Sober Talk SA - Michelle-KilburnSober Talk SA - Michelle-Kilburn
Sober Talk SA
Michelle shares how AA became the backbone of her life, from early fear and relapse to facing breast cancer and family challenges in sobriety. Her story focuses on meetings, sponsorship, a higher power and the hard work of amends and perception change.
28:08•3 Sept 2026
Michelle’s Journey from Desperation to Sobriety and Strength
Episode Overview
- A consistent routine of meetings, a home group, sponsorship and service forms the core of Michelle’s ongoing sobriety.
- Relapse reinforced her understanding that AA held the solution and that she could return for help even while still drinking.
- Working the steps gradually changed her perception of God from distant to trusted, through repeated surrenders rather than instant change.
- Facing breast cancer in recovery highlighted the importance of asking for help and relying on AA community support instead of control.
- Ongoing inventories and amends work helped her see hidden resentments, change harmful behaviour toward family, and improve relationships.
“I’m so, so grateful that I have found AA has not just saved my life, but gifted me perception changes and the tools to live life on life’s terms.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? In this episode of Sober Talk SA, Michelle shares a raw, honest account of how Alcoholics Anonymous became the foundation of her life after alcohol stopped working and everything around her started to fall apart.
You’ll hear how Michelle went from hiding in the back of meetings, refusing to write her name in the book, to building a solid recovery routine: a home group at Kilburn, at least three meetings a week, a sponsor, and sponsoring other women. She explains how early suggestions like “90 meetings in 90 days”, getting a sponsor, and taking on service positions slowly shifted her from desperation to commitment. Her story doesn’t stop at getting sober.
Michelle talks candidly about relapsing after 30 days, ringing her sponsor drunk, and being stunned that she could sit in an AA meeting while still drinking and be “loved back to life”. She also shares her evolving relationship with a higher power, saying she always believed in God but never trusted God, and how working the steps helped move her understanding from head to heart.
One of the most striking parts of the episode is Michelle’s experience with breast cancer during sobriety. She describes planning her own funeral in fear, reconnecting with her sponsor, and learning that life and family could still function even when she was too unwell to control everything. Through AA tools and community support, she found ways to be of service even in the chemo ward, chatting with other patients and building connections.
Michelle also talks about uncomfortable truths, like resentments towards family members, petty behaviours, and the painful process of making amends and changing her actions. Her closing reflection that AA has given her “perception changes and the tools to live life on life’s terms” will resonate with anyone wondering whether recovery can really reach into everyday family life, not just drinking. If you’re curious how someone stays sober through fear, illness, and family chaos, this story is worth your time.
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