Parenting Through a Child's Substance Use With Clarity, Compassion And Your Own Therapist, with Patrick Balsley
Patrick Balsley's substance use began with alcohol in middle school and ended 11 years later with a heroin- and cocaine-induced psychosis. But instead of talking to Patrick about who he used to be, today I'm talking to him about the incredible things he's been doing with his life since then, and what he's learned while helping so many other families in their pursuit of recovery.
your child isn’t the patient: the role parents need to play when a teen or young adult is misusing drugs or alcohol, with Rebekah Tayebi
Rebekah Tayebi has been working with families in a variety of therapeutic settings for 18 years and has valuable insights for parents when they have a child who needs help with mental health issues or substance use. An important one is that your child isn't and shouldn't be identified as the "patient" or client. Listen in to hear why.
releasing trauma from your body; helping parents restore their health through trauma release exercise, with Ericka Thomas
You may not realize how much trauma your body is holding onto from the stress, anxiety, and fear you experience if your son or daughter is misusing substances or having mental health challenges. This episode takes a deep dive into what's happening in your body when you endure months, years, or even decades of trauma and how a very accessible exercise practice, TRE, can provide relief. My guest, Ericka Thomas introduces us to trauma release exercise in this deeply informative episode.
insider perspective, insights and harsh realities parents need to hear from a therapeutic educational consultant with Jennifer Taylor
In this direct, heart-to-heart discussion with Jennifer Taylor, a therapeutic educational consultant in the Bay Area, I ask the questions parents often have and get answers that can sometimes be difficult to hear. Jennifer helps families all over the country develop the right plan and placements that can help their children (teens and young adults) with everything from emotional and behavioral concerns to substance use. You may not like everything you hear, but it's critically important information as you work to help your child.
how can a therapist help parents when their child is misusing drugs or alcohol? every question you secretly want to ask, with Laura Richer, LMHCA CHt
Laura Richer is a therapist, coach, podcaster and lover of all things mental health. She spent time with me answering all the questions we have about whether or not having a therapist while our child is struggling with substance use or emotional issues will really help. We cover topics like trauma, EMDR, PTSD, marriage and relationships so it’ll be helpful to anyone curious about what a therapist might be able to help them with, without even having to see one.
how heavy is your glass? perspective and coping skills for parents of teens struggling with drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
There are tens of thousands of moms and dads carrying an unimaginable weight every day, trying to figure out how to move ahead when their son or daughter is misusing substances to cope with life. Using a simple story and analogy of holding a glass of water, this episode will provide parents with a powerful way to recognize and approach the stress level in their life.
tending to the Mothership: surviving COVID, kids, drugs, addiction and holidays with Brenda Zane
Uncertainty, unpredictability, fear, anxiety, fatigue, dread...life right now is likely a mixture of all these things and maybe more. As the parent of a child with substance use issues who's also navigating COVID and looking ahead to celebrating holidays, you may be wondering how you can keep it all together. The elements of life you know and love have changed, things you used to be able to count on aren't there anymore, and there's a feeling of underlying anxiety about the future.
things you can let go of when your child is misusing drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
Parents who are trying to help a child misusing drugs or alcohol are usually overwhelmed, stressed out and frazzled from trying to keep up with their normal life and deal with the chaos and uncertainty that's invaded their home. Add a global health pandemic, massive social unrest and an election of historic proportions and it can feel like a tidal wave has crashed over your world and you're about to slip under. This episode will be helpful if you're looking for ways to offload some of "life" while you focus on helping your child and yourself.
a brother stolen by addiction and thriving despite generational trauma with City Girl Gone Mom's Danielle Schaffer
Danielle Lucia Schaffer is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her business and her family, but not even this determined, dynamic Italian "momshell" who hails from New York City could save her baby brother from the grip of addiction. As founder of the insanely popular blog and Instagram account, City Girl Gone Mom, and host of The Mom Confidential podcast, Danielle puts her mind to something and then makes it happen. But sadly, when it comes to addiction, even when you love someone to the ends of the earth, you can't always save them.
10 practical steps to help you and your child misusing drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
If you've started the process of looking for options to help your son or daughter with substance use issues, you know it can be overwhelming, intimidating, and exhausting. If you're just starting out and thinking about making that first call or sending the first email, you may soon find yourself wading through website after website, at 2 in the morning, wondering how you know you're even doing the right thing.
