A Recovery Journey - Overcoming Addiction: Insights from Ryan Perry and EA

Ryan Perry is the founder of Soul Balance Coaching, a service dedicated to helping individuals overcome addiction and reclaim their lives. Ryan, based in Northern California, has turned his personal struggles with addiction into a mission to support others through science-based recovery methods. With a background in psychology and over seven years in the recovery community, Ryan brings valuable insights and practical strategies to the conversation.

This episode takes you on Ryan's journey from addiction to recovery, highlighting his battles with pain pill addiction and the pivotal moments that spurred his transformation. Ryan shares his experiences with various recovery methods, including his preference for Smart Recovery over traditional 12-step programs, and the impact of supportive relationships in his journey. EA and Ryan also discuss the importance of mindset in recovery and the evolving approaches to addiction treatment.

Listeners will gain insights into alternative recovery methods such as Smart Recovery, the significance of supportive networks, and the role of mental health in addiction. Keywords like "addiction recovery," "Smart Recovery," "mental health," and "support networks" are integrated to enhance searchability and relevance for those seeking guidance in these areas.

Potential Listener Questions:

1. What are the benefits of using Smart Recovery over traditional 12-step programs in addiction recovery?
2. How can supportive relationships influence the success of recovery from addiction?
3. What role does mental health play in the process of overcoming addiction?

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If you are recovering from anything, this recovery podcast is a daily dose of positivity. I speak on mindfulness, and share thought processes and affirmations to help with your recovery journey. Recovery is not just about substances, recovery is needed for all kinds of addictions and thoughts and ideas that you may be addicted to. This podcast is for you!

