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    RRP Episode 91 – Returning to the Foundation: Julie’s Look Back and What Got Her Through

    ​A candid check-in as Julie reflects on a year of curveballs, humility, and rediscovering her footing in recovery.

    In Episode 91 of the Real Recovery Podcast, Julie opens her heart and looks back at a time that pushed her to her limits. What began as a slow buildup of stress quickly spiraled into physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion, culminating in an ear injury that exposed deeper trauma she had kept buried for decades. With honesty and clarity, Julie shares how she found her way back by reconnecting with her recovery foundation, leaning on her community, and trusting the tools that have kept her sober for nearly 30 years. Her check-in is vulnerable, direct, and a reminder that recovery remains a living, breathing journey—no matter how many years you have.
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    Julie’s Year of Unraveling and Unexpected Turns
    Throughout this time, Julie pushed herself through overwhelming pressure at work, emotional strain, and a worsening ear injury she tried to manage without stepping back. When her eardrum ruptured, it set off a cascade of events that revealed just how depleted she had become. During an appointment, her doctor immediately put her off work, and a psychiatrist’s question about childhood trauma triggered a raw emotional reaction, uncovering painful memories Julie had buried long ago and discussed only once with her first sponsor .
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    RRP Episode 90 – Holiday Message: Rest, Reflection, and Recovery During the Holidays

    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.
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    RRP Episode 89 – Billy B: From Binge Drinking to a Lifetime of Sobriety

    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.
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    RRP Episode 88 – Phoenix G: From Childhood Pain to Purpose in Recovery

    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.”
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    RRP Episode 87 – Max K: Breaking the Cycle - Relapse, resilience, and the daily work of staying sober

    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.
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    RRP Episode 86 – Jonah’s Journey Continues

    From Hopelessness to Healing — Jonah’s Inspiring Path of Growth, Faith, and Recovery

    ​In RRP Episode 86 – Jonah’s Journey Continues, Peter reconnects with a familiar and beloved guest — Jonah W, whose story first touched listeners in RRP Episode 16: Jonah W’s Journey of Resilience, Courage, and the Transformative Power of Recovery. Joined this time by guest host and Real Recovery Podcast board member Colette, the conversation picks up more than a year later to see just how far Jonah’s recovery journey has carried him.
    From once struggling to hold a shelter bed to now living independently, maintaining a full-time job, nurturing a loving relationship, and even raising his first pet — a kitten named Gizmo — Jonah’s life has become a testament to transformation through consistency, community, and courage.
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    A Life Transformed
    When Jonah first shared his story, he was ten months sober and beginning to find his footing. Today, he has surpassed two years in recovery — and what was once survival has become a full, purposeful life. Jonah reflected on the early fear that he might “never get better,” only to discover that showing up, doing the work, and trusting the process could build a life worth living.