Surviving Opioids - Beyond an Epidemic

Treating OUD During Pregnancy

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

There’s stigma around people with addictions, there’s more stigma around women with addictions, and there’s maybe none more stigmatized than pregnant women with addictions.

Today’s episode is all about pregnant women with opioid use disorders and some of the considerations for that particular group.

One thing that is a huge liability for an addicted mom raising a child is the nonstop gossip and judgement that they have to deal with it. Culturally no one is as judged as an an addicted mother of a young child. Addicted pregnant women absorb that shame and stigma, both of which are major deterrents to getting good treatment and seeking help so it’s in no way helpful for anyone.

This episode answers some of the basic myths and misinformation around what the research shows is the best for this population. Because with support, encouragement and reassurance, along with good medical care, the woman can have a comfortable, healthy pregnancy, deliver a healthy baby and be a wonderful new mom.

If you enjoy the episode, share it with someone who might like it, and connect on social media for more daily topics.

For individual coaching, contact jeff.simone@12rulesforrecovery.com or schedule online for free 15-min discovery call.

Words Matter : Reviewing the NIDA's new recommendations on language for SUD's.

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 15:00:00 -0400

Words matter.

There’s no question about that – they’re a big driving force of stigma, and it’s always a heated debate when it comes to semantics with these touchy areas.

One of the many challenges is that while the healthcare guidelines move away from words like 'addict,' many popular 12-step fellowships have fully embedded that word into their culture, and a lot people choose to use it as a point of personal pride.

But despite of this, in recent years the culture has been shifting heavily against the use of that word. For example, most dictionaries have replaced all instances of addict used as a noun with “a person addicted to” or a “habitual user of.”

But why would a dictionary change a word that’s been around for centuries? The way we use language evolves—and so do dictionaries. And when it comes to words around addiction, there’s been a lot of evolution in recent years.

Episode 19 discusses the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)'s recent updated guidelines on the language they recommend using and avoiding when talking about substance use disorders.

In this show I'll provide a review of the recommendations, personal perspectives on the topic of language, and of course some relatively unrelated tangents and personal stories that you've come to expect from these episodes :-)

If you enjoy the episode, leave a review, and share it with someone!

Follow on Instagram at Reaction Recovery for daily topics.

John & Jude Trang: Insights from Parents Who Lost a Child to Overdose

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Interview episode #7 is with John and Jude Trang - parents who lost their youngest child, John Leif, to a heroin overdose in 2014 at age 25.

Today John is an independent pharmaceutical researcher and consultant and Jude is a full-time advocate for addiction recovery treatment and author of Opiate Nation : A Memoir of Love, Loss & Acceptance.

This was an incredibly powerful episode and a must-watch for anyone who has lost a loved one to addiction or is currently struggling to know how best to address a loved ones active addiction.

John and Jude describe the early days of John Leif's addiction, they offer insight and guidance for parents who are just becoming aware of a child's addiction, their perspective on the opioid crisis and prevention strategies that we should be pursuing.

Other topics include:

- Impact of Trauma on Addiction
- Genetic Predisposition
- Brain Development in Early Years
- Family Histories of Addiction
- Advice to Parents
- Insights into Why Overdoses Continue to Rise
- Thoughts on Harm-Reduction / MAT Strategies
- Preventative Measure that Can Help
- Addiction Stigma
- Grief Processing
- What People Can Do to Help

You can read more of Jude's writing at OpiateNation.com and follow her on Instagram @judedimegliotrang.

If you enjoy the episode, please give the show a rating and leave a review!

Follow me on Instagram @reactionrecovery for daily topics.

Surviving Opioids Podcast: Show Overview

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0400

What to expect on Surviving Opioids - Beyond an Epidemic Podcast - your one stop shop for everything opioids, addiction, and recovery.

If you enjoy the show, share it, leave a review, and keep the conversation going.

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or check out the website.

Enjoy the show!

