Let's Talk Addiction & Recovery
155 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 98 ratingsHear what leading addiction and recovery experts are talking about—addiction trends, topics and challenges as well as research, practices and advances that point the most promising way forward. Author and recovery advocate William C. Moyers serves as host of this thought-provoking interview series, brought to you by the renowned Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. Listen in on Moyers' conversations with his colleagues who work at the forefront of addiction treatment, recovery and prevention, including noted clinicians, researchers, academics and other thought leaders. With equal parts information and inspiration, Let's Talk Addiction and Recovery opens the door to help, healing and hope.
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Episodes
Hope Takes Center Stage
October 16, 2023 19:10 - 18 minutes - 26.6 MBWriter Maggie Moe and composer Joshua Vranas are telling a new story about addiction and recovery that does away with shame and stigma. Instead of normalizing old stereotypes and outdated archetypes, Moe and Vranas wrote and scored a musical, My Pet Dragon, that tells a different story–one that’s centered in hope, trust and courage and, when taking things a day at a time, just how powerful a person can get.
A Fountain of Hope for At-Risk Students
October 16, 2023 13:56 - 19 minutes - 27.8 MBSusie Brooks, PhD, founder of Veritas Academy, felt powerless when students came into the classroom with substance use issues, or knew someone struggling. She recognized addiction as a disease—one that injures every community—but she didn't know how to help. So she attended the Graduate School of Addiction Studies to gain the tools and skills she needed to walk alongside her students and make an even greater impact. Tune in to learn more.
Bullying Prevention and Community Solutions
October 10, 2023 05:30 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBBullying causes long-term damage on students' mental health, often resulting in anxiety, depression or PTSD during a critical developmental stage. But evidence-based approaches provide healthy solutions to complex situations—involving parents, teachers, administrators and other community members at every stage of the process. Jan Urbanski, Ed.D., Director of Safe and Humane Schools at Clemson University, explains how.
All-Star Willie Burton – In a League of His Own
September 15, 2023 05:30 - 18 minutes - 25.6 MBWhen Willie Burton was taken ninth in the 1990 NBA draft, he lost his defenses against addiction—a sensational talent through high school and college, his teammates and coaches looked out for him. But then the coping mechanisms he learned as a child in Detroit came back to haunt him when he hit the League. Tune in to hear his story, his message to people who are struggling, and how he intends to help student and professional athletes in their journey to recover.
Native Dads: Recovery through Reconnection Part 2
September 06, 2023 05:30 - 17 minutes - 23.9 MBIntergenerational trauma. Unresolved grief. Stigma and isolation. Such complex and compound stressors can make recovery from substance use and other mental health conditions all the more challenging. But there are successful paths forward. Listen in to learn about the life-changing work of the Native Dads Network. The nonprofit organization helps indigenous fathers and families reconnect with culturally centered healing ways and sacred wisdom—nurturing wellness, belonging and renewed purpose.
Story of Hope
September 06, 2023 05:30 - 23 minutes - 32.8 MBOn set, Dedee Pfeiffer hears from other actors, crewmates and directors who are inspired by her forwardness—fearless in her pursuit of love and light and publicly accepting her disease of addiction. Tune in as she shares everything she’s learned about loving recovery, why she’s so vocal about her story, what keeps her heart open and full, and how she plans to help more people fall in love with their recovery.
Flipping the Script on Addiction
September 05, 2023 05:30 - 25 minutes - 35.7 MBAddiction is often surrounded by shame and stigma—and both have dominated the different arenas of public discourse for much of human history. No more. Join experts Jeremiah Gardner, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, and Emily Piper, Chief Legal, Advocacy and Compliance Officer, as they debunk popular myths about addiction and recovery and shed light on reality—on hope, on healing, on truth.
The Next Workplace Revolution
August 03, 2023 05:30 - 22 minutes - 31.9 MBThe next workplace revolution will likely hinge on employers' efforts to empower recovery. Post-covid, 20 percent of employees reported drinking during work. Last year, more people died from alcohol than ever before while the opioid epidemic waged on. What are top employers doing? How do they create a business culture where it's safe to seek lifesaving help? Leading expert Bob Poznanovich chimes in.
