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In this episode, Carol and Jen talk about the essentials for those walking through recovery and the family and friends that love them, and how to get prepared for the holiday parties and gatherings keeping your sobriety in tact.

The National Helpline—1-800-662-HELP (4357)—provides 24-hour free and confidential treatment referral and information about mental and/or substance use disorders, prevention, and recovery in English and Spanish.

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and our guest for this episode is Celina. Celina came from a severely abusive marriage that started out loving and escalated over the years into controlling and then physical violence.

She shares with Carol and Jen what her life was like before coming to Shepherd's Gate and what it's like now.

Her story will shock you, she is brutally honest in this episode and we hope it inspires those trapped in abuse to leave the abuser and that life can be safe and healthy again.

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Jason joins Carol and Jen on this episode to share his journey through addiction to Jesus. His Overcomer's Story is raw and real and it is inspiring!

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On this episode, we're confronting a crisis that has become a defining tragedy of our time: the fentanyl epidemic. While this deadly synthetic opioid is claiming lives across the entire country, its impact has been especially devastating right here in our own backyard, the Bay Area.

From the streets of San Francisco to the suburbs of the East Bay, this powerful and often secretly-laced drug is tearing families apart and overwhelming communities. It's a crisis that has evolved rapidly, driven by cheap, illicitly manufactured fentanyl that is up to 100 times more potent than morphine.

In this episode, we'll explore this further and how the Bay Area became an epicenter for this public health emergency and what's being done to fight back. 🎙️

Kelly Bowers is out guest.

Dr. Kelly Bowers
President & CEO, Three Valleys Community Foundation

Dr. Kelly Bowers leads Three Valleys Community Foundation (3VCF), a place-based philanthropic organization serving California’s Tri-Valley and greater East Bay region. As President and CEO, she oversees a growing portfolio of local grantmaking, directing millions of dollars annually to nonprofit organizations addressing urgent community priorities—ranging from mental health and opioid crisis mitigation to educational equity, environmental resilience, health access, and the preservation of local journalism.

A lifelong educator and former Superintendent of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, Dr. Bowers brings more than three decades of public service experience and a passion for engaging a diverse constituency in community-driven solutions. She has been honored with awards such as the California Education Champions Award and the CSU East Bay Distinguished Alumna Award for her commitment to driving and implementing meaningful, measurable change. She is a proud UC Berkeley alumna and holds a doctorate in educational leadership focused on building trust and transparency in complex systems.

At 3VCF, Dr. Bowers champions collaborative partnerships, uplifts community voice in funding decisions, and advances innovative approaches to nonprofit grantmaking that reflect the foundation’s core mission: connecting local resources with local needs.

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Carol and Jen welcome this episode's guest Dani Sumner, host of the popular podcast "A Holy Mess", to share about her journey through addiction.

Dani is a Spiritual Director and Life Transformation Coach that has 15 years of sobriety under her belt and shares her wisdom and wit on this episode. Sit back and enjoy.

To find out more about Dani or listen to her podcast click on the link. https://www.danisumner.com/

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Carol and Jen talk with Yvonne Garcia in the episode of Diary of an Overcomer. Yvonne was at Shepherd's Gate in 2013. From 23 years old to 49 years old Yvonne lived addicted to drugs, many of those years living on the streets and enduring horrific traumas.

She has just celebrated 12 YEARS being clean and sober and her story is inspiring!

To find out more about Shepherd's Gate go to www.shepherdsgate.org.

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On this episode of Diary of an Overcomer Carol and Jen welcome guest Kai Evans who is a graduate of Shepherd's Gate as well as a past employee.

Kai shares about her childhood filled with sexual abuse and assault, poverty and homelessness and how she survived to go onto college and into the corporate world where she was introduced to drugs.

She shares openly about her addiction and how she came to Shepherd's Gate and how God moved in mighty ways in her life.

You won't want to miss this one!

www.shepherdsgate.org

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Carol and Jen welcome Angela to the podcast in this episode. Angela was a graduate of Shepherd's Gate 20 years ago and has done some amazing things with her life since. Listen in you are sure to be encouraged! www.shepherdsgate.org