Breakfast of Choices
Everyone has stories of transformation. And some of them include moments, or years of intense adversity, a time when it felt like there was no hope. This podcast, "Breakfast of Choices," holds space for people to share their true, raw and unedited stories of overcoming extreme struggles, like addiction, mental illness, incarceration, domestic violence, suicide, emotional and physical abuse, toxic family structures, relationships, and more. Trauma comes in so many forms.
Every week, as a Business Development Rep for South Coast Behavioral Health, and a certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, Certified Recovery/Life Transformation Coach/Mentor and your host, I will jump right into the lives of people who have faced these types of adversity and CHOSE to make choices to better themselves. We'll talk about everything they went through on their journey from Rock Bottom to Rock Solid.
Through hearing each guest's story of resilience, my hope is that we'll all be inspired to wake up every single day and make our own "Breakfast of Choices". More importantly, that we'll understand we have the POWER to do it.
When someone shares their story, it can be unbelievably healing. And it can be just what someone else needs to hear at that exact moment to simply keep moving forward. So I hope you can find "that one little thing that sticks," along with hope and encouragement to just keep taking it one day at a time.
And now let me be the first to welcome you to the "Breakfast of Choices" community, a non-judgemental zone where we learn from, lean on and celebrate one another. Because the opposite of addiction is "connection", and we are all in this together.
If you would like to tell your story, I sure would love to listen. Please email me at Breakfastofchoices@gmail.com.
Respects,
Jo Summers.
Episodes
62 episodes
Self-Care First...What If Loving Yourself Is The Program? With Guest Freeda Rae "Morning Starr" Armstrong
She was sent to treatment as a kid, learned to survive by going numb, and spent years chasing relief through alcohol, chaos, and relationships that looked like love but felt like control. Freeda Rae Armstrong joins us to tell the full truth of ...
How Opioids And Meth Took Over And How Recovery Took It Back - with Guest Brittany Schoelen
A “good childhood” doesn’t make you immune to addiction, and Brittany Scholen’s story proves how fast life can flip when opioids and meth get involved. We talk with Brittany, now working in the recovery industry at Unity Recovery Centers, about...
Finding Freedom and Unlocking Freedom - with Guest Rachel Dick
You can lose years to addiction while still telling yourself it is normal. Rachel Dick did, and what makes her story hit hard is how clearly she describes the moment the lie breaks. We talk through her early trauma, the grooming that planted da...
Season 3-Premier- What If One Connection Could Help Save Your Life? Stories, Resources and the Power of Connection!
I Got Clean For The Beats, Stayed For The Peace- With Guest Skyler Ray
What if your first clean promise wasn’t about recovery at all—but about honoring a dream you made as a kid? Host Jo Summers sits down with rapper and recovery advocate, artist Skyler Ray Davis to trace a life that started with abandonment at ni...
Recovery, Relapse, And The Power Of Connection, with Guest Anthony Kurtz
What if the opposite of addiction isn’t willpower, but connection? Tony sits with Host, Jo Summers and opens a life shaped by early chaos, a family history of both addiction and recovery, and a relentless hunt for validation that slid from weed...
Healing from Trauma, Breaking Cycles And Building A Beautiful Life-with Guest Aurora Nicholson
What does it really take to break a cycle that’s been running your family for generations? Host Jo Summers sits down with Aurora Nicholson for a raw, clear-eyed look at what survival taught her—and what healing required. From childhood abuse an...
From Trauma to Transformation-Breaking Cycles: How Second Chances Change Lives with Guest Greg Van Ness
What happens when trauma remains unspoken for nearly two decades? In this raw, powerful conversation, Greg Van Ness shares his journey from military service to finding purpose as Program Director at Oklahoma State University's Center for Social...
From Success to Streets: When Your Best Friend Becomes Your Master-with Guest Wasi Syed
"I'm the guy who sat across the room from you in a trap house with no running water and electricity, with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a shot of dope in the other."These powerful opening words from Wasi Syed set the stage for one o...
Laughter as Medicine: Adrian Doell's Journey from Addiction to Purpose; And his, "Life of Laughter."
What happens when a homeschooled naive kid with a strict religious upbringing spirals into addiction, then discovers his life's purpose through comedy? Adrian Doell's remarkable journey takes us from the depths of alcoholism to the ...
