The Unhooked Podcast

I have been familiar for the work of Dr. Donna Marks for a while now, through the connection with her incredible daughter Hanna. I spoke with them on Recovery Radio a couple of years ago and was profoundly impressed. 

Donna Marks has been a licensed psychotherapist and addictions counselor in private practice in Palm Beach County for over 30 years. Dr. Marks specializes in working with individuals who have been unable to break unwanted patterns of behavior by working through the internal obstructions that stand in the way of achieving one’s life goals. 

She believes that the combined methods of psychoanalysis and spirituality are a powerful method to not only heal the past and find freedom, but to also obtain meaning from all of those life events—the essential requirements for lasting change and a promising future. 

Listen in as Dr. Marks talks about her background, beginning as a single Mother, waitressing to pay the bills...all the way through to Grad School and a  private practice where she incorporates healing concepts of truth, recovery and a Course in Miracles. 

I could not help but open up some of my own areas of need when speaking with her!  

You can find Dr. Donna at:  http://drdonnamarks.com/

"A Higher Power for me just needs to be a Force greater than my fears..."   I found that comment, among many others in this conversation to be deeply revelational.   

I personally love Writers and Authors, especially those who speak a language of recovery, in this Unhooked conversation I met with Author Gigi Langer.  Gigi holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education and an MA in Psychology, both from Stanford University. As a professor, she won several awards for her teaching, and (as Georgea M. Langer) wrote four books for educators as well as hundreds of articles on professional growth. 

As a person in recovery, Gigi hasn’t had a drug or drink for over 30 years!  Through speeches, retreats, and workshops, she helps thousands of people improve their lives at home and at work.  

Listen in as she tells her journey and hits the high notes on so many recovery related issues, I learn something from her every time she posts, shares, writes and now speaks on this week's podcast! You can find Gigi at GigiLanger.com  check her out!

In this week's episode I sat down Brenda Stewart, founder of The Addict's Parents United and the Mother of two adult sons who have suffered with substance use and addiction.  Together we cover the effects on the family members, in particular the parents of a son or daughter afflicted with an addiction or alcohol problem.     

Our side of the house can be crazier and become as sick (if not sicker) as the one struggling with chemically fueled behavior. And we are not usually even high.  Those in the peripheral get triggered, suffer from PTSD, depression, anxiety, stress induced physical conditions and so on.  Addiction effects the health of EVERYONE. 

Also - stress led both of us to experience panic attacks.  Brenda and I discuss that subject and share coping methods.  Because those are the WORST! 

We read questions from parents and family members, including how to manage when a son or daughter says vicious things or makes threats for money, how to manage the stress, fear and sadness, and what might someone say to a friend or family member who has an addicted son or daughter.  

We both agree on one thing for sure - families DO recover!  But it's a group effort.   

Listen in for this information and HOPE filled conversation!  

Brenda's organization The Addicts Parents United can be found on Facebook and at  https://www.tapunited.org/  Check it out!

This week's conversation is an important one to me - the need for the family members who love someone struggling with addiction, or alcoholism to recover themselves.

If you have lived very long at all, you most likely have something to recover from. Recovery, addiction and dependency are not always about chemicals; many who are affected by someones substance use find themselves drunk on fear, sadness, drama, and strung out on on worry, obsession, control, panic and codependency.

We ALL have work to do!

Listen in as Virginia, whose husband has battled addiction, shares how his struggles illuminated her own need for a recovery process. SO IMPORTANT!!

She brings the recovery this week, tells her unique story and reveals her own "patchwork" recovery process which is not unlike my own.

What might work for one family, may not be what it takes for another. There is no one-size-fits all when it comes to improving your life and healing family patterns.  I believe in the process of healing whether it's 12-step, support rooms, therapy, DBT, EMDR, books, podcasts, prayer, meditation, long walks through nature...or all of the above!    

Lots of hope, encouragement, information and ideas in this week's episode!

You can find Virginia on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mrsaddictt/  and Instagram: @mrs._addict 

This week's conversation delves into the dark topic of sexual trafficking.   Ohio ranks 4th in the nation for sexual trafficking.  Trauma and addiction lurk behind each story.  

In 2009 Franklin County Court Judge Paul Herbert set up CATCH Court, a specialized docket seeking to provide structure and support to help women caught trafficking find their way to freedom and healing. Hannah Estabrook, co-author of the book "Beyond Desolate," is the Coordinator for CATCH Court and sits down to describe the lives of those who are caught in trafficking and the process of leading them out.  

I find Hannah's heart and passion for working with these women beyond amazing. 

Check out what CATCH Court is doing!  https://vimeo.com/284773814  

You can find Hannah's book here:  https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Desolate-Tammy-Schultz/dp/0884692795 

In this week's conversation, I sit down with a friend from home and hashed out the painful recovery of a friendship gone bad.  This is a difficulty that unfortunately many of us experience at least once in a lifetime.    

When it comes to dealing with family adversity, addiction and so on - safe, healthy, compassionate friends are an absolute must.  Some of us have experienced loss and letdown in this area, while struggling in family circumstances...which is a heartache that is almost unbearable.  As well, many of us have been the toxic one a time or two ourselves, let's be fair. 

Listen in as we compare how each of us have dealt with friends, enemies, hate-vibes, and doing the work to heal life in areas that are social saturated!