In today’s Embrace Family Recovery Podcast episode, # 85, Randy Grimes continues his story with the redemption part! Randy wrote his powerful memoir, ‘Off Center,” to demonstrate that hope and healing from this disease are possible!
Randy shares as a part of giving away what he has been given, and his message about the importance of family recovery reinforces why I feel so passionate about my work with families who love someone with the disease of addiction.
See full transcript below.
00:01
You’re listening to The Embrace Family Recovery Podcast a place for real conversations with people who love someone with the disease of addiction. Now here is your host, Margaret Swift Thompson.
Intro: Welcome back today Randy Grimes author of the book ‘Off Center’ shares his redemption part of the story. He shares his story in the hopes that he can offer others the message of hope and healing with the disease of addiction. Let’s rejoin Randy.
The Embrace Family Recovery Podcast
Margaret 01:31
I think one of the hardest parts of this illness is this lie, it tells us that we have to do it ourselves. And none of us can. And you speak to that very beautifully Randy to show and demonstrate that, as you said a few times, with your discipline and your work ethic and your determination and your strength, was no battle, no competition to the disease. The disease was going to win every time if you stay trying to do it yourself.
Randy 01:58
And you brought up a good point too. They say the opposite of addiction is connection. And you know, I lost connection after football for many, many years. And it was only through recovery that I got reconnected. And because of that, so far, for almost 13 years, I’ve been successful, and just by the grace of God, therefore go I and one day at a time.
Margaret 02:27
And working a program and getting support and having accountability with a sponsor. I’m sure that’s all in there too.
I wonder when you start doing the work in the NFL, like, talk about a full circle moment! Like you go from being the person on the field, kicking butt but also having your butt kicked, to going back in a capacity to be vulnerable, and honest, and open, and helping, and of service.
Like I can’t imagine how that must feel Randy to know that you’re giving back to your I don’t know if you call them brothers in football but the people you passionately stood next to, fought next to, played next to and now you’re there for them, and with them with this recovery. It is quite remarkable.
Randy 03:08
Well and what’s remarkable, you know, for so many years, there was so much guilt and shame because I thought I was the only one.
Margaret: Right!
Randy: I was out there struggling in silence and thinking that, oh my God, look where I’ve gotten myself. I’m the only one out there.
Yeah, I’m this former All Pro, second round draft pick of the Buccaneers. But I’m also the only one out there in condition like that. And when I started reaching out to guys, it just blew me away. At how many people first of all that related to my story that finally put their hand up and ask for help, who were also struggling in silence, you know.
Who had chronic pain issues, who had that transitional trauma issue, who couldn’t figure out what to do, who they were when they weren’t athletes anymore, or self-medicating those feelings. And it blew my mind. And it wasn’t just in the NFL. It was CEOs who had retired, it was veterans who no longer served and didn’t have that uniform. It was first responders who had all their trauma and also lost their uniform. It just blew my mind that for all those years, I thought I was alone. And there was really there was thousands and thousands of other people out there struggling and you know, we’ve only scratched the surface of getting those people to raise their hand.
We’ve only scratched the surface of tearing down the stigma that keeps people in guilt and shame and keeps them from raising their hand and we have so much more work to do. My mere measly 12 years of doing this. I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface.
Margaret: But you’re scratching,
Randy: I’m scratching Yeah, I’m stretching. I am in the trenches.
Margaret 04:55
You are indeed! So, bring people to current, what you do. Tell us about your book. Tell us about what you do in your day-to-day life. How you live your life in recovery. And the work you do.
Randy 05:08
Well in my life in recovery is I just try to share as often and as many places as I can my experience, strength, and hope. And hopefully that helps people understand the disease better and helps those that are struggling to put their hand up and ask for help. Because I do really want people to know that there’s hope and help out there. You know, you don’t have to do this anymore. You don’t have to live like this.
And families. I love educating families, like we talked about earlier, I believe when families get well, addicts get well because we know the gig is up.
