I Love Being Sober

By: Tim Westbrook
  • Summary

  • Hello my friends, and welcome back to yet another episode of I Love Being Sober brought to you by Camelback Recovery - a proud partner to the most effective way to achieve long term recovery without the pain and suffering and high cost of multiple stints in detox, rehabs, and sober living homes. My name is Tim Westbrook and I am the CEO and Founder of Camelback Recovery here in the always sunny and always sober Scottsdale, Arizona where my team and I over the course of many years have helped thousands of people on their path to long term recovery. I started this show because there is so much misinformation about addiction treatment, mental illness, and addiction recovery in general. There is much more to recovery than just going to inpatient treatment, seeing a therapist, and going to 12 step meetings. Those things are important and AA saved my life. However, to find long term recovery and live happy, joyous and free, there is a lot more to it than just stopping the drinking, stopping the drugs, or stopping any addictive behavior. Sobriety and recovery can and should be fun. That’s not to say that the recovery process is going to be easy and it’s not to say that there won’t be difficult times ahead. However, to live the life that you deserve and for it to be exciting and fun you need new lifestyle habits. New healthy lifestyle habits that promote your mental, spiritual, and physical health. That my friends will lead you to living a KICK ASS SOBER LIFE! Visit CamelbackRecovery.com to learn more about recovery coaching, sober living, and your next step to freedom and happiness.
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Episodes
  • Rewiring the Brain: How Deep TMS and Ketamine Are Revolutionizing Mental Health and Addiction Recovery
    Nov 5 2024

    Have you ever wondered how brain science is influencing mental health treatment? In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Colleen Hanlon, the Vice President of Medical Affairs of Brainsway. Dr. Hanlon, who specializes in neurobiology and has pioneered work in therapies such as deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and ketamine, discusses how these creative approaches are helping people recover from depression, PTSD, and addiction.

    Dr. Hanlon and I talk about the science behind TMS and ketamine therapy, why they're effective, and who might benefit the most. We look at how TMS activates certain brain networks to aid recovery, such as rousing up drowsy regions of the brain associated with depression, and how ketamine provides quick relief, particularly for people in immediate need. Furthermore, we discuss how combining TMS and ketamine may improve outcomes for specific individuals.

    If you're interested in mental health or looking for alternative treatment options, you'll benefit greatly from this conversation. Stay tuned to see how these revolutionary cures are transforming people's lives.

    • [03:17] We met at the BrainsWay conference about a month ago. Addiction recovery is one of Colleen's passions.
    • [04:21] Brain stimulation is a third pillar of how we treat mental health these days. We can modulate brain activity through electromagnetic induction.
    • [05:20] A TMS coil is placed over the head. It's placed over the network that's affected and then it helps to restore energy to that region.
    • [08:21] We learn about how the TMS coil works and the electricity in the pulse. Magnetic fields generate electricity and neurons in our brain are sensitive to electricity.
    • [13:18] Common conditions that TMS treats. Depression which has a variety of different types. Subtypes of depression involve different networks in the brain.
    • [16:29] Side effects are extremely low.
    • [17:29] Ketamine therapy. Ketamine can be given through a nasal spray or an injection and it works fast.
    • [23:47] Can people with addictive personalities use ketamine? Risk benefit profiles.
    • [30:01] Theta burst stimulation and how it acts faster.
    • [34:06] We learn who would be a good candidate for TMS.
    • [40:06] The wearable market is also growing.
    • [41:19] We learn how Colleen's passion about addiction recovery began with learning about dopamine.
    • [42:39] We learn what the future of addiction treatment could look like. There are two really therapeutic strategies for using TMS to treat addiction.

      Links mentioned in this episode:
    • Camelback Recovery
    • I Love Being Sober YouTube
    • BrainsWay Knowledge Center
    • BrainsWay Dr. Colleen Hanlon
    • Dr. Colleen Hanlon Ex-Twitter
    • Dr. Colleen Hanlon LinkedIn
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • Healing Through Hidden Trauma: A Personal Journey To Transformation
    Aug 27 2024

    Terra Holbrook is the founder of TerraVista Retreats in Idaho, a unique healing space dedicated to helping individuals recover from trauma, addiction, and other life challenges. With over two decades of experience as a therapist, Terra specializes in trauma-informed care, focusing on guiding people through the often hidden layers of trauma that can affect every aspect of their lives.

    I want to share that I personally attended Terra's program, and it was a profound experience. We begin with Terra briefly explaining her work and how she came to open TerraVista Retreat in Idaho. Then, we dive into the topic of trauma. Trauma is something everyone experiences, and it's really about how we respond afterward when we can't fully resolve the events or experiences we've endured.

    In today's episode, we'll explore the concept of hidden trauma—what it is, how it manifests, and how it can be addressed and healed. Terra brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this topic, and I'm excited for her to share her insights with all of you.