Transcript

0:30

And recovery is the oldest pandemic. It's been here longer than either one of you, me and you, right? It's going to be a long after this. Yep, yep, yep. Y'all, yes, yes. I am super excited today to show that we designed to just talk to people that's fighting on the front lines of recovery. I love recovery. This is like I'm dedicating the rest of my life to recovery because it's the world's oldest pandemic. And I appreciate everybody for all that they do. Shout out to Ocean Street Creative for making this happen. They are the beast. They are the wind beneath my wings. Yes. So I definitely want to shout them out today before we get started. But today, I got a special guy. I got a special guy. He actually met one of my producers, and he just overwhelmed the producers with his story. And then the story got to me, and I'm like, uh-uh, no, no, I got to get him on to now, to now, right? Because he got some nuggets that I want our community to really digest, and I want you to really, really learn and gain from. So without further ado, Mr. Ryan Perry, what's up, buddy? How are you feeling today? I'm great, man. I'm great. How about yourself? Man, I can't complain, man, because nobody gives a damn anyway, right? Who cares about me? I'm just not a complaining type person. I'm the type of person that you do it or you don't, right? So who cares? That's it. You can complain all you want, but who's going to listen? Nobody really listens. They actually tune out. So tell my people a little bit about you. All right. Well, like you said, my name's Ryan, and I run Soul Balance Coaching out of Northern California in the East Bay area, but I serve pretty much everybody all over, you know, the wonders of Zoom and Skype, and since the pandemic, everybody knows it. I've been involved in the recovery scene probably for six, seven years, I think, somewhere around there. Okay. Yes. You know, I went through my own struggles back in 2010. I lost my mother, and that kind of just steamrolled over into my own addictions, and I spent seven years that I'm never going to get back. I like the way you said that, that you'll never get back. Yeah. So seven years that I'll never get back, but, you know, I started Soul Balance legally. I started Soul Balance about a year ago, but this is my way of kind of, I don't want to say penance, but this is my way of trying to get back, trying to pay for those seven years, because I took a lot. So I want to empower you. I want to empower you right there, because my audience knows this is the Doer's Club of America. So I noticed that when, you know, you said, you know, I'm trying to get... No, no, no. You are actually doing... I actually did my research on to have you as a guest, I got to do my homework. So I did my research on Soul Balance. Man, you're actually putting in a lot of work, not just for your community, but abroad, you know, with the new, like you said, virtual era. Man, you're working across the bubble, bro. You're on the front line. There's only so much one can do. That's true. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Yeah. So no more trying. You're officially in the Doer's Club. This is the Doer's Club of America. I don't ever, ever, ever, ever, because I'm definitely staying in contact with you. We don't try. There's no trying allowed. Okay. We are doers. I'm going to show how much of a nerd I am here and quote Master Yoda, do or do not. There is no try. Hey, and when you work the recovery front line, that's the attitude you have to have. It's not even an option. Like, you know, I'm looking for those people that actually really understand that, because words have power and you got to watch what you say to yourself first. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Because when you're saying it to yourself, you know what I mean? Like, I'm going to believe whatever you say come out your mouth. So if you say I'm trying to do this, then I'm like, oh my God, he's trying. Oh my God. Oh my God. No, no. He's actually whooping ass over there. He kicking ass and taking aim. And Pete, you know, and it's funny you mentioned that because that's actually something I talk about quite frequently is how you talk about yourself, you know, in your head, what you say about yourself is what you're going to show to the world. And that's what your mind is going to believe. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So take me back a little bit. You said seven years, you spiraled out of control. What got you back on track? Well, seven years I spiraled out of control. I was a, you know, I was big into pain pills and I got on that, uh, that oxy train for about seven years. And, uh, you know, that's, that's, that's an expensive habit to have. So what got, what got me back pretty much was I lost almost everything. I lost pretty much every friendship I ever had in the world. I lost relationships. I lost cars. And what did it for me was I came this close to losing a house. I inherited, you know, free and clear that was already paid for. And, uh, I came close to losing it. Um, my girlfriend's at the time, her parents stepped in and, you know, they knew what was going on. You try to hide, you try to hide things from people, but people aren't stupid and they know, you know, they'll just look at you and be like, Hmm, something's not right. Something's not adding up. So they, uh, they stepped in, they took over, they, um, you know, they fixed what was wrong. And the condition was that I do something, not treatment necessarily, but I started making strides towards getting myself back on track. So how'd you get back on track? Did you do treatment? Um, I tried to go through the 12 step process. I tried to do a narcotics anonymous. I never really resonated with any, I'm not, I'm not a God fearing person, not religious in that. I mean, I'm more spiritual, but not religious. And to me, 12 steps, narcotics, anonymous, alcoholics, anonymous, it takes away your own personal power, you know, because you've got to put your power into something else. And I just, I never believed that. So I was, I looked for kind of a more science based recovery system. I don't know if you've ever heard of it, but it's called smart recovery, smart recovery. Tell me about it. Smart recovery is an online, mostly online now since the pandemic, but, uh, it stands for self management and recovery training. Yeah. I'm writing that down. Self management and recovery training. I'm writing it. Something I never knew existed for the longest time. And it was, you know, they have meetings almost 24 seven. You can find a meeting online hosted by anybody. They're