Recovery Rocks

Tawny and Lisa talk to Art Alexakis, frontman for Everclear, one of the defining bands of the 1990s, still going strong. Art has almost 35 years of recovery, living very much one day at a time. They talk about recovery and Art’s writing process, including the iconic song, “Father of Mine.” They also discuss what it takes to know when you’re done with drugs and alcohol, to ask for help, and to live...

Tawny and Lisa talk about Tawny’s recent Beyond Liquid Courage newsletter, "People Pleasing is Over."   She learned through years of recovery and therapy that her people-pleasing is tied to her codependency. Lisa learned in early recovery that if she didn’t stop always trying to please others, she wasn’t going to be able to stay sober. People pleasing is more nuanced than just doing something for...

Tawny and Lisa talk about addiction as a family disease. Whether it’s with your birth family or your chosen family (or both!), healing individually and as unit can break cycles of addiction and unhealthy behaviors. They both talk about their experiences with their families and how it’s an imperfect journey that never really ends.   Music Minute features Sister Sledge, Everclear, The Killers and Bi...

Tawny and Lisa talk with Ted Mandell, Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre. Tawny has been a guest speaker for Ted’s class, “Drunk on Film: The Psychology of Storytelling with Alcohol and its Effects on Alcohol Consumption.” They talk about the reasons kids drink more when they get to college, the persistence of the excessive dr...

Tawny and Lisa talk with Hilary Sheinbaum about her new workbook, GOING DRY: A Practical Guide to Drinking Less and Living More . The workbook takes readers through all phases of a sober or sober-curious journey, ranging from assessing your relationship with drinking to setting realistic expectations to discovering new experiences that bring you joy without booze.  Music Minute features Sabrina Ca...

Tawny and Lisa talk with Lindsay Sutherland Boal, a coach, advocate, and the founder of both The Uncovery App and She Walks Canada, which support women overcoming problematic relationships with alcohol. They chat about gray-area drinking and the concept of “rock enough,” the acknowledgement that you don’t need a “rock bottom” crisis to quit drinking. The Uncovery App is dedicated to the pursuit of...

Tawny and Lisa are taking a summer break from the podcast, but encore episodes will air until they’re back in September. They talk about how it feels to pause and what they’ll be doing. It’s an opportunity for play and a chance to reset and reflect. But giving themselves time off brings up different emotions for both of them. They go deep on their feelings about routines, financial insecurity, and...

City girls love nature, too! Tawny and Lisa talk about the role it plays in their recoveries. Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being. But you can also bring nature into the home with herbs, plants, flowers or anything that connects with you. And nature is not just the mountains or the ocean – it can be anywhere...

Tawny and Lisa talk about the power of being with people in person, including on their recent travels. What’s different when we’re off the screens? How do we motivate ourselves when it feels easier to just stay home? Can we find the flexibility to pick up the phone when it’s not on the calendar? And how do we manage our energy budgets when sometimes the juice just isn’t there? Hint: Phone a friend...

Chris Marshall, founder of Sans Bar, the first non-alcoholic bar in North America, wrote a book! Faster Than Light covers Chris’ journey, shaped by early childhood trauma, from being a young Black man in an affluent Texas suburb to rising as a leader in the recovery community. He talks with Tawny and Lisa about the writing process and entrepreneurism. Then they dig into Sans Bar, Sans Bar Academy,...

Tiffany Jenkins, the bestselling author of High Achiever, is here! She’s out with a new can’t-put-it-down memoir, A Clean Mess. It chronicles her life after addiction—the raw, the dark, and the hilarious—from setting out with nothing but a backpack to discovering her marriage was built on a shakier foundation than she’d ever imagined to staying sober when life fell apart. She talks with Tawny and...

Tawny spent a week teaching a writing course in Dublin, followed by a long weekend pursuing Parisian pleasure. She talks about the impact of her trip, both on her recovery and her art. With the pressure off, she immersed herself in being present on the trip, and new ideas emerged. Tawny’s carrying the vibe of the trip into her everyday now, including redesigning her office to reflect how she feels...

