In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Cody Palmer, Director of Business Development at Team Recovery Technologies, a company helping addiction treatment programs strengthen alumni engagement through technology and community.

Cody shares his personal journey from construction to behavioral health, how a family crisis led him into recovery, and how Team Recovery’s tech platform is helping providers nationwide reduce relapse and increase alumni referrals.

Topics include:

• How alumni programs bridge the gap between treatment and long-term recovery

• Why connection and community reduce relapse risk

• The technology behind Team Recovery’s custom alumni app

• Using gamified surveys and data to measure outcomes

• The impact of a strong alumni community on referrals and retention

• Lessons from scaling to 275+ treatment programs across the U.S.

Mentioned Resources:

• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

• The Four-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss

• How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger

• Team Recovery Technologies Website: https://www.teamrecovery.io

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Craig Aasved, CEO of Shodair Children’s Hospital, Montana’s only psychiatric facility dedicated exclusively to children and adolescents.

Craig shares how Shodair is redefining youth mental health care in a rural state, expanding beyond inpatient services to include outpatient clinics, school-based therapy programs, and telehealth to reach kids in every corner of Montana.

Topics include:

• Building a full continuum of care across inpatient, outpatient, and school settings

• How school partnerships help identify kids earlier and prevent crises

• Overcoming rural access and staffing challenges

• The impact of trauma-informed models like the Sanctuary Institute

• Leading through loss and creating a culture of honesty and healing

• Future goals: expanding school programs statewide and launching eating disorder services

Craig’s leadership journey is a powerful example of how purpose, prevention, and partnerships can transform mental health access for kids.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Four Stages of Psychological Safety by Timothy R. Clark

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

• The Sanctuary Institute: https://www.thesanctuaryinstitute.org/

• Shodair Children’s Hospital: https://shodair.org/

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Andy Flanagan, CEO of Iris Telehealth, a leading telepsychiatry company connecting patients to licensed mental health providers across the U.S.

Andy shares lessons from his career leading startups and global enterprises, from scaling Iris fivefold since 2020, to fostering culture and accountability, to reimagining telehealth as a seamless part of modern healthcare.

Topics include:

• Why telehealth will soon be “just healthcare,” not a separate category

• How Iris delivers care in high-acuity settings like emergency departments and Medicaid clinics

• Balancing innovation with execution to drive sustainable growth

• How empathy and culture fuel clinician engagement

• Data science and predictive models for early intervention

• The leadership lessons behind scaling profitably in a mission-driven space

Resources Mentioned:

• ⁠Blue Ocean Strategy⁠ by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

• ⁠Crossing the Chasm⁠ by Geoffrey Moore

• ⁠Innovator’s Dilemma⁠ by Clayton Christensen

• ⁠Zero to IPO⁠ by Frederic Kerrest

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Andy Flanagan, CEO of Iris Telehealth, a leading telepsychiatry company connecting patients to licensed mental health providers across the U.S.

Andy shares lessons from his career leading startups and global enterprises, from scaling Iris fivefold since 2020, to fostering culture and accountability, to reimagining telehealth as a seamless part of modern healthcare.

Topics include:

• Why telehealth will soon be “just healthcare,” not a separate category

• How Iris delivers care in high-acuity settings like emergency departments and Medicaid clinics

• Balancing innovation with execution to drive sustainable growth

• How empathy and culture fuel clinician engagement

• Data science and predictive models for early intervention

• The leadership lessons behind scaling profitably in a mission-driven space

Resources Mentioned:

• Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

• Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

• Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen

• Zero to IPO by Frederic Kerrest

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we talk with Karri Francisco, Executive Director of Telehealth at All Points North (APN), one of the most innovative and outcomes-driven behavioral health organizations in the country.

Karri shares how APN built an integrated model connecting detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, IOP, and outpatient services into one coordinated continuum of care. She discusses how warm handoffs, real-time communication, and telehealth help clients stay engaged and supported at every level, from their first session to long-term recovery.

Topics include:

• How APN integrates residential, telehealth, and experiential therapy

• Why “warm handoffs” build trust and reduce client drop-off

• Overcoming time zone challenges in national virtual care delivery

• Using data and the Acorn Collaborative to track outcomes in real time

• Scaling clinical operations without losing the human touch

• How APN uses programs like surf therapy and movement-based healing to support trauma recovery

Mentioned Resources:

• The 80/80 Marriage by Nate & Kaley Klemp

#BehavioralHealth #Telehealth #ContinuityOfCare #AddictionRecovery

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Dr. Michael Barnes, counselor, educator, and clinical leader at The Foundry Treatment Center and The Michael Barnes Family Institute.

