Talkin' Trash Addiction Recovery Podcast

Tonight we welcomed Melanie Brown and her daughter, Rebekah, to the show. Melanie, CAO and co-owner of Prairie Sky Recovery Centre and a Registered Social Worker, shared how her lived experience in addiction and recovery has helped shape both her personal journey and her life's work. Joined by Rebekah, an emerging voice in the recovery community, the conversation highlighted the importance of carrying the message of hope to the next generation. A longtime friend of the show, Prairie Sky Recovery Centre continues to make a lasting impact through the legacy of founder Ardyth Wilson and its commitment to helping people find lasting recovery.

Here’s a cleaned-up version that keeps your voice while tightening the flow: On a shorthanded midweek show, we welcomed back Steve, who never hesitates to step up when the team needs him. We appreciate his honesty, candor, and willingness to donate his time to the cause as we recover out loud and carry the message to those still suffering. With just a couple of months to go before reaching the two-year mark, we celebrated that milestone with Steve and our audience. There’s something special about watching people you care about finally "get it." Tried and tested, giving away what was so freely given to us remains one of the best ways to stay sober. As Men's Health Month continues, awareness around men's mental health is growing, largely because the stigma around saying, "I'm not okay," is beginning to fade. Admitting that you're struggling isn't weakness—it takes strength—and that message is becoming more accepted, especially within the world of addiction recovery. Chat GPT had nothing to do with this show summary.

Bethany Basler joined the team tonight. Bethany, or "BB" as we call her, was amazing as always. A passionate advocate for recovery and peer support, Bethany has built a strong presence online and recently launched her own podcast, Rock Bottom Recovery. While she's been a guest on our show before, there are still parts of her story that haven't been told. Tonight, she opened up about her journey, shared insights from her recovery experience, and discussed the importance of connection, community, and carrying the message to those still struggling. Bethany continues to be a powerful voice in recovery, and we're grateful she spent the evening with us.

We welcomed back a very special friend of the show, Elizabeth McKeon. Liz is a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) with a Master's of Science in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing — and simply put, she’s one of the good ones. In addiction recovery, many of us suddenly think we have all the answers. We self-diagnose, self-treat. The only doctor's we're referring to are Dr. Google and Dr. Chatgpt and we convince ourselves we know best. The truth is, the real difference-makers are clinicians like Elizabeth who genuinely care. Through both personal and professional experience, she has built a unique approach to recovery that is medically grounded and compassionately delivered. Her wisdom and insight transcended miles and time zones during this conversation. Keep posted, we'll be seeing Liz again sooner than you think!

Tonight’s episode featured an incredible guest, Bethany, who shared her experience, strength, and hope with us in a truly powerful way. She’s seen it all and been through it all, but her story is one of resilience, recovery, and finding purpose through the struggle. Bethany spoke openly about the challenges she’s faced and the lessons she’s learned along the way, reminding listeners that no matter how difficult life can become, hope is always possible. Her honesty, courage, and passion continue to fuel her crusade to help and inspire others who may still be fighting their own battles.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Trashers out there!Tonight, we welcomed a very special guest — someone incredibly close to the show. Brad’s sister, Jennifer, joined us alongside Brad for a powerful and heartfelt conversation. Their bond, forged through recovery, was impossible to miss. Jennifer bravely shared her story on this special Mother’s Day episode of Talkin’ Trash, speaking openly about the joy and peace she’s found in sobriety. She said, without hesitation, that the life she lives today is the happiest she’s ever been.So many people fear that getting sober means giving up fun, and many of us in long-term recovery remember feeling exactly that way. But as time passes, we stop comparing ourselves to others and start identifying with them instead. We realize we’re not alone, and when that happens, real joy and genuine fun begin to return. We’re grateful Jennifer spent the evening with us, and we look forward to catching up with her again soon. And of course, we also learned tonight that Winston Churchill’s mother apparently invented both Mother’s Day and modern plumbing. What an absolute legend.

The team welcomed a powerful guest from south who recently celebrated two years of sobriety. He shared an honest and relatable perspective on what it takes to stay clean, emphasizing consistency, accountability, and learning to face life without escaping it. He was right at home with the squad as the 5 shared their similar views on addiction, recovery, relapse and treatment. His message hit home—it was real, hard-earned, and relatable, highlighting both the struggles and the quiet victories that come with long-term recovery. If our target demographic was males age 40-50 who survived addiction from 1998-2012, we nailed it. For everybody else, pull up a chair, addicts say the darnedest things.

Talkin’ Trash hits a major milestone with its 200th episode, a testament to the power of honest conversation, shared experience, and the strength of the recovery community. What started as a space to talk openly about addiction and healing has grown into a platform that’s impacted countless lives, offering hope, laughter, and real connection along the way. This moment isn’t just about the number—it’s about every guest who showed up, every story that was told, and every listener who found a piece of themselves in the message. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the show over the years—this journey wouldn’t be possible without you.

We were greeted with a very special "normie" tonight as Lara brought her powerful outside perspective. Though she’s never struggled with addiction personally, Lara shares how deeply it has shaped her life—growing up around it, navigating relationships impacted by it, and often stepping into the role of caretaker. Her insight highlights the often-overlooked reality that addiction doesn’t just affect the individual, but ripples through families and loved ones in lasting ways. With genuine curiosity and emotional awareness, Lara connects with the hosts on a human level, offering a meaningful reminder that recovery conversations belong to everyone—not just those in the trenches, but also those who’ve been standing beside them all along.

This episode features a deeply emotional conversation with Blair S., on the verge of celebrating three years clean, offering a powerful reflection on just how far he'd come. Through moments of vulnerability and honesty, he shared the pain of his past, the struggles of early recovery, and the turning points that helped him stay the course when it felt impossible. What stands out most is Blair 's gratitude—for the people who didn’t give up on him, for the small daily victories, and for a life that once felt out of reach but is now filled with purpose. Blair's story is a powerful reminder that recovery isn’t perfect or easy, but it is worth it, and that even in the hardest moments, change is possible with persistence, support and hope.

Smiles all around we merged holiday sized efforts and last-minute additions. The boys welcomed former pro sports announcer, Rod Pedersen who graciously shared his journey of overcoming alcoholism and celebrated 11 years of recovery with us. We were grateful for his time and insight. He reflected on the darkest moments of his addiction and the turning points that led him to recovery. Living the double life of a functioning alcoholic eventually cost him the very public job his identity was built upon. He found himself blacklisted after a illustrious 20 year career and he shared the success and victories that've come through over a decade of clarity. Perspective is essential for surviving addiction and it's the agent of true change. Recovery parallels the spirit of Easter—resurrection, growth, and new beginnings. Here at Talkin' Trash, we all about happy Easter's and we share a collective mindset that nobody is beyond help.

The team welcomed Daniel onto the pod tonight and he shared his experience, strength and hope about getting clean and staying sober for over a year. Daniel opened up about growing up in a difficult home environment and how those early challenges shaped many of the struggles he faced later in life. A central theme of the conversation was the role of mental health, with Daniel emphasizing that untreated mental health issues were a primary driver behind his addiction. The hosts echoed this perspective, agreeing that addressing mental health should be a core part of recovery rather than an afterthought.

On tonight’s episode of the addiction recovery podcast, hosts Tim and Brad dove deep into the powerful connection between fear and change in the recovery journey. Drawing from personal experience and conversations within the recovery community, they explored how fear often shows up at pivotal moments—whether it’s the fear of relapse, the fear of facing past mistakes, or even the fear of success and a new identity beyond addiction.