Where To Find The Bubble Hour Podcasts

Hello Everyone!

We have had a few changes here at The Bubble Hour, as you may have noticed! This site is no longer updated regularly (although the widget on the right side bar still has all current episodes listed and you can access them directly from there).

The show is now is Jean's VERY capable hands, as Ellie and Amanda have taken a step back to keep that work/life balance in check - and they are both doing well.

To access shows directly on Blog Talk Radio, click here.

Our podcasts are also available on iTunes by clicking here.

Looking for sober resources (including how to become a member of the "BFB" secret FB support group we reference frequently on the show)?  Be sure to check out the "Sober Resources" tab at the top of the page!

Thank you all, and happy listening!

Courtney's Story

Courtney is someone you wouldn't expect to struggle, but she has. Born with a malformation of her right hand, she always felt flawed and tried to compensate with exacting standards and high levels of acheivement. Her inner pain crept out in other ways, though. This episode is a solid reminder about comparing our insides to others' outsides.

Relapse Around Us (Former Co-Host Catherine)

It can feel awful when someone we care about returns to drinking. How to respond? How to be supportive? What about feeling rejected and diminished? How do we protect our own sobriety while helping others? Jean discusses these questions with a special guest whose voice you may have been missing!

Karlyn Pipes: "The Do Over"

An Olympic hopeful whose dreams were cut short by addiction, Karlyn explains how sobriety gave her a second chance at athletic success and at personal happiness. But neither of those achievements came quickly or easily. Karlyn speaks frankly about her addiction to alcohol, and the many ways that affected her life. Her book, "The Do-Over" will have readers moving from tears to cheers to nods of understanding, and is a great read for people in recovery as well as those who long to understand addiction from the inside.

Who Am I Now? (Guest: Margaret)

If we define ourselves by what we do, it can be hard to remain stable when a big change comes along. For Margaret, retirement could have left her searching for meaning and purpose. Instead, she is looking forward to the freedom to fully be herself. Join us for a discussion about knowing ourselves from within, instead of that which others say we are.

Gaby's Story: Back from the Edge...Twice

Gaby had it all...until it disappeared overnight. Alcohol was a comfort through the difficult years that followed...until it nearly took her life. You might think this would convince her to never drink again, yet she chose to try moderating after regaining her health and was soon back in care fighting to stay alive. Today she is thriving in sobriety and hopes her story will convince others to stay alcohol-free in recovery.

The First Year (Guest: Robin)

Milestones are an opportunity to take stock of how far we have come, and to celebrate the way that day by day, time adds up! Jean welcomes guest Robin, who recently celebrated one year alcohol-free, to share her experiences and insights. When asked what made her decide to quit drinking, Robin said (in her charming accent), "Well it was bad enough that I was getting old, I didn't want to be old and pathetic!" It is that kind of plain-spoken wisdom you can expect from this interview. Enjoy.

Re-Broadcast: Sober Firsts - Part 1

Early recovery is full of “sober firsts”. They seem to come fast and furious in the initial weeks and months, and can be overwhelming at times. Eventually, the “firsts” are fewer and further between, but their infrequency can make them feel more jarring. On this episode of The Bubble Hour we look at “sober firsts” of three major types:

• “Mixing with the Normies” – going back to the places and situations where drinking is part of the milieu, now as a person in recovery
• “Engaging in Recovery” – new places and situations you encounter once you quit drinking
• “Sober and Solo” – the things you go to or through on your own.

Join us and our guests as we talk about what these experiences were like for us and some tips for navigating these challenges of early sobriety.


http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bubblehour/2016/04/04/re-broadcast-sober-firsts--part-1

Rebroadcast: Co-dependency - Detaching with Love

Have you ever wondered why you can’t seem to maintain a healthy relationship? Do you feel like people take advantage of your kind heart and generosity? Do you feel a sense of responsibility for your loved one's happiness? If any of these questions ring true for you, you may be a codependent.

Codependency is an emotional behavior that affects our ability to have healthy, mutually-satisfying relationships. It is often found in individuals who are in a relationship with an addicted person or someone with a mental illness. Codependents often have low self-esteem and look for anything outside of themselves to make them feel better…including drugs and alcohol or other compulsive behaviors so you can see why this is an important topic for us to understand and address.

On this rebroadcasted episode of The Bubble Hour we dig into the nature of a codependency and discuss how we can “detach with love” so that we can enjoy healthy, happy relationships with our loved ones.

