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”