Podcasts about Hazelden Foundation

Andrew Zimmern knew from a young age he wanted a career in food. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, he cooked in New York City restaurants for Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal and Thomas Keller, amongst others. Andrew helped open and run a dozen restaurants, and at the same time was also an addict spiraling out of control. After a year spent living on the streets, an intervention by close friends brought him to the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. Transforming his life around sobriety, Andrew took a job washing dishes at Minneapolis' Café Un Deux Trois. In 1992, he was named executive chef and during his six-year tenure, turned Un Deux Trois into an awarded, national caliber restaurant. An Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and teacher, Andrew Zimmern is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food and Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. In 2020, Andrew returned to television with the MSNBC series What's Eating America. His latest series, Family Dinner, airs on Chip & Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Network and steams on Discovery+.   HELP SUPPORT OUR FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTION. DONATE HERE: https://www.patreon.com/theaddictionpodcast   PART OF THE GOOD NEWS PODCAST NETWORK. AUDIO VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES: https://theaddictionpodcast.com CONTACT US: The Addiction Podcast - Point of No Return theaddictionpodcast@yahoo.com Intro and Outro music by: Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100756 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

People are gathering at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park to remember Kristina Folkerts on Thursday. Folkerts was killed last week when a driver slammed his vehicle into the patio at the Park Tavern, where she was working as a server. The driver, Steven Bailey, has been charged in the case. Authorities said Bailey's blood alcohol level was more than four times the legal limit. He also had five previous DWI convictions.A DWI conviction on its own isn't always an indicator of substance-use disorder. But most drivers in alcohol-involved fatal crashes have high blood alcohol levels — at or above point one five percent — according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.That's about seven or eight drinks in an hour, far beyond what the CDC considers binge drinking. The tragedy makes us wonder how to prevent further tragedies like this one and why people who need help with substance use don't always seek it. And if they seek it, don't always find it.William Moyers is vice president of Public Affairs and Community Relations at Hazelden Foundation and the author of “Broken Open: What Painkillers Taught Me about Life and Recovery.”He joined MPR News guest host Nina Moini to talk about the landscape of addiction recovery in Minnesota.

Creating happiness is not as difficult as one might think. There are 31 types of happiness, and today's episode will inspire you to live a happier, more fulfilling life! This replay of a very popular past episode is just in time for the holiday season, which brings a wide range of feelings, not all of them happy ones. Pamela Gail Johnson is the Practical Happiness Advocate. She founded the Society of Happy People in 1998, created the first three globally celebrated happiness holidays, and is the author of Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life. She started her career working at Junior Achievement, then in the mental health and substance abuse field at the Hazelden Foundation. She was an award-winning salesperson for American Express and Staples, and now helps leaders and teams create happier workplace cultures through her speaking and programs. She lives in Dallas. Her happiest moments are when she's spending time with her friends, and meeting other people who are aspiring to live their happiest life. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why managing happiness is important for all aspects of life Top happiness zappers and what to do about them How to recognize the happiness in your life Current trends in happiness and why unhappiness is increasing How to bring stress levels down Setting boundaries in friendships that are draining your happiness Pamela's organization, The Society of Happy People, and how they serve businesses and organizations FREE GIFT for listeners! Download the happiness counter with the 31 types of happiness here. Links Mentioned in This Episode: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Linked In

Pamela Gail Johnson started her journey towards creating the Society of Happy People 25 years ago when she was working in the self-help field for the Hazelden Foundation. She worked in publishing and at one of the treatment centers, attending conferences and teaching empowerment workshops. She couldn't help but wonder: "Why were there so few truly happy people?" This led her to start a newsletter, which eventually evolved into the Society of Happy People, an organization dedicated to promoting happiness and creating a community of positivity. Despite the challenges of printing and distributing newsletters in the pre-digital age, Pamela Gail was determined to spread her message and make the world a happier place. On this episode, Johnson discusses her latest project, the "Happiness Unites Tour," which brings people together to bond over happy experiences. She also shares the first principle from her book "Practical Happiness: 4 Principles to Improve Your Life," which is that happiness is personal and everyone needs to find what makes them happy. Johnson also identifies five categories of "happiness zappers" and discusses how to manage them to increase happiness. She also shares her personal experiences with grief and how to navigate changes in life.  What You'll Learn in This Episode: What led Pamela to organize a Happiness Unites tour The first principle discussed in her book on practical happiness Happiness "zappers" and how to manage them How Pamela teaches others to break free from negative thought patterns Pamela's greatest source of joy How support groups like Pamela's can help people to navigate change in their lives Links Mentioned in This Episode: Website | Facebook | Linked In | Instagram | YouTube

Doug Tieman got his start in the treatment field over 40 years ago at the Hazelden Foundation. During his time there, he served as Executive Vice President of Marketing & Development. In 1995, he joined Caron Treatment centers as the President and CEO, a position he's currently held for 28 years. In part 2 of this episode, Doug shares his own recovery journey and why his wife continued to stay by his side despite the bad reputation and betrayal he caused in active addiction. Doug and Dr. Rob also share when to seek out help if you're struggling with a substance problem.    TAKEAWAYS: [1:25] Why did Doug's wife stay by his side?  [2:10] This is an illness.  [2:55] As a way to repair the relationship, Doug started dating his wife again.  [5:20] Doug felt so much guilt that he had failed his family. He decided to put 100% on his recovery, even if it meant working 14 hours on this to do so.  [7:45] How could Doug love his wife and at the same time act out and be a sex & love addict?  [9:10] Doug has a book out, Flying Over the Pigpen. What's it about?  [14:00] How do you find a good treatment facility?  [16:00] What kind of questions should you be asking before you enter into a treatment facility?  [17:25] What are the signs you need help? [19:10] With addiction, it only escalates.    RESOURCES: Sex and Relationship Healing @RobWeissMSW Sex Addiction 101  Seeking Integrity Cruise Control: Understanding Sex Addiction in Gay Men  Prodependence: Moving Beyond Codependency Out of the Doghouse by Robert Weiss Caron.org Doug on LinkedIn Flying Over the Pigpen by Doug Tieman   QUOTES: “For anyone who suffers from an addiction, that is our first and foremost love affair. We are incapable of having a lasting, meaningful relationship.” “I was incapable of a true loving relationship with my wife even though I wanted to because of my substance use and my sex and love addiction.” “I always loved my wife, but I was incapable of showing it in a true and meaningful way until I got into recovery.” “In addiction, you draw the line and then you redraw it because you cross it. When that happens, get help.” 

Doug Tieman got his start in the treatment field over 40 years ago at the Hazelden Foundation. During his time there, he served as Executive Vice President of Marketing & Development. In 1995, he joined Caron Treatment centers as the President and CEO, a position he's currently held for 28 years. Over the last 4 decades, Doug has seen the way professional's and the public's perception of addiction has changed. In this episode, Doug shares what massive improvements we've undergone over the years and what the mental health industry has been doing to deliver better quality results to its patients.   TAKEAWAYS: [1:40] A little bit about Doug Tieman and his career. [3:20] As someone who's been in the treatment and recovery space for 40 years, what has changed over the decades?  [4:00] Back then, anyone who was seen as an ‘addict' had a willpower issue.  [6:00] In the 80s, you would have been kicked out of a treatment center for exercising.  [8:40] Sometimes, you would put people on the ‘hot seat', where you almost tore into them as a form of tough love. However, we now know that's one of the worst things you can do to someone with trauma.  [12:15] Why is addiction considered a mental health problem?  [16:40] Unfortunately, if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.  [17:00] What are some of the known problems about the mental health industry and its ability to treat people?  [19:20] Doug is in recovery himself. Despite being in the field for a long time, in 2008, he got his first DUI and realized he had a problem.  [25:30] As Doug found his recovery later in life, does he feel compelled to make up for ‘lost time' in his adult children's lives?  [28:50] Doug's DUI made page six of the New York Post. The information was out there. Doug had to make a decision to communicate his struggles to his children. [30:45] There's so much good that can come from being in recovery. He has no more secrets.    RESOURCES: Sex and Relationship Healing @RobWeissMSW Sex Addiction 101  Seeking Integrity Cruise Control: Understanding Sex Addiction in Gay Men  Prodependence: Moving Beyond Codependency Out of the Doghouse by Robert Weiss Caron.org Doug on LinkedIn QUOTES: “When I started this work in the 80s, substance abuse treatment was a real mystery for most people.” “Even when we didn't have the medical or scientific information that we would have today, treatment facilitators did their best. We believed in loving people back to health.” “This is an evolving field. We now know more about addiction as a brain chemistry and we're unlocking new mysteries of the brain all the time.” “Individuals who suffer from mental health typically abuse substances. People who abuse substances typically have a mental health [condition] that goes along with it.” 

Negative social media posts. Frightening headlines. Workplace challenges. These are all things that Pamela Gail Johnson, the founder of the Society of Happy People, would label “Happiness Zappers,” and they are a fact of life. The good news is these Happiness Zappers don't have to put a lid on our smiles. “We will all experience at least one or more Happiness Zapper — unhappiness, stress, fear, chaos or annoyances — each day,” Johnson said in a recent interview. “Much of our happiness is based on how we manage the Happiness Zappers.” In her enlightening new book, Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life, Johnson paves a pathway toward authentic joy and fulfillment, with actionable strategies, transformational techniques, and real stories about real people who have put Johnson's principles into practice. “The Society of Happy People identified 31 types of happiness to help you identify more happy moments when they happen,” she added. “Sometimes, we're happier than we think we are; we just don't notice all of the happiness we experience.” In her book, she details four happiness principles for living an authentically more joyful life: • Happiness is Personal • Happiness Zappers Can be Managed • Happiness Changes as You Change • Happiness is Bigger Than You Think These four principles will help readers redefine personal happiness, manage their Happiness Zappers, and become more aware of the happy moments taking place all around them. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pamela Gail Johnson founded the Society of Happy People in 1998, created the first three globally celebrated happiness holidays, and is the author of Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life. She started her career with Junior Achievement, then worked in the mental health and substance abuse field at the Hazelden Foundation. She was an award-winning salesperson for American Express and Staples and now helps leaders and teams create happier workplace cultures. A frequent media guest on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, radio, and podcasts, her work has been covered by magazines, newspapers, and online publications. She divides her time between Dallas, Texas, and Washington, DC. Visit her website www.sohp.com Grab Practical Happiness https://amzn.to/3stb64l Free Gift; sohp.com/gift To Donate to Shores of Grace go to shoresofgrace.com click donate in comment box put PHILLY --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chatsfromtheblogcabin/message

This week, Michael spoke with John Curtiss, President of the Community of Recovering People Board of Directors and The Retreat. He is one of the principle designers of The Retreat model. Prior to his employment with The Retreat, John was employed by the Hazelden Foundation for over 19 years. In his years at Hazelden, John served as Vice President of Hazelden's National Continuum, Executive Director of Hazelden's Outreach Services, Executive Director of Fellowship Club, Hazelden's intermediate care facility in St. Paul, MN, Unit Supervisor of two of Hazelden's primary treatment units and as a chemical dependency counselor.

