Recoverycast: Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Stories

Can vulnerable parenting heal a lifetime of hidden substance use? Jon Gustin shares his raw journey from teenage substance abuse to long-term sobriety. In this deeply moving episode of Recoverycast, hosts Brittany Baynard and Sam Roberts sit down with Jon Gustin, the creator behind The Tired Dad. Jon opens up about his early experimentation with prescription stimulants at age 13, experiencing severe alcohol poisoning in high school, and navigating a dark path involving cocaine, meth, and pres...

Can running 12 hours on a treadmill mirror the trap of active substance dependency? Andrew Barr shares his powerful journey to long-term sobriety. Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/ In this deeply inspiring episode of Recoverycast, Canadian stand-up comedian Andrew Barr returns to discuss his powerful recovery journey after navigating 12 years of alcohol dependency and substance misuse. Celebrating over three and a half years of freedom, Andrew op...

"It was not about getting high, it was about not being sober." In this raw and deeply moving episode of Recoverycast, nationally touring comedian and recovery advocate Sam Miller joins Brittany Bernard to share his incredible journey from the streets of Olympia to the comedy stage. Sam opens up about the intersection of ADHD and addiction, the profound impact of childhood trauma, and the cycle of methamphetamine, alcohol, and benzodiazepine use that led to years of homelessness and incarcerat...

Grace Adams seemed to have it all: a prestigious advertising job, a New York City apartment, and a background as a classical ballet dancer. But behind the "perfect" Type-A exterior, Grace was trapped in a cycle of secret binge drinking and 48-hour blackouts. In this vulnerable episode of Recoverycast, Grace opens up about the "emotional bottom" that brought her to her knees on her apartment floor and the courageous phone call to her mother that changed everything. Find mental health and addi...

Shannon Hughes and her daughter, Mistena Renteria-Elliott, share a raw and harrowing journey through the depths of methamphetamine addiction, domestic abuse, and the long road to generational healing. Shannon opens up about using substances to cope with severe anxiety while trapped in a manipulative and abusive relationship with a stepfather who controlled every aspect of their lives. Mistena reflects on a childhood defined by survival mode, moving constantly, and the trauma of watching her m...

At six years old, Bobby Kazz was already asking his mom how to lose weight; by college he was trapped in a cycle of starvation, binge eating and guilt. This episode of Recoverycast shines a light on male eating disorders—a story we rarely hear. Bobby Kazz explains how teasing at his sixth‑birthday pool party and growing up in a thin family planted seeds of insecurity. In high school he decided to “just run and see what happens” and began skipping meals, lying to his parents about eating, and ...