About this episode

Bonnie Tisdale shares her heartbreaking journey of losing her son to addiction and the lessons learned about the complexities of addiction and the impact on families.

In this episode, Donna Marston sits down with Bonnie Tisdale, mother, business owner, recovery advocate, and author of Messy in the Middle: Love, Addiction, and All the Rest. Bonnie shares the heartbreaking story of losing her son, Frankie, to addiction in 2021 and the lessons she learned navigating years of uncertainty, hope, recovery attempts, relapse, and grief. Together, Donna and Bonnie discuss the realities of addiction, the stigma families face, and why parents must stop carrying blame for a disease they cannot control. This episode is a powerful reminder that addiction impacts entire families—and that healing begins with compassion, understanding, and connection. In This Episode, You'll Learn: 💠Bonnie's journey as a mother supporting a son struggling with addiction 💠Why addiction is far more complex than simply making bad choices 💠The emotional impact addiction has on siblings, children, and grandparents 💠How shame and stigma prevent families from seeking support 💠Why parents often blame themselves—and why they shouldn't 💠The challenges of relapse after periods of sobriety 💠How Bonnie found healing after losing her son 💠The inspiration behind her upcoming book…

People in this episode

Host: Donna Marston

Guest: Bonnie Tisdale

Topics covered

• addiction
• parenting
• family dynamics
• mental health
• stigma
• grief
• recovery

Keywords

• addiction
• parenting
• family
• recovery
• stigma
• grief
• support
• compassion

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Messy in the Middle: Love, Addiction, and All the Rest

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