Real Recovery Talk

Latest Episodes:

608: The Framework Every Family With an Addict Needs to Hear Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction? Schedule a FREE consultation call! https://calendly.com/realrecoverytalk/free-consultation-with-real-recovery-talk-team

If you have a loved one struggling with addiction, you've probably tried everything. You've pleaded. You've set ultimatums. You've researched treatment centers at 2am. And nothing seems to actually move the needle. In this episode, Tom and Ben break down a simple, 5-part framework — one originally used in the business world — that gives family members a clear, practical way to evaluate every decision, request, and boundary that comes up when a loved one is struggling with addiction. What you'll learn in this episode: How to tell the difference between a reasonable request and one that's setting you up for failure Why "I need you to go to treatment" isn't enough — and what to say instead How to set goals for your loved one's recovery that are actually measurable Why belief matters more than you think — and how to find it again after years of disappointment How to know if what you're asking for is actually achievable right now Why bypassing levels of care almost never works, and what that means for your loved one's recovery This framework won't fix everything overnight. But it will give you clarity in a situation that's felt impossible to navigate.

Want continued support/guidence for you and your loved one? Consider joining our FAMILY RECONNECT FAMILY! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

Tom IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalktom/

Ben IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkben/

RRT IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkpodcast/

607: Kratom Is Putting People in Comas — And It's Sold at Every Gas Station Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

Kratom is being sold at every gas station and vape shop in America. People are ending up in comas. People are dying. And nobody is officially tracking it. In this episode, Tom, Ben, and Destiny break down three of the biggest issues hitting the addiction and recovery world right now — and what families and loved ones need to know.

What's covered in this episode: Why Kratom 70x extract is sending people to the hospital and killing them Why law enforcement knows it's illegal and isn't doing anything about it Why Kratom withdrawal is being described as worse than heroin and fentanyl Why overdose deaths from opiates are declining — and what's really behind it The dangerous rise of performance-enhancing drugs among young people Why so many addicts are being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD What happens when you put someone on psych meds without testing for drug use first Why 24/7 eyes on a client beats a 30-minute psychiatrist appointment every time If your loved one is struggling with addiction and you don't know where to turn, this episode is for you.

Want continued support/guidence for you and your loved one? Consider joining our FAMILY RECONNECT FAMILY! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

Tom IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalktom/

Ben IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkben/

RRT IG: https://www.instagram.com/realrecoverytalkpodcast/

606: She Hid Her Addiction for Years Until Everything Collapsed Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction? Get a FREE Conultation Call! Schedule Your Call

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

605: How long can someone live as an alcoholic? May 27, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

Cliff is 49 years old. Nine months ago he was living in a friend's garage in California, knocking on death's door from end-stage alcoholism. He had cirrhosis, esophageal varices, acute pancreatitis, and a doctor who told him he had a year, maybe two. He had lost everything — his home, his health, his hope. He was having seizures so severe he punched through a window just to get outside. He was done.

Then something shifted.

He heard a Mind Pump podcast, called a number he didn't think would lead anywhere, and ended up on a plane to South Florida — alone, sick, and with almost nothing to his name.

Today Cliff is sober, working, painting, surfing, and helping other people in recovery find their footing.

This episode covers his full story — growing up as a military kid moving from country to country, how drinking took hold early and never let go, the years of relapses and hospitalizations, a parasitic infection that left him paralyzed for three months, smoking meth in the final stretch, and what finally brought him to the point of real surrender.

This is what recovery actually looks like. Not a clean story. Not a straight line. But proof that no matter how far down the scale you've gone, there is a way back.

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

604: Get and Stay Sober: Focus on These 5 Areas! May 06, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

If you want to get sober and STAY sober there are certain areas that we needs to focus on! In this episode I break these down into very achievable steps and hope that you can start to empliment these today!

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

603: You Know You Are Being Lied To: Now What? Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

If you're living with an addict or alcoholic, you already know the lying, the cheating, the stealing, and the manipulation. But what nobody talks about is what all of that is actually doing to you. In this episode, Tom sits down with Steve — who runs the family program at Rock Recovery Center — to break down the real symptoms families experience when a loved one is deep in addiction. Not the addict's behavior. Yours. What you'll learn in this episode: Why your trust doesn't just break — it erodes slowly over time How addiction makes you question your identity as a parent, spouse, or loved one Why families isolate themselves just as much as the addict does The dangerous cycle of internalized shame that keeps families stuck How the victim mentality sneaks in — and why it's keeping you from the solution Why stop absorbing the chaos may be the most powerful thing you can do You don't have to keep living this way. There are answers, and there is freedom on the other side of this.

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

602: He Was Sleeping on His Dad's Couch, Drunk Every Day (DAD DID THIS) Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

After meeting each other at a liquor store three Sundays in a row waiting for it to open, Don and Nan spent years drowning in addiction together — and somehow got sober at the exact same moment. In this episode, Tom sits down with Don and Nan to talk about what actually worked, why tough love isn't always the answer, and how one father's compassion (instead of consequences) may have been the thing that saved his son's life. If you have a loved one struggling with addiction, this episode will challenge everything you've been told about what it takes to get someone sober.

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

601: The Truth About Dating in Early Recovery (FACTS) Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

In this episode, we break down why romantic and sexual relationships are one of the top drivers of relapse in early recovery — and what families need to watch for. They cover the four core reasons relationships derail recovery, share real stories from years of working with clients, and talk about what actually needs to be in place before someone in recovery is ready to date. Whether you're a family member trying to understand what's happening with your loved one, or you're in recovery yourself, this episode is a must-watch.

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

600: Your Family Member Might Be Alcoholic If They Do This Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

Am I an alcoholic? If you're asking that question — or asking it about someone you love — this video is for you. I breaks down 10 real warning signs of alcoholism from personal experience in recovery. Not textbook symptoms. Real signs that real people miss every day.

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

599: Kratom Addiction Is Real | Here's What I've Witnessed Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Do you have a family member/loved one struggling with addiction?

Join Our FREE WEBCLASS! https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

Is kratom really a safe alternative — or just another addiction in disguise? In this video, I'm giving you my honest, real-world take on kratom based on working with addicts every single day. This isn't theory. This is what I actually see happening to people who use kratom thinking it's going to help their recovery.

We're talking about kratom effects, kratom addiction, and why I don't believe kratom belongs in anyone's recovery plan. If you or someone you love is using kratom or thinking about starting, watch this first.

🔗 Join our Family Reconnect Program: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/family-reconnect

📅 Free Family Webinar — Every Monday at 6:30PM Eastern: https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

📞 SAMHSA National Helpline (free, 24/7): 1-800-662-4357

Don't miss our FREE WEBINAR to learn more about patient care and avoiding common mistakes families make. https://familyreconnectprogram.com/optin-page

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected