ABOUT THE EPISODE:
If you use words like, "chaotic, busy, stressed out, or anxious" to describe yourself or your life, this is your episode. And for anyone with a child or someone you love who's struggling with substance use, this chaos is real and damaging to our bodies and minds.

Lane Kennedy is known as a modern-day calm maker or calm coach. She's helped thousands of stressed-out people achieve a renewed sense of deep, inner connectedness in order to bring a sense of fulfillment and peace into their lives. So when she agreed to chat with me for an episode of Hopestream I was IN.

Lane shares her experiences of working with busy, stressed-out women, talks about her own journey out of addiction to alcohol, and offers some sound and achievable suggestions for us to try when life gets overwhelming and we feel like we're losing it.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Lane Kennedy’s website & podcast, The Connected, Calm Life

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:
What to call an episode that covers lots of ground and has a variety of things included? The casserole episode!

This short, solo episode will give you some personal updates, exciting changes coming for Hopestream, a bit about the healing power of community, book and documentary info, and more - basically a podcast casserole.

It's short and sweet so grab your dog, hop in the car, or flop on the couch with a cup of something for a few minutes and exhale with me.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Episode 77 on self-compassion
• Episode 83 with Norman Stone, director of The Final Fix
• Dopesick Hulu series
• The Final Fix trailer
• Unsettled book by Ryan Hampton

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:
Of all the alternative therapies currently used for treating addiction, N.E.T. (neuro-electric therapy) makes the boldest claims. Without any use of medication, it promises to bring its patients off their drugs of addiction in 5-7 days, with little or no withdrawal symptoms and no future cravings. Could that possibly be true? And if so, why isn't it available everywhere as we continue to lose over 250 per day to drug overdoses?

This episode is both inspiring, hopeful and maddening, all at the same time. Norman Stone, director of The Final Fix documentary, sat down with me to talk about his decades-long attempts at bringing N.E.T. to the forefront in hopes it will get approved as an addiction treatment in the United States and worldwide.

In the early '70s Norman had a chance encounter with a world-renowned Scottish surgeon who had stumbled upon a non-pharmacological, non-invasive treatment protocol that got, among others, Eric Clapton off of heroin. In this episode, you'll hear that story, and also hear why this treatment and documentary are currently not available in the United States.

What is the treatment?
N.E.T. uses a small device that is taped over the mastoid bone, behind the patients' ears. Then, a carefully programmed series of tiny electrical pulses re-stimulate the production of the body's own natural pain killers, known as Endorphins and Enkephalins in the brain. For someone who's addicted to any substance these naturally produced opiates quickly become depleted, and even replaced, by the drug or alcohol. 

The pain and agony of withdrawal keep people trapped in a world that can revolve around drug-seeking, crime, ruined relationships, and often, death. N.E.T. changes all of that, and you'll hear how in this absolutely riveting episode.

For those who want to be notified when The Final Fix documentary is available in the U.S. please go to www.brendazane.com/finalfix. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• The Final Fix documentary
• The Final Fix documentary on Prime
• The Final Fix trailer (YouTube)
• About the N.E.T. device

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:
It's a really common question parents have, "my son/daughter just went to treatment...now what?"

If this is a place you find yourself, this episode will give you some assurance, guidance and thoughts about what to do during this time of change. There can be so many mixed emotions from relief to sadness and even guilt...whether it's the first time your child is in treatment, or even if you've been down the treatment road many times.

You'll hear about; 

• mindsets that can help as you enter a new phase,
• practical tips for this strange and quiet(er) time,
• why quiet doesn't always mean peaceful,
• ideas for checking in with your other kids and spouse,
• why taking care of your body is so important right now,
• thoughts on what to do about work,
• books to read,
• a very important task that needs to be done, even if it's hard,
• ideas for acknowledging and honoring your child while they're away,
• four very important practices if this isn't your child's first time in treatment,
• and lots more.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change (Foote, Wilkens)
• The Parallel Process (Pozatek)
• Hopestream episode 3 with Carrie Wilkens, Ph.D.
• Hopestream episode 22 with Julie Jarvis, Ph.D.
• Hopestream episode 41 with Nicole Kosanke, Ph.D. and Krissy Pozatek
• Hopestream episode 71 - radical self-care
• Hopestream episode 23 - should I be having fun when my child is struggling?
• All Kinds of Therapy therapist and treatment program finder 
• Psychology Today therapist finder

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 your son graduated from high school, was a nationally ranked tennis player, went to West Point, became an Army Ranger, served in Afghanistan, and went to law school, you might think all was good. But for Tripp Johnson, who achieved all of these markers of external success, life wasn't all good. 

Tripp’s story takes us from sourcing drugs off the Dark Web to law school, a yoga mat, and ultimately, creating a whole-person focused treatment program for guys struggling with substance use.

This is a story you'll definitely want to hear with insights for parents including:

• why Tripp is so passionate about the concept of human flourishing and what that means to young people struggling with substance use
• the powerful influence parents can have on their child's choices and recovery
• how Tripp's early external success allowed him to not do the work he needed to improve his life and live without substances
• why a lifestyle that includes Astanga yoga and daily meditation helped Tripp shift away from his "work hard, play harder" military mantra
• reframing self-sabotage as "returning to comfortable"
• why it's important for parents and friends to know and recognize patterns around substance use in those they love
• alternative paths people can travel to find a substance-free life
• what Tripp believes parents really need to understand, based on his day to day experiences with young adult guys who are struggling with substance use issues
• a peek inside what it's like to be on the provider side of the insurance challenges with substance use and addiction treatment
• The role efficacy plays in the insurance coverage conversation, and how we should be viewing efficacy for treatment programs
• Ways to think about relapse and the nuances of recovery

It's a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation that will leave you with new ideas around substance use, treatment, relapse, and recovery.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Addiction Treatment For Young Adults in Raleigh, NC - Green Hill Recovery
• Taylor Hunt Ashtanga Yoga
• Healing Transitions 
• Trini Foundation
• UNC Horizon's
• The Untethered Soul (Singer)

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 honor of September being National Recovery Month, I'm sharing an episode all about the confusing topic of "recovery." For parents in particular this can be a difficult concept if our kids have a different idea than us of what recovery means.

We'll look at the Recovery Research Institute's definition of the term, some "recovery" scenarios that are typical with teens and young adults, and talk about the role harm reduction plays in recovery for many people. We'll also look at many options for recovery that don't involve traditional, clinical treatment.

Finally, I share the important concept of "recovery capital," what it is and how it helps people who are working toward recovering from addiction and substance use. There's a recovery capital scale and worksheet available to download in the show notes for people wanting to learn more about this important piece of the recovery process.

If you're a parent or love someone who's working on overcoming addiction and you're confused about what recovery actually is or isn't - this is your episode.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Recovery Research Institute
• Harm Reduction Episode with Dee Dee Stout
• Brenda Zane’s Family Story - Hopestream Episode 1
• Sober High Schools - Episode 48 with Seth Welch
• Collegiate Recovery options
• Stages of Change - Hopestream Episode 66 
• Recovery Capital scale and worksheet (download)

Episode Research Links:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6602820/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19016174/
• https://www.statnews.com/2021/05/03/people-recover-from-addiction-they-also-go-on-to-do-good-things/
• https://www.recoveryanswers.org/media/national-recovery-study-30-seconds/
• https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/social-cure-family-friends-matter-recovery-capital/

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:
When Virginia Holleman's son finally entered in-patient treatment for his substance use, she thought things would get easier, especially since her company-sponsored insurance covered his treatment. Or so she thought.

The nightmare Virginia went through with her insurance company and their denial of her son's treatment isn't unique, but what is unique is the fact that this momma is an insurance coverage lawyer and now an advocate for parity - meaning substance use and mental health treatment has to be covered in the same way as any other illness.

This episode will be extremely helpful if you're a parent considering treatment for your son or daughter, or if they're currently in a program. You'll learn about the Federal Parity Act, what it means, how it's relevant to your situation, and what you can do to have the best chance at getting your child's treatment covered.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Virginia's top 5 tips for handling an adverse decision by a health insurance company:

1. Don't accept a denial/adverse decision.
2. Educate yourself on your plan benefits and the federal parity law, as well as your own state's parity law.
3. Communicate with the health care provider and insurance company.
4. Appeal, appeal, appeal!
5. Submit complaint(s) to the appropriate government regulatory authorities (state insurance department, attorney general's office, etc.)

