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When Arend was pistol-whipped during a drug deal gone wrong, it wasn’t the first time he’d stared down a gun. But it was one of the moments that forced him to look at what his life had become.

Raised by a single mother in a home marked by violence and survival, Arend grew up watching abuse, bouncing between cities, and learning early how to hide pain. By grade seven, he was drinking at school — chasing the same numbness that had destroyed generations before him.

As addiction took hold, Arend hustled, dealt cocaine, and was nearly killed more than once. But it wasn’t until his father died — and he watched someone overdose beside the hospital bed — that the reality of addiction hit home.

Now more than a decade sober, Arend speaks openly about trauma, accountability, forgiveness, and the hard truth that healing doesn’t happen when we blame others. It begins when we finally look inward.

This is the story of a man who turned pain into purpose — and learned that real strength means allowing yourself to feel.

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At three years old, Derek Racette burned a trailer to the ground — the same trailer where he had been sexually assaulted by a family member. Decades later, after years of addiction, violence, and loss, he finally understood why.

Derek’s story traces a lifetime of pain, power, and redemption — from growing up in a home filled with addiction and violence, to becoming a teacher, drug dealer, and eventually a man on the edge of suicide. His daughter’s fentanyl overdose nearly ended his life, but instead became the beginning of his recovery.

Through detox, ceremony, and the rediscovery of his Métis spirituality, Derek found healing in the teachings of the tipi, the drum, and his culture. What began as an act of destruction became a path toward light, service, and rebirth.

This conversation is raw and unfiltered — a look at trauma, resilience, and what it takes to survive when the fire inside has burned everything else away.

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Lexi Gibson’s story begins in foster care, shaped by violence, addiction, and the ache of never feeling wanted. By her teens, she was homeless, gang-involved, and surviving through chaos. Years later, in a dark field, stripped and left for dead, she thought her life was over — but that moment became her turning point.

From addiction and violence to recovery and motherhood, Lexi’s journey is one of survival, surrender, and rebuilding. She speaks openly about generational trauma, loss, and the fight to break free from patterns that destroy families. Her story reminds us that even in our darkest moments, recovery is possible — and motherhood can become the bridge to healing.

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When Tanya Ironchild hit her knees on the bathroom floor, she didn’t just drop to pray — she surrendered to something greater. After years of addiction, violence, and spiritual warfare, Tanya’s breaking point became her turning point.

Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Tanya’s early years were marked by chaos — witnessing violence in her home, enduring sexual assault, and growing up under the weight of generational pain. Addiction crept in early, consuming her as she tried to escape the trauma she didn’t yet have words for.

From surviving an abusive relationship and losing her sister and mother to standing face-to-face with her own darkness, Tanya’s story reveals the raw truth of healing. She describes the night she heard a voice say, “That’s enough. I’ll take it away,” — a moment that ended her addiction and began her spiritual awakening.

Now clean, Tanya runs her own business, Tanya’s Tarot and Reiki, reading for people across the world and helping others find light in the places they once feared to look. This episode is about surrender, spiritual awakening, forgiveness, and the long road from trauma to transformation.

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Cesar Cardona grew up torn between two worlds — New York and Jacksonville, Black and Spanish, intellect and street life. Rejected by both sides of his family, he found belonging in violence, drugs, and gangs. By 15 he was running guns and robbing people; by 20 he owned a house and was selling sex to survive.

But after nearly losing his life in a brutal assault, Cesar’s path took a radical turn. From his hospital bed to a Buddhist meditation hall in Los Angeles, he learned that real power wasn’t in control or aggression — it was in awareness.

Today, he’s a mindfulness teacher and public speaker helping others face their inner monsters, turn trauma into transformation, and discover peace that lasts.

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Growing up surrounded by addiction, Myrna knew recovery long before she ever needed it. Born into a family of AA members but raised amid chaos, violence, and neglect, she found herself repeating the same cycles she swore she’d escape. From losing everything in addiction, including her children, to fighting through family court and finding faith through service work, this is a raw account of how one woman rebuilt her life from the ground up.

Through courage, accountability, and the 12 Steps, Myrna found not only sobriety but peace. Her story is a testament to how recovery can reach through generations—and how family court doesn’t have to be the end of a parent’s story.

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Adam Boyd grew up in chaos — the child of an alcoholic, bullied and angry, pulled into street life early. By adulthood, he’d been falsely imprisoned, lost contact with his children, and was drowning in alcohol and gambling. At his lowest, he weighed 600 pounds, couldn’t walk, and was drinking himself to death.

But then something shifted.

In this episode, Adam shares the real story of what it took to finally stop running:
✦ The trauma that started it all
✦ The devastating consequences of false accusations
✦ The letter he wrote before planning to take his life
✦ The moment he reached out for help
✦ And how he’s rebuilding trust, fatherhood, and purpose today

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Key Learning Points

• Childhood trauma can take decades to catch up
• False accusations can leave lifelong emotional damage
• Addiction can be silent, invisible — even without substances
• Gambling is an often-ignored but devastating addiction
• Rebuilding trust with your kids takes consistency and humility
• You can come back from almost anything

Follow Adam on Instagram HERE

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Trish's story is one of deep trauma, family violence, addiction, and survival. From hiding in closets during violent outbursts as a child, to discovering her biological father through a birth certificate, to losing her cousin Neil Stonechild in the notorious “Starlight Tour,” her pain ran deep. She survived brutal domestic abuse, was found unconscious in a bathtub by her daughter, and nearly ended her life — but was saved by the love of her father.

Now in recovery, Trish is rebuilding her life, dancing at powwows, homeschooling her children, and creating her own regalia-making business. She’s learning to live — not just survive — and honoring the man who never stopped believing in her.

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✅ Key Learning Points

Early exposure to alcohol & violence creates lifelong trauma patterns

Neil Stonechild’s death and the impact of the Starlight Tour

How domestic violence and self-blame trap survivors

The role of unconditional family support in recovery

Healing through culture, entrepreneurship, and reconnection

==============

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