With the fentanyl crisis continuing to rage across the U.S. I went on a speaking blitz to raise awareness with parents who often think this isn’t an issue they need to be worried about. Listen in to hear how parents can talk about fentanyl without freaking out themselves, or their kids

I was fortunate to join Casey O’Roraty for a candid and timely conversation about parenting teens and young adults who use substances, and how to find new ways of thinking about addiction.

I enjoyed joining Archway Academy on their podcast, A Way Through to talk about how parents can take back pieces of their lives when their son or daughter is dealing with mental health and substance use issues.

Parents often wait for “something” to happen before they seek help or treatment for their child. This article can help when you’re feeling decision paralysis yet know you need to take action.

A wide-ranging conversation with two of my favorite guys in the field of adolescent treatment and holistic healing.

Listen in to hear Dr. Josh King from CMC:FFC talk with Brenda Zane about her experience parenting a teen through drug use and find out what she recommends parents do first if they suspect their son or daughter is misusing drugs or alcohol.

In this talk during the Effective Family Leadership Summit, hosted by Satya Family Coaching, I share the struggles parents face when they have a child who isn't responding to local resources for mental health and substance use, and why a parent’s self-care and community are critical pieces of a treatment plan for teens and young adults.

No community is safe from the deadly force of fentanyl, including ours.

When parents experience ongoing stress, anxiety and fear because of their child’s substance use it causes real trauma in the body. I shared my personal experience of declining health and physical pain and trauma with Ericka Thomas who is the host of The Work IN podcast and who is certified in Trauma Release Exercise.

I had the pleasure of speaking with my own brother-in-law for his podcast, Coast-to-Coast, and shared how our family’s tragedy turned into a new career and positive force in our lives.

In this podcast interview with Laura Richer, LCSW, of Anchor Light Therapy Collective I share the ups and downs of parenting a teen through substance use, discuss some of the biggest challenges parents face when they have a child misusing drugs or alcohol, the impact COVID has had on families seeking help, what employers should be thinking about when it comes to supporting employees, and why a community is critical to the entire process.

There’s a time for you to take care of everything and everyone else, but right now, prioritizing yourself and your self-care is more important than upholding unrealistic expectations. You can still conquer the world; it just might not be right now.

In this podcast interview with Will White of Summit Achievement, I share our journey into the world of wilderness therapy that began when my son was living a high-risk lifestyle and using drugs - and we were unable to find a local resource that could provide the help he needed. Hear how we engaged with an educational consultant who taught us what wilderness therapy is, how and why we used a transport company to get my son to Elements Wilderness Therapy in Utah, and how the experience changed all our lives.

Hosted on the world’s #1 app for sleep, anxiety and stress, Brenda’s guided meditations are a respite for parents who are impacted by their child’s substance use. This positive series of affirmations will help parents focus on positive actions they can take to help create change in their lives and the lives of their children.

Taking care of yourself when your son or daughter is misusing substances is not selfish, it’s critical. Watch this video where I speak with Mike Ferguson, Exec. Director for Sky’s The Limit Fund to learn more about the role a mom’s health and wellness plays in her child’s journey.

With all the substances parents read about online and see on TV shows, it might be surprising to find out the ones most commonly abused by young people are the ones most commonly used by adults and are easily accessible.

Hosted on the world’s #1 app for sleep, anxiety and stress, Brenda’s guided meditations are a respite for parents who are impacted by their child’s substance use. This peaceful sleep meditation is for parents who are worried about a child and the stress and anxiety are affecting your sleep. It will help you receive the gift of sleep by releasing your child for the night, knowing they'll be there to care for again when you awake.

Parents may not give much thought to fentanyl because their son or daughter is only using pot and alcohol,” and say they don't take pills or smoke other drugs. This is a common misperception and can leave parents in the dark about the dangers of fentanyl.

Listen to your body.

If there’s a nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach, a feeling that something’s just not right with your teenage son or daughter, you’re smart to pay attention and try to learn what might be going on. It’s a confusing time because adolescents go through so many changes and when their behavior veers from normal, how do you know if it’s just teenage ‘stuff’ or something more serious like drugs or alcohol?