
EP 400: Author and Counselor Jeff Hayward
From Sobertown Podcast by Drifter
March 30, 2026 · 47 min · Episode 513
About this episode
In this episode, Michal and Jeff Hayward discuss addiction recovery, mental health, and the importance of self-connection.
Podcast description: In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, Michal and Jeff discuss recovery from addiction and the role that mental health disorders play. Jeff explains his counseling approach, emphasizing the importance of accepting reality rather than resisting it, and the concept that substances distort reality. They discuss how recovery is an individual process that requires connection with others, and how treatment centers help people by removing them from daily stressors to allow for rational decision-making. They delve into the role that dopamine plays in addiction, as well as exploring the topics of resentment and betrayal. The conversation also covered Jeff's book "Simple Sh!t for Complicated People," which aims to provide an accessible, conversational guide to recovery principles. They conclude by discussing the importance of authentic self-connection and the idea that just because something is familiar doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. There’s a lot of information packed into this short episode, be sure to catch it! Jeff Hayward is an author, facilitator, and nationally and internationally accredited counsellor specializing in the treatment of co-occurring mental…
People in this episode
Host: Michal
Guest: Jeff Hayward
Topics covered
- recovery from addiction
- mental health disorders
- counseling approach
- dopamine and addiction
- self-connection
- individual recovery process
Keywords
- addiction
- recovery
- mental health
- counseling
- dopamine
- self-connection
- treatment centers
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Simple Theory, simpletheory.ca
Books & works: Simple Sh!t for Complicated People
More episodes of Sobertown Podcast
- EP 407: Grey Area Drinking Expert Sarah Rusbatch · June 9, 2026 · 37 min
- EP 406: Interview with author David Deane Haskell · May 28, 2026 · 45 min
- EP 405: Catching Up With Samantha Brantley-Smith · May 24, 2026 · 31 min
- EP 404: Early Days-Sobriety VS Recovery · May 20, 2026 · 12 min
- EP 403: Melissa’s Recovery Story · May 15, 2026 · 34 min
- EP 402: Lauren Macpherson's Recovery Story · April 29, 2026 · 21 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Sobertown Podcast podcast page.