The Addicted Mind Podcast

Maybe someone you love is starting treatment for opioid use disorder and their doctor mentioned buprenorphine, or a monthly shot, and you're thinking, Wait... isn't that swapping one opioid for another? Or maybe you're the one struggling, and the idea of withdrawal feels so terrifying that treatment doesn't feel possible. Those fears make so much sense. And a lot of what we've been told about these medications is confusing, outdated or wrapped up in stigma.

In this episode I sit down with Nick Casale, a pharmacist who has spent the last 15 years in addiction medicine, focused on opioid use disorder. Nick started out in a Pennsylvania Medicaid health plan in the early 2010s, right as the opioid crisis was exploding, and watched firsthand how inconsistent, and sometimes punishing, treatment coverage was. Today he works in medical affairs for a pharmaceutical company, talking with clinicians, researchers, and even sheriffs and jail medical directors about what the evidence shows.

Nick breaks down how buprenorphine works in the brain (there's a great musical-chairs metaphor in here), why fentanyl has made opioid use disorder so much harder to treat, and what long-acting injections are changing, especially for people leaving jail. And we talk about the part medication can't do alone: counseling, support, peers who've been there. It's a hard topic. The numbers are heavy. But there's real hope here. Treatment works, access is better than it's ever been, and reaching out is a brave first step.

In This Episode

• Nick's path from retail pharmacy to a Medicaid health plan to addiction medicine, and why he fell in love with this work
• Why insurance coverage for opioid use disorder treatment was "all over the board," and how kicking people off treatment for a failed drug screen made things worse
• What buprenorphine is, in plain language: a partial opioid agonist that holds the receptor, eases withdrawal and cravings, and blocks other opioids
• The three waves of the opioid crisis: prescription opioids, then heroin, then fentanyl and other synthetic opioids
• How fentanyl changes the brain by creating more opioid receptors, and why that makes withdrawal so brutal
• Tablets and films vs. long-acting weekly and monthly injections, and why steady levels matter now
• Medication for opioid use disorder in jails and prisons, and why the days after release are so dangerous
• How buprenorphine can be misused, and why naloxone was added to some forms
• What real-world research is showing beyond clinical trials: fewer non-fatal overdoses, fewer serious infections, people getting their lives back
• Access and cost today, and why so many people still aren't getting treatment.

Key Takeaways

• Most people who need treatment aren't getting it. Nick shares that roughly 4.8 million U.S. adults live with opioid use disorder, and only about 1 in 5 receive medication for it. He describes the overdose toll as the equivalent of a Boeing 737 crashing every day.
• Buprenorphine works differently from other opioids. Nick's metaphor: heroin plays musical chairs, jumping on and off the receptor. Buprenorphine sits down and stays. That steadiness helps keep people out of withdrawal and blocks other opioids from taking the seat.
• Fentanyl has changed the game. According to Nick, the street supply is now dominated by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. They're so potent the brain grows more opioid receptors, which makes withdrawal harder and treatment more complex.
• There's no set timeline for treatment. ASAM (the American Society of Addiction Medicine) recommends at least three months, and longer treatment is linked to better outcomes. How long to stay on medication is a decision between you and your provider, much like blood pressure medication.
• Relapse isn't a reason to be punished. Nick and I agree that setbacks are part of many people's recovery journeys, and treatment should keep the door open.
• Medication is one piece, not the whole picture. Buprenorphine works "exponentially better," as Nick puts it, alongside counseling, behavioral support and peer mentors.

"Just be brave, seek out the treatment... just make that first step." — Nick Casale

TIME STAMPS

• 00:15 Nick introduces himself and his work in addiction medicine
• 01:40 From retail pharmacy to a Medicaid health plan in the middle of the opioid crisis
• 08:06 What "transmucosal" means and how buprenorphine treatment has evolved
• 10:47 How buprenorphine works in the brain, and the musical-chairs metaphor
• 16:05 The numbers: 4.8 million adults with opioid use disorder, and 1 in 5 treated
• 17:01 The three waves of the opioid crisis
• 20:02 How fentanyl "upregulates" opioid receptors
• 21:58 How long should treatment last?
• 25:42 Long-acting injections and steady protection
• 28:57 What the research shows, and why abstinence isn't the only measure
• 30:52 Treatment in jails and prisons, and the risk after release
• 33:40 Stigma and pushback in correctional settings
• 36:40 Can buprenorphine be misused?
• 39:36 Why medication works best with therapy and support
• 44:29 Access, insurance and cost
• 47:48 Nick's one message for anyone struggling

About Nick Casale, PharmD

Nick Casale is a pharmacist who has worked in addiction medicine for about 15 years, with a focus on opioid use disorder. He began his career in retail pharmacy before joining a Pennsylvania Medicaid health plan as a clinical pharmacist, where he led the plan's opioid overutilization program and its addiction medicine benefit during the height of the opioid crisis. He then moved into the pharmaceutical industry, first working with Medicaid programs across the country and now leading a medical affairs team. His team shares scientific information with physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, works with leaders in addiction research, and helps jails and prisons understand the evidence for treating opioid use disorder.

Connect with Nick

• LinkedIn: search Nick Casale, PharmD

Resources Mentioned

• Buprenorphine and buprenorphine/naloxone (tablets and films taken under the tongue)
• Long-acting injectable buprenorphine (weekly and monthly)
• Methadone and naltrexone, other medications for opioid use disorder
• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
• National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC)
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357, free and confidential, 24/7
• FindTreatment.gov: find treatment providers near you, including medication for opioid use disorder

Supporting Resources

• Looking for a therapist? Medication works best with support around it. Novus Mindful Life offers therapy for addiction, betrayal trauma, anxiety and depression, in person in Garden Grove, CA, and by telehealth in California, Idaho, Virginia, Florida and Texas. → NovusMindfulLife.com
• Healing after betrayal? Addiction can break trust in a relationship. Shame to Resilience is a guided program for both the betrayed partner and the person who caused the harm. → ShameToResilience.com
• Stay close to the work. Get new episodes, tools you can actually use, and a little hope for the hard days in your inbox. → Subscribe at TheAddictedMind.com

Listen, Follow and Review

If this conversation helped you, or helped you understand someone you love a little better, please follow The Addicted Mind and leave a rating or review. It helps someone else who's struggling find the show.

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If you're struggling with opioids, or loving someone who is, keep reaching out. Help is out there, and you're not alone.

Find more episodes and resources at TheAddictedMind.com.

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Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

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Maybe you've watched someone you love do something that makes no sense, something that's clearly hurting them and everyone around them, and you've asked, "Why would anyone choose this?" Or maybe you've asked that question about yourself. It's such a human question. And the answers we come up with, the stories we tell about addiction, end up shaping how we treat people who are struggling... including ourselves.

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Maria Cichosz, a writer, critical drug studies scholar and professor of literature and creative writing at Victoria College, University of Toronto. Maria isn't coming from a medical or therapy background. She has a PhD in literary and cultural studies, and she brings her own story: growing up as the child of Polish immigrant parents in a home marked by generational trauma and addiction, and her own relationship with substances over the years. Together we look at how our ideas about addiction have changed over time, from a choice, to a weakness of the will, to a disease of the brain, and what each of those stories gets right and what it misses.

It's a big conversation, and Maria doesn't pretend there are easy answers. But there's a lot of hope in it. When you can see that our ideas about addiction haven't always been this way, you can start to imagine they could be different. More compassionate. More human.

Key Takeaways

• Our ideas about addiction have a history. The idea that addiction is a disease of the brain is only a few decades old. Before that it was seen as a weakness of the will or the soul, and before that, a behavior some people chose. Those stories affect how people get treated today.
• The brain disease model helps, and it's still only part of the picture. It takes blame out of the equation. But a brain scan is "a brain in a vat," as Maria puts it. It doesn't show poverty, trauma, isolation, overprescribing or punitive drug policy.
• Environment matters, a lot. In Rat Park, rats who had community, play and stimulation mostly chose not to take the drug. Rats aren't people, but we're social creatures too.
• Compassion and responsibility can live together. Duane and Maria sit with the hard question of how we hold people accountable for the harm they cause while also understanding the forces that brought them there. Neither of them has a clean answer, and that's okay.
• Stories can build empathy. Fiction lets us step inside someone else's head and see that they think, feel and struggle much like we do.

"I wish I could tell you it gets better… We can't always see among the murkiness of where we are in the moment, but there is certainly something on the other side, even if it's a twisting path to get there." — Dr. Maria Cichosz

Timestamps"

• 00:36 Maria introduces herself and how she became "the drug person" in her academic work
• 06:18 Growing up in a home shaped by generational trauma and addiction
• 12:48 Addiction has a history: why the brain disease model isn't the whole story
• 13:54 From Roman law to "a disease of the will": how our ideas about addiction changed
• 24:01 What the brain disease model gets right, and what it can miss
• 30:37 The Rat Park study and the power of environment
• 33:42 The other side: psychedelics, harm reduction and moving past "good vs. bad"
• 38:54 Set and setting
• 41:30 Maria's novel Middlemen
• 45:35 One thing Maria wants you to know

About Dr. Maria Cichosz

Maria Cichosz is a writer, critical drug studies scholar and professor of literature and creative writing at Victoria College in the University of Toronto, where she also directs the Victoria College Writing Centre. She holds a PhD in Modern Thought & Literature from Stanford University, and her research focuses on post-1945 literature, art and theory, with a particular interest in drug histories and cultures. Her writing has appeared in Critique, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the Literary Review of Canada and American Literature. She's the author of the novels Cam & Beau (2020) and Middlemen (NoN Publishing, fall 2026). On Drugs, part of Biblioasis's Field Notes series, is forthcoming.

Connect with Maria

• Website: mariacichosz.com
• University of Toronto faculty page: vic.utoronto.ca/cichosz
• Academia.edu: utoronto.academia.edu/MariaCichosz
• Middlemen from NoN Publishing: nonpublishing.com/middlemen
• Toronto launch of Middlemen: Thursday, October 22, 2026, 6:30 PM at Queen Books, 914 Queen Street East

Resources Mentioned

• Middlemen by Maria Cichosz
• Cam & Beau by Maria Cichosz (2020)
• Dr. Bruce Alexander's Rat Park study
• Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, "Epidemics of the Will"
• Jacques Derrida, "The Rhetoric of Drugs"

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

Novus Mindful Life offers therapy for addiction, betrayal trauma, anxiety and depression, in person in Garden Grove, CA, and by telehealth in California, Idaho, Virginia, Florida and Texas. → NovusMindfulLife.com

• Healing after betrayal? Shame to Resilience is a guided program for both the betrayed partner and the person who caused the harm. → ShameToResilience.com
• Stay close to the work. Get new episodes, tools you can actually use, and a little hope for the hard days in your inbox. → Subscribe at TheAddictedMind.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Addicted Mind, host Duane Osterlind is joined by Joanna Conti, founder of Conquer Addiction and the Vista Research Group. Driven by her personal journey navigating her daughter’s severe alcohol addiction, Joanna set out to solve a major gap in the addiction treatment industry: the lack of hard, verifiable outcome data.

Joanna shares how her background in software and engineering led her to launch Vista Research Group to track patient progress during and after rehab, as well as Conquer Addiction, a non-profit helping families find evidence-based care. They discuss what the data reveals about long-term recovery, why the 90-day care benchmark is critical, and how real-time patient monitoring can save lives.

