All Things Substance

Avoiding topics of conversation is super normal for people. We work hard to help our clients talk about the hard things and to face the things that need to come to light. There's an area that we might not be asking about that could make a huge difference in our work.

What is recovery? Recovery really is, at its core, the process of change. It is a living and active process through which people make long lasting changes in their lives. There isn't an end date or a destination. There are stages to it though and everyone goes through it differently from another person. In today's episode, we'll talk about all of this and more.

Stages of addiction can help us understand how severe someone's use is and if you need to refer out. What's the difference between dependence and addiction? When does normal use move to risky use? On today's episode we'll talk about the 6 stages of addiction.

Triggers and cravings are a huge key to what helps addiction develop. It's not just the reward pathways that drive addiction progression. Today we'll talk about how triggers and cravings impact this process.

Some therapists worry that adding substance use to their scope of practice will expose them to more risk and liability.  Our licenses are super important to us and we want to protect ourselves. Today we are going to be talking about what risk there is, if any, when we take on substance use clients. 

The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have brought many into recovery and saved lives all over the world. Most people know that there are 12 Steps, but they don't know what the Steps are and most haven't heard of the 12 Traditions. Today we'll be covering exactly what these pillars of recovery are and how they work together to create a plan of recovery. 

Recovery meetings can be a giant help to people as they move through recovery from all kinds of things. Today we'll talk about the benefits of recovery meetings, the spiritual aspect to meetings and what clients can expect when they attend a meeting.

Sex is a vital part of who we are as humans. When people are using substances, sex becomes entwined with their use. So what happens when a person has to navigate sexual experiences without the use of substances? It can be tricky to navigate and today we'll talk about the things that should be addressed and considered. 

Addiction and love? I got a chance to sit down with Andrea Owen (our January recovery story) on her podcast Make Some Noise. During that conversation she talks a bit about her own recovery journey and the concept of love addiction. We talked about addiction from the perspective of brain science and what love addiction means. 

It was all about love. That's what Dufflyn was looking for from the time she was a small girl all the way into her 40's. She consistently was seeking to fill a need and find a place to belong. For a long while alcohol and drugs were the answer. Recovery was a process and today we'll hear her story of finding peace and freedom.

Is CBD good for anxiety and/or PTSD?   Is CBD good for treating substance use disorders?   Is CBD good for chronic pain and arthritis? With CBD being added to more things all the time (drinks, lotion, vitamins and even water) it can be hard to know what is real and what isn't. In our work as therapists we really need to know what science is saying about CBD and its benefits. I took on the task of...

What is CBD? Is CBD what people say it is? We start from the beginning and go over its origins, how it works and what to look for.  In the second part we'll talk about fact vs fiction according to the research. Join me as we this product that is popping up everywhere.  

In this episode we talk about the three most popular sleep medications used in the non-benzodiazepine class.  We'll discuss the risks inherent in these medications as well as the risk of addiction.  

What type of sleep disorder warrants prescription sleep medication? What types of sleep medications are there? Sleep medications are an important tool in treating insomnia. There are different kinds that each act in a different way in the body. This episode addresses all of that and more. 

The key to staying sober isn't loving others enough, fear of getting in trouble, nor the hope of a good future. These reasons are unique to each person and vary wildly. The thing these people have in common is that the original reason that got them on this path won't hold up forever. The reason to get sober isn't going to be the reason to stay sober. That, is something else entirely.

Check out this free downloadable resource and this podcast episode will give you more information on it. It's a quick reference guide to help you determine if someone's substance use is appropriate for you to work with or if they need a specialist. Today I'll walk through it and explain how it works.

ADHD treatment can bring to mind a few different things. Medications, particularly stimulants are usually at the top of the list. ADHD treatment for adults can be complicated due to the abuse of stimulant medications, the medical providers being hesitant to prescribe and the lack of access to psych testing to confirm a diagnosis. For our purposes, we are focused on the medication part and talking...

ADHD diagnoses are becoming more common for children but especially in the adult population. Research tells us that approximately 70% of people with ADHD benefit from stimulant medication. This means that the number of prescriptions for ADHD medications are higher than ever. What impact do these things have on us and our clients? Check out this episode of All Things Substance.

What are the benzodiazepines used for anti anxiety? What's the difference between them? Are benzodiazepines ever safe? Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin are some of the most prescribed medications in America for anti anxiety.. What's the difference between them? Tune in to this week's episode of All Things Substance.

What are benzodiazepines? How are they used? What are the risks? Benzodiazepines can feel like a miracle for a person with anxiety. Feeling panicked to feeling ok in a matter of minutes. But there's more to them than that.  Tune in to this week's episode of All Things Substance.

Why is marijuana illegal anyway? What's the difference between legalization and decriminalization? What implication does this have for therapists? The debate over legalization of marijuana is all around us. It's a complex issue and there are a lot of terms used that we should know and understand. This podcast explores the origins of the ban on marijuana and talks about the reasons for and against...

What are common things people say about marijuana? What are the facts about those common claims? What implication does this have in therapy? Marijuana conversations give rise to really interesting information being shared. Much of it isn't based on science or fact. It can be really hard to know what the real truth is, even if you know where to look. This week we'll be discussing the common things...

What is marijuana and how is it used? Why is THC potency important? What does this have to do with therapy? Marijuana is here to stay and it looks like we're heading towards legalization. The use of marijuana comes up often in therapy circles and we need to know about it. Join me for an up-front conversation about weed.

The holidays are here, no matter what your faith tradition or country, there's a holiday in here for everyone. For some the holidays are a joyful time where they look forward to seeing family and friends. For others, the holidays can be a difficult time. For people who struggle with substances, it tends to be a difficult time to navigate. There's an expectation that we will "indulge" ourselves wit...

I don't believe we can rely on our agencies or employers to take care of our development or help us with safe care. I believe we need to make sure we are being proactive to make sure we have what we need to help us keep developing as therapists and that we are doing what we can to prevent burnout so we can continue to do the work we love. This is why I LOVE THERABUNDLE. Today I want to introduce y...