Sober Sunrise - AA Speaker Podcast

Kathleen W. from Studio City, CA speaking at the Brentwood Beginners Workshop in Los Angeles, CA - October 2nd 2014 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Kathleen W. delivers a raw, humorous, and deeply moving account of her transformation from a court-ordered attendee to a woman celebrating 23 years of sobriety. Born into a laid-back surf culture in Santa Barbara, Kathleen turned to alcohol early to silence her inner critic and navigate a life of blackouts, shame, failed relationships, and professional disasters. Her bottom came when her acting career imploded and her husband overdosed—pushing her to finally seek real help. Reluctantly, she committed to a year of AA, only to discover connection, grace, and the power of the steps. Today, Kathleen lives a life beyond her wildest dreams with a husband, children, a meaningful spiritual practice, and a fierce dedication to service. Her story is a testament to how AA can rescue not just lives, but identities, restoring dignity, family, and love through honest work and daily spiritual maintenance. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Charlie P. from Austin, TX speaking at the South Bay men's retreat in Santa Barbara, CA - December 12th 2013 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Sober since March 22, 1985, Charlie shares his transformative AA journey with humor, vulnerability, and conviction, reflecting on how following the clear-cut directions of the Big Book—rather than just attending meetings—completely changed his life. After 17 years of sobriety, he hit a spiritual bottom despite staying dry, and rediscovered recovery by recommitting to the steps, deep sponsorship, and service. He emphasizes the importance of spiritual experience, identification with fellow alcoholics, and a full surrender to a Higher Power. From pawn shops and psych wards to purpose and peace, Charlie’s message is a testament to the power of real recovery through action, not just abstinence. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Chris S. from Pottersville, NJ and Steve L. from Nashville, TN speaking at workshop entitled Upping your Game at the Wilson House in East Dorset, VT - August 21st 2021 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com In part 2 of Chris S. and Steve L.'s workshop, the focus turns inward as they guide listeners through the deeply personal process of the 4th through 7th steps of recovery. Chris opens with raw self-reflection, sharing how his resentments, fear, and selfishness nearly pushed him out of AA entirely—until working the steps helped him see that his thinking and perception, not the world around him, were the root of his pain. Through humorous but vulnerable stories, he highlights how early sobriety was marked by turmoil, denial, and self-will run riot, until he embraced the 4th step's spiritual inventory. Steve builds on this, illuminating how resentment, fear, and dishonesty keep us blocked from connection with God and others. He emphasizes the freeing power of forgiveness and spiritual surrender, using vivid analogies (like NCIS-style “spiritual autopsies” and metaphorical yard sales) to show how self-examination, willingness, and humility make space for God to work in our lives. Both men stress that recovery is not about perfection, but about spiritual growth, one surrendered defect at a time.  Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Kip C. from Vista, CA speaking at the Paramount speakers group in Los Angeles, CA - September 12th 1999 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Kip C.'s story is a powerful testament to the redemptive possibilities found through surrender and spiritual recovery. From growing up in a turbulent home to smuggling drugs at 16, serving prison time in Mexico, and enduring the unbearable losses of his son and brother, Kip spiraled into chronic alcoholism, homelessness, and attempted suicide. Yet through a moment of grace, he surrendered fully to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and found a sponsor who guided him through the steps with unwavering honesty. Over time, he rebuilt his life, became a dedicated father, made peace with his past, and gave back to others with deep compassion. His journey—filled with unimaginable lows and hard-won victories—shows that no matter how far someone has fallen, healing and purpose are possible through spiritual action, community, and an unshakable commitment to recovery. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Chris S. from Pottersville, NJ and Steve L. from Nashville, TN speaking at workshop entitled Upping your Game at the Wilson House in East Dorset, VT - August 21st 2021 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Chris and Steve's powerful weekend sessions at the Wilson House offer a heartfelt and often humorous exploration of Step One and Step Two of Alcoholics Anonymous. Chris shares the brutal honesty of his drinking history—escalating from chaotic party years to ten years of isolated blackout drinking—and how his eventual spiritual awakening came only after a painful relapse, when he was willing to do everything he once resisted: get a sponsor, join a home group, and work the steps thoroughly. Steve brings deep insight into the emotional and spiritual unmanageability of alcoholism—describing the painful self-consciousness, fear of disconnection, and ego-driven isolation that plagued him even before he drank. Together, they break down alcoholism not just as a physical craving and mental obsession, but as a spiritual illness rooted in selfishness, fear, and separation from God. Their message is clear: the AA solution isn’t intellectual—it's experiential, rooted in surrender, honest inventory, and a willingness to develop a conscious relationship with a higher power. Through humor, grit, and grace, both men paint a picture of redemption—a life of usefulness, freedom, and spiritual wholeness born not from trying harder, but from giving up and letting a power greater than themselves lead the way. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Don P. from Aurora, CO speaking at the Classic Opening of Thoughts convention in Billings, MT - January 16th 1990 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Diagnosed by institutions as a sociopath and psychopath, and cloaked in layers of denial, Don initially couldn't see that alcohol was the core problem—but AA members with clarity, compassion, and lived recovery helped guide him through the Twelve Steps. He experienced profound change: from a man afraid of both dying and living, to someone fit for service, able to sponsor others and walk hand-in-hand with God. Don emphasizes that sobriety isn’t for him—it’s for the next sick alcoholic—and he has lived his life carrying that message, healing relationships with his children and brother, and growing through painful challenges. His life exemplifies the AA promise: that through total surrender, rigorous honesty, and spiritual discipline, even the most broken lives can be transformed and used to heal others. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Howard P. from Phoenix, AZ speaking at the Paramount Speaker Group in Paramount, CA - January 7th 2001 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Though plagued early on by shame, spiritual disconnect, and a relentless internal void, Howard found fleeting relief through alcohol—what he later recognized as a counterfeit spiritual experience. His life spiraled through deception, professional fallout, and emotional devastation until desperation led him to Alcoholics Anonymous. With sharp wit, humility, and gratitude, Howard recounts how surrendering to the program and taking action—especially returning stolen equipment—lifted an invisible burden he didn’t even know he carried. His story highlights how even the most broken pasts can become a foundation for spiritual rebirth, truth-telling, and peace, emphasizing the enduring importance of service, accountability, and connection in living a meaningful, sober life. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Mary P. from Orlando, FL at the Crested Butte Mountain Conference in Crested Butte, CO - July 23rd-28th 2006 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Mary shares her journey through fear, denial, chaos, and transformation. Despite a loving upbringing and early academic success, she was plagued by deep-seated fear and perfectionism, eventually turning to alcohol to cope. Her life spiraled into addiction, failed marriages, and heartbreaking consequences, including forgetting she was a mother. But through Alcoholics Anonymous, surrender, and the grace of a persistent sponsor, Mary found sobriety. Over time, she rebuilt trust, earned back the love of her family, and became a steady source of support and healing. A pinnacle moment was being chosen to hold her grandson the night he was in neonatal crisis—an act that symbolized the full circle of recovery, responsibility, and redemption. Mary’s story is a testament to how lives once lost to addiction can be wholly reclaimed and used in service to others. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Chris C. from Auburn, AL speaking at Pelham House in Alexander City, AL - September 24th 2011 Visit our website - Sober-Sunrise.com Chris shares his transformation through pain, perseverance, and the grace of a spiritual awakening. From early trauma, deep insecurity, and a lifelong struggle with alcoholism and addiction, he endured homelessness, arrests, and the devastating loss of his brother—yet through it all, he found a path to healing in Alcoholics Anonymous. His turning point came when he fully surrendered to the 12-step process, embracing honesty, making amends, and ultimately becoming a sponsor to others. Today, he lives with purpose as a loving father and a man of integrity, carrying the message of recovery to help others find the freedom he once believed was impossible. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu

Thank you to this weeks supporters of the show: Eric, Shelley, and Stephen. We really appreciate your sponsorship!  If you'd like to donate, check out: Sober Sunrise Marty J's talk is a raw and deeply human journey through the wreckage of alcoholism and the redemption found in recovery. With humor, vulnerability, and a storyteller's flair, Marty reveals the full arc of his life—from early family trauma and relentless drinking to delusion, hospitalization, and the depths of self-centeredness. But the power of Alcoholics Anonymous—and of a persistent sponsor who "didn't understand rejection"—helped Marty confront his selfishness, rediscover spiritual connection, and rebuild love in his family. He speaks with honest gratitude about getting his children back, rekindling his marriage, and learning how to serve others from the heart. Above all, Marty’s story reminds us that the true miracle of sobriety isn't just not drinking—it's being freed from fear, discovering purpose in service, and becoming someone who can love and be loved fully. Music: Deep by KaizanBlu