TheWillpowerPodcast

Sobriety podcast featuring real addiction recovery stories and practical tools that actually work.

I'm Will Gordon. Boston school teacher, two-time organ transplant survivor, and a guy who used to hide vodka bottles in places I don't even like remembering.

At 35, my liver and kidneys were done. Doctors said weeks, maybe less. Transplants gave me a second shot. Sobriety gave me everything else.

This isn't some shiny recovery show. It's raw conversations about what addiction actually feels like, how messy getting sober really is, and the quiet moments that slowly pull you back to life.

Every Friday I talk with people who've been to the edge - some still hanging on by their fingernails - and we unpack the doubts, the small wins, the tools that actually work when everything else fails.

If you're fighting cravings, questioning if it's worth it, or just need to hear someone who gets it... this is for you.

Real stories. Real tools. No bullshit.

AND ALWAYS with Respect and Compassion.

🎧 New Episodes Every Friday: One listen could reframe your life.

🙏 Every donation helps keep this content going and reaching the people who need it most. → https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcast

JOIN THE MOVEMENT:

"Your greatest comeback starts the moment you decide it's possible."  Feel that pull? Hit play. One story could change your lens. Subscribe, and let’s build something unstoppable. 

Listen on:

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Episodes

Friday Dec 19, 2025

Dr. Sarah Michaud spent 30 years as a clinical psychologist helping addicts and codependents climb out of hell… only to wake up one day and realize she was living in the exact same hell.From people-pleasing therapist to full-blown addict and codependent, she hit rock bottom, got sober, wrote the raw book _Co-Crazy_, and now co-hosts the hit podcast _Leaving Crazy Land_.This conversation is different. If you grew up trying to keep everyone happy, if you still don’t know what YOU actually want, or if sobriety feels like it’s missing something… this one will hit different.Watch now.Connect with Dr. Sarah Website → https://drsarahmichaud.com Podcast (Leaving Crazy Land) → Search “Leaving Crazy Land” on your platform Book _Co-Crazy_ → Available everywhereNeed someone to talk to? My 1-on-1 mentoring → https://calendly.com/thewillpowerpodcast/30min*Support the show* : 🤝 If you believe in the mission of spreading hope and healing through real recovery stories, please consider donating to the podcast. Every dollar helps keep this content going and reaching the people who need it most → https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcast🧥 RCVR Apparel → Rock recovery-inspired gear with pride. Save 10% with code *WILLPOWER10* at https://rcvrbrand.com💊 LiverMedic Supplements → Feel your best with natural liver support. Use code *WILL10* for 10% off at https://liverlifesupplements.com🎤 AMPLIFY Sober Voices (Jan 15, 2026) → Join sober creators at Podfest 2026. Get $20 off with code *WILLPOWER20* at https://amplify.soberliferocks.com📚 Shortform (reading made easy) → Dig deeper into recovery books. Sign up at https://shortform.com/twpp and get a FREE TRIAL + $50 OFF your annual subscription.* Timestamps 00:00 Therapist becomes the patient 00:54 First drink at 16 – “It was the solution”* 04:25 Bank robbery to pay a coke dealer* 09:15 Growing up in alcoholism & feeling “different”* 13:37 Why year 2-3 of sobriety is the hardest* 21:22 What codependency really is (and why it’s deadly) 29:43 The fear that drives people-pleasing* 33:27 “Put down the drink for 30 days and see”* 42:37 Best advice for anyone realizing they drink too muchDrop a ❤️ if this hit home. *Subscribe Please* – new episode every week.#Codependency #PeoplePleaser #Sober #QuitDrinking #Recovery