But I love working with athletes, but I don’t only work with athletes, and I work with everybody, and every family.
So, my favorite saying Is ‘God had plenty of opportunities to open the gates of heaven and let me in’ and he did because all the overdoses and the accidents that I had, and the seizures, there was plenty of opportunities to bring me on home. But ‘what he did was open the gates of hell and let me out’. And that’s exactly how my addiction was, I was finally walking out of those gates of hell, because that’s where I was for so many years. And I couldn’t stop the insanity. So, sharing my story and sharing the fact that there’s hope and help. It’s all I can do. And the book was a three-year labor of love. And the cool thing about the book is that
Margaret 06:32
the book is called ‘Off Center ‘.
Randy 06:35
‘Off Center’ and Coach Ditka wrote the foreword for it. And there’s a lot of great endorsements in there, a lot of people have stood behind me. But the book was a three-year labor of love. And the cool thing about it is that my whole family had a platform in it. It was a healing process for the Grimes family. So, whether or not is successful or sells the copy, but it already has. It’s already served its purpose. And that’s what I’m most proud of is that it was a platform for everybody to share in. And, I’m very proud of the way it turned out and very proud of the participation that everybody had in it. And it was a huge healing process for us.
Margaret 07:16
Can we talk about that a little bit? First of all, I know that for some people reading a book is the safest first step, right? Like it’s personal. I can read it on my time, I can see where it lands, and maybe it will help lead me to seek help. How was it a healing process for your family? Can you talk about that a little bit? Because I think that’s really interesting.
Randy 07:34
Yeah, because I think it was the first time that they ever really shared, what they were going through. The fact that my son and my daughter, and even Lydia, even though she was already sharing a little bit. The fact that they would let me publish the letters that they wrote to me while I was in treatment. And even my daughter’s you know, she was, hey, Dad, I’m not that person anymore. But I said, Emily, you were then you know, that’s, that’s what you were feeling. That’s what I was putting you through. And that’s what people need to read.
So, the fact that she allowed me to do that, and put those letters in there, the fact that they were a big part of practically every chapter about our story was huge. And I think it was the first time publicly that they were willing to share what they had been through. Lydia, was already out there doing it a little bit, but only with me,
Margaret: Right.
Randy: And the fact that she was doing it on her own. And you know, it’s funny that a lot of the stories I tell she tells different because she was sober when I went through it (laughter). I remember them a little different than she does and, and hers obviously are the way that it really happened because she was actually there and present and I was there and not present. So, it’s a cool process. And we had a lot of fun writing it. But the main thing is, is that it was a huge healing process. And I hope, if anything that it shows families that that there’s hope. You know that relationships can be restored, and lives can be resurrected as a result of recovery and even family recovery.
And it’s been a beautiful thing. You know, my kids are so proud of me. And they don’t mind telling me, they’re more proud of me than anything I’ve ever accomplished on a football field. Because they understand that this is life and death. They’ve had friends die from this disease or they’ve had friends whose parents have passed away as a result of this disease. So, they’re grateful that I survived it. But then I’m also giving back, and they call me all the time with friends that are struggling. Hey, will you call this person? How can we help this person? Because they understand that this is life and death.
Margaret 10:02
Yeah. So, you shared earlier about your daughter, not allowing you when you were in your darkest of use to be around your grandbaby to speak of the hope and healing in the family. Has that changed, Randy?
Randy 10:15
Oh, absolutely. I mean, I go pick them up at school, I take them out to lunch or to dinner, or we go do things. They stay with us in the summer. Yeah, I mean, all those fears have subsided, there’s trust again.
Margaret 10:32
How long did it take to develop trust? Because people ask that all the time? When will I be trusted? When will I trust again? How did that evolve?
Randy 10:41
I think it’s different for everybody. You know, when I got out of treatment, I can remember thinking, wow, they’re gonna be so proud of me! I’m going to ride into Houston like a knight on a white horse and just save everybody. And wow look at me, I went off to treatment for 90 days, at a nice rehab on the beach and had food cooked for me and all that, you know, I’m well, and let’s continue our life like it was, and it didn’t work out with it at all. Because I went off and got well, and they didn’t.
So, it took a lot of time. And once I understood that I knew that it was going to take a lot of doing the next right thing one day at a time to build their love. I think they always loved me,
Margaret: I bet they did.
Randy: But it was a different kind of love. It was a detachment with love. They didn’t really want to be around me a lot, but they still loved me because they wanted to see what I was going to do.
And even Lydia not wanting to move out to Florida, till she knew that I was going to stay clean and sober. Because that’s what they had lived all those years. And that’s what they had seen me fail so many times. So why put all their eggs in one basket and, start trusting me again until I proven to them that I was capable of staying clean and sober. So that’s when I realized when I wasn’t that knight on white horse-riding in. That it was going to take a lot of one days at a time doing the next right thing. And I was patient. And I worked with my therapist on being patient and not expecting too much from my family and lowering my expectations of what I thought they should be doing. And just kind of letting the process and I think it’s different for everybody. I don’t think there is an answer for that. There’s not a set day or six months or six years. It’s different and it depends a lot on. How do you handle your recovery? Do they see you go into meetings? Do they know you have a sponsor? Did you make amends? Did you work the steps? Did you show them that you’re doing the steps? Not that your recovery is their responsibility? But it sure is good for them to see you making the effort. And being employable, being the father figure that you’re supposed to be the role model, the example. That takes time to but slowly one day at a time and happens.
Margaret 13:14
Yeah. Well, I think well, you work the program, and you live by the principles are the spiritual aspects of the program. And you gain your integrity back people feel it, see it, and experience it. And when we talk about your line of families getting well, we know the gigs up, helps us get well.
13:32
This podcast is made possible by listeners like you.
Margaret 13:36
I have been honored to share Randy’s experience, strength, and hope as a recovering addict. I hope you have found value in hearing his story. Lydia, Randy Grimes beautiful wife was a guest of mine.
I encourage you to go to her episodes on your favorite podcast streaming platform or my website
embracefamilyrecovery.com
where you can hear all of Lydia’s episodes. What an amazing way to hear both sides of the coin of this family disease. Lydia’s podcast episodes were featured on #62, #63 and episode #64.
I hope you take the time to check them out!
I am excited to announce the launch of the Embrace Family Recovery Coaching Group! Stay tuned at the end of this episode I will give you more details.
13:57
You’re listening to The Embrace Family Recovery Podcast. Can you relate to what you’re hearing? Never miss a show by hitting the subscribe button. Now back to the show.
Margaret 14:08
I wonder what you would say to families listening because I know my audience is mainly family members. And there are at different levels of this, in different places of this. Some have lost their person to this disease. One of the things I share with them is role model your family recovery out loud to the person in your life who has this disease also. Just as you’ve explained that to rebuild that trust, took accountability, sponsorship, working the program, being employable, being reliable, all those things. I believe family members working their recovery out loud, opens a possible door for a person with the disease to say hey, there’s hope for me to. maybe I can find something through my own recovery. How do you feel about that?
Randy 14:56
I see a lot of families, and this is no knock against families. But I see a lot of especially parents who have that not my child syndrome, like no way that could happen to my child, when you’re in fact, it could. In fact, it does. Like I said earlier, I see a lot of people that bury their head in the sand. And if they think if they don’t acknowledge it, that it doesn’t exist. A lot of parents are uncomfortable having that uncomfortable conversation when they know when they see red flags go up. I think that we’re scared, or because of guilt and shame, we don’t get educated on the disease, you know, even though it’s the leading cause of death for people between 18 and 45. I don’t think we get educated on it, and know enough about it, and look for the red flags.
Margaret 15:44
I think you’re saying families educate themselves, support yourself and your recovery, you agree that that’s beneficial?
