What does it look like when someone loses themselves completely — and then finds their way back?

In this inaugural episode of Law & Porter, Elizabeth Porter sits down with her friend Lizz, whose life story is as raw and honest as it gets. Ten years ago, Elizabeth nearly ended up with Liz's baby — a mix-up that launched a decade-long friendship. Today, Liz sits across from her as a sober, thriving, college-completing, daughter-raising woman who has earned every single piece of who she is.

But getting here wasn't linear.

Lizz grew up with a criminal defense attorney father in small-town Arizona — answering the jailhouse phone in grade school, craving attention the way her dad's clients demanded it. That wiring set the stage for a life of extremes: juvenile delinquency, a deeply abusive marriage, addiction to meth and crack, incarceration, losing custody of her children, and moments where she genuinely didn't want to survive.

In this episode, Lizz talks openly about:

• Growing up as the daughter of a criminal defense attorney and what that did to her wiring

• How battered woman syndrome silenced the fighter she'd always been

• The rock-bottom moment in a bathtub, praying not to wake up

• Getting arrested in a church parking lot — and why she calls it a rescue

• How a domestic violence shelter, a dishwashing job, and one brave phone call changed everything

• Why vulnerability in recovery isn't weakness — it's the whole strategy

• Nearly ten years of sobriety, and what "even keel" feels like when you've lived in fight-or-flight your whole life

Lizz describes herself as a survivor, an ex-con, a mom, a student, a combat social worker in training, and an ever-evolving enigma. Elizabeth calls her the most delicate, strongest person she knows — like a bomb, in the best way.

If you or someone you love is navigating domestic violence, addiction, or recovery, this conversation is for you.

Resources & Support: If this episode resonated with you and you or someone you know needs help, you are not alone. Reach out — there are people ready to catch you.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | thehotline.org
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 | 988lifeline.org

Topics covered: domestic violence survival, addiction recovery, sobriety, battered woman syndrome, childhood trauma, criminal justice, faith and recovery, community, vulnerability, self-worth, rebuilding after rock bottom