Hopestream: Parenting Kids Through Addiction & Mental Health

ABOUT THE EPISODE:
There are tens of thousands of moms and dads carrying an unimaginable weight every day, trying to figure out how to move ahead when their son or daughter is misusing substances to cope with life. Using a simple story and analogy of holding a glass of water, this episode will provide parents with a powerful way to recognize and approach the stress level in their life.

I explain the concept of "how heavy is your glass" and:

• share why having an invisible glass isn't helpful to you or your child
• talk about 2 ways to approach making your glass lighter
• why simply putting down your glass might not be an option and what you can do instead
• provide real, practical ways to lighten your glass 
• offer thoughts on when it may be the time to let someone help carry your glass

This is a short but impactful episode for anyone who's at their limit with their child's choices and behavior, and who needs a sounding board and some practical tips for coping.

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:
Ayurveda is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “The Science of Life.” Ayurvedic knowledge originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is often called the “Mother of All Healing.” 

In the U.S., treatment for substance misuse and addiction is often centered around the medical-disease model, but the Ayurvedic model reframes this, focusing on the importance of balance within the body. Ayurvedic practices restore balance to the body, which can increase a person's capability to self-heal. 

In this special episode, I speak with Jessica Ferrol, an Ayurvedic physician, yoga therapist, licensed mental health counselor, Hakomi practitioner and herbalist who works with people who are working on making changes in their lives, including those healing from addiction. Jessica is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to using Ayurveda's holistic practices to relieve stress and shift the way we interact with our bodies and with the world. 

Listen in to learn:

• what Ayurveda is and how we can use it's practices to impact our overall well being
• how a single yoga class led Jessica to the practice of Ayurveda
• how we can use everything from food, body and environment as healing therapies
• why it's important to find your body's own cycle and rhythm as you look to become healthier mentally and physically
• what happens when we leave ourselves last
• how today's culture can contribute to substance use versus more natural remedies for dis-ease
• that discomfort is normal and wanting to move away from it is human
• about the practice of coming back home to you
• practical ways for calming the mind and body
• a morning and evening practice to begin with if your stress level is high
• tips for those who have lost or gained weight as the result of their stress
• why slow, small change is ok 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Jessica Ferrol’s website 
• LifeSpa.com - Dr. John Doulliard
• The Book of Ayurveda: A Holistic Approach to Health and Longevity (Morrison)
• California College of Ayurveda

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:
Uncertainty, unpredictability, fear, anxiety, fatigue, dread...life right now is likely a mixture of all these things and maybe more. As the parent of a child with substance use issues who's also navigating COVID and looking ahead to celebrating holidays, you may be wondering how you can keep it all together. The elements of life you know and love have changed, things you used to be able to count on aren't there anymore, and there's a feeling of underlying anxiety about the future. 

In this short, solo episode I'm sharing what it means to "tend the garden of you" and find ways to bring stability, peace, and joy to your life, even with a child in crisis and mid-pandemic. I also present ways to approach and survive holidays and special occasions when all you may be feeling is dread.

You'll come away with ideas around:

• creating sacred moments in your day and why that's beneficial
• creating and protecting a bubble that can help bring you joy
• reframing holiday dread
• letting go of things this holiday season
• why it might be the perfect year to start something new
• and I'm giving you a hall pass on the photo Christmas card this year!

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:
Dr. Ayana Jordan is a passionate advocate for racial and ethnic minority groups dealing with substance use. She's an MD/Ph.D. addiction medicine practitioner and associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine, but more importantly, she's someone who works tirelessly to bring culturally informed, gold-standard addiction treatment to racial and ethnic minority populations.

In this episode Dr. Jordan speaks about important topics that impact communities of color like;

• system barriers to highly effective treatments like buprenorphine for those in Black and Brown communities
• generational trauma stemming from the War on Drugs and its impact on minority populations today
• the new definition of MAT and why language is important in reducing stigma
• what culturally affirming care can and should look like
•  the negative cloud that surrounds methadone even though it's just as effective as other medications that treat addiction
• why she wants people to focus more on structural policies than the addicted population when it comes to improving treatment
• the role COVID-19 has played in expanding access to medication for addiction treatment 
• substance use and treatment disparities among Black and Latinx youth compared to white youth
• her research around integrating spirituality into evidence-based treatment modalities
• how current racial tensions are impacting minority individuals who want to seek care
• and her plea to the Black and Brown community to follow their dreams and join her in the field of addiction medicine

I learned so much from this conversation and I'm positive you will too. You'll come away with a greater understanding of what it means to experience substance use and to seek addiction treatment as a racial or ethnic minority, and learn what Dr. Jordan is doing to bring more equality and culturally relevant services to those in need.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Dr. Ayana Jordan, MD, Ph.D.
• Yale School of Medicine
• REACH Program
• IMANI Breakthrough Recovery Program 
• The Audre Lorde Project 

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 who are trying to help a child misusing drugs or alcohol are usually overwhelmed, stressed out and frazzled from trying to keep up with their normal life and deal with the chaos and uncertainty that's invaded their home. Add a global health pandemic, massive social unrest and an election of historic proportions and it can feel like a tidal wave has crashed over your world and you're about to slip under.

This episode will be helpful if you're looking for ways to offload some of "life" while you focus on helping your child and yourself. Sometimes we just need to hear from someone who's been through it before that we have permission to let go of certain things, and what a few of those things might be.

You'll get some grounding from the latest study on how many families are being impacted by substance use disorder (to confirm you are not alone!) and then we'll dive into specific mindsets and practical things you may want to consider letting go of - for now - or ever, as you work on adding some sanity and control to your days. 

In this succinct, 30-minute episode I cover a lot, including:

• the most recent data from SAMSHA that shows over 16 million young people are struggling with a substance use disorder 
• how hanging onto things like guilt, shame, the past, and negative self-talk can hinder our efforts at helping our kids
• and why letting go of comparison, saying yes, extreme diets and clutter can actually free up vital space in your brain and life

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Rising Strong, Dr. Brene’ Brown
• 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health  (SAMHSA)

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:
Danielle Schaffer is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her business and her family, but not even this determined, dynamic Italian "momshell" who hails from New York City could save her baby brother from the grip of addiction. As founder of the insanely popular blog and Instagram account, City Girl Gone Mom, and host of The Mom Confidential podcast, Danielle puts her mind to something and then makes it happen. But sadly, when it comes to addiction, even when you love someone to the ends of the earth, you can't always save them. 

This episode is the second in my pursuit of telling the siblings' stories around families, addiction and coping - a side of the opioid crisis and addiction in general, that doesn't get told nearly enough. Danielle generously shares her family's story and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to grow up in a family riddled with addiction and how she attempted to save her brother Scott, who ultimately lost his battle to an overdose in 2018.

Listen in to this vulnerable and heart-wrenching episode as Danielle shares;

• what she aspired to be when she was a little girl and how that’s so relevant now
• her life as a child growing up with a mom who was an addict
• what it was like dealing with her brother while having a growing family and business empire
• her relationship with her brother Scott and how her role as "sissy" also blurred with being a mother figure to him
• how well her brother hid the extent of his use from everyone close to him
• the constant lies her brother used to cover up his drug use and overdoses
• the disturbing combination of drugs that showed up in Scott's toxicology report
• the agony of telling her kids their uncle had died of an overdose and how her family dealt with the blow of their loss
• the good and bad sides of sibling support groups 
• some of her COVID coping skills and how she's staying healthy right now
• why she’s so open about her brother’s death and how he died
• the questions she asks herself about her brother’s struggle with drugs
• and how she recently honored her brother’s life 

Settle in for this one, it's so real and so honest. 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Sibling Support Resources (addiction related - this is an Australian site but has some good information)
• Culpeper Overdose Awareness (grief support for siblings)

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've started the process of looking for options to help your son or daughter with substance use issues, you know it can be overwhelming, intimidating, and exhausting. If you're just starting out and thinking about making that first call or sending the first email, you may soon find yourself wading through website after website, at 2 in the morning, wondering how you know you're even doing the right thing.

This episode is a practical guide for parents when you're embarking on the arduous journey of finding resources, programs, therapists, treatment centers, or any type of help for your child who's misusing substances. As a mom who's been through the process several times, I share with you 10 critical things I wish I had known and done when I was searching for help for my son. These are tips that would have saved me time, energy and sanity and may have resulted in finding more and better resources. I went into  (and through) the process blind, but there's no reason you need to. 

In this 48 minutes you'll hear; 

• ways to make the research process smoother
• things to do for your physical and mental health
• what you need to know and do about your finances and insurance coverage
• how and when to bring in outside help
• how to manage the relationship with your child during this time
• why getting real with your son or daughter is critical and why you may need to play detective
• the importance of developing an organization system
• what a JIC plan is and why it's important to have
• and much more

Be sure to save this episode to your phone, iPad or computer so you can listen offline as you work through the various tips and steps.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• C.R.A.F.T Parenting Skills - CMC: Foundation for Change
• Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change
• 20-Minute Parent Guide - learning CRAFT parenting skills workbook
• Free Parent Coaching from Partnership to End Addiction (formerly called Partnership for Drug-Free Kids)
• All Kinds of Therapy - Curated directory and comparison website for youth, adolescent and young adult treatment options
• PsychologyToday website - filter and sort options for finding therapists and treatment programs
• Dictionary explaining industry acronyms and terms (via All Kinds of Therapy)
• The Stream -  online community and resource for moms of kids with substance use disorder

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 are often hit with sticker shock when they start researching treatment options for their adolescent or young adult children, especially if Wilderness Therapy is on that list. With costs reaching $500 per day, it can mean families have to forego treatment only because of financial constraints. 

When Rochelle Bochner's son was in a wilderness therapy program and she realized only families with strong financial means could access this life-changing experience she teamed up with her friend Lani to change the game. With a small pool of seed money from her 50th birthday and a plan sketched on a restaurant tablecloth, this dynamic duo has created a world-class non-profit that's helped over 700 families access therapy, after-care and family coaching. 

This is a must-listen episode for parents who know they need outside help for their child but aren't able to afford the steep price tag of wilderness therapy. You'll learn so much from Lani and Rochelle including:

• how every grant provided by Sky's The Limit Fund is doubled in impact by the partnering wilderness therapy program
• why they added aftercare and family coaching for each of their grant recipient families
• the rigorous process they have to ensure the right families are receiving funds
• the lengths parents will go to to get their teens and young adult kids into treatment
• what COVID has done to their grant request pipeline
• how one donor provided a quarter of a million dollars to ensure kids in treatment wouldn't get sent home due to COVID's impact
• the typical scenario of a family reaching out to them for assistance
• guidance for parents on what to do in the days and weeks leading up to requesting a grant
• what they most want parents to know after working with families for over 10 years
• their own personal self-care tips for parents
• and lots more

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Sky’s The Limit Fund - information and how to apply for a grant

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 didn't happen that way"
"You're way too sensitive, get over it"
"You're confused, I didn't say that"
and 10,000 other ways our teen and young adult kids twist and turn reality until we wonder if maybe we're the ones who need psychotherapy and treatment. It's called gaslighting and it's something you may be all too familiar with if your child is misusing substances. It's their way of manipulating and controlling conversations, diverting attention away from their actions and making you doubt your own common sense and perspective. 

This is an important episode to listen to if gaslighting is going on in your home because you can't be functioning from a whole and healthy place if you're getting wrapped up and sucked into a distorted sense of reality. You'll learn a lot in 33 minutes that could change the game when it comes to maintaining your sanity:

• what exactly is gaslighting?
• where did the term come from?
• how do I recognize if someone is gaslighting me?
• how will I feel if someone is gaslighting me?
• Plus 6 actionable things you can do to get control over the situation and regain your footing

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Hopestream episode 22 on creating and setting boundaries (reduces your child’s ability to successfully gaslight you)
• PsychologyToday.com article on gaslighting

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 of kids in recovery from substance use disorder may not think college is a good or even realistic option - who would be crazy enough to send their child who struggles with alcohol or drugs to a place where those things tend to be rampant and "normal?" 

This episode will be a beacon of hope for those parents who want their kids to continue on to higher education but are skeptical of the idea and don't know where to start in the process. 

Keith Murphy is the Senior Substance Abuse Counselor at Rutgers University where he heads up The Rutgers Recovery House, a 12-month, on-campus housing option that offers students the opportunity to have a fulfilling residential college experience living within a supportive community with other students in recovery. Keith provides so much information and perspective in this episode including:

• how he went from being a cocaine and heroin addict to heading up the Recovery House at Rutger's University
• why college recovery programs are the worst/best kept secret in the world of higher education
• his massive respect for parents who persevere and find college recovery as an option for their child
• what day to day life looks like for a college student in recovery - pre and during-COVID
• the reality that there are tons of activities and options for students on campus that have nothing to do with getting high or using substances
• the path he highly recommends to kids coming out of treatment before they step foot on a 4-year campus
• how and why he'd like to see collegiate recovery be a more equitable and equal space for marginalized populations
• how a Eurocentric Western philosophy around recovery wasn't and isn't necessarily accessible or even understandable for many Black and other people of color
• his thoughts on what the word diversity actually means
• the disparities he sees in substance use and recovery among marginalized communities
• why the word "stigma" is too soft when you're talking about addiction and recovery
• what it took for him to personally be able to say "there's no shame in addiction"

For parents who may have written off college for their child with substance use issues, this is an absolute must-listen show. You'll walk away with encouragement, hope, reassurance, and most of all, an appreciation for the dedication of those who work in collegiate recovery and the gift they're providing to kids who may not have pursued their eduction after treatment.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Keith Murphy, ADAP Recovery Counselor, 848-229-4762, or email [email protected]
• Rutgers Recovery House
• Association of Recovery in Higher Education: CollegiateRecovery.org
• Prince Sign "O" the Times podcast

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.