Let's Talk: Recent Episodes

Aaron Weiner, PhD

Looking for a fresh take on current news in the healthcare arena? Join me for Let's Talk, a new live webcast series where my guests talk with me, a licensed psychologist and Generally Curious Person, about burning topics on their minds and how they relate to mental health!

Today marks the first solo episode of my podcast, which I'm calling "Let's Muse!"

Let's Muse episodes will cover a current topic that I'm finding interesting at the moment, and I'd love to hear your musings about it on my corresponding posts on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Today I'll cover two recent developments in the nicotine and vaping world: my take on how to interpret a recent Cochrane Review (see link below) that found that vaping is an effective method for quitting smoking, as well as Phillip Morris announcing the construction of a new $600 million manufacturing plant in Colorado to up production of Zyn nicotine pouches.

Have an opinion? Let's talk about it!

Vaping for Smoking Cessation Review: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full

New Zyn Manufacturing Plant: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/zyn-maker-increases-production-capacity-new-600-million-facility-color-rcna162072

My guests for this episode on alcohol myths are Dr. Laura Kwako and Dr. Thekla Brumder Ross from the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA)!

Dr. Laura Kwako, PhD, is chief of the Treatment, Health Services, & Recovery Branch (THSRB) in the Division of Treatment and Recovery at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Dr. Thekla Brumder Ross, PsyD, is a Clinical Psychologist and a Strategic Advisor to NIH-NIAAA.

I chat with Drs. Kwako and Brumder Ross about a range of topics during today's conversation, including:

Is any amount of alcohol actively good for your health? Or at least not harmful?
Why don't alcohol-related public health issues receive the same amount of attention as other drugs of concern, like opioids and THC? How can we better raise awareness?
A recent study found that only 2% of patients who were admitted to a hospital for an alcohol-related concern received an FDA-approved medication for alcoholism. Why do you think this is, and how do we change it?
Data indicate that both patients and providers don't feel entirely comfortable talking about alcohol-related problems during medical visits. Why do you think this is? And how can we improve the situation?
If someone is concerned and wants to change their relationship with alcohol, where can they begin?

And more!

My NIAAA guests referenced a bunch of resources during the podcast, including:

Rethinking Drinking (self-evaluation): https://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/
Written self-evaluation guide: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/Options-People-Thinking-About-Drinking.pdf
Alcohol Treatment Navigator: https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/
Healthcare Professional’s Core Resource on Alcohol (Free CME/CEU Hub): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol
Alcohol Policy Hub: https://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/Options-People-Thinking-About-Drinking.pdf

To get in touch and learn more about Dr. Kwako, visit her NIAAA profile page at https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/about-niaaa/our-staff/laura-e-kwako-phd. Dr. Brumder Ross is available at her website at https://www.theklabr.com/

My guest for this episode is Dr. Brian Licuanan! Dr. Licuanan is an author, speaker, and board-certified psychologist practicing in Southern California, and specializes in working with highly acute clients struggling with substance abuse disorders and mental health conditions. He recently published a new book, "How to Get Your Resisting Loved One into Treatment: A Step-by-Step Guide for Mental Health and/or Addiction Crisis," which is an absolute treasure-trove of information about how to understand and interpret a loved one's addictive behaviors and how to leverage the family system to help move them towards a path of healing and recovery.

I talk with Dr. Licuanan about a range of topics related to his book, including:

How can you inspire hope in families who have been struggling with a loved one's addiction for a long period of time?
What's "assertive love," and how does it differ from the less-useful paradigm of "tough love"?
Why is experiencing discomfort important for motivating behavioral change?
Dr. Licuanan's very useful "H2O Model" for the essential ingredients in addiction recovery.

And more!

To get in touch and learn more about Dr. Licuanan, visit his website at https://drbrianlicuanan.com/

My guest for this episode of Let's Talk is Dr. Jeanne Jakob - a board-certified psychologist based in Silicon Valley, and an expert in treating trauma and PTSD from a number of different therapeutic modalities. She is the founder of Inside Out Psychology, a website and platform to promote the public's knowledge about psychotherapy, psychological science, and the mental health industry.

On today's podcast we address a range of trauma-related topics, including:

What does "trauma" mean, exactly? Is the word overused?
Why can trauma experienced during childhood echo throughout the lifespan?
What are the main evidence-based approaches to treating trauma? Why do they work?
What should someone look for when choosing a therapist to work on trauma?

And more!

If you'd like to get in touch with Dr. Jakob, you can reach her at her website at PsychInsideOut.com, or follow her on LinkedIn (at linkedin.com/in/DrJakobInsideOutPsychology).

Dr Jakob's writing can also be followed on Substack InsideOutPsychology.substack.com

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, so to kick things off I'm having a conversation with Dr. Molly Bowdring!

Dr. Bowdring is a clinical scholar and postdoctoral researcher in the Stanford Prevention Research Center, a clinician at Stanford's Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and the author of a recently-published peer-reviewed article (link below) on non-alcoholic beverages (NABs), with several more on this topic on the way! Her research centers on factors that contribute to initiation, maintenance, and exacerbation of substance use, as well as identifying approaches to decrease risky use patterns. She is currently interested in studying the relationship between non-alcoholic beverage use (e.g., non-alcoholic beers/wines/liquor) and alcohol use.

Topics discussed include:

What is a non-alcoholic beverage, exactly? Are they all made the same way, or are there differences?
How is the general public using NABs at the moment? What are the use cases?
If someone has alcoholism, how should they judge the decision about whether or not to drink NABs? What are possible risk factors?
Are NABs safe if you're pregnant?
Is it currently legal to sell NABs to teens? And if so, what are the implications on those teens' progression to full-strength alcohol consumption?

To get in touch with Dr. Bowdring, you can find more information about her and her contact information on her Stanford profile: https://profiles.stanford.edu/bowdring

And for those interested, here's Dr. Bowdring's most recent study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/add.16452

March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, and my guest for this episode of Let's Talk is Dr. Jeremiah Weinstock!

Dr. Jeremiah Weinstock is a licensed psychologist, professor of psychology, and the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Saint Louis University. He is an expert in the assessment and treatment of substance-related and addictive disorders with over 65 peer-review publications and research funding from the National Institutes of Health and the International Center for Responsible Gaming. He has co-authored several scientific papers on how to treat gambling disorder with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Dr. Weinstock maintains a small clinical practice focused on working with individuals diagnosed with gambling disorder.

Topics discussed include:

Why is gambling, and particularly sports betting, seemingly everywhere right now?
How do you know if someone's gambling behavior is becoming problematic?
What are "low risk" gambling guidelines?
Do casinos or betting apps have a responsibility to use their data to protect their customers/users?
Why haven't certain predatory tactics in the gambling industry been prohibited yet?
What are current best-practice treatments for problematic gambling behavior? And what resources are available if someone can't afford therapy?

To get in touch with Dr. Weinstock you can reach out to him at:

https://www.slu.edu/arts-and-sciences/psychology/faculty/weinstock-jeremiah.php
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiah-weinstock/

My guest for this episode of Let's Talk is Dr. Doug Bolton!

Dr. Bolton is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Director of School Consultation for Formative Psychological Services. He spent over 20 years as a psychologist and principal at North Shore Academy, a K-12 therapeutic school in Highland Park, IL. He is now speaking nationally, under contract to publish a mass-market book on parenting in the next 12-18 months, and continues to maintain his clinical practice.

I chat with Dr. Bolton about:

How parents and teachers are putting unnecessarily heavy amounts of stress on kids, and steps we can take to stop
How our emphasizing high achievement in school as the key to a kids' future happiness and health is misguided, and what the alternatives are
Parenting strategies to help kids to cope more effectively with stress in today's post-COVID world
How to leverage the positive power of community to bolster and address youth mental health issues

And more!

To get in touch with Dr. Bolton you can reach out to him at:

https://www.fpschicago.com/doug-bolton-phd
https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-bolton-7389a38/
https://twitter.com/DrDougBolton

My guest for this episode of Let's Talk is Jamie Ducharme - author of "Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise and Fall of JUUL" - recently adapted to be a top-rated docuseries on Netflix!

Jamie Ducharme is a correspondent at TIME magazine, where she writes frequently about topics related to health and science. She has won awards from New York Press Club, the Deadline Club, and the Newswomen’s Club of New York. Her investigative journalistic book about JUUL, "Big Vape," is a deep-dive into the history of JUUL and its impact on the trajectory of teen vaping in the United States. "Big Vape" was recently adapted into a television docuseries, and has been nominated for a Critic's Choice Documentary Award.

You can find Big Vape at the links below:

Netflix (Docuseries): https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81444184

Amazon (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Big-Vape-Incendiary-Rise-Juul-ebook/dp/B08NH9K8FP/

My guest for this episode is Dr. Cortney Warren, PhD, ABPP! Dr. Warren is a board-certified psychologist and the author of the new book "Letting Go of Your Ex: CBT Skills to Heal the Pain of a Breakup and Overcome Love Addiction." Dr. Warren is an expert on addictions, self-deception, eating pathology, and the practice of psychotherapy from a cross-cultural perspective, and is also the author of over 50 journal articles and book chapters.

We cover a lot of ground during our conversation about Dr. Warren's new book, including:

What is love addiction, and how do you address its symptoms?
What's the difference between "normal" breakup struggles and symptoms of love addiction?
How does childhood attachment with parents relate to adult romantic relationships?

And more! If you'd like to get in touch with Dr. Warren, you can reach her at her website at https://drcortney.com/

My guest for this episode of Let's Talk is the CEO of Truth Initiative, Robin Koval!

Since joining Truth Initiative in 2013, Koval has transformed the national award-winning truth® youth tobacco prevention campaign and grown the organization’s world-class research, youth activism, and digital cessation programs. Koval has led the expansion of the truth brand to include innovative quitting tools and resources designed to protect and empower young people to live nicotine-free lives, including the first-of-its kind, text message quit vaping program for teens and young adults, This is Quitting, which has enrolled over 570,000 since launch and a national youth e-cigarette prevention curriculum Vaping: Know the truth, now reaching almost 6,000 schools across the country.

I chat with Robin about current questions such as:

What's holding up the FDA from regulating flavors?
How can you get teens' attention about vaping health risks?
If you think your child is vaping, what's the best way to approach them about it?
What resources are available to help teens quit vaping, what's missing and how is Truth Initiative working to close the gap?

My guest for this episode is Dr. Allison Feduccia, PhD! Dr. Feduccia is a neuropharmacologist, psychedelic researcher, and educator. She is the co-founder of Psychedelic Support, a platform for education and connection to psychedelic practitioners. She began researching MDMA in 2004, and has worked on mental health research at UT Austin, UCSF, NIH, and MAPS.

Covered topics include:

What is the current state of psychedelic science and medicine?
What do we know about psilocybin and MDMA for PTSD and depression?
How does psychedelic-assisted therapy differ from regular psychotherapy?
What actually happens in a psychedelic-assisted therapy protocol?
How do ongoing clinical trials compare to "healing centers" in Oregon and Colorado, or off-label ketamine clinics?

And more!

My guest for this episode is Dr. Holly Geyer, MD! Dr. Geyer is an Associate Professor of Medicine and consultant in the Division of Hospital Internal Medicine. She is dual board certified in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine and serves as chair of the Opioid Stewardship Program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona as well as serving as Medical Director of Occupational Health.

She is the author of the newly-published “Ending the Crisis: Mayo Clinic’s Guide to Opioid Addiction and Safe Opioid Use.” Dr. Geyer’s research focuses on safe use of opioids and the impact of various treatment regimens on patient quality of life, particularly in cancer populations. She has given presentations both nationally and internationally and has authored more than 120 journal articles, book chapters and abstracts. She also serves as a reviewer for prominent scientific publications. She has experience serving on the Arizona Medical Association Legislative Committee and has assisted with state law opioid policy development at both the Arizona Department of Health and state legislature levels.

Robert Weiss PhD, LCSW is Chief Clinical Officer of Seeking Integrity LLC, an organization that provides online education and residential treatment for, porn, and substance/sex-addicted men and their families. Dr. Weiss is an online host for Digital Intervention on A&E and has served as a subject-matter expert for major media outlets including CNN, NPR, and The New York Times, among others. He is the author of eleven books, including Prodependence, Sex Addiction 101, and Out of the Doghouse.

You can reach Dr. Weiss at rob@seekingintegrity.com.

My guest for this episode is my friend and colleague in youth prevention, Laura Stack! For 30 years, Laura Stack was best known in the business world as "The Productivity Pro." Her career as a keynote speaker, bestselling author of eight books, and corporate spokesperson came to a screeching halt on November 20, 2019, when her 19-year-old son, Johnny, died by suicide after becoming psychotic from dabbing high-THC marijuana concentrates. Laura responded by forming the nonprofit, Johnny's Ambassadors, to educate parents, teens, and communities about the dangers of today's high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, psychosis, and suicide. Her platform now brings prevention education to drug prevention conferences, community groups, and schools to stop youth marijuana use. Laura also published a book, The Dangerous Truth About Today's Marijuana: Johnny Stack's Life and Death Story, which weaves together the story of Johnny’s decline with scientific data to help other families avoid experiencing the same pain and loss . Laura has told Johnny's story and been featured by numerous media outlets, including People Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Ingraham Angle, PBS, and Dr. Phil. Laura is the recipient of the Drug-Free America Foundation's Moxie Award for protecting youth from substances, the Leadership in Advocacy Award from the National Speakers Association, and the American Association of Suicidology's Loss Survivor of the Year Award.

