The Chronicle
Latest dispatches
100 results across all types
podcast· 1h 53m· S6E110Smoking PCP at Twelve, Kensington Chaos, Driving Escorts, Selling Manhole Covers, an Epiphany in Jail and a Return to Childhood Creativity Gives Dave Marquess a New Start
Dave Marquess grew up inside a reality most people only glimpse in headlines. Raised by a meth cook and heroin addict, his childhood was less about homework and more about survival. By eighth grade, violence had already entered the story. By his teens, he was moving through a world of escorts, hustles, and whatever could be stolen, stripped, and sold. PCP showed up early. Heroin followed. At one point, he even called his own mother to learn how to shoot it. The crash was inevitable. Jail forced a brutal detox and a confrontation with everything he had been outrunning. What came next was not a clean, cinematic turnaround but something more interesting. He started rebuilding from a place he had abandoned long ago: his childhood creativity. Dave tapped back into his artistic instincts and turned them into something functional, designing a game specifically for people in recovery. Not as a gimmick, but as a tool. A way to engage addicts in their own healing using strategy, storytelling, an
- podcast· 57:30· S6E109
Forensic Clinical Psychology and Theatre Converge in Dr. Tiffany Towers at Seasons Malibu, Blending Trauma Informed Compassion with Narrative Shifts through Storytelling
Listen ad free on Patreon . In today's episode, I sit down with Dr. Tiffany Towers, Clinical Director and licensed clinical psychologist at Seasons Malibu. Dr. Towers studied psychology and theater at Barnard College at Columbia University and earned her Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her work pairs her strong clinical training with a creative, narrative-based approach to therapy. Dr. Towers and I discuss how looking at addiction through the lens of story can help loosen the grip of all-or-nothing thinking. Instead of seeing yourself as permanently defined by past behavior, this approach opens the door to examining patterns, shifting roles, and building a more flexible sense of identity. We also walk through the range of modalities used at Seasons, including EMDR, Brainspotting, somatic work, equine therapy, CBT, and DBT, with a focus on what they actually look like in practice and how to find credible versions of these tre
- podcast· 1h 45m· S6E108
Shooting Bath Salts, Robbing former Classmates at Gun Point, Kensington and Prison at 20 to Building an Empire from a Craigslist Ad...this is Rob C's Insane Story
What happens when someone everyone counted out becomes the one who builds it all? In this episode, I sit down with Rob C, whose story starts in chaos and lands in clarity. From early drug use and crime to serving time in prison at just 20, Rob’s path didn’t exactly point toward success. But after getting sober in California, everything began to shift. Rob opens up about the real work of rebuilding a life from the ground up, the mindset that carried him through early recovery, and how he went from having very little to building and selling multiple businesses. Along the way, he met his wife Amanda (yes, from the Sober Girl Group Chat 💁♀️), and together they’ve created a life centered around family, purpose, and long-term vision. This episode is about more than redemption, it’s about reinvention. Rob shares the principles that helped him not just stay sober, but scale a life beyond what once felt possible. If you’ve ever wondered how someone actually turns it all around, this is the bl
- podcast· 1h 01m· S6E107
The Soul Fix: Audrey Hope’s Radical Tools for Addiction + Trauma
Step into a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like opening a hidden door inside yourself. In this episode, I sit down with Audrey Hope, the renowned “Soul Healer” and Doctor of Divinity at Seasons in Malibu, whose work has quietly transformed the lives of celebrities, CEOs, and individuals searching for something deeper than traditional recovery. For over 15 years, Audrey has blended spiritual intuition with trauma and addiction expertise, creating a healing approach that goes far beyond talk therapy. Her philosophy is simple but striking: “Heal the soul, heal the addiction.” And in this conversation, she challenges everything we think we know about recovery. We explore why insight alone doesn’t always equal healing, how someone can spend years in therapy yet still feel stuck, and what it actually means to “solve the riddle of the soul.” Audrey shares her belief that true transformation doesn’t live in the intellect, it lives in the unseen layers beneath it, where
- podcast· 1h 27m· S6E106
Fame, Cocaine, and the Crash: How Jennifer Gimenez Found Real Recovery
TRIGGER WARNING: pregnancy loss and sexual assault 4:50:00 - 15:60:00 Jennifer Gimenez had the kind of life people dream about. Named one of Maxim’s 100 Hottest Women on Earth, the youngest model to grace the cover of American Elle , and starring in films like Blow , Charlie’s Angels , and The Sweetest Thing - on the outside, it looked like pure glamour. But behind the camera, a very different story was unfolding. In this episode, Jennifer shares how she fell in love with cocaine at the height of her modeling career, chasing a high that quietly unraveled everything. What started as part of the lifestyle led her into a cycle of addiction, brief moments of sobriety sparked by an accidental NA meeting, and relapses while still showing up on major film sets. Without a real foundation in recovery, the pattern kept repeating. Eventually, everything caught up with her—leading to treatment with Dr. Drew and a breaking point that included a failed suicide attempt. On January 15, 2005, Jennifer
