Mike Faria is lucky to be alive. In January 2020, he was taken to hospital in the back of an ambulance and placed in an induced coma to prevent his vital organs from shutting down. He had been drinking himself to death and he hadn’t even realised how serious his condition had become. After making a miraculous recovery, Mike was brought out of his coma and sent home to regain his strength however doctors weren’t sure if he’d make it to the end of the year due to the extensive damage to his liver. In this conversation, Mike and I talk about the progressive nature of addiction and how alcoholism crept up on him slowly over a number of years. Mike shares openly about the setbacks he’s encountered in recovery and compassion shows himself after a relapse. Today Mike continues to fight for his recovery, finding strength in his faith and his passion of spreading awareness around alcohol addiction. In this episode we also discuss: Showing signs of addiction from an early age (13min) Using different drugs to fill different voids (17min) Processing emotions in sobriety (19min) Physical signs of alcohol poisoning and dependency (38min) Being given a second chance at life (50min) Returning to alcohol (53min) How to maintain your recovery (60min) To see Mike’s Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website.  You can check out Mike’s IG here: @jerzeymike  You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode I sat down with breakfast radio and podcast host, Maz Compton. From landing her dream job as an MTV VJ to becoming the host of Sydney’s top breakfast radio show, Maz was living a fast-paced life fuelled by parties, celebrities and booze. Maz has interviewed everyone from Alicia Keys to Dave Grohl, all the while playing a role to suit her environment. Working in entertainment media, Maz was often required to put on a smile and get the job done, which over the years, created a deep divide between the person she was presenting to the world, and how she was really feeling on the inside. In this conversation, Maz talks about her problematic relationship with alcohol and how she knew if something didn’t change, she would inevitably hit rock bottom. Choosing a different path, Maz made the decision to quit drinking for good in January 2015 and hasn’t looked back. In this episode we discuss what it means to reconnect with your authentic self in sobriety and how to remove the fear and lean into the unknown. Maz also shares what the most annoying part of being sober is (hint: avoiding the d**kheads). You can follow Maz on IG here: @mazcompton  You can follow Last Drinks on IG here: @lastdrinkspod  Listen to Last Drinks Podcast here You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode I sat down with fellow sober podcaster Will Hitchins to chat about his road to recovery. Will is one half of the awesome duo that makes up Last Drinks, a sobriety podcast he created with his mate Mitch Ford. Will quit drinking on the 1st of February 2020, however this isn’t his first stint at sobriety. In this conversation, he explains how an overwhelming sense of disconnection led him to relapse after being sober for two years. We talk about the change in personality that alcoholics experience when they drink alcohol and how this often leads to regrettable behaviour that hurts the ones we love most. We also discuss the cycle of addiction where you drink to numb out feelings of guilt and shame, only to cause more harm as a result of more drunken behaviour. Will also talks openly about the negative impact alcohol played on his mental health, along with an honest insight into where he’s at with his recovery today. You can follow Will’s on IG here: @willhitchins  You can follow Last Drinks Podcast on IG here: @lastdrinkspodcast  Listen to Last Drinks Podcast HERE!  You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode, to celebrate my three-year sobriety milestone, I’ve put myself back in the interview seat and invited my BFF Georgia back onto the show to ask all the questions. My life has once again changed significantly over the past twelve months and I’m here to share with you how I’ve navigated these situations sober. We talk about how I handle triggers when they arise, letting go of perfectionism and remaining open to growth. We also discuss dating in recovery, my relationships and recent journey with egg freezing. I love recording these Ask Me Anything episodes because it opens up the space for honest and vulnerable conversations. This episode is no different, I hope you all enjoy x You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  Or check out all of the episode show notes on Ash's website here.  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: · A healthcare professional · Alcoholics Anonymous · Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) · CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode I sit down with recovered alcoholic Simon who shares his story of addiction and sobriety. Simon has a way of describing vividly the way alcoholism manifests in the mind and how alcohol became the “solution” to his alcoholic thinking. Simon and I talk about the turning point most alcoholics reach when you realise you can’t live with alcohol and you can’t live without it and the mental torment of trying to give up booze without a support network. We also discuss alcoholism as being the “disease of wanting more” and how sobriety shifts your perspective to find contentment in simplicity. Over the past six and a half years Simon has rebuilt his life and is today chasing his dreams of becoming a medical doctor. Simon’s story is one of hope and possibility for anyone looking to step into recovery. To see this week's Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website.  You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

When we think of addiction, most of us go straight to thoughts of alcohol or drugs, but what if I told you that you could be addicted to love?  And that Love Addiction can be just as harmful to a person’s life as drinking or drugs? In this week’s episode, I sat down with trauma and addiction specialist Diane Young, to discuss the topic of Love Addiction. Diane outlines clearly the definition of love addiction, where it comes from and the different characteristics that define a love addict’s behaviour. This is a fascinating conversation for anyone who finds themselves attracting the same “type” of person or for those who have difficulty maintaining romantic relationships. To find out more about Diane Young you can visit her website here. You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss or visit Ash's website here.  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode I’m sitting down with Brad Mcleod, the genius behind one of Instagram’s most popular recovery pages, Sober Motivation. Brad made the decision to get clean on the 11th of January 2010, after years of battling with addiction. It was a stint in jail and a lifetime ban from the US that gave Brad the motivation he needed to turn his life around. In this conversation Brad shares the profound impact sobriety has made on the person he is today. We talk about the process of rebuilding self-esteem and rediscovering your integrity in recovery. Brad is now a father of three and is helping people to change their lives by getting clean and sober. His passion is building a community of likeminded sober people who are there to celebrate and support one other. He credits this community as being the foundation of his recovery. You can follow Brad’s account Sober Motivation here: @sobermotivation You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  For more episode show notes head to Ash's Website. If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

Danni Carr is a trauma-informed sobriety coach and podcast host who celebrated 5 years of sobriety on the 1st of January, 2023. Danni met her husband, musician Ash Grunwald, in her early 20s and they spent the next decade travelling the world living the “Rockstar” lifestyle. But eventually, the partying caught up with Danni and alcohol started to erode what was most important in her life including her relationships and her health. In this conversation, Danni shares the turn of events that led her to finally make the decision to quit alcohol and how since that day, she’s embarked on a journey of deep inner work. Danni and I were laughing a lot throughout this chat as we realised we shared many similar experiences both in our drinking stories and our sobriety journeys. In this chat, we discuss the inner contentment of choosing a life rich in quality over quantity as well as busting the myth that booze helps you to create deep connection with others. Since getting sober, Danni, has been able to quieten the inner critic that once led her to drink and has learnt how to sit in uncomfortable feelings instead of reaching for the bottle.  This is her story. To see Danni’s Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website.  You can check out Danni’s podcast and coaching at How I Quit Alcohol.  You can follow Danni on IG here: @howiquitalcohol You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss  If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

Carlo La Marchesina is lucky to be alive. During his 18 years of heavy drinking and IV drug use, Carlo made over 40 attempts to get clean. Today, he is closing in on 15 years of continuous sobriety. In this conversation, Carlo talks about the resilience required to never give up on his recovery and the many lessons he’s learned along the way. Now working as a clinician dedicated to helping other addicts get clean and sober, Carlo shares his insights into why some people make it in recovery and why sadly, others don’t. We also discuss the complex topic of mental health crossed with addiction and the difficulty these people have seeking treatment. It is widely known that people who experience depression and anxiety have a high chance of becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs as they seek to self-medicate, while in turn, substance abuse can lead to mental illness. Carlo shares openly and honestly with the aim that other people can find hope in identification. This is his story. Carlo is the Clinical Director and General Manager at Harmony House Health, Wellness and Recovery Centre. If you would like to contact Carlo directly you can do so on +61 415 203 645 To see Carlo’s Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website.  You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode I’m speaking with Mandy Manners, a trauma-informed wellbeing and sobriety coach from France. Mandy has been in recovery for over five years and in that time has become an activist and advocate for sobriety and mental health. In this conversation, Mandy opens up about the traumatic experience that led her down a path of self-medication with alcohol and drugs. Yet, through extensive trauma recovery work, Mandy has been able to properly process these events and in turn, heal her life. Mandy’s story is raw and powerful with an underpinning of hope. In recovery she has been able to let go of the shame and finally forgive herself. This episode contains topics that could be triggering. If your mental health is triggered and you are based in Australia, please reach out to a support group such as Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. For other countries, you can visit CheckPoint for your specific country details. To see Mandy’s Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website.  If you’d like to know more about Mandy’s coaching business you can visit her website here. You can check out Mandy's books, Love Yourself Sober and Love Your Sober Year on Amazon here.  You can follow Mandy on IG here: @mandymannerscoach You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional Alcoholics Anonymous Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia) CheckPoint (global)

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Dave Wilson, aka Sober Dave to discuss his journey into recovery. Dave got sober on the 7th of January 2019 and since then has become a certified grey-area drinking coach and leading voice within the online sober community. Dave shares the epiphany he experienced that led to him finally giving up alcohol after years of struggling with addiction and the incredible way in which his life has changed. In this conversation, Dave and I discuss the importance of getting truly honest with yourself when it comes to your relationship with alcohol and the freedom you experience when you decide to step off the hamster wheel. We also talk about the power of mindset, the importance of community and finding out who you really are in sobriety. To see Dave’s Behind The Smile photo, head to Ash’s website.  If you’d like to know more about Dave’s coaching business you can visit his website here. You can listen to Dave’s podcast One For The Road here. You can purchase his book, also called One For The Road on Amazon. You can follow Dave on IG here: @soberdave You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss If you or someone you know if struggling with addiction, please reach out for support. Some support options include: A healthcare professional  Alcoholics Anonymous  Lifeline or Beyond Blue (Australia)  CheckPoint (global) 

To kick off season two, I’m answering all of your burning questions. A big thank you to everyone that sent in questions over Instagram last week! In this week’s episode I’ll be talking about the catalyst that drove me to rehab, how to protect your sobriety throughout Summer, why I choose to work an abstinence-based program, how to respond to people when they question why you’re not drinking, why it’s important not to make any big decisions in the first 12 months of sobriety and finally, what to do if you’re experiencing loneliness. If you love this week’s episode and know someone who might benefit from listening, I’d be grateful if you could pass it on. You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss and join the Facebook Group. For all episode show notes, check out Ash’s website.

To close out what has been an incredible debut season, I’m sharing with you all a few of my favourite magic moments from some of the most popular episodes of 2022. I wanted to say a huge thank you to the loyal BTS community and everyone who has listened, shared or reviewed the podcast. Behind The Smile with Ash Butterss was created out of a deep desire to change the conversation around mental health, addiction and trauma. I truly believe the most effective way to challenge the current archaic stigma is to keep talking, keep educating and keep sharing stories from those in recovery. Since launching the podcast in August, I’ve received countless messages from many of you sharing your own personal experiences and how the show has helped you reflect on your own lives. To know this podcast is helping people all over the world, makes this work so meaningful and I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity. Next year’s show is already shaping up to be outstanding with some incredible guests locked in. I can’t wait to continue the journey with you all. For now, wishing you all a safe and happy Holidays. xoxo Ash You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss For all episode show notes, check out Ash's website. 

For my final solo episode of the year, I wanted to share with you all some key strategies to help navigate what can be a challenging time of year for many of us. In this episode, I’ll be touching on a few key topics including: How to navigate family dynamics: watching out for triggers and how you can self-regulate once you’ve been activated. Travelling sober: helpful strategies you can implement to help protect your recovery. New Years resolutions: creating a solid plan to set you up for success. To check out Ash’s latest post on travelling sober, you can head to The Recovery Blog on Ash’s website.     You can follow Ash on IG here: @ashbutterss

In this week’s episode, I’m sitting down with the host of the Sober Powered Podcast, Gill Tietz, to discuss all things “Emotional Sobriety”. Gill started her podcast shortly after getting sober in 2019 with the idea of looking at sobriety through the lens of science. With a background in biomedicine, Gill has extensively researched the impact of alcohol on the brain and on our human behaviours. In our conversation, Gill shares her own journey into sobriety before we dive deep into the meaning of “Emotional Sobriety”. We discuss the impact of alcohol on the development of our emotional intelligence, along with different techniques to develop your emotional sobriety once you enter recovery. Whether you’re in recovery or not, I believe everyone can benefit from some of the key takeaways discussed throughout this episode. If you’d like to know more about Gill’s Sober Powered podcast, you can visit the website here. Or listen on Apple Podcast here:  You can learn more about Gill’s media network, Sober Powered Media, here. You can follow Gill on IG here: @sober.powered You can follow Ash and Behind The Smile on IG here: @ashbutterss

In this week’s episode, I’m sitting down with Sobriety and Grey-Area Drinking Coach, Sarah Rusbatch. Sarah made the decision to give up alcohol in April 2019 after reaching a point where she could no longer control her drinking. Disturbed sleep, anxiety and waking up hungover each day was finally enough for Sarah to realise she wanted a better life for herself. Fast-forward to today and Sarah runs her own Sobriety Coaching business and has helped women all across the globe to ditch the booze and step into a life full of passion, purpose and alignment. As an accredited Grey-Area Drinking Coach, Sarah works with people who don’t identify as being alcoholic, yet they struggle to control and manage their drinking. In our conversation Sarah explains exactly what it means to be a Grey-Area drinker and offers helpful solutions to support people who are looking to give up alcohol for good. To see Sarah's Behind The Smile photo, click through to Ash's website here. If you’d like to know more about Sarah’s coaching business you can visit her website here. You can follow Sarah on IG here: @sarahrusbatch You can follow Ash here: @ashbutterss

To kick off this week's episode I'm sharing my Top 5 Tips to help you prepare for the Silly Season!  We then dive into another powerful guest episode as I sit down with 46yr old, mother of three boys, Lucy Chapman. Lucy gave up drinking on the 1st of March, 2021 after almost losing everything. For years she had thought her substance use was “under control” until she found herself drinking around the clock and unable to leave her son’s bedroom. At one year sober, Lucy was diagnosed with cancer and the second battle for her life begun. Lucy credits her recovery program as to why she’s been able to face life’s challenges whilst maintaining an overwhelming sense of gratitude. You can view Lucy’s BTS Photo on the website HERE. You can connect with Ash on IG here: @ashbutterss or through the website ashbutterss.com If you enjoy Behind The Smile, then click subscribe to be notified for the release of our next episode.

In this week’s episode, I’m speaking with Lucy Quick, the founder and CEO of Thrivalist, a company dedicated to helping women change their relationship with alcohol and heal their lives. Lucy began her sobriety journey on the 1st of January 2019 after deciding she’d had enough of the chaos and carnage that proceeded her drinking. Since then, she has dedicated her life to building Thrivalist and creating a range of programs to help thousands of women navigate their sober journeys. In this conversation we discuss a broad range of topics including: How to navigate friendships as they evolve in sobriety Learning how to reconnect with your authentic self Rebuilding your self-worth Manifesting your dream life If you'd like to know more about Thrivalist you can follow the links below: Thrivalist Website  Thrivalist Instagram  You can follow Lucy on IG here: @lucyquick_ You can connect with Ash on IG here: @ashbutterss or through the website ashbutterss.com If you enjoy Behind The Smile, then click subscribe to be notified for the release of our next episode. 

In this week’s episode I sit down with Robbie Shaw, host of Champagne Problems, a podcast that examines sobriety through the lens of health and wellness. After growing up in an alcoholic home, Robbie decided to quit drinking on May 5th, 2006, however this wasn’t the last time he experimented with other mind-altering substances. Over the past 16 years, Robbie has navigated through his sobriety journey, dipping in and out of being “California Sober”. However, 9 months ago Robbie decided to abstain from all drugs, including marijuana and hasn’t looked back since. Along with his personal lived experience, Robbie also has a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counselling and is the Founder/CEO of Eventide, an organisation dedicated to helping people recover from addiction and substance abuse. In this conversation, Robbie shares not only what it was like, but what he’s learnt over the past sixteen years and the tools he uses to maintain his recovery today. To check out Robbie's BTS photo click HERE. To listen to Champagne Problems podcast click HERE. You follow Champagne Problems here: @champagneprobspodcast You can follow Ash here: @ashbutterss

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Yoga Teacher and mentor Nat Commons as she shares her own personal story of recovery. From an early age, Nat experienced trauma that resulted in the development of a range of harmful coping mechanisms. After years of self-afflicted punishment, Nat came to a life changing decision that led her down a path of self-compassion and healing. The moment she stopped running and made the decision to face her fears was the moment she became free. Nat’s story is a demonstration of the powerful message that your trauma does not define you. This episode contains topics that could be triggering. If your mental health is triggered and you are based in Australia, please reach out to a support group such as Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. For other countries, you can visit CheckPoint for your specific country details. For additional support relating to eating disorders and body image issues, you can visit Butterfly Foundation You can find Nat here: @natcommons You can follow Ash here: @ashbutterss