Recovery Unfiltered

Send us a text The mountains speak to us in recovery. That special place where rivers merge becomes a profound metaphor for the spiritual transformation we undergo in sobriety—where God enables us to "match calamity with serenity." One host shares how returning to this sacred spot after gaining sobriety brought tears of gratitude rather than just momentary escape. What does love truly me...

Send us a text What do you do when you can't directly make amends to someone you've hurt long ago? How do you release the guilt of harmful words spoken decades in the past? These questions haunt many in recovery, and in this episode, we unpack the transformative power of "living amends." The conversation begins with Larry sharing highlights from an AA convention in Canada, wher...

Send us a text What happens when a homeless alcoholic who had resigned himself to "drinking and drugging to death" finds recovery and transforms his life completely? Paul  story answers this question with raw honesty and profound hope. Paul takes us through his journey from a childhood of constant relocations to his early drinking at age 13, through failed suicide attempts, living in his...

Send us a text Fifty-two episodes. One year of sobriety stories. Countless lives touched.  This special anniversary episode takes you behind the scenes of Recovery Unfiltered's remarkable first year. Larry and Rob, joined by their wives Katie and Bonnie, reflect on how a vision born from tragedy—a son lost to fentanyl—transformed into a beacon of hope for those battling addiction. The journey...

Send us a text What happens when the spotlight turns to those who've weathered addiction's fiercest storms—not as alcoholics themselves, but as the wives who stayed? In this powerful episode, hosts Larry and Rob invite their wives, Katie and Bonnie, to share their side of the recovery story. Katie reveals how family vacations became sources of resentment rather than joy as everything cen...

Send us a text Larry and his daughter Maranda explore her perspective on his alcoholism and recovery journey, creating a powerful conversation about family healing, forgiveness, and moving forward together. • Maranda shares childhood memories of her father as a church deacon with an "open door" home for those in need • Larry's first drink came after gastric bypass surgery in 2007, s...

Send us a text In this milestone 50th episode, we pull back the curtain on addiction and recovery through the eyes of a daughter as Larry's youngest, McKenna, joins the conversation to share her perspective on her father's journey through alcoholism and sobriety. McKenna recounts growing up with her dad "Larber," from their adventures showing livestock to the gradual shift as s...

Send us a text At just fourteen years old, Christy found herself pushing suitcases out of her window, running away with a boyfriend to Texas, and soon after, discovering she was pregnant. This moment would be the first of many life-altering decisions that shaped her journey through addiction, motherhood, and eventually, recovery. Christy's raw account of growing up too fast pulls no punches a...

Send us a text Birthdays in recovery are powerful milestones that remind us of both how far we've come and the work that carried us here. In this deeply personal episode, we celebrate Rob's 14th sobriety birthday with surprise calls from sponsees and friends while exploring the universal principles of recovery that apply to healing of all kinds. Through heartfelt conversations and raw re...

Send us a text Larry and Rob explore the concept that relapse is not about external triggers but rather a reflection of one's spiritual fitness and how thoroughly they've worked on their recovery. • Discussing a member who relapsed and questioned whether to make amends again • Sharing stories of transformation, particularly focusing on Nathan's physical and spiritual growth • Examin...

Send us a text Larry and Rob explore the transformative power of willingness in recovery and the emotional impact of recording vulnerable stories. • Reflecting on the powerful episode with Kim and Mike that brought unexpected tears • Larry's sponsee Blake making progress through steps 4-7 of the program • The critical importance of willingness as "indispensable" in recovery • Develo...

Send us a text How does a marriage survive the unthinkable? In this powerful, emotional episode, Mike and Kim open their hearts to share their 18-year journey through grief, addiction, and eventual healing after losing their son Michael in a tragic accident. When devastation struck their family, Mike spiraled into addiction while Kim struggled to hold everything together. Their raw honesty about r...

Send us a text Standing at the metaphorical "edge of the sidewalk," where addiction and recovery intersect, requires a profound choice about which path to take. This raw, honest conversation delves into the significance of sobriety birthdays and what they truly represent beyond simple abstinence from alcohol. We explore the emotional complexity of recovery anniversaries, particularly the...

Send us a text Sometimes God moves in unmistakable ways. For Larry, it happened during a Saturday morning meeting when a newcomer named Blake shared his story. A warm feeling washed over him—what he calls "God's spiritual two-by-four"—and he knew instantly he needed to sponsor this man despite his previous reluctance to take on sponsees. This powerful moment opens a deeply authentic...

Send us a text Grief has no timeline, but what happens when it consumes your entire life for 17 years? In this raw and unflinching conversation, Mike and Jason share their parallel journeys through unthinkable tragedy—both losing teenage sons in the same accident in 2007.  Mike's candid testimony reveals how alcohol became his only coping mechanism after his son Michael's death. "I...

Send us a text Mike S pulls no punches as he shares the story of his turbulent childhood with an alcoholic, abusive father in Oakdale, California. Born into chaos, Mike describes how he'd be locked in his room until his father came home, only to receive brutal beatings that went far beyond normal discipline. "I grew up getting beat like that," he explains, "and I always joke I...

Send us a text Depression doesn't magically vanish when the alcohol does. In our 40th episode, Larry bravely shares his recent struggle with depression despite approaching his three-year sobriety milestone. This raw conversation explores the reality that getting sober doesn't automatically fix all mental health issues, and sometimes professional help is needed alongside recovery work. We...

Send us a text Nathan's journey through recovery takes a powerful turn as he shares why he waited almost six years before working the 12 steps, and the profound transformation that followed when he finally did. What began as simple abstinence eventually led to a spiritual awakening that changed everything. "There were definitely time periods in those five-plus years where I struggled big...

Send us a text Nathan shares his powerful journey from childhood trauma to finding lasting recovery after multiple relapses. His story reveals how early exposure to family addiction, violence, and loss shaped his relationship with substances and his path to healing. • Experienced significant childhood trauma including his grandmother's murder when he was eight • Found early escape through spo...

Send us a text Recovery isn't meant to be a solo journey—we explore the critical role of sponsorship in AA and why reaching out when you're struggling isn't bothering someone but giving them purpose. • The official birth of AA wasn't when Bill W got sober, but when he shared his story with Dr Bob across a kitchen table • Sponsorship isn't explicitly mentioned in the first...

Send us a text Confronting raw emotions without numbing agents is one of the toughest challenges in recovery. We explore how anger manifests in sobriety and practical ways to process difficult feelings when you can no longer escape through substances. • Brandon shares his experience at six months sober, describing the challenge of facing life's frustrations without any escape • Discussing how...

Send us a text Discover the unfiltered truths of recovery in our latest episode that delves into the complex interplay between faith and raw honesty. Are spirituality and the language surrounding it clean-cut? This episode disrupts that notion as we explore the surprising intersection of faith and, yes, even four-letter words.  Join our candid conversations filled with personal anecdotes that high...

Send us a text The episode dives into the complex interplay of pain, humor, and the recovery journey. We discuss resentment towards a higher power, the unexpected nature of recovery, and how laughter can help navigate life's struggles, underscoring the importance of community and authentic conversations in fostering healing.  • Laughter as a coping mechanism in recovery  • Navigating resentme...

Send us a text Welcome back to the podcast. On this episode Rob,John and myself discuss the diffrent forms of denial  Thank You for Joining Us.. Please share with friends. If you or anyone you know is struggling with alcoholism please reach out to us. We can get you help. recoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com

Send us a text Rob & I discuss the everyday struggles of life and living in the world and keeping your serenity,  Thank You for Joining Us.. Please share with friends. If you or anyone you know is struggling with alcoholism please reach out to us. We can get you help. recoveryunfilteredpodcast@gmail.com