Avoiding the Addiction Affliction

Westwords Consulting, LLC

When does it stop being a party and start becoming a problem? Is there a way to steer clear of addiction? Every Wednesday, Mike McGowan explores substance use disorders with expert guests.

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310 episodes
Updated July 29

Episodes310

Newest first

Apr 10, 2024 · 28 min
"Sometimes, You Can't Go Home Again" with Dr. Ghazeleh Bailey
When a child's caregivers are bullies, the child often carries the scars of that relationship around with them into adulthood. Dr. Ghazeleh Bailey discusses the trauma caused by those primary relationships -- and the healing that can take place. Dr. Bailey is a certified therapist, couple's therapist, supervisor, and trainer with a PhD in Psychology. She is based in Berlin, Germany, and has a unique multi-cultural background and approach she uses to help people overcome childhood and generational trauma. Her work and research is focused on the healing power of emotional transformation and self-compassion. Dr. Bailey can be reached at Individual Therapy Berlin, and her YouTube channel. The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Apr 3, 2024 · 29 min
"EMDR, Getting at the Trauma" with Dr. Wendy Freitag
Dr. Wendy Freitag discusses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is a comprehensive psychotherapy that accelerates the treatment of many different pathologies and trauma related to disturbing events and present life conditions. Dr. Freitag is a Clinical Psychologist, EMDR Therapy clinician, trainer, and consultant as well as a Professional & Life Coach with over 30 years of experience. She is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, Approved Consultant and Sr. Trainer for EMDR Institute of Dr. Francine Shapiro, and has been the President of the EMDR Research Foundation since 2006. Dr. Freitag can be reached at https://www.wendyfreitag.com/. To find an EMDR therapist in your area go to https:/www.emdria.org/ The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Mar 27, 2024 · 27 min
"Grey Area Drinking" with Sarah Rusbatch
Sarah Rusbatch got to the point in her life where she realized that she was developing what she describes as a "dysfunctional relationship" with alcohol. She decided to remove it from her life in early 2019 and has never looked back. She's now an accredited "Grey Area Drinking" coach, helping other women (and men) enjoy the benefits of sobriety and improve their health. She talks about what "grey area drinking" is and the benefits of living alcohol-free. Sarah is the author of the book, "Beyond Booze: How to create a life you love alcohol-free." She is a certified Women's Health and Wellbeing Coach, an accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach, and a keynote speaker who shares with global audiences her journey to sobriety and the impact of alcohol on mental health. Sarah's book and her other works can be accessed at https://sarahrusbatch.com The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Mar 20, 2024 · 32 min
"Undoing Drugs" with Maia Szalavitz
New York Times best selling author Maia Szalavitz talks about her most recent book, "Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction Is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction" and the future of drug treatment and policy. Maia's previous New York Times bestseller, Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction wove together neuroscience and social science with her personal experience of heroin addiction. It won the 2018 media award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times and has written for numerous other publications, including TIME, Wired, Elle, the Nation, and Scientific American. Maia's many works and contact information can be accessed at Maia Szalavitz. The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Mar 13, 2024 · 24 min
"Restorative Justice - Working for Peace" with Jill Sternberg
We all want peace in our world. We hope for it. We wish for it. And some of us work for it every day. Jill Sternberg has been working on peace and justice issues, primarily focusing on nonviolent conflict transformation, for more 35 years. She has supported nonviolent movements in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Currently, Jill is a restorative justice coordinator in a New York City high school. She is on the Board of The Restorative Justice Initiative. She came to restorative justice with a deep commitment to ending racism, a major cause of the violence permeating US society and culture. The work of the Initiative and Jill's contact information can be found at Restorative Justice Initiative. The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Mar 6, 2024 · 39 min
"Losing Everything - Gambling Addiction" with Jerry Bauerkemper
When does wagering cross the line from entertainment to problem gambling? Jerry Bauerkemper, a Consultant to the Office of Problem Gambling at the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), discusses the rise in problem gambling across the country. He is responsible for supporting IDPH Problem Gambling Treatment providers serving Iowans experiencing problems due to their gambling as well as providing support to their families. Jerry is a nationally-recognized expert on problem gambling and has provided training throughout the United States. Jerry's contact information is at Jerry Bauerkemper | Your Life Iowa. Registration information for the conference Jerry will be speaking at can be found at https://www.wi-problemgamblers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2024-Conference-Brochure.pdf The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Feb 28, 2024 · 30 min
"Turning Tragedy into Hope" with Dr. Brian Hoeflinger
When a loved one dies tragically, there are questions, so many questions. Brian and Cindy Hoeflinger's oldest son Brian died after drinking and driving. Dr. Brian Hoeflinger talks about how he and his family coped with the tragic loss and how they have tried to turn the tragedy into hope. Dr. Hoeflinger is an Ohio-based neurosurgeon whose passion and profession is saving lives. Instead of asking why his son died, Dr. Hoeflinger asks us to consider instead why he lived. The Hoeflinger family, their work, and contact information can be found at https://www.brianmatters.com. The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Feb 21, 2024 · 26 min
"Getting the Message Across" with Glen Muse
There are many ways to make a difference. Telling a story is perhaps the oldest and most effective way to get the message across. Glen Muse, an accomplished professional filmmaker and video producer/director whose experience includes contributions to productions for PBS, The Discovery Channel, ABC News, and The History Channel, discusses his work with Texas Pictures. Texas Pictures creates socially relevant, award-winning documentaries of substance about important topics in order to increase awareness and make a difference. Their work and Glen's contact information can be found at https://www.texas-pictures.com/documentaries.html. The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Feb 14, 2024 · 30 min
"Somebody Who Believes in Me" with Dr. Kathryn Daley
Children who grow up surrounded by trauma are affected differently by their adverse circumstances. Why do some children make it successfully into adulthood while others succumb to substance misuse, homelessness, crime, and mental illness? Dr. Kathryn Daley discusses her work with traumatized youth and the power of developed resiliency. Dr. Daley is a Senior Lecturer in Youth Work and Youth Studies and Theme Leader, Homelessness and Housing Insecurity - Social Equity Research Centre for Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia. She is interested in good, just, and equitable policy and how it impacts those on the margins. Kathryn is an academic with a background as a practitioner. She researches issues to do with disadvantaged youth and is author of the book Youth and Substance Abuse (2017). Her work has examined issues of poverty, child abuse, homelessness, self-injury, and mental health. She and her work can be found at https://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/d/daley-dr-kathryn The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Feb 7, 2024 · 29 min
"Don't Punish the Pain" with Claudia Merandi
Anyone who has experienced chronic pain or has had a serious injury or surgery knows there is a role for pain-killing drugs. We've also all heard that those drugs can be dangerous when taken recreationally or incorrectly. Claudia Merandi discusses the important role opioids play in treating patient pain and the campaign to limit or eliminate those necessary drugs. Claudia Merandi is a former court reporter/owner of Merandi Court Reporting and is the founder and Executive Director of The Doctor Patient Forum and Don't Punish Pain Rally Organization. She is a patient advocate. Claudia and her organization can be reached at https://www.thedoctorpatientforum.com The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host, Westwords Consulting or the Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Jan 31, 2024 · 35 min
"Resilient, Primed and Purposeful" with Gabriella Flax
Alcohol is such an integral part of our culture that deciding to stop drinking carries its own stigma...and benefits! Gabriella Flax talks about her decision to stop drinking and the physical and mental health benefits that being alcohol-free brought. Gabriela is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews and the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a stress reduction coach whose goal, as she says, is to "help burnt out people become resilient people." Her contact information can be accessed at https://therppmethod.lpages.co/rpp-method-intake-form/ and her socials at https://www.tiktok.com/@gabriela_flax We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Jan 24, 2024 · 32 min
"We See You!" with Jim Scarpace
Men, young men in particular, make up the largest substance using demographic. Jim Scarpace talks about the baggage that comes with the cultural expectation of excessive use and how to break through the isolation that comes with the disease of Substance Use Disorders. Jim Scarpace is the Chief Clinical Officer at Gateway Foundation, one of the nation's largest providers of behavioral health services for clients diagnosed with co-occurring mental health disorders. Jim has over 25 years in administration, operations, and the treatment of mental health, substance use disorders, and criminal justice programs. He is also an assistant professor of Clinical Psychology at Benedictine University. Gateway Foundation offers a full continuum of care across a wide range of clinical settings and can be contacted at their 24-hour hotline 855-925-GATE (4283) or at www.gatewayfoundation.org. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Jan 17, 2024 · 27 min
"Collateral Damage" with Brandi Mac
Have you ever loved someone with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and felt completely alone? As a mother of a daughter with SUD, it's a question Brandi Mac asks regularly. Brandi talks about what she has experienced and the changes she made in order to start meeting her daughter where she is while in active substance use. Brandi, her blog, her guide, Doing What You Can Live With, her social media, and her contact information can be accessed at https://bio.site/BrandiMac. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Jan 10, 2024 · 28 min
"While You Were Out" with Meg Kissinger
