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Welcome to the Hopeaholics Podcast, where we tackle addiction and mental illness through sharing real life experiences, honesty and hope! Hosted by Chad Carlsen, who knows firsthand the destruction that these issues can cause, we're here to offer listeners a much-needed source of inspiration and understanding that will carry them through tough times. Through powerful, honest, and unfiltered interviews, The Hopeaholics provides a beacon of hope for listeners facing similar issues, banishing stigma in the process. If you're looking for an authentic podcast that'll motivate you to overcome hard times and live well, look no further. To get help for yourself or someone you love, call 949-989-6550
283 Episodes
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Losing a Father to Addiction and Finding Purpose with Angie Nunez | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, guest Angie Nunez shares her deeply personal journey of loss, healing, and spiritual awakening. Born and raised in the Bronx to Dominican parents, Angie reflects on her upbringing, cultural roots, and the challenges of growing up in a tight-knit immigrant family. She opens up about losing her father to addiction after his long battle with opioids and cancer,...
Breaking The Chains of a 15-Year Addiction with Ali Zansberg | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful and emotional episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Ali Zansberg opens up about her extraordinary journey through unimaginable pain, addiction, and transformation. From surviving childhood molestation and undergoing heart surgery at just thirteen to enduring years of misdiagnosis, psychiatric medications, and even electroconvulsive therapy, Ali’s early life was marked by confusion and surviv...
Surrender Isn’t Weakness, It’s Freedom with Yeshaia Blakeney | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this thought-provoking and deeply human episode, Yeshaia Blakeney opens up about his journey through addiction, self-destruction, and spiritual awakening with striking honesty and wisdom. Growing up in the chaos of Hollywood, Yeshaia describes feeling emotionally adrift and spiritually disconnected long before drugs entered the picture. What began as an attempt to escape pain and emptiness eventually le...
The Bottle Almost Took Everything with Kristine Koontz | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this raw and deeply emotional episode, Kristine Koontz shares her courageous journey through chaos, addiction, loss, and redemption with an honesty that grips you from the start. Growing up amid abuse, instability, and emotional neglect, Kristine found her first escape in alcohol at just thirteen years old — a drink that made her feel “normal” for the first time. What began as weekend partying spiraled into d...
Two Mothers, Two Sons, One Epidemic: Katrina Simmons & Kristi Kastler | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this deeply emotional and unforgettable episode, Katrina Simmons and Kristi Kastler open their hearts to share the devastating realities of losing their beloved sons, Dylan and Devan, to fentanyl and addiction. Katrina begins by recounting Dylan’s early years, the warmth of his personality, and the gradual unraveling of his life after moving away from home. She describes the torment of watc...
The Man Who Robbed Banks and Found God in a Cell: Julian Miller | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful and deeply emotional episode, Julian Miller shares his remarkable journey from crime and chaos to redemption and purpose. Once a young man lost to the streets, Julian recounts the pivotal moments that defined his life — witnessing his cousin’s death at ten years old, falling into addiction, and ultimately making the desperate decision to rob a bank that landed him in prison. What...
Filling the Gap betwen Faith and Science with Dr. Angela Claffey | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this deeply moving and eye-opening episode of The Hopeaholic Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Angela Claffey, a licensed forensic psychologist, mental health advocate, and survivor whose journey from pain to purpose is nothing short of extraordinary. Angela candidly shares her early battle with anorexia, depression, and suicidal thoughts as a young teenager, a struggle that nearly claimed her life at j...
Connecting with God & Getting Sober with Jennifer Sprenger | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Jennifer Sprenger — founder and CEO of The Bella Abby & Ava Handbag Boutique — shares her remarkable story of redemption, faith, and transformation. Once caught in the depths of addiction, Jennifer battled meth dependency, incarceration, and the painful separation from her children. In her darkest moments, she turned to God and prayed for a second chance — ...
Robbing From Loved Ones with Scott Schafer | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, guest Scott Schafer delivers an unflinchingly honest and deeply moving account of his journey from professional athlete to addict, and ultimately to a man living a life of gratitude and purpose. Drafted by the New York Mets out of high school, Scott’s dreams were derailed after multiple injuries and surgeries led to an addiction to painkillers that spiraled into years of dependenc...
Finding Hope After the Unthinkable with Nat Suckley | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Nat Suckley shares one of the most heartbreaking and inspiring stories ever told on the show. From losing his wife in what was described as “the most brutal murder in Corpus Christi history” to later losing his son to an overdose on his 24th birthday, Nat opens up about unimaginable pain, addiction, and the long road to healing. He talks about how trauma shaped h...
Through the Lens of an Addict’s Sister: Stephanie Balber | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Stephanie Balber shares her emotional journey of growing up with a sister battling heroin and fentanyl addiction. She opens up about the pain, chaos, and heartbreak her family endured—from discovering her sister dealing drugs at her wedding to catching her using on Christmas night—and the toll it took on her as a sibling and daughter. Through Nar-Anon meeti...
Revitalizing Life Through Food with Cloe Parker | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this compelling episode of the Hopeaholics podcast, we sat down with Chloe Parker, the young owner of Parker Pastures, a regenerative agriculture meat company dedicated to providing clean, nutrient-dense beef, bison, lamb, pork, and chicken. Chloe opened up about her journey, growing up on a ranch, grappling with severe teenage anxiety and depression that led to suicidal thoughts, and finding faith and purpose throu...
Join The Undead Club w/ Amanda Taylor & Brandon Thomas | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of the Hopeaholic Podcast, Amanda Taylor and Brandon Thomas open up about their raw and inspiring journey through addiction, loss, faith, and recovery. From meeting in AA to reconnecting at work and building a relationship grounded in sobriety, their story is filled with dramatic turning points. Amanda shares how job loss pushed her into a new direction, the challenges of drawing fir...
Being a Hope Dealer w/Christin Day | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Christin Day shares a raw and emotional account of her journey through addiction, trauma, and recovery. She opens up about becoming a teen mom, experiencing multiple pregnancies and losses, and entering into an early marriage that quickly unraveled amid infidelity and violence. Her story follows a spiral into meth use, arrests, and jail time even while pregnant, leading to the painful dec...
Awakening The Warrior with J.R. Hutter | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode, J.R. Hutter shares his raw and transformative life story, opening up about his upbringing, his father’s struggles with alcoholism, and how his own battles with PTSD, bipolar disorder, and addiction spiraled after serving in Iraq. He recounts years of heavy drinking, cocaine use, and the chaos of life as a DJ in South Florida, describing the cycle of self-destruction that left him suicidal, ashamed, and on the v...
Staying Sober Strong with Chris Cohen | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, the hosts welcome Chris Cohen, founder of Sober Strong, a sobriety-inspired apparel brand that’s more than just clothing—it’s a movement. Chris shares his powerful story of addiction, hitting rock bottom, and the life-changing car accident that led to major back surgery and ultimately a new perspective on life. He opens up about the struggles of early recovery, battling depressio...
Barbell Saves Project with David Perez & Robert Best | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this inspiring episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Robert Best and David Perez share their powerful journeys through addiction and recovery, and how those experiences fueled their mission to create the Barbell Saves Project—a nonprofit fitness-based recovery community that’s changing lives. What started as free community workouts in a small CrossFit gym has grown into a 7,000 sq ft facility where peop...
Recovering Through Stem Cells w/ Mike O'Hearn & John Merola | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Mike O’Hearn and John Merola join the hosts to share powerful stories of resilience, discipline, and recovery, offering a rare look into the mindset it takes to overcome life’s greatest challenges. From the opening minutes, John reflects on his early struggles with addiction and recovery, while Mike talks about the discipline of bodybuilding, longevity in fitn...
BECOMING A MONSTER TO FACE LIFE w/ Michael "Multifaceted Monster"| The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, we sit down with Michael, also known as Multifaceted Monster, to hear his raw and powerful journey through addiction, heartbreak, and redemption. Michael opens up about his struggles with alcoholism, codependent relationships, and the chaos of blackout drinking that led to multiple 5150 holds, near-death moments, and broken relationships. He shares how losing...
"BLAMING GOD FOR MY ADDICTION": Vaughn Von Lewis | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Vaughn Von Lewis opens up about his remarkable journey of survival, struggle, and transformation. His life was shaped by a childhood of abuse, abandonment, and the devastating loss of his mother when he was just 17 years old. He began using drugs as early as eight years old, which set him on a path of addiction that would follow him through his teens and into adulthood. Vaug...
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