Avoiding the Addiction Affliction

Author: Westwords Consulting, LLC

When does it stop being a party and start becoming a problem? Is there a way to steer clear of addiction? Every Wednesday, Mike McGowan explores substance use disorders with expert guests.
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Language: en

Genres: Health & Fitness, Mental Health

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"Parallel Recovery" with Lisa Katona Smith
Tuesday, 30 December, 2025

People don't have substance use disorders in isolation. Their family, friends, and colleagues all experience, as Lisa Katona Smith, M.Ed., says, "feelings of anger, fear, and shame that fracture relationships with loved ones at a time when they are needed most." Lisa is a certified Peer Recovery Specialist, family consultant, TEDx speaker, and author of the book, "Parallel Recovery: A Guide for Those Who Love Someone Struggling with Substance Use Disorder." Inspired by her personal experience navigating a family member's addiction and motivated by the limitations of traditional support models, she created Parallel Recovery® — a structured, compassionate framework that gives a voice to the untold side of recovery and redefines how families support loved ones through substance use disorder. Lisa and Parallel Recovery can be reached at https://lisakatonasmith.com/. The State of Wisconsin's Dose of Reality campaign is at Dose of Reality: Opioids in Wisconsin. More information about the federal response to the ongoing opiate crisis can be found at One Pill Can Kill. The views and opinions of the guests on this podcast are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of the host or Westwords Consulting. We're always interested in hearing from individuals or organizations who are working in substance use disorder treatment or prevention, mental health care and other spaces that lift up communities. This includes people living those experiences. If you or someone you know has a story to share or an interesting approach to care, contact us today! Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Subscribe to Our Email List to get new episodes in your inbox every week!