The Serenity Show: Prevention and Intervention (Logo Copyrighted, 2014): Recent Episodes
Rita Badaloni Hodges
Hello listeners! My name is Rita Badaloni and I am your Featured Host, and I discuss Prevention/Intervention. We are a Non~Profit Organization. I started the, "Help Teens Say NO to Alcohol and Drugs Foundation" which proceeds will start benefiting "The Smart Dating" Programs that I will introduce to High Schools, The LEAP ORG and the Juvenile and Adult Criminal Justice Systems. You can make your donation by visiting www.theserenityshow.net and hit the DONATE button to make your much needed contribution. Individuals that have healthy relationship skills are more likely to make healthier choices in other life situations. I am a strong advocate for recovery and the 12 steps and in helping young adolescents, teens, and young adults in finding workable solutions to a healthier way of living in also helping parents and family members in finding new directions to a new beginning. What is different about my show is that all shows are geared towards my own lived experiences, education, research and many years of knowledge in chemical dependency, mental illness, relationships/marriage/divorce and behavioral dispositions. I am bold and not for the weak, and I am God conscious, but if you are willing to make changes, you will benefit from me. I am about real talk, real solutions always leading to a healthier way of living. The Serenity Show is always about hope of reaching at least one individual in changing their thoughts, behaviors, or actions towards a new beginning. This is always my goal to help others for a brighter future, to instill hope for a greater tomorrow and that dreams are possible, touchable, to breathe life into them and watch them unfold before you. You just have to be willing to see the light! Believe it can happen and it will happen! In fact, “The truth is, I believe; by messing it up, can only lead to rightness” (Hodges, 2015). Life is short and time is precious so stay light hearted, If you would like to advertise with The Serenity S
"We took a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves" is what Step 4 suggests in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In the 12x12 it suggests that we go against our better instincts which brings us misdirection creating emotional, physical and mental liabilities, which is true. No human being is exempt, no matter how good, from these troubles. These powerful desires for sex, material and emotional security in trying to find our place in society has surrcumbed us to a place of warped and deformed minds and those of little faith will have trouble finding contentment in a healthy way of living until they are willing to surrender. This book of recovery suggests for a reason that we dive into rigous action when it comes to the 4th Step and my Special Guest and good friend Lynn Carter Smith and I, your Featured Host, will discuss the 4th Step from the Big Book and 12x12 and its vital message and I will also share the outline I have available mapped out just like the Big Book for the 4th Step and if anyone is interested in an outline for your own recovery purposes, just message me at The Serenity Show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/serenityshow. Join us live July 24th Friday nite at 9pm CST at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421. Also, sign in early to get your free BTR acct, fill out top portion of page, use my URL: www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges, go back to my show and hit the follow button and you will be able to get into chat room! Also, lets welcome our Sponsor The Addictions Academy! Go to them for all your educational needs when it comes to recovery coaching at www.theaddictionsacademy.com or call 800-706-0318.
The Addictions Academy is endorsed by drug and alcohol treatment centers (that asked us to certify and train their staff), National Approved education Provider through NAADAC (that approved our training for Continuing Education Hours), private individuals that have taken our classes (and enriched their practice), and clients that have tried our programs (and are still sober). Our founder, Cali Estes has over 18 years in the addiction and therapy industry (www.theaddictionscoach.com) and has been featured on NBC Universal News, HBO, CNBC, CBS, MSN Money, LA Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, San Jose Mercury, Max Sports and Fitness etc. for her unique work with addictions and getting to the root cause of the problem. We offer our clients and all professionals that want to take our classes the same amount of care and understanding. We want to share our knowledge with you.
While we follow evidenced based practices, our methods of treating addiction are unique. We look forward to having you. You can also find Cali Estes at www.caliestes.com We offer Mobile Rehab, mobile drug and alcohol treatment to our clients, Addiction Therapy, Intervention, Family Coaching, Recovery Coaching, Case Management, Anger Management, Private Wellness Retreat and assorted services to our clientele.
As for Professionals, and those that are learning about addiction, we offer classes and certificate programs that can assist you in expanding your practice and gaining new clients. We are cutting edge, we are unique. We invite you to join us! Call us at 800.706.0318 FREE or email us at cali@theaddictionsacademy.com Cali Estes and Kevin Coughlin will be joining us Friday June 10th at 9pm CST as we discuss treatment and course options.
For tens of thousands of endangered children, foster care has become a trap door rather than the safety net they need to help them succeed. In particular, federal financing policies have favored foster care over other child welfare approaches, leading states to overuse foster care to the detriment of children who could be adopted or whose families could be rehabilitated. Congress should give states more flexibility in how they can use federal funding and stop providing foster care funding on a per capita basis, which promotes this dependence. States should refocus on achieving the best outcomes for children. Among other approaches, state agencies should work with private-sector agencies and faith-based networks to find adoptive parents and guardians for children languishing in foster care. Hello audience, I'm Rita Badaloni and I'm your Featured Host here at The Serenity Show: Prevention and Intervention and tonites show will be joined by very special guests Jessie Thomas and a young lady named Brandy. Both have had dealings with the system and are part of recovery. I chose this topic due to how many children get lost and trapped into it for many years of their young lives due to problemed households. The older they get, the less likely they are to get adopted or reunified, then bounced from one fostercare to another. Many are subjected to alcohol/drugs/sex/physical abuse many times over before ever reported or help arrives. This broken system needs to change for the betterment of all involved. Join us Friday nite June 26th at 9pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421 for this vital topic.Also welcome my new Sponsor The Addictions Academy. Please sign up for a free BTR account to join us in our chat room and also to become a follower of my show. Just go to the bottom of the page and find the link and then fill out top portion only. Be sure to come back and click on follow to be one of my fans!
