Hopestream: Parenting Kids Through Addiction & Mental Health

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
When Dr. David Wiss got out of jail the second time, he was determined to change his life.  But he had no fancy treatment program to take him out of his environment, no medication, and very little therapy. Instead, his recovery was realized through a dedication to healthy eating, exercise, and sunlight.

Today, David is the founder of Nutrition in Recovery - a group that specializes in treating eating and substance use disorders - as well as the developer of a specialized nutrition curriculum that has been incorporated at more than 50 treatment centers around the world.  His years of study bring together the biological, psychological, and social aspects of nutrition for a truly holistic understanding of its role and importance in recovery and healthy living.  David has spent more than 10,000 hours in one-on-one nutrition counseling, and today we all get to benefit from that incredible knowledge.

In this episode, we discuss why healthy, principled eating is so important to the recovery process, how it provides meaning for young people looking to belong, why kids who misuse substances are often drawn to conspiracy theories, and how understanding the actual conspiracies of food and drug corporations can be a step in the right direction. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Dr. David Wiss's website
• Alice Baker, MSRD CEDS-C LMHC LPC LD/N website
• Alice Baker on Hopestream ep. 221

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.

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
Watch the podcast 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.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:

In this episode, I explore the integration of Motivational Interviewing (MI) into the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach for helping a child (or anyone) struggling with substance misuse. I share personal experiences, explain both methods' foundations and principles, and highlight their synergy in fostering effective communication and supporting positive change.

I also share when MI will be useful for parents and how to use it, underlining the importance of empathy, creating a non-judgmental space, and building confidence in your child's ability to change. There are also tips on how to get to that empathic and compassionate place if you're not there today.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Hopestream Ep. 160 with Dr. Emily Kline
• Dr. Emily Kline's website & book, "The School of Hard Talks"
• Motivational Interviewing For Loved Ones free e-course by Dr. Kline
• CRAFT efficacy research
• MI and CRAFT research
• MI Addiction Treatment Outcome Evaluation

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
Watch the podcast 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:

Over the five years of doing this podcast and participating in hundreds of calls and groups in The Stream, our online community for moms, Cathy and I have seen patterns emerge and today we’re talking about a few of them. We’re sharing three things we see come up over and over which have a great impact on parents when they have a child or children who struggle with mental health and substance misuse. 

The good news is that there are simple (not easy) and practical ways you can modify your behavior and thinking that can radically improve the difficult season of life you’re in. Join us as we share these three important topics that can have a major influence on your family.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Episode 174 on boundaries, with Brenda & Cathay
• Nancy Landrum episode on boundaries, #245
• Mary Crocker Cook on episode #223
• Bill Guy on episode #137

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
Watch the podcast 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:

From the age of 12, Dr. Judy Grisel loved every drug she tried immediately. Over the next decade of intensive use, she found herself kicked out of high school and two colleges, homeless, and contracted hepatitis C from a dirty needle. At the age of 22, she was told she would die unless she stopped drugs entirely.

Judy rejected the idea of abstinence, but she developed a plan to stop using just long enough to survive. Against all odds, her experimental period of sobriety led Judy to a career as a renowned neuroscientist studying the role of the brain in addiction. She’s been in recovery for over 38 years.

In today's episode, we discuss a wide range of topics, including the most important things parents should understand about marijuana dependence and withdrawal, the critical role of risky behavior in teens, and why so much substance use centers around our kids’ sense of meaning.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• TED Ed: How does alcohol make you drunk?
• TEDx Talk: Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction
• Judy’s Journey - Bucknell Univ. Article
• Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction (Dr. Grisel’s 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
Watch the podcast 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 Steven Petrow's mother died in 2017, he decided to take up a practice that he'd heard about but never tried: gratitude journaling. As an award-winning journalist for the New York Times and Washington Post and author of several books, he was intimately familiar with writing. But finding joy amidst such an immense sense of loss seemed impossible and a gratitude practice seemed a little woo-woo.

Within a year of beginning, his father also died, his marriage was crumbling, and his sister was diagnosed with cancer. 

So when the pandemic hit in 2020, Steven began intense research into the accumulated data and wisdom surrounding joy and happiness. His in-depth work has now culminated in a new book, The Joy You Make: Find the Silver Linings -- Even on Your Darkest Days.

In this episode, Steven and I discuss how everything he learned helped him through his most challenging season of life, the important difference between happiness and joy, and what happened when he decided to honestly answer a stranger who asked, "How are you?"

