On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Kirsten Puccio and Keri McCallum founded M.I.R.A.C.L.E. Mamas lead and empower mothers in recovery, to advocate for systematic change with support through a peer-led initiative in order to promote family reunification.

Their passion was to help other mothers who are struggling with substance use disorder as they once did. As they once suffered in isolation out of fear from the judgement and stigma people with SUD often face especially being a mother, they knew they wanted to help another mother never to have to feel that way. When they looked around their community, they saw there was a lack of spaces for mothers to go comfortably to discuss issues they were experiencing such as substance use during pregnancy, involvement with the department of children & families, losing custody of their children, etc. They decided then and there to create that space, which they did at Everyday Miracles Peer Recovery Support Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

You can visit their website at https://miracle-mamas.com/

Join Jesse and Lisa on this episode of Airing Addiction.

Brittany Alene Jimenez started her sobriety journey on July 15, 2020.

She is a mother, friend, and outdoor enthusiast who finds solace in exercise and mountain therapy. An aspiring pilot with a passion for nursing, currently pursuing a fast-tracked DNP program. With three years of experience as a pulmonary triage nurse and Med-Surg bedside medicine at UMass, she's committed to developing skills that will shape her future in healthcare. She takes pride in the relationships she's built through recovery, showing up with compassion and authenticity in both personal and professional life.

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” -Sophocles

Join Jesse and Lisa to hear Brittany's story. Only on Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction, John Marhefka and Matt Gear share details on their nonprofit GAAP Recovery:

G.A.A.P Recovery is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works with individuals and families who suffer from mental health challenges, and substance use disorders. They provide individuals with financial resources for the barriers they may face in paying for sober living.

G.A.A.P Recovery has given out 10 scholarships in 2024 and we are seeking to expand that with your help...

All proceeds will benefit GAAP recovery's mission to create a community where men and fathers impacted by opioid use disorder, and the criminal justice system, are empowered to rebuild their lives, achieve lasting recovery, and reconnect with their families, through compassionate support, innovative programs, and a commitment to equity and inclusivity.

Visit https://gaaprecovery.org/ to learn more.

Join Jesse and Lisa on this episode of Airing Addiction to hear more of the amazing work John and Matt are doing in the recovery community.

My name is John Marhefka and I am a grateful father in recovery. I have dedicated my life to opening doors, advocating and supporting those who are recovering. I wholeheartedly feel that my success in overcoming barriers was from the support of the peers that have paved the road before me. Peer recovery service centers have played a monumental role in my recovery and continue to do so. I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve the Town of Marlboro as the Program Director here at The Recovery Connection. I will continue to be the voice for those who have not found it, and the advocate for the change that is needed in our community.

Join Jesse and Lisa to hear John's story on this episode of Airing Addiction.

Matt Gear shares about the recovery coaching process and its impact on individuals with substance use disorder in our communities. 

Join Jesse and Lisa on this episode of Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Ralph was a patient at New England Recovery Center December 2021 and was openminded to suggestions and motivated to change his life. He is a powerful testament of putting in the work and getting the positive results. He now works at NERC as a Recovery Specialist helping others just like he was helped. Ralph has a powerful story of experience, strength and hope to share.

Join Jesse and Lisa to hear Ralph's story, only on Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

This week we highlight how feeling a sense of belonging can help people on their recovery journey. Program directors Kim Patterson and Ladonne Rogers will share how Peer Recovery Support Centers create community.

Building social supports and a caring community is essential for recovery.

• We do not recover alone. Recovery can be easier with the support of others.

• Community can include people who accept us and encourage us to grow.

• Family, friends, peers, and others play an important role in someone’s recovery.

• Recovery is supported through meaningful relationships.

• Social inclusion, not isolation, is important for recovery.

Guest bios:

Kim Patterson has been with Spectrum Health Systems as the Program Director of Recovery Exchange since March of 2023. Kim has worked in the city of Lynn serving the homeless and people with substance use disorder for 25 years. Kim has worked with homeless adults, families, and teen mothers. Kim has also worked as a case manager with women in recovery in the city of Lynn. Kim is a woman in long term recovery and has the compassion, empathy, and understanding necessary to assist others on their road to recovery. Kim has a passion for helping others to achieve independence and self–sufficiency. Kim has completed recovery coach training and recovery coach supervisor training to gain the tools necessary to better assist both those seeking recovery and staff seeking to provide services.

Ladonne Rogers has been a Peer Coordinator at Spectrum Health Systems, Recovery Exchange since July 26, 2023. Ladonne has 8 years in his personal recovery and 20+ years of lived experience. Ladonne Coordinates the members in the center to a safe and supportive environment, for participants who might want to volunteer or work on their personal recovery. Ladonne is very passionate about his recovery and empowering new members to work their recovery and set goals to help them build a foundation for bettering their lives.

Join Jesse and Lisa on this Recovery Month episode of Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

This week we highlight the importance of purpose as a motivator for positive change. Kathleen Wise shares her recovery story and how giving back by supporting others at New England Recovery Center helps her find her purpose.

Finding purpose in life may be a powerful driver for recovery.

• Purpose includes meaningful daily activities.

• Employment can support recovery, give a sense of purpose, and a way to provide for yourself and your family.

• Purpose may include a job, school, volunteering, caregiving, or creative pursuits.

• Spirituality can bring a sense of purpose and meaning that helps foster recovery.

• Helping others can bring a great sense of purpose and contribute to recovery.

Join Jesse and Lisa on this Recovery Month episode of Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

We all need a stable and safe place to call home.

- A home provides the foundation for a life in recovery. 

- Home is a safe, stable, and soft space to land…. even on those really hard days. 

- Creating safe, affordable housing for all with mental health and substance use conditions supports their recovery. 

Join hosts Jesse Chaison and Lisa Blanchard for an insightful episode featuring a panel from the MetroWest Care Connection Housing Coalition, Greater Worcester Housing Connection at SMOC and Open Sky Community Services. 

We’ll dive deep into the critical role that safe and stable housing plays in the recovery journey from mental health and substance use conditions.

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

This week we highlight aspects of well-being and their importance to recovery with Katie Heinrich and Sydney Durand from the National Sober Active Community - The Phoenix National Sober Active Community

We can strive to be healthier and achieve our wellness goals.
• We can overcome challenges related to mental health and substance use conditions.
• It is OK to reach out for help with substance use and mental health conditions.
• Making informed healthy choices can support our well-being.
• It's OK and important to reach out for help, especially if addiction or mental health conditions are affecting our relationships, work, or day-to-day life.

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Guest bios:

Sydney Durand, Director of Philanthropic Advancement

Sydney is the Director of Philanthropic Advancement at The Phoenix, where she works on initiatives to accelerate fundraising in the rapidly scaling organization. Since joining The Phoenix in 2016, she has held several dynamic, multidimensional roles across program and development leadership teams. Sydney was one of the founding staff when the organization first expanded to Boston, leading the opening of The Phoenix’s regional headquarters in Boston in 2018, and the expansion of programs across the broader New England Region. She earned her Undergraduate Degree in Community and International Development with a minor in Spanish from the University of Vermont in 2015, where she also ran collegiate Track & Field. Sydney was formerly on the Program Strategy Committee and Together in Recovery Committee with RIZE Massachusetts and the New Market Business Improvement District Board.

Katie Heinrich, Manager of Research & Evaluation

Katie is a former tenured university professor and administrator having served at two land grant universities, the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and Kansas State University. Her internationally recognized research focuses on the impacts of meaningful activities that foster a sense of community, including high-intensity functional training (e.g., CrossFit), on health, fitness, and addiction recovery outcomes. Her work has focused on populations across the lifespan including youth through older adults and tactical athletes. She has over 120 peer-reviewed research publications and including co-authoring a new chapter on Brain Health and Brain-Related Disorders for the American College of Sports Medicine's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th and 12th Editions).

On this episode of Airing Addiction;

Jesse and Lisa will discuss overdose and options available for treatment such as access to mobile MAT care with Regional Program Director Heidi DiRoberto, Director of Nursing Amanda Bouchard, and RSN Mariana Valera.

Guest bios:

Heidi DiRoberto, LMHC, Regional Executive Director for Spectrum Health Systems Outpatient Division. Heidi oversees the central region which includes Spectrum’s largest OTP, Spectrum’s first mobile unit, as well their rapid access Hub and Spoke program. Along with her team, Heidi has operationalized methadone delivery to skilled nursing facilities in the Worcester area and pharmacy access/delivery of Naloxone in the OTP. Heidi specializes in substance use disordered treatment, grief and loss, trauma informed care, Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavior therapies.

Amanda Bouchard, BSN, RN, CARN has worked in multiple roles throughout her 5 years at Spectrum and is currently the Outpatient Director of Nursing. Amanda is a Certified Addictions Registered Nurse and passionate in ensuring that Spectrum promotes progressive and alternative solutions to help engage and retain patients in treatment and to promote optimal outcomes collaboratively with our patients.

Mariana Valera, BA, has been a Recovery Support Navigator at Spectrum Health Systems since September 2021. She is currently a graduate student at Assumption University working to obtain her degree in clinical counseling. Over this past summer she has spent her time transitioning into the clinical intern role at the program.

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Sharif Nankoe, MD, MPA, MA, FASAM is the Chief Medical Director for Department of Corrections (DOC) Programs at Spectrum Health Systems, a nonprofit behavioral health organization based in Massachusetts.  His area of expertise is the treatment of opioid use disorder in jails and prisons, and he has been involved in the establishment of over 20 correctional MOUD programs.  Dr. Nankoe provides oversight, direction, and implementation of medical operations for the Massachusetts DOC MOUD Programs.  Previously Dr. Nankoe served as the Medical Director for the Vermont DOC Medications for Addiction Treatment Program, and worked in the Vermont Hub and Spoke system as the Medical Director of two Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) and two office-based opioid treatment clinics.  He is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine and Family Medicine.

Join Jesse, Lisa, and Dr. Nankoe on this episode of Airing Addiction!

Danny is a person in recovery originally from Oklahoma who relocated to Massachusetts three years ago. While his recovery journey began in August of 2000, his first experience with treatment was at an eating disorder unit at 15 years old. He continues his recovery journey in Worcester and in his new hometown of Charlton, MA where he and his husband of 20 years reside. Through practicing recovery principles, he has been able to become a data scientist and is currently an AI software product lead in the professional services field.

Join Jesse and Lisa on this month's episode of Airing Addiction!

Jim is a Recovery Support Assistant at Alyssa’s Place in Gardner, MA and will be sharing his recovery story with the hope that it will help others on their own journey to recovery.

Join Jesse and Lisa as Jim shares his experience, only on Airing Addiction!

A Worcester native, Chris has experienced many triumphs and hardships throughout this life and is hoping by sharing his story he will help inspire and educate others on the often-misunderstood world of #mentalhealth. 

Tune in to listen to Chris's story with your hosts Jesse and Lisa. Only on Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Craig has been in recovery for 8 months and is originally from the Worcester area. Craig has been working at Perennial Recovery to give the opportunity to help others as an effort to give back to those who helped him on his recovery journey.

Join Jesse and Lisa to hear Craig's story, only on Airing Addiction!

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Jarrett J. Krosoczka, known since boyhood as "JJK," is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star Wars™: Jedi Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Krosoczka creates books with humor, heart, and deep respect for his young readers—qualities that have made his titles perennial favorites on the bookshelves of homes, libraries, and bookstores over the past twenty years.

Join Jesse and Lisa to listen to Jarrett's story! Only on Airing Addiction.

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Dr. Corrie Vilsaint serves as the Associate Director of Recovery Health Equity at the MGH Recovery Research Institute and Instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Vilsaint is a community psychologist and an international speaker. Her research endeavors have focused on reducing recovery-related discrimination, building recovery capital, and the effectiveness of recovery support services.

Join Jesse, Lisa, and Dr. Corrie on this episode of Airing Addiction!

On this episode:

Ken has been a certified Recovery Coach at Signature Healthcare’s OBAT program for the past five years. His primary work involves engaging clients in community-based recovery to complement their MOUD treatment and strengthening his deeply established and new agency partnerships within the greater Brockton community.