Pay to Play? California Discusses Paying People to Stay Sober

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 20:00:00 -0400

A story came out last week about California trying to become the first state to incentivize people financially to stay sober.

Story here

Most people who complete the treatment without any positive urine tests during a set period of time will get a few hundred dollars put on a gift card. The governor calls it “contingency management,” and he wants it to be paid through Medicaid.

The bill already made it through the democratic-lead senate without opposition, and now it’s pending in the assembly.

All told the public cost would depend on the number of people participating, but it’ll be less than 1 million dollars which isn’t much compared to their 250 billion budget.

Since Medicaid would be the organization likely paying for it, what they’re debating in California is whether state law allows something like this to be paid for, and then even if the state itself can change the law, they’ll have to figure out whether or not it violates federal law.

In this episode, I go over some of the details of the bill, give my own perspective on the discussion, and share a few personal stories.

Follow on Instagram at Reaction Recovery for more daily topics, and please share this with a friend if you like the topics.

Introduction to Amino Acid Supplementation for Opioid Addiction

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 22:00:00 -0400

Folks in early recovery don’t necessarily lack the discipline to make and stick to changes, but they usually lack the guidance and direction, and it's hard today with so much information available, all of which will at some point contradict something else you’ve heard.

One of my favorite topics to discuss involves nutritional deficiencies and supplementation, which is the topic for episode 16.

General disclaimer : any time we're talking about supplements, you don’t want to be starting or stopping anything without being in contact with someone qualified who knows your personal history.

Nutrition is a nuanced topic - there’s no one size fits all, but there are enough basic patterns that come up to speak broadly on the topic then you can tailor fit that to your own case.

Disclaimer #2 : There are certain psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder that are extremely sensitive to any changes in lifestyle or nutrition, and it’s hard enough getting someone stabilized on psychotropic medications that I’m always very careful to remind someone with this diagnosis not to run out and haphazardly start taking something that you hear me or anyone else talking about.

So that being said - this episode is introducing you to the topic of amino acid (and other dietary) supplementation as it can be applied to recovery from opioid dependency.

When you discontinue the use of opiates, the abnormal biochemical balances that you had been getting artificially once again become unbalanced.

So the nutritional targeting that we're talking about here is attempting to quickly give the brain those necessary building blocks to start producing your own neuro transmitters at a normal level.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave a rating, share it with someone who could benefit from the information, and reach out on Instagram at ReactionRecovery.

Jen Wylde : How a Rock Radio Personality Finally Found Sobriety

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0400

In this sixth interview episode of Surviving Opioids, I talk to Jen Wylde, host of the Sober Exposure podcast.

Jen is a national rock radio personality who struggled with addiction throughout her entire life. She fell into a career filled with sex drugs and rock n roll and after years of trying to get sober, finally had enough when she overdosed in 2018 in front of her son. She's now three years sober, works in the treatment industry and carries the message of recovery to anyone in need.

This episode is packed full of great topics. Jen and I talk about her story, what it was like growing up idolizing rock stars and that lifestyle, how alcoholism can spiral out of control, what it takes to finally get sober, 12-step fellowships, how to stay fit in your 50s, Reiki crystals, and a lot more!!

Follow Jen on Instagram at soberexposure_podcast or check out her show on Spotify or iTunes.

You can also watch the full video of this episode on YouTube.

Follow me on Instagram at ReactionRecovery for more daily content.

If you enjoyed the episode, leave an iTunes review or share it with a friend!

Methadone vs Suboxone : Similarities and Differences Between the Two Treatments

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 10:00:00 -0400

The two most common medication-assisted treatment (MAT) strategies for OUD are Methadone and Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone). Nearly everyone has some familiarity with the two, but there remains a lot of misinformation regarding treatment.

In this episode, I discuss the pharmacology of opioid replacement medications - how they work/ why they work, etc. - and review some of the similarities and differences between these two treatment options.

