Confident Sober Women

In this eye-opening episode of The Confident Sober Women podcast, host Shelby John sits down with award-winning investigative journalist Shoshana Walter, author of Rehab: An American Scandal. Together, they uncover the shocking realities of America’s addiction treatment industry—where compassion and healing sometimes collide with corruption, exploitation, and profit. Shoshana shares the powerful stories behind her groundbreaking reporting for The Marshall Project and Reveal, which exposed how some court-ordered rehab programs forced people struggling with addiction into unpaid labor—working in factories, warehouses, and even processing plants under the guise of “treatment.” Her work sheds light on the systemic failures in the U.S. recovery landscape and the human cost of unregulated programs that prey on the most vulnerable. Shelby and Shoshana explore: How the opioid epidemic reshaped America’s rehab industry—and where it went wrongThe dark history of “tough love” recovery programs rooted in Synanon and behavioral modificationWhy unregulated and for-profit treatment centers continue to thrive todayThe legal and ethical gray zones surrounding work-based rehab programsThe critical role of “recovery capital”—the internal and external supports that make lasting sobriety possibleThe devastating gap in treatment options for mothers and families, and what real reform could look likeThis conversation is a must-listen for anyone in recovery, professionals in the mental health and addiction fields, and families seeking treatment for a loved one. It’s a raw, informed, and deeply compassionate discussion about what’s broken—and what hope still exists for creating an addiction recovery system that truly heals. 📘 Learn more about Shoshana Walter and her book on her website https://www.shoshanawalter.com/ 🌿 Want to take control of your anxiety and build emotional resilience in recovery? Download Shelby’s free guide, Is Neurofeedback Right for You? at www.shelbyjohn.com Discover how remote neurofeedback can help you regulate your emotions, sleep better, and feel confident in your sober l Support the show Don’t forget to subscribe, rate & share this episode with a sober woman or someone suffering from anxiety, depression, ADHD, sleep problems and negative thought patterns who needs to hear she is not alone. Support the show Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t know, my remote Neurofeedback Therapy program is up and running. Learn more here! Learn more about EMDR therapy, EMDR Intensives and Remote Neurofeedback. If you aren't part of the Confident Sober Women Facebook group, it's a great place to be. There are over a thousand other sober women there building lives they don't want to escape from. Come on over and join us. And if you haven't read my memoir, grab a copy today and maybe a second one for a friend. There is so much hope in recovery, and I shared my story so raw and vulnerable so that others would know they aren't alone and that there is a way to live well, manage relationships, parent your kids, and have a healthy body, all while staying sober. Grab a copy of Recovering in Recovery: The Life-Changing Joy of Sobriety wherever books are sold.