Episode 14: Vulnerabilty and Recovery

Quick - what does the word 'vulnerability' mean to you? Does it have positive or negative connotations for you?  Or both?

The dictionary defines vulnerability as this:  "the inability to withstand the effects of a hostile environment".  Other definitions include: "reduced defensive measures" or "susceptible to physical or emotional attack".

Doesn't sound so good, right?

So why is vulnerability such a cornerstone to recovery? How do we navigate its potentially treacherous waters?  Why is it so pivotal?

Listen Lisa, Amanda and Ellie, co-hosts of The Bubble Hour, as we have an open (and, yes, vulnerable) conversation about the topic of vulnerability.   

Through the power of story and shared experience, we discuss what vulnerability means to us, and 
how it continues to evolve for us as women in recovery from alcoholism.

Listen through the widget below, or subscribe to our podcast through the link on the right hand sidebar (or read how in the tab above):

 

 

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Episode 13 - Special Guest Courtney Webster, CPCC, ACC

As the founder of Your Recovered Life, Courtney is passionate about working with clients in recovery from addiction to produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, and businesses in a way that connects to the heart and soul. 

“I’m sober and I’ve got my life back together but NOW WHAT?” - this is where second stage recovery and Your Recovered Life kicks in, and the arena where Courtney excels. Her clients are hungry and driven to make a second chance count. 

Drawing on over a decade in the world of recovery, with an acute and compassionate understanding of the desire to find one’s calling, a killer sense of humor and the knowledge that what she is doing is making a difference, Courtney is coaching clients to where what was once an impossible dream is now a reality. For individuals in earlier recovery, she facilitates coaching groups for treatment centers and sober living homes. 

Courtney received her Certified Professional Co-Active Coach training and certification from the Coaches Training Institute, and is an Associate Credentialed Coach through The International Coach Federation. In previous lives Courtney was the top sales queen for the best hotels and resorts in the world, an internet expert on late-night TV, the coordinator for more reality sports shows than she can remember, and a producer for a documentary series on HBO that might make you blush. 

Please come listen to our discussion with Courtney about the 'next chapter' in recovery: you're staying sober one day at a time, working a program of recovery, and you're feeling a need to find or follow your passion.  Recovery presents opportunities that would never have been possible when we were actively drinking or using, but it can be difficult to find your way, even sober.  Sometimes there are "shadow voices" that plague us; feeling of doubt, shame, insecurity or unworthiness. Or perhaps it's been so long since we've chased a dream that we need help and support figuring out next steps.  Sometimes we feel a sense of guilt that being sober is supposed to be enough, and that we shouldn't reach for more, fearing our sobriety could be in jeopardy.  Courtney has spent years helping people understand that both are possible: healthy sobriety and finding and/or reaching your heart's dreams.

To listen to the show, click on the widget below, or follow our podcast through the link on our right hand sidebar: 

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For more information on Courtney, please go to her website at Your Recovered Life.

Episode 12: Let's Talk About Rehab!

Thinking of going to rehab?  Wonder what it might be like?  How you get in? Whether or not you need to go? What to expect once you're there?

Co-Hosts Amanda and Ellie discuss their own experiences going to detox and/or rehab, answer the questions above, and also discuss the common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, the difference between inpatient and out patient rehab, the difference between a detox and a rehab, and more.

Please note:  we are not addiction therapists, counselor or medical professionals.  The information we share on the show is based on our collective experiences only.  If you are concerned about your drinking or think you may need a detox or rehab facility please contact your physician, go to an emergency room or seek professional help.

We are also honored to have four women who shared their experiences with rehab, detox, interventions, and other alcohol education programs.


Listen to the show through the widget below, or click on the link on our right hand sidebar (on the picture) to subscribe to our podcast:

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Episode 11: Sacha Z. Scoblic, Author of Unwasted: My Lush Sobriety

Sacha Z. Scoblic is a writer and editor. She is the author of Unwasted: My Lush Sobriety, which is based on her popular essays for The New York Times blog “Proof: Alcohol and American Life.” 

Currently, Sacha is a Rosalynn Carter fellow for mental health journalism through the Carter Center in Atlanta. Among other things, she writes about mental health, addiction, and pop fiction. Sacha is a columnist at The Fix, where she tackles the science of addiction, and a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post. She is also a contributing editor at The New Republic. 

Formerly a senior editor at Reader’s Digest, Sacha has written about everything from space camp to pulp fiction. 

She lives with her husband, Peter; son, Theodore; and terrier, SciFi, in Washington, DC.

We were thrilled to have her as a guest on our show! Come listen to our funny, down-to-earth and informative conversation with Sacha about everything from how to know if you've hit bottom, to how to handle social situations sober, to how relationships change and evolve in sobriety.  

If you want to subscribe to our podcast, click on the link (on the picture) on our right hand sidebar.  

Or, listen through the widget below: 

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Episode 10 - Special Guest Andrea Owen from Your Kick-Ass Life

Listen to a lively, fun and informative conversation with Andrea Owen, sober woman, life coach and author of the blog Your Kick Ass Life.

Andrea's bio:

Life coach. Mom. Writer. Roller Derby Rebel. Hellraiser. She is passionate about empowering women to value themselves and fiercely love who they are.

She helps women get what they want by managing their inner-critic, leveraging the Law of Attraction and stepping into their own kick-ass version of themselves. You can learn more at www.yourkickasslife.com.

Andrea, Lisa and Ellie discuss Andrea's story of alcoholism and recovery, with a focus on people with "high bottoms", like Andrea, who make the decision to get sober before they have a lot of external losses, but who are still every bit an alcoholic as people with "low bottoms".   

We discuss some of the signs and symptoms we saw in our own drinking that led us to understand we had a growing problem.  Even though our drinking stories aren't the same, our feelings are so similar, which is a common phenomenon people find in recovery - that they aren't alone and that there are many, many people understand exactly how they feel.

We also talk about some issues that revolve around motherhood and sobriety, shame, guilt and facing down the stigma of alcoholism.  

Thank you, Andrea, for being such a lively, funny, compassionate, loving voice of sobriety!  We are so grateful to have you on our show!

Listen to Episode 10 on the widget below, or click on the picture in the right hand sidebar to subscribe/listen to The Bubble Hour's Podcast.

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Episode 9 - Special Guest Sarah Allen Benton, Author of "Understanding the High Functioning Alcoholic"

Episode 9:  Special Guest Sarah Allen Benton, Author of "Understanding the High Functioning Alcoholic"

Sarah Allen Benton

Sarah Allen Benton is author of the book, 'Understanding the High Functioning Alcoholic' , and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and therapist at McLean Hospital in MA.

She has been featured in a NY Times article by Jane Brody, has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS Early Show, NPR, is a blogger for PsychologyToday.com and more.

Sarah is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober since February of 2004. She gives lectures and trainings on the topic of high-functioning alcoholics at colleges, boarding schools, and at professional conferences including Harvard’s Treating the Addictions.

Please visit her website The High Functioning Alcoholic for more information about Sarah, her book and additional resources.

In this episode Sarah tells a bit of her own story of alcoholism and recovery, and answers questions about High Functioning Alcoholism, including how to define it, what common personality traits and drinking patters are found with high functioning alcoholics, and steps people who fit this description can find ways to get help.

A very informative episode, and we thank Sarah for her time, and for being such a valuable resource in helping educate us all about this aspect of what is a confounding disease for so many.

Listen to this episode here (or click on the picture in our sidebar to subscribe to our iTunes Podcast):

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Episode 8 - The Power of Truth and Story - Shame and Alcoholism

One major issue that keeps people stuck in the cycle of alcoholism, even when they know they have a problem, or a niggling doubt that their drinking is getting worse, is SHAME.

On this episode we heard from six women who are brand new to sobriety, have had more than one Day One recently, but who are still out there swinging, talking to people, becoming part of community, and telling their story - bravely - to offer hope to others and to help heal themselves.

The antidote to shame is truth.

Through the power of story we share our truths; we're not trying to give answers, or how-to's.   They are sharing their stories to demonstrate that the only thing anyone can do wrong is not try at all, not reach out for help, not love yourself enough to face their drinking head-on.

What we hear in their stories is the commonalities we face - some of the things we do when we're still drinking, the ways we try desperately to hide it from loved ones, from ourselves, and then the freedom and community we feel when we finally tell our stories, talk about our feelings and find people who understand. 

It doesn't matter what stage you're at with your own drinking.  If you're still drinking, wondering about your drinking, newly sober or been sober awhile; we ALL have something to contribute through the power of our truths.

A common theme we heard was that when we finally told our truth, whether it was to an online community, a real-life community, a friend or family member (or even a doctor), we felt a weight lift off our shoulders.  That is the weight of shame and secrecy.  

The old adage is true, that the truth will set you free. Our mission at The Bubble Hour is to provide stories to help people know they aren't alone; that there IS hope, and if you join a recovery community - either online or offline (or both .. see tab above for resources) you will feel a PART OF, instead of stuck and alone. 

Here's tonight's powerful episode: 

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