August is Happiness Happens Month. Creating happiness is not as difficult as one might think. There are 31 types of happiness, and today's episode will inspire you to live a happier, more fulfilling life! Pamela Gail Johnson is the Practical Happiness Advocate. She founded the Society of Happy People in 1998, created the first three globally celebrated happiness holidays, and is the author of Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life. She started her career working at Junior Achievement, then in the mental health and substance abuse field at the Hazelden Foundation. She was an award-winning salesperson for American Express and Staples, and now helps leaders and teams create happier workplace cultures through her speaking and programs. She lives in Dallas. Her happiest moments are when she's spending time with her friends, and meeting other people who are aspiring to live their happiest life. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why managing happiness is important for all aspects of life Top happiness zappers and what to do about them How to recognize the happiness in your life Current trends in happiness and why unhappiness is increasing How to bring stress levels down Setting boundaries in friendships that are draining your happiness Pamela's organization, The Society of Happy People, and how they serve businesses and organizations FREE GIFT for listeners! Download the happiness counter with the 31 types of happiness here. Links Mentioned in This Episode: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Linked In

Doug Lyons is the co-founder of Clere Consulting, an organization that works with families of means and prominence and a confluence of wealth, addiction and mental health concerns. Prior to founding Clere, Doug spent the last fifteen years with the Hazelden Foundation, finishing his career as the Director of Clinical Services. In an earlier role, he served as the Evaluation Directo, conducting and supervising over twenty-four hundred evaluations for physicians, lawyers and other high-profile figures. He is a highly sought after lecturer and speaker. Neely Lyons' work includes serving as an Executive at the highest levels in all three branches of State government, including when she made history at the age of twenty-five to become the youngest ever elected Mississippi State Senator. Her Senate policy initiatives focused on the convergence of public health and public safety issues, such as drug control, mental health, addiction, domestic violence, and child protection services policies. While achieving professional success, Neely's family was touched by addiction and mental health issues as well. Her unique 360 degree perspective, political life, professional engagement, and personal experiences complements the collective depth of Clere Consulting's team, which she joined Clere in 2018. Today, Neely and Doug speak to how the world of addiction has impacted them and the inspirational work they are doing at Clere Consulting. Neely touches on how she collaborates with families and the specific processes utilized to ensure their loved ones get better. Doug expounds on his belief that systemic recovery comes from a multi-pronged approach that includes healing the mind, body and spirit. Finally, Neely and Doug reflect on the highlights and low points of their careers and speak to why passion is a critical component of their success. Key Takeaways01:25 – Neely and Doug Lyons speak to how they got involved in the world of addiction and the inspiring work they're doing at Clere Consulting 09:02 – Doug breaks down the specific process they utilize at Clere Consulting 11:22 – Neely speaks to how she works with families at Clere 13:46 – The power of collaboration 14:32 – Doug explains why systemic recovery requires a multi-pronged approach of healing the mind, body, and spirit 19:18 – Neely speaks to her involvement in the oversight of Sober Living Homes and what families should look for in Sober Living Homes 22:54 – Neely and Doug reflect on the highest and lowest points of their careers 30:32 – Dr. Flowers thanks Neely and Doug for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can learn more about Clere Consulting Tweetable Quotes“As I listen to Doug, one of the things that I was thinking about was how many families come in and they're fairly frustrated, they're tired, and they are looking for hope. They're trying to figure out what's gonna work this time and they're skeptical. I think we have to listen, primarily. That's our job is to be able to listen to their story which is unique to them.” (11:26) (Neely) “Hope is based on data of a verifiable change process that families can engage in. And that's based on best practices and lived experience that we bring as a team. So, we're not asking people to wishfully think that their loved one will get better. We're asking them to engage in a process that's verifiable, where they can really start to hook into a hope that their loved one will get better.” (13:14) (Neely) “And that leads me to the spiritual piece. My instinct is that human connection is the difference.” (16:44) (Doug) “As providers, we want to provide care, but we also want to see our clients do well. And, oftentimes, this one little piece - this Sober Living - is that bridge process where people can go from the protected, supported, therapeutic environment back into their life.” (20:45) (Neely) “Usually the call we get is, ‘We've done this fifteen times. We got your name from so-and-so. What makes you...

Doug Lyons is the co-founder of Clere Consulting, an organization that works with families of means and prominence and a confluence of wealth, addiction and mental health concerns. Prior to founding Clere, Doug spent the last fifteen years with the Hazelden Foundation, finishing his career as the Director of Clinical Services. In an earlier role, he served as the Evaluation Directo, conducting and supervising over twenty-four hundred evaluations for physicians, lawyers and other high-profile figures. He is a highly sought after lecturer and speaker.Neely Lyons' work includes serving as an Executive at the highest levels in all three branches of State government, including when she made history at the age of twenty-five to become the youngest ever elected Mississippi State Senator. Her Senate policy initiatives focused on the convergence of public health and public safety issues, such as drug control, mental health, addiction, domestic violence, and child protection services policies. While achieving professional success, Neely's family was touched by addiction and mental health issues as well. Her unique 360 degree perspective, political life, professional engagement, and personal experiences complements the collective depth of Clere Consulting's team, which she joined Clere in 2018.Today, Neely and Doug speak to how the world of addiction has impacted them and the inspirational work they are doing at Clere Consulting. Neely touches on how she collaborates with families and the specific processes utilized to ensure their loved ones get better. Doug expounds on his belief that systemic recovery comes from a multi-pronged approach that includes healing the mind, body and spirit. Finally, Neely and Doug reflect on the highlights and low points of their careers and speak to why passion is a critical component of their success.Key Takeaways01:25 – Neely and Doug Lyons speak to how they got involved in the world of addiction and the inspiring work they're doing at Clere Consulting09:02 – Doug breaks down the specific process they utilize at Clere Consulting11:22 – Neely speaks to how she works with families at Clere13:46 – The power of collaboration14:32 – Doug explains why systemic recovery requires a multi-pronged approach of healing the mind, body, and spirit19:18 – Neely speaks to her involvement in the oversight of Sober Living Homes and what families should look for in Sober Living Homes22:54 – Neely and Doug reflect on the highest and lowest points of their careers30:32 – Dr. Flowers thanks Neely and Doug for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can learn more about Clere ConsultingTweetable Quotes“As I listen to Doug, one of the things that I was thinking about was how many families come in and they're fairly frustrated, they're tired, and they are looking for hope. They're trying to figure out what's gonna work this time and they're skeptical. I think we have to listen, primarily. That's our job is to be able to listen to their story which is unique to them.” (11:26) (Neely)“Hope is based on data of a verifiable change process that families can engage in. And that's based on best practices and lived experience that we bring as a team. So, we're not asking people to wishfully think that their loved one will get better. We're asking them to engage in a process that's verifiable, where they can really start to hook into a hope that their loved one will get better.” (13:14) (Neely)“And that leads me to the spiritual piece. My instinct is that human connection is the difference.” (16:44) (Doug)“As providers, we want to provide care, but we also want to see our clients do well. And, oftentimes, this one little piece - this Sober Living - is that bridge process where people can go from the protected, supported, therapeutic environment back into their life.” (20:45) (Neely)“Usually the call we get is, ‘We've done this fifteen times. We got your name from so-and-so. What makes you different?' And I found it's not magic. What makes us different is we stick with you.” (24:34) (Doug)Resources MentionedJFlowers Health Institute – https://jflowershealth.com/JFlowers Health Institute Contact – (713) 783-6655Subscribe on your favorite player: https://understanding-the-human-condition.captivate.fm/listen Doug's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-lyons-078b96b/Doug's Contact Info – dlyons@clereconsulting.com 503-490-2273Neely's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/neely-carlton-lyons-jd-a411259b/Neely's Contact Info – 601-720-8734Clere Consulting LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/clere-consulting/Clere Consulting Website – https://clereconsulting.com/Clere Consulting Contact – 866-384-8847**The views and opinions expressed by our guests are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of J. Flowers Health Institute. Any content provided by our co-host(s) or guests are of their opinion and are not intended to reflect the philosophy and policies of J. Flowers Health Institute itself. Nor is it intended to malign any recovery method, religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

Andrew Zimmern knew from a young age he wanted a career in food. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, he cooked in New York City restaurants for Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal and Thomas Keller, amongst others. Andrew helped open and run a dozen restaurants, and at the same time was also an addict spiraling out of control. After a year spent living on the streets, an intervention by close friends brought him to the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. Transforming his life around sobriety, Andrew took a job washing dishes at Minneapolis' Café Un Deux Trois. In 1992, he was named executive chef and during his six-year tenure, turned Un Deux Trois into an awarded, national caliber restaurant. An Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and teacher, Andrew Zimmern is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food and Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. In 2020, Andrew returned to television with the MSNBC series What's Eating America. His latest series, Family Dinner, airs on Chip & Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Network and steams on Discovery+.

It's part two of our episode with Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and UN World Food Program Goodwill Ambassador, Andrew Zimmern. Zimmern is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food and Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. In 2020, Andrew returned to television with the MSNBC series What's Eating America. His latest series, Family Dinner, is currently streaming on Discovery+ and will air on Chip & Joanna Gaines' forthcoming Magnolia Network in 2022. A Taste of the Good—and Bad— Life Andrew knew from a young age he wanted a career in food. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, he cooked in New York City restaurants for Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal and Thomas Keller, amongst others. Andrew helped open and run a dozen restaurants, and at the same time was also an addict spiraling out of control. After a year spent living on the streets, an intervention by close friends brought him to the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. In 2020, Andrew was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host. He has won James Beard awards for “TV Food Personality” (2010), “TV Program on Location” (2012), and “Outstanding Personality/Host” (2013 and 2017). In 2021, the annual Taste Awards created a new special achievement award, The Andrew Zimmern Discovery Award, that honors his mission to discover new cultures and flavors. Andrew was one of the inaugural honorees. In 2016, Andrew was named one of “America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food” by The Daily Meal, one of the “30 Most Influential People in Food” by Adweek and as one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business.” In 2017, Andrew won the award for Best Host at the Cynopsis TV Awards. According to Eater, “Zimmern knows more about the foods of the world and the history of modern gastronomy than anyone else in our solar system. He's a walking, talking food encyclopedia, and a true omnivore.” Andrew has appeared as a contestant on Iron Chef, and as a guest judge on episodes of Chopped, Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef and Top Chef. In 2016, he co-starred as a mentor for Season 2 of Food Network's All-Star Academy. Follow the podcast on: Apple: https://rb.gy/lnef9x Spotify: https://rb.gy/d9mdil YouTube: https://rb.gy/bqqidf Stitcher: https://rb.gy/p9y4w8 Android: https://rb.gy/05jxnj  

An Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and teacher, Andrew Zimmern is regarded as one of the most knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food and Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. In 2020, Andrew returned to television with the MSNBC series What's Eating America. His latest series, Family Dinner, is currently streaming on Discovery+ and will air on Chip & Joanna Gaines' forthcoming Magnolia Network in 2022. A Taste of the Good—and Bad— Life Andrew knew from a young age he wanted a career in food. After attending The Dalton School and Vassar College, he cooked in New York City restaurants for Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal and Thomas Keller, amongst others. Andrew helped open and run a dozen restaurants, and at the same time was also an addict spiraling out of control. After a year spent living on the streets, an intervention by close friends brought him to the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. In 2020, Andrew was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host. He has won James Beard awards for “TV Food Personality” (2010), “TV Program on Location” (2012), and “Outstanding Personality/Host” (2013 and 2017). In 2021, the annual Taste Awards created a new special achievement award, The Andrew Zimmern Discovery Award, that honors his mission to discover new cultures and flavors. Andrew was one of the inaugural honorees. In 2016, Andrew was named one of “America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food” by The Daily Meal, one of the “30 Most Influential People in Food” by Adweek and as one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business.” In 2017, Andrew won the award for Best Host at the Cynopsis TV Awards. According to Eater, “Zimmern knows more about the foods of the world and the history of modern gastronomy than anyone else in our solar system. He's a walking, talking food encyclopedia, and a true omnivore.” Andrew has appeared as a contestant on Iron Chef, and as a guest judge on episodes of Chopped, Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef and Top Chef. In 2016, he co-starred as a mentor for Season 2 of Food Network's All-Star Academy. Follow the podcast on: Apple: https://rb.gy/lnef9x Spotify: https://rb.gy/d9mdil YouTube: https://rb.gy/bqqidf Stitcher: https://rb.gy/p9y4w8 Android: https://rb.gy/05jxnj  

Greg Dwyer on Building Fortunes Radio Pamela Gail Johnson became a happiness advocate when she founded the Society of Happy People in 1998. As a mostly happy person, Pamela asked herself, “Where are all of the happy people?” She created the first happiness holidays, which are now celebrated by millions of people worldwide: • Happiness Happens Day • Happiness Happens Month • Hunt for Happiness Week To help people expand and rethink happiness Pamela identified Thirty-One Types of Happiness and identified the Four Happiness Principles. She's been a frequent media guest on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, radio, podcasts, and her work has been covered by magazines, newspapers, and online publications. Pamela's professional experience includes working for the Hazelden Foundation, and in business development for Staples and American Express, where she received many awards for her sales results. Currently, she's known as the Practical Happiness Advocate, and helps organizations struggling with disengaged employees, burnout, and high turnover. As a speaker, Pamela does keynote addresses, workshops, and other events. You can get more information about her at: pamelagailjohnson.com and sohp.com www.GregDwyer.com

This Week on Talk Recovery Radio This week on Talk Recovery Radio 2 guest join the show. First Kim Bemis Executive Director of Gobi Support, Inc joins us to talk about his comprehensive educational program to help middle and high school teens and their families rethink their relationship with drugs and alcohol. Second on the show Steve Palmer author of "How the Restaurant Business Saved My Life" joins us to talk about his personal story of recovery from addiction and his book. Guest 1 About Gobi Gobi is a comprehensive educational program with an accessible, web-based application. But there are real people behind it. We're Educators, Experts, Clinicians, Parents - and Young Adults Who “Speak Teen” Gobi Support, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping middle and high school teens and their families rethink their relationship with drugs and alcohol. Gobi is not a treatment program. The Gobi digital platform encourages self-knowledge, reflection and problem solving to build better communication within families. Website | Facebook | Instagram Meet the Founder Kim created Gobi because, as a parent of four and professional in the treatment business, he and his wife could not find any programs that were a suitable consequence for one of their children who was experimenting with substance use. He saw an opportunity to create an intervention program that would reach kids where they lived, online and through their smartphones. Kim began working in the field of addiction recovery in 2005 as the Executive Director of New Business Development for the Hazelden Foundation where he led the effort to expand Hazelden's online business opportunities. In 2010, he cofounded Clere Consulting LLC., focusing on interventions and long-term case management for families of wealth. He is also a serial entrepreneur having started five different companies and served on the boards of over a dozen local and national nonprofit organizations. Kim is a person in long-term recovery, which means for him that he hasn't used drugs or alcohol since August 13, 1988. Click Here to visit Gobi's Blog Guest 2 Steve Palmer Steve Palmer is the author of the book "How the Restaurant Business Saved My Life" The restaurant business enabled Steve Palmer's addictions—normalizing his drinking and drug use until he could not function. He wrecked his marriage, racked up DUIs, and managed restaurants worth millions of dollars. In Say Grace, readers will learn how commonplace addiction is in the food and beverage industry, how far an individual can push the boundaries of excess, and how one man found his way to sobriety. This is not a book shaming those who struggle with addiction, but rather a beacon for anyone who thinks there is no way out. Steve paints a warts-and-all portrait of his life. He does not balk at bringing up how he hurt people or the levels to which he sank because this is a book for people like him. “My story is specific to me, but it is far from unique,” Steve explains. “The hospitality industry is full of people struggling with addiction and mental health issues—and they don't know where to turn. They don't know that help is out there. They don't know that many of their coworkers are also struggling or already sober. It's time to open up, speak out, and affect real change.” Whether you are staring down your own demons, know someone who is, or want to learn more about how an industry can save those that it enables, take a look inside Say Grace. Buy the Book | Website

Episode 343 – A Brief History of Alcoholism and Treatment   Today we have Charlie.  He is 35, from Missouri and took his last drink on July 7, 2020.   Events. https://www.recoveryelevator.com/events/   Ditch the Booze 9/21 ; Regionals 11/12-14; Costa Rica (1/15-23).  https://www.recoveryelevator.com/costarica/   Highlights from Paul   Addiction is a modern phenomenon.  Alcohol has been around for centuries.  Early “treatment” of alcoholics included being jailed, tortured, and often executed for being possessed by demons.  As treatment has evolved, we are moving toward FLOW states.  Our mental energies are redirected from addiction toward creating healthier neural connections.  In the 1930's, alcoholism was classified as a fatal medical condition.  In 1935 Bill W co-founded AA.  In 1949 the Hazelden Foundation was born, thus creating our modern-day rehab and treatment structures. https://www.cornerstoneofrecovery.com/a-history-of-addiction-and-addiction-treatment/   Fortunately, people are recovering from alcoholism because the stigma is softening, and people are recognizing this is more a disease of disconnection and lack of community.  Check out this video of the Recovery Elevator Bozeman retreat.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFoqj3xeFUI   Exact Nature exactnature.com  Code:  RE20   [16:09] Charlie took his last drink on July 7, 2020He has been to 54 different treatment He just wrote a memoir.  He writes, blogs, and enjoys experiencing life.    Charlie's mom passed away when he was 13.  He didn't know how to handle his emotions, so he turned to substances.  The emotional damage compounded over the years.    Charlie's drinking was a result of unresolved grief and trauma, emotional damage from a succession of stepmothers,  and lack of success as an actor.  Charlie drank and used drugs.  In 2017, his health became an issue.  He started exploring detox and learned about alcoholism.  In 2019 he was in his 15th IOP program, but still wasn't surrendering.   He had to go back to Lincoln to address some legal issues.  He relapsed several times; he was emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.  In June of 2020, he was receptive to love and faith from his higher power.  He decided to implement what he learned at the facilities he experienced.  He relapsed again, but in July he realized alcohol wasn't working for him.   Charlie maintained a job through most of his addiction which provided insurance and access to treatment.  He was privileged and knows he had access to therapists and treatment modalities many don't.  He did build up a lot of medical debt.     Charlie overcomes cravings or negative emotions with music, cleaning, calling friends, visiting family.  He also journals and meditates. He has learned to listen to his emotions and ask,  what do you need?    Cognitively Charlie processed his trauma in treatment.  He didn't process the trauma emotionally or spiritually until he had been sober for a few months.  Once he processed the trauma, he learned to love himself and heal the emotional trauma.  His relationships with his dad and his sister evolved in an amazing way.   Charlie began writing in 2018 but continued drinking until 2020.  His book has provided some built-in accountability.  https://www.amazon.com/At-Least-Not-Frog-Alcoholism-ebook/dp/B09B5MFT1X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8   Charlie is a fan of gratitude list and believes that gratitude+humility=happiness.  He loves travel from beach to mountains and is grateful he can remember his adventures.   Odette's Summary Grateful Snacking is a company that makes delicious and healthy snacks to support our journey in recovery. Grateful snacking - https://gratefulsnacking.com/   Sponsor: Exact Nature exactnature.com  Code:  RE20 Upcoming events, retreats, and courses: https://www.recoveryelevator.com/costarica/ You can find more information about our events Resources Connect with Cafe RE - Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY to waive the set-up fee. Recovery Elevator YouTube - Subscribe here! Sobriety Tracker iTunes   

The American Barber Shop: A Closer Look at a Disappearing PlaceOn this episode of the Steady Hands Barber Club, we welcome Dr. Mic Hunter to speak with us about traditional barber shop culture and a time when barbering was on the decline.We are speaking with Dr. Hunter today about his book “The American Barber Shop: A Closer Look at a Disappearing Place”Dr. Mic Hunter is licensed as both a psychologist & a marriage & family therapist. His psychotherapy practice is in Minnesota, where he also facilitates the couples communication retreat at the Hazelden Foundation. He is the author of numerous books including "Abused Boys: The Neglected Victims Of Sexual Abuse," "Honor Betrayed: Sexual Abuse In America's Military," & "Back To The Source: The Spiritual Principles Of Jesus." Much of his writing & speaking focuses on the practical application of spirituality & the principles of the Twelve Steps to the problems of living. After decades of assisting people with additive disorders and other mental health concerns, psychotherapist Dr. Mic Hunter has a deep-rooted understanding of the struggle to develop and put into practice a meaningful spirituality. He has guided people from all types of backgrounds. He has spoken to professional audiences & the general public throughout North America, England, & Mongolia. He has been interviewed on psychological matters hundreds of times in both the print & broadcast media. He is a recipient of the Fay Honey Knopp Memorial Award, given by the National Organization on Male Sexual Victimization, "For recognition of his contributions to the field of male sexual victimization treatment and knowledge." In 2007 the Board of Directors of Male Survivor announced the creation of The Mic Hunter Award For Research Advances. Dr. Hunter, for whom the on-going award was named, became the first recipient. It was given to him for his, "ceaseless pursuit of knowledge about male sexual abuse in all its occurrences, of the eloquent dissemination of new knowledge in this area, and of the stimulation for further study and concern about revealing, treating and preventing male sexual abuse."This book we are speaking about was more of a passion project for Dr. Hunter and we are so grateful that it exists.If you would like to purchase your own copy of “The American Barber Shop: A Closer Look at a Disappearing Place” follow the link below:https://www.appletonbarbersupply.com/product/the-american-barbershop-a-closer-look-at-a-disappearing-place/If you would like to read Ray Oldenburg’s book “The Great Good Place”, follow the link below:https://www.amazon.com/Great-Good-Place-Bookstores-Community-dp-1569246815/dp/1569246815/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1586202381Thank you so much for listening! Please leave us a review, and don’t forget to subscribe.

