Good Neighbor Podcast: Pittsburgh

E78: Gateway to Recovery: Understanding Addiction and Treatment Options

• Leila Carter & Carin Fraioli • Episode 78

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What makes Carin Fraioli with Gateway Rehab a good neighbor?

Breaking down the walls of addiction stigma requires understanding, compassion, and accessible resources. Carin Fraioli brings 25 years of frontline experience at Gateway Rehabilitation Center to our conversation, revealing how substance use disorders are legitimate medical conditions—not moral failings or character flaws.

"These are not bad people," Carin emphasizes, challenging the harmful misconceptions that prevent many from seeking help. "Some of the most intelligent and smart people I've ever met have been clients of ours." Her passionate advocacy stems from witnessing countless recovery journeys throughout her career, which began as an internship and evolved into a lifelong mission.

Gateway Rehab stands as a beacon of hope across Western Pennsylvania, operating as a nonprofit for 52 years. Their comprehensive services extend from Erie to Greene County and beyond through telehealth options, tailoring treatment approaches to each individual's specific needs. Carin explains how prolonged substance use chemically alters the brain, creating dependencies that require medical intervention—similar to how we approach other chronic conditions like diabetes.

The organization works through multiple channels to connect people with help, including family referrals, employee assistance programs, physician offices, and spiritual leaders. Their commitment to accessibility shines through their 24/7 support systems: a website with educational resources and live chat (gatewayrehab.org), a dedicated helpline (1-800-472-1177), and extensive community outreach programs.

Whether you're struggling personally with substance use or concerned about a loved one, Gateway Rehab offers judgment-free guidance, information, and pathways to recovery. Visit their website to access their educational podcasts covering topics from opioid treatment to family support strategies, or simply reach out when you're ready to take that first step toward healing.

To learn more about Gateway Rehab go to: 

www.gatewayrehab.org

Gateway Rehab

(412)604-8900


Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Lila Carter.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a drug and alcohol provider? One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, karen Fraioli, with Gateway Rehab. Karen, how's it going Good? How are you? Thanks for having me. Very well, thanks so much for being here. We're excited to learn all about you and your business, so please tell us more about your organization.

Speaker 3:

Sure, I work for Gateway Rehabilitation Center. Sure, I work for Gateway Rehabilitation Center. We're an advanced recovery network, so we are a drug and alcohol provider that spans all of Western Pennsylvania, from all the way up in Erie, all the way down to Greene County and out to Westmoreland County. We also can expand even beyond that because we use telehealth as well and we provide different types of treatment based on the need of a patient that comes to see us and their usage of substances.

Speaker 2:

Excellent. So how did you get into this business, Karen?

Speaker 3:

So I was an intern at 23 years old. I had to do an internship and I chose to do gateway rehab. I was always interested in drug and alcohol services, mostly probably because of own personal reasons within my family, and I really learned so much. It is a place that you can learn a lot about family systems, about mental health, about working with people and really learn good stuff about human nature. And after that internship I think I was kind of hooked and I was offered a job, and that was 25 years ago.

Speaker 2:

Very good. So what are some myths, or maybe misconceptions, in this industry? Any that you'd like to address today?

Speaker 3:

Well, I think the biggest thing is is that there's such a stigma around folks that use substances, drugs or alcohol to excess, and people don't like to identify it as a disease and there comes a point where somebody is not able to stop using because their body is chemically changed and needs to rely on that right. So I think the biggest myth is one people can get better, but they need to remove that substance from their life and they can recover, but it is a relapsing and remitting type of disease, just like a diabetes is. So really, people can get better. These are not bad human beings. I think that's another big one.

Speaker 3:

Actually, some of the most intelligent and smart people I've ever met have been people that have walked through our buildings, that have been clients of ours. So I think those are the biggest myths that people can't recover and why should we invest time in them. And two, that this is not about being a bad person. This is, unfortunately, a disease and we need to give them the resources to help them and wrap around them to get them to where they need to be.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and even if someone can't acknowledge necessarily the disease, noticing the dis-ease or the lack of ease in their body could be a first step for them to that. And so who are your target customers as we're thinking of marketing as the heart of any business and how are you attracting them?

