<p>This episode features Randy Hall on Buddhist-inspired recovery, mindfulness, and why healing addiction often starts with self-compassion—not judgment.</p><p>Randy Hall, is a Program Coordinator with the Addiction Prevention Coalition in Birmingham, Alabama, a person in long-term recovery, a Certified Peer Support Specialist, a SMART Recovery Facilitator, and the former President of the Recovery Dharma Global community. Randy is deeply committed to building peer support spaces and advocating for multiple pathways to recovery that meet people where they are.</p><br><p>Throughout the conversation, Sonia, Kathleen, and Randy explore what happens when someone wants recovery but doesn’t quite fit into a single prescribed model. They dig into questions around craving, identity, trauma, relapse, self-judgment, and why curiosity can be a powerful starting point for change. The episode touches on mindfulness, Buddhist-inspired recovery, peer-led support, and evidence-based tools — all through the lens of real life rather than theory.</p><p>Randy breaks down Buddhist principles in an accessible, grounded way, explaining how ideas like impermanence, compassion, and mindful awareness can be used day-to-day in recovery. He shares how practices like meditation, naming emotions, and interrupting judgment helped him learn to sit with discomfort instead of escaping it. Listeners will also hear how SMART Recovery’s rational, skills-based approach complemented these practices — showing how recovery doesn’t have to be either/or, but can be built from multiple supports working together.</p><br><p>At the heart of the episode is Randy’s story — one marked by achievement, addiction, and a dramatic turning point. He shares how years of high-functioning substance use eventually led to a life-altering diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome that left him temporarily paralyzed. What followed wasn’t a neat or linear recovery, but a painful, human process that included relapse, fear, and ultimately a deep internal shift. Randy reflects on how real change didn’t come from punishment or fear, but from learning self-compassion, finding community, and allowing himself to be honest about his suffering. His story underscores how transformation often comes not from avoiding pain, but from finally meeting it with care and support.</p><br><p><strong>Episode Highlights</strong></p><p>00:01 — Randy shares how alcohol first felt like social “magic” — and how quickly it turned into something darker</p><p> 00:03 — What high-functioning addiction really looks like behind the scenes</p><p> 00:05 — Using substances to cope with professional pressure and internal conflict</p><p> 00:06 — The shocking moment Randy’s body shut down during a kids’ soccer game</p><p> 00:08 — Being paralyzed, hospitalized, and forced to confront mortality</p><p> 00:10 — Why detox and physical recovery weren’t enough</p><p> 00:12 — Returning home and relapsing despite everything he’d been through</p><p> 00:15 — The quiet role of shame and self-loathing in addiction</p><p> 00:17 — Hitting a point where change was no longer optional</p><p> 00:18 — Feeling disconnected from recovery spaces that didn’t resonate</p><p> 00:19 — Discovering Recovery Dharma and Buddhist-inspired recovery</p><p> 00:21 — How mindfulness and rational tools can work together</p><p> 00:23 — The Four Noble Truths explained in plain language</p><p> 00:26 — Understanding craving as part of the human condition</p><p> 00:28 — How mindfulness helps interrupt urges in real time</p><p> 00:34 — The difference between awareness and judgment</p><p> 00:38 — “Having tea with your demons” and learning to work with urges</p><p> 00:44 — Riding urges like waves instead of fighting them</p><p> 00:48 — Why community matters more than willpower</p><p> 00:51 — Practical advice for anyone who feels stuck right now</p><br><p>Randy's Links <a href="https://recoverydharma.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://recoverydharma.org/</a></p><br><p>SIS Links</p><p>💌 <a href="http://sistersinsobriety.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sisters In Sobriety Substack</a> – where the magic (and the mocktail recipes) happen</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">📬 Sisters In Sobriety Email</a></p><p>📸<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sistersinsobrietypod/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Sisters In Sobriety Instagram</a></p><p>🌐 <a href="https://www.kathleenkillen.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kathleen’s Website</a> <em>Kathleen does not endorse any products mentioned in this podcast</em></p><p>📸 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coupleswithkathleen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kathleen’s Instagram</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>