Matt Grace joins Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor to share the extraordinary story behind more than two decades of sobriety after years of severe drug addiction, alcohol addiction, sex addiction, and self-destructive behavior. He reflects on childhood behavioral issues, family history, enabling, privilege, and the early experiences that fueled his substance abuse.

Matt explains how accountability, firm family boundaries, and service to others became the foundation of his addiction recovery after countless opportunities to avoid consequences.

He also discusses why many families unintentionally prolong addiction, how his work shaped his views on addiction treatment, and why making amends is essential to lasting change. The conversation offers an honest recovery story filled with practical insight and hope for anyone striving to live your best life.

In this episode, we discuss:

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com

The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.

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Get Obsessed with... doing the thing that scares you.

This week on Get Obsessed, Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor sit down with Tracy Heisler Drost, Mrs. Illinois 2025-26, for a conversation that goes way beyond the crown. Tracy pulls back the curtain on the world of pageantry — not the stereotype, the reality: the platform it builds, the doors it opens, and the personal growth that happens when you stop avoiding the things that make you uncomfortable and start leaning into them.

Tracy shares how competing as Mrs. Illinois became less about the title and more about the megaphone it gave her — a platform to advocate, connect, and show other women what's possible when you bet on yourself. Julie and Mika dig into the mindset shift that made it all possible: the moment you decide discomfort isn't a red flag, it's a green light.

If you've ever talked yourself out of something because it felt scary, unfamiliar, or "not really you" — this episode is your permission slip to do it anyway.

In this episode, we cover:

Quotable moment: Tracy on why growth lives on the other side of uncomfortable — and why she keeps choosing it anyway.

Who is Tracy Heisler Drost? Tracy Heisler Drost is Mrs. Illinois 2025-26, using her title as a platform to inspire women to embrace growth, confidence, and opportunities that push them outside their comfort zone.

What does Mrs. Illinois 2025-26 talk about on Get Obsessed? Tracy talks about the power of pageantry as a platform, how competing built her confidence, and why intentionally choosing uncomfortable situations is one of the fastest ways to grow personally and professionally.

What is the Get Obsessed Podcast about? Get Obsessed is hosted by Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor, delivering bold, unfiltered conversations on confidence, personal brand, entrepreneurship, and becoming obsessed with the life you're building.

Where can I listen to this episode? You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere podcasts stream, or visit www.getobsessedpodcast.com for the full episode and show notes.

How can I be a guest on Get Obsessed? Visit www.getobsessedguest.com to apply to be featured on the show.

What is pageant "platform" and why does it matter? A pageant platform is the cause, message, or mission a titleholder champions during her reign — Tracy's story shows how a platform can extend far beyond the stage into real influence and impact.

️ Listen to the full episode: www.getobsessedpodcast.com Apply to be a guest on Get Obsessed: www.getobsessedguest.com

Julie Lokun, JD is a media entrepreneur, podcast strategist, and brand consultant, and the founder of The Mediacasters LLC and co-founder of Dragonfly Cre8tions LLC, Dragonfly Podcast Academy, and Cre8tive Con. Her podcasts rank in the top 0.05% globally on Listen Notes and top 5 weekly on Apple Podcasts. Learn more at julielokunconsulting.com and bigbetterbrand.com.

Mika Altidor co-hosts Get Obsessed Podcast alongside Julie, bringing bold energy and real talk to every conversation about confidence, growth, and getting obsessed with your own life.

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In this solo episode of Get Obsessed, host Julie Lokun opens up about the routines, rituals, and rabbit holes currently running her summer. She walks listeners through her non-negotiable morning routine — a one-hour walk, meditation, and setting a daily intention — and explains why mindset work has to happen before the to-do list. From there, Julie dives into her self-proclaimed identity as a "conference junkie," reflecting on her recent experience at BookThinkers and why in-person networking still drives more business growth than almost anything else available to entrepreneurs and content creators today.

The episode also covers Julie's current skincare obsession with The Ordinary, available at Sephora, and why affordable, high-impact skincare ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid are changing the beauty industry's cost conversation. Of course, no episode is complete without an update on her two French Bulldogs, Axl and Violet.

The back half of the episode shifts into one of Julie's long-standing fascinations: cults, coercive control, and high-control groups. She previews three major interviews coming to the show in the next month: Janelle Brown from Sister Wives, discussing life after leaving a plural marriage; Anne Gollert Hill, a former Sea Org member of Scientology; and Dr. Christine Marie, featured in the Netflix documentary Trust Me: The False Prophet. Julie closes the episode with a call-to-action for listeners to leave a review for a chance to win an exclusive Get Obsessed trucker hat.

What is Julie Lokun's morning routine? Julie Lokun's morning routine includes a one-hour walk, meditation, and setting a daily intention before starting work. She credits this routine with providing the mental clarity and energy behind her business and podcasting work.

What skincare brand does Julie Lokun use? Julie Lokun is currently using and recommending The Ordinary, a skincare brand available at Sephora known for offering high-impact, dermatologist-grade ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid at an affordable price point.

