The Hopeaholics

Addicted to Hope

Chad Carlsen started The Hopeaholics Podcast after his soon-to-be son-in-law died of fentanyl poisoning. Not as therapy. As a response to a crisis that kills tens of thousands of people a year while most of the country looks the other way.

Hosted by Chad and WWE superstar Natalie Eva Marie, The Hopeaholics brings on survivors of addiction, mental illness, and the kind of rock-bottom moments most people never talk about. Long-form, unfiltered conversations with people in recovery, families who've lost someone, and the professionals working inside the addiction treatment system.

327+ episodes. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

If you or someone you love needs help with addiction or substance use, call 949-615-8588

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20 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 1 hr 22 min
From Running Drugs To Teaching At USC 31 Years Sober w Gregg Champion | The Hopeaholics Podcast #351
Gregg Champion's father was killed in a head-on collision with another drunk driver when Gregg was 4. He grew up angry, filled that with alcohol and attention, and spent his 20s collecting DUIs, assaults, a marijuana trafficking operation out of a van, and two arrests in the same 24-hour stretch at Mardi Gras. He got sober at 25, went back and finished his ASU degree sober with a 4.0, sits on the Arizona State Alumni Leadership Council, taught entrepreneurship at USC, and is 30+ years sober. This episode covers the childhood trauma he carried alone for decades. The night at he woke up in a jail cell, found a Catholic church in the phone book, and sat down in front of a priest named Father Bill — who turned out to be his stepfather's sponsor — and who sent him to his first meeting. He built Startup Recovery and Wellness over nine years and three sober living homes in the Pacific Palisades. In that same stretch he also lost his mom to Alzheimer's, his sister to suicide, went bankrupt in 2008, and watched the January 7, 2025 fires burn all three houses to the ground. He's still standing. Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Our Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie 0:00 Cold open 0:38 Intro 1:07 Gregg Champion 7:14 31 years sober and still working on it 10:26 The seven-year itch: three years without AA and no sponsor 13:42 Being a girl dad in recovery — why he shares it out loud 17:17 His father was killed in a drunk-on-drunk collision 18:01 Becoming what killed his father 18:49 Attention as the first substitute 20:23 A secret he carried since he was eight 22:33 Age 13 to 25: Arizona State, six credits short, and a rampage 23:16 Going back to finish his degree sober now on the ASU Alumni Leadership Council 24:15 Lost sister to suicide, mom to Alzheimer's, bankrupt in 2008, Palisades fires 24:38 Getting sober at 25: DUIs, assaults, two Mardi Gras arrests 29:13 Running weed out east 32:20 Waking up in a jail cell and hearing a voice say his name 33:17 He finds the nearest Catholic church in the phone book 34:21 Father Bill 36:20 Father Bill turned out to be his stepfather's sponsor 41:36 His daughter asks: "Papa, have you ever been to jail?" 47:25 Teaching entrepreneurship at USC 57:48 The TED Talk he bombed 59:11 Couples counseling: finding the therapist with 25 years in Al-Anon 1:00:37 What year ten of sobriety demands: going a level deeper 1:06:34 The Recovery Playbook: sober, now what? 1:08:22 The thing he relapsed over but never fully faced 1:15:35 Breaking the cycle: giving his daughters the life he didn't have
Tuesday · 1 hr 7 min
Golf Prospect w Full Ride to UCLA. Meth Took It All w/ Danny Dalton | The Hopeaholics Podcast #350
Golf Prospect w Full Ride to UCLA. Meth Took It All w/ Danny Dalton | The Hopeaholics Podcast #350 Danny Dalton grew up in Huntington Beach playing golf when Tiger Woods was the standard everyone chased. He was good enough to earn a full scholarship to UCLA. He lost it junior year and spent the next decade filling the gap with cocaine, then meth, then heroin. This episode covers the whole run. The UCLA golfer who shot course records and still couldn't get out of his own way. The meth use that progressed to the needle at 33. The night he looked in a mirror and saw Gollum staring back. And the second day of treatment when a stranger walked into the room with the same name as his deceased father. Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Our Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie 0:00 Cold open 0:18 Intro 0:47 Danny Dalton, welcome to the show 1:09 Golf: how Danny got into it late and why it took over 6:35 progressive alcoholism begins 7:11 Full athletic scholarship to UCLA 9:12 The gene: addiction running through the family 14:45 Growing up with Tiger Woods as the benchmark 15:05 "I didn't realize how insulated I was until I wasn't" 19:03 Losing the scholarship junior year, somehow graduating anyway 21:56 Course records / sponsors: pro-level golf he couldn't hold onto 24:14 Cocaine, then meth 25:09 The needle at 33 32:33 First meth charge at 36: parents finding out 32:59 Nine charges with the law 33:21 Heroin: the thing that took him all the way down 34:48 Four years of isolation + his father dies 35:49 "I looked in the mirror and saw Gollum" 36:13 The shot that almost killed him 37:18 Threw everything in the trash and walked to the beach 38:01 Detox on his mom's couch, then court 39:17 Court-ordered 90 days 39:38 Day 2 in treatment: breaking down in church 41:13 A stranger named Tom Dalton walks in — his dead father's name 43:08 "That's why you have a gift" 44:29 Losing his treatment community, starting to slip again 45:23 Why he stays in recovery: it's for the next guy 48:33 Chad on his own hard year 51:12 The two words he says every morning 57:35 The recovery side has to come first 1:02:41 What Danny does today
July 31 · 1 hr 15 min
They Said I'd Never See My Kids Again. Got Them Back Sober w/ Ian Day | The Hopeaholics Podcast #349
They Said I'd Never See My Kids Again. Got Them Back Sober w/ Ian Day | The Hopeaholics Podcast #349 Ian Day grew up a standout athlete in a one-stoplight town in Indiana with one bar. His first drinks were sips of Miller Lite off his grandpa's lawn mower. By 17 he was smoking weed every day and panhandling in his high school hallways for lunch money because he'd spent it all on drugs. By 26 he was in Maricopa County tent jail in pink underwear and it was a country song in the jail chapel that finally broke him open for the first time in his life. He was told he'd never see his kids again and he got them back while fully sober. Ian shares his experience in the fork in the road between homeless, prison, and the halfway house, 90 meetings in 90 days, waking up at 4am to work a food bank before heading to a tattoo shop in the evenings, and what it looked like to slowly build a life he never thought was possible. Ian is now 8 years sober, owns Everlasting Inc. tattoo shop in Phoenix next door to a sober lounge, goes into intake prison on Monday mornings, and is raising his kids with his wife, Christin Day Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Our Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold Open: First Blackout 0:26 - Welcome / Intro 1:45 - Eight Years Sober This Weekend 2:55 - Told He'd Never See His Kids Again 4:06 - They Lied to the Courthouse 6:52 - Losing His Sister at 32 9:27 - The Last Time She Moved Was to Hug Me 12:37 - First Drinks on Grandpa's Lawnmower 13:28 - First Blackout: Let's Try Again 15:40 - Alcohol as a Solution to Social Anxiety 20:47 - Panhandling in High School Hallways for Lunch Money 22:32 - I Believe Wholeheartedly I Would Be Dead Without My Parents 44:57 - Chris Young Song in the Jail Chapel 45:27 - God I Want to Be a Good Man — First Honest Moment 49:16 - Homeless, Prison, or the Halfway House 52:46 - Sponsor Says Stay 53:44 - Two Jobs at 4am for Almost Two Years 55:04 - Meeting His Wife at a CA Convention 1:02:25 - God Told Him to Pay Off His Fines Instead 1:10:09 - What Are You Going to Do With Your Power Today
July 28 · 1 hr 17 min
My Baby Passed In The Car Because I Blacked Out w/ Carolina Ayala | The Hopeaholics Podcast #348
My Baby Passed In The Car Because I Blacked Out w/ Carolina Ayala | The Hopeaholics Podcast #348 Chad and Natalie sit down with Carolina Ayala, founder of The Happier Life Project, a recovery community organization built to give people the peer support she never had. She was drinking, using, and married by 15, and had watched two of her closest friends get killed before she was old enough to graduate. One night she drank too much, blacked out, drove home, and didn't take her daughter Crystal out of the car seat. Crystal spent three hours in the car and didn't make it. Carolina did nearly four years in prison for child endangerment and used meth for the next two decades because it was the only way she knew to get through what happened. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Cold open: the night Crystal died 0:00:40 - Welcome / What is the Happier Life Project 0:03:01 - The gap between treatment centers and what happens after 0:05:10 - Treatment, psych wards, jails, prison 0:05:51 - Getting pregnant, giving son to CPS 0:06:38 - Getting custody, relapsing, returning to smoke meth 0:07:02 - Rock bottom in 2021: not wanting to be alive anymore 0:07:34 - Losing faith in God, 12-step, everything she held onto 0:08:12 - Outside the crisis hospital, too scared to go in 0:09:16 - Finding RA International's peer support center in Temecula 0:10:55 - The idea for the Happier Life Project 0:13:19 - Divorced parents, alcoholic stepdad, being the oldest 0:14:41 - Gifted programs and nothing in the adult world making sense 0:15:08 - First joint at 12 as a freshman in El Paso 0:16:51 - Following friend into gang life 0:17:43 - The four runaways: Jasmine shot in the head, Cynthia murdered and burned in the desert 0:19:48 - Why she stayed on the street instead of going home 0:20:43 - Meeting her husband at 12, marrying at 15 0:21:13 - Moving to Arizona with a Mormon family to clean up 0:23:38 - Husband falls out of car going 55mph 0:25:26 - The miscarriage that wasn't: Danielle is alive and 31 0:26:36 - Leaving her husband and daughter on her first birthday 0:28:34 - The guilt cycle: couldn't face going back, so she never did 0:30:32 - Daughter goes to a Mormon colony in Mexico 0:32:27 - Federal charges at 19, domestic violence, psychiatric holds 0:33:40 - Trying to kidnap her daughter and failing 0:35:42 - Arrested at eight months pregnant for cocaine trafficking 0:35:58 - Crystal born, alcoholic mother-in-law tried to sell her 0:38:09 - Crystal's Death 0:39:46 - Prison for child endangerment 0:40:25 - Blood alcohol, no drugs found, what the DA had threatened 0:41:08 - Planning to jump off the 15 freeway / bail raised to $250K 0:42:59 - Not qualifying for the substance abuse program because the charge wasn't drug-related 0:43:47 - No contact with anyone under 18, including siblings and daughter 0:45:06 - Two beers, blowing a .08 0:45:40 - Back in on violation / introduced to meth in prison 0:46:04 - What meth did that nothing else could 0:47:36 - First time in treatment 0:49:08 - Guilt, shame, and unaddressed grief 0:49:37 - $20 worth of meth, sentenced to five years in state prison 0:51:11 - Cooper Fellowship: three years sober, the longest stretch yet 0:52:01 - CBT: the first thing that actually made sense to her 0:53:23 - The pre-cycle nobody ever addressed 0:55:37 - This time in recovery is different 0:57:34 - Almost not coming back to the rooms after the last relapse 0:58:00 - What actually matters today: the daily work, not the time 1:05:32 - Crystal's birthday, deciding to honor her for the first time 1:06:01 - Psychic medium speaks with Crystal 1:09:26 - Chad and Natalie / walking through pain vs. sitting in it 1:15:41 - The Happier Life Project: where to donate, how to find them
July 24 · 1 hr 32 min
From USC Football to Cartel Cocaine w/ "Cocaine Quarterback" Owen Hanson | The Hopeaholics Podcast #347
From USC Football to Cartel Cocaine w/ "Cocaine Quarterback" Owen Hanson | The Hopeaholics Podcast #347 The "Cocaine Quarterback" Owen Hanson was a volleyball player at USC who wanted to get stronger and start again. That led him to smuggling steroids in from a vet in Tijuana. He walked onto the football team and began selling Adderall, Xanax, and cocaine to teammates. After the 2008 recession killed his real estate job, he became a bookie, landed a cartel lieutenant as a client, and lost $2.5 million of the cartel's money in an Australian casino. His plan to pay it back involved dissolving cocaine in Everclear and shipping it to Australia in Napa Valley wine bottles. In 2015, 15 FBI agents arrested him at a golf course in Carlsbad and he did nearly a decade on a RICO charge. Thats where he invented protein ice cream in a mop bucket, and had an Emmy-winning Amazon Prime documentary built around his life while he was still locked up. Chad and Natalie talk to him about how each thing escalated, what the meeting in Tijuana with the cartel actually looked like, what a decade in federal prison was really like, and what he's building now. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Cold open 0:00:49 - Podcast intro 0:01:19 - Owen Hanson, one year out of federal prison 0:05:05 - Buying steroids from a vet in Tijuana 0:08:45 - The transformation: 185 to 240 pounds in six weeks 0:10:27 - Making the USC football team / Pete Carroll era 0:13:32 - Black market concierge 0:15:30 - Grew up broke at a school full of money 0:17:03 - Reggie Bush, and Matt Leinart 0:19:33 - California Ice Protein taste test 0:29:36 - Getting high on his own supply in college 0:38:38 - 2008 recession kills the real estate job; becoming a bookie 0:40:08 - Uncle Tony and the Italian bookmaker introduction 0:44:27 - Going to Costa Rica, starting his own sports book 0:45:11 - The cartel whale: $750K lost in three weeks, paid on Monday 0:47:00 - The offer: $1 million a day to go to Australia 0:47:51 - The laundering scheme collapses 0:52:24 - The call from the New South Wales Police Department 0:53:33 - Back in America, the cartel wants $3 million immediately 0:57:11 - Figuring out how to move cocaine into Australia 0:57:47 - The wine bottle method 0:59:11 - Five years of FBI building the case 1:00:02 - The arrest at Aviator Country Club in Carlsbad 1:01:38 - RICO charges: distribution, money laundering, bookmaking 1:02:28 - Sentencing day 1:04:10 - Mark Wahlberg's team takes the story 1:05:23 - The halfway house: Bureau of Prisons curfew and 20 months to build the brand 1:05:42 - Coming out with nothing, the warehouse, the Murphy bed 1:06:32 - Protein ice cream from mop buckets, sold for $15 a jar 1:09:38 - "It's a second chance ice cream" 1:11:46 - Federal vs. state prison: 85% time served, no early release 1:13:49 - Getting sober in prison and eating clean 1:15:26 - Coming out to Amazon Prime, Instagram, and Apple Pay 1:23:18 - Living in the warehouse, the grind, proving people wrong 1:24:55 - Why he never cooperated with the cartel 1:27:25 - Little things you don't realize until they're taken from you
July 21 · 1 hr 22 min
I Was A Lawyer Smuggling Heroin for the Mexican Mafia w/ Jason Keller | The Hopeaholics Podcast #346
I Was A Lawyer Smuggling Heroin for the Mexican Mafia w/ Jason Keller | The Hopeaholics Podcast #346 Jason Keller was a criminal defense attorney with his own firm when he started smuggling drugs into jail for his clients. Papers that looked like textbook material turned out to be black tar heroin flattened between the pages. Then it was a cell phone. Then a charger. All for the Mexican Mafia. He was also smoking crack in the courthouse parking lot before walking in for hearings. He got arrested and almost did six years. That still wasn't his wake-up call. He got drunk on vacation in Honduras, fell off a boat, went to dinner soaking wet, and urinated in a fountain in front of everyone he knew. He was 47. That was the morning he decided he was done. He recently retook the bar exam 20 years later and passed. Chad and Natalie sit with him through all of it the addiction that started at 13, the law career that somehow ran alongside it for decades, and what it took to finally stop. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:00 Cold Open: The Charges Read Aloud 00:42 Introduction / Jason's Background 01:56 How He Became a Criminal Defense Attorney 03:18 First Marriage and Using During Law School 05:57 3 Years Old and His Grandmother's Liquor Cabinet 10:15 Full Scholarship to U of A. Flunked Out First Year. 13:01 The Workout Regimen That Started in Prison 15:04 Can a Convicted Felon Practice Law in Arizona? 16:28 The God-Sized Hole / What's Actually Underneath Addiction 18:52 The Moment He Said Yes to Smuggling 21:00 The DUI That Derailed His Career Before It Started 22:23 Out of Prison and Already Manipulating Probation 24:21 Relapse on Meth / PO Says Treatment or Go Back 26:14 How the Smuggling Actually Started 27:18 Smoking Crack in the Courthouse Parking Lot 30:28 Finding Out the Papers Were Full of Heroin 34:26 The Cell Phone for the Mexican Mafia 39:14 Arrested September 30th, 2008. Seven Charges. 41:21 What the Arrest Changed and What It Didn't 42:09 The Detective Who Put the Cuffs On Him 43:17 The Sun City AA Meeting / 86-Year-Old Jack Lee 45:29 The Ninth Step Amends With the Detective 51:26 Chad's Story: Felony Evading in a Lamborghini 57:41 The Real Wake-Up Call: Honduras 1:01:10 Finally Admitting He Was an Alcoholic 1:03:35 Step One and What Changed Everything 1:05:30 Why Prison for Six Years Still Wasn't Enough 1:07:31 Internal Bottom vs External Consequences 1:12:20 The AA Meeting He Started for Lawyers 1:14:57 Ethics Talks at the Public Defender's Office 1:16:58 Why Lawyers Are Scared to Get Help 1:19:37 The Disciplinary Panel / Waiting on the Bar 1:20:55 Passing the Bar by Hand While Everyone Used Laptops
July 17 · 37 min
He Collapsed My Lungs & Ended Up WANTED w/ Kristin Swan (TW abuse) | The Hopeaholics Podcast #345
He Collapsed My Lungs & Ended Up WANTED w/ Kristin Swan (TW abuse) | The Hopeaholics Podcast #345 Kristin grew up in Lakeville, Massachusetts, an hour south of Boston, in a house where disease was already present before she arrived at it. Her mother drank and went to meetings and died the day right after Mother's Day. Both her cousins are gone from fentanyl poisoning. By 15 she was cycling in and out of psychiatric hospitals, diagnosed bipolar, put on lithium, hearing voices. She hadn't touched a drug yet. By 20 she was in a relationship with a man dealing crack out of their apartment. She saw the red flags early. She stayed anyway. It all ended in a snowstorm when he body-slammed her, collapsed both lungs, and stomped her head with Timberlands on while she was in the bathtub. She created a diversion, kicked the wall, and ran out barefoot into the snow while he searched for her. She hid in the bushes behind a neighbor's house and a man who barely spoke English called an ambulance. When she did find sobriety, it looked like what the promises are supposed to look like. A good sponsor. An interior design job. Things starting to make sense. Then a relapse. Now she's coming back. She's working the program again, going to bonfire meetings on the beach, building something small and clean, trying to put God first and figure out the rest from there. TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold Open 1:11 - Kristin Arrives 2:32 - Growing Up in Lakeville, MA 3:12 - Mom's Death After Mother's Day 4:26 - Losing Two Cousins to Fentanyl 5:13 - First Drink at 14 / Bipolar Diagnosis at 15 6:20 - Lithium, Voices, and Psych Hospitals 7:22 - Parents' Divorce / Dad's Breakdown 8:20 - Moving to Tampa 10:13 - Rebellion 11:05 - Life After Basketball 11:45 - The Abusive Relationship 14:57 - New Year's Eve in a Blizzard 15:32 - The Attack: Body Slammed, Both Lungs Collapsed 17:09 - Hiding in the Bushes / Ambulance Arrives 17:50 - Emergency Surgery / Boston Medical 20:36 - Love Addiction: Why We Stay 21:24 - First Recovery at 20 / DV Shelter 22:22 - Dancing, Fast Money, and Relapse 24:26 - The Program, a Sponsor, and the Promises 25:13 - On Relapse, Shame, and Coming Back 26:28 - Orange County Recovery Scene / Bonfire Meetings 29:13 - Therapy, EMDR, and Healing Trauma 29:53 - Building an Agency / New Beginnings 30:46 - Her Relationship with God 31:29 - Rosary Beads and Dreams of Her Mother 32:04 - The Morning Routine That Keeps Her Grounded 33:28 - An 11th Chance 34:23 - Day at a Time / Wrap-Up 36:05 - Closing / Final Message
