Thank you for listening to another Mental Health Moment, from the Life Lived Better podcast, where we quickly provide insight into issues that affect most of us,

In this episode, we are discussing - You can't manifest your way out of trauma!

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared in this, and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

If you have a topic, you would like us to address in a future Mental Health Moment, let us know.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

This episode marks the closing conversation in our series on addiction — and it’s a little different from previous discussions.

Throughout this series, Joseph and Paula have explored addiction from many angles: what it is, what it isn’t, how it develops, and why it is so often misunderstood. But some of the most important aspects of addiction don’t fit neatly into a single topic.

In this episode, Joseph and Paula take a deeper, more integrated look at the lived realities of addiction and recovery.

They unpack one of the most emotionally charged concepts in recovery: relapse. The conversation explores how the meaning we attach to relapse can shape outcomes — influencing shame, resilience, disengagement, or growth.

They also take a look at cravings, urge and the neurobiological, emotional, and psychological layers that make urges feel urgent, intrusive, and often misunderstood by others.

Joseph and Paula then turn their attention to the brain itself. Together, they explore how addiction involves competing brain systems, habit circuitry, reward pathways, stress responses, and emotional regulation — revealing why insight alone is rarely enough to change behavior.

Throughout the episode, listeners are invited into a more compassionate, realistic understanding of addiction, recovery, setbacks, and resilience.

As always, this conversation blends clinical insight with real-world understanding — offering clarity for those navigating recovery and for those supporting someone they love.

Do you have any questions? If you have a question for Joseph and Paula to answer during a future episode of Questions for Counselors, reach out through the website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠I⁠nfo@lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared by the pair during this and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

Resources for this episode:

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction: Preface | NIDA

The CENAPS Model by Terry Gorski

SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Thank you for listening to another Mental Health Moment, from the Life Lived Better podcast, where we quickly provide insight into issues that affect most of us,

In this episode, we are discussing - Changing Procrastination!

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared in this, and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

If you have a topic, you would like us to address in a future Mental Health Moment, let us know.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

An old listener favorite! Episode 29: Boundaries. Back when the hosts were still green but eager.

Feeling suffocated? Intruded upon? You may be having your boundaries violated. In this episode, Joseph and Paula talk about boundaries - what they are, the reason they are needed, and how to set them.

If you have a question, you would like Joseph and Paula to answer during an episode of Questions for Counselors, feel free to reach out through the website at ⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠ or email them directly at ⁠⁠Info@lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠.

Paula’s Blog is often updated with information from the show. You can find it at ⁠PaulaHellerGarland.BlogSpot.com⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared by the pair during this and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession. We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

Thank you for listening to another Mental Health Moment, from the Life Lived Better podcast, where we quickly provide insight into issues that affect most of us,

In this episode, we are discussing - Defining Procrastination!

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared in this, and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

If you have a topic, you would like us to address in a future Mental Health Moment, let us know.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

Loving Without Enabling: Supporting Someone Through Addiction

In this episode of their series on addiction, Joseph and Paula focus on enabling—one of the most misunderstood and emotionally complex dynamics surrounding substance use. Because addiction remains highly stigmatized, this conversation is rooted in providing clarity, compassion, and accurate information rather than blame.

The hosts explore the structural necessity for addiction to be enabled and examine how enabling addiction stabilizes the addiction just enough to prevent change.

Questions? If you have a question, you would like Joseph and Paula to answer during an episode of Questions for Counselors, feel free to reach out through the website at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email them directly at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Info@lifelivedbetter.net ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared by the pair during this and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And don’t forget that Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

Resources used in the development of this episode:

• Addicted.org - Supporting vs. Enabling: How to Help Someone with Addiction Effectively

• Sequoia Behavioral Health - Codependency vs. Enabling

• WebMD - Are you enabling a loved one’s addiction?

Thank you for listening to another Mental Health Moment, from the Life Lived Better podcast, where we quickly provide insight into issues that affect most of us,

In this episode, we are discussing - Professional Networking!

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared in this, and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

If you have a topic, you would like us to address in a future Mental Health Moment, let us know.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

Addiction - Impact, Treatment, and Support

Addiction is often misunderstood, surrounded by stigma, and deeply complex. In this episode, Joseph and Paula are reflecting on their professional and personal experiences to shed light on the realities of addiction—what it is, what it isn’t, and how we can better support those affected by it.

Join us as we discuss:

• The facts about addiction and why it is not just about willpower

• The common misconceptions about addiction

• The impact addiction has on the individual and their loved ones

• Effective treatment approaches

• Some of the pathways to recovery

• How to offer support without enabling

Whether you or someone you love has been affected by addiction, or you simply want to understand it better, this episode is for you. Tune in for an open and compassionate conversation that challenges myths and encourages healing.

Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe and share—this is a conversation that could change lives!

Questions? If you have a question, you would like Joseph and Paula to answer during an episode of Questions for Counselors, feel free to reach out through the website at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email them directly at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Info@lifelivedbetter.net ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find information about this and other episodes on the website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lifelivedbetter.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Just a reminder - anything shared by the pair during this and all other episodes is based on personal experiences and opinions. It is not to be viewed as professional counseling or advice and is solely the opinion of the individual and does not represent their employers or profession.

We would love for you to rate our show and tell others about us. And remember, Knowledge leads to a Life Lived Better.

Sources used in the development of this episode include:

The Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Addiction - Self Recovery

Substance Use Statistics Sources

NIH: Global Burden of Drug use disorder

SAMHSA’s Statistics about Addiction in the USA

The Economist World Report 2024

World Health Organization Reports Over 3 million annual deaths related to addiction

Worldwide Treatment versus Need for Treatment