The Best Minds Podcast

Structured Family Recovery® helps prevent relapse and brings families back together. Kathy Row, MA, LPC, is a certified SFR counselor. She shares inspiring stories of healing and hope, and tells how families once shattered by addiction found their way back to happiness. Kathy is a seasoned practitioner who has helped many families come back from the brink. She talks with Debra Jay, author of "It Takes a Family."

Carver Brown and Sherry Gaugler-Stewart have dedicated their lives to helping families facing a loved one's addiction. As Certified Structured Family Recovery (SFR) counselors, they guide families engaged in SFR to build trust, happiness, and lasting sobriety. In this podcast, they explain the elements of  SFR and how SFR brings families back together, including their newly sober beloved alcoholic/addict. The first of two podcasts on SFR, this podcast, hosted by Jeff Jay, provides a window into the SFR experience for families.

Children suffer silently when a parent is addicted, yet they are often forgotten. Jerry Moe has been at the forefront of helping the children of addicted families for decades. He is the director of the Hazelden Betty Ford Children's program and the author of several wonderful books, including "Kids Power." We believe Jerry Moe is a national treasure. His sound-breaking program has been safe place for kids to heal and a catalyst for bringing families back together. We talked with him about the effect of addiction on young children, and what can be done to help then heal. We also spoke with him about his work with Sesame Street. Don't miss this important and inspiring hour.

Community-based programs can be tremendous resources. Two treatment experts share their wisdom, offering hope for families and clients. Jim Balmer, co-founder of the Dawn Farm treatment program and Anna Byberg, clinical director, and incoming president of Dawn Farm. We couldn't think of anyone better than Jim and Anna to discuss this topic: finding excellent, low- cost treatment that offers real long-term solutions. But we talk about much more than low-cost treatment, as we explore the untapped power of the recovering community. Jim and Anna explain that treatment is really secondary to the twelve-step community, rather than the other way around. They are both humble and wise in the advice they share.

Licensed professionals like lawyers, pilots, doctors and other health professionals receive a very high level of treatment and support if they require addiction treatment. As a result, they achieve greater success. What makes the difference?  Buddy Stockwell was the executive director of the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP) of Louisiana, which was recognized as one of the nation's best. Buddy was awarded the Bar Association's President's Award for his exemplary service at Louisiana's JLAP.  Buddy is a certified clinical interventionist through the “Love First” Clinical Intervention Training, which took place at the Betty Ford Center, and he has personally been in recovery from alcoholism since 1983. He has supported hundreds of lawyers, law students and family members, offering help with a wide range of substance abuse and mental health issues. In 2020, Buddy was recruited by the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program, which is a no-cost, confidential program providing consultation, referral, intervention, and crisis counseling for lawyers, judges, and law students who are struggling with substance abuse, stress, or mental health issues.  Buddy received his law degree from Louisiana State University and was previously in private practice specializing in domestic litigation. His insights into treatment and recovery for licensed professionals will be of interest to everyone.

Deb Kuzmin is executive director at the Hanley Center, and John Dyben is the chief clinical officer at Origins Behavioral Healthcare. Their passion, expertise and commitment to helping families and patients is truly inspiring.  Deb Kuzmin has dedicated her career to the study and treatment of addiction and mental health issues. She has worked as a therapist, director of case management, clinical supervisor, and clinical director. Deb received her Master's in Social Work from Simmons College and trained at The Harvard School of Medicine's Division on Addiction.  In his role as Chief Clinical Officer, John provides clinical oversight to all of Origin's programs. He continually builds upon his academic expertise through research on addiction, spirituality, and related topics. John's training includes a Masters Conflict Management and a Doctor of Health Science, and postgraduate studies in psychology, philosophy, and religion.  Their combined wisdom and experience made for a memorable podcast.

Gary Fisher is the Executive Director at Cirque Lodge. He has been involved in the behavioral health field for the past twenty years. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Utah Council for Crime Prevention, the Board of Directors for the Recovery Management Alliance, and the Board of Directors for the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. Most importantly Gary serves tirelessly in his local 12-step community, carrying the message of hope to the addict and alcoholic who still suffers. Gary and Jeff talk about opioid replacement therapy, MAT, and the hope of recovery for those suffering from opioid addiction.

