Rock Your Bottom

This week, I'm honoured to welcome Rikki Morris to the couch. For many New Zealanders, Rikki needs no introduction. Musician, songwriter, producer... the list goes on. Rikki has spent decades shaping the soundtrack of Aotearoa and has worn many hats throughout an extraordinary career. <br><br>More recently, Rikki rejoined legendary Kiwi band Th' Dudes. The band reunited in 2019...

This week, I’m thrilled to welcome Leroy Henriksen to the couch for an eye-opening conversation about his past and the journey that brought him to where he is today. What once was and what is now are complete opposites for Leroy. <br> There was a time when drugs and crime were at the centre of his life. Today, things look very different. <br> Leroy is now a Peer Support Worker with Ody...

SEASON 2 IS HERE! The warmest welcome back to this podcast and this space, everyone. I’m so glad to be back. As you’ll probably gather, I decided to bring back the woman who started it all with me. Without her, I honestly don’t know if episode one would have ever existed. Candice and I took a trip down memory lane, revisiting some of the topics from our very first episode and diving even deeper in...

“Before hitting rock bottom, I hit the top of the mountain.” <br> <br> This week, I can’t fully fathom the episode I get to share with the watchers and listeners of the Rock Your Bottom Podcast. <br> <br> Paul Whatuira played his first game for the Warriors at just 17 years old, and the journey he has been on since has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. In this episode,...

This week’s episode is an incredible one. I’m joined by Lachie Samuel Mariu, all the way from Perth, who opens up and shares his raw and honest journey through life. From being sexually abused as a child, to running away from South Auckland in his late teens, landing a FIFO job, and navigating the heavy culture that came with it. Lachie’s story is filled with powerful twists and turns. He also sha...

This week, Paige Swaney joins me on the couch to share her powerful journey from addiction to recovery/sobriety and the impact mental health challenges have had along the way. At just 25 years old, Paige has over two years of recovery under her belt and a story that’s as raw as it is inspiring. <br> <br> Residing here in Tāmaki Makaurau, Paige is young, full of love and light, and trul...

I have a real treat for you all today! <br> On the couch with me this week is Janey Morris. It was one of those chats where I walked away KNOWING it’s going to resonate with many people. It’s so real, and she brought some fascinating topics to the table that we haven’t touched on yet here on the podcast. <br> In this episode, we dive into Janey’s incredible journey. She opens up about...

This week’s episode features the wonderful Lotta Dann, commonly known as Mrs D, who joins me from afar to share her powerful journey of sobriety. Fourteen years ago, after giving up the booze, Lotta started an anonymous blog called Mrs D is Going Without. What began as a personal tool to help her stay sober transformed into a powerful message that resonated with many: you are not alone in your str...

This week, I have the most beautiful wahine, Holly Beckham, join me on the couch to share her incredible journey. Holly spent 19 years in the grip of addiction, facing the loss of her father at a young age, sexual abuse, depression, borderline personality disorder, and multiple suicide attempts. Through her journey, Holly has faced major mental health challenges that we discuss during this episode...

A face you may well and truly know. This week, I’m joined on the couch by Guyon Espiner. We speak on topics such as his experience with alcohol, the journey he has had to sobriety, and the challenges he’s faced and overcome along the way. We also touch on the New Zealand Drinking culture and the problems we face as a society. Guyon Espiner is one of New Zealand’s most recognised journalists, with...

1989 was the year Tipene Pickett first entered treatment here in Aotearoa. His recovery journey has been one incredible ride, and I’m so grateful he sat down with me to share his story with the Rock Your Bottom community. I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this episode. T was asked to leave home after his mum could no longer handle living under the same roof with him. This became the turning point that...

This week on the Rock Your Bottom podcast, Mitch joins me on the couch to share his journey through addiction and into recovery. This story holds so much within it, and it's truly worth a listen. Mitch opens up about his upbringing, including mental health challenges in his family and the impact of growing up in a time when mental health wasn’t talked about, especially for men. He shares how t...

HAPPY TUESDAY! 💛 This week I’m joined by a dear friend, James. James opens up about his childhood and how it led him down a dangerous path, one that gave him an understanding of the methamphetamine world here in Aotearoa. As time went on, his crimes escalated, eventually resulting in James spending over 10 years behind bars. In this episode, we unpack the hows and whys and explore the turning poi...

This week I’m joined by the one and only Jessica Apanui. Known across Aotearoa for her honesty and vulnerability on LBM, Jess bravely shares her journey through addiction and what it took to come out the other side. She is the central figure in the powerful documentary "Mana Over Meth", which captures her story. In this episode, Jess sits down with me to speak openly about the deep impact addictio...

In this episode of Rock Your Bottom, I’m joined by Ali Burns, who opens up about her journey through alcohol addiction, hitting rock bottom, and rebuilding what she once lost. Now over 6 years clean and sober, Ali works as a qualified hypnotherapist. Ali shares the raw truth about what addiction took from her and what recovery has given back. Her story is one of strength, healing, and finding purp...

This week, I’m joined by Tony Hudson, whose past was shaped by violence, crime, gangs, addiction, and incarceration. Tony shares how his early life shaped him, how addiction took hold, what led to his deportation, and the rock bottom that finally pushed him to change. Today, he holds a Te Taketake Diploma in Applied Addictions Counselling and works in the field, helping others who are going throug...

In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend Wendy as she shares her powerful journey through alcoholism and addiction. Wendy opens up about the path that led her to rock bottom and how discovering the practice of yoga became her lifeline. Now with six and a half years in recovery, she reflects on what keeps her grounded and the tools that continue to support her sobriety today. Wendy has faced s...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dave Burnside, Lived Experience Lead at Odyssey here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Dave opens up about his powerful journey through mental distress, addiction, incarceration, and how he’s managed to achieve 17 consecutive years of recovery. Dave has overcome immense challenges, which he openly shares in this episode. He’s transformed his lived experience into purpose, using it...

In this episode, I’m joined by Brooke as she opens up about her journey from alcoholism to recovery, the heartbreak of losing her mum, and how she's found the strength to maintain 18 months of sobriety. Brooke’s story is nothing short of a miracle; she’s faced the cunning grip of addiction, survived multiple life-threatening seizures , and ultimately found her way to recovery through connection wi...

Candice joins me to share her story from active addiction into recovery. With over half a decade in recovery Candice shares how she managed to get the recovery she has up her sleeve today as well as sharing where her rock bottoms took her and what they looked like. Candice's rock bottoms were the key components for her recovery. We are able to listen to how Candice lives her life today. Join us on...