In Episode 108 of Built By The Red Stick, Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Jarvis Fountaine, a counselor, recovery advocate, and community resource coordinator who has taken his own experiences and turned them into an opportunity to help others.

Jarvis doesn't just talk about addiction recovery from the outside looking in. He has publicly shared his own experiences with substance misuse and now uses those experiences to have honest conversations with young people and adults about addiction, mental health, stigma, and what can happen when we keep everything bottled up.

Today, Jarvis works in counseling and community outreach, helping connect people with resources while also speaking openly about prevention and the importance of creating places where people can actually talk about what they're going through.

This conversation gets into addiction recovery, men's mental health, the pressure many men feel to stay quiet when they're struggling, and what happens when somebody finally decides to ask for help.

Jarvis's story is another example of something we talk about constantly on this show: your past doesn't have to be wasted. The things you've been through can become the very things that allow you to reach somebody else.

Tune in to Episode 108 for a real conversation about addiction, recovery, mental health, giving back, and what it means to use your story for something bigger than yourself.

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In Episode 107 of Built By The Red Stick, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Ann Matassa for a deeply personal conversation about domestic violence, survival, and finding the strength to finally break free.

Ann opens up about the reality of living in an abusive relationship—the bruises she covered, the excuses she made, and the complicated reasons people sometimes stay in situations that others looking from the outside may not understand.

This conversation goes beyond asking, "Why didn't you just leave?" It explores the fear, manipulation, isolation, and emotional weight that can keep someone trapped in the cycle of domestic violence. Most importantly, Ann shares her journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor and finding hope on the other side.

Ronnie and Michael give Ann the space to tell her story in her own words, creating an honest conversation about a subject that is often hidden behind closed doors.

"Covering Bruises & Making Excuses: From Victim to Survivor" is a powerful reminder that you never truly know what someone may be going through—and that speaking up can be the first step toward helping someone else realize they aren't alone.

Tune in to Episode 107 for Ann Matassa's story of survival, courage, and finding a way forward.

#BuiltByTheRedStick #DomesticViolenceAwareness #SurvivorStory #FromVictimToSurvivor #TraumaRecovery #Healing #RonnieLeDuff #MichaelOakley

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In Episode 106 of Built By The Red Stick, hosts Ronnie LeDuff and Michael Oakley sit down with Cathy Toliver for an incredibly emotional conversation about the unimaginable pain of losing her grandson.

Cathy shares her family's story, the tragedy that changed their lives forever, and what it has been like trying to navigate grief after such a devastating loss. She opens up about the memories she carries with her, the impact her grandson had on those who loved him, and how a family begins to move forward when life will never quite be the same.

This episode is about love, loss, family, and the strength it takes to keep going when you're faced with something no grandparent or family should ever have to experience.

Through Cathy's willingness to share her story, we hope this conversation reaches other families who have experienced the loss of a child or grandchild and reminds them that they are not alone in their grief.

Episode 106 is a powerful reminder to hold the people you love close, appreciate the time you have together, and never take a single moment for granted.

Tune in to Episode 106 to hear Cathy Toliver share the story of her grandson, the love her family has for him, and how they continue to carry his memory forward.

#BuiltByTheRedStick #CathyToliver #Grief #GriefSupport #Family #Loss #Healing #RememberingLovedOnes #RonnieLeDuff #MichaelOakley

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