Talk Recovery Radio

Guest 1 - Author Eric McCoy Eric McCoy, who is working to give a voice to those that have died from a drug overdose and advocating for those still suffering by sharing his story of pain and how he was able to use his suffering to achieve a success he never imagined. He is a certified counselor who has been working in the substance abuse industry for about sixteen years and has acquired an ability to reach people by his unique tactics that doesn't fall in the normal scope of treatment. He is a six time convicted felon who was facing fifteen years in prison in 2001 which is where he has impressed upon a conviction that, "no matter where you have been or what you have done, you can do anything you want if you are willing to fight for it." Pain, Failure and Misery are the Stepping Stones to Success is a story of triumph that only pain and misery could bring. It is a story of hope that is offered for our youth, our family and friends who are suffering from chemical dependency, for those who have lost loved ones as

Guest 1- Daniel Snyder from We All Play A R.O.L.E. Daniel is a project & peer coordinator for the Langley Community Action Table and Overdose Response Project.  He is a passionate public speaker who shares his story of addiction & recovery, advocates for drug policy change, and a greater understanding and compassion for those who use substances and suffer from addiction. “We all Play a Role” is looking to partner with local businesses in Langley City & township that are interested in hosting a presentation on the overdose crisis at their place of business.  These presentations are designed for employers and their employees to engage in a conversation about the risk of overdose, our attitudes towards drugs & the people who use them, and how we might all play a ROLE in mitigating the overdose crisis… “we all play a ROLE” is an acronym for “Responding to Overdose in Langley through education” In April 2016, for the first time in BC, a provincial health officer (Health Minister Terry Lake) declare

Amy Dresner- author of My Fair Junkie: A Memoir of Getting Dirty and Staying Clean. Amy Dresner is a journalist, author, and former comedian as well as a recovering addict. She was a regular columnist for the addiction/recovery magazine theFix.com since 2012  and has freelanced for Addiction.com, Psychology Today, Vice and many other publications.  She’s now a regular contributor to WorkitHealth.com. Dresner has appeared on the television show The Doctors and on numerous radio shows and podcasts, including Dr. Drew, Dopey and Rich Roll. She does regular speaking engagements around the U.S.  She is the co-host to Joe Schrank of the new Rehab Confidential Podcast. Amy wrote her book, My Fair Junkie: A Memoir of Getting Dirty and Staying Clean, in 2017. In her memoir, Amy describes growing up in Beverly Hills and having it all: a top-notch private school education, the most expensive summer camps and even a weekly clothing allowance. At the age of 24 she began experimenting with meth in San Francisco and unleash

In the summer of 2014 Chris bicycled across Canada from Victoria, BC to St. Johns, Newfoundland. With a group of young filmmakers they created a documentary title Inspire about the Canadian prescription drug epidemic, revealing just how much this issue has affected us. When Chris was a teenager, his father was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, a neuro-degenerative illness that his grandmother also had. After the diagnosis his father turned to alcohol to ease his pain and fear of what the disease would do to him. As Huntington’s disease is hereditary, Chris has a 50% chance of being diagnosed with it one day. After watching his grandmother break down, he remembers hearing his father say that he would never let himself get to the state his grandmother did if he was ever diagnosed. As Chris’ father’s disease progressed he fell further into the depths of addiction, ultimately committing suicide in a motel room. This is when Chris began to self medicate and his life fell apart. He started by using a couple Perc

Love, The Drug: From the Trap of Addiction to the Freedom of Recovery - Addiction Book written by Dr. Hajela, Paige Abbot and Sue Newton Love, the Drug: From the Trap of Addiction to the Freedom of Recovery, is the third book following Addiction is Addiction (2015) and Addiction is Addiction Workbook (2018). Viewed from the perspective of Addiction as a primary, chronic brain disease that impacts all parts of a person’s life These are part of the obsessive, compulsive disease of Addiction, in addition to Addiction involving substances and problem behaviours. People who are in difficult relationships involving unhealthy behaviours such as control, manipulation, sex and lust, jealousy, or abuse may struggle when it comes to establishing boundaries and/or letting go of the relationship. Love, the Drug explores the symptoms and signs of Addiction in the realm of relationships and the components of healthy recovery. People who acknowledge having Addiction issues; people who are in a relationship with someone with

