Addiction Unlimited Podcast

Addiction Unlimited just turned 5! And to celebrate this journey that has been fulfilling and rewarding beyond my wildest dreams, I thought we would go back to day 1. At least once a week I get messages from people who are looking for episode zero, About Me. Keep in mind as you listen, my editing skills have come a long way, lol. This is Episode 0, About Me. I wanted to share some information about myself so you know who you are listening to and why I do what I do. In a nutshell, I got sober on January 7, 2006 after crashing my car at 70mph and hitting another car. That was my rock bottom moment. And, don't get things confused. My rock bottom moment was low, but I was high-functioning. Like many of you out there struggling, I could rationalize all the reasons I didn't need to quit drinking. I had a good job, I made a lot of money, I lived in a beautiful place with a super expensive car in the garage, and, from the outside, it looked like I had it all together. But that's the funny thing about 'rock bottom', people think rock bottom is an event, but it's really a feeling. So, I quit drinking and focused all my energy on building a new life. When I started to see all the changes happening to me and saw myself growing into an amazing sober, honest, upstanding person, I knew that all I wanted to do was help others get that same feeling of loving themselves, trusting themselves, and feeling proud of who they are becoming. I got certified as a Life Coach, I did a 2 year Addiction Counseling program, started building a practice as a Professional Interventionist, went to social work school, and worked full-time to achieve 6000 supervised hours for my counseling credentials in a neighboring state. My journey has taken a lot of twists and turns. I've struggled with self-esteem, relationships, money, food and weight issues on top of anxiety, workaholism, and a plethora of other things! I want to share with you all the things I've tried and all the mistakes I've made so I can tell you what works, and what doesn't. This episode is a brief insight into me, my quirks, and my love of f-bombs.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

Inner Critic Ongoing thoughts that are negative and critical create feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Did you get chills when you read that!? I definitely did, because I know that pain firsthand. Like most psychological things, that constant chatter in your head stems from early experiences with your primary caregivers. The good news is, you don't need to dig in to the nitty gritty right now to start making friends with that inner critic that always has so much to say. The committee, as I call it, plays a significant role in how you live your life, the choices you make, and how you feel about yourself. And that means, we have to coexist in a positive way! My guest today spent many years feeling lost and fulfilled. She thought she was living the dream with the husband, the kids, the job... but on the inside she was sinking. A high-stress lifestyle of work and diapers made her life unrecognizable and she slowly started to shut down. Feeling unfulfilled and listening to the inner critic telling her her husband didn't love her, she would dive deeper into work where she felt seen and successful, and straight into the arms of another man. Jill's rock bottom moment came crashing down and she had to make some tough choices. She got the happy ending, but it was at the end of a long and bumpy road. I know you can relate to that. Listen in to Jill's story of harsh realities, facing the consequences of her decisions, dealing with alcohol having front-row seat in her marriage, and taming that inner critic to get to the happy ending.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela for private Coaching: addictionunlimited.com/call Find Jill here: https://www.jilloboyle.com/   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

stages of relapse What if I told you that you could statistically increase your chances of living an alcohol-free life, even if you’re just getting started, or you’ve been struggling with staying sober? Well, today I have 3 proven steps to help you do exactly that, and these are the same steps you’ll use to get through each of the stages of relapse. If you're like me, and most of my clients, you know the struggle of trying to get and stay sober. And sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we fall back into our old patterns. So today, we're going to explore the three stages of relapse and how to fight against them. We'll take a look at how to recognize the signs, how to move through them, and how to come out on top. Things that may surprise you in this episode are: In stage one, you aren't actually even thinking about drinking High-risk situations can be hard to identify, but you'll have a clearer picture after this Bargaining! (I thought this was just one of the stages of grief!) So when you start to feel frustrated, stressed, or overwhelmed, it's important to understand where you are and take steps to manage your emotions and stress level. You might start to doubt yourself or feel like you can't handle the situation but I'm here to tell you, you absolutely can. And with the steps we talk about in this episode, you'll know exactly what you need to do to protect yourself and nourish your recovery.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Episode #79:  https://addictionunlimited.com/is-relapse-a-choice/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

