The Recovery Couch

Everybody loves a comeback story. But what people don't always talk about is how hard that comeback actually is.
Denny Matthews is back on The Recovery Couch, and this time we're talking about what life looks like after a relapse.
After 20 months of sobriety, Denny found himself right back in a battle he thought he'd overcome. Now he's dealing with the emotional aftermath, the loss of his job, serious health struggles, and frustrating insurance delays that are keeping him from getting back into treatment.
And he's not pretending any of it is easy.
During our conversation, Denny opens up about the shame, depression, isolation, and fear that can come with starting recovery again. We talk about accountability, rebuilding trust, asking for help, and why having people who love you doesn't always make it easy to accept their support.
We also have some fun with our This'er That segment before getting into a powerful Finish the Sentence conversation about family, forgiveness, and the future Denny still hopes to build.
One thing I want people to understand is this: Just because someone knows what they need to do doesn't mean doing it is easy.
If you've ever experienced a relapse, struggled to forgive yourself, or loved someone battling addiction, this conversation is for you.
Denny's story is still being written, and I'm grateful he's willing to let us follow along.
You always have a seat right here on The Recovery Couch.
The Recovery Couch is a True Story Media production.

What happens when someone who has spent 20 months rebuilding their life in recovery suddenly relapses?
In this deeply personal episode of The Recovery Couch, Brandon Couch welcomes back Denny Matthews for his third appearance. But this conversation is different.
Just days before recording, Denny relapsed after 20 months of sobriety. What began with physical pain and prescription opioids quickly escalated into heroin and methamphetamine use, leaving Denny struggling with shame, guilt, and the fear that everything he worked for might be lost.
Rather than hide what happened, Denny reached out to Brandon and asked to share his story.
Together, they have an honest, emotional conversation about the realities of addiction relapse, the power of honesty, and the difficult process of getting back into recovery.
Topics discussed include:
Relapsing after long-term sobriety
Prescription pain medication and relapse risk
Shame, guilt, and the fear of starting over
The importance of honesty and accountability
Recovery support groups, sponsorship, and asking for help
The emotional impact of resetting a sobriety date
Faith, forgiveness, and spiritual struggles
Rebuilding confidence and finding the courage to try again
Denny also shares what he believes contributed to his relapse, including becoming comfortable in his recovery and neglecting some of the daily practices that had helped him stay sober.
Throughout the conversation, Brandon challenges Denny to recognize that the 20 months he spent sober still matter and that one setback doesn't erase the progress he made.
The episode concludes with a conversation about potentially documenting Denny's journey back into recovery through future episodes of The Recovery Couch.
This is a story still being written.
If you've ever experienced a relapse, struggled with addiction, or watched someone you love fight to stay sober, this conversation is for you.
Listen, share your thoughts, and join us in encouraging Denny as he takes his next steps.
The Recovery Couch — real conversations about addiction, recovery, faith, and second chances.
You always have a seat right here.

Everybody loves a redemption story. But what happens when the person asking for a second chance has a criminal record, a history of drug addiction, or a past that makes people uncomfortable?
In this powerful episode of The Recovery Couch, Brandon Couch challenges society's attitudes toward addiction recovery, incarceration, forgiveness, and second chances.
As a recovering addict, convicted felon, U.S. Air Force veteran, author, and Christian, Brandon knows firsthand what it means to take responsibility for past mistakes while trying to build a different future.
But here's the question: If we believe people can change, why do we keep defining them by who they used to be?
Through personal experiences, uncomfortable questions, and biblical examples from Mark 2:17 and Acts 9, Brandon examines the difference between accountability and condemnation, the barriers people face after prison and addiction treatment, and the responsibility Christians have to extend the grace they preach.
This conversation explores addiction stigma, criminal justice rehabilitation, rebuilding trust, finding employment after incarceration, Christian forgiveness, and why genuine redemption isn't measured by wealth, success, or public recognition.
Brandon also delivers a challenge to people in recovery: second chances don't eliminate accountability. Real change requires honesty, responsibility, consistency, and actions that demonstrate a different way of living.
The question isn't simply whether people deserve second chances. It's whether we're willing to help make those second chances possible.
Whether you're rebuilding your life after addiction, supporting someone in recovery, navigating the consequences of a criminal record, or wrestling with what forgiveness really means, this episode is for you.
Listen, share your perspective, and help us continue the conversation about recovery, faith, accountability, and redemption.

What if getting sober is only the beginning?
In John 11, Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb. Lazarus is alive again — but he's still wrapped in the grave clothes he was buried in.
That hit me hard.
Because that's what recovery has looked like in my own life.
Jesus brought me back to life, but getting sober didn't automatically remove the shame, resentment, fear, pride, guilt, survival instincts and old ways of thinking that addiction had wrapped around me.
In this episode of The Recovery Couch, I walk through the story of Lazarus and the parallels I see between John 11, addiction and recovery.
We talk about addiction living in darkness, becoming spiritually dead, Jesus meeting us in the middle of our wreckage, the difference between sobriety and recovery, and why we need other people to help us remove the "grave clothes" we can't always see ourselves.
Because getting sober got me out of the tomb.
Recovery has been learning how to stop living like I'm still in it.
Jesus says:
Come out.Take off the grave clothes.Let him go.
That's more than sobriety.
That's freedom.
This is The Recovery Couch with Brandon Couch — honest conversations about addiction, recovery, faith and second chances.
You always have a seat right here on The Recovery Couch.

What are hallucinogens and psychedelics, how do they affect perception, and why have humans used them for thousands of years?
In this episode of The Recovery Couch, Brandon Couch continues the Learning Together series with an educational examination of hallucinogens and psychedelics.
We explore psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, mescaline, DMT, LSD, PCP, morning glory seeds, nightshade plants, nutmeg, and mace, along with concepts such as altered perception, synesthesia, tolerance, psychological dependence, and the unpredictable nature of psychedelic experiences.
We also look at the history behind these substances—from ancient ceremonial practices to LSD and the psychedelic movement of the 1960s—and discuss why understanding their effects and risks matters in addiction and recovery education.
This episode is intended strictly for educational and informational purposes and does not encourage the use of illicit substances.
📖 Check out Brandon Couch's book, Step 4: A Journey Through Addiction, and remember:
You always have a seat right here on The Recovery Couch.

David Jarvis went from serving 21 years in the British Army to facing a life-threatening Type 1 diabetes diagnosis—and then winning a gold medal at the Invictus Games.
In this episode of The Recovery Couch, David shares how resilience, accountability, and adaptability helped him navigate some of the biggest transitions of his life.
After being medically discharged from the British Army, David found himself struggling with identity, direction, and what came next. Then, while training for the 2023 Invictus Games, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and told he had been dangerously close to losing his life. Instead of abandoning his goal, David decided to raise the bar: he was going to win gold.
David and Brandon discuss what resilience actually looks like when life changes unexpectedly, including:
Why taking one simple action can break through overwhelm
The difference between resilience and “prosilience”
Rebuilding your identity after a major life transition
Why accountability matters when rebuilding your life
Turning mistakes into learning opportunities
Building sustainable habits brick by brick
Financial literacy and life after major setbacks
How David's lessons apply to addiction recovery
Why adding the word “yet” can completely change your mindset
David explains that resilience isn't one heroic act. It's the accumulation of small actions—and when adversity arrives, the question becomes: What can I do next?
Whether you're recovering from addiction, transitioning out of the military, dealing with a health diagnosis, rebuilding financially, or simply trying to figure out what comes next, this conversation is about learning how to move forward when life doesn't go according to plan.
Subscribe to The Recovery Couch for real conversations about addiction, recovery, mental health, resilience, faith, personal growth, and second chances.
Podbean / Spotify / Apple Podcasts Description
What happens when the life you've known for more than two decades ends—and you have to figure out who you are and what comes next?
David Jarvis served 21 years in the British Army before being medically discharged and beginning an entirely new chapter of his life. While preparing for the 2023 Invictus Games, another challenge arrived: a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis that doctors told him had come dangerously close to taking his life.
Instead of walking away from the Games, David set an extraordinary goal—win gold. And he did.
In this episode of The Recovery Couch, Brandon and David explore resilience, accountability, adaptability, identity, financial recovery, life transitions, and what David calls “prosilience”—not simply surviving adversity, but using it as an opportunity to raise the bar.
They also connect David's experiences directly to addiction recovery and the reality of rebuilding a life after everything has changed.
David's message is simple: you don't have to solve your entire life today. Take the next step. Lay the next brick. Keep moving forward.
The Recovery Couch — real conversations about recovery, resilience, mental health, personal growth, and second chances.
 
 
 
 

What really causes addiction?
When we talk about addiction, we often start with the substance—heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, marijuana, or something else.
But focusing exclusively on the drug can cause us to miss a much bigger question:
Why did that person need to escape in the first place?
In this episode of The Recovery Couch, Brandon Couch explores the underlying causes of addiction, including trauma and emotional pain, genetics and family influences, early exposure to substances, and social and environmental pressures.
He also examines how unresolved experiences can influence emotions, triggers, relationships, and behavior—and why understanding what's underneath substance use doesn't mean removing personal responsibility.
Responsibility and compassion don't have to compete with each other.
Recovery requires accountability and change. But people are also more than their worst coping mechanisms.
Maybe instead of only asking, “What's wrong with you?” we should also ask:
“What happened—and what do we do from here?”
Because sometimes the substance isn't the beginning of the story.
And thankfully, addiction doesn't have to be the end of it either.
🎙️ The Recovery Couch — real conversations about addiction, recovery, mental health, faith, resilience, and second chances.
Your story isn't over. You always have a seat right here.

Denny Matthews returns to The Recovery Couch to talk about something people rarely associate with sobriety: actually enjoying life again.
Now 18 months sober, Denny shares how close he came to death before entering treatment, what surrendering to God looked like for him, and how recovery has helped him rebuild relationships, rediscover his personality, and find gratitude in the simple things he once overlooked.
Brandon and Denny also discuss changing people, places, and things, sexual triggers, honesty in recovery, sober support networks, faith, relapse, and why connection with other people in recovery matters.
Denny leaves listeners with a powerful perspective for anyone who thinks sober life feels boring:
Don’t mistake peace for boredom. When you've spent years surrounded by chaos, peace can feel unfamiliar.
Recovery requires daily work—but life on the other side can be happy, meaningful, and free.
If you’re struggling with addiction, early sobriety, or wondering whether recovery is worth it, this conversation is for you.

What happens when you're sober, rebuilding your life, pursuing your purpose—and you still can't find peace?
In this personal monologue episode of The Recovery Couch, Brandon Couch opens up about a difficult season of anxiety, depression, isolation, self-pity, spiritual frustration, and the warning signs that can become dangerous in addiction recovery.
After experiencing growth in his business and podcast, Brandon suddenly found himself moving backward emotionally. His disciplines began slipping. He isolated. He spent more time on his phone. Anxiety and self-pity increased. He questioned his mission and even found himself frustrated with God.
Then something changed.
Brandon returned to the practices that had helped him throughout recovery: exercise, meditation, breath work, prayer, intentional self-care, and time with Jesus.
In the stillness, one message became clear:
Slow down.
That message forced Brandon to confront the conflict between his relentless drive to succeed and the peace he was desperately trying to find.
This episode explores addiction recovery, anxiety, depression, relapse warning signs, faith, spiritual struggles, self-care, ambition, gratitude, rebuilding life after incarceration, and learning to seek peace rather than constantly chasing the next accomplishment.
Brandon also reflects on walking out of jail with no money, job, car, or driver's license and realizing that even when life seemed impossible, somehow he continued to have what he needed.
Recovery doesn't eliminate life's struggles, and faith doesn't mean you'll never question God.
Sometimes moving forward requires recognizing that the answer isn't to move faster.
Sometimes you need to slow down.
If you're struggling to find peace in sobriety, questioning your purpose, or wondering why life still feels difficult after getting sober, this episode of The Recovery Couch is for you.
You always have a seat right here on The Recovery Couch.

For eight years, Dawn Mannion experienced homelessness while battling addiction. Today, she's sober, an author, rebuilding relationships with her children, and using her story to help others understand a world most people never truly see.
In this powerful episode of The Recovery Couch, Dawn shares her journey from childhood exposure to alcohol and cocaine through methamphetamine addiction, IV drug use, and eventually years of homelessness.
But this conversation goes much deeper than addiction.
Dawn takes Brandon inside the hidden culture of homelessness—the unwritten rules, relationships, survival routines, panhandling, camps, drugs, danger, and extraordinary resourcefulness required to survive life on the streets.
She explains why telling someone experiencing homelessness to simply "get a job" or "get a home" fundamentally misunderstands the reality they're facing.
Dawn also opens up about getting sober, reconnecting with her children, finding God, approaching her one-year sobriety milestone while experiencing thoughts of returning to her old life, and ultimately realizing that nothing addiction could offer was worth sacrificing what recovery had given her.
Today, Dawn is the author of Where the City Couldn't See Us and Love Is Greater Than Addiction: The Lies That Addiction Told Me, The Love That Set Me Free. Her mission is to use her testimony to reach people still struggling with addiction and homelessness and show them that recovery is possible.
This is a conversation about addiction, homelessness, methamphetamine addiction, recovery, sobriety, relapse, faith, trauma, survival, family, forgiveness, and second chances.
You always have a seat right here on The Recovery Couch.