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!