Michelle Thöle joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast. Michelle is the author of My Journey Through Darkness, a true life story of an ordinary young girl who records her journey as a drug addict.

Omar:    Do you remember how old you were the first time you drank, or used drugs? And more importantly, how they made you feel? That first time?

Michelle:    Yeah, I was 14 and I started smoking, and about at the age of 16 I started going to a lot of parties with the older crowd of kids. We lived outside a big city, we were in a small town. So, we had a lot of house parties. I mean, I remembered nights where my folks would come pick me up at 11 or 12, which was my curfew, and my mother would try and cover for me, because I was stumbling to the car. So, that was the beginning of drinking.

    But I must say, I was always very, very afraid of drugs, because I was always kind of fascinated by it. So, I'd read a lot of books about it. You know, the usual trainspotting and basketball diaries. So, I felt very educated, and also very scared of it. I always used to say, and I guess this is so true when we think of the phrase, "the power of the spoken word," because I used to say, "I never want be introduced to drugs, because my curiosity will get the better of me, and I'll try it, and I'll become a heroin addict."

    Yeah, what happened was I did end up becoming a heroin addict many years later.

Omar:    What is the best suggestion you have ever received?

Michelle:    Well, at the time, I must say it seemed very abstract, but it was actually the best suggestion I ever received. It was when I was in London, but also feeling like there's just no hope, no solution, nobody can help me. I went to see a drug worker, from the Hillsong Church actually, or counselor. She listened to me, and we spoke, and I was so expectant to have some kind of answer. All she did was say to me, "I want you to go home, and I want you to go and sit before God, and get into his word again, and find out who you are in him."

    I was like, "Oh, that sucks. I thought you were going to help me." You know? That's not a solution. But later on, I understood what that meant. Even now in my life, I've been through other things in the last few years, which are totally not drug related, but also very big battles. Every time, I realize when I get quiet, and I go sit at God's feet again, I realize that I lost that thing of who I am in him. I'm not seeing myself through his eyes, I'm seeing myself through the enemy's eyes. So, I am weak. I am pathetic. I am useless. It's those lies that make us unable to fight any battle, and that's where the enemy wants to keep us.

    So for me, the best advice I ever had was go and find out, and go look for it. Who you are in God.

Omar:    If you could give our listeners only one suggestion, what would it be?

Michelle:    Never give up. I guess having a fighting spirit is extremely important. I know I have to give one suggestion, but it goes hand in hand. What we've been saying along is surrendering. Surrendering is key for me, and I really say that with regards to not only my recovery from addition, but in terms of coping with everyday life. Surrender. Surrender to God.

Brian McAlister joins us today on the SHAIR Podcast.  Brian is a bestselling author, motivational speaker and the founder of Full Recovery Wellness Center in New Jersey. Brian is dedicated to helping recovering people achieve spiritual, personal and financial empowerment.

Brian’s commitment to helping others recover from addiction and reach their full potential is his life’s mission.  From a low-bottom unemployed alcoholic and addict to leading a workforce of 1,800 people producing nearly half a billion dollars in annual sales is just a small part of Brian McAlister’s journey.  

Husband, father, entrepreneur, best-selling recovery author and coach, Brian subscribes to the spiritual axiom that with God all things are possible.  He maintains an active role in the recovery community through his workshops and as a sought-after motivational speaker on the subject. These accomplishments are an example of the miracles that have taken place in Brian’s life. Miracles he believes can be taught, learned, and duplicated.

Annie Highwater joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast. Annie is the author of Unhooked: A Mother's Story of Unhitching from the Roller Coaster of Her Son's Addiction. This memoir follows the experiences of one mother who started her own life in a neglected home and came to realize how those experiences both helped and hindered the hardest, most heartbreaking, yet illuminating changes of her life, her son's addiction to opiates.

"I am the mother of an addict. I'm in recovery as much as my addicted son is in recovery.”

Annie learns to understand that her own dysfunctional family upbringing influences her reactions. She is a fighter, never gives up, and digs deep into her past’s successful and unsuccessful strategies, including finding several treatment centers, the good and the disappointing ones. She sets boundaries, enlists resources, and finally moves through her life with determination and acceptance.

As the country struggles to address the issues of the rampant epidemic of opiate abuse and addiction, this story is especially relevant in helping us all understand the personal challenges facing parents and family members and how family dynamics both help and hinder the recovery process.

This is a short read designed to help families in recovery and open up conversations.

Jason MacKenzie joins us on the SHAIR Podcast. Jason is a dad, a husband, an author, public speaker. His website: The Book of Open, is geared towards helping men become stronger, wiser, and more courageous fathers

Jason is an expert on peak human performance. He’s a father, speaker, author and coach. He teaches audiences around the world how cultivating vulnerability will liberate the strength, wisdom and courage we already possess.

He is a survivor of his wife's battle with bipolar disorder and subsequent suicide and has overcome a decade-long battle with alcohol. When he stopped running from grief and fear he became the husband and father his family deserves.

