PODCAST · education
Relevant Recovery
by Donnie and Heather
Hosts Heather & Donnie discuss topics relevant to recovery from or dependencies on drugs, alcohol, food, social media, money and much more. They discuss everything from mental health, anxiety, depression, fear, marriage and resentment. Heather and Donnie discuss their ups and downs in recovery. New episode every Sunday at 6pm on all streaming platforms.
Episodes
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When Good Things Become Bad Things - Episode 273
Can something good become spiritually unhealthy? In this episode, we explore how meetings, sponsorship, work, and even our knowledge of the Big Book can become substitutes for God. Join us as we examine our motives, challenge our dependencies, and consider what it really means to put God first.…
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When The Answer Is NO - Episode 272
Learning to accept a closed door without turning it into a spiritual crisis. God's will doesn't always mean getting what we asked for. The spiritual challenge is learning to trust God, accept reality, and continue doing the next right thing—even when the answer is no. 🎧 Wherever you listen to...
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The God-Sized Hole: What Are We Actually Trying To Fill? - Ep 271
The alcoholic often tries to solve a spiritual problem with material, relational, emotional, or behavioral solutions. The problem isn't that we have normal human desires—the problem is when those desires become demands and we make getting what we want a condition of our peace. 🎧 Wherever you...
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The Inventory Isn’t the Point - Episode 270
In past episodes, we’ve talked about inventories; resentment, fear, sex, even the financial inventory, but this episode will tackle a different question: What is Step 4 actually supposed to accomplish? This is not another “how to take an inventory” episode — instead, we’ll examine what happens...
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Acting and Thinking - Episode 269
This week, we tackle a classic recovery trap: trying to think our way into better behavior. The truth is, we gotta ACT our way into new thinking—never the other way around. Tune in as we unpack why the alcoholic mind loves to over-intellectualize and play God with outcomes we were never meant to...
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The Power of Spiritual Community - Episode 268
Recovery isn't just about putting the drink down—it’s about learning how to self-sacrifice, build lifelong fellowship, and shift from being a taker to a giver. In Episode 268 of Relevant Recovery, we share the power of completely unplugging, seeing AA in action through our recovery family, and...
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This Simple Program is Too Hard - Episode 267
A simple program or “design for living that really works”. . . Why, when there are millions of examples around the world of people whose lives have been revolutionized, do people still refuse the “design”? AA is a very simple program, designed for complicated people. Why do so many not surrender…
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The Counterfeit Compassion — Episode 266
The High Cost of People-Pleasing. We love to talk about being "considerate, helpful, and kind" in recovery. But what happens when our desire to keep everyone happy isn't actually love at all—it's just codependency, people-pleasing or fear wrapped in a spiritual bow? Today we look at how...
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Self-Reliance Always Fails - Episode 265
This week Ryan joins the show in Heathers absence which should definitely be an improvement. 🎧 Wherever you listen to podcasts 🕕 New episodes Sundays @ 6:00 PM CST 🌐 www.relevant-recovery.org (http://www.relevant-recovery.org/) 🔗 linktr.ee/relevantrecovery #ForGoodAndForAll #RelevantRecovery...
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Phone A Friend - Episode 264
Reaching out isn't a burden—it’s a lifeline. On todays episode we unpack why we hesitate to reach out, reframe the act of calling another alcoholic through the lens of AA literature, and recognize that reaching out isn't a burden—it’s a gift to both people. 🎧 Wherever you listen to podcasts 🕕…
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Carry the Message, Not the Alcoholic — Episode 263
We all know the 12th Step is our absolute insurance policy against a drink. But what happens when our ego hitches a ride on someone else's recovery? Today we look at the fine line between intensive 12th-step work and the toxic need to play God in another person's life. 🎧 Wherever you listen to...
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The Myth of the Hard Case — Episode 262
We’ve all met them in the rooms—or maybe we are them. The person who sits in the back row secretly believing their situation is uniquely complicated, their defects are just hardwired, or that they are simply a "hard case" that the steps can't fully fix. Today we look at how spiritual stubbornness...
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The Slow Creep - Episode 261
Nobody wakes up and decides to ruin their life or drift from God—it happens in a thousand tiny, unnoticeable steps. In this episode, we break down "The Slow Creep" of addiction and spiritual malady. Discover how our minds rationalize the drift, why we only see it in hindsight, and how to use Big...
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Dont Make Me Be Grateful - Episode 260
We used to roll our eyes every time someone suggested a gratitude list. It felt cheesy, forced, and like it couldn't possibly solve real problems. So what changed? This week, we're talking about why we resisted gratitude, what the AA Big Book taught us about changing our perspective, and how...
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Growing Up or Growing Apart? - Episode 259
What happens when recovery changes you at warp speed, but your spouse, family, or friends are still using the old playbook? How do we drop the expectations and stop trying to sober up or change the people around us? 🎧 Wherever you listen to podcasts 🕕 New episodes Sundays @ 6PM CST 🌐...
