The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

Just a little programming note Today as I record this, which is April 23 2025, I am celebrating 31 years of sobriety! Im going to record a solo episode in a few days to talk about some of the things I learned this year, and some projects Im working on to better service you, the listener, and my private clients. So stay tuned for that! If you want to help me celebrate this milestone, I would be so grateful for a review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The debate around the use of medications in recovery has been going on for decades, if not longer. With the development of new drugs that treat detox, cravings, anxiety, depression and trauma, its easy to get confused when trying to decide if medications are right for you. Today I have invited Dr. Eric Arzubi, a medical doctor and Psychiatrist to join me as we discuss evidence-based medications, why there is so much stigma around needing them, and how the impact of childhood trauma could be affecting you in adulthood. We also talk about the ACE quiz ( adverse childhood experiences) that you can take for free and how to use the results. Ill leave a link to the quiz in the show notes at odaatchat.com If you find this episode helpful, please share it with your friends. The more we educate our support network the stronger we become as a community. So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think! =J

Hey Friend, thank you for downloading the episode, my name is Arlina and Ill be your host. On April 23 I will be celebrating 31 years of continuous sobriety. Its always a time for reflection and as I look back, I want to share the top 3 things that have been key in maintaining my sobriety. The first is that I have made sobriety my number 1 priority. It comes before my husband, my job, and even my kids. I know that if I dont take care of my mental and emotional well being, that my sobriety could become vulnerable, and thats a risk Im just not willing to take. Theres an old saying that no matter how far down the road you go, youre still the same distance from the ditch. I am very clear that I cannot drink like a normal person, despite how long Ive been sober. Sobriety is the foundation of this life I love so much. Another component to my sobriety has been community. I have surrounded myself with other people who also have made sobriety their number 1 priority. Theres an idea called the contagion theory, that was developed by researchers at Harvard. It says we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. We tend to adopt the beliefs and habits of the people we spend the most time with. And lastly, maybe most importantly is something I dont think I talk about enough, which is the role that spirituality plays in my life. Im pretty allergic to anything religious, so thats not what Im talking about. I mean no disrespect to religious people if that works for you. I just needed to come to an understanding of what it means to connect to a God of my understanding, which in short is universal law but also a power rooted in love. I have had spiritual experiences that were so profound, theres no other way to explain them. They actually happen so frequently in the recovery community we often refer to them as God Shots. They are like little reminders that we are not alone, and there is a greater power working in our loves. If you have had a spiritual experience that youd like to share, just leave a comment on the blog at odaatchat.com or you can DM me on Instagram at arlinaallen And as always, if you find yourself in need of support along your sobriety journey, please reach out to me to find out if sober coaching is right for you. Just visit soberlifeschool.com and book a no obligation call. Today I have a special guest, Andrea Seydel who is the author of Recovery Without Rock Bottom Reclaim Your life From Addictive Behavior. She is also the host of the super popular, Saving You Is Killing Me Podcast. Andrea shares how living with an addict led her to a very dark place of self-doubt, and shame that nearly cost her everything. I dont think we talk enough about how destructive addiction is for the family members, so today is an attempt to rectify that. And honestly, I dont think I know a single person in recovery who hasnt suffered from codependency to some degree so this will be a helpful episode for all involved. So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Andrea. =J

Today I am speaking with Author and Yoga Teacher Bryan Hyman. He will be sharing his experience with addiction, the catalyst to his recovery, and his book, Recovery With Yoga Supportive Practices For Transcending Addiction. Before we jump in, Id like to introduce a new segment - Sobriety Shorts A bite sized bit of wisdom and an action step to move you deeper into your recovery journey. Today Id like to talk about The Sobriety Drift. Its what happens when the motivation from emotional pain starts to subside and we start to skip on the action steps that help us feel better. Its happened to me many times. I get super willing out of desperation to do all the self-care like step work, meditation, journaling, exercise&all that stuff. Then voila&I start feeling better! Mood follows action. Cause and effect come into play and I start getting comfortable. Maybe Im tired or pressed for time, and I think Im going to skip my meditation or my journaling and before you know it, days or weeks pass by and I havent done my self care. This is the sobriety drift. Its so subtle I dont even realize its happening until BAM! Something happens to throw me off course and Im back to feeling totally dysregulated. Whats going on under the surface is that I am taking action motivated by a temporary fuel source - fear of pain. Which actually isnt a bad motivator to get you going, but we need to switch to a more sustainable source of motivation mid flight. That would be community, accountability, and routine. We are way more likely to do self care if there is someone else watching or depending on us to do things with them. Like having an exercise buddy, going to self help meetings with friends and doing service work. All of these things provide a more sustainable source for motivation, it encourages self discipline and ultimately keeps you on the straight and narrow. Id love to hear your thoughts on what keeps you on the path, so leave a comment on the website at odaatchat.com or email me at arlina @soberlifeschool.com or DM me on IG at Arlinaallen. If you find this helpful, please share it with a friend! The hardest part about growing a podcast is getting the word out, so if you know someone who loves sobriety, let them know about us! So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think! =J

Hey Friend, in case youre new here, my name is Arlina and Ill be your host. Today youll hear from my friends Lane Kennedy andamp; Tamar Medford, as we discuss their new book Sobriety for Dummies. And in case you had the same reaction to the book title as I did, dont worry, I totally asked them about it. But before we jump in& I just wanted to share something that comes up for a lot of us in recovery, which is seeking external validation andamp; people pleasing. These are actually very common coping mechanisms that develop in childhood. When were growing up, we are dependent on the adults in our lives to take care of our physical and emotional needs. So if you grew up in a home where your needs were not met or the adults were dysfunctional, then we learn to deny our own needs in ways that appease our parents to get our needs met. This can lead to over achieving behaviors, people pleasing, codependency, and a heavy reliance on external validation. What this means is that we have a tough time recognizing and validating our own needs, wants and feelings. I actually wrote an article sharing my experience of how I am healing my own need for validation with some practical tips on how to let go of old destructive habits that I think youll enjoy. You can find the article at odaatchat.com. And in the spirit of cultivating a sense of self-love, follow me on IG for a free 30 day self-love challenge. Just do a search on Arlina Allen. So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Lane and Tamar. =J

Okay friends, buckle up because this is going to be a wild ride! Frank Parisi is going to share his story about growing up around organized crime, violence, and drug addiction. He has such an interesting story, but I gotta tell you, he has amazing energy and really such incredible passion for life! Hes going to tell the story of how he got a heart transplant, and all Im going to say, is get out the tissues cuz its a tear jerker. Before we jump in, I want to share an idea that has really helped me on my journey of recovery that I share with my coaching clients all the time. Its that we only allow into our lives, what we believe we deserve on a subconscious level. I want to stress the subconscious part because our limiting beliefs are actually hidden from our conscious awareness. Thats why you struggle with relapse, or have unhealthy relationships or you find yourself in self-sabotage mode. All these things are evidence of low self-esteem. The good news is I have a solution for you. I would like to invite you to follow me on IG @arlinaallen for a free 30 day self-esteem challenge. Every day I will post a simple task or suggestion to help you build your self-worth. If you take consistent action, I can assure you that you will raise the level of your self esteem, and make progress towards feeling more peace and ease in your life. Also, I would just like to say thank you to the supporters of the podcast, your donations are what makes it possible for me to run the podcast without ads. If you are enjoying the podcast, I would be so grateful if you made a donation. Just visit odaatchat.com and under the tiny little home button at the top, there will be a dropdown menu where you can select donation. Any amount will help, and it allows the message of recovery to be distributed in 84 countries. If you cant make a donation, you can still support the podcast by leaving a 5 star review in the podcast app that youre listening on. It helps increase our rankings and spread the message of hope to those who need it most. Heres how to leave a review https //odaatchat.com/index.php/podcast/ Thats it for announcements! Please enjoy this inspiring episode with Frank Parisi. Connect with Frank https //frank-parisi.com =J

