RecoveryPeople

Cynthia Humphrey of the Association of Substance Abuse Programs and Jason of RecoveryPeople update audiences on the policy and bill priorities identified by the addiction prevention, treatment and recovery communities. The 85th Session is over halfway through and moving at a "hot and heavy" pace, according to Cynthia. 

After a hiatus, RecoveryPeople podcast is back covering the "fast and furious" 85th Texas Legislative Session. Every Friday during the Legislative Session the Substance Use Disorder Coalition (SUD C) meets to debrief the weeks activities and to get updates on what key bills will be doing the next week. Texas is in session every odd year for 140 days, and we are about at the halfway mark. Jason Howell sat veteran advocate, Cynthia Humphries of the Association of Substance Abuse Program, down after the SUD C meeting to get a better understanding of where bills are at in the process and what will be happening next week.

May 13, 2016. RecoveryPeople is a podcast produced by people in recovery for the recovery community. Today's guest is Dick Satori, a comedian in recovery touring the US healing through laugher. Or his youtube video, Recovery Comedy Shote, "Monkey Off Back - Circus Still In Town!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvaBrwIPVs0 This week, Dick is in Texas performing at a couple of recovery fundraisers: Friday, May 13, 2016 Standup for Recovery is a funder raiser for RecoveryATX.org Second Annual Recovery in the Park, which will be held during recovery month on September 17, 2016. So, if you are in Austin, head out to Gateway Church South to laugh and support the recovery community. Saturday, May 14, 2016, Dick is headed to the Texas Hill Country to perform at a Young People in Recovery - Kerrville Chapter event in Kerrville, Texas. More info at youngpeopleinrecovery.org Then his is offer spreading recovery awareness across the US.  Check out all his tour dates http://www.circusstillintown.com/national-tour.html Make sure you follow and like him on social media https://www.facebook.com/dick.satori http://www.dick-jokes.com/ Spoiler alert: Dick's podcast The Healing Hour of Laughter is coming out soon and will have a a guest plug from Jason Howell with RecoveryPeople and from Hope, the Infinite Recovery therapy pig.      

On this episode of RecoveryPeople, Hosts Bob Bookwalter and Jason Howell welcome guest Genaro Sandoval, the Program Director at the Right Step, to discuss recovery and relapse prevention strategies for the Holidays. Whether your and ole time or a new comer, the Holidays can be stressful and/or throw you off your recovery routine. This podcast discuss several strategies you can use to celebrate safely through the Season.

Today on RecoveryPeople we with talk with Jace Downey about sex addiction and her journey towards sexual sobriety.  Jace breaks through the stigma and addresses common misconceptions related to sex addiction.  And most importantly, what she's learned along the way in order to remain sexually sober.  You can learn more about Jace's story and what she's learned about battling sex addiction on her website... www.suddenlycelibate.com

Today on RecoveryPeople we chat with Marilee Odendahl about Overdose Awareness Day in Austin, Tx.  Since losing her son to an overdose in 2007, she's become very involved in raising awareness and helping others deal with their loss.  Marilee talks about orginizations that have helped her like GRASP(Grief Recovery as Substance Passing).  Another group, Broken No More, has also played a major role in her support and purpose.  

Today on Recovery People Podcast we talk about UNITE to Face Addiction on October 4th in Washington, D.C.  Our guest, Donald McFarland talks about who is going to be there and why YOU should be, too!!  It's going to be a historic event bringing ten of thousands of people together on the National Mall in order to raise awareness around addiction and recovery.

Today on the show we talk with Merlissa Alfred and Jason Howell about the Affordable Care Act an how it could affect the landscape of care in Recovery.  Has the Supreme Court paved the way for a "Texas Way" system instead of Obamacare?  Listen and get involved!  #HellYes4Recovery

Today on Recovery People, we talk about student recovery on college campuses with Sierra Castedo, Director at the Center for Students in Recover at the University of Texas.  The mission of the CSR is to provide a supportive community where students in recovery, and in hope of recovery, can achieve academic success while enjoying a genuine college experience free from alcohol and other drugs.  We also talk about how the program’s success at UT Austin has paved the way for similar centers at all of UT’s campuses throughout Texas.  If you’re in college and think you may need help…this show is for you!   Also, if you’re in high school and already in recovery, Sierra has some great information that could help you while selecting a university that would support you and your recovery.  Check out the CSR’s website while you listen! http://www.utexas.edu/student/studentaffairs/recovery/

Today on RecoverPeople we talk about Grief Recovery with Vicki Hagadorn, a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and life coach.  Vicki offers a unique perspective with 22 years of sobriety and 12 years experience leading people through the Grief Recovery Outreach Program.  In this episode, we talk about the sources, causes and conditions of grief.  Vicki also fills us in on the  solution found in The Grief Recovery Method.  It’s a great way to expand your “Spiritual Tool-kit” when the going gets tough.  While you listen, check out her websitewww.freedomfromgrief.com    keywords: addiction, community, recovery, grief, freedom from grief, grieving, healing, wholeness, Podcast, spiritual, wellness.

