How Parents Can Transcend Shame – and Help Their Kids Do the Same, with Patrick Hawkins
Today we tackle the difficult topic of shame and how it can affect our entire families. As parents of kids who are misusing drugs or alcohol, it’s common to experience a profound sense of failure or guilt when their lives begin to spin out of control. And as today’s guest, Patrick Hawkins says, “How could you not?” For many of us, it can seem like our kids are entirely different than the people we raised.
Dr. Gabor Maté on The Myth of Normal; the roots of our kids’ struggles, pressure on today’s parents, the need for community, and a path to healing
Dr. Gabor Maté is one of the world’s foremost experts on a range of topics including addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship between stress and illness. He’s the bestselling author of five books published in over thirty languages, and his newest book, The Myth of Normal, was the subject of our conversation. For parents seeking insight and direction about their kids who are struggling with mental health and substance use, you’ll find rich concepts to consider and bring into your family’s healing journey.
nine things we never talk about (out loud) when our kids misuse drugs or alcohol, with Cathy Cioth
There are some thoughts, questions, and situations we face as parents of kids who are misusing substances that make us question our parenting, our sanity and even our humanity. Because these tricky topics don't often make it into the conversation, we're tackling them today as a way to air issues you may be wrestling with - but doing it in a safe, private place.
a better way to parent a child struggling with substance use or addiction: the compassion antidote, with Cathy Taughinbaugh
In this episode, I’m joined by author, and certified parent and life coach, Cathy Taughinbaugh. Cathy is a Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) trained coach through the Center for Motivation and Change and a parent coach with the Partnership to End Addiction. She’s an expert in helping parents connect with their kids through an approach that is driven by compassion and positivity which she shares in her book.
insights, wisdom and coping strategies for parents of kids struggling with substance use from a mom who's been there, twice, with Cathy Cioth, Director of The Stream Community
How does a parent cope when you have not one, but two kids struggling with substance misuse and all the issues that surround it? Cathy Cioth has seen the world of adolescent and young adult substance use from all angles and shares openly in this conversation about her family's journey which included wilderness therapy, 'gooning', an unwelcomed intervention, and lots of coping skills.
a harm reduction approach to risky behavior in teens and young adults, with Dee Dee Stout
When your teen or young adult son or daughter refuses or can't seem to embrace abstinence, what do you do? Harm reduction is an approach that can help navigate your child to safer territory and...it's confusing. Dee Dee Stout is someone Psychology Today includes in their list of "the top 10 harm reduction names you should know" so I was thrilled to spend time with her talking about a concept parents can embrace to help move their child toward more positive change.
watch out for the near enemies of love and compassion, and a tip to survive graduation season, with Brenda Zane
The concept of near enemies is helpful when you’re working to parent from an intentional place and avoid unhealthy patterns with your son or daughter. You’ll learn what a near enemy is and two common ones that show up when parenting a child with substance use issues. Then I provide a tried and true tip for getting through graduation season without losing your mind.
clinging to hope: an epic saga of addiction, medical innovation, loss, recovery, hope and unconditional love, with Pattie Vargas and Rebekah Mutch
Sometimes there's a story so unbelievable it's hard to know where to start when telling it. This is one of those. My guests are mother and daughter and they trusted me with sharing their family's journey to hell plus the miraculous twist that no one saw coming. It's a binge-worthy episode that merits its own NETFLIX series. You'll come away awestruck by the determination of a Scottish surgeon, the power of a mother's fierce love, and the realization that parents should never, ever stop clinging to hope.
answers to common CRAFT questions parents have when their child is struggling with addiction or experimenting with drugs, with Erica Lubetkin, LMHC
CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) is proven to be an effective way for parents to help their kids who are misusing drugs or alcohol and is easily accessible to learn and put into practice. In this episode, I invited CRAFT-certified therapist Ericka Lubetkin, LMHC to join me to answer common questions parents have about using this approach in the real world. We cover questions like, what to do when you see a pre-lapse, what to do when your child just won't talk or engage with you, tips when your child doesn't see that their substance use is a problem, what you can do when you're not on the same page as the person you're co-parenting with and lots more.
What Parents Need to Know About Trauma-Informed and Responsive Transport and Interventions, with Heather Hayes
You've likely seen the A&E show "Intervention" where families work with a professional team to encourage a loved one to go to drug or alcohol treatment, and wondered how much of that is reality vs. Hollywood show. In this episode, you'll hear from Heather Hayes who's been an interventionist on the show, is a Master's Level Licensed Counselor, Board Certified Interventionist (CIP) and Certified Arise Interventionist. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in the field of addiction and mental health to this very important conversation.
Dr. Anna Lembke, author Of ‘Dopamine Nation’ on addiction, the pain/pleasure balance, and a counterintuitive, drug-free way to find homeostasis
If you've ever wondered what dopamine has to do with the way we interact with decision making, pain-relief, pleasure-seeking, addiction, and basic human functioning, you're going to want to tune into this episode. I got to sit down with Dr. Anna Lembke, author of Dopamine Nation; Finding Balance In The Age of Indulgence, to talk about all of this and so much more.
finding ways to reduce your suffering when parenting a child misusing or addicted to drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
The emotional distress a parent feels when their child is struggling with or addicted to drugs or alcohol is incomprehensible to the average person. Through the lens of the second arrow principal, I share ways that parents can minimize their suffering, anxiety, emotional anguish and isolation while their child is actively engaged in misusing substances, or in the early and sometimes fragile days of recovery.
9 dangerous and negative thought patterns, and what to do instead, for parents with kids misusing drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
In this episode I cover nine of the most common unhelpful and unhealthy thinking patterns parents fall into and talk about ways to shift those to a more productive place. If you tend to catastrophize, judge, doubt, criticize or ruminate about your life or your child's life, this is your episode. You'll walk away being more aware of how to recognize these unhealthy patterns and learn ways to change your thinking.
using rituals to withstand distress, build resilience and counteract triggers when your child is misusing drugs or alcohol (and a little pep talk), with Brenda Zane
There's never a shortage of discomfort, distress, or triggers when you have a son or daughter who's misusing drugs or alcohol. You can live in a constant state of unrest and feel as if you have no control over anything. I share in this episode how parents can use simple rituals to withstand the varying levels of chaos, unpredictability, and frequent triggers in their day-to-day lives.
after 99 episodes here's what I know for sure about parenting kids with substance use and addiction issues, with Brenda Zane
Through the 99 Hopestream episodes I've created since January of 2020, there are 11 insights and truths that have risen to the top over and over - transformational findings I believe to be instrumental in helping you as a parent of a child misusing drugs or alcohol, and in helping your child as well. In this episode, I share those 11 key observations and resources for learning more about them.
micro-dosing positivity and eliciting change talk with your child who's misusing drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
In this quick, solo episode I share two important concepts that will help as you work to find ways to communicate with a child who's misusing drugs or alcohol. Micro-dosing positivity and eliciting change talk - both are powerful ways to invite your son or daughter to make change in the right direction.
Four Common Beliefs Parents Have About Fentanyl That Put Their Teens and Young Adults At Risk For Overdose, with Brenda Zane
In this extremely important episode I cover what's actually going on with fentanyl and the impact it's having on people under the age of 30. I talk about the four very common beliefs parents have about this substance and why that could be the very thing that ends their child's life.
Ryan Hampton reveals the truth from inside the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy in his newest book, Unsettled
In this episode, I sat down with Ryan Hampton, author and activist, to talk about his newest book, Unsettled: How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis and how his experience of being involved in the trial impacted him personally.
from heroin needle to sewing needle, giving back through recovery with Jeremy Melloul, MOLT Clothing
If you've ever wondered if recovery is a real thing, you will absolutely want to hear Jeremy Melloul's incredible story of recovery and giving back. You'll hear how a young man from an ambitious immigrant family found the relief of alcohol at age 11 before traveling a long and painful journey of addiction, eventually living off of Twizzlers, peanut butter cups, and heroin. But the story doesn’t even come close to ending there.