Paul Churchill

Recovery Elevator

A Mental Health , Health & Fitness and Education podcast Explicit

#32 in Mental Health · 🇺🇸 #34 in Mental Health · 🇨🇦

About the show

It's not a NO to alcohol — it's a YES to a better life! Bestselling author Paul Churchill interviews people who have successfully quit drinking, offering an honest, uplifting look at what an alcohol-free life can really look like. Each week, Recovery Elevator explores sobriety from fresh perspectives — no judgment, no lectures, just real stories from real people. Whether you're sober curious, newly sober, supporting a loved one, or already thriving in recovery, you've found your community. Topics include: how to stop drinking alcohol, alcohol addiction and dependency, whether moderate drinking actually works, what happens to your brain when you quit drinking, the role of spirituality in recovery, whether AA is right for you, tracking sobriety milestones, and whether addiction might be trying to tell you something. If alcohol is making you sick and tired, Recovery Elevator is your invitation to explore what life on the other side looks like — through candid conversations and inspiring guest stories.

Newest episodes

RE 612: If You Want This, You Can't Have That

Nov 9, 2026 51 min

Today we have Pete. He is 40 years old, from Aspen, CO, and took his last drink on May 3rd, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – use code CONNECT for your first month free Sign up and get 10% off your first month: Better Help [02:53] Thoughts from Paul: Paul reflects on a message he wrote to himself in 2014 when he realized he could no longer have both alcohol and the happy, fulfilling life he wanted. He taped a reminder to his wall: "If you want this, then you can't have that". Meaning if he wanted meaningful relationships, time in nature, a healthy body and mind, family, hobbies, and goals, alcohol couldn't be part of the picture. After years of trying to moderate, Paul accepted that drinking the way he wanted to drink was incompatible with the life he hoped to build. He encourages listeners to ask themselves, without judgment, whether alcohol allows them to live the life they deserve. He acknowledges that choosing sobriety can mean making that decision repeatedly, especially in the beginning. Paul also challenges the message Big Alcohol has promoted for decades: that people can have both alcohol and a happy, successful life. [07:49] Paul introduces Pete: Pete manages an Aspen music venue and has spent his career in the live music industry. He and his wife have been together since middle school and have three children. He enjoys making music and exploring Colorado's outdoors with his family. Pete had his first drink around age 11 or 12, growing up around musicians and alcohol. By high school, he was drinking every weekend, and he quickly realized one or two drinks were never enough. Alcohol quieted his mind, and soon the goal was to blackout. The pattern continued through college, where he played in bands and drank heavily. After college, Pete started his career managing music venues. Drinking was part of the job: he could have several beers while working, then stay after closing until early morning. He was also in...

RE 611: Professional Athletes Turn to NA Beer

Nov 2, 2026 56 min

Today we have Greg. He is 44 years old, lives in Champaign, IL and took his last drink of alcohol on September 18th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Sign up and get 10% off your first month: Better Help Check out this free guide to your first seven days without alcohol. Mark your calendars! Registration for the 10th Anniversary Find Your People Retreat opens on April 1st, 2027. The retreat happens August 11th- 15th, 2027. [02:52] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us the news that NFL Quarterbacks Drake May and Dak Prescott have recently become part owners of Athletic Brewing Company. One of Paul's goals with RE is to eradicate the shame and the stigma around addiction. Because those two things are just as dangerous as the drug alcohol itself. This new partnership at Athletic Brewing is a huge step forward with that goal. This signifies a major tipping point on why this whole project with RE started over 10 years ago. Alcohol is shit. It is poison and will rot you from the inside out. NA beers are becoming cooler by the day. The culture around drinking is changing and changing quickly. DISCLAIMER: Please remember that only you can make the decision whether or not NA beers fit into your life. Some people find them triggering. Err on the side of caution and if you're in early sobriety, you may want to wait a little while before trying them for yourself. [06:35] Paul introduces Greg: Greg is a college professor who teaches theater and film. He is married with two boys and enjoys running, swimming and music. Greg's first experience with alcohol came at a family Christmas party when he was 12 or 13. Sneaking rum into his eggnog gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling. After a traumatic breakup in high school, he turned to his parents' liquor cabinet, drinking alone because he felt rejected and isolated. After turning 21, Greg began drinking every night. He kn...

RE 610: Can I Return to Normal Drinking?

Oct 26, 2026 52 min

Today we have Jennifer. She is 49 years old, lives in Orange County, CA and she took her last drink on July 13th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – use code CONNECT for your first month free Sign up and get 10% off your first month: Better Help You may have noticed there is a new podcast intro and outro song on this episode by our very own Pablo Church. The song is now available on Spotify and Apple Music. [02:55] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us an article posted by CNN which was sent to him by a listener. The article argues that recovery doesn't have to mean full abstinence, that science has evolved, that alcohol use disorder exists on a spectrum, and that some people can return to moderate drinking. When Paul read that the NIAAA was involved, the entire article lost credibility. After a big study in the mid-2010's claimed that alcohol was good for us, it was uncovered that the study was sponsored by Big Alcohol. This article uses Brad Pitt's return to drinking in a more restrained manner after seven years of sobriety as concrete data. Big Alcohol has lost almost a trillion dollars of sales in the last five years. Alcohol consumption is down and the sober curious movement is gaining momentum. So, it seems convenient that this article drops saying "hey, maybe you don't have to quit after all". We don't know if this article was funded by Big Alcohol, but it doesn't line up with all that we see and hear in the trenches. [10:06] Paul introduces Jennifer: Jennifer is a registered nurse and dog mom to three French bulldogs, now exploring who she is in sobriety. Jennifer says she has always chased a change in how she felt. In high school, drugs were easier to access than alcohol, but once she turned 21, drinking became her focus. She and her friends drank heavily, and she assumed it was simply what people did in their twenties. Around age 30, Jennifer got a DUI. As a nurse, she had to report it to the N...

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 616 episodes

RE 612: If You Want This, You Can't Have That

Nov 9, 2026 51 min

RE 611: Professional Athletes Turn to NA Beer

Nov 2, 2026 56 min

RE 610: Can I Return to Normal Drinking?

Oct 26, 2026 52 min

RE 609: Recovery vs Sobriety

Oct 19, 2026 53 min

Today we have Taku. He is 44 years old, lives in Tokyo, Japan, and took his last drink on September 25th, 2021. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – use code CONNECT for your first month free Sign up and get 10% off your first month: Better Help You may have noticed there is a new podcast intro and outro song on this episode by our very own Pablo Church. The song will be available on Spotify and Apple Music next Monday, October 16th. [03:40] Thoughts from Paul: Paul reminds us of the difference between sobriety and recovery. Sobriety means not drinking alcohol, but simply removing alcohol doesn't necessarily address the reasons someone drank in the first place. While sobriety is an important step toward health and healing, recovery goes deeper. Sobriety is abstinence, staying away from something. Recovery is abstinence, and getting to the root of unease that caused you to reach for the drink in the first place. Recovery is the opposite of a dry drunk but just being sober oftentimes goes hand in hand with being a dry drunk. Recovery is creating a life where alcohol isn't needed. Ask yourself, are you sober or are you in recovery? [09:07] Paul introduces Taku: Taku currently lives in Japan and works in translation for an American company. He is married and they have no children. For fun, they enjoy specialty coffee and Taku enjoys playing music and attending live concerts. Born in Japan and raised in the United States, Taku grew up navigating two cultures and languages. He often felt like he didn't quite belong, and social anxiety made it difficult to feel comfortable in his own skin. At 15 or 16, he discovered alcohol and immediately felt at home. Drinking eased his anxiety and made it easier to connect with people. What began as a social lubricant escalated in college, where blackouts became part of the picture. After moving back to Japan and entering the corporate world, Taku relied on alcohol to transform from a...

RE 608: Find Your People

Oct 12, 2026 55 min

Today we have Lani. She is 38 years old, lives in Salt Lake City, UT and she took her last drink on June 9th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Soberlink – sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [03:05] Thoughts from Paul: Earlier this year David from episode 142 sent Paul the song Find Your People by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors. Paul's first reaction was "holy crap, this song was written for Recovery Elevator". He rebranded the Bozeman Retreat into Find Your People Retreat and with the musical accompaniment of Uprise, the group sang this song every day. The message within the lyrics reminds us that the opposite of addiction is connection and when you ditch the drink and find your people, your brain will heal. Your liver will send you a thank you card, your dopamine system will rewire, and life will smooth out. You've heard so many times on this podcast that sobriety is all about recovering your authentic self, than you need to find yourself, and you need others to do that. When you find your people, then you find yourself. [07:27] Paul introduces Lani: Lani is 38 years old and works in the juvenile justice system, providing trauma-informed care to youth. She has a dog named Chip, a partner named Audrey, and enjoys hiking, kayaking, yoga, gardening, and spending time outdoors. Lani grew up in Utah in a home affected by chaos and her estranged father's alcoholism. Searching for belonging and structure, she became involved in the LDS church. She began drinking in high school despite promising herself she wouldn't follow in her father's footsteps. After leaving the church around 2010, alcohol gradually became a bigger part of her life, eventually progressing to daily drinking. In 2018, after graduating from college and recognizing that her relationship was toxic and her drinking was out of control, Lani planned to become a flight attendant. After drinking heavily, the night before an...

