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Artwork for Emotional Sobriety: The Next Step in Recovery

Emotional Sobriety: The Next Step in Recovery

Allen Berger & Thom Rutledge
Emotional Sobriety
Alcoholics Anonymous
Recovery
Addiction Recovery
Community Support
Grief
Mental Health
Relationships
Grapevine
Alcoholism
Loss
Support Groups
Physical Recovery
Surgery Recovery
Chronic Pain
Self-Improvement
Cancer Treatment
Gratitude
Forgiveness
Personal Growth

Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholic's Anonymous, wrote in 1952, "If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root some unhealthy dependence and its consequent demand." Wilson suggested that if we could identify and continually surrender these unrealistic and unrecognizable demands, that we may then be able to accomplish what he imagined to be recovery's next front... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes200Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationHealth & FitnessMental HealthSelf-Improvement

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Artwork for Emotional Sobriety: The Next Step in Recovery

Latest Episodes

Thom’s Nutshell:

One of emotional sobriety's greatest challenges is for us to understand and accept our contribution to our own distress without becoming distracted by self-condemnation.

Shame and humility are not the same thing. One of the first l... more

Thom’s Nutshell:

Rigorous honesty begins at home.

Joe C. joins us to discuss the ways relapse is experienced by the loved ones of the relapser, and how we can think about these distressing events differently. The universe isn’t guided by structure ... more

Thom’s Nutshell:

“You cannot work both sides of the serenity prayer. Choose. Commit.”

Emotional sobriety is about moving forward. The key to unlocking long term recovery is learning to support ourselves internally by organizing our experience to de... more

Thom’s Nutshell Wisdom:

“Practice conversations to convey rather than convince.”

Healthy Conversation is “present-centered.” In a healthy conversation, we don’t need to know exactly what we’re trying to convey. With defenses down, we learn more. Ho... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Melanie Gulde
Collaborates with Allen Berger and Thom Rutledge at Divided Sky Residential Recovery
Divided Sky Residential Recovery
Episode: "You’re the One You’ve Been Waiting For" with Melanie Gulde
Carol Carter
A participant in Emotional Sobriety workshops for over five years, now a coach.
Episode: Second First Steps
Samantha Duggan
Psychologist, recovery advocate, and author
Author of "Channels of Peace"
Episode: Recovery Capital with Samantha Duggan
Joe C
A contributor to the conversation about emotional sobriety
Episode: Flowing with Becoming feat. Joe C.
Julia Heidmann
A participant in Emotional Sobriety workshops and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous since 2017.
Episode: Inukshuk with Julia Heidmann
Roger Andes
Psychotherapist and individual client advisor
Episode: To Be Human Is to Be Impacted
Sarah Stromberg
A colleague of Allen and upcoming guest on the podcast.
Episode: Passing It On
Howard Malitz
Guest sharing personal recovery experiences
Episode: Está Bien

Hosts

Dr. Allen Berger
Co-host with a clinical background, frequently discussing emotional sobriety, relationships, and recovery. Often contributes therapeutic framing and experiential insights.
Thom Rutledge
Co-host focusing on practical wisdom, communication, and personal growth within recovery, frequently sharing anecdotes and guiding conversations.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 101 ratings
  • Political

    I’m listening to your podcast about emotional sobriety, and uncertainty, and you’re going off about Donald Trump and DOGE. I had to turn it off. I am certain that we’ve been headed down a very dark path for 32 out of the last 36 years. The man is doing what we voted him to do. Fair trade, secure border, expose, and end government waste and corruption. If you don’t like it then vote. Don’t use a recovery platform to spread your political views. I’m not gonna sit there and listen to you degrade my... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    pacificdrifter79
    United Statesa year ago
  • So good!!!!

    I look forward to these podcasts. I get so much out of listening to the honesty and candid sharing of their experiences. Thank you for your recovery commitment to emotional sobriety. Such new frontier in our collective recovery journey.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Quennntinnn
    Australia2 years ago
  • Lots of Wisdom

    So thankful I found this podcast. There is a lot of good stuff here for anyone, whether they have substance abuse issues or not

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @gmcglothlen
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • I want... wait... I will be starting a group for emotional sobriety. Please pass along any help you can give.

    Audible
    5
    DPfandler
    United States2 years ago
  • Well done

    I want... wait... I will be starting a group for emotional sobriety. Please pass along any help you can give.

    Audible
    5
    DPfandler
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners find topics repetitive or overly philosophical at times.
Helpful for ongoing growth, especially in understanding emotions and boundaries.
Consistent focus on emotional sobriety and self-awareness, with helpful relationship guidance.
Balanced mix of clinical and real-life experience.
A candid voice on recovery with practical insights.

Top Mental Health Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

"Focus Mokus" with Joe C.
Q: What was the most Focus Mokus era of your sobriety? The least clarity that you had?
Joe describes being one foot in and one foot out of AA, feeling that sobriety sucked and he was being punished, which gradually changed as he began to see the positive aspects of recovery.
Emotional Sobriety & Creativity with Michael J. Harney
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the experience of doing the play?
Harney describes the process as a test of emotional sobriety and emphasizes that creativity requires letting go of ego and allowing authenticity to flow.
Emotional Sobriety & Creativity with Michael J. Harney
Q: What's your experience with emotional dependency and how have you addressed it?
Harney shares that it has been a painful process for many in recovery as they often replicate emotionally unsupportive environments from their upbringing.
Second First Steps
Q: Was that your experience of it or obviously you've done a ton of work around this over the years?
I made a decision and I strategized how I would do it. It was an experiment though. I didn't know how it was going to come out.
Recovery Capital with Samantha Duggan
Q: What do you attribute your progress to?
I practiced and took the suggestions seriously when I got to recovery; I steeped myself in those suggestions and did a lot of written step 10s.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on emotional sobriety as a practical, everyday discipline for recovery and personal growth. Across conversations, hosts Thom Rutledge and Dr. Allen Berger explore how honesty, acceptance, and self-awareness shape relationships, resilience, and recovery from addiction. Guests and dialogues emphasize moving beyond rigid rules to a nuanced, compassionate approach that integrates psychology, spirituality, and lived experience. Fans typically value candid storytelling, actionable strategies, and a nonjudgmental space for discussing relapse, anxiety, boundaries, and self-esteem. A standout aspect is the blend of clinical insight with real-world anecdotes, offering both therapeutic perspective and relatable guidance for ongoing p... more

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this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 200 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Melanie Gulde
2. Carol Carter
3. Samantha Duggan
4. Joe C
5. Julia Heidmann
6. Roger Andes
7. Sarah Stromberg
8. Howard Malitz

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