HopeDealer Movement

10/30/2025

Recovery is real and possible. Today, check out Heather's story.

Heather's story begins with a lot of abuse and mental illness that led to her substance use. Check out her story on how she broke out of the cycle of using to maintain her mental illness. There are many stories like Heather's where unaddressed trauma and mental illness can lead to a life of using su...

10/29/2025

Every day I wake up and ask myself am I mad. I hope that you would do the same thing. I challenge you to do it. I want to start a movement, with this simple question, "Are you M.A.D.? Are you Making A Difference?

This isn't about being angry, instead it's doing som**hing about whatever I am mad about. I get mad about a lot of situations, especially when it comes to dealing with substance use, mental health issues, stigma and recovery. That's why we established the Springfield Recovery Community Center - so we can attempt to make a difference every day.

So today, and for the rest of your life I challenge you to ask yourself this question every day, "Am I M.A.D.?" Are you making a difference? If you are living your life to be better and help those around you become better you are doing som**hing right.

People, I implore you to make a difference in someone's life!! If som**hing angers you, use that anger as fuel to give you the passion and energy needed to make that situation different. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and advocate for someone. Stick up for the disadvantaged, stand up to the bully when he attacks others. Don't talk about change, be the change!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

After all, if you don't do it who will?

10/27/2025

Recovery is more than just staying “clean.” In this powerful episode of Better Life in Recovery, David Stoecker shares how pro-social activities—fun, purpose-driven events in the community—build a life you never want to escape. From float trips and service projects to changing public perception, discover why recovery is amazing and how to keep it that way.

✅ Who this helps:
• Anyone in or seeking recovery
• Family & friends supporting a loved one
• Mental health & substance use professionals

https://youtu.be/mmd_67x-zd4

Subscribe for weekly hope, stories, and strategies: https://www.youtube.com/-Hope

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Purpose of the Podcast
02:15 – What “Pro-Social Activities” Mean in Recovery
07:48 – Why Community & Purpose Matter More Than Abstinence
15:10 – Breaking Stigma: Recovery Out Loud
22:40 – Building Real Friendships & Support Networks
31:55 – Finding Mentors and Staying Inspired
40:22 – Inclusive Recovery: Many Pathways, One Goal
48:05 – Challenge: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
55:30 – Final Thoughts & How to Connect

Links & Resources
🌐 Website: https://betterlifeinrecovery.com

📱 Facebook: Better Life in Recovery
🐦 Twitter:

Recovery is more than just staying “clean.” In this powerful episode of Better Life in Recovery, David Stoecker shares how pro-social activities—fun, purpose...

10/26/2025

Join us for one of our groups or classes this week. We can't wait to see you!

Mon 10/27
5:45pm BCOR(J)
6pm GOOD DADS(F)
7pm CA(Js)

Tues 10/28
11am Smart Recovery(F)
5:30pm-/6:45pm MENS(J)/WOMENS(F)
5:30pm Faith-Based(F)

Wed 10/29
7am-8am NA Elevated Ambition (F)
10am Burrell ACT
6:30pm Wednesday Worship
8:30pm-10pm NA - No Matter What (F)

Thurs 10/30
11am-12pmCoed Group
5:30pm/6:45pm Mens(J)/Womens(F)

Fri 10/31
6:30pm-7:30pm Recovery Enhancement(J)
6pm Youth CA (F)
7:00pm NA- The She Group Meeting(F)
10:00pm-11:30pm NA - No Matter What (F)

Sat 11/01
12pm NA - No Matter What (F)
11:00am- 3:00pm Oxford House (F) 2nd Saturday of every month
5pm Sanctuary Church
6:30pm-8:00pm NA-Elevated Ambition (F)

Sun 11/02
9am-12pm Eternal Redemption Church (J)
12pm-3pm Eternal Redemption Church Fellowship Dinner- 4th Sunday of every month(J)

10/23/2025

How many of you start your day with a gratitude list? Some of you may be wondering what a gratitude list is, or may already be doing one and are just reading this to reaffirm what you are doing. I warn you, my gratitude list is a little different. It has morphed as I have done it through the years and become more than just words on a piece of paper that I threw into a box.

