Inside an Alcoholic's Battle with Severe Depression | How I Got Sober & Found Mental Clarity

At 25, Michael Barschi was crippled by anxiety, drowning in addiction, and secretly planning to end it all. Today, he's 22 years sober, a father of three, and one of the most respected therapists in the recovery space. In this powerful episode, I sit down with the man who helped me through my first year of sobriety—my former social worker, Michael Barschi. We talk about his darkest moments: the shame of dropping out of law school, suicidal depression, and the painful journey through early recovery. He opens up about the moment that changed everything, how therapy saved his life, and why relapse doesn’t always mean failure. Michael also shares the truth about maintaining sobriety, building a life after addiction, and why there's no one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. Whether you're newly sober, struggling with mental health, or just searching for hope—this episode will leave you inspired. 🔗 Michael’s Website: https://michaelbarschi.com 📲 Sponsored by OpenRecovery – Download the app for 24/7 support in your sobriety journey. #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #RelapseRecovery #TherapyWorks #AA #Anxiety #SoberLife #AddictionHelp #SoberCommunity #OpenRecovery #RecoveryPodcast #FromRockBottom #HealingJourney #riseabovepodcast 00:00:00 Journey to Sobriety: My First Year 00:03:59 Importance of Seeking Help for Sobriety 00:08:16 The Struggles of Law School: Isolation and Substance Abuse 00:12:03 Realization and Seeking Sobriety 00:15:49 The Turning Point: Acknowledging Addiction and Anxiety 00:19:41 Overcoming Anxiety in Sobriety 00:23:18 Overcoming Influences in Addiction Recovery 00:26:50 Embracing a Conscious Relationship with God 00:30:28 Navigating Early Sobriety and Personal Growth 00:34:21 Overcoming Sobriety Challenges and Career Transition 00:38:35 Transitioning to Professional Sobriety Counseling 00:42:33 Different Approaches to Substance Abuse Treatment 00:46:34 Overcoming Fear of Commitment through Open-Mindedness 00:50:47 Balancing Graduate School and Family Life 00:54:24 Transition to Virtual Therapy During COVID-19 00:58:06 Networking and Building Presence in Florida 01:02:00 Embracing Family Life and Childhood Joy 01:06:06 Embracing Family and Relationships 01:09:59 Encouragement for Overcoming Anxiety 01:14:03 Journey to Sobriety and Finding Support 🔔 Join Rise Above with Kevin Lanning to watch more content on Triumph, adversity, resilience, and inspiration:    / @riseabovewithkevin   ✅ Stay Connected To Us. 👉Instagram:   / riseabovewithkevin   👉 TikTok:   / rawithk   👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/riseabovewithk ✅ For Business Inquiries: [email protected] ================================ ✅ About Rise Above with Kevin Lanning: Rise Above: Stories of Resilience with Kevin Lanning Welcome to Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, where resilience finds its voice. Join Kevin Lanning, a former Google Executive in sobriety, as he brings you powerful stories of individuals who have navigated life's greatest challenges and emerged victorious. About Kevin: Kevin Lanning personifies resilience. From overcoming addiction to conquering childhood trauma, his journey mirrors the triumph of the human spirit. Now, he's dedicated to sharing stories that uplift, educate, and ignite the spark within you. Join us on this journey to rise above adversity and thrive. For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: [email protected] 🔔 Hit that subscribe button for more exclusive, insightful, and inspiring videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Riseabovepod... ================================= #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #corecore #motivation #addictionrecovery #inspiration #selflove #selfhelp #loveyourself Disclaimer: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information we provide at your own risk. Do your research. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © Rise Above with Kevin Lanning