This week on the Living Clean Podcast, we continue our Twelve Step journey with Step Six: “We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”

Our returning panel is back — Archer, Pete, and Douglas — and this week we’re joined by special guests Karen J. and Ron H. for a deep and honest conversation about willingness, readiness, and the lifelong process of change.

We explore what character defects really are, why some behaviors are so difficult to let go of, and how many of us want relief while still holding on to the very things causing us pain. We discuss pride, fear, control, resentment, self-centeredness, and the inner resistance that often shows up when real transformation begins.

Step Six is where we stop just identifying the problem and start becoming willing to live differently. It is where honesty meets humility, and where growth becomes possible.

This is one of the most relatable and practical episodes in the Step series so far.

If you’ve ever known what needs to change but struggled to let it go, this episode is for you.

Do yourself a favor and listen.

Spotify Episode Description

On this episode of The Living Clean Podcast, we sit down with Jim H., one of the earliest members of Narcotics Anonymous in the Philadelphia area. Jim shares what it was like in the early days of recovery in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including getting clean on June 6, 1974 — a date that would ultimately change the course of his life.

Jim talks about being what he calls the fifth member of NA in Philadelphia around 1971, going back out for several years, and then finding his way back to recovery in 1974. From there, his story becomes deeply connected to the growth of Narcotics Anonymous itself. He helped start meetings throughout the Philadelphia area and carried the message internationally to places like Iceland and Copenhagen during a time when NA was still finding its footing around the world.

This episode is filled with personal history, hard-earned experience, humor, honesty, and a firsthand look at what recovery looked like before there were meeting lists, literature everywhere, or established fellowships in many cities. Jim’s story is a reminder that recovery survives because addicts continue carrying the message one person at a time.

What makes us love Narcotics Anonymous so deeply? In this episode of The Living Clean Podcast, Mason and Francis sit down for a heartfelt conversation about the many reasons NA continues to mean so much to us.

We share personal stories, memorable experiences, and those small moments that often say the most—moments of connection, laughter, growth, service, friendship, and recovery. From meetings that changed our lives to the people who helped shape our journey, we reflect on the things that make NA more than just a program—it’s a way of life and a worldwide fellowship built on hope.

This episode is a celebration of gratitude, recovery, and the countless blessings we’ve found through Narcotics Anonymous. Whether you’re brand new or have decades clean, we hope this conversation reminds you why we keep coming back.

We Love NA.

This week on the Living Clean Podcast, we continue our walk through the Twelve Steps with one of the most powerful and freeing steps in recovery.

Our consistent panel returns — Archer, Pete, and Douglas — and we’re joined by two special guests, Janine E. and Christina T., for an honest discussion on Step Five and what it truly means to let go of secrecy, shame, and the weight we have carried for far too long.

We talk about the fear that can come before this step, the courage it takes to be fully honest, and the relief that often follows when we finally share the truth with God, ourselves, and another human being. We also explore trust, vulnerability, humility, and how Step Five helps break the isolation that keeps many of us stuck.

This step is not about punishment. It is about freedom, healing, and no longer living alone inside our own mind.

If you’ve ever struggled with guilt, fear, or telling the truth about your past, this episode is for you.

Do yourself a favor and listen.

This special Mother’s Day episode of The Living Clean Podcast is hosted by Staci, who takes the lead for a heartfelt conversation featuring an all-moms panel.

Joining the episode are returning guests Becki and Shanna, along with two new friends of the podcast, Barbi and Kate. Together, they share powerful and honest stories about their experiences as mothers in addiction and the journey of redemption and healing in recovery.

This episode is a celebration of strength, honesty, and the miracles that recovery makes possible. It’s a reminder that recovery doesn’t just change one life—it can restore families and generations.

Whether you're a mother in recovery, someone who loves a mother in recovery, or simply grateful for the women who helped raise you, this episode is filled with hope, laughter, and heartfelt truth.

Service is where recovery comes alive.

In this special Service Day episode of the Living Clean Podcast, we sit down with Lady D., Dee M., Branwyn B., Francis, and Mason to talk about what service really means beyond positions, beyond titles, and beyond obligation.

We get into the heart of it: what service has done for us, how it’s kept us clean, and why giving back is one of the most powerful tools we have in recovery.

We talk about the impact of sponsorship, carrying the message, showing up when we don’t feel like it, and how service connects us to something bigger than ourselves.

In Narcotics Anonymous, we often say: “The heart of NA beats when two addicts share their recovery.” Service is how we keep that heart beating.

Happy Service Day.

In this special episode of The Living Clean Podcast, Mason and Francis take a deep dive into one of the most pivotal moments in the history of Narcotics Anonymous literature.

The Fourth World Literature Conference, held in Santa Monica, California in April 1981, was part of the intense and passionate effort to create a book written by addicts, for addicts. The work done at these conferences helped shape what would eventually become the NA Basic Text, a cornerstone of recovery for addicts around the world.

In the first half of the episode, Mason and Francis break down what led up to the conference, what happened during those historic days in Santa Monica, and why the literature movement inside NA was so important to the fellowship’s growth.

In the second half of the episode, we’re joined by Bob S. and Kathy M., two members who were actually present at the conference. They share their personal memories of participating in the literature effort, the atmosphere in the rooms where addicts were shaping recovery literature, and the challenges and excitement of that moment in NA history.

Their stories bring the conference to life and provide insight into a time when the fellowship was still young, passionate, and determined to create literature that carried the message of recovery.

This episode is part history, part oral archive, and part celebration of the addicts who helped build the foundation of NA literature.

If you’re interested in the origins of the Basic Text, the literature conferences, or the early years of NA service, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

In this episode of The Living Clean Podcast, we continue our journey through Chapter 4 of the Living Clean book as we begin exploring the section on “Disabilities.”

We’re joined by a group of special guests who bring real, lived experience to this conversation. Each of them faces different types of disabilities, and together they help us break down the first half of this powerful section.

This episode dives into what it really looks like to navigate recovery while also managing physical, emotional, or cognitive challenges. Our guests share honestly about the obstacles they’ve faced—but more importantly, they share the strength, courage, and perseverance it takes to stay clean and keep moving forward.

This is a conversation about resilience. About not giving up. About finding hope even when life adds extra layers of difficulty.

Because recovery doesn’t require perfect circumstances—it requires willingness, connection, and the courage to keep going.