Steven Clark was living two lives.

From delivering cocaine between California and Hawaii and serving over five years in federal prison… to managing some of the biggest names in professional surfing — including world champions during the height of the Andy Irons and Kelly Slater era.

On paper, he had it all. Global travel. Elite athletes. Money. Status.

At 50 years old, sitting at a high-profile event surrounded by celebrities and legends, Steven realized he had never felt more alone.

That night he asked God for help.

The next day, a childhood friend showed up and took him to his first AA meeting. He hasn’t had a drink since.

In this episode of Rise Above, we talk about:

• Federal prison and mandatory minimums

This is a story about ego, consequences, humility, and spiritual transformation.

If you're struggling, know this: You don’t have to feel that way again.

#AddictionRecovery #FederalPrison #SurfCulture #AARecovery #RiseAbovePodcast #SobrietyJourney #KellySlater #AndyIrons #CocaineTrafficking #HighFunctioningAddict

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Landon Finn had everything going for him.

But behind closed doors he was drinking at 7AM, tripping on LSD four times a week, blacking out in a Bugs Bunny costume, and hearing voices that weren’t there.

He lied to his parents.

After passing out behind the wheel and landing in acute kidney failure at 21 years old, doctors told him if he showed up a few hours later… he wouldn’t be here.

This is the raw story of alcoholism, psychosis, relapse, overdose loss, humility, and rebuilding a life from rock bottom.

Three years sober.

This is what choosing life looks like.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode could save a life.

#AddictionRecovery #Alcoholism #SobrietyJourney #RockBottom #MentalHealth #LSDTrip #Psychosis #YoungAndSober #RecoveryIsPossible #RiseAbove

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From Hollywood stardom to rock bottom—and everything in between.

In this raw and emotional conversation, Lillo Brancato opens up like never before about his rise to fame in A Bronx Tale, early success alongside legends like Robert De Niro, and how addiction quietly took over his life.

Lillo shares the brutal reality of heroin addiction, overdosing while incarcerated at Rikers Island, surviving prison, and taking full accountability for his past. With nearly 20 years sober, he reflects on guilt, responsibility, faith, prison life, and what it truly means to make living amends.

This is not a story of excuses—this is a story of ownership, consequences, and redemption.

If you or someone you love struggles with addiction, this episode offers hope, honesty, and a reminder that change is possible—even after the darkest chapters.

#LilloBrancato #ABronxTale #AddictionRecovery #HeroinAddiction #PrisonToPurpose #SobrietyJourney #LivingAmends #RikersIsland #RedemptionStory #RiseAbove

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Dr. Cali Estes returns for a raw continuation of her first appearance on Rise Above — this time diving even deeper into the realities of addiction, trauma, detox, and what’s broken in the recovery system.

In this episode, we unpack why addiction is often mislabeled as the problem, how trauma and body chemistry drive destructive behavior, and why many traditional treatment models fail to address the root causes of addiction.

Dr. Estes draws from decades on the front lines — working with addicts, families, executives, and high-profile clients — to expose the uncomfortable truths about detox, misdiagnosis, narcissism, medication, relapse, and healing from the inside out.

This is not a motivational talk.

📺 Watch her first interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFxArXAs0aM

#AddictionRecovery #DrCaliEstes #MentalHealth #RecoveryJourney #AddictionTruth #SobrietyTalk #HealingTrauma #TherapyThatWorks #RehabTruth #MindBodyHealing #AddictionPodcast #RecoveryPodcast

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She was a high-powered executive, running multimillion-dollar businesses, praised for her hustle and feared in boardrooms — until addiction took over.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Margo Siewert opens up about a life fueled by alcohol, cocaine, ego, and control… and the devastating collapse that followed. From growing up as the daughter of a high-functioning alcoholic, to surviving divorce while pregnant, to nearly dying during childbirth, to building a booming company while quietly spiraling into addiction — everything eventually caught up.

When her husband battled terminal cancer, her son was diagnosed with cancer, and her addiction finally came into the light, Margo lost everything she thought defined her. What followed was surrender, rehab, grief, and an unexpected reconnection with faith that changed the trajectory of her life forever.

This episode dives deep into:

This is not a highlight reel. It’s a redemption story — told honestly, painfully, and without filters.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone.

#AddictionRecovery #CocaineAddiction #FaithOverFear #RockBottom #SobrietyJourney #TraumaHealing #WomenInRecovery #GriefAndRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #LifeAfterAddiction #RecoveryIsPossible #AlcoholAndCocaine #FromAddictionToPurpose #RawAndReal

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In this raw and powerful episode, Lindsey Schaefer shares her story of growing up in a broken home, being abandoned by her mother, and entering foster care at a young age. From childhood trauma and instability to addiction, strip club life, and nearly losing everything, Lindsey walks us through the moments that shaped her—and the turning point that led her to sobriety.

Lindsey opens up about being removed from her home, bouncing between foster placements, early exposure to alcohol, surviving overdose, and finding her identity in environments fueled by drugs and nightlife. She also shares how the gym, self-discipline, therapy, and purpose helped her rebuild her life and stay sober for over four years.

