Amy reunites with her dear friend Dr. Sarah Michaud for a rich, emotional Boozeless Book Club conversation about Charlotte Kasl’s “Many Roads, One Journey.” Together they unpack fear-based systems, patriarchal conditioning, codependency, and the long-term work of building identity outside dogma. It’s honest, layered, and exactly the kind of dialogue that reminds you you’re not alone on your own recovery path.

Key Takeaways

• Kasl’s work invites women to question rigid systems—religion, recovery, and culture—that shape identity through fear and shame.

• Amy reflects on trading one dogma for another and how belonging once overrode her self-trust.

• They examine how AA slogans, spiritual axioms, and “my way or the highway” thinking can unintentionally reinforce fear.

• Codependency runs deep, especially for women socialized to prioritize harmony over needs.

• Recovery is never one-size-fits-all—every person deserves a path that supports autonomy, dignity, and choice.

Timestamped Key Moments

• [00:00:00] Amy reflects on dogmatic rules, belonging, and fear-based conditioning.
• [00:01:00] Amy welcomes listeners back and introduces Dr. Sarah.
• [00:02:00] Amy discusses how she pushed Sarah into reading the book.
• [00:03:00] Amy reacts to the density of Kasl’s work.
• [00:04:00] Sarah connects the author’s religious background to her rebellious spirit.

Resource Links

• Many Roads, One Journey by Charlotte Davis Kasl

• Women, Sex, and Addiction by Charlotte Davis Kasl

• Leaving CrazyTown Podcast