Leaving CrazyTown

What insights can we gain about codependency from a cat's perspective?   In a playful yet revealing episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud explore the codependency traps lurking in unexpected places — like pet care. Through the story of Barbara the cat, listeners uncover the importance of recognizing and respecting boundaries, setting honest expectations, and letting go of control in relationship...

Do you spend more time thinking about what they're doing than thinking about yourself?   In this solo episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud read a letter from Gary — a goldfish swimming literal circles in his tank while his dad drinks himself into the couch every night. It sounds funny until you realize you've been Gary. This episode breaks down the core of codependency: obsessing over someo...

Ever build a whole case for why you're the outsider — then realize you're the one who put yourself there? In this Boozeless Book Club crossover, Amy Liz Harrison and Dr. Sarah Michaud dig into Cheryl Strayed's Brave Enough and what it stirs up in recovery: loneliness we're ashamed to admit, the hard conversations we avoid, and the grief of the life that didn't happen. They trad...

Do you keep wondering if you're the one who's wrong? Dr. Sarah sits down with Craig Jackson, author of Beyond the Lies: Addiction Is Much More Than Drinking Alcohol and Using Drugs, to talk about the emotional realities that live beneath the surface of addiction. Craig shares his journey from high-functioning alcoholic to recovery advocate — and breaks down the difference between denial an...

Ever catch yourself thinking everything will be perfect when you get married, find your people, or reach that next milestone? In this raw conversation, Finn and Dr. Sarah tackle the codependent habit of living for tomorrow instead of experiencing life today. They explore why we escape the present moment through busyness, achievements, and managing other people - and how this keeps us disconnected...

Ever notice how all your relationship wisdom goes out the window the moment you're actually in one? Finn and Dr. Sarah get brutally honest about their current relationships and the codependent patterns that only surface when you're actually dating someone. Sarah shares her recent discovery about why she starts questioning the whole relationship instead of just speaking up about what's...

Ever wonder if you can actually have fun traveling without drinking your way through every destination? Teresa Bergen joins Dr. Sarah Michaud to share her incredible journey from drinking rubbing alcohol as a child to becoming a sober travel expert who's kayaked through Arctic icebergs and rafted the Grand Canyon. With over 40 years of sobriety starting at age 20, Teresa breaks down the real t...

Do you realize you're still carrying grief from 20 years ago? Sarah, Amy Liz Harrison, and Erin Lane break down The Grief Recovery Handbook by John James and Russell Friedman in this vulnerable Boozeless Book Club episode. They explore how unresolved grief shows up in codependency patterns, relationship addiction, people-pleasing, and chronic activation. From childhood friendship losses to mis...

In this episode, Sarah shares how the death of her 20-year-old goldfish Joe triggered a full codependency relapse as she obsessed over whether his tank mate Jeff was lonely. Finn and Sarah dive into how we project our own unprocessed feelings onto others including our pets and create suffering where none exists. KEY TAKEAWAYS Codependency involves obsessive thinking about others similar to how add...

Ever wonder why your pet seems cranky despite all your care? In this eye-opening episode, Sarah and Finn respond to a letter from Bentley, a dog struggling with his codependent owner's over-helping behaviors. Through Bentley's story, they explore how codependent patterns show up in pet relationships and why "helping" can actually harm those we love most. KEY TAKEAWAYS Codependent...

Do you stay when someone you love is spiraling — or do you walk away? Sarah and Finn sit down with Alex Konicke, author of Evil Among Us, to talk about a family tragedy no one saw coming — and the mental health system that failed them. Alex's older brother Zach struggled with addiction, mental illness, and escalating behavior that culminated in murder and arson. This is a raw conversation abou...

Is your pet tired of being your emotional support system? In this hilarious and insightful episode, Sarah and Finn read a letter from Frank the Cat, who's fed up with being his owner's emotional bandaid during trauma documentaries. Through Frank's story, they explore how codependent patterns show up even in our relationships with pets and offer practical advice for setting healthy boun...

Do you still carry shame from things you did back then? Finn and Dr. Sarah both hit major sobriety milestones — and they get raw about what's changed in recovery and what still needs work. They share humiliating stories from active addiction, talk about the gift of self-compassion, and remind us that recovery isn't about perfection. It's about not carrying the old you like a life sente...

