Archives: Through the Trees

Safe Spaces

At CeDAR, we focus on helping people reach a life of sobriety and recovery. This path also includes an emphasis on a positive lifestyle. What options are available to help someone both preserve their recovery while enjoying life? On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with CeDAR’s Jay Voigt and the founder of Sober AF Entertainment, Duke Rumley. We talk about organizations that provide safe spaces in recovery, including through such venues as sports and music. A culture of excitement and activity can be blended well with a life of addiction recovery. Listen on iTunes

Many Unseen Factors

Human trafficking is one of the most toxic violations of a person, taking away elements of a person’s core dignity. This problem is also connected to topics including drug abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder. On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with Caroline McKinnon, Executive Director of Street’s Hope, a Denver organization committed to providing services for human trafficking victims and empowering our community to effectively address this problem. Special thanks also to the University of Denver Human Trafficking Center for providing research and advocacy. Listen on iTunes

The Science of Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is often the most hurtful and disabling condition for someone’s life. Characterized by episodes of depression and mania, often pressing someone’s life, career, and family to the brink. Bipolar is highly complicated and warrants expert management approaches. On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with one of those experts, Dr. Chris Schneck of the University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry and the Helen & Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center. We talk about bipolar history, treatment approaches, genetics and cutting-edge research. Listen on iTunes

Transplants

One of the most devastating consequences of alcoholism is the development of liver disease. For some of these individuals, they require a transplant to survive. On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with the University of Colorado Liver Transplant Team, specifically Dr. Whitney Jackson and Dr. Steven Huett. As Colorado is one of the premier national locations for transplant medicine, this podcast will shed light on some of the complex variables involved in receiving a new liver ranging from scientific factors to bioethics. Listen on iTunes

Trust but Verify

“Trust but verify” – A quote made famous by President Ronald Regan in 1987 connected to diplomacy in the U.S. and Russia at the time. For addiction treatment, we also verify our trust using drug and alcohol testing. On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with Kerry Schwarz clinical pharmacist at the University of Colorado and CeDAR. She’s going to help us better understand this unique world of drug and alcohol testing. Listen on iTunes

Recovery Coaching

In the last couple of decades, coaches have gained status as useful support tools in sectors ranging from workplace advancement to behavioral health. Filling a space in a way different from therapists or sponsors, addiction recovery coaches can add value to someone’s treatment path. On this episode of Through the Trees, we learn about CeDAR’s Addiction Recovery Coaching program and how it can be used by our patients to bolster positive results in recovery. Listen on iTunes

The Admissions Team

Any patient receiving care at CeDAR first needs to walk through the steps of the admission process. This includes determining the appropriateness for treatment and the complexities of insurance authorization. On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with Todd Nice and Audrey Davis, members of the CeDAR Admissions Team. We seek to answer some of the most common admission questions to help potential new patients and their families. Listen on iTunes

The Chronic Pain Paradigm

An estimated 25 million U.S. adults struggle with daily pain. The experience of chronic pain carries both physical and psychological implications, especially for those also experiencing addiction. On this episode of Through the Trees, we discuss chronic pain, its history, and treatment with Dr. Rachel Cavallaro, Psychologist at CeDAR. Listen on iTunes

Codependent

Our first season of Through the Trees took us on a trek across CeDAR visiting with professionals in multiple departments, ranging from the Medical Detox program to the Spiritual Center. We reviewed principles of harm reduction, dialectical behavioral therapy, and psychological testing. As we begin our second season we’ll talk with Blair Thurston, CeDAR Family Program Educator, about codependency in the family system and how it affects addiction treatment. Listen on iTunes

Smoke Free

If you were asked what substance causes the most deaths, what would you say? Alcohol? Heroin? The combined deaths from alcohol and all other drugs of abuse are still less than those from the most lethal killer of all. Tobacco. On this episode of Through the Trees, we sit down with Dr. Laura Martin, former Medical Director of CeDAR. We talk about how six years ago, CeDAR made a groundbreaking change in the addiction treatment world by becoming a tobacco-free recovery program. Demonstrated clearly by clinical research, quitting tobacco both extends someone’s life and extends their probability at overall recovery. Listen on iTunes