DeAnn Knighton and Craig Knighton, co-hosts of the Recovery Discovery Podcast, discuss their personal and professional journeys and interest in the current innovations in addiction treatment. DeAnn shares her six-year sobriety journey and her career pivot toward clinical mental health counseling. Craig talks about transitioning from engineering to an internship at Hazelden Betty Ford, focusing on addiction research. They explore the potential of AI technology in recovery, using ChatGPT to simulate a conversation about alcohol consumption. The AI provides accurate, empathetic, and non-judgmental advice, highlighting its potential to offer safe, stigma-free support for those seeking help.

ABOUT THE PODCAST: 

Recovery Discovery (brought to you by Show Up and Stay) is a podcast series dedicated to exploring addiction through the lens of science and technology. DeAnn Knighton is a recovering human and a clinical mental health counselor in the making. She is joined by co-host and Show Up and Stay co-founder Craig Knighton. Craig is an engineer, a technology expert, and a world-class big brother with a keen interest in scientific and technological advancements that will change how we think about and treat substance use disorder.

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

This is our final installment (for now) in the Sober Positive Workplace Series. 

Ben Lloyd shared his journey from an only child with a fractured family life to becoming an actor. He described his early struggles with alcohol, which began in college and intensified in New York. Lloyd's turning point came in 1992 when he met his sponsor at a recovery meeting. His sobriety led to a resurgence in his career, including roles in Philadelphia and Edinburgh. Lloyd transitioned to long-form improvisation, creating a nonprofit and later an LLC to apply improvisation principles in various settings. He emphasized the importance of play and emotional safety in his workshops.

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

DeAnn and Craig (Sober Positive Workplace) discuss the intersection of substance use disorder and suicide prevention, highlighting the work of the Livin Foundation. PT, a media personality and founder, shares his personal loss to suicide and the foundation's mission to remember loved ones for how they lived. Kaitlin, a co-founder, emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer support and the Livin Foundation's new program to facilitate workplace mental health support. They introduce the AI-powered mental health platform Livin Connected and discuss the impact of open conversations on reducing suicide rates by 79%. The foundation also offers free virtual suicide prevention training and financial support for those affected by suicide.

 Info & Donate: www.livinfoundation.org  

Find HOPE at: https://livinconnected.org

LIVIN Foundation Story/Overview: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrIWBJZVYnk&t=6s

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

DeAnn interviews Kate Vitela, a board-certified nurse coach and addiction specialist, about her journey in sobriety and career. Kate, a registered nurse for over two decades, discusses her transition from various healthcare settings to behavioral health after getting sober in 2018. She shares her experiences with a state monitoring program for nurses with substance use issues and her eventual success in leadership roles. Kate emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices, self-care, and creativity in recovery, including her involvement in fashion and her newly released podcast, "You've Been Selected."

You can find Kate on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katevitela/

Explore Kate’s blog: https://thesobercurator.com/category/sober-lifestyle/youve-been-selected/

Work with Kate: https://linktr.ee/KateVitela

Email Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast Link: https://www.katevitela.com/podcast/

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

DeAnn's conversation with Laura Nelson, founder of Front Office Rocks and Sober Life Rocks. Laura discusses her journey from starting her own business to advocating for sober professionals. She shares her personal struggle with alcohol, leading to her sobriety in early 2020, and the founding of Sober Life Rocks to support sober professionals at conferences. Laura emphasizes the need for inclusive event planning, highlighting issues like the lack of non-alcoholic options and the pressure to drink. Her book, "The Inclusive Event Planner," targets meeting planners and HR to improve event inclusivity. She shares information on the Sober Life Rocks community and LinkedIn group for support and advocacy.

Reference Links:

Sober Life Rocks Website:
https://soberliferocks.com/

Sober Life Rocks LinkedIn Group:
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14532282

The Inclusive Event Planner
https://inclusiveeventplanner.com/

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

DeAnn is joined by co-founders of Sobrynth, Marin Nelson and Ingrid Lindberg, to address some big questions, including one big one:

How can technology be leveraged to scale human-centered solutions and care navigation for employees and their families seeking support for substance use disorder while still maintaining the importance of personal connection and empathy?

Marin Nelson 

Co-founder and CEO of Sobrynth. 15+ years of enterprise sales career delivering 320% YoY growth and 8-figure SAAS deals. Leader at Salesforce, health tech, and social impact startups. 19 years in recovery.​

Ingrid Lindberg​ 

Co-founder of Sobrynth. Ex-customer Experience Officer for Cigna & Prime. Serial founder. 25 years of brand, marketing, and product experience primarily focused on the consumerization of healthcare, focusing on making healthcare more human. 

https://sobrynth.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sobrynth

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

DeAnn Knighton and Heather Lowe discuss their experiences with sobriety and the benefits and potential challenges of navigating non-alcoholic social scenes. Heather shares her journey from a high-functioning drinker to a sober coach, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery and the role of non-alcoholic drinks in maintaining sobriety. They highlight the need for awareness and understanding of individual triggers and the benefits of normalizing sobriety for the broad range of individuals choosing sobriety, no matter the reason. 

Action Items: 

• Explore non-alcoholic beverage options that feel right for you, without pressure to replicate alcoholic drinks.
• Be mindful of your own responses and triggers when trying new non-alcoholic experiences, and don't hesitate to opt o-t if it doesn't feel comfortable.
• Consider different entry points to exploring your relationship with alcohol, whether it's moderation, abstinence, or something in between.

https://www.ditchedthedrink.com/blog/are-alcohol-free-drinks-good-for-me

To learn more about Heather and her work: 
https://www.ditchedthedrink.com/

#soberpositiveworkplace #showupandstayorg #ditchedthedrink

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

In this week's episode, DeAnn is joined by Marin Nelson, one of the original founding members of Soberforce and a current founding member of Sobrynth.   They discuss the role of anxiety and depression in addiction and highlight the importance of normalizing the conversation around sobriety in the workplace.  

