177 Dealing with Grief in Recovery177 Dealing with Grief in Recovery
You're Sober! Now What?
Tamara Medford talks openly about facing her mum’s stage three cancer diagnosis nearly a decade into sobriety and how grief is affecting her recovery. She shares the emotional ups and downs, the importance of community, and the daily choices she makes to stay grounded and sober.
27:42•3 Feb 2022
Grief, Cancer and Staying Sober: Tamara’s Raw Journey in Recovery
Episode Overview
- Grief in recovery can bring unfamiliar and uncomfortable emotions, and it’s okay not to know exactly how to handle them at first.
- Leaning into a support network and recovery community provides a safe space to cry, share honestly and look for solutions.
- Recognising the daily power of choice—getting up, praying, meditating, exercising—can shift mood and strengthen sobriety.
- Accountability around vulnerable areas, such as food, helps prevent new compulsive behaviours from undermining recovery.
- Actively focusing on appreciation and gratitude can create light and hope even during serious family illness and loss.
“Every day, I have the power to make a decision to do something that brings me towards a better recovery or away from it.”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? This episode of **"You're Sober! Now What?"** focuses on one of the toughest tests of long-term recovery: grief. Host Tamara Medford speaks candidly about her mum’s stage three cancer diagnosis and how that news has thrown her into a "rollercoaster of emotions" nearly ten years into sobriety. You’ll hear her reflect on growing up in a "suck it up" environment, and how her view of emotions has changed.
As she puts it, "being vulnerable, being emotional is actually courage, it's strength." Rather than presenting a neat, polished solution, Tamara shares what she’s trying in real time.
She talks through the seven stages of grief, how shock, guilt, anger and depression show up for her, and why she’s wary of sliding back into isolation, binge-watching and "food as my drug of choice." Her honesty about eating ice cream when feelings spike adds a relatable, slightly humorous touch to a very serious topic. A big theme is choice.
Tamara describes choosing to get up, pray, meditate, work out and send "appreciation rants" instead of staying in bed and spiralling. "Every day, I have the power to make a decision to do something that brings me towards a better recovery or away from it," she explains, offering a practical lens on coping when life feels unfair. Community and accountability are highlighted too.
She talks about leaning on women in recovery who "lift me up when I'm not strong enough to lift myself up," attending meetings, and asking a trainer friend to review her food as an accountability partner. If you’re in recovery and facing loss, or you’re simply struggling with big emotions you never used to let yourself feel, this conversation might give you comfort, ideas, and a reminder that you don’t have to go through grief alone.
How are you using your power of choice today?
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