Ep 42 - Overcoming Childhood Trauma and Substance Abuse Eli Brown

Eli Brown was on his way to a promising career as a professional tennis player. Growing up in Canada, he fell in love with the sport and dedicated himself to strenuous practice and dedication to the game. However, at the age of fourteen, he began to experience sexual abuse which would result in a turn of events that changed his life. This week, I had the honor of sitting down with Eli who is the founder of  Shine the Light On, a clothing brand dedicated to spreading awareness and providing resources to those who struggle with mental illness. Eli is now using his story of overcoming childhood trauma and heavy addiction in his early adulthood years to “shine a light” on the suffering of others and provide hope to those who feel lost. Eli graciously shares his story about the difficulty he faced in not only sharing his story but also being able to identify the mental health struggles that he faced. As he said, he knew he wasn’t truly “living” and felt as though he was going through his days “blindly.” He shares with us how he was able to seek help and what he would share with someone who was considering giving up. This is a powerful interview if you or someone you know has struggled specifically with abuse and or addiction. If you need support please reach out to us in our private Facebook community, Hope to Recharge, because as always, together is better.  --   Today's episode of Hope to Recharge is sponsored by https://Betterhelp.com/hopetorecharge.    Betterhelp.com is the world’s leading provider of online therapy. Their mission is to make professional counseling accessible, affordable, and convenient, so anyone who struggles with life’s challenges can get help, anytime, anywhere. Head to https://Betterhelp.com/hopetorecharge for 10% off your first month of services. IMPORTANT: Be sure to click this link in order to get the10% off code -- Connect with Eli: Website: https://shinethelighton.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShineTheLightOn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinethelighton/   --   Topics Discussed:   The importance of educating young people on mental health and equipping them with the tools to talk about their struggles. How and why we should build a multi-faceted support system. How to use failure as a motivator.   --   Suicide Hotlines: USA: 1-800-273-8255 USA Crisis Text: 741-741Canada: 1-833-456-4566 United Kingdom: 116-123 Australia: 13-11-14 International Suicide Hotlines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines --   Connect with us! Website: https://hopetorecharge.com/ Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2079694042156503/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matanajacobs/ --   WAYS TO HELP THE PODCAST ______________________ Subscribe via iTunes and leave a review.  It costs nothing. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-to-recharge/id1464788845 ————————————————————————— Spread the word via social media.   It costs nothing. Our website is https://hopetorecharge.com/ our FB is https://www.facebook.com/groups/2079694042156503/ and our Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/matanajacobs/ --------------------------------------------------------   Subscribe to us on: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-to-recharge/id1464788845 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/00AIhRZOxKNOvenz32gGeK Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/heather-parady-2/hope-to-recharge Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_DkYMcco7pSrkKk6wU5p7w Google: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Izxlwulashxr3n6trjrxpjpgwce Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hope-to-recharge/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy