Dawn Farm Addiction And Recovery Education Series

“Addiction and Families“ was presented on September 24, 2019; by Dr. Lynn Kleiman Malinoff, Ed.D. Alcohol/other drug addiction is often described as a “family condition.” This program will describe ways in which each family member is affected by addiction in the family, roles and behaviors that family members often acquire when living with addiction, and options for family members to obtain help to cope with addiction in the family. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, recovery, family and related issues. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series. ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Lynn Kleiman Malinoff, Ed.D Lynn is the director of Eastern Michigan University

“Does Addiction Treatment Work?” was presented on September 17, 2019, by Dr Carl Christensen, MD, PhD, D-FASAM. Recent publications claim to define research-supported definitive truths about the root causes of addiction and efficacy of treatment modalities; however, conclusions are conflicting and have been subject to divergent interpretations. Feel confused? Dr. Christensen will review the recent criticisms of treatment for addiction including Twelve Step, residential, and medication assisted therapy, the scientific studies that do and do not support their use and other controversial issues. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, recovery, family and related issues. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. For information,

“Spirituality in Recovery: The Many Paths to Spiritual Fitness“ was presented on June 25, 2019; by Jerry Fouchey, BS, MA, SpA, CADC; Dawn Farm Personal Medicine Therapist and Didactic Group Facilitator. Spirituality can play an important role in recovery initiation and maintenance. Research has demonstrated that self-identification as a “spiritual” person correlates positively with successful abstinence regardless of whether the person self-identifies as a “religious” person. Twelve Step recovery programs challenge participants through the Eleventh Step to “seek through prayer and meditation to improve their conscious contact with God as they understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry that out.” The literature points out that recovering people have "tread innumerable paths" in this process. This presentation will encourage participants to clarify their personal understanding of a Higher Power, examine the quality of their relationship with that Power, and explore vehicles to

“Coordinating a Community Response to the Opioid Epidemic” was presented on June 18, 2019; by Molly Welch Marahar, MPP; WHI Opioid Project Coordinator, Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation; and Carrie Rheingans, MSW, MPH; WHI Project Manager, Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation, and a panel including Marci Scalera, ACSW, LMSW, CAADC, Director of Clinical & SUD Services, Community Mental Health Partnership of Southeast Michigan; Matt Hill, Program Manager, Washtenaw Recovery Advocacy Project, Home of New Vision; and Dr. John Hopper, MD, Addiction Medicine Specialist, St. Joseph Mercy Medical Group. Opioid overdose was described as an “epidemic” by CDC Director Thomas Frieden in 2011.  Since then, this epidemic has had a catastrophic impact on families and placed tremendous strain on communities, and our Southeast Michigan community is no exception. What is being done to change this?  The WHI Opioid Project is a cross sector coalition that was formed to address the opioid cris

“Intervention to Durable Recovery: The Power of Family” was presented on April 16, 2019, by Debra Jay (with the first section of the audio presented by Jeff Jay in a previous presentation on November 21, 2017.) Addiction is often described as a “family condition” – but families have often been left out of the recovery equation. Involved, supportive families play a critical role in the recovery process, from initiation through long-term recovery, and families provide an important reservoir of influence and support towards making lasting sobriety a reality. Through extensive work in intervention and family recovery, Debra Jay and Jeff Jay have developed highly effective, detailed Intervention and Structured Family Recovery™ processes that unlock the secrets of lasting sobriety – techniques that help addicted physicians and pilots attain lasting recovery - and make them available to families. The intervention process starts with a concerned family and the Structured Family Recovery™ process ends with a family re

“Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship” was presented on April 30, 2019, by Gregory Boyle; founder of Homeboy Industries and best-selling author.  Gregory Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, California, the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. A Jesuit priest, from 1986 to 1992 Father Boyle served as pastor of Dolores Mission Church, then the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles that also had the highest concentration of gang activity in the city.  Father Boyle witnessed the devastating impact of gang violence on his community during the so-called “decade of death” that began in Los Angeles in the late 1980s and peaked at 1,000 gang-related killings in 1992.  In the face of law enforcement tactics and criminal justice policies of suppression and mass incarceration as the means to end gang violence, Father Boyle and parish and community members adopted what was a radical approach at the time: treat gang members as human beings. In t

“People Like Me: Mutual Aid and Recovery from Substance Use Disorders” was presented on April 23, 2019; Todd Diana, Dawn Farm staff, and a five-member panel. Since the 1700’s people have banded together to help each other recover from substance use disorders. Today, people seeking peer support for recovery from substance use disorders, as well as family members and friends of people with substance use disorders, have an expansive menu of mutual aid groups they can participate in. Research demonstrates that active involvement in mutual aid recovery groups significantly improves a person’s chances of long-term recovery and supports the effectiveness and practical impact of mutual aid groups. For people seeking recovery support, mutual aid groups often provide a sense of belonging, understanding, acceptance and connection as well as practical help and support. This presentation will provide an overview of the history, development and current status of mutual aid recovery programs in the USA, and the research sup

“Grief and Loss in Addiction and Recovery” was presented on March 26, 2019; by Jerry Fouchey, BS, MA, SpA, CADC; Dawn Farm Personal Medicine Therapist and Didactic Group Facilitator; and Barb Smith, author of “Brent’s World.” Unresolved grief and loss frequently accompany people throughout the process of moving from the culture of addiction to the culture of recovery. Families of people with addiction experience grief and loss as well. This program will explain various theories of grief and grief recovery, describe losses that people with substance use disorders and their families experience throughout the addiction and recovery processes, and discuss how recovery program tools can help individuals cope with grief and loss. The presentation will include a powerful personal story of grief, loss and recovery.   This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, rec

“Does Addiction Treatment Work?” was presented on March 19, 2019; by Carl Christensen, MD, PhD, D-FASAM. Recent publications claim to define research-supported definitive truths about the root causes of addiction and efficacy of treatment modalities; however, conclusions are conflicting and have been subject to divergent interpretations. Feel confused? Dr. Christensen will review the recent criticisms of treatment for addiction including Twelve Step, residential, and medication assisted therapy, the scientific studies that do and do not support their use and other controversial issues. The presentation will include a short discussion of naloxone (Narcan) resuscitation.     Dr. Christensen obtained his MD and a PhD in Biochemistry at Wayne State University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hutzel Hospital. He then completed a Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Duke University Medical Center in 1988.  He returned to Wayne State, practicing both Obstetrics and Gyne

“Dispelling Myths about Smoking, Mental Health/Substance Use Disorders and Recovery” was presented on February 19, 2019; by Rosemary Bak Lowery, MS, CHES®, CNP, ACSM-CPT; Certified Health Education Specialist. Adults with mental illness, including substance use disorder (SUD,) are at risk of dying 25 years earlier than the general population. The major contributor to this premature mortality is smoking-related disease. While cigarette smoking has trended downward in recent years, it is still highly prevalent in adults with mental health and/or substance use disorder (MH/SUD). Why is this so? Recent research has suggested that the biggest issue lies with the many common myths and misperceptions about the relationship between smoking, MH/SUD and recovery. This program will shed light on popularly-cited “facts” about smoking, reinforced by both consumers and care professionals alike. Viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the extent of this public health problem and understand how they can be a part of the

“Co-Occurring Eating Disorders and Addiction: Implications for Recovery” was presented on February 26, 2019; by Tiffany Schultz, LLMSW; Dawn Farm Outpatient Therapist. Co-occurring Eating Disorders and Substance Use Disorders often converge in several complex ways. We know that addiction to substances is a primary, chronic, and fatal disease if left untreated; research also tells us that when these two disorders co-occur, treating them simultaneously is the best course of action for the individual seeking help, and that long-term recovery from both disorders is possible. However, finding a program able to treat both conditions effectively is challenging. This presentation will explore the ways in which these two very serious conditions intersect and how those intersections impact the course of treatment and recovery for the individual. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about su

“Safe and Effective Management of Pain and Addiction” was presented on January 22, 2019; by Carl Christensen, MD, Ph.D., D-FASAM; and Mark A. Weiner, MD, D-FASAM. The Institute of Medicine estimates around a 100 million Americans suffer with chronic pain, and it’s estimated that about 10% of our population has or has had a substance use disorder. Both chronic pain and substance use disorders are major public health challenges, and treating concurrent pain and substance addiction is especially challenging. Common prescribing practices intended to provide relief of acute and chronic pain can trigger relapse in people with substance use disorders and have also fueled an epidemic of opioid misuse, addiction and overdose death. People with pain deserve relief, and the good news is there are strategies for acute and chronic pain management that are safe and effective for people at risk of or in recovery from substance use disorders. This presentation will discuss various methods of pharmacologic and non-pharmacolog

“Navigating Grace: The Power of Connection and Transformation” was presented on December 18, 2018, by Jeff Jay; best-selling author, speaker, clinician and educator. In this video Jeff Jay will share decades of personal and professional recovery experience in an unusual life-and-death story, based on his book, Navigating Grace.  He will describe the unlikely people who helped saved his life. Why do the concepts of service and altruism lie at the heart of Twelve Step Programs? This presentation will take your recovery to the next level.  This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-s

