96. How to Overcome Addiction and Take Control Of Your Life - Kerrie Atherton

This week on Share, Steve Hodgson is joined by Kerrie Atherton—trauma recovery therapist, speaker, author, and founder of Stories of HOPE—for a raw and powerful conversation on overcoming adversity and transforming personal pain into purpose.Kerrie opens up about her experiences with bullying, addiction, and a suicide attempt that changed her life. From these dark beginnings, she’s gone on to build a national movement of hope, healing, and empowerment through community storytelling, lived experience advocacy, and her trauma-informed work across schools, prisons, and events.If you’ve ever felt lost, stuck, or like your past defines your future—this episode offers proof that healing is possible, and that your story can become someone else’s survival guide.About Our GuestKerrie Atherton is the founder of Empower Life Solutions and Stories of HOPE Australia. A keynote speaker, author, and trauma recovery therapist, Kerrie works with schools, organisations, and individuals to support mental health and addiction recovery. She’s published several volumes of real-life inspirational stories and continues to speak nationally on resilience, leadership, and healing through authenticity.Follow Our GuestInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_hope_aus/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerrie.atherton.9/Website: https://empowerlifesolutions.com.auWebsite: https://storiesofhope.com.auFollow Us OnHost Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestevehodgson/Show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharewithsteve/Episode Highlights00:00 - Episode Trailer00:20 - Meet Kerrie Atherton and her passion for helping the hurting01:40 - The bullying and trauma that shaped her early years03:11 - Addiction, numbing, and losing identity in early adulthood04:52 - The suicide attempt that changed everything06:12 - Starting again: her first steps toward healing08:01 - How therapy, faith, and community helped rebuild her life09:58 - Why your story matters—even when it's painful11:10 - Launching Stories of HOPE to help others find their voice13:20 - The healing power of lived experience and shared truth15:05 - What stops people from asking for help?17:00 - Working in schools, prisons, and at-risk communities18:40 - Teaching young people how to speak their truth21:04 - How to support someone who's struggling22:51 - The link between shame, addiction, and silence25:12 - Understanding trauma responses with compassion27:03 - Using storytelling to de-stigmatise mental health29:15 - Building emotional resilience in leadership and life30:59 - Her faith journey and how it saved her life33:11 - Navigating judgment and standing strong in purpose36:30 - Releasing the Stories of HOPE book series39:15 - Real feedback from readers and the ripple effect42:27 - Balancing her personal wellbeing while holding space45:50 - Lessons from working with people at rock bottom48:02 - Letting go of perfection and embracing your path50:33 - Her advice to anyone feeling broken or hopeless53:01 - From trauma to transformation: her message of hope56:10 - Kerrie’s personal grounding practices59:35 - The courage to share your story out loud01:02:02 - Building long-term impact through empathy01:05:10 - What’s next for Kerrie and the future of Stories of HOPE01:08:49 - Where to find her books, events, and connect online01:09:34 - Final message to anyone who needs hope today