Listen below, or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes:

Special Guest - Mary Killian, Author of "The Roustabout Heart: Adventures in Recovery"

We are excited to have Mary Killian, author of "The Roustabout Heart: Adventures in Recovery" as a special guest on our show!  We talk to her about her addiction/recovery journey, what her life is like today, and discuss her amazing book! 

More about Mary:

She loves talking about her recovery. It's her favorite topic in the whole world. Being sober is the most important thing in her life. All the other neat stuff she knows and enjoys depends on this commitment. She has wonderful friends, a solid marriage and a happy, healthy family. She believes in her heart that she deserve these privileges. Her relationship with God is strong and beautiful. She's got dreams and goals. These are all huge developments.

She's okay with letting folks know the details of her experience.She likes sharing her feelings. She is hopeful and proud of the person she is becoming.

Find Mary on the interwebs here: 

www.marykillian.com (Website)

www.highwiregirl.com (New blog)

www.highwiregirl.blogspot.com (Old blog)

www.theroustaboutheart.com (Book)

Listen below, or follow the tab above to subscribe to our podcast: 

Speaker/Discussion "Meeting" With Tammy L.

In recovery meetings it is common practice for one person to share their experience, strength and hope and then to pick a recovery topic for the group to discuss. We have recreated that concept here on The Bubble Hour. Hearing that there are other people just like us...with the same experiences, thoughts and feelings is revolutionary.  Tune in to this episode to hear our guest Tammy L. share her story and our discussion following her share. 

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Early Sobriety - Am I Ever Going To Feel Better?

For the month of August the co-hosts of The Bubble Hour are taking a break to refresh, renew and focus on our own self-care.  We will be back in mid-September with a fresh new format!  Until then, we are re-broadcasting some of our most popular and informative episodes.

Early sobriety can be challenging in many ways - lots of ups and downs and experiencing emotions for the first time without the numbing effects of alcohol.  On this episode we discuss tools and tips for getting through those first few days, weeks and months of recovery.

Listen to the show through the widget below, or follow the information in the tab above to subscribe to our podcast: 

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Rebroadcast: "It's Not Just A Drinking Disease, It's A Thinking Disease" (and an announcement)

ANNOUNCEMENT:

In order to protect our own "bubbles", the co-hosts of The Bubble Hour are taking the month of August to refresh, renew and focus on balance and self-care.  We will resume in mid-September with a fresh new format!

Until then, we will be rebroadcasting some of our most popular and/or informative episodes.  Last Sunday was a rebroadcast of our show:  "It's Not Just A Drinking Disease, It's A Thinking Disease".

Getting sober isn't just about putting down the drink or the drugs, it's also about understanding the way our brains work, how we think, how we process.  

In this episode we talk about how we cultivate awareness of our thought patterns, and learn how to change the way we think so we can continue to grow and learn in recovery.

Listen through the widget below, or click on the tab above to subscribe to our podcast:

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

The Truth About Honesty In Recovery

When we are drinking, we may find ourselves mired in dishonesty. This can be subtle or extreme. We may try to cover up our drinking and tell lies or exaggerations to avoid consequences, responsibility, or conflict. Dishonesty is at the root of denial including telling ourselves we can safely drink when we have evidence to the contrary. Lying may even become a habit as we hide from our addiction to cover up our true mental and emotional health to protect our ego, reputation, self image.

Choosing sobriety may be the first truly honest thing we've done in awhile. On this episode, we will be talking about how honesty has shaped our recovery, the choices we have to make to get and stay sober, how our definitions of honesty have evolved, and how dishonesty figures into the 11 stages of relapse if we let it.

Join us on Sunday, June 28, 2015, as we get honest and help each other stay honest as a core function of our sobriety.

Listen below, or follow the instructions in the tab above to subscribe to our podcast!

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Increased Alcoholism Rates Post Gastric Bypass Surgery

Sunday March 29, 2015 - Increased Alcoholism Rates Post Gastric Bypass Surgery

In 2012 a study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that reports the percentage of patients abusing alcohol increased from 7.6% to 9.6% two years after gastric bypass surgery - potentially creating 2,000 alcoholics every year in the US.

There is more than one theory on why this occurs.  Some say it is addiction transfer: a patient switches an addiction to food to an addiction to alcohol.  More recent evidence suggests an anatomical explanation - metabolic and hormonal changes triggered by gastric bypass surgery that leave patients especially vulnerable to alcoholism.  Maybe it is both - or neither?  The truth is nobody is 100% sure of why alcoholism rates increase post surgery.