  “An Introduction To Cultivating Mindfulness to Support Recovery” was presented on November 27, 2018; by Elizabeth A.R. Robinson, MPH, MSW, Ph.D. Mindfulness practices have been found to be effective in supporting sustained recovery from substance use disorders. This presentation defines mindfulness, describes research supporting mindfulness’ benefit, provides to experience and cultivate mindfulness, and ties these experiences and research to the process of recovery, making explicit the connection. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, recovery, family and related issues. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series. ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Elizabeth A

“The Intersectionality of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Substance Use/Substance Use Disorders” was presented on October 23, 2018; by David J.H. Garvin, LMSW; Vice President of Programs and Facilities for Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County and Founder, Alternatives to Domestic Aggression, Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County; and Barbara Niess May, MPA, MSW; Executive Director, SafeHouse Center. There is a strong correlation between domestic violence/sexual assault and alcohol/other drug use – and correlation does not equal cause/effect nor does it define personal responsibility. Intoxication does not explain abuse or assault, excuse a perpetrator’s behaviors, or justify a person being assaulted or abused. Domestic violence/sexual assault offender and survivor alcohol and other drug use will be central to this discussion. The audience will be provided with a primmer regarding perpetrator tactics, strategies, and core beliefs which hold the perpetrator accountable for abusive/assaultiv

“Addiction and Families” was presented on September 25, 2018; by Lynn Kleiman Malinoff, Ed.D. Alcohol/other drug addiction is often described as a “family condition.” Each member of the family unit is affected by addiction within the family and often family members have challenges in supporting each other and taking care of their own health and well-being. To survive within a framework of chaos, family members often develop roles and defense mechanisms that help them to cope. This program will provide an overview of ways in which each family member is affected by addiction in the family, roles and behaviors that family members often acquire when living with addiction, and options for family members to obtain help and cope. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-prof

“Addiction 101” was presented on September 18, 2018, by James Balmer; President, Dawn Farm. Substance use disorders are poorly understood by the general population as well as by many professionals. “Why don’t you just stop” is a common refrain from family member and friends, and people with addiction often wonder why they return again and again to substance use and associated self-destructive behaviors, even when they’re highly motivated to stop using. People with substance use disorders who are abstinent but not engaged in a program of recovery experience continuing, distressing symptoms and adaptive defenses to these symptoms that eventually drive most back to substance use. How can they be helped? As addiction/recovery researcher George Vaillant said, “If you want to treat an illness that has no easy cure, first of all, treat them with hope.” This program will provide an overview of how we currently approach and historically have approached addiction, treatment and recovery, review addiction as a brain di

Spirituality in Recovery: The Many Paths to Spiritual Fitness was presented on Tuesday May 29, 2018; by Jerry Fouchey, BS, MA, SpA, CADC; Dawn Farm Outpatient and Personal Medicine therapist. Twelve Step recovery programs challenge participants through the Eleventh Step to “seek through prayer and meditation to improve their conscious contact with God as they understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry that out.” The literature points out that recovering people have "tread innumerable paths" in this process. This presentation will encourage participants to clarify their personal understanding of a Higher Power, examine the quality of their relationship with that Power, and explore vehicles to build their conscious contact. This presentation is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a free, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues. The Education Series

"Gratitude and Addiction Recovery" was presented on May 22, 2018; by Dr. Amy R. Krentzman, MSW, PhD. “Gratitude” is a frequent topic in recovery circles, a recurrent theme in recovery program literature, and a central component of addiction recovery for many recovering people. Gratitude practices are commonly employed in addiction treatment and in recovery. This presentation provides definitions of gratitude proposed by social scientists, presents scientific findings about the benefits of gratitude, discusses theories for the ways in which gratitude “works” (in general and in recovery) and demonstrates gratitude exercises. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, pleas

Collegiate Recovery Programs: Supporting Second Chances was presented on Tuesday March 27, 2018; by Mary Jo Desprez, MA; Director, Wolverine Wellness, University Health Service, University of Michigan; Matthew Statman, LMSW, CAADC; University of Michigan Collegiate Recovery Program Manager; and a panel of University of Michigan Students for Recovery members. The transition to a college environment can pose significant risk to a recovering student and to students at risk for alcohol/other drug problems. Many colleges and universities, including the University of Michigan, have developed programs to help recovering students maintain their recovery, excel academically and have a normative college experience apart from the culture of alcohol and other drug use. This presentation will provide an overview of the national and local efforts to build recovery support programs on college campuses, discuss support that is provided to recovering students by collegiate recovery programs, and provide information about what