Built By The Red Stick

Episode 110 of Built By The Red Stick welcomes Rebecca Turner to the studio for a real conversation about life, recovery, the things we go through, and what happens when we finally start moving forward.

Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Rebecca and give her the floor to tell her story in her own words—the good, the bad, the lessons learned, and the experiences that helped shape the person she is today.

That's what this show has always been about. Not perfect people. Not polished stories. Just real people willing to talk about the things most of us would rather keep hidden.

There are plenty of laughs along the way, but there are also moments that remind us why sharing these stories matters. You never know when something you've survived might be exactly what somebody else needs to hear.

Episode 110 is another reminder that your past may be part of your story, but it doesn't have to write the ending.

🎧 Watch the full episode, subscribe to Built By The Red Stick, and share this one with somebody who might need it.

Real stories. Real people. Real recovery.

Looking for Help?

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, The Hope Center has been serving individuals and families across Louisiana since 1990 with compassionate, evidence-based addiction treatment.

📍 Washington Street Hope Center
118 S. Washington Street
Marksville, LA 71351

📞 (318) 253-8705

🌐 www.marksvillehopecenter.com

Recovery starts with one phone call. Don't wait to ask for help—there is hope, and you don't have to face addiction alone.

#BuiltByTheRedStick #RebeccaTurner #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryPodcast #RecoveryCommunity #RecoveryIsPossible #RonnieLeDuff #MichaelOakley

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In Episode 109 of Built By The Red Stick, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley welcome Steve Burgess, Operations Manager at The Hope Center in Marksville, Louisiana, for a NEW installment of the Meet Your Sponsor series.

Steve has spent years helping ensure that The Hope Center continues its mission of restoring lives through quality addiction treatment and recovery support. Since opening its doors in 1990, The Hope Center has helped thousands of men and women begin new lives through its 12-Step, Recovery Dynamics-based residential treatment program, intensive outpatient services, and strong alumni community.

In this conversation, Steve gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep a long-standing treatment center operating day after day. From serving clients and supporting staff to creating an environment where recovery can thrive, he shares how every role inside a treatment center contributes to changing lives.

Ronnie, Michael, and Steve also discuss why recovery is about more than completing a program—it's about building a community, finding purpose, and creating a support system that continues long after treatment ends. The Hope Center's alumni network and commitment to ongoing recovery are just a few of the ways they continue serving individuals and families across Louisiana.

Whether you're seeking treatment, supporting someone in recovery, or simply want to understand how treatment centers operate behind the scenes, this episode offers a unique perspective on the people working every day to make recovery possible.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 109 to hear Steve Burgess share his heart for recovery, leadership, and the mission of The Hope Center.

Thank you for supporting Built By The Red Stick. Click the link to watch the full episode, subscribe to the channel, and leave us a comment!

Looking for Help?

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, The Hope Center has been serving individuals and families across Louisiana since 1990 with compassionate, evidence-based addiction treatment.

📍 Washington Street Hope Center
118 S. Washington Street
Marksville, LA 71351

📞 (318) 253-8705

🌐 www.marksvillehopecenter.com

Recovery starts with one phone call. Don't wait to ask for help—there is hope, and you don't have to face addiction alone.

#BuiltByTheRedStick #SteveBurgess #TheHopeCenter #RecoveryPodcast #MeetYourSponsor #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryCommunity #RonnieLeDuff #MichaelOakley

Support the show

https://linktr.ee/builtbytheredstick

In Episode 108 of Built By The Red Stick, Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Jarvis Fountaine, a counselor, recovery advocate, and community resource coordinator who has taken his own experiences and turned them into an opportunity to help others.

Jarvis doesn't just talk about addiction recovery from the outside looking in. He has publicly shared his own experiences with substance misuse and now uses those experiences to have honest conversations with young people and adults about addiction, mental health, stigma, and what can happen when we keep everything bottled up.

Today, Jarvis works in counseling and community outreach, helping connect people with resources while also speaking openly about prevention and the importance of creating places where people can actually talk about what they're going through.

This conversation gets into addiction recovery, men's mental health, the pressure many men feel to stay quiet when they're struggling, and what happens when somebody finally decides to ask for help.