LEAPING FOR SUCCESS THROUGH FAITH, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH!
LEAP, which stands for Leadership, Enlightenment, Achievement, and Perseverance, also teaches its members about Outreach, Responsibility, and Growth. Our positive youth development program views young people as “resources” who have much to offer rather than as “problems” that need to be treated or fixed. Our vision is to implement sustainable programs that equip and empower youth with the knowledge and resources they need to improve their decision making to lead healthy, productive lives. Richard Reason Garrett is Executive Director of LEAP ORG out of Clarksville, Tn. a Non-profit Organization and is also my Special Guest Speaker for Friday, June 12th at 9pm CST show. It is amazing how I was shopping around town trying to sell my "This is Your Chance" Diversion Program, and all this time Richard has created a very similar program and I must say with great success. I am honored to have him on my come back show after being gone for some time. He is also our City Councilman and doing a fine job. We will discuss Richards background and how he got started in helping to become a fine Leader for our young ones. Please join us for an exciting show by tuning in at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421 to be a part of our studio audience. We are also kicking off our Foundation for "Helping Teens Say NO to Alcohol and Drugs" Project which will sponsor "The Smart Dating Programs" which I will introduce to High Schools, my friend Richard at LEAP ORG and the Justice System. You can go to www.theserenityshow.net and hit the DONATE button pledging your small gift for a much needed program. When individuals have healthy relationship skills, they are more likely to make healthier choices in other life settings. Won't you please support our worthy cause? Thank you.
Step One: "We admitted "WE" were powerless over alcohol (addiction) - that our lives had become unmanagable." Who cares to admit complete defeat? Admission of powerlessness is the first step in liberation. Relation of humility to sobriety. Mental obession plus physical allergy, and spiritual malady. Why must every A.A. hit bottom? We know that little good can come to any alcoholic who joins A.A. unless he has first accepted his alcoholism (addiction) and all its consequences. Until he so humbles himself, his sobriety - if any - will be null and void. Of real happiness he will find none at all. Proved beyond doubt by an immense experience, this is one of the facts of A.A. life. The principle that we shall find no enduring strength until we first admit complete defeat is the main taproot from which our whole Society has sprung and flowered. It is a statistical fact that alcoholics/addicts almost never recover on their own resources, and this has been true ever since man has been crushing grapes.Â
Few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing A.A.'s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. Who wishes to be rigorously honest and tolerant? Who wants to confess his faults to another and make restitution for harm done? Who cares anything about a Higher Power/God let alone meditation and prayer? Who wants to sacrifice time and energy in trying to carry A.A.'s message to the next sufferer? No, the average alcoholic, self-centered in the extreme, doesn't care for this prospect - unless he has to do these things in order to stay alive himself. Join me and my special guest Monty Meyer aka the Monty'man from Take12radio.com this Fri nite Mar 27th at 9pm CT as we discuss dfferent versions of how people see the steps worked, then the proper way to work the steps
Â
The DSM-5, which is the Diagnostic of Statistical Manual that Health Professionals use to diagnose patients with mental disorders, including addictions, and let me mention all of man kinds addictions fall into this category, from coffee, to tobacco, to alcohol and any kind of drug named that can prove a psychoactive result within that substance. If it changes the way you feel, it names it. It explains the activation of the brains rewards system and how it is the central point of creating problematic situations in an individuals life, that the feeling created by such use from alcohol or drugs, feelings of pleasue and euphoria, which is so profound to them that an individual will bypass normal activity just to partake in once again creating this feeling. Now DSM-5 has two groups, which one, are substance use disorders, which creates patterns of smyptoms that result from using which the individual takes despite of the problems they may experience.The other is substance induced disorders which is important to be aware of because alcoholism/drug addiction is closely related to several mental illnesses. They mention induced bipolar, anxiety, depressive, sleep, delirium, which is alcoholism, sexual dysfunctions, and neurocognitive disorders. I mention this because so many doctors will diagnose an alcoholic/addict with a particular mental illness, like slapping a label on them. Then they drug them, then clean and sober and working a program after a year, their symptoms have disappeared. Alcoholic/addicts were housed in mental institutions up into the 80's until they closed them down, now they are housed in jails with violent offenders. We have the largest, over populated jail system in the world and the majority of them are there due to alcohol and drug offenses. Join me Fri nite at 9pm CT as we discuss recovery at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges Sign up for free BTR acct. Fill out top part only, then go follow show. You can also call in live at 646-929-0421
This is an early using intervention, educational program for adolescents, teens and young adults. It's a collaborative community effort that includes school administrators, the juvenile justice system, courts, the police, and mental health professionals. I have named it "This is Your Chance" Grades 6-12th are eligible to participate and it will be used as a diversion from the juvenile justice system or in lieu of school suspension. Parents must attend family nights and booster sessions. It will be a two-week program and it will be referral based. A certificate of completion will be given at the end of progress. It will consist of our young ones being educated on the dangers of these substances and the genetic dispositions, such as the disease concepts, binge drinking, physical and pyschological symptoms substance use effects an individual. Family practices, school policies on substance use and what the legal consequences can be if violated. Normative behaviors, self-reflection, defense mechanisms, stress and coping skills, refusal skills, anger management, protective and risk factors as well as resiliencey for substance use, present and future impact, healthy alternatives, dating skills, cool to stay in school, job skills. So, please, this is a campaign to help Teens say NO to drugs/alcohol. I lost my husband to a drug overdose on May 5th, 2009 and for almost 6 years I have been clean and sober and I have dedicated myself to helping others, especially teens. I have raised two very accomplished, well educated, intelligent young men. God gave me a calling to help others and this program is a workable solution.Go to http://www.gofundme.com/positiveenergy. Join me and special guest speaker Gigi Bisong as we introduce this new program and motivate America live Fri 3/13/15 9pm CT