Who knew dope could bring Republicans and Democrats together on an issue!   Today’s guest Mark Kinzly and Charles Thibodeaux of the Texas Overdose Naloxone Initiative (TONI) and Robin Peyson of Communities for Recovery discuss several legislative bills that are being introduced into the 84th Texas Legislator in response to the opiate epidemic, which is driving heroin related deaths up by 39% from 2012 to 2013. As a major highway for heroin being smuggled into other state, many believe that the opiate problem maybe even bigger than Texas data indicates due to reporting issues.   According to this coalition of recovery advocates, H.B. 1098 and H.B. 1099 are a huge step in the right direction towards reducing the overdose deaths in Texas. The “Good Samaritan” bill will lower barriers to calling 911 emergency services, and making naloxone available in the community setting and for law enforcement, can arrest an overdose until the individual can get to proper medical attention.   Find an overdose prevention program near you

This week on RecoveryPeople, Cynthia Humphrey, woman in longterm recovery and the Executive Director of the Association of Substance Abuse Programs (ASAP), educates us on the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act (CARA), a bill currently before the US Congress. A 20 year veteran in advocacy, Cynthia shares her hope for the future and excitement around peers "coming out of church basements" so policymakers can here our voices and witness how the recovery has changed our lives. Cynthia also talks about the Parity law what we should do if our insurance denies our right to mental health and/or substance use services.  Texas Department of Insurnance / Complaint Form

Happy Recovery Month 2014! What are you doing to celebrate recovery? On this episode of Recovery People, Hosts Kirk Zajac and Jason Howell discuss some of Recovery Month events you may want to check out. Recovery Month Events in Texas:  9/12 Austin - Free Anonymous People Screening  9/12 Dallas - Rally for Recovery 9/13 Victoria - Steps to Recovery 5k Run & Walk 9/13 Austin - Big Texas Rally for Recovery 9/13 Austin - Blue Hawaiian Recovery Dance 9/19-20 Denton - The Reel Recovery Film Festival 9/21 Recovery and Health - Echo 9/23 Dallas - Recovery at the Ball Park 9/28 Houston - 5k Run for Recovery  Recovery Month Events Nationally: 9/17 (Streamed Live) Recovery Month Celebration at the White House

Tonight on RecoveryPeople, Kirk and Jason talk hard facts on the recent rash of overdose deaths in the United States and in Texas.  Mark Kinzly, Overdose Advocate and Steetologist joins Jason and Kirk and highlights key points of the opiate epidemic and how to save lives with one simple medication: Naloxone, also known as Narcan.  Mark goes on to explain the administration of Naloxone, and talks about the International Overdose Awareness Day, which is this coming Sunday, August 31, on the steps of the Austin State Capitol from 5:30PM-7:30PM.

A great man suffered in pain while he made so many double over with laughter. Robin Williams, 63, was found deceased in his California home of an apparent suicide on Monday.  With no note written, the world is left to wonder why.  Jason, Sandy and Kirk talk about the suicide, the apparent depression, and the mental illness that so many outside of the spotlight suffer from.  The hosts share their own struggles with depression and mental illness, and taking ownership of the problem, thus, putting it in perspective as something one can recover from.

High stakes, long hours, big egos… Does this sound like another day at a law office or a recipe for addiction? Occupational wellness is import for everyone, especially lawyers.   On this episode of RecoveryPeople, Bree Buchanan, the Director of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program, talks about why the prevalence of addiction amongst attorneys is about twice that of the general population (18% vs 10%) and why concerns with alcohol problems increase with each year someone is in law schools and/or practices as an attorney. According to one study, 8% of prelaw students, 15% of first-year law school students, and 24% of third-year law students reported concerns with alcohol problems. In addition, 18% of attorneys who practiced for 2 to 20 years reported drinking problems. And the prevalence of drinking problems increase to 25% for attorneys who practiced for over 20 years.   Fortunately, law students, attorneys and judges in Texas can find the confidential help they need to overcome the health hazzards of their profession through the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP) by calling at 1-800-343-8527 any time of day or night or by going to www.TexasBar.com/TLAP to learn more. The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program has a statewide network of attorneys in recovery provide peer support and together with the Texas Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers they provide self help support groups. Check out their youtube video AND, podcast series Episode 1: The Last Drink. A Texas lawyer explains how he reclaimed his life from alcohol and helps others to do the same. Listen now Episode 2: Depression's Black Hole - A Texas lawyer explains how clinical depression nearly claimed his life, and how he found hope to carry on.  

