Recovery Rocks

Tawny and Lisa talk about “glimmers,” mini-moments of calm and even joy. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. They create a subtle, but meaningful mood shift. Think of how you feel when you pet a dog or hear a song you love. They also talk about “golden shadows,” which, similar to glimmers, are small bright spots that break through when doing difficult shadow work.    Music Minute features Bleac...

Tawny and Lisa talk about creating a home that supports your recovery. This can look different for everyone. It can range from clearing out anything you might find triggering, to setting up a space that makes you feel calm and content, to changing up your routine on arriving home. Like everything in recovery, it’s a process that doesn’t happen overnight, but is created and adjusted over time.    M...

Tawny and Lisa talk to Raam Roch Hai and Dr. Anthony Foster, Co-CEOs and Founders of AHA! Recovery, a new approach to treating substance use disorders. They discuss the effectiveness of therapists who are themselves in recovery working with others seeking recovery or supporting a loved one. AHA! Recovery blends three evidence-based therapeutics practices: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-...

Tawny and Lisa talk with Alex Kosinski, a 20-something sober friend, who’s building a new life in his adopted city of San Diego. They talk sober dating, healthy habits, and being open to new experiences. Alex finds connection through pursuing passions like fitness, chess and studying Spanish, as well as leaning into the local recovery community.    Music Minute features Chance the Rapper   Find Al...

Tawny and Lisa talk codependency, something many folks in recovery grapple with. Melody Beattie, author of Codependent No More , defines codependency as, “The concept of losing one’s self while taking care of another.” Anticipating other people’s needs all the time leads to anxiety, projection, and manipulation. The answer is to stop trying to control others, set firm boundaries, and figure out ho...

Tawny and Lisa talk to Jolene Park, founder of Healthy Discoveries. Jolene is a functional nutritionist and a pioneer in the area of “gray area drinking,” the kind where there’s no rock bottom, but where one drinks to manage anxiety and later regrets how often or how much they drink. They talk about Jolene’s recent Substack piece on the online sober community and how it’s changed over time, includ...

Tawny and Lisa catch up on what’s been going on so far this year. They also share some of their latest picks for reading and watching. Tawny has finally had some time to decompress from all of the book tour craziness. Lisa has been diving into all kinds of distractions to try to keep things light in a challenging year.   Music Minute features Taylor Swift and Beyonce   Read Tawny’s article on post...

Tawny and Lisa talk to Paulina Pinsky (she/they), a writer, writing coach, and figure skater living in Los Angeles. She writes the Substack newsletter "newly sober" and she is the co-author of the teen guide to consent IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AWKWARD. They talk about Paulina’s experience and recovery, including incorporating TCB (Trust, Compassion and Boundaries) as a way to help manage all the thin...

Now that Dry January is in the rearview mirror, what comes next? Tawny and Lisa discuss how taking a break from booze gives us an opportunity to be intentional and consider what a dry or damp month can provide. Maybe it helped to identify triggers and stressors – including people – and how you might handle them without alcohol going forward. Maybe you picked up some new habits and friends you’d li...

Tawny and Lisa talk to Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, an author, TV personality, and cohost of the popular podcast For Crying Out Loud , about her new book, DRUNK-ISH: Loving and Leaving Alcohol . She is the co-host of the podcasts, For Crying Out Loud, Rose Pricks, and Bored A.F. She co-created and hosted the late-night comedy parenting show Parental Discretion with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor for NickMom on...

Tawny and Lisa announce their new card deck out next fall! The Sobriety Deck is for anyone making the choice not to drink today, whether sober or sober-curious. It will provide support, guidance and inspiration in an easy-to-use format that can be drawn on anytime you need a little boost or help. While the deck is a real light, they also discuss the realistic side of recovery: when there’s good ne...

Tawny discovered a name for the Venn diagram of burnout, imposter syndrome, and work addiction than many of us struggle with: Productivity Dysmorphia. Focused on output and feeling like we’re never doing enough, productivity dysmorphia keeps us from understanding how much we truly do and have already done. To fight it, we can recognize it as a feeling (not a fact) and ask ourselves if we really ne...

