Recovery Rocks

Access to treatment for substance use and mental health disorders should be available to everyone, not just those who can afford it. Tawny and Lisa talk about access, preventative care, and the ability (or lack of ability) for people to take charge of their own wellbeing.  How to Get Mental Health Treatment if you Can't Afford it. Check out our friends and sponsor at Tempest for some great communi...

Tawny and Lisa talk about loneliness, what it means to them, and strategies for getting through it. Single or in a relationship, home alone or surrounded by other people, we can feel lonely at any time. What to do about it is the question. And don’t forget to check out our incredible season 3 sponsor, Tempest, at jointempest.com and @jointempest.

They’re back! After a year on hiatus, Tawny and Lisa talk about what they’ve been up to, including a cross-country move and a loved-up in-town move. New situations and protecting sobriety through decluttering, relocating, and traveling. But always remembering to celebrate sober milestones and achievements. And we’re thrilled that this season is sponsored by our kick-ass friends at Tempest! Go to j...

Mike is a cancer survivor, recovery advocate, and the founder of Monument, a platform designed to connect those struggling with alcohol to medical providers and community to support either sobriety or moderation. Mike’s cancer journey has informed Monument’s approach to access to treatment and how we think about success. Mike also shares his experience with some prescription medications that helpe...

Lisa and Tawny wrap up Season 2 of the show with guests Ruby Warrington and Dave Starr talking about the importance of music in their lives and in their sobriety. This episode was filmed in front of a live audience in New York City!

Tawny and Lisa chat with Dave Starr (a.k.a. Tawny's dad!) about sobriety and being a heavy metal musician. This unique episode is full of laughter, tears, rock n roll chat, and father-daughter reflection all recorded in front of a live audience in New York City!

Tawny and Lisa chat with Ruby Warrington about all things "sober curious": what it means, the questions to ask, avenues to explore, and why there's no judgment in whatever works for any one person’s sobriety. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience in New York City!

Getting sober is an intensely personal decision and journey. Tawny and Lisa describe their experiences telling -- and not telling -- other people in their lives about their recovery. From family and friends to work colleagues and the rest of the world, it’s your story to tell, if and when you chose.

Sobriety is not a static thing. As we move through recovery and get healthier, our feelings about the past, present, and future evolve. We do it differently, but we've both become more accepting and less fearful. And we even hear music differently over time, from Jim Morrison to George Michael to Counting Crows!

To stay sober, Tawny and Lisa have certain "non-negotiables": things they have to do and make time for no matter how hectic life gets or how comfortable they feel in their recovery. These can include seeing a therapist, going to recovery meetings, meditating, doing yoga, or just taking a nap. They discuss what those non-negotiables are, why they're critical, and how they make time for them.

We're going there. Tawny and Lisa discuss how sex changes in recovery, including dealing with the mental and emotional challenges that come with being sober between the sheets. Intimacy, one-night stands, asking for what you want, vibrators, and much more -- it's all up for discussion this week!

Let's be honest. Sometimes sobriety sucks and we have bad days. Tawny and Lisa talk about their different approaches to getting through the tough spots without picking up a drink or a drug. Spoiler alert: there's no one "right" way to do it. With shout outs this week to Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Gin Blossoms!

Tawny and Lisa talk about how their relationships with friends and family changed when they got sober, in ways both expected and unexpected. Sure, there can be FOMO and challenges, but there are also new ways of engaging that are so much more rewarding than spending just another night in a bar.

Recovery is an extremely personal journey of self-work. No two people recover in exactly the same way. There are a variety of programs and methods to help people get and stay sober. Tawny and Lisa are happy to use this platform to discuss some of the lesser known options available, acknowledging that there's no "right" or "wrong" way to recover. Whatever works for someone is the perfect path for t...

Lisa and Tawny talk through their very different views of Lapses and Relapses in recovery. Tawny shares a nuanced perspective on her personal experience of acting out sexually due to heartbreak and having a nervous breakdown. Despite serious debate about “powerlessness” and other terms, they both agree that smashing the stigma around relapse is essential. There is no shame in anyone’s path to reco...

Taking care of ourselves and taking time out to do it is critical to our recovery. Tawny and Lisa talk about what works for them and how they learned to make self-care part of their lives. From making your bed and opening your mail to watching TV on your couch and taking naps, it all matters. Sex and the CIty, anyone?

Lisa and Tawny discuss how their interpersonal relationships have changed in recovery. They share personal stories about family dynamics, co-workers, romantic partners, and most importantly...their relationships with themselves. Come for the recovery, stay for the Led Zeppelin music minute!

It's common to self-medicate mental health issues with substance abuse. Lisa and Tawny did this for years before embracing sobriety. This week they share what their depression and anxiety look like, now, and how they deal with these issues in healthy, productive ways.

When Tawny and Lisa got sober, these crazy things called "feelings" showed up and they couldn't drink them away. Some of those feelings included regret and shame about the past. Not to mention dealing with grief and "emotional hangovers" while sober. In this episode, they talk about how they deal with these feelings today.

Tawny and Lisa both struggled with what they could and could not control, including their drinking and drug use. In sobriety, they still face this challenge, but have developed tools, from yoga to practicing acceptance, so they can handle what they can't control without picking up a drink or drug.

Substance abuse and addiction aren't just bad for your health; they're also terrible for your bank account. Lisa and Tawny blew a lot of money while drinking and using drugs. They have accepted that fact, forgiven themselves, and talk about how they moved forward.

When we put down drugs and alcohol, we learned about the meanings of sobriety (abstaining from certain substances and behaviors) and recovery (working on ourselves to understand why we had the desire to pick up in the first place). But, as with everything on this journey, they mean different things to different people and they can be done in all kinds of ways.

Lisa and Tawny dish on their favorite recovery-related movies, TV shows, books, and blogs. From Mom to Love to Shame to Party Girl to Some Kind of Monster to My Fair Junkie to Slash and Anthony Kiedis's autobiographies, we could go on and on. These works give insight into recovery from all kinds of substances and behaviors from all kinds of perspectives.

When an addict stops drinking or using drugs, their addictive personality typically sticks around, often transferring to other substances or behaviors. Tawny and Lisa open up about other addictions they deal with in sobriety: personal development, self-help books, sugar, work, and more.

A big concept in 12-Step recovery is avoiding the "people, places, and things" that can trigger us or make us uncomfortable. Tawny and Lisa talk through what this concept means and how it can help anyone in recovery, whether or not they are in 12-Step programs.