Kristina Padilla: A Rainbow Person’s Journey to Recovery | The Hopeaholics Podcast

In this engaging episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Kristina Padilla, a passionate recovery advocate and dual doctorate candidate, who shares their compelling journey from gang involvement and personal challenges to becoming a transformative figure in mental health and addiction recovery. Kristina discusses their experiences with domestic violence, coming out as a same-gender-loving person, and raising their daughter through artificial insemination, while advocating for diverse recovery pathways, including their innovative concept of metaphysical recovery. They also highlight their advocacy work, including lobbying in Washington, DC, for improved addiction treatment policies and addressing systemic issues like insurance delays and unethical rehab practices, delivered with charisma and a call for non-judgmental, human-centered support.

#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics

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Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com

Timestamps:
00:03:03 - Navigating Dating and Identity
00:06:45 - Addressing Domestic Violence and Accountability
00:09:42 - FBI Citizens Academy and Anti-Trafficking Advocacy
00:12:42 - Sharing Marriage and Divorce Experience
00:13:52 - Journey to Parenthood via Artificial Insemination
00:16:48 - Educational Achievements and Career Path
00:19:25 - Coming Out and Early Gang Involvement
00:20:47 - Encountering Past in Prison Work
01:05:41 - Proposing Metaphysical Recovery Pathways
01:15:15 - Lobbying for Policy Change
01:22:36 - Critiquing Unqualified Rehab Operators

Sonny Von Cleveland: Vocalizing Our Pain to Heal | The Hopeaholics Podcast

Sonny Von Cleveland—a man who turned a life marked by profound trauma into a beacon of hope and redemption. From a childhood scarred by molestation beginning at age three, a felony charge at seven, and a harrowing prison sentence at 16, Sonny’s story is one of survival against unimaginable odds. He opens up about enduring a violent prison environment, including a brutal assault in his first week, and how he adopted a gang mentality to survive, only to face a pivotal moment in solitary confinement in 2004 after a drug-fueled crime spree landed him back behind bars. A mentor’s persistent question—“Why are you so angry?”—sparked a 19-month transformation, teaching Sonny emotional intelligence, forgiveness, and the power of vocalizing pain through writing forgiveness letters and reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Emerging from prison in 2016 at age 35, Sonny built a music career, signed with Ferocious Records, and later pivoted to YouTube success, only to face new challenges, including betrayal and the loss of his channel. Now married to a woman he met through a podcast, Sonny runs Frisky Business, the only cat café in the Coachella Valley, and the Von Cleveland Foundation, while speaking at schools and juvenile halls to break cycles of abuse. He shares his upcoming 22-city U.S. tour, “Conversations of Redemption,” starting July 1, where he’ll explore city traumas and invite people to share their stories, partnered with Operation Light Shine to combat child sex abuse material. This episode is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience, showing that no matter how dark the past, healing is possible through vulnerability and purpose.

#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #addictionrecoverypodcast #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch:
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com

Timestamps:
00:02:34 - Feeling Trapped in a Cycle of Crime
00:03:02 - Traumatic Childhood and Early Abuse
00:04:16 - Strained Relationship with His Mother
00:05:09 - Early Criminal Record at Age Seven
00:07:00 - Brother’s Downward Spiral and Separation
00:08:02 - Prison Trauma and Survival Tactics
00:10:35 - Chaos in Privatized Youth Facility
00:12:12 - Mentored by a Seasoned Criminal
00:13:23 - Betrayal by Brother and Son’s Mother
00:16:21 - Turning Point in Solitary Confinement
00:18:45 - Learning Emotional Intelligence
00:19:28 - Writing as a Healing Tool
00:21:15 - Crafting Genuine Forgiveness Letters
00:23:24 - Teaching “Thinking for a Change” Program
00:25:32 - Leaving the Gang Life
00:40:20 - Music Career and Temptations
00:42:58 - YouTube Success and Relationship Struggles
00:45:24 - Meeting His Wife and Building a New Life
00:48:11 - Founding the Von Cleveland Foundation
00:49:46 - Upcoming 22-City Healing Tour
00:52:13 - Partnering with Operation Light Shine

Caleb Watson: Suffering in Silence | The Hopeaholics Podcast

On this compelling episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Caleb Watson, a 31-year-old Army veteran, former lineman, and lymphoma survivor who has battled cancer twice. Caleb shares his journey from a challenging childhood marked by poverty and his mother’s addiction to becoming a stepfather to three children and father to one, navigating the pressures of providing for his family while grappling with heavy drinking to cope with stress and silence inner turmoil. He candidly discusses the toll of maintaining a tough facade, crying alone on Nova Road in Saint Cloud, Florida, to shield his wife and kids from his pain, and the pivotal realization that vulnerability strengthened his marriage. Caleb reflects on how his mother’s grit shaped his resilience, enabling him to quit drinking, survive cancer, and transition from lineman work to coaching, reclaiming time with his family. Through his viral social media presence, Caleb inspires others with his sobriety journey, emphasizing the power of positive perspective, gratitude, and community support in overcoming life’s darkest moments.

#TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover

Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics

Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics
https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics

Buy Merch:
https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com

Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com
If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.

Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:
https://www.infinitigroupllc.com

Timestamps:
00:04:50 - Becoming a Stepdad and Meeting His Wife
00:07:01 - Transitioning to Lineman Work and Drinking Culture
00:08:18 - Alcohol as a Coping Mechanism
00:12:18 - Pivotal Childhood and Cancer Diagnosis Moments
00:14:11 - Linking Alcohol to Cancer Recurrence
00:16:30 - Initial Cancer Diagnosis Reaction
00:19:50 - Hiding Pain to Protect Family
00:23:40 - Importance of Vulnerability in Marriage
00:25:59 - Regretting Missed Moments with Kids Due to Drinking
00:50:34 - Admiring His Mother’s Grit Through Addiction
00:53:34 - Grit from Childhood Shaping His Resilience
01:01:17 - Handling Social Media Hate with Positivity
01:03:09 - Inspiring Sobriety Through Social Media
01:13:37 - Quitting Lineman Job for Coaching