Note from Jeannine: I am so honored to bring you an encore run of my episode with Rachel, recorded in April 2024. Since this interview, Rachel and I have become great friends, traveling to NYC and LA together. I admire and adore her, and I know you will too - enjoy!

Today we have the pleasure. of chatting with Rachel Slocum, aka @rachelelizabethxo on social media. The incredibly popular social media influencer and content creator shares about growing up in NY, getting into opiates, becoming a mother, using crack and heroin while maintaining a job as a dental hygienist and ultimately finding recovery in the last place she expected it...Austin, Texas. After getting sober in 2018, Rachel started a TikTok account during the pandemic and her popularity on TikTok exploded virtually overnight. Now a well known influencer and content creator, Rachel uses her unique comedic style to inspire and entertain other single moms and women in recovery.

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Note from Jeannine: hey, y'all! I was so excited to interview Alexis! I was of course interested in interviewing her as a a participant in The Bling Ring, but as I learned more about her I became even more intrigued about her range of knowledge and experience in therapy and recovery. I learned so much from her, and I know you will, too!

Episode description:

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Alexis Neiers — former reality TV star and convicted participant in the infamous Bling Ring burglaries — for an unflinching conversation about addiction, incarceration, and radical transformation. After serving jail time twice and struggling publicly with substance use, Alexis found sobriety and purpose. Today, she’s a recovery professional, spiritual seeker, and advocate for healing.

We dive deep into her journey through shame and sensational headlines into profound healing — from working with Internal Family Systems and somatic therapy to navigating a divorce in sobriety. This episode is raw, inspiring, and a testament to what’s possible when we choose recovery, integrity, and inner work.

I can't wait to hear what you guys think about the episode!

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**trigger warning: suicide

Note from Jeannine: this is going to be one of y'alls favorite episodes of all time. I was blown away by Carrie's vulnerability and resilience. She also shared one of the most profound meditation and prayer practices that I have ever heard - I started it this week, actually. Please let me know your thoughts!

On New Year’s Eve, Carrie's life shattered with the sound of a gunshot—her husband took his own life in the next room. What followed could’ve destroyed her, but instead, it became the moment she chose to live. In this raw and powerful episode, she shares how that night marked the beginning of her sobriety—and how she rebuilt her life from the wreckage.

This is a story of unimaginable loss, but also of resilience, radical honesty, and spiritual awakening. We talk about her daily prayer and meditation practice, finding love again in sobriety, and the deep healing that’s taken place in her relationship with her mother.

If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to come back from the darkest night of your life, this episode is your answer.

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Note from Jeannine: So, this is a pretty big one for me. In 2020, while my studio was closed, I started manically listening to various podcasts every day looking for motivation and insight. One morning while sitting on the floor of our strength room, I heard the story of The Coffee Bean, as told through Clemson coach, Dabo Sweeney. The origins of that story begin in a jail cell in Texas - with today's guest. Interviewing him and telling him the impact his story had on me was a very cool experience and a reminder to me that my Higher Power is always working in my life...even when I can't see it. Special thank you to Dave from Dopey for connecting me with Damon. Enjoy!

Episode description:

Today Jeannine interviews Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice. Damon is a college professor, internationally known keynote speaker and 3 x Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His bestselling business book, The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change, was listed by Forbes’ in the “Top Twenty Books You Need to Read to Crush 2020.”

His autobiography, The Change Agent: How a Former College QB Sentenced to Life in Prison Transformed His World, vividly tells how he transformed the pot of boiling water that is a Texas maximum-security prison into a pot of coffee.

At 20 years old, he was a Division 1 starting quarterback at the University of North Texas, when he suffered a career ending injury. He turned to hardcore drugs to cope with disappointments of life. After graduation, he worked in the United States Congress, was a national fundraiser on a U.S. Presidential campaign and eventually trained to be a stockbroker for United Bank of Switzerland (UBS). One day at UBS, he was introduced to methamphetamines; he became instantly hooked—and the lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit.

After a fateful discussion during his incarceration with a seasoned convict, Damon had a spiritual awakening. He learned that, like a coffee bean changing with the application of heat and pressure, he was capable of changing the environment around him. Armed with a program of recovery, a renewed faith, and a miraculous second chance at life, Damon emerged from over seven years of prison a changed man. His story of redemption, grit and determination continues to inspire audiences today.