Randy 15:51
Yeah, but what’s it takes to make a family member get educated, to get the facts to go to meetings to go to Al-Anon to seek out help? What’s it takes to get them over their pride, or their shame or guilt, or I don’t want my neighbors to know, I don’t want my employers to know, I don’t want my friends to know that my child or my loved ones going through this? What does it take to get people to do that. And, you know, that’s where I’m at.
Margaret 16:25
my opinion, that same gift of desperation it took for you to crawl into treatment. I don’t think family members get help they deserve until they are hurting bad enough to say I need this help. The disease of addiction takes over the person with the addiction’s brain and uses their own language against them and takes them down a path. The family members have this voice in their head, that projects them to always be vigilant and attentive to their drug of no choice, which is a walking, talking human being. And until the person who loves the person with this illness says I am hurting bad enough, I can’t keep doing what I’m doing to survive another day. They’re reticent to get help, because all of their energy is about getting you or the person they identify as having the illness help first. And so, I think so many family members don’t even enter any kind of room for support until their loved one’s in treatment.
Randy 17:24
I agree. And they say what, change happens when the pain of staying the same, it’s greater than the pain of changing, and nothing changes unless something changes. But it’s getting them to that point. And what has to happen to get to that point, is it an overdose. Is it a seizure? Is it a car wreck? Is it a DUI? Is it a jail term? Or is it just red flags? And having that uncomfortable conversation or drug test in them at home? And they find out? What does it take to get him there?
Margaret 17:56
If we could answer that we do really well in life, I think getting the help they deserve a lot sooner. What I think you know you share is when I entered my own recovery as a family member, because I came through that door first. It was when all my options to use him to make me feel better were taken from me. He ended the relationship, he geographically moved, my brain still wanted to help him. If he called me man, I’m there. Forget me, everything I was doing to make progress was out the window. I believe we are as addicted to you and your behavior and fixing, managing controlling you as you are to your substance. And I would also say, and I can’t speak to this, because I have never been addicted to pills. I would say the drive and the desperation of that, even though we are sober is a pretty potent one.
Randy 18:49
I can only imagine. And I saw it. And I gotta tell you, as an addict. I counted on you being like that.
Margaret: In your disease you did.
Randy: In my disease, you bet. I use that to my advantage. I manipulated that more easily than the educated person who had the tools. And that’s not just me, all addicts do that. And we have to know that.
Margaret 19:17
And that speaks to the benefit of family getting well.
Randy: Exactly
Margaret: Right. Because if we get well as uncomfortable as that changes for us as family members, we learn new tools. The disease cannot manipulate us as easily as it does if we don’t have those tools. So, it’s a full circle moment. And then that also takes us into generational disease of addiction which you don’t have in your family past. But sadly, the risk is there going forward because that’s just the nature of the beast. But we see the patterning and I know you’ve seen this too and in your own recoveries being around other recovering folks. We see family members where you come from parents where one has the disease, and one doesn’t. And the kids are like, I will never be like dad or mom, and they may stay sober. Or one may have the disease one may not. But how about those that marry someone who has it because they know the chaos with which they lived is normal, and they can function really well in it. So that it’s this weird connection that none of us look for when we, you know, you and I are beyond the point in our relationships have ever had to use dating apps. But you know, we don’t put on a dating app, I only want addicts to come out and date me, you know what I mean? We don’t look for that. But if we’ve been conditioned by the disease, to live in a crisis intervention space, where we so are our other focus to fixing caring for and managing someone else, we gravitate to people to do that with. So, to your point, the flip side of what you said, my disease will manipulate that, and I need you like that to survive in my disease. As a family member untreated, we have a tendency and a propensity to end up with people who we can fix, manage, and control.
Randy 20:59
That is so true. How often do we see that? And our first response is, hey, your pickers broke. You got a bad picker, let’s fix that thing. But really is because we’re drawn to that chaos. And you’re right, we’ve learned to thrive and be successful in that chaos, where we think they are, when in reality are just damaging ourselves more. And as addicts and alcoholics, we depend on that. We need you to be in that state of mind to continue our disease.