Friday Dec 12, 2025

Aaron Starbuck just got the green light. His liver transplant is officially approved and could happen any day… maybe even tonight.His first reaction wasn’t relief.It was terror.I know exactly how he's feeling and I talk openly about my OWN experience. Imagine being able to talk to someone whose on the other side of it? Well Aaron gets that opportunity.“I knew it was coming… but I’m repulsed by the idea of being cut open. It’s a blessing… but it’s also scary.”I felt him here.In this emergency raw live episode we talk: • - The exact moment the transplant team called • Why he’s having cold feet even though he’s dying without it • The financial nightmare of transplant life • Paracentesis, lactulose, HE, and rock-bottom truth • What the other side actually feels like (I LIVED it) If Aaron’s story moves you, help him with medical bills, housing, and recovery costs right now:https://www.gofundme.com/f/aaron-needs-a-liver-transplant-to-thrive🤝 If you believe in spreading real recovery stories, please consider supporting the show. Every dollar keeps this content coming → https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcastOne of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever recorded.If you’re in recovery, on a transplant list, or love someone who is — this one’s for you.New episodes every week.Leave a review and share if this hit home.#LiverTransplant #Sobriety #AddictionRecovery #TransplantWarrior

Friday Dec 12, 2025

🤝From a second-story fall that started a decade of panic attacks, to blackouts I’m still ashamed of, to not believing I’d see 30 — Mitch Webb somehow found a way out. Today he’s an integrative somatic coach helping people speak their body’s language and heal from the inside. In this episode, Mitch gets real about: - The head injury that changed everything - Fraternity life and the “no off switch” drinking - Childhood trauma he didn’t even know he had - Sitting with the fire (the moment that felt like a magic trick) - Pee Pee McGee shame - Lyme pain and mold hell - Why Western medicine failed him - A 60-second practice that melted anxiety live on the podcast - Coming out of survival mode and finally seeing the sky as blue again This is one of the most honest conversations I’ve had. If you’re carrying the same weight, this one’s for you. 🤝 If you believe in spreading real recovery stories, please consider supporting the show. Every dollar keeps this content coming → https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcast Connect with Mitch: Free nervous system quiz + coaching → https://mitchweb.com Instagram → https://instagram.com/kmitchwebb The Willpower Podcast with Will Gordon New episodes every week → subscribe if this helped #Sobriety #QuitDrinking #TraumaHealing #SomaticHealing #Anxiety #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #MentalHealth #RecoveryPodcast

Monday Dec 08, 2025

🚨 BREAKING: Aaron just got the GREEN LIGHT! His liver transplant could happen ANY DAY, maybe even TONIGHT. The fear is REAL. 😨In this raw LIVE unfiltered episode of The Willpower Podcast, Aaron Starbuck opens up about the call that changed everything: The nerves, the "what if I don't wake up," the finances, the pain waiting game, and why he's terrified but fighting through. I've been exactly there. My own transplant saved me after alcoholism hit rock bottom. We talk parallels in sobriety, the "I'm not dead yet" mindset, paracentesis horrors, lactulose life, and the hope on the other side.This isn't polished. it's two guys who shouldn't be alive, sharing to help YOU if you're in the trenches of addiction, recovery, or waiting for that life-saving call.If this moves you, rally for Aaron: Medical bills, housing, recovery—every dollar helps. GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/aaron-needs-a-liver-transplant-to-thriveDrop a comment: Who's been through the transplant wait? Share advice or your story; we're in this together. 💪❤️Timestamps:0:00 - Intro & Aaron's Big News2:48 - Aaron's Rock Bottom Backstory9:29 - The Terror: "Shit Moment" & Cold Feet13:25 - Surgery Risks & Not Waking Up17:36 - Life After: Getting Fit, Back to Work23:16 - Support System Saves Lives26:20 - Paracentesis, Lactulose, & Liver Realities31:19 - Hope, Prayers, & What's Next#LiverTransplant #SobrietyJourney #AddictionRecovery #TransplantStory #SoberLife #WillpowerPodcast #RecoveryWarrior #OrganDonor #AlcoholismRecovery #SecondChanceSubscribe for more real stories & updates on Aaron: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWillpowerPodcastHit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE if this hit home. let's get this to everyone who needs it!

Saturday Dec 06, 2025

🤝From a second-story fall that started a decade of panic attacks, to blackouts I’m still ashamed of, to not believing I’d see 30 — Mitch Webb somehow found a way out.Today he’s an integrative somatic coach helping people speak their body’s language and heal from the inside.In this episode, Mitch gets real about:- The head injury that changed everything- Fraternity life and the “no off switch” drinking- Childhood trauma he didn’t even know he had- Sitting with the fire (the moment that felt like a magic trick)- Pee Pee McGee shame- Lyme pain and mold hell- Why Western medicine failed him- A 60-second practice that melted anxiety live on the podcast- Coming out of survival mode and finally seeing the sky as blue againThis is one of the most honest conversations I’ve had. If you’re carrying the same weight, this one’s for you.🤝 If you believe in spreading real recovery stories, please consider supporting the show. Every dollar keeps this content coming → https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcastConnect with Mitch:Free nervous system quiz + coaching → https://mitchweb.comInstagram → https://instagram.com/kmitchwebbThe Willpower Podcast with Will GordonNew episodes every week → subscribe if this helped#Sobriety #QuitDrinking #TraumaHealing #SomaticHealing #Anxiety #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #MentalHealth #RecoveryPodcast

Friday Nov 21, 2025

🤝After two suicide attempts, losing her baby son to a terminal illness, a marriage that ended in scandal, and then — 4+ years sober — getting the call that her ex-husband overdosed on fentanyl… Ashley Jo somehow kept going.Today she’s a sober mom, bonus mom, author, and speaker who’s been alcohol-free since August 14, 2020. On the exact release day of her gut-wrenching new memoir *Tides of Grief, Waves of Grace*, Ashley gets REAL about:- Hiding 40+ beers a day while everyone thought she “had it together”- The garage suicide attempt that miraculously failed- What sober grief actually feels like when the worst keeps happening- Writing two eulogies in treatment that changed everything- Why God never left even when faith almost did- And the letter to her ex she never got to say out loud 💔This is one of the heaviest, most hopeful conversations we’ve ever had on the show.If this episode hits home, drop a comment and let us know. And PLEASE—smash that subscribe button so we can keep these powerful convos coming. 🙏🤝 If you believe in the mission of spreading hope and healing through real recovery stories, please consider donating to the podcast. Every dollar helps keep this content going and reaching the people who need it most → https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcast🧥 RCVR Apparel: Rock recovery-inspired gear with pride. Save 10% with code thewillpowerpodcast at http://rcvrbrand.com/thewillpowerpodcast💊 Liver Medic Supplements: Feel your best with natural liver support. Use code THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off for 10% off at http://livermedic.com/discount/THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off🎤 AMPLIFY Sober Voices (Jan 15, 2026): Join sober creators at Podfest 2026. Get $20 off with code WILL at http://amplify.soberliferocks.com📖 Grab Ashley’s book *Tides of Grief, Waves of Grace* today: https://www.thisisashleyjo.com (or Amazon, Barnes & Noble, everywhere books are sold)Connect with Ashley:Instagram: https://instagram.com/thisisashleyjoWebsite: https://thisisashleyjo.com📚Shortform affiliate (reading made easy):Sign up at https://shortform.com/twpp and get a FREE TRIAL + $50 OFF your annual subscription. Perfect for digging deeper into recovery books!#Sobriety #AddictionRecovery #GriefAndHealing #SoberMom #ChildLoss #FentanylAwareness #ChristianRecovery #SoberPodcast

Friday Nov 14, 2025

He hit rock bottom after a DUI. Now, Chaplain Sy Ali is 5 years sober, and helping others transform their lives. From elite protection agent to homeless veteran, this is the powerful true story of recovery, redemption, and rediscovering purpose through faith and service.In this episode of the Will Power Podcast, Sy shares how PTSD, loss, and addiction nearly destroyed him—and how reading the Bible, becoming a chaplain, and working with at-risk youth and fellow veterans changed everything. We dive into his journey from alcohol dependence to spiritual leadership, and how he now uses his story to heal others.🎧 What you’ll hear:• Why Sy surrendered after a life-altering DUI• The hidden toll of PTSD and emotional suppression• What it really feels like to be homeless• How he rebuilt his life at 60 with zero money• His advice for anyone struggling with addiction or doubt✨ Whether you're battling personal demons or just seeking hope, this is a story you don’t want to miss.📚 Read Sy Ali’s memoir Out of the Storm🌐 Learn more about his youth work at Alivio Learning📢 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more unfiltered stories of human willpower.👉 Book a 1:1 Sober Mentoring Session Today—LINK BELOWhttps://calendly.com/thewillpowerpodcast/30min🙏 If this episode hits home, drop a comment and let us know. And PLEASE—smash that subscribe button so we can keep these powerful convos coming.🧥 RCVR Apparel: Rock recovery-inspired gear with pride.Save 10% with code thewillpowerpodcast at rcvrbrand.com/thewillpowerpodcast💊 Liver Medic Supplements: Feel your best with natural liver support.Use code THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off for 10% off at livermedic.com/discount/THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off🎤 AMPLIFY Sober Voices (Jan 15, 2026): Join sober creators at Podfest 2026.Get $20 off with code WILL at amplify.soberliferocks.com

Friday Nov 07, 2025

Can you really rebuild your entire life after 30 years lost to alcohol? In this raw and powerful episode of the Will Power Podcast, Ian Fee shares his unfiltered alcohol recovery journey — from being a high-functioning alcoholic who spent over $1 million on booze, to becoming a present father, dropping 80 pounds, and living 8 years fully sober.Ian opens up about:- The shocking truth behind his rehab experience- How aversion therapy rewired his brain- The moment that changed everything on Day 3- Losing two marriages — and regaining self-worth- The daily habits that keep him sharp and soberThis isn’t just another sobriety story — it’s a transformation masterclass. If you’re struggling with addiction, self-sabotage, or wondering if it’s too late to turn it all around… this is for you.👉 Book a 1:1 Sober Mentoring Session Today—LINK BELOWhttps://calendly.com/thewillpowerpodcast/30min🙏 If this episode hits home, drop a comment and let us know. And PLEASE—smash that subscribe button so we can keep these powerful convos coming.🧥 RCVR Apparel: Rock recovery-inspired gear with pride.Save 10% with code thewillpowerpodcast at rcvrbrand.com/thewillpowerpodcast💊 Liver Medic Supplements: Feel your best with natural liver support.Use code THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off for 10% off at livermedic.com/discount/THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off🎤 AMPLIFY Sober Voices (Jan 15, 2026): Join sober creators at Podfest 2026.Get $20 off with code WILL at amplify.soberliferocks.com

Friday Oct 31, 2025

In this episode of The WillPower Podcast, Chad Dunn shares how he went from chasing adrenaline as a BMX rider to six DUIs, crack addiction, and a 30-month sentence in federal prison.He opens up about the moment he knew he had to change, how meeting a sober bartender shifted his path, and why losing his freedom—not just his health—was the real rock bottom.Now sober, he trains pro athletes and lives with purpose every day.A raw, honest story of hitting bottom and climbing back with clarity.💬 Comment below with your thoughts, questions, or just to say you’re on the journey too.🙏 If this episode hits home, drop a comment and let us know. And PLEASE—smash that subscribe button so we can keep these powerful convos coming.🙏 If you believe in the mission of spreading hope and healing through real recovery stories, please consider donating to the podcast. Every dollar helps keep this content going and reaching the people who need it most. → [https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcast]🧥 RCVR Apparel: Rock recovery-inspired gear with pride.Save 10% with code thewillpowerpodcast at rcvrbrand.com/thewillpowerpodcast💊 Liver Medic Supplements: Feel your best with natural liver support.Use code THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off for 10% off at livermedic.com/discount/THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off🎤 AMPLIFY Sober Voices (Jan 15, 2026): Join sober creators at Podfest 2026.Get $20 off with code WILL at amplify.soberliferocks.com

Friday Oct 24, 2025

What happens when the party ends—and the pain begins?Candice Combs' sobriety journey started in a chaotic childhood filled with addiction, trauma, and survival in the streets of New Orleans. After quitting drinking at 23 and finding success in tech, she built a thriving wellness business. But years later, alcohol addiction came roaring back—nearly destroying her life and relationship.Now, 10 years sober, Candice shares her raw recovery story in this powerful conversation with Will Gordon. From being drunk at 11 to becoming the founder of Sober Reset and In Symmetry Spa, she opens up about trauma, transformation, and the exact moment she said, “I’m never drinking again.”This is more than just a tale of addiction. It’s about rebuilding, reclaiming identity, and redefining what healing really looks like. If you're searching for hope, clarity, or real talk about sobriety—this episode is for you.🎧 Topics covered:- Her first drink at age 11- Navigating a toxic family environment- The moment she knew alcohol had to go—for good- How her business masked the relapse- Building Sober Reset to help others📌 This episode is a must-watch for anyone navigating sobriety, mental health, or the path back to self-love.🙏 If this episode hits home, drop a comment and let us know. And PLEASE—smash that subscribe button so we can keep these powerful convos coming.🙏 If you believe in the mission of spreading hope and healing through real recovery stories, please consider donating to the podcast. Every dollar helps keep this content going and reaching the people who need it most. → [https://buymeacoffee.com/thewillpowerpodcast]🧥 RCVR Apparel: Rock recovery-inspired gear with pride.Save 10% with code thewillpowerpodcast at rcvrbrand.com/thewillpowerpodcast💊 Liver Medic Supplements: Feel your best with natural liver support.Use code THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off for 10% off at livermedic.com/discount/THEWILLPOWERPODCAST10off🎤 AMPLIFY Sober Voices (Jan 15, 2026): Join sober creators at Podfest 2026.Get $20 off with code WILL at amplify.soberliferocks.com#Recovery #SoberReset #SobrietyJourney #CandiceCombs #AlcoholAddiction #WillPowerPodcast #MentalHealth #PersonalGrowth

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Two years ago, doctors gave me 2 weeks to live because of my drinking. My liver? Failed. My kidneys? Shutting down. My denial? Still strong as ever. I needed an emergency liver AND kidney transplant just to survive. Yeah - it got that bad before I finally "got it." But here's why I'm telling you this... You don't have to wait until you're where I was. You don't have to end up in that hospital bed. You don't have to put your family through what mine went through. That's why I created TheWillpowerPodcast. Every week, I bring you: • Raw, honest conversations about drinking and recovery • Real stories from people who've been there • Practical tips for getting (and staying) sober • Proof that sober life isn't just better - it's actually amazing Whether you're: • Wondering if you're drinking "too much" • Tried to quit but keep going back • Supporting someone who's struggling • Already on your sober journey • Just sober curious ...this channel is your wake-up call and your roadmap to a better life. I survived for a reason - to help you avoid my mistakes and show you there's an incredible life waiting on the other side of "just one more drink." Subscribe now and join thousands of others who are discovering what life looks like beyond the bottle. Trust me, it's better than you can imagine. New episodes drop every week. Subscribe and Hit that notification bell so you don't miss the video that might just save your life - or someone else's. Let's do this together. 💪 I post a TON on my Instagram page, too. So please follow me here for more content  instagram_1x.png / thewillpowerpodcast   #SoberLife #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #SoberCurious #MentalHealth #TheWillpowerPodcast © TheWillPowerPodcast | All Rights Reserved

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