Shows / Addiction and the Family
Addiction and the Family
Addiction and the Family is a podcast by and for family members of anyone with an addiction. We are working to bring experience, strength, and realistic hope so that you and your family can find recovery together. We do this through interviews with family members, people in recovery, and professionals who work with addiction every day. We also bring you research-backed information and practical ideas born of real-life experience. We are currently publishing on a monthly basis, with new episodes…
Episodes
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 80: Breaking the Silence, with Rich Dunning
We interview Rich Dunning, who grew up in an area and a family in which addiction was part of everyday life, but could never be challenged. He was afflicted…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 79: What Addiction Is and What It Isn't
We explore myths and facts about addiction, all with the goal of letting go of shame and blame, and increasing the chances of recovery for the whole family…
- Addiction and the Family
Neuroscience, Anthropology, and More with Nora Simpson
We share a wide-ranging conversation with Nora Simpson, where we talk about neuroscience, anthropology, healing from trauma, and personal histories, all in the…
- Addiction and the Family
Deepening Recovery with Lisa DeMario
We talk with Lisa DeMario, author of the book "Notes From the Middle", in which she explores what happens as people transition from early recovery into a…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 78: Positive Self-Talk
We explore the importance and power of positive self-talk to help people in recovery from addiction, including how it can help family members in their own…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 77: Breaking the Family Pattern of Enabling, with Jules S
Jules returns to the podcast to talk about her family's history of unhealthy enabling, how it impacted her addiction and recovery, and then how she is helping…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 76: Finding Grace and Healing as a Wife and Mother, with Emily Redondo
Emily Redondo talks about how she has dealt with years of addiction, how this impacted her self-image as a wife, mother, and person in recovery, and her new…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 75: Trauma and Addiction
We take a dive into the nature of trauma and how it impacts us, especially in relation to addiction. We look at how we can recover from both trauma and…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 74: Sharing and Healing Without Shame, with Donna Marston
A dynamic conversation with Donna Marston, who helps family members find their own recovery in the face of a loved one's addiction, drawing on years of…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 73: A Minister’s Take on the 12 Steps, with John Ortberg
We interview acclaimed minister and author John Ortberg in a wonderful conversation about the 12 Steps, the nature of faith, and how spirituality plays such a…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 72: The Year in Recovery 2025
We look at some of the highlights of recovery in 2025, as well as some of the challenges of the holiday season for ourselves and some of our previous guests…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 71: Sarah K: A Family Reunited by Recovery
Sarah K and her two teenagers talk about their experience of Sarah's addiction and recovery, exploring how both the active addiction and recovery have affected…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 70: Finding Joy in the Divine Traumedy, with Dr. Nicki Monti
We talk with the amazing Dr. Nicki Monti, whose indomitable spirit shines through in this wide-ranging conversation about all things recovery. Special Guest…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 69: 7OH, A Rising Threat on the Drug Scene
7OH is a new drug that has showed itself to be highly addictive for many people, yet it's perfectly legal in most places, there's no regulation for it, and…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 68: Reaching for Unconditional Love, with Sally McQuillen
We talk with Sally McQuillen, therapist and author of "Reaching for Beautiful," about how she not only survived, but learned and grew from losing her "wild…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 67: On the Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis with F*Fentanyl
We talk with Amanda and Tommy from F Fentanyl, their organization that works tirelessly to bring free naloxone, best known under the brand name Narcan, and…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 66: Humor and Healing in Recovery, With Robyn Scott
We talk with Robyn Scott about how she draws on her career in comedy to help people recover from addiction using improv techniques, and how people can not only…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 65: Negative Emotions
This episode looks at the role of negative emotions in our lives, how to recognize and ride through them, how to learn from them, and how these things show up…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 64: Resilience and Hope After a Fentanyl Overdose
When Jessica's young adult son JB overdosed on fentanyl, he had a massive brain injury, and Jessica was told to abandon all hope. Instead, she fought for him…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 63: Making Recovery the New Family Pattern with Jami Carlacio
In this episode, we talk to Jami Carlacio, a recovery coach and podcaster who grew up around addiction all her life, fell into the disease herself, and was the…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 62: The Illusion of Control
We look at different aspects of the illusion of control. We talk about what it is, how it affects family dynamics, how it affects recovery, how to recognize it…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 61: Sara and Lera, Healing a Parent/Child Relationship in Recovery
In this episode, we talk with one of my colleagues at Windmill Wellness Ranch, Sara, who has several years of recovery under her belt, and Lera, her teen…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 60: The Year in Recovery
We catch up with guests from previous episodes to see how 2024 has been for them. We find out how they have been experiencing and dealing with some of the…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 59: The Difficulties of Parenting an Adult Child with Addiction, featuring Dr. Judith Smith
We talk with Dr. Judith Smith, who has researched and written about the difficulties of parenting adult children with addiction and other mental health…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 58: What to Expect After Treatment
We look at what to expect when you or someone you love leaves treatment. We talk about what you should do to prepare before discharge, what to do immediately…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 57: Amanda and Marissa: From Homeless to Homeowners
Amanda and Marissa share their story of going from people suffering from addiction and homelessness to people living the gifts of recovery, including buying…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 56: Forgiveness
We look at many aspects of forgiveness: what it is, how it connects to recovery, and how to do it. We include a guided forgiveness meditation. Support…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 55: Layers of Recovery with Matt F
Matt F explores his family history, which includes generational patterns of addiction and the distress it creates, tracing this back through as far as he can…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 54: Embracing Family Recovery with Margaret Swift Thompson
Margaret shares her courageous story of a life impacted by addiction, first through her marriage and then in uncovering her own addiction. We explore the…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 53: Why We All Need to HALT
