Sobertown Podcast

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, host Michal Charles speaks with author and recovery advocate Austin Rampt about his incredible journey through addiction to sobriety. Austin shares about his personal life, beginning with childhood tics and anxiety following his family's move to Japan, through his rapid descent into drug addiction starting very young, multiple rehab programs, and a 22-month period living in Mexico where he reac...

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast host Michal Charles interviews Sarah Rusbatch, an accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach and award-winning Health and Well-being Coach. Sarah shares her personal journey with grey area drinking, explaining that it describes individuals who use alcohol as a coping mechanism rather than those with physical dependence. She details how her drinking progressed from childhood through career success in Lo...

Trigger warning: This episode includes several mentions of suicide and discussion of the loss of a family member to it. Please listen with caution if this is a sensitive topic. In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, host Michal speaks with author David Deane Haskell about his memoir "Wounded Angels" and topics relating to trauma healing, addiction recovery, and inner child work. David shares his personal journey through substance a...

Samantha Brantley Smith is a woman in long-term recovery, community leader, and advocate from rural East Tennessee. After overcoming addiction and rebuilding her life from the ground up, she now dedicates her work to helping others find hope, healing, and accountability. Samantha serves in multiple recovery and prevention roles within her community, including Recovery Court coordination, peer support leadership, and substance misus...

In this episode of Early Days, Michal explains her stance on the difference between a few common terms in the recovery community, sobriety vs. recovery, and lapse vs. relapse. She provides her personal experiences and invites listeners to email in with different viewpoints, even proposing a discussion panel if the opportunity should arise. Give it a listen and share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇🏻

About Michal:

Michal i...

Hi, I’m Melissa Reeves! I am 6 years sober, thanks to our loving Father in Heaven. I was an addict for 20 years and God healed me. I’m passionate about connecting with people, exploring new ideas, and making every day count. As the leader of Daughters’ Heaven Bound Church, I find joy in sharing moments, helping others, and staying positive. Above all, I love telling people about Jesus and inspiring hope wherever I...

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, sober warrior Lauren Macpherson and host Michal Charles discuss Lauren's recovery journey, with Lauren emphasizing the importance of fully committing to recovery.

Lauren shares how her challenging home life played a role in her early use and dependence on hard substances, discussing how she experienced multiple relapses over several years before achieving sobriety. She describes her struggles w...

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, Michal interviews author and blogger Justin Kinney, who has published a 365-day lesson book based on his own experiences with sobriety. Justin shares his journey from high school teacher and coach to author, explaining how his daily journaling practice over several years inspired him to write his book "From Rock Bottom to Redemption." He initially planned to create just six copies for his child...

Podcast description: In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, Michal and Jeff discuss recovery from addiction and the role that mental health disorders play. Jeff explains his counseling approach, emphasizing the importance of accepting reality rather than resisting it, and the concept that substances distort reality. They discuss how recovery is an individual process that requires connection with others, and how treatment centers hel...

King 13 follows up on intergenerational trauma, promotes Sober Town resources (nearly 400 podcasts and Zoom support), and shares researched reflections (not medical advice) on addressing trauma through open communication, commitment to change, and parenting with awareness. She explains adult attachment issues rooted in early neglect/abuse and outlines secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles, plus how fears ...

I often hear in sober meetings look for the similarities not the differences. The most common words I have heard from individuals who start a share is "I grew up in an alcoholic home". I had no idea just how many families have been affected by AUD. I have heard this statement from folks all around the globe. It is a society accepted pandemic of wild proportions. My research indicates that high numbers of families have suffered with...

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, Misty Christmas shares her journey through addiction and recovery, highlighting key moments that led her to sobriety, including a transformative prayer experience and a decision to move to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for sober living. She describes her struggles with various substances and mental health disorders, and her eventual recovery through a combination of therapy, support groups, and pers...

In this episode of Early Days, host Michal Charles welcomes Sobertown Podcast listeners and introduces Sobertown resources before focusing on difficult emotions in recovery, including anxiety, fear, and delving into the difference between shame and guilt. She explains how seemingly small setbacks can trigger intense urges to drink and shares that stress and anxiety have been major triggers for her, as they were for her birth mother...

Sobertown Podcast host Michal interviews keynote speaker, author, and substance abuse counselor Martin Lockett, who served 17.5 years in prison after a New Year’s Eve 2003 DUI crash in Portland that killed two women in long-term recovery and severely injured a third individual. 

In this podcast, Martin describes early alcohol dependence, the crash, and the newspaper article about the victims that inspired him to honor th...

Welcome to 2026! Host Dana (Peanut) interviews Marci H, a 10-year sober recovery leader and host of "Wake Up with Marci." Marci shares her journey from a rock-bottom DUI at age 45 to finding spiritual awakening and unconditional love in sobriety. We discuss perimenopause and drinking, the difference between court-ordered and chosen recovery, and how sobriety means reconnecting with your true self. Marci reveals her daily spiritual ...

In this episode of Sobertown Podcast, host Michal aka MMC13 welcomes Dr. Amy Albright, a human potential expert and CEO of Holon, to discuss the science and transformative power of neurofeedback therapy in addiction recovery. Dr. Amy explains how neurofeedback works, its benefits for mental health and personal growth, and the importance of addressing both the physical and emotional roots of addiction. The conversation explores the ...

In this powerful episode, host Peanut interviews Emma, a psychic medium and grief alchemist approaching four years of sobriety. Emma shares how she used alcohol to cope with overwhelming psychic abilities from a young age, and how sobriety became essential for her spiritual gifts to flourish. She opens up about the devastating loss of her daughter Magnolia, breaking generational patterns, an...

Join host Peanut on the Sobertown Podcast for a deeply honest conversation with psychotherapist and author Jason Shiers. Jason shares his powerful journey from childhood trauma and addiction to recovery and helping others heal.

Explore the roots of addiction, the importance of addressing underlying pain, and finding peace within. Jason discusses the l...