Speaker 3:

So I mean, obviously the individual person is with referral sources and, potentially, places so that we can work with them to make this as a process that's easy for them to help folks get into treatment. I would say one of our biggest referrals, though, is family right Mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, whatever it may be. That's one of our biggest referral sources out of concern and love for their person. We also work with EAPs, which is an employee assistance program, so a lot of employers that are of a certain size have an EAP, and if they have concerns or have identified a concern with someone that works for them, we will work with an EAP as well. So we market to them someone that works for them, we will work with an EAP as well, so we market to them. We will market to physician offices, because they obviously would be identifying potential issues or someone may go to them.

Speaker 3:

One thing I love that we do every year is we do a spiritual conference where we have spiritual leaders come to us and we try to encourage them and make them understand what we do so that if someone were to come to them and, in confidence, talk about their concerns and or issues related to their own use, or somebody that they know is use what they could do to help them get into treatment. So you know, marketing comes in many ways. It's community outreach, it's, you know, events and fairs. It's you know, events and fairs. So Facebook, instagram and LinkedIn. So those are the ways we get get information out.

Speaker 2:

So there's so much to learn about not only what these people might be going through, but also, maybe, the ways to best support them and what resources are available. Support them and what resources are available. So, as you're thinking about all of this content that people are trying to know about regarding this information, have you ever thought about possibly starting your own podcast to discuss all of these topics?

Speaker 3:

It has definitely been a discussion. We actually were working with a local radio station and promoting a podcast that one of the folks that worked there really wanted to do that and get it out there, and we were doing that. And I'm not saying that we're not done doing that, but yes, I agree with you. I think it is something that definitely could be in our wheelhouse and another way to promote. I know myself personally, when I'm in the car I'm listening to podcasts and I think a lot of people do as well, so it's a great avenue to get information out.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely, and so, outside of work, what are you doing for fun?

Speaker 3:

Well, I have two kids so they keep me busy, so it's usually being an Uber.

Speaker 3:

No, I'm kidding Things I like to do for fun is to socialize. I certainly like watching the majority of Pittsburgh sports, so Steelers season starts this week. You know Pirate Games, yeah, go Steelers. So I definitely like to socialize and do that with friends. I don't know if I can totally consider myself a foodie, but I like to try new places and try new things. So, um, and I really want to spend some more time traveling. So that's kind of my goal for the next couple of years is is get to get to see places I haven't seen.

Speaker 2:

Very nice. Where's the next place on your travel list?

Speaker 3:

Um, I'm going to be going to Seattle. I'm going for a work-related conference, but I'm also going to tick off some of the things that I've never been to Seattle. So tick off some of the things that I want to do, like going to see whales in the ocean. That's a big bucket list item for me.

Speaker 2:

Oh, very cool. So, karen, please tell our listeners one thing that they should remember or that should stick with them, about Gateway Retail.

Speaker 3:

Um Gateway Rehab is a nonprofit agency that has been around for 52 years. We are um available all hours of the day and all days of the week. Um, we can reach anybody and you can reach us Certainly. Go to the internet for information or even if you just want to do a little fact finding, that's um gatewayrehaborg. Or you can call us if you just want to do a little fact finding, that's gatewayrehaborg. Or you can call us if you have questions, whether you're the identified person or you're someone that needs answers, or questions that you're just not sure about. It's 1-800-472-1177. We even have a live chat on our webpage, so certainly can reach out to us and we will do whatever we can to get you those answers or to help you or a loved one get the services that they need thank you so much for the services that you're providing the people of pittsburgh and beyond.

Speaker 2:

I mean, it's so important, and so how can our listeners learn more about gateway rehab?

Speaker 3:

um, I think one of the things is, if you do go to our webpage, those podcasts that I was talking about, you're able to listen to those, and they are podcasts about things significant to people that want to find out about substance use, whether it's opioid use disorder, what detox or withdrawal management means, how to treat a family in addiction. So I think our website is a wonderful place for people to get resources, so I always like to drive people there. Certainly, follow us on social, because we like to highlight stories and the great things that we're doing in our facilities to help people get better.

Speaker 2:

Excellent. Well, Karen, I really appreciate your time today and having you as a guest on the show. We wish you and the organization the best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Thank you very much. Thank you for having us.

Speaker 2:

Thanks for being here.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppittsburghcom. No-transcript.