Boy Problems Podcast

Today we discussed social situations and our own use of alcohol since our partners have been in recovery. We shared our experiences figuring out what works for us, finding new hobbies and interests, and coping with the stress and fear of change. We talk about the pressures of alcohol in our culture and how our perspectives have changed from the early days of recovery to now.

In this episode of our podcast, we dive deep into the themes of addiction recovery, mental health, and personal growth. Katie and Shannon reflect on the challenges they've faced and the progress they've made, setting the stage for a candid exploration of the complexities of addiction recovery. Jessica opens up about her struggles in finding a balance between enjoying the good times and navigating the constant fear of relapse in her partner, Casey's, recovery journey. As the conversation unfolds, Katie shares updates on her own mental health journey and the struggles faced by participants in her support groups, shedding light on the broader spectrum of personal crises that often accompany addiction recovery. The discussion then shifts to the pressure of maintaining regular podcast episodes and the importance of taking breaks when needed. Katie acknowledged a moment of guilt, such as forgetting her husband's sobriety anniversary, while also recognizing the progress he has made in his recovery journey. The conversation delves into the complexities of pain management in recovery, particularly in the context of surgeries. Katie and Jessica recount their experiences advocating against narcotic painkillers for their husbands, highlighting the delicate balance between managing pain effectively and avoiding triggers for addiction. This leads to a discussion about celebrating sobriety milestones and navigating events like concerts, where triggers may be present. Katie shares her concerns about her husband's lack of self-control with gambling and plans for an upcoming Grateful Dead concert, illustrating the ongoing challenges of addiction recovery in everyday life. Amidst the challenges, there are moments of personal growth and celebration. Jessica discusses her therapy journey and newfound freedom from the constant stress of managing Casey's addiction. Shannon reflects on the positive changes in her own life and Jay's transformation towards prioritizing health and wellness. The episode concludes with a message of hope and resilience, emphasizing the importance of embracing personal growth and navigating challenges with courage and determination in the journey of addiction recovery.

On today's episode we're thrilled to have Eli Harwood aka @attchmentnerd join us to discuss healthy attachments in relationships with a special focus on relationships that are impacted by addiction. Eli Harwood is a licensed therapist, author, and educator who has more than 17 years of experience helping people process their early traumas and develop secure attachment relationships with their children and partners. Eli is an adult child of an alcoholic and has three children, one husband, one cat, and an extraordinary number of plant babies. You'll learn about: You can find her at attachmentnerd.com and @attachmentnerd on socials. Other ways to connect with Eli:

Katie, Jessica and Shannon are all very involved in counseling and support groups. Today they chat about how much is too much and were they happier before they knew all of these things about themselves? We chat about sadness, anger and venerability.

