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Everyone has stories of transformation. And some of them include moments, or years of intense adversity, a time when it felt like there was no hope. This podcast, "Breakfast of Choices," holds space for people to share their true, raw and unedited stories of overcoming extreme struggles, like addiction, mental illness, incarceration, domestic violence, suicide, emotional and physical abuse, toxic family structures, relationships, and more. Trauma comes in so many forms.
Every week, as a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, Recovery Coach, Life Transformation coach and your host, I will jump right into the lives of people who have faced these types of adversity and CHOSE to make choices to better themselves. We'll talk about everything they went through on their journey from Rock Bottom to Rock Solid.
Through hearing each guest's story of resilience, my hope is that we'll all be inspired to wake up every single day and make our own "Breakfast of Choices". More importantly, that we'll understand we have the POWER to do it.
When someone shares their story, it can be unbelievably healing. And it can be just what someone else needs to hear at that exact moment to simply keep moving forward. So I hope you can find "that one little thing that sticks," along with hope and encouragement to just keep taking it one day at a time.
And now let me be the first to welcome you to the "Breakfast of Choices" community, a non-judgemental zone where we learn from, lean on and celebrate one another. Because the opposite of addiction is "connection", and we are all in this together.
If you would like to tell your story, I sure would love to listen. Please email me at Breakfastofchoices@gmail.com.
Respects,
Jo Summers.
55 Episodes
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Send us a text The gambling industry spends billions convincing us their product is harmless entertainment, but Christine Paladino's real and raw journey reveals a different truth. From innocent childhood bingo halls to high-stakes casino floors, her evolution from casual player to compulsive gambler unfolds with painful clarity and remarkable self-awareness. Christine's story begins with those seemingly innocent early exposures – grandma's lottery numbers in a glass jar, family "baby pools"...
Send us a text Craig Akey, owner of Empire Tattoos in Oklahoma City, has lived a life that could easily be the plot of a riveting drama. Raised amidst the chaos of his father's drug dealing world, Craig found a guiding light in the powerful women around him, especially his grandmother. Overcoming addiction and crime, Craig's story is one of redemption, set against the backdrop of a newly legalized tattoo industry in Oklahoma. Discover the pivotal moments of his life—like the birth of his firs...
Send us a text When life throws you into the depths of hardship, the climb back up can seem insurmountable. Bobby Wetter's story is a living testament to the fact that it's possible to emerge stronger, no matter the weight of your past. With candor and vulnerability, he takes us through his transformation from a life scarred by homelessness and crime to one where redemption is not just a distant dream but a tangible reality. His insights into owning one's mistakes and using them as stepping s...
Send us a text Ever wondered how someone can emerge from the depths of chaos, where violence and neglect are the norm, to find a beacon of hope and transformation? Our latest episode features an extraordinary tale of resilience as I sit down with a man whose early years read like a cautionary tale. He vividly recounts his escape from an abusive home to the anarchic freedom of Denver's streets, the seduction of the drug trade, and the harsh reality of incarceration. It's a raw and unflinching ...
Send us a text What happens when trauma remains unspoken for nearly two decades? In this raw, powerful conversation, Greg Van Ness shares his journey from military service to finding purpose as Program Director at Oklahoma State University's Center for Social Innovation. Greg candidly reveals the aftermath of an assault during his Air Force service—an event he kept secret for 18 years. The consequences were devastating: anger issues, hypervigilance, depression, and suicidal ideation that thr...
Send us a text "I'm the guy who sat across the room from you in a trap house with no running water and electricity, with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a shot of dope in the other." These powerful opening words from Wasi Syed set the stage for one of the most compelling addiction-to-recovery stories you'll want to hear. From a very comfortable middle-class upbringing to corporate success with a six-figure income, beautiful family, and luxury cars, Wasi's life appeared to exemplify the Ame...
Send us a text What happens when a homeschooled naive kid with a strict religious upbringing spirals into addiction, then discovers his life's purpose through comedy? Adrian Doell's remarkable journey takes us from the depths of alcoholism to the healing power of laughter in recovery. Adrian's story begins with generational trauma—a mother who lost both parents young and a father raised in an abusive orphanage. After being kicked out at 19, Adrian's life quickly unraveled. Within a yea...
Send us a text The road to recovery is rarely a straight line. In this intimate conversation with Drew Reyes, now approaching his one-year sobriety date, we dive deeper into what sustainable recovery actually looks like day-to-day. After sharing his powerful testimony of addiction and homelessness in our previous episode, Drew returns to discuss his recent move to a sober living house and the game-changing power of community in recovery. "Isolation is not the goal," Drew explains, revealing ...
Send us a text Andrew Reyes takes us on an unforgettable journey from childhood trauma to spiritual awakening on this deeply moving episode. Raised in a fractured home environment that stripped away his innocence early, Drew found temporary escape through breakdancing before substance use gradually took hold. As we follow Drew's path, he candidly reveals how party drugs escalated to heroin addiction, leading to homelessness and a harrowing period on Los Angeles' infamous Skid Row. "It's like...
Send us a text What does it take to rebuild your life after addiction leads to criminal charges and prison time? Christine Palladino's remarkable journey from gambling addiction to purpose offers a raw, unflinching look at transformation through accountability. When investigators confronted Christine about missing funds from the fire department where she volunteered as treasurer, she felt an unexpected twinge of relief. After years of hiding her gambling addiction, the weight of secrecy was ...
Send us a text What if everything you've been told about addiction recovery is missing the point? Jason Shiers' story begins with profound loss – his father killed when Jason was still a child, followed by a descent into addiction that started with food at age 5 and progressed to heroin by 13. By 15, he was in psychiatric care. What followed were decades of prisons, institutions, homelessness, and eventually, a 22-year journey in traditional recovery that left him maintaining sobriety ...
Send us a text What happens when your child's experimentation with substances spirals into a 15-year battle with addiction? How do you navigate the impossible choices between tough love and enabling? And most importantly, how do you maintain your own sanity through the chaos? Paul King, host of "Family Support in Addiction Recovery," takes us through his real life journey supporting his daughter from her early teenage drinking through heroin addiction, multiple overdoses, and beyond. With ra...
Send us a text What happens when life as you know it vanishes in an instant? When a split-second collision on a motorcycle steals your sight, breaks your body from head to toe, and erases a month of your memories? Kijuan "Kiwi" Amey's powerful story begins on May 5th, 2017 – a day that would become what he calls "my new life story." A military veteran working as an in-flight refueling specialist, college student with a near-perfect GPA, and small business owner, Kiwi's world changed forever ...
Send us a text Mike Fox's gripping journey from childhood trauma to HIV diagnosis to nonprofit leader offers a testament to the transformative power of purpose. Diagnosed with HIV in 1994 when it was still considered a death sentence, Mike initially spiraled deeper into substance abuse—a path that led to multiple prison sentences and nearly cost him everything. His story reveals how trauma, addiction, and infectious disease can intertwine in devastating ways. The conversation takes us throug...
Send us a text Part 2 of David's Journey- From losing custody of his baby to finding lasting recovery, David's story is a testament to the power of honest surrender and treatment. When DHS intervened after years of meth addiction, David faced a life-changing choice – continue hiding his substance use or seek comprehensive help. His decision to pursue treatment in California completely transformed his path. Though expecting to remain with his partner Brittany throughout rehab, their separatio...
Send us a text David Levi's life story reads like a road map through the shadowy terrain of addiction and the uphill climb back to recovery. A proud member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, David grew up in western Oklahoma surrounded by the wide-open spaces and close-knit community of reservation life. Though his childhood was relatively sheltered from substance abuse within his immediate family, the community around him struggled with addiction's grip. The death of his father in 2009 mar...
Send us a text From the depths of addiction to the heights of recovery, discovering the role families play in this journey can change everything. In our latest podcast episode, Host Jo Summers welcomed the inspiring Kate Duffy, Founder of Tipping Point Recovery, an Interventionist and Family Addiction Expert and The Author of "Dear Family," A proven real-world approach to helping the addicted find lasting recovery. Kate is incredibly inspiring as she shares her own transformation from addicti...
Send us a text What happens when the thrill of the game becomes an all-consuming escape? Journey with us as we unravel the compelling story of Gail Fraser, a courageous and inspiring woman who bravely bares her soul and recounts her tumultuous battle with gambling addiction. Gail's story is one of heartbreak and resilience; and the fight to reclaim her life. She lost a long-standing marriage, a thriving career, and the comfort of her community to the seductive grip of online gambling. Raised ...
Send us a text What if your greatest battles could become your most powerful stories of transformation? Join us as we explore Matt House's remarkable journey from Longview, Texas, through the depths of addiction, and into a life of recovery and renewal. Raised by a hardworking mother and seeking acceptance from the wrong circles, Matt candidly shares how the social environment, rather than the substances themselves, pulled him into a destructive path. His narrative offers an unflinching look ...
Send us a text I'm thrilled to share the wrap-up of the incredible first season of Breakfast of Choices. This season has been a transformative journey, not only for me but for all of our listeners who have joined us along the way. I am truly grateful for the outpouring of support, engagement, and trust that you have all shown. Throughout this season, I’ve had the honor of welcoming an incredible lineup of guests who have bravely shared their personal stories and journeys. Each guest has remi...
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