Why Intervention Podcast

Ryan Soave, LMHC, a renowned addiction treatment specialist with decades of clinical experience and his own recovery story, sits down to share the conversations that typically happen behind closed doors in treatment centers. As someone working on the front lines helping people with addictions and their families daily, Ryan brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to help families move from reactive crisis mode to intentional healing- for everyone involved.

Highlights

• The 94.7% Reality - Understanding why most people with addiction don't perceive they need help, and how this statistic actually explains the resistance you're experiencing (it's not about you or your efforts)

• Motivational Interviewing for Families - How treatment professionals help people build internal motivation for change, and what families can learn about meeting their loved one where they are, not where they wish they were

• The Substance as Solution Perspective - Why viewing the addiction as your loved one's attempt at solving discomfort (rather than just destructive behavior) can transform your approach and reduce your frustration

• The Family System Impact - How addiction creates functioning patterns where everyone plays a role, and why understanding your part isn't about blame but about empowerment to create change

• When the "Patient" Gets Healthier Than the Family - Why families often struggle more when their loved one enters treatment, and how to prepare for and navigate this challenging but hopeful phase

• The Serenity Prayer in Practice - Concrete ways to identify what you can and cannot control, including how your reactions contribute to the family system's functioning

• Age and Responsibility Considerations - Different approaches for families dealing with a 14-year-old versus a 35-year-old, while maintaining consistent principles about boundaries and support

• The "Built-in Forgetter" Phenomenon - Understanding why your loved one returns to using even after experiencing severe consequences, and why this baffles everyone (including them)

• Treatment Fatigue Reality - Why people often stop participating in treatment when they start feeling better, and how families can support sustained engagement without becoming codependent

• Modern Challenges for Recovery - The unprecedented availability and potency of substances today, including the fentanyl crisis and how social media impacts both addiction and recovery

• Individual Goals Within Family Systems - How family members can identify personal goals that have nothing to do with their loved one's addiction, and why this benefits everyone

• The Spiritual Component of Healing - How recovery involves returning to an authentic self rather than finding something new, and what this means for family healing

• Meeting People Where They Are - Practical ways to support your loved one's actual goals rather than imposing your own, while still maintaining healthy boundaries

• Codependency as Addiction - Understanding how families can become "addicted" to their loved one's wellbeing, and healthy ways to redirect that energy toward personal growth

• The Lucky Ones Perspective - Why families dealing with addiction, despite the pain, often have opportunities for profound growth and connection that others may never experience

This conversation offers something rare: honest, practical wisdom from someone who helps families navigate these waters every day. Ryan's shares that while addiction affects the whole family system, everyone has the capacity for healing and growth. You're situation isn't hopeless, even when it feels that way.

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When Christopher Doyle reflects on his father Jimmy's journey from nine years in prison to becoming a cornerstone of the recovery community, he sees more than just personal transformation. He sees a roadmap for families navigating their own loved one's addiction. This deeply personal conversation with longtime family friend John Ronayne reveals how recovery can reshape not just individuals, but entire family systems across generations.

Jimmy Doyle's story spans decades of struggle and eventual triumph, offering families a powerful reminder that no bottom is too low and no situation too hopeless for recovery to take root and flourish.

Highlights

What You'll Discover:

• The surprising response that planted seeds instead of shame- What Jimmy said when 16-year-old Christopher first admitted to drinking will completely change how you think about confronting addiction in your family

• Why having sober parents didn't prevent addiction- Christopher's story reveals the complex relationship between family recovery history and individual substance use patterns

• The counterintuitive size that makes recovery meetings most effective- Why 10-15 people created deeper transformation than rooms of 150, and what this means for finding the right support

• The daily habit that created an instant early warning system- Jimmy's morning routine was so powerful that any deviation felt immediately wrong within seconds of waking

• How helping the "unhelpable" transformed the helper- The specific type of people Jimmy chose to work with, and why this choice became central to his spiritual development

• Why a four-year relapse actually strengthened his recovery- The surprising reason Jimmy's return to the community was even more impactful than his original sobriety

• The distinction between attraction and promotion in recovery work- What made Jimmy's approach so effective that people still reference it 15 years after his death

• What happened when a 17-year-old entered rooms where both parents were already sober- The unexpected advantages and challenges this created for early recovery

• The selfless response that surprised even a firefighter- Why the recovery community's reaction to Jimmy's cancer treatment needs revealed something profound about these bonds compared to other tight-knit groups

• The train track analogy that ended arguments about controlled drinking- Jimmy's simple story that made the impossibility of "just one drink" crystal clear to newcomers

• How spiritual presence becomes visible to others- What observers noticed about Jimmy's transformation over 23 years, and how routine created this "aura"

• The business meeting question that still guides decisions today- How "What would Jimmy do?" continues to influence group dynamics years later

• The moment that eliminated alcohol's psychological power forever- JR's complete acceptance that fundamentally changed his relationship with craving

• The unrecognizable transformation that neighbors witnessed- How someone who remembered Jimmy from the 1970s couldn't believe they were seeing the same person

• What the last conversation between father and son revealed- The final exchange that perfectly captured everything Jimmy had taught about priorities and service

For families feeling exhausted by their loved one's addiction, this episode provides both practical strategies and emotional reassurance. You'll hear how to respond supportively when addiction is discovered, understand why relapses don't negate previous progress, and learn how recovery communities can become extended family systems.

The conversation also highlights crucial resources: local AA groups (particularly smaller, intimate meetings), meditation meetings, and the power of having sober mentors available for guidance and support.

If you're supporting someone in early recovery or wondering if change is truly possible, Jimmy Doyle's legacy reminds us that with the right community, consistent practice, and commitment to helping others, transformation isn't just possible- it's inevitable.

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When Brock Bevel was in active addiction, he never imagined he'd one day be the person dropping a rope into the hole for others. Today, this former police officer and detective runs the Fentanyl Project in Arizona, where he saves lives on the streets every single day. His story reminds us that recovery is possible, even from the depths of fentanyl addiction.

Brock brings a unique perspective to the conversation about addiction and recovery. As someone who experienced the physical and emotional devastation of opioid addiction firsthand, and now works directly with people struggling with fentanyl on the streets of Arizona, he understands both sides of this crisis. His work with the Fentanyl Project has helped dozens of people find their way to recovery, proving that hope exists even in the darkest circumstances.

Highlights

What You'll Discover:

• The "Chocolate Chip Cookie Effect" — Why someone with extreme tolerance can still die from a single pill, and what this means for your loved one's safety

• The Tylenol Pill Discovery — What police found during a routine traffic stop that changed everything families need to know about today's drug supply

• Why Experimentation Has Changed Forever — How a simple party decision that was once relatively safe has become potentially deadly, and what parents need to discuss now

• The Four-Hour Rule — The surprising timeline that drives the psychological warfare people with fentanyl addiction face every single day

• When "Just Meth" Isn't Just Meth — Why people think they're using one drug but are actually unknowingly taking something completely different

• The Seven-Day Truth — What really happens during fentanyl withdrawal and why most treatment programs get this critically wrong

• The Moment That Changes Everything — How Brock identifies when someone is truly ready for help and what families can learn from this recognition

• The Baseball Diamond Approach — Brock's simple framework for understanding what every person in addiction is really struggling with

• Why People Chase the Deadliest Supply — The counterintuitive reason that news of an overdose can actually increase demand for that dealer's product

• The Success Story You Need to Hear — How someone went from stumbling in traffic half-clothed to celebrating a year of recovery

• The Family Connection Factor — Why the people who recover from street-level fentanyl addiction almost always have this one thing in common

• The Environment Trap — Why even successful detox often leads right back to using, and what actually works instead

• The Magic Wand Solution — What Brock would create if he could design the perfect recovery system from scratch

• The Rope in the Hole — A powerful metaphor that will change how you think about your role in your loved one's recovery journey

This conversation offers both sobering realities about the current drug crisis and genuine hope for families facing these challenges. Brock's daily work on the streets of Arizona proves that recovery is possible, even from the depths of fentanyl addiction. His approach of meeting people where they are, providing life-saving resources, and connecting them to proper treatment when they're ready offers a model that families can adapt to their own situations.

For families feeling overwhelmed by a loved one's addiction, remember that your involvement matters more than you might realize. While you can't force someone into recovery, you can be prepared with resources, maintain appropriate boundaries, and be ready to act when the moment of willingness arrives.

Recovery starts with family. Your love, properly channeled through education and appropriate action, can make all the difference for your loved one.

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Jeff Jay was sleeping under bushes in San Francisco, physically deteriorating and contemplating suicide, when his parents found him through an unlikely series of events. What started as a simple phone call became the beginning of a 40+ year recovery journey, and eventually helped create the modern intervention methods that have guided thousands of families.

Highlights

What Every Family Needs to Know:

• The gentle question that changed everything- how one father's caring words reached his son when nothing else could (and why the approach mattered more than the words themselves)

• Why "they have to want it" isn't the whole story- understanding how motivation and readiness actually work in recovery, plus what families can do while waiting

• The doctor's straightforward explanation that provided clarity- a simple framework that helped make sense of addiction as a medical condition

• Real success rates for family interventions- 85-90% when done thoughtfully, and what happens with the remaining 10-15%

• Understanding the addicted brain- why decision-making is compromised and how this knowledge can help families respond with compassion instead of frustration

• How families can recognize their influence- you have more impact than you might think, especially when you know how to use it constructively

• What "raising the bottom" means for your family- helping someone reach acceptance sooner rather than waiting for more consequences

• The power of "doing this together"- why recovery works better when the whole family participates, not just the person with addiction

• When intervention doesn't work on day one- what families can do to maintain momentum and continue the conversation

• Why modern treatment approaches can be confusing- navigating the difference between treating addiction and treating other conditions simultaneously

• The trauma and addiction connection explained- understanding when to address underlying issues and when to focus on sobriety first

• How structured family recovery works- supporting your loved one (and yourselves) through the crucial first year

• The difference between enabling and supporting- practical guidance for families learning new boundaries

• What to do when you feel exhausted and hopeless- finding your way back to effective action when you've been through so much

• Why having an ally matters- the importance of not going through this alone, and how to find the right support

• Practical next steps for families ready to learn more- where to start when you're ready to try a different approach

This conversation offers both hope and practical guidance for families who love someone struggling with addiction. Jeff's story reminds us that even in the darkest moments, the right kind of help- offered with love and clear boundaries- can make all the difference.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, remember: you don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to solve everything at once.

In this powerful episode of the Why Intervention Podcast, host Christopher Doyle sits down with Michael Chernow, the founder of Kreatures of Habit and co-founder of The Meatball Shop, who shares his remarkable journey from addiction to 20 years of sobriety and entrepreneurial success.

Highlights

• "Four hours later I was using again" — The shocking moment Michael realized the true meaning of powerlessness, and what it revealed about addiction's grip

• The unexpected ultimatum — How losing the one thing still tethering him to life became the catalyst that changed everything

• "I needed to see someone who was sober, who was cool" — The unconventional mentor who shattered Michael's preconceptions and gave him a vision of what recovery could truly be

• The three words families need to say — Michael's urgent advice for loved ones watching someone battle addiction, and why it matters more than you think

• The morning ritual that saved his life — How a simple daily habit from his first week of sobriety eventually transformed into a thriving business two decades later

• "We are the gladiators" — The surprising perspective shift that turned Michael's greatest weakness into his most profound strength

• The breathwork experience that healed a lifetime wound — How Michael reconnected with his father without using substances, and what it means for trauma healing

• The parenting approach he completely abandoned — Why Michael dramatically changed his strategy for talking with his children about substances in today's world

This episode offers a raw, unfiltered look at both the darkest depths of addiction and the extraordinary heights of recovery. Michael's journey reminds us that transformation is possible even when hope seems lost, and that sometimes our greatest struggles can become our most powerful purpose.

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