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Podathon For Recovery: Sarah’s Road to Recovery
Manage episode 505117006 series 2968201
Sarah opens up about starting opioids at 20, a rapid slide to heroin, pregnancy on methadone, jail, and the drug court program that helped her turn it around. After a later Xanax relapse during COVID, she did the work—therapy, structure, and service—and is now certified and working as a counselor at a maintenance clinic. This candid conversation with Wendy Beck and Rich Bennett shows what sustainable recovery really looks like—and why hope matters.
Sponsored by Rage Against Addiction
Guest Bio:
Sarah is a Harford County native, mom, and recovery professional. After entering opioid use at 20 and escalating to heroin in 2012, she experienced jail and drug court, achieved long-term abstinence from opiates and cocaine (since Sept. 27, 2016), overcame a benzodiazepine relapse in 2020–2021 (clean since Nov. 4, 2020), earned her Peer Recovery Specialist credential and ADT approval, and now counsels patients at a medication-assisted treatment clinic.
Main Topics:
· Podathon for Recovery: 12 Days of Hope benefiting Rage Against Addiction
· Starting opioids at 20; rapid progression from pills to heroin (2012)
· Pregnancy on methadone, stigma, and learning MAT safety
· IV use, crack/cocaine, legal consequences, and visible decline
· Jail detox and entry into Drug Court; Judge-led accountability
· Long-term sobriety from opiates/cocaine; COVID-era Xanax relapse and dangers of benzo withdrawal
· Therapy, boundaries, routines, fitness, and gratitude as core recovery tools
· Working in recovery: peer support vs. clinicians; women-specific needs; mom guilt and shame
· Maintenance meds (methadone/Suboxone): misuse stigma vs. real stability
· Parenting conversations about peer pressure and openness with kids
· Burnout prevention for recovery workers (self-care, phone boundaries, weekly therapy)
Resources mentioned:
· Donate to Rage Against Addiction
· Center for A
Rage Against AddictionRage Against Addiction is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting addicts and their famili
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Chapters
1. Podathon intro, why we’re raising funds for Rage Against Addiction (00:00:00)
2. Meet co-host Wendy; introducing guest Sarah (00:01:48)
3. Harford County roots; addiction begins later than most (00:02:46)
4. From pain pills to heroin: a fast escalation (2012) (00:04:00)
5. Jobs, school, runs to the city, living a double life (00:06:14)
6. Pregnancy, detox confusion, and methadone at Bayview (00:07:27)
7. Telling mom; stigma and secrecy during pregnancy (00:08:37)
8. Post-partum relapse; first time injecting (00:13:26)
9. 2013–2016 spiral: IV use, crack/coke, legal trouble, motel isolation (00:16:54)
10. Treatment access barriers; waitlists and cost (00:19:43)
11. Jail detox; Drug Court opens a door (00:20:24)
12. Long-term clean date for opiates/cocaine (Sept. 27, 2016) (00:21:20)
13. COVID era: prescribed Xanax, blackouts, DUIs, and detox (00:21:41)
14. New clean date (Nov. 4, 2020); therapy as the difference-maker (00:26:16)
15. Working in recovery; women’s houses and unique needs (00:28:34)
16. Peers vs. clinicians: trust, shame, and telling the whole story (00:32:44)
17. Finishing her degree; ADT approved; PRS certification (00:34:21)
18. Being a role model; her son’s pride (00:36:52)
19. New job: counseling at a maintenance clinic (00:42:30)
20. MAT stigma vs. stability: what recovery looks like in real life (00:43:11)
21. Burnout prevention for helpers: boundaries, gym, weekly therapy (00:46:36)
22. Gratitude practice and daily routines (00:48:16)
23. Perspective: recovery timelines and what “long” really means (00:50:12)
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