Have you ever wanted to share your story of triumph over hardship, but were worried about regretting it later? If so, you need to tune into this insightful episode with guest Meghann Perry.    Meghann shares her recovery story, and talks about her work helping people share their own stories in a healthy and effective way. Christina and Meghann also emphasize the importance of treating your story with compassion and respect.   You can learn more about Meghann's team and their work at www.meghannperry.com

Join us for Episode 64, as Christina chats with Christi Berrong-Barber about her journey with her son, who has struggled with an addiction to drugs for many years. Christi opens up about how she has been able to maintain a relationship with her son through the chaos of addiction, and shares many insightful and encouraging words for those who may be in a similar position. Christi also talks about the work that she does with The Molly Angel Project, which she founded to help make sure that people have access to the life-saving drug Narcan, wound care training, and other resources that can help reduce harm and prevent death from overdose.   You can learn more about The Molly Angel Project on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMollyAngelProject/   More of Christi's story is included in Christina's new book, Curious, which can be purchased here: https://enditforgood.com/curious/

If you've seen Christina Dent's TEDx Talk or heard the story of End It For Good's beginning, you've heard of Joanne, the mother who once struggled with addiction and ultimately changed Christina's life. In today's episode, Joanne Shedd shares her story in her own words. From the years she struggled to the beautiful life she's building with her son, Beckham, she lets us in on her world and her journey to healing and wholeness.     You can learn more about End It For Good, and Christina's book, at https://enditforgood.com/

In this episode, Christina is joined by George Wood, founder of The Timothy Initiative and author of The Uncovery. George’s story is that of a life radically changed by Jesus, and he is dedicated to changing the way the world views recovery. Christina and George discuss what we have misunderstood about addiction and recovery, the importance of authentic connection with others during recovery, and many other topics.   You can get George's latest book, The Uncovery Devotional, on Amazon at https://a.co/d/86xamiH.

Retired Judge Mary Beth O'Conner and Christina talk about her remarkable journey From Junkie to Judge, as told in her memoir. There are many paths to recovery, and Mary Beth and Christina discuss the importance of seeing people in recovery as individuals, and allowing them to create their own recovery plan. Philosophy and meeting format vary greatly between recovery programs, and there is no one path that will work for everyone.   You can find Mary Beth's book, From Junkie to Judge on Amazon at: https://a.co/d/9fB7W2n   And you can get Christina's new book Curious here: https://a.co/d/7nCoT2j

Christina talks with Jeffery Harvey, the Clinic Director at Jackson Comprehensive Treatment Center. Jeffery grew up in a religious household but developed a substance use disorder after suffering abuse as a child. Although today Jeffery works to provide as many pathways to recovery as possible for those struggling with addiction, he didn't always support this approach. Jeffery shares his own story, and he and Christina discuss the benefits of pathways outside the traditional model for recovery, the importance of choice in recovery plans, the negative effects of societal stigma, and more.   Learn more: enditforgood.com

Dr. Branden Henry's story is included in Christina Dent's new book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction. He joins us on the podcast today to unpack ideas that didn't make it into the book, including why so much addiction treatment is unhelpful. It fails to address three drivers of addiction that we dive into on today's episode. Dr. Henry also shares his perspective as a Christian who has wrestled with a biblical view of addiction and how we can better understand and support people who are struggling as well as the people who love them. His clear, vulnerable, and honest perspective will give you hope. Buy Christina's book Curious here: enditforgood.com/curious

Will Morgan's story is highlighted in Christina Dent's new book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction. On this episode, we talk to Will as well as his wife, Sarah, hearing her journey of supporting Will through his years-long journey with chronic pain and prescription opioids. They offer a window into the other side of the war on prescription opioids - the patients who struggle with chronic pain and now have a harder time finding the medications they need. And yet, the very thing that at one point helped Will became part of the problem. Their story illustrates the tremendous complexity of prescription opioids and the lived experiences of the people who need them and the loved ones supporting them. There are no easy answers here, but a story that gives us a view into the real lives and families impacted by opioids and the policies that govern access to them.  Buy Christina's book Curious here: enditforgood.com/curious

In the final episode of this 4-part series, Christina and Angela discuss how they learned about the term "harm reduction" and how they grappled with whether or not harm reduction measures were enabling users. Listen in as they take a dive deep into all things harm reduction - what are the options, what's working, and what's not. We've come a long way in understanding addiction and how to best reduce harms related to the war on drugs. Where do you stand on these harm reduction options?