His driving purpose is to help lift those who want more from their lives to increasingly higher levels of personal and professional performance. Jason is a strength-finder and works with you to help you ask powerful, affirmative questions about what's best about you and your life.

His mission is to show you that you are inherently successful and then stand back and watch you fly.

Esther Nagle joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast.  Esther is the Founder of Balance and Breathe Recovery Support through Yoga.  Esther spent most of her adult life living with addiction and mental illness and has come out the other side older, wiser, happier, and free.  She is also the Author of Bent Back into Shape, Beating Addiction through Yoga.

Esther Nagle spent years of her life waging war on herself and blaming the world for her unhappiness. Numbing her pain and hiding in alcohol, drugs, loud music and other self-destructive tendencies, her life was a constant battle between the identity she had created for herself, and the real Esther that she had occasional glimpses of, a happy, relaxed, joyful person full of love and peace. 

Esther's battles started to end the day she realized she was falling apart. A long dreamed of Yoga teacher training course showed her that there was a different way she could live, and she stepped gleefully into a life of happiness, healing and recovery. Sober since October 2014 after 20 years of addiction, Esther now uses her experiences and wisdom to help others through writing, speaking and teaching. 

Esther loves Yoga, music, walking, learning, being with her beautiful sons, and reflecting on how much her life has changed for the better. She home educates her youngest child and enjoys the time that they get to spend together exploring the world.

Robert Hammond joins us on the SHAIR Podcast.  Robert is an author, a writer and a consultant. He is the Author of self-help and consumer finance books, including Life After Debt, which sold over 100,000 copies as well as a film and television writer/producer.  Hammond’s script “C.B. DeMille” won Best Screenplay at the 2011 Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival.

He was also a dope fiend for many years where he lost everything, jobs, relationships, and his self-respect. He compromised all of his values and principles along the way and lost time that he can never get back.  Addicted to heroin, heading to prison, suffering from depression and a host of physical ailments. He was literally on death’s door.

As part of my treatment plan, Robert’s counselor arranged for him to write out his moral inventory in the form of a memoir. For more than an hour a day he poured out all my thoughts and memories. The result was a catharsis that led to emotional healing and spiritual insight.  Writing transformed his life and he has seen it transform the lives of countless others. Stories heal. Stories change lives.

Gabrielle “Gaby” Campagna joins us on The SHAIR Podcast.  Gaby was an active alcoholic from age 15 to 36. In 2009, at age 36, her liver and kidneys shut down from drinking vodka heavily for over a year and she slipped into a coma. While Gaby was dying in the ICU from Non-viral hepatitis Alcoholic liver disease her my family was told she wasn't expected to make it. However her Higher Power had different plans for her and she survived, it took her over two years to recover her health back.

Unfortunately, she did not seek treatment or get any help. Gaby white knuckled it for over 3 years and smoked pot. When she turned 40 she relapsed for an entire year. On July 23, 2013, at age 41, Gaby entered an outpatient treatment program that is 12 Stepped based at Kaiser Chemical Dependency Recovery Program.  She completed all phases of the program in 16 months. Gaby’s recovery story is full of amazing miracles and her life is beyond good. Life is great!

Clean Date: July 23, 2013

Omar: What is the best suggestion you have ever received?

Gaby: Oh, this one I love, and I got it at treatment, "Stop taking yourself so seriously. Nobody else does. You're ridiculous, and so is everybody else." I'm like, oh, my God, that’s so true. I learned basically how to observe myself objectively without judgment.

Omar: I love it.

Gaby: That’s what not taking yourself so seriously means. A good way someone described it to me was like, "If you had a friend complaining about the problems that you're currently having, how worried would you be for them? Would you really be that concerned for them, or would you think they're being ridiculous?"

I thought, "Oh, my God, that’s such a perfect way to look at things.  When I'm worried about these problems that are just so not life-threatening problems, nobody's-going-to-die kind of problems, yeah, stop taking myself so seriously. Life is short. We are all going to die whether we like to believe that or not. I think human beings are in denial about that from day one, like there's something special and it's not going to happen to me. The truth is we all will die when it's our time, but before that happens, let's just kind of take it easy, stop taking everything so seriously, unless you're a brain surgeon maybe. There's no point of beating yourself up when things aren't going your way.
    
Omar: If you could give our listeners only one suggestion, what would it be?

Gaby: Oh, my gosh. Listeners who are already in recovery, keep going. It gets better and better and better. As we were discussing earlier, if you are a person who's still in active addiction, don’t give up on yourself. Give yourself a chance to at least explore the possibility of recovery. A lot of people die from this. If you're listening to this, you know you have a problem and you’ve broken through some denial, but you're still drinking, you can do this. This is definitely something that’s achievable.

I mentioned on another podcast I was interviewed on, everything I was trying to achieve with drinking I've actually achieved in sobriety, that feeling of happiness and joy and bliss and peace. If you're drinking, thinking it’s bringing you peace, you know it's not bringing you peace, but recovery and sobriety, it'll bring you all the peace that you need. It's so worth it. Life is very short. We should not be sitting around putting poison in our bodies and thinking that’s fun or the answer to solving our problems.

