The Courage to Change: A Recovery Podcast

Latest Episodes:

162: Ask The Expert: Stasia Rivera - Performance Coach on Mental Health Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Stasia Rivera is an expert in the science behind optimized performance; whether it is flying aircraft or building wins in sports or working through a recovery program, the concepts are the same.

Stasia developed these processes as a therapist working in trauma, addiction and family systems as well as being a former Division 1 athlete and coach at all levels of competition.

In both arenas, Stasia studied the science behind performance, applied behavior, motivation, and connection, and it all came together to create two companies, AQ Athletics and Aviation Quotient.

Today Stasia works as a Stress Management professor at a top-ranked aviation college. She also works with Gen Z athletes that compete at high-level high schools, colleges, or at the pro-level.

Episode Resources

AQ Athlete | aqathlete.com

Connect with Stasia

Instagram | @aqathleticsofficial
Facebook | @aqathletics

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
YouTube | The Courage to Change Podcast
TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

Q+A Why Is Resentment So Dangerous? Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

In this Q and A episode Ashley answers the listener question "Why is Resentment So Dangerous?". The listener isn't sure why resentments matter so much. Ashley shares secrets from her own resentments and why they can be so dangerous to sobriety.

Ashley Loeb Blassingame has been clean and sober for 16 years, she's a drug and alcohol counselor, interventionist, and the co-founder of a telehealth company called Lionrock Recovery that provides substance use disorder treatment.

Episode Resources

Connect with Ashley Loeb Blassingame

TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Instagram | @ashleyloebblassingame

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
YouTube | The Courage to Change Playlist

161: Formerly Addicted Nurse Talks Getting Sober And Licensed Oct 04, 2022

Show notes

Growing up in rural Texas within a Fundamentalist Christian family, Allison always felt like something was missing, like an outsider looking in to a world that she didn’t belong.

In her teens, she was introduced to pasture parties, heavy drinking and drugs, and a community of counter-cultural thinkers who helped her to recognize that her sexuality, politics, and spiritual views weren’t in alignment with her upbringing.

As those views solidified she traded her family and religion, for a polyamorous couple in the pursuit of all things hedonistic. By age 19, Allison was drinking alcoholically and was addicted to heroin. Getaways to jails and psyche wards were becoming routine.

A string of failed suicide attempts at the age of 22 finally led her to the willingness to seek recovery in Arizona among a motley crew of broken, yet beautiful young adults. It was there that she started her journey of recovery and forged friendships that would continue for a lifetime.

Through AA stepwork and meetings, she was able to make amends to her family and build a relationship based upon honesty and authenticity.

In the early 2000s, she decided to pursue a nursing degree despite the hurdles of a colorful criminal record that strongly suggested she was unqualified, untrustworthy, and unethical.

Despite the inner voice that whispered she wasn’t capable and with the support of her family and AA community, she walked through those fears in order to become a nurse.

Her experience has allowed her to approach addicted patients with empathy and even with all the challenges of her high stress environment, she’s been able to remain sober for 18 years.

Episode Resources

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
YouTube | The Courage to Change Podcast
TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

160: Matthew Bocchi: Searching For A Father Lost On September 11th Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

Matthew Bocchi’s father was one of the many who lost their lives on September 11th. The news came in a highly censored manner. His mom and uncle told him what they thought was best for his young mind, but it wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to understand all of the story.

He became obsessed with the images of people jumping from the building and wondered daily if his father had been one of them. He badgered everyone around him, hoping one of them could tell him the truth.

Eventually one person did talk to him, his uncle by marriage, but used it as a means to sexually assault Matthew. And thus began a life of using drugs to cope with devastating loss and psychological trauma.

Matthew eventually chose to press charges against his persecutor only to find the legal system failing to find a verdict equal to crime. It was when he felt like there were no more options and his life was ruined, that his father came to him in the form of a sign. And in that moment, he decided to get help.

Matthew began speaking in front of high school audiences throughout the tri-state area, delivering a message of hope and perseverance. The awestruck reception led him to write his debut memoir, SWAY, the first story told by a child of 9/11.

He is now 7 years into his recovery journey, with plans to continue writing and speaking about inspiration and resilience.

Episode Resources

Website | matthewjohnbocchi.com
Sway | Matthew's Book

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
YouTube | The Courage to Change Podcast
TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

Q+A Depression Is Threatening My Sobriety Sep 23, 2022

Show notes

In this Q and A episode Ashley answers the listener question "Depression is Threatening My Sobriety". The listener is losing their motivation and their feelings are keeping them from doing what they need to do to stay sober. Ashley shares her own story of depression and why it's important to validate feelings even when you feel like you don't have a right to them.

Episode Resources

Connect with Ashley Loeb Blassingame

TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Instagram | @ashleyloebblassingame

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
YouTube | The Courage to Change Playlist

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

159: Nathan Morales: Sober Attorney On Stopping Work Stigma Sep 20, 2022

Show notes

Nathan grew up in southeast LA. His parents wanted a better life for him, and began moving to try to find it but lacked the resources to get him there. The neighborhood they ended up in was nearly as rough as the one he’d come from. Drugs were prevalent in his community. So much so that they were easier to come by than alcohol.

At 13 he got Speed from a friend’s family down the street and started using it. He fell completely in love with drugs and the use multiplied almost immediately. Drugs became his whole world, even forgoing romantic relationships in favor of his first love.

At 19, his recovery journey started with a cycle of being kicked out of the house, doing recovery steps, being brought back home and the pattern repeated.

