In episode 28 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Catie to share a raw and powerful story of addiction, self-harm, and healing. Catie opens up about growing up in a chaotic household, experimenting with drugs at a young age, and spending seven years trapped in addiction while battling self-harm. She talks about how trauma, toxic and addictive relationships, and the stigma surrounding substance use shaped her path, leading to moments of pain, legal troubles, and loss. Through honesty and vulnerability, Catie reflects on her journey of finding strength, building self-worth, navigating grief, and learning healthier ways to cope with life’s challenges. Today, with over a decade of sobriety, Catie is a wife, a mother of two children, and an addiction counselor helping others find hope and healing. Together, Laisha and Catie dive into the realities of addiction, mental health, treatment systems, motherhood, mindfulness, and breaking the stigma to create space for empathy and understanding.

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Chapters |

00:00 Introduction & Katie's Sobriety Journey

01:10 Family History & Early Substance Exposure

03:10 Coping With Trauma & First Drug Experiences

06:03 Growing Up in a Chaotic Household

09:01 Teenage Years: Self-Harm, School, and Escape

13:20 Addictive Patterns: Relationships & Escalation

17:40 Legal Troubles & Turning Point22:00 Early Recovery: Loss, Grief, and Healing

26:30 Growing Up in Recovery & Learning Life Skills

31:15 Building Self-Worth & Staying Clean

36:00 Therapy Styles: Compassion and Empathy

41:00 From Addiction to Mental Health Advocacy

47:40 Comorbidity: Treating Addiction & Mental Health

55:00 The Realities of Treatment Systems & Stigma

01:03:00 Individual Healing Journeys & Supporting Others

01:13:00 Motherhood, Loss, and Life Lessons

01:24:00 Mindfulness, Living In The Moment & Parenting

01:32:00 Understanding & Explaining Addiction

01:38:00 Destigmatizing All Struggles & Empathy in Practice

01:45:00 Closing Thoughts & Reflections

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Pod links |

Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/46dw6sl5t344p6PlBcykb3?si=35349a057d564bac

Apple Podcast | https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/f-ck-the-stigma/id1691599224

Fuck the Stigma is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes people shouldn’t be judged or labeled based on their mental health status. Whether you are struggling with an addiction or have been taking meds for a diagnosis, our community doesn’t judge and seeks to collectively end the stigma around mental health.

Our mission is to normalize mental health and mental illness as widespread, treatable, and acceptable. We do this by providing useful resources, improving access to services for those who need help, sharing stories, and building a community of young people who all agree…

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