Margaret: Right.
Randy: You’re bringing up all these good points.
Margaret 21:33
Thank you, Randy. And thanks for doing it with me. I mean, it’s cool. I think that the thing about these conversations is I love that you never know where it’s gonna go.
Randy 21:42
And we start talking about Al-Anon. They’re the enemy.
Margaret 21:48
(laughter) of the disease, absolutely
Randy 21:49
Of the disease, right.
Margaret 21:51
I wondered if you want it to do any bragging about your beautiful family, because I’m aware of some of the cool things your family is doing. You know, I think it’s also part of the recovery. My youngest said to me one day, am I going to be an addict? She was about I don’t know, nine, I want to say. And I’m like, where did that come from? And I know what baby? I don’t know. I hope you won’t. I hope you won’t. But it is a disease that runs in our family. And she said, well, I guess the good news is I know how to get help, because you did.
Randy 22:29
Oh, wow, that’s powerful.
Margaret 22:31
Your children know that our children know that. And I say this to all the people that I work with, with this shame-based disease. Yes, our disease imprinted on everyone we love in ways that we are horrified by, because in our right mind, never would that be our story. And our recovery imprints on our children too. Live your recovery out loud, let them see what you do on a day-to-day basis, and how you live your life and make it part of the conversation of the family because that imprints on them and helps them. God forbid they ever face this disease themselves. So, let’s hear about your family.
Randy 23:11
Well, I have to start with Lydia. She’s the hero of my story. She’s the one who went through it all clean and sober. She lived it on a daily basis. She’s the one that continued to hear God tell her that he was going to heal our family just hang in there. And as hard as that was to do, she wanted to leave me. She didn’t want to live in that chaos anymore. But God wouldn’t let her. And she’ll be the first to admit that you know that he promised her he would heal our family. And to me that’s so cool.
I was off in lala land through all those years. And here she was living it. There for a while keeping it undercover and keeping this secret. So, she’s the hero. And my kids, I’m so proud of them. They love me so much. They trust me so much. They count on me so much. And I love that. To be their father and to be present not only for them, but for their children. And my son lives in Rwanda. He graduated from Texas A&M And then immediately went to Africa. And I wonder sometimes if all the chaos that I put him through, didn’t just drive him away. He thought he wanted to get as far away from all that as he could. But we recently talked about that. Matter of fact, while I was over there, in Rwanda just a few weeks ago, we talked about that, and that wasn’t the case. But it was
Margaret: yeah,
Randy: in a sense. So, I’m proud of what he’s accomplished over and Rwanda. He started an electric motorcycle company. And if you know anything about Africa, everything’s done on motorcycle over there. And the country that he lives in Rwanda is going to outlaw fossil fuel in the next 10 years. So, he thinks he’s on the ground floor of something really big. So, I’m proud of him and the mark that he’s making over there and the little niche that he’s cut out his wife works for a for profit called ‘The One Acre Fund’ out of New York. And they are a micro lending company for farmers, and they supply fertilizer and seed and feed and everything else too. So, they really got a cool little niche.
And my daughter lives here in use of our I’m presently at right now just visited. And she married a former baseball player, a former major league baseball player. And he was a kid that we had tried to run off. She’s been dating him since the second grade. And we tried to run him
Margaret 25:35
off, both started young and that dating stuff.
