"My loved one is finally sober—now what?” Rebuilding relationships in recovery (with Janice Johnson Dowd)

When someone "gets sober" or begins their recovery journey, we want to believe everything will fall back into place. But the truth? Recovery is M E S S Y.

Relationships don’t magically heal overnight. Trust isn’t instantly restored. And for families, the real work is just beginning.

In this episode, Janice Johnson Dowd—author, social worker, and person in recovery—gets real about what it takes to rebuild trust and connection after addiction and the stories shared in her new book, Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery.

She opens up about the lies she told herself, the shame she carried, and the gut-wrenching moment she knew she had to stop drinking. Janice also shares what she wishes her kids had known about addiction, how shame and stigma affect families, the crucial role siblings and loved ones play in healing, why recovery is never a straight line, and the hardest part about facing yourself without substances.

This is a conversation about love, making uncomfortable changes, boundaries, and second chances.

If you're trying to reconnect with a sibling, parent, or partner in recovery—or if you're the one picking up the pieces—this episode is for you.

This episode may help you:

• Understand why addiction should be treated like any other disease

• See how addiction isolates not just the addict, but the whole family

• Learn how to support a loved one in early recovery without losing yourself

• Set boundaries without shutting someone out

• Improve communication and practice open-ended conversations 

Join our sibling-focused community: Siblings For Love of Recovery

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About our guest: Janice Johnson Dowd, author and social worker

Buy Janice’s books here: www.janicejohnsondowd.com/my-mission 

• Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery