Project Recovery

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Matthew Jackson, a former BYU professor, to talk about Matthew's experimentation with substances growing up in a small town, the shame he felt after his addiction became more well known, and how a spiritual awakening led him to experience recovery for the first time. Then Matthew talks about his life without substance abuse, how pursuing his Ph.D. led to a  reliance on caffeine, and his decision to begin abusing energy drinks and pain pills in order to stay focused on his goals. Matthew also talks about the "Holy Trinity" of addiction, the events that led to his rock bottom, and what his recovery looks like now.

On this week's episode, we are joined by Felicia Marie to talk about what it was like living in an abusive household growing up and how it led her to become addicted to pills and ecstasy at the age of fourteen. We also talk to her about overdosing as a teenager, getting removed from her childhood home, and finding her love for the outdoors.

Morgan Dimmitt joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about how his vigilant relationship with his brother naturally caused him to feel anxious and tense which ultimately led him to feel less anxious once he started experimenting with marijuana and alcohol. Morgan also talks about how sports became an outlet for him to release a lot of the pent-up tension he dealt with in high school, the events that led him to serve over a thousand hours of community service after a physical altercation, and how an addiction to pain medication drastically transitioned to heroin. Then we dive into Morgan’s time in prison after being arrested for drugs, the first time he was able to say no to drugs, and why it’s so important to build a community around you that supports recovery to stay sober. Related Links Reflections Recovery Center: https://reflectionsrecoveryutah.com/

Brad Shreeve joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about Brad's experience with dealing with addiction in his 40s, how his introduction to opioids began his downfall into substance abuse, and the moment he started chasing the high of substances. Then Brad opens up about the first time he decided to go to a dealer to fuel his addiction, how being thrown in jail for driving under the influence completely changed his mindset towards his substance abuse, and what his life looks like now once he's found recovery.

This week, Casey and Dr. Matt are joined by Landon Shreeve, son of former guest Brad Shreeve. Landon shares how the divorce of his parents led to him seeking out alcohol to ease the pain of processing the traumatic change in his life and trying to understand the scope of his father’s addiction. Landon then opens up about his battles with alcohol addiction, his lowest moments throughout his addiction, and his struggles with committing to a life of sobriety while battling his demons. Lastly, we discuss how service, fitness, and SOAR have become staples in his life now that he’s become.  

Daniel Quinones joins Casey and Dr. Matt to open up about his fairly normal childhood growing up, his passion for playing sports in high school, and the pain he felt when it was all taken away after he began partying more and more.  Daniel also talks about how his heroin overtook him in a short amount of time before he was caught by his family and forced to seek treatment as a young adult. Then we dive into what life looked like for Daniel as he was running and gunning, being sent to prison as a twenty-year-old for possession of a controlled substance, and his experience with getting sober while he was in prison. Daniel then shares how quick it was for him to get back addicted to heroin after being released from prison, how his need for connection became a contributing factor to him running and gunning in the streets and the impact that his children had on his addiction. Related Links The Beehive Fiend: https://books2read.com/beehivefiend Instagram: dantheman_801 TikTok: dantheman801

Neil Arzani joins Casey and Dr. Matt to share his experiences with addiction that stemmed from his time in high school, where his substance abuse began with marijuana and quickly escalated into meth use. He also talks about how his drug use escalated after injuring his back while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then Neil opens up about how his prescription drug abuse quickly escalated to the point where he was jeopardizing his relationship with his family, his battles with trying to quit his substance abuse, and how SOAR (School of Addiction Recovery) helped him overcome his self-destructive tendencies. We also discuss some of SOAR's fantastic programs for the community, and then former guest Kyle Raines from SOAR talks about SOAR’s upcoming fundraising event on 11/2. You can learn more about SOAR's upcoming fundraiser you can learn more by going to: https://www.facebook.com/SchoolOfAddictionRecovery/ Related Links SOAR: https://schoolofaddiction.org/

Robin and Rachel Patfield join Casey and Dr. Matt this week and Robin opens up about a traumatic event that she experienced as a teenager that would lay the groundwork for addiction throughout her life. Then, Robin shares how a back injury led her to become addicted to opioids and how it impacted her relationship with her daughter, Rachel.  Robin also recalls how her drug use came to a head when she found herself in jail after crashing her car due to her substance abuse, her mindset heading into treatment after hitting rock bottom, and why repairing her relationship with Rachel was such a crucial aspect of her recovery. We then hear from Rachel, who shares her experiences with processing her parent’s addiction and how she is navigating her own beliefs towards alcohol.

Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley dive into the six questions you need to ask yourself if you are wondering if you might have a problem. We also answer a bunch of listener-submitted questions, such as whether an eating disorder is an addiction, if dependency can become an addiction, and many more!

Casey Braithwaite joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about how the loss of his father became an event in his life that would develop trauma that would leave him struggling to cope with the emotions he was dealing with as a teenager. Casey also talks about finding relief from the pain he was experiencing by abusing alcohol and his decision to consume anything he could get his hands on to mask the pain of his father’s passing. Then Casey shares his decision to remove all substances from his life and go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the shame he felt after his demon returned. He had to be relieved from his mission and how those feelings could never release their grip, even after he became married and expecting a child. We also dive into Casey’s struggles with staying sober, the events that led to him being in a trailer surrounded by police officers, and his journey toward living a life of recovery.

Keith Morey (Economic Development Division Director for Provo) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to share his first experience drinking alcohol out of curiosity in college as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, drinking to cope after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and how his faith was shattered after his alcohol abuse began to spiral out of control. Keith also opens up about his rock bottom, what it took to commit to a life of recovery, and how recovery has taught him that resistance promotes growth.

Michelle Kolb joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about growing up in a secluded community that was centered around abuse, violence, and secrecy and how that completely altered her vision of what the world appeared to be once she was separated from the community. Michelle also opens up about her first experience with alcohol in her junior year of college, her quick progression into partying, and how becoming a parental figure for her siblings at 15 years old impacted her teenage years. We also talk about how Michelle’s drug use escalated once she became a mother, her first stint with sobriety, and why a cancer diagnosis shook her to her core. Lastly, Michelle shares how her last cancer diagnosis challenged her sobriety after seven years of not drinking or doing any drugs and the joy she finds in embracing every single day with her children.  

Savanna Kemp joins Casey and Dr. Matt to open up about blacking out after trying alcohol for the first time, her first experiences with trying substances, and how her addiction to drugs escalated once she moved to North Dakota for work. Then Savanna shares how her life began to spiral out of control after meeting someone who introduced her to heroin and meth, being on the verge of death after binge drinking for a week straight, and the moment she relapsed after being sober for seven months. Lastly, we dive into what Savanna has learned about herself and her recovery after being sober for the past sixteen months.

Hanora McCarty joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about starting with a chip on her shoulder after being bullied early on throughout school after being born with a haemangioma on her face.  She also opens up about turning to alcohol to help build confidence during her years in college, how her brother’s battle with addiction helped influence her decision to move to Spain to teach English for five years, and why she believed that if she could change her environment, she could find happiness. We also dive into how her addiction began to take a toll on Hanora, why working from home continued to fuel her addiction, and the morning she realized that she was never going to get better without help.

Charlie Osborne, LCSW (Clinical Director at Action Recovery), joins Casey and Dr. Matt to talk about how addiction has always run in his family, his battle with addiction as a teenager, and overdosing at work while working in an open kitchen. Then Charlie opens up about the acts of kindness that turned his life around, his decision to pursue a career in helping others battling their trauma, and why gratitude and hope are paramount in his recovery. Related Links Action Recovery: https://www.actiontreatment.com/

Steve Jones joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about his early experiences with alcohol in his teens and how it drastically escalated once he began attending high school to the point where he was spending time in an in-patient treatment center and nights in jail for altercations.  Then, we dive into Steve’s time in college, where his drinking began to escalate until he fell into a dark depression. He opens up about how his alcohol and drug abuse caused him to drop out of college and left him with the realization that he was going to drink himself to death until his brother helped save him from addiction. Lastly, Steve shares how he was able to go back to school and find his calling, helping others process their trauma and addiction through yoga, therapy, and mindfulness. Related Links Full Circle Yoga and Therapy: https://fullcircleut.com/

Dr. Matt dives into how AI is being used to predict successful addiction treatment rates, why boredom can be so mentally stressful, and a recent study that shows those who suffer from Cannabis-related disorders are at a higher risk for head and neck cancers.

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Sam Wellman (Fit To Recover) to talk about his experience with experimenting with substances during college, why getting blackout drunk became a routine for him, and how his addiction sent him down a spiral into sickness and darkness. Sam also shares his mindset of drinking every day until he died, why his routine got even worse once he began working at a treatment facility, and how the COVID-19 pandemic pushed him to the brink of death. Lastly, we dive into Sam's decision to surrender for help and his road to recovery over the past two years. To learn more about Sam and Fit To Recover, you can visit their website here: https://fit2recover.org/

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Ian Hacker to talk about the inspiration behind creating Fit to Recover, why he never felt good enough growing up, and how seeing a close friend pass away in front of him created a lot of untreated trauma during his teenage years. Ian also dives into his experience with abusing alcohol and pain medication to cope with his anxiety and trauma, the moment he realized that he needed to make a change as he was sitting in a jail cell, and why he decided to commit to service and helping others find recovery through Fit to Recover.

This week, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley talk about why the idea of quitting substance abuse is much harder than most people realize, why empathy is crucial to understanding someone’s battles, and why you need to be all in to ensure a successful recovery.

Kolby Burdett joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his experience with trying alcohol at a young age, how unlimited access to alcohol in high school built the framework for substance abuse, and why becoming a dad at 18 years old pushed him into addiction.  Then Kolby talks about realizing that he had a problem with drinking at 21 despite appearing like he was living the perfect life from the outside. We also dive into Kolby’s rock bottom, the moment he knew that he was broken and needed to seek treatment, and finding success with Action Recovery in Ogden. Related Links Action Recovery: https://www.actiontreatment.com/

Riley Loosemore (Peer Recovery Coach at USARA) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about how his abusive father leaving his family as a child created a hole in his life, being introduced to substances during his high school years, and how he became a father of 3 by the age of 19. Riley also opens up about his introduction to crystal meth while running and gunning, spending 72 hours in jail as a murder suspect, and how running from the police in Ogden left him homeless for four years. Then we talk about his attempts at getting help for his addiction throughout the years, his constant struggles with substance abuse continuing to creep back into his life, and the moment that changed his life with the introduction of Valley Camp, a recreation and rehabilitation center in Utah. Lastly, Riley shares how he's helping others find their road to recovery by spreading awareness of substance addiction as a Peer Recovery Coach with USARA.  You can also learn more about Riley and USARA at https://www.myusara.com/

Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley catch up with Riley Loosemore and talk about some of the great things he’s doing in the recovery community in Ogden. Then Tia Zangraft joins the show and opens up about the origination of her addiction, chasing the chaotic feeling that came from her addiction, and how the death of her firstborn pushed her deeper into substance abuse. Then, we dive into how addiction pushed Tia’s children away, her journey to getting them back as she began to seek recovery, and how her life has changed since she's been sober. Related Links The Godfather Foundation: https://thegodfatherfoundation.com/ Alano Club - Ogden: https://northernutahaa.org/locations/alano-club-2/

Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Marnae Moore to talk about her struggles with the idea that she wasn't liked growing up, the life events that led Marnae to develop an eating disorder at sixteen years old, and her decision to get married and have children by the time she was twenty. Then Marnae talks about how a divorce coupled with her eating disorder led her to abuse opioids, how the abuse ultimately forced her to have a kidney transplant, and the moment she realized that she needed to seek out help to get her on the road to recovery. Lastly, Marnae opens up about the struggles she is still dealing with to this day and the ways that she's promoting positive behaviors to keep addiction out of her life.  

Jae Cho, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to discuss his decision to pursue a career in social work, how he uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat patients suffering from ADD and ADHD, and his work helping patients overcome trauma. Related Links Recovery Works: https://healthcare.utah.edu/hmhi/treatments/addiction-recovery/intensive-outpatient-program

Gabe Schiavonie joins Casey Scott to talk about growing up in the heart of Los Angeles, the moment he knew he wanted to be a professional musician, and how his introduction to alcohol at the age of 13 led him to live the rockstar lifestyle. Gabe also opens up about his life as a touring musician, becoming dependent on alcohol, and the loneliness he began to feel as his world came crumbling down to addiction. Then Gabe discusses his descent into being a drug dealer addicted to heroin, his struggles with trying to get sober, and the night he died after overdosing on heroin that contained fentanyl. Lastly, we dive into Gabe’s success at finding recovery after spending time at Wasatch Recovery. Related Links Wasatch Recovery: https://wasatchrecovery.com/  

Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley dive into some listener comments, dopamine’s impact on obesity, as well as how cannabis use led to more severe psychotic outcomes in teenagers than any other group.

Katie Roghaar , LCSW (Huntsman Mental Health Institute), joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about Katie’s decision to pursue social work, the importance of all-female recovery facilities, and the power of leveling with patients through Feminist Multicultural therapy. Then, we talk about how the shame associated with addiction is evolving in society, the Bridge Program for opioid addiction through the University of Utah, and how the recovery community will continue to expand in Utah.

Richie Wilson (Operations Manager at Fit To Recover) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about growing up having a great childhood but struggling to express the anxiety he was experiencing during high school and how an injury at 16 years old introduced him to opioids that he says immediately took his anxiety away and led him down a road of abusing substances daily. Then Richie opens up about going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, how a car accident during his mission led him to abuse pain pills, and his descent into hard drugs immediately after coming home from his mission. Richie also talks about trying to find success in recovery after spending multiple bouts in recovery centers, his introduction to Fit To Recover, and FTR’s upcoming 5K for recovery on June 15th, 2024, at 8 am. Related Links Fit To Recover 4th Annual 5K for Recovery: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fit-to-recover-5k-for-recovery-registration-859678269847?aff=ebdssbdestsearch Fit To Recover: https://fit2recover.org/  

Dr. Matt Woolley is solo this week to talk about ways parents can help prevent teenagers from drunk driving during the summer months following graduation, lock-in parties were created to help reduce drunk driving on graduation night, and some tips on how to approach the conversation of drunk driving with our children. We also dive into some statistics as to how the stigma of addiction has evolved based on the words and labels that can be used to inaccurately describe various disorders.

Manny Lopez and Portia Louder join Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about their rock bottoms, what they have been up to since their time respective times on the show, and Portia’s new book, Born to Be Brave, which includes Manny’s inspirational life story, and what they’re doing to help reinforce their recovery. Related Links Born to Be Brave by Portia Louder: https://portialouder.com/ Manny's original episode: https://omny.fm/shows/project-recovery/manny-lopez-talks-about-quitting-drugs-and-the-gan Portia's original episode: https://omny.fm/shows/project-recovery/portia-louder-opens-up-about-overcoming-addicting  

This week we replay Cade Cooper’s story of how growing up a perfectionist engrained an "all or nothing" attitude, the impact that this mindset had on his youth when he started abusing substances, and how being introduced to pornography pushed him toward a dark place. We also talk about Cade's experience with going on an LDS mission to Hawaii once he graduated, how the loss of his father sent him into a downward spiral of depression, and the struggles he dealt with trying to get sober. Lastly, Cade shares how his children taught him about God and helped him find sobriety after years of trauma. You can learn more about Cade and his journey by checking out his YouTube channel Gettin Your Life Back with Cade Cooper Related Links Getting Your Life Back with Cade Cooper: https://www.youtube.com/@gettinyourlifebackwithcadecoop  

Casey Scott is flying solo this week while Dr. Matt is on vacation and we’re doing a therapy exercise called, “Free-Form Writing”. Free-form writing is an exercise that is used to help clear the mind and get our thoughts and feelings onto paper.

Dr. Bryce Herrera (Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW & Psychiatric Program Specialist at Huntsman Mental Health Institute) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his inspiration behind pursuing social justice, why working in addiction recovery can be so fulfilling, and his past work with treating veterans who suffer from substance abuse. Then we talk about the process of being admitted to Huntsman for detoxing, the most difficult and rewarding aspects of working in addiction recovery, and some of the amazing services that HMHI offers. To learn more about Huntsman Mental Health Institute, you can visit their website or call them at 801-583-2500. You can also reach out to Bryce directly at 801-558-9456 or at bryceherreralcsw@gmail.com

Mark Pepper (Clinical Director at Steps Recovery Center) joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to open up about struggling to find his place in life growing up and how turning to weed and alcohol early in life helped him fit in during high school. Mark also talks about falling in love with being addicted to depression during his freshman year of college in Eugene, OR, his decision to transfer to Boulder, CO for the sole purpose of partying, and how a cocaine addiction would plague his thirties. Then we dive into Mark’s time trying to get sober while hiding his addiction, what finally pushed him over the edge to start living a life of sobriety, and how he’s helping give back to others who are battling addiction. Related Links Steps Recovery Center: https://www.stepsrc.com/ Live On: https://liveonutah.org/

Matthew Jackson joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley again to talk about how his life has changed after his time on the podcast three years ago, the ways his recovery has shifted, and his decision to pursue being a Substance Use Disorder / Addiction Counselor for the youth. We also dive into how substance abuse has evolved among the youth, modalities that Matthew uses to help the youth overcome substance abuse and addiction, as well as how dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can help introduce emotional skills to the youth that can be used to combat addictive tendencies.

In this week's episode, Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley are joined by Matthew Jackson, a former BYU professor, to talk about Matthew's experimentation with substances growing up in a small town, the shame he felt after his addiction became more well-known, and how a spiritual awakening led him to experience recovery for the first time. Then Matthew talks about his life without substance abuse, how pursuing his Ph.D. led to a reliance on caffeine, and his decision to begin abusing energy drinks and pain pills to stay focused on his goals. Matthew also talks about the "Holy Trinity" of addiction, the events that led to his rock bottom, and what his recovery looks like now.

Scott Devine joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about his family’s experience moving to America from Ireland to be more active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, why he found comfort in pursuing rebellious behavior throughout high school, and his decision to attend BYU-Idaho, despite continuously disobeying the Honor Code. Scott also talks about going off the rails and having to spend Christmas and New Year’s Day in a residential facility, his experience with relapsing, and the work he put toward his sobriety that would eventually help him climb out of the hole of addiction.  

Amy Abshere joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about how she quickly learned that her achievements and success could lead to attention and praise when she was younger, using her successes in education and athletics to justify her substance abuse, and feeling as if her identity had been taken away after she graduated college. We also dive into Amy’s experience with struggling to get off prescription pills following a serious injury after college, how her addiction to pain pills turned into a full-blown addiction to heroin, and why her rock bottom turned into a spiritual journey that would ultimately lead her to find recovery. Related Links Instagram: amygreenfitness

Season 11 champion of the hit television show, 'Ultimate Fighter', and Welterweight MMA fighter, Court McGee, joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt to talk about his experiences surrounding addiction and eventually overcoming years of struggle to ultimately become a professional UFC fighter. Court also explains how an injury led to becoming addicted to pain pills in a week, which eventually led to a derailed college career as a wrestler and an overdose on September 9th, 2005. He also details how he was able to find a path to sobriety after dying, only to be ruined by a single Long Island Iced Tea, leading to the worst two weeks of his life. Court then talks about how his early love for wrestling was able to create a solid foundation to build his MMA skillset and how a loss to Jeremy Horn made him realize that he could compete in the UFC. Lastly, we dive into the steps that eventually led him to become the champion of 'Ultimate Fighter' season 11 and how his success on TV and in the octagon helped him create the McGee Project, allowing him the opportunity to spread awareness surrounding addiction. For more information about the McGee Project, visit courtmcgee.com/thecgeeproject.

Friend of the show, Christian Smith, joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to talk about the causal factors of low success rates in the recovery community, how we can increase recovery outcomes, and how insurance companies impact the cost of attending treatment centers. Then we talk about ways we can improve the process of preparing addicts for a stint in treatment, why addicts need to open up about their struggles, and why loving who you are can help become a turning point in recovery.

Adam Rudy joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley to look back on his childhood where he was surrounded by drug abuse due to his father being a drug dealer, losing his father in a car accident while he was under the influence, and how the passing of his father shaped his mindset towards living life. Adam then talks about experimenting with drugs and alcohol during his early twenties, spending time in and out of jail and drug court due to his excessive drug use after struggling to stay sober, and what his rock bottom looked like before turning a corner and committing to recovery. Then he opens up about his struggles with feeling welcomed back into society once he started his recovery journey and how the recovery community has helped stabilize his battle against addiction.