Do you ever get that feeling that things are just going way too good and you find yourself questioning why? Man, things are running so smoothly, I'm not use to this, what is going on? There has to be something the husband/wife is up to. I know if I just start asking enough questions or digging around long enough I'll find the problem because nothing ever goes this smoothly and I'm not comfortable with it! Well, that is pure insanity talking, and when we are looking for drama to sabotage something that is perfectly sane, perfectly in order, then we need to take a look in our own back yard. Yes, take our own inventory, because the problem truly lies within ourselves, not outside ourselves. We have always lived in so much drama and negativity that we don't know what it feels like to have positive energy in our lives and how to enjoy it on a constant basis so we will find a reason to make it all wrong, because another truth, you don't feel you deserve to feel the goodness that comes with positive affection and positive outcomes due to consequences the abuse has brought you all your life. Now, that feeling is familiar to you. In fact, it is a comfort zone so you have to create it in order to feel safe and anything outside of this feeling you feel threatened. Joining me is my special guest speaker Jeffery Jenkins, a Licensed Counselor that specializes with this type of work and we will discuss how we Sabotage a good thing so we don't have to face the real truths about ourselves. Join us this Friday night Feb 20th at 9pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421. You can tune in early into our chat room by signing up for a free BTR acct at the bottom of the screen. Please be sure to become one of my followers also. Please audience help support my project, not just my project but keeping this show on the air by donating to http://www.gofundme.com/positiveenergy I need your help! Love to have you! See you there!!
Hello fans, followers and listeners to come! For the first time I will tell my story live right here on The Serenity Show Friday night Feb 6th at 9pm CT on how I battled alcoholism/drug addiction, incest, gang rape, three marriages, the death of my parents and husband, homelessness, school and jail into finding the greatness of a loving God and recovery and all I have today. Please join me as I get vulernable and share this harrowing story with my listeners in hopes of helping others. Also we will be raising donations for the "Second Chance" early onset program for teens. You can donate by going to http://gofundme.com/positiveenergy and make your contribution to this much needed project. Please support The Serenity Show
This message is from my special guest speakers Diedra Bibbs web page "It's a New Thing Inc" and this will be the topic of our show Friday Nite ~
Over the past 20 years there have been many efforts to reduce the high school dropout rate, reduce the turnover rate in social professions and corrections, increase employee morale, motivate managers, empower teachers and persuade Pastors to leave the confines of the church to reach the lost. Many of the efforts have failed.Â
It's A New Thing Inc. is the answer to "who encourages those that have the responsibility to encourage others and who motivates those society says are hopeless?"  Teachers, Counselors, Social Workers, Corrections/Probation/Parole Officers, Non-Profit personnel, Pastors and Ministers are among those that are in a position to encourage and influence those that are "at risk", underprivileged, disadvantaged and lost but they are also the ones that find themselves discouraged, drained and lacking motivation on a daily basis. If you continue to drive a car and never fill it up, it will stop running and you will end up stranded.  Working without enthusiasm, drive or passion is like being stranded for 8 to 10 hours daily.  Why not take the time to refuel your passion and  remember why you entered into your chosen profession? Don't give up on those that need encouragement nor on the profession you have been called to.  Teenagers that have been written off, seem to have lost their way or have taken a wrong turn need an up front, in your face, real talk type of motivation as well and Deidra Bibb has a proven method to turn them around. So, join Diedra and I Friday nite at 9pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges as we discuss motivation and self-esteem in order to help those in need. Call in live at 646-929-0421 to join into the studio live with your questions and concerns. See you there!
Did you ever keep a diary when you were young? Maybe a journel to write your daily events? Or your mind was just filled with so many thoughts that you had to start writing about it to see if you can make any sense of it, and before you know it you have created your own story? We all have a creative side to us which evuavle to having many talents.
My special guest speaker is named Nkiyasi Helm. She is a 13 years old author, illustrator, public speaker and Junior Board Memeber and CEO of Writtenbykids.com and catalog. Lansing, Michigan is her home town; where she lives with her mom, dad, brother and her two sisters. Nkiyasi has been writing professionally for more than 3 years now and have matured from writing and drawing with pencils and crayons, to advancing on to professional modern technology using her computer. Currently 10 of her books have been published and she aspires to write many more. Nkiyasi is an advocate for Obesity Awareness, Anti-Bullying and Literacy.
Nkiyasi shared:
One of my goals includes utilizing Written By Kids Publishing Company to provide a conduit for other young people to share their insight on youth related issues from a child’s perspective. Writing and Speaking are my passion, and I plan on using these skills to share my motivational messages with the world. These messages can help open a dialogue on issues that can sometimes be difficult to discuss.
I enjoy talking with young people between the ages of 10 and 17 about issues such as confidence, obesity and bullying.
I am very proud of our young talent, but I hope she does her homework, because I will have some tough questions. Go to www.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx for a free account to get in the chat room. See you there!
Hello everyone! It's been a real battle for me this past month. I don't have a script. I wasn't even planning a show, but I feel it's important to carry on for my listeners and followers a like to let others know what I have been tackling in case there are others going through the same things. Please join me as we share together and tackle clinical depression and get to the other side of it all. www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421 and please let me hear your struggles and stories of how you cope.
When it comes to treatment for drug addiction, it might seem counterproductive to attempt to force someone to go to rehab. In fact, in some cases this can lead to further complication of the issue as an addict may retreat and isolate if they feel threatened or coerced. However, because of the high association between substance abuse and crime, many drug users and alcoholics find themselves the focus of criminal court cases. Judges may require that a convicted drug offender attend a substance abuse rehab program, as part of their sentencing. Unfortunately, experts in the field of addiction disagree about the effectiveness of compulsory programs. Examining their efficacy is critical to developing a more comprehensive understanding of how treatment for addiction works.
Those who oppose the imposition of mandatory drug rehab programs generally cite “choice” as the most significant factor in whether a treatment program will be effective or not. These people argue that because drug use and the behaviors associated with it are a choice, that addicts must therefore choose to get treatment on their own volition. In an article on mandatory drug treatment, J.D. Tuccille writes;
“Treatment might be offered to criminals in the same way as other medical and educational services are offered, as a means of maintaining or improving their health and changing their circumstances. But pursuing drug treatment would have to be the choice of the criminal who is responsible for his or her own actions in all circumstances. Join me as we discuss this contriversial issue which has many debating which way to vote. Tonite 9pm
Hello my audience! There was soo much positive imput I couldn't get to on Friday nites show due to running out of time, so I am doing a part 2 to share in the positive health actions we need to take for our new beginning, what inspires greatness within, and also a few exercises on finding greatness within and recognizing assumptions. These are very important issues that need to be addressed to start our new beginning. Make sure you listen to both Friday's show and today's show. Get excited to your new found beginning and positive outlook on life and making dreams become a reality! God bless you all!
Hello my special audience!! The other part of my title that we will be discussing is how we can control the illnessess instead of them controlling us. Notice how I said "the" illnesses instead of "our" or "mine" or "yours." It is very important how we address them or try to claim them in our lives today. Everyone has greatness within and we are going to uncover the underlying causes of why people can't seem to see the greatness they have within them. We are going to talk about what your dreams were when you were little in what you wanted to be when you grew up, so I will need you to participate and call in to share your dreams with us. This is an audience participation show and a very positive one at that!! This will be about seeing your own vision on how you can make your dreams a reality if you are just willing to do the footwork and remove anything negative standing in your way. Whether its finishing your education, becoming a singer, a writer, a doctor or lawyer, today is the day for a brand new beginning! So, come join the many of us by tuning in at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges and/or call in live tonite Friday September 5th at 9pm CT at 646-929-0421 and join us in the studio for nothing but positive energy!!!
It’s not always easy to identify youth on the streets through typical counts of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness. Homeless youth are less likely to spend time in the same places as homeless people who are in an older age range. They are often less willing to disclose that they’re experiencing homelessness or may not even identify as homeless. They also may work harder to try to blend in with peers who aren’t homeless. For the first time in 2013, the Department of Housing and Urban Development called for communities to conduct a youth-inclusive count that would include unaccompanied homeless youth, up to 24-years-old. That year in January, 46,924 unaccompanied homeless children and youth were counted. Given the difficulty of counting homeless youth, that estimate is likely an undercount. The Alliance estimates that during a year there are approximately 550,000 unaccompanied, single youth and young adults up to age 24 who experience a homelessness episode of longer than one week. Approximately 380,000 of those youth are under the age of 18. While these are rough estimate made using imperfect information, it is a good starting point from which communities and the federal government can begin to scale resources and interventions. We have a change in time for our show only for this Friday night Aug 22nd to 9:30pm CT so I could have my special guest speaker, the beautiful young lady who is lately being called "Miss Tennessee Teen USA ~ Alexis Mihalinec who will be addressing the topic of homelessness with me. Join us as we discuss the staggering statistics of our young ones that roam the streets. Tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges and/or call live only to 646-929-0421. My audience is what makes my show. See you there!!! Ciao bella...
Hello my audience. My special guest speaker Vik Moore and I are covering the depths of Mental Illness. Central to the field of abnormal psychology are questions about what causes people to experience mental distress and/or to behave maladaptively. If we knew the causes for given disorders, we might be able to prevent conditions that lead to them and perhaps reverse those that maintain them. We could also classify and diagnose disorders better if we clearly understood their causes rather than relying on clusters of symptoms, as we usually do now. Although understanding the causes of abnormal behavior is clearly a desirable goal, it is enormously difficult to achieve because human behavior is so complex. Even the simplest human behavior, such as speaking or writing a single word, is the product of thousands of prior events—the connections among which are not always clear. Attempting to understand a person’s life in causal terms is a task of enormous magnitude, whether it be a fairly normal or adaptive life or a life characterized by severe mental disorders. As a result, many investigators now prefer to speak of risk factors (variables correlated with an abnormal outcome) rather than of causes. Nevertheless, understanding causes remains the ultimate goal. A child growing up under conditions of adversity may be protected from problems later in life if he or she has a warm and supportive relationship with some adult—such as a grandmother. Encouraging children to ask questions, taking the time to listen to their problems and concerns, and trying to understand the conflicts and pressures they face are the important elements of such a supportive and protective relationship. If you or a loved one suffer from mental illness, join us here Friday nite at 9pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritaodges or call in live at 646-929-0421. Audience participation encouraged!!
If you have experienced some sort of traumatic incident in your life, whether it be the loss of a loved one, domestic violence, sexual abuse, natural disasters even.l.Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable in a dangerous world.Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjectiveemotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized. There is something called "Traumatic Incident Reduction" that can be helpful.Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) is a brief, memory-based, therapeutic intervention for children, adolescents, and adults who have experienced crime-related and/or interpersonal violence, war, disasters, torture, childhood abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, traumatic bereavement, or other severe or shocking events. The program is designed to resolve symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and low expectancy of success (i.e., low self-efficacy) by integrating dissociated cognitive and emotional aspects of traumatic memory. Join me and my special guest speaker as we discuss trauma here on The Serenity Show live at 9pm CT at 646-929-0421 and/or www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges. Audience participation is encouraged. Live listeners, go to the bottom of the episodes page and click on the live link so you can chat online in my studio with me. Its free!! See you there!
Hello my followers, audience and listeners a like. I felt there was some new information that needed to be continued about my story that occurred today and thought it could be vital to others. Please listen to this part after you listen to Date Rape Friday.
Date rape and acquaintance rape are forms of sexual assault involving coercive sexual activities perpetrated by an acquaintance of the rape survivor. The perpetrator is almost always a man, and though both men and women can be raped, women are most often the targets of this violence. It is difficult, because of a lack of research on the subject and the tendency for rape survivors not to report attacks, to come up with precise statistics on male survivors. Date and acquaintance rape can happen to or be perpetrated by anyone. Incidences are very high: they comprise from 80-85% percent of all reported rapes. However, even these figures are not reliable. According to conservative FBI statistics, only 40% of all forms of rape are even reported.Date and acquaintance rape is quite prevalent on campuses. One in four college women has been raped; that is, has been forced, physically or verbally, actively or implicitly, to engage in sexual activity. A 2000 study revealed that 90% of college rape survivors knew their attacker before the incident. The values adopted by the dominant society dictate inherent differences between men and women. Women are expected to be passive, unassertive, and dependent. Similarly, men are constrained in their behavior. They are taught to be aggressive, even intimidating, strong, and relentless. They are taught not to take no for an answer. Men who accept or unwittingly exhibit this kind of behavior are likely to misinterpret a woman's communications. Typically, the man will decide that the woman is acting coy or hard to get in a sexual situation. He may believe that she really means yes, although she has been saying no.Communication is the most important avenue to understanding another person's desires and needs -- often the rapist will ignore the woman's attempts at communication, will misinterpret them and continue his actions.If a person says no and is still coerced or forced into having sex, then a rape has occurred.
The United States is in the grips of one of the worst heroin epidemics in its history, due in part to a flood of cheap doses of the drug, which can be had for as little as $4 apiece, ordered on dark corners of the Web and delivered to your front door in the suburbs. In some regions, heroin is deemed "highly available" by local police in more than three times the number of communities. There are socceer mom's that are addicted.Heroin use among teenagers is increasing at an alarming rate as experts say the drug, long considered to be prevalent only in urban areas, is infiltrating the suburbs. All across suburban America, young people are getting hooked on a drug parents never suspected they needed to fear. It is impossible to understand the heroin surge without understanding the drug's link to prescription painkillers including OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet. The drugs are heroin's chemical sibling, all containing compounds derived from or similar to opium, one of the world's most dangerous drugs. From 1999 to 2010, the sale of opioid painkillers increased 300 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.With the reformulation of prescription opioids to make them harder to abuse and new regulations aimed at curbing prescribing the drugs, addicts are turning to heroin by the tens of thousands."People are going to go where the drugs are, and right now, the cheapest and easiest way to keep that addiction going is through heroin," said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne. Please join me and my special guest speakers Dr. Carl Glidden, E.R. Hillcrest Henryetta Medical Center in Oaklahoma, Sharon Glidden of Tiger Mountain Recovery, Maegan Glidden, clinical director of Tiger Mountain and Jessie Thomas, administrator and one in recovery, and Karen Morgan Regional Clinical Liaison with New Life Lodge from TN. as we share their experiences and how this epidemic is out of control. June 20th 9pm CT Live
Young adult relationships that turn violent is a big problem, affecting youth in every community across the nation. Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.Approximately 70% of college students say they have been sexually coerced. Why Focus on Young People? Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence -- almost triple the national average.Violent behavior typically begins between the ages of 12 and 18.The severity of intimate partner violence is often greater in cases where the pattern of abuse was established in adolescence.About 72% of eighth and ninth graders are “dating". Lack of Awareness Only 33% of teens who were in a violent relationship ever told anyone about the abuse.Eighty one percent of parents believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.A teen’s confusion about the law and their desire for confidentiality are two of the most significant barriers stopping young victims of abuse from seeking help Join me and special guest speaker Dr. Barbara Lavi as we discuss break-up violence followed by workable solutions and healthy ways to have a intimate relationship. Tune in this Friday night June 6th at 9pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421.
