Hopestream: Parenting Kids Through Addiction & Mental Health

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
I believe it's important to humanize the faceless statistics you see in the news about those struggling with substance use and addiction - the people are real, the families are real, and each has its own distinct story. The impact is massive and is made up of millions of individual tragedies. 

I'm sharing this special project with you, it's a raw collection of writings called "In The Grip." These are 20 short chapters that drop you directly into our lives, hospital rooms, and conversations during a 30 day period when my son experienced two overdoses in 2017. You'll take part in the sights, sounds, smells and emotional roller coaster we rode in the weeks spent praying for a miracle. 

Spoiler alert...my son survived and is thriving in his new life, so no traumatizing triggers here - this is a story of great hope, strength, and courage. 

Enjoy this important behind-the-scenes view of what millions of families are going through as the opioid epidemic rages on, even as COVID is now retreating.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• The written story can be found here 

Names mentioned in our story have been changed for privacy

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:
If you watch your child do harmful things and they don't see them as a problem, they waffle with ambivalence about what they're doing, start and stop behaviors over and over and also struggle with relapse, this is your episode.

The Stages of Change model is one that's well known and used in the addiction treatment world but one I didn't learn about until late in my son's struggle, yet it would've helped me so much as I observed what looked like completely crazy behavior. We also rode the roller coaster of change and then relapse and then more change and then reverting to old habits and ways - it was confounding and devastating as a parent.

This episode will walk you through what the stages are, how to tell if your child is in that stage, and what you can do as a parent to meet them where they are. It's practical and direct, and just the right length for a summer dog walk or errand trip.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Stages of Change mobile-friendly cheat sheet download 
• NIH Research
• CMC 20 Minute Guide chapter on ambivalence

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:
Dee-Dee Stout is a force to be reckoned with in the world of substance use treatment and specifically in the area of harm reduction. She’s in long-term recovery herself and is an author, coach, speaker, and professor. 

In this episode, Dee-Dee shares much knowledge and wisdom from her work with families and organizations related to CRAFT, motivational interviewing and harm reduction. It’s a must-listen for parents who aren’t finding success with traditional treatment programs or who are just looking for ways to improve communication in their home. 

We covered a lot of ground including:

• Dee-Dee’s family trauma, challenges with existing therapeutic options
• Dee-Dee explains CRAFT and harm reduction in Portugal
• co-addiction/co-dependent, family systems, and an STI analogy
• stages of change, getting un-stuck, diet Coke, the “f-its” and the trump card parents have to be careful with
• CRAFT in the real world, harm reduction - Dee-Dee’s thoughts about teens and lifelong abstinence
• abstinence, relapse, and the disease theory, harm reduction in a non-substance use scenario
• asking kids why they’re using substances, partnering with kids as a method of harm reduction, safe vs safer
• normalizing difficult conversations with our kids, fentanyl = the perfect door opener to talk with your kids about harm reduction and being safer
• what kids are most afraid of, how to eliminate it from the conversations you have, the role of residential treatment, acknowledging the time and energy it takes to parent through this

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Dee-Dee’s website and resources
• Book: Coming to Harm Reduction Kicking & Screaming:  Looking for Harm Reduction in a 12-Step World
• Buzzed, The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy
• Safety First, A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs (Drug Policy Alliance)
• Center for Motivation and Change website and resources

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:
There's no doubt that life can feel very unfair when your days and nights become consumed with your child's substance use issues, whether they're just experimenting or in active addiction. We wonder what it would be like to not have a large portion of our hearts and heads filled with worry, doubt, concern and resentment. 

We ask why this is happening to us, why we're the ones who have this unrelenting burden and weight to carry around. Why me?

This is a tough topic because no one wants to sound petty and we try our best to keep our spirits up, but the reality is life can feel very unfair and it's easy to fall into a victim mentality when your child has serious, ongoing issues with mental health and/or substance use. 

This short, personal episode may help you reframe these feelings, while not discounting them or making you feel guilty for having them.  You'll discover ways to honor the difficulties in your life while also keeping them in their place and finding joy and peace through the chaos.

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:
Rebekah Tayebi has been working with families in various therapeutic settings for 18 years. She has valuable insights for parents when they have a child who needs help with mental health issues or substance use. An important one is that your child isn't and shouldn't be singularly identified as the "patient" or client.

This episode provides you with considerations for 

• when it makes sense to seek outside help, 
• what parenting leadership really is and what it takes to have it,  
• discerning between mental health problems and typical teen behavior, 
• triggers parents might face, 
• why we tend to want to have someone "fix" our child, 
• the role of shame and blame as we work to help our kids, 
• my personal tangent/rant about ADHD and ADD diagnoses
• how empathy, honesty and neutrality are important parenting skills

And lots more. It's a candid, insightful conversation that will give you such a great perspective on how you, as a parent, have incredible influence and how your way of being is crucially important for your child's healing.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Rebekah Tayebi, Satya Family Coaching
• The Wanderlust Warrior

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:
You may not realize how much trauma your body is holding onto from the stress, anxiety, and fear you experience if your son or daughter is misusing substances or having mental health challenges. Telltale signals of too much stress and trauma include depression, anxiety, gut health challenges, appetite change, and poor sleep.

This episode takes a deep dive into what's happening in your body when you endure months, years, or even decades of trauma when your child is at risk and suffering serious health challenges. My guest, Ericka Thomas introduces us to trauma release exercise, or TRE, which is a practice you can add to your day-to-day routine to release the negative impacts of trauma.

This is a fascinating topic that's so relevant to parents and can also be helpful to people who are working at getting healthy and creating a substance-free life.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Ericka Thomas, owner of Elemental Kinetics and podcast host of The Work IN podcast
• Dr. David Berceli’s website and 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:
Parents have so many questions when their teen or young adult kids are starting to veer off the path of normal, healthy growth and development. They may suspect substance use, emotional issues, trauma, or may have no idea why their child is struggling. It's confusing, and when you're so closely intertwined emotionally and physically with your son or daughter, it's hard to be objective and know what the right resources might be for them.

Therapeutic educational consultants are professionals whose job is to take input from families, specialists, doctors, and therapists to assess and develop a plan for kids who need help getting through rough times - or times of crisis. 

In this direct, heart-to-heart discussion with Jennifer Taylor, who is a therapeutic educational consultant in the Bay Area, I ask the questions parents often have and get answers that can sometimes be difficult to hear. 

Jennifer works with families all over the country to navigate the right plan and placements that can help their children (teens and young adults) with everything from emotional and behavioral concerns to substance use. You may not like everything you hear, but it's critically important information as you work to help your child. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Jennifer Taylor, Owner, JET Ed Consulting, Jennifer (at) jetedconsulting.com

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:
It can be really hard to tell friends, family members, and co-workers about your situation if you have a child who's misusing substances - first, you're too exhausted to talk about it, also, they probably won't really understand the nuances and depth of the confusion, fear, and helplessness you feel.

Knowing this is a difficult conversation to have, I created this episode as one you can share with those people in your life who need to know what's going on but you're having a hard time getting the words out. It's a way to open a conversation with someone without you having to muster the energy, strength, and vulnerability to do it face to face - or even Zoom screen to Zoom screen. Even that can feel like a lot.

Take what parts of it apply to you, and leave the rest - I also provide ways your family, friends and co-workers can help, because it's also hard for them to know what you need. 

I truly hope this will be helpful to you and will allow you to share some of what you're dealing with in a way that feels safe and supportive.

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:
Sometimes as parents we get so laser-focused on our kids and their problems that we forget we might benefit from some help of our own. There are often family dynamics that need to be dealt with while a child is struggling with substance use, or while they're in treatment. We need to understand our own traumas, areas of enmeshment, ways we might be contributing to the issues...and none of these are easy to sort out on your own. That's where a therapist can step in.

Laura Richer is a therapist, coach, podcaster, and lover of all things mental health. She spent time with me answering all the questions we have about whether or not having a therapist while our child is struggling with substance use or emotional issues will really help. We cover topics like trauma, EMDR, PTSD, hypnotherapy, marriage and relationships - all of it!

This episode will be useful to anyone curious about what a therapist might be able to help them with, without even having to see one.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Anchor Light Therapy Collective
• Holding Ground Podcast
• In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction (Mate’, book recommendation)

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:
I hear it all the time as I work with parents of kids who are struggling with substance use or emotional and behavioral issues, "I'm so overwhelmed and exhausted!" They're also living with extreme fear, especially when substance use is the issue.

In this solo episode, I share four counterintuitive things that can help when you get to the point where you don't know what to do and are paralyzed and feeling helpless.  Getting yourself unstuck and encouraged is an important part of helping your son or daughter, so take a short break, dog walk or drive around the neighborhood and soak up some love and hope from today's show.

This episode is supported by The Stream, an online, pay-what-you-can membership where moms who have kids struggling with substance use focus on their own health, wellness, and sanity - with no judgment, and no distraction because it’s not on Facebook.  If you’d like to hang out with me and a bunch of cool moms after the episodes, you can learn more and join us at www.thestreamcommunity.com. The first two weeks are always free, then you pay whatever you can. I'd truly love to see you there.

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.