Soberly Speaking

Join our Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking⁠ 

Wayne lost everything to drugs, his home, his family, and almost his mind. Growing up as one of four boys, he prided himself on being the last man standing when it came to drink. But once drugs entered his life, everything changed.

He spiralled into psychosis for days, ran through national parks convinced people were after him, spent time in multiple rehabs, and lived on the streets with no support, no one to talk to, and invisible to all who crossed his path on their commute.

Wayne shares a powerful insight into what it really feels like to be lonely, exhausted, and afraid without a home, and challenges us to reflect on how society treats those experiencing homelessness.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, suicide and self-harm.

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

Jessie grew up with a mother she calls a psycho. Her mum’s life was ruled by drugs and alcohol, and those same substances eventually claimed her. Jessie thought she would feel relief when her mum died, but instead she was hit with crushing guilt.  

Her grief does not stop there. Her sister, who endured the worst of their mother’s abuse, has now followed in the same destructive footsteps. Jessie also grieves for her niece and nephew, growing up robbed of the mother they deserved. Addiction’s ripple effects run deep in her family, from eating disorders to skin-picking, living proof that it does not just take one life, it devastates everyone in its orbit.

Trigger warnings: Eating disorders, suicide, substance abuse, skin-picking, sex work, child 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 our Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking⁠ 

Today I’m joined by Vanessa Kredler, a Sydney-based Counsellor and Psychotherapist who specialises in helping adults recover from food and sugar addiction, disordered eating, trauma, and other addictive behaviours.

Vanessa combines her own lived experience with clinical expertise to guide people towards lasting recovery.

In this conversation, Vanessa answers all your burning questions about food addiction, including:

• What actually creates food addiction

• Why so many people switch to sugar after going sober

• How to stop the relentless food noise

• • How to finally break the cycle of food addiction
  • …and so much more.

  
  

  If you’ve ever wondered whether sugar is your “new addiction” or you’re curious about how to find freedom from food obsession, this episode is for you.

Work with Vanessa here

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

For Stevie, putting down the drink has actually been the easy part of sobriety. It is facing the parenting guilt that cuts the deepest. The memories of being absent, snapping at her kids, and wishing time with them away just so she could get back to drinking still haunt her. She carries the weight of those years, constantly wondering what her children will remember most.

Stevie became a mum young, with three little ones depending on her before she had even turned 24. She felt completely drowned by motherhood, turned to self-harm, and at her lowest moments tried to end her own life.

Today, Stevie joins me as she and her partner prepare to celebrate one year alcohol-free, a milestone she never thought she would live to see.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses suicide, self-harm and 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 our Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking⁠ 

Braiden Tonks grew up in his father’s shadow, carrying a reputation for violence and anger. He leaned into that image to start selling party drugs in his hometown in Tasmania. After trying ice at an after-party, he quickly escalated to smuggling it across the Tasmania to Melbourne border. On one return trip, he was caught with $40k in cash on his body and spent weeks on the run until a SWAT team raided his bedroom while he slept.

But one night, while trying heroin with a stranger, Braiden faced a moment that would haunt him forever when the person beside him never woke up.

Follow Braiden Tonks on Instagram

Trigger warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, domestic violence, drug trafficking, and graphic details 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.

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.

Join our Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking⁠ 

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.

Join our Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/SoberlySpeaking⁠ 

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.