Taking time to recharge while remembering what keeps us connected.
In this special Real Recovery Podcast holiday message, Peter and Julie come together to share a heartfelt update with listeners. As the team takes a short break during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, they reflect on the importance of self-care, connection, and community during the holidays.
The episode reminds us that while the podcast will be dark for a few weeks, the spirit of recovery continues — and help is always available. Whether you’re celebrating with loved ones or navigating difficult emotions, Real Recovery Podcast invites you to stay connected and revisit some of the most powerful stories shared this year.
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You’re Not Alone This Holiday Season
Peter and Julie open the conversation with a simple message: you are not alone. They discuss how holidays can bring joy but also stress and isolation — especially for people in recovery. Together, they share resources for finding connection, both locally and online.
Julie highlights that many recovery clubs, including the Alano Club of Portland, host 24-hour meetings throughout the holidays. Peter adds that other organizations, such as Another Chance Recovery, Fora Health Treatment & Recovery, and 4D Recovery, keep their doors open to provide support for anyone in need.
For those unable to attend in person, online meeting apps make it easy to join recovery communities anywhere in the world — even in Australia, as Julie jokingly points out.
Top 5 Most-Streamed Real Recovery Episodes
If you’re looking for inspiration while the show is on break, here are the five most-streamed Real Recovery Podcast episodes to revisit this holiday season:
Peter and Julie’s Personal Favorites
After sharing the top five listener picks, Peter and Julie each reflect on their own favorite episodes.
Peter highlights guests like Skyler Ray, Jonah W., and Elton Frice, calling them some of the most powerful voices of the year. Julie agrees, noting how Elton’s honesty and grace in her episode left a lasting impact. Together, they celebrate the diversity of stories that make up the Real Recovery community — each unique, but all connected by hope.
A Message of Gratitude and Support
Peter and Julie take time to thank listeners for their continued support. As Peter shares, every donation, download, and encouraging message helps keep the podcast alive.
Julie adds that the show remains a “labor of love and service” — powered by passion, not profit — and that every contribution directly supports production, guest outreach, and community engagement.
Listeners are encouraged to make a tax-deductible donation or sponsor an episode at RealRecoveryPodcast.com to help keep the stories going strong into the new year.
Finding Connection and Hope
For anyone struggling during the holidays, Peter and Julie remind listeners to visit the Resources Page for links to 24-hour meetings and support organizations, including:
These spaces remain open and ready to welcome anyone who needs support, connection, or simply a place to be among friends in recovery.
The Real Recovery Podcast Holiday Message reminds us that recovery doesn’t pause for the holidays — it grows stronger through gratitude, community, and connection.
From Peter, Julie, and the entire Real Recovery team: “Take care of yourselves, reach out to others, and remember — you’re not alone.”
We’ll see you in the new year with more stories of hope, healing, and transformation.
#RealRecoveryPodcast, #AddictionRecovery, #RecoveryJourney, #HopeAndHealing, #CommunitySupport, #KeepComingBack, #ResilienceAndHope, @4DRecovery, @GTDGoTheDistance, @PortlandAlanoClub
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How a Father’s Realization Became the Turning Point Toward Long-Term Sobriety
In this episode of the Real Recovery Podcast, Julie and Peter sit down with Billy B for a candid conversation about the final years of his drinking and the moment he finally chose to stop. Billy describes how his drinking escalated into binge episodes and two-day hangovers, how alcohol began consuming his time, and how recognizing the family disease of addiction made him realize he didn’t want to repeat the same patterns with his young son, Joey. His reflections provide an honest look at where addiction can take someone—and how clarity can emerge even in the most difficult moments.
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Binge Drinking and the Reality of Losing Time
Billy explains that in the last stretch of his drinking, he had become a binge drinker—getting drunk simply to get drunk and paying for it with severe hangovers that lasted two days. At one point, he woke up after drinking so much beer that he joked he “no longer had blood,” a moment that highlighted how far things had gone. Along with the physical toll, he began recognizing how much valuable time he was losing.
Quitting for His Son and Confronting the Family Disease
One of the key moments Billy shares is his realization that alcohol had been present throughout his family history. With a four-year-old son watching him, he decided he didn’t want to continue passing down that pattern. He quit drinking at that point, though he continued to smoke marijuana, which he openly admits he loved at the time. “I think it’s important to realize that any resentment I have is temporary, but this is long term.”
The Drink That Pulled Him Back In
Billy explains that after months without alcohol, a friend offered him a Cutty Sark on the rocks, and he accepted. That single drink sent him “overboard,” leading into what became his final period of drinking—stretching from late summer 1985 until Christmas Day 1986. The Christmas morning hangover that followed was the last one he would ever experience.
Finding AA and the Early Days of Recovery
After that final hangover, Billy picked up the phone and called AA. He took the number 20 Burnside bus to his first meeting at the Live and Let Live Club. He recalls early meeting spaces, including 24th and Ankeny, and talks about the noticeable shift people experience in early sobriety—what he and others call the “30-day look” and the “90-day look.”
Brownouts, Meetings, and Relearning How to Think
Billy shares that while he rarely experienced full blackouts, he frequently had “brownouts,” remembering enough to know he didn’t want to keep living the way he was. In sobriety, he learned how meetings helped interrupt thought patterns that used to swallow him—comparison, self-pity, and feeling sorry for himself. He talks about how easy it is to slide back into negative thinking and how important it is to stay connected.
