Brenda Zane is a family advocate, parent coach, host of the podcast Hopestream, and founder of an online community, The Stream, for moms of kids with substance use disorder. Brenda is the mother of four sons, the oldest of whom struggled with an addiction to a high-risk lifestyle and illicit opioids and benzodiazepines for over 5 years. After nearly losing her son to multiple fentanyl overdoses, Brenda left corporate America to serve other families dealing with the fear, confusion and helplessness parents usually feel when they have a child who's misusing drugs or alcohol.

 Brenda is a Mayo Clinic Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Parent Coach, and Board Member for Sky’s The Limit Fund, a non-profit which transforms the lives of youth in crisis and their families by providing access to wilderness therapy programs and post-treatment coaching services.

I  know Brenda as a health coach and an entrepreneur. I am proud to serve as an advisor member in The Stream Community and have seen first hand what a compassionate heart felt safe space that she has created for the moms who have joined her.

The stigma, shame and guilt that surrounds addiction, substance use and abuse is something that is only compounded by secrecy, uncertainty and isolation. Brenda’s mission is to give parents a place where they can let down their guard, a space without fear of judgement where they can lay down some of that burden and know that they are loved and supported.

Make no mistake, this story is not unique. Addiction comes in many different flavors and it touches every single one of us in some way. Substance use that leads to abuse stripped down is simply external regulation of the nervous system. Because of that every single one of us is susceptible to it in some way. 

Today's episode is part 1 of a 2 part interview, we’re going to pull back the curtain on a family disease. And I do want to warn you parts of this story might be hard to hear.  Brenda shares her story of her son’s struggle with substance abuse from the years that led up to the fentanyl overdose that should have taken his life to the hope that’s come from their recovery. I share some of my own family history with substance abuse.  We talk about how years of stress can become trauma and what those health effects look like. How the accumulation of little t traumas can lead to big T triggers. How long it can take to relearn healthy resilience patterns. 

It’s time to stop working out and start working IN. You found the Work IN podcast for fit-preneurs and their health conscious clients. This podcast is for resilient wellness professionals who want to expand their professional credibility, shake off stress and thrive in a burnout-proof career with conversations on the fitness industry, movement, nutrition, sleep, mindset, nervous system health, yoga, business and so much more.

I’m your host Ericka Thomas. I'm a resilience coach and fit-preneur offering an authentic, actionable realistic approach to personal and professional balance for coaches in any format.

The Work IN is brought to you by savage grace coaching, bringing resilience through movement, action and accountability. Private sessions, small groups and corporate presentations are open now. Visit savagegracecoaching.com to schedule a call and get all the details.

Website & free guide
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Linked IN