The Unhooked Podcast

My Brother's Friend, Ben is back in this week conversation about High Conflict Personality Disorder.   HCP applies to those who seem to live for, and thrive in constant conflict.  We both give examples of experiencing it, being in the wrong ourselves when it comes to conflict and drama, and what might make for peaceful living when you have to do life around this type of person.   Is rudeness confl...

Because I personally have been inspired by her story and social media presence, I invited today’s guest on to share her amazing work. Dawn Nickel is the creator of She Recovers, the largest recovery community on Facebook, and has been in recovery since 1987.      Dawn is dedicated to creating and holding space (online and off) for women in recovery to connect with themselves, and with other like-h...

I was personally impacted by the story of hope that this week's guest shared from the Tedx stage.  I also love that when you search her on the internet, the first website that comes up has the message: “YOU ARE ENOUGH” in huge letters!  25 year-old Nadine Machkovech is a certified recovery coach and person in long-term recovery. As an educator on addiction and mental health, she is on a mission to...

This week's conversation is with someone who not only has his own Eminem lyric, but has also been featured in an episode of Southpark!   Author, motivational speaker, former pastor, and interventionist Jeff VanVonderen is best known for his appearances on A&E reality show Intervention.   Listen in as he unwraps SO MUCH interesting information, from addictions that are the most challe...

This week's conversation is with talented singer, songwriter Daphne Willis! I first heard Daphne’s powerful song “Somebody‘s Someone” last year and could not stop listening. It has become an anthem for family members and loved ones of anyone struggling with addiction or mental illness. The lyrics ring true for those dearly missing a much loved family member. Listen in to hear Daphne’s story and ho...

This week's conversation is with one of my own recovery mentors and good friend, Joe.   A few years ago I found myself "in the rooms," where I met who is now one of my all-time favorite people. Joe looks like a biker with a ZZ Top beard, and has an amazing way of saying profound truths at just the right moment.   His statements are simple, yet powerfully impactful.  It's been my privilege to witne...

This week's conversation brings the recovery with my friend Amanda.  Amanda discovered Al Anon some years back after realizing her marriage was in trouble due to her husbands excessive drinking and the chaos it caused personally, and professionally.  Looking back over her experiences and awakening, she shares rich truths that those who have been in these depths will understand.     Listen in to th...

If you or someone you know have ever experienced loss so sudden, shocking, and deeply felt that it took your breath, and kept it...this is the episode to hear.  Author Susan Furniss describes living through the loss of a daughter, husband and one of her dearest friends within a short span of time.  Her grief was so overwhelming at times she had to leave the grocery store before checking out.   Sus...

This week's conversation is with one of the sweetest women I have ever encountered.  Katie Hamilton, the now ex-wife of American League MVP baseball player Josh Hamilton.   Katie shares her story of finding strength and hope in her faith in the aftermath of a painful divorce from a marriage she poured her heart and soul into, and how she still cherishes the good within him.   Despite being a bewil...

This week's conversation is with lifelong family friend Ben.   In order to be as open and real with listeners, as all of my guests are, I feel that sharing my own story, as I have with Ben over the years, would be a great way to open up my life and give highlights from my own personal journey of family recovery.    Listen in as Ben and I discuss his first impression of coming t...

Have you ever experienced a “smear campaign” led by a once trusted partner, friend, or family member? It can feel suffocating. Those who join in against you add overwhelming confusion and pain. Everything you do to try to defend yourself and bring an end to it, seems to only make it worse! So what CAN you do? This is an amazing part of this week's podcast with Breakthrough Life Coach Lisa Romano!...

I love her videos SO much and I'm pretty sure we are now best friends! Tiffany Jenkins was so gracious and kind to share in this week's conversation how she has a life better than she could have planned for. As funny as she is, Tiffany is serious when it comes to addiction, mental health and all things recovery. She has a direct message of hope and strength to ANYONE struggling. Sometimes all it t...

Almost daily I hear from parents, partners and family members who think their loved one might be too far gone in addiction, or too deep in a drug induced psychosis to ever have a normal life. Well, it just does not get better than Lara Frazier when it comes to giving hope that life CAN be fully recovered! In this week's conversation Lara shares her rise from the ashes of addiction into a life that...

This week's conversation is with Mary Burns, Author of the soon to be released book "Saving Eric," which details how her adopted son became addicted—and the lengths to which she went trying to save him. Mary explains the strong, loving bond they shared, that for her was no different than her bond with her biological child. Sadly, after years of struggle and desperate efforts to help him, Eric lost...

I love her blog, her personality, her accent and I LOVE that she has come on the podcast. This week's conversation is with Brooke Wilkerson, Creator of "The Coffee and Chaos Blog!" No family is perfect. Are any even..."normal"? We all have our difficulties when it comes to family members. Even more so when our the dynamics have been saturated with dysfunction, addictions, conflict, or periods of s...

Nothing better than an expert opening up about how they too are human and can find themselves in struggle, just like the rest of us. Listen to this episode as Sherry Gaba - seen on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab; LCSW, Certified Recovery Coach and author of "The Law of Sobriety: Attracting Positive Energy for a Powerful Recovery" and "The Marriage and Relationship Junkie: Kicking your Obsession" tells...

Have you ever watched someone spend year after year in an unhappy relationship or marriage, believing he or she will likely never break free and have the life they deserve? In this episode, Abigail shares her story of waking up after spending decades in an odd, chaotic, and often terrifyingly dysfunctional marriage to a controlling, emotionally fragile alcoholic. Abigail calmly recounts what woke...

From finding their way into "the rooms" as a result of addiction presenting in the first of Brenda's two sons, Mark and Brenda Stewart hit the ground running in their own emotional recovery, stability, and marriage. They then came full-circle to launch one of the nations largest, most well-respected online family support communities. Listen in as the Stewarts open their story to give rich insight...

It’s difficult to be unaware of the current condition of our culture, we are in a crisis of addiction as well as mental health. In fact, this week’s front page news featured coverage of a rally for depression and suicide. We have people jumping off parking garages! There is daily coverage about opioids, addiction and overdose numbers. Nationally, locally…we are in crisis. Today’s conversation focu...

In this episode, I have the privilege of deep diving into the NY Best-selling book "Dreamland, the True Tale of Americas Opiate Epidemic," with the Author, Sam Quinones. Sam generously shares his rich experiences writing the book - from researching Mexican cartel trafficking (and their obsession with Levi's 501 jeans), to interviewing drug dealers in prisons who were open and raw with their storie...

What should a police officer or fireman say when someone walks in desperate for help for an addicted loved one? Should they break out the handcuffs? Administer a drug test? Shame the struggling person or family member? Should they say "Nothing." ? Listen in as Firefighter/Paramedic and Assistant Chief Chris Menapace talks openly in this episode about the opiate epidemic as it relates to his work i...

Is it weird to say that I am our local Coroner's biggest fan? Dr. Anahi Ortiz is interesting, open, kind, and as sharp as one would expect. The native New Yorker opens up to us about what led her to this work, where overdoses are happening around the city, what fuels drug trafficking (social media ?), how she separates herself from the stress of all she sees, and what hope we have as a community....

Ruth, a "recovering family member" has spent years working a program to heal and recover from the effects of the alcoholism and addiction in those around her. She shares her tumultuous story of overcoming patterns of family madness, and relationship choices that led her to relationships with the same alcoholic types of men. Ruth lays the groundwork for how she came out of it, and gives hope that w...

Beau openly shares his experience with an addicted daughter, and how the madness of her life was his "ticket" into the rooms of support. Hear this once desperate father's take on what recovery can do for a family in crisis.