What if opioid withdrawal could visibly ease in 20 minutes and cravings could drop to near zero within days? We sit down with Net Recovery CEO Joe Winston to unpack a wearable neuromodulation device, FDA-cleared for managing opioid withdrawal, that adapts to real-world drug trends and may restore a person’s ability to choose. Joe traces an unexpected journey from aerospace and AI to building a handheld system that translates complex waveform expertise into accessible care—and shares how rigorous trials and peer-reviewed data convinced skeptics.

We dive into how the device works: gel electrodes behind the ears deliver patterned stimulation that dynamically shifts based on daily assessments of opioid, sedative, and stimulant withdrawal. As supplies change—think xylazine-adulterated fentanyl or emerging veterinary sedatives—the team retools waveforms to meet the moment. The results are striking: measurable relief within an hour, average treatment of three to four days, and early evidence that many patients reduce use of opioids and psychostimulants for months post-treatment, even without medication. That renewed agency becomes the catalyst for aftercare, longer residential stays, and more consistent engagement.

Access and scale matter as much as science. We explore delivery in jails where Medicaid interruptions worsen withdrawal, residential programs, and new office-based addiction treatment designed for privacy and minimal life disruption. We also tackle safety and harm reduction—falling tolerance raises overdose risk if someone returns to old doses—and clarify patterns of lapse versus relapse observed in follow-ups. Beyond clinics, Joe lays out a bold public-health vision: statewide jail deployments measured against overdoses, all-cause mortality, and re-arrest. It’s a practical, humane plan to meet people where they are and move addiction care forward with data, transparency, and stories of real recovery.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick rating. Your support helps more people find evidence-based paths out of addiction.

To Learn More about Net Recovery: https://www.netrecovery.net

One of the studies Joe referenced in our interview: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1510428/full

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]

Join us for this episode which is a fast, honest tour through what ketamine can actually do for mental health—without the hype. We sit down with addiction psychiatrist Dr. Mark Hrymoc to unpack where the evidence is strongest, who qualifies, and why IV ketamine often produces quicker relief than nasal esketamine when depression won’t budge. From treatment-resistant depression and acute suicidality to anxiety and PTSD, we dig into the protocols that matter: six-session inductions, customized maintenance, and practical strategies for measuring progress with tools like the PHQ-9.

We pull back the curtain on how ketamine works at the receptor level—NMDA antagonism, downstream dopamine effects, and BDNF-driven neuroplasticity—and explain why dissociation may help some patients but isn’t required for benefit. You’ll hear how we screen candidates, manage blood pressure, reduce nausea, and set up sessions with eye masks, ambient music, and a nurse at the bedside so the experience is safe, focused, and grounded. We also get real about addiction risk, clarifying the difference between recreational use and a carefully monitored medical protocol, and how stable recovery timelines factor into clinical decision-making.

For PTSD and anxiety, we explore pairing ketamine with psychotherapy and post-session integration to turn insights into change. We compare IV ketamine’s dosing flexibility with Spravato’s structured pathway, talk costs and coverage, and outline how to taper other meds only after sustained stability. Looking ahead, we spotlight promising research directions—from extending response with adjuncts to early signals for substance use disorders—and why interventional psychiatry is opening a much-needed chapter beyond traditional antidepressants. If you’ve wondered whether ketamine is a bridge or a destination, this conversation gives you a clear, practical map. Subscribe, share with a clinician friend, and leave a review to help others find evidence-based mental health care.

To contact Dr. Grover - [email protected]

Parenting can sharpen joy and stress at the same time—and for moms and dads in recovery, that edge can test every habit that keeps sobriety strong. We sit down with Sarah Benton, licensed counselor, addiction specialist, and author of Parents in Recovery, to unpack how families can protect recovery without sacrificing the warmth and wonder of raising kids. From morning routines to packed weekends to those birthday parties where wine shows up next to the cupcakes, we get practical about limits, language, and the lifestyle choices that prevent burnout.

