Rehab Confidential

Joe and Amy welcome back Sean Paul Mahoney, writer, recovery advocate and program manager for the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon to talk about people addicted to fentanyl, why methadone is a better alternative than Suboxone for fentanyl users, relapses and death among recovery workers and the overlooked rise in alcohol deaths.

Joe and Amy chat with  Lt. Jeff Gauthier of the Milwaukee Fire Department, sober for 28 years.  He talks to us about the mental health crisis and substance abuse among firefighters as well as his work in the Peer Support Team, breaking the stigma and shame and getting them the help they need. We also discuss his work with MORI, the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative and the frustrating cycle he sees but also  the unique position he's in as a person recovery to elicit empathy in his fellow firefighters and connect with the people he goes to revive. Visit our sponsor for 20% off Clean Cause 

Joe and Amy talk with Kevin F., who got clean from heroin 11 years ago by taking ibogaine. After a few years in traditional 12 step groups, feeling alienated by his ibogaine experience and continued interest in psychedelics, he formed “Psychedelics in Recovery”, a growing 12 step fellowship composed of people utilizing psychedelics as a recovery integration tool.  We ask him if psychedelics and 12 step really can co-exist, what his group considers “sobriety” and why people gloss over Bill Wilson's own use of psychedelics. Visit our sponsor for 20% off Clean Cause 

Joe and Amy sit down with Patrick Reilly, currently the Clinic Manager of a Medication Assisted Opioid Treatment Program in Milwaukee Wisconsin and one of the cohosts of the “Don't Die Wisconsin” podcast.  We talk about his transition from working in residential treatment to  harm reduction,  why he feels it's so important for abstinent people to support all pathways to recovery and specifically his appearance at the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety to legalize fentanyl testing strips. Visit our sponsor for 20% off Clean Cause 

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson, Adjunct Associate Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester, a multiple New York Times bestselling author, and an expert in the psychology of eating. We talk food addiction, why it can be harder to beat than drugs or alcohol, what sugar does to the brain, and how to rewire your brain. Visit our sponsor for 20% off Clean Cause

Joe and Amy interview Carl Erik Fisher, addiction physician, bioethicist and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. We talk about his own addiction journey during med school and his new book “The Urge:  Our History of Addiction”.

Joe and Amy sit down with Joanna Conti, a serial entrepreneur. After becoming frustrated with the lack of success rate data available as her daughter cycled in and out treatment programs, she started a research firm to independently collect data in order to answer the critical question “what are the outcomes of rehab?”

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Peter Grinspoon, primary care physician, cannabis specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and  an Instructor at Harvard Medical School. He is also the author of the  memoir ‘Free Refills: A Doctor Confronts His Addiction'.  We discuss his own addiction, cannabis, his take on 12 step and why there aren't earlier interventions and less punitive routes for doctors facing SUD.

Joe and Amy welcome back journalist and writer Duff McDonald to talk about his new book “Tickled: A Common Sense Guide to the Present Moment”, a radical departure from his 5 previous books. Duff describes his wild epiphany during the pandemic which taught him to live in the present moment.  We talk sobriety, why it's so difficult to tolerate uncertainty, and his practical way of living in the now.

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Joseph Yi, a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist who specializes in Holistic Psychiatry and Detoxification.  He gives us the low down on the “4 pillars of wellness”, the role of nutrition in mental health and recovery, the rise of technology addiction and his personal take on psychedelics and cannabis. 

Joe and Amy talk to Matt Escobas, the Director of Special Initiatives at Fors Marsh group (FMG) a research firm developing shame and stigma-free mental health and SUD programs for their employees. Matt explains how it all works, the personal reasons that led him to develop it and what a B Corp is.

Joe and Amy sit down with former undercover police officer Neil Woods from the UK. He discusses the prevalence of PTSD and suicide among cops and explains what UK harm reduction looks like. As part of the global Law Enforcement Action Partnership, (LEAP) he speaks around the world to politicians, policy makers and the general public to tell the dark truths about the War on Drugs.

Joe and Amy talk to Vermont State Representative, Marybeth Redmond about her career in journalism, teaching, and now politics. Redmond discusses her writing program with incarcerated women, including the book of their work entitled “Hear me, See me”. She explains how much trauma informed women ending in prison.

Joe and Amy welcome rock and roll legend, Simon Kirke. Simon talks about his history in the business, being the drummer for Free and Bad Company and relays stories on some of the biggest names in rock. We also talk about his recovery advocacy work with Road Recovery.

Joe and Amy sit down with Damon West, a college professor with a M.S. in criminal justice as well as a nationally known keynote speaker and best-selling author. Damon spent 7 years in a maximum security prison after getting hooked on meth, following a career ending injury when he was Division 1 starting quarterback at the University of Texas.. They discuss about his story, his recovery, the coffee bean analogy and his incredible work in prison reform and re-entry including his program to help men of color become elementary school teachers.

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University of Medicine and chief of the Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic.  They discuss her new book “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence”, delving into the pain pleasure trap, the importance of radical honesty in recovery, a scarcity vs plenty mindset and disclosure porn.

