What if the "real Christian" and the "real recovered addict" are actually the exact same person?

In this episode, Jason Rigby and Duane Yardman-Frank break down the brutal truth about addiction within the church: why handing someone religion without actual transformation keeps them stuck in a cycle of shame and relapse.

We dive deep into how the biblical book of Exodus serves as a literal, psychological map for addiction recovery. Think about it: Pharaoh is your addiction. Egypt is your old life. The wilderness is the brutal reality of early recovery. The promised land is a transformed, integrated life.

This is an episode about Actionable Hope—for anyone trying to hold onto their faith while battling the shame of addiction, and for anyone who is ready to stop faking their recovery.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER:• Why the church's approach to addiction often fails, and what to do instead.• How to read Exodus as a practical map for your recovery journey.• The single, confronting question that exposes every addiction: "What do you worship?"• Duane's desperate six-month prayer that finally broke his obsession with alcohol.• Why the "wilderness" phase of recovery isn't a punishment—it's preparation.• The intersection of Carl Jung’s shadow work and Christian recovery.• The moment Duane’s amends with his brother changed everything.• How to pray courageously when shame tells you God isn't listening.• How the Apostle Paul taught neuroplasticity 2,000 years before modern brain scans.

⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — Christian vs. Recovered Addict: Same Person?00:35 — Religion or Transformation: The Real Divide01:15 — Turning Pain Into Purpose (The Alchemy of Recovery)02:30 — Service, Speaking Out & The Conference in Arizona04:30 — The Exodus as an Addiction Recovery Map06:25 — "What Do You Worship?" — Pharaoh Alcohol09:30 — Six Months to Freedom: Duane's Prayer That Worked12:30 — The Wilderness Is Preparation, Not Punishment14:30 — Relapse, Shadow Work & Carl Jung18:15 — Moral Inventory and the Dark Night of the Soul21:50 — Facing Selfishness Honestly24:05 — Amends With My Brother ("You Stole My Adolescence")27:40 — Psalm 139: Search Me, God29:35 — The Courageous Prayer Practice31:30 — The Ego and Spirit Dance (The Christian Cross)33:30 — The Kingdom of God Is Within You (Luke 17)37:15 — Duane's First Taste of Peace43:15 — Faith Without Shame: "God's Got It"

🧠 TEACHERS & SCRIPTURE MENTIONED:• Scripture: Isaiah 61:1, The Book of Exodus, Psalm 139:23-24, Luke 17:21, Romans 12:2, Matthew 4• Thinkers: Jordan Peterson, Carl Jung, Richard Rohr, Eckhart Tolle, Matt Kahn, Hildegard of Bingen, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

🔗 CONNECT WITH US & GET SUPPORT:• Family Support & Resources: https://FamilyRecoveryAcademy.com• Watch on YouTube: @PutTheShovelDown

If this episode hit home, please follow the show on Spotify and share it with someone who might be stuck in the desert right now. It is the best way to help us reach those who need it most.

⚠️ MEDICAL & MENTAL HEALTH DISCLAIMER:The content on this podcast and channel is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The hosts share personal experiences and perspectives; they are not licensed medical or mental health professionals. Always seek the guidance of your physician, licensed therapist, psychiatrist, or addiction specialist with any questions regarding a medical condition, mental health concern, or substance use disorder. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S.) or call 911 immediately. For substance use support, SAMHSA's National Helpline is available 24/7 at 1-800-662-HELP.

What if your addiction was never a detour — it was always the route God had planned for you? In this episode of the Recovered Addict Podcast, Jason and Duane unpack the concept of Divine Timing and why the worst season of your life was secretly your greatest setup.

This conversation goes deep on why addiction is ultimately a worship problem, not a willpower problem — and how understanding the difference between clock time (Kronos) and God's appointed time (Kairos) can completely reframe your recovery journey.

You'll hear Duane's raw story of how a stranger walked up to him in a recovery meeting in Taos, New Mexico — the same month three young men overdosed and died — and told him "I'm going to help you get sober and it takes a lawyer to get rid of me." That wasn't coincidence. That was divine timing in action.

