In the next episode of Stop the Stigma, we sit down with Kristi Taylor, executive director of the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH). Formed by a joint order of the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2018, the commission's mission is to develop, implement, and coordinate policies to improve courts' interactions with individuals with mental health needs, substance use disorders, and intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD).There are 30 adult mental health courts and nine juvenile mental health courts in Texas: https://www.texasjcmh.gov/programs-and-initiatives/mental-health-courts/Please check out these important tools and resources from the commission:JCMH Bench Books - https://www.texasjcmh.gov/publications/bench-books-code-book/JCMH Summit - https://www.texasjcmh.gov/programs-and-initiatives/conferences-meetings/summit/2025-jcmh-summit/JCMH Treatment Courts Collaborative - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g4xkl42v3gTBRI - https://child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/#sthash.sWJPGGbM.dpbsHandle with Care Program - https://minaretfoundation.com/handle-with-care-texas-toolkit/Yolanda Lewis/Dr. Jule Kaplow presentation - https://youtu.be/Bq7AD20V7ckChristi Center - https://youtu.be/Bq7AD20V7ckWatch and subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zbQ7QHiDFwI

Kurt Metscher is a 36-year-old family law attorney in Austin. His addiction challenges started in high school, first with marijuana, then amphetamines. After an incident in college, he entered treatment. Initially planning to return to his addiction once his probation was over, he gradually found himself enjoying the sober way of life.He wants people, particularly law firms and partners, to understand that addiction is not a moral failing and that a lawyer in recovery is perhaps better equipped to handle the stressors of the profession than a lawyer who has never struggled with addiction.Find an AA meeting: https://austinaa.org/meetings/From Slate, "Why Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Death Is So Scary":"One truism of addiction science is that long-term abuse rewires your brain and changes its chemistry, which is why triggers (or “associated stimuli,” in scientific parlance) are major risk factors for relapse. But these changes can be reversed over time. Walking past the apartment where my dealer used to live didn’t make me want to score; it made me feel as if I was in a phantasmagoria of two crosshatched worlds—but I was the only person who could see both realities. None of my colleagues at MIT, no one in the science writing community I lean on for professional advice and support, none of the people who’ve worked on my books has ever seen me slip into that other world."https://slate.com/technology/2014/02/philip-seymour-hoffmans-drug-death-the-science-of-addiction-recovery-and-relapse.html

In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar talks to Sandra Avila Ramirez, First Latina Judge of the 98th Civil District Court.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SReZ7uu8KUQ

In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, talks to Pete Gallego, former U.S. Congressman.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Oj7WVRIELhQ

TIMESTAMPS00:00 - 01:25 Introduction01:26 - 06:49 Why did you want to share your story with us?06:50 - 24:52 Tell us about your experiences with ADHD.24:53 - 30:32 What advice would you give to a lawyer struggling with ADHD?30:33 - 40:40 Closing StatementsDavid Courreges is a former Austin Bar president and general counsel at University Federal Credit Union. Katy Sutton is a Houston-based licensed psychologist who has been friends with David since elementary school. Both have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this podcast, they discuss the value of a diagnosis, how their lives, both personal and professional, improved once they were properly tested and treated. They both emphasize the importance of not being ashamed to ask for help when you sense something is not right. When all of your efforts fail when you're trying to achieve something, the answer may be something you don't know about. When you experience that, consider seeking professional help to find answers.

In the next episode of Stop the Stigma, we talk with Austin attorney Brian Tagtmeier, who has suffered from alcoholism and depression for most of his life. Today, though, he is a successful attorney because he learned to stop isolating himself and to reach out to people for help.Brian's inspiring story is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7Tr66-T6RS0

In the next episode of the Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, talks to Delia Garza, Travis County Attorney and first Latina to serve on Austin City Council, as Austin Mayor Pro Tem and County Attorney.Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BAgAZF6IjOQ

Cameron Cano's addictions started young. He remembers drinking a case of Smirnoff Ice when he was about 10 years old. At first it was alcohol, but it eventually led to crystal meth and jail all before law school. Cameron's biggest struggle was trying to maintain his sobriety after the drug-related death of his older brother. Angry and not sure where to go or what to do, Cameron decided to go on a soul-cleansing journey on foot, starting in Oregon during the winter and ending back in Texas. It took the harsh conditions of that journey to convince Cameron that he wanted something more for his future. Pushing back against his negative self-talk and self-doubt, Cameron applied to college, then law school. Today, Cameron is a plaintiff's attorney who strictly separates his work and personal lives. His best advice is to maintain your sobriety at all costs and to be conscientious of when you start to feel that your sobriety is at risk. If you find yourself in situations that feel dangerous to your sobriety, you must remove yourself right away.

In the next episode of Council of Firsts, Amanda Arriaga, first Latina president of the Austin Bar, sits down with Austin attorney Pete Reid to discuss his law career, his journey to becoming an attorney, and how he created his unbiased Scottish soccer announcer alter ego and social media star, Allaster McKallaster.

Shana Faulhaber is a Dallas-based criminal defense attorney who started drinking when she was 14 years old and continued to do so as she got older. In law school and in her early career, she rationalized that alcohol was a natural part of the legal profession, so she didn’t have a problem, even as her nightly red wine habit escalated from one glass to one bottle to eventually a three-liter box. After admitting she had a problem, Shana’s first effort at recovery involved the 12-step program. She attended 90 meetings in 90 days, as per the program’s recommendations, but at the end of it she found the program did not resonate with her, and she continued drinking. At the time, the 12-step program was the only sobriety program she’d ever heard of. However, she was introduced to a different sobriety program, inspired by the book Rational Recovery, by a friend who had recently overcome heroin addiction. Through Rational Recovery, Shana has found lasting sobriety and advocates for lesser-known sobriety programs. However, she is certainly not against the 12-step program. If you’re struggling with addiction, it’s important to find the program that works for you and that you can adhere to in the long term. Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GIU4YDEqs0