Keep Coming Back: Real Stories of Sobriety & Recovery

Allison R. Age 40 Sober: 10/6/01

April B. Age 56 Sober 6/11/06

Marc J. Age 60 Sober: 9/16/16

How do you tell the world's wealthiest man, your boss, that you need to go to rehab? Designer Marc Jacobs discusses the bumpy road that preceded his seven years of sobriety.

Sharon N. Age 38 Sober: 8/19/18

Peter M. Age 24 Sober: 10/21/19

Christina O. Age 34 Sober: 1/14/20

Laurence C Age. 34 Sober: 11/16/19

Kate O. 28 years old Sober since: 9/7/18

Ais R. 29 years old Sober since: 6/17/18

Pete R 43 years old Sober since: 4/26/06

Lauren 40 years old Sober since 01/05/13

Tim S 41 years old sober date: 12/20/15

Host Mike S.

A new season with some personal updates

Michael L. Age 57 Sober: 6/6/98

Alex R. Age 21 Sober: 9/15/20

Scarlett B. Age 37 Sober : 8/20/17

Pat M. Age 30 Sober since 8/11/20

The links between mental illness, medication, sobriety and recovery

Ruthie R. Age 34 Sober: 5/1/18

Reggie R. 46 years old sober: 11/29/04

Reggie's father passed in the mid 90's due to AIDS. We discuss the resentment and amends process that followed.

Neta M. Age 26 Sober since: 5/1/21

After getting 4 months, Neta relapsed. In today's interview she discusses what lead her there, and how her attitude towards her program and recovery changed afterwards.

Paul H. Age 29 Sober since: 10/1/20

AA at 16, rehab at 17. Paul H. discusses his journey in and out of sobriety, and what lead to his 21-month relapse. White-light moments in rehab, being a part of "sober seal team 6" and why "this time is different" highlight this week's episode.

Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, MD Psychiatrist in Chief at Columbia University Medical Center

There's methods outside of a 12-step recovery room to get sober. For several decades, Dr. Lieberman has successfully treated patients with addiction with a combination of prescribed medicine and "faith-based healing." In today's interview we explore and debate the merits of both, and additionally discuss why he's an advocate for the use of psilocybin (lsd) in the treatment of alcoholism.

Danielle L. Age. 27 Sober: 1/22/20

Stories of smuggling cocaine into foreign countries, nitrous-oxide addiction to the point of minor paralysis, and of course recovery are the headlines for episode 18. Danielle recounts her friend's intervention for her, sober living, and early experiences in AA

Jake G. Age 29 Sober: 7/13/17

Jake G. didn't latch on to sobriety to the first time around. However, after an intervention from his parents, a trip to the psych ward, and several near-misses at work, he believed the writing was on the wall. This conversation discusses the shift from "I need to take a break from drinking" to "I need to be sober"

James D. Age 41 Sober: 2/23/16

It took James two-stints in rehab, and then sober living to finally get a grasp on his painkiller addiction. In today's conversation we discuss how his relationship with his wife was able to withstand the time away, and how relationships and work-life are today. (note this interview was recorded in 2019)

Barbara P. Age. 63 Sober: 4/10/94

Barbara P. hit the 20-year mark in sobriety and became scared by what she saw. Friends she'd known in sobriety for years were leaving the program. She said at that point it was necessary to re-double her efforts and today considers her program stronger then it's ever been.

Anne V. Age. 27 Sober: 2/20/17

Anne V. was born in Holland, and moved to NYC at 18. We discuss her early life and family, road from self described "party-girl" to a life of sobriety and the altering of one's social life in early recovery.

David P. Age. 27 Sober: 1/8/17

David and I discuss what it was like getting sober in college, relapsing, and then recovering once more. Additional topics include: How close to the vest do we keep our anonymity, the value of the 4th step, and the topic of a "quiet mind"

Robert M. Age 39 Sober: 4/15/12

"They wheel out this black and white video, starring a guy named Father Martin. He was a Catholic priest, and this must've been from the 1950's. I thought "what are we watching here???" But he proceeded to explain alcoholism, what it was, and he gave examples. When I left that weekend of classes, I knew deep down that I was probably an alcoholic."

Ricardo D. Age 38 Sober: 11/12/17

"I came to around 7am. No phone. No cash. My friends hadn't seen me for 12 hours. I was talking with my first sponsor at this point....he suggested I dive in head first into AA."

John N. Age 29 Sober : 12/23/12

"It was around the time of Hurricane Sandy, I'm snorting cocaine around the clock. I would sit in my studio, playing solitaire, hoping I didn't wake up the next morning, fine if i died."

Sarah M. Age 29 Sober since 4/8/17

Drug tested 3x a week. Multiple therapists. Rehab. Sarah's story is one of recovery and relapse followed by more recovery. Today she is a recovery coach herself living in New York. Anyone interested in contacting her can write [email protected]

Brett B. Age 31 Sober since: 11/22/19

"And when I drove back...I'll never forget this, I walk right up to my mom and say "I have a drug problem."" She goes "what??!!...can we talk about this?" "No I'm going out to watch the Giants/Eagles game." "And I went and drank at a bar, 10 minutes after telling my mom I had a drug problem. That is how clueless I was to the disease of addiction back then"

Tom P. Age 39 Sober since 12/12/12

"They gave me an ultimatum ...come in or we're done with you." Topics discussed: The evolution of a spiritual program, and the "alcoholic" mind

Lyra N. Age 30 Sober since 2/20/15

Back from quarantine episode 1: In today's first episode back, we discuss our last 3 months in quarantine, zoom meetings, celebrating my four year sobriety anniversary and much more

Jed A. Age 37 Sober since: 5/14/13

"I was going through hell...and I knew I was gonna drink....I was going to relapse. I drank the whole bottle in about 10 minutes, and the sad part is for about 10 minutes it gave me what i wanted. Once it was over, the addiction just started up again....like that!"

New Virtual Meeting Details

Here are the instructions to join the virtual meeting I'm starting this Monday, March 16th at 7pm EST. Hope to see you all there. Only the first 100 people will be able to fit in this first meeting. You'll need to download the Ringcentral app when prompted and enable all video/audio when prompted Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1480218717 Or iPhone one-tap : US: +1(773)2319226 meeting ID: 1480218717# Or Telephone: Dial(for...

Alexis G. Age 36 Sober since: 3/13/09

"No one picked up the phone that day. Not my friends, not my sister, not my mother. Look where i am?! I'm in a hospital bed, and it's my birthday!"

Keep Coming Back Season 2 Trailer

Aaron C. Age 31 Sober since: 9/24/10

Aaron C. was born in Mexico and migrated at age 8. He moved all over the country, eventually becoming a veterinary technician at age 16, gaining access to a plethora of pet-meds. We discussed the arc of his story, self harm, recovery, and the role "machismo" can play in a Latin man's life.

Bobby R. Age 68 Sober since: 10/26/00

"I looked in the mirror....I looked into my eyes....and I saw nothing. I'd lost self control, a sense of self, and I didn't want to live that way anymore."

Melissa S. Age. 69 Sober since: 11/7/90

Melissa S is a trans woman, sober nearly thirty years, and transitioned three decades ago. We spoke about being a trans woman in recovery, what her bottom looked like, and her appreciation of sobriety a recovery.

Lauren L. Age 34 Sober since: 2/7/17

"I lost total control. I really could not handle myself. I was doing drugs before work, at work, and that went on for about 3 years when I then had a very public blackout. Literally everybody that I didn't to see me that way saw me blacked out, and it was the first time I realize I could lose everything I worked so hard for"

Tom H. Age 34 Sober since: 9/6/17

"I had far crazier things, and by that i mean giant red warning signs saying "YOU NEED TO STOP DRINKING" long before i walked in the room of AA" "I've been divorced, bankrupt in three countries, I've been in trouble with the law.......but my rock bottom was purely emotional...i was exhausted.""

Laura N. Age. 31 Sober since: 7/28/18

"I was so isolated. I was shackled to the bad things that has happened in my life, and I didn't know how to NOT talk about it.

Ben R. Age 25 Sober since: 5/17/15

They suggest you don't date in your first year of sobriety... "But what if I meet the girl of my dreams?! Technically I could miss out!" Ben R. has never had a legal drink, and we discuss the trials and tribulations of college, dating, and family when a person gets sober before turning 21.

Steven Y. Age 34 Sober since: 12/16/14

"I had one roommate who was brutally honest with me. He told me "you smell terrible. You smell like the homeless guy on the train that everyone moves away from" The first episode of 2020 discussed the recent Op-ed in the NYT entitled "The Patriarchy of Alcoholics Anonymous" and then discusses Steven's journey, including his views on why Asian-culture seems to be underrepresented in 12-step recovery.

Harrison T. Age 26 Sober since: 08/31/12

What's it like being the only sober guy in your college fraternity? What's it like living in not 1 but 2 halfway houses before the age of 22? Harrison and I discuss how a young man navigates socially, romantically and professionally during the course of our interview.

Part 2 of 2: Julia M

Last we left off Julia M was starting day 1 in her recovery. Over the next 30 minutes she describes her initial impressions of recovery rooms and describes how she stays sober today.

Julia M. Age 54 Sober since: 09/08 Part I of 2

How does one go bankrupt? Two ways, first gradually, and then suddenly _E. Hemmingway In part one of my interview with Julia, we discuss all the events leading to day 1 of her recovery. From drinking, to pill addiction, to smoking crack cocaine, the conversation spans being a daughter, a wife, and a mother in active addiction.