The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast cover art

The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

The One Day At A Time Recovery Podcast

Written by: Arlina Allen
Listen for free

About this listen

 This podcast is about recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction, sobriety and the journey of recovery, community and healing. The stories are inspiring, funny and touching. They will provide hope and help others to feel like they are not alone. Today is the day to start living the life of your dreams and be who you were meant to be! For more resources, visit odaatchat.com or visit us on Facebook, search ODAAT Chat Podcast Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Self-Help Success
Episodes
  • 412 Sex, Shame, and Sobriety: What No One Told Us in Recovery With Dr Stephanie Covington

    412 Sex, Shame, and Sobriety: What No One Told Us in Recovery With Dr Stephanie Covington
    Jan 8 2026

    Hi friend, thank you for downloading the episode, my name is Arlina and I'll be your host.

    In case you haven't seen it, the new show notes include all the action steps and links to resources mentioned in the podcast, along with a link to the YouTube interview. You can access them by visiting the website at odaatchat.com

    I keep hearing from listeners that they are missing some of the episodes and as it turns out, only 73% percent of listeners are subscribed. So if you could do me a favor and take a moment to make sure you are subscribed, that would be tremendously helpful. It's the free and easy way to support the podcast and help us keep things going. Thank you so much for being a part of our journey and the mission to help others struggling with addiction, mental health and personal growth. With your support, you are quite literally helping us to save lives. Thank you so much!

    This episode is with one of my biggest recovery heroes, Dr. Stephanie Covington. She is a pioneer in addiction recovery, and the author of "A Woman's Way Through The 12 Steps", published more than 30 years ago. It was the first book to interpret the steps specifically to address the unique issues women in recovery face, which has helped an untold number of people.

    Today I sit down with her to talk about her new book, Awaken Your Sexuality: A Guide to Connection and Intimacy after Addiction and Trauma

    This is a topic that has remained largely silent in recovery spaces for decades.

    We explore why sexuality is so often ignored in treatment and 12-step settings, how shame thrives in silence, and what it actually takes to rebuild a healthy, integrated relationship with our bodies, desires, and boundaries. Dr. Covington shares why healing must start with the self, how childhood trauma shapes adult intimacy.

    This episode is compassionate, practical, and incredibly validating for anyone in recovery who has ever felt lost and alone when dealing with their sexuality.

    So without further delay, please enjoy this episode with Dr Stephanie Covington.

    SHOW NOTES:

    Guest Contact Info:

    👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life?

    Here are 3 ways to get started:

    🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist

    Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com

    ☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick

    https://www.makesobrietystick.com

    Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes!

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE. You can also watch the interview on YouTube.

    https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1

    Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB

    Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • 411 The Neuroscience of Anxiety, Addiction, Over Eating, And How To Break The Habit Loop With Dr Jud Brewer

    411 The Neuroscience of Anxiety, Addiction, Over Eating, And How To Break The Habit Loop With Dr Jud Brewer
    Jan 1 2026
    Anxiety Isn't the Problem — It's the Habit Loop Behind It I recently had a conversation with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Jud Brewer that stopped me in my tracks — not because it was abstract or inspirational, but because it finally explained something I've lived with for decades. Even in long-term sobriety. Even with years of self-work, therapy, meetings, journaling, and personal development. That thing is anxiety — and more specifically, how anxiety quietly turns into habits like worrying, overthinking, scrolling, information hoarding, procrastinating, and self-judgment. What Dr. Brewer helped me see is this: Anxiety isn't a personal flaw. It's a learned habit loop. And once I saw that clearly, everything changed. Worry Is a Behavior — Not a Personality Trait One of the most powerful reframes from our conversation was this: Worry isn't just a feeling — it's something we do. Anxiety shows up as a sensation in the body. Worry is the mental behavior we use to try to control that sensation. And here's the trap: Worry feels productive. It feels like we're doing something. That tiny sense of relief is enough to reward the brain — which means the loop gets reinforced. Anxiety → Worry → Temporary relief → Repeat Over time, this becomes automatic. So automatic we don't even realize we're doing it. That's the definition of a habit. Why "Why Am I Like This?" Keeps Us Stuck As someone in recovery, I'm very familiar with the idea of "getting to the root cause." Childhood trauma, identity, shame, conditioning — all of that matters. But here's what surprised me: Dr. Brewer says the "why" is often the least important part when it comes to changing anxiety. Not because the past doesn't matter — but because focusing on why often keeps us stuck in our heads instead of helping us change what we're doing right now. When anxiety hits, the more helpful question isn't: "Why am I like this?" It's: "What am I getting from this behavior?" That question shifts us from self-blame to curiosity — and curiosity is where real change begins. The Default Mode Network (AKA: The Overthinking Machine) We also talked about the brain's default mode network — the system that activates when we're not focused on a task. This network lights up when we: Worry about the future Replay the past Judge ourselves Compare ourselves to others Crave, resist, or ruminate In other words: it's the "me, me, me" network. When fear (an urge to act now) gets crossed with planning (thinking about the future), we get anxiety. Anxiety doesn't help us act. It freezes us. That's why so many high-achievers know exactly what to do — and still don't do it. The Three Gears of Change (This Is the Part That Actually Helps) Dr. Brewer's work focuses on a simple but profound process he calls the three gears: ⚙️ Gear 1: Awareness Notice the behavior. Worrying. Scrolling. Self-judging. Avoiding. No fixing. No shaming. Just noticing. If it's automatic, it's a habit — and habits can be changed. ⚙️ Gear 2: Ask "What Am I Getting From This?" This is the most overlooked step. Not: "What should I be doing?" "What's wrong with me?" "Why can't I just stop?" But: What is this giving me right now? Safety? Distraction? Avoidance of shame? Temporary relief? When we see clearly that the reward is small — and the cost is high — the habit starts to lose its power. ⚙️ Gear 3: Find the Bigger, Better Offer This is where things shift. Instead of numbing, distracting, or fighting anxiety, we learn to meet it differently — and that feels better than the habit itself. That's where the RAIN practice comes in. RAIN: A Way to Be With Anxiety Without Escaping It RAIN stands for: R – Recognize what's happening A – Allow it to be there I – Investigate with curiosity (What does this feel like in my body?) N – Note what's happening moment to moment Here's the surprising part: When we stop trying to get rid of anxiety and simply observe it, it often passes on its own. Cravings peak and fall. Sensations rise and fade. Even when they feel like they'll last forever — they don't. Action Steps (Try This This Week) If anxiety, overthinking, or procrastination are showing up in your life, try this: Catch the Habit Notice when anxiety turns into worrying, scrolling, or self-judgment. Ask One Question What am I getting from this right now? Practice RAIN Don't fix. Don't flee. Just observe. Change the Language Instead of "I am anxious," try: "I'm noticing anxiety in my body." Let the Wave Pass You don't have to do anything for it to end. Resources Mentioned Unwinding Anxiety by Jud Brewer Trigger–Habit–Outcome Mapping (free worksheet referenced by Dr. Brewer) RAIN mindfulness practice Going Beyond Anxiety program (Dr. Brewer's advanced work) Final Thought You're not broken. You're not failing. You're not missing some secret piece of information. Your brain learned a...
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • 410 Managing Intrusive Thoughts, Anxiety, and Depression In Sobriety

    410 Managing Intrusive Thoughts, Anxiety, and Depression In Sobriety
    Dec 25 2025
    One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation with Emma is that anxiety, depression, and burnout aren't character flaws—they're nervous system responses to feeling unsafe. We talked about how depression often mirrors the nervous system's shutdown response, and how anxiety shows up as fight-or-flight. When your body feels overwhelmed for too long, it doesn't motivate you—it protects you. Why Worry Keeps You Stuck Emma explained that worry is actually reinforced behavior. When we worry and nothing bad happens, our brain learns, "That worked—do it again." Over time, worry becomes automatic. This is why telling yourself to "just stop worrying" never works. One Tool That Can Reduce Anxiety by Up to 80% One of the most practical tools we discussed is Scheduled Worry: Instead of worrying all day, you train your brain to worry at a specific time—usually 10–15 minutes in the afternoon. Outside of that window, you gently remind yourself, "I'll deal with this at 5pm." This retrains the brain instead of fighting it. Burnout and Fear-Based Fuel Emma shared how she burned out after years of pushing herself—weekly YouTube videos, pregnancy, parenting, and running a business. What stood out most was this idea: Fear is a dirty fuel source. When we're driven by fear—of failure, not being enough, or letting others down—we eventually crash. Healing often means switching fuel sources to trust, values, and self-permission to slow down. ✅ Action Steps for Listeners Set a daily check-in alarm (once an hour) to notice: What am I thinking? What am I feeling? What's happening in my body? Practice willingness instead of avoidance Let the feeling exist without trying to fix it. Try Scheduled Worry for 7 days 10–15 minutes/day, written out. Clarify your locus of control Separate what you can control from what you can't. Choose one value-aligned action Small, doable, and grounded—not fear-driven. 🔗 Resources Mentioned Therapy in a Nutshell (YouTube) Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Burnout by Emily Nagoski Slow Productivity by Cal Newport The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry Guest Contact Info: https://therapyinanutshell.com/ 👊🏼Need help applying this information to your own life? Here are 3 ways to get started: 🎁Free Guide: 30 Tips for Your First 30 Days - With a printable PDF checklist Grab your copy here: https://www.soberlifeschool.com ☎️Private Coaching: Make Sobriety Stick https://www.makesobrietystick.com Subscribe So You Don't Miss New Episodes! Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music, or you can stream it from my website HERE. You can also watch the interview on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@theonedayatatimepodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast/id1212504521 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4I23r7DBTpT8XwUUwHRNpB Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a8eb438c-5af1-493b-99c1-f218e5553aff/the-one-day-at-a-time-recovery-podcast
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
No reviews yet