July 14 · 1 hr 31 min
The Shohei Ohtani Bookie Who Ended Up On ESPN w/ Mathew Bowyer | The Hopeaholics Podcast #344
Chad and Natalie sit down with Matt Bowyer, the Orange County bookie at the center of the Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal, for the full story behind the headlines. Matt ran one of the largest illegal sports betting operations in the country for over 30 years. At his peak he had 1,250 clients nationwide, 48 agents, and processed over $1 billion in wagers in 2023 alone. He was also betting millions of his own money because gambling was his addiction and he was the house getting high on his own supply. The feds raided him twice. The first time was 2014, 14 agents, his daughter crying in the driveway, coming home from losing $800,000 in Vegas on March Madness. The case didn't start with Ohtani. The feds didn't even know about Ohtani. The case started with casino money laundering, led to Matt, and then his electronics told the rest of the story. He grew up watching his Vietnam vet father drink 40 beers a day until his mom divorced him after three failed rehabs. By 13 he was the top newspaper salesman in Orange County. At 16 he had a poker ring running out of his house. At 18, with his girlfriend pregnant and the family in a Dana Point mobile home, he got hired as a busboy at Chevys, got recruited to a commodities brokerage, passed the Series 3 exam as a mail boy, and was making $600,000 a year at 21. He bought back the house his family had lost. Then he got tired of giving his money to bookies. He currently owes $9.7 million in taxes at $60,000 a month in interest. Tax lien on his $5 million home. Two years probation, mandatory Gamblers Anonymous, mandatory drug dealer classes every week. And a new book dropping called Controlled Chaos. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:56 - Welcome Matt Boyer / The Ohtani Scandal 1:21 - Growing Up in Cypress, CA / Tiger Woods Connection 1:55 - Three Brothers: One Gone, One Fighting Heroin Addiction 3:19 - The Second Raid: 29 Agents, AR Rifles, Wife Handcuffed 4:50 - How the Operation Worked: 1,250 Clients, 48 Agents Nationwide 5:54 - Betting $4.2 Million on a Single Football Game 8:22 - The Psychology of Gambling: Losing Feels Better Than Winning 12:21 - CEO of an Illegal Operation Doing $1 Billion in 2023 13:19 - Commodity Trader, Opened His Own Brokerage at 28 14:17 - Why He Chose the Illegal Path Over the Legal One 17:33 - First Raid, 14 Agents, Daughter Crying in the Driveway, Just Lost $800K in Vegas 19:39 - Signs the Abandonment Form and Triples His Business 21:09 - October 5th, 2023: The Second Raid That Ended Everything 22:55 - Three Relationships, Five Kids, All One Big Family 24:14 - Meeting His Current Wife at 40 / IVF for a Son 31:19 - His Father: Vietnam Vet, 40 Beers a Day, Three Rehabs 32:17 - 13 Years Old: Paper Boy, Baseball Cards, Weed, Poker Ring 33:13 - 18 Years Old: Mobile Home in Dana Point, Girlfriend Pregnant, No Job 34:18 - Getting Hired as a Busboy, Getting Recruited to a Brokerage 36:28 - Mail Boy to #1 Broker, Buying Back the Family House at 21 37:23 - Setting Up the Website in Costa Rica / Scaling to a Real Operation 40:32 - Sitting in the Courtroom Hearing His Own Numbers for the First Time 43:44 - The Charges: Money Laundering, Falsified Tax Returns, Bookmaking 44:29 - Pleading Guilty Immediately Instead of Fighting the Feds 46:38 - Cooperating with the Government: Giving Up the Casinos 49:21 - Paying $1.7M in Restitution in Full Before Sentencing 51:10 - Federal Prison: What It's Actually Like at Lompoc 53:05 - How the Shohei Ohtani Connection Actually Happened 55:09 - Telling the Feds About Ohtani 57:42 - Watching His Name Break on SportsCenter 58:49 - Why He Believes Ohtani Didn't Personally Place the Bets 59:59 - The $16.2 Million Question 1:13:15 - Going from $1.5M a Month to 0: Writing the Book During the Indictment 1:14:43 - What's Next: Public Speaking, Books, Building a Community 1:16:28 - Current Terms: Probation, Gamblers Anonymous, Drug Dealer Classes 1:20:07 - Does He Miss Gambling? 1:21:17 - The Super Bowl Bet: $4.2M on Chiefs vs. Eagles, $9.2M Swing in 3 Hours 1:23:38 - His Wife as the Reason He Stopped
July 10 · 1 hr 14 min
Doing Zoom IOP With Beer In The Closet Behind Me w/ Sean Couper | The Hopeaholics Podcast #343
Chad and Natalie sit down with Sean Couper, a personal trainer and 4.5 year sober alcoholic who spent three decades functioning at a high level in corporate healthcare. Sean covers his full story: growing up between Florida and California without a real father figure, a first drink at five years old, thirty years of high-functioning alcoholism that nearly ended with liver and kidney failure, three DUIs exactly a decade apart, his mom dying on Christmas Day 2019, and the long road from watching HIV patients' livers shut down at work to eventually watching his own body do the same. He talks about hiding bottles from his family, drinking through Zoom IOP sessions, and the moment with his daughter that finally forced his hand. He did 28 days at Cumberland Heights and walked out wanting to help people immediately. Now he does exactly that. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold Open 0:23 - Intro 1:07 - Meet Sean Couper / Nashville 2:23 - Growing Up: Saint Pete and North Hollywood 5:02 - First Drink at 5 Years Old 5:51 - First Real Drunk at 13 8:35 - Finding Out His Real Father Wasn't His Dad 10:16 - Moving Out at 18 / Healthcare Career 11:24 - Compound Pharmacy: Mixing Meds for HIV Patients 13:20 - 30 Years as a Functioning Alcoholic 14:10 - Marriage and Family 15:45 - The Bachelorette Party Incident 19:18 - First Marriage Ends: His Ex-Wife's Pill Addiction 21:41 - Single Father, Bottle a Night 22:44 - Mom Dies Christmas 2019 / Three DUIs / COVID 24:54 - The Doctor Flags His Liver 26:57 - Physical Collapse: Jaundice, Edema, Passing Out 29:17 - Relapse: "Just One Beer" 30:26 - Hiding Bottles, Replacing Liquor with Water 33:45 - Daughter Finds the Beer / Wife Throws Him Out 34:40 - Agrees to Treatment / Zoom IOP While Still Drinking 37:50 - Waving the White Flag 39:26 - Telling His Daughter / The Drive to Cumberland Heights 42:24 - The "Let Go and Let God" Sign 44:24 - Detox, Post-Acute Withdrawal, 21 Questions Exercise 47:25 - Leaving Treatment / Wanting to Help People 48:31 - Going Back to School 50:39 - Getting Back in the Gym / Brian Welch Connection 51:18 - Becoming NASM Certified 52:48 - Life Today: Full-Time Trainer, Working with People in Recovery 55:17 - Fear, New Business, and Building Something New 1:00:01 - Chad's First Podcast Panic Attack 1:02:18 - How Natalie Joined the Show 1:09:11 - Wrap Up
