Let's Talk About It With OhioGuidestone

Recovery doesn’t look the same for everyone, and knowing where to start can sometimes feel like the hardest part.

For someone experiencing a substance use disorder, reaching out for support can take courage. For the people who care about them, knowing how to help without judgement, shame, or taking control can be just as difficult. 

In the final episode of Season 3, Seana Todd Fortune, LPCC-S, LICDC-CS, LSW, Director of Recovery Services at OhioGuidestone, shares with us what support can look like for adults experiencing substance use disorders and the people who care about them.

The conversation with host Derek Rader focuses on taking the first step toward help, building a support system, navigating recovery, and how to maintain healthy boundaries. Most importantly, we learn that recovery is possible. 

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Young adulthood comes with new levels of independence and a lot of uncertainty. College, careers, relationships, changing friendships, and major life transitions can all influence how young adults experience substance use. In Season 3, Episode 4, Marvin Houston, LPCC-S, LICDC-CS, Assistant Director at OhioGuidestone, discusses the lens of young adulthood with host Derek Rader and the transitions that come with it. Their conversation dives deeper than identifying substance use disorders and looks at how we can support young adults as they develop independence, navigate change, and make decisions about their futures. 

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Teen years mark times of major change. Young people are developing their identities, navigating relationships, and making increasingly independent decisions, all while their brains are still developing.

For some teens, substance use can become part of that experience. In Season 3, Episode 3, Ronald Jackson, MSW-LSW, at OhioGuidestone draws from years of working with teens in substance use treatment, including a Youth Intensive Outpatient program, to explore why teens may use substances and what adults can do to build trust and connection. Looking beyond simply identifying risky behavior, to consider what young people may be experiencing underneath it, and how meaningful relationships can become part of prevention and recovery.

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) may experience challenges with learning, behavior, communication, memory, and emotional regulation. But those challenges aren’t always understood for what they are.

In Season 3, Episode 2, Brianna Megyesi, MSW, LISW-S, brings her expertise from OhioGuidestone’s Center for FASD to explore what FASD is, how prenatal alcohol exposure can affect development, and most importantly, how we can support children and families impacted by FASD.

This conversation is centered on understanding, advocacy, and helping children reach their full potential. 

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Before we can talk about prevention, treatment, or recovery, we need to understand what addiction really is. What happens in the brain when substance use becomes a disorder? Why can someone continue using a substance even when they understand the consequences? And why is addiction so often misunderstood? In the first episode of Season 3 of Let's Talk About It With OhioGuidestone, Dr. Nicole Labor helps break down the science behind substance use disorders while challenging some of the most common misconceptions about addiction. Through an expert medical lens, we'll explore why addiction is a complex health condition and what is really happening. 

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Sometimes the people checking in on everyone else are the ones struggling the most.

Adults are often expected to keep functioning no matter how overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally disconnected they feel. They keep parenting, working, caregiving, and showing up for everyone else, even when they're silently carrying more than they can manage.

In this episode of Let's Talk About It With OhioGuidestone, host Derek Rader sits down with Catherine Crawford, MA, LPCC-S, a Clinical Supervisor at OhioGuidestone and a Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™ in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Catherine shares why emotional distress in adults is often overlooked, the warning signs that family, friends, and coworkers may miss, and how DBT skills can help people navigate life's most difficult moments.

Together, they discuss the importance of vulnerability, challenging the stigma around asking for help, and how meaningful conversations can create hope and connection before someone reaches a crisis.

If you've ever felt like you had to hold it all together, this conversation is for you.

If you or someone you care about is struggling, call or text 988 to connect with trained crisis professionals at any time, day or night. For immediate, life-threatening emergencies, call 911. Talking about mental health can save lives, and every conversation matters.

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Young adulthood is often seen as a time of independence, new opportunities, and exciting milestones. But behind the highlight reel, many young adults are navigating stress, anxiety, loneliness, and uncertainty while feeling pressure to have everything figured out.

In Season 2, Episode 4 of Let's Talk About It With OhioGuidestone, host Derek Rader is joined by Emilene Badalamenti, MSW, LISW-S, Clinical Supervisor at OhioGuidestone, to discuss the unique mental health challenges young adults face today. Together, they explore why asking for help can feel difficult, warning signs that someone may be struggling, and how honest conversations can create hope and connection.  

Whether you're a young adult or someone who cares about one, this episode offers insights and a reminder that reaching out for support is a sign of strength. Listen now and Let's Talk About It.

If you or someone you care about is struggling, call or text 988 to connect with trained crisis professionals at any time, day or night. For immediate, life-threatening emergencies, call 911. Talking about mental health can save lives, and every conversation matters.

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

“I’m fine” has become one of the most common ways teens hide what they’re actually feeling.

Behind grades, sports, social media, friendships, and expectations, many teens are carrying emotional pain they don’t know how to explain or are afraid to talk about at all.

In Season 2, Episode 3, Host Derek Rader talks with Shane Bakovich, LPCC-S, Therapist/Supervisor at OhioGuidestone, about warning signs and how conversations can help break through the silence… let’s talk about it. 

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

Young children may not have the words to say, "I'm struggling," but they still communicate stress, fear, overwhelm, and emotional dysregulation through their behavior. In early childhood, children are learning how to handle stress, feel safe, and express emotions they don't yet have words for.

In Season 2, Episode 2 of Let's Talk About It With OhioGuidestone, Kaylin Schaefer, MSW, LISW-S, Youth Program Director at OhioGuidestone, discusses with Host Derek Rader, how the emotional foundations built in childhood can support lifelong resilience, why behavior is often a form of communication, and how recognizing the signs early, including when self-harm may become a way of expressing emotional pain, can help create opportunities for connection, support, and prevention... so, let's talk about it.

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org. 

We’re here to bring attention to the elephant in the room. The conversations we’re having this season aren’t always easy. Topics like emotional pain, self-harm, and feelings of hopelessness can feel uncomfortable, heavy, or difficult to talk about openly. But avoiding these conversations is often what keeps people struggling silently.

Season Two of Let’s Talk About It With OhioGuidestone is focused on breaking stigma through honest, approachable conversations that help people feel seen, supported, and understood. Because lifesaving techniques start with a conversation, and every interaction has the potential to make a difference. 

In the season two premiere, host Derek Rader sits down with Kathleen Kern, Ph.D., Chief Clinical Officer at OhioGuidestone, for a broad overview of lifesaving prevention and the role we all play in supporting one another. Together, they discuss common myths and misconceptions, warning signs, how to start conversations with someone who may be struggling, and practical lifesaving techniques that anyone can use to offer support. Dr. Kern also shares why connection, listening without judgment, and knowing how to respond can make a positive impact. 

This episode lays the foundation for the season ahead, introducing the concepts that will be explored in greater depth as we examine lifesaving prevention across every stage of life, from early childhood through older adulthood.

There are things we all think, but don't always say out loud.
Is this normal?
Why am I feeling so overwhelmed?
Shouldn't I be able to handle this?
If you've ever wondered, "Am I the only one feeling this way?" You're not, let's talk about it.

OhioGuidestone's Promise Run is back! Join us at Wallace Lake in Berea on Saturday, September 22nd. 

Questions about our podcast? Email [email protected] to get in touch with us. To learn more about OhioGuidestone, visit ohioguidestone.org.