Sober Spill

Behind the laughter and larger-than-life personality of Chris Farley was a brother, a family, and a story of addiction, loss, and healing that continues today. In this episode of Sober Spill, host Jana sits down with Tom Farley, New York Times bestselling author (The Chris Farley Show), recovery advocate, and brother of legendary comedian Chris Farley , for an honest conversation about family, gri...

In this deeply personal episode of Sober Spill , host Jana Wu sits down with trauma and recovery specialist Danielle Meldon Sistari to share her journey through addiction, nearly 19 years of sobriety, love, and unimaginable loss. Danielle opens up about her late husband Michael's struggles with kratom use, depression, and chronic pain, revealing the warning signs she didn't recognize and t...

What does it take to make sobriety stick? In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Stephanie Hazard, certified recovery coach and author, to explore recovery coaching, sustainable sobriety, eating disorders, body image, shame, and what it means to build a life in recovery, not just stop drinking. Stephanie shares her own recovery journey and explains how recovery coaching differs from t...

In this Recovery Month and 9/11 special, Isabel sits down with Pat McCarthy to talk about Pat’s emotional, and unforgettable story of addiction and recovery. Pat opens up about how alcoholism nearly destroyed his life and how his turning point—September 11, 2001—set him on a path to lasting sobriety. From his days chasing Grateful Dead shows to becoming a leader in recovery support, Pat shares the...

When does teenage experimentation with weed become something more serious? In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Jessica and Nate to explore teen cannabis use, addiction, anxiety, and the warning signs families often struggle to recognize. Nate shares his own experience of becoming dependent on marijuana as a young teen and how his substance use eventually progressed to Xanax and opi...

Why are so many teens struggling with anxiety, depression, substance use, and motivation? In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Dr. Ashwinni to explore what may be contributing to today’s adolescent mental health crisis — from excessive screen time, social media, isolation, and disrupted sleep to cannabis use and other forms of self-medication. They discuss the developing teenage bra...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with psychologist Dr. Ben Bernstein of Redwood Psychology Group for an honest conversation about parenting, addiction, technology, and mental health. They explore why cocaine use is rising again, how gaming and social media are changing adolescent brains, what parents often get wrong when trying to help struggling teens, and why listening matters more...

Buckle up for this special mashup episode of Sober Spill — a jaw-dropping compilation of the most authentic, funniest, and most unforgettable moments from the podcast so far! We're pulling back the curtain on our wildest confessions, hardest truths, and lighthearted laughs- all remixed into one binge-worthy episode. Whether you're new here or a day-one listener, this highlight reel capture...

Detoxing from home is more possible — and more dangerous — than you think. In this episode of Sober Spill, Dr. Ashwinii Hari-Kurapati, Assistant Medical Director of Outpatient Withdrawal Management at Mountainside, breaks down which substances can be safely detoxed at home and which ones require immediate medical care. From the alarming rise of gas-station kratom and "designer benzos" to...

Kratom is sold legally in gas stations, vape shops, and even adult novelty stores across the U.S. — with almost zero regulation or warning labels. In this powerful episode of Sober Spill, host Jana sits down with Patti Wheeler — film producer, mother, and founder of "A Beautiful Life Stolen" — to discuss the death of her 27-year-old son Wyatt and the making of her documentary, "Krat...

Can addiction be inherited? In this fascinating 60th episode of Sober Spill, leading addiction researcher Danielle Dick, Ph. D., breaks down the science of genetics, addiction risk, ADHD, anxiety, and the environmental factors that shape our lives. As Director of the world's largest addiction research center at Rutgers University and author of The Child Code, Dr. Dick explains why there is no...

What really happens during an intervention—and why do some save lives while others fail? In this episode of Sober Spill, interventionist Bob Reed shares powerful stories from more than 30 years of helping families navigate addiction, trauma, eating disorders, mental health crises, and recovery. From his own life-changing intervention at age 23 to successfully guiding over 2,000 families through so...

Celebrity makeup artist Amanda Gabbard has worked with icons like Trevor Noah, Al Pacino, Brooke Shields, Samantha Bee, and Charlie Sheen—but her biggest beauty secret is not makeup. In this episode of Sober Spill, Amanda shares what she has learned from decades behind the scenes, including the dramatic effects alcohol has on skin, confidence, aging, and overall wellness. From Dry January transfor...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Hilary - Executive Director of End Kratom Addiction, co-founder of the first kratom-specific recovery community, and long-term kratom survivor. Hilary opens up about starting kratom at 21 as a "natural anxiety remedy" and spiraling to 100 capsules a day while working as a certified peer support specialist for substance use disorders — l...

In this episode of Sober Spill, host Jana sits down with Dr. Ashwinii Hari-Kurapati, internal medicine physician, for a clinically rich conversation about the rapidly shifting landscape of addiction medicine. Dr. Hari breaks down Mountainside's Outpatient Withdrawal Management Program and how it's allowing patients to detox safely from home without leaving their families or careers behind....

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel speaks with Candace, a licensed therapist, as she shares her story of growing up in a chaotic home shaped by alcoholism, instability, and having to grow up too fast. Raised in a home impacted by alcoholism, Candace struggled with anger, boundaries, and survival at a young age—leading to arrests and life-altering consequences. Candace opens up about the moment...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana speaks with Dr. Leah, a veterinarian specializing in hospice care, as she shares the unseen struggles and mental health crisis inside veterinary medicine. From burnout and grief to substance use and suicide risk, Dr. Leah reveals the behind-the-scenes emotional toll of caring for animals and their families. She also explores how pets can both support and compli...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with CJ, founder of Dry Humor Bottle Shop, for a candid and emotionally layered conversation on growing up in a family impacted by alcoholism and how that experience shaped her own relationship with drinking. CJ opens up about navigating grief after losing her brother to addiction, the blurred lines of high-functioning alcohol use, and the moment sh...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana sits down with Sarah (a licensed mental health counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor at Mountainside) to discuss disability, identity, mental health, and addiction recovery. Sarah shares her experience growing up as a little person and how stigma, bullying, and feeling different shaped her understanding of self-worth and mental health. Jana and Sarah...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Erin Khar, author of Strung Out and founder of advice column "Ask Erin", to talk about how addiction can begin long before anyone realizes it. Erin opens up about hiding a $1,000-a-day heroin habit from her family and fiancé, what it was like to overdose with no Narcan, secretly relapse while collecting sobriety milestones, and how ha...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana Wu sits down with Dr. Nunes, a Columbia-trained psychiatrist with decades on the front lines of addiction medicine, for an intellectually expansive conversation. Dr Nunes breaks down the science of how our brains respond to substances and why some people are wired to become addicted while others aren't – and what the next generation of addiction treatment c...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Jana Wu sits down with filmmakers Jamie and Jason Neese, the creators behind the powerful documentary Kratom: Side Effects May Include. Known for their work on major projects like The Umbrella Academy and Dear White People, the Neese brothers explore the world of addiction and uncover the realities of kratom and how this widely available substance is impacting indiv...

What does it feel like to be addicted to something most people have never heard of — and feel too ashamed to even talk about it? In this raw and deeply personal episode of Sober Spill, Jana Wu sits down with Jarred, a kratom recovery advocate who spent eight years addicted to kratom powder. Jarred takes us through taking a "focus supplement" to the years of denial as his body slowly brok...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel speaks with the Pietrosimone sisters, Kelly and Jamie, as they share their shocking story of “Operation Big Blow.” The sisters reveal how their lives spiraled experimenting with drugs, opioid addiction, and arrests leading to involvement in a federal drug investigation. Kelly and Jamie reveal the moments they wish they could take back, facing federal charges...

In this episode of Sober Spill, Isabel sits down with Justin to talk about how addiction slowly took control even when he thought he was managing it. Justin opens up about what it was like navigating addiction at a young age and the mindset that kept him stuck until the moment he realized he couldn't keep living the same way. This episode explores young people in recovery, relapse risk and reb...