Eric Garland, PhD, LCSW, is an Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, where he directs UCSD ONEMIND. A leading figure in mindfulness science and addiction treatment, he developed Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), an innovative intervention grounded in cognitive, affective, and neurobiological research. Dr. Garland has led or co-led more than $90 million in federally funded research, including major trials supported by the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense, focused on addiction, chronic pain, and integrative health. Previously a Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Utah, he has also advised national policy through the NIH HEAL Initiative and briefed both the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and Congress on evidence-based approaches to the opioid crisis. With over 280 scientific publications, he has been identified as one of the most prolific mindfulness researchers globally, and his work has been widely featured in major media outlets. A licensed psychotherapist with more than two decades of clinical experience, Dr. Garland integrates mindfulness-based therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and clinical hypnosis in treating addiction, trauma, and chronic pain, and is widely regarded as a leading expert on mind-body interventions for opioid misuse.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Ben Mushlin is the founder of Searchlight Therapy, a practice dedicated to providing individualized care for adolescents, young adults, and families navigating substance use and mental health challenges. A psychotherapist whose work is informed by his own lived experience with substance use and trauma, he began his career in New York City’s recovery community in sober living residences before moving into roles as a Recovery Coach, Case Manager, and leader of a NYC Department of Health opioid overdose response team. He earned his Master of Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and has held positions as an outpatient psychotherapist, director of a transitional living program for adults with co-occurring disorders, and Clinical Director at a leading adolescent and young adult outpatient program in New York City. In 2026, he authored Lighting the Way: A Parent’s Guide to Walking With Teens and Young Adults Through Substance Use and Mental Health Challenges.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Stephanie Hazard is a highly sought-after recovery coach and companion. In recovery for 26 years, her experiential knowledge, expertise, and professional training, empower her ability to help others achieve and sustain recovery and wellness.

She is a certified peer recovery specialist (CPRS) as well as a certified Carolyn Costin Institute eating disorder recovery coach (CCIEDC). She has been a Keynote speaker and leads recovery and wellness workshops. She is a member of the International Association of Recovery Coach Professionals (IARCP), and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Stephanie also volunteers her time at Silver Hill Hospital, CCAR, and serves on the Advisory Board of Inservice Foundation. Stephanie launched her private coaching practice in 2020 and continues to work with premier recovery support services agencies in the U.S. and internationally.

Her book, Making Sobriety Stick: A Recovery Coach’s Guide to Sustainable Change is being published by Diversion Books on September 22, 20-26 during National Recovery Month, and will be distributed by Simon and Schuster.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Dr. Beth McGinty is the Livingston Farrand Professor and Chief of the Division of Health Policy and Economics at Weill Cornell Medical College. She is also the Co-Founding Director of the Cornell Health Policy Center, a cross-campus center serving as the locus of health policy research, training, and impact at Cornell. Dr. McGinty conducts research focused on how health policies impact populations with complex health needs, including people experiencing mental illness, substance use disorder, chronic pain, and others. Dr. McGinty’s work is characterized by integrating approaches from the fields of public policy, health economics, and implementation science to understand how policies affect population health. Prior to joining WCM in 2022, Dr. McGinty was a Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She received a PhD in health and public policy from Johns Hopkins in 2013.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Gary Hartman is a periodontist with over 18 years of experience in implant and periodontal surgery, specializing in complex surgical cases, full-arch restorations, and regenerative procedures. Behind that professional success, Gary experienced chronic stress, burnout, and ultimately addiction. Following a shoulder injury, he developed a dependence on opioids that led to significant personal and professional consequences, including incarceration and the loss of his clinical career.

Today, Gary is in sustained recovery and uses his experience to help others understand the intersection of stress, identity, and addiction in high-achieving professions like dentistry and medicine. Through his story, Gary offers a message of accountability, resilience, and hope.

https://www.garyhartmanspeaks.com/

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Dr. Carl Hart is the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Columbia University and the Mamie Phipps Clark Professor of Psychology (in Psychiatry). An internationally recognized neuroscientist and psychologist, Dr. Hart’s research focuses on the complex interactions between psychoactive drugs, human behavior, neurobiology, and environmental factors. Using an interdisciplinary approach that combines psychology and neuropharmacology, his work examines how drugs affect the brain and behavior in humans, while also evaluating potential treatment strategies for substance use disorders. His research has helped bridge the gap between preclinical neuroscience and the lived human experience of addiction, informing both public policy and scientific understanding of drug use. Dr. Hart is also the author of the acclaimed books High Price and Drug Use for Grown-Ups, which challenge conventional narratives about drugs, addiction, and public health.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Rivkah Reyes is a performer and creator whose career spans film, music, comedy, and writing. After rising to prominence in School of Rock, they went on to perform with The Second City and appear in projects like Easy, while developing a distinctive voice through storytelling and stand-up. In this episode, we talk about identity, creativity, recovery, and the long arc of building a meaningful life beyond early success.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

In this episode of Thriving with Addiction, Dr. Carrie Wilkens—psychologist, co-founder of the Center for Motivation and Change, and co-author of Beyond Addiction—discusses why compassion and evidence-based strategies are more effective than tough love, and how families can support meaningful change while strengthening their relationships.

Carrie Wilkens, PhD, is a psychologist with over 25 years of experience in the practice and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for substance use and Post-Traumatic Stress. Dr. Wilkens is the Co-President and CEO of the CMC:Foundation for Change, a not-for-profit with the mission of improving the dissemination of evidence-based ideas and strategies to professionals and loved ones of persons struggling with substance use. The CMC:FFC team’s Invitation to Change approach is an accessible set of understandings and practices that empower families to remain engaged and be effective in helping their struggling loved one make positive changes. The approach has been widely used across the country and is utilized in trainings with laypeople and professionals.

She is co-author of the award-winning book Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change, a practical guide for families dealing with addiction and substance problems in a loved one based on principles of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), and co-author of The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends: Evidence-Based Skills to Help a Loved-One Make Positive Change.

Dr. Wilkens is also the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Motivation and Change, a group of clinicians serving all ages in NYC, Long Island, Washington, DC, San Diego, CA, and CMC: Berkshires, a private, inpatient/residential program for adults.

Dr. Wilkens has been a Project Director on a large federally-funded Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant addressing the problems associated with binge drinking among college students. She is regularly sought out by the media to discuss issues related to substance use disorders and has been on the CBS Morning Show, Katie Couric Show, frequent NPR segments, and podcasts, including Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris. She is also in the HBO documentary Risky Drinking. Dr. Wilkens is a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the American Association of Addiction Psychiatrists.

Follow Thriving with Addiction:
www.thrivingwithaddiction.com
www.instagram.com/jonathanaverymd
x.com/jonathanaverymd
www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md