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Jeeshan Chowdhury, an MD/PhD who studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.  He is a seasoned entrepreneur who is trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy through CIIS and is now bringing his expertise to Journey Colab as Founder and CEO.   We talk about his own personal journey that brought him to psychedelics, his work with FDA and how we overcome the stigma and propaganda of the war on drugs.

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Houman Farzin to talk about his work with indigenous people struggling with trauma and addiction. Dr. Farzin is an expert in all psychedelic assisted therapy including ketamine, psilocybin and MDMA. They discuss addiction, PTSD, depression and how psychedelic therapy can be helpful with many types of mental health disorders as well as its pending commercialization.

Joe and Amy sit down with TJ Woodward, revolutionary recovery expert, bestselling author, inspirational speaker, and addiction treatment specialist. He has created a new treatment modality called Conscious Recovery which focuses on the underlying root causes that drive destructive patterns, while providing clear steps for letting go of core false beliefs that lead to addictive tendencies.

Joe and Amy sit down with Zack Gray, Co-Founder and CEO of Ophelia, a telemedicine company providing treatment for opioid dependence. He started Ophelia after losing a loved one to an overdose. We talk about the stigma of MAT in the recovery community, the difference between Suboxone and Subutex, and why so many doctors can't legally prescribe Suboxone.

Joe and Amy sit down with speaker, counselor and author Ester Nicholson. Ester believes that racism is actually an addiction and an identity crisis and once indoctrinated on a generational, ancestral, familial, environment level, it takes more than education to recover. We talk about her book and program Soul Recovery which aims to heal these patterns on a spiritual and emotional level.

Joe and Amy sit down with Erin Khar, journalist, speaker and author of the new addiction memoir “Strung Out”. Erin talks about what medical professionals can do to lessen stigma, the importance of speaking about relapse and how to talk to your kids about drug use.

Joe and Amy sit down with world renowned scientist and clinician Dr. Joseph R Volpicelli whose research led to the discovery of naltrexone to treat alcohol addiction by reducing cravings and relapse. Dr. Volpicelli explains the difference between his approach and the Sinclair method, why treatment centers aren't using this effective FDA-approved medication and the neurochemical difference between normal drinkers and binge drinkers or people who abuse alcohol.

Joe and Amy sit down with healer and President/Founder of Breathwork For Recovery, Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp. He explains what breathwork is and how it can help in the treatment of addiction and trauma. He discusses the dangers of doing breathwork with practitioners who don't have sufficient or proper training, the need for accreditation in the field, and his experience leading breathwork groups in treatment centers.

Amy and Joe chat it up with author and clinical marketing manager of Polaris Teen Center,  Wendy Adamson about her new memoir “Incorrigible”, which recounts her life in the juvenile justice system. Wendy talks about her work with her son's non profit “Hav a Sole” that provides thousands of sneakers to at-risk youth. She also discusses how kids with mental health issues get lost in the system and the impact of intergenerational trauma.

Joe and Amy sit down with author and child welfare advocate, Mark Redmond. Mark shares stories from his career taking care of homeless youth. They discuss the state of recovery among one of our most vulnerable populations, the trauma of doing the work, and how we can all help to do better

Joe and Amy sit down with journalist Daniel Kolitz to talk about the recovery cult “Enthusiastic Sobriety”, the subject of his latest piece “The Love Bomb” for Atavist Magazine. He tells us about the recovery cult started by Bob Meehan over 50 years ago, what drew him to the story and how this group is destroying lives. 

Joe and Amy chat with board-certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. David Rabin. Dr. Rabin is piloting innovative treatment in addiction and mental health using ketamine therapy and wearable technology that helps manage stress and anxiety. We speak with Dr. Rabin on what he believes is the root cause of addiction, how to revise outdated mental tapes and the biggest flaws in current addiction treatment.

Joe and Amy sit down with Sheila Vakharia, Deputy Director of the Department of Research and Academic Engagement of the Drug Policy Alliance.  We discuss the misunderstandings about harm reduction, whether cannabis causes violence and mental illness, why booze is overlooked as a toxic drug and the efficacy of the treatment industry.

Joe and Amy sit down with Brian Merlen who ran for congress in Connecticut's 4th district (Purdue Pharma's home district). He spills the tea on the corruption of that race, including demands to drop out  by Dita Bhargava of Shatterproof and Fernando Alvarez of the Opioid Spoon Movement so as not to shame Congressman Jim Himes in his re-election by shining a light on his inaction on opioids.  The case is being formally investigated by the CT state elections enforcement commission.

Joe and Amy sit down with Tom Coderre, former state senator from Rhode Island and current Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use for SAMHSA.  We discuss what SAMHSA defines as “recovery”, the new ONDCP director and the spike in overdose deaths.  Tom was featured with Joe in “The Anonymous People”. 

