#118 – Matt Gardiner: Beyond Recovery

#118 – Matt Gardiner: Beyond Recovery

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation with recovery coach and podcaster Matt Gardiner gives a candid look at life "beyond recovery" and what it really takes to build a sober life that feels worth keeping. Matt shares that he’s "over three years sober" after multiple long sober stretches, failed moderation attempts, and relapses.

That mix of experiences shapes how he now coaches people through early sobriety and life after treatment, especially those feeling stuck or scared to try again. He talks about his group programme Recovery Roadmap and a "Dry July" challenge aimed at anyone from sober curious to freshly out of rehab, with short daily lessons on topics like relapse, expectations, and shame, plus a supportive community space to "drop into the feels" without any persona.

You’ll also hear the story of how Matt walked away from a 23-year grocery career. He describes the terror of giving up a regular paycheque, refinancing his home, cutting expenses, and slowly turning fear into excitement. His line, "Fear and excitement are the same physicality; it's just your brain and how you're perceiving it," sums up the mindset shift he leans on and now passes to clients. Music and sound therapy are another big part of his recovery.

A long-time musician who once gravitated to darker rock, he now creates healing soundscapes using chakra-related frequencies and has released a sound therapy album built as a guided journey from root to crown. Throughout, the tone stays honest, down-to-earth, and often funny, with both men openly admitting to forgotten appointments, dead brain cells, and phone-dependence.

If you’re in early sobriety, thinking about making a change, or just craving community and real talk, this chat might be the gentle nudge you’ve been waiting for. What part of your own story are you ready to rewrite?