The Illuminate Recovery Podcast

Micheal D’Amico is a professional in the mental health industry. He is a Vice President at Oaks Integrated Care and joins us to talks about how he got into this field and how he continues to make a change for the better. Enjoy.

Jason Harlen, the CEO of Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services joins to share his expertise about drug and alcohol recovery. He talks about the value of recovery skills for non-addicts as wells as recovering addicts. Family dynamics, genetics, prevention, trauma and other contributing factors. Enjoy!

“I learn at the speed of pain.” Vinsent Franke joins us from West Valley Detox to share his story of being “struck sober.” He talks about degrees and levels of insanity, psychopathy vs. spirituality, and a life of “undeserved merit.” He talks about have a hero and a villain role in his childhood, coping with and recovering from abuse, and learning to hear the “still small voice.” He says, “Death is one cure for addiction. Treatment is another option.” He is a good example of recovering out loud. Enjoy.

“I couldn’t hear the message of surrender.” Joe Landry joins us to share his story of addiction, getting a place of surrender, and finding recovery. “How well is it working for you, thinking you know everything.” He talks about hitting rock bottom, and feeling restless, irritable, and discontented. He says addiction is a flight from reality, and recovery is a flight into reality. Enjoy.

“There is no place for fear when you are living in faith.” Jerry Gabbert joins us from Your Recovery Guide to share his story and share the importance of the presentation of recovery. He is sharing solutions, and providing structure, support, and accountability. He tells his story, which is AMAZING, and “doesn’t have any trauma.” (Spoiler: It’s full of trauma…) He’s a former kingpin, ex-con, ordained minister, trusted father, and he is in recovery. Enjoy.

Gemma Andaya joins us from The Nestled in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is the Executive Director but is also a licensed clinician and has taught at the university level. She likes to focus on mindfulness and trauma and their impacts both on addiction and on recovery. She also shares insight into generational impacts relating to these issues. Enjoy.

Karen Rodriguez joins us from the Harmony Foundation to talk about restoring hope to those in recovery, the importance of being ready for change, and the challenges and benefits re-kindling old connections. She talks about relocation as a critical potential element in achieving sobriety and starting over.

“Anxious kids have anxious parents.” Caleb Cottle joins us from Cascade Academy, a residential treatment center for adolescent girls suffering from anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He talks about working in wilderness programs, hovering and bulldozing parents, and teaching kids to have self-efficacy. They use exposure therapy to help push their abilities, get stronger and learn how to love life. Enjoy.

“If we’re not changing, we’re not growing.” Jay Redding joins us to talk about active recovery, finding meaning and a sense of purpose and changing lives as a leader. He has a crazy story and can be found canyoneering when he isn’t helping individual create healthy habits and find hope. Enjoy.

“I’m fascinated by the human experience.” Mattie Velasco joins us from American Addiction Centers. She is a mother and a wife with a personal recovery story of her own and helps those involved with addiction recovery and human trafficking. She started Fruit of the Tree and shares her fascinating perspectives. Enjoy.

“It’s not what I do, it’s who I am.” Dennis Berry joins us to talk about addiction recovery, alcoholism and life mastery. He talks about finding male cross addiction, re-visiting his parents divorce in childhood and taking control of your own recovery. Enjoy.

Carol Hollowell joins us to talk about working with the homeless, creating long term assistance programs, and helping maintain affordability. She oversees a homeless shelter, emergency food pantry, thrift store, community resource center, and has a goal to open 1,000 new affordable housing units in the next year. Enjoy.

“It is normal to experience PTSD symptons (after betrayal) and people are not talking about it.” Dr. Kevin Skinner joins us to talk about Noble, Bloom, Addo Recovery, and his work in trauma and sexual betrayal therapy. He has produced industry research and two books. He is creating technology to help individuals roadmap their path towards recovery. Enjoy.

“I am calling you to do this work. - Oh, Hell no.”

Jenna Riemersma is a Harvard educated innovator. She’s a therapist and best selling author who is making emotional wellness accessible. By bring together the best of cutting edge neuroscience and clinical treatment she has created a dynamic paradigm shift that helps us move towards the parts of ourselves that are the hardest to love. Enjoy.

Tommy Morris joins us from Twelve Oaks Recovery to share his story of military experience, opiate addiction, passion for the recovery industry, and hosting the Recovery Mile Podcast. He talks about our bodies creating pain to justify substance abuse, and the power of accountability and community. Enjoy.

“Don’t forget to take your higher power with you.” For our 100th episode, Jon Redd joins us to share his story. He talks about anxiety, thyroid cancer, and addiction. He talks about the power of owning your own story, morning meditation and making your bed, and connecting with your higher power. If you walk through the fear, the fear no longer has the power. Enjoy.

“Thoughts become things.” Daniel “DC” Hollenbeck joins us from Pacific Sands Recovery Center to share his story. He is an ex-marine in recovery. He talks about being injured, losing a big piece of his self-image and finding opiate addiction. He uprooted to California, found recovery while learning to use the Law of Attraction and enjoys helping his clients find the same successes as individuals, spouses and parents. Enjoy.

Kat cross joins us from The Guest House Ocala. She is helping people find relief from the struggles they are facing in their lives and the pain they are experiencing in their hearts. She is passionate about supporting the mental health industry and pushing all to provide better treatment in an ethical and compassionate manner. Enjoy.

“I knew about God, but I didn’t know Him.” Anthony Acampora from Banyan Treatment Centers joins us to talk about filling that God sized hole. He discusses faith based treatment, turning from addiction, and finding a calling through service. Enjoy.

