PodcastsHealth & WellnessGet a Grip Podcast

Get a Grip Podcast

Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes
Get a Grip Podcast
Latest episode

145 episodes

  • Get a Grip Podcast

    How I Lost a Child During Crack & Heroin Addiction | Ep 142

    2026/03/25 | 1h 49 mins.
    In this deeply emotional and eye-opening episode, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Marrissa Hibbler to share a story that begins in what many would consider a “normal” upbringing—but quickly unravels into a journey marked by trauma, loss, addiction, and ultimately, resilience.Marrissa takes us back to her early years, opening up about her childhood and the complicated relationship she had with her father. While things may have looked typical from the outside, inside the home there were struggles that shaped her sense of self early on. As chaos crept into her family life, her mother stepped in to hold things together, but the emotional weight was already building. Marrissa reflects on pivotal moments growing up—like shaving her head and navigating the pressures of high school—offering insight into the internal battles she faced long before substances entered the picture.At just 16, Marrissa entered a relationship that would change the trajectory of her life. By 17, she was pregnant, stepping into adulthood far too soon. What followed was a series of devastating challenges: her one-year-old suffering a seizure, entering into an abusive relationship, and experiencing the heartbreak of a close friend’s overdose. What started with crack and cocaine escalated as Marrissa tried to cope with overwhelming grief and trauma—including the loss of a baby and a deeply traumatic incident at a friend’s house. Even as she attempted to regain control—becoming pregnant again and trying to get clean—life continued to hit hard. She shares the pain of experiencing physical abuse, finding the strength to leave, and facing one of the most difficult moments a parent can endure: her son being diagnosed with congenital heart disease.As her son underwent multiple surgeries, Marrissa found herself slipping deeper into addiction, eventually turning to heroin while trying to survive emotionally and physically. A Xanax blackout became a turning point, leading to an intervention from her mother and her first attempt at detox. But even then, addiction held tight—smuggling drugs into treatment and getting caught, followed by a year-long fentanyl relapse that cost her custody of her children and forced her into survival mode.This is where the story shifts.Today, Marrissa is living proof that even after the darkest chapters, change is possible. She shares where she is now, what sobriety looks like for her, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.This episode is raw, powerful, and filled with moments that will stay with you. It’s a story about how quickly life can change—but also how strong the human spirit can be when given a second chance.
    🔥 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/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 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
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    How I Went From Heroin Addiction at 14 to 23 Years in Prison… Now 22 Years Sober | Ep 141

    2026/03/22 | 1h 21 mins.
    In this powerful and unfiltered episode, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Al Savage to unpack a life story that most people couldn’t imagine surviving—let alone coming back from.Al doesn’t hold anything back. From the streets to the system, he walks us through the chaos of a life consumed by addiction, crime, and survival at all costs. What started as substance use quickly spiraled into a relentless cycle of desperation, poor decisions, and consequences that would change his life forever. At his lowest point—strung out and disconnected from reality—Al made a decision that would define his story for years to come: shooting his own parole officer.This episode dives deep into the mindset behind that moment. What does it take for someone to reach that level of darkness? What is going through your mind when addiction completely overrides logic, morality, and fear? Al gives a rare, firsthand account of just how powerful and destructive drugs can be when they take control.But this isn’t just a story about crime—it’s about consequences, accountability, and what comes after. Al shares what life was like behind prison walls, the mental and emotional toll it took, and the long road he had to face once the chaos finally stopped. From navigating prison culture to confronting the weight of his actions, this conversation explores the reality that many never see.More importantly, this episode is about perspective and transformation. Al reflects on who he was, the pain he caused, and the process of trying to rebuild a life after everything has fallen apart. It’s raw, it’s intense, and it’s real.This is a story about how far addiction can take you—and what it takes to come back.If you’re looking for a conversation that pulls no punches and shows the true cost of living on the edge, this is one you don’t want to miss.🔥 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/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 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
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    What Fentanyl & Xylazine Addiction Looks Like in the Streets of Columbus, Ohio | Ep 141

    2026/03/20 | 28 mins.
    in this powerful and unfiltered episode of Get A Grip Podcast, the team steps out of the studio and into the streets to uncover the raw, often unseen reality of addiction and homelessness. What unfolds is an eye-opening look at the lives of people many pass by every day—stories that are rarely heard, and even more rarely understood.Through honest, on-the-ground conversations, the team connects with individuals battling addiction in real time. These aren’t rehearsed interviews or polished narratives—this is real life, captured as it is. Pain, survival, resilience, and truth all collide as each person shares a glimpse into what led them here and what keeps them going.One of the most striking moments comes from an interaction with Bruce. His condition tells a story before he even speaks. The visible damage to his skin reflects the harsh reality of substances like xylazine, a powerful veterinary sedative increasingly found mixed into fentanyl. Its effects are devastating, often causing severe wounds and rapid physical deterioration. Seeing it up close puts into perspective just how dangerous and far-reaching this crisis has become.This episode doesn’t just show addiction—it humanizes it. It challenges assumptions, forces uncomfortable truths to the surface, and sheds light on a crisis happening in plain sight. These are people with names, histories, and voices that deserve to be heard.Viewer discretion is advised. This is a raw and emotional look at addiction, but it’s a conversation that needs to happen.Timestamps🔥 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/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 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
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    From Fake IDs to Fentanyl: How My Addiction Took Everything | Ep 140

    2026/03/19 | 1h 1 mins.
    In this episode, Chelsea Boggs shares her raw and unfiltered story of addiction, survival, and the long road to recovery.Chelsea opens up about her childhood and how a major family shift shaped her early life. What started as partying on the weekends quickly escalated after experimenting with drugs in her teenage years, leading to the use of Percocets and eventually daily dependence. As her environment changed, so did the severity of her addiction—introducing harder substances and more dangerous situations.She talks about being in a toxic and abusive relationship, experiencing homelessness after a police raid, and becoming deeply involved in the drug scene. Chelsea recounts selling to a confidential informant, her first experience using f3ntanyl, and how quickly it took hold of her life.From waking up in withdrawal, wrecking cars while nodding off, and risking everything just to avoid being sick, to facing legal consequences—including drug test tampering charges and court-ordered supervision—her story highlights the brutal reality of addiction.This episode also touches on some of the darkest and most chaotic moments, including working while under the influence, repeated close calls with law enforcement, and the physical and mental toll of fentanyl dependence.But through it all, Chelsea’s story doesn’t end there. She shares how she finally began her journey into recovery and what it took to start turning her life around.This is a powerful, eye-opening conversation about addiction, consequences, and hope.If you or someone you know is struggling, this episode may resonate more than you expect.

    🔥 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/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 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
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    From My Dad’s Drug Mule at 5 to Facing 80 Years In Prison | A Life Built on Trauma | Ep 139

    2026/03/15 | 1h 39 mins.
    In this powerful and deeply moving episode, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Nicole Stull to share a story of survival, pain, and ultimately redemption.Nicole opens up about a childhood marked by unimaginable trauma. Growing up in a home where she was abused by her older brothers in ways no child should ever experience, Nicole spent years carrying the weight of that pain in silence. The emotional scars followed her into adulthood, shaping how she saw herself and the world around her.Like many who endure deep trauma, Nicole eventually turned to alcohol as a way to numb the memories and escape the overwhelming emotions that haunted her. What started as a way to cope quickly spiraled into a life consumed by alcoholism. For years she battled the bottle, trying to outrun the past while the consequences of her drinking continued to pile up.But Nicole’s story doesn’t end there.Through the darkness, she eventually reached a breaking point where the cost of continuing down that path became too great. Facing the consequences of her addiction forced Nicole to confront the pain she had spent years trying to bury. With courage and determination, she began the difficult journey toward healing and sobriety.Today, Nicole is living proof that even the deepest wounds can heal. She is sober, safe, and building a life filled with peace, strength, and purpose. Her story is one of resilience and hope—showing that no matter how painful the past may be, a new life is always possible.This episode is raw, honest, and inspiring for anyone who has faced trauma, addiction, or feels trapped by their past. Nicole’s courage to speak out reminds us that healing begins when the truth is finally brought into the light.Tune in to hear Nicole’s incredible journey from survival to freedom.
    🔥 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: [email protected]
    👇 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

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About Get a Grip Podcast

Get a Grip Podcast is hosted by Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes, both in recovery from addiction and alcoholism. In each episode, they share their unfiltered stories of overcoming addiction, time in prison, and struggles with mental health—mixing raw honesty with humor. The podcast gives a voice to the underdog, breaking down the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery. Through candid conversations and real-life experiences, Louis and Aaron inspire others on their journey, showing that while recovery is challenging, it’s possible. Tune in for laughter, hope, and stories of transformation.
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