Dr. Barnes shares his decades of experience helping families navigate trauma and addiction, and why lasting recovery requires healing not just the individual, but the entire family system.

Topics include:

-How addiction creates “secondary trauma” in families

-What it means to move from a “new normal” to a newer normal in recovery

-Why families often mirror the symptoms of PTSD

-How to teach boundaries and regulation without shame

-The difference between co-dependence and pro-dependence

Dr. Barnes also explores how clinicians can build trust with families, why “enabling” is a trauma response, and how families can move from crisis toward connection.

Mentioned Resources:

-When the Solution Becomes the Problem by Dr. Michael Barnes

-Prodependence: Beyond the Myth of Codependency by Robert Weiss

-Start With Why by Simon Sinek

#AddictionRecovery #FamilyHealing #TraumaInformedCare #BehavioralHealth

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Jennifer Chase, Life Coach and Founder of Rise Addiction Life Coaching.

Jennifer shares her extraordinary story of transformation, from growing up in a family marked by addiction and trauma, to battling her own opioid dependence, to watching her son face the same struggle. Today, she helps families heal generational patterns and find peace, even when a loved one is still using.

Topics include:

• How addiction becomes a family disease, not an individual one

• Why boundaries are protection, not punishment

• The difference between enabling and supporting a loved one

• How parents can “allow the muddling” and let natural consequences teach

• Healing shame and codependency within families

Jennifer’s story is raw, powerful, and deeply hopeful, a must-listen for anyone touched by addiction or family trauma.

Resources Mentioned:

• Unhooked by Jason Coombs

• Codependent No More by Melody Beattie

• Let Them by Mel Robbins

• Conquering Shame and Codependency by Darlene Lancer

• Rise Addiction Life Coaching

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Michelle Walters, Clinical Hypnotherapist and creator of Make My Hypno, an AI-assisted platform that delivers personalized hypnosis recordings in minutes.

Michelle shares her journey from corporate marketing into clinical hypnotherapy, how COVID pushed her to pursue a purpose-driven career change, and what inspired her to merge her love of tech and psychology to make mental wellness tools more accessible.

Topics include:

• How hypnosis works and why it’s scientifically validated

• The difference between stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy

• Using AI to create custom self-hypnosis experiences

• How repetition and accessibility improve long-term outcomes

• Why AI can augment therapy but not replace the human element

Michelle also discusses the misconceptions surrounding hypnosis, how it can help with anxiety, phobias, and bad habits, and her vision for blending technology and empathy in the next era of mental health.

Mentioned Resources:

• Make My Hypno Site

• An Alignment of Spirit: Finding Work You Love by Michelle Walters

• The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Ajita Shah, LPC, ACS, PMH-C, founder of Innerspace Counseling, and Melissa Maranzano, Administrative Director. Together, they share how they built a trauma-informed, female-led practice in New Jersey offering PHP and IOP programs for children, adolescents, and adults.Ajita and Melissa discuss their personal journeys in behavioral health, the importance of representation and mentorship for women in leadership, and how Innerspace is addressing unique needs like perinatal mental health, mom guilt, and family engagement.Topics include:-Identifying and closing gaps in the mental health system-Why representation and mentorship for women leaders matter-Supporting moms with perinatal mental health services-Creating boutique, individualized care in a small practice model-The operational lessons learned in building and sustaining a practice

In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Bill Bailey, President and CEO of Cenikor Foundation, one of the most respected nonprofit recovery organizations in the U.S.

Bill shares how Cenikor grew from serving fewer than 1,000 people a year in 2004 to over 15,000 individuals annually today, without ever losing sight of its mission. From blending lived experience with formal education, to building leadership pipelines and funding recovery support specialists even after grants disappeared, Cenikor is a case study in scaling recovery with both compassion and discipline.

Topics include:

-Building systems that allow nonprofits to scale while staying mission-driven

-Why over 60% of Cenikor staff being in recovery strengthens the continuum

-Investing $160K annually in staff education and leadership development

-Cenikor’s unique blended nonprofit/insurance model

-The importance of alumni networks and recovery support specialists

Bill also shares deeply human stories from the frontlines of recovery, from a child thanking him for “giving me my mommy back” to clients rebuilding their humanity after decades in addiction.

Mentioned Resources:

-Cenikor Foundation website: https://www.cenikor.org/

-Good to Great by Jim Collins

-Factfulness by Hans Rosling

#AddictionRecovery #BehavioralHealth #NonprofitLeadership #RecoveryAtScale