Living Free
The Living Free show is based in Melbourne, Australia and broadcast on 3CR community radio. Each week, the show showcases one of the recovery programs that assist those suffering from addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and food. Guests share their recovery story, highlighting that shared experience saves lives. The show airs Thursdays at 1pm on 855KHz AM, digital radio, or streaming.
Episodes
What does AA look like for the 1st time?
Rose joined Michael in the studio to discuss their own experiences of what life looked life at the end of their drinking and then going to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting for the first time.What were the other people there like? Did they feel judged? Did the world end? Did they find some HOPE. What was on offer at Alcoholics Anonymous that hadn't presented itself in their varying attempts to contr
Al-Anon Family Groups - David
David grew up in a middle-class family in Sydney. His mother had a problem with alcoholism and David and his siblings were often in the care of a nanny while his mother was away from home seeking treatment for her condition. A quiet child who had learned to be what he calls 'a people pleaser', David found himself a victim of bullying in a private boys school. He did not confide this to anyone who
Alcoholics Anonymous Chrissie 23rd July 2026
Chrissie joined Michael in the studio to discuss her recovery from alcoholism through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.From a chaotic, violent & scary childhood with her sister, Chrissie found a solution to the chaos in the bottle. It changed the way she felt and allowed her to push down the fear. Her drinking was always different to those around her and made it impossible to achieve the things
Gamblers Anonymous Kurt
Kurt joined Michael in the studio to describe the progressive nature of his gambling problem. Starting in the school yard betting on marbles, the camaraderie of underage drinking in pubs listening to the horses race after placing bets at the TAB, losing money as he grew older and took on responsibilities and eventually ending up in rehab.If you’re having trouble with gambling, or have a friend or
Al-Anon Family Groups - Janina
Janina returns to Living Free in this episode to chat about long-term recovery in Al-Anon. Janina grew up in an unpredictable household dominated by her parents' alcoholism, mental illness and trauma. Having experienced several forms of violence she found she had to confront her own trauma and anger in order to live a peaceful, fulfilling life. Practising the 12 Steps and supporting others to do
Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfuntional Families - Trinity
Trinity grew up in a family affected by rage, addiction, abuse and mental illness, all untreated. The children carried dysfunctional attitudes and behaviours into their adult lives, with each family member, including Trinity, locked into their own patterns of isolation and individual illness. Trinity married an alcoholic and, a few years ago, at the end of her rope, found Al-Anon. Next she found a
Radiothon Show 2 Alcoholics Anonymous 18June2026
Left to fend for himself, Michael sat in the studio all alone (wrapped in the enthusiasm of the 3CR family), spoke much too much, pleaded for donations to the radio station and played clips from Alcoholics Anonymous guests who had come in to the studio over the past 12 months.Thanks to the donations from our loyal listeners & supporters, we are sooooo close to reaching our 2026 Radiothon budget. A
Radiothon Show 11June2026
It is Radiothon time again.The budget set for the Living Free team has been raised after a better than expected result last year. The team (Ann, Bill, Mitch & Michael) are all in the studio to thank the listeners for their donations, ask for more donations, play clips of their guests and discuss how much 3CR means to them and how important it is to keep the radio station funded. Thanks to our list
David - AA, Al-Anon and ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families)
When David found himelf sick and lying on the floor of his garage, he decided to seek treatment for the drinking that had kept him isolated from his family. During his time in rehab a counsellor asked him three questions that changed his life. He knew then that he was an alcoholic and committed himself to recovery. He has not had a drink since. David has found over his years of recovery that atten
Al-Anon Family Groups - Jacquie
Jacquie married a man whose drinking became problematic, but it was her daughter's abuse of alcohol that led her to seek support in Al-Anon. With her daughter's additional struggle with mental illness Jacquie found the dilemmas about how to best help her daughter difficult to navigate. Al-Anon gives her the support she needs in often distressing situations and has helped her to establish boundarie
Gamblers Anonymous Jason21MAY2026
Jason joined Michael in the studio to chat about the consequences of his gambling and how life looks after 7 years without gambling and 18 months in Gamblers Anonymous.Taking to gambling in his mid 30's, after his wife's passing, it soon took hold of his life and started a spiralling descent. Spending money he didn't have, leading to shame and guilt around dishonest behaviour and eventually a mome
Alcoholics Anonymous ROSE14MAY2026
Rose joined Michael in the studio to share her story. From a young age, feeling uncomfortable in her own skin and wishing to be different to finding a solution to the internal discomfort with her first glass of red wine, Rose told her story which included battles with mental health issues and time in psychiatric facilities.Missed opportunities, unhealthy relationships and behaving in ways that did
A holistic approach to embodied trauma - Chris
As a young child Chris was in a situation that was traumatic for him. As a musician in his young adulthood he found himself suffering from anxiety and drank alcohol to be able to perform comfortably. Through his work as a guitar teacher he came into contact with someone in whom he confided his anxiety and through this person he was introduced to Jung-informed and trauma-informed therapy. He now p
Living Free History – Michael and Bill on 30APR2026
Bill and Michael sample some old Living Free and Stone Free shows from the 3CR ArchivesIf you would like to find out more about Narcotics Anonymous or need to talk to somebody, then please call 1300 652 820 at any time or go online at www.navic.net.au.If you’re having trouble with gambling, or have a friend or family member that does, then maybe Gamblers Anonymous could help – phone (03) 9696 6108
Al-Anon Family Groups - Julie
Julie is a mental health and alcohol and drug therapist trained in dual diagnosis and family therapy. She works primarily with families who are suffering the effects of substance abuse. As a member of Al-Anon, Julie tells her story of being affected by her husband's addiction to alcohol - including her loss of self and having to watch the effect on her children. As a therapist with an interest in
Alcoholics Anonymous Hayley16APRIL2026
Hayley joined Michael in the studio to chat about her life and her recovery from alcoholism with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous.Hayley speaks about growing up as the youngest of 3 daughters in a household where her father was working away on a regular basis, a 10 year age gap between she and her older sisters and being given everything a child could want when young. Her drinking came with some c
Alcoholics Anonymous DON9APRIL2026
Don joined Michael in the studio and shared his experience of growing up as a shy, introverted boy and the freedom he experienced when he started drinking. As his drinking started to play a bigger role in his life the consequences became more serious. Health problems presented at a young age but medical advice suggesting he quit was not enough to convince him to stop.Front bar drinking, early open
Al-Anon Family Groups - Brenda Y
Brenda grew up in the 1950s in Daylesford, the only child of a kind, compassionate mother and a father who drank too much. She married at 19, moved to the city and met with discrimination when she found that, as a married woman, she could not longer be employed by the bank where she worked. She moved to the suburbs to build a typical 1950's family but grew apart from her husband and divorced. Her
Al-Anon Family Groups - Sianna
The daughter of parents in the entertainment industry, Sianna enjoyed a lot of freedom in her childhood and grew up amongst interesting people. There was lots of alcohol around and rules and routines were not important in the family. In her early adulthood, Sianna found that she was having difficulties in intimate relationships; in particular she found herself willing to sacrifice herself in order
Narcotics Anonymous Rick19MARCH2026
Rick joined Michael in the studio to discuss life with addiction, finding a solution in Narcotics & Alcoholics Anonymous and what life looks like now. From a disfunctional family living in a small country town, becoming a father at a young age and then making a decision to provide a better upbringing for his son. Rick describes the lengths he was/is willing to go to to be the best version of himse
Alcoholics Anonymous Lisa12March2026
Lisa joined Bill & Michael in the studio to share her experience of life in recovery with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous. Lisa describes how a normal childhood where she was good at school, sports and family life descended into a life of drinking, dishonesty and feeling like a burden to those around her. Time in rehab and then finding a purpose in Alcoholics Anonymous. A great chat and a message
Al-Anon Family Groups - Di
