Finding You: by Dr. Brad Reedy

Dr. Reedy answers questions from siblings, friends, and extended family members of Evoke participants about wilderness therapy, siblings, and mental health. Some of the topics included here are how to support a loved-one while in treatment, how to deal with a sibling at home resistant to family therapy, and how to deal with guilt for sending a child to treatment.

Dr. Reedy discusses the hot new book "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Monson. He talks about how the book offers an accessible entry to some Buddhist concepts like radical acceptances, the inevitability of suffering, detachment, and the beginners mind. He also talks about some of the book's limitations and short comings, specifically the lack of insight on how to effectively deal with resistance.

Dr. Reedy talks about the challenges that occur when co-parents don't support each other. He discusses strategies and tools for creating cohesion. At the center of the idea is that if one becomes focused on the other parent, it can increase division and polarizations.

Dr. Reedy talks about who can benefit from attending 12-Step support groups. The benefits of attending, sharing, working the steps and having a sponsor are reviewed. Dr. Reedy suggests that the 12-Steps could benefit everyone regardless of their specific circumstances.

Dr. Reedy explains that when the identified patient is removed from the family in treatment the parents often redirect the energy towards the marital relationships. He explores qualities of a healthy marriage beginning with the development of healthy self development in each of the partners. He debunks some common ideas in our culture surrounding love and marriage.

Dr. Reedy talks about risk taking behavior, the adolescent brain, and how development informs us about our children’s risky behavior. He uses it to explain addiction and other seemingly irrational choices.

Dr. Reedy talks about dynamics underlying family conflict. He warns that conflict is not simply a measure of a child's struggle and that it may signal a need for a parental shift. He discusses concepts and tools that help in navigating conflict.

Dr. Reedy discusses the role that insight and experience play in the development of a healthy self in the therapeutic process.

Dr. Reedy reviews Refuge Recovery by Noah Levine. He praises it as a simple and straightforward approach appealing to those who may want a non-theistic approach to recovery. He also talks about how it doesn't tend to provoke defensiveness as some other models, due to it's avoidance of dogmatic principles. He talks about it as both an alternative and a compliment to other approaches to treating addiction. He discusses mindfulness and other Buddhist inspired elements of the approach.

Dr. Reedy discusses adolescent and young adult developmental tasks and the implications for parents helping children negotiate these stages.