Episode 71 | Letting Go Without Letting Down

Ryan Hedrick sits down to talk about something every parent, spouse, or loved one in recovery eventually faces: how do you let go… without letting them down?

We center the conversation around three questions that can keep you up at night: How much do I step in? What are the expectations now? And how do I stay optimistic when other people doubt them — or when I start doubting myself?

Ryan shares honestly about how his relationship with his wife has changed now that she’s in recovery. He reflects on what it used to look like, what it looks like today, and the hard but freeing shift from trying to manage everything to learning how to trust, surrender, and love differently.

He’s also joined by Teresa and Mark Perlite, parents to Luke, a young man who is doing incredibly well in his recovery. They walk us through Luke’s journey — and just as importantly, their own. We talk about control, surrender, letting go, managing resentment when it builds up, and what to do when things are actually going well. Because success brings its own emotions too.

This episode is real, relatable, and full of perspective for anyone trying to support someone they love without losing themselves in the process.

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• Al-Anon: Al-Anon.org
• AA Meetings: aa.intergroup.org/meetings
• NA Meetings: virtual-na.org
• Suicide Prevention Hotline: [phone] (24/7)

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