Mr. Tieman has spent more than 30 years in the addiction treatment field in treatment center and industry leadership positions. He began his career with the Hazelden Foundation and has served as chairman of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and a member of the American College of Addiction Treatment Administrators. Mr. Tieman has been the president and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, one of the largest addiction treatment centers in the nation, since 1995. Caron participates in studies with leading research universities including the University of Pennsylvania’s Treatment Research Institute, Penn State College of Medicine/Hershey Medical Center, the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, and Stanford University.   In 2017, The Philadelphia Inquirer named Mr. Tieman an “Emerging Icon” for his work in advancing addiction treatment and research. Mr. Tieman is also an author, having published several treatment sector-related articles and the book Flying Over the Pigpen: Tried and True Leadership Lessons from Growing Up on a Farm.

Talking about the hard stuff There are people who say they are there, and there are people that are there. When Andrew and I meet years ago we realized that we would be friends for life, so many similarities, love of food family but most of all our consistent honesty with each other and support has created an unbelievable friendship and support. There is so many things I can say abut Andrew but most of all I want to say “Thank You” for your consistent friendship & support threw thick and thin we always have each others back to get threw the hard stuff. I love You AZ my brother of another mother!! follow him: @chefaz A Taste of the Good—and Bad— LifeThanks to his parents who had him traveling around the world mouth first, Andrew knew from a young age he wanted a career in food. After attending The Dalton School and then Vassar College, Andrew was on the fast track to success, cooking in New York City restaurants helmed by Anne Rosenzweig, Joachim Splichal and Thomas Keller. He helped open and run a dozen restaurants, but was also an addict spiraling out of control. Crashed and burnt, he spent a year living on the streets, stealing to support his addiction. Ultimately, one last intervention by close friends brought him to the renowned Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. Transforming his life around sobriety, Andrew began washing dishes at the Minneapolis outpost of New York’s Café Un Deux Trois in 1992. When a line cook fortuitously didn’t show up for his shift, Andrew took over his station, and in seven weeks was named executive chef. He turned Un Deux Trois into a successful gastro-bistro during his six-year tenure.Making Moves in the MediaAndrew’s revamped menu of French dishes shot through a Vietnamese and Chinese prism drew the attention of media. Local news appearances led to regular TV work as the ‘in-house chef’ on HGTV’s early slate of programming produced in Minnesota. Rebecca’s Garden and TIPical Mary Ellen proved to be extraordinary springboards. Eventually he found a regular job as a features reporter doing live local news, became Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s dining critic and restaurant columnist, and hosted his own drive time radio show. In 2003, Andrew filmed a test pilot for the show that ultimately became Bizarre Foods, targeting Travel Channel as a potential home. Since Bizarre Foods first aired in 2006, he’s created the spin offs Bizarre World, Bizarre Foods America and Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations.Andrew founded the Minneapolis-based, multi-media company Food Works in 1997. A full-service operation that develops and manages content, Food Works oversees production and distribution for all of Andrew’s media endeavors, including his former podcast Go Fork Yourself, a 2012 Stitcher award-winner for Best Food/Cooking podcast, his website AndrewZimmern.com, which was nominated as the best food blog by the James Beard Foundation in 2016, and AZ Cooks, a digital cooking series. In AZ Cooks, Andrew shares cooking techniques and recipes inspired by his travels and experiences in the professional kitchen. He demystifies essential dishes from cultures around the world in pursuit of culinary literacy. AZ Cooks has won Taste Awards for “Best Food Program Online” (2018 and 2019), as well as “Best Instructional Series” (2019) and “Best Chef in a Series” (2019). The series was also recognized as a Webby Honoree in 2019.Beyond his success as an on-camera host, Andrew’s background as a journalist has led him seamlessly into the world of publishing. Giving a behind-the-scenes look at the cultures he found in his favorite destinations, The Bizarre Truth (Broadway, 2009), inspired readers to travel, explore and eat the unconventional. Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World of Food: Brains, Bugs and Blood Sausage (Delacorte, 2011) gave younger fans a backstage look at his culinary adventures. A book for young adults, Andrew Zimmern’s Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild, Wonderful Foods: An Intrepid Eater’s Digest (Feiwel & Friends, 2012) is a pop culture-influenced look at funny, fantastic and occasionally bizarre ingredients. His latest offering, a grade level series called Alliance of World Explorers, Volume 1: AZ and the Lost City of Ophir was released in February 2019 and recently won a Gold IPPY in Juvenile Fiction. Additionally, Andrew is a contributor at Food & Wine magazine and a contributing editor at Delta Sky Magazine, where he pens the column “Fork and The Road.”Innovative Culinary Concepts and PartnershipsIn 2012, he launched Andrew Zimmern’s Canteen, a quick service concept licensed at U.S. Bank Stadium and Target Field in Minneapolis. Andrew Zimmern’s Canteen is now a property of Passport Hospitality, a restaurant concept and design company Andrew founded in 2015. Through Passport Hospitality, Andrew and his culinary team provide consulting services to various restaurant and retail projects.Andrew recently collaborated with Minneapolis chef Gavin Kaysen to create KZ ProVisioning, a unique catering company for professional athletes. KZ ProVisioning works with sports teams like the National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild, to provide healthy meals to the team’s players, coaches and locker room staff. Andrew has also partnered with Robert Montwaid to develop an experiential food hall in the historic Dayton’s building in downtown Minneapolis and in Atlanta’s Chattahoochee Food Works.Creating Compelling and Impactful ContentIn 2014, Andrew introduced Intuitive Content, a full-service production company that develops and produces dynamic original television and broadcast specials, while partnering with companies to create brand-driven series and web content. Intuitive Content’s first television series, Andrew Zimmern’s Driven by Food, premiered on Travel Channel in August 2016. In Driven by Food, Andrew takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes adventure, exploring food and culture from a whole new perspective with a local guide. In their second series, The Zimmern List, Andrew reveals his favorite food experiences in cities across the globe. Season two of The Zimmern List premiered in December 2018 and in 2019 won a Taste Award for “Best Food Travel Series” as well as a Silver Telly Award. In their latest series, Andrew traveled the U.S. in search of passionate food truck entrepreneurs on Big Food Truck Tip, which aired on Food Network last fall.Beyond television, Intuitive Content works with clients on branded entertainment, including a partnership with Renaissance Hotels to create The Navigator’s Table and with Caribou Coffee to film Behind the ‘Bou, which profiles their commitment to high quality beans and sustainable Rainforest Alliance Certification. Intuitive Content’s recent digital work includes Andrew in the Kitchen, a companion cooking series to Bizarre Foods that was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018, and Bravo TV’s Beats + Bites with the Potash Twins, which explores the intersection of music and food, and the creative process that all artists share. In 2019, Beats + Bites was awarded the “Great Taste Prize: Hollywood Tastemakers” by the Taste Awards and a Bronze Telly Award.Andrew has been nominated for 12 James Beard Awards and has won awards for “TV Food Personality” (2010), “TV Program on Location” (2012), and “Outstanding Personality/Host” (2013 and 2017). In 2016, Andrew was named one of “America’s 50 Most Powerful People in Food” by The Daily Meal, one of the “30 Most Influential People in Food” by Adweek and as one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business.” In 2017, Andrew won the award for Best Host at the Cynopsis TV Awards. According to Eater, “Zimmern knows more about the foods of the world and the history of modern gastronomy than anyone else in our solar system. He’s a walking, talking food encyclopedia, and a true omnivore.” Andrew has appeared as a guest judge on Chopped and Top Chef, and was chosen as a mentor for Season 2 of Food Network’s All-Star Academy.Delicious LifeWhen he’s not sampling unusual dishes at home and abroad, Andrew teaches entrepreneurship and offers insights on food issues to the students of The Lewis Institute for Social Innovation at Babson College. Through the James Beard Foundation he funds Andrew Zimmern’s Second Chances Scholarship, which offers a student faced with extreme challenges an opportunity to overcome these hardships and follow a culinary path. Andrew sits on the board of directors of Services for the UnderServed, Soigne Hospitality and Taste of the NFL, and is the International Rescue Committee’s Voice for Nutrition. Other charities Andrew works with include Lovin’ Spoonfuls, ONE, Food Policy Action Committee and No Kid Hungry. In his rare downtime, Andrew relaxes in Minneapolis, spending time with family and his pug Pretzel, and reading, cooking and playing guitar.

Mike Bayer, also known as Coach Mike, is Founder and CEO of CAST Centers and author of the Best Self: Be You, Only Better.   His career began over 12 years ago as a mental health and addiction counselor. After a residency at The Hazelden Foundation, Mike spent five years in the field and became one of the leading interventionists in the country. He did crisis consulting for several of the country’s top treatment programs, including the Hazelden Foundation.   Fifteen years ago, he founded CAST Centers, a treatment center that provides a network of professional support – including doctors, psychologists, counselors, and instructors – to help clients heal and improve their mental health, emotional health, and their overall well-being.   He's a regular contributor to Dr. Phil, television’s #1-rated daytime talk show. He's also on the Dr. Phil Advisory Board, which consists of 18 of the most accomplished and respected health care professionals in the country.   In this episode, we discussed how you go from struggling with addiction to coaching high-end clients and then becoming a weekly Dr. Phil guest and selling over 100,000 copies of your first book.  

