Chris Janssen, MA, BCC is a USA TODAY Bestselling author, and results coach in performance and mindset. Her award-winning books include "Grace Yourself: How to Show Up for the Sober Life You Want" https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1637633378?tag=simonsayscom and "Living All In: How to Show Up for the Life You Want" https://www.amazon.com/Living-All-Show-Life-Want/dp/B0BH8C5Z7B Chris has worked with hundreds of creatives, soldiers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses internationally to clos...
Jul 03, 2025•24 min•Season 8Ep. 405
Although best known for her comedy, Tiffany Jenkins is incredibly passionate about bringing awareness to mental illness and addiction. She travels the nation to speak at high schools, jails, rehab centers, and conferences about her own personal experiences with addiction and recovery. Beloved for her complete authenticity, raw honesty, and lovable humor, Tiffany Jenkins is the human voice of the opioid epidemic. This is her gripping true story, from her life as an addict, 20 felony charges, and ...
May 28, 2025•27 min•Season 8Ep. 416
Matthew (Matt) A. Tyner, Sr. is the author of Fast and Hard: From Addictions to Redemption . He is a man who has reinvented himself and has invested his second chance at life with building positive relationships with those around him. Matt is best known for his work as a college baseball coach, but many know him as a walk-on baseball player from the prestigious University of Miami Baseball program that made three consecutive College World Series appearances. When all the world looked bright for ...
May 20, 2025•32 min•Season 8Ep. 415
Dancing since the age of 5, Sybil Stanonis’ first love was tap. Taking classes and competing with top level recognition in tap, ballet and jazz throughout childhood; she knew dance was a passion. Her competition success provided her invitations to dance across Russia (Leningrad, Minsk, Moscow ) and Denmark (Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen). Her professional credits include 2 seasons as a NFL Cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which involved promotional work and community events. While pursuing ...
May 08, 2025•36 min•Season 8Ep. 414
Rob Lohman’s battle with addiction began at just 14 years old, fueled by a family history of alcoholism. Throughout his teenage and young adult years, he lived a chaotic, chameleon-like existence, losing his true identity to drinking and drug use. Despite the mistakes he made during those years, Rob credits his journey with giving him the powerful stories he now uses to help others move from addiction to recovery. One night, while drinking heavily at a bar in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Rob experienced...
May 01, 2025•37 min•Season 8Ep. 413
Bob Kinney is a recovered alcoholic after an 18-year battle of severe alcoholism. He is a father of six children and has 12 grandchildren. He is a veteran with a heart for homeless veterans. He is a Christian, retired carpenter, and devoted father and grandpa, residing in New Hope, MN. He is the author of Kill Me or Cure Me, a memoir published in 2024 which relives the story of his addiction and eventual recovery: Kill Me or Cure Me: A Message of True Recovery from Addiction . This is a true sto...
Apr 22, 2025•36 min•Season 8Ep. 412
Success isn’t just about climbing the ladder—it’s about helping others climb it too. That’s the heart of Nick Jonsson, co-founder and Managing Director of EGN (Executives' Global Network) across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Through EGN, Nick has built a lifeline for 800+ senior leaders—a safe space for connection, strategy, and real talk in the high-stakes, often isolating world of executive leadership. But Nick’s impact goes deeper than titles and networks. After losing everything to add...
Apr 03, 2025•33 min•Season 8Ep. 412
Dr. Frederic Luskin is a psychologist who has been teaching at Stanford University for the past 30 years. He has a Ph. D in Counseling and Health Psychology from Stanford University and holds clinical licenses as a Psychologist and a Marriage and Family Counselor. Currently he is on the faculty for the GSB Executive Education program where he teaches mindfulness, emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and positive psychology to executives from all over the world. When not at Stanford, Dr....
Mar 15, 2025•25 min•Season 8Ep. 411
Dan Zsido has had 15 years of narcotics investigative experience with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. He established and supervised the Strategic Diversion Task Force investigating pharmaceutical crimes, doctor shopping, fraud, trafficking and more. Currently Dan is the Training and Education Director at NADDI (National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators) - The Training and Education Director assists the Executive Board in the development and implementation of NADDI Training Confe...
Feb 25, 2025•27 min•Season 8Ep. 403
A successful businesswoman and well-known political leader, Congresswoman Mary Bono (ret.) was hailed as the "embodiment of powerful American womanhood" by the Washington Times, rising to become Chairman of the influential U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade. In April of 2022, Mary was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Merit Award from her alma mater, the University of Southern California. Today, she is widely recognized as a powerful advocate for issues impor...
Feb 02, 2025•28 min•Season 8Ep. 402
Julieta's powerful journey from the border town of Juarez, Mexico, to becoming a relentless advocate for drug education is nothing short of inspiring. Growing up in a community deeply affected by drug abuse, she witnessed firsthand not only the devastating impact on individuals but the ripple effect it had on entire neighborhoods. Realizing the urgent need for education and awareness, she became fiercely passionate about making a difference—especially when it came to educating children. Since 20...
Jan 17, 2025•31 min•Season 8Ep. 401
Lang Martinez, a resident of Los Angeles, CA, has successfully transformed his life's challenges into a compelling narrative of resilience. As a Trauma Survivor, Unconventional Advocate, Recovery Mentor, Hope Dealer and Speaker. Martinez leverages his experiences of sexual abuse and rape as a minor to advocate for the homeless, employing a peer-to-peer approach recognized in various publications, including the Washington Examiner, VCRreporter, Monticito Journal, Fillmore Gazette, Vc Star, Citize...
Jan 09, 2025•44 min•Season 8Ep. 400
Dedee Pfeiffer, celebrated actress and younger sister of Michelle Pfeiffer, is known for her roles in hit shows like *Cybill* and *For Your Love* and her recent return to television as Denise Brisbane in ABC's *Big Sky.* But Dedee's journey is far more compelling than her screen credits alone. After stepping away from Hollywood for a decade to confront her alcohol addiction and raise her children as a single mom, she emerged not just as a survivor but as an advocate for recovery. During her hiat...
Dec 21, 2024•35 min•Season 8Ep. 399
Jackie Siegel is best known for her role in the award-winning documentary feature, Queen of Versailles (Magnolia Pictures), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012. A little back story: Jackie earned the "Queen" moniker when a decade ago, she and husband, David Siegel, began an extravagant project to build the largest private residence in the U.S.—named Versailles—and the ambitious construction ground to a halt as the '08 recession dented their fortune. The rise and fall of their g...
Dec 12, 2024•27 min•Season 8Ep. 398
Denise Barnes is a devoted mother of three, married to a wonderful Christian husband, and a proud native of San Diego, California. Her family, deeply rooted in their love for surfing and faith, faced an unimaginable tragedy this year when her youngest son was found overdosing on a Xanax laced with fentanyl. Despite Narcan being administered, 911 was not called—a critical misstep that cost her son his life. This devastating loss has left an irreplaceable void in their hearts and a profound sense ...
Nov 28, 2024•29 min•Season 8Ep. 398
Melissa Hayward-Tucker was caught in the grip of addiction for years, a victim of drugs and alcohol from her early teens. Growing up in a turbulent world of abandonment, domestic violence, and abuse, she faced trauma most never know. By age fourteen, she was using crack cocaine, and her life spiraled into darkness on the dangerous streets of Houston and Los Angeles, where she was left homeless, addicted, and surrounded by violence. But on January 29, 2001, in her darkest hour, she heard a voice ...
Nov 16, 2024•30 min•Season 8Ep. 397
In 2012, 14-year-old Dakota Dyer tragically took his own life after trying a synthetic drug. His father, Lance Dyer, was determined to prevent other families from experiencing this devastation. Confronted with the growing scourge of synthetic drugs - marketed as "safe" alternatives to marijuana - Lance fought back. Using investigative skills honed as an Army Ranger, Lance tracked down the manufacturing company responsible for his son's death. His efforts led to the arrests and lengthy prison sen...
Nov 12, 2024•52 min•Season 8Ep. 397
Lauren Sisler is an Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, ESPN sideline reporter, author, and keynote speaker known for her sideline shimmy. After landing her dream career with ESPN, reporting on college football and gymnastics, she began to open up about a story she once kept hidden: losing her parents to opioid addiction. Through sharing her story, she’s been able to shed light on the stigma of addiction. Now, whether she’s on the sidelines or on stages, her purpose lies in helping people tel...
Nov 01, 2024•39 min•Season 8Ep. 396
Marcel Gemme is a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist (DATS) and a member of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals who concentrates on helping families find help for their loved ones. He is the founder and CEO of DRS, which includes Addicted.org and Drugrehab.ca, two websites that have helped thousands of people find treatment for substance use disorder in the United States and Canada. Marcel is also a member of International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Prof...
Oct 25, 2024•33 min•Season 8Ep. 395
Thaddeus’ service to this country began its course while proudly serving in the United States Air Force. He served on the Terrell County Independent School District School Board for eight years and as the Board President four of those years. His viewpoint: “Students and our school's educators are at the forefront of our nations foundation. Texas must lead the nation by adapting our approach to doing what is best for the students first and foremost so we as Texans and parents promote the most eff...
Oct 17, 2024•32 min•Season 8Ep. 394
Dr. Tracy Strawberry is an international speaker, published author, CEO, and wife of baseball legend Darryl Strawberry. After many years of battling addiction, alcoholism and other life controlling issues, Tracy surrendered her life to Jesus Christ and experienced a radical life transformation through the power of God and the process of change. By sharing her testimony openly, with biblical solutions and practical application, Tracy is a highly sought after international speaker with requests to...
Oct 13, 2024•36 min•Season 8Ep. 393
Andrew Zimmern knew from a young age he wanted a career in food. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, he cooked in New York City restaurants for Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal and Thomas Keller, amongst others. Andrew helped open and run a dozen restaurants, and at the same time was also an addict spiraling out of control. After a year spent living on the streets, an intervention by close friends brought him to the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. Transforming his life aroun...
Oct 08, 2024•46 min•Season 8Ep. 392
Brace yourself for a fascinating episode of **The Addiction Podcast - Point of No Return**, featuring the Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist, **Barry Meier**, as we peel back the layers of the opioid crisis, examining its roots, aftermath, and the unsettling role played by the Sackler family and their empire, Purdue Pharma. Meier also discusses how he ventured into investigative reporting and provides context for his journey in creating the book that started it all – **"Pain Killer:...
Sep 27, 2024•34 min•Season 8Ep. 391
Leeann Blaskowsky is a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner. In her words: since 2009 I have been living and working in Colorado, and I am faced, almost daily, with counseling families about marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. My nursing education began with an Associates degree waaay back in 1984, continuing to a Bachelors and Masters in Nursing more than twenty-five years later, finally finishing with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in 2020. With more than 40 years in heal...
Sep 25, 2024•48 min•Season 8Ep. 391
Lunden Roberts is a mother, author, and financial officer from Batesville, AR. Her all-star basketball career culminated at Arkansas State University, where she was a McDonalds All-American Nominee shooting guard and studied criminal justice and psychology. Roberts went on to Washington, D.C. for the most prestigious CSI training in the country, where she met and began a relationship with Hunter Biden. She served as Biden’s executive assistant at Rosemont Seneca and other business entities, and ...
Sep 13, 2024•24 min•Season 8Ep. 390
Jim Willfred is a man with extensive life experiences that have fueled his insatiable passion to help those afflicted with substance use disorders and to support other parents in avoiding the pain of losing a child as he has. Jim struggled with substance use disorder for 20 years until he broke free in 2004. He was honored with the Individual Achievement Award by Governor Bond for his ability to utilize help from government agencies to rebuild his life. Jim was invited to speak before 500 govern...
Sep 06, 2024•32 min•Season 8Ep. 388
John Bitinas is a native of New England, an entrepreneur, public speaker and young guy who has just been wildly successful after getting his life back from addiction. John has been clean and sober now for over 18 years, in that time he has built a successful business, found and married the love of his life and personally spoke to over 250,000 people about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. John currently resides in New Hampshire with his wife Renee, where they own and operate their business North...
Aug 30, 2024•46 min•Season 8Ep. 387
he tragic loss of her son, Devin, in Feb 2018 to an accidental drug overdose was the catalyst for INTO LIGHT Project. Through the simple act of drawing, Theresa discovered the power of art and storytelling to change minds and hearts. The INTO LIGHT Project, while born out of tragedy, has provided Theresa with an opportunity to shed light on those lost to addiction so that their spirit, kindness, humor, pain, and compassion are seen. She is passionate about changing the conversation about drug ad...
Aug 23, 2024•29 min•Season 8Ep. 387
Anne Elizabeth Fundner lost her son Weston to fentanyl poisoning in 2022. She blames the current administration for the opening of the borders for the death of her son. Anne Fundner shared that Weston was a really good kid, and she and her family did everything right. They involved him in sports, and Anne was an active room mom. Their relationship was wonderful; Weston was her perfect little bouncing baby boy who taught her what unconditional love was, a love she had never known existed outside ...
Aug 15, 2024•26 min•Season 8Ep. 386
Charlotte Bismuth was an attorney who started her career as a litigation associate. After joining the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor in 2010, she began investigating a doctor who was illegally overprescribing pain medications. After months of investigation, Dr. Li was finally convicted of 2 counts of murder and over 90 other counts. While she was part of an incredible team that assisted, this is the story of one woman's campaign to right a deadly wrong. She continues to fight the goo...
Aug 08, 2024•36 min•Season 8Ep. 386
