Fragmented to Whole

Life Lessons from 12 Step Recovery

This podcast can help you go from fragmented to whole. The title of the podcast comes from my journey of recovery in 12 step programs where I came in feeling fragmented and now I AM WHOLE. I talk about how that happened, and many of the lessons I've learned in recovery. I cover such topics as learning acceptance, overcoming unrealistic expectations, intimacy, forgiveness and boundaries.

All episodes are 20 minutes or less, most are less than 15. The first episode is my story in brief so you'll hear about the kind of profound life changes that I experienced in 12-step recovery. Other episodes cover specific topics such as Acceptance, Victim Mentality, Overcoming Negative Thought Loops, etc. You don't have to be in recovery to benefit from it though!

One last (very important) thing. I don't speak for or endorse any particular 12 step program of recovery. Though I'm a huge fan of 12 step recovery, and a member of two 12 step fellowships, I cannot speak them. Take what you want and leave the rest.

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Life Lessons from 12 Step Recovery

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Fragmented to Whole Podcast 38: The Promises of Recovery

If you want to know what day-to-day life in recovery looks like compared to life before recovery, this episode is for you! Show NotesThe promises of recovery tell us what our lives might look like once we’ve got some recovery under our belts. In this episode I’ll share how the promises of recovery – and…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 37: Fail Till You Succeed

“Fail till you succeed” is the formula for all success throughout time and this episode explains why this is so. Show NotesThis episode will be particularly helpful to those who have beaten themselves up for years, and who think they will never succeed at anything. Many of us suffer from the belief that those who…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 36: Your Rights as a Person in Recovery

You have the right to live your own life the way you want without anyone else’s approval – this episode lists that and many of your other rights. Show NotesMany people in recovery don’t even realize that they GET TO think their own thoughts, make their own decisions and focus on their own lives and…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 35: Boundaries During the Holidays

Setting boundaries around what we really want allows us to truly enjoy the holidays, here’s how. Show NotesBoundaries help us enjoy our loved ones and our time, and they reduce stress and overwhelm. To have boundaries means to live intentionally. This episode will help you set boundaries to more authentically connect with others so you’re…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 34: Anything Mentionable Is Manageable

All human experiences are mentionable, and anything mentionable is manageable (so says Mr. Rogers). Show NotesIf your life is unmanageable, this episode gives examples of getting to a life that’s manageable. Inspired by the new Mr. Rogers movie, this episode also talks about how things we may have been taught were “unmentionable” actually are mentionable.…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 33: Restored to Clarity

Recovery can restore us to clarity – clarity of thinking, clarity about the level of dysfunction in our lives, as well as about how we ourselves contributed to that dysfunction. Show NotesIf your thinking is clouded and chaotic, your boundaries are a mess, you want everyone else and the world around you to change, perhaps…

Bonus Episode #2: Affirmations for Addicts

If you need help to change the negative self talk in your head, this episode is for you. It’s just affirmations – no intro, not outro, just affirmations. Listen once and make note of the affirmations that resonate best with you, or listen repeatedly to them all. What is Fragmented to Whole: Life Lessons from…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 32: Freedom of Choice

Choice is the opposite of compulsion, obsession and addiction and this episode will help you understand how to get the freedom of choice. Show NotesOne of the greatest gifts of recovery is freedom of choice – the freedom choose what we do and do not want to think, believe and do. Before recovery, I didn’t…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 31: Overcoming Unrealistic Expectations

Learn how to overcome unrealistic expectations so you can let go of resentments. Show NotesI talk about how unrealistic expectations made my life unmanageable and was one of my worst defects of character, and how I learned to let them go. This not only helped me let go of resents from the past, but prevented…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 30: Fight, Flight or Freeze

If you’ve always been a fighter, taken flight or frozen during stressful situations, this episode will help you learn how to deal with those patterns. Show NotesThe body’s natural response to threats, whether perceived or real, is to fight, flee or freeze. I share how recovery has helped me reprogram my internal response to threat,…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 29: Don’t Live into the Wreckage of the Future!

Living into the wreckage of the future is when you assume catastrophes will happen and you plan for them in your mind, and this episode will help you learn how to stop that. Show NotesThis episode will show you that there is another way to live inside your head besides assuming the worst is always…

Fragmented to Whole Podcast 28: Healthy vs. Unhealthy: What’s Your Motivation?

Learn how to tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors, such as helping vs rescuing or dissociation vs having a good time by looking at your motivation. Show NotesSometimes the very same behavior can be healthy or unhealthy, it depends on your motivation. In this episode, I share what I’ve learned about the difference…

What listeners are saying

"Barb, it's clear that you're speaking from your lived experience, and what you talk about is beyond the rooms of recovery. You actually operationalize recovery."

- C

"Your podcast was a delight to listen to. Authenticity, sincerity starts within and re-parenting oneself with gentleness, humor, love and respect are the tools that fuels the process."

- A

"Full of useful, helpful guidance!!!! So, I say thank you for your efforts! It was not preachy at all - and I guard against 'preachiness.' ...Thank you for your efforts Barb."

- A.C

"I play [your podcasts] for people when I give them rides home from meetings. They find them awesome as I do...I am hoping to begin using your podcasts in groups at work - short enough to hold people's attention and wonderful topics that all can benefit from as we try to bring healing and freedom from suffering into the world...you are a delight and a noble soul. Thank you. Grateful for your commitment to help heal our planet."

- R

"If I had to describe it....I bathed in episodes 1-3 this morning and I feel much more prepared to engage in the tasks that will bring me success...thank you."

- V

"You have opened doors in my mind that I did not know existed. Listening to you and your podcasts has made an enormous impact on my life, and now my outlook. You rock!" ~ A.

"Thank you, Barb! Listening to your podcast gave me hope that you could help me.

Framing everything through the lens of “boundaries” made sense to me. Something “clicked.” I realized many of my own struggles – maybe all of them – could be seen through the same lens. I also felt – after bingeing your podcasts – that I already knew you and that you were a straight shooter. You experienced many of the challenges that I was facing, and I greatly appreciated your willingness to share openly and honestly. And I was so encouraged to hear you talk about how much better your life is after starting your own recovery journey." ~ K