Odyssey House Journals

GROWING UP TODAY IS HARDER THAN IT USED TO BE Kids are vaping pot at school, and getting drunk with friends, and bragging about it on social media. Some real observations from Jaisen Jensen who’s program manager of a residential facility for adolescents. In this illuminating episode of Odyssey House Journals he talks about the juvenile mindset and how to deal with it. Watch or listen and hopefully...

HE CLIMBED A GIANT CRANE TO PEACEFULLY SMOKE A CIGARETTE It made perfect sense to Choice Kinchen, but that’s because he was high on bath salts. He was chasing the combat highs he experienced fighting in Iraq. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals hear some incredible stories and you won’t believe what he’s doing now. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on th...

HE CALLS HIMSELF A CAREER DRUG ADDICT But that career for Danny Boyce came crashing down when the feds raided his home because he was selling and using meth. Danny says it was the worst day of his life, but also the best. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about raising his daughter as a single dad. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the foll...

LIFE WENT DOWNHILL AFTER USING CRACK COCAINE AT AGE 12 Ryan Kidrick sought love and respect in gangs. He somehow survived years of addiction, crime and homelessness. His story is one of raw honesty and high emotion. Thankfully in this edition of Odyssey House Journals, there is a happy ending. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms with t...

HIS 5 YEAR BLACKOUT ON EVERCLEAR IS OVER Joe says the first time he drank he felt confident, like he could conquer the world. He used alcohol to deal with depression and suicidal thoughts. Now he’s facing life with a clear head, but it’s taken a lot of hard work. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about how a family intervention may have saved his life. Watch or listen and hopefull...

“SOBRIETY IS THE BEST GIFT I COULD GIVE MY DAUGHTER” Jonathan struggled for years, always relying on getting high to deal with life. Now he’s found recovery just in time to be a grandpa. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about his journey and, believe it or not, eating frozen mayonnaise, which has nothing to do with recovery. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 3...

HER ENERGY HEALING POWERS WERE BLOCKED BY METH Devnee discovered she could mystically feel others' pain when she was young, but she also fell in love with using meth. She’s sober now after 23 years of addiction. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals she explains why she thinks she is a spiritual vessel. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following pl...

HE REMEMBERS A GUN TO HIS HEAD AT AGE 4 Brian Higgins witnessed unspeakable violence growing up in Northern Ireland. The PTSD continued to haunt him as he came to the U.S. He was homeless in Salt Lake and addicted to substances, but now he’s turned things entirely around. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about his non profit aimed at getting rid of the stigma surrounding mental h...

“THIS TIME AROUND I WILL MAKE IT!!!” After 30 years of dealing with all kinds of addiction, Brenda knows it won’t be easy. Her mom doesn’t believe her and some of her kids don’t want to communicate. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals she talks about her recovery plans and why this time will be different. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the followin...

HE IS OVERCOMING SEVERE CHILDHOOD ABUSE It was so bad that Chase couldn’t stand being touched and he dealt with horrible night terrors, so he numbed himself with drugs and alcohol. Now he’s looking forward to spending his first holidays sober. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals hear his description of growing up in pain and how he is now anticipating a bright future. Watch or listen and hop...

HE WAS A LICENSED COMMERCIAL PILOT UNTIL??? Chuck’s drinking got out of control. A fifth a day. Blackouts for days. Behavior he couldn’t live with so he sought help. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals a very sober Chuck has one of the most intelligent discussions you’ll ever hear about alcohol addiction. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the followin...

“METH WAS TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING” Trayvon always told himself he would never be addicted, but then he tried meth and says he became hooked on the euphoria and attracted to the dark side of life. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about his continuing search for love and acceptance. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms...

HE ALMOST FROZE TO DEATH AFTER ALCOHOL INDUCED HALLUCINATIONS Benjamin was homeless and thought he was in a scavenger hunt at 2 in the morning in the middle of February. He sought help for his drinking after 3 hospitalizations. “I can’t do it on my own.” Now, with help, he’s sober and says he’s really happy. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals hear his story of finding light out of darkness....

“I WAS LYING, CHEATING, STEALING, DUMPSTER DIVING AND HOMELESS” And Mike says it all made sense because he was high on meth. He’s a plumber. He’s in recovery.and has had a roller coaster life. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he offers a highly intelligent description of the addict brain. Watch or listen and hopefully subscribe (free) to the 30 minute podcast on the following platforms wi...

YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS RECOVERY SUPER STAR Jessica Pavlica grew up with both parents in a rock band. She was using alcohol and cocaine at 13 and that later turned into a meth, booze and heroin addiction. BUT NOW she’s sober and she loves it. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals hear the amazing story of how she did it and how wonderful life is now. Watch or listen and hopefully subsc...

“I CRIED OUT TO GOD” AND SHE FOUND RECOVERY!!! Jessica Pettit battled addiction for more than 20 years. She was using heroin at 15. She says she had no morals or values, her life was a mess, until that one day. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals hear the incredible story of how she went through the Odyssey program as a teen and now she’s back working there. Watch or listen and hopefully sub...

“TRAUMA HISTORY OF TEENS IS STAGGERING” It can be sexual, violence or emotional trauma, and when left untreated, teens often turn to substances or self harm to numb the pain. Today on Odyssey House Journals we talk to a very wise man, Daniel Peterson, who is program director of an adolescent residential treatment facility. His calm, kind, consistent approach to teen problems will help all of us un...

“I WAS SUFFERING FROM ‘COMING OUT’ PHOBIA” For 28 years Braydon Robinson feared that if he admitted his sexuality, he would be told he was going to hell, so he used alcohol and drugs to hide his pain. Now, at 33, he’s in recovery, he’s a peer support specialist and he’s being authentic about who he is. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks candidly about his struggles and his version...

“I FOUND OUT HOW DEEP THE RABBIT HOLE GOES” This is one of the most honest and gut wrenching stories we have seen. Jennifer Kligmann didn’t start using meth until she was 35 and she lost absolutely everything. Her children. Her dignity. Her soul. 10 years of hell. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals she proves that recovery is possible no matter how far down you’ve gone. Watch or listen and...

HE NUMBED HIMSELF WITH DRUGS AFTER HIS DAD ABANDONED HIM “I had feelings of loss and depression, but when I tried meth at the age of 11, I felt happy.” Jareth Williams spent years after that dealing with addiction and criminal charges. His life reads like a movie as he went from being a bad guy to a good guy. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about now helping people find recovery...

A BIBLE TOSSED INTO HIS JAIL CELL TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND Preston says he spent years on the dark side. Using IV drugs. Dealing and stealing. Lots of jail time. “I was mad at God.” He was under suicide watch in jail when someone gave him a bible. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about how his life was transformed and how he’s now helping others. Watch or listen and hopefully subsc...

A MESSAGE OF HOPE OUT OF BOOZE AND DRUGS DESPAIR Robin Patfield spiraled out of control when she added pain pills to her alcoholism. She doesn’t even remember her DUI arrest, but she’s now 8 years in recovery after a lot of hard work on herself. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals learn how that hard work paid off with a prestigious job and, most importantly, she finally has a great relation...

MEET AN ANGEL OF MERCY FOR PEOPLE IN RECOVERY Noella Sudbury has done it all! It started with her working to get people into recovery and now she’s created a high tech way for people in recovery to clear their criminal records. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals this incredible person talks passionately about how great it feels to help people in recovery find real freedom. Watch or listen a...

HE STARTED USING AND SELLING METH IN 7TH GRADE Tony grew up thinking that cooking and selling meth was ‘normal’ because that’s what his dad was doing. After 31 years in addiction he realizes how wrong that was and he's now in recovery. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals he talks about wanting to work with young people so they don’t go down the same path he did. Watch or listen and hopefully...

‘I GREW UP QUICKLY IN FEDERAL PRISON” Stormie was on her own at 16, the result of what she calls a bad family life. Crimes committed during addiction landed her behind bars at an early age. She’s now 4 months sober and says what she went through has made her a very strong person. In this edition of Odyssey House Journals she prays that her young daughter won’t follow in her footsteps. Watch or lis...