Recovery Rocks - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Recovery Rocks — Health
Recovery Rocks

Ever wonder what it’s like to go on your first sober date? Or survive a wedding without liquid courage? How about dancing stone-cold sober or dealing with your first breakup without wine?

If so, you’re in luck because you can join bestselling authors and longtime sober friends Lisa Smith and Anna David as they talk to guests—and each other—about addiction and recovery, including all the “firsts” that come with sober living. From awkward to amazing, cringe-worthy to surprisingly poignant, they’re discussing what it’s like to experience life without substances.

Lisa is the author of the award-winning memoir Girl Walks Out of a Bar, while Anna wrote Party Girl, a comic novel about addiction and recovery in the vein of Rachel’s Holiday and Postcards From the Edge. Together, they explore the real-life moments behind the kinds of stories that shape how people understand recovery.

Whether you’re newly sober, sober-curious or just want to hear some honest stories about recovery, Recovery Rocks is here for all of it.

Because as it turns out, when you can remember everything that happened, life gets a lot more interesting.

New episodes weekly. Real stories, real recovery, real talk.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 267: The Substance, Drag Race, and The Grammys: Bestie Catch-Up Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa catch up on all they’ve been reading and watching in an attempt to stay distracted from the horrendous 24-hour news cycle. Allowing time to check out and get lost in stories is a critical element of their self-care and sobriety routines. It’s important to stay informed, but you have to make space for moments of joyful distraction, too.

Music Minute features The Substance soundtrack, Chappelle Roan, Doechii, and Beyonce.

Read:

You Don't Need a Budget

Watch:

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 266: Sober Swifties Support Group featuring Julianne Griffin from Swift Steps Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Calling all Swifties! Tawny and Lisa talk to Julianne Griffin, the founder of Swift Steps, a sober community for Taylor Swift fans, with music as a vital part of recovery. The inclusive group supports Swifties facing challenges from substance use disorder to codependency, heartbreak, toxic familial relationships, gambling, and other compulsive disorders. There are meetings and journaling workbooks that blend Taylor’s music with recovery-focused prompts. Swift Steps also holds monthly themed craft nights, milestone bracelet (instead of traditional coins) projects, and even virtual fitness classes designed to support both mental and physical health, all with an emphasis on T. Swift lyrics and intersectionality.

Music Minute features Taylor Swift, of course!

Check out Swift Steps

Follow Swift Steps on Instagram

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 264: Cannabis, Sobriety, and Women with How to Do the Pot’s Ellen Scanlon Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa talk to Ellen Scanlon, the host of “How to Do the Pot,” a podcast about cannabis for women. This podcast was a huge resource to Tawny when she began implementing cannabis into her recovery program. She fangirled a bit while interviewing Ellen! They discuss what to consider when incorporating cannabis as a medical alternative to prescription drugs. They also talk about the difference between CBD and THC, cannabis for anxiety and endometriosis, and share research on the psychological and physical effects of cannabis.

Music Minute features Beyonce and West Coast jazz

Listen to How to Do the Pot podcast and get all the info

Subscribe to Ellen’s Substack

Find Ellen on Instagram

Order The Sobriety Deck by Hannah Gardner

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 265: Recovery Nonprofits in Crisis with MAGA 2.0 Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

The new administration is cutting off financial support for nonprofit organizations that support diverse communities, including the LGBTQA+ population, who struggle with higher rates of addiction than the general population. Banning the language of gender and equality has put people’s lives and sobriety in danger. Tawny and Lisa discuss the need to support nonprofit organizations that serve at-risk populations. Consider donating, volunteering, speaking up, and even buying coffee for a cause!

Music Minute features Tawny and Fred Schneider of the B-52s perform “Outer Space”

Support nonprofits like Road Recovery, Big Vision NYC, Gay and Sober, and New Alternatives.