Do you drink to numb pain you can't name? Nicole Cameron endured six pregnancy losses while her alcoholism spiraled—each miscarriage deepening her denial, her isolation, and her belief that something was fundamentally wrong with her. Her husband begged her to get help. Adoption agencies turned her away. And still, she couldn't stop drinking. Until one phone call changed everything. Now 18...

In this Boozeless Book Club episode of Leaving CrazyTown, Amy Liz Harrison and Dr. Sarah Michaud take a deep, thoughtful dive into Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the 12 Steps by Charlotte Davis Kasl. Together, they explore how rigidity, fear-based recovery messaging, and one-size-fits-all approaches can unintentionally limit healing—especially for women and people with histories of codepen...

Do you even know who you are anymore? It's Sarah's and Finn's anniversary month — time in recovery — and they're reflecting on three major ways they've changed since the using days. From self-reliance to honesty to actually feeling their feelings, this episode gets real about what shifts when you start doing the work. No perfect recovery stories here — just two people noticing...

Can you imagine having sex without booze… or does that thought make you want to crawl out of your skin? In this episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah get honest about sober sex — what it looked like in addiction versus what it requires in recovery. From detachment, low standards, and seeking validation to body image fears, rejection anxiety, and learning discernment, they unpack the uncomfortable shift from...

In this Boozeless Book Club episode, Dr. Sarah Michaud and Amy Liz Harrison dive deep into Wake Up by Jen Hatmaker—a book that challenges rigid belief systems, recovery dogma, and fear-based spirituality. Together, they unpack what happens when programs meant to heal start replacing one form of control with another, especially for women navigating sobriety, faith, and codependency. This is an hone...

Is it love… or is it codependency dressed up as romance? In this Valentine’s Day episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah break down the real differences between healthy love and codependent attachment. Drawing from their own relationships (yes, they’re both in love right now), they unpack the subtle ways we confuse control, people-pleasing, emotional blame, and conflict avoidance with “being loving.” From emo...

What does subtle codependency actually look like in real life? In this kickoff episode of CrazyTown Confessions , Finn and Dr. Sarah pull back the curtain on their own sneaky patterns—manipulation disguised as care, irritation masked as concern, and the quiet control tactics that slip in when we’re trying to soothe ourselves. From storm anxiety and “helpful suggestions” to shoulder injuries, insur...

Episode Description What happens when you’ve done “everything right” in recovery — and it still isn’t enough? In this deeply honest conversation,  Dr. Sarah sits down with author Patti Clark to explore long-term sobriety, relapse after 13 years, emotional bottoms, motherhood shame, loneliness, and the quiet moments that can pull us back into addiction. Patti shares the raw truth behind her relapse...

How often do you say “I’m fine” when you’re anything but? In this episode of Leaving CrazyTown , Finn and Dr. Sarah unpack the many meanings behind those two deceptively simple words—and why asking for help can feel harder than suffering in silence. With humor, honesty, and lived recovery wisdom, they explore what makes some requests easy, others terrifying, and how emotional pain often hides behi...

The holidays have a way of turning up the volume on codependency — expectations, guilt, fear of disappointing others, and the pressure to “just make it work.” In this honest holiday wrap-up, Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud review what actually helped, what didn’t, and how clear communication became the difference between resentment and relief. From navigating COVID plans to managing adult kids’ expecta...

Episode Description What happens when peak physical endurance collides with life-altering diagnosis? In this powerful episode of Leaving CrazyTown, Dr. Sarah Michaud sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds—nonprofit CEO, Ironman triathlete, and two-time cancer survivor—to unpack what it really means to do hard things. Jeffrey shares how endurance training prepared him for cancer treatment, how vulnera...

What if the fastest way out of resentment, anxiety, and emotional spirals was the one thing most of us avoid? In this episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah break down why speaking directly to the person who upset you is one of the most powerful tools in codependency recovery. With real-life stories, humor, and practical guidance, they show how confronting discomfort leads to clarity, intimacy, and emotional...