JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

What’s the first thing you remember doing wrong to someone? Did it hurt them? And if it did, would you call that person now, 10, 20 or even 30 years later, to apologise?

That’s exactly what Liam has had to do in his recovery.

Liam, an executive chef, always told himself: I’ve got kids. I’ve got a family. I’m an award-winning chef. My career is thriving. I can’t be an addict.
But decades of drug and alcohol abuse proved otherwise.

His final wake up call came when his son found him in a k-hole, bleeding out on a concrete floor.

Now, Liam sits before me, willing to improve for his kids but more importantly for himself. And then comes the one question that stops him in his tracks and leaves him speechless.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, suicide, domestic violence and graphic scenes of an overdose.
Ready to share your story? Email: ⁠⁠⁠hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

⁠⁠⁠https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline⁠⁠⁠

Creator & Host- ⁠⁠⁠Julia Rangiheuea⁠⁠⁠

Image & Logo- ⁠⁠⁠Jasmine Rule⁠⁠⁠

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

For as long as she can remember, Justine Santowiak's OCD was the driving force behind her behaviour. But it wasn’t until she was 45 that she finally got a diagnosis.

One day, scrolling through social media, she came across a clip of someone describing their own OCD and emetophobia, and for the first time in her life, she felt seen. After 45 years, she realised she wasn’t alone.

For decades, alcohol had been her way of coping. At first it felt like self-medicating, but soon it spiralled into something darker. Friends and family lost trust, to the point where they didn’t feel safe leaving her alone with her own children.

At rock bottom, Justine made a promise to God. And through physical exercise and her commitment to sobriety, she has kept that promise. Today, she not only lives in recovery, but helps others find the same strength she once thought was impossible.

FOLLOW JUSTINE ON INSTAGRAM

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, OCD and self-harm.

Ready to share your story? Email: ⁠⁠⁠hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

⁠⁠⁠https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline⁠⁠⁠

Creator & Host- ⁠⁠⁠Julia Rangiheuea⁠⁠⁠

Image & Logo- ⁠⁠⁠Jasmine Rule⁠⁠⁠

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

If you’re drawn to the mystical, curious about manifestation, or just open to the idea of magic, this episode is for you. Sunshine, the pink-haired witch, is a psychic medium, Soul Healer, Reiki Master, and High Priestess. A recovering alcoholic, she guides witches in recovery to reclaim their magic and step fully into their highest purpose.

We explore the spiritual side of addiction, how dark entities are formed, how they attach to us, and what it’s like to live with them. Sunshine shares from experience, and it wasn’t until her partner gave her an ultimatum to attend 90 meetings in 90 days that she hit her own version of rock bottom.

Leave judgment at the door, open your heart and mind, and let a little magic weave its way into your world.
Trigger warnings: Suicide and substance abuse.

Ready to share your story? Email: ⁠⁠⁠hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au⁠⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

⁠⁠⁠https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline⁠⁠⁠

Creator & Host- ⁠⁠⁠Julia Rangiheuea⁠⁠⁠

Image & Logo- ⁠⁠⁠Jasmine Rule⁠⁠⁠

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Wayne lost everything to drugs, his home, his family, and almost his mind. Growing up as one of four boys, he prided himself on being the last man standing when it came to drink. But once drugs entered his life, everything changed.

He spiralled into psychosis for days, ran through national parks convinced people were after him, spent time in multiple rehabs, and lived on the streets with no support, no one to talk to, and invisible to all who crossed his path on their commute.

Wayne shares a powerful insight into what it really feels like to be lonely, exhausted, and afraid without a home, and challenges us to reflect on how society treats those experiencing homelessness.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, suicide and self-harm.

Ready to share your story? Email: ⁠⁠hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

⁠⁠https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline⁠⁠

Creator & Host- ⁠⁠Julia Rangiheuea⁠⁠

Image & Logo- ⁠⁠Jasmine Rule⁠⁠

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

Jessie grew up with a mother she calls a psycho. Her mum’s life was ruled by drugs and alcohol, and those same substances eventually claimed her. Jessie thought she would feel relief when her mum died, but instead she was hit with crushing guilt.

Her grief does not stop there. Her sister, who endured the worst of their mother’s abuse, has now followed in the same destructive footsteps. Jessie also grieves for her niece and nephew, growing up robbed of the mother they deserved. Addiction’s ripple effects run deep in her family, from eating disorders to skin-picking, living proof that it does not just take one life, it devastates everyone in its orbit.

Trigger warnings: Eating disorders, suicide, substance abuse, skin-picking, sex work, child abuse.

Ready to share your story? Email: ⁠⁠hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au⁠⁠

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

⁠⁠https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline⁠⁠

Creator & Host- ⁠⁠Julia Rangiheuea⁠⁠

Image & Logo- ⁠⁠Jasmine Rule⁠⁠

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Today I’m joined by Vanessa Kredler, a Sydney-based Counsellor and Psychotherapist who specialises in helping adults recover from food and sugar addiction, disordered eating, trauma, and other addictive behaviours.

Vanessa combines her own lived experience with clinical expertise to guide people towards lasting recovery.

In this conversation, Vanessa answers all your burning questions about food addiction, including:

• What actually creates food addiction

• Why so many people switch to sugar after going sober

• How to stop the relentless food noise

• • How to finally break the cycle of food addiction
  • …and so much more.

  
  

  If you’ve ever wondered whether sugar is your “new addiction” or you’re curious about how to find freedom from food obsession, this episode is for you.

• 
  

  Work with Vanessa here

  
  

  Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse.

  
  

  Ready to share your story? Email: ⁠hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au⁠

  
  

  Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

  
  

  The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

  
  

  ⁠https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline⁠

  
  

  Creator & Host- ⁠Julia Rangiheuea⁠

  Image & Logo- ⁠Jasmine Rule⁠

  
  

  In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

For Stevie, putting down the drink has actually been the easy part of sobriety. It is facing the parenting guilt that cuts the deepest. The memories of being absent, snapping at her kids, and wishing time with them away just so she could get back to drinking still haunt her. She carries the weight of those years, constantly wondering what her children will remember most.

Stevie became a mum young, with three little ones depending on her before she had even turned 24. She felt completely drowned by motherhood, turned to self-harm, and at her lowest moments tried to end her own life.

Today, Stevie joins me as she and her partner prepare to celebrate one year alcohol-free, a milestone she never thought she would live to see.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses suicide, self-harm and substance abuse.

Ready to share your story? Email: hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au
Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.
The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015
https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline
Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea
Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule
In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Braiden Tonks grew up in his father’s shadow, carrying a reputation for violence and anger. He leaned into that image to start selling party drugs in his hometown in Tasmania. After trying ice at an after-party, he quickly escalated to smuggling it across the Tasmania to Melbourne border. On one return trip, he was caught with $40k in cash on his body and spent weeks on the run until a SWAT team raided his bedroom while he slept.

But one night, while trying heroin with a stranger, Braiden faced a moment that would haunt him forever when the person beside him never woke up.

Follow Braiden Tonks on Instagram

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, domestic violence, drug trafficking, and graphic details of an overdose.

Ready to share your story? Email: hello@soberlyspeaking.com.au
Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.
The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015
https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline
Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea
Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule
In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.