When Healing Isn’t Linear (And You Backslide Anyway)

Recovery isn’t a straight climb to the top. It’s a winding mountain trail — with rest stops, plateaus, and yes, setbacks. In this episode, we talk about why backsliding doesn’t erase your progressand how perfectionism (often rooted in trauma) becomes one of the biggest traps in recovery.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why backsliding is information, not failure.

How perfectionism is a trauma response — and one of the biggest reasons recovery stalls.

Why saying “I don’t drink” can be a boundary, not perfectionism.

Why healing isn’t about never falling — it’s about learning to come back.

Key Quotes:

“Perfectionism is not healing — it’s just another way to punish yourself.”

“A backslide doesn’t erase the miles you’ve already walked. It’s a signal, not a verdict.”

“Messy isn’t failing. Messy is part of the process.”

Next Episode (Bonus):Stick around — because in the bonus episode, we’ll explore the emotional power of music in recovery. I’ll share the song World by Five for Fighting, and why two lines from it carried me through the hardest days. Today, when I look back on that lonely, confused soul, I can finally say: “I’m proud of you for never giving up on yourself — no matter how many times you thought you had.”