Recovery Support Services with Evan Done
Coach Blu interviews Evan Done. Evan has advocated at the Capitol on behalf of people in recovery. Evan and USARA have brought services to the community; Recovery Community Centers, recovery coaching, and family support programs. He works with those experiencing substance-related crises. At the core, they are advocates. "People can and do recover." Evan has also worked with legislators to help bring the life saving drug Naloxone to the homes and the mainstream community. He is also deeply involved with Utah's Medicaid expansion.
Follow Evan on Facebook
Website: Myusara.com
Email: support@myusara.com
Phone: 385-210-0320
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An Accidental Activist: Ed Bisch
Coach Blu speaks to Ed Bisch and his battle with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family concerning OxyContin on this week's podcast. Listen as Ed talks about February 2001, when his life was blindsided as he learned his 18-year-old son Eddie was found unresponsive in his bed. Questing some of his son's friends, he learned that OxyContin had been used unbeknownst to it posed. Police on the scene told Ed that local kids were dying from “Oxy” and the situation worsened. The drug, they said, was spreading quickly across the country and already causing chaos locally.
Bisch has sounded alarms about the dangers of opioids now for more than 2 decades. As the founder of Relatives Against Purdue Pharma (RAPP), he attended countless public hearings, trials, and protests and is a claimant in a class-action lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company, the creators of Oxy. Listen as he describes his lifelong battle for Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family to take responsibility for stealing one out of the millions of lives their medication has taken from loved ones.
Bisch’s activism got him noticed by others fighting against opioid abuse, including Beth Macy, author of “Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America.” Macy wrote about Bisch in her latest book, “Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis.”
Follow Ed Bisch
https://www.judgeforyourselves.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RAPPedB?mibextid=LQQJ4d
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Substance Use Disorder and Their Impact on Community
On this week's episode, Coach Blu was invited to sit on a panel at the University of Utah with Randall Carlisle from Odyssey House recovery, a former TV news acre, and Evan Done of USARA. This community recovery connection organization helps people find resources and training in recovery. Listen as they answer a student leadership board questions on how addiction recovery and addiction services are rendered in our community. It is incredible to see the differences and similarities and how addiction recovery is handled in Utah.
This panel discusses the following questions; What is a substance use disorder? What is the accessibility like for low-income folks to treatment? What might this look like for unsheltered individuals? How might mental health impact substance use? What does substance use look like on college campuses? How might stress exacerbate substance use disorders? What could these stressors look like? How do incarcerated people access treatment for substance use and what does that process look like? How have you seen how the stigma around substance use affects caregivers and those receiving treatment?
How can parents, educators, and leaders in our communities work towards addressing substance use disorders and supporting those affected by them?
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Walking Across America with Kyndal Ray
Kyndal Ray (A Walking Testimony) is walking across America to raise awareness for mental health and addiction recovery. Kyndal started January 1, 2022 less than 2 months after getting out of prison. He is in recovery, been in and out of jail and prison for years and has survived 2 suicide attempts. He hopes to finish is walk in Washington by April to celebrate his 4th recovery anniversary.
Kyndal passed through Utah County this week so we met up and invited him to our support group meeting to share his story and on our podcast.
Follow him on social media and check out his website.
https://www.facebook.com/AWalkingTestimony2022?mibextid=LQQJ4d
https://awalkingtestimony.myshopify.com/?mibextid=l066kq
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I AM VICTORIOUS with Tina Miller
Coach Blu talks with Tina Miller, Author, Speaker, Founder and Executive Director of Florida Recovery Schools of Tampa Bay, Inc., Tampa Bay's first Recovery High School.
This month Tina celebrates 25 years in recovery from alcohol, drugs and works daily on codependency. She has over 24 years of professional experience in Social Work, Education, and Juvenile Justice. Tina’s gift of networking in addition to her ability to educate, coordinate events, manage non-profits, and evaluate contracts and programs equip her for strengthening all relationships. Her passion in helping young people successfully become substance free and healthy is her utmost legacy.
