The Addicted Mind Podcast

• Freeing the Mind: Non-Judgmental Strategies to Talk to Teens About Drugs and Mental Health with Dr. Meena Mirhom and Jasmine Kenney

  This episode of the Addicted Minds podcast features a critical discussion on the escalating crisis of teen addiction and mental health, highlighting the vital work of the Free Mind Campaign. Host Duane Osterlind speaks with Jasmine Kenney from the CDC's Division of Overdose Prevention and Dr. Meena Mirhom from Athletes for Hope, who detail the necessity of addressing substance misuse among young people aged 12 to 17. The guests explain that mental health struggles—fueled by social pressures, bullying, and social media—often lead teens to self-medicate with increasingly potent and accessible substances, including highly concentrated cannabis, illegal vapes, and fentanyl-laced drugs. The conversation stresses the need for non-judgmental support from trusted adults and peers to break the cycle of shame and isolation.The guests showcase the innovative approaches used by the Free Mind Campaign and Athletes for Hope to reach youth. Jasmine Kenney outlines the CDC's mobile-friendly resources for parents, like conversation cards and an interactive graphic novel for teens, designed to facilitate dialogue and education. Dr. Mirhom explains how partnering with celebrity athletes provides powerful role models who use their platforms to talk openly about mental health and healthy coping strategies, demonstrating to young people that "it's okay to not be okay" and that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Ultimately, the discussion emphasizes that hope and effective mental health treatment are available to help youth navigate these challenges and build a supportive ecosystem across their communities.Key Discussion PointsThe Problem: Addiction and overdose deaths are at an epidemic level among young people.Real-World Impact: Dr. Mirhom shares firsthand accounts of seeing individuals struggling with substance use in communities near where they were holding discussions with middle schoolers, highlighting that this is not an abstract issue for teens.Accessibility: Substances, some similar in compound to heroin, are readily accessible—sometimes even at local delis—to young people, with some as young as 11 being asked to carry drugs.🧠 The Free Mind Campaign (CDC)Objective: The campaign addresses substance use and mental health issues among teens aged 12 to 17.Strategy: Provide non-judgmental resources to facilitate conversations:Teens talking to parents/caregivers.Parents/caregivers talking to teens.Teens talking to friends/peers.Core Issue: Research found that mental health is a major underlying issue, with teens often turning to drugs to cope with pressures from social media, bullying, and mental health struggles.Resources for Parents/Caregivers:Conversation starters for parents.A mobile-friendly card game to guide discussions (starting with mental health, moving to substance use, and ending with open-ended questions).Fact sheets to ensure parents are knowledgeable.🤝 Partnering with Athletes for HopeThe Power of Role Models: Dr. Mirhom emphasizes the profound impact of having star athletes and Olympians share their stories. Hearing from an admired figure about the importance of "keeping my mind free" resonates more strongly with teens than simply being told drugs are bad.Modeling Coping Skills: Athletes demonstrate healthy coping mechanisms, encouraging youth to adopt those strategies rather than self-medication.Support Ecosystem: The campaign aims to create a supportive environment involving peers, parents, and coaches. Athletes for Hope is developing resources for coaches on how to talk about these issues, recognizing that coaches are often the first trusted adult a young person turns to.🧪 Substance Use Trends and ConcernsHighly Potent Substances: Fentanyl, even in micro-amounts, can be deadly and is often laced in other substances.Cannabis Use: Cannabis Use Disorder is increasingly the number one misused substance over alcohol among young people.Concerns include the high potency and risks of psychosis, increased anxiety, and depression.Studies suggest chronic use may lower IQ in developing brains.Vaping and New Trends: The market is flooded with illegal vapes specifically marketed toward teens (looking like video games, flavored like bubble gum). There's also a rise of addictive substances that appear to be harmless, referred to as "gas station heroin."💡 The Messaging and HopeNon-Judgmental Approach: The conversation starts by acknowledging the pain that leads to substance use ("there's a wound that's being addressed") and validating the teen's experience, making the adult an ally.Treatment Works: Dr. Mirhom stressed the importance of knowing that mental health treatment is very effective and that hope is concrete and available.Key Takeaway for Teens/Parents:Jasmine Kenney: "It's okay to not be okay. Reach out. There's support out there."Dr. Meena Mirhom: "Treatment can help you get there... hope is here for you. This is not a burden you've got to carry by yourself."🔗 ResourcesCDC Free Mind Campaign Resources:cdc.gov/freemindFree Mind Campaign: cdc.gov/freemind (Resources include the card game, graphic novel, fact sheets for parents and teens).Athletes for Hope: https://www.athletesforhope.org/ (Information on athlete well-being, mental health resources, and ways to get involved in sports and philanthropy).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• TAM+ EP 96 Celebrating the Little Things: How Micro Wins Drive Your Recovery Journey

  Download: MICRO WINS WORKSHEETIn this episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into the importance of celebrating micro wins in the journey of recovery. They discuss how small victories, often overlooked, play a crucial role in maintaining motivation and building resilience. By focusing on these tiny achievements, you can create a positive mindset that fuels your progress toward larger goals. Whether it's putting on your shoes for a walk or writing a single sentence in your journal, these micro wins can significantly boost your emotional well-being and keep you moving forward. Tune in to learn practical tips and hear inspiring insights on how to make the most of your daily successes.Key TopicsThe significance of micro wins in recoveryHow small victories boost motivation and resiliencePractical examples of celebrating micro winsThe impact of savoring positive experiencesStrategies for incorporating micro wins into daily lifeKey Moments[00:01:05] - Introduction to micro wins and their importance[00:02:24] - Discussion on the nihilistic mindset and its impact on recovery[00:03:00] - The role of small victories in building momentum[00:04:00] - Research findings on savoring and its benefits[00:06:55] - Practical examples of micro wins in fitness and personal development[00:09:23] - Strategies for recognizing and celebrating micro wins[00:14:00] - Encouragement to start celebrating micro wins and available resourcesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Episode 362: Overcoming the Fear: Finding Hope and Healing in the Rehab Playbook with Jaime W. Vinck

  In this episode, host Duane Osterlind speaks with Jaime W. Vinck MC, LPC, President of Meadows Behavioral Health and a Licensed Professional Counselor with 20 years of experience in the treatment industry. They discuss her book, The Rehab Playbook, which aims to demystify the rehabilitation process and encourage more people to seek help for addiction and mental health challenges.📖 Why the Book Was WrittenJaime was inspired to write The Rehab Playbook during COVID-19, driven by the dedication of treatment staff and the desire to diminish suffering. The book’s core mission is to pull back the curtain on rehab, showing the process from the inside out to help people overcome the fear and stigma associated with seeking treatment.The Gap in Care: Statistically, only one out of ten people who need treatment get it, and it takes the average person 10 years to pick up the "thousand-pound phone" and seek help.Addressing Fear: The book explains the logistics of rehab—from what to bring, the luggage search process, and the healthy use of electronics—to address common reasons people drop out in the first few days due to unexpected rules or procedures.The Why: All rules and processes are explained as being for the patient's own safety and to ensure their treatment success.The Fear and Stigma of Seeking HelpStigma and Labeling: Despite COVID-19 somewhat reducing the stigma, people are still afraid of being labeled, losing their jobs, or being judged by friends and family.Media Misrepresentation: Media portrayals of rehab (like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or 28 Days) often create an inaccurate and fear-inducing image of the environment.The "No Judgment Zone": In quality treatment centers, the culture is one of carefrontation, not confrontation, where shame and guilt are replaced by trust and normalization. Most staff members have personal experience with addiction or recovery, fostering a deeply empathetic environment.The Cornerstone of HealingStructured Schedule: Days are packed with movement (gym, pickleball, pool), group work, and lectures, starting with early-morning gratitude.Primary Process Group: This is considered the cornerstone of deep addiction treatment. It involves a small group of 6-8 people with a primary therapist where patients share their life story/timeline.Corrective Experience: Group work helps repair early childhood trauma where vulnerability may have been dangerous. Hearing others share their stories reveals more similarities than differences, breaking down isolation and teaching healthy empathy.Experiential Therapies: Modalities like equine psychotherapy (working with horses), ropes courses, and art therapy help patients get their bodies moving and discover they can experience joy and connection while sober.Trauma Work: Treatment includes one-on-one trauma assessments and evidence-based modalities, along with resources like a Brain Center for neurofeedback and neuromodulation.Major Barriers to Treatment:Lack of Awareness of Resources: Many people incorrectly believe rehab is only for the wealthy and are unaware their insurance (like Blue Cross Blue Shield) or employee assistance programs (EAPs) can cover treatment based on medical necessity.Time Off Work: Individuals often don't realize they can take time off through the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or short-term disability.Jaime's final advice for anyone considering seeking help:"You deserve to live a life that's happy, joyous, and free. People get better every day, so don't give up the hope."