Navigating Recovery & Justice with Michelle Sandlin
EPISODE 45 / 10.15.2025
Todd and Bettijo sit down with addiction expert Michelle Sandlin to rip the lid off the toxic loop between addiction and the legal system. She’s all about treatment over punishment—and Todd opens up about codependency and the messy, miraculous road to recovery.
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Show Notes
Addiction expert Michelle Sandlin joins Todd and Bettijo Bridges to expose the brutal crossroads between addiction and the legal system. In recovery since 2004, Michelle shares how her own experience drives her mission to help individuals and families navigate the courts with compassion and understanding. She breaks down why Substance Use Disorder is a brain disease—not a moral failure—and why treatment, not punishment, is the only path to real change.
Michelle walks through the process of getting clients into treatment before legal hearings and building recovery plans that support long-term sobriety. Todd reflects on his early struggles with addiction, his work with the Santa Monica court system, and the pivotal moment his mother turned to Al-Anon—a support program for families of those battling addiction—which helped her break their cycle of codependency and ultimately save his life.
They confront the painful reality of “loving your child to death,” explore the different levels of rehab care, and reveal why 90 days is the critical window for the brain to truly heal. The conversation wraps with a powerful look at the deeper roots of addiction—trauma, mental health, and the driving mission behind Todd and Bettijo’s new nonprofit, MyBestRehab.org, a resource designed to help families find ethical, life-saving treatment.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Michelle Sandlin’s journey from personal recovery in 2004 to becoming an expert in the legal system. (1:09)
- Todd shares his initial skepticism about long-term sobriety and his own 30+ year recovery milestone. (2:11)
- The vicious cycle of addiction and the legal system and the case for treatment over jail time. (3:28)
- Breaking down the different levels of care in rehab and the importance of a 90-day treatment stay. (9:37)
- Michelle outlines clear warning signs of addiction for families, from changes in appearance to isolation. (11:33)
- How family codependency and misplaced anger affect the addict’s journey, and how Al-Anon saved Todd’s life. (13:20)
- The hosts and Michelle emphasize the importance of “playing the tape through” to maintain long-term sobriety. (18:34)
- ToddFlix: Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone. (32:09)
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Tune in to learn
- The crucial difference between punishment and treatment for Substance Use Disorder.
- Why 90 days of treatment is often necessary for lasting results.
- What the different levels of care (PHP, IOP, Sober Living) actually mean—and how they differ from what you see in the movies.
- Why underlying trauma and mental health issues must be addressed alongside addiction.
- How family codependency can prevent an addict from ever getting sober.
This episode is packed with the raw truth about addiction and recovery—don’t wait for a legal crisis to listen. Knowledge is power, so Hit Play!
24-HOUR National Helpline
If you’re struggling with your mental health, you don’t have to face it alone. The SAMHSA National Helpline is available 24/7 to provide free, confidential support (in English and Spanish), information, and resources for individuals and families facing mental health or substance use challenges. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to speak with someone who cares. Help is just a call away.
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