Paul Orshan & Adam Shaffer on Sobriety, Recovery, and Sharing Their Experience to Offer Hope and Encouragement

In Episode 11 of The Real Story, host Michael Silberman sits down with Paul Orshan to hear about his remarkable 42 years of sobriety, his experience caring for his disabled daughter, and the grief he faced following her passing. Paul also discusses his book, Just Say Hello, which shares his personal journey and explores how something as simple as reaching out and making a phone call can provide meaningful support to someone who may be struggling.

The episode also features Sober Coach Adam Shaffer, who opens up about his childhood struggles with substance use and the years he spent unable to imagine a life without using. Today, Adam draws from his own experiences to mentor young men navigating recovery. He encourages those he works with to build healthy habits through exercise, nutrition, accountability, and personal connection, while using his own story to show that a fulfilling life in recovery is possible.

Through their individual experiences with addiction, recovery, loss, and sobriety, Paul and Adam offer hope and encouragement to others who may be facing similar struggles. Their stories serve as a reminder that recovery is possible and that sometimes, simply reaching out and sharing your story can make a difference.

About This Episode

In this episode of The Real Story, Paul Orshan reflects on the events that ultimately changed the course of his life. After an ordinary upbringing in Miami, Florida, Paul's substance use spiraled after college until he found himself facing a serious wake-up call in 1984. A series of articles about substance abuse in The Miami Herald helped Paul recognize the severity of his addiction and take his first steps toward recovery.

Paul shares the story of his first Narcotics Anonymous meeting, where he received his white chip and began what would become more than four decades of sobriety. He also opens up about another deeply personal chapter of his life: raising his daughter, Amanda, who was born with a severe developmental disability. His experiences with Amanda, along with the grief of losing her, shaped his outlook on life and inspired his memoir, Just Say Hello. Paul explains the meaning behind the book's title and why reaching out to someone who is struggling can sometimes be more important than knowing exactly what to say.

Adam Schaffer shares a very different path to recovery, beginning with the search for excitement and attention he experienced as a child. He discusses how his early experiences eventually progressed into years of substance use and describes what it was like to feel as though he was constantly living at his lowest point.

Adam reflects on the moment that ultimately changed his perspective and led him to leave substances behind in November 2014. Today, he uses his experience to help young men navigate their own recovery through his Sober Coach program. He discusses the role he plays in helping clients build more stable lives and how families often turn to him when they don't know how else to help someone they love.

Through two very different stories of addiction and recovery, Paul and Adam offer their perspectives on finding a way forward, supporting those who are struggling, and discovering that a life beyond substance use is possible.

Guest Speaker: Adam Shaffer

Title: Addiction Recovery Coach | Sober Coach Adam

Adam Shaffer is an Addiction Recovery Coach who draws from 23 years of substance use and 12 years of sobriety to mentor and guide young men toward a life in recovery.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Adam grew up in a suburban home alongside his sister. He began struggling with substance use at age 11, and his struggles intensified following his parents' separation when he was 12. In 2014, Adam reached a critical turning point and became determined to build a healthier and more stable life for himself.

His own recovery journey inspired Adam to dedicate his time and energy to helping others overcome addiction and other personal hardships. He has received years of training in both Canada and the United States. Combined with his lived experience, this training has equipped Adam to support individuals struggling with alcohol and substance use, as well as related mental health challenges.

Adam takes a personalized approach to recovery coaching, helping his clients establish goals, build healthy habits and coping skills, maintain accountability, connect with resources, and develop practical strategies for personal growth. Through his mentorship, he uses both his professional training and personal experience to meet each client where they are and help them take meaningful steps toward recovery.

Guest Speaker: Paul Orshan

Title: Author | Just Say Hello

Paul Orshan is a bankruptcy lawyer and author with more than 42 years of sobriety after struggling with drugs and alcohol in his youth.

Paul grew up in Miami, Florida, as the second of four children. He had a fairly average upbringing, earned good grades in school, and graduated from college in 1978. It was after college that he began experimenting with drugs and alcohol, which eventually spiraled into a serious addiction.

On June 6, 1984, Paul walked into his first Narcotics Anonymous meeting after realizing he could no longer stop using on his own. That day, he picked up a white chip and has remained clean ever since. In 1985, approximately 15 months into his recovery, Paul began law school. He went on to become a bankruptcy lawyer, a career he has practiced for 38 years. Paul credits the principles he learned through 12-step recovery with shaping the way he approaches both his professional and personal life.

Just before reaching eight years of sobriety, Paul and his family welcomed his oldest daughter, Amanda, who was born with a severe developmental disability. Amanda never progressed beyond infancy and passed away at the age of 22 in 2015. Her birth, life, and death profoundly shaped Paul's perspective and helped him accept that some things in life are beyond his control.

Following his divorce, Paul raised his teenage children as a single parent.

Today, they are thriving young adults. Paul retired to Costa Rica in 2020 and republished his memoir, Just Say Hello, in 2026. He now appears on podcasts and shares his story to encourage people to reach out to friends and family when they are struggling, reminding others that sometimes a simple phone call or a heartfelt “hello” can make a meaningful difference.