JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

Today’s episode is a little different, and deeply personal for me. Not in a traumatic way, but because Rachel is both my friend and my hypnotherapist. What you’ll hear feels more like an intimate chat between two friends than a formal interview. We dive into my own session around sugar addiction, explore how subconscious beliefs are formed, how new neurological pathways can be created, and even touch on past lives.

I recorded this back in May and kept putting off releasing it. I’ve had a block around this episode. Is it fear? Fear of judgment for the woo-woo parts, or admitting to another addiction? Or maybe me desperately trying to hold onto an episode I perceive as more personal and unstructured than usual. Either way, we’re all still works in progress, and showing that is okay too.

Work with Rachel: https://rachelcrethar.com/

Follow Higher Ground on IG: https://www.instagram.com/highergroundhypnochannel/?hl=en

Trigger warning: This episode discusses suicide. 

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.
The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015
https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline
Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea
Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule
In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Adriana’s life has been shaped by alcohol since before she was born. Growing up with an alcoholic father who abused her mother, she always knew something was wrong, but it wasn’t until she confronted her parents that she discovered the full truth about her family.

Her own drinking went unchecked for years, hidden behind constant travel and a busy life. She had always told herself, “Next Monday, I’ll start.” But one Sunday in her mid-thirties, Adriana downloaded an app to help, and that moment changed everything.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse and domestic violence.

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

On the exact one-year anniversary of her fiancé Kris’s death, Taylor sat with me to share her story.

Just twelve months earlier, she had said her goodnights, told Kris she loved him, and gone to sleep beside him. Hours later, she was on the floor trying desperately to bring him back. Kris had died of an overdose.

This episode is about grief in its rawest form. It is about loving an addict until their final breath, and mourning two lives at once: the life you have been forced to live without them, and the life you thought you would share together.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse and graphic descriptions of an overdose.

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015
https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea
Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Jeremy Donovan spent his whole life believing he was Māori. Orphaned young, he was whāngai’d (fostered) into a Māori family. But a court appearance for graffiti charges revealed the truth: he is Aboriginal.

Suddenly, everything shifted. Who am I? Where do I belong? Especially when the only images of Aboriginal people in the media are negative?

This feeling of displacement led Jeremy down a dark path, using cocaine every single day, as he tried to navigate a world where he never fully felt at home.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse.

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.
The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015
https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline
Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea
Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule
In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

Nicole spent 26 years in active addiction, starting with heroin at just 17 after entering a violent relationship. What began as “rough play fighting,” a red flag she recognises now, escalated until she made a desperate escape through a window while her abuser was in the shower.

To fund her habit, Nicole built a shoplifting operation so elaborate it could have been a movie plot. We’re not talking about swiping a handbag or a few groceries from Coles. She would dress up as rostered staff and pretend to work in the very stores she was robbing.

Alongside drugs, Nicole also battled a gambling addiction, which she admits wasn’t all bad at the time. For her, it offered something she craved, a place where people knew her name and where she felt seen and connected.

Now, over five years clean, Nicole works in a women’s rehab, supporting others with the insight only lived experience can give.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, domestic violence and Gambling.

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

Marni’s earliest memory is knowing she wasn’t in the right body. Born male and adopted from Ethiopia, she spent her childhood feeling like a stranger to herself. At 18, Marni had bottom surgery, transitioning from a man to a woman- believing it would finally make her feel complete. But the relief she hoped for never came.

During her modelling career, it was in one of the most affluent suburbs in Australia that she was introduced to ice and quickly became addicted. Not just to substances, but to danger itself. Anything taboo, anything scandalous, she chased. That search for thrill led her into the arms of an abusive partner, and what followed was a nightmare she barely survived.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, violence, graphic descriptions of SA and suicide ideations.

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

It was just a cocktail in Bali, at a nightclub every millennial has been to if you've partied there: Bounty Nightclub.

But Ashley King woke up permanently blind.

What started as the trip of a lifetime for 19-year-old Ashley ended in tragedy. On her final night out with friends, she ordered what she thought was a vodka-based cocktail from a well-known bar.

It was laced with methanol, and it cost her her eyesight. 

Ashley joins me today as she's trying to raise more awareness around methanol poisoning. 

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

JOIN THE UNSPOKEN: https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking

What happens when a party boy struggling with addiction goes on reality TV?

Davey Lloyd was on Season One of The Bachelorette with Sam Frost — and in true Davey style, he showed up straight off a bender, going on to become one of the biggest kooks in Australia.

Always feeling like he was living in his late brother’s shadow, Davey found his place in the party scene, where he finally received the love and adoration he’d been chasing his whole life.

I really enjoyed this chat with Davey. His origin story felt eerily close to my own. So much so, I even shared a little secret I never thought I’d give oxygen to…

Trigger warning: This episode contains themes of substance abuse and descriptions of an overdose.

Ready to share your story? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

This is the final part of Shelley’s story. You'll need to go back and listen to Parts 1 and 2 of "Shelley Was Brutally Attacked by a Stranger."

We pick up where we left off, back to when Shelley first met her ex. As her relationship with a narcissistic partner unravels, she’s left raising two young sons, one of whom is severely autistic.

In this episode, Shelley grapples with the decision to let her estranged mother back into her life. She’s just starting to rebuild, until one night in the emergency room changes everything. Then, child protection shows up at her door.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse.

Ready to share your story? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Tracey-Lee was only four years old when a male family member abused her. Throughout her childhood, the trauma was compounded by denial: She was told a version of events that didn’t match the truth she felt in her body. This rewriting of her reality left a deep and lasting fracture in her sense of self.

By the time she reached adulthood, this broken trust in herself made her vulnerable, almost a target. She met a man on an internet forum who would become the father of her child. What followed was a devastating chapter marked by relentless abuse. He set her on fire, ripped out her hair, and forced her to inhale Glen 20 disinfectant spray while she was pregnant.

and in more recent years, Tracey-Lee met someone new and became addicted to ice. Despite the addiction, she and her partner managed to parent, take family holidays, and appear to function normally, a myth she’s determined to bust, shedding light on the hidden realities of addiction and family life.

Trigger warning: we discuss substance abuse, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, and coercive control.

Ready to share your story? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this episode are personal accounts told in good faith. While we strive to present these narratives accurately, the views and claims expressed are those of the individuals involved and have not been independently verified. Soberly Speaking and its host, Julia Rangiheuea, do not take responsibility for the accuracy or validity of the information shared. Listener discretion is advised.

The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015

https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotline

Creator & Host- Julia Rangiheuea

Image & Logo- Jasmine Rule

In the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.