Sarah explains why “recovery first” isn’t selfish—it’s the foundation that keeps everything else standing. We explore the high-functioning myth, where substances quietly enable overloaded schedules, and what happens when you remove the “checkout” at day’s end. Expect candid talk on right-sizing commitments, navigating the dip of post-acute withdrawal, and building a toolbox that actually works: therapy, meetings, peer support, and simple rituals for rest. We also dive into partner dynamics, from two parents in recovery to mixed households, and the education and respect that make those setups sustainable.

Prevention gets the spotlight too. Genetics raise the stakes, and delaying a teen’s first drink past 15 meaningfully lowers risk. We share how to start honest conversations by middle school, present family history without shame, and set boundaries around alcohol and cannabis in social spaces. You’ll hear real-world scripts, ways to model “social battery” limits at home, and strategies to swap FOMO for intention. By the end, you’ll have a clear map for turning recovery into a steady family culture—one that keeps parents connected and kids grounded.

If this conversation helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with someone who needs a practical, hopeful roadmap for parenting in recovery.

To learn more about Sarah's work:

www.bentonbhc.com

www.waterviewbh.com

To contact Dr. Grover:

[email protected] 

What if helping someone you love through addiction starts with healing yourself? That single shift reframes everything—your boundaries, your tone, your scripts, and the way your home holds stress. Dr. Casey Grover sits down with family coach and author Lisa Katona Smith to unpack Parallel Recovery, a values-driven approach that gives families actionable tools and a steady process for change without the burnout of fixing or the coldness of detachment.

Lisa shares how a personal crisis led her to blend educator skills, CRAFT principles, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed strategies into a practical toolkit. We explore values and their shadow sides—how devotion without limits becomes resentment, and humor under pressure turns into sarcasm—and why clarity about who you want to be drives better boundaries. You’ll hear the “hamburger boundary” story, a low-stakes, high-impact example of retraining family dynamics; a phone-blocking repair script that turns punishment into invitation; and simple ways to separate the person from the behavior so conversations stay human.

We also look at the reality of nervous systems under stress and why sustainable change means concepts over checklists: consistent limits you can keep, language that calms, and agreements on how to raise concerns after treatment so families don’t slip back into super-sleuth mode. Lisa explains why families are the first and final connection in recovery and how parallel support—one guide for the family, one for the person—reduces conflict and opens the door to readiness. If you’ve felt stuck between carrot and stick, this conversation offers a third path: redesign the relationship so change has room to grow.

To learn more about Lisa and her work: https://lisakatonasmith.com/

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]

Cravings don’t wait for perfect conditions, so we need plans that work in real life. I sit down with coach Jason Lyle to unpack a grounded, nontraditional approach to addiction treatment that starts with the body and rewires the brain: cold water immersion, breath work, meditation, and yoga. This is recovery as nervous system training—practical tools that widen the gap between urge and action and put your prefrontal cortex back in the driver’s seat.

Jason shares his path from ministry through sex addiction and despair to a repeatable method that helps men regulate first, then choose. We break down the science in plain language: why ice baths create a safe, high‑intensity rehearsal for impulse control; how Wim Hof‑style breathing builds micro‑seconds of space during cravings; and how a five‑minute, no‑frills meditation practice teaches you to see thoughts and let them go. We also show where yoga fits in—not acrobatics, but simple positions that let the body signal the brain and release tension before it becomes a decision you regret.

Across the hour, we map a daily stack that takes 20–30 minutes and delivers fast results, plus what to expect at the two‑month plateau when the “new normal” feels unfamiliar. You’ll learn the three pillars Jason uses—honesty, curiosity, and self‑love—along with on‑demand regulation moves: a ten‑second breath reset, when to grab a cold shower, and why hard exercise can dump stress hormones when grounding isn’t enough. We also talk identity shifts, rewriting shame narratives with simple journaling and affirmations, and how small choices compound into a life you actually want to defend.

If you’re a clinician, coach, or anyone navigating addiction, this conversation offers concrete steps and clear language to share with patients and peers. Explore Jason’s resources at thesacredgrit.com and his Sacred Grit Podcast for guided practices. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use a stronger toolkit for recovery. Your next calm breath might be the start of a different day.

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]

Vintage drug ads promised calm mornings, slimmer silhouettes, and instant relief from restless nights. We dig beneath the glossy slogans to unpack how Black Beauties, Quaaludes, Miltown, Barbiturates, and Purple Hearts shaped the path to today’s mediations—and what that history teaches us about safety, dependence, and withdrawal. With clear explanations of GABA, tolerance, and cross‑tapering, we connect old “uppers and downers” to modern clinical practice and the real risks people still face.

I share why amphetamines jumped from diet pills to productivity boosters, how tranquilizers won hearts and airwaves, and why barbiturates’ direct receptor action made them both effective and uniquely lethal. We explore the strange logic of combining a stimulant with a sedative in a single pill, the concept of the therapeutic index that flipped prescribing habits, and the cultural pressure—often aimed at women—that fueled demand for daily sedation. You’ll hear how benzos improved the safety margin, where they still go wrong, and how clinicians now use careful tapers, screen for polysubstance use, and apply harm‑reduction strategies to prevent overdose.

If you’ve ever wondered why some drugs vanished and others became standard, this deep dive brings context, clarity, and practical takeaways. You’ll walk away able to explain the difference between narrow and wide therapeutic indexes, why withdrawal from certain depressants is so dangerous, and how our field balances relief with risk. Subscribe, share with a colleague who treats anxiety or addiction, and leave a review with the one historical ad or insight that surprised you most.

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]

Stress doesn’t wait for a convenient moment, so why should resilience training wait for a crisis? We sit down with Coach Kay, a PhD serving first responders, ER teams, and other high‑stress professionals, to unpack a practical roadmap for emotional resilience you can actually use. We connect the dots between addiction, overwhelm, and the brain’s survival circuitry, then break down simple steps to recruit the prefrontal cortex, label emotions accurately, and respond with intention instead of impulse.

You’ll hear a clear definition of emotional resilience as a learnable skill and a tour of the six domains that make it concrete: vision, composure, reasoning, health, tenacity, and collaboration. We talk through what a first session looks like, why early “small wins” build momentum, and how honest conversation itself shifts brain chemistry. For clinicians and caregivers, we address the bitter edge of burnout and PTSD and show how third‑person perspective and narrative reframing loosen long‑held patterns without minimizing the pain that created them. If you’re supporting people in recovery, you’ll get language to explain limbic activation, why substances become shortcuts, and how proactive habits restore choice.

This conversation is warm, candid, and grounded: practical journaling prompts, mindfulness tactics, and movement as medicine—whether that’s CrossFit or a neighborhood game of basketball. We make the case for teaching resilience to teens during key developmental windows while reminding everyone that it’s never too late to start. The thread throughout is agency: notice what you feel, understand why, and build rituals that help you act on your values when it counts.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague who’s carrying too much, and leave a review with one resilience practice you’re trying this week. Your story might be the nudge someone else needs.

To learn more about Coach Kay's work: https://www.psyrescoaching.com/about

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]

A physician-mom sits across from us and tells the truth: she loved a good, kind man whose alcoholism, fueled by unhealed PTSD, dismantled their family one crisis at a time. From quiet home drinking to ER runs, withdrawal hallucinations, and an ICU ventilator, her story captures the clinical realities of alcohol use disorder and the human cost families carry in silence. She walks through safety plans for her kids, a neighbor’s garage that became a refuge, and a courthouse morning where getting a restraining order had to look “normal” so the children wouldn’t panic.

We dig into the mechanics of stigma—how judgment from colleagues, self-stigma as a physician, and the fear of losing a job keep people quiet. We talk person-first language, trauma-informed care, and the practical wisdom of respond, don’t react. She shares the hard boundary every caregiver eventually faces: sobriety can’t matter more to you than to the person using. Along the way, community shows up in surprising forms: a packed church, meals left at the door, volunteers finishing a half-built treehouse, hikes that reopen space to breathe, and faith that survives anger and doubt.

You’ll hear concrete takeaways for supporting loved ones with alcohol addiction: naming the disease without shaming the person, building child-first safety plans, seeking counseling that treats PTSD and substance use together, and finding support that fits your life when formal groups aren’t possible. Above all, you’ll hear hope—gritty, ordinary, persistent. If you’re carrying a similar weight, you are not alone. Listen, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more families find real support. Subscribe for more conversations that put compassion, science, and action at the center of addiction care.

What if the fastest way to help a loved one stop using isn’t pushing harder but stepping out of the “villain” role? We sit down with master addiction counselor and YouTuber Amber Hollingsworth to unpack a practical, compassionate framework that actually moves people from resistance to readiness. Amber explains why policing, nagging, and ultimatums create the perfect distraction from change—and how strategic empathy, active listening, and credibility open the door to real motivation.

We break the recovery process into simple, workable steps: stop being the bad guy, build trust by reflecting the person’s perspective, and allow the bargaining phase—“only on weekends,” “just beer,” “no more pills”—to serve as useful data rather than defeat. You’ll hear how to accelerate learning without triggering defensiveness, why a 30-day trial of sobriety is a powerful reality check, and how to prepare resources so you can act quickly when the “I’m ready” moment arrives. We also dive into separate-counselor models that lower conflict, how to align change with a person’s values and strengths, and the role of humor and respect in keeping people engaged.

We don’t ignore medical realities. From treating insomnia, anxiety, and depression in early recovery to using long-acting buprenorphine injections for opioid use disorder, we explore low-barrier tools that improve safety and adherence—especially vital in the fentanyl era. The goal isn’t to force a path; it’s to create conditions where the next right step feels easier than the last wrong one.

If you’re a parent, partner, or clinician looking for strategies that work in the real world, this conversation offers concrete scripts, mindset shifts, and timing cues you can use today. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest insight—what’s one change you’ll make in your next hard conversation?

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]

The bell rings, the doors open, and the real work begins: keeping kids safe while the drug market slips into their phones and pockets. We sit down with Principal Leland Hansen to unpack the day-to-day reality of school-based prevention, from vape pens hidden in hoodies to Snapchat dealers who change handles as fast as administrators can warn parents. Leland lays out a candid, practical playbook that pairs firm boundaries with a health-first response, including a six-week on-campus program for first offenses that removes friction for families and actually gets used.

We get specific about what’s showing up now—tobacco and THC vapes far more than alcohol—why post-legalization supply is spilling into schools, and how educators investigate under strict limits that require reasonable suspicion. Leland shares the red flags he watches for, like sudden changes in demeanor and unlikely new friend pairings, and explains why middle school is the leverage point where beliefs are forming and choices stick. We compare big assemblies that grab attention with smaller class sessions that build trust and invite tough questions, and we talk about how students quietly use anonymous tip lines to help friends despite a “no snitching” culture.

Parents are crucial, but time-starved. We discuss ways to reach them—tabling at concerts and back-to-school nights, short videos and podcasts they can catch between chores, and direct guidance on home limits that reinforce school expectations. Partnerships matter: local nonprofits providing on-campus support, health educators updating staff on evolving devices, and police following up when adult sellers target kids. The throughline is simple and strong: clear rules, credible facts, and rapid support change outcomes.

If you care about safer schools, smarter prevention, and giving adolescents real choices, you’ll find tactics you can use tomorrow—whether you’re an educator, parent, or community partner. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help this podcast continue to grow. Your feedback helps us reach more schools and families.

To contact Dr. Grover: [email protected]