Walking the Red Road of Wellness
July 07, 2023 05:30 - 23 minutes - 32.9 MBHonesty. Compassion. Respect. Humility. Many of the guiding values of the Red Road way of life—a Native American path of wellness, balance and spirituality—parallel Twelve Step recovery principles and practices. “The Red Road is a path of human wellness, and everyone is invited,” says clinical innovator and addiction counselor Albert Titman, Sr. Listen in as he discusses culturally integrated addiction treatment and recovery approaches that incorporate medicine wheel lessons and holistic care.
A Life Spent Helping and Healing
June 15, 2023 05:30 - 30 minutes - 42.2 MBServing as Chair of the American Indian Advisory Council and spending the past twenty years as an addiction counselor for his Native brothers and sisters, Donald Richard Wright, Elder of the Leech Lake band of Ojibwe, is still finding ways to lift people up and bring them home. Now he joins host Andrew Williams to talk about his journey and how we can better serve the Native community moving forward.
Radical Love and a Place to Belong
June 15, 2023 05:30 - 24 minutes - 34.3 MBPhilip Robert won't stay silent about the exploitation of his Native brothers and sisters: in Arizona, unregulated sober houses are taking advantage of vulnerable people. But Blue Sage Healing, where Philip works, is providing a safer home for recovery, a place of belonging, with a rich cultural connectedness that reunites Native folks with themselves, their ancestry and their people.
Signs of Teen Fentanyl Use
June 14, 2023 05:30 - 20 minutes - 28.5 MBParents are rightly terrified of fentanyl. But what behaviors should set off alarm bells? And how can parents keep the conversation pointed in the right direction when panic and big emotions start arriving? Clinician Sarah Polley, MD, joins host William C. Moyers to explain what teenagers are thinking about fentanyl, the signs they're using, and how you can intervene and make a difference.
How Kathryn Burgum is Reinventing Recovery
June 02, 2023 05:30 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBShame and stigma kept Kathryn Burgum silent about her recovery for fifteen years. After she became First Lady of North Dakota, she learned from host William Moyers himself after an event where they both spoke: "The solution is so simple—we end stigma by talking about it." Now she's leading head and heart first, putting her own story front and center, and providing invaluable input to steer policy, public perception, and people everywhere toward real hope and healing.
In Harm's Way: Health Risks of Teen Vaping
May 12, 2023 05:30 - 18 minutes - 34.4 MBMarketed as safe and cool with fun flavors and clever devices, vapes are hooking a new generation on nicotine. Health experts warn that it's not only water vapor and nicotine surging into the lungs: All kinds of other chemicals are ingested too. Psychiatrist Sara Polley, MD, talks with host William C. Moyers about the prevalence, known health risks and highly addictive potential of vaping among youth. The doctor's bottom line? No amount or form of nicotine is helpful for a young person. List...
John Solomon Gives Voice to Healing and Hope
May 05, 2023 05:30 - 19 minutes - 27.9 MBOut on tour after getting sober, indie-rocker John Solomon made a point of hosting conversations about addiction, mental health and recovery wherever he went. The experience inspired his next career move: Going to graduate school and becoming an addiction and mental health counselor. Today he serves as CEO of the Alaska Behavioral Health Association. From a patient to a clinician to a leading voice in the recovery field, hear why he keeps turning the hope he's found into ways to help others ...
Finding Hope When Addiction Takes Your Son
May 02, 2023 05:30 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBHis birthday. His death day. Holidays. Family celebrations. That's when Linda Morrison feels the loss of her youngest son, Mike, most profoundly. But with time, she is finding more space in her heart for gratitude and hope—for the happy life Mike wanted for her. Morrison's achingly honest mother-son love story, Dear Heroin: A Memoir of Goodbyes, helps other families feel less alone in the darkness and devastation of addiction. Listen to her poignant interview with host William C. Moyers.
