Soberly Speaking

• Ash Butterss Burnt Her Dream Life Down

  For Ash Butterss, addiction was a constant pursuit of more: more thrill, more chaos, more ways to avoid the emptiness. It started with sugar in childhood, then alcohol at 12, and drugs by 14. She moved from one addiction to another, telling herself she didn’t have a problem as long as she had periods of sobriety.On the outside, her life looked impressive. She owned a home in Bondi, did early-morning HIIT classes, managed a team, and kept getting promoted. It wasn't until she hit what she calls "the gift of desperation" that she became willing to get sober.Giving up alcohol meant facing painful truths, including the reality that her marriage was built around shared addiction.TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses themes of substance abuse and suicide.Follow Ash Butterss on InstagramReady to share your story? Email [email protected] National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotlineCreator & Host- Julia RangiheueaVideo & Audio- Stitch Up StudiosImage & Logo- Jasmine RuleIn the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

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• Escaping Prison Through a Skylight: Kyle Quilausing

  Once dubbed Hawaii’s most wanted criminal, Kyle Quilausing was a golf prodigy by age 10, competing on the PGA World Tours alongside Tiger Woods. He had a full ride to America’s most prestigious colleges.But one split-second decision changed the course of his life.Addiction. Crime. A high-profile prison escape.Then, three years alone in solitary confinement. No human contact. No conversation. Just silence.This isn’t my normal style of interview. Kyle has a story to tell the world- a raw, unfiltered account of how fast life can unravel when drugs take over. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses themes of substance abuse and violence.Follow Kyle Quilausing on InstagramReady to share your story? Email [email protected] National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotlineCreator & Host- Julia RangiheueaVideo & Audio- Stitch Up StudiosImage & Logo- Jasmine RuleIn the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

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• Kate Forster on Losing a Parent to Alcoholism

  You might know Kate Forster for her sharp TikTok opinions, but who was she before becoming a popular author and our favourite fashion critic?In this episode, we revisit Kate’s childhood, growing up with a father battling severe alcoholism. She shares how his struggles led to a suicide attempt, one she witnessed firsthand, and how alcohol ultimately took his life just 11 weeks after his diagnosis.This is a conversation about love, loss, and the lasting impact of addiction, told with the raw honesty Kate is known for.TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses themes of substance abuse and suicide.Follow Kate Forster on InstagramReady to share your story? Email [email protected] National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotlineCreator & Host- Julia RangiheueaVideo & Audio- Stitch Up StudiosImage & Logo- Jasmine RuleIn the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

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• Glen Fisher Was Abused and Abandoned (Part 2)

  Welcome back to part two of Glen’s story. If you haven’t listened to part one yet, go back and catch up now.In today’s episode, we follow Glen as his girlfriend’s murder sends him spiralling into a 35-year heroin addiction. He tries to end his life—twice— and hear how jail, against all odds, became the best thing that ever happened to him.Today, Glens charity, The Leg Up Project, is helping others who are doing it tough on the streets.Follow Glen Fisher on InstagramReady to share your story? Email [email protected] WARNING: This episode contains themes of child abuse, substance abuse, violence, and suicide. The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotlineCreator & host- Julia RangiheueaVideo producer- Beaudene PerussichImage & logo- Jasmine RuleIn the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

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• Glen Fisher Was Abused and Abandoned (Part 1)

  Glen’s childhood was something no one should ever have to experience. His father was a predator, and his mother a heroin addict who later turned to alcohol. Throughout this two part interview you'll hear Glen be abused by many people- the first was being raped by a close family friend at just nine years old.  one year later, he was already trying to escape the abuse, running away from home, institutions, and boys' homes, where he faced further sexual assault and bullying.Glen's dad then went on to abandon him on Oxford Street in Sydney, leaving him homeless at just 13. With nowhere to go, he became a street kid of Kings Cross. Trigger Warning: This episode contains themes of child abuse, child sexual abuse, substance abuse and violence. Please please listen with care Follow Glen Fisher on InstagramReady to share your story? Email [email protected] WARNING: This episode discusses substance abuse. Please listen with care.The National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is a free and confidential 24/7 phone service that provides counselling, advice, and information for those struggling with addiction. Call 1800 250 015https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/articles/support/national-alcohol-other-drug-hotlineCreator & host- Julia RangiheueaVideo producer- Beaudene PerussichImage & logo- Jasmine RuleIn the spirit of reconciliation Soberly Speaking acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

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