Heal Addiction Through Connection And Communication
I Love Being Sober
Addiction is typically addressed in a harsh and imposing manner, and compassion is often thrown out of the window. , a family recovery coach and podcaster, joins Tim Westbrook, MS to discuss how parents should support children struggling with substance use without confrontation or shame. Delving deep into family recovery, they break down how children struggling with addiction positively respond to connection, communication, and emotional regulation. Heather also explains that tough love often backfires, how nervous system regulation impacts the entire family, and how parents can set boundaries...
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Why Anxiety Is Not Your Enemy With Dr. Nicole Cain
I Love Being Sober
Anxiety will always be a part of the roller coaster of life. However, suppressing it will only lead to frequent panic attacks and a more emotionally unstable you. Joining Tim Westbrook, MS is , ND, MA, a licensed naturopathic physician in Arizona and a leading expert in trauma-informed and integrative mental health. Together, they discuss how to turn anxiety into intelligent signals from the body that lead to healing. Dr. Nicole also breaks down the four steps of reprogramming, the nine different types of anxiety, and how to listen to your symptoms. Find out how to treat anxiety not as an...
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If You’re New To Recovery, Watch This Before Choosing A Provider With Dr. Ravi Chandiramani
I Love Being Sober
Choosing a medical provider in recovery can be a life-and-death decision, and for those newly sober, an uninformed choice could create a dangerous path back to old habits. , a pioneering naturopathic physician and expert in integrative addiction medicine with over 20 years of clinical experience, joins us to issue a crucial warning about the growing trend of biohacking, peptide therapy, and hormone replacement that is being pitched to vulnerable people in early recovery. Dr. Chandiramani explains the dangerous "more is better" mindset that makes controlled substances like testosterone and...
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How To Love Yourself Again After Addiction
I Love Being Sober
Addiction may bring you to your rock bottom, but it does not mean jumping back is impossible. Learn how to find your path to recovery and love yourself all over again with bestselling author and podcaster Arlina Allen. She joins Tim Westbrook to share how she helps redefine the recovery process through her , her book , and . Learn how to embrace solutions-based approaches that go beyond traditional recovery techniques to deliberately create a better future for yourself. Arlina also explains how to live above the line and get rid of your limiting beliefs to start transforming your life and...
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Validating Your Struggle: The Objective Science That Destroys Stigma In Data-Driven Addiction Recovery With Dr. Evelyn Higgins
I Love Being Sober
The era of saying “you got yourself here, now get yourself out” is over—the true future of data-driven addiction recovery is paved with objective science. Tim Westbrook, MS welcomes , a certified addictionologist, former Olympic team doctor, and founder of , who is moving the entire field past its stigmatized, trial-and-error past. Dr. Higgins dives into how understanding an individual’s unique biological blueprint, including 85 biomarkers and genetic snips, provides clinical proof that addiction is a healthcare problem. Discover how this scientific validation takes the shame...
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Someone Saved Me… Now It’s My Turn
I Love Being Sober
How do you turn 35 years of absorbed pain and rage into peace? It all starts with the radical act of healing from shame and complex trauma. Tim Westbrook sits down with his personal therapist, Ken Wells, a nationally recognized expert in treating sex addiction, intimacy disorders, compulsive behaviors, and trauma. Ken shares his raw journey from a cult-like childhood, abuse, and clinical depression to 35 years of sobriety. He explains his powerful method of giving shame back to its source. Learn how he transformed his rage into compassion and found unconditional self-worth by focusing on...
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Martha McSally: No One’s Coming To Save You, Take Back Your Power & Find Purpose
I Love Being Sober
Deep personal healing requires facing the self with as much courage as one faces the world. Former US Senator and trailblazing military leader , the first American female fighter pilot and the first to command a US Fighter Squadron, shares her raw, intimate story of navigating profound loss, emotional volatility, and a painful cycle of abuse that began after the death of her father and childhood dog. She discusses the critical shift from seeking external saviors to taking radical responsibility for her own recovery, a journey that involved disconnecting from a victim frequency and pursuing a...
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Healing The Brain Through TMS
I Love Being Sober
You must know the right type of depression that a person is going through to provide them with appropriate treatments – but not with TMS. Tim Westbrook, MS sits down with , who breaks down how Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation works even without knowing someone’s exact medication or diagnosis. He explains how TMS rebalances neurotransmitters without limitations of traditional pharmacologic approaches to help patients freely feel their emotions. Dr. Robbie also discusses how TMS differs from ketamine-assisted therapies and what must be done to make this treatment method more accessible to...
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Ketamine Therapy: The Door That Brought Me Back To Life
I Love Being Sober
Ketamine therapy has become a turning point for many who once believed change was impossible—and for , it opened the door that changed everything. After years of addiction, trauma, and self-destruction following a devastating military accident, Chad found healing and clarity through his recovery journey and the transformative effects of ketamine therapy. He shares how this experience helped him break lifelong patterns, rediscover purpose, and channel his renewed strength into , a movement that uses apparel to start conversations about mental health, addiction, and healing. His story is a raw...
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Removing Everything That Isn’t You: A Journey Back To Yourself
I Love Being Sober
Embracing your most authentic version is not about adding things to yourself, but instead removing everything that is not you. Through healing and mindfulness, unleashing the real you is possible. Joining Tim Westbrook, MS is composer and musician , who guides people on cultivating awareness, emotional balance, and peace through the power of breath and presence. He shares his work at Zen Wellness, where he teaches how breathwork and meditation can quiet the mind, reconnect the body, and open the heart. Jason also presents how he uses his musical skills to elevate meditation practices to...
info_outlineA life transformed through sobriety—today’s guest has not only overcome addiction but has turned his journey into a mission to help others. As a TEDx speaker, best-selling author and dedicated endurance athlete Nick’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery and community. In this episode, we get into his personal battle with alcohol, the moment he hit rock bottom and the strategies that have kept him sober for the long haul.
Beyond his sobriety journey Nick shares how he rebuilt his life through physical fitness and personal development. From doing Ironman’s before he was sober to achieving peak performance after recovery he explains how sleep, discipline and community support has impacted his success. His book Executive Loneliness shines a light on the hidden struggles of high achieving professionals and the need for open conversations around mental health and connection.
If you're looking for motivation, practical advice, and a reminder that rehabilitation may lead to a better version of yourself, this episode is for you. Whether you're newly clean, supporting a loved one, or simply interested in personal development, Nick's insights will provide you with lessons on resilience, health, and finding purpose beyond addiction.
- [01:54] Tim introduces guest Nick Jonsson, a TEDx speaker and author.
- [02:54] Nick shares his background—born in Sweden, educated in Australia, and living in Southeast Asia for 20 years. He discusses his early experiences with alcohol in Sweden, where access was heavily regulated.
- [04:20] Drinking became a problem when Nick moved to Australia at 23, where alcohol was widely available and socially encouraged.
- [05:55] Drinking escalated in Asia, leading to health issues. Even after hospitalization in Thailand, he initially denied alcohol as the cause.
- [07:52] Nick describes his attempts to quit drinking, culminating in a failed attempt on his birthday in 2018, which led him to seek medical detox.
- [09:33] He began his sobriety journey with AA, attending daily meetings for the first few years.
- [10:03] He's been sober for 7 years.
- [11:21] Nick discovered that about 33% of senior executives in Singapore were lonely and isolated. He realized this was a problem. This was the beginning of Nick writing Executive Loneliness.
- [12:32] His TEDx talk is partially based on the book where he talks about getting healthy and getting proper sleep.
- [13:26] He studied everything on sleep. One of the top tips he discovered was taping your mouth.
- [15:01] His Ironman numbers improved when he got extra sleep.
- [17:47] Community support, including AA and men’s groups, played a crucial role in maintaining long-term sobriety.
- [19:01] It's helpful to be an authentic groups that aren't just about sobriety.
- [20:51] Ironman racing was part of his life before sobriety, but his performance improved drastically after quitting alcohol.
- [22:15] One of the things that has changed for Nick is his ability to ask for help and be more vulnerable.
- [23:08] Finding mentorship and being part of an elite triathlon training group helped him excel as an athlete.
- [25:15] In order to train, he became extremely disciplined and also stopped watching news.
- [27:37] Physical health became a priority, especially for managing high cholesterol. Instead of medication, he chose daily exercise.
- [29:17] He discusses the impact of isolation and anxiety on mental and physical health, sharing how unresolved stress led to psychosomatic illness.
- [31:31] People need personal and professional safe spaces and friend groups that they can talk to.
- [33:27] Leaders in high-stress environments need to prioritize self-care rather than glorifying overwork.
- [35:02] Social media has played a significant role in spreading awareness about sobriety and mental health.
- [36:12] Nick shares his most unexpected lesson. He encourages listeners to acknowledge and talk about their struggles.
- [37:55] If you're trying to get sober, talk to someone. He has free resources in the back of his book Executive Loneliness.
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