MEDIA

Rachel Wurzman | How isolation fuels opioid addiction

Description: What do Tourette syndrome, heroin addiction and social media obsession all have in common? They converge in an area of the brain called the striatum, says neuroscientist Rachel Wurzman – and this critical discovery could reshape our understanding of the opioid crisis. Sharing insights from her research, Wurzman shows how social isolation contributes to relapse and overdose rates and reveals how meaningful human connection could offer a potentially powerful source of recovery.

Michael Botticelli | Addiction is a disease. We should treat it like one

Description: Only one in nine people in the United States gets the care and treatment they need for addiction and substance abuse. A former Director of National Drug Control Policy, Michael Botticelli is working to end this epidemic and treat people with addictions with kindness, compassion and fairness. In a personal, thoughtful talk, he encourages the millions of Americans in recovery today to make their voices heard and confront the stigma associated with substance use disorders.

Mark Tyndall | The harm reduction model of drug addiction treatment

Description: Why do we still think that drug use is a law-enforcement issue? Making drugs illegal does nothing to stop people from using them, says public health expert Mark Tyndall. So, what might work? Tyndall shares community-based research that shows how harm-reduction strategies, like safe-injection sites, are working to address the drug overdose crisis.

Dr. Allen Berger | Recovery Matters Episode 1

Description: Dr. Allen Berger discusses one thing as covered in his “12 Things That Can Mess Up Recovery” book which has been a runaway hit for those dealing with alcohol and addiction recovery. Dr. Berger deals from the hip and helps all of us deal with things head on.

Raj Mehta | Addiction 101

Description: Having combated addiction first hand, Raj discusses the impact that addiction has on individuals, families, communities and countries. He challenges us to rethink addiction and reform our government’s policies. Raj Mehta is a Master’s level therapist, interventionist, author, life-coach, and talk show host. After overcoming addiction and graduating from University of Michigan, he has dedicated his life to helping people reach their full potential. He utilizes methods and techniques that he has developed to get results where others fail. “I consider myself licensed by the State of Michigan to Kill Addiction on Site. I smash addiction–and help families recover.”

Johann Hari | Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong

Description: What really causes addiction -to everything from cocaine to smart-phones? And how can we overcome it? Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail firsthand, as he has watched loved ones struggle to manage their addictions. He started to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do — and if there might be a better way. As he shares in this deeply personal talk, his questions took him around the world, and unearthed some surprising and hopeful ways of thinking about an age-old problem.

Jan Rader | In the opioid crisis, here’s what it takes to save a life

Description: As a fire chief and first responder, Jan Rader has spent her career saving lives. But when the opioid epidemic hit her town, she realized they needed to take a brand-new approach to life-saving. In this powerful, hopeful talk, Rader shows what it’s like on the front lines of this crisis — and how her community is taking an unusual new approach to treating substance-abuse disorder that starts with listening.

Apryl Pooley | The human element of recovery from mental illness and addiction

Description: Apryl Pooley shares her story through mental illness and how she rediscovered her passion for learning, teaching, and sharing. Apryl Pooley is a PhD candidate in Michigan State University’s Dept. of Neuroscience, as well as a novelist, artist, and impassioned activist.

Shawn Kingsbury | Addiction and Recovery: A How to Guide

Description: Shawn, a promising athlete, took a turn towards alcohol and drugs. After 18 years of addiction, jail, detox, and treatment facilities, he found sobriety. Shawn began rebuilding his life. In an effort to bring help to others who were struggling, he founded a Pura Vida Recovery (PVR), an active sober community. In two short years, PVR has changed the landscape of recovery in Spokane, welcoming over 400 addicts walk through the front doors that display the organization’s motto, “Fit for change, Fit for life.” Shawn, a promising athlete, took a turn towards alcohol and drugs. After 18 years of addiction, jail, detox, and treatment facilities, he found sobriety. Shawn  began rebuilding his life. In an effort to bring help to others who were struggling, he founded a Pura Vida Recovery (PVR), an active sober community. In two short years,  PVR has changed the landscape of recovery in Spokane, welcoming over 400 addicts  walk through the front doors that display the organization’s motto, “Fit for change,  Fit for life.”

Dr. Kevin McCauley | The Brain and Recovery: An Update on the Neuroscience of Addiction

Description: The last twenty years produced an explosion of understanding about addiction (substance use disorders) and how our brains enable our most human capacities such as assigning value to pleasure and making decisions based upon that value. This lecture summarizes the most current neuroscientific research about addiction — research that explains how the brain constructs pleasurable experiences, what happens when this process goes wrong and why this can have a dramatic impact on our ability to make proper  choices, by Dr. Kevin McCauley.

Hufsa Ahmad | Relapse Is Part of Recovery

Description: Smash the stigma of mental illness to help others with mental health diagnoses find treatment, recovery, and peace. Hufsa Ahmad is a Muslim woman, social worker, and standup comedian who lives with schizoaffective disorder. Having transformed from a victim of her illness to a champion of recovery, Hufsa dedicates her life to smashing the stigma of mental illness and helping others with mental health diagnoses find treatment, recovery, and peace. She was awarded the Mental Health Association “Hope & Courage” Award and the National Alliance on Mental Illness “Next Step Award” for her advocacy efforts. She currently serves as the only person with a  mental health condition on the Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled. She is pursuing her Masters of Social Work at CSU Long Beach and received her B.S. in Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College.

Jacki Hillios | Transcending addiction and redefining recovery

Description: Why are some able to transcend their addiction while others are not? What do people really need to escape the shame of their addiction and achieve sustained recovery? Jacki’s talk focuses on answering these questions and demonstrates how resilience of the human spirit intersects with social