My guest for this episode is Dr. Michael Rich! Dr. Rich is one of the foremost authorities on Problematic Interactive Media Use (PIMU) in teens, which includes behavioral concerns related to all types of interactive media including online gaming, social media, streaming video, and others. Dr. Rich is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Digital Wellness Lab, and practices Adolescent Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Rich is the Founding Director of the first evidence-based medical program addressing physical, mental, and social health issues associated with digital technology, the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders (CIMAID). As The Mediatrician®, Dr. Rich offers research-based, balanced, and practical answers to parents’, teachers’, and clinicians’ questions about children’s media use and the positive and negative implications for their health and development. Understanding the power of screens to engage, connect, and change us all, he is bringing together pediatricians and software engineers, educators and designers, psychologists and screenwriters in the Digital Wellness Lab to synergize in researching, responding to, and innovating a digital environment in which we can raise healthy, smart, productive, and kind children.

My guest for this episode is my friend and colleague, Libby Moser! Libby is a Registered Dietitian, and the owner of Piece of Nutrition in Chicago, IL. She is certified in Eating Disorders and Obesity (EDOC) treatment, and works with clients from the perspectives of intuitive eating, mindful eating, and health at every size. Libby is a wizard in the kitchen, and helps you change your relationship with food to enhance your health and wellness.

My guest for this episode is my friend and colleague, Ashleigh Nowakowski! Ashleigh is a preventionist and the past Executive Director of Your Choice to Live, a non-profit organization specializing in drug and alcohol prevention education. She has a Masters in Public Administration, and recently published her first book entitled "The Shadow Child," in which she tells a deeply personal story about how she and her family coped with her brother's addiction and what she learned from the process.

My guest for this episode is investigative journalist Sam Quinones! Sam is a veteran journalist and author, whose most recent books, Dreamland and The Least of Us, have taken a deep look into both the personal and system-level side of the opioid epidemic in America. Dreamland was heralded as one of the Best Books of 2015 by numerous national outlets, and was named one of the “50 Best Books of Literary Journalism of the 21st Century” by GQ in 2021. Quinones published The Least of Us in October 2021, focusing on the linkages between meth, fentanyl, and the current overdose crisis in America. Having read it myself, I have no doubt it will earn similar accolades to Dreamland in the years to come.

My guest for this episode is Dr. Carl Erik Fisher! Dr. Fisher is an addiction physician and bioethicist, and the author of the recently published book The Urge: Our History of Addiction - an intellectual and cultural history of addiction, which is interwoven with his own experiences as an addiction psychiatrist at Columbia and as an individual in recovery. His academic writing has been published in numerous prestigious medical and ethics journals, and his essays have been widely published, including recently in The New York Times. Dr. Fisher is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and he is an appointed member of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Psychiatry and Law.

My guest for this episode is my friend and colleague, Michelle Magida! Michelle is a licensed therapist, the owner of the counseling practice Therapy Etc, and a specialist in treating children. She has extensive experience as a special education teacher prior to beginning her career as a therapist and business owner, and is in the process of earning a doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision.

My guest for this episode is my friend and colleague, Dr. Shawn Hondorp! Dr. Hondorp is a board-certified clinical health psychologist living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has a private practice, and a podcast called Motivation Made Easy: Body Respect, True Health, where she explores how our common approaches to weight loss and health often run counter to what we know about motivation science. Dr. Hondorp has many years of experience working in healthcare settings, and is passionate about getting science-based information into the hands of people who can use it!

My guest for this episode Dr. Greg Teas; an absolute fount of knowledge and the Chief Medical Officer of Behavioral Medicine at AMITA Health. Dr. Teas is the former President of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists and presently serves on their board of directors. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and will be discussing modern approaches and changes in psychiatric treatment.

My guest for this episode is my good friend, Dr. Erin Terada! Dr. Terada is a licensed clinical psychologist and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, currently practicing at the OCD & Anxiety Center in Oak Brook, IL. She was previously the Clinical Director of the Eating Disorders service line at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health, and is currently sits as a Board Member of the Heartland chapter of the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP).

If you’d like to get in touch with Dr. Terada, you can send her an e-mail at eterada@theocdandanxietycenter.com.

My guest for this episode Jim Scarpace! Jim is the Executive Director at Gateway Foundation in Aurora, Illinois, and comes with 28 years of experience in mental health, substance use disorder, and criminal justice. If directing addiction treatment programs wasn’t enough, he’s also an assistant professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where he’s taught for the past 17 years. Jim is an authority in the Chicagoland area on the topic of stigma and addiction, and has an unparalleled perspective of the Chicago recovery community due to his work on the ground managing multiple Gateway treatment locations.

