Hosted by Lisa Blanchard and Jesse Chaison of Spectrum Health Systems, this popular podcast discusses addiction and recovery, featuring personal stories, special guests and professional opinion.
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This podcast series addresses topics relevant to families dealing with a loved one's addiction. We are sponsored by AlliesinRecovery.net, *the* premier learning platform for friends/families seeking to become an effective Ally for their loved one. We teach a proven method of intervention that encourages treatment. On AlliesinRecovery.net you'll find eLearning modules, expert hand-tailored guidance, specialized blogs, information on treatment options, and more. Learn about our membership pack ...
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A Worcester native, Chris has experienced many triumphs and hardships throughout this life and is hoping by sharing his story he will help inspire and educate others on the often-misunderstood world of #mentalhealth. Tune in to listen to Chris's story with your hosts Jesse and Lisa. Only on Airing Addiction!…
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A listener asks about their son's marijuana use: is it a problem? With a substance that also had medicinal uses but can also create issues, more questions arise. Are there benefits? Is the person functioning and communicating well? Are they connecting with people? The answers lie in working on communication, in helping the person understand for the…
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Our hosts discuss the situation of a family whose loved one wants to do fentanyl detox at home. What's involved in detoxing? How does it work? And should they let their loved one do it this way?
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If you're forced to have limited contact, it can be hard to handle the unknown. It's important to learn how to be in contact in simple ways, and to calm your system down to respond well and strengthen the connection. Use humor; find ways to connect with who they are and what they like -- reminding them of who they are becomes a bridge and connectio…
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In a sort of CRAFT primer, our hosts define and discuss "agency" -- the sense of control you have -- and how it works for your loved one and for you. The goal is to feed positivity so they feel agency and can make better decisions. You foster agency in someone else by calming down and gaining more agency of your own.…
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It’s important to CRAFT that you become a complex thinker – not just black/white or good/bad, but looking at a bigger picture to see a range of possibilities and hold more than one truth. To, as Kayla says, “heal into wholeness,” it’s important to become more yourself by experiencing all the feelings and thoughts you may have, to hold them and see …
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You hear it a lot -- "allow for natural consequences." But what does that really mean? Natural consequences are the things you sometimes shield your loved one from -- whether it's a small conversation with someone who's upset with them, or something much larger. If something endangers life or well-being, different rules apply. But allowing the cons…
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Our hosts discuss and offer advice on two stories and questions covered in the Allies in Recovery blog. First is a look at a woman who took a stand with her older sister -- who then dropped out of sight. Second is a family whose loved one experienced seizures during withdrawal, but wanted to stay alone while detoxing.…
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You can become an agent of change by changing yourself. How do you step back, take space, change the dance from the usual interactions? You can't do that if you're moving too fast to assess things. Remember that change starts slowly; make small changes, and let them accumulate over time. Crisis that happens all the time is actually chronic behavior…
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In part 1, our Allies member discussed intimacy and its role in applying CRAFT in a romantic relationship. In part 2, she discusses how she's handled issues related to kids, CRAFT, and talking to them about substance use disorder.
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On this episode of Airing Addiction: Craig has been in recovery for 8 months and is originally from the Worcester area. Craig has been working at Perennial Recovery to give the opportunity to help others as an effort to give back to those who helped him on his recovery journey. Join Jesse and Lisa to hear Craig's story, only on Airing Addiction!…
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In the first of two episodes with an Allies member, our hosts discuss her experience with her former husband, and issues of intimacy -- how does it function as part of the CRAFT framework? Is it, should it be a reward?
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We intend to be supportive and helpful, and keep our loved ones safe. But our words aren’t always perceived that way. It’s important to become more aware of how we’re coming across, and to gain the tools to soften the message, hear when they feel upset, and shift things so that we can go back into connection. The result is building the relationship…
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"Functional analysis" means figuring out what's happening -- to your loved one or to you -- in the moments before, during, and after a particular behavior. It might be a challenging or a positive behavior. It's a tool to help you understand the thoughts, emotions, and external factors that go into these moments, and to go from being unconscious and…
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Presume you’ll have moments in a relationship that feel like gigantic rifts, or like uncomfortable separation and disconnect. That’s not a problem, but an opportunity to show that you’re changing and working on your part. Take full responsibility for your part, whether they do or not. Keep doing it over and over, so you become a safe person -- the …
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Some things get said a lot. Do they hold truth? Two get examined in this episode: "There's nothing to be done until they hit bottom," and, "To get day two abstinence, you need day one." Both bring our hosts back to the same emphasis: being present in the moment. You're not waiting for a "rock bottom" moment, because it's hard to define and may not …
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On this episode of Airing Addiction: Jarrett J. Krosoczka, known since boyhood as "JJK," is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star Wars™: Jedi Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award F…
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Don't just use CRAFT now and then, or come and go from the practice. Learn the tools; let them get under your skin. Learn one thing at a time, and take it one day at a time. You don't have control over the big picture, but you do have control over what you're learning, practicing, and taking in. It's okay if it doesn't work immediately. Practice th…
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Does your loved one see things in terms of victimhood, in terms of what's done to them? Do you see your loved one's actions that way? Feeling victimized means you're being passive, having things happen to you. It can feel like things are not fair, like you've been dealt a lousy hand of cards. It's important to shift your perception, focus, and beha…
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Sometimes, people say the person with substance use disorder "has to want" recovery before it will happen. Others even say they must want it more than their family members or allies. In truth, people are often ambivalent; the process is often subtle. It's up to us to provide options, be open to their process, and discover our part, changing our own…
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Being an ally for a person with substance use disorder means stepping up beside them. Work with yourself so you can better see the opportunities to be a change agent -- for slow, methodical change. If your role is too large, you need to be just another player, waiting for your chance. Be a good "dance partner."…
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How do we move away from expecting perfection from ourselves? Through patience, compassion, and practice. Change is an incremental process. Embrace "beginner's mind," and don't be afraid to fail. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them; practice until the tools become automatic.
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To build new muscle, identify what you need to change. Begin with self-awareness, gained through pausing to consider what you want to do differently. Practice in small ways frequently, until it becomes habit. This self-awareness leads to self-care – accidentally/on purpose. Taking care of yourself changes who and how you are, but also changes your …
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On this episode of Airing Addiction: Dr. Corrie Vilsaint serves as the Associate Director of Recovery Health Equity at the MGH Recovery Research Institute and Instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Vilsaint is a community psychologist and an international speaker. Her research endeavors have focused on reducing recovery-related discrimination, b…
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When you're beyond the fatigue of burnout, you're hitting the wall. Stressors have accumulated, and your emotions feel unmanageable. Step back. Claim your emotions, but state them briefly, making it clear you're going to go take care of yourself. Ask yourself how bad things are, and how much help you need. Allow yourself the compassion and patience…
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Do things feel one-way in your relationship to your loved one? Reframe it. You're taking your power back -- not to change them, but to change yourself, to grow and learn. If you're bringing your best self to the relationship, you'll inevitably change the dynamic, helping the other person heal.
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On this episode: Ken has been a certified Recovery Coach at Signature Healthcare’s OBAT program for the past five years. His primary work involves engaging clients in community-based recovery to complement their MOUD treatment and strengthening his deeply established and new agency partnerships within the greater Brockton community. Join Jesse and …
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Your loved one goes to treatment, and often a call follows -- a call saying the place is terrible, or the people aren't good, or for some other reason they want to come home. Your job? Hold the line. Don't be part of that conversation; don't be part of an exit plan, even if they can leave on their own. Let them be uncomfortable. Give them the messa…
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When you're dealing with difficult circumstances and the actions of others, it's important to shift focus from external to internal, to pause and check in with yourself and ask yourself what you need and want. Take your power back. We believe that taking care of yourself in this way has a positive impact on the other person. It's a demonstration of…
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When it comes to hope, trust, and expectation, what's our part, and what's the part of others? Hope is ours. It's internal, doesn't damage anyone, and is loose, open, and a way to stay positive. It's also ours to accept -- to say this is how things are and soothe ourselves. What not ours? Trust. It's the other person's job to become trustworthy for…
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Having expectations for others can be a difficult trap. When we have ideas about how things should go, we often try to manifest those expectations and have other people do what we want them to do. Instead, learn to manage your nervous system, to calm yourself and have tools to make requests of others. Be careful not to superimpose your expectations…
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Mathieu Miller has been in recovery since 8/31/21. He is the president of the Spectrum Alumni association and has been the events chair for the Massachusetts state convention of young people in Alcoholics Anonymous for the year 2023. Mathieu works as an Operations Manager in the emergency department with people struggling with mental/behavioral/ an…
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Alex Ribbentrop joins the Allies in Recovery hosts to discuss intergenerational trauma, substance use, the importance of family, and finding connection. Alex is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Qualified Supervisor, EMDR Trained Clinician, and Certified Family Trauma Professional, practicing in Virginia, Maryland, and Florida.…
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How do you handle that difficult time when your loved one comes home from treatment, and is back in an old environment, complete with old triggers? It can be a time of depression and anxiety. Think about reconnection -- being present and engaged, making things fun when you can, and using the CRAFT communication tools to leave doors open.…
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Enmeshment is a blurring of the boundaries between people. How the other person feels affects you intensely. Enmeshment is one-way -- your thoughts, feelings, and choices are about the other person's well-being. Countering enmeshment means checking in with ourselves, calming our systems down, taking pauses, and allowing the other person the dignity…
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What questions should you ask, and what plans should you make if your loved one is coming home? Dominique and Kayla discuss a family's question about a new living situation.
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On this episode of Airing Addiction: Program directors from the New England Recovery Center will go in-depth to how they provide inpatient treatment to those seeking a true holistic approach to recovery. Jesse and Lisa will see what sets the program apart from others as they are joined by Executive Director Marybeth Adams, Clinical Supervisor Alexa…
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What’s the impact of emotions on how we interact with loved ones? Learn to acknowledge, claim, and identify your emotions. Don’t discuss anything when you’re reactive. Instead, pause, check in with your feelings, and don’t take things personally. Have a strategy that’s not confrontational or accusing, but engaging. Calm your system, and engage in a…
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When the noise dissipates and there's clarity, that's an "ah-ha moment." You can move forward in a different way. You might even find new commitment to a way of thinking or behaving that you didn't have access to before. Allies in Recovery uses CRAFT to give you the tool set for your own ah-ha moments, but also to help create the conditions for you…
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When you’re in the middle of crisis, feeling reactive or uncertain about what to do, use the “three questions” to helps create space and time and take the best action. What am I feeling? What can I do about it (think as broadly as possible)? What am I actually gonna do? Kayla likes to consider a fourth: What’s happening that’s making me feel this w…
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On this episode of Airing Addiction, Dr. Madden and Dr. Altice explain how System Implementation Impacts those with SUD in the Community. Dr. Madden’s work is focused on identifying treatment gaps in substance abuse/mental health treatment and improving both access to services and retention in treatment, with an emphasis on inclusion of marginalize…
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Just before change happens with your loved one, things often get chaotic. Know that it's small, consistent differences over time that create such change. Learn to avoid reactivity and embrace gentle, subtle change -- starting with yourself.
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On this episode of Airing Addiction: Athena Haddon, Spectrum’s executive director of peer services and recovery support and Billy Parks, assistant director of recovery and peer support at Advocates, Inc. will be sitting down with Lisa and Jesse to discuss the important role peer support plays in recovery. Home | Moar Recovery (moar-recovery.org)…
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We're all interconnected. The most effective way to help someone with substance use disorder is helping their family. Work on yourself and your communication as a family member, and the odds of your loved one seeking help increase dramatically. Get informed, and learn the tools -- become a transformation agent.…
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On this episode of Airing Addiction: Chris has worked in sports radio in Boston since 2002 and is currently an executive producer at WEEI Boston's Sports Original. Join Lisa Blanchard and Jesse Chaison as they sit down with Chris to discuss his recovery journey this #RecoveryMonth由New England Recovery Center
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Treatment and recovery are not black-and-white ideas. With CRAFT, it's a matter of progress, not perfection. We want our loved ones to heal, to get their lives back. But change happens over time, and there are many ways to get there. Notice what's good, and work on the relationship. Treatment is how you engage them and help them learn what they lik…
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Dr. Griffin is a clinical and forensic psychologist with specialties in childhood trauma, resilience, and relationships. She developed the UMass Child Trauma Training Center (now known as Lifeline For Kids) which has trained over 100,000 professionals in trauma, trauma-informed care, and trauma sensitive practices. She is a co-author of a book by t…
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It's important to use the AIR community and local and state organizations to help you find housing resources and be a knowledgeable advocate. Offer those resources without pressure, for when your loved one chooses to take them, but also know: having a loved one without a home is one of the most difficult and triggering experiences you may face.…
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AIR is an applied version of the original CRAFT research. It focuses on the family as the center of a system which also includes the AIR community, and as integral to the healing of the person with substance use disorder. You get help any time, online and in groups. AIR also focuses on cultural competency, helping you individualize the methods in a…
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Though CRAFT is often used in parent-child or other relationships, its powerful tools work extremely well for couples, too. Learn how and why that's true.
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