Di was born the eldest child in a family of girls to a mother who favoured boys. This, and other dysfunctional attitudes and behaviours, affected Di's sense of her self and caused fragmentation amongst her siblings. Di was determined to not repeat the mistakes of her own parents, but found herself married to an alcoholic. Devastated and fearful, she sought the help of Al-Anon where she has gradual
AA and Al-Anon - Brian
Brian grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne at a time when heavy drinking with other men was a rite of passage. His mother and stepfather introduced him to AA when he was only 17 but Brian drank for many years until he himself knew he needed to seek help. He decribes a spiritual experience in his first AA meeting. Brian later joined Al-Anon when he realised that he needed support to deal with other
Alcoholics Anonymous - Connor19FEB2026
Connor joined Michael in the studio to share his experience of recovery from alcoholism in Alcoholics Anonymous. His drinking was different from a young age and he was taken to his first AA meeting, by his father, as a 16 year old. Connor describes the consequences of his drinking, what early recovery looks like and what difference being sober has made to his life.If you would like more informatio
Gamblers Anonymous - Steve12FEB2026
Steve joined Mitch and Michael in the studio to share his story of recovery from gambling addiction. Starting as a youngster betting on horses at the track with his dad, Steve got a taste for gambling with an early win and chased the feeling until it brought him to his knees. Finding hope in Gamblers Anonymous, Steve spelt out what he did in early recovery and what his life looks like now.If you w
Narcotics Anonymous - Lucy on 29JAN2026
Lucy knew from a very young age that she was different from other kids and her siblings and felt anxious and a bit depressed. She found concentrating at school difficult and today acknowledges that this is probably related to her neurodivergence. Lucy gravitated to alcohol and drugs to compensate for her feelings and to fit in, often with the wrong crowd.By late teens Lucy was ready to leave hom
Alcoholics Anonymous Carol 15 Jan 2026
Carol joined Michael in the studio to chat about life in Alcoholics Anonymous. Carol has visited the studio before and shared the details of her drinking with Bill & Mitch in October 2023. https://audio.3cr.org.au/3cr/living-free/2023/10/19/1300/202310191300_living-free_64.mp3On this show we discusssed what life looked like at the end of her drinking, what Alcoholics Anonymous offered when she arr
Gamblers Anonymous - Brenden on 08JAN2026
Brenden shares his gambling journey and insight into his poker machine addiction and his recovery through Gamblers Anonymous. Now over six years without gambling he shares his insight into how his early behaviour, anxiety and attraction to excitement led him seek out pokies and gamble obsessively for 13 years.If you’re having trouble with gambling, or have a friend or family member that does, then
Alcoholics Anonymous - Mark on 18 December 2025
Mark joined Michael in the studio to share his story of recovery from alcoholism through the AA 12 step program. He described his early life during "The Troubles" in Ireland before moving to Australia. His drinking took over his life and the lives of those he loved the most. After admitting he had a problem, discovering in rehab that his problem is called Alcoholism and his introduction to a solut
Gamblers Anonymous - Zach on 11DEC2025
Zach was an anxious kid and grew up in a big rough family where expressing feelings was not encouraged by his parents. He had an alcoholic grandfather, but no one close had any isms.His gambling started innocuously with sweeps on the Melbourne Cup, and this developed into a gambling habit while in secondary school. Initially it was using another kid’s online betting account and this led into a gam
Al-Anon Family Groups - Andy
Andy grew up in a village in the north of England in a family affected by alcoholism. Although his home life was relatively peaceful, his father was unpredictable. Andy also experienced the trauma of being sent to boarding school at a young age. An immediate result of this was Andy and his siblings becoming disconnected from the other children in the village. Later it led to emotional shut-down, a
Al-Anon Family Groups - Victor (Repeat)
This conversation was originally aired on 2 September 2021Victor grew up in a family where alcohol was abused. His father was frequently violent, and to survive, Victor became hyper-vigilant and sensitive to the moods of his parents. As a child, Victor found refuge outside of the family, playing with friends in the wild areas near his home. As he grew, he recognised in himself an impulse to heal h
Alcoholics Anonymous - Chris H
Chris joined Michael in the 3CR studios to share his experience of what life was like when he started drinking in his early teens, to how it progressed and took over his life in his 20's and what life looks like now as he comes up to 35 years in recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous.