Tawny and Lisa talk with Carl Erik Fisher, an addiction physician, bioethicist, person in recovery, and author of The Urge: Our History of Addiction . Carl recently wrote a powerful essay, The Price We Pay Betting on Sports , for The New York Times . They talk about sports betting, how it’s changed with 24/7 online availability and cultural normalization, as well as the associated risks and ways t...

What a dangerous time we live in when the President personally attacks artists for speaking against America’s current fascist regime. The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) spoke truth to power at a recent London show while Taylor Swift weathered another round of the President’s weird obsession with her. Tawny and Lisa talk about why they love both artists and how their music has impacted their recoveries....

Tawny and Lisa talk about all things sober summer. Going on vacation or to parties where there will be booze and maybe pressure to drink? They’ve got you covered. Staying home without plans? They’ve got you covered, too. They share tips, tools, and options to make the most of the sunny season. Music Minute features Sublime, Lana Del Ray, Dirty Head. Bananarama and Talking Heads Sign up for Tawny’s...

Tawny and Lisa are both experiencing new challenges in their work due to the fascist administration. It’s gotten much harder for Tawny to do her many jobs (working with a non-profit, academic public speaking, writing) under MAGA 2.0. Lisa shares some recent changes in the legal field and how she’s choosing to be on the right side of history. They also discuss how this new list of “banned words” im...

Back by popular demand, Tawny and Lisa discuss the importance of finding Glimmers (small things in daily life that spark a little joy) during stressful times. They share some recent glimmers in their lives, how to be open to finding your own glimmers, and even how to be a glimmer for someone else. Music Minute features Maneskin and The Spice Girls Order The Sobriety Deck Listen to The Sobriety Dec...

Showing Up as an Activist While Prioritizing Sobriety and Mental Health What does it mean to “show up” as a sober person in this time of political unrest? Tawny and Lisa share how they stay politically engaged with firm boundaries. If you can join the resistance for protests and/or other activities, do it! But if it’s more than you can put on your plate, that’s all good. First things first, and ta...

We’re all experiencing information overload, with truth and lies mixed across all kinds of media we consume. As a journalist, Tawny has guidance on how to make sure you’re reading credible, real news. To keep ourselves mentally healthy, we need to consume news in a way that works for us. Look for objectivity and coverage that doesn’t pick sides. Also, most importantly, engage in critical thinking....

Lisa celebrated 21 years sober and Tawny is coming up on 10 years of sobriety and life in New York City. Neither of them say they’ll never drink again – they still take it one day at a time. They also talk about keeping things fresh in long-term sobriety. Let yourself try new things just for yourself. As Tawny tells her students, “feel free to write badly!” That goes for other things you enjoy or...

Tawny and Lisa get back to basics and the Serenity Prayer. Whether your Higher Power is God, the universe, or a stick of incense, this episode is for you. Even if the whole "Higher Power thing" is not for you, knowing what we can and cannot control is a key tool in staying sober. It’s not acquiescing or giving up if what you need to do right now is take care of yourself physically and mentally, an...

Tawny and Lisa get a primer on ibogaine treatment for addiction from Dr. Eduardo Ramirez Juấrez, who has extensive emergency medicine experience at Cancun’s leading private hospitals and five years of specialized work with ibogaine treatment. They talk about what ibogaine is, how it is used for substance use disorder, the steps involved in treatment, and stigma. If you’re curious enough, magical t...

We’re all experiencing information overload, with truth and lies mixed across all kinds of media we consume. As a journalist, Tawny has guidance on how to make sure you’re reading credible, real news. To keep ourselves mentally healthy, we need to consume news in a way that works for us. Look for objectivity and coverage that doesn’t pick sides. Also, most importantly, engage in critical thinking....

Lisa and Tawny acknowledge their transfer addictions, sometimes spending money as a coping strategy similar to how they drank. Cutting down on purchasing and consumption has been a trend for years, but is even bigger this year. No-Buy or Less-Buy is having a moment in 2025.  Beyond saving money, it’s also a way to support your recovery and core values. No Buy is not a punishment – it should feel e...

In our current political environment, it’s more important than ever to lean on our sobriety toolkits. What are the core elements of staying sober? Asking for help when needed, knowing your triggers (including people, places, and things), making time for physical activity, taking it all one day at a time, leaning into community, and just breathing.    Remember the opposite of triggers is glimmers,...