Join Jesse and Lisa to hear Ken's story. Only on Airing Addiction!

Mathieu Miller has been in recovery since 8/31/21. He is the president of the Spectrum Alumni association and has been the events chair for the Massachusetts state convention of young people in Alcoholics Anonymous for the year 2023. Mathieu works as an Operations Manager in the emergency department with people struggling with mental/behavioral/ and addiction issues. Mathieu works his recovery in AA with a sponsor and is a sponsor to others. Mathieu is also active in commitments to different facilities and meetings around Massachusetts and other New England states. Recovery, fellowship, family, and friends are extremely important to Mathieu and encourages other to recognize that recovery can also be about having fun and he is finally able to live his life the way it was meant to be lived!

Dylan McGovern
Dylan in recovery from alcohol addiction and is the Co-Chair for the spectrum residential alumni. Dylan is passionate about recovery, because he is passionate about life. Dylan is dedicated to helping others gain for themselves what he has gained over the last few years through this journey and shares that Recovery saved my life!

Come tune in! Hear Dylan and Mathieu's story, only on Airing Addiction.

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Program directors from the New England Recovery Center will go in-depth to how they provide inpatient treatment to those seeking a true holistic approach to recovery. Jesse and Lisa will see what sets the program apart from others as they are joined by Executive Director Marybeth Adams, Clinical Supervisor Alexandria Supernor, and Program Director Sarah Stewart.

Marybeth Adams, MS LMHC, is the Executive Director of Inpatient Services for New England Recovery Center and is also a private therapist, and serves as an Adjunct Professor for the Mental Health Counseling Graduate Program.

Alexandria Supernor, MA, is the Clinical Supervisor at New England Recovery Center ATS. A graduate of Assumption College, she holds experience working with individuals with complex trauma, as well as those who struggle with substance abuse issues. Allie’s areas of specialty are anxiety, depression, trauma treatment, LGBTQIA-related issues, and substance use disorders. 

Sarah Stewart, LMHC, MA, is the Program Director at New England Recovery Center detox and residential program. Sarah holds experience working with individuals who struggle with substance abuse as well as having a background in family and child counseling.

Join Jesse and Lisa to hear all about inpatient treatment on this episode of Airing Addiction.

On this episode of Airing Addiction, Dr. Madden and Dr. Altice explain how System Implementation Impacts those with SUD in the Community.

Dr. Madden’s work is focused on identifying treatment gaps in substance abuse/mental health treatment and improving both access to services and retention in treatment, with an emphasis on inclusion of marginalized persons and integration with primary care/treatment for infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and HCV. She is affiliated with Yale School of Medicine, Internal Medicine - AIDS. 

Dr. Altice is a Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale University where he serves as the Director of Clinical and Community Research, the Community Health Care Van and the HIV in Prisons Program.

Please join Jesse and Lisa to hear expert opinions and experience, only on Airing Addiction.

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Athena Haddon, Spectrum’s executive director of peer services and recovery support and Billy Parks, assistant director of recovery and peer support at Advocates, Inc. will be sitting down with Lisa and Jesse to discuss the important role peer support plays in recovery.

Home | Moar Recovery (moar-recovery.org) 

On this episode of Airing Addiction:

Chris has worked in sports radio in Boston since 2002 and is currently an executive producer at WEEI Boston's Sports Original. 

Join Lisa Blanchard and Jesse Chaison as they sit down with Chris to discuss his recovery journey this #RecoveryMonth

Dr. Griffin is a clinical and forensic psychologist with specialties in childhood trauma, resilience, and relationships.

She developed the UMass Child Trauma Training Center (now known as Lifeline For Kids) which has trained over 100,000 professionals in trauma, trauma-informed care, and trauma sensitive practices. She is a co-author of a book by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Childhood Trauma and Resilience, A Practical Guide, a go-to resource on childhood trauma for pediatrics. Recently, Dr. Griffin also authored a book for couples in romantic relationships, Relationship Rx: Prescriptions for Lasting Love and Deeper Connection.

Join Jesse and Lisa on this episode of Airing Addiction as they learn from Jessica's experience.