Brian Ward, a gambling recovery advocate, certified gambling recovery mentor, musician, and national leader, joins me in a heartfelt conversation about recovery, identity, and the many roles we carry throughout our lives.

Brian shares his personal journey from experiencing gambling-related harm to becoming a respected voice in the recovery community through peer support, advocacy, leadership, and education. Along the way, he reflects on the importance of support systems, balancing multiple passions, and finding ways to integrate rather than separate the different parts of ourselves.

Together, we explore questions that reach beyond gambling recovery:

• How do we balance ambition and opportunity in early recovery?
• Is there a "right" timeline for pursuing goals?
• What role do mentors, sponsors, peers, and loved ones play in our success?
• How much of our recovery story should define us?
• Can we truly know someone beyond what they choose to disclose?

Drawing comparisons between musical ensembles and recovery communities, Brian highlights how no meaningful achievement happens alone and encourages listeners to build their own "band" of support.

This conversation challenges simplistic narratives about addiction and recovery while reminding us that every person is far more than the worst thing they have experienced.

About the Guest:

Brian Ward is a Certified Gambling Recovery Mentor in Oregon. He is a person who has experienced gambling harm and works and volunteers to support people on similar journeys of growth and discovery. He is also a father, husband, musician, and martial artist.

Links:

• Website: VPGR.Net (Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery)
• Email for contacting: Brian.w.cgrm@gmail.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

What does harm reduction actually mean—and why has it become one of the most misunderstood concepts in addiction care?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, physician, addiction medicine specialist, and leader in harm reduction, to explore the philosophy that has transformed the way many professionals approach substance use treatment.

Rather than viewing harm reduction as an alternative to recovery, Dr. Salisbury-Afshar explains why it exists along the same continuum as treatment, medication, and abstinence. She shares how her experiences in rural Illinois and volunteering with the Chicago Recovery Alliance shaped her commitment to meeting people where they are—with respect, dignity, and compassion.

Together, we discuss:

• What harm reduction really means
• Why "any positive change" matters
• The role of syringe service programs, naloxone, and other harm reduction services
• Why stigma continues to shape addiction treatment differently than other chronic illnesses
• The importance of trust, patient-centered care, and welcoming people back after setbacks
• "Nothing About Us Without Us" and including people with lived experience
• The evolving political landscape surrounding harm reduction funding
• How clinicians can continue practicing compassionate care regardless of changing terminology

Whether you're a counselor, physician, peer specialist, social worker, policymaker, or someone personally impacted by addiction, this conversation offers practical insights into building systems that prioritize dignity first.

About the Guest

Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, MD, MPH, is a UW Health addiction medicine doctor and an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Using a combination of medication, therapy and other resources, Dr. Salisbury-Afshar treats people with substance use disorders, including addictions to alcohol and other drugs. She has extensive experience working with people who have opioid use disorders.

Dr. Salisbury-Afshar recognizes that every person has a unique set of circumstances that led to their addiction, as well as a unique road to recovery. Dr. Salisbury-Afshar works with patients to help them figure out what type of support they need and to develop an action plan that continually moves them closer to their goals. Dr. Salisbury-Afshar creates a safe, judgment-free space where her patients can share their feelings, experiences and goals. She admires their courage and treats them with dignity and respect. Dr. Salisbury-Afshar feels honored to sit with people in their challenging moments and to celebrate with them in their successful ones.

Outside of work, Dr. Salisbury-Afshar enjoys spending time with her family and advocating for addiction recovery support and harm reduction services at the state and national levels.

Links:

• https://www.uwhealth.org/providers/elizabeth-m-salisbury-afshar-md

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

What if self-care isn't actually enough?

In this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery, we sit down with Joan Gressel, Director of Social Work and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, to explore why wellness is an ethical responsibility—not simply another item on a to-do list.

Drawing from her own experiences with grief, burnout, caregiving, and leadership, Joan explains why clinicians must move beyond occasional acts of self-care and instead develop wellness as an identity that supports a sustainable career.

We discuss reflective supervision, work-life integration, the role of supervisors in preventing compassion fatigue, and why expecting gratitude from clients can unintentionally undermine ethical practice.

Whether you're a counselor, social worker, peer specialist, supervisor, or student, this conversation offers practical strategies for building a career that is both effective and sustainable.

About the Guest

Joan Groessl, MSW, PhD, LCSW is Professor and Director of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Prior to her work at the university, Her doctoral dissertation focused on moral development and ethical decision making and has taught courses across bot h the BSW and MSW curriculums. Dr. Groessl worked in community mental health practice for twenty years. In her county mental health work, Joan provided the range of outpatient and case management services, including program development and clinical supervision. Joan is active in the National Association of Social Workers-Wisconsin Chapter and has been Chair of their Continuing Education Committee for many years. Joan provides training on a range of topics to community agencies, most frequently on the topic of ethics and boundaries. She is an active volunteer in her Algoma Community and several Boards of Directors. A lifelong learner and avid reader, you will often find her with a book in her hand.

Links:

• E-mail: groesslj@uwgb.edu
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-groessl-54a055398

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

Bipolar disorder is often portrayed as dramatic swings between mania and depression, but the reality is far more nuanced. Louise Barnett joins this episode to discuss her upcoming memoir, Tainted Love: A Bipolar Memoir, releasing October 6th. Louise shares her deeply personal 15-year journey living with undiagnosed Bipolar I Disorder, the ways she attempted to quiet the storm in her mind through self-sabotage and substance use, and the long road toward diagnosis, acceptance, and healing.

This conversation explores identity, recovery, relationships, and the courage required to tell the truth about our experiences. Whether you live with bipolar disorder, support someone who does, or work in mental health or addiction treatment, this episode offers insight, hope, and a reminder that healing often begins with honest conversation.

About the Guest

Louise Barnett, author of Tainted Love: A Bipolar Memoir, is a Jay Shetty–certified life coach, and host of the Unmasking Sobriety & Mental Health podcast. Living with Bipolar I and sober since 2021, she writes and speaks about the gray areas of mental illness, addiction, relationships, and identity. Her work explores the complexity of recovery and the courage it takes to live honestly, imperfectly, and out loud after years of masking and self-destruction. Based in Colorado, Louise is dedicated to her mission of “creating survival guides out of our collective stories.”

Links:

• Social Media:
  • https://www.instagram.com/louisedbarnett/?hl=en
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisedbarnett/
  • https://www.facebook.com/Louisedbarnett
  • http://tiktok.com/@louisedbarnett
• Podcast
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unmasking-sobriety-and-mental-health/id1652740406
• Website: https://www.louisebarnett.com/
• E-mail: hello@louisebarnett.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

For more than two decades, Passages Malibu has challenged conventional thinking about addiction treatment. In this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery, co-founder Pax Prentiss shares the philosophy that helped transform the treatment landscape and sparked ongoing conversations throughout the recovery field.

Drawing from his own lived experience with heroin, cocaine, and alcohol addiction, Pax discusses how his recovery journey led him to help launch Passages Malibu in 2001. He explains why Passages was built on the belief that addiction is often a symptom of underlying conditions such as trauma, anxiety, depression, or unresolved emotional pain rather than a standalone disease.

The conversation explores the center's individualized treatment model, which emphasizes extensive one-on-one therapy, holistic healing approaches, medical and psychiatric care, and personalized aftercare planning. Pax also discusses the importance of identity in recovery, challenging the notion that people should define themselves by their addiction for the rest of their lives.

Whether you agree with Pax's philosophy or not, this episode offers a thought-provoking perspective on recovery, treatment innovation, and the importance of creating individualized pathways to healing.

About the Guest

Pax Prentiss spent ten years addicted to heroin. Today he is the CEO and cofounder of Passages Malibu, one of the most respected addiction treatment centers in the world. When conventional treatment programs didn’t work for him, his father, Chris, asked him an important question: Why do you think you’re using heroin? Chris believed there had to be an underlying condition that was causing Pax to use. In the end, this method of discovering why someone uses alcohol or drugs became the philosophy behind the Passages Malibu program, and it became the foundation for a model that has helped more than 40,000 people get sober since 2001. Pax has been challenging the disease model of addiction since before it was a conversation worth having publicly. His approach is built on one-on-one therapy, individualized care, and treating the underlying conditions driving the addiction. The results have drawn executives, physicians, public figures, and families from across the U.S. and around the world.

Links:

• Contact:
  • E-mail: pax@passagesmalibu.com
  • Website: https://passagesmalibu.com/
• Social Media:
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxprentiss/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passagesmalibu
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/passagesmalibu/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RehabCenter

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

What if one of the most powerful tools in addiction recovery isn't medication or therapy alone—but purpose?

In this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery, we sit down with Dr. Sarah Nasir, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine and addiction medicine, to explore how whole-person care can transform recovery. Dr. Nasir shares her journey into addiction medicine, beginning with witnessing neonatal abstinence syndrome during medical training and later realizing that addiction is a chronic brain disease—not a moral failing.

Together we discuss the stigma that still exists throughout healthcare, why addiction must be viewed across the lifespan, and how purpose can help redirect the brain's reward system toward lasting recovery. Dr. Nasir also explains her coaching model, which helps patients identify meaningful goals across six dimensions of life, creating motivation that extends far beyond simply stopping substance use.

Whether you're a clinician, person in recovery, family member, or healthcare leader, this conversation offers practical insights into reducing stigma and helping people build lives they no longer want to escape from.

About the Guest

Dr. Sarah Nasir, DO, FASAM is a force of purpose who inspires through action, empowers through education, and drives others to live their mission.

She is a dual board certified Osteopathic Family and Addiction Recovery Doctor, multipreneur, international speaker, and founder building at the intersection of medicine, identity, purpose, and impact. She masterfully balances multiple worlds as a modern Muslim woman and a mother, bridging unlikely opposites: science and spirituality, being a mom and a business maven, and making Total Recovery achievable.

She is the founder of Transcendent You, a coaching and consulting platform for high performers seeking alignment and deeper calling, and Zenara Care, a compassionate addiction telemedicine clinic. She is also the creator of the Masala Muslima podcast, a platform for faith flavored living of modern Muslim women, and co-founder of the Bullying in Medicine movement championing doctors experiencing workplace bullying.

Dr. Nasir is a graduate of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, completed her residency with the LECOM program in Elmira, New York, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Systems Engineering from UC Davis. Her conviction is simple: human beings are not broken. They are operating within misaligned systems. And she has dedicated her life to building the ones that bring them back to wholeness.

Links:

• Website:
  • https://sarahnasir.com/
  • https://transcendantyou.com/
  • https://zenaracare.com/
• Social Media:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahnasirdo
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-nasir-do/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

Paul Schulte, EMDR specialist and former finance executive, explores the growing role of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in treating trauma, PTSD, addiction, and other mental health concerns. Drawing from his experience working with clients across multiple countries and languages, Paul explains how EMDR seeks to help individuals process traumatic memories that may remain emotionally unresolved. He discusses why he believes EMDR offers advantages over traditional talk therapy for many trauma-related conditions and predicts that its use will continue to expand significantly in the coming years.

The conversation explores the neuroscience behind trauma, including the relationship between emotional and cognitive processing, and how EMDR aims to help individuals integrate difficult experiences into a coherent personal narrative. Paul describes recurring themes he has observed among clients from diverse cultural backgrounds, noting similarities in emotional healing processes across languages and countries. The discussion also examines the role of grief, self-forgiveness, acceptance, and recovery from shame in trauma treatment.

Paul shares his work supporting mental health professionals in Ukraine following the Russian invasion, including training psychologists to address the anticipated wave of trauma-related disorders among soldiers and civilians. These experiences contributed to the development of the iMover app, a digital platform designed to increase access to EMDR-based interventions. Available in multiple languages, the app includes programs addressing PTSD, addiction, burnout, sexual trauma, and recovery from narcissistic relationships. The episode concludes with a broader conversation about hope, resilience, and the belief that healing remains possible even after profound trauma.

About the Guest

Paul Schulte is a certified EMDR therapist and addiction counselor based in Barcelona, Spain. He spent 22 years as an international banker across Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Singapore before retraining through UCLA's School of Family Medicine. Over the past two decades he has helped hundreds of people recover from trauma, PTSD, addiction, sexual abuse, narcissistic abuse, and burnout. He has written five books on mental health, taught at eleven universities across four continents, and last year spent two months in Kyiv training fifty Ukrainian Army psychologists in EMDR while working directly with soldiers and refugees. He recently developed imover, an app offering self-guided EMDR audio sessions for people who cannot easily access a therapist. He has been sober for 21 years.

Links:

• Website: https://emdrbypaul.com
• imover app: https://apps.apple.com/app/imover-emdr/id6763722061
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paul_schulte_emdr
• Psychreg article: https://www.psychreg.org/wall-street-war-zones-therapist-bringing-emdr-your-smartphone/
• Contact: paul@emdrbypaul.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

What happens when we finally ask the questions we've been carrying for decades? Jason Prokowiew joins us to discuss his powerful memoir, War Boys: A Father and Son Memoir. The book explores Jason's journey of interviewing his father about surviving childhood under Nazi occupation during World War II and the lasting impact those experiences had on generations that followed.

Jason shares how a series of recorded conversations with his father evolved into a unique "braided memoir" that intertwines wartime survival with present-day reflections on family, identity, and healing. Together, we explore the complexities of generational trauma, the difference between surviving and thriving, and why understanding our family histories can help us better understand ourselves.

The conversation also examines the challenges of having difficult conversations with loved ones, the importance of patience and support when exploring family stories, and how narratives continue to evolve long after they are first told.

Whether you work in behavioral health, are interested in trauma and resilience, or have ever wondered about the untold stories within your own family, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of listening and connection.

About the Guest

Jason Prokowiew received the PEN America/Jean Stein Grant for Literary Oral History and a Fulbright Scholar Award for War Boys. His writing has appeared in The North American Review, The Guardian, Salon, Roxane Gay's "The Audacity," and on WORLD Channel's Stories from the Stage, where his piece "Sing" is the most watched in the show's history. He's received support from Bread Loaf, Tin House, Ragdale, and the Mass Cultural Council. He lives on a lake in Massachusetts with his husband Dave and their greyhound Champ.

Links:

• https://www.jasonwprokowiew.com/
• www.warboysbook.com
• https://www.instagram.com/jasonprokowiew/
• https://bsky.app/profile/jasonprokowiew.bsky.social
• https://www.amazon.com/War-Boys-Father-Son-Memoir/dp/1949487709

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail hello@andrewjschreier.com

The podcast is also a platform for FREE continuing education. Licensed and certified professionals are able to listen to select episodes at no cost. Listen to an episode. Take a quiz. Complete an eval. Earn a certificate. Learn more at www.andrewjschreier.com/continuing-education

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.