too. Upcoming topics include resentment. What do you resent?... The post What is Al-Anon – Episode 195 – Episode 10 redux appeared first on The Recovery Show.

This weekend, my wife and I attended March Roundup 2017, an AA convention in Dearborn, Michigan. In this episode, I reflect on that experience and hope to inspire you to attend an AA or Al-Anon convention in your area. Upcoming topics include obsessive thinking. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience,... The post March Roundup 2017 – Episode 194 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I recently listened to this open talk from Buck N. I loved his “old school” Al-Anon, his straightforward presentation, and his sense of humor. I hope you do, too. Upcoming topics include the disease concept of alcoholism. Do you think that this idea gives your alcoholic loved one “an out”? What is your understanding of... The post Buck N Open Talk – Episode 193 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Diana shares a powerful story of recovery, of discovering her own feelings, and finding compassion and forgiveness for those who harmed her. Upcoming topics include obsessive thinking; Alateen; and parenting. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. Music from... The post Feelings, Recovery, Compassion, and Forgiveness – Episode 192 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What does it mean to relapse in Al-Anon? Have you had an Al-Anon slip? What did you do to recover? What is a “slip”? Is it just another word for “relapse”? What do you think an “Al-Anon slip” is? How do you know if you’re having (or if you had) one? In AA, it’s “obvious”,... The post Al-Anon Slips – Episode 191 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

I hope you enjoy this open talk from Sherry S. I found wisdom and connection for myself. Upcoming topics include Alateen. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. The post Sherry S. Open Talk – Episode 190 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Why did I come to Al-Anon when I did? Or, to ask it a different way, why didn’t I come sooner? What made me ready? Why did I come to Al-Anon when I did? Or, why didn’t I come sooner? Not understanding alcoholism. I didn’t grow up with alcoholism I thought my loved one’s behavior... The post Being Ready – Episode 189 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you get caught up in other people’s problems or emotions? Does the phrase “loving detachment” just baffle you? We start with a reading from an Al-Anon flyer titled Detachment. What thoughts about detachment does the reading bring up for you? When you first heard the word “detachment” in a meeting, what did you think... The post Detachment with love – Episode 188 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Steve L shares his thoughts about fear, faith, and surrender in this AA talk. What did this talk bring up for you? What thoughts do you have? Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. Music from the show Solange:... The post Fear, Faith, and Surrender – Episode 187 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you have unrealistic expectations of other people? Or, maybe, of yourself? How does this hurt? What are “expectations”? “Expectations are pre-meditated resentments” — how do you see this as true? How can expectations set you up for disappointment? How do your expectations of yourself hurt you? How do you deal with other people's expectations... The post Expectations – Episode 186 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How do you use recovery in your life? Join Spencer and Maria as they explore how she has found a new way of living, beyond recovery. Before coming to recovery, Maria's life was “good enough.” The tools she gained in the Al-Anon program have enabled her to face two major life choices, and to decide... The post Maria – Beyond Recovery – Episode 185 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How did your recovery grow in 2016? Whether we're just getting started or we've been at this for years now, we can always grow. How did recovery tools and principles work in my life last year? With family and friends? In my finances? In my work? In my health and fitness? In my spiritual life? How did... The post Recovery 2016 – Episode 184 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

My wishes to you are that the spirit of the Christmas season, of peace and good will to all people, may be with you in the coming year. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. Background music is Carol... The post Christmas 2016 wishes appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Kathy shares her experience, strength, and hope in her open talk. I particularly appreciated the way she kept the focus on herself — her feelings — her actions — as she described the years before she found recovery. I was able to identify with a lot of what she said. In our feedback section, we... The post Kathy C Open Talk – Episode 183 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you get angry? More importantly, maybe, how do you deal with your anger? Has recovery helped you be less angry or to let it out more gently? This week, Spencer and Pat talk about anger. We are guided in our discussion by these questions. Don't we almost all get angry at some time or another?... The post Anger – Episode 182 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do you overcomplicate your life? How can we “Keep it Simple”? Let’s look at the section of How Al-Anon Works about the slogan “Keep it Simple”. How would you relate each of these sentences to your life? When coping with the baffling and often overwhelming effects of alcoholism, the simpler and more straightforward the approach,... The post Keep it Simple – Episode 181 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How are you thankful? Can you be thankful even when life isn’t going well? How can being thankful improve your situation? As I approach the US Thanksgiving holiday, my thoughts naturally turn to thankfulness.In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, we find this bit of conversation between Hamlet and Rosencrantz. Hamlet has just remarked that Denmark is a... The post Being Thankful – Episode 180 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don't be mean when you say it. Many of us have formed patterns of communication that linger even though they may have outlived their usefulness. How did I keep quiet or agree to unreasonable requests in order to avoid conflict? Do I continue to do that... The post Say what you mean and mean what you say – Episode 179 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

