BECOMING A MONSTER TO FACE LIFE w/ Michael "Multifaceted Monster"| The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, we sit down with Michael, also known as Multifaceted Monster, to hear his raw and powerful journey through addiction, heartbreak, and redemption. Michael opens up about his struggles with alcoholism, codependent relationships, and the chaos of blackout drinking that led to multiple 5150 holds, near-death moments, and broken relationships. He shares how losing himself in toxic environments and self-sabotage nearly destroyed his passion for music, and how heartbreak became the catalyst for truly working the 12 steps and embracing recovery. With honesty and vulnerability, Michael explains the meaning behind his name, “Multifaceted Monster,” as a reminder to accept all sides of ourselves—the light and the dark—while finding balance and healing. Now sober since October 17th, 2023, he reflects on how faith, Narcotics Anonymous, and the willingness to finally surrender have transformed his life, giving him peace, creativity, and a chance to rebuild his career and relationships. Michael’s story is a testament to resilience, reminding us that no matter how far gone you feel, recovery and hope are always possible.

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

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
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Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:07:54 – The Origin of “Multifaceted Monster”
00:09:57 – Owning His Identity
00:11:00 – Returning to Music
00:47:17 – Using Technology to Rebuild
00:49:14 – Sobriety Date
00:50:11 – Rebuilding With Willingness
00:56:19 – Recovery Out Loud
00:58:10 – Embracing Being Multifaceted
01:00:00 – Calling Out Toxic Recovery Spaces
01:10:53 – Dream Collaboration
01:21:00 – Transformation Through God and Recovery
01:21:43 – Gratitude for the Podcast

"BLAMING GOD FOR MY ADDICTION": Vaughn Von Lewis | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Vaughn Von Lewis opens up about his remarkable journey of survival, struggle, and transformation. His life was shaped by a childhood of abuse, abandonment, and the devastating loss of his mother when he was just 17 years old. He began using drugs as early as eight years old, which set him on a path of addiction that would follow him through his teens and into adulthood. Vaughn shares the crushing weight of relapse, the violence and trauma he experienced in prison, and the heartbreak of losing both a thriving business and his marriage during the COVID pandemic. Despite years of pain, guilt, and self-destruction, Vaughn found the strength to surrender, embrace faith, and commit himself to recovery. Today, he tells his story with raw honesty and gratitude, transforming his darkest experiences into a message of resilience and hope. His journey is a powerful reminder that no matter how far you fall, healing and redemption are always possible when you stop running, find community, and allow God to guide the way.

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

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
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Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:09:21 – Struggle in His 20s
00:10:42 – Losing His Business & Relapse
00:12:01 – Offered Heroin After Suicide Attempt
00:14:11 – Divorce & Loss
00:19:38 – Growing Up With Abuse
00:20:14 – Christmas Heartbreak
00:21:04 – Losing Uncle John
00:26:36 – First Drug Use (Age 8)
00:27:15 – Alcohol as His “First Love”
00:30:06 – Losing Both Parents
00:32:02 – Crushing Guilt Over His Mom’s Death
00:42:02 – Prison Violence
00:40:07 – Self-Awareness of Chaos
00:40:41 – Choosing Powerlessness
01:23:57 – Closing Gratitude

Chasing Euphoria & Finding Faith with Kat Sorensen | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this compelling episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Kat Sorensen, a recovering alcoholic and rehab center owner, who shares her powerful journey of overcoming addiction and finding purpose through faith and service. Kat candidly recounts her childhood in Denver, marked by feelings of alienation and sensitivity, which led to her discovery of alcohol at 13, sparking a 20-year struggle as she chased the initial euphoria it provided. She discusses her early resistance to Alcoholics Anonymous, her bouts of sobriety, and eventual surrender to the program, which transformed her life. Kat also highlights her passion for helping others, detailing her work with a treatment center and a unique therapy program involving rescue horses, emphasizing the parallels between their redemption and her clients’ recovery. Interwoven with humor, raw anecdotes about rehab life, and reflections on faith, this episode explores the challenges of addiction, the importance of staying the course, and the miracles of recovery, leaving listeners inspired by Kat’s resilience and dedication to serving others.

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

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:03:55 - Faith and Church Discussion
00:05:13 - Gifting a Devotional Bible
00:10:16 - Childhood and Feeling Like an Outsider
00:11:01 - Moving to the Beach to Avoid Cold
00:14:17 - First Drink and Instant Connection to Alcohol
00:19:55 - Rehab Ownership and Client Stories
00:24:21 - Learning Boundaries in Rehab Work
00:28:16 - High School Double Life and Progression
01:05:53 - Comparing AA to Consistent Gym Work
01:07:48 - Questioning "Trying" the 12 Steps
01:09:33 - Acknowledging Recovery as a Miracle
01:15:32 - Motivation for Starting a Treatment Center
01:17:46 - Working with Rescue Horses for Client Therapy

Wendy Grijalva: How Victim Shaming Changed Everything | The Hopeaholics Podcast

Wendy Grijalva delivers a raw and inspiring exploration of her journey through addiction, trauma, and recovery. Wendy, celebrated for her impactful presence at a "Recover Out Loud" event, shares her story with vulnerability, detailing a childhood marked by feeling like the "black sheep" in a stable middle-class family, early physical development at age 9 that led to harassment, and a traumatic incident at 11 where she witnessed a fatal accident, sparking deep guilt. Her adolescence spiraled into rebellion, with her first heavy drinking and pregnancy in ninth grade, followed by a loss of her musical talents due to substance use. Wendy candidly discusses her struggles with perfectionism, fear of failure, and self-harm, which fueled her addiction, and the profound loss of her partner George to suicide, which left her grappling with blame and unresolved amends. In recovery, she embraces a spiritual practice centered on six pillars—breathing, gratitude, intentions, meditation, mindful movement, and eating—while emphasizing "progress not perfection" and the power of affirmations to rewire her mindset. Now transitioning to teaching meditation in recovery centers, Wendy sees her calling in helping others find peace through self-care, turning her pain into purpose. The episode weaves humor, raw emotion, and spiritual insights, highlighting the importance of humility, trust in a higher power, and service in overcoming addiction, making it a powerful testament to resilience and healing.

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

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:02:18 - Overall Philosophy: Progress, Humility, and Service
00:03:49 - Struggles with Perfectionism, Fear of Failure, and Self-Harm
00:05:05 - Learning Humility in Recovery
00:05:54 - Daily Spiritual Practices: The "Six Pillars"
00:07:35 - Power of Words and Affirmations in Recovery
00:09:33 - "Act As If" in Recovery and Character Defects
00:12:06 - Loss of Musical Passion Due to Substance Use
00:13:12 - Impact of Mother’s Alcoholic Upbringing on Family Dynamics
00:13:33 - Early Childhood and Feeling Like the "Black Sheep"
00:15:37 - Developing Early and Facing Teasing/Harassment
00:16:47 - Traumatic Witness to a Fatal Accident at Age 11
00:18:07 - Ditching School and Early Negative Experiences
01:32:42 - Transition to Teaching Meditation in Recovery Centers
01:43:40 - Loss of Partner George to Suicide
01:50:31 - Turning Pain into Purpose for Others

Wade Muhlhauser: Plugged INTO Recovery | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this gripping episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, the CEO of Plugged In Recovery, Wade Muhlhauser, shares his remarkable journey from homelessness and a 20-year struggle with opioid addiction to founding a network of 14 sober living homes and a treatment center in Arizona. Wade candidly discusses his chaotic childhood in foster care, shaped by his father’s meth addiction, and his own spiral into alcoholism and OxyContin dependency, driven by a delusion that painkillers boosted his performance, inspired by artists like Lil Wayne. He reflects on multiple relapses, the transformative power of faith, and how divine timing and key relationships fueled the creation of Plugged In Recovery. Now working alongside his redeemed father, Wade’s story underscores the universal potential for recovery, the need for extended treatment stays, and his vision to spark a ripple effect in the recovery community, making this episode a powerful ode to resilience and redemption.

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

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:04:00 - From Homelessness in Arizona to CEO
00:07:16 - Essence of Recovery and Comeback Stories
00:10:41 - Purpose as Rent for Sobriety
00:11:18 - Early Life Trauma and Family Addiction
00:13:03 - Childhood in Foster Care and Meth Exposure
00:15:15 - First Drink and Progression to Pills
00:18:03 - High School Struggles and First Relapse
00:24:00 - Multiple Relapses and Treatment Attempts
00:45:00 - Building Plugged In Recovery Sober Livings
00:58:06 - God's Role in Business Success
01:08:57 - Transition to Treatment Center and Legacy

Phil "Wildcard" Andrade: Spitting Truth After Rock Bottom | The Hopeaholics Podcast #264