Stripping away the experts, the research and the awareness campaigns, this episode of RecoveryPeople asks Cerina J, a women in long-term addiction recovery, why she finally decided to quit smoking and how she did it. To varying degrees, people know that smoking is bad for us, yet despite this awareness, the sober community makes a huge exception for nicotine. What’s up with that? Is it that nicotine is as addictive as heroin or is it that peer pressure to smoke (or to start smoking) persists in the recovery community.   Focusing on the solution, Cerina walks us through her experience with different types of smoking cessation services. She speaks the truth for so many, “I was willing to pay all that money for cigarettes but I was unwilling to spend any on stopping” and she highlights the FREE and comprehensive service at Seton Hospital that worked best for her.   All this and more on this episode of RecoveryPeople.

  On this episode of RecoveryPeople, Certified Acudetox Specialist and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, Lou Detwiler sends Co-hosts Sandy Hollier, Kirk Zajac and Jason Howell into the land of bliss and relaxation by placing acupuncture needles in their ears at five specific points as per the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol. In the context of addiction treatment, Acudetox, also known as auricular detox (auricular meaning of or relating to the ear) can be traced back to the 1970s, but acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (Eastern Medicine) modality that can be traced back for centuries. Acudetox is safe, can be applied in a wide range of settings and is extremely inexpensive. This makes it a very affordable modality that people can use to support their recovery and wellness.   Lou talks about the numerous benefits of acudetox and how Acupuncturist Without Borders have responded to traumatic events around the world from the 911 attack to the earthquake in Haiti.   About half way through the show, the group takes a break to receive acudetox and then comes back to share their experiences with the audience. The marked change in their voices is noticeable. Check out facebook.com/recoverypeople for more pix and videos from the episode.

Occupational wellness is the personal satisfaction and enrichment derived from one’s work according to SAMHSA’s Eight Dimensions of Wellness, and no one supports that better than today’s guest, Judy Chambers, the Executive Director of Dress for Success Austin. Dress for Success is a nonprofit that provides pre and post-employment educational and support opportunities for disadvantaged women in Central Texas. Many of those women are in recovery from substance use issues. Dress for Success Austin is one of 133 affiliates in 16 countries and is built upon a foundation of volunteerism and community which are essential elements of recovery.   Judy shares heart touching stories of women overcoming adversity and reaching new heights of success and talks about the award winning documentary, In Her Shoes, shot in Austin, Texas that highlights a Dress for Success community member’s journey from homelessness to wellness.   Judy also shares her inspiring journey. Judy is a retired educator and guidance counselor with 32 years of experience in Colorado and Texas.  Judy holds a BS in Family Studies from Colorado State University and has completed two Master’s programs, one in Educational Administration and the other in Guidance and Counseling. From fall 2002 until December 2005 she accompanied her husband on his work assignments, living in Mexico, China and Italy.  While in China she served as a volunteer in several Beijing-area orphanages.  In Mexico she taught English as a second language at a local community college.  She is currently serving a 6 year term on the Examiners Board for Optometry, a gubernatorial appointment. She is married with three grown children and 4 grandsons.     How did you like the episode? Please give us feedback.

On this episode of RecoveryPeople, Guest Stephen Bagwell announces the first annual RecoveryPeople Softball Tournament to be held on August 9th, 2014 which happens to be the 19th anniversary of Jerry Garcia’s death. Jerry was the beloved lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead, and Jerry died of a heart attack while in Rehab. This is especially poignant given that this episode and the softball tournament are a part of our Million Hearts initiative aimed at raise awareness around heart health and wellness within recovery community. Like many of us in addiction recovery, Jerry had several high risk factors for a heart attack such as a history of drug abuse, cigarette smoking, weight gain and diabetes.   While we mourn the loss of a music legend, it is important to remember that we can significantly lower our risk of a heart attack and stroke through physical activity. And to quote today’s Guest, “Never miss an opportunity for fitness”. Stephan regals Co-hosts Kirk Zajac and Jason Howell with tales from the Money City Mallards, a sober sports team that combines fun, fitness and fellow to support them in long-term recovery. Stephan goes on to discuss the balance between using fitness to support his recovery versus “filling his spiritual malady with iron”, a particular concern for him given that he once held sports as his “higher power” during the throes of his disease. But by being true to himself and through a healthy approach to sports, Stephan has been able to carry the message of recovery to the track, volleyball pit and softball diamond.   Please complete our survey to give us feedback about this episode

