Podcast
Rise Above with Kevin Lanning
Hosted by Kevin Lanning · EN
Welcome to Rise Above with Kevin Lanning. Join Kevin, a former Google executive in sobriety, as he shares inspiring stories of resilience. Each episode features individuals who have faced life’s toughest challenges—addiction, trauma, anxiety, and more—and emerged stronger. These conversations aren’t just about survival; they’re about thriving and finding practical solutions to rise above adversity. Kevin’s own journey through addiction and childhood trauma fuels his passion for sharing stories that uplift, educate, and inspire. Tune in and discover the strength within you.
99episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Navy SEAL to Fentanyl Addict | K9 Attack, Tased, Lost Everything… Then Got Sober
Apr 2201:34:44Tap to summarizeTaylor Cavanough was living the dream. A Navy SEAL. Deployed overseas. High performer. But behind the discipline… was chaos. After a violent arrest where he was tased and attacked by a police K9, everything collapsed. His career. His identity. His future. What started as alcohol and Adderall turned into Percocet… then fentanyl. He lost control of his life. In this episode, Taylor shares: The moment everything fell apart after his arrest Getting kicked out of the SEAL Teams How one decision led him down the path of addiction The reality of fentanyl dependency and withdrawal Hitting rock bottom alone in Hawaii And how he rebuilt his life for his daughter This is a story about self-sabotage, identity, and redemption. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #NavySEAL #FentanylAddiction #AddictionRecovery #SobrietyJourney #RiseAbove #DrugAddiction #MentalHealth #RecoveryStory #Opiates #SelfSabotage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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I Couldn't Stop Using… Even When I Knew It Would Kill Me | Fentanyl Addiction
Apr 2101:37:28Tap to summarizeGraham Reid was living a double life. What started with pills and partying quickly turned into a full-blown opiate addiction — smoking 30s, chasing dealers, and doing whatever it took to not get sick. At his lowest point, he burned his dealer with fake money and lost everything. From fentanyl and heroin to brutal detox and multiple failed attempts at getting clean, Graham shares what addiction really looks like behind closed doors. In this episode, he opens up about: Getting hooked on opiates The moment everything spiraled Living as a “functional” addict The reality of withdrawal and detox What finally helped him get sober This is the side of addiction most people don’t see. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #Fentanyl #OpiateAddiction #AddictionRecovery #DopeSick #Sobriety #HeroinAddiction #RecoveryStory #MentalHealth #CleanAndSober #RiseAbove Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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I Hid a 10-Year Drug Addiction From My Wife | Blackout, Lies & How I Finally Got Sober
Apr 1801:14:20Tap to summarizeMatt Robinson lived a double life for over a decade. Behind the scenes, he was battling a severe drug addiction… while his wife had no idea. It started with a prescription after an injury at just 11 years old. What followed was years of lies, hiding money, and chasing pills—until everything came crashing down during a blackout in Las Vegas, where he emptied his bank account overnight. That moment led to a phone call that changed everything. In this episode, Matt opens up about: Living a secret addiction for 10 years The moment his wife found out Addiction, shame, and rebuilding trust What recovery actually looks like long-term How he’s stayed sober for 13 years This is one of the most honest conversations about addiction, marriage, and recovery we’ve had on the show. If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode is for you. Matt Robinson lived a double life for over a decade.Behind the scenes, he was battling a severe drug addiction… while his wife had no idea.It started with a prescription after an injury at just 11 years old. What followed was years of lies, hiding money, and chasing pills—until everything came crashing down during a blackout in Las Vegas, where he emptied his bank account overnight.That moment led to a phone call that changed everything.In this episode, Matt opens up about:Living a secret addiction for 10 yearsThe moment his wife found outAddiction, shame, and rebuilding trustWhat recovery actually looks like long-termHow he’s stayed sober for 13 yearsThis is one of the most honest conversations about addiction, marriage, and recovery we’ve had on the show.If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode is for you. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #addictionrecovery #soberstory #opioidcrisis #recoveryjourney #mentalhealthawareness #alcoholism #sobriety #fentanylcrisis #recoveryispossible #riseabove Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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I Was Drinking Vodka All Day | Car Crash, Hidden Addiction & How I Finally Got Sober
Apr 1601:14:07Tap to summarizeMegan’s addiction didn’t look obvious at first. She had a job, a family, and a life that seemed “normal” on the outside… but behind the scenes, she was drinking vodka all day, hiding bottles, and slowly losing control. After a near-fatal car crash, showing up drunk to work, and hitting a breaking point as a mother, everything came crashing down. In this episode, Megan shares: The moment her addiction spiraled out of control Drinking in secret while trying to hold life together The crash that should’ve been her wake-up call How motherhood and rock bottom forced change What it actually took to get and stay sober This is a raw conversation about shame, survival, and what recovery really looks like. If you or someone you love is struggling, you’re not alone. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #addiction #soberstory #alcoholism #recoveryjourney #mentalhealth #sobriety #rockbottom #riseabove Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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My Son Was Doing Fentanyl at 16… I Had to Let Him Go to Save His Life
Apr 1401:22:31Tap to summarizeBrenda Zane was a successful advertising executive living what looked like a normal life—until her son’s addiction turned everything upside down. From early warning signs to marijuana at 13… to running away, arrests, and eventually fentanyl use—this is the raw, unfiltered reality of what families go through when addiction takes over. In this episode, Brenda shares: The moment she realized her son was in real danger Sending him to wilderness therapy at 16 The chaos of addiction—jail, running away, and near-death experiences The heartbreak of setting boundaries and “letting go” How she turned her pain into purpose to help other parents This conversation is for anyone who has loved someone struggling with addiction—or is trying to understand what families go through behind the scenes. If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Heroin Was Killing Me | I Smuggled Drugs into Rikers Island & Nearly Died
Apr 1102:12:42Tap to summarizeJohn Rokee’s story is a terrifying look at the lengths an addict will go to maintain a "perfect" life. By day, he was a high-earning union steamfitter. By night, he was a "chameleon" trapped in a $1.2 million downward spiral, snorting up to 200 bags of heroin a week. In this raw and "brutal" interview on Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, John details the physical and financial devastation of his addiction: The $1.2M Habit: The math behind a decade of OxyContin and heroin use that drained every union fund, savings account, and personal loan. The "Water Overdose": The shocking medical anomaly that put him in a week-long coma after he tried to flush his system to beat a drug test. Knocking at the Pearly Gates: Waking up in a hospital bed to find a priest performing his last rites when doctors said he would be a "vegetable." The True Healing: How John moved past 11 years of "white-knuckle" abstinence to find true spiritual recovery and a new life as a sober coach. Connect with John Rokee: Instagram/TikTok: @JohnRokee21 Website: JohnRokee.com If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #RiseAbove #HeroinAddiction #RecoveryStories #ComaSurvivor #LastRites #JohnRokee #KevinLanning #AddictionRecovery #SoberCoach #OpiateCrisis #MentalHealth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Inside A 14-Year-Old Stripper’s Brutal Addiction | Meth, Overcoming Cancer & Sobriety
Apr 1101:01:58Tap to summarizeKim House’s life story sounds like a movie script, but the trauma was all too real. After fleeing an abusive home at just 14 years old, Kim found herself winning bikini contests and dancing in clubs just to survive. By her early 20s, she was diagnosed with a rare, "terminal" bone marrow cancer—but instead of getting sober, she ramped up her drug use, even attempting to balance chemotherapy with meth and alcohol. In this episode of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Kim details the harrowing "redline" abuse of her childhood, the insanity of flying drugs across state lines, and the moment of "existential clarity" that led her to nearly a decade of sobriety. Today, she’s the founder of Sober Surfers, turning her darkest trials into a message of hope for foster youth and addicts everywhere. Connect with Kim House: Website: sobersurf.org If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #RiseAbove #CancerSurvivor #MethAddiction #RecoveryStory #KevinLanning #SoberSurfers #TraumaHealing #MentalHealthAwareness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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I Blacked Out at 16… Then Tried to End It All | How I Rebuilt My Life in Sobriety
Apr 901:12:53Tap to summarizeMolly Haneke opens up about her journey from early self-harm and blackout drinking at just 16, to hitting a breaking point that landed her in a mental hospital at 22. What started as insecurity and isolation quickly spiraled into daily drinking, drugs, and destructive coping mechanisms. After a life-threatening moment forced everything to stop, Molly entered treatment and completely rebuilt her life. Now over two years sober, she shares how recovery, discipline, and community helped her turn pain into purpose—and how young people can get sober too. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=april #addiction #sobriety #mentalhealth #recovery #selfharm #alcoholism #sobertok #healingjourney #rockbottom #riseabove Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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From Combat Hero to Homeless Addict: An Unbelievable True Story
Apr 701:24:48Tap to summarizeSean Young survived three deployments to Afghanistan, saw his brothers-in-arms blown up in front of him, and lived through a childhood that sounds like a horror movie. In this raw and unfiltered interview on Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, Sean reveals the most salacious details of his past—including the infamous day he finalized a divorce at noon and was remarried to another woman by 3:00 PM. From the high-stakes adrenaline of being a Forward Observer in the Army to the soul-crushing reality of a suicide attempt in the Alaskan wilderness, Sean’s story is a masterclass in survival and the power of total surrender. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment. Call or Text: 844-443-5669 Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april #RiseAbove #KevinLanning #SeanYoung #VeteransRecovery #CombatPTSD #SobrietyStory #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #ArmyVeteran #HealingTrauma #RecoverOutLoud Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Fentanyl Nightmare in Kensington | I Witnessed Hell
Apr 701:34:14Tap to summarizeCassidy’s story is one of the darkest I’ve ever heard. She grew up in a good home, loving parents, big family… and still addiction found a way in. One pill turned into daily use… then heroin… then fentanyl… then she ended up in the most dangerous open-air drug market in America — Kensington. What she experienced there is not normal addiction. It’s human trafficking. Violence. Rape. Murder. Bodies in the street. Burning victims alive. Trap houses. Dealers beating people for losing product. Young girls disappearing. This is a level of hell that most people in this country will NEVER see. And she survived it. Cassidy opens up about overdoses, abusive relationships, jail, street life, losing friends, and the spiritual war that fentanyl brings with it. She rebuilt her life — and is now sober — and her story will change perspectives for families everywhere struggling to understand addiction. Watch this entire interview start to finish — share with a parent, sister, brother, someone who needs to know the reality of fentanyl before it’s too late. Rise Above. Always. #kensington #fentanyl #fentanylepidemic #opioidcrisis #philadelphia #addiction #recovery #sobriety #drugabuse #narcansaveslives #harmreduction #addictionawareness #recoveryispossible #riseabovepodcast #drugcrisis #openairdrugmarket #truecrime #streetsurvival #kensingtonphilly #fentanlyawareness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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