Hold On To Your Heart Project
Hold On To Your Heart is a podcast that unravels the complexities of mental health and emotional well-being from a candid lived experience stand point. Hosted by Jacquie King, each episode offers honest, raw and real conversations with community individuals. Hold On To Your Heart tackles a wide range of topics related to mental health, including anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, relationships, and more. Listeners can expect to gain a sense of community and support.
Listen in & oh ya, hold on to your heart...
Hold On To Your Heart Project
Crushed by the Bottle, Carried by the Light – 42 Year Journey of Recovery
In this deeply moving episode of Hold On To Your Heart, Jacquie sits down with Richard, a retired community counselor and recovery advocate who brings 42 years of sobriety and a lifetime of hard-won wisdom to the conversation.
Born in wartime Chicago to alcoholic parents, Richard opens up about growing up in a home where he felt invisible, rejected, and out of place—experiences that planted the early seeds of addiction. By age five, he was already sneaking alcohol and cigarettes, craving connection and attention in a chaotic world.
He shares the gripping story of how addiction stole nearly everything—home, dignity, and hope—until one fateful moment in a freezing cabin, when the light of recovery quite literally shone down on him. From that spiritual turning point to a life rebuilt through AA and service, Richard’s story is one of heartbreak, transformation, and profound grace.
This is a conversation about the weight of generational trauma, the power of belonging, and the miracle of finding purpose after devastation.
🔸 Key Themes: generational addiction, early childhood trauma, belonging, recovery, AA, spiritual awakening, community healing
🔸 Trigger Warning: discussions of addiction, childhood neglect, and suicidal ideation