- podcast· 2h 18m· S6E105
NY Teen Behavioral Modification Bootcamp, Chasing Opiates, Surviving a Home Invasion and Falling Asleep UNDERWATER after a Crack Bender & Finally Finding Lasting Sobriety in San Diego with Bryan B
Bryan’s story starts in New York, where skateboards, weed, and the raw energy of rebellion shaped his early identity. But what looked like typical teenage experimentation quickly became something others labeled as “a problem.” In the height of the 90s and early 2000s, Bryan was sent away to behavior-modification boarding programs meant to “fix” kids like him. Instead of changing him, those experiences carved in a deeper belief: something is wrong with me. That belief followed him straight into addiction. Oxy was the first opiate that hooked Bryan, and what came after was years of chasing a feeling he could never quite catch again. Methadone, Suboxone, cross-country moves between New York and San Diego, and eventually crack cocaine all became part of the cycle. There were moments that looked like escape, traveling through national parks, falling in love, even a trip to Italy, but the obsession to use never loosened its grip. After a suicide attempt brought him to his lowest point, Bryan
- podcast· 52:09· S6E102
PART TWO: Methin' Around at It's Finest; Pockets Rifled during an OD, Homemade Rigs, the Most Helpful Cop on Earth, FINALLY Recovery with the Assistance of Suboxone and Therapy
Today is Part Two of our interview with NodPod member, Joey Rakisits. Joey's story is SO inspiring - he did the rounds of alllll the things dope fiend, modifying cars, getting involved in criminal activity, staying in motel rooms, basically running amok in all the ways we addicts can run amok - and now he's CLEAN! Multiple prison terms, county time, again - ALLL the things. Today we pick up Joey's story with a near fatal overdose and his ultimate journey to get to a suboxone clinic with two therapists that changed his life. Clean now since September 20, 2021, we hope you enjoy Joey's episode at much as we did! The article about the homicide is HERE DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week!
- podcast· 48:11· S6E102
PART ONE: Methin' Around at it's Finest! Copper Wire Hijinks, Making a Civic "Custom," Kidnapped! Fire Camp, Absconding...Joey Rakisits Has Done the "Dope Fiend" Rounds and Lived to Tell the Tale
Today's episode originally aired on August 24, 2023 Today Jeannine and Narcan Nate interview Nod Pod member, Joey Rakisits. Joey's story is SO inspiring - he did the rounds of alllll the things dope fiend, modifying cars, getting involved in criminal activity, staying in motel rooms, basically running amok in all the ways we addicts can run amok - and now he's CLEAN! Multiple prison terms, county time, again - ALLL the things. Clean now since September 20, 2021, we hope you enjoy Joey's episode at much as we did! DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week!
- podcast· 1h 13m· S6E102
PART TWO: If Turning in Evidence of a Heinous Crime Meant Spending the Rest of Your Life Prison...What Would You Do? The Subsequent Consequences for Matt AND How to Start Over with a Felony Record
**TRIGGER WARNING **todays episode references child abuse, please take care while listening. Today is part two of Jeannine's interview with Matthew Hahn. Matt was a career criminal whose meth addiction and history of residential burglaries earned him three strikes by the age of 18. At 25, Matt was fresh off of parole, and back in his addiction. Returning to his old methods to support his lifestyle, Matt broke into a house and stole a safe - a choice that would change his life forever. What he discovered in that safe would pose a dilemma of choosing to turn in evidence of a crime - when to do so would cost him his freedom for the rest of his life. Part Two picks up where Part One left off, in 2005 after Matt found evidence of a heinous crime inside a safe that he had stolen from a home. Matt ultimately returns to prison and begins leaning into Buddhism as a vital part of his recovery. Connect with Matt on IG HERE Connect with Matt on TikTok HERE DM me on Instagram
- podcast· 54:05· S6E101
PART ONE: If Turning in Evidence of a Heinous Crime Meant Spending the Rest of Your Life Prison...What Would You Do? Matt Hahn Faced that Exact Decision
This is encore presentation of a episode that was first released in November, 2023. All new episodes will return April 2nd, 2026. **TRIGGER WARNING **todays episode references child abuse, please take care while listening. Today Jeannine interviews Matthew Hahn. Matt was a career criminal whose meth addiction and history of residential burglaries earned him three strikes by the age of 18. At 25, Matt was fresh off of parole, and back in his addiction. Returning to his old methods to support his lifestyle, Matt broke into a house and stole a safe - a choice that would change his life forever. What he discovered in that safe would pose a dilemma of choosing to turn in evidence of a crime - when to do so would cost him his freedom for the rest of his life. Connect with Matt on TikTok DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on
- podcast· 1h 14m· S6E95
The ONE Insane Jail Story I've Never Told, Smuggling a Meth Pipe into Jail, Learning the Jail "Rules" the Hard Way, and is "Rejection Protection?!" A Perspective Shift that Can Change Your LIfe
