Mess it Up Show 444 - OchlocracyMess it Up Show 444 - Ochlocracy
Mess It Up Podcast
Courtney Piper from Olive Juice Apparel joins the…
40:56•6 Oct 2026
From Witchcraft to “No High Like the Most High”: Courtney Piper’s Wild Turn to Sobriety
Episode Overview
- Childhood abuse and dysfunctional relationships left Courtney stuck in repeated patterns of hurt, anxiety and substance-fuelled chaos.
- New age practices, feminism, witchcraft and psychedelics were used as attempts to heal pain and find meaning, but ultimately led to deeper exhaustion.
- A desperate cry to God in her bedroom and a strong sense to "read the Bible" marked a clear turning point towards Jesus and a new life.
- Celebrate Recovery and Christian community became key supports in both her faith and sobriety journey.
- Her phrase "no high like the most high" inspired Olive Juice Apparel, using humour and bold designs to start conversations about faith and recovery.
“I felt this overwhelming sense that I was okay… there was definitely a demarcation between my old life, what happened in my bedroom that day in Indianapolis, and my new life now.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode of Mess It Up throws that question straight at Courtney Piper, a yoga instructor, business owner and former "goddess worshipper" who now describes a radical shift into Christianity and alcohol-free living. Hosted by the ever-chatty Bow Tie Guy (Paul), the show mixes light-hearted banter with some pretty heavy subject matter.
You’ll hear Courtney trace her story from a childhood marked by abuse and insecurity, through decades of feminist activism, new age practices, herbalism, tarot and witchcraft, all the way to a late-40s breakdown-turned-breakthrough. Her turning point comes in a bedroom in Indianapolis, crying out to God and hearing a clear inner push to "read the Bible".
She explains, "I had this incredible moment with Jesus where I ended up on my knees and I just felt this immense feeling of like love and warmth… and I had this overwhelming sense that I was okay." The episode is especially relevant for people in recovery who’ve tried to fill the void with everything from relationships to psychedelics.
Courtney talks candidly about repeating the same destructive relationship patterns, feeling "dysfunction on repeat", and what it meant to finally feel at home in faith and sobriety. There’s plenty here for Celebrate Recovery regulars too: Courtney shares how a CR conference encouraged her, and how a throwaway line from a CR leader – "there's no high like the most high" – helped spark her Christian clothing brand, Olive Juice Apparel.
Paul keeps things playful with a "word of the week" (ochlocracy – mob rule) and a brief Christian music feature, but never loses sight of the bigger message: messy lives can still carry hope. If you’ve ever wondered whether your past disqualifies you from faith or freedom from alcohol, this conversation might make you ask a different question: what if the mess is exactly where the new chapter starts?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.