Keith Campbell joins us on the SHAIR Podcast today. Keith has a thriving Facebook Group called Sober and Serious with over 3,700 active members.  This is a group for people who are Serious about their recovery and striving to be a better people every day!

Omar:    Let's talk a little bit about what your daily routine looks like and include your recovery routine.

Keith:    I usually wake in the morning and I do a little meditation and prayer, and then take a shower, get ready, go to work. Usually when I get home from work, then I head off to a meeting usually if I have time. After that, usually some fellowship with the people in the meeting, and life is good. Try to help people. I got some guys that I sponsor, and when they're willing, I'll meet up with them and take then through the book too.

Omar:    Now, you say pray and meditate in the mornings, so how do you maintain your spiritual condition your conscious contact with a higher power on a regular basis, either daily basis or weekly basis?

Keith:    I do a lot of praying mostly for other people, but the Serenity Prayer I use. I go to church. I thank God a lot of the times for everything in my day-to-day routine and everything he's gotten me through, and I just continue to try to grow in my faith. Those 2 things I try to do, is grow in my faith and grow as a person in my recovery.

Omar:    How much clean time do you have and when is your anniversary date?

Keith:    I've been clean since March 5th of 2015, so I have over 16

Omar:    Tell us, Keith, how old you were the first time you drank or used drugs or more importantly how did they make you feel?

Keith:    I was pretty young, 12 or 14, when I first drank. I don't know, made me feel, I guess, happy.

Omar:    What was keeping you from getting clean or staying clean when you first got introduced to recovery?

Keith:    When I first got introduced to recovery I just wasn't following the suggestions in the program. I thought I could do it on my own. That's what kept me from staying clean before. I didn't go to meetings except for when, to get my sheet signed for court, but when I started going to these meetings for myself, that's when it all changed. I was there with an open mind to grow and learn, do whatever it takes, and if that means following these people's suggestions, then that's what I was going to do. That's helped me tremendously.

Dawn Lutrell joins us on The SHAIR Podcast. Dawn is a recovering addict, a comedian and an entertainer who does one hell of a job impersonating Ellen DeGeneres.

This year Dawn will be hosting In Recovery Magazine's 3rd Annual Gratitude Gala event on November 18th in Scottsdale, Arizona.
    
Dawn:    I hear that I do. I'm not sure I do, but a lot of people seem to think I have it nailed.

Omar:    Absolutely, I think you do, Ellen, I mean Dawn.

Dawn:    Right, right. I'm the sober Ellen.

Omar:    First, we just want to get to know a little bit about what you do on a regular basis, Dawn, what does your normal daily routine look like including recovery?

Dawn:    I usually start the day with a good stiff black cup of coffee. I'm an early riser, so I'm at it pretty early, maybe sometimes before the sun comes up. I just take that time to be with my higher power and my prayers are usually conversational. I just try to have a conversation with God first thing in the morning, because I've been by myself, I'm going to train wreck the entire day, whether I want to or not.

    We have to have a little meeting in the morning and I start out by listing all the reasons I can't and then I wait for the reasons why I can. Day by day I just make a choice to say, "You know what? Let's go with your plan, it sounds more like it's going to work out than mine." Tomorrow I may choose my own plan and who knows what could happen? Each day I just try to make the choice to do God's will and not mine and be able to do whatever comes my way.

    With that too, comes a good review of steps one through three for me, no, I can't drink, God help me not to drink and let's do this, clean and sober. That in check, I try to take the option of a drink or a drug off the table right away and just surrender. From there, it's a complete tug of war for the rest of the day. You know what I mean?

Omar:    Oh Yeah!

Dawn:    Ten minutes after I've already taken it all back. It's back and forth, but at least we start out good and then we just keep going. That's how I try to start every day. Then from there I try to do a gratitude list, because I have so much to be grateful for. My life is good and I need to know that and remember that.

Omar:    Beautiful, I love it. I know that initially the reason why we connected is because there is an event that's going to be coming up shortly for you. It's a gala event. Can you tell us a little bit about what's coming up? What the dates are? What to expect?

Dawn:    I sure can. November 18th in Scottsdale, Arizona, is In Recovery Magazine's 3rd Annual Gratitude Gala. It's a night of awards for people who go above and beyond in recovery. It's also a way for the magazine to give back to all the people that have supported them in their mission throughout the year. It also raises funds for different charities around the area, for people to get into treatment and to get help. It's pretty multi-faceted and pretty amazing.

    Too, it's people in recovery, people who work in recovery. It's a chance for them to come together. That's a pretty heavy job day in and day out being in the trenches. It gives them a night to just kick back, laugh and have a good time. I was actually gifted the opportunity to MC the event, which that's like saying, "Here, I'm drunk, why don't you drive?" Okay. I don't know what that is. I'm going to MC the event and also do a little half hour set before the headliner comes out who is Alonzo Bodden. I think he's been on Jay Leno and ... That guy is all over the place, I can't even list all the places he is. He was the winner of last comic standing and then returned as a judge to the show. I mean they might as well just thrown me up on stage with a guitar and say, "Hey, sing a song, Simon Cowell is sitting in the front row." Thanks a lot.

