• Hazelden Renewal Center

Getting Through the Dark Times: Two Stories of Hope

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Living with an emotionally distant, rageful father left Deanna Broaddus hungry for attention and solace. Men – lots of men – were her first recourse, and then alcohol and drugs. Except for a suicide attempt at age 18, Broaddus did well, working and pursuing a master’s degree so that she could follow her passion to teach. When she graduated, Broaddus was performing so well as a wine sommelier that her employer offered her the equivalent of a teacher’s salary to keep her on. Abandoning her dream career, she said yes. “I could drink on the job,” she explains. Then the … Continue reading →

One Step at a Time

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woman runner

I stood at the edge of a parking lot near the zoo in Duluth, Minn., waiting for the sun to come up and for the mosquitos to quit biting. They were merciless that July morning, and I had not thought to bring insect repellent. I paced and swatted, hoping my constant movement would make me a less desirable target. A gentleman offered some bug spray, which I gladly accepted. He asked me my name and introduced himself and his companions. He then asked if I had run this race before, as if he could not tell from my pink shoes, … Continue reading →

Letter From the Editor: Finding Hope

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disabled man on road to hope

Hope is often found in the unlikeliest of places or presents itself at the unlikeliest of moments. It doesn’t usually come with a fanfare or grand entrance, shouting “I am here! All is not lost! Make way, make way…” It is more likely to make its appearance when we truly believe we have nowhere else left to turn. When we have hit rock bottom. When we believe we are “done.” But that’s the time when we need to believe in its existence. To find the strength or desire once again to live. To move forward. Just over five years ago, … Continue reading →

We Need to Take a Closer Look at Tobacco

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Let’s talk tobacco. If you’re reading this article, it means recovery is important to you or someone you know. Maybe you’ve put in the work and made recovery a priority in your life. If so, honor yourself for that hard work. Maybe someone in your family is struggling and you just want to find some answers to help them. Once again, honor yourself for being willing to help. Or maybe you’re a treatment professional, wondering about how you can help the people you work with to get healthy. But what does tobacco have to do with recovery? And we’re not … Continue reading →

Fast-Tracker Connects People Directly to Treatment (Update)

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Former Commissioner Emily Piper told Phoenix Spirit readers in August 2018 about Fast-Tracker, a new online service to help connect people to substance use disorder and mental health treatment services. Now, a little over a year later, how has Fast-Tracker been working, and what’s next? First a bit about Fast-Tracker: It is an online, searchable database of mental health services and substance use disorder treatment programs and resources. Fast-Tracker not only provides information about what services are out there, but where they are available. This easy, intuitive website is designed for both professionals working with a person seeking treatment and … Continue reading →

Ask the Expert: Dr. Joseph Lee of Hazelden Betty Ford

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We’ll feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions Q: In terms of addiction, how does the adolescent or young adult brain differ from an adult’s? The adolescent brain is still developing. Young people tend to have less physical effects from drug use (i.e. hangovers, withdrawal) but their brains are much more adversely affected. Their ability to limit risky decision making is also not on par with adults so they may need more help when trying to stop using. Q: What are some key signs and symptoms that indicate an adolescent / young … Continue reading →

Lessening Divisiveness – Polarization, Prejudice and Hatred – in Ourselves

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lessening divisiveness

A house divided against itself cannot stand. —Abraham Lincoln We live in the most divisive of times. Political parties hardly talk to each other. Sports teams are divided between the winners and losers. People can lose entire careers for an incorrect political opinion. Too many of us are alienated from each other: Rich and poor, city and rural people, Liberal and Conservatives, Pro-choice and Pro-life believers, white people versus people of color, men versus women, church goers versus atheists, and the list goes on and on. It’s like none of us can get along with each other and there seems … Continue reading →

NUWAY Adds Four New Vice President Positions

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NUWAY Minneapolis

Non-profit, addiction and co-occurring health treatment provider, NUWAY®, announced Wednesday they have added four new vice president positions to help further its mission and “evolve its vision for behavioral healthcare innovation.” Denise McAlpin is the new Vice President of Residential Services supporting existing and new residential programs including NUWAY Alliance management of Cochran Recovery Services. Ms. McAlpin has been with NUWAY for 9+ years and has had various leadership roles within the organization. Lindsay Battuello is the new Vice President of Outpatient services supporting continued outpatient growth, development, and community clinical consultation. Ms. Battuello has been with the organization for … Continue reading →

A Hopeful Gaze Into 2020

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2020 year of hope

“Hope is passion for what is possible”. Søren Kierkegaard I am looking into the New Year with a hopeful gaze. As a glass-half-full person, I grab for ribbons of hope rather than entangle myself in webs of despair. Moving into a new year and a new decade I ask myself, what gives me hope? Greta Thunburg, the 16-year-old woman who withstands social criticism and personal challenges to fight for our endangered earth, gives me hope. She is joined by many young people across the world clamoring for climate awareness, insisting we recognize the huge problems we are leaving for the young and … Continue reading →

The State of Recovery Meets the State of Hockey

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The news that Minnesota will host the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is a brass-ring opportunity to celebrate all things State of Hockey, from pond and muni-rink pickup games to high school and college rivalries, to pro-level playoff runs. This “big tent” is part of hockey’s great appeal. And with nicknames like Gump, Rocket, Moose or anything with a “-sie” or “-er” tacked on, even players at the highest levels somehow seem just a little more relatable to the rest of us. The Wild-Calgary Flames tilt Sunday Jan. 5 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul was great proof … Continue reading →