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From Addiction to Empowerment: Scott Strode and the Rise of The Phoenix
The Joy of Living Podcast with Barry Shore
In this deeply inspiring episode of The Joy of Living, Barry Shore—your Ambassador of Joy—welcomes the remarkable Scott Strode, founder of The Phoenix, a nonprofit revolutionizing recovery through movement, connection, and purpose. From childhood trauma and addiction to sobriety and service, Scott shares his personal story of transformation and the birth of a movement that now touches hundreds of thousands of lives.
Barry and Scott explore powerful themes like the true meaning of sobriety, the healing force of community, and how choosing joy, service, and self-worth can ignite a life of purpose. Get ready to laugh, reflect, and be moved as these two passionate change-makers share practical tools, soul-lifting acronyms, and heartfelt stories that will leave you believing: recovery is not just possible—it’s powerful.
What You’ll Discover:
- How trauma and addiction shaped Scott’s early identity—and how he rewrote the story
- Why 48 hours of sobriety is the only requirement to find belonging at The Phoenix
- The life-changing power of being seen, supported, and believed in
- Why service is not a duty, but a gift that fuels lasting recovery
- The surprising strength behind feeling everything—and the joy that follows
- Barry’s legendary acronyms that breathe life into words like SMILE, SOBER, and CREATE
- How you can go MAD: Make A Difference and become a Source of Blessing
Join the Movement → This episode is your invitation to rise, recover, and thrive—together.
Listen Here (click here to watch episode)
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Show Notes:
[00.00] Awakening Joy: The Power of Words, Purpose, and Perspective
- With his signature acronym play, Barry reframes common terms: WWW becomes “What a Wonderful World” and SMILE means “Seeing Miracles in Life Every day.”
- Through engaging storytelling and humor, he invites listeners to shift their mindset by focusing on what’s right, not what’s wrong.
- Barry shares a personal miracle: overcoming total paralysis with gratitude, faith, and a powerful sense of mission.
- A sweet anecdote from his eight-year-old niece gives a fresh twist on the word SMILE, redefining it as “Seeing Miracles in Everyday Life.
- He reminds us that recognizing the everyday as miraculous is a decision—one that can instantly reshape how we move through the world.
- Words like CREATE and KIND get a new meaning: “Causing Rethinking, Enabling All To Excel” and “Keep Inspiring Nobledies,” all driving home that joy is a choice.
[15.00] Rising from the Ashes: Scott Strode’s Journey Through Trauma and Recovery
- Scott Strode enters the conversation with a grounded, humble energy, sharing his raw and honest personal story.
- He details a childhood shaped by trauma, unstable home life, and growing up believing he was unworthy of love.
- Alcohol and drugs became his way of numbing pain and avoiding the crushing weight of self-doubt.
- Scott describes how addiction eroded his dreams and identity until he found himself on the edge of losing everything.
- A turning point came with the image of dying alone—and the realization that he didn’t want that to be his story.
- Recovery began not with perfection, but with the courage to walk into a boxing gym, where others believed in him first.
[30.00] Rebuilding Identity: The Phoenix Model of Community and Connection
- Scott introduces The Phoenix, a nonprofit offering free fitness and wellness events to support people in recovery—requiring only 48 hours of sobriety to join.
- Events range from yoga and climbing to boxing and community service, all grounded in a culture of uplifting support.
- The Phoenix model empowers people to replace stigma with strength and isolation with belonging.
- Volunteers who’ve walked their own recovery path become guides and mentors, creating a cycle of mutual healing.
- Scott shares how something as simple as helping someone climb a rock wall can rekindle hope and belief in what’s possible.
- Stories of transformation unfold: people going from despair to finding identity in motion, purpose, and community.
[45.00] Feeling Everything: Redefining Sobriety and Finding Purpose Through Service
- Scott opens up about the deeper meaning of sobriety: it’s not just abstaining, it’s about being fully present and able to feel again.
- He shares that the hardest—and greatest—part of recovery is embracing every emotion, both painful and joyful.
- Sobriety allows for clarity, connection, and the courage to show up for yourself and others in authentic ways.
- Barry and Scott reflect on how past pain, when integrated, becomes the root of empathy and leadership.
- The Phoenix creates space for people to shift from the mindset of “what was done to me” to “what has been done for me.”
- Through heartfelt stories and metaphor, they illustrate how holding the door open for someone else is part of the healing.
[60.00] A Movement of Millions: Lifting Each Other, One Soul at a Time
- Scott shares the expanding impact of The Phoenix and the goal to reach over one million people in recovery worldwide.
- He describes the “New Form” app, a digital tool connecting communities and organizations to support collective healing.
- From rock climbing to sober pet meetups, The Phoenix creates accessible ways to build belonging, dignity, and joy.
- Scott emphasizes the urgency of this movement—reaching those still in the fire with hope, purpose, and connection.
- Barry and Scott discuss the ripple effect of empowerment: how each healed life becomes a force for lifting others.
- The concept of being an SOB (Source of Blessing) is playfully embraced and rooted in living service-minded.
Insider Tips:
Nicole Iny is the Executive Director of Grants and Consumer Education at FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. FAIR Health possesses the nation’s largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 47 billion claim records. It is dedicated to bringing transparency and integrity to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support.
Topics:
- What is FAIR Health?
- What types of tools and resources are offered on FAIRHealthOlderAdults.org?
- What obstacles do older adults and family caregivers face when navigating the healthcare system, and what strategies can they use to find the services and support they need?
- Have you received any feedback from patients and/or their caregivers about the shared decision-making resources available on the FAIR Health consumer website?
- Where can patients, family caregivers and healthcare providers find more information?
Important Links:
About Scott Strode
Scott Strode, sober for over 25 years, is the Executive Director of The Phoenix, a transformational nonprofit he founded in 2006. The Phoenix harnesses the power of connection to ignite a movement that’s changing how society looks at addiction and recovery. The Phoenix provides free programs both in-person and virtually, across the globe, including yoga, climbing, music, CrossFit, art, and more. The only cost to participate is 48 hours of sobriety. Scott says, “It might be the activity that brings someone in, but it’s the community of sober friendships that keeps them coming back.” This spark of hope for recovery, that Scott himself experienced, has continued to grow and help thousands rise from addiction. Not limited to those in recovery, The Phoenix movement is for anyone who has been impacted by substance use disorder — because the solution to the addiction crisis lives in all of us. This is our movement!