Carly Benson joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast the founder of Miracles Are Brewing.  She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and Coaches. She is a Certified Christian Life Coach through Light University and has also served on the Board of Directors for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Her mission is to teach people to love their weirdness and to bring forth the most epic versions of themselves. To live epic lives that are purpose-driven, passion-fueled, faith-centered and serve others in a way that offers impactful change.

But life wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for Carly. For a decade, her life was jam packed, fully loaded with a party scene on constant repeat as if she had an IV of adrenaline directly connected to a brain that didn’t think the word NO even existed. There was no place she wouldn’t go or thing she wouldn’t do to get her fix.

One morning after a night of drug-filled oblivion and reckless alcohol consumption, she made the decision to clean up her act. Not really sure how she made it out alive, the only viable explanation is that God and his angels were watching out for her.

Over the years, Carly has told her story to friends, family and even people she just met.  The first thing they always ask her is: “How did you do it?  How did you change your life?”

It all started with a prayer…

Alan Charles joins today us on The SHAIR Podcast. Alan is the author of Walking Out the Other Side and most recently Charles has been doing a lot of public speaking on the discussion of addiction and recovery in schools, businesses, and universities.  

"So many people share about seeing me go in and out of the program over the years, how heartbreaking it was, thinking I would die before I got well. They talk about how I am living proof no one is ever too far gone to get clean. The common theme is: if Alan can get sober, anyone can get sober."

Walking Out the Other Side is the story of a journey from childhood to adulthood, from addiction to sobriety, from fearing life to living joyfully. Join Alan S. Charles through the dramatic ups and downs of his life from an adventurous childhood to the tragic early death of his father and his traumatic home life with a mentally ill brother and depressed mother.

Watch Alan's attempts to overcome his past through professional sports--baseball and harness racing--and then a high profile career in sales. Plummet with him into a twenty-four-year cycle of cocaine addiction and recovery. Before it's over, his addiction will destroy his aspirations and relationships and almost kill him. Yet he will walk out the other side.

Anyone who has experienced addiction will relate to Alan's story. Anyone struggling with recovery will find hope in these pages. Anyone with addicted friends or family will get a clear picture of how the addict's mind works and how they can best cope with their loved one's behavior while practicing hard love to protect themselves.

Walking Out the Other Side is a cathartic read that will leave you laughing, crying, breathless, grateful, and maybe even believing in miracles.

Rebecca Ronning joins us on the SHAIR Podcast today. Rebecca is 21 years old and recently celebrates 1 year clean.  She began using heroin at age 17 and from that point on has been battling drug addiction. She came from a good family, got into college full time at age 16 and graduated with her associates of arts degree at 17 while graduating from high school at the same time. A star athlete in high school in diving and went to state 4 times.

After graduation Rebecca got into nursing school and with 2 semesters left for her RN degree she dropped out to go to rehab. She had everything going for her but heroin took her down hard. She went to her first inpatient at age19, was admitted to 5 inpatients, 3 sober houses, and fired from pretty much every job she had, using drugs the entire time.

It got so bad she began selling her body for drugs, was charged with a felony and overdosed 4 times. She lost all hope. Her family would tell her you HAD so much going for you how could you throw it away. Her parents are 25 years sober and they have helped her so much but nobody could save her from herself.

The consequences just go on and on but the BEST part is how her life is now and what she can mainly say is service work has saved her life. Today Rebecca volunteers speaking at detoxes and treatment centers.  What's most important to her is for other young people to know you can be sober and have fun!

Herby Bell joins us on The SHAIR Podcast. Herby is a recovery and wellness coach and you can find Herby at his website, www.recoveryhealthcare.me and he also has a podcast called Sober Conversations.

“First and foremost, a sober/wellness lifestyle is the only way to go. I know this because I am a man in long-term addiction recovery and I have experienced firsthand, the destructive forces of active addiction personally and in my family. But also, there’s a true, transformational gift in addiction recovery that seems to elude us–until we commit 100%. Commitment includes recruiting help, and I can help.

Addiction affects three out of four of our families and I am comforted in knowing I am joined by many others who are looking to heal themselves–and their families. If you are one of these people, thank you for looking into this work!”

-    Dr. Herby Bell

Omar:    Herby, let's dive right in. First, tell us a little bit about what your daily routine is like and how you incorporate recovery in the mix?

Herby:    It's my experience, I love to talk about the experiment of one. The scientific term is n equals one, and the test is me. My experiment of one taught me in recovery that I need to be eating well, I need to be moving well, I need to get exercise. I need to be thinking well, some kind of cognitive or psychological process. I need to work on my emotional intelligence and I need to be sleeping well. I like to call those the high five essential nutrients for my mind, body, spirit. Those things get wrapped into my day on a daily basis. Otherwise, I do get hungry, angry, lonely and tired.

Herby:    I think it's different for everybody that way, but those are the basics that generate the good brain chemicals that we need as recovering people to be stoked, and that's what we want.