Former model and actress, Dona Speir, speaks with Talk Recovery Radio about her story of recovery. Once upon a time, Dona Speir had a very successful modeling career, including being a Playboy centerfold. She made numerous television appearances and acted in countless films. Although her early life was filled with success her story really starts in 1987 at age 23, when she got clean and sober. After conquering her own addiction, she dedicated her life to helping others. Dona wrote The Naked Truth: The Fall and Rise of Dona Speir, a captivating memoir that takes you from the depths of child abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, being preyed upon by sexually deviant men like Bill Cosby, to the world of international modeling, being a Playboy Centerfold photographed by the world-famous Arny Freytag to be the star of seven Andy Sidaris action adventure films. This is just the beginning of Dona's journey to recovery. This account of her survival is a provocative, powerful blueprint of how to not just survive, but rec

Suzanne Thistle is a professor of Health and Human Performance at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire - Author of Chem-Free Sobriety: 101 Trailblazers share wisdom and insight about their natural recovery from substance use disorders Chem-Free Sobriety looks at 101 people in recovery with 1-49 years sober. They share their experiences of living life in the depths of addiction to living beautiful lives in recovery. The stories that comprise this book answer some important questions like: When did you start drinking or using drugs, and how did it progress? Looking back, when do you think it was mostly out of control? How are you able to not drink or use daily? What is your thought about medication-assisted treatment? Is there anything you want those struggling with addiction to know? What do you want lawmakers to know? Combining Suzanne Thistle's 20 years of professional knowledge and 101 people with lived experience, Chem-Free Sobriety gives a practical approach to recovery from alcohol and drug use dis

Guest 1  SARA SOMERS, author of the book, “Saving Sara,” suffered from food addiction from age nine to age fifty-eight; she has been in food recovery since 2005. In a double life of sorts, Somers worked as a licensed psychotherapist in the San Francisco Bay Area for thirty-four years. After finding recovery, Somers moved to Paris, France, where she currently lives. She writes a blog called Out My Window: My Life in Paris. When she’s not writing, Somers volunteers at the American Library in Paris, enjoys the cinema, reads prolifically, and follows her favorite baseball team, the Oakland Athletics. Most importantly, Somers devotes time each day to getting the word out about food addiction and helping other food addicts. “Saving Sara” is her first book. It is an intimate memoir about her food addiction beginning in childhood and progressing throughout her adulthood. As her addiction progressed in young adulthood, she become isolated, masking her shame and self-hatred with drugs and alcohol. Time and again, she r

Guest 1  Mike Diamond Television Personality, Director, Life Coach, and Interventionist. Known for his work on the hit TV shows NY Ink and Bondi Ink Tattoo Crew and author of the 7 Steps to an Unbreakable Mindset Originally from Perth, Western Australia, Mike got off to a bit of a rough start. Battling undiagnosed dyslexia, he started using drugs and alcohol at age 12. At age 16, he was expelled for Aquinas College and finished at Melville H.S. Immediately after graduation, Mike moved to Sydney and enrolled at the Actors Center. He got a job at a local clothing store which, unbeknownst to him at the time, would change his life forever. Lady Luck was on Mike’s side when a customer at the store handed him a Green Card Lottery ticket. More info https://themikediamond.com/ and tune into the show. Guest two Dr. Nancy Campbell OD: Naloxone and the Politics of Overdose For years, drug overdose was unmentionable in polite society. OD was understood to be something that took place in dark alleys—an ugly death awaiting

Guest 1 – Thrive in Recovery Amy Guerrero is a sober coach and is in recovery herself. Recovery Life coaching will provide you with the safe environment and support to build the sober life you got sober to live and the fulfilling relationships you desire. Thrive in Recovery is a one of its kind program for people just like you that have made the decision to abstain from behaviors that don’t serve you or the people you love. Maybe deep within you want more and you feel a little fear or make yourself wrong for being “ungrateful” for all that you already have? You want to feel more comfortable in your own skin. You wake up and think to yourself this is going to be the day! And a month goes by and nothing changes. It is not your fault, it is not your “character defects” you just never learned the skills or received the support to have the relationships you really want, right? With highly supportive, personal life coaching you will learn how to trust yourself. One day at a time you will feel more confident because

The Bubble Hour podcast is co-hosted by Jean McCarthy, a sober woman dedicated to breaking down the walls of stigma and denial surrounding the disease of alcoholism. Alcoholism effects more than 50% of adults, either directly or indirectly, and yet it remains a "taboo" topic and is still mostly misunderstood by the majority of people (even those effected by alcoholism and their loved ones). The Bubble Hour seeks to inform, educate and help people identify with the stories they hear, the conversations and interviews with people who are just like they are, and let people know they aren't alone. Nobody can take the first tentative steps towards sobriety without first getting past denial, but even once they are past denial the stigma surrounding alcoholism is so strong that people are ­reluctant to seek help. The Bubble Hour would like to change that stigma. Jean recovers out loud. Jean and the vibrant community of sober people who join her here offer information, community, empathy and understanding. They are so

Guest 1 Raising the Bottom Lisa Boucher is the author of Raising the Bottom: Making Mindful Choices in a Drinking Culture, an award-winning book that won the 2017 Best Book Awards in the category of women’s health and placed as a finalist in the category of addiction/recovery. She is also a speaker. After short stints where she trained polo horses, worked as a flight attendant, hairdresser, and bartender, she realized that the time to implement serious change had arrived. She gave up drinking, revamped her life and settled in as a registered nurse where living a life in recovery became her way. For the past twenty-eight years, Lisa has worked with hundreds of women to overcome alcoholism, live better lives and become better parents. She was prompted to write Raising the Bottom when after twenty-four years of working in hospitals, she realized that doctors and traditional health care offer few solutions to women with addiction issues. She is dedicated to not only help women recover from alcoholism, but has ext

Reducing Barriers to Addiction Recovery & Personal Guest 1- Shalu Sharma-Bhumrah of UpLyft Wellness & Counseling LTD Shalu has spent years working on the front lines until she decided it was time to be more and do more for her community. Over the years she started off as an at-risk youth worker and transitioned into working with at risk vulnerable and marginalized youth. As she completed higher studies she began to focus her work for those primarily involved in the criminal justice system in advocacy and then through counseling. She has also done a great deal of work among the special needs community as well- focusing on behavioral development, predominantly with adults. Currently, she is back in school working on her psychiatric nursing degree as she would like to take on new challenges, by working on a therapeutic medical level with vulnerable and or marginalized population. She opened her clinic, UpLyft Wellness & Counseling Ltd where they focus on not being a barrier in order to access mental

Guest 1 - Author Diana Reyers "Daring to Share: Trauma to Recovery" This Book introduces 6 women who found the courage to share impactful accounts of survival by describing degrees of resilience most cannot imagine committing to. Diana discovered that the tools of conversation are key elements within the human connection. She sought and found them through Tana Heminsley, CEO of Authentic Leadership Global in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over tea, during her first meeting with Tana, Diana had a deep knowing she was about to begin her Authentic Road Trip towards leading a truly authentic life. Diana became a Certified Authentic Leadership Program Facilitator and discovered her daily intention of supporting others by showing up in the world as her best self, consciously making decisions, big or small, in line with her values and beliefs while practising emotional and social intelligence. She, consciously, became a Mindful Mentor with the understanding that showing up within her Truth is the key to connecting to

Guest 1 - Matt Johnston, First Responder Health Overcoming Mental Health and Addiction for First Responders Matt Johnston is a full-time professional firefighter and mental health clinician based in the Metro Vancouver area. In 2018, Matt co-founded First Responder Health Services, a company dedicated to closing the gap between mental healthcare and public safety organizations. Utilizing customized apps built specifically for public safety personnel, First Responder Health Services offers online counselling, annual wellness programs and psychoeducational e-learning services to organizations. The overall goal of First Responder Health Services is to foster inclusive access to competent upstream mental healthcare providers for all public safety groups across Canada. Recently, Matt’s efforts garnered national attention as he was the only individual appointed from Western Canada to Tiger Team 3; a committee in charge of implementing Bill C-211 - the Legislative Framework for PTSD in Canada. Matt is proud to be pa

