Episode 227: Clinician’s Corner - Recovery Is a Lifestyle, Not a Lifeboat – Maintaining Long-Term Recovery
In this episode of Clinician’s Corner, Molly and Clarissa explore the often-overlooked realities of long-term recovery. While many recovery programs focus on the acute phases and early abstinence, sustainable recovery demands much more—it asks us to renovate our lives.
Drawing from the latest research—including insights from Harvard’s Recovery Research Institute and their own published study on food addiction outcomes—they break down the average 17-year journey toward stable remission and emphasize that recovery is a process, not a finish line.
🧠 Topics include:
The 3 stages of long-term recovery and why it takes time
What “discovery” looks like after recovery stabilizes
The role of coping skills, daily structure, and stress management
Why routine = safety for the recovering brain
The neuroscience behind mindfulness and relapse prevention
How community support, peer connection, and giving back drive lasting change
Permission to grow, evolve, and let go of what no longer serves your recovery
Molly and Clarissa also share personal reflections and client experiences that bring the research to life—reminding us all that recovery isn’t just about what we stop doing, but about what we start creating.
🔄 Whether you're early in recovery or navigating the path of long-term healing, this episode will offer validation, insight, and hope.
🧭 Key Links:
• 🎟 Register for IFACC 2025
• 📄 Read the Delphi Consensus Paper
• 📄 Read the 12-Month Outcome Study on Food Addiction Recovery
🔗 Sweet Sobriety Foundations Course
💌Please email questions, concerns, and topics to foodjunkiespodcast@gmail.com
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.