We Do Recover With Jared Miller

EP 118 - Recovery on Purpose with Chante Colvin

Guest Chante Colvin (NCPSS) joins host Jared Miler (CASUDC) to share her incredible recovery journey. Chante starts by clarifying that today she places her mental health above everything else! She shares how she grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah with her biological parents who both struggled with untreated mental health challenges & how she didn't know anything different. Chante reflects on how her substance use went from occasional/recreational to daily/dependent after the deaths of her father & her significant other of eight years. She bravely shares how her substance use eventually led to homelessness, being physically assaulted, sex work, overdoses, & incarceration. Chante was given the opportunity to attend treatment in Southern Utah. She shares how she has been able to turn her life around. Today, she works at High Desert Counseling as a National Certified Peer Support Specialist. She is over client relations & trains case managers/peer support specialists. In 2022, she was asked to be one of the speakers at the "Not For Sale" event put on by Soup2Hope to help sex workers know there are resources & a way out. Chante expressed that not enough people talk about this part of addiction because of the shame associated with it. She shared, "I realized that I could not hate myself & live a life in recovery at the same time". This is a very powerful, courageous, & raw episode of how Chante Colvin was able to transform herself, we hope you enjoy it! *If you know anyone who could benefit from the content of this podcast please share it with them, that is what it is all about. 

EP 117 - Clean Slate Utah with Noella Sudbury

Guest Noella Sudbury, CEO & Founder at Rasa Public Benefit Corporation & Clean Slate Utah joins hosts to spread education & awareness on how one would expunge their past criminal record. Noella shares that Utah was the second state (behind Pennsylvania) to pass the Clean Slate Law in 2019. "Utah's Clean Slate law requires the government to use technology to identify and automatically expunge minor criminal records for qualifying individuals who have remained crime-free for a set period of time. This law went into effect on May 1, 2020." Noella shares how she was able to use this momentum to start the company Rasa Public Benefit Corporation which helps individuals identify which prior criminal charges are eligible for expungement (in less than 3-minutes on the Rasa app or website) & then provides legal help with that process. This episode has life-changing resources! If you know someone who could benefit from hearing it, please share it with them. We hope you enjoy the episode! Here is the website https://www.rasa-legal.com/

EP 116 - Utah Fentanyl News

Guest host Mandy Miller joins her husband & host Jared Miller (CASUDC) to discuss two news articles about Fentanyl relating to Utah. The first article was published in the Salt Lake Tribune referencing a previous news article (from The Washington Post) about Fentanyl flooding into Southern Utah. The host starts off with this article to paint a clear picture of the type of individual purely driven by the profits of Fentanyl. This rolls into the second news article published in The Daily Herald regarding State Senate Bill 254 (SB254). This controversial bill targets the sales of substances that lead to fatalities (e.g. Heroin, Fentanyl, etc.). If the bill passes, law enforcement could charge drug dealers with "drug-induced homicide" in the event that their transaction leads to the death of its user. This charge is a second-degree felony that carries a sentence of five years to life in prison. Mandy states that she hopes the proposed bill would not affect those suffering from addiction but rather those profiting from its sales. Jared struggles with cognitive dissonance (rationalizing two opposing thoughts at the same time) about this bill. Both hosts agree on "murky water"! This bill lacks the details necessary to be embraced by the recovery community at this time. This episode is FULL of information & education about real-time issues. We hope it increases awareness & gets people together to brainstorm some solutions. We hope you enjoy it!   

EP 115 - Resilience with David Brown

Guest David Brown joins Doctor Terry Sellers & Counselor Jared Miller to share about his journey into recovery. This episode starts off with announcements of "Talent In The Park" put on by the Shannon J Scholarship organization & "A Recovery Concert" put on by the Sobriety Foundation. Both exciting fundraising events are happening in Ogden (northern) & St. George (southern) Utah. Go to the Facebook page "We Do Recovery with Jared Miller" to see the flyers & get more detailed information. David Brown grew up in Utah, with two loving & supportive parents. He remembers taking his first drink of alcohol in his early teenage years. He shares that a few years later he started smoking marijuana occasionally. David shares that the correlation between his frequency & amount of substance abuse was closely related to two unexpected deaths in his life, his childhood best friend by suicide & his widowed wife by overdose. David shares, "Towards the end, I would use anything I could get my hands on". He shares that after doing drug court three times & multiple treatment attempt failures, he made a two-year commitment to attend the John Volken Academy in Seattle, Washington. David has been clean for the past seven years, today he has a fulfilling career, is an active father in his daughters' lives, & recently got engaged. The takeaway from David's story is don't ever give up, it doesn't matter if it takes a hundred attempts at recovery, keep trying! We hope you enjoy this episode.  

EP 114 - Ketamine Treatment pt 2 with Dr. Evans

Dr. Eric Evans, (previous guest from episode 100) joins host Jared Miller in the studio. Dr. Evans is the medical director & owner of a Ketamine clinic voted "Best of Southern Utah" two years in a row, Desert Sands Ketamine, located in St. George, Utah. In this part two series, Dr. Evans & counselor Miller discuss the use of Ketamine treatment (along with talk therapy) to treat medication-resistant depression & PTSD symptoms. Jared shared how he first had skepticism about Ketamine being used therapeutically. However, he opens up about his own personal struggles with medication-resistant depression & PTSD symptoms. He shares how six months ago he began Ketamine treatments & how they have been life-changing for him personally. Dr. Evans shares his opinion on the process of approving medication through the FDA and how he believes there should be another type of process for alternative medications, such as Ketamine, Psylicibin, MDMA, etc. This episode is full of great information and personal experiences. We hope you enjoy it!

EP 113 - Magic Mushroom Bill

CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC ALERT! This episode starts off with a disclaimer that its views & opinions expressed during this episode do not directly reflect its sponsorships. There is currently a proposed bill in the Utah legislation (SB200), to legalize the production & use of Psilocybin (in a controlled medical setting) for the treatment of GAD, MDD, SI, PTSD, & OCD. State Senator Luz Escamilla is spearheading bill SB200, which has recently been tabled for a future vote. Hosts Doctor Terry Sellers & counselor Jared Miller, start by establishing a "baseline" or history of Psilocybin's drug category & current FDA schedule-1 classification. They move into discussing a news article doctor Sellers recently published in Deseret News in opposition against bill SB200. Doctor Sellers shares that he is open to the idea that Psilocybin has the potential for therapeutic benefits, but believes ALL medications should go through the FDA approval process (not a voting process). Jared shares that he remains "curious" about Psilocybin's therapeutic benefits. His main concern would be the screening of clients & how it is distributed. The hosts compare it to the way Marijuana is distributed from a dispensary vs the way Ketamine clinics administer & regulate within the clinic setting. Both hosts agree that today there are a lot of really effective biomedical medications for the physical body, however, there are not a lot of really effective emotional, behavioral, or cognitive medications for the mind. Could alternative medications such as Psilocybin become one? The consensus seems to be that we really don't know! The FDA is "fast-tracking" the research to answer this question as we speak. The hosts want to recognize/respect all thoughts & opinions, they ask that you recognize/respect their thoughts & opinions expressed on this episode at this point in time. This is a very informational & educational episode on the history & proposed use of Psilocybin aka "Magic Mushrooms". We hope you enjoy it! 

EP 112 - HDC-Staff Series One with Vanisa & Crystal

Vanisa Trani (NCPRSS) & Crystal Hannig (LCSW) from High Desert Counseling (HDC), join host Jared Miler (CASUDC) in this first-of-its-kind "Meet the Staff Series". These three speakers work professionally in the field of adult substance use disorder treatment. Crystal (Clinical Director & General Manager) starts the episode off by sharing what she thinks makes HDC unique/special. She shares about "The Pretzel Effect", where the goal at HDC is to get the clients set up with an independent mental health therapist, independent medical provider, independent housing, vocational rehabilitation training, & employment services within the community. This is what makes HDC a progressive adult substance abuse treatment provider with a practical approach. In this application-to-life model, clients are not dependent on the treatment provider once services end. This approach assists the client in building a solid recovery foundation that gives them the best chance possible at maintaining long-term recovery (self-efficacy). Vanisa shares her personal journey of recovery & how she utilizes her experience to assist clients as a National Certified Peer Support Specialist. In the second half of this episode, the content shifts to organizations such as the Warf Rats (a group of concert-goers who have chosen to live drug and alcohol-free) & "code words" to utilize in public places to stay safe in recovery (I'm a friend of Bill & Bob). This episode is filled with great education & resources for family members of individuals who are struggling with addiction. It would also benefit individuals in early recovery learning to navigate concerts & social settings where alcohol is present. We hope you enjoy it! 

EP 111 - Find Your Purpose with Jes Wood

Interventionist Jes Wood from Rise Within Inc, joins Doctor Terry Sellers & Counselor Jared Miller for episode-111. Jes shares how an experience of sexual abuse (that she did not know how to cope with & was too embarrassed to talk about), led her to polysubstance abuse during her adolescent years. Hosts Seller & Jared discuss the correlating statistics between sexual abuse & substance addiction. Out of every one hundred males who have a substance use disorder, sixty-five of them have experienced sexual abuse/assault in the past. Out of every one hundred females who have a substance use disorder, eighty of them have experienced sexual abuse/assault in the past. All three speakers discuss the importance of never judging individuals struggling with substance addictions since you may never know what kind of traumas they are dealing with internally. Jes Wood's fearlessness & vulnerability to come on this episode to share her truth is nothing short of remarkable. We hope the content of this episode reaches individuals with these same traumatic experiences & gives them the courage to find professional help to begin healing. 

EP 110 - When Life Gets Lifey with Daniel Fosmark

Daniel Fosmark, a lifelong friend of host Jared Miller, comes on the podcast to talk about overcoming hardships in recovery. This episode starts off with an emotional message from Jared about watching his wife Mandy go through the extremely hard emotional pain of losing their baby girl at ten weeks pregnant. Jared shares the perspective shift he had during a recent sleepless night, "this must be how my mother felt when I was using". Then Jared turns the question to guest & friend Daniel. Daniel shares about the outward & inward wreckage that substance abuse caused in his life. Daniel vulnerably shares about the process of making amends with his mother & how her unconditional love supports him today. This episode is full of great relapse prevention skills & powerful concepts about overcoming difficult life events such as death/loss, divorce, & grief. Let's just summarize by saying these two "tough guys" shed some tears together! We hope you enjoy this podcast, please share it with others you think could benefit from its content. 

EP 109 - COLICCHIE aka Chas Smith

Music artist Chas Smith aka COLICCHIE joins Dr. Terry Sellers & counselor Jared Miller to share his story of recovery. Chas starts off by sharing what his life looks like today. A little over a year ago, he started the Pittsburgh Recovery Center. In September, he got engaged to his fiancé Hannah & explains how the bond he feels with his daughter fills the void he previously felt. Chas answered a question from Anthony (a listener) about his why for staying clean & how he deals with the monotony of life. Chas briefly touched on what led up to his time in active addiction. He spends most of the time in part two sharing about how he started making music as a form of therapy for himself. This was an incredibly powerful episode! We hope you like it & will share it with friends and family.

EP 108 - Rages-Riches-Rage with Scott Henderson

Guest Scott Henderson from Reno, Nevada joins counselor Jared Miller to share his journey of recovery. Scott shares memories of popping open beers for his father & sipping the foam off the top before taking it to him as early as age six. His own substance abuse dependency began with alcohol in middle school & turned into "whatever mind-altering substance I could get my hands on". During his adolescent years, Scott was in & out of behavior schools, rehabs, & hospitals. When he turned eighteen, he signed himself out of a youth home & became homeless in California until age forty-four! Scott shared it was the combination of his father disowning him & his criminal charges that led to his rock bottom. With the combination of a county drug court program, a twelve-step fellowship, & consistent clean time, Scott was able to rebuild his life one day at a time! He shared that he has been in recovery since 2014, today he is a sponsor, a dependable employee, a husband, a father, & a grandfather. Reflecting back on Scott's journey into recovery, I can't help but think man, if this guy can do it with everything he was up against, anyone can! We hope you enjoy episode 108. 

EP 107 - The Come Back Kid with Cy Hirsche

Cy Hirsche joins Dr. Terry Sellers & counselor Jared Miller to share his experiences. Cy shows great personal awareness as he explains the events in his life that lead to his substance abuse. He reflects back to his adolescence when he began to "rebel" against his parents' wishes. Cy shares that his substance abuse took off when he started to attend college at Utah State University. He shares that he never really got "hooked" until a sports injury that resulted in an opiate prescription that he abused. He shares that he was able to overcome that with some support & help. Cy shares a very vulnerable time in his life when he lost both of his parents in a tragic plane crash. "It's a big event, it's an event that shapes me, & this is an addiction podcast but it shapes me & I still don't know why it shapes me so severely. It's been twenty years now & even just talking about it right now it shakes me"-Cy Hirsche. This led to years of alcohol abuse. Cy finishes by talking about his treatment episodes & how he eventually started his own intervention business which caters to a lot of the Hollywood clientele. Cy shows incredible vulnerability & his rapport with Dr. Sellers makes this an increasable episode. We hope you enjoy it!  

EP 106 - Inspired To Recover with Malory Ruesch

Author Malory Ruesch joins Doctor Terry Sellers & Counselor Jared Miller to discuss New Year's resolutions, the importance of finding what works for you in recovery, & her book “Inspired to Recover”.  At the start of the episode, Jared leads off with the question, "Is new year, new me realistic?". Malory shares how she feels consistency is the most important thing to focus on. Jared shares about the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, which explains how to make tiny changes to get remarkable results. In part 2, the trio shares advice on what to do if you are at a party and someone brings substances & how to utilize friends or family to be your accountability partner. Lastly, Malory touches on what her book is about, how it came to be, & where you can get a copy. This is a great episode for individuals who are nervous about social celebrations for the holidays. As well as, individuals who want to find lasting success in their New Year's resolutions. We hope you enjoy it! 

EP 105 - Q & A with Hosts

Lots of great treatment, recovery, & family advice in this mashup Q & A episode. Topics include accountability during active addiction, different types of treatment, Suboxone for pain management, Ketamine treatment (are you still concerned clean), & hosts' favorite memory together outside of the podcast. Also a baby announcement by counselor/host Jared Miller.

EP 104 - DankSwank with Chris & Layton

Host Jared Miller is joined by two dudes from his local community to talk about recovery. Chris & Layton both grew up in Saint George, Utah. They briefly reflect on the nightmare of active addiction, but mostly share about their four & a half years in recovery. Jared asked both guests to share a message of hope to individuals in early recovery who might be struggling or thinking "is life ever going to get better". Chris & Layton break down each year of their recovery sharing their experience, strength, & hope. In the last fifteen minutes of the episode, the discussion turns to the topic of DankSwank (Chris & Layton's clothing apparel company). Recently Chris & Layton started an LLC to create & sell some pretty sweet apparel. This is a great episode to motivate individuals in early recovery & show what is possible with years of clean time. Let's show Chris & Layton some love & check out dankswank.shop 

 

EP 103 - What A Mess with Crystal Randall

Guest Crystal Randall joins hosts, Dr. Terry Sellers & Counselor Jared Miller, to share the story she self-entitled "what a mess". Crystal shares about her childhood & what lead to her addiction. For many individuals, including Crystal, substances are introduced by older family members. She shares that part of her story is generational trauma. Crystal does a great job sharing about more than just the drugs! She shares about her battle with co-dependent relationships with men, losing physical custody of her children on multiple occasions, & her fight to get them back. It is pointed out that throughout all Crystal's story she may have had periods of abstinence from drugs, but within those periods she was not working a program of recovery. After a very personal spiritual experience, while incarcerated, Crystal found the motivation to "get her poop in a group". That motivation resulted in the seven years she has clean today! Today, Crystal is employed with a non-profit organization in Utah known as USARA. She uses her experience to help other mothers get clean & navigate the process of retaining or regaining their children from DCFS/CPS. This is a great episode to share with any mother who is currently going through this, help give them hope by sharing it with them. 

EP 102 - Reflecting on 100

In episode 102, the hosts Dr. Terry Sellers & Jared Miller start off by checking in on what is new & good. Jared's wife, Mandy, joins the hosts to explain the stage of IVF they are currently in. Hosts then jump to the topic of reflecting on the original purpose of the podcast & if they hit the mark of "showing what successful recovery can look like". They discuss the staple of the podcast as having guests who have crossed over from active addiction to living a life of recovery. Dr. Sellers shifts from being a goofball during the into to a heartfelt message that the podcast is really about spreading a message of hope. Jared shares that he would like to see the podcast continue to evolve with topic episodes to educate the listeners & shed light on different recovery-related content. This episode finishes with both hosts discussing past episodes & the amazing stories of their guests. This episode is a disorganized masterpiece, we hope you enjoy it! 

EP 101 - The Journey of Brayden Dobson

Guest Brayden Dobson shares how his recreational substance use turned into physical dependency due to painful tumors in his legs. He was relieved to find out the tumors were not caused by Cancer but little did he know at the time his illness from substance abuse was just getting started. Brayden started to cross-addict during his college years at Dixie State University, he was prescribed Adderall for his ADHD but started taking three to four times the amount he was prescribed. Naturally, the progression of those two substances turned into heroin & methamphetamine abuse which led to Brayden becoming homeless three separate times in his early twenties. He shares that his pathway to recovery started with an intervention from the host Jared Miller who found him walking the streets on a hot summer day. Brayden was taken to the hospital & eventually, agreed to enter treatment. Eighteen months later Brayden Dobson has completed his episode of care & continues on his journey of recovery. This is a very inspiring story of one addict helping another & the power of a recovery community. We hope you enjoy it! 

EP 100 - Ketamine Treatment with Dr Eric Evans

Doctor Eric Evans joins the hosts to discuss how medication-assisted ketamine treatment can help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse. The hosts acknowledge that this is a progressive conversation about nontraditional forms of mental health treatment. Dr. Evans does a great job explaining the history of the use of ketamine, first being used in the military for anesthesia. Listen to the full episode to learn how it works differently than SSRIs in the brain. Hosts hope this content is helpful, please share with friends/family who struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse.

EP 099 - Marrying Motivation to Discipline with Darrin Judd

A friend and fellow Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor (ASUDC) Darrin Judd joins host Jared Miller (ASUDC) to discuss motivation and discipline in recovery. Darrin Judd (ASUDC) shares that he has been in recovery from alcohol since 2014, that he is a husband, father, and a productive member of his community today. Both Darrin & Jared address that motivation is great, but without combining it with discipline it can be fleeting. This episode has great advice for individuals in early recovery on how to avoid or overcome falling off the "pink cloud". Both Darrin & Jared use examples like nutrition & exercise to draw comparisons to working a solid program of recovery. Give this topic-based episode a listen & if you know someone who could benefit from its content please share it with them.