Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Chasing Heroine: Addiction Recovery and Sobriety
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
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| Former Adult Film Star and Model Jenny Leone on the Playboy Mansion, Benzos, Adderall, Opiates, Posing for Penthouse to the Adult Film Awards in Vegas to her Four Pillars of Creating Wealth and Health | 18 Jun 2026 | 01:21:30 | |
Jenny Leone didn't plan any of it. She left Canada at 19 with a TV deal and ended up somewhere she never expected. What started as magazine covers became films. What started as a way to cope became a full-blown addiction to benzos, alcohol, and Norcos. And what started in childhood, when she was three years old, set the stage for all of it. Jenny is a former adult film star who has been sober since 2016. In this episode, she talks openly about the sexual abuse she survived from age three to twelve, how substances became her way of managing pain she had no other language for, and how the adult industry didn't create her addiction but absolutely accelerated it. At 27, an assault in Las Vegas became a turning point she couldn't ignore. She stepped back from films after that, continuing to model while slowly distancing herself from that world. When her son was born in 2009, she retired completely. But the addiction didn't retire with her. She continued using for seven more years before finally getting sober in 2016. She had a son. She had a life she wanted to actually be present for. Getting sober wasn't a straight line, but she got there. Jenny now works in treatment, helping people who are sitting in the same darkness she once lived in. She built something real on the other side. This conversation is proof that it's possible. Connect with Jenny on Instagram DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| High Functioning: The 3-Letter Formula That Lets You Control the Outcome of Anything | 15 Jun 2026 | 00:12:43 | |
In this episode of High Functioning - an off shoot of the Chasing Heroine podcast, I'm sharing my all-time favorite mindset tool, one that has the power to completely change how you experience everything that happens to you. It's Jack Canfield's E + R = O formula (Event + Response = Outcome), and once you have it, you can't unsee it. The core idea is this: you can't control what happens to you, but your response is where all of your power lives, and that response is what determines your outcome. This means that no matter what life throws at you, you have more control than you think. I walk you through four stories from my own life so you can see exactly how this plays out in real time:
By the end, you'll be looking back at your own life and spotting every moment you already did this without realizing it, and more importantly, you'll know how to start doing it on purpose. DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| High Functioning: 3 Self-Esteem HACKS That Will Change Your Life | 11 May 2026 | 00:17:46 | |
After addiction, divorce, losing a career, or any season that leaves life looking like a house after a storm, self-esteem can feel less “broken” and more…evaporated. In this episode, I am giving you three free, practical ways to rebuild confidence without needing a total life makeover, a 5 a.m. ice bath, or a personality transplant. We get into why keeping tiny promises to yourself matters more than giant goals, how helping other people quietly repairs the way you see yourself, and how you can make any environment work for you. Whether you’re newly sober, starting over after heartbreak, or just trying to feel like yourself again, this episode is about rebuilding self-worth brick by brick instead of waiting for lightning to strike. DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| High School Weed Capers to Junkie with a Cardboard Sign Outside 7-11, Young Codependents, Terminally Unique, Addiction Treatment is Art and More with RJ Elizarraz | 08 Aug 2024 | 02:19:36 | |
Welcome back to another episode of Chasing Heroine! Y'all will love RJ Elizarraz, owner of Oak Forest Recover in Agoura Hills and host of the "Against All Odd's" podcast with Rachel Slocum and Hunter Sheppard. I may have related more to RJ's story than any other guest. The details of our lives are completely different, but his feelings about not needing traditional recovery because of being so incredibly special :) is exactly how I felt as well. After finding himself strung out on heroin over and over again, RJ finally found lasting recovery through connection with other men in a truly accidental sober living. Let me know your favorite part of RJ's story! chasingheroine@gmail.com Connect with RJ on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok | |||
| Narcan Nate is Back! NDPEs, Xylazine in San Diego, Sober Living Hijinks, Step Work and More | 01 Aug 2024 | 01:28:18 | |
Narcan Nate is back, y'all! Just for one episode :( UNLESS we get some more NDPEs or other fun stories, voice mails or emails and I'll bring Nate in when we collect a few, sound good?! Nate has been up to his usual capers...saving the community with narcan training and drug testing and he's back in Twelve Step after a brief hiatus. 👀 ALSO! At about 20 minutes in - we both stop talking because you hear a train in the mics - my editor cut out the train sound so it sounds like I’m INSANE and just cut him off talking about trains - I swear I’m not and we both stopped speaking bc you could hear a train. 😅😅😅 Let me know what y'all think! Connect with Narcan Nate on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Join our Private NodPod Facebook Community
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| Edwin McCain on TikTok, Sobriety, Breaking into the Music Industry, Twelve Step, Acceptance, Being an Living Example in Recovery & How He Nearly Drowned in Panama City on Spring Break in the 90s | 25 Jul 2024 | 01:21:35 | |
I am so happy to bring you guys my interview with singer songerwriter, Edwin McCain! I had a great time chatting with Edwin about his adventures with executives at the Atlantic Record Label, touring with Hootie & the Blowfish, his experience in rehab, acceptance and anger. I can't wait to hear what you guys think about this episode! Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with Edwin on TikTok Join the Nod Pod Private Facebook Group | |||
| Three Sisters All Addicted to Heroin and Living at Home: From the Infamous Dr. Phil Episode to Nearly a Decade Sober, Marriage, Motherhood, Career Success and More | 18 Jul 2024 | 02:19:36 | |
When I asked Amanda Crossley to be a guest on the show, I actually had NO idea she had been featured on one of the most infamous episodes of Dr Phil in the shows history. Amanda and BOTH of her sisters became addicted to heroin while living with their parents in New Jersey. Amanda reached out to Dr Phil for help and the women were flown to LA, berated and chastised on TV in front of millions, and sent to separate treatment centers around the country. Sober now for nearly a decade, Amanda is a success story. And what about her sisters? Find out in todays episode - let me know what you guys think! I can post comments now on Spotify so comment if you liked the episode!