Tina truly loves life and brings a positive energy to her professional and personal life experiences.
https://www.facebook.com/Tinatalkstruth/
www.Floridarecoveryschoolstampabay.com
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Public Defenders Perspective On Addiction
Listen as Coach Blu interviews a public defender and prosecutor on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. F. Wilson Myers, ESQ. is a Tribal Public Defender. He has worked for forty years as an attorney. He served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Alabama as a Public Defender. Wilson says, "No one chooses to be an addict. I am here to help them work through the consequences."
Stephen Mackenzie, ESQ. is a Harvard graduate. He has been a criminal Defense attorney for 15 years and a Public attorney for 15 yrs. He is now a tribal prosecutor. He has worked on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and now the Uintah and Quray Reservation in Utah. Stephen believes addiction is a disease, not a crime.
Both these gentlemen work to focus on individual sentences that fit the defendant. They want to use rehabilitation to help defendants but understand that sometimes jail is a needed deterrent consequence. Their views on addiction are progressive and an excellent sign for Utah and further. These viewpoints will help us address addiction on a larger scale and work to decriminalize substance abuse which is essential to long-term changes and recovery.
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Giving Tuesday with Coach Blu
Coach Blu talks about how we can celebrate Christmas by giving back to others. He also shares some of the history of the nonprofit Addict to Athlete, the inspirational stories, the growth over the years and more. If you are interested in donating to our nonprofit, please check out our Giving Tuesday fundraiser. Remember you can donate year-round to our nonprofit, and your donation can make an impact.
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Disney On The Rocks
On today's podcast Coach Blu take a deep dive into his experience while attending a mental health and addiction conference in Orlando Florida. Following the conference, he was able to attend Walt Disney World Epcot theme park and was absolutely blown away by how much drinking of alcohol had become part of the Disney experience. After a 40-year absence of alcohol within the Disney theme park experience, 10 years ago wine and beer were introduced and now, September 2022, new park rules allow the spirits to openly flow. Listen as he discusses some of his thoughts and what he discovered from Walt Disney himself about why he would not allow the consumption of alcohol in his parks originally. Become informed about what you should be aware of before you book a family experience to a location like this and what you should know about potential triggers before you invest in Disney resorts for your next family vacation.
**Clarification on Disney lobbying to lower drinking age at Disney parks. We have found that to be misinformation-https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/disney-world-drinking-age/
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First Lady of Recovery Kathryn Burgum
Today Coach Blu interviews Kathryn Burgum, the first lady of North Dakota. As First Lady, Kathryn's priority is supporting and developing initiatives to eliminate the shame and stigma of the chronic disease of addiction in North Dakota's communities.
In long-term recovery for 20 years, she shares her personal experience and encourages others to do the same to normalize the conversation around the disease of addiction. She is spreading the word that addiction is a chronic disease and not a character flaw. Kathryn plays an active role in supporting the Office of Recovery Reinvented as the chair of the Advisory Council. Check out their free online upcoming educational event on November 3, 2022 to put Advocacy Into Action. This is an episode you don't want to miss!
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September Rising
Today On this week's podcast, Coach Blu speaks with September Frogley as she discusses the passing of her brother, Robert Dilgard, his battle with addiction and mental health, and turning the mess of losing a loved one into the message of connecting individuals to find a cure. They discuss suicide, spirituality, purpose, love and more. This is a very powerful discussion and one that should be listened to with loved ones who also struggle or who have people in their lives who they love dearly. Learn more about Connection is the Cure and how you can help the mission.
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Stay Humble Pray with Kyle Quilausing
In this week's episode Coach Blu speaks with Kyle Quilausing former drug addict and at one point in time Hawaii's most wanted. Listen as Kyle describes his upbringing as ideal. He describes being brought up by his grandfather with wholesome family values and strong morals and ethics. After his grandfather introduced him to golf at the age of 5, Kyle quickly fell in love with the sport, dedicating every waking moment to perfecting his craft and becoming a six-time state golf champion, winning 16 titles, coming 4th in the world, and playing alongside Tiger Woods at ten years old. But after allowing his relative success to make him arrogant and prideful, Kyle was expelled from high school in his senior year, which became the catalyst for a downward spiral that eventually led him to become a 98-pound crystal meth addict, labeled Hawaii’s most wanted and a menace to society.