Tawny and Lisa talk about what’s ahead in 2024. It’s a Strength card year in the Tarot – showing up and standing with a lion. And we know it’s going to be a challenging year in U.S. with so much at stake in our election. How do we take care of ourselves? One day at a time, for sure. And also asking, how can I “go first” in my life, while still showing up for everything and everyone we need to.   ...

Tawny and Lisa talk to Dr. Brooke Scheller, the creator of Functional Sobriety and New York City’s top nutritionist specializing in alcohol use. Her new book, How to Eat to Change How You Drink , is a guide to leverage food and nutrition to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption, develop mindfulness, and promote a healthier relationship with alcohol. Music Minute features Jewel   Find all things...

Tawny and Lisa talk with Carrie Finch, Deputy Director of PAWS NY, an organization which provides pet care support to older adults and individuals living with illness, substance abuse, or disability in New York City, allowing these families to stay together and thrive. PAWS NY recently launched a new Substance Use Recovery Program, which provides foster and emergency care for pets as their guardia...

Tawny and Lisa interview Jill Sirianni, co-host of the podcast Frugal Friends, which aims to change how we think about frugality. It does not mean being cheap. Frugal living intersects with minimalism, simple living and sustainability. Many of us have financial stress, often left over from when we abused substances. They talk about how practicing curiosity around finances can help identify priorit...

Tawny and Lisa interview Gina Moffa, author of the new book Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss . Grief can show up over a death, the end of a friendship or relationship, or an ambiguous loss. Gina takes an honest look at how grief affects our lives and provides a heartfelt, practical map through the dark terrain of loss, shifting the pain of grief even when things...

Tawny and Lisa celebrate 200 episodes of Recovery Rocks and send a giant thank you to all of the listeners! It’s also the fifth holiday episode. They talk about getting through the season in a way that keeps their recoveries strong. That means planning ahead, setting boundaries, and taking time for themselves. As always, “No,” is a complete sentence, but no one has to navigate the holidays alone e...

Tawny and Lisa talk about burnout, a term that’s everywhere these days, but can sometimes be hard to spot in ourselves. A recent article from The New York Times , "Your Body Knows When it's Burned Out," lays out both the symptoms of burnout and how you might address them. It helps to recognize burnout when it begins to appear. Then we are able to question the causes and begin – slowly and in our o...

Tawny got married! She and Lisa talk about life milestones and rites of passage sans alcohol. While being grateful for living lives beyond what they expected when quitting booze, they also recognize that there are no guarantees in life. They talk about not relying on external events (marriage, moves, kids) to “fix” their lives. The most important thing is working to become comfortable and confiden...

Tawny and Lisa welcome writer, teacher, and retired indie rock drummer, Freda Love Smith. Her new memoir, I Quit Everything explores addiction, intoxication, and the twilight of her musical career. They talked about Freda’s experiment taking time off from alcohol, sugar, caffeine, weed, and social media during the pandemic. For some people, those not experiencing full-blown addiction, quitting for...

Tawny’s and Lisa’s good friend Katie Mack is back to talk about her latest project, #UGLYCRY, a one-woman show onstage in New York. Based on a true story, after the death of her ex-boyfriend, Mack, a grieving, social media-obsessed millennial brings him back to life with her phone. They talk about how grief looks different for everyone and changes over time, as well as how loved ones live on with...

Tawny and Lisa talk about the importance of taking care of their bodies, which helps them take care of their brains. Tawny recently had bronchitis and when her doctor asked if she was using her asthma inhaler, she had forgotten all about her asthma! When she used it, it totally helped. Lisa has issues with her back and while she knows her physical therapy exercises would prevent flare-ups, she oft...

Tawny and Lisa went on reading sprees over the summer (nothing new – Tawny has already read 42 books this year!). They talk about some of their recent favorites, including RIPE , YELLOWFACE ,  OLD ENOUGH , and THE LAST CHAIRLIFT . They’re all new books from both emerging authors and an old favorite (John Irving) and all have compelling, unique messages.   Music Minute features two of Tawny’s recen...

Recent research suggests that people who habitually judge negative feelings — such as sadness, fear and anger — as bad or inappropriate have more anxiety and depression symptoms and feel less satisfied with their lives than people who generally perceive their negative emotions in a positive or neutral light. Tawny and Lisa discuss how they try to keep their negative feelings in context. They also...