We're Out of Time
Jenny Leone's Inspirational Journey to Healing from Sexual Trauma and Addiction
Tue, 31 Dec 2024
Join @RichardTaiteOfficial and cohost Jason LaChance for an eye-opening conversation with Jenny Leone. Jenny Leone is an inspiring individual who has overcome tremendous challenges in her life. From childhood trauma to addiction and working in the adult entertainment industry, Jenny has faced it all. However, through her journey of vulnerability and authenticity, she has found her path to recovery and personal growth. Jenny’s journey of overcoming addiction, including struggles with eating disorders, pills, and alcohol, led her to seek help and find purpose in helping others. She obtained a degree in drug and alcohol studies and worked her way up in the treatment industry. Today, Jenny is an advocate for recovery, using her Instagram platform to connect with individuals on their sobriety journey. Her long-term vision is to open a treatment center, JSL Recovery, to provide free services to those who can’t afford it. For all things Richard Taite, the We're Out Of Time podcast, and Carrara Treatment Wellness & Spa: https://linktr.ee/richardtaite For more on Jenny Leone: https://www.instagram.com/jennys_sober_lifestyle_/ Key moments from this conversation with Jenny Leone, Richard Taite & Jason LaChance. Intro 00:00 What role did Jenny's childhood play in her later struggles with addiction? 01:07 At what age did Jenny come forward that she was being sexually abused by her brother? 03:36 How did the reality show Pretty Wild come about, when did substances enter Alexis' life and how did her mom play a role? 05:27 How did Jenny's parents enabling the actions of her brother lead to her leaving Canada at a very young age? 09:50 What is the main reason Jenny continues to share her story of childhood trauma? 14:30 How did Jenny's continual spiral in addiction and toxic relationships lead her into the adult entertainment industry? 18:40 How has Jenny's addiction recovery been not only the hardest thing she has ever done but also the most rewarding gift of her life? 25:00 How did Jenny overcome the pain detox from being addicted to anxiety and panic disorder medication for over 15 years? 30:40 Richard closes with words of encouragement on why we must share our stories of recovery and hope to inspire others to face their issues and let them know that they're not alone. 37:21
Chapter 1: What role did Jenny's childhood play in her later struggles with addiction?
Your father wouldn't believe you?
I was somewhat detached from reality. I had these different characters I played in this like double life within myself as a young girl because that's how I coped. And I've known so many people that have died because of this. You just, you cannot use it recreationally.
Chapter 2: At what age did Jenny come forward about her sexual abuse?
This is the We're Out of Time podcast. Sitting to my right, the man who revolutionized addiction recovery and treatment, Richard Tate. I'm Jason Lachance, a certified addiction recovery coach, and our guest, the lovely Jenny Leone. Good to see you again, my friend. Yeah, good to see you too. So I've known you for a few years, but we've never really talked our journey.
Like I don't even know your addiction story or anything. We've just talked like support.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
So I don't know about you, Richard. I'm always curious because childhood. I mean, I've named so much. So I'm curious about what you were like as a little kid, some of the circumstances, home life.
Yeah. And that's where it all started for me. You know, I always say like the root of addiction comes from trauma. And that was my story. You know, I was raised in Vancouver, Canada, and normal family on the outside, right? Little town and lived right off the forest. And mom, dad, you know, they were still together and seemed like the perfect life. I was in sports. I did the right thing.
But there was a major secret behind closed doors. And that was that I was being sexually abused by my older brother my whole entire childhood. Real brother? Yeah, real brother under the same roof. So this went on from as far back as I can remember. And then before then, babysitters came forward. One of my cousins came forward with inappropriate and touching way back to two or three years old.
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Chapter 3: How did Jenny's family dynamics affect her recovery journey?
And so that went on until I was 12, until I finally came forward. And as you can imagine, it's just like the biggest, can I swear on here? It's okay. Like the biggest mind ever, right? Because at such a young age, You're learning what feelings are, what love is, what trust is, what support is, all these things.
And the people you should be feeling it the most from is your family, your parents and that trust. And so it was all twisted up in my head. It was like I was somewhat detached from reality. I had these different characters I played in this double life within myself as a young girl because that's how I coped. It just became like the way that my life was.
And I was so brainwashed in it at the time because it got to the point where he had me thinking like if I ever told, then something would happen to my parents. This is your brother? Yeah, this is my brother. Something would happen to them. And so it just like became this total mind. How much older was your brother than you? He was only like five years older.
So something was happening to him, obviously, which is what I've come to like think about and learn.
Did you figure that out? Was he sexually abused too?
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Chapter 4: What is the main reason Jenny shares her story of childhood trauma?
That's never come out that it's the truth. I just, in my mind, unless he's just completely evil, have to believe that somebody did something to him.
Do you speak to him today?
No. No. No, I don't. So when I was 12, I finally came forward. I told my best girlfriend that I grew up with, and I told her, and she was like, you got to tell your parents. And so I sat them down. I told them. My dad, like gnarly Italian, you know, so he... Didn't want to believe it.
You know, he was the son, the apple of his eye, you know, and I was like this troubled kid for obvious reasons, right? And so they didn't want to believe it. And so, you know, I've held it in for all those years, right? I finally come forward and I finally say something and I'm not believed. So what did I do? I just like closed down, you know?
Chapter 5: How did addiction lead Jenny to the adult entertainment industry?
Your father didn't believe you?
They didn't believe me.
Your mother didn't believe you?
They didn't believe me.
And it kept happening.
Well, then I told my best friend and she was like, that you need to go to the police. Good. And so I remember one night I just turned 13, I think at this time. And I ran. I remember it was like dark, rainy. And I ran all the way in this little town to the police station. And I sat down with the police and I said, I have to tell you what's been happening. And I told them. And so they went.
He got arrested. Yeah. They took me in for a bunch of exams and things like that, which it was proven without a doubt these things had been happening, obviously. We don't need to go into detail, but, you know.
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Chapter 6: What challenges did Jenny face during her recovery from addiction?
And then my parents were actually questioned because there was, and this was ever proved, but there was a lot of talk like maybe they just turned a blind eye or, you know, were they involved and this and that, which... I don't like to go there. You know, I've done a lot of work on myself and I don't like to go there, but there's still always those little questions in the back of my head.
Like, how didn't they know?
Do you talk to your parents? So my dad has passed, but I. Did you make, did you have a relationship with your dad before he passed?
So I despised my father, despised him because of all of this, right? Because he disowned me. He was like, I'm disowning you. You know, when I went to the police.
He disowned you for being raped?
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Chapter 7: How did Jenny detox from anxiety medication after 15 years?
Mm-hmm. Okay.
Yeah. He's out of the picture.
And so I didn't have a relationship with him. And then it's interesting because now that he's passed and now that I've been sober for quite some time, I understand he had his own addictions. He was a sex addict for sure because of the things he was doing to my mom and my dad.
don't even have any ear for this sorry yeah i don't no no no no let's stop okay this is bullshit Okay. I don't give a what he was doing.
Oh, it didn't justify it. It didn't justify it.
You're not going to ever put this on you.
Oh, no, no. That. Okay. Ever. No, no, no, no, no. I just have a better understanding of how sick he was. Right. Right. And so my mom doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. But, you know, through the work I've done.
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Chapter 8: What advice does Richard give about sharing recovery stories?
It doesn't even need to be said. I'm the father of a daughter. It doesn't. Doesn't even need to be said. It doesn't matter what his issue was.
Yeah.
His little girl came up to him and told him something. And he, instead of dealing with it, his way of dealing with it was to disown you. Okay. Sorry.
Yeah, which was completely. And so, you know, that just obviously just threw me into a life of addiction immediately because.
What about your mother?
So my mom, my mom was always the peacekeeper of the family. And so.
I interrupted you when you were talking about addiction.
Her father. Yeah. My father.
Hey, do you remember where you were?
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