Omar:    Absolutely. I agree a hundred percent. What about meetings? Do you participate in any twelve-step fellowship?

Herby:    I go to twelve-step meetings periodically. I've got my favorites. I go to a men's group regularly and I go to the Church of the Pacific with my surfing practice regularly and I seem to get those vitamins and nutrients I need that way as well.

Omar:    Beautiful, beautiful. How do you maintain your spiritual condition, that conscious contact with a higher power on a daily basis?

Herby:    I have a meditation practice and that surely helps if I'm spiritually discontent. Surfing is a huge spiritual practice for me, and to tell you the truth, the way that we do, it seems to me with twenty-first century brain science and addiction medicine, we know that people in long-term recovery actually rewrite the architecture of their brain. They rewrite the way the brain works. I don't really make too many distinctions about what is spiritual and what isn't. It all seems to be a spiritual experience to me, and I'm completely grateful for that.
Omar: Herby, so tell me, how much clean time do you have and when is your anniversary date?

Herby:    May 2nd, so twenty-two years this last, just a couple of weeks ago, I guess, or a month ago.

Alicia Cook joins us on The SHAIR Podcast today. She writes on the other side of addiction. In other words, how addiction directly affects the family, and loved ones, of the addict. Her articles are read, and shared, by tens of thousands. She writes for the Huffington Post, and Gannett, on topic of addiction, and also regularly shares other people’s stories on how they were touched by addiction. Her website is TheAliciaCook.com where she discusses the other side of addiction.

The Other Side of Addiction shares stories of people who have experienced this disease. After losing her cousin to a heroin overdose, Alicia began using her words to help other families going through similar situations feel less alone. These are very personal accounts, written to shed light on this deadly epidemic and prove that anyone can be affected. Articles have appeared in the Huffington Post, Asbury Park Press, The Advertiser, Addiction Unscripted, on the national news, and hundreds of other addiction awareness sites.   

Edward Keohane joins us on the SHAIR Podcast. Ed is very active in the private group, has been a long-time listener to the podcast, huge supporter, and he's got a hell of a story, so he reached out to me quite a few months back, and I'm finally getting him on the show.  This is one of my favorites, you do not want to miss this episode.

Omar:    So Ed, let's dive right in, buddy. You ready?

Ed:    I'm ready to go when you are.

Omar:    All right, let's do this, man. So first, let's talk about what your daily routine looks like today and then throw in how you maintain your recovery.

Ed:    Well, my days are backwards for most people. I work nights. I work for the United States post office, so I work nights, and so everything's kind of flip flopped. How it usually begins is I get up after going to work all night after a few hours, I go to the gym, I go from the gym and then I go to a meeting four to five times a week, I come home, I just hang out, I do yard work, stuff like that, stuff to keep me busy. I recently bought a house, so my girlfriend and I, we are not cohabitants and we have her son, who's four and a half, so I go pick him up from school, we hang out until his mom gets home, I usually try to catch a few more hours of sleep, and then I go to work.

Omar:    Tell us how you maintain your recovery, then. Do you make lots of meetings? Do you have go in the mornings? How does that look?

Ed:    No. I usually catch my meetings at noon. There's a noon meeting that I go to in Springfield, Missouri, about 20 minutes away. I do that roughly four times a week. I have a sponsor whom I speak with several times a week. We work steps. I currently don't sponsor anyone else because I have a new, improved recovery date, which we'll get to.

Omar:    Right.

Ed:    It's a lot of prayer at work, at night. I'm in my head a lot. I'm in my headphones a lot, which is when I listen to your show, so you're in my head a lot, which is kind of crazy to think about it. There's a lot of prayer, man, almost continuously throughout the night and during the day, "Your will not mine be done". I really try to bring my recovery into every area of my life. I know some folks who drop that stuff at the door in terms of the meeting door. Man, I've got to carry mine with me throughout the day in every area of my life. Otherwise, I just get lost, and then my recovery gets lost, and then I'm truly lost.

Omar:    Yes. It makes a big difference. With that being said, do you have a daily spiritual practice to maintain your conscious contact with a higher power?

Ed:    In terms of actually sitting down and meditating, I didn't start doing that until I don't know what episode of The Rule 62, but you guys were talking about meditation. I think you had Michael Hill and then Stephanie on there, and you guys were talking about the Calm app for your phone.

Omar:    Right.

Ed:    At that very time when I was listening to that, that was in January I think, I was going through some turmoil in my recovery, and I thought that was definitely a facet of my recovery that I was missing, so I purchased that app, and man, I'm telling you what. Like a good addict, I was doing that app two or three times a day, listening all day, man. You know what, though? It really helps. Formally, aside from my meetings and aside from all the components of my recovery, meditation, I'm still an infant, but it's become part of my daily practice.

Omar:    Let me ask you this. As you already mentioned, you have a new clean date, so what is your new clean date? How much time do you have?

Ed:    My new and improved sobriety date is January 14th of this year. I actually had three relapses over the last 18 months, which I'll get to, but before that, I had four years, and so HP, baby. It takes what it takes, and that last one, if that's what got me here, then that's what was needed, so no regrets.

Don St. John joins us on The SHAIR Podcast, the author of Healing the Wounds of Childhood. In his book, Don shares his personal story and discoveries about what our bodies, our minds and understanding of what it means to be a whole human being and what your relationships need in order to heal from the wounds, the traumas and the toxic stress of life.

He also takes us through his battle with addiction and his own journey of recovery. Dr. Don St John has spent over 45 years engaging the process of becoming whole, both personally and professionally, as well as in his own relationship.

Most of today’s social problems have the same roots—a lack of understanding of what it means to be a whole human being. What if violence, illness, addictions, suicides, toxic stress, depression, anxiety and relationship dysfunctions could be traced to the same source? The implications for education, childrearing and our comprehension of mental and physical health would be staggering.

What does it mean to be a “whole human being?” What is “wholeness?” There are four different dimensions we consider. All are separate and all are deeply interrelated. Each influences and is influenced by every other.

They are: Somatic Education, Psychological Growth, Relationship Enrichment and Spirituality.

Insufficient understanding or lack of support in any of these four dimensions constitutes a wound to the integrity of our organism. As we grow our appreciation and understanding of our dimensionality, recognize where we have been unsupported, suppressed or otherwise wounded, we have a map necessary to effectively continue our journey towards wholeness. There is no end to the opportunities and possibilities to grow into a fuller human being. We can heal into wholeness and well beyond “normal.”

If you’re looking for something more than just talking about your problems, and you know intuitively that your body is somehow related to what you would like to address, you may be an excellent candidate for what he does. He began his clinical training in 1967 and has been working since as a psychotherapist, relationship therapist and somatic therapist.

Over the past few years he has been helping people realize how many more resources they have available within themselves, to learn to connect to those resources and strengths, plus learn to connect well with those they love. The only way to have any real idea of what he does is to invest in one session, after which you will know if it is right for you.

Sunny Buick shares with us her battle with drugs and alcohol and her inspiring journey into recovery.

Sunny was born in British Columbia, Canada in a small cabin in the woods. She was then raised in California by a single hippy mother, who always encouraged her creative spirit. Finally arriving in San Francisco at age fifteen after years and years of constant displacement, she finally felt at home. The next year she decided to become a tattoo artist after meeting some influential misfits. Many years later after finishing college she gained a tattoo apprenticeship with Henry Goldfield and it was in North Beach, not too far from where Lenny Bruce fell out of his hotel window that her career was started. Her work is heavily influenced by tattoo imagery which has become a symbolic language in her work.

Sunny started exposing her paintings around the same time as she started tattooing. She has appeared in several art books like Vicious, Delicious, Abitious about female artists in the lowbrow scene, also in Beatsville put out by Gallery Outré. In San Francisco she participated in the Mexican community ritual of making Day of the Dead installations in museums and galleries including the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. In 2003 she organized a massive group art show and catalog called “Sci-Fi Western”. She’s written for Juxtapoz and several tattoo magazines. She was photographed by the French artists Pierre et Gilles. She currently lives in Paris where she daily finds inspiration and lives out her artistic dreams.

Damon Stoddard joins us on The SHAIR Podcast today, the author of Pain Drives Change.

Damon Stoddard adds value to people’s lives. He recently authored his first book, “Pain Drives Change”, his personal story of God’s redemptive power. He built a thriving small groups ministry as a volunteer at his church and led men’s ministry. He currently serves on the board of directors for one of the largest Christian junior football programs in Washington State. While at Microsoft Damon won numerous awards for his work in Hardware Quality including Xbox and Surface. He and his wife Debbie live in Seattle and have four children.

“On January 13, 1999 I placed my video camera on a tripod and began video journaling the season of my life that transformed me into the man I am today.  I had just separated from my wife and moved into a small house in the slums of South Seattle.  I had no idea how much emotional pain I’d be facing in the years to come and I had no idea that I’d need this pain to turn me into the man God created me to be.  For some reason I knew that I wanted to immortalize this season of my life through my video journal and so I began.”

Damon Stoddard

Yovana “Rawvana” Mendoza joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast. You will recognize her more easily as the YouTube and Instagram sensation, Rawvana. With over 400,000 Instagram followers and over 150,000 YouTube fans, Rawvana has taken the raw food lifestyle to the next level.

A little about Rawvana

“After years of feeling toxic, anxious, depressed, and without passion, I found raw foods in January of 2013. I decided I needed a "detox" so I went to a place specialized in detoxifying the body. I was there for two weeks, eating raw foods, juicing, and learning about this new way of eating, I was amazed! After two weeks of being there, I felt like a new person, with energy, enthusiasm, clarity, emotional stability, and heightened consciousness. It was there where I kneeled before God, asked Him for forgiveness and strength, so I would never go back to my previous lifestyle. With the strength of my family, friends, and faith, I’ve never looked back and to this day I no longer drink, smoke, eat any processed or cooked foods, and completely stay away from any animal products.

Since then, I have made it my objective to spread the message of health using all avenues possible using my bilingual influence, Spanish and English. I have taken various courses on raw foods, such as the Science of Raw Food Nutrition with Drs. Rick and Karin Dina at Living Light Institute. In summer of 2014, I graduated as a Certified Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I am also undergoing the Certified Lifestyle Coaching program with the author of The 80/10/10 Diet, Dr. Douglas Graham. I am currently active in most social media outlets, local news television, and regional television in Mexico.
I hope you will find my website and social media content resourceful on your road to health, happiness, and vitality.”

With Love,

Yovana “Rawvana” Mendoza
www.rawvana.com

Stephen Girard joins us today on The SHAIR Podcast. Stephen is an accomplished percussionist who works with unusual sound sources, including self-made instruments and found objects. Recently, he launched a podcast called Real Deal Recovery that centers around relapse prevention with an emphasis on emotional sobriety and recovery.

Stephen Girard is 32 years clean and sober, a Nationally Certified Recovery Coach, has 25 years coaching and consulting experience and clients include high-profile musicians and actors.  He is a Recording Artist (20+ releases), Author, Music Educator and he was also a former Monk in Thailand.  He has an amazing story, you’re going to love it.

Stephan offers additional support, guidance, and motivation to alcoholics and addicts in all phases of recovery. His approach is action oriented, and provides a solid foundation for long-term emotional and physical sobriety offering two different 8-week programs, and ongoing consulting for those who qualify.

So let’s dive into Stephen’s story now!

Jenny Reese Clark joins us on The SHAIR Podcast today, the author of Field of Influence. She's a public speaker and the founder of the Spencer Project.   Jenny Reese is a living testimony of what true faith in a higher power can bring.  As a multiple felon of various drug charges including Unlawful Manufacturing of Methamphetamines, Jenny is no stranger to breaking the rules or suffering their consequences.

In April of 2010, Jenny’s life hit an all-time low as she turned her back on the home burning behind her. As a result of a chemical interaction, the clandestine laboratory that she brought secretly into her sister’s home, exploded. As she took off shoeless, she ran as far as she could to escape the consequences. With her sister’s pet dead inside, and her relationships destroyed through her own betrayals, Jenny woke up as a Jane Doe on a ventilator in an ICU 24 hours later knowing there was no way to come back from such destruction.

“I’m not proud of how I’ve obtained the authority to write or speak on the subjects I do, but my incarceration and faith go hand in hand. Until I was still, I couldn't see past myself; once I surrendered my selfish ways, the haze lifted and life began. The many lessons achieved through a consequence so great, is what inspires me to share these stories that carry both warning and hope.

In Field of Influence you will see this passion unfold. It’s an extremely insightful look into the forbidden realm of drug addiction. As a former manufacturer and abuser of drugs, I relate well to my character and the struggles he faces, but I also identify with his victory and redemption. This Marine’s story will not only shed light on the unknown, but help guide those searching for answers in how to overcome tragedy. My goal is to reach out, pick up, brush, and send off.”

Chris Wright joins us on The SHAIR Podcast today. He's a good friend of mine. We met in Costa Rica when he was at Costa Rica Recovery in rehab. Now Chris has recently celebrated one year clean and sober. The plan was six months ago that on his bucket list was at one year he was going to be on the SHAIR podcast and here we are. This is cool.

Yeah. We talked about it. You told me about some other guys that you were in contact with about that and I said, "I don't know. It sounded like a good goal." Keeping people off the streets, you know?

That's the goal, man. That's the goal. Whatever it takes, dude, seriously.

Whatever, whatever, whatever keeps you clean.

Expect a miracle. I have had an opportunity to hear a little bit of your story and it's heavy, man. I know that your parents have been pulling for you and I'm sure reconnecting with them has been a blessing. I want to hear all about that kind of stuff. Let's dive into your story. First, let's talk about what you were doing today. Take us into your normal daily routine including recovery.

All right. I try to center myself as much as I can in the morning, not very much. Once I'm off it's like a cup of coffee and go kind of person. It's important to me. Some people get down on their knees and pray or whatever. Whenever I'm conscious of it I'll just take a moment. Pretty much what I do is I ask a higher power for strength just to kind of do their will. Then I move forward with my day. Right now I'm working full time Monday through Friday so I do that. I'm an organic biodynamic farmer so I do pretty labor-intensive work and usually come home exhausted.

I have a dog who's pretty much my child. I hike, walk with him even though I'm exhausted every day. I'll eat something, put something in my body and then I usually hit a night meeting. Right now I'm trying to do three nights a week which is good for me and then I hit both weekends whenever possible. It's been kind of a transitional phase. I wasn't working full time through a large majority of my first year which was kind of a blessing. I hit well over three sixty-five meetings in my first year which I think was quite pivotal.

Maggie Shores joins on The SHAIR Podcast today!

"Getting sober was the most difficult transformation of my life, yet it turned out to be the most rewarding.

Looking back at my life, I have realized that I have never felt comfortable in my skin. I always wanted to be that person out there and wondered why I wasn’t. I often felt alone, and I couldn’t find my place in the world. But alcohol made me feel OK, it seemed like the perfect fix for all of my insecurities. I could do anything with a little buzz. I could be anyone I wanted to be, or anyone you wanted me to be.