Gamblers Anonymous - Sue on 13NOV2025
Sue grew up in an unhappy, dysfunctional home and didn’t have many close friends. She left school early, in Year 9 and went to work. Her career led to shift work, which meant that she had more money and worked odd hours. Sue would often drop into a Poker Machine venue on the way home, to unwind. These sessions became progressively longer and eventually involved greater losses, meaning that someti
Al-Anon Family Groups - Brenda
Brenda entered her marriage in the early 1970's with her mother's advice to 'never argue with a drunk'. After several years of trying to keep the peace in her marriage, Brenda took her young children and left in desperation. Even without Al-Anon, she acted in faith, knowing that she did not have the answers about how she would manage on her own. It was fifteen years later that she found Al-Anon wh
Al-Anon Family Groups - Poppy
Poppy was born into a family struggling to cope with the trauma of migration from Greece to Australia. Her father drank to ease his sorrow and her mother had to cope with a growing number of small children, working, along with her husband, to provide for them all. Poppy has happy memories of celebrations with friends and family where there was plenty of drinking, but also carried a burden of shame
Alcoholics Anonymous - John
John joined Michael in the studio to chat about his life. Starting in the South East suburbs of Melbourne in a family he described as a "battleground", John's life which included, scouts, cricket, a part-time job pumping petrol and a girlfriend changed dramatically around the age of 16 as his number one priority became drinking and chasing the effect it created for him. Left with very few choices
Alcoholics Anonymous - DAN on 09OCT2025
Dan was on the show back in March 2024 and came in at short notice to help us out with a live interview. Dan’s earlier interview is available on https://www.3cr.org.au/livingfree/episode/alcoholics-anonymous-dan-21mar2024.Today we are talking about how recovery works and what it is like after stopping drinking and participating in a fellowship of equals in Alcoholics Anonymous.It was great to chat
Overeaters Anonymous - Carmen (Repeat)
This is a repeat of an interview that aired in December 2022.Carmen grew up in Germany in a family where there was alcohol abuse and violence. In her adult life, she developed a compulsion to control her eating and fell into a pattern of food restriction followed by bingeing. Carmen found herself preoccupied with food and when she realised it had become a problem began to look for help. A therapis
AA and Al-Anon Family Groups - Glenda
Glenda grew up in a stable family but prolonged periods of hospitalisation in childhood along with a shy disposition led to low self-esteem. Glenda used alcohol, cannabis and other drugs to fit in socially and eventually sought treatment at the age of 27 for the difficulties this caused, including cannabis-induced psychosis. For more than 40 years Glenda has been a member of Alcoholics Anonymous a
Alcoholics Anonymous - Lin 18/9/2025
Lin joined Michael in the studio and shared her story. From life as part of a large family in country Victoria, starting to drink as a 13 year old and leaving school young, Lin describes how alcohol became her solution to life until it stopped working. She also describes a 3 year period of abstinence followed by a lapse which brought her to her knees and then a moment of clarity. She then describe
Gamblers Anonymous - Jonathan on 11SEP2025
Jonathan is in his mid-50’s and has been in Gamblers Anonymous for over nine years now. His dad was a gambler and drug addict, and he was brought up by his single mother who worked multiple jobs. Jonathan started gambling in college then started working in finance and ended up in the entertainment industry. He focussed on sports gambling and regularly used recreational drugs. Johnathan started g
Recovery from growing up with an alcoholic parent - Dan (Repeat)
This episode is a repeat. It was originally aired on 7 December 2023.Dan, a member of Al-Anon, grew up in a household in which another person's drinking was out of control. One of his parents was safe and nurturing during the day but in the evenings became a more dangerous presence. This inconsistency resulted in Dan feeling confused about how to trust people and eventually angry and distant from
Al-Anon Family Groups - Feebee-Lou
Feebee-Lou grew up in Sydney. In her childhood, her father had a serious accident that left him wheel-chair bound and this had an effect on the dynamics of the family. Feebee-Lou took care of him. Although he did not identify as an alcoholic, alcohol was a factor in the family situation. After a close relationship with a sober alcoholic Feebee-Lou found her way to Al-Anon and has since embraced th
Alcoholics Anonymous - Lisa 21/08/2025
Lisa joined Michael & Bill in the studio to describe her journey to recovery from alcoholism. Introduced to the 12 Step Fellowship of Alateen when young due to alcoholism in her family, she decribes the decline in her life as the unmanageability took hold. The progressive nature of the illness had her in its grip until she landed in rehab and was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Gamblers Anonymous - Noah on 14AUG2025
Noah is in his early 20’s and has been in Gamblers Anonymous for just over a year. Noah was brought up by his grandmother and he rebelled in his mid-teens and left home and eventually left school early. He discusses how his gambling progressed from playing Poker with friends in high school, to becoming a serious gambler after visiting a casino when he turned 18.He found that gambling offered him a
Intergenerational effects of alcoholism, a family illness - Tamara
Tamara's German grandmother was an alcoholic whose children, including Tamara's mother, were affected by the difficulties that this caused. Tamara found herself in conflict with her mother in her adolescent years. When through a relationship with a recovering alcoholic who recognised the dysfunction in Tamara's family, Tamara found herself in Al-Anon, she identified with the stories she heard ther
Alcoholics Anonymous - Keely
Alcohol brought Keely out of her shell and into functioning alcoholism for years. After finding AA and a higher power of her own understanding, things began to change.
Al-Anon Family Groups - Samantha
Samantha grew up in a family where alcoholism is an intergenerational illness, affecting her grandmother, mother, cousins, and now her child. The direct effect on Samantha was that she developed ways of being in the world that helped her survive in environments she couldn't trust, becoming isolated and inflexible in her thinking. This took an emotional toll. When a co-worker, a recovering alcoholi
Gamblers Anonymous - Chris 17 July 2025
Chris joined Michael in the studio to share his experience of how addiction to gambling brought him to his knees and the freedom he has experienced since finding a solution in Gamblers Anonymous.
Alcoholism, Authenticity and some clips from the Archives
Ann and Zakia chat about the difficulties of being authentic when you come from a dysfunctional family or from a place where the language is different. And we play some clips from the Living Free archives. The Living Free show is a place to hear authentic story-telling from people who have struggled with the effects of addiction, their own or others'.If you would like to hear the whole conversatio
SMART Recovery - Nigel Harpley
Grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), SMART Recovery is a self-empowering approach to addiction and other problematic behaviours. SMART Recovery groups support people with substance dependencies or problem behaviours to lead a balanced life. Nigel is a facilitator of such a group and has lived experience of alcohol dependency. In this episode he discusses the use of CBT, mindfulness an
Alcoholics Anonymous - Zac 19June2025
Zac joined Michael and Bill in the studio to share his experience of life as a practising alcoholic, reaching a rock bottom in his early 30's and now having had one year of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymmous.
3CR Radiothon - Ann, Mitch, Zakia, Michael and Bill on 12JUN2025
Well, it’s been another big year since our last Radiothon, and this time Zakia and Michael could also join us to amp up the volume another notch for this year’s show. Thanks to your generous support, by the end of the show, we had managed to raise $3,400, $900 over our target of $2,500. If you would also like to support 3CR then go to https://www.3cr.org.au/donate to see your options.Thanks also t
'Uncovery'- Freedom from Eating Disorders with Olivia Soha
In this episode Michael and I chat with Olivia Soha about 1:1 recovery coaching tailored to the individual needs of people with eating disorders. Olivia is the founder of 'Uncovery' which she started in 2018, inspired by her own experience of living with an eating disorder. She was keen to help others find the meaning and purpose they would need to keep going once the medical aspects of their ill
SMART Recovery Australia - Tracy-Lee
Tracey-Lee had an unconventional childhood in which she experienced some trauma, relating to her father's outbursts of rage. At the same time she discovered a talent for performance and this gave her a pathway to self-expression. But as she enterered adulthood she felt unbalanced, developing a tendency to addictive behaviours as she searched for comfort and relief. After struggles with binge eatin
Alcoholics Anonymous - Steve on 15MAY2025
Steve joined Michael in the studio to share his experience of getting sober in his early 20's, his early days in Alcoholics Anonymous and what his life looks like now.
Al-Anon Family Groups - Bill on 08MAY2025
Bill grew up with an active alcoholic father and as a young adult sought help through an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and was directed to Al-Anon Family Groups. He found help in those early years in the Al-Anon meetings and over forty years later he discusses the impact of Al-Anon in transforming his life and relationships, particularly with his father and with his family and friends.If someone el
SMART Recovery Australia - Dan Raffell
Dan Raffell, National Co-ordinator and Trainer at SMART Recovery Australia, describes his lived experience of drug abuse as 'hands on vocational training'. He has put this training to good use over the last 22 years working in the drug and alcohol recovery field in his native Scotland and here in Australia. Today Dan joins us to chat about, among other things, how small changes in habits and beha
Gamblers Anonymous - Adrian on 17APR2025
Adrian is in his 30’s and has been in Gamblers Anonymous for five years. He discusses how his gambling progressed from sports betting with the help of older kids at 13 years old, underage horse punting at TABs with school friends to becoming a serious problem in his life before he turned 18. It affected Adrian’s school and personal life and mixing betting and drinking soon made his situation much
Alcoholics Anonymous - Jeff on 10APRIL2025
Life in Recovery - Mandy and Richard
Mandy and Richard join Ann for a conversation about recovery from, among other things, alcohol, worry and minding other people's business. If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem, then you can phone the Al-Anon Family Groups helpline on 1300 252 666 or go online at al-anon.org.au for more information.If you would like to find out a bit more about alcoholism for yourself or a friend, th
SMART Recovery - Kerry
Kerry grew up in a home where there was violence and moved into adult life resilient but missing some of the skills for coping with life's difficulties. She developed an addiction to sugar from which she found recovery in Overeaters Anonymous, then several years later she found herself drinking too much and made her way to Alcoholics Anonymous. She discovered SMART Recovery in its early days in Au
Alcoholics Anonymous - Jane on 20MAR2025
Jane grew up in a loving family even though both her parents were alcoholics, her dad recovering in Alcoholics Anonymous and her mum still actively drinking. Her parents split when she was around 6 years old, and her mum’s bender-drinking quickly escalated. Jane and her sister took care of her mum for a few years until her father began to look after them again for two years.Jane grew up fast, felt
Narcotics Anonymous - Jesse on 13MAR2025
Jesse grew up in a good home with good morals. He was a small kid and often felt scared and lonely. He was bullied at school and eventually turned to alcohol and then drugs in his early teens as they made him feel like he fitted in and more relaxed.His drinking and drug use progressed, adversely affecting his work and ruining his close relationships. His mum was a significant influence in him seek
Al-Anon Family Groups - Josephine and Dejan
Josephine grew up in suburban Melbourne in a family where addiction was an issue. Preoccupied with success, Josephine achieved highly at school and university but not without consequences for her mental health. Encouraged by her mother, she sought the support of Al-Anon. Now living in Berlin, Josephine and her partner Dejan both attend Al-Anon. In this episode, Josephine tells her story. Towards t
SMART Recovery - Kate
Kate began her recovery from addiction when she decided to 'live' instead of following her life-long pattern of taking 'chemical holidays'. Using alcohol and drugs from a young age had had a negative effect on Kate's happiness and she found herself in relationships and situations that were dangerous for her mental health. Kate has found through SMART Recovery renewed joy and revitalisation of her
Alcoholics Anonymous - Katherine on 20FEB2025
Katherine grew up as the eldest daughter of an alcoholic mum and became the surrogate parent in the family as her mum’s drinking progressed. She was exposed to alcohol early in life, started drinking around 12 or 13 years old but it was around 15 or 16 that she sought it out.Often drinking to blackout, Katherine regularly had to ask her friends what had happened the night before and frequently lea
Gamblers Anonymous - Tim on 13FEB2025
Tim shares his story of developing a gambling habit through underage gambling on poker machines as part of social activity with family and friends. He always had some anxiety and when he discovered alcohol relieved it his drinking began in earnest. Tim’s drinking and then drug use increased in his late teens when he went overseas and was working in hospitality. He had a nervous breakdown in his