RE 607: Sobriety Slogans

Oct 5, 2026 43 min

Today we have John. He is 39 years old, lives in Vermont, and he took his last drink on July 15th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Check out this free guide to your first seven days without alcohol. [02:43] Thoughts from Paul: Paul says that when he first quit drinking and entered the rooms of recovery, he heard so many sayings or recovery slogans and most of them made him roll his eyes. But now when he hears them, he recognizes the wisdom baked into these lines. Paul shares numerous phrases with us that many of us will recognize, but the one that got the biggest eyeroll out of him when he first got sober was "One Day at a Time". There is so much in this five-word phrase. Shortened to three words, it is The Present Moment. Shortened even further to one word, NOW. Eckhart Tolle wrote a whole book about it. If you find yourself thinking about how you're going to make it through the witching hour sober, you're not there yet. Or how you're going to be AF for the rest of your life? You're not there yet either. One day at a time means to be here in this moment. You've heard it before on this podcast, but addiction is the greatest life curriculum that one can be blessed with. You're blessed with the opportunity to fully dissect the saying one day at a time because the other side of an addiction is trying to get you to live in the present moment. [06:22] Paul introduces John: John is 39, lives in Vermont, and works in quality control and production. For fun, he enjoys golf and basketball and has rediscovered his love of reading. He says his alcohol-free journey began with Annie Grace's This Naked Mind. John first started drinking in his early teens. He and his friends drank and smoked pot on weekends throughout high school, except during sports seasons when he would tone it down. John began questioning when the last time was that he and his buddies had done anything sober. He says...

RE 606: Think Happy Thoughts

Sep 28, 2026 59 min

Today we have Alysse. She is 51 years old, lives in Seattle, WA and she took her last drink on April 30th, 2006. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people [02:58] Thoughts from Paul: The topic for today's podcast is Think Happy Thoughts. This links well with the most prolific teaching we covered last week, which is The Golden Rule. The human brain is the most powerful manifestation machine on planet earth. What you put out there is what you get back. Removing alcohol from your life is a HUGE step forward, but then it all comes down to the mental state you choose. Author Jay Shetty has a book called Think like a Monk. He has a line about your thoughts that he wants you to ask if the thought is a seed or a weed. If it's a weed, let it go. If it's a seed, keep building on it. Add water, healthy soil and all of that. The MOST IMPORTANT part of thinking happy thoughts is AWARENESS. You have to first become aware of your thoughts. Paul shares that he uses journaling often. He writes about things he is looking forward to and tries to be aware of his thoughts throughout the day. We often think the answer to our problems needs to be complicated and located outside of ourselves. It's within and it starts upstairs. [08:01] Paul introduces Alysse: Alysse just turned 51 and recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety. She lives in Seattle, WA, is single, and has one son. She is considering going into business for herself and enjoys content creation and arts and crafts. Alysse grew up in a small town, attended a Christian school until her teens, and says she lived a sheltered life. She first drank during her sophomore year of high school and says she drank alcoholically from the beginning. Alysse briefly attended college before dropping out and working for the airlines. At 20, she became pregnant and hoped motherhood would improve her life. She abstained from drin...

RE 605: The Most Prolific Teaching

Sep 21, 2026 54 min

Today we have Karen. She is 50 years old, from Chicopee, MA and she took her last drink of alcohol on January 13th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people [03:20] Thoughts from Paul: Paul loops back to episode 599 which was titled Romanticizing the Drink. He wants to bring that idea back into consciousness and gives us two things to remember the next time we get the idea that a drink would take the edge off or make life better. Number one, it is total b******t. Number two, he wants us to start romanticizing the clear mornings. Romanticize less financial stress and a liver that is properly functioning. Through the recovery process, Paul shares that he has learned about so many different healing modalities: meditation, breathwork, yoga, goat yoga and many more. But none are more important than The Golden Rule (aka, love they neighbor). Most people in the modern world reject this teaching due to its simplicity. Basically, it is the idea that what you put out there is what you get back. [09:12] Paul introduces Karen: Karen is 50 years old and lives in Chicopee, MA with her husband of 25 years, and their two sons. She has been a nurse for 27 years. For fun, she enjoys hanging out with her dog, loves fitness and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Karen states that she was always a normal drinker until her mid-thirties when she fell into the "Mommy Wine Culture" trap. Her kids were older and she began drinking on the weekends at first, but it gradually crept into a daily habit. As Karen got into her forties, she started to feel the effects of drinking every day. Her insomnia on the drinking nights and the aches, pains and low energy began to catch up to her. She never believed it was the alcohol and instead assumed it was symptoms of perimenopause. Karen initially started trying to moderate the wine in an effort to sa...

RE 604: We're Tired of Poisoning Ourselves

Sep 14, 2026 56 min

Today we have Cricket. She is 40 years old, lives in Chattanooga, TN, and she took her last drink on July 27th, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help The new book This Is How We Quit is now available on Amazon. Throughout the rest of 2026, $2 from every copy sold will be donated to Café RE. If you are in your first 90 days of sobriety and want to share your story on the podcast, please email info@recoveryelevator.com . [02:32] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us that one of the hardest things for him while doing the RE podcast is focus on his side of the street. This means not directing anger, frustration outwards towards things like big alcohol, big pharma, etc. We think modern society is how we're supposed to live, but it's mentally, physically and biologically destroying us and even the animals and nature around us. What do we do to focus more on our side of the street? You're already doing something about this by making the decision to stop poisoning yourself with alcohol. The next step is to come together as a community. Come closer to your fellow human beings. The addiction tries to trick you into believing you are alone, but you are not. Come see us in Café RE, go to a 12-step meeting, keep listening. You're not alone. [09:15] Paul introduces Cricket: Cricket is 40 years old, lives in Chattanooga, TN with her cats and works in a restaurant downtown. She enjoys reading and writing and loves good TV shows. Cricket says her drinking was problematic from the start. She was at a party while her mother and sister were out of town and ended up blacking out and acting crazy. The partygoers handcuffed Cricket and took her to the police where she was placed in state custody until her mom could get her out. In college, Cricket was overwhelmed at the idea of being an adult with all the new people, so she turned to alcohol because it helped h...

RE 603: The Opposite of Addiction is Still Connection

Sep 7, 2026 53 min

Today we have Hannah. She is 35 years old, from Chapel Hill, NC and she took her last drink of alcohol on August 9th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus The new book This Is How We Quit is now available. Throughout the rest of 2026, $2 from every copy sold will be donated to Café RE. Happy 12th Soberversary Paul! [05:14] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares that he first heard the quote "The opposite of addiction is connection" from author and speaker Johann Hari over ten years ago. He feels this concept is so important in the recovery space. Paul gives us a couple of ideas to mentally explore and this whole concept is definitely an action item. When it comes to finding your people, leverage sobriety. The camaraderie of sobriety rivals many groups. When it comes to finding your people, don't forget to find yourself. Start speaking kindly to yourself and think about not poisoning yourself with alcohol. Another important connection is the one that we have with nature and the stars. This refers to the creatures and trees in your own backyards. If people aren't your cup of tea, getting a dog is a great opportunity for lots of love and connection. [11:34] Paul introduces Hannah: Hannah is 35 years old and lives in Chapel Hill, NC. She is an account specialist and has a 9-year-old blue tick hound named Dunphy. Hannah grew up as the oldest of three children. They were all active in the church and in sports. Between church, sports and school, Hannah says she didn't drink much in high school. Just enough to become familiar with the party scene. When Hannah was in college, she began binge drinking. Her drinking stayed this way until the loss of her best friend to a car accident when she was around age 23. She didn't want to talk to anyone about her grief, she chose to drink instead. Hannah...

RE 602: Know Your Water

Aug 31, 2026 44 min

Today we have Jordan. He is 35 years old from Las Vegas, NV and he took his last drink of alcohol on July 20th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people Today, we are celebrating the launch of the compilation book This Is How We Quit with a live event via Zoom. Everyone who registers for this free event will receive one free month of membership in Café RE. And throughout the rest of 2026, $2 from every copy sold will be donated to Café RE. Coming in September, Café RE will be hosting Ditching the Booze: Emotions. It is a four-week live course, every Wednesday in September at 8pm Eastern [02:51] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a field guide to water. Yes, there is way more to it than just H2O. There are a lot of options out there and while many of the names are used interchangeably, there are actually differences. Let Paul know which water you prefer to drink in the comments section on Spotify or comment on the RE Instagram page under this episode's post. [07:12] Paul introduces Jordan: Jordan is 35 years old, lives in Las Vegas, NV. Jordan is a field installation lead for a modular home company. He has two children and has been married for five years. For fun he enjoys skateboarding and spending time with his kids. Jordan says he first started drinking when he was 15 years old spending summers in Detroit with a cousin that was 21. In high school, Jordan played football and says that it was normal to meet up at somebody's house after a game and drink. When Jordan was 19, he got into the music industry as a rapper and songwriter. Drinking was part of that culture as well. Jordan found himself blacking out and frequently getting into fights. His mother confronted him about his drinking when he was 20 and told him he should go to AA. He disagreed and believed he could keep it under control. Jordan...

RE 601: The Most Encouraged Drug

Aug 24, 2026 49 min

Today we have Mitchell. He is 30 years old, lives in Missouri, and he took his last drink on April 6th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Next Monday, August 31st, we are celebrating the launch of the compilation book This Is How We Quit with a live event via Zoom. Everyone who registers for this free event will receive one free month of membership in Café RE. Coming in September, Café RE will be hosting Ditching the Booze: Emotions. It is a four-week live course, every Wednesday in September at 8pm Eastern [01:50] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares a YouTube video from Seth Capehart MD about The World's Most Encouraged Drug. He gives a brief history of alcohol, that we have been consuming it for thousands of years as humans. It used to serve a vital purpose then, because fermented beverages with a low alcohol content were safer to drink than water. Eventually engineers figured out to provide clean drinking water, but the alcohol consumption stuck around. The doctor shares what alcohol does to our bodies. It taxes the liver and wrecks our hormones. The doctor says if you were trying to create a hormonal environment that would make you fat, weak, and tired, alcohol would be perfect that. He says it's the most invisible, yet visible problem he's encountered in medicine. The next time you find yourself romanticizing a drink, remember the statistics and how terribly it affects our body. Alcohol was the most encouraged drug, but that's changing and you are part of it. [08:35] Paul introduces Mitchell: Mitchell is 30 years old, and lives in Missouri with his wife and three cats. For work, Mitchell is an RN and for fun he enjoys fitness, various types of gaming and is competing in his first triathlon. Mitchell says that growing up, both of his parents were problem drinkers. He hated s...

RE 600: What Happens After You Quit Drinking?

Aug 17, 2026 10 min

Today we have Dan. He is 44 years old from Denver, CO, and he took his last drink of alcohol in February of 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Over the last six months, we have been working on a book called This is How We Quit. It is a compilation of 24 sobriety stories that will be released on August 31st, 2026. To coincide with the release, Recovery Elevator is doing a free online event to celebrate the launch. More details on that event are coming soon! [03:15] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us his history with the guest today. They were close friends in high school; they played football together and drank plenty of beers at parties together. They lost communication over the years, but by happenstance and a lost wallet, they reconnected last year. Since then, they went on a trip to Sonora, Mexico to find reptiles and also went to their high school reunion together. [05:49] Paul introduces Dan: Dan is 44 years old, lives in Westminster, CO and took his last drink in February 2025. He was born and raised in Vail to wonderful parents and was close with his siblings. He is currently engaged and works in commercial construction sales. Dan enjoys spending time outside mountaineering, trail running and enjoying the arts. He recently rediscovered his love of reptiles and amphibians. Dan says he was very shy and reserved growing up. He had his first drink right before freshman year of high school. He felt a sense of ease and that he could talk to people. He recalls thinking that this was the solution and how normal people must feel all the time. Through high school, Dan's drinking was minimal and he doesn't feel he ever was loss in control. In college, Dan says his alcohol consumption went through the roof. Frequently drinking beers with friends at the dorms or at keg parties, Dan remembers the hangovers were pretty tough. He would...

RE 599: Romanticizing the Drink

Aug 10, 2026 41 min

Today we have Art. He is 46 years old, from Wheat Ridge, CO and he took his last drink on November 28th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help The Find Your People retreat in Bozeman, MT starts this Wednesday. There are still spots available if you want to join us. Thank you to our sponsors of the upcoming retreat: Sober Link – Alcohol Monitoring Rise Up Coffee – Yummy Coffee We ❤️ Better Rhodes – Solid selection of AF drinks Beaglepuss – NA Beers with STYLE Athletic Brewing Company Café RE – Alcohol-Free Community 🌟 [03:40] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a post made in Café RE by a member named Brian. It explores the idea of romanticizing his drinking days and the transition to romanticizing NOT drinking. It reminds us that the brain is powerful. It is a manifestation machine. Next time you become aware of the brain romanticizing the drink, flip it and start romanticizing your alcohol-free life. Sunsets, laughter, walks with your dog or a loved one at sunset, see it. Create that movie in your brain. Romanticize the clarity, the still life, the clear head. Romanticize the morning after. Romanticize the real you. Romanticize the quiet, the peace, the presence. Romanticize staying in a hard moment without checking out. Romanticize connections with people who get you. [06:32] Paul introduces Art: Art is a Colorado native and currently lives in Wheat Ridge. For work he is a re-entry specialist who helps individuals that get out of prison get back on their feet. For fun, Art enjoys helping others, taking walks, and meditating. Art says he began drinking with friends when he was around 14 to 15 years old. The would have parties on Tuesday nights because his father was out of town. It became very normalized to drink regularly. In his 30's, Art started to recognize that he had an issue. He began drinking his collection of liquor with his partner, but over time fou...

RE 598: Accept the Struggle

Aug 3, 2026 41 min

Today we have Amy. She is 43 years old, lives in Santa Ynez, CA and took her last drink of alcohol on May 25th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [01:52] Thoughts from Paul: Everyone struggles with something and for you that may be alcohol. Paul's message for today isn't how to lessen that struggle. Instead, he wants you to accept it, own it and embrace it. Unlike many other ailments, where the ideal outcome is to get back where you were, an alcohol addiction allows us to blow past that. We can not only heal from it, but we can be catapulted into a much healthier way of living. This time can be an intense chapter of growth, where you'll emerge with more depth and understanding of yourself and others when you hit the other side. Be patient, trust the process, own it and befriend it. Turn your struggle into your greatest strength. Not many get to do that with their problems. [05:30] Paul introduces Amy: Amy is 43 years old, lives in Santa Ynez, CA, has four children and a variety of pets. She was a nurse for many years, but now just stays home and loves hiking. Amy grew up in a family with two addicted parents. Her mother went into treatment for a year when Amy was six years old. Amy and her brother spent a lot of time in NA and AA meetings as kids and said it was traumatizing to hear all the stories about people's addictions but was grateful for her mother's sobriety. Amy was 14 years old when she started drinking. Her mother was sober for about 10 years and then began drinking again. There were a lot of toxic family things happening and Amy ended up getting kicked out of her home at 16. After getting pregnant at 17, Amy decided she was going to be a parent, put herself through nursing school and prove to everyone that she was not going to turn out like her parents. Around this time, she became friends with a woman who drank wine and made it look sophisticated and cool. They wo...

RE 597: Moving On

Jul 27, 2026 47 min

Today we have Shane. He is 45 years old, lives in Northern California, and he took his last drink on September 12th, 2013. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help It's not too late to join us in Bozeman, MT. The retreat is August 12th-16th. We have cabin and camping spots still available. [01:08] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares that he is having trouble moving on after his loss of Ben. There is still a pile of poop in his yard that he is not going to pick up. He reflects that over time; he knows it will eventually disappear as life moves on and so will he eventually. Moving on from alcohol is hard too. Yes, there were fun times, great memories, but it turned and it's no longer serving us. As a community, we are all moving on. As Odette said in episode 282 – you can miss drinking even though you don't want to drink anymore. Don't sweep the pain of losing alcohol under a rug, it needs to be grieved as it is the loss of a major life companion. But…we are moving on. And you are invited to join us. [04:17] Paul introduces Shane: Shane is from Northern California, is married and they have two children. He works full time in podcasting and communications, and for fun he enjoys playing golf, chess and fitness. Shane says he grew up in an alcoholic household, and his parents were very young when they had him. Growing up he had a lot of resentments and anger towards his parents which he feels led him down the path to use alcohol and other drugs to escape. After a baseball injury, Shane started playing in bands with aspirations of making it in the music business. Along with this came a lot of partying, drugs and alcohol which ended up being a big part of his twenties. In the back of his mind he knew he didn't want to live that way, but he ignored it. Once they had their daughter, Shane began to realize that he was becoming everything that he never wanted to be. The last three years of his drinking...

RE 596: Hiding in Plain Sight

Jul 20, 2026 39 min

Today we have Becca. She is 35 years old, lives in Delaware County, PA, and she took her last drink of alcohol on August 7th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Check out this free guide to your first seven days without alcohol. Registration for our sober travel trip to Morocco is open! This trip will take place March 3rd – 13th, 2027. [02:25] Thoughts from Paul: The most important thing that someone has to achieve or overcome if they are to quit drinking is denial. The very convincing inner voice that keeps telling you on repeat that you do not have a problem. This is hard because we build our lives around alcohol and usually this is done unconsciously. The problem is often hiding in plain sight, and you just can't or choose not to see it. It's also hard because marketing is powerful and smart people are paid a lot of money to make you feel like it's a required sidecar to life. So even though the addiction is hiding in plain sight, you also know it is there. You know how alcohol makes you feel. In addition to the voice saying you don't have a problem, there is another voice telling you, "I'll give you 50 more hangovers and then it's time to move on". Next week, we'll talk more about moving on. [06:23] Paul introduces Becca: Becca is 35 years old, lives in Delaware County, PA, has two cats and 12-13 nieces and nephews. For fun, Becca enjoys hiking, music, reading, film, cooking and puzzles. Becca was one of seven children growing up. Her older siblings liked to party, so Becca followed in their footsteps in her early teens. She drank and smoked pot for a few years before getting introduced to harder drugs when she was around 16. She quickly felt like she had cracked the code for getting through life. Becca says she was really naïve and spending time with bad people. In 2010, Becca was in a car accident that left her badly injured. She was only 19 and says this was the low...

RE 595: You Have One Job

Jul 13, 2026 51 min

Today we have Rich. He is from Sacramento, CA, he is 60 years old and took his last drink on August 8th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Registration opens on July 15th, 2026, for our sober travel trip to Morocco which is March 3rd – 13th, 2027. [02:14] Thoughts from Paul: If you are in early sobriety or find yourself on day one, your only job right now is to not drink. It isn't time to fix your whole life or worry about being productive and having it all figured out. By staying honest with your #1 job of not drinking, the body will become incredibly productive in terms of healing. Your dopamine begins to rewire; your sleep system starts to re-balance. All while you are resting. Even though we sometimes know that not drinking is our #1 job, we can still struggle to keep it this simple. The good news is that every day is a new opportunity to perfect the job and by doing so, everything else will fall into place. Trust the process. [06:05] Paul introduces Rich: Rich is 60 years old and lives in Sacramento, CA with his wife of 35 years. They have two grown children and two rat terriers to help fill the empty nest. For work, Rich is a salesman for an equipment company. For fun, Rich enjoys riding his Peloton bike, cooking, and he is an avid sports fan. Rich reflects that a lot of his drinking came from his inability to control his emotions. He says his home life growing up was great, but there was no discussion or expression of emotions. He was bullied often when he was in junior high but didn't feel comfortable telling anyone about it. On a few occasions throughout high school and college, Rich realized that alcohol helped him become the life of the party and be able to talk to people he wasn't normally friendly with. He learned that if he drank, he would be accepted and have friends. After graduating college, Rich was working in the restaurant business as a bartender in a smal...