Who is being interviewed on Get Obsessed about cults? Upcoming Get Obsessed guests discussing cults and high-control groups include Janelle Brown from Sister Wives, Anne Gollert Hill (a former Sea Org member of Scientology), and Dr. Christine Marie, featured in the Netflix documentary Trust Me: The False Prophet.

How can listeners win a Get Obsessed trucker hat? Listeners can win a Get Obsessed trucker hat by leaving a review for the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If the review is read on air during an episode, that listener receives a hat.

What conference did Julie Lokun recently attend? Julie Lokun recently attended BookThinkers, a conference for authors and entrepreneurs, and describes herself as a "conference junkie" due to the networking and business growth opportunities these events provide.

What names are Julie Lokun's French Bulldogs? Julie Lokun's two French Bulldogs are named Axl and Violet.

LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE OR REACH OUT TO US ON INSTAGRAM @getobsessedpodcast

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, hosts Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor welcome Dr. Sherrie Campbell for a powerful conversation about trauma healing, overcoming family trauma, recognizing emotional abuse, and finding freedom from a toxic family dynamic.

Inspired by her new book You Are Home, Dr. Campbell explains how survivors can recover from emotional neglect and childhood trauma by rebuilding their sense of safety, strengthening self-worth, and establishing healthy boundaries.

She shares why therapy, self-healing, and inner child healing are essential to improving mental health and breaking cycles of generational trauma. This episode also explores protective estrangement, learning to trust yourself again, and finding peace without waiting for family members to change.

In this episode, we discuss:

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

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Meet the country star who is singing the anthem for single girls everywhere! Today we're getting obsessed with rising country star Maddye Trew — a Memphis-born singer-songwriter whose voice is as bold as her spirit.

From her roots in Memphis to her journey to Nashville, Maddye brings heart, humor, and honesty to her music. Her breakout banger — "Single of the Year" — is not just a song. It's an anthem for single women everywhere: raising a glass, owning independence, and celebrating life with a beer in hand instead of wallowing over a broken heart.

But Maddye's road wasn't all smooth. She once stood face-to-face with superstar diva Mariah Carey during an American Idol audition — a moment that could have shattered any young artist's dream. Instead, she used that rejection as rocket fuel.

If you're navigating fears around control, waiting, or career vs. personal life, this episode is for you — share it with the "singledom" warriors in your life!

Subscribe to the Get Obsessed Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted by Julie Lokun, JD and Mika Altidor, Get Obsessed is a globally acclaimed podcast that dives deep into transformation, resilience, and the human spirit. Each episode spotlights bold thinkers, change-makers, and survivors who turn adversity into advantage. Whether you're obsessed with self-growth, mental wellness, or real-life comeback stories, this is your weekly dose of empowerment.

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan of 90 Day Fiancé join Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor for a candid 90 Day Fiancé cast interview about love, resilience, family, and the realities of life beyond reality television.

From their unconventional beginning to becoming one of the most recognizable couples in the franchise, David and Annie share the experiences that shaped their relationship both on and off screen.

The conversation explores the challenges and rewards of cross-cultural marriage, navigating public scrutiny as TLC reality TV personalities, and overcoming the doubts that surrounded their relationship from the very beginning. David and Annie also open up about their IVF journey, becoming parents later in life, raising their daughter in Thailand, and the lessons they have learned about commitment, growth, and staying connected through every stage of life after 90 Day Fiancé.

In this episode, we discuss:

ABOUT THE GUESTS:

David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan are best known for their appearances on TLC's 90 Day Fiancé, where viewers followed their international love story from Thailand to the United States. Despite skepticism surrounding their age difference, financial struggles, and cultural differences, they became one of the franchise's most beloved and enduring couples.

Since their debut, David and Annie have appeared across the 90 Day Fiancé universe, including Pillow Talk and David & Annie: After the 90 Days. Today, they share their experiences with marriage, family, travel, and parenthood while raising their daughter, Minthira, and splitting their time between Thailand and the United States.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Dr. Robert Epstein, psychologist, author, and Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, joins hosts Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor to discuss the growing influence of Google and other technology companies on privacy, behavior, and society.

Drawing from years of research, congressional testimony, and investigations into online manipulation, Dr. Epstein explains how search engines, online surveillance, and algorithmic systems can shape decisions without users realizing it. The conversation explores digital hygiene, election interference, artificial intelligence (AI), internet addiction, and practical ways individuals can protect their data privacy in an increasingly connected world.

In this episode, we discuss:

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Dr. Robert Epstein is an author, editor, professor, and Senior Research Psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. A former Editor in Chief of Psychology Today, he has spent decades researching human behavior, technology, and online influence. 

He earned his PhD in psychology from Harvard University and is the founder and Director Emeritus of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. His research has appeared in Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and he is widely known for identifying the Search Engine Manipulation Effect (SEME), which explores how search rankings can influence opinions and voting behavior.

Dr. Epstein has testified before the United States Congress on election interference, Big Tech influence, and digital manipulation. He has authored or edited 15 books and has appeared on major media platforms including The Joe Rogan Experience, NPR, Voice of America, and SiriusXM.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: 

ABOUT GET OBSESSED

Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com

Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com 

Reach Out To Us! [email protected] 

The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.

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Host Mika Altidor continues a Get Obsessed podcast conversation with Stefano Siciliano, using the life of 1800s abolitionist John Brown to question claims that today is the worst time in history. Mika notes Brown endured extreme hardship, high child and maternal mortality, and fought slavery despite being white, ultimately giving his life for the cause. Stefano argues that while methods and appearances change, the fundamental “mechanic” remains: the pursuit of freedom from what is not true, with modern slavery expressed through deception, banking, and corrupt political systems. He says fear of loss drives greed and manipulation until people hit a crisis point where nothing works, creating the opportunity to be “available” for what’s possible. Availability depends on how one responds to adversity, like river water smoothing resistance in rocks.

00:00 Welcome Back Part Two

00:37 John Brown And Hard Times

03:29 Freedom Then And Now

05:19 Fear Loss And Corruption

05:47 Hitting The Wall

06:34 Choosing Availability

07:47 River Rocks Metaphor

08:43 Modern Comforts Still Misery

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On the Get Obsessed podcast, host Mika Altidor interviews Stefano Siciliano, an American lifelong personal growth and spiritual path practitioner who began having spontaneous out-of-body experiences (OBEs) around age seven or eight and later learned to induce them. Inspired by Robert Monroe’s books, Stefano trained at the Monroe Institute, became a trainer in Europe, helped bring the technology to Eastern Bloc countries after the Soviet Republic collapsed, and now supports and endorses Darius J. Wright’s work. Stefano explains OBEs as normal and connected to sleep, dreams, and lucid dreaming, describing “mind awake, body asleep” as akin to deep meditation. He says conscious OBEs can transform one’s view of identity, reality, death, and loss, and frames adversity as a catalyst that can push people toward availability for “what more is possible,” recommending Wright’s online resources for further exploration.

00:00 Welcome and Intro

00:51 Stefano Background

01:31 Childhood OBEs

03:06 Monroe Institute Journey

03:54 Life Changes and Growth

04:57 Demystifying OBEs

05:53 Dreams Lucid and OBE

07:47 Mind Awake Body Asleep

09:13 Why It Matters

10:12 Seeing Your Body

12:13 Adversity as Teacher

15:15 Purpose in Suffering

20:20 Distortion and Chaos

23:29 Escapism and Cookoff

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Anne Gollert Hill continues her extraordinary story of life inside Scientology, sharing what it was like to work within the Sea Org and witness the organization's culture from the inside. 

A writer, survivor, and creator of My Scientology Story, Anne offers a rare firsthand perspective on leadership, loyalty, fear, and life at the highest levels of Scientology. 

In conversation with Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor, Anne discusses the realities behind Scientology's public image, from the influence of celebrity members and the leadership of David Miscavige to the personal relationships and policies that shaped daily life inside the organization. She also reflects on the emotional challenges of leaving and the lessons she has learned through her ongoing journey toward freedom and healing.

In this episode, we discuss:

01:59 - Why Scientology actively recruits celebrities and Anne's experience interviewing John Travolta

06:11 - Tom Cruise's relationship with David Miscavige and his unique status within Scientology

09:16 - Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, and the importance of exposing Scientology's abuses

11:29 - The absence of love in Scientology, the Bridge to Spiritual Freedom, and the financial cost of advancement

15:41 - The warning signs that led Anne to question Scientology and begin planning her escape

20:30 - How Anne's family's consistent love and support became the key to leaving the Sea Org

28:39 - Why leaving Scientology felt impossible and how Anne rebuilt her life afterward

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Anne Gollert Hill is a Canadian writer, survivor, and creator of the blog My Scientology Story, where she shares her experiences inside Scientology and her journey toward freedom. After joining Scientology in 1988 during a difficult chapter in her life, she became deeply involved in the organization and was eventually recruited into the Sea Org's international communications division, serving at some of Scientology's highest-level facilities, including Gold Base. 

After nearly two decades inside the organization, Anne left Scientology on August 3, 2007, walking out of the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida, with only the clothes on her back. Today, she speaks openly about coercive influence, recovery, personal freedom, and the lasting impact of life inside a high-control organization. Through her writing and advocacy, she helps others better understand the realities of indoctrination, escape, and rebuilding life after leaving Scientology.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

ABOUT GET OBSESSED

Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com

Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com 

Reach Out To Us! [email protected] 

The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER: 

The views, personal accounts, and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the guest, Anne Gollert Hill, based on her own lived experiences and recollections. This podcast makes no independent factual claims regarding the Church of Scientology or any of its members, leaders, or affiliated individuals. All statements reflect the guest's personal perspective and memory and should not be construed as established legal fact. The Church of Scientology denies many of the claims made by former members. Neither this podcast, its hosts, its production team, nor its parent company endorses, verifies, or assumes legal responsibility for the guest's account. This episode is produced for informational and entertainment purposes only. Listeners are encouraged to seek out multiple sources when forming their own conclusions. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.

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