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!

Addiction and the Family on social media

Episodes

  • 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."

  •

    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.

  •

    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.

  • 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.

  •

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  •

    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.

  • Episode 3: Recovery in the time of COVID-19

    April 17th, 2020  |  34 mins 28 secs
    12 step, acoa, addiction, adult children of alcoholics uplifting, al-anon, alanon, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, coda, covid-19, families anonymous, family, hope, nar-anon, naranon, narcotics anonymous, pandemic, recovery, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting

    In this special episode, we look at how recovery is being affected by COVID-19 and where people are finding hope, all to help families and people in recovery find greater peace and understanding. We include "person on the street" brief interviews in which we ask people to talk about their struggles and where they find hope during this difficult time.

  •

    Episode 2: Addiction 101

    March 20th, 2020  |  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

    In this episode, we look at some of the basics of addiction, what it is and what it isn't, discuss addiction with psychologist Dr. Heather Ingram, and look at addiction from a scientific perspective, all to help families find greater peace and understanding around this difficult but vital subject.

  • Episode 1: Recovery and the Family

    February 23rd, 2020  |  25 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, self-help, smart recovery, uplifting

    We explore how you as a family member of someone with addiction can find help for yourself and your family. We look at why families need recovery, yet may have never considered this, and we give some ideas about how they can find it. We hear from a family member like some of you, who has found and strengthened his own recovery through the years of his son’s struggles with addiction and related behaviors. Finally, we address one of the questions that family members so often ask: “What can I do to help?”