This episode is a practical guide for parents when you're embarking on the arduous journey of finding resources, programs, therapists, treatment centers, or any type of help for your child who's misusing substances.
life changing grants and scholarships for wilderness therapy: a conversation with Sky's the Limit Fund's Rochelle Bochner and Lani Dorff
When Rochelle Bochner's son was in a wilderness therapy program and she realized only families with strong financial means could access this life-changing experience she teamed up with her friend Lani Dorff to change the game. With a small pool of seed money from her 50th birthday and a plan sketched on a restaurant tablecloth, this dynamic duo has created a world-class non-profit that's helped over 700 families access therapy, after-care and family coaching.
gaslighting: how your child with substance use disorder can make you believe you're crazy, with Brenda Zane
"It didn't happen that way"
"You're way too sensitive, get over it"
"You're confused, I didn't say that"
and 10,000 other ways our teen and young adult kids twist and turn reality until we wonder if maybe we're the ones who need psychotherapy and treatment. It's called gaslighting and it's something you're may be all too familiar with if your child is misusing substances.
college and sobriety - can kids recovering from addiction stay sober on campus? with Keith Murphy, Rutgers University
Parents of kids in recovery from substance use disorder may not think college is a good or even realistic option - who would be crazy enough to send their child who struggles with alcohol or drugs to a place where those things tend to be rampant and "normal?" This episode will be a beacon of hope for those parents who want their kids to continue on to higher education but are skeptical of the idea and don't know where to start in the process.
coaches, mentors and a whole lot of tenacity: wrapping families with the support they need to heal from addiction, with Lori Thompson
Families who have a child or children with substance use disorder often have struggles other families don't ever experience or know about. Having a coach and mentor to come alongside your family is invaluable when it comes to navigating the tricky dynamics involved in overcoming addiction. Lori Thompson, LPC, brings a wealth of hands-on experience working with teens, young adults and parents as they work to make lasting change in their lives and restore damaged relationships.
how to navigate life and conversations when your world is falling apart with Brenda Zane
If you've ever been in a conversation where you were thinking, "I'd love to have those kinds of problems" this is an episode you need to hear. For those of us who have kids with a life-threatening disease like addiction, it can be hard to navigate relationships with people who have what we think of as "normal" problems.
knowing when to intervene: recognizing when your teen needs help even if drugs aren't the problem with Annika
You may be a parent who's noticing changes in your teen or young adult that worry you, but drugs or alcohol don't seem to be the problem. Their behavior is off, they're acting uncharacteristically and definitely not thriving like someone their age should. What do you do? Listen to this special episode and learn from a mom who’s been there.
overcoming addiction in young adults with humility, empathy and grace with Hazeldon's Dr. Joseph Lee
Dr. Joseph Lee is the Medical Director for Hazelden Betty Ford's Youth Continuum and, as I learned in this powerful, hopeful episode, one of the most genuine and caring people in the field of addiction recovery. Dr. Lee generously shared his thoughts and perspectives from his vast history and experience ranging from the streets of Baltimore to now working with one of the country's most iconic and well-respected treatment programs, Hazeldon Betty Ford.
building emotionally healthy teens through boundaries, letting go and creating a safe container with Krissy Pozatek, MSW
If we're steering every child toward happy, they have no ability to be with the other feelings. And we say, my goal is for you to be emotionally healthy, which is all feelings are okay. Discomfort’s okay, boredom’s okay, sad? okay. Anxious? okay. Happy is okay. All feelings are just information.
finding the right addiction & mental health treatment options for teens and young adults with Jenney Wilder, All Kinds of Therapy
I always want to tell parents, like give yourself space to just ask the questions. And if you don't like the answers, that's okay, too. You're going to get more information from the treatment programs or the professionals you're dealing with or the local therapist at home. There is no stupid question when it comes to treatment for your child.
a school-based program identifying personality traits that put teens at risk for substance use, with Dr. Patricia Conrod
Health research tends to focus on the negative outcomes, and so my team is now becoming a lot more interested in understanding how the program also helps young people thrive, not just avoid problems, but how does it help them thrive? What's fascinating is that by targeting impulsivity and some of these other traits, we've shown that the whole population benefits.