finances I want to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart, and if you aren’t already thinking about this in your life and finding solutions, you’ll want to start after this conversation. This is a huge issue, not only in recovery, but for everyone. 63% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. And, most of us don’t have the know-how, the skills, or the confidence to not only get out of debt, but to properly manage the money we do have! From total avoidance, trying to pretend it’s not happening, to just plain irresponsibility and overspending – it will affect every area of your life.  Jobs, how you live, your dating and relationship life, keeping secrets, never letting friends too close because you don’t want them to know too much, how you keep family at a distance because you don’t want them to know yet another way you are falling short - it is a lot. So, when I came across my guest today, she got my attention immediately.  She is a financial Coach and she really gets that emotional attachment to money and how powerful it is in both negative and positive ways.  We’re going to talk about some practical money management strategies, and some emotional connections to money. Understanding your relationship to money, what motivates you and what makes you anxious- and how to start fixing it when your finances are out of control.    Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call Find Sarah here:  https://www.facebook.com/SarahRollerFinancial   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

Emotional Intelligence Today we're talking about some limitations. You know those habits you have that turn a conversation into a fight, or, make you avoid a conversation altogether because you know it won’t go well – the kind of traits that you absolutely need to develop and strengthen to improve every area of your life, but that aren’t so fun to talk about. When I think about fun in my life, I think about travel, and friends, my family, and my businesses and all the amazing and cool things. I don’t necessarily think about these traits, although these traits I’m going to lay out for you today are absolutely essential in your personal growth and the growth of your relationships. Both at home, and at work. I have grown so much in my emotional intelligence over the years and these skills have made my life so much better and easier! Now, let’s dig into emotional intelligence so you can make your feelings more manageable, and continue building yourself into a person you love and respect. Just to give you an idea of how important this topic is, check this out- A 40-year study at UC Berkeley reported that emotional intelligence is nearly 4 times more powerful than IQ at predicting success. So, what exactly is emotional intelligence, or EQ? What does it mean to be emotionally mature? Emotional maturity means having the self-control to manage your emotions and work to understand them. As an emotionally mature individual, you don't view emotions as a weakness. Instead, you value them and don't try to hide them. There are five key elements to EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. We're going break them down one by one.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

Some of you may be aware of another program we talk about in recovery, or, another struggle many of us have, and that’s being the adult child of an alcoholic/addict or being an adult child from a dysfunctional family. And for those of you who aren’t familiar… growing up with these circumstances leaves wounds and scars and trauma. And we carry all of that into our adult life, it shapes how we interact in the world, how we choose partners, and the patterns we repeat over and over again. My guest today, Andrea Ashley, talks about these topics in such a simple and refreshing way I couldn’t wait to get her on the show! She is the host of the Adult Child Podcast, and some of the topics I want to get into today is the ‘convincing’ she talks about, as well as how being an adult child affects our dating and mating lives. Picking and dating emotionally unavailable people, You know this topic hits close to home for me, my friend, so buckle up and get ready for some TMI. I also want to cover some of the common characteristics of growing up in this type of environment, what that looks like, and how we can heal. Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call Find Andrea here:  IG:  @adultchildpod ACA Laundry List: https://adultchildren.org/literature/laundry-list/   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

self care routine If you are a human being with a beating heart, you’re going to want to take notes with this episode because this topic is a game-changer! And you know how I love to come at things from a different angle so we are talking about this in a way that no one else is talking about it. We all know the importance of taking care of ourselves, you hear it everywhere, the buzzwords… self-care. You hear the catch phrase, ‘you have to put your oxygen mask on first’, but how many of you are actually taking the time to put this into your daily life practice? Are you really taking care of yourself? Because, if you’re anything like me, and most of my clients, your life is busy. You have a big job, a family, a partner, a house- and all the responsibilities that come with it. And, usually, we get so caught up in all the things and getting the to-do list done and keeping the kids alive another day that everything gets prioritized over your self. I hear you saying it, “I should start exercising” “I should spend more time with my friends or build new friendships” “I really want to travel more” … you are saying all the things… but when do you make it a priority to take care of you? I want you to feel happier in your daily life and be more present with your family and feel more confident in yourself and your abilities. So today, we’re talking to Dr. Melissa Durfey , aka The Self-Care Doc, all about taking everyday things and making them self-care rituals. This is essential to your overall health and quality of life - it affects how you think, feel, how you act and respond to situations. AND, when it comes to mental health, self-care can help people manage stress, lower their risk of illness and increase energy levels. What I’m saying is… it’s kind of a big deal. Get in your favorite podcast-listening position, my friend, and let it alllll sink in! Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call Dr. Melissa Durfey: https://www.myselfcaredoc.com/   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

