Substance use destroys lives. But when addiction leads to the lowest places, there is opportunity to find new hope and meaning. That new hope and meaning is found through the long road of recovery. And how beautiful is it that one's lowest places could ultimately be used for the good of helping another person along their own painful life experiences? Therein lies the powerful profession of a Peer Support Specialist. One of New Vista's many Peer Support Specialists, Glinda Smith, tells us her story of substance use addiction, recovery and how it all led to a career in Peer Support. You'll learn why this form of treatment has proven to be highly effective in recovering from addiction.

Enjoy your 13 minutes of Zen with this guided mindfulness exercise led by Tiffany Arrows, Regional Director of Specialty and Outreach Services at New Vista!

Being human can be full of complicated experiences that trigger a wide-variety of thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Anxiety is something everyone carries with them in one way or another. So maybe anxiety isn't something we should learn how to avoid, but to know how to hold well. Can anxiety be utilized as an agent for positive outcomes? What are practices we can apply to release the oftentimes overbearing feelings of fear, disillusionment, and inadequacies? We sit down with Tiffany Arrows, the Regional Director of Specialty and Outreach Services at New Vista, to discuss the experience of anxiety that exists in all of us.

Every day there are factors that play into our mood. Maybe you're in a bad mood because the weather isn't your preference today. Maybe you're in a great mood because you played your favorite song on your way to work. Maybe your self-critique is louder than usual today. However your mood is panning out, we're here with Laura Becker, Jail Triage Clinician at New Vista, to give insight into why you might be experiencing the mood you're in. You'll also hear 10 practical steps that can help improve your overall mood.

Mental health is relevant to everyone, and in this episode we discuss how important of a topic this is in raising the next generation. There's no question that kids are facing many challenges, especially living in an increasingly digital age. How can parents monitor their child's mental health, and when should there be a move towards seeking therapy? The Regional Director of Children's Services at New Vista, Randa Bush, gives her professional perspective on mental health in kiddos today, and discusses steps parents can take to care for their child's mental health.

In the world of mental health, depression seems to be one of the most prevalent struggles that people face today. But how do we know when depression is actually present? Is it something everyone is susceptible to or just certain people? And if you do see the signs, how can you seek help? New Vista's Regional Director of Emergency Services, Darcy Miller, sits down with us to answer these questions and more.

Welcome to The Good Ahead Podcast, where we host important conversations around the areas of Mental Health, Substance Use, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. This podcast is hosted by New Vista, a community mental health center based out of Lexington, KY. Our experts are licensed professionals that work every day to help people live their best lives.

For more about New Vista, visit www.newvista.org.
If you need help, call our 24-Hour Helpline at 1.800.928.8000.