Sober Speak- Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Interviews

Episode 106 106 Julie W In this episode of Sober Speak, Julie W is at the mic talking about what it’s been like for her during her 40 continuous years of sobriety. Julie stresses the importance of how the program remains the same after all these years, to look for the “Sames”, not the differences in life and how sharing the program with others is the most profound way to get out of self. Julie clo...

Episode 105 105 Denise B In this episode of Sober Speak, we listen in on Denise B as she shares her sober story. She shares what it was like to have two small children while drinking, how moving cross-country at 7 years sober dramatically altered her family dynamic and how she believes alcoholism is in her DNA just like her curly hair. Denise B speaks to the importance of a good sober foundation w...

Episode 104 http://wendychildmusic.com/   104 Tammy U In this episode of Sober Speak, we listen to Tammy U as she shares her story of transitioning from workaholic to alcoholic. Tammy speaks to how she can now understand the disengagement of her alcoholic father and how this need for connection led her to create a party lifestyle in school. Tammy’s story is a powerful example of how giving AA a ch...

Episode 103 This episode of Sober Speak is a live taping of Brooks B at the Tri-City Speaker Meeting in Texas. Brooks shares about how the humility learned from doing the steps has kept him sober for over 46 years and how the most difficult sobriety to achieve is continuous sobriety. Brooks speaks to his quick progression into alcoholism and how AA has given him a life worth living. Leave us a mes...

Episode 102 In this episode of Sober Speak, we listen in on Bob C as he gifts his experience, strength, and hope garnered over 56 years of sobriety. Bob C talks about entering reform schools and joining the army/navy at a young age to ending up in military prison and insane asylums as a result of his drinking. Bob C shares a little bit about the early days of AA when the program was truly anonymou...

Episode 101 In this episode of Sober Speak, Harris S returns to the mic to share a little bit more about what it was like, what happened and how he got sober. Harris speaks to being a wild child growing up with little supervision as one of ten kids to how chasing a rabbit led him to a profound spiritual experience and recovery. Harris talks about his gift of desperation, how AA is a "we" program a...

Episode 100 Episode 🥳  David G In this episode of Sober Speak, David G gives a detailed discussion of his experience with the 10th step and is a continuation of episodes 59, 67, 73 & 87. David talks about how he didn’t stop making mistakes just because he got sober and how the creation of resentments significantly impacts his life. David speaks to how the 10th step leads him to be an active parti...

Episode 99 Episode 99 Alky Dan In this episode of Sober Speak, Dan shares what his life was like growing up a fourth-generation alcoholic and how he came to see the hand of God working in his life. Dan shares his personal experience with the first step and his journey in AA led him from being a three-time felon to becoming a minister. Dan speaks to the importance of sponsorship and giving those in...

Episode 98 In this episode of Sober Speak, Bob S is back at the mic sharing his story of strength and hope. Bob talks about how even after all his drinking shenanigans shared in part 1, it never occurred to him that he was an alcoholic and how a strong program focused on service and connection allowed him to find forgiveness after the unimaginable loss of a child. Second chances, moments in grace...

Episode 97 In this episode of Sober Speak, Bob S. shares his experience prior to getting sober. He recounts how harrowing moments in Vietnam altered his view of his higher power and how he created chaos in drinking after his return from two tours of duty. Stay tuned next week to listen in as Bob S speaks to his strength and hope. Leave us a message @  https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us...

Episode 96 This episode of Sober Speak is a recording of the inaugural Sober Speak Live event. Listen to some great music as well as Jimmy D at the mic to share his story of perseverance and hope, a little obscure AA history, and answer some live audience questions.   Here is a link to Wendy Child's music http://wendychildmusic.com/   Leave us a message @  https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Emai...

Episode 95 In this episode of Sober Speak, we have Maria R. Back at the microphone speaking to how the gifts of the program have allowed her to turn her attendance at the Crested Butte Conference into a family vacation. Maria talks about how AA has given both her and her family a way to step out of their comfort zones, to try new things and to grow together. Leave us a message @  https://www.speak...

Episode 94 In this episode of Sober Speak, Gary K revisits his experience of the Steps, in particular, steps 2-9. Gary speaks to how the object of these steps is to become transparent and how keeping secrets prevents intimacy. Gary talks about how the Big Book provides real specific directions on how to complete these steps, how newcomers are always his teachers and how changing your vocabulary ca...