🔗 ResourcesBook: The Rehab PlaybookWebsite: www.therehabplaybook.comwww.therehabplaybook.comwww.naatp.comwww.meadowsbh.comIf you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery CenterNovusMindfulLife.comWe want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmindDisclaimerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Episode 361: The Healing Revolution: Creating Safe and Transformative Group Environments with Liz Friedman

  In this episode, host Duane Osterlind speaks with Liz Friedman, CEO and Co-founder of GPS Group Peer Support, about the vital role of peer support and group modalities in addressing the widespread mental health crisis. Liz shares her personal journey into the work, stemming from a severe mental health crisis after childbirth, which revealed significant gaps in the healthcare system. The conversation delves into the definition, profound impact, and structured model of peer support, emphasizing its effectiveness in fostering connection, resilience, and lasting change.Key Discussion PointsDefining Peer Support: Peer support is fundamentally about landing in your own lived experience and offering it as a tool and gift to others. It is about saying, "I've survived some really hard things. I believe you can too. Let's take the next step together," to break through isolation, stigma, and shame.Lived Experience as a Modality: Liz's personal motivation comes from her own struggles and the realization that connection is the key factor in healing. This understanding is deeply rooted in the recovery field.Peer Support vs. Professional Therapy: While professional therapy is crucial, peer support offers a unique, complementary therapeutic modality where participants share their lived experience to inspire and resource one another. Peer support minimizes the hierarchy and clinical barriers often present in traditional settings, enhancing rapport.The Need for Structure and Training: Despite the organic nature of groups, there is a limited evidence base and a lack of training for running effective peer support groups—even among clinical professionals. Liz's organization, GPS Group Peer Support, focuses on training facilitators to create a structured, trauma-informed, and trauma-responsive container that allows for genuine authenticity and courageous sharing.The GPS Group Peer Support Model: The model integrates evidence-based modalities (like CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness) seamlessly into a very set, stepped structure. Key elements include:Ritual Beginning: Starting with a mindfulness moment for grounding and landing.Heightened Confidentiality: Confidentiality is framed relationally to promote transformation, where the very act of saying something can change it, and prevent "locking" a person into their past truth.No Interruption/Advice: A completely device-free zone that eliminates crosstalk, advice-giving, and conflict. This trusts the participant's ability to find their own path and fosters self-trust.Realities and Principles: An honest preamble that names the challenges (realities) specific to the population while affirming principles of hope, dignity, and recovery for everyone.Equal Protected Time: Every person receives the same amount of protected time to share, ensuring the group is never dominated by a single voice and allowing the collective story to emerge.Addressing the Mental Health Crisis: The shift to group therapeutic care and support groups is critical for the future of mental healthcare. By utilizing a group model, costs can be reduced, access can be dramatically expanded (serving millions more people), and care can be de-stigmatized and normalized.💡 Listener TakeawayLiz Friedman encourages anyone struggling and considering joining a group with this powerful message:"Sharing your story with other people is the most courageous act that you can do. It's revolutionary, it's transformative, and it's healing. And I urge you today, today, right now, to go find someone you can share your precious story to and with, because that will help you with your connection with your path. It will make everything else possible. You're not alone."Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you. If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery CenterNovusMindfulLife.comWe want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmindDisclaimerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• TAM+ EP95 The Science of Hope: Training Your Brain for Recovery Success

  Worksheet: Hope Building BlueprintWhat do you do when your hope tank is completely empty? When you're going through the motions of recovery but deep down don't believe things will ever really get better?In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane Osterlind and Eric Osterlind tackle one of the most critical—and often overlooked—elements of lasting recovery: hope. But this isn't a conversation about wishful thinking or waiting for motivation to magically strike. Instead, they dive into the practical science of hope and show you exactly how to cultivate it, even when you're starting from bare ground.Many people in recovery struggle with a toxic sense of hopelessness—that gray, heavy belief that the future will just repeat the past. It's the voice that whispers, "Lasting recovery is for other people, not me. I'm too broken. I've failed too many times." This feeling drains motivation and makes recovery feel like an exhausting chore rather than an opportunity for a better life.Here's the good news: positive psychology research shows that hope isn't just a feeling you have to wait for. It's actually a trainable cognitive skill you can build, just like going to the gym and strengthening a muscle.Duane and Eric break down Dr. C.R. Snyder's groundbreaking Hope Theory, which identifies two essential components of hope: pathway thinking (the belief that you can find routes to your goals—the "how to" part) and agency thinking (the belief in your own ability to use those paths—the "I can do this" part). When you feel hopeless, it's usually because you've lost one or both of these elements.The episode gets wonderfully practical with two concrete action steps you can start using today:Action Step #1: Set One Hopeful, Achievable Goal - Choose one small, realistic, and measurable goal you can work on this month (or even just today). Not something vague like "be happier" or "fix my life," but something specific like "spend 10 minutes outside three times this week" or "make one phone call to a supportive friend." Writing it down literally creates a pathway forward in your brain.Action Step #2: Visualize Your Success - Take 2-3 minutes to close your eyes and vividly imagine yourself achieving that goal. Don't just see it—feel it. Imagine the pride, relief, and satisfaction of crossing it off your list. This isn't just positive thinking fluff—it's neuroscience. Elite Olympic athletes use this exact technique to improve their performance, and research shows visualization can be as beneficial as additional physical training.The hosts explain that this process directly builds self-efficacy—your belief in your ability to succeed. Hope isn't just believing things can get better; it's taking small steps that create evidence they ARE getting better.Throughout the episode, Duane and Eric's compassionate approach shines through. They acknowledge that both pathway thinking and agency thinking can be incredibly difficult to access in recovery, but they offer genuine encouragement that these skills can be developed over time.To support your journey, they've created a free Hope Building Blueprint worksheet—a simple one-page guide to help you define your hopeful goal, brainstorm the pathway to get there, and list your motivation and visualization strategies.If you're struggling with hopelessness in recovery, this episode offers both the science and the practical tools to start building hope today. You deserve to believe in a better future—and now you have a roadmap to get there.Key Topics• The Neuroscience of Negativity - Why our brains are wired to focus on negative emotions and predictions first• Dr. C.R. Snyder's Hope Theory - The two essential components: pathway thinking and agency thinking• Pathway vs. Agency - Understanding which element of hope you're struggling with most• Small Goals Build Self-Efficacy - How tiny, achievable wins create evidence of progress and fuel motivation• The Power of Visualization - Using Olympic athlete techniques to prime your brain for success• Actionable Hope-Building Steps - Two concrete practices to start cultivating hope today• Free Hope Building Blueprint - Downloadable worksheet to guide your goal-setting and visualization practiceTimestamp List00:00 - Introduction: What is the most powerful fuel for recovery?02:00 - The pain point of hopelessness and why it's toxic to recovery04:00 - Why our brains are wired for negativity and how positive psychology offers a new lens06:00 - Breaking down the two essential parts of hope: pathway thinking and agency thinking09:00 - Action Step #1: Setting one hopeful, achievable goal that's specific and measurable11:00 - Action Step #2: Visualizing your success using neuroscience-backed techniques14:00 - Recap and introduction to the free Hope Building Blueprint worksheetSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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