At just twenty years old, Molly is the youngest guest I’ve had on the show. She grew up in a stable home, surrounded by a loving family and parents who adored her. But everything shifted in high school; she started having sex, smoking weed daily, and taking Xanax regularly. On her 17th birthday, Molly urgently needed money to fund her new habit. A …

For Ash Butterss, addiction was a constant pursuit of more: more thrill, more chaos, more ways to avoid the emptiness. It started with sugar in childhood, then alcohol at 12, and drugs by 14. She moved from one addiction to another, telling herself she didn’t have a problem as long as she had periods of sobriety. On the outside, her life looked imp…

Once dubbed Hawaii’s most wanted criminal, Kyle Quilausing was a golf prodigy by age 10, competing on the PGA World Tours alongside Tiger Woods. He had a full ride to America’s most prestigious colleges. But one split-second decision changed the course of his life. Addiction. Crime. A high-profile prison escape. Then, three years alone in solitary …

You might know Kate Forster for her sharp TikTok opinions, but who was she before becoming a popular author and our favourite fashion critic? In this episode, we revisit Kate’s childhood, growing up with a father battling severe alcoholism. She shares how his struggles led to a suicide attempt, one she witnessed firsthand, and how alcohol ultimatel…

Welcome back to part two of Glen’s story. If you haven’t listened to part one yet, go back and catch up now. In today’s episode, we follow Glen as his girlfriend’s murder sends him spiralling into a 35-year heroin addiction. He tries to end his life—twice— and hear how jail, against all odds, became the best thing that ever happened to him. Today, …

Glen’s childhood was something no one should ever have to experience. His father was a predator, and his mother a heroin addict who later turned to alcohol. Throughout this two part interview you'll hear Glen be abused by many people- the first was being raped by a close family friend at just nine years old. one year later, he was already trying to…

Dionne’s life was shaped by chaos from the start. She grew up with a father who drank heavily and cheated on her mother, and she was forced to move schools after relentless bullying. She was desperate to be loved by the time she met her ex-husband, He battled his own addictions, and together, their lives unraveled. Dionne lost her home in a fire, d…

Jane had the picture-perfect life—married, two kids, a white picket fence, and a home in a nice suburb. But behind closed doors, she was stuck in an unhappy marriage and secretly drowning in alcohol addiction, blacking out every night after finishing breastfeeding her youngest. Despite seeking help through therapy and AA, the cravings were relentle…

I came across David on TikTok, where he’s known as Bipolarguylovinglife and he instantly caught my attention. Sitting in his car, talking to the camera about his ex-cocaine dealer, who he moved into his spare bedroom in hopes of getting a discount. I was hooked. For the first 27 years of his life, David’s world looked very different. He didn’t drin…

Kara’s earliest memory is of her father’s addiction and the police at their home, trying to restore order. As she grew older, she found herself caught in a similar cycle; Xanax consuming her life, self-harm becoming routine, and her mother quietly preparing for her funeral. But everything changed the night she was sexually assaulted on a beach and …

If you’ve been sitting on the fence about giving up alcohol, or even just taking an extended break, then this is the episode for you. Dominique Ellisa is going alcohol-free for 2025, and trust me, her energy around it is contagious. Going into this interview, I knew two things—Dom is a stunning model, and she’s committing to a year without alcohol.…

Casey, a proud Aboriginal woman, used alcohol to mask her ADHD and autism, hiding her creative and quirky side for years. In this episode, she opens up about how alcohol became the foundation of her long-term, codependent relationship, which began to fall apart after a traumatic assault. She also shares a mind-blowing rule she set for herself aroun…

Richard Galvan grew up in LA, born into a world of substance abuse, violence, selling drugs and gangs. He became an alcoholic at just 12 years old, which quickly spiralled into a heroin addiction before he understood the gravity of his situation. Richard experienced a sliding doors moment on Skid Row whilst doing crack cocaine, he chose to detox in…

Maxi Shield has been a drag queen since the 90s, a true Sydney icon. You might’ve seen him perform on Oxford Street or caught him on RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. But in today’s episode, I want to introduce you to the unknown Maxi, the one who grew up with 12 siblings, lost his mum at just 10 years old, and endured regular beatings from a step-par…

Alice openly shares her experience of applying for bankruptcy at just 20 years old, drowning in debt, and stealing from multiple jobs to fund her party lifestyle. After an abusive relationship and an unplanned pregnancy from a one-night stand, she then went on to meet her now partner, who gave her a final ultimatum. It was then that she finally beg…

Working in construction can come with a heavy drinking culture, but for Liam, the pressure to drink was just one layer of his young life so far. In this episode, he opens up about his complicated relationship with his mother, experiencing homelessness, struggling with body image issues, and how he's finally found a sense of belonging at the gym. Ab…

I can't express how important this episode with Conrad Tracey is, an addiction coach, consultant, and mentor. But most importantly, Conrad is a former drug addict who speaks from experience. I ask Conrad some of the big questions around addiction and sobriety: Who am I without drinking? How can you approach a loved one struggling with drug or alcoh…

Imagine this: you're 21 years old at kick-ons, surrounded by friends, music, and drinks. You're offered a line of white powder, which you snort, only to accidentally slip into drug-induced psychosis. You hear voices, can't leave your house, can't go to work and are overwhelmed by an unbearable urge to tear your skin off. This was Jade's real-life n…

Zeak grew up on a tiny island in the South Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Australia: Norfolk Island. Life in small, rural communities often has its own unique rhythm, and Zeak's story is no exception. Raised by parents who openly used drugs, he learned early on how to navigate a world that was anything but conventional. Adding to this complex…

What if your drug dealer was your doctor? After giving birth to her daughter, Natasha was prescribed Oxy to manage the debilitating symptoms of endometriosis, something that had been dormant her entire life until childbirth. In this episode, Natasha opens up about her struggles; begging her street dealer to stop answering her calls, pleading with d…

By the age of 10, Nicole was already weighing drugs for bikies at clubhouses. She experienced child abuse from a young age and had no family or friends surrounding her. This led Nicole to put her trust in the wrong hands, becoming the victim of a horrific crime in high school. Years later, she married her ex-husband, entering an abusive relationshi…

Sophie was over 3 years sober when she thought she could moderate her drinking. What started as a few drinks spiralled, with her wedding becoming the catalyst for falling back into old habits. Going into this episode, I assumed we’d focus on that turning point, but as I spoke to Sophie, I realised her story ran so much deeper. An eating disorder th…

To kick off a brand new season I bring boyfriend Beau back on the podcast to talk about how year two of sobriety felt compared to our first year. We’re owning up to our downfalls, navigating intimacy as a sober couple and answering your questions on addiction. The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service t…

This is Part 2 and the final chapter of Stony's whirlwind journey—using meth with people in power, battling a relapse that threatened her sobriety, and learning how to heal and forgive after such a tumultuous life. This is the last episode of Season 1, I’ll be taking a very short break, returning on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025. Please take care of y…

It feels like an injustice to Stony's story to try and capture her life in one single interview. From as early as she can remember, Stony's witnessed and been victim to violence and struggled with the presence of addiction in her family. Today In part 1, Stony talks about being sexually assaulted as a child from someone known to her, running a trap…

I’ve never heard a new mum be as open and honest as Lizzy is in this episode. From breastfeeding while drunk and passing out, to grappling with postnatal depression and feeling resentful towards her son in those early days. Lizzy is now sober after years of struggling with alcohol abuse. Growing up in Perth, her energy feels so familiar to me. I wa…

Mick is a 'classic' Aussie dad with three daughters. He enjoys going to the gym and spending time with his wife, Katie. Mick is also a recovering alcohol and gambling addict. Mick shares the powerful story of the day he walked out of his family home, his partner calling after him to come back, as he made his way to a wharf with plans to end his own…

What happens to the children of addicts who can no longer care for them? For many children, the effects of a parent's addiction are profound, far-reaching, and often invisible. Tony, also known as Tony Vlogs, now in his late twenties, is one of those children. His mother struggled with addiction and mental health issues, while his stepfather subjec…

This might be my most controversial episode yet. Nick Blair is the founder of Mind Health Bender, an early intervention initiative dedicated to enhancing mental health and promoting a balanced approach to alcohol and recreational drug use. Nick is here to help those people who can usually moderate their alcohol intake but find themselves slipping u…

Faye is a twenty-something Brit living in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. I initially wanted to chat to Faye about making friends in a new country while being sober, but as soon as we met, it felt like I was catching up with an old friend. Being a recovering party girl herself, we effortlessly started swapping stories whilst (playfully) cringing at …

Karim was a master at concealing his addictions while working a high-profile fashion job in the heart of Sydney. From the outside, it seemed like he was living the dream. However, beneath that façade was a raging gambling addiction that began at just 17 years of age. In our conversation, Karim shares the pain of being disowned by his father and rec…

Jasmine's story is unique among my interviews. She grew up witnessing the impact of addiction first hand on not one, but two of her older siblings. From visiting them in juvenile correctional facilities as teenagers to ultimately taking custody of their children, Jas' loyalty has never wavered. This is a powerful story of resilience, tenacity, and …

Jasmine's story is unique among my interviews. She grew up witnessing the impact of addiction first hand on not one, but two of her older siblings. From visiting them in juvenile correctional facilities as teenagers to ultimately taking custody of their children, Jas' loyalty has never wavered. We connected through a Facebook group called "Māori in…

Ivy Sardi was still out on bail when we recorded this episode. A former drug dealer, Ivy was awaiting sentencing for commercial drug supply. In our conversation, Ivy shares how he never touched drugs until his mid-twenties. From then, it was a rapid decline, leading to suicidal ideations, jail time, run-ins with the Raptor Squad, and waking up in h…

Mel Watkins was the first sober account I ever followed. A retired party girl, she's now an alcohol and love addiction therapist, which is why I wanted to have her on early in the season. In today’s episode, we discuss how drinking and heavy drug use were encouraged and praised throughout her career, infidelity under the influence, her missed diagn…

It wouldn’t be right to start this new series without baring my soul first. In this debut episode, I share the 14 years I spent consumed by alcohol and partying. From taking pills in high school to living as a high-functioning alcoholic in Sydney. Drinking was so deeply intertwined with my false identity, I didn’t want to know who I was without it.…

COMING TUESDAY OCTOBER 1ST Welcome to Soberly Speaking, stories from everyday people sharing their darkest moments that lead to sobriety. Shedding light on our struggles to help those still finding their way out. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday morning. SHOW NOTES: Creator & host- Julia Rangiheuea Video producer- Beaudene Perussich Image & l…