Key Topics Covered

• A Personal Catalyst: Joanna’s harrowing experience with her daughter’s severe alcohol addiction, six years of navigating rehabs, and her daughter's eventual 13-year recovery.
• Marketing vs. Hard Data: The frustration of encountering unverified success claims (such as "98% success rates") and discovering in 2015 that only five treatment centers nationwide were scientifically tracking and publicly sharing post-treatment outcomes.
• Launching Vista Research Group: How tracking patient progress during treatment—including cravings, depression, and therapeutic alliance—improves patient outcomes in real time.
• What the Data Reveals: Insights gathered from monitoring over 100,000 patients in treatment and following up with over 50,000 post-treatment.
• Factors Influencing Success: How primary substance choice (alcohol vs. fentanyl or meth), age, peer culture, and ongoing support impact recovery rates.
• Why Industry Data Has Stagnated: Why nationwide 1-year recovery rates have remained around 36% to 37% since 1993, and how systematic measurement can drive outcome leaps similar to those in cancer research.

Key Takeaways & Data Insights

• The 90-Day Benchmark: Patients who stay engaged in care across various levels (residential, IOP, outpatient) for at least 90 days are twice as likely to be in recovery one year later compared to those who leave in 20 days or less.
• Support Networks: Active involvement in recovery communities (such as AA or SMART Recovery) or living in sober housing doubles the likelihood of maintaining long-term recovery.
• Real-Time Feedback: Self-reported patient surveys often surface critical mental health warning signs—such as hidden suicidal ideation or rising cravings—that patients might hesitate to share face-to-face with clinicians.
• Hope for Chronic Relapse: Data confirms that individuals with 10 to 15 prior treatment episodes for severe substance use disorders are still fully capable of achieving lasting recovery.

Guest Message

"Love them and help them find effective treatment. Don't give up." — Joanna Conti

Resources & Links

• Conquer Addiction: conquer-addiction.org — Treatment centers with verified, above-average outcome data.
• Vista Research Group: Data-driven patient progress monitoring and outcome tracking for addiction treatment providers.

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

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In this episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, host Duane Osterlind speaks with actor, playwright, and recovery advocate Ned Van Zandt. Ned shares his life story—from an exotic childhood traveling the world to studying under Olympia Dukakis and working alongside high-profile actors and musicians in the 1970s. He candidly details his descent into hard drugs while living at New York's iconic Chelsea Hotel, his first 13-year stretch of surface-level sobriety, a sudden relapse that led to an arrest in Texas, and his eventual surrender to deep, service-driven recovery. Today, Ned is the managing director of a NYC sober living facility and the creator of the one-man show Lost in Del Valle.

Key Topics Covered

• Roots and Early Career: Growing up in a prominent Fort Worth family, child acting in The Music Man and Oliver!, and studying acting at NYU under Olympia Dukakis.
• The Chelsea Hotel Era (1978): Moving into the legendary hotel the same week as Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, accelerating a lifestyle of heavy drug use and rock-and-roll partying.
• First Sobriety Attempt & Relapse: Getting sober in 1987 following legal pressure, putting together 13 years of continuous recovery, and landing roles on Broadway and Law & Order. Ned reflects on how skipping the deeper step work left him vulnerable to a sudden relapse on New Year's Eve 1999.
• The Downward Spiral: Overdosing on cocaine, leaving New York to hide out in Texas, losing his life savings, and being arrested on a dirt road outside Austin for possession with intent to distribute.
• Jail at Del Valle: Navigating time in jail, where the head of the local Texas Aryan Brotherhood gang recognized him from his role on the soap opera One Life to Live.
• True Recovery in Hawaii: Entering treatment in Hawaii in 2007, embracing sponsorship and service work, and rebuilding his acting career with roles on Lost and film projects.
• Creating Lost in Del Valle: Developing a raw, humorous one-man play directed by Amir Arrison (The Blacklist) recounting his wild history, rock-and-roll encounters, time in jail, and path to redemption.
• Service as a Pillar of Sobriety: Working as managing director and partner at Transcend NYC, helping young men find direction and recovery.

Words of Wisdom for Anyone Struggling

• Focus on the Single Frame: View life like a long roll of film. Instead of obsessing over the outcome or the end of the reel, focus exclusively on the single frame in front of you right now.
• Move a Muscle, Change a Thought: Physical action shifts mental state. Go for a walk or change your environment to break negative thought patterns.
• Get Out of Your Own Head: Engaging in service and helping others brings back the purpose and vitality that addiction strips away.

Mentioned in This Episode

Resources & Links for Ned:

Ned's Play Lost in Del Valley at the Soho Playhouse

Play Official Website: lostindelvalle.com

Sober Living Facility Transcend NYC (Upper West Side, Manhattan)

Podcast Websitetheaddictedmind.com

Supporting Resources: Duane Osterlind LMFT CSAT

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

Shame to Resilience

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

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In this episode of The Addicted Mind, host Duane Osterlind speaks with orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom about his book, Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind. They explore the deep physiological connection between chronic pain, anxiety, and addiction, outlining how regulating the nervous system can lead to genuine, lasting healing.

Key Takeaways

• The Problem with Chronic Surgery: A vast majority of spine surgeries for non-structural chronic pain fail because they treat a symptom rather than the root cause. Chronic physical pain is frequently driven by an oversensitized nervous system rather than structural spinal flaws.
• Threat Physiology vs. Psychology: Anxiety and anger are physical, chemical reactions—a "fight-or-flight" survival mechanism—rather than purely psychological issues. Because the unconscious brain processes roughly 1 billion bits of information per second compared to the conscious brain’s 20–30 bits, you cannot simply talk or willpower your way out of deep physiological threat states.
• The Bridge to Addiction: When the body remains trapped in sustained threat physiology, mental and physical pain become unbearable. Without tools to down-regulate the nervous system, individuals often turn to substances or compulsive behaviors as a last-ditch effort to soothe the body's alarm system.
• Reframing Trauma Work: Continuously discussing and re-analyzing past trauma can sometimes act as a "trauma anchor," reinforcing pain circuits in the brain. Long-term recovery requires shifting focus toward present-moment awareness and neuroplasticity.

The 4-Part Framework for Healing

• Thought Separation: Using expressive writing and mindfulness to separate your identity from repetitive, negative thought patterns.
• Calming the Physiology: Directly toning down fight-or-flight chemistry by engaging the vagus nerve and creating a felt sense of physical safety.
• Softening the Ego: Cultivating self-awareness to spot cognitive distortions without needing to defend a rigid identity.
• Neuroplasticity: Constructing new brain pathways by intentionally practicing gratitude, engaging with community, and pursuing purpose.

Resources & Links

• Book: Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind by Dr. David Hanscom
• Website: Back in Control
• Guided Healing Program: The DOC Journey

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, host Duane Osterlind welcomes physician, trauma-informed coach, and author Dr. Frank Spinelli for an honest conversation about trauma, addiction, and the root causes of shame. Dr. Spinelli shares his personal story—from surviving childhood abuse in the Boy Scouts and helping law enforcement bring his abuser to justice, to experiencing a profound breakdown during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together, Duane and Frank explore why addiction and shame stem from the same underlying wound, how to separate healthy guilt from toxic shame, and how reframing shame as a tool rather than a sentence can guide us back toward self-acceptance and alignment with our core values.

Key Topics Discussed

• Trauma and the Hidden Roots of Addiction: How unaddressed childhood trauma often manifests as compulsive behaviors—whether involving alcohol, food, work, or sex.
• Shame vs. Guilt: Why guilt focuses on behavior ("I did something bad") while shame attacks identity ("I am bad"), and how the inner voice of shame is often an installed narrative from past abuse or upbringing.
• The Isolation Trigger: How the removal of external coping routines during the COVID-19 pandemic caused dormant trauma and shame to resurface for millions of people.
• Shame as Information, Not Indictment: How leaning into shame—rather than running from or numbing it—can reveal where you are out of alignment with your core values.
• Naming the "Unreliable Narrator": Why personifying and giving a distinct name to your inner critic helps separate your core self from intrusive, shame-based thoughts.

