Right Turn Radio Podcast

Filmmaker Bess O'Brien joins us to talk about "All of Me”, a documentary film focused on the lives of women, girls and some boys who are caught in the downward spiral of eating disorders and their struggle to regain a sense of self-compassion and healing. Bree Greenberg-Benjamin, founder and director of the Vermont Center for Integrative Therapy and a featured clinician in the film, joins us as well to talk about eating disorders and the similarities between ED and addiction.

What is an Eating Disorder? Beth Mayer, LICSW and the Executive Director at MEDA (Multi service Eating Disorders Association) joins us to break down the myths and facts surrounding this widespread disorder and the treatments available for recovery.

Award winning children's author Kate Messner joins us to talk about her new book, "The Seventh Wish", a modern day fairy tale about a girl named Charlie who's struggling with typical middle school problems. But there's a bigger problem looming in Charlie's family, and it's creating a great deal of controversy around the book. We spoke with Kate about her book, and the importance of breaking the stigma of addiction at an early age.

Maia Szalavitz, reporter and author, joins us to talk about her new book "Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction". In addition to arguing that "drug laws are historical accidents", Szalavitz takes the position that more people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, addiction as a crime or as brain disease, and in equally outdated treatment. Join us for our exclusive interview with Maia as she works to break the mold and bring society's understanding of addiction up to date.

"Learn 2 Cope is the family I never wanted to belong to, but it's a damn good family to be a part of."

So says biker Bruce Fiene, co-founder of Rally 2 Recovery, a 40-mile charity fundraiser motorcycle ride to benefit Learn 2 Cope.

Bruce and his wife Tracy were sidelined when their son developed an opioid addiction as a teenager. They found the supportive recovery community they needed at Learn 2 Cope, and have been raising awareness ever since.

Check out Right Turn Radio's exclusive interview with Joanne Peterson of Learn 2 Cope, Bruce Fiene, and Tracy Wheeler from Rally 2 Recovery.

Matthew Quick is the bestselling author of SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. He joins us to talk about his latest book EVERY EXQUISITE THING, a story about "an unassuming teen who has played the role of dutiful daughter, hardworking student, and star athlete for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of a mysterious, out-of-print cult novel --the rebel within her awakens." In this candid interview, author Matthew Quick shares his experience of "white knuckling it" though his own teen and early adulthood years, and his journey to become someone who didn't need to "fake it" anymore.

Did you know more than a quarter million American children and teens are at risk for sex trafficking every year? We look at the toll of Human Trafficking and what can be done about it. Our guests are Kate Price from the Children's Advocacy group at Wellesley University, Audrey Morrissey from My Life My Choice, and Sergeant Detective Donna Gavin from the Boston Police Human Trafficking Unit.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders join us to talk about the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts, and what the government is doing to try to address it.

Addicted to technology? Dr. Michael Rich, Pediatrician in Adolescent Medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, and Director of the Center on Media and Child Health, and Matt Richtel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning technology reporter for the New York Times, and the author of "A Deadly Wandering" join us to talk about the effects of technology on our brains, and how to balance screen time for ourselves and our children.

Tonight we mark the beginning of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week with a panel discussion about eating disorders with Terry Halperin-Eaton, Senior Clinical Supervisor at Walden Behavioral Care, Jamie Loud, eating disorders peer advocate, and Roseann Rook, Clinical Addictions Specialist at Timberline Knolls.