Avoiding the Addiction Affliction

In order to increase sales in a sagging alcoholic beverage market, the alcohol companies have expanded their product line to include a multitude of alcohol-infused products, from sodas to teas. Melissa Moore discusses the marketing of alcoholic beverages and the young market being targeted. Melissa is a Certified Prevention Specialist and Owner & Trainer of M3 Consulting LG. Melissa has over 25 years of experience in public hea...

There are many products, regulated and unregulated, sold over the counter that contain substances that can contribute to addiction. Michelle Sandberg, the Executive Director of the Hope Council in Kenosha, Wisconsin, discusses these products, sold everywhere from vape shops to convenience stores. Michelle also talks about the challenges that communities and organizations like the Hope Council face in an effort to intervene and offe...

Dr. Sterling Elliott talks about where we are with the ongoing opioid crisis, pain management, and available unregulated pseudo-pharmaceutical combinations available in smoke shops and gas stations. Dr. Elliott is the Clinical Pharmacist Lead for Ambulatory Surgery Practice at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) in Chicago, Illinois. He specializes in matters related to post-operative pain management in ambulatory surgeries. Dr. E...

Jeanne Foot doesn't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. Using evidence-based therapeutic methods, she works with her clients to create a recovery path that works for their lifestyles. Jeanne is the founder and CEO of The Recovery Concierge, a premier service for mental health, addiction recovery, trauma healing, and peak performance. In addition to her own lived experience, she holds credentials as an International...

Finding a place to live once someone is in recovery is often a challenge. Jim Boad has addressed that challenge through initiative and expertise. Jim is a Pacific Coast entrepreneur helping others to open and scale profitable, sustainable group homes and sober living facilities. Jim and his business can be reached at jimboad.com.

The State of Wisconsin's Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin....

As a hidden brain injury, FASD can manifest in ways that often lead to challenging behaviors, which can feel overwhelming for caregivers relying on traditional parenting strategies. Making it even more difficult is knowing where to get an accurate diagnosis and help. Barb Clark is the Founder and CEO of FASD Mosaic where she provides coaching, training, and consulting on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), trauma, neurodiverge...

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) affect up to 1 in 20 people and is particularly prevalent among young people in the adoption and fostering system. As a hidden brain injury, FASDs can manifest in ways that often lead to challenging behaviors, which makes diagnosis and intervention challenging. Mollie O'Brien, the Executive Director of Proof Alliance in St. Paul, Minnesota, discusses FASDs and how, through community, collabo...

Matt Christensen grew up as the oldest child in a loving family. He had already lost his sense of direction when, in his early twenties, he also lost his mom. Poor choices and decisions followed. Then his family introduced him to The Other Side Academy. First as a student, now as a staff member, Matt talks about The Other Side Academy and its programs. The Other Side Academy and its programs can be reached at https://www.theothersi...

Matthew Laughrin wrote his memoir, "Shouting into the Darkness: Life as a Mentally Ill Drug Addict in the 21st Century," while incarcerated. On March 1, 2009, Matthew woke to a police tactical team bursting into his home. He was arrested for the fatal drug overdose of a teenage girl who had died in his house the previous evening while he was asleep. His book chronicles the decisions and missteps he took that led to that day. Matthe...

Rehab is a word used to describe everything from a short detox to a long residential stay. Jim Savage discusses what constitutes rehab and what makes for a successful program. Jim is the owner of Rehab Works! Family Support Program and Jim Savage Consulting. He is the author of "Rehab Works! A Parent's Guide to Drug Treatment" and a new ebook, "Sobriety Doesn't Have To Suck: A Guide To Finding Happiness, Excitement, And Spiritual F...

It is safe to say that addiction and mental health services are needed across the country and that providing those services, while incredibly rewarding, is also extremely challenging. Joe Henderson, the Founder and CEO of Sierra Health + Wellness Centers and the Elijah House Foundation in California, talks about those rewards and challenges. His approach to Addiction Treatment centers on identity reconstruction, stigma reduction, a...

Everyone copes with depression and life stress differently. JD Tremblay coped by pushing his body athletically to limits few ever experience. Tremblay is the Director of Human Performance at Hungry Warrior Academy, a Canadian human performance specialist, Naturopathic practitioner, Integrated Engineering graduate, and military veteran with over a decade of service. He is also the author of "Hunger for More in Life." In his spare ti...

Harvie Herrington is a former college and pro football player now dedicated to helping youth and adults overcome adversity and achieve their dreams. He is a motivational speaker, trainer, and author. His inspirational presentations focus on diversity, self-leadership, overcoming adversity, and metabolic health. His book, "80/20 Rule: Removing the Friction From Your Life to Become a Better Athlete," discusses the physical and mental...

Stress is a common concern across all ages and demographics. It causes some to seek relief by engaging in destructive behaviors. Dr. Gary Sprouse, or as he is better known across the country, "The Less Stress Doc," discusses how he helps clients alleviate the stress in their lives with the goal of living in their Happy Place. Dr. Sprouse is a former primary care physician from Maryland who retired from private practice after 38 yea...

In 2018, STEP Industries and The Mooring Programs merged to become Apricity, a progressive recovery community in Wisconsin. The leadership team brought to life the vision of a one-of-a-kind recovery organization that offers treatment, employment, transitional living, and education. Michelle Devine Giese, the CEO of Apricity, Dan Haak, the President of Apricity Contract Packaging and Recovery Support, and Jolie VerVoort, the Preside...

Recovery, like life, is full of what seems like contradictions. Love and resentment, passion and despair. Jessica Guerrieri details the complexities of recovery brilliantly in her new novel, "Both Can Be True." Jessica is a writer and novelist who lives in Northern California with her husband and three daughters. With a background in special education, Jessica left the field to pursue a career in writing and raise her children. Wit...

We may not be able to choose the circumstances we're in, but we always have a choice regarding how we respond. That is just one of the life lessons Larry Freeborg talks about in his book, "Always At Choice: Strategies for Moving on After the Death of a Spouse or Life Trauma." Larry was forty years old when his wife died from acute leukemia on the day after Christmas. He became a widower with four young children. Larry started his l...

Jonathan Schwartz was at the top of his game serving as a business manager to celebrities including Beyonce, Alanis Morisette, Gwenyth Paltrow, Mariah Carey, Linkin Park, and others. But he kept a dark secret: he was a compulsive gambler and cocaine addict. Over the course of six years he embezzled over $7 million from his clients to fund these addictions. Jonathan's criminal behavior earned him a six-year sentence in prison. He re...

When we're going through difficult times, often the tendency is to isolate and withdraw. Help is available, but often folks are reluctant to reach out and ask for it. Dana Emold talks about a new venture she is piloting for a free Family Education / support group at Wellbrook Recovery in Brookfield, Wisconsin, providing education on topics like "Understanding the Disease of Addiction" and "Codependency / Enabling." Dana is licensed...