Stephanie Short began drinking in elementary school. By the time she dropped out of high school in her junior year, her use had intensified, and so did the problems that came with it. Taking whatever drugs were trending at the time, Stephanie’s use and difficulties continued until she got into enough trouble to end up…

If we are to have a better understanding of our relationships with family, friends, society, and ourselves, we need a way forward. Rainie Howard, an award-winning CEO, bestselling author, and relationship expert, discusses her book, The Love Habit. Because a person’s self-image directly influences daily habits (emotional, mental, and physical), which then directly impact relationships with…

Words matter. Words are powerful, so powerful that many of us avoid talking about certain topics because of the emotions the words create. Jessica Lahey, the author of the New York Times bestselling books, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed and The Addiction Inoculation:…

When people experience decline in their mental health, every part of their lives is affected. Sydney Reece discusses the need for an integrated approach in addressing a person’s mental, emotional, and physical selves. Sydney is the Vice President of Operations at Mind Body Optimization. She has a Master’s Degree in Counseling from University of North…

What would you do if your life’s partner, the father of your children, was planning on ending his life? That was the situation facing Jenny Prochut when she discovered that her husband, Chris, a police commander, had made plans to do just that. Jenny tells the story of what she did to gather the resources…

Jacob Jansen and Douglas Darby embody their company’s mission of “connection, strength, and hope.” Both Jake and Doug are survivors in long-term recovery. Separately, they established several businesses focused on recovery and then collaborated in 2020, forming Turning the Page, a company that offers educational programs about mental health, substance use disorders, and behavioral change.…

Recovery from Substance Use Disorder is everything from a challenge to a celebration. The recovering community is ever-present to support folks through the challenges and to celebrate together every step of the way. Cindy Burzinski discusses her work with the recovering community and the many programs available at Wisconsin Voices for Recovery. Cindy is the…

Who helps the helpers when the helpers need help? And what if the helpers are law enforcement officers and first responders? Chris Prochut, a mental health advocate and law enforcement suicide prevention trainer, discusses his own mental health issues that precipitated in his starting “Talk2EndStigma,” a training and resource firm dedicated to starting the conversation…

An increasing number of sober, sober curious, and recovering people have found that alcohol is not necessary. Kristi Tanner is a single mother of four in long-term recovery who serves as a recovery coach and the driving force behind Sober Social, a non-alcoholic bottle shop (AKA a “package store” or “party store”) in Middleton, Wisconsin.…

Since the inception in 1980, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) has worked tirelessly to end impaired driving. In 2022 almost fourteen thousand people were killed by an impaired driver. Erin Payton and Karl Krull discuss MADD’s mission and work. Erin is a Director of Mission Operations for MADD, providing support and guidance to about twenty percent of…