Recovery Matters! Podcast

Does recovery always have to mean abstinence? Cameron from Liberation Programs joins Stacy on the Recovery Matters Podcast for an honest conversation about harm reduction, substance use, and the many pathways to recovery. Drawing from his experience in street outreach and his own recovery journey, Cameron discusses the stigma surrounding addiction, the debate over overdose prevention centers, and...

What does it really take to build a recovery community...and what happens when creating the space is only half the battle? Shane Shackelford joins Recovery Matters to talk about his own recovery journey and the story behind Sober Southington, a community focused on connection, movement, social activities, service, and finding ways to enjoy life without substances. Shane shares what he has learned...

What can nearly five decades in recovery teach us about service, connection, and helping others? In this episode of the Recovery Matters Podcast, Chris reflects on 47 years in recovery and the experiences that ultimately led him to a life centered around giving back. Chris shares his journey from years of pain and repeated attempts to find help to the moment he finally surrendered in December 1978...

Chason Forehand has spent 45 years in the culinary industry—but his story goes far beyond the kitchen. After experiencing abuse as a child, Chason turned to drugs at an early age while trying to cope with rage, fear, depression, and shame. His addiction followed him into the restaurant industry, where he was often able to perform even when his life outside of work was falling apart. Then one chef...

#1 Amazon Bestselling Author and advocate Paige Dearth joins CCAR Executive Director Stacy Charpentier for a powerful conversation about trauma, addiction, family, recovery, and the experiences that have shaped her writing. Paige shares how surviving childhood trauma eventually led her to find her voice and begin writing stories centered on people who are often judged, misunderstood, or overlooked...

In this episode of the Recovery Matters Podcast , Stacy speaks with Stephanie Hazard , recovery coach, author, and person in long-term recovery, about her upcoming book Making Sobriety Stick . Stephanie shares how recovery coaching became a powerful part of her own journey, why this non-clinical support role can be a missing piece for so many people, and how recovery support can help individuals a...

In Part II of this conversation, Phil Valentine reflects on what recovery looks like after retirement, after leadership, and after life changes the rhythm you once knew. After decades in recovery and years of leading CCAR, Phil shares how returning to meetings helped him reconnect with something deeply familiar: community. He talks about finding his people again, the difference between solitude an...

After 25 years leading one of the most impactful recovery organizations, Phil Valentine made the decision to step away… but what came next wasn’t clarity, it was uncertainty. In Part One of this conversation, Phil opens up about what it really feels like to lose a role that defined your entire life. From battling cancer and burnout to rediscovering purpose, he shares the quiet, honest moments that...

She thought she was going on a date. Instead, he took her to her first NA meeting—and that moment changed everything. After years of heavy drinking, drug use, and a near-fatal overdose, Katerina knew she needed to stop… but had no idea how. What started as confusion and frustration inside that meeting quickly turned into something unexpected: connection, honesty, and the realization that she wasn’...

Margaret Lloyd Seger shares her recovery story—getting sober at just 25 years old and transforming her life into one of purpose, research, and impact. From early struggles with alcohol and Adderall to becoming a PhD researcher studying addiction and pregnancy, her journey highlights the reality of addiction, the difficulty of early recovery, and the hope that keeps people going. This conversation...

Christina didn’t just watch addiction from the outside—she lived it as a sister, trying to make sense of behaviors that didn’t add up, while the rest of her family struggled to even acknowledge what was happening. In this episode, she shares the quiet warning signs she first noticed, the isolation of carrying that awareness alone, and the emotional rollercoaster of loving someone through years of...

Gio doesn’t sugarcoat it. “I honestly hate it.” In this raw and honest conversation, Gio opens up about what it’s really like being a young person in early recovery — watching friends party in their late twenties while choosing to stay sober. From COVID day drinking to waking up shaking at 7am… from checking into detox alone to walking back into recovery after a relapse… this episode captures the...

She got sober at 18 years old after a suicide attempt — convinced she had “lost her zest for life.” What followed wasn’t just long-term recovery… it was growing up in it. In this powerful episode of Recovery Matters Podcast , Wendy shares what it was like to build a life from nothing — 90 meetings in 90 days, cleaning houses, becoming a stockbroker, raising three children, losing everything financ...

What starts as a simple cup of coffee turns into a life-saving turning point. In this episode of the Recovery Patterns Podcast, Kris Robles shares how getting sober at just 18 years old set him on a path filled with relapse, honesty, homelessness, healing, and ultimately long-term recovery. Kris opens up about using substances to feel connected, surviving a suicide attempt, learning how to live wi...

Michaela shares her powerful recovery journey shaped by trauma, homelessness, substance use, and mental health struggles. After surviving a suicide attempt that became her turning point, she found healing through peer support, holistic practices, and breathwork. Now the Executive Director of Advocacy Unlimited, Michaela reflects on long-term recovery, embodied healing, and helping others reconnect...

Andrew Grazen shares his journey from a seemingly normal childhood into years of addiction, incarceration, and near-death experiences, and how recovery, community, and writing ultimately saved his life. From discovering substances at a young age to overdosing in his car and writing a memoir while incarcerated, Andrew reflects on loss, resilience, and why staying connected—and holding onto hope—can...

Raised around biker culture, gangs, and addiction, Dave began using drugs and alcohol at a young age, experienced multiple overdoses, and lived a life surrounded by violence, crime, and loss. After losing both parents, surviving near-death experiences, and reaching a breaking point, Dave made a life-changing decision to seek recovery. In this episode, Dave talks about trauma, addiction, spirituali...

The holidays can be one of the hardest times to stay sober — especially in early recovery or when you’re sober curious. In this conversation, Derek Benson shares why he created the Sober Holiday Hotline, a peer-to-peer support line for anyone struggling to get through holiday gatherings, family pressure, or moments of temptation. This hotline isn’t affiliated with rehabs, government agencies, or 1...

Carrie and Michelle talk openly about how addiction, trauma, and unhealthy relationships often go hand in hand. They share lived experiences with abusive relationships, codependency, and emotional manipulation — and how recovery became the foundation for learning self-love, boundaries, and healthy connections. From leaving toxic partners to rebuilding trust in themselves, this episode explores wha...

Tony’s story is a whirlwind of loss, chaos, identity struggles, and years spent chasing anything that would make him feel whole. Growing up without a father, he searched for belonging everywhere except within himself. That search eventually pulled him into a fast-moving lifestyle that brought consequences, arrests, and years of feeling stuck in a cycle he couldn’t escape. Everything changed when a...

Mark Mongiardo shares the shocking truth behind years of being misunderstood, judged, and even criminally charged — all caused by a rare condition called Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS) . Without drinking a drop of alcohol, his body would suddenly produce dangerously high blood-alcohol levels, leaving him intoxicated, confused, and fighting for his freedom and reputation. Mark opens up about losing hi...

Ryan’s story is a powerful journey through early substance use, deep loss, incarceration, and ultimately finding real recovery. From growing up seeking acceptance, to losing his closest friend at 16, to years of cycling between numbness and despair, Ryan opens up about the turning points that shifted his life. He reflects on the moment he almost gave up, how connection inside prison planted the fi...

Tyler shares his raw and emotional journey, detailing a chaotic childhood where addiction was the family norm. He recounts the shocking progression of his own drug use, the moment his mother introduced him to heroin, and how his father was the first person to put a needle in his arm. After years of the "jail, rehab, rehab, jail" cycle, hear how the loss of his 'perfect' life and a moment of desper...

From shining shoes at the Connecticut State Capitol to surviving gang violence, addiction, and multiple prison sentences—Luis Flores has lived through it all. In this gripping episode of Recovery Matters , Luis opens up about his descent into Hartford’s drug trade, the pain of losing friends, and the night five guns were pointed at him—and didn’t go off. But his story doesn’t end in tragedy. After...

At 21 years old, Lucas has never had a legal drink —yet he’s already survived alcohol addiction, Kratom dependence, and the brutal withdrawals that followed. His story begins in a chaotic household where nightly drinking and fighting were the norm. By 19, Lucas was mixing alcohol with pills, throwing up blood, and blacking out behind the wheel. That night at home became his rock bottom—and the sta...