I Love Being Sober

Why do people in recovery keep chasing the first high? Why does a relapse after ten years sober pick up right where you left off? And why do so many people feel flat, foggy, and irritable at 30 days?

Dr. Robbie Westerman has lived the answers. He was using IV heroin at 17, lost custody of his daughter, overdosed more than once, and was homeless at 21, living in an abandoned house on 19th Avenue. He got sober on May 1, 2013, went back to school, and today he is a doctoral prepared psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner treating...

Tim Ryan didn’t grow up wanting to be an addict. He wanted to be a stuntman and a professional water skier. By 21 he was checking himself into rehab for cocaine. Over the next 32 years he built businesses and burned them down, made half a million dollars a year while crying alone every night, shot heroin in his office in the Wrigley Building, survived eight overdoses, and lost his marriage and his home.

In 2012 a judge sentenced him to seven years in prison. In Sheridan Correctional Center, with a cellmate named Big Perk, he fi...

You breathe somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 times a day. Ryan McBurney says most of us are doing it wrong, and it's affecting our anxiety, our sleep, our cravings, and the way we think.

Ryan found breathwork through a Wim Hof interview while he was in what he calls an existential depression, searching for meaning and leaning on substances. The first few sessions gave him something he had been reaching for his whole life. In his words, breathwork was "in large part" a gateway to sobriety. He has since trained in seven breathwork programs, studied with breathwork p...

Most of us have heard that cortisol is the stress hormone and the goal is to lower it. Dr. Erin Kinney says that is backwards. Cortisol is your body’s energy currency. It gets you out of bed, handles stress, and helps your body heal. The real problem is running out.

At 22, Erin was a marathon runner who gained thirty pounds almost overnight, couldn’t get out of bed, and cried all the time. Labs showed her cortisol was nearly nonexistent. That sent her to naturopathic medicine and, years later, to her Cortisol Bank Acco...

Getting sober is an amazing step. But as Dr. Gary Sanchez told a room full of our clients, not being shackled doesn’t mean you’re free. It just means you’re sober. The next question is the hard one: now what?

Gary practiced cosmetic and sedation dentistry in Albuquerque for 32 years. He picked dentistry at 18 because his dad was a dentist and he didn’t know what else to pick. About 28 years in, sitting in an audience of top dentists at a meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, watching a surgeon rebuild a jaw, he realized...

She was thirteen. She decided the world would be better without her, and she picked anorexia as the way she was going to leave it. She told her parents she would be dead by sixteen.

She went into a treatment center three hours from home with four adolescent beds and a building full of adults detoxing. The program treated her by the number on a scale. Reach this number, you can call your parents. Reach this number, you can go outside. Nobody asked her why she was doing it, and she already knew.

He was a Versace model living at the Clevelander on Ocean Drive, drinking fifty drinks a day for free because his friends tended bar, and getting handed cocaine because the dealers knew he knew everybody. He worked five times a year. The rest of the time was idle.

Then the hangovers started lasting five days.

Troy Casey — The Certified Health Nut — grew up a ward of the state, started drinking and smoking weed at thirteen, and spent four and a half years cycling in and out of sobriety before it f...

Everybody in treatment eventually gets the insight. They can tell you why they drank. They can name the childhood, the trauma, the trigger. And then they wake up the next morning and do the same thing they did yesterday.

Natalie Hunter has spent more than twenty years studying why that happens. Her position is blunt: insight alone does not change anybody. What she teaches instead is behavior over belief — that change comes from doing something different, not from finally thinking differently.

In this episode, she walks through her Six St...

You got sober. You did the work. And you still wake up exhausted, foggy, flat, and unmotivated — and everyone around you says give it more time.

Sometimes that’s the right answer. Sometimes something underneath is actually broken.

Dr. Amie Hornaman spent her twenties competing in bodybuilding and figure competitions. Then the scale started going up while she was training twice a day and tracking every macro. Six different doctors inside a major medical system looked at her labs and told her she was normal — eat less, exercise more. The se...

Dr. Sharon Stills started drinking at twelve. By nineteen she was sitting in a parking lot in the Hamptons, too high to walk into the party — and that was the night it broke. She got sober at twenty, without AA, without rehab, and thirteen years later became a naturopathic medical doctor.

In this episode she explains addiction the way she sees it after twenty-five years of practice: not as a moral failure and not purely as a brain disease, but as a nervous system trying to regulate itself. Which is why, as she puts it...

