My name is Casey Arrillaga. I am a social worker and addiction counselor, but just as importantly, I am a family member like so many of you. My wife Kira and I both come from families with addiction, we were in our addictions together for over 10 years, and we have been in recovery together for almost 20 years. We now both work in the recovery field to try to pay forward what was so generously given to us.
Casey Arrillaga has hosted 51 Episodes.
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Episode 19: Effective Communication and Boundaries
July 30th, 2021 | 41 mins 44 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
In this episode, we look at effective communication and boundaries. We learn about communication styles, what makes an effective boundary,. and how to set some boundaries of your own.
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Episode 18: Arnold: Reflections on a Lifetime in Recovery
June 25th, 2021 | 37 mins 18 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
Arnold shares what he has learned during his 50 years in AA, how his family was affected before and after his wife found her own recovery, and what family members can do when faced with addiction.
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Episode 17: Amy G: Young, Gay, and Sober
May 28th, 2021 | 40 mins 47 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting, young people
Amy grew up in a small Scottish town where she didn't fit the image of addiction or LGBTQ. At 1 year sober, she opens up about her journey, how she is helping others, and what she wants to tell young people and families about addiction.
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Episode 16: Emotional Sobriety
April 23rd, 2021 | 43 mins 54 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, emotional sobriety, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
We look at the idea of emotional sobriety, how it applies for family members as well as those with addictions, why it's important for everyone, and how to enhance it in your life. We feature an interview with Teresa, who has over 30 years in recovery and was one of our first role models for emotional sobriety.
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Episode 15: Al M: 60 Years of Recovery as a Family Member
March 26th, 2021 | 57 mins 38 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
Dr. Al Mooney entered family recovery at age 10, when his parents got sober. Sixty years later, he reflects on how this experience shaped him and led to a lifetime of helping others to recover.
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Episode 14: Anniversaries and Milestones
February 26th, 2021 | 40 mins 2 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
This episode mark the 1st anniversary of our podcast, so we discuss why anniversaries and milestones are such a big deal in recovery, and hear two great interviews with people in recovery around this topic.
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Episode 13: A. S.: A Story of Finding Freedom
January 29th, 2021 | 49 mins 42 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, family patterns, hope, marriage, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
Having grown up in a household devastated by alcoholism, she never thought she would marry someone with an addiction. In this in-depth interview, she talks about her journey through all this, and how she is finding her own recovery.
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Episode 12: Gratitude
December 22nd, 2020 | 32 mins 5 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, gratitude, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
All about gratitude: We look at benefits of gratitude, where it's hard around active addiction, how to have more of it, its place in recovery, and then Kira leads a gratitude meditation.
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Episode 11: Jack D: Overcoming Loss
November 27th, 2020 | 44 mins 40 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, loss, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, overdose, parenting, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
For most people, death is the end of a relationship. In a moving interview, author Jack Dison talks about continuing his relationship to his son by writing him letters after his son overdosed. He discusses his recovery journey and how the letters became his book "Overdose: Letters from Dad."
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Episode 10: Dr. Jason Powers: Resilience
October 30th, 2020 | 32 mins 54 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, resilience, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
We examine the vital human trait of resilience, how it shows up in recovery, how to recognize it, and how to get better at it. Recovery pioneer and positive psychology expert Dr. Jason Powers offers his insights.
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Episode 9: Jules and Izzy: A Mother-Daughter Story
September 25th, 2020 | 41 mins 38 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
13-year-old Izzy has heard her mother, Jules, tell her story of addiction and recovery, but they have never talked through Izzy's side of things until this in-depth and emotional interview. See firsthand how addiction can affect a family, and how to find deeper levels of healing.
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Episode 8: The Relapse Epsiode
August 28th, 2020 | 33 mins 8 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, relapse, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
We take on the "R" word. We see what relapse is, how it happens, and what family can and can't do about it – including how to prepare. We see that relapse into old behaviors is a pitfall for families, too. We ask people in recovery if relapse is really part of recovery.
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Episode 7: How Change Happens
July 26th, 2020 | 46 mins 13 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, change, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, life change, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, stages of change, uplifting
In this episode, we explore how people make changes in their lives, such as finding and sustaining recovery. We hear not only theory, but also the personal experience of people talking about different stages in their recovery journey.
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Episode 6: Lauren O: Finding Peace as an Adult Child of Addiction
June 26th, 2020 | 41 mins 58 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
We talk to Lauren, an adult child of addiction, about her experience and how she is finding greater peace today. We hear how she is changing family patterns and what she wants to tell her kids as they grow up. We discuss what family members can and can't do to help if they see this in their own families.
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Episode 5: Addiction and the Brain
May 22nd, 2020 | 1 hr 7 mins
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
In this episode, we explore the neuroscience of addiction through an entertaining and informative presentation given at a family workshop. We learn why addiction is called a disease, what's happening in the brain, and common risk factors.
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Episode 4: Jay and Mirah: Relationships in Early Recovery
April 24th, 2020 | 45 mins 50 secs
12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, families anonymous, family, hope, marriage, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, relationships, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting
One went to treatment, two found recovery. When Jay went to treatment, her wife Mirah attended the family program and discovered that she had issues she needed to address, and that the same recovery tools could help her, too. This episode features and in-depth interview in which they explore all of the ups and downs of being married in early sobriety.