Hopestream: Parenting Kids Through Addiction & Mental Health

ABOUT THE EPISODE: At the time Julie’s teenage son began misusing drugs, she had been a clinical psychologist specializing in addiction for more than 15 years. In her own words: “I know most of what there is to know, and we’re still here anyway. How did that happen?” After working with families in the area of addiction for years, Julie was now one of “those parents.” This personal experience layer...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Having a child who misuses drugs or alcohol can look very different for all of us – especially for children of different ages.  For parents of kids who are still living at home, the responsibilities and realities are simply not the same as parents whose children are young adults, living on their own outside the home. In today’s coaching episode, my guest Tracey tells us how her...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: I’m always happy to share testimony from individuals in recovery. Their stories can give hope and perspective to families of young people currently working through substance misuse and treatment. The stories I’ve previously shared have almost always been from people in recovery for a decade or more. Those interviews are, of course, valuable, but they’ve also been conducted in di...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: In this episode, I share the reason behind my passion for helping parents navigate this stressful season of life and share eight important, free, and available ways of being that will help your child become more motivated to change their relationship with substances. I spend a lot of time talking with professional experts and parent-experts - those of you living with and parenti...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: For many parents, having their teen or young adult child undergo psychological evaluation can feel incredibly stressful. They worry that even talking to their son or daughter about the process can make it seem like they think their child is broken, or maybe even that they're crazy. When my son entered wilderness therapy, I'd never even heard of psychological evaluation...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: The experience of parenting a child in, or transitioning out of, treatment almost always feels like uncharted territory. And for each of us as individuals, it usually is. But what if there was a way to zoom out and find patterns within thousands of family experiences? With that insight, we might even be able to predict situations we find ourselves in and prepare appropriately.  ...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: A common feeling parents express when they have a child struggling with substance misuse or addiction is helplessness. It feels as though day-to-day events whiplash you around, and there's nothing you can do to help create stability or calm - let alone encourage your child to accept help.  The good news is there are ways to wield great influence in your home, with your chil...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Sometimes, parents seeking guidance and comfort during difficult times are told to “choose happiness”.  My guest today believes instead, we should be choosing joy. Alex Stavros is the CEO of Embark Behavioral Health, a leading network of premiere youth outpatient centers and residential programs.  Their “big hairy audacious goal” is driving down youth anxiety, depression, and su...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: If you’re here listening to Hopestream, you probably know that working through substance misuse can take a heavy toll on family relationships.  Even after a child achieves sobriety, family dynamics are sometimes still disrupted by  the intensely  emotional process everyone has been through. In this coaching episode, I’ll meet Alana, a Stream Community parent whose oldest daughte...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Numerous studies show that adopted children are significantly more likely to develop substance use disorders. Is this true? If so, why? And how can parents of adopted children support and guide them through those tendencies? Today I’m speaking with Eric Fawson. Eric has been practicing therapy for more than 15 years, focusing on attachment, trauma, and the substance misuse that...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Today I'm going to share from my heart some things I've been thinking about which haven't really seemed to fit into any other episode.  I decided to bump the show I had planned as the first in Season Four of Hopestream to share a few heartfelt thoughts with you as we head into a new year.⁠ ⁠ You'll learn what I really want, more than anything, and why. You&ap...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: In this compilation of 12 impactful episodes, you'll hear from:  Dr. Anna Lembke, Carrie Wilkens, Ph. D., Dina Cannizzaro, Dr. Brad Reedy, Cathy Cioth, Steve Sawyer, Dr. Gabor Maté, Mark LaPalme, Rebekah Mutch, Andy Goldstrom, Bill Guy and Anne Moss Rogers. It's that time of year! This episode has become an annual tradition here at Hopestream, where I open up the vault...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: When your son or daughter has been struggling with mental health or misusing substances for any period of time, it can be hard to recall who they are without the external influence of those substances, screens, or social media. Let alone remember who they are when they get consistent sleep, good nutrition, and regular outdoor exercise. A benefit of residential therapeutic enviro...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: If your son or daughter has been to residential treatment or Wilderness Therapy, you may have considered asking (begging?) a staff member to come home with them to help with the transition.   Thankfully, I was able to sit down with two experts who specialize in supporting parents during this vulnerable time-Jen Murphy and Hilary Moses of Solutions Parenting Support.   You’ll hea...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: If you’ve been around here long, you know that nurturing the connection in your relationship with your son or daughter is the top priority as we support a path to recovery. But trying to stay level-headed when our kids are lying, pushing boundaries, or just deflecting and distracting from the issue at hand is challenging.  This week on the podcast, I have the honor of sitting do...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: In this episode with my right-hand woman, business partner, and all-around inspiring mom Cathy Cioth, we dive into the harsh reality that life with a child who's experimenting with or actively addicted to substances doesn't look like the pictures we had in mind when they were little. As parents, we do a disservice to our kids when we intentionally or subconsciously lay...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: With well over a hundred episodes on Hopestream, I couldn’t believe we haven’t talked about the very common link between substance use and suicide rates. Since it was time, I’m honored to introduce you to mother, author, and mental health advocate, Anne Moss Rogers. She courageously shares her story of the loss of her son to suicide in hopes of spurring more honest conversations...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Today I dive into a key component of encouraging more positive behavior through the use of consequences.  You probably already know consequences can be confusing and hard to get right when your child is misusing substances and struggles with mental health issues. They're sometimes hard to be consistent with, and often backfire. Chapter 11 in the book Beyond Addiction is the...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Friday, Saturday, Sunday. If you’re a parent of a child misusing drugs or alcohol, you know why these three days can send you into a tailspin. The free time and lack of structure mean our kids will likely find themselves in risky situations. In this coaching episode, I met with Marie- a Stream Member who booked this last-minute session with me on a Friday, which told me somethin...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: It’s tough to come to terms with how little control we have over whether our kids choose substances or healing and recovery. In this episode, you’ll get to hear from Dina Cannizzaro. She’s a mom who has been through hell and back but has channeled all that fear and anxiety into actionable steps toward relearning how to connect with her son and harness the surprising power of sel...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: It is an incredibly exciting week as we get to announce the opening of The Woods, our men’s community for those who identify as dads parenting teens who are struggling with substance misuse. I am honored to introduce you to Bill Guy, who is leading this new tribe of courageous men. He’s been in your shoes, and he tragically lost a son to an overdose. Bill discovered resources li...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: Bribing. Shaming. Forcing. Manipulating. Yelling. These are just some of the approaches I tried while parenting my son who was struggling with a high-risk lifestyle and substance use. You likely have too. It took me a long time to accept that none of that was working.  But through the book Beyond Addiction, the CRAFT approach, and specifically The Invitation to Change, I discove...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: On this road, we never can quite predict if or when our kids will decide to choose recovery for themselves. So if that moment feels miles away, or you’re just desperate to get a window into your child’s mindset, this story of recovery is absolutely for you. In this episode, I’ve invited Jo Colette, a mother, wife, and brilliant tattoo artist to share her journey from addiction (...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: One of the hardest things to surrender in parenting is our own dreams for our kids and accepting what they’re choosing for their lives as they gain independence. In this very relatable coaching episode, Karolina shares how a combination of complex learning difficulties, feeling socially isolated, and the pandemic all created a perfect storm for her son to have escalating behavio...

ABOUT THE EPISODE: In this special episode, I’ve invited Jeremy Melloul, owner of MOLT Clothing company back on the show. Jeremy joined me on episode 90 to share his story of early exposure and addiction that very nearly took his life a few times and what intercepted that risky path for his life.   We covered so much ground in that episode that I thought it would be great to check-in with Jeremy a...