I believed that alcohol gave me courage, made me happy, and created a life full of excitement and many friends! I was the ultimate party girl, a social butterfly, always the first to get a party started, for any reason, or no reason at all. Eventually alcohol had become my best friend and I couldn’t do anything without it and if it didn’t involve drinking I just didn’t do it!

My last drunk was not something I planned; there was nothing wrong in my life. It was a sunny Friday afternoon when I started drinking. However, when I woke up, it was Monday morning, and I was lying face down on the kitchen floor, barely able to move. The house was a wreck and I was still wearing the same clothes I had on two days ago. When I realized that I just spent the entire weekend in a blackout, I completely freaked out! Somewhere in the middle of all the crazy thoughts running through my head, I had a moment of clarity! I finally came to the complete understanding that I could NOT drink like a normal person, and that I really was an alcoholic.

My life begun on April 15, 2008 when I made a decision to stop drinking and to ask for help! My main support was from the 12 step program where by following the steps, I learned how to clean my past, get rid of the shame and guilt, find a Higher Power, and live a happy sober life.

To this day, I believe that every day that I do not take a drink is a miracle, because looking back, it is hard to believe that I am sober today. This was a difficult and scary journey, but I do not regret any moment of it. It has shaped me into the person that I am today, and sobriety has given me a second chance at life.

Most importantly, I am finally comfortable in my own skin."

Clean Date: April 15, 2008

www.theshairpodcast.com

Mishka Shubaly joins us on The SHAIR Podcast today!

After receiving an expensive MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, Mishka Shubaly promptly realized he was more interested in playing music in dive bars than writing. He lived out of a Toyota minivan for a year, touring nonstop, and has shared the stage with artists like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Decemberists among others. Bad Dreams, a narrative published in NYPress about his romance with an opiate marked his return to writing.

His Kindle Singles for Amazon have all been bestsellers. He writes true stories about drink, drugs, disasters, desire, deception and their aftermath. His work has been praised for its grit, humor, fearlessness and heart. The Long Run, his mini-memoir detailing his transformation from alcoholic drug abuser to sober ultrarunner is one of the best-selling Kindle Singles to date.

Mishka Shubaly lives in Brooklyn where he writes music and plays bass for Freshkills. He is at work on a new solo record of his original songs and a full-length memoir. He does not own a dog but he thinks about them often.

The premise for I Swear I'll Make It Up to You is as follows

A misfit kid at the best of times, Mishka Shubaly had his world shattered when, in a twenty-four-hour span in 1992, he survived a mass shooting on his school’s campus, then learned that his parents were getting divorced. His father, a prominent rocket scientist, abandoned the family and their home was lost to foreclosure. Shubaly swore to avenge the wrongs against his mother, but instead plunged into a magnificently toxic love affair with alcohol.

This episode was brought to you by AddictionUnscripted.com

Laurie McGarvey joins us on The SHAIR Podcast today. She is the founder of Recovery Management Solutions, and Laurie is currently fundraising for the Herren Project for this Boston 2016 marathon.

Sober Date: June 13th, 2008

This episode was brought to you by AddictionUnscripted.com

So Laurie, tell us about how your life is today because I'm assuming it's very busy, give us your daily routine and how you squeeze in recovery.

Laurie: Okay. Let me just say that for me, this alcoholic recovery is my routine, so everything that I do, whether it's from when I get up in the morning and I get down on my knees and I say, "God's will, not mine, be done today," and that's how I have to move. When I don't stay with that routine, you know what? Quite honestly, I get negative. That's not who I've learned to be. I really try and stick with my daily routine of prayer and some type of ...

I'm not real good at meditating because it's tough for me to sit still so I try and do more of a walking and gratitude list even before I move into the day, get into the workplace. I have 2 kids. I have a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old and a dog and they're very active. I try and keep something, like I use my phone a lot, and I keep everything, all my devotionals, all things like that, and I work through it throughout the day. I've learned to pause before I go into situations and it allows me to be who God needs me to be in that space rather than thinking about me and my ego.

Omar: Got it. Absolutely. I totally got it. My next question was going to be how do you maintain your spiritual condition, the conscious contact with your higher power, but it looks like you already got that covered.

Laurie: You know what? Yes, I have. I was taught well. However, I get stuck. I get stuck a lot, and I'll be honest, I've been stuck the past couple days, and I'm fighting my way back to my higher power and it's ironic that I happen to be doing this particular talk with you on this day. God has a reason for everything. There's a page in the Big Book that I live out of. I'll say, "This is really how I live out of," page 417, and it talks about acceptance. Acceptance is the answer to all our problems. There are no mistakes in God's world. You know, this alcoholic will resist reading that page and keep herself miserable for a good 48 hours and then finally I'll just say, "You know what? I'm just going to read the page," and everything goes. The spirit comes back. I'm still rebellious. 7 years sober and I'm still rebellious, so I just say to myself, "Laurie, keep coming back."