When does it stop being a party and start becoming a problem? Is there a way to steer clear of addiction?
Every Wednesday, Mike McGowan explores substance use disorders with expert guests.
Episodes
Both Can Be True
Recovery, like life, is full of what seems like contradictions. Love and resentment, passion and despair. Jessica Guerrieri details the complexities of recovery brilliantly in her new novel, “Both Can Be True.” Jessica is a writer and novelist who lives in Northern California with her husband and three daughters. With a background in special education, Jessica left the field to pursue a career in writing and raise her children. With over a decade of sobriety, she is a fierce advocate for addiction recovery. In this podcast, she discusses her recovery and her new book, ”Both Can Be True.” Jessica’s book, other works, and contact information can be accessed at Jessica Guerrieri.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Always At Choice — Coping With Grief and Loss
We may not be able to choose the circumstances we’re in, but we always have a choice regarding how we respond. That is just one of the life lessons Larry Freeborg talks about in his book, “Always At Choice: Strategies for Moving on After the Death of a Spouse or Life Trauma.” Larry was forty years old when his wife died from acute leukemia on the day after Christmas. He became a widower with four young children. Larry started his life over during a recession, with no job, no money, and no partner to help him raise his children. He discusses what he learned, what helped, and what’s important. Larry’s book and contact information can be found at alwaysatchoice.net.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Who I’m Becoming
Jonathan Schwartz was at the top of his game serving as a business manager to celebrities including Beyonce, Alanis Morisette, Gwenyth Paltrow, Mariah Carey, Linkin Park, and others. But he kept a dark secret: he was a compulsive gambler and cocaine addict. Over the course of six years he embezzled over $7 million from his clients to fund these addictions. Jonathan’s criminal behavior earned him a six-year sentence in prison. He returned to society in 2020, went back to school, and got a degree in alcohol & other drug counseling, followed by an advanced degree as a therapist. Today, he makes a living as the Director of Programing at Altus Rehab, a top-tier, luxury treatment facility in Encino, California. Find Jonathan on Instagram.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Breaking the Cycle of Addiction Starts with Understanding It
When we’re going through difficult times, often the tendency is to isolate and withdraw. Help is available, but often folks are reluctant to reach out and ask for it. Dana Emold talks about a new venture she is piloting for a free Family Education / support group at Wellbrook Recovery in Brookfield, Wisconsin, providing education on topics like “Understanding the Disease of Addiction” and “Codependency / Enabling.” Dana is licensed as a Professional Counselor and Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor at InTune Collaborative Counseling in Mequon, WI. The free Family Education / support group is at Wellbrook Recovery in Brookfield, WI. Dana, the Education program, and InTune Collaborative Counseling can be reached at InTune Collaborative Counseling.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Spinal Fusion and Pain Management
Anyone who has experienced chronic lower back pain knows that relief is sometimes difficult to find. Dr. Rohan Lall discusses a groundbreaking new procedure being developed to help those with chronic lower back pain. Dr. Lall is a neurosurgeon specializing in robotic and minimally invasive spine surgery, complex spinal surgery, surgery for brain and spinal tumors, and skull base surgery/pituitary tumor surgery. He has been a leader in robotic spinal surgery and is actively involved in the development of new technologies in spine surgery. He is the Chief Medical Officer of SynerFuse, a Minnesota-based medical device company innovating the spine industry with its integrated approach to spinal fusion and chronic pain. Dr. Lall and SynerFuse can be reached at https://www.synerfuse.com/.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
What to Eat (and Drink) Now
Recently the federal government released new guidelines for alcohol and food. Marion Nestle discusses those new guidelines and her lifetime’s work as a nutrition expert and nutrition policy advisor. Marion is a Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University in the department she chaired from 1988-2003 and from which she retired in September 2017. She has a PhD in molecular biology and an MPH in public health nutrition from the University of California. Marion is a past senior nutrition policy advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services and editor of the 1988 Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health. She is the author, co-author, or co-editor of sixteen books, several of them prize-winning, most notably “Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health” (2002); “Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety” (2003); “What to Eat” (2006); and her new book, “What to Eat Now.” Marion can be reached at Marion Nestle | NYU Steinhardt. Her books are available everywhere.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Bringing Hope to Rural Communities
Rural communities in America have a shortage of resources for mental health and substance use disorders. That shortage makes services provided by rural schools so important in the lives of students and families. Tania Reindl talks about the challenges and opportunities that working in rural communities presents. Tania is a Mental Health Navigator in a small, rural school district in Wisconsin. She has worked as a county social worker and has also worked with the Department of Corrections. More information about rural communities and mental health can be found at Rural Behavioral Health.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Heart to Heart
The mission of the Heart to Heart Foundation is to support programs providing services to children needing homes, biological parents making crucial decisions for their children, and adoptive parents hoping to provide the families and homes that children long for. Donna Pope is the Director of Heart to Heart Adoptions based in Sandy, Utah. She talks about their work and the joys and challenges of raising adopted children. Heart to Heart, and Donna, can be reached at https://hearttoheart-foundation.org/.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) is often overlooked, misdiagnosed, and understudied. Individuals with FASDs and their families also face persistent stigma, negative stereotypes, and harmful biases, due to public misunderstandings. Guida Brown talks about how we can assist women and families both during and post pregnancy. Guida is the Principal for Guided by Guida and serves as a Community Relations Consultant for the US Drug Testing Laboratories in Des Plaines, Illinois. She also serves as President of the board of Orchids FASD Services Wisconsin, the Wisconsin affiliate for FASD United. Guida is certified by the State of Wisconsin as a Substance Abuse Counselor and a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder trainer. She is also a Kenosha, Wisconsin, County Board Supervisor. She can be reached at https://guidedbyguida.guide/. Orchids FASD Services of Wisconsin and their resources are at https://www.orchidsfasdservices.org/.
The State of Wisconsin’s Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin.
More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill.
Journey Out of the Bottle
Jane Musgrave grew up on the outskirts of Brisbane, Australia. She endured a troubled childhood that led her to seek an escape in alcohol. What began as a coping mechanism quickly grew into an all-consuming addiction, shaping decades of her life and leading to a series of difficult choices. She details those struggles and her recovery in her terrific book, “My Journey Out of the Bottle: Four Rehabs and a Recovery.” Visit Jane on Facebook and her book is available on Amazon.
