Let's Talk Addiction & Recovery

The pandemic has had profound effects on every student and educator, and has demonstrated the inviolable need for close relationships. Angela Jerabek, founder and executive director of the BARR Center, sits down with host William C. Moyers to discuss the greatest strengths, liabilities and lessons for education systems around the country. And, as we reframe our ideas of school and learning, she co...

Best-selling authors and interventionists Jeff and Debra Jay share their profound wisdom on the process of getting a loved one sober. They sit down with host William C. Moyers to discuss the new edition of their best-selling book, Love First: A Family's Guide to Intervention , and share the essential lessons behind its prevailing theme—united against addiction, the family becomes a wonderful resou...

"If we can see good, then goodness will come," believes Peter Hayden, PhD. So he founded a safe, culturally informed treatment center for the Black community that also provides housing, job opportunities and cultural training. Tune in for this brilliant conversation among old friends, as host William C. Moyers and Dr. Hayden investigate the importance of trust between patients and providers, and d...

Early in his National Hockey League hall-of-fame career, goalie Grant Fuhr realized his cocaine use had crossed the line. He needed help. But was he ready to face the underlying causes? Listen in as Fuhr talks with host William C. Moyers about the soul-searching work of addiction rehab and what it took to get himself back in the game. "There's nothing easy about asking for help," says the five-tim...

As more states legalize recreational marijuana, the availability of high-potency cannabis products raises the potential for health risks—including addiction. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with Hazelden Betty Ford "addictionologist" Vic Vines, MD, about health implications of high-potency marijuana. Like any addictive substance, marijuana can be used by some people without major consequ...

Parenting involves navigating a multitude of issues, even when everything's running smoothly for a family. Add a major stressor—like the challenges of early recovery—and it doesn't take much for family interactions to deteriorate. Listen in as family systems research scientist Kate Gliske, PhD, talks with host William C. Moyers about parenting skills that foster positive interactions. Pro tips: Te...

Studies indicate that members of the LGBTQ+ community experience substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders at twice the rate of the general population. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with clinician Princess Drake, PsyD, about related risk factors including historical trauma and the fear of "not being accepted for who you are." Drake discusses the importance of person-center...

Words can hurt, and words can heal—especially words used by health care professionals concerning substance use and mental health disorders. Listen in as psychiatrist Stephen Delisi, MD, talks with host William C. Moyers about the power of choosing person-first language to reduce bias, stigma and shame (internalized stigma) around the disease of addiction. Quite literally, the difference between us...

Even before the stress and isolation of pandemic life, troubling mental health trends started to surface among America's young people. Of all age sectors, emerging adults (ages 15-23) are experiencing the biggest upsurge in symptoms of depression and anxiety. What's going on? How can parents best help? Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with psychologist Tim Portinga, PsyD, about the influe...

Where have you been? What were you doing? Who were you with? Even though these questions come from a place of love and concern, parents who suspect their teen is drinking or using drugs could actually push their child further away with this approach. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with psychologist Tim Portinga, PsyD, about adolescence, substance use and family issues. The good news? Ad...

In championing transformational growth, innovation and collaboration, Mark G. Mishek has positioned the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation like no other organization in the world to effectively address the complex challenges of addiction at every turn. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with the widely admired president and CEO about parity, partnerships and public awareness—progress that trans...

After a decades-long struggle, federal legislation now deems addiction treatment an essential health care benefit, mandating insurance coverage on par with other medical conditions. So why do advocates view this as only a first step toward achieving recovery parity? Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with attorney Emily Piper about the biggest challenges and opportunities involved in effort...

"How are you?" has never been such a loaded question. From the COVID-19 pandemic to civic and racial strife to the economic downturn, everyone's on stress-overload. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with clinician Princess Drake, PsyD, about practical mental health self-care strategies and helpful professional resources. The takeaway? Pay attention to your mental health needs and reach out...

While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the expansion of telehealth treatment services, experts predict continual advances and growth in virtual care for substance use disorders. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with clinician Jennifer Nelson, who has been instrumental in Hazelden Betty Ford's rapid escalation of telehealth care. Nelson outlines technical, clinical and logistical measures...

Sharing poignant memories and historical context at every turn, Susan Ford Bales guides you on this singular walking tour of the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California. The daughter of first lady Betty Ford offers a behind-the-scenes look at the heralded addiction treatment center her mother co-founded in 1982. Listen in as she leads host William C. Moyers along the Center's brick-lined pa...

Blackout drunk and behind the wheel, Jessica H. caused an accident that sent her first to the hospital and then to a jail holding cell. As a social worker, Jessica knew her drinking was problematic, but she didn't see herself as "an alcoholic"—until, locked up and awaiting release on bail, the truth became inescapable. Listen in as Jessica tells host William C. Moyers why "everything is better" in...

Accelerated in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, online addiction treatment and recovery services have rapidly become more widely available. But how effective is virtual addiction care? Are patients showing up and staying connected? Are counselors seeing outcomes comparable to in-person care? Are health insurers covering online programs? Yes, yes and yes. Learn more as host William C. Moyers talks wi...

In the first chaotic days of the coronavirus pandemic, addiction treatment providers found themselves contending simultaneously with two potentially fatal illnesses: substance use disorders and COVID-19. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with Vic Vines, MD, a regional medical director at Hazelden Betty Ford, about pivots and precautionary measures taken to ensure patient and staff safety—a...

At age 12, Jennifer Storm was raped after drinking beer and passing out. Alcohol and drugs then became Storm's escape route from feelings of fear, shame and anger over the assault. She got sober at age 22 but recovery from sexual violence would be a longer haul. Storm's best-selling memoir, Blackout Girl , serves as a survivor's guide to healing from addiction and trauma. Listen in as she talks wi...

Known medically as "substance use disorder," addiction is a complex, chronic disease marked by compulsive alcohol/drug use that leads to actual changes in the brain. In other words, addiction involves more than the misuse of alcohol or other drugs. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with clinician Christopher Yadron about telltale signs of disease progression—physical, behavioral, social an...

Former First Lady Betty Ford put a stunning new face on recovery in 1978 when she openly sought treatment for addiction. Four years later, she cofounded the Betty Ford Center to help other women, men and families find recovery. Daughter Susan Ford Bales tells host William C. Moyers about Betty Ford's healing work and advocacy—from providing top-quality patient care to establishing innovative servi...

Far too many people who have addiction aren't getting the care they need and deserve. But advances in virtual services, outpatient care, targeted medicines and health care partnerships offer new paths forward in addiction treatment delivery and access. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with Mark Mishek, president of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. Learn about telehealth solutions, clin...

Nina O. knew all about addiction. As a child, she grew up in a family hurt by substance use. As a nurse, she recognized addiction as a chronic disease. And yet Nina thought she was somehow immune, even as she diverted narcotics from work to sustain her drug dependence. Listen in as Nina tells host William C. Moyers how shame and stigma kept her from admitting her truth and seeking help—and why oth...

When a parent is in active addiction—no matter how they might try to hide the situation—a child can sense that something's wrong. Why is Mom sleeping all the time? Where has Dad gone? Without answers, kids tend to blame themselves for whatever's going on at home, says children's counselor Cynthia Galaviz-Olivas. Listen in as she talks with host William C. Moyers about self-care skills she teaches...

What if a simple blood test indicated the most-effective treatment medication for individuals with alcohol or opioid addiction? "Biomarker" research underway by Mayo Clinic and Hazelden Betty Ford aims to provide that very insight. Listen in as host William C. Moyers talks with addiction psychiatrist Marvin D. Seppala, MD, about how these scientific investigations at the genetic and cellular level...