Key Frameworks & Tools

The 4 P’s of Emotional Regulation

A practical exercise to build "shame literacy" when triggered:

1. Pause: Stop before reacting or speaking.
2. Be Present: Bring awareness to the immediate moment and physical surroundings.
3. Ponder: Evaluate if your emotional response belongs to the present situation or an old memory.
4. Possibilities: Select an intentional, grounded adult response rather than an automatic reaction.

The 3 Bodies of Processing Shame

• Somatic (Physical) Body: Noticing physical sensations (chest tightness, sweating, tension) in the nervous system without judgment.
• Story Body: Recognizing the internal narrative, challenging the "unreliable narrator," and separating objective facts from emotional thoughts.
• Relational Body: Understanding how shame builds isolation walls instead of healthy, protective boundaries in relationships.

Key Quotes

"What if shame is not something we need to move away from? What if we leaned into it and used it not as an indictment, but as information?" — Dr. Frank Spinelli

"Guilt is 'I did something bad.' Shame is 'I’m bad.' The voice telling you that you're bad is probably not your own voice—it was installed by someone else." — Dr. Frank Spinelli

"Addiction and shame are not separate problems. They're the same wound—they're just expressed differently." — Dr. Frank Spinelli

Guest Resources & Links

• Book: The Shame Compass: A Radical Framework for Trauma Healing and Self-Acceptance by Dr. Frank Spinelli
• Memoir: P-Shy by Dr. Frank Spinelli
• Website: FrankSpinelli.com
• Social Media: Follow Dr. Frank Spinelli on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for daily short-form content on overcoming shame.

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The more we learn about the addicted mind, the more we uncover the deep connections between trauma, mental health disorders, and addiction. Today, we’re taking this exploration personal, guided by the experiences of Janet Whitney—a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist, a mother, and a woman who has walked a challenging path alongside her daughter.

Meet Janet Whitney!

Janet Whitney is a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist, but her journey extends far beyond her professional title. As a devoted mother, she has stood by her daughter, Hannah, through an unimaginably difficult battle with anorexia and eating disorders—a fight that has spanned years and tested the limits of resilience, love, and perseverance.

No parent ever wants to watch their child endure a life-threatening illness, especially one as complex and elusive as an eating disorder. Yet, Janet’s unwavering support for Hannah has not only shaped their relationship but also transformed her professional approach to therapy and recovery.

From Theory to Personal Insight

Recovery from eating disorders and addiction share striking similarities—so much so that Janet has woven her own life experiences into her therapeutic practice. Today, we move beyond theory and dive into the raw, unfiltered reality of healing.

The insights Janet brings to the table are profound, born from years of navigating the highs and lows of her daughter’s recovery. Her story is a testament to the power of love, patience, and the courage to challenge conventional narratives around mental health.

Key Topics Explored

• The Intersection of Eating Disorders and Addiction: How these struggles intertwine and what it means for recovery.
• Hannah’s Story: A mother’s account of the struggles, setbacks, and small victories in her daughter’s battle with an eating disorder.
• Changing the Narrative: Breaking down stigma and misconceptions surrounding eating disorders.
• The Long Road to Recovery: Understanding the time, effort, and emotional toll required to overcome such a complex disease.
• Trauma’s Role in Addiction: How past experiences shape the path to healing.
• The Conscientious Dissenter Study: A deep dive into the physical and psychological effects of starvation on the body.
• Self-Care for Caregivers: Navigating your own anxiety while creating a safe space for loved ones.
• The Path to Hannah’s Recovery: The critical factors that played a role in her journey toward healing.
• A Call to Parents: The importance of tough love in saving a child’s life—when and how to step in with strength and compassion.

Final Thought:

Janet’s story is a reminder that recovery is not linear, but with the right support, resilience, and love, healing is possible. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone touched by addiction, trauma, or the journey of supporting a loved one through their darkest days.

Resources:

https://www.janetwhitneymft.com/

Want to explore more? Let’s dive deeper into the science of addiction, the role of trauma, or share your own story. Reach out and join the conversation!

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, host Duane Osterlind sits down with David Sichel —entrepreneur, founder of Blue Shirt Media, and creator of Sober Transport. David shares his personal journey through addiction, multiple relapses, and long-term recovery, alongside how those experiences led him to innovate within the treatment ecosystem. The conversation explores how AI voice agents and text-based re-engagement tools can support overworked admission departments, capture lost leads, and ensure vulnerable individuals get immediate help during critical moments of sanity.

Key Discussion Highlights

1. David Sichel's Recovery Story

• Early Sobriety & Relapse: David first got clean at age 16 and maintained 17 years of continuous sobriety before relapsing after convincing himself he could smoke marijuana. After getting clean a second time for five years, he experienced a similar relapse.
• Achieving Long-Term Recovery: David entered treatment for a third time over 12.5 years ago (February 17). He emphasizes the importance of staying humble, attending meetings, and engaging in service work rather than relying on past accomplishments.
• Navigating Mental & Physical Health: David discusses his gastric bypass surgery (losing 145 lbs), surviving a severe bout of depression at 10 years sober through medication and a strong support network, and recent heart surgery (pacemaker placement).
• Giving Back: David hosts a long-standing home group celebrating 12 years and carries recovery meetings into local prisons weekly.

2. The Evolution of "Sober Transport"

• Identifying the Need: While driving Uber in early recovery, David noticed high individuals taking rides to rehab facilities, sparking the idea for a safe, empathetic transit option.
• Building the Business: David became a certified recovery specialist and interventionist, launching a personalized transport service accompanied by his dog to build rapport with clients. He safely escorted individuals across the country into care until operations paused during COVID-19.

3. Modernizing Treatment Admissions with AI Voice Solutions

• The After-Hours Problem: Unanswered calls or automated voicemails at 2 AM leave vulnerable people without immediate support, often resulting in lost opportunities for care.
• Empathetic AI Intake: David developed an AI intake assistant tailored specifically for treatment centers to answer calls 24/7.
• Key Features & Workflows:
• Fully transparent: Discloses to callers that it is an AI assistant.
• Knowledge Base: Trained on specific treatment center websites and standard intake questions.
• Live Transfers: Conducts immediate 24/7 transfers for qualified, urgent leads if requested by the facility.
• CRM Integration: Captures intake data, creates CRM lead records, and sends immediate text follow-ups to the caller.
• HIPAA Compliant: Fully adheres to healthcare privacy laws and signs Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).

4. Re-Engaging Inactive Leads via Automated Text Messaging

• The "Inactive File" Problem: Facilities spend upwards of $200 per call through digital advertising, yet many leads go cold after 2–3 follow-up attempts.
• Meeting People Where They Are: Most individuals under 50 prefer text messages over phone calls from unknown numbers.
• Automated Text Campaigns: Using AI text automation, treatment centers reach out to inactive leads, alumni, or past inquiries with supportive check-ins ("Hey, just checking in to see how you're doing").
• Performance: David's text re-engagement case studies demonstrate up to a 22% response rate, qualifying leads before handing them directly back to live admissions representatives via click-to-call.

Key Quotes

"When you're sitting in the dark and ready for help, a voicemail is dead. We need to meet people where they are, when they're at that moment of sanity."

— David Sichel 

"If you have a chance to do any recovery service work... do it. We need you, because that's where our people are, and we have to meet them where they're at."

— David Sichel 

Guest Advice for Anyone Struggling

If you or a loved one are in a dark place and struggling with addiction:

• Reach out immediately. Call anyone—a priest, a treatment center, a helpline, or a friend in recovery.
• There is no shame or judgment waiting for you; the recovery community wants to help you get well.

Connect & Resources

• Website: BlueShirtMedia.com (Explore AI demos, case studies, and scheduling options)

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Download:   The 4 Essential Boundaries Worksheet

Are you constantly saying "yes" to everyone else's needs while your recovery takes a backseat? In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, host Duane Osterlind and Eric Osterlind dive deep into the four fundamental types of boundaries that can revolutionize your recovery journey. Many people struggle with feeling selfish about setting boundaries, but as this episode reveals, boundaries aren't just about saying "no" – they're about creating a protective space where your healing can flourish.

The hosts break down each type of boundary – physical, emotional, intellectual, and time – providing practical examples and real-world applications. They explore how these boundaries work together to create a strong foundation for long-term recovery success. Whether you're dealing with maintaining sobriety, protecting your personal space, or managing relationships, this episode offers clear, actionable insights for setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.

The discussion includes practical tips for implementing these boundaries in daily life, along with strategies for overcoming the guilt that often accompanies boundary-setting. The hosts also share how joining a supportive community can help strengthen your boundary-setting skills and enhance your recovery journey.

Key Topics

• Understanding the difference between physical, emotional, intellectual, and time boundaries
• Why setting boundaries isn't selfish and actually helps relationships flourish
• How to protect your recovery space without feeling guilty
• The importance of community support in maintaining boundaries
• Practical steps for implementing boundaries in daily life

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this powerful episode of The Addictive Mind, host Duane Osterlind sits down with Christian Struthers to discuss his incredible journey from an ego-driven lifestyle of addiction to surviving a catastrophic, near-fatal car accident. Christian shares how a simple shift in perspective saved his mental health, how a German Shepherd named Millie helped him heal, and how he turned his trauma into a mission to give back.

Key Takeaways From This Episode

• The Illusion of "Superman": From the outside, Christian had it all—athletic talent, college baseball scholarships, and a supportive family. However, a lack of consequences fueled a massive ego, leading him down a dark path of alcohol, party scenes, and using prescription pills (like Xanax and painkillers) to regulate his extreme lifestyle.
• The Crash That Changed Everything: On August 3, 2016, Christian was the passenger in a vehicle traveling 130 mph that flipped end-over-end for a football field and a half. The driver tragically did not survive. Christian suffered catastrophic injuries, including a broken neck, two strokes, a punctured lung, and a shattered pelvis. He survived by a thread, stopping his internal bleeding on the very last available bag of his rare O-negative blood type.
• The "I Get To" Mindset: Facing the reality of being bedridden and told he might never walk again, Christian fell into deep depression. A profound piece of wisdom from a hospital nurse flipped a switch for him: "Christian, you don't have to do this. You get to do this." This shift from obligation to gratitude changed the trajectory of his recovery.
• Millie and the Genesis of Dog Dash 3K: Promised a dog by his parents if he survived the coma, Christian bonded with a German Shepherd named Millie. She became his ultimate motivation to heal. To honor her unconditional love, he started Dog Dash 3K, a community event that now donates 100% of its profits to animal shelters.
• Recovery is a Work in Progress: Christian opens up about the painful loss of Millie to heart disease years later, which triggered a brief relapse into drinking. He shares a vulnerable, vital reminder that sobriety and healing are never linear, and that addiction is often a coping mechanism for underlying pain.

Memorable Quotes

"My ego—they called me Superman... it started with ego, went to bad choices with no consequences, and then it went to addiction." — Christian Struthers

"A nurse looked at me and she said, 'Christian, you don't have to do this. You get to do this.' That right there switched for me... That's what changed my life." — Christian Struthers

"Addiction isn't necessarily the problem... it's our answer to the problem. There's an underlying pain." — Christian Struthers

"You're one good decision away from completely changing your life. And you get to make that good decision today, right now." — Christian Struthers

Resources & Links Mentioned

Connect with Christian Struthers:

• Websites: christianstruthers.com | dogdash3k.com
• Social Media (Dog Dash 3K): Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
• Social Media (Personal/Vlog): Christian Struthers Real Life Rambles (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube)

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.