This episode on RecoveryPeople, Brion Oaks Vice President of Health Equity at American Heart Association and Marcy Wilson, the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Stroke Community Outreach Coordinator for Seton Family of Hospitals join Co-Hosts Kirk Zajac and Sandy Hollier discuss how to lower our risk for a heart attack and stroke.   Brion talks about the American Heart Association, the largest volunteer based health organization in the US and their empowering program Check, Change, Control for lower blood pressure. Plus, Brion discussed a really cool and FREE online service at www.heart360.org that allows you to monitor you blood pressure and weight and a whole lot more.   Marcy (mwilson@seton.org) talks about Seton’s commitment to heart health and reminds us that you are never too young to have a stroke. She talks about risk factors such as smoking and especially the combination of smoking and some birth control.   Plus, Marcy educates us on the signs and symptoms of a stroke using the acronym FAST which stands for face, arms, speech and time. If some is exhibiting these signs, there is a 3 hour window to get them to the ER, so call 911.   And, who know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack are different for men and women. Tune in and find out.   Please complete our feedback form.

On this episode of RecoveryPeople, Rob Ruiz shares his journey from troubled Teen and pending Felony to recovery and wellness mentor. He discusses his cathartic moment in jail and his support for the decriminalization of addiction in order to save lives and taxpayers’ money.   Today, Rob is the manager of a retail store and the house manager of a sober home. He credits his healthy work and living environments and the peer support he found in each for helping him learn how to live a recovery lifestyle. The peer support theme continues as Rob tells co-hosts Jason Howell and Kirk Zajac how his recovery housemates cultivate community through running and gardening. To get a closer look, view recent pics of Rob’s garden at facebook.com/recoverypeople. And to learn more of about Rob’s tips on wellness, go to youtube.com and search for “yoga nidras” to listen to the videos that Rob uses for his guided meditation.   This episode of RecoveryPeople is a part of a special series on heart health and wellness. To learn more about SAMSHA’s Eight Deminsions of Wellness, browse through the podcast categories at recoverypeople.org. And please provide us feedback through this quick survey about today’s show.   https://docs.google.com/a/soberhood.org/forms/d/1tiJLNYpTWFShBJQMwtr4XhwvkF36DmsoaAutPszdV-Y/viewform  

Recovery in itself is not a static process.  To be fulfilling, it must be moving, living, breathing and envelop new areas of one’s life, opening up different channels to wellness.  Grant Shipman of Yogabatics, today’s guest, is helping people do just that.  But first, hosts Kirk and Sandy and Jason explore the topic of acroyoga and physical wellness as part of our series on the 8 Dimensions and then open up discussion on the world of acroyoga with Grant. Acroyoga is a physical practice which blends elements of yoga, acrobatics, performance and healing arts.  In addition to the exercise and strength building aspects of AcroYoga the partner balancing can improve concentration and the massage elements can provide stress relief.  To check out Yogabatics, sign up for a class, and see how amazing acroyoga looks, see for yourself here. Grant Shipman is a chiropractic coach and a lover of people.  When he came upon acroyoga (“acro”), he was immediately addicted. You can find him flying people on Congress, at various acro workshops, teaching classes & private lessons, online instructional videos, and acro-jamming late into the night with the Austin Acro Yoga Community. He has a strong personal practice and is still enthralled with the most basic poses like free bird and floating paschi.  Grant loves seeing people learn to play together, let go of pretense, heal one another, and do rad stuff together. He’s convinced that people are not broken in need of fixing but disconnected and in need of restoration with both the Creator and other humans. This is how he is finding true life and true rest.  Acro has provided dynamic expression, experimentation and continued exploration to this pursuit of relational-connectivity.   How did we do? Please provide us feedback on this show

If “recovery is a journey from head to heart”, today’s guest maps out the science and philosophy of addiction recovery and of cardiovascular health and wellness. And, he is especially qualified to do so. Dr. Kerby Stewart is a former ER physician who is currently the Clinical Coordinator for Substance Abuse Programs at the Texas Department of State Health Services and who is a person in long-term recovery. Dr. Stewart is the state staff lead for the Texas Recovery Initiative (TRI), a statewide movement away from the acute care model of addiction treatment to a chronic care approach often referred to as a recovery oriented system of care (ROSC). Click here to get connected to your local ROSC initiative in Texas. From the inter workings and dysfunction of the brain (not to mention our medical system) to the risk factors driving people in recovery’s cardiovascular disease, Dr. Stewart’s interview is refreshingly honest, very informative and wonderfully thought provoking. This is one of those episodes you will likely listen to over and over again. Please complete our feedback survey   Texas DSHS Heart Health Resources: Stop smoking Maximum Heart Rate   Health screenings: Google Map “Free health screenings” Free blood pressure screening Free glucose screening This episode of RecoveryPeople is a part of our Million Hearts series on heart health and wellness aimed at helping prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. This series is supported through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminstration. 

A Heart Attack at 26 y.o. -- the consequence of addiction led to the gift of recovery. In the absence of hope, not even a near death experience curbed the thought: “If I am going out, I am going out high”. Thankfully today’s guest is now in recovery. Tune-in and find out what lead him have a change of heart and  change of mind.   Today’s episode is a part of RecoveryPeople’s Million Heart series. Please take our survey, so we know how we did?   If you are a person with a history of alcohol and/or drug abuse or a history of mental health issues, you are at higher risk of a heart attack and stroke when compared to the general population. The good news is that we can lower our risk through a heart healthy lifestyle. RecoveryPeople’s Million Heart series explores how.   The goal of the Million Hearts initiative is to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017, and we need your help to do it:   Take recovery and heart health viral across social media Be One in a Million Hearts as a part of the national campaign

Click here. We need your feedback.   Sobering fact: people in recovery have higher rates of heart attacks and strokes compared to the general population. More than the damage we did to our organs in active addiction, its the chain smoking, artery clogging food choices and sedentary lifestyle that causes many of us to survive chemical dependency only to die of cardiovascular disease. The good news, is that we can lower our risk by adding heart health and wellness to our path of recovery. So, tune in, turn on, and check us out because RecoveryPeople’s Million Heart series is going to help show you what we are talking about.   This episode it the kickoff of a special RecoveryPeople podcast series on heart health and wellness which is supported through a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2014 Million Hearts grant award. SoberHood is honored to be one of four recipients of this award in the nation which is apart of a much larger Million Hearts initiative aimed at helping prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2014. Follow this link to learn more about about blood pressure control, smoking cessation and other preventive measures.   Plus, RecoveryPeople is excited to welcome Sandy Hollier as our new co-host. Sandy joins Kirk Zajac and Jason Howell in our newly equip studio (that sounds LEGIT! Thank you, SAMHSA) to discuss heart health and the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. And, a big thanks to Michael Brockman for helping us set up the studio. RecoveryPeople has never sounded better.

The new season of RecoveryPeople begins with diving deep into the diverse culture of recovery.  Katie Barr is a recovered alcoholic and drug addict.  She is also a member of the LGBT community.  We examine her journey through recovery, as she struggled with her sexual orientation, to coming to embrace herself and surrender to the process, now helping families that experience the same issues.  Katie is an interventionist as well, and we talk about what really goes on behind the scenes of an intervention and if it really is effective.

633,782 homeless in the United States.  Whether it’s by choice or by circumstance, we see them every day.  Have they given up on a better way of life, or is it just part of the social fabric of our era?  In this episode, we get a unique perspective from Jason Wilkins.  Jason has been on both sides of the equation - a homeless addict on the streets of various cities around the country, and a recovered addict helping the ones still out there and in the field of addiction treatment.  Jason shares his miraculous story, as well as thoughts on access to care for the homeless population, and the power around helping them.

There are new forces at work in the recovery industry, and change, although sometimes painful, is undoubtedly necessary.  RecoveryPeople sits down with Ben Levenson, CEO of Origins Recovery Center, and we talk about how the world of addiction treatment has changed in the last several decades, and where it’s headed.  We talk about some controversial ideas on how treatment is bought and paid for, plus, Ben shares a little on his journey in recovery with us.  All this and much, much more, on this episode of RecoveryPeople.

Dude, let’s go rally.  Ben Bass, Executive Director of The Recovery Alliance of El Paso, and Chairman of the Board of Texas Recovers flies in from El Paso, and we talk about the Big Texas Rally for Recovery this Saturday here in Austin, on the South steps of the Capitol, from 3-5 PM.  Also, we get into a little about the new movie The Anonymous People and erasing the stigma around people in recovery.

Spirituality: Higher Power, Creative Intelligence, Good Orderly Direction.  Whatever you want to call it, it’s undeniably a necessary part of recovery. Jaime Loera, Director of Alumni Services for Origins Recovery Center comes into the studio with Kirk to discuss spirituality, how it works and all the experiences around it.  Do we have to be totally bankrupt mentally and physically to come into spirituality?  Is it absolutely necessary to have a spiritual experience to recover?  And who the heck came up with the idea that a doorknob could be one’s Higher Power?  Sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode.

Do recovery-oriented workplaces exist? Recovery is a success plan for life, but is it a transferable skill found in the workplace and in the strategic boardroom? "Absolutely!", according to today's guest, Michael Dadashi, who's motto is "re-creating value and rethinking life". He is the founder and CEO of MHD Enterprises, the 28th fastest growing business in the nation that has been ranked number one in its class by Inc. 500 magazine. Dadashi is a person in long-term recovery whose greatest joy is providing second chances to other recovering addiction by hiring them to work at his company. Learn how this sky rocketing star in corporate America, has created a uniquickly supportive workplace for people in recovery and how living a spiritual life has propelled him to the top. All this an more... on this episode of RecoveryPeople.

How profound can we get?  Marsha Stone, CEO of Benchmark Recovery Center sits down to talk about a host of issues in recovery. Is the disease of alcoholism an internal problem, or is it all about external circumstances.  We all know we’ve said, my job causes me to drink, right?  Later on, we have a discussion about men versus women in recovery.  How different are they, and do they need specialized treatment?    All this and a whole lot more on this episode of RecoveryPeople.   Links:   Benchmark Recovery Center

Suboxone -- is it dope or is it a medically managed pathway to recovery.  Can one really call themselves a sober person,or one who has recovered, while undergoing this Medically Assisted Therapy ?  Today, we get some answers and insights with a counselor, RJ Garcia. Plus, the tables are turned when RJ questions our new co-host Kirk about some of his resentments. To learn more about RJ, check out his site at RJGCounseling.com.  Some of the resources RJ mentioned include: Dr. Kevin McCauley’s film, Pleasure Unwoven NIDA Director, Dr. Norma Volkow’s youtube videos And of course, Hazelden

Speak up, RecoveryPeople. Our stories have power! So says Faces and Voices of Recovery, the nation’s leading advocacy organization for people in recovery. Today’s guest, Pat Taylor,the Executive Director of Faces and Voices of Recovery, talks about advocacy (pointing to resources from the Alliance for Justice and their advocacy project Bolder Advocacy), the America Honors Recovery awards (which was streamed and will soon be available on-demand), and the hot new film, The Anonymous People. Plus... Do you live in a sober house? Are you an alumni or house manager? Or are you recovery community stakeholder? If so, you won’t want to miss Pat explaining why the way we talk about recovery housing matters. This is the subject of an upcoming webinar series Faces and Voices of Recovery has created in collaboration with the National Alliance for Recovery Residences, Oxford House and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration All this and more on this episode of RecoveryPeople

What is “recovery”? More than a theoretical concept -- What does it look like? How do you experience it? And more importantly, how can we get some more of that?  If these are billion dollar questions, who has the answersToday’s guest believes that YOU do.  Recovery people, are the experts. And YOU should be the one’s defining “recovery”.Dr. Meenakshi Subbaraman is a research associate at the Alcohol Research Group and is the lead statistician of the What is Recovery (whatisrecovery.org) Project. She recently completed her PhD in epidemiology at UC Berkeley and will be starting a postdoc at Brown University's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies this fall.

Barriers to recovery can be high for women. They can be high for people who are experiencing homelessness and high for people re-entering society from incarceration. Now, stack all three, and you can begin to understand that even an Olympian would have difficulty jumping that. But with the support of her peers, today’s guest did just that. Now, she is mending hearts (www.mendingheartsinc.org).And pushing recovery resources out of the offices and into the communities. RecoveryPeople looks at how a group of women injected the culture of recovery into "the hood" and turned an at-risk neighborhood into a safe, vibrant community.Plus, the disease of addiction is color blind, and so is the recovery solution. If you’ve got money, I can find you the time with service provider  but what about those who don’t. Often it is those with the least means that need the most help. They deserve a beautiful life in recovery as well, but who is stepping up to support their road to recovery? Trina Frierson is. Today’s guest is the Executive Director and co-founder of Mending Hearts in Nashville TN. Mending Hearts provides shelter, hope and healing to women who are homeless due to addiction, co-occurring disorders, mental or emotional disorders. We recently phoned Trina to learn how she is making a difference in a populations that many consider “too difficult” to serve.

Dwindling addiction treatment dollars, the future of recovery, gender differences and the hope and fears of motherhood... all in this week's episode of RecoveryPeople. Today’s guest is in long term recovery and has worked in the field of addictions since 1987 as a social worker specializing in the field of addiction recovery. Beth Fisher has particular interest and expertise in recovery residences. In 1996, she founded Hope Homes Inc., a Level 3 recovery residence system for men and women based in Atlanta, GA which has expanded to residences in Charlotte, NC and Greenville, SC. In addition, she is a founding member and current president of the National Association of Recovery Residences, a rapidly evolving association whose mission is to equip residence providers with standards and advocacy tools to optimally promote safety and community for the recovering individual. Plus, She sits on the editorial board of Addiction Professional magazine, and is a frequent contributor addressing issues related to recovery residences. Beth often speaks publicly on both a professional and personal basis about the power of community,  for which she attributes much of her own long term recovery.

The All American Girl in recovery gives us the inside scoop on recovery housing, relapses, jail house epiphanies and Narconon. This week on RecoveryPeople: We continue with our special series, Home is Where the Recovery Heart Is, an exploration of recovery residences, the spectrum of housing that doubles as recovery support. These recovery culture microcosms range from peer-run sober homes to clinician run residential programs. Today’s guest, Megan Lilly, knows recovery residences from the inside. She shares how she got kick out of a Level 2 recovery residence and why she now lives in an Oxford House, the most popular brand of a Level 1. Plus, Travis Co. County Jail, it does not look like a church, but it is a place where life changing epiphanies happen. And Narconon -- the Church of Scientiology’s solution to addiction. All this and more on RecoveryPeople

Oxford House, a name that stretches around the world of recovery. This week, RecoveryPeople kicks off its ongoing series, Home is Where the Recovery Heart Is,  with a peek at Oxford House, an evidenced-based practice that is internationally known. Addiction and recovery experts list housing as one of the most needed recovery resources, but without a culture of recovery, a  living environment foster the disease of addiction. Home is Where the Recovery Heart Is explores recovery residences, the spectrum of housing that doubles as recovery support. In the spectrum of recovery residences, Oxford House is a shinning example of a Level 1, the most resident empowered living environment of recovery residences' 4 levels. Oxford Houses are democratically run by peers who hold each other accountable living  together as family in recovery. Oxford House personally enriched today’s guest's life in recovery. So much so, that Jackson Longan is giving back as a Regional Outreach Manager for Oxford House, Inc. We recently talked to Jackson about his journey and the importance of living in a culture of recovery. This and more on Volume 11 of RecoveryPeople.

"Put recovery first", a mantra that is easier said than done, especially if you are a young, gifted singer-songwritter placed on a promising path to stardom. Today’s guest on RecoveryPeople, Matt Battle, opens up about his self identify as an artist and a person in recovery. Plus, he shares what choosing long-term recovery over a quick fix of fame has meant to his music and life. As a special treat, Matt performs Spirits, an original song that exemplifies the soulful sounds of people in recovery. To learn more about Matt and his music visit the Matt Battle Music Facebook Page RecoveryPeople is a production of SoberHood, a nonprofit lowering the cost of addiction while improving the health and wellness of lives and communities.

Addiction -- some view it as a hole in the soul. So, does this mean addiction a god-less sin or is disease? Given its Easter Sunday, we ask, “What is the role of faith in recovery?” In this episode of RecoveryPeople, we will explore recovery from the Faith community’s perspective by profiling Faith Partners, a non-profit blending faith and science to build recovery resilience and recovery capital as well as awakening congregations to their role in a recovery oriented system of care. This and more on RecoveryPeople...At the intersection of addiction recovery and the faith-community, you will find today’s guest, Drew Brooks, the Executive Director of Faith Partners, a non-profit organization providing leadership, administration and training for a congregational team ministry model. Drew is a 28 year veteran in the addiction treatment and recovery field. His resume includes working for the esteemed Hazelden Treatment Center and he holds several leadership roles in the current recovery movement. Drew is the co-chair for the Austin ROSC initiative, he is a members of the Texas Recovery Initiative’s Faith-based work group and he sits on the State of Texas’ BRSS TACS advisory team. (Bring Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy)

Machismo in addiction recovery, recovery’s role in Gay Pride and “Good news / bad news... you’r HIV+”. This and more, on this week’s episode, Volume 8, of RecoveryPeople."Family unity" and "community support", two phrases synonymous with  the Hispanic/Latino culture. But does this self reliance isolate Hispanics with substance use and co-occurring issues from recovery support? Or do these strengths form the foundation of a culture of recovery? Recovery Coach, Joseph Sanchez, shares his brand of Machismo in long term recovery. Plus, Gay Pride, a celebration of civil rights and self acceptance for some that is a ritual of substance abuse others. Driven by stigma, Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals use earlier as teens, use heavier as adults and use later in life than their straight peers. This creates the perfect cocktail for addiction. Our guests weighs in on the need for LGBT role models that infuse recovery wellness into the concept of Gay Pride.And, do YOU know your HIV status? Substance abuse and HIV are common bed fellows. What is it like to be living in recovery from addiction AND HIV? Stay tune-in and find out.

