This week, Jason and Alex are joined by local Orange County personality, Chad Towersey. Chad grew up in a very nice Newport Beach household with all sorts of sports aspirations, including baseball, golf, and surfing. Even with things seemingly as good as they could get for a young teenager, Chad describes how his first sip of alcohol, almost as if magic, soothed a deep-rooted feeling of anger inside him that he had always had. He believes he was already suffering from untreated alcoholism from the get-go and things only intensified as he got older and made his way into college. Today, with over two years of sobriety, Chad explains how he was spiritually bankrupt in his time battling addiction and how he feels more genuinely connected to those around him now that he is sober. He talks about how even though relapse is a part of his story, doing the same daily self-care things have proven to be a recipe for success and how striving for progress rather than perfection is key to his recovery. Additionally, Chad mentions that there will always be ups and downs in sobriety but that those are far better than being in and out of sobriety. Finally, Chad stresses that recovery is never something you have to do alone and how simply reaching out for help can change your life for the better.

Instagram: @ocinstanews

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Celebrating her eight-year sobriety anniversary, Diana Beals returns with Jason and Alex to conclude the story of her recovery transformation. In this week’s episode, Diana discusses how at the beginning of her sobriety journey, she wrestled with the idea that she was truly powerless, which she believes is one of the main reasons why it took so long for sobriety to stick and why she ultimately passed through so many different treatment centers. Diana has always admired organizations and their traditions, and she tells the story of how a simple sobriety birthday candle would end up being a big turning point in her recovery. The group also discusses how negative influences can affect the progress of one’s treatment journey. Diana believes addicts have a difficult time getting rid of their negative peer groups because there are many life and death situations in the depths of addiction, and these negative people, for better or for worse, are always there when death is avoided. Finally, after eight years of sobriety, the key for Diana’s recovery has always been a combination of meditation and acting in a way that makes you proud to be yourself. She explains how this mantra created a snowball effect of good in her life. Today, Diana puts her own experiences to use working as the Director of Operations for Catalyst Recovery, which specializes and is the only Joint Commission accredited provider that brings all the needs of treatment to clients in the comfort and convenience of their own home.

catalystrecovery.com

Instagram: @catalystrecovery

Twitter: @CatalystRecover

Facebook: @Catalystrecovery

For more information on the Red Songbird Foundation, please visit:

redsongbird.org

If you are interested in donating to the Red Songbird Foundation, please visit:

redsongbird.org/donate

Follow us on Instagram at: @redsongbirdfoundation

New episode every Thursday!

Check us out on YouTube every Friday! Let The Journey Begin Podcast

Please subscribe, rate, and review!

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Jason and Alex are pleased to be joined this week by Director of Operations for Catalyst Recovery, Diana Beals. From an early age, Diana always described herself as a thrill-seeker. She would jump her bike off an unfinished deck in her backyard as a young girl because the feeling of inner peace she achieved was something she would continually strive for. She believes that this was an early indicator that the addict gene was in her all along…it was just waiting to be kindled. She eventually was introduced to hard drugs by an unlikely source, and it was only a matter of time before she dove headfirst into addiction. Diana discusses the circumstances that led to her first experience with hard drugs and how long after it took for her to become dependent on the substance. She talks about how she has never blamed the person who first introduced her to hard drugs because she believes it was her own mindset that led her to those circumstances. Furthermore, Diana talks about her parents’ reaction to the situation/her addiction and how early childhood trauma may have played a part in her struggles down the road.

Next week, in Part 2, Diana talks about her experience going through a plethora of different treatment centers, how she was finally able to make a lasting change, and what has been most effective in helping her maintain long-term.

catalystrecovery.com

Instagram: @catalystrecovery

Twitter: @CatalystRecover

Facebook: @Catalystrecovery

For more information on the Red Songbird Foundation, please visit:

redsongbird.org

If you are interested in donating to the Red Songbird Foundation, please visit:

redsongbird.org/donate

Follow us on Instagram at: @redsongbirdfoundation

New episode every Thursday!

Check us out on YouTube every Friday! Let The Journey Begin Podcast

Please subscribe, rate, and review!

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.