Engage: Do The Work (Episode 1 - Archive)Engage: Do The Work (Episode 1 - Archive)
Relational Recovery
Wes Thompson and Austin Hill talk about why lasting recovery depends on each person doing their own inner work, even with strong support around them. They reflect on effort, habits and responsibility in the context of inpatient rehab and personal change.
6:30•4 May 2026
Do the Work: Why No One Can Recover for You
Episode Overview
- Real growth in recovery requires doing your own work; no one else can change for you.
- Counsellors, coaches, church and family can guide and support, but they cannot heal or fix a person.
- Changing long-standing habits is hard because humans are routine-driven, so intentional effort is essential.
- Effective recovery involves facing your story, triggers, behaviours and possible trauma with honesty.
- Expecting others to make you into who you want to be creates problems; personal responsibility must come first.
“"In order to grow, we have to do our own work. Somebody else can't do it for us."”
Curious about how others find their way in their sobriety journey? This conversation from Relational Recovery leans into one core message: if change is going to happen, you’ve got to do your own work. Host Wes Thompson and co-host Austin Hill talk candidly about what that looks like for men in The Refuge Ministry’s inpatient rehab, and for anyone trying to break unwanted behaviours.
Wes notes that at their residential programme, mental health support has increased, with more one-to-one and group sessions, plus assignments and practical work. Some people push back on this, but as Wes keeps stressing, "in order to grow, we have to do our own work. Somebody else can't do it for us." The tone stays honest and down-to-earth, with plenty of recognition that effort is hard and routine feels safer, even when it’s unhealthy.
You’ll hear the hosts unpack how human beings are "habit-making people" and why doing life differently takes "a lot of effort" and intentionality. They point out that counsellors, coaches, church communities and family can guide, support and challenge, but "they can't heal us or fix us." A big theme here is responsibility. Wes reflects on his own experience of leaving counselling sessions with an action step, something he has to actually do.
The discussion keeps circling back to the need to look at your story, your triggers, your trauma and your behaviour, then choose to show up and engage with the process. This episode is ideal if you’re in recovery or supporting someone who is, and you need a clear reminder that help is vital, but no one else can do your inner work for you.
It’s a gentle nudge to stop waiting for someone to rescue you and start asking: what step can I take today to do my part?
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.