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PODCAST

Get a Grip Podcast

Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes

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

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All Episodes

01:11:45

My Truth: Going Into Labor in a Trap House & My...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/12/08

In this raw and unfiltered interview, Bianca opens up to Louis and Aaron about a life shaped by chaos, survival, and resilience. She begins with the shocking revelation that her father once stole an ATM machine and the moment she discovered he was a crack dealer, a discovery that set the tone for the instability she grew up in. Her own struggles started early—popping bottles of Seroquel, being introduced to crystal meth at just seventeen, and then finding out she was pregnant with twins while still

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01:24:18

Narcaned, Shot, Stabbed… How This F3nt4nyl Addict...

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2025/12/04

Louis and Aaron sit across from Joe Haag in a quiet studio, microphones on, the soft hum of the equipment blending into the background as Joe prepares to share the kind of story most people spend their lives trying to hide. But Joe isn’t hiding anymore. For him, honesty has become a lifeline.Joe grew up in a neighborhood where survival came before childhood. The streets were loud, unpredictable, and soaked in the kind of chaos that becomes normal only when you’re too young to know any different. In

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01:49:56

How I Got Caught Two Felonies Over an Almond Used as...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/12/01

Louis and Aaron sit across from Joe Haag in a quiet studio, microphones on, the soft hum of the equipment blending into the background as Joe prepares to share the kind of story most people spend their lives trying to hide. But Joe isn’t hiding anymore. For him, honesty has become a lifeline.Joe grew up in a neighborhood where survival came before childhood. The streets were loud, unpredictable, and soaked in the kind of chaos that becomes normal only when you’re too young to know any different. In

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01:37:44

How I Went From Prison to Parole Officer | Ep 105

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/27

In this gripping episode, Aaron and Louis sit down with Mike Justice — a man whose life spiraled into chaos before he was even old enough to drive legally, and whose journey from destruction to transformation is nothing short of unbelievable.Mike opens up about getting his first DUI at just sixteen years old, the charges stacking up, and the early signs of a life already slipping out of control. He talks candidly about the passive suicidal thoughts that haunted him as a kid, thoughts that eventually

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01:11:22

How I Accidentally Got Addicted to F3tty and Lost Two...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/24

In this powerful episode, Louis and Aaron sit down with Kee Brown — a young woman whose life story moves at the speed of a disaster she somehow survived. From childhood struggles to back-to-back tragedies, Kee’s journey into f3ntanyl addiction is as raw and gripping as it gets.Kee starts strong, diving straight into the chaos of her upbringing and the early life experiences that shaped her. The conversation quickly takes a heartbreaking turn when she recounts watching her boyfriend get killed right

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00:56:28

The FBI on Her Lawn, Leukemia, and Relapse: A...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/20

In this episode, Louis and Aaron sit down with someone who truly embodies the definition of “old school.” Kathy Williams—once a hard-living criminal alcoholic—has now been sober for nearly four decades, and her journey is nothing short of unbelievable.Kathy grew up in a world where chaos felt normal, and the madness only intensified when she met her first husband. He wasn’t just dabbling in crime—he was running from police on a regular basis, dragging Kathy into a lifestyle she never planned on

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01:18:58

How I Got Pregnant With Twins While I Was Cooking M3th

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/15

Aaron and Louis sit down with Kendra Mertz, whose childhood and early adulthood played out like scenes straight from Breaking Bad. Kendra grew up in a home where meth wasn’t just nearby — it was everywhere. The chaos, the chemical smell, the secrecy, and the constant fear of police lights at the end of the driveway were all part of her daily reality. One of the most unforgettable moments in her story comes when law enforcement discovered the trailer her family was living in. Officers surrounded the

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01:30:34

How I Got Addicted to F3nt4nyl At 30 Years Old

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2025/11/13

In this powerful and emotional episode, Louis and Aaron sit down with Katie Szabo from Youngstown, Ohio, whose story is one of unexpected turns, heartbreak, and redemption. Katie grew up never knowing her father, but she was raised by her mother—a brilliant and hardworking woman employed by NASA—who did everything she could to provide her daughter with a stable and loving home. Katie’s childhood and early adult years were filled with normalcy and success. She was a bright student, a dependable

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01:25:05

My Truth: Exploiting Myself to Survive Addiction...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/10

In this powerful and emotional episode, Aaron and Louis sit down with Amber Rabold, a woman whose life has been anything but ordinary. Amber’s story begins in the rough neighborhoods of north Columbus, where she grew up sharing a single room with her family—four people crammed together just trying to survive. From a young age, chaos and instability were all she knew. Her parents, both struggling with alcoholism, passed down more than just their habits—they passed down a legacy of pain, confusion,

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01:24:51

How 4 DUIs and a Felony Forced Me to Change My Life |...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/06

In this emotional and eye-opening episode, hosts Aaron Garnes and Louis Essig sit down with Josh Hively, a man whose story of addiction, pain, and redemption will leave you speechless.Josh opens up about his life — a childhood that seemed picture-perfect on the surface. He grew up in a loving family, played sports, and excelled in school. From the outside, Josh looked like the kind of kid destined for success. But beneath that normal exterior, something darker was beginning to take hold. When he

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01:43:58

Addiction Unfiltered: Xanax DUIs, Pill Runs, and a...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/11/03

In this raw and powerful episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Alex Butt, a man whose journey from a normal upbringing to the chaos of addiction shows just how fast life can spiral out of control — and how strong a person has to be to fight their way back.Alex grew up in what most would call a normal household. He wasn’t born into dysfunction or addiction. But like so many, he was drawn to the fast life of the streets — the rush, the danger, the illusion of control. Everything changed the day

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01:22:43

My Battle with H3r0in, F3ntanyl & Methadone -- Trying...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/30

In this powerful episode, hosts Aaron and Louis sit down with Dan Vanwallsen, a man whose life took a sharp turn from a normal childhood into the darkness of addiction — and eventually, into a life dedicated to helping others heal.Dan didn’t come from chaos. He didn’t grow up surrounded by addiction or crime. In fact, his childhood was nothing out of the ordinary. But addiction doesn’t discriminate, and for Dan, it started with curiosity — and ended in chains.Heroin entered his life quietly, the

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01:00:59

I Drank & Used Everyday For 26 Years, Now I’m 15...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/26

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, host Louis sits down with James Witherspoon, a man who grew up in the tough streets of Detroit and knows firsthand what it feels like to be underestimated. As a kid, James was bullied relentlessly. He never felt like he fit in, never felt like he was enough. But unlike many who struggle early, James didn’t dive into addiction right away. He didn’t start drinking until he was 18… and when he did, he fell in love fast.That love quickly turned toxic. James

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00:41:26

What This Former Addict Told Middle Schoolers Will...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/24

In this moving and eye-opening episode, Louis Essig steps into an 8th-grade classroom with one mission — to tell the truth. Not the sugarcoated version, but the real, gritty, and painful truth about drug addiction and how it completely derailed his life.Louis grew up with every opportunity in front of him. He was a bright student, earned good grades, and was active in sports. From the outside, he looked like a kid destined for success — someone who had it all together. But behind the smiles and

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01:41:18

I Almost Died 3 Times During My 15-Year M3th & H3ro!n...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/22

In this raw and unforgettable episode, Louis sits down with Josh Nugent, a man whose journey through addiction, chaos, and near-death experiences is as harrowing as it is inspiring. Josh grew up in the gritty streets of Detroit, where instability and addiction were a part of daily life. His father, a hardworking man who fell victim to alcoholism, eventually lost his job, forcing the family to uproot their lives and move to Columbus in search of a new start. But instead of finding stability, Josh

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00:56:12

I Smoked Cr4ck Until My Hands Bled — Now I Preach |...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/19

In this powerful and brutally honest episode, Louis sits down with Brett Wilder, a man whose story of rebellion, addiction, and ultimate redemption is nothing short of extraordinary. Brett opens up about growing up in a deeply religious household with strict, rule-bound parents. What was meant to guide him instead became the fuel for his rebellion. By the time he turned eighteen, Brett decided to taste the world for himself—and that first encounter with alcohol and weed opened a door he would spend

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01:16:11

From Pregnant Teen to Addicted Stripper: Her Recovery...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/15

In this gripping and emotional episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Kaytie Adams, a woman whose life has been a rollercoaster of heartbreak, addiction, and redemption. Kaytie’s story begins in childhood, when her mother left her between the ages of four and five — a moment that would shape the rest of her life. Left in the care of her father, a police officer, Kaytie grew up in a home filled with structure and discipline, but also with deep emotional scars from abandonment and confusion. As

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01:17:06

Heroin Withdrawal Triggered My Labor — And My Baby...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/13

In this raw, deeply moving episode, host Louis Essig sits down with Dani McManis, a woman whose story challenges everything you think you know about addiction. Dani wasn’t the type to experiment with hard drugs or chase the next high — for most of her life, she stayed far from that world. But somewhere along the way, what started as casual drinking turned into a full-blown battle with alcohol that nearly destroyed everything she loved.Dani’s descent into alcoholism was slow at first — a drink to

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01:30:34

How I Got Addicted to F3nt4nyl At 30 Years Old | Ep 100

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/12

In this powerful and emotional episode, Louis and Aaron sit down with Katie Szabo from Youngstown, Ohio, whose story is one of unexpected turns, heartbreak, and redemption. Katie grew up never knowing her father, but she was raised by her mother—a brilliant and hardworking woman employed by NASA—who did everything she could to provide her daughter with a stable and loving home. Katie’s childhood and early adult years were filled with normalcy and success. She was a bright student, a dependable

en

01:54:26

He was Locked Up Where I was a C.O - Now We Talk...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/10/08

In this powerful and brutally honest episode, Louis sits down with Chris, a man who has endured some of the darkest corners of addiction, incarceration, and survival. Chris opens up about a life that spiraled out of control at an early age—drugs, violence, and a series of bad decisions that ultimately landed him behind bars.From the moment he entered prison, Chris found himself surrounded by the same chaos he thought he’d left on the streets. Drugs were everywhere—pills, Suboxone, K2, and

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