A fight For Sobriety and Motherhood | with Sonya Johnson
What happens when addiction takes your kids, and the system makes it even harder to get them back?
This week on Sh*ts F*cked, Paris sits down with Sonya Johnson, an award-winning child welfare advocate, mum, and lived experience powerhouse from the United States. Sonya shares her deeply personal story of addiction, losing custody of her children, and the uphill battle to get them back, navigating a foster care system that often punishes, rather than supports, families in crisis.
Together, they unpack the emotional toll of separation, the trauma families face within the child welfare system, and the stark contrast between U.S. and Australian approaches to reunification. Sonya opens up about the strength it took to show up to court, meet the system’s demands, and rebuild her life, ultimately reuniting with her children.
She also shares her journey to sobriety alongside her husband, her work with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), and what earned her the title Child Welfare Professional of the Year. Today, she’s helping other parents in similar battles reclaim their families, and their futures.
This episode is an honest listen for anyone affected by addiction, child removal, or the flaws in the systems meant to protect us.
What we cover:
Family reunification after addiction
Addiction, foster care, and systemic trauma
Lived experience in U.S. child welfare systems
Sobriety, parenting, and healing
Advocacy through NAMI and child welfare reform
Supporting parents navigating family court and recovery
