The Addicted Mind Podcast

• TAM+ EP95 The Science of Hope: Training Your Brain for Recovery Success

  Worksheet: Hope Building BlueprintWhat do you do when your hope tank is completely empty? When you're going through the motions of recovery but deep down don't believe things will ever really get better?In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane Osterlind and Eric Osterlind tackle one of the most critical—and often overlooked—elements of lasting recovery: hope. But this isn't a conversation about wishful thinking or waiting for motivation to magically strike. Instead, they dive into the practical science of hope and show you exactly how to cultivate it, even when you're starting from bare ground.Many people in recovery struggle with a toxic sense of hopelessness—that gray, heavy belief that the future will just repeat the past. It's the voice that whispers, "Lasting recovery is for other people, not me. I'm too broken. I've failed too many times." This feeling drains motivation and makes recovery feel like an exhausting chore rather than an opportunity for a better life.Here's the good news: positive psychology research shows that hope isn't just a feeling you have to wait for. It's actually a trainable cognitive skill you can build, just like going to the gym and strengthening a muscle.Duane and Eric break down Dr. C.R. Snyder's groundbreaking Hope Theory, which identifies two essential components of hope: pathway thinking (the belief that you can find routes to your goals—the "how to" part) and agency thinking (the belief in your own ability to use those paths—the "I can do this" part). When you feel hopeless, it's usually because you've lost one or both of these elements.The episode gets wonderfully practical with two concrete action steps you can start using today:Action Step #1: Set One Hopeful, Achievable Goal - Choose one small, realistic, and measurable goal you can work on this month (or even just today). Not something vague like "be happier" or "fix my life," but something specific like "spend 10 minutes outside three times this week" or "make one phone call to a supportive friend." Writing it down literally creates a pathway forward in your brain.Action Step #2: Visualize Your Success - Take 2-3 minutes to close your eyes and vividly imagine yourself achieving that goal. Don't just see it—feel it. Imagine the pride, relief, and satisfaction of crossing it off your list. This isn't just positive thinking fluff—it's neuroscience. Elite Olympic athletes use this exact technique to improve their performance, and research shows visualization can be as beneficial as additional physical training.The hosts explain that this process directly builds self-efficacy—your belief in your ability to succeed. Hope isn't just believing things can get better; it's taking small steps that create evidence they ARE getting better.Throughout the episode, Duane and Eric's compassionate approach shines through. They acknowledge that both pathway thinking and agency thinking can be incredibly difficult to access in recovery, but they offer genuine encouragement that these skills can be developed over time.To support your journey, they've created a free Hope Building Blueprint worksheet—a simple one-page guide to help you define your hopeful goal, brainstorm the pathway to get there, and list your motivation and visualization strategies.If you're struggling with hopelessness in recovery, this episode offers both the science and the practical tools to start building hope today. You deserve to believe in a better future—and now you have a roadmap to get there.Key Topics• The Neuroscience of Negativity - Why our brains are wired to focus on negative emotions and predictions first• Dr. C.R. Snyder's Hope Theory - The two essential components: pathway thinking and agency thinking• Pathway vs. Agency - Understanding which element of hope you're struggling with most• Small Goals Build Self-Efficacy - How tiny, achievable wins create evidence of progress and fuel motivation• The Power of Visualization - Using Olympic athlete techniques to prime your brain for success• Actionable Hope-Building Steps - Two concrete practices to start cultivating hope today• Free Hope Building Blueprint - Downloadable worksheet to guide your goal-setting and visualization practiceTimestamp List00:00 - Introduction: What is the most powerful fuel for recovery?02:00 - The pain point of hopelessness and why it's toxic to recovery04:00 - Why our brains are wired for negativity and how positive psychology offers a new lens06:00 - Breaking down the two essential parts of hope: pathway thinking and agency thinking09:00 - Action Step #1: Setting one hopeful, achievable goal that's specific and measurable11:00 - Action Step #2: Visualizing your success using neuroscience-backed techniques14:00 - Recap and introduction to the free Hope Building Blueprint worksheetSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Episode 360: Beyond Rock Bottom: Brenda Zane's Journey to Empower Parents

  This week on the podcast, host Duane Osterlind welcomes Brenda Zane, the founder of Hope Stream Community. Brenda is a former high-level advertising executive who completely shifted her career after her son struggled with severe substance use disorder, including multiple fentanyl overdoses. Her experience led her to realize the lack of effective, compassionate, and actionable resources for parents dealing with a child's addiction—so she built them.Brenda shares her powerful, deeply personal journey, discussing the profound shift in perspective that occurred after her son's near-fatal experiences. She realized her demanding corporate life was "meaningless" compared to the urgency of her family's struggle. This episode is a must-listen for any parent, caregiver, or family member grappling with a loved one's addiction, offering a powerful message of hope, empowerment, and practical advice.Key Topics The Power of Perspective Shift: Brenda discusses how a crisis can force a re-evaluation of what is truly meaningful in life, leading her to leave her high-powered career to focus on supporting other families.Challenging the "Rock Bottom" Myth: The conversation directly addresses the harmful, disempowering message that parents are helpless and must simply "let them hit rock bottom." Brenda emphasizes that parents can take action to change their family system and build connection.The Importance of Parental "Internal Work": Brenda highlights that showing up effectively for a child struggling with substance use requires the parent to do their own deep internal work. This includes letting go of the ego, dismantling the need to rescue, and distinguishing between blame and responsibility in the family dynamic.The Backpack Analogy: A key concept discussed is allowing your child to struggle and face natural consequences (filling their "backpack" with life lessons), rather than constantly rescuing them (leaving them with an "empty backpack").Setting Boundaries with Compassion: Learn how to create a plan with your therapist to set boundaries that protect your sanity while still maintaining a loving relationship with your child. Brenda stresses the importance of understanding that your child's substance use is a symptom, not an action against you.The Value of Non-Judgmental Connection: Brenda shares practical examples, like meeting her son for breakfast with the rule of no talk about substance use, just to connect on a human, person-to-person level.Focusing on Support: Support anything that moves your loved one toward healthy relationships and healthy behavior, whether that's treatment, a mentor, or simple connection. Don't fall for "imaginary haircuts" (e.g., giving money for things you know will be used for substances).Healing in Community: The segment on Hope Stream emphasizes the need for a non-judgmental community where caregivers can find support, share experiences, and receive education on communication tools and the complexities of addiction, trauma, and ambiguous grief.The Mandatory Self-Care Message: Brenda's final advice to a struggling mom is concise and crucial: Take care of yourself. It is mandatory, not selfish.ResourcesWebsite: hopestreamcommunity.orgPodcast: hopestreamcommunity.org/playlistsE-books: hopestreamcommunity.org/resourcesNovusMindfulLife.comhttps://www.theaddictedmind.com/community If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery CenterNovusMindfulLife.comWe want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmindDisclaimerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• TAM+ EP 94 Finding the Silver Lining: The Art of Benefit Finding

  Worksheet: Growth & Gratitude Journal PromptsWhat if the experiences that broke you could also be the source of your greatest strengths?It's a radical question, especially when you're standing in the aftermath of addiction and trauma, surrounded by what feels like nothing but devastation and regret. But what if within that rubble, there were seeds of profound growth waiting to be discovered?In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane Osterlind and Eric Osterlind explore the transformative concept of benefit finding and post-traumatic growth. This isn't about pretending the past wasn't painful or toxic positivity that dismisses real suffering. Instead, it's about learning to hold two truths at the same time: your pain was real and devastating, AND you can grow stronger because of how you navigated through it.The episode tackles a pain point many in recovery face: feeling permanently defined by the worst things that have happened to you. When you look back and see only a wasteland of mistakes, regrets, and broken pieces, it becomes incredibly difficult to build a hopeful future. That narrative of victimhood and brokenness can feel impossible to escape.Duane and Eric introduce the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG)—significant positive psychological change that comes not from the traumatic event itself, but from the struggle with that event. Think of it like a forest fire: the fire is devastating, but the struggle for survival can lead to new, significant growth in the ecosystem afterward.The hosts identify five key areas where people often experience growth after trauma: improved relationships with deeper, authentic connections; new possibilities and opportunities that weren't visible before; a greater sense of personal strength and resilience; spiritual development and a broader sense of meaning; and a deeper appreciation for life and gratitude for things once taken for granted.Throughout the episode, Duane and Eric emphasize the critical importance of validating pain before exploring growth. You can't skip over the hurt to get to the healing. As Duane explains, you have to sit with the pain and acknowledge it's real before you can discover the benefits—but you don't have to stay in that pain forever.The episode offers two gentle, reflective exercises for listeners. The first invites you to identify one personal strength—like resilience, empathy, patience, or determination—that has been significantly enhanced because of what you walked through. The second is a journal prompt: "What is one important lesson I've learned about myself, about others, or about life through this journey so far?"These reflections help reframe the narrative of your life. As Eric powerfully states, you stop being just the victim of your past and become the person who faced immense challenges and found strength and meaning in the struggle. This doesn't change what happened, but it can change what it means to you today.Duane shares one of his favorite quotes from Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning": "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." That's the heart of this work—changing ourselves in response to what we've endured and finding real purpose in that transformation.To support listeners in this gentle process of exploration, Duane and Eric have created a free Growth and Gratitude Journal Prompts worksheet, available in the show notes at theaddictivemind.com.This episode is a compassionate invitation to look at your past through a new lens—not one that erases the pain, but one that helps you discover the unexpected gifts that emerged from your struggle. If you're in recovery and wrestling with feelings that your past is only a story of damage, this episode offers hope and a path forward.Key Topics • Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG): Understanding how significant positive change can emerge from struggling with major life crises and traumatic events• The Importance of Validating Pain First: Why you must acknowledge and sit with pain before you can discover the benefits and growth that followed• Five Key Areas of Growth: Exploring improved relationships, new possibilities, personal strength, spiritual development, and deeper life appreciation• Holding Competing Truths: Learning to acknowledge that an experience was 100% painful while simultaneously recognizing the growth that came from navigating it• Reframing Your Life Narrative: Shifting from a story defined by damage to one of growth, resilience, and meaning• Practical Reflection Exercises: Two actionable steps for identifying strengths gained and lessons learned through adversity• Viktor Frankl's Wisdom: Applying the principle that when we can't change a situation, we're challenged to change ourselvesTimestamps[00:01:00] - Opening question: What if the things that broke you could be your greatest strengths?[00:03:00] - The pain point: Feeling permanently defined by your past damage and mistakes[00:05:00] - Introduction to Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) and how growth comes from the struggle, not the event[00:06:00] - The five key areas where people experience growth after trauma[00:08:00] - Actionable Step 1: Reflect on one strength you've gained or enhanced through your struggle[00:10:00] - Actionable Step 2: Journal prompt - What have I learned about myself, others, or life?[00:11:00] - Viktor Frankl quote and closing thoughts on transformation and the free worksheet resourceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Episode 359: Exploring Drug Courts and Their Impact: An Interview with Dr. John Gallagher on the Criminal Justice System

