Part One with Keta Loren: Foster Care, Early Chaos and Dysfunction, First Meth at 11, Trafficking, Tragic Injuries and Incredible Grace

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Melanie Gulde, the Vermont drug court officer who played a pivotal role in helping Phish frontman Trey Anastasio find sobriety back in 2006. Nearly two decades later, both Melanie and Trey are sober and have joined forces to create something extraordinary - The Divided Sky Foundation in Ludlow, Vermont.Together, they’ve built a recovery program that blends the 12 Steps, emotional sobriety, and Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (M.O.R.E.) into a truly holistic healing experience. Through immersive workshops, music-centered therapy, nature walks, and mindfulness practices, Divided Sky offers a unique space for transformation — one rooted in connection, creativity, and community.Melanie shares her personal journey to sobriety, to getting involved with Drug Court programs, and why she feels so passionate about helping women find treatment.Recently, the Divided Sky Foundation announced the launch of a Women’s Scholarship Fund, created to address the unique barriers women face when seeking treatment for addiction. The Fund provides financial support so that women — regardless of income — can access a dignified and empowering path to recovery. With the assistance of women's rights attorney, Tamara Holder, Melanie and Trey continue to expand their mission of offering hope, healing, and opportunity to all who seek recovery.This episode is a testament to the power of second chances, the strength of community, and the beautiful harmony that can emerge when recovery meets purpose.Check out the website for Divided SkyDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

In this powerful first part of Keta Loren’s story, we meet a woman whose voice was forged in the fire of unimaginable hardship. Raised in foster care after chaos with her biological parents, Keta’s adolescence was marked by instability, incarceration, and survival. By 18, she was caught in the grips of meth addiction, hustling to survive while clinging to the one constant in her life—music.From juvenile institutions to the California Youth Authority, and later being trafficked to Los Angeles for sex work, Keta never let go of her dream to sing. Her resilience and raw talent carried her through darkness most never escape. Now sober for several years, Keta shares the truth behind her journey and the moments that led her to the edge of transformation.Part One ends with Keta in LA, standing at the crossroads between destruction and redemption—just before everything changes.Connect with Keta on InstagramDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

Straton’s story is one of grit, chaos, and ultimate redemption. After dropping out of high school in North Carolina, he headed west to Oregon in search of opportunity, finding himself in the marijuana industry. But what started as chasing a lifestyle spiraled into a devastating heroin addiction. At his lowest, Straton chose to live in a tent on the sidewalk - steps away from the dope dealers - despite still owning a house of his own.Today, sober since 2021, Straton has rebuilt his life from the ground up. He’s thriving as a successful car salesman, grounded in the principles of a twelve-step program, and living proof that recovery is possible no matter how far down the scale you’ve gone.In this episode, Straton shares his raw journey through addiction, the mindset that kept him trapped, and the tools he uses daily to stay connected, accountable, and free.DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

In part two of Harold’s story, we pick up in 1998 as he enters sobriety after decades of drinking and crack addiction. His journey through early recovery is anything but simple - Harold finds himself selling crack while sober, and later endures a bizarre tragedy that changes his life forever. Along the way, he receives an incredible gift from a fellow twelve stepper that reshapes the course of his recovery. Harold’s honesty, wisdom, and depth of experience continue to shine as he shares the lessons that have carried him through more than two decades of sobriety.DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

In this first part of a two-part conversation, we sit down with Harold, a beloved figure in the local recovery community who has been sober since 1998. Harold shares the powerful story of how decades of drinking and crack addiction derailed his promising football career and countless other athletic opportunities, and how the devastation of addiction ultimately brought him to the rooms of recovery. With over two decades of sobriety, Harold has become a walking encyclopedia of Twelve Step wisdom and recovery principles, offering insight, honesty, and hope to everyone he meets. This episode dives into his early life, his struggles, and the path that led him to embrace recovery and begin a journey of transformation.Our episode today ends just before Harold gets sober in 1998.DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

his week’s episode features the powerful story of a woman who endured the darkest depths of heroin and crack addiction—homelessness, sex work, selling drugs, arrests, and violent assaults. After years of chaos, she found her turning point and got sober in 2018. Her journey didn’t stop there. Against all odds, she built a new life as a devoted mother, wife, and homeowner. Today, she works in the treatment field, dedicating her life to helping others heal through trauma therapy. She also shares how an unexpected arrest on her one-year sober anniversary sparked a deeper sense of spirituality that continues to guide her path. This is a raw and inspiring conversation about resilience, redemption, and the power of recovery.DM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