Mike Schiks has worked in the addiction treatment field for more than 40 years.  He rose from the position of counselor to become executive vice president over all of Hazelden's Treatment Services.  He has served on numerous boards including the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and the Minnesota Alliance for Compulsive Gamblers.  For the last 14 years, he has served as CEO of Project Turnabout, in Granite Falls, MN (from which he has just recently retired). Project Turnabout includes the Vanguard Center for Problem Gambling—one of the only residential treatment programs dedicated solely to gambling addiction.   Mike's passion for helping families is well known in our field.  His personal experience with addiction and recovery, combined with his long career as a clinician and executive, gives him a unique perspective. Jeff Jay draws out Mike's encyclopedic knowledge of the field and his deep insights into problem gambling. https://lovefirst.net

Many Baker has been a pioneer in the development and implementation of collegiate recovery programs. She has a master's degree from Texas Tech University in Human Development and Family Studies and is a licensed chemical dependency counselor. Mandy is the Chief Clinical Officer for the BRC Recovery Family of Programs, overseeing all clinical services. She is the former Vice President of Clinical Services at Origins Recovery Centers, and has also held positions at The Ranch at Dove Tree, and Texas Tech Center for Students in Recovery. At Texas Tech, Mandy and her team were instrumental in developing the recovery campus movement, which has significantly impacted the ways in which colleges and universities address addiction.

Chronic pain can lead to addiction when opioid pain medications are used improperly. Too many families have a loved one struggling with opioid pain medication—or worse. Dr. Mel Pohl is the author of: A Day Without Pain. He is also the author of: The Pain Antidote - Stop Suffering from Chronic Pain, Avoid Addiction to Painkillers, and Reclaim Your Life. Dr. Pohl, MD, DFASAM is former Chief Medical Officer of Las Vegas Recovery Center, and he was a major force in developing their Chronic Pain Recovery Program. He is currently Senior Medical Consultant at Landmark Recovery. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Pohl and Jeff Jay talk about chronic pain and addiction in depth, and look at real life solutions for patients and their families.

Dr. Colin King is an expert in in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and the intersection of TBI and addiction. He is a fully-licensed clinical psychologist who has been helping patients and families for many years. He earned his PhD from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Currently, Dr. King focuses on the development of programs for adult clients with TBI, addiction and psychiatric disorders, and he is actively involved in their care. Dr. King and Jeff talked about the complexities of the brain in detail, and also about challenges of treating patients with TBI and addiction. They also discussed the brain injuries caused by the over-using alcohol and other drugs. Dr. King vice president of behavioral services at Rainbow Rehabilitation Centers.

John Curtiss is CEO and co-founder of The Retreat, in Wayzata, MN. The Retreat is the most admired twelve step immersion program in the country. Jeff and Debra Jay talked with John about the history of The Retreat, their unique philosophy of care, and the way the program has grown. The story of The Retreat is inspirational, and has been replicated around the world. More than 400 people per month volunteer their time and talents at The Retreat, helping the “guests” to find their way into long term recovery. John Curtiss is one of the most widely-respected leaders in the field of addiction and recovery. 

Deborah Schiller, MSC, LPC, CSAT, former director of the Pine Grove program for sex addiction, is one of the top experts on this particularly devastating form of addiction. She offers an eye-opening look inside the world of sex addiction and the hope of recovery.

John Driscoll began his career in 1991, working with homeless addicted women (and their children) at St. Martin de Porres House of Hope, in Chicago. The program had been founded by his aunt and a dedicated Catholic nun, Sr. Therese O'Sullivan. It is there he learned the roots of addiction treatment. He is now the senior vice president of Recovery Services at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, overseeing all their clinical efforts nationwide. He also serves on the board of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. John has worked in the treatment field for three decades and is a licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

People over the age of 55 have different needs. Sharon Matthew is the driving force behind the Older Adult unit at Caron Treatment Centers. Dr. Ming Wang, MD, oversees all medical services for the unit. Together they give a fascinating description of the challenges and successes in treating older adults with alcohol and drug issues. They also talk about co-occurring disorders, nutrition and cognition. 

What's the best way to get people into long-term recovery from addiction? How can treatment help a person transition into their local recovering community? Joe Nowinski, PhD, is the author of "If You Work It, It Works! The Science Behind Twelve Step Recovery." He shares insights from his work on Project MATCH, the largest study ever completed on addiction recovery. He shares a lifetime of experience as an author and educator who truly understands recovery. Learn more about Jeff Jay and Debra Jay at https://lovefirst.net 

Carver Brown has presented the "Back to Basics" approach to the 12 Steps to more than 7.000 people. He is passionate about recovery and he brings a message of hope and healing. Carver is an addiction specialist, a clinical interventionist and a Structured Family Recovery® counselor. He lives in Jackson, MS. Learn more about Jeff Jay and Debra Jay at https://lovefirst.net 

Dr. DuPont talks about opiate and heroin addiction, achieving long-term recovery, brain science and more. Author, professor and psychiatrist, Dr. DuPont is a pillar in the addiction treatment field, having served as the first head of NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse), advisor to presidents, and more. He talks about effective treatment for addiction, the power of the twelve step recovering community, and the insights he's gained over more than 40 years in the addiction treatment field