Rebuilding What Addiction Broke: A Mother’s Journey to Reconnection

Rebuilding What Addiction Broke: A Conversation with Janice Johnson Dowd

In this powerful episode of the Confident Sober Women podcast, we're joined by Janice Johnson Dowd, author of "Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery." As a retired social worker with 12 years of sobriety and a mother of four, Janice shares her journey from functioning alcoholic to recovery advocate with remarkable candor.

Episode Highlights:

• Janice's background working in addiction treatment centers before her own alcoholism developed in her 40s
• The complex dynamics of balancing motherhood, career, and self-care that contributed to her drinking
• Her experience with inpatient treatment and how focusing exclusively on recovery actually damaged family relationships
• The challenging path of repairing relationships with her four children (ages 13-21 at the time of her treatment)
• Why validation, accountability, and persistent communication are crucial for family healing
• The importance of finding balance between recovery work and family reconnection
• How to effectively listen to and validate different family members' experiences
• Why staying sober is the foundation for rebuilding trust, but isn't enough on its own

Practical Takeaways:

1. Take accountability for your actions and validate others' perspectives, even when they differ from yours
2. Practice deep listening without immediate reactions, especially with adolescents and young adults
3. Persist in healing efforts even when family therapy or initial conversations feel uncomfortable or unsuccessful
4. Recognize developmental differences in how children process a parent's addiction and recovery
5. Find balance between recovery work and family engagement
6. Take advantage of small moments for connection and organic healing conversations
7. Get support from sponsors, therapists, and recovery peers when navigating challenging family situations

Janice emphasizes that repair is possible even after significant damage to relationships. Her story offers hope to those struggling with similar challenges and provides practical guidance for rebuilding what addiction has broken.

Connect with Janice:

• Book: "Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery" by Janice V. Johnson Dowd
• Website: janicejohnsondowd.com
• Instagram: @parenting_inn_recovery

Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode provides valuable insights into the complex journey of family healing after addiction.

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Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t know, my remote Neurofeedback Therapy program is up and running. Learn more here!

If you aren't part of the Confident Sober Women Facebook group, it's a great place to be. There are over a thousand other sober women there building lives they don't want to escape from. Come on over and join us.

And if you haven't read my memoir, grab a copy today and maybe a second one for a friend. There is so much hope in recovery, and I shared my story so raw and vulnerable so that others would know they aren't alone and that there is a way to live well, manage relationships, parent your kids, and have a healthy body, all while staying sober. Grab a copy of Recovering in Recovery: The Life-Changing Joy of Sobriety wherever books are sold.