From Trauma to Triumph: Caroline Beidler on Healing and Sobriety

In this episode of Sisters in Sobriety, Kathleen and Sonia sit down with Caroline Beidler, MSW, to discuss the powerful intersection of trauma, addiction, and recovery. Caroline believes that transformation is possible and healing is a choice. Her own experience in addiction, mental health, and trauma recovery has inspired her to help other women find recovery in its many forms. Caroline is the founder of the global storytelling platform, Circle of Chairs, which reaches thousands of people weekly through her newsletter. In just three short years, she has built an international community of recovery supporters and organizes an annual global event on International Women’s Day, gathering thousands of advocates from around the world. With nearly two decades of leadership experience in social work and ministry, Caroline brings deep insight and compassion to the conversation about trauma and recovery.

In this episode, Kathleen and Caroline dive into key questions surrounding trauma and recovery: How can trauma shape addiction and mental health struggles? What does it take to break intergenerational cycles of trauma? Caroline shares her personal journey, offering insights into how trauma manifests in daily life and how healing is possible through vulnerability, community, and faith. They also discuss how women can navigate grief and loss while maintaining sobriety and building supportive, trauma-informed recovery systems.

Listeners will gain an understanding of trauma-informed recovery, the role of storytelling in processing trauma, and practical tools for addressing deep-rooted family dynamics. Caroline’s experience leading a global research initiative on family recovery adds a fresh perspective on the importance of healing trauma within family systems. By sharing her expertise, Caroline offers listeners tangible steps to embrace their own recovery journey, cultivate resilience, and transform pain into growth.

In the personal story segment, Caroline opens up about her own path through addiction and trauma recovery, sharing how these experiences shaped her life and calling. From battling shame and perfectionism to learning how to show up authentically in her recovery, her story is both relatable and inspiring. She also reflects on her work as a consultant, helping nonprofit organizations, governments, and communities build recovery-focused initiatives that foster long-lasting change.

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 Highlights:

• [03:00] Caroline introduces herself and shares her background in social work and recovery advocacy.
• [05:15] Discussion about Caroline’s book Downstairs Church and how it explores the intersection of faith, addiction, and trauma.
• [07:32] Caroline explains the concept of “grit” in trauma recovery.
• [09:45] The role of trauma in addiction and how it can lead to substance use as a coping mechanism.
• [12:00] How trauma manifests in everyday life for those in recovery.
• [14:20] Caroline shares her personal experience with intergenerational trauma.
• [16:15] The importance of addressing trauma to maintain long-term sobriety.
• [18:30] Caroline explains what radical vulnerability looks like in recovery.
• [20:45] How faith plays a role in trauma healing and addiction recovery.
• [23:10] Navigating grief and loss while maintaining sobriety.
• [25:35] Caroline discusses her work with Bright Story Shine and its mission to share recovery stories.
• [28:00] The importance of storytelling in processing trauma and addiction recovery.
• [30:12] How perfectionism and self-sabotage impact sobriety and healing.
• [32:25] Caroline shares insights on