Back from Broken
Colorado Public Radio
Back From Broken is an interview series about what it takes to recover from the biggest challenge of your life -- and what others can learn from your adversity. Colorado Public Radio’s Vic Vela, an award-winning journalist who’s also a recovering drug addict, hosts the podcast.
Vic talks with guests about challenges like substance abuse, mental illness, gambling addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. Each story describes the highest highs, the darkest moments and what it takes to make a comeback. It’s a raw, empathetic show that’s ultimately about hope -- and how recovery is possible.
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Top 10 Back from Broken Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Back from Broken episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Back from Broken for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Back from Broken episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Khadi Oluwatoyin
Back from Broken
08/11/23 • 30 min
Khadi Oluwatoyin was always a high achiever. She excelled in law school and got her dream job, as a lawyer in New York City, in her early twenties. Racial and gender barriers didn’t stop her. Nothing stood in the way of her career, except alcohol. But when Khadi sought help for her drinking, she often found she was the only Black woman in the room. So she created her own recovery group for Black women and nonbinary folks to help others — and herself — through recovery.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Emily Williams
Editor: Jo Erickson
Mixed by: Kibwe Cooper
Additional editorial support: Erin Jones, Rebekah Romberg, Andrew Villegas
Music: Daniel Mescher and Brad Turner with additional music from Universal Production Music
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale
Thanks also to Rachel Estabrook, Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Arielle Wilson, Kim Nguyen.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
1 Listener
Trailer: Get Ready For Season 4!
Back from Broken
06/23/23 • 2 min
We’re back with more stories about the highest highs, the darkest moments and what it takes to make a comeback.
Back From Broken returns on July 7, with more emotional and raw storytelling, joyful moments and hope. Make sure you’re following Back From Broken wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss an episode
And if you're already following us, do us a favor: Share Back from Broken with a couple of friends who could use it. Thank you for listening and supporting the podcast!
1 Listener
Anders Osborne
Back from Broken
02/21/20 • 35 min
Anders Osborne is a talented singer, blues guitarist and songwriter from New Orleans. He was dependent on alcohol for years — and it nearly destroyed his career and family. Anders opens up about his struggles with addiction, explains how he got sober and shares songs about those experiences. He also talks about the role drugs and alcohol play in the music industry, and why he created a network to help other musicians in recovery stay clean while on tour.
If you or a friend is struggling with addiction, help is available. Find a list of resources at backfrombroken.org.
Natalie Hodges
Back from Broken
07/21/23 • 34 min
Growing up, Natalie Hodges practiced the violin every moment she could. She was good, and the practice made her excellent. She started down the path of becoming a professional violinist until debilitating performance anxiety put a wrench in her dreams. But it helped her discover the root of her problems -- and put her on the road to recovery.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Rebekah Romberg
Editor: Erin Jones
Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Kibwe Cooper, Emily Williams, Andrew Villegas
Music: Daniel Mescher and Brad Turner with additional music from Universal Production Music
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale
Thanks also to Rachel Estabrook, Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Arielle Wilson, Kim Nguyen.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
Pebe Sebert
Back from Broken
07/28/23 • 31 min
Pebe Sebert's dreams of becoming a professional songwriter started coming true when Dolly Parton recorded one of her songs and it became a hit. But Pebe felt like a fish out of water, and she used alcohol to deal with those feelings. Other drugs came into the mix, too. But after she had her daughter Kesha, Pebe knew something had to change -- and years later, Kesha became the pop star Pebe always dreamed of being.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Emily Williams
Editor: Erin Jones
Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Rebekah Romberg, Kibwe Cooper, Andrew Villegas
Music: Daniel Mescher and Brad Turner with additional music from Universal Production Music
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale
Thanks also to Rachel Estabrook, Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Arielle Wilson, Kim Nguyen.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
Aaron Taylor
Back from Broken
08/04/23 • 43 min
Aaron Taylor was a standout athlete at the University of Notre Dame. He went on to become a Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers. But behind all that success, Aaron was a high-functioning alcoholic. After an injury ended his career, Aaron had to come to terms with his addiction and heal the childhood trauma he had never addressed.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Kibwe Cooper
Editor: Rebekah Romberg
Additional editorial support: Jo Erickson, Erin Jones, Emily Williams, Andrew Villegas
Music: Daniel Mescher and Brad Turner with additional music from Universal Production Music
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale
Thanks also to Rachel Estabrook, Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Arielle Wilson, Kim Nguyen.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
Hunter Biden
Back from Broken
04/30/21 • 41 min
Hunter Biden’s struggle with addiction has been intense — and very public. His battle with alcohol and cocaine addiction came under scrutiny as his father, Joe Biden, ran for president. But with the support of his family, Hunter found the help he needed. His recovery story, which he shared in his book “Beautiful Things,” offers hope to those who are still struggling.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Brad Turner
Editor: Dennis Funk
Producers: Jo Erickson, Luis Antonio Perez, Rebekah Romberg
Music: Daniel Mescher, Brad Turner
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Rachel Estabrook
Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Martin Skavish, Kim Nguyen, Francie Swidler.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
Drew Robinson
Back from Broken
07/14/23 • 30 min
Drew Robinson was a talented professional baseball player. It seemed like all his goals were coming to fruition. But he couldn't shake a sense of deep inadequacy. Those feelings eventually brought him to the darkest moment of his life. In that moment, he realized he was here for good reasons, and he committed to living.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Rebekah Romberg
Editor: Jo Erickson
Additional editorial support: Kibwe Cooper, Emily Williams, Erin Jones, Andrew Villegas
Music: Daniel Mescher and Brad Turner with additional music from Universal Production Music
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Kevin Dale
Thanks also to Rachel Estabrook, Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Arielle Wilson, Kim Nguyen.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
Kevin Griffin
Back from Broken
04/23/21 • 36 min
Kevin Griffin was a talented musician who struggled with addiction, felt diretionless in life and eventually became homeless. Until he discovered Buddhism and a recovery program -- and wrote a book that blended the two concepts and helped countless readers struggling with their own addictions. One of those readers was Vic Vela, Back From Broken's host. That connection adds a personal angle to an episode that's full of surprises and hope.
Back From Broken is a show about how we are all broken sometimes, and how we need help from time to time. If you’re struggling, you can find a list of resources at BackFromBroken.org.
Host: Vic Vela
Lead producer: Rebekah Romberg
Editors: Dennis Funk, Ann Marie Awad
Producers: Jo Erickson, Luis Antonio Perez
Music: Daniel Mescher, Brad Turner
Executive producers: Brad Turner, Rachel Estabrook
Thanks also to Hart van Denburg, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, Matt Herz, Martin Skavish, Kim Nguyen, Francie Swidler.
BackFromBroken.org
On Twitter: @VicVela1
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Back from Broken
06/26/20 • 37 min
Jake "The Snake" Roberts was one of the most famous pro wrestlers of the 1980s. He had a massive following. But behind the scenes he was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and haunted by childhood abuse. This is the story of how Jake "The Snake" turned things around and found a second career as a stand-up comedian.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Back from Broken have?
Back from Broken currently has 41 episodes available.
What topics does Back from Broken cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Back from Broken?
The episode title 'Trailer: Get Ready For Season 4!' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Back from Broken?
The average episode length on Back from Broken is 31 minutes.
How often are episodes of Back from Broken released?
Episodes of Back from Broken are typically released every 7 days, 1 hour.
When was the first episode of Back from Broken?
The first episode of Back from Broken was released on Feb 7, 2020.
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