Casey Braithwaite joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about how the loss of his father became an event in his life that would develop trauma that would leave him struggling to cope with the emotions he was dealing with as a teenager. Casey also talks about finding relief from the pain he was experiencing by abusing alcohol and his decision to consume anything he could get his hands on to mask the pain of his father’s passing.

Then Casey shares his decision to remove all substances from his life and go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the shame he felt after his demon returned. He had to be relieved from his mission and how those feelings could never release their grip, even after he became married and expecting a child.

We also dive into Casey’s struggles with staying sober, the events that led to him being in a trailer surrounded by police officers, and his journey toward living a life of recovery.

Keith Morey (Economic Development Division Director for Provo) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to share his first experience drinking alcohol out of curiosity in college as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, drinking to cope after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and how his faith was shattered after his alcohol abuse began to spiral out of control.

Keith also opens up about his rock bottom, what it took to commit to a life of recovery, and how recovery has taught him that resistance promotes growth.

Michelle Kolb joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about growing up in a secluded community that was centered around abuse, violence, and secrecy and how that completely altered her vision of what the world appeared to be once she was separated from the community.

Michelle also opens up about her first experience with alcohol in her junior year of college, her quick progression into partying, and how becoming a parental figure for her siblings at 15 years old impacted her teenage years.

We also talk about how Michelle’s drug use escalated once she became a mother, her first stint with sobriety, and why a cancer diagnosis shook her to her core.

Lastly, Michelle shares how her last cancer diagnosis challenged her sobriety after seven years of not drinking or doing any drugs and the joy she finds in embracing every single day with her children.

Savanna Kemp joins Casey and Dr. Matt to open up about blacking out after trying alcohol for the first time, her first experiences with trying substances, and how her addiction to drugs escalated once she moved to North Dakota for work.

Then Savanna shares how her life began to spiral out of control after meeting someone who introduced her to heroin and meth, being on the verge of death after binge drinking for a week straight, and the moment she relapsed after being sober for seven months.

Lastly, we dive into what Savanna has learned about herself and her recovery after being sober for the past sixteen months.

Hanora McCarty joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about starting with a chip on her shoulder after being bullied early on throughout school after being born with a haemangioma on her face.

She also opens up about turning to alcohol to help build confidence during her years in college, how her brother’s battle with addiction helped influence her decision to move to Spain to teach English for five years, and why she believed that if she could change her environment, she could find happiness.

We also dive into how her addiction began to take a toll on Hanora, why working from home continued to fuel her addiction, and the morning she realized that she was never going to get better without help.

Charlie Osborne, LCSW (Clinical Director at Action Recovery), joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about how addiction has always run in his family, his battle with addiction as a teenager, and overdosing at work while working in an open kitchen.

Then Charlie opens up about the acts of kindness that turned his life around, his decision to pursue a career in helping others battling their trauma, and why gratitude and hope are paramount in his recovery.

Related Links

Action Recovery: https://www.actiontreatment.com/

Steve Jones joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about his early experiences with alcohol in his teens and how it drastically escalated once he began attending high school to the point where he was spending time in an in-patient treatment center and nights in jail for altercations.

Then, we dive into Steve’s time in college, where his drinking began to escalate until he fell into a dark depression. He opens up about how his alcohol and drug abuse caused him to drop out of college and left him with the realization that he was going to drink himself to death until his brother helped save him from addiction.

Lastly, Steve shares how he was able to go back to school and find his calling, helping others process their trauma and addiction through yoga, therapy, and mindfulness.

Related Links

Full Circle Yoga and Therapy: https://fullcircleut.com/

Dr. Matt dives into how AI is being used to predict successful addiction treatment rates, why boredom can be so mentally stressful, and a recent study that shows those who suffer from Cannabis-related disorders are at a higher risk for head and neck cancers.