Key Discussion Points:

* Marin Nelson shares her recovery journey and insights on workplace inclusivity for those in recovery.
* Marin and DeAnn discuss the strange dynamic between those in recovery and those who identify as alcohol-free, with a focus on normalizing the conversation and moving forward together.
* Marin started her sales career sober and worked in nonprofit health, highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity in recovery programs. She discusses the challenges of navigating virtual events while sober, feeling uncomfortable and anxious about it.
* Marin shared her experience of creating a sober community in the workplace to destigmatize addiction and provide support.
* DeAnn and Marin discuss alcohol as a tool for self-medicating anxiety as well as the role anxiety plays in recovery.  This includes the importance of advocating for oneself in medical settings.
* DeAnn and Marin connect over the role that sugar played for each of them in childhood and the role it plays in recovery now in managing sugar intake and finding a balance.

IMPORTANT LINKS:
https://sobrynth.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinenelson/
Email: [email protected]

About Sobrynth:
 Today, 46 million Americans suffer from substance use disorder. Of those, 70% are employed. This costs the economy $81BN a year. Substance use disorder is impacting 2 out of 3 families. We are not doing enough to reach these employees and their families who are seeking care for a highly stigmatized and often shame-filled chronic condition.  We believe that the existing approach to substance use disorder in the workplace is inadequate - this is not a sub-bullet condition, and it deserves a dedicated solution. 

 Sobrynth provides 24/7 assistance for employees and their families seeking support with immediate substance use disorder needs and for those employees who are sober and curious. We marry that support with a recovery-ready workplace strategy. We understand that return to work is an integral part of a person’s journey, so as a core part of our services, we supply a world-class sober Employee Resource Group framework. 

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

Cheryl Brown Merriwether, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPRC, CRSS, CM

CoFounder, Vice President, Executive Director, International Center for Addiction & Recovery Education™(ICARE)

• Cheryl shares her personal story of growing up as an adult child of an alcoholic, facing challenges in her family of origin, and confronting her issues with codependency. 

Prevention 

• Behavioral health merging brings positive change while also creating an additional burden on an already overwhelmed system. 
• Prevention programs focus on education and awareness, changing workplace cultures to make resources available and safe for employees to seek help.  
• Cheryl discusses companies making moves toward prevention, including Oracle, Salesforce, and Wayfair. 
• Biden Harris Admin releases a recovery-ready workplace toolkit and partners with state coalitions.

Opioid epidemic and employer responsibility to support workforce.

• Employers can play a crucial role in addressing the opioid epidemic by providing education and training to their workforce.
• Education and training can alleviate liability and risk management concerns for naloxone use.

Links:
https://icare-aware.org/
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/RRW-hub/Toolkit

Cheryl Brown Merriwether  brings over two decades of experience in corporate HR management at AT&T, addiction recovery awareness, and adult education to the International Center for Addiction and Recovery Education (ICARE). As VP and Executive Director, she oversees and directs the administration, operations, and student support services for ICARE’s three divisions, Strategic Sobriety Workforce Solutions™, International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches (IAPRC) and NET Institute. Additionally, Cheryl is the Immediate Past President of GOSHRM, an active Board Member of Project Opioid, and a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Phoenix. 

 In February 2023, Cheryl was awarded BambooHR’s inaugural HR Experience Maker Award in the Heart & Soul category.  SUCCESS Magazine named Cheryl a 2022 Women of Influence award winner for her pioneering work in addiction and recovery.  She graduated from the Rally Social Enterprise Accelerator 2022 Winter program, which provides mentorship, 1:1 coaching, and resources to social entrepreneurs seeking positive social change.

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works

Cross-over episode!  Today, DeAnn is joined by half of the Through the Glass Recovery podcast team, Steve Knapp, to talk about sobriety, the workplace, and vulnerability.  This is a candid conversation about difficult things that many are rarely willing to discuss with such self-awareness and humility. We are so grateful to Steve for sharing so much of himself here. It makes for an authentic and grounded episode.

• Recovery, addiction, and workplace stigma.
  • Fear of blowback and lack of safety are common concerns for those in recovery, making it challenging to navigate workplace environments without feeling judged or vulnerable
  • Steve, a married father of two, was a high-functioning alcoholic who hid his addiction but struggled with depression and anxiety.
• Addiction recovery, relationships, and fatherhood.
  • Difficult topics are discussed authentically, including parenthood and working through relationship struggles in sobriety. 
• Career fulfillment and disconnection in corporate culture.
  • Steve emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and emotional health in the workplace, citing the need for leaders to treat employees like humans and create a sense of team.
• Personal growth, adventure, and self-improvement.
  • Leadership expectations create boundaries and addiction, leading to unequal treatment and discontinuation of feedback
  • Steve is now using social media and podcasting to share his journey and connect with others 

Where to find Steve and Julie:
https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/
Instagram, Twitter, Tik tok, YouTube and X:  @throughtheglassrecovery

If you have questions or comments or would like to be a guest on the Recovery Discovery Podcast, send an email to:
[email protected]

More information about our project is available at:
https://www.showupandstay.org/
https://www.soberpositiveworkplace.org/

For podcast updates, follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/showupandstayorg/

Music and Audio Production by Katie Hare.
https://www.hare.works