Recovery Catalyst - Substance and Behavioral Addictions Unpacked

Catherine York | Sobriety & Recovery Host
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Welcome to the Recovery Catalyst Podcast, your authentic guide to navigating the complexities of substance and behavior addictions. Hosted by Cat York, a woman in long-term recovery, this show was created for anyone looking to find their footing in sobriety—whether you’re sober curious, navigating early recovery, or healing from trauma and chronic stress. We move beyond dry, textbook lectures to have raw, honest conversations about what it actually takes to build a meaningful life after addiction. From untangling the root causes of behavioral patterns to sharing practical strategies for mental health, mindfulness, and emotional healing, we explore how to break generational cycles and reclaim your authentic self. Each episode offers real-world tools, empowering stories, and expert insights designed to help you turn your pain into purpose. If you’re ready to stop just "getting by" and start building a life you love, you’re in the right place. Subscribe to the Recovery Catalyst Podcast for the honest, empowering support you need to define your own journey toward freedom and healing -How can individuals in recovery process trauma without using substances? -Are there effective paths to sobriety for those who don't resonate with traditional programs like AA? -How do I find motivation and maintain footing during the "middle" phase of long-term recovery? -How can I use creative habits—like writing or art—to build a fulfilling life after quitting alcohol? -Where can I find an authentic community of women who understand the day-to-day realities of sobriety? -How do I untangle my addiction from underlying mental health struggles and dual diagnosis? -How can I learn to tolerate my own thoughts and discover my true identity while sober? -How do I manage social anxiety and loneliness when navigating a world  centered around drinking? To follow, support, or apply to be a guest, visit: https://www.podpage.com/recovery-catalyst/

  1. 2d ago

    Gray Area Drinking: Faith, Shame & Freedom with Susan Larkin

    We talk with Christian life coach Susan Larkin about gray area drinking and why so many midlife women feel stuck between “fine” and “rock bottom.” We unpack the faith, neuroscience, and shame-free mindset shifts that help you drink less or go alcohol free without labels or pressure. • Susan’s turning point as wine shifts from social to coping • The “aware stage” and why trying to control drinking feels exhausting • Gray area drinking as a spectrum rather than two camps • How drinking culture and marketing normalise nightly overdrinking • Taking “forever” off the table and using a trial break • Habit loops, neural pathways, and why cravings fade with new routines • Faith and sobriety, including the double shame many churchgoing women carry • Church alcohol culture, communion wine, and questions of inclusivity • Tools and resources like Skip The Sip and Susan’s coaching approach To learn more about Susan, her Podcast “Drink Less with Susan” or to inquire about coaching please visit  www.susanlarkincoaching.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  2. Oct 20

    Beyond the Group Chat: Toxic Masculinity and Accountability

    A single group chat can expose a whole culture and it can wreck a life. We’re not here to debate every legal detail of the Cornell 7 story; we’re here to talk about the behaviour beneath it: the entitlement, the dehumanising jokes, the silence from bystanders, and the way “boys will be boys” turns into real harm. If you can read those messages and still shrug, we need to have a serious conversation about what we’re normalising. I share why I believe this starts at home long before college. The standards we set, the language we tolerate, and the consequences we follow through on teach kids what they can get away with. I also push hard on the idea of “brotherhood” as cover. Real brotherhood is accountability. It’s the moment someone says, “This is wrong, stop,” even if it risks their social standing. We also get practical about parenting in the digital age: digital diets, monitoring what’s being said, staying connected with schools, and refusing to confuse being a “cool parent” with being a responsible one. We zoom out to fraternity culture, hazing, consent education, and the broader pattern of victim blaming that shows up every day online. If this brings up strong feelings, good then tell me where you agree or disagree.  Have you or someone you love been sexually assaulted or abused? You are not alone. Contact RAINN 24/7 to connect with a real, live person who’s trained to help.  https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/  TextHOPE to 64673 Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  3. Oct 15

    From Combat Medic to Creative Healing With Marie Henriksen

    War stories are only part of a veteran's journey. Marie “Slider Babe” Henriksen joins us to discuss life beyond the uniform, covering the intersection of military trauma, medical discharge, and the reality of navigating chronic pain and addiction. In this episode, we explore: Navigating Disability: How a late diagnosis of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hip dysplasia reshaped Marie’s identity and path to recovery.The Reality of Sobriety: Moving beyond coping myths to sustainable, long-term healing.Tools for Recovery: How Marie utilizes 12-step programs, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and creative expression to reclaim her life.Building Community: Why "healing out loud" is central to the mission behind her book, More Me Than I Used to Be: A Journey to Freedom, and the Slider Babe community.If you are living with trauma, disability, or the challenges of “starting over,” this conversation offers both validation and practical direction. Please visit https://sliderbabe.com/ to learn about Marie, her podcast and her community. At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be difficult. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. https://988lifeline.org/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  4. Oct 6

    Addiction Is Not Just Compulsion

    Addiction is more than just "inability to stop despite harm." Join me, Cat York, as I challenge outdated definitions and explore recovery through a new lens—one that focuses on the nervous system, trauma, and the whole person. After 20 years of heavy drinking and six years of continuous sobriety, I’m cutting through the "ice-cold" clinical language to have honest conversations about what actually helps. We explore why addiction is often a choice made within a fight-or-flight nervous system, and why traditional models like AA, NA, and rehab have real limits. We go beyond substances, covering gambling, shopping, relationship addiction, and the brain patterns that keep us stuck. If you're looking for recovery support that prioritizes emotional skills, trauma healing, and practical tools, this show is for you. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  5. Sep 30

    Write An Essay For SA And Call It Justice

    We speak plainly about the Cornell 7 case and why calling rape “one night” is a way to protect men instead of confronting harm. We defend the idea that consent is simple, intoxication removes consent, and accountability is the only path that respects survivors.  • Naming the Cornell 7 and rejecting minimized consequences  • Stating clearly that intoxication means no consent  • Calling out institutional failures by the university and the DA  • Challenging bystander silence and fraternity culture  • Sharing the long tail of sexual assault trauma from a survivor’s view  • Arguing prevention means raising boys with self-control and respect  • standing with Jane Doe while protecting her privacy  • inviting disagreement while holding the line on accountability  Let me know what you think in the comments or email me. Links in the show notes.  Jane Doe Inc., The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (JDI) brings together organizations and people committed to ending sexual assault and domestic violence and creating a more just and equitable world. https://www.janedoe.org/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  6. Sep 22

    Mind Your Business And Stay Sober with Jason Fareas

    Addiction stories often mask pain as permission, creating a dangerous cycle. In this episode, I’m joined by recovery counselor and podcaster Jason Fareas for a candid discussion on what sustains sobriety when willpower falls short. We explore how undiagnosed ADHD fueled Jason’s self-medication, why substance abuse often replaces one addiction with another, and the traps of romanticizing our past. Jason breaks down why honest storytelling is a vital tool for relapse prevention and offers a clinical look at the trauma and fear often hidden beneath anger. Finally, we discuss the realities of life after treatment—from boundaries and family support to the hard truth that trust is rebuilt through action, not just words. If you are navigating recovery or supporting a loved one, this conversation provides real tools and hope. Learn more about Jason and his Podcast My Madness METHod eight19product.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  7. Sep 17

    How To Quit White Knuckling Your Sobriety with Mark Wigginton

    We talk with Mark Wigginton about what it means to rebuild a recovery life after relapse, shame, and midlife grief. His story moves from a chaotic childhood and an absent father to harm reduction, daily practices, and a new definition of abstinence rooted in choice.  • Early instability, frequent moves, and why alcohol first feels like relief  • The impact of an absent father and the stories we create in the void  • Finding unseen childhood photos and how grief can rewrite identity  • How multiple losses in 2023 affect mental health and drinking risk  • Shifting from pass-fail sobriety to harm reduction and authentic choice  • White knuckle sobriety, cravings, and learning tools that fit your nervous system  • Highly sensitive person traits, overstimulation, and self-understanding  • Career chaos, relapse dynamics, and building accountability again  • Writing a memoir after 40 and why midlife recovery stories matter  • Daily recovery reading and a simple five-question journaling method  To Learn More Mark Wigginton or to inquire about his coaching please visit markwigginton.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

  8. Sep 17 ·  Bonus

    Six Years Without Alcohol And What It Taught Me

    Six years sober isn’t a victory lap—it’s a quiet moment of truth. Sobriety gave me my life back, but it also forced me to face the reality of growing up in an alcoholic home and the impact of addiction and trauma. In this episode of Recovery Catalyst, we talk about what continuous sobriety, relapse, and early recovery actually look like when navigating the mental health weight of alcoholism. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s presence—showing up for your family and building a life with real goals and room to breathe. Because messy recovery is real recovery. If you’re struggling or celebrating with your sobriety I want to hear from you. Not the polished version but the real version. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want deeper insights on these recovery topics? Sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive resources and bonus thoughts delivered to your inbox: https://msha.ke/recoverycatalystpodcast

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About

Welcome to the Recovery Catalyst Podcast, your authentic guide to navigating the complexities of substance and behavior addictions. Hosted by Cat York, a woman in long-term recovery, this show was created for anyone looking to find their footing in sobriety—whether you’re sober curious, navigating early recovery, or healing from trauma and chronic stress. We move beyond dry, textbook lectures to have raw, honest conversations about what it actually takes to build a meaningful life after addiction. From untangling the root causes of behavioral patterns to sharing practical strategies for mental health, mindfulness, and emotional healing, we explore how to break generational cycles and reclaim your authentic self. Each episode offers real-world tools, empowering stories, and expert insights designed to help you turn your pain into purpose. If you’re ready to stop just "getting by" and start building a life you love, you’re in the right place. Subscribe to the Recovery Catalyst Podcast for the honest, empowering support you need to define your own journey toward freedom and healing -How can individuals in recovery process trauma without using substances? -Are there effective paths to sobriety for those who don't resonate with traditional programs like AA? -How do I find motivation and maintain footing during the "middle" phase of long-term recovery? -How can I use creative habits—like writing or art—to build a fulfilling life after quitting alcohol? -Where can I find an authentic community of women who understand the day-to-day realities of sobriety? -How do I untangle my addiction from underlying mental health struggles and dual diagnosis? -How can I learn to tolerate my own thoughts and discover my true identity while sober? -How do I manage social anxiety and loneliness when navigating a world  centered around drinking? To follow, support, or apply to be a guest, visit: https://www.podpage.com/recovery-catalyst/

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