Episode 52: Not Like Them… Until She Was: Courtney’s Story

We open Season 2 with Courtney — a woman whose story reminds us that sobriety doesn’t click because we try harder… it clicks because we finally become willing. Approaching two years sober on February 24, Courtney shares what changed between her first attempt at recovery and the one that finally transformed her life. Courtney was first introduced to the rooms after a DUI in 2015, but for years, she stayed on the outside looking in. She always felt different — separate — convinced the program was great for them, just not for her. She didn’t believe she drank like other people, and she certainly didn’t believe she needed what the program offered. It took being told — clearly and honestly — that she would never be able to drink like a normal person for something to finally land. The biggest difference this time around? A willingness to seek a relationship with a Higher Power. Instead of just attending meetings, Courtney was told to work the steps and find the spirit — and she did. With the help of a spiritual advisor, she began to understand that God wasn’t something external or distant, confined to a church or a place, but something already within her. What once felt unreachable became constant. Courtney shares how she now understands her life was unmanageable not because God was absent, but because she wasn’t listening. That guiding force had been with her since day one — she just wasn’t aware of it yet. Today, she fully believes her life is unfolding according to a divine plan. She also opens up about the physical toll addiction took on her body. From pancreatitis to alopecia, Courtney entered recovery as a woman losing her hair — an emotionally devastating experience that challenged her self-worth and identity. Throughout her sobriety, she’s worn hair pieces to cover bald spots, but as she’s cared for her body and stayed sober, her hair has begun to grow back — a visible symbol of healing. Courtney reflects on a difficult relationship during her first year sober and how painful — yet necessary — that experience was. Though she wasn’t drinking, she could see her addictive behaviors still running the show, which at times felt even worse. Through that clarity, she learned perspective, accountability, and how deeply sobriety requires change beyond substances. With the same sponsor guiding her through both stints — and helping get her into detox — Courtney shares one clear message for the newcomer: 99.9% won’t work. You have to be all in. You can’t serve two Gods — your Higher Power and yourself. This episode sets the tone for Season 2 — a conversation about surrender, spiritual connection, healing the body and soul, and the courage it takes to return and do it differently the second time around.