RE 594: The Most Important Person

Jul 6, 2026 51 min

Today we have Eric. He is 55 years old, lives in Columbus, OH and took his last drink on February 14th, 2008. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Check out our upcoming Recovery Elevator Events. We have Bozeman next month, Morocco in March 2027 followed by a sober Camino de Santiago in October 2027. [04:52] Thoughts from Paul: The most important person in the rooms of recovery is not the person with 40 years of sobriety spouting off all the wisdom compiled over the years. It is the newcomer. The person in the room who shares the most truth, is the person who has the least amount of time from their last drink. To the new listener, the newcomer, we want to hear from you. Paul shares a personal experience where a newcomer gave him some of the best motivation he ever received. The newcomer is also the most important person in the room because a core foundation of recovery is helping others. People in recovery want to help, and we encourage you to accept that help. There are many other reasons why the newcomer is the most important. And if you're a new listener to Recovery Elevator, we are happy to have you. Stick around. [08:38] Paul introduces Eric: Eric is the podcast host of The One You Feed. He is 55 years old and lives in Columbus, Ohio with his partner of 10 years. He has one adult son who is a wildland firefighter. For fun, Eric enjoys playing guitar, walking, hiking, and reading. Eric started drinking as a teenager, but it didn't really take off until he was around eighteen. Over the next seven years, Eric says he was rarely sober. He was just drinking alcohol initially, but his drug use progressed to where he says he was a homeless heroin addict facing 50 years in prison and weighed only 100 pounds. Eric was sober for about eight years but ended up drinking again and leaving the recovery community. Eric says his brain told him...

RE 593: Man's Best Friend

Jun 29, 2026 49 min

Today we have Camille. She is 36 years old, lives in Montreal, Canada and she took her last drink on April 20th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, check out our FREE 7-day guide. [03:19] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us that his beloved dog Ben has passed away. He credits Ben with not only being a major catalyst for his recovery, but also for saving his life. Ben was a member of the staff at Recovery Elevator retreats and touched many people over the 12 years he was Paul's companion. Paul says his thinking mind has tried to figure out where Ben is now, and after countless thoughts and tears, he always lands in a place of gratitude for the 12 incredible years he was able to share with his dog. The opposite of addiction is connection, and we generally think of other humans when we hear this. But the quote is infinite and definitely includes our connection with animals. [08:18] Paul introduces Camille: Camille is 36 years old and lives in Montreal, Canada. She is a graphic designer for a software company. She lives with her partner, and he has a 9-year-old daughter who they see often. For fun, Camille enjoys sports climbing, crochet, crafting and DIY projects. Camille had her first drink when she was 13 while at boarding school. Her roommate who was 14 was already struggling with alcoholism. In spite of being a "goody two shoes", Camille was occasionally binge drinking with friends. There were several hints that things were getting precarious with her drinking. What sealed the deal Camille says is when she started working at a bar in her early 20s. She worked there for six years. While she did have some fun and met some great people, Camille says she was constantly either drinking or combatting a hangover. Towards the end of her studying, she was getting tired and looking forward to getting out of...

RE 592: GLP-1's and Addiction

Jun 22, 2026 51 min

Today we have Lauren. She is 39 years old from Chicago, IL and took her last drink on November 22nd, 2019. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 Stay tuned here for some upcoming travel opportunities in 2027-2028 If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, check out our FREE 7-day guide. [02:58] Thoughts from Paul: This week, Paul talks about GLP-1s and the growing evidence that these medications can help with cravings for opioids, cigarettes and alcohol in addition to their effectiveness' in assisting with weight loss and diabetes. The research is in the initial phases, but there have been studies showing that GLP-1s can lower alcohol cravings. Researchers found that GLP-1 plus therapy can reduce heavy drinking. And a clinical trial published in JAMA Psychiatry found that GLP-1s significantly reduced weekly alcohol cravings compared to placebo. This may not be the magical cure for alcoholism that we've been looking for, but it could give the jump start we may need. Since the drinking problem is more like the canary in the mine saying something in your life is out of balance, a GLP-1 will not fix that. We've always said at RE that there is no one-size-fits-all path to sobriety. For some people it's AA. For some it's therapy. For some it's community, nature, spirituality, movement. Maybe for some people, the path starts with a GLP-1. [11:29] Paul introduces Lauren: Lauren lives in Chicago, she is single, and she lives close to her family. She is a director of business processes for car wash equipment manufacturing. For fun, Lauren is a member of multiple clubs and enjoys taking painting classes. Lauren says the first time she drank was while on a date when she was 16. She recalls that she blacked out and that blacking out was common for her throughout her drinking career. In college, Lauren was in sorority wh...

RE 591: Open Up To Life

Jun 15, 2026 48 min

Today we have Meg. She is 36 years old, lives in Houston, TX and she took her last drink on October 11th, 2020. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – claim your $100 enrollment bonus Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, check out our new FREE 7-day guide. [02:26] Thoughts from Paul: You've heard the opposite of addiction is connection. Alcohol wants you turning away from people into a more isolated life. Paul encourages us to find small moments in the day when you can open up towards life and shares some examples of how we can engage with other people and nature throughout our lives. [07:21] Paul introduces Meg: Meg is 36 years old and lives in Houston, TX with her two cats Fred and George. She works as an HR coordinator for Meow Wolf and for fun, Meg enjoys walking, puzzling and writing. Meg didn't have her first drink until she was 18 years old but instantly knew it was a special elixir that was going to allow her to be more social and comfortable. Throughout college, Meg says she always drank, often to excess with the purpose of getting drunk. She didn't recognize it as a problem at that point and just continued to spend time with friends who drank like her. Meg got two DUIs when she was in her early 20s. She developed relationships where drinking was part of how they would relate to one another. It wasn't until she was in a relationship with a normal drinker that her drinking became very noticeable. She found herself trying to moderate around him, but says it backfired often. Meg's says that she had some cognitive dissonance growing because she knew that the alcohol was pulling her away from her authenticity but found herself drinking more to try and shut that voice down. The drinking escalated during COVID when Meg was working at home, drinking all day, and hiding bottles from her boyfriend...

RE 590: Are You Broken?

Jun 8, 2026 44 min

Today we have Stef. She is 39 years old, lives in Truckee, CA, and took her last drink on March 24th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, well, we just created a FREE 7-day guide for your first seven days. [02:00] Thoughts from Paul: Yes, we are all broken. Not because of a drinking problem, but because all 8 billion humans on the planet are perfectly imperfect. While a drinking problem breaks you, it can be alchemized or transformed into your greatest strength. The transformation that someone makes when stepping into an alcohol-free life is hard to describe. Imperfection, brokenness, and flaws are not failures, but rather essential openings for growth, understanding, and hope. "There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." – Leonard Cohen "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places..." – Ernest Hemingway Kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending cracks with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. [06:10] Paul introduces Stef: Stef is 39 years old, works in property management and has two dogs. Stef was socially awkward growing up, but when she had her first drink, she says she felt at home. She loosened up and her personality came out. Rules were restrictive at home, so she didn't have a lot of opportunities to party until she was kicked out. She says she floated around and did a lot of partying at that point. When Stef was in her early 20s, her boyfriend passed away in a drunk driving accident. Stef says the only way she knew how to cope with things was to drink and forget it. It wasn't long after that she got her first DUI. She ran from the charges for about two years and when she was picked up on a warrant, she was sent to AA meetings. Stef says...

RE 589: The Little Things

Jun 1, 2026 51 min

Today we have Brooke. She is 55 years old, lives in Denver, CO and she took her last drink on February 17th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, well, we just created a FREE 7-day guide for your first seven days. [02:39] Thoughts from Paul: In the upcoming book, This is How We Quit, we are currently narrowing down the submissions from 66 to around 20. While reviewing these all, Paul shares with us a snippet from one of them by Kristi, who was the guest on episode 492. [07:45] Paul introduces Brooke: Brookes lives in Denver, CO, has been married for 25 years and they have two sons. She has a background in education and for fun she enjoys being outside. They enjoy hiking, skiing, walking and playing tennis. Growing up, Brooke believed that alcohol was necessary part of living. She saw her parents drink casually and was in a lot of environments where drinking was a given. Brooke took her first drink in high school, and it was just part of socializing throughout high school, college and her early professional years. Brooke says it's hard to imagine a time when she didn't think drinking was normalized. Whether drinking for celebration or drinking for grieving, alcohol was always present. Once Brooke reached her 40s, she noticed that it wasn't as easy to get up the next day without some sort of hangover symptoms even if all she had was one or two drinks after a hard day at work. Brooke was starting to question her drinking but the talk about alcohol being "good for us" was conflicting. She was beginning to see the signs of alcohol interfering with her health. She was participating in cleanses for 10 or 30 days and found that she felt so much better when she took breaks from drinking. It was hard for her to think about quitting completely because if how much it was present socially. When Brooke's mother...

RE 588: Religion

May 25, 2026 45 min

Today we have Anita. She is 49 years old from Bend, OR and she took her last drink on January 4th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [03:14] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us that in the upcoming interview, he and the guest talk about religion. While he knows this can be a triggering topic for some, including him, he encourages us to be open minded to both the interview and religion in general. [12:38] Paul introduces Anita: Anita is 49 years old, lives in Bend, OR she is single and works as a family doctor. Much of her family also lives in the area. Anita enjoys hiking, cold plunges, dancing and frequently travels to Esalen in Big Sur. Anita was raised in a Christian cult called but went to public schools which left her feeling anxious and nervous all the time. She says the didn't have a TV at home, so Anita would find herself reading comics and snacking. This later developed into an eating disorder as she grew into adolescence. Anita graduated from high school and attended a Christian college in Michigan. Being a rule follower, Anita didn't drink much before she was 21. Her drinking remained rather moderate while she was addressing her eating disorder. She was attending Overeaters Anonymous and followed a meal plan that didn't include alcohol. After about five years, Anita became an atheist and decided she didn't want to practice medicine anymore. She decided to trust the universe and move to southern California, but it didn't go well for Anita, and she moved back to Oregon after four years. Anita would go back and forth with alcohol over the years, but up until this past January, would always find herself going back. With a stressful job helping others, drinking was a way to regroup at the end of the day. On January 5th, Anita stumbled across a copy of Paul's book Alcohol is Shit she had in her office and started reading. From there, she started listening to the RE podcast a...

