An Unexpectedly Humorous Take on Substance Misuse, Borderline Personality, Trauma and Tragic Loss, with Jess Kupferman
On this episode of Hopestream, the show comes full circle to its roots. My guest, Jess Kupferman, is the CEO of She Podcasts, a membership-based group of all-women podcasters that played an important role in the creation of this show. What I didn’t know when I launched the podcast was that Jess lost her daughter to a heroin overdose at the same time I was going through our family struggles with my son. One of the most fascinating things about Jess is the way she has learned to process this trauma with a sharp sense of humor rarely seen in addiction and recovery spaces. Don’t feel bad if you laugh a few times while listening to her story, but take her advice on telling your own story seriously.
the annual golden nuggets episode; 2022 edition
It’s the annual year-end Golden Nuggets Hopestream episode with 12 memorable guest excerpts you won’t want to miss.
coaching episode: 17 days sober: using CRAFT skills to help mom navigate her son’s first unexpected weekend home from treatment
In this coaching episode, I’m talking with Marie, a mom from The Stream community. The weekend is approaching and her son is unexpectedly home from treatment. Listen as we explore how Marie can initiate some hard conversations to reduce her anxiety and increase the chance of her son choosing support and sobriety over the weekend.
four key insights from my conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté and The Myth of Normal, with Brenda Zane
In a follow-up to episode 131 where I had a conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté about his new book, The Myth of Normal, I'm diving into four key insights I gleaned from the book and from our time together. While there are many more, these four elements of Gabor's overall message in the book and his work as a whole stood out, and I felt it was important to share them with you. These insights are ones that parents with kids struggling with substance use will find especially relevant as they navigate the wild ride.
Dr. Gabor Maté on The Myth of Normal; the roots of our kids’ struggles, pressure on today’s parents, the need for community, and a path to healing
Dr. Gabor Maté is one of the world’s foremost experts on a range of topics including addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship between stress and illness. He’s the bestselling author of five books published in over thirty languages, and his newest book, The Myth of Normal, was the subject of our conversation. For parents seeking insight and direction about their kids who are struggling with mental health and substance use, you’ll find rich concepts to consider and bring into your family’s healing journey.
what parents need to know about substance use and trauma; what it is and isn't, and why we can't ignore it, with Steve Sawyer
Just hearing the word "trauma" can cause a parent's stomach to turn in knots and create feelings of guilt and regret. We believe we should be able to spare our kids from trauma and might push this aspect aside when seeking treatment options. Steve Sawyer is an expert in trauma and adolescents and joined me for a deeply educational and enlightening conversation around trauma, and why as parents, we need to understand it better.
shattering the youth treatment mold and getting real about drugs, alcohol and mental health, with Wes Robins & Zac Sweat of Eternal Strength
Wes Robins and Zac Sweat are passionate about helping young people heal and have opened a therapeutic healing center outside of Atlanta, GA to do just that. Eternal Strength Therapeutic Youth Center is an outpatient program without a program, where each client is met with a tailor-made set of activities and therapies that work best for them and their family.
my experience & relationship with stress, trauma, food, pain and healing; an interview on The Work IN podcast
I'm excited to share this episode of The Work IN podcast where I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Erika Thomas, founder of Elemental Kinetics and talk about my experiences and relationship with stress, trauma, food, pain, An-Anon, family, triggers, exercise and more! We often find ourselves in physical pain, mentally exhausted, and generally unhealthy when we have a child misusing drugs or alcohol. At one point I wondered if I was just getting old or if there was really something medically wrong with me. It's confusing and you need to know it's normal - which is why taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do to help your child.
what are CRAFT and harm reduction, and can they work with teens and young adults who are misusing drugs or alcohol, with Dee-Dee Stout
Dee-Dee Stout is a force to be reckoned with in the world of substance use treatment and specifically in the area of harm reduction. She’s in long-term recovery herself and is an author, coach, speaker and professor. In this episode, Dee-Dee shares much knowledge and wisdom from her work with families and organizations related to CRAFT, motivational interviewing and harm reduction. It’s a must-listen for parents who aren’t finding success with traditional treatment programs or who are just looking for ways to improve the communication between themselves and their child.
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.
Uprooting Addiction, Healing From The Ground Up: a film that explores the connection between trauma and addiction, with Hope Payson and Daryl McGraw
Who's confused about using medication to treat opioid addiction? For parents who have an adolescent or young adult child struggling with opioid use, medication could be a viable option but there's confusion around it and information can be hard to find. In a deep-dive conversation, Dr. Lauren Hoffman and I covered a lot of ground to answer all the questions.