Amanda's episode of Dr. Phil
Connect with Jeannine on TikTok
Connect with Amanda on TikTok
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| Tweaker Madness! Exploding Meth Labs, Shadow People, Psychosis and a Transmission Stealing Rambo - Garret McClendon is Breaking Generational Cycles & Escaping "Convict Mentality" | 11 Jul 2024 | 02:09:44 | |
Today's episode is all about Tweaker Madness...Garret McClendon has done multiple prison terms and spent years of his life manufacturing methamphetamine. Garet has now been sober for over eleven years and credits his success in recovery to his willingness to finally just try what was suggested by his counselors. Garret replaced transmissions in the middle of the night, saw tree people on the cameras in his makeshift meth labs and wore a blue Fedora hat when he was on a sick one. ;) This episode has all the hilarious tweaker capers and meth madness your heart could desire, plus a healthy dose of recovery and hope. Thank you for listening, please let me know what you think! Connect with Garret on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok | |||
| A "Slutty Referee" Smoking Weed, Four Lokos, Shipped Off in the Army to South Korea at 19, a WILD Attempt at Passing an Army Drug Test, Cocaine and a Tiesto Miracle with Nikea Reed | 05 Jul 2024 | 02:27:21 | |
Trigger Warning: SA I had such a great time chatting with my friend, Nikea. I met Nikea in Twelve Step and am honored to be able to share her story with you guys :) After childhood antics smoking weed and drinking, Nike was given the ultimatum - move out or join the Army. She chose the Army. Shipped off to South Korea after bootcamp, Nikea's life changed after a sexual assault that occurred the second weekend after her arrival. This assault led to a behavioral spiral of acting out and escalating partying. Eventually finding sobriety in 2023, Nikea is such an asset in our recovery community and in my life. Let me know what y'all think! Connect with Nikea on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok | |||
| How Do You Find a Higher Power When You're Mad at God? The Power of Sponsorship with Jeannine's Sponsor Rachael | 27 Jun 2024 | 01:51:13 | |
Today I have the honor of sharing the wisdom of my incredible sponsor, Rachael Jarrel, through our conversation about sponsorship and finding a higher power that "you can do business with." How does one find a sponsor? What should you look for? What happens if you and your sponsor disagree about an issue? Rachael and I discuss these questions, we talk about working steps to shift our perspectives and finding a higher power when you're angry with God. Please DM me your thoughs or answer the question box on Spotify! Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Connect with Rachael on Instagram This episode is brought to you with the help of https://www.workithealth.com/ | |||
| Benzo Black Out Road Trips, Stripping at 18, the "junkie Romeo & Juliet," Treating Mental Health in Recovery, Amends to Alleviate Shame and More with Marley Quinn | 20 Jun 2024 | 01:48:36 | |
I LOVED chatting with Marley, y'all. Her story is wild, tragic, heart breaking and heart warming. From dancing at age 18 to help save the family home to performing sex work while dope sick to grand larceny and benzo black outs - Marley's story is a story of triumph, personal growth and why we never stop trying. Marley went to 21 treatment centers before accumulating her current sobriety time. Let me know what you guys think!! Thank you all so much for listening and being a part of my life :) Connect with Marley on Tiktok Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Join our Private Facebook Group | |||
| Kicking Fentanyl & Getting Sober at Just 20 Years Old, Set Up in a Door Dash Sting Operation, Changing Codependent Behaviors through the 4th Step and Inventory and Finding True Happiness in Sobriety | 13 Jun 2024 | 01:36:38 | |
Hey y'all! Today you're meeting another friend of mine from my Twelve Step home group meeting, Jakeb Hensely. Jakeb got sober at twenty years old after finding fentanyl in his junior year of high school. As the class os 2020, he was in the first wave of kids that were sent home...never to return or walk in a graduation. After that, Jakeb floundered through a few part time jobs while his drug use continued to escalate. I love bringing younger guests to you guys - Jakeb even spent his 21st birthday sober! As always, DM me your thoughts!
Connect with Jakeb on Instagram
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| Heroin at 17, Accessory to Murder Charge, Incarceration, Nude Twelve Step Meetings, Spell Casting & Motherhood; the WILD Life of Carmina Marie | 06 Jun 2024 | 01:38:04 | |
Today I am so honored to introduce you guys to Carmina! I have known Carmina in the rooms of Twelve Step recovery for several years and have always admired her. She started using heroin at 17 years old, traveled around the West Coast, landed in prison and finally got sober for the last time two weeks before being released from prison. Now 15 years sober, Carmina has built a successful sober living program, facilitates breath work sessions, is a mother and "remains malleable and teachable" to alternate forms of a Higher Power. Connect with Carmina on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok | |||
| From Overdosing in his Childhood Bedroom to Becoming a Social Club Entrepreneur | 07 May 2026 | 01:23:19 | |
After walking away from football, Dan Brody felt like he had lost the identity that had defined him for years. What started as partying and social connection slowly evolved from alcohol and weed into ecstasy, cocaine, and eventually oxy’s. An overdose in his childhood bedroom became the moment that changed everything. In this episode, Dan shares the psychological vacuum that can follow the loss of purpose, structure, and tribe, especially for athletes and high performers. He opens up about why substances initially felt less like escape and more like belonging, and how recovery in Los Angeles helped him rebuild a life rooted in connection instead of chaos. Today, Dan is the SVP of Membership at The Maze, a membership-based social club in Manhattan designed around a radical idea: people deserve meaningful community that doesn’t revolve around alcohol. From movie nights and live events to notable speakers and a top-tier culinary program, The Maze is creating a social ecosystem where sobriety feels expansive instead of restrictive. This conversation explores identity loss, addiction, recovery, fatherhood, community, and the growing movement toward substance-free connection in a culture that often confuses drinking with living. It’s a story about discovering that the thing many people are actually searching for is not the substance itself, but the feeling of being seen. Today's episode is brought to you by Seasons in Malibu. We are excited to share that graduates of Seasons Malibu will now receive six months of membership to The Maze, Manhattan’s premier sober social club. It’s something we are incredibly proud of because recovery doesn’t end at discharge. Real community, meaningful connection, and having a place to belong matter deeply, especially in early sobriety. The Maze has created a space where people can build friendships, find purpose, and experience New York City without needing to revolve around alcohol or drugs. For over 18 years, Seasons has been a sanctuary for individuals seeking to reclaim their lives from addiction and mental health challenges. Our story began with a simple but profound vision: To create a luxurious sanctuary for individuals struggling with addiction or mental health issues, where they can receive the finest, evidence-based treatment in the world. Built on Compassion, Driven by Excellence What started as a small number of compassionate professionals has grown into one of the nation’s most respected luxury treatment centers. But growth has never meant losing sight of what matters most—the individual engaging with our therapists, one-on-one, taking the courageous first step toward healing. From the beginning, we understood that truly transformative treatment requires more than clinical protocols. It demands a personalized approach, led by the most qualified professionals, in an environment that nurtures the whole person. That’s why we’ve assembled a team where every primary therapist holds a Doctorate in Psychology - a distinction virtually unmatched in our field. Check out Seasons Malibu online or call 1-866-314-5160 for more information. Connect with The Maze on Instagram Connect with Seasons on Instagram DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| Meth, Stripping, a Stolen Dildo and Tax Evasion! **TRIGGER WARNING Kellee Completely Redesigned Her Life & is Creating New Family Patterns for Her Son | 30 May 2024 | 02:00:50 | |
**TRIGGER WARNINGS In this episode, Kellee speaks very openly and honestly about domestic violence, abuse and assault. Also at 1:03:00 I ask her to explain what a "hot rail" is in great detail! If this will trigger a craving for you, please skip ahead to about 1:10:00 Today, I have the pleasure of introducing the Nod Pod family to Kellee Lengyel. Kellee landed in foster care at age six and was bounced around through the system and reluctant family members until the age of 18. Beginning work as a stripper, Kellee eventually progressed from weed to cocaine and meth and spent her early 20s in complete chaos and instability of active addiction. After becoming pregnant, she began making slow but steady changes to her life style and completely redesigned her life. Let me know what you guys think! Connect with Kellee on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok | |||
| The ONE Insane Jail Story I've Never Told, Smuggling a Meth Pipe into Jail, Learning the Jail "Rules" the Hard Way, and is "Rejection Protection?!" A Perspective Shift that Can Change Your LIfe | 23 May 2024 | 01:12:22 | |
Hey y'all! This is the ONE jail story I have yet to tell anywhere . Literally one of the craziest events of my entire life, and probably the wildest four days of my active addiction. As always though, there is purpose in the madness, and this story is no different. A few episodes ago my guest Kevin said that a "miracle" can just be a shift in perspective. I absolutely love that idea and today you and I are going to discuss the perspective shift that "rejection is protection." Typically when we are rejected for anything, or by someone, we feel it is based on our value - that we aren't "good enough." What if we can shift our belief system to believe that rejection is a good thing, and absolutely unrelated to our value? Let's talk about it! Let me know what ya'll think! DM on Instagram or email me chasingheroine@gmail.com - love you guys! Connect with show on Instagram Connect with me on Instagram Connect with me on TikTok Join our private Facebook Group | |||
| Smoking Crack 1 Day out of Rehab, Seeing Triple?Or Fighting Triplets? Crippling Social Anxiety w/out Alcohol, Rage Fighting, with Alcohol, Now Successful Entrepreneur & CEO of Sober Dating App Loosid | 16 May 2024 | 01:51:07 | |
Question...do you guys have a preference between dating someone in recovery or dating a normie? If you're in a committed relationship now, what was your preference before? Today I speak with the creator and CEO of Loosid Sober Dating app - I would love for you guys to check it out if that's something you're interested in - BUT USE THIS link so they know it's through my podcast lol ;) https://loosidsoberdating.com/landing3if4/ MJ's story is a wild tale of boozing it up from New York, to college in Boulder, to urban clothing lines in LA and finally getting sober and becoming a successful entrepreneur and creator of the Loosid online sober community. Between NY high school basketball star and CEO of a sober community we have a lot of fighting, cocaine, smoking crack right out of rehab, blacking out and missed chances at success. MJ fits right in to our crazy Nod Pod family! Connect with MJ on Instagram Connect with Loosid Sober Dating Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Connect with the show on Instagram The link we discuss that has Twelve Step speakers! | |||
| From The NYC Club Scene at 16 to Countless Program/Sober Living Cycles, Too F**ked Up to get IN to Jail?!, Staying Sober with a Heavy Focus on Service & More with Kevin Conte | 09 May 2024 | 01:42:31 | |
Heyyy, yall... :) How is everyone?! You guys are gonna love today's episode with my friend, Kevin. Kevin kept our Twelve Step fellowship going all through COVID and I am so grateful for that and for how much I learn from him every times he shares in a meeting. We talk about growing up in Queens, losing his mother to cancer at 19, ketamine, cocaine, black tar heroin, China white and finally finding financial independence and freedom on his own. He is funny and well spoken and well versed in recovery and I am so happy to count him as a friend. Let me know what y'all think!
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| Smoking Crack at 12!, Teen Institutionalization, a Fifty TWO-Fifty?!, Tackled by an Air Marshal Mid-Flight in Meth Psychosis, a BRILLIANT College Textbook Hustle, Texas Jails vs Vegas Jails | 02 May 2024 | 01:36:53 | |
We have an amazing new episode today! I got to sit down with Michael "Vegas" Gialketsis. Vegas talks to us about growing up in Las Vegas, getting into drugs young, being sent to an institution as a teenager, going to jail in Vegas and Texas and tons of active addition mayhem. Sober now since June of 2018, Vegas is now a loving father, partner and talented musician. Vegas shares how the Twelve Steps helped him find his true personality, as well as how his awareness of his character defects through the 5th and 6th steps can help prevent relapse. You may also recognize him from Cheryl Anne's Rehab Fitness ;) Check out Vegas's music on Spotify and Apple! Connect with Vegas on Instagram Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Join the Nod Pod Private Facebook group! | |||
| Kicking Fentanyl, Getting Sober at 21, GPS in Japanese on LSD?, Getting Banned from an AA Meeting? Sharing a Sobriety Date with Family, Daily 10th Step, Evolving Higher Power & More | 25 Apr 2024 | 01:20:35 | |
Today I got to speak with Sebi Guillont, a friend of mine from my Twelve Step home group. Sebi got sober very young, he had ONE legal drink before getting sober, and he's now been sober to this day. I personally adore Sebi, I loved chatting with him - even though he's a Vols fan! - and I think you guys will enjoy our conversation too :) Connect with Sebi on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Join our private Facebook group | |||
| Dylan Wilson aka King Lazy Eye Talks Songwriting, Music, Jail, Meth Lab Fires, Nitrous and How Taking Accountability Has Led to Greater Success as an Artist | 18 Apr 2024 | 01:04:06 | |
Today we speak with Dylan Wilson aka King Lazy Eye. An up and coming musician and accidental content creator, Dylan is a self taught guitar player and master story teller/songwriter. Raised primarily by his grandparents, Dylan did well in school but turmoil in his family dynamics bled into his behavior in classes. Dylan started using at a young age, and ultimately meth became his drug of choice, leading to legal troubles and the loss of custody of his son. Clean from meth and other substances now for over 18 months, Dylan talks about growing up in small town Tennessee, learning to play the guitar by learning Weezer and Blink-182 songs, troubles with the law, finding the right formula for his current band and coming to terms with what surrendering looks like for him. Connect with Dylan on Instagram Connect with Dylan on TikTok Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Connect with the show on Instagram Join the Chasing Heroine Private Facebook Group | |||
| Rachel Elizabeth: "Ass-firmations," Using Crack as Harm Reduction for Heroin, Child Wizard in Charge of Gnats, Motherhood, Recovery and Social Media Fame | 11 Apr 2024 | 01:46:53 | |
Today we have the pleasure of chatting with Rachel Slocum, aka @rachelelizabethxo on social media. The incredibly popular social media influencer and content creator shares about growing up in NY, getting into opiates, becoming a mother, using crack and heroin while maintaining a job as a dental hygienist and ultimately finding recovery in the last place she expected it...Austin, Texas. After getting sober in 2018, Rachel started a TikTok account during the pandemic and her popularity on TikTok exploded virtually overnight. Now a well known influencer and content creator, Rachel uses her unique comedic style to inspire and entertain other single moms and women in recovery. Connect with Rachel on TikTok Connect with Rachel on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Connect with the show on Instagram | |||
| Vulnerable, Terrified and Alone, Surviving as a Sex Worker & Living in a Trap House Strung Out on Meth & Heroin to THRIVING as a Mother and Woman in Recovery | 04 Apr 2024 | 01:42:50 | |
After going to rehab 21 times with no success, Julia Barker was strung out on meth and heroin, working in sex work, living in a trap house - absolutely alone and terrified. After a particularly traumatic event, she turned to another addict in their community and the two began a relationship in addiction - that has lasted to this day. Now both in recovery and the parents to a beautiful daughter, Julia and Ryan have completely rebuilt their lives together in sobriety. Connect with Jeannine on TikTok Connect with Julia on TikTok Join our Nod Pod Community Private Facebook group! | |||
| How "Dope Fiend Hustle" is our Biggest ADVANTAGE in Life, "Clean" on Meth? The Promises - from Trash to Truth with Jeannine | 25 Jan 2024 | 00:36:29 | |
Thank you for joining us today! Today we are sharing Jeannine's lead at a Twelve Step meeting in April 2023 in which she shares more about her cocaine use than previous leads and shares. We hear about her "controlling" coke use through meth use, drinking while still in Cocaine Anonymous (it's not coke, duh) and using the "newcomer grind" and "dope fiend hustle" as tools for success during COVID and in life in recovery in a variety of ways.
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| Reframing Relapse: Why Addicts Learn What Others Don’t | 05 May 2026 | 00:25:13 | |
What if the very thing you’ve been taught to hide is actually your edge? In this episode, we flip the script on addiction and recovery by exploring a counterintuitive idea: addicts often develop strengths that many people never have to learn. One of the biggest? The ability to ask for help. While “normies” can spend years white-knuckling life solo, repeated relapse has a way of humbling us into seeking guidance, mentorship, and connection—and that skill can become a superpower. We unpack the analogy of the golf ball—originally smooth, until its “damage” (those now-famous dimples) made it fly farther and with more control. In the same way, our relapses, mistakes, and perceived failures aren’t just scars…they’re aerodynamic. This episode is about reframing damage as design, and understanding how the very experiences we wish we could erase are often the ones that make us more coachable, more connected, and ultimately more capable of living a directed, intentional life. DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| Breaking Chains; From Incarceration to Recovery, Becoming the Change in Family Behavioral Patterns of Violence and Abuse and Advice on How to Start Over as a Felon **TRIGGER WARNING | 18 Jan 2024 | 01:07:41 | |
**TRIGGER WARNING references of abuse, violence and physical assault Today I speak with Brandon Michael. Brandon was raised in an environment of extreme volatility, witnessing and enduring physical abuse between and from a variety of parental figures in his life. Incarcerated for two years by the age of twenty, while on parole after his first term, Brandon was involved in a violent altercation that resulted in a seven year prison term. After his second term, Brandon's heroin addiction began. Through use of methadone, he has been clean from heroin since 2014 and from methadone since 2017. Connect with Jeannine on TikTok: HERE Connect with the show on IG: HERE Connect with Brandon on TikTok: HERE | |||
| A Tale of Three McFlurries; The True Story of All THREE Times I Got Arrested While Eating an M&M McFlurry & What That Means For My Marriage Today | 11 Jan 2024 | 00:45:33 | |
Yes, it's true, I got arrested three times while eating M&M McFlurries from McDonalds. I thought I had told the stories before on the pod, but I have only told one, so here we go :) In rethinking these stories however, I also realized yet another pattern of insight found in addiction/recovery that can serve us in sobriety. I recently learned the four stages that happen neurologically before change in behavior is initiated: satiation, dissatisfaction, threshold and insight. We have learned this cycle without consciously realizing it in our addiction and early recovery, and we can use this insight to make behavioral changes in long term recovery as well.
Please let me know what y'all think!
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| Extreme Opiate Constipation, or…NDPEs as Jeannine and Narcan Nate Call Them | 04 Jan 2024 | 00:27:15 | |
If you’re an opiate addict you’ve been there. If you’re not an opiate addict, you’ve been somewhere you never thought you’d come back from…right? We all have those gnarly stories that are so embarrassing we just can’t imagine sharing them. Luckily for you, you don’t have to cause Jeannine and Nate do!! Listen in as the two hosts share times they were almost murdered by their own poo. We do recover! Do you have an NDPE? DM us or email chasingheroine@gmail.com and we'll share it on the show! Anonymously if requested of course :) Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Narcan Nate on Instagram Connect with the show and Jeannine on TikTok | |||
| Nars Orgasm Blush (makeup) Almost Sent Me to Prison, What a Living Progression of Addiction Looks Like, Four Stages of Contemplation, and the Role of Purpose in Successful Recovery | 28 Dec 2023 | 00:51:06 | |
Wrestling mall cops, hiding bikes in the bushes, whacked out on librium in jail, these are the elements in today's episode. Today Jeannine shares her last arrest in 2013 for strongarm robbery. Jeannine and Kim also discuss the 4 stages of contemplation and the importance of having a purpose in life for successful recovery. Connect with Jeannine on IG HERE Connect with show on IG HERE Connect with the show on TikTok | |||
| How Her Dad Pressing 32 Felony Fraud Charge Against Her Saved Abbey Fickley's Life, Pregnant at 19, Addicted to Heroin by 23, Now 5 Years Sober & Successful Influencer, Abbey's Story Will Inspire You | 21 Dec 2023 | 01:54:24 | |
Today I interview Abbey Fickley, a popular Instagram, TikTok and YouTube influencer. Sober now since 2018, Abbey walks us through her early life under the shadow of her incredibly bright siblings, how she became pregnant at a young age and how she got strung out on heroin by her early 20s. Ultimately losing custody of her daughter, Abbey found herself also facing felony charges pressed by her father and finally found sobriety in 2018. Connect with Abbey on YouTube Connect with Abbey on TikTok Connect with Abbey on Instagram | |||
| Adolescent Institulization, Fleeing Boarding School in Utah in the Winter, Cops Giving Orders Through Car Speakers in Meth Psychosis and Successful Use of a 12 Step Group as Your Higher Power | 15 Dec 2023 | 01:32:12 | |
Today I interview Sam Marks. I met Sam at a Twelve Step meeting and in just a ten minute share knew he had a great and unique story and a powerful message of recovery. Sent to boarding school for the duration of high school, Sam moved through four different institutions, experiencing trauma and abuse at two of them. After boarding school, Sam moved around the east coast a bit, ultimately ending up in New Jersey, and finds meth and heroin at a young age. At one point sober for ten months, Sam relapsed with alcohol, and before continuing to meth and heroin was able to find the power of community and friendship that he found in Twelve Step to stop himself at drinking. Sober now for six months, I had a wonderful time chatting with Sam and I'm sure you will enjoy our conversation. Connect with Sam on Instagram HERE Connect with Jeannine on TikTok HERE Connect with Jeannine on Instagram HERE Donate for Choices HERE - accepting donations through December 15, 2023 - thank you so so much #nodpod | |||
| Strung Out, Trafficked as a Sex Worker and Stuck Homeless in Hawaii for Ten Years, Endocarditis and more, PLUS a Successful Methadone Taper from 170 ml, Christina Garofalo is a SURVIVOR | 07 Dec 2023 | 01:37:20 | |
TRIGGER WARNING*** ***sex trafficking, domestic abuse, assault, SA and pregnancy termination My conversation today with Christina Garofalo will have you both laughing and crying. Christina is a survivor in the truest form of the word. I was blown away by her vulnerability, authenticity and the strength she has shown in escaping the world she was trapped in, making it back to her hometown and family in San Diego AND tapering down from an incredibly high dose of methadone (170 mL). Christina now has a sponsor, works steps, goes on twelve step retreats and does EMDR therapy - she has worked so hard to find healing, peace and safety and I am personally so proud of her. Connect with Christina on Instagram Connect with Christina on TikTok Connect with Jeannine on Tiktok Connect with Jeannine/the show on Instagram | |||
| The Epitome of 90s 'Heroin Chic,' Suki Jones Survived Quaaludes & Kidnapping at Nine Years Old and Lived to Tell the Tale....(and do way more drugs!) PLUS a Successful Methadone Detox Taper Story | 23 Nov 2023 | 01:26:51 | |
**TRIGGER WARNING **childhood abuse, incest and kidnapping Today Jeannine interviews Suki Jones, author of recovery memoir, "Sea Swallow Me." Suki survived a kidnapping at age nine, sexual trauma and abuse and managed to successfully complete a methadone taper detox. Sober now for over 20 years, Suki's story is raw and alternately both painful and fascinating, but above all, inspirational. | |||
| Real House Wives of Beverly Hills Eden Sassoon - Relapse after 9 Years, the Value of "Doing the Work" v Going to Meetings & The Vision of her Father Inspiring Her After His Death | 16 Nov 2023 | 01:05:58 | |
Join us for a very LA episode - today Jeannine interviews Eden Sassoon. the daughter of celebrity hair stylist, Vidal Sassoon. Eden grew up in Beverly Hills, experiencing the real life version of "90210." After a period of sobriety lasting nearly a decade, Eden began drinking again. Speaking about the relapse with us with six months back in recovery, Jeannine and Eden have a fun conversation about the NA Just for Today, spirituality and the difference between "doing the work" (ie steps) vs simply going to meetings.
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| PART TWO: If Turning in Evidence of a Heinous Crime Meant Spending the Rest of Your Life Prison...What Would You Do? The Subsequent Consequences for Matt AND How to Start Over with a Felony Record | 09 Nov 2023 | 01:12:38 | |
**TRIGGER WARNING **todays episode references child abuse, please take care while listening. Today is part two of Jeannine's interview with Matthew Hahn. Matt was a career criminal whose meth addiction and history of residential burglaries earned him three strikes by the age of 18. At 25, Matt was fresh off of parole, and back in his addiction. Returning to his old methods to support his lifestyle, Matt broke into a house and stole a safe - a choice that would change his life forever. What he discovered in that safe would pose a dilemma of choosing to turn in evidence of a crime - when to do so would cost him his freedom for the rest of his life. Part Two picks up where Part One left off, in 2005 after Matt found evidence of a heinous crime inside a safe that he had stolen from a home. Matt ultimately returns to prison and begins leaning into Buddhism as a vital part of his recovery. Connect with Matt on IG HERE Connect with Matt on TikTok HERE Connect with Jeannine on IG HERE Connect with the show on TikTok HERE | |||
| Smoking PCP at Twelve, Kensington Chaos, Driving Escorts, Selling Manhole Covers, an Epiphany in Jail and a Return to Childhood Creativity Gives Dave Marquess a New Start | 30 Apr 2026 | 01:53:05 | |
Dave Marquess grew up inside a reality most people only glimpse in headlines. Raised by a meth cook and heroin addict, his childhood was less about homework and more about survival. By eighth grade, violence had already entered the story. By his teens, he was moving through a world of escorts, hustles, and whatever could be stolen, stripped, and sold. PCP showed up early. Heroin followed. At one point, he even called his own mother to learn how to shoot it. The crash was inevitable. Jail forced a brutal detox and a confrontation with everything he had been outrunning. What came next was not a clean, cinematic turnaround but something more interesting. He started rebuilding from a place he had abandoned long ago: his childhood creativity. Dave tapped back into his artistic instincts and turned them into something functional, designing a game specifically for people in recovery. Not as a gimmick, but as a tool. A way to engage addicts in their own healing using strategy, storytelling, and choice. The same mind that once engineered survival in the streets now builds systems for growth. This conversation moves through trauma, accountability, and the strange alchemy of turning pain into purpose. It is about what happens when someone stops trying to escape their story and instead rewrites the rules of the game entirely. Check out Dave's games here Connect with Dave on Instagram DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| PART ONE: If Turning in Evidence of a Heinous Crime Meant Spending the Rest of Your Life Prison...What Would You Do? Matt Hahn Faced that Exact Decision | 03 Nov 2023 | 00:54:01 | |
**TRIGGER WARNING **todays episode references child abuse, please take care while listening. Today Jeannine interviews Matthew Hahn. Matt was a career criminal whose meth addiction and history of residential burglaries earned him three strikes by the age of 18. At 25, Matt was fresh off of parole, and back in his addiction. Returning to his old methods to support his lifestyle, Matt broke into a house and stole a safe - a choice that would change his life forever. What he discovered in that safe would pose a dilemma of choosing to turn in evidence of a crime - when to do so would cost him his freedom for the rest of his life. Connect with Matt on Instagram Connect with Matt on TikTok Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with the show on TikTok Connect with the show on Instagram | |||
| Broken Engagements, Body Building and Cocaine with Kat Sorenson | 26 Oct 2023 | 01:23:27 | |
Today Jeannine interviews Kat Sorenson, aka @socalkattt, CEO and founder of Dual Diagnosis Detox/Rehab Laguna Shores Recovery. After over a decade of alcoholic drinking and cocaine abuse, Kat has been sober since 2015. Kat talks about not just alcoholic sobriety but emotional sobriety and her early rocky start in twelve step that included marrying another newcomer after two weeks of sobriety! Connect with Kat on Instagram Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with the show on Instagram Connect with Tiktok | |||
| Set Up by a Friend to Traffic Narcotics to an Undercover and Banned for LIFE from the United States with Brad Mcleod of Sober Motivation | 19 Oct 2023 | 01:14:36 | |
Today Jeannine interviews Brad McLeod, creator of the platform and podcast Sobermotivation. Sober now since 2010, Brad has gone from completely and hopelessly strung out on opiates and in the vicious methadone/using/failing tests cycle to creating a life that he loves in recovery. Now a married father and a successful podcaster and content creator, Brad's story will inspire and move you.
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| Junkie to Attorney! Added a Law Degree but Lost a Booty Cheek; the Wild Story of Sara Clark, aka SaraBoo72 | 12 Oct 2023 | 01:28:46 | |
Today on the show Jeannine interviews Sara Clark, aka SaraBoo72 on IG and TikTok. Sara spent several years strung out on heroin and ultimately turned it all around and even became an attorney. Now married and a homeowner with a bonus daughter that she absolutely lives for, Sara is living the life of her dreams. Connect with Sara on IG HERE Connect with Sara on TikTok HERE Connect with Jeannine on IG HERE Connect with the show on IG HERE | |||
| The Hardest Episode I've Ever Had to Record...My Husband Relapsed, Everything is a Mess PLUS The Twelve Steps Broken Down | 18 Sep 2023 | 00:59:10 | |
Hey guys...this one is just direct from me, Jeannine, no editing even, just an impromptu solocast. You guys have heard me speak for years about my husband Scuyler, who I love very much - well Scuyler has been struggling in his recovery for the past year and everything is really scary and up in the air. I've not wanted to talk about it for a variety of reasons - which I get into in this episode - but mostly because I just kept hoping everything would go back to normal and this would just a little blip of adversity in the course of our marriage. But...that's not happening. It's been a year and things have continued to escalate and get worse and I need to face the reality of the situation and move into action to take care of myself and Tank. So, while I am hopeful that Scuyler turns things around, I am mentally preparing and processing for the worst and just want to share with you guys what that looks like right now. Thank you guys for listening as always - love you. | |||
| Humiliated on Camera and Posted on Social Media...Claire Bay's Incredible Confidence and Success is BECAUSE of a Publicly Embarassing Event PLUS Tools for Disordered Eating | 07 Sep 2023 | 01:12:28 | |
Claire Bays story is a true "Chasing Heroine" story in that her darkest moment directly led to the best version of herself. Claire was filmed in a compromising situation which was then posted on social media - the video spread throughout her hometown and beyond, quickly gaining thousands and thousands of views. Claire used what is many people's worst nightmare and allowed it to fuel her into sobriety, entrepreneurship, leadership and speaking. Claire also discusses in detail specific tools to manage disordered eating. Connect with Claire on Instagram Connect with the show on TikTok Connect with the show on Instagram Check out 75 Hard HERE | |||
| PART TWO: Methin' Around at It's Finest; Pockets Rifled during an OD, Homemade Rigs, the Most Helpful Cop on Earth, FINALLY Recovery with the Assistance of Suboxone and Therapy | 31 Aug 2023 | 00:54:45 | |
Today is Part Two of our interview with NodPod member, Joey Rakisits. Joey's story is SO inspiring - he did the rounds of alllll the things dope fiend, modifying cars, getting involved in criminal activity, staying in motel rooms, basically running amok in all the ways we addicts can run amok - and now he's CLEAN! Multiple prison terms, county time, again - ALLL the things. Today we pick up Joey's story with a near fatal overdose and his ultimate journey to get to a suboxone clinic with two therapists that changed his life. Clean now since September 20, 2021, we hope you enjoy Joey's episode at much as we did! The article about the homicide is HERE Watch on YouTube Connect with show on TikTok Connect with the show on Instagram | |||
| PART ONE: Methin' Around at it's Finest! Copper Wire Hijinks, Making a Civic "Custom," Kidnapped! Fire Camp, Absconding...Joey Rakisits Has Done the "Dope Fiend" Rounds and Lived to Tell the Tale | 24 Aug 2023 | 00:54:25 | |
TRIGGER WARNING * TRIGGER WARNING * Two incidents of violence are described, please be aware. One from 29:00 - 34:00 if you would like to skip through, one from 52:27 through the end of the episode. Today Jeannine and Narcan Nate interview Nod Pod member, Joey Rakisits. Joey's story is SO inspiring - he did the rounds of alllll the things dope fiend, modifying cars, getting involved in criminal activity, staying in motel rooms, basically running amok in all the ways we addicts can run amok - and now he's CLEAN! Multiple prison terms, county time, again - ALLL the things. Clean now since September 20, 2021, we hope you enjoy Joey's episode at much as we did! Watch on YouTube Connect with the pod on TikTok Connect with the pod on Instagram Connect with Joey on Instagram | |||
| PART TWO: Mastering Social Situations Sober and Beginner's Fitness and Movement Tips to get Started | 17 Aug 2023 | 00:46:44 | |
Today is Part Two of Jeannine's interview with Mary Tilson. Despite achieving success in her marketing career, Mary's use of cocaine and alcohol began consuming her life, prompting her to get sober and completely change her life. Mary is a certified Professional Recovery Coach, Trauma-Informed Yoga & Meditation Teacher and the Founder of Sun & Moon Sober Living Podcast. Having experienced profound shifts as a result of her decision to get sober in 2013, she is passionate about helping others find freedom from addiction so they can live fulfilling lives substance-free. She is a strong believer in the power of community and enjoys bringing like-minded people together through her online membership community and wellness retreats. Her international retreats have been featured by Yoga Journal, Women’s Health Aus and Compare Retreats and she has been interviewed on a number of top recovery and mental health podcasts.Mary recently settled back in the mountains of Colorado after nearly a decade traveling and teaching internationally while living in Southeast Asia. In her free time, she loves reading and learning, hiking, scuba diving and spending time with her family. Connect with Mary on Instagram Connect with Mary's Online Sober Living and Resources HERE Connect with Jeannine on Instagram Connect with Chasing Heroine on TikTok | |||
| PART ONE: How to Recognize Your Substance Use is a Problem even if You are Successful in Career & Life: From Marketing Exec in Chicago to an Eight Year Sabbatical in South East Asia with Mary Tilson | 10 Aug 2023 | 01:26:28 | |
Today Jeannine interviews Mary Tilson. Despite achieving success in her marketing career, Mary's use of cocaine and alcohol began consuming her life, prompting her to get sober and completely change her life.