all free. They're all, you know, you, uh, hop on one of them on zoom. You check in, tell people, Hey, I'm winning or Hey, I relapsed and there's no judgment. There's no, Oh, you've got to go back to day one. There's no, none of them at all, which I think is great because, you know, in 12 steps, if you go back, if you go to them and say, Hey, I messed up all of that time that you put in. And I just, I don't believe in that. Right. Ooh, I love you. I love you. I love you more now than I did when we first started. You understand? Cause that is the same gospel that I preach. I'm, you know, I don't tear down anything. Cause I believe that the 12 steps got us exactly where we are today. And it's, and it saved a lot of, you know, a lot of people and it does, it's done a lot of great things, but I'm a fan of evolution. I know life is all about evolution in this, but what we did yesterday sometimes will not work today. Right. So I'm an actual licensed counselor. I do a lot of groups. I do a lot of work on the frontline and I'm, I'm one of those people that I speak against and, and, and I do it more like, you know, from a positive standpoint, I love 12 steps. I love what they've done, but they work for like my mother and my dad, like that's, that's something that their philosophy, but there's a new world order of drugs, right? We got Fentanyl, we got a whole different animal. Like a lot of people are suffering mentally along with the addiction. Right. And you know, it's, it's interesting. That's, that's a great point that a lot of the older generation, you know, all they knew was 12 steps. All they knew was, you know, Alcoholics Anonymous. And again, I don't, I don't knock it either. If it works, whatever recovery method works for you. First and foremost. Yeah. Let's get that out of the way. But our job is to make sure that the next generation is abreast to things like you just said, the smart recovery and say that again, one more time. Cause see my people, they got to hear it over and over for it to stick. So smart, what does smart recovery stand for again? Smart recovery stands for self-management and recovery training. And recovery training. And it's based on a lot of cognitive behavioral therapy. Yep. They give you, they give you a lot of tools that you can work on, you know, even things as simple as worksheets that you can download and start writing things. Right. Like what are your ABCs, your activating events, you know, your bad behaviors. Yeah. All of that type of stuff. I love it. I'm gonna look into it. Cause I'm always looking to open up my mind when it comes to recovery and, and being able to help the people. I'm just a servant, right. And my job and my goal every single day is to add value to what's, what's being built and recovery is the oldest pandemic. It's been here longer than either one of you, me and you, right. It's going to be here long after us for sure. I love the way you said that the oldest pandemic, because that is a hundred percent true, a hundred percent true. And, you know, like I had said earlier, when I was, when I started doing my own personal coaching with my clients to get them out of addiction onto the road of recovery, something that one of my, my closest friends, who's also an addiction trauma coach. And she said something to me that really stuck and it still sticks now. It says addiction did not happen to me. Addiction happened for me. Yes. And you think about that and the path that I'm on right now and the path that you're on right now, who better to help the people out there that need help than the people that have been there. I say it all the time. People in recovery learn best from people in recovery. And just to take it two steps further, everybody at some point in life experiences the need for recovery because recovery is not a substance. It's a mindset. Okay. So I start at the mind. I start at the top of the mountain. When I, when I talk about recovery, when I, when I help people develop their jump shot or get back into their rhythm, we start at the mind. It's not about the substance. It's not about the trauma. It's not about the, because I'm, I'm, I'm actually certified in mental health and substance abuse. So I got both licenses. I do both. And they run for me, they run parallel. They're like brother and sister. If sometimes they're like interchangeable, like I'm, it's crazy. Cause most of the people I work with, they go both ways. Yeah. And that's a really great, really great thing that you said. I've got, I've got my degree in psychology. Okay. It's amazing how, how much that plays in when you're talking to people, when you're, you know, trying to get them to open up and get them to trust you. It's amazing how much that plays in. I love that. And you know, one of the things that I've always believed is they say, what's the opposite of addiction connection. Yes, that is, that is it. That is exactly it. You know, it's a formula. No, I preach formula. I preach, there's no really cookie cutter. There's no real quick form. I think, I think recovery for everybody is individualized what, what works for you might not work for you, for this person. You know what I mean? Like, but I'm, I'm very heavy into like spirituality. Like I'm not a religious person as well. So I think we are like, but you are really my brother. Like we are meant to fight together. I'm actually going to come down to Southern California and see, I can put out a couple of fires with you. Oh, that'd be awesome. You should try it. You should come up to Northern California and see what it's like in San Francisco and Oakland right now. It's what's going on. Tell me, I would love to come down and you know, put some fires out. That's what I do. California is an interesting beast. They, you know, they want to support, they're very big on harm reduction. Right. Oregon. I mean, we, I'm in Oregon, so we do everything California do. So we are heavy into harm reduction. So you should see the madness around here. It's like zombie central. Like, I mean, there's a certain sector of our community that literally these are zombies. Okay. So I worked with a methadone clinic for a couple of years before I just went back full time on my own, but I was working for a methadone clinic and we serve like 70% of our population was homeless. Okay. So I imagine I, and I was there for two years because I'm a servant. I love people. I get my energy from people. I get my energy for seeing people win, but it's very challenging living in a state where harm reduction, where they, you know, they give needles, they give pretty much clean stuff to them to use, you know what I