In this Boozeless Book Club episode of Leaving CrazyTown, Amy Liz Harrison and Dr. Sarah Michaud take a deep, thoughtful dive into Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the 12 Steps by Charlotte Davis Kasl. Together, they explore how rigidity, fear-based recovery messaging, and one-size-fits-all approaches can unintentionally limit healing—especially for women and people with histories of codependency or religious trauma. With honesty, nuance, and compassion, they discuss how to keep what works in traditional recovery models while making room for choice, discernment, and self-trust.
Key Takeaways

• Recovery loses power when it becomes rigid or fear-based

• One person’s path is not a universal blueprint

• Women often need self-trust and agency, not further self-reduction

• Accountability and compassion can coexist

• Thinking for yourself is not dangerous—it’s necessary

Key Timestamps

[02:00] Why this book feels “meaty” and challenging

[07:00] Rigidity, fear, and belonging in recovery

[13:00] Why women’s recovery needs differ

[20:00] Kasl’s expanded steps and codependency healing

[49:00] “Many roads” and the danger of “only one way”

Notable Resources

• Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the 12 Steps — Charlotte Davis Kasl

• Women, Sex & Addiction — Charlotte Davis Kasl

Dr. Sarah Michaud — Co-Crazy

If this episode resonated, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown—and share it with someone who needs permission to find their own way.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery—with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up—we’re leaving CrazyTown.

Do you even know who you are anymore?

It's Sarah's and Finn's anniversary month — time in recovery — and they're reflecting on three major ways they've changed since the using days. From self-reliance to honesty to actually feeling their feelings, this episode gets real about what shifts when you start doing the work. No perfect recovery stories here — just two people noticing what's different, what's better, and what still needs work.

Key Takeaways

• Self-reliance used to mean controlling everything and everyone — now it means trusting something bigger than yourself
• Avoiding feelings isn't the same as managing them — recovery teaches you to sit with discomfort instead of escaping it
• You can't have real relationships if nobody actually knows you — honesty and boundaries make connection possible
• Taking responsibility doesn't mean blaming yourself for everything — it means owning your actions and choices
• Recovery isn't about perfection — it's about catching yourself, repairing, and trying again

Notable Quote

"I was willing to take responsibility, but I was blind to the truth of what was actually going on." — Finn

Connect With Us

Dr. Sarah Michaud, Author of Co Crazy

Follow @leavingcrazytown on YouTube

Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com

If you loved this conversation, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown—and share it with a friend ready to reclaim their voice and leave confusion behind.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery—with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up—we're leaving CrazyTown.

*This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you're struggling, please seek support from a licensed professional.

Can you imagine having sex without booze… or does that thought make you want to crawl out of your skin?

In this episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah get honest about sober sex — what it looked like in addiction versus what it requires in recovery. From detachment, low standards, and seeking validation to body image fears, rejection anxiety, and learning discernment, they unpack the uncomfortable shift from numb hookups to real intimacy.

They explore how addiction blurred choice, how early sobriety brings a flood of insecurity, and why staying in your body is both terrifying and transformative. Because sober sex isn’t about performance — it’s about presence.

And presence requires vulnerability.

Takeaways

• In addiction, sex is often about validation, fear, and proving worth — not connection
• Sober sex brings up body image issues and rejection fears that substances once numbed
• Discernment is a recovery skill — you get to choose who you’re intimate with
• Casual relationships can activate codependent patterns if you ignore your own truth• Real intimacy requires vulnerability, honesty, and embracing discomfort
• Fun and play are possible in sober sex — it doesn’t have to be heavy or performative
  

Notable ResourcesDr. Sarah Michaud, Author of Co CrazyFollow @leavingcrazytown on YouTubeWebsite: https://drsarahmichaud.com/

If this conversation resonated, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown — and share it with someone navigating intimacy in recovery.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery — with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up — we’re leaving CrazyTown.