One Hour AT A Time

Fr. Tom was ordained to the priesthood on May 13, 1978. Fr. Tom has served in many parishes and campus ministry until 1993 when he came to St. Edmund’s Retreat, Enders Island, Mystic, CT where he still resides. Father Tom has been the Retreat Director, Director of Development, Director of Enders Island and from 2003 to the present is the President of St. Edmund’s Retreat. Fr. Tom established the St. Michael’s Institute of Sacred Art and St. Maximillian Kolbe Recovery Residence while at Enders Island. He is Chaplain of the US Naval Submarine Base in Groton, CT. Fr. Tom received his Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities from the program in Culture and Technology at Salve Regina University, Newport, RI in May 2011. He received his first doctoral degree in 1987 from Michigan State University in Student Development Higher Education Administration.

ORCHESTRATING CHANGE is the documentary film that tells the inspiring story of Me2/Orchestra, the only classical music organization in the world for people with mental illnesses and those who support them. Led by a once world-renowned conductor whose own career was shattered by his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, the Me2/Orchestra’s exhilarating performances challenge societal stereotypes about mental illness. Playing with Me2/ is transforming the lives of the musicians who face stigma and discrimination on a daily basis. They breakdown stereotypes, reconnect with society, foster acceptance, friendships and most important, realize their own abilities. The film’s final performance at a major concert hall will be an emotional triumph not just for the musicians but for the audience as well. To learn more and watch the presentation tape of ORCHESTRATING CHANGE please visit: www.orchestratingchangethefilm.com ORCHESTRATING CHANGE has the Endorsement of NAMI/Vermont.

In Recovery Through Mindfulness, guest Michael Weinberger will discuss how mindfulness can be used in the recovery process. Michael developed the app, A Plan for Living, to incorporate “the big three” -- mindfulness, gratitude, and spirituality -- to gain emotional awareness and ultimately become happier. Michael can provide insight on the use of the big three to help those recovering from substance abuse and mental illness. As someone who uses these strategies to manage his bipolar disorder and addiction, Michael can also give listeners examples from his own life on how they can become healthier and happier.

Dr. Brad Reedy is the Co-Founder of Evoke Therapy Programs, a wilderness based therapy program utilizing primitive living, nomadic hiking, metaphor, and experiential therapies for adolescents, young adults and families suffering from addiction and mental health issues. Brad served on the Board of the Utah Department of Child and Family Services and the board of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. He also authored “The Journey of the Heroic Parent: Your Child’s Struggle & the Road Home.” Using his own story and stories from the thousands of families he has treated, he avoids offering simple advice, but encourages parents to become experts themselves, teaching parents how to think about parenting dilemmas. Healthy parenting is its own reward and his approach asks parents to change the question from “What should I do?” to “Who am I? Who is my child? and What is my relationship to their problems?”

Parenting is not an easy task. No matter the challenges that a parent or their child faces, it can be hard to know the ‘right’ thing to do. It is no wonder that oftentimes the parent of an adult child with mental illness and addiction feels alone and may not know which way to turn. Knowing how and where to find help for their son or daughter is just the beginning. After caring for their loved one, a parent must turn their attention to themselves as well. I Didn’t CAUSE IT, I Can’t CHANGE IT explains the journey taken by fourteen mothers of adult children who have experienced Co-Occurring disorders and have graciously shared their stories. As varied as their experiences were, there were many common threads, all coming down to hope. These mothers found hope and want to share the hope they found with others who are on similar journeys.

Well-educated, New Hampshire mother, Linda Bishop, was determined to stay free of the mental health system after her early release from a 3 year commitment to New Hampshire State Hospital. Instead, she became a prisoner of her own mind, a fate which she documents in one of the most evocative and chilling accounts of mental illness and of our systemic failure to protect those suffering from it.

ORCHESTRATING CHANGE is the documentary film that tells the inspiring story of Me2/Orchestra, the only classical music organization in the world for people with mental illnesses and those who support them. Led by a once world-renowned conductor whose own career was shattered by his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, the Me2/Orchestra’s exhilarating performances challenge societal stereotypes about mental illness. Playing with Me2/ is transforming the lives of the musicians who face stigma and discrimination on a daily basis. They breakdown stereotypes, reconnect with society, foster acceptance, friendships and most important, realize their own abilities. The film’s final performance at a major concert hall will be an emotional triumph not just for the musicians but for the audience as well. To learn more and watch the presentation tape of ORCHESTRATING CHANGE please visit: www.orchestratingchangethefilm.com ORCHESTRATING CHANGE has the Endorsement of NAMI/Vermont.

Getting sober and navigating the world as a person in recovery is challenging at any age. Add an additional layer of difficulty by being an emerging adult—when one in six of your peers meet the criteria for a substance use disorder—and you’ve got a heavy burden to bear. This is the world many young people in recovery have to navigate when they seek a higher education in sobriety. Adults over 25 years of age also face a difficult transition if they return to school as a non-traditional, graduate, or professional student. There is a growing movement among institutions of higher education to provide on-campus support for people in recovery. This collegiate recovery movement has gained momentum in recent years, blooming from a handful of schools ten years ago to just over 140 schools today—though still only a small fraction of the over 4,000 colleges and universities across the country. This show will discuss the history, variation, and commonalities of collegiate recovery programs.

Our guest today brings many years of experience working with women in recovery to address the key issues mothers face at all stages on their recovery path. She will share advice along with inspiring stories of recovering moms, including her own, to offer guidance on many vital topics including stress, relapse, relationships, sex and intimacy, spirituality, shame, gratitude, dating, and parenting.

What does it mean to be authentic? How does one achieve their right of dignity? How does one carry oneself with integrity? What does being sober have to do with authenticity? Embrace Recovery - Embrace the Authentic Life

Anxiety and Depression are two of the most common complaints in therapy, and it is not unusual for clients to suffer from both simultaneously. Our guest today unravels the complexity of this common comorbidity and highlights some of the common types of comorbid clients, ranging from the “low energy” (depressed) on one end to the “high anxiety” (anxious) on the other, and everything in between.

Painkiller addiction is a serious public health concern and nationwide epidemic which often requires specialized addiction treatment. Our guest today, Dr. Alkesh Patel, is a highly experienced addiction psychiatrist specializing in pain management. He will discuss the root cause of the crisis and why more education is needed to avoid overprescribing of opioids. In addition, Dr. Patel will provide background on innovative treatment programs for those in chronic pain.

Some topics covered by our guest today will be: 1) Practices to reduce stigmatization in psychiatry; 2) Integration of conventional and alternative medicine, 3) Innovative program at HackensackUMC Fitness & Wellness Powered by the Giants (integrating outpatient services); and 4) Reducing the use of medication in psychiatric patients

Addiction can threaten the lives of people via many different avenues: recreational drugs, painkillers, alcohol, food, and more. While many of us grow excited about the holiday season, there are others that become anxious about this time of year. The events of the season can impose temptations and challenges for recovering addicts, especially those with co-occurring disorders, such as depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, and codependency, which can be heightened by the festivities that surround them. During this holiday season, let us be mindful of all of these people and the addictions they battle against. Whether you know somebody who is still battling an addiction or somebody that is in recovery, make the effort to be considerate of what they are going through. It is important to remember that those in recovery are indeed still struggling too. Our guest today with discuss what can we do to support our friends or family members in the fight against addiction during the holidays.

Mindfulness practices such as centering and guided meditations practiced at the beginning of a therapy session help clients calm their thoughts and their bodies. As a result they are better able to make associations and interpretations by using a different and more visual-based part of the brain than in regular talk therapy. Mindful Creativity works because clients often find that it’s easier to practice mindfulness while engaged in an art project- their minds are focused on a single task. When they find the task is challenging but enjoyable, clients are motivated to stick with it instead of giving up or letting their minds wander. At the end of a session, clients have a product, a tangible reminder of the therapy session which they can use to refer back to or share with others.