In the season finale of The Transformed Minds, Dr. O brings the series full circle, reflecting on the season’s core lessons around evidence-based, humane, and equitable care in substance use and psychiatric treatment.

This episode focuses on the heightened risks of the holiday season, a time when emotional stress, trauma activation, social isolation, and structural inequities often collide. Dr. O explores how holiday pressures can exacerbate substance use and psychiatric symptoms, while also highlighting concrete, actionable strategies to promote safety, continuity of care, and recovery.

Drawing on clinical insight and real-world examples, the episode examines:

• The psychology of stress and trauma during the holidays

• Structural vulnerabilities that increase risk for relapse, overdose, and psychiatric crises

• Practical interventions for clinicians, caregivers, policymakers, and communities

From anticipatory care planning and medication continuity to community-level harm reduction strategies such as naloxone distribution and syringe services, this finale underscores a central message of the season: support saves lives.

Join us for a thoughtful, grounded discussion on how to build recovery-friendly environments and reduce harm during one of the most challenging and meaningful times of the year.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this episode, listeners will be able to:

1. Identify evidence-based risk factors for substance use recurrence during the holiday season.

2. Apply practical, anticipatory strategies to reduce relapse and overdose risk.

3. Understand how trauma, social determinants, and system-level gaps shape holiday outcomes.

4. Translate research into actionable steps for clinicians, patients, communities, and policymakers.

5. Reframe holiday substance use risk as predictable and therefore preventable.

Tackling Addiction and Homelessness with Dr. Fabiola Arbelo Cruz

In this episode of the Transformed Minds Podcast, Dr. Owusu speaks with Dr. Fabiola Arbelo Cruz, Addiction Psychiatrist at the Connecticut Mental Health Center and Yale School of Medicine. They explore how mental health, addiction, and homelessness intersect, the barriers unhoused individuals face, and the innovative approaches used by Yale’s Street Psychiatry team.

Dr. Arbelo Cruz discusses treatment engagement, long-acting buprenorphine, peer support, and the policy changes needed to address social determinants of health. A powerful episode for clinicians, policymakers, and advocates seeking meaningful solutions.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding homelessness and addiction

• Challenges within emergency and street-based care

• Case study insights

• Building trust with unhoused patients

• Effective treatment strategies

• System-level and policy recommendations

Welcome to the Transform Mind Podcast with Dr. O. In today's episode, we delve into the joint clinical practice guidelines for benzodiazepine tapering released in June 2025.

Dr. O breaks down the essential principles, patient-centered approaches, and key recommendations to ensure safe and effective benzodiazepine tapers. Learn why slow and supported tapering, shared decision making, and harm reduction are critical for patient safety. We also discuss special populations, psychosocial interventions, and practical case studies.

Stay tuned to explore this vital topic in psychiatric and addiction care.

00:00 Welcome to Transform Mind Podcast

01:22 Introduction to Today's Topic: Benzo Use Tapering Guidelines

01:51 Overview of the Joint Clinical Practice Guideline

03:37 Key Recommendations and Classifications

05:03 Guiding Principles for Implementation

08:01 Detailed Tapering Strategies

13:52 Special Populations and Considerations

16:50 Case Study: Applying the Guidelines

19:34 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Featured Resources

What happens when life-saving anxiety medication becomes a system-wide challenge?

In this episode of The Transformed Minds, host Dr. O, unpacks the clinical, systemic, and human dimensions of benzodiazepine use disorder; where relief meets risk.

Drawing from evidence-based literature and the 2025 Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering, we explore how dependence develops, why abrupt discontinuation can be dangerous, and what clinicians, patients, and policymakers can do to build safer, more compassionate systems of care.

You’ll learn:

- How to distinguish dependence from substance use disorder

- The science behind benzodiazepine tapering and withdrawal

- How fragmented healthcare systems complicate deprescribing

- What patient-centered and trauma-informed care looks like in real practice

Listen now, subscribe for future deep dives, and join the conversation at  ⁨@thetransformedmindspod⁩ 

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Chapman, we continue exploring the wholistic approach to Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), diving deep into how economics, genetics, and the state of American healthcare shape treatment and recovery.From the science of addiction to the social systems that sustain it, Dr. Chapman offers valuable insight into building a more compassionate and effective framework for healing.🔗 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss it on new episodes every other Tuesday at 11am!

In this episode, we explore how the renowed Dr. Edwin Chapman, a leading physician and researcher, is redefining the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) by integrating housing, social determinants of health (SDOH), and genetics into a groundbreaking model of care.

From the streets of Washington, D.C. to advocacy and the latest advances in addiction treatment, Dr. Chapman’s Urban Health Model addresses more than addiction, it treats the whole person. We discuss the role of stable housing and how precision medicine is reshaping addiction care.

Topics Covered:

• Social determinants of health and addiction
• Why housing matters in recovery
• Vulnerability to opioid misuse
• Congressional testimony

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe for biweekly episodes on health equity, addiction science, and innovation in care.

#OpioidRecovery #DrEdwinChapman #AddictionPsychiatry #AddictionMedicine #SDOH #PublicHealth #UrbanHealthModel #PrecisionMedicine #OUD #HealthEquity #HousingIsHealthcare

In this Host Rx episode, Dr. O explores both sides of kratom.

We break down:

• A 2025 meta-analysis linking long-term kratom use to improved metabolic health.

• A 2021 case series documenting kratom use disorder and its treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone.

Kratom may offer benefits — but it also carries real risks. Join us as we ask what the science actually says and what it means for clinicians, patients, and communities.

Don’t forget to follow for more evidence-informed conversations at the intersection of mental health, addiction, and transformative care.

Improving Access to Evidence-Based Medical Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

Despite proven treatments, access to care remains a major challenge for individuals with opioid use disorder. This episode dives into the barriers—stigma, policy hurdles, and system gaps—and offers strategies for creating a more equitable and effective treatment system.

🎙️ Featuring Dr. Bowe | Yale and WVU-trained, board-certified in Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, and Addiction Psychiatry. Dr. Bowe brings expert insight into how the healthcare system can better respond to the opioid crisis.

🔑 Key Insights:

• Why access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) matters

• Systemic changes needed for equitable care

• Practical solutions for healthcare providers and policymakers

Tune in to learn how we can break down barriers and save lives.

#OpioidTreatment #AddictionRecovery #PublicHealth #HealthEquity

In this Host Rx episode, we unpack a Tennessee Medicaid study (2010–2021) tracking over 14,000 maternal–infant pairs. Researchers Krishnapura SR, McNeer E, Loch SF, et al. compared pregnancy outcomes for mothers with opioid use disorder who received buprenorphine versus those who didn’t. Hear what the data reveals about maternal health, newborn outcomes, and best practices for treatment during pregnancy.

What do the latest data reveal about youth substance use, mental health trends, and future challenges in addiction care? Dr. Phi Owusu sits down with Dr. Gomez to break down findings from the Monitoring the Future survey and their implications for public health, psychiatry, and harm reduction.

In this episode, we cover:

– Key substance use trends in the latest survey

– Emerging patterns among teens and young adults

– Policy and community-based strategies to address these issues

🎧 Listen, learn, and join the conversation.

#AddictionPsychiatry #PublicHealth #MonitoringTheFuture #TransformedMindsPodcast #youthdruguse#addiction