Real Recovery Podcast

Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 99-1347297) that empowers, enlightens, and inspires those on their recovery journey by sharing authentic stories, practical advice, and community insights. We create a safe and engaging platform for individuals to find solace, strength, and solidarity. Our podcast demystifies the recovery process, celebrates progress, and fosters belonging among listeners. By amplifying diverse voices within the recovery community, Real Recovery aims to be a beacon of hope.

Real Recovery Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Julie and Peter, with 149 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Julie and Peter hosts Real Recovery Podcast, a education show with 149 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #132

  RRP 133 — Go the Distance 5K / The Joy of Showing Up, One Step at a Time

  Sep 25, 20261h 5mS3

  RRP 133 — Go the Distance 5K body{max-width:850px;margin:0 auto;padding:32px;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;line-height:1.6;color:#0F1123;background:#F2EAD5}h1,h2{color:#771719;line-height:1.2}.meta{color:#3C82C1;font-weight:bold}.time{display:inline-block;padding:2px 8px;margin-right:6px;border-radius:14px;background:#0F1123;color:#fff;font-size:.82em;font-weight:bold}a{color:#F45331;font-weight:bold}blockquote{margin:24px 0;padding:18px 22px;border-left:5px solid #F45331;background:#fff;font-size:1.15em}blockquote cite{display:block;margin-top:8px;font-size:.8em;font-style:normal;color:#3C82C1}.buttons a{display:inline-block;margin:6px 8px 6px 0;padding:10px 14px;border-radius:5px;background:#F45331;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}li{margin:9px 0} RRP 133 — Go the Distance 5K / The Joy of Showing Up, One Step at a Time Presenters: Julie L and Peter D Episode length: 1:04:49 Release date: Friday, September 25, 2026 Julie and Peter bring the Real Recovery Podcast to the third annual Go the Distance 5K at Fernhill Park in Portland. Runners, walkers, volunteers, recovery organizations, families, and friends come together to show what it looks like to keep showing up for one another. Hear how a call from Daniel at DePaul helped start Go the Distance, why the weekly runs matter to people in treatment and recovery, and what this community means to the people who gather there. Daniel’s mom, Gloria, and his brother, Julian Sanchez, share what it means to see Daniel remembered in a place that has grown from one run into a community. Key moments 01:28 Julie and Peter arrive live at the GTD 5K and meet Daniel’s family. 05:52 Daniel’s call to Izzy, the permission slip, and the first runs before a meeting. 16:30 Fora Health, movement, treatment, and community support. 20:47 On talks about supporting runners and recovery stories at the 5K. 25:00 CityTeam, recovery, and community. 26:07 Terry Leckron-Myers, She/Her, Senior Director of Programs at The Peer Company, introduces its peer-led work. 32:49 Skratch Labs on hydration and fuel for runners. 39:43 Timothy on finding running in recovery. 44:06 Greg on kindness, responsibility, and making a new day. 55:03 Skyler, long-distance running, and Back on My Feet. 58:01 Izzy closes with gratitude for GTD volunteers, partners, and community. Websites and resources Go the Distance · On · NW Natural · Transcending Hope Institute · Another Chance · Fora Health · CityTeam Portland · The Peer Company · Skratch Labs · Alano Club of Portland · Back on My Feet · SportsLab PDX · Athletic Republic · Thentic Nutrition · Portland Parks & Recreation · Voodoo Doughnut · Smith Brothers Farms · Discover Recovery · Real Recovery Podcast “It's amazing to watch how much pride people have in the organization. It's really, really cool.” Izzy, Go the Distance Listen to Episode 133 Read the episode blog Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast #GoTheDistance #Recovery #RecoveryCommunity #Sobriety #OneStepAtATime @realrecoverypodcast

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #132

  RRP 132 — Elton F. / From a Storage Unit to 4D Recovery: Revisited

  Sep 18, 20261h 12mS3

  RRP 132 — Elton F. / From a Storage Unit to 4D Recovery: Revisited RRP 132 — Elton F. / From a Storage Unit to 4D Recovery: Revisited Presenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell Episode length: 01:12:04 Release date: Friday, September 18, 2026 Originally recorded: August 23, 2024, as Episode 26 This revisited original conversation takes listeners back to the beginning of Elton F.'s recovery story. Before her current-day update, before family and service work, she was living in a California storage unit and struggling to find a way into treatment. Elton speaks plainly about what addiction took from her, the family who would not stop loving her, and the hard little decisions that finally made room for recovery. Content note: This episode includes references to meth use, withdrawal, and needles. Highlights Elton describes how early use grew from wanting to fit in, then accelerated after she began using meth. In California, she was homeless and living in a storage unit with no running water or safe place to rest. A detox bed opened, but Elton still planned to hide drugs in her car for later. During a call from detox, her mother calmly talked about everyday life at home. Elton later learned her mom collapsed after the call. Back in Vancouver, Elton's family intervened. After a moment of stillness, she handed her dad the bag she could not let go of. In treatment, Elton called her mom and asked her to remove needles she had hidden under her bed. She found a sponsor and community at the Alano Club of Portland, then eventually found her way to 4D Recovery. Websites discussed 4D Recovery Alano Club of Portland Real Recovery Podcast Listen: https://mdcr1.com/132 Blog: https://mdcr1.com/132b “I did it for them. I stayed for myself” — Elton F. #RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #4DRecovery, #RecoveryCommunity, @realrecoverypodcast

