Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Elisa Nicole Saunders was a Palm Beach County schoolteacher, standing in front of classrooms every day — and quietly drinking and drugging her way through 30 years of addiction. Two DUIs. A five-car pile-up. Crashing drunk into a tow truck while two people had to run for their lives. Sitting in a jail cell staring at her wrist, wondering how it got this bad.

She never wanted to get sober. A judge gave her the nudge.

Now, coming up on 15 years of sobriety, Elisa has rebuilt her life from the ground up — from losing her teaching certificate, to borrowing gas money to attend an addiction conference, to becoming a respected professional in the drug and alcohol rehabilitation industry in Los Angeles.

In this honest and deeply moving episode of Rise Above, Elisa shares:

• Teaching school hungover and in active alcoholism for over a decade
• Two DUIs — including a drunk driving crash that nearly killed two people
• What it really means to be "dry" versus truly sober — and why she was more miserable without drinking than with it
• Relapsing after treatment and spending years "white-knuckling" without a program
• Why financial amends took her 14 years to complete — and why she finally did it
• Losing both parents in sobriety and navigating grief without picking up
• How a deep spiritual connection became the foundation everything else was built on
• Going from Hurricane Liza — the woman who wrecked every room she walked into — to a woman who gives back without expecting anything in return

This one is for anyone who thinks they're functioning just fine — and for anyone who's been sober a while but still feels like something's missing.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week 📲 Follow Elisa: @elisansaunders (Instagram & Facebook) | linkedin.com/in/elisansaunders

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

#RiseAbove #FunctioningAlcoholic #AlcoholRecovery #SoberLife #15YearsSober #DUIStory #TeacherInRecovery#AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #SpiritualAwakening #WomenInRecovery #SobrietyJourney#MentalHealth #GriefAndRecovery #TwelveStepper #RiseAbovePodcast #KevinLanning #ElisaSaunders#DrinkingAndDriving #OneMoreDay

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan Freeman had everything going for him — loving parents, a spot at one of the top business schools in the country, varsity baseball, and a bright future. But behind closed doors, he was ordering Xanax off the dark web, gambling with money he didn't have, blacking out and not remembering a single thing from the night before — and calling it normal.

By his sophomore year at Indiana University, Jordan was locked in his apartment alone, blinds down, friends knocking on the door, completely lost. He didn't want to die. He just couldn't see any hope left.

Now, coming up on 5 years clean from drugs and gambling and nearly 3 years alcohol-free, Jordan is finishing his Masters in Social Work at NYU and helping others find the path he fought so hard to find himself.

In this raw and honest episode of Rise Above, Jordan shares:

• Ordering fentanyl-laced Xanax off the dark web in high school and college
• How gambling consumed every dollar, every thought, and every relationship
• The day he sat his parents down and finally said "I can't stop — I need help"
• Three months in treatment in Orange County and what actually changed
• Why he relapsed on alcohol nine months in — and how he came back stronger
• What it really looks like to get sober in your early twenties
• How he's now guiding families and individuals through the recovery process

If you're a young person who thinks addiction could never happen to you — this episode is for you.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week 📲 Follow Jordan Freeman: @blueprintbyjordan (TikTok & Instagram)

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

#RiseAbove #CollegeAddiction #GamblingAddiction #SoberLife #XanaxAddiction #DarkWeb #RecoveryIsPossible#GenZSober #AddictionRecovery #YoungAndSober #GamblersAnonymous #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealth#RecoveryCoach #SocialWork #RiseAbovePodcast #KevinLanning #JordanFreeman #FentanylAwareness#OneMoreDay

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I went inside Compassion Behavioral Health (CBH) headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to experience neurofeedback firsthand — and I vlogged the whole thing. In this episode, I go through my first two sessions: 🧠 Session 1 — Brain Mapping: Reading my actual brainwave patterns, identifying high-stress areas, mood fluctuations, and self-regulation challenges. ⚡ Session 2 — Brain Training: Wearing sensors while my brain learns to regulate itself in real time — watching a screen dim and brighten based on my own brainwave activity. We talk about how neurofeedback is being used to address: ✔️ PTSD & Trauma ✔️ Anxiety & Depression ✔️ ADHD ✔️ Addiction (drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex addiction) ✔️ Emotional dysregulation & mood swings --- 🏥 ABOUT COMPASSION BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Compassion Behavioral Health (CBH) is a leading treatment center based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, dedicated to helping people heal from addiction, mental health challenges, and co-occurring disorders. CBH offers a full spectrum of evidence-based and innovative therapies — including neurofeedback — tailored to each person's unique brain mapping results. Their team doesn't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Every client's brain is mapped individually so that training targets *their* specific areas of dysregulation. I saw firsthand how genuinely passionate the CBH team is about seeing people recover and re-enter the world with more confidence. --- 📞 If you or someone you love is struggling, reach out to Compassion Behavioral Health: 📱 Call or Text: 844-443-5669 🌐 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may --- This is not a quick fix — it's a process. And that's exactly why I'm documenting mine. Drop a comment below if you've ever tried neurofeedback or if you have questions. Let's rise above, together. 🙏 #RiseAbove #KevinLanning #Neurofeedback

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Parker had everything stripped from him — his health, his freedom, his leg, and nearly his life. After a night that started with a family intervention and ended with him face-down in his own vomit, Kevin flatlined three times, spent three weeks in a coma, developed sepsis, gangrene in all four limbs, multi-organ failure, and woke up an amputee.

The doctors said he'd be brain dead. They said he'd never walk. They said he'd never use his hand again.

He proved every single one of them wrong.

In this raw and powerful episode of Rise Above, Kevin shares:

• The morning of his overdose and what led up to it
• Waking from a coma to find out he'd lost his left leg
• How he went from atheist to finding God in that hospital bed
• Learning to walk again in 2 months (doctors said 2 years)
• How he regained nerve-damaged hand function through sheer will
• His journey from concrete laborer and drug dealer to certified recovery coach and motivational speaker
• Why he believes addiction is a spiritual search — not a moral failure

If you're in your first 90 days, deep in it, or loving someone who is — this episode is for you.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week 📲 Follow Kevin Parker: @thekevinjparker (Instagram) | Recovery Warrior 33 (TikTok) 📩 Email: truewarriorssuccess@gmail.com

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

#RiseAbove #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #RecoveryCoach #OverdoseSurvivor #14YearsSober #Amputee#SecondChance #SobrietyStory #HeroinRecovery #OpioidCrisis #TrueWarrior #RecoveryIsPossible#MentalHealth #SpiritualAwakening #PodcastInterview #RiseAbovePodcast #KevinLanning #KevinParker#OneMoreDay

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Rachel Pappert Docekal, a recovery advocate and executive at the Hanley Center in West Palm Beach. Rachel opens up about her own 30-year recovery journey — starting with an eating disorder in college, the friends who loved her enough to intervene, and the layers of childhood trauma she's worked through over decades of therapy, including EMDR.

We also get into:

• Why addiction is a brain disease — and why removing the substance alone isn't enough
• How process addictions (gambling, food, phones) hijack the same dopamine system as drugs
• The danger of high-THC cannabis and marijuana-induced psychosis
• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) — what it is, when it helps, and how to think about it
• Hanley's groundbreaking 5-day family program and why family support is the #1 relapse prevention tool
• Kratom, 7-OH, and the next addiction crisis coming for our kids
• What life in long-term recovery actually looks like

Whether you're in recovery, supporting a loved one, or just curious — this one is not to be missed.

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

#RecoveryPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RiseAbove #EatingDisorderRecovery #TraumaHealing #EMDR#HanleyCenter #MentalHealth #SubstanceUseDisorder #SoberLife #SoberCurious #FamilyRecovery#MATtreatment #AddictionAwareness #RecoveryIsPossible

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Tyler Ramsey had it all… working on Baywatch, MTV, Survivor, and building a career in Hollywood.

But behind the scenes, he was spiraling.

What started with alcohol turned into Adderall, Xanax, and opiates… leading to blackouts, chaos, and near-death situations.

The moment everything changed?

His young daughter found his drugs.

That was the line.

In this episode, Tyler breaks down:

• Growing up with trauma and loss
• Hollywood success while secretly addicted
• The moment addiction took full control
• The terrifying wake-up call involving his daughter
• The ultimatum that saved his life
• How he rebuilt everything and found real sobriety

This is one of the most honest conversations about addiction, consequences, and what it really takes to change.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you’re not alone.

Tyler Ramsey had it all… working on Baywatch, MTV, Survivor, and building a career in Hollywood.But behind the scenes, he was spiraling.What started with alcohol turned into Adderall, Xanax, and opiates… leading to blackouts, chaos, and near-death situations.The moment everything changed?His young daughter found his drugs.That was the line.In this episode, Tyler breaks down:Growing up with trauma and lossHollywood success while secretly addictedThe moment addiction took full controlThe terrifying wake-up call involving his daughterThe ultimatum that saved his lifeHow he rebuilt everything and found real sobrietyThis is one of the most honest conversations about addiction, consequences, and what it really takes to change.If you or someone you love is struggling, you’re not alone. 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 #sobriety #recovery #xanaxaddiction #opioidcrisis #mentalhealth

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Moyer had a key to a pharmacy… and one night, he used it to steal the entire narcotics closet.

What started with prescription pills turned into a full-blown heroin addiction, multiple arrests, federal charges, and living in trap houses just to survive. He was running scams, stealing cars, and doing whatever it took to get his next fix.

But that wasn’t the end of his story.

After hitting rock bottom, Ryan made a decision that changed everything. Today, he’s over 5 years sober and has built a successful business as “The Tesla Doctor,” working on high-end vehicles and rebuilding his life from the ground up.

This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about addiction, crime, consequences, and what it really takes to turn your life around.

If this story helps even one person, it was worth it.

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 #heroinrecovery #sobriety #recoveryjourney #drugaddiction #fentanylcrisis #cleanandsober #riseabove #truecrime #selfimprovement

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Brewer’s story is one of the darkest we’ve ever shared.

After experiencing severe trauma as a child, Jason spiraled into addiction, violence, and eventually a life of crime. What started as drinking and drugs quickly escalated into armed robberies, crack addiction, and a path that led him to serve over a decade in prison.

In this interview, Jason opens up about:

• The childhood trauma that changed everything
• His descent into drugs, violence, and crime
• Robbing gas stations to fuel his addiction
• The moment he knew his life was over
• What prison was really like
• How he finally turned his life around

This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about addiction, consequences, and redemption.

If you or someone you love is struggling, there is a way out.

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

#AddictionRecovery #PrisonStory #TrueCrime #Sobriety #RockBottom #Redemption #DrugAddiction #LifeStory #RecoveryJourney #CrimeStory

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taylor Cavanough was living the dream.

A Navy SEAL. Deployed overseas. High performer.

But behind the discipline… was chaos.

After a violent arrest where he was tased and attacked by a police K9, everything collapsed.
His career. His identity. His future.

What started as alcohol and Adderall turned into Percocet… then fentanyl.

He lost control of his life.

In this episode, Taylor shares:

• The moment everything fell apart after his arrest
• Getting kicked out of the SEAL Teams
• How one decision led him down the path of addiction
• The reality of fentanyl dependency and withdrawal
• Hitting rock bottom alone in Hawaii
• And how he rebuilt his life for his daughter

This is a story about self-sabotage, identity, and redemption.

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

#NavySEAL #FentanylAddiction #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #RiseAbove #DrugAddiction #MentalHealth #RecoveryStory #Opiates #SelfSabotage

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graham Reid was living a double life.

What started with pills and partying quickly turned into a full-blown opiate addiction — smoking 30s, chasing dealers, and doing whatever it took to not get sick.

At his lowest point, he burned his dealer with fake money and lost everything.

From fentanyl and heroin to brutal detox and multiple failed attempts at getting clean, Graham shares what addiction really looks like behind closed doors.

In this episode, he opens up about:

• Getting hooked on opiates
• The moment everything spiraled
• Living as a “functional” addict
• The reality of withdrawal and detox
• What finally helped him get sober

This is the side of addiction most people don’t see.

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

#Fentanyl #OpiateAddiction #AddictionRecovery #DopeSick #Sobriety
#HeroinAddiction #RecoveryStory #MentalHealth #CleanAndSober #RiseAbove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Robinson lived a double life for over a decade.

Behind the scenes, he was battling a severe drug addiction… while his wife had no idea.

It started with a prescription after an injury at just 11 years old. What followed was years of lies, hiding money, and chasing pills—until everything came crashing down during a blackout in Las Vegas, where he emptied his bank account overnight.

That moment led to a phone call that changed everything.

In this episode, Matt opens up about:

• Living a secret addiction for 10 years
• The moment his wife found out
• Addiction, shame, and rebuilding trust
• What recovery actually looks like long-term
• How he’s stayed sober for 13 years

This is one of the most honest conversations about addiction, marriage, and recovery we’ve had on the show.

If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode is for you.

Matt Robinson lived a double life for over a decade.Behind the scenes, he was battling a severe drug addiction… while his wife had no idea.It started with a prescription after an injury at just 11 years old. What followed was years of lies, hiding money, and chasing pills—until everything came crashing down during a blackout in Las Vegas, where he emptied his bank account overnight.That moment led to a phone call that changed everything.In this episode, Matt opens up about:Living a secret addiction for 10 yearsThe moment his wife found outAddiction, shame, and rebuilding trustWhat recovery actually looks like long-termHow he’s stayed sober for 13 yearsThis is one of the most honest conversations about addiction, marriage, and recovery we’ve had on the show.If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode is for you. 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

#addictionrecovery #soberstory #opioidcrisis #recoveryjourney #mentalhealthawareness #alcoholism #sobriety #fentanylcrisis #recoveryispossible #riseabove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan’s addiction didn’t look obvious at first.

She had a job, a family, and a life that seemed “normal” on the outside… but behind the scenes, she was drinking vodka all day, hiding bottles, and slowly losing control.

After a near-fatal car crash, showing up drunk to work, and hitting a breaking point as a mother, everything came crashing down.

In this episode, Megan shares:

• The moment her addiction spiraled out of control
• Drinking in secret while trying to hold life together
• The crash that should’ve been her wake-up call
• How motherhood and rock bottom forced change
• What it actually took to get and stay sober

This is a raw conversation about shame, survival, and what recovery really looks like.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you’re not alone.

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 #soberstory #alcoholism #recoveryjourney #mentalhealth #sobriety #rockbottom #riseabove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brenda Zane was a successful advertising executive living what looked like a normal life—until her son’s addiction turned everything upside down.

From early warning signs to marijuana at 13… to running away, arrests, and eventually fentanyl use—this is the raw, unfiltered reality of what families go through when addiction takes over.

In this episode, Brenda shares:

• The moment she realized her son was in real danger
• Sending him to wilderness therapy at 16
• The chaos of addiction—jail, running away, and near-death experiences
• The heartbreak of setting boundaries and “letting go”
• How she turned her pain into purpose to help other parents

This conversation is for anyone who has loved someone struggling with addiction—or is trying to understand what families go through behind the scenes.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone.

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=april

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Rokee’s story is a terrifying look at the lengths an addict will go to maintain a "perfect" life. By day, he was a high-earning union steamfitter. By night, he was a "chameleon" trapped in a $1.2 million downward spiral, snorting up to 200 bags of heroin a week.

In this raw and "brutal" interview on Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, John details the physical and financial devastation of his addiction:

• The $1.2M Habit: The math behind a decade of OxyContin and heroin use that drained every union fund, savings account, and personal loan.

• The "Water Overdose": The shocking medical anomaly that put him in a week-long coma after he tried to flush his system to beat a drug test.

• Knocking at the Pearly Gates: Waking up in a hospital bed to find a priest performing his last rites when doctors said he would be a "vegetable."

• The True Healing: How John moved past 11 years of "white-knuckle" abstinence to find true spiritual recovery and a new life as a sober coach.

  Connect with John Rokee:

• Instagram/TikTok: @JohnRokee21

• Website: JohnRokee.com

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

#RiseAbove #HeroinAddiction #RecoveryStories #ComaSurvivor #LastRites #JohnRokee #KevinLanning #AddictionRecovery #SoberCoach #OpiateCrisis #MentalHealth

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kim House’s life story sounds like a movie script, but the trauma was all too real.

After fleeing an abusive home at just 14 years old, Kim found herself winning bikini contests and dancing in clubs just to survive. By her early 20s, she was diagnosed with a rare, "terminal" bone marrow cancer—but instead of getting sober, she ramped up her drug use, even attempting to balance chemotherapy with meth and alcohol.

In this episode of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Kim details the harrowing "redline" abuse of her childhood, the insanity of flying drugs across state lines, and the moment of "existential clarity" that led her to nearly a decade of sobriety. Today, she’s the founder of Sober Surfers, turning her darkest trials into a message of hope for foster youth and addicts everywhere.

Connect with Kim House:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Molly Haneke opens up about her journey from early self-harm and blackout drinking at just 16, to hitting a breaking point that landed her in a mental hospital at 22. What started as insecurity and isolation quickly spiraled into daily drinking, drugs, and destructive coping mechanisms.

After a life-threatening moment forced everything to stop, Molly entered treatment and completely rebuilt her life. Now over two years sober, she shares how recovery, discipline, and community helped her turn pain into purpose—and how young people can get sober too.

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=youtube&utm_campaign=april

#addiction #sobriety #mentalhealth #recovery #selfharm #alcoholism #sobertok #healingjourney #rockbottom #riseabove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Young survived three deployments to Afghanistan, saw his brothers-in-arms blown up in front of him, and lived through a childhood that sounds like a horror movie. In this raw and unfiltered interview on Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Sean reveals the most salacious details of his past—including the infamous day he finalized a divorce at noon and was remarried to another woman by 3:00 PM.

From the high-stakes adrenaline of being a Forward Observer in the Army to the soul-crushing reality of a suicide attempt in the Alaskan wilderness, Sean’s story is a masterclass in survival and the power of total surrender.

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

#RiseAbove #KevinLanning #SeanYoung #VeteransRecovery #CombatPTSD #SobrietyStory #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #ArmyVeteran #HealingTrauma #RecoverOutLoud

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cassidy’s story is one of the darkest I’ve ever heard.

She grew up in a good home, loving parents, big family… and still addiction found a way in. One pill turned into daily use… then heroin… then fentanyl… then she ended up in the most dangerous open-air drug market in America — Kensington.

What she experienced there is not normal addiction.
It’s human trafficking. Violence. Rape. Murder. Bodies in the street. Burning victims alive. Trap houses. Dealers beating people for losing product. Young girls disappearing. This is a level of hell that most people in this country will NEVER see.

And she survived it.

Cassidy opens up about overdoses, abusive relationships, jail, street life, losing friends, and the spiritual war that fentanyl brings with it.

She rebuilt her life — and is now sober — and her story will change perspectives for families everywhere struggling to understand addiction.

Watch this entire interview start to finish — share with a parent, sister, brother, someone who needs to know the reality of fentanyl before it’s too late.

Rise Above. Always.

#kensington #fentanyl #fentanylepidemic #opioidcrisis #philadelphia #addiction #recovery #sobriety #drugabuse #narcansaveslives #harmreduction #addictionawareness #recoveryispossible #riseabovepodcast #drugcrisis #openairdrugmarket #truecrime #streetsurvival #kensingtonphilly #fentanlyawareness

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ema Burgic was the #1 ranked junior in Europe, a standout star at Baylor, and a professional tennis powerhouse. On the outside, her life looked perfect: a successful career, a "perfect" husband, and a beautiful home. But inside, Ema was fighting a silent battle with major depression and a loss of identity that nearly cost her everything.

In this episode of Rise Above, Ema gets vulnerable about the reality of being a professional athlete under extreme pressure, the "numbness" of long-term medication, and the grueling journey of rebuilding her life from zero after a divorce and a 10-year hiatus from the sport.

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

#MentalHealth #Tennis #EmaBurgic #RiseAbove #DepressionRecovery #ProAthlete #OvercomingAdversity #DivorceRecovery #Bosnia #WTA #SurvivorStory

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Clancy was a rising star in the music industry, but behind the scenes, he was battling a soul-crushing addiction to opiates. In this episode of Rise Above, Justin gets incredibly vulnerable about the "white light" moment that saved his life—literally seconds away from ending it all.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don't have to do it alone. Compassion Behavioral Health offers individualized, stigma-free care. 

Visit them here: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march

Call or Text: 844-443-5669

Follow Justin Clancy: 

Instagram: @justin_clancy

TikTok: @justinclancy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris was a high school football coach on top of the world—winning state championships, raising two kids, and leading one of Georgia’s most promising teams. But behind the success was a man silently battling addiction. After a devastating DUI, Chris lost everything—his job, his reputation, and his sense of self.In this raw and emotional interview, Chris opens up about childhood trauma, pressure to prove himself, spiraling into daily drinking, and the powerful moment of surrender that saved his life. Now sober and rebuilding, he’s using his pain to help others—including coaches, athletes, and anyone silently struggling.

Chris's website: Www.movethechains.squarespace.com

#AddictionRecovery #CoachingLife #SobrietyJourney #RockBottom #FootballCoach #DUIRecovery #StateChampion #MentalHealthAwareness #HighSchoolFootball #AlcoholAddiction #RedemptionStory #RiseAbovePodcast #MoveTheChain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I knew the moment I did it, this will ruin my life—and I’m going to keep doing it."

In this raw and unfiltered episode of Rise Above, Kevin Lanning sits down with Alyx Gold for a follow-up to her viral interview. Alyx takes us deeper into the "underworld" of her addiction—a journey that started with shooting heroin and meth at just 15 years old.

Alyx reveals the terrifying details of being held hostage for over a week by a biker gang president, the moment she was stabbed and nearly killed in an abandoned alleyway, and the miraculous stranger who saved her life.

But this isn't just a story of darkness. Today, Alyx is over 8 years sober, a dedicated single mother, and is in the process of opening the Gold Center for Recovery to help others escape the same trenches she once lived in.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The reality of being a 15-year-old IV drug user.

• The harrowing escape from a biker gang "trap house."

• Surviving a brutal assault and the "angel" who intervened.

• How Alyx changed her entire belief system to stay sober for 8 years.

• The launch of the Gold Center for Recovery.

Connect with Alyx Gold: Instagram: @_alyxgold TikTok: @in_my_everything_era

If you or someone you love is struggling, reach out to Compassion Behavioral Health: 844-443-5669 or visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

#RiseAbove #Recovery #Addiction #HeroinAddict #Sobriety #AlyxGold #KevinLanning #BikerGang #TraumaHealing #RedemptionStory

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Rise Above, I sit down with Anthony Wilson, a top 1% real estate agent whose journey to the top started at the absolute bottom. Born addicted to methadone and raised in the chaos of a "trap house" family environment, Anthony’s life was a cycle of high-stakes sales and low-bottom addiction.

Anthony gets brutally honest about:

• The "Eddie Haskell" Charm: How he used his innate personality to manipulate dealers out of thousands of dollars.

• The Breaking Point: Finding out his father was smoking crack in the next room while Anthony was trying to build a career.

• The Real Estate Secret: Why being "hand-delivered" by God to a broker who understood his struggle changed everything.

• The 1% Mindset: How sobriety gave him the "ice in his veins" to close million-dollar deals without breaking a sweat.

This isn’t just a story about real estate; it’s a masterclass in internal change, spiritual surrender, and what happens when you stop chasing and start attracting.

Connect with Anthony Wilson: [Insert Social Media Links/Website]

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. I’ve partnered with Compassion Behavioral Health because they offer true individualized care, from detox to virtual support. They are in-network with major providers and available 24/7.

📞 Call or Text: 844-443-5669 🌐 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march

🙏 A Message from Our Sponsor

#RealEstate #AddictionRecovery #SuccessStory #Sobriety #Entrepreneurship #MillionDollarListing #RiseAbove #Inspiration #MentalHealthMatters

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arthur Favors joins the podcast for an unfiltered look at the cost of success. From selling peanut brittle in the 8th grade to generating $1.2 million in sneaker sales, Arthur has always had the "hustler" spirit. But behind the scenes of his successful Atlanta storefront, a deadly addiction to Lean, Percocet, and Xanax was spiraling out of control.In this episode, Arthur opens up about:The "backdoor" sneaker world and how he flipped his way to the top.Living a double life: Managing a retail empire while fueled by opioids.The terrifying moment he was robbed at gunpoint with his daughter in the car.Why he chose to close his successful store to save his mental health and his family.His journey to 2 years of sobriety and finding peace through yoga and fatherhood.Recovery isn't just about stopping the substance; it’s about healing what’s underneath. If you or a loved one is struggling, reach out to Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care, from detox to virtual support, and are in-network with major insurance providers.

Call or Text 24/7: 844-443-5669

Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march

#ArthurFavors #SneakerReseller #SobrietyJourney #AtlantaHustle #RecoveryIsPossible #SneakerHead #Entrepreneurship #MentalHealthMatters #Podcast #AddictionRecovery

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Boyer had the "Hallmark" childhood: two loving parents, a stable home, and a dream career as a sports broadcaster. But behind the scenes, a secret OxyContin habit spiraled into a daily heroin addiction that turned him into a "slave" to the substance while he was traveling with sports teams and working for the State Capitol.

In this raw and revealing interview, Mike discusses:

• The "Twin Intuition": How his addiction fractured the bond with his twin sister.

• The Broadcaster's Secret: Balancing an on-air career while battling the constant fear of withdrawal.

• The Breaking Point: The day he stole from his boss at the State Capitol and the police intervention that saved his life.

• 12 Years of Sobriety: How he moved from "chaos and crisis" to building a beautiful life as a father and husband.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, there is a way out. Our sponsor, Compassion Behavioral Health, focuses on the "why" behind the addiction, offering individualized care and innovative treatments like TMS and EMDR.

Start your journey here: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march

Call or Text 24/7: 844-443-5669

#Addiction #RecoveryStory #HeroinAddict #Sobriety #Broadcaster #MentalHealth #RiseAbove #MikeBoyer #DrugAddiction #RecoveryIsPossible #Documentary

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Getting through the day without a substance was enough to make you feel decent, but it wasn't enough to live a life."

Today, Anthony Scamardella joins the show to share his incredible story of overcoming a massive Adderall addiction. From his roots as a perfectionist student in New Jersey to managing high-stakes healthcare audits while secretly maintaining multiple prescriptions, Anthony reveals the moment his "secret" began eating him alive. He discusses the reality of the 4-year "flat" period after quitting, how he re-sensitized his dopamine receptors, and why he’s more optimistic now than ever before.

Key Topics:

• The 9/11 trauma that shifted his childhood.

• Taking 200mg of Adderall daily and the physical toll.

• The letter from the "Substance Abuse Division" that changed everything.

• How skating and structure replaced the "jolt" of pills.

If you’re struggling with addiction or mental health, contact our sponsor Compassion Behavioral Health at 844-443-5669 or visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march

#Recovery #Addiction #Adderall #SobrietyStory #Fitness #MentalHealthAwareness #ADHD #NewYorkCity #Skating

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with Paula to discuss the hidden reality of "mummy wine culture" and the terrifying moment she realized her drinking was costing her a relationship with her children. From being a scholarship athlete and a successful professional in the liquor industry to finding her true purpose as a recovery coach, Paula shares the raw truth about emotional sobriety.

Connect with Paula:Instagram: @happiest_hour_af

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. I’ve partnered with Compassion Behavioral Health (CBH) because they offer a full continuum of care—from detox and residential treatment to neurofeedback and EMDR. They are in-network with major providers and available 24/7.

Call or text: 844-443-5669 or visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march

#Sobriety #RecoveryStory #MotherhoodUnplugged #AlcoholFree #SoberCurious #EmotionalSobriety #RiseAbove #AddictionRecovery #WineMomCulture #SoberParenting

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Rise Above, we sit down with Glynis Franz, whose story sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie—except she lived it. From growing up in a chaotic household in New England to becoming a high-end escort, smuggling people across the border in her trunk, and eventually landing in federal prison, Glynis’s life was defined by the "brutal lifestyle" of addiction and meth psychosis.

Now 6.5 years sober, Glynis has completely transformed her life. She is now a business owner, a podcast host, and the founder of Peak Path Health, helping others find the same freedom she discovered after hitting the ultimate rock bottom.

[Sponsor Message] If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. I’ve partnered with Compassion Behavioral Health (CBH) because they offer a full continuum of care—from detox and residential treatment to neurofeedback and EMDR. They are in-network with major providers and available 24/7. Call or text: 844-443-5669 or visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=march to start your journey today.

#AddictionRecovery #HumanSmuggling #RiseAbove #SobrietyStory #FentanylCrisis #FederalPrison #RecoveryIsPossible #GlynisFranz #CompassionBehavioralHealth

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this raw and unfiltered interview, Rachel Sereni pulls back the curtain on a seven-year descent into Xanax and alcohol-fueled blackouts. Rachel doesn't hold back, taking full accountability for the "Ratchet Rachel" alter ego that emerged—a persona defined by physical and mental abuse toward her loved ones and the terrifying reality of drinking and driving with her young son in the car.

Rachel reveals the "brutal" lifestyle of mixing Xanax, Molly, and 99 Bananas, and the haunting trauma of finding her mother after a fatal overdose at just 16 years old. This is a story of total surrender—from collapsing in a Taco Bell field to losing 80 lbs and finding a new life in sobriety.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, there is a structured, stigma-free place to start.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Compassion Behavioral Health. Recovery isn't just about removing a substance; it’s about addressing the anxiety, trauma, and depression underneath. Compassion Behavioral Health focuses on the mental health side of recovery with individualized care—from detox and outpatient support to innovative treatments like EMDR and neuro feedback.

• Call or Text 24/7: 844-443-5669

• Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

• In-network with major insurance providers.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Rise Above, Ali Zansberg shares one of the most intense addiction stories we’ve ever featured on the podcast.

After surviving stage-four liver failure as a teenager, Ali was prescribed opioids — which quickly spiraled into doctor shopping, oxy addiction, meth use, psychosis, and repeated overdoses. At her lowest point, she overdosed nine times in a single month, experienced severe drug-induced psychosis, and found herself in and out of jail.

Her addiction escalated from prescription opioids to meth and eventually kratom, where she became trapped in brutal withdrawals and a cycle she couldn’t escape.

Ali opens up about surviving overdoses, being revived multiple times with Narcan, doctor shopping prescriptions, battling addiction across multiple states, and the moment she finally surrendered and asked for help.

Today Ali is over a year sober, sponsors other women in recovery, and is helping others find a way out of addiction.

If you’ve been listening to Rise Above for a while, you know I don’t believe in shame, stigma, or one-size-fits-all treatment. That’s why I partnered with Compassion Behavioral Health.

Compassion is intentionally boutique sized so clients receive real individualized care. Whether someone needs detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, IOP, or even virtual support, they offer a full continuum of care built around evidence-based therapy along with innovative options like TMS, neurofeedback, and EMDR when appropriate.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, mental health, or both and you don’t know where to start, this is a compassionate place to begin.

Call or text 844-443-5669 or visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

#addictionrecovery #opioidcrisis #sobrietyjourney #overdose #riseabovepodcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Yonkers grew up in a seemingly normal household outside Chicago. But behind the scenes, childhood trauma, addiction, and a chaotic home life pushed him down a dangerous path.

Ryan started experimenting with substances at just six years old, eventually falling deep into drug culture. By his late teens he was selling drugs, running with dangerous people, and chasing a rap career that briefly put him on stage with artists like Young Buck.

But addiction took over.

What started with pills turned into heroin, armed robberies, and a life completely controlled by drugs. Ryan lost friends to overdose, watched people he loved die, and spiraled into a lifestyle he thought he would never escape.

After hitting rock bottom, Ryan found recovery and a new purpose helping others battling addiction.

Today he shares his story in hopes of helping someone who is still suffering.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, help is available.

Compassion Behavioral Health offers compassionate, evidence-based treatment for addiction and mental health disorders.

📞 Call: 877-414-3007
🌐 https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

Recovery is possible.

#addictionrecovery #heroinaddiction #sobrietystory #recoverypodcast #riseabovepodcast #mentalhealthrecovery

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, mental health, or both, Compassion Behavioral Health offers individualized treatment designed to address the root causes — not just the symptoms.

Compassion Behavioral Health is intentionally boutique-sized, allowing clients to receive personalized care rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. They provide a full continuum of care including detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, and virtual support.

Alongside evidence-based therapies, they also offer innovative treatment options like TMS, neurofeedback, and EMDR when clinically appropriate.

They are in-network with most major insurance providers and are available 24/7.

Call or text 844-443-5669
Visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

Serena Lamotte joins Kevin Lanning to share her powerful story of addiction, trauma, and survival.

After growing up in a difficult environment and experiencing significant loss, Serena found herself pulled into a destructive lifestyle that eventually led to a three-year ketamine addiction. What began as partying quickly spiraled into toxic relationships, dangerous living situations, and a life she barely recognized.

Everything changed after a devastating drunk driving crash that left Serena with severe injuries and permanently blind in one eye.

In this episode of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Serena opens up about grief, addiction, abusive relationships, surviving violence, the crash that nearly took her life, and how she ultimately found the strength to rebuild.

Her story is a raw reminder that even after the darkest chapters, it’s still possible to rise above.

#RiseAbovePodcast #KevinLanning #KetamineAddiction #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #RecoveryStory #DrunkDrivingCrash #DomesticAbuseSurvivor #TraumaRecovery #Sobriety #PodcastInterview

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Compassion Behavioral Health.

Compassion Behavioral Health is a boutique mental health treatment center that focuses on the deeper issues driving addiction, anxiety, depression, and unresolved trauma. Their intentionally small program allows for highly individualized care rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

They offer a full continuum of care including detox, residential treatment, outpatient programs, and virtual support. Alongside evidence-based therapy, they also provide innovative treatments like TMS, EMDR, and neurofeedback when clinically appropriate.

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health or addiction, Compassion Behavioral Health is available 24/7.

Call or text 844-443-2274
Visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

Jessica Tanir shares her journey from the nightlife and bartending culture of New York City to finding sobriety and clarity in Florida. What started as casual drinking slowly turned into blackouts, toxic relationships, and nights she couldn’t remember—including the moment she woke up covered in sand after passing out on the beach.

In this episode of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Jessica opens up about the hidden side of alcohol misuse, the hospitality industry’s drinking culture, and how spiritual healing, retreats, and deep self-reflection helped her walk away from alcohol for good.

Now over two years sober, Jessica helps others explore sobriety through mocktails, wellness practices, and mindful living.

Her story is a powerful reminder that alcoholism doesn’t always look the way people expect—and that real transformation is possible.

#sobriety #addictionrecovery #riseabovepodcast #alcoholism #recoveryjourney #mentalhealth #soberlife #selfhealing #mocktails #podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, Compassion Behavioral Health offers personalized treatment and a full continuum of care, including detox, residential, and outpatient services. Their team is available 24/7 and works with most major insurance providers. Call or text 844-443-5566 or visit https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=march

Kristine Bowers lived through things most people could never imagine.

As a teenager, she was pulled into escorting through her mother’s boyfriend, entering a dark world of exploitation, drugs, and survival. What started with partying and pills eventually spiraled into heroin addiction.

At one point, Kristine was using heroin while pregnant.

Her life became a cycle of trafficking, abusive relationships, overdoses, and near-death experiences. She even survived a terrifying medical crisis where her organs began shutting down.

But Kristine’s story didn’t end there.

After hitting rock bottom and nearly losing everything, she entered treatment and began rebuilding her life through sobriety, faith, and helping others struggling with addiction.

Today she works in recovery and speaks openly about trauma, addiction, shame, and redemption.

This is a powerful story of survival, accountability, and transformation.

#AddictionRecovery #HeroinAddiction #HumanTrafficking #SobrietyJourney #RiseAbove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ava Fox opens up about the dark reality behind the modeling industry and the pressure to drink, party, and use drugs just to survive in the entertainment world.

In this episode of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Ava shares how she grew up largely on her own, started drinking at just 12 years old, and fell into a lifestyle surrounded by drugs, older crowds, and a reckless party culture. As she entered the modeling industry, she saw firsthand how alcohol, cocaine, and networking culture were deeply embedded in the business.

After years of chaos, health scares, and watching others lose themselves to addiction, Ava made a life-changing decision to walk away from it all. She quit drinking, changed her entire lifestyle, strengthened her faith, and has now been sober for 11 years.

This is a powerful conversation about independence, addiction, boundaries, healing, and what it takes to choose a different path when the entire industry pushes you in the opposite direction.

#sobriety #addictionrecovery #modelingindustry #recoveryjourney #riseabovepodcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicky Santora grew up in Staten Island surrounded by addiction, chaos, and loss. When he was just 15 years old, he found his mother dead after an overdose from Percocet and OxyContin.

What followed was years of destruction.

He started with weed and cocaine as a kid… then moved to Roxy blues, Xanax, and eventually heroin. Within months he was shooting heroin, robbing houses, stealing air conditioners out of windows, and overdosing.

At his lowest point, Nicky was homeless, facing multiple arrests, and eventually landed inside Rikers Island, where violence and drugs were everywhere.

But somehow, he made it out.

Today Nicky is over 10 years sober, a father of three, and a rising comedian who uses his brutally honest story to help others battling addiction.

This is a raw conversation about addiction, recovery, prison, and rebuilding a life when everyone thinks you're finished.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, stories like this prove that recovery is possible.

#addictionrecovery #heroinaddiction #soberstory #recoveryjourney #rikersisland #opioidcrisis #recoverypodcast #riseabove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kira looked like the “good kid.”
3.8 GPA. Band. Job. Involved in everything.

Behind the scenes, she was self-harming at 12, drinking at 12, snorting ketamine in the school bathroom, selling alcohol through her locker, and attempting suicide multiple times.

At 18, she shaved her head, stopped showering, lived with strangers, and drove 12 hours to Georgia to move in with a man she met online… before barely escaping.

Her true rock bottom?
A little kid knocking on a drug dealer’s bedroom door asking for his dad.

That moment changed everything.

Today, Kira is 6+ years clean and sober, graduated from Michigan State, worked in Child Protective Services, and is now pursuing her Master’s in Social Work.

This episode is about addiction that doesn’t look “broken,” mental health, grooming, suicide attempts, recovery at 18, and how contentment—not happiness—is the real goal.

If you’re struggling, there is hope. Stay.

#AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #SobrietyJourney #SuicidePrevention #YoungPeopleInRecovery #KetamineAbuse #RecoveryStory #AARecovery

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Logan Houle looked like he had it all.

Triple-A hockey. A long-term girlfriend. Good grades. No major trauma. A “normal” life.

But behind closed doors, he was blacking out daily by 16… flipping his Jeep while drunk at 17… and later—after getting sober—developing a hidden gambling addiction that led him to wager over $3.7 million in just four months.

From stealing from family, draining paychecks in hours, and losing $10,000 in under 60 minutes… to rehab, self-exclusion, faith, and helping the next generation through his podcast New Generation Sobriety — this is one of the most powerful young recovery stories you’ll hear.

Addiction isn’t always drugs.
Sometimes it’s alcohol.
Sometimes it’s gambling.
And sometimes it’s the pain underneath it all.

If you're struggling, you're not alone.

#AddictionRecovery #GamblingAddiction #SobrietyJourney #AlcoholismRecovery #RiseAbove

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsored by Cozy Earth — elevate your everyday with premium bedding designed for deeper rest and calmer nights. Use code RISEABOVE for up to 20% off at cozyearth.com.

Fausto grew up in fear. A narcissistic, abusive father. Sexual abuse at 7 years old. Bullying. Codependency. Addiction to validation.

By 14, he was faking his own death on MySpace, getting 5150’d into a psych ward, drinking Jack Daniel’s daily, and chasing ecstasy just to feel normal.

By his 20s, he was smoking meth, having 3–5 grand mal seizures a day, overdosing on pills, blacking out on cruises, and attempting suicide more than once.

He says alcohol saved his life before it nearly killed him.

But that wasn’t even the end.

In sobriety, he faced betrayal, family deaths, brain aneurysms, EMDR trauma breakthroughs, and a collapse that almost took him out at six years clean.

This is a raw conversation about sexual abuse, addiction, masculinity, forgiveness, service, and protecting your peace.

If you’ve ever felt broken, ashamed, or alone… watch this.

There is purpose in pain.

—

Follow Fausto:
YouTube / IG / TikTok: @HopeDealers

If you’re struggling with addiction or trauma, you are not alone. Reach out. Help exists.

#AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #TraumaHealing #MensMentalHealth #SexualAbuseSurvivor #FromRockBottom #5150 #GrandMalSeizures #AARecovery #RiseAbovePodcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sponsored by Cozy Earth — elevate your everyday with premium bedding designed for deeper rest and calmer nights. Use code RISEABOVE for up to 20% off at cozyearth.com.

At 23, Jordan Lexell was exposed on national television after appearing on Dr. Phil in an episode titled “Young, Reckless & Enabled.”

By 35, she was shooting heroin on the South Side of Chicago, addicted to fentanyl, arrested nearly 30 times, faking drug tests, and living in and out of hotels while facing multiple felonies — including Grand Theft Auto, possession of fentanyl, and her third DUI.

She overdosed in her mother’s home. She detoxed in Sarasota County Jail. She was looking at serious prison time.

On August 24, 2022, Jordan did her last line of fentanyl pulling into treatment.

Today, she’s over three and a half years sober — rebuilding her life from the ground up, repairing her relationship with her mom, grieving her father’s death in sobriety, and proving that even after 30 arrests… redemption is possible.

This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about:

• Heroin & fentanyl addiction

• Being enabled by family

• Fake rehab culture vs state-funded treatment

• Jail detox and felony probation

• Brain recovery after opioids

• Losing a parent in sobriety

• Rebuilding from rock bottom

If you or someone you love is battling addiction — this episode is proof that no one is too far gone.

Recovery is possible.

#FentanylCrisis #HeroinAddiction #DrPhil #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #GrandTheftAuto #OpioidEpidemic #RiseAbove #RecoveryIsPossible #FelonToFreedom

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices