PODCAST · society
Veterans 4 Recovery
by John Donovan
All Things Recovery! Join your host, Maj. (Retired) John Donovan, a noted author, lecturer and person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, as he and his guests will breakdown current trending topics and research along with all things related to increasing recovery resilience and capital within our Veteran and service-member communities. Veterans 4 Recovery is a podcast of the Coming Home Well Network.
Episodes
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The Difference Between Sobriety and Recovery: A Conversation with Chad Weisser
In this episode of Veterans for Recovery, host Major John Donovan sits down with Chad Weisser to discuss his deeply personal journey from the depths of alcohol addiction to a fulfilling career as an addiction counselor. Chad shares the realities of his spiral into alcoholism in his 40s, the...
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Opening the Box: A Vietnam Veteran's Journey of Healing with Larry Berg
In this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery, host retired U.S. Army Major John Donovan sits down with Vietnam veteran Larry Berg to discuss the journey of recovery, the impact of service, and the healing power of storytelling. Larry, who served in Vietnam in 1969, shares his background as a farm kid...
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Family Recovery — Healing the Whole System
John Donovan (retired U.S. Army Major) sits down with Pam Lanhart, Founder & Executive Director of Thrive Family Recovery Resources to shift the focus from the individual struggling with substance use to the family members standing beside them. Pam shares her profound personal journey as a...
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Why Golf is the Ultimate Mental Reset for Veterans
In this episode of the Veterans for Recovery podcast, Major John Donovan sits down with U.S. Army veteran Jen Tregarthen to discuss the healing power of community and the "singular focus" of golf. From her experience as a Mental Health Specialist during the 2003 Iraq invasion to her current work...
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Why Golf is the Ultimate Mental Reset for Veterans | Jen Tregarthen
In this episode of the Veterans for Recovery podcast, Major John Donovan sits down with U.S. Army veteran Jen Tregarthen to discuss the healing power of community and the "singular focus" of golf. From her experience as a Mental Health Specialist during the 2003 Iraq invasion to her current work...
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The 12-Step Model: A Non-Clinical Approach to Recovery
What if the key to long-term recovery isn't just clinical treatment, but a deep, immersive dive into the 12-step model? In this episode, Major John Donovan (Ret.) sits down with Alex Curtis from The Retreat in Minnesota to discuss their unique, non-clinical approach that has helped over 34,000...
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Faith, Recovery, and Finding Purpose
In this episode, host John Donovan sits down with Pastor Ed Treat to explore the profound intersection of faith and addiction. Pastor Ed opens up about his journey from a chaotic childhood in a high-intensity military family to intravenous drug use, and eventually, his transformative 40-year path...
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Understanding Digital Behavioral Addictions
Major John Donovan (Ret.) welcomes clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Zhang to discuss digital behavioral addictions, including gambling, pornography, and gaming and their growing impact on veterans, service members, and families. Dr. Zhang breaks down the psychology behind these addictions, why...
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Finding Purpose after Trauma
Major John Donovan sits down with Major General (Ret.) Maureen Banavige for a heartfelt conversation on military service, leadership, loss, and recovery. Together, they explore what “recovery” means in the context of veterans’ lives—from substance use and mental health challenges to finding…
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Navigating Recovery: A Story of Resilience and Service
In this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery, host Retired Major John Donovan sits down with Cara, a flight attendant and person in long-term recovery. Together, they explore Cara’s courageous journey of overcoming addiction and navigating sobriety while working in the demanding airline industry.…
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Courage, Perseverance, and the Road to Recovery – Simon’s Story
In this inspiring episode, Major John Donovan talks with his friend Simon about the meaning of recovery, courage, and perseverance. Simon shares his journey from addiction to long-term recovery, the challenges of staying sober as a long-haul truck driver, and how faith, consistency, and…
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Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sam Andrews – Bravo Zulu House
In this episode, John Donovan talks with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sam Andrews about the challenges veterans face with PTSD and substance use disorder—and how Bravo Zulu House is redefining recovery. Sam shares his 27-year military journey, personal insights from deployment, and the urgent need for...
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Exploring Recovery and Mental Health with Dr. Heidi Bausch Ryan
Dr. Heidi Bausch Ryan — Clinical Psychologist & Director, Chair of the Mental Health and Addiction Philanthropic Advisory Council, University of Minnesota In this episode, Major John Donovan sits down with Dr. Heidi Bausch Ryan to explore the changing landscape of recovery for veterans, service...
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Adrenaline, Addiction & Purpose with John Graham
In this gripping and deeply personal episode, Maj. Donovan is joined by John Graham, a former diplomat, mountain climber, and self-described adrenaline junkie. Together, they explore the surprising parallels between thrill-seeking and substance use disorder. John reflects on a life spent on the...
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Music to Soothe the Soul
It has long been said that music can soothe the savage soul. Research has shown that music improves mood, focus, reduces stress, decreases anxiety and is the universal language of humankind. John Logan once said, "Music is the medicine of the mind." In this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery, John...
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Healing Through the Outdoors
🎙️ In This Episode: What happens when the battle ends, but the struggle continues? In this powerful episode, Major John Donovan sits down with veterans Greg and Lisa to explore the vital role of recovery in the military community. They open up about their personal journeys and the driving force...
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Giving Back as a Means Toward Recovery
John sits down with his lifelong friend Jeff Meierhofer to explore the profound meaning of recovery and its impact on lives within the military community. Jeff shares his personal journey, from his early struggles with substance use to his transformative moments of clarity. Together, they discuss...
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Recovery Corps helping those find a new purpose
John sits down with Tyler to explore the multifaceted journey of recovery within the veteran community. They chat about Tyler's personal story of overcoming addiction, the role of shame in recovery, and the importance of setting boundaries to avoid caregiver fatigue. The episode highlights the...
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Justice Involvement to Recovery Success
In this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery, host Major John Donovan is joined by Sean Partch to discuss the challenges and triumphs in the journey of recovery for veterans and service members. Sean shares his personal story of overcoming substance use disorder and justice involvement, highlighting…
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John Magnuson ~ Recovery, Resilience, and Community connection
On this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery you’ll hear from John Magnuson. John is a person in long-term recovery who worked behind the scenes on the parity act. The mental health parity act is a federal law that requires health insurance plans to provide comparable coverage for mental health and...
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Incarceration and Addiction to Recovery
Randy Anderson joins John to discuss his journey from addiction and incarceration to becoming a leader in the recovery community. Learn about his experiences with the criminal justice system, his path to recovery, and his work with Bold North Recovery. Discover the challenges and triumphs of...
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Congressman Tom Emmer
In this episode, retired Major John Donovan sits down with Congressman Tom Emmer to discuss the pressing issue of recovery within the military and Veteran communities. They explore legislative efforts, including the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement...
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Wendy Jones & exploring recovery options
In this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery, Maj. Donovan and his guest, Wendy Jones, talk about the recovery landscape in the State of Minnesota. Wendy is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Alliance of Recovery Community Organizations (MARCO). Wendy provides guidance to over 20 individual…
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Breaking Down the Walls of Substance Abuse
In this episode of Veterans for Recovery, host Major John Donovan welcomes Jeremy Drucker to discuss the multifaceted journey of recovery. Jeremy's talks about his background in English literature, his career in public service, and his personal recovery journey. The conversation touches on the...
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A Liberating Path of Recovery
This episode is a deep dive into the transformative journey of V4R guest Mike from the grips of alcoholism to the liberating path of recovery, particularly within the Veteran and service member communities. This episode is not just a story of personal triumph but also a testament to the service...
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Chris Ellis ~ Managing Recovery
This month, John’s guest is Chris Ellis. Chris holds an MBA from Duke University, spent a career as a business consultant and is a person in long term recovery. Chris grew up with a military father and spent much of his career traveling around the country. He shares openly his experiences with...
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From Combat to Recovery: A Vietnam Marine's Journey
As a Marine, you quickly learn that the line between chaos and discipline is razor-thin. That's a truth for my friend and fellow Vietnam War Veteran, Samuel Verdeja. Samuel lays bare the road from civilian to combat Marine, revealing the raw transformation under the weight of military service and...
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Sobriety through SMART Recovery
When Alan Swanson speaks about his battle with alcohol addiction, it's not just a story—it's a roadmap for transformation and hope. Alan joins us to recount his journey to sobriety through SMART Recovery. His candid sharing on how he moved from the grip of addiction to a place of empowerment is…
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From Addiction to a Life of Purpose with Timothy Murray
What does it take to truly overcome addiction, to find a purpose, and create a meaningful life after military service? Join me, retired Major John Donovan, as I host a deep and enlightening conversation with Timothy Murray, a stalwart in long-term recovery advocacy. Timothy takes us through his...
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Peter Hubbard ~ My Addiction was in the driver's seat
Meet Peter Hubbard, the man who is using his personal journey of addiction and recovery to lead philanthropic initiatives for mental health and addiction at the University of Minnesota. His roller coaster ride from his teenage years of experimenting with substances, to his transformative work in...
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Jay Donovan - DAC Substance Abuse Counselor
Transitioning from the personal to the professional, Jay Donavan recounts his life-altering move to Honolulu, Hawaii in 2000, and how it marked the beginning of his career in substance use counseling in the military. As a part of the Department of the Army Civilian in Addiction Medicine Intensive...
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A Veteran's Journey: Embracing Recovery
Recovery isn't a solitary journey but something that's deeply entwined with the power of connection and empathy. Join John and his guest, Navy Veteran Dave Wehlage, as he explores his military experience and the unique challenges he faced in his recovery journey. Listen closely as Dave bravely...
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Katie Blue's Inspiring Journey
A heartwarming journey as John welcomes Katie Blue, an inspiring woman who has tirelessly battled substance use disorder, on Veterans 4 Recovery. Her unbelievable transformation to a recovery champion, coupled with fascinating tales from her Army career and an invigorating passion for skydiving…
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CSM Andy Miller, U.S. Army, Ret. - My Journey of Recovery
In this monthly podcast, Major John Donovan is chatting with SGM Andy Miller, U.S. Army, Ret. Andy is a person in long-term recovery from a substance use disorder. Andy shares freely and candidly his insights, thoughts and suggestions on how service-members can find recovery and bring others into...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
All Things Recovery! Join your host, Maj. (Retired) John Donovan, a noted author, lecturer and person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, as he and his guests will breakdown current trending topics and research along with all things related to increasing recovery resilience and capital within our Veteran and service-member communities.
Veterans 4 Recovery is a podcast of the Coming Home Well Network.
HOSTED BY
John Donovan
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Veterans 4 Recovery have?
Veterans 4 Recovery currently has 34 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Veterans 4 Recovery about?
All Things Recovery! Join your host, Maj. (Retired) John Donovan, a noted author, lecturer and person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, as he and his guests will breakdown current trending topics and research along with all things related to increasing recovery resilience and...
How often does Veterans 4 Recovery release new episodes?
Veterans 4 Recovery has 34 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Veterans 4 Recovery?
You can listen to Veterans 4 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 Veterans 4 Recovery?
Veterans 4 Recovery is created and hosted by John Donovan.
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