The Real with Dr. Wendi

In this moving episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson is joined by Romelo O’Neal, who courageously shares his personal journey through substance use, opioid addiction, fentanyl, trauma, loss, and recovery. Romelo reflects on his early experiences with bullying and peer pressure, his desire to fit in, and how his substance use progressed from marijuana to pills, heroin, and fentanyl....

How to Overcome Addiction: 5 Strategies for Recovery | Dr. Wendi How can someone begin overcoming addiction and maintain progress in recovery? In this episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson explores five practical strategies that can help people navigate the recovery journey with greater awareness, support, and purpose. Addiction is not simply a lack of willpower. It can affect beha...

What is opioid use disorder? How does fentanyl affect the brain? What is MAT, and how can medications like methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone support recovery? In Episode 9 of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson sits down with Samantha Burggraf, Program Director and Clinical Supervisor at Morse Clinic, for an important conversation about opioid addiction, opioid use disorder, fentanyl,...

Episode 8 — Clearing the Air: What Every Parent, Educator & Teen Should Know About Vaping, Nicotine & THC Vaping among young people continues to raise important questions for parents, educators, schools and communities. In this episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson welcomes Olivia Cunningham , a Tobacco Health Education Specialist with the Durham County Department of Public...

When does trauma stop being one person's story and become a family pattern? In Episode 7 of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson welcomes Stephanie Greer, a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist and Clinical Supervisor, for a powerful conversation about trauma, addiction, PTSD, hypervigilance, substance use and generational patterns. Stephanie shares her personal journey from growing u...

From Student to Scholar to Service: The Power of Giving Back What happens when your personal struggles become the foundation for your purpose? In this episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson sits down with a social work professional whose journey demonstrates how education, resilience, mentorship, advocacy, and service can transform both an individual life and an entire community. Sh...

What happens when 20 years of homelessness and 15 years of addiction become the beginning of a story of hope, recovery and transformation? In Episode 5 of The Real with Dr. Wendi, Dr. Wendi Watson talks with Dr. Michael Watkins about his extraordinary journey from homelessness and addiction to earning multiple degrees and ultimately achieving his doctoral degree. Dr. Michael shares the circumstanc...

Mental illness does not define a person's identity. In this powerful episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi welcomes Charmie Leza , a neuroscience student at Arizona State University, mental health advocate, Starbucks shift manager, and NAMI presenter, to share her deeply personal journey of living with ADHD, anxiety, OCD, and depression. Charmie opens up about growing up in a culture...

Childhood trauma doesn't end in childhood—it can shape your relationships, emotional health, confidence, parenting, and overall well-being well into adulthood. In this powerful episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi Podcast , Dr. Wendi Watson sits down with licensed clinical social worker and trauma specialist Samara Bowser to discuss how childhood trauma affects brain development, emotional regu...

Let us know how this episode has impacted you What does it truly mean to be a father—and why is it time to change the narrative around Black fatherhood? In Episode 2 of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson sits down with Rufus Wilson for an honest conversation about fatherhood, family, resilience, and the power of positive role models. Together, they explore the realities of becoming a fathe...

Let us know how this episode has impacted you What does it really mean to be resilient? Is resilience simply about being strong, or is there more to the story? In the premiere episode of The Real with Dr. Wendi , Dr. Wendi Watson sits down with resilience expert and board-certified holistic health practitioner Erica Elle to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in mental health and persona...