Wrong Crowd — Why Dangerous Belonging Can Feel Safer Than Home

Youth Addiction and Dangerous Belonging: How neglect, poverty and survival can pull young people toward gangs and substance use.

Maria Power brings more than 17 years as an addiction specialist doctor to a story that began with drinking at 11, gangs in her teens, the Triad at 18 and the Yakuza at 20. She argues that addiction is often treated as bad choices, when the deeper pull is belonging, protection and survival in places that should never have to feel safe. Her early life moved between poverty, family separation, Australia and the Philippines, where being left alone made danger look like structure. Listeners leave seeing the warning signs before a young person mistakes danger for home.

About Maria Power

Maria Power, podcast guest

Addiction Specialist Doctor

17+ years Addiction specialist practice16-40 Monthly client caseload1,400 People issued exemptions30M TV story viewers

Dr Maria Power is an addiction specialist doctor and transformation-focused recovery coach based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Through Dr M Power Pty Ltd, she works with CEOs, public figures, athletes and people affected by substance use and abuse issues, helping them move from trauma, addiction and emotional instability toward wellness, peace, stability, contentment and hope.

Her work combines addiction treatment, recovery coaching, mentoring, interventions, wellness coaching and executive coaching. She brings a broad educational foundation to her practice, including a Doctor of Professional Research Studies focused on collaborative peer recovery coaching for co-morbid polydrug dependence, a Master of Public Health in alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and further study in psychology, philosophy, linguistics, training and assessment.

Maria has more than 17 years’ experience as an addiction specialist doctor with Dr M Power Pty Ltd, where her responsibilities have included weekly client sessions, mentoring, long-term vision planning, teaching teen drug education to high school students, and teaching healthy eating, meditation, healthy lifestyle, nutrition, Qi Gong and yoga. Her background also includes community services education, curriculum writing and training, and work as a drug and alcohol intern.

For podcast hosts, Maria offers a candid, clinically informed and lived-experience perspective on addiction, recovery and personal transformation.

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