If you are struggling with alcoholism post-surgery, however, the reason why may not be as relevant as what to do about it.  There are unique challenges that face people whose alcoholism may be attributed to gastric bypass surgery, and on this episode of the Bubble Hour we will discuss this startling trend.  We will share more information about why experts feel this increased vulnerability to alcoholism occurs, and speak with special guest Jessica about her own experience with gastric bypass surgery, alcoholism and recovery.

We are also excited to welcome Diane Grimaldi, DNP, PMHCS, BC as a guest on the show and an expert on this issue.

Diane started her psychotherapy practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1984 after receiving her Masters Degree in Adult Mental Health Nursing from Boston College and becoming a board certified Clinical Specialist in Psychiatric Nursing. 

In 2014 she received a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.  For more information about Diane and her practice please visit www.grimaldicounseling.com.

Listen to the show below, or follow the link at the too of the page for how to subscribe to oi

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Special Guest: Lori Butterfield, Director of the Documentary, Lipstick & Liquor

A cold December day. A mystery unfolds. Thirty-nine year old Julie Kroll stumbles away from a minor car accident, leaving behind her eight year old daughter...and an open container of alcohol. As darkness descends, she disappears.

This is the opening of Lipstick & Liquor, a documentary which explores the rise in alcoholism amongst women. As Julie's story unfolds, the film introduces us to four women who tell their recovery story. Lipstick & Liquor seeks to shake off the stigma associated with women alcoholics and to provide understanding and insight into the effort to stay sober.

Join us on this episode for a discussion with the director of Lipstick & Liquor, Lori Butterfield, as she shares about the making of the movie and her journey in understanding the disease of alcoholism and the stigma around it. 

Lori is an Emmy Award-willing producer, director and writer whose credits include television programming for National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet, Travel Channel and Discovery’s Science Channel. Lori has been working in production for more than twenty years, traveling to 50 countries on six continents.  Lori spent a combined decade working at National Geographic and Discovery Networks, with prior experience at Australia’s Seven Network and the news operations of CNN and Headline News. Lori is currently serving as Senior Vice President, Creative Content & Development at Home Front Communications, a full-service communications firm with expertise in digital media, interactive web services, content and broadcast.

You can learn more about the film on their website: http://lipstickandliquor.com/ or watch the trailer below:

To listen to this episode please click on the widget below:

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Interventions: What They Are, Who Needs One, And How To Do Them

On this episode, we will talk about interventions:  what they are, who needs one, and how to go about doing one.

When a loved one is struggling with an active addiction, it is an exremely powerless and oftentimes hopeless feeling. Because the symptoms of the disease of addiction are behavioral as well as physical, and denial is such a huge component of the disease as well, it is difficult (if not impossible) to reason with an active alcoholic/addict.  Many people turn to an intervention to get help for an addict who is not able to break the cycle of addiction.  

But where to start?  On this episode we will walk through the steps of an intervention, as well as provide advice on what works, and what doesn't.  We will talk about ways a family can be helpful to an active addict, both with an intervention and in general, share our own personal experiences with interventions, and talk to a nationally certified recovery coach.

Please tune in to this informative episode!  

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Speaker Discussion "Meeting" with Lisa N. (Co-Founder and Former Co-Host of The Bubble Hour)

In recovery meetings it is common practice for one person to share their experience, strength and hope and then to pick a recovery topic for the group to discuss. We thought it would be great to recreate that concept here on The Bubble Hour. Hearing that there are other people just like us...with the same experiences, thoughts and feelings is revolutionary.  Our featured guest on this show is a voice many of you will recognize - Lisa N., one of the founders and former Co-Host of The Bubble Hour. 

Listen through the widget below, or follow the link above to subscribe to our podcast to hear our guest Lisa N's story and our discussion. 

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio

Holiday Survival Guide for People in Recovery

The months of December through January are a hectic time of year that are chock full of stress, expectation and temptation. It can be a particularly challenging time of year for people in recovery, especially early recovery, as we can feel vulnerable and be blindsided by triggers and cravings. Even people with long term sobriety can find themselves susceptible to the pressures of this busy time of year.  It is a time for us to prioritize self-care so we don't become complacent.  Preparedness is the KEY to surviving the holidays with our sobriety (and our sanity) intact!

On this episode of The Bubble Hour, we discussed the difference in strategies required depending on one’s stage of recovery.

Check Out Lifestyle Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Bubble Hour on BlogTalkRadio