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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

01:24:51

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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 |...

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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...

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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...

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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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01:54:26

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

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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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01:43:50

How I Hustled Scrap Metal, Got Robbed in a K-Hole,...

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2025/10/05

In this raw and unforgettable episode, host Louis sits down with William Shiells from Columbus, Ohio, to hear a story that’s as chaotic as it is inspiring.William grew up with anger boiling inside him. As a kid, he didn’t always know how to channel it—one time smashing his own car windshield with a baseball bat for no reason other than the rage he carried. That anger and recklessness soon bled into substance use. He started with marijuana and mushrooms, but the trouble didn’t stop there. Before

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01:11:37

Cr4ck Addiction, Rubbing Alcohol, and Handing Mom Her...

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2025/10/01

In this emotional and eye-opening episode, host Louis Essig sits down with Jeremy Garber from Columbus, Ohio—a man whose story reaches from the chaos of the 1980s and 90s into the battles he still fights today.Jeremy’s life was marked by trauma before he even understood what the word meant. Both of his parents were alcoholics, and when they divorced on Thanksgiving Day—while Jeremy was only 3 years old—the pain of that moment stuck with him forever. His mother remarried another alcoholic, and while

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01:09:23

I Was Raised by a Cr4ck Addict After My Dad...

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2025/09/28

In this gripping episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Jamey Snodgrass, whose life story sounds almost unbelievable—yet every detail is real.Jamey’s childhood unraveled the day his father said he was stepping out for milk and never came back. That single moment of abandonment set the stage for years of hardship. His mother, lost to crack addiction, could offer no safety net, leaving Jamey to raise himself on the streets.It didn’t take long for the chaos around him to pull him in. Addiction

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01:07:58

My Dad Taught Me How to Rip and Run in the Streets of...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/09/24

In this powerful episode, host Louis sits down with Johnny Jermani, a Detroit-area rapper whose life has been shaped by the streets, music, and the constant pull between the two.Johnny grew up in the heart of Detroit, where lessons about survival came early. His father, a product of the same unforgiving environment, taught him the ways of the street when he was just a kid. Those lessons made Johnny wise beyond his years—how to hustle, how to read people, how to stay one step ahead—but they also set

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02:24:34

How I Became an IV Drug User By 17 Years Old | Ep 83

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/09/21

In this powerful episode, host Louis and Aaron sits down with Devon Rodgers, a man whose life has taken turns so wild you’d think they were scripted.Devon’s early years looked ordinary, but everything changed when he entered foster care at a young age. He bounced from home to home, never knowing what stability really felt like. In that instability he was introduced to drugs, and during a stay in Philadelphia he first encountered opiates—a moment that would set the course for years of struggle.What

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01:14:25

I Lost an Arm and Became a Heroin Addict | Ep 82

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2025/09/17

Join hosts Aaron and Louis for a gripping, no-holds-barred conversation with Travis Hall, a man whose life has been a rollercoaster of pain, survival, and hard-won redemption. Travis grew up in a tough environment where trouble seemed to lurk around every corner. From the very first time he smoked weed, he says he felt like a “junkie,” instantly hooked on chasing the next high and the escape it offered. What began as a teenage experiment quickly became an all-consuming way of life.Then came the

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01:29:02

I Graduated from Ohio's #1 Party School with a...

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2025/09/15

In this inspiring solo episode, host Louis sits down with Chrissie Mackie, whose life took a dramatic turn from small-town band nerd to full-blown battle with the bottle.Chrissie grew up in a loving, ordinary household and spent her school years immersed in music, proudly embracing her “band nerd” identity. But when she left for college, everything shifted. What began as casual drinking to fit in soon became an all-out war with alcohol—nights blurred by blackouts, bar fights, and a relentless spiral

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01:51:10

I Was Smoking Cr4ck While Working as a Drug Counselor...

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2025/09/10

In this moving episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Ashley Arick, whose story shows both the devastating grip of addiction and the incredible power of redemption.Ashley grew up with a decent upbringing, surrounded by the kind of support and stability many would think could keep her safe. But even with that foundation, her life took a sharp turn into chaos. What should have been a normal path forward instead became a nightmare as drugs and alcohol consumed her world.After years of battling

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01:48:36

How the Chains of Xanax Addiction Changed My Life...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/09/08

In this gripping episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Lindsay Wren, whose life reads like the script of a crime thriller—but every word of it is real.Lindsay’s journey into addiction began with methadone, but things quickly escalated. After overdosing, she found herself pulled deeper into chaos, turning to crack cocaine. That choice eventually put her in the middle of a major drug bust, and her life spun further out of control. When she discovered dilaudid, she made the switch to shooting

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01:11:49

Surviving Addiction, Prison & Poverty in Zanesville,...

Get a Grip Podcast ·

2025/09/03

In this raw and gripping episode, hosts Louis and Aaron sit down with Brandon Somers, a man whose life has been defined by chaos, crime, and destruction—until recently. Born and raised in Zanesville, Ohio, Brandon never knew a life without crime. From an early age, the streets shaped him, and breaking the law became second nature.What started as trouble in his youth turned into a full-blown cycle of crime and addiction. Brandon’s rap sheet is long—so many different crimes that he lost count along

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