226 - Mom named Cheri: Discusses her experience with her son getting sober and what the process was like for her226 - Mom named Cheri: Discusses her experience with her son getting sober and what the process was like for her
Real Recovery Talk
Sherry talks about her son Joey’s addiction, treatment, relapse and sobriety, and how her own enabling and fear changed over time. With Tom and Ben, she shares practical lessons for parents who feel lost, scared and desperate to help a loved one get sober.
35:24•19 Oct 2022
From Helicopter Mom to Healthy Boundaries: Sherry’s Story of Her Son Getting Sober
Episode Overview
- Detox is only the beginning; ongoing treatment and support are needed once real life and triggers return.
- Parents often enable without realising it, especially by giving money and shielding their child from consequences.
- Reaching out to experienced people for guidance can prevent families from repeating harmful patterns.
- Relapse, while frightening, can become a powerful lesson when the person chooses to return to treatment.
- Support groups like Al-Anon give parents tools, understanding and connection they often wish they’d had sooner.
“"I definitely learned that I am the biggest enabler on the planet."”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation on Real Recovery Talk follows Sherry, a self-confessed "helicopter mom", as she looks back on her son's journey into sobriety and her own journey from panic and enabling to clearer boundaries and support.
You’ll hear her describe the early chaos at home: checking cameras to see if her son Joey was still breathing, racing back from work in fear, and handing over money that she now realises kept his addiction going. She’s brutally honest, saying, "I definitely learned that I am the biggest enabler on the planet." Hosts Tom Conrad and Benjamin B.
gently challenge and guide her, unpacking common patterns they see with families: parents trying to protect their child from consequences, hoping detox will "fix" everything, and then being blindsided when real life hits. Ben explains why detox is only the first step and why the full continuum of care – rehab, aftercare, meetings, sober living – is so important.
Sherry shares what it was like watching her son relapse and why, painful as it was, she now sees his return to detox as a turning point. She also talks about finding Al-Anon and how much sooner she wishes she’d sought support for herself. By the end, she offers very direct advice to any parent who recognises themselves in her story: reach out to people who understand addiction, stop bankrolling destructive behaviour, and trust your gut when something feels wrong.
There’s hope too – Sherry describes spending a joyful weekend with Joey, going to meetings together and actually laughing again. If you’re a mum, dad, or loved one lying awake worrying about someone’s using, could Sherry’s hard-won lessons save you from some of the heartache she went through?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.