Mary is a certified Professional Recovery Coach, Trauma-Informed Yoga & Meditation Teacher and the Founder of Sun & Moon Sober Living Podcast. Having experienced profound shifts as a result of her decision to get sober in 2013, she is passionate about helping others find freedom from addiction so they can live fulfilling lives substance-free. She is a strong believer in the power of community and enjoys bringing like-minded people together through her online membership community and wellness retreats. Her international retreats have been featured by Yoga Journal, Women’s Health Aus and Compare Retreats and she has been interviewed on a number of top recovery and mental health podcasts.Mary recently settled back in the mountains of Colorado after nearly a decade traveling and teaching internationally while living in Southeast Asia. In her free time, she loves reading and learning, hiking, scuba diving and spending time with her family.
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| Forensic Clinical Psychology and Theatre Converge in Dr. Tiffany Towers at Seasons Malibu, Blending Trauma Informed Compassion with Narrative Shifts through Storytelling | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:57:30 | |
Listen ad free on Patreon. In today's episode, I sit down with Dr. Tiffany Towers, Clinical Director and licensed clinical psychologist at Seasons Malibu. Dr. Towers studied psychology and theater at Barnard College at Columbia University and earned her Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her work pairs her strong clinical training with a creative, narrative-based approach to therapy. Dr. Towers and I discuss how looking at addiction through the lens of story can help loosen the grip of all-or-nothing thinking. Instead of seeing yourself as permanently defined by past behavior, this approach opens the door to examining patterns, shifting roles, and building a more flexible sense of identity. We also walk through the range of modalities used at Seasons, including EMDR, Brainspotting, somatic work, equine therapy, CBT, and DBT, with a focus on what they actually look like in practice and how to find credible versions of these treatments outside of a residential setting. Dr Towers also emphasizes the value in meeting people where they are, where that is abstinence or harm reduction, and how thoughtful, individualized care can support meaningful progress in either direction. My goal with this episode is to translate high-level clinical insight into something you can use and apply to your own life. Whether you are in recovery, considering change, or working in the field, this conversation offers a grounded, practical way to think about healing and what comes next. Today's episode is brought to you by Seasons in Malibu. For over 18 years, Seasons has been a sanctuary for individuals seeking to reclaim their lives from addiction and mental health challenges. Our story began with a simple but profound vision: To create a luxurious sanctuary for individuals struggling with addiction or mental health issues, where they can receive the finest, evidence-based treatment in the world. Built on Compassion, Driven by Excellence What started as a small number of compassionate professionals has grown into one of the nation’s most respected luxury treatment centers. But growth has never meant losing sight of what matters most—the individual engaging with our therapists, one-on-one, taking the courageous first step toward healing. From the beginning, we understood that truly transformative treatment requires more than clinical protocols. It demands a personalized approach, led by the most qualified professionals, in an environment that nurtures the whole person. That’s why we’ve assembled a team where every primary therapist holds a Doctorate in Psychology - a distinction virtually unmatched in our field. Check out Seasons Malibu online or call 1-866-314-5160 for more information. Connect with Seasons on Instagram DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week! | |||
| My Addiction Helped Me Become a Millionaire, Yours Can Too! with Moira Kucaba | 03 Aug 2023 | 00:58:53 | |
Today Jeannine speaks with Moira Kucaba. Moira is an alcoholic, addict, bulimic, and college dropout turned self-made millionaire and expert in helping people find their extraordinary. Connect with Chasing Heroine on Instagram Connect with Chasing Heroine on TikTok | |||
| Turn Your Pain into Your Power; This (former) Meth Smoking, Bartending, World Class JUMP ROPER! Who Once Faked His Own Death will Change Your Life | 27 Jul 2023 | 01:25:45 | |
Meet Fausto Castellanos aka "Hope Dealer Fausto." As a child, Fausto was the victim of sexual abuse, leading him to a years long cycle of shame and fear of exposure. As an adolescent and teenager, Fausto experimented with a variety of ways to change his appearance to escape his past. Living in a constant state of fear that people knew about the abuse ultimately led Fausto to find relief in alcohol and meth. Several years of chaos ensued until a friend sharing a bible verse with him in his early twenties changed his life. Making his way into the rooms of Twelve Step recovery, Fausto embarked on a new life, exploring pursuits like professional jump roping, studying to be a counselor and working in treatment. You will take away insights from Fausto into processing your own traumas and turning your pain into a way of empowering others to release the shame of past experiences.
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| Make Your Addiction Your SUPER POWER; Homeless Heroin Addict on Skid Row, A Major NDPE!, IV Speedballs in Malibu to Multi-Millionaire; the Inspiring Story of Khalil Rafati | 20 Jul 2023 | 01:11:51 | |
Today Jeannine interviews Khalil Rafati. Originally from Ohio, Khalil ended up homeless, shooting heroin and coke on skid row in LA. Living that way for years, Khalil ended up 109 pounds and had picked his face so badly part of his nose was missing. Through a musicians fund Khalil was able to go to rehab, get clean and change his life. He started washing cars and working in treatment, and eventually developed the brand Sunlife Organics, with 10 locations nationwide. Now a literal multi-millionaire, Khalil believes addiction is a super power and can be our greatest secret weapon in life. This episode will inspire you to leverage your fortitude in addiction into success in sobriety.
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