Are you chasing perfectionism at the cost of your well-being?

Justin Kinney shares his gripping journey from rock bottom to redemption, revealing the struggles of perfectionism and the path to recovery. Explore the double life of high achievement and addiction as Justin speaks on reclaiming control and rebuilding life with purpose.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Discover the destructive cycle of perfectionism and addiction.

• Unlock the potential of stoicism in transforming your outlook.

• Learn how discipline can be a tool for lasting recovery.

NOTABLE QUOTE

"Redemption of life is not built in emotional breakthroughs. It's built in repeated obedience to small disciplined decisions." — Justin Kinney

GUEST BIO

Justin Kinney is the author of "From Rock Bottom to Redemption," a compelling narrative on overcoming addiction and rebuilding life through discipline and faith. A dedicated coach and teacher, Justin's recovery journey inspires others to break free from the chains of perfectionism and addiction.

Get the book: From Rock Bottom to Redemption: 365 Daily Lessons for Rebuilding Your Life through Discipline, Faith, and Purposehttps://a.co/d/0331MQOj

Connect with Us:

• Dr. Sarah Michaud — Author of Co Crazy

• Follow @leavingcrazytown on YouTube

• Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com/

• 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. With a unique blend of humor, honesty, and clinical insight, this show tackles the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and boundary disasters — while offering practical tools, powerful storytelling, and a roadmap for emotional freedom. Weekly episodes on YouTube (@leavingcrazytown) and all major podcast platforms.

What insights can we gain about codependency from a cat's perspective?

In a playful yet revealing episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud explore the codependency traps lurking in unexpected places — like pet care. Through the story of Barbara the cat, listeners uncover the importance of recognizing and respecting boundaries, setting honest expectations, and letting go of control in relationships.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Recognize when your actions are more about alleviating your discomfort than helping others.

• Truth-telling can dismantle codependence in personal relationships.

• Notice the energy of urgency or fear, as it's often a sign of misplaced control.

NOTABLE QUOTE

"I was like, 'But I didn't need consoling, so you're consoling me for you.'" — Finn

Connect with Us:

• Dr. Sarah Michaud — Author of Co Crazy

• Follow @leavingcrazytown on YouTube

• Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com/

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. With a unique blend of humor, honesty, and clinical insight, this show tackles the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and boundary disasters — while offering practical tools, powerful storytelling, and a roadmap for emotional freedom. Weekly episodes on YouTube (@leavingcrazytown) and all major podcast platforms.

Do you spend more time thinking about what they're doing than thinking about yourself?

In this solo episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud read a letter from Gary — a goldfish swimming literal circles in his tank while his dad drinks himself into the couch every night. It sounds funny until you realize you've been Gary. This episode breaks down the core of codependency: obsessing over someone else's behavior until there's nothing left of your own life, and what to actually do instead.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Obsessing over someone else's behavior — their drinking, their moods, their choices — is the core of codependency, not a side effect

• Recognizing you can't control it is step one, but most people skip it and keep trying to fix anyway

• Shifting focus to your own needs, feelings, and self-care is not selfish — it is the recovery

• There is a real difference between worrying about what someone else is doing and identifying behaviors that are directly affecting you and require a boundary

• A boundary is not about controlling what they do — it is about expressing what you need and what you will do if things don't change

• You cannot carry the worry and expect it to help them — offloading it to something outside yourself, whether that is a higher power, a shelf, or a little spoon, actually works

NOTABLE QUOTE

"You're not expressing what you want your dad to do, but what you're expressing is what you need to do for yourself — and that's what really impacts the people we love." — Dr. Sarah Michaud

Connect with Us:

Dr. Sarah Michaud — Author of Co Crazy

Follow @leavingcrazytown on YouTube

Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com/

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. With a unique blend of humor, honesty, and clinical insight, this show tackles the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and boundary disasters — while offering practical tools, powerful storytelling, and a roadmap for emotional freedom. Weekly episodes on YouTube (@leavingcrazytown) and all major podcast platforms.

Ever build a whole case for why you're the outsider — then realize you're the one who put yourself there?

In this Boozeless Book Club crossover, Amy Liz Harrison and Dr. Sarah Michaud dig into Cheryl Strayed's Brave Enough and what it stirs up in recovery: loneliness we're ashamed to admit, the hard conversations we avoid, and the grief of the life that didn't happen. They trade real stories about taking things personally, holding the people we love hostage to old wounds, and what it actually takes to face the truth.

Key Takeaways

• You're often the one casting yourself as the outsider — and naming the loneliness out loud is where connection starts.

• When someone's petty, distant, or weird, their behavior is usually about them, not your worth.

• Old wounds will rewrite a neutral conversation into "I'm not worth it" — the work is catching it and not making your person pay for the past.

• Being brave enough means having the hard conversation, especially with the people closest to you.

• Some grief doesn't get fixed; it gets walked through. You let time pass, you keep moving, and one day you realize you're okay.

Resources & Links

• Dr. Sarah Michaud's Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com

• Get Sarah's Book "Co Crazy": https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736720430

Subscribe & Share

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.

*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.

Do you keep wondering if you're the one who's wrong?

