Surviving Me

Surviving Me — Addiction & Family Intervention with Mike LaverdeWhen we talk about addiction, we focus on the person struggling. But what about the people who love them? In this episode of Surviving Me, host Dai sits down with Mike Laverde, founder of Family First Intervention, to unpack the realities of addiction from the family's perspective.Mike shares his personal journey — from a career in finance to founding a nationwide intervention service after his own family was transformed by an intervention in 2005. Together, they tackle the misconceptions that keep families stuck, the difference between helping and enabling, and why "they have to want it" and "they have to hit bottom" are two of the most dangerous myths in addiction recovery.This conversation goes deep into family systems theory, the weaponization of pain, and why families are often as unwell as the person using. Mike breaks down what a real intervention looks like (hint: it's nothing like TV), and offers a powerful message to anyone exhausted from trying to save someone they love.Guest: Mike Laverde is the founder and CEO of Family First Intervention, a nationwide intervention service helping families navigate addiction since 2009. He holds a Master's of Science in Addiction Studies and Counseling and has conducted over 6,000 interventions across all 50 states.Mike's book: "The S.A.F.E. Family Recovery Intervention Program" — available on Amazon in hard copy and e-book.Connect with Mike: family-intervention.com⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 — Intro0:13 — Welcome & Introduction2:52 — The Reality of Addiction5:23 — When Love Becomes Enabling12:10 — The Emotional Weight on Families16:40 — Intervention, Recovery & Rebuilding Trust21:13 — Healing Beyond Addiction28:31 — Closing Message🔔 Subscribe to Surviving Me for more honest conversations about healing, growth, and all the messy parts in between.💬 If this episode resonated with you, leave a comment — your story matters.🦋 You're not alone. You're not behind. Keep going through it, keep growing through it, and keep glowing through it.Connect with me : https://linktr.ee/thegroundedglow

What happens when you're doing everything right for your health — eating well, following doctor's orders, doing all the "right things" — and you still don't feel better?In this episode of Surviving Me, I sit down with Angela Jenkins, RD, LD, a registered dietitian with over 35 years of clinical experience and founder of Health is Local.Angela shares her personal journey of struggling with kidney and thyroid health while being told she "looked healthy." Those experiences led her to develop the Living Systems Approach — looking at the body as an interconnected system rather than a collection of individual symptoms.We explore what it means to feel unheard in your health journey, rebuilding trust in your body after years of being dismissed, the connections between gut and liver health, and why healing isn't always about fixing yourself.Sometimes, healing is about finally listening to yourself. 💛🌿 IN THIS HEALING CHAPTERWhen you're doing everything right but still don't feel wellFeeling dismissed or unheard about your healthUnderstanding the body's interconnected systemsRebuilding trust in your bodyExploring gut and liver healthMoving from constantly fixing yourself to reclaiming yourself📚 CONNECT WITH ANGELA JENKINSAngela is the author of Destination Real Food, available through her website and Amazon.🌐 Website: https://www.healthislocal.com/📞 Free 30-minute discovery calls are available through her website.🦋 STAY CONNECTED WITH SURVIVING ME📚 AFTER HOURS BOOK CLUBLove books that make you think, feel, and see life differently? Join our book club for meaningful conversations, different perspectives, and genuine connection.💌 GLOW LETTERSA little encouragement for wherever you are in your journey. Subscribe to Glow Letters for reflections on healing, self-awareness, personal growth, and becoming more connected to yourself.https://linktr.ee/thegroundedglow

What happens when the very things that helped you survive become the things holding you back from truly living?In this Healing Chapter of Surviving Me, Dai sits down with Rich Dunning, author of Silence Was My First Language, for an honest conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, recovery, fatherhood, and finding your voice.Growing up in the Bronx, Rich experienced severe abuse, poverty, and homelessness. The survival instincts he developed as a child followed him into adulthood, even as he built a successful career and became a father.Together, we explore how success can become armor, the reality of addiction and relapse, the importance of breaking generational cycles, and what it takes to move beyond simply surviving.Because healing isn't always about becoming someone new. Sometimes it's about finally feeling safe enough to be yourself.🎙️ IN THIS HEALING CHAPTERWhen survival becomes your identityHow success can hide unresolved traumaAddiction, relapse, and the journey of recoveryFatherhood and breaking generational cyclesFinding your voice after years of silenceLearning how to live instead of simply survive⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Introduction01:39 — When Survival Becomes Your Identity11:24 — When the Armor Looks Like Success16:03 — Addiction, Relapse, and Recovery30:14 — Fatherhood and Breaking Cycles37:15 — Learning How to Live42:48 — The Book and Foundation📖 ABOUT RICH DUNNINGRich is the author of Silence Was My First Language, a memoir exploring childhood adversity, survival, and the journey toward healing.The book is available wherever books are sold, including audiobook.For every book sold, $1 goes to the First Language Foundation, supporting children facing abuse, hunger, and homelessness.🌐 Rich's Website: https://richdunningbooks.com💛 First Language Foundation: https://firstlanguagefoundation.org🦋 MORE FROM SURVIVING ME📚 Join the Surviving Me Book ClubA community where stories spark meaningful conversations, connection, and personal growth.💌 Explore Glow LettersWords of encouragement, reflection, and gentle reminders for every stage of your healing journey.🔗 Find the Book Club, Glow Letters, and more: [Insert Surviving Me Linktree URL]💬 A QUESTION FOR MY BUTTERFLIESHave you ever had to unlearn something that once helped you survive?Remember, your past may be part of your story, but it doesn't have to define your future.To meet you where you are… and walk with you to where you're going. 🦋

What happens when you stop needing someone else’s love to feel whole?In this Healing Chapter of Surviving Me, Austin joins me for a conversation about self-love, authenticity, and what changes when we stop looking outside ourselves for the validation we need within.✨ IN THIS EPISODE• Why loving yourself changes the way you receive love from others• The difference between wanting love and needing validation• How the need to be liked can keep us from being authentic• Learning to show up as your genuine self• Choosing yourself without shutting yourself off from connectionOne of the most powerful reminders from our conversation:“When I love me, whether or not you love me, that’s a bonus. It’s not a need.”🦋 ABOUT AUSTINLearn more about Austin and One Last Hit at onelasthitbook.com.💜 JOIN THE BUTTERFLIESIf this chapter speaks to you, share it with someone who may need the reminder—and make sure you’re following Surviving Me so you don’t miss the next chapter.To meet you where you are… and walk with you to where you’re going. 🦋

I’m back, Butterflies. 🦋 And honestly? There’s a lot to catch up on.Surviving Me has officially reached over 1,000 listeners, and I couldn’t come back without taking a moment to celebrate what we’ve built together.But this episode isn’t just about coming back—it’s about where we’re going next.✨ IN THIS EPISODE• Celebrating 1,000+ listeners of Surviving Me• Why I needed the hiatus and what coming back feels like• What you can expect from this next chapter of the podcast• What’s happening with the Surviving Me book club• A little sneak peek at the 3D-print projects coming soon 👀• Creating more ways for the Butterflies to connect beyond the podcastThis next chapter is about more than releasing episodes. It’s about continuing to build a community where we can talk about healing, growth, the messy parts of life—and everything we’re still figuring out along the way.💜 JOIN THE BUTTERFLIESIf you’ve been here from the beginning, thank you. If you just found Surviving Me, welcome to the family. 🦋Stay connected with everything happening in the Surviving Me community:https://linktr.ee/thegroundedglowAnd make sure you’re following the podcast because we have plenty more chapters to get into.To meet you where you are… and walk with you to where you’re going. 🦋

What happens when survival becomes part of your identity before you're even old enough to understand what it means?In this powerful episode, host Dai sits down with Nicholas Kelly — a 39-year-old man living with cystic fibrosis, registered dietitian, and advocate — who has spent his entire life navigating chronic illness, uncertainty, and the complex journey of building a meaningful life beyond a diagnosis.Nick opens up about being diagnosed as an infant (in a story that starts with his mother's incredible tenacity), undergoing open heart surgery at age 5, and how his parents shielded him from fear while quietly carrying the weight of his illness themselves. From growing up with CF as "just an extra step" in his morning routine, to becoming a clinician who helps others reclaim agency in their own lives, Nick's story is one of resilience, purpose, and transformation.In this conversation, we explore:Growing up with chronic illness and what people often misunderstandNavigating identity when survival is baked into your story from birthRedefining success and what it means to truly thriveTurning personal loss into a stepping stone toward legacy and healingWhat it really looks like to build a life beyond survival modeWhether you're living with a chronic condition, supporting someone who is, or simply navigating your own version of uncertainty — this episode is for you.Connect with Nick: Website: nicholaskellyrd.comSocials: @nicholaskellyrdEmail: [email protected]

What happens when the life you imagined no longer matches the life you’re living?In this Gemini Season episode of Surviving Me, Dai explores identity, transformation, and the courage it takes to let go of who you thought you were so you can become who you’re meant to be.Inspired by a powerful card pull, this conversation is a reminder that not every storm arrives to destroy your life. Some storms arrive to clear the path ahead.Together, we’ll explore:✨ The identities we create to survive✨ Why growth often feels like loss✨ Letting go of outdated versions of yourself✨ Questions to help you reconnect with who you’re becomingIf you’ve been navigating change, heartbreak, uncertainty, or a major life transition, this episode is for you.Reflective Question:What part of your identity are you holding onto simply because it’s familiar, not because it’s true anymore?

What if healing starts the moment you stop accepting that your diagnosis defines your future?In this episode of Surviving Me, Karen “ZuZu” Ziemer Armes shares her remarkable journey from growing up on epilepsy medication to overcoming epilepsy, scoliosis, and arthritis through nutrition, holistic wellness, and a commitment to living differently.ZuZu opens up about reclaiming her health, challenging conventional beliefs, and learning to trust her body in ways she never thought possible. Together, we discuss nutrition, healing, self-trust, empowerment, and what it means to take an active role in your own wellness journey.Whether you’re navigating a health challenge, seeking lifestyle changes, or simply looking for hope, this conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is about more than the diagnosis.In This Episode:✔️ Growing up with epilepsy✔️ Healing through nutrition and lifestyle changes✔️ Overcoming scoliosis and arthritis✔️ The connection between food and wellness✔️ Self-trust and empowerment✔️ Building a life beyond survival mode

You keep seeing 1616 for a reason. This episode is about willpower, discipline, and what happens when you stop running from yourself. I’m opening up about my decision to stop smoking weed, what this angel number revealed to me, and why healing sometimes requires uncomfortable honesty. This is your reminder that you are supported—but you still have to choose yourself.

Motherhood changed me… but postpartum depression almost erased me.In Part 2 of my anniversary series, I open up about the silent battle I faced after becoming a mother — the exhaustion, emotional numbness, isolation, identity loss, and the version of myself I barely recognized.This episode is for anyone who has ever struggled in silence while trying to be “strong” for everyone else.Because sometimes survival doesn’t look loud.Sometimes it looks like getting through the day without falling apart.This episode contains discussions surrounding postpartum depression, emotional distress, and mental health struggles.