In The Circle

On this episode of In The Circle, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ruth, who bravely inquires about her path to recovery from food addiction. Ruth asks: Am I doing a disservice to those in early and long-term recovery when I talk about the foods that I have learned to eat in moderation? While we never do a disservice to others by sharing our truths, it is important to remember that everyone is...

On this episode of In The Circle, I have the privilege of talking to Janet about her recovery journey and relationship with food. She inquires—Is there such a thing as food sobriety? What does that look like and how do I get myself back on track and feeling good in the right state of mind after a binge? We delve into her experiences with Overeaters Anonymous and her challenges with sugar and overe...

On this week’s episode of In The Circle, James asks a question of great concern to many people as they embark on their journey of discovery in recovery—How can a person with religious or relational trauma find their place in modern-day recovery? Together, James and I highlight the plethora of challenges one can encounter on the road to recovery—from cultural misconceptions to financial barriers, w...

On this week's episode of In The Circle, Brian G raises a crucial and thought-provoking question—Are there inclusive, effective, and accessible addiction recovery options available in the United States of America today?  This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. It allows us to open up a discussion about the challenges and conflicts in the recovery world and how we can best navigate...

On this episode of In The Circle, we're diving into an intriguing discussion about the integration of psychedelic therapies with holistic healing in recovery. Aaron’s inquiry holds great significance, as many people seek answers about the role of psychedelics in the healing process. However, there's no one-size-fits-all answer to this complex issue.  It's not a matter of simply categorizing p...

On this episode of In The Circle, we have an amazing inquiry from Daphne about one of the Four Aggravations—Procrastination. When we procrastinate, we reinforce stress in our bodies and create a less-than-peaceful way to live. We repeat a pattern that perpetuates feelings of discomfort, resulting in new ways to distract ourselves to avoid the ongoing pain.  Procrastination is what I consider...

This episode of In The Circle takes a deep dive into a very important and relevant inquiry from Michael, who is asking about the 12 Steps—Are the 12 Steps still relevant today, how do they fit into modern recovery, and why did I adapt the 12 Steps into the 12 Efforts?  Of course, when we explore these questions, we will need to discuss the challenges that come up with language and the power o...

Today, on In The Circle, we have the pleasure of discussing the role of yoga in recovery and how we can overcome people's innate resistance to the practice. Chris asks… If freedom from addiction is possible, and yoga's the medicine, how then do we make this medicine more accessible? This is such an important episode because there really is no one left on the planet unaffected by addiction. You eit...

This episode of In The Circle concerns an inquiry from Celeste about the role that trauma plays in addiction and why yoga and community are important in our healing. Unpacking this powerful inquiry, we come to better understand trauma by looking at methods we can use to move through it and set ourselves free.  To start, we define trauma as leftover emotional residue from our reaction to an un...

Today In The Circle, we are sitting with Kathryn who has an inquiry about workaholism and the addiction to more. Kathryn asks… How can I avoid the trap of workaholism and overachieving? In this episode, we take a very sobering look at the idea of contentment and how we might actually find it in our lives. This is an important exploration because it asks us to go much deeper than the surface unders...

Today, we have the most incredible inquiry from Dane who expresses a very deep fear, one which everyone who gets sober and steps into recovery has experienced. He asks… Now that I'm sober, will I lose connection with the friends who I used to party with? With great honesty, Dane shares that he has hid his recovery from many of his friends because he does not want them to know about it, wondering…...

On today's episode of In The Circle, we are going to explore a heartfelt inquiry from Shannon who is asking… How can I help a young adult dealing with depression? In this day and age, we find ourselves in a mental health crisis. So it makes perfect sense that this inquiry would come up at this time.  Everyone is facing challenges as the mainstream world becomes more complex, more disconnected...

In The Circle today, we have an inquiry from Leslie that brings us face-to-face with codependency. I consider codependency to be a very painful, addictive pattern, which affects all of our relationships. It is complicated. It has many different manifestations.  Today, we will look at codependency through the lens of empathy. Leslie asks… What role does empathy play in codependency? In other w...

Today sitting with us In The Circle, we have a question from Arlena about a really hot topic; how to stop using cannabis. Arlena explains she's trying to quit using cannabis, that she lives amongst smokers and feels entangled in it. She refers to her relationship with cannabis as a love affair. I have heard that from so many people, and this inquiry is obviously relevant as cannabis is being legal...

Today, on In the Circle, there is a slightly different thing going on as we share with you a talk that I gave on our recent retreat to Big Sky Montana. There, I found myself in front of 100 people at various stages of addiction and recovery to tell my story, and that of Recovery 2.0. This particular talk will answer so many of your questions about how we arrived at this very moment, understanding...

Welcome to In The Circle. It is always such a blessing to sit and explore with you all. Today, we hear a sharply relevant inquiry to all humankind. Mariana, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community, shares that she has had a direct experience of the positive effects of Kundalini yoga, and yet her inner critic still questions the practice.  We all have these voices within us that question our ev...

Welcome to In The Circle. Thank you for being here today. In this episode, we check in with Jeanne, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community. She shares about how the 12-steps will always be the foundation of her recovery, but that after a while she felt called to explore alternative paths of healing.  What starts as a question about adopting modern day healing modalities into 12-step recovery...

Welcome back to In The Circle. It is always such a blessing to sit and explore with you all. Today, we check in with Damon, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community. He asks a deeply revealing question about taking the next step – a bounding leap – in his recovery… I've been sober for a while and have lost my passion. How can I get the fire back?  This is such an important inquiry, one which as...

In The Circle today, we are sitting with the feelings of powerlessness, worry, and fear that loved ones of those in recovery face. Ann, a member of our Recovery 2.0 program, asks… How can I stay present with my child in recovery when my own fear arises? In exploring this inquiry, we're reminded, first and foremost, that there's no stronger prayer in the universe than a mother's prayer, and that wo...

Today on In The Circle, the much-maligned “T” word, trauma, enters the room for a conscious study on healing our hearts and minds. Ken, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community, asks… How can I heal trauma and truly let go?  In this episode, we explore the process of setting ourselves free, particularly from resentments relating to our parents – and I share a few very personal examples from my...

What a blessing it is, once again, to sit in circle with you all today. In this episode, we field an interesting inquiry from Emily, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community. Emily shares that her drive and ambition are getting in the way of her experiencing the fullness of life. On the one hand, we all strive to be better, to have success and better relationships. This inquiry asks us to locate the...

Today on In The Circle, Anne, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community, brings a powerful and widely relevant inquiry about addiction as it relates to anyone on the planet. She asks… How do I avoid new addictions in early recovery? Many of us remember the classic arcade game: Whack-A-Mole. You move to quickly strike one down, only for another two, three, four to pop up in its place. Anne, being in t...

Today on In The Circle, we field a heartfelt and powerful inquiry about relationships from Jeff, a member of our Recovery 2.0 community. He asks… What do we do when people in our lives exit, whether by separation, or disagreement, or death? This question cuts to the core of our shared experience as mortal human beings. The nature of our relationships with one another dictates that they end – someh...

Today's thoughtful inquiry comes to us from Elizabeth, as she offers the deeply meaningful subject of relapse for closer inspection. In doing so, we reframe the meaning of the word, removing all shame from its existence, and call in the support of others on the path. Where it’s easy to point blame at a person, a circumstance, even one defining moment – we learn to take a step back, in silence, to...

Today's inquiry comes to us from Melly, who brings up the topic of grief and loss. We’ll discuss the importance of allowing ourselves to fully feel the waves of grief when it comes up for us. Because grief and loss can lead to relapse in some cases; and it’s essential that we let those feelings in and give ourselves time to process. We will often attach stories to grief; whether it’s losing a chil...