The Value of What It’s Been Like Since — Howard L.

About This Speaker Tape

In a reflective role-reversal interview, Howard L., the creator and host of the AA Recovery Interviews Podcast, is interviewed by his first-ever guest and close friend, Adam M. Howard discusses the technical and ethical challenges of building a global repository of recovery stories, specifically his commitment to safeguarding anonymity and his intentional focus on the "what it's been like since" portion of sobriety to inspire long-term growth.

Beyond the podcast, Howard opens up about a series of severe health crises he has faced in recent years, including a battle with bladder cancer and a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. He describes how the fellowship of AA provided not only emotional support but practical life-saving advice that led him to a correct cancer diagnosis and remission.

The conversation concludes with reflections on the intersection of recovery and family life. Howard and Adam discuss the complexities of parenting in sobriety and the value of utilizing a wide array of 12-step programs to address co-occurring issues like codependency and trauma, while maintaining AA as the core foundation of their lives.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction to the 175th episode and the reversal of roles between Howard and Adam
• 11:45 Howard explains the ethics of anonymity and his process for protecting guest privacy
• 21:45 Discussion on the importance of focusing on life after getting sober rather than just the wreckage
• 32:10 Howard describes his meticulous post-production process and the labor of love involved
• 38:15 Howard shares his experience with clinical depression and his battle with bladder cancer
• 45:50 Howard details his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and the challenges of losing automatic bodily functions
• 51:10 Reflections on the sponsor-sponsee relationship transitioning into a deep friendship
• 55:20 Discussing the fears of parenting in sobriety and the goal of modeling a healthy man for children