  Host Duane Osterlind welcomes Dr. John Gallagher, an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Alvernia University, a licensed clinical social worker, and a licensed clinical addiction counselor. Dr. Gallagher brings 25 years of experience working with addiction and mental health recovery within the criminal justice system.This essential episode dives deep into the history, structure, and effectiveness of Drug Courts, examining the critical tension between judicial accountability and therapeutic alliance. Dr. Gallagher shares groundbreaking research on the significant racial and gender disparities that exist within these programs and offers insights into how treatment can become truly person-centered and equitable.Key Topics - Dr. Gallagher’s background and experience in addiction and criminal justice- The role of drug courts and their effectiveness- Challenges and issues within the current drug court system - racial and gender disparity - The intersection of addiction treatment and criminal justice- Education pathways in addiction studies and criminal justice💔 The Conflict: Therapeutic Alliance vs. AccountabilityDr. Gallagher highlights a significant issue found in his qualitative research across the country: counseling becoming too "enmeshed" with the justice system.Destruction of Trust: When counselors share too much clinical information (like a self-reported relapse in group therapy) with the court, it destroys the therapeutic alliance—the core of effective treatment.📊Addressing Racial and Gender Disparities While Drug Courts are effective overall, significant racial and gender disparities exist in outcomes and graduation rates, demanding a shift toward truly individualized treatment. Hispanic, Black, biracial participants had graduation rates less than 30%. while their white counter parts reached 60%.Recovery Preference: Research consistently shows that diverse participants in Drug Courts often prefer natural recovery support systems (e.g., church, family, community hobbies) over mandated formal support groups like AA or NA.This preference is rooted in cultural values (e.g., not "airing dirty laundry in public") and the feeling that natural supports are more helpful.Participant Quote: "My beautician is like my counselor. She hears all my problems and gives me advice... NA meetings can't make me feel beautiful. And when I feel beautiful, I'm less likely to relapse and more likely to complete drug court."Gender and TraumaMotherhood Demands: Many women in Drug Courts are single mothers who bear the full burden of childcare and financial responsibility. Balancing the rigorous demands of treatment (multiple weekly drug tests, therapy, court hearings) with motherhood is a major challenge that can be addressed by offering individualized flexibility (e.g., reduced court or treatment time to prioritize parenting).High Rate of Trauma: The vast majority of women in Drug Courts (estimated 70% to 90% in Dr. Gallagher's research) have significant and often repetitive histories of trauma.ResourcesAlvernia UniversityJohn Gallagher Faculty ProfileNovusMindfulLife.comhttps://www.theaddictedmind.com/community Episode CreditsIf you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• TAM+ EP 93 From Wounded to Whole: Nurturing Your Inner Child for Lasting Recover

  Download: THE INNER CHILD WORKSHEETIn this episode of The Addicted Mind, Duane and Eric Osterlind dive into the powerful concept of the inner child. They explore how past traumas influence our present reactions and behaviors. Understanding and healing your inner child can lead to profound personal growth and recovery. Learn about the history of the inner child concept, its impact on addiction and recovery. Start your practical steps to your healing journey. Join us as we provide compassionate insights and actionable advice to help you nurture your vulnerable inner child and create a healthier, more balanced life.Key TopicsWhat is the inner child and its historical backgroundHow past traumas influence current behaviorsThe connection between inner child work and addiction recoveryPractical steps to heal your inner childThe importance of community and professional support in healingTimestamps[00:00:00] - Introduction to the topic of the inner child[00:01:06] - Overview of the inner child concept and its importance[00:03:32] - Signs of a wounded inner child[00:04:45] - Historical background: Carl Jung and John Bradshaw[00:06:21] - The impact of a wounded inner child on adult life[00:09:55] - How inner child work aids in addiction recovery[00:13:15] - Practical steps and resources for inner child healingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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