    • [03:57] I went through Terra's program, and the experience was profound.
    • [05:17] Terra shares a brief overview of her background and what led her to start TerraVista Retreats.
    • [08:47] Everyone experiences trauma.
    • [09:37] Trauma is really what happens to us after the event where our body freezes in the state of fear, pain, or dysregulation and what we do afterwards to compensate for not being able to come to some resolution about the thing or things that happen to us.
    • [10:09] Hidden traumas are those things that we respond to every day, have reenacted, and don't even understand we've created a life that reenacts what's going on because we're trying to master the thing we couldn't back then and so our behaviors, our beliefs, the way that we respond, our relationships suffer from these events.
    • [11:12] Trauma is a stripping of safety.
    • [11:37] Terra shares an example where she picked a fight every time her husband was about to go on a trip. She took a look at her discomfort and remembered that her dad had died on a business trip when she was 17.
    • [13:10] Pushing him away to not feel the absence of his leaving was a hidden trauma.
    • [18:01] A lot happens at the retreats including getting vulnerable.
    • [18:37] Tim shares one of his most traumatic childhood experiences. This was also when he started his path to drinking and drugs.
    • [22:50] When you start remembering things that you have forgotten about is when you start doing the work.
    • [28:23] So much of the work that we do is going back to those parts of our younger self.
    • [34:07] These regulation practices rewire the brain and help create safety in parts that didn't feel safe.
    • [36:14] The work that Terra does feel sacred to her.
    • [37:19] We talk about the common misconceptions people have about trauma.
    • [39:07] One of the most difficult traumas to work with is when there's a miss attunement with the child's needs and what the parent sees in the child.
    • [41:03] At TerraVista people get the tools they need to rescue themselves.
    • [44:47] We set ourselves up for protection from a thing that happened many years ago. We set up barriers, and we become boundaryless. We end up choosing people in our lives that will reenact that lack of safety or whatever the lack is.
    • [46:57] After doing the work, the chaos doesn't feel good anymore.
    • [48:38] When someone gets clean and sober, all of the habits have to change. It takes time for the brain to settle in a place and reboot.
    • [53:09] Signs and symptoms of trauma include relationship issues that don't seem resolvable. Such as choosing the same type of person over and over again.
    • [54:03] We need to understand that the answer is inside of us.
    • [01:00:20] The pure essence of anger is a motivator.

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    • Camelback Recovery
    • I Love Being Sober YouTube
    • Terra Holbrook
    • Contact Terra (208) 515-6013
    • TerraVista Retreat Facebook
    • Gabor Mate
    • The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Struggling with Despair: The hard road to finding happiness
    Jun 25 2024

    “You will believe without a doubt, you will achieve what others doubt.” That is a quote from my guest today, Tony Grebmeier.

    Tony built up a multimillion-dollar business in ShipOffers, which was ranked as one of Inc. 5000's fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., all while battling addiction with drugs and alcohol.

    Tony's determination and resilience led him to not only build a successful business but also to become a beacon of hope and motivation for others. As the host of the Be Fulfilled Podcast: The Real Stories Behind Success, Tony has spent six seasons redefining what it means to be truly successful.

    In today's episode, we'll dive into Tony's story, exploring the highs and lows of his journey. Whether you're on a personal or professional path to fulfillment, this conversation is packed with valuable insights and inspiration to help you climb your own success mountain.

    • [04:17] One of Tony's best gifts from recovery was learning he has no control over other people's opinions.
    • [05:12] When Tony was drinking, he had no idea that people could change and go into recovery.
    • [09:07] Tony shares the circumstances of going to his first meeting which led to 15 years of recovery.
    • [10:05] He focuses on figuring out what he can do today to be 1% better and that's all that matters. It's easier to be honest and truthful.
    • [11:42] Tony was 2 years old the first time he drank.
    • [13:51] When he was 36 years old, it was the time to make a change in his life.
    • [19:04] His first 90 days of sobriety included calling his sponsor and going to meetings everyday. He missed a couple days of not checking in, but he made his meetings and did his work.
    • [20:41] He needs one thing to focus on. No drinking, no drugging.
    • [23:08] Tony talks about battling addiction while building ShipOffers.
    • [28:34] It's our job to put the initiative in so we don't have to worry about how it works out.
    • [33:06] When life throws Tony a curveball, he starts with gratitude.
    • [37:26] Ego. Tony says that when egos are in play there's nothing else going on.
    • [41:27] Fulfillment is everything to Tony.
    • [42:01] He also has a book coming out called, The Power of Fulfillment. True empowerment and fulfillment comes from identifying what I want to be today when I wake up in the morning.
    • [48:43] Serving and getting into action is one of the greatest gifts.
    • [50:51] The Be Fulfilled Master Class is all the work that Tony's been doing. It's free, and it's mostly about taking ownership of your life.

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    • Camelback Recovery
    • I Love Being Sober YouTube
    • Tony Grebmeier
    • Tony Grebmeier (303) 999-5007
    • Be Fulfilled Podcast
    • Tony Grebmeier Facebook
    • Tony Grebmeier LinkedIn
    • ShipOffers
    • Be Fulfilled
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins

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