This week on RecoveryPeople...The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the World. Upon release, more than 4 in 10 of the re-entry population will return to prison within 3 years. Addiction plays a major role in this revolving prison door. We’ll hear from Kenny J, an ex-offender who’s turned his life around and living a life in recovery.Also, the “C Note” is a silent killer. No, I am not talking about a 100 dollar bill and it has nothing to do with music.  Hepatitis C is a deadly virus all too common among addicts who “shoot up” to get high. Fortunately, new treatments are showing great promise. Kenny J will share about his quest for a healthier liver and life.

This week on RecoveryPeople, it's South By Southwest (SXSW) time here in Austin, Texas and what better time to get to know a true pioneer in the music industry... Behind every legendary musical force there tends to be another legendary talent... if you have ever wondered who that muse is for people like Keith Richards, EmmyLou Harris and others, you will find the name, Gram Parsons, the Father of Country Rock. His brief career has been described as enourmously influential. He blended rock and country to the point that they were indistinguishable and he was the first to do so.  It has been nearly 40 years since Gram Parsons died at age 26 of an overdose at Joshua Tree leaving behind his daughter, Polly Parsons. Today, Polly is becoming a legend herself helping people in recovery from addiction. She operates Hickory Wind Ranch, sober living homes in Austin, Texas and is the President of the Gram Parsons Foundation keeping her father's musical legacy alive. Polly and Benchmark Recovery Center are hosting a free day party at SXSW on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 and a VIP fundraiser benefiting the Gram Parsons Foundation that night. Tickets are available at www.gramparsonsfoundationvip.eventbright.com RecoveryPeople recently sat down with Polly to hear her amazing history and her inspiring present...

This week on Recovery People…we all know it’s a serious topic, but who says Recovery can’t be funny edgy, and sometimes even downright irreverent…publishing powerhouse Maer Roshan is the brains behind the Internet’s most cutting edge recovery blog spot…we’ll talk to him today about his TheFix.com

Today, February 27, 2012,  on Recovery People…Austin, Texas is the live music capitol of the world, and this city is crawling with musicians on the brink of fame and fortune…but the glamorous and exciting life of scene musician here is, well, not always so glamorous and exciting…it can be a tough life…even for the most successful local musicians…especially the ones dealing with addiction or mental health issues…but there is a cutting edge non profit here in town making life a little easier for these struggling artists…we’ll talk to Tricia Forbes, the visionary young leader of the SIMS Foundation…

Today, February 20, 2012, on Recovery People…is your sex a little off ever since you put that meth pipe down? Well there may be hope for all our addled and polluted brains, The PNP lady is in the house, and Dr Jane Maxwell has some good news and some bad news for those of us with a history of getting really creative just to find that next high…also today, there’s no doubt they’re drugs…plenty of research proves they are addictive and dangerous, but many of us use caffeine and nicotine every single day of our so-called sober lives…we’ll talk to the woman who began a crusade to take tobacco out of the recovery equation…recovery people is straight ahead…stick around…

February 12, 2012 Today on Recovery People…She’s the one who said it…to paraphrase one of Whitney Houston’s biggest hits… self-love is the greatest love of all…but this week we lost one of the world’s most famous and successful recording artists…her battle with addiction was well-documented, we’ll reflect a bit on the impact of her death…also this week, it’s about love, it’s about romance….and frankly it can be about relapse…the greeting card holiday that so many of us love to hate is this week…life coach and sexologist in training Emily Kleine joins us to talk about Valentine’s Day and how sex and romance should and shouldn’t factor in to recovery…plus, addiction on campus is something a surprising number of colleges and universities in this country would just rather not talk about…but The University of Texas is one of a handful of schools that is facing the problem head on…and helping students navigate their education…and their recovery…we’ll talk to Ivana Grahovic, director of the UT Center for Students in Recovery, as well as Kate Millichamp, one if the students in the program…

Recovery People podcasts the culture of recovery from drugs, alcohol and co-occurring issues. Today on Recovery People…Faces and Voices of Recovery (www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org)…it’s one of the most progressive organizations in America advocating for people struggling with addiction…we’ll talk to program director Tom Hill about his vision for doing away with the stigma around addiction, once and for all…Also on today’s show…it’s hard enough accessing recovery resources these days under the best of circumstances, but imagine trying to navigate the journey without the ability to hear…we’ll talk to one woman with www. AustinDAC.org who is leading the effort to bring 12 step meetings to the deaf and hard of hearing community in Austin, Texas.