Phil Andrade, known as Wildcard, for a raw and inspiring conversation about his journey from addiction to artistic triumph! A rapper and filmmaker with a 20-year career, Phil shares how his love for music was ignited by influences like Oingo Boingo, Black Sabbath, and Guns N’ Roses, shaped by his creative upbringing and his grandfather’s encouragement to write poetry and stories. From his turbulent teens, marked by anger, expulsion from school, and a national TV appearance as an alcoholic at 16, to his struggles with paranoia and addiction in the LA rap scene and Spokane, Washington, Phil’s story is one of grit and redemption. He recounts haunting moments, like picking up the “Suicide King” card in a trap house, which became a symbol of his past life, and how sobriety has unlocked a new level of creativity, with monthly singles and music videos that inspire others to stay clean. Phil also opens up about the profound impact of his music, with fans crediting him for their own sobriety journeys, and his mission to honor loved ones lost to addiction, like Kim, whose name lives on in his work. Packed with humor, heart, and real talk about recovery, this episode explores the power of following your intuition, taking action on dreams, and creating your own reality.

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


Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 


Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!


Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics


Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com


Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 


Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 


Timestamps:
00:01:57 - Explanation of Nickname Wild Card
00:04:17 - Connection with Ricky Mars and LA Rap Scene
00:04:32 - Moving to Spokane and Life There
00:05:09 - Loving Spokane and Music Acceptance
00:09:10 - Longevity in Music Career
00:09:13 - Falling in Love with Music and Early Influences
00:10:17 - Sent to Boys Home and National TV Appearance
00:10:52 - Family Background and Anger Issues
00:13:26 - Early Addiction to Alcohol and Progression
00:45:40 - Impact of Music on Sobriety Journeys
00:46:16 - Message Through Art and Following Dreams

Adam Larkin: Taking the Sober Risk | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this inspiring episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, hosts Natalie and Chad welcome back Adam Larkin, a recovering addict turned entrepreneur, who shares his transformative journey from a 17-year struggle with opioid and benzodiazepine addiction to building a thriving life of sobriety and purpose. Adam details his pivotal "God thing" moment in Kentucky, where he discarded drugs and committed to recovery, leading to detox, sober living, and learning construction in Indiana. He discusses the success of his clothing brand, GITT Apparel, now in 41 states and three continents, inspired by the motivational phrase "Get in the Truck." Adam also highlights his sobriety date of May 7, 2019, his fiancée’s new women’s treatment center in Harlan, Kentucky, and his upcoming projects, including a podcast and autobiography titled To Hell and Back: From Addiction to Acceleration. Through candid reflections on his traumatic past, including a fatal car accident at 19, and his current roles as Chief Marketing Officer for New Hope Counseling and Recovery and a social media consultant, Adam’s story underscores resilience, the power of positive influences, and the importance of giving back, culminating in his plans for the fourth annual GITT Recovery Celebration, where he’ll give away a car to someone in early recovery.

Check out GITT Apparel:
https://www.gittlive.com/

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

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:02:49 - The Origin of "Get in the Truck" and Entrepreneurial Shift
00:04:06 - Rock Bottom and Decision to Get Sober
00:04:30 - Detox and Early Recovery Challenges
00:06:27 - Sober Living and Life Rebuild
00:07:35 - Sobriety Date and Family Background
00:08:08 - Traumatic Car Accident and Addiction Trigger
00:13:16 - Maintaining Sobriety Through Positive Activities
00:18:03 - Meeting His Fiancée and Her Influence
00:45:41 - Future Plans: Podcast and Autobiography
00:46:46 - Advocating for Himself and Expunging Record
00:58:06 - Fourth Annual GITT Recovery Celebration

Richard Macias: The Warpath to Redemption | The Hopeaholics Podcast

Growing up in San Bernardino County, Richard was exposed to alcohol as early as five years old, leading to years of substance abuse, run-ins with the law, and a lifestyle that strained his marriage and family. His breaking point came the day he returned home to find his wife and children gone—a moment that drove him to his knees in desperate prayer and sparked his complete surrender to sobriety. From there, he channeled his addictive tendencies into fitness, faith, and personal growth, losing over 100 pounds, rebuilding trust with his wife—who also embraced sobriety—and transforming their home into one free from alcohol. In this conversation, Richard shares how he turned his redemption into a mission, founding Warpath Fitness to help men break destructive cycles through health, accountability, and mindset work. Raw, honest, and deeply inspiring, his story shows that no matter how dark the past, a life of purpose, discipline, and lasting change is possible.

#thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover  #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover 

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICS for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:02:06 - Born in Santa Monica, Raised in San Bernardino
00:04:22 - First Drink at Five, Liking the Altered Feeling
00:05:15 - Progression to Weed at Age 12
00:06:10 - Trying Cocaine at Age 15
00:08:00 - Joining Marines at Age 18
00:12:05 - Multiple DUIs and Relapses
00:13:45 - Rock Bottom with Fentanyl Overdose
00:15:20 - Recovery Through 12-Step Program
00:17:55 - Music Career as Riggy Marz
00:25:00 - Rebuilding Life Through Sobriety and Music
00:29:30 - Finding Purpose in Recovery Community
00:32:15 - Training at Gym to Support Mental Health
00:35:02 - Partnering with Rain Warriors for Fitness Program
01:06:15 - Planning Collaborative Music Projects

Gabe Cohen: Creating a Legacy Through Lived Experience | The Hopeaholics Podcast

Gabe, a former convict turned recovery warrior whose unrelenting passion to save lives has transformed communities and inspired his powerful book, a guide for building recovery organizations from the ground up. Starting with no experience, no money, and no building, Gabe’s journey from addiction’s grip to founding a thriving nonprofit in Colorado is a testament to resilience, faith, and the belief that helping just one person can change the world. He shares raw stories of overcoming relapse risks after years of sobriety, securing his first grant to expand services, and partnering with prisons to support inmates’ recovery, all while navigating the challenges of nonprofit management and board conflicts that tested his resolve. Gabe’s spiritual awakening and “it’s only a moment” mindset shine through as he discusses balancing family time with his mission to serve, from mentoring youth to traveling 200 miles to reach those in need. His book, born from lessons learned through trial and error, offers a roadmap for anyone dreaming of starting a recovery community, with plans to expand his impact through global consulting. Tune in for an inspiring, faith-fueled story of redemption, practical wisdom for recovery advocates, and a call to dream big and serve boldly, proving that one person’s purpose can ignite hope worldwide.

#thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover  #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover 

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICS for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:01:40 - Introducing Book as Guide for Recovery Organizations
00:02:25 - Inspired to Write Book to Help Others in Recovery
00:03:09 - Overcoming Addiction with Spiritual Awakening
00:04:37 - Starting Nonprofit with No Experience or Funding
00:06:12 - Facing Relapse Risk After Years of Sobriety
00:08:22 - Building Community Center for Youth and Recovery
00:12:09 - Learning Nonprofit Management Through Trial and Error
00:15:47 - Securing First Grant to Expand Recovery Services
00:18:34 - Partnering with Prisons to Support Inmate Recovery
00:23:18 - Emphasizing Faith as Core to Personal Healing
00:27:30 - Navigating Board Conflicts in Nonprofit Growth
00:35:58 - Advocating for Peer Support in Addiction Recovery
00:50:43 - Planning to Transition into Recovery Consulting
01:02:12 - Feeling Trapped by Grant Demands and Family Time

Kristen Domke: Military Mental Health is Broken  | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this deeply emotional and brutally honest episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, we sit down with Kristen Domke—an Air Force veteran, personal trainer, and survivor—whose life story is nothing short of extraordinary. Kristen opens up about the emotional toll of serving in the military, including multiple deployments, witnessing unimaginable trauma, surviving military sexual assault, and battling intense mental health struggles that led to multiple suicide attempts. Her story is one of heartbreak, resilience, and redemption. After years of numbing pain through alcohol, losing her identity as a military police officer, and feeling completely alone, Kristen finally reached a breaking point—and then, miraculously, a breakthrough. Through intensive treatment, therapy, a renewed connection with faith, and the support of a recovery community, Kristen found the strength to rebuild her life and start healing from the inside out. She talks candidly about how hard it was to ask for help, what recovery really means beyond just sobriety, and how fitness, faith, and setting boundaries helped her find purpose again.

#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover  #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover 

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics 

Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICS for 10% off!

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics 
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch: 
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. 

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com 

Timestamps:
00:02:59 - Joining the Air Force at 19 After College Struggles
00:04:09 - Serving as Security for President Obama in Africa
00:07:57 - Advocating for Herself in Mental Health Treatment
00:09:34 - Facing Family Loss and Addiction Challenges in Ohio
00:18:36 - Retraining as a Physical Therapy Assistant
00:24:38 - Achieving Sobriety at Behavioral Health Facility
00:27:30 - Embracing Recovery and Advocacy Through Faith
00:28:44 - Finding Strength in a Supportive Faith Community
00:32:08 - Working with a Direct Sponsor for Accountability
00:35:58 - Processing Trauma Through EMDR Therapy
00:50:43 - Turning Pain into Purpose to Help Others
00:58:03 - Rediscovering the Will to Live in Recovery
01:06:33 - Celebrating Four Months Sober on March 20, 2025
01:10:59 - Planning a New Business Venture Post-Military