“The greatest gift you can give yourself is to feel the fear and do it anyways.” Chris and Woody are Brothers in Healing. They are retired police officers that have been involved in traumatic experiences and are committed to changing the way first responders look at mental health and are trained to deal with emotional stress. Suicide is the number one form of death among police officers and first responders. Enjoy.

“Thank God for the court order.” Kevin Davis joins us to talk about growing up in the East Bay California, and being transplanted as an unsupervised teenager to Kentucky. He filled the void where sports were with drinking and friends before his addiction proceeded to pills and other substances. He talks about being in treatment for the wrong reasons, losing friends to addiction, and finding recovery for the right reasons. Enjoy.

“Healing is about looking forward.” Julia (Veach) Deitchman joins us from Boardprep Recovery to share her recovery story. She talks about coming from a refugee family, the lingering realities that many still face from the holocaust, and the complexities of religion. She explains the process of defining your higher power and coming to peace with and connecting to her roots. Enjoy.

“As I got further into my career, I began to truly realize how much baggage people carry.” Jared Ferguson joins us to talk about First Step House, the variety and complexity of public health services, challenges of needs assessments, evidence based treatment, and the challenging concept of welcoming people back to treatment. Enjoy.

“On paper, there is no reason why I should be an addict.” Tate Sams joins us from Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery to talk about not feeling good enough, not belonging, addiction, the loss of friends to the disease, taking stock in relationships and finding balance. He shares his journey through multiple geographic relocations and finding meaning in helping people. Enjoy.

“There’s a difference between being a human being and a human doing.” Zachary Ragan joins us from Tulip Hill Recovery to talk about his non-traditional recovery story and working in the substance abuse treatment industry. While he agrees that those that work in the industry need to work on their recovery in their own time, he says if you aren’t connecting while at work you are doing it wrong. Enjoy.

Bethany Osgood is a retired fire fighter and EMT. She joins us today to talk about rural health care access and improving out communities through acts of good work and perseverance. Enjoy.

“The lack of gratitude is the biggest blessing blocker there is.” Rachel Ausbern and Jenifer Oxford join us to tell their stories of addiction, comradery in recovery and the lessons they have learned. They share their experience, strength and hope. Enjoy.

“What is your picture of a good life?” Care providers asked Edward Bailey this question in treatment and he has been pursuing that vision with massive amounts of effort ever since. He joins us to talk about vision and hope, going from a trap house to recovery, to running and growing the No Longer Bound treatment center in Atlanta, GA. He is scouring the country for quality treatment centers where they serve “People over profit” while doing interventions with Faryn Recovery. He talks about servant leadership, spiritual trauma, family perfectionism, and freedom for good. Enjoy.

“Most doctors just don’t understand what they are dealing with.” Dr. Michael Sprintz joins us to share his journey from addiction to med school to opening the Sprintz Center for Pain and Recovery. He is triple board certified in Pain Medicine, Addiction Medicine, and Anesthesiology and talks about the gray area between treating chronic pain and/or addiction. He is a Distinguished Fellow with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, which is a big deal, for his contributions in the field of addiction medicine. Enjoy.

Joe Difabio joins us to talk about hitting rock bottom. He talks about the myriad of reasons why we start down the road of addiction, the decisions that many end up making in order to feed it, and getting to the point where he voluntarily turned himself in to jail. He talks about the emotional and communication skills learned in treatment and how they have translated into marriage and parenting. At Atlanta Detox, (Amatus Recovery Centers) they help individuals find the treatment that works for them, including therapy at all levels of care including using technology like Genesight to help determine which and whether medications can be useful. Enjoy.

Sierra Lund and her team at Grit Wellness are committed to helping their clients use exercise and nutrition to create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle as they start their recovery or in corporate organizations. While training to be a pilot, she experienced an engine failure and used her survival to focus on what was most important to her and a life worth living. Enjoy.

Danielle Owen joins us from Harmony Hills to talk about addressing addiction as a family, maintaining personal boundaries and self care, managing her personal inclination to be a saver, loving from a distance and the current impacts of Fentanyl. Enjoy.

“It wasn’t my plan to stay sober.” Rosemary O’Connor joins us to share her story and a LOT of material about recovery. We talk about “A Sober Mom’s Guide,” working with Glass House, and her journey to sobriety. We touch on PIVOT curriculum, attachment theory, circle boundaries, codependency, and reacting with our inner child, versus our inner teen, or as an emotionally aware adult. “Do you want me to just listen or do you want some feedback?”

Jimmy Younis joins us from Attainable Dreams to talk about being an educator in recovery. He works with groups all over the country and uses his high energy direct authenticity to talk about planning on and creating a “lifetime of recovery.” He teaches principles like unmanageability, relationships, and cognition of choices, beliefs, and behaviors. Enjoy.

“I think we’re doing ok but I think we should talk to someone to make sure.” Scott Kelley joins us from Regard Recovery to talk about a lifetime of work in the recovery industry. His first experience with therapy was after the loss of his father at the age of 18, where he caught the bug and went on to get a degree in Psychology. He talks about motivational interviewing, “coopetition” in treatment, and using evidence-based practices to manage a recovery center. Enjoy.

“I came to this work honestly, as a patient first.” Robert Hilliker joins us from Ethos Behavioral Healthcare. He shares his journey from his first experience with therapy as a thirteen-year-old through getting a PHD in Clinical Social Work to starting multiple organizations with the intent to put mission in front of margin. They are hyper-focused on patient experience, team values and recovery success. He says, “Anybody that is not in long term recovery in my family system has died from addiction.” Enjoy.