Sponsored by:
🛡️ McKelvey Insurance – https://www.mckelveyins.com
🧠 LightSource Psychotherapy – https://findyourlightsource.com

S2 E39 – Losing Everything to Find Recovery with Jake Dunavant

Jake Dunavant shows up looking like a suburban dad with a Costco card. But don’t get it twisted. This man has walked through hell with a needle in his arm, kids in the next room, and nothing but chaos between him and redemption. A former union carpenter turned Senior Outreach Coordinator at Illinois Recovery Center, Jake is here to spill all the gut-punching, jaw-dropping, totally human details of his road from varsity wrestling to full-blown heroin addiction to reclaiming his family and purpose.

In this wild ride of an episode, the crew dives deep into Jake’s early intro to weed and booze, the rapid-fire escalation to cocaine and opioids, and the business-decision logic of IV heroin use. You’ll hear about the overdoses (plural), the Narcan resurrections, and the terrifying moment DFS swooped in and took his babies while he and his wife were literally overdosing in the same house. And yeah, he came this close to letting it all go to shit.

But against all odds, Jake and his wife Tabitha clawed their way back. Custody. Careers. Clean time. Faith. Family. All of it. He opens up about overcompensating as a parent, watching his son fumble a chance to compliment a girl (it’s hilarious), and how guilt-fueled parenting almost screwed them up all over again.

You’ll also get the full backstory on how he “courted” his now-wife with a dresser full of pink oxys. Take as many as you want, babe. And the deeply emotional, unshakeable power of hearing your newborn cry, only to stop the second he hears your voice. Yeah, even while you’re high as hell.

This one’s messy. It’s raw. It’s fucking real. If you’ve ever been there, or know someone who has, this episode will hit home in the deepest, ugliest, and most healing way.

Time Stamps (Do Not Skip These):

• 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Sponsors
• 06:00 Introducing Jake Dunavant: A Personal Story
• 14:03 The Role of Alcohol and Drugs in Youth
• 19:56 The Escalation of Substance Use
• 21:03 The Dangers of Modern Substance Use
• 23:03 Parenting Through Addiction
• 29:15 Overcoming Addiction and Regaining Custody
• 32:11 The Narcan Experience
• 36:16 The Role of Family and Faith in Recovery
• 39:31 Empathy and Understanding in Addiction
• 42:38 The Complexity of Love and Addiction
• 45:11 The Journey from Pills to Heroin
• 50:00 Reflections on Early Relationships and Substance Use
• 50:40 The Power of Connection and Humor
• 53:01 Navigating Relationships and Substance Use
• 55:02 The Impact of Parenthood on Addiction
• 59:00 The Struggles of Addiction and Family Dynamics
• 01:02:02 Detox and the Journey to Recovery
• 01:06:55 Life After Jail: A New Beginning
• 01:13:36 The Cycle of Addiction and Recovery
• 01:17:39 Finding Support and Connection
• 01:18:16 The Struggles of Addiction
• 01:19:32 Family Dynamics and Foster Care
• 01:20:31 Resentment and Recovery
• 01:21:10 Hitting Rock Bottom
• 01:25:11 The Role of Compassionate Intervention
• 01:27:15 Peer Support and Recovery
• 01:29:13 The Impact of Medication in Recovery
• 01:33:19 Building a New Life After Addiction
• 01:40:12 The Journey to Recovery Begins
• 01:43:07 Navigating Sober Living Challenges
• 01:46:25 Building Accountability and Humility
• 01:49:05 Rebuilding Relationships and Family Dynamics
• 01:51:57 Full Circle: From Recovery to Helping Others
• 02:00:04 Lived Experience: A Valuable Perspective
• 02:10:06 Gratitude and Hope in Recovery

Guest: Jake Dunavant – Senior Outreach Coordinator at Illinois Recovery Center, former heroin addict, father, husband, and all-around beast of recovery.

Check out Illinois Recovery Center: https://www.illinoisrecoverycenter.com

Who this episode is for:
Those navigating trauma like a damn obstacle course.
Anyone who’s ever been raised by chaos and still learned how to laugh.
People who’ve walked out of therapy like it was a bad Tinder date.
Survivors of fucked-up families who still believe in healing.
Anyone tired of tiptoeing around their own pain.
Those who love a little irreverence with their recovery.
And yes—even people who aren’t in recovery but have ever felt like a complete mess trying to hold their shit together.

This episode is the official introduction to our new co-host—and certified chaos enthusiast—Zoë Mendenall, MSW, trauma warrior, and walking tornado of wit, wounds, and wisdom.

Chris and Jeff crack the mic with Zoë, who used to intern for Chris’ wife Ashley, and somehow found her way from clinical work to co-hosting this circus. She’s no stranger to the team—but now she’s on the mic, and she’s unfiltered.

Zoë’s story? It’s brutal, beautiful, and deeply human. From growing up in a cyclone of addiction, loss, mental illness, and family trauma—to healing her throat chakra and ditching the vape—Zoë holds nothing back. She’s a proud “Jesus freak,” a therapy regular, a former Twitter menace (“If you’re not trying to mate like an anglerfish, I’m not interested”), and a woman who’s seen the inside of hell and still sings in church. For real.

You’ll laugh. You’ll wince. You might cry. But mostly, you’ll feel like you just sat down with a friend who finally said all the shit you’ve been thinking. This is why Zoë belongs here—with us. With you. With this whole messed-up, miraculous community.

Oh, and she ghosted Jeff’s Facebook request. So there’s that.

• 00:00 Introduction to Pondoff's Anonymous and Sponsors
• 02:57 The Impact of Chewing Sounds and Misophonia
• 06:00 Zoe's Introduction and Her Unique Perspective
• 08:58 Zoe's Life Experiences and Challenges
• 12:07 Healing and Recovery: The Role of Vaping and Chakras
• 14:59 Zoe's Tour of Illinois Recovery Center
• 18:02 Transformational Journeys in Recovery
• 20:59 Navigating Online Interactions and Safety Concerns
• 21:43 The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
• 24:41 Navigating Personal Relationships and Boundaries
• 27:11 Childhood Experiences and Family Dynamics
• 35:15 Understanding Trauma and Its Long-Term Effects
• 43:28 Friendship and Community Support
• 44:53 Launching a New Church Initiative
• 46:59 Mental Health Conversations
• 49:41 Navigating Family Dynamics
• 51:58 Loss and Grief
• 58:50 Life Changes and Adaptation
• 01:05:44 Navigating Digital Privacy and Parenting Challenges
• 01:08:13 The Impact of Show Choir on Personal Growth
• 01:09:52 Family Dynamics and Emotional Turmoil
• 01:12:37 The Journey to Adoption and Finding a New Family
• 01:15:30 Pursuing Education and Career Aspirations
• 01:18:00 The Role of Community in Healing and Support
• 01:20:38 The Importance of Empathy and Connection in Recovery

Sponsored by:
🛡️ McKelvey Insurance
🧠 LightSource Psychotherapy

Episode 37 –

The Sisters Who Survived: From Pills to Purpose

Who this episode is for:

Anyone who’s ever been told to “get your shit together.”

Those battling addiction or loving someone who is.

The ones who grew up too fast, numbed out too young, or ran too far.
And the rest of you who think you’ve heard every addiction story out there—this one will make you shut up and listen.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests
• 03:07 The Journey of Addiction: Early Experiences
• 06:00 The Impact of Environment on Substance Use
• 09:04 Transitioning from Pills to Heroin
• 12:06 Family Dynamics and Addiction
• 15:09 The Role of Trauma in Addiction
• 18:00 The Cycle of Addiction and Recovery
• 20:58 The Struggles of Active Addiction
• 24:03 The Reality of Treatment and Relapse
• 26:59 The Influence of Relationships on Addiction
• 29:56 Finding Hope and Recovery
• 32:48 Reflections on the Journey
• 35:59 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
• 45:54 Transformative Journeys: Overcoming Addiction
• 54:46 The Struggles of Withdrawal and Recovery
• 01:06:20 Finding Balance: Life After Addiction
• 01:18:27 The Power of Sharing Stories in Recovery

Show Notes

Chris, Jeff, and the newest chaos conductor Zoe open up Episode 37 with an East Coast energy injection from sisters Valeen and Tiffany — survivors, former addicts, and walking proof that even the wildest flames can cool into something fierce and steady.

You might’ve seen them on Soft White Underbelly, but here they go deeper — Jersey grit, Texas dust, and all the dark in-between.

From faking prescriptions in high school and running oxy scams with a 50-year-old printer lady to shooting meth in Texas kitchens and hiding dope from dogs (that literally snitched), these two don’t sugarcoat shit.

They talk about how pills turned to heroin, how state-funded rehabs can feel like the Wild West, and how sisterhood can be both your downfall and your lifeline.

They’ve buried friends, raised kids, lost everything, and somehow still found a way to laugh — the kind of laugh that only comes after years of crying in bathrooms.

Tiffany admits she “flashed her tits and fought her sister” before getting sober; Valeen calls rehab her second home.

They’re brutally honest about the switch from chaos to clarity — meth-fueled paranoia, vertigo that still haunts, and the terrifying truth that fentanyl has made ‘experimenting’ a death wish.

By the time they reach the part about Kensington, Philly — the zombie apocalypse of America’s drug scene — you’ll understand why these women don’t do half measures anymore.

Their new high is peace, gratitude, and laughing at their own scars.

And yeah, they still drop F-bombs, still talk about Benadryl benders, still love hard. But now it’s with clear eyes.

This episode is a raw love letter to resilience — two sisters who clawed their way out of hell and decided to tell the world what it really looks like when you stop running and start healing.

Watch their original story on Soft White Underbelly to see how far they’ve come.

Sponsored by:

McKelvey Insurance – quick solutions to real-life insurance problems anywhere in Illinois or Missouri.
Visit www.mckelveyins.com

LightSource Psychotherapy – therapy that helps you find your light when everything else feels dark.
Visit www.findyourlightsource.com