Shows
Rooted Recovery StoriesPurpose, Structure and Life After Laguna Beach (feat. Jason Wahler) | Rooted Recovery Stories #127TV personality, husband, and board member of the Red Songbird Foundation, Jason Wahler, joins this week’s episode of "Rooted in Recovery" to share his journey from addict and reality TV star to sobriety and mental health advocacy.
Jason Wahler, a native of Laguna Beach, CA, began his addiction journey during his teenage years, which led him to abandon his dream of becoming a baseball player. In his early adulthood, MTV started shooting “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County,” which not only fueled his ego but also intensified his alcohol and drug abuse. After a traumatic experience, Wahler embarked on the...2023-10-1958 min
Let The Journey Begin#111 - Fork In The Road with Cade Saurage (Part 2)This week, Hilary and Jaana conclude their conversation with Ocean Recovery CEO, Cade Saurage. The previous week we left off with Cade describing the moment he finally surrendered, and we pick back up this week as he describes how things went from there. Both Cade and his then-wife were battling addiction, going through treatment at the same time, and raising kids amid their struggles. With over 15 years of sobriety under his belt now, he discusses the differences between short-term and long-term sobriety and how much his routine has changed over the years. For Cade, having a relationship with God...2022-05-1220 min
Let The Journey Begin#110 - Fork In The Road with Cade Saurage (Part 1)This week, in Part 1 of a two-part episode, Hilary and Jaana Woodbury are joined by Ocean Recovery CEO, Cade Saurage. Growing up surrounded by drinkers, Cade discovered his liking of alcohol at an early age. Lots of drinking in high school eventually evolved into a liking for cocaine later in his college years. It all seemed like fun at the time in his early 20s, but he found out how difficult things would become after college when he had to “grow up”. Cade thought he could do all the right things for himself and his family while also maintaining a th...2022-05-0529 min
Let The Journey Begin#109 - Bring The Light with Pastor Earl FitzsimmonsThis week, Hilary and Jason welcome Bring The Light Ministries Founder, Pastor Earl Fitzsimmons. Feeling out of place in his younger years, Earl just wanted to be “one of the guys”, believing that drinking was the answer. He quickly found out, however, that his drinking was different than that of his peers and that he was drinking alcoholically. Things progressed, as they do, into his early twenties to the point in which Earl would plan his whole day around his drinking and he would be "poured" into a cab by the end of the night. Yet, one day, something snapp...2022-04-2831 min
Let The Journey Begin#108 - One Step Ahead with Mataya MandarinoA few weeks earlier, Danielle Provot was kind enough to share the story of losing her husband to addiction and having to overcome her own struggles with the same disease soon after. During this time, Danielle had two young girls…Mataya was one of them. Today, Mataya Mandarino joins Hilary and Alex to give her perspective of what it was like losing her father at such a young age and how her parents’ struggles with addiction affected her. Losing her father and watching her mom work through it put her into a state of constant anxiety. Mataya felt like she...2022-04-2135 min
Let The Journey Begin#107 - Recipe For Success with Angie WisdomLife and Business Coach, Angie Wisdom, joins Alex and Ariel Gale this week, as they fill in for Hilary and Jason. Stemming from a desire of always wanting to help people, Angie began an early career in nursing. She quickly found out, however, that this was not the right fit for her. She also grew up loving numbers and finance, so she then transitioned into a career as a financial adviser, recognizing this as another method to help people by way of establishing a solid financial well-being. After doing this for many years, she made her way into life...2022-04-1432 min
Let The Journey Begin#106 - Mind, Body, and Spirit with Gil CarmonaHilary and Alex are joined this week by Behavioral Health Care Consultant, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Psychotherapist, Gil Carmona, in preparation for RSF’s Community Town Hall on Mental Health & Suicide this upcoming Sunday, April 10th. At an early age, Gil endured a trauma that would turn his whole life upside down. When he was only 14 years old, his father committed suicide, leaving his entire family in a state of shock and disbelief. Gil, for one, had an enormity of questions, beginning his quest and desire to get to the bottom of “why” his father had done such a thing...2022-04-0734 min
Let The Journey Begin#104 - A Jump In The Middle with Sue BrightThis week, in honor of Women’s History Month, RSF Director of Communications, Jaana Woodbury, fills in with Hilary as Sue Bright joins the show. Now with over 30 years’ experience in the addiction treatment field, Sue began her journey like many others do…identifying and repairing her own addiction. Early into their marriage, Sue supported her husband who began struggling with addiction, but quickly found out important details about herself through his battle. She didn’t think she had a problem but when she was eventually told to start identifying the similarities of her symptoms rather than the differences, everythi...2022-03-2429 min
Let The Journey Begin#103 - Functioning Potential with KC GoodingThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Public Policy Committee Member for NAADAC (Association for Addiction Professionals), President of CASA (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse), Committee Member for NAATP (National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers), and National Business Development Representative for Burning Tree Programs, KC Gooding. As an avid baseball player, KC grew up with big dreams of becoming a pro ball player, however, his athletic dreams began taking a backseat to other endeavors, evolving into an addiction. As this can be a progressive and fatal disease, things continued to get worse as his behavior was...2022-03-1731 min
Let The Journey Begin#102 - Picking Up Pennies with Dylan NationThis week, True Self Recovery’s, Dylan Nation, gives advice and instills some wisdom on Hilary and Alex while Ethan Citron stops by to join the conversation. Dylan grew up with many natural talents and seemed to be great at most things he tried, especially basketball. These successes, however, evolved into his identity, which he describes eventually losing. In the attempt to regain this feeling of self, he turned to drugs and alcohol. This new lifestyle gave him a false sense of identity and an inflated ego that seemed extremely attractive to him at the time but wasn’t actuall...2022-03-1037 min
Let The Journey Begin#099 - Rock Bottom with Annie & Kevin Blake (Part 2)This week, Jason and Hilary conclude their interview with Annie and Kevin Blake. We left off last week with Kevin discussing the depths of his addiction and how he finally got to a place in which he could change, all with Annie sticking by his side and helping him every step of the way. Kevin had finally gotten to a place in which he was doing well and their marriage had healed but the tables began to turn. Annie began feeling ill and could not figure out what was happening to her body until she was eventually diagnosed with...2022-02-1724 min
Let The Journey Begin#098 - Rock Bottom with Annie & Kevin Blake (Part 1)On a special two-part episode from “across the pond”, Hilary’s close friends Annie and Kevin Blake join the show to discuss their marriage, co-dependency, and what the disease of addiction did to their relationship. Kevin suffered from alcoholism for many years before and after Annie married. He was a “functioning alcoholic” and things only got worse as the years went by. He would return home intoxicated on a regular basis, spend important money on alcohol, and communication became nearly impossible for them. Annie explains the reason she never suspected Kevin was an alcoholic was because, in her mind, she had a...2022-02-1033 min
Let The Journey Begin#097 - Worth It with Cathy HolmesThis week, Jason and Alex sit down with Jason’s Aunt Cathy (Holmes) to discuss her own struggles with addiction. Cathy grew up in a household where both parents were alcoholics and she experienced many of the effects that come with volatile, untreated substance abuse. After beginning her own teenage experimentation with drugs and alcohol, she grew so desperate to withdraw from this home atmosphere that she married at a young age solely to get out of the house. In this early marriage, she unfortunately encountered her own share of trauma and abuse and the drugs and alcohol seemed to...2022-02-0334 min
Let The Journey Begin#096 - Shift with Susie ClothierHilary and Alex sit down this week with close friend of Hilary’s, Susie Clothier, to discuss her journey in sobriety. Susie’s drinking career began at a very early age and continued all throughout her teenage years. She grew up in a household in which her parents would argue and she would self-medicate with alcohol to relieve her own tension. Susie also lived with a feeling of “less-than” for most of her childhood as her older sister was an extremely talented athlete. Mostly chalking it up to “just having fun”, she began to realize she had a problem upon complet...2022-01-2737 min
Let The Journey Begin#095 - Peace Within with Anthony BrownThis week, Hilary and Jason bring on founder and director of Coordinating & Assisting Recovery Environments (C.A.R.E), Anthony Brown. From an early age, Anthony experienced nothing but chaos and dysfunction, which led to him running away from home at 14 years old. Needing work and a place to go, he joined a traveling carnival that took him all over the states but also started what would become 23 years of homelessness. Instability and homelessness then spiraled into years and years of drug and alcohol addiction, but finally he reached a point in which he was desperate to get sober...2022-01-2032 min
Let The Journey Begin#094 - The Gray Area with James SewellThis week, Owner/CEO of JDS Consulting, Inc, James Sewell, joins Hilary and Jason. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, James never felt like he could truly be himself; however, during his time in college he finally felt comfortable letting loose and being who he was. He talks about having generalized anxiety and feeling different than his peers, but alcohol was the solution able to bring down the barriers. For him, letting loose meant going out to the bars six days a week and what was once an opportunity to have fun, quickly escalated into a problem. Eventually, his drinking...2022-01-1332 min
Let The Journey Begin#093 - Building Blocks with Bobby LudemanLakewood Recovery (Dallas, TX) Owner, Bobby Ludeman, joins Hilary and Jason this week to ring in the New Year! Growing up, Bobby always had this feeling he didn’t necessarily belong, he was an encumbrance, and that he was on the precipice of being cast out. He found drugs and alcohol in his early teenage years and knew from the very beginning that they were going to be a problem for him. His sickness progressed and only got worse to the point of getting addicted to heroin. In this time, he talks about how his father was always willing to...2022-01-0639 min
Let The Journey Begin#092 - Hilary Roberts (Part 3)Last week, we left off with Hilary finally getting to a place in which she was able to move on from her past and leave some of her former life behind. This week, Hilary talks about the steps she began taking with her mentor and the difficulties that still came along even after all the abuse. She talks about how her past left her with a feeling of unworthiness, emptiness, and an unsettling feeling that her legacy would be nothing more than what she endured. However, through the aid and encouragement of dear friends and mentors, Hilary began to...2021-12-3018 min
Let The Journey Begin#091 - Hilary Roberts (Part 2)This week, we jump into Part 2 of Red Songbird Founder, Hilary Roberts, story of sobriety. All the childhood trauma and abuse caused her to be vulnerable, desperate for love, and seeking a way to escape. She details quite possibly her worst experience with abuse as an adolescent which resulted in an even more diminished view of herself. Her self-esteem in the toilet, she took jobs she never thought she would take, only adding to this cycle of unworthiness that would result in her using drugs and alcohol to numb the feelings. One thing Hilary did have though, was the...2021-12-2324 min
Let The Journey Begin#090 - Hilary Roberts (Part 1)This week, we dive into the story of singer, songwriter, and founder of the Red Songbird Foundation, Hilary Roberts. Hilary experienced trauma and abuse from a very early age which continued all throughout her adolescence. She talks about how there was very little healthy adult supervision growing up and how an ultimate lack of protection resulted in her being subjected to so many abusive people and situations. To make matters worse, nothing was ever done to help her, and things were not taken as seriously as they should have. As the years went by and the abuse continued to...2021-12-1625 min
Let The Journey Begin#089 - Fresh Start with Kristin Candelore1,000 Hours Dry host, Kristin Candelore joins Hilary and Jason this week on Let The Journey Begin. Kristin always knew she drank differently than everyone else around her. When it came to getting the party started or doing anything involving drinking, Kristin was the one to call. However, as she grew into her 20’s, Kristin started to become suspicious something was wrong and that she had a problem. This suspicion grew into more concern after a cross-country bachelorette party turned into what she describes as, “one of the first times she had completely lost control.” Things finally came to a head w...2021-12-0937 min
Let The Journey Begin#088 - Removing The Mask with Chris BentonThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by the second half of The Chris and Sandy Show, Chris Benton. Growing up, Chris described himself as the shiest kid you could ever meet. He explained how he’s not entirely sure where this came from but being molested as a young teenager may have played a major factor. He talks about how he used freestyle biking to get him out of his shell and keep his mind off the abuse but eventually this means of escape transformed into alcohol abuse and an addiction. From forgetting a whole night’s worth of ev...2021-12-0232 min
Let The Journey Begin#087 - Keep The Faith with Sandy BentonSandy Benton, co-host of The Chris and Sandy Show, joins Hilary and Jason on a special Thanksgiving episode of Let The Journey Begin. Sandy experienced a lot of trying times early on in her life. Not only was she bullied as a teenager leading to feelings of low self-esteem and severe anxiety, but she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19 and underwent eight months of chemotherapy. Things started to look up for her when she finally met her husband at 25 years old, but unfortunately discovered he had a hidden alcohol addiction shortly into the marriage. Sandy explains wha...2021-11-2530 min
Let The Journey Begin#085 - Manifest with Sober FaustoSober Fausto is a motivational speaker, recovery coach, author, and founder of the SoCal Hope Dealers movement. Fausto grew up and was surrounded by trauma his whole life. He had an alcoholic father that was never around, he was sexually abused by a peer at a young age, he was molested by an older man in his teenage years, and his mother developed breast cancer. Like every young child, he just wanted to feel loved and accepted and all this trauma left him confused, angry, and full of anxiety. He found drugs and alcohol in the ninth grade as...2021-11-1133 min
Let The Journey Begin#084 - Time Heals with Vito MariaOur very own Director of Development for the Red Songbird Foundation and Founder & CEO of The Maria Group, Vito Maria, joins Hilary and Jason this week. Vito does not personally struggle with drug or alcohol addiction, but he has certainly endured his own fair share of trauma. Vito talks about losing his father suddenly at the age of 17 and how much of a shockwave it sent through his family. Although it is a certain kind of pain no teenager should have to endure, he explains how it ultimately changed the trajectory of his life and made him a stronger...2021-11-0434 min
Let The Journey Begin#083 - Take Action with Shana Vander KooyJason and Alex are joined this week by Helpful Hats Project founder, Shana Vander Kooy. Growing up in a rural farm community, Shana always knew she was destined for bigger and brighter things. She traded in the small town for New York City when she received a scholarship to play collegiate softball. She reminisces on how it was the experience of a lifetime, however, it was also where she was exposed to drugs, alcohol, partying, and the big city lifestyle. Shana eventually found her way to the West Coast where the partying lifestyle continued. It wasn’t until Shana an...2021-10-2831 min
Let The Journey Begin#082 - Perspective Shift with Dr. Corey Jentry, Ph.D.Catalyst Recovery Chief Marketing Officer, Dr. Corey Jentry, Ph.D. joins Hilary and Alex this week. Corey was introduced to treatment at a young age. What he thought was a cool hangout spot for teenagers and young adults, was actually a place his peers were in trying to get sober. He didn’t think he had a problem and didn’t think he was like the people around him, but a particular incident in this treatment center opened his eyes enough to make him realize he did have a drug and alcohol problem and that he couldn’t stop on his...2021-10-2139 min
Let The Journey Begin#080 - Take Me or Save Me with William Walker (Part 1)This week, Hilary and Alex are joined by William Walker, an individual with such an in-depth and deep story, we didn’t think it could be contained into one episode. In Part 1 of a two-part episode, William shares how his drinking career began and how a traumatic car accident would change his life forever, igniting his addictions full force. He loved the way prescription pills made him feel, but when the scripts ran out, he had to find other means to feel this way, which quickly turned into hard drugs. His addictions soon got the better of him, landing hi...2021-10-0726 min
Let The Journey Begin#078 - Reset with Jennifer SmithThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by therapist and CEO of Smith Psychotherapy Group, Jennifer Smith, LMFT. The pandemic has impacted us all in a dramatic way and we’ve all been isolated significantly more than we’re used to within the last year and half. Jennifer gives a therapist’s perspective as to what difficulties she’s seen arise in people of all ages and talks about who she believes has been impacted the most by pandemic isolation. Jennifer also shares some tips and tricks for those suffering and/or wanting to change their lives. For example, she talk...2021-09-2330 min
Let The Journey Begin#077 - Gateway with Kristina PadillaThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Kristina Padilla, Vice President of Education and Strategic Development for the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals. Kristina got involved with gangs and drugs in her teenage years to fit in, feel powerful, and pass the time she had by herself. However, the drugs soon took over and she one day found herself looking up at the ceiling surrounded by paramedics who had revived her after an overdose. This is the day Kristina believes was the turning point in which she no longer wanted to be shackled by this toxic...2021-09-1633 min
Let The Journey Begin#076 - Emotional Recovery with Lisa HolsteThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Lisa Holste, Owner and Master Stylist at Posh | The Salon in Denver, Colorado. Lisa never thought she had a drinking problem until the matter was brought up from the outside. Things had become rocky in her and her husband’s marriage and they began to see a couple’s therapist who eventually suggested she stop drinking for 90 days to see if that would make any difference. She unenthusiastically obliged to the request and completed the 90 days, only to find out her chemistry had changed and those fun nights of drinking had turn...2021-09-0930 min
Let The Journey Begin#075 - Thousand Pound Phone with Adam SmithAdam Smith joins Hilary and Alex this week on Let The Journey Begin. Adam had a good inkling from an early age that he was destined to be an addict, as addiction runs deep within his family. Nonetheless, he grew up in a good family with as many opportunities as a kid could have imagined, hoping to pursue basketball and volleyball professionally down the line. However, like many teenagers, he began experimenting with drugs and alcohol in his middle and high school years because all his friends were doing it. It was a balancing act at first, but Adam...2021-09-0235 min
Let The Journey Begin#074 - Own Your Hope with Pamela ThomasThis week, Jason and Hilary are joined by Oakvine Recovery Center Clinical Director, Pamela Thomas. Pamm is a woman who holds many titles and has achieved many accolades, but it all started at the ripe age of 17 when she joined the military and discovered the drinking culture among soldiers. She explains why it was particularly hard for her to admit she had a problem with alcohol because in military culture, admitting you have a problem is essentially admitting you are weak, which she believes is why so many veterans struggle after transitioning into civilian life. However, her moment of...2021-08-2634 min
Let The Journey Begin#072 - Communication with Lisa Brown Roberts & Erik RobertsLisa Brown Roberts joins Hilary and Jason again this week alongside her husband of 35 years, Erik Roberts (Hilary’s brother), to talk about their relationship and what they’ve done to make it last so long. As Lisa mentioned on last week’s episode, things weren’t always smooth sailing within their marriage, but looking back, they discuss how each of them recognizing they needed to work on themselves began to strengthen their marriage. Both Lisa and Erik sought therapy individually for difficult life situations going on at the time and began going to couples therapy as well to address...2021-08-1239 min
Let The Journey Begin#071 - Chapters of Life with Lisa Brown RobertsThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by author Lisa Brown Roberts. Lisa grew up most of her adolescent life with many secrets. Her father was an alcoholic who spent some time in a mental institution and she struggled with her own battles of depression. That depression only got worse as she dealt with the financial difficulties of a young marriage along with the "far-fetched" dream of becoming a published author. However, things began to improve when she finally sought out a therapist that could help her navigate through these trying waters. This therapist helped Lisa realize that just...2021-08-0532 min
Let The Journey Begin#068 - Aaron Barnes Part 2This week, Hilary and Jason dive back into Part 2 of Aaron Barnes’ journey. They discuss the idea of a “cure” in sobriety and why this idea is such a taboo topic when it comes to recovery. Along the lines of this, Aaron explains why he believes he was “cured” from the desire to want drugs and alcohol; however, he discusses how he continually works his own form of program to keep these urges away. Aaron also discusses how he thought he had found a way to deal with anything that came his way in sobriety but found out he was complet...2021-07-1525 min
Let The Journey Begin#067 - Aaron Barnes Part 1This week, as the first installment of a special two-part episode, Sober Coaching Founder, Aaron Barnes, joins Hilary and Jason. Aaron is a nationally certified recovery coach, sober companion, interventionist, personal trainer, author, and prominent sober influencer. Growing up in a religious household, Aaron didn’t really experience drugs or alcohol until his late teenage years as he was starting college. However, once the college days began, he was off to the races. He joined a fraternity and things progressed quickly from weekend binge drinking sessions to everything in between. The next 20 years of Aaron’s life were filled with...2021-07-0827 min
Let The Journey Begin#066 - Humble & Grateful with Kyle PurschellThis week, Jason (in the middle of newborn baby mode) and Hilary are joined by Kyle Purschell. Descending from a long line of alcoholics and addicts, Kyle believes he was genetically destined to become one himself. His mother left when he was a young child and his father was always battling his own demons, creating a void he would always try to fill with outside substances. Additionally, growing up and being a part of the “cool kids group” in high school who only cared about partying, Kyle got to the point where all he lived for was bodyboarding and fun...2021-07-0128 min
Let The Journey Begin#065 - A Spiritual Insight with Malek VossoughMalek Vossough joins Hilary and Jason this week to talk about how his recovery took him from the streets of skid row in Los Angeles to Santa Monica. Malek grew up with a passion and curiosity for music, but this love was interrupted when he started high school and developed a "social life". Malek wanted to fit in with the "cool" kids and latched onto smoking and drinking to connect with them. He discusses how he was raised by a single mother who couldn’t provide enough discipline to prevent him from deviating from the straight and narrow path. It wasn...2021-06-2430 min
Let The Journey Begin#064 - Taste Recovery with Breezy NowlanBreezy Nowlan, founder and CEO of Taste Recovery, joins Hilary and Alex (filling in for Jason) this week to discuss her journey into sobriety and how she came to create her business. From an early age, Breezy utilized alcohol as a coping mechanism for her stage fright and anxiety, so she thought. However, she eventually discovered that she was really using alcohol as a means to survive. Things began to take a turn when she experienced a blackout in front of her father who then suggested she seek help. Very hesitant at first and in her own stage of...2021-06-1730 min
Let The Journey Begin#063 - Unearthed with Patti GunstreamThis week, certified life coach and owner of Unearthed Wellness Center, Patti Gunstream, joins Hilary and Jason to discuss her experience with loss and how she began her current profession. Patti lost her father as a teenager from a traumatic accident, followed shortly afterwards by several other close losses. She explains how, for almost five years after her father’s death, her family did not even speak his name. She believes this was ultimately a coping mechanism for her mother as well as her siblings to stay strong and survive. However, this tactic ended up doing more damage than sh...2021-06-1031 min
Let The Journey Begin#062 - Power & Control with Brianne DavisThis week, actress, producer, director, author, and host of the mental health podcast, Secret Life, Brianne Davis joins Hilary and Jason to talk about her 10 years of recovery as a sex and love addict. Brianne explains that she didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up, but she knew she loved the feeling of having power and having control over her peers. Before she knew it, she would ruin good relationships and friendships in the quest for this “high” she received from the attention and validation of others. Brianne stresses how you can still be a sex a...2021-06-0334 min
Let The Journey Begin#061 - One Step At A Time with Paul AlexanderPaul Alexander is the founder and CEO of Northbound Treatment Services in Southern California. Like many teenagers do, Paul began experimenting with alcohol in his teenage years and he immediately knew that he loved the feeling. A few years later, after getting very interested in existentialism, he began experimenting with harder substances which eventually led him to opiates, specifically heroin. Soon after, Paul found himself addicted to the substance. He was able to keep the balancing act of going to college and maintaining a heroin habit together for a few years, but the drug finally took over. He was...2021-05-2730 min
Let The Journey Begin#060 - Inside Out with Alex ThomsenThis week, Alex Thomsen joins Jason and Alex (filling in for Hilary) to discuss his journey in sobriety. Alex grew up not having any big aspirations or career goals and simply lived life waiting for the “next thing.” However, deep down he knew there was always a piece of him that was trying to please his father and one of these expectations was that he would attend college. He did eventually go to college and began cramming as much drinking and partying into his life as he could. Unfortunately, he never considered it a problem until much later down the r...2021-05-2030 min
Let The Journey Begin#059 - Sense of Self with Satch SeldenThis week, Jason and Alex, filling in for Hilary, are joined by Satch Selden, the Director of Business Development & Admissions for Dream Recovery in Costa Mesa, CA. Jason always likes to stress that the disease of addiction does not discriminate and Satch is a true example of this. Satch grew up in a well-off household in which both parents were Ivy League graduates with very respectable careers. Money was never an issue, his home-life was great, but Satch still found his way to opiates at the age of 18. He got his wisdom teeth removed and was prescribed painkillers to...2021-05-1330 min
Let The Journey Begin#058 - Free with Russell HowardRussell Howard, co-founder and head composer of Signature Tracks, joins Jason and Alex, filling in for Hilary, to talk about his rise in the music industry as well as his battle with substance abuse along the way. From an early age, Russ knew that music was his calling. He began writing raps and producing beats at the age of 12, and later, with the help of high school friend, Kobe Bryant, he found himself immersed in the Philadelphia music scene. However, as his career in the music industry became more serious, so did his drug use. Drinking and smoking weed...2021-05-0635 min
Let The Journey Begin#057 - Grass Is Greener with Andrew SchafferGratitude Lodge’s Andrew Schaffer joins Hilary and Alex this week to talk about treatment and how he ultimately became sober. Growing up an insecure kid yearning for camaraderie, Andrew thought that using drugs and alcohol would lead to acceptance by his peers. At the age of 13, Andrew's feelings of insecurity were exacerbated when he endured a terrible sexual trauma. At this point in his life, he began looking for a solution to help him cope with his demons. Later down the road, when he took his first real drink, he knew this was the answer he had been lo...2021-04-2933 min
Let The Journey Begin#056 - Acceptance with Carm PileggiEducator, support worker, mental health advocate, and founder of Girls Gotta Heal, Carm Pileggi, joins Jason and Alex this week as he fills in for Hilary. Carm experienced trauma at a young age, particularly as a teenager, when her father suffered a heart attack and was confined to a hospital bed for several years. He unfortunately passed away due to complications and, if dealing with that loss wasn't hard enough, both of Carm’s grandparents also passed away within a few weeks of her father. Needless to say, as Carm began to navigate through the ups and downs of hi...2021-04-2235 min
Let The Journey Begin#055 - Day By Day with Braunwyn Windham-BurkeThe Real Housewives of Orange County star, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, joins Hilary and Alex this week to talk about her recent transition into sobriety. Braunwyn began drinking at the age of 14 and immediately knew after she took the first sip that this is what she had been missing. Growing up she never felt comfortable or that she fit in and alcohol provided the social lubricant that took all those worries away. After many years of partying and meeting her husband in college, she had her first child at 22 years old and continued on the path of motherhood six more times...2021-04-1534 min
Let The Journey Begin#053 - Getting Honest with Kyle InfanteBehavioral Healthcare Executive and contributor for Forbes, Kyle Infante, joins Hilary and Jason this week on Let The Journey Begin. Kyle’s substance abuse began after a traumatic middle school experience that gave him a prescription for painkillers. He began to abuse those painkillers and his substance abuse evolved into a full-on addiction over the years to a host of different things, including heroin, methamphetamine, prescription drugs, sex, and later an eating disorder. This disease resulted in him having stolen thousands of dollars from his parents, his friends wanting nothing to do with him, and his body wasting away. Ky...2021-04-0136 min
