To challenge the stigma and stereotypes often associated with drug and alcohol addiction, the CBP Substance and Alcohol Misuse Prevention program presents the “Living in Recovery” podcast series. The quarterly podcast series highlights the reality that recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is possible by sharing the experiences of CBP employees who manage their sobriety for life.
Publisher
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Public Affairs - Visual Communications Division
Chris shares his journey of overcoming the fear of tarnishing his image to embrace sobriety, revealing how treatment empowered him to become the provider, leader, and family man he aspires to be.
24 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT
Living in Recovery EP 15 Michelle’s Experience
Michelle shares her personal journey through addiction and abuse, offering insights into healing and the impact on family.
28 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT
Living In Recovery Ep 14 Brandon’s Story.
n Episode 14, Brandon shares the moment he decided he needed help, and how attending treatment was like going to a “college of recovery”. Brandon goes on to discuss the lessons he learned while there and how he left with a “degree in living a happy life”. He shares appreciation for those who helped him along the way and how the idea of “discipline equals freedom” shaped his perspective on life and leads his recovery efforts today.
10 Sept 2025
Living In Recovery Ep 13 Ricky’s Story
Ricky shares his “wakeup call” that his drinking had become an addiction. While in treatment, Ricky learned how to cope with his emotions and deal with life’s stressors without using alcohol.
He describes the support he received from other CBP employees in recovery, and how their guidance helped him find ways to overcome his fear of what life would look like after admitting he needed help.
14 Jul 2025
Living In Recovery Ep. 12
In this episode, Dan describes his experience as a parent of a child who struggled with addiction. He details how he learned of his son’s substance use and the subsequent steps he and his wife took to support his journey to sobriety. Dan goes on to describe how his experience as a parent of someone struggling with addiction has informed his own path forward.
14 May 2025
Living in Recovery Ep. 11
Kimbra's Interview. In this episode, Kimbra shares how the impact of growing up in a household with others dealing with substance misuse and the challenges she faced from a young age led her to her own experiences with addiction. Kimbra details how she sought help during the darkest period of her life through Narcotics Anonymous and a therapist. Today, Kimbra is a subject matter expert on addiction and provides support to others seeking treatment.
22 Nov 2024
Living in Recovery - Episode 10 Part 1
Brett shares his personal story of recovery, highlighting the turning points and power of seeking help, and how he applies the lessons learned to his life today.
20 Nov 2024
Living in Recovery - Episode 10 Part 2
Brett shares his personal story of recovery, revealing the turning points and power of seeking help that transformed his life and freed him from the past.
10 Sept 2024
Living in Recovery - Episode 9
Overcoming Isolation, Alana’s Journey To Recovery: Alana opens up about her brave battle with addiction and the incredible journey to reclaim her life. From facing the darkness of isolation to finding hope and support through AA, Alana's story is an emotional testament to the power of seeking help and community.
7 Jun 2024
Living in Recovery - Episode 7
Mark’s Interview: Mark shares his recovery experience and how treatment helped him come to terms with his addiction and discusses what works for him in his approach to recovery. His unique experience shows how everyone’s road to recovery is personal and can take any shape that the person needs to recover from addiction.
28 Nov 2023
Living in Recovery - Episode 6
Jimmy’s Journey from Lifestyle Choice to Recovering From Problem Drinking.
Jimmy shares his recovery experience and how treatment helped him come to terms with his addiction. Jimmy talks about how drinking changed from a lifestyle choice to becoming a problem and currently how recovery is an integral part of his life.
7 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 5 Part 2
(Continued from Episode 5, part 1) John shares how his life has changed for the better since making his sobriety a priority. John describes how he learned how to have fun again and describes why he views the process of recovery as a “self-discovery program”.
7 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 5 Part 1
Struggling in Silence: John walks us through the challenges he overcame and what he had to come terms with in order to find strength in his recovery journey.
6 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 4
Personal Loss During Recovery: Gabe shares the lessons he’s learned since first beginning his recovery journey and pays tribute to a friend lost along with the way.
6 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 3
In this episode, our very own podcast producer, Tim, shares his experience growing up with family members who struggled with addiction.
6 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 2 Part 2
(continued from Episode 2, part 1) Carlos discusses what life is like after treatment helped him to find something greater for himself. Carlos describes what life is like living in recovery, to include being a peer support instructor, having an improved relationship with his family, and more fulfillment with his work as an Agent. Carlos discusses the support from his chain of command and how it has helped him get where he is today.
6 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 2 Part 1
In this episode, Carlos, a member of the Peer Support program, discusses his realization of the effects his addiction was having on his life and how he decided to seek help. Carlos shares how going to treatment, addressing the underlying issues, and what happened after he returned home helped him come to terms with who he wants to be.
5 Jun 2023
Living In Recovery - Episode 1
Jason discusses his recovery experience and how treatment helped him to come to terms with his addiction. Jason, a Border Patrol Agent, details his approach to recovery and how his connection to a community of people, a practice of meditation, and awareness of his physical self are layers of accountability in his design for recovery.
Inside a recent episode
Living In Recovery EP 16 Chris Interview
Published 24 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Nobody's better than anybody. Nobody has higher rank than anybody. It just, you all have one shared commonality. Yes. How's it been since then? How are you maintaining that recovery? And what does recovery look like for you today? I go to meetings regularly, not as much as I would like. I see a therapist. I found a good one. I learned that Just because you found one that you don't connect with does not mean you don't go back. If you find one you don't like, it doesn't mean you don't go back. You keep trying. Remember, some people don't care if you get healthy. Your family does. Your loved ones do. […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
