Strong feelings don’t just check themselves at the workplace door. Lynn McLaughlin and Karen Iverson Riggers talk about how to address strong feelings that occur in the workplace and how to construct safe boundaries. According to numerous studies, including one from the Harvard Business Review , expressions of anger have risen dramatically across the culture. If you need help for your mental health, it is available. Nationally, you can start your search at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-he...
Mar 29, 2023•32 min
At a time when it seems as though every drug bought illegally is laced with something toxic, it would seem users would be cautious. But drug fatalities are up in 2023, yet again, after record numbers in 2022, and new adulterants are appearing on the scene all the time. Sara Schreiber talks about those souls who lost their lives to their addiction and the combinations of chemicals that killed them. Sara is the Forensic Technical Director in the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) County Medical Examiner’s offi...
Mar 22, 2023•20 min
Many people believe that pregnant people who use any amount of a criminalized drug will inevitably harm or even kill their fetuses. But media hype is not the same as science, and popular news reports have misrepresented the facts about prenatal exposure to drugs. Dana Sussman discusses the role of Pregnancy Justice’s work to educate the public about the science of pregnancy and drug usage and to defend the rights of pregnant people, especially those who are most at risk of state control and crim...
Mar 15, 2023•25 min
Where is the line between healthy and unhealthy relationships? How do we break patterns of unhealthy behaviors in our relationships? Rio Timberlane, the author of the book The Joy of Lucid Love , talks about the journey to finding yourself and navigating life in the healthy lanes of the highway. Rio is a Relationship Scientist, Author, and Speaker. He and his work can be accessed at https://www.riowrks.org/rio-timberlane .
Mar 08, 2023•32 min
Sometimes, when we are feeling down, we mask our pain behind a smile — or a drug. Dr. Laura Petracek entered her teen years just as her family moved to a new state. She felt distant from everyone she lived with and knew, and she felt invisible. Like many people, she masked her pain. She recounts her journey and discoveries that led her to combine the philosophies and teachings of Alcoholics Anonymous with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Petracek is the author of The Anger Workbook for Women ...
Mar 01, 2023•29 min
Looking in the mirror takes courage and the willingness to see what’s there, not what we want to be there. Jenn Kautsch talks about that look in the mirror and how it led her to found Sober Sis, a like-minded community of women who are renegotiating their relationship with alcohol, without labels, shame, judgment, or rules. The Sober-Minded Sisterhood is about making a conscious choice to be the best version of yourself and to live in an intentional manner, creating the life you want. Jenn’s con...
Feb 22, 2023•32 min
When people with mental health and substance use disorders lose their homes and find themselves unsheltered and on the street, recovery becomes difficult, if not impossible. Dan Grellinger talks about the work of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s, Street Angels. Street Angels is a program whose small staff and volunteers travel throughout Milwaukee County providing hot meals, clothing, blankets, tents, NARCAN, caring conversations, and HOPE to those who are experiencing street homelessness. Dan is a substa...
Feb 15, 2023•20 min
Many times, before substance use, there is trauma. Confusing, and sometimes destructive, messages from others about who we are as children affect the way we develop, cope, and mature. Lynn McLaughlin talks about her journey of self discovery, which she calls uncovering. Uncovering the real you takes time, support, and self-forgiveness. Lynn is a co-owner and member of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative in Northeast Wisconsin. She can be reached at https://www.ebbandflowcooperative.com . Supp...
Feb 08, 2023•31 min
If young people are going to work and live in a global society, understanding the impact of other cultures and that history takes place every day across our planet is important for them to learn. Colin Hanson, an educator in the Edgar, Wisconsin, School District, talks about A Walk in Their Shoes , a collaborative effort by north central Wisconsin educators to provide access to powerful speakers who have first-hand experience with contemporary history. The vision is to help students see the worl...
Feb 01, 2023•37 min
It’s not uncommon that people are drawn into a field of work because of their life experiences. We know the topic, we lived it, and we can give something back to help others. Jason Shiers talks about his personal road to recovery and the work he has done to help others undo the labels that they have put on themselves or have been given to them by others. Jason is a certified Psychotherapist and Certified Transformative Coach who has been working with addictions and mental health for over 25 year...
Jan 25, 2023•27 min
Anger never knocks on the emotional door without company. According to numerous studies, including one from the Harvard Business Review, expressions of anger have risen dramatically across the culture, and, whether disagreements about politics, the pandemic, other social issues, or even work and personal relationships, anger seems to be the most prevalent emotion expressed. Lynn McLaughlin and Karen Iverson Riggers, consultants, co-owners, and members of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative in...
Jan 18, 2023•23 min
Are the customs and patterns around alcohol and other drug usage that much different in other places? Juliana, Maria, and Brenda talk about substance use and abuse in their native Brazil. The legal drinking age is different, and so are the consequences. Now in the United States for college, the women compare the culture they were born in with the one they moved to. Other countries and cultures address alcohol and other drug usage differently than in the United States, too. If you or a loved one ...
Jan 11, 2023•20 min
Like all families who have lost a child to drugs, the Rachwals were left asking, “What now?” For Erin Rachwal, her husband Rick, and their youngest son, the answer was to make sure what happened to their son Logan did not happen to another family. More than 100,000 individuals lost their lives last year to a synthetic opioid overdose in the United States. Erin discusses the fight to bring awareness to this epidemic and how they are coping with their grief and loss. The Love Logan Foundation and ...
Jan 04, 2023•32 min
Optimal mental health occurs when we are able to experience and cope with the entire range of human emotions. Lynn McLaughlin and Karen Iverson Riggers talk about why all of the messages we receive across the culture that indicate we should all exist in the “happy zone” all the time are counterproductive to our sense of well-being and mental health. Lynn and Karen are consultants, co-owners, and members of Ebb & Flow Connections Cooperative in Northeast Wisconsin. They can be reached at http...
Dec 28, 2022•29 min
Not everyone is served equally by the mental health and substance abuse system. Chardé Hollins discusses the obstacles those of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds have accessing substance abuse and mental health treatment and what can be done to level the treatment playing field. Chardé is an independently licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Relevant Connections in Cleveland, Ohio. Ms. Hollins consults with organizations committed to increasing their cultural awareness and acce...
Dec 21, 2022•30 min
Alcohol is a toxin and, far and away, the most commonly abused substance. It can kill all by itself. It also doesn’t play well in the sandbox with other drugs. Guida Brown talks about the potentially fatal interactions when combining alcohol with other substances. Guida is a Community Relations Consultant with United States Drug Testing Laboratories. She also is an Adjunct Faculty member with Concordia University-Wisconsin and an accomplished writer. Guida can be reached at guidaforusdtl@gmail.c...
Dec 14, 2022•36 min
Holidays are a time of family gatherings and traditions. Nanci Schiman talks about the challenges the holidays present to people new to recovery. Nanci is a licensed clinical social worker with over 17 years of experience working with adolescents, adults, families, and couples in the mental health field. When substances are as prevalent as holiday decorations, learning to navigate a healthy path is both challenging and necessary for those in recovery. Nanci can be reached at https://www.psycholo...
Dec 07, 2022•21 min
Not all losses are resolved; not all endings actually end. Cassondra Frisque, a therapist with Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, talks about ambiguous loss, which is, simply, loss without closure. We experience many losses in our lifetimes, ambiguous or otherwise, from family members and friends to the substances used if we’re recovering. How we handle those losses is unique to each of us. Cassondra can be reached at https://www.familyservicesnew.org /womens-recovery If you or a loved one ...
Nov 30, 2022•26 min
We are witnessing a mental health crisis among our young people that we have never experienced before. Amy Herbst discusses the impact that social media, the pandemic, and developing life skills have played in the rise of young people’s depression, anxiety, and stress. Amy is the Vice President of Mental and Behavioral Health at Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We all have a role in helping our young people navigate inevitable difficult times. Information about Children’s Hospital o...
Nov 23, 2022•25 min
It is common practice for medical professionals to run tests to determine the cause and severity of a patient’s condition. Guida Brown talks about why that should also be the case when it comes to persons with Substance Use Disorders. Guida is a Community Relations Consultant with United States Drug Testing Laboratories. She is also an Adjunct Faculty member with Concordia University-Wisconsin. Whether testing urine, blood, fingernails, hair, or even newborn tissue samples, the test results can ...
Nov 16, 2022•31 min
A little over two years ago, late in the evening, Phyllis Babrove got the phone call that all of us dread and none of us want. Her daughter Sara, who had struggled for most of her adult life with drugs, had died of an accidental overdose. Phyllis shares her daughter’s story and her work to try to help other families understand the problems of substance abuse. Phyllis is a Clinical Licensed Social Worker and the author of Words from a mother in mourning: How to protect your child from drugs. Phyl...
Nov 09, 2022•23 min
Linda Van Tol discusses women’s substance use and recovery. Linda is the Medical Assistance Residential Substance Use Disorder Supervisor with ARC Community Services in Madison, Wisconsin. Using a Relational Model of Therapy that helps women with their substance abuse, life roles, cultural expectations, and socioeconomic needs, Linda and ARC provide a safe environment for women to heal and grow. ARC Community Services programs and Linda can be reached at https://arccommserv.com . Linda can be re...
Nov 02, 2022•26 min
Many therapists, social workers, and even parents have to work around substance abusers’ denial that they are using drugs. One of the tools often used to help break through that denial is drug testing. Kimberly Henderson discusses her company’s sweat patch testing product and its effectiveness. Kimberly works in Business Development and Sales for PharmChem, Inc. With her background in child protection and education, Kimberly’s role at PharmChem allows her to combine her passion for people and th...
Oct 26, 2022•26 min
When someone close to us passes away, we grieve. Many times we experience that same sense of loss when someone we didn’t know, except through their public persona, passes away. Zoë Page talks about the grieving process and talks about how families who lose a child cope. Zoë works as a Child Life Specialist at Baystate Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts. We all experience many losses in our lifetime, from family members and friends to the substances used if we’re recovering. How we...
Oct 19, 2022•28 min
Zach spent a long time making poor decisions in Seattle, compounding problems that began at age thirteen with a doctor’s prescription for opiates. Homeless in Seattle and using the strongest street opiates he could find, hoping he wouldn’t wake up, he eventually ended up in recovery and alive. Zach updates his story telling us about his trip back to Seattle for the first time since he stopped using drugs and began recovery. Recovery is possible. If you or a loved one needs help, it is available....
Oct 12, 2022•18 min
Veronica King finishes our discussion about people cited for Operating While Impaired. The push for decriminalization and legalization of marijuana has resulted in a significant increase in automobile accidents and fatalities involving cannabis. Countering the often-repeated myths about substances and breaking through the denial is just part of the task all substance abuse counselors have to overcome to help clients. Veronica does so as a Social Worker and Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor who ...
Oct 05, 2022•25 min
Good fortune or bad luck? When someone is cited for Operating While Impaired, how they view the arrest depends on their perspective. Veronica King discusses facilitating the Group Dynamics class for first-time offenders. Veronica is a Social Worker and Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor who instructs Group Dynamics classes at Gateway Technical College for those who have been convicted of Operating While Impaired (also known as Driving Under the Influence). Veronica holds a Master’s of Science de...
Sep 28, 2022•28 min
A returning panel of college women, Grace, Aiden, Viv, Jackie, and Haley, discuss navigating through their first two years of college with a mix of pandemic, alcohol, other drug use, and mental health issues, on top of the academic expectations. As mental health concerns and drug use have risen across the country with young people, getting help for those issues is more challenging, they believe, than it needs to be. Every college has a student health center and access to counseling, and if the a...
Sep 21, 2022•30 min
Diane Yager, a teacher, hall of fame coach, and mentor in Seneca, Wisconsin, coordinates one of the longest-running school wellness programs in the country. By focusing on mental health and alcohol and other drug prevention, the goal is to empower the students in her small rural school district to make good decisions. By utilizing generations of students in leadership roles, Diane created an infrastructure that serves as a model for what schools can do to address serious mental health and substa...
Sep 14, 2022•28 min
When the worst happens and a loved one is unconscious, not breathing, overdosed, and close to death, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team responds. Nick Eschmann discusses the role of EMS in the ongoing health crisis caused by substance abuse. Nick is the Division Chief of Emergency Medical Services for the Kenosha (Wisconsin) Fire Department. He is passionately committed to giving people one more chance at life. Emergency Medical Services in Kenosha can be contacted at https://www.kenosha....
Sep 07, 2022•29 min
