Real Recovery Talk

We've been getting a lot of comments and questions about SMART Recovery. So today, Tom and Ben discuss SMART Recovery along with why it's important to do some type of treatment and get the help you need. You really just have to pick something, and then you have to do it. Ben has attended a SMART Recovery meeting. He shares the acronym for SMART goals, and his opinion of the program. We also talk a...

People often say, why don't you just stop using? It's obvious what it's doing to your life and the lives of those around you. If curing addiction where that easy, everyone would do it and addiction issues wouldn't be an issue. We all know that addiction is an issue and has a strong hold on many. This episode goes into the reasons why it's impossible to just cure addiction. We talk about how humans...

Hannah Marks is someone who Tom has known for seven years, and they have both been sober ever since. Hannah and Tom talk about Hannah's journey to addiction and sobriety. Her story is a little different, because she started drinking when she was 11 and got sober at 17 years old. Hannah shares how her gateway drug was trauma, and how she started drinking after the death of her father.  Hannah is al...

Ben's cousin Joel H. is here today to talk with Tom and Ben about his story of addiction, what he went through, getting sober, and staying sober. Joel is four years older than Ben and was super influential on Ben when they were growing up. Ben also shares how important it was for him to see Joel go through the process.  Ben was born with one hand, but that didn't deter him from playing all of the...

A lot of people make an effort to get clean and sober for the wrong reasons. They are doing it for a family member or a loved one. To have success, the addict needs to be committed and want to do it for themselves. In today's episode, Tom talks to Dakota. Dakota is someone who Tom has known for the past year. They talk about how he ended up addicted and how he ended up in South Florida.  Dakota op...

Tom and Ben discuss why addiction treatment is so expensive. People call all the time and unfortunately, they don't all have private insurance or a lot of money. It really pulls at the heartstrings when we hear people's backgrounds and what is going on with them. We would really love to help everyone, regardless of resources.  We are going to talk about the different aspects of what makes up treat...

Tom and Ben talk with Vinny Bocassi about how addiction affected his past and brought him to where he is today. Vinny had a great family growing up, but once he started partying in high school, he just couldn't stop. He even found identity through drugs and partying.  It actually took overdosing three times and being found by his parents and seeing how much they were affected to create a catalyst...

Noah Kingery is a living inspiration. He runs Nutrition Management with 100 clients worldwide. He is also only 26 years old, yet he has overcome addiction, gained and lost over 200 pounds, and started and stopped a successful fashion business. When Tom heard about Noah's story, he knew he would be the perfect guest to have on the show to inspire listeners and clients.  In this episode, Tom and Noa...

Everyone on the planet is affected by self-esteem in one way or another. Today, Tom discusses how self-esteem in general can influence addiction. In this episode, he talks about what self-esteem is and why positive self-esteem is so important for sobriety and getting and staying sober. He shares his own battle with self-esteem issues and why finding the root cause is so important.  He also stresse...

Suboxone has been a hot topic for us recently. Today, Tom and Ben take some time to educate you about Suboxone, so that you can make an educated decision for yourself or your loved one. Ben has personal experience being on Suboxone and it was one of the medically assisted treatment or MAT options. It's also a drug that is marketed by the manufacturers.  In this episode, we share some of the pros a...

Why do people leave treatment early? Tom and Ben we'll be discussing the top five reasons why people leave treatment early in this podcast episode. There are so many excuses and reasons that people use to say that recovery isn't working for them. Most of these come from within. We discuss the top five, and how these objections can be overcome.  We also talk about each of the reasons and explain ho...

This episode is all about the benefits of adventure therapy. It's no secret that I'm affiliated with Rock Recovery and one of the things we offer is adventure therapy. This type of therapy has so many benefits. In this podcast, I'm going to talk about what it is. Why you would want it, and how it helps prepare people for a life during and after recovery.  We offer activities like kayaking, paddleb...

