Episode Details
Back to EpisodesWhy Recovering Addicts Make Great Bishops | An Interview with Mike Houghtaling
Description
This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in June 2021.
Mike Houghtaling was raised in Bellevue, Washington, and Raleigh, North Carolina, and served in the Argentina Cordoba Mission. He and his family have lived in Georgia for over 30 years. Since entering recovery, he served as a bishop’s counselor, a high councilor, and at the time of this recording was serving as the bishop of the Fayetteville Georgia YSA Ward. He worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for 37 years, most of those as an air traffic controller, retiring in 2019. Mike and his wife Andrea have five children and seven grandchildren. Mike tries to work his recovery just one day at a time.
Links
ODAAT coins
Warrior Heart retreat
Heart of a Woman retreat
Is Elders Quorum Working?
Wild at Heart in Church Leadership | An Interview with Doug Nielsen
Heart of a Woman in Relief Society
Church resources
Read the transcript of this podcast
Highlights
Mike candidly shares his decades-long struggle with pornography addiction and the profound impact it has had on his life and leadership. He describes how the addiction served as an escape from underlying emotional difficulties rooted in his childhood, highlighting that pornography is often a symptom of deeper unmet needs rather than the core issue.
A pivotal turning point came when Mike hit rock bottom after his wife discovered his secret. This led him to the Addiction Recovery Program (ARP). He emphasizes that recovery is an ongoing lifestyle, not a quick fix, and involves addressing the underlying wounds that fuel addictive behaviors.
After years of sobriety, Mike was called to serve in various leadership positions. Throughout these callings, he has been remarkably open about his past, aiming to build trust and demonstrate that God’s love and healing are available to everyone.
Mike offers valuable advice for leaders. His story is a powerful testament to the possibility of healing and the transformative potential of vulnerability and understanding in leadership.
Highlights
00:04:52 – Description of Mike’s YSA Ward
00:05:48 – Mike’s Personal Story
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