Practicing Recovery from "All the Things"
April 14, 2023 05:30 - 18 minutes - 25.5 MBAs author and advocate Dawn Nickel likes to say, "we're all recovering from something." For her, those somethings include alcohol, cocaine, anxiety, marijuana and workaholism. Tune in as the co-founder of the global SHE RECOVERS movement talks with host William C. Moyers about the inspiration behind her daily meditation book for "like-minded, like-hearted" women in their own recovery practice. Discover, too, why Nickel calls the book her "love letter to recovery."
How'd You Do It, Steve? A Personal Story of Hope and Recovery
April 11, 2023 14:44 - 19 minutes - 36.1 MBSteve thought the world would come crashing when he packed his bags for treatment. A savvy businessman and CEO, he considered himself too successful, or perhaps too important, to go to treatment: after all, three families relied on him for financial support. Now he admits that was only an excuse, and everything that comes after—hope, healing and connection—are the only accomplishments that matter. Tune in to hear the rest.
How to Help Someone Who's Addicted (Spanish)
March 08, 2023 19:14 - 10 minutes - 16 MBCómo ayudar a alguien que tiene una adicción Nuestro primer impulso es ayudar y proteger a nuestros seres queridos. Pero cuando tienen una adicción, ese impulso no es el correcto: puede que nos lleve a hacer cosas con las que no estamos cómodos, y cuando protegemos a nuestros seres queridos de las consecuencias de sus acciones, es menos probable que cambien. ¿Qué deberíamos hacer en su lugar? ¿Qué ayudará a nuestro ser querido a alcanzar y mantener la sobriedad? Y, ¿cómo podemos alcanzar nu...
Protecting Our Families and Communities from Addiction (Spanish)
March 08, 2023 16:46 - 15 minutes - 22.3 MBProteger a nuestras familias y comunidades de la adicción Aunque disponemos de más recursos para hispanohablantes que en años anteriores, la cantidad de muertes por adicción en nuestra comunidad latina sigue siendo mucho más alta que en las comunidades de raza blanca. ¿Cómo podemos protegernos? ¿Qué deberíamos saber sobre la adicción, en especial con respecto a sus consecuencias para la familia y el papel que desempeña nuestra cultura en la rehabilitación? El presentador Manuel García recib...
How to Choose the Right Outpatient Treatment Program
February 21, 2023 21:03 - 16 minutes - 23.5 MBThe search for addiction treatment is exhausting. How do you differentiate one program from the next? What factors are most important? This is uncharted territory, meaning it’s okay to feel lost or overwhelmed. To provide some much-needed clarity and guidance, a panel of experts joined host William C. Moyers to explain what you should look for, including the keys to effective care and the most important questions to ask a potential treatment provider.
Why New Mexico Leads the Country in Alcohol-Related Deaths
February 20, 2023 18:44 - 14 minutes - 19.7 MBWhat did journalist Ted Alcorn learn during his seven-part investigation into drinking trends in New Mexico? From uncovering why the state leads the U.S. in alcohol-related deaths, to discovering laws and policies that ignore and even encourage alcohol use, Alcorn spotted gaps in the system that allowed one man to spend 40 years in active addiction without intervention. But there's hope: he also found some solutions. Now he joins host William C. Moyers to share what he discovered.
Most Common Obstacles to Recovery
February 20, 2023 17:00 - 26 minutes - 37.4 MBSome obstacles to addiction recovery for the Native community are obvious and well documented, like underfunded health systems. But other, less obvious challenges are just as sticky and prevent just as many people from seeking help. These obstacles, in turn, lengthen "the journey from the head to the heart"—when a person understands that they need help, but the paradigms of recovery have yet to take root in their heart and soul.
How to Relieve Stress and Anxiety without Substances
February 20, 2023 16:39 - 16 minutes - 24.2 MBMillions of Americans are trying to medicate their anxiety with alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. This might work for a short time, but it opens the door for addiction and produces even more anxiety in the long run. Having seen this same sequence of events over and over again, clinician Sarah Wicks, PhD, LP, joins host William C. Moyers to talk about anxiety and addiction: how they feed off one another and the healthy coping skills that actually relieve stress.
The Story of a Healing Spirit
February 20, 2023 16:12 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MBThis is the recovery story of Daisy Vanslyke, a gentle spirit who spends most of her time healing other people. In her every word and wisdom, she speaks from the heart: she has endured some of life's greatest adversities and hardships, but she still finds beauty and purpose in herself, her children and her recovery. And she's brave enough to see the same in others—and to help them see it too.
Coordinating the Care My Community Deserves
February 20, 2023 15:37 - 17 minutes - 23.9 MBChandell Boyd, LADC, joins host Andrew Williams to discuss her work with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, where she's an associate director for the Substance Use Disorders Department. Boyd is also an alumnus of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. And although she dreams of the day when addiction no longer affects her community, she's using her master's to coordinate new patient services and facilitate change in her community and among her people.
What Happens in Outpatient Treatment? Am I a Good Fit?
February 17, 2023 20:57 - 16 minutes - 22.9 MBMuch has changed in the world of addiction treatment. The standard model of care used to revolve around a 28-day stint inside a treatment center. But residential care isn't optimal for everyone, and with kids, careers and other responsibilities, sometimes it's not even an option. Enter outpatient and virtual treatment options—where the earliest stages of recovery happen alongside the rest of life. Would you be a good fit? Tune in for this panel discussion with host William C. Moyers.
Dispelling the Myths Native Communities Recovery Equity
February 17, 2023 20:30 - 21 minutes - 29.4 MBIn this episode of Let's Talk Recovery Equity, journalist Ted Alcorn talks about his investigation into alcohol use in New Mexico, which has the worst rate of alcohol-related deaths in the country. He focused on the small town of Gallup in McKinley County, which is sandwiched between Navajo, Hopi and Zuni reservations and has long served as the local drinking spot—and is perhaps the perfect setting for busting myths.
The Veteran's Guide to Fighting Pain and Addiction
February 16, 2023 20:07 - 20 minutes - 28.8 MBIn this episode of Let's Talk, licensed psychologist and military veteran Dustin Brockberg, PhD, and his wife, Kerry Brockberg, PhD, also a psychologist, talk about their new book, End Your Covert Mission, with host William C. Moyers. They share some tangible advice with other veterans who want to find peace from chronic pain—in all its forms—and long-lasting recovery from addiction.
How to Heal and Recover from Shame
February 10, 2023 16:45 - 14 minutes - 20.6 MBShame and addiction go hand-in-hand. Because of that, some of the most important work in recovery deals with the transformation of shame into something lighter and more actionable—guilt. Then a person can understand, "I did bad things, but I am not a bad person." And they can forgive themselves and work to make things right. Senior clinician Sarah Wicks, PhD, LP, explains the key differences between shame and guilt and chronicles the healing process with host William C. Moyers.
Aida's Recovery Story - Trapped in the Eye of the Storm
February 08, 2023 20:25 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBAida was addicted to crystal meth and too sick to evacuate when hurricane Katrina battered the coast. Her daughter and family had sheltered in Dallas, but she had to wait out the destruction alone in Baton Rouge, praying for help from helicopters flying overhead. Unbeknown to Aida, a twist of fate was soon to reveal itself. Now Aida and her brother Will share their unbelievable story with host William C. Moyers, reflecting on the power of dignity and hope, especially in the midst of crisis.
How Trauma and Migration Affect the Treatment Process
February 08, 2023 19:45 - 16 minutes - 23.9 MBImmigrants and refugees are often forced to flee from unimaginable crisis—their lives torn apart by war and other humanitarian disasters. Unfortunately, that trauma doesn't disappear when they arrive in the States. Plus, with no experience, they have difficulty navigating our health systems. To shed light on the subject, and to explain culturally-responsive treatment settings, Damir Utrzan, PhD, and Manuel Garcia join host William C. Moyers.