Mette McLoughlin is a HR executive who most recently served as the senior vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer at American Public Media Group (APMG). She was with APMG for over 14 years. In the executive role, she led the human resources strategy, planning and implementation including all D, E & I efforts for all the APMG companies—American Public Media, Minnesota Public Radio, and Southern California Public Radio. She was previously responsible for all programs and activities related to organizational culture and employee engagement, including performance communication programs, employee surveys, all compensation programs and learning and development opportunities for APMG staff. Prior to APMG, she worked for the Hazelden Foundation as well as Lutheran Social Service of MN in HR management roles with primary responsibility for compensation & benefits, performance communication, and payroll services. Mette and her family live in South Minneapolis. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Mette found her way into the HR industry “by accident”, and how she integrates cultural competency into her work How doing diversity and inclusion work in public radio put Mette under more public scrutiny and pressure than usual How diversity issues have changed the “right” way to tell an authentic story and maximize the media’s reach Why Mette believes the media has a huge obligation and responsibility to be as neutral and objective as possible, despite the natural human bias Why the definition of “media” includes diverse information channels like movies and commercials, as well as traditional news How a change in reporting perspectives within the news media has helped push more extreme political views What Sara learned from the experience of working in HR for American Public Media during the Garrison Keillor #MeToo accusations Why Sara believes that the female-leaning HR field is in a difficult position during the era of #MeToo How the Garrison Keillor episode helped make people feel empowered to come forward with their own experiences What advice Mette would share with people new to diversity and inclusion work

“Navigating Grace: The Power of Connection and Transformation” was presented on December 18, 2018, by Jeff Jay; best-selling author, speaker, clinician and educator. In this video Jeff Jay will share decades of personal and professional recovery experience in an unusual life-and-death story, based on his book, Navigating Grace.  He will describe the unlikely people who helped saved his life. Why do the concepts of service and altruism lie at the heart of Twelve Step Programs? This presentation will take your recovery to the next level.  This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series. About the Presenter: Jeff Jay has been working with addicts and their families for more than 30 years. He is the author of the best-selling book “Love First: A Family’s Guide to Intervention” (with Debra Jay). His newest book is “Navigating Grace, a Solo Voyage of Survival and Redemption” (Hazelden).  Jeff is a clinical interventionist and counselor. His work has appeared on CNN, the Jane Pauley Show, PBS, Forbes Online and in professional journals. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and a certified addictions professional. He has served on the boards of the Michigan Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors, Dawn Farm, among others. He currently serves on the advisory board of Jefferson House, in Detroit, Michigan, and the editorial board of Human Development magazine. He heads a national private practice that provides intervention and recovery mentoring services. He is a former clinician with the Hazelden Foundation and Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center. Read more at https://lovefirst.net/

Some people see the glass half full. Some people see the glass half empty. But Pamela believes if you have a glass you’ve got a reason to grin. In 1998, she founded the Secret Society of Happy People to provide a missing voice for everyone who’s happy and wants to express it without having other people rain on their parade. The Society has provided her with the unique opportunity to interact with thousands of happy and not-so-happy people in their effort to be happy most of the time. The Society launched Happiness Happens Day and Month and Hunt for Happiness Week. If you think you’ve think you’ve heard of the Society you may have. In Pamela’s effort to make it the best know secret in the world she’s been on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, CNN, and numerous other broadcast outlets. The Society has also been covered by numerous newspaper, blogs and magazines including People, Costco Connection and the Associated Press. Pamela’s also worked for Junior Achievement, the Hazelden Foundation, Staples and American Express. Pamela is an engaging speaker and a leading happiness expert. She happily lives in Lewisville, TX with her straight-haired 12 pound poodle named Tater. Website http://www.sohp.com Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/happysociety https://www.instagram.com/therealpamelagail https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagailjohnson

In this episode, I am excited to have Harvey Freedenberg on to talk about how a daily meditation practice can revolutionize how you perceive the world and potentially help your firm. Harvey Freedenberg is Firm Counsel at the law firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, a firm of approximately 135 lawyers in Harrisburg, PA. He will soon be retiring after 40 years of practice that included insurance defense, general commercial and intellectual property litigation. Since August 2015, he's been engaged in a daily mindfulness meditation practice. He's participated in a week-long retreat with Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, and has completed an eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course. Topics Covered Harvey goes into both how he found himself practicing meditation daily and the benefits of his retreat and the MBSR course he is completing. How he went about introducing his firm to his meditation practice and how they received it. What the benefits that lawyers can see personally, professionally, and health-wise are when they adopt a consistent meditation practice. He also dives into his past work in loss-prevention work for his firm and how a healthy meditation practice could help curb incidents in firms. Harvey talks about resources he would recommend to lawyers who want to start meditating or improve their meditation practice. For more information on Harvey, find him at: Twitter: @HarvF Sources mentioned: https://www.headspace.com/   Questions? Comments? Email Jeena! hello@jeenacho.com. You can also connect with Jeena on Twitter: @Jeena_Cho For more information, visit: jeenacho.com Order The Anxious Lawyer book ? Available in hardcover, Kindle and Audible Find Your Ease: Retreat for Lawyers I'm creating a retreat that will provide a perfect gift of relaxation and rejuvenation with an intimate group of lawyers. Interested? Please complete this form: https://jeena3.typeform.com/to/VXfIXq MINDFUL PAUSE: Bite-Sized Practices for Cultivating More Joy and Focus 31-day program. Spend just 6 minutes every day to practice mindfulness and meditation. Decrease stress/anxiety, increase focus and concentration. Interested? http://jeenacho.com/mindful-pause/ Transcript Harvey Freedenberg: [00:00:01] There's really no separation between what you're experiencing sitting on the cushion or on a chair, and the experience that you might have stopped at a traffic light or talking to a colleague about a case, or dealing with a family member. Intro: [00:00:18] Welcome to The Resilient Lawyer podcast. In this podcast, we have meaningful, in-depth conversations with lawyers, entrepreneurs, and change agents. We offer tools and strategies for creating a more joyful and satisfying life. And now your host, Jeena Cho. Jeena Cho: [00:00:40] Hello my friends, thanks for being with us today. In this episode, I am so happy to have Harvey Freedenberg, who is the firm counsel at the law firm of McNees Wallace and Nurick, which has approximately 135 lawyers, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He will soon be retiring after 40 years of practice that included insurance defense, general, commercial, and intellectual property litigation. Since August 2015 he has been engaged in daily mindfulness meditation practice. He's participated in a week-long retreat with Jon Kabat-Zinn, I am totally jealous by the way, at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies and has completed an eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course. We have lots of things in common and to talk about, so I'm really excited. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:01:30] Thank you, and I'm happy to be here. It's really a pleasure when we've interacted on social media. But this will be the first time we'll have a chance to chat so I'm looking forward to it. Jeena Cho: [00:01:37] Yeah, thank you so much. So I'm curious, what led you down this path of practicing mindfulness? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:01:46] Well it was something that I had dabbled with years ago, and didn't really have any kind of understanding how to go about it. I would say it was probably in the 1990's, and I was one of those people who tried it a few times and thought that the goal was to make my mind blank. And when I couldn't do that I sort of put it aside. So as you said, a little over two years ago in August of 2015 I had just read an article in The New Yorker magazine about the Headspace app. And reading that coincided with a period in which I had a couple of cases that were causing me quite a bit of angst, shall we say. And I thought, you know I'm going to give this meditation a try, to see if I can turn to this to perhaps relieve some of the stress I was feeling from this litigation; it was a couple of particularly contentious cases. So I downloaded the app, which offers 10 free ten-minute sessions, and I have to say I was pretty much hooked from the first session. I gained a pretty quick understanding of how the process of meditation was supposed to work, with the guidance of Andy Puddicombe, who was the one of the founders of Headspace. And the timing was right and it just clicked for me. And I've continued as you said on a daily basis since that time, which was late August of 2015. So it's now been about 27 months. Jeena Cho: [00:03:23] Yeah, I want to also give a shout out to Headspace. It's such a wonderful program, and I think what it's really excellent at doing is making it a part up your daily diet, just like brushing your teeth. And I think the way that Andy guides you through the process and really explains what meditation is all about, because I think so often there is that misconception that meditation means that we sit quietly and that our mind goes blank. And then when of course that doesn't happen and there's lots of thoughts and sometimes very distressing thoughts, then we become discouraged and say I'm not doing this correctly. And of course as lawyers we are very much focused on doing things correctly. Now I'm using my air quotation marks here. So I am a huge fan of Headspace. Do you still use it? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:04:11] Yes, I still use it. I have been through all the packs as they call them, which are basically structured courses that run either 10 days or 30 days around a given topic. So for example, there's one on stress, there's one on anxiety. There are a number that they started last or I guess earlier this year on various sports and fitness activities. And you work through those on a day-by-day basis and they are all organized around that theme. So yeah, I'm finding that very useful. And I've branched out into other guided, unguided meditation. As you mentioned, I've been to a retreat, which I'm happy to talk more about. [00:05:00] But that was really the door that opened it for me, and since that time I've recommended it to a number of attorneys in our office. My brother has become an avid meditator as a result of my telling him about it. So it's something that I think is a good entryway for people who might be on the skeptical side about whether or not they can meditate. Jeena Cho: [00:05:25] Yeah I think it is a really great doorway for entering into your own mind, which is what meditation is all about. Did that happen before or after you took the MBSR course? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:05:43] The retreat was before, I'm actually just finishing up the MBSR course right now. That sort of grew out of the retreat. I decided I would say after about a year or so that I wanted to have a retreat experience, and I was familiar with the Omega Institute from a couple of friends of mine who had attended other programs there. It's located about a four hour drive from Harrisburg, so it was very convenient. And I had read a couple of Jon Kabat-Zinn's books, "Wherever You Go, There You Are," "Coming to Our Senses." And if I have ever anyone who I consider a sort of meditation and mindfulness mentor, I would say he would have to be that person. So when I saw there was an opportunity to study with him and with his son, I jumped at it. So by the time I got to the retreat, which was in May of 2017, I had about 21 months of daily meditation. [00:06:50] So I considered myself a fairly experienced meditator. It was when I when I got to the retreat (this was not a silent retreat by the way, although significant portions of it were silent, so during periods at meals or when we were not actually engaged in practice) I talked to a number of people who had been through the MBSR, the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course, and that got me interested in taking the course. And I found that there was an instructor here in Harrisburg that was offering that course, so it was convenient for me to take it and I started in October this year. [00:07:28] So the retreat was just a way of I thought deepening and strengthening my practice, and it was it was quite valuable. It was a different experience from sitting down and meditating 15 or 20 minutes first thing in the morning, which is the typical practice that I have. We were meditating from 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m. until about 9 in evening, with breaks of course. There was yoga, there was both sitting and walking meditation. There were discussions in the group, so it was a pretty intensive experience. Again, not as intensive as a silent retreat, but certainly something that gave me more of a foundation in a meditation practice. Jeena Cho: [00:08:20] Yeah. What did you learn or when I say what did you get out of the retreat I don't mean you go to get something out of it. But what did you realize, what did you learn about yourself, or what insights did you gain? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:08:37] Yes that's striving, if you're going to get something out of it you're striving, which was something we were cautioned against. Well I think that is the largest takeaway I got from that retreat was that meditation is really about life. That as John repeatedly said, "You're not here to learn how to do some trick or to operationalize a technique." It's so much more than that, and that everything that's happening in that retreat experience and of course you hope when you walk out of it and come back to your daily life, is part of a mindfulness practice. [00:09:32] And there's really no separation between what you're experiencing sitting on the cushion or on a chair and the experience that you might have stopped at a traffic light, or talking to a colleague about a case, or dealing with a family member. So it's kind of a seamless integration. I would say that was the strongest takeaway that I took from that experience. Jeena Cho: [00:09:58] Yeah, what a delightful realization that mindfulness is not something that you do here, and then there's the rest of your life; that it's really an integrated experience. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:10:13] Right. And that's one of the biggest challenges, is to take the experience that you're having, of sitting in silence and watching your thoughts, of not reacting to them, letting thoughts go as they're going through your mind, focusing on your breath; that's the kind of meditation and I'm doing. Translating that experience into your daily life when you get up out of the chair and you have to go to work or some other activity, that you need to have those reminders that this should be seamlessly integrated with your life. Jeena Cho: [00:10:58] Yeah, definitely. Have you tried to take this work or this practice to your law firm, and if you did how was it received? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:11:07] I did. I have, and I've been very pleased with the results. There's a little bit of a backstory that. Your book has something to do with that, "The Anxious Lawyer" which I was very excited about. I don't remember when I first read about it, but I remember I was meditating at the time, and as soon as I saw this book was coming out I placed my order for it. So I had it on the day it was published, and I read it very avidly. And I recall you and Karen Gifford, your co-author, did a series of webinars, I think it was in conjunction with the National Association of Women Lawyers, I think that was the name of the organization, right? So I participated in those, I think that was in the fall of 2016. And one of the nice benefits was that you kindly gave everybody who was in the seminar two copies of the book. So I had the copy I purchased, and I thought you know this would be a good introduction to mindfulness meditation to lawyers in the firm. So I sent out a firm-wide e-mail and I said, I have two copies of this book and I included a link to the Amazon description so they could read a little more about it. I said I'll raffle these off, send me an e-mail if you're interested. We have about 135 lawyers at our firm, I think 30 lawyers responded; roughly a quarter of the firm. And I raffled them off and I thought, well there's some interest here. [00:12:53] And sort of on a parallel track with that, again this was in 2016. One of the things that I do as part of my responsibility as firm council is to attend an annual meeting that our malpractice insurance company holds every June, because part of my duty is lost prevention. So I handle the ethics issues and I also deal with preventing claims against the firm and if necessary, defend those claims. And there were a couple of things that happened at that meeting. One was a gentleman named Patrick Krill, who you might be familiar with. Jeena Cho: [00:13:35] Yeah, I do know him. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:13:36] Who was the organizer of the study co-sponsored by the American Bar Association and the Hazelden Foundation on mental health in the legal profession, presented the findings of his study. And they were quite alarming. And I don't think it's an exaggeration to use that term. Jeena Cho: [00:14:00] No, definitely not. The results were that basically a third of the lawyers in our profession are suffering from depression, stress, anxiety, and very, very heavy rates of problematic drinking. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:14:12] Right, and probably some drug addiction thrown in there, which I think he said was under-reported. So that was sort of another piece of the puzzle. And then third was some discussion about a trend in the in the professional liability field, that insurers were starting to see a spike in claims arising from mistakes that were the kinds of things that good lawyers generally don't find themselves getting in trouble for. That is, conflicts of interest and other problems are more the source of malpractice claims. [00:15:02] And so there was some discussion about what might be driving this. And some of the concerns surrounding technology, the pace of legal practice. The fact that we're basically on 24/7 because I can turn on my smartphone at 11:00 on a Sunday night and find an e-mail from a client. And so with that information, I went back to the firm and I thought about this some more and I said, this is something.. all the issues that are being talked about here, whether it's the issues relating to mental health or problems in practice that might contribute to mistakes, are the kinds of things that I think meditation and mindfulness potentially can be helpful in addressing. Jeena Cho: [00:15:53] Right. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:15:54] So for several years I was the chair of a committee we have at our firm called the professional and personal development committee, which in part focuses on life issues. In addition to things that will benefit attorney's practices, but we put a lot of emphasis on wellness at our firm, on making sure that people stay physically and mentally healthy. And I thought this was a program that the committee might be interested in, and I pointed out that I had 30 lawyers who said they were interested in getting a copy of your book. Jeena Cho: [00:16:32] Yeah, so you had a little bit of data. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:16:35] Yeah, so they eagerly embraced the idea and we agreed on a time to do it. So it was about two months ago that I did a lunchtime presentation. I think we had 25 people sign up for it. Our main office is in Harrisburg and we have several regional offices around the state and elsewhere, and a few people called in, several other people e-mailed me and said they were sorry they could not attend because they had a scheduling conflict, so we had about 20 people in the room. I did about a one-hour presentation, which included a brief guided meditation. Five minutes or so, I didn't want to do it any longer than that. And I got a great response. I know of at least one or two people who at least said they have continued to try to meditate since that time. So I think it was a really good introduction to the practice. [00:17:40] So that's how I brought it to our firm, and I think it's certainly something that lawyers generally should be introduced to and will benefit from. Jeena Cho: [00:17:51] Yeah, which leads me perfectly to my next question, which is what are those benefits that you think lawyers can gain from practicing mindfulness? In your own life or in your own law practice, what type of benefits have you seen? And what are sort of the practical implications for other lawyers? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:18:14] Well I have to break this down into two parts. I sort of joke about the first part of this, which is I wish I had discovered this oh I don't know, 25 years ago when I was a busy litigator. By the time I started meditating, I was definitely in the winding-down phase of my active litigation process. But I know enough of it, and I certainly can reflect enough on my experience as a litigator, that first as a way of relieving the inevitable stress that comes with a busy litigation practice. It gives you an opportunity to have something to turn to when that stress intensifies. And I think it certainly is beneficial, I can think of occasions when I was in a difficult courtroom battle or in a deposition with a particularly unpleasant lawyer on the other side, that being able to have the mental space that I think meditation creates would have been very helpful to me. So I think it's an extremely practical tool that a lot of lawyers would benefit from if they could incorporate that into their practice. [00:19:40] So that's the one piece. The other piece is, and this may be.. I won't say it's unique to me because there are lawyers in other firms that do this job. But I have found it to be extraordinarily helpful in the work that I have done as the firm counsel. What happens typically, I have other people on an ethics committee I don't do this all by myself for a firm of our size, so there are two other members that work with me on loss prevention issues and several members on an ethics and conflicts committee. But the vast majority of questions have come to me over the nine years that I've been doing this job. And they come from every area of the practice. I would say the majority have to do with conflict issues, but they could deal with anything from difficulty with an opposing counsel, inadvertently receiving a document, what do would do with it? An improper communication that somebody has made with our client, I mean the whole gamut of issues that arise in regards to professional conduct. So it's sort of like a helpline and I've got to be prepared to respond to all these questions. And it's certainly been a great value to me in becoming a better listener, sort of listening for the question maybe below the question that I'm being asked. And to help the lawyers in our firm and to help me sort of clarify what our values. Not every question is as simple as, do we have a conflict or don't we have a conflict. There are a lot of judgment calls that go into this job and in handling, I've literally had thousands of interactions with our lawyers over the time that I've served. [00:21:55] And I think having a mindfulness practice helps you clarify what your values are, to shift your perspective to look at something from a variety of different angles. I love the idea, I know you're familiar with it, the beginner's mind. I don't approach these consultations with the idea that I necessarily have all the answers, and therefore I'm willing to listen and to sort of allow my perspective to take shape. And I think all that is just enhanced and deepened by a mindfulness practice. [00:22:39] And then the other aspect, if I can go on for one more minute about this, is on the loss prevention side. These can be very difficult conversations, for anyone who's ever had them. When a lawyer comes to you and says, "I think I made a mistake," or, "I did make a mistake," and you're the one in whom that person is confiding, you're dealing with what can be a very fragile situation. And I think you need to approach it an empathetic way. The lawyer who you're talking to has probably been beating himself or herself up for at least 24 hours, maybe lost some sleep over the issue. And in addition to that, they are imagining all of the horror of the consequences that they think are going to occur as a result of what they believe their error might be. So they're engaged in catastrophizing about that. Your job is to sit there, even in a situation where you say, well this might be bad. And not to respond to it, not to react to it in any kind of an impulsive way. Not to do anything that's only going to exacerbate that person's psychological distress. [00:24:24] I like to think I had some of those qualities before I started meditating, but I assure you that they are a lot better than whatever I had. Since I have been meditating, because I'm very conscious now of the thought process that I'm going through. So it's just, it's kind of a long-winded answer and there's a lot in there, but there are just so many ways in which this has enhanced the way that I practice, and the way that I really look at what the practice of law is all about. Jeena Cho: [00:25:02] Yeah. And I know to be true what you're saying just from my own experience and just having worked with lawyers on bringing mindfulness into their own life. You know, for me I feel like it actually has made life clearer. It just feels like we all sort of walk around with these blinders and these filters, but it feels like I can see life with just so much more clarity. And so when my mind is doing the catastrophizing like you say, I can go oh, I'm catastrophizing and I'm literally imagining the worst case scenario because I missed a deadline and I know, maybe forgot to file this thing. And the mind is doing that thing where it inevitably leads to, like I'm going to be disbarred and then I'm going to be homeless. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:25:56] Right, that's it. And the mind doesn't sort of stroll down the road to those, the mind races to the worst possible consequences of what might happen. And this acts as a brake on that. So it's very helpful to have that, I think that kind of approach to it. And I think I have some of the feeling that you have, that I think I am able to see some things more clearly. You know this is not a panacea, it's not going to transform someone's personality overnight. But I think there is an evolution that takes place over time, and if you ask people who are close to me about certain behavior traits or certain personality traits that I had before I started meditating and to compare that to now, they will tell you there's been an improvement. So I would say don't ask me, if you want to know whether meditation is having an effect, ask your spouse or your close friends and I think they will tell you that it has. Jeena Cho: [00:27:14] Yeah, it's so funny because my husband also meditates with me. And there will be days where for one reason I don't meditate for a few days, and he'll actually notice and go, "Have you been meditating?" And I'm like, no. And he's like, "Maybe you should." So it's apparently very noticeable when I'm not meditating. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:27:34] Well one of the things about Headspace, and it's not without some controversy, is they have something called a streak, where they will tell you how many days in a row you've meditated. And I've had this very long streak, and some people derive that idea. They say, you know it's not about counting and striving and all that, but to me it's useful to track how much time you're doing it, how dedicated you are to it. And I don't know what I would do if I didn't meditate, I wish I was committed to physical exercise as I am to meditation, because I can't imagine what a day would be like if I didn't sit down for at least ten minutes to meditate. [00:28:22] I have made it an absolute priority in my life, and I try to do it first thing in the morning because I find I'm most alert then. I find if I do it late at night I'm more likely that maybe nod off, which is not the ideal. But it's just, it's like brushing my teeth or eating or getting dressed. Jeena Cho: [00:28:44] Yeah, totally. Yeah. And I found not only my ability to respond to difficult situations, but also like I'm able to just experience more joy in my life that I didn't notice before. And I think a lot of that is that we as lawyers spend so much time sort of in that space of catastrophizing, and also we have the negativity bias. Where we're constantly looking at all the things that's not going right in our life, and we don't have that counter-balance. And I feel like meditation has really served as a counter-balance. And you know, even being grateful for something that's really important and critical, like oh I have a healthy body, or I have a roof over my head. Or I have you clean water. [00:29:33] Just so many incredible blessings, and I think often we can just get into this mode of looking at life with this grim lense and saying, oh everything's not okay, and look at all these things that are not going my way. And we really just forget the incredible amount of blessings that we all have. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:29:53] Yeah, and the problem is that our professional training.. I mean some of us come to profession with that kind of mindset, but our professional training exacerbates that if we are already that way, or inculcates that if we aren't. And that is to look at things like, what's the worst case scenario. If you're a litigator, you're by definition in a situation of conflict. One of the things that's occurred over my 40 years of practice is of course there's much more emphasis on alternative dispute resolution, mediation, and things of that sort. But those are still situations of conflict. And then you throw in the fact that lawyers are I think by definition perfectionists; everything has to be done exactly right. You know, you read and re-read a contract or a plea to make sure that you have not missed anything. So all these things are sort of reinforcing that kind of negative self-critical mindset, and that makes it very hard to walk outside your office and look up at the sky, or pick up a leaf and look at it, or focus on what's happening in the moment. You know, John Kabat-Zinn likes to say, "This is the only moment you have. This moment that you're in right now is all you are doing. If you're living in the past with regrets about what you did last week or last month, or your anticipating something in the future, you're missing out on what's happening right in front of you. [00:31:46] And it's easy to do that as a lawyer. There's always a deadline coming up, there's always a trial next month or six months from now. Your phone's ringing, your clients are upset about what's going on in a case. So I think you need something to anchor you. And I found that meditation for me has been that anchor. Jeena Cho: [00:32:10] Yeah, yeah. So true. I remember when I did the eight-week mindfulness based stress-reduction class, there's like a day-long retreat that you go on. And we were doing walking meditation and I saw this giant, beautiful rose bush and I walked over to it and I smelled the roses. And it's so cliché, like smell the roses. But I did, and it was just one of those blissful moments, and I remember being like this is why they tell you to smell the roses. I mean, like you know its so cliché. Like oh, smell the roses. But how often do we actually pause to do nothing but savor and smell a rose, which is like this incredibly delightful experience. So now I take it to heart and I make a point to actually go smell the roses when I see a rosebush. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:33:02] Well we just had our retreat for the MBSR course, and I had a similar experience watching a duck glide across a still pond. To stand there and say, when have I done that? I don't want people to leave this podcast with the impression that you're going to be walking around this blissful smile on your face and all of life's stresses will suddenly bounce off of you. It's not that way, but just the fact that more times a day than you could ever imagine you're going to stop, you're going to take a deep breath, you're going to look at something in a new way. You're going to focus on a problem in a different way that you wouldn't have if you were wearing the blinders of your conventional thinking. Suddenly these things are going to start adding up and give you a much richer and fuller perspective on life. [00:34:10] At least that's been my experience. And in conversations with lots of other people who are doing this as well, I don't think there's anything unique about me by any means. Jeena Cho: [00:34:21] Right. Yeah, I remember going into my first MBSR class and I was just so stressed and so anxious. And typically they start by asking the group, you know what brings you here. And you kind of go around and everyone shares. And I'm like, oh! There are 49 other people in this room that have the exact same thing that I'm struggling with. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:34:44] The idea of as I've heard it expressed of "just like me." If you look at people who are doing something, or if you're critical of somebody, you're being trained through this process to take a step back and say you know, that person wants the same kinds of things that I want. Maybe they're not going about getting them in the most skillful way, but they're no less human than I am. And it gives you a very different perspective on the people that you interact with. Jeena Cho: [00:35:24] Right, yeah that idea, "just like me," was so critical for me. Especially for the litigators out there and the lawyers that are handling really contentious cases. Because there are just people that you come across and you're just like, I really do not like this person and I have nothing in common with this person. And you can really start to personalize every interaction with this person. I had this one particular opposing counsel, and she and I were just not getting along, to put it mildly. And we were doing that thing where we would send one nasty e-mail after another, trying to find each other. [00:36:01] And something clicked inside my head when I learned that concept of "just like me," because I realize you know just like me, just as I find her to be incredibly difficult and I don't want to be on this case with this woman, she probably feels the exact same way. And just like me, she too wants peace and happiness and joy and safety and security; all of these very, very human things. And I think we can often sort of lose sight of that, our common humanity. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:36:34] Well you mentioned the e-mails, sending off nasty e-mails. And that at times has been the bane of my existence, both as an attorney, a litigator representing clients, and on occasion as firm counsel. Of course not too often because I've tried to reinforce that message to our lawyers, but think about the way e-mail, (which has been around basically for 20 years, I'd say since the mid 1990's) people send the most outrageous things and do it in such an impulsive way. And they live to regret it. If you have something that's going to intervene between writing that nasty e-mail that's going to get you or your client into a lot of trouble in that case and clicking the send button, that's a really valuable skills to have. [00:37:38] And there have been times when I've completely rewritten an e-mail, when I said no this is not the right tone. I just had to get this down, get it out of my system. Now I'm going to go back and re-write it. So I think mindfulness gives you the space that is going to have you sending fewer of those e-mails, or reacting to the bait. You know how there are certain lawyers who's game plan is to try to get you to lose control? Every litigator has them, they have one or two or three of those. [00:38:17] One of the worst things about caller ID is, you now know you're going to have a phone call with that nasty lawyer you can't stand because you see the phone number or the name of that person. At least in the old days in my practice, the phone would ring and I would pick it up. Now you have an opportunity through mindful to say.. and one of the things I've started doing, this is fairly recent, is I will let the phone ring three times before I pick it up. I've had to educate a couple of lawyers in our firm who give me one ring and then they hang up. But the point is you know, take a couple of breaths, get yourself grounded. It's kind of a mini-meditation that you're doing, and then you're able to field that (what you know is going to be a stressful phone call) with a little more mindfulness. [00:39:17] I think that's a technique that, you don't have to be meditating to do that. It certainly helps to get into that meditative state, but it's something that I think is very valuable. And then when the other attorney starts hurling insults at you or at your client, you're less likely to get into an escalating war of words. And that could be very valuable. Jeena Cho: [00:39:40] Yeah and often mindfulness is talked about in the context of there's a stimulus and there's that knee-jerk reaction, and mindfulness gives you that ability to pause before your knee-jerk reaction. Which then becomes a response, so you can sort of respond with the best intentions. Sometimes we send off e-mails and it might not get us or our clients into trouble, but we just know that was not my best work. That was not my most genuine, I didn't show up as my best self when I sent that e-mail. Which was a little bit hitting below the belt or was unnecessarily unkind, or you know whatever that may be. [00:40:23] And I think as lawyers we have that obligation to try to show up as our best selves, and to really be clear about our intention and what we hold to be true and what we value as sort of the core of who we are as lawyers, and how we're going to show up for every case or every situation. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:40:43] Well one myth that I would like to offer my small debunking of, is the idea that a meditation practice and mindfulness are somehow going to make you soft, weak, ineffective, not aggressive on behalf of your clients; and none of those claims are true. I would say if anything, they're going to make you a better lawyer. Because you're not going to leap to instant judgments. You're not going to think that you know all the answers and find yourself closing off avenues of thought or investigation that might help your client's case. So when I've heard that objection, I think that's one of the easier ones to debunk. I think it makes you potentially much more powerful and much more effective, because you're learning more about how your own mind works. And you know as a lawyer, that's our tool. We don't have machines, we don't have MRI's or x-ray machines, we have our minds and we have our thought process. So anything that contributes to clarity of thinking and soundness of judgment and empathy, that's a good thing. And those are all qualities that meditation fosters. Jeena Cho: [00:42:23] Yeah. So I guess to kind of wrap things up, now that we've hopefully shared very fully all the different benefits and why lawyers should practice mindfulness, what are some resources that you would recommend for lawyers who want to start meditating? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:42:41] Well I'm allowed to say this because I know you're not a soft promoter, so I would strongly, strongly recommend your book "The Anxious Lawyer" that you and Karen Gifford wrote. The thing that I think is beautiful about that for lawyers is that as distinguished from the many, many hundreds of fine meditation instruction books that are out there (and I've read a number of them), this is specifically geared toward lawyers. It has a lot of information about your experiences and Karen's experiences in practice, and how the techniques of meditation and mindfulness are applied. So if you're looking for a book to get started, I would certainly highly recommend "The Anxious Lawyer". And then Headspace, As I said has been a great app for me. Another app that I've experimented with a little bit is Dan Harris' app, 10 Percent Happier, which has a variety of instructors in the app and it's I think maybe a little glitzier than Headspace. Either one of those. And then there are lots and lots of apps out there, Insight Timer is another one that has free meditations.. Jeena Cho: [00:44:03] Right, that's the one that I use, yeah. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:44:06] So there are plenty of resources out there, but I think your book is as good a starting place as any. And it's also got a program, a week-by-week program for eight weeks to introduce somebody to a mindfulness practice. And it's very clearly written, there's no jargon in there, so go buy Jeena's book. Jeena Cho: [00:44:34] I appreciate that, that's very kind of you. Harvey, for the folks that want to connect with you or ask you questions, or just want to pick your brain. what's a good place where they can go and do that? Harvey Freedenberg: [00:44:51] Well I think the best place Jeena, since I'm transitioning out of my law practice, would be on Twitter. My handle there is @HarvF, "H-A-R-V-F". I've also created a couple of lists there, one is on mindfulness and meditation, which has several hundred people that are involved in various aspects of meditation. So you might want to check out that list. So that's probably the best place to get in touch with me right now. Jeena Cho: [00:45:25] Wonderful. And you are very active on Twitter, and I always enjoy reading what you have to say. So definitely go connect with Harvey on Twitter and I will also include his Twitter handle in the show notes. And my final question to you is, the name of the podcast is called The Resilient Lawyer. What does it mean to be a resilient lawyer to you?. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:45:50] I love the name of the podcast, and I thought a lot about this. To me, it's somebody who keeps the practice of law in its proper perspective. And it is someone for whom the various aspects of life, which would include work as a lawyer, family, community service, exercise, sleep, nutrition; all the things that go into healthy living. And through mindfulness and meditation, in my case a practice of mental and emotional self-care, that all of those elements are in harmony or balance. I think if you can achieve that or strive in that direction, that you will be well on the path to becoming resilient. Jeena Cho: [00:46:45] I love that answer. Harvey, thank you so much for sharing your time and your wisdom with me and the audience. I really appreciate it. Harvey Freedenberg: [00:46:54] Thank you Jeena, it's been a real pleasure. And thank you for all you're doing to spread the message of mindfulness. Jeena Cho: [00:47:04] Thank you. Closing: [00:47:05] Thanks for joining us on The Resilient Lawyer podcast. If you've enjoyed the show, please tell a friend. It's really the best way to grow the show. To leave us a review on iTunes, search for The Resilient Lawyer and give us your honest feedback. It goes a long way to help with our visibility when you do that, so we really appreciate it. As always, we'd love to hear from you. E-mail us at smile@theanxiouslawyer.com. Thanks, and look forward to seeing you next week.