If you'd like to get in touch with Jim, he's available at vjscarpa@gatewayfoundation.org.

My guest for this episode is Dr. Jeff Derevensky! Dr. Derevensky is the James McGill Professor and Director of Clinical Training in School/Applied Child Psychology at McGill University. He is extremely well-published, authoring more than 275 peer-reviewed journal articles, 60 book chapters and 4 books related to gambling disorders and behavioral addictions, and has been awarded Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling. Dr. Derevensky brings his expertise to a conversation on impulsive gaming behavior in teens – what’s informing the behavior and what parents can do about it.

If you'd like to get in touch with Dr. Derevensky, he's available at jeffrey.derevensky@mcgill.ca.

My guest for this episode is Rachael Cooper, and we’ll be talking about mental health and addiction in the workplace, as well as what employers can, and should, be doing about it. Rachael is currently the Associate Director for the National Stigma Initiative at Shatterproof, a non-profit that is working to end addiction in the United States at the population health level. At the time of recording, Rachael was working with the National Safety Council as their Senior Program Manager over the opioid epidemic projects. She is an expert on the impact of the workplace on mental health, best-practice approaches to supporting employee wellbeing, and on how employers can build a recovery-friendly workplace culture.

My guest for this episode is my friend and mentor, Dr. Kevin Sabet! Dr. Sabet is the President and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which he founded with former Congressman Patrick Kennedy in 2013. He has worked in the Clinton (2000), Bush (2002-2003), and Obama (2009-2011) administrations, and is one of the only drug policy staffers to have ever served as a political appointee in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Dr. Sabet recently released his second book, Smokescreen, in April, and over the past decade has been featured in just about every major national news outlet and publication for his expertise on marijuana commercialization.

My guest for this episode Dr. Michael Miller! Dr. Miller is the CEO and medical director of Miller Care Group, and passionate about best-practice medication-assisted therapy. In addition to his work with opioids, he is currently studying novel treatments for methamphetamine addiction, and is advocating for a paradigm shift in how we define methamphetamine addiction and treatment.

My guest for this episode is an absolute rock-star in youth drug prevention, Andy Duran. Andy is the CEO of LEAD, a youth prevention organization based out of Lake Forest, Illinois. Andy and LEAD have been driving innovation and change in the prevention space for years, helping organize and train other prevention organizations across Illinois and the rest of the country. One of his broadest initiatives is the Text-A-Tip hotline, which covers 10 million people in Illinois with 24/7 access to text-based support if they’re having an emotional or substance-related crisis.

If you’d like to get in touch with Andy, you can drop him an e-mail at andy@golead.co!

My guest for this episode is my good friend, Dr. Kathleen Burke, PhD! Dr. Burke is the Director of Substance Use Initiatives in the Will County, Illinois. She manages the IllinoisDrug Overdose Prevention Project in Will County, and serves as a member of the Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council. She is also a member of the Governor State University Addictions Studies and Behavioral Health Advisory Committee and the Stepping Stones Treatment Center Board of Directors. Everyone plugged-in to opioid overdose prevention efforts in the West and Southwest suburbs of Chicago knows and loves Dr. Burke, and I’m thrilled she’s able to come on the show!

I have three marvelous guests for this episode! The first two are Tim Ryan, A&E's Dope Man and a substance abuse interventionist, and Jennifer Gimenez-Ryan, world renowned model, actress, substance abuse counselor, and reality TV star. Tim and Jenn are tireless advocates for recovery, and spread their message through their frequent speaking appearances and on their weekly podcast, The Tim and Jenn Show (dopetohope.com).

My third guest is Dr. Russell Surasky, FAAN, ABAM, ABPM. Dr. Surasky is a triple board certified neurologist, and the only physician in the U.S. with his combination of credentials. He serves as the chief physician and consultant to multiple addiction centers on Long Island. His private practice, Recovery Revolution, is located in Great Neck, New York. Dr. Surasky is a sponsored national speaker on the topic of opiate and alcohol addiction - find out more about Dr. Surasky at https://www.drsurasky.com/ .

My guest this week is Dr. Mark Gomez, MD - often known by his superhero name, Dr. G! Dr. Gomez is a board-certified internal medicine physician, and the host of "To Your Health with Dr. G," a fantastic health-based podcast and radio show, which has recently transitioned into "Health 360 with Dr. G" - his new show launching in January. Topics covered with Dr. G include the COVID-19 vaccine, how to have productive conversations with your primary care doctor about sensitive issues, how to pick a new doctor if you're looking for a change, and more!