In 2007 he’d pieced together 5 years of sobriety, but hadn’t really made any real lifestyle changes. Then a death in the family sent him back into using. He had all the knowledge at that point and decided to do it anyway. He started smoking heroin and things fell apart again.

It wasn’t until he was left with a choice between living with a woman who would support his drug use and whatever else he needed or being honest with himself and going back to his recovery life that something changed. It was only then that he made the decision that would finally stick.

After getting clean he worked his way from Home Depot to community college, to UCLA and then becoming a lawyer where he is able to help other people in the profession who came from a similar background to him.

Episode Resources

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
YouTube | The Courage to Change Podcast
TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

158: Ask The Expert: Dr. Constance Scharff - Releasing Trauma From Body Tissue Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

Constance Scharff, PhD is an internationally recognized speaker and author on the topics of addiction and trauma recovery, and mental health. She is founder of the Institute for Complementary and Indigenous Mental Health Research. She serves the Geffen Playhouse as a consultant for their Veterans Writing and Performance Workshop.

In the past, she served Rock to Recovery, a music-based addiction and trauma treatment program, as VP Business Development, and Science and Research Chair and was Senior Addiction Research Fellow and Director of Addiction Research for Cliffside Malibu addiction treatment center.

She is the 2019 recipient of St. Lawrence University’s Sol Feinstone Humanitarian Award, honoring her service to and advocacy for those suffering from mental illness, trauma, and addiction.

Dr. Scharff writes about using complementary health and contemplative practices to improve treatment outcomes.

Her latest award-winning book, Rock to Recovery: Music as a Catalyst for Human Transformation, written with Rock to Recovery founder Wes Geer, describes the impact songwriting and performance has on mental health.

She is also coauthor of the Amazon.com best-selling book, Ending Addiction for Good and the award-winning poetry book Meeting God at Midnight

At present, she is working on a memoir titled Becoming Beloved, about healing from trauma.

Episode Resources

Website | constancescharff.com

Connect with Dr. Scharff

Instagram | @drscharff
Facebook | @drscharff
Twitter | @conscharffphd
TikTok | @drscharff
LinkedIn | cscharff

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
YouTube | The Courage to Change Podcast
TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

Q+A Why Do I Need To Go To Al-Anon? It's Their Problem. Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

In this Q and A episode Ashley answers the listener question "Why Do I Need To Go To Al-Anon? It's Their Problem." It can be challenging to feel as if you need to do more when you're already sacrificed so much for your loved one. Ashley talks about what you'll gain by attending and why it matters.

Episode Resources

Connect with Ashley Loeb Blassingame

TikTok | @ashleyloebblassingame
Instagram | @ashleyloebblassingame

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website | lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram | @couragetochange_podcast
Podcast Facebook | @thecouragetochangepodcast
Podcast Email | podcast@lionrock.life
YouTube | The Courage to Change Playlist

Lionrock Resources

Lionrock Life Mobile App | lionrock.life/mobile-app
Support Group Meeting Schedule | lionrock.life/meetings

157: Justin White: Saved By EMDR After Son Drowned In Empty Pool Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

Justin White had been using meth for 12 years when tragedy found his family. His son had been playing outside and drowned in an empty pool at age 4. The loss was more than he could withstand.

His Meth use accelerated and he introduced Heroin into his daily life. He spent days and weeks motionless inside his house unable to do anything other than medicate the waves of pain.

He eventually decided he needed to get clean, but it took 6 attempts to get into rehab. Each time he wasn’t admitted, the stakes mounted and eventually he ended up using Fentanyl before finally getting clean.

In treatment, the difficult work continued with EMDR, working through the most painful moments of his life. But something about the practice began to work and life felt like it could continue. He still meets with the therapist who he credits with saving his life.

In 23 days he will celebrate a year of sobriety as he honors his son’s life and hopes to someday have another child and give back to those that have given him so much by becoming a drug and alcohol counselor.

Connect with The Courage to Change

Podcast Website |lionrock.life/couragetochangepodcast
Podcast Instagram |@couragetochange_podcast
YouTube |The Courage to Change Podcast
TikTok |@ashleyloebblassingame
Podcast Email |podcast@lionrock.life
Podcast Facebook |@thecouragetochangepodcast

156: Tim Lodgen: Sobriety Unlocks Effective Bipolar Treatment For Vet Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

Tim Lodgen grew up in Baltimore Maryland where he signed a skateboard contract that had him riding with Bucky Lasek and Brandon Novak. Playing sports kept him away from drugs and alcohol until he enlisted in the Marine Corps as a Senior in High School. He thought he’d let off some steam before he had to enter the highly regimented life of a soldier and during that time he did every drug he could get his hands on.

Soon he was then deployed to Somalia where massive amounts of alcohol took the place of the drugs. When he finally returned home he was happy to be out of the military but quickly fell into a deep depression that had him sitting with a gun in his lap and thinking about suicide.

He finally admitted his depression and was diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder, but without ever admitting to his drug and alcohol use, he spent the next 20 years with incorrect doses that did little for his mental health.

Tim then began a career as an MMA fighter. An eventual injury led him to introduce opiates into his use that sent his addiction to another level and caused a second suicide attempt.

He finally found help 27 years into his addiction after his wife discovered him preparing to take his own life. He has since become the healthiest version of himself, even coming in 3rd place in a Muscle and Fitness bodybuilding contest.

Tim now uses his platform to help others through telling his story, working with the homeless and offering addiction and health advice through his Instagram account.

Episode Resources