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Episodes Browse Our Episodes Explore and browse our collections of experts, personal stories and resources. Search for an Episode Transformative Paths to Addiction Recovery: Insight and Holistic Healing with Stacey Gobins In this profound episode, we're joined by Stacey Gobbins, a seasoned addiction specialist with over two decades of experience, currently running a private practice out of Wilmington. Stacey opens up about her personal journey of recovery, her transition into helping others heal from addiction, and the intertwined roles of trauma and the therapeutic process in achieving long-term sobriety. Through a discussion rich in insight, Stacey and host B. Reeves explore the transformative power of EMDR, DBT, and mindfulness in overcoming addiction's grip, the spiritual facets of recovery, and the crucial element of connection in the healing journey. This conversation is not just a sharing of stories but a beacon of hope and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of addiction. Finding Clarity: Exploring Giftedness and Recovery with Andrea Lein In this episode of 'Finding New Waters,' host B.Reeves from New Waters Recovery engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Andrea Lein, an expert in clinical and school psychology with a focus on supporting parents of gifted and twice-exceptional young adults and adolescents. The conversation explores the unique challenges faced by gifted individuals, including the often misunderstood aspects of their mental health and substance use struggles. Andrea shares her journey, from her personal experiences to her professional focus on giftedness and neurodiversity, highlighting the importance of community and asking for help. She also delves into the nuanced issues surrounding ADHD diagnosis and medication, offering insights into the complexities of treatment and the role of environmental factors in supporting mental health. The discussion underlines the critical need for understanding and supporting gifted and twice-exceptional individuals through specialized approaches that consider their unique talents and vulnerabilities. Scott Crawford's Journey from Addiction to Culinary Success This edition of 'Finding New Waters,' hosted by B. Reeves from New Waters Recovery, features a deep dive into the life of Scott Crawford, a renowned chef and restaurateur in Raleigh, North Carolina. Crawford shares his personal journey from battling drug and alcohol addiction to achieving sobriety and success in the culinary industry. He discusses the impact of addiction on his life and career, and how sobriety has unlocked his true potential, leading to the expansion of his restaurant group and significant contributions to the recovery community. Crawford also talks about the changes he's implemented in the industry to support a healthier work environment, the development of his restaurant concepts, and his involvement in community service through Healing Transitions. The podcast aims to shed light on the path to recovery, destigmatize addiction, and celebrate the achievements of individuals like Crawford who have turned their lives around. 00:00 The Journey from Addiction to Recovery 01:05 Introducing New Waters Recovery Podcast 01:35 Celebrity Chef Scott Crawford's Story of Triumph 03:49 The Challenges of Sobriety in the Culinary World 06:27 Finding Creative Outlets and Overcoming Fear 08:12 Navigating Sobriety in a High-Pressure Industry 15:06 The Power of Community and Support in Recovery 24:07 Transforming the Culinary Industry from Within 26:31 Promoting a Healthier Work Environment in Restaurants 28:10 The Impact of Alcohol on Restaurant Culture 29:00 Creating a Safe and Professional Workplace 30:49 Redefining Success and Recognition in the Culinary World 33:33 The Evolution of Raleigh's Restaurant Scene 37:34 Expanding Horizons: From Clayton to Airport Ventures 42:21 Looking Ahead: Growth, Challenges, and Vision for the Future Scott Crawford Links: ⁠http://www.crawfordcookshop.com/⁠ ⁠http://crawfordandsonrestaurant.com/⁠ ⁠https://restaurantjolie.com/⁠ Podcast Website: ⁠⁠https://www.findingnewwaters.com⁠ New Waters Recovery Website: ⁠⁠https://newwatersrecovery.com⁠ Watch & Listen on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4NOV2g85KExFWU5mTz5Gjw?si=f485f70900204da4⁠ Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-new-waters/id1684075608⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjfAIXtiOgy1XFcwAduXgXw⁠ Youtube Music: ⁠https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJOc6yLcjibGGAKgLYPCN47etJCY89mn&feature=share⁠ Google Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9kZmI2YTk3NC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw⁠ Follow Us on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/newwatersrecovery⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/newwatersrecovery⁠⁠ Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-waters-recovery⁠ Tiktok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@newwatersrecovery_nc?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc⁠ For more information, to submit a question for our show, or to explore our affiliated detox center, visit the Finding New Waters website at ⁠⁠https://www.findingnewwaters.com⁠⁠ and the New Waters Recovery Center at ⁠⁠https://newwatersrecovery.com⁠⁠. Join us on this transformative journey! S Steering Youth to Healthier Paths: A Conversation with Maks and Jack In this edition of Finding New Waters, we delve into the proactive work of Youth Prevention Mentors (YPM), highlighting their mission to intervene and guide young people before they descend into crisis. Through a detailed conversation with YPM's founder, Maks Ezrin, and Jack Vaughn, Director of US Operations, we explore the origins of YPM, inspired by personal journeys of overcoming mental health and substance use issues. The dialogue illuminates YPM's approach to offering non-traditional, in-home mentorship focusing on behavioral and mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The podcast also addresses the importance of family involvement, the mentor matching process, and the unique executive functioning coaching program, EF 12, underscoring the organization's commitment to fostering self-regulation and resilience in the youth they serve. This episode offers profound insights into how targeted mentorship and personalized support can pivot young individuals away from potential futures of addiction and mental health struggles, towards thriving, balanced lives. Navigating the Road to Recovery: A Discussion with Brad Kennedy from Driftwood Recovery An engaging discussion with Brad Kennedy, the COO and partner at Driftwood Recovery, regarding the unique challenges and innovative methods in helping individuals overcome addiction. Brad elucidates upon the philosophy of fostering self-reliance in their recipients and emphasizes the importance of tailoring treatment based on individual needs rather than purely usage duration. The conversation also touches upon Driftwood's efforts to redefine and treat pain in relation to substance abuse, and developing a recovery plan in line with the individual's time, needs, and resources. Lastly, Brad highlights the significance of a supportive environment and empathy in recovery path Overcoming Addiction and Bridging Treatment Resistance: A Conversation with Mark Kantor In this episode of the 'Finding New Waters' podcast, Graham Doerge, CEO and founder of New Waters Recovery, welcomes Mark Kantor. Mark, a certified intervention professional, shares his own journey from a 20-year career in commercial real estate to supporting individuals and families recovering from addiction and mental illnesses through South Florida Intervention. Embracing Imperfection: Bob Goodale's Journey to Emotional Sobriety In this inspiring episode, we delve into the life and recovery journey of Bob Goodale, a former Harris Teeter CEO and a prominent figure in the recovery community. Bob shares his insights on the importance of embracing imperfection, the transformative power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the pivotal role of emotional sobriety in leading a fulfilling life. Rising from the Depths: Shauna Vick's Journey to Joy and Sobriety In this enlightening episode of "Finding New Waters," we delve into the inspiring journey of Shauna Vick, who shares her powerful story of overcoming alcohol use disorder, societal pressures, and finding a renewed sense of purpose through helping others. Hosted by Graham Durgie, CEO of New Waters Recovery, and co-hosted by B. Reeves, Director of Business Development, and Justin McClendon, Executive Director, this conversation sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of achieving long-term recovery. A Deeper Look into Behavioral Health with Dr. Sheila Shilati In this insightful episode, Dr. Sheila Shilati, COO of Seasons in Malibu, shares her extensive experience in behavioral health. Dr. Shilati discusses the impact of comprehensive evaluations in addiction recovery and addresses the effects of cannabis on mental health. Her expertise highlights the complex relationship between substance abuse and mental health challenges, offering valuable insights for families and professionals navigating these issues. The Journey to Sobriety with Chris Budnick: A Healing Transitions Story In this engaging episode of Finding New Waters Podcast, Chris Budnick, Executive Director at Healing Transitions, delves into the heart of addiction recovery. His unique insights, rooted in both personal and professional experiences, offer a captivating look into the challenges and triumphs of overcoming addiction. Join us for an inspiring journey of resilience and healing with Chris Budnick. Navigating the Waters of High-Functioning Addiction with Trey Laird Join us on "Finding New Waters" as we feature Trey Laird, former Wall Street trader turned founder of The Lighthouse Recovery Services. Discover Trey's journey from finance to founding a unique recovery sanctuary, blending professional demands with personal healing. A story of transformation and hope. Navigating Recovery and Renewal with Amanda Marino In the "Finding New Waters" episode, Amanda Marino inspires with her resilience and wisdom in addiction recovery. She emphasizes hope ("There's hope for everyone"), the importance of informed action, and the power of personal boundaries. Her approach to recovery as a journey of personal growth and safety is both enlightening and empowering. The Transformative Power of Adventure Recovery with Tim Walsh Dive into the world of adventure-based recovery with Tim Walsh, founder of Adventure Recovery, in this episode of "Finding New Waters." Tim shares his unique approach to addiction recovery and mental health, using nature as a transformative tool. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about harnessing the healing power of the great outdoors. Wake Monarch Academy: A Beacon of Hope with Leah Wright In this inspiring episode of Finding New Waters Podcast, we sit down with Leah Wright, the heart and soul behind Wake Monarch Academy. Leah shares her deeply personal journey that led to the creation of a pioneering recovery high school, offering hope and tailored education to young individuals striving for a life beyond substance dependency. Tune in to discover how Wake Monarch intertwines healing with learning in a supportive community committed to its students' success. Reimagining Success and Finding Balance with Ryan Hanson In this illuminating episode of "Finding New Waters," we delve into the world of holistic healing and compassionate communication with our special guest, Ryan Hanson. With over two decades of experience in behavioral healthcare, Ryan shares his insights into sexual health, grief and loss, addiction, and more. Join us as we explore the transformative power of redefining success and finding passion and purpose in life. Ryan's dedication to balance and compassionate connection shines through in this enlightening conversation. Tune in and discover new pathways to healing and personal growth! KC Gooding: A Driving Force in Addiction Recovery & Marketing Leadership Kenneth C. Gooding, widely known as KC, who has recently taken on the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Jaywalker Lodge. Hosts Justin Mclendon and Ryan Jarrel dive deep into KC's impressive background and his invaluable contributions to the field of addiction recovery. The Healing Power of Long-Term Recovery and Family Involvement with Jared Murray Join us on Finding New Waters as we dive deep into the world of long-term addiction recovery with expert Jared Muuray from Momentum Recovery. Discover why traditional 28-day programs may fall short and how extended care, family involvement, and trauma-informed therapy can lead to lasting sobriety. Jared shares valuable insights into the importance of psychiatric care and gradual transitions for young adults on their recovery journeys. If you or someone you know is seeking a path to healing and sobriety, this episode offers hope and guidance. Tune in now for a transformative conversation! The Journey from Addiction to Recovery: A Candid Talk with Lewis Finch Dive into a deep and inspiring conversation with Lewis Finch, founder of Welwynn Outpatient Center, as he shares his journey from personal battles with addiction to becoming a pioneer in professional addiction recovery services. Learn about how Welwynn offers highly individualized and confidential treatment programs catered specifically for executives and professionals. This episode is a beacon of hope for those grappling with addiction and offers insights into the unique needs and challenges of high-performing individuals in recovery. Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion about transforming adversity into an opportunity to support others on their road to recovery. Unlocking the Crisis: A Deep Dive into Health Literacy, Trauma, and Substance Abuse with Laura Kunz Join host Graham Doerge in a transformative conversation with Dr. Harold Hong and special guest Laura Kunz, a behavioral healthcare veteran with over 14 years of experience. Laura currently oversees external relations for Futures Recovery Healthcare and serves as Vice President for their sister company, Spirence. A passionate mental health advocate, she brings a wealth of knowledge and community service background to the conversation. Exploring the Intersections of Spirituality and Therapy with Amanda Cumbo In this particularly enriching episode of "The Waters Cast," Dr. Harold Hong and Justin Mclendon invite the audience on a contemplative journey into the depths of spirituality and its profound impact on therapeutic practices. Their special guest, Amanda Cumbo, stands out with her dual expertise in therapy and spirituality, offering listeners a unique blend of insights from both realms. Why Long-Term Recovery Works with Eric Button In this enlightening episode, we delve deep into the world of long-term addiction recovery with special guests Eric Button, Co-Founder of Burning Tree Ranch, and Graham Doerge, Founder of New Waters Recovery. Discover the ethos behind two groundbreaking treatment facilities that prioritize sustainable recovery and holistic care. Breathing Life into Recovery: An Interview with Kelsey Rudzinsky In this riveting episode of Finding New Waters, breathwork specialist Kelsey Rudzinsky delves deep into the transformative power of conscious breathing. She opens up about her personal journey and shares how breathwork helps her clients release past trauma, connect with their emotions, and redefine their life paths. Kelsey's enlightening conversation with Justin Mclendon and B. Reeves offers a fresh perspective on addiction recovery and mental wellness. Discover the healing potential within your own breath in this episode. Don't miss it! Transforming Lives: A Journey of Recovery and Family Intervention with Sam Davis and Darryl Rodgers Dive into the intricate world of addiction recovery with experts Sam Davis and Darryl Rodgers in this enlightening podcast episode. Explore the importance of surrender and desperation, and learn practical strategies for seeking help, setting boundaries, and navigating interventions. Tune in to gain valuable insights from personal experiences and to understand the role of self-awareness, support, and accountability in this complex journey. This episode is an essential guide for those facing the challenges of addiction recovery, offering a deeper understanding of the journey and the steps towards a healthier future. Navigating the Future of Behavioral Health with Tripp Johnson In this thoughtful and insightful episode of "Finding New Waters", we sit down with Tripp Johnson, a dedicated mental health advocate, who provides an enlightening look into the future of behavioral health and substance abuse care. Drawing on his wealth of experience, Johnson explores the urgent shift towards integrated care models, the significant role AI and individualized data will play, and the power of community in healthcare. Exploring the Psychedelic Realm: A Deep Dive into Therapeutic Applications with Lesley Kellogg oin us as we delve into the transformative world of psychedelics. In this captivating podcast, therapist Lesley Kellogg shares her profound insights on the power of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Discover how these substances open new pathways in the brain, facilitate healing experiences, and offer unique opportunities for personal growth. Learn about integration, therapeutic support, and the importance of individualized approaches.

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Finding New Waters About Us Finding New Waters is a podcast dedicated to exploring the complexities of addiction, recovery and the journey to a healthier lifestyle. Through interviews with experts, personal stories, and resources, we aim to provide an understanding of the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction and inspire hope for those in recovery. Our podcast is a safe space for people to gain a greater understanding of addiction and its effects on individuals, families, and the community. The Hosts The Hosts of Finding New Waters B. Reeves Director of Admission and Outreach Thomas Hogshead Director of Operations Dr. Harold Hong Medical Director

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< Back to Episodes The Role of Family in Treatment: A Conversation with Todd Weatherly 33:34 min | Todd Weatherly | Finding New Waters In this enlightening episode, Todd unravels the intricate challenges young individuals face today - from navigating personal and educational hurdles to dealing with social media pressures. He draws from his personal experiences as a father, providing a genuine and heartfelt perspective on how to foster resilience and creativity in young minds amidst the digital era's challenges. Subscribe "Being bored is a good thing for a kid because it makes them go outside and play and use their imagination. This is a family disease; everybody's got some work to do." - Todd Weatherly Podcast Transcript Graham: [00:00:00] Good morning and welcome to our inaugural podcast, finding New Waters. My name is Graham Durge and I'm the founder and CEO of New Waters Recovery in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm joined here today by our medical director, Dr. Harold Hong and Francis Sson from Whole Family Interventions. Francis is a professional, certified interventionist recovery coach, life coach, and holistic health coach. In addition, Francis is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and a yoga instructor with 35 years of sobriety. Francis believes addiction is a family disease which is exhibited in her work as a coach. Her mission is to help individuals and families make grace-filled changes toward health and wellbeing so that they can live a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. Francis has published two books, breathe, see, nourish. Energize A Pathway to Healing and Heal Your whole Body. The 12 Day Power Plan to flush toxins, balance hormones, and reset your body's most essential organ. Our goal in creating Finding New Waters is to create a resource for families to help navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one [00:01:00] struggling with substance use, dependence, or mental health. The fact of the matter is that when we find ourselves in crisis due to one of these issues, most people have no idea what direction to turn. My hope is that we can help shed some light into what can be many families' darkest. And Francis, thank you for joining us today. Obviously always a pleasure to get to see your face and spend a little bit of time with you. And I'll, I'll just start with like a little bit of background. Francis and I actually met years ago. At the Arise Intervention Training up at Cumberland Heights, up in Nashville. So I kind of saw her starting this journey and it's just been amazing to, to see it all transpire and, and all the amazing work that you're doing up to this point is, is really incredible. So thanks for coming Frances: today. It's a privilege to be here with you. I'm so proud. Of what you've accomplished here and it's it's an honor to be here. Thank Graham: you. Fantastic. Thank you. So, you know, wanted to start out today you know, with a couple questions. I know that you [00:02:00] just got off a flight from doing an intervention, right? Thank, and obviously that's kind of the, the core of, of, of what you're doing these days. So can you tell us a little bit about. You know, in particular the intervention that you, you know, just were a part of, but you know, maybe the intervention process and, you know, what families need to kind of learn about what an intervention is and, you know, just give us a little bit of background on, on kind of the mechanics of, of that process. Frances: Can do. Yeah. I think the first thing that I wanna say is that the way whole families. Orchestrates interventions is nothing like the show , , and that there is a preconceived notion among many families that it is a meeting that is confrontational. Mm-hmm. and can feel quite shaming. Hmm. To the identified person. Hmm. Often a loved one, and I am passionately committed [00:03:00] to the concept that the meeting itself is a meeting of love. It's a meeting of truth, and it's a meaning of a meeting of kindness and it's solution based. Yep. So the way it begins is often the call that I get, is often the last gasp that the family has. Yep. To try to help their loved one. I am truly the last house on the block if I'm getting the call. They've tried in their mind everything else. Yep. So it's often a call of desperation. Yeah. And what I tell families is that true, that often it is the case that we don't get better. We don't ask for help. We don't want to get help until we, I, as a, as an addicted person, [00:04:00] have come to the end of my rope. Ha I've hit my bottom. But I also, and I also believe that interventions. when the family has hit their bottom mm-hmm. and when they are suffering enough mm-hmm. to say, we're done and we need help. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And often that is exactly what I say to the identified person. The minute we walk in the door is, your family reached out to me because they are suffering and they don't know how to help you. Yeah. And so we're gonna be here to offer you a. , right? So the process begins by someone in the family reaching out to me and saying, my loved one is suffering. How do I get them to treatment? How do I get them to start this road to recovery? And one of the first things that I ask this person is, Do you have a line in the sand that you're willing to draw? If this person in your life whom you love or [00:05:00] have loved, maybe they're at their end of their rope too. Do you have a line in the sand if they don't go right? Because if they don't have a clear boundary, if they don't have a clear consequence, if they don't have a clear. line in the sand, then we need to work on one and come back to me, or I'll help you create one, right? Because simply to ask your loved one to go to treatment. When you don't have in the back of your mind, if you don't go, I'm willing to do or I'm not willing to do it. In my experience, it's not gonna be nearly as successful. . Yep. And that often for families, it's a very challenging place for them to land because they don't think that that's loving, right? Mm-hmm. , right? And what I tell families is, the most loving thing you can do is to speak the truth in love. Mm-hmm. tell them you're suffering and offer them a solution. , right? [00:06:00] So then I say to the person who's reached out to me, do you have a posse? Do you have three to four people? Five people? Four? Whom with whom your loved one has a relationship? Cares deeply enough about what they have to share. Do does your loved one care about having a relationship with this person long-term? I can't have anyone in the room who, for whom? Or with whom? The loved one has a massive resentment. Mm-hmm. , or has a massive resentment toward mm-hmm. . There's no room for resentment or shame or blame or any condemning language. This is a love meeting. Yeah. Nothing but compass. and empathy. They may not have it at this moment because they may be kind of sort of done, but we're gonna at least pretend right for this meeting and we're gonna prepare mm-hmm. for that meeting by having one-on-one conversations with me, and I'm gonna help you [00:07:00] go down memory lane. You're literally opening up your photo album and you're gonna remember. Beautiful times that you've had with this person way before this person picked up or began struggling with mental health challenges. Right. And we're literally gonna share those memories with your loved one because that person has forgotten. Mm-hmm. , that person has forgotten who they are at their core. Mm-hmm. , how much they're loved, how much they have been affirmed and appreciated. In their life by this circle of friends and family. Mm-hmm. . So I help the family members, friends, employers, maybe. Mm-hmm. . Literally go down memory lane and pull those up. Remember, bro, remember when we were sailing around the islands and we saw the sunrise and we were drinking coffee, and you told me this was [00:08:00] like the most incredible moment of your life. We're gonna, we're gonna share those right memories with each other. Yep. And with you. Yeah. Yeah. I love you so much. I'm not willing to sit on the sideline and watch your life implode. Mm-hmm. because of your substance use disorder or your mental health challenges. Yeah. I love you too much to let you stay here. Hmm. And this is how we've shared our lives together. Yep. Graham: Love it. Yeah, absolutely Love it. So powerful. Frances: So, so, so in that preparation we do that and then they set out writing their letters where they put it down in writing. Mm-hmm. Graham: Now, are you inviting them to the intervention, the, the person of concern? Frances: You ask a great question. Yeah. Because there's so many approaches, right. To interventions. I. Kind of sorta created my own approach [00:09:00] by what I feel like picking the best out of a rise, and also following love first with Deborah and Jeff J. Got it. I think the way they approach interventions is beyond brilliant, right? Mm-hmm. . So most of the time for me, if, if, if this family, if these people have talked about and talked about wanting to offer this person a lifeline, mm. It may be very appropriate to invite them. If the family feels as though that person is either gonna overuse mm-hmm. harm themselves, perhaps harm someone else, or Bolt, then it's more of we're gonna have a coffee. Yep. Mm-hmm. , and we're just gonna share what's been on our heart. And then you get the floor. Yeah. Mm-hmm. , and I'm telling you, , nine 99% of the time the identified person wants to be in the meeting. Mm-hmm. , [00:10:00] because we as human beings love to be talked about . Right. And especially if I know from the get-go that you're gonna tell me things that are. lovely about me, right? I'm gonna want and sit. I don't, I'm gonna want to sit and hear you. Yeah. Mm-hmm. a hundred percent rarely had someone up and leave. All I say is your family is struggling. Mm-hmm. , they feel powerless. How to help you. They've asked me to join you. They have a few things they wanna say to you, and then if you're willing to listen to. the floor is yours. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. And so we literally go around the circle. We know where everyone's seated. We've had a rehearsal, we've gone through the letters. Everyone's heard each other's letters. Mm-hmm. . So now the healing begins with the family because there are secrets that perhaps come out in these letters that a person hasn't heard. Mm-hmm. , for instance, just came off an intervention. Grandmother, [00:11:00] mother of the identified person. shared with me that she was an alcoholic, ex-husband, was an alcoholic father to this son was an alcoholic. He died of a alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, and she was emotionally and physically abused, and he never knew that. He never knew it. Wow. Incredible. She tells me, she starts crying and saying, I've never shared this out loud. I'm getting goosebumps even telling you this. . I said, Sally, you need to put it in your letter. Oh no, it's been under the rug. We gotta talk about that. Mm-hmm. , it's been under the rug for 45 years. Yep. Son is 50. Wow. Can you put that in your letter? Yep. It would be so important. Yeah. For your son to hear this Graham: and it really reframes the entire family system, right? It's, it's a hundred, a hundred percent. It's everything that we've [00:12:00] ever known. This whole perception of who we are as a family is false. Right? Oh and a hundred percent. And it really kind of is those, those types of, I feel like that piece of information can really wake somebody up and say, holy cow. You know? And again, and it's. You know, we're not, you know, just trying to work with a client here. You know, we're, we're working with the family, right? Mm-hmm. , and this is a family disease. And, and that's, you know, I love working with somebody like yourself because by the time they get to us, they're kind of teed up and the, and the, the family is, you know, been coached and they know what to expect and they're. Ready to hold the line. And you know, it's, it's difficult when we get families who don't really understand that concept that, you know, listen, we're working with, with you, but we're also working with the family as well, because everybody needs to do some work here. Right. Frances: The secrets will kill a family system. Yep. They will destroy the fabric in the family. And when she said it out loud, he visibly. Began to shake all over Wow. [00:13:00] As he's been the identified black sheep. Right. Everybody else has been towing the line and just living the sort of perfect life. Mom shares this bombshell and all of a sudden now, mom and son are both sharing in this pain and suffering. Wow. And they're, and the and, and the empathy. is is literally tangible in the room where Sun says, , oh my gosh. I've known, I've known that there was something off. Mm-hmm. in this family. I could feel it. I never knew what it was. And at 50 years old, he hears the secret that mom has been protecting. No wonder, no wonder he's using, he is literally physically embodying the trauma, the generational trauma. Yep. Mm-hmm. that, who knows where it started? Yeah. I mean, it could have. [00:14:00] three generations ago, five generations ago. Yep. The family begins to heal no matter what the identified person chooses. Mm-hmm. for him or herself. In terms of his own recovery. The family begins to heal right away. This is secret that the other brother never knew. Yeah. Best friends never knew. Wife never knew. Wow. Jesus. And we're all hearing. Except for me. Right. All at the same time. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible, incredible, incredible. Dr. Harold Hong: Tell us, Francis, a little bit about what was going on with the family, that, that got them up to that moment of, of reaching out to you. Like how did they reach Frances: the of their life? Ah, ah, great question. Wife. I always fall in love with the family. Just so you know. , , I love this woman so much. I've known her for a whopping two months. Right, right. She's incredible. Well, Graham: you get very close to these people, you know, [00:15:00] doing this Dr. Harold Hong: type of work. You're spending like months getting to know them Frances: well, it just depends on how. Desperate. The crisis is Uhhuh. . I've done it in four days. This family, this woman, this wife specifically planned it to be post his birthday. Mm-hmm. and post a skiing trip. Yep. . Right? Some families don't have that kind of time, right? Mm-hmm. , because there's too much risk. She thought she could do it. She's been living with it for five years. She called me because her therapist, and she lives outside of New York City. Mm-hmm. I live part-time in New York City. She's been talking to her therapist. Her therapist told me to call, told her to call me. It took her six months to pick up the phone and call me. She Wow. And the reason she was willing to call me is that she finally realized she was done. Yep. And what she said was, I'm living a single parent life in a two-parent home, and I've never been [00:16:00] lonely here. Yeah. This husband, who is just an awesome star got laid off in Covid. Mm-hmm. , and he's an extrovert and his world crashed and burned and he sleeps until 2:00 PM He wakes up just in time to pick up their 10 year old daughter from school. he's sober for about four hours, starts drinking at about six, and then he stays up until five. Wow. And she said when her daughter, her 10 year old daughter, came to her after Christmas and said, why does daddy sleep all day? Hmm. I don't feel safe with him in the car when he picks me up from school. Chill bumps again. Yep. Then mommy knew right then and there. if I don't do this, I am modeling to my daughter that this is normal. Yep. And this is not normal. And mom knew right then and there to save her daughter, she had to [00:17:00] intervene on daughter's behalf. Yeah. To save the two of them. It's so, it, it makes me wanna weep. I mean, I mean, the strength of these families is. and then we have other families who are really stuck. Right. Yep. Really, really stuck. And I have those too. But Graham: yeah. And you know, it is, I think back to the arise training, you know, sometimes too. And one of the, the pieces that I loved that we pulled out of that was, and Dr. Hong actually, you know, uses the genogram. Yeah. Quite often with our assessment clients and. And it's just so incredible and so powerful to you know, the genogram is a chart. It's kind of a family tree, so to speak, where we start going generations back and start identifying some of the issues and some of the, you know, the family system issues, some of the individual issues with you know, generations previously. And, What was so cool that I found from it was when the, the person got sober the following generations. You saw that break in addiction, right? And you saw that break in the cycle which is so, so powerful. [00:18:00] And, you know, I'm a person in recovery. My wife is a person in recovery. We have three daughters. And you know, it used to say, gosh, you know, chances are one of 'em is gonna have an issue. But you know, my hope is that we are raising them. In a very different household. Mm-hmm. than, you know, a lot of us grew up in. Right. And, and you know, hopefully we can model that behavior and listen, we're not perfect and you know, life happens and everybody, it's tough raising kids these days, But you know. Do you still use a genogram? Frances: I do. Yeah. And what I've noticed in, in looking at that and filling it out. Sometimes it's on the fly. Yeah. Sometimes I have longer. Yep. And it really begins to. Clarify itself when I have these one-on-one conversations with every single person in the circle. Yep. I, I, I require that, I mean, I su highly suggest it because I learned so much right about the family system when I have individual conversations with everyone here, and what I am [00:19:00] becoming so clear about is that generational. Substance use disorder, mental health trauma, trauma is beneath so much of what I see. Yep. When I enter a family system. Yep. And when I started, I didn't understand the power of the generational trauma. Yep, yep. Yeah. It's amazing if we don't stop the cycle. . It just gets passed down. Yeah. It just continues on and on. Yep. All the time. Graham particularly, particularly with the mental health stuff. Yep. Mm-hmm. , we live what we learn. Yep. We live what we learn. . Graham: Yep. Yeah. And as Dr. Hong likes to say, one of my favorite quotes is from you is where there's addiction, there's trauma, . You know, and that's just, that's the [00:20:00] reality of, of the world these days. And a hundred percent, I mean, I would say we see it with, with most in or if not all clients. Right? Dr. Harold Hong: Totally. A hundred percent. It, I mean, the, the family you're talking about, I mean, you just feel the pain and the weight that they've been carrying for generations. it. One, one thing that I, I learned in my ethics class way back in college was there's a strange good reason mm-hmm. for every bad thing that we do, and with all the pain and the weight that this family's carrying addiction as a way to deal with that pain. It just makes sense. Mm-hmm. , but there's so much judgment and shame and dysfunction that comes along with it, and you. what you're talking about, Francis, sounds like such a relief, like the people in the family are getting what they wanted for so long, but what about all the pain and anger that's come along with it at the same time?[00:21:00] Frances: And what's so wild, Dr. Hong is this mother who's been carrying the secret for 45 years. Hmm. She has congestive heart failure. Okay. She's got high blood. and she's got high cholesterol. Mm-hmm. . She says that her pain medication costs her 25 grand a year. Holy God. And I wanna know if she had shared that secret 45 years ago and been willing to be vulnerable mm-hmm. with these children and really help the children understand it wasn't her fault. It may not have even been daddy's fault. He has a disease. I have a disease. , we can get help for this disease. Would she have less health problems? Now jury is out. Mm-hmm. But my sense is that trauma lives in the body. Hundred percent. And the body never, ever, ever forgets. [00:22:00] In fact, interestingly enough, because it's soak, it's so fresh in my mind, right? Mm-hmm. , I just got off the plane yesterday. Yeah. That the husband said to mom. Daughter doesn't know about this, right? Oh, she's 10. And in fact, the wife said, no daughter's actually written you a letter. Dr. Harold Hong: Wow. She was, she was actually the reason she was, she was hundred percent right? Frances: A hundred Graham: percent. The delusion is strong, right? The Frances: delusion and denial is like the Berlin wall, truly, and what she asked. Her husband in that moment, because husband now had heard mom share his letter. He, she asked, what did you know? Did you know anything at 10? Yep. And he said, I knew something was wrong. Right? [00:23:00] Yep. And so then she asked husband, so what do you think Vivian knows at 10? Hmm. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. Frances: The body never Graham: forgets. And you know, and, and you hear that all the time with you know, with people that are, you know, trying to, you know, find treatment on their own is that they need to, you know, they want to keep it a secret or they don't want this person to know, or they don't want that person to know. And the reality is, We're always the last people to know Right. We we're fooling ourselves if we think that everybody around us doesn't know exactly what's going on, you know? And in some cases it's, you know, kind of waiting for people to really crash and burn and, and get willing to, to seek treatment. But yeah, I mean, I love how you spoke about trauma. And you know, how it's stored in the body. And I mean, I am a huge believer in that, number one. And, and one of the things that we started doing here at, at New Waters is really introducing a lot of these holistic modalities, right? And doing, you know, massage, acupuncture, breath work, which has been. Incredible for our [00:24:00] clients. It, it has hands down their favorite thing that they do here. And that was a big surprise to me, right? So we're, you know, gonna be adding more of that type of work. But, you know, it's incredible to see these clients go in and they do a breath work session and they don't have any clue what it is, what it's all about. And they have this like, transformational experience. And really what they're doing is they're just releasing that energy, releasing that trauma, and it's. You know, it's a, it's kind of a short glimpse into, you know, some of these modalities that we can really utilize that are great tools for us when we're in recovery. But I know that you, you know, are a very holistic person and, you know, you believe in, in all these types of, of things. So would you elaborate a little bit on that and your, your work with it? I Frances: will. Yeah. So when I was, I, my, my card caring, most proud achievement is that I've been a sober. . Mm-hmm. 35 years. Which, which is a miracle. A miracle . But early on when my children were infants, I took up yoga. Mm-hmm. , and I'm [00:25:00] dating myself because I used a videotape , not a DVD v Mm-hmm. not, not a YouTube. Yep. A videotape. Yeah. And what I had heard in recovery, Was that the mind was not a welcome place for me. Mm-hmm. to stay for very long. I had no idea what that meant. But a friend in recovery said, you may wanna try some yoga. Mm-hmm. And in the very first Asanga class tape that I watch, , they taught breath work. Mm. At the end of class, in Sanskrit, it's called pr, yama prana meaning breath. It's it's a, it's an ancient word, ancient language. It's hard n not spoken anymore. Mm-hmm. Except in the yoga world, prana means breath. It means life. Mm-hmm. . And yama means control. Right. [00:26:00] Control of the breath. And it's actually. The, the fourth limb of this eight limb practice that is thousands. Mm-hmm. of years old. Wow. And I realized that in those early days of parenting and recovery, I was about five years sober at the time that I just needed some grounding practice. Mm-hmm. , and between being challenged to stay in the body, take the. into the heart. Underneath the skin. Into the body. Mm-hmm. , be there. Be on your mat. Breathe. Yep. Just for 55 minutes while the kids were napping, it began to change my life. Yep. Truly. And what I realize is this breath work, this mindfulness practice of being right here, right now. Mm-hmm. , observing, [00:27:00] noticing with no judgment. Hmm. is literally 5,000 years old. It's probably as old as millennia. Right. And we westerners think we, we, we just, we just found it. Right? ? Yeah. Graham: A hundred percent. Yep. Frances: Uhhuh and I hear a lot, oh, this facility offers mindfulness and breath work and body work and yoga and. . Same. Same. Like this is what I do. I'm a yoga instructor. I teach students how to become teachers, right? Mm-hmm. and I lead a mindfulness practice. That's the curriculum that I wrote and I teach. It's all about mindfulness and Okay, we're just catching on. Mm-hmm. and the Desert Monks. . Yep. The yogis have been doing it for literally 5,000 years. , but you know, we haven't known what we haven't known and I'm so grateful. Mm-hmm. for the practice, it is at our fingertips. It can be at a [00:28:00] stoplight. Yep. It can be while we're watching the coffee drip. It can be every time the phone rings, it can be every time we hear a text ding. Literally just to pause and to breathe and notice what am I, believ? Literally, what am I believing right here in this moment, right? Is my story 10 miles out or am I beating myself up for something that happened 10 miles ago, right? Mm-hmm. , where my feet are, that's where I am right here, right now, I'm just here staying with my beloved son, his wife, and. Precious. Just wanna say precious grandchildren, Uhhuh , and on Sesame Street, they're learning, I think, from Elmo to breathe. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's about time. Breathe [00:29:00] in. Breathe out. Mm-hmm. , breathe in, breathe out. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. It works in schools. It works at three and it works at 33 and 63, Dr. Harold Hong: a hundred percent. I, I gotta say though, I think culturally in the West we have just lost touch with reality. . Like we believe that we can work, eat, sleep, wake up, do it all over again, and that is sustainable for decades. it doesn't work. And, and what I see happen is our clients do that. They get burned out. Well, it's the Graham: expectation Dr. Harold Hong: too, right? Right. It's like you're not normal. If you can't do this, you can't do this. Right. And, and they burn out. The pain is unbearable and alcohol becomes that good idea in a bad situation. And then they, they hit bottom. And, and so our clients here, when I talk to them, , they feel so shocked that they feel better when they actually take care of themselves. . Right. You [00:30:00] know, it's like a mystery has suddenly been solved for them. Right. But this, it's just, it, it goes back to this what the vibe I was getting from what you were talking about and this family story, is that there's this massive reality under the surface that people are just out of touch with. They are so fortunate to have worked with you, Francis, cuz you, you connected them with the truth of their family and it sounds like such a huge blessing to them that all these things they've wanted are finally available to them. Mm-hmm. , Frances: they they were so grateful, but it's not me. Mm-hmm. , I'm just literally, I am just. Hands and feet of a higher power. Yep. And I just decide I'm walking alongside you and you can do it because we all need encouragement, guidance, and accountability. And that's what our [00:31:00] three-legged stool is as our whole family's mantra is that we're there to. , encourage and hold some kind of accountability. And it's not my accountability, it's their accountability to themselves. Mm-hmm. , I just hold the mirror up, hopefully with a little bit of meta, a little bit of loving kindness and empathy. Mm-hmm. , they're doing the heavy lifting. I'm not, I just ask questions. Dr. Harold Hong: Well, I'm, I'm blown away by this, this spiritual realm that you're, you're bringing up. And I, I've been in situations with clients. , you feel that there's a spirit in the room, and I think a lot of the people who are listening or watching would really benefit from hearing a little bit about what it's like to be in the room and, and does it result in a moment of decision and, and, mm-hmm. If you could tell us about a time where something like that comes to mind for Frances: you. Well, given that it just happened 24 hours ago, , [00:32:00] I can tell you about this one. The spiritual life is truly sacred to me. I feel like I've learned. Everything I know about the spiritual life from the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Mm-hmm. . It's not recovery for everyone. Mm-hmm. . I know that, and I'm so grateful that there are other modes of recovery out there because the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't float everybody's boat. I happen to have gotten. Privilege Miracle to be able to get sober in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I walked into my very first a meeting in midtown Manhattan, and I've been sober ever since, and that is not me. That is my higher power, having some kind of grace and mercy. Mm-hmm. toward me. And for me, it's the power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the most profound [00:33:00] pathway. Toward living a life of contentment and peace and service that I know, and they can be used on top of batons, eightfold Path, Buddhas Four Step Path, smart Recovery Refuge Recovery. The, the, the, the, the language that the 12 steps use can be so fluid and so open and so gracious. It, it makes my heart heavy when, when I hear somebody saying it's not for me. Mm-hmm. , because I feel like there's a big tent there, but nonetheless mm-hmm. I am passionate about, for me the fact. Staying sober, and I mean really sober, working hard in the interior life to be [00:34:00] transparent, to be authentic. I did not live an authentic life when I was using. Mm-hmm. . What I was feeling inside was not what you were getting outside. Mm-hmm. . And that disconnect was the thing that brought me to my knees. Truly, I was imploding. Mm-hmm. . . The spiritual life is hugely, hugely important to me, and I I'm very open with families when I'm working with them, and I'm very open with clients in early recovery as their coach that I don't care what it is, but it can't be you. Mm-hmm. . Yep. It can be your higher self. Yep. There's plenty of Buddhist. for the 12 steps of recovery. Mm-hmm. , if that's your, yeah. If that's your thing. But it cannot, it cannot be my own self will. because my own self will got me to my knees. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. And I think too, that it's also important to highlight that for me at least, religion and spirituality [00:35:00] are very different things. Right. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up is they think, oh, this is a religious program, or this is that, or they say God, or, you know, and, and you know, it's, again, as you just said, it's, it's very fluid, right. And you know, and it's just a start, right? And it's, and you just gotta. do your part to believe in something. But I think that puts a lot of people off. And, and it's always interesting when I'm, you know, talking with clients and they say, oh, I, I went to some meetings and it didn't, wasn't for me. I, you know, I couldn't relate or yada yada yada. And, and then my next question is typically like, well, tell me what that experience was really like cuz it's inevitably. Went to a meeting or two and sat in the back and didn't say hi to anybody. And you know, that's, that's not what 12 step is. Right. And you know, typically the reason that we say go to 90 and 90, me, you know, 90 meetings and 90 days is so that you go to a ton of different meetings. And you find your people, right? Yeah. And, and that's really, it's not, you know, this isn't a sentence, you know, that we're giving you, like, you need to go to a meeting every day. It's, it's for your benefits so that you can really [00:36:00] find your tribe, you know? And that's what it's all about. So, you know, and I think that it's really unfortunate that, that, that, like spiritual component p puts people off because it's, it really like, in order to, to recover from this thing, we need to have a total psychic shift. And I think that that only happens really at the spiritual. , right. We're so disconnected and and it's just such a, an important element and I feel like people are just so fearful of talking about it. You know, it's unfortunate. Frances: I also think that substance use disorder and mental health can be so isolating. Mm-hmm. , I think that those diseases are diseases of isolation. Mm-hmm. and I really believe. That we need community connection. Absolutely. And connection. Yep. Connection. And I a hundred percent agree with you. I have a client now [00:37:00] who's been to treatment living in a sober house in DC and that was his expectation by the sober house. 90 and 90. Yep. Right there on DuPont Circle. And that was the very thing, find your people. Yeah. Because this 30 year. . I get it. I understand it. His life has come to a crashing halt. He thinks he has literally come to the end of his existence because he has no idea, because the culture is out there presenting it. That if he can't have a drink, well, let's just say it's not a drink. We know that by the time we get to treatment, it's not a drink. Right. That he can't have Graham: a life. Yep. That's so hard. Yeah, so Frances: painful. And if he finds his people, Yep. It's not gonna take 90 meetings. New York City, Raleigh, New York, they're all over these 20 and 30 somethings and they're living a life they never imagined. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's [00:38:00] beautiful. And they realize that. We can do it without alcohol and drugs. Graham: Mm-hmm. and, you know, do it in, in such a dramatic, amazing way too. I mean, that was, you know, I was 26 when I, when I went to treatment for the first time, or really the only time. And you know, I was super fortunate and I still say like, I was touched by the hand of God when I was about two weeks in a treatment. I all of a sudden just had this. Shift this awareness where I said, okay, I can sit here and say my life is over because I can't use these substances. How am I going to, you know, what's my wedding gonna be Like, what's my, you know, this, that, and the other thing that I listed off. And, you know, I couldn't possibly do these things without drinking. Right. And I all of a sudden have this awareness that I can, I can, you know, be down and out because of that, or I can just start doing awesome stuff. And I started fly fishing. I started playing more golf and I just like threw myself into all these different hobbies and things that I'd always dreamt about doing. But I didn't do because I was drinking by myself in a basement in Boston, , you know, . So, you know, [00:39:00] once I like had that kind of shift in perspective, I was like, oh wow, this, this, you know, life can be amazing. And then, you know, I still, I go to a ton of concerts and. I just do it differently now, right? I go with the right people and I don't go to the concert four hours before the concert and sit in the parking lot, you know, because nothing good is happening there for me, right? But then now I can remember the concert, which is a whole new thing, , which I never did before, but, Yeah, I mean, I think especially with young guys, you know, it's, and women as well, but you know, I've primarily worked with a lot more young males and and it's just getting them fired up about life again, right? Mm-hmm. and, and whatever it is, if it's free diving, spear fishing, fly fi, whatever, they're into skiing, you know, just getting reconnected with that is, makes all the difference in the world with these young. . Yeah. Yeah. Agree. Yep. Dr. Harold Hong: So for instance, with all the, with how amazing life can be after recovery, I think a lot of people, they don't know what joy is or happiness is until [00:40:00] they've gone through the recovery. But again, people just don't know what they don't know. Right? And so if, if there are people out there who, who have a sense like maybe something's not right with my loved one or, or our family system. , like what are some things that are a telltale sign that they, they would really benefit by working with someone like you? Like what are some things that they could have noticed a year before they hit rock bottom or six months before they hit rock bottom? What are some signs that they Frances: need help? That's a really good question. What's interesting for me is that by the time I walk in the. for the loved one, that loved one knows exactly what's happening. Mm-hmm. time and time and time again. Mm-hmm. and 90 plus percent, the loved [00:41:00] one in the meeting will say, yeah, I've had a problem. Mm-hmm. , which is often surprising to me because I know how heavy and large and wide denial is. Mm. And what's interesting is that families, when they call me, I ask them, how long have you known it was a problem? And inevitably, the longer they talk to me, the longer we are working through the process, writing the letters, having conversations, the longer the usage tends to be. Mm-hmm. where. Oh, it's just the past three months? Nah, no, actually it's been a couple years. No, actually it's more like five years. No, actually it started in high school. Whoa. And what I often hear from families is I wish I'd said something then, but I didn't know what to say. Yep. And one of the things that I know, and [00:42:00] you all know, is that words can be pretty thin. Mm-hmm. pretty cheap and often ineffective. Mm-hmm. , we're never gonna convince someone that they need to go get help one-on-one. Yeah. One-on-one. It will never work. The disease, whether it's mental health and or substance use disorder, will run circles around us. Yep. Wow. So what I often say to families, Compassion, compassion, compassion. It takes what it takes. And no matter how bad it's been, we're gonna offer a solution today. Yep. And who knows whether it would've worked 10 years ago, five years ago, five months ago. When the family is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . You know, it's the same as when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . . Dr. Harold Hong: It's beautiful. [00:43:00] Wow. Graham: I love it. Well, you know, this has been a great conversation and I think you have given us such, so much great information for families and hopefully they can, they can, you know, reach out to you if they need help. And we will have all of your information you know, in our, in our clip, in our thumbnail on, on the website. So thank you so much, Francis, for coming in. This is always such a pleasure of seeing you spending time with you. Thank you. and look forward to working with some more clients with you soon. Yes, Frances: yes, likewise, collaboration. Thank you both so much. It's been a privilege. Thank you. Course. Graham: Thanks y'all. Show Notes Welcome to the New Waters Recovery podcast, where we explore the journey to recovery alongside esteemed guests from the addiction treatment industry. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Frances Murchison, a professional certified interventionist and recovery coach from Whole Family Intervention, who brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. With over three decades of sobriety, Frances is a holistic health coach, author, speaker, retreat leader, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting individuals and families to break free from addiction and embrace a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. In this episode, our CEO/Founder, Graham Doerge, Medical Director, Dr. Harold Hong, and Frances Murchison, dive deep into the intervention process, which is a carefully planned procedure that involves a team of professionals and loved ones. The aim is to encourage individuals struggling with addiction to seek help in a compassionate, caring, and respectful manner. Frances shares valuable insights into the intervention process, from preparing for the intervention to selecting a treatment center. She emphasizes the significance of having a trained interventionist to guide the process, ensuring that it is done with the utmost sensitivity. Throughout the podcast, Frances dispels common myths and misconceptions about interventions while addressing the role of family dynamics in the recovery process. Listeners gain practical strategies and tips for navigating the intervention process, providing hope and support to those struggling with addiction. Join us on the New Waters Recovery podcast as we journey towards recovery together. Don't forget to subscribe and tune in weekly to gain further insights from our esteemed guests. Frances Murchison Links: https://www.wilmingtonyogacenter.com/teachers/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-36631919/ https://www.arise-network.com/expert/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-72ba3b188/ https://www.facebook.com/frances.murchison/ https://mindfullyfed.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964436.Frances_Murchison

< Back to Episodes Ryan Jarrell & Justin Mclendon Levels of Care in Addiction Treatment 27:56 min | Ryan & Justin | Finding New Waters Join our Executive Director, Justin McLendon, and our Continuing Care COO, Ryan Jarrell, as they discuss the levels of care in addiction treatment and the continuum of care. Ryan is a specialist in substance use counseling and mental health counseling, while Justin shares his personal experience with addiction. Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Subscribe "One of the things that I we provide at the detox level of care at New Waters Recovery and other institutions like us, is we're able to provide the sense of safety for the client and the client's stakeholders, their family, and loved ones." Ryan Jarrell Podcast Transcript Graham: [00:00:00] Good morning and welcome to our inaugural podcast, finding New Waters. My name is Graham Durge and I'm the founder and CEO of New Waters Recovery in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm joined here today by our medical director, Dr. Harold Hong and Francis Sson from Whole Family Interventions. Francis is a professional, certified interventionist recovery coach, life coach, and holistic health coach. In addition, Francis is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and a yoga instructor with 35 years of sobriety. Francis believes addiction is a family disease which is exhibited in her work as a coach. Her mission is to help individuals and families make grace-filled changes toward health and wellbeing so that they can live a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. Francis has published two books, breathe, see, nourish. Energize A Pathway to Healing and Heal Your whole Body. The 12 Day Power Plan to flush toxins, balance hormones, and reset your body's most essential organ. Our goal in creating Finding New Waters is to create a resource for families to help navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one [00:01:00] struggling with substance use, dependence, or mental health. The fact of the matter is that when we find ourselves in crisis due to one of these issues, most people have no idea what direction to turn. My hope is that we can help shed some light into what can be many families' darkest. And Francis, thank you for joining us today. Obviously always a pleasure to get to see your face and spend a little bit of time with you. And I'll, I'll just start with like a little bit of background. Francis and I actually met years ago. At the Arise Intervention Training up at Cumberland Heights, up in Nashville. So I kind of saw her starting this journey and it's just been amazing to, to see it all transpire and, and all the amazing work that you're doing up to this point is, is really incredible. So thanks for coming Frances: today. It's a privilege to be here with you. I'm so proud. Of what you've accomplished here and it's it's an honor to be here. Thank Graham: you. Fantastic. Thank you. So, you know, wanted to start out today you know, with a couple questions. I know that you [00:02:00] just got off a flight from doing an intervention, right? Thank, and obviously that's kind of the, the core of, of, of what you're doing these days. So can you tell us a little bit about. You know, in particular the intervention that you, you know, just were a part of, but you know, maybe the intervention process and, you know, what families need to kind of learn about what an intervention is and, you know, just give us a little bit of background on, on kind of the mechanics of, of that process. Frances: Can do. Yeah. I think the first thing that I wanna say is that the way whole families. Orchestrates interventions is nothing like the show , , and that there is a preconceived notion among many families that it is a meeting that is confrontational. Mm-hmm. and can feel quite shaming. Hmm. To the identified person. Hmm. Often a loved one, and I am passionately committed [00:03:00] to the concept that the meeting itself is a meeting of love. It's a meeting of truth, and it's a meaning of a meeting of kindness and it's solution based. Yep. So the way it begins is often the call that I get, is often the last gasp that the family has. Yep. To try to help their loved one. I am truly the last house on the block if I'm getting the call. They've tried in their mind everything else. Yep. So it's often a call of desperation. Yeah. And what I tell families is that true, that often it is the case that we don't get better. We don't ask for help. We don't want to get help until we, I, as a, as an addicted person, [00:04:00] have come to the end of my rope. Ha I've hit my bottom. But I also, and I also believe that interventions. when the family has hit their bottom mm-hmm. and when they are suffering enough mm-hmm. to say, we're done and we need help. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And often that is exactly what I say to the identified person. The minute we walk in the door is, your family reached out to me because they are suffering and they don't know how to help you. Yeah. And so we're gonna be here to offer you a. , right? So the process begins by someone in the family reaching out to me and saying, my loved one is suffering. How do I get them to treatment? How do I get them to start this road to recovery? And one of the first things that I ask this person is, Do you have a line in the sand that you're willing to draw? If this person in your life whom you love or [00:05:00] have loved, maybe they're at their end of their rope too. Do you have a line in the sand if they don't go right? Because if they don't have a clear boundary, if they don't have a clear consequence, if they don't have a clear. line in the sand, then we need to work on one and come back to me, or I'll help you create one, right? Because simply to ask your loved one to go to treatment. When you don't have in the back of your mind, if you don't go, I'm willing to do or I'm not willing to do it. In my experience, it's not gonna be nearly as successful. . Yep. And that often for families, it's a very challenging place for them to land because they don't think that that's loving, right? Mm-hmm. , right? And what I tell families is, the most loving thing you can do is to speak the truth in love. Mm-hmm. tell them you're suffering and offer them a solution. , right? [00:06:00] So then I say to the person who's reached out to me, do you have a posse? Do you have three to four people? Five people? Four? Whom with whom your loved one has a relationship? Cares deeply enough about what they have to share. Do does your loved one care about having a relationship with this person long-term? I can't have anyone in the room who, for whom? Or with whom? The loved one has a massive resentment. Mm-hmm. , or has a massive resentment toward mm-hmm. . There's no room for resentment or shame or blame or any condemning language. This is a love meeting. Yeah. Nothing but compass. and empathy. They may not have it at this moment because they may be kind of sort of done, but we're gonna at least pretend right for this meeting and we're gonna prepare mm-hmm. for that meeting by having one-on-one conversations with me, and I'm gonna help you [00:07:00] go down memory lane. You're literally opening up your photo album and you're gonna remember. Beautiful times that you've had with this person way before this person picked up or began struggling with mental health challenges. Right. And we're literally gonna share those memories with your loved one because that person has forgotten. Mm-hmm. , that person has forgotten who they are at their core. Mm-hmm. , how much they're loved, how much they have been affirmed and appreciated. In their life by this circle of friends and family. Mm-hmm. . So I help the family members, friends, employers, maybe. Mm-hmm. . Literally go down memory lane and pull those up. Remember, bro, remember when we were sailing around the islands and we saw the sunrise and we were drinking coffee, and you told me this was [00:08:00] like the most incredible moment of your life. We're gonna, we're gonna share those right memories with each other. Yep. And with you. Yeah. Yeah. I love you so much. I'm not willing to sit on the sideline and watch your life implode. Mm-hmm. because of your substance use disorder or your mental health challenges. Yeah. I love you too much to let you stay here. Hmm. And this is how we've shared our lives together. Yep. Graham: Love it. Yeah, absolutely Love it. So powerful. Frances: So, so, so in that preparation we do that and then they set out writing their letters where they put it down in writing. Mm-hmm. Graham: Now, are you inviting them to the intervention, the, the person of concern? Frances: You ask a great question. Yeah. Because there's so many approaches, right. To interventions. I. Kind of sorta created my own approach [00:09:00] by what I feel like picking the best out of a rise, and also following love first with Deborah and Jeff J. Got it. I think the way they approach interventions is beyond brilliant, right? Mm-hmm. . So most of the time for me, if, if, if this family, if these people have talked about and talked about wanting to offer this person a lifeline, mm. It may be very appropriate to invite them. If the family feels as though that person is either gonna overuse mm-hmm. harm themselves, perhaps harm someone else, or Bolt, then it's more of we're gonna have a coffee. Yep. Mm-hmm. , and we're just gonna share what's been on our heart. And then you get the floor. Yeah. Mm-hmm. , and I'm telling you, , nine 99% of the time the identified person wants to be in the meeting. Mm-hmm. , [00:10:00] because we as human beings love to be talked about . Right. And especially if I know from the get-go that you're gonna tell me things that are. lovely about me, right? I'm gonna want and sit. I don't, I'm gonna want to sit and hear you. Yeah. Mm-hmm. a hundred percent rarely had someone up and leave. All I say is your family is struggling. Mm-hmm. , they feel powerless. How to help you. They've asked me to join you. They have a few things they wanna say to you, and then if you're willing to listen to. the floor is yours. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. And so we literally go around the circle. We know where everyone's seated. We've had a rehearsal, we've gone through the letters. Everyone's heard each other's letters. Mm-hmm. . So now the healing begins with the family because there are secrets that perhaps come out in these letters that a person hasn't heard. Mm-hmm. , for instance, just came off an intervention. Grandmother, [00:11:00] mother of the identified person. shared with me that she was an alcoholic, ex-husband, was an alcoholic father to this son was an alcoholic. He died of a alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, and she was emotionally and physically abused, and he never knew that. He never knew it. Wow. Incredible. She tells me, she starts crying and saying, I've never shared this out loud. I'm getting goosebumps even telling you this. . I said, Sally, you need to put it in your letter. Oh no, it's been under the rug. We gotta talk about that. Mm-hmm. , it's been under the rug for 45 years. Yep. Son is 50. Wow. Can you put that in your letter? Yep. It would be so important. Yeah. For your son to hear this Graham: and it really reframes the entire family system, right? It's, it's a hundred, a hundred percent. It's everything that we've [00:12:00] ever known. This whole perception of who we are as a family is false. Right? Oh and a hundred percent. And it really kind of is those, those types of, I feel like that piece of information can really wake somebody up and say, holy cow. You know? And again, and it's. You know, we're not, you know, just trying to work with a client here. You know, we're, we're working with the family, right? Mm-hmm. , and this is a family disease. And, and that's, you know, I love working with somebody like yourself because by the time they get to us, they're kind of teed up and the, and the, the family is, you know, been coached and they know what to expect and they're. Ready to hold the line. And you know, it's, it's difficult when we get families who don't really understand that concept that, you know, listen, we're working with, with you, but we're also working with the family as well, because everybody needs to do some work here. Right. Frances: The secrets will kill a family system. Yep. They will destroy the fabric in the family. And when she said it out loud, he visibly. Began to shake all over Wow. [00:13:00] As he's been the identified black sheep. Right. Everybody else has been towing the line and just living the sort of perfect life. Mom shares this bombshell and all of a sudden now, mom and son are both sharing in this pain and suffering. Wow. And they're, and the and, and the empathy. is is literally tangible in the room where Sun says, , oh my gosh. I've known, I've known that there was something off. Mm-hmm. in this family. I could feel it. I never knew what it was. And at 50 years old, he hears the secret that mom has been protecting. No wonder, no wonder he's using, he is literally physically embodying the trauma, the generational trauma. Yep. Mm-hmm. that, who knows where it started? Yeah. I mean, it could have. [00:14:00] three generations ago, five generations ago. Yep. The family begins to heal no matter what the identified person chooses. Mm-hmm. for him or herself. In terms of his own recovery. The family begins to heal right away. This is secret that the other brother never knew. Yeah. Best friends never knew. Wife never knew. Wow. Jesus. And we're all hearing. Except for me. Right. All at the same time. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible, incredible, incredible. Dr. Harold Hong: Tell us, Francis, a little bit about what was going on with the family, that, that got them up to that moment of, of reaching out to you. Like how did they reach Frances: the of their life? Ah, ah, great question. Wife. I always fall in love with the family. Just so you know. , , I love this woman so much. I've known her for a whopping two months. Right, right. She's incredible. Well, Graham: you get very close to these people, you know, [00:15:00] doing this Dr. Harold Hong: type of work. You're spending like months getting to know them Frances: well, it just depends on how. Desperate. The crisis is Uhhuh. . I've done it in four days. This family, this woman, this wife specifically planned it to be post his birthday. Mm-hmm. and post a skiing trip. Yep. . Right? Some families don't have that kind of time, right? Mm-hmm. , because there's too much risk. She thought she could do it. She's been living with it for five years. She called me because her therapist, and she lives outside of New York City. Mm-hmm. I live part-time in New York City. She's been talking to her therapist. Her therapist told me to call, told her to call me. It took her six months to pick up the phone and call me. She Wow. And the reason she was willing to call me is that she finally realized she was done. Yep. And what she said was, I'm living a single parent life in a two-parent home, and I've never been [00:16:00] lonely here. Yeah. This husband, who is just an awesome star got laid off in Covid. Mm-hmm. , and he's an extrovert and his world crashed and burned and he sleeps until 2:00 PM He wakes up just in time to pick up their 10 year old daughter from school. he's sober for about four hours, starts drinking at about six, and then he stays up until five. Wow. And she said when her daughter, her 10 year old daughter, came to her after Christmas and said, why does daddy sleep all day? Hmm. I don't feel safe with him in the car when he picks me up from school. Chill bumps again. Yep. Then mommy knew right then and there. if I don't do this, I am modeling to my daughter that this is normal. Yep. And this is not normal. And mom knew right then and there to save her daughter, she had to [00:17:00] intervene on daughter's behalf. Yeah. To save the two of them. It's so, it, it makes me wanna weep. I mean, I mean, the strength of these families is. and then we have other families who are really stuck. Right. Yep. Really, really stuck. And I have those too. But Graham: yeah. And you know, it is, I think back to the arise training, you know, sometimes too. And one of the, the pieces that I loved that we pulled out of that was, and Dr. Hong actually, you know, uses the genogram. Yeah. Quite often with our assessment clients and. And it's just so incredible and so powerful to you know, the genogram is a chart. It's kind of a family tree, so to speak, where we start going generations back and start identifying some of the issues and some of the, you know, the family system issues, some of the individual issues with you know, generations previously. And, What was so cool that I found from it was when the, the person got sober the following generations. You saw that break in addiction, right? And you saw that break in the cycle which is so, so powerful. [00:18:00] And, you know, I'm a person in recovery. My wife is a person in recovery. We have three daughters. And you know, it used to say, gosh, you know, chances are one of 'em is gonna have an issue. But you know, my hope is that we are raising them. In a very different household. Mm-hmm. than, you know, a lot of us grew up in. Right. And, and you know, hopefully we can model that behavior and listen, we're not perfect and you know, life happens and everybody, it's tough raising kids these days, But you know. Do you still use a genogram? Frances: I do. Yeah. And what I've noticed in, in looking at that and filling it out. Sometimes it's on the fly. Yeah. Sometimes I have longer. Yep. And it really begins to. Clarify itself when I have these one-on-one conversations with every single person in the circle. Yep. I, I, I require that, I mean, I su highly suggest it because I learned so much right about the family system when I have individual conversations with everyone here, and what I am [00:19:00] becoming so clear about is that generational. Substance use disorder, mental health trauma, trauma is beneath so much of what I see. Yep. When I enter a family system. Yep. And when I started, I didn't understand the power of the generational trauma. Yep, yep. Yeah. It's amazing if we don't stop the cycle. . It just gets passed down. Yeah. It just continues on and on. Yep. All the time. Graham particularly, particularly with the mental health stuff. Yep. Mm-hmm. , we live what we learn. Yep. We live what we learn. . Graham: Yep. Yeah. And as Dr. Hong likes to say, one of my favorite quotes is from you is where there's addiction, there's trauma, . You know, and that's just, that's the [00:20:00] reality of, of the world these days. And a hundred percent, I mean, I would say we see it with, with most in or if not all clients. Right? Dr. Harold Hong: Totally. A hundred percent. It, I mean, the, the family you're talking about, I mean, you just feel the pain and the weight that they've been carrying for generations. it. One, one thing that I, I learned in my ethics class way back in college was there's a strange good reason mm-hmm. for every bad thing that we do, and with all the pain and the weight that this family's carrying addiction as a way to deal with that pain. It just makes sense. Mm-hmm. , but there's so much judgment and shame and dysfunction that comes along with it, and you. what you're talking about, Francis, sounds like such a relief, like the people in the family are getting what they wanted for so long, but what about all the pain and anger that's come along with it at the same time?[00:21:00] Frances: And what's so wild, Dr. Hong is this mother who's been carrying the secret for 45 years. Hmm. She has congestive heart failure. Okay. She's got high blood. and she's got high cholesterol. Mm-hmm. . She says that her pain medication costs her 25 grand a year. Holy God. And I wanna know if she had shared that secret 45 years ago and been willing to be vulnerable mm-hmm. with these children and really help the children understand it wasn't her fault. It may not have even been daddy's fault. He has a disease. I have a disease. , we can get help for this disease. Would she have less health problems? Now jury is out. Mm-hmm. But my sense is that trauma lives in the body. Hundred percent. And the body never, ever, ever forgets. [00:22:00] In fact, interestingly enough, because it's soak, it's so fresh in my mind, right? Mm-hmm. , I just got off the plane yesterday. Yeah. That the husband said to mom. Daughter doesn't know about this, right? Oh, she's 10. And in fact, the wife said, no daughter's actually written you a letter. Dr. Harold Hong: Wow. She was, she was actually the reason she was, she was hundred percent right? Frances: A hundred Graham: percent. The delusion is strong, right? The Frances: delusion and denial is like the Berlin wall, truly, and what she asked. Her husband in that moment, because husband now had heard mom share his letter. He, she asked, what did you know? Did you know anything at 10? Yep. And he said, I knew something was wrong. Right? [00:23:00] Yep. And so then she asked husband, so what do you think Vivian knows at 10? Hmm. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. Frances: The body never Graham: forgets. And you know, and, and you hear that all the time with you know, with people that are, you know, trying to, you know, find treatment on their own is that they need to, you know, they want to keep it a secret or they don't want this person to know, or they don't want that person to know. And the reality is, We're always the last people to know Right. We we're fooling ourselves if we think that everybody around us doesn't know exactly what's going on, you know? And in some cases it's, you know, kind of waiting for people to really crash and burn and, and get willing to, to seek treatment. But yeah, I mean, I love how you spoke about trauma. And you know, how it's stored in the body. And I mean, I am a huge believer in that, number one. And, and one of the things that we started doing here at, at New Waters is really introducing a lot of these holistic modalities, right? And doing, you know, massage, acupuncture, breath work, which has been. Incredible for our [00:24:00] clients. It, it has hands down their favorite thing that they do here. And that was a big surprise to me, right? So we're, you know, gonna be adding more of that type of work. But, you know, it's incredible to see these clients go in and they do a breath work session and they don't have any clue what it is, what it's all about. And they have this like, transformational experience. And really what they're doing is they're just releasing that energy, releasing that trauma, and it's. You know, it's a, it's kind of a short glimpse into, you know, some of these modalities that we can really utilize that are great tools for us when we're in recovery. But I know that you, you know, are a very holistic person and, you know, you believe in, in all these types of, of things. So would you elaborate a little bit on that and your, your work with it? I Frances: will. Yeah. So when I was, I, my, my card caring, most proud achievement is that I've been a sober. . Mm-hmm. 35 years. Which, which is a miracle. A miracle . But early on when my children were infants, I took up yoga. Mm-hmm. , and I'm [00:25:00] dating myself because I used a videotape , not a DVD v Mm-hmm. not, not a YouTube. Yep. A videotape. Yeah. And what I had heard in recovery, Was that the mind was not a welcome place for me. Mm-hmm. to stay for very long. I had no idea what that meant. But a friend in recovery said, you may wanna try some yoga. Mm-hmm. And in the very first Asanga class tape that I watch, , they taught breath work. Mm. At the end of class, in Sanskrit, it's called pr, yama prana meaning breath. It's it's a, it's an ancient word, ancient language. It's hard n not spoken anymore. Mm-hmm. Except in the yoga world, prana means breath. It means life. Mm-hmm. . And yama means control. Right. [00:26:00] Control of the breath. And it's actually. The, the fourth limb of this eight limb practice that is thousands. Mm-hmm. of years old. Wow. And I realized that in those early days of parenting and recovery, I was about five years sober at the time that I just needed some grounding practice. Mm-hmm. , and between being challenged to stay in the body, take the. into the heart. Underneath the skin. Into the body. Mm-hmm. , be there. Be on your mat. Breathe. Yep. Just for 55 minutes while the kids were napping, it began to change my life. Yep. Truly. And what I realize is this breath work, this mindfulness practice of being right here, right now. Mm-hmm. , observing, [00:27:00] noticing with no judgment. Hmm. is literally 5,000 years old. It's probably as old as millennia. Right. And we westerners think we, we, we just, we just found it. Right? ? Yeah. Graham: A hundred percent. Yep. Frances: Uhhuh and I hear a lot, oh, this facility offers mindfulness and breath work and body work and yoga and. . Same. Same. Like this is what I do. I'm a yoga instructor. I teach students how to become teachers, right? Mm-hmm. and I lead a mindfulness practice. That's the curriculum that I wrote and I teach. It's all about mindfulness and Okay, we're just catching on. Mm-hmm. and the Desert Monks. . Yep. The yogis have been doing it for literally 5,000 years. , but you know, we haven't known what we haven't known and I'm so grateful. Mm-hmm. for the practice, it is at our fingertips. It can be at a [00:28:00] stoplight. Yep. It can be while we're watching the coffee drip. It can be every time the phone rings, it can be every time we hear a text ding. Literally just to pause and to breathe and notice what am I, believ? Literally, what am I believing right here in this moment, right? Is my story 10 miles out or am I beating myself up for something that happened 10 miles ago, right? Mm-hmm. , where my feet are, that's where I am right here, right now, I'm just here staying with my beloved son, his wife, and. Precious. Just wanna say precious grandchildren, Uhhuh , and on Sesame Street, they're learning, I think, from Elmo to breathe. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's about time. Breathe [00:29:00] in. Breathe out. Mm-hmm. , breathe in, breathe out. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. It works in schools. It works at three and it works at 33 and 63, Dr. Harold Hong: a hundred percent. I, I gotta say though, I think culturally in the West we have just lost touch with reality. . Like we believe that we can work, eat, sleep, wake up, do it all over again, and that is sustainable for decades. it doesn't work. And, and what I see happen is our clients do that. They get burned out. Well, it's the Graham: expectation Dr. Harold Hong: too, right? Right. It's like you're not normal. If you can't do this, you can't do this. Right. And, and they burn out. The pain is unbearable and alcohol becomes that good idea in a bad situation. And then they, they hit bottom. And, and so our clients here, when I talk to them, , they feel so shocked that they feel better when they actually take care of themselves. . Right. You [00:30:00] know, it's like a mystery has suddenly been solved for them. Right. But this, it's just, it, it goes back to this what the vibe I was getting from what you were talking about and this family story, is that there's this massive reality under the surface that people are just out of touch with. They are so fortunate to have worked with you, Francis, cuz you, you connected them with the truth of their family and it sounds like such a huge blessing to them that all these things they've wanted are finally available to them. Mm-hmm. , Frances: they they were so grateful, but it's not me. Mm-hmm. , I'm just literally, I am just. Hands and feet of a higher power. Yep. And I just decide I'm walking alongside you and you can do it because we all need encouragement, guidance, and accountability. And that's what our [00:31:00] three-legged stool is as our whole family's mantra is that we're there to. , encourage and hold some kind of accountability. And it's not my accountability, it's their accountability to themselves. Mm-hmm. , I just hold the mirror up, hopefully with a little bit of meta, a little bit of loving kindness and empathy. Mm-hmm. , they're doing the heavy lifting. I'm not, I just ask questions. Dr. Harold Hong: Well, I'm, I'm blown away by this, this spiritual realm that you're, you're bringing up. And I, I've been in situations with clients. , you feel that there's a spirit in the room, and I think a lot of the people who are listening or watching would really benefit from hearing a little bit about what it's like to be in the room and, and does it result in a moment of decision and, and, mm-hmm. If you could tell us about a time where something like that comes to mind for Frances: you. Well, given that it just happened 24 hours ago, , [00:32:00] I can tell you about this one. The spiritual life is truly sacred to me. I feel like I've learned. Everything I know about the spiritual life from the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Mm-hmm. . It's not recovery for everyone. Mm-hmm. . I know that, and I'm so grateful that there are other modes of recovery out there because the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't float everybody's boat. I happen to have gotten. Privilege Miracle to be able to get sober in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I walked into my very first a meeting in midtown Manhattan, and I've been sober ever since, and that is not me. That is my higher power, having some kind of grace and mercy. Mm-hmm. toward me. And for me, it's the power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the most profound [00:33:00] pathway. Toward living a life of contentment and peace and service that I know, and they can be used on top of batons, eightfold Path, Buddhas Four Step Path, smart Recovery Refuge Recovery. The, the, the, the, the language that the 12 steps use can be so fluid and so open and so gracious. It, it makes my heart heavy when, when I hear somebody saying it's not for me. Mm-hmm. , because I feel like there's a big tent there, but nonetheless mm-hmm. I am passionate about, for me the fact. Staying sober, and I mean really sober, working hard in the interior life to be [00:34:00] transparent, to be authentic. I did not live an authentic life when I was using. Mm-hmm. . What I was feeling inside was not what you were getting outside. Mm-hmm. . And that disconnect was the thing that brought me to my knees. Truly, I was imploding. Mm-hmm. . . The spiritual life is hugely, hugely important to me, and I I'm very open with families when I'm working with them, and I'm very open with clients in early recovery as their coach that I don't care what it is, but it can't be you. Mm-hmm. . Yep. It can be your higher self. Yep. There's plenty of Buddhist. for the 12 steps of recovery. Mm-hmm. , if that's your, yeah. If that's your thing. But it cannot, it cannot be my own self will. because my own self will got me to my knees. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. And I think too, that it's also important to highlight that for me at least, religion and spirituality [00:35:00] are very different things. Right. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up is they think, oh, this is a religious program, or this is that, or they say God, or, you know, and, and you know, it's, again, as you just said, it's, it's very fluid, right. And you know, and it's just a start, right? And it's, and you just gotta. do your part to believe in something. But I think that puts a lot of people off. And, and it's always interesting when I'm, you know, talking with clients and they say, oh, I, I went to some meetings and it didn't, wasn't for me. I, you know, I couldn't relate or yada yada yada. And, and then my next question is typically like, well, tell me what that experience was really like cuz it's inevitably. Went to a meeting or two and sat in the back and didn't say hi to anybody. And you know, that's, that's not what 12 step is. Right. And you know, typically the reason that we say go to 90 and 90, me, you know, 90 meetings and 90 days is so that you go to a ton of different meetings. And you find your people, right? Yeah. And, and that's really, it's not, you know, this isn't a sentence, you know, that we're giving you, like, you need to go to a meeting every day. It's, it's for your benefits so that you can really [00:36:00] find your tribe, you know? And that's what it's all about. So, you know, and I think that it's really unfortunate that, that, that, like spiritual component p puts people off because it's, it really like, in order to, to recover from this thing, we need to have a total psychic shift. And I think that that only happens really at the spiritual. , right. We're so disconnected and and it's just such a, an important element and I feel like people are just so fearful of talking about it. You know, it's unfortunate. Frances: I also think that substance use disorder and mental health can be so isolating. Mm-hmm. , I think that those diseases are diseases of isolation. Mm-hmm. and I really believe. That we need community connection. Absolutely. And connection. Yep. Connection. And I a hundred percent agree with you. I have a client now [00:37:00] who's been to treatment living in a sober house in DC and that was his expectation by the sober house. 90 and 90. Yep. Right there on DuPont Circle. And that was the very thing, find your people. Yeah. Because this 30 year. . I get it. I understand it. His life has come to a crashing halt. He thinks he has literally come to the end of his existence because he has no idea, because the culture is out there presenting it. That if he can't have a drink, well, let's just say it's not a drink. We know that by the time we get to treatment, it's not a drink. Right. That he can't have Graham: a life. Yep. That's so hard. Yeah, so Frances: painful. And if he finds his people, Yep. It's not gonna take 90 meetings. New York City, Raleigh, New York, they're all over these 20 and 30 somethings and they're living a life they never imagined. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's [00:38:00] beautiful. And they realize that. We can do it without alcohol and drugs. Graham: Mm-hmm. and, you know, do it in, in such a dramatic, amazing way too. I mean, that was, you know, I was 26 when I, when I went to treatment for the first time, or really the only time. And you know, I was super fortunate and I still say like, I was touched by the hand of God when I was about two weeks in a treatment. I all of a sudden just had this. Shift this awareness where I said, okay, I can sit here and say my life is over because I can't use these substances. How am I going to, you know, what's my wedding gonna be Like, what's my, you know, this, that, and the other thing that I listed off. And, you know, I couldn't possibly do these things without drinking. Right. And I all of a sudden have this awareness that I can, I can, you know, be down and out because of that, or I can just start doing awesome stuff. And I started fly fishing. I started playing more golf and I just like threw myself into all these different hobbies and things that I'd always dreamt about doing. But I didn't do because I was drinking by myself in a basement in Boston, , you know, . So, you know, [00:39:00] once I like had that kind of shift in perspective, I was like, oh wow, this, this, you know, life can be amazing. And then, you know, I still, I go to a ton of concerts and. I just do it differently now, right? I go with the right people and I don't go to the concert four hours before the concert and sit in the parking lot, you know, because nothing good is happening there for me, right? But then now I can remember the concert, which is a whole new thing, , which I never did before, but, Yeah, I mean, I think especially with young guys, you know, it's, and women as well, but you know, I've primarily worked with a lot more young males and and it's just getting them fired up about life again, right? Mm-hmm. and, and whatever it is, if it's free diving, spear fishing, fly fi, whatever, they're into skiing, you know, just getting reconnected with that is, makes all the difference in the world with these young. . Yeah. Yeah. Agree. Yep. Dr. Harold Hong: So for instance, with all the, with how amazing life can be after recovery, I think a lot of people, they don't know what joy is or happiness is until [00:40:00] they've gone through the recovery. But again, people just don't know what they don't know. Right? And so if, if there are people out there who, who have a sense like maybe something's not right with my loved one or, or our family system. , like what are some things that are a telltale sign that they, they would really benefit by working with someone like you? Like what are some things that they could have noticed a year before they hit rock bottom or six months before they hit rock bottom? What are some signs that they Frances: need help? That's a really good question. What's interesting for me is that by the time I walk in the. for the loved one, that loved one knows exactly what's happening. Mm-hmm. time and time and time again. Mm-hmm. and 90 plus percent, the loved [00:41:00] one in the meeting will say, yeah, I've had a problem. Mm-hmm. , which is often surprising to me because I know how heavy and large and wide denial is. Mm. And what's interesting is that families, when they call me, I ask them, how long have you known it was a problem? And inevitably, the longer they talk to me, the longer we are working through the process, writing the letters, having conversations, the longer the usage tends to be. Mm-hmm. where. Oh, it's just the past three months? Nah, no, actually it's been a couple years. No, actually it's more like five years. No, actually it started in high school. Whoa. And what I often hear from families is I wish I'd said something then, but I didn't know what to say. Yep. And one of the things that I know, and [00:42:00] you all know, is that words can be pretty thin. Mm-hmm. pretty cheap and often ineffective. Mm-hmm. , we're never gonna convince someone that they need to go get help one-on-one. Yeah. One-on-one. It will never work. The disease, whether it's mental health and or substance use disorder, will run circles around us. Yep. Wow. So what I often say to families, Compassion, compassion, compassion. It takes what it takes. And no matter how bad it's been, we're gonna offer a solution today. Yep. And who knows whether it would've worked 10 years ago, five years ago, five months ago. When the family is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . You know, it's the same as when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . . Dr. Harold Hong: It's beautiful. [00:43:00] Wow. Graham: I love it. Well, you know, this has been a great conversation and I think you have given us such, so much great information for families and hopefully they can, they can, you know, reach out to you if they need help. And we will have all of your information you know, in our, in our clip, in our thumbnail on, on the website. So thank you so much, Francis, for coming in. This is always such a pleasure of seeing you spending time with you. Thank you. and look forward to working with some more clients with you soon. Yes, Frances: yes, likewise, collaboration. Thank you both so much. It's been a privilege. Thank you. Course. Graham: Thanks y'all. Show Notes Welcome to the New Waters Recovery podcast, where we explore the journey to recovery alongside esteemed guests from the addiction treatment industry. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Frances Murchison, a professional certified interventionist and recovery coach from Whole Family Intervention, who brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. With over three decades of sobriety, Frances is a holistic health coach, author, speaker, retreat leader, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting individuals and families to break free from addiction and embrace a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. In this episode, our CEO/Founder, Graham Doerge, Medical Director, Dr. Harold Hong, and Frances Murchison, dive deep into the intervention process, which is a carefully planned procedure that involves a team of professionals and loved ones. The aim is to encourage individuals struggling with addiction to seek help in a compassionate, caring, and respectful manner. Frances shares valuable insights into the intervention process, from preparing for the intervention to selecting a treatment center. She emphasizes the significance of having a trained interventionist to guide the process, ensuring that it is done with the utmost sensitivity. Throughout the podcast, Frances dispels common myths and misconceptions about interventions while addressing the role of family dynamics in the recovery process. Listeners gain practical strategies and tips for navigating the intervention process, providing hope and support to those struggling with addiction. Join us on the New Waters Recovery podcast as we journey towards recovery together. Don't forget to subscribe and tune in weekly to gain further insights from our esteemed guests. Frances Murchison Links: https://www.wilmingtonyogacenter.com/teachers/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-36631919/ https://www.arise-network.com/expert/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-72ba3b188/ https://www.facebook.com/frances.murchison/ https://mindfullyfed.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964436.Frances_Murchison

< Back to Episodes KC Gooding: A Driving Force in Addiction Recovery & Marketing Leadership 44:36min | KC Gooding | Finding New Waters In this inspiring episode of "Finding New Waters," we sit down with KC Gooding, Chief Marketing Officer at Jaywalker Lodge. Join us as we delve into KC's remarkable journey from addiction and recovery to becoming a beacon of hope in the behavioral healthcare field. Discover how KC's personal experiences have driven his advocacy for addiction recovery, his involvement in legislative efforts, and his innovative approaches to marketing within the industry. Gain insights into the transformative power of recovery, as KC shares his dedication to helping individuals find their path to healing. Don't miss this engaging conversation with a true advocate for change and a driving force behind Jaywalker Lodge's mission. Subscribe "Success in recovery hinges on the bond they build through shared experiences in their relationship." -KC Gooding Podcast Transcript Graham: [00:00:00] Good morning and welcome to our inaugural podcast, finding New Waters. My name is Graham Durge and I'm the founder and CEO of New Waters Recovery in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm joined here today by our medical director, Dr. Harold Hong and Francis Sson from Whole Family Interventions. Francis is a professional, certified interventionist recovery coach, life coach, and holistic health coach. In addition, Francis is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and a yoga instructor with 35 years of sobriety. Francis believes addiction is a family disease which is exhibited in her work as a coach. Her mission is to help individuals and families make grace-filled changes toward health and wellbeing so that they can live a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. Francis has published two books, breathe, see, nourish. Energize A Pathway to Healing and Heal Your whole Body. The 12 Day Power Plan to flush toxins, balance hormones, and reset your body's most essential organ. Our goal in creating Finding New Waters is to create a resource for families to help navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one [00:01:00] struggling with substance use, dependence, or mental health. The fact of the matter is that when we find ourselves in crisis due to one of these issues, most people have no idea what direction to turn. My hope is that we can help shed some light into what can be many families' darkest. And Francis, thank you for joining us today. Obviously always a pleasure to get to see your face and spend a little bit of time with you. And I'll, I'll just start with like a little bit of background. Francis and I actually met years ago. At the Arise Intervention Training up at Cumberland Heights, up in Nashville. So I kind of saw her starting this journey and it's just been amazing to, to see it all transpire and, and all the amazing work that you're doing up to this point is, is really incredible. So thanks for coming Frances: today. It's a privilege to be here with you. I'm so proud. Of what you've accomplished here and it's it's an honor to be here. Thank Graham: you. Fantastic. Thank you. So, you know, wanted to start out today you know, with a couple questions. I know that you [00:02:00] just got off a flight from doing an intervention, right? Thank, and obviously that's kind of the, the core of, of, of what you're doing these days. So can you tell us a little bit about. You know, in particular the intervention that you, you know, just were a part of, but you know, maybe the intervention process and, you know, what families need to kind of learn about what an intervention is and, you know, just give us a little bit of background on, on kind of the mechanics of, of that process. Frances: Can do. Yeah. I think the first thing that I wanna say is that the way whole families. Orchestrates interventions is nothing like the show , , and that there is a preconceived notion among many families that it is a meeting that is confrontational. Mm-hmm. and can feel quite shaming. Hmm. To the identified person. Hmm. Often a loved one, and I am passionately committed [00:03:00] to the concept that the meeting itself is a meeting of love. It's a meeting of truth, and it's a meaning of a meeting of kindness and it's solution based. Yep. So the way it begins is often the call that I get, is often the last gasp that the family has. Yep. To try to help their loved one. I am truly the last house on the block if I'm getting the call. They've tried in their mind everything else. Yep. So it's often a call of desperation. Yeah. And what I tell families is that true, that often it is the case that we don't get better. We don't ask for help. We don't want to get help until we, I, as a, as an addicted person, [00:04:00] have come to the end of my rope. Ha I've hit my bottom. But I also, and I also believe that interventions. when the family has hit their bottom mm-hmm. and when they are suffering enough mm-hmm. to say, we're done and we need help. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And often that is exactly what I say to the identified person. The minute we walk in the door is, your family reached out to me because they are suffering and they don't know how to help you. Yeah. And so we're gonna be here to offer you a. , right? So the process begins by someone in the family reaching out to me and saying, my loved one is suffering. How do I get them to treatment? How do I get them to start this road to recovery? And one of the first things that I ask this person is, Do you have a line in the sand that you're willing to draw? If this person in your life whom you love or [00:05:00] have loved, maybe they're at their end of their rope too. Do you have a line in the sand if they don't go right? Because if they don't have a clear boundary, if they don't have a clear consequence, if they don't have a clear. line in the sand, then we need to work on one and come back to me, or I'll help you create one, right? Because simply to ask your loved one to go to treatment. When you don't have in the back of your mind, if you don't go, I'm willing to do or I'm not willing to do it. In my experience, it's not gonna be nearly as successful. . Yep. And that often for families, it's a very challenging place for them to land because they don't think that that's loving, right? Mm-hmm. , right? And what I tell families is, the most loving thing you can do is to speak the truth in love. Mm-hmm. tell them you're suffering and offer them a solution. , right? [00:06:00] So then I say to the person who's reached out to me, do you have a posse? Do you have three to four people? Five people? Four? Whom with whom your loved one has a relationship? Cares deeply enough about what they have to share. Do does your loved one care about having a relationship with this person long-term? I can't have anyone in the room who, for whom? Or with whom? The loved one has a massive resentment. Mm-hmm. , or has a massive resentment toward mm-hmm. . There's no room for resentment or shame or blame or any condemning language. This is a love meeting. Yeah. Nothing but compass. and empathy. They may not have it at this moment because they may be kind of sort of done, but we're gonna at least pretend right for this meeting and we're gonna prepare mm-hmm. for that meeting by having one-on-one conversations with me, and I'm gonna help you [00:07:00] go down memory lane. You're literally opening up your photo album and you're gonna remember. Beautiful times that you've had with this person way before this person picked up or began struggling with mental health challenges. Right. And we're literally gonna share those memories with your loved one because that person has forgotten. Mm-hmm. , that person has forgotten who they are at their core. Mm-hmm. , how much they're loved, how much they have been affirmed and appreciated. In their life by this circle of friends and family. Mm-hmm. . So I help the family members, friends, employers, maybe. Mm-hmm. . Literally go down memory lane and pull those up. Remember, bro, remember when we were sailing around the islands and we saw the sunrise and we were drinking coffee, and you told me this was [00:08:00] like the most incredible moment of your life. We're gonna, we're gonna share those right memories with each other. Yep. And with you. Yeah. Yeah. I love you so much. I'm not willing to sit on the sideline and watch your life implode. Mm-hmm. because of your substance use disorder or your mental health challenges. Yeah. I love you too much to let you stay here. Hmm. And this is how we've shared our lives together. Yep. Graham: Love it. Yeah, absolutely Love it. So powerful. Frances: So, so, so in that preparation we do that and then they set out writing their letters where they put it down in writing. Mm-hmm. Graham: Now, are you inviting them to the intervention, the, the person of concern? Frances: You ask a great question. Yeah. Because there's so many approaches, right. To interventions. I. Kind of sorta created my own approach [00:09:00] by what I feel like picking the best out of a rise, and also following love first with Deborah and Jeff J. Got it. I think the way they approach interventions is beyond brilliant, right? Mm-hmm. . So most of the time for me, if, if, if this family, if these people have talked about and talked about wanting to offer this person a lifeline, mm. It may be very appropriate to invite them. If the family feels as though that person is either gonna overuse mm-hmm. harm themselves, perhaps harm someone else, or Bolt, then it's more of we're gonna have a coffee. Yep. Mm-hmm. , and we're just gonna share what's been on our heart. And then you get the floor. Yeah. Mm-hmm. , and I'm telling you, , nine 99% of the time the identified person wants to be in the meeting. Mm-hmm. , [00:10:00] because we as human beings love to be talked about . Right. And especially if I know from the get-go that you're gonna tell me things that are. lovely about me, right? I'm gonna want and sit. I don't, I'm gonna want to sit and hear you. Yeah. Mm-hmm. a hundred percent rarely had someone up and leave. All I say is your family is struggling. Mm-hmm. , they feel powerless. How to help you. They've asked me to join you. They have a few things they wanna say to you, and then if you're willing to listen to. the floor is yours. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. And so we literally go around the circle. We know where everyone's seated. We've had a rehearsal, we've gone through the letters. Everyone's heard each other's letters. Mm-hmm. . So now the healing begins with the family because there are secrets that perhaps come out in these letters that a person hasn't heard. Mm-hmm. , for instance, just came off an intervention. Grandmother, [00:11:00] mother of the identified person. shared with me that she was an alcoholic, ex-husband, was an alcoholic father to this son was an alcoholic. He died of a alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, and she was emotionally and physically abused, and he never knew that. He never knew it. Wow. Incredible. She tells me, she starts crying and saying, I've never shared this out loud. I'm getting goosebumps even telling you this. . I said, Sally, you need to put it in your letter. Oh no, it's been under the rug. We gotta talk about that. Mm-hmm. , it's been under the rug for 45 years. Yep. Son is 50. Wow. Can you put that in your letter? Yep. It would be so important. Yeah. For your son to hear this Graham: and it really reframes the entire family system, right? It's, it's a hundred, a hundred percent. It's everything that we've [00:12:00] ever known. This whole perception of who we are as a family is false. Right? Oh and a hundred percent. And it really kind of is those, those types of, I feel like that piece of information can really wake somebody up and say, holy cow. You know? And again, and it's. You know, we're not, you know, just trying to work with a client here. You know, we're, we're working with the family, right? Mm-hmm. , and this is a family disease. And, and that's, you know, I love working with somebody like yourself because by the time they get to us, they're kind of teed up and the, and the, the family is, you know, been coached and they know what to expect and they're. Ready to hold the line. And you know, it's, it's difficult when we get families who don't really understand that concept that, you know, listen, we're working with, with you, but we're also working with the family as well, because everybody needs to do some work here. Right. Frances: The secrets will kill a family system. Yep. They will destroy the fabric in the family. And when she said it out loud, he visibly. Began to shake all over Wow. [00:13:00] As he's been the identified black sheep. Right. Everybody else has been towing the line and just living the sort of perfect life. Mom shares this bombshell and all of a sudden now, mom and son are both sharing in this pain and suffering. Wow. And they're, and the and, and the empathy. is is literally tangible in the room where Sun says, , oh my gosh. I've known, I've known that there was something off. Mm-hmm. in this family. I could feel it. I never knew what it was. And at 50 years old, he hears the secret that mom has been protecting. No wonder, no wonder he's using, he is literally physically embodying the trauma, the generational trauma. Yep. Mm-hmm. that, who knows where it started? Yeah. I mean, it could have. [00:14:00] three generations ago, five generations ago. Yep. The family begins to heal no matter what the identified person chooses. Mm-hmm. for him or herself. In terms of his own recovery. The family begins to heal right away. This is secret that the other brother never knew. Yeah. Best friends never knew. Wife never knew. Wow. Jesus. And we're all hearing. Except for me. Right. All at the same time. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible, incredible, incredible. Dr. Harold Hong: Tell us, Francis, a little bit about what was going on with the family, that, that got them up to that moment of, of reaching out to you. Like how did they reach Frances: the of their life? Ah, ah, great question. Wife. I always fall in love with the family. Just so you know. , , I love this woman so much. I've known her for a whopping two months. Right, right. She's incredible. Well, Graham: you get very close to these people, you know, [00:15:00] doing this Dr. Harold Hong: type of work. You're spending like months getting to know them Frances: well, it just depends on how. Desperate. The crisis is Uhhuh. . I've done it in four days. This family, this woman, this wife specifically planned it to be post his birthday. Mm-hmm. and post a skiing trip. Yep. . Right? Some families don't have that kind of time, right? Mm-hmm. , because there's too much risk. She thought she could do it. She's been living with it for five years. She called me because her therapist, and she lives outside of New York City. Mm-hmm. I live part-time in New York City. She's been talking to her therapist. Her therapist told me to call, told her to call me. It took her six months to pick up the phone and call me. She Wow. And the reason she was willing to call me is that she finally realized she was done. Yep. And what she said was, I'm living a single parent life in a two-parent home, and I've never been [00:16:00] lonely here. Yeah. This husband, who is just an awesome star got laid off in Covid. Mm-hmm. , and he's an extrovert and his world crashed and burned and he sleeps until 2:00 PM He wakes up just in time to pick up their 10 year old daughter from school. he's sober for about four hours, starts drinking at about six, and then he stays up until five. Wow. And she said when her daughter, her 10 year old daughter, came to her after Christmas and said, why does daddy sleep all day? Hmm. I don't feel safe with him in the car when he picks me up from school. Chill bumps again. Yep. Then mommy knew right then and there. if I don't do this, I am modeling to my daughter that this is normal. Yep. And this is not normal. And mom knew right then and there to save her daughter, she had to [00:17:00] intervene on daughter's behalf. Yeah. To save the two of them. It's so, it, it makes me wanna weep. I mean, I mean, the strength of these families is. and then we have other families who are really stuck. Right. Yep. Really, really stuck. And I have those too. But Graham: yeah. And you know, it is, I think back to the arise training, you know, sometimes too. And one of the, the pieces that I loved that we pulled out of that was, and Dr. Hong actually, you know, uses the genogram. Yeah. Quite often with our assessment clients and. And it's just so incredible and so powerful to you know, the genogram is a chart. It's kind of a family tree, so to speak, where we start going generations back and start identifying some of the issues and some of the, you know, the family system issues, some of the individual issues with you know, generations previously. And, What was so cool that I found from it was when the, the person got sober the following generations. You saw that break in addiction, right? And you saw that break in the cycle which is so, so powerful. [00:18:00] And, you know, I'm a person in recovery. My wife is a person in recovery. We have three daughters. And you know, it used to say, gosh, you know, chances are one of 'em is gonna have an issue. But you know, my hope is that we are raising them. In a very different household. Mm-hmm. than, you know, a lot of us grew up in. Right. And, and you know, hopefully we can model that behavior and listen, we're not perfect and you know, life happens and everybody, it's tough raising kids these days, But you know. Do you still use a genogram? Frances: I do. Yeah. And what I've noticed in, in looking at that and filling it out. Sometimes it's on the fly. Yeah. Sometimes I have longer. Yep. And it really begins to. Clarify itself when I have these one-on-one conversations with every single person in the circle. Yep. I, I, I require that, I mean, I su highly suggest it because I learned so much right about the family system when I have individual conversations with everyone here, and what I am [00:19:00] becoming so clear about is that generational. Substance use disorder, mental health trauma, trauma is beneath so much of what I see. Yep. When I enter a family system. Yep. And when I started, I didn't understand the power of the generational trauma. Yep, yep. Yeah. It's amazing if we don't stop the cycle. . It just gets passed down. Yeah. It just continues on and on. Yep. All the time. Graham particularly, particularly with the mental health stuff. Yep. Mm-hmm. , we live what we learn. Yep. We live what we learn. . Graham: Yep. Yeah. And as Dr. Hong likes to say, one of my favorite quotes is from you is where there's addiction, there's trauma, . You know, and that's just, that's the [00:20:00] reality of, of the world these days. And a hundred percent, I mean, I would say we see it with, with most in or if not all clients. Right? Dr. Harold Hong: Totally. A hundred percent. It, I mean, the, the family you're talking about, I mean, you just feel the pain and the weight that they've been carrying for generations. it. One, one thing that I, I learned in my ethics class way back in college was there's a strange good reason mm-hmm. for every bad thing that we do, and with all the pain and the weight that this family's carrying addiction as a way to deal with that pain. It just makes sense. Mm-hmm. , but there's so much judgment and shame and dysfunction that comes along with it, and you. what you're talking about, Francis, sounds like such a relief, like the people in the family are getting what they wanted for so long, but what about all the pain and anger that's come along with it at the same time?[00:21:00] Frances: And what's so wild, Dr. Hong is this mother who's been carrying the secret for 45 years. Hmm. She has congestive heart failure. Okay. She's got high blood. and she's got high cholesterol. Mm-hmm. . She says that her pain medication costs her 25 grand a year. Holy God. And I wanna know if she had shared that secret 45 years ago and been willing to be vulnerable mm-hmm. with these children and really help the children understand it wasn't her fault. It may not have even been daddy's fault. He has a disease. I have a disease. , we can get help for this disease. Would she have less health problems? Now jury is out. Mm-hmm. But my sense is that trauma lives in the body. Hundred percent. And the body never, ever, ever forgets. [00:22:00] In fact, interestingly enough, because it's soak, it's so fresh in my mind, right? Mm-hmm. , I just got off the plane yesterday. Yeah. That the husband said to mom. Daughter doesn't know about this, right? Oh, she's 10. And in fact, the wife said, no daughter's actually written you a letter. Dr. Harold Hong: Wow. She was, she was actually the reason she was, she was hundred percent right? Frances: A hundred Graham: percent. The delusion is strong, right? The Frances: delusion and denial is like the Berlin wall, truly, and what she asked. Her husband in that moment, because husband now had heard mom share his letter. He, she asked, what did you know? Did you know anything at 10? Yep. And he said, I knew something was wrong. Right? [00:23:00] Yep. And so then she asked husband, so what do you think Vivian knows at 10? Hmm. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. Frances: The body never Graham: forgets. And you know, and, and you hear that all the time with you know, with people that are, you know, trying to, you know, find treatment on their own is that they need to, you know, they want to keep it a secret or they don't want this person to know, or they don't want that person to know. And the reality is, We're always the last people to know Right. We we're fooling ourselves if we think that everybody around us doesn't know exactly what's going on, you know? And in some cases it's, you know, kind of waiting for people to really crash and burn and, and get willing to, to seek treatment. But yeah, I mean, I love how you spoke about trauma. And you know, how it's stored in the body. And I mean, I am a huge believer in that, number one. And, and one of the things that we started doing here at, at New Waters is really introducing a lot of these holistic modalities, right? And doing, you know, massage, acupuncture, breath work, which has been. Incredible for our [00:24:00] clients. It, it has hands down their favorite thing that they do here. And that was a big surprise to me, right? So we're, you know, gonna be adding more of that type of work. But, you know, it's incredible to see these clients go in and they do a breath work session and they don't have any clue what it is, what it's all about. And they have this like, transformational experience. And really what they're doing is they're just releasing that energy, releasing that trauma, and it's. You know, it's a, it's kind of a short glimpse into, you know, some of these modalities that we can really utilize that are great tools for us when we're in recovery. But I know that you, you know, are a very holistic person and, you know, you believe in, in all these types of, of things. So would you elaborate a little bit on that and your, your work with it? I Frances: will. Yeah. So when I was, I, my, my card caring, most proud achievement is that I've been a sober. . Mm-hmm. 35 years. Which, which is a miracle. A miracle . But early on when my children were infants, I took up yoga. Mm-hmm. , and I'm [00:25:00] dating myself because I used a videotape , not a DVD v Mm-hmm. not, not a YouTube. Yep. A videotape. Yeah. And what I had heard in recovery, Was that the mind was not a welcome place for me. Mm-hmm. to stay for very long. I had no idea what that meant. But a friend in recovery said, you may wanna try some yoga. Mm-hmm. And in the very first Asanga class tape that I watch, , they taught breath work. Mm. At the end of class, in Sanskrit, it's called pr, yama prana meaning breath. It's it's a, it's an ancient word, ancient language. It's hard n not spoken anymore. Mm-hmm. Except in the yoga world, prana means breath. It means life. Mm-hmm. . And yama means control. Right. [00:26:00] Control of the breath. And it's actually. The, the fourth limb of this eight limb practice that is thousands. Mm-hmm. of years old. Wow. And I realized that in those early days of parenting and recovery, I was about five years sober at the time that I just needed some grounding practice. Mm-hmm. , and between being challenged to stay in the body, take the. into the heart. Underneath the skin. Into the body. Mm-hmm. , be there. Be on your mat. Breathe. Yep. Just for 55 minutes while the kids were napping, it began to change my life. Yep. Truly. And what I realize is this breath work, this mindfulness practice of being right here, right now. Mm-hmm. , observing, [00:27:00] noticing with no judgment. Hmm. is literally 5,000 years old. It's probably as old as millennia. Right. And we westerners think we, we, we just, we just found it. Right? ? Yeah. Graham: A hundred percent. Yep. Frances: Uhhuh and I hear a lot, oh, this facility offers mindfulness and breath work and body work and yoga and. . Same. Same. Like this is what I do. I'm a yoga instructor. I teach students how to become teachers, right? Mm-hmm. and I lead a mindfulness practice. That's the curriculum that I wrote and I teach. It's all about mindfulness and Okay, we're just catching on. Mm-hmm. and the Desert Monks. . Yep. The yogis have been doing it for literally 5,000 years. , but you know, we haven't known what we haven't known and I'm so grateful. Mm-hmm. for the practice, it is at our fingertips. It can be at a [00:28:00] stoplight. Yep. It can be while we're watching the coffee drip. It can be every time the phone rings, it can be every time we hear a text ding. Literally just to pause and to breathe and notice what am I, believ? Literally, what am I believing right here in this moment, right? Is my story 10 miles out or am I beating myself up for something that happened 10 miles ago, right? Mm-hmm. , where my feet are, that's where I am right here, right now, I'm just here staying with my beloved son, his wife, and. Precious. Just wanna say precious grandchildren, Uhhuh , and on Sesame Street, they're learning, I think, from Elmo to breathe. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's about time. Breathe [00:29:00] in. Breathe out. Mm-hmm. , breathe in, breathe out. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. It works in schools. It works at three and it works at 33 and 63, Dr. Harold Hong: a hundred percent. I, I gotta say though, I think culturally in the West we have just lost touch with reality. . Like we believe that we can work, eat, sleep, wake up, do it all over again, and that is sustainable for decades. it doesn't work. And, and what I see happen is our clients do that. They get burned out. Well, it's the Graham: expectation Dr. Harold Hong: too, right? Right. It's like you're not normal. If you can't do this, you can't do this. Right. And, and they burn out. The pain is unbearable and alcohol becomes that good idea in a bad situation. And then they, they hit bottom. And, and so our clients here, when I talk to them, , they feel so shocked that they feel better when they actually take care of themselves. . Right. You [00:30:00] know, it's like a mystery has suddenly been solved for them. Right. But this, it's just, it, it goes back to this what the vibe I was getting from what you were talking about and this family story, is that there's this massive reality under the surface that people are just out of touch with. They are so fortunate to have worked with you, Francis, cuz you, you connected them with the truth of their family and it sounds like such a huge blessing to them that all these things they've wanted are finally available to them. Mm-hmm. , Frances: they they were so grateful, but it's not me. Mm-hmm. , I'm just literally, I am just. Hands and feet of a higher power. Yep. And I just decide I'm walking alongside you and you can do it because we all need encouragement, guidance, and accountability. And that's what our [00:31:00] three-legged stool is as our whole family's mantra is that we're there to. , encourage and hold some kind of accountability. And it's not my accountability, it's their accountability to themselves. Mm-hmm. , I just hold the mirror up, hopefully with a little bit of meta, a little bit of loving kindness and empathy. Mm-hmm. , they're doing the heavy lifting. I'm not, I just ask questions. Dr. Harold Hong: Well, I'm, I'm blown away by this, this spiritual realm that you're, you're bringing up. And I, I've been in situations with clients. , you feel that there's a spirit in the room, and I think a lot of the people who are listening or watching would really benefit from hearing a little bit about what it's like to be in the room and, and does it result in a moment of decision and, and, mm-hmm. If you could tell us about a time where something like that comes to mind for Frances: you. Well, given that it just happened 24 hours ago, , [00:32:00] I can tell you about this one. The spiritual life is truly sacred to me. I feel like I've learned. Everything I know about the spiritual life from the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Mm-hmm. . It's not recovery for everyone. Mm-hmm. . I know that, and I'm so grateful that there are other modes of recovery out there because the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't float everybody's boat. I happen to have gotten. Privilege Miracle to be able to get sober in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I walked into my very first a meeting in midtown Manhattan, and I've been sober ever since, and that is not me. That is my higher power, having some kind of grace and mercy. Mm-hmm. toward me. And for me, it's the power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the most profound [00:33:00] pathway. Toward living a life of contentment and peace and service that I know, and they can be used on top of batons, eightfold Path, Buddhas Four Step Path, smart Recovery Refuge Recovery. The, the, the, the, the language that the 12 steps use can be so fluid and so open and so gracious. It, it makes my heart heavy when, when I hear somebody saying it's not for me. Mm-hmm. , because I feel like there's a big tent there, but nonetheless mm-hmm. I am passionate about, for me the fact. Staying sober, and I mean really sober, working hard in the interior life to be [00:34:00] transparent, to be authentic. I did not live an authentic life when I was using. Mm-hmm. . What I was feeling inside was not what you were getting outside. Mm-hmm. . And that disconnect was the thing that brought me to my knees. Truly, I was imploding. Mm-hmm. . . The spiritual life is hugely, hugely important to me, and I I'm very open with families when I'm working with them, and I'm very open with clients in early recovery as their coach that I don't care what it is, but it can't be you. Mm-hmm. . Yep. It can be your higher self. Yep. There's plenty of Buddhist. for the 12 steps of recovery. Mm-hmm. , if that's your, yeah. If that's your thing. But it cannot, it cannot be my own self will. because my own self will got me to my knees. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. And I think too, that it's also important to highlight that for me at least, religion and spirituality [00:35:00] are very different things. Right. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up is they think, oh, this is a religious program, or this is that, or they say God, or, you know, and, and you know, it's, again, as you just said, it's, it's very fluid, right. And you know, and it's just a start, right? And it's, and you just gotta. do your part to believe in something. But I think that puts a lot of people off. And, and it's always interesting when I'm, you know, talking with clients and they say, oh, I, I went to some meetings and it didn't, wasn't for me. I, you know, I couldn't relate or yada yada yada. And, and then my next question is typically like, well, tell me what that experience was really like cuz it's inevitably. Went to a meeting or two and sat in the back and didn't say hi to anybody. And you know, that's, that's not what 12 step is. Right. And you know, typically the reason that we say go to 90 and 90, me, you know, 90 meetings and 90 days is so that you go to a ton of different meetings. And you find your people, right? Yeah. And, and that's really, it's not, you know, this isn't a sentence, you know, that we're giving you, like, you need to go to a meeting every day. It's, it's for your benefits so that you can really [00:36:00] find your tribe, you know? And that's what it's all about. So, you know, and I think that it's really unfortunate that, that, that, like spiritual component p puts people off because it's, it really like, in order to, to recover from this thing, we need to have a total psychic shift. And I think that that only happens really at the spiritual. , right. We're so disconnected and and it's just such a, an important element and I feel like people are just so fearful of talking about it. You know, it's unfortunate. Frances: I also think that substance use disorder and mental health can be so isolating. Mm-hmm. , I think that those diseases are diseases of isolation. Mm-hmm. and I really believe. That we need community connection. Absolutely. And connection. Yep. Connection. And I a hundred percent agree with you. I have a client now [00:37:00] who's been to treatment living in a sober house in DC and that was his expectation by the sober house. 90 and 90. Yep. Right there on DuPont Circle. And that was the very thing, find your people. Yeah. Because this 30 year. . I get it. I understand it. His life has come to a crashing halt. He thinks he has literally come to the end of his existence because he has no idea, because the culture is out there presenting it. That if he can't have a drink, well, let's just say it's not a drink. We know that by the time we get to treatment, it's not a drink. Right. That he can't have Graham: a life. Yep. That's so hard. Yeah, so Frances: painful. And if he finds his people, Yep. It's not gonna take 90 meetings. New York City, Raleigh, New York, they're all over these 20 and 30 somethings and they're living a life they never imagined. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's [00:38:00] beautiful. And they realize that. We can do it without alcohol and drugs. Graham: Mm-hmm. and, you know, do it in, in such a dramatic, amazing way too. I mean, that was, you know, I was 26 when I, when I went to treatment for the first time, or really the only time. And you know, I was super fortunate and I still say like, I was touched by the hand of God when I was about two weeks in a treatment. I all of a sudden just had this. Shift this awareness where I said, okay, I can sit here and say my life is over because I can't use these substances. How am I going to, you know, what's my wedding gonna be Like, what's my, you know, this, that, and the other thing that I listed off. And, you know, I couldn't possibly do these things without drinking. Right. And I all of a sudden have this awareness that I can, I can, you know, be down and out because of that, or I can just start doing awesome stuff. And I started fly fishing. I started playing more golf and I just like threw myself into all these different hobbies and things that I'd always dreamt about doing. But I didn't do because I was drinking by myself in a basement in Boston, , you know, . So, you know, [00:39:00] once I like had that kind of shift in perspective, I was like, oh wow, this, this, you know, life can be amazing. And then, you know, I still, I go to a ton of concerts and. I just do it differently now, right? I go with the right people and I don't go to the concert four hours before the concert and sit in the parking lot, you know, because nothing good is happening there for me, right? But then now I can remember the concert, which is a whole new thing, , which I never did before, but, Yeah, I mean, I think especially with young guys, you know, it's, and women as well, but you know, I've primarily worked with a lot more young males and and it's just getting them fired up about life again, right? Mm-hmm. and, and whatever it is, if it's free diving, spear fishing, fly fi, whatever, they're into skiing, you know, just getting reconnected with that is, makes all the difference in the world with these young. . Yeah. Yeah. Agree. Yep. Dr. Harold Hong: So for instance, with all the, with how amazing life can be after recovery, I think a lot of people, they don't know what joy is or happiness is until [00:40:00] they've gone through the recovery. But again, people just don't know what they don't know. Right? And so if, if there are people out there who, who have a sense like maybe something's not right with my loved one or, or our family system. , like what are some things that are a telltale sign that they, they would really benefit by working with someone like you? Like what are some things that they could have noticed a year before they hit rock bottom or six months before they hit rock bottom? What are some signs that they Frances: need help? That's a really good question. What's interesting for me is that by the time I walk in the. for the loved one, that loved one knows exactly what's happening. Mm-hmm. time and time and time again. Mm-hmm. and 90 plus percent, the loved [00:41:00] one in the meeting will say, yeah, I've had a problem. Mm-hmm. , which is often surprising to me because I know how heavy and large and wide denial is. Mm. And what's interesting is that families, when they call me, I ask them, how long have you known it was a problem? And inevitably, the longer they talk to me, the longer we are working through the process, writing the letters, having conversations, the longer the usage tends to be. Mm-hmm. where. Oh, it's just the past three months? Nah, no, actually it's been a couple years. No, actually it's more like five years. No, actually it started in high school. Whoa. And what I often hear from families is I wish I'd said something then, but I didn't know what to say. Yep. And one of the things that I know, and [00:42:00] you all know, is that words can be pretty thin. Mm-hmm. pretty cheap and often ineffective. Mm-hmm. , we're never gonna convince someone that they need to go get help one-on-one. Yeah. One-on-one. It will never work. The disease, whether it's mental health and or substance use disorder, will run circles around us. Yep. Wow. So what I often say to families, Compassion, compassion, compassion. It takes what it takes. And no matter how bad it's been, we're gonna offer a solution today. Yep. And who knows whether it would've worked 10 years ago, five years ago, five months ago. When the family is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . You know, it's the same as when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . . Dr. Harold Hong: It's beautiful. [00:43:00] Wow. Graham: I love it. Well, you know, this has been a great conversation and I think you have given us such, so much great information for families and hopefully they can, they can, you know, reach out to you if they need help. And we will have all of your information you know, in our, in our clip, in our thumbnail on, on the website. So thank you so much, Francis, for coming in. This is always such a pleasure of seeing you spending time with you. Thank you. and look forward to working with some more clients with you soon. Yes, Frances: yes, likewise, collaboration. Thank you both so much. It's been a privilege. Thank you. Course. Graham: Thanks y'all. Show Notes Welcome to the New Waters Recovery podcast, where we explore the journey to recovery alongside esteemed guests from the addiction treatment industry. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Frances Murchison, a professional certified interventionist and recovery coach from Whole Family Intervention, who brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. With over three decades of sobriety, Frances is a holistic health coach, author, speaker, retreat leader, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting individuals and families to break free from addiction and embrace a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. In this episode, our CEO/Founder, Graham Doerge, Medical Director, Dr. Harold Hong, and Frances Murchison, dive deep into the intervention process, which is a carefully planned procedure that involves a team of professionals and loved ones. The aim is to encourage individuals struggling with addiction to seek help in a compassionate, caring, and respectful manner. Frances shares valuable insights into the intervention process, from preparing for the intervention to selecting a treatment center. She emphasizes the significance of having a trained interventionist to guide the process, ensuring that it is done with the utmost sensitivity. Throughout the podcast, Frances dispels common myths and misconceptions about interventions while addressing the role of family dynamics in the recovery process. Listeners gain practical strategies and tips for navigating the intervention process, providing hope and support to those struggling with addiction. Join us on the New Waters Recovery podcast as we journey towards recovery together. Don't forget to subscribe and tune in weekly to gain further insights from our esteemed guests. Frances Murchison Links: https://www.wilmingtonyogacenter.com/teachers/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-36631919/ https://www.arise-network.com/expert/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-72ba3b188/ https://www.facebook.com/frances.murchison/ https://mindfullyfed.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964436.Frances_Murchison

< Back to Episodes Understanding Trauma and Dissociation with Erin Lewis 52:36 min | Erin Lewis | Finding New Waters This podcast delves into the realm of dissociative disorders, particularly Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), as trauma therapist Erin Lewis shares her mission to reduce stigma, foster understanding among clinicians, and provide effective treatment strategies via her group practice, NC Cutting Edge Counseling, PLLC. Subscribe "My hope is to decrease stigma of DID around the world, starting with educating clinicians on dissociative disorders, to reduce stigma by being transparent about my own DID, and to provide effective treatment for individuals with dissociative disorders and trauma." - Erin Lewis Podcast Transcript Graham: [00:00:00] Good morning and welcome to our inaugural podcast, finding New Waters. My name is Graham Durge and I'm the founder and CEO of New Waters Recovery in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm joined here today by our medical director, Dr. Harold Hong and Francis Sson from Whole Family Interventions. Francis is a professional, certified interventionist recovery coach, life coach, and holistic health coach. In addition, Francis is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and a yoga instructor with 35 years of sobriety. Francis believes addiction is a family disease which is exhibited in her work as a coach. Her mission is to help individuals and families make grace-filled changes toward health and wellbeing so that they can live a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. Francis has published two books, breathe, see, nourish. Energize A Pathway to Healing and Heal Your whole Body. The 12 Day Power Plan to flush toxins, balance hormones, and reset your body's most essential organ. Our goal in creating Finding New Waters is to create a resource for families to help navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one [00:01:00] struggling with substance use, dependence, or mental health. The fact of the matter is that when we find ourselves in crisis due to one of these issues, most people have no idea what direction to turn. My hope is that we can help shed some light into what can be many families' darkest. And Francis, thank you for joining us today. Obviously always a pleasure to get to see your face and spend a little bit of time with you. And I'll, I'll just start with like a little bit of background. Francis and I actually met years ago. At the Arise Intervention Training up at Cumberland Heights, up in Nashville. So I kind of saw her starting this journey and it's just been amazing to, to see it all transpire and, and all the amazing work that you're doing up to this point is, is really incredible. So thanks for coming Frances: today. It's a privilege to be here with you. I'm so proud. Of what you've accomplished here and it's it's an honor to be here. Thank Graham: you. Fantastic. Thank you. So, you know, wanted to start out today you know, with a couple questions. I know that you [00:02:00] just got off a flight from doing an intervention, right? Thank, and obviously that's kind of the, the core of, of, of what you're doing these days. So can you tell us a little bit about. You know, in particular the intervention that you, you know, just were a part of, but you know, maybe the intervention process and, you know, what families need to kind of learn about what an intervention is and, you know, just give us a little bit of background on, on kind of the mechanics of, of that process. Frances: Can do. Yeah. I think the first thing that I wanna say is that the way whole families. Orchestrates interventions is nothing like the show , , and that there is a preconceived notion among many families that it is a meeting that is confrontational. Mm-hmm. and can feel quite shaming. Hmm. To the identified person. Hmm. Often a loved one, and I am passionately committed [00:03:00] to the concept that the meeting itself is a meeting of love. It's a meeting of truth, and it's a meaning of a meeting of kindness and it's solution based. Yep. So the way it begins is often the call that I get, is often the last gasp that the family has. Yep. To try to help their loved one. I am truly the last house on the block if I'm getting the call. They've tried in their mind everything else. Yep. So it's often a call of desperation. Yeah. And what I tell families is that true, that often it is the case that we don't get better. We don't ask for help. We don't want to get help until we, I, as a, as an addicted person, [00:04:00] have come to the end of my rope. Ha I've hit my bottom. But I also, and I also believe that interventions. when the family has hit their bottom mm-hmm. and when they are suffering enough mm-hmm. to say, we're done and we need help. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And often that is exactly what I say to the identified person. The minute we walk in the door is, your family reached out to me because they are suffering and they don't know how to help you. Yeah. And so we're gonna be here to offer you a. , right? So the process begins by someone in the family reaching out to me and saying, my loved one is suffering. How do I get them to treatment? How do I get them to start this road to recovery? And one of the first things that I ask this person is, Do you have a line in the sand that you're willing to draw? If this person in your life whom you love or [00:05:00] have loved, maybe they're at their end of their rope too. Do you have a line in the sand if they don't go right? Because if they don't have a clear boundary, if they don't have a clear consequence, if they don't have a clear. line in the sand, then we need to work on one and come back to me, or I'll help you create one, right? Because simply to ask your loved one to go to treatment. When you don't have in the back of your mind, if you don't go, I'm willing to do or I'm not willing to do it. In my experience, it's not gonna be nearly as successful. . Yep. And that often for families, it's a very challenging place for them to land because they don't think that that's loving, right? Mm-hmm. , right? And what I tell families is, the most loving thing you can do is to speak the truth in love. Mm-hmm. tell them you're suffering and offer them a solution. , right? [00:06:00] So then I say to the person who's reached out to me, do you have a posse? Do you have three to four people? Five people? Four? Whom with whom your loved one has a relationship? Cares deeply enough about what they have to share. Do does your loved one care about having a relationship with this person long-term? I can't have anyone in the room who, for whom? Or with whom? The loved one has a massive resentment. Mm-hmm. , or has a massive resentment toward mm-hmm. . There's no room for resentment or shame or blame or any condemning language. This is a love meeting. Yeah. Nothing but compass. and empathy. They may not have it at this moment because they may be kind of sort of done, but we're gonna at least pretend right for this meeting and we're gonna prepare mm-hmm. for that meeting by having one-on-one conversations with me, and I'm gonna help you [00:07:00] go down memory lane. You're literally opening up your photo album and you're gonna remember. Beautiful times that you've had with this person way before this person picked up or began struggling with mental health challenges. Right. And we're literally gonna share those memories with your loved one because that person has forgotten. Mm-hmm. , that person has forgotten who they are at their core. Mm-hmm. , how much they're loved, how much they have been affirmed and appreciated. In their life by this circle of friends and family. Mm-hmm. . So I help the family members, friends, employers, maybe. Mm-hmm. . Literally go down memory lane and pull those up. Remember, bro, remember when we were sailing around the islands and we saw the sunrise and we were drinking coffee, and you told me this was [00:08:00] like the most incredible moment of your life. We're gonna, we're gonna share those right memories with each other. Yep. And with you. Yeah. Yeah. I love you so much. I'm not willing to sit on the sideline and watch your life implode. Mm-hmm. because of your substance use disorder or your mental health challenges. Yeah. I love you too much to let you stay here. Hmm. And this is how we've shared our lives together. Yep. Graham: Love it. Yeah, absolutely Love it. So powerful. Frances: So, so, so in that preparation we do that and then they set out writing their letters where they put it down in writing. Mm-hmm. Graham: Now, are you inviting them to the intervention, the, the person of concern? Frances: You ask a great question. Yeah. Because there's so many approaches, right. To interventions. I. Kind of sorta created my own approach [00:09:00] by what I feel like picking the best out of a rise, and also following love first with Deborah and Jeff J. Got it. I think the way they approach interventions is beyond brilliant, right? Mm-hmm. . So most of the time for me, if, if, if this family, if these people have talked about and talked about wanting to offer this person a lifeline, mm. It may be very appropriate to invite them. If the family feels as though that person is either gonna overuse mm-hmm. harm themselves, perhaps harm someone else, or Bolt, then it's more of we're gonna have a coffee. Yep. Mm-hmm. , and we're just gonna share what's been on our heart. And then you get the floor. Yeah. Mm-hmm. , and I'm telling you, , nine 99% of the time the identified person wants to be in the meeting. Mm-hmm. , [00:10:00] because we as human beings love to be talked about . Right. And especially if I know from the get-go that you're gonna tell me things that are. lovely about me, right? I'm gonna want and sit. I don't, I'm gonna want to sit and hear you. Yeah. Mm-hmm. a hundred percent rarely had someone up and leave. All I say is your family is struggling. Mm-hmm. , they feel powerless. How to help you. They've asked me to join you. They have a few things they wanna say to you, and then if you're willing to listen to. the floor is yours. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. And so we literally go around the circle. We know where everyone's seated. We've had a rehearsal, we've gone through the letters. Everyone's heard each other's letters. Mm-hmm. . So now the healing begins with the family because there are secrets that perhaps come out in these letters that a person hasn't heard. Mm-hmm. , for instance, just came off an intervention. Grandmother, [00:11:00] mother of the identified person. shared with me that she was an alcoholic, ex-husband, was an alcoholic father to this son was an alcoholic. He died of a alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, and she was emotionally and physically abused, and he never knew that. He never knew it. Wow. Incredible. She tells me, she starts crying and saying, I've never shared this out loud. I'm getting goosebumps even telling you this. . I said, Sally, you need to put it in your letter. Oh no, it's been under the rug. We gotta talk about that. Mm-hmm. , it's been under the rug for 45 years. Yep. Son is 50. Wow. Can you put that in your letter? Yep. It would be so important. Yeah. For your son to hear this Graham: and it really reframes the entire family system, right? It's, it's a hundred, a hundred percent. It's everything that we've [00:12:00] ever known. This whole perception of who we are as a family is false. Right? Oh and a hundred percent. And it really kind of is those, those types of, I feel like that piece of information can really wake somebody up and say, holy cow. You know? And again, and it's. You know, we're not, you know, just trying to work with a client here. You know, we're, we're working with the family, right? Mm-hmm. , and this is a family disease. And, and that's, you know, I love working with somebody like yourself because by the time they get to us, they're kind of teed up and the, and the, the family is, you know, been coached and they know what to expect and they're. Ready to hold the line. And you know, it's, it's difficult when we get families who don't really understand that concept that, you know, listen, we're working with, with you, but we're also working with the family as well, because everybody needs to do some work here. Right. Frances: The secrets will kill a family system. Yep. They will destroy the fabric in the family. And when she said it out loud, he visibly. Began to shake all over Wow. [00:13:00] As he's been the identified black sheep. Right. Everybody else has been towing the line and just living the sort of perfect life. Mom shares this bombshell and all of a sudden now, mom and son are both sharing in this pain and suffering. Wow. And they're, and the and, and the empathy. is is literally tangible in the room where Sun says, , oh my gosh. I've known, I've known that there was something off. Mm-hmm. in this family. I could feel it. I never knew what it was. And at 50 years old, he hears the secret that mom has been protecting. No wonder, no wonder he's using, he is literally physically embodying the trauma, the generational trauma. Yep. Mm-hmm. that, who knows where it started? Yeah. I mean, it could have. [00:14:00] three generations ago, five generations ago. Yep. The family begins to heal no matter what the identified person chooses. Mm-hmm. for him or herself. In terms of his own recovery. The family begins to heal right away. This is secret that the other brother never knew. Yeah. Best friends never knew. Wife never knew. Wow. Jesus. And we're all hearing. Except for me. Right. All at the same time. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible, incredible, incredible. Dr. Harold Hong: Tell us, Francis, a little bit about what was going on with the family, that, that got them up to that moment of, of reaching out to you. Like how did they reach Frances: the of their life? Ah, ah, great question. Wife. I always fall in love with the family. Just so you know. , , I love this woman so much. I've known her for a whopping two months. Right, right. She's incredible. Well, Graham: you get very close to these people, you know, [00:15:00] doing this Dr. Harold Hong: type of work. You're spending like months getting to know them Frances: well, it just depends on how. Desperate. The crisis is Uhhuh. . I've done it in four days. This family, this woman, this wife specifically planned it to be post his birthday. Mm-hmm. and post a skiing trip. Yep. . Right? Some families don't have that kind of time, right? Mm-hmm. , because there's too much risk. She thought she could do it. She's been living with it for five years. She called me because her therapist, and she lives outside of New York City. Mm-hmm. I live part-time in New York City. She's been talking to her therapist. Her therapist told me to call, told her to call me. It took her six months to pick up the phone and call me. She Wow. And the reason she was willing to call me is that she finally realized she was done. Yep. And what she said was, I'm living a single parent life in a two-parent home, and I've never been [00:16:00] lonely here. Yeah. This husband, who is just an awesome star got laid off in Covid. Mm-hmm. , and he's an extrovert and his world crashed and burned and he sleeps until 2:00 PM He wakes up just in time to pick up their 10 year old daughter from school. he's sober for about four hours, starts drinking at about six, and then he stays up until five. Wow. And she said when her daughter, her 10 year old daughter, came to her after Christmas and said, why does daddy sleep all day? Hmm. I don't feel safe with him in the car when he picks me up from school. Chill bumps again. Yep. Then mommy knew right then and there. if I don't do this, I am modeling to my daughter that this is normal. Yep. And this is not normal. And mom knew right then and there to save her daughter, she had to [00:17:00] intervene on daughter's behalf. Yeah. To save the two of them. It's so, it, it makes me wanna weep. I mean, I mean, the strength of these families is. and then we have other families who are really stuck. Right. Yep. Really, really stuck. And I have those too. But Graham: yeah. And you know, it is, I think back to the arise training, you know, sometimes too. And one of the, the pieces that I loved that we pulled out of that was, and Dr. Hong actually, you know, uses the genogram. Yeah. Quite often with our assessment clients and. And it's just so incredible and so powerful to you know, the genogram is a chart. It's kind of a family tree, so to speak, where we start going generations back and start identifying some of the issues and some of the, you know, the family system issues, some of the individual issues with you know, generations previously. And, What was so cool that I found from it was when the, the person got sober the following generations. You saw that break in addiction, right? And you saw that break in the cycle which is so, so powerful. [00:18:00] And, you know, I'm a person in recovery. My wife is a person in recovery. We have three daughters. And you know, it used to say, gosh, you know, chances are one of 'em is gonna have an issue. But you know, my hope is that we are raising them. In a very different household. Mm-hmm. than, you know, a lot of us grew up in. Right. And, and you know, hopefully we can model that behavior and listen, we're not perfect and you know, life happens and everybody, it's tough raising kids these days, But you know. Do you still use a genogram? Frances: I do. Yeah. And what I've noticed in, in looking at that and filling it out. Sometimes it's on the fly. Yeah. Sometimes I have longer. Yep. And it really begins to. Clarify itself when I have these one-on-one conversations with every single person in the circle. Yep. I, I, I require that, I mean, I su highly suggest it because I learned so much right about the family system when I have individual conversations with everyone here, and what I am [00:19:00] becoming so clear about is that generational. Substance use disorder, mental health trauma, trauma is beneath so much of what I see. Yep. When I enter a family system. Yep. And when I started, I didn't understand the power of the generational trauma. Yep, yep. Yeah. It's amazing if we don't stop the cycle. . It just gets passed down. Yeah. It just continues on and on. Yep. All the time. Graham particularly, particularly with the mental health stuff. Yep. Mm-hmm. , we live what we learn. Yep. We live what we learn. . Graham: Yep. Yeah. And as Dr. Hong likes to say, one of my favorite quotes is from you is where there's addiction, there's trauma, . You know, and that's just, that's the [00:20:00] reality of, of the world these days. And a hundred percent, I mean, I would say we see it with, with most in or if not all clients. Right? Dr. Harold Hong: Totally. A hundred percent. It, I mean, the, the family you're talking about, I mean, you just feel the pain and the weight that they've been carrying for generations. it. One, one thing that I, I learned in my ethics class way back in college was there's a strange good reason mm-hmm. for every bad thing that we do, and with all the pain and the weight that this family's carrying addiction as a way to deal with that pain. It just makes sense. Mm-hmm. , but there's so much judgment and shame and dysfunction that comes along with it, and you. what you're talking about, Francis, sounds like such a relief, like the people in the family are getting what they wanted for so long, but what about all the pain and anger that's come along with it at the same time?[00:21:00] Frances: And what's so wild, Dr. Hong is this mother who's been carrying the secret for 45 years. Hmm. She has congestive heart failure. Okay. She's got high blood. and she's got high cholesterol. Mm-hmm. . She says that her pain medication costs her 25 grand a year. Holy God. And I wanna know if she had shared that secret 45 years ago and been willing to be vulnerable mm-hmm. with these children and really help the children understand it wasn't her fault. It may not have even been daddy's fault. He has a disease. I have a disease. , we can get help for this disease. Would she have less health problems? Now jury is out. Mm-hmm. But my sense is that trauma lives in the body. Hundred percent. And the body never, ever, ever forgets. [00:22:00] In fact, interestingly enough, because it's soak, it's so fresh in my mind, right? Mm-hmm. , I just got off the plane yesterday. Yeah. That the husband said to mom. Daughter doesn't know about this, right? Oh, she's 10. And in fact, the wife said, no daughter's actually written you a letter. Dr. Harold Hong: Wow. She was, she was actually the reason she was, she was hundred percent right? Frances: A hundred Graham: percent. The delusion is strong, right? The Frances: delusion and denial is like the Berlin wall, truly, and what she asked. Her husband in that moment, because husband now had heard mom share his letter. He, she asked, what did you know? Did you know anything at 10? Yep. And he said, I knew something was wrong. Right? [00:23:00] Yep. And so then she asked husband, so what do you think Vivian knows at 10? Hmm. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. Frances: The body never Graham: forgets. And you know, and, and you hear that all the time with you know, with people that are, you know, trying to, you know, find treatment on their own is that they need to, you know, they want to keep it a secret or they don't want this person to know, or they don't want that person to know. And the reality is, We're always the last people to know Right. We we're fooling ourselves if we think that everybody around us doesn't know exactly what's going on, you know? And in some cases it's, you know, kind of waiting for people to really crash and burn and, and get willing to, to seek treatment. But yeah, I mean, I love how you spoke about trauma. And you know, how it's stored in the body. And I mean, I am a huge believer in that, number one. And, and one of the things that we started doing here at, at New Waters is really introducing a lot of these holistic modalities, right? And doing, you know, massage, acupuncture, breath work, which has been. Incredible for our [00:24:00] clients. It, it has hands down their favorite thing that they do here. And that was a big surprise to me, right? So we're, you know, gonna be adding more of that type of work. But, you know, it's incredible to see these clients go in and they do a breath work session and they don't have any clue what it is, what it's all about. And they have this like, transformational experience. And really what they're doing is they're just releasing that energy, releasing that trauma, and it's. You know, it's a, it's kind of a short glimpse into, you know, some of these modalities that we can really utilize that are great tools for us when we're in recovery. But I know that you, you know, are a very holistic person and, you know, you believe in, in all these types of, of things. So would you elaborate a little bit on that and your, your work with it? I Frances: will. Yeah. So when I was, I, my, my card caring, most proud achievement is that I've been a sober. . Mm-hmm. 35 years. Which, which is a miracle. A miracle . But early on when my children were infants, I took up yoga. Mm-hmm. , and I'm [00:25:00] dating myself because I used a videotape , not a DVD v Mm-hmm. not, not a YouTube. Yep. A videotape. Yeah. And what I had heard in recovery, Was that the mind was not a welcome place for me. Mm-hmm. to stay for very long. I had no idea what that meant. But a friend in recovery said, you may wanna try some yoga. Mm-hmm. And in the very first Asanga class tape that I watch, , they taught breath work. Mm. At the end of class, in Sanskrit, it's called pr, yama prana meaning breath. It's it's a, it's an ancient word, ancient language. It's hard n not spoken anymore. Mm-hmm. Except in the yoga world, prana means breath. It means life. Mm-hmm. . And yama means control. Right. [00:26:00] Control of the breath. And it's actually. The, the fourth limb of this eight limb practice that is thousands. Mm-hmm. of years old. Wow. And I realized that in those early days of parenting and recovery, I was about five years sober at the time that I just needed some grounding practice. Mm-hmm. , and between being challenged to stay in the body, take the. into the heart. Underneath the skin. Into the body. Mm-hmm. , be there. Be on your mat. Breathe. Yep. Just for 55 minutes while the kids were napping, it began to change my life. Yep. Truly. And what I realize is this breath work, this mindfulness practice of being right here, right now. Mm-hmm. , observing, [00:27:00] noticing with no judgment. Hmm. is literally 5,000 years old. It's probably as old as millennia. Right. And we westerners think we, we, we just, we just found it. Right? ? Yeah. Graham: A hundred percent. Yep. Frances: Uhhuh and I hear a lot, oh, this facility offers mindfulness and breath work and body work and yoga and. . Same. Same. Like this is what I do. I'm a yoga instructor. I teach students how to become teachers, right? Mm-hmm. and I lead a mindfulness practice. That's the curriculum that I wrote and I teach. It's all about mindfulness and Okay, we're just catching on. Mm-hmm. and the Desert Monks. . Yep. The yogis have been doing it for literally 5,000 years. , but you know, we haven't known what we haven't known and I'm so grateful. Mm-hmm. for the practice, it is at our fingertips. It can be at a [00:28:00] stoplight. Yep. It can be while we're watching the coffee drip. It can be every time the phone rings, it can be every time we hear a text ding. Literally just to pause and to breathe and notice what am I, believ? Literally, what am I believing right here in this moment, right? Is my story 10 miles out or am I beating myself up for something that happened 10 miles ago, right? Mm-hmm. , where my feet are, that's where I am right here, right now, I'm just here staying with my beloved son, his wife, and. Precious. Just wanna say precious grandchildren, Uhhuh , and on Sesame Street, they're learning, I think, from Elmo to breathe. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's about time. Breathe [00:29:00] in. Breathe out. Mm-hmm. , breathe in, breathe out. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. It works in schools. It works at three and it works at 33 and 63, Dr. Harold Hong: a hundred percent. I, I gotta say though, I think culturally in the West we have just lost touch with reality. . Like we believe that we can work, eat, sleep, wake up, do it all over again, and that is sustainable for decades. it doesn't work. And, and what I see happen is our clients do that. They get burned out. Well, it's the Graham: expectation Dr. Harold Hong: too, right? Right. It's like you're not normal. If you can't do this, you can't do this. Right. And, and they burn out. The pain is unbearable and alcohol becomes that good idea in a bad situation. And then they, they hit bottom. And, and so our clients here, when I talk to them, , they feel so shocked that they feel better when they actually take care of themselves. . Right. You [00:30:00] know, it's like a mystery has suddenly been solved for them. Right. But this, it's just, it, it goes back to this what the vibe I was getting from what you were talking about and this family story, is that there's this massive reality under the surface that people are just out of touch with. They are so fortunate to have worked with you, Francis, cuz you, you connected them with the truth of their family and it sounds like such a huge blessing to them that all these things they've wanted are finally available to them. Mm-hmm. , Frances: they they were so grateful, but it's not me. Mm-hmm. , I'm just literally, I am just. Hands and feet of a higher power. Yep. And I just decide I'm walking alongside you and you can do it because we all need encouragement, guidance, and accountability. And that's what our [00:31:00] three-legged stool is as our whole family's mantra is that we're there to. , encourage and hold some kind of accountability. And it's not my accountability, it's their accountability to themselves. Mm-hmm. , I just hold the mirror up, hopefully with a little bit of meta, a little bit of loving kindness and empathy. Mm-hmm. , they're doing the heavy lifting. I'm not, I just ask questions. Dr. Harold Hong: Well, I'm, I'm blown away by this, this spiritual realm that you're, you're bringing up. And I, I've been in situations with clients. , you feel that there's a spirit in the room, and I think a lot of the people who are listening or watching would really benefit from hearing a little bit about what it's like to be in the room and, and does it result in a moment of decision and, and, mm-hmm. If you could tell us about a time where something like that comes to mind for Frances: you. Well, given that it just happened 24 hours ago, , [00:32:00] I can tell you about this one. The spiritual life is truly sacred to me. I feel like I've learned. Everything I know about the spiritual life from the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Mm-hmm. . It's not recovery for everyone. Mm-hmm. . I know that, and I'm so grateful that there are other modes of recovery out there because the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't float everybody's boat. I happen to have gotten. Privilege Miracle to be able to get sober in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I walked into my very first a meeting in midtown Manhattan, and I've been sober ever since, and that is not me. That is my higher power, having some kind of grace and mercy. Mm-hmm. toward me. And for me, it's the power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the most profound [00:33:00] pathway. Toward living a life of contentment and peace and service that I know, and they can be used on top of batons, eightfold Path, Buddhas Four Step Path, smart Recovery Refuge Recovery. The, the, the, the, the language that the 12 steps use can be so fluid and so open and so gracious. It, it makes my heart heavy when, when I hear somebody saying it's not for me. Mm-hmm. , because I feel like there's a big tent there, but nonetheless mm-hmm. I am passionate about, for me the fact. Staying sober, and I mean really sober, working hard in the interior life to be [00:34:00] transparent, to be authentic. I did not live an authentic life when I was using. Mm-hmm. . What I was feeling inside was not what you were getting outside. Mm-hmm. . And that disconnect was the thing that brought me to my knees. Truly, I was imploding. Mm-hmm. . . The spiritual life is hugely, hugely important to me, and I I'm very open with families when I'm working with them, and I'm very open with clients in early recovery as their coach that I don't care what it is, but it can't be you. Mm-hmm. . Yep. It can be your higher self. Yep. There's plenty of Buddhist. for the 12 steps of recovery. Mm-hmm. , if that's your, yeah. If that's your thing. But it cannot, it cannot be my own self will. because my own self will got me to my knees. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. And I think too, that it's also important to highlight that for me at least, religion and spirituality [00:35:00] are very different things. Right. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up is they think, oh, this is a religious program, or this is that, or they say God, or, you know, and, and you know, it's, again, as you just said, it's, it's very fluid, right. And you know, and it's just a start, right? And it's, and you just gotta. do your part to believe in something. But I think that puts a lot of people off. And, and it's always interesting when I'm, you know, talking with clients and they say, oh, I, I went to some meetings and it didn't, wasn't for me. I, you know, I couldn't relate or yada yada yada. And, and then my next question is typically like, well, tell me what that experience was really like cuz it's inevitably. Went to a meeting or two and sat in the back and didn't say hi to anybody. And you know, that's, that's not what 12 step is. Right. And you know, typically the reason that we say go to 90 and 90, me, you know, 90 meetings and 90 days is so that you go to a ton of different meetings. And you find your people, right? Yeah. And, and that's really, it's not, you know, this isn't a sentence, you know, that we're giving you, like, you need to go to a meeting every day. It's, it's for your benefits so that you can really [00:36:00] find your tribe, you know? And that's what it's all about. So, you know, and I think that it's really unfortunate that, that, that, like spiritual component p puts people off because it's, it really like, in order to, to recover from this thing, we need to have a total psychic shift. And I think that that only happens really at the spiritual. , right. We're so disconnected and and it's just such a, an important element and I feel like people are just so fearful of talking about it. You know, it's unfortunate. Frances: I also think that substance use disorder and mental health can be so isolating. Mm-hmm. , I think that those diseases are diseases of isolation. Mm-hmm. and I really believe. That we need community connection. Absolutely. And connection. Yep. Connection. And I a hundred percent agree with you. I have a client now [00:37:00] who's been to treatment living in a sober house in DC and that was his expectation by the sober house. 90 and 90. Yep. Right there on DuPont Circle. And that was the very thing, find your people. Yeah. Because this 30 year. . I get it. I understand it. His life has come to a crashing halt. He thinks he has literally come to the end of his existence because he has no idea, because the culture is out there presenting it. That if he can't have a drink, well, let's just say it's not a drink. We know that by the time we get to treatment, it's not a drink. Right. That he can't have Graham: a life. Yep. That's so hard. Yeah, so Frances: painful. And if he finds his people, Yep. It's not gonna take 90 meetings. New York City, Raleigh, New York, they're all over these 20 and 30 somethings and they're living a life they never imagined. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's [00:38:00] beautiful. And they realize that. We can do it without alcohol and drugs. Graham: Mm-hmm. and, you know, do it in, in such a dramatic, amazing way too. I mean, that was, you know, I was 26 when I, when I went to treatment for the first time, or really the only time. And you know, I was super fortunate and I still say like, I was touched by the hand of God when I was about two weeks in a treatment. I all of a sudden just had this. Shift this awareness where I said, okay, I can sit here and say my life is over because I can't use these substances. How am I going to, you know, what's my wedding gonna be Like, what's my, you know, this, that, and the other thing that I listed off. And, you know, I couldn't possibly do these things without drinking. Right. And I all of a sudden have this awareness that I can, I can, you know, be down and out because of that, or I can just start doing awesome stuff. And I started fly fishing. I started playing more golf and I just like threw myself into all these different hobbies and things that I'd always dreamt about doing. But I didn't do because I was drinking by myself in a basement in Boston, , you know, . So, you know, [00:39:00] once I like had that kind of shift in perspective, I was like, oh wow, this, this, you know, life can be amazing. And then, you know, I still, I go to a ton of concerts and. I just do it differently now, right? I go with the right people and I don't go to the concert four hours before the concert and sit in the parking lot, you know, because nothing good is happening there for me, right? But then now I can remember the concert, which is a whole new thing, , which I never did before, but, Yeah, I mean, I think especially with young guys, you know, it's, and women as well, but you know, I've primarily worked with a lot more young males and and it's just getting them fired up about life again, right? Mm-hmm. and, and whatever it is, if it's free diving, spear fishing, fly fi, whatever, they're into skiing, you know, just getting reconnected with that is, makes all the difference in the world with these young. . Yeah. Yeah. Agree. Yep. Dr. Harold Hong: So for instance, with all the, with how amazing life can be after recovery, I think a lot of people, they don't know what joy is or happiness is until [00:40:00] they've gone through the recovery. But again, people just don't know what they don't know. Right? And so if, if there are people out there who, who have a sense like maybe something's not right with my loved one or, or our family system. , like what are some things that are a telltale sign that they, they would really benefit by working with someone like you? Like what are some things that they could have noticed a year before they hit rock bottom or six months before they hit rock bottom? What are some signs that they Frances: need help? That's a really good question. What's interesting for me is that by the time I walk in the. for the loved one, that loved one knows exactly what's happening. Mm-hmm. time and time and time again. Mm-hmm. and 90 plus percent, the loved [00:41:00] one in the meeting will say, yeah, I've had a problem. Mm-hmm. , which is often surprising to me because I know how heavy and large and wide denial is. Mm. And what's interesting is that families, when they call me, I ask them, how long have you known it was a problem? And inevitably, the longer they talk to me, the longer we are working through the process, writing the letters, having conversations, the longer the usage tends to be. Mm-hmm. where. Oh, it's just the past three months? Nah, no, actually it's been a couple years. No, actually it's more like five years. No, actually it started in high school. Whoa. And what I often hear from families is I wish I'd said something then, but I didn't know what to say. Yep. And one of the things that I know, and [00:42:00] you all know, is that words can be pretty thin. Mm-hmm. pretty cheap and often ineffective. Mm-hmm. , we're never gonna convince someone that they need to go get help one-on-one. Yeah. One-on-one. It will never work. The disease, whether it's mental health and or substance use disorder, will run circles around us. Yep. Wow. So what I often say to families, Compassion, compassion, compassion. It takes what it takes. And no matter how bad it's been, we're gonna offer a solution today. Yep. And who knows whether it would've worked 10 years ago, five years ago, five months ago. When the family is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . You know, it's the same as when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . . Dr. Harold Hong: It's beautiful. [00:43:00] Wow. Graham: I love it. Well, you know, this has been a great conversation and I think you have given us such, so much great information for families and hopefully they can, they can, you know, reach out to you if they need help. And we will have all of your information you know, in our, in our clip, in our thumbnail on, on the website. So thank you so much, Francis, for coming in. This is always such a pleasure of seeing you spending time with you. Thank you. and look forward to working with some more clients with you soon. Yes, Frances: yes, likewise, collaboration. Thank you both so much. It's been a privilege. Thank you. Course. Graham: Thanks y'all. Show Notes Welcome to the New Waters Recovery podcast, where we explore the journey to recovery alongside esteemed guests from the addiction treatment industry. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Frances Murchison, a professional certified interventionist and recovery coach from Whole Family Intervention, who brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. With over three decades of sobriety, Frances is a holistic health coach, author, speaker, retreat leader, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting individuals and families to break free from addiction and embrace a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. In this episode, our CEO/Founder, Graham Doerge, Medical Director, Dr. Harold Hong, and Frances Murchison, dive deep into the intervention process, which is a carefully planned procedure that involves a team of professionals and loved ones. The aim is to encourage individuals struggling with addiction to seek help in a compassionate, caring, and respectful manner. Frances shares valuable insights into the intervention process, from preparing for the intervention to selecting a treatment center. She emphasizes the significance of having a trained interventionist to guide the process, ensuring that it is done with the utmost sensitivity. Throughout the podcast, Frances dispels common myths and misconceptions about interventions while addressing the role of family dynamics in the recovery process. Listeners gain practical strategies and tips for navigating the intervention process, providing hope and support to those struggling with addiction. Join us on the New Waters Recovery podcast as we journey towards recovery together. Don't forget to subscribe and tune in weekly to gain further insights from our esteemed guests. Frances Murchison Links: https://www.wilmingtonyogacenter.com/teachers/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-36631919/ https://www.arise-network.com/expert/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-72ba3b188/ https://www.facebook.com/frances.murchison/ https://mindfullyfed.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964436.Frances_Murchison

< Back to Episodes AnnE O'Neil Grief Uncovered 47.34 min | AnnE O'Neil | Finding New Waters Dive into the world of grief, spirituality, and substance use disorders with AnnE O'Neil, a grief counselor, interfaith minister, and spiritual counselor. In this episode of Finding New Waters Podcast, hosts Dr. Harold Hong and Justin Mclendon welcome AnnE to discuss her expertise in the intersection between grief and substance use. Discover how AnnE's personal experience with grief led her to explore its connection with substance use, and uncover the five gates to grief identified by Francis Weller. Join the conversation on the importance of addressing grief, understanding its different aspects, and the role of spirituality in the recovery process. Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Subscribe "Grief is a taboo topic in our society. We don't know how to handle it, and so we don't talk about it. But the reality is that it's a universal human experience." AnnE O'Neil Podcast Transcript Graham: [00:00:00] Good morning and welcome to our inaugural podcast, finding New Waters. My name is Graham Durge and I'm the founder and CEO of New Waters Recovery in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm joined here today by our medical director, Dr. Harold Hong and Francis Sson from Whole Family Interventions. Francis is a professional, certified interventionist recovery coach, life coach, and holistic health coach. In addition, Francis is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and a yoga instructor with 35 years of sobriety. Francis believes addiction is a family disease which is exhibited in her work as a coach. Her mission is to help individuals and families make grace-filled changes toward health and wellbeing so that they can live a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. Francis has published two books, breathe, see, nourish. Energize A Pathway to Healing and Heal Your whole Body. The 12 Day Power Plan to flush toxins, balance hormones, and reset your body's most essential organ. Our goal in creating Finding New Waters is to create a resource for families to help navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one [00:01:00] struggling with substance use, dependence, or mental health. The fact of the matter is that when we find ourselves in crisis due to one of these issues, most people have no idea what direction to turn. My hope is that we can help shed some light into what can be many families' darkest. And Francis, thank you for joining us today. Obviously always a pleasure to get to see your face and spend a little bit of time with you. And I'll, I'll just start with like a little bit of background. Francis and I actually met years ago. At the Arise Intervention Training up at Cumberland Heights, up in Nashville. So I kind of saw her starting this journey and it's just been amazing to, to see it all transpire and, and all the amazing work that you're doing up to this point is, is really incredible. So thanks for coming Frances: today. It's a privilege to be here with you. I'm so proud. Of what you've accomplished here and it's it's an honor to be here. Thank Graham: you. Fantastic. Thank you. So, you know, wanted to start out today you know, with a couple questions. I know that you [00:02:00] just got off a flight from doing an intervention, right? Thank, and obviously that's kind of the, the core of, of, of what you're doing these days. So can you tell us a little bit about. You know, in particular the intervention that you, you know, just were a part of, but you know, maybe the intervention process and, you know, what families need to kind of learn about what an intervention is and, you know, just give us a little bit of background on, on kind of the mechanics of, of that process. Frances: Can do. Yeah. I think the first thing that I wanna say is that the way whole families. Orchestrates interventions is nothing like the show , , and that there is a preconceived notion among many families that it is a meeting that is confrontational. Mm-hmm. and can feel quite shaming. Hmm. To the identified person. Hmm. Often a loved one, and I am passionately committed [00:03:00] to the concept that the meeting itself is a meeting of love. It's a meeting of truth, and it's a meaning of a meeting of kindness and it's solution based. Yep. So the way it begins is often the call that I get, is often the last gasp that the family has. Yep. To try to help their loved one. I am truly the last house on the block if I'm getting the call. They've tried in their mind everything else. Yep. So it's often a call of desperation. Yeah. And what I tell families is that true, that often it is the case that we don't get better. We don't ask for help. We don't want to get help until we, I, as a, as an addicted person, [00:04:00] have come to the end of my rope. Ha I've hit my bottom. But I also, and I also believe that interventions. when the family has hit their bottom mm-hmm. and when they are suffering enough mm-hmm. to say, we're done and we need help. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And often that is exactly what I say to the identified person. The minute we walk in the door is, your family reached out to me because they are suffering and they don't know how to help you. Yeah. And so we're gonna be here to offer you a. , right? So the process begins by someone in the family reaching out to me and saying, my loved one is suffering. How do I get them to treatment? How do I get them to start this road to recovery? And one of the first things that I ask this person is, Do you have a line in the sand that you're willing to draw? If this person in your life whom you love or [00:05:00] have loved, maybe they're at their end of their rope too. Do you have a line in the sand if they don't go right? Because if they don't have a clear boundary, if they don't have a clear consequence, if they don't have a clear. line in the sand, then we need to work on one and come back to me, or I'll help you create one, right? Because simply to ask your loved one to go to treatment. When you don't have in the back of your mind, if you don't go, I'm willing to do or I'm not willing to do it. In my experience, it's not gonna be nearly as successful. . Yep. And that often for families, it's a very challenging place for them to land because they don't think that that's loving, right? Mm-hmm. , right? And what I tell families is, the most loving thing you can do is to speak the truth in love. Mm-hmm. tell them you're suffering and offer them a solution. , right? [00:06:00] So then I say to the person who's reached out to me, do you have a posse? Do you have three to four people? Five people? Four? Whom with whom your loved one has a relationship? Cares deeply enough about what they have to share. Do does your loved one care about having a relationship with this person long-term? I can't have anyone in the room who, for whom? Or with whom? The loved one has a massive resentment. Mm-hmm. , or has a massive resentment toward mm-hmm. . There's no room for resentment or shame or blame or any condemning language. This is a love meeting. Yeah. Nothing but compass. and empathy. They may not have it at this moment because they may be kind of sort of done, but we're gonna at least pretend right for this meeting and we're gonna prepare mm-hmm. for that meeting by having one-on-one conversations with me, and I'm gonna help you [00:07:00] go down memory lane. You're literally opening up your photo album and you're gonna remember. Beautiful times that you've had with this person way before this person picked up or began struggling with mental health challenges. Right. And we're literally gonna share those memories with your loved one because that person has forgotten. Mm-hmm. , that person has forgotten who they are at their core. Mm-hmm. , how much they're loved, how much they have been affirmed and appreciated. In their life by this circle of friends and family. Mm-hmm. . So I help the family members, friends, employers, maybe. Mm-hmm. . Literally go down memory lane and pull those up. Remember, bro, remember when we were sailing around the islands and we saw the sunrise and we were drinking coffee, and you told me this was [00:08:00] like the most incredible moment of your life. We're gonna, we're gonna share those right memories with each other. Yep. And with you. Yeah. Yeah. I love you so much. I'm not willing to sit on the sideline and watch your life implode. Mm-hmm. because of your substance use disorder or your mental health challenges. Yeah. I love you too much to let you stay here. Hmm. And this is how we've shared our lives together. Yep. Graham: Love it. Yeah, absolutely Love it. So powerful. Frances: So, so, so in that preparation we do that and then they set out writing their letters where they put it down in writing. Mm-hmm. Graham: Now, are you inviting them to the intervention, the, the person of concern? Frances: You ask a great question. Yeah. Because there's so many approaches, right. To interventions. I. Kind of sorta created my own approach [00:09:00] by what I feel like picking the best out of a rise, and also following love first with Deborah and Jeff J. Got it. I think the way they approach interventions is beyond brilliant, right? Mm-hmm. . So most of the time for me, if, if, if this family, if these people have talked about and talked about wanting to offer this person a lifeline, mm. It may be very appropriate to invite them. If the family feels as though that person is either gonna overuse mm-hmm. harm themselves, perhaps harm someone else, or Bolt, then it's more of we're gonna have a coffee. Yep. Mm-hmm. , and we're just gonna share what's been on our heart. And then you get the floor. Yeah. Mm-hmm. , and I'm telling you, , nine 99% of the time the identified person wants to be in the meeting. Mm-hmm. , [00:10:00] because we as human beings love to be talked about . Right. And especially if I know from the get-go that you're gonna tell me things that are. lovely about me, right? I'm gonna want and sit. I don't, I'm gonna want to sit and hear you. Yeah. Mm-hmm. a hundred percent rarely had someone up and leave. All I say is your family is struggling. Mm-hmm. , they feel powerless. How to help you. They've asked me to join you. They have a few things they wanna say to you, and then if you're willing to listen to. the floor is yours. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. And so we literally go around the circle. We know where everyone's seated. We've had a rehearsal, we've gone through the letters. Everyone's heard each other's letters. Mm-hmm. . So now the healing begins with the family because there are secrets that perhaps come out in these letters that a person hasn't heard. Mm-hmm. , for instance, just came off an intervention. Grandmother, [00:11:00] mother of the identified person. shared with me that she was an alcoholic, ex-husband, was an alcoholic father to this son was an alcoholic. He died of a alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, and she was emotionally and physically abused, and he never knew that. He never knew it. Wow. Incredible. She tells me, she starts crying and saying, I've never shared this out loud. I'm getting goosebumps even telling you this. . I said, Sally, you need to put it in your letter. Oh no, it's been under the rug. We gotta talk about that. Mm-hmm. , it's been under the rug for 45 years. Yep. Son is 50. Wow. Can you put that in your letter? Yep. It would be so important. Yeah. For your son to hear this Graham: and it really reframes the entire family system, right? It's, it's a hundred, a hundred percent. It's everything that we've [00:12:00] ever known. This whole perception of who we are as a family is false. Right? Oh and a hundred percent. And it really kind of is those, those types of, I feel like that piece of information can really wake somebody up and say, holy cow. You know? And again, and it's. You know, we're not, you know, just trying to work with a client here. You know, we're, we're working with the family, right? Mm-hmm. , and this is a family disease. And, and that's, you know, I love working with somebody like yourself because by the time they get to us, they're kind of teed up and the, and the, the family is, you know, been coached and they know what to expect and they're. Ready to hold the line. And you know, it's, it's difficult when we get families who don't really understand that concept that, you know, listen, we're working with, with you, but we're also working with the family as well, because everybody needs to do some work here. Right. Frances: The secrets will kill a family system. Yep. They will destroy the fabric in the family. And when she said it out loud, he visibly. Began to shake all over Wow. [00:13:00] As he's been the identified black sheep. Right. Everybody else has been towing the line and just living the sort of perfect life. Mom shares this bombshell and all of a sudden now, mom and son are both sharing in this pain and suffering. Wow. And they're, and the and, and the empathy. is is literally tangible in the room where Sun says, , oh my gosh. I've known, I've known that there was something off. Mm-hmm. in this family. I could feel it. I never knew what it was. And at 50 years old, he hears the secret that mom has been protecting. No wonder, no wonder he's using, he is literally physically embodying the trauma, the generational trauma. Yep. Mm-hmm. that, who knows where it started? Yeah. I mean, it could have. [00:14:00] three generations ago, five generations ago. Yep. The family begins to heal no matter what the identified person chooses. Mm-hmm. for him or herself. In terms of his own recovery. The family begins to heal right away. This is secret that the other brother never knew. Yeah. Best friends never knew. Wife never knew. Wow. Jesus. And we're all hearing. Except for me. Right. All at the same time. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible, incredible, incredible. Dr. Harold Hong: Tell us, Francis, a little bit about what was going on with the family, that, that got them up to that moment of, of reaching out to you. Like how did they reach Frances: the of their life? Ah, ah, great question. Wife. I always fall in love with the family. Just so you know. , , I love this woman so much. I've known her for a whopping two months. Right, right. She's incredible. Well, Graham: you get very close to these people, you know, [00:15:00] doing this Dr. Harold Hong: type of work. You're spending like months getting to know them Frances: well, it just depends on how. Desperate. The crisis is Uhhuh. . I've done it in four days. This family, this woman, this wife specifically planned it to be post his birthday. Mm-hmm. and post a skiing trip. Yep. . Right? Some families don't have that kind of time, right? Mm-hmm. , because there's too much risk. She thought she could do it. She's been living with it for five years. She called me because her therapist, and she lives outside of New York City. Mm-hmm. I live part-time in New York City. She's been talking to her therapist. Her therapist told me to call, told her to call me. It took her six months to pick up the phone and call me. She Wow. And the reason she was willing to call me is that she finally realized she was done. Yep. And what she said was, I'm living a single parent life in a two-parent home, and I've never been [00:16:00] lonely here. Yeah. This husband, who is just an awesome star got laid off in Covid. Mm-hmm. , and he's an extrovert and his world crashed and burned and he sleeps until 2:00 PM He wakes up just in time to pick up their 10 year old daughter from school. he's sober for about four hours, starts drinking at about six, and then he stays up until five. Wow. And she said when her daughter, her 10 year old daughter, came to her after Christmas and said, why does daddy sleep all day? Hmm. I don't feel safe with him in the car when he picks me up from school. Chill bumps again. Yep. Then mommy knew right then and there. if I don't do this, I am modeling to my daughter that this is normal. Yep. And this is not normal. And mom knew right then and there to save her daughter, she had to [00:17:00] intervene on daughter's behalf. Yeah. To save the two of them. It's so, it, it makes me wanna weep. I mean, I mean, the strength of these families is. and then we have other families who are really stuck. Right. Yep. Really, really stuck. And I have those too. But Graham: yeah. And you know, it is, I think back to the arise training, you know, sometimes too. And one of the, the pieces that I loved that we pulled out of that was, and Dr. Hong actually, you know, uses the genogram. Yeah. Quite often with our assessment clients and. And it's just so incredible and so powerful to you know, the genogram is a chart. It's kind of a family tree, so to speak, where we start going generations back and start identifying some of the issues and some of the, you know, the family system issues, some of the individual issues with you know, generations previously. And, What was so cool that I found from it was when the, the person got sober the following generations. You saw that break in addiction, right? And you saw that break in the cycle which is so, so powerful. [00:18:00] And, you know, I'm a person in recovery. My wife is a person in recovery. We have three daughters. And you know, it used to say, gosh, you know, chances are one of 'em is gonna have an issue. But you know, my hope is that we are raising them. In a very different household. Mm-hmm. than, you know, a lot of us grew up in. Right. And, and you know, hopefully we can model that behavior and listen, we're not perfect and you know, life happens and everybody, it's tough raising kids these days, But you know. Do you still use a genogram? Frances: I do. Yeah. And what I've noticed in, in looking at that and filling it out. Sometimes it's on the fly. Yeah. Sometimes I have longer. Yep. And it really begins to. Clarify itself when I have these one-on-one conversations with every single person in the circle. Yep. I, I, I require that, I mean, I su highly suggest it because I learned so much right about the family system when I have individual conversations with everyone here, and what I am [00:19:00] becoming so clear about is that generational. Substance use disorder, mental health trauma, trauma is beneath so much of what I see. Yep. When I enter a family system. Yep. And when I started, I didn't understand the power of the generational trauma. Yep, yep. Yeah. It's amazing if we don't stop the cycle. . It just gets passed down. Yeah. It just continues on and on. Yep. All the time. Graham particularly, particularly with the mental health stuff. Yep. Mm-hmm. , we live what we learn. Yep. We live what we learn. . Graham: Yep. Yeah. And as Dr. Hong likes to say, one of my favorite quotes is from you is where there's addiction, there's trauma, . You know, and that's just, that's the [00:20:00] reality of, of the world these days. And a hundred percent, I mean, I would say we see it with, with most in or if not all clients. Right? Dr. Harold Hong: Totally. A hundred percent. It, I mean, the, the family you're talking about, I mean, you just feel the pain and the weight that they've been carrying for generations. it. One, one thing that I, I learned in my ethics class way back in college was there's a strange good reason mm-hmm. for every bad thing that we do, and with all the pain and the weight that this family's carrying addiction as a way to deal with that pain. It just makes sense. Mm-hmm. , but there's so much judgment and shame and dysfunction that comes along with it, and you. what you're talking about, Francis, sounds like such a relief, like the people in the family are getting what they wanted for so long, but what about all the pain and anger that's come along with it at the same time?