Jarvis's story is another example of something we talk about constantly on this show: your past doesn't have to be wasted. The things you've been through can become the very things that allow you to reach somebody else.

Tune in to Episode 108 for a real conversation about addiction, recovery, mental health, giving back, and what it means to use your story for something bigger than yourself.

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 In Episode 107 of Built By The Red Stick, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Ann Matassa for a deeply personal conversation about domestic violence, survival, and finding the strength to finally break free.

Ann opens up about the reality of living in an abusive relationship—the bruises she covered, the excuses she made, and the complicated reasons people sometimes stay in situations that others looking from the outside may not understand.

This conversation goes beyond asking, "Why didn't you just leave?" It explores the fear, manipulation, isolation, and emotional weight that can keep someone trapped in the cycle of domestic violence. Most importantly, Ann shares her journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor and finding hope on the other side.

Ronnie and Michael give Ann the space to tell her story in her own words, creating an honest conversation about a subject that is often hidden behind closed doors.

"Covering Bruises & Making Excuses: From Victim to Survivor" is a powerful reminder that you never truly know what someone may be going through—and that speaking up can be the first step toward helping someone else realize they aren't alone.

Tune in to Episode 107 for Ann Matassa's story of survival, courage, and finding a way forward.

#BuiltByTheRedStick #DomesticViolenceAwareness #SurvivorStory #FromVictimToSurvivor #TraumaRecovery #Healing #RonnieLeDuff #MichaelOakley 

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In Episode 106 of Built By The Red Stick, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Cathy Toliver for an incredibly emotional conversation about the unimaginable pain of losing her grandson.

Cathy shares her family's story, the tragedy that changed their lives forever, and what it has been like trying to navigate grief after such a devastating loss. She opens up about the memories she carries with her, the impact her grandson had on those who loved him, and how a family begins to move forward when life will never quite be the same.

This episode is about love, loss, family, and the strength it takes to keep going when you're faced with something no grandparent or family should ever have to experience.

Through Cathy's willingness to share her story, we hope this conversation reaches other families who have experienced the loss of a child or grandchild and reminds them that they are not alone in their grief.

Episode 106 is a powerful reminder to hold the people you love close, appreciate the time you have together, and never take a single moment for granted.

Tune in to Episode 106 to hear Cathy Toliver share the story of her grandson, the love her family has for him, and how they continue to carry his memory forward.

#BuiltByTheRedStick #CathyToliver #Grief #GriefSupport #Family #Loss #Healing #RememberingLovedOnes #RonnieLeDuff #MichaelOakley

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In Episode 105 of Built By The Red Stick, Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley welcome back the guys from Rehab Bromance—Jed Payne, Trevon Tardy, and Raph Luneau—and things get wild pretty quickly.

This episode is packed with stories, nonstop laughs, recovery talk, and the kind of unpredictable conversations that happen when you put five guys with a lot of history, personality, and absolutely no filter in the same room.

The guys also talk about the upcoming Rehab Bromance x Built By The Red Stick Live Podcast Filming happening in Lafayette. The event will bring both podcasts together for an afternoon of live recording, giveaways, recovery, community, and plenty of laughs.

More than anything, this episode shows another side of recovery. It doesn’t always have to be serious. Recovery can mean friendship, community, laughing at the insanity of your past, and actually enjoying the life you worked so hard to rebuild.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 105 for wild stories, big laughs, and a conversation that definitely goes off the rails a few times.

And if you’re in the Lafayette area, come hang out with Rehab Bromance and Built By The Red Stick for the live podcast filming!

Saturday, July 18 | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Day One Club | Lafayette, Louisiana

Giveaways, live podcast recording, and a suggested $5 donation.

Thank you for continuing to support Built By The Red Stick! Subscribe, share the episode, and help us continue reaching people with the message that recovery is possible—and you can have a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

Want to help make an even bigger impact? For every new Patreon subscriber, Rhea Media Group will match that subscription amount with a donation toward the fundraiser.

That means by supporting Built By The Red Stick on Patreon, you’re not only helping us continue sharing stories of recovery—you’re also helping raise even more money for this cause. Join the Patreon, double the impact, and help us continue proving what the recovery community can accomplish when we come together.

Subscribe, share the episode, and join us on Patreon. Every new subscription means a matching donation from Rhea Media Group directly to the fundraiser!

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In this episode of the Addiction Recovery Podcast, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley welcome LaShona Mosby, founder of Families with a Broken Heart Due to Senseless Violence, for one of the most emotional conversations we've had on the show.

After losing her son, Corinthian, to gun violence in 2014—a tragedy that also left her two other sons wounded—LaShona made the courageous decision to turn unimaginable pain into a mission of hope. Instead of allowing tragedy to define her family, she chose to become an advocate for healing, supporting families affected by violence, addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges.

Through her organization and community initiatives like "Tragedy to Triumph," LaShona has created a space where survivors can share their stories, encourage one another, and remind families that they are never alone. Her message is simple but powerful: your greatest pain does not have to be the end of your story—it can become the beginning of someone else's hope.

Ronnie, Michael, and LaShona discuss grief, forgiveness, faith, and the connection between trauma and addiction. They explore how communities can come together to break cycles of violence, support mental wellness, and create lasting change through compassion and service.

This episode is a powerful reminder that even after life's darkest moments, healing is possible—and purpose can be found in places we never expected.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 104 to hear LaShona Mosby's incredible story of resilience, faith, and turning tragedy into triumph.

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In this episode of the Addiction Recovery Podcast, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley welcome Donna Burks, a mental health and substance abuse professional whose career has been dedicated to helping individuals find healing, stability, and long-term recovery.

Donna holds a Master's degree and serves as a PLPC (Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor) and SAP (Substance Abuse Professional), bringing both clinical knowledge and real-world experience to the conversation. She currently works as a Substance Abuse Professional in the Baton Rouge area, helping individuals navigate recovery, treatment, and the challenges that come with rebuilding life after addiction.

Throughout this episode, Donna shares her perspective on the connection between mental health and addiction, the importance of addressing underlying issues that fuel substance use, and why recovery requires more than simply abstaining from drugs or alcohol. She discusses the value of accountability, professional support, and creating healthy systems that allow people to thrive long after treatment ends.

Ronnie, Michael, and Donna dive into the realities many families face when addiction enters the picture, the role counselors play in helping individuals find hope, and why no one should have to walk the recovery journey alone.

This conversation is full of wisdom, encouragement, and practical insight for anyone seeking recovery, supporting a loved one, or working in the behavioral health field.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 103 to hear Donna Burks' perspective on healing, mental health, and building a strong foundation for lasting recovery.

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In this episode of the Addiction Recovery Podcast, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley welcome Katie True for an honest conversation about recovery, healing, and the power of finding your true identity after addiction.

Katie shares her personal journey through addiction, the challenges she faced along the way, and the moments that ultimately led her toward recovery. She opens up about rebuilding her life, learning to trust the process, and discovering that freedom is about much more than simply putting down a substance—it's about becoming the person you were always meant to be.

Throughout the episode, Katie discusses the importance of community, accountability, and surrounding yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed. Her story is one of resilience, growth, and hope for anyone who feels trapped by their past.

Ronnie, Michael, and Katie dive into the realities of recovery, the lessons learned through adversity, and how sharing our stories can help others realize they are not alone in their struggles.

This conversation is filled with honesty, encouragement, and proof that recovery is possible no matter where your journey begins.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 102 to hear Katie True’s story and learn how healing, purpose, and perseverance can transform a life.

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In this episode of the Addiction Recovery Podcast, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Rolando Wolfe, a substance abuse counselor, recovery advocate, and leader in the sober living community.

Rolando has dedicated his life to helping individuals find freedom from addiction and build a foundation for lasting recovery. Through his work in counseling and sober living, he has witnessed firsthand the challenges people face when trying to rebuild their lives—and the incredible transformations that happen when recovery is given a chance.

During this conversation, Rolando shares his perspective on addiction, mental health, accountability, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. He discusses what it takes to move beyond survival mode, develop healthy habits, and create a life worth staying sober for.

Ronnie, Michael, and Rolando dive into the realities of recovery, the role of community in healing, and why no one should have to walk the journey alone. This episode is full of practical wisdom, hope, and encouragement for anyone seeking a better life.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 101 to hear Rolando Wolfe's story and learn why recovery is about more than getting sober—it's about building a future.

Support the show

https://linktr.ee/builtbytheredstick