Odyssey House Journals

I’M A HUMAN BEING. DON’T CALL ME A JUNKIE!

All too often, we label people dealing with a substance use disorder as addicts or drunks, but that shouldn’t define someone. That person you’re referring to is a human being. Someone’s son, daughter, father or mother, someone who sits near you in church. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals, we do a deep dive into the stigma surrounding substance use.

WHY CAN’T I GET KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT?

Roger Goeckeritz says he cried, was lonely, and felt shame and guilt, but he couldn’t accept the fact that he was an alcoholic. He was educated, grew up in an upper-middle-class home, and had a good job, but he was miserable for years. Push the clock forward, and today he is happy and peaceful and will soon be a clinical mental health counselor. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals, he talks about the nearly miraculous turnaround.

HE MANAGED ESCORTS TO SUPPORT HIS ADDICTION

Christian Cronin is what you might call a “late bloomer” when it comes to substance use. After a divorce in his 30’s he started dating a heroin addict and started using. From there he dealt with addictions to opioids, alcohol and then meth and, with a background in marketing, he started managing escorts for 10 years to support his SUD. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about how he turned his life around and is now working to help others. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

https://youtu.be/Ws5RVqbhATc

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/

ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING WOMEN YOU’LL EVER MEET

Jenn Belt started drinking Black Velvet at 8, using cocaine at 11, went to jail at 18, later served 46 months in a federal prison, BUT LOOK AT HER NOW! She’s going to college to study forensic social work, has custody of her kids and is a case manager at Odyssey House. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals hear why she says federal prison was the best thing that could happen to her.

A MAN HE MET ONCE LITERALLY SAVED HIS LIFE

Jacob Kenison was addicted to heroin, tried to end his life several times, even jumping off a 3 story building, but look at him now! He’s working at the Cirque Lodge, studying to soon be a therapist, has a wife and a 9 year old son. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about how one person opened his wallet and his heart to save Jacob’s life. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

https://youtu.be/shmHJMWCKdA

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/

RANDALL CARLISLE WAS ASHAMED THAT HE WAS AN ALCOHOLIC

Just one of the revelations you will hear as Rachel Santizo grills the ex TV anchor about how he finally sought recovery after years of being a functional alcoholic. He says it boils down to never liking or loving himself. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about his fear when he entered a treatment program. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

https://youtu.be/bIVKnX__RkA

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/

“I WAS THE GREAT MANIPULATOR! A REALLY GOOD LIAR!”

Alex Jeffs-McCrae was going through postpartum depression, a divorce and was dating an addict, so she turned to meth and heroin to cope. She hid it well and she had to, raising three kids and living in ultra conservative Utah County. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals she remembers how her dad got her on the path to recovery. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

https://youtu.be/X3WOMyb7fOY

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/

HE’S BEEN ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS SINCE 7TH GRADE. NOW HE’S IN RECOVERY

An older man gave Rocky Hancock and his buddies opioid pills when they were just 12, got them hooked, then told them that shooting heroin was the “manly” way to go. For 17 years Rocky battled his addiction and now he’s been clean for 21 months after going through Odyssey House. “I’m going to stay sober no matter what it takes.” In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about one defining moment that inspired him to seek help. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

https://youtu.be/5l8w11D5mRI

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/

SHE WAS A HOMELESS TEEN. NOW SHE HAS HER PHD AND IS HELPING OTHERS

Tony Ollerton decided to be a therapist when she was in a youth treatment center, perhaps to better understand herself. She believes that things like music and art therapy can make a huge difference for people in recovery and she’s putting that belief to work as director of the creative arts pillar at Fit To Recover. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals she talks about what she learned as she dealt with an alcoholic ex-husband. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

Youtube: https://youtu.be/fVL7qGUA_xw

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/

HE FOUND RECOVERY AFTER ONLY ONE TREATMENT CENTER

And more than a year later James Ririe is still in recovery saying “life has never been so great.” He started drinking at 15 to deal with conflicted emotions growing up gay in the LDS Church. That spiraled into heavy drugs and a felony stint in jail. He got sober at Odyssey House for himself, but also so he could be a nanny for his little neice. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about his watch going off every hour and how that keeps him in recovery. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms:

Youtube: https://youtu.be/hOdngLviaeQ

You can also listen and subscribe to the audio version on iTunes at

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/odyssey-house-journals/id1462333385

or Spotify at

https://open.spotify.com/show/4Basx2YsjYcRmmrSufLX3z?si=Wni9usSiQbun-W0WsjNC-g

or iHeart podcasts at

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-odyssey-house-journals-59417265/