SHAIR 86: "Sober Conversations" with Herby Bell, Wellness and Thriving in Recovery.SHAIR 86: "Sober Conversations" with Herby Bell, Wellness and Thriving in Recovery.
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Recovery coach Herby Bell talks with host Omar Pinto about 22 years of sobriety, his wellness-based approach to staying clean, and the impact of addiction and suicide in his family. The conversation blends practical daily habits, spiritual practices and honest reflection on grief, parenting and long-term recovery.
54:22•4 Oct 2016
Wellness, Surfing and the “High Five” of Thriving in Recovery with Herby Bell
Episode Overview
- Long-term recovery can be supported by Herby’s “high five essential nutrients”: eating well, moving well, thinking well, feeling well, and sleeping well.
- Support needs may change over time; 12-step meetings, men’s groups, therapy, meditation and other practices can all play a role at different stages.
- Unresolved trauma, family history and early substance use are key risk factors that need ongoing attention, not just short-term detox.
- Simple daily practices like journaling, gratitude and structured routines can create a positive “buzz” that replaces the old need for instant fixes.
- Accepting and celebrating who you truly are, rather than pretending to be someone else, opens the door to deeper growth in recovery.
“Every opportunity you have, just celebrate just exactly who you are because that's exactly why you were born and then more will be revealed.”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober? This SHAIR Recovery Podcast episode puts that question front and centre as recovery and wellness coach Herby Bell joins host Omar Pinto for a candid chat about long-term sobriety, health, and what it really means to thrive after addiction.
Herby, who recently marked 22 years clean, talks about his life as an "experiment of one" and breaks his recovery down into what he calls the "high five essential nutrients for mind, body, spirit": eating well, moving well, thinking well, feeling well, and sleeping well. He explains that without these basics, he becomes “hungry, angry, lonely and tired” – a familiar warning sign for many in recovery.
Rather than sticking rigidly to one path, Herby shares how his support has evolved from regular 12-step meetings to men's groups, meditation, and what he jokingly calls the "church of the Pacific" – his surfing practice. For anyone who feels out of step with traditional meetings, his honesty about shifting needs over time may hit home.
The conversation also touches on deep family pain: a father and grandfather who both died by suicide, a son who nearly died from an opiate and benzodiazepine cocktail, and a wider family history scarred by addiction.
Herby explains how these losses pushed him into addiction medicine, recovery coaching, and a passion for proper aftercare that goes beyond “just don’t drink and go to meetings.” There’s humour and warmth too, especially as he and Omar compare anniversaries, talk about food, and joke about being "podcast sluts" and springtime sobriety dates.
Herby’s closing message sums up the heart of the episode: "Every opportunity you have, just celebrate just exactly who you are because that's exactly why you were born and then more will be revealed." If you’re curious how wellness, spirituality, and science can all fit into sobriety, this conversation might give you some fresh ideas to try.
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.