The Bottle Almost Took Everything with Kristine Koontz | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this raw and deeply emotional episode, Kristine Koontz shares her courageous journey through chaos, addiction, loss, and redemption with an honesty that grips you from the start. Growing up amid abuse, instability, and emotional neglect, Kristine found her first escape in alcohol at just thirteen years old — a drink that made her feel “normal” for the first time. What began as weekend partying spiraled into decades of dependency, self-destruction, and denial, even as she built a life as a wife, mother of three, and businesswoman. She opens up about the toll of her drinking: the crumbling of her marriage, the affair that shattered her family, and the painful moment her children turned away in shame. As her addiction deepened, Kristine describes hitting rock bottom — alone in her condo, shaking, suicidal, and drinking herself toward death until her ex-husband found her and rushed her to the hospital. Through multiple relapses and painful realizations, she finally surrendered, walking into an AA meeting that changed everything. Her transformation is one of faith, humility, and rebirth — a testament to the 9% of addicts who make it out alive. Today, Kristine speaks with radiant gratitude and strength, using her story to help others break free from the shame, secrecy, and isolation of addiction. Her message is clear and powerful: you can come back from anything if you let God, grace, and truth lead the way.

#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie

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Timestamps:
00:07:15 – Growing Up in Chaos and Abuse
00:08:12 – Her Father’s Violence and Emotional Trauma
00:09:13 – Praying for Her Homeless Brother
00:10:13 – Finding Escape in Alcohol at Thirteen
00:12:02 – High School Hangovers and the Party Girl Life
00:13:24 – Getting Into Speed and Toxic Relationships
00:16:41 – Realizing Perfectionism Is Self-Destruction
00:21:05 – Marriage, Motherhood, and the Illusion of Control
00:23:06 – The Drinking That Tore Her Family Apart
00:25:29 – The Affair and Losing Her Children
00:29:20 – Alone, Withdrawn, and Suicidal
00:31:11 – Her Husband’s Tears and the Doctor’s Warning
00:35:01 – Detoxing in the Hospital and Denial
00:37:10 – The Woman Who Inspired Her to Seek Recovery
00:39:01 – Relapse, Rock Bottom, and a Moment of Clarity
00:44:12 – Walking Into AA and Finally Understanding
00:45:15 – The Power of Surrender and Spiritual Healing
00:46:26 – Gratitude, Faith, and Finding Purpose in Recovery