At 16, when most teens are trying to figure out high school, friendships, and who they want to become, Azlyn became convinced it was her job to help save her brother who was struggling with addiction.

She covered for him. Kept tabs on him. Tried to protect him from consequences. Tried to protect her family. And when he went to rehab, she struggled with the idea of letting go of the role she had spent years playing.

But recovery wasn’t linear. Neither was relapse. And neither was Azlyn’s own journey of figuring out how to love her brother without losing herself in the process.

In this episode, Azlyn joins me to talk candidly about growing up alongside her brother’s addiction, the guilt and responsibility she carried as a young sibling, what relapse looked like from her side, and what she’s still learning about boundaries, self-care, and showing up for herself.

Because Azlyn doesn’t have it all figured out—and that’s kind of the point. Sometimes, healing means learning that you can love someone deeply without being responsible for what happens to them.

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🎙Guest speaker: Azlyn Belisle, younger sibling to a brother in recovery