This is a story about resilience, accountability, and learning how to live life on life’s terms—without numbing the pain.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, trauma, or recovery, this episode is for you.

#addictionrecovery #sobrietystory #fostercare #childhoodtrauma #traumarecovery #stripclublife #mentalhealthawareness #recoveryjourney #lifesobriety #healingjourney #riseabovepodcast #recoveryispossible

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In this deeply honest episode of Rise Above, Brianna Sirlin shares her unfiltered journey through addiction, relapse, and recovery during the height of the opioid epidemic.

Growing up on Long Island, Brianna’s story didn’t start with trauma on the surface — it started with insecurity, anxiety, and the need to feel “enough.” What began with alcohol, weed, Xanax, and Adderall quickly escalated into painkillers, oxy, fentanyl, and years of chaos that included drug dealing, being robbed, multiple rehabs, overdoses, and near-death experiences.

In this episode, Brianna opens up about:

Her first exposure to substances in middle school

Boarding schools, wilderness programs, and resentment

Discovering opiates and the moment everything changed

Suboxone withdrawal and repeated relapse cycles

Overdosing, fentanyl use, and isolation in Los Angeles

Finding recovery through AA, faith, and taking suggestions

How sobriety reshaped her identity, career, and purpose

Working in recovery and helping others today

This conversation is raw, emotional, and hopeful — a reminder that no matter how deep addiction goes, recovery is possible.

If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode may help you feel less alone.

#BriannaSirlin #AddictionRecovery #FentanylCrisis #OpiateAddiction #OpioidEpidemic #SobrietyJourney #RecoveryPodcast #RelapseAndRecovery #AARecovery #FaithInRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #RiseAbovePodcast #LongIsland #WomensRecovery #AddictionAwareness

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In this special Q&A episode, Kevin Lanning from Rise Above with Kevin Lanning sits down with Louis Ruggiero from Nothing’s Off the Table with Louis Ruggiero for an honest, unscripted conversation answering the most common addiction and sobriety questions from both of our audiences.

These questions were pulled directly from comments and DMs across both podcasts — real questions from real people navigating addiction, early sobriety, relapse, recovery, and life after substances.

This episode is for:

Anyone struggling with addiction or alcoholism

People who are sober, newly sober, or thinking about getting sober

Those who’ve relapsed and want to come back

Parents, partners, and loved ones of addicts

Anyone looking for real, experience-based recovery insight

Topics covered include:

How we actually got sober and what finally worked

Cravings vs obsession — what changes over time

Relapse and how to come back without shame

Weed and sobriety

AA, spirituality, and other recovery paths

Dating, weddings, and social life while sober

Parenting, making amends, and rebuilding trust

Trauma, mental health, and emotional sobriety

Tough love vs enabling

What long-term recovery really looks like

No fluff. No preaching. Just two people in recovery answering the questions we get asked every day.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you’re not alone — and recovery is possible.

#AddictionRecovery #HowToGetSober #Sobriety #RecoveryQandA #Alcoholism #DrugAddiction #RelapseRecovery #EarlySobriety #MentalHealth #AARecovery #AddictionHelp #StayingSober #RecoveryCommunity #SoberLife

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For the first time, Kevin Lanning and Louis Ruggiero pull the curtain back.

After Hours with Kevin & LJ is a new mini-series created because you asked for it — a real, unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at our lives, conversations, and perspectives when the cameras aren’t “on.”

This series isn’t about perfectly structured interviews or polished narratives.

In this first episode, Kevin and Louis sit down without an agenda and share candid thoughts on:

Life behind the podcast

Recovery beyond the microphone

What listeners don’t usually get to hear

The personal side of building platforms, friendships, and purpose

This is raw. This is honest.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when the show stops recording — this is it.

👇 Let us know in the comments what you want to see more of in this series.

#AfterHours #BehindTheScenes #RealTalk #PodcastLife #RecoveryJourney #SobrietyTalk #MentalHealth #LifeAfterAddiction #UnfilteredConversations #KevinLanning #LouisRuggiero

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Mike Shooty had it all on the outside — a successful career in high-level security, executive protection, and international risk mitigation. On the inside, he was quietly losing everything.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Mike opens up about growing up in a stable home, starting to drink at 14, binge drinking through college, and how alcohol slowly took control of his life. After multiple attempts at sobriety, he turned to OxyContin to stop drinking—only to find himself deeper in addiction.

Mike shares the terrifying reality of opioid withdrawal, hiding addiction in plain sight, losing his marriage, multiple DUIs, homelessness, and hitting a point so dark he nearly didn’t survive it. His story also dives into the shame of addiction, missing years of fatherhood, and the long road to rebuilding trust.

Now over 3 years sober, Mike is deeply involved in recovery—speaking publicly, helping other men navigate sobriety, divorce, legal trouble, and life after addiction.

This episode is about surrender, accountability, and what it really takes to change your life when everything has fallen apart.

If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation could be the one that helps.

#AddictionRecovery #Alcoholism #OpiateAddiction #DUI #SobrietyJourney #ExecutiveBodyguard #FromAddictionToRecovery #RockBottom #RecoveryIsPossible #MentalHealthMatters #RiseAbove #SoberLife #RedemptionStory #OneDayAtATime

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