On today's episode we continue the conversation about boundaries. Zoe shares her lived experience with guidelines that helped while Daniel challenges us to think about language and describes a way of engagement that doesn't have to include ultimatums or consequences that risk safety

On today's podcast Lara and Daniel discuss the concept of boundaries. Reflecting back on how boundaries were successful at times and also how they get in the way of important next steps when it comes to radical compassionate support.

Today's podcast is a Zoe's Recovery Diary episode, #7

Today's podcast is all about SMART Recovery - a FREE state of the art rehabilitation program changing people's lives. SmartRecovery.org

Today we talk Emotions with Jennifer van Wyck, psychotherapist, humanitarian, author, and speaker.

To access the material mentioned on today's podcast, vist youtube.com/@vanwyckconsulting or vanwyckconsulting.com (and be sure to click on the "Free Grounding Visualization" right on their home page).

On today’s podcast we discuss abstinence and harm reduction while Zoe questions her sobriety..

On today’s podcast we ask the question “Why Not Rehab?” in an attempt to find out why some, like our brother and Zoe’s father, Dennis, chose

not to attend Rehab.

On today's podcast Lara walks us through an exercise called "Cost/Benefit Analysis" (or CBA) to identify the good reasons people use opioids like Fentanyl.

If you find anything on today's show activating, please reach out and talk to somebody.

If you like what you hear, please share the link with someone else.

On today’s podcast we do some healing, as we talk about Dennis, more than a year after his death from fentanyl.

If you find anything on today’s episode activating, please reach out and talk to somebody.

If you find the discussion helpful, please share the link with others.

On today’s podcast, we have our first guest.  Soroush is currently in recovery, after 10 years of polysubstance use including fentanyl.  Today, he is a peer support worker and a Smart Recovery Group Facilitator (smartrecovery.org). As part of his passion for  helping others, he talks about his story of loss, hitting bottom, loneliness, isolation, and almost dying. He also shares what it took to reduce harms and begin his recovery journey.  Sit back, get comfortable and hear how Soroush survived, and then flourished after his battle with opioids.

On today’s podcast we review 3 steps in Preparing for the Holidays while in Recovery, as outlined by www.SmartRecovery.org (no affiliation).  Zoe talks about the possibility that she is just on the Pink Cloud right now, and not fully in recovery.

Today's podcast is a 'Zoe's Recovery Diary' episode (#5).  Zoe is 10 months sober from a street fentanyl addiction, and 10 months into her '5-Year-Plan' to get her life back; Lara does a mindfullness excercise with Zoe.

Today we discuss the the importance of the practical skills learned in rehab.

On today’s podcast we discuss the death of our beloved brother, and Zoe’s father, Dennis, and discover we are all grieving differently.  Today’s podcast is about grief.

On today's podcast - which is a Zoe's Recovery Diary - we discuss parenting in recovery.

On today's podcast we discuss the controversial topic of Harm Reduction.

Zoe talks about big life plans, 8 months into her sobriety from fentanyl addiction.

On today's podcast we discuss the Stages of Change as pertaining to Drug Addiction.  

1.  Precontemplation

2.  Contemplation

3.  Preparation

4.  Change

5.  Maintenance

6.  Relapse... or Graduation?

We discuss Zoe's successes and failures with procrastination, but a deep dive reveals a recurring problem in Zoe's life.

Daniel and Zoe talk about what went wrong while navigating Zoe through Addiction & Mental Health Services.

On today's podcast we have a check-in with Zoe to see how she's doing 6 months into living sober.  She talks about her failures, and her victories, and quiet frankly leave Lara and I in a bit of awe.

In today's episode we talk about stigma.  We explore our experiences with Dennis and identify that stigma stopped him from reaching out and asking for help.  Understanding stigma is about accepting complexity.  Zoe talks about the factors that led her to using opioids in the first place, and then shares a heart-felt outro to her Dad.  

On today's podcast we do things a bit different.  Lara's going to read a blog post that Daniel wrote, called Monsters, about the stigma of addiction.  This is done in preparation for next week's podcast on that topic.  Daniel concludes with an update for Dennis. 

On today's podcast, the first one in about 6 months, Zoe gives us an update on how she's coping in recovery. We talk about external motivators, dreaming bigger, feeling healthy, and being happy. We discuss Michael, a "grouchy old man" who ended up being a crtical component in Zoe's recovery, and life. We discuss how and when to teach kids about street drugs.

Zoe drops a bombshell about her rehab program.  The challenges of transitioning back into life without fentanyl is proving to be difficult.  But first, we discuss the notion of “Feeling all the Feels”.  And last, as usual, are the stories for Dennis - and this weeks' is particularly special :)

Can interview questions be triggering for Zoe?  This is today's topic. 

Withdrawals - the good, the bad, and the ugly...

On today's podcast we dive into Protective Factors - the things that make people want to live.

On today's show we discuss challenges of caregiving for those suffering from addiction.

On today's episode - our very first podcast - we discuss the topic of Safe Spaces for people suffering in addiction.

Welcome to Flowers for Zoe - Stories for Dennis, a podcast that invites open and real conversation, often controversial, on the lived experience of substance use and recovery.

In the room we have Zoe, speaking about her years of fentanyl use, and the steps she took to reduce risk, use safely, and how Medically Supported Detox along with rehab and safe supply has helped her quit, and begin a new life.

In the room we have Daniel, her uncle and my brother, who brings the caregiver perspective to helping and supporting loved ones who use - he invites a perspective that challenges caregivers to care differently, and to consider approaches such as harm reduction and radical compassionate support as helpful to supporting a loved ones recovery journey.

My name is Lara and I am Zoe’s aunt and Daniel’s sister.  I am a licensed clinical therapist & supervisor and I specialize in the area of mental health and substance use.  I provide a clinical perspective to this conversation.

Together, we share our family’s story, our lived experience with addiction, and we discuss it through each of these roles.

~

Hi everybody, my name is Zoe.  Thanks for joining us as we talk about my recovery journey.  I want to share with you what’s behind the name of this podcast.  ‘Flowers for Zoe’ represents the dreams my dad had for me.  Each flower represents a goal on my 5 Year Plan to get my life back.

‘Stories for Dennis’ are the updates I have for my dad.  If my dad had a safe space to speak on this topic, I feel he would have had a lot to say about it.  But my dad didn’t experience safety in sharing his story.  My hope is that this podcast will help us find a better way.

~

Hello everybody, my name is Daniel.  We couldn't save our brother, but we saved his daughter, and now we want to share that story in hopes to help just one more person deal with this deadly epidemic.

On today's podcast we follow up with Zoe on how she's handling life in recovery. We discuss her 5-Year Plan, including school, home-life & living arangements, and more.

On today's podcast we discuss the 5-Year Plan Zoe established for herself 2 years ago. How's it really going??

On today's podcast we discuss how the Wellness Wheel exercise has influenced Zoe's recovery Journey. We also discuss her 5-year plan.

On today's episode we discuss parenting after addiction.

On today's podcast we talk with Agnes Chen about the Stigma of Drug Use, and how it's affecting our children. To learn more about Agnes Chen and her pro-active fight to protect children and how you can take-part, visit the Starlings Community at Starlings.ca

On today's episode we do a Wellness Wheel exercise :) Enjoy!