King County Recovery Conversations

Join host Brad Finegood on King County Recovery Conversations as he delves into the transformative impact of King County's Drug Court program with guests Joe Barsana and Lizzy DesChane. Joe shares his personal journey of recovery through the structured support of Drug Court, highlighting how it reshaped his life through tailored treatments and relentless encouragement. Lizzy, with her vast exp...

Join Alysse Bryson for an inspiring conversation with Carolyn Presnell on King County Recovery Conversations. Carolyn is a dedicated speaker and Program Director at Weld Seattle. With personal experience in incarceration, she actively advocates for the previously incarcerated, breaking barriers and promoting positive change. Carolyn's commitment extends beyond her official roles, collaborating...

Join Heather Venegas as she delves deep into the transformative power of recovery schools with students from Seattle's Interagency Recovery Academy. Student Aiden recounts his harrowing journey from daily fentanyl use to nearly two years of sobriety, thanks to the school’s supportive community. Karis shares her story of resilience, detailing how dropping out in the 8th grade led to addiction a...

Dive into King County Recovery Conversations with host Heather Venegas as she engages with the inspirational Johnny Ohta. Once a troubled youth amidst San Francisco’s chaos, Johnny’s descent into substance abuse paints a vivid portrait of struggle transformed into a beacon of hope. In this episode, Johnny shares his powerful journey from addiction to becoming a vital support for young people fight...

Join host Heather Venegas on King County Recovery Conversations for an inspiring journey of redemption with guest Ryan Orrison. Ryan is the executive director of Bridges, a youth peer support group for adolescents in recovery from addiction serving the greater Seattle area. His story is a poignant narrative of a troubled past of substance use disorder and prison, reshaped into a future filled with...

Join hosts Deaunte Damper and Alysse Bryson on King County Recovery Conversations as they welcome Franklyn Smith, a guiding light in the recovery community. From dealing with substance use disorder and incarceration to helping others reintegrate into society, Franklyn's story is one of triumph over adversity. In this episode, Franklyn shares how his struggles became a catalyst for change and t...

In this revealing episode of King County Recovery Conversations, host Tristan Seikel welcomes Javan Jones of Jones Community Solutions, unveiling the struggles and triumphs within the recovery landscape. Their conversation sheds light on the critical necessity for trauma-informed support, especially for communities of color, and tells the story of Javan's profound personal journey that led him...

Join Alysse Bryson and Heather Venegas on this King County Recovery Conversations episode for an in-depth delve into recovery housing with guests Jason Bliss and Ricky Mogel.  Jason, the executive director at the Washington Alliance for Quality Recovery Residences, unpacks the accreditation of recovery houses and the rigors they face, championing oversight for safe havens aiding early recovery. He...

It's the recovery podcast round-up! In this episode, host Alysse Bryson welcomes fellow PNW podcasters Amy Liz Harrison, Pete Cadigan, Tamar Medford, and Casey McGuire Davidson, all sharing their recovery journey out loud.  Harrison hosts the Eternally Amy podcast, bringing a poignant family perspective on sobriety while raising eight children.   Cadigan hosts the Sober Champs podcast, emphasi...

Hosts Alysse Bryson and Heather Venegas welcome guests Samantha Pauley and Christine Pennington for a candid discussion on navigating the holidays while in recovery.  Samantha is the national director of virtual services for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the director of Hazelden Betty Ford in Beaverton, OR. Christine is in recovery from alcohol use disorder and is a former participant of...

In this powerful episode of King County Recovery Conversations, host Heather Venegas welcomes Michele Gerber, a mother turned recovery advocate and author.  Transformed by the tragic loss of her son to substance use disorder, Michelle shares how she has embraced her grief through gratitude and how she seeks to help others through their recovery journeys. As the founder and president of the Benton...

In this episode of KCRC, host Heather Venegas is joined by guests Derrick Belgarde, Jason Vickers, and Clayton Burley for a powerful conversation on Indigenous recovery. Each courageous individual recounts their journey from addiction to recovery, highlighting the transformative power of reconnecting with their Native culture. From overcoming homelessness and incarceration to finding healing in sa...

Host Tristan Seikel sits down for a powerful conversation with guest Amari Davis, a Black, trans, and queer person who shares their journey of recovery and the intersectional challenges they face. Together, they explore the complexities of behavioral and recovery health care, including factors such as housing, financial security, and the intersections of queerness, transness, and disability. Throu...

In this powerful episode of KCRC, host Tristan Seikel sits down with Aary Renee and Jesse Alalawi to discuss the intersecting issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and the importance of recovery. Renee and Alalawi share their personal journeys of overcoming struggles and expecting them to disappear, only to then find underlying mental health issues that needed to be addressed. They also touch on...

In this episode of King County Recovery Conversations, host Heather Venegas is joined by Roberta Romero and Marcos Sauri for a powerful conversation about the Latinx community and recovery during Hispanic Heritage Month. Together, they discuss the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations in the recovery space, the importance of cultural identity, and the need for tailored support for different...

In this episode of King County Recovery Conversations, host Heather Venegas is joined by podcast contributor Alysse Bryson, founder of The Sober Curator, and Sober Curators Kate Vitela and Tamar Medford.  Alysse shares her journey to sobriety and how she turned her passion for content creation into a hub for all things sober. From beverage reviews to fashion columns, The Sober Curator covers vario...

On the show this week: finding freedom from addiction. The Sober Curator founder Alysse Bryson joins host Heather Venegas for an inspiring conversation with Joe Conniff. Joe’s journey into and out of addiction is a powerful one. At his lowest point, Joe was homeless and dealing drugs on the streets of Seattle. He eventually landed in jail, where he knew he needed to change. Behind bars, Joe learne...

Host Heather Venegas has a conversation with Chris about his recovery journey; he shares what he’s learned about what it takes to get and stay sober, the difference between sobriety and recovery, and why he doesn’t see relapse as a failure. In a touching exchange, Chris’s mom Maureen joins them to share her role in Chris’s recovery, alongside her own awareness and health. “It’s really up to me to...

Welcome to King County Recovery Conversations - a podcast dedicated to sharing hope, resilience, and healing for people living with substance use disorder. Host Heather Venegas is a rock star in this space. She is a servant leader in long-term recovery and has lived experience with both substance use and mental health. Heather joined the King County Recovery Coalition in 2018 as its first director...

Welcome to King County Recovery Conversations, a podcast on a mission to celebrate recovery and help break the stigma of addiction and mental health. I’m your host, Heather Venegas. In each episode, policy and program experts, as well as people with lived experience will join me as we share stories of hope, resilience, and healing in our community. Together, we’ll learn about the various pathways...