[00:21:00] Frances: And what's so wild, Dr. Hong is this mother who's been carrying the secret for 45 years. Hmm. She has congestive heart failure. Okay. She's got high blood. and she's got high cholesterol. Mm-hmm. . She says that her pain medication costs her 25 grand a year. Holy God. And I wanna know if she had shared that secret 45 years ago and been willing to be vulnerable mm-hmm. with these children and really help the children understand it wasn't her fault. It may not have even been daddy's fault. He has a disease. I have a disease. , we can get help for this disease. Would she have less health problems? Now jury is out. Mm-hmm. But my sense is that trauma lives in the body. Hundred percent. And the body never, ever, ever forgets. [00:22:00] In fact, interestingly enough, because it's soak, it's so fresh in my mind, right? Mm-hmm. , I just got off the plane yesterday. Yeah. That the husband said to mom. Daughter doesn't know about this, right? Oh, she's 10. And in fact, the wife said, no daughter's actually written you a letter. Dr. Harold Hong: Wow. She was, she was actually the reason she was, she was hundred percent right? Frances: A hundred Graham: percent. The delusion is strong, right? The Frances: delusion and denial is like the Berlin wall, truly, and what she asked. Her husband in that moment, because husband now had heard mom share his letter. He, she asked, what did you know? Did you know anything at 10? Yep. And he said, I knew something was wrong. Right? [00:23:00] Yep. And so then she asked husband, so what do you think Vivian knows at 10? Hmm. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. Frances: The body never Graham: forgets. And you know, and, and you hear that all the time with you know, with people that are, you know, trying to, you know, find treatment on their own is that they need to, you know, they want to keep it a secret or they don't want this person to know, or they don't want that person to know. And the reality is, We're always the last people to know Right. We we're fooling ourselves if we think that everybody around us doesn't know exactly what's going on, you know? And in some cases it's, you know, kind of waiting for people to really crash and burn and, and get willing to, to seek treatment. But yeah, I mean, I love how you spoke about trauma. And you know, how it's stored in the body. And I mean, I am a huge believer in that, number one. And, and one of the things that we started doing here at, at New Waters is really introducing a lot of these holistic modalities, right? And doing, you know, massage, acupuncture, breath work, which has been. Incredible for our [00:24:00] clients. It, it has hands down their favorite thing that they do here. And that was a big surprise to me, right? So we're, you know, gonna be adding more of that type of work. But, you know, it's incredible to see these clients go in and they do a breath work session and they don't have any clue what it is, what it's all about. And they have this like, transformational experience. And really what they're doing is they're just releasing that energy, releasing that trauma, and it's. You know, it's a, it's kind of a short glimpse into, you know, some of these modalities that we can really utilize that are great tools for us when we're in recovery. But I know that you, you know, are a very holistic person and, you know, you believe in, in all these types of, of things. So would you elaborate a little bit on that and your, your work with it? I Frances: will. Yeah. So when I was, I, my, my card caring, most proud achievement is that I've been a sober. . Mm-hmm. 35 years. Which, which is a miracle. A miracle . But early on when my children were infants, I took up yoga. Mm-hmm. , and I'm [00:25:00] dating myself because I used a videotape , not a DVD v Mm-hmm. not, not a YouTube. Yep. A videotape. Yeah. And what I had heard in recovery, Was that the mind was not a welcome place for me. Mm-hmm. to stay for very long. I had no idea what that meant. But a friend in recovery said, you may wanna try some yoga. Mm-hmm. And in the very first Asanga class tape that I watch, , they taught breath work. Mm. At the end of class, in Sanskrit, it's called pr, yama prana meaning breath. It's it's a, it's an ancient word, ancient language. It's hard n not spoken anymore. Mm-hmm. Except in the yoga world, prana means breath. It means life. Mm-hmm. . And yama means control. Right. [00:26:00] Control of the breath. And it's actually. The, the fourth limb of this eight limb practice that is thousands. Mm-hmm. of years old. Wow. And I realized that in those early days of parenting and recovery, I was about five years sober at the time that I just needed some grounding practice. Mm-hmm. , and between being challenged to stay in the body, take the. into the heart. Underneath the skin. Into the body. Mm-hmm. , be there. Be on your mat. Breathe. Yep. Just for 55 minutes while the kids were napping, it began to change my life. Yep. Truly. And what I realize is this breath work, this mindfulness practice of being right here, right now. Mm-hmm. , observing, [00:27:00] noticing with no judgment. Hmm. is literally 5,000 years old. It's probably as old as millennia. Right. And we westerners think we, we, we just, we just found it. Right? ? Yeah. Graham: A hundred percent. Yep. Frances: Uhhuh and I hear a lot, oh, this facility offers mindfulness and breath work and body work and yoga and. . Same. Same. Like this is what I do. I'm a yoga instructor. I teach students how to become teachers, right? Mm-hmm. and I lead a mindfulness practice. That's the curriculum that I wrote and I teach. It's all about mindfulness and Okay, we're just catching on. Mm-hmm. and the Desert Monks. . Yep. The yogis have been doing it for literally 5,000 years. , but you know, we haven't known what we haven't known and I'm so grateful. Mm-hmm. for the practice, it is at our fingertips. It can be at a [00:28:00] stoplight. Yep. It can be while we're watching the coffee drip. It can be every time the phone rings, it can be every time we hear a text ding. Literally just to pause and to breathe and notice what am I, believ? Literally, what am I believing right here in this moment, right? Is my story 10 miles out or am I beating myself up for something that happened 10 miles ago, right? Mm-hmm. , where my feet are, that's where I am right here, right now, I'm just here staying with my beloved son, his wife, and. Precious. Just wanna say precious grandchildren, Uhhuh , and on Sesame Street, they're learning, I think, from Elmo to breathe. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's about time. Breathe [00:29:00] in. Breathe out. Mm-hmm. , breathe in, breathe out. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. It works in schools. It works at three and it works at 33 and 63, Dr. Harold Hong: a hundred percent. I, I gotta say though, I think culturally in the West we have just lost touch with reality. . Like we believe that we can work, eat, sleep, wake up, do it all over again, and that is sustainable for decades. it doesn't work. And, and what I see happen is our clients do that. They get burned out. Well, it's the Graham: expectation Dr. Harold Hong: too, right? Right. It's like you're not normal. If you can't do this, you can't do this. Right. And, and they burn out. The pain is unbearable and alcohol becomes that good idea in a bad situation. And then they, they hit bottom. And, and so our clients here, when I talk to them, , they feel so shocked that they feel better when they actually take care of themselves. . Right. You [00:30:00] know, it's like a mystery has suddenly been solved for them. Right. But this, it's just, it, it goes back to this what the vibe I was getting from what you were talking about and this family story, is that there's this massive reality under the surface that people are just out of touch with. They are so fortunate to have worked with you, Francis, cuz you, you connected them with the truth of their family and it sounds like such a huge blessing to them that all these things they've wanted are finally available to them. Mm-hmm. , Frances: they they were so grateful, but it's not me. Mm-hmm. , I'm just literally, I am just. Hands and feet of a higher power. Yep. And I just decide I'm walking alongside you and you can do it because we all need encouragement, guidance, and accountability. And that's what our [00:31:00] three-legged stool is as our whole family's mantra is that we're there to. , encourage and hold some kind of accountability. And it's not my accountability, it's their accountability to themselves. Mm-hmm. , I just hold the mirror up, hopefully with a little bit of meta, a little bit of loving kindness and empathy. Mm-hmm. , they're doing the heavy lifting. I'm not, I just ask questions. Dr. Harold Hong: Well, I'm, I'm blown away by this, this spiritual realm that you're, you're bringing up. And I, I've been in situations with clients. , you feel that there's a spirit in the room, and I think a lot of the people who are listening or watching would really benefit from hearing a little bit about what it's like to be in the room and, and does it result in a moment of decision and, and, mm-hmm. If you could tell us about a time where something like that comes to mind for Frances: you. Well, given that it just happened 24 hours ago, , [00:32:00] I can tell you about this one. The spiritual life is truly sacred to me. I feel like I've learned. Everything I know about the spiritual life from the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Mm-hmm. . It's not recovery for everyone. Mm-hmm. . I know that, and I'm so grateful that there are other modes of recovery out there because the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't float everybody's boat. I happen to have gotten. Privilege Miracle to be able to get sober in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I walked into my very first a meeting in midtown Manhattan, and I've been sober ever since, and that is not me. That is my higher power, having some kind of grace and mercy. Mm-hmm. toward me. And for me, it's the power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the most profound [00:33:00] pathway. Toward living a life of contentment and peace and service that I know, and they can be used on top of batons, eightfold Path, Buddhas Four Step Path, smart Recovery Refuge Recovery. The, the, the, the, the language that the 12 steps use can be so fluid and so open and so gracious. It, it makes my heart heavy when, when I hear somebody saying it's not for me. Mm-hmm. , because I feel like there's a big tent there, but nonetheless mm-hmm. I am passionate about, for me the fact. Staying sober, and I mean really sober, working hard in the interior life to be [00:34:00] transparent, to be authentic. I did not live an authentic life when I was using. Mm-hmm. . What I was feeling inside was not what you were getting outside. Mm-hmm. . And that disconnect was the thing that brought me to my knees. Truly, I was imploding. Mm-hmm. . . The spiritual life is hugely, hugely important to me, and I I'm very open with families when I'm working with them, and I'm very open with clients in early recovery as their coach that I don't care what it is, but it can't be you. Mm-hmm. . Yep. It can be your higher self. Yep. There's plenty of Buddhist. for the 12 steps of recovery. Mm-hmm. , if that's your, yeah. If that's your thing. But it cannot, it cannot be my own self will. because my own self will got me to my knees. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. And I think too, that it's also important to highlight that for me at least, religion and spirituality [00:35:00] are very different things. Right. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up is they think, oh, this is a religious program, or this is that, or they say God, or, you know, and, and you know, it's, again, as you just said, it's, it's very fluid, right. And you know, and it's just a start, right? And it's, and you just gotta. do your part to believe in something. But I think that puts a lot of people off. And, and it's always interesting when I'm, you know, talking with clients and they say, oh, I, I went to some meetings and it didn't, wasn't for me. I, you know, I couldn't relate or yada yada yada. And, and then my next question is typically like, well, tell me what that experience was really like cuz it's inevitably. Went to a meeting or two and sat in the back and didn't say hi to anybody. And you know, that's, that's not what 12 step is. Right. And you know, typically the reason that we say go to 90 and 90, me, you know, 90 meetings and 90 days is so that you go to a ton of different meetings. And you find your people, right? Yeah. And, and that's really, it's not, you know, this isn't a sentence, you know, that we're giving you, like, you need to go to a meeting every day. It's, it's for your benefits so that you can really [00:36:00] find your tribe, you know? And that's what it's all about. So, you know, and I think that it's really unfortunate that, that, that, like spiritual component p puts people off because it's, it really like, in order to, to recover from this thing, we need to have a total psychic shift. And I think that that only happens really at the spiritual. , right. We're so disconnected and and it's just such a, an important element and I feel like people are just so fearful of talking about it. You know, it's unfortunate. Frances: I also think that substance use disorder and mental health can be so isolating. Mm-hmm. , I think that those diseases are diseases of isolation. Mm-hmm. and I really believe. That we need community connection. Absolutely. And connection. Yep. Connection. And I a hundred percent agree with you. I have a client now [00:37:00] who's been to treatment living in a sober house in DC and that was his expectation by the sober house. 90 and 90. Yep. Right there on DuPont Circle. And that was the very thing, find your people. Yeah. Because this 30 year. . I get it. I understand it. His life has come to a crashing halt. He thinks he has literally come to the end of his existence because he has no idea, because the culture is out there presenting it. That if he can't have a drink, well, let's just say it's not a drink. We know that by the time we get to treatment, it's not a drink. Right. That he can't have Graham: a life. Yep. That's so hard. Yeah, so Frances: painful. And if he finds his people, Yep. It's not gonna take 90 meetings. New York City, Raleigh, New York, they're all over these 20 and 30 somethings and they're living a life they never imagined. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's [00:38:00] beautiful. And they realize that. We can do it without alcohol and drugs. Graham: Mm-hmm. and, you know, do it in, in such a dramatic, amazing way too. I mean, that was, you know, I was 26 when I, when I went to treatment for the first time, or really the only time. And you know, I was super fortunate and I still say like, I was touched by the hand of God when I was about two weeks in a treatment. I all of a sudden just had this. Shift this awareness where I said, okay, I can sit here and say my life is over because I can't use these substances. How am I going to, you know, what's my wedding gonna be Like, what's my, you know, this, that, and the other thing that I listed off. And, you know, I couldn't possibly do these things without drinking. Right. And I all of a sudden have this awareness that I can, I can, you know, be down and out because of that, or I can just start doing awesome stuff. And I started fly fishing. I started playing more golf and I just like threw myself into all these different hobbies and things that I'd always dreamt about doing. But I didn't do because I was drinking by myself in a basement in Boston, , you know, . So, you know, [00:39:00] once I like had that kind of shift in perspective, I was like, oh wow, this, this, you know, life can be amazing. And then, you know, I still, I go to a ton of concerts and. I just do it differently now, right? I go with the right people and I don't go to the concert four hours before the concert and sit in the parking lot, you know, because nothing good is happening there for me, right? But then now I can remember the concert, which is a whole new thing, , which I never did before, but, Yeah, I mean, I think especially with young guys, you know, it's, and women as well, but you know, I've primarily worked with a lot more young males and and it's just getting them fired up about life again, right? Mm-hmm. and, and whatever it is, if it's free diving, spear fishing, fly fi, whatever, they're into skiing, you know, just getting reconnected with that is, makes all the difference in the world with these young. . Yeah. Yeah. Agree. Yep. Dr. Harold Hong: So for instance, with all the, with how amazing life can be after recovery, I think a lot of people, they don't know what joy is or happiness is until [00:40:00] they've gone through the recovery. But again, people just don't know what they don't know. Right? And so if, if there are people out there who, who have a sense like maybe something's not right with my loved one or, or our family system. , like what are some things that are a telltale sign that they, they would really benefit by working with someone like you? Like what are some things that they could have noticed a year before they hit rock bottom or six months before they hit rock bottom? What are some signs that they Frances: need help? That's a really good question. What's interesting for me is that by the time I walk in the. for the loved one, that loved one knows exactly what's happening. Mm-hmm. time and time and time again. Mm-hmm. and 90 plus percent, the loved [00:41:00] one in the meeting will say, yeah, I've had a problem. Mm-hmm. , which is often surprising to me because I know how heavy and large and wide denial is. Mm. And what's interesting is that families, when they call me, I ask them, how long have you known it was a problem? And inevitably, the longer they talk to me, the longer we are working through the process, writing the letters, having conversations, the longer the usage tends to be. Mm-hmm. where. Oh, it's just the past three months? Nah, no, actually it's been a couple years. No, actually it's more like five years. No, actually it started in high school. Whoa. And what I often hear from families is I wish I'd said something then, but I didn't know what to say. Yep. And one of the things that I know, and [00:42:00] you all know, is that words can be pretty thin. Mm-hmm. pretty cheap and often ineffective. Mm-hmm. , we're never gonna convince someone that they need to go get help one-on-one. Yeah. One-on-one. It will never work. The disease, whether it's mental health and or substance use disorder, will run circles around us. Yep. Wow. So what I often say to families, Compassion, compassion, compassion. It takes what it takes. And no matter how bad it's been, we're gonna offer a solution today. Yep. And who knows whether it would've worked 10 years ago, five years ago, five months ago. When the family is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . You know, it's the same as when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . . Dr. Harold Hong: It's beautiful. [00:43:00] Wow. Graham: I love it. Well, you know, this has been a great conversation and I think you have given us such, so much great information for families and hopefully they can, they can, you know, reach out to you if they need help. And we will have all of your information you know, in our, in our clip, in our thumbnail on, on the website. So thank you so much, Francis, for coming in. This is always such a pleasure of seeing you spending time with you. Thank you. and look forward to working with some more clients with you soon. Yes, Frances: yes, likewise, collaboration. Thank you both so much. It's been a privilege. Thank you. Course. Graham: Thanks y'all. Show Notes Welcome to the New Waters Recovery podcast, where we explore the journey to recovery alongside esteemed guests from the addiction treatment industry. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Frances Murchison, a professional certified interventionist and recovery coach from Whole Family Intervention, who brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. With over three decades of sobriety, Frances is a holistic health coach, author, speaker, retreat leader, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting individuals and families to break free from addiction and embrace a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. In this episode, our CEO/Founder, Graham Doerge, Medical Director, Dr. Harold Hong, and Frances Murchison, dive deep into the intervention process, which is a carefully planned procedure that involves a team of professionals and loved ones. The aim is to encourage individuals struggling with addiction to seek help in a compassionate, caring, and respectful manner. Frances shares valuable insights into the intervention process, from preparing for the intervention to selecting a treatment center. She emphasizes the significance of having a trained interventionist to guide the process, ensuring that it is done with the utmost sensitivity. Throughout the podcast, Frances dispels common myths and misconceptions about interventions while addressing the role of family dynamics in the recovery process. Listeners gain practical strategies and tips for navigating the intervention process, providing hope and support to those struggling with addiction. Join us on the New Waters Recovery podcast as we journey towards recovery together. Don't forget to subscribe and tune in weekly to gain further insights from our esteemed guests. Frances Murchison Links: https://www.wilmingtonyogacenter.com/teachers/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-36631919/ https://www.arise-network.com/expert/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-72ba3b188/ https://www.facebook.com/frances.murchison/ https://mindfullyfed.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964436.Frances_Murchison

< Back to Episodes Reimagining Success and Finding Balance with Ryan Hanson 44:53 min | Ryan Hanson | Finding New Waters In this illuminating episode of "Finding New Waters," we delve into the world of holistic healing and compassionate communication with our special guest, Ryan Hanson. With over two decades of experience in behavioral healthcare, Ryan shares his insights into sexual health, grief and loss, addiction, and more. Join us as we explore the transformative power of redefining success and finding passion and purpose in life. Ryan's dedication to balance and compassionate connection shines through in this enlightening conversation. Tune in and discover new pathways to healing and personal growth! Subscribe "I'm always excited when individual providers and academics and science work together because I'll use an example like a biometric tool that's not medical grade, but it starts to provide information that I can use to potentially change behavior, improve health and wellness, improve connection. That stuff's cool. And it produces real change that people can see." - Ryan Hanson Podcast Transcript Graham: [00:00:00] Good morning and welcome to our inaugural podcast, finding New Waters. My name is Graham Durge and I'm the founder and CEO of New Waters Recovery in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm joined here today by our medical director, Dr. Harold Hong and Francis Sson from Whole Family Interventions. Francis is a professional, certified interventionist recovery coach, life coach, and holistic health coach. In addition, Francis is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and a yoga instructor with 35 years of sobriety. Francis believes addiction is a family disease which is exhibited in her work as a coach. Her mission is to help individuals and families make grace-filled changes toward health and wellbeing so that they can live a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. Francis has published two books, breathe, see, nourish. Energize A Pathway to Healing and Heal Your whole Body. The 12 Day Power Plan to flush toxins, balance hormones, and reset your body's most essential organ. Our goal in creating Finding New Waters is to create a resource for families to help navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one [00:01:00] struggling with substance use, dependence, or mental health. The fact of the matter is that when we find ourselves in crisis due to one of these issues, most people have no idea what direction to turn. My hope is that we can help shed some light into what can be many families' darkest. And Francis, thank you for joining us today. Obviously always a pleasure to get to see your face and spend a little bit of time with you. And I'll, I'll just start with like a little bit of background. Francis and I actually met years ago. At the Arise Intervention Training up at Cumberland Heights, up in Nashville. So I kind of saw her starting this journey and it's just been amazing to, to see it all transpire and, and all the amazing work that you're doing up to this point is, is really incredible. So thanks for coming Frances: today. It's a privilege to be here with you. I'm so proud. Of what you've accomplished here and it's it's an honor to be here. Thank Graham: you. Fantastic. Thank you. So, you know, wanted to start out today you know, with a couple questions. I know that you [00:02:00] just got off a flight from doing an intervention, right? Thank, and obviously that's kind of the, the core of, of, of what you're doing these days. So can you tell us a little bit about. You know, in particular the intervention that you, you know, just were a part of, but you know, maybe the intervention process and, you know, what families need to kind of learn about what an intervention is and, you know, just give us a little bit of background on, on kind of the mechanics of, of that process. Frances: Can do. Yeah. I think the first thing that I wanna say is that the way whole families. Orchestrates interventions is nothing like the show , , and that there is a preconceived notion among many families that it is a meeting that is confrontational. Mm-hmm. and can feel quite shaming. Hmm. To the identified person. Hmm. Often a loved one, and I am passionately committed [00:03:00] to the concept that the meeting itself is a meeting of love. It's a meeting of truth, and it's a meaning of a meeting of kindness and it's solution based. Yep. So the way it begins is often the call that I get, is often the last gasp that the family has. Yep. To try to help their loved one. I am truly the last house on the block if I'm getting the call. They've tried in their mind everything else. Yep. So it's often a call of desperation. Yeah. And what I tell families is that true, that often it is the case that we don't get better. We don't ask for help. We don't want to get help until we, I, as a, as an addicted person, [00:04:00] have come to the end of my rope. Ha I've hit my bottom. But I also, and I also believe that interventions. when the family has hit their bottom mm-hmm. and when they are suffering enough mm-hmm. to say, we're done and we need help. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And often that is exactly what I say to the identified person. The minute we walk in the door is, your family reached out to me because they are suffering and they don't know how to help you. Yeah. And so we're gonna be here to offer you a. , right? So the process begins by someone in the family reaching out to me and saying, my loved one is suffering. How do I get them to treatment? How do I get them to start this road to recovery? And one of the first things that I ask this person is, Do you have a line in the sand that you're willing to draw? If this person in your life whom you love or [00:05:00] have loved, maybe they're at their end of their rope too. Do you have a line in the sand if they don't go right? Because if they don't have a clear boundary, if they don't have a clear consequence, if they don't have a clear. line in the sand, then we need to work on one and come back to me, or I'll help you create one, right? Because simply to ask your loved one to go to treatment. When you don't have in the back of your mind, if you don't go, I'm willing to do or I'm not willing to do it. In my experience, it's not gonna be nearly as successful. . Yep. And that often for families, it's a very challenging place for them to land because they don't think that that's loving, right? Mm-hmm. , right? And what I tell families is, the most loving thing you can do is to speak the truth in love. Mm-hmm. tell them you're suffering and offer them a solution. , right? [00:06:00] So then I say to the person who's reached out to me, do you have a posse? Do you have three to four people? Five people? Four? Whom with whom your loved one has a relationship? Cares deeply enough about what they have to share. Do does your loved one care about having a relationship with this person long-term? I can't have anyone in the room who, for whom? Or with whom? The loved one has a massive resentment. Mm-hmm. , or has a massive resentment toward mm-hmm. . There's no room for resentment or shame or blame or any condemning language. This is a love meeting. Yeah. Nothing but compass. and empathy. They may not have it at this moment because they may be kind of sort of done, but we're gonna at least pretend right for this meeting and we're gonna prepare mm-hmm. for that meeting by having one-on-one conversations with me, and I'm gonna help you [00:07:00] go down memory lane. You're literally opening up your photo album and you're gonna remember. Beautiful times that you've had with this person way before this person picked up or began struggling with mental health challenges. Right. And we're literally gonna share those memories with your loved one because that person has forgotten. Mm-hmm. , that person has forgotten who they are at their core. Mm-hmm. , how much they're loved, how much they have been affirmed and appreciated. In their life by this circle of friends and family. Mm-hmm. . So I help the family members, friends, employers, maybe. Mm-hmm. . Literally go down memory lane and pull those up. Remember, bro, remember when we were sailing around the islands and we saw the sunrise and we were drinking coffee, and you told me this was [00:08:00] like the most incredible moment of your life. We're gonna, we're gonna share those right memories with each other. Yep. And with you. Yeah. Yeah. I love you so much. I'm not willing to sit on the sideline and watch your life implode. Mm-hmm. because of your substance use disorder or your mental health challenges. Yeah. I love you too much to let you stay here. Hmm. And this is how we've shared our lives together. Yep. Graham: Love it. Yeah, absolutely Love it. So powerful. Frances: So, so, so in that preparation we do that and then they set out writing their letters where they put it down in writing. Mm-hmm. Graham: Now, are you inviting them to the intervention, the, the person of concern? Frances: You ask a great question. Yeah. Because there's so many approaches, right. To interventions. I. Kind of sorta created my own approach [00:09:00] by what I feel like picking the best out of a rise, and also following love first with Deborah and Jeff J. Got it. I think the way they approach interventions is beyond brilliant, right? Mm-hmm. . So most of the time for me, if, if, if this family, if these people have talked about and talked about wanting to offer this person a lifeline, mm. It may be very appropriate to invite them. If the family feels as though that person is either gonna overuse mm-hmm. harm themselves, perhaps harm someone else, or Bolt, then it's more of we're gonna have a coffee. Yep. Mm-hmm. , and we're just gonna share what's been on our heart. And then you get the floor. Yeah. Mm-hmm. , and I'm telling you, , nine 99% of the time the identified person wants to be in the meeting. Mm-hmm. , [00:10:00] because we as human beings love to be talked about . Right. And especially if I know from the get-go that you're gonna tell me things that are. lovely about me, right? I'm gonna want and sit. I don't, I'm gonna want to sit and hear you. Yeah. Mm-hmm. a hundred percent rarely had someone up and leave. All I say is your family is struggling. Mm-hmm. , they feel powerless. How to help you. They've asked me to join you. They have a few things they wanna say to you, and then if you're willing to listen to. the floor is yours. Yeah. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. And so we literally go around the circle. We know where everyone's seated. We've had a rehearsal, we've gone through the letters. Everyone's heard each other's letters. Mm-hmm. . So now the healing begins with the family because there are secrets that perhaps come out in these letters that a person hasn't heard. Mm-hmm. , for instance, just came off an intervention. Grandmother, [00:11:00] mother of the identified person. shared with me that she was an alcoholic, ex-husband, was an alcoholic father to this son was an alcoholic. He died of a alcoholism, cirrhosis of the liver, and she was emotionally and physically abused, and he never knew that. He never knew it. Wow. Incredible. She tells me, she starts crying and saying, I've never shared this out loud. I'm getting goosebumps even telling you this. . I said, Sally, you need to put it in your letter. Oh no, it's been under the rug. We gotta talk about that. Mm-hmm. , it's been under the rug for 45 years. Yep. Son is 50. Wow. Can you put that in your letter? Yep. It would be so important. Yeah. For your son to hear this Graham: and it really reframes the entire family system, right? It's, it's a hundred, a hundred percent. It's everything that we've [00:12:00] ever known. This whole perception of who we are as a family is false. Right? Oh and a hundred percent. And it really kind of is those, those types of, I feel like that piece of information can really wake somebody up and say, holy cow. You know? And again, and it's. You know, we're not, you know, just trying to work with a client here. You know, we're, we're working with the family, right? Mm-hmm. , and this is a family disease. And, and that's, you know, I love working with somebody like yourself because by the time they get to us, they're kind of teed up and the, and the, the family is, you know, been coached and they know what to expect and they're. Ready to hold the line. And you know, it's, it's difficult when we get families who don't really understand that concept that, you know, listen, we're working with, with you, but we're also working with the family as well, because everybody needs to do some work here. Right. Frances: The secrets will kill a family system. Yep. They will destroy the fabric in the family. And when she said it out loud, he visibly. Began to shake all over Wow. [00:13:00] As he's been the identified black sheep. Right. Everybody else has been towing the line and just living the sort of perfect life. Mom shares this bombshell and all of a sudden now, mom and son are both sharing in this pain and suffering. Wow. And they're, and the and, and the empathy. is is literally tangible in the room where Sun says, , oh my gosh. I've known, I've known that there was something off. Mm-hmm. in this family. I could feel it. I never knew what it was. And at 50 years old, he hears the secret that mom has been protecting. No wonder, no wonder he's using, he is literally physically embodying the trauma, the generational trauma. Yep. Mm-hmm. that, who knows where it started? Yeah. I mean, it could have. [00:14:00] three generations ago, five generations ago. Yep. The family begins to heal no matter what the identified person chooses. Mm-hmm. for him or herself. In terms of his own recovery. The family begins to heal right away. This is secret that the other brother never knew. Yeah. Best friends never knew. Wife never knew. Wow. Jesus. And we're all hearing. Except for me. Right. All at the same time. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. Yeah. Incredible, incredible, incredible. Dr. Harold Hong: Tell us, Francis, a little bit about what was going on with the family, that, that got them up to that moment of, of reaching out to you. Like how did they reach Frances: the of their life? Ah, ah, great question. Wife. I always fall in love with the family. Just so you know. , , I love this woman so much. I've known her for a whopping two months. Right, right. She's incredible. Well, Graham: you get very close to these people, you know, [00:15:00] doing this Dr. Harold Hong: type of work. You're spending like months getting to know them Frances: well, it just depends on how. Desperate. The crisis is Uhhuh. . I've done it in four days. This family, this woman, this wife specifically planned it to be post his birthday. Mm-hmm. and post a skiing trip. Yep. . Right? Some families don't have that kind of time, right? Mm-hmm. , because there's too much risk. She thought she could do it. She's been living with it for five years. She called me because her therapist, and she lives outside of New York City. Mm-hmm. I live part-time in New York City. She's been talking to her therapist. Her therapist told me to call, told her to call me. It took her six months to pick up the phone and call me. She Wow. And the reason she was willing to call me is that she finally realized she was done. Yep. And what she said was, I'm living a single parent life in a two-parent home, and I've never been [00:16:00] lonely here. Yeah. This husband, who is just an awesome star got laid off in Covid. Mm-hmm. , and he's an extrovert and his world crashed and burned and he sleeps until 2:00 PM He wakes up just in time to pick up their 10 year old daughter from school. he's sober for about four hours, starts drinking at about six, and then he stays up until five. Wow. And she said when her daughter, her 10 year old daughter, came to her after Christmas and said, why does daddy sleep all day? Hmm. I don't feel safe with him in the car when he picks me up from school. Chill bumps again. Yep. Then mommy knew right then and there. if I don't do this, I am modeling to my daughter that this is normal. Yep. And this is not normal. And mom knew right then and there to save her daughter, she had to [00:17:00] intervene on daughter's behalf. Yeah. To save the two of them. It's so, it, it makes me wanna weep. I mean, I mean, the strength of these families is. and then we have other families who are really stuck. Right. Yep. Really, really stuck. And I have those too. But Graham: yeah. And you know, it is, I think back to the arise training, you know, sometimes too. And one of the, the pieces that I loved that we pulled out of that was, and Dr. Hong actually, you know, uses the genogram. Yeah. Quite often with our assessment clients and. And it's just so incredible and so powerful to you know, the genogram is a chart. It's kind of a family tree, so to speak, where we start going generations back and start identifying some of the issues and some of the, you know, the family system issues, some of the individual issues with you know, generations previously. And, What was so cool that I found from it was when the, the person got sober the following generations. You saw that break in addiction, right? And you saw that break in the cycle which is so, so powerful. [00:18:00] And, you know, I'm a person in recovery. My wife is a person in recovery. We have three daughters. And you know, it used to say, gosh, you know, chances are one of 'em is gonna have an issue. But you know, my hope is that we are raising them. In a very different household. Mm-hmm. than, you know, a lot of us grew up in. Right. And, and you know, hopefully we can model that behavior and listen, we're not perfect and you know, life happens and everybody, it's tough raising kids these days, But you know. Do you still use a genogram? Frances: I do. Yeah. And what I've noticed in, in looking at that and filling it out. Sometimes it's on the fly. Yeah. Sometimes I have longer. Yep. And it really begins to. Clarify itself when I have these one-on-one conversations with every single person in the circle. Yep. I, I, I require that, I mean, I su highly suggest it because I learned so much right about the family system when I have individual conversations with everyone here, and what I am [00:19:00] becoming so clear about is that generational. Substance use disorder, mental health trauma, trauma is beneath so much of what I see. Yep. When I enter a family system. Yep. And when I started, I didn't understand the power of the generational trauma. Yep, yep. Yeah. It's amazing if we don't stop the cycle. . It just gets passed down. Yeah. It just continues on and on. Yep. All the time. Graham particularly, particularly with the mental health stuff. Yep. Mm-hmm. , we live what we learn. Yep. We live what we learn. . Graham: Yep. Yeah. And as Dr. Hong likes to say, one of my favorite quotes is from you is where there's addiction, there's trauma, . You know, and that's just, that's the [00:20:00] reality of, of the world these days. And a hundred percent, I mean, I would say we see it with, with most in or if not all clients. Right? Dr. Harold Hong: Totally. A hundred percent. It, I mean, the, the family you're talking about, I mean, you just feel the pain and the weight that they've been carrying for generations. it. One, one thing that I, I learned in my ethics class way back in college was there's a strange good reason mm-hmm. for every bad thing that we do, and with all the pain and the weight that this family's carrying addiction as a way to deal with that pain. It just makes sense. Mm-hmm. , but there's so much judgment and shame and dysfunction that comes along with it, and you. what you're talking about, Francis, sounds like such a relief, like the people in the family are getting what they wanted for so long, but what about all the pain and anger that's come along with it at the same time?[00:21:00] Frances: And what's so wild, Dr. Hong is this mother who's been carrying the secret for 45 years. Hmm. She has congestive heart failure. Okay. She's got high blood. and she's got high cholesterol. Mm-hmm. . She says that her pain medication costs her 25 grand a year. Holy God. And I wanna know if she had shared that secret 45 years ago and been willing to be vulnerable mm-hmm. with these children and really help the children understand it wasn't her fault. It may not have even been daddy's fault. He has a disease. I have a disease. , we can get help for this disease. Would she have less health problems? Now jury is out. Mm-hmm. But my sense is that trauma lives in the body. Hundred percent. And the body never, ever, ever forgets. [00:22:00] In fact, interestingly enough, because it's soak, it's so fresh in my mind, right? Mm-hmm. , I just got off the plane yesterday. Yeah. That the husband said to mom. Daughter doesn't know about this, right? Oh, she's 10. And in fact, the wife said, no daughter's actually written you a letter. Dr. Harold Hong: Wow. She was, she was actually the reason she was, she was hundred percent right? Frances: A hundred Graham: percent. The delusion is strong, right? The Frances: delusion and denial is like the Berlin wall, truly, and what she asked. Her husband in that moment, because husband now had heard mom share his letter. He, she asked, what did you know? Did you know anything at 10? Yep. And he said, I knew something was wrong. Right? [00:23:00] Yep. And so then she asked husband, so what do you think Vivian knows at 10? Hmm. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. Frances: The body never Graham: forgets. And you know, and, and you hear that all the time with you know, with people that are, you know, trying to, you know, find treatment on their own is that they need to, you know, they want to keep it a secret or they don't want this person to know, or they don't want that person to know. And the reality is, We're always the last people to know Right. We we're fooling ourselves if we think that everybody around us doesn't know exactly what's going on, you know? And in some cases it's, you know, kind of waiting for people to really crash and burn and, and get willing to, to seek treatment. But yeah, I mean, I love how you spoke about trauma. And you know, how it's stored in the body. And I mean, I am a huge believer in that, number one. And, and one of the things that we started doing here at, at New Waters is really introducing a lot of these holistic modalities, right? And doing, you know, massage, acupuncture, breath work, which has been. Incredible for our [00:24:00] clients. It, it has hands down their favorite thing that they do here. And that was a big surprise to me, right? So we're, you know, gonna be adding more of that type of work. But, you know, it's incredible to see these clients go in and they do a breath work session and they don't have any clue what it is, what it's all about. And they have this like, transformational experience. And really what they're doing is they're just releasing that energy, releasing that trauma, and it's. You know, it's a, it's kind of a short glimpse into, you know, some of these modalities that we can really utilize that are great tools for us when we're in recovery. But I know that you, you know, are a very holistic person and, you know, you believe in, in all these types of, of things. So would you elaborate a little bit on that and your, your work with it? I Frances: will. Yeah. So when I was, I, my, my card caring, most proud achievement is that I've been a sober. . Mm-hmm. 35 years. Which, which is a miracle. A miracle . But early on when my children were infants, I took up yoga. Mm-hmm. , and I'm [00:25:00] dating myself because I used a videotape , not a DVD v Mm-hmm. not, not a YouTube. Yep. A videotape. Yeah. And what I had heard in recovery, Was that the mind was not a welcome place for me. Mm-hmm. to stay for very long. I had no idea what that meant. But a friend in recovery said, you may wanna try some yoga. Mm-hmm. And in the very first Asanga class tape that I watch, , they taught breath work. Mm. At the end of class, in Sanskrit, it's called pr, yama prana meaning breath. It's it's a, it's an ancient word, ancient language. It's hard n not spoken anymore. Mm-hmm. Except in the yoga world, prana means breath. It means life. Mm-hmm. . And yama means control. Right. [00:26:00] Control of the breath. And it's actually. The, the fourth limb of this eight limb practice that is thousands. Mm-hmm. of years old. Wow. And I realized that in those early days of parenting and recovery, I was about five years sober at the time that I just needed some grounding practice. Mm-hmm. , and between being challenged to stay in the body, take the. into the heart. Underneath the skin. Into the body. Mm-hmm. , be there. Be on your mat. Breathe. Yep. Just for 55 minutes while the kids were napping, it began to change my life. Yep. Truly. And what I realize is this breath work, this mindfulness practice of being right here, right now. Mm-hmm. , observing, [00:27:00] noticing with no judgment. Hmm. is literally 5,000 years old. It's probably as old as millennia. Right. And we westerners think we, we, we just, we just found it. Right? ? Yeah. Graham: A hundred percent. Yep. Frances: Uhhuh and I hear a lot, oh, this facility offers mindfulness and breath work and body work and yoga and. . Same. Same. Like this is what I do. I'm a yoga instructor. I teach students how to become teachers, right? Mm-hmm. and I lead a mindfulness practice. That's the curriculum that I wrote and I teach. It's all about mindfulness and Okay, we're just catching on. Mm-hmm. and the Desert Monks. . Yep. The yogis have been doing it for literally 5,000 years. , but you know, we haven't known what we haven't known and I'm so grateful. Mm-hmm. for the practice, it is at our fingertips. It can be at a [00:28:00] stoplight. Yep. It can be while we're watching the coffee drip. It can be every time the phone rings, it can be every time we hear a text ding. Literally just to pause and to breathe and notice what am I, believ? Literally, what am I believing right here in this moment, right? Is my story 10 miles out or am I beating myself up for something that happened 10 miles ago, right? Mm-hmm. , where my feet are, that's where I am right here, right now, I'm just here staying with my beloved son, his wife, and. Precious. Just wanna say precious grandchildren, Uhhuh , and on Sesame Street, they're learning, I think, from Elmo to breathe. Wow. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's about time. Breathe [00:29:00] in. Breathe out. Mm-hmm. , breathe in, breathe out. Mm-hmm. . Yeah. It works in schools. It works at three and it works at 33 and 63, Dr. Harold Hong: a hundred percent. I, I gotta say though, I think culturally in the West we have just lost touch with reality. . Like we believe that we can work, eat, sleep, wake up, do it all over again, and that is sustainable for decades. it doesn't work. And, and what I see happen is our clients do that. They get burned out. Well, it's the Graham: expectation Dr. Harold Hong: too, right? Right. It's like you're not normal. If you can't do this, you can't do this. Right. And, and they burn out. The pain is unbearable and alcohol becomes that good idea in a bad situation. And then they, they hit bottom. And, and so our clients here, when I talk to them, , they feel so shocked that they feel better when they actually take care of themselves. . Right. You [00:30:00] know, it's like a mystery has suddenly been solved for them. Right. But this, it's just, it, it goes back to this what the vibe I was getting from what you were talking about and this family story, is that there's this massive reality under the surface that people are just out of touch with. They are so fortunate to have worked with you, Francis, cuz you, you connected them with the truth of their family and it sounds like such a huge blessing to them that all these things they've wanted are finally available to them. Mm-hmm. , Frances: they they were so grateful, but it's not me. Mm-hmm. , I'm just literally, I am just. Hands and feet of a higher power. Yep. And I just decide I'm walking alongside you and you can do it because we all need encouragement, guidance, and accountability. And that's what our [00:31:00] three-legged stool is as our whole family's mantra is that we're there to. , encourage and hold some kind of accountability. And it's not my accountability, it's their accountability to themselves. Mm-hmm. , I just hold the mirror up, hopefully with a little bit of meta, a little bit of loving kindness and empathy. Mm-hmm. , they're doing the heavy lifting. I'm not, I just ask questions. Dr. Harold Hong: Well, I'm, I'm blown away by this, this spiritual realm that you're, you're bringing up. And I, I've been in situations with clients. , you feel that there's a spirit in the room, and I think a lot of the people who are listening or watching would really benefit from hearing a little bit about what it's like to be in the room and, and does it result in a moment of decision and, and, mm-hmm. If you could tell us about a time where something like that comes to mind for Frances: you. Well, given that it just happened 24 hours ago, , [00:32:00] I can tell you about this one. The spiritual life is truly sacred to me. I feel like I've learned. Everything I know about the spiritual life from the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Mm-hmm. . It's not recovery for everyone. Mm-hmm. . I know that, and I'm so grateful that there are other modes of recovery out there because the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't float everybody's boat. I happen to have gotten. Privilege Miracle to be able to get sober in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I walked into my very first a meeting in midtown Manhattan, and I've been sober ever since, and that is not me. That is my higher power, having some kind of grace and mercy. Mm-hmm. toward me. And for me, it's the power of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are the most profound [00:33:00] pathway. Toward living a life of contentment and peace and service that I know, and they can be used on top of batons, eightfold Path, Buddhas Four Step Path, smart Recovery Refuge Recovery. The, the, the, the, the language that the 12 steps use can be so fluid and so open and so gracious. It, it makes my heart heavy when, when I hear somebody saying it's not for me. Mm-hmm. , because I feel like there's a big tent there, but nonetheless mm-hmm. I am passionate about, for me the fact. Staying sober, and I mean really sober, working hard in the interior life to be [00:34:00] transparent, to be authentic. I did not live an authentic life when I was using. Mm-hmm. . What I was feeling inside was not what you were getting outside. Mm-hmm. . And that disconnect was the thing that brought me to my knees. Truly, I was imploding. Mm-hmm. . . The spiritual life is hugely, hugely important to me, and I I'm very open with families when I'm working with them, and I'm very open with clients in early recovery as their coach that I don't care what it is, but it can't be you. Mm-hmm. . Yep. It can be your higher self. Yep. There's plenty of Buddhist. for the 12 steps of recovery. Mm-hmm. , if that's your, yeah. If that's your thing. But it cannot, it cannot be my own self will. because my own self will got me to my knees. Yeah. Graham: Yeah. And I think too, that it's also important to highlight that for me at least, religion and spirituality [00:35:00] are very different things. Right. And I think that's where a lot of people get hung up is they think, oh, this is a religious program, or this is that, or they say God, or, you know, and, and you know, it's, again, as you just said, it's, it's very fluid, right. And you know, and it's just a start, right? And it's, and you just gotta. do your part to believe in something. But I think that puts a lot of people off. And, and it's always interesting when I'm, you know, talking with clients and they say, oh, I, I went to some meetings and it didn't, wasn't for me. I, you know, I couldn't relate or yada yada yada. And, and then my next question is typically like, well, tell me what that experience was really like cuz it's inevitably. Went to a meeting or two and sat in the back and didn't say hi to anybody. And you know, that's, that's not what 12 step is. Right. And you know, typically the reason that we say go to 90 and 90, me, you know, 90 meetings and 90 days is so that you go to a ton of different meetings. And you find your people, right? Yeah. And, and that's really, it's not, you know, this isn't a sentence, you know, that we're giving you, like, you need to go to a meeting every day. It's, it's for your benefits so that you can really [00:36:00] find your tribe, you know? And that's what it's all about. So, you know, and I think that it's really unfortunate that, that, that, like spiritual component p puts people off because it's, it really like, in order to, to recover from this thing, we need to have a total psychic shift. And I think that that only happens really at the spiritual. , right. We're so disconnected and and it's just such a, an important element and I feel like people are just so fearful of talking about it. You know, it's unfortunate. Frances: I also think that substance use disorder and mental health can be so isolating. Mm-hmm. , I think that those diseases are diseases of isolation. Mm-hmm. and I really believe. That we need community connection. Absolutely. And connection. Yep. Connection. And I a hundred percent agree with you. I have a client now [00:37:00] who's been to treatment living in a sober house in DC and that was his expectation by the sober house. 90 and 90. Yep. Right there on DuPont Circle. And that was the very thing, find your people. Yeah. Because this 30 year. . I get it. I understand it. His life has come to a crashing halt. He thinks he has literally come to the end of his existence because he has no idea, because the culture is out there presenting it. That if he can't have a drink, well, let's just say it's not a drink. We know that by the time we get to treatment, it's not a drink. Right. That he can't have Graham: a life. Yep. That's so hard. Yeah, so Frances: painful. And if he finds his people, Yep. It's not gonna take 90 meetings. New York City, Raleigh, New York, they're all over these 20 and 30 somethings and they're living a life they never imagined. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's [00:38:00] beautiful. And they realize that. We can do it without alcohol and drugs. Graham: Mm-hmm. and, you know, do it in, in such a dramatic, amazing way too. I mean, that was, you know, I was 26 when I, when I went to treatment for the first time, or really the only time. And you know, I was super fortunate and I still say like, I was touched by the hand of God when I was about two weeks in a treatment. I all of a sudden just had this. Shift this awareness where I said, okay, I can sit here and say my life is over because I can't use these substances. How am I going to, you know, what's my wedding gonna be Like, what's my, you know, this, that, and the other thing that I listed off. And, you know, I couldn't possibly do these things without drinking. Right. And I all of a sudden have this awareness that I can, I can, you know, be down and out because of that, or I can just start doing awesome stuff. And I started fly fishing. I started playing more golf and I just like threw myself into all these different hobbies and things that I'd always dreamt about doing. But I didn't do because I was drinking by myself in a basement in Boston, , you know, . So, you know, [00:39:00] once I like had that kind of shift in perspective, I was like, oh wow, this, this, you know, life can be amazing. And then, you know, I still, I go to a ton of concerts and. I just do it differently now, right? I go with the right people and I don't go to the concert four hours before the concert and sit in the parking lot, you know, because nothing good is happening there for me, right? But then now I can remember the concert, which is a whole new thing, , which I never did before, but, Yeah, I mean, I think especially with young guys, you know, it's, and women as well, but you know, I've primarily worked with a lot more young males and and it's just getting them fired up about life again, right? Mm-hmm. and, and whatever it is, if it's free diving, spear fishing, fly fi, whatever, they're into skiing, you know, just getting reconnected with that is, makes all the difference in the world with these young. . Yeah. Yeah. Agree. Yep. Dr. Harold Hong: So for instance, with all the, with how amazing life can be after recovery, I think a lot of people, they don't know what joy is or happiness is until [00:40:00] they've gone through the recovery. But again, people just don't know what they don't know. Right? And so if, if there are people out there who, who have a sense like maybe something's not right with my loved one or, or our family system. , like what are some things that are a telltale sign that they, they would really benefit by working with someone like you? Like what are some things that they could have noticed a year before they hit rock bottom or six months before they hit rock bottom? What are some signs that they Frances: need help? That's a really good question. What's interesting for me is that by the time I walk in the. for the loved one, that loved one knows exactly what's happening. Mm-hmm. time and time and time again. Mm-hmm. and 90 plus percent, the loved [00:41:00] one in the meeting will say, yeah, I've had a problem. Mm-hmm. , which is often surprising to me because I know how heavy and large and wide denial is. Mm. And what's interesting is that families, when they call me, I ask them, how long have you known it was a problem? And inevitably, the longer they talk to me, the longer we are working through the process, writing the letters, having conversations, the longer the usage tends to be. Mm-hmm. where. Oh, it's just the past three months? Nah, no, actually it's been a couple years. No, actually it's more like five years. No, actually it started in high school. Whoa. And what I often hear from families is I wish I'd said something then, but I didn't know what to say. Yep. And one of the things that I know, and [00:42:00] you all know, is that words can be pretty thin. Mm-hmm. pretty cheap and often ineffective. Mm-hmm. , we're never gonna convince someone that they need to go get help one-on-one. Yeah. One-on-one. It will never work. The disease, whether it's mental health and or substance use disorder, will run circles around us. Yep. Wow. So what I often say to families, Compassion, compassion, compassion. It takes what it takes. And no matter how bad it's been, we're gonna offer a solution today. Yep. And who knows whether it would've worked 10 years ago, five years ago, five months ago. When the family is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . Mm-hmm. . You know, it's the same as when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. Mm-hmm. . . Dr. Harold Hong: It's beautiful. [00:43:00] Wow. Graham: I love it. Well, you know, this has been a great conversation and I think you have given us such, so much great information for families and hopefully they can, they can, you know, reach out to you if they need help. And we will have all of your information you know, in our, in our clip, in our thumbnail on, on the website. So thank you so much, Francis, for coming in. This is always such a pleasure of seeing you spending time with you. Thank you. and look forward to working with some more clients with you soon. Yes, Frances: yes, likewise, collaboration. Thank you both so much. It's been a privilege. Thank you. Course. Graham: Thanks y'all. Show Notes Welcome to the New Waters Recovery podcast, where we explore the journey to recovery alongside esteemed guests from the addiction treatment industry. Today, we have the privilege of sitting down with Frances Murchison, a professional certified interventionist and recovery coach from Whole Family Intervention, who brings a wealth of expertise to the discussion. With over three decades of sobriety, Frances is a holistic health coach, author, speaker, retreat leader, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting individuals and families to break free from addiction and embrace a life of recovery, resilience, and wholeness. In this episode, our CEO/Founder, Graham Doerge, Medical Director, Dr. Harold Hong, and Frances Murchison, dive deep into the intervention process, which is a carefully planned procedure that involves a team of professionals and loved ones. The aim is to encourage individuals struggling with addiction to seek help in a compassionate, caring, and respectful manner. Frances shares valuable insights into the intervention process, from preparing for the intervention to selecting a treatment center. She emphasizes the significance of having a trained interventionist to guide the process, ensuring that it is done with the utmost sensitivity. Throughout the podcast, Frances dispels common myths and misconceptions about interventions while addressing the role of family dynamics in the recovery process. Listeners gain practical strategies and tips for navigating the intervention process, providing hope and support to those struggling with addiction. Join us on the New Waters Recovery podcast as we journey towards recovery together. Don't forget to subscribe and tune in weekly to gain further insights from our esteemed guests. Frances Murchison Links: https://www.wilmingtonyogacenter.com/teachers/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-36631919/ https://www.arise-network.com/expert/frances-murchison/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-murchison-72ba3b188/ https://www.facebook.com/frances.murchison/ https://mindfullyfed.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2964436.Frances_Murchison

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Pre-filmed courses can provide a flexible learning experience for busy professionals, making it an attractive feature for those willing to pay for a premium membership. You have the ability to track members progress in each program. ​ Pricing: TBD Masterclass Education Offering masterclass video courses geared around the topic of medical detox and recovery for your website can be highly beneficial. These courses provide a comprehensive resource for professionals in the field, allowing them to deepen their knowledge, improve their skills, and stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and trends. By offering such courses, your website can become a go-to resource for those in the medical detox and recovery field, ultimately helping to attract new listeners and build your brand. Additionally, if your website is a membership website, offering masterclass video courses can be a valuable feature for members who want pay to learn , providing an additional revenue stream for your business. ​ Starting at $3500+ per class ​ Includes: Full Video Production Each class on MasterClass is an immersive learning experience designed by the instructor, consisting of 2-5+ hours of video content split into about 20 lessons, each lasting an average of 10 minutes Members can learn at their own pace, in bite-size pieces or in a single binge, and have access to downloadable Instructor Guides and a member community for feedback and discussion. Online Live Events Online Program Courses Master Class Education Merchandise Shop Merchandise Shop Having a merchandise shop for your podcast website can be highly beneficial as it can help to build your brand and create an additional revenue stream. By offering branded merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, and mugs, you can create a sense of community around your podcast and give your listeners a way to show their support. Additionally, by setting up the shop as a drop shipping style business, you can avoid the hassle and expense of managing physical inventory. This allows you to focus on creating great content for your podcast while the dropshipping company handles everything else, from production to shipping, making it an easy and convenient way to generate revenue. ​ Starting at $1000 (One-Time Fee) ​ Includes: Store Setup Up 10 items (More can be requested) Banking Setup 10 Reason Why You Need a Podcast Website! Click link below to read why you need to your podcast website separate from your main site Learn More