Curiously Enough

This week on Curiously Enough we have Nico Doorn with us! Nico M.Ed., LCDCI is the Executive Director at Alpha 180, America’s first sober fraternity, located in Austin, TX. Alpha 180 provides newly sober clients a platform to enter higher education in a supportive environment including residential, clinical, and social programming. Before relocating to Austin, Nico served as an Outreach Coordinator for Cumberland Heights Treatment Center in Nashville, TN. Simultaneously, he was completing a graduate degree in Human Development Studies at Vanderbilt University where he served as the graduate assistant for Vanderbilt Recovery Support. During his involvement, this Collegiate Recovery Program grew in its reach and offerings receiving local and national attention.

Nico’s addiction treatment experience spans from young adult specific program formulation to ground-up recovery residence development and leadership. He spent the last 3 years serving on the board of the Tennessee Alliance of Recovery Residences. Nico also participated in a TED Talk, Hiding in Plain Sight, where he shares his story of being in recovery and the stigma that follows the disease of addiction. 

Nico shares his personal experience with addiction and going to college in recovery. He also shares his thoughts and ideas about going to college in recovery, the skills that need to be learned and the barriers that one might face. We talk about being young and in recovery, the challenges we face, and the changes that need to be made in our society around addiction & recovery. 

Make sure to head over to alpha180.com to find additional information and ways to contact Alpha 180. 

Welcome back to Episode 15 of Curiously Enough! Instead of learning from an expert about our stories, I wanted to bring a guest who could share their moving and inspirational story. Sometimes we learn most about ourselves when we see ourselves in others and connect with the pain and restoration. This is a podcast and a platform to shine a light on the shadows we hide in so by giving this platform to others we let their light shine through. Shame dissipates when there is connection, fear is questioned when we stand in strength. So here's to connection and strength and discovering our bravery through the bravery of others. 

Today, our guest, Christie Valdiserri is sharing her story as she began her journey as a dancer, losing her hair, and becoming bold in facing life and the challenges that present themselves. 

We talk about self-love, hope, and what she's learned as she's transformed from blonde to bald to bold. 

Check her out on instagram: @christie.valdiserri

https://www.christievaldiserri.com

Welcome back to Curiously Enough! Today we are thrilled to have Kim Porter on as our guest. Since 2014, Kim Porter has served as the Executive Director of Be a Part of the Conversation. Be a Part of the Conversation addresses substance use, misuse and addiction and its impact on individuals and their families by building a culture of awareness and support. 

If you would like to know more about Kim and the work she is doing with Be a Part of The Conversation please make sure to visit conversation.zone or send Kim an email at [email protected]

Enjoy!

Today it is my pleasure to introduce our guest for today, Sarah Jane Chapman! Sarah Jane lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she is a yoga and meditation teacher as well as a massage therapist. Yoga has continued to help Sarah Jane in her own recovery from an eating disorder. She has made it a part of her mission to share tools and insights with her clients that she serves.  

She has completed Kids Yoga teacher training with Karma Kids Yoga and completed her 200 hour Hatha Yoga teacher training in India. In addition, she went to massage school at Mind Body Institute to expand her knowledge of body and energy work. 

Sarah Jane teaches yoga to private clients in addition to teaching at Wild Heart Meditation Center. She also works with folks who are in recovery from drugs, alcohol and eating disorders at Cumberland Heights and other treatment centers around Nashville. Currently, Sarah Jane is working on completing her yoga therapy certification. 

In this conversation, we talk about eating disorders, intuitive eating, yoga, meditation, diet culture, and the idea of body neutrality. 

If you would like to know more about the work Sarah Jane is doing please do yourself a favor and check out her website www.sarahjanechapman.com or her instagram @sarahjanechap.

Today we're honored to share our conversation with the one and only, Tommy Rosen. Tommy is a yoga teacher and recovery expert with advanced certifications in both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga. He has 26 years of continuous recovery from acute drug and alcohol addiction. Tommy is one of the pioneers in the field of Yoga and Recovery assisting others to holistically transcend addictions of all kinds. He leads Recovery 2.0 retreats and workshops internationally and presents regularly at yoga conferences and festivals. 

Tommy is not only an author but hosts The Recovery 2.0 Power Hour Podcast where he interviews leaders in the field of addiction and recovery, spiritual teachers, medical doctors, nutritionists, yoga and meditation teachers, and wisdom keepers who are all shedding light on living beyond addiction. Tommy has been able to talk and work with people such as Gabby Bernstein, Joe Polish, and Dr. Bruce Lipton. His podcast helps listeners tap into new perspectives on addiction and cutting-edge philosophies and practices to heal and thrive on the amazing path of recovery.  

In this conversation, we talk about the meaning of addiction, the tools in recovery, a unique idea called "prehab", and how everyone has different needs. We also have an interesting talk about how food plays a role in the healing process. Tommy believes in yoga, mediation, and community when trying to eliminate shame, guilt, and fear around addiction. 

If you would like to know more about Tommy and the work he is doing please do yourself the favor and check hIm out on Instagram, Facebook, or visit his website at: https://www.r20.com.

Instagram: @tommyrosen

Welcome back to Curiously Enough, Episode 11! 

It is an honor and privilege to welcome our guest for today, Don Lipstein. Don Lipstein is honored to work with TAPS as a Survivor Care Team Advocate connecting survivors to compassionate care and various grief resources.  He does this in tribute to his oldest child, Master of Arms Second Class Joshua L. Lipstein, who died by suicide in March 2011 while proudly serving in the US Navy for 5 years. 

After 30 plus years in hospitality management, Don joined TAPS in 2012 as a Peer Mentor Coordinator and transitioned to the Survivor Care Team in 2017.  Most recently, Don was recognized as a Certified Family Recovery Specialist in May, 2018 based on his personal and professional experiences with family addiction.  His genuine passion, and love for people have led him to be a guiding light for many TAPS survivors as they find their way through their grief. 

We discuss grief, forgiveness, the stigma of suicide, vulnerability, and more. You don't want to miss out on this moving and inspiring conversation with Don. 

If you would like to more about TAPS and the work Don is doing in the community please make sure to visit www.taps.org. In addition, if you know of someone who may be struggling please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. 

This week on Curiously Enough we have a special guest, Dallin Nead. Dallin turned to creativity and storytelling to help him deal with loneliness, lack of connection, and low confidence as a teenager. Dallin switched his private journaling to sharing his story publicly. Now, he has made it part of his mission to fight the stigma and limitation of sharing our story that our society has set in place. Dallin tries to break false beliefs, shame, judgment, and fear to work best with clients to tap into their own vulnerability. 

Over the past 10 years Dallin has worked in corporate, travel, film, and broadcast video production serving major brands like Princess Cruises, U.S. Marine Corp., and Teachable. Through all of this he fell in love with the power of story and how it has the power to change the world and grow businesses. StorySelling was inspired out of a need that Dallin saw to combine effective methods of marketing and storytelling with proven quality, systems, skills, and people.

If you want to learn more about Dallin, visit these links!

Website: https://www.dallinnead.com 

Instagram: @dallinnead

Podcast: The Story Therapy Show

Thanks for listening!

This week on Curiously Enough we have Dr. Melissa Brown Wenrich, someone I deeply value in my own life. Dr. Melissa is the founder of Nashville Brain and Body located in Nashville, TN. She is a board certified functional neurologist, acupuncturist, and chiropractor among other certifications.  

Dr. Melissa and I discuss her story with finding her voice so she could help others find theirs. We discuss the importance of knowing your story, especially when it comes to understanding your health and treatment for your illnesses. She believes we need to treat patients like their humans. She believes our bodies are never trying to harm us but tell us something, she believes in the power of focusing on your breath, and searching for the root cause instead of focusing on symptoms. 

Enjoy this week’s episode, it’s packed with useful information from a holistic/alternative viewpoint. Dr. Melissa Brown is a powerhouse of wisdom and hope. 

If you would like to know more about Dr. Melissa and the work she is doing please check out www.nashvillebrainandbody.com.

Happy friday! This week on Curiously Enough, I brought on a special friend and someone who inspires me, Nicolette Ray. Nicolette's story has fueled her passion for helping others and has allowed her to step into the light that she is!  She has used her story to guide and motivate others in finding and knowing their truth. She found that she felt the most free when she stopped trying to prove herself and rather stepped into being herself. As a mentor and teacher, her mission is to help others do the same with Soul Aligned Branding. 

She helps entrepreneurs get fully aligned with WHY they’re here on this planet. She takes the big vision inside of her clients and teaches them how to align their brand mission, message, marketing, and visual presence with that dream. 

We cover a bunch of topics ranging from understanding your WHY all the way to struggling with chronic illness. She provides her insight on the chakra system, taking responsibility for your life, and authenticity. I can’t wait for you to hear the golden nuggets she shares. Thank you for listening, enjoy!

Please do yourself a favor and make sure to check out Nicolette’s website https://nicoletteray.co/ or visit her on instagram @nicoletteray_