Episode 93 http://www.austincitywide.com/ In this episode of Sober Speak, Harris S talks about how the simplest concept of Alcoholism Anonymous is, “Make a friend, Be a friend”. It was this concept that led Harris to form the Austin Citywide Group which is an open fellowship group with potluck and childcare as a way to connect the dots between all the various groups, entities and circumstances in...

Episode 92 In this episode of Sober Speak, Bill C talks about what it was like growing up in a home that was full of recovery and how despite that, he chose to live an alcoholic, drug-abusing, criminal life that scared him senseless. Bill speaks to how he has now found redemption in working with others in Alcoholics Anonymous and how he learned how to "adult" in the program. Now celebrating 34 yea...

Episode 91 In this episode of Sober Speak, Gary K is back at the mic sharing what his experience of Steps 1 and 2. Gary speaks to alcoholism not being a therapeutic illness but a spiritual illness whose consequences can be healed by surrender to a higher power. Gary reflects on how you don’t learn recovery but experience it.  Leave us a message @  https://www.speakpipe.com/SoberSpeak Email us @  f...

Episode 90 In this episode of Sober Speak, Brenda J gives a compelling description of what it was like for her growing up in a very large Latino family, how for a time she found refuge in alcohol and how her desire to get her Dad sober led her into the rooms of AlAnon and then AA. Brenda shares how everything she ever wanted in life came for her the moment she gave away to someone else and how her...

Episode 89 In this episode of Sober Speak, Howard B shares about his rapid descent into drug and alcohol addiction and how with the encouragement of his family, a sober living house and the 12 steps he was able to become sober. Howard talks about doing the work of the program, how he views amends as a four-part process and how in his experience amends can be received very differently. Howard speak...

Episode 88 In this episode of Sober Speak we listen in as BillieKai shares her journey of recovery starting with Al-Anon and then transitioning into Big Book Awakenings leading her closer to her higher power. BillieKai speaks to how growing up in an alcoholic family she came to be addicted to chaos and intentionally creating drama for attention. She shares how working the 12 steps in the Big Book...

Episode 87 This episode of Sober Speak is a continuation of Episode 59 (Steps 1,2 & 3), Episode 67 (Step 4 and Episode 73 (Steps 4,5 & 6). In this episode, David G speaks to the humility he found through Step 7 and how doing the work helps you to see yourself as others see you. David speaks to the profound harm we have done to others and how it is these injuries that prevent us from having meaning...

Episode 86 In this episode of Sober Speak, Jack Z gifts the listener with an amazing story of the power of hope. Jack shares how with AA, prayer, and mediation he has been able to endure a terminal illness and drops several recovery pearls of wisdom throughout the episode. As with many others in recovery, Jack talks about how lifelong insecurities set the framework for several -ism’s in his life b...

Episode 85 On this episode of Sober Speak, Dawn C returns to the Sober Speak mic to answer some listener generated questions. Dawn C talks about how easy it is to become complacent once our lives get better from being sober and how on the verge of her 10-year soberversary she still makes recovery her priority.  Dawn shares how she has grown to love meditation and how meditation keeps her growing s...

Episode 84 This episode of Sober speak is a continuation of Episode 79 where Ricky R began sharing his personal experience and understanding of the steps of AA. Ricky speaks to how he was taught that the program of AA is not for him, but instead, it is for him to take to others in service. Service is an underlying theme throughout this episode and Ricky R recounts how small changes in his own beha...

Episode 83 In this episode of Sober Speak we listen to Laura R share how a traumatic incident as a child rewired her brain leaving her with the inability to properly handle emotions and to make true connections with others. Laura details how this unresolved trauma resurfaced with the death of her father and she found herself completely out of control and full of self-hate. Upon finally surrenderin...

Episode 82 On this episode of Sober Speak, Amy and Spencer weave stories of their recovery journey together as well as those of their individual paths (Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-anon). Amy speaks to how her inability to cope with her demanding life led her to turn to alcohol as an escape. She details the moment that saved her life, pushing her over the edge into recovery after years of strugglin...