Joe and Amy talk to Elia Einhorn, host of Sonos Radio and Pitchfork Radio and TV.  He is also the songwriter/producer/frontman of the collaborations-based project "Fashion Brigade”.  Elia discusses drinking, drugs and the music scene and most importantly his newest baby,  Sober 21, a magazine he created and edits for recovering musicians featuring famous musicians in recovery which garnered two write-ups in Rolling Stone.

What could be thought of as an ass kissing as Joe and Amy talk to Wes Hurt,  founder of Clean Cause, the Yerba mate beverage that gives 1/2 profits to help recovering people in need and sponsors Rehab Confidential, turns into a lively chat. We talk building an economy, why recovering people don't financially support recovery, and how we can all do better.

Joe and Amy chat with social worker and founder of the Philipstown Behavioral Hub, Danielle Pack McCarthy.  After Philipstown, NY lost many lives to the lethal overdose, Danielle created “The Hub”,  an innovative community-based program that gives residents a single point of entry to access local mental health and addiction programs, services and education.

Joe and Amy banter about the drug war turning 50, the WHO subjugating women and alcohol sales reaching record highs. Governor Tony Evers, of Wisconsin drops by to talk weed taxes and mental health among young people.

Season Two jumps off with Joe and Amy sitting down with Dr. Ryan Marino, emergency physician, medical toxicologist, professor and addiction medicine specialist who helps sort out fact from urban legend about Fentanyl

Joe and Amy sit down with Best Selling Kindle Singles author Mishka Shubaly.  He chats to them about AA, his status as “unclean and sober”, being a Jeopardy question and giving Jeff Bezos a donkey tooth souvenir.

Joe and Amy sit down with Vermont State Attorney Sarah Fair George.  They cover policing reform, where mental illness intersects with the law, what countries do a better job and if Sarah should replace Bernie Sanders in the Senate.

Joe and Amy sit down with New York Times best selling author Jessica Lahey to talk about the Importance  of letting kids fail, her own path to recovery and her new book “The Addiction Inoculation”.

Joe and Amy chat with recovery counselor and harm reduction advocate, Guy Felicella. Guy talks them through Canadian drug policy, safe injecting facilities in Vancouver and how harm reduction saved his life and got him sober after 20 years of homelessness and addiction.

Joe and Amy sit down with Ben Levenson, former founder of Origins Behavioral Healthcare turned harm reduction advocate and philanthropist. Ben talks to Joe and Amy about lessons learned working in the industry, drug policy reform and the direction the treatment industry must go moving forward. 

Joe and Amy sit down with openly gay Ex Deputy Sheriff Karen Moss (K Mo) who was in recovery while on the force.  We discuss cop culture, the prejudice she faced as a woman officer and the rampant alcoholism, mental health issues and high divorce rates among the police.  K-Mo tells us her opinion on police reform, the war on drugs, and most importantly how we can rebuild trust within the community.

Joe and Amy sit down with former professional heavyweight boxer, competitive chess player and best selling author Ed Latimore. We talk racism, alcoholism, his faith based recovery, the boxing world and how not to care what people think.

Joe and Amy sit down with Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, to talk about his new addiction memoir “Beautiful Things”.  We discuss Hunter’s recovery, family trauma, the Biden lineage of alcoholism, the stigma of drugs and of course, being in the crosshairs of the social media.  .

Joe and Amy sit down with Dave from the famed Dopey Podcast.  Dave confesses his resentments, talks about tennis balls filled with heroin and relays his take on Cali Sober, DMX and Tiger Woods.

Joe and Amy sit down with former editor-in-chief of Gawker, AJ Daulerio who gets candid about sparring with Hulk Hogan and Bubba the Love Sponge. AJ talks about his own recovery and his very cool recovery site "The Small Bow".

Joe and Amy sit down with Nebraska state senator, Anna Wishart about her proposed legislation regarding medical cannabis. She explains how it could help an aging population, kids with intractable epilepsy, and aid in economic growth all while her opposition worries about the impact on goats. 

Joe and Amy chat it up with former NYPD officer and chief of police of Burlington, VT, Brandon Del Pozo about his transition to being a scholar, reforms in policing and how we can all do a better job with drug policy.

Joe and Amy sit down with John Swab, writer/director of the new film “Body Brokers” to discuss the film and the “multi-billion dollar insurance scandal within the substance abuse treatment industry.”  We talk about the low rate of success within the treatment industry, the predatory nature of the business and "how capitalism fails addicts."

Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Douglas Mungin, Communications Studies Professor and  "Skid Row historian" who has been shot to fame by the Netflix four-part documentary "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel”.  Dr. Mungin talks to us about gentrification, racism, “containment", mental illness, drug addiction and the everyday lives of the unhoused community.  

Amy and Joe sit down with writer, activist and speaker David Poses and talk about his highly anticipated darkly funny addiction memoir “The Weight of Air: a memoir of a double life, fueled by addiction and mental illness”. Poses explains why he thinks depression is the gateway drug and discloses that he’s been on Suboxone for 13 years for his heroin addiction.  We talk about religious discrimination in AA, 12 step’s resistance to medication, drug policy, science and how Dr. Carl Hart has rocked the recovery community with his admission that he’s used heroin “recreationally” for 5 years.