Randy 25:38
Well, and she still has notes he wrote in my consent. But I tried to run that kid off so many times. And he was a nightmare growing up, but they got married, and he’s been the best son in law. So proud of him. He played for the Washington Nationals and the Diamondbacks and the Red Sox. He had a great career, a 10 year career in baseball. And now he’s successful here in Houston in the plumbing industry. And I’ve got three grandchildren by her one by my son and Rwanda. So we have four total. And Emily, my daughter has started a nonprofit. And it’s called for the lawn International. And she sets up feeding centers all throughout the sandblast Islands and the sandblast islands are right off the coast of Panama. And they’re populated by the Kuna Indians. And there’s such great need down there with the children and making sure that they’re fed. And she went down there a couple of years ago, and she just fell in love not only with the islands, but with the people there and saw the need, and started this nonprofit. And she’s raised so much money and started so many feeding centers. And since so much food down there every month, I’m just so proud of her matter of fact, that’s where she is right now. And that’s why me and Olivia are here to babysit her kids while she’s in Panama. So yeah, they’re making their mark on life. And I’m so proud of it, and how they turned out in spite of me,
Margaret 27:10
in spite and because of, I think there’s no doubt that
Randy: because of their mama,
Margaret: absolutely, Mama, Lydia has a big part to play as does daddy, Randy. But I think that the other thing is that there’s a service mindedness in your family, with the work that your kids are doing? Is that something that was a part of life for you? Because you also are service minded? And obviously, recovery is but was that something innate in all of you before? Even the disease took hold. You think?
Randy 27:41
I can’t say that it was for me, or maybe it just hadn’t manifested itself yet. For Lydia, always, you know, whether it was church or wives’ group, or some organization throughout our marriage, where she committed herself to helping, but to see it come out in my kids is so cool. And they’re doing it on such a huge scale, like, where did that come from? How did they even know how to do that? How does she know how to start nonprofit and raise money and make food go from Houston all the way the sandblast islands? How does she know how to do all that, and it’s all a God thing. And I’m just so proud of how they figured it out, and how they’re thriving. And you know, the main thing is not so much what they’re doing, but that they’re happy. When I say thrive, I really mean they’re happy. They’re happy with their lives, with their spouses, with their kids with what they’re doing. And that means everything to me,
Margaret 28:47
And llong me that last but I do think it’s really important to point out that you and Lydia were also happy when you married,
Randy: Yes,
Margaret: And still are thanks because of your recoveries. But the disease came in anyway, which speaks to the powerlessness of us all there by the grace of God if we don’t have the disease go by. And if we do have the disease, that there is hope that recovery can bring that, that joy and happiness back to us.
Randy 29:16
Well, and I don’t know if Lydia talked about it in her segment with you, I don’t remember hearing it but maybe she did. But you know, we stayed separated for seven years
Margaret: She did
Randy: as a result of this disease. And earlier, I told you that my kids wanted to make sure that I was going to be successful that I was going to stay sober. She wanted to make sure I was going to be successful to stay sober. She was not willing to leave her job and move from Houston to Florida to be with me until she knew. And even though we stay plugged in each other those seven years we talked every day I came in business she came in visited. She was not willing to approve her life and so she knew for sure so that was the big step for her to resign as a teacher to move to Florida to be with me, and to start doing the outreach that we do. But the lesson is, and I tell this to a lot of people that come to treatment, you know, they’re worried about what’s going to happen with their wives or their spouses back home, while they’re in treatment, less than we survive seven years of separation because of this disease, living in two different towns, two different states. If we can do it, anybody can do it. And that’s just that hope, and that trust that recovery offers. But it takes some work. It takes some work on both parts. And it takes two people willing to do the work.
Margaret: Yes.
Randy: And sometimes that’s where the breakdown is. One is willing and another one’s not. They’ve just been damaged too much.
Margaret 30:54
On the other side of that coin is when you go off to treatment, your partner, and everybody’s partner, or parent or kids worry about what’s our relationship going to look like with sobriety? Will we still love each other? Will he still want to be with me? I mean, the insecurities and fears of what this is going to look like. It’s tough on both sides of the story of this illness.
Randy: I agree
Margaret: So, I have a funny story to share with you. I think you’ll find it funny because I’m not a football fan. I should have probably started with it and not and with that. I grew up on the island of Bermuda. So American football was on the television, and there’s a lot of fans on the island, but was not big in my world. Rugby was the sport that we had in soccer. So, my father when we got his television, which was later in life, loved his American football. And I thought I loved the Dallas Cowboys, because it was on every time the Cowboys run. There’s my dad watching the game. So, as the good daughter decided I was going to be a Cowboys fan. And I sort of got involved in it, followed it rooting for them every chance I got. Come to find out later in life that the only reason my dad like the Cowboys was Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.
