Sober Nation FM

Focus! with David Essel Best-selling author and life coach David Essel knows a thing or two about addiction. He can trace the roots of his addiction to about eight years old when he began to use food to cope with his feelings. David then recalls having his first beer at twelve in an effort to fit in with some older guys. "It was magical. All of my cares and worries in the world were gone." For years, he would continue to use substances to treat his anxiety and chronic depression. This eventually led to David preparing to take his own life. Thankfully, he decided to reach out for help. He's now been in recovery for over 30 years. His mission is to positively affect millions of people every day, in every area of life, regardless of their current circumstances. You can find all of his books including, "Focus!: Slay Your Goals" on Amazon. Learn more about David's counseling and coaching by visiting DavidEssel.com Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

The Sinclair Method with Claudia Christian Claudia Christian has been in the film and television business as an actress for over 35 years. She has starred in over 50 films and thousands of hours of television. Sci-fi fans around the world know her best from her starring role on Babylon 5.  For years Claudia struggled with drinking. She tried many treatment methods, but nothing worked, and she couldn't seem to stay sober for more than a few months. That was until she discovered The Sinclair Method(TSM). Unlike traditional treatments that require complete abstinence from alcohol, the Sinclair Method allows you to continue drinking alcohol at the beginning of treatment. In fact, success depends on the continued consumption of alcohol in combination with the prescription medication Naltrexone. When you take Naltrexone before drinking, it blocks endorphins, the naturally occurring opiates in the brain, from being released when alcohol is consumed. When the endorphins are blocked, there is no “buzz” or rewarding experience, and the alcohol doesn’t make you feel the pleasure that drives you to drink excessively. The idea is that over time, your brain learns not to associate alcohol with pleasure, resulting in reduced cravings for alcohol. TSM is recognized as a form of Medicated Assisted Treatment(MAT). Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) involves the use of medications, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. Although the initial purpose is to curb alcohol use, many people do eventually completely abstain from drinking. Today, Claudia is the most recognized advocate for The Sinclair Method. She says, "This is not a magic pill, there is still other work that must be done as part of the TSM treatment." You can learn more about TSM and how to work with Claudia by visiting YourSinclaireMethod.com Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

Funky Brain with Dennis Berry Coach and Author Dennis Berry recalls being full of fear and insecurity from a very young age. When he took his first drink at fifteen, he felt an immediate weight come off of his shoulders. "I didn't have to feel anything anymore." Over the next fifteen years, Dennis's addiction would progress until his life completely unraveled. One day, after being confronted by his girlfriend, Dennis was finally able to admit that he couldn't stop drinking and using. Two days later, he entered a rehabilitation center. Today Dennis is 18 years sober. He's a Life Mastery Coach whose mission is to help others achieve inner peace and success in every area of their lives. You can find Dennis's book, "Funky Wisdom" on Amazon and you can learn more about his Life Mastery Coaching at DennisBerry.com Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

Coming Clean with Peter O. Estevez Peter's relationship with drugs started at a fairly young age. He recalls sitting in his mom's closet drinking a six-pack of beer when he was about 12 years old. Although Peter grew up in poverty as one of thirteen children, he found great success in real estate and became a millionaire by the time he was 25. "But just as easily as I accomplished success, I always found a way of sabotaging it, primarily through alcohol." Peter had the money, a big house, and nice cars, but his drinking prevented him from finding true happiness. After a few embarrassing moments in front of his business partners and some encouragement from his therapist, he started attending Alcoholics Anonymous. Today Peter has over 20 years of sobriety. He is the author of " From Lies to Riches - 13 Steps to a Healthy Life" and hosts The Coming Clean Podcast. You can connect with Peter on Instagram @PeterOEstevez and learn more about the podcast on ComingCleanPodcast.com Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

The Art of Tough Transitions with George Kalantzis Like many people who have struggled with addiction, George started to experiment with alcohol and drugs in his early teens. During his senior year of high school, he watched as his friends got accepted to college, but he didn't have any plans for his future. That all changed when he woke up hungover one morning with a Marine enlistment card in his pocket. George's life would completely change during his time in the service. He would soon get deployed to Iraq, where he experienced several traumatic events, including watching his best friend get killed. "Rather than face those feelings, I turned toward addiction." His drinking began to increase again, and it wasn't long until he was facing legal repercussions.  The years of trying to ignore the pain experienced eventually erupted into contemplating suicide.  As he sat in his car with a gun to his head, George reached out for help. He entered therapy and began to seek the guidance of mentors who have helped him to work through his trauma and start living a happy, substance-free life. Today George is almost 2 years sober. He's a writer and coach that helps people navigate the toughest days of their lives through his program called the Art of Tough Transitions. You can learn more by visiting TheArtofToughTransitions.com Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

