Why Love Is Stronger Than Addiction with Michael Dinneen

Send us Fan MailLove can sound soft until it starts telling the truth. That’s the heartbeat behind our rebrand to the Loving Leverage Podcast, and it’s why we believe boundaries can be one of the most compassionate tools in addiction recovery. When addiction is running the show, everyone gets pulled into the same exhausting loop: promises, bargaining, secrecy, shame, and the constant attempt to “manage” what can’t be managed alone. We want a better way forward for addicts and for the families who are trying to survive the fallout.We’re joined by Valiant’s founder, Michael Denine, to unpack what “loving leverage” really means and why it’s not about choosing sides. Michael shares his own moment of bottom and surrender, the kind that doesn’t arrive as a neat breakthrough but as a desperate willingness to accept help. We talk about why spouses and parents often need a team around them, how trauma can get mislabeled as “codependency,” and why follow-through matters more than threats. If you’ve ever felt like you’re negotiating with someone who can’t think straight, you’ll recognize the patterns and the relief of a clear plan.We also zoom out to the bigger recovery framework: the addiction cycle, the brain’s rationalizations, the role of shame, and why real change usually requires coordinated support (therapist, CSAT, sponsor, treatment, and family boundaries working together). We end with a question that cuts through excuses: do you actually want to be healed?Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find practical help and real hope.If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you don’t have to face it alone.Valiant Living helps men and their families move from crisis to stability through clinically driven care, community, and hope.Learn more about our programs at www.valiantliving.com or call us confidentially at (720) 796-6885 to speak with someone who can help.