Take It From Us with Kent Johns
Take It From Us is the voice of lived experience. In this podcast, you'll hear real people share honest stories about mental health, addiction, trauma and recovery - straight from their own journeys.
They'll tell you what actually worked, what didn't, and what they wish they'd known sooner.
Host Kent Johns is a former broadcaster-turned-health-coach who believes everyone has a story to tell if people take the time to really listen.
So settle in, you're going to hear some stories. Take it from us - and from them.
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If you need support, click here for helpful links, phone numbers and resources:
https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/
Take It From Us with Kent Johns
Latest Episodes
Todd Muller: One step away from being Prime Minister - then it all fell apart
Todd Muller was elected leader of the National Party in May 2020, a tantalising final step towards achieving a boyhood dream of one day being Prime Minister. Within five days, he was experiencing waves of anxiety he'd never felt bef...
Chris Bowden: How men grieve the suicide of a mate - and what we misunderstand
Chris Bowden lost 5 friends to suicide when he was a young man. He coped badly - drinking, drugs, anger, violence, getting into fights. He was spiralling.A university lecturer noticed something wasn't right and pointed Chris toward help....
Melanie Rauth: Methamphetamine, prison and a second chance
Melanie Rauth grew up in Australia. When her parents separated at 13, she started making different choices - cannabis, the wrong crowd, trouble at school. She had her daughter and in 2010 they moved to New Zealand.Rural isolation and met...
Dave Burnside: 'The man at my prison cell door who changed my life'
Dave Burnside started drinking at eight. He was drawn into the gang scene and drugs in Auckland. Multiple prison sentences followed - he was angry, railing against the system.Then one day in Spring Hill Prison, a man from his past appear...
Shelwin Khan: 'I wanted to join the 27 Club. Instead I got sober'
In 2026, Auckland man Shelwin Khan is thriving as a peer support worker and lived experience advisor. But it wasn't always like this.Shelwin started drinking at 13. By his mid-20s he was, by his own admission, 'unemployable', had three s...
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