The Addicted Mind Podcast

Worksheet: “ Hero's Journey Addiction Recovery Worksheet ” In this episode of "The Addicted Mind," Duane and Eric Osterlind explore the concept of the hero's journey and how it applies to addiction recovery. Drawing from Joseph Campbell's work on mythology, they discuss the three phases of the hero's journey—departure, initiation, and return—and how these stages can provide a roadmap for personal...

Jane Chen, the visionary mind behind Embrace Global, shares her remarkable journey from a Stanford classroom to the heart of India, where her innovative spirit and unwavering dedication gave birth to a life-saving portable infant incubator. This episode unravels Jane's incredible drive, which not only saved over a million babies worldwide but also led her to the brink of burnout. Her story is a te...

Download: ATTACHMENT & RECOVERY worksheet In this episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, Duane and Eric Osterlind delve into the concept of attachment and its critical role in recovery from addiction. They discuss the different types of attachment styles—secure, anxious, dismissive, and fearful—and how these styles impact our ability to form healthy relationships. By understanding your attachment...

In this episode, we talk about sacrificial helpers’ syndrome, great for people who are in the helper profession or volunteer helpers. Sacrificial help syndrome can be defined as people giving more than they have for the people they serve. Our guest today is Katie Vernoy. A licensed family therapist, a coach, and consultant with helpers based in Torrance, California. As she says, she helps helpers...

Download: FIRST-ORDER CHANGE VS. SECOND-ORDER CHANGE Are you making changes but feeling stuck in your recovery journey? It could be because you're focusing on first-order changes. These are the surface-level adjustments we make – quitting a substance, changing routines – but they don't address the root of the problem. That's where second-order change comes in. This is about digging deeper into you...

Dr. Scott Teitelbaum's world came crashing down when his addictions to marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, and gambling threatened not only his medical career but also his family life. As a former pediatrician who found himself battling these demons, Scott's story is one of hitting rock bottom before finding the strength to climb back up. Hear how the loss of his medical license and the dissolution of hi...

In this episode of TAM+, hosts Duane and Eric delve into the concept of rumination, shedding light on its impact and providing practical strategies to navigate it. They define rumination as repetitive thought patterns, often negative, that loop incessantly in our minds. Through insightful conversation, they dissect different types of rumination, such as brooding, intrusive, reflective, and deliber...

Dr. Gary Mitrevolis, a seasoned expert in addiction medicine, joins us for a critical conversation on cannabis and THC addiction, especially as we face the rising tide of high-potency THC products. With cannabis legalization expanding and THC concentrations soaring to unprecedented levels, Dr. Mitrevolis shares his extensive insights into the mental and physical health risks this trend poses. We d...

Worksheet: Your PERMA Recovery What if recovery isn't just about stopping the bad stuff, but actually building something incredible? For too long, we've thought of recovery as simply not using. We white-knuckle our way through each day, fighting urges and saying no to everything that once brought us pleasure. But what happens when you've been sober for months or even years, and you're left thinkin...

Art Dielhenn's journey from directing beloved TV classics like Sister Sister and Punky Brewster to becoming an author and career coach is nothing short of remarkable. Facing his own struggles with addiction, Art found recovery and shared his insights through two humorous and insightful books, "Get Out of Your Head, It's a Mess in There" and "Addiction is a Family Disease." Join Art as he discusses...

Worksheet: Uncovering Your Superpowers What if you had superpowers you didn't even know existed? What if the very qualities that could transform your recovery have been hiding inside you all along? In this powerful episode, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind flip the script on traditional recovery thinking. Instead of endlessly focusing on what's broken, they show you how to uncover what's strong. Usi...

In this compelling episode, host Duane Osterlind sits down with Mo Edjlali, founder of The Mindful Leader and author of the groundbreaking book "Open MBSR: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness." Mo sounds an important alarm about a rarely discussed topic in the wellness world: how guided meditations, when overused or misapplied, can actually cause harm. This c...

Worksheet: Stages of Change This episode dives into the Stages of Change Model, a powerful tool for understanding and navigating personal growth. Hosts Duane and Eric explore the six stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and relapse. They emphasize the model's humanistic approach, acknowledging that change is a non-linear journey with room for setbacks and res...

When Lisa Smith's family was gripped by the terror of her son's addiction, they felt like mere spectators to a relentless storm. But through her groundbreaking concept of parallel recovery, they began to reclaim their roles as active participants in the healing process. In this compelling episode, we sit down with Lisa, a TEDx speaker and author, who shares her family's transformative journey. She...

Worksheet: Your Relapse Prevention Blueprint What if you could stop living in constant fear of relapse and start building real confidence in your recovery? In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind reveal how to create a practical relapse prevention blueprint that transforms your recovery from a terrifying tightrope walk into a journey of empowermen...

If you found out earlier on in your youth that you actually have a genetic propensity toward addiction, would you have made decisions a lot differently? Addiction is a bio-psycho-social model, but we don’t really look at the biology part of it. Sometimes, we have to look at the physiology of things to understand addiction better. And there has to be a paradigm shift in thinking about how we operat...

Worksheet: Riding the Wave with TIPP Picture this: Your heart is pounding so hard you can hear it in your ears. Your vision starts to tunnel. A wave of pure panic or white-hot anger is washing over every nerve in your body, and all you can think about is doing something—anything—to make it stop. We've all been there. That moment where one decision could change everything. Maybe it's reaching for t...

Join us for an enriching conversation with Dr. Diana Hill, a leading voice in the world of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as she shares insights from her latest book, "Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most". Dr. Hill leads us on her personal journey from cognitive behavioral therapy to ACT, offering a fresh perspective on how shifting our relationship with tho...

Download: The Worksheet ACE In this episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into the groundbreaking ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study. This research revealed how childhood trauma significantly impacts mental, physical, and emotional health in adulthood. By exploring the origins, findings, and implications of the study, they discuss how early experiences of ab...

Brad Sorte, co-founder of Sober Companion AI, shares his remarkable journey from battling addiction to harnessing the power of AI to transform recovery processes. With nearly two decades of experience under his belt, Brad provides insights into how AI is making addiction treatment more personal and accessible. By integrating compassionate care with advanced technology, AI is opening doors to treat...

Download: Thought Challenge Worksheet What if the harshest critic you've ever known lives inside your own head? That relentless voice telling you you're not good enough, you'll never change, you always mess things up – it's been running the show for far too long. In this eye-opening episode, hosts Duane and Eric reveal how your inner critic has been acting as judge, jury, and executioner of your s...

Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje’s story is one that resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced the hidden struggles of addiction. Imagine maintaining a successful career while secretly battling high-functioning alcoholism. Melissa opens up about her journey from denial to recovery, sharing the pivotal moments that led her to seek help. Her memoir, "Drunk Love: A Marriage Under the Influence," serv...

Download : The ANT Catcher Worksheet Have you ever felt like your mind was invaded by a constant stream of tiny, negative whispers? Like there's an army of ants crawling through your head, each one carrying a toxic message that you're not good enough, you can't handle it, or you're going to fail? In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric reveal the hidden enemy that...

Melody Glenn, an addiction and emergency medicine physician with a flair for creative writing, joins Duane to share insights from her upcoming book, "Mother of Methadone: A Doctor's Quest, a Forgotten History, and a Modern Day Crisis." Together, they unpack the legacy of Dr. Marie Nyswander, a trailblazer in methadone maintenance who reshaped addiction treatment. Dr. Glenn offers a candid perspect...

In this exciting episode of Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into the fascinating world of the Johari Window, a powerful tool for enhancing self-awareness and understanding in relationships. They explore how this simple yet profound model can illuminate the various aspects of ourselves—what we know, what we don't know, and what others see in us. From discussing how to naviga...