This is Supposed to Be a Children’s Story with Kerry Madden-Lunsford

Today we talk with writer Kerry Madden-Lunsford about how Al-Anon has helped her deal with the pain of having a child who’s treatment-resistant and now living on the streets of Los Angeles. Find more stories and conversations at thesmallbow.com. Kerry’s book Werewolf Hamlet Kerry’s Substack "Easy Crier" by Al Oldender Listen to Swamp Dogg’s new album "Blackgrass" wherever you get music, or buy a hard copy at Ohboy.com. In this Episode 0:38 Intro 4:51 Flannery's Childhood, Kerry's Parenting Philosophies 5:59 The Christmas Letter 8:04 Flannery Today 10:29 Being in Denial, then Noticing Signs 14:08 The most codependent family ever vs Al Anon 17:17 Diagnosis, Jail, Christmas 19:42 Self-Pity vs Al Anon 22:35 Werewolf Hamlet 25:28 Travel Town Museum, Torment 28:08 Realizing your child is unhoused 30:50 Looking For Flannery 32:50 Justin Szlasa 35:43 What Should You Do? 42:17 Ideal Outcomes 45:17 Kerry's current approach 50:22 Angels 55:04 Outro

Om Podcasten

The Small Bow Podcast is a recovery show – part interview, part storytelling – hosted by A.J. Daulerio, and based on the recovery newsletter thesmallbow.com. A.J. created TSB after he got out of rehab and wanted to hear stories about sobriety, mental health, and spirituality that he couldn’t easily find on the internet.  We talk about recovery from all kinds of things: car crashes, identity crises, drugs, alcohol, ego. And even if you’re not in recovery, these stories and conversations have things to teach. Most people equate recovery with redemption – the part where people who’ve quit drugs or alcohol then tell you how they did it and how good their lives are now – but TSB focuses less on the beginning and ending of rock bottoms, and more about the middle part, making it through the woods.  Join A.J. as he speaks with writers, entertainers, social workers, magazine editors, recovering addicts, recovering jerks – people – about how they made it through hard things and got better because of it. Maybe some of this will help you get better too.