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How do you leave a legacy through a song, and what happens when your own life needs saving first? Jessica sits down with Canadian roots singer-songwriter Sarah Smith for an honest, grounded talk about sobriety, spirituality, and the kind of creativity that feels like it comes from somewhere bigger than you. Sarah shares how growing up in a deeply Christian home gave her community and structure, then how questioning, seeking, and recovery pushed her to build a personal concept of God that actually works in daily life.
We dig into the recovery journey in real terms: getting sober at 21, diving into spiritual self-help, then later relapsing into a decade of partying that slowly turned into what she calls “soul sickness.” Sarah describes the moments she hit her knees, asked for help, and felt warmth and strength return. We also talk about practical tools that support emotional sobriety, including anger work, naming feelings, HALT, and the pause that turns a reaction into a response. If you’re navigating addiction recovery, alcohol-free living, or simply craving more inner peace, you’ll hear language you can use and practices you can try.
Sarah also connects spirituality to purpose in music. She explains why she titled her single “Your Name (God)” and how that bracket is an invitation for believers, agnostics, and atheists to choose the word that helps them live with integrity. We explore her powerful songwriting collaborations and “legacy songs,” written from real stories of love, grief, chronic pain, and opioid overdose loss, plus what it takes to stay sober while touring venues where drinking is everywhere.
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If you'd like to connect with Sarah or collaborate on songwriting during her winter writing sessions, visit Sarah Smith - A Canadian Roots Rock Singer/Songwriter or find her on social media platforms @SarahSmithMusic.
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