Eric’s journey begins in a small town in Ohio, where he was raised in a strict, religious fundamentalist household. The shift from being homeschooled to suddenly navigating public high school was jarring, and Eric turned to drinking and smoking weed as a way to cope. What started as a teenage escape grew into a cycle of destructive relationships and escalating substance use - Percocets, then heroin.Over the years, Eric’s addiction drove him into schemes to hustle money, from petty hustles to full-blown counterfeiting operations. His criminal activity eventually caught the attention of federal authorities, leading to ten felony charges and even a visit from the Secret Service.But Eric’s story didn’t end there. Clean since 2014, he has become a beacon of hope - showing that it’s possible to find deep spirituality without traditional faith. Today, he owns Sacred Journey Recovery, a men’s treatment center in Vista, California, dedicated to an experiential approach to healing with a strong focus on trauma therapy.In this episode, Eric opens up about the chaos and consequences of his addiction, the unraveling of his life under the weight of heroin and crime, and—most importantly—the path he found to rebuild everything. His story is raw, unfiltered, and a powerful reminder that no matter how deep the hole, recovery and redemption are possible.Check out Sacred Journey RecoveryDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

From the depths of Skid Row to the heights of entrepreneurial success, Khalil Rafati’s story is one of the most jaw-dropping transformations you’ll ever hear. Once a homeless heroin addict, Khalil hit rock bottom before rebuilding his life piece by piece. In this episode, he opens up about the brutal reality of addiction, the turning point that sparked his recovery, and how he went on to create SunLife Organics—a superfood empire with wildly popular health bowls and smoothie shops that have become cultural staples.Khalil doesn’t sugarcoat his past, and he doesn’t pretend his success was easy. He shares how self-reliance, recovery, and an unwavering belief in possibility allowed him to build a life beyond his wildest imagination. Whether you’re struggling to find hope, or simply looking for inspiration to start over, Khalil’s journey proves that no matter how far you’ve fallen, a comeback is always possible.Connect with Khalil on InstagramDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen AD FREE & workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

This week, we sit down with ESPN reporter and former Rutgers gymnast Lauren Sisler, whose story is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring. In 2003, Lauren lost both of her parents within hours of each other to fatal fentanyl overdoses—a devastating truth she was too ashamed to share at the time. For years, she told friends and teammates that her parents had died of heart failure and respiratory issues, hiding from the stigma of addiction. It wasn’t until seven years later that Lauren began to face the truth, and a full decade before she opened their toxicology reports.In this powerful conversation, Lauren shares how she found the courage to peel back the layers of shame and grief and embrace what she now calls the “Shatterproof Mindset.” She opens up about the path to forgiveness, the resilience born from tragedy, and how learning to fall in love with her own story has allowed her to honor her parents’ memory while helping others find healing in theirs.If you’ve ever struggled with grief, shame, or the fear of telling your truth, this episode will show you that even the most shattered stories can become unbreakable.Connect with Lauren on InstagramDM me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Workout with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected] you next week!

Note from Jeannine: I am so excited for you all to meet another one of my #SGGC girlfriends, Britt! Britt absolutely blew me away with her poise, eloquence and knowledge around recovery and her journey into autism awareness. I love her and I know you will too!This week, we sit down with my friend and fellow Sober Girl Group Chat member, Britt Bernard, to hear her powerful story of transformation. Raised in Philadelphia by a police officer father, Britt’s early experimentation with cough medicine spiraled into years of heavy drinking and party drugs—she even managed to get herself banned from the Eagles’ stadium, “The Linc.” With her dad’s badge often shielding her from consequences, the chaos continued until an abusive relationship became the breaking point that pushed Britt to make a change.Sober since 2018, Britt has built a beautiful life alongside her sober partner, Dan, raising their son, Billy. When Billy was diagnosed with autism, Britt leaned into advocacy with the same openness she brings to her recovery—using her voice and her platform to share vulnerable truths, offer advice, and break down stigma for other moms walking a similar path.Britt’s story is one of grit, resilience, and love, and this episode is a reminder that recovery doesn’t just change our lives—it can ripple out and change the lives of everyone around us.Connect with Britt on InstagramJoin the Facebook Private Sober Girl Group ChatDM me on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠Message me on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠Workout with me and get access to private content on ⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠Email me [email protected]