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Facing the Financial Inventory - Episode 258
RELEVANT RECOVERY Facing the Financial Inventory - Episode 258 We talk a lot about alcoholic wreckage, but what about the financial wreckage? How do you pay off years of bad debt, face the IRS, or rebuild a ruined career without letting money or financial anxiety become your new Higher Power? 🎧...
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The Spiritual Binge vs. Real Service - Episode 257
RELEVANT RECOVERY Spiritual Binge vs. Real Service - Episode 257 Are you actually practicing a spiritual program, or are you just addicted to recovery culture? Today, we’re looking at the lines in the Big Book we like to skip—the ones that tell us to stop talking about spirituality and start...
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A Tale Of Two Ellie’s - Episode 256
RELEVANT RECOVERY A Tale Of Two Ellie’s - Episode 256 On this weeks episode of Relevant Recovery, Donnie sits down again with Ellie and Shane. This time to hear of Ellie’s recovery story and the growth she’s experienced in her spiritual program of action. 🎧 Wherever you listen to podcasts 🕕 New...
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From A Never Ending Cycle to Grace - Episode 255
This week Donnie brings in Ellie as his co-host and is interrupted much less (someone is missing). I sit down with Shane this week. Shane bring a story of three decades of struggle ending in Grace, happiness and purpose... You won't want to miss this episode!
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Calamity with Serenity - Episode 254
Anyone can stay sober when things are good. But how do we survive the "certain trials" ahead? How can we rely on God when things are not going the way we hoped? 🎧 Wherever you listen to podcasts 🕕 New episodes Sundays @ 6PM CST 🌐 www.relevant-recovery.org 🔗 linktr.ee/relevantrecovery...
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Growth or Maintenance Steps - Episode 253
Many people refer to Steps 10–12 as the “maintenance steps,” often pointing to the phrase “maintenance of our spiritual condition” (BB p.85). But a closer look at AA literature shows something very different: these are not maintenance steps at all—they are growth steps. 🎧 Wherever you listen to...
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Patiently Hurry Please — Episode 252
We live in a constant state of propulsion— always waiting on the next thing, chasing the next milestone, or dreading what hasn't happened yet. Recovery calls us back to the present moment, but our old wiring fights hard against it. Today we look at what Spirituality can teach us about patience —...
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Turning Pain into Purpose — Episode 251
Turning Pain into Purpose — Episode 251 We often carry shame, guilt, and remorse like a weight that holds us back, yet the Big Book and the 12-Step principles show us that those very things — when processed honestly and surrendered — become some of our greatest assets in helping others. Today we...
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In Sane Relationships - Episode 250
We often treat the sex inventory as if it’s only about sexual behavior, yet the Big Book and 12&12 show it is much deeper. It is really an examination of how we show up in relationships — whether we are selfish, dishonest, or inconsiderate. Today we look at what the sex inventory actually reveals...
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Productively Procrastinating - Episode 249
In the rooms we talk about “working a good program,” yet many of us — even with long-term sobriety — still procrastinate on the daily disciplines that actually keep us sober and spiritually fit. We know what we need to do, but we put it off, make excuses, or wait until we “feel like it.” This...
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The Heart of Real Recovery - Episode 248
In this episode, we talk about how even in sobriety, many of us still wear a mask—hiding struggles, managing our image, and letting fear and ego take the lead. Using the Big Book and 12&12, we explore the problem and the solution through humility, authenticity, and living honestly in recovery. 🎧...
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The Role of Fellowship in Recovery - Episode 247
In this episode, we break down the true purpose of fellowship in AA—what it is, what it is not, and why it’s essential. Fellowship doesn’t keep us sober and it isn’t the program itself—but it is the vehicle that connects us to the people, relationships, and opportunities that make working the...
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The Trap of Over-Planning - Episode 246
How trying to control every detail of life keeps us stuck in fear and prevents us from experiencing God’s flow.
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Get Your Marriage On - Episode 245
A conversation with Dan Purcell about sexual integrity, healing distorted views of sex, and building real intimacy in your marriage. 💍✨ www.getyourmarriageon.com/recovery Free gifts for our listeners! 🎧 Wherever you listen to podcasts 🕕 New episodes Sundays @ 6PM CST 🌐…
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The Calm Before the Storm - Episode 244
It’s TORNADO SEASON! The early signs of relapse or spiritual drift are usually quiet and subtle. Unmanageability returns long before the drink or drug.
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What Is a Sponsor - Episode 243
Somewhere along the way, we traded the clear, urgent, life-saving message in the Big Book for opinions like “wait a year,” “one step a month,” or “you need five years before you sponsor.” But none of that is found in our literature or our history.
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The Hidden Cost of People-Pleasing - EPISODE 242
How constantly seeking approval steals authenticity, spiritual growth, and serenity.
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The Garden of Resentment - EPISODE 241
The Big Book says resentment is the “number one offender.” It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. What begins as a minor irritation can quietly grow into spiritual poison. In this episode, we dig into what the Big Book actually says about resentment, how to write inventory, and how to…
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Tales From The Trap – Episode 240 Part 2
Special guest Ryan continues his story — raw moments from the trap and the miracle of surrender. From chaos to calling, this episode highlights transformation at the deepest level.
