All Things Substance Podcast
The place for therapists
to hear about substance use
from a mental health perspective.
New from the Podcast:
Benzodiazepines: Benefits and Risks
Episode 155 Repost of 36 What are benzodiazepines? How are they used? What are the risks? Benzodiazepines can feel like a miracle for a person with anxiety. Feeling panicked to feeling ok in a matter of minutes. But there’s more to them than that. Tune in to this...
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Addiction Information
Marijuana Basics for Therapists-Repost
Episode 20 What is marijuana and how is it used? Why is THC potency important? What does this have to do with therapy? Marijuana is here to stay and it looks like we’re heading towards legalization. We need to know the facts about marijuana. It comes up in therapy...
Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Holiday Skills (Repost)
Episode #151 The holidays are here, no matter what your faith tradition or country, there's a holiday in here for everyone. For some the holidays are a joyful time where they look forward to seeing family and friends. For others, the holidays can be a difficult time....
Substance Use in the LGBTQ+ Community
Episode #149 Trauma and substance use have a bidirectional relationship. According to my guest, Eric Sullivan, growing up gay is a form of complex trauma. The LGBTQ+ community faces a lot of factors that put them at risk for higher rates of problematic substance use....
Assessment
5 Reasons Therapists Don’t Assess for Substance Use & 5 Reasons They Should
Episode #146 Many therapists shy away from asking about substance use. There are some very common and very valid reasons for this. Today, I want to share the top 5 most common reasons I’ve heard for avoiding talking about substance use. Then I want to share my top 5...
Trauma and Substance Use are Bidirectional
Episode #145 Bidirectional means “moving or taking place in two usually opposite directions.” This concept is super important to understanding how trauma and substance use connect. They don’t just intersect, they interact and drive the other. Research is clear about...
Nurturing Our Resilience Through Connection
Episode 144 As trauma therapists, we understand the immense weight of our work. It's not easy to hear the stories of pain and suffering day in and day out. We chose this path because we have a passion for helping others, but that doesn't mean it's always smooth...
All Substances
Benzodiazepines: Benefits and Risks
Episode 155 Repost of 36 What are benzodiazepines? How are they used? What are the risks? Benzodiazepines can feel like a miracle for a person with anxiety. Feeling panicked to feeling ok in a matter of minutes. But there’s more to them than that. Tune in to this...
Legalization of Marijuana-Repost
Episode 22 Why is marijuana illegal anyway? What’s the difference between legalization and decriminalization? What implication does this have for therapists? The debate over legalization of marijuana is all around us. It’s a complex issue and there are a lot of terms...
Common Claims About Marijuana-Repost
Episode 21 What are common things people say about the effects of marijuana? What are the facts about those common claims? What implication does this have in therapy? Conversations about the effects of marijuana give rise to really interesting information being...
Private Practice Edition
Meeting Our Own Professional and Personal Needs
Episode #150 I don’t believe we can rely on our agencies or employers to take care of our development or help us with safe care. I believe we need to make sure we are being proactive to make sure we have what we need to help us keep developing as therapists and that...
Therapists Deserve to be Cared for Too
Episode #148 How do we not just survive, but thrive in our work? How do we get to keep being our badass therapist selves and still enjoy what we do? Hint: I’m not going to just say self-care. There really are things we can do to help ourselves. Our workplaces,...
Why Therapists Burn Out & How to Protect Yourself
Episode #147 Being a therapist is badass. We are depicted as cardigan-wearing, somewhat nerdy, mild-mannered intellectuals or touchy-feely, overly sensitive, preschool teacher-esque guides for adults. The reality of our jobs is far grittier and messier than people...
Recovery Stories
A Recovery Story: Brian
Episode #121 Brian was 18 when he first suspected that he had a problem with gambling. Surely 18 years old was too young to have an addiction right? He spent the next several years trying to win his way out of the hole of debt he was in. He found out that it's true...
