Project Recovery

Casey Scott is flying solo this week while Dr. Matt is on vacation and we’re doing a therapy exercise called, “Free-Form Writing”. Free-form writing is an exercise that is used to help clear the mind and get our thoughts and feelings onto paper.

Dr. Bryce Herrera (Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW & Psychiatric Program Specialist at Huntsman Mental Health Institute) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his inspiration behind pursuing social justice, why working in addiction recovery can be so fulfilling, and his past work with treating veterans who suffer from substance abuse. Then we talk about the process of being admitted to Huntsman for detoxing, the most difficult and rewarding aspects of working in addiction recovery, and some of the amazing services that HMHI offers. To learn more about Huntsman Mental Health Institute, you can visit their website or call them at 801-583-2500. You can also reach out to Bryce directly at 801-558-9456 or at bryceherreralcsw@gmail.com

Mark Pepper (Clinical Director at Steps Recovery Center) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about struggling to find his place in life growing up and how turning to weed and alcohol early in life helped him fit in during high school. Mark also talks about falling in love with being addicted to depression during his freshman year of college in Eugene, OR, his decision to transfer to Boulder, CO for the sole purpose of partying, and how a cocaine addiction would plague his thirties. Then we dive into Mark’s time trying to get sober while hiding his addiction, what finally pushed him over the edge to start living a life of sobriety, and how he’s helping give back to others who are battling addiction. Related Links Steps Recovery Center: https://www.stepsrc.com/ Live On: https://liveonutah.org/

Matthew Jackson joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley again to talk about how his life has changed after his time on the podcast three years ago, the ways his recovery has shifted, and his decision to pursue being a Substance Use Disorder / Addiction Counselor for the youth. We also dive into how substance abuse has evolved among the youth, modalities that Matthew uses to help the youth overcome substance abuse and addiction, as well as how dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can help introduce emotional skills to the youth that can be used to combat addictive tendencies.

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Matthew Jackson, a former BYU professor, to talk about Matthew's experimentation with substances growing up in a small town, the shame he felt after his addiction became more well-known, and how a spiritual awakening led him to experience recovery for the first time. Then Matthew talks about his life without substance abuse, how pursuing his Ph.D. led to a reliance on caffeine, and his decision to begin abusing energy drinks and pain pills to stay focused on his goals. Matthew also talks about the "Holy Trinity" of addiction, the events that led to his rock bottom, and what his recovery looks like now.

Scott Devine joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his family’s experience moving to America from Ireland to be more active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, why he found comfort in pursuing rebellious behavior throughout high school, and his decision to attend BYU-Idaho, despite continuously disobeying the Honor Code. Scott also talks about going off the rails and having to spend Christmas and New Year’s Day in a residential facility, his experience with relapsing, and the work he put toward his sobriety that would eventually help him climb out of the hole of addiction.

Amy Abshere joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about how she quickly learned that her achievements and success could lead to attention and praise when she was younger, using her successes in education and athletics to justify her substance abuse, and feeling as if her identity had been taken away after she graduated college. We also dive into Amy’s experience with struggling to get off prescription pills following a serious injury after college, how her addiction to pain pills turned into a full-blown addiction to heroin, and why her rock bottom turned into a spiritual journey that would ultimately lead her to find recovery. Related Links Instagram: amygreenfitness

Season 11 champion of the hit television show, 'Ultimate Fighter', and Welterweight MMA fighter, Court McGee, joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt to talk about his experiences surrounding addiction and eventually overcoming years of struggle to ultimately become a professional UFC fighter. Court also explains how an injury led to becoming addicted to pain pills in a week, which eventually led to a derailed college career as a wrestler and an overdose on September 9th, 2005. He also details how he was able to find a path to sobriety after dying, only to be ruined by a single Long Island Iced Tea, leading to the worst two weeks of his life. Court then talks about how his early love for wrestling was able to create a solid foundation to build his MMA skillset and how a loss to Jeremy Horn made him realize that he could compete in the UFC. Lastly, we dive into the steps that eventually led him to become the champion of 'Ultimate Fighter' season 11 and how his success on TV and in the octagon helped him create the McGee Project, allowing him the opportunity to spread awareness surrounding addiction. For more information about the McGee Project, visit courtmcgee.com/thecgeeproject.

Friend of the show, Christian Smith, joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about the causal factors of low success rates in the recovery community, how we can increase recovery outcomes, and how insurance companies impact the cost of attending treatment centers. Then we talk about ways we can improve the process of preparing addicts for a stint in treatment, why addicts need to open up about their struggles, and why loving who you are can help become a turning point in recovery.

Adam Rudy joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to look back on his childhood where he was surrounded by drug abuse due to his father being a drug dealer, losing his father in a car accident while he was under the influence, and how the passing of his father shaped his mindset towards living life. Adam then talks about experimenting with drugs and alcohol during his early twenties, spending time in and out of jail and drug court due to his excessive drug use after struggling to stay sober, and what his rock bottom looked like before turning a corner and committing to recovery. Then he opens up about his struggles with feeling welcomed back into society once he started his recovery journey and how the recovery community has helped stabilize his battle against addiction.