Topics covered in this episode include divine timing in addiction recovery, the neuroscience of dopamine and intrinsic reward, addiction as misplaced worship, the God-size hole, trusting God's timeline in sobriety, discipline as proof of faith, accountability in recovery, and how the biblical stories of Joseph and Noah map directly onto the recovery journey.

If you've ever thought you've gone too far, that your past is too broken, or that God has forgotten about you — this episode was made for you.

Key topics: divine timing recovery, addiction and faith, worship problem addiction, sobriety and purpose, God's timing sobriety, dopamine and addiction recovery, biblical recovery, actionable hope, recovered addict, sobriety podcast, faith-based recovery, spiritual recovery tools, kairos kronos time, trust God in recovery, overcoming addiction spiritually

Hosted by Jason and Duane Yardman-Frank. New episodes every week.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any substance use disorder or mental health concern. If you are in crisis, call 988 or 911 immediately.

Your addiction never lived in the present moment. It only lived in regret about yesterday and fear about tomorrow. In this episode, Jason Rigby and Duane Yardman-Frank reveal why present moment awareness is the most powerful — and most overlooked — tool in addiction recovery.

This isn't spiritual fluff. This is neuroscience, biblical wisdom, and lived experience combined into a practical roadmap you can use today.

You'll learn why cravings only exist as thoughts about the future and how to kill them in 90 seconds. You'll discover how present moment awareness reactivates your prefrontal cortex — the exact part of your brain addiction hijacks. You'll understand why rumination and anxiety literally shrink your hippocampus and how mindfulness reverses the damage. You'll walk away with 5 real mantras to use throughout your day, the name it, feel it, breathe with it, return method for surviving cravings, and the profound connection between the I AM statement in Exodus 3:14 and your recovery right now.

Duane shares the moment at a pool in Taos, six months sober, when he fell to his knees and realized he hadn't thought about alcohol in two weeks. That moment of neutrality is available to you. This episode shows you how to get there.

Topics covered include present moment awareness, addiction and the brain, neuroplasticity and recovery, cravings and the amygdala, radical acceptance, Eckhart Tolle and sobriety, Christian recovery, the I AM consciousness, the good wolf bad wolf framework, mantras for sobriety, breathwork and recovery, and how to stop a relapse before it starts.

Recovered Addict Podcast delivers Actionable Hope for anyone struggling with addiction, supporting a loved one in recovery, or looking for a deeper spiritual and science-backed approach to sober living.

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 — free, confidential, 24/7. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or therapeutic advice.

Are you trapped in scarcity mindset? In this transformative episode on addiction recovery, Jason and Duane expose how scarcity mindset creates addiction, anxiety, and self-sabotage—and reveal the abundance upgrade that will change your recovery journey forever.

Most addicts are running on a broken operating system programmed in childhood. This scarcity mindset hijacks your prefrontal cortex, creating what scientists call "cognitive tunneling"—where you can only see the next hit, never the bigger picture. Your brain is so preoccupied with "not enough" that you have zero mental bandwidth for planning, creativity, or good decisions.

Jason and Duane share their raw journeys from homelessness and the literal gutter to lives of abundance, explaining the neuroscience behind scarcity mindset and how to become the "observer" of your thoughts. You'll discover why Matthew 6:26 is the ultimate abundance prescription, how Neville Goddard's Law of Assumption can rewire your brain, and the 6-month neuroplasticity process that transformed Duane's life.

This episode combines addiction neuroscience, biblical wisdom, and quantum mechanics to give you actionable tools: the hand-on-heart practice, the observer technique, the scarcity-to-abundance operating system upgrade, and how to rewrite your story even mid-crisis.

Key topics in addiction recovery: scarcity mindset, abundance mindset, cognitive tunneling, neuroplasticity, Eckhart Tolle's observer concept, biblical recovery principles, trauma and addiction, self-worth in recovery, financial abundance in sobriety, and how to stop running on the broken scarcity operating system.

Whether you're in early sobriety, long-term recovery, or supporting a loved one, this episode provides the blueprint for upgrading from scarcity to abundance. Your heartbeat didn't require an application—you are worthy, period.