Randy: Laughter Oh, yeah, he had his priorities in order.
Margaret: So I get through my adult life rooting for the Dallas Cowboys for all the wrong reasons, because my dad’s influence I didn’t realize was for the cheerleaders. Not the players. But
Randy 32:26
Well, you can’t fault him for that.
Margaret 32:28
No, I love my daddy,
Randy 32:30
Who didn’t love the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders?
Margaret 32:32
That’s true. But the Dallas Cowboys were also fun to watch. So, I guess
Randy 32:36
Yeah, they were okay. They were okay.
Margaret 32:38
Well, you chatted about one of them. That was important to you.
So, I just want to say, Randy, I thank you for this time. And you’re the Trailblazer on the Embrace Family Recovery Podcast, because we just did something we haven’t done yet, which I’m probably going to start putting in for the family members to get a chance to hear the other side of the story from someone who’s not their loved one, I think that would probably be good to add to the podcast. So thank you for this.
Randy 33:02
Awesome, so awesome. And you know, I’m always available Lydia’s always available, you know, we’re on all the social media. And if you can’t find us, you’re not looking very hard. And like I said, ‘Off Center’, the book, read it. I think there’s something in there for everybody. Matter of fact, I made a point to put something in there for everybody because we’re telling our story alongside an intervention that’s going on. And there’s that codependent in there, there’s that enabler in there, they’re set angry one in there, there’s that one that thinks it’s a moral failing and not a disease. That person’s in there. There’s something for everybody in that book. And I hope you read it. I hope you enjoy our journey. But you can find that at
Or just go on Amazon and look at Randy Grimes ‘Off Center’. And the treatment center that my program Pro Athletes in Recovery is at is called White Sands Treatment Center. It’s in Tampa, and also in Fort Myers. That’s where my Athlete Program is. And that’s where I do all the work at with everybody, not just athletes. So, I’m really proud of the work that they do in the lives that they save there. So, I gotta throw that stuff in there too.
Margaret 34:19
Absolutely, I appreciate you throwing it and I will make sure that in the links are in my show notes. I’ll put in those resources. So, people
Randy 34:25
And proathletesinrecovery.org is my website. But you don’t have to be an athlete to talk to me.
Margaret 34:33
No. And that’s the thing, right? When we walk in the rooms that people we meet we have no idea their background and their story until they share it and we all find a connection with each other. That’s one of the best things about recovery.
Randy 34:45
True, true that.
Margaret 34:46
Great equalizer, even though we don’t ever want to go through it.
Outro: I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to hear Randy’s story. How addiction doesn’t care who you are, what you do or what you have. To have Randy so clearly state the power of family recovery holding out the hope that if you educate and empower families the addicted person gets well. That gave me chills.
If you find yourself on this path and are looking for education, support recovery tools reach out I am here for you.
E-mail me at margaret@nullembracefamilyrecovery.com or find a link to my work with me page in my show notes attached to this podcast.
As we all know the holidays can offer lots of triggers under the best of circumstances. Add the disease of addiction to the mix and the monkey chatter is amplified.
Let me tell you more about the .
I will host a complimentary group three times through the 2022 holiday season where we will come together as a community of loved ones in recovery and support one another while learning new strategies.
You must enroll to participate in the group. The groups will be offered on Wednesday evenings December 14th, 21st, and January 4th from 7:30 until 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
I will lead with a topic; we will then have a discussion followed by open format. To register for the group please find the link in my show notes found on embracefamilyrecovery.com podcast episode #84
I really look forward to being with you practicing radical self-care through this holiday season.
I want to thank my guest for their courage and vulnerability and sharing parts of their story. Please find resources on my website,
This is Margaret Swift Thompson.
Until next time, take care of you.
