The Zac Clark Show

Zac Clark
  • 4.7 (111)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

What does recovery actually look like? Not just the rock bottom. Not just the story of getting sober. But the daily, real, sometimes messy and often beautiful life that happens when someone decides to keep going. Hosted by Zac Clark – founder of Release Recovery, 14+ years sober, and someone who brought addiction and recovery to national attention on The Bachelorette in 2020 – each episode brings together athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday people for honest, unfiltered conversations about how people actually live in recovery. Behavioral health experts join the conversation to share resources, break down what's happening in the field, and offer real, practical insight for anyone touched by addiction. Whether you're in recovery, thinking about it, supporting someone through it, or just curious about the human experience – there's something here for you.

  1. 2d ago

    From Teacher to 6 Million Followers: Tyler Jackowski on Anxiety, Imposter Syndrome & Finding Purpose

    Tyler Jackowski has built an audience of millions by making people laugh, but his path to becoming a full-time content creator was anything but planned. Before social media, Tyler was a teacher – an experience that continues to shape his life and his mission to give back to educators. In this episode, Tyler sits down with Zac for a funny and open conversation about going from the classroom to becoming a successful creator, while navigating the anxiety and imposter syndrome that came along with it. Tyler opens up about the period when he would leave social situations smiling and joking with everyone, only to go home and cry alone; the panic attack that sent his heart rate to 210 BPM; and how therapy, medication and learning to prioritize his own mental health changed his life. They also talk about Tyler’s years as a teacher, what social media gets wrong, his relationship with success, and his work giving back to educators through America’s Heroes. A conversation about what can exist behind the version of ourselves everyone else sees — even when millions of people are watching. Follow Tyler Jackowski Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerjackowskiofficial/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fishin4clout More about Tyler’s company – America’s Heroes Contest: https://www.instagram.com/americasheroescontests/ https://americasheroescontest.com/ Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. Aug 18

    She Saved a Life at the Knicks Championship Parade | Simone Kelly on Addiction, Narcan & Ending Stigma

    At the New York Knicks championship parade, a man became unresponsive high above a crowd of thousands. Phones came out. Simone Kelly ran toward him. Simone is a 24-year-old volunteer EMT and neuroscience student at Drew University who hopes to become a physician specializing in emergency psychiatry and addiction. At the parade, she climbed onto the structure, recognized the signs of a suspected opioid overdose, called for Narcan, administered it, and helped save his life. The moment quickly went viral. Simone joins Zac to tell the story behind the rescue and talk Narcan, overdose, harm reduction, addiction stigma, service, and why treating people who are struggling with dignity can save lives. More Information about NARCAN:  https://narcan.com/en/ Follow Simone Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simmykelly/ Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Aug 11

    Comedian Rosebud Baker: Alcoholism, Postpartum, Divorce & What 19 Years Sober Really Looks Like

    Comedian, former Saturday Night Live writer, and author Rosebud Baker joins Zac for an honest conversation about addiction, grief, motherhood, divorce, and what long-term recovery actually looks like. Rosebud reflects on losing her seven-year-old sister, getting sober at 22, writing her memoir Fully Baked: A Messy Memoir, working at SNL while raising a newborn, and navigating divorce -- and how recovery isn't about becoming someone new, but about getting to the truth of who you already are. One of the most powerful moments comes when she explains why losing her sister and giving birth to her daughter felt strangely similar -- both shattered the life she thought she knew and forced her to see how fragile, and precious, all of it is. This is a conversation about what happens after the drinking stops: emotional suppression, family patterns, burnout, and the deeper work of staying present for your whole life without escaping yourself. Learn more about Rosebud Baker’s memoir here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668016222?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Follow Rosebud Baker:: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosebudbaker/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rosebudbakerstandup Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Aug 4

    Shep Rose on Bravo Fame, Alcohol, Ayahuasca & Why He Finally Had to Change

    After more than a decade on Bravo's hit reality show, Southern Charm, Shep Rose opens up about the moment he realized something had to change. Shep shares the phone call from Andy Cohen that became a wake-up call, the blackouts that scared him, and the ayahuasca journey in Costa Rica that forced him to confront his relationship with alcohol, attention, and the endless pursuit of more. This isn't a recovery story in the traditional sense. Shep doesn't identify as an alcoholic, and he's honest about still figuring it out -- the gray area, the setbacks, and the ongoing work of trying to live with more intention. That's what makes this conversation so compelling. Together, Shep and Zac talk openly about fame, aging, excess, the loneliness that can exist behind a public persona, and what it actually takes to change. Whether you know Shep from Southern Charm or you've never seen an episode, this is a conversation about the cost of always saying yes -- and what happens when the life you've always celebrated becomes the very thing you need to question. Shep's new book, Nothing in Moderation, explores many of these same themes – an honest, funny, and unflinching look at excess, fame, and figuring out what actually matters.  Link to Shep Rose’s book -- Nothing In Moderation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZQ9GQL7?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Follow Shep Rose: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relationshep/?hl=en Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Jul 28

    Young Women, Alcoholism & the New Generation of Recovery | Neva Coleman

    Neva Coleman looked like she was thriving. She was a bright college student at Tulane, surrounded by friends, succeeding academically, and living what many would consider the "normal" college experience. But behind the scenes, alcohol had become far more than a way to have fun. In this conversation, Neva shares how grief after losing her father on 9/11, perfectionism, anxiety, and an escalating relationship with alcohol led to blackouts, withdrawals, a call to the suicide hotline, and years of believing she simply needed more willpower. Zac and Neva discuss why so many young women don't recognize themselves in the stereotype of alcoholism, the shame that keeps people silent, and how recovery gave her a completely new way to live. Recovery is changing. A new generation is making sobriety more visible, more honest, and more hopeful than ever before. Neva is one of the voices leading that shift – not by pretending to be perfect, but by showing that a full, joyful, connected life is possible without alcohol.  This is a great conversation that explores grief, identity, alcoholism, and the hope that recovery offers – no matter how old you are.  Follow Neva Coleman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neva__coleman/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@neva__coleman Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Jul 21

    Hunter Montgomery: From Injury to Heroin Addiction, Reality TV & Nearly 20 Years Sober

    Hunter Montgomery has been sober for nearly 20 years – but his story didn't begin with heroin. It began with a football injury, a prescription for painkillers, and the belief that he'd finally found something that made him feel comfortable in his own skin. In this honest conversation, Hunter joins Zac Clark to unpack the hidden beginning of addiction, why so many people suffer in silence, and what finally broke the cycle. They explore the misconceptions surrounding recovery, the danger of trying to "do it your own way," the role of surrender, faith, service, and why long-term recovery isn't about simply avoiding drugs or alcohol – it's about building a life worth staying sober for. Hunter also opens up about surviving an overdose, navigating relapse, living with Tourette syndrome in the public eye, finding recovery at a young age, co-parenting after divorce, becoming a father again, and why he now uses his platform and career to help others ask for help before it's too late. Whether you're in recovery, love someone who is, or simply want to better understand how addiction really takes hold, this is a conversation about hope, identity, and the possibility of lasting change. If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.  Follow Hunger Montgomery: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmontgomery/ Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Jul 7

    Sober Since 16: Bravo Star Maddi Reese on Building a Big Life in Recovery

    Bravo's Southern Hospitality star Maddi Reese joins The Zac Clark Show to share her awesome recovery journey – from drinking at 12 and multiple trips to treatment, to getting sober at 16 and building a successful career as a DJ, reality television personality, and advocate for recovery. In this conversation, Maddi opens up about anxiety, treatment, AA, sponsorship, dating in recovery, performing in nightlife while sober, navigating reality TV, and why community has been the foundation of her sobriety. She also shares what she'd tell every young person who believes recovery means giving up the best years of their life. In this episode: Getting sober at 16 years old Drinking and addiction as a teenager Multiple trips to treatment AA, sponsorship, and long-term recovery Performing as a sober DJ Reality TV and sobriety Anxiety, mental health, and purpose Family recovery and Al-Anon Building confidence without alcohol Why recovery gave her a bigger life – not a smaller one This conversation is a powerful reminder that sobriety isn't the end of your story – it can be the beginning of your best one. Follow Maddi Reese: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddireese/ Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. Jun 30

    The Future of Drinking | How Family Alcoholism Led Joe Chura to Build Go Brewing

    Joe Chura is the founder of Go Brewing, one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic breweries in the country, now available in more than 8,000 locations. Before launching Go Brewing, he built and sold a marketing technology company in a deal valued at more than $200 million. But long before building successful businesses, Joe grew up in a home shaped by alcoholism. He shares the painful reality of living with an alcoholic father, becoming a young parent, struggling with depression and his own relationship to alcohol, and the unexpected experiences that changed the trajectory of his life. We also dive into the explosive growth of non-alcoholic beer, why more people are choosing to drink less, the stigma surrounding sobriety, and whether NA beer can be a helpful tool for people looking to reduce or eliminate alcohol from their lives. Whether you're in recovery, sober-curious, or simply rethinking your relationship with alcohol, this conversation offers an honest, nuanced perspective on drinking, but also healing, resilience, entrepreneurship, and what it means to build a healthier life. In this episode: Growing up with an alcoholic father Trauma, mental health, and resilience Building and selling a successful marketing company Why Joe founded Go Brewing The rise of non-alcoholic beer Sobriety, moderation, and stigma Entrepreneurship, purpose, and second chances Follow Joe Chura: Website: https://gobrewing.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gobrewing/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joechura/ Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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4.7
out of 5
111 Ratings

About

What does recovery actually look like? Not just the rock bottom. Not just the story of getting sober. But the daily, real, sometimes messy and often beautiful life that happens when someone decides to keep going. Hosted by Zac Clark – founder of Release Recovery, 14+ years sober, and someone who brought addiction and recovery to national attention on The Bachelorette in 2020 – each episode brings together athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday people for honest, unfiltered conversations about how people actually live in recovery. Behavioral health experts join the conversation to share resources, break down what's happening in the field, and offer real, practical insight for anyone touched by addiction. Whether you're in recovery, thinking about it, supporting someone through it, or just curious about the human experience – there's something here for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Zac Clark
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Explicit