12. From Rock Bottom to Freedom with Tim Winters

In this deeply human conversation, Laura sits down with her longtime friend Tim Winters to explore the winding, painful, and ultimately transformative journey of addiction, surrender, and recovery.Tim shares his story with remarkable openness, from a teenage sense of not quite belonging, to decades of alcohol and drug use that slowly narrowed his world, to the quiet, devastating moment when he realized he could no longer save himself.He recounts the unforgettable car ride when his daughter-in-law drove him, without telling him where they were going, straight to rehab. A moment of fear, resistance, and finally surrender that would change the trajectory of his life.What unfolds is not just a story about addiction, but about identity, worthiness, masculinity, grief, spirituality, and what happens when we finally stop running and let ourselves be helped.What You’ll Hear in This EpisodeThis episode is a powerful reminder that healing rarely arrives the way we expect but often exactly when we are ready.How early shame and identity struggles shaped Tim’s inner worldWhy alcohol and drugs became a way to feel connected, confident, and safeThe slow progression from “social” use to silent dependencyWhy “just don’t drink today” became a life-saving reframeHow anxiety and depression lifted only after sobriety beganThe power of routine, community, and spiritual practice in recoveryHow meditation and prayer became unexpected anchorsWhat Tim wishes people understood about addiction, recovery, and compassionHow small signs and nudges now guide his life in ways they never could beforeResources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastAlcoholics Anonymous (AA)Father Martin’s Ashleigh House treatment centerVisit: surrenderingtothesigns.comMusic FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicMarch the Machine -  One Day - Creative CutJames Forest - EmergencyBen Winwood  - IntimacyWav Two - SakuraPodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com