Helping Your Child Through a Substance Abuse Crisis

04/24/18 • 42 min

Nearly 27 million Americans are currently struggling with addiction. Many of them, sadly, are still under the age of 18. In this episode, Exceptional Parenting Podcast host, Stefanie Boucher, speaks with substance abuse expert, Carolyn Bradfield, to discuss the steps parents can take if they believe their child has a Substance Abuse Disorder. Tune in to learn how to recognize when addiction may be present, the types of treatment that are available to young people, and how to find the help your child needs at a price you can afford. In addition to learning about how to care for your child, you’ll also learn why caring for yourself during this time of crisis is an essential part of your child’s long-term recovery.
About Our Guest:
Carolyn Bradfield is a serial entrepreneur and technology executive with a 30-year track in starting, growing and exiting companies in conferencing & collaboration and SaaS technology. She co-founded Phoenix Outdoor, a licensed wilderness therapy program in North Carolina, focused on substance abuse, addiction, and intense family treatment. In December 2017, she lost her 29-year-old daughter, Laura, to an overdose after a 15-year battle with addiction. As a result, Carolyn is now committed to helping families identify children at risk for addiction and creating strategies to prevent the disease. This new initiative is The Laura Project offering a content-rich educational online portal for teachers and parents to help them better understand the disease, its prevention, and treatment in children and teenagers.

Previous Episode

Why Children Enjoy Violent Play

Did you know that the average American child sees 200,000 acts of violence on television, in movies, or in video games by the age of 18? Or, that 16,000 of those acts consist of simulated murders? Modern society is rife with negative images that are extremely difficult for children to understand. And yet, the type of play fostered by these images tends to make adults feel uneasy — particularly at a time when we are seeing unprecedented levels of violence in our nation’s schools. In this episode, author, speaker, and long-time educator, Jane Katch, will discuss the ways that young children make sense of the violence they see, how we can help them deal with it constructively, and how to recognize when “typical” violent play becomes something more concerning.
About Our Guest:
Jane Katch is a teacher whose classroom has been featured in several articles, radio, and television shows, including the PBS special Raising Cain. As the author of two highly acclaimed books, she has explored children's violent fantasies and aggressive behavior, and translated her insights into successful strategies for parents, teachers, and school administrators. In an age where children face danger not only from adults but from each other, she helps create safe, loving environments that allow them to face and overcome both their anger and their fears in constructive and healing ways. Learn more about Jane, as well as how to hire her for workshops, lectures, or consultations, at janekatch.com.

Next Episode

Disability and the Media: Promoting Inclusion in Our Communities

In 2014, 10-year-old Melissa Shang gained national attention after launching a petition for an American Girl doll with a disability. After an unexpected, but massive, outpouring of support (the petition was featured everywhere from Cosmopolitan to Oprah Magazine to USA Today), Melissa began her journey as a fierce advocate for the inclusion of children with disabilities in children’s toys, literature, and entertainment. So how do things stack up today? Tune in as Melissa, now in the ninth grade, shares her views on how individuals with disabilities are portrayed in the media and perceived in our communities – and helps us understand what we can do to make things even better.
About Our Guest:
Melissa Shang is an author, public speaker, and disability advocate. Born with a form of Muscular Dystrophy called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, she has raised massive public awareness around inclusion and representation of individuals with disabilities in children’s toys, books, and entertainment. She lives with her family in Massachusetts, where she is currently a freshman in high school.
http://www.melissashang.com