mean? So, you know, I'm not, I'm not against harm reduction necessarily, you know, again, if it, if that works for you as a way to get you off of whatever you're doing, that that's great. But if you're using that as, you know, just an excuse to keep going and keep going, you know, I don't know if I'm against it. I mean, after working in the water, I'm telling you, I was being, I was literally on the super front line with that. And it's, I believe some people actually need it because it's, there's a, there, there, there's a psychological defect that comes with using drugs over a certain period of time. There's something that goes on psychologically that's, you know, I haven't found the study yet, but I am definitely on the manhunt to actually capture that knowledge. But there's something that happens when we use drugs over an extended period of time, it messes with the mind. So we have to, you know, so after working in that market, I do, I do, I won't say I'm a hundred percent for medical assistant treatment, but I will say I will, there are certain people that could definitely use it. Absolutely. Yeah. You know, I'm surprised, honestly, to this day, now that I have seven years, four months and some change in days. Come on, let's go. Hold on. Hold on. We're going to stop the press right here. We got to celebrate that. And everybody, I want everybody dropping in the channel. Tell my man, congratulations. That is huge. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Seven years, bro. Seven years, seven years. That's a huge deal. And you had asked earlier how I got, you know, what made me want to change and how I got off of it. I did that on my own without any medical assistance. And, you know, we're talking, like I said, I was on the oxy train for doing about as much as a dying cancer patient was doing on a daily basis. And to get off that, those are the people I would say needed. So for you to say that you did it without it, man, I'm taking man salute you, bro. What's the secret sauce? Tell us the secret sauce. Connection. Honestly, I had I had a support system of, you know, a woman in my life who'd been there for everything, thick and thin. She was right there next to me. Her parents were supporting me. You know, I had a couple of friends that I hadn't burned bridges with yet that, you know, I told them this is the route that I'm going. You know, I'm getting better. I'm going to get off of this. It was never a I'm going to try to your point. It was I'm going to do this. Right. And it was little by little. You know, I mean, we're talking sometimes five milligrams a day less, sometimes come on. But you know, it doesn't seem like much when you're talking about it now. But looking back then, it was like the end of the world because you couldn't see yourself without it. You couldn't see yourself without it. No. And also, to your point, it changes just like any drug does. It changes the chemistry in your brain. You know, you're doing it for seven years straight. Your body expects that you can't just stop. It's crazy. You did. You did. You look, man, you have no residue on you whatsoever. I would like I could not just meet you today and think that you were in recovery. I would say, damn, you're holding it together. I, too, in recovery, you know, I'm over 10 years in recovery. That's what got me into that's what got me in the space for working for people. You know, I just feel like I have to rebuild the community that I once destroyed. So I got to do my I got to do my part. I got to do my effort. And like you said, I don't have nothing that happened to me. It happened for me. And I and I definitely took that vow years ago. Like, I understand. I'm one of those glass half full type of people. I just look at everything happens for a reason. And it's happened according to the plan. I'm a strong believer in God. I know there's a God. You know what I'm saying? I know it. Like there has to be. There's just like some of the things that I've been through. I know there's a God. I'm not real big on the religious aspect of it, though. I'll be honest. Like the people that follow me know, you know what I'm saying? I'm not really like the whole story of Jesus and stuff like that. Every day, you know, I'm still surviving. I get to do more research. The jury's out for lunch for that. Right. But God. Oh, no, no. Nobody could tell me nothing different. I will argue to I'm blue in the face. It's a personal experience. I think definitely personal. It's definitely more. There's what everybody tells you and then there's what you make of it. Yeah. I've always thought that, you know, I'm not into organized religion. I'm a spiritualist and kind of like I was saying earlier. But, you know, God, there's got to be something else. I'm not I'm not going to get into it because who knows, but there's got to be something else. I agree 100 percent. At the same time, I don't denounce nothing that works for the next person. So if it's Buddha, if it's Jehovah's Witnesses, if they Muslim, man, I don't got a heaven or hell to put nobody. I know that firsthand. So what works for you? I strongly suggest you just keep working as long as you good to people, loving on people, whatever you thinking and whatever you're using produces those type of things. I'm a fan. You and I both lived in glass houses. You know, who are we to throw stones? Man, not one. I'm just not in the throne stone business. I like to all my platforms. When you follow me, when you see me, I'm all about encouragement, empowerment, upliftment. You know what I mean? I mean, the world is crazy enough. There's a there's a place you can go for all the craziness that you can handle. So you got multiple places you can go for that. They don't got a lot of places where people can go and actually know that they can get empowerment. You know what I'm saying? Like anytime you see me, it's pure raw energy. It ain't nothing but God's love. It's the love that you give me. I'm giving it back to somebody else. You know what I'm saying? So, yeah. So what what type of work, you know what I'm saying? What type of work are you doing in the community? You know, how can we support you? Right now, I do a lot of just personal one on one work. That's where I find that I'm most effective is personal one on one work with people. Typically, my ideal person is already out of active addiction, but I work with people who are out of active addiction and in active addiction as well. OK. As far as support, I mean, honestly, the biggest way that anybody can support any of this is to just educate yourself, educate yourself to end the stigma that a lot of people have