Dr. Sarah sits down with Craig Jackson, author of Beyond the Lies: Addiction Is Much More Than Drinking Alcohol and Using Drugs, to talk about the emotional realities that live beneath the surface of addiction. Craig shares his journey from high-functioning alcoholic to recovery advocate — and breaks down the difference between denial and delusion, how manipulation shows up without malice, and why the loved ones around an addict often end up sicker than the person using. This conversation is for anyone who's ever felt like they're losing their mind trying to help someone they love.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Denial is conscious. Delusion is their truth. One you can argue with — the other you can't.
• Addicts manipulate to protect their ability to use, not because they don't love you.
• Co-addicts become addicted to the state of the addict — how much they're drinking, what they're hiding, whether today's the day.
• Your boundaries get softened over time. What was once unacceptable becomes tolerated. That becomes the new baseline.
• The identified patient gets all the attention. Meanwhile, everyone else in the system is suffering too.
• You can't base your recovery on what your addict is doing. They may never stop. Save your own life.

GUEST BIO

Craig Jackson is the author of Beyond the Lies: Addiction Is Much More Than Drinking Alcohol and Using Drugs, written under the pen name C.S. Jackson. He's been in recovery for over a decade and wrote the book as a map for loved ones navigating the emotional landscape of living with addiction. Craig lives with his wife Nicole, who also shares her perspective throughout the book.

RESOURCES & LINKS

Beyond the Lies by C.S. Jackson — available on Amazon

Notable Quote

"Addicts and alcoholics do this to protect their ability to use. They have this underlying fear — using is their only tool for coping. The thought of not being able to have that kicks in their fight or flight, and then they'll do whatever it takes." — Craig Jackson

Connect With Us

Website: https://drsarahmichaud.com

Buy the Book: Co-Crazy

If you loved this conversation, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown.

Hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud. Codependency healing with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up.

For educational and entertainment purposes only. Not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

Ever catch yourself thinking everything will be perfect when you get married, find your people, or reach that next milestone?

In this raw conversation, Finn and Dr. Sarah tackle the codependent habit of living for tomorrow instead of experiencing life today. They explore why we escape the present moment through busyness, achievements, and managing other people - and how this keeps us disconnected from ourselves and real happiness.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Codependency means seeking validation from outside sources instead of finding peace within yourself

• We escape discomfort through busyness, relationships, achievements, and even our phones

• Setting boundaries means accepting that people will step over them and choosing how to respond

• The present moment is rarely the problem - anxiety comes from past regrets or future worries

• Real life happens now, not when you finally achieve that next goal or fix that relationship

NOTABLE QUOTE

"Rarely is the present moment a problem. Usually nothing's happening that is causing pain or disruption." — Finn

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. With a unique blend of humor, honesty, and clinical insight, this show tackles the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and boundary disasters — while offering practical tools, powerful storytelling, and a roadmap for emotional freedom. Weekly episodes on YouTube (@leavingcrazytown) and all major podcast platforms.

Ever notice how all your relationship wisdom goes out the window the moment you're actually in one?

Finn and Dr. Sarah get brutally honest about their current relationships and the codependent patterns that only surface when you're actually dating someone. Sarah shares her recent discovery about why she starts questioning the whole relationship instead of just speaking up about what's bothering her. Finn reveals his breakthrough about why he insisted no one could ever be special to him and how one simple question from his girlfriend changed everything.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Codependent patterns only fully reveal themselves within actual relationships, not when you're single and theorizing

• When you start making mental lists of what's wrong with your partner, check if you've been avoiding communicating something important

• Our definitions of relationship concepts like special, love, and commitment are shaped by our past experiences and often need clarification with partners

• The question What does that mean to you can create space for breakthrough conversations instead of defensiveness

• Being in a relationship is like being in therapy with two people working on their stuff simultaneously

NOTABLE QUOTE

"What does special mean to you? Game-changer." — Finn

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. With a unique blend of humor, honesty, and clinical insight, this show tackles the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and boundary disasters — while offering practical tools, powerful storytelling, and a roadmap for emotional freedom. Weekly episodes on YouTube (@leavingcrazytown) and all major podcast platforms.

Ever wonder if you can actually have fun traveling without drinking your way through every destination?

Teresa Bergen joins Dr. Sarah Michaud to share her incredible journey from drinking rubbing alcohol as a child to becoming a sober travel expert who's kayaked through Arctic icebergs and rafted the Grand Canyon. With over 40 years of sobriety starting at age 20, Teresa breaks down the real talk on navigating airports, resorts, and adventures without liquid courage. From avoiding wine country with your drinking buddies to finding your tribe of fellow adventurers, this conversation reveals how sobriety opens doors to experiences you never imagined possible.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Start with group trips and guided activities when beginning sober travel to avoid logistics overwhelm
• Choose destinations based on your genuine interests, not what others expect you to enjoy
• Bring accountability support and maintain your healthy habits while traveling
• You don't have to be perfect at new activities to enjoy incredible experiences
• Sometimes the best adventures happen when you step outside your comfort zone (but keep the hotel room)

NOTABLE QUOTE

"You don't have to be good at all of them. I'm not saying that all these things I'm really great at, like when I'm kayaking in every state, it's not like I'm kayaking 50 miles out of the wild by myself. It's like I'm renting a kayak and paddling around for an hour or two and looking at birds." — Teresa Bergen

GUEST BIO

Teresa Bergen is author of The Sober Travel Handbook and a writer for Sober Curator Online magazine. With over 40 years of sobriety beginning at age 20, she's turned her passion for adventure into a mission to help others discover the world without alcohol. Teresa is currently on a quest to kayak in every US state and Canadian province while sharing practical tips for sober travelers worldwide.

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. With a unique blend of humor, honesty, and clinical insight, this show tackles the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and boundary disasters — while offering practical tools, powerful storytelling, and a roadmap for emotional freedom. Weekly episodes on YouTube (@leavingcrazytown) and all major podcast platforms.