Recovery and Company

We Level Up-Sobriety and Beyond with Jason Lennox (Episode 46) Jason Lennox is an addiction survivor who found his own recovery after a drug overdose in 2010. He is now a behavioral healthcare executive; founder and owner of two small businesses supporting organizations and individuals in recovery; and a professional speaker and author who has used his story to influence hundreds of thousands of people in his twelve years of recovery. Jason is proof that not only can we recovery, but we can thrive. In this powerful episode, Jason shares his story and perspective on the lifelong journey of recovery. We discuss the contributing factors that lead to his addiction and the mental, physical, and spiritual areas of personal development essential in the recovery process. You can find out more about Jason Lennox and read his book "A Perfect Tragedy: Finding Purpose in Pain, Loss, & Addiction" by clicking here.

Addiction Treatment Explained with Betsy Byler (Episode 45-Part 2) If you have ever thought about addiction treatment for you or a loved one, you are probably wondering what to expect, which center to call, and what happens in treatment. In part 2 with Therapist and Addiction Counselor Betsy Byler, you will hear sage advice when it comes to helping your child or loved one with an addiction. You will also learn about the nature of things like clinical assessments, detox, inpatient vs outpatient treatment, co-occurring disorders, referrals, after care planning, what happens in treatment and more.

From Teen Addiction to Counselor and Therapist with Betsy Byler (Episode 44-Part 1) When Betsy Byler was a teenager, her mom sent her to nine therapists before they found one who could help her. Coincidentally, this therapist was also named Betsy! Find out what this therapist did that not only got Betsy’s attention, but paved the way for her to become a therapist herself with a special knack for helping other teens overcome addictions. Betsy is an extremely knowledgeable trauma therapist and addiction counselor who also specializes in training other mental health clinicians in addiction counseling. She is also an addict in recovery. Listen in as Betsy dives into her personal story about when she recognized her own addictive behavior as a child, how it manifested when she was older, and how she got sober and became an addiction counselor/therapist. In part two we offer help for parents dealing with addicted children, and describe what happens during assessment and treatment for substance use.

Broken Open-A Mother’s Journey to Survive Her Children’s Addiction and Mental Illness (Episode 43) What do you do when you keep trying to help your kids and nothing is working? What happens to our kids when we continue to rescue them? What does being a ‘fixer’ parent teach our kids about themselves? Is ‘tough love’ the answer and does it even work? How can we love and support our kids who are struggling and still take care of ourselves? In this episode author Maureen Towns shares her journey as a mom of children with addiction and mental illness. Learn how she found freedom from the co-dependent relating patterns that were damaging her and hurting her relationships. Gain a clearer understanding of codependency and how it manifests. Listen as she shares the difference between boundaries and rules. If you have tried everything and feel ‘broken open,’ hopeless and confused this is the episode for you. Maureen provides experienced care for struggling families. She is author of the book Broken Open-A Mother’s Journey to Survive Her Children’s Addiction and Mental Illness: “Filled with rich true stories from a mother who fought to put her family on a sober path, Broken Open is your path back to calm.

Addiction, Prison, Recovery and Success with Samantha Lander (Episode 42) No matter how bad things seem, there is always hope and a way out. Today’s guest is living proof. Samantha Lander is a Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist, certified personal trainer, holistic lifestyle coach and founder of SeeFit. But Samantha also has another story she freely shares to help others find hope and healing. Samantha struggled with drug addiction for many years which led to a prison sentence. In this episode she shares what happened leading up to that point, what prison life was like, how she survived, and how she got sober and became the successful business woman she is today.

Letting Go of our Addiction with Matt Gardiner (Episode 41) Giving up addiction and addictive behaviors is rarely an overnight experience. It is a journey of many miles with ups, downs, relapses, setbacks, and victories. In this episode Matt Gardiner shares about his road to recovery and the lessons learned along the way. We talk about trying bargain with addiction; ego and relapse; the grieving process and letting go; sound therapy and more. Tune in to this interesting and insightful conversation. Matt Gardiner is the founder of Recovery Roadmap where he offers tools and solutions to help people overcome addiction.

Teens and Substance Abuse-Everything you Need to Know (Episode 40) Everything you need to know about teenagers, addiction, and substance use and abuse is in this episode with therapist, addiction counselor, and author Richard Capriola. In this episode you will learn: What is happening with teens and substance use before and after the pandemic. The difference between adult addiction and teen addiction. The types of substances kid and teens are using and experimenting with today. The importance of a comprehensive assessment. The danger of delaying treatment and assessment. The critical impact of early intervention. How to talk to your kids about drugs. What questions to ask a treatment provider. What to look for in a good treatment provider, Richard’s book is called The Addicted Child – A Parents Guide to Adolescent Substance Abuse. Find it here: https://helptheaddictedchild.com/

Addiction, Attachment, Family & Trauma with Therapist Ed Khouri (Episode 39) Ed is an author, teacher, and public speaker with decades of experience in the field of addictions, trauma, and family issues. In this episode we dig into attachment disorders, the types of attachment disorders, and how they impact our relationships and correlate with addictions later in life. Ed also explains the part of the brain that forms attachments and the two types of trauma. We also discuss healing from trauma and how we can learn to form healthy attachments after trauma. You will also learn how addiction impacts the entire family, family roles and coping strategies in the addicted family system, and the importance of family treatment.

The Struggle with Brian Storm (Episode 38) Author, rapper....and (get this) librarian Brian Storm documents his journey of addiction and recovery on the streets of Philly...and busts a few rhymes. His book is called The Struggle. It's a great read and you can find it here!

Dead on Arrival - The Alexander Neville Foundation (Episode 37) Illicit fentanyl is taking lives at an alarming rate. Amy Neville lost her 14-year-old son Alexander to fentanyl poisoning. She has since founded The Alexander Neville Foundation to bring awareness to fentanyl and educate kids and families about fentanyl and drug prevention. She was also featured in the powerful film Dead on Arrival. In this episode of The Recovery and Company podcast, Amy shares Alexander’s story. We also discuss the impact and strength of fentanyl; how to talk to your kids about fentanyl and social media sites that sell illicit drugs; how individuals are selling drugs on these sites; how to break the stigma around addiction; the importance of Narcan; and how you can get involved.

31 Year DEA Special Agent Talks Fentanyl and Drug Prevention (Episode 36) In the last several years fentanyl has killed more individuals than guns and auto accident alone. Last year the DEA seized enough fentanyl to kill every American. In this powerful episode Rocky Herron shares insight gained from 31 years of experience as a DEA Special Agent investigating drug trafficking at the local, national, and international levels. Rocky has also spent 16 years teaching drug prevention in 700 plus presentations in 14 different countries. You will learn about fentanyl, where it is coming from, how to protect your family, how to educate them on prevention, and tons more!

In part 2 Cody explains how fentanyl is different from other opioids, the importance of carrying Narcan, how to tell if someone is overdosing from opioids, and advice for anyone new in recovery.

Overcoming Opioid Addiction-Cody’s Story (Part 1 Episode 34) Cody shares how he became addicted to opiates and what happened after he was introduced to fentanyl. He opens up about the frightening impact fentanyl had on his life (and near death) and how he recovered!

Surviving Fentanyl Addiction with Calvin Brown (Episode 33) Fentanyl is taking lives at a dramatic rate. Join us as Calvin Brown shares his story of how he was introduced to opiates, and how it led to a dangerous fentanyl addiction. If you want to learn more about recovery, the dangers of fentanyl, and how to protect yourself and your family, you don't want to miss this show!

Mom Raises Awareness to Dangers of Fentanyl after her Son’s Death (Episode 32) Tonya Doucette lost her son Trey to fentanyl poisoning in 2020. She has since founded Project Trey to educate families on the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs, and prevent another family from facing a similar tragedy. Join us as we discuss fentanyl dangers, what parents need to know, ways we can prevent fentanyl poisoning, the DEA Fentanyl Wall, Rainbow fentanyl, and the importance of Narcan.

Family Therapy and Addiction Recovery Part 3 - Family Therapy Techniques (Episode 31) In part 3 of this series with Dr. Shoenberger PhD, we discuss whether or not it is ok to move out of the family dynamic for your own recovery; effective family therapy techniques to treat addictions; and how to find the right type of family treatment.

Family Therapy and Addiction Recovery Part 2 - Family Risk Factors (Episode 30) In part 2 with Dr. Shoenberger, we discuss the 'closed family system' and how can family counseling help; the impact of years of emotional invalidation in the addicted family system; family risk factors; and the challenges of adolescent substance abuse and the developmental stages. You will also learn how family interactions can support or negate the person in recovery; why the family system can get upset when the addict gets sober, and how to work through the shift in dynamic.

Family Therapy and Addiction Recovery-Part 1 (Episode 29) In this 3 part series on family therapy and addiction recovery we are joined by Dr. Deacon Shoenberger, PhD. Dr. Shoenberger is a licensed psychologist and a licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor with Health Psychology Associates in Reno, NV. In this episode we talk about family therapy, what it entails, and why it is important in the addiction/recovery process. We also discuss how the family is a system and why changes in the system impact everyone. You will also learn some behavioral challenges in the addicted family system we often don't recognize, plus the difference between neglect and abuse.

Emotions and Mental Health Part 3-Treating Problems not Symptoms (Episode 28) In part 3 of this series on emotions and mental health with marriage and family therapist Jake Wiskerchen, we talk about the importance of treating problems and not symptoms, some of the core emotions when treating addictions, and Jake shares the best tool for learning what you are feeling and becoming emotionally healthy.

Emotions and Mental Health Part 2 (Challenging Unhealthy Emotions-Episode 27) In part 2 of our series on emotions and mental health with marriage and family therapist Jake Wiskerchen, we talk about challenging beliefs and living with intentionality. You will also learn what happens chemically, and on a limbic and cellular level when we process emotions and they are validated; and how brain chemicals can get stuck in our body and organs and cause mystery ailments. We also cover the many ways we can avoid our emotions; how to be intentional in determining maladaptive thoughts and emotions; how we recognize what we are feeling, and how not to react instantaneously.