July 7 · 1 hr 27 min
Doing Ketamine At A Wedding In Front Of A Flower Girl w/John Nettles | The Hopeaholics Podcast #342
In this episode, Chad and Natalie sit down with John Nettles for an unfiltered conversation about addiction, recovery, identity, and finding hope after years of chaos. John shares his journey from being adopted and discovering his biological family years later, to a decade-long battle with alcoholism, cocaine addiction, prescription Xanax dependence, and the nightlife lifestyle as a DJ and concert promoter. He opens up about multiple treatment attempts, legal trouble, blackouts, near-death experiences, and the emotional toll addiction took on both him and the people who loved him. The turning point came when one phone call challenged everything John thought he knew about sobriety, leading him to discover the difference between simply being abstinent and truly living in recovery. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00 — Cold open 1:23 — Show intro, Natalie and Chad 4:04 — Born in Richmond, adopted 5:17 — Finding his birth parents through Ancestry.com 6:05 — His birth mom found him through his old DJ page 8:09 — His adoptive dad's own addiction and recovery 11:22 — First treatment at 16, prescribed Xanax 12:24 — First drink, using heavy by 12-13 14:41 — Parents find pills in his room, first treatment program 15:16 — Diagnosed with GAD, put on Ambien and Xanax at 16 17:10 — First time doing cocaine at 15 20:12 — First inpatient treatment, Sierra Tucson 23:10 — Concert promoter years, fentanyl hits the scene 27:57 — First DUI at 18 32:19 — The Vegas bachelor party bender 33:13 — Wedding meltdown, ketamine and a bottle of Xanax 35:35 — Grandma's house in Newport, first blackout disappearance 39:09 — Another DUI, relapses straight out of the impound lot 41:15 — A childhood friend dies, drinks through the funeral 42:44 — Back at Grandma's, wakes up with blood on his hands 45:09 — The call to interventionist Bob Mary 48:24 — His last drink and drug 49:51 — His grandmother's final days 52:02 — Staying teachable in sobriety 53:34 — Ryan Holiday and the truth about treatment 56:20 — Falls into a career working in treatment 1:00:06 — Making amends to his dad 1:01:54 — His grandmother passes days before his one-year sober 1:05:10 — Headlining a sober charity show 1:06:38 — Starting his own podcast 1:18:43 — Chad's own relapse while working in treatment 1:19:31 — What's broken about the addiction treatment industry 1:21:08 — What "the right way" to do treatment looks like 1:23:14 — Aftercare, and going home to the same life 1:25:24 — The gift of desperation
July 3 · 1 hr 10 min
The Psychic Medium the FBI Actually Calls | The Hopeaholics Podcast #341
Nichole Duncan used to be a tennis pro and now she's a forensic psychic medium who works cold cases for local law enforcement and federal agencies, the kind of work where the FBI will use what she finds but will never say her name out loud in court. She walks through her first real cold case (a domestic violence victim who "came through like a stinking freight train" with the exact location and evidence of her own murder), how a mentor who used to find Soviet submarines for the U.S. government during the Cold War took her under her wing, and what it's actually like doing readings for people who can never officially admit they called her. Then the conversation turns to veterans, PTSD, and why they think ibogaine and ketamine therapy done right are doing more for guys the VA couldn't fix than another bag of pills ever did. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Cold open: a missing girl's guardian angel and a murder victim who won't stay quiet 01:15 – Show intro 02:44 – What a "forensic psychic medium" actually is 04:25 – What happens when we die, the life review 07:59 – How loved ones communicate through dreams 09:48 – Meditation, ADHD, and opening up psychic ability 16:24 – Nichole's first real mediumship experience (the "Jill" story) 18:57 – From reading for friends to working with law enforcement 20:24 – What an actual reading looks like 22:01 – The missing girl case and the Nikki McKinney cold case 24:16 – Nichole's autistic son's gift with animals 24:58 – Angela Ford's podcast and getting trained in remote viewing 29:28 – Does the work scare her or her husband 30:08 – A reading that caught a stranger's heart condition 31:11 – How skeptical are the feds, really 32:31 – How Nichole stays emotionally unaffected by heavy cases 37:26 – Being intentional about what you let into your head 40:38 – Segue into veterans and PTSD 41:01 – Ibogaine, DMT, and psychedelic therapy in a controlled setting 42:33 – Ketamine therapy and a friend's experience 44:19 – The documentary "In Waves and War" 46:07 – Big pharma and the conflict of interest with veteran care 1:06:15 – The preacher who taught him grace 1:06:40 – Jesus, the afterlife, and the "second coming" 1:07:51 – Why neither of them believes in hell anymore 1:08:57 – How Nicole manages a business built on readings 1:10:16 – Where to find Nichole Duncan
June 30 · 1 hr 17 min
Being Addicted to Founding a Record Label w/ Blake Mathews | The Hopeaholics Podcast #340
In this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Blake Mathews shares his story of addiction, adoption, and finding faith through music. Adopted at birth and raised in a Jewish household in Phoenix, Blake started DJing weddings and bar mitzvahs at 13 and built a career in music and nightlife while quietly hiding a worsening addiction for over a decade. By the time he moved to Nashville in 2014 to chase a career in the arts, he was a high functioning alcoholic leaning on psychedelics, convinced they made him a better artist, while the people closest to him had no idea how bad it had gotten. Blake opens up about hitting bottom in Nashville, calling his dad for help, and getting into treatment within 48 hours, only to relapse after walking away from music entirely and moving back to Phoenix. He found lasting sobriety on a sober hike up a mountain he stumbled onto by chance, and he's been sober since. Today, Blake is the founder of Sober House Records and co-founder of Formerly Intoxicated, a nonprofit bringing music and healing arts into treatment centers and prisons. He shares how a chance encounter with two strangers praying in a coffee shop changed everything, and how he turned his pain into a mission: redemption is real, prevention is possible, and recovery is for everyone. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:26 Meet Blake Matthews 2:27 Handing flip flops to a barefoot stranger in 100 degree heat 4:33 The fentanyl crisis hiding in plain sight 6:14 The DM Chad got this morning 7:13 Chad's stance on calling it fentanyl poisoning 9:43 Adopted at birth, and the search for belonging 12:12 Functioning addict, DJing weddings since age 13 13:50 Chasing music to Nashville, and hitting a wall 17:21 The night he called his dad 19:09 What his graduation photos actually showed 20:31 Moving home, and walking away from music 22:00 Relapse, one beer with an old friend 23:00 The mountain hike that changed everything 26:40 The recover out loud movement 29:08 Connection as the opposite of addiction 31:35 The lie that drugs make you more creative 33:51 Bringing music into treatment centers and prisons 35:15 The starving artist trap 47:01 First job in recovery, teaching kids life skills 49:20 Leaving it all to go full time into Sober House Records 51:22 Opening his first sober living home 53:39 Raised Jewish, and why Jesus was a bad word 56:19 Two strangers praying in a coffee shop 57:25 The 10pm Bible study that didn't end until 4am 58:21 The night he gave his life to Jesus 1:01:34 Inside his album, Unbury Your Burdens 1:03:11 Still wrestling with depression after finding faith 1:04:22 Stacking wins 1:05:43 The fastest way out of depression 1:09:08 How his family sees him now 1:13:11 What Formerly Intoxicated actually does
June 26 · 1 hr 19 min
From Drinking Everyday to Winning a World Championship w/ Ryan Foley | The Hopeaholics Podcast #339
In this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Ryan Foley shares his powerful story of alcoholism, mental health, surrender, fatherhood, and the unexpected life recovery gave him. Ryan grew up outside of Chicago, went on to attend Cornell University, built a successful career, and eventually worked at companies like Google and Groupon before addiction began taking over his life. For years, he was able to function on the outside while drinking every day, but behind the scenes his body was shutting down. He opens up about drinking a handle a day, waking up in withdrawal, shaking, sweating, and reaching the point where doctors told him that if he kept drinking, he could die. Ryan also shares his experience being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 20 years old, the shame he carried around mental health, and why getting sober was the only way he could truly begin treating what was underneath. Today, Ryan is nearly five years sober, a husband, father of two with a third baby on the way, a performance coach, and a world champion professional sailor. He shares how recovery brought him back to athletics, led him into a completely different career, and gave him a life he never thought was possible. From surrendering in treatment to launching "Big Tuesday," a movement encouraging men to lift heavy, stay disciplined, and take ownership of their health, Ryan's story is a reminder that recovery does not just save lives — it can completely transform them. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of 'Off the Record', exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com
June 23 · 1 hr 16 min
The 10-Car Crash That Exposed Her Secret Addiction w/ Elisa Saunders | The Hopeaholics Podcast
The 10-Car Crash That Exposed Her Secret Addiction w/ Elisa Saunders | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Elisa Saunders shares an incredibly raw story of addiction, trauma, survival, and the long road to recovery after decades of chaos behind the scenes of both alcoholism and the treatment industry. Elisa spent nearly 30 years drinking while maintaining the image of a functioning professional, all while cycling through alcohol, Xanax, cocaine, and the kind of self-destruction that nearly killed her. She opens up about the pain of childhood abuse, the emotional wounds that followed her into adulthood, and how addiction became both an escape and a prison she couldn’t break free from. The conversation dives into her time working in the treatment world during some of its most corrupt years, where she witnessed body brokering, fraud, and the exploitation of vulnerable people seeking help. Elisa also shares the terrifying consequences of her own addiction, including a DUI, a devastating ten-car pileup, and the moment she realized she was either going to get sober or die. Even after getting clean, she reveals the brutal emotional reality of early recovery, including the shame, depression, and suicidal thoughts she had to fight through without numbing herself. Today, Elisa uses her story and experience to advocate for ethical treatment, real recovery, and better solutions for people trapped in addiction. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:05:09 - 30 Years of Drinking While Working as a Schoolteacher 00:05:32 - Booze, Xanax and Cocaine Becoming Her Routine 00:08:17 - Entering the Wild West of the Treatment Industry 00:08:54 - The Real Story Behind Body Brokering in Florida 00:10:29 - Watching Corrupt Treatment Operators Get Busted 00:11:09 - Seeing People Brokered Out of AA Meetings 00:12:30 - Testifying Against Her Half Brother After Childhood Abuse 00:16:58 - Realizing She Could Never Stay Stopped 00:18:50 - The DUI That Exposed How Out of Control Her Life Had Become 00:19:12 - Causing a Ten-Car Pileup and Hiding It as a Teacher 00:22:22 - Reaching the Point Where She Knew She Was Going to Die 00:22:47 - Going to Treatment Because Jail Was the Alternative 00:24:50 - Getting Sober and Still Wanting to Kill Herself 00:25:58 - “I Never Felt Good Enough” Without Alcohol 00:58:57 - The Recovery App She Believes Could Help Save Lives
June 19 · 1 hr 34 min
The Opposite of Addiction Isn’t Sobriety with Stefanos Sifandos | The Hopeaholics Podcast