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #131

  RRP 131 — Elton F. / Nearly Eight Years and a Life That Kept Growing: An Update

  Sep 11, 202643 minS3

  RRP 131 — Elton F. / Nearly Eight Years and a Life That Kept Growing: An Update body{font-family:Arial,sans-serif;max-width:800px;margin:auto;padding:28px;color:#0F1123;line-height:1.55}h1{color:#771719}h2{color:#3C82C1}.meta{color:#555}.time{background:#0F1123;color:#fff;border-radius:12px;padding:2px 8px;font-size:.85em}blockquote{border-left:5px solid #F45331;margin:20px 0;padding:12px 18px;background:#F2EAD5;font-style:italic}.buttons a{display:inline-block;margin:6px 8px 6px 0;padding:10px 15px;background:#F45331;color:#fff;text-decoration:none;border-radius:4px}footer{margin-top:28px;font-size:.8em;color:#555} RRP 131 — Elton F. / Nearly Eight Years and a Life That Kept Growing: An Update Presenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell Episode length: Approximately 41 minutes Release date: Friday, September 11, 2026 Elton F. returns to Real Recovery Podcast nearly eight years into recovery, with a growing family, a baby girl on the way, and a new fundraising and development role at 4D Recovery . She talks honestly about how recovery changes over time, why AA remains her foundation, and the freedom of building a life around family, service, and what matters most. Key points 00:02 What has changed since Elton’s first conversation, including her role at 4D Recovery and buying a home with her fiancé. 00:05 A baby girl is on the way, and what it means for her daughter to grow up never seeing her use. 00:08 The gradual decisions that helped Elton let go, including telling people where she had hidden drugs and needles. 00:09 From direct service to fundraising and development, lifting up other people’s recovery stories. 00:28 Family, an upcoming wedding, and a life becoming more grounded. 00:29 AA as her foundation, even as meetings and service look different in different seasons. 00:35 A message for anyone hearing her story for the first time: life can get better. Websites discussed 4D Recovery Oregon Recovers Alano Club of Portland Real Recovery Podcast “Time has shown me, as long as I stay sober, that it does get better and things do heal.” — Elton F. Listen Blog Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #4DRecovery, #RecoveryCommunity, @realrecoverypodcast Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #130

  RRP 130 — Matt B. / No More Secrets: A Father, a Son, and a Life in Recovery

  Sep 4, 20261h 23mS3

  RRP 130 — Matt B. / No More Secrets: A Father, a Son, and a Life in Recovery body{margin:0;background:#F2EAD5;color:#0F1123;font-family:Verdana,Arial,sans-serif;line-height:1.55}.wrap{max-width:820px;margin:auto;padding:32px 20px}.card{background:#fff;padding:30px;border-top:8px solid #F45331;box-shadow:0 4px 16px #0F112322}h1{font-size:1.7rem;line-height:1.25;color:#771719}h2{color:#771719;margin-top:28px}.meta{color:#555}.pill{display:inline-block;background:#0F1123;color:#fff;padding:2px 8px;border-radius:999px;font-size:.82rem;font-weight:bold;margin-right:6px}.key{margin:10px 0}.quote{border-left:5px solid #F45331;background:#F2EAD5;padding:16px 18px;margin:24px 0;font-size:1.08rem}.buttons a{display:inline-block;background:#3C82C1;color:#fff;text-decoration:none;border-radius:4px;padding:10px 14px;margin:4px 6px 4px 0;font-weight:bold}.buttons a:nth-child(2){background:#F45331}.buttons a:nth-child(3){background:#771719}a{color:#3C82C1}.footer{font-size:.84rem;color:#555;margin-top:28px;border-top:1px solid #ddd;padding-top:16px}.tags{font-size:.9rem;color:#555} RRP 130 — Matt B. / No More Secrets: A Father, a Son, and a Life in Recovery Presenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell Episode length: 1:38:14 Release date: September 4, 2026 Matt B. joins Julie and Peter for an honest conversation about a childhood shaped by silence, years spent hiding both alcohol and identity, and the recovery life he found when drinking finally stopped working. Matt shares what meetings, treatment, service, structure, and fellowship gave him, along with the relationship he rebuilt with his son. Key Points 00:04:00 A strict religious upbringing, unwelcome questions, and the secrets that taught Matt to hide. 00:11:00 Drinking began in his mid-twenties and became daily as pressure, parenting, and fear piled up. 00:19:00 His first A.A. meeting was terrifying, but it was the first place he said he was an alcoholic. 00:29:00 Matt shares his April 19, 2014 sobriety date, alcohol withdrawal, and hospitalization. 00:39:00 A call for help led to treatment, M.C.C., repeated meetings, and the meeting buddy who became his husband. 00:51:00 Early recovery meant saying yes, working the steps, and learning through service. 00:58:00 Finding meetings that fit, fellowship, and the freedom to be open about recovery. 01:14:00 Matt reflects on repairing his relationship with his son and the anniversary coins they share. 01:18:00 Every day can begin with the first step. “Every day you can start the day with that first step.” — Matt B. Websites Discussed Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous Crystal Meth Anonymous Kaiser Permanente Oregon True Colors Recovery Go the Distance Al-Anon Family Groups and Alateen Real Recovery Podcast Listen Read the Blog Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #AlcoholRecovery, #AALife, #LGBTQRecovery, @realrecoverypodcast Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #129

