From Shame to Freedom with Dr. Sarah Michaud, PsyD; A Journey Beyond Codependency

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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

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