Follow along on Instagram @reactionrecovery for daily topics. If you've decided to taper off one of these products and are looking for a personal coach to help ease the transition back to full abstinence, schedule a free discovery call at reactionrecovery.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Navigating Addictions Within the Home - Part II

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:00:00 -0400

Second of a 2-part series discussing some of the common dynamics involving interactions with loved ones who are actively addicted and some considerations to increase the likelihood of being helpful and avoiding accidental harm.

A basic summary of the last talk is:

1) It can be a challenge dealing with someone in active addiction who doesn’t seem to have the willingness to change, and

2) If you understand that this person has good reasons for choosing this particular method of self-soothing, it makes it easier to stay in a state of compassionate inquiry because you’ll be less likely to get angry and take things personally.

During this second part, I go into more common situations that come up when dealing with actively addicted people, how the hypersensitivity to rejection impacts interactions with healthcare staff, my perspective on Al-anon, specific books that help us to not take things personally , and why "compassion fatigue" might not be what we think it is.

Please share the episode with anyone you think might benefit from it, and I'd love to connect on Instagram @Reactionrecovery.

www.reactionrecovery.com to schedule a discovery call.

Navigating Addictions Within the Home - Part I

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 21:00:00 -0400

Addiction is a family condition. It doesn’t happen in a vacuum, we don’t recover from it in a vacuum, so the more we can better educate and assist the people who are the closest to the addiction - i.e. the more people that understand the dynamics of what's actually happening - the better chance the addicted person has at eventually finding sustainable recovery.

Dealing with loved ones/ family members/friends with addictions is incredibly challenging. There are a lot of dynamics at play. It can be frustrating and emotionally painful

Episode 12 is the first of a 2-part series about navigating some of the emotional challenges of living with and trying to help a close loved one who's suffering with an active addiction and some of the common pitfalls people fall into that tend to inadvertently worsen the situation.

Part 2 of the series should be released early next week.

Follow along at Reaction Recovery on Instagram to keep the conversation going.

How Endorphin Activity Influences Opioid Addiction and Considerations for Recovery

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 11:00:00 -0400

This episode is about the biology of the endorphin system (the body's natural opioid system) and how early life dysregulation of this system becomes a major risk factor for later life

Endorphins – which are the love and attachment chemicals – need to be considered if we want to start feeling better once an opioid dependency is ended and those outside opioids (e.g. heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, etc. ) are removed and taken out of the picture

We'll be talking about the opioid apparatus (or endogenously, the endorphin apparatus.. which is what our natural system is called) – one of the most pivotal motivating and life organizing systems in the mammalian body.

And just like attachment is the drive for physical and emotional closeness with other people, and attachment is directly wrapped up with endorphin activity, I’m proposing here that opioid addictions are all born out of deep attachment wounds, and that wound is exactly what the opioid is treating.

When I'm working 1 on 1 with a client who is recovering from an opioid addiction or who is tapering off a long-acting opioid replacement medication, I am making recommendations and providing guidance while considering how the endorphin system is functioning at the current moment.

All guidance and recommendations need to consider the individual and their unique situation, Very little guidance she be broadly applied to everyone.

For more daily content, follow me @reactionrecovery on Instagram.

Mike Govoni: Somatic Experiencing | Trauma Healing | Recovery Coaching

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Episode 10 is an interview with the Integrative Recovery and trauma-informed Health and Wellness Coach, Mike Govoni.

Mike developed an opioid addiction at a young age, was introduced to recovery and has now been fully abstinent for 16 years.

Like so many others, Mike's journey into sobriety was met with a lot of difficulties of its own, and it wasn't until experiencing deep suffering years after ending the addiction that he was forced to confront and heal the traumas that were the original driving force of the pain and addictive behaviors.

Today Mike is passionate about helping people in recovery experience greater healing and transformation. His work includes but is not limited to working with people with severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, bi-polar and other common diagnoses co-occurring with substance abuse. He sees through the lens of trauma and believes helping people create a feeling of safety and connection within their own body is essential to becoming well and achieve long term recovery.

Mike believes in addressing the whole person, not only to achieve greater freedom and abstinence from substances and harmful habits, but to empower clients with tools and resources to meet everyday life with more inner resilience, presence, and ease. Mike brings empathy and compassion to his coaching and companion work and builds mutual respect and trust with his clients.

For more on Mike, visit mikegovoni.com or follow on Instagram @mikegovoni.

Interpreting The Polyvagal Theory and How Safety Impacts Addiction Recovery - Part III

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Part 3 of a 3-part series about how the physiological feeling of safety and hypervigilance impacts the prognosis of addiction recovery.

This episode concludes the discussion about Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory and gives an interpretation of how this current research relates to opioid addiction.

I hope this series was helpful. Ensuring that clients, friends, or whoever I'm working with feel safe is the foundation for everything that I do, and it's always at the front of my mind.

If you’re a practitioner or clinician of any stripe or coach or mentor or sponsor or friend, and you want one sentence, one mantra to repeat in your head as you’re trying to help, let it be this:

"Is what I’m doing right now adding to a feeling of safety?"

If yes, continue down that path, and if no, make some adjustments.

A lot of us have been conditioned by the culture to believe that the only way for an addicted person to fully recover is to receive a lot of aggressive, "tough love."

In this episode, I offer my own theory for why that belief has lingered on in the treatment of addictions long after it's been largely proven ineffective.

Follow on Instagram @reactionrecovery for more daily topics.

Please leave a review and a comment if you're enjoying the content.

Interpreting the Polyvagal Theory and How Safety Impacts Addiction Recovery: Part II

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Whether we’re recovering ourselves and trying to carry a message, dealing with a family member or friend, working in the treatment industry, the one thing that everyone wants to do is to help.

And the only way that we can help evoke an actual change - that is something beyond forceful intervention, coerced treatment, or incarceration - is through safety.

If the person does not feel safe with us, we can't help them.

That’s all there is to it.

Once we can digest and process that fact, the blame shifts away from the addicted person themselves, and now we can look at the situation with compassion and intrigue and wonder “what is it that I could be doing that will help this person feel safe?"

That’s the question we’re asking.

That’s the first question.

* Follow on IG at ReactionRecovery and check out Dr. Stephen Porges' 'Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory' for more about safety, trauma, and the interplay with addiction treatment.

Interpreting The Polyvagal Theory and How Safety Impacts Addiction Recovery - Part I

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 14:00:00 -0400

In this first of 2-part series, I discuss Dr. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory and how it relates to addiction recovery:

If we are feeling safe, our entire internal physiology shifts away from stress and towards calmness, and where there is calmness, healing can happen. With a constantly dysregulated internal environment, healing won't happen.

And even if someone manages to white knuckle some consecutive abstinence time, if their body doesn’t eventually shift over into a state of safety, it’s only a matter of time before that level of distress will start to demand that the dis-ease be treated.

This idea of safety as it relates to the prognosis of healing from trauma is one of the most important points to understand when it comes to analyzing appropriate settings for the successful treatment of addictive disorders.

And the concept was largely born out of Dr. Stephen Porges’ work in 1995 when he first coined the phrase ‘Polyvagal Theory.’

The polyvagal theory has been hugely studied and expanded upon in the past 25 years and was the first piece of scientific inquiry that provided the vehicle for explaining the importance of physiological state as an intervening variable that influences behavior and our ability to interact with people.

The ability to feel safe in a therapeutic setting – whatever that might be – a counselor’s office, a rehab, a hospital, a 12-step meeting, coaching session - is entirely dependent upon us having a feeling of safety.

If you enjoy the content, please leave a review and comment and follow me at Reaction Recovery on IG for related topics.

