Dopenly Honest

Dopenly Honest is bold new podcast from Kentucky that’s breaking the silence around addiction and recovery. Hosted by Zavian Dre, this podcast shares real, unfiltered stories of pain, resilience and healing from people who made it out and found their way back to life. Join Zavian and a community of voices determined to break the chains of addiction together; one story, one voice, one truth at a time. Listen now.

21 episodes

8d ago latest

fortnightly cadence

English language

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Episodes 20

Finding Hope and Gratitude in Recovery
8d ago · 34:35
In this episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with his father-in-law, Mike Arington, for a deep conversation about addiction, resilience, and recovery. Mike opens up about his childhood, early experiences with alcohol and substances, and how a routine shoulder surgery led to a severe prescription painkiller addiction that took over his life. Mike candidly shares the turning points of his journey, from hitting rock bottom and navigating intense detox to finding lasting sobriety. Now maintaining a sobriety date of May 25th, 2020, he reflects on the power of mindset, the importance
Rebuilding My Tomorrow
19d ago · 37:33
In this episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with guest Tyler Dodd for a discussion of being young and in recovery. Building a life of sobriety with the temptation of the club scene, peer pressure, and old habits always around the corner isn't easy, but Tyler Dodd sets the example that taking control of your life and staying sober is entirely possible, no matter how young you are. Tyler opens up about growing up in Shelby County, navigating childhood challenges, dealing with legal troubles, and ultimately breaking the cycle of addiction. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on
Our Past Does Not Define Us
1mo ago · 24:28
In this powerful second installment of our Rock Bottom Series, host Zavian sits down with returning guest Whitney for an unflinching, raw conversation about survival and resilience. Whitney takes us back to her lowest point as a 25-year-old girl isolated in a trap house, weighing just 115 pounds, and facing the deadly reality of fentanyl and physical dependency. From hiding in a Dollar General bathroom to facing charges, probation, and prison, Whitney shares the harrowing details of her past, and how she transformed that pain into strength. Celebrating a clean date of July 19, 2018, Whitney is
Choosing to Live
1mo ago · 21:02
In this powerful solo episode of the Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre shares his deeply personal journey through a decade-long battle with addiction. Celebrating a sobriety date of June 26, 2023, Zavian reflects on the illusion of control, the dangerous trap of complacency, and what it truly takes to look in the mirror and change. Diving into principles from recovery literature, he breaks down the heavy toll of pride, the deadly reality of what’s on the streets today (like xylazine and "Russian roulette" poisoning), and the vital role of a higher power and a supportive fellowship. This is a sto
The Motherhood Wakeup Call
2mo ago · 22:55
In this episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre welcomes a longtime friend from the recovery community, Harley. Hailing from Waddy in Shelby County, Harley opens up about her clean date of September 24th, 2024, and shares a raw look into a family history marked by addiction. For Harley, true recovery has meant a total commitment to life free from any mind-altering substances, including alcohol. For her, and so many who struggle with addiction, "one is too many and a thousand is never enough." This episode delves into the heavy reality of navigating motherhood while battling a fentanyl addic
Rock Bottom - Only One Way To Go
2mo ago · 22:55
In this special audio-story style episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with his good friend Kody for a deeply personal look into the grim reality of active addiction. Kody pulls zero punches as he shares the harrowing details of his "last big hurrah"—from mixing heroin and meth on a traumatic birthday weekend to waking up handcuffed to an EMT gurney after his fifth overdose. From the absolute bottom, there is only one way to go. This episode paints a vivid picture of what happens when you finally stop digging and allow the life-saving power of fellowship to pull you out of the
Ending Stigma to Save Mothers
3mo ago · 41:36
On today’s episode, we are switching gears; instead of interviewing someone in recovery, we are sitting down with a medical expert who is also deeply woven into Zavian's personal journey. Angie Chisholm is a nurse-midwife from Shelbyville, KY, with years of experience working on the frontlines of treatment with pregnant and postpartum women in Oregon and Kentucky. In this deeply necessary conversation, Angie breaks down the heartbreaking reality of the US maternal mortality rate (which includes deaths in pregnancy or the year after pregnancy) and why the postpartum period is the most dangerous
A Grateful Addict Will Never Relapse
4mo ago · 43:58
In this episode of Dopenly Honest, Zavian sits down with Micah, a man whose journey into recovery began at an age most wouldn't believe: fifteen years old. Born to a mother struggling with addiction and given a week to live by doctors, Micah’s life began with adversity. From the complexities of adoption and the revolving door of the foster care system Micah shares how he used violence and eventually drugs to "quiet the noise" of abandonment and trauma. This episode dives deep into the daily "spiritual maintenance" required to keep 19 years of sobriety intact. Specifically, how an attitude of g
Peace, Faith & Serenity
4mo ago · 46:52
In this powerful episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with Matt Walters, who has nearly 2 decades of sobriety. Matt opens up about his journey from a childhood shaped by his father's binge drinking to his own deep struggle with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and Quaaludes. This battle led to multiple arrests and strained his most important relationships, including his marriage. Matt gets real about what recovery actually looks like. It's not just putting down the bottle, it's showing up every day and making what he calls "living amends," actively choosing to be considerate, helpf
Breaking The Cycle with Micah and Kyla
5mo ago · 1:15:10
