That's Me! That's Me! episode # 12 with Mary Ann H.
That's Me! That's Me! episode # 12 with Mary Ann H.

Recovery Radio Network

Hosts Monica and Julia sit down with long-time sober guest Mary Ann H to talk about growing up in an alcoholic family, finding AA and Al-Anon, and staying sober as a mother of three. The conversation mixes humour, spiritual readings and personal stories aimed at people interested in recovery and the support systems around it.

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40:47•24 Apr 2026

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Family Legacies, Babysitters and Long-Term Sobriety with Mary Ann H

Episode Overview

Hearing others’ experiences in lead meetings can reveal patterns in one’s own behaviour and thinking.
Starting AA and Al-Anon together helped address both personal drinking and obsession with a partner’s drinking.
Family support in recovery can be powerful, but it may also introduce competition that still keeps people sober.
Prayers and readings such as the Desiderata can act as anchors during moments of doubt or emotional turmoil.
Spiritual experiences are sometimes recognised in everyday coincidences that bring the right people or messages at the right time.

“Go placidly admit the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.”

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation on Recovery Radio Network’s “That’s Me! That’s Me!” brings together hosts Monica Kay and Julia Jay with long-time sober guest Mary Ann H, whose sobriety dates back to April 1982. The chat opens in a relaxed way, with travel stories, chaotic house projects and the strange comfort of the studio, which they compare to “a sensory deprivation tank” where they can just “be here now”.

From there, things shift into Mary Ann’s history: a family where “eight out of nine people” are alcoholic, a grandfather who was among the very early AA members in Cincinnati, and sisters who all came into recovery within a year of each other. Mary Ann describes arriving at AA already knowing the language from home, yet still feeling the sting of embarrassment when she introduced herself as “from Cincinnati” instead of Columbus.

She also shares how other people’s stories changed her: lead meetings became her favourite because “other people's experiences have just totally enriched my understanding of myself.” A highlight is her love of spiritual readings, especially the Desiderata: “Go placidly admit the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.” If you’re curious about long-term sobriety, family legacies, or just want to hear recovery spoken with warmth and humour, this one might give you plenty to think about on your own journey.

That mix of humour and honesty runs throughout, whether she’s laughing about buying beer at 14 from a pony keg or recalling the family intervention where, when asked to choose, her mum “took the bottle”. The episode is especially helpful for anyone juggling recovery with parenting or relationships. Mary Ann talks about getting sober as a married mother of three, starting AA and Al-Anon in the same week, and keeping a list of 42 babysitters just to make meetings.

What question would you add to their super fun wheel of questions?

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