What happens when you open old wounds to write your life story? For Jason Mayo, author of “In Case of Emergency Break Childhood”, the process was nothing short of gutting—and ultimately cleansing. In this heartfelt conversation, Jason sits down with Amy Liz Harrison to talk about writing his debut memoir, navigating recovery, and rediscovering the power of storytelling.

Jason shares how his early “drinking history” writing assignment in sobriety became the seed for his book, why trauma is often hidden in plain sight, and how recovery allowed him to reconnect with his past in order to live fully in the present.

This episode is raw, real, and full of laughter, tears, and a reminder that telling the truth—even when it hurts—is what sets us free.

5 Takeaways

• Writing about the past can feel like reopening old wounds, but it can also be profoundly cleansing.

• Trauma doesn’t always look like we expect—divorce, loneliness, and shame are just as impactful as big, obvious events.

• Sharing your story in recovery creates connection and helps others feel less alone.

• You don’t need to be a “writer” to tell your truth—if you can talk, you can write.

• Healing often comes from perspective: looking back with empathy for your younger self.

Timestamped Key Moments

• [00:02:00] Amy gets emotional introducing Jason’s memoir and why it touched her so deeply.

• [00:10:00] Jason on the year-and-a-half journey of writing his memoir and rediscovering old memories.

• [00:20:00] Why Jason shifted from “recovering quietly” to “recovering out loud” through writing.

• [00:30:00] Writing as therapy? Jason explains why it wasn’t cathartic—but it was cleansing.

• [00:36:00] The hidden face of trauma and Jason’s revelation through the ACEs test.

• [00:53:00] The wild coincidence: Jason and Debbie Gibson, high school classmates, both release memoirs on the same day.

Notable Resources / Guest Links

• Purchase Jason’s Memoir: In Case of Emergency Break Childhood: https://a.co/d/i0xY0h6

• Jason’s Website: https://sobernotsubtle.com/

• The Sober Curator (where Jason is a contributing writer): thesobercurator.com

• Follow Jason on Instagram: @sobernotsubtle

• Jason’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08K57ST7H/allbooks

Loved this conversation? Don’t forget to subscribe to Eternally Amy, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can also follow Amy at @amylizharrison and visit amylizharrison.com for books, resources, and more.

Boilerplate

Eternally Amy is the courageous and candid podcast hosted by Amy Liz Harrison—a Gen X, sober mom of eight who went from jail to joy. Each week, Amy shares raw stories of recovery, parenting, mental health, faith, and creativity. Expect laughter, honesty, and a safe space to explore what it means to live in radical authenticity.

Social Media Copy

LinkedIn (thought-leadership)

“Writing your story isn’t always cathartic—it can be gut-wrenching. But as Jason Mayo shared with me on Eternally Amy, it’s also deeply cleansing. His memoir, In Case of Emergency Break Childhood, digs into trauma, recovery, and rediscovering empathy for your younger self.

Our conversation reminded me: healing often comes when we stop hiding, start telling the truth, and allow others to see themselves in our story.

Listen to our full conversation here [link]

#Recovery #Sobriety #MentalHealth #Storytelling #EternallyAmy”

In this heartfelt and laughter-filled conversation, Amy sits down with clinical psychologist, author, and sober powerhouse Dr. Sarah Michaud, PsyD. With over 30 years of experience in addiction and codependency treatment, Dr. Sarah brings both professional wisdom and deeply personal stories—including the hard truth of navigating her husband’s relapse after decades of sobriety. Together, Amy and Dr. Sarah dig into the subtle (and sneaky!) ways codependency shows up in everyday life, from parenting to people-pleasing to choosing the “right” sandwich.

This episode is an equal parts therapy session, comedy hour, and recovery roadmap. Whether you’re navigating sobriety, healing old wounds, or learning how to finally put yourself first, this conversation will leave you nodding, laughing, and maybe even forgiving yourself a little more.

5 Key Takeaways

• Codependency often begins with dismissing our own needs to focus on others—sometimes in the smallest ways, like food choices.
• Recovery is about learning to identify and voice your own feelings, even when it feels uncomfortable.
• Fear—of rejection, being misunderstood, or not being safe—often sits at the root of codependent behaviors.
• Parenting can resurface old wounds, but awareness creates space to respond with compassion instead of projection.
• Forgiving ourselves is an essential part of true healing and maintaining sobriety.

Timestamped Key Moments

• [00:06:30] Dr. Sarah on how women are socialized to prioritize others—and the dangers of losing connection to self.
• [00:13:00] The irony of codependency: trying to “save” others only creates distance.
• [00:22:00] Amy shares her event-anxiety story and how fear of safety shows up in sobriety.

• [00:37:00] The childhood memory that shaped Amy’s fear of being misunderstood.
• [00:53:00] Dr. Sarah’s hilarious “fancy food basket” story—a codependency trap in real-time.

Notable Resources / Guest Links

Dr. Sarah Michaud, PsyD’s book: Co-Crazy: One Psychologist’s Recovery from Codependency and Addiction

Connect with Dr. Sarah via The Sober Curator

Get Dr. Sarah’s Book “Co-Crazy” on Amazon

Follow Amy Liz Harrison on Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn @amylizharrison

CTA

If today’s conversation resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe to Eternally Amy, and leave a review—it helps others find the show! For more of Amy’s books, courses, and resources, visit AmyLizHarrison.com.

What do you do when someone says your singing voice sounds like a dying moose? Or when a stranger at church pats your head to check for horns? For Jesse Butterworth—pastor, musician, and longtime friend of Amy Liz Harrison—criticism has been a constant companion.

In this raw and surprisingly funny conversation, Amy and Jesse unpack why criticism stings, how to tell the difference between critique and cruelty, and why sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is simply: “That hurts my feelings.” From the pitfalls of passive-aggressive culture to the healing power of forgiveness, Jesse reminds us that being misunderstood is inevitable—but losing yourself doesn’t have to be.

Resources & Guest Links

• • Guest: Jesse Butterworth – Pastor, musician, storyteller. https://www.jessebutterworth.com/
  • Book Mentioned: ⁠Radical Candor⁠ by Kim Scott

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  If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to Eternally Amy wherever you listen to podcasts. Share this episode with someone navigating criticism in their own life—it just might change the way they see themselves. And don’t forget to follow Amy on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @amylizharrison or visit amylizharrison.com for coaching, memoirs, and resources.