12. From Rock Bottom to Freedom with Tim Winters

In this deeply human conversation, Laura sits down with her longtime friend Tim Winters to explore the winding, painful, and ultimately transformative journey of addiction, surrender, and recovery.

Tim shares his story with remarkable openness, from a teenage sense of not quite belonging, to decades of alcohol and drug use that slowly narrowed his world, to the quiet, devastating moment when he realized he could no longer save himself.

He recounts the unforgettable car ride when his daughter-in-law drove him, without telling him where they were going, straight to rehab. A moment of fear, resistance, and finally surrender that would change the trajectory of his life.

What unfolds is not just a story about addiction, but about identity, worthiness, masculinity, grief, spirituality, and what happens when we finally stop running and let ourselves be helped.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• This episode is a powerful reminder that healing rarely arrives the way we expect but often exactly when we are ready.
• How early shame and identity struggles shaped Tim’s inner world
• Why alcohol and drugs became a way to feel connected, confident, and safe
• The slow progression from “social” use to silent dependency
• Why “just don’t drink today” became a life-saving reframe
• How anxiety and depression lifted only after sobriety began
• The power of routine, community, and spiritual practice in recovery
• How meditation and prayer became unexpected anchors
• What Tim wishes people understood about addiction, recovery, and compassion
• How small signs and nudges now guide his life in ways they never could before

Resources & Links

Connect with Laura

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesigns
Website www.surrenderingtothesigns.com

Download your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual Podcast

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

Father Martin’s Ashleigh House treatment center

Visit: surrenderingtothesigns.com

Music Featured

The music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.

List of Music

March the Machine -  One Day - Creative Cut

James Forest - Emergency

Ben Winwood  - Intimacy

Wav Two - Sakura

Podcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com