The Addicted Mind Podcast

Discover the transformative power of your inner child and how past traumas shape present behaviors. Explore historical insights from Carl Jung and John Bradshaw on this vital concept. Learn practical steps to heal your wounded inner child and foster emotional growth. Understand the link between inner child work and addiction recovery, and the necessity of community support. Embrace self-compassion and mindfulness as tools for healing, and uncover resources that can aid your journey toward a balanced and healthier life.

Ever felt like you're stuck in a downward spiral of negative thoughts and emotions? Well, you're not alone. Join us as we converse with the spectacular Alex Korb, eminent neuroscientist and author of 'The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time.' Our exchange pivots around his life-changing journey from probing the depths of neuroscience to uncovering the profound understanding of depression.You're in for a treat as Alex reveals the intricate workings of our brains, drawing an engaging comparison between tuning our minds to adjusting the volume on a speaker. Debunking the conventional belief in a one-size-fits-all treatment, Alex emphasizes the necessity of a personalized approach to mental health. Be ready to reframe your understanding of mental health as we traverse this enlightening conversation.Wrapping up our talk, Alex underlines the empowering nature of comprehending the human brain and the sheer potential of minor modifications leading to massive changes in our lives. This absorbing conversation is sure to offer a fresh perspective on mental health and equip you with practical ways to navigate it. In this episode, you will hear: Personalized approach to mental health as opposed to a one-size-fits-all treatment The role of minor changes in transforming our lives and creating an upward spiral of positivity His journey from being a neuroscience student to understanding depression at a deeper level The importance of physical activity in enhancing neuroplasticity and the sensitivity of brain circuits Understanding the brain's function to empower oneself and instigate positive change Exploration of how small positive changes can lead to a powerful upward spiral in our lives The complexities of depression, and the importance of recognizing it as a biological, not moral, failing Neuroscience as a tool to better understand and manage depression The interaction between depression and addiction, and how understanding the brain can aid in managing both. Follow and Review:We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Supporting Resources:The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Timehttps://www.amazon.com/Upward-Spiral-Neuroscience-Reverse-Depression/dp/1626251207NovusMindfulLife.comEpisode 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine this: You're about to play the biggest game of your life when someone offers to just put the final score on the board—you win! No sweat, no struggle, no game. Would you take that deal?In this eye-opening episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, hosts Duane and Eric Osterlind explore why most of us would actually turn down this seemingly perfect offer. They introduce the powerful "Scoreboard Metaphor" from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that helps separate goals from values in addiction recovery.Many people in recovery focus solely on hitting milestones—30 days sober, 90 days sober—only to feel empty when they reach them or completely defeated if they relapse. This episode flips that thinking on its head by showing that while goals (the score) matter, how you play the game (your values) matters far more.The hosts break down why people often relapse after reaching milestones. When we chase outcomes without connecting to the values behind them, we create an emptiness that no achievement can fill. The scoreboard might say "win," but without the journey—the struggle, the growth, the connection—it feels hollow.Through practical examples and personal insights, Duane and Eric show how this mindset shift transforms recovery. If you're living each day with honesty, courage, and connection, each day is a success—regardless of whether you've hit your sobriety goal yet. And if you do relapse, you haven't lost everything. The values-based actions you took still matter, and the game isn't over.Download The WorksheetThe episode concludes with five simple steps to apply this metaphor to your own recovery journey, helping you identify your true values, clarify meaningful goals, and build resilience when facing setbacks. The hosts also invite listeners to download a free worksheet and join their supportive community where these concepts can be explored further.Whether you've felt lost chasing empty goals or you've hit recovery milestones but still feel unfulfilled, this episode offers a refreshing perspective that could change how you view your recovery journey—and maybe even your life.Join our TAM+ CommunityFeeling stuck in your recovery and wondering what’s next? Ready to take the next step toward becoming your best self? Join the TAM+ community, where we dive deep into practical tools and worksheets designed to guide you toward the life you want. With evidence-based strategies and actionable steps, we’re here to help you unlock your potential and achieve your goals. theaddictedmind.com/communitySupport TAM+ Subscribe and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Supporting Resources:If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy, please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center.NovusMindfulLife.comWe want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmindDisclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast, our guest is Tom Horvath, founder of Practical Recovery and co-founder of Smart Recovery. Smart Recovery is a non-12-step approach to addictive behavior problems that provides an alternative to programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. While both methods provide new communities and relationships to build on as well as specific examples of individuals who are models of success, AA is based on the idea that you must give yourself up to a higher power because “you are powerless” and must rely on your sponsor and meetings in order to recover.12-step programs can be helpful to some, but they can be ineffective for others, so the demand for alternative programs is continuing to increase. Smart Recovery integrates any methods that have been supported by scientific evidence, are self-empowering and are applicable in a mutual help group, including CBT, DBT, and ACT. They recognize that there are multiple pathways to recovery and that great results occur in a community.Smart Recovery takes a self-empowering approach to recovery, relying on the individual to set their own limits and establishing a 4-point program for people to work through: Maintaining motivation Coping with craving Identifying and resolving other problems Achieving a greater lifestyle balance Smart Recovery emphasizes “ideal” recovery, rather than “real” recovery as is expected in 12-step programs. Ideal recovery may not be complete abstinence, but rather staying within the limits that each person sets (and potentially changes along the way) for themselves, which is the point of the accountability of attending meetings.Tom encourages those struggling with addictive behaviors or searching for a recovery group to be persistent in finding what works for you. Most people are able to resolve their problems with treatment, so just don’t give up.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-addicted-mind-podcast/donationsEpisode CreditsFollow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.Supporting Resources:NovusMindfulLife.com 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/addictedmindDisclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people instinctively avoid emotions like anxiety and grief, seeking distractions instead. This tendency, while common, can lead to deeper issues in mental health and addiction recovery. The hosts explore the cycle of emotional avoidance, revealing how it intensifies feelings over time. They offer practical steps to confront these emotions, such as recognizing avoidance patterns, naming feelings, and practicing mindfulness. By embracing emotions and employing acceptance-based coping techniques, individuals can foster healthier emotional resilience.

Join award-winning author and journalist Julia Hotz as she dives into the transformative world of social prescribing. Discover how community activities, like art classes and fishing clubs, combat loneliness—a risk comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Julia emphasizes the difference between meaningful relationships and superficial connections, sharing inspiring stories that highlight the power of vulnerability and shared experiences. Learn how engaging in social prescriptions can enhance well-being and support emotional recovery in profound ways.

Painful experiences can feel overwhelming, but they might hold the key to our greatest lessons. The hosts discuss 'benefit finding,' a practice that helps us extract wisdom from suffering. Instead of avoiding painful memories, they encourage embracing them to foster growth and resilience. Referencing Viktor Frankl, they highlight how finding meaning in suffering allows for post-traumatic growth in areas like personal strength and relationships. A practical four-step process helps listeners transform dark moments into valuable life lessons.

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Jack Bloomfield, a specialist in the ARISE model of interventions. This model is an alternative to the “traditional” form of confrontational interventions created in the 1960s by Dr. Johnson. In this confrontational model, the focus is very much on the addict, usually involving an ambush-type situation where several family members trick the addict into coming to a certain location where they are presented with some type of “go to rehab tomorrow or else…” ultimatum.Due to the heartfelt emotions in this situation, addicts are likely to agree to go to rehab, but 70% of them will leave rehab within 2 weeks because they didn’t make the decision to enter on their own terms.They usually feel anger and resentment towards their family which proves to be counterproductive to the family’s original desires and plan.The ARISE model of intervention is different and successful in 3 areas:It is an invitation model.The addict is invited to a “family meeting” where they likely know what will be discussed.The dialogue changes from “you have a problem” to “we, as a family, have a problem.”80% of addicts will come when they are invited.50% of those happen because they recognize that they have a problem50% will go because they don’t think they have a problem and want to defend themselvesThe focus is on the family.The family indicates that they recognize that they all have things they need to work on in themselves, and they have reached out to someone who can help them all as a family.The addict does not feel singled out.The interventionist works with the family for 6 months.By committing to continuing care, the family creates a safe place for all of them to work on and discuss their issues and their progress during weekly accountability phone calls.This timeframe empowers the addict to make their own choices and not feel forced or pressured into action.They may decide that rehab, intensive outpatient treatment, or just consistent AA meetings are their best option.During and after the addict addresses their issue, the family is all on the same page and speaking the same language because they have all been on a healing journey together.The incredible statistic is that while 70% of addicts who enter rehab as a result of a confrontational intervention will leave within 2 weeks, only 2% of addicts who enter rehab as a result of an ARISE intervention will disappear within 30 days.This gives so much hope to the families waiting for a breakthrough in the life of their loved one who struggles with addiction.To Connect with Jack:www.adesignforliving.comFor more information about the ARISE intervention model, visit www.arise-network.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Family dynamics are crucial in addiction recovery, with roles like the hero, caretaker, and scapegoat creating dysfunction. These roles can hinder personal healing and perpetuate unhealthy cycles. By understanding these dynamics, individuals can begin to break free from their past. The discussion highlights practical steps for recognizing harmful behaviors, fostering open communication, and setting important boundaries. Emphasizing self-care and support, this conversation invites listeners to reflect on their roles and cultivate healthier family interactions.

Join Dr. Frederic Luskin, a leading psychologist from the Stanford Forgiveness Project, and Lyndon Harris, an inspirational speaker shaped by his post-9/11 experiences, as they delve into the transformative power of forgiveness. They explore forgiveness not just as a moral choice, but as a vital skill crucial for mental health. The conversation touches on how anger can empower but also restrain, the significance of gratitude and self-forgiveness, and practical tools to shift from resentment to personal freedom. Their insights illuminate forgiveness as a path to healing and emotional growth.