That's Me! That's Me! episode # 19 with Andrea W.
That's Me! That's Me! episode # 19 with Andrea W.

Recovery Radio Network

Allison W. talks about being pushed back into recovery after relapse, the shame of returning to AA, and the women whose voices kept her coming back. The conversation highlights literature, fellowship, and gentle support as her path to a stable, meaningful sober life.

HonestInspiringSupportiveInformativeHopeful

48:00•12 Jun 2026

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Forced Back to AA, Staying by Choice: Allison W.’s Return to Sobriety

Episode Overview

Recovery can begin from being forced into treatment, as long as someone keeps showing up.
Returning to a meeting after relapse often brings unexpected love and relief from others, not rejection.
Strong connections with women in AA can drown out the destructive voice of addiction.
Literature and the first 162 pages of the Big Book provide a steady foundation when meeting attendance or life circumstances change.
Sobriety allows people to show up reliably for family, work, and friends in ways that were impossible while drinking or using.

“"For a good majority of my adult life due to my disease... I was incapable of showing up."”

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? On Recovery Radio Network’s show "That’s Me! That’s Me!", hosts Monica Kay and Julia Jay sit down with Allison W. to talk about what actually brought her back after relapse, and why she kept returning to Alcoholics Anonymous long after the court cards and treatment requirements were gone. You’ll hear Allison describe how her job staged the final intervention in 2017, offering a stark choice between help and walking away.

She admits, with disarming honesty and humour, that she went along at first because she had to, not because she was chasing spiritual growth. What changed everything was the welcome she met at the YANA club in Tampa: people who remembered “Detroit” and responded to her shame with warmth instead of judgement. The conversation is especially suited to anyone who has relapsed or feels they’re “doing AA wrong”.

Allison talks about drinking again after four years sober, calling her sponsor from a bar to announce, “I’m going to drink,” and later realising the impact of that choice on her family, who were watching helplessly from another state. She shares how women in AA became the louder voices in her life, carrying her until she could want sobriety for herself. There’s plenty here for long‑term members too.

Allison speaks about balancing a demanding corporate career with recovery, feeling judged for going to fewer meetings, and how literature-based meetings and the first 162 pages of the Big Book keep her grounded. Her reading from "A Vision for You" and the big, shouted “Welcome!” tradition at her old home group in Michigan beautifully sum up the spirit of the fellowship she’s found.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you still belong after relapse, distance, or doubt, this conversation might be the reminder you’ve been waiting for: have you paid the price for your seat, and are you ready to claim it again?

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