CRISIS RESOURCES:

- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357

For full show notes, transcript, and our recovery course, visit RecoveredAddictPodcast.com

Are you tired of being told addiction makes you powerless? This episode challenges the "disease model" and reveals how self-discipline, not surrender, creates lasting recovery. Two recovered addicts share the neuroscience-backed approach that helped them reclaim control and build unshakeable sobriety through the 4 pillars of discipline.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• The neuroscience of addiction reveals it's about inability to say "no" to yourself, not powerlessness Tikvah LakePubMed Central

• Four discipline pillars that rewire your brain: neural, physical, emotional, and environmental

• Why the "recovery industrial complex" keeps people stuck in victim mentality

• How physical exercise becomes your gateway to mental and emotional discipline

• The revolutionary role of discomfort training (cold showers, challenging workouts) in building self-control

• Environmental discipline strategies to eliminate triggers and build recovery-focused spaces

📚 What You'll Learn: This conversation dives deep into addiction neuroscience, exploring how self-regulation and discipline create lasting change. PubMed Central We break down the three "discipline destroyers" undermining recovery: misunderstanding "one day at a time," powerless programming, and enabling victim stories. Learn practical strategies for building the neural pathways that support long-term sobriety.

🔬 Recovery Science Deep-Dive: Understanding addiction through neuroscience reveals that substance use disorders stem from compromised self-regulation systems, not inherent powerlessness. PubMed Central This episode explores how deliberate discipline practices strengthen prefrontal cortex function, rebuild dopamine sensitivity, and create new neural pathways supporting recovery. We examine the role of physical exercise in neuroplasticity, environmental modifications for trigger management, and emotional regulation techniques that address the root causes of addictive behavior.

💪 Practical Discipline Strategies: Learn actionable techniques for building recovery-focused discipline: structured morning routines that activate your prefrontal cortex, progressive physical challenges that build mental resilience, environmental design principles that eliminate decision fatigue around substances, and emotional regulation practices that replace addictive coping mechanisms with healthy alternatives.

🎯 Who This Episode Helps:

• Individuals seeking addiction recovery beyond traditional 12-step programs

• People frustrated with "powerless" addiction narratives

• Family members supporting loved ones in recovery

• Addiction professionals exploring neuroscience-based treatment approaches

• Anyone interested in building self-discipline and emotional regulation

• Those seeking evidence-based alternatives to disease model recovery

🚨 Important Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and inspirational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing addiction, suicidal thoughts, or mental health crisis, please contact a qualified healthcare provider immediately. Recovery experiences vary by individual - results mentioned do not guarantee similar outcomes. This podcast does not establish a therapeutic relationship.

📞 Crisis Resources:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 SAMHSA

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

• For immediate medical emergency: Call 911

🔗 Connect & Support: Subscribe for weekly episodes challenging conventional addiction treatment approaches. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear that recovery is possible through discipline, not powerlessness. Leave a comment sharing your own discipline-building strategies in recovery.

If you've been told to "wait for rock bottom" or use "tough love" with someone struggling with addiction, this episode will change everything you thought you knew. Master Addiction Counselor Amber Hollingsworth reveals why the most common advice given to families is not just ineffective—it's dangerous. Discover the proven "Invisible Intervention" method that's helping thousands of families support their loved ones without enabling, confrontation, or becoming the bad guy.

🎙️ ABOUT THIS EPISODE

You're exhausted. You've tried everything. Ultimatums, confrontations, begging, threatening, and nothing works. Your loved one keeps using despite losing jobs, relationships, health, and freedom. Everyone says "let them hit rock bottom" but you're watching them die. What if there's a better way?

In this raw and revelatory conversation, Amber Hollingsworth (LMAC, Master Licensed Addiction Counselor with 20+ years experience) dismantles the most harmful myths in addiction recovery and shares practical strategies that actually work. If you're a family member, spouse, parent, or friend of someone with addiction—this is the episode you've been searching for.

👤 GUEST EXPERT: AMBER HOLLINGSWORTH

Amber is a Master Licensed Addiction Counselor (LMAC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has dedicated over two decades to helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of addiction. She's the creator of the revolutionary "Put the Shovel Down" method and founder of Family Recovery Academy, where she's helped thousands of families worldwide. With over 1,000 educational videos on YouTube and a unique perspective shaped by growing up in a family affected by addiction, Amber brings both professional expertise and deep personal understanding to this conversation.

🔑 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

- Why "waiting for rock bottom" is the most dangerous myth in addiction recovery—and what the research actually shows about motivation and consequences

- The critical difference between natural consequences and punishment (this one distinction changes everything about how you approach helping your loved one)

- How to help high-functioning addicts who maintain jobs, relationships, and appearances while slowly destroying themselves internally

- The "Invisible Intervention" technique—a step-by-step method to build influence and support

⏱️ KEY TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Why Everything You Know About Helping Addicts Is Wrong

01:14 - The Rock Bottom Myth: Why Waiting Is Dangerous

03:10 - Consequences vs. Punishment: The Game-Changing Difference

07:00 - High-Functioning Addicts: The Hidden Crisis

12:08 - The Invisible Intervention Method Explained Step-by-Step

14:20 - It's Not Codependency—It's Betrayal Trauma

20:04 - Decoding the Sorry Cycle and Manipulation Tactics

24:11 - Setting Boundaries That Actually Stick

27:35 - The Compassionate Response to Relapse

30:00 - Understanding Triggers Without Enabling

36:48 - Addiction and Trauma: Exploring the Real Connection

39:22 - Can Someone Overcome Addiction Alone?

43:53 - Taking Your Power Back: Action Steps to Start Today

🔗 CONNECT WITH AMBER

YouTube: Put The Shovel Down (1,000+ free educational videos) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT8PE1v0xFR9zLXOijxM6hg

Website: Family Recovery Academy - https://www.familyrecoveryacademy.online

Programs: Invisible Intervention Training, Family Support Courses

🆘 CRISIS RESOURCES

If you or someone you love is in crisis:

- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text)

- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

⚠️ DISCLAIMER

This podcast provides educational information and personal experiences for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified healthcare providers regarding substance use disorders, mental health concerns, or medical conditions. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, call 911 immediately.

The feelings you're running from aren't trying to destroy you—they're trying to SAVE you. In this raw, unfiltered episode, Jason sits down with Duane (15 years sober) who reveals the shocking truth about why "positive thinking" and spiritual bypassing are actually keeping people stuck in addiction and relapse.

This isn't another motivational speech. This is actionable wisdom from someone who worked in a BAR for over a decade after getting sober—serving alcohol every single day—and was never once tempted to drink.

KEY TOPICS COVERED:

- Why resistance to emotions creates MORE suffering than the emotions themselves

- The "spiritual bypassing" trap that 99% of addicts fall into (and how to escape)

- Duane's life-changing "pool moment" after 6 months of daily prayer

- How to rewire your brain in 21 days using neuroscience (Dr. Caroline Leaf's method)

- The simple "I am aware" technique that creates instant emotional freedom

- Why working in a bar for 10 years AFTER getting sober was possible

- The difference between "sounding pretty" and actually feeling your feelings

- Teal Swan's shadow work and emotional experiencing techniques

- Matt Kahn's "Whatever arises, love that" philosophy explained

- The Appreciation Game practice for shifting emotional states

- Eckhart Tolle's teachings on present moment awareness applied to recovery

- How to use prayer as a neuroplasticity tool

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

"I worked in a bar for over a decade serving liquor every day and was never tempted to drink. The obsession was completely removed." - Duane

"There's a very big difference between sounding pretty and feeling the feelings. The sounding pretty is the spiritual bypass." - Duane

"If I have one foot in the past and one foot in the future, I'm pissing all over today." - Recovery Wisdom

"We have 60,000 thoughts a day - that's 60,000 opportunities to practice being our best self." - Duane

DUANE'S MIRACLE "POOL MOMENT":

For 6 months, Duane said this prayer with every step he took: "God, relieve me of this obsession." Working as a landscaper, cleaning pools, he repeated this prayer hundreds of times daily. Then one day by a pool, he fell to his knees crying—not from pain, but from realizing he hadn't thought about drinking in TWO WEEKS. The obsession was gone. This is the power of surrender combined with neuroscience.

UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL BYPASSING:

Spiritual bypassing is using spiritual concepts to avoid psychological work. In recovery this looks like:

- "Just think positive" instead of processing grief

- "Everything happens for a reason" to avoid accountability

- "Good vibes only" while suppressing real emotions

- Excessive meditation to escape uncomfortable feelings

- Using spiritual texts to intellectualize instead of feel

THE ANTIDOTE: Practice saying "I am AWARE of anger" instead of "I AM angry." This creates observer consciousness, allowing you to learn from emotions rather than be controlled by them.

ACTIONABLE PRACTICES YOU CAN START TODAY:

1. The "I Am Aware" Technique - Create space between you and your emotions

2. The Prayer Walk - Repeat a powerful prayer with every step for 21-90 days

3. The Appreciation Game - Spend 5 minutes listing everything you appreciate

4. The 21-Day Thought Detox - Rewire one toxic pattern using Dr. Leaf's process

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR:

✓ Anyone struggling with addiction, alcoholism, or substance abuse

✓ People in early sobriety or recovery feeling stuck

✓ Those dealing with anxiety, depression, or emotional regulation

✓ Anyone who's relapsed and doesn't know why

✓ Loved ones trying to understand addiction and recovery

✓ People using "positive thinking" to avoid real emotions

This episode combines spiritual wisdom with neuroscience to provide ACTIONABLE HOPE for your recovery journey. Whether you're struggling with alcohol, drugs, behavioral addictions, or just feeling stuck in life,

In this raw and transformative episode of "Recovered Addict: A Journey Within," hosts Duane Yardman-Frank and Jason Rigby dive deep into the spiritual roots of addiction, revealing it not as a moral failing but as a profound cry for connection. They challenge traditional recovery narratives by spotlighting the spiritual void that fuels addictive cycles, regardless of the substance or behavior.

Drawing heavily on the profound teachings of spiritual teacher Matt Kahn, Duane and Jason explore how radical self-acceptance and spiritual awakening can pave the path to true freedom beyond mere sobriety.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Spiritual Void: Understand addiction as a "God-sized hole" within, an insatiable hunger that external achievements, pleasures, or distractions can never truly fill.

• Consummatory vs. Intrinsic Reward: Discover the two brain reward systems and how addiction traps individuals in the cycle of "consummatory reward," while spiritual development offers "intrinsic reward" and lasting purpose.

• Matt Kahn's Core Mantra: "Whatever Arises, Love That": Learn how this powerful mantra is an invitation to meet excruciating cravings, shame, guilt, and emotional pain with radical acceptance and unconditional love, transforming internal struggle into a spiritual path.

• The Ego as "WAR" (Worry, Anticipation, Regret): Explore Matt Kahn's acronym for ego and how this "war in the mind" manifests in addiction, driving constant seeking of external validation and temporary relief.

• Integrating the Ego for Freedom: Discover how the ego is not an adversary to be eradicated but an integral part of the human form that, when integrated with spirit, can empower individuals to say "no" to destructive patterns and play for "higher stakes". The Ganesh and mouse analogy beautifully illustrates this serving relationship between ego and divinity.

• The Gifts of Space and Time: Learn how cultivating inner spaciousness and making peace with the present moment can unravel deep-seated trauma and align you with your higher self, offering a "window of grace" for healing.

• Innate Worthiness: Reframe recovery not as a battle to become worthy, but as realizing the profound truth that you always were worthy, just as God sees you, regardless of past actions. This understanding allows for the healing of core unworthiness that fuels addictive behaviors.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Confront suffering directly rather than evading or suppressing it, seeing it as a path to service and rebirth.

• Practice mindfulness and sense perceptions to exit the "mind chatter" of worry and honor the present moment.

• Embrace the mantra "Whatever Arises, Love That" for radical acceptance of all emotions, including cravings and shame.

• Recognize that love is not bound by time or space and can bend dimensions, connecting you to infinite abundance and higher purpose.

Connect with Us: If you're interested in transforming your life and embarking on a long-term recovery journey, delve deeper into these tools.

https://recoveredaddictpodcast.com/