Atheists in Recovery
Atheists in Recovery podcast will address the spiritual and scientific belief systems of people in long term recovery in order to deconstruct limiting thought patterns, and introduce new behaviors and routines you can use.
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3 Ways to Build Your Resilience in The Face of Pivotal Events
05/19/2022
3 Ways to Build Your Resilience in The Face of Pivotal Events
"Never let a good crisis go to waste." Winston Churchill Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I list 3 ways to build your resilience in the face of pivotal events. I announce a new project I’m excited about and invite you to join me on my new journey! WHAT WE’LL LEARN What types of events are pivotal (e.g. arrest, loss of a job, divorce/break up, big birthday, pandemic/languishing, loss, trauma, realization that I’m on the wrong path and life is passing me by). How do these events impact us? Understanding the Window of Tolerance. What do we need at this time? What can you do with these pivotal events? RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Tell When Your Pain is Protecting You: dialoguing with our overwhelming emotions.
05/19/2022
How to Tell When Your Pain is Protecting You: dialoguing with our overwhelming emotions.
Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I talk about how to tell when your pain is protecting you by dialoguing with our emotions. And the pain that I will be referring to is guilt, shame, remorse, maybe judgment, self judgment caused by the inner critic. WHAT WE’LL LEARN What are the types of pain? The pain of guilt or shame, remorse or judgment caused by the inner critic. Who is the Inner protector is and what is its purpose. How to listen to the healing signals through writing (what can they be signifying or letting us know we need to pay attention to?) I give a homework exercise: Prompts - to lead down the path to get to know these undesirable parts. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Deal with Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation The Right Way
05/19/2022
How to Deal with Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation The Right Way
“You had someone to go places with. You had a date on national holidays!” -Marie, When Harry Met Sally, 1989 Welcome to today’s show! Loneliness is a feeling that I know a lot of us try and avoid. And the thing is, we've all felt lonely at different points in our life. So it's an important topic. I've described loneliness as an epidemic in previous shows (and so has the 19th Surgeon General of the U.S. Vivek Murthy). It's so prevalent and it's also so destructive mentally, and physically. So let’s dive in. WHAT WE’LL LEARN What does society tell us about loneliness (hint: it's all wrong!) The difference between loneliness and solitude. What is healing, what is harmful, what must be lived through? We can use loneliness for self-exploration I give a few writing prompts to get us started on self-exploration through loneliness. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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Top 3 Masks We Wear and Why We Should Take Them Off
05/19/2022
Top 3 Masks We Wear and Why We Should Take Them Off
“Man is least himself when he talks in his own persona. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” -Oliver Wilde Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I talk about the masks that do more harm than good. The masks we wear because we are afraid; we are afraid that it anyone see’s how incompetent we are at our job, relationships, parenting, at anything we feel is part of our identity, the costs will be too great. WHAT WE’LL LEARN I talk about the top 3 masks: the social mask, the emotional mask, The “Who AM I” Mask. I give you a challenge to about the masks you wear and commit to letting them slip off now and again. What if fear didn’t get in the way, who would you like to be? I suggest a writing prompt. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Cultivate A Resilience Mindset - from breakdown to break through
05/19/2022
How to Cultivate A Resilience Mindset - from breakdown to break through
People who are resilient allow themselves to be changed by the experience of adversity. To be resilient is not to avoid difficulty but to play an active role in how difficulty transforms you. -Kelly McGonigal, PhD, health psychologist, Stanford University Welcome to today’s show! I’ve found that if one can focus their attention on resilience in these trying times, it shows that they can handle almost anything-it’s a learned capacity to cope! Resilience is as important to our well-being as Josh allen is to the Buffalo Bills. :) WHAT WE’LL LEARN Skills and strategies of resilience are always trainable. The core of resilience is flexibility. Choosing how you respond to resilience is essential. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How can a creative act like writing move us through a healing process?
05/19/2022
How can a creative act like writing move us through a healing process?
“Creativity is a basic human response to trauma and a natural emergency defense system,” Louise DeSalvo Welcome to today’s show! I spend some time talking about what writing can do for us and why writing works. I talk about how writing in community can be beneficial and how I will structure my upcoming writing groups based on the literature and personal experience. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Why writing? What writing can do for us? Writing in community - what is the additional benefit? What should we be aware of regarding safety/boundaries with writing I will explain my creative process with writing. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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The secret to not losing yourself: recovering from narcissistic abuse
05/19/2022
The secret to not losing yourself: recovering from narcissistic abuse
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN What is narcissism really? I discuss the myth of narcissism and how social media gets it terribly wrong. How do you know if you’ve been in a relationship with a narcissist? You’ve tried to be who your partner needed and when they are gone, you’ve lost yourself. Now what? How writing helps with healing. I give you a few writing prompts. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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3 Ways Writing Takes You from Hopeless to Hopeful: the final episode
05/12/2022
3 Ways Writing Takes You from Hopeless to Hopeful: the final episode
Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I list 3 ways writing takes you from hopeless to hopeful:. And I’ve decided to end the Atheists in Recovery podcast so this is the final episode. I thank you all for listening. I announce a new project I’m excited about and invite you to join me on my new journey! WHAT WE’LL LEARN Writing as a coping mechanism. Writing allows us to sit with the uncomfortable feelings and be curious about them-their contours, shapes and sizes. Writing can help us honor and light up our stories while prompting us to envision our future selves restored and renewed. Writing as a creative outlet. Writing is just one form of creative expression. It’s not for everyone but I feel it’s easily accessible for all. Writing that heals. I talk about my own journey with writing and how it helped heal my traumatic wounds when therapy seemed like “too much.” The 13th-century Sufi mystic and poet Rumi wrote, “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” Thinkers from Freud to Brene’ Brown have all postulated that there’s strength in vulnerability. RESOURCES MENTIONED . Write with me! Sign up to be notified when the new podcast, drops For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Fight Your Sugar Addiction
09/30/2021
How to Fight Your Sugar Addiction
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How Johnathan’s early view of religion helped shape his identity in the world. How his southern baptist “angry form of Christianity” messages made him question life. At age 37, Jonathan found himself at a critical crossroads when staring into a garbage can. The three steps to help you overcome your sugar addiction. Why Johnathan feels the willpower argument is a lie. Johnathan talks about what to do now that we are physically distancing and food is everywhere. What practice Johnathan started in order to socially connect while staying physically isolated. What’s Johnathan’s message to the A.I.R community. RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on . If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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5 Ways Hypnotherapy Can Help Cure Addiction
09/23/2021
5 Ways Hypnotherapy Can Help Cure Addiction
Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I’m sharing how I use hypnotherapy to treat addiction. Below I outline 5 takeaways hypnotherapy can help you with addiction. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Hypnotherapy is not new. Hypnotherapists have been getting to the root cause of one’s suffering for years Say hello to your future self. You are the storyteller of your present & future When you fire it, you wire it. Making new neural connections The language you use matters The story of Duane (how he kicked his 20 plus year smoking habit) Some amazing things happen during hypnotherapy (the story of John) When Adina thinks of hypnotherapy she thinks of two words: Rapid Relief RESOURCES MENTIONED Schedule a free 15 minute 1:1 hypnotherapy consult For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) Recovery and The Integrated Soul
09/16/2021
(Encore) Recovery and The Integrated Soul
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Rob’s community wanted to thank him for his contribution to the community and invited him to meet the Queen. And what his inner dialogue was like (hint: he was not happy). Rob talks about his childhood growing up and how his identify was formed but it was not an easy road to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Rob talks about his recovery journey and gives us a “happiness disclaimer.” At 38, Rob found himself looking within the dark places of his subconscious which was hugely frightening for Rob. How a flashback led him to relieving a traumatic event. He wanted to stop the pain so much that he made a conscious decision to take his life. What Rob’s interview process for therapists was like and what his litmus test was like for finding a therapist. What Rob’s therapist told him to do right before he wanted to take that next hit that Rob credits as “her genius.” How Rob’s underlying belief system helped him to find hope in recovery. RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) Harm Reduction, The Opioid Crisis, and The Miracle Future
09/09/2021
(Encore) Harm Reduction, The Opioid Crisis, and The Miracle Future
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How David’s earliest memories were rooted in sadness & depression and he felt like something was terribly wrong with him. David was put on anti-depressants is his early teens but felt “nothing was working.” How a Cop was the greatest endorsement for heroin use. When at Hazelden, David was told by staff he needed to put his life & will in God’s hands and work the steps of A.A. David, as a devout Atheist, felt this treatment approach was not going to work for him. After parents gave David “tough love” and an ultimatum, he went to a halfway house but felt “it was a joke” be/c all he wanted to do was use again. David then went on a mission to show his parents that addiction was not a disease and he could stop at will. After his friend overdosed and thinking about the permanence of death, David believed this would motivate him to stop using heroin. How David found Buprenorphine when looking for a reliable, safe source of an opioid to start the healing process. What the struggles were with obtaining buprenorphine from doctors in 2008. What’s David’s response to the Opioid Crisis. What David thinks the “miracle future” of addiction treatment looks like (hint: it involves science and facts). RESOURCES MENTIONED -Twitter For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) Resetting Your Recovery: rituals for healthy living
09/02/2021
(Encore) Resetting Your Recovery: rituals for healthy living
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Derek earliest memories were rooted in religion but his connectedness and place of belonging was found (and still is) in nature. While Derek was in active addiction he watched his brother, father, and mother pass away from complications due to alcoholism which threw him into a deeper state of depression. It wasn’t until a suicide attempt, that Derek decided to put himself through rehab. Derek says as he passes his one year anniversary, routine & asking for help has been two great tools for healing. Derek talks about the shame and “feeling like a burden” when asking for help. How utilizing mentors instead of sponsors is what works for his recovery. What his perspective is on how to “reset your recovery.” How he handles things that are out of his control-he gives examples from his own life. Derek discusses what he means by “slowing down to speed up.” What Derek’s heartfelt message is to people who are in active addiction or newly sober during the pandemic. Tips on how Derek connects with others during the pandemic. What’s Derek’s message to the A.I.R. community. RESOURCES MENTIONED -Email For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) Writing as A Vehicle for Truth-Telling, Healing, and Recovery
08/26/2021
(Encore) Writing as A Vehicle for Truth-Telling, Healing, and Recovery
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN How Valley’s earliest sense of self was formed during “alot of using and instability.” Valley’s mother thought since Valley grew up in AA those values would transmit but Valley had other plans. Valley majored in love addiction, alcohol addiction, and codependency during her college years. When Valley sat with her dying horse’s (Hooker) corpse she realized she was pregnant and had to “own it.” How she was confronted by her then fiance to stop drinking and Valley said “no way” drinking for her was the solution and not the problem. How getting a heart wrenching letter from her ex-fiance prompted Valley to get “free therapy.” AA helped Valley become “right sized” because she felt she was either an Angel or the Devil. What is Life in 10 and can you use this tool to heal. The brain research behind sharing our vulnerable stories What’s Valley’s advice to start sharing one’s writing in a group. RESOURCES MENTIONED l For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) SMART Recovery: The ABC’s of Recovery
08/19/2021
(Encore) SMART Recovery: The ABC’s of Recovery
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How hearing a sermon in a church led Peter to “wake up” and start to heal the suffering within. How his Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. household normalized alcohol use. What led Peter to get “interventioned” at work. Why Peter found SMART recovery early on in his recovery and how it helped him. What is SMART ‘s 4-point program. Learn a few SMART recovery tools: for example, “ABC” tool. How mindfulness works to challenge our automatic belief system. What we need to do to release our stories (our past trauma). What makes SMART different is focusing on the internal locus of control. How Peter uses his spirituality in his recovery and focusing on possibilities instead of challenges. What the Oscar Wilde quote says that helps Peter get through the “heavy spaces” in recovery. RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) What to Say at Regular AA Meetings: coming out of the (Atheist) closet
08/12/2021
(Encore) What to Say at Regular AA Meetings: coming out of the (Atheist) closet
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How atheists/agnostics have found sobriety in AA. The A.I.R. audience has spoken: we talk about these four categories: tolerance, losing one’s religion, the language of addiction, and coming out of the Atheist closet. When is the right time to come out of the Atheist closet? How you should come out of the Atheist closet (a few conversation starters are discussed). RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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(Encore) When A Man Loves A Woman-Movie Review
08/05/2021
(Encore) When A Man Loves A Woman-Movie Review
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Episode 22 starts our December series, Movies That Move Us. Learn why Adina loves this movie and its relevance in the recovery space. Learn what it means to be codependent. The movie portrayed the subtle way drinking goes from being “fun” to more of a progressive disorder in which shame and fear are ubiquitous. Learn what Adina thinks is the most pivotal part of the story of Michael and Alice’s relationship and how this movie is more about the Man than the Woman. Discover what role can Al-anon (or family education programs) play in familial recovery. The final scene of the movie gives us a nice peak into alcoholism in the family . Why we may need to work on ourselves apart from the person that’s keeping you stuck and how to stop that cycle. Identify your role in the family of addiction and how you can heal. RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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5 Journaling Prompts I Use The Most And The August And September Pause
07/29/2021
5 Journaling Prompts I Use The Most And The August And September Pause
Welcome to today’s show! In today’s episode, I list 5 journaling prompts I use most often (and why I think it’s the greatest recovery tool). And I’m taking a pause in August through the end of September to focus on family time, travel, self-care and to tweak a few things with the podcast. In the meantime, you may want to catch up on episodes 1-105 or relisten to a few of your favorites. WHAT WE’LL LEARN Right now I am... How Adina uses journaling in her own life, daily. She shares a story from her most recent journaling prompt. I remember... I don’t remember a time when... What I haven’t told you is... Or, what I meant to say was... (Adina loves this prompt!) Check out EP 105 on how she handles Vulnerability. If I wrote the story of my life up to this point, the chapters would be named… Alternatively, if I wrote the story of my future, the chapters would be named... RESOURCES MENTIONED Sign up for the Newsletter Begin a new ritual that nourishes your soul and maybe start a journaling practice to liberate yourself from defeating narratives. For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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Q & A with Adina-daily practices for vulnerability, courage, love and belonging
07/22/2021
Q & A with Adina-daily practices for vulnerability, courage, love and belonging
Welcome to today’s show! Vulnerability “Vulnerability smells like rotten eggs, feels like slimy fish, tastes like ash.” WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is Vulnerability? What events led to Adina knowing she needed to address her own vulnerability. How Adina previously handled vulnerability. What the family motto was in her early days that led to her feeling that being vulnerable was not acceptable. How Adina approaches vulnerability now. What is Adina’s writing process. Through writing we are able to make connections with our former, current, and future selves. How she would use stories as reminders, as protection and prevention. The stories that helped keep you alive when you were young, are not the stories that will help you now. Start to write and then share those stories with others. That’s how we are able to connect with each other. Quotes: “I was literally in a fist fight with vulnerability. And I knew at that point that I needed to start working on this.” “Writing is a creative act of internal disruption” RESOURCES MENTIONED Learn more about our future A.I.R. writing group and journaling prompts by subscribing to the newsletter For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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Neurosurgery and Addiction: it's never too late to rewrite your story
07/15/2021
Neurosurgery and Addiction: it's never too late to rewrite your story
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Paul’s deepest roots came from living with a family of doctors that pushed him to excel at school. He deeply wanted to learn more about the nervous system and what makes up the brain & spinal cord. You have to “rob” the tumor in a stealth manner so as not to awaken the brain. Think Jedi Warrior :) How addiction affects the brain structure. And the brain wants to do good for us until there's an insult that’s put into our body (e.g. nicotine, heroin, alcohol). Then the brain gets the signal that “this must be what this person wants.” And now there’s a new normal. When we’re at a party the brain correlates drinking with fun. And that’s when the external factors take over. How the body & brain heal from addiction. The normal lifestyle is not meant for us to be feeling high all the time. It’s just an average lifestyle. Why did Paul begin to write. And why he decided to showcase some of his client’s surgical cases. How Paul’s writing has helped people all over the world to heal. Paul discussed how he’s changed from the beginning of his journal writing til now. What Paul does with his writing mimics a lot of the recovery principles-joining in on conversation, giving back, showing vulnerability, courage and empathy. Key Quotes: “You need to have the confidence that you can beat this addiction. It’s never too late.” “Follow your bliss. And you can never go wrong if you truly follow your bliss in life.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Learn more about our A.I.R. writing group and journaling prompts by subscribing to the newsletter For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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The Opposite of Addiction is Connection: 3 ways brainspotting can help heal addiction
07/08/2021
The Opposite of Addiction is Connection: 3 ways brainspotting can help heal addiction
Welcome to today’s show! Stories I reference a quote which I feel sums up the episode well. Write Often and Edit Well -Esther Perel WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is Brainspotting? We look at a case study with Tina and pay attention to her insecure attachment style. What the outcome was after Tina’s first brainspotting session & why Adina was surprised :) Why early messages are so important to our attachment styles as with the case of Tina. How Brainspotting accesses parts of the brain that are traumatized by many unintended experiences. How Brainspotting increases attunement by using a dual attunement frame. And how Tina was able to start her healing journey by feeling the empathy from me. Adina wonders if we would have gotten here with traditional talk therapy alone. Brainspotting helps us identify how our stuff defines us and how to unlearn these thoughts/behaviors. Adina feels it’s important to know one’s attachment styles. This can help with connecting better with your loved ones. Authentic attachment is an inherent quality of human beings. We all want to get there! RESOURCES MENTIONED (google sheets) For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Challenge Your Stressful Thoughts (And Live Your Way into Right Thinking) Part 2
07/01/2021
How to Challenge Your Stressful Thoughts (And Live Your Way into Right Thinking) Part 2
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Please listen to EP 101 where we learn Arlina’s background before listening to this one :) Why our brains are designed to focus on the negative. And how to increase our awareness of this. Arlina, at a young age, kept finding reasons that she wasn’t “good enough” and “smart enough” and whenever she would have a negative experience, she’d use that as “evidence” to back up the stories she told herself. Confirmation bias is what’s happening. In early recovery, we do things that we regret under the influence of alcohol. You lose the ability to choose how much you will drink or not. Why after 27 years sober Arlina continues to work daily on emotional regulation. What is the Default Mode Network & how we can rewire our brain in order to make better decisions. Arlina walks us through a writing exercise on how to identify and change your irrational beliefs. Key Quotes: “I just put a bunch of drugs & alcohol in my brain and I’m going to use that broke *ss tool to make decisions for my entire life…” “Question your beliefs because a lot of times they’re not rooted in truth.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Please take this 45 second survey to help direct the future of the AIR podcast. For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Challenge Your Stressful Thoughts (And Live Your Way into Right Thinking)
06/24/2021
How to Challenge Your Stressful Thoughts (And Live Your Way into Right Thinking)
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Arlina described her deepest roots as having come from two traumatic incidents early on. She learned some survival skills that “did not translate into healthy adult relationships.” How at age 8 or 9, Arlina discovered alcohol. And she described the first drink vividly. She stated, “The self-confidence & self-loathing was lifted….” This cemented the theory that alcohol would take away “all these bad feelings.” Why she felt money or love was going to save her. (Hint: love did not come in the form she was expecting)! Why she feels Quantum Physics explains everything she had learned from her religious upbringing. Arlina shared she made all her decisions based on low self-esteem. And her work in recovery is now to identify & reframe her self-beliefs. How “Empathy is the antidote to shame.” Arlina shared that her shame presented as defensiveness. And shame could not survive once it was spoken. How connection became the cure to her feeling less shame, less isolated & less alone. Stay tuned for next week’s interview with Arlina Allen as we focus on the theory & practice of her recovery along with a writing exercise! Key Quotes: Arlina’s tagline: “If it were in a bottle, a bag, or blue jeans, I was doing it.” “I was trying to think my way into right living. And it turns out I needed to live my way into right thinking.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Please take this 45 second survey to help direct the future of the AIR podcast. For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Develop a Recovery Routine for People who Struggle with Consistency
06/17/2021
How to Develop a Recovery Routine for People who Struggle with Consistency
Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I outline 6 questions to ask yourself in order to create a recovery routine that works for you. My bullet points below are a series of questions rather than statements. This is similar to what I do with my monthly newsletter. I’m a big journaler and our brains are problem solving machines so let it do its job. Write down each question and then answer it. WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Question #1: What are your non-negotiables re: habits? Question #2: What can you do in the AM to set you up for success? Question #3: What puts you in “awe” mode? Question #4: What feelings come up when you “don’t want to do something?” Question #5 : What’s one thing you can focus on right now? Question #6: What’s your why? What’s your purpose? Bonus: Ruts don’t dig themselves. List some other non-negotiables to swap in and out depending on your mood. One of Adina’s favorite quotes related to comparison is attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt. RESOURCES MENTIONED Sign up for the Newsletter For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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50/50 Conversations: a powerful healing approach to recovery
06/10/2021
50/50 Conversations: a powerful healing approach to recovery
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: John described his deepest roots led him to Syracuse New York...from his upbringing, to his professional development, to his professional career and to his sobriety. John’s sobriety journey is intertwined with a dual diagnosis with Mental Health issues. How he needs to maintain his mental health so that he does not drink again and vice versa. John’s first sponsor made him take his mental health seriously. How he balanced advocacy work with personal recovery-especially in early recovery. Where John was at the beginning of his recovery to where he is today-a person recovering out loud while respecting the traditions that people care about. When in conversation with a student in Rams in Recovery, the student asked John how it is that he claims to be in recovery if all he’s doing is advocacy (e.g. the coffee bike). This helped John become more connected with the recovery community. And helped him to build an “underground network” of people all over the world which he taps into to help others. How these projects (e.g. Coffee Bike, Narcan Bike) served as John's recovery program for a long time. And how the advocacy piece changes with each project. Now, the Narcan Bike, beyond the design, is largely all about advocacy. Key Quotes: “I tried to do it on my own with my will power alone and the group of people in that room (recovery room) knew what I was going through and had been where I was...it was one of my only options. It’s the one thing I could connect to and participate in that wasn't making things worse.” “I’ve gone from an artist who’s an activist to an activist who’s an artist.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Please take this 45 second survey to help direct the future of the AIR podcast. -Facebook For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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3 Tips on How to Overcome Guilt, Shame And Regret in Early Recovery
06/03/2021
3 Tips on How to Overcome Guilt, Shame And Regret in Early Recovery
Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I outline 3 tips on how to overcome guilt, shame, & regret in early recovery. A sober life means feeling all the emotions and in early recovery that can be very triggering. Let's start our show with how I define guilt, shame & regret. WHAT WE’LL LEARN: How to Increase your self-forgiveness. In order to walk through any difficult emotion, self-forgiveness needs to be part of that tool kit. How to increase your connections. It's hard to see oneself in a positive light because our thoughts can be brutal but that’s when you need to look to your external environment for help! How to increase your resilience. Dr. Lucy Hone (resilience expert) does a great job of exploring resilience more in depth. And she discusses three strategies she relied upon as she conducted a “self experiment.” Bonus: What you’re feeling is not fact, they’re theories that need to be investigated. RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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The Gift of Recovery
05/27/2021
The Gift of Recovery
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Chris described his deepest roots as being introduced to spirituality by way of “special event Catholicism” God and the idea of a higher power was a novelty to Chris How his relationship with sobriety was one of coercion by being court ordered into fellowships, group therapy, jail, and house arrests. Chris describes his high school locker as a small black marketplace for anything he needed. How being “uncomfortable in his own skin” led to finding relief from alcohol. How Chris fell into a 12 step meeting around his hometown and had friends in that meeting-all young people. This was the first time Chris said to himself, “This could be fun. Sobriety can be cool” How his last year of addiction was the darkest place he's ever been. This led to a call for help from God laden with curse words. From that day on, Chris has been sober. Chris states he did not find spirituality until he found recovery. When going to Hazelden, Chris flashed back to the 1st time he really got sober and hearing the professionals say, “The disease is doing pushups in the parking lot while you’re inside trying to get sober.” Chris clenched onto sobriety as tightly as he could during his stay. Even though his default thoughts were negative. What Chris’s first spiritual experience was like on his walk “taking the long way home.” How the gift of recovery helps one take pause to live a better life. Key Quotes: “The disease is doing pushups in the parking lot while you’re inside trying to get sober.” “I was really self-conscious in addiction and found my voice in recovery.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Please take this 45 second survey to help direct the future of the AIR podcast. by Chris Blavelt For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Use Journaling to Manifest Your Dreams in Recovery
05/20/2021
How to Use Journaling to Manifest Your Dreams in Recovery
Quote: The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it.” J.M. Barrie (Author of Peter Pan) Welcome to today’s show! In today’s solo episode, I outline 5 takeaways for utilizing journaling to manifest your dreams in recovery! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is a keystone habit? Why is journaling considered a keystone habit? Journaling accelerates your ability to manifest your goals. Journaling creates a springboard for daily recovery. Journaling creates clarity and congruence. Journaling wipes away (like emotional windshield wipers) emotions. In this case, venting is encouraged. Journaling reveals and tracks patterns and cycles. RESOURCES MENTIONED For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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Guided Ketamine Therapy: new hope for depression and anxiety
05/13/2021
Guided Ketamine Therapy: new hope for depression and anxiety
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: Kristen describes her deepest roots and her mother’s influence on shaping her future identity. How to use technology to remove barriers for mental health. Ketamine as a dissociative and what that means for our treatment. How is Ketamine different from the traditional medications we take to reduce depression & anxiety. When adding a psychedelic treatment you are going deeper within and finding out the root cause of the issue versus a flattening of symptoms that occurs with SSRI’s. Kristen talks about the neurobiology of Ketamine which is so interesting (says Adina!). Kristen on Ketamine and how it creates this embodied experience: “Once you see something, it’s hard to unsee.” What happens after each treatment or “journey” to keep the new learning from fading away. Kristen talks about integration as a three step process to develop new habits: 1) Journaling, 2) Bulletting the key takeaways & streamlining the information 3)Committing to engaging once a day from the key takeaways list. Kristen goes through the safety of a telehealth guided Ketamine treatment. RESOURCES MENTIONED Please take this 45 second survey to help direct the future of the AIR podcast. For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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How to Face Your Anxiety Head on: the power of brainspotting
05/06/2021
How to Face Your Anxiety Head on: the power of brainspotting
Welcome to today’s show! WHAT WE’LL LEARN: What is anxiety? And why is brainspotting perfect for resolving anxiety? Brainspotting as a dual attunement process. We look at a case study with Raphael. What the outcome was after Raphael’s first brainspotting session. What are the challenges with brainspotting for Raphael (and especially in our western culture). Where is Raphael now? Brainspotting is not a magic elixir but it does go much deeper than talk therapy. RESOURCES MENTIONED (google sheets) For more info, head over to and subscribe to our email list. And thank you for listening! Leave an honest review on . Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. to the A.I.R. newsletter where you will learn to identify patterns of dysfunctional thinking, change the dysfunctional thinking into something more positive, and find hope in recovery. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please share it with friends, family, and other professionals by using the social media buttons on this page.
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