Need support for a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend? Al-Anon's doors are wide open
In this episode, Ann, Mitch and Zakia discuss the common experiences of people affected by the alcoholism of a relative or friend, emphasising the inclusiveness of Al-Anon family groups to people of all ages, genders, races and creeds. Information is given about how Al-Anon can help teenagers (through Alateen), adult children of alcoholics, First Nations people and LGBTIQ+ people through sharing
Replay - Young
Trigger Warning - mention of sexual assault and course language. Young walks us through his introduction to Drug and Alcohol culture in Nigeria, and how it differs from Australia
SMART Recovery - Dr Patrick Pheasant (Repeat)
This episode was first aired in June 2024.Dr Patrick Pheasant is an addiction and trauma therapist who incorporates drama and role play into his practice, working with clients to recover from trauma via its manifestation in the mind and body. As well as his private practice, Patrick engages with addiction through his facilitation of two SMART Recovery groups focusing on the additional challenges f
Alcoholics Anonymous - Lisa on 16JAN2025
Lisa felt that she was different from the start and grew up in a dysfunctional family affected by the family disease of alcoholism. She found out at an early age that alcohol made her feel better and she gravitated towards people that enjoyed alcohol so that she could enjoy it too. Lisa was a wild child, left school early and became a single parent in her early twenties. As life became increasin
Al-Anon Family Groups - Gary on 09JAN2025
Gary grew up with parents who had been affected by a drinker in their family. He went on to marry three alcoholics and was fortunate when a marriage counsellor suggested that he try Al-Anon Family Groups. Now, over twenty-four years later, he discusses the impact of Al-Anon in transforming his life and relationships.If someone else's drinking is causing you a problem, then you can phone the Al-Ano
Al-Anon Family Groups - Del
As the youngest child of a family of 9 children, Del grow up feeling invisible and often bewildered about the actions of others in the family. Del's parents drank and partied, distracted from the emotional needs of their children. As the result of this, Del found herself in early adulthood ill-equipped to recognise healthy from unhealthy relationships, leaving her vulnerable to mistaking any show
Overeaters Anonymous - Amanda (Repeat)
The child of migrant parents who worked long hours, Amanda remembers feeling isolated as a child. She remembers bingeing on food at the age of 8 and has spent many years struggling with compulsive over-eating, using food to calm herself whever she feel restless, irritable, discontented or otherwise uncomfortable. Overeaters Anonymous has shown Amanda that she is not alone and that it is possible
Alcoholics Anonymous - Derek on 19DEC2024
Derek grew up in a conservative religious family and didn’t drink alcohol till he was in his early twenties. He liked the effect of alcohol and continued drinking socially during his twenties and then quite heavily during his thirties. Derek was 42 when he decided to control his drinking but it took him 5 years before he had to admit that all he could really manage was a maximum of 2 days sober at
Drug Addiction Recovery - Tom on 12DEC2024
Tom was reasonably academic, enjoyed music and was quite competitive in his youth but always felt a bit different, like a square peg in a round hole. He had depressive episodes early on which were evidence of sub-clinical mental illness that would affect him later in his teenage years.Tom was curious about drugs in his early teens and joined in with a drug culture at his school, using mainly mari
Al-Anon Family Groups - Anne
Anne grew up in a family affected by intergenerational alcoholism, in which her father resorted to anger and violence. She had undiagnosed ADHD as a child, inevitably got into trouble at school, and continued to take risks in her early adult life. It was the drinking of her husband that led Anne to seek the support of Al-Anon. When she made the difficult to choice to leave her husband, taking her
Overeaters Anonymous - Janine (Repeat)
Janine grew up in a family where sharing good food was an expression of bonding and love, but when she began to experience issues with her sense of identity and belonging at school, she became concerned about her weight. She began dieting but found that after each diet she gained more weight. The pattern continued until Janine's weight gain was beyond her control and so was her preoccupation with
