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Recovery. Expanded.

We're a newsletter, podcast, and community sharing recovery with anyone who needs it—whatever brought you here, we're glad you came.

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What You Get

Essays

Pretty Great Recovery Writing

Essays from amazing writers, interviews with famous and not-so-famous people on the messy work of getting better.

Community

Really Good Shares

A deeply engaged community built around daily online meetings and reader check-ins where people share their wins and their struggles.

Resources

Curated Support

Recommendations to support your recovery, whatever form it takes — books, poems, songs, and anything else that helps

The Small Bow Podcast

Writers, comedians, actors, and musicians share their darkest stories—success, addiction, shame, depression, grief—and how they made it through. New season in 2026.

The Wind Blows High w/ Trey Anastasio | The Small Bow Podcast

Nov 20, 2025

Latest from The Small Bow

Being Kevin, Watching "Being Charlie"

"My father’s responsibility was to make sure I was okay, not to make me feel okay, because nothing made me feel okay, especially not the things that I thought would."

How to Not Be Patronizing

God for the tone deaf. Thich Nhat Hanh. More emotional sobriety lessons to last a lifetime.

On Smoking

"It seems like Smoking Is Back from what I can gather from the youngish celebrities whose names I am no longer capable of retaining."

How To Sleep When the World Won't Let You

How to sleep (or not), part two.

What others say

"I am early in sobriety and recovery and your writing has been helpful for me in staying hopeful and knowing there is so much wonderful life yet to live. Thank you for your writing"

TSB User

User Testimonial

My favorite newsletter is this meditation on recovery with Edith Zimmerman’s illustrations and A.J. Daulerio’s essays. It’s about addiction, but relevant to anyone who has problems and regrets (so, everyone).

The New York Times

Publication Review

"I have not had a substance addiction in the traditional sense, but relate to so many of the struggles that are shared here."

TSB User

User Testimonial

I’m not in recovery, although as someone who has lived through, and lives with, whatever-you-got in terms of addictions, I find The Small Bow to be an extraordinarily great resource that also happens to be beautifully written. Kind of like reading ahead on the syllabus for a test I’m going to have to take later on in the semester.

Luke O’Neil, Welcome to Hell World

Publication Review

"My husband has recently begun AA and reading your writing has helped me so much with deep understanding of this experience."

TSB User

User Testimonial

The Small Bow is not just for those in recovery. Lots of stories with huge heart that manages to be hilarious and easy while making you question everything you were certain of about yourself.

Esquire

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The Small Bow consists of writers, editors, designers, and other staff, all working to expand the definition of recovery. Certain posts like our Sunday recovery round-up and essay archives are for paid supporters only—but we want to keep the Small Bow free for anyone who needs it. If cost is an issue, email us to request a free subscription and we'll hook you up, no questions asked. And if you can afford it, we'd really appreciate your paid support.

Recovery. Expanded.

What You Get

Essays

Pretty Great Recovery Writing

Community

Really Good Shares

Resources

Curated Support

The Small Bow Podcast

The Wind Blows High w/ Trey Anastasio | The Small Bow Podcast

Latest from The Small Bow

Being Kevin, Watching "Being Charlie"

How to Not Be Patronizing

On Smoking

How To Sleep When the World Won't Let You

What others say

Support Our Work

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