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.
Episodes
Real Recovery Podcast — Episode 114
RRP 114 — Deena Feldes: Trudging the Road with Purpose — From Prison to 30 Locations of Hope
Presenters:
Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell
Episode Length:
Approximately 1 hour 42 minutes
Release Date:
May 8, 2026
Deena Feldes grew up in a Pasco, Washington trailer park with easy access to substances and no one watching the door. Today she is Executive Director of
, a Portland-area recovery housing ...
RRP 113 — Kathryn L. / Is It Odd or Is It God?: Recovery, Spirituality, and the Long Road to PortlandRRP 113 — Kathryn L. / Is It Odd or Is It God?: Recovery, Spirituality, and the Long Road to Portland
Presenters:
Julie P. Lewis and Peter B. Dowell |
Episode Length:
Approximately 1 hour 47 minutes |
Release Date:
May 8, 2026
Kathryn L. grew up south of Boston in a home where alcohol was always present — a stocked liquor cabine...
RRP 112 — Paul O. / One Burgundy Sock at a Time: Recovery, Service, and the Art of Staying
Presented by Julie P. Lewis & Peter B. Dowell • Release Date: May 1, 2026 • Runtime: 1 hr 33 min
Paul O. showed up at his first AA meeting on October 7, 1991—a lesbian stag meeting in Reno where they welcomed him only as “Pauline.” More than three decades later, he carries a story you won’t forget: how a gentle inner voice once talked h...
Episode 108
RRP 108 — Jerry B.
Flammable: What It Really Means to Be Sober Without Being in Recovery
Presenters:
Peter and Julie
Release Date:
April 3, 2026
Episode:
108
Runtime:
1:42:32
Episode Summary
Jerry B. grew up in a family shaped by recovery — his dad has 53 years in AA, his mom found sobriety when Jerry was young — yet still spent years addicted to crystal meth and alcohol. He earned a law degree at Lewis & Clark, lost a 17-y...
Episode 105 • Season 3
RRP 105 — Mark S.
The Group Is My Higher Power: One Atheist’s Path Through Addiction and Back
Presenters:
Peter and Julie
Release Date:
March 13, 2026
Episode:
105
Runtime:
1:00:27
Episode Summary
In this episode, Peter and Julie welcome Mark S., a long-time member of Extended Family — the online AA community where he and Julie first met. Mark’s story spans more than five decades of addiction, survival, and hard-wo...
Real Recovery Podcast — Episode 103
RRP 103 — Luciano N.
Don’t Stop Before the Miracle: One Man’s Journey Through Homelessness, Relapse, and Real Recovery
Presenters: Peter and Julie
Release Date: February 27, 2026
Episode Length: 1:40:20
Episode Summary
In this episode, hosts Julie and Peter welcome Luciano N., a Salem-raised, bicultural gay Latino man whose story winds through family upheaval, discovering his identity, competitive cheer...
RRP 102 — Lee Anne K.; Turning On the Light: Recovery, Resilience, and Radical Self-Acceptance
Presenters: Peter and Julie
Episode Length: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Release Date: February 20, 2026
Episode Summary
In this heartfelt episode, Julie and Peter welcome Lee Anne K. — a nearly nine-year member of the recovery community, proud straight ally, devoted letter-writer, and self-described number one fan of the Real Recovery Podcast. Hailing ...
RRP Episode 101 – Building a Life After Prison: Austin’s Path Through Recovery and Service
Presenters: Julie and PeterGuest: Austin ColeLength: 1 hour, 28 minutesRelease Date: 2/13
Summary
In this episode of the Real Recovery Podcast, Julie and Peter sit down with Austin Cole for a deeply reflective conve...
RRP Episode 100 – Bill M: One Honest Day at a Time in Long-Term Recovery
Presenters: Julie and PeterLength: 1:08:00
Episode Summary
Episode 100 marks a meaningful milestone for the Real Recovery Podcast, and we honor it the same way we always have—by centering lived experience and honest conversation. In this episode, Bill M joins us to talk about what long-term recovery truly requires. Together, we explore accountability, humility, r...
RRP Episode 99. Ebony — Choosing Recovery, Rebuilding Trust, and Living the Work (Part Two)
Presenters: Julie and PeterLength: 00:57:17
Episode Overview
In part two of this two-part conversation, Ebony’s story turns toward recovery. Beginning where part one left off, this episode explores the shift ...
RRP Episode 98. Ebony — Trauma, Identity, and the Road That Led to Recovery (Part One)
Presenters: Julie and PeterLength: 57 minutes, 17 seconds
Episode Overview
In part one of this two-part conversation, Ebony shares the early chapters of her lived experience, focusing on trauma, identity, and the survi...
Title: RRP Episode 97. Quentin — From Anger and Isolation to a Safe Space in Recovery
Presenters: Julie and Peter
Length: 1:25:57
Summary:In this episode, Quentin shares a raw, honest look at how anger, isolation, and untreated mental health fueled his drinking—and what it took to finally reach for help. Julie and Peter walk with him through the turning points: asking for culturally specific support, learning how to feel again, rebui...
RRP Episode 96 – Community, Commitment, and Carrying Recovery Into the New Year
Presenters: Julie and PeterRelease Date: 1/9/26Length: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Episode Overview
This New Year’s special episode features a reflective conversation with Julie, Peter, and Collette, followed by inspirational short interview ...