Great Work: the Cook Inlet Tribal Council
February 07, 2023 18:14 - 25 minutes - 35.3 MBDaisy VanSlyke from the Cook Inlet Tribal Council shares how they're promoting recovery among Native Alaskan communities. Using culturally-sensitive care and native models of wellness, their organization is able to spread the messages of recovery that really stick and resonate with local communities. The key, according to VanSlyke, is to listen.
A Family’s Multigenerational Story of Hope and Recovery
February 07, 2023 17:57 - 17 minutes - 25.6 MBAddiction passes from one generation to the next. But so too does the hope of recovery. This was the case for Judy and her family: Her mother was the fourth patient to ever receive treatment at the Betty Ford Center. Then Judy, her brother and her son later followed in those healing footsteps, sharing a multigenerational story of hope and recovery. Now she joins host William C. Moyers to discuss how recovery gets passed down, and she answers the question, "What keeps you sober after 37 years?"
Breaking the Cycle of Trauma and Addiction
February 06, 2023 19:06 - 27 minutes - 37.7 MBIndigenous children were stolen from their homes, sent to boarding schools and forced to assimilate. Thus began the cycle of trauma and addiction. Today, the Wellbreity movement responds—providing a cultural framework for healing from those injustices and breaking the cycle.
The Role of Historical Trauma
February 06, 2023 18:31 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBHost Andrew Williams speaks with his colleagues Cecelia Jayme, Director of Clinical Services, and Sarita McGowan, PhD. As two proud Native women in long-term recovery, Jayme and McGowan, PhD, share their personal and professional insights into addiction within Indigenous communities. And they discuss how it's being addressed, and how allies and community members can partner to create change—honoring the long history of trauma and the very real impact on their community.
The Medicine of Community: Native Strong Men Project
February 06, 2023 17:04 - 31 minutes - 44.1 MBFood. Touch. Connection. Music and Laughter. These are medicines, and when a person is healthy and whole, they become good medicine to others. That’s how Celina Mahinalani Garza is bridging the health equity gap for Native communities. Tune in to hear her fascinating outlook on healing.
Teaching the Language of Recovery
January 24, 2023 21:13 - 17 minutes - 24.7 MBEmi and Lina didn’t have the tools to process and make sense of their loved one’s addiction. They’re just kids, after all. But once they attended the Children’s Program, they started to speak the language of recovery—and they understood that they will never, ever be alone on this journey.
Do I Have an Alcohol Use Disorder?
January 13, 2023 16:11 - 16 minutes - 23.1 MBHas your drinking become problematic? You're not alone: the headlines have focused on opioids and fentanyl, but alcohol remains the most used and abused substance in the country. And the pandemic made things worse. So if you're wondering whether you might have an alcohol use disorder, learn these warning signs and signals—and the healthiest solutions available. Quyen Ngo, PhD, and Stephen Delisi, MD, discuss all that and more with host William C. Moyers.
A Message of Hope for Parents with Addicted Children
September 14, 2022 05:30 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MBA beautiful and fun-loving boy transformed when he began to experiment with substances. His father, Stephen, could hardly recognize him: he became "nasty and combative," and their home life was marred by conflict. Willing to do anything, Stephen retired from Wall Street to learn everything he could about parenting an addicted child. Now he joins host William C. Moyers to share some essential life lessons and tools for other families who still hurt.
Gridiron to Guardian: Student Athlete Inspires Change at His Alma Mater
September 07, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 25 MBMike Heuerman's football career at the University of Notre Dame took a heavy toll on his body. He needed surgery to repair the labrum in his hip and the torn muscles in his lower abdomen. But, as is often the case, the prescription opioids introduced him to addiction. Now Mike is five years sober (and counting), and spreading the hope of recovery to college students at his alma mater. Hear how else he's inspiring people in the full conversation with host William C. Moyers.
Can We End the Epidemic? The History of Opioids and New Clinical Developments
August 24, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MBHow did prescription opioids become a gateway to heroin and fentanyl? When did opioids become the gold standard for pain management, and why did regulation take so long? Chief Medical Officer, Alta DeRoo, joins host William C. Moyers to discuss the opioid epidemic in its entirety, including its origins and escalation, the latest treatment solutions and community responses, and more. Tune in.
How Do We Contain the Fentanyl Crisis? A Panel of Experts Weighs In
August 10, 2022 05:30 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MBHost William C. Moyers speaks with four of his brilliant colleagues about the state of the fentanyl epidemic. Now linked to 70 percent of overdose deaths, the drug is appearing in non-opioids like benzodiazepines, MDMA and marijuana. How did we get here? How can parents and communities limit the deadliness? And how is the medical community responding? Tune in to find out.
The Battle against Burnout: How to Rediscover Your Joy and Passion
July 26, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 24.2 MBBurnout and compassion fatigue reached a fever pitch during the pandemic, but these problems have existed forever: caregivers and service providers get exhausted, then the beauty of their work—caring for and helping other people—is eclipsed by apathy. To help people return to self and rediscover their passion, author and educator Elizabeth Bishop wrote Conscious Service. Now she joins host William C. Moyers to discuss the practices and philosophies that protect us from burnout.
Where Is the Justice in the System? Helping Incarcerated Women Who Face Addiction
July 13, 2022 05:30 - 18 minutes - 26.2 MBDo we want to help incarcerated women, many of whom are locked up for non-violent crimes, or should we let them fend for themselves? Dr. Stephanie Covington has spent decades trying to help these women, providing them the tools and community resources they need to recover and reintegrate into society, but she believes the whole justice system needs to be fixed. Tune in to hear her important perspectives and remarks in this conversation with host William C. Moyers.
Addiction in the Workplace: Creating a Culture Where Employees Feel Safe
June 15, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 23.8 MBAddiction doesn't discriminate based on income or employment. Employees in any work setting can be affected by the disease, and the culture of the workplace will either encourage treatment and recovery or passively endorse the disease of addiction—with very real effects to the business and, more importantly, to people's lives. Make the shift in culture: join host William C. Moyers and VP of Business Development Bob Poznanovich to get started.
An Inside Look: Training the Next Generation of Addiction Counselors
June 08, 2022 05:30 - 18 minutes - 25.7 MBDr. Kevin Doyle, the President and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies, joins host William C. Moyers to talk about the evolution of academia and the changing landscape for addiction counselors. They also discuss the urgent and increasing demand for counselors, and how the Grad School is preparing its graduates to become the next generation of leaders—and a vast network of hope and healing. Tune in to hear this fascinating conversation.
The Journey Back to Self: How to Feel Okay Despite a Loved One's Addiction
June 01, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 24 MBIs it possible to find peace and happiness when a loved one is addicted? Twenty years ago, prized author Beverly Conyers would have said "no." She thought acceptance meant giving up, and she would have sacrificed everything to keep her daughter safe. Now after two decades of learning and living, Conyers has changed her tune: "I have my own life and I have to live it." What other advice does she have for parents and loved ones? Tune in for this hopeful conversation with William C. Moyers.
Pregnancy and Substance Use: What to Know and How to Find Help
May 18, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 23.8 MBCan pregnant women safely consume a small amount of alcohol or marijuana? How will prescription medicine affect the baby? Chief Medical Officer and board-certified OB/GYN Alta DeRoo, MD, sits down with host William C. Moyers to answer those questions and more, offering some really simple and thoughtful advice to moms and families who are curious about their substance use—including how to push past the stigma and find whatever help they need.
What to Make of Ketamine: Dangerous Drug or Miracle Medicine?
May 04, 2022 05:30 - 17 minutes - 23.6 MBKetamine is the source of some controversy: it works wonders for depression, and fast. But it's also addictive and potentially triggering for people in recovery. It's proven to effectively treat severe depression that won't respond to other medications. But because it affects so many receptor sites in the brain, and because it causes hallucinations and other psychedelic effects, there's a lot to consider. Former Chief Medical Officer Marvin Seppala, MD, joins host William C. Moyers to discuss.