Get a Grip Podcast

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Joey Blake for a raw and unforgettable conversation about addiction, poverty, fatherhood, and recovery.Joey's story begins with humble beginnings, born to a 14-year-old mother and raised in circumstances that made life difficult from the start. By the time he was a teenager, he was already experimenting with alcohol and marijuana, while simultaneously facing the responsibilities of becoming a father at just 16 years old. Less than a year later, he was expecting another child.
As the pressure mounted, Joey found himself chasing money, drugs, and escape. He shares how he blew through $200,000 in just a few months, the destruction addiction brought into his life, and the chaos that followed. From methamphetamine and crack cocaine to a devastating opioid addiction, Joey's life spiraled into survival mode.
The conversation dives deep into life in the Bottoms of Columbus, Ohio, where addiction, poverty, and crime became everyday realities. Joey opens up about running a Florida pill mill operation, encounters with Child Protective Services, dangerous living conditions, and the heartbreaking impact addiction had on his family and children.
Despite years of chaos, loss, and self-destruction—including the death of his mother from an aneurysm related to substance abuse—Joey eventually found a way out.
He shares the moment recovery finally started to make sense, the importance of finding the right sponsor, and how sobriety transformed not only his life but the lives of his children. Today, Joey is navigating recovery, raising a large family, and proving that change is possible no matter how far someone has fallen.
This episode is a powerful reminder that addiction doesn't care where you come from—but recovery is available to anyone willing to fight for it.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.
Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!
Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
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#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Amanda Long to discuss her journey from addiction and chaos to recovery and purpose.
Amanda grew up with young parents and describes a childhood that often left her searching for direction and stability. As she entered her teenage years, rebellion became a way of life, leading her down a path of risky decisions and eventually substance abuse.
What started with pills quickly escalated into a much more serious addiction. Amanda shares how opioids and heroin took control of her life, the consequences that followed, and the challenges she faced as addiction became stronger than anything else around her.
Despite the devastation addiction brought into her life, Amanda refused to give up. She opens up about the turning points that led her toward recovery, the hard work required to rebuild her life, and the lessons she learned along the way.
Today, Amanda is living proof that recovery is possible. Not only has she found sobriety, but she now dedicates her life to helping others who are struggling with addiction find hope and a path forward.
This is a powerful conversation about resilience, redemption, and the incredible transformation that can happen when someone decides to fight for a better life.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, Amanda's story is a reminder that no matter how far you've fallen, recovery is possible.
Subscribe to *Get a Grip Podcast* for more real stories of addiction, recovery, redemption, and second chances.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.
Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!
Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Ashtyn for a brutally honest conversation about addiction, toxic relationships, the adult entertainment industry, and the long road to recovery.
Ashtyn's story begins with a difficult childhood and early exposure to situations no young teenager should have to navigate. She opens up about being involved with an 18-year-old when she was only 13, setting the stage for years of unhealthy relationships and destructive decisions.
As addiction entered the picture, methamphetamine quickly became a major part of her life. Over time, she found herself caught in a cycle of drugs, unstable relationships, and survival. After reconnecting with her child's father, life continued to spiral as she entered the world of stripping, where she experienced both the fast money and the dangers that came with it.
The episode takes several shocking turns as Ashtyn shares stories about meeting a wealthy sugar daddy, being robbed after leaving the strip club, and eventually being introduced to fentanyl—a drug that would dramatically change the course of her life.
From selling drugs and transporting them across state lines to driving under the influence and risking everything for her addiction, Ashtyn's story is a powerful look at how quickly life can unravel when substance abuse takes hold.
But this isn't just a story about addiction.
It's also a story about survival, accountability, and recovery. Ashtyn shares the moment she finally began fighting for her life, the humbling experiences that came with treatment, and how she eventually found a new path in recovery.
This conversation is raw, emotional, and filled with lessons for anyone struggling with addiction or loving someone who is.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.
Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!
Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this powerful episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Rich Davenport for a heartbreaking story of childhood trauma, addiction, loss, and recovery.
Rich's struggles began at just 5 years old when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. As her health deteriorated, his childhood quickly unraveled, eventually leading him into foster care and a series of emotional battles that few children should ever have to face. By the age of 7 or 8, he was already engaging in self-harm and being admitted to psychiatric hospitals as he searched for a way to cope with overwhelming pain.
As he entered his teenage years, drugs became an escape. Rich shares how he was introduced to cocaine at just 13 or 14 years old before eventually finding methamphetamine—a substance that would completely take over his life. What started as using quickly evolved into manufacturing meth, pushing him deeper into addiction and further away from any sense of stability.
Then came the moment that changed everything.At 21 years old, Rich watched his mother die while the two of them were using methamphetamine together. It's a devastating story that still impacts him today and became one of the defining moments of his life.
After years of chaos, grief, and addiction, Rich eventually found his way into recovery. He discusses the brutal mental withdrawal that comes with methamphetamine addiction, the challenges of rebuilding a life after years of substance abuse, and the unexpected moment he met his father while in treatment.Rich also shares why he eventually stepped away from traditional recovery meetings, what has helped him maintain his recovery journey, and the lessons he's learned through survival, loss, and healing.
This is a raw conversation about addiction, family, grief, mental health, and the possibility of finding hope after unimaginable pain.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.
Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!
Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this unforgettable episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Mickey Mills to share one of the most shocking and inspiring recovery stories ever featured on the show.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia and adopted into the United States, Mickey's life was shaped by trauma from an early age. After losing a close friend to suicide and experiencing abuse, she spiraled into addiction, overdosing on benzodiazepines and experimenting with heroin by just 15 years old.
Mickey opens up about homelessness, toxic relationships, living under bridges, moving across the country, entering the sex industry, and becoming involved in criminal activity tied to addiction and human smuggling operations near the border. What began as substance abuse evolved into a life marked by exploitation, trafficking, violence, and survival.
She also provides powerful insight into the psychology of abusive relationships, addiction, methamphetamine use, dissociation, and the realities many never see behind trafficking and sex work.
Through overdoses, near-death experiences, dangerous situations, and devastating betrayals, Mickey somehow survived. Life-changing moments eventually led her toward recovery, motherhood, and a new purpose.
Today, she works with survivors of human trafficking and uses her experience to help others escape situations she once believed she would never survive herself.
This episode is a raw look at addiction, trauma, recovery, and redemption—and a reminder that transformation is possible.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.
Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!
Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives