#296 Moms in Recovery: Interview with Sarah Allen Benton
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of parenting and looking for ways to stay balanced? Have you ever wondered if that glass of wine at the end of the day is helping or holding you back?
In this episode of Power Your Parenting: Moms of Teens, host Colleen O’Grady dives into the topic of alcohol use among moms, the rise of addiction since COVID, and how recovery can reshape both personal and family dynamics. Joined by licensed addiction counselor and author Sarah Allen Benton, Colleen explores the nuanced challenges that moms in recovery face, from finding healthy ways to cope with stress to navigating the emotional toll that addiction can have on relationships with teens. Benton shares her personal experiences and insights on what it means to live a “recovery lifestyle,” addressing the importance of emotional sobriety and how addiction can affect every area of life.
Key insights include the importance of creating sustainable self-care practices that don’t rely on substances. Benton emphasizes that managing stress as a parent often means saying “no” to additional commitments and removing the cultural expectation to do it all. This episode also highlights how families can support a parent in recovery, setting up boundaries that strengthen family bonds and empower teenagers to process any lingering anger or hurt. Benton stresses the need for open communication and suggests resources like support groups and counseling to help families rebuild trust and stability.
Sarah Allen Benton is a licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Addiction Counselor, and Mental Health Counselor. She has been a parent in recovery from alcoholism for more than 18 years. She is co-owner of Benton Behavioral Health Consulting, LLC, offering clinical and business support services to innovative addiction and mental health companies. Her recently released book, Parents in Recovery: Navigating a Sober Family Lifestyle can be found anywhre books are sold.
Learn more about Sarah at https://www.bentonbhc.com/
Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bentonBHC