In this episode, we are talking with Dr. Michael Hernandez. Michael is the medical director and psychiatrist at our South Padre Island location in Texas. He works in several different psychiatric specialties at this location.   Michael shares about his day to day work experience and why he enjoys his work so much. He also shares about his journey as a dad, physician, and psychiatrist. We wrap up our discussion talking about the importance of finding little ways to feed your spirit.   Show Notes: [00:43] We are excited to welcome Dr. Michael Hernandez.  [01:55] During the daytime he is a psychiatrist and he works in every aspect of the field from acute care to dealing with the chronically mentally ill. Now he has had further exposure to substance abuse disorders.    [03:35] He enjoys working in all these different aspects of psychiatry because his workday looks different each day.   [05:26] In school he had plans to go to college and become a doctor. In high school, he went to a magnet school and studied health careers. Then he changed courses to engineering but ended up going back and attending medical school.  [06:58] Psychiatry felt the most like home for Dr. Hernandez.   [09:04] You don’t really know if a career path is a perfect fit for you until you are in it. You really don’t know until you try.   [09:34] You might find that you want something, but when you are in it actually isn’t the right fit for you. That is part of the journey.   [10:54] Health would be thriving in the different aspects of mind, body, and spirit.   [13:01] A healthy body is important, but it is also important to incorporate the mental aspect of it.   [13:41] If we want to continue to grow, we have to do the hard stuff.   [14:10] We have to take the time to figure out what we need individually to thrive.  It is usually different for each of us.  [15:13] Often exploration is turning the eye inward and figuring out yourself and what works for you.  [18:11] Many people are struggling because of the current health crisis and there are also a lot of people under a sense of political stress. It is time to get them from the fear they are feeling and get them grounded in the realities in their environment.  [19:38] Sometimes we need to go through our level of needs checklist and assess if our needs are being met and ask what areas could change be made to make you feel more comfortable.   [20:39] What are my basic needs and are they being met? If basic needs aren’t being met, how can I make that happen? What are the things I want that bring me comfort and how can I make them a little bit better? [21:19] Cara shares about the self-care plan she made for herself.   [22:55] Your body does need food, shelter, and clothing but your mind and spirit also need curiosity, learning, and peace. It is hard to feel good if you are not at least on that journey in that direction.  [23:42] What is one thing that you will do today that will help you stay grounded and make things a little better? Exercise, meditation, and music are all great examples of small things that can keep us grounded.    [25:26] Find these little things that can feed your spirit.    Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram

In this episode, we are talking with Scott Vandenberg. Scott is the Executive Director of Origins Recovery Center, Hananh’s House and the PHP/IOP programs on South Padre Island, TX. Scott has been a dedicated member of the Origins team since 2014. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Boise State University and a Master of Arts degree in addiction studies from Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Certified Anger Resolution Therapist. Scott’s approach to co-occurring disorders treatment integrates clinical science and 12-Step recovery methodologies to provide services and interventions that address the physical, mental, and spiritual elements of substance use and mental health disorders. Scott shares his journey to recovery and becoming the program director. He shares his story, what he learned along the way, and how the 12-Step recovery methods finally helped start his recovery.   Show Notes: [00:42] We are excited to welcome Scott Vandenberg.  [02:34] Scott is the senior program director at Origins South Padre Island.  He takes the safety of the patients and the integrity of the program very seriously.   [03:40] They are a twelve-step program, but also offer other services that are in place to support the process of the patients through the twelve steps.   [05:47] In order to be able to navigate this world and maintain our own sanity and mental health, we need to be able to rely on some humor and see the light side in everything.   [07:56] Humor is such a beautiful thing and so necessary in all healthcare.   [08:41] Like most of the people working in this field he is not motivated by fortune and glory, but instead genuine concern for others.  He is also in recovery since 2012. [10:12] His drug and alcohol use started in college and escalated over a number of years.  [10:54] Scott was stuck in this place in which he was motivated by nothing except changing the way he felt.   [11:32] At the end of the day he never liked himself and always had this emptiness inside of him.  [13:01] He knew he was going to die if he kept drinking. Fear of dying kept him abstinent for ten days. He didn’t understand why he was drinking when he didn’t want to.  [15:30] He knew he had a problem with drugs and alcohol. He was unwilling to refer to himself as an alcoholic or drug addict. He started to experience some medical and physical consequences.   [17:57] During his first rehab experience he had an epiphany that he may be able to help people in rehab professionally. He really connected with that world.  [18:38] He had great intentions when he got out of rehab the first time and he lasted for two weeks because he didn’t follow any of the aftercare recommendations.  [20:21] Scott shares his story of being arrested, going to jail, and detoxing in jail.  [21:24] Over the course of four years, in and out of multiple rehabs he had nothing left. Every time he went to rehab he would have a great experience and when he got out he would typically be drunk again within hours.  [22:47] As a last effort his mom put him on a plane in May of 2012 and he came to Origins. In the past, he had never got well and recovered from his illness or got the tools he needed.  [23:56] He didn’t know how to navigate the recovery world outside of treatment.  [25:24] The past rehabs suggested that he had the power to keep himself sober if he just made better decisions and it almost killed him. He wasn’t in control of himself or his own actions. [27:45] He had periods of detoxing, but for some reason, he would always go back, and then once he went back he couldn’t control how much he drank or used and he couldn’t stop without help.   [29:51] He came to this new understanding that he was different, it was not a matter of choice, and he didn’t have the power to stop. [31:19] He kicked and screamed his way through steps two and three. He had to come to terms with the fact that his way wasn’t working at all and that he needed help.  [33:20] He finally understood that surrendering was not a sign of weakness.  Vulnerability is a sign of strength.   [35:19] There is hope.   Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram

In this episode, we are talking with Dr. Anna Lisa De Lima. Dr. De Lima is a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and program director. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida as well as a National Certified Counselor (NCC). In her work as a clinician, Dr. De Lima utilizes a variety of evidence-based protocols in the treatment of mental health disorders, SUDs, and trauma. Dr. De Lima has worked with first responders from a variety of backgrounds and specialties in her work as a clinician.  We talk about Dr. Anna Lisa’s journey from equestrian to her career as a psychotherapist. She shares how an accident led her to a job at a firefighters union and a passion for first responders.    Show Notes: [00:41] We are excited to welcome Dr. Anna Lisa De Lima.  [01:34] Dr. Anna Lisa has dedicated much of her career to helping first responders.  [02:58] She is from Trinidad and spends most of her time outside of work with her dog and horses. Her previous career was as an equestrian and she used to compete for her country all around the world.   [05:19] Since she is an introvert she needs the downtime with her animals to recharge and be able to give back again.      [05:51] Extroverts recharge by being around people, but introverts recharge by being alone.   [07:14] Tests like Myers-Briggs can offer a lot of information and insight to help people understand themselves better.   [08:01] Dr. Anna Lisa shares her journey from equestrian to where she is now.  [09:01] In surgery she lost 70% of her colon and had to have a colostomy bag.  At that moment, she really struggled with the shock and it was a difficult road.  [09:47] She was told they didn’t think she would ride again and that was extremely hard because all she knew about herself was that she was a rider.  [11:15] After all this she was at a crossroads, and then after months of struggling she decided to go back and get her master’s degree in counseling psychology.    [12:24] Transition, healing, and figuring things out takes time.  [14:20] Every day she fought to be able to ride horses again and she ended up doing that.      [15:33] She ended up getting a job at a firefighters union and that started her journey and passion towards firefighters and first responders.   [18:08] It ended up being right where she needed to be at the right time and she found a passion for what first responders were doing and the trauma they experience.   [20:13] Fire responders are human beings just like us. Their job is to compartmentalize and keep people safe, but at some point, those compartments get really full and they need their own support.   [22:27] Therapists need to know that it is different working with someone in combat duty. They have to be able to compartmentalize.   [23:57] Often fire responders learn to compartmentalize so well that even in their family environment they are not able to communicate the things they need to.   [24:44] They often don’t have down time between calls to transition. We often need a few minutes to decompress.   [26:23] Families don’t always understand what their first responder is going through.  [29:23] There are a lot of fire responders and their families who deserve and need our love, support, and gratitude. Thank you for serving our community. [32:19] Asking for help is the bravest thing that you can do and it is critical. It is okay to ask for help, support each other, and show emotion.   Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram

In this episode, we are talking with Adam Jablin. Adam Jablin is a #1 best selling author with a demonstrated history of working in the health, wellness, and fitness industry. He is the author of the book, Lotsaholic: From a Sick to Sober Superman. He is also a coach and speaker. Adam’s mission is to help other people crack through their fears, their denials, and connect to their enthusiasm.  In this episode, Adam shares about his journey of getting clean and sober at Hanley Center at Origins. We talk about the difference between happiness and peace. We also talk about how most people are chasing happiness when they really should be pursuing peace.   Show Notes: [00:42] We are excited to welcome Adam Jablin.  [01:09] Adam is a #1 best selling author. He is the author of Lotsaholic: From a Sick to Sober Superman. He is also a coach and a speaker. [03:40] He was given the title “Lotsaholic” at Hanley during the family program.   [05:05] His extreme behavior mirrored his alcoholism addiction.     [05:58] Adam feels very grateful to have been sent to Hanley where he was taught all these valuable lessons that changed his life.   [08:14] He is a very natural bodybuilder.  [09:35] Addiction defies all logic.   [10:48] His first nine days felt like torture because something was going on inside of him. An awakening was going on and something inside of him was dying.  [12:26] Research tells us that what happens after an event a lot of times has the most significant weight of how well we remember or how we experience it.   [15:06] Adam is not a sober coach. He does take components of the spiritually and inserts them into his coaching.   [18:50] It is easy for him to spot when people are struggling with a spiritual issue.   [21:45] Many things can make you happy, but many times we actually want peace. When you are at peace nothing is going to shake you.       [22:45] People are usually chasing happiness, but peace is usually what they want and need. [23:46] Honestly, hope, surrender and service are for everybody.   [25:02] Adam learned that his life was wired to go from A to Z as fast as possible without seeing what was going on around him. He never stopped and smelled the roses. It is not always the best thing to rush through life.  [27:16] Whatever you think will make you happy, will for a minute, but then we start searching for the next thing and keep chasing our tails.  [29:32] Enjoy the moment and be here now because this too shall pass. Learning how to live in pursuit of peace and being spiritually connected all the time gives us the opportunity to not be a yo-yo in life.   [30:56] Adam shares about the toy statue of Superman that he gave to John when he got his one-year medallion. Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram Lotsaholic: From a Sick to Sober Superman Adam’s Website

In this episode, we are talking with Ursula Avilus, MSN, RN. Ursula is the nurse manager at the Hanley Center. Ursula has extensive experience in psychiatric nursing and nursing leadership. She is passionate about serving patients with mental illness and addiction and is committed to providing quality patient care. Before transitioning to the Hanley Center, Ursula worked for the State Hospital System in Florida and served civil and forensic psychiatric patients in Texas. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. In this episode, Ursula shares the journey of her own experience with addiction. We talk about the importance of forgiveness and education. We also talk about important practices to help us get through this pandemic, because we are all in this together.   Show Notes: [00:42] We are excited to welcome Ursula Avilus, the nurse manager at the Hanley Center.   [02:17] Ursula is a registered nurse and before she became a registered nurse she was actually a social worker. Her heart is in mental health.  [04:37] She has always wanted to work in substance abuse as a nurse, but she was afraid at first. She was excited for the opportunity at Hanley.   [05:18] She had an uncle that struggled with alcoholism and it affected their entire family.    [08:51] Forgiveness has helped her to feel at peace and free. She is not carrying that heavy burden anymore.   [09:12] In Haiti, they don’t have substance abuse treatment. Now she is able to educate people in her family and community about substance abuse and alcoholism.   [10:17] The earlier the brain is exposed to any type of altering chemical, the more likely they are to develop that disease of addiction.   [12:56] Handwashing and wearing masks are very important during the pandemic.   [13:34] Social distancing and avoiding big crowds is helpful right now.   [15:01] Ursula stays grounded in her faith.    [16:46] If we don’t take care of ourselves and our teams, it will trickle down to the patients. Being patient-oriented really helps.   [18:37] Anything we can do to keep our patient well is a no brainer for us.   [20:18] When people die or recover from addiction, that not only affects their story, but it affects the story of everyone in their lives.  [21:44] Forgiveness is critical, important, and a process. [21:55] Education can be a facilitator for forgiveness. [22:05] If we are going to get through this pandemic, we have to do it all together.   Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram Hanley Center

In this episode, we are talking with Shea Barakatt LCSW, LCDC. Shea is the Clinical Director of Origins Counseling Dallas. She is an experienced Clinical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the mental health care industry. She has a master’s degree in clinical social work. She is also a licensed clinical dependency counselor. She is skilled in crisis intervention, family therapy, and case management. She came to Origins about two and a half months ago.  Prior to that Shea had been working in residential treatment centers since 2006. She was ready for a change in direction and the chance to use her creativity and talents in a different way.  In this episode, Shea shares the journey of his own addiction, recovery, and how she became a social worker and clinical director. We talk about the importance of a positive mindset, viewing our struggles as gifts, and using our struggles to help us grow. We also talk about the stigma of postpartum depression and the importance of talking about it and realizing you are not alone in these struggles.   Show Notes: [00:56] We are excited to welcome Shea Barakatt, the Clinical Director of Origins Counseling.   [03:05] There are many gifts that have come out of this pandemic. Shea has learned to do telehealth and hybrid options. [03:56] Telehealth is exciting because they have the ability to help alcoholics and addicts everywhere.  [05:20] With residential treatment you have access to the patients 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and you don’t have many of the outside distractions.  [05:54] Sometimes the outside factors can contribute some really good information including family dynamics and issues.  [06:51] Families and patients discount the concept of time.  [07:32] For Shea, it is about connecting with her patients and their families.   [08:27]  She is also in recovery and got sober in 2006. It has been a long journey for her.  [11:14] Shea’s sobriety date is May 1st, 2006.   [11:56] She always tries to have a positive mindset and likes to look at the positive aspect of struggles.  [12:13] Change doesn’t happen when we are comfortable. We resist change and struggles. There is a gift in every struggle we have.    [13:50] You are responsible for your own outcome.    [15:44] She decided to go back to school for clinical social work when she witnessed the lack of care when her grandmother was dying.   [17:43] Many women have stories about postpartum depression having a lasting effect and impact on their lives, but it is not talked about.  [18:39] People don’t talk about postpartum depression because it is supposed to be such a joyful and happy time.  [21:21] She is so grateful for her different experiences.   [22:12] Shea loves working with new counselors and teaching them how to improve their skills and take care of themselves.   [22:34] Her recovery comes first. She loves exercising and traveling.  [23:40] Staying active and having a good support system is crucial.   [24:39] We need people around us that will be honest with us and tell us the truth.  [25:27] We often suffer in silence. You don’t have to suffer in silence, because you are not alone.   [26:01] Look for the gift or benefit in the struggle. We grow through our struggles.   [27:03] All of us are going to have hard times and struggles, but it is what we do with those that determine if we have grown or gotten stuck.   Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram Origins Counseling Dallas  

In this episode, we are talking with interventionist and author Jeff Jay. Jeff Jay, CIP, is a renowned clinical interventionist and addiction specialist. He has been guiding families into recovery for over 30 years. His work has appeared on CNN, PBS, the Jane Pauley Show, Forbes Online, and in many professional journals. Jeff is the co-author (with Debra Jay) of the best-selling book Love First: A Family’s Guide to Intervention. His latest book is Navigating Grace, a solo voyage of survival and redemption. He is also the co-author of At Wit’s End: What You Need to Know When a Loved One Is Diagnosed with Addiction and Mental Illness, (with Jerry Boriskin Ph.D., Hazelden). He heads a national private practice that provides intervention and recovery mentoring services. In this episode, Jeff shares the journey of his own addiction, recovery, and how he became an interventionist. We are talking about the dynamics of what it means to bring love and concern to somebody in order to help and encourage them to get well.  Jeff also shares the importance of handling tough situations with love.   Show Notes: [00:41] We are excited to welcome interventionist and author Jeff Jay.  [01:22] Jeff is a clinical interventionist and works with families all over the country.  [01:43] Jeff got into this industry because of his own addiction and recovery as a young man. Jeff shares his story.   [03:09] After he had been sober for five years, he decided he wanted to do something different and he got his first full-time job as a counselor in a rehabilitation center.   [05:11] When they started Love First, intervention was not a household word and the methods were ill-formed.   [05:45] The more we understand addiction as a disease and not just somebody being bad, the more that the approach makes sense because it is all about dealing with people with a sense of dignity and respect.   [06:06] We really want to call people back to their authentic selves and reach for the heart.  [06:32]  Addiction is a very different disease because there is a lot of complexity to it.   [08:07] If we have to wait until they want help, what is going to make them want it? [08:34] If they refuse help, then we need to make sure we are not doing anything that makes it worse like lending money.   [10:30] There is a specific methodology that they have developed over the years that is more likely to break through to the authentic self of the addictive person and get them to the point of willingness.    [12:33] Families go on a trip to the bottom with the alcoholic too.   [12:46] We are not only calling the addictive person back to their authentic self, but we’re also bringing the family back to their own integrity and their own core beliefs.   [13:48] No one thinks they’re going to go on this journey.   [14:26] There are some situations where some separation may be necessary, but it is always done with love.  [15:21] The brain is hijacked by alcoholism.   [17:16] We all make mistakes and we can move on from here.   [18:05] Recovery is a team sport.  How are we going to get organized as a family?  [20:16] Jeff is a very technically minded person and built their website.  Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram Love First Navigating Grace

What is health? Is it just the absence of being sick or is there something more? What is freedom? Is it the absence of being locked up or is there something more?  What is peace? Is it simply the absence of conflict or is there something more? Welcome to the Something More hosted by Origins Behavioral Healthcare.  In this episode, we are so excited and lucky to talk with Deborah Kuzmin, LCSW. Deb is the Vice President of Clinical Services at Origins Behavioral Healthcare.  She is a licensed clinical social worker and a licensed psychotherapist.  Deb is married and their blended family includes 8 children ranging in ages from five to eighteen. Her mother lives with her family and they also have 3 dogs. She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio.  Deb is such an inspiration to us all. She has a true heart of gold. She is always looking for the very best in people and loving and serving them from her fullness. In this episode, Deb shares the journey of how she became a social worker, her love for helping others, and how her mom knew about a very young age she was meant to be a social worker.  We talk about giving from fullness, inspired change, and the importance of a healthy community.  Find yourself in a healthy community, it is the best way to grow.  We really are meant to be together.   Show Notes: [00:41] We are excited to welcome Deborah Kuzmin, LCSW, Vice President of Clinical Services [01:51] Deb is a licensed clinical social worker and a licensed psychotherapist.  [02:12] Deb is married and their blended family includes 8 children that live with them most of the time.  [03:30] Deb shares her journey of how she got where she is today.  [03:51] Her mother believed she was born to be a social worker because every night at bedtime she wanted to read Shel Silverstein’s book The Giving Tree.   [06:44] The reality is that you can have two people doing the same thing.  One is coming from a healthy place and the other is coming from a very unhealthy place.  When we are giving out of fullness that is good and right. [07:43] There is something so special about giving when you’re not expecting.   [09:07]  Service is a way we helped people stay in a recovered state.    [09:32] Deb has a desire and passion to really see the good and love for every patient.   [11:21] Two people, one experiencing the healthy and one experiencing the other can look exactly alike from the outside. [13:39] It doesn’t matter how many years, what our background is, how many letters we have behind our name, or that it is our first day.  We all need the support and guidance of continually learning and supervision.   [15:07] If we decide one day that we know what we know then we might not be doing the best treatment for the person sitting in front of us.    [15:53] Deb grew up with this belief that you meet people where they are and you really use different techniques and styles of engagement to join them in that space and move them along the continuum of change.    [17:23] Inspired change is working with people who believe in you so deeply and believe you can accomplish so much and then you want to live up to that.   [17:42] Deb deeply believes in peoples’ ability to be well, productive, joyous, and happy no matter what is happening right now. If I have that belief, how much can I share that, express that and how many ways can I develop that so that person begins to share that same hope. If you catch fire to that hope you will see people make the most amazing kind of change.   [18:53] The root of it all is that you have something special and unique to you, a purpose and meaning here, let me join you in that journey of figuring out what it is so we can work together to get there.   [19:15] You create an environment where people are drawn to grow.    [21:01] No matter who you are or what you do, we still need other people to help us grow. None of us can truly be our best selves on our own.   [22:36] If you are feeling stuck in your life, being part of a healthy community is huge.  You are who you hang out with.   [23:28] We really are meant to be connected.   Links and Resources: Something More Podcast Origins Website Origins on Facebook Origins on Instagram The Giving Tree Love is Letting Go of Fear  

This week Heather Hayes (www.heatherhayes.com) joins Megan, Cara, and John.  Each person in a remote location, the group learns about Heather's journey through adolescence, addiction, and recovery to become a highly respected clinician and interventionist.  

In this special edition of Something More we hear from listeners who share their fears, and how they deal with them in these changing times.  We talk with the incomparable Kacy Ritter as she joins us to share her own experience and how she moves through change.