My Dirty Little Secrets with Tony Mandarich Former offensive lineman Tony Mandarich is proof that recovery works. Selected second in the 1989 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, Tony had stellar expectations set for him. At 6' 5" and 330 pounds, he was a big guy and admittedly had the ego to match. Although alcohol and drugs weren't initially an issue for Tony, he had been using steroids regularly for years. "It can certainly be argued, that for me, steroids were a gateway drug." Not long into his seven-year stint in Green Bay, Tony started abusing pain pills. His progressive drug use and drinking had a severe impact on his performance, and he was eventually let go by the team. In March of 1995, Tony entered treatment and started attending a 12 Step program. After cleaning his life up, he returned to the NFL for three years to play with the Indianapolis Colts for three more seasons. Today he's now been sober for over 26 years. His book,  "My Dirty Little Secrets — Steroids, Alcohol & God," details his story in the hopes of helping others that have struggled with addiction. You can learn more about Tony at TonyMandarich.com, and you can find his book on Amazon. Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

Real Housewives with Braunwyn Windham-Burke As a Real Housewives of Orange County cast member, Braunwyn gave the entire world a peek into what active alcoholism, early sobriety, and coming out as gay looks like. Growing up, she knew that her dad and aunt were alcoholics, but the family never talked about it. She vividly remembers drinking her first beer at fourteen and feeling like her issues with insecurity and feeling less than had been solved. Her drinking became more frequent and then progressed into other drugs during high school and college. "I never drank normally or responsibly." Braunwyn felt that getting pregnant and having children saved her life because it forced her to stop drinking for extended periods. She would often look at those times without alcohol as proof that she could drink responsibly, but that feeling of empowerment wouldn't last.  During season fourteen of Real Housewives of Orange County, unbeknownst to the rest of the Housewives cast and audience, Braunwyn was drinking every single day. After reaching her breaking point, she reached out for help and started attending Alcoholics Anonymous.  She eventually decided to open up about her struggle with alcohol and newly found sobriety as a form of accountability. A few months later, she would also come out as the first gay Housewife. She continues to work a program of recovery, share her story openly with others, and is studying to become a substance abuse counselor. You can connect with Braunwyn on Instagram @BraunwynWindhamBurke or by visiting Braunwyn.com Do you want to take your recovery to the next level? Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

Quitting to Win with Crystal Waltman As a young woman, Crystal was a high-achieving athlete with a competitive drive. At only fourteen, she was already playing varsity volleyball which created a lot of pressure, expectations, and social anxiety. Around the same time, she discovered drinking, which seemed like an easy way to escape these pressures. When she went to college, her drinking progressed, and the cycle continued. "It was all about playing hard, studying hard, winning, and then blacking out again." Later on in life, after becoming a mom, Crystal fell into what we often hear described today as "Mommy wine culture." She tried to manage her drinking as best as possible, but she just couldn't stop on her own. After asking her neighbor how she was able to stop drinking, she was taken to her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Her sobriety date is March 22, 2015.  Today Crystal is a coach, public speaker, and author who truly believes in recovering out loud. You can find her book, "Quitting to Win" on Amazon. Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

Nobody Cares Except You with Kosha Dillz Rapper Kosha Dillz can trace the roots of his addiction to when he was about twelve years old. Although there were substances like alcohol present, he also felt like his time as a wrestler and years of yoyo dieting were part of the problem. During high school, his substance abuse started to progress and the consequences became more severe, including multiple arrests. Kosha got introduced to recovery during his first stint in jail, but he wasn't ready to get sober. He said he tried several of the textbook "fixes" that we hear about in recovery including, starting new relationships and going back to school, but none of that solved his problem. Kosha also tried several forms of moderating his substance use, but that didn't work either. Eventually, after yet another arrest, he was forced to seek help through what he describes as a "divine intervention." He avoided a multiple-year prison sentence by moving into a sober home where he was allowed to focus on his recovery. Today Kosha is over 16 years sober. His latest album, "Nobody Cares Except You," explores the idea of service and forgiveness to himself for not "being where he is supposed to be." You can check out Kosha Dillz music on all major streaming platforms. Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com

Sober Heart with Greg Johnson Greg learned about addiction at an early age. His father was a Vietnam veteran who started drinking and using drugs to cope with the events he witnessed during the war. For years, Greg noticed his father's frequent erratic behavior, but he didn't understand what was happening. Everything became clear when Greg was in college, and he received a call that his father had overdosed. Then, only two months later, he would find out that his uncle committed suicide after a drinking spree. "I had this fear that I would end up like them, that I would go down that same path." Greg did what he knew best to handle that fear - drink and use drugs. After multiple arrests, treatment programs, and a moment of clarity, Greg was ready to admit defeat. He started attending Alcoholics Anonymous as well as another program that would enable him to continue to grow spiritually. Today Greg is more than 15 years sober. He's a Sober Mentor and Licensed Spiritual Practitioner who helps people find long-term sobriety and start living their best lives. You can learn more about Greg and his work by visiting SoberHeart.org Do you want to take your recovery to the next level?  Sobriety Engine is an incredible online community where you can find a ton of great tips, tools, and support from other men and women in recovery.  Visit SobrietyEngine.com to join today. If you're ready to get fit and start living a healthier lifestyle while supporting your sobriety then you can learn more about having Jonathan as your personal fitness and nutrition coach at RCVRHealth.com