RE 587: Schedule What?

May 18, 2026 45 min

Today we have Will. He is 32 years old, lives in Allenstown, NH and took his last drink on October 5th, 2019. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [06:22] Paul introduces Will: Will is 32 years old, lives in New Hampshire and works for the US Postal Service. Will enjoys writing, watching films, hiking and traveling. Will grew up in a strict, religious household. From middle school through high school, Will did homeschooling which left him feeling like he didn't really have any friends. By the time he was 15 or 16, he felt like he was missing out on a lot of life experiences. Will moved out of home with his brother when he turned 18 and says this is when his partying began as a way to make up for lost time. Will began working in the food service industry and says it was his first taste of life outside of the religious bubble he had grown up in. While he had a level of social anxiety that kept him out of nightclubs and things of that nature, his brother enjoyed the nightlife and typically had alcohol in the house which Will would drink by himself. Between the ages of 19 and 21, Will had found some friends he calls kindred spirits in that they were all creative and a little nerdy. He says his life was simple back then: go to work and then go hang out with his friends and play/watch video games while drinking. At 22, Will got a DUI. This was not enough to make him feel like he needed to stop drinking but he thought he should try moderating. The financial struggles after the DUI were hard on Will and he was beginning to feel like he screwed his life up already. Between ages 22 and 24, Will references them as his rock bottom years. He was losing friends due to his behavior when he drank and felt haunted by social failures and missing opportunities. Will tried going to therapy at 24 but didn't address his drinking at all....

RE 586: Addiction is the Answer

May 11, 2026 52 min

Today's episode includes a Q & A session conducted live at Recovery Point, which is a resource center for those who struggle with addiction located in Bozeman, Montana. This episode is brought to you by: Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [02:19] Paul introduces Jay, Jennifer, Chris and Linda Each panel member shares a little about themselves and what drove them to seek recovery. Question – When did you open up to community? Jay shares that he started going to AA while in jail and attended a program called Bridging the Gap through treatment court which helped him find connection and community. Jen was a few months into her recovery when she discovered Café RE and found that others sharing their stories helped her a lot. Chris said he had made several half-hearted attempts at quitting before finding books and communities. He shares that he was stubborn at first, but now has made many friends in Café RE. Linda attended treatment court with Jay but was trying to be a lone wolf. She didn't have a driver's license and found herself having to ask others for help. She found community in AA and NA/ Questions – What's your favorite recovery quote? One word to summarize your sobriety? Linda – "it's only a thing if you make it a thing" and her word is "unbelievable" Chris – "play the tape forward" and his word is "peaceful" Jen – "keep it simple" and her word is "content" Jay – "this too shall pass – the good and the bad" and his word is "serenity" The panel shares their observations on the stigma around addiction decreasing and the increase of alcohol-free options when they go out. They all agree it is great to see that there are more options for people that don't want to drink and more and more places for opportunities to have mocktails while socializing and living life. Question – In a life without alcohol, has some...

RE 585: Country Roads

May 4, 2026 44 min

Today we have Brittany. She is 44 years old, lives in New Braunfels, TX and she had her last drink on May 27th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [02:07] Paul introduces Brittany: Brittany is 44 years old, is originally from Wisconsin, and lives in New Braunfels, TX with her husband of 18 years. Together they have four kids. For fun, Brittany enjoys sporting events and traveling with her family. Brittany shares she had a great childhood. Her parents were very supportive of her and her older brother. Her father was the child of alcoholics, so he chose not to drink so there was limited exposure to it while Brittany was growing up. Brittany's first drink was when she was 15 years old. She didn't drink much throughout her teens as she was more into sports that didn't leave much room for it. In Wisconsin, attending sporting events always included drinking. In college, Brittany enjoyed the party and playing drinking games and all of her friends drank like she did, so she didn't see it as a problem. After college, Brittany met her husband. He went into the Air Force which found them moving to San Antonio. They hung out with a lot of other young married couples, and they all partied a lot on the weekends. Her husband didn't like Brittany's drinking so she would begin hiding how much she drank, seeing it as him trying to control her. When their second daughter was born in 2014 with a rare genetic disorder, Brittany began to use alcohol as medication. Caring for a special needs child and also moving a lot as a military family was very stressful for Brittany. With her husband being deployed or on assignments, she was doing a lot of parenting alone which led her to self-medicate often. When COVID happened, Brittany's husband was able to be home more, but that led to her drinking increase. Brittany switched from wine to...

RE 584: I'm One of Them

Apr 27, 2026 53 min

Today we have Chris. He is 55 years old, from Madison, WI, and he took his last drink of alcohol on April 7th, 2015. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026 [02:02] Thoughts from Paul: Paul recently gave an opening talk at a fundraising gala for Yellowstone Alliance Adventures. This is the venue where the annual Bozeman retreat is held. He shared with the guests that he holds an annual sober retreat there but initially hadn't rehearsed sharing that he was also sober. After a few moments of silence, mid-talk, Paul shared that he is also in recovery. Paul says he knows he didn't have to share that part, but when he did, it felt good to be up there in front of a crowd as his authentic self. In a world that can very fake and shallow, people are craving authenticity. Paul wants to go places where he can be himself. Listeners, where can you show up as yourself in your life? What curtains, walls, or barriers are you hiding behind where you think people don't want to see you? While it isn't easy to show up as your authentic self, you will be rewarded by doing so. We are here; we are whole. [07:03] Paul introduces Chris: Chris is 55 years old, works in IT by day, has three kids across two marriages and for fun he likes to make music, create games, and enjoys working on art. Chris' parents divorced when he was young due to his father's drinking. Because there was so much going on at home, Chris says he focused much of his attention on school, sports, drama and choir to remain out of the house. He shares that he only drank one time in high school and got caught and ended up with some consequences. Once in college, Chris had the freedom to drinking and other drugs pretty heavily right away. Early on, he got kicked out of a bar. During is freshman year, depression kicked in and he had a suicide attempt. Chris says drinking...

RE 583: Anonymous?

Apr 20, 2026 46 min

Today we have Aimee. She is 51 years old, from Minneapolis, MN and took her last drink on March 20th, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people [02:39] Thoughts from Paul: AA has been the most popular and widely recognized program to treat alcohol addiction for more than 50 years. And that has pleased Big Alcohol because it has the word "anonymous" in it. Big Alcohol knows they are selling an addictive drug, and it is a gift to them that when people figure out that alcohol lies to them about their product, calming them down or enhancing their lives, they won't say anything. Paul isn't dogging AA but recognizes that the anonymous part had kept the stigma of addiction going. Paul shares and excerpt from As Bill Sees It from Bill W., the founder of AA. The way he reads it, he doesn't think that Bill W. ever intended the anonymity component to be a curtain of shame. It is just in reference to what is said in the meetings, stays in the meetings. Gone are the days of keeping it a secret. In the last four years Big Alcohol has lost $830 billion in revenue. We have to keep talking about this. As Bill W. says, it's a tragedy that drinking has been marketed as good for us, but we're starting to get it right. [08:16] Paul introduces Aimee: Aimee lives in Minneapolis, MN, works for a large medical device company, is married and has two adult children. For fun Aimee enjoys traveling now that she is in recovery and has been dabbling with art. . Aimee's father was in recovery from alcohol around the time that she was 12 and she remembers the impact seeing him there had on her. Her parents were divorced and she and her mom had a strained relationship. Aimee ended up moving to Minneapolis from Texas to live with her dad and had struggles with bullying in school. Drinking became a way to feel like she belonged in a group. When Aimee was in her early 20s, her father...

RE 582: What Are We Connecting To?

Apr 13, 2026 39 min

Today we have Ron. He is 67 years old from Milwaukee, WI and he took his last drink of alcohol on February 19th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Sober Link sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus [02:57] Thoughts from Paul: The village, the community, the tribe, has been completely destroyed in the last couple hundred years, and this messes with us big time. Okay, the opposite of addiction is connection, but what exactly are we connecting to? The big one here is yourself. If you're disconnected within, everything in your outside world will be fractured also. The next big one is when you connect with others. But even after that, probably the biggest connection is the one with nature. There's no coincidence as our war against nature intensifies, so do ailments such as addictions, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety disorders. We are being called home, and it's a beautiful thing. So how do you build this connection with nature or the natural world? I've got good news for you. You are the natural world. So, this separation is false from the first place, and it's a mind-created fiction. So go outside, read a book outside, download the Merlin Bird app, and learn the birds that call your neighborhood home. [08:04] Paul introduces Ron: Ron is 67 and lives in Milwaukee, WI. He is the president of a large restaurant company. He has been married to his wife for 12 years, has two grown children, five grandchildren and two dogs. For fun Ron enjoys travelling, reading, golf and time with family. Ron says he first drank when he was a teenager, but it was very occasional. He says that most of his adult life, he did not have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol until he was around 52 years old. In 2010, Ron was going through a divorce and opened a sports bar. He spent a lot of time there buying and drinking shots while interacting with customers. Ron says going from a non-drinker to a daily...

RE 581: The BEST Way to Feel Better

Apr 6, 2026 47 min

Today we have Lidia. She is 41 years old from Seattle, WA and she took her last drink of alcohol on August 31st, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [01:40] Thoughts from Paul: Some of you may have seen the title of today's episode which is The Best Way to Feel Better. And that's why you're tuning in – to feel better. Maybe you're in early sobriety and you're not feeling good. Paul shares with us how the best way of feeling better has taken place in his life. It comes when he may be having a bad day but has an interview with a new guest scheduled. There have been a few times where he was hoping that they wouldn't show but has discovered that within the first few minutes of talking with them – he feels better. The best way to feel better is to talk to another human being. Talk to someone you trust, maybe make an unplanned visit to a friend's house. There is a reason they call it the 10,000-pound phone. Because the mind (or addiction) wants you alone. Just knowing this makes it easier to pick up the phone. [06:09] Paul introduces Lidia: Lidia is 41 years old, and lives outside of Seattle with her husband, their daughter and their dog. For fun, Lidia enjoys hiking, puppy yoga, her daughter's Girl Scouts and the local community theater. Lidia was born in Warsaw, Poland to young parents and says alcohol was a big part of the culture. She recalls having her first drink to celebrate her second or third birthday. When she was six, she and her mom immigrated to the US. Her mother worked a lot, which left Lidia to fend for herself a good bit. During her teen years, Lidia would attend summer camps where it was easy to find older kids to buy her alcohol. The closest relationship she had was with Throughout the teen years and college, Lidia says she was good at drinking and wore it as a badge of honor. After reaching adulthood, the drinking was a daily occurrence finding any excuse to drink w...

RE 580: Sensitive People

Mar 30, 2026 53 min

Today we have Harvey. He is 71 years old, lives in Fort Myers, FL and took his last drink on January 18th, 2026. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Registration for our annual Bozeman retreat begins on Wednesday April 1st. This event takes place August 12th-16th. This retreat is all about fun, laughter, smiles and silent disco. We didn't quit drinking to not have fun! Musical guest Uprise will be back and it's going to be another awesome year. [03:54] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us and excerpt from Shannon Alder regarding sensitive people. See if this rings true for you: "Sensitive people are the most genuine and honest people you will ever meet. There is nothing they won't tell you about themselves if they trust your kindness. However, the moment you betray them, reject them or devalue them, they will end the friendship. They live with guilt and constant pain over unresolved situations and misunderstandings. They are tortured souls that are not able to live with hatred or being hated. This type of person needs the most love anyone can give them because their soul has been constantly bruised by others. However, despite the tragedy of what they have to go through in life, they remain the most compassionate people worth knowing and the ones that often become activists for the broken-hearted, forgotten and the misunderstood. They are angels with broken wings that only fly when loved." Would you consider yourself a sensitive person? It isn't a bad thing at all, because you feel. And look out, it's the sober, sensitive person through their healing that heals others. That's the work we are doing here. [08:01] Paul introduces Harvey: Harvey is originally from Brooklyn but has lived many other places and currently spends his time between Virginia Beach and Fort Myers, FL. Harvey met his wife in 1980, and they have been married over 40 years. He works...

RE 579: Don't Question the Decision

Mar 23, 2026 34 min

Today we have Butch. He is 49 years old and is from Indianapolis, IN and took his last drink on November 1st, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [02:33] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares and excerpt from an interview with Steve-O, who has 17 years of sobriety. Steve-O said the worst thing would be to kinda have alcoholism. To kinda have a drinking problem. Because kinda is where people live for 20 years. Kinda is how you blow your 40s. Kinda is how you show up halfway to everything that matters. For your kids, your marriage, your job, your actual life. And then wonder why nothing ever feels real. And while you're busy deciding whether it's really that bad, the years are passing by. The other side of what Steve-O is saying – he isn't just describing a trap, he's describing a clear escape plan. By being here, you have already made the call. Maybe it's still messy and maybe it's still early and maybe some days you're not sure what you're doing. But you are here fully. We are done with "kinda". You've made a decision, now don't question that decision. The years that are left are yours, listeners. Now you can show up for them. [07:31] Paul introduces Butch: Butch is 49 and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and their cat named Ezra. For fun he is learning to play the bass guitar and recently started blogging. Butch says he had his first drink in high school and found it helped him cut loose, relax, be funny and he really enjoyed it. His drinking was mostly off and on until he and his girlfriend were out on their own in his early 20s and nobody other than his wife knew he was drinking so much. He had responsibilities but struggled to hold down a job. After about a year and a half, Butch was able to reel it in to just binge drinking on weekends. Over time Butch was spending more and more time drinking by himself in his basement and not having the energy to do much the next day. He would t...

RE 578: Protect Your Energy

Mar 16, 2026 40 min

Today we have Jan. She is 75 years old from Winchester, VA and took her last drink on February 1st, 2021. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, and submit your story, we'd love to have you. There is no sobriety time requirement so if your saying to yourself, well, I've only been sober 30 days, I can't submit my story, then nonsense. Send an email to info@recoveryelevator.com and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. **TRIGGER WARNING** this episode references firearms and sexual assault [02:48] Thoughts from Paul: A common phrase in the recovery space is "protect your energy". Paul feels it is a solid idea and tries to practice it as well. His goal in life had always been to bring people together and it has been a major pain point for him to see the current administration purposely trying to separate or divide Americans. Paul tries to focus on what he can control and turn everything else – especially the news. He shares a story about a recent visit to his parents' house where the news was on and he couldn't find the remote to turn it off. Paull mentions all of this to remind us of what RE stands for, which is community, connection, inclusivity and love. Many of the things going on in our country go completely against our mission so we have to protect our energy and turn that stuff off, and you should too. [07:49] Paul introduces Jan: Jan currently lives in Winchester, VA, she is divorced, has one adult son named Sam and a 14-year-old Pekingese. For fun Jan enjoys walking, hiking, being outside and dancing. Jan started drinking when she was 19 and attending school in Europe. She reflects that she spent time with the wildest group where they did a lot of drugs and drank...

RE 577: Why You Drink

Mar 9, 2026 45 min

Today we have Kendra. She is 38 years old from Central Minnesota and took her last drink on March 22nd, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, and submit your story, we'd love to have you. There is no sobriety time requirement so if your saying to yourself, well, I've only been sober 30 days, I can't submit my story, then nonsense. Send an email to info@recoveryelevator.com and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. Recovery Elevator's first ever Sober Ukelele Retreat will be November 7th-14th, 2026. Registration opens May 1st. [03:42] Thoughts from Paul: Today Paul unwraps the reason that we drink. It isn't because alcohol is the most addictive drug on the planet or because you like the taste of wood, hops or earthy floral notes. For millions of years, humans evolved with the expectation of a loving and accepting community to be surrounding us at all times. In the modern world we are ripped away from this and are expected to be okay by ourselves. The opposite of addiction is connection, and we've never been more disconnected as a species. Be kind to yourself, this is not your fault. The pain that something was missing landed in your biology likely before you said your first word. This is why we all carry so much shame when something is missing or wrong we internalize it as if we are the problem and we are bad. Again, this is not your fault. But it is tasked to you, us, we to course correct – and we are. [08:25] Paul introduces Kendra: Kendra was previously interviewed on episode 501. She is 38 years old and has one 19-year-old daughter. She is a nephrology practice nurse and for fun she likes to cook, walk, bike, cycle and rollerblade. Kendra never drank in high...

RE 576: The Cost of Your New Life

Mar 2, 2026 40 min

Today we have Tom. He is 40 years old from New Canaan, CT and took his last drink on July 12th, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Happy March! The Café RE theme this month is Mindfulness and Awareness. This key topic helps us build awareness and space, which ultimately gives us the freedom to make different choices beyond drinking. Café RE will feature chats focused on mindfulness. It has been said that the most powerful medicine can't match the power of awareness. Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, and submit your story, we'd love to have you. There is no sobriety time requirement so if your saying to yourself, well, I've only been sober 30 days, I can't submit my story, then nonsense. Send an email to info@recoveryelevator.com and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. [03:56] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a quote from author Brianna Wiest. "Your new life is going to cost you your old one. It's going to cost you your comfort zone and your sense of direction. It's going to cost you relationships and friends. It's going to cost you being liked and understood. It doesn't matter. The people who are meant for you are going to meet you on the other side. You're going to build a new comfort zone around the things that actually move you forward. Instead of being liked, you're going to be loved. Instead of being understood, you're going to be seen. All you're going to lose is what was built for a person you no longer are." [06:25] Paul introduces Tom: Tom is 40 years old and lives in New Canaan, CT. He is a construction superintendent, is married and they have 5-year-old twins. For fun, Tom enjoys gold, skiing and spending time with his kids. Tom first drank at age 14 an...

RE 575: What Finally Makes One Quit Drinking

Feb 23, 2026 46 min

Today we have Greg. He is 57 years old and from Midlothian, VA. He took his last drink on December 8th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – the social app for sober people Recovery Elevator is compiling a list of recovery stories and we're going to put them in a book called This is How We Quit. If you want to be part of this book, please submit your story. There is no sobriety time requirement. Send an email to info@recoveryelevator.com and you'll get a google form to fill out and submit your story. If you have been thinking about joining Café RE, now is the time. The monthly price is increasing to $29 per month on March 1st. If you're already a member, your price will not increase, this is only for new membership. Keep in mind that $29 per month is most likely a fraction of what you may have spent on alcohol per month. [03:55] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a beautifully written piece someone shared with him a few months ago. In summary, they didn't quit drinking after a dramatic rock bottom, but after a quiet realization. Alcohol had become an automatic habit used to avoid feelings, slowly eroding sleep , mood, health, clarity, and self-respect. "Functioning" wasn't truly living. When they stopped lying to themselves about its cost and stopped romanticizing it, drinking felt pointless—and they simply chose honesty over pretending. [10:12] Paul introduces Greg: Greg is 57 years old from Midlothian, VA. For work, Greg is self-employed and does lawn, landscape and maintenance work. He has been married for 24 years, and he has four adult children, one grandchild, two dogs and a cat. For fun, Greg enjoys going to yard sales, is a big sports fan and enjoys music of all kinds. Greg rarely drank in high school but began drinking regularly in college, which hurt his grades. After his GPA fell below 2.0, his father refused to keep paying for school unless he transferred to...

RE 574: Your Sobriety Team

Feb 16, 2026 42 min

Today we have Kerri. She is 51 years old from Maine and took her last drink on June 7th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus If you have been thinking about joining Café RE, now is the time. The monthly price is increasing to $29 per month on March 1st. If you're already a member, your price will not increase, this is only for new membership. Keep in mind that $29 per month is most likely a fraction of what you may have spent on alcohol per month. [04:09] Thoughts from Paul: Last week we talked about patience and how preparation is sacred work. This week, we are talking about building your expedition team a.k.a., your sobriety team. First, there is this podcast. Paul and the RE production team are part of your team. All interviewees are part of your team. Then you need community. This can be in-person or online with other sober people. You need people who get it, who've been where you are, and who can remind you why you are doing this. There is also no shame in seeking professional help or a therapist. And don't forget God, or a higher power, or the universe, or whatever you want to call that thing bigger than yourself. Because when you're in the wilderness and the map runs out. This week, ask yourself: who's on my team? And if the answer is "nobody yet" then your mission is to find at least one person. Because you can't do this alone. You weren't meant to do this alone. Lean in. [08:14] Paul introduces Kerri: Kerri is 51 and lives in Maine. She is a registered nurse, divorced and has two older teenagers. For fun she loves live music, yoga, sauna, kayak, writing and spending time with her kids. Kerri first tried alcohol when she was 12. She grew up in a townhouse community with lots of other kids and limited supervision. Kerri went to college in Boston where she says she partied like the guys did and was the girl that w...

RE 573: This Takes Time

Feb 9, 2026 47 min

Today we have Lewis. He is 39 years old from Burlington, VT and he took his last rink of alcohol on June 12th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help August 12th – 16th: Get ready to elevate your alcohol-free life in Big Sky Country. Join RE in Bozeman, Montana for our annual sober summer retreat. Registration opens April 1st. This isn't your typical retreat. We're talking adventure, laughter and deep bonds with people who get it. This retreat will remind you why choosing freedom over booze was the best decision you ever made. [01:52] Thoughts from Paul: This week, Paul talks about something that doesn't get discussed enough in recovery: patience and preparation. Getting sober takes time. Preparing for your new life takes time. Some people are able to spontaneously quit drinking and never look back, but most have to slowly build momentum before trust falling into an alcohol-free life. Some of you may have been listening to this podcast for years and feeling guilty for still drinking – DON'T. Maybe you think you are failing because you haven't quit yet. You're NOT. You are in preparation mode and intentional preparation is sacred work. Every time you question whether alcohol is worth it, you're gathering intelligence. Every moment you imagine life without drinking; you're building the mental map you'll need for the actual journey. This week, give yourself permission to be exactly where you are. If you're still drinking and listening, you're right where you need to be. It doesn't matter if you quit yesterday, last month or several years ago, you're right where you need to be. [06:46] Paul introduces Lewis: Lewis is 39 years old and grew up in Australia but now lives in Burlington, VT. He runs a business. For fun, Lewis likes run and being outdoors snowboarding, surfing, eat good food and hang out with friends. Lewis grew up with two brothers, who he is still close with, and says th...

RE 572: Plans Change

Feb 2, 2026 52 min

Today we have Jack. He is 45 years old and from Los Angeles, CA. He took his last drink of alcohol on December 31st, 2024. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – THE social app for sober people. Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help [02:47] Thoughts from Paul: Last week Paul talked about the intentional phase of sobriety: choosing what you want to explore next and how you are going to fill the void left by alcohol. Looking at Lewis and Clark, we know that no expedition goes according to plan. So this week we will talk about setbacks because they're part of life. Maybe it's relapse (or Field Research as we refer to it in RE). Maybe it's an injury that sidelines your new running routine or an illness that drains your energy for weeks. Or it may just be life being life. The thing about setbacks – they don't erase your progress; they're just part of the terrain. If you drink again, you have not gone back to zero. You've gathered data. You know more now than you did before – about triggers, patterns, what works and what doesn't. The goal here is not perfection, it's persistence. If you are facing a setback – big or small – ask yourself: what's the adjusted route? Not "should I give up?" but "how do I keep moving forward from here?" [7:46] Paul introduces Jack: Jack grew up in New Jersey but now lives in LA. He is a runner and currently training for a marathon. He loves movies and video games, and he is currently taking a fragrance development course and plans to build his own brand and launch his own fragrance in the future. Growing up, Jack was always sensitive and shy kid. His parents drank and alcohol was just a regular part of life with wine at dinner and craft beer always around. As a teenager, Jack drank to fit in at parties. Jack is gay and used alcohol to cancel out his anxiety and the awkwardness he felt socially. He says he didn't drink all the time and there were no real consequences, just teenage experimentati...

RE 571: From Passive to Active Recovery

Jan 26, 2026 38 min

Today we have Veronica. She is 52 years old, lives in Alabama and she had her last drink on May 1st, 2000. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Soberlink – claim your $100 enrollment bonus Upcoming Events with Recovery Elevator February 21st – 28th we are traveling to Costa Rica. The event is full, but you can email info@recoveryelevator.com to get on the waiting list. August 12th – 16th we will be having our annual Bozeman retreat. Registration opens on April 1st at 9am Eastern Time. October 17th – 24th we will host our Sober Ukelele Retreat in Costa Rica [03:07] Thoughts from Paul: Paul wants to talk about the exploration he mentioned at the end of last week's intro. When you first quit drinking, things kind of happen to you – sleep improves, your head clears and maybe a hobby resurfaces on it's own. It's passive. But at some point, you realize that your not just not drinking anymore. You're actually living. And you get to decide what that looks like. This is the intentional phase where you stop wandering and start exploring with purpose. Now is the time to think about some things that you may have wanted to do but didn't have the space for because alcohol consumed it all. Now you have the bandwidth to explore what you want to make space for in your life. This week, Paul wants you to ask yourself, "what's one thing I've been curious about that I haven't made time for?" Just one small piece of unexplored territory. Next week we will talk about what happens when you start building momentum but for now, just pick your direction. The expedition starts with a single step – now take it. [7:40] Paul introduces Veronica: Veronica is British but has lived in the US for about 15 years. She is married and has two sons. Veronica has worked as a psychotherapist and sobriety coach for many years, has written three books and has a strong online presence in the recovery space with Soberful...

RE 570: Your Mission is to Explore

Jan 19, 2026 45 min

Today we have Savanna. She's 32 years old from Minneapolis, MN and took her last drink on May 4th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help Café RE – THE social app for sober people Every Sunday on Instagram, we post a roll call graphic and then you guys put your day count on there. It's a space for members to be loud and proud about their recovery as well as being there to support others. [02:30] Thoughts from Paul: Last week, Paul talked about how we want to end our relationship with alcohol. This week, he addresses the question "what do I do with all this space where alcohol used to be?". Boredom can set into the empty space where alcohol used to be. This can trip a lot of folks up in early sobriety when they thought that quitting drinking was supposed to feel like some immediate transformation. Paul reminds us to think of the first gift of sobriety to be not having to negotiate anymore. Additional mental bandwidth is no longer wasted on alcohol where you asked yourself a lot of questions to determine if you should drink today or not. When we make the decision to quit, we have the freedom to do anything else with our time. Quitting drinking is not self-deprivation or sacrifice. It's you clearing space for a fruitful life. Your mission is to explore. [07:04] Paul introduces Savanna: Savanna is 32 years old, lives in Minneapolis, MN and is a marketing manager. For fun, Savanna enjoys going camping, traveling, playing guitar, walking in the woods and spending time with her family and friends. Savanna started out as the kid that said, "I don't need alcohol to have fun". She reflects that part of that was fear part of it was that she was a good kid. Alcohol became more accessible after she went to college and by her sophomore year she was working at a bar and drinking is what she and her friends would do at the end of the night. The theme didn't change much as Savanna was in her 20's. Sh...

RE 569: Change Your Relationship With Alcohol?

Jan 12, 2026 43 min

Today we have Sean. He is 33 years old and lives in Phoenix, AZ. He took his last drink on January 22, 2022. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – THE social app for sober people Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored There is one spot left on our sober travel trip to Costa Rica. This journey is scheduled for February 21st – 28th. Email info@recoveryelevator.com if you would like to join us. Join us on January 10th for the start of our AF Ukelele Course. This course is sponsored by Kala brand ukelele and if you register, you get a code for 10% off an instrument. [03:00] Thoughts from Paul: "Want to change your relationship with alcohol?" is a common question asked in the recovery space. When somebody says they want to change their relationship with something, it usually implies there's a goal of improvement. Changing a relationship with exercise may look like hitting the gym more. Maybe changing a relationship with your mother-in-law means you're going to try harder at Thanksgiving to keep your mouth shut. Or it's like saying you want to change your relationship with a narcissistic ex who stole your credit card, crashed your car and told everyone at the party that you wet the bed in third grade. Some relationships don't need to change; they need to end. So, maybe we don't want to moderate our relationship with a substance that literally erodes our livers. We don't want to set boundaries with something that crosses every boundary we've ever set. And we certainly don't want to work on things with a liquid that has never once worked on itself. Paul shares that the only relationship change with alcohol that he's interested in is the one where they are in no relationship at all. [06:57] Paul introduces Sean: Sean is married and they have an eight-year-old daughter together. For fun he enjoys fishing, going to concerts, playing music and being outside as much as he can. Sean had his first drink when he...