Generally, a gratitude list is simply a piece of paper you write on. You write anywhere from 3-10 things you are grateful for, trying to list different things every time you do it so that your list is not exactly the same, day in and day out. Many people do a gratitude list on a daily basis, generally in the morning to start their day off positive while others do it at the end of their day to help them compartmentalize and unwind. Most have a simple gratitude list that goes like this:

1. Today I am grateful for my wife.
2. Today I am grateful for clean drinking water.
3. Today I am grateful for my car.

That would be great, if you were making a grocery list of things to pick up from the store. The gratitude list is extremely important, not just to start my day off on the right foot but at times to reread if I am feeling a little drained, moderately depressed or completely hopeless at some time over the course of the day. You need to embellish when making your gratitude list, a little or a lot. Own it and make it yours.

Your gratitude list should have genuine feelings so it can elicit a positive response either in the morning when you originally write it out or when you come back and look at it later. If you don’t add details and emotions, then the gratitude list is just one more obligatory thing to do you will check off your daily list. Don’t get me wrong, doing it that way is good. That said, I don’t want you to do good things and live a good life, I want you to do things great and live an amazing life. Supercharge your gratitude list! So how do I get more emotion into mine?

I have several techniques I like to use:

1. Add details. Don’t just say you are grateful for som**hing, list why you are grateful for it. Instead of saying “I am grateful for _________,” say why are grateful for that person. What do you love about that person? What do you love to do with that person? How does that person make your life better?
2. Scrapbook it. Add photographs, use words cut from a magazine, write in different colored inks, doodle. Grateful for a movie or a band, glue a ticket stub on the page.
3. Draw pictures. If you are grateful for som**hing, draw a picture of it then write reasons you are grateful for it around the picture.

Bottom line; make your gratitude list yours! Use it to start your day off better and also as a constant reminder when life kicks your butt that you still have many things to be thankful and grateful for. I have used my gratitude list to drag me out of several funks before they got a chance to reach a full blown depressive episode.

I have a picture of one of my past pages, before I got a journal I put them in, for you to look at. It is pretty obvious you don’t need to be an artist to do this. You don’t have to be a wordsmith. You need only be optimistic and honest about the things you are grateful to have in your life and wake up 30 minutes early to record them.

This is som**hing so simple yet so necessary that I don’t believe you can have an incredibly strong recovery without it. This is just one more of the reasons I can say that I will NEVER use again. Relapse does not scare me anymore. What scares me is not living life to its potential. If you are like me and constantly look for ways to improve the life you have, add a daily gratitude list. You need only record 3 things a day for 30 days and I guarantee you will have a better outlook on life than you had before you started doing it.

10/22/2025

We love our stories. Check out Lawren's story. We believe in many pathways to recovery and we love it when we can share our recovery out loud. That is what Stories are all about. We would love to hear your recovery story.

Ex-wife, sister, daughter, mother, manager, CPS, CNA, volunteer, church member; addict.Call me what you will… I’ve heard it all.I am a redeemed child of God.Genesis 50:20 tells us, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now done, the saving of many lives.....

10/21/2025

Al Vineyard shares her powerful journey from addiction to long-term recovery in this candid Better Life in Recovery podcast episode.
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use disorder or mental health challenges, this story proves that recovery is possible—and amazing.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:
• The turning points that led Al from painkillers and m**h to a life of freedom
• How faith, community, and daily practices keep her sober
• Practical tools anyone can use to stay on the recovery path

https://youtu.be/TMMalG7I9zc

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome & Episode Intro
01:40 Al’s First Steps Into Addiction
06:30 The Spiral: Loss of Family & Home
12:15 Rock Bottom & A Life-Changing Choice
18:40 Finding Faith and Supportive Community
25:50 Daily Habits That Keep Her Sober
33:15 Breaking Stigma: Multiple Pathways to Recovery
40:00 Gifts of Recovery & A Grateful Life
48:10 Final Thoughts & Resources

👉 Need help or want to connect?
BetterLifeInRecovery.com | Facebook: Better Life in Recovery | Twitter:

💬 Comment below with your thoughts or share your own recovery story.
👍 Like & Subscribe for weekly hope-filled episodes.

Al Vineyard shares her powerful journey from addiction to long-term recovery in this candid Better Life in Recovery podcast episode. If you or so...

10/13/2025

How do you love and support someone in active addiction without sacrificing your own recovery or mental health?
David Stoecker—longtime recovery advocate and host of the Better Life in Recovery podcast—shares personal experience, practical strategies, and the powerful “3 C’s” every family member needs to know: You didn’t cause it, you can’t control it, and you can’t cure it.

Learn how to set healthy boundaries, find the right support groups, and practice self-care so you can stay well while offering real help.

If you or someone you care about struggles with a substance use disorder, this conversation offers hope and actionable steps.

Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & why this topic matters
01:32 – Listener question: Loving someone still using
04:10 – Why education on addiction is critical
07:55 – Trauma & the link to substance use
11:48 – The 3 C’s: Cause, Control, Cure
17:05 – Setting boundaries that truly stick
23:40 – Finding family & friend support groups
28:50 – Self-care, joy, and living your own life
34:15 – Closing encouragement & next steps

Connect & Resources
• Website: betterlifeinrecovery.com

• Facebook: Better Life in Recovery
• Twitter:
• Studio DNA Podcast Network: studiodna.media

If you find value here, please like 👍, subscribe, and share to help others find hope.

https://youtu.be/tnmjRCN36us?si=gmW7i9gluQ74B9oo

How do you love and support someone in active addiction without sacrificing your own recovery or mental health?David Stoecker—longtime recovery advocate and ...

10/06/2025

What’s the difference between dependence and addiction — and why does it matter so much? In this episode of the Better Life in Recovery Podcast, David Stoecker unpacks common misconceptions about substance use, dives into the language we use around addiction, and challenges the idea of the “opioid epidemic.” He also shares personal experiences, powerful stories, and insights into what he calls a syndemic — the overlapping crises of substance use, trauma, poverty, and mental health.

If you’re in recovery, love someone who is, or work in the mental health and behavioral health field, this episode will give you hope, clarity, and perspective.

👉 Join the Hope Dealer Movement:
🌐 Website: betterlifeinrecovery.com

📘 Facebook: Better Life in Recovery
🐦 Twitter:

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more hope-filled conversations about recovery and mental health.







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSmB3cVGqIw

What’s the difference between dependence and addiction — and why does it matter so much? In this episode of the Better Life in Recovery Podcast, David Stoeck...

09/22/2025

What happens when a parent discovers their child is battling a substance use disorder? In this powerful conversation, Brent Swanson shares his family’s journey through his daughter’s opioid addiction — from pain and fear to six years of recovery.

If you’re a parent, family member, or professional who cares for someone struggling with addiction, this episode is full of raw honesty, practical advice, and hope.

👉 Learn the “3 C’s of Recovery” every parent needs to know: You didn’t cause it. You can’t control it. You can’t cure it.

What happens when a parent discovers their child is battling a substance use disorder? In this powerful conversation, Brent Swanson shares his family’s journ...

09/15/2025

Your first year of recovery can feel overwhelming—but it’s also where the real transformation begins. In this episode of the Better Life in Recovery Podcast, David Stoker breaks down 10 essential skills to stay sober during your first year, plus a few bonus tips that could make all the difference. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone you love, or working in the behavioral health field, this episode offers hope, honesty, and practical tools for living your best life in recovery.

If you find this helpful, please like, comment, and subscribe to support the recovery community. 💙

Your first year of recovery can feel overwhelming—but it’s also where the real transformation begins. In this episode of the Better Life in Recovery Podcast,...

09/08/2025

The media calls it an opioid epidemic — but the truth is far bigger. Alcohol kills nearly 20,000 more Americans every year than opioids. Methamphetamine deaths are surging. Co***ne, benzos, and despair-related deaths are rising too. Yet, most of the funding and attention goes only to opioids.

In this episode of the Better Life in Recovery Movement Podcast, David Stoecker breaks down the real drug crisis: a pandemic of despair fueled by trauma, stress, and systemic issues. He explores the rise in alcohol-related deaths (especially among women), the overlooked m**h epidemic, the role of Big Alcohol and Big Pharma, and why we need comprehensive funding for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery supports.

👉 If you care about recovery, behavioral health, or public policy — this conversation is for you.

The media calls it an opioid epidemic — but the truth is far bigger. Alcohol kills nearly 20,000 more Americans every year than opioids. Methamphetamine deat...