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Narcissistic Abuse and Recovery: Our Interview with Kim Saeed

Kim Saeed is someone I’ve followed online for over a year. Her blog articles are amongst the top searches for all things related to healing from narcissistic abuse. She is unique in her approach because she focuses so much on the healing process which is considerable. Experts say it takes more time to recover from a breakup with a narcissist (be that a friendship, colleague, family member, partner, or spouse) because you have to grieve twice. You grieve first for the person the narcissist pretended to be (your most loyal friend, soulmate, perfect boss) and then you grieve yet again about the horror of who they actually are: your worst nightmare.

Exactly like drug addiction you are high from the intensity during the initial stages of the relationship. You spend the rest of the entire relationship wanting to get back to that initial high that never comes. Being in a relationship with a narcissist is akin to being addicted to heroin. It will slowly kill you. Every time you leave and are wooed back it is worse which is why the term “No Contact” is the crucial point of Kim’s practice.

I am honored to have her as a guest on Mental Health News Radio. We go in depth about what these relationships are like, why it is imperative to cut off all contact for good, and how important your healing process is so you can recover.

Life truly does begin after No Contact.

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Mental Health in Italy: An Interview with Dr. Paolo Molino

I was lucky enough to spend the month of July this year in Italy with our CEO and host of Mental Health News Radio, Kristin Walker. Armed with high speed internet in our villa and the fact that Kristin does 75% of her work via phone and email, she was able to vacation some, work a lot, and spend some time volunteering.  We were also there to grieve the passing of her father, my husband. Amidst all of this activity I wondered how she could possibly fit in volunteer work. But, not to worry, in one day she located ten volunteer organizations in Florence and fired off a simple email request asking if they would were available to discuss the work they do within the mental health community of Florence.  This led to an invitation to meet with Dr. Paolo Molino, a local psychotherapist.

I went with Kristin to meet Dr. Molino (he prefers Paolo) at his office for 30 minutes, but he was so obviously enjoying their discussion that after 90 minutes he invited us to come with him to pick up his preschool daughter so they could continue talking.  Their discussion ranged from why he chose this field and how he built his practice (he speaks excellent English as well as French, so can also work with foreign clients), the education and credentialing process in Italy, and his preference for therapy treatments (Gestalt).  Just incidentally we also got a chance to be in the neighborhoods, not just the tourist areas, see a private Italian apartment-home, and drive (wildly!) through the streets to the local school.

It was important for Kristin to find out what his views were on mental health, what stigmas there are in Italy as opposed to the United States, and what his experience as a practitioner were like day-to-day. She told him about Mental Health News Radio and her audience of mostly behavioral health providers in the United States (we have a small but growing number in Ireland and the U.K.).

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Is Narcissism Psychological Viagra? Join Counselor Andrea Schneider and Host Kristin Walker

One of the most damaging psychological mechanisms an extreme narcissist will use in their tormented tool chest is SEX.

THE PROMISE OF IT
THE MECHANICAL ACTION OF IT
THE WITHHOLDING OF IT

We carefully use the word sex in relation to what happens because, to the narcissist, the beautiful act of making love is an impossibility. Sex is one of their most powerful weapons of your mass destruction. If you are a highly empathic person with an abundance of compassion, an intoxicating imagination, and issues around appropriate boundaries, you are the perfect meal for the emotional impotence of a narcissist.

On this episode of Mental Health News Radio author and counselor, Andrea Schneider, joins host Kristin Walker to discuss the relationship between narcissism and sex. In her book, Soul Vampires: Reclaiming Your Lifeblood After Narcissistic Abuse, Andrea takes readers on a journey through the phases of the romantic journey with a narcissist. She shares her expertise with us on the show and in co-writing the blog article to accompany this highly charged subject.

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Knocking Out Mental Health Stigma with Jesse James Leija

Two-time world champion boxer, Jesse James Leija, joins host Kristin Sunanta Walker on Mental Health News Radio to talk about the mind-body connection. Mental acuity, continued acts of service through advocacy, love of family, humility, and entrepreneurship are all at the heart of Jesse James Leija. He discusses the many phases of his career and how his training as a boxer kept him mentally and physically able to take on world champion competitors and stay in the ring. Please visit his website at www.jessejamesleija.com for more information about his organizations and the charities he not only supports financially but rolls up his sleeves and puts the hard work in day after day.

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From The Gridiron to Addiction Recovery With Randy Grimes

We had the pleasure of meeting Randy and Lydia Grimes at the Navigating the World of Addiction conference in Littleton Colorado. Randy and Lydia were there with the treatment center they passionately serve Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches. Sharing the stage to discuss their story as a family was inspiring for all of us.  Randy made sure to invite Lydia to join him to share her part of the journey as well.  Addiction is a family disease and hearing from both husband and wife was powerful. Randy was an American football player who played center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1983 to 1992. He also played for Baylor University during the early 1980’s and was part of the 1980 Southwest Conference Champion Bears. He is now an interventionist, speaker, and part of the team at Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches.