RE 568: Showing Up

Jan 5, 2026 50 min

Today we have Sarah. She is 49 years old and lives in San Diego, CA. Sarah took her last drink on August 6th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Pick up your copy of Paul's newest book Dolce Vita. You can get it on Amazon, listen to it on Audible or order it at your favorite bookstore today. Join us on January 10th for the start of our AF Ukelele Course. This course is sponsored by Kala brand ukelele and if you register, you get a code for 10% off an instrument. [02:00] Thoughts from Paul: This is the first podcast of the new year and maybe you are a new listener. Paul wants to cover some basics and let you know what we are about. Recovery Elevator is about quitting drinking. The goal isn't cutting back, moderation or putting the beast back in the cage. It's full send on zero alcohol consumed. Recovery Elevator is also about embracing that there is no right or wrong way to ditch the booze, just don't do it alone. No explanation needed her, we get it. What you'll find here and in Café RE is there is no judgment. We all know where you are and have been there ourselves. Recovery Elevator is the podcast, courses, Dry January, sober travel, merch, Instagram and more. Café RE is the non-profit alcohol-free community – it's the social app for sober people. We've got 25+ chats each week, Accountability Partner pairings, in-house AA meetings, book club, movie club, etc. [06:27] Paul introduces Sarah: Sarah is a painter and lives in San Diego with her partner and two daughters, 17 and 19. For fun, she enjoys surfing with her partner, backpacking with her older daughter and loves living on the beach. Sarah says she grew up in an idyllic childhood. Her parents drank but not to excess. She recalls that she was a worried child with a tendency towards overthinking and had a addictive personality to many things. Drinking wasn't part of her story while in school. She was o...

RE 567: Dolce Vita: The Good Life

Dec 29, 2025 48 min

Today we have Jenn. She is 52 years old, from Washington, DC and she took their last drink on September 3rd, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – the social app for sober people Join us for our Dry January course Restore at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and connection. [01:13] Thoughts from Paul: Today Paul talks about the origin of the title to his new book Dolce Vita which will be released on January 1st. What he has learned over the years in his own recovery and while interviewing hundreds of people on the RE podcast is that the addiction is trying to get us to the true Dolce Vita – the true good life. Of course, not the Dolce Vita at the bottom of a wine bottle because if you're listening now, you've already realized that it doesn't deliver. The true Dolce Vita is seeing through the "I'll be happy when…" trap. It is stepping away from the me-me-me voice inside the head and leading a life where you walk others home after you find your own footing. It is recognizing oneness in a world of duality. Paul's message before we enter the new year is yes, do the work, plan for the future. Put the bottle down but don't ignore the timeless part of you that is trying to land more and more into the true Dolce Vita. You're already there. [06:51] Paul introduces Jenn: Jenn is 52 and lives in the DC area with her two children. For work, Jenn is a civil engineer and for fun she enjoys traveling, camping, hiking, attending concerts and is a gourmet cook. Jenn first drank in middle school and loved untouchable feeling she got from it. She never blacked out, but it helped her make friends and feel at ease. She was just drinking to have fun and that continued through high school and college. After graduation, Jenn moved to Richmond VA where there were bars on every corner. Drinking became part of her routine until Jenn's boss...

RE 566: You're Not Too Far Gone

Dec 22, 2025 59 min

Today we have Kristine. She is 34 years old from Toronto Canada, and she took her last drink on May 19th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – the social app for sober people Café RE is now a registered 501c3 nonprofit. Please visit the website or email info@recoveryelevator.com if you are interested in making a yearend donation. Join us for our Dry January course Restore at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and having fun. Paul's new book Dolce Vita will be released in both in print and audiobook on January 1st, 2026. RE Ukelele Course starts on January 10th. No prior ukulele or music experience needed for this beginner-friendly sober course. [01:43] Thoughts from Paul: An interview guest from an upcoming episode shared "if you think you're too far gone, you're not". This is a message that Paul is choosing to relay early with Christmas coming up. He feels that the next 10 to 12 days can be the hardest days of the year when it comes to navigating sobriety. The F**k-It button is large and seems to follow you everywhere. If you think you're too far gone, you're not. The fact that you are asking the question means the answer is no – if you woke up this morning, you're not too far gone. There is no such thing as being too broken to heal. You are not too far gone; you are just fashionably late to your own recovery. [06:49] Paul introduces Kristine: Kristine lives in Toronto with her husband and their rescue dog Flo. She works in tech sales and in her free time Kristine enjoys walking, exercise, reading and travelling. Growing up, alcohol wasn't prevalent in her life and Kristine hated the idea of drinking until she was 15. In an effort to feel included Kristine began drinking at parties with her group of friends. She initially enjoyed the fact that alcohol helped her come out of her shell, but the occasional party tu...

RE 565: Everything

Dec 15, 2025 45 min

Today we have Nathan. He is 45 years old from Harrisburg, VA and took his last drink on January 24th, 2023. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Café RE – the social app for sober people Get your 2026 started off poison free and join us for our Dry January course Restore at 8pm eastern time on January 1st. This is the first of 13 sessions throughout the month, and this course is all about accountability and having fun. January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book Dolce Vita both in print and audiobook. He would love to have you on the launch team. Email info@recoveryelevator.com to join. [01:59] Thoughts from Paul: When asked what recovery has made possible, today's guest Nathan responded with the one word "everything" almost before Paul could finish the question. The sobriety space, especially the 12-step world, is full of cheesy recovery slogan, but Paul shares one that he laughed at when he first heard it. The saying is, you're giving up one thing for everything. And that one thing is alcohol. If you ride a drinking problem long enough, it will take everything from your life. But when you quit, nearly everything that was taken will be returned. Not all in one day of course, but a life without alcohol will give you everything. More money, more sunsets, more time with aging parents, more memories, a better outlook on life and more growth. [05:56] Paul introduces Nathan: Nathan lives in Harrisonburg, VA where he works in the philanthropy space in higher education. He and his wife have two children, 11 and 14 years old. For fun, he enjoys spending time with his family and out in nature. In high school, Nathan was very active in a variety of high school activities. Having a reputation to maintain, Nathan kept his drinking private. Nathan went on to college and says it was the typical experience with the exception of losing a friend to a drunk driving...

RE 564: Hot and Cold

Dec 8, 2025 45 min

Today we have Yeimy. She's 30 years old, from Rhode Island and took her last drink of alcohol on January 19th, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Café RE – the social app for sober people Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book Dolce Vita and he'd love to have you on the launch team. Email info@recoveryelevator.com to join. Registration for Recovery Elevator's Dry January course Restore is open. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. [03:30] Thoughts from Paul: Paul shares with us a concept that he still struggles with but has made progress. It is embracing the world of duality that we live in. Of course, we would all want to be happy all of the time, but living in the world of dualities, we have to have opposites for defining purposes. Do your best to embrace it all. Square your shoulders to this thing called life and don't get attached to any of it. When you have a good day, be grateful. When you have a shit day, be grateful, knowing that you need them both equally. [06:33] Paul introduces Yeimy: Yeimy is 30 years old and works as a phlebotomist. Yeimy says she is still figuring out what she likes to do for fun but says she enjoys spending time with family and trying new things as in food or places. Yeimy says she was born into alcoholism as both of her parents were heavy drinkers. She doesn't specifically remember her first drink but was allowed to drink as a teenager when on vacation in the Dominican Republic. In her early 20s, Yeimy worked in a bar and was able to drink on the job. Paired with other substances, Yeimy says her drinking became limitless. After COVID happened, she started drinking alone at home. Occasionally Yeimy would question how much she was drinking, but when she mentioned it to friends, they would reassure her that it was fine, and she was jus...

RE 563: You're Not Alone

Dec 1, 2025 56 min

Today we have Jack. He's 39 years old from Phoenix, AZ and took his last drink of alcohol on June 23rd, 2025. This episode is brought to you by: Better Help – 10% off of your first month #sponsored Sober Link - sign up and claim your $100 enrollment bonus Registration for Recovery Elevator's Dry January course Restore opens today. We are meeting 13 times live in the month of January to give you the best chance of ditching the booze. Recovery Elevator now has its own coffee created with Rise Up Coffee Co. 25% of each bag sold will be donated to the nonprofit Café RE. January 1st, 2026 is the official release date for Paul's new book Dolce Vita. [03:43] Thoughts from Paul: Paul wants to do a check-in today. How are you doing at the end of 2025? How are you feeling after Thanksgiving and heading into Christmas? How are you feeling about yourself and your sobriety? This time of year can be a lot for many of us, but he wants to remind us all that we are not alone, even if you are listening to this podcast alone. Our drinking problem likes to tell us that we are the only one in the world that has or has had struggles with alcohol, but that's simply not true. More than ever are struggling, more than ever are quitting and more than ever are putting down the drink. Addiction wants us to feel alone. The first step is to recognize this voice; the next step is to join the growing movement into alcohol-free living. You are a part of this movement. [08:42] Paul introduces Jack: Jack is 39 years old and lives in Phoenix, AZ. He works as a trial attorney and outside of work likes to help community organizations. In his free time, Jack enjoys playing music and spending time in nature. Jack was adopted as a baby after his birth mother arrived in the US from Mexico. His parents were very supportive and loving of Jack, but they share different viewpoints from him. Jack says he had his first experience with alcohol two years before his fi...

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RE 612: If You Want This, You Can't Have That

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Podcast details

Created by: Paul Churchill
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 9, 2026
Episodes: 616
Release period: Weekly
Avg. episode length: 51 min
Explicit: Yes
Language: English

Links

Official website ↗ Apple Podcasts ↗ RSS feed ↗

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