Resentments and Long-Term Sobriety
One of the clearest insights Billy offers is how he handles resentment. He explains that any resentment he feels is temporary and that recognizing this helps him maintain his long-term recovery. For him, staying sober has become a conscious, daily commitment supported by community, awareness, and a willingness to keep growing.
Billy’s story offers an honest, grounded look at what drinking took from him—and what recovery continues to give back. His willingness to speak openly about binge drinking, family patterns, early AA experiences, and the mental work of staying sober creates a powerful reminder: change begins the moment someone becomes willing to try. Billy’s journey shows what becomes possible when one moment of clarity leads to a lifetime of commitment.
#RealRecoveryPodcast #RecoveryJourney #SobrietyStories #AddictionRecovery #HopeAndHealing #AA #LongTermSobriety #BingeDrinkingRecovery @RealRecoveryPodcast
Turning early trauma into service, strength, and lasting sobriety.
In episode eighty-eight of the Real Recovery Podcast, Peter and Colette sit down with Phoenix G., whose life and recovery journey reflect what it means to persevere through pain and rebuild with purpose. From his earliest memory of drinking at age three to finding community through AA and the Lunch Bunch / Extended Family AA Online, Phoenix shares a story of resilience, humility, and grace that will inspire anyone on their path to recovery.
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Growing Up in Chaos
Phoenix’s earliest memories reveal the challenges he faced long before adulthood. “It doesn’t take much to get a three-year-old drunk,” he recalls, describing how alcohol was introduced into his life at an age when most children are learning their ABCs. His story continues with raw honesty as he recounts the physical punishment he endured at home, saying, “She used to whip me as hard as she could. Once I stopped crying enough, he just hit me with his hand.”
These early experiences planted deep emotional wounds that would later surface in addiction and shame. But Phoenix’s story isn’t about staying trapped in the past—it’s about finding a way out.
“Every time I show up, I stay sober one more day. That’s the miracle.”
Finding His People in Recovery
After decades of struggle, Phoenix found what he calls his “family” in Alcoholics Anonymous and the Lunch Bunch / Extended Family AA Online. Through regular meetings and fellowship, he began to replace isolation with community and accountability.
At sixty-three, Phoenix shows that it’s never too late to start again. He talks about the importance of showing up, serving others, and giving back. “Every time I show up, I stay sober one more day,” he says. “That’s the miracle.”
Service, Sponsorship, and Boundaries
Throughout the conversation, Phoenix shares how service became central to his sobriety. As secretary for three meetings, he discovered that helping others helped him heal. He also discusses working with his sponsor, learning honesty through the Twelve Steps, and the importance of boundaries—even when it meant making difficult personal decisions, such as ending a marriage to protect his recovery.
Links to Websites Discussed:
Phoenix’s story is a testament to the power of surrender, self-awareness, and faith. What began in pain has transformed into a life of purpose, gratitude, and connection.
From childhood trauma to long-term sobriety, Phoenix G.’s journey reminds us that recovery isn’t defined by where we start, but by our willingness to keep showing up. His story reflects what the Real Recovery Podcast stands for—hope, honesty, and the belief that change is possible for everyone.
Listen to this episode: https://mdcr1.com/88
Read more inspiring stories on our blog: https://mdcr1.com/88b
#RealRecoveryPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #AA #12StepRecovery #SobrietyStories #HealingInRecovery #ResilienceAndHope #CommunitySupport #LunchBunch @RealRecoveryPodcast
In Episode 87 of the Real Recovery Podcast, Julie and Peter sit down with Max K to talk about the reality of relapse and the courage it takes to begin again. Max’s story is raw, honest, and deeply relatable to anyone who has struggled to maintain recovery after setbacks. His experience sheds light on what it means to face yourself fully—to stop hiding behind excuses and start living with intention.
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Confronting Relapse and Facing the Truth
Max shares openly about the repeated relapses that marked his early recovery. Each time he tried to start over, the same patterns resurfaced—until he made the decision to stop running from himself. “You can’t fix what you won’t face,” he explains, describing how taking responsibility became the turning point that led to real progress.
The Role of Accountability and Community
Throughout the conversation, Max emphasizes that recovery isn’t something you do alone. Having people around him who spoke truth, set boundaries, and held him accountable made all the difference. These relationships gave him a structure that helped him stay grounded and honest, even when it was uncomfortable. “You can’t fix what you won’t face. Once I stopped pretending everything was fine, that’s when real recovery started.”
Rebuilding Trust and Living Honestly
After years of broken promises, Max knew rebuilding trust would take time. He shares that it wasn’t about saying the right things—it was about showing up and doing the work. Learning to be honest, not just sober, became the foundation of his recovery. “I had to stop trying to look good and start being real,” he says.
Gratitude, Humility, and the Daily Work of Recovery
As Max looks back, he credits humility and gratitude as the keys that keep him moving forward. Service work, connection, and being open to growth help him stay present. His message to others is simple but powerful: recovery isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up every day, doing the work, and forgiving yourself when you stumble.
Links to Websites Discussed
Listen to Max’s inspiring story and explore more powerful journeys of recovery on the Real Recovery Podcast.
#RealRecoveryPodcast #AddictionRecovery #BreakingTheCycle #RelapseAndResilience #RecoveryJourney #HonestyAndHope #CommunitySupport #SobrietyStories #HopeAndHealing #Resilience #DailyRecoveryWork @CityTeam
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AboutThe Real Recovery Podcast Inc.: Empowering journeys to sobriety with inspiring stories, expert advice, and a supportive community. Join us for hope, healing, and real talk on addiction recovery. Archives
November 2025
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