This “retro” episode was originally published as Episode 103. Have you ever set an ultimatum? What did you do when it wasn’t honored? How do you deal with unacceptable behavior from your loved ones? Spencer and Maria talk about boundaries. Last week, we read an email from a listener who asked these questions: Do any... The post 178 – Boundaries “Best of” episode appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Start where you are. When change comes, as it always does, it helps to know who you are. Why is it important to know “who I am”? What does it mean to know “who I am”? How have the Steps helped me in knowing myself? (Step 4 is the obvious one, but what about the others?)... The post Knowing myself – Episode 177 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What is your story? What brought you to recovery? What challenges have you faced? What have you found here? We had a conversation with Laura about recovery where the local language is not her native tongue. We were guided by these questions. What brought you to Al-Anon? How did you hear about or find the Al-Anon... The post A Recovery Story – Laura – Episode 176 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What does it mean that this is a program of “rigorous honesty”? How have you been dishonest to others and to yourself? What have you learned about honesty in recovery? This workshop on honesty was presented by Michele R (AA) and Kim G (Al-Anon) at the 2013 Journey to Serenity Festival (Saskatchewan Al-Anon Adult Children Festival), October... The post Honesty – a workshop – Episode 175 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What does it mean to forgive? Why do we talk of “finding” forgiveness? And who really gains from forgiveness? What does forgiveness mean? Dictionary Merriam Webster has this simple definition of the word forgive: “to stop feeling anger toward (someone who has done something wrong) : to stop blaming (someone)” And also this: “to give... The post Forgiveness is critical to recovery – Episode 174 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Start where you are. Bring your angry self. Bring your despairing self. Bring your resentful and frustrated self. Bring your confused self. And we will meet you there. Sometimes I think I need to be “ready” before I can do something, before I can make a change. But that’s not true of our program. I... The post Start where you are – Episode 173 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Why is there The Recovery Show? September 30 is International Podcast Day, which “is dedicated to promoting Podcasting worldwide through education and public engagement.” … Well, that got me thinking about why I do this podcast, why I (with others) have created 172 episodes of The Recovery Show over the past 3 ½ years. So,... The post Why The Recovery Show – Episode 172 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

This week, we present an open talk by an Al-Anon “long timer”, Dawn C. Upcoming topics include courage, fear, faith, and worry. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email [email protected] with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here. The post Dawn C – Open talk – Episode 171 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Can you say “Yes” and mean it? When is it better to say “No”? I recently read a book, Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, subtitled “How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person.” Much of what I read resonated with the work I’ve been doing in recovery, so... The post Year of Yes – Episode 170 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Have you ever felt controlled by your feelings? What feelings could you identify in the past? How do you balance feelings and facts? Were you able to identify feelings (before recovery)? What did you feel? Did you feel? Did you think that certain feelings were “good” and others were “bad”? Did it seem you had... The post Feelings – Episode 169 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What was it like? What happened? And what is it like now? Spencer was invited to give an “open talk” recently, and he elected to use this traditional format. It starts with “what happened?” With that moment when the reality of his powerlessness and the unmanageability of his life crashed down on him. When he... The post Spencer’s Open Talk – Episode 168 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What is serenity, anyway? And how do you get it? Let’s start with a definition: (dictionary.com) 1. the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness. 2. A title of honor, respect, or reverence, used in speaking of or to a certain member of royalty (usually preceded by his, your, etc). Synonyms 1.... The post Serenity – Episode 167 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

“I've got a confession to make.” How do you feel when you say that? How do you feel when you hear it?! What is the power that confession has for us in Step 5? (Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.) How does the inventory and... The post Confession, Redemption, and Forgiveness – Episode 166 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

This is part 4 of a 4-part seminar titled “Stepping Stones to Serenity”, presented by Ellen C in 2008. This part covers steps 10 through 12. The previous episodes are Part 1, Steps 1-3: Episode 158 Part 2, Steps 4-6: Episode 159 Part 3, Steps 7-9: Episode 162 In full, the 12 Steps of Al-Anon... The post Stepping Stones to Serenity Part 4 – Episode 165 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Do we have choices in our lives? What kinds of choices do we have? How have we found choices in recovery? Choice Before Recovery Did you feel you had choices in your life? Did it seem like, when you had a choice, it was either/or, with no 3rd possibility? Were you “allowed” to change your... The post Choices – Episode 164 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

Did alcoholism erase you? How did you find yourself in recovery? Who are you? What do you want? Do you know now? Upcoming topics include choices and sadness. We will also explore the statement “Courage and fellowship will replace fear. We will be able to risk failure to develop new hidden talents.” to see how... The post Rediscovering Myself – Episode 163 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

This is part 3 of a 4-part seminar titled “Stepping Stones to Serenity”, presented by Ellen C in 2008. This part covers steps 7 through 9. The post Stepping Stones to Serenity Part 3 – Episode 162 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

How is living with alcoholism like living with dementia? Can I use what I have learned in one, with the other? The sermon was titled “Dancing with Dementia”. “What perfect timing!” I thought, as I was sitting down. This week I will be visiting my parents, who may or not have diagnosed dementia, but who are definitely... The post Dancing with Dementia – Episode 161 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

What does it mean to be powerless? How can admitting powerlessness give you power over the unmanageability of your life? Spencer and Tom, joined virtually by Sara and Gerrie talk about Step 1, We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, and our lives had become unmanageable. Upcoming topics include another “gift of Al-Anon”. “Courage and... The post Step 1: Powerlessness and Power – Episode 160 appeared first on The Recovery Show.

This is part 2 of a 4-part seminar titled “Stepping Stones to Serenity”, presented by Ellen C in 2008. This part covers steps 4 through 6. The post Stepping Stones to Serenity Part 2 – Episode 159 appeared first on The Recovery Show.