This is an encore presentation of an episode originally released May, 2024. After today, I will be taking a short break and returning on April 2nd with all new episodes. All Patreon memberships will be paused until we return as well. Thank you! Hey y'all! This is the ONE jail story I have yet to tell anywhere . Literally one of the craziest events of my entire life, and probably the wildest four days of my active addiction. As always though, there is purpose in the madness, and this story is no different. A few episodes ago my guest Kevin said that a "miracle" can just be a shift in perspective. I absolutely love that idea and today you and I are going to discuss the perspective shift that "rejection is protection." Typically when we are rejected for anything, or by someone, we feel it is based on our value - that we aren't "good enough." What if we can shift our belief system to believe that rejection is a good thing, and absolutely unrelated to our value? Let's talk about it! Let me
- podcast· 1h 18m· S6E99
From the Block to the Booth: Oceanside Local and Rising Star Bishop Snow on Music, Oceanside Culture, Gang Banging, Meth and Fatherhood
This week, we sit down with Bishop Snow an emerging hip hop artist whose story moves from police documentation to performance stages. Raised between Oceanside and Long Beach, Bishop grew up surrounded by instability, gang culture, and early exposure to drugs. By 16, he was already documented by the gang suppression unit, immersed in a lifestyle that felt inevitable in his neighborhood. The streets were loud. The future felt small. But somewhere between the chaos and the consequences, Bishop found a different outlet: music. Writing became his therapy. Recording became his refuge. Even as addiction tightened its grip and his focus on music faded, the spark never fully went out. In 2019, Bishop made the decision to walk away from meth. Recovery didn’t just clear his mind, it reignited his discipline. With clarity came consistency. With consistency came growth. His health improved. His writing sharpened. His sound evolved. Then fatherhood shifted everything. Becoming a dad at 21 forced Bis
- podcast· 1h 13m· S6E95
Surviving the Start, Rewriting the Ending; Kimmy's Story
Kimmy’s story doesn’t begin with rebellion. It begins with survival. Raised in a home where instability was the norm and addiction sat at the dinner table, Kimmy was introduced to meth at just ten years old when her own mother injected her. What followed was a childhood shaped by substance use, escalating mental health struggles, and self-harm that started in elementary school and grew alongside the chaos around her. Just as Kimmy was preparing for college, two devastating deaths in her family shifted everything. Grief deepened her addiction, and pain fueled behaviors she didn’t yet have tools to heal. In this episode, Kimmy shares the raw reality of growing up in trauma, navigating mental illness, and eventually making the brave move to California in search of treatment for both her mental health and substance use. After moving through multiple treatment centers, she has remained sober since December 24th, 2024, refusing to give up on herself or her healing. This is a story about resi
- podcast· 1h 21m· S6E97
Meth, Mayhem, and Motherhood: Rio’s Reckoning With Recovery
This week’s episode follows Rio, a woman whose story moves from chaos to clarity with raw honesty and hard-won hope. Rio began using meth in high school, a path that quickly pulled her out of her parents’ home and into the control of an older woman who groomed her and introduced her to a traumatic, dangerous lifestyle. After graduating from an alternative school, Rio became a young mom, but addiction tightened its grip. She walked away from her baby and his father in pursuit of drugs, parties, and a life that only grew more volatile. What followed were years of chaos, including involvement with a motorcycle club and people who kept pushing her further into risk and destruction. Eventually Rio entered treatment, relapsed once more, and then made the decision that changed everything, choosing sobriety for real. Today, she’s married, has regained custody of her son, is working on her degree at UCSD, and is driven by a powerful goal: to one day work with women in prison and help them find
- podcast· 1h 45m· S6E96
Surf & Skater Culture Meet Alcohol and Chaos in Oceanside...Calling the Cops on Himself, Arrested at Work, Bar Bike Pub Crawl & Redemption in Jail
Born and raised in South Oceanside, California, Ian G grew up in the shadow of early loss. After his father passed away, Ian made a vow to himself he would never touch narcotics. Life, however, had other plans. After dropping out of high school, that promise slowly unraveled, giving way to years of heavy drinking and drug use marked by multiple DUIs, arrests, and mounting consequences. In October of 2017, Ian was arrested for the last time. That moment became a turning point, leading him to his first stretch of sobriety. After one final relapse, Ian made a quiet but decisive choice on January 1st to get sober for good and this time, he stayed. Today, Ian’s life looks radically different. He’s in a committed relationship, helping raise his stepdaughter, and thriving in a career in design. Alongside that, he’s cultivating a deep passion and talent for photography, channeling creativity into a life built on presence and purpose. This episode is a conversation about grief, broken promises,
- podcast· 1h 18m· S6E95
Skinny Vinny is in the House! Living in a Porta-Potty, "Training" his Butthole Transport Drugs, Boofing Batteries and Co-Hosting with Steve-O
In this episode, we sit down with Skinny Vinny, comedian, content creator, and podcaster whose journey from idolizing the Jackass crew as a kid to eventually working alongside them is anything but linear. Vinny’s story begins on a skateboard, smoking weed and chasing adrenaline, before escalating into a painkiller addiction and eventually heroin. His use cost him nearly everything, including housing. At one point, he was homeless in Vermont, living in a porta potty. After making his way to Los Angeles, Vinny spent three months on Skid Row, a period that marked one of the lowest points of his addiction and survival. Instead, sobriety opened a different path. Through recovery and a series of unlikely chance encounters, Vinny found himself not only back on his feet but working with the very people he once idolized, including co-hosting Steve-O’s hit podcast Wild Ride . Vinny’s journey is a powerful reminder that addiction does not get the final say. Even after periods of deep suffering an
- podcast· 34:45· S6E94
Breaking Down the Twelve Steps
Today is a little different! I’m sharing a recording from a twelve-step meeting where I gave the lead a few years ago. It’s a simple, honest breakdown of the Twelve Steps and the process of actually working them, not as a rulebook or a rigid formula, but as a deeply personal experience. I’ve always felt that the steps are essentially free, personalized therapy. They ask us to look at our patterns, our pain, our responsibility, and our capacity for change with a level of honesty that most of us were never taught. In this lead, I walk through how the steps build on one another, why they matter, and what they’ve given me beyond just staying sober. Whether you’re new to recovery, thinking about working the steps, coming back after time away, or just curious about why they’ve helped so many people for so long, this episode offers a clear, human look at the process and why it still works. No perfection. No preaching. Just one addict’s experience with a framework that helped turn survival int
- podcast· 1h 17m· S6E93
My Best Friends of THIRTY Years are On...We Talk Fake Cop Cars, Field Parties, Marriage, Divorce and Supporting a Friend through Addiction
Today, I am joined by my best friends of over thirty years, Keri, Scott “Gumpy” and Barbara. They are not in recovery - which is actually why I wanted them on the show and what hopefully makes this conversation meaningful and different for you guys, too. I wanted to hear from the people who loved me through addiction without ever experiencing it themselves, and to explore what it is like on the other side of an addict friendship. Together, they reflect on watching a childhood friend slowly self destruct. The confusion, fear, frustration, and helplessness. The moments they tried to step in, the times they did not know how, and the emotional toll of caring deeply without having control. Their honesty offers a compassionate and often overlooked perspective for anyone who has loved someone struggling with substance use. The conversation is not all heavy, though!. Woven throughout are the shared memories that come from growing up together. Field parties, driving around in a fake cop car, an
- podcast· 1h 25m· S6E92
Spend Christmas with Us! My Husband and I Talk Sobriety during the Holidays, Using During the Holidays, New Years Resolutions and More!
This episode is a real-time holiday check in with me and my husband as we talk about what sobriety looks like during one of the most emotionally charged seasons of the year. We reflect on past holidays when substances were part of how we coped, numbed, or survived, and how different things look now with intention, communication, and boundaries. We also pause to acknowledge a milestone. My husband shares where he is at just over two years sober, specifically how his program and mental health have evolved. Together, we talk about the stress of family dynamics, expectations, grief, finances, and the nonstop pace of the season, along with the practical ways we take care of ourselves so resentment and burnout do not quietly take the wheel. From checking in with each other, to protecting our routines, to knowing when to opt out instead of powering through, this episode is about choosing sobriety on purpose when things feel loud and heavy. If the holidays have ever made you question your reco
- podcast· 1h 47m· S6E91
Social Media Induced Psychosis in SOBRIETY, Using a Grape to Pass a Drug Test? Crashing into a Golf Course, Meth Hallucinations in Night Clubs in South Africa, Eating Disorder Treatment
Y'all, my guest today, Toni Becker is absolutely incredible. Toni lives in South Africa and is a content creator with twelve years sober. Toni was plagued by disordered eating years before her addictions to meth and alcohol began. Years of partying led to homelessness, meth psychosis and severe illness and kidney failure. In sobriety, Toni was still struggling with disordered eating. Treatment in sobriety finally helped her with that struggle. Later in sobriety, she developed facial dysmorphia induced by social media expectations and filters. Talking about these issues in sobriety was fascinating and I learned so much from Toni! Connect with Toni on Instagram DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week!
- podcast· 1h 46m· S6E90
Smoking Crack at age 12, Juvie, Opiate Addiction by 18, Stripping, Sex Work, Escaping her Pimp, Prison and finally Redemption through Sobriety, Marriage and Opening a Hollywood Hills Rehab
Glynis’s journey is one of the most intense and transformative we’ve ever shared. She began using drugs at a painfully young age, smoking crack by 12, moving through juvie, and growing up as a ward of the state. By 18 she was stripping to survive, drifting from Massachusetts to Texas in the hope that a new place might quiet her addiction. Instead, she spent years in Dallas working as a prostitute and becoming deeply enmeshed the world of solicitation. Everything changed when she was arrested while smuggling people across the border between Mexico and California. That prison sentence became the turning point she never saw coming. Glynis got sober, stayed sober, and rebuilt her life from the foundation up. Today she has six years clean and is opening her own treatment center Peak Path Health in the Hollywood Hills, determined to give others the safety and support she never had. This episode is a powerful conversation about resilience, redemption, and the belief that no one is too far
- podcast· 1h 16m· S6E89
Growing Up in a Dive Bar, Early No Doze and Booze Becomes Opiates, Methadone and Cocaine, a Life Changing Epsom Salt Bath and the Power of the Sober Community
This week, we sit down with Janice, an author, advocate, and nearly 20 years sober, to unpack a story that begins in a family of dive bar owners and ends in a life built on purpose and spiritual transformation. Raised around alcoholism, Janice picked up drinking and smoking weed in middle and high school before joining the Marine Corps. When an injury derailed her military path, she was prescribed pain medications that opened the door to years of dependency. By her mid 30s, she found herself addicted to methadone until she made the terrifying decision to quit cold turkey. What followed was a profound and unexpected spiritual experience that became the turning point of her life. Today, Janice has almost two decades of sobriety, has written two powerful recovery books, and dedicates her time to helping people navigate surgery and pain management without narcotics. Her story is raw, honest, and deeply hopeful, and it serves as a reminder of what is possible on the other side of surrender.
- podcast· 1h 13m· S6E88
Jed is BACK! Relapse on Research Chemicals, Gambling, Adderall...Jed Gets Honest about his Recent Relapse and How He's Rebuilding
Jed returns to the show for one of his most honest conversations yet. After years of sharing his growth and wisdom on this podcast, he recently experienced a relapse - and he shows up with raw transparency about what happened. We talk openly about the dishonesty and poor decision-making that comes with using, the shame that follows, and the painful reality of breaking trust with the people who love us most. Jed reflects on what it takes to rebuild that trust, how he’s finding his footing again, and why this chapter, though difficult, is part of his continued journey in recovery. This is a vulnerable, grounded conversation about being human, starting over, and choosing honesty even when it’s hard. DM me on Instagram Message me on Facebook Listen AD FREE & workout with me on Patreon Connect with me on TikTok Email me chasingheroine@gmail.com See you next week!
- podcast· 1h 29m· S6E87
Stoner Surf Culture becomes Hell's Angel's Meth Culture, Arrested Twice in ONE Day, Hallucinating About Rob Dyrdek?? Gunnar's Story Will Entertain and Inspire You
Gunnar grew up in what looked like the perfect family - until addiction slowly unraveled everything. After his parents fell deeper into their own substance use, his mother disappeared without a word, leaving Gunnar to navigate a childhood suddenly marked by instability and pain. By his teens, he turned to meth and heroin, beginning a long cycle of drug court, jail stays, and surviving on the streets of downtown San Diego. But Gunnar’s story didn’t end there. Through grit, recovery, and a community that believed in him, he rebuilt his life from the ground up. Now three years sober, Gunnar has graduated college and applied to graduate school with a mission: to advocate for the homeless community he once belonged to and push for real policy change. This episode is a powerful testament to resilience, redemption, and the impact of turning lived experience into purpose. Episode sponsored by Worthy Wellness Center Worthy Wellness Center is nestled within the charming village of Carlsbad, in N