Today I am joined by Alexis, a former coaching client who came to me for support as she was struggling to stay sober. She was dealing with a ton of stress as a business owner, and loads of guilt as a mother. We also talked about the root causes of being an overachiever, struggling with perfectionism, alcoholism, and workaholism. And as always, we talk a lot about the insights, tools and practices that have helped her to stay sober and heal her relationships. Ill just warn you up front that towards the end we talk about a naked womens retreat she went on in Italy, and Ill just say, we had a good laugh. I think you will too. Before we jump in, have you ever been curious about self-hypnosis for things like sobriety, self-esteem and self-worth? If so, then check out the one day at a time youtube channel. I have been creating free videos that will help you to raise your self-esteem, let go of guilt and shame so that you can be free to reach your full potential. There is a link to the YouTube channel in the show notes or just search for The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast. Im releasing new recordings weekly, so be sure to subscribe! So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Alexis =J

Financial Insecurity is something that plagues all of us. And it doesnt seem to matter how much money you actually have. Its the fear of not having enough or losing what you have that shows up in a myriad of ways. So today Ive invited my friend Gary Menkes back to have the conversation around financial insecurity. Hes a Wall Street guy who also happens to be in long term sobriety. We are going to talk about some of the root causes, and more importantly, some of the solutions that will result in dissolving some of that fear. Be sure to stay to the end for a little mini course on how to manifest. Ill share the same techniques I used to book big guests like Elizabeth Gilbert and how I tripled my income one year. But before we jump in, if you have been trying to quit drinking and you feel like you just cant seem to stay stopped, then you might consider sober coaching. I have a program called Make Sobriety Stick that will help you work through some of those hidden obstacles, incorporate tools that help you manage stress and drinking triggers, and give you a personalized plan for success. I am not able to take a ton of clients but do have a couple of spots open. If youre sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, book a free strategy call to see if coaching is right for you. Just visit makesobrietystick.com So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think! Connect with Gary here https //thebeginagainpodcast.com/ Instagram https //www.instagram.com/thebeginagainpodcast/ =J

Sobriety is not about becoming someone different, it about becoming your authentic self This is a quote from my conversation with Michaela, the co-host of 2 Sober Girls Podcast and Coach, focusing on wellness and sobriety. We discuss sobriety, manifestation, and lots of tools that will support you on your recovery journey. I absolutely adore Michaela and I know you will too! And speaking of tools for recovery, if you are thinking of taking a break from drinking, I would like to invite you to download a free guide 30 tips for your first 30 days. It has all my best tips in there on how to prepare before you start, how to talk to your friends and family, how to prevent cravings, and what to do when you get one. The funny thing is, we all face a lot of the same challenges in the beginning, and what I know for sure, is that theres a path around every obstacle. If I can do it, so can you. This guide will show you how. You can get instant access by visiting soberlifeschool.com So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think! =J

A lot of people with addiction have underlying childhood trauma, but thats not always the case. Today Im speaking with Nick Padlo. He is a military veteran who spent 27 months in combat between Afghanistan and Iraq. He went on to attend Stanford University and is now the CEO of Sophros Recovery. In his recent TedTalk, he made the case that we shouldnt have to become an alcoholic in order to learn valuable coping skills, but thats exactly what happened. I really appreciated Nicks vulnerability in sharing his darkest hour. I know that there are people listening who will deeply relate to his story. But before we jump in, if you or someone you know is struggling to get sober, please consider getting a copy of The 12 Step Guide for Skeptics Clearing Up Common Misconceptions of a path to sobriety. It will provide context and perspectives to move you past common obstacles to the 12 steps. Its a guide that will help you get into the recovery mindset in a way that will allow you to get all the benefits of 12 steps without any of the nonsense. You can order it through Amazon. So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think! =J

Every once in a while I get off an interview and think wow, its a miracle how some people can survive their childhoods. This was one of those conversations. Please note that this may be triggering to those with childhood trauma, and Michael does not shy away from the F-bomb. Michael shares his story of growing up with a mother who was not only an addict, but extremely abusive in many ways. His step father was violent and regularly traumatized him and his siblings as well. All throughout his childhood Michael endured the worst kinds of abuse, which led to addiction, but something happened. Through a series of events Michael took control of his life and not only turned his life around, but he has now dedicated his life to helping others through a very popular podcast, multiple books, and a very successful coaching practice. This is a very powerful episode of overcoming the odds, and offers hope that no matter what happened in your past, you can turn pain into purpose. So without further delay, please enjoy this episode, and let me know what you think! =J