The Role of Vivitrol (IM Naltrexone) in the Treatment of OUD

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 20:00:00 -0400

The three primary Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) options for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) are methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.

The first two are considered opioid agonist replacements, while the third (naltrexone) is an opioid antagonist, which mechanistically means that it performs entirely different than the others.

Taking medication to transition away from your opioid of choice into a life of recovery is a proven and effective method of treatment. Despite this it remains a very contentious area of addiction treatment. No medication is going to be a cure-all, of course, but at the right time, in the right place, and under the right supervision, they can be quite significant.

Naltrexone is not an opioid - it's a blocker. Before you start, you need to be fully detoxed, and unlike methadone and buprenorphine, naltrexone does not keep you physically dependent on opioids.

In this episode, I give an overview of some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings around Vivitrol (the once monthly intramuscular injection of naltrexone). Personally, I believe Vivitrol is one of the most underrated and underused available medications for the prevention of relapse and overdose in the first year following a successful detoxification.

Personally, I was on this medication for about half a year, and there's no question it helped me through those first few months.

If you have any questions about this or other topics related to opioid addiction, please reach out on www.reactionrecovery.com or shoot me a DM on Instagram at Reaction Recovery.

How DLPA Can Help with Opioid Withdrawal

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:00:00 -0400

If you're newly recovering from an opioid dependency, your endorphin-regulating system is out of whack 🙁⁣
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In fact, it was likely out of whack before the addiction. ⁣
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A dysregulated endorphin system will have you feeling very uncomfortable. You might be able to will-power your way through a few months of abstinence, but unless you start regenerating what's missing, most people eventually drift back to the one thing that can be relied upon : ⁣
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More opiates. ⁣
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You can call it post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) - which is the period of time after the acute detox ends (you're not physically sick anymore), but the endorphins take months (and sometimes years) to rebound from the 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝗼𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, and that's to say nothing of the underlying deficiencies that led you to seek out those drugs in the first place. ⁣
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There are lots of natural interventions to spark endorphin production - exercise, meditation, massage, laughter, singing, etc. 🎶🏃‍♀️💆🏽‍♂️⁣
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In terms of dietary supplements, DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA) is an amino acid combination of the two amino acids : L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. ⁣
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They work together and are two of the most natural and potent anti-depressant pain relievers we know of. They directly raise energy and decrease depression by providing the raw materials needed to make more of the deficient neurotransmitters.⁣
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Adding DLPA to an established diet or supplement regimen that includes the full spectrum of B-vitamins, Vit C, Vit D, Magnesium and Omega-3 fats could work wonders to help rebuild a deficient endorphin supply. ⁣
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💊 A typical initial DLPA dosage might be 500mg 3 times daily (~ 8AM, 11AM, 2PM). ⁣
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Like other amino acids supplements, don't take DLPA if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure.⁣
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If you take prescription anti-depressant, anti-psychotic, or neuroleptic medications, ask a practitioner before adding supplemental amino acids. ⁣
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Follow on Instagram at Reaction Recovery for daily content.

How Does Ego-Fatigue Affect Addictions?

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0400

Have you ever heard an old-timer tell a newcomer, "Just don't drink!"

Makes plenty of sense on the surface, and it's a tough line to argue. After all if you're trying to stay away from something, "just not doing it" seems like a reasonable suggestion.

But what's built into that line is the assumption that simply forcing abstinence onto a situation for long enough will somehow cure the person of whatever intolerable distress they're going through.

'Ego-fatigue' is a concept that's been studied by clinical psychologists for the past twenty years. It's also referred to as 'ego-depletion' or 'self-control depletion.'

It's the idea that exertion of mental effort eventually impairs performance in a specific area due to a type of neurological wearing down that's identifiable and measurable on an fMRI scan.

To summarize the neuroscience, the connections between the emotional areas of the brain (e.g. amygdala) and an area controlling self-control (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) start to fade and go off-line as more and more mental effort is applied to a situation.