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Tales From The Trap – Episode 239
Tune in today with special guest Ryan as we unpack wild “Tales from the Trap” stories — and the miracle of what God can do with a life surrendered. From chaos to calling, this episode is about transformation from one extreme to the other.💚
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The Spiritual Bank Account - Episode 238
When daily spiritual deposits stop, emotional withdrawals add up fast. Drawing from the Big Book, this episode explores how neglect — not failure — often leaves us spiritually overdrawn, and how simple daily practices keep recovery sustainable. 💚
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Controlling and Complaining – Episode 237
Control and complaining quietly rob us of serenity. In this episode, we look at how “playing God” and focusing on what’s wrong keeps us stuck in self-will—and how surrender, gratitude, and daily spiritual practice restore peace. Straight from the Big Book, practical, and real.
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Understanding Our Instinct - Episode 236
Step Four isn’t about shame—it’s about clarity. In this episode, we reframe the Fourth Step as a tool for understanding the fear, pride, and out-of-balance instincts that drive our behavior long before alcohol shows up. This isn’t self-punishment—it’s pattern recognition, truth, and the…
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The Rescue Trap - Episode 235
Am I really helping—or keeping them stuck? Discover the difference between love that empowers and love that enables. Set boundaries, foster responsibility, and let God do the work.
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The Subtle Ways Of Self-Centeredness - Episode 234
Most of us can spot selfishness when we’re drinking — but after sobriety, self-centeredness just gets quieter, more justified, and more spiritual-sounding. This episode exposes how the root problem evolves in recovery.
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The “Do Not Enter” Sign - Episode 233
In this episode, we revisit one of our most requested topics: Real, Lasting Change. If you feel like you are doing the "Recovery Cha Cha"—one step forward, two steps back—it’s likely not a discipline problem. It’s a spiritual one.
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We Agnostics - Episode 232
In this episode we look at the problem of living a self-directed life, how even believers can function agnostically, and why this chapter was written to help both the atheist become open-minded, and the believer become honest about their own self-reliance. If you’ve ever struggled with faith,...
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The Stuff Nobody Explains - Episode 231
Alcoholics Anonymous has a language all its own. When someone is new, they often have no idea what certain words mean—especially the way they’re used in the Big Book and other 12-step literature. Learning the intended meaning behind this language can clear up a lot of confusion. In this episode…
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The Magic Pill - Episode 230
Feeling stalled, off, or spiritually flat—even with years of sobriety? In this episode, we talk about why information isn’t the same as application, why there’s no quick spiritual fix, and how getting back into the daily practice of the 12 Steps brings real change. We break down the signs of a...
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Stand For Something - Episode 229
What do you actually stand for? When life pressures you, what keeps you grounded? Are your beliefs based on unchanging truth—or on feelings and trends? #Those who stand for nothing, will fall for anything.
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The Soil of the Soul - Episode 228
Why Some Find Recovery and Some Don’t. We’re going to look at a old story Jesus told in Luke 8, called The Parable of the Sower, and connect it to what the Big Book calls “a design for living that really works.”
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🐘 Elephants and Ants - Episode 227
Why the Little Things Can Be the Biggest Threats to Our Sobriety. It’s rarely the big life crises that take us out — it’s the little things. In this episode, we explore how small daily irritations and subtle spiritual drift can quietly erode recovery, and how consistent practice in the spiritual...
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Costumes and Characters - Episode 226 🧙♀️
In this episode, we explore Steps 6 & 7 through the lens of masks, personas, and character defects. From Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to the “actor running the whole show,” we unpack how self-will and false roles keep us trapped—and how surrender invites God to direct the story. When we drop the…
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Haunted by Fear - Episode 225 🎃
Fear is the silent saboteur of our peace and growth—an “evil and corroding thread” woven through the fabric our lives. In this episode, we uncover what’s really driving our fears, how self-reliance keeps them alive, and how faith sets us free.
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Boo-ze: The Ghost That Haunted Me - Episode 224
Alcohol isn’t just a drink—it’s a spirit that whispers from the shadows: “maybe this time will be different.” In this episode, we learn how to recognize the whispers early, bring them into the light, and stay free from the ghost of booze.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hosts Heather & Donnie discuss topics relevant to recovery from or dependencies on drugs, alcohol, food, social media, money and much more. They discuss everything from mental health, anxiety, depression, fear, marriage and resentment. Heather and Donnie discuss their ups and downs in recovery. New episode every Sunday at 6pm on all streaming platforms.
HOSTED BY
Donnie and Heather
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Relevant Recovery have?
Relevant Recovery currently has 217 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Relevant Recovery about?
Hosts Heather & Donnie discuss topics relevant to recovery from or dependencies on drugs, alcohol, food, social media, money and much more. They discuss everything from mental health, anxiety, depression, fear, marriage and resentment. Heather and Donnie discuss their ups and downs in recovery. New...
How often does Relevant Recovery release new episodes?
Relevant Recovery publishes regularly with 217 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Relevant Recovery?
You can listen to Relevant Recovery on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Relevant Recovery?
Relevant Recovery is created and hosted by Donnie and Heather.
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