  RRP 129 — Sonny M. / On the Other Side of the River: Grief, Recovery, and Finding a Way Forward

  Aug 28, 20261h 45mS3

  RRP 129 — Sonny M. / On the Other Side of the River: Grief, Recovery, and Finding a Way Forward body { margin: 0; background: #F2EAD5; color: #0F1123; font: 16px/1.55 Arial, sans-serif; } main { max-width: 780px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 32px 24px 44px; } h1 { color: #771719; font-size: 30px; line-height: 1.2; } h2 { color: #771719; margin-top: 30px; } .meta { color: #3C82C1; font-weight: 700; } .pill { display: inline-block; background: #0F1123; color: #fff; border-radius: 999px; padding: 2px 9px; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; } li { margin: 12px 0; } blockquote { border-left: 5px solid #F45331; background: #fff7e9; margin: 24px 0; padding: 14px 18px; color: #771719; font-size: 19px; } .buttons { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 10px; margin: 28px 0; } .button { background: #F45331; color: #fff; border-radius: 5px; padding: 11px 15px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700; } .button.secondary { background: #3C82C1; } footer { border-top: 1px solid #771719; margin-top: 30px; padding-top: 18px; font-size: 13px; } RRP 129 — Sonny M. / On the Other Side of the River: Grief, Recovery, and Finding a Way Forward Presenters: Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell Episode length: 1:58:31 Release date: Friday, August 28, 2026 Sonny M. grew up around recovery. His parents met in NA, and for years he knew the rooms without believing they would ever be his. After his father returned to drinking, Sonny found himself caught between two homes, trying to fit in, and using alcohol and drugs to quiet what he could not name. At 22, Sonny shares the grief that changed his life, his first attempt at recovery at 19, the six-month relapse that followed, and the community that helped him come back. He talks honestly about building Devero, staying connected to the program while life gets busy, and why recovery has to remain the first job. Key points 00:13:00 Sonny’s parents met in NA, and recovery was part of his life from the beginning. 00:18:00 His father returned to drinking after 25 years, changing the family dynamic. 00:21:00 Sonny describes his first drink at 14 and the need to fit in that followed him. 00:37:00 An angry day, a decision not to go to the river, and the loss of Reagan and Zach in a car accident. 00:49:00 Sonny arrives at his first meeting, Plinky’s, embarrassed but welcomed. 00:51:00 He realizes the meeting is across the river from the last place he saw Reagan and Zach. 01:00:00 Six months sober at 19, a relapse, and coming back ready to work the steps. 01:06:00 Young Guns, service, coffee, and the recovery community Sonny helped build. 01:13:00 Starting Devero while trying to keep recovery ahead of ambition. 01:34:00 Sonny’s advice to anyone who feels stuck: give recovery a real chance. 01:38:00 Finding a personal “why,” becoming the man he wants to be, and helping others avoid the same path. “Don't quit before you kick off.” — Sonny M. Websites discussed Plinky’s, Portland Area Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous Portland Area Narcotics Anonymous Alateen Another Chance Real Recovery Podcast Listen Blog Newsletter #RealRecoveryPodcast, #Recovery, #Sobriety, #RecoveryCommunity, #SecondChance, @realrecoverypodcast Real Recovery Podcast Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1347297.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Real Recovery Podcast. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.