In Episode 72 of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast with Professor Ace, we sit down with Dalton Castor—long-time friend, former meth addict and alcoholic, and now over five years alcohol-free—to unpack a story of near-death, radical transformation, and the ongoing work of healing.

Addiction, recovery, alcohol, healing, community, personal growth: these aren’t just keywords—they reflect the lived terrain of this conversation. Dalton shares how his life spiraled into “living failure,” how he encountered the brink of death, and how reclaiming his life through faith, family, and community became possible when emotional healing met raw accountability.

We explore:

What it looks like to face and survive near-fatal addiction multiple times

How underlying disconnection, shame, and unaddressed pain fuel addiction

The critical role of community, support, and meaningful relationships in recovery

Why sobriety is just one step—and why healing is continuous, relational, and oppositional to normalization of alcohol

How living for today, telling your story, and claiming your humanity matter in transformational social-work terms

This isn’t a tidy “before-and-after” recovery story. It is messy, complex, deeply human. It speaks directly to what we hold in the heart of Revolutionary Social Work: that transformation begins within relationships, within community, within our own willingness to change alongside one another.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro & reflections on life

01:30 Struggles with addiction and survival

05:25 Life on the streets: memories and experiences

10:33 The turning point: recovery and healing

15:07 The long road to sobriety

20:49 Facing death: a hospital experience

26:27 The decision to change: a new beginning

28:31 Cultural perspectives on alcohol and addiction

30:21 The journey of self-discovery

36:29 Rebuilding life after addiction

42:17 Finding purpose through family

47:17 The path to sobriety

52:17 Embracing change and healing

Key take-aways:

Life is a journey of both struggle and triumph.

Addiction often escalates into survival-mode and death-threats.

Community and relational support are indispensable for recovery.

Healing means addressing the underlying wounds—not just stopping substances.

Sobriety can open the door to a more fully human life.

Alcohol is culturally normalized despite its dangers.

Emotional healing is a core element of sustained recovery.

Living for today—in connection and purpose—matters.

It’s never too late to change your life.

Your story can inspire someone else to seek help.

© UAF Social Work