Which is to say that the more intensely we use our "will-power" to abstain from a particular thing, the more likely we will be to eventually relapse back onto that behavior.

It's a very interesting topic, and I encourage you to research it yourself to understand more.

Telling someone to "just don't use no matter what" without encouraging the actions and behaviors that will eventually make that behavior become less of a necessity isn't helpful.

Clip Notes:

0:00 - 6:00 - Introduction to New Show Format
6:00 - 10:00 - Overview of Ego-Fatigue
10:00 - 20:00 - How This Impacts Addiction

Follow Dr. Simone on Instagram at ReactionRecovery.

The effect of ego depletion or mental fatigue on subsequent physical endurance performance: A meta-analysis

Robert White : Heroin Addiction | Incarceration | Spirituality | Redemption

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 16:00:00 -0400

In episode 03 Jeff interview Robert White, owner of Any Length Retreat in Flugerville, TX.

Out of gratitude for his own recovery from addiction, Robert and his family founded Any Length Retreat in 2012 to help addicted men and their families find lifelong recovery through community support and the application of the 12 Steps.

Robert can empathize with the hopelessness one feels in active addiction. He took his first drink at age 12, and his alcohol abuse eventually led him to illicit drugs, such as heroin. After many failed attempts at recovery in various treatment centers, he pleaded guilty to a drug-related criminal charge and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. By the grace of God, Robert found his Higher Power while incarcerated, giving him a renewed sense of freedom through the 12 Steps.

His purpose in life, he realized, was to help other men emerge from the darkness and insanity of their own addictions. Robert’s personal values of community, family, compassion, and love are the founding principles of Any Length Retreat, and these qualities are clearly visible in the treatment practices at the facility:

“My goal was to establish a family-like environment, where guests are free to be themselves, to heal and recover in the comfort of a loving home. This is not shame-based recovery; this is love and hope. There are no ‘patients’ at The Retreat. We are a family.”

Follow Any Length Retreat on Instagram.

Follow Reaction Recovery on Instagram.

Jen Elizabeth: Childhood Trauma | Social Activism | Harm Reduction

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Episode 2 of Surviving Opioids is packed full of incredible perspectives from one of the realest, rawest, and honest voices in the addiction recovery community.

Jen Elizabeth is a writer, speaker, trauma educator, Harm Reduction Specialist with The Sidewalk Project, and the founder of Resurrektion of Me, a community for people healing from trauma and addiction. She is the author of the book, “Shape of a Woman.” And host of the “Sober Mom Squad.” As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, familial abuse, addiction, the prison system, and spending the majority of her adult life experiencing houselessness, she has taken her power back and dedicated herself to supporting others as they heal from trauma.

Her incredible story and triumphant recovery has been shared worldwide in publications including The Mirror, LAD Bible, The Sun, and The Daily Mail. She is a mother to two incredible children and lives in beautiful Southern California.

Jen is active on Instagram @resurrektion_of_me.

Follow Jeff Simone @reactionrecovery

Yeshaia Blakeney: Addiction Treatment in the Age of Covid and Beyond

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Episode 1 of Surviving Opioids - Beyond an Epidemic Podcast. Here we talk about the opioid crisis as it looks at the ground level. We talk with folks who research opioid addiction, work in the therapeutic setting, have personal experience with loved ones, or who are themselves thriving on the other side of the chaos.

On today's first episode I talk with Yeshaia Blakeney.

Yeshaia is co-founder and co-CEO of Recover Integrity. He's an addiction expert with 17 years experience working in substance abuse and mental health. Sober since age 21, Yeshaia has a deep understanding of the youth addiction and recovery process, and works well with people for whom 12-step programs have been ineffective or are looking for an unorthodox approach. Aware that lasting recovery has a spiritual dimension, Yeshaia helps addicted people build a customized path toward healing that best fits their personal senses of identity.

You can follow Yeshaia on Instagram or check out Recover Integrity online.