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.
Listen to Fragmented to Whole:Life Lessons from 12 Step Recovery
Find Fragmented to Whole:
Life Lessons from 12 Step Recovery On:
Ep 236 – How to Go from Hurting to Healing to Helping
One of the things the ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families) literature says is “We progress from hurting to healing to helping and we awaken to a sense of wholeness we never knew possible.” I can attest, this has proven to be true in my own recovery experience. This week’s episode 236 of…
Ep 235 – Stop Trying to Win the Trauma Olympics By Comparing Your Trauma to Others
Content Warning: This episode includes brief mentions of abuse and other experiences that can cause trauma. We so easily compare ourselves to the people around us. While we can admit that comparison is not helpful, it can be especially harmful when we start comparing our trauma because it keeps us from healing. This week’s episode…
Ep 234 – My Random Recovery Ramblings from the Middle of the Night
I woke up in the middle of the night and felt compelled to record the thoughts that were running through my head. I wanted to do this to share with you the constant mindset shifts and revelations I have as a result of my recovery journey. This week’s episode 234 of the Fragmented to Whole…
Ep 233 – How to Resolve Irreconcilable Differences- Two Powerful Mind Shifts for Stronger Relationships
Every relationship has some type of irreconcilable differences and you are never going to be able to change these things about your partner or turn them into a different kind of person. The way we negotiate how we’re going to handle these differences directly determines the quality of our relationships. This week’s episode 233 of…
Ep 232 – What Ruminating and Catastrophizing Are and Two Tools for How to Stop
I’ve come to realize through recovery that, even though I’ve always been a positive and optimistic person, I did a ton of ruminating about the past and catastrophizing about the future. This week’s episode 232 of the Fragmented to Whole Podcast is about what ruminating and catastrophizing are and the tools to stop! Support the…
Ep 231 – Tools for How to Enjoy Your Vacation- MYOB and Zip It!
I am reminded of the question, “Would you rather be right or would you rather be happy?” I know for a fact that before I was in recovery, I wanted to be right. After recovery, my priorities have shifted drastically. This week’s episode 231 of the Fragmented to Whole Podcast is about tools for how…
Ep 230 – From G.E.D to Ph.D. with Melissa “Dr. Mo” Dittberner
Today’s guest genuinely had an incredible full-circle journey from addiction at a young age, dropping out of high school, getting her G.E.D. and later her Ph.D. to teaching the next generation of supporters for those in recovery. This week’s episode 230 of the Fragmented to Whole Podcast is about how Melissa went from G.E.D. to…
Ep 229 – Why I Think of Gossip as an Anti-Intimacy Campaign and Scripts for How to Stop It
I think of gossip as an anti-intimacy campaign. Patterns of gossip truly prevent any type of real intimacy from forming between people. Gossip is the perfect example of “anti-intimacy” because when you talk about people who are not in the room, you’re not talking about yourself or the other person. That means neither of us…
Ep 228 – Master Your Focus by Shifting to Focus on What You Want Not What You Don’t
If you want to go from being a reactor (reacting to things) to an actor (taking an active role) in your life, then focus on what you want and less on what you don’t want. This is living on purpose. People with healthy boundaries live on purpose. This week’s episode 228 of the Fragmented to…
Ep 227 – You Don’t Have to Save the Meeting, the Organization or the Cause
I’ve come across so many people over the years who felt like they had to continue going to 12-step meetings that weren’t healthy for them or that they had to do everything in their power to save an organization or a cause. They felt that all would be lost if they stopped going or contributing.…
Ep 226 – What the Cross Talk Rule Is and Why It Helps Us Build and Respect Boundaries
I recently had to call someone out for cross talking while I was doing a reading and surprisingly, I did not get a flood of shame or guilt for doing it. That goes to show how far I’ve come in recovery as I felt calm enforcing a boundary that I used to have such a…
Ep 225 – 5 Traits of People Pleasers and How They Can Turn Into Resentment
I had no idea that I was a people pleaser in the past, I just thought I was nice. Through recovery and coming out of codependence, I came to realize that people pleasing is not nice, and it’s actually dishonest. This week’s episode 225 of the Fragmented to Whole Podcast is about 5 traits of…
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
