Aug 28, 2026
In this episode of Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery, host Jeff Jones sits down with Dave Kenney and Suze Kenney, co-founders of Emergo Academy and authors of Actualized Recovery: It’s Not About 12 Steps, Recovery Is a Brain Thing.
Drawing from more than a decade of running a residential brain-first recovery center and working with thousands of clients, Dave and Suze explain why behavior is driven by brain function, not a lack of willpower, moral character, or discipline.
Together, they explore how nervous system imbalances, including sympathetic fight-or-flight and parasympathetic freeze, shape addictive behaviors. They also discuss four distinct types of trauma that affect the brain and introduce the Neuroactualized Method and The Power of 70, a practical 70-day neurosomatic framework designed to help rewire the brain for lasting health and autonomy.
🎧 Follow or subscribe to Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery for more conversations about addiction and family recovery.
⭐ Leave a review and share this episode with someone who may benefit from it.
About Dave Kenney and Suze Kenney
Dave Kenney and Suze Kenney are the co-founders of Emergo Academy and creators of the Neuroactualized Method. With more than 13 years of experience running a residential brain-first recovery program, they have helped thousands of individuals address self-sabotaging behaviors, addiction, and mental health struggles by combining neuroscience, lifestyle medicine, and psychology.
Website:
https://emergoacademy.com/
Book: Actualized Recovery: It’s Not About 12 Steps,
Recovery Is a Brain Thing
By Dave Kenney and Suze Kenney
Professional and Educational Programs:
Learn more about becoming a certified coach or training your team
in the Neuroactualized Method at:
https://emergoacademy.com/
Resources Mentioned
Amen Clinics
Brain SPECT imaging founded by Dr. Daniel Amen.
Cereset
A non-invasive neuro-technology used to help balance brain rhythms
and support sleep.
Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery
Solution
By Jeff Jones
Polyvagal Theory
Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges and discussed in relation to
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system regulation.
About Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones helps families impacted by addiction understand how addiction affects the entire family system. Through his coaching, masterclass, book, and educational content, he helps families create clearer communication, healthier response patterns, and a different way forward.
If your family is navigating addiction and you’re looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me.
Book a free discovery call:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/
Brain Health Masterclass for Families Impacted by Addiction
This six-session masterclass helps families understand how addiction affects the entire family and move away from confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction. Families learn how to develop steadier, more intentional responses and create healthier patterns within the family.
Learn more:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/
Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution
In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and family rules that are stronger than addiction’s chaos while maintaining connection with the person you love.
Get the book:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/
Connect With Jeff Jones
Work with Jeff: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution
Substack: https://jeffjones.substack.com/
#BrainBasedRecovery #AddictionRecovery #NervousSystemRegulation #TraumaRecovery #NeuroscienceAndRecovery #FamilyRecovery #FamilyAddictionSupport #MentalHealthRecovery #PolyvagalTheory #BrainHealth