Mental Health News Radio

Broadcasting LIVE from the Navigating the World of Addiction conference in Littleton, Colorado, Dr. Dawn Obrecht shares her passion for the field of addiction treatment. She has traveled the globe and is the author of three books. Visit her Amazon author page here.Dawn V. Obrecht, M.D., was graduated from the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine and did an internship in general surgery and residency in emergency medicine. She has been the medical director of a chemical dependency unit and is a professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. For many years she had a busy family medicine practice. Licensed in several states, she now travels to small, rural communities, filling in for physicians who need time off.Having been in recovery from drug addiction for over a quarter century, Dr. Obrecht uses her experience with life-threatening illness to identify with and help others to heal and to hear God. DocDawn lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with her husband, Erik Landvik, where she wri

We had the pleasure of meeting Randy and Lydia Grimes at the Navigating the World of Addiction conference in Littleton Colorado. Randy and Lydia were there with the treatment center they passionately serve Behavorial Health of the Palm Beaches. Sharing the stage to discuss their story as a family was inspiring for all of us.  Randy made sure to invite Lydia to join him to share her part of the journey as well.  Addiction is a family disease and hearing from both husband and wife was powerful. Randy was an American football player who played center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1983 to 1992. He also played for Baylor University during the early 1980's and was part of the 1980 Southwest Conference Champion Bears. He is now an interventionist, speaker, and part of the team at Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches. Our podcast is known for Keeping it Real and that is exactly what you get with Randy. This was very personal for the entire team at Mental Health News Radio and many of our listeners. A healing too

We met Kevin Petersen, LMFT at the Navigating the World of Addiction conference put on by Rob Lohman. He came in at the last minute to take over as one of the keynote speakers. Kevin Petersen, LMFT is a dedicated, caring, and understanding professional who works with families in crisis. Kevin was born and raised in Palo Alto, CA and earned a bachelors from USC in 1994, and enjoyed a prosperous career in Sales and Marketing before he decided to return to school in 2008. Kevin has earned a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and has a Certificate in Child and Adolescent Counseling both from Regis University. He started his career working as a therapist for Arapahoe Douglas Mental Health Network in Child and Family Services in 2011. Kevin opened his private practice, Petersen Family Counseling, in 2014 and specializes in working with families and individuals struggling with addictions, codependency, and parenting.www.petersenfamilycounseling.com

Our guest is John Trautwein. His book My Living Will: A Father’s Story of Loss & Hope details the October 2010 tragic loss of his oldest child, 15-year-old Will. A strong, popular and successful young man, Will was a freshman at Northview High School, and his death devastated not only the Trautwein’s but the entire community.As a result, John and his wife Susie started a nonprofit called “The Will To Live Foundation” to work closely kids to not only help spread the message of teen suicide awareness in our community but also help these teens recognize the wonderful bonds of friendship we call “life teammate bonds” that help each other find the good in life!John is a Graduate of Northwestern University and former baseball player, playing 7 years in the Expos and Red Sox organizations.  Since the foundation started, John has been making well over 100 speeches and presentations annually to high school students, college students, teams of all kinds, parents, coaches, teachers across America. John has turned th

Dawson Church, PhD, is an award-winning author whose best-selling book, The Genie in Your Genes, (www.YourGeniusGene.com) has been hailed by reviewers as a breakthrough in our understanding of the link between emotions and genetics. He founded the National Institute for Integrative Healthcare to study and implement promising evidence-based psychological and medical techniques. His groundbreaking research has been published in prestigious scientific journals. He is the editor of Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, & Treatment, a peer-reviewed professional journal The Energy Psychology Journal and a blogger for the Huffington Post. He shares how to apply the breakthroughs of energy psychology to health and athletic performance through EFT Universe (www.EFTUniverse.com), one of the largest alternative medicine sites on the web.www.dawsonchurch.com

Trisha Grose, author, public speaker,  and real estate agent at Spirit Bear Realty in Colorado. Ms. Grose is currently completing this book with the support and love of her family, friends, and co-workers.  Her book, Beauty From His Ashes, is about being a parent of a teen addicted to Heroin, the struggles associated with Brendan’s recovery, the holes in our system for caring for these children, and the grief of losing God’s most precious gift – a child.Trisha joins us LIVE at the Navigating the World of Addiction conference in Littleton, Colorado. She was one of the keynote presenters for this intimate and incredible FREE conference put on by Mr. Rob Lohman.www.beautyfromhisashes.com

Join Counselors Melissa Richards and Melanie Vann with host Kristin Sunanta Walker as they discuss Emotional Responsibility. Touchy subject but we've had a lot of emails lately about flirting, dating, relationships, and emotional maturity.Keeping it real as always!www.mhnrnetwork.comwww.mentalhealthnewsradio.com 

Joe Fusaro joins us to talk about the incredible initiative he is a part of with McLean Hospital: Deconstructing Stigma. Since elementary school, Joe has had trouble with something that comes so naturally to most people—sleep. Despite his sleep patterns, good grades always came easily to Joe. He played music and was good at sports. Yet Joe frequently felt anxious. Just days after he started college, the 9/11 attacks happened and placed a cloud over daily life. One night, Joe felt unmotivated to do schoolwork, and a friend introduced him to the drug Adderall. It was the start of a decade-long love/hate relationship with medication. The drugs would help for a year or so, then the upper and downers would impact Joe’s sleep. He’d have major depressive episodes and wind up in detox and the hospital. The cycle would repeat again and again. Making matters worse, Joe began having  psychotic episodes, talking to himself about spaceships and someone trying to kill him. Doctors prescribed more medication.It was 2013 whe

Grant Hanson joins our host Kristin Walker LIVE at the Navigating the World of Addicition conference in Colorado. Grant first began to seek recovery while still a teenager. After experiencing all the things that he thought would never happen to him, like eventually living on the street, using needles, and a couple of prison stints, he found a desperation unlike any he had ever known. There was not a thing he wouldn't do if it meant staying sober. He is passionate about recovery and driven by a sense of purpose and dedication to helping families as well as individuals that are struggling with substance use disorders.  He came to Recovery Unplugged with a few years experience in the treatment industry, which started out with a job washing dishes. Thanks to some amazing people along the way any and his willingness to follow suggestion, he is now an Outreach Manager at their Texas location.Recovery Unplugged uses the power of music to help our patients heal from drug and alcohol addiction. Their staff is made up

Join hosts Johnnie Calloway and Kristin Sunanta Walker LIVE at the 2017 Navigating the World of Addiction conference as they interview Co-founder and President Aaron Huey of Fire Mountain Programs. Aaron was a presenter at this  year's event.  He was as fired up in our interview as he was on stage! So much empowerment and wisdom to share. Aaron has been working with children, teens and parents for over 18 years. After ten years directing camps and empowerment programs around the world, Aaron opened Fire Mountain because he wanted to work with kids and families on a deeper level. Over the first few years of running programs like Teen Rites of Passage The Warrior Phoenix Challenge, and numerous cries for help from parents, Aaron realized the need to turn his efforts towards teens struggling with drugs, alcohol and the behaviors and issues related to addiction. An addict in recovery since 2000, he felt a calling to put together an expert team and open Fire Mountain. His mission is to awaken confidence and leader

Nanette V. Larson, BA, CRSS, serves as the Deputy Director/Ambassador for Wellness & Recovery for the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Mental Health. Since 1999, Ms. Larson has worked with the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Mental Health, providing leadership and consultation to further the development of recovery-oriented services within the mental health system. In her more than 15 years as a state employee, Ms. Larson has served in a variety of positions within the Division. In her role as Ambassador, Ms. Larson will continue to forward many of DMH’s successful recovery initiatives, such as Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP®), Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) training and development & monthly Recovery & Empowerment Statewide Calls. Additionally, she and her team will develop and expand proactive, outcome-focused wellness strategies organized around the eight dimensions of wellness identified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Join Joshua Garrin and host Kristin Sunanta Walker as they talk about the importance of Minimalism. Two highly empathic people at it again sharing trusted emotional space for and with each other on another show. Caring for your soul in the age of the digital imprint is a full-time job. Dig in with both of them to find out how to stay focused on being present in your life.  Joshua holds a Ph.D. in health psychology, an M.S. in cognitive psychology, and a B.S. in general psychology and journalism. Following the completion of his doctorate in 2014, Joshua was the recipient of Walden University’s Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research for his inquiry on health beliefs, outcome expectancies, and stress appraisal in college seniors. In addition, he is the recipient of Walden University’s 2015 Presidential Alumni Research Dissemination Award for having published his award-winning dissertation research via multiple literary channels.As a health psychologist, Joshua’s interests focus on the i

Ann Roselle is a nurse practitioner who has been in the nursing field for nearly twenty years. She currently practices in the field of adult and geriatric psychiatry. She lives in greater New Haven Connecticut with her husband and three children. Ann took part in McLean Hospital's initiative www.deconstructingstigma.com to talk about postpartum depression and how the medical community can stigmatize those who work in the field when they report mental health problems.www.bipolarandme.virb.com

Dr. Shelley Uram is a Harvard trained, triple board-certified psychiatrist and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. She speaks around the country about psychological trauma and how it often interferes with our ability to thrive in life. She is best known for communicating very complex information in an interesting and easy to understand way.  Dr. Uram conducts patient lectures and provides ongoing training and consultation to the treatment staff at The Meadows, and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Arizona College of Medicine.Dr. Uram has written numerous articles about psychological trauma and the brain and is currently writing a book on the subject. www.shelleyuram.com

Alice Washington is an associate at the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions. Ms. Washington was awarded a Bachelor’s of Art degree from Stanford University during March of 1988.  Her major was Sociology:  Social Sciences. In the past few years, Ms. Washington has received a Train-the-Trainer Certificate from California State University, Sacramento.  In 2013, Alice completed an A.S. in Graphic Design. She also completed a Diploma in Web Design and Interactive Media in December 2015. Finally, Alice has skills in developing technology-based trainings. Alice has been living with schizophrenia, depression and anxiety since age 27. She has had diabetes for about 6 years during to Zyprexa and obesity.www.facebook.com/alice.washington.125LinkedIn.com/in/alicejographics

Join Kristin Sunanta Walker, counselor Shari Botwin, and Patricia Leary Steuer, all sexual assault survivors as they discuss their experiences and the healing necessary in order to find measures of peace. All three of these women keep it real and very personal as a shared discussion on the trauma, long-term PTSD, anxiety, and depression that we all suffer after these kinds of experiences. A full transcript of the show can be downloaded here.Shari Botwin, LCSW has been counseling survivors of trauma and abuse for over 20 years.  She has given expert testimony on most major news outlets and will be featured in a documentary later this year on healing from sexual trauma.  She is working on her second book, Conquering Trauma. Through the years she has witnessed patients go from surviving to thriving into a full life. Listen to Shari's first interview here. Shari's article in the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding the Bill Cosby trial is here.www.sharibotwin.comPatricia Leary Steuer joins us to share her personal sto

A friend of our CEO, Kristin Sunanta Walker, joins us for this special show. Gopinath (Gopi) is the owner of a very successful technology company based in Bangalore India. He joins us today to talk about the state of affairs in India around Mental Health stigma and services. Gopi and Kristin started out as colleagues 13 years ago working on extensive projects in technology. They became close friends and that friendship is conveyed in this eye opening interview. If we think we have issues eradicating stigma around mental health in the U.S. just wait until you hear how it treatment is viewed in India. A fascinating show with a very compassionate and intelligent man that Kristin is honored to call friend.  

Amy Cerel is a 57 year old wife and proud mom of 2 young men ages 22 and 18.  She began her family after earning an MSW and MBA, and embarking on a successful career as a clinical social worker and organizational consultant.  She suffered a postpartum depression following the birth of her first child, and with the support of wonderful family and an outstanding physician, sought and received the appropriate treatment for her illness.  She chose to stay on her treatment course and did not relapse following the birth of her second child.  While raising her sons she returned to work part time, as she continues to do now that her sons are grown.  She volunteered to participate in McLean Hospital's public awareness campaign, Deconstructing Stigma, to raise awareness that postpartum depression is an illness to be treated and not a character flaw or judgment on one's ability to be a mother and love her children.  Today she is actively involved in her local community outreach efforts to support organizations that assi

We met the lovely Eamon and Nina at the Evolution of Addiction Treatment confernece in Los  Angeles, Ca. They were calm in a sea of noise on a busy exhibit hall floor. We simply had to interview them! Eamon O’Hara comes from a substance abuse treatment background. He was originally introduced to this industry through personal experience where he attended a facility early in his 20’s and began his journey of continued sobriety.  When achieving one  year of sobriety he began work at a drug and alcohol rehab facility and climbed through the ranks becoming the company’s director of operations in. Eamon has helped thousands of people get clean and sober and his involvement in the industry brings unprecedented insight to Alignment Addiction Recovery Group.Christina (Nina) Warthen is from an upper class family with no addiction in sight. At twenty years old she began a successful fifteen-year career in modeling. While modeling she was very often struck by how many people in that industry were functioning addicts and

Bill Prasad, LPC-S, LCDC, Certified Trauma Counselor is the Vice President of Clinical Programs for Lifeway International where he drives clinical operations and builds high performance teams. As an L-P-C Supervisor and L-C-D-C he also works as a therapist for Contemporary Medicine Associates where he treats people who are challenged by trauma, addiction, depression and anxiety. He has worked as a Director of Intake, outpatient/Inpatient services for two Houston psychiatric hospitals. He is also a certified trainer of group C-I-S-M response and has run on calls including the Navy Yard shootings in Washington which resulted in 12 people being gunned down in the workplace. Before moving to Houston, Bill directed a behavior health program for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue in Virginia where he worked closely with law enforcement and firefighters. Also, he worked as an EAP counselor for Raytheon and the Office of Naval Intelligence in Maryland. Bill has post graduate certifications in leadership from the Universi