All Things Substance

Shame is paralyzing. It lurks in the hearts of all people causing us to hide from each other. Therapists are uniquely suited to help people get free from shame. Today we'll talk about the impact of shame on addiction.

Paperwork for therapy is a core part of the job. It's sometimes also a pain in the ass. Developing good habits at the beginning of your career will be incredibly helpful. Today we'll talk about the four main types of paperwork and what the purpose is for each one.

Jonny isn't the type of person others picture when they think addiction. But addiction is sneaky and can strike even the most unlikely people. His internal struggles were eating him up and he didn't know how to talk about it. Hear his story of finding true self-acceptance through recovery in this week's episode.

Fear and addiction always show up together. Being in active addiction fills a person with fear of so many things. Today we'll talk about managing that fear in our therapy sessions.

We can ask all the perfect questions, but sometimes a client's answers aren't as clear as we'd hoped. There are lots of reasons for why a client might not want to share about their use of substances. Today we'll discuss the most common responses and how to work around them.

Why do we need to diagnose clients? Is it harmful to give someone a diagnosis? I believe that done correctly, diagnosing can help both you and your client. I believe that having a name for what someone is going through can be healing for them.

Sean is a regular guy. Married to the love of his life. Father to four wonderful girls. Trying to be his best self to his family. Alcohol wasn't an issue, until ALS showed up in his father and things took a turn for the worst. Hear his story of persevering through grief to find the joy of recovery in this week's episode.

Why would therapists not ask about substance use? Perhaps a fear of practicing out of scope, not feeling like they have enough knowledge about drugs and a number of others. We'll talk about those reasons in today's episode.

Is CBD good for anxiety and/or PTSD? Is CBD good for treating substance use disorders? Is CBD good for chronic pain and arthritis?

With CBD being added to more things all the time (drinks, lotion, vitamins and even water) it can be hard to know what is real and what isn't. In our work as therapists we really need to know what science is saying about CBD and its benefits. I took on the task of sorting through research to find the truth.

What should you focus on as graduation approaches? What should you look for in a first post-grad job? What about going into private practice?

Everything you've done since entering college has been leading to this moment. In this episode we'll talk about getting your resume ready, choosing an agency and the things to consider when accepting an offer.