Guest One What Made My Family Ill? Author Sarah MacVicar explores what mental health professionals are increasingly coming to describe as Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). As the youngest in a farming family of ten children, Sarah intuitively sensed all was not right during her childhood. In a busy family where there was little nurturing, affection, praise or support, she neither understood her fears nor had she any awareness or help in learning how to allay them. Despite a strong work ethic and a thriving career throughout her adult years she experienced difficulties with interpersonal relationships and addiction and found herself struggling to maintain a façade of normalcy despite the turbulence inside. This is a story that will touch all of us who have struggled with our self-worth, perhaps fallen into addiction and wondered if there isn’t indeed more to life than what we are experiencing. Join us for a talk about addiction, mental health and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) G

Brandon rose to fame at a young age as a professional skateboarder with the renowned Powell-Peralta team. Discovered by Tony Hawk, he was the first pro skater to ever be endorsed by Gatorade, starring in commercials alongside Michael Jordan at just 15 years old. He travelled the world with Bucky Lasek and Bam Margera, and later went on to star in the hit MTV Shows Viva La Bam and Bam’s Unholy Union. As part of the infamous Jackass crew, Brandon appeared in the motion series box office hits with the mischievous pranksters and was catapulted to super stardom. It seemed he had it all. Brandon’s story, however, took a dark turn, leading him to the depths of despair as a result of an addiction to heroin. Once a multi-millionaire, Brandon lost everything, eventually finding himself homeless on the streets of Baltimore. He was deemed unfixable and even his mother lost hope; she had purchased a cemetery plot for Brandon, as she was sure he would die. Now with more than three years sober, Brandon has risen from the as

Todd Crandell joins Talk Recovery to discuss Racing For Recovery. What is Racing for Recovery? HOLISTIC APPROACH. PREVENTION THROUGH HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROMOTION Racing for Recovery isn’t just another rehab program. We are a comprehensive healing and prevention center focused on treatment, support, education, wellness, and community. Our mission is to prevent all forms of substance abuse by promoting a lifestyle of fitness and health for all those affected by addiction. People on the road to recovery, as well as their family members, are welcome to participate in our center’s comprehensive offerings. Learn more about our services by reading through our website and watching our videos. If you’re ready to break the addiction cycle and lead a lifestyle of recovery, we’re right there with you. Guest 2 Kimberly Masters Kimberly joins us again to discuss staying connected to recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How the Wisdom of 12-Step Programs Can Help Get Us Through Quarantine Listen and Get Tips on Mental Wellness this Thursday! The primary purpose of the 12 Steps are to overcome addictions, right?  Well yes and no.  The key is to understand that 12-Step programs are designed to promote emotional well-being, not just physical sobriety. Seven tips to get through this Pandemic Letting go of control Patience Keeping the focus on oneself Trust Living in the present Social connections Service to others And also BE GENTLE Join us every week for Talk Recovery Radio, we interview Dr. Scott T Allison who has written a guide on how to get through our COVID-19 quarantine with the help of the 12 Steps.

About Face: Essays on Addictions, Recovery, Therapies, and Controversies. Topic: Douglas Gosse is a professor at Nipissing University and an award winning researcher. Dr. Gosse received the Nipissing University Research Achievement Award, and a Gold Volunteer Service Award from the Historica Foundation. The Governor-General of Canada has recognized him for teaching excellence. Douglas Gosse was the editor of About Face: Essays on Addictions, Recovery, Therapies, and Controversies. It seeks to broaden the conversation around addiction in Canada. Featuring essays by a diverse group of writers, About Face delves into the major categories of addiction: drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, video games, gambling, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders. With stories by those suffering from addictions, experts in the field, and service providers, this anthology is a far-reaching intervention into one of our country’s most rapidly expanding social problems. Dr. Gosse’s areas of expertise are: Curriculum theory and develop