Get a Grip Podcast

In this powerful and deeply unsettling episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Brittany Hanson to uncover a story that is as heartbreaking as it is eye-opening. From the very beginning, Brittany’s life was shaped by instability and danger—growing up without her father and being exposed at a young age to environments no child should ever experience. What follows is a chain of events that pulls her deeper into trauma, survival, and ultimately, addiction.
Brittany shares what it was like living under the same roof as a predator, and later being placed into a foster home where life became the complete opposite—strict, sheltered, and disconnected from the outside world. But that sense of safety wouldn’t last. As a young woman trying to find connection, she meets someone online who would change her life forever.
What starts as a normal interaction quickly turns into a nightmare. Brittany recounts the chilling moment she woke up strapped to a bed, realizing she had been taken and trafficked. In a shocking turn, a man intervenes—paying $2,000 to get her out and ultimately saving her life. It’s a moment that feels almost unreal, yet it becomes one of the few turning points in an otherwise chaotic journey.
From there, Brittany’s story continues through toxic relationships, addiction, and crime. She opens up about being involved with an alcoholic partner, running a drug operation out of her home, and spiraling to the point of robbing a Walmart. Her struggles intensify as substance use takes over—leading to an overdose and deeper involvement with meth and opiates.
She also shares the painful reality of falling in love with someone who became violently abusive, and the terrifying moment she realized she had to escape before it cost her life. Through it all, Brittany paints a vivid picture of how quickly things can escalate—and how hard it is to break free once you’re trapped in the cycle.
But this episode isn’t just about the darkness. Brittany takes us through her recovery process—what it actually looked like to start over, rebuild, and fight for something different. Her honesty about the long road back and the mental battles along the way brings a sense of hope to an otherwise heavy story.
She closes by speaking directly to the audience, offering hard-earned advice for anyone struggling, feeling stuck, or losing hope.
This is one of those conversations that stays with you. It’s intense, emotional, and at times difficult to hear—but it’s real. And that’s exactly what Get A Grip Podcast is all about.

🔥 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: [email protected]👇 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

In this raw and unfiltered episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig takes the conversation out of the studio and into the streets of Columbus, Ohio—coming face-to-face with the harsh realities that so many people walk past every day.This isn’t a distant discussion about addiction or homelessness. It’s real people, real stories, and real pain—captured in the very environments where survival is a daily battle.Louis sits down with men and women living on the streets, many of whom are caught in the grip of alcohol dependency and the devastating rise of fentanyl use. These are individuals with pasts, families, dreams, and turning points—stories that often go unheard beneath the surface of their current circumstances. Through honest conversations, they open up about how they got here, the choices and traumas that shaped their path, and the reality of trying to survive while battling addiction.You’ll hear about the cycle—how quickly things can spiral, how fentanyl has changed the game entirely, and how difficult it is to escape once you’re in it. But you’ll also hear moments of clarity, resilience, and humanity that cut through the chaos—reminders that these are people, not statistics.Louis approaches each conversation without judgment, creating space for honesty and connection in places where both are often rare. The result is a powerful, eye-opening look at addiction and homelessness that challenges assumptions and forces a deeper understanding of what’s really happening behind the scenes.This episode is heavy, but it’s important. It shines a light on a crisis that’s happening in real time—and asks the viewer not to look away.🔥 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: [email protected]👇 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

In this eye-opening episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Amber Vance to share a story that starts early—and escalates fast.Amber’s childhood quickly gave way to adult consequences when she found herself pregnant at just 13 years old. She opens up about what it was like navigating middle school while hiding a life-altering secret, and the moment she had to face her family—especially her mother’s reaction. By 14, Amber was raising a child, trying to figure out life while still a kid herself.But the pressure and instability led her down a dangerous path. Amber talks about drinking and smoking as early as 12, and how things intensified after meeting Josh, when she was introduced to Percocets. Addiction began to take root, and her life started to split between motherhood and substance use.One of the most jarring moments in the episode comes when Amber shares that the first time she smoked crack was on her son’s first day of kindergarten—a moment that highlights just how far things had spiraled. From there, she experienced her first opiate withdrawal, faced the painful decision of having an abortion during a second pregnancy, and describes what it was like walking into a clinic surrounded by protestors.As her addiction deepened, so did the consequences. Amber breaks down how she became involved in drug trafficking, the moment everything caught up to her, and how she ultimately got busted—including who turned on her and why. Probation followed, along with an attempt at recovery through Suboxone, but even that came with its own challenges—including a frightening moment involving her young child.Her story continues through the legal system and into deeper addiction—CPS stepping in, losing custody, signing her daughter over to her mother, and serving time in jail. After that, things escalated even further with heroin and eventually meth, as Amber found herself caught in a cycle that seemed impossible to break.Throughout it all, Amber reflects on how addiction impacted her role as a mother and how custody of her children changed over time—decisions and moments that still carry weight today.This episode is raw, emotional, and brutally honest. It sheds light on what happens when trauma, addiction, and responsibility collide at an early age—and how quickly things can spiral.If you’re looking for a story that shows the real-life consequences of addiction and the resilience it takes to keep going, this is one you won’t want to miss.🔥 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: [email protected]👇 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

In this deeply emotional and unflinchingly honest episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Nicole Kaufmann to tell a story that cuts straight to the core of trauma, addiction, and survival.Nicole’s journey begins in a chaotic childhood marked by instability and exposure to substance abuse at home—including the haunting memory of her mother taking an entire bottle of Valium. From a young age, Nicole battled severe mental health struggles, including suicidal thoughts that took hold far earlier than most could imagine.As she grew older, drugs became both an escape and a trap. What started with meth and cocaine quickly escalated, especially after being prescribed Xanax. Then came a devastating turning point—losing her mother to an overdose. The grief and pain sent Nicole even deeper, leading to multiple suicide attempts and a cycle of self-destruction that seemed impossible to escape.Her story only intensifies from there. Nicole opens up about surviving abuse in her first marriage, suffering a serious back injury that led to a prescription for Percocet, and the rapid descent into opioid dependence. She shares what it was like to experience brutal oxy withdrawal, moving in with her grandparents in an attempt to stabilize, and facing deeply personal trauma—including being forced into intimacy while her body was shutting down, even entering menopause at just 26.As addiction tightened its grip, Nicole found herself living a double life—delivering pizzas while snorting pills, falling in love with her dealer, and eventually becoming hooked on pressed “30s” and fentanyl. What started as pills turned into powdered fentanyl, pushing her further into dangerous territory.In one of the most powerful moments of the episode, Nicole shares how her grandmother stepped in and paid off her dealer—marking the last day she used fentanyl. But like so many journeys, recovery wasn’t linear. Nicole relapsed, overdosed, and had to fight her way back again, eventually finding stability through Suboxone.She also opens up about the long-term impact addiction and health struggles have had on her life, including battling Long COVID for four years, and the terrifying consequences of using—like driving on Xanax and crashing into a concrete barrier, as well as another accident while high on fentanyl.Nicole’s story is raw, painful, and incredibly real—but it’s also a testament to resilience. Through everything, she continues to fight for her life and her recovery.This episode shines a light on the realities of addiction, trauma, and the long road back. If you’re looking for a story that doesn’t hold back—and shows just how powerful the human spirit can be—you won’t want to miss this one.🔥 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: [email protected]👇 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

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig flips the script and sits down with co-host Aaron Garnes to uncover the full story behind the man listeners hear every week.Aaron takes it all the way back to his childhood, shaped by chaos, survival, and the shadow of his father’s past—smuggling heroin during Vietnam and living a life that blurred the line between hustle and instability. From loan sharks showing up at their house to moving out to the country to escape it all, Aaron’s early life was anything but normal.Things took a turn when Aaron got into wrestling, but an injury changed everything. What started as pain management—his own father offering him Lortabs—quickly spiraled into addiction as his dad became both supplier and enabler. As the addiction deepened, Dilaudid entered the picture and became the true downfall, setting Aaron on a path that would consume the next two decades of his life.Living with his father as he battled cancer, the two used together for years—bonded by addiction as everything else fell apart. Aaron opens up about the darkest, most shocking parts of that time: going a year without showering, muscle popping, and even extracting his own teeth over the course of two years. As his father slowly died, addiction took priority over everything—including the haunting moment of wheeling his dying dad to pick up a prescription… only for him to pass away the very next day.After his father’s death, Aaron attempted to detox on his own, only to end up homeless and spiraling further. From breaking into a firehouse (his first felony), to violence in county jail, manipulation, and eventually serving three years in prison—this is a story of complete rock bottom. Even after release, the cycle continued: stealing from wealthy connections, blowing through stashes of drugs, and ending up homeless once again, fully trapped in the “junkie mentality.”But then—something changed.In a moment that feels almost unreal, Aaron shares how his future wife appeared in his life at his lowest point, sparking the beginning of a transformation that would ultimately lead to freedom.
What follows includes a spiritual turning point, an “exorcism”-like experience, and the miracle that finally broke a 20-year IV heroin addiction.This episode is raw, intense, and unforgettable. It’s a story of pain, loss, and destruction—but also redemption, love, and the possibility of a completely different life.If you’ve ever wondered how far addiction can go—and what it really takes to come back—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.🔥 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: [email protected]
👇 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