What happens when mental illness intersects with substance abuse in a culture of silence? While You Were Out, a New York Times Editors Choice book by award-winning journalist Meg Kissinger, is a searing memoir of a family besieged by mental illness, as well as an incisive exploration of the systems that failed them and a testament to the love that sustained them. Meg is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and has won dozens of accolades, including two George Polk Awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Award, Investigative Reporters and Editors, and two National Journalism Awards. Ms. Kissinger teaches investigative reporting at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and was a visiting professor at DePauw University, her alma mater. Meg's work and contact information can be accessed at https://www.megkissinger.com We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Jan 3, 2024 · 26 min
"No Choice At All" with K.J. Aiello
K.J. Aiello is a Canadian who describes herself as a mentally ill writer. It is, she says, who she is. Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID) law, which first came into effect in 2016, is scheduled to be expanded in March of 2024 to give access to people whose sole medical condition is mental illness, which can include substance use disorders. K.J. discusses the implications of the proposed change and the obstacles to getting assessment and treatment for mental illness. To make end of life decisions just based on how insufferable mental illness can be without taking into account all the pieces of a very large, complicated life puzzle, K.J. says, doesn't seem like a choice at all. Not everyone is served by the mental health and substance abuse system equally. K.J. is a Toronto-based mentally ill writer whose work includes essays, op-eds, and a soon to be released non-fiction book titled The Monster and the Mirror which explores the intersection of speculative fiction and mental illness. K.J. and her work can be accessed at https://www.kjaiello.ca We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Dec 27, 2023 · 29 min
"#1 Isn't Always A Good Thing" with Guida Brown
When a culture submerged in alcohol consumption and sales comes out as a leader in excessive use among women and adolescents, it should surprise no one. Guida Brown talks about the latest studies showing Wisconsin among the nation's leaders in alcohol consumption and excessive drinking and the mental health issues that correspond to that usage. Guida is a Community Relations Consultant with United States Drug Testing Laboratories. She also is an Adjunct Faculty member with Concordia University-Wisconsin and an accomplished writer. Her blog article "#1 Isn't Always A Good Thing" can be read here: https://4csofaddiction.com/ and Guida can be reached at guidedbyguida@gmail.com. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Dec 20, 2023 · 38 min
"Into The Desert?" with Walter Hendrickson
Is weed addictive? That's the question Walter Hendrickson asked himself as he began a thirty-day quest to stop smoking cannabis after nine years of daily use. Walter chronicled his journey daily on his TikTok account and first joined us on day six. We catch up with him here after 51 days to see how it all went. Walter talks about the discoveries, the temptations, the revelations, and the joy of the quest. Walter's TikTok can be followed here, https://www.tiktok.com/@walterooski?_t=8gI2xTdG4vz&_r=1. His YouTube channel is at https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=walterooski We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Dec 13, 2023 · 22 min
"Mental Health Support: Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" with Amber Heil
Mental health crisis doesn't happen on a schedule or in a therapist's office. Amber Heil talks about the work of the Milwaukee Mobile Crisis Team, a community-based intervention model that focuses less on psychiatric inpatient admissions and emergency room visits and more on bringing services to the individual in need. Amber is a Master-degreed Social Worker and a licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker. If you need help in the Milwaukee area, the Crisis number is (414) 257-7222. To learn more about the Milwaukee Mobile Crisis Team or to apply, go to, https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/DHHS/BHD/Mobile-Crisis-Recruitment We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Dec 6, 2023 · 28 min
"The Mommy Wine Culture" with Celeste Yvonne
Mommy Wine Culture is the pervasive message that alcohol helps women survive motherhood. That message couldn't be more flawed and destructive. Celeste Yvonne pulls back the veil on what's really plaguing mothers and discusses her new book, It's Not about the Wine. Celeste Yvonne is a writer and certified sober coach with over twenty years of experience as a communications professional in corporate America. Her essays on parenting, the mental load of motherhood, mommy wine culture, and sobriety resonate with mothers everywhere and have been featured in the Washington Post and on Good Morning America, Today Show, and Refinery 29, among others. She is also a contributing writer to the Wall Street Journal's and Publishers Weekly bestseller, So God Made a Mother. As Celeste says in her book, "Alcohol is not the answer; it actually keeps us from being present during this precious time of motherhood." Celeste's book and her other works can be accessed at https://www.celesteyvonne.com We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!
Nov 29, 2023 · 25 min
"Cure Addiction Now" with Nancy Davis
When the goal is to transform the current system of how substance use disorder is viewed and treated and break the mold of the endless merry-go-round of this disease, you assemble a stellar group of scientists in the field to work as a team. And that's what Nancy Davis did. Nancy is the Founder and President of Cure Addiction Now (CAN), an organization dedicated to start funding important, well-thought-out research and generate new discoveries for substance use disorders. Nancy and Cure Addiction Now can be reached at https://cureaddictionnow.org We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!