The Opposite of Addiction Isn’t Sobriety with Stefanos Sifandos | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Stefanos Sifandos joins the show for a deep and thought-provoking conversation about trauma, relationships, addiction, personal growth, and the journey toward true emotional freedom. As an internationally recognized relationship coach, author, and speaker, Stefanos has spent years helping people understand the hidden wounds that shape their behaviors, beliefs, and connections with others. He opens up about growing up in a household marked by violence, chaos, and emotional struggle, and how those early experiences led him on a lifelong search for healing and self-discovery. The conversation explores the powerful link between addiction and disconnection, why so many people avoid their emotions, and how unresolved childhood experiences continue to influence adult relationships. Stefanos also shares his perspective on attachment, vulnerability, masculinity, fatherhood, and the importance of developing a deeper relationship with yourself. Throughout the episode, he explains how generational trauma gets passed down, why meaningful connection is essential for healing, and what it takes to break destructive patterns that keep people stuck. With a unique blend of personal experience, psychology, spirituality, and practical wisdom, Stefanos offers insights that challenge conventional thinking and encourage lasting transformation. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:13:24 - Growing Up Overweight, Insecure and Finding Fitness 00:14:37 - Violence, Chaos and Trauma Inside His Childhood Home 00:16:17 - Why His Difficult Childhood Sparked a Lifelong Study of Relationships 00:23:12 - The Human Need for Belonging 00:23:32 - Why the Opposite of Addiction Is Connection 00:24:13 - Addiction, Isolation and the Emotions We All Share 00:25:15 - Discovering He Was Neurodivergent 00:35:03 - Why Society Teaches Us to Avoid Feeling 00:36:23 - How Generational Trauma Gets Passed Down 00:57:16 - Living in Denial and Hiding in the Shadows 00:58:46 - Insecurity, Jealousy and Going Through Your Partner’s Phone 01:01:13 - How Fatherhood Opened His Heart 01:05:08 - Working With His Wife and Confronting His Ego 01:06:33 - The Meaning Behind His Book Tuned In and Turned On 01:07:12 - How Childhood Shapes Adult Relationships, Love and Attachment
June 16 · 1 hr 1 min
California’s Failed Addiction Policies Explained with Laurie Davies | The Hopeaholics Podcast
California’s Failed Addiction Policies Explained with Laurie Davies | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, California Assemblywoman Laurie Davies joins the show for an important conversation about addiction, fentanyl, homelessness, mental health, and the policies shaping recovery across the state. Representing California’s 74th Assembly District, Laurie has become a leading voice in the fight to improve treatment access, protect recovery programs, and address the devastating impact of the fentanyl crisis. She shares how personal experiences with addiction, mental illness, and loss have influenced her work and strengthened her commitment to helping vulnerable families. The conversation explores the unintended consequences of policies like Proposition 47, the challenges surrounding homelessness and accountability, and why many people seeking treatment still struggle to find available beds when they are finally ready for help. Laurie also discusses insurance fraud in the treatment industry, legislative efforts to protect patients, and the importance of expanding quality recovery resources throughout California. Throughout the episode, she offers a candid look at what is happening behind the scenes in government and what still needs to change to save lives. From mental health reform and public safety to recovery, faith, and personal responsibility, this conversation tackles some of the most urgent issues facing communities today. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:13:42 - Protecting Treatment Centers and Stopping Fraud 00:14:52 - The Insurance Fraud Crisis Hurting Treatment Centers 00:18:32 - New Legislation to Protect Addiction Treatment Patients 00:22:23 - How Prop 47 Changed Addiction and Homelessness 00:24:18 - Prop 36 Passes but Goes Unfunded 00:28:40 - Why Consequences Can Help Save an Addict’s Life 00:30:52 - Homelessness, Addiction and Accountability 00:35:01 - Addiction as a Spiritual Problem 00:36:47 - Her Family’s Experience With Severe Mental Illness 00:40:56 - The Crisis of Finding Treatment Beds in California 00:41:24 - Every Hour Matters When Someone Asks for Help 00:42:05 - Losing a Loved One to Fentanyl 00:42:49 - Why She Carries Narcan Everywhere 00:52:21 - “You’re Only One Person Away From a Fentanyl Death” 00:56:14 - The Audit That Exposed Major Oversight Failures
June 12 · 1 hr 1 min
The Day He Finally Got Tired of Being Homeless w/ CRASH | The Hopeaholics Podcast
The Day He Finally Got Tired of Being Homeless w/ CRASH | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Crash shares the incredible story of how he went from living homeless on the streets of Santa Ana for years to finding recovery, purpose, and a new life in sobriety. After first experimenting with heroin as a teenager, Crash spent more than a decade trapped in addiction, cycling through homelessness, arrests, failed treatment attempts, and countless moments that could have ended his life. He opens up about sleeping on the streets, losing hope, and believing that recovery simply wasn't possible for someone like him. The conversation dives into the realities of addiction, what life is actually like for people living unhoused, and the devastating toll drugs take on families, friendships, and self-worth. Crash also shares the turning points that led him to treatment, the people who refused to give up on him, and the moment he finally became willing to change. Today, he dedicates his life to helping others escape the same darkness by connecting people struggling with addiction to treatment and recovery resources. His story is a powerful reminder that no one is too far gone, no matter how hopeless their situation may seem. #wedorecover #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:04:21 - First Experiences With Heroin at 15 and 17 00:05:06 - Living Homeless on the Streets of Santa Ana for Seven Years 00:06:04 - Dropping Out of School and Spiraling Into Addiction 00:07:33 - More Than a Decade Living on the Streets 00:09:53 - Waking Up at His Dad’s House After Hitting Rock Bottom 00:10:27 - First Attempt at Rehab in Florida 00:11:00 - Relapsing Immediately After Treatment 00:18:07 - 110 Days Sober and Rebuilding His Life 00:18:52 - “I Hit Rock Bottom and Found a Basement” 00:19:50 - Helping Other Homeless Addicts Get Into Treatment 00:20:20 - The Viral Recovery Story That Started a Movement 00:21:58 - How Victor and Fresh Start Rescue People From the Streets 00:30:56 - Helping 15+ Friends Get Clean Together 00:31:50 - What Recovery Looks Like Today 00:32:32 - Accepting a Higher Power in Recovery 00:36:01 - The Reality of Open Drug Use in Santa Ana 00:36:25 - Getting Swept, Arrested and Losing Everything 00:37:19 - Why Hope Matters More Than Resources 00:38:11 - Getting a Taste of Sobriety for the First Time 00:39:01 - Becoming an Inspiration to Friends Still Struggling 00:43:14 - Why Service Is Essential to Recovery 00:44:06 - The Story Behind the Nickname “Crash” 00:44:55 - Opiates Left His Neck Permanently Bent Forward 00:57:24 - Celebrating Sobriety and Looking Toward the Futur
June 9 · 1 hr 13 min
The Fentanyl Crisis Is Worse Than You Think w/ Luis Romero | The Hopeaholics Podcast
The Fentanyl Crisis Is Worse Than You Think w/ Luis Romero | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Luis Romero shares his incredible journey from heroin addiction, gang involvement, and felony charges to becoming a powerful voice in recovery and fentanyl awareness. With over 13 years sober, Luis opens up about the darkest moments of his addiction, the impact of losing his father at a young age, and how searching for belonging led him down a destructive path. He shares the life-changing decision to stay in treatment longer than planned, the challenges of being a "dry drunk," and the personal growth that allowed him to become someone his family could be proud of. We also dive into the fentanyl epidemic, the dangers of counterfeit pills, fentanyl-laced drugs, and the heartbreaking losses that inspired Luis to launch Fuck Fentanyl San Diego and dedicate his life to saving others. This conversation is filled with powerful recovery insights, raw honesty, and an important message about grief, purpose, and honoring the people we've lost by living a meaningful life. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode offers hope, perspective, and proof that lasting recovery is possible. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:03:30 - Why He Started Fuck Fentanyl San Diego 00:06:57 - 13 Years Sober and Life After Heroin 00:14:59 - Living an Animalistic Life Chasing Heroin 00:16:08 - Family Taking Him In During Addiction 00:17:14 - Heroin Addiction, Gangs and Catching a Felony Case 00:18:08 - Running From Police After a Party Gone Wrong 00:26:45 - Staying in Treatment an Extra Four Months to Survive 00:33:30 - Recovery Turned Him Into Someone His Family Could Be Proud Of 00:34:10 - The Pain of Being a Dry Drunk for Nine Years 00:43:24 - Losing His Father at 10 and the Impact on His Addiction 00:45:24 - His Father Died of a Heart Attack at 33 00:46:31 - Seeking Validation Through Gangs After Losing His Dad 00:48:11 - How His Friend’s Death Sparked His Mission and Podcast 00:58:04 - Why Illicit Fentanyl Is Pure Poison 01:00:39 - The Shocking Reality of Fake Fentanyl Pills 01:01:48 - A Celebration Turned Fatal After Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine 01:05:24 - Honoring Loved Ones Instead of Letting Grief Destroy You 01:06:02 - Living Life in Honor of His Father and Best Friend
June 5 · 1 hr 22 min
Losing Everything and Building a Better Life with Dan Sachkowsky | The Hopeaholics Podcast
Losing Everything and Building a Better Life with Dan Sachkowsky | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Dan Sachkowsky shares the life lessons, failures, victories, and wake-up calls that completely transformed his perspective on success, happiness, and purpose. Dan opens up about the heart attack that forced him to reevaluate everything, losing nearly all of his wealth during the 2007 financial crash, navigating divorce, raising three children, and overcoming addiction through drug court. He explains why chasing money, status, cars, and material success left him feeling empty, and how true fulfillment comes from personal growth, service, and self-awareness. We also dive into leadership, entrepreneurship, coaching, mental health, and the mindset shifts that helped him rebuild his life and business from the ground up. Dan shares powerful advice for anyone facing adversity, struggling through major life changes, or searching for a deeper sense of purpose. This conversation is packed with wisdom, hard-earned lessons, and practical tools for building resilience in every area of life. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:02:21 - Speaking on How Pressure Builds Your Life 00:03:00 - Heart Attack That Changed Everything 00:15:54 - Chasing Money, Mansions, Cars and Validation 00:16:25 - Losing Everything During the 2007 Crash 00:17:50 - Why Real Success Has Nothing to Do With Cars or Houses 00:18:17 - Exposing Fake Wealth on Social Media 00:42:37 - Secretly Entering Drug Court During a Divorce 00:43:18 - Marriage, Divorce and Raising Three Kids 00:46:38 - Why Happiness Can’t Come From Other People 00:48:19 - “Don’t Go Through Things, Grow Through Things” 00:49:49 - Powerful Advice to a Divorced Uber Driver 01:01:20 - From Construction Business Owner to Executive Coach 01:02:06 - The Biggest Problem in Your Business Is You 01:06:52 - Defining the Legacy He Wants to Leave Behind 01:10:00 - Podcaster Guest Opens Up About Depression Then Dies 7 Days Later 01:21:35 - Building Big D Coaching and His Personal Brand
June 2 · 58 min
HelpUcompli: Raising the Standard in Addiction Treatment Compliance | The Hopeaholics Podcast
HelpUcompli: Raising the Standard in Addiction Treatment Compliance | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Laura Weeks reveals the hidden side of the addiction treatment industry that few people ever see. After losing a close friend to a fentanyl overdose, Laura dedicated her life to helping treatment centers operate ethically, legally, and successfully through her company, HelpUcompli. She shares her powerful personal story of growing up in an alcoholic household, losing her mother as an infant, and how those experiences shaped her passion for helping others. We dive deep into insurance audits, compliance failures, patient brokering, credentialing battles, and the challenges treatment centers face in an increasingly regulated environment. Laura also breaks down the reality behind multi-million-dollar insurance clawbacks, how facilities can protect themselves, and why compliance is essential to providing quality care. Whether you're a treatment professional, recovery advocate, business owner, or someone impacted by addiction, this conversation offers valuable insight into the systems that affect recovery every day.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Check out HelpUcompli here: https://helpucompli.com/ Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 00:10:09 - Launching Help You Comply After Personal Loss 00:11:44 - Growing Up in an Alcoholic Household 00:12:10 - Losing Her Mother at 11 Months Old 00:18:56 - What HelpUcompli Actually Does 00:19:55 - Managing Compliance Across All 50 States 00:23:31 - How Facilities Can Survive Insurance Audits 00:24:24 - Facing a $25 Million Clawback Audit 00:26:08 - Anthem’s Attack on California Treatment Centers 00:34:03 - The Truth About Insurance Network Contracts 00:35:12 - Winning Anthem Credentialing Battles 00:43:23 - Why She Started HelpUcompli 00:44:03 - Helping Recovery-Based Owners Succeed 00:50:06 - Compliance, Marketing & Patient Brokering Explained