Shop the Road Recovery Coffee Collection

Make calls to your government representatives through 5Calls.org

Read up:

Trump Shuts Down White House Spanish Language Page and Social Media

Journalist Gabrielle Kassel’s Video on "Forbidden Words"

LGBTQ+ Community and Addiction

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 263: WTF is Intermittent Sobriety?!? Let’s Discuss. Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa discuss a recent essay in The Guardian titled I tried ‘intermittent sobriety’. Here’s what I learned jumping on and off the wagon by Arwa Mahdawi. They appreciate the author’s candid approach to harm reduction for the sake of self-discovery. Intermittent sobriety is similar to sober curiosity in that they both encourage thoughtful consideration in reevaluating one’s relationship with alcohol without going fully sober. These booze-breaks can be regular, planned periods of sobriety or spontaneous decisions. Changing rituals, “playing the tape forward,” and spicy food-induced dopamine (!) are all suggested ways to help.

Music Minute features Audioslave, Counting Crows and The Who

Read The Guardian article

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 262: Staying Sober in a MAGA World Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa share how they feel about the new presidential administration. They’re trying to balance the 24-hour news cycle, active resistance, and staying sober while continuing to find glimmers of joy. Feeling anger? Go for a run or hit a punching bag. Volunteer at a local organization or online. Exhausted? Nap. Play. Binge-watch your comfort show. As always, take care of yourself!

Music Minute features Democracy in Retrograde (audiobook) and The Sobriety Deck Playlist.

Read Tawny’s Rage Resources

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 261: NA Drinks, Journalism's Evolution, and Redefining "Oldster" with Sari Botton Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa chat with best-selling author, Sari Botton. Sari’s memoir, "And You May Find Yourself: Confessions of a Gen-X Weirdo," is about finding yourself later in life. They discuss Sari’s recent newsletter about how bars and restaurants should embrace quality NA choices. Tawny and Sari also address the reality of pitches being rejected by traditional media outlets and why they bring those rejected stories to their newsletters. Sari publishes Sober Oldster, Oldster Magazine, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism on Substack.

Music Minute features Free to Be You and Me and Joni Mitchell

Read Too Many Bars and Restaurants Still Aren't Effectively Catering to a Growing Sober (and Soberish) Clientele

Check out all things Sari on Substack

Check out The Sober Oldster Series

Follow Sari on Instagram

Check out Sari’s website

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze.

Sign up for Tawny’s newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Order Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 260: How to Cry, and the Link Between Anger & Sadness Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa talk about crying – why humans do it, how it works physically, and what it can mean emotionally. As we grow older, our patterns and triggers for crying evolve. Tawny is just learning to cry and Lisa is not much of a crier. They talk about situations when feel like they “should” cry, but it just doesn’t happen. And Tawny talks about the relationship between sadness to anger and how to work with it.

Music Minute features System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, Bob Marley, and Prince.

Read the article, Why Humans Cry

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 259: “Men Have Eating Disorders, Too,” with Brian Cuban Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa talk with Brian Cuban, a lawyer, writer and recovery advocate. He’s the author of four books, both memoir and fiction. His latest is The Body Brokers, a crime thriller that digs deep into the opioid epidemic. Brian is a groundbreaker in discussing eating disorders among professional men. In fact, 35% of people who struggle with eating disorders are men. They also talk about the co-occurrence of eating disorders and other addictive behavior.

Music Minute features Billy Joel.

Check out Brian’s advocacy work and writing here and here

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze

Sign up for "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Purchase Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Episode 258: Boundaries, Gray-Area Drinking, and Core Values with Lindsay Sutherland Boal Jan 02, 2025

Show notes

Tawny and Lisa talk with Lindsay Sutherland Boal, a coach, advocate, and the founder of both The Uncovery App and She Walks Canada, which support women overcoming problematic relationships with alcohol. They chat about gray-area drinking and the concept of “rock enough,” the acknowledgement that you don’t need a “rock bottom” crisis to quit drinking. The Uncovery App is dedicated to the pursuit of alcohol-free living through self-investigation and support. She Walks Canada organizes walks around the world to support recovery and foster community.

Music Minute features Lindsay’s opera career and tropical lounge music.

Check out The Uncovery App

Learn about She Walks Canada

On Instagram: @theuncoveryapp and @shewalkscanada

Order The Sobriety Deck

Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner

Order Tawny’s book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze.

Sign up for Tawny’s newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage"

Order Tawny’s new NA drink, (parentheses)

Order Lisa’s memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Related Podcasts