There is no shame in wanting to get well and there is help for those who die a little each day trying to figure out how to cope and overcome addiction.

Getting past the shame and anger of addiction is the goal of the podcast “Dying To Get Well,” hosted by Michelle and Alyssa Sherratt.

Together, Michelle and her daughter Alyssa, are waging a personal and daily battle against drug addiction while offering hope to other people struggling to find their own way through addiction.

Their expertise with addiction stems from their own gut-wrenching life experience rather than a formal university education.

Alyssa is a recovering heroin and methamphetamine addict and a mother of two children. She was homeless for two years before beginning her journey of sobriety with the help of her mother.

“I had people judging me for a long time,” she said. “But It’s just a part of my story, and it’s something that I did and it’s not who I am.”

Michelle is an office of education secretary who grew up in a family in which her father and uncles were addicts, but, she managed to steer clear of addiction. That’s what made her so angry and hurt when she learned Alyssa, her eldest of three daughters, was shooting heroin and meth. Michelle’s forgiving nature, however, helped her get past the anger and realize Alyssa’s addiction was not something she could control without help. “I ‘m going to love my child, no matter what. But I’m going to have boundaries,” she said.
Michelle took guardianship of Alyssa’s first child while she worked to get clean. It has been a difficult time for everyone in their family during which there have been many little victories and setbacks. It’s an ongoing and never-ending journey.

Now, Michelle and Alyssa have reconciled their once volatile relationship and taken it to another level of understanding, compassion and love. “We don’t always agree and see things in the same light, but at the end of the day, we have the same goals in mind,” Alyssa said.

“We’re not really here to promote any twelve-step program or anything like that,” Michelle said. “We’re just here to say this is what I did. This is what works for me. Your journey is going to be different than my journey.”

“Dying To Get Well” is for anybody struggling to get past something whether its addiction, grief, illness or any of the risk factors that can lead to addiction. Michelle and Alyssa agree, it’s okay to want to come back, get healthy and not be ashamed. For them, the podcast is therapeutic and a means to help other people on their journey to recovery.