Dr. Samantha Harte shares her powerful journey from addiction to recovery, beginning with a cocaine overdose on the same night she was accepted into a doctoral program. She explains how trauma, shame, childhood adaptations, and perfectionism shaped her addiction—and why sobriety alone wasn’t enough.
Samantha discusses the death of her sponsor, the loss of her sister to overdose, and how these experiences led her to develop a trauma informed, modern reinterpretation of the 12 steps. Her framework blends neuroscience, compassionate curiosity, and radical responsibility to help people heal the root causes of addiction.
In This Episode:
• Samantha’s overdose and early attempts at sobriety
• Why trauma and shame drive addictive patterns
• The difference between sobriety and true recovery
• How childhood adaptations resurface after getting sober
• A trauma informed reinterpretation of the 12 steps
• Identity evolution and rebuilding self trust
• Her book Breaking the Circuit
• The Truth About Addiction podcast
• How she coaches individuals and organizations today
Connect with Dr. Samantha Harte:
Website: https://drsamanthaharte.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsamanthaharte Book: Breaking the Circuit (Amazon) Podcast: The Truth About Addiction
Subscribe for more conversations that bring truth, hope, and real recovery tools.
Also watch
-
Ed Wood: Marijuana, Drug-Impaired Driving & a Father's Fight for Justice
When Ed Wood's 33-year-old son Brian was killed in a devastating crash involving -
Rise As Lions: The Suicide Attempt That Became Rob Decker’s Turning Point
Rob Decker survived what should have killed him — a headfirst jump from a third‑ -
Rebuilding the Whole Person: Dr. Mark Sherwood on Addiction, Trauma & True Recovery
Dr. Mark Sherwood’s journey from SWAT officer to naturopathic doctor reveals why