ABOUT THE EPISODE:
One of the hardest things to surrender in parenting is our own dreams for our kids and accepting what they’re choosing for their lives as they gain independence. In this very relatable coaching episode, Karolina shares how a combination of complex learning difficulties, feeling socially isolated, and the pandemic all created a perfect storm for her son to have escalating behavioral and substance use issues.

While Karolina’s son was able to attend wilderness therapy and residential treatment, you’ll hear how challenging it was to watch him choose to live on his own after receiving so much support from his family. Through our conversation, Karolina recognizes just how resourceful and determined her son is, and how her nagging tendency may be pushing him away rather than motivating him. I offer her a challenge to detach in a healthy way, avoid jumping to worst-case scenarios, and still leave the door open for her son to accept support on his terms.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Some early educational and social challenges that make children vulnerable to misusing drugs and alcohol
• How Karolina and her husband had to make difficult concessions to stay in relationship with their son
• Why we have to commit to recognizing and celebrating our kids’ strengths
• How to tap into your child’s interests to foster deeper connection
• Why we have to stay present and resist the need to “play out the movie” of our kids’ lives

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
In this special episode, I’ve invited Jeremy Melloul, owner of MOLT Clothing company back on the show. Jeremy joined me on episode 90 to share his story of early exposure and addiction that very nearly took his life a few times and what intercepted that risky path for his life.
 
We covered so much ground in that episode that I thought it would be great to check-in with Jeremy and see how things are going. We talk about what recovery looks like on a daily basis, how he has to fight to overcome his desire to isolate, and the wisdom he’s gained along the road.
 
Additionally, we explore the impact of social media on the recovery journey and why choosing the slower fix is a process that requires a lot of self-compassion. Don’t forget to go check out wearmolt.com where you can buy the favorite guy in your life an incredible t-shirt or hoodie. The bonus? You can feel good knowing some of your money will go to support other individuals in their journey towards sobriety.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How recovery is an active life-long journey
• Why Jeremy is doing the work of discovering his passions outside of business
• What it takes to start choosing the “slower fix”
• Why self-care means steering clear of social media for Jeremy
• How MOLT Clothing is giving back to a sober-living scholarship with every purchase

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Episode 90: from heroin needle to sewing needle, giving back through recovery with Jeremy Melloul
• Check out the Store: www.wearmolt.com
• Connect on Instagram: @wearmolt

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This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
In a follow-up to episode 131 where I had a conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté about his new book, The Myth of Normal, I'm diving into four key insights I gleaned from the book and from our time together.

While there are many more, these four elements of Gabor's overall message in the book and his work as a whole stood out, and I felt it was important to share them with you.  These insights are ones that parents with kids struggling with substance use will find especially relevant as they navigate the wild ride.

I share my thoughts on these key concepts from the book:

• self-awareness and self-compassion
• the link between stress and illness
• authenticity, and
• anger

If you haven't already, take a listen to episode 131, then this will be a perfect follow-up. Or, start here and get curious about the more profound conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté and queue up 131 next.

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Are you ready for a deeply personal and thought-provoking hour? Dr. Gabor Maté is well known for his unflinching look at childhood trauma and how it manifests in our lives, and he does not disappoint in this raw, honest, and candid conversation. I'm even the recipient of an impromptu therapy session looking at my parenting and childhood patterns, an essential piece of work to do when our kids and underlying family dynamics struggle.

Dr. Maté's newest book, The Myth of Normal, explores themes around our unmet needs, their relationship to pain, and how we adapt to that pain to survive. As parents, it can be uncomfortable looking at ourselves as we work to heal our families and understand our kids' pain and suffering. He also shares the proven connection between repressed emotions and chronic illnesses  - and ways we can begin to heal - ourselves and our families. 

We cover critical topics like; 

• caregiver stress, 
• the sensitive child, 
• parental guilt,
• a new view of ADD, ADHD and ODD diagnosis.
• generational trauma (which you might not even recognize as trauma), 
• women's role in society as "shock absorbers."
• the incongruity of the  "tough love" concept,
• the need for a return to the communal approach to parenting,
• and two vitally interconnected needs our kids have - attachment and authenticity
• plus so much more

It’s a do-not-miss episode that may shed new light on some dark areas you’ve been pondering about yourself and your child who’s struggling.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• The Myth of Normal & all of Dr. Maté’s books 
• Book: It Didn’t Start With You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle
• Book: The Orchid and the Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle and How All Can Thrive 
• Hello Again Project with Daniel and Gabor Maté

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
There are some thoughts, questions, and situations we face as parents of kids who are misusing substances that make us question our parenting, our sanity and even our humanity. Because these tricky topics don't often make it into the conversation, we're tackling them today as a way to air issues you may be wrestling with - but doing it in a safe, private place.

Cathy Cioth, my business partner and host of The Stream Community joins me as we talk about 9 complex topics including:

• Should I be drinking or using any kind of substance myself when my child is struggling or in treatment?
• Why do I not feel intimate or attractive, and am I supposed to be right now?
• What does self-care actually look like because I can't imagine doing it
• Am I a horrible person for thinking life might be better if my child wasn't around anymore?
• I'm pretty sure my son or daughter will never speak to me, and we won't have a relationship if I impose treatment
• Should I be getting a therapist too, or is it just my child who needs help?
• What happens if I say, "I'm done. I can't do this anymore?"
• It sucks to see my friends and family member's kids doing so well - I resent my child for what I'm going through and what I'm missing out on
• Am I supposed to mortgage my house and empty my 401K to pay for treatment, and if I don't, am I a terrible parent?

Join us as we dive into the things we rarely talk about and gain some ideas and insights you can consider for your family's situation.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Beyond Addiction, How Science and Kindness Help People Change (book)
• Tonia Ahern episode #127

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:

One of the biggest challenges young people who are misusing drugs and alcohol face is identifying the plan for transitioning back to the “real world” post-treatment. Young people can become vulnerable because they feel they don’t belong anywhere as they start to rebuild a new and different life that doesn’t involve substances.  If they aren’t ready to hold down a job or enroll in college, where do they go? How do they spend their time without getting into trouble? 

In this episode, I’m joined by Amanda Fialk, the Chief Clinical Officer of The Dorm, a safe place for young adults to find community and gain skills and tools to become independent as they seek to find their place in the world after treatment for substance use and mental health challenges. Amanda has worked hard to build in aspects of outpatient treatment that she saw were missing from her own experience.

The difference young people find at The Dorm is the holistic approach to support services and an urban, “real world” environment that still offers guidance and nurturing. Young adults receive access to long-term support as it relates to their clinical, academic, health and nutritional needs, just to name a few. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• How a simple request from a staff member in her own treatment program changed the course of Amanda’s career
• What prompted Amanda to leave law school and instead pursue advanced degrees in social work and mental health
• What she believes makes traditional outpatient therapy programs ineffective for young adults
• Why every family needs to agree on a discharge plan before a student leaves a program 
• Why it’s beneficial to not dive straight back into school, work, and other demands, and how parents can play a role in this important transition period
• The difference between your child talking and the substances talking

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Check out The Dorm Website
• The Dorm on LinkedIn
• The Dorm on Instagram

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Have you ever followed someone and their work so closely that you feel like you’re friends, but you’ve actually never met? That would be the case with today’s guest. I’m finally sitting down with Mark LaPalme, founder of Isaiah House, who celebrates 23 years of sobriety and has been instrumental in helping thousands of people find recovery. 

In addition to all the incredible recovery programs offered at Isaiah House, it is also host to an FDA trial for the NET device. If you’ve listened to any other episodes about this treatment option you’re going to share my excitement. The NET device has the potential to not only save many more lives, but if approved, will transform the entire world of drug rehab with its ability to reduce the detox process both in duration and side effects. 

Listen to discover what pain led Mark to begin self-medicating at age 11, what kept him deeply addicted to both substances and the lifestyle that goes with it, and what support he found to leave that life behind. You’ll be blown away to hear about the comprehensive approach Isaiah House is using to empower people with tools they need to discover their purpose and transform their lives in recovery. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• The seemingly harmless actions of Mark’s father that created deep emotional trauma 
• How key relationships enabled Mark’s drug use 
• About the mindset of a functioning user
• Why the team at Isaiah House is committed to extended support for 11 months
• What you can do when you feel powerless as a parent
• How the NET device is changing everything we know about detox and recovery

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Isaiah House
• Learn more about the NET Device and how to become part of the FDA trial. 
• Episode 83  with documentary director Norman Stone
• Episode 86 with NET Recovery Corp’s Owen Fielding
• Episode 113 - Clinging to Hope; An Epic Saga Of Addiction, Medical Innovation, Loss, Recovery, Hope, and Unconditional Love
• Wayne State University article on NET trial
• NET trial eligibility criteria

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Have you ever felt overwhelmed when you realize just how many layers there are to the addiction that is derailing your son or daughter? When we get curious and focus on asking questions, it’s incredible what we can learn about our kids. For so many, an unrecognized mental health diagnosis is at the root of their pain and substance use. 

My guest today is Tonia Ahern. She’s a mom who lost her son, Rory, to opioid addiction and now fights to change legislation to support prevention, evidence-based treatment practices, recovery support programs, and family support. Tonia is also a certified recovery and parent coach who emphasizes the CRAFT method in every aspect of her practice. Not only is she a knowledgeable resource, she’s also a mom who knows exactly what you’re likely walking through. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Why Tonia would not encourage you to mortgage your house to pay for treatment as a first step
• How to spot the signs of an underlying mental health struggle
• How Tonia was able to connect deeply with her son in the midst of his addiction
• How to find and  navigate your state-sponsored treatment options
• Practical ways you can help make resources for recovery available for the most vulnerable

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Partnership To End Addiction (website)  
• SAMHSA (website) 

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
If there is one thing you can count on when your child is misusing substances or struggling with addiction and the mental health issues that come with it - it's change. Change is a constant, and you can either have your world capsized by it, or you can be intentional about planning for it to lessen its impact on you and your family.

Based on lessons learned from my own experience and that of the hundreds of families I work with, this episode will help you prepare emotionally and practically when things go right and when things go wrong.

You'll gain valuable ways to team up with your co-parent, spouse or partner to shore up your relationship and also hear ten incredibly practical things you can do that will allow you to focus on your child and next steps when change happens rather than scouring for information, finding logins and chasing down people to help. 

You'll also have a chance to spend one quiet minute gathering yourself and quieting your mind, an important part of approaching this challenging time in a more healthy way.

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
I joke that this club of mine (The Stream Community) is the club you never want to find yourself needing an invite to. But here we are, doing this messy, exhausting, and entirely meaningful work together. I am so grateful yet another one of these moms is sharing her story with you. 

In this coaching episode, I am joined by Jamie, a long-time member of The Stream. She shares the impact of pre-term birth and how other learning and health challenges have complicated her son’s academic success, social life, and drug use. We discuss how her ex-husband’s own addiction has impacted her son and his attempts at sobriety. Additionally, she thoughtfully unpacks the difficulty (and gift) that being an empath can be for our kids.

If you’re struggling to find ways to support your child because of their extreme displays of disrespect, you’ll want to listen to take a lesson from Jamie’s book. She’s doing so many things well, and yet she’s aware of the boundaries she has to protect to save their relationship. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Why kids who are empaths are vulnerable to addiction
• Strategic ways to stay regulated when your son or daughter isn’t able to
• Why being your child’s ‘safe person is a double-edged sword
• What incredible wins Jamie has been witnessing in her son
• Why “projecting positive” impacts everyone in the picture

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Outward Bound Intercept (website) 
• Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (book)

This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream Community
Learn about The Stream, our private online community for moms
Find us on Instagram here
Find us on YouTube here
Download a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol

Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.