Stir-fried donkey anyone? Our guest today would call that delicacy. Andrew Zimmern is here! He is a three-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and teacher. He's one of the most well-known and knowledgeable personalities in the food world and the creator, executive producer and host of the Bizarre Foods franchise on the Travel Channel. Maybe you've caught it? Andrew daringly eats what few of us would EVER put in our mouths. But his success arrives from a challenging past. While he knew from a young age that he wanted to be in the food industry, his drug and alcohol addictions made him crash and burn. He spiraled out of control, losing his apartment and living on the streets for a year. After his friend intervened, he attended the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota. He began washing dishes at a restaurant as he worked through his sobriety. One day when a line cook didn't show up for his shift, Andrew took over his station and within seven weeks was named Executive Chef. He was responsible for turning the restaurant, Un Deux Trois, into one of America's first successful gastro-bistros. In addition to Bizarre Foods Andrew has a new show debuting in August called Driven by Food, which he'll tell us all about in the interview. In our conversationAndrew also speak openly and honestly about being addicted to WORK and possibly money.  And how to create a deeper personal motivation for working hard and being smart with money. For more information visit www.somoneypodcast.com. 

Neil Scott interviews Jerry Moe, Director of Children’s Programs at the Betty Ford Center and Hazelden Foundation . . . at the 2015 TAAP Conference on Addiction Studies in San Antonio, TX in August 2015

Addiction: The Universal TerroristEpisode #2 of The Coaching Through Chaos Podcast on PriceofBusiness.com had me on the phone with Dr. Harry Haroutunian. Known simply as “Dr. Harry”, he is the Physician Director of The Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California. He is a “rock star” of addiction medicine to the rock stars and anyone else who comes through their doors. This article will cover information regarding the prevalence of addiction problems in the United States, my tour of the Betty Ford Center prior to this interview, information gathered from my interview with Dr. Harry and resources for addiction support.Addiction is a terrorist of the worst kind because it does not discriminate. No one is safe from it and once addiction attacks, recovery and rebuilding from the aftermath can take years. The person affected, and their relationship to themselves and their loved ones, is never the same.SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. The following are some highlights from  the SAMHSA 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health  (published September 2014).In 2013, an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older (12% of the population) were current illicit drug users. Current in this survey means they have used illicit drugs within the past 30 days. Illicit drugs include “marijuana/hashish, cocaine (all forms), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics (pain relievers, stimulants, tranquilizers, sedatives) used non-medically”.Marijuana was the most commonly used drug in 2013. It was used by 80% of the illicit drug users at the time of this survey.The numbers for overall use of illicit drugs have stayed relatively the same over recent years but are slightly higher regarding almost all the illicit drugs from 2005-2009.The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the following statistics:Approximately 30 people die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 51 minutes.The annual cost associated with crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers is $59 billion dollars.Excessive drinking was responsible for 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20-64 years. The economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in 2006 (most recent data reported) were estimated at $223.5 billion.Every day, 44 people in the U.S. die from overdose of prescription painkillers, and many more become addicted.From 2001 to 2013 there was a 2.5-fold increase in the total number of deaths from misuse or overdose of prescription medications.Those are outrageous numbers!  Statistics can be overwhelming, so I won’t fill you up with more. The above were featured to give you a basic frame of reference for how pervasive this problem is.  You can find some links to help you educate yourself further abut the data collected by both the CDC and SAMHSA in the resource section at the end of this article.Prevalence of Addiction Problems in the United StatesMy Tour of Betty Ford Center  Prior to our phone interview, I had the privilege of participating in The Betty Ford Center’s invite-only “Visiting Professionals Day”. The campus is the size of a community college campus and is in a lovely setting behind a larger medical facility. We were accompanied on the tour by program heads and other staff educating us about all the programs The Betty Ford Center has to offer. These include a state-of-the art Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation Program, a Professionals Program, a Residential Rehabilitation Program, Sober Living homes and a summer program to train medical professionals in addiction. In addition they also have a world-famous Family Program and Children’s Program.Yes, the Betty Ford Center also has a Children’s Program.No, this is not for children who are addicted, although through their recent merger with the Hazelden Foundation, treatment programs for adolescents are available.The Children’s Program is for the children of addicts and alcoholics. Children can attend even if their parents are not patients of the Center. It is a 4-day program in which they can get help to unload the burden of the emotions and secrets they carry when they have an addicted family member. The program is designed to help the children adopt a language for their emotions and to help them understand addiction in terms they can understand. Several of the children attend on scholarship. The Center takes pride that “no child has ever been turned down for financial reasons”.My Interview with Dr. Harry As the Physician Director of the Betty Ford Center, Dr. Harry has been a central figure in the development of a variety of programs at Betty Ford Center including the Extended Care Program, the Licensed Professionals Program and the Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation Program. He is an internationally known speaker in the addiction field. He has a Recovery Lecture Series and is the author of “Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through and Living in Recovery” (2013).During the podcast interview, Dr. Harry speaks of the Licensed Professionals Program and the Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation Program (CDEP). The CDEP is one of the most comprehensive assessment programs I have ever heard of. It is designed to determine if a person does in fact have a substance use problem. This is done through a 5 day interview and assessment process with the substance user. In addition to contact with the person in question, they interview pretty much anyone the prospective patient has contact with: friends, relatives, old roommates, etc. (Of course, the prospective patient has given permission for this to happen.)Blood, hair and urine samples are collected and if necessary polygraph testing can also be administered.You may wonder why someone would go through all this. If they are at the doors of the Betty Ford Center don’t they already know they have a problem? Well, sometimes it’s not so clear or they are not seeking treatment of their own volition. For example, they may be a pilot or a medical doctor referred by their employer after receiving a DUI. This Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation can also help a person accept that they do, in fact, have a problem. If it is determined they do not have a problem, appropriate referrals can be made if there are other factors causing the person to appear in need of help (i.e. sometimes a medical condition can cause symptoms which mimic intoxication – disorientation, slurred words, etc.). If a person is diagnosed with a Substance Use Disorder and chooses to stay and accept treatment at Betty Ford Center, the cost of the evaluation is absorbed into the cost of treatment. That can be a helpful fact to know when factoring in the cost of treatment.Recovery ResourcesOf course, you can seek help at Better Ford Center or at one of their affiliated  Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation programs or call 866-831-5700.Dr. Harry’s book: Being Sober: A Step-by-Step guide for Getting To, Getting Through and Living in RecoveryThere are many resources to support patients in recovery or for support when you love someone who is struggling with addiction. The following is just a short list to serve as a launching point.Alcoholics Anonymous : AA is an “international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem”. It is a group of self-supporting people seeking to stop drinking. It is open to anyone of any age, gender, race, or education level.Narcotics Anonymous : NA is the same as AA but it is an option for people seeking to stop using drugs (both street and prescription drugs).SMART Recovery : The mission (from their website) “is to support individuals who have chosen to abstain, or are considering abstinence from any type of addictive behaviors (substances or activities), by teaching how to change self-defeating thinking, emotions, and actions; and to work towards long-term satisfactions and quality of life”.211.org or call 211. 211 is a free, confidential referral and information helpline designed to help connect people to social service resources in their communities. It is available 24/7. They cover all manner of need-based referrals including addiction prevention and rehabilitation services.SOLACE: Surviving Our Loss and Continuing Every Day. This an Ohio-based support program for parents who have lost a child to drug abuse. There appears to be ways to network even if one is not in Ohio. If you are interested in this support forum, I would encourage you to check out their website and reach out to them.National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): This site can be helpful for educating yourself about the prevalence of drug and alcohol problems.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) : This site is great for statistical references on drugs and alcohol as well as governmental sponsored educational materials on the topic.SAMHSA’s National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357): (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) is a confidential, free, 24/7, information service, in English and Spanish. It is for individuals and family members facing mental health and/or substance. This helpline can provide referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.Meth Helpline sponsored by drugfree.org : 1-855-DRUG FREE (1-855-378-4373)This hotline is for parents who have concerns about their kids using meth. It is staffed by licensed social workers who are available from Mon-Fri 10:00AM-6:00PM EST in English & Spanish. They can make referrals to appropriate facilities make appropriate referrals. The website also has links to information sources on meth use and treatment locators.Codependent No More by Melanie Beattie : A classic book for helping those that have typically found themselves in relationships with addicts or alcoholics.Rational Recovery:The New Cure for Substance Addiction: This is yet another self-help model for recovery.  It  offers an aggressive self-help program to take charge of one’s behavior immediately. It is not spiritual or group-based.  It is focused on getting the individual to make changes on their own.If you or a loved one are dealing with an addiction, know that resources are available to help you overcome it. I wish you success in your journey.Disclaimer: Dr. Mullen has not received any compensation from any of the aforementioned resources, the listing of which does not constitute an endorsement. Furthermore, Dr. Mullen cannot be held responsible for information obtained from any of these help lines, websites or support groups.**************************************************If you are enjoying the podcast and want to support it without it costing you a dime, there are 3 ways:Share an episode on your social mediaLeave a gret review wherever you love to listen to your podcastsUse my Amazon Storefront Amazon.com/shop/drColleenMullen When you enter Amazon through my storefront. For every purchase you make for 24 hours, I will get a small portion of that sale. You were paying for it anyway, this way a small % of the sale goes to support your favorite podcast. While you're there, you can check out some of my favorite wellness-supporting products and apps! Enjoy!If you want to interact with Colleen more personally or stay up-to-date on her other podcasts and happenings, you can follow or friend her on:FacebookInstagramTwitterListen to Shrink@Shrink to learn about love and life through the movies every month.Ladies, Look for the upcoming Embrace Your Inner Leader Podcast  The Embrace Your Inner Leader Podcast every month to get empowered and inspired by unique female stories of success!You can buy the book: Stop Bitching, Just Lead! The 60-Day Plan for Embracing Your Inner LeaderIf you want to work with Colleen for personal 1:1 coaching to help you conquer the chaos in your life, just reach out through CoachingThroughChaos.com click on the Contact page.Thanks for listening!

The founding of Alcoholics Anonymous touches everyone—whether familiar with the disease of addiction or not. The experience of the cofounders and their wives speaks to the universal experience of human suffering and the spiritual growth that comes from finding a way through. My special guest, playwright and psychologist Janet Surrey, shares why she and her husband Samuel Shem wrote the powerful play Bill W. and Dr. Bob, and how it touches audiences around the globe with its message that people can indeed change their destiny. Learn about this nonprofit off-Broadway play presented by Hazelden Foundation—with all proceeds donated to fund youth recovery and education efforts—at www.billwanddrbob.com.

William Cope Moyers spiraled into a crack-cocaine binge that threatened to destroy his life. After multiple attempts at rehabilitation, Moyers was finally able to recover from his addiction and make sobriety the center of his life. Moyers discussed his story. Speaker Biography: A former newspaper journalist and writer at CNN, Moyers is the vice president for external affairs at the Hazelden Foundation, a renowned drug-treatment center, and executive director of Hazelden's Center for Public Advocacy.