Some stories do not build slowly. They hit you with the reality of what trauma and addiction actually do, and they force you to sit in it before showing you what redemption can look like. Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Joni Reed for a raw and honest conversation about a life shaped early by chaos, fear, and instability. Growing up in a home marked by severe mental illness, repeated suicide attempts, and abuse, Joni learned how to survive long before she ever had the chance to just be a kid. What looked normal from the outside was anything but on the inside. This part of the conversation puts words to the kind of pain that often stays hidden and unspoken. As the years go on, the story moves into addiction. What started as early substance use turned into opioid addiction, IV drug use, and a cycle that took over everything. This is an honest look at what that life actually feels like. The physical pain of withdrawal. The mental obsession that never shuts off. The constant loop of trying to get out while being pulled right back in. Joni shares what it was like to lose her nursing school dream on the final day, why consequences alone never created change, and how addiction slowly strips away everything that once mattered. The conversation also dives into the role of Suboxone, the complexity around recovery paths, and how grief can become fuel for relapse. There is a turning point where things get even darker as meth enters the picture, leading to the loss of nearly everything, including custody of her children. This episode does not soften any of it. It tells the truth about how far things can fall. Then everything shifts. At her lowest point, when there seemed to be nothing left, a prison Bible shows up and something begins to change. Through conviction, repentance, fasting, and learning to truly listen for God’s voice, a different path starts to form. This is where the story moves from survival into transformation. Not just sobriety, but a complete change in identity and purpose. Joni Reed now has more than eight years of sobriety and serves as the Executive Director of Crossroad Christian Recovery Center for Women in Richmond, Indiana. She now walks alongside women who are facing the same battles she once fought, helping them find real freedom through faith, structure, and support. This episode is for anyone who has struggled with addiction, experienced trauma, loved someone in that fight, or wondered if change is still possible. If this conversation impacts you, share it with someone who needs it and help us continue to bring these stories to light. Listen, follow, and support BeTempered: https://betempered.com https://patreon.com/betempered Learn more about Crossroad Christian Recovery Center: https://www.crossroadchristianrecovery.org/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show
