Leaving CrazyTown

Why do minor comments from friends or partners trigger overwhelming physical anger and panic inside your chest? Dr. Sarah Michaud explains emotional activation, defining it as an extreme physical reaction to a minor present event that connects directly to unhealed childhood wounds. She shares personal experiences of feeling dismissed while pitching her book and traces that intense anger back to gr...

Can a person be fiercely independent and still be trapped in codependent patterns? Dr. Sarah Michaud talks with podcast producer and author Tamar Routly about how codependent habits hide behind high independence. Tamar shares how hiding her attraction to women for ten years fueled fear and approval seeking, even after getting sober in 2012. Their conversation examines the difference between classi...

How do the stories in your head impact your relationships?   Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud explore the unexpected dance between brain-made stories and relationship sabotage. They share personal anecdotes and practical tools to help you spot and stop the thought spirals that fuel codependency.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Learn not to act on every thought. Understand why your brain spins stories. Gain tools to see...

Why is embracing discomfort essential to personal growth?   Dr. Sarah Michaud, Amy Liz Harrison, and Beth Lacey explore Pema Chödrön's latest book, "Another Kind of Freedom," diving into key insights on meditation, projection, and the path to emotional freedom.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Embracing discomfort can lead to personal growth and freedom. Self-awareness is critical to understanding pr...

Why do you lose your peace of mind in relationships?   Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, along with guest Kristen, engage in a raw conversation about the less obvious ways codependency seeps into our relationships. Through personal stories, they highlight behaviors that may go unnoticed but significantly impact your peace and well-being.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Recognize when you're losing peace of mind due...

Why is it so hard to accept help from others?   Unpacking the emotional intricacies of receiving support, Finn and Sarah dive into the discomfort many codependent individuals face when accepting help. From personal stories of feeling trapped to discovering the balance in nurturing relationships, they explore how letting in support can transform our connections.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Struggling with rece...

Why do we experience "upside-down" moments in relationships?   Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud unpack why relationships often leave us feeling bewildered and how assumptions can lead to chaos. Through Sarah's personal story, they highlight the importance of managing feelings without leaping to conclusions.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Relationships can trigger unexpected emotions. Avoid making assumptions about you...

Are you finding it hard to say no and set boundaries for yourself?   In this episode, Dr. Sarah Michaud delves into the significance of boundary setting as a way to reclaim personal peace and prevent codependency. Through relatable stories and practical advice, listeners are equipped with tools to navigate challenging relationships and assert their needs confidently.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Boundary clari...

What part of yourself becomes so unbearable when you're sober? Join Dr. Sarah Michaud as she chats with Leon Eckford about the complexities of addiction recovery and the profound impact of Jungian psychology. Leon shares his deeply personal journey through addiction, exploring the vital role of acknowledging one's shadow, embracing vulnerability, and the power of community in healing. KEY...

Why do certain things disturb us so much?   Finn and Sarah dive deep into the unexpected power of asking, "Why do I care?" They explore the control we crave, the disturbances we face, and the freedom found in letting go.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Discover why minor disturbances trigger major reactions. Learn to differentiate between controllable and uncontrollable factors. Embrace unfolding and fl...

Are you confusing love with codependency in your relationships?   In this episode, Finn and Sarah explore the tangled web of love and codependency. They use relatable stories to differentiate between healthy love and the pitfalls of codependency, offering practical communication tools to foster clearer relationships.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Codependency often involves projecting our needs onto others. Cle...

Why do you automatically move to the side when a man walks toward you?   In this raw Boozeless Book Club episode, Dr. Sarah join guest Anne Marie to unpack Florence Given's Women Don't Owe You Pretty — a cultural wake-up call about codependency, consent, and the systems that keep women fighting each other instead of the patriarchy. From why sobriety unlocks the capacity to see oppression c...

How does a mental health diagnosis shape your life?   Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud invite fellow therapist and recovery expert Beth Lacey to dissect the world of mental health diagnoses. They explore the DSM's history, debate its strengths and pitfalls, and share personal insights on navigating labels in recovery.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Mental health diagnoses can offer clarity and support for those st...

Have you ever felt trapped in a cycle of codependency?   Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud dive into the complexities of codependency, inspired by Sarah's relationship with her goldfish. They share humorous yet insightful lessons on how we interpret events, decide for others, and often fail to communicate effectively. This episode provides tools to empower listeners to challenge these patterns and fi...

How often do we project our feelings onto others instead of owning them?   In this episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud explore the humorous yet poignant story of Winston the Corgi and his owner, highlighting how we often project issues onto others. Through personal stories and insights, they discuss the importance of recognizing when you're rationalizing behavior rather than setting healthy bo...

Have you ever felt dismissed by a doctor who couldn't figure out what was wrong with you? Amy Liz Harrison and Dr. Sarah Michaud dive deep into the shocking reality of medical bias against women through their Boozeless Book Club discussion of "Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men." Amy shares her harrowing two-year journey with eye issues that multiple specialists c...

Are you chasing perfectionism at the cost of your well-being? Justin Kinney shares his gripping journey from rock bottom to redemption, revealing the struggles of perfectionism and the path to recovery. Explore the double life of high achievement and addiction as Justin speaks on reclaiming control and rebuilding life with purpose. KEY TAKEAWAYS Discover the destructive cycle of perfectionism and...

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...