The Minor League: Feeling Left Out?

The Minor League: Feeling Left Out?

What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? Here, the focus shifts to something everyone – teens, parents and people in early recovery – can relate to: feeling left out. Hosted by 14-year-old Savannah Robinson with her dad, therapist and addiction counsellor Blu Robinson, this conversation zooms in on those gut-punch moments when you realise you weren’t invited, weren’t told, or got forgotten altogether.

Blu admits that, even as an adult, being excluded from a family wedding hurt deeply, while Savannah shares a recent story of friends hanging out without her because “our communication sucked that night”. Together they break down why exclusion stings so much. Savannah points out that “being rejected… is part of your social belonging,” and they talk about how quickly the brain starts guessing – and usually guessing wrong – when information is missing.

Blu sums it up with, “We can create all these crazy stories in our head… but really, those are all guesses,” and stresses that most of the time it’s simply poor communication, not proof that “everyone hates you”. The episode walks through practical steps: accepting that rejection is part of life, checking whether you’re reacting to facts or emotions, and choosing to act as an “agent” instead of a “victim” by creating your own plans instead of stewing at home.

They also tackle emotional intelligence – learning to name what you actually feel (sad, disappointed, hurt) instead of defaulting to “I’m mad” – and how empathy and honesty build stronger friendships. Savannah finishes with what she calls a bit of a “power move”: inviting people back in, even when they’ve left you out, as a way of teaching others how to treat you.

If you’ve ever felt sidelined in recovery, family life, or school, this chat might have you asking: what story are you telling yourself the next time you feel left out?