In Part 3 of this 4-part series, Christina and Angela breakdown the chain reaction or cycle of harms related to drugs and addiction. They dive deep into what happens to a person when they are arrested in the realms of health, family and finances. Note: This conversation is not to defend anyone who's committed a crime but it's an explanation of the dominos that fall and the cost to society.

In Part 2 of this series, Christina and Angela discuss why having honest conversations about someone's drug use is so hard. When the expectation is to be completely abstinent, when and where is it safe to talk about some of the pitfalls of drug use? Listen in as they talk about the importance of recognizing potentially problematic substance use, how people can have a better relationship with substances, and understanding the reasons behind someone's drug use.

In this 4-part series, Christina talks with EFG's Angela Mallette about one of the most asked questions for End It For Good - "What would the world look like if substances were legal for adult use?"  In this in-depth conversation, they take a deep dive into the "what if's." What programs, funding, and policies might be needed to make health-centered approaches to drugs work? Join them as they discuss possible scenarios and potential outcomes as they envision a world without the war on drugs.

Mr. Floyd Rogers, Jr., an Associate Pastor at Peaceful Rest Missionary Baptist Church, has lived many different lives. Starting from a traumatic childhood experience, he ended up in an environment where drug dealing was glamorized, eventually landing him in prison. However, he was able to change course and was given a second chance. This is a fascinating conversation from the perspective of a former drug dealer who turned his life around and now helps others in so many ways.

End It For Good's Development Coordinator, Jane Clair Tyner, is our last team member to share her story on how she changed her mind in favor of health-centered approaches to drugs. In this very personal interview, Jane Clair tells Christina the heartbreaking story of losing her precious son, Asa. The issues of how we address drugs and addiction are vast. Her story is a unique perspective and outlines the deeper problems with the current system.

The self-described "outsider," Jennifer Allen, talks about how she ended up at End It For Good and how she changed her mind on the War on Drugs. We always talk about how we want others to go out and tell their friends and family about the harms of the drug war. Even for her, it took some time to learn all about this complex issue and be able to explain it to others. Join us to hear her journey!

It's our 50th Episode!!! Christina was excited to sit down with End It For Good CEO Brett Montague to talk about his journey in walking with his brother through addiction and recovery. He also talks about how hiring those who the criminal justice system has impacted is vital and will help communities and the state of Mississippi thrive. We also get to hear about his guilty pleasure. Can you guess what it is?

How did the End It For Good team members change their minds in favor of health-center approaches to drugs? Starting with End It For Good's Director of Outreach, Angela Mallette, Christina talks with her about her background, struggles, triumphs, and how she got to where she is today.

In this episode, Christina talks with Chris Freeze, former FBI Special Agent in Charge for the state of Mississippi. They dive into what he's learned in the last few years that intersect with the work End It For Good focuses on, what is the Science of Hope, and where he stands on the Drug War.

Christina sits down with Reverend Steve Casteel from Heritage United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. Steve was part of the Faith panel at the 2022 End It For Good SHIFT Summit. In this episode, he talks about how he became involved with these issues of drugs and drug use, why stigma is so prevalent in the faith community, and how having hard conversations is good for the church.

The End It For Good podcast is back after 16 months!! What have we been doing over the last year and a half? Find out what we've been learning, where we've been, and who we've met along the way. Christina and Mike will touch on Fentanyl and weigh some options on what truly reduces the harms of the drug war.