In this episode of Sharing Without Shame, Donna dives into the raw realities families face when addiction enters the home. This conversation explores the emotional toll, the misconceptions that keep families stuck, and the critical shift from waiting for “rock bottom” to recognizing when enough is enough.

Through honest storytelling and lived experience, this episode challenges stigma, breaks down denial, and offers hope for parents who feel overwhelmed, angry, afraid, or exhausted.

If you’ve ever felt helpless watching someone you love struggle, this conversation will remind you that addiction has no boundaries — and neither does healing.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

- Why addiction does not discriminate based on status, income, or background

- The danger of waiting for “rock bottom”

- Why “functioning alcoholic” can be a harmful myth

- The emotional shift from anger to humility

- The difference between hitting bottom and reaching “enough”

- How denial and stigma keep families stuck

- Why family healing must happen alongside individual recovery

About the Guest:

Bambi Lynn is an author, speaker, and proud mother of six with thirteen grandchildren. After years of embracing her story, she now shares it with courage and purpose. With two published books and more on the way, Bambi is passionate about listening to people’s stories and offering hope through her own. She believes storms don’t last, purpose changes everything, and when you find yours, you run with it. Through her words and conversations, she hopes to change lives one heart and one door at a time.

Learn more about her here: https://healingthroughstories.com/

👉 Learn more about Donna’s work and resources at ⁠sharingwithoutshame.com⁠

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide. here: ⁠https://sharing-with-out-shame.kit.com/690016dc78⁠

Sponsors:

Experience Inner Peace with Calming Therapy Bracelets

Website: ⁠⁠https://snappbandz.com/⁠

Use SWOS or SharingWithoutShame code

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Donna sits down with Kerry Norton, co-founder and Executive Director of Hope on Haven Hill, a recovery residence program serving pregnant and parenting women.

Kerry shares her personal journey as a mother navigating her son’s heroin addiction, the heartbreak of trying to access treatment, and the hard lessons learned about boundaries, family unity, and hope. What began as a mother fighting for her child’s life became a mission to ensure other women and babies would not be left without support.

Together, Donna and Kerry talk about recovery, generational healing, healthcare barriers, and the power of community.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

- The “punch in the stomach” moment of discovering a child’s heroin addiction

- The struggle to access treatment—even with insurance and resources

- Why families must get on the same page when setting boundaries

- The importance of support systems for parents (Al-Anon, therapy, community)

- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and breaking stigma

- How trauma impacts women in addiction

- The founding and growth of Hope on Haven Hill

- Why safe housing is critical for long-term recovery

- Celebrating milestones and honoring recovery journeys

- Holding onto hope—even when it feels impossible

About the Guest: Kerry Norton

Kerry Norton is a maternal-child nurse and the passionate co-founder and Executive Director of Hope on Haven Hill in Rochester, NH. After navigating her own sons’ journeys through addiction and recovery, Kerry turned her pain into purpose by creating a recovery residence dedicated to pregnant and parenting women.

Today, Hope on Haven Hill offers residential treatment, recovery housing, outpatient services, MAT, childcare, healthcare, and affordable housing—supporting over 1,000 women on their path to healing.

Learn more:

🌐 www.hopeonhavenhill.org

👉 Learn more about Donna’s work and resources at ⁠sharingwithoutshame.com⁠

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide. here: ⁠https://sharing-with-out-shame.kit.com/690016dc78⁠

Sponsors:

Experience Inner Peace with Calming Therapy Bracelets

Website: ⁠⁠https://snappbandz.com/⁠

Use SWOS or SharingWithoutShame code

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.

Shame, guilt, and addiction don’t have to define your story.

In this episode, Donna Marston welcomes Dr. Tom Horvath, a board-certified clinical psychologist, co-founder of SMART Recovery, and pioneer in science-based addiction support. Together, they explore the role of shame and guilt, why recovery is not one-size-fits-all, and how families can support a loved one without losing themselves in the process.

Dr. Horvath shares decades of insight on self-empowered recovery, alternatives to the traditional “rock bottom” narrative, and practical tools families can use to create healthier dynamics. This conversation offers hope, clarity, and reassurance for anyone navigating addiction, whether personally or through someone they love.

Topics Covered:

- The difference between shame and guilt and how each impacts recovery

- Why there are many valid pathways to recovery

- SMART Recovery vs. 12-step programs

- The importance of choice and self-empowerment in healing

- How families can support recovery without controlling it

- Common myths about addiction and “rock bottom”

- Practical ways to communicate with a loved one in treatment

- Building a meaningful life beyond addiction

About the Guest

Dr. Tom Horvath is a board-certified clinical psychologist, Navy veteran, and internationally recognized expert in addiction recovery. He is the co-founder and former president of SMART Recovery, a science-based, self-empowering recovery network, and the founder of Practical Recovery in San Diego. Dr. Horvath is also the author of Sex, Drugs, Gambling, and Chocolate, a practical workbook for overcoming addictive behaviors.

Quotes:

“A little guilt can help us change, but too much shame keeps us stuck.”

“Recovery works best when people have a choice.”

“There isn’t one right way to recover, only the way that works for you.”

🔗 Guest Resources:

Website: https://smartrecovery.org/

👉 Learn more about Donna’s work and resources at ⁠sharingwithoutshame.com⁠

Grab my free "5 Boundaries and Breakthrough" Guide. here: ⁠https://sharing-with-out-shame.kit.com/690016dc78⁠

Sponsors:

Experience Inner Peace with Calming Therapy Bracelets

Website: ⁠⁠https://snappbandz.com/⁠

Use SWOS or SharingWithoutShame code

Learn more: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Sharingwithoutshame⁠⁠

Thank you for tuning in! May your faith and strength heal your heart.