towards users, towards addicts, towards all of those people, because they're viewed as such a negative. I hate using this term, such a negative class of society. And you know what? They're just people. We're all people. You know, nobody goes into wanting to have a good time saying, hey, I'm going to end up an addict, you know, five years down the road and I'm going to be living in a box under a bridge. Oh, no, nobody goes into it saying that, you know, those people are people too. And I'm I'm definitely a fan of yours now, bro. You just made me that much more, you know, ready to see what you got and how I can be a fan of it. So, guys, make sure you support my guy. You got a website? I don't have a website. I usually I run everything off of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, which I'll be happy to give the links for. Yeah. Give me those links, man. Share those links. Make sure you email me those links too, so I can actually put it in the description. Yes. I need my I need my fans in Northern California or wherever you at. Give my boy Ryan a call. See what he got, man, because I believe, you know, success is a team sport and he on our team. This guy is on our team. You know, that's why he's here. So, man, you may you're allowed to be here anytime you want to, bro. Just send me an email. You're like, hey, bro, what's that? You know, what's up, man? I got a message. I got something I'm working on. I want your people to know. Ding, ding. I want you know, I'm saying that's how that's how this platform works. I like to tell people story and help people along their journey. I appreciate that, man. I do. Absolutely. So before we go, before we go, you got affirmations for recovery. Have you heard about it? What you know, what's your thoughts? If you have, I've I've listened to pretty much the past 20 episodes that OK, that you should. That's a shout out to Ryan. Got it. Got to know what you're getting into, man. You know, absolutely. Absolutely. The format that you use, it's great. It's amazing. You know, you capture my you captured my attention in that first cup in that first minute or so with those short episodes. You know, it's not information overload. It is just the perfect amount to get the point across. And I love it. I love it. Thank you. I appreciate that. And if you could be so kind, if you see it anywhere, man, give me a review because reviews is how that's how we work. That's how we operate. That's how we get that. That's how we built this evidence based practice. That's all this is for me. Like, I want to show that this works. Man, I do a lot of with this affirmations for recovery. And this is like this is my life's practice. And I'm actually in the process of putting out a guide to go with it. It's going to be released very soon. So, guys, stay tuned. I appreciate LIE Foundation for their hard work and their efforts on actually bringing it together. Shout out to Ocean Tree again and again and again. Make sure you tell your friends about Ocean Tree Creative because they actually for real, they actually do a lot of great work when it comes to the production and what I do. As far as the podcast. They brought us together. They brought us together. And I'm trying to get you on out. I got a shout out out because that's one of my main sponsors. Oh, WWL is for today's working entrepreneur. It's for people like me and you. We work, man. It's a great community, man, that they do a lot of great work. I've done a lot of great work in the last almost two years on that app. So trust me. But it's a great platform, guys. Make sure you check it out. Oh, WWL reviews, reviews, reviews. I'll be I'll be taking your podcast and throwing it out over every one of my platforms as well. I mean, hey, that's that's how we stay arm in arm. And that's why I'm asking you. So before I let you go, how can we what can we take of yours and actually share with the world? Because sharing is caring. Sharing is caring. You know, I would say that at this at this point, once I give those social media links to you, you know, I do I do series on social media where I do positive affirmations as well, what they mean to me, what they could mean to you. You know, I would say just let's just listen to the message, you know, listen to. Listen to the message that all of us are trying to get across, you know, that all of us are trying to get across because no trying. All of us are getting across. We actually argue that all of us are all of us are getting across pushing this message. We are pushing it, whether you like it or not, guys. Exactly. Exactly. Yes. So that's what it's really about. So I'd actually do starting next month. I'm actually going to go back to doing I used to do a morning 6 a.m. in addition to all the other stuff I do. I'm going to go back to doing my I.G. That's where I do a lot. I got a lot of great following on my morning show. So I go live in the West Coast about 6 a.m. in the morning and I just talk about the word of the day, just similar to how you hear on the affirmations for recovery. It's the same thing. So I'm going to do something like that on I.G. again, man. I would love to have you join me on there, too, because it's all about perspective. And I believe that four eyes is better than two. A hundred percent. I would love to, man. So when you're saying something to the people, I might say it a different way, but it all all roles lead the same way. Oil's down to the same thing. You just got to get the right perspective. Yeah. So let's man, let's do it. Let's tag team it. I'm actually going to be in L.A. soon. I know that's like eight hundred miles from you. But yeah, I'll be in L.A. soon. You remember up here in the you know, in the Bay Area, man, we we need to hook up. Just give me a reason, bro. Like my team, we know just how like like like we found you this time. If there's something going on down there and it has something to do with recovery and it has something to do with, you know, positivity and you're a part of it, I would love to come and I'll just I'll bring myself. You don't hang out and worry about nothing for me. I got myself. You know what I'm saying? I like you know, I would I'd want to be a part of anything that's moving the culture forward in a positive light. Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. Absolutely. And I appreciate you, man. Guys, make sure you are subscribing, liking and sharing all in that order. Right. Because sharing is caring and support is an action word. Until next time, take care of yourself and each other. Let's go. Post-production for the podcast is done with care by Ocean Tree Creative.