Get a Grip Podcast

In this powerful full-length episode, we follow the extraordinary journey of Josh Fessler, a man who fought through a life of trauma, addiction, and crime to find a path to sobriety and transformation. Josh’s story begins with a childhood marked by pain, leading him to drugs and alcohol at a young age as a means to cope. As his addiction spiraled, Josh resorted to selling drugs and committing crimes just to survive. But it wasn't until an unimaginable series of events—16 overdoses in a three-month period—that Josh hit rock bottom, eventually landing him back in jail. It was there that he crossed paths with Louis, who was working in a correctional facility at that time.

What began as a simple connection sparked the beginning of a profound change. In this episode, Josh opens up about his darkest moments, the chaos of his addiction, and the turning point that led him to seek a new way of life. Through raw honesty and reflection, we hear how he found sobriety and rebuilt his life in ways he never thought possible. This is a story of survival, resilience, and hope—a testament to the power of second chances and the ability to rise from the ashes. Tune in to hear Josh's incredible transformation and the lessons learned along the way.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

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In this powerful and thought-provoking podcast, Louis and Aaron sit down with David Beechy, who shares his extraordinary journey from growing up Amish to becoming a corrections officer on death row in Tennessee. David opens up about the unique and often difficult experience of being raised in the Amish community, the challenges he faced both personally and socially, and the way he was perceived by others. After deciding to break away from his Amish upbringing, David pursued a career in law enforcement, starting with a security job. His life took a surprising turn one night when he randomly applied at a prison and ended up working on death row.

David recounts his time in one of the darkest and most intense environments imaginable, offering a glimpse into the world of executions, violent inmates, and the raw humanity he encountered. He shares chilling stories of what life was like working in the death row unit, how the inmates behaved, and the disturbing moments he witnessed. This is an unfiltered look into the emotional toll of working on death row, the personal impact it had on David, and the haunting realities of life behind bars.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠

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In this powerful and eye-opening episode Louis and Aaron sit down with David Crego, a man whose journey through the dark world of Florida's pill mills in the early 2000s reveals the true cost of the opioid epidemic. David shares his personal story of getting involved in crime and hustling at an early age, which ultimately led him into the dangerous pill mill rat race.

He trafficked prescription painkillers from Florida to the Midwest, all while struggling with addiction and the destructive forces of his past. David opens up about how his father, a key figure in his life, taught him the ways of the drug trade, setting the stage for his deep involvement in the opioid crisis. Now sober and reflecting on his past, David gives a raw and unflinching account of his role in this crisis, offering rare insights into the system that fueled it. David also shares what it took to get to the other side and how his rock bottom led him to sobriety and change as a human.

This conversation explores not only the personal toll of addiction but the wider implications of the opioid crisis that has ravaged communities across the nation. Don't miss this powerful, eye-opening interview.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!




• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠
• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!




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In this raw podcast, Louis and Aaron interview Caleb Alexander who opens up about his life growing up in a seemingly perfect suburban home, where privilege and opportunity were abundant. But behind the walls of that house, Caleb's reality was far from ordinary. Raised by his late father, William, a heroin user, Caleb shares the shocking truth of what went on in their home, the struggles, and the devastating impact of addiction. As Caleb's story unfolds, he describes how his own addiction took root and ultimately led him to using heroin alongside his father.

After a fatal overdose rocked his world, a SWAT team raided their home, sending Caleb, his father, and his grandmother to jail. What followed was a harrowing journey through the brutalities of addiction, incarceration, and the painful reality of the disease that gripped his family. In this episode, Caleb offers a candid look at his personal battles with addiction, the chaos of life in jail, and the shocking ways heroin use impacted every part of his life. He talks about the ugly truth behind addiction, the desperation, and the heartbreak that often goes unnoticed from the outside. Especially how he felt like an outcast in his community with little to no support from anyone around him, but instead a mountain of shame and guilt. Join Caleb as he shares his journey toward understanding, redemption, and recovery—a story of survival, resilience, and the ongoing fight against the disease of addiction. Caleb is coming up on 3 years sober.

Tune in for powerful conversations, raw insights, and a deep dive into one man’s path to reclaiming his life.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!




• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠
• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!




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In this deeply emotional and candid episode, Louis and Aaron interview Heather who shares her harrowing story of survival, resilience, and recovery. Growing up in an environment filled with relentless physical and mental abuse, Heather was forced to fend for herself from a young age. By 17, she found herself homeless, couch surfing, and doing whatever she could to survive. As she navigated life without support, she began to experiment with drugs—starting with weed, Adderall, and opiates—looking for an escape from the pain.But everything changed when she discovered meth. What began as a way to cope spiraled into a full-blown addiction, and Heather describes the next three years of her life as a never-ending bender, consumed by her need for the drug. Through a series of destructive choices, multiple psych ward visits and painful consequences, Heather hit rock bottom. Yet, despite the darkness, she managed to find the strength to turn her life around.In this episode, Heather opens up about her struggle with addiction, the toll it took on her mind and body, and the journey of getting sober. She talks about the challenges of rebuilding her life from scratch, finding hope in the most unexpected places, and the power of second chances. Heather’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the possibility of transformation, no matter how far one has fallen. Tune in for an unforgettable, raw, and inspiring conversation about overcoming trauma, addiction, and finding redemption.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠

• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!

• Live Inspired KNB
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In this unbelievable episode, Louis sits down with Dustin Starkey, who we had the chance to interview on his first day out of prison. Dustin has spent the majority of his life caught in the grip of crime and addiction, and the legal system. Dustin also opens up about his family's involvement in illegal activities shaping much of his path. From wild stories of danger and survival, including a chaotic incident at a motel involving a machete, Dustin’s life has been nothing short of tumultuous and dangerous .

But now, after years of struggle, Dustin is given one last chance at redemption through a specialty docket court called RISE (Reaching Individual Success Everyday). Thanks to a judge who saw potential in him, Dustin is starting over, determined to break free from his past and build a better future. Tune in to hear Dustin’s raw, real, and inspiring story about overcoming the odds, facing his demons, and taking his first steps toward change. This is a story of second chances, hope, and the power of a system that believes in rehabilitation over punishment.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠

• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!

• Live Inspired KNB
• TikTok: ⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@liveinspiredknb⁠⁠

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In this powerful episode Louis and Aaron sit down with Quan Gray. He opens up about his tumultuous upbringing during the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Growing up on the tough streets, Quan idolized his father, a well-known drug dealer, and found himself tangled in the chaos of crime and addiction.

With countless run-ins with the law, Quan seemed destined to repeat the same destructive patterns. But when he hit rock bottom, the unlikeliest of people—a police officer—stepped in and gave him a second chance at life.

Tune in to hear Quan’s raw, inspiring story of survival, redemption, and the unexpected people who can change everything when you least expect it.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠

• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!

• Live Inspired KNB
• TikTok: ⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@liveinspiredknb⁠⁠

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In this powerful episode of Get A Grip Podcast, convicted felon-turned-host, Louis Essig sits down with Judge Sheryl Munson of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus, Ohio, for a candid conversation about the human side of the justice system.

Judge Munson opens up about the traumatic events of her childhood and how they shaped her perspective on law, justice, and empathy towards others. As the only former public defender now serving as a judge in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Judge Munson shares her unique journey from defending clients to deciding their fates in the courtroom. She also dives into the work she’s doing with the RISE Court (Reaching Individual Success Everyday), which she created. RISE Court is a Mental Health Specialty Docket Court designed to help individuals struggling with mental illness and addiction.

Throughout the conversation, Judge Munson discusses the emotional weight of sending someone to prison and the complex realities of justice. This eye-opening discussion explores the intersections of trauma, empathy, mental health, and the criminal justice system, offering a deeper understanding of the human side of justice.Don’t miss this inspiring and thought-provoking conversation with one of the most compassionate and forward-thinking judges in Ohio.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠

• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!

• Live Inspired KNB
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In this unfiltered episode of Get A Grip Podcast, co-host Louis Essig sits down with Aaron Garnes to reveal his shocking and inspiring story of addiction, loss, and redemption. Growing up in a good neighborhood with endless opportunities, Louis never imagined his life would spiral into homelessness and heroin addiction. But the path he took led him to some of the darkest moments imaginable.Louis shares jaw-dropping stories about his fractured relationship with his mother, who was also an addict. From the chilling moment he shot his mother up for the first time, to being asked by police to wear a wire against her, Louis reflects on the complicated and painful bond they shared. After her tragic overdose, Louis was forced to navigate a world full of judgment and doubt, fighting to reclaim his life.In a powerful full-circle moment, Louis talks about how he went from being an inmate at a correctional facility to working as a correctional officer at the same institution years later. This transformation highlights his determination to rise above his past and prove everyone wrong.

This raw and emotional episode dives deep into themes of addiction, family struggles, and the resilience it takes to rebuild a life from rock bottom. Whether you’ve been impacted by addiction or want to hear a story of incredible perseverance, this conversation will leave you speechless.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠

• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!

• Live Inspired KNB
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In this episode Louis and Aaron sit down with Joe Seifert. Joe battled addiction to prescription painkillers early in his life, which led him into a downward spiral of criminal activity and ultimately landed him in prison. His story takes a darker turn inside the walls of the penitentiary, where he found himself caught in a dangerous game of manipulation and deceit. While incarcerated, he wasn't just fighting the demons of addiction; he was also involved in running a sophisticated drug ring within the prison system.

Using his cunning and charisma, he managed to manipulate a female guard into helping him smuggle in and distribute drugs, exploiting the vulnerability of those around him to further his own agenda. His ability to navigate this treacherous world of crime inside the prison walls made him a key player in the illicit operation. But even amidst the chaos and corruption, something inside him began to shift. Through self-reflection and a deep desire to change, he started to break free from the grip of addiction and the criminal lifestyle that had defined his existence. Today, he stands sober, free, and empowered, with a new sense of purpose and happiness.

This is a story of redemption, resilience, and the unyielding power of transformation. Watch as he opens up about the darkness of his past, the lessons learned from his time in prison, and how he found the strength to rebuild his life and embrace a future filled with hope. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this story is a reminder that recovery is always possible.

• 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, and more below on our Link Tree below!

• Get a Grip Podcast Link Tree: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcas⁠⁠

• 🚨 Make sure to swing by ⁠⁠⁠https://liveinspiredknb.com/⁠⁠⁠ and use code "getagrip" for 10% off your first order!

• Live Inspired KNB
• TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://tiktok.com/@liveinspiredknb⁠⁠⁠

• Facebook:⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/LiveinspiredKNBv⁠⁠