Take It From Us with Kent Johns

Take It From Us is the voice of lived experience. In this podcast, you'll hear real people share honest stories about mental health, addiction, trauma and recovery - straight from their own journeys.

They'll tell you what actually worked, what didn't, and what they wish they'd known sooner.

Host Kent Johns is a former broadcaster-turned-health-coach who believes everyone has a story to tell if people take the time to really listen.

So settle in, you're going to hear some stories. Take it from us - and from them.

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If you need support, click here for helpful links, phone numbers and resources:

https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/

Last refreshed: July 9th, 2025 at 8:34 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Lisa McDonald & Veronica Shale: Why we're giving up alcohol

This July, thousands of New Zealanders will go alcohol-free for Dry July - but for breast cancer survivor Lisa McDonald, the cause is deeply personal. After facing aggressive treatment including bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy, Lisa experienced firsthand how the Dry July-funded support services like "Look Good Feel Better" made her feel "a million bucks" during her darkest days. Dry July NZ Campaign Director Veronica Shale reveals how the cause has raised over $11 million since 2012, suppo...

Jul 08, 2025•27 min

Grace Curtis: The best is yet to come

In 2020, Grace Curtis faced an unimaginable tragedy when she discovered her father's body after he died by suicide, and had to break the devastating news to her family. What followed was a long period of being bedridden with depression, convinced she would never feel peace again. Five years later, Grace has transformed her darkest experience into a mission of hope. She's the author of a new book, The Best Is Yet To Come and a powerful advocate for suicide loss survivors. This raw, honest convers...

Jul 01, 2025•32 min

Trailer

Take It From Us is back. What started as an award-winning community radio show is now something bigger. Host Kent Johns is still here with his same mix of straight talk and warmth, just in a brand-new podcast format. Take It From Us is still about talking to real people about what it's actually like to live through the hard stuff - like addiction, trauma, mental health challenges and recovery. Same energy. Same realness. Just bigger conversations. Hit follow - when life gets complicated, you'll ...

Jun 25, 2025•56 sec

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