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Steven Petrow’s website & books
• Steven 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
Watch the podcast 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:

The tradition continues! Each year, I share a “Golden Nuggets” episode with segments from some of the best of the year. This year, you’ll hear from me, along with Kristina Kuzmič, Mary Crocker Cook, Dr. Amy Hoyt, and Jared Murray. Be sure to head to the show notes and download the PDF with links to each of the full episodes.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Download the episode PDF with links to all episodes
• ACES - Adverse Childhood Experiences questions
• Assoc. Of Recovery High Schools
• Afraid To Let Go - Mary Crocker Cook’s book
• Kristina Kuzmič - ep. 244
• I Can Fix This - Kristina Kuzmić’s book
• Brenda Zane on How to Use CRAFT, ep. 239
• Dr. Mary Crocker Cook, ep. 223
• Brenda Zane - Mother’s Day Tribute, ep. 218
• Dr. Amy Hoyt, ep. 236
• The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk, Ph.D.
• Brenda Zane on the state of the treatment industry, ep. 203
• Jared Murray, ep. 243

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
Watch the podcast 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.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:
In this personal episode, I sat down with my son Enzo Narciso to discuss his journey of recovery, personal growth, and transformation. Enzo shares candid insights into managing ADHD, maintaining sobriety, and working with adolescent boys struggling with substance misuse.

Drawing from his own experiences of overcoming a high-risk lifestyle and addiction and having to rebuild his health after a life-threatening overdose, Enzo provides hope and practical strategies for parents navigating their child's recovery journey.

The conversation covers topics including setting boundaries, managing triggers, and the importance of consistency in supporting young people through challenging times. I feel so fortunate to be able to have a conversation like this with my son - I hope it brings you peace and encouragement no matter where you are on your path.

EPISODE RESOURCES:
Narciso Life Strategies Mentoring: call, WhatsApp or text: 619.534.8520 

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
Watch the podcast 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:

A significant number of parents in the Hopestream community find themselves facing three major issues with their kids: ‘unfinished’ adolescence brains, heavy use of marijuana, and ADHD. That probably shouldn’t be surprising; kids with ADHD are more likely to use substances earlier and more dangerously than neurotypical kids. Fortunately, though, my guest today has studied the intersection of substance use and ADHD for years.  

In addition to her academic knowledge, Dr. Mariely Hernandez brings a lot of personal ADHD experience to the table: her own diagnosis, parenting a son who has been diagnosed, and a business practice that helps adults with ADHD recognize and play to their strengths.

In this episode, Mariely gives a wide-ranging explanation of all these issues, including the symptoms and experience of kids with ADHD who use, the catch-22 that makes it hard for them to get treatment, specific issues faced by girls, structural supports parents can offer, and why messages of delaying substance use can be more powerful than messages of abstinence.  

If your child is experimenting with substances and you suspect - or know- they have ADHD, do not miss this enlightening episode!

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Twitter & Instagram: @DrMarielyh
• Flare Calmer Ear Buds
• Dr. Hernandez Researchgate profile
• Marijuana & psychosis article - Child Mind Institute

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
Watch the podcast 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:

Matt Lebris spent his early college years on the Dean's honor list, putting on a suit and smoking weed every morning. But after a minor traffic accident, mixing marijuana and muscle relaxers sent him to the hospital in an intense panic attack.

Since then, Matt has embarked on a mission to share not only the joys of sobriety but the incredible benefits of therapeutic self-work that have helped him come to terms with the emotional deficits of his youth. Matt is currently the host of the "Decoding Success Podcast", where he invites leaders in various fields to share their inner journeys -- especially how they've used their challenging life experiences to fuel massive success.

In this episode, Matt and I discuss marijuana use and addiction, what it's like to be "doing the work" on yourself as a male in modern society, and the hidden power of being a black sheep.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Matt’s website
• Matt’s podcast, Decoding Success
• Matt 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
Watch the podcast 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.

This Thanksgiving, join me for a heartfelt exploration of life's most challenging moments. When our carefully constructed and curated expectations shatter like dishes crashing from a flipped table, how can you find grace, gratitude, and grounding?
 
In this short solo episode, I draw from a deeply personal reflection sparked by loss and uncertainty. This episode speaks directly to anyone feeling untethered—parents struggling with family challenges, individuals navigating unexpected life transitions, or anyone wrestling with the gap between what is and what we thought life (or Thanksgiving) would be. 

Gift yourself 15 minutes and find ways to embrace your current journey compassionately, sit with discomfort, and discover that being "okay" looks different for everyone.

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
Watch the podcast 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.