Our podcast is known for Keeping it Real and that is exactly what you get with Randy. This was very personal for the entire team at Mental Health News Radio and many of our listeners. A healing took place for all of us since meeting Randy and especially for our host Kristin Walker during this intimate and poignant interview. Our heartfelt thanks go out to him, his wife Lydia, his family and the staff of Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches.

Randy and Lydia continue to share their experience with addiction and recovery using their knowledge to help not only athletes but any family struggling with their road to recovery. We are honored to take part in working with Randy sharing the stories of the many lives saved because of USING YOUR VOICE.

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Core Belief Restructuring™: Jean Francois Benoist on Mental Health News Radio

Jean-Francois Benoist is the creator of Core Belief Restructuring™ (CBR) and the founder of The Exclusive Addiction Treatment Center in Hawaii. He is a certified professional counselor trained at The Option Institute International Learning and Training Center. He began his studies in human development and empowerment in 1983 with Robert Hargrove and Relationships, Inc., and has been deeply involved in mentoring others and training leaders for over twenty years. Jean-Francois is a worldwide leader in the men’s empowerment non-profit ManKind Project, which focuses on shame-release and support systems for healing.
Author of The Exclusive Guide to Becoming Deeply Happy, Jean-Francois has a depth of experience in helping individuals, couples and families address and heal issues involving addictions, physical violence, sexual abuse, relationship concerns, bereavement, critical health challenges, eating disorders, conflict resolution, and depression. He is versed in individual therapy as well as group counseling. The direct correlation between deeply-held beliefs and painful addictions is Jean-Francois’ highly-refined specialty. He is experienced and rigorously trained in a Socratic methodology and deep listening, enabling him to impart powerful life-changing skills that create immediate results.

www.JFBenoist.com
www.TheExclusiveHawaii.com

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Addiction Counselor Certification Board: An Interview with Carmen Donoto

Carmen Donato, BA, CATC III has worked with CAADE since 2014. She is currently the Outreach Coordinator for CAADE and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts in Human Services, with a concentration in Mental Health Recovery. She also has a Certificate of Completion in Alcohol & Drug Studies from Long Beach City College, one of CAADE’s accredited programs. She is credentialed as a Certified Addictions Treatment Counselor and Certified Prevention Specialist under CAADE’s organization. She is currently at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills, earning her Master’s Degree in Social Work and plans on also earning a Doctorate Degree in Forensics Psychology once completing her MA and after becoming an LCSW. Carmen loves her ministry, hanging with friends, spending time with family, different types of music, and learning new cultures. She wishes to also teach in the field of mental health, substance abuse, and addiction studies. Carmen is currently an Integrated Behavioral Health Clinician at St. John’s. Well Child and Family Center providing direct services to Spanish speaking, under-deserved low SES, Co-Occurring Dx, LGBTQIA+, and/or Dual Dx individuals, while using a holistic approach and working with a Muti-Disciplinary team.

www.caade.org
CAADE was a part of The Evolution of Addiction Treatment conference held in Los Angeles  California in 2017.

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California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals: Kristina Padilla

Kristina Padilla is a leader with the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP), where she serves as the Director of Education. She also is Director of Business Development wherein she travels throughout California and the nation bringing addiction focused businesses together to promote the profession, increase access to services and improve the quality of AOD service provision through education, business development, and investment in quality programming.  Formerly she served as the Education Director for the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC). Ms. Padilla led California’s innovative criminal justice program serving as the Offender Mentor Certification Program Director for three years where she managed 12 in-prison programs for training counselors. She worked closely with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in California prisons for the duration of the contract bringing innovation and growth to the state’s in custody treatment programming.  Ms. Padilla has a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. Ms. Padilla is a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LAADC), and an International Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (ICAADC). She is also a Certified Gang Specialist of the National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC) and is on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and their Allies (NALGAP).

www.ccapp.us

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EHR Technology in Addiction Treatment: Bill Connors GM Addiction Treatment

Bill Connors, MSW, General Manager of Addiction Management and Treatment is responsible for go-to-market strategies and client relationships within Netsmart’s Addiction Community and product development in our Abstinence based and Medication Assisted Treatment providers. Connors joined Netsmart’s executive team from Sequest, following its acquisition by Netsmart in 2011. He had served as the company’s chief executive officer. Prior to working at Sequest, Connors was chief information officer of a large community mental health center in New Jersey. A licensed clinical social worker with experience in addiction treatment, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, public school system and in-home family therapy settings, Connors combines his passions for direct service and systems-based thinking and research in his role. Connors is a nationally-recognized expert on the subject of software implementation within behavioral health and substance use communities and he speaks regularly on the topic. He holds a master’s of social work and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. Connors is a member of the board of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC), on the subcommittee of the Illinois Health Information Exchange (ILHIE), as well as several committees in New York where he is nationally charged with integrating behavioral healthcare and addiction services within regional health information exchanges. He has held chairman’s position several times for the Software and Technology Vendors Association.

Bill joins our host Kristin Sunanta Walker live from The National Conference on Addiction Disorders to discuss how Netsmart is focusing on serving the technology needs of the Addiction and Recovery market.

www.ntst.com

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