Kirsten Johnson Podcast

Ep 189 MARA: A Non-Judgemental Alternative to AA – Bob's Story

Kirsten Johnson Podcast

Show Notes

MARA is a recovery path and stands for Medication Assisted Recovery Anonymous. It has 12 steps but is NOT affiliated with AA or even that similar to AA but the steps are inspired from AA. I find MARA to be very compassionate, empathetic and a recovery path that I'm so glad now exists. Bob shares his story with leaving NA, joining MARA and how it's made all the difference in his own recovery and life. MARA website MARA book Timestamps: 00:00 Medication Assisted Recovery Intro 03:25 Why Bob Left NA 08:32 Googling Harm Reduction 09:41 What is Medication Assisted Recovery Anonymous 22:36 Prescribed Opioids at 22 Years Sober 30:31 Withdrawing From Suboxone 35:04 Recovery Treatment Not Working + Relapse 42:29 Living a Safe Lifestyle 44:35 NA vs MARA Recovery 47:33 MARA Meetings 1:03:34 My First MARA Meeting 1:07:47 Working in Treatment + Harm Reduction 1:13:22 We Were At The Same MARA Meeting 1:22:23 Building a Support System 1:29:00 Benefits of MARA Recovery 1:33:40 Why MARA is a Better Solution 👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more) 📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books) Let’s get f*cking free

More from Kirsten Johnson Podcast

Oct 20, 2026

Did Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, consume alcohol after getting sober in 1934? According to his wife, Lois Wilson, yes—but there's a catch. In this episode, we examine the rumors about Bill's drinking, his requests for whiskey on his deathbed, and an incident involving alcohol documented in Lois Remembers. I also share my own experience with a “freelapse” and explore what these stories reveal about one of AA's core claims.

Oct 13, 2026

No more groupthink and being "powerless" over critical thinking... This episode is our reminder to not turn our thinking and judgement over to "authorities" outside ourselves. Critical thinking for the win.

Oct 6, 2026

I saw a comment in a Facebook deprogramming group that asked if that group was a cult. So I thought we'd dive on in and discuss it on the pod today...

Sep 29, 2026

Carrie is back! Between the two of us, we have 54 years of recovery—and a lot to say about AA old-timers. What even makes someone an old-timer, and why does time sober so often translate into authority? We talk about the hierarchy around sober time, “AA math,” sponsorship and service, the difference between longevity and expertise, predatory old-timers, and the recovery beliefs we once accepted and passed on ourselves. We also get into what happens when you stop treating sober time as a measure of wisdom, healing, or how much someone else should listen to you.

Sep 22, 2026

Today I join Victor from Quackaholics Anonymous for a wide-ranging conversation about Alcoholics Anonymous, indoctrination, and what happens when recovery becomes an identity. We talk about why people are drawn into AA, love bombing and belonging, shame and the “alcoholic” identity, neurodivergence and mental health being mislabeled as alcoholism, the religious and cult dynamics of the program, predatory behavior and accountability, amends, and the difficulty of questioning a system you were taught you needed to survive. We also explore what it means to deprogram, rebuild trust in your own experience, and speak openly about both the help—and the harm—people can experience in AA.

See all episodes →