On this episode of the I Love Being Sober podcast, recorded live in front of a client audience at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with master life coach, speaker, and labyrinth designer Elaine Glass, author of the bestselling book Get Quiet: 7 Simple Paths to the Truth of Who You Are, published by Hay House and endorsed by Dr. Mark Hyman and Stanford behavioral scientist BJ Fogg.

Elaine spent three decades as a dental hygienist, sitting one-on-one with more than 40,000 patients, while living what looked from th...

On this episode of the I Love Being Sober podcast, recorded live in front of a client audience at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Marine combat veteran, speaker, and mental performance coach Akshay Nanavati, author of Fearvana, a book endorsed by the Dalai Lama.

Akshay came home from Iraq carrying PTSD, depression, and an alcoholism that escalated to a bottle of vodka a day and, one morning, a knife in his own kitchen. He walks the room through that rock bottom moment and the sl...

What does it take to survive what should have killed you and come back stronger? In this live episode of the I Love Being Sober Podcast, recorded in front of an audience at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with speaker, coach, and author Kevin J. Parker.

Born into generational addiction and trauma, Kevin spent four months in a hospital fighting for his life. He flatlined three times, a priest read his last rites, and he lost his leg to addiction. Doctors said he would never wa...

What happens to your relationships when you get sober? In this episode of the I Love Being Sober podcast, recorded live at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient treatment center in Phoenix, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Melissa Nanavati, a TEDx speaker, author, and relationship coach for executives and high performers.

Melissa’s story will resonate with anyone navigating sobriety and connection. After graduating college at nineteen, she began drinking heavily to fit in, was clinically diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, and struggled with anxious attachment and people pleasing. She went on more than 100 firs...

Recorded live in front of clients at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient addiction treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, this episode of I Love Being Sober brings host Tim Westbrook together with Michael Roviello, U.S. Navy veteran, certified Wim Hof Method instructor, and co-founder of Optimyze, a natural wellness company with four locations across the Phoenix Valley.

Michael grew up in a rough part of Queens, New York, where blackout drinking and drugs were normal by his early teens. At 20, a Navy recruiter found him day-drinking in a Long Island bar and offered him a wa...

What does your spine have to do with staying sober? More than you think. In this episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery in Scottsdale, Arizona, Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Marc Blackstone, a board-licensed chiropractic physician with more than 25 years of clinical experience who has spent the past five years bringing chiropractic care into mental health and addiction treatment settings.

Dr. Blackstone breaks down the mind-body connection in plain language: how a chiropractic adjustment affects far more than the joint being treated, why addiction and mental health conditions...

What if addiction isn’t a moral failure — and it isn’t just a brain disease either? What if it’s the natural expression of a terrain that never got the support it needed?

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Nasha Winters — naturopathic oncologist, bestselling author, and 35-year stage IV ovarian cancer thriver — for one of the most clinically rich and emotionally honest conversations this podcast has ever hosted. Recorded live at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, in front of a live audience of cl...

What if addiction isn't a moral failure — and it isn't just a brain disease either? What if it's the natural expression of a terrain that never got the support it needed?

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Nasha Winters — naturopathic oncologist, bestselling author, and 35-year stage IV ovarian cancer thriver — for one of the most clinically rich and emotionally honest conversations this podcast has ever hosted. Recorded live at Camelback Recovery's outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, in front of a live audience of clients and staff.

Dr. Wi...

What actually keeps women from walking through the door of a treatment center — and what keeps them from staying once they’re in? Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Whitney Howzell, a licensed clinical social worker, US Army veteran, certified sexual therapist, and Vice President of Inpatient Operations at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, for one of the most honest conversations about recovery this podcast has ever had.

Dr. Howzell breaks down why shame is gendered and shows up completely differently for women than for men, why emerging adults struggle to engage in treatment even when the...

What actually keeps women from walking through the door of a treatment center — and what keeps them from staying once they're in? Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Whitney Howzell, a licensed clinical social worker, US Army veteran, certified sexual therapist, and Vice President of Inpatient Operations at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, for one of the most honest conversations about recovery this podcast has ever had.

Dr. Howzell breaks down why shame is gendered and shows up completely differently for women than for men, why emerging adults struggle to engage in treatment even when the consequences are right in...

What if the part of you that wants to drink, use, or self-sabotage isn’t the enemy — it’s just trying to protect you the only way it knows how?

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with licensed professional counselor and IFS therapist Kristy Crabtree for a deep conversation on trauma, healing, and what it actually means to recover from the inside out.

Kristy breaks down Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in plain...

What if the part of you that wants to drink, use, or self-sabotage isn't the enemy — it's just trying to protect you the only way it knows how?

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery's outpatient center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with licensed professional counselor and IFS therapist Kristy Crabtree for a deep conversation on trauma, healing, and what it actually means to recover from the inside out.

Kristy breaks down Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy in plain language — explaining why we all have protective "part...

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery’s outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Michael Bernoff — founder of the Human Communication Institute, developer of Human Interaction Technology™, and author of Average Sucks. Michael has been alcohol-free since New Year’s Eve 2016, not because he hit a rock bottom, but because he made a clear-eyed decision: there was nothing good about drinking, and he refused to be an influence that pulled anyone else toward it.

This conversation goes deep into the psychology of language...

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery's outpatient treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Michael Bernoff — founder of the Human Communications Institute, developer of Human Interaction Technology™, and author of Average Sucks. Michael has been alcohol-free since New Year's Eve 2016, not because he hit a rock bottom, but because he made a clear-eyed decision: there was nothing good about drinking, and he refused to be an influence that pulled anyone else toward it.

This conversation goes deep into the psychology of language and identity in recovery. Mich...

What if the substance was never really the problem? In this episode of the I Love Being Sober Podcast, recorded live at Camelback Recovery Treatment Center in Phoenix, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Marcus Earle, Clinical Director of Psychological Counseling Services (PCS) — one of the most respected behavioral health practices in the country.

Dr. Earle has spent over 35 years treating individuals, couples, and families struggling with sexual addiction, trauma, OCD, compulsive behavior, and dual diagnosis mental health issues. The PCS Intensive Program has over 40 years of experience pioneering the week-long intensive th...

What if the substance was never really the problem? In this episode of the I Love Being Sober Podcast, recorded live at Camelback Recovery Treatment Center in Phoenix, Arizona, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Dr. Marcus Earle, Clinical Director of Psychological Counseling Services (PCS) — one of the most respected behavioral health practices in the country.

Dr. Earle has spent over 35 years treating individuals, couples, and families struggling with sexual addiction, trauma, OCD, compulsive behavior, and dual diagnosis mental health issues. The PCS Intensive Program has over 40 years of experience pioneering the week-long intensive therapy model, with a...

At 18 years old, Elijah Kai put a loaded gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. It didn’t fire. What followed was two decades of searching — therapy, religion, hustle, two marriages, a felony, and a life spent building a character convincing enough that nobody, including him, could see the pain underneath.

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, we sit down with spiritual teacher, Divine Architect, and author Elijah Kai to talk about the moment everything changed — and the truth he discovered on the other side of suffering.

Elij...

At 18 years old, Elijah Kai put a loaded gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. It didn't fire. What followed was two decades of searching — therapy, religion, hustle, two marriages, a felony, and a life spent building a character convincing enough that nobody, including him, could see the pain underneath.

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, we sit down with spiritual teacher, Divine Architect, and author Elijah Kai to talk about the moment everything changed — and the truth he discovered on the other side of suffering.

Elijah breaks down why the traditional appr...

Hannah Keller lost three siblings, battled addiction, and hit rock bottom before finding recovery at Camelback Recovery in Phoenix, Arizona. In this episode of I Love Being Sober, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Hannah to talk about what it really takes to rebuild your life from the ground up. Hannah was a patient at Camelback Recovery. Today, she’s an employee helping others find healing. This conversation covers grief and loss in recovery, how motherhood became her turning point, the role of faith and spirituality in staying sober, what people misunderstand about addiction recovery, mental health and dual di...

Hannah Keller lost three siblings, battled addiction, and hit rock bottom before finding recovery at Camelback Recovery in Phoenix, Arizona. In this episode of I Love Being Sober, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Hannah to talk about what it really takes to rebuild your life from the ground up. Hannah was a patient at Camelback Recovery. Today, she's an employee helping others find healing. This conversation covers grief and loss in recovery, how motherhood became her turning point, the role of faith and spirituality in staying sober, what people misunderstand about addiction recovery, mental health and dual diagnosis...

Terry Murphy has been sober since May 23, 1991—nearly 35 years of continuous recovery. In this live episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded with the Camelback Recovery outpatient community in Phoenix, Arizona, Terry joins host Tim Westbrook to share the addiction that nearly killed him, the morning everything changed, and the life he has built since.

Terry is a husband of 47 years, father of two, and grandfather of three. In long-term recovery, he has spent more than three decades serving in substance-use programs with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Arizona Department of Corr...

Terry Murphy has been sober since May 23, 1991—nearly 35 years of continuous recovery. In this live episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded with the Camelback Recovery outpatient community in Phoenix, Arizona, Terry joins host Tim Westbrook to share the addiction that nearly killed him, the morning everything changed, and the life he has built since.

Terry is a husband of 47 years, father of two, and grandfather of three. In long-term recovery, he has spent more than three decades serving in substance-use programs with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of Corrections. He was appointed by...

What if addiction is not a failure, but a signal? What if the cravings, anxiety, and emotional spirals you've been fighting are actually your body trying to tell you something? Tim Westbrook sits down with faith-led wellness guide, registered dental hygienist, and author Melissa-Sue Methven for a conversation on addiction recovery, emotional suppression, nervous system regulation, and the hidden language of the body.

After losing her husband to suicide following a long struggle with mental health and addiction, Melissa-Sue began asking the deeper question — why. That single word led her into the work she no...

What if addiction is not a failure, but a signal? What if the cravings, anxiety, and emotional spirals you've been fighting are actually your body trying to tell you something? Tim Westbrook sits down with faith-led wellness guide, registered dental hygienist, and author Melissa-Sue Methven for a conversation on addiction recovery, emotional suppression, nervous system regulation, and the hidden language of the body.

After losing her husband to suicide following a long struggle with mental health and addiction, Melissa-Sue began asking the deeper question — why. That single word led her into the work she now shares around th...

What if everything you’ve been told about addiction treatment is wrong?

In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Jimmie Applegate — transformational consultant, treatment center owner, U.S. Air Force veteran, and author of Addicted to Failure: Why the Rehab System Doesn’t Work and What Must Change — for a conversation that challenges everything the addiction treatment industry doesn’t want you to hear.

Jimmie pulls back the curtain on a $16 billion industry with a 60–90% failure rate, exposi...

What if everything you've been told about addiction treatment is wrong?

In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, recorded live at Camelback Recovery, host Tim Westbrook sits down with Jimmie Applegate — transformational consultant, treatment center owner, U.S. Air Force veteran, and author of Addicted to Failure: Why the Rehab System Doesn't Work and What Must Change — for a conversation that challenges everything the addiction treatment industry doesn't want you to hear.

Jimmie pulls back the curtain on a $16 billion industry with a 60–90% failure rate, exposing why so many people relapse after completing rehab...

In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, we dive into the reality of mental health, pressure, and personal transformation in today’s fast-paced, social media-driven world – and how one mental reset can help deal with it all.

Recorded live at Camelback Recovery, this conversation explores what happens when success on the outside doesn’t match how you feel on the inside. We talk about the breaking point that forces change, the courage it takes to step away and focus on mental health, and what it really looks like to rebuild your life from t...

In this powerful episode of I Love Being Sober, we dive into the reality of mental health, pressure, and personal transformation in today's fast-paced, social media-driven world - and how one mental reset can help deal with it all.

Recorded live at Camelback Recovery, this conversation explores what happens when success on the outside doesn't match how you feel on the inside. We talk about the breaking point that forces change, the courage it takes to step away and focus on mental health, and what it really looks like to rebuild your life from the ground up.<...

In this episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Andrew Engbring, co-founder of Reflection Family Interventions, to break down why most addiction interventions fail—and what families can do differently to create real, lasting recovery.

Too often, families are told to wait for “rock bottom” or simply attend support groups while their loved one struggles. But according to Andrew, this outdated approach can actually make things worse—delaying recovery, increasing risk, and leaving families without the structure and guidance they truly need.

Drawing on years of experie...

In this powerful live episode of I Love Being Sober, Tim Westbrook sits down with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Camelback Recovery for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation on addiction, recovery, and the future of mental health care in America. Known globally for his work in law, public health, and policy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also brings decades of personal experience in recovery. In this candid discussion, he shares his journey through addiction, what it took to get sober, and the daily practices that have helped him maintain long-term recovery.

Together, Tim and Ro...