Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse

Season 3, Episode 8 | The Power of Mentorship: Kinship of Martin CountyIn this episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, we’re joined by Katy, Courtney, and Jen from Kinship of Martin County to talk about the powerful role mentorship plays in the lives of local youth. Kinship connects young people with caring, consistent adult mentors who provide guidance, encouragement, and friendship. In this episode, we explore...

Season 3, Episode 7 | Leading the Change: Youth in PreventionIn this episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, we sit down with Heather Schjenken—Senior Youth Trainer at The Montana Institute and Executive Director of Youth for Christ in Itasca County—for a powerful conversation about youth leadership, prevention, and the impact of positive community change.With more than 20 years of experience as a teacher, coach...

Season 3, Episode 5 | The Unsung Heroes of Coffee & ClarityIn this special behind-the-scenes episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, we’re shining the spotlight on the people who make the podcast possible — our amazing student editors.From polishing audio and video to adding music, smoothing transitions, and getting episodes uploaded, their work is behind every episode you hear. We sit down with the editing ...

Season 3, Ep. 4 | Healthy Choices at Every Stage: High School, College & BeyondIn this episode, hosts Michelle and Reyna sit down with Dr. Jason Kilmer, professor at the University of Washington and nationally recognized leader in college substance use prevention. With decades of experience working with college students across the country, Dr. Kilmer brings a powerful perspective on the challenges, opportunities, and evidence-b...

Season 3, Ep. 3 | Opioid Settlement Funds Part Two: Treatment & RecoveryIn this episode, hosts Natalie and Tim continue the conversation on opioid settlement funds—this time focusing on treatment and recovery efforts happening right here in Martin and Faribault Counties.Building off Part One’s discussion on prevention and funding allocation, this episode shifts toward what treatment actually looks like in a rural community. Our...

Season 3, Episode 6 | Becoming Phone-Free: GHEC’s Steps Toward Student Well-Being

In this episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, Empower students Georgia and Isaac sit down with GHEC Principal Mr. Andy Walden to talk about student mental health, screen time, and what it means to help kids grow up healthy in today’s digital world.

GHEC recently conducted a book study on The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, br...

Season 3, Ep. 2 | Opioid Settlement Funds Part One: PreventionIn this episode, hosts Sophie and Reyna sit down with Shelly Larsen, Project Coordinator for Empower Coalition, and Caroline McCourt, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator/ Community Health Planner, to discuss how Martin and Faribault Counties are using opioid settlement funds to address prevention and recovery.Shelly shares about the coalition’s ongoing initiatives, includ...

Season 3, Ep. 1 | Servant Leadership & School Culture: Inspiring Healthy Choices at FairmontIn this episode, we’re joined by Mr. Chad Brusky, principal of Fairmont Jr./Sr. High School, and Mr. Brian Wille, Servant Leadership and Social Studies teacher at Fairmont. Together, they share how the school is cultivating a positive culture where students are encouraged to lead, serve, and make healthy choices.From Cardinal Community D...

Season 2, Ep. 9 | Be Extraordinary, Be You: Navigating Substance Misuse and Self AcceptanceIn this powerful episode, we're joined by Randy and Heather Bacchus, founders of Be Extraordinary, Be You!—a nonprofit dedicated to educating families on the dangers of high-potency THC and supporting those facing mental health and substance use struggles.After losing their 21-year-old son Randy to cannabis-induced psychosis and suicide, ...

Season 2, Ep. 8 | Tobacco's Hidden Costs: Environmental Impacts RevealedIn this episode, we're chatting with Molly Schmidtke from the Association for Nonsmokers - Minnesota. With her background in public health, Molly offers a powerful perspective on a lesser-known issue: how commercial tobacco products harm our environment.Together, we explore key questions around the environmental impact of tobacco—from pollution caused b...

Season 2, Ep. 7 | Clinical Insights: Addressing Youth Mental Health & Substance Use ChallengesIn this episode of Coffee and Clarity, host Sophie Streit sits down with Siri Kabrick, APRN CNP, a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at the Mayo Clinic, to discuss the intersection of youth mental health and substance use. Siri shares her expertise on the unique mental health challenges that young people face today, including anxiety, d...

Season 2, Ep. 6 | Pathways to Recovery: Inside Treatment CourtIn this episode, hosts Hannah Gries and Sophie Streit talk with Tracy Henning, Treatment Court Coordinator, and Andrea Nielsen, LADC at Fountain Centers, about how treatment courts help people overcome addiction.They explain how treatment court works, the role of addiction treatment providers, and why personalized recovery plans matter. They also tackle common myths abou...

Season 2, Ep. 4 | Johnny's Ambassadors: Tackling Dabbing and THC Misconceptions In this episode, host Trista Boesch sits down with Laura Stack, founder of Johnny's Ambassadors, to discuss the dangers of high-potency marijuana products, the mental health impact of THC on young brains, and how her organization is working to prevent youth substance misuse. Laura shares Johnny's story, from his journey with marijuana to the tragic im...

Season 2, Ep. 4 | Navigating Trauma: Insights into Care, Healing, and Substance Use In this episode, hosts Trista Boesch and Megan Wheeler sit down with Caroline McCourt, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator and Community Health Planner, and Molly, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, to discuss the importance of trauma-informed practices and therapy services. We explore what trauma-informed care means, how it’s being used i...

Season 2, Ep. 3 | Empowering Communities: The Impact of Celebrating Families In this November episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, hosts Michelle Esquivel and Lila Dorschner sit down with Tracy Henning, Treatment Court Coordinator, and Amy Becker, School Social Worker at Fairmont Elementary, to discuss the impactful Celebrating Families program that will be returning to our community next year. Tracy and Amy...

Season 2, Ep. 2 | The Winning Edge: Teen Fitness, Substance Use, and Performance Optimization In this episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, hosts Grant Koehnen and Landen Pederson sit down with Josie Sodersten, weightlifting coach at Fairmont High School, and Alex Schliesmann, co-owner of Live Fit Sport & Wellness Center, to discuss the critical connection between substance use and sports performance in t...

Season 2 Ep. 1 | Sobriety and Support: Inside Tim Murray's Vision for Bravo Zulu House In this episode of Coffee and Clarity: Preventing Substance Misuse, host Michelle Esquivel sits down with Tim Murray, Executive Director of Bravo Zulu House, to discuss his personal journey from battling addiction to founding Trinity Sober Homes and launching Bravo Zulu House in Martin County, Minnesota. As the first all-military sober home ...

Season 1 Ep. 9 | Breaking the Cycle: A Spotlight on Prevention and Recovery Join hosts Lila Dorschner and Ava Winter along with special guests Nathan Wray and Cole Sharp as they delve into the crucial topics of substance abuse prevention and recovery. Nathan Wray, a motivational speaker and prevention coordinator from Tennessee, brings 20 years of sobriety and a wealth of experience in substance abuse prevention. Cole Sharp, a pee...

Season 1 Ep. 8 | Safeguarding our Youth: Exploring Martin County's Social Host Ordinance. Join hosts Grant Koehnen and special guest Taylor McGowan, Martin County Attorney, as they talk about the topic of youth safety and substance misuse prevention. Gain valuable knowledge about the purpose and implementation of Martin County's Social Host Ordinance, designed to protect our youth from the dangers of substance misuse. Disc...