One on One with Coach Blu: Awareness in RecoveryOne on One with Coach Blu: Awareness in Recovery
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu and Marissa answer live questions about working in treatment while in early recovery, managing PAWS, re-entering life after prison and COVID, and setting family boundaries. The conversation blends humour, personal stories and practical tools for people staying sober and supporting loved ones.
57:16•19 Mar 2021
Staying Aware in Recovery: PAWS, Family Drama and Working in Treatment
Episode Overview
- Many treatment centres prefer at least 18–24 months of sobriety before hiring people into frontline recovery roles due to stress and relapse risk.
- Working in treatment is emotionally demanding and requires strong boundaries, especially if colleagues or clients may still be using.
- Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) can last up to two years or more, causing anxiety, mood swings, sleep problems and cravings even after long-term sobriety.
- Simple supports like magnesium supplements, healthy diet, hydration and regular exercise can ease anxiety and sleep issues in recovery.
- Families supporting loved ones leaving prison or still using need to set clear limits, offer safe support, and accept they are not responsible for others’ choices.
“It took a while usually for people to get really bad into their addiction, it's going to take a while for your body to be able to heal from it.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol, drugs and chaos? This one-on-one session with Coach Blu on the Addict II Athlete Podcast shines a light on what recovery really looks like once the honeymoon phase wears off. Coach Blu Robinson, a licensed mental health therapist and substance use disorder counsellor, teams up with Athletic Director Marissa Robinson to answer real-time questions from people in recovery and their families.
The style is relaxed, humorous and very human – think live Q&A with plenty of honest admission that even the tech and mics aren’t perfect yet. A big chunk of the conversation focuses on working in treatment too early in sobriety.
Coach Blu shares that most quality programmes prefer “a year and a half to two years” clean before stepping into frontline roles, stressing the emotional toll of the work, the risk of relapse, and the need for solid boundaries when colleagues may still be using. They then break down post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) in plain language, explaining why someone “over a year” sober can still feel intense anxiety, irritability and insomnia.
Marissa leans on simple, practical tools – magnesium supplements, good sleep, diet and exercise – while Coach Blu reminds people that “it took a while… to get really bad into their addiction, it’s going to take a while for your body to be able to heal from it.” One of the strongest segments comes from a caller, Ro, who talks about supporting a brother recently released from prison and a mum who is still homeless and using.
Her story highlights the massive gap in support for people leaving institutions and the emotional tug-of-war between helping and enabling. The episode closes with a gentle reminder that all recovery paths – 12-step, Addict II Athlete, and others – are on the same team. If you’re building sober time and wondering, “Why do I still feel this way?” this conversation might give you both language and comfort for what you’re going through.
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