One Hour AT A Time

Our guest today will talk about defusing our most dangerous emotion - anger. It is not always your own anger that gets in the way of life and success. Very often someone else’s anger gets in your way. A spouse’s anger can end a marriage. A rage at work can get you fired. A parent’s anger can demolish a child, and a child’s anger can demolish a parent. Anger can cause us to be destructive toward the people we love the most.

Chronic pain is complex, affecting all parts of one’s life. It may be caused by a combination of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, chemical, nutritional, behavioral, and/or environmental factors. Physical pain, if not well managed, often acts as a primary trigger for addictive purposes. The connection between pain and addiction requires a high level of medical expertise to generate consistently successful outcomes. Sierra Tucson’s broad approach to treatment addresses the simultaneous bio-psycho-social factors that contribute to chronic pain. Patients are taught to identify and manage the four components of the pain experience: 1) the physical sensation, 2) automatic thoughts, 3) uncomfortable emotional reactions, and 4) self-defeating behaviors that often result from those thoughts and feelings.

Chronic pain is complex, affecting all parts of one’s life. It may be caused by a combination of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, chemical, nutritional, behavioral, and/or environmental factors. Physical pain, if not well managed, often acts as a primary trigger for addictive purposes. The connection between pain and addiction requires a high level of medical expertise to generate consistently successful outcomes. Sierra Tucson’s broad approach to treatment addresses the simultaneous bio-psycho-social factors that contribute to chronic pain. Patients are taught to identify and manage the four components of the pain experience: 1) the physical sensation, 2) automatic thoughts, 3) uncomfortable emotional reactions, and 4) self-defeating behaviors that often result from those thoughts and feelings.

Today’s Guest, Holly Cook, Executive Director of Treatment at Integrative Life Center (ILC) in TN, will speak about a wellness approach to recovery. Recovery is more than just abstinence or disease management. It’s about making healthy choices about food, work, money, substances, relationships, and moving beyond the limits of the destructive behaviors, into living life fully and authentically. An integrative approach with a wide array of therapeutic experiences such as group therapy, art and movement, psychodrama, experientially based therapies, massage, acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, meditation, introduction to 12-Step recovery, and mindfulness can transform one’s life by learning how to be happy, joyous and free, living the life you were meant to live.

Today’s Guest, Holly Cook, Executive Director of Treatment at Integrative Life Center (ILC) in TN, will speak about a wellness approach to recovery. Recovery is more than just abstinence or disease management. It’s about making healthy choices about food, work, money, substances, relationships, and moving beyond the limits of the destructive behaviors, into living life fully and authentically. An integrative approach with a wide array of therapeutic experiences such as group therapy, art and movement, psychodrama, experientially based therapies, massage, acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, meditation, introduction to 12-Step recovery, and mindfulness can transform one’s life by learning how to be happy, joyous and free, living the life you were meant to live.

Shadows can represent dark places where people hide things they do not want to take responsibility for: child abuse, spousal abuse, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, mental illness. Every family has secrets but some have dark, dangerous secrets that physically or mentally cripple those around them. Creating shadows in their mind can hide painful memories of unacceptable behavior or trauma that they have suffered. These memories and the related pain can reappear at any time. In Brenda Davis’ book, Shadows, she takes the reader on a journey of three generations of women, battling to emerge from devastating mental health. She challenges us to realize that mental health truly is a community issue.

Shadows can represent dark places where people hide things they do not want to take responsibility for: child abuse, spousal abuse, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, mental illness. Every family has secrets but some have dark, dangerous secrets that physically or mentally cripple those around them. Creating shadows in their mind can hide painful memories of unacceptable behavior or trauma that they have suffered. These memories and the related pain can reappear at any time. In Brenda Davis’ book, Shadows, she takes the reader on a journey of three generations of women, battling to emerge from devastating mental health. She challenges us to realize that mental health truly is a community issue.

Assertive Community Treatment is an Evidence Based Practice that supports individuals’ recovery in their community. ACT is a service-delivery model that is a multidisciplinary team approach that assumes responsibility for directly providing acute, active, and ongoing community-based substance abuse/psychiatric treatment, assertive outreach, rehabilitation, and support. The team provides clinical services to individuals to maximize their recovery and ensure consumer-directed goal setting. The ACT team assists the persons served to gain hope, a sense of empowerment, and provides assistance in helping individuals become respected and valued members of their community. The program provides psychosocial and vocational services directed primarily to adults with severe and persistent mental illness who have co-occurring substance abuse. The ACT team provides these necessary services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Our guest today will talk about an innovative partnership between Spectrum Youth & Family Services of Burlington, Vermont and the Chittenden County Criminal Court. The purpose of this partnership is to improve the efficacy of pre-trial conditions being used by the courts in cases involving crimes related to substance use behaviors. Spectrum's mission is to empower teenagers, young adults, people with a history of violence and their families to make and sustain positive changes through prevention, intervention, and life skills services.

Our guest today will talk about an innovative partnership between Spectrum Youth & Family Services of Burlington, Vermont and the Chittenden County Criminal Court. The purpose of this partnership is to improve the efficacy of pre-trial conditions being used by the courts in cases involving crimes related to substance use behaviors. Spectrum's mission is to empower teenagers, young adults, people with a history of violence and their families to make and sustain positive changes through prevention, intervention, and life skills services.

Our response to the crisis of addiction should be based on sound public health science and the grassroots engagement and involvement of the recovery community – people in recovery, their families, friends and allies. Across the world, the recovery community is organizing to speak out and advocate for policies that help individuals and families get the help they need to recover and the elimination of policies that discriminate against people in or seeking recovery. They are raising their unified voice. A growing movement is promoting the right and resources to recover through advocacy, education and demonstrating the power and proof of long-term recovery. The implementation of national health reform; recognition of innovative peer recovery support services; and policy makers’ attention to recovery, health and wellness create a fertile opportunity for recovery advocates to speak out, fostering collaboration, advocacy and education about the reality of addiction recovery.

Our response to the crisis of addiction should be based on sound public health science and the grassroots engagement and involvement of the recovery community – people in recovery, their families, friends and allies. Across the world, the recovery community is organizing to speak out and advocate for policies that help individuals and families get the help they need to recover and the elimination of policies that discriminate against people in or seeking recovery. They are raising their unified voice. A growing movement is promoting the right and resources to recover through advocacy, education and demonstrating the power and proof of long-term recovery. The implementation of national health reform; recognition of innovative peer recovery support services; and policy makers’ attention to recovery, health and wellness create a fertile opportunity for recovery advocates to speak out, fostering collaboration, advocacy and education about the reality of addiction recovery.

Smoking is the one of the most deadly addictions facing people today. Smoking cessation is key to obtaining optimal health and one of the fastest ways to quickly improve your overall health. There is evidence to support the theory that cigarette smoking and alcohol use are closely related so smoking cessation may have additional benefits for people who are interested in decreasing or stopping their alcohol use. You can stop even if past attempts have failed, there is hope.

Smoking is the one of the most deadly addictions facing people today. Smoking cessation is key to obtaining optimal health and one of the fastest ways to quickly improve your overall health. There is evidence to support the theory that cigarette smoking and alcohol use are closely related so smoking cessation may have additional benefits for people who are interested in decreasing or stopping their alcohol use. You can stop even if past attempts have failed, there is hope.

The process of songwriting mirrors and reinforces the process of recovery by giving hands on opportunities to practice skills like repetition, walking into the unknown, working as a group, accepting gradual progress and remaining relaxed. Join us for a fun and lively discussion about how creativity can support recovery and hear some of the songs that have been written in workshops Kathy Moser has facilitated. Learn how our guest has been using music and songwriting to help others achieve success in their recovery journey and how you can apply these ideas to your own recovery and professional practice. Kathy is an award winning songwriter with four albums to her credit. Her website is www.kathymoser.com.