We examine the recovery acronym "HALT" to see if its guidance to not let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired holds up to scientific scrutiny. We…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 52: From a Life of Addiction to a Life of Service
Mellissa talks about seeing family patterns of addiction play out in her parents, siblings, and herself throughout childhood, adolescence, and much of her…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 51: A Therapist Finds Recovery
Mia Tracy is a therapist who found recovery while working in the field. She shares the ups and downs of her journey and how she found the strength a humility…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 50: Eating Disorders and Addiction
Research is increasingly showing that eating disorders are a form of addictive/compulsive behavior. We explore this idea, what it implies, and what we can do…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 49: Ashely and Tom: A Couple's Life Before and After Treatment
Ashely and Tom reflect on what it was like for them as a couple and for their kids before Ashley found recovery at Windmill Wellness Ranch in 2022, what it was…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 48: The Year in Recovery
In this retrospective episode, we look back at the year in recovery as we interview several people who have been on the program in 2023. Each one talks about…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 47: What You Need to Know About NARCAN
Now that NARCAN is approved as an OTC drug, we look at how this life-saving medication works, how to use it, how to recognize opiate OD, controversy around it…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 46: Transforming Trauma Into Triumph with Tonja Myles
Tonja Myles talks about her rise from family and personal trauma into the triumph of her amazing and accomplished life in recovery today. We discuss…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 45: Healing from Our Scars, with Christopher Morris
Christopher Morris, author of "We Are All Made of Scars", talks about growing up with a mother who struggled with alcohol. He talks about what he learned along…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 44: How to Talk to Kids About Addiction
In their new children's book, Casey and illustrator Skye Hilton worked together to help kids find hope and healing around a parent's addiction. Skye and Casey…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 43: Rising from Tragedy to Become a Warrior in Hope
Valerie Silveira, founder of Warriors in Hope, talks about how the tragedy around addiction in her daughter changed her life, not only in how low it took her…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 42: Wired for Addiction with Dr. Evelyn Higgins
In this episode, we interview Dr. Evelyn Higgins about the work she is doing on teh gentics of addiction and how she uses it to bring hope and help through her…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 41: Incurable Hope with Lisa Gennosa
Lisa Gennosa talks about the trials and blessings of her son's addiction, finding her own recovery, and helping others through personal encounters…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 40: Questions Families Ask
We tackle some of the questions families have for people in active addiction, in treatment, and then in early recovery. Our all-star panel of people in…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 39: How to Help Relationships Survive Early Recovery
We explore the stress that addiction and early recovery put on relationships of all kinds and how to find your way to healthier relationships through all of…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 38: Deanna and Travis: Family Helping Each Other Find Recovery
As teens, Deanna and Travis were suddenly siblings when their parents married. Little did they suspect that they would help each other find and deepen the…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 37: Gigi: How to Be Your Most Loving Self
Dr. Gigi Langer talks about her recovery both from her own addiction and as a family member, and what this taught her about being her most loving self. She…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 36: Navigating the Holidays in Recovery
How to survive and even thrive during the holidays whether you are recovering from your own addiction or someone else's. Chock full of ideas and tips to get…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 35: Ashleigh: A Sibling's Perspective
Author Ashleigh Nowakowski talks about how she was affected by her brother's addiction, recovery, and relapse, finding her own recovery in the process, setting…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 34: Spirituality in Recovery
Casey talks about why spirituality is important to many people in recovery, where it's hard, and how to get through some of the challenges. He shares insights…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 33: The Guardian Initiative for Veterans and First Responders, Part Two
Erika Unberhagen talks about how families of first responders and veterans are impacted by addiction and mental health issues, how The Guardian Initiative at…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 32: The Guardian Initiative for Veterans and First Responders, Part One
Erika Unberhagen talks about The Guardian Initiative at Windmill Wellness Ranch, a program for first responders and veterans, and her own experiences in law…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 31: Peg: Philosophy, Spirituality, and Recovery
A wide-ranging conversation about philosophy, spirituality, and recovery with author Peg O'Connor, We talk about what these ideas mean for both people with…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 30: What is SMART Recovery, with Lisa Davidson
Lisa Davidson, Clinical Director at Windmill Wellness Ranch, talks about her personal and professional journey of recovery using SMART Recovery, one of the…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 29: Innovations in Addiction Treatment
We interview two innovators in addiction treatment: Dr. Heather Ingram and Shannon Malish, LCSW. Each talks about how she works directly with people's brains…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 28: Dustin: Interview with an Interventionist
We interview Dustin Williams, who owns an intervention and personal recovery service. He shares some of his story of recovery and how he helps families get a…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 27: Dianne: Living the Al-Anon Principles in Marriage
We hear from Dianne, who learned how to live the principles of Al-Anon in her marriage, and how this helped her to have a long relationship full of recovery…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 26: Conversations With Counselors #2 - Paige Majko
In this interview, counselor Paige Majko talks about her personal and professional relationship with addiction and recovery, including her work with families…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 25: Enabling vs. Helping
In this episode, we explore underlying assumptions that lead to unhealthy enabling and how to challenge these, how Shakespeare can help you move from enabling…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 24: Brian and Tamara: Relationships in Long-Term Recovery
In this wide-ranging conversation with Brian and Tamara, Kira and Casey explore the ins and outs of being in recovery while being in long-term relationships…
- Addiction and the Family
Episode 23: Conversations With Counselors #1 - Merrit Hartblay
We talk with Merrit Hartblay, social worker and addiction counselor in New York. Merrit and Casey talk about the things they've seen most help families deal…