About the show

Addiction and the Family is a podcast by and for family members of anyone with an addiction. We are working to bring experience, strength, and realistic hope so that you and your family can find recovery together. We do this through interviews with family members, people in recovery, and professionals who work with addiction every day. We also bring you research-backed information and practical ideas born of real-life experience.

We are currently publishing on a monthly basis, with new episodes released near the end of each month.

We are excited to present Casey's book "Realistic Hope: The Family Survial Guide for Facing Alcoholism and Other Addictions"

Help us carry the message by supporting Addiction and the Family on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=31010526

Thank you for listening!

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Episodes

  • Episode 39: How to Help Relationships Survive Early Recovery

    March 24th, 2023  |  58 mins 24 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 explore the stress that addiction and early recovery put on relationships of all kinds and how to find your way to healthier relationships through all of it.

  • Episode 38: Deanna and Travis: Family Helping Each Other Find Recovery

    February 24th, 2023  |  46 mins 56 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

    As teens, Deanna and Travis were suddenly siblings when their parents married. Little did they suspect that they would help each other find and deepen the recovery they share today.

  • Episode 37: Gigi: How to Be Your Most Loving Self

    January 21st, 2023  |  46 mins 32 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. Gigi Langer talks about her recovery both from her own addiction and as a family member, and what this taught her about being her most loving self. She shares some of those insights, including removing roadblocks to being your most loving self.

  • Episode 36: Navigating the Holidays in Recovery

    December 11th, 2022  |  40 mins 10 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

    How to survive and even thrive during the holidays whether you are recovering from your own addiction or someone else's.

  • Episode 35: Ashleigh: A Sibling's Perspective

    November 25th, 2022  |  47 mins 36 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

    Ashleigh Nowakowski, author of "The Shadow Child", talks about how she was affected by her brother's addiction, recovery, and relapse, finding her own recovery in the process, setting boundaries, and how she has grown as a result

  •

    Episode 34: Spirituality in Recovery

    October 28th, 2022  |  49 mins 26 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

    Casey talks about why spirituality is important to many people in recovery, where it's hard, and how to get through some of the challenges. He shares insights from his new book on spirituality.

  •

    Episode 33: The Guardian Initiative for Veterans and First Responders, Part Two

    September 25th, 2022  |  38 mins 53 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

    Erika Unberhagen talks about how families of first responders and veterans are impacted by addiction and mental health issues, how The Guardian Initiative at Windmill Wellness Ranch helps, and her own experiences that led her to do this work.

  •

    Episode 32: The Guardian Initiative for Veterans and First Responders, Part One

    August 26th, 2022  |  32 mins 45 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

    Erika Unberhagen talks about The Guardian Initiative at Windmill Wellness Ranch, a program for first responders and veterans, and her own experiences that led her to do this work.

  •

    Episode 31: Peg: Philosophy, Spirituality, and Recovery

    July 25th, 2022  |  55 mins 48 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

    A wide-ranging conversation about philosophy, spirituality, and recovery with author Peg O'Connor, We talk about what these ideas mean for both people with addiction and those who love them.

  • Episode 30: What is SMART Recovery, with Lisa Davidson

    June 26th, 2022  |  35 mins 24 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

    Lisa Davidson, Clinical Director at Windmill Wellness Ranch, talks about her personal and professional journey around addiction using SMART Recovery, one of the major alternatives or adjuncts to 12 Step recovery.

  • Episode 29: Innovations in Addiction Treatment

    May 28th, 2022  |  30 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 interview two innovators in addiction treatment: Dr. Heather Ingram and Shannon Malish, LCSW. Each talks about how she works directly with people's brains to help them recover.

  •

    Episode 28: Dustin: Interview with the Interventionist

    April 29th, 2022  |  40 mins 28 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 interview Dustin Williams, who owns an intervention and personal recovery service. He shares some of his story of recovery and how he helps families get a loved on into and through treatment, then supports them afterward.

  •

    Episode 27: Dianne: Living the Al-Anon Principles in Marriage

    March 25th, 2022  |  51 mins 12 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 hear from Dianne, who learned how to live the principles of Al-Anon in her marriage, and how this helped her to have a long relationship full of recovery for both her and her husband.

  •

    Episode 26: Conversations With Counselors #2 - Paige Majko

    February 25th, 2022  |  45 mins 50 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 interview, counselor Paige Majko talks about her personal and professional relationship with addiction and recovery, including her work with families affected by addiction, and what recovery has done for her family.

  •

    Episode 25: Enabling vs. Helping

    January 28th, 2022  |  28 mins 18 secs
    12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, enabling, families anonymous, family, helping, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting

    We explore underlying assumptions that lead to unhealthy enabling and how to challenge these, how Shakespeare can help you move from enabling to helping, and provide some questions you can ask yourself in order to see if you are about to enable someone or help them.

  •

    Episode 24: Brian and Tamara: Relationships in Long-Term Recovery

    January 1st, 2022  |  52 mins 10 secs
    12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, couples, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, recovery, relationships, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting

    In this wide-ranging conversation with Brian and Tamara, Kira and Casey explore the ins and outs of being in recovery while being in long-term relationships. Both couples share their stories, what has worked best for them, and how they have grown together.