CROSSTALK PODCASTS

Billy G. grew up in a classic Irish family in 1980s South Florida, where he and his siblings were drawn into a high-stakes world of drug smuggling. By his teens, he was running surveillance for a multi-boat operation moving thousands of pounds of marijuana and hashish from Colombia into the state. Living a double life with Porsches and boats, he was a high-functioning criminal until his addiction to being a "garbage head" for any s...

Tanner Strickland's life was on a celebrated path: a star football recruit for the University of Georgia by age 16, a talented musician, and a young man from a tight-knit South Georgia community. But beneath the surface of this all-American success story, a struggle with addiction was brewing, starting with a prescription for Percocet at 14. Tanner opens up about how the pressure to maintain an image, a devastating injury, and the ...

Mark's life looked good on the outside—a privileged upbringing, a supportive family, and a fit physique. But beneath that pretty picture was a war ship on a path of destruction, fueled by a secret triple threat: a raging eating disorder, severe non-compliance with his Type 1 diabetes, and a deep addiction to drugs and alcohol. From discovering a dangerous weight-loss method as a teen to navigating the punk rock scene and a devastat...

Louis Essig grew up in an idyllic "white picket fence" community in Columbus, Ohio, with a loving family and every opportunity. He was a D.A.R.E. kid who believed drugs would immediately ruin his life. But a desire to fit in led him to try alcohol and marijuana in high school, and he discovered the "missing piece" that made him feel cool and accepted. What started as weekend partying quickly escalated into a daily habit and a lucra...

Louis Essig grew up in an idyllic "white picket fence" community in Columbus, Ohio, with a loving family and every opportunity. He was a D.A.R.E. kid who believed drugs would immediately ruin his life. But a desire to fit in led him to try alcohol and marijuana in high school, and he discovered the "missing piece" that made him feel cool and accepted. What started as weekend partying quickly escalated into a daily habit and a lucra...

Adam's story begins with the universal feeling of not quite fitting in. Growing up with a significant age gap between his siblings, he felt he had "big shoes to fill" and struggled with deep-seated insecurity and anger. He found a temporary solution in substances—first marijuana at 14, then alcohol and benzos—which quieted the negative voices in his head and gave him a sense of identity and belonging. This led to a cycle of isolati...

Ben opens up about a childhood marked by love that shifted to neglect when his brother’s illness pulled his family’s attention away. Seeking belonging, he fell into drugs, dropped out of school, and bounced between toxic relationships and chaotic environments. From living in tents to facing court orders and violent partners, his life was ruled by addiction and instability.

But everything began to change in 2020 when he entered treat...

In this powerful episode of CrossTalk Podcast, Correy sits down with Eddie, a fellow attorney whose life spiraled into addiction despite his successful career. Eddie opens up about his reliance on Xanax, the devastating impact of bariatric surgery on his substance use, and the night his 8-year-old son found him unconscious. From the ER to rehab, Eddie shares his raw journey through denial, rock bottom, and the hard-fought path to s...

Teresa lived a double life: a successful Wall Street professional by day, a blackout drinker by night. For 30 years, she maintained the illusion of control—until her addiction cost her marriages, dignity, and nearly her life.

In this raw episode, Teresa reveals: The hidden signs of her "high-functioning" alcoholism (even her family didn’t know). Why she kept cheating on every partner and how alcohol fueled her self-sabotage. The unc...

Natalie grew up in an affluent Manhattan family with sober parents, but alcoholism "galloped" through her genes. By 12, her first drink sparked an obsession that led to blackouts, Adderall addiction, and a downward spiral, peeing in pots to avoid her roommate and boarding up windows to hide from daylight.

In this raw episode of Cross Talk Podcast, Natalie reveals how hitting rock bottom in a Boca Raton halfway house, after years of ...

Heidi’s life spiraled from a "normal" upbringing to stealing from her family, shooting heroin, and surviving homelessness under a bridge. After her father pressed charges, landing her in jail for a year, she hit rock bottom. Then, a miraculous phone call led her to sobriety.

In this raw episode of Cross Talk Podcast, Heidi reveals how jail became her turning point, why wilderness bootcamp was worse than prison, and the divine interv...

Shai is a musician, creative thinker, and recovery advocate who has lived through the chaos of addiction and emerged with hard-earned wisdom. Raised in Pennsylvania with a unique blend of cultural influences, Shai struggled from a young age with anxiety, self-obsession, and emotional disconnection.

His addiction led him to sacrifice his dreams, spiral into legal trouble, and face the darkest parts of himself. Through recovery, acco...

Growing up in a household clouded by addiction, Carrie sought structure and safety in competitive swimming. Her talent took her to the top of the world stage, winning gold at just 16. But underneath the accolades was deep insecurity, a longing to be seen, and emotional wounds that never fully healed. After missing her second Olympic team at 20, Carrie spiraled into alcohol use to numb the pain and cope with feelings of worthlessnes...

Peter’s story is one of chaos, loss, and ultimately, redemption. From a childhood marked by trauma and addiction to years of homelessness and intravenous drug use, his life spiraled out of control until a series of devastating events forced him to confront his demons. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Peter shares the pivotal moments that led him to recovery, the struggles of withdrawal, and the unexpected gifts sobriety bro...

Andrew Strauss, an Orthodox Jewish man born to Holocaust survivors, traces his alcoholism back to his bris ceremony at just eight days old. This raw confession reveals his double life - from getting expelled from yeshiva for talking to girls, to smuggling drugs across borders, multiple failed marriages, and losing his million-dollar home on a golf course. The story culminates in his 2007 suicide attempt and final redemption through...

Heidi’s life reads like a thriller: adopted into a troubled family, she took her first drink at 7, nearly died from alcohol at 12, and spent decades chasing "normal" while hiding addiction. From faking moderation as a suburban mom to losing her children after driving them drunk, this episode exposes the lies addicts tell themselves and the moment she hit a bottom so low, only divine intervention could pull her out.

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Ernie’s journey through addiction and recovery spans decades, from his early days as a bright kid in Queens to his struggles with pills, alcohol, and the illusion of "cool." In this raw and revealing episode of Crosstalk, he shares how he hit multiple rock bottoms, switched addictions, and finally found lasting sobriety. His story is a testament to the power of honesty, community, and the hard work of recovery.

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Toni Dreyer grew up in chaos, the eldest of seven, surviving childhood molestation, abuse, and neglect. By her twenties, she was a mother of multiple children, homeless, addicted to crack, and caught in a cycle of trauma and survival.

But Toni's story didn’t end there. After prison and years of addiction, a chance meeting with a mental health worker changed her life. Today, she’s a counselor helping others get back on their feet, an...

In this powerful episode of Cross Talk Podcast, we sit down with Michael Cardinale, a licensed clinical social worker whose journey from reckless college dropout to addiction counselor is as inspiring as it is raw. Growing up in a loud, loving Irish-Italian family, Michael never saw his drinking as a problem, until it nearly destroyed his life.

Expelled from two colleges, confronted by a no-nonsense dean, and given an ultimatum by ...