Episode 1077: What Does It Mean To be Powerless?

Episode 1077: What Does It Mean To be Powerless?

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This episode of Take 12 Recovery Radio shares a candid conversation on what it really means to be “powerless” and how life becomes “unmanageable” in addiction. Host Monty Dale Meyer (the Monty’man) teams up with Tom Williams and Alicia Martinez from Came to Believe Recovery to chat through Step One in a very down‑to‑earth way.

Tom admits he knew he drank alcoholically early on, but only much later saw that “I was out of control and unmanageable from day one.” Alicia shares how, after years of alcohol sobriety, she finally faced her eating disorder in 2018, saying, “I can’t do it anymore… my life was a mess… my thoughts were a mess.” You’ll hear plenty about their recent retreat at CityTeam in Portland, where residents “were really wanting it and receiving the information.” They describe men coming straight off the street, fully engaged as the team walked them through the steps, especially 10, 11 and 12.

They don’t just quote the Big Book; they talk about how it played out in their own lives. Tom calls those steps “your recovery assurance,” while Monty jokes they’re “the filet mignon of the steps” compared with the “bridge” of six and seven. The trio also wrestle with tricky questions many people in recovery face: How do you know when someone’s really ready to quit? What do you do when families don’t understand words like powerless and unmanageable?

And how do you keep helping without getting dragged down yourself? Blending humour, honesty and plenty of Big Book language, this conversation is ideal for anyone in 12‑Step recovery, sponsors and sponsees, or loved ones trying to understand what powerlessness actually looks like. Ready to ask yourself where your own unmanageability is showing up today?