Unfortunately, we have lost our good friend, Seneca Higley, to the disease of addiction. We wanted to honor him by sharing his story with everyone to hopefully inspire anyone to seek help and continue the fight against addiction. Seneca was an amazing storyteller and hearing him talk about his life was such an inspirational moment for us. We hope his story can bring some light and hope into your day and that you enjoy hearing about Seneca as much as we did...

Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley talk about the unfortunate and sudden passing of our good friend, Seneca Higley. Then Casey shares some of his favorite memories with Seneca and we talk about ways to help prevent overdoses. Related Links SAMSA: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/overdose-prevention-response-toolkit/pep23-03-00-001

Brandon Novack just turned 40, and he completed his 13th attempt at recovery in 2016. He's been sober ever since. At the age of 15, he was a pro skateboarder, endorsed by Gatorade and doing commercials with Michael Jordan. At 17, he was working for his idol, Tony Hawk. That's when he discovered the dark side of substance abuse. This would cause him to lose everything, save for a few personal belongings, and gain a restraining order from his Mom. It's a long road to recovery and one that you for sure want to hear.

Danielle Yarrington joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about her introduction to alcohol as a teenager, using alcohol to separate herself from her ex-husband in her mid-twenties, and the events that led her to drink alcohol every day. Danielle also opens up about her struggles to manage the chaos in her life due to relationships in her life, how she was able to only go to one rehabilitation center before committing to sobriety, and how she found her voice in rehab. Lastly, Danielle opens up about how she’s fighting for the recovery community at Brighton Recovery Center. Related Links Brighton Recovery: https://www.brightonrecoverycenter.com/

Kyle Raines joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Wooley to talk about the impact that losing his brother when he was growing up had on him and his family, why he started pushing people away following the loss of his brother, and his earliest realizations that he had a problem with substances. Then Kyle opens up about how his addiction got out of control throughout the years, being sent to jail for a DUI, and why being held accountable helped push him towards seeking help for his addiction. We also talk about Kyle’s experiences with treatment centers, what he found to be an effective recovery method, and finding stability through service and giving back. Related Links School of Addiction Recovery: https://schoolofaddiction.org/

Breann Sagers joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about her niece, Kandis Harris, who has been missing for three years after running with the wrong crowd and struggling with addiction at an early age. We dive into Kandis’s time running in and out of multiple recovery programs, the day she stopped responding to family and friends, and how the search for Kandis has evolved over the past few years. Breann also shares why Salt Lake City detectives have moved Kandis’s case now considered a homicide and why she is so passionate about sharing Kandis’s story. If you or anyone you know may know about the whereabouts of Kandis Harris, please call the Salt Lake Police Department at (801) 799-3000 or the anonymous tip line at (801) 759-2248. You can also follow Bring Kandis Home for any updates. Related LinksFacebook: Bring Kandis Home

Vili Auelua joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his life growing up in Compton, CA. where he spent a lot of his time committing crimes as a gang member, why abusing alcohol and marijuana was commonplace in his environment, and how his time running the streets ultimately caught up with him. Vili also opens up about his battles with addiction after struggling to realize that he had a problem for years and how his life is better than ever once he finally committed to a life of recovery. Then Vili talks about the work that he’s doing for other recovering addicts at The Haven. Related Links The Haven: https://havenhelps.com/

Morgan Dimmitt joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about how his vigilant relationship with his brother naturally caused him to feel anxious and tense which ultimately led him to feel less anxious once he started experimenting with marijuana and alcohol. Morgan also talks about how sports became an outlet for him to release a lot of the pent-up tension he dealt with in high school, the events that led him to serve over a thousand hours of community service after a physical altercation, and how an addiction to pain medication drastically transitioned to heroin. Then we dive into Morgan’s time in prison after being arrested for drugs, the first time he was able to say no to drugs, and why it’s so important to build a community around you that supports recovery to stay sober. Related Links Reflections Recovery Center: https://reflectionsrecoveryutah.com/

Sean Dalton joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about growing up in a traditional New York family household, the effect that his father’s acceptance had on him while he was growing up, and why he was so focused on becoming a hard marine to gain acceptance from his peers. Then Sean talks about his reliance on alcohol that stemmed from his time as a marine, being introduced to cocaine, and the events that led him to spend time in jail. Lastly, Sean opens up about the mistakes he’s made during his addiction and why he had to accept his problems to start working towards a life of recovery. Related Links Steps Recovery: https://www.stepsrc.com/

Nate Heaslett joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his experience growing up in a sailing family that was surrounded by drinking alcohol, getting drunk at thirteen years old, and being introduced to marijuana and opiates during his time throughout high school. Nate also talks about the impact that COVID-19 had on his college experience and drug abuse, how joining the workforce increased his drinking habits and his attempts at seeking rehabilitation and therapy after realizing that he had a problem. Then we talk about what Nate’s rock bottom looked like after struggling to cope with sobriety and how being introduced to Fit To Recover has helped stabilize his recovery after moving to Utah.