Today we are airing a special episode with Interventionist, Ken Seeley. Ken recently made headlines with his views on "California Sober" and he filled us in on exactly how dangerous he believes this new term to be.

You probably know Ken Seeley from the Emmy Award-Winning A&E television series, Intervention.  Ken Seeley has been both professionally and personally involved in recovery since he got sober in 1989 and he connects with people and their families to change their lives. His understanding of the disease of addiction & remarkable success rate has turned Ken into one of the most sought-after interventionists in the country.

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When you think of an “addict” or “alcoholic,” does your mind conjure up images of homelessness, liquor bottles in brown paper bags or someone stumbling down a dark alley in the wrong part of town? You probably don't think of a professional athlete playing on hockey’s most elite stage. With that being said, addiction does not discriminate; it affects every race, gender and socioeconomic class.

Brantt Myhres is a former player in the National Hockey League who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. After playing for 7 different teams and making millions, his drug & alcohol use also earned him 4 League suspensions and eventually, a life-time ban. Brantt got sober in 2008, studied substance abuse & behavioral health at Mount Royal University in Calgary and went on to work with the Los Angeles Kings as the team’s player assistance director. Brantt recently released his book, Pain Killer – A Memoir of Big-League Addiction and is here to talk with us about his journey.

www.amazon.com - Link to Brantt's book, Pain Killer

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Some people write books to share their story. Others become motivational speakers. Some even go on to provide staff trainings to companies, large & small. Our guest for this episode has done all three. 

Tina Levene is an author, nationally-known speaker, and trainer who has worked in social work, education and the juvenile justice field for over 20 years. Often using her whit and personal experience, Tina is able to evoke a sense of relatability with audiences from the classroom to the Board room. 

Tina’s unique experience with her own addictions, her journey to recovery and a passion for working with children recently inspired the founding of Tampa Bay’s 1st Recovery High School, Victory High School, where she is the Executive Director. 

 With a motto like “The Truth Is…There is Hope,” you know Tina is a force for good in the community. We hope you enjoy the episode.

www.tinatalkstruth.com

www.floridarecoveryschoolsoftampabay.com

www.becomejust1.com

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Happy St. Paddy's Day! Thank you for joining us for Episode 15.

Today's guest is Dave M., an Irishman from Long Island, NY who started his drinking career as a pre-teen and ended it after he came to from a blackout, standing in the parking lot of a 12-Step Recovery Meeting. Dave has been sober since 1977 and has averaged a meeting a day for the past 43 years. He has had the opportunity to speak to other people in recovery over the world, including places like Tehran, Iran where it is illegal to even have an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting!

From all of us here at The Point is Recovery Podcast, we wish you a Safe & Sober St. Patrick's Day.  Dave shared with us this Irish Blessing and we'd like to share it with you:

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sunshine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

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Parenting is HARD. Contrary to popular belief, there is not a book for everything you'll need to know when you become a parent. Case in point: Parenting the addicted child. Imagine being consumed with fear and worry, day in and day out, because your child is in the grips of addiction and at the same time being completely unprepared to help them. Thankfully, there is a solution that can be found in a series of books written by our guest, Kevin Petersen, LMFT.

Kevin Petersen is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, best-selling author & founder of The Chronic Hope Institute. Kevin graduated from Regis University in 2011 with a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and opened his private practice, Petersen Family Counseling just three years later. His extensive work with families and individuals struggling with addictions, codependency, and parenting inspired both of his books and the founding of the Chronic Hope Institute. Kevin’s passion for helping families and his desire to empower other mental health professionals is evident in his work. He believes that a strong family system can turn chronic hope into a reality. Kevin began his personal journey of recovery in 1991 and has been sober ever since. He now lives in Florida with his wife, Amy, and three dogs.

Episode Resources

www.chronichope.us

www.facebook.com/chronichopeinstitute

www.twitter.com/TheChronicHope

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https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-chronic-hope-institute/

The Chronic Hope Podcast 

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChronicHopeInstitute

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Does being homeless, drug addicted, and ending up in a psychiatric facility in 4-point restraints sound funny to you? For most normal people, these are not laughing matters. However, as recovering addicts and alcoholics, eventually we are able to share and laugh at our most painful experiences. Comedian Mark Lundholm learned this talent early on and decided it was his way out. His ability to poke fun at himself and his experiences thrust him onto large stages, such as that of Comedy Central and TedX.

Mark has gone from homeless criminal to world-renowned entertainer. Mark’s show “Addicted…a comedy of substance,” was an off-Broadway hit. He has performed in all 50 states and abroad and has appeared on Showtime, A&E, NBC and CBS. He has been hailed as "a younger George Carlin" and is known for his dark, honest and raw humor. Mark is also a friend of the recovery community, performing at conventions, treatment centers, jails and other institutions where he can relate to almost everyone's experience.

www.marklundholm.com

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Addiction continues to be a serious national public health crisis. Estimates are that as many as 81,000 people died of a drug overdose in the 12 months leading up to May 2020. Access to addiction treatment has increased with the passage of the Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity Addiction Equity Act. On today’s episode we will discuss how the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (Also known as NAATP) has stepped up to address the needs of the addiction treatment industry through Public Policy.

To help us better understand NAATP's role in public policy is Mark Dunn. Mark Dunn represents NAATP in Washington DC.  As policy representative, Mark represents NAATP on Capitol Hill, at the various federal agencies, and with coalition partners.  He advises NAATP and the Board on a broad range of public policy issues important to NAATP members.  Mark is a partner in Veritas Advisors, a public affairs firm with over 150 years of combined federal government affairs experience.

www.naatp.org

www.naatp.org/programs/advocacy

www.usa.gov/elected-officials

www.samhsa.gov

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For Episode 11 we are joined by Robin Piper-Lutz , CEO & Clinical Director of Turning Point of Tampa.  Robin is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, a Masters Certified Addiction Professional and a National Certified Counselor.

On today's episode we will talk with Robin about what family members can do to support their loved one and what they can do to also take care of themselves.

Addiction is a family disease that can erode trust, weaken communication and destroy everyone in its path. Friends and loved ones often struggle with questions like “Am I helping or am I enabling?” Conversely, a lack of family and social support can have a detrimental effect on the recovery process. The good news is that recovery is possible for anyone who seeks it, including family members.

www.al-anon.org

www.nar-anon.org

www.coda.org

www.adultchildren.org

www.sanon.org

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www.tpoftampa.com/our-programs

www.tpoftampa.com/our-programs/food-addiction-program

www.tpoftampa.com/family-support-through-process-addiction

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On today’s episode we will discuss Employee Assistance Programs with Mark Davis, LCSW. Employee Assistance Programs, according to today's guest, mean FREE COUNSELING for employees and a healthy workforce for employers. You'll hear him reference that a few times on the episode.

Estimates by the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence are that drug abuse costs employers upwards of $81 Billion each year.  Yes, that is Billion, with a B! This is because of lost work, healthcare costs and loss in productivity.  Offering EAP benefits to employees is not only good for their mental health, but its also good for business. 

Mark Davis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist, corporate consultant and trainer in the areas of Management, Communications Training, Substance Abuse, and Critical Incident Stress Management. He works with both National and Local Employee Assistance Programs. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida (GO BULLS) and Florida State University and has extensive post graduate training in the areas of Hypnosis, EMDR, Sex Therapy and Critical Incident Stress Management. Mark has been in private practice for 30 years, is a lifelong resident of Tampa, Florida, is married with two children and is an active triathlete.

 https://www.davissoundmind.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Tampa-Bay-Employee-Assistance-Professionals-Association-109905313848576/

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Happy Holidays and welcome to our last episode of 2020. We hope you and your families stay safe and sober as we look forward to 2021. This is also the last episode of Season 1 of The Point is Recovery Podcast but we will be bringing you more great content in Season 2, which kicks off on January 6th!

This week we ask the Chicken or the Egg question, in regards to Dual Diagnosis. Experts like today's guest,  Ryan Estevez, MD, PhD, MPH, have long studied this topic.

Dual Diagnosis is the condition of suffering from a mental illness and a comorbid substance abuse problem. On today's episode we learn more about dual diagnosis from Dr. Estevez who is the Director of Psychiatric Services here at Turning Point of Tampa. 

Dr. Ryan Estevez is a psychiatrist who has earned several Ivy League advanced degrees in the behavioral and health sciences, including a bachelor’s degree in psychology, master’s degrees in both social psychology & public health and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology. Dr. Estèvez is board certified in 5 subspecialties including adult, geriatric, and forensic psychiatry, as well as psychosomatic and addiction medicine. He is also an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of South Florida here in Tampa.  Let's just say he is more than qualified to speak on today's topic.

This podcast was started to get the word out that recovery is possible, no matter what situation you may find yourself in. Whether you are struggling with addiction yourself or you are the family member/friend of someone who is suffering, please know that there is hope for recovery.

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