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PODCAST

Sobriety Bestie Podcast

Kirsten Johnson

The Sobriety Bestie Podcast helps you deprogram AA, heal from recovery dogma, and build a bold, empowered life on your own terms.

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

19:13

Ep 117 Dark Night of The Soul After AA — Grieving AA...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/14

What if you never feel okay again after leaving AA? For many of us, there’s a crash after the anger fades — the loss of community, identity, and structure can feel like a dark night of the soul. It’s not failure — it’s grief.In this episode of the Grieving AA series, we talk about the depression stage, why it happens, and how to navigate the “after-recovery void” between who you were in AA and who you’re becoming now. You’ll also get journaling prompts to help you move through this phase.📝

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13:47

Ep 116 Why Part of You Still Wants to Go Back to AA —...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/13

Bargaining is a normal stage of grief — but when you’ve left AA, it can keep you stuck.Maybe you’ve told yourself, “It wasn’t that bad,” “I can just take the good and leave the rest,” or “Maybe I was the problem.”In this episode, I break down how AA culture trains us to bargain with harm, avoid the full truth, and even spiritualize abuse. I share real examples from my 10 years in AA, how I recognized my own bargaining, and how you can start unpacking it.📌 Inside this video:What bargaining looks

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23:57

Ep 115 Why You’re So Angry at AA — Grieving AA 2: Anger

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/12

Are you still angry about what happened in AA — or that you were even there?You're not alone. This episode dives into the second stage of grief after leaving Alcoholics Anonymous: anger.I was stalked in AA. I was gaslit, misdiagnosed, manipulated — and told that feeling angry meant I was the problem. If anything like this sounds familiar, this one's for you.Inside this episode:🔥 Why anger is a valid, protective response💔 What you're really grieving when you leave AA🧠 How AA pathologizes normal

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17:53

Ep 114 Was AA Really That Bad? — Grieving AA Part 1:...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/11

Welcome to the Grieving AA series — a 6-part journey to untangle from Alcoholics Anonymous and reclaim your emotional freedom.In this first episode, we unpack denial. What if the group that “saved your life”… was actually harming your mind? What if the thing you thought was spiritual… was a religious cult in disguise?We’ll explore:🧠 Cognitive dissonance (AA helped me / AA harmed me)🧪 How gaslighting and indoctrination distort your self-trust💔 Why denial makes sense after coercive control✍️ Plus

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48:23

Ep 113 Bali Rehab Therapist Leaves AA — Mark’s Story

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/08

Mark, a former AA member, professional therapist, and addiction counselor, shares why he left Alcoholics Anonymous after four years and what happened next.We talk about the uncomfortable truths inside the rooms, what it was like to be sober and rebellious, and how AA fed his ego instead of helping him heal. Mark shares what it was like working in a rehab while quietly deprogramming from 12-step ideology — and why real healing required trusting himself, not a dogma.Timestamps:00:00 Intro02:12 Why Did

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11:59

Ep 112 Does AA Make Drinking Worse?

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/06

What if it’s not the booze — but the belief system?In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, we dive into Alan Marlatt’s 1973 expectancy experiment, featured in Resisting 12-Step Coercion by Stanton Peele. This study throws a major wrench in AA’s core claim: the “physical allergy” to alcohol.🔬 Study findings?👉 People who thought they were drinking alcohol behaved more "drunk" — even when they weren’t.👉 Those who were drinking but didn’t know it? No typical "alcoholic" behavior.So… is it the

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12:45

Ep 111 The Study That Shatters AA's Biggest Claim

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/04

You were told to leave AA is to drink — and to drink is to die. But what if the data says otherwise?In this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I break down one of the most important studies you’ve probably never heard of — the 1992 NLAES study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This massive, government-funded study followed thousands of people who met the criteria for alcohol dependence... and most of them got better without AA or treatment.This episode dives

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02:09:24

Ep 110 Midtown AA “13th Stepping” Scandal — Mandi’s...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/08/01

This is not just one woman’s story. It’s a window into what’s been allowed to happen behind closed doors in Alcoholics Anonymous.At 15 years old, Mandi was sent to AA as a “troubled teen.” What followed was not recovery — it was manipulation, coercion, grooming, and systemic cover-up.In this conversation, Mandi details how a so-called spiritual leader in the Midtown AA group in Washington, D.C. used his power to exploit underage girls — and how the group protected him.This conversation exposes the

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14:06

Ep 109 Why AA's Calls You Resentful When You Leave...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/30

Why does AA call you resentful just for leaving? In this episode of Culty Comments, we break down how the word resentment got rebranded from sin, why it’s weaponized against dissenters, and how AA uses emotional manipulation to keep you locked in.If you've ever been called "bitter," "angry," or "a dry drunk" after walking away… this one's for you.Join our free deprogramming AA Community and get free resources in the 🔓 AA Escape Kit here → 🔓 AA Escape Kit click hereWant to dive deeper? Join my

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33:59

Ep 108 Preacher Exposes the Truth About AA—And I’m Shook

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/28

🚨 This Preacher Says AA Is Dangerous — And He Has a Bus to Prove It 🚌In today’s reaction episode, we dive into a bold and controversial video titled "Alcoholics Anonymous Is Dangerous – Part 1" by Jim Battle. This preacher isn’t holding back—and neither am I. From cult recruitment tactics to the powerless indoctrination, we break down exactly why AA might not be what you think it is.Original video AA Is Dangerous Pt 1Orange Papers00:00 – Intro AA Is Dangerous01:10 – Meet Jim Battle, the preacher

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01:35:21

Ep 107 Big Book Thumper Leaves AA After 32 Years —...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/25

After 32 years in Alcoholics Anonymous, Carrie walked away from the program she once lived and breathed. A retired VA nurse, dynamic speaker, and hardcore Big Book Thumper, Carrie sponsored thousands and climbed the service ladder—until she started asking herself the one question AA fears most: Do I actually believe this?This powerful conversation dives into indoctrination, service burnout, identity loss, spiritual manipulation, predatory behavior in meetings, and the courage it takes to walk away

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14:29

Ep 106 Wait... Every AA Meeting is Toxic? #CultyComments

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/23

"Sorry You Missed That Part" — AA Indoctrination in Full ViewWelcome to another episode of Culty Comments — where we break down the ideology, not the individual. Today we’re responding to a spicy little comment that accuses me of bashing AA, claims meetings have “personalities,” and confidently declares I’m going downhill (lol ok Bro).But here’s the thing:Cult members can view deconstructing as "bashing"Mind control can trap us in survivalDeconstruction unlocks freedomJoin our free deprogramming AA

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27:11

Ep 105 The Dangerous AA Lie That Jordan Peterson...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/21

Jordan Peterson once helped me break free from AA's ideological grip.But in this viral clip from Theo Von’s podcast, he repeats dangerous myths about Alcoholics Anonymous — calling it “psychologically intelligent” and denying the harm it causes.So today, we're unpacking this AA propaganda in real time — from coerced confessions to forced religious conversion, and the global indoctrination that keeps people stuck in a cult disguised as recovery.This isn’t about bashing Jordan or Theo — it’s about

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01:15:58

Ep 104 Leaving 12 Step with Tara @BurnTheStigma

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/18

What if the thing you were told would save your life… was actually harming you the most?In this raw and powerful episode, Tara from @BurnTheStigma shares how 10 years in AA and 12-step recovery impacted her more deeply — and more dangerously — than heroin ever did.We unpack the hidden trauma of 12-step indoctrination, the slow unraveling of belief systems, and the courage it takes to walk away from something everyone says “works.”Tara's Recovery Rebellion PodcastTimestamps:00:00 Intro with Tara Burn

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11:58

Ep 103 Dangerous False Choice AA Keeps Repeating...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/17

It’s Not a Loving Philosophy — It’s a Cult Religion.Welcome back to Culty Comments — where we deconstruct the ideology of Alcoholics Anonymous so we can get free. Today’s comment says:"The alcoholic death is worse than anything you can say about AA. I love AA, not perfection, but progress and life-saving philosophy of love and others paying it forward."Let’s unpack this.What if what looks like “love” is actually coercive control?What if that “life-saving philosophy” is rooted in cult religion

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09:35

Ep 102 You Won’t Believe What He Compared AA To...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/16

Someone Just Compared AA to a Gym… Seriously?!In this episode of #CultyComments, we're unpacking a wild claim: that Alcoholics Anonymous is no more of a cult than a gym. 😳I break down the real differences — including the shame, moral inventories, powerlessness, and threats of death — and share why this kind of ideology comparison is not just off, it's dangerous.👉 If you’ve ever questioned AA or felt the residue of its ideology stuck in your head, you’re not alone. This episode is for those of us

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21:59

Ep 101 What is a Recovery Dharma Meeting Like?

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/15

What is a Recovery Dharma meeting actually like? I went to a Recovery Dharma meeting today so that I could report back to you with what one of their meetings is like.Timestamps:00:00 Intro: Recovery Dharma Meeting01:54 How the Meeting Began 05:09 Introductions + Rituals 10:26 Meditation Format 13:26 Shares, Timers, and Group Dynamics17:29 Closing Rituals + “Virtual Parking Lot” Explained19:26 Final Thoughts on Recovery DharmaI went to one for the very first time — no prep, no research — and here’s

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35:19

Ep 100 AA's Step 4 Sent Steve-O to the Psych Ward

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/14

Diving deep for more AA propaganda, this time it's Steve O on Joe Rogan.Timestamps:00:00 Steve-O on Rogan: AA Indoctrination03:33 Rehab $100K for 30 days?!06:35 Inside Rehab: Meetings & Mind Control09:40 Creepy Roommates & “Therapy”11:22 12 Steps = Path to God15:02 Step Work → Mental Health Crisis16:30 Psych Ward After Step 418:53 Still Pushing AA?23:01 “You’re Never Free” Lie25:55 Always Recruiting, 1% Success30:07 Pickle Myth & AA LogicIn this episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I

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01:15:43

Ep 99 Leaving AA, Unmasking Autism + Naltrexone –...

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/13

🧠 AUTISM, A.A., & THE SINCLAIR METHOD | A powerful deconstruction story 🎙️00:00 – Intro AA, Autism, Sinclair Method00:48 – What A.A. Was Like at First03:16 – How Alcohol Helped Mask Autism Traits04:31 – Discovering Autism + Reframing "Alcoholism"09:39 – Critical Thinking & Cognitive Dissonance in A.A.16:03 – The Moment He Knew He Had to Leave AA20:58 – Starting the Sinclair Method23:32 – Reading The Cure for Alcoholism 25:18 – Dr. Silkworth: The Myth That Built A.A.27:46 – What Being on

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24:04

Ep 98 The Cure for Alcoholism – Book Review

Sobriety Bestie Podcast ·

2025/07/12

📘 The Cure for Alcoholism — Book Review (Sinclair Method Deep Dive) Could a generic $2 pill actually reverse alcohol addiction? 🎙️ Timestamps:00:00 – The Cure for Alcoholism02:11 – Alcoholism cure: the core message03:19 – How I’d get sober if I could go back05:01 – Evidence based + FDA-approved since 199409:14 – What surprised me the most10:50 – Alcohol Deprivation Effect14:17 – Learning + unlearning addiction19:30 – Drink your way soberIn today’s episode of the Sobriety Bestie Podcast, I’m

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