Let The Journey Begin#052 - Boundaries with Laura HawkinsLaura Hawkins is a mental health and substance abuse counselor who has spent over a decade in social work, specializing in homeless adults. She obtained an Undergraduate Degree in Applied Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Criminology from Regis University in Denver, CO. She also has a CADPT certification in the state of California. Her objective is to open her own non-profit organization to address the homelessness epidemic in Los Angeles. This week, Laura joins Hilary and Jason on the show to talk about her own traumas as well as the work she does as a me...2021-03-2530 min
Let The Journey Begin#051 - Damon SharpeHilary and Jason are joined this week by Grammy-award winning record producer and songwriter Damon Sharpe. Although Damon does not personally battle with alcoholism or substance abuse, he has experienced his own fair share of hardships and gives us an inside perspective as to what addiction can do to those around the individual struggling. At an early age Damon found success in the entertainment industry only to have it all taken away from him at a moment’s notice. From here, he went through a difficult period of figuring out who he was and what he wanted to pursue. Th...2021-03-1831 min
Let The Journey Begin#050 - Changing History with Amy FieldThis week, Jason and Alex Meschi (filling in for Hilary) sit down with Amy Field, Clinical Director of Gratitude Lodge, to discuss her own sobriety journey and what it’s like working in the treatment field. Amy grew up in a tumultuous household and began using drugs and alcohol to escape the realities she continually dealt with. As she got older, each substance progressed into something stronger, but she believes her initial usage can be traced all the way back to her smoking cigarettes, something Jason finds very relatable. Her moment of clarity came after she had her son an...2021-03-1133 min
Let The Journey Begin#049 - Compassion and Curiosity with Ana SantaolallaAna Santaolalla joins Hilary and Alex Meschi (filling in for Jason) on the show this week to discuss her journey and how she uses those experiences to help others. Ana is a Los Angeles based holistic and integrative psychotherapist who specializes in trauma. Ana experienced her own sexual trauma as a teenager and had to find ways to cope and process what she had gone through. She found power in yoga which helped connect her to her spirituality. Eventually, this led to her exploration of Eastern philosophies and practices, including Buddhist psychology, Zen, mindfulness, meditation, and holistic wellness, in...2021-03-0427 min
Let The Journey Begin#048 - Vulnerability with Kevin WinbauerKevin Winbauer is the Chief Swiss Army Knife of Sterile Safe Solutions, an innovative engineering firm that develops full scale environments that highly mitigate risk of COVID and other airborne viruses through Tools, Technology, and Training. Kevin joins Hilary and Jason this week to talk about his recent jump into sobriety. Kevin grew up playing sports and being the life of the party. Recreational drinking, having a good time on the weekend, and making questionable decisions were the norm for Kevin. However, things began to change when he had children and started to realize he was no...2021-02-2533 min
Let The Journey Begin#047 - Let Go and Heal with Jenny LeoneJenny Leone joins the show this week as Alex Meschi (Red Songbird Foundation Executive Director) fills in for Hilary alongside Jason. Jenny grew up aspiring to be many things including a veterinarian and later (and more extravagantly) a Vegas showgirl. However, experiencing sexual abuse at a young age led her down a path of drug usage to cope with the trauma. The drug usage only progressed, continuing on for 20 years, causing her career aspirations to take a sharp turn and to a place that she eventually realized was not good or at all normal. Jenny eventually had a son...2021-02-1830 min
Let The Journey Begin#046 - Pain To Purpose with Lacy NicoleThis week, we bring on a very special guest, Lacy Nicole! Lacy grew up aspiring to be and later becoming a stylist, fully diving into the world that is fashion and entertainment. However, her life and perspective completely changed when a particularly terrifying experience occurred: she was kidnapped. Lacy describes to Hilary and Jason what happened the night she was abducted with a friend and how a guardian angel was truly looking out for them that night. She goes on to explain that after the incident, she began to develop a slew of health problems that almost made her...2021-02-1134 min
Let The Journey Begin#045 - Epic Journey with Preston DurnfordThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by CEO/President of Epic Journey and Owner of Fresh Start of California, Preston Durnford. Preston grew up loving action sports and idolizing such stars as Travis Pastrana and Robbie Maddison, although his older brother was truly his hero. However, being surrounded by the wrong crowd began to take his older brother down a dark road, which Preston of course wanted to be a part of. Preston began to develop a serious heroin addiction but after finally hitting rock bottom, he knew he had to make a change for good. In the...2021-02-0432 min
Let The Journey Begin#044 - Codependency with Lisa A. RomanoThis week, we bring on a person who played a major role in Hilary’s life: breakthrough life coach and best-selling author, Lisa A. Romano. Lisa created a 12-week breakthrough coaching program helping individuals heal from codependency and narcissistic abuse. Personally suffering from emotional neglect and codependency growing up, Lisa had to find a way out of the confusion a codependent mind can be. She explains how the work she had to do on herself, in a way becoming her own case study, led to her eventually coaching others. Like the flip of a switch, Lisa went from enduring al...2021-01-2838 min
Let The Journey Begin#042 - Just Keep Walking with Franki OlingerHilary flies solo this week and welcomes guest Franki Olinger, author and Owner/Head Coach of Olinger Coaching, to the show. From childhood, Franki has been no stranger to tragedy. She was abused as a child, experienced an extremely traumatic incident with a boyfriend, suffered from low self-esteem, and ultimately used drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with the pain. Franki got to a point in her life in which she knew she needed help and, in the strange way that God works, opportunities began to present themselves that would ultimately transform her life as well...2021-01-1432 min
Let The Journey Begin#041 - Train Isn't Stopping with Jackson RowdenHilary and Jason ring in the New Year with Jackson Rowden. Many times on Let The Journey Begin, certain traumas or particular situations lead our guests down a path of drugs and alcohol. However, in Jackson’s case, he explains that he just simply liked the feeling that drugs and alcohol provided him. One day he began to realize that “this train wasn’t stopping” and reached out for help knowing that his usage had become a problem. From that moment, Jackson dove head-on into treatment and has celebrated over seven years of sobriety. Addiction is a peculiar disease and Jack...2021-01-0734 min
Let The Journey Begin#040 - Blueprint For Choices with Chad RobichauxChad Robichaux is a former Force Recon Marine and Department of Defense Contractor with eight deployments to Afghanistan as part of a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Task Force and is also a former professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Champion. He is president and founder of Mighty Oaks Foundation, one of the most impactful nonprofit organizations serving our military and first responder communities. Closing out a crazy 2020, Chad joins Hilary and Jason this week to talk about his time in the military, how it affected his home life, and what he is doing now to help veterans...2020-12-3138 min
Let The Journey Begin#039 - Making Amends with Ethan CitronEthan Citron sits down with Hilary and Jason this Holiday week to walk us through his journey to sobriety. Originally from New Jersey, Ethan began experimenting with alcohol at just 13 years old and even at such a young age, the drink took hold of him. As he grew older, grades, sports, career…all of that took a back seat to alcohol. Finally, a few, simple, harsh words at the age of 38 served as his “moment of clarity,” causing him to take a one-way flight to California in order to get sober. In Ethan’s case (as many of us have exp...2020-12-2425 min
Let The Journey Begin#038 - Connection with Sean AmbrizTwo Bronze Stars with Valor and Purple Heart recipient, Sean Tobias Ambriz, released Ghosts of the Valley: a book of true stories displaying honor and sacrifice of a small group of Military Police who helped shape major combat operations in the mountainous battlefields of Afghanistan. The book also aims to provide resources for soldiers and open them to the vulnerability of PTSD. Military instructor, Sean Ambriz, joins Hilary and Jason this week to talk about his time in the military and how powerful PTSD can be. Joining the military out of high school, Sean had a much dif...2020-12-1731 min
Let The Journey Begin#037 - No Matter What with Matt PinfieldMatt Pinfield is a music personality, TV host, radio DJ, and video DJ most notably for MTV and VH1. Matt also worked as Vice President of A&R and Artist Development for Columbia Records. A man of many titles, Matt Pinfield has lived more life than a dozen people combined could compare. Recently seven months sober, Matt joins Hilary and Jason this week to discuss his life in music and his own road to recovery. Matt always wanted to have a career in the music business, which he very successfully attained; however, the business began to cause...2020-12-1037 min
Let The Journey Begin#036 - Break The Cycle with West ChristianWest Christian is an internet entrepreneur who most notably started Food Handler Solutions in 2015 which has since trained or certified more than 500,000 food service workers across the country. He attended the University of Arizona where he studied Business Marketing and discovered his love for music. Before starting his company, West traveled all over Arizona, Nevada and California as a DJ preforming on the same stages as some of the biggest names in electronic music at the time. In 2018 he was awarded the title of Marketer of the year by Marketing University for his business’ rapid growth. West recently welcomed hi...2020-12-0333 min
Let The Journey Begin#035 - Jason Wahler Part 2Join us as we conclude Part 2 of Jason Wahler’s personal recovery story. We left off last week with Jason explaining how, after five years of sobriety, he fell into a relapse. Jason walks us through his relapse and expresses how much it negatively affected his personal life along with his progress in sobriety. Jason also explains what has changed this time around in his path to sobriety and how his approach is much different now than it has been in the past. Today, Jason is walking the walk with a solid foundation, ultimately stressing that the simpler things in...2020-11-2631 min
Let The Journey Begin#034 - Jason Wahler Part 1This week, our very own Jason Wahler sits down with Hilary to walk us through his path to sobriety. With early aspirations of becoming a professional baseball player, he was derailed in his teenage years by a life he would have never imagined himself living. He endured the lowest of lows while in the depths of his addictions but now uses his experiences to help others struggling and to hopefully make a difference in someone’s life. With so much to get into, there was no way one episode could do Jason’s story justice! For m...2020-11-1933 min
Let The Journey Begin#033 - Called To Serve with Edward ChoiThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Army veteran and California Chapter Director of The Birdwell Foundation, Edward Choi, to discuss Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and what The Birdwell Foundation does to help those struggling with it. Growing up, Ed always knew that he wanted to spend his life helping others and being of service. At the age of 17, he discovered the ministry was his calling and at the age of 30, he enlisted in the military as an Army Chaplain. After serving three tours of duty overseas, Ed experienced his own fair share of trauma, whether it...2020-11-1239 min
Let The Journey Begin#032 - Thankful with B. TaylorThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by B. Taylor to discuss some of the traumas he experienced while serving in the military and what has helped him overcome these hardships. B. is a multi-award-winning artist, producer, songwriter, author, speaker, and decorated Navy veteran, in which he was awarded special duty and an honorary discharge by the Secretary of the Navy. Today, among many other things, he maintains an active presence as a Global Ambassador/Advocate of Music and Entertainment for the U.S. Military, Veterans, First Responders and their families, and has been supported by many top-ranking officials fr...2020-11-0538 min
Let The Journey Begin#031 - The Little Wins with Kayla LyonsThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Kayla Lyons, Founder and CEO of 1,000 Hours Dry as well as the host of The Dry Life podcast. Kayla spent a large portion of her childhood moving around the world due to her father’s line of work. Unfortunately, the instability that comes with constant relocation at a young age contributed to a lack of self-identity. During her teenage years, Kayla turned to drugs and alcohol while trying to establish this missing identity which resulted in poor decisions harming her both physically and emotionally. It wasn’t until the passing of her gr...2020-10-2938 min
Let The Journey Begin#030 - At Peace with Garvey DanielsThis week, Garvey Daniels is kind enough to join Hilary and Jason to talk about what sobriety means to him today. Garvey began dabbling with alcohol at an early age, but it didn’t fully develop into a habit until college, which he later turned into a career. While working in the wine industry, he started to suspect he had a problem with alcohol and turned to an unlikely source for guidance: his mom. Garvey’s mother had struggled with alcohol addiction when he was younger and because of this, he explains how she completely laid the groundwork and blue...2020-10-2236 min
Let The Journey Begin#029 - Your Tribe Is Your Vibe with Natalia TaylorNatalia Taylor is an American model and singer who's made a name for herself on YouTube with over 2 million subscribers. With her fan's captive attention, Natalia spills the tea on current pop culture headlines and hot topics circulating online. With that, Natalia is quickly becoming a global phenomenon. Her recent IKEA video went viral globally and was featured in an interview with People Magazine, CNN, and Cosmopolitan España. In addition to viral videos, Natalia has released several singles including, 'Which Me,' with an accompanying music video, from her upcoming EP. On this week’s episode of...2020-10-1532 min
Let The Journey Begin#028 - Where I Belong with Leonard BadeOn this week’s show, Leonard Bade joins Hilary and Jason on National Sober Day to talk about his own sobriety of 37 years. Like many other alcoholics and addicts, they find at a certain point they are living a double life and Leonard was no different. After completing college, he was a high-ranking executive for a major corporation but was also a struggling alcoholic behind the scenes. It wasn’t until he attended a group alcoholic meeting with a friend that he realized he needed help and that this particular place was where he belonged. Leonard stresses the importance of s...2020-10-0828 min
Let The Journey Begin#027 - No Regrets with Alex MeschiThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by the Red Songbird Foundation Executive Director, Alex Meschi. Alex is what many in recovery would refer to as a “normie,” or one who is not currently in active addiction or recovery. However, even though Alex has not struggled himself with many of the things that individuals involved with the Red Songbird Foundation have, he has certainly had his own fair share of struggles. Alex grew up with many big-time aspirations, whether it be a firefighter or an astronaut, but he knew early on that being a professional baseball player was...2020-10-0131 min
Let The Journey Begin#026 - Be of Service with Bryanna WallaceThis week, Bryanna Wallace joins Hilary and Jason on Let The Journey Begin. Like many individuals, Bryanna started down her path of addiction at a young age. An unfortunate cocktail of external factors including an emotionally absent parent, a torn ACL from soccer, as well as switching schools in the midst of high school resulted in a party lifestyle for Bryanna. From there, whether it be her use of crystal meth at the age of 17 or her drug of choice in alcohol, things went downhill quickly. Bryanna explains how toxic relationships also had a negative impact on her and...2020-09-2425 min
Let The Journey Begin#025 - A Servant's Heart with Gary CoffmanThis week, we go back in time a few months following the 4th of July as Gary Coffman, a man who watched Hilary get sober years ago, joins Let The Journey Begin to talk about his own unique journey. From an early age, Gary always wanted to be an entertainer. Whether it be an actor or a Jerry Lee Lewis impressionist, being in front of others was his calling. That is, until the entertainment lifestyle began to swallow Gary up. With alcoholism running in his family and being introduced to cocaine while performing, a bad cocktail of substances took G...2020-09-1731 min
Let The Journey Begin#024 - Power In Appreciation with Jaana WoodburyJaana Woodbury is the Vice President of Marketing for Safe Harbor Treatment Center for Women. Jaana can be noted for her philanthropy and advocacy toward addiction and mental health issues. In an effort to shed light on family systems and addiction, Jaana’s family was featured on Sesame Street’s, “Parental Addiction” series which recently won a Daytime Emmy for the short film. She has also been featured in several publications including Cosmopolitan for sharing her knowledge and work in the addiction field. Today, while serving as Vice President of Marketing for Safe Harbor, she hopes to expand business as well as r...2020-09-1034 min
Let The Journey Begin#023 - A Very Special Birthday with Adam SteindlerWe have a special show this week, as Jason's lifelong friend, Adam Steindler, joins us to celebrate his eight-year birthday of sobriety. Adam grew up with a normal childhood in Orange County, but it wasn’t until he got to college that he realized he might have a substance abuse problem. A girl he was dating at the time expressed her concern with his alcohol consumption and demanded he make a change. However, rather than cutting down on the drinking as she requested, he instead made the switch to pain medications in order to achieve the same effect and it...2020-09-0337 min
Let The Journey Begin#022 - Every Trauma Is A Gift with Cyndi M.This week, Cyndi M. joins Hilary and Jason to give us all a little hope and perspective. Cyndi was adopted into a tumultuous household at a young age. In order to cope with this rough upbringing she experienced on a regular basis, she turned to alcohol at merely nine years old. From then on, Cyndi explains how her life was taken over by the addiction of alcohol and it wasn’t until she accrued her seventh felony charge at the age of 17 that there was finally a moment of clarity that motivated her to seek help and treatment. In Cy...2020-08-2733 min
Let The Journey Begin#021 - Quest For Gratitude with Julian NessThis week, Hilary and Jason go back in time to the George Floyd protests going on across the country and sit down with musician Julian Ness. Julian discusses how butting heads with his father created a good deal of teenage angst within himself, to the point where whatever his father would tell him to do, he would try to do the opposite. This conflict came to a boiling point when Julian was kicked out of the house at age 16 and began moving from one friend’s house to another. However, as he became more immersed in drugs and alcohol, th...2020-08-2033 min
Let The Journey Begin#020 - Changing The Picture with Dr. Dan HeadrickDaniel Headrick, MD, is the medical director and owner of Tres Vistas Recovery in San Juan Capistrano, California. Before opening Tres Vistas Recovery, Dr. Headrick served for eight years as the medical director at Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach, California, and eleven years as the Medical Director of Hoag Hospital’s Chemical Dependency Center in Newport Beach, California. Dr. Headrick – known by his patients as Dr. Dan - joins Hilary and Jason this week on Let The Journey Begin to discuss his own personal experiences with recovery. Dr. Headrick knew from an early age that he wanted to b...2020-08-1336 min
Let The Journey Begin#019 - One and Done with Pete BoyerThis week, on Let The Journey Begin, Hilary and Jason are joined by Pete Boyer. For 45 years, Pete viewed his drinking as more of a habit rather than a problem. However, things changed the moment he suffered a mild heart attack, in addition to a few other health issues, at which point his two daughters suggested he quit drinking and seek help. Now, after going through treatment and almost a year of sobriety, Pete explains how he manages to stay on the path. Hilary, Jason, and Pete also go over the idea of being just a “social drinker” and what...2020-08-0628 min
Let The Journey Begin#018 - Love Yourself No Matter What with Dr. Sarah WilliamsThis week, Hilary and Jason have the pleasure of speaking with licensed mental health counselor and psychotherapist, Dr. Sarah Williams, to discuss her journey as well as the current state of mental health care. Growing up, Dr. Williams’ father always wanted her to be a doctor, but that path was derailed when her father passed away in the midst of pursuing her degree. Her father’s passing unfortunately put her family in a difficult financial situation, so she knew that if she wanted to become a doctor one day, she would have to go about it a different way. In t...2020-07-3034 min
Let The Journey Begin#017 - The Gift That Keeps On Giving with Dr. Sharon BurnettThis week, teacher, mentor, and psychotherapist Dr. Sharon Burnett joins Hilary and Jason to discuss the understanding and processing of trauma. Dr. Burnett believes that everyone has experienced some form of trauma within their life, minor or major, with her being no exception. She recounts how the loss of her young brother due to a drunk driver had a big impact on her emotions, only to be followed up a few years later with the loss of her mother. She explains how individuals will use substances as a way to run from trauma and although substances may be a...2020-07-2340 min
Let The Journey Begin#016 - Mending The Bridges with James M.James M. joins Hilary and Jason this week to talk about his journey. After experiencing his parents’ divorce at a young age, James tells of how he spent his childhood in Utah with his father, where he came to know prejudice and racism that left a sour taste in his mouth. James realized at an early age that he was gay, but with the prejudice and racism he witnessed in Utah, even from his own family, he knew he would be forced to hide his sexuality from his father. By having to suppress his true feelings, he began using su...2020-07-1634 min
Let The Journey Begin#015 - Hitting The Finish Line with Vic AssadThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Victor Assad, a man who has been a valuable mentor to Jason throughout the years. Vic grew up striving to become a professional tennis player, but found that the sport served more as a coping mechanism for his early trauma and as a means of acceptance from his peers. Along those lines, Vic recounts how, at an early age, a trusted individual within his family forced him into making choices he did not want to make, which ultimately had lasting consequences on his life. Finally, Vic tells Hilary and Jason about...2020-07-0931 min
Let The Journey Begin#014 - The Addiction of More with Daniel Williams-GoldbergThis week, Daniel Williams-Goldberg joins Hilary and Jason to break down how his addictions ruined many opportunities and almost ruined his life. Originally wanting to be a musician, Daniel explains how in his early 20's he was in a band that was on its way to a record deal, only to find out years later that his drug and alcohol addictions were what ultimately caused the deal to fall through. He also discusses that during the darkest moments of his addiction he turned to violence, which resulted in the loss of his job and homelessness. Today, after 21.5 years of s...2020-07-0231 min
Let The Journey Begin#013 - Education and Recovery with Daniel PattersonThis week, Daniel Patterson of Patterson Perspective joins Hilary and Jason to talk about his journey and the passion he has for helping struggling adolescents. Daniel dealt with his own fear and mental trauma growing up, eventually leading to the alcoholism that steered him away from pursuing his dream of becoming a political speech writer. While spending the greater part of 17 years in education, Daniel explains how at one point in his life he was his own paradox: living one well-kept, socially acceptable life in public but also delving into his own addiction behind closed doors. Finally, he details...2020-06-2532 min
Let The Journey Begin#012 - Keep Getting Back Up with Cathryn K.This week, Cathryn K. joins Hilary and Jason on Let The Journey Begin to further discuss love addiction and the importance of resiliency. Cathryn explains how at one point in her life she would be whatever anybody wanted her to be just so that she would be accepted and loved. Because of this, she believed she had become “defiantly autonomous,” a “competent imposter,” and perhaps a “counterfeit human-being.” She also details, in a rare situation, how her mother was really the issue whilst growing up even though her father was the alcoholic. Today, Cathryn credits prayer and meditation as successful d...2020-06-1836 min
Let The Journey Begin#011 - I Am Enough with Janice GauntOn Let The Journey Begin, we like to bring on guests who have suffered from all different kinds of addiction and trauma. This week in particular, Hilary and Jason bring on Dallas-based therapist and author of The Shame Game, Janice Gaunt, to talk about love addiction. Janice breaks down exactly what love addiction is, the definition of co-dependency, and her own early struggles with both. Life is much different now for Janice and she stresses how important self-worth is in overcoming all forms of addiction. The Shame Game is aimed at helping others get beyond the adapted...2020-06-1136 min
Let The Journey Begin#010 - Never Alone with Jay QuinnThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by Jay Quinn. Jay details how a few innocent drinks during business trips quickly became a full-blown habit and an addiction. He explains how in the past he never thought he had a problem until he was faced with an empty home, to which alcohol became the solution. For Jay, facing his children was the hardest part of his recovery, but he tells Hilary and Jason that they are some of the most important people in his life when it comes to keeping accountability throughout his journey. After getting sober, Jay explains...2020-06-0428 min
Let The Journey Begin#009 - Consumed By Recovery with Pauly AndersonPauly Anderson joins Hilary and Jason a few early weeks into quarantine to walk us through his road to recovery. Pauly details what it was like growing up in southeastern Wisconsin in the 1970’s and how his desire of becoming a professional athlete was derailed by his addictions. After being in active addiction for nine years, Pauly finally surrendered and was willing to do whatever it would take to get sober in order to be there for his children. Throughout the episode, Pauly stresses the importance of mentorship as it has helped him stay sober for the past 31 years! He...2020-05-2825 min
Let The Journey Begin#008 - Gifts of The Unknown with Richie BlairRichard “Richie” Blair, the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Recovery, has worked in the recovery field since 2002. Early on Richie realized his passion for helping those afflicted with substance abuse. He has spent the majority of his 17 years in the treatment field facilitating interventions, detoxes, and coaching cases. This week, Hilary and Jason are joined by one of Jason’s longtime friends, Richie Blair. Richie details how growing up in a single parent household contributed to his desire to become an actor and how that early-on pursuit added to his feelings of low self-worth. Richie discusses how substa...2020-05-2132 min
Let The Journey Begin#007 - Living In The Moment with John "JT" TomkinsonThis week, Hilary and Jason are joined by longtime broadcaster, John “JT” Tomkinson. He tells us the story of how he was able to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a broadcaster, only to have it derailed by his addictions. Not only did JT’s addictions jeopardize his career, but they also contributed to his feelings of worthiness and self-doubt. Today, after many ups and downs, he has a found a new way to live. JT details the day he got sober and credits “living in the moment” as one of the main reasons he has been able to maintain h...2020-05-1434 min
Let The Journey Begin#006 - Remember The Pause with Josh FeldmanWe have another great episode this week as we are accompanied by Josh Feldman. Josh was awarded a Drug and Alcohol Counseling certificate from the University of the Pacific and has co-facilitated Psychodrama groups. He has been in the addiction treatment field for nearly a decade and during that time has worked as a Chemical Dependency Tech, Medication Tech, Business Development Representative, Admissions Director, Counselor and Program Director/COO/Owner of his own sober companion and in-home treatment company. Josh joined Hilary and Jason right before the COVID-19 quarantine to tell us his story and how he...2020-05-0724 min
Let The Journey Begin#005 - The Solutions Began To Backfire with Jim MoorheadThis week we are joined by longtime magazine publisher, Jim Moorhead. After getting sober in 2007, Jim decided to launch Renew Media to support individuals and families in recovery. Jim has always said, "the most attractive alternative to active addiction is recovery. The other options…not so good." Similar to the Red Songbird Foundation, he believes that by providing people with the resources to get help, they too can realize the blessings of a life in recovery. In this episode, Jim opens up about his childhood and how some of his experiences may have been contributing factors to his...2020-04-3028 min
Let The Journey Begin#004 - My Dark Past Is My Greatest Possession with Paula Geis PartinPaula Geis Partin was raised in Central California in a home full of alcoholism and abuse. At 14 years old, she took her first drink which began her drug and alcohol addiction. Although she spent many years in state institutions trying to recover from her troubled childhood, her healing didn't begin until she opened up about surviving the sexual and physical abuse she endured. Paula now sees her dark past as her greatest asset and uses her experiences to help others. She has just celebrated forty years of being clean and sober! This week, Hilary gives us a little in...2020-04-2325 min
Let The Journey Begin#001 - Addiction Doesn't DiscriminateOn today's episode, Hilary & Jason discuss some of the things that ultimately led to their addictions. Although Hilary & Jason came from much different backgrounds, they still ended up being consumed by the disease of addiction. They explain how their goal with this podcast is to reach out to individuals in the world that may be struggling with addiction, mental health, trauma, etc. and to hopefully provide solutions through the relatability of their guests. New episodes every Thursday! Please subscribe, rate, and review! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or...2020-04-0827 min
Let The Journey Begin#000 - PreviewAs co-chairs of the Red Songbird Foundation, hosts Hilary Roberts and Jason Wahler hope to help others heal from the darkness of their past. On Let The Journey Begin, we want to provide a safe and comfortable environment to have an uncomfortable conversation. We will bring on guests from all walks of life to hear their stories, trials and tribulations that they have faced and or are facing. By looking at their journey, we hope to provide our audience with relatable content that may offer a different perspective or even a solution.2020-03-2702 min