Part 2- Andrew "Drew" Reyes-Rebuilding Life: A Recovery Journey Through Community and Solution
The road to recovery is rarely a straight line. In this intimate conversation with Drew Reyes, now approaching his one-year sobriety date, we dive deeper into what sustainable recovery actually looks like day-to-day.After sharing his po...
Part 1-Andrew "Drew" Reyes shares his life journey of addiction, homelessness, redemption and unexpected grace.
Andrew Reyes takes us on an unforgettable journey from childhood trauma to spiritual awakening on this deeply moving episode. Raised in a fractured home environment that stripped away his innocence early, Drew found temporary escape through bre...
Part 2 - Finding Hope After Gambling Addiction: Christine Paladino's Journey From Prison to Purpose
What does it take to rebuild your life after addiction leads to criminal charges and prison time? Christine Palladino's remarkable journey from gambling addiction to purpose offers a raw, unflinching look at transformation through accountabilit...
Part 1- Losing Everything for a Bonus Round: A Gambling Recovery Journey-With Christine Paladino
The gambling industry spends billions convincing us their product is harmless entertainment, but Christine Paladino's real and raw journey reveals a different truth. From innocent childhood bingo halls to high-stakes casino floors, her evolutio...
You Were Never Broken: How Letting Go of Labels Changes Everything- The Infinite Recovery Project-with Guest Jason Shiers
What if everything you've been told about addiction recovery is missing the point? Jason Shiers' story begins with profound loss – his father killed when Jason was still a child, followed by a descent into addiction that started wi...
Finding Emotional Balance: A Father's Path Through His Child's Addiction--Paul King's Journey
What happens when your child's experimentation with substances spirals into a 15-year battle with addiction? How do you navigate the impossible choices between tough love and enabling? And most importantly, how do you maintain your own sanity t...
Don't Focus on Why Me: From Motorcycle Accident to Miracle
What happens when life as you know it vanishes in an instant? When a split-second collision on a motorcycle steals your sight, breaks your body from head to toe, and erases a month of your memories?Kijuan "Kiwi" Amey's powerful story be...
Addiction to Advocacy: Breaking the Stigma-Mike Fox's Project
Mike Fox's gripping journey from childhood trauma to HIV diagnosis to nonprofit leader offers a testament to the transformative power of purpose. Diagnosed with HIV in 1994 when it was still considered a death sentence, Mike initially spiraled ...
Part 2- A Long Road Home Walking Through Fire-How a Father Reclaimed His Life and Family-David Levi's Story
Part 2 of David's Journey- From losing custody of his baby to finding lasting recovery, David's story is a testament to the power of honest surrender and treatment. When DHS intervened after years of meth addiction, David faced a life-changing ...
Part 1- A Long Road Home, Walking Through Fire: How a Father Reclaimed His Life and Family-David Levi's Story
David Levi's life story reads like a road map through the shadowy terrain of addiction and the uphill climb back to recovery. A proud member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, David grew up in western Oklahoma surrounded by the wide-open space...
"Dear Family"- Healing Together-Transforming Family Dynamics in Addiction Recovery. With guest-Kate Duffy
From the depths of addiction to the heights of recovery, discovering the role families play in this journey can change everything. In our latest podcast episode, Host Jo Summers welcomed the inspiring Kate Duffy, Founder of Tipping Point Recove...
From the Shadows of A Gambling Addiction to a Journey of Healing and Hope-Gail Fraser's Story
What happens when the thrill of the game becomes an all-consuming escape? Journey with us as we unravel the compelling story of Gail Fraser, a courageous and inspiring woman who bravely bares her soul and recounts her tumultuous battle with gam...
From Chaos to Community: Craig Akey's Transformation - One Tattoo at a Time
Craig Akey, owner of Empire Tattoos in Oklahoma City, has lived a life that could easily be the plot of a riveting drama. Raised amidst the chaos of his father's drug dealing world, Craig found a guiding light in the powerful women around him, ...
Healing Addictions Through Connection and Community- with guest Matt House
What if your greatest battles could become your most powerful stories of transformation? Join us as we explore Matt House's remarkable journey from Longview, Texas, through the depths of addiction, and into a life of recovery and renewal. Raise...
Breakfast of Choices Season 1 Recap: Inspiring Stories, Lasting Impact
I'm thrilled to share the wrap-up of the incredible first season of Breakfast of Choices. This season has been a transformative journey, not only for me but for all of our listeners who have joined us along the way. I am truly grateful for the ...