You know you need help. You've tried everything, and you're still struggling to quit drinking. Rehab is the obvious next step, but the idea of going to inpatient treatment is overwhelming. In this ground breaking episode, you'll hear from four different guests who share what their experience in rehab was like. And not just their experiences, but you'll also hear how they handled telling their employer they were going to treatment; how they got the most out of the experience; what fears they had, and how they faced them.

Rehab has the potential to be a life changing experience. If you or someone you love is considering going to inpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder, we're here to make sure you're equipped with all the knowledge and advice you need to make this less intimidating, and also to make sure you find lasting freedom from alcohol.

In this episode:

• What will you tell your employer? Your family?
• The danger of comparing yourself to others in rehab
• What to expect from medically supervised detox
• The value of connection
• Giving yourself permission to put yourself first
• Facing - and reconciling - your past
• What does "doing the work" actually mean?
• Going back to your normal life after rehab

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Billie hails from the great state of Oregon in the greater Pacific Northwest. After a career in law enforcement, she now works as a professional elder justice subject matter expert, as well as an instructor in Oregon’s law enforcement academy. She is also a domestic violence advocate for her local police department and meets with survivors of intimate partner violence to provide resources and safety planning options. Billie continues her advocacy by being involved in her states suicide prevention and awareness programs and facilitates her local chapter of a suicide bereavement group for families who have lost their loved ones to suicide. She is wife, mom to two wonderful kids and an avid dog lover.

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My name is David and I am 20 months into my recovery journey. I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol for 20 plus years. I started in rehab and began putting in the work. I believe everyone can choose their own path in recovery. Through support from family, friends, community, sharing, and counseling, I have been able to begin healing from childhood traumas. It is an honor to be a part of such a beautiful community of people. I didn’t know how lost I was until I found myself. One love!

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Scott: I am a proud father of twin boys. I host The Sober Heathen podcast with which I document my recovery journey. Although it is sometimes painful and deeply raw it helps me tremendously to recover honestly and openly! I have 4 OWI’s, thousands in fines due, no license until the 30’s (2030 :P), I am living back home, and I still have never felt better and in more control! Recovery is worth it because with it there is always HOPE!

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Chris McGuinn served as Policy Advisor for the U.S. Department of Labor on opioid issues. He created the “Make Them Describe, Before They Prescribe” campaign, encouraging claimants to ask important questions when receiving new prescriptions. He has also worked in the addiction treatment field, managing single-site and multi-state operations for various Intensive Outpatient providers in the Washington, DC area. He founded More Than 28 to advocate for longer stays and better insurance coverage for treatment.

www.morethan28.com

Twitter: @morethan28

Instagram: @more_than28

Facebook: www.facebook.com/morethan28

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Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com to sign up for our weekly newsletter, and to gain access to our FREE weekly recovery meetings. We also have a Facebook Group where our friends and listeners can offer support to one another. Come join us!

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No matter how long you've been sober, staying sober during the holidays can be tough. So much of our lives revolved around alcohol for so long, and that seems to come on full force when the holiday season hits. Whether it's because you're socializing and celebrating, or because the holidays bring a deep sense of loneliness and grief, we want you to know you're not alone, and you CAN do this - and not just survive the holidays, but thrive through them. Listen as we chat with Austin, Billie, and Jennifer about their experiences with staying sober during the holidays, and what they've learned to make it easier.

In this episode:

• Grief during Christmas
• Facing hard memories without alcohol
• How you can start preparing for the holidays NOW
• How to handle the unknown of your first sober holiday season
• Learning how to allow it to just be hard
• Building new traditions to replace the old, alcohol-infused ones
• Start experimenting with new things
• Know your limits, and stay home if that's what you need to do.

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Billie hails from the great state of Oregon in the greater Pacific Northwest. After a career in law enforcement, she now works as a professional elder justice subject matter expert, as well as an instructor in Oregon’s law enforcement academy. She is also a domestic violence advocate for her local police department and meets with survivors of intimate partner violence to provide resources and safety planning options. Billie continues her advocacy by being involved in her states suicide prevention and awareness programs and facilitates her local chapter of a suicide bereavement group for families who have lost their loved ones to suicide. She is wife, mom to two wonderful kids and an avid dog lover.

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Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com to sign up for our weekly newsletter, and to gain access to our FREE weekly recovery meetings.

You can also find Julie and Steve on:

Instagram

Facebook

Tiktok

What causes a relapse? And what are you supposed to do after a relapse, if that's where you find yourself? In this week's episode of Through the Glass Recovery Podcast, we're joined by Patti Clark and Dave Davis, who share their experiences. Patti relapsed after 10 years of sobriety, and shares what she sees now, looking back on that. Dave went through several relapses before finally reaching lasting sobriety, and the lessons he learned from each relapse are what got him to where he is now. Whether you're currently in a relapse cycle, or just want to avoid relapsing in the future, this episode is chock full of everything you need to hear.

In this episode:

• The loss of connection as a cause of relapse
• Finding people you really feel a connection with - not just any support group, but the right one
• Understanding society's influence
• Learn about yourself and your challenges so you can move through them
• Dealing with the shame after relapse
• Sobriety vs. Recovery
• Finding the lesson in a relapse
• Learning to love yourself enough that you can stay sober
• When you're limping along in sobriety, you're likely to relapse

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Patti Clark is the award-winning author of This Way Up: Seven Tools for Unleashing Your Creative Self and Transforming Your Life. Her own experience as a middle-aged woman in recovery is deeply reflected in her new book, Recovery Road Trip: Finding Purpose and Connection on the Journey Home.

Patti was born and raised in Northern California, lived in New Zealand for many years, and is now living in Portugal.

Online

https://www.patticlark.org

https://www.facebook.com/PattiClarkAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/patticlarkauthor

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Senior Database Architect by day. Husband, Father, Musician, Photographer, Artist, Internet DJ, Astrologer, Designer and Writer by night. Born and raised in Ottumwa, Iowa and later in Cedar Rapids, moved to Illinois in the 80s to go to DeVry. And never left. With many attempts at quitting drinking through the pandemic, it finally worked for me on the 20th of March 2023 and I have not looked back since.

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Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com to sign up for our weekly newsletter, and to gain access to our FREE weekly recovery meetings.

You can also find Julie and Steve on:

Instagram

Facebook

Tiktok