Today's episode continues our conversation on mental health with Katie sharing about her journey with depression. Jessica also chimes in to share how she experienced similiar struggles during postpartum. Since so many of our loved ones struggle with a dual diagnosis, we hope sharing our experiences with mental health disorders help you better understand them. And, in turn, better understand and support your loved ones. Listen in, leave us a review and as always, keep coming back. *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Donate to support our work. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Today's episode features special guest Julia of @juliainvisions. Since her husband's passing from an accidental overdose, Julia has been sharing her grief and healing journey through her online community. Julia joins us to today to share her own story of recovery, her husband's struggles with addiction, what it was like to lose him, her experience as a newly solo parent, and how she and her kids are navigating the grief of a stigmatized loss. Julia's perspective is beautiful, her soul is strong and her story is inspiring. We hope you enjoy hearing from her as much as we did. *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Donate to support our work. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Have you ever had a rift with a friend, and you weren't sure how to move past it? This happened to Katie and Jessica, and led them to friendship counseling. They share how they got to that point and how the counselor helped them discuss their feelings. They were able to break down the barrier that had built up between them and get back to being friends, with more self-awareness and a better understanding of each others needs. We also get a mental health update from Jessica. Last fall we did a deep dive into her most recent generalized anxiety episode. Now she shares about her new treatment plan and the improvements she's seen in the last few months. Boy Problems Podcast episodes referenced: 68. Uncomfortable Conversations 86. Anxiety Attack (part 1) 87. Anxiety Attack (part 2) Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Visit recoveringtoo.com to learn more. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Catch up on the latest with Katie, Jessica and Shannon on today's epsiode where they share what's been happening in their lives and relationships lately. Shannon shares about her new job and how her work on this podcast came up on one of her first days! Jessica shares about the holiday season and how she and Casey did throughout that historically difficult time. And, Katie chats about how she's doing with the cigar saga. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Visit recoveringtoo.com to learn more. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Today's episode features special guest Indiana Drug Czar, Doug Huntsinger. Doug serves as the Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment & Enforcement and Chairman of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder. Listen in as Doug gives us an overview of the drug crisis in Indiana and the work being done to combat it. We also discuss the stigma surrounding addiction and harm reduction. More About Doug: As a Senior Adviser to Governor Eric J. Holcomb and a member of the Governor’s Cabinet, Doug oversees the coordination of the Governor’s NextLevel Recovery initiative, aligning and focusing the State of Indiana’s response to the drug crisis. He also serves as a member of the Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council and the Governor’s Health Workforce Council. Organizations across Indiana have recognized Douglas for his efforts. The Indiana Judges Association named him the 2021 Champion of Justice in recognition of his work supporting family recovery courts and behavioral health services for justice-involved individuals and families. Overdose Lifeline recently presented Douglas with the Policy Advocate of the Year award for his steadfast commitment to serving our most vulnerable Hoosiers and THRIVE Recovery Community Organization recognized him for his distinguished service, presenting him with the inaugural State Partner of the Year Award. *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Rachel Kaplan joined us for our podcast to talk all things emotions and healing. She started her journey of healing after trauma in her early teen years. She now has a deep desire to help more than just the clients she sees in her office. We talk about the significance of truly feeling your emotions and taking care of yourself. We also cover: Rachel's Bio: Rachel Kaplan is a California based licensed psychotherapist in practice for 16 years. After the suicide of her first love at age 14, she spent more than 25 years scouring the worlds healing technologies through both Eastern spiritual practices and western psychological methodologies. She found the single most necessary ingredient for healing, emotional resilience, and self love is no more complicated than taking a poop. Rachel is now a psycho educator or emotional potty trainer, spreading the feelings movement by teaching people how to work with their emotions effectively for the purpose of genuine healing. She focuses on short form content on Instagram, TikTok, has her own podcast, the Healing Feeling Shit Show and leads people through coursework and individual therapy as well. Connect with Rachel: https://www.thefeelingsmovement.com/connect

Jessica’s story of her journey with anxiety continues in today’s episode. We discuss how to help those you care about struggling with anxiety, how to ask for help if you’re struggling and how Jessica managed (or really, avoided) her relationships with Katie and Shannon and how that has impacted things for them.Topics also discussed: Follow us at: Instagram: @recoveringtoo Facebook: @recoveringtooAdditional Resources: Co-Dependents Anonymous: http://coda.org/ Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/ Nar-Anon: https://www.nar-anon.org/ National Helpline: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline Treatment Locator: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

Jessica shares about her recent battle with generalized anxiety and panic disorder. She reflects on when she first realized she had anxiety as a child, and shares examples of how anxiety and panic manifest for her today throughout her relationship and as a new mother. Topics also discussed: Relationships Drug Use Recovery Marriage Family Kids Follow us at: Instagram: @recoveringtoo Facebook: @recoveringtoo Support Us: Patreon.com/recoveringtoo Additional Resources: Co-Dependents Anonymous: http://coda.org/ Al-Anon: https://al-anon.org/ Nar-Anon: https://www.nar-anon.org/ National Helpline: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline Treatment Locator: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

Katie's professional life introduced her to Gina Schaefer, the CEO of A Few Cool Hardware Stores. Katie was already impressed with Gina because of her success in a male-dominated industry, but she became an even bigger fan after learning about her connection to recovery. When Gina opened her first hardware store, she hoped to help revitalize the neighborhood. She had no idea it would become a safe space for people in recovery or that she would become an advocate for people in recovery and eventually write a book, but that's exactly what happened. Recovery Hardware shares stories and lessons from her employees who previously struggled with substance abuse. It helps to break down the stigma and show why those in recovery make great employees. We really enjoyed our conversation with Gina and hope you do too. Get the Book Learn about Gina Follow us at: Resources:

Our stories - past and present - are scattered across 3 years' worth of episodes. Now we’re taking turns interviewing each other in episodes dedicated to our individual lives. Today we're continuing Shannon's story with part 2. This takes us from the time Kemmon went to rehab to present day. If you want to learn more about some of the things Katie talks about, check out her recent blog series and these episodes: *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Our stories - past and present - are scattered across 3 year’s worth of episodes. Now we’re taking turns interviewing each other in episodes dedicated to our individual lives. Today is part 1 of Shannon's story, which covers the beginning of her relationship with Jay, the progression of his addiction, the first stint in rehab, and her reasons for staying with him during this time. If you're interested in learning more about Shannon & Jay, check out some of these past episodes: Episode 1: Welcome to Boy Problems Podcast Bonus: Check-in with Liz Episode 11: Update from Liz Episode 22: Meet Jake Episode 69: Euphoria's Portrayal of Addiction *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Our stories - past and present - are scattered across 3 years' worth of episodes. Now we’re taking turns interviewing each other in episodes dedicated to our individual lives. Today we're continuing Katie's story with part 2. This takes us from the time Kemmon went to rehab to present day. If you want to learn more about some of the things Katie talks about, check out her recent blog series and these episodes: Episode 1: Welcome to Boy Problems Podcast Episode 26: Meet Steve (Kemmon) Episode 51: A Mother’s Love Episode 59: Trust: The Receipts that Set Me Free Episode 68: Uncomfortable Conversations Episode 80: Katie's Story (part 1) *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Our stories - past and present - are scattered across 3 year’s worth of episodes. Now we’re taking turns interviewing each other in episodes dedicated to our individual lives. Today is part 1 of Katie’s story, which covers from the first time she met Kemmon up to the point where he’s about to enter treatment. During this time, Katie knew things were not good in the relationship, but she did not know drugs were involved. If you want to learn more about some of the things Katie talks about, check out her recent blog series and these episodes: Episode 1: Welcome to Boy Problems Podcast Episode 26: Meet Steve (Kemmon) Episode 51: A Mother’s Love Episode 59: Trust: The Receipts that Set Me Free Episode 68: Uncomfortable Conversations *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

Our stories - past and present - are scattered across 3 year’s worth of episodes. Now we’re taking turns interviewing each other in episodes dedicated to our individual lives. First up is Jessica. She gives us an overview of her relationship with Casey, from their first date on NYE 2012, to having a baby in 2020, and everything in between. If you want to learn more about some of the things Jessica talks about, check out these episodes: Episode 1: Welcome to Boy Problems Podcast Episode 8: Meet Charlie (Casey) Bonus Episode: Check-in with Alex (Jessica) Episode 53: California Sober Episode 61: Jessica and Casey - Life after a Relapse *** Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

It's been a year since we decided to really embrace our stories and share them with all of you. (See Episode 52. Why Are We Hiding?!) It made us feel anxious and uncomfortable at times, but mostly really proud. Best of all, it's allowed us to better connect with so many people in this community, and for that we are extremely grateful. In today’s episode, we’re reflecting on the journey that led us to this point. We share our memories of the first time we met and how that evolved into a friendship and eventually the podcast. We discuss the pros and cons of no longer being anonymous, balancing the role addiction plays in our life, and the purpose behind sharing our stories. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Support our work on Patreon. Resources: Co-Dependents AnonymousAl-AnonNar-AnonNational HelplineTreatment Locator

When we love someone with addiction, it’s easy to get sucked into their chaos and let our own well-being suffer. The anxiety, fear, shame, and self-doubt take a toll on our mental and physical health. Years of feeling crazy due to lies and manipulation) make it hard to trust not only our loved one, but also ourself. We may feel stuck and out of touch with our wants and needs. That's why we are so excited for today's guest, Isobel Stewart, a Confidence Empowerment Coach. Her work helps people overcome perfectionism, people pleasing, and self doubt so they can live life feeling confident, inspired and fulfilled. In this episode, we discuss: Connect with Isobel on Instagram: @EvolveWithIsobel Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram: @RecoveringToo Support our work by becoming a Patron: Patreon.com/recoveringtoo Resources: