A Quest for Well-Being

In the book "In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts" Gabor Maté writes that he sees addiction as one of the most misunderstood phenomena in our society. People who should know better, such as doctors and policymakers believe addiction to be a matter of individual choice or, at best, a medical disease. It is both simpler and more complex than that. Addiction, or the capacity to become addicted, is very close to the core of the human experience. That is why almost anything can become addictive, from healthy activities such as eating or exercising to abusing drugs intended for healing. The issue is not the external target but our internal relationship to it. Addictions, for the most part, develop in a compulsive attempt to ease one's pain or distress in the world. Given the amount of pain and dissatisfaction that human life engenders, many of us are driven to find comfort in external things. The more we suffer, and the earlier in life we suffer, the more we are prone to become addicted. The inner city drug addicts are amongst the most abused and rejected people amongst us, but instead of compassion, our society treats them with contempt. Instead of understanding and acceptance, we give them punishment and moral disapproval. In doing so, we fail to recognize our own deeply rooted problems and the opportunity for healing not only for them, the extreme addicts, but also for ourselves as individuals and as a culture. In this episode, I am exploring Gabor's message about addiction with Josh Sandeman. Josh is a Family Nurse Practitioner. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990 with a degree in American Civilization and Psychology. Josh then worked as a programmer/analyst and research assistant in Penn's Addiction Treatment Research Center for five years before enrolling in a doctoral program in theoretical neuroscience. For ten years he worked in Silicon Valley as a software engineer, before switching to medicine, a childhood interest. Josh is married with two young sons, he an enthusiastic long-distance runner, and does science as a hobby. To learn more about Josh Sandeman visit: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sandeman To know more about this Podcast visit: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast

- How do we become aware of our untreated pain? And how do treat your patient's pain? - What is the healthy way to communicate our feelings to our partner without focusing on what he or she did wrong? - What are some of the other ways we can identify co-dependency in our relationships? In this episode, Dr. Laura Louis answers these questions and more. Dr. Laura Louis is a psychologist, keynote speaker, and author. She has over 10 years of experience providing a relationship blueprint for angry couples looking to heal after infidelity, cultivate better intimacy, and enhance communication. Dr. Louis has conducted hundreds of seminars. In her book, Marital Peace, she explains what an "emotional wall" is, how a person develops a co-dependent bond, how our past traumas affect our relationships, she also gives us a wonderful tree analogy for relationships, among insights and other beneficial suggestions that help heal a painful relationship. Dr. Laura is the CEO of Atlanta Couple Therapy. It provides counseling to couples, transformational retreats, and seminars. To learn more about Dr. Louis visit: www.atlantacoupletherapy.com/ "A relationship dysfunction can be identified when there is no room for individual thoughts and feelings. This occurs when a person develops a co-dependent bond." "For individuals who have had past relationships that caused them intense pain, they tend to naturally want to protect themselves. This can happen by developing an emotional wall." "Do you ever wonder why the rearview mirror is so much smaller than the windshield? It's because where we are going is so much more important than where we have been. Have you ever tried to walk forward while looking back? It's very difficult." "I find that people often deny sexual abuse if asked. However, if I ask if they ever had sex when they did not want to, a person says, "Yes." Podcast Page: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast

How is suffering different from pain? How many millions of people suffer every day without any meaningful knowledge gained as a result? My conversation is with Heather Paris! "The grief of losing loved ones don't need to become suffering, but rather, moment-to-moment gratitude. Be grateful for the irreplaceable gifts you've received while having them in your life. To have loved and been loved is enough to carry a peaceful smile on your face for thousands of years." "Your words have exceptional power over your feelings." "Connecting and helping others are antidotes for "suffering." "Choose to appreciate and enjoy simple-good things in life." Heather Paris is a Certified Family Life Coach, Strategic Interventionist, Marriage Educator, Yogi, Certified Breathwork Practitioner and Neuro-Linguistic Programmer. She is on a mission to increase emotional intelligence and resiliency which promotes health and happiness within families. Heather also serves on the Cayuga County Mental Health Board and the Cayuga Country Drug and Alcohol Community coalition in New York State. Heather believes in changing the world one family, one parent, and one child at a time. Recently, Heather opened the Live Inspired Now Life Coach School and is training and certifying people to become life coaches and join her mission to increase emotional intelligence. To learn more about Heather Paris visit: www.liveinspirednow.com To know more about this Podcast visit: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast

What You Don't Acknowledge, You Can't Change. "We spend too much time and waste too much energy in "pointless" attempts to change what we cannot change. This is a major cause of frustration and other forms of anger. The rational evidence for determining what we can change and what we cannot change is overwhelming, however, our behavior often tries to disobey this reason." - (ref: emotional competency) In this episode, I am having a conversation with Rev.Marc Baisden about change. We explore Mr. Baisden's 12 Core Concepts to Emotional and Relational Awareness. Rev. Marc Baisden is a Minister and Therapist who lives with his family in Alaska. He believes that health providers are not changing agents or are there, to change anyone. But rather, to provide an environment for the change that people want to make. As a Minister and Therapist, Rev. Marc has seen many individuals, families, communities, agencies and churches struggle with Emotional and Relational Distress and Addictions. Through his calling, Rev. Marc has been able to work in institutions, hospitals, community centers, native villages and reservations, schools and in front rooms. To learn more about Rev. Marc Baisden visit: https://www.alignable.com/anchorage-ak/recovery-intervention-services To know more about this Podcast visit: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast

Fear of judgment? You are not alone. Deja Drewit is an artist/graphic designer and full-time mom of a 5-year old boy! Having her self-esteem and self-worth affected by childhood experiences, Deja, became afraid of people and their judgment. In this episode, Deja talks to me about how she has finally faced her fears and wants to help others do the same. "Don't wait to become fear-free to inspire others." "Face your fears with honesty and low expectations." "Socializing with authentic people will expand your view of the world, as well as, your own inner world." Pay attention and trust what is happening now. Something beyond you is trying to say something. "What I know for sure is that, awareness, meditation and connecting with others lead to well-being. " To learn more about Deja Drewit visit: www.dejadrewit.com To know more about this Podcast visit: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast

"Thought patterns of addiction are energetically alive and that, which is alive and becomes threatened with obsolescence will fight to survive, and sometimes in secret ways. The nature of these impulses will continue as long as we live which is why awareness must be maintained and progress must be continued. Is it my destiny set to live a life of constant courageousness as a counter-measure to what affects me? Yes, but all of this, is a gift, not a curse, for I can think of no better way to fulfill my absolute potential." - Daniel Andrew Have you ever thought of addiction and the strategies we create to live with it, as a gift? In his episode, I will be having a conversation with Mr. Roth about addiction, healing, and recovery. Michael Roth is an experienced Holistic Addiction and Wellness Specialist. He is a Certified Addictionologist with a specialty in compulsive behaviors and disorders, a Certified Sexual Addiction Recovery Coach, a Certified Intimacy Anorexia Coach, and a nationally Certified Life Coach. He is also an author and a speaker. In his book, Sex and Love Addiction Recovery, he outlines Master Steps to Creating Any Form of Change. Michael Roth, has been practicing in CA for over 34 years. To learn more about Michael Roth visit: www.breakthroughaddictionrecovery.net To know more about this Podcast visit: https://fitforjoy.org/podcast