Damon shares his story of how his first use of meth escalated into homelessness in 18 months, including all manner of tweaker hijinks, including a mail man hustle and stealing a car from the Texas Rangers police impound. We talk recovery, resentments, rebuilding after incarceration and never letting dreams die. Let me know what y'all think!

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See you next week!

Note from Jeannine:

I had a great time chatting with Patrick. I found him to be incredibly insightful, vulnerable and honest. He is someone is consistently doing work to try to become the best version of himself, and I think we can always learn from people who are willing to take accountability, and share their solutions. Enjoy!

Episode description:

Patrick Holbert is a stand-up comedian whose special, "Qualification,: is out now!

Patrick grew up in rural New York and didn't start drinking until college. College drinking escalated - and ended - pretty quickly. Patrick got sober at twenty-seven and has embarked on a journey of twelve step sobriety and fellowship that introduced him to his wife, as well as his solution for his problems in sobriety.

Please let me know what you think!

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Y'all are gonna love Deana as much as I did.

Deana was adopted into a family in Calabasas and thrown into the entertainment industry as a child. Enduring childhood abuse by her adoptive mother led to teen rebellion and drug use. Addicted to crack cocaine by eighteen years old, Deana spent the next thirty years of life addicted, homeless and lost.

Deana finally got sober in 2020 and is thriving in her life. She shares her story with humor and vulnerability. I was so inspired by her story, and I know you will be too!

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Jimmy's using career began and ended early. Starting with weed and massive amounts of cough syrup eventually progressed to cocaine and meth.

Jimmy's meth use descended into homeless and countless stints in jail - quickly. Locked up on nine warrants - plus a new charge of breaking and entering into his family home - Jimmy went to jail on July 20th, 2013 for the last time. He has now been sober since that date as well. Jimmy is not a twelve step person and I really enjoyed learning about the recovery program and process he put together for himself.

Can wait to hear what you think!

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Note from Jeannine:

Thank you guys so much for your patience over the last few weeks as I prepared for my TedX Talk! I think it went well and hopefully it'll be published to the TedX YouTube in a few months! CJ's episode is incredible, I learned so much from him and I know you will, too. Let me know your thoughts!

Episode description:

CJ grew up bouncing around amongst three separate and very culturally distinct neighborhoods. Chaos and violence at home led to early instability and adversity. While CJ did manage to graduate from high school, he struggled afterward with establishing financial or emotional stability. Descending into heroin addiction over time, CJ started the rounds of state facilities and detoxes, even traveling cross country a few times. Sober now since 2018, CJ's spiritual and Twelve Step wisdom and insight truly amazed and inspired me. Let me know what you think!

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Note from Jeannine: Christina's story is one of my favorite all time episodes of the show. Just an incredible story of strength and resilience. This is an encore run of her episode, new episodes return next week after my TedX Talk! Thank you for being patient with me, I love you guys!

TRIGGER WARNING***

***sex trafficking, domestic abuse, assault, SA and pregnancy termination

My conversation today with Christina Garofalo will have you both laughing and crying. Christina is a survivor in the truest form of the word. I was blown away by her vulnerability, authenticity and the strength she has shown in escaping the world she was trapped in, making it back to her hometown and family in San Diego AND tapering down from an incredibly high dose of methadone (170 mL). Christina now has a sponsor, works steps, goes on twelve step retreats and does EMDR therapy - she has worked so hard to find healing, peace and safety and I am personally so proud of her.

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Note from Jeannine: Vegas's episode is one of my favorite all time episodes! With my Tedx Talk happening next Saturday, I felt it was a good time to revisit a popular episode - back with new episodes next week!

I got to sit down with Michael "Vegas" Gialketsis. Vegas talks to us about growing up in Las Vegas, getting into drugs young, being sent to an institution as a teenager, going to jail in Vegas and Texas and tons of active addition mayhem. Sober now since June of 2018, Vegas is now a loving father, partner and talented musician. Vegas shares how the Twelve Steps helped him find his true personality, as well as how his awareness of his character defects through the 5th and 6th steps can help prevent relapse. You may also recognize him from Cheryl Anne's Rehab Fitness ;)

Check out ⁠Vegas's music on Spotify and Apple!⁠

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