Can you imagine having sex without booze… or does that thought make you want to crawl out of your skin?

In this episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah get honest about sober sex — what it looked like in addiction versus what it requires in recovery. From detachment, low standards, and seeking validation to body image fears, rejection anxiety, and learning discernment, they unpack the uncomfortable shift from numb hookups to real intimacy.

They explore how addiction blurred choice, how early sobriety brings a flood of insecurity, and why staying in your body is both terrifying and transformative. Because sober sex isn’t about performance — it’s about presence.

And presence requires vulnerability.

Takeaways

• In addiction, sex is often about validation, fear, and proving worth — not connection
• Sober sex brings up body image issues and rejection fears that substances once numbed
• Discernment is a recovery skill — you get to choose who you’re intimate with
• Casual relationships can activate codependent patterns if you ignore your own truth• Real intimacy requires vulnerability, honesty, and embracing discomfort
• Fun and play are possible in sober sex — it doesn’t have to be heavy or performative
  

Notable ResourcesDr. Sarah Michaud, Author of Co CrazyFollow @leavingcrazytown on YouTubeWebsite: https://drsarahmichaud.com/

If this conversation resonated, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown — and share it with someone navigating intimacy in recovery.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery — with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up — we’re leaving CrazyTown.

In this Boozeless Book Club episode, Dr. Sarah Michaud and Amy Liz Harrison dive deep into Wake Up by Jen Hatmaker—a book that challenges rigid belief systems, recovery dogma, and fear-based spirituality. Together, they unpack what happens when programs meant to heal start replacing one form of control with another, especially for women navigating sobriety, faith, and codependency. This is an honest, nuanced conversation about reclaiming discernment, self-trust, and emotional freedom—without throwing out what truly works.

Key Takeaways

• Rigid recovery rules often mirror the same power dynamics we’re trying to heal from

• Women in recovery frequently need self-trust—not ego reduction

• Fear-based spirituality undermines emotional sobriety

• Both accountability and personal agency can coexist

• Thinking for yourself is not a relapse—it’s growth

Key Timestamps

[02:10] Why this book felt “meaty” and activating

[07:45] Trading one dogma for another in recovery

[14:30] Fear-based faith, shame, and loss of self

[22:10] When “look at your part” becomes self-blame

[30:40] Holding nuance without burning bridges

Notable Resources

• Wake Up — Jen Hatmaker

• Dr. Sarah Michaud, Author of Co Crazy

• https://drsarahmichaud.com/

If this episode stirred something in you, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown—and share it with someone learning to trust themselves again.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery—with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up—we’re leaving CrazyTown.

Is it love… or is it codependency dressed up as romance?

In this Valentine’s Day episode, Finn and Dr. Sarah break down the real differences between healthy love and codependent attachment. Drawing from their own relationships (yes, they’re both in love right now), they unpack the subtle ways we confuse control, people-pleasing, emotional blame, and conflict avoidance with “being loving.”

From emotional regulation and over-offering to relentless self-sacrifice and white lies, this episode gives you three clear distinctions between love and codependency—plus the hard truths that deepen intimacy instead of destroying it.

Because real love doesn’t require you to disappear.And it definitely doesn’t require you to manage someone else’s emotions.

Takeaways

• Love means regulating your own emotions instead of blaming your partner

• Codependency often shows up as fixing, over-managing, or forcing help

• Asking once and trusting the answer builds respect and intimacy

• Self-sacrifice without boundaries leads to resentment and rage

• Honest, difficult conversations create deeper connection than conflict avoidance ever will

Notable Resources

Dr. Sarah Michaud, Author of Co CrazyFollow @leavingcrazytown on YouTubeWebsite: https://drsarahmichaud.com/

If you loved this conversation, subscribe, rate, and review Leaving CrazyTown—and share it with a friend ready to reclaim their voice and leave confusion behind.

Leaving CrazyTown is a raw, real-talk podcast hosted by Finn and Dr. Sarah Michaud, two recovering addicts turned relatable guides on the wild ride of codependency healing. Each episode dives deep into the chaos of dysfunctional relationships, identity loss, and emotional recovery—with humor, honesty, and hope. Subscribe and buckle up—we’re leaving CrazyTown.