Kyle has a powerful story about perseverance, humility, and overcoming extreme adversity. For More Information:
https://topyouthspeakers.com/speakers-topics/kyle-quilausing
Kyle's Instagram
https://instagram.com/stayhumblepray?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
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WE ARE THE TROOPS
On this week's podcast the Agents of Recovery take a deep dive into the current circumstances we find ourselves in, from the overwhelming epidemic of overdose to the tragedy of gun violence. Listen as the agents discuss their thoughts on what needs to be done in order to sync the rhythm of life back into the hearts of you, the agents of recovery. We know that the troops are not coming, that we are the troops to be able to address the overdose crisis, and recovery needs and help others become and stay sober. Thus, we need your help to be the beacon of light, to be willing to use your talents, time, and resources to help those in need. It is a call to action, to create a more excellent way for us to lean upon one another through support, healing, and ultimately love.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
One on One With Coach Blu: Are We Losing The Fight?
Welcome to our weekly live show, One on One with Coach Blu. Coach Blu is a licensed mental health therapist and certified substance use, disorder counselor. Today's cohost is Addict II Athlete's own Athletic Director Marisa Robinson. Marissa is a Certified Recreational Therapist. This is an open topic so by which you the listener can participate by submitting your own questions through direct messaging or, jump on the zoom link provided to be a guest and participant on the show. We discuss topics of addiction, recovery, mental illness, health and wellness, and much more: The nation’s drug overdose epidemic continues to change and become worse. One prevailing theme is the fact that the epidemic now is driven by illicit fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, methamphetamine, and cocaine, often in combination or in adulterated forms.
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His Life With Karma: Travis Sackett
Today Coach Blu speaks with a former police officer and competitive powerlifter Travis Sackett. Listen as they discuss a history of success followed by injury and addiction leading to crime and Travis suffering a traumatic brain injury in 2013, resulting in a total disability designation.
Travis also wrote a book entitled My Life with Karma to increase awareness for those struggling with addiction as well as mental health problems. Travis hopes My Life with Karma will help increase empathy toward populations that are often ignored, forgotten, or without a voice. This is a powerful conversation and one you will absolutely feel can relate to your own struggle overcoming addiction.
For more information, you can connect with Travis Sackett at travis.sackett@gmail.com and at https://www.facebook.com/travis.sackett.1.
Order The Book; My Life With Karma
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Athlete's Voices; The Role of Sports in Addiction Recovery
On this week's episode, Coach Blu releases a podcast he was recently a guest on entitled Athlete Voices; The Roll of Sports in Addiction. Listen as he, Randy Grimes (NFL), Joe Nedney (NFL), Mike Bennett(WWE), and Chase Wade, Licensed Professional Counselor to discuss sports, addiction recovery, advocating sobriety, turning the mess into a message, and stepping out of anonymity into the light of sobriety.
For more Info on Athletes Voices:
https://www.athletesvoices.org
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The Verdict: Tyler Skaggs
This week's episode of the Agents of Recovery, they speak on the sad story of Tyler Skaggs, pitcher for the Anaheim Angels who passed away from a drug overdose. On Thursday, a jury in a federal courthouse in Fort Worth, Texas, found former Angels communications official Eric Kay, guilty of distributing the counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills that led to Skaggs’ death and of conspiracy to possess pills with intent to distribute.
Listen as the agents discuss the sad situation on both sides of this unfortunate situation.
Controversial Questions
In this week's episode, the agents of recovery discuss five controversial questions that seem to still be unanswered and misrepresented by many people. Listen as the agents discuss their thoughts on how come so many misconceptions of recovery, a person seeking sobriety and the way the public perceives them is still very biased.
Something Wicked This Way Comes; What is Fentanyl?
In this week's episode, the Agents take a deep dive into a problem we are not ready for, the Fentanyl epidemic. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. It is both a prescribed drug, as well as a drug that is at times made and used illegally.
Like morphine, prescription fentanyl is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, especially after surgery. It is also sometimes used to treat patients with chronic pain who are physically tolerant to other opioids. When prescribed by a doctor, fentanyl can be given as a shot, a patch that is put on a person’s skin, or as lozenges that are sucked like cough drops.
Fentanyl that is illegally manufactured is dangerous. It is made without the quality controls of pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl and is a major contributor to recent increases in synthetic opioid overdose deaths. This illegally manufactured fentanyl is sold illegally as a powder, dropped onto blotter paper, put in eye droppers and nasal sprays, or made into counterfeit pills that look like other prescription opioids.
Importantly, fentanyl is also being mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA. This is especially risky when people taking drugs don’t realize that the drugs they are using might contain fentanyl and significantly increase their risk for overdose death.
A person can easily overdose on fentanyl. An overdose occurs when a drug produces serious adverse effects and life-threatening symptoms. Death from an opioid overdose happens when the drug depresses the parts of the brain that control breathing.
Fentanyl is addictive because of its potency. A person taking prescription fentanyl as instructed by a doctor can still experience dependence, which is characterized by withdrawal symptoms when the drug is stopped. A person can be dependent on a substance without being addicted, but dependence can sometimes lead to addiction.
Through The Eyes of My Clean Self with V Ginny Burton
In this week's episode Coach Blu talks with V Ginny Burton. Her side-by-side photo went viral a couple years ago when she posted an old mug shot in the depths of her addiction next to her college graduation cap and gown photo. One of the most incredible comeback stories of all time. From being introduced to drugs by her mom at age 7, 17 felony convictions, multiple prison stints, to now a college graduate working to help with prison and policy reform. She is a Truman Scholar, Martin Honor Scholar, UW graduate, national spokesperson, author, mother, recovering addict, and former prisoner.
Listen as Ginny speaks from her heart on how she has turned the mess of a lifelong addiction, trauma, and a turbulent lifestyle into a powerful message of redemption, faith, education, and triumph. You may have seen the viral photo of Ginny during her addiction compared to the graduation photo proving to herself and others, she can do hard things. Ginny speaks about how she Erased her past and Replaced it with education, perseverance, and athletics. Listen as she speaks about the numerous criminal convictions, serving time in county jails and state prisons, and the lessons she learned to apply herself toward a more excellent way of life.
Ginny has passion and strength as she uses her education to now spark change on a larger scale to help governments and local agencies offer assistance to those in need of recovery and mental health services. Her message for those battling addiction or other life issues. It’s never too late to change.
KOMO News Story
Tucker Carlson Fox News Story
Follow V Ginny Burton:
LinkedIn, Instagram, FaceBook
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Making A Better Approach with Dr. James Thompson
In this week's episode Coach Blu discusses a better approach, with a pioneer in the addictive medicine industry Dr. James Thompson. Dr. Thompson is the founder and chief medical officer of Master Center for Addiction Medicine in Virginia. Dr. Thompson serves as the president of Virginia ASAM and advises public and private sector organizations on the current addiction crisis.
After experiencing his own issues in regards to addiction Dr. Thompson felt a deep desire to take a different approach in his medical career. Due to his personal understanding of addictive tendencies, and the recovery process that seemed to be stuck in old traditions, he made some innovative changes to utilize the medical model to assist those struggling with substance abuse disorders. His compassion, understanding, and principle-based efforts have made huge differences in people that he has worked with and, have bridged the gap between the therapeutic and medical models. There are physicians and doctors out there that understand and as you listen to the discussion, the goal is for you to see that you're not alone in this recovery process. This is a podcast that should be shared with anyone who has struggled with, loves someone, or is battling their own addiction. Please share it with those who could benefit from it.
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