General information on the federal parity law:

•  https://drugfree.org/article/what-is-the-mental-health-parity-and-addiction-equity-act/
•  https://www.parityregistry.org/
•  https://www.lac.org/resource/health-insurance-for-addiction-mental-health-care-a-guide-to-the-federal-parity-law

Understanding your rights/things to do before and during treatment/signs your insurance company is violating the parity law:

•  http://parityat10.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1.-Parity-at-10-BASIC-v3.1.pdf
•  http://parityat10.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2.-Parity-at-10-WARNING-v3.1.pdf
•  https://www.lac.org/assets/files/Red-Flags-Tool_poster.pdf
• https://drugfree.org/article/how-to-properly-document-your-contact-with-your-insurance-company/

Help with appealing adverse decisions:

• Https://drugfree.org/article/i-just-got-denied-coverage-now-what-how-to-file-an-insurance-appeal-

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:
Grief is right up there with politics, sex & religion as "things not to talk about" for a lot of people. And grief doesn't only apply to the impact of someone dying, it's much broader and impacts every single one of us...so why is it so taboo in our culture?

Leslie Barber knows grief all too well after suddenly losing her husband to cancer, and has shifted her career to helping others understand all-things grief. In this episode, we talk about how it impacts us all, how we can be better at "doing" grief, and why we usually get it wrong. 

She shares thoughts for parents who are grieving the "normal" things that go along with raising teens when they veer off course and your now-normal looks very different from what you'd anticipated. Leslie also helps us understand what ambiguous and anticipatory grief is and why it's so relevant to parents of kids struggling with substance use.

You'll come away from this special hour having a better understanding of why it's so important to grieve, whether that's a person you love, a pet, or a missed experience, and will have some practical tools for navigating your own grief. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Leslie’s website: www.agriefwarrior.com
• What to say when someone dies - blog post
• Pauline Boss website, Ambiguous Loss
• Pauline Boss’s podcast interview on On Being: Navigating Loss Without Closure
• Heartfelt Sympathy Gifts - gift boxes for those who are grieving

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 you're working on being a little more self-compassionate and practicing self-care, there may be times when you ask yourself, "am I just being lazy?" You might also find there are times when your so-called self-compassion might feel more like self-sabotage. SO confusing. You end up feeling guilty for not feeling guilty, or vice versa.

This episode will break down what self-compassion actually is, what it isn't, and importantly, how to tell the difference between healthy self-compassion and laziness or self-sabotage. There's even a simple litmus test I share that will let you look at your behavior and know right away what you're being to yourself.

It's a quick, snackable episode that's perfect for a quick dog walk or errand run so listen in and give yourself a break from feeling guilt - or not - when you're trying to take care of yourself.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Unapologetic, Radical Self Care - Hopestream episode #71

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 had the immense honor of speaking with Mark Pepper, a beautiful human who has lived the nightmare of long-term addiction and now enjoys a healthy, happy,  substance-free life. Not only does Mark lead an incredible, full life, but he also helps others re-build theirs as they recover from substance use and addiction.

Parents of adult children who are living in active addiction are true warriors and have an extra special place in my heart. This episode will provide you warrior moms and dads with hope and knowledge that people can and do recover - even if they're 39 years old, living in a park and eating from garbage cans.

For parents of younger teens and adults, you will definitely want to hear what Mark has to say about things his parents and family did that moved him toward recovery because they're things you can do no matter the age of your son or daughter or how long they've been using substances. 

This is a moving and real episode that will get you thinking and reinforce that people are incredibly resilient and can win over drugs and alcohol, even if it takes a while.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Persevere Now: Persevere is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to empower justice-involved men and women and individuals at risk for justice involvement to succeed as productive members of society. We do this by helping them develop the skills they need to be employable within the technology industry, either as employees or entrepreneurs and helping them find jobs in the field. Our goal is to change lives through education, mentoring, and ongoing support.

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.