In this soul-baring episode of Dopenly Honest, we sit down with Micah and Kyla Fitzgerald to discuss the raw reality of addiction, the role trauma plays in substance abuse, and the "God-incidences" that led them to a life of sobriety. This isn't just a conversation about putting down the bottle or the pipe; it’s a deep dive into the spiritual architecture of addiction. What We Discuss: The Roots of Chaos: Kyla shares her journey from a traumatic childhood in Ohio to a 13-year-old silencing her mind with substances, and the "popsicle-giving saint" named Agnes who first planted the seeds of fait
The High Cost of Low-Living
5mo ago · 34:47
In this episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Banta sits down with his long-time friend and brother-in-recovery, ToJo Brooks, for a conversation that is as raw as it is refined. ToJo doesn’t just share a "sobriety story"—he deconstructs the psychological architecture of addiction and offers a Masterclass in Acceptance. From the railroad tracks of Kentucky to the high-stakes world of Florida’s drug scene, ToJo reflects on the "actor’s mask" he wore for decades. He reveals the moment his world shifted: facing a Stage 3 prostate cancer diagnosis while in the grips of an even more lethal disease—
Running isn't an Option
6mo ago · 29:04
In this solo episode of Dopenly Honest: Breaking the Chains of Addiction, Zavian gets into something every addict in recovery must face: learning how to cope with life when difficulties show up. The old ways of handling fear and trauma can seem "normal", but approaching worry and fear while rooted in faith, fellowship, and recovery is what it takes to go next level. Drawing from the “Who Is an Addict?” reading in the Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, Zavian reflects on what it means to accept the disease of addiction; and why coping skills aren’t optional in early recovery, they’re necessary for
This too shall pass
6mo ago
In this powerful episode of Dopenly Honest, Zavian sits down with Brooke Johnson who has been in recovery for nine years and is living proof that it is never too late to start over. Brooke’s story doesn’t hold back. Born into addiction, raised between chaos and her grandparents’ stability, Brooke started using at just 13 years old, sometimes with her own family.
The Power of Showing Up
7mo ago · 42:43
In this powerful episode of Dopenly Honest, Zavian sits down with Andre Quincy, a man whose life and recovery have impacted countless people in our community. With a clean date of February 17, 1998, Andre shares his journey from a young man just trying to fit in, to the depths of addiction, and finally to a life rebuilt through honesty, surrender, and service. Andre speaks openly about how addiction took control of his thinking, his relationships, and his sense of self, and how working a program one day at a time gave him a way back. This conversation is about more than “putting the drugs down
Let's Get Straight To It—2026!
7mo ago · 12:03
As we move into the New Year, Zavian takes time to look back on how far this podcast & his recovery journey have come. What started as a thought became a platform, and now, six episodes in, we’re going strong, but also just getting started. Zavian reflects on the victories of 2025, the lives touched along the way, and the power of having a voice when life once felt meaningless. He lays out his vision for 2026: more exclusive interviews with people in recovery, deeper conversations with addiction counselors, doctors, and professionals in the field, and more content centered on hope, recovery, a
Through Hell & High Water
8mo ago · 20:23
In this deeply personal milestone episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre steps out from behind the mic to share the unfiltered story of how he achieved two years of sobriety. From the early days when even 30 minutes without using felt impossible, to receiving his Black Key Tag at his home group, Zavian brings listeners into the heart of what “no matter what” recovery really looks like. Growing up in the tiny town of Eminence, Kentucky, Zavian opens up about the beginnings of his addiction, the chaos that shaped him, and the spiritual reconnection that ultimately saved his life. He reflects
Finding My Peace
9mo ago · 44:56
In the 3rd episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with fellow Kentuckian Matthew 'Fig' Nelson for a moving conversation about what it takes to find recovery. Fig opens up about the early moments that pulled him into addiction at just nine years old, the progression from alcohol to cocaine to meth, and the years he spent homeless, hustling, and losing everything, including his family’s trust and his place in his children’s lives. With raw honesty, Fig shares how his individual battles with addiction tore his life and relationships apart, and how finding peace within himself became
A We Thing: Together We Can Recover
9mo ago · 48:23
In the 2nd episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with fellow Kentuckians and married couple Kody and Whitney Dickenson for a powerful and vulnerable conversation about love, faith, and recovery. With six and seven years of sobriety under their belts, the Dickensons share how their individual battles with opiate addiction once tore their lives apart, and how working together became the foundation for their healing. Together, they reflect on their early family life and the circumstances that led them down the path to opiate addiction, as well as the realities of rebuilding their l
We ain’t gonna live like that No More
10mo ago · 35:28
In the premiere episode of Dopenly Honest, host Zavian Dre sits down with fellow Kentuckian Daniel Botula for an unfiltered conversation about rebuilding life after addiction. With 3.5 years in recovery, Daniel opens up about how prescription medications led him down the path to opiate addiction and the turning point that brought him to a life of faith, purpose, and sobriety. Together, Zavian and Daniel reflect on the cycle of addiction and what it truly takes to find hope and healing after years of darkness. Set in a region once ground zero for the opioid epidemic, this episode reminds us tha
Welcome to Dopenly Honest
10mo ago
Welcome to Dopenly Honest, a bold new podcast from Kentucky that’s breaking the silence around addiction and recovery. Hosted by Zavian Dre, this podcast shares real stories of resilience and healing from people who made it out and found their way back to life.

Episodes

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More Society shows

Dopenly Honest

Episodes 20

Finding Hope and Gratitude in Recovery

Rebuilding My Tomorrow

Our Past Does Not Define Us

Choosing to Live

The Motherhood Wakeup Call

Rock Bottom - Only One Way To Go

Ending Stigma to Save Mothers

A Grateful Addict Will Never Relapse

Peace, Faith & Serenity

Breaking The Cycle with Micah and Kyla

The High Cost of Low-Living

Running isn't an Option

This too shall pass

The Power of Showing Up

Let's Get Straight To It—2026!

Through Hell & High Water

Finding My Peace

A We Thing: Together We Can Recover

We ain’t gonna live like that No More

Welcome to Dopenly Honest

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Episodes 20

Finding Hope and Gratitude in Recovery

Rebuilding My Tomorrow

Our Past Does Not Define Us

Choosing to Live

The Motherhood Wakeup Call

Rock Bottom - Only One Way To Go

Ending Stigma to Save Mothers

A Grateful Addict Will Never Relapse

Peace, Faith & Serenity

Breaking The Cycle with Micah and Kyla

The High Cost of Low-Living

Running isn't an Option

This too shall pass

The Power of Showing Up

Let's Get Straight To It—2026!

Through Hell & High Water

Finding My Peace

A We Thing: Together We Can Recover

We ain’t gonna live like that No More

Welcome to Dopenly Honest