On today's episode Betsy and Carley sit down with Diane, a mother whose life was forever changed after the loss of her daughter to accidental overdose. Join us as we discuss her daughter's life, how Diane is finding hope after losing a child, and the message she has for other parents of children struggling with mental health and addiction.

Betsy & Carley with Diane | A Mother's Story of Loss, Grief and Hope

 The mention of "blood on the mirror" suggests self-reflection and the impact of life choices.

BloodOnTheMirror

As veterans return to civilian life, many face new battles — all too commonly grappling with PTSD or confronting mental health and substance use challenges. This Veterans Day, we explore the transformative impact of Placer County’s Veterans Court through the stories of two local veterans in recovery. Listen to raw, honest conversations that will move you and shed light on the ongoing battles veterans face — and how they overcome. Transcript: https://bit.ly/4ennYhG

Healing beyond the battlefield

Prevention begins at home. On today's episode, Betsy and Carley share tips and resources that parents can use to begin a conversation around substance use and mental health with their children, no matter their age.

Betsy & Carley | A Parent's Guide to Prevention

In this episode, Jim and April explore the essential skills and qualities necessary to become an effective peer supporter. They discuss the importance of lived experience, active listening, empathy, and maintaining healthy boundaries in peer support roles. The conversation also touches on the training and certification processes, such as Montana's Peer Support 101 program, and the personal and professional growth opportunities that come with supporting others on their recovery journeys. Whether you're considering a role in peer support or seeking to enhance your existing skills, this episode offers valuable insights into the responsibilities and rewards of being a peer supporter.

Are you ready to be a peer supporter?

In this episode, Jim and April delve into the federal funding freeze executive order issued in January 2025 and its ramifications for grantees and contractors. They discuss how this sudden policy shift has impacted organizations reliant on federal grants, particularly those in Montana's behavioral health and recovery sectors. The conversation sheds light on the challenges faced by nonprofits and service providers amid the freeze, including funding uncertainties and operational disruptions. Listeners will gain insight into the broader implications of federal policy changes on local communities and the importance of advocacy and resilience in navigating such challenges.

Federal Funding Freeze

In this episode of Recovery Talks, Jim Hajny sits down with long-time friend and guest Todd Tecca to discuss how they manage their mental health and stay well during tough times. They reflect on personal experiences with mental health diagnoses, share daily wellness practices, talk about the power of supportive relationships, and highlight the importance of education, routine, and community support. As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, this honest and heartfelt conversation offers valuable insights for anyone on a recovery journey.

Mental Health Month 2025

Peer leader April Seat shares her mental health struggles in a very candid and honest conversation with Jim.

Mental Health with April Seat

Dr. Nichole Nidey joins Lauren to talk about the Empower Project; a collaborative effort that aims to improve research and clinical care related to substance use during pregnancy. It includes researchers, healthcare professionals, and individuals with lived experience of drug use during pregnancy. The project has grown from an initial group of 6 mothers in 2019 to over 20 mothers from 8 states.

A transcript of this episode is available at https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/news-items/plugged-in-to-public-health-changing-stigma-to-support-with-the-empower-project/

Have a question for our podcast crew or an idea for an episode? You can email them at CPH-GradAmbassador@uiowa.edu

You can also support Plugged in to Public Health by sharing this episode and others with your friends, colleagues, and social networks.

Changing Stigma to Support: Dr. Nichole Nidey and the Empower Project

What happens when you hand the mic to artificial intelligence and ask it to run a journal club? Can it replace us, scientific podcasters, in our efforts to make scientific papers more accessible? In this episode, we explore how AI breaks down a neuroscience paper. We’ll see how it summarizes the research, points out the big takeaways, and even tries to critique the study. Can a computer really capture the curiosity, skepticism, and creativity of human researchers or do scientists still do it better? Tune in to find out what AI gets right, what it misses, and what this experiment says about the future of science communication.

Authors: Nick Preenan, Eve Racette, Golnar Taheri

Email: thinktwicepodcast@outlook.com 
Instagram: @thinktwice_podcast
LinkedIN: Think Twice Podcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThinkTwicePodcast 

Disclaimer: Think Twice is a podcast for general information and entertainment purposes only. The content discussed in the episodes does not reflect the views of the podcast committee members or any institution they are affiliated with. The use of the information presented in this podcast is at the user’s own