Sex and Recovery
Episode #120 Sex is a vital part of who we are as humans. It’s a way to connect with others. A way to have pleasure. Research tells us that sex is super beneficial for our health and well-being. Experiences vary wildly depending on the people and the circumstances....
A Recovery Story: Dufflyn
Episode #118 It was all about love. That’s what Dufflyn was looking for from the time she was a small girl all the way into her 40’s. She consistently was seeking to fill a need and find a place to belong. For a long while alcohol and drugs were the answer. Recovery...
Student Edition
Therapy Paperwork Basics
Episode 76 Therapy paperwork is a core part of the job. It’s sometimes also a pain in the ass. Developing good habits at the beginning of your career will be incredibly helpful. The majority of our job is about being with people, holding space, helping clients see...
Diagnosis Can Be Healing
Episode 72 Why do we need to diagnose clients? Is it harmful to give someone a diagnosis? Can’t I just give everyone an adjustment disorder? Diagnosing is fundamental to the work of a therapist. If for no other reason than you need to be able to bill insurance to get...
To Graduation and Beyond
Episode 67 What should you focus on as graduation approaches? What should you look for in a first post-grad job? What about going into private practice? Everything you’ve done since entering college has been leading to this moment. The papers are in, the internship is...
Treatment & Recovery
Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Holiday Skills (Repost)
Episode #151 The holidays are here, no matter what your faith tradition or country, there's a holiday in here for everyone. For some the holidays are a joyful time where they look forward to seeing family and friends. For others, the holidays can be a difficult time....
Substance Use in the LGBTQ+ Community
Episode #149 Trauma and substance use have a bidirectional relationship. According to my guest, Eric Sullivan, growing up gay is a form of complex trauma. The LGBTQ+ community faces a lot of factors that put them at risk for higher rates of problematic substance use....
The Skill to Help You Thrive Instead of Burning Out
Episode 142 Learn how to THRIVE while treating trauma & substance use! Tired of feeling limited in your practice? We've got you covered! Hi, we’re Betsy Byler and Jenny Hughes and between us, we have 30+ years of treating trauma and substance use under our belts!...
Try our list of all the episodes in date order:
Subcategories:
Amphetamines
Meth: A Recovery Story
Episode 42 Meth addiction is all around us. We see it in the faces of people on the street. We see it in the news. We might even see it in our families. Recovery from meth is hard and and may seem impossible. People do come back from the dark place that is meth...
Why Do People Use Meth?
Episode 41 What is meth and why would people use it? Have you ever thought “Why would someone ever use meth?” Even those who know how bad it can be still can end up using it and falling into a full blown meth addiction. This episode sheds light on the attraction of...
Meth Facts
Episode 40 Meth popularity is extremely high right now in the US, Australia and the UK. This drug is especially damaging with really visible consequences. This episode will cover the meth facts including how its used and long-term effects. Helpful Links History of the...
Cannabis
Legalization of Marijuana-Repost
Episode 22 Why is marijuana illegal anyway? What’s the difference between legalization and decriminalization? What implication does this have for therapists? The debate over legalization of marijuana is all around us. It’s a complex issue and there are a lot of terms...
Common Claims About Marijuana-Repost
Episode 21 What are common things people say about the effects of marijuana? What are the facts about those common claims? What implication does this have in therapy? Conversations about the effects of marijuana give rise to really interesting information being...
Marijuana Basics for Therapists-Repost
Episode 20 What is marijuana and how is it used? Why is THC potency important? What does this have to do with therapy? Marijuana is here to stay and it looks like we’re heading towards legalization. We need to know the facts about marijuana. It comes up in therapy...
Compulsive Behaviors
Sex and Addiction: An Interview
Episode 18 Why the phrase "addiction to porn" doesn't fit with the current scientific findings What does the research say about problematic sexual behaviors? What does research say about pornography? I see requests online all the time in therapist FB groups about...
Sex and Addiction: Interview with Dr. Coleman
Episode 17 Why the word "addiction" doesn't fit when talking about sex Is sex an addiction? What does the research say about problematic sexual behaviors? How can we evaluate potential issues with sexual behavior? The word addiction and the word sex shouldn’t be put...
Is Food Addiction Real? Part 2-Episode 16
Episode 16 Can you be addicted to food? Is it possible to find recovery from food addiction? What should therapists know about food addiction? Food addiction is a real thing, even if the DSM doesn’t say it yet. Food addiction is not an addiction to eating, it's an...
Gambling
Gambling Addiction Treatment
Episode #140 Gambling addiction treatment and the gambler brings to mind a certain image for many of us. We might think of a man looking downcast with his hand on his head and a drink in front of him. Some might think of someone spending hours in front of a slot...
An Interview with All In: An Addicted Gambler’s Podcast
Episode 26I'm taking a 2 week break on the podcast. I am reposting an interview I did with a fellow podcaster. In December 2020, I had the privilege of talking with Brian, the host of a gambling podcast called All In: An Addicted Gambler's Podcast in December of...
Why We Need to be Asking Clients About Gambling
Episode 14 What do mental health therapists need to know about gambling addiction? What types of gambling are there? What’s the connection to mental health? Gambling addiction is a pretty specialized topic. Mental health therapists are a logical place for problem...
Hallucinogens
Psychedelic PTSD Treatment
Episode 31 What is Psychedelic PTSD Treatment? What is MDMA? What about Ketamine and Psilocybin as treatment options? MDMA or Ecstasy is a unique kind of hallucinogen. It’s known as a party drug but also as a psychedelic PTSD treatment. We’ll explore this and two...
Dissociative Hallucinogens
Episode 30 What are dissociative hallucinogens? What is Ketamine? What are the effects of dissociative drugs? Dissociative hallucinogens are specifically drugs like Ketamine, PCP, Salvia to name a few. They are known for making a person experience a form of...
What is LSD? What is DMT?-Classic Hallucinogens
Episode 29 What types of hallucinogens are there? What is LSD? What is DMT? What are mushrooms? What are the effects of hallucinogens? Hallucinogens & Psychedelics. There are lots of different kinds of these drugs. This is part 1 of 3 where we are covering...
Opiates
Treating Chronic Pain
Episode 88 Treating chronic pain is difficult on a good day. After the over-prescribing of opiates in the 90’s and early 2000’s, it's become more challenging. Opiates used to be the treatment of choice, but the medical community has more research and information that...
Medication Assisted Treatment Explained
Episode 25 What treatment options are there for opiate addiction? What is medication assisted treatment? What’s the difference between agonist, partial-agonist and antagonist options? What is the therapist role in treating opiate addiction? The opiate epidemic is all...
A Recovering Opiate Addict’s Perspective
Episode 24 How does opiate addiction start? What does progression look like in opiate addiction? What keeps people stuck in a cycle of opiate addiction The opiate epidemic is all around us. We hear about the deaths and the dangers. Most of us know a bit about it, but...
Prescription Pills
Benzodiazepines: Benefits and Risks
Episode 155 Repost of 36 What are benzodiazepines? How are they used? What are the risks? Benzodiazepines can feel like a miracle for a person with anxiety. Feeling panicked to feeling ok in a matter of minutes. But there’s more to them than that. Tune in to this...
Treating Chronic Pain
Episode 88 Treating chronic pain is difficult on a good day. After the over-prescribing of opiates in the 90’s and early 2000’s, it's become more challenging. Opiates used to be the treatment of choice, but the medical community has more research and information that...
What are barbiturates?
Episode 53 What are barbiturates? How were barbiturates used historically? How are barbiturates used in recent years? Barbiturates are an older class of drugs that had tons of uses and were the go-to for many years. Newer medications with less risks superseded these...