quitting sugar If you’re looking for inspiration to get more energy, lose some extra pounds, get rid of your achy joints, improve your skin and digestion… you’ve come to the right place! If you're anything like me, you want to live a healthier lifestyle and make good choices for yourself and your family. And being a bit of a perfectionist leaves you feeling overwhelmed and totally confused by all the conflicting information in the diet culture.  You want the health benefits of intermittent fasting, you love the idea of being sugar-free and eating clean, but you struggle to actually give up your favorite comfort foods and, let’s face it, who wants to give up sugar?!? No matter how strong, smart, and educated you are… this stuff is HARD.  With all the eat this, don’t eat that, intermittent fast, drink a gallon of water a day, no carbs, no sugar, go vegan, eat paleo, exercise, high-protein, high-fat… it’s so hard to know where to start and what’s right for you.  And when you reach a breaking point, much like I did, you are humble enough to know you need some support and guidance to change your habits, make healthier choices, and feel better.  My guest today is Netta Gorman. And her passion is to inspire you to live a happy and healthy sugar-free life that you love! On this episode, Netta is going to share with you how making these changes brought her a life of freedom: freedom from cravings energy crashes from that love-hate relationship with sugar from all the health issues she had Buckle up, my friend! We’re getting down and dirty about clean eating!   Links mentioned in this episode:  Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call Netta Gorman: https://www.instagram.com/mylifeaftersugar/   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”

Learn how to develop healthy coping skills to deal with uncomfortable feelings and stress. Discover the importance of pausing and thinking before reacting. Explore different coping strategies for managing emotional responses. Find out how movement and positive solutions can help with uncomfortable feelings. Also, get tips on managing anxiety and improving decision-making.

relapse When you make a BIG mistake, pull up your bootstraps, get scrappy, and use it as a learning experience. Have you ever made a hasty mistake in your personal development journey that had the potential to be a disaster? I definitely have. In fact, I think back to the night I realized I had no control over my drinking. I had to see my probation officer the next morning and decided I would have just one drink while I took my dog for a walk after work. Next thing I know, it’s 5 in the morning, I’m drunk, and my appointment was at 10. I was angry at myself, in shock that I really couldn’t stop drinking once I started, and I didn’t know what to do about it. But here’s the thing that I couldn’t see at that time: Making those kind of mistakes, like the one I made years ago, are necessary -- no matter how much you think you know and how careful you think you’re being. You have to muster some strength, channel your inner bad*ss, and use the experience as an opportunity to learn. That’s what my guest on this episode (and 6 week course alumni!), Debbie McKillop, did when she had that moment of clarity that she had to stop drinking once and for all. Some people fall apart under the pressure of a sober future, but Debbie did the exact opposite. Instead of beating herself up and falling to pieces, she immediately got into action and figured out how to use this frightening momentum to her advantage. And guess what? She went on to rebuild a sober life that is happier than ever before... Yes, you heard me right. In this episode, Debbie shares her story of how she used the experience of relapse, to better herself as a mom, wife, and daughter, plus exactly what she did to get the fun and supportive sobriety we all want. She also shares: Her major a-ha moment when she realized she couldn’t moderate her drinking and needed to quit 100%. The things about recovery she wished she would have known from the beginning. What she plans to do next to take her sober life to the next level. This is a great listen for anyone, no matter where you are in your sobriety – and I know you’ll find Debbie as inspiring as I do.   Links mentioned in this episode:  Sober Vacation: https://addictionunlimited.com/earlybird Join the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited Book A Call With Angela: addictionunlimited.com/call   Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Angela & Addiction Unlimited Podcast.”