There is not one scientist or researcher that can come up with one solid definition for what is abnormal, however flawed or problematic to be proven in some way. Now, researchers have been able to connect conditions or maladaptive behaviors to being abnormal but there just isn’t one single behavior that makes someone abnormal. Let’s take note that abnormal behavior is a social judgment. These judgments are based on the values and expectations from society as a whole. Though society is always shifting and changing throughout the decades deciding what may have been abnormal. Two decades ago, such as piercings, which were considered deviant and your mental health was questioned, has become acceptable today and is a part of a fashion statement. There was even a time when homosexuality was being diagnosed and considered as having mental illness, and now this country is legalizing same sex marriages (Butcher, 2007). The United States uses the accepted standard for defining the various types of mental disorders known as DSM-IV-TR (text revision). Some of these definitions are as follows:
• “It would become of great importance clinically when referring to behavior or a “psychological syndrome or pattern”
• “You will find mental disorders being associated while under distress or due to a disability” (such as being impaired or lack of function)
However, you can’t just predict mental illness or disorders based culturally or by coercing an intervention or basing it on an event, such as the loss of a loved one. We can’t consider this in the bracket of being mentally disturbed. However, researchers have found connections with the disorders in a psychological and biological manner when it comes to dysfunctional behavior. If you are suffering or confused about you or your childs behavior, if its out-of-control and your not sure on what actions to take, listen to my show.
Has your young child or young adolescent come to you saying they want to date or they like someone? How young is too young? Dr. Phil says that teenagers, especially younger pre-teens, don't need to have boyfriends and girlfriends. Still, he knows that young relationships do form. He has advice for parents that I will share in my show. How well do you know your teen and what's going on in their lives? You may have an open dialogue with your child, but are you discussing the tough topics: sex, drugs and drinking? And how about when abuse starts in an relationship with your young loved one: One in three American youths between the ages of 14 and 20 years have been victims of teen violence or have been violent toward a date (American Psychological Association's 121st Annual Convention). And while you may think girls are less violent, this study showed girls reported violent behavior equivalent to what the boys reported. These alarming statistics show that dating violence is much too common of an occurrence with both boys and girls today. In a National survey, 9.4 percent of high school students reported being hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend within 12 months prior to the survey. Approximately 1 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 7 men who were victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner, first experienced some kind of dating violence between the ages of 11 and 17 years. Join me April 11th at 9pm CT as we discuss this serious topic at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call 646-929-0421
Do you think your young one is smoking, drinking or using drugs? Are you seeing changing in their behaviors on how they act towards you or others? Are their grades changing or their friends? If these are some of the signs you might be seeing, then we should be concerned with what is going on in their lives. In 2010, 55.3 percent of current drinkers aged 12 to 20 reported that their last use of alcohol in the past month occurred in someone else's home, and 29.9 percent reported that it had occurred in their own home. About one third (30.6 percent) paid for the alcohol the last time they drank, including 8.8 percent who purchased the alcohol themselves and 21.6 percent who gave money to someone else to purchase it. Among those who did not pay for the alcohol they last drank, 38.9 percent got it from an unrelated person aged 21 or older, 16.6 percent from another person younger than 21 years old, and 21.6 percent from a parent, guardian, or other adult family member. • I would like to hear from you about these changes and lets discuss the signs of danger of alcohol and drug abuse and what we can do as parents to help our young ones to get out of this troubled demise. Join me Friday night and my new time at 9pm CT, Mar 4th to discuss this serious and yet delicate topic at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call into my studio live at 646-929-0421 to join in with my audience. I look forward to meeting with you in helping to find solutions for a healthier way of living.
When it comes to medical assistance, public attention and resources, mental illness has been put on the back shelf around the globe for centuries now. How mental illness has been perceived and dis [AB1] shuffled, and what has kept it from getting its past due recognition, is stemmed from a long list of factors. Some such as ignorance, isolation, discrimination, and prejudice; has have negatively impacted the labeling theory, which is attributed and linked to stigma associated with mental disorders; and such stigma can be eliminated, if we can all recognize that the mentally ill can be productive members of society. Social stigma has been, and still is, the utmost contributor to the distant silence that has inhumanely sustained mental illness in asylums, and along with family secrets, such as “differences" never to be shared with neighboring people or friends of employment, in fear of judgment or loss of job. There isn't anyone who isn't affected by mental illness. It affects someone's family member, to in all different ethnic groups, from the young to the old, to your community, schools or place of employment, or even maybe yourself. Mental illness is a costly, debilitating disease, and it comes in many different forms. Unfortunately, it gets more recognition through stigma than public awareness and education; therefore, we must make an effort, and all learn what it means to live with mental illness and how society can work together to break down the barriers from stigma associated with it. Please join me this Friday night Feb 28th at 7pm CT as I discuss this delicate topic that so many are affected by. Call in live at 646-929-0421 or tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges See you there! Ciao...
[AB1]??
The Serenity Show will do a show in honor of Phillip Seymor Hoffman and a good friend of mine whose son took his own life due to this disease of addiction. This disease means business and its taking peoples lives that we care about and love deeply. Join me and my special guest speaker Dr. Judie Brierly, a specialist in hypnotherapy and psychology as we tackle this disease head on and present solutions to a healthier way of living for you and loved ones. My show will air this Friday nite Feb 14th at 7pm CT as we discuss hope with you. You can call in live at 646-929-0421, or go to www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges. See you there...Ciao bella... www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges
From my own personal experience, resocialization is like an extreme transformation. There is one thing in life that is for sure and that is change. With resocialization, there is only one thing you have to change and that is everything! A change in what you do and who you do it with. You and your family may be experiencing drug addiction or alcholism and your loved one just got home from treatment. Whether it be voluntary or involuntary, it's time to change people, places, things and situations in your life, starting with self, and others may be doing it for you depending on your situation. Myself, I made a choice to join A.A. and that meant totally surrendering to a loving God and apply 12 steps into my life, in turn it promised me a whole new way of living. Some people may end up in prison and must comply with strict rules or pay stiff punishments. When they get out they have to face a whole new world in learning how to cope in society and its ways and that means change from the inside out. It just depends where we end up on how we make our choices. Soldiers coming home from war may experience PTSD syndrome and should seek treatment. There is a whole new transformation that needs to happen for these soldiers in order to lead a healthier way of living again. Join me Friday nite Jan 31st at 7pm as we discuss this very delicate topic for so many need to know about the process and how it happens. You can tune in at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live at 646-929-0421. See you there!!
Is Midlife Crisis something everyone faces or is it a myth? Have you experienced a Midlife crisis yourself or fear of getting old? Have you or a loved one experienced a loss and are having trouble grieving or in fear of losing someone and fear of facing the loss? Americans aren't known to speak aloud about midlife changes let alone death. Many may see you trying to get back to business as usual when your still dying on the inside because they may think its just time to move on. You may be masking the pain through depression, alcohol or drugs. Whatever it may be it needs to be dealt with. Please join me, Rita Hodges and my special guest speaker Professor William Cameron as we take you through the steps of these horrific life experiences. Just know that you are not alone and that there are people who understand, care and know what you are going through and we are here to help guide you through your process. So tune in Jan 24th at 7pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in live to my studio at 646-929-0421 for our featured show here at Blog Talk Radio on The Serenity Show.
Have you had a difficult time in your life where everything seems to just go wrong. Have you battled with drug abuse or alcoholism or both to escape from lifes problems. Have you been told that you'd amount to nothing? Has everyone turned their back on you? Well, I'm here to share that there's hope for you. I'm here to tell you that you're not alone. Meet my special guest speaker Wendy Komac from Wendy Woman who is here to help me share about how we can tap into our greatness! Yes our greatness, that is buried deep within under all your problems and its up to us to find it and its possible!! We are filled with greatness just waiting to be found and put to work by self, but you have to go after it and Wendy and I are going to share with you on how to do this. So we have moved to Friday nites now, so join us Friday nite at 7pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in at 646-929-0421 to be a part of our audience. See you there!!
Why do many still ask, “Is alcoholism a disease or still of moral stigma? It’s not how much or how little you drink that proves alcoholism, it’s what happens to you when you do drink; social stigma has plagued the alcoholic through the years with moral judgment due to people being uneducated about the disease. The American survey done in 2010 states that 51.8% of Americans were current drinkers of the beverage alcohol. That is 131.3 million people. Youth aged 12-17 were at 13.6% for binge drinking and heavy drinking for young adults was at 40.6%. Binge drinking is 5 or more glasses in one setting and heavy drinking is 5 or more days in a 30 day period (American National Survey, 2010). Benjamin Rush, the famous philosopher of reason was the first to come up with the disease theory when it came to alcoholism. Rush stated that those losing control over the drink alcohol would create an imbalance to the nervous system (Meyer, 1996). The National Drug Survey in 2009, said 19.3 million people (ages 12 and older) needed treatment from the problem with alcohol but only 1.7 million received this treatment due to lack of insurance or insurance not covering the plan (Williamson, L. 2012). The Centers for Disease and Control says that more harm comes from not those that are alcohol dependent but those that drink in excess or hazardous drinking. When 10% of the population is doing both drugs and alcohol it costs our society a staggering half a trillion dollars a year (Carr, 2010). We have attributed addiction and alcoholism to willful misconduct, character flaws, weak will, moral turpitude, or just bad people. Science does not support these out dated stereotypes (Carr, 2010). Addiction is a disease of a person’s rewards system, which alters behaviors which limits conscious control. Decision making becomes damaged that abstinence simply is no longer a matter of choice (Carr, 2010).
Cigarettes smoking among teens is a part of drug abuse. Fact.
Teens start smoking because of various reasons as below: One or both parents smoke. People they admire smoke. Teens find acceptance by peers if they smoke too. Peer pressure Advertising on smoking works on teenagers and adults. Teens feel that they can stop at anytime. So why not try it? It helps the teen lose weight, reduce stress, etc.
The dangers of smoking is so great, but because the government get a lot of tax money from tobacco and cigarettes manufacturers, they are less hesitant to ban it totally. Government and society is aware of the dangers, that is why they made it illegal for teens to possess and use cigarettes. If it was good, why would they restrict you? Does this makes sense?
New bullying statistics released in 2010 are showing that bullying is still a problem among children and teens, but is taking on a different approach with cyberbullying becoming more and more rampant in school and after school among teens and children. Social networking has provided an entirely new environment for bullying to take place. According to bullying statistics 2010, there are about 2.7 million students being bullied each year by about 2.1 students taking on the roll of the bully.
Bullying statistics 2010:
New bullying statistics for 2010 revealed about one in seven students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade is either a bully or has been a victim of bullying. Sometimes a teen or child who has been bullied eventually becomes the bully as a way to retaliate. In fact, revenge for bullying is one of the strongest motivations for school shootings, according to recent bullying statistics. A reported 61 percent of students said they believe students shoot others at school because they have been victims of physical violence at home or at school. This is a true indicator that bullying can occur in all forms by other students, children, teens as well as adults. According to various bullying studies, many teens and children act out violently on their peers through acts of bullying because they are abused at home.
Ladies and Gentlemen alike. Are you on a dating site? They are the most sought after sites in America when it comes to putting two people together. Now that you've met someone online, the question is, "Is it true love or is it for money?" U.S. citizens should be aware of individuals they meet on internet dating websites who feign friendship, profess romantic interest, and/or express marriage intentions over the internet. Scammers commonly claim to be U.S. citizens who are engaged in international business, requiring them to frequently travel overseas. In fact, these individuals are not U.S. citizens. Many scammers also claim some sort of connection to Europe. I know these things from my own personal experiences from being scammed myself. This is a lucertive business all across the world mainly targeting women, but men get targeted also, in loosing hundreds of thousands of dollars and dire emotional despair from the loss of a relationship when they find out in the end they have been scammed. Join me as I discuss my experiences and share research with you on the largest scam on the internet in hopes of saving you your hard earned money and from a broken heart. I also share ten tips for a healthy relationship. This show will air Dec 5th, 2013 at 7pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges and you can call in live at 646-929-0421. Audience participation encouraged!! See you there!!
Hello friends and followers alike!! Adolescents and the Justice System had such bad technical difficulties that I'm re-airing it for all those listeners that plugged in, and now you'll have an opportunity at hearing a very important message about our adolescents that are in trouble with the system. How non violent offenders are ending up with violent offenders only to end up worse than when they went in. But it starts at home folks. We have to step up in giving healthy discipline, guidance, and structure so our children don't end up in the system to begin with, and this means we have to be a healthy example for them. Please join me as I talk about this important topic of our young ones that so desparatedly need our attention. Audience participation is encouraged! I'll see you this Thursday nite at 7pm CT at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges or call in to my studio at 646-929-0421 when I'm live. See you there!!! Ciao!!
The statistics are high when it comes to individuals with mental illness that come in contact with the criminal justice system. With the inmate count at over 400,000 in our jails and state prisons and another 800,000 on probation and parole (U.S. Department of Justice, 2009). The outcome is usually a tragic one. Showing that traditional courts are an ineffective use of law enforcement, courts, tax payer’s money; failure in linking the mentally ill to effective treatment; and the lack of improvement to the public’s safety.
With the percentage at 16.9% (men at 14.5% and women at 31%) most of these individuals suffer with severe mental illness (SMI), such as major depression, bipolar and schizophrenia, they are at risk for repeat minor offenses. The U.S. Department of Justice did a study finding and reported that half of all jail, state prison and federal inmates with mental illness have 3 to 4 prior convictions as they make their way back into the system. In saying this, it just adds to the continuous problems these individuals are constantly faced with.
Many traditional courts and correction facilities are unable to provide the much needed mental health treatment to connect individuals with effective treatment processes in their community, considering they have cut 4.35 billion dollars in funding across all states. So when released from incarceration they will have a better chance in society and less likely of being a repeat offender.
Join me Thursday nite at 7pm CT Nov 21st to discuss the Mental Health Court Systems compared to the traditional court systems that our mentally ill face time and time again for crimes that can be prevented if proper treatment was available.
So many young adolescents I'm sure ask this question, "How did this happen?", we were so careful! The question should be, "Why are our teens having sex to begin with at such an early age for them to be put into this situation. They are babies having babies. Let us talk about this once again delicate but serious topic that needs to be addressed at this time in our society for our kids sake. Teens and parents alike, I urge you to listen in. I will be looking for a speaker for my show that is a teen mom. If you fit this description and would like to be a speaker on my show, please contact me at 931-378-0482 before Wednesday Nov 6th. Thank you all for your support!
Have you or a loved one be traumatized by the devastation of sexual abuse? Is your child a victim of this sensless crime? We'll take a look into this delicate but most important issue, sexual abuse, by taking a look at statistics, therapy options, and ways to cope as we move along into life. You are not alone and there are people who care and want to help. If you know someone that needs attention in this area, you can contact: 1-800-656-HOPE, which is the National Hotline. Please join in and become educated in helping those in need or those that have experienced it, a must hear! at www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges
It is safe to say that it has been controversial for over 200 years on whether alcoholism is based on a disease theory or of bad moral judgement. Lets have a discussion about the research I have found on this serious and most important issue that effects millions of people today. Alcohol is contributed to the top three leading causes of deaths in the United States with them being domestic violence, homicides, and suicides. We need to educate our young ones, however, our adults need to the facts in order to educate them. Listen in for a lesson. I'll be glad to take any questions or concerns you may have concerning this topic. www.blogtalkradio.com/ritahodges
The young boy was 10 years old and he stabbed a classmate. It was unknown what he used. He was placed in a holding tank waiting for his mother's arrival. But she was afraid to ask to get off early to tend to her child in fear of being fired. There is something very wrong with this picture. Non-violent offenders are being put in with violent offenders only to pick up on their behavior while waiting for their orders to be placed elsewhere. This is creating more violent crimes instead of resolving any issues at hand when they are let out back into society. Parents and the community need to take a strong hold in finding solutions and avenues in keeping our kids off the streets and out of gangs, so they don't fall victim to the system. Please join me in live talk in discussing this crucial topic.
Hello everyone, this is Rita Hodges with the Serenity Show and last week my show was not heard due to technical difficulties so I am re-airing it this Friday, Sept. 27th at 7:00pm CT primetime. We will be talking about how alcohol is the leading contributor to the top three deaths from the ages of 12-20 which are automobile crashes, homicides, and suicides. This is startling to know and so are the statistics of how many of our adolescents are consuming alcohol and drugs, and folks, many of them get it right out of their own home. I will also speak on what signs to look for and solutions to the means Please listen in to this important message and participate with me via telephone concerning these matters. Parents, we need to step up and take responsibllity. See you there!
Hi folks, Rita Hodges here again trying really hard to get this show on the air. Doing a test run if you would like to join in which would help to see if I have sound because I would like you to call in on my line. So come join the show and support me so we can go live tonite!!!