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 is challenging, it’s possible. Tune in for laughter, hope, and stories of transformation.

  1. How My Heroin Addiction & Losing My Mom to an Overdose Inspired This Podcast | Ep 138

    1D AGO

    How My Heroin Addiction & Losing My Mom to an Overdose Inspired This Podcast | Ep 138

    In this episode, Emma and Rihanna from The Ohio State University sit down with Louis Essig to hear the powerful story of how a young man from an upper-class community ended up living on the streets in the grip of addiction—and how he fought his way back.Louis grew up in what most would consider a normal, stable environment, but everything began to change after his first drink at 16. What started as typical teenage experimentation quickly spiraled into a decade of substance abuse. From alcohol to whatever drugs he could get his hands on, Louis spent the next ten years trapped in addiction. As his life unraveled, he cycled through jail stays, homelessness, and the constant chaos that comes with life on the streets.Eventually, the justice system intervened and Louis was placed in a drug court program. Even then, the battle wasn’t over—after one more relapse, something finally clicked. At 26 years old, in 2016, Louis made the decision that would change everything and committed to sobriety.Since then, Louis has rebuilt his life in remarkable ways. In a full-circle moment, he returned to the very correctional facility where he had once been incarcerated—this time as an employee. He would go on to become the first former inmate ever to rise into a leadership position there, breaking barriers and proving that real transformation is possible.Today, Louis travels across Ohio speaking in schools, jails, and recovery communities, sharing his story to inspire others who may feel trapped by addiction. His message is simple but powerful: no matter how far someone falls, redemption and purpose are still possible.This episode is an honest conversation about addiction, consequences, redemption, and what it truly takes to turn a life around.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    1h 49m
  2. I Shot Heroin in Medical School and Still Became a Doctor | Ep 137

    3D AGO

    I Shot Heroin in Medical School and Still Became a Doctor | Ep 137

    In this powerful episode, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Dr. Nicole Labor to hear a story that challenges everything people think they know about addiction, recovery, and redemption.Nicole grew up in a strict household where drugs were something to fear and avoid. But like many stories of addiction, the path didn’t begin where anyone expected. What started with heavy drinking as a teenager eventually led her into the counterculture world of the Grateful Dead scene, where she became a devoted “Dead Head” and began experimenting more deeply with substances.Despite her growing substance use, Nicole pursued an ambitious path into medicine. While studying and preparing for a career as a physician, her drug use escalated—eventually leading to an addiction to powerful opiates. In a shocking turn, Nicole entered medical school already struggling with addiction. What began with prescription pills quickly progressed to Oxy 160s and ultimately to heroin. At one point, she was traveling to New Jersey to cop heroin while simultaneously trying to maintain the life of a future doctor.In one of the most gripping parts of the conversation, Nicole opens up about injecting heroin while attending medical school and somehow still managing to graduate. She candidly describes the moment she admitted to her school that she was addicted, the painful cycle of detox and relapse, and the crushing weight of living a double life as a doctor battling heroin addiction.But Nicole’s story doesn’t end there.After hitting bottom, she eventually found recovery—and today she has 17 years of documented sobriety. Now a physician specializing in addiction medicine, she dedicates her life to helping others escape the same disease that nearly destroyed her.Nicole also shares how her journey brought her to Akron, Ohio—the birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous—and how personal tragedy, including the loss of her husband after his struggles with addiction and incarceration, further shaped her mission.In this deeply honest conversation, Dr. Labor explains why addiction is truly a disease, how it works in the brain, and why people struggling with it deserve treatment, compassion, and understanding rather than shame.This is the story of a woman who shot heroin in medical school and still became a doctor—and who now uses that experience to save lives.A raw, eye-opening conversation about addiction, resilience, and the possibility of recovery no matter how far someone has fallen. 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com 👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments. #getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    1h 19m
  3. How She Graduated High School on Heroin & Survived 30+ Overdoses | Ep 136

    6D AGO

    How She Graduated High School on Heroin & Survived 30+ Overdoses | Ep 136

    Born into chaos and addiction, McKayla Jodon’s story is one of survival, relapse, and ultimately redemption. In this powerful episode, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with McKayla as she opens up about growing up with a mother who had her at just 14 years old and how instability shaped her early life. What began as a seemingly normal childhood quickly spiraled as McKayla was introduced to drugs at a young age, eventually using heroin while still in high school—sometimes needing to get high just to make it through the school day.McKayla shares raw and shocking moments from her past: using drugs alongside her own mother and community, going through withdrawal in high school, overdosing more than 30 times—including three times in a single day—and the dangerous cycle of addiction that followed her into adulthood. From adolescent treatment centers and Suboxone dependence to alcoholism, homelessness, and jail after a relapse, McKayla’s life became a relentless battle with substance abuse.But this story doesn’t end in darkness. After hitting devastating lows, losing loved ones, and experiencing moments she believes were nothing short of divine intervention, McKayla began rebuilding her life. Now two years sober, she reflects on the turning points that changed everything, the role faith played in her recovery, and how she’s learning to live a new life free from addiction.This is a brutally honest conversation about generational addiction, survival, relapse, and the power of finding hope when everything seems lost. 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments. #getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    1h 22m
  4. How I Survived Crack & Fentanyl Addiction and Two Teen Pregnancies | Ep 135

    MAR 5

    How I Survived Crack & Fentanyl Addiction and Two Teen Pregnancies | Ep 135

    Shakura Slaughter joins hosts Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes for one of the rawest, most powerful conversations ever featured on the show. Raised in deep poverty and surrounded by violence from the beginning, Shakura opens up about how her childhood environment shaped her worldview long before she ever had a chance to shape it herself. From the earliest moments of her life, she was already fighting battles most adults never have to face.In this episode, Shakura speaks candidly about surviving sexual assault by a family member while every adult around her looked the other way, the family dysfunction that spiraled around her, and the pain of watching her sister go through her own trauma. She shares what it was like having a father in and out of jail and the moment she called the police on her uncle at just eleven years old—an act of courage that would permanently alter her sense of safety, responsibility, and independence.Shakura also dives into the realities of becoming a mother at an incredibly young age—pregnant at 13, giving birth to her first son at 14, and her second by 16. She explains how these life-changing events forced her to grow up fast, make impossible decisions, and navigate a world that provided little support and even less compassion. Her story is not just about survival but about the internal battles that come with breaking generational cycles.Finally, Shakura opens up about finding recovery, rebuilding her life, and learning to navigate a healing journey that’s messy, imperfect, and ongoing. She shares the practical tools, mindset shifts, and hard lessons that helped her rise from trauma to purpose. Her message to the audience is powerful, honest, and deeply human—reminding everyone listening that no matter where you start, you can rewrite your story. 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    54 min
  5. What It’s Like Giving Birth in Prison as a Heroin Addict | Ep 134

    MAR 2

    What It’s Like Giving Birth in Prison as a Heroin Addict | Ep 134

    In this powerful episode, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Aysha Clever for a raw and deeply moving conversation about trauma, addiction, loss, and redemption.Aysha opens up about a childhood shaped by domestic violence and instability — a home where fear was normal and survival came before everything else. Growing up in chaos left scars that followed her into adolescence, and like so many who carry unresolved pain, she found herself turning to drugs at a young age. What began as an escape quickly became a battle for her life.As addiction tightened its grip, Aysha watched the unthinkable happen over and over again. Friends she grew up with. People she used with. People she loved. One by one, she saw them fall to the disease of addiction. Funerals became familiar. Grief became routine. And survivor’s guilt became heavy.But Aysha’s story doesn’t end in tragedy.Today, she stands on the other side of the darkness — not just sober, but transformed. Instead of being another statistic, she made the decision to fight back. Now, Aysha dedicates her life to helping others who are trapped in the same cycle she once lived in. She speaks hope into the hopeless, strength into the broken, and reminds people that their past does not have to define their future.This episode is about more than addiction — it’s about generational trauma, resilience, and what it truly means to heal. Aysha’s honesty is powerful, her courage undeniable, and her mission inspiring.If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation is proof that recovery is possible — and that even after witnessing so much loss, you can still choose to become a light for others.Don’t miss this unforgettable episode. 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    40 min
  6. What Happened When I Found My Dad Overdosed After 5 Days on Crack & Heroin | Ep 133

    FEB 26

    What Happened When I Found My Dad Overdosed After 5 Days on Crack & Heroin | Ep 133

    In this powerful episode, Louis and Aaron sit down with Dominic G., a man whose story is soaked in generational addiction, loss, and ultimately redemption. Alcoholism ran deep in Dominic’s bloodline, taking loved ones and shaping the chaos of his childhood long before he ever picked up a substance himself.Dominic reflects on surviving a devastating car wreck with his father — a moment that could have changed everything, but instead became another chapter in a turbulent upbringing. He shares the unimaginable reality of his own mother offering heroin to him and his sister, normalizing addiction inside the very walls meant to protect him.What follows is a spiral into crime and consequences. Dominic talks about his first time in jail after stealing three AR-15s, a decision fueled by addiction and desperation. But nothing compares to the day he found his father dead — gone for nearly a week — a traumatic discovery that sent him even deeper into darkness.Homeless in Dayton, Dominic describes sleeping wherever he could, chasing the next high just to avoid the crushing weight of reality. Bad dope eventually landed him in a mental hospital, where paranoia and psychosis blurred the line between survival and surrender. He recounts waking up after an overdose — another brush with death that still wasn’t enough to stop him. At his worst, he was using a gram of fentanyl just to wake up and function.But this episode isn’t just about rock bottom.Dominic shares a turning point: receiving a care package from a complete stranger — a small act of kindness that pierced through years of hopelessness. We hear about the long road into treatment, the fight for recovery, and what it takes to break generational curses that feel almost written into your DNA.This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about family trauma, fentanyl addiction, homelessness, and the moment someone decides the🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    51 min
  7. How Heroin & Coke Addiction Shaped My Music Career While Touring with Stone Sour, Ministry & Prong | Ep 132

    FEB 23

    How Heroin & Coke Addiction Shaped My Music Career While Touring with Stone Sour, Ministry & Prong | Ep 132

    In this powerful episode, Louis Essig sits down with Jason Christopher for a raw, unfiltered conversation about music, addiction, fame, relapse, and redemption.Jason’s story begins with a childhood shaped by chaos and curiosity. By 12–13 years old, he was experimenting with LSD, and after a food fight spiraled into a psych ward stay, the trajectory of his life was already shifting. But at 14, he picked up a guitar for the first time and taught himself how to play — igniting a passion that would define his future. Music became both his salvation and his gateway into darker territory.As he joined bigger bands and tasted early success, alcoholism took hold. What started with drinking soon escalated into heroin, cocaine, and eventually speedballs. Jason takes us deep into the 80s drug scene — real cocaine, discovering tar heroin in LA, and the first terrifying experience of shooting dope while trying to “figure it out” on his own. He shares what it was like traveling west with a heroin habit, kicking dope on a Greyhound bus, robbing his own town for petty cash, and getting caught.From detoxing in a pregnancy ward to landing in a special jail program, Jason found sobriety — and stayed clean for three years. But when he returned to LA and the music scene, sobriety didn’t last. Weed turned into pills, and before long he was back to shooting heroin and cocaine together.Jason opens up about partying with celebrities — including the Jackass crew — turning down opportunities with legends like Sebastian Bach, making $2,000 a week as a doorman while spending $1,000 a day on drugs, and even attempting to shoot up on a plane back to New York after 9/11. He shares what was left of his life at the height of his addiction.Yet through it all, Jason built a legitimate music career, toured the world, played in major bands, and became a father — all while battling relapse, ego, and eventually humility. From world-famous stages to working in a supermarket, he reflects on the reality of sobriety, sex addiction, dealing weed, and what recovery actually looks like beyond the clichés.This is a brutally honest conversation about the illusion of rockstar glamour, the cost of addiction, and the hard-earned truth that there aren’t shortcuts in recovery. Jason speaks candidly about humility, fatherhood, and how many “steps” it really takes to stay sober.If you’ve ever struggled, relapsed, chased fame, or tried to outrun yourself — this episode is one you won’t forget.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    2h 7m
  8. How I Lost 20 Years to a Cr4ck Fueled Rage Addiction In The 80's | 131

    FEB 19

    How I Lost 20 Years to a Cr4ck Fueled Rage Addiction In The 80's | 131

    In this raw and unfiltered episode, Aaron and Louis sit down with Bob Frazier — a man who says rage fueled nearly every decision he made for decades. Growing up in Philadelphia, Bob witnessed brutal domestic violence at home and endured relentless beatings from his father. By 8 minutes into this conversation, he recounts the moment he finally “boxed” his dad in the living room — a turning point that hardened him and set the tone for a life driven by anger.By 16, Bob was already cooking cocaine. He breaks down the difference between crack and freebase and paints a vivid picture of what “Philly Crack in the 80’s” really looked like — the chaos, the money, and the destruction. After getting kicked out of the military, crack became both his escape and his identity. His first felony charge quickly snowballed into prison time in 1986, where he explains prison politics, why you make your bed tight, and how survival behind bars works.What follows is a whirlwind: inheriting his grandmother’s house and losing it… becoming homeless in his 20s… betrayal, heartbreak, hustling, stealing, and feeding an addiction that consumed two full decades of his life. From working with racehorses and making $2,700 a week to taking seven hits of acid in one night, Bob’s story swings between success and complete self-destruction. Drug tests, county jail, and eventually landing in the “bottoms” of Columbus led to three years of homelessness and seven more felonies.He shares how he slipped into malls through the side door of Lazarus from a homeless shelter to rob stores… waking up early to hustle… living in what he calls his “reckless abandonment era.”But at 1:40:00, something shifts.In 1999, Bob made the decision that saved his life — entering treatment after nearly 20 years lost to crack addiction. He opens up about what it was like reconnecting with family after two decades, the pain of imagining the roles reversed, and what real recovery actually looked like for him. The episode closes with reflection, humility, and the hard-earned wisdom behind the phrase: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”This is a story about rage, addiction, prison, homelessness, redemption — and the cost of losing twenty years to crack in the 80s and 90s. 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

    2h 8m
4.8
out of 5
112 Ratings

About

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 is challenging, it’s possible. Tune in for laughter, hope, and stories of transformation.

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