Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Courtney Janssen grew up in a farm town outside Chicago watching domestic abuse and drinking become "normal." By 12 she had her first drink. By her twenties she was doing cocaine daily to survive double shifts bartending in Nashville. Then she impulsively married a man she barely knew — in Vegas, hours after he fled an undercover detective — and woke up pregnant, broke, and trapped in a verbally abusive marriage while feds surveilled her house. The morning federal agents kicked in her door with guns drawn, her daughter was two months old and she was still breastfeeding. This is the story of how she climbed out of it all — postpartum psychosis, divorce lawyers weaponizing her past, years of sobriety — and is now building a sober nightlife concept in South Florida. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may #sobriety #recoveryispossible #addiction #soberlife #cocainerecovery #postpartumdepression#domesticabuse #survivorstory #mentalhealthmatters #sobercommunity #addictionrecovery #traumarecovery#truecrime #podcast #womeninsober Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chelsea Garber was diagnosed with Stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver — and kept drinking for nine more months. After losing her son, battling drug addiction, surviving 50+ hospital admissions, and being given just three months to live, Chelsea made the hardest decision of her life: she poured out her last drink on September 29th, 2024. Just 80 days after a life-saving liver transplant, she sat down with Kevin Lanning to share the full story — the suicide note she wrote to her daughter, the moment everything changed, and what keeps her fighting every single day with 19 months sober. This is one of the most powerful episodes we've ever done on Rise Above. ⸻ 📲 Follow Chelsea: TikTok: @chelseablake1125 If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may #addiction #recovery #sobriety #livercirrhosis #livertransplant #alcoholism #soberstories #riseabove #mentalhealth #soberlife #alcoholrecovery #cirrhosis #liverDisease #sober #drugsrecovery #recoveryispossible #addictionrecovery #sobertok #kevinlanning #podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marine Corps veteran Spencer Jones opens up about surviving combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, battling trauma after leaving the military, and falling into a devastating crystal meth addiction that led to five felonies and complete chaos. After serving over 20 years in the Marines, Spencer struggled with the loss of structure, identity, and purpose once civilian life began. What started as partying quickly spiraled into addiction, arrests, and rock bottom. Today, Spencer is over 3 years sober and now helps others in recovery through his work at Compassion Behavioral Health. In this episode, Spencer shares: Combat trauma and surviving IED attacks in Iraq The mental health struggles veterans face after service How crystal meth addiction took over his life Getting arrested and facing 5 felonies Veterans Court and rebuilding his life Finding purpose through sobriety and helping others recover Spencer now works at Compassion Behavioral Health, the sponsor of Rise Above, where he helps veterans and others struggling with addiction and mental health challenges find recovery and purpose again. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may #AddictionRecovery #MarineVeteran #Sobriety #CrystalMeth #MentalHealth #RecoveryJourney #PTSD #Veterans #RiseAbovePodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Cruz shares his unbelievable story of addiction, gang violence, prison, armed robbery, and ultimately redemption. After losing his brother at 13, Robert turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. What started with marijuana eventually spiraled into heroin addiction, gang life, violent crime, prison sentences, and multiple arrests. Robert opens up about being charged with attempted murder, serving years in prison, robbing people to feed his addiction, and hitting rock bottom after realizing how far heroin had taken him. He also shares the powerful moment that changed everything and how he’s now approaching 16 years sober. This is one of the rawest addiction and recovery stories ever shared on Rise Above. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may #addiction #heroinaddiction #sobriety #prisonstory #recovery #ganglife #mentalhealth #riseabovepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alkhuzama Zaini shares her powerful story of alcoholism, blackouts, college addiction, mental health struggles, and finding sobriety at a young age. From moving to America from Saudi Arabia, to drinking a bottle of vodka a day at ASU, hiding her addiction from family, terrifying withdrawals, and ultimately rebuilding her life through recovery, this is a raw and honest conversation about Gen Z addiction, validation, isolation, and healing. This episode discusses alcoholism, mental health, blackouts, recovery, relapse, therapy, family dynamics, and the reality of getting sober young. Follow Alkhuzama: TikTok & Instagram: @alkhuzamazaini If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may #addiction #sobriety #alcoholism #recovery #mentalhealth #sober #alcoholaddiction #genz #recoveryjourney #podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle Caughman grew up in a small town with a great family, played sports, and had no trauma… but one decision changed everything. What started with pain pills quickly spiraled into shooting heroin, driving hours to buy drugs, and selling it back in his hometown. As addiction took over, Kyle lost control of his life, faced multiple felonies, lost custody of his son, and found himself trapped in the cycle of fentanyl. “I did a lot of drugs by myself… I’d take a shot and just wake up hours later.” After years of addiction, jail time, and hitting rock bottom, Kyle finally reached a breaking point and chose a different path. Today, he’s over 2 years sober, rebuilding his life, his family, and his future. This is a raw, unfiltered story about heroin, fentanyl, crime, and what it really takes to get clean. If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode could be the wake-up call. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may #heroinaddiction #fentanyl #addictionrecovery #sobrietyjourney #drugs #recovery #dopestory #cleanandsober #addictionhelp #mentalhealth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Hechtman opens up about her journey from binge drinking, cocaine use, and crippling anxiety to nearly 5 years of sobriety. Unlike many addiction stories, Rachel never had a dramatic rock bottom—but what she did experience was just as powerful: years of guilt, shame, and mental health struggles that slowly became unbearable. From waking up on bathroom floors to battling paranoia and depression, Rachel shares how her breaking point wasn’t one moment—it was the accumulation of pain. In this episode, we dive into: • Why not everyone needs a “rock bottom” to get sober • How alcohol made her anxiety 10x worse • The turning point that changed everything in 2021 • Walking miles through Central Park to fight cravings • Building a sober community from scratch • How she turned her pain into purpose helping others If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol or felt stuck in the cycle, this episode will hit home. 🎙️ Rachel is now the creator of “Sober in Central Park” and helps others find freedom from addiction. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #Sobriety #AddictionRecovery #Alcoholism #MentalHealth #SoberLife #RecoveryJourney #Anxiety #CocaineAddiction #RelapsePrevention #RiseAbove Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I sit down with Karina Miesner for a raw Q&A covering the most asked questions around addiction, relapse, and sobriety. We break down real experiences from both sides of recovery including rock bottom moments, near relapses, triggers, relationships, trauma, and what actually works when it comes to staying sober. Karina opens up about hitting rock bottom in the ICU with liver disease, while we both share the truth about relapse, shame, and how recovery really happens. If you’re struggling, early in sobriety, or trying to understand addiction, this episode gives you honest, unfiltered answers from people who’ve lived it. Topics include: What rock bottom actually looks like Can you get sober without rehab? Triggers that almost caused relapse Is relapse part of recovery or failure Therapy, trauma, and EMDR Relationships in early sobriety Daily routines that keep us sober Letting go of your old identity This is the conversation people need but rarely hear. Follow Karina Miesner: Instagram: @karinamiesner (update if needed) TikTok: @karinamiesner Full episode based on real Q&A from the Rise Above community If this helped you, share it with someone who needs it. #addictionrecovery #sobrietyjourney #recoveryispossible #mentalhealthmatters #relapseprevention #soberlife #addictionhelp #12steprecovery #traumahealing #recoverycommunity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Gaffney shares her raw, unfiltered story of addiction, trauma, and recovery. From a “normal” childhood in the suburbs to taking 5-hour bus rides into Kensington to score drugs, her life spiraled into heroin use, crack addiction, arrests, and years of chaos. After multiple run-ins with the law and waking up to sheriffs at her door, Lauren finally hit a breaking point. This is the story of how addiction took everything… and how she fought her way back to sobriety. If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode could change everything. Lauren Gaffney shares her raw, unfiltered story of addiction, trauma, and recovery. From a “normal” childhood in the suburbs to taking 5-hour bus rides into Kensington to score drugs, her life spiraled into heroin use, crack addiction, arrests, and years of chaos.After multiple run-ins with the law and waking up to sheriffs at her door, Lauren finally hit a breaking point. This is the story of how addiction took everything… and how she fought her way back to sobriety.If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode could change everything. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #addiction #heroinaddiction #recovery #sobriety #mentalhealth #truecrime #kensingtontheory #drugaddiction #recoveryjourney #riseabove Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Stroud started using drugs at just 11 years old… and by 17, he was hooked on crack cocaine. What followed was decades of chaos — robbing drug dealers, running from gangs, getting arrested, and eventually facing federal prison. From living a double life to losing everything, Chris takes us inside the brutal reality of addiction and the moments that nearly cost him his life. After years of destruction, something finally changed… and today he’s over 4 years sober, working in recovery and helping others find a way out. If you’re struggling, this episode is proof that no matter how far gone you feel… there’s still a way back. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #addiction #recovery #sobriety #drugaddiction #prisonstory #mentalhealth #crackaddiction #federalprison Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices