Knockin‘ Doorz Down

Latest Episodes:

Cheryl Burke | Dancing with The Stars Sexual Trauma Survivor Alcoholism Podcast Host Recovery and Mental Health Advocate Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

When Cheryl was growing up, Cheryl was sexually molested by a trusted family friend. This event shaped how she chose her boyfriends growing up. She would pick the bad boys, or more specifically, men that would treat her badly. This trauma unknowingly started her down the road of alcoholism.

During her time on Dancing With the Stars, she gained confidence as a dancer early on. She was the first female professional to win the show and the first professional to win twice and consecutively. She has participated in 23 seasons thus far. This confidence led to heavy drinking while filming, and feeling like when she was drinking her dancing was much better. This eventually spiraled out of control and the drinking actually hindered her performance instead of enhancing it.

In regards to her past sexual abuse, she learned that you are not forgiving the person for the action, you are forgiving for yourself to create peace so you can sleep at night. To move on, it was also about consistently going to meetings, and seeking help in a productive and scheduled way. She’s not the type to just sit back and hope that help comes her way, she’s actively seeking it out now, and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

Cheryl has now been sober for 3 years. It’s still very new for her to sit and discuss her past traumas, a nerve-racking experience every time, but feels so much better after each session. Now she focuses on being grateful for every aspect of her life and focusing on the good things to make her progress in her fight against her addictions.

Cheryl has been looking into what actually causes her hypervigilance at times, she’s exploring having a trauma specialist look into what actually triggers this reaction. Lately, she’s been exploring different forms of meditation twice a day, and she finds that this has been very helpful in maintaining her sobriety. Her new “Pretty Messed Up Podcast” with AJ McLean and Rene Elizondo focuses on these topics and how each of them is dealing with their daily struggles.

This is Cheryl Burke in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

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Becca Atkinson | From Alcoholic to Recovery Advocate and Host of the Unashamed Alcoholic Podcast Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

Becca came from a family that has a history of alcoholism. She knew this growing up and was aware of the possibility of herself falling into that addiction pattern. Up until her early teenage years, everything was pretty normal, but once adolescence was over that’s when the drinking started to kick in for her.

Becca couldn’t just casually drink like the rest of her friends, she had to get drunk. There was no middle ground, and this led to many blackouts and problems every weekend at a young age. Her 20’s were very reckless, bad decision making with relationships, and a party lifestyle with 6 other people at her first house away from home. This quickly escalated and spiraled out of control to new lows in her life.

She rationalized her alcoholism in many ways: She wasn’t drinking in the morning, she didn’t lose her kids and continued to work at her job, so she wasn’t your typical alcoholic, or at least what our modern media portrays as an alcoholic. There’s a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions of what alcoholism actually is, and how it affects different people. She makes the point that we need to make clear to kids & the youth today, that drinking does not have to be a given in your life, and you do not need to feel like it’s abnormal not to drink.

She started to feel like a failure, because she couldn’t control her drinking. She was looking for answers, and looking for a way to get out of her rut. One day, she randomly connected with an old friend who recently got sober, and wanted her to come celebrate her newfound sobriety. She was hesitant at first, but went to the celebration and got inspired to get her life back on track. She went to co-ed AA meetings at first, but had to eventually had to go to all-female meetings to make her feel more comfortable in the recovery process.

After her first interview since her recovery at a local radio station in 2020, she wanted to continue the conversation. Podcasting seemed like a great way for her to get her story out to the masses, in hopes of sharing stories and helping people around the world. Even though she was hesitant at first to put her story out there, not being sure of how people would receive it. She got over that fear, and The Unashamed Alcoholic Podcast was born, and has been going strong for almost 2 years.

This is Becca Atkinson in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

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For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:

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AJ McLean | From Early Stardom with the Backstreet Boys to Alcohol & Drug Addiction to Recovery, Mental Health Advocate & Pretty Messed Up Podcast Host Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

AJ came from a broken but supportive home. He didn’t know his dad and wasn’t part of his life growing up. He was raised by his grandparents and mother in a 3-bedroom apartment. At the age of 15, AJ got his record deal with the Backstreet Boys. His newfound stardom gave AJ the motivation to move out of his house at the age of 17, after getting in a huge fight with his mom.

AJ didn’t actually start drinking until he was 25. He started with hard alcohol right off the bat and got worse from there. Then during an early morning music video shoot, he tried cocaine for the first time. After that, he was buying large amounts from a friend in Florida. AJ was up to an 8 ball a day. Eventually AJ overdosed and was revived with an adrenaline needle, just like the scene with Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. You would think that would be enough for AJ to stop, but it wasn’t.

In 2001, the Backstreet Boys were supposed to throw out the first pitch at a Boston Red Sox game. AJ was partying the night before and woke up hungover, and told his manager that he wasn’t going. This prompted a fight with his band members where he quit the band on the spot. The manager gave him the option of going to rehab, and he accepted.

AJ stopped drinking and using drugs for the first time in 2001. He was able to stay sober for 7 years. Then in 2008, out of the blue, their friend Shania Twain had a concert coming up in Las Vegas. Originally, AJ wanted to do a date night with his wife at the show, but she couldn’t make it and said to go by himself. AJ knew his wife wouldn’t be there with him, so immediately he called his dealer. He thought he would be able to sober up before coming back home, but he just couldn’t stop.

Then again in 2019, Backstreet Boys had their massive DNA World Reunion Tour. When AJ got the call to go to Vegas for the residency, his wife called him and told him “Don’t even bother coming home” because she knew he was partying too much. The breaking point for him was when he got home, his daughter came to sit by him on the couch. Normally she cuddles with him, but this time she said “you don’t smell like my dad” and this crushed AJ. This was the catalyst to get help and begin his sobriety.

The pandemic recently was the silver lining for AJ. None of the temptations from the road were messing with his mental health, so he could really focus on his family and health. AJ has now been sober for 20 months. He’s traveled twice by himself now, and hasn’t relapsed. Now he’s part of the “Pretty Messed Up Podcast” along with Cheryl Burke & Rene Elizondo where they talk about their problems, addictions and how they’re dealing with them. Now with his new podcast, AJ hopes to remove the stigma with mental health by speaking openly about his experiences.

This is AJ McLean in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

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For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUSJ5ooBFqso8lfFiiIM-5g/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:

https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

https://www.facebook.com/CVFoundation/

https://www.instagram.com/carlosvieirafoundation/

For more on AJ McLean:

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Austin Reed | From Cystic Fibrosis, ADHD & Addiction to Sobriety & Successful TV & Radio Personality Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Austin inherited his addictive genes from his father’s side of the family. His father’s mother had schizophrenia, and many of his other family members have bipolar disorder. At the age of 3, Austin was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. The doctors told his parents that he would have about 18 to 19 years to live. It was tough growing up having that hanging over his head, which would lead to depression and anxiety issues early on in his life.

As a kid, it was tough for Austin to do his schoolwork and remain focused. He learned later that he had ADHD. He would have trouble just sitting still in class, and even doing small tasks or projects were difficult to finish.

Early on, Austin became obsessed with the world of broadcasting. It was one of the only things that kept his attention and later developed into a career. At age 9, he had a broadcasting studio built in the basement of his parent’s house. He would create his own shows for public access in his hometown. The local news came out to do a story on him and after that, it propelled him even further into broadcasting. At the age of 17, he already had a job with the local FOX television news station in Portland. This is when his drug use and experimentation started to take off.

At this time, Austin’s mother had a heart attack, so he moved back to Oregon to be closer to her. In Medford, there was no cystic fibrosis clinic, he wasn’t getting the care he needed. He was getting really bad headaches and was prescribed Vicodin. This started his new addiction, where he was taking 3 pills every 4 hours, to get the effects he wanted. Then his doctor started prescribing stronger medication like morphine, liquid oxycodone, soma, suboxone other various pain meds.

Then after those meds, he started getting addicted to Adderall, for his ADHD which started acting up and getting worse during his time. This was a really bad combination, so he stopped taking the crazy combinations of meds, and unfortunately switched to alcohol. Alcohol was everywhere and readily available, which made it really tough for him to quit. One of his close friends came from New Mexico, stayed with him for a while, and ended up dying from an alcoholic seizure while they were drinking together one night.

Even after the loss of his friend, he continued to drink until it really got out of control. He was drinking at all times of the day, and he finally realized enough was enough. He checked himself into rehab and has been sober for the past 6 months.

Austin now hosts the Reed Report and Central Valley Talk here in Central California. He continues to get therapy, and support from his wife and twin daughters, and family to continue his sobriety. Now Austin wants to share his story in the hopes that it can change other lives for the better.

This is Austin Reed in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:

https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Austin Reed:

http://austinreednetwork.com/

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Tony Kelly | From Professional Football Player & Gambling Addict to Author & Recovery Advocate Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

Early on in Tony’s life, he grew up in England’s 80’s culture. He experienced racism from white supremacists & skinheads in his hometown of Coventry. Then at 9 years old, he aspired to be a football player. He went to a football academy, and at 16 was offered a 2-year contract by Bristol City. He accepted and began his professional football career. He was the youngest player ever to play for Bristol City.

He was going out clubbing & drinking at the age of 16, partying with women & the rest of the team. He thought he made it at this point but was let go next year at the age of 17. This was a crushing blow for him. Then, he moved to London & worked his way back up in the semi-pro league and was able to get back on a professional team by the time he was 21.

This is when his gambling problem started. It was never about drugs or alcohol with Tony Kelly. It was about the thrill of gambling. He gave in to the peer pressure of his fellow teammates & trying to fit in with this new London crowd. He started betting like most people, betting on football games in his area. Before he knew it, it started affecting his daily life & his mental health. He would not show up to work when he would lose, and all of his money went to gambling.

He borrowed money from every one of his family members, he would gamble at all hours of the day. He wasn’t sleeping, and his health was deteriorating. He pawned all of his belongings and committed credit card fraud. He would get loans from the casino, from his teammates, but it just wasn’t enough. In 2010, he was bankrupt. He lost his house and all his money, totaling about 1.5 million US dollars. He knew he had to get help, but didn’t know where to start.

In 2011, he was working at Network Rail, working the rail lines in his booth. He recognized an older gentleman, that was a priest walking in the area. They started talking, and eventually prayed together. Looking back now, Tony says this was the beginning of his gradual road to recovery. In 2012, the press started bringing attention to the mainstream about the gambling problems of ex-professional football players, and that’s when Tony got inspired & started writing his own story of his struggle with gambling and his fall from grace. He wrote the book ‘Red Card’ in 18 months and released it in 2014. His local church was his first sponsor, allowing him to use of the hall to get his word out.

It was very therapeutic, and cathartic for him to write the book. It was his way of getting all of his trials and tribulations out there, in hopes of raising awareness and helping others. He also has a big family, so he wanted to let all of them know what actually happened, so as not to hear it from someone else, or in a distorted way. One of the things that they are now talking about in the UK that Tony is proud of being a part of, is getting their general practitioners to talk about gambling addiction with their patients, just like they would with alcohol or drugs.

This is Tony Kelly in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:

https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Tony Kelly

https://kellysredcardconsultancy.co.uk/

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Dr. Robb Kelly | Homeless Alcoholic, Session Musician, Concierge Doctor & Behavioral Science Expert Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

Growing up Robb had a tough childhood filled with trauma. He had a babysitter that would burn him with cigarettes. He also had a choirmaster in grade school that told his parents he was taking him to a recital and took him to a hotel to abuse him sexually. He tried to tell his mom, and she slapped him and didn’t believe him.

He was also playing in the family band at the age of 9, playing in adult venues and seeing all kinds of stuff he shouldn’t have seen at that age. He would go to school with holes in his socks and shoes, while his parents drank their money away at the bar every night. He inherited this gene from his parents, and it started to affect him in his early teenage years.

When he was 15, he auditioned to play bass for a session musician gig for Abbey Road studios. He had one beer to take the edge off and did well. They asked him back for 7 more auditions, so he had 7 more beers. He got the gig and decided that alcohol was the fuel of his creativity and his doing well, so he didn’t want to stop. This led to harder drugs like cocaine, and larger amounts of alcohol.

He was playing with legendary artists like David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Elton John on some of their most prominent recordings. But his drinking and drugging got so bad, he was fired from a gig, and that was the beginning of a downward spiral, that eventually saw him living on the streets, with full-blown addiction. This was also the time he enrolled to Southampton University and Oxford University to get his PHD in Behavioral Science.

He states that there is “no money in recovery.” His recovery methods are practically free, and he points out that a lot of these so-called “recovery” centers, actually over-charge and exploit their patients. They know they will give sub-par service, because they know they will be right back in their center, getting another round of sub-par treatment. This is the vicious cycle that Robb wants to break.

The root of everything Robb tries to unfold and unpack is trauma. What is the trauma behind drinking, the drugs & addiction? He focuses on how to remap your subconscious brain, in order to start the process of healing.

This isn’t a job to Robb, it is a true life passion. He doesn’t need or want to charge huge amounts of money to get people into recovery. Robb says typical recovery programs and centers don’t like to work with him because he’s outspoken & doesn’t put up with any nonsense.

Robb specializes now in taking kids and adults out of the trauma, the darkness, and the depression of addiction and alcoholism, to show them that they can have that drive and ambition to follow your dreams.

This is Robb Kelly in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

For PodCorn go to https://podcorn.com/podcasters/ and tell them you hear about them on the Knockin’ Doorz Down podcast.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Dr. Robb Kelly

https://robbkelly.com/

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Charlie Sheen | Part 2 of his Revealing Interview: Discussing His HIV Diagnosis, His Sobriety, Stories from the Sets of Some of His Biggest Films, And Being the Best Dad He Can Be Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

Charlie Sheen discusses the advancements in technology for HIV treatment and research. Charlie details how the new treatment is actually equivalent to treating diabetes, and he’s slowly winning the fight. He had to experiment with a couple combinations of medicine to eventually find out what is right for his body and symptoms.

He describes the painful process of going through a spinal tap treatment, to get a clear diagnosis of what he was battling. There was a moment where Charlie felt like “Why Me?” “Can I Go on?”, but then he took a step back and realized it’s not something like an in-operable brain tumor, it could be treated.

His mom was there for him during the process, which made it easier to get through. As a kid growing up, Charlie talks about how much his mom was forgiving, loving and always understanding of what Charlie was going through. This bond has lasted throughout his life, and insists that it still stronger than ever.

One of the toughest things Charlie had to deal with during his HIV diagnosis, was the legal requirement to contact your friends, ex’s & family members to let them know about your diagnosis, to make sure that they haven’t been infected themselves. It was a tough thing to do, and humbled him throughout the process.

Post-sobriety and post-diagnosis, Charlie talks about interacting with his family with a fresh mindset and new attitude. It was refreshing for him to not have any hinderances or things that were distracting him from being the best father he could be.

Some of the memories of the lowest moments in Charlie’s drug using days, are the things that keeps him sober these days. He keeps the memories close, as a constant reminder to himself to stay sane, contribute, and be available for the people he cares about the most.

Currently, Charlie is loving the family life. He recently surprised his 16-year-old daughter with a new car. Hear about his daily battles with his kids and how providing the best environment for them, regardless of his marital issues, is his #1 priority. It’s a tough balance to discipline the kids while co-parenting, but Charlie has some tips to share. Also, hear what album & movie Charlie chooses to be stuck on an island with.

This is Charlie Sheen in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

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For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

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For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUSJ5ooBFqso8lfFiiIM-5g/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:

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https://www.facebook.com/CVFoundation/

https://www.instagram.com/carlosvieirafoundation/

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Dr. Adam Hill MD | From Alcoholic to Author & Advocate for Depression & Addiction in the Medical Community Jun 14, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Adam Hill grew up on a small Indiana farm, with hardworking parents, his father was a counselor that worked with students with mental health issues. Adam saw this at a young age and credits this as influencing his professional arc to eventually join the medical field. His childhood had lots of bullying, with mental and physical abuse that he didn’t start dealing with until his late 20’s.

Even in medical school, binge drinking was very popular. During his medical school at Duke & Butler Universities, he started to experience the high-pressure & stressful environment that came with his profession, and it started to take its toll on his physical and mental health. Depression became a major part of his life, with sleep deprivation and anxiety making it worse. During his residency, is when he really started to notice. This led to depression in his case, and eventually to a more developed form of alcoholism.

When he started his residency & practice as a doctor, his drinking really got worse. He started drinking every day. He would use alcohol to cope with tragedy, death & trauma that he would experience every day in his profession. He points out that this situation is not unique to the medical profession, but military, police & EMT communities. When he was battling addiction, he felt that he was inadequate in his profession, by not performing the level of care that he knew he was capable of doing, and the drinking was preventing him from doing so. His wife eventually had to give him the stern intervention that he needed to get help. He realized it wasn’t himself that had the problem necessarily, but the environment he was in that was making it worse. During his addiction & alcoholism, Adam lost 5 colleagues and doctors to suicide. These were doctors and professionals that he worked with every day, and Adam saw this as an opportunity to bring this to light in his community, in hopes of saving more lives. There is a stigma attached to medical professionals, where they feel like they can’t report their problems in fear of repercussions or punishment. Adam points out that we have to do a better job of taking care of our caregivers as a society. Professions with long hours, lack of sleep, and lack of personal care really need to have the attention and focus to make sure they are taking care of themselves. This is one of his main points of focus now, as he tries to help them deal with these issues. Now he is the author of the book “A Long Walk in The Woods”, where he talks about suicide, depression, and drug use in the medical field. He makes the point that we need to realize these professionals are people as well, and they are not immune from the problems we all experience. He also points out that we need to have more community resources to combat mental health at its core and remove the stigma associated with it. He says he wanted to get all of this out of his head, and hopes that it reaches the people that need to hear a message of hope. This is Dr. Adam Hill in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

For PodCorn go to https://podcorn.com/podcasters/ and tell them you hear about them on the Knockin’ Doorz Down podcast.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast

-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race For Autism programs visit:

https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Dr. Adam Hill

https://www.adambhillmd.com/

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Chris Herren | From Basketball Prodigy to Full-Blown Drug Addict to Recovery Advocate, Motivational Speaker & Founder of The Herren Project & Herren Wellness Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

Chris’s love of basketball was forced on him in his childhood. It was a very competitive household. His brother was s very successful basketball star in high school, and Chris found himself following in his footsteps. His father was an alcoholic, and Chris feels he inherited this troublesome trait.

Chris Herren had a storied career in basketball. He loved the culture of basketball & performing, but he didn’t truly see this as a passion in his life. In his senior year, Herren was named the Boston Globe and Gatorade Player of the Year. He also was named to the McDonald's All-America Team. He went to Boston College in 1994, where he failed multiple drug tests for marijuana & cocaine, which led to him being kicked out of college and the team. He then transferred to Fresno State under coach Jerry Tarkanian. Chris says that the first four years at Fresno State were his career-defining years. He was at his best during that time but eventually fell back into his old habits.

When Herren made it to the NBA, he eventually made his way back to Boston to play for the Celtics. This is when his drug use hit its peak. He also started to increase his painkiller use with pills like OxyContin, Vicodin & Percocet. During playing abroad in Italy, he tried heroin for the first time. He would play for NBA teams abroad in places like Iran, where the punishment for heroin usage and sale is death, and yet he would still take that risk to get high.

He says looking back now that he was actually in worse shape during the season because the money he was getting paid at the time all went to drug use. It hit a new low for Chris in 2007, he was charged with possession of heroin in the parking lot of a Dunkin' Donuts. A year later, Herren overdosed on heroin and crashed into a utility pole.

When you go to Chris Herren’s house, you won’t see and memorabilia from his time in the NBA. He is only proud of his time with Fresno State because he feels that this was the most passionate & level-headed he was playing basketball, in his entire career. He says here that this was the only time of his career that he’s proud of to this day. After his recovery, he started a program called Hoop Dreams, where he has, so far, taught over 1000 kids basketball.

After founding Hoop Dreams, he wrote a book in 2011 called ‘Basketball Junkie: A Memoir’. In 2012, It was turned into a documentary called “Unguarded” and nominated for 2 Emmy Awards. Chris Herren now devotes his time to the Herren Project. He opened Herren Wellness, with one location in Virginia, one in Massachusetts, that specializes in health and wellness, and recovery for addicts. They have placed over 5,000 people into treatment, 27 family online support groups a week. The program requires honesty, transparentness, and the ability to not break from the routine. A very inclusive approach that includes the whole dynamic of family & friends of the person in recovery.

He describes the involvement of their therapists, life coaches, and other medical staff when they are accepting a new addict for treatment. According to Chris, they are very involved in the recovery process, more so than similar programs. This is his new passion and new drive in his life & hopes to reach & help as many people as possible.

This is Chris Herren in his own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma, and Race For Autism programs visit:

https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Chris Herren

https://herrentalks.com/

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Denise Richards | Maintaining Mental Health Through Divorce, Success and the Pandemic, While Bringing Her Family Closer Together in the Process May 31, 2021

Show notes

Denise Richards was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, to Joni & Irv Richards. She had a typical middle-class upbringing, as a child, she was the "only girl on the baseball team". When Richards was 15 years old, her family moved to Oceanside, California. After her high school graduation, she began working as a female model and traveled to cities such as Paris, New York, and Tokyo to do photoshoots and commercials

Denise got her first job in the acting world on ‘Doogie Howser MD’ & ‘Saved by The Bell’. It was a struggle for her to get traction on the movies she was auditioning for, but her big break came in 1996 with ‘Starship Troopers’. The budget was so large for the special effects that it opened the door for smaller actors like her to get starring roles.

After this, it was the big break in her career she needed to get bigger roles. Next was ‘Wild Things’ with Neve Campbell, and then as the nuclear physicist Christmas Jones in the James Bond film ‘The World Is Not Enough.’ Around this time, she got huge guest appearances on major TV shows like Friends, Spin City, and Two and A Half Men. This is where she met Charlie Sheen.

Denise married Charlie Sheen in 2002. She had 2 children with him, Sam & Lola Rose. Their marriage was short-lived, and full of problems, as she filed for divorce in 2006. She also had a restraining order against Charlie at the time. One of Denise’s many claims that Charlie was abusive, mentally and physically, including direct threats to her life. With her kids, Denise made sure that they were not privy to any of the fighting and discord during their divorce.

In May of 2010, Sheen surrendered legal custody of Sam and Lola to Richards. They previously had joint legal custody of their daughters. Richards got sole legal custody, given Sheen's "marital turmoil, sobriety issues, and criminal problems" and he did not put up a fight about it. This was the beginning of the healing part of Charlie & Denise’s relationship.

Hear her story about how she was able to overcome and move on from an abusive relationship & make her family and herself stronger in the process. Hear the difficulty of being a single parent & trying to get her life back on track. In June 2011, Richards adopted a third daughter, Eloise Joni Richards, as a single parent. She picked her middle name Joni in honor of her late mother. Now her kids are 16 and 17, and she feels like they have a stronger bond as a family than ever.

Now Denise is working on new projects including Glow and Darkness and Paper Empire. Denise is also starring once again on the latest season of Real Housewives on A&E as well as The Bold & The Beautiful. She met her current husband Aaron Phypers on the set of The Bold & The Beautiful, they have been happily married since 2018.

This is Denise Richards in her own words, on Knockin’ Doorz Down.

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off!

https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media

https://www.kddmediacompany.com/podcast

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race For Autism programs visit:

https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Denise Richards

https://www.facebook.com/DeniseRichardsOfficial/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices