Listening to recovery podcasts can be a wonderful way to support your sobriety while you’re commuting, handling household chores, or exercising at the gym.
Listening to recovery podcasts can be a wonderful way to support your sobriety while you’re commuting, handling household chores, or exercising at the gym.About Podcasts
Podcasts are on-demand Internet radio programs that are generally either the monologue of a single speaker or a conversation between a host and one or more guest speakers. You can listen to podcasts on your smartphone, mp3 player, tablet, or the portable digital device of your choice. They can either be streamed over an active internet connection or downloaded to be enjoyed offline.
Podcasts are generally either free or available for a fee of about $1 per episode. This makes them a very affordable source of entertainment and informational content.
The most popular platforms for distributing podcasts are:
- iTunes
- Google Play
- Spotify
- Stitcher
- Soundcloud
Recovery Podcasts to Consider
A search for “recovery podcasts” or “sober podcasts” on your favorite platform will turn up a plethora of programs to consider. However, the following 10 free podcasts are often recommended by people in the recovery community.
Shane Ramer, CEO of Sober Guy Radio and Sober Guy Media, shares his recovery journey to inspire others who are looking for lasting sobriety. Both his parents were just 18 when he was born and struggled with alcohol abuse throughout his childhood. Shane began drinking in his teens, then continued to drink heavily to cope with the pressures of marriage and parenthood. Residential treatment in 2013 helped him get sober, although he firmly believes recovery is a work in progress.
Recent topics of The Sober Guy Podcast include understanding antidepressants in addiction treatment, how to work a 12-Step program, pulling emotional weeds, and how mindfulness can help in recovery. The program also features a wide range of guest speakers, such as former Papa Roach drummer Dave Buckner sharing his recovery story. If you’re new to the program, the free registration gives you access to newsletters, sobriety tips, and other recovery resources.
Hosted by David Condos, Recovery Unscripted shares valuable insights and powerful stories from authors, clinicians, executives, and leaders within the recovery community. This makes the podcast suitable for people in recovery as well as those with a loved one who has a substance use disorder.
Recent topics of note include the value of DBT in treating substance use disorders, the relationship between law enforcement and the recovery community, and a guide to neuro psychiatric care. New episodes are added weekly.
The Bubble Hour is a recovery-oriented podcast hosted by Jean McCarthy, who has been sober since 2011. Jean blogs about her own recovery at UnPickled. Her podcast interviews people in recovery to help break through the stigma of addiction, with the goal of building a safe and supportive recovery community.
The Bubble Hour tends to interview speakers who discuss how addiction uniquely affects
women. This may be helpful for women who feel as though their experiences aren’t adequately being portrayed in other podcast programs.
Far from Finished is a podcast emphasizing the idea that people in recovery can begin a new life for themselves, whether they identify as an overwhelmed mom who turns to alcohol to escape the pressure of parenthood or a perfectionist who uses Adderall and other stimulants to power through a never-ending list of things to do. If you’re struggling to uncover who you are without drugs or alcohol, this podcast provides plenty of food for thought.
Far from Finished aims to share individual stories that show change is always possible for those who are actively seeking a path to wellness. Gratitude, open-mindedness, and the value of giving back to others are common themes in many of the episodes.
5. The Way Out
The Way Out is a podcast focused on sharing personal stories of addiction and recovery. This includes tales of during to alcohol after a divorce, using drugs to handle the trauma of growing up in foster care, or turning to spirituality to begin recovery after hitting rock bottom.
Listeners are invited to contact host Charles LeVoir if they are interested in sharing their own personal story as part of an episode. If you wish, your last name can be omitted to protect your privacy.
SHAIR (Sharing Helps Addicts in Recovery) is an online community offering recovery coaching and peer-to-peer support. The SHAIR Podcast features interviews with men and women in recovery sharing their stories of addiction and what strategies they’ve used to stay sober.
Since no two people with a substance use disorder are exactly alike, you’ll find a diverse array of perspectives in this program. However, family, AA, a strong faith in God, and a creative outlet for expressing emotions are often cited as instrumental parts of the recovery process.
This podcast is produced by AfterParty Magazine and focuses on interviews with speakers in the entertainment industry—actors, writers, musicians, comedians, etc. Past guests have included celebrities such as Dr. Drew and Moby.
Listening to this podcast may be helpful if you need a reminder that addiction and mental illness do not discriminate. AfterPartyPod is a reminder that even celebrities can succumb to substance abuse.
8. Sober Speak
If Alcoholics Anonymous has been a vital source of support for your recovery, the Sober Speak podcast may become a favorite program. This podcast features interviews with AA members about how they’re working the 12-Steps in their own lives and what they’ve learned about overcoming challenges to long-term sobriety.
Sober Speak also occasionally features discussions with Al-Anon members, so this might be a good podcast choice to listen to with loved ones who are supporting you in your recovery journey.
A common criticism of Alcoholics Anonymous is that the 12-Steps don’t resonate with people who don’t believe in God or organized religion. AA Beyond Belief is a community of agnostics who follow the 12-Steps in a secular way.
The AA Beyond Belief podcast covers issues related to the 12-Steps, as well as topics such as substitute addictions, mindfulness, creativity in recovery, and the value of friendship as a source of sober support.
Recovery Elevator is an online community for individuals seeking support for alcohol addiction. Paul Churchill, Tyrell Laurie, Mike Noll, and Maddy Laroya run the community based on their experiences in recovery or loving someone with a drinking problem.
The Recovery Elevator podcast shares individual recovery stories while attempting to answer common questions people have as they work towards building a successful sober life for themselves. For example, one episode attempts to answer the question “Is any amount of alcohol healthy?” while another asks “Is tracking continuous sobriety important?”
To learn more about SJI addiction treatment center in Pennsylvania, and our programs, please contact us at (814) 228-8881.