Tom and Ben are going to be talking about using your time efficiently in recovery. They will be referencing the movie Moneyball, because there are many parallels between the movie and using your time efficiently in recovery. In the movie, the manager, played by Brad Pitt, gets rid of his star players who swing for the fence and replaces them with players who focus on just getting on base. The main...

A lot of people think vaping is a harmless and safe alternative to smoking. Even worse, it's being marketed to kids as a fun safe thing to do. Unfortunately, the vape oils and ingredients are unregulated, and we don't even know what is in them. We do know that some of the substances like nicotine can have detrimental effects to young minds and bodies. It's also very addictive. Even worse, a large...

We recently did an episode called, "Am I An Alcoholic" today, we are taking that a step further and helping to answer questions that you could have if you are wondering if you are addicted. First off, we want you to know that there are no stupid questions and if are having questions about these issues hit the chat button at the bottom of the page and Ben or I will be there to answer your questions...

In honor of Memorial Day, I would like to thank everyone in the armed services for all they've done for us, and all they continue to do for us to keep us safe. A lot of people think about getting into treatment, but they have no idea where to start. They have no clue about what resources are available or what resources would be best for them.   The whole process can be confusing. Today's episode i...

Have you ever wondered if you an alcoholic? In this episode, we talk about signs that might mean that you are an alcoholic. Alcoholism is a progressive disease. Most people don't just wake up and become an alcoholic. Although, some people may be genetically predisposed to alcoholism. There are a number of signs that when combined can mean that you are an alcoholic or that are precursors to becomin...

Talking to your kids about addiction can be difficult. At what age should you start? How open should you be? In this episode, we discuss all aspects of talking to your kids and loved ones about addiction. Every person and situation can be different, but we want to equip you with answers to discover what's right for your family without making mistakes that can end up backfiring. We also talk about...

We are so excited to have Carl on the show today. Carl is a client here at Rock, and he is celebrating his 90 days of being sober. In fact, he says that he hasn't been alcohol free for 90 days since he was 16 years old. Carl has given back and contributed to our community and this conversation shows his commitment to sobriety and service. One of the interesting things about recovery is the diversi...

Therapy is a powerful tool for anyone, and today we'll focus on the role of therapy for someone who is struggling with addiction. My guest, Josiah, is a licensed therapist who has been in the addiction industry for around five years. He has a past history of addiction, so he deeply understands this topic from various angles. Early in our conversation, we'll take a deep dive into why asking whether...

Josh Gamaitoni is here today. Josh is the National Director of Business Development for Banyan Treatment Center. Josh has helped so many people and is a legend in the treatment world. It wasn't always that way, though. Josh started doing drugs when he was 10 and went on a downward spiral as he grew up. He eventually tried some treatment options, but nothing stuck until he decided that getting sobe...

We are big proponents of the 12-step program. There is also a spiritual component of the program. For many people this can be a big turn off. Other people have trouble reconciling the difference between spirituality and their individual religion. We talk about all of this today with our guest Elliott Hughes. Elliott is the National Outreach Coordinator for Chapel Hill Medical Detox. In this episod...

Joyce Matera is the National Marketing Director for Inspire Recovery. Inspire is located in West Palm Beach and it's specifically for people under the LGBTQ umbrella with a specific focus on helping transgender people. Having a safe place for people to go where they can be who they are and get help with like minded people while going through recovery is so important. Tom, Ben, and Joyce talk about...

Josh McBride now works at Coastal Detox after his own experience with recovery. Josh's journey is different from many people's. He was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at an early age, and eventually his pain management led him to addiction and moving to street drugs. Passing out in his car, led him to a 75-day stay in jail without any drugs or medication. Josh shares his journey with Tom and Ben. H...

Ira Levy is the National Marketing Director of Sunrise Detox. Ira has 28 years in the sobriety industry and has been sober since 1980. Ira got into the industry by accident, but continued to learn, educate himself, and move up. He has worked in every aspect of the industry and is as passionate about helping clients as he is about educating their families. Tom, Ben, and Ira talk about the detox pro...