Ep. 36 - Normies, Addicts, and the Villain Role: Rethinking How We ‘Help’ with Amber Hollingsworth from Put the Shovel Down

Kate Seselja - Addiction by Design -Blow Up the Pokies

What happens when a “bit of fun on the pokies” quietly turns into a fifteen‑year battle that almost costs you your life? In this powerful episode, mum of six and gambling‑harm advocate Kate Seselja shares how an ordinary visit to a club spiralled into years of dark, clockless rooms, mounting debts and crushing shame – including the day she fed $12,000 into a single pokie machine and walked out wondering if she could keep going. Kate opens up about: * How pokies and online gambling are addiction by design, not “just entertainment” – and why losses go way beyond money. * The mental load of secrecy, debt and self‑hate, and the night she almost took her life. * The tiny threads that kept her here: her kids, her husband’s compassion, and her son’s simple words – “Mum, everyone makes mistakes.” * Reclaiming her humanness, finding recovery, and turning unbearable shame into The Hope Project, a social enterprise helping people move from just surviving to thriving. * Why Australia is a global hotspot for gambling harm, and what really needs to change. If you’ve ever wondered whether your gambling – or someone else’s – is “getting a bit out of hand”, this conversation will help you see you’re not weak, broken or alone. The problem isn’t who you are; it’s what these products are designed to do. Hit play to hear how Kate went from losing almost everything… to finding hope and a voice loud enough to change lives. Connect and get support * Learn more about The Hope Project and Kate’s work: The Hope Project Australia [https://www.thehopeprojectaustralia.com.au/] * Follow Kate on Instagram: @the.hope.project [https://www.instagram.com/the.hope.project/] If you or someone you love is struggling with gambling, please reach out for help. In Australia, you can contact Gambler’s Help on 1800 858 858 or Lifeline on 13 11 14 for free, confidential support 24/7.

Ep.39 - Chrissoula - Prison, Parole & Personal Training. How Chrissoula built a Sober, Strong Life

When Chrissoula walked along the beach in rehab, she could barely put one foot in front of the other. After 20 years of heroin use, multiple overdoses, prison and parole, even a simple walk on the sand felt impossible. But those early morning walks – and a tiny rehab gym – lit a fire she didn’t see coming. Movement became medicine, and strength training gave her something she’d never had before: real power inside and out. In this episode, Chrissoula shares how she went from long‑term addiction and jail to becoming a personal trainer and leader for women in recovery. We talk about rebuilding a body you’ve abused, smashing limiting beliefs, and creating a strong, sober life that actually feels worth staying for. If you’ve ever felt “too far gone” to change, this story is proof you’re not.

Ep. 38 – Mark: Surviving ‘Joffa’ Corfe, Sexual Abuse and Overdose

At 16, Mark thought he was heading to the footy with a trusted “big brother” figure. Instead, he was groomed and sexually assaulted in a Flinders Street Station toilet by Jeff “Joffa” Corfe, the man who would later become one of Collingwood’s most famous supporters. For 25 years, Mark buried the secret, numbing the pain with ecstasy, marijuana and GP-prescribed Valium until a near-fatal overdose at 19 became his line-in-the-sand moment. In this raw conversation, Mark shares how childhood acting gigs with shows like Beauty and the Beast, a confusing queer adolescence in 90s Melbourne, and a toxic early relationship all intertwined with his addiction and mental health. He takes us inside the moment he saw his abuser celebrated on TV, the rage and shame that followed, and what finally pushed him to walk into Melbourne Police Centre and report a historical sexual assault decades later. We talk about what justice looks like when the legal system can’t fully deliver it, including Alex’s landmark case, “Joffa’s rule,” and Mark’s own validation and compensation through VOCAT. Most importantly, Mark shows us what recovery canbecome: a loving marriage, a survivor community, dancing online to reclaim his body, and using his voice so other victims know they’re not alone. If you’re a survivor, someone in recovery, or you support queer youth, this episode is for you.

Ep. 37 - Ben Murphy - The Magic of Sobriety: Fame, Alcohol, Hope and Curiosity

In this powerful episode of Slaying Sober, James sits down with magician, illusionist and radio host Ben Murphy — a self‑confessed “man about town” who’s spent his life chasing the spotlight. From sick kid obsessed with clown doctors in a Brisbane hospital to world‑touring illusionist breaking Houdini records in the US, Ben built a dream career on limelight, applause and escape acts. But behind the smoke and mirrors, alcohol was quietly running the show. Ben opens up about growing up as one of the only openly gay kids at his Queensland school, using comedy as a shield, and finding his first “high” in the attention that came with magic. He shares how touring the world, business‑class flights and influencer‑style red carpets slowly turned into lonely hotel rooms, airport vodkas at 9am, and a drinking pattern so warped he started lying to strangers just to protect it. Despite a successful career and a long‑term partner, Ben lost the thing that matters most: hope. Now over six years sober, Ben talks candidly about the moments that scared him straight — from waking up last on a plane with the crew staring at him, to watching his partner sit at the end of their street because he was scared to come home. He explains why traditional 12‑step didn’t fit, how SMART Recovery and medication helped him take ownership, and why his worst day sober is still better than his best day drunk. This is a raw, funny and deeply human conversation about identity, love, risk, and rebuilding a life you actually want to be present for. Find Ben at: https://www.instagram.com/thebenmurphy_/ https://www.benmurphy.com.au/

Ep 36- Caitlin - Bleeding Out to Breaking Free: I Got Stabbed and Then Saw the Light

Caitlin spent 17 years in active addiction, dealing to survive, living a life of crime, and convinced she would die an addict or in jail. After being stabbed in a premeditated attack that nearly took her arm and her life, she experienced awhite‑light near‑death moment that changed everything. In this episode, Caitlin shares how Crohn’s disease, chronic pain, and grief over losing her dad collided with drugs, crime and violence – and how rehab, NA and a 12‑step program helped her find genuine serenity for the first time in nearlytwo decades. She talks about avoiding a lengthy jail sentence, discovering real connection in fellowship, and what “Caitlin 2.0” looks like as she rebuilds her life clean. If this episode brings anything up for you, please reach out to a trusted friend, a sponsor, your GP, or a local support service. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to wait for a rock bottom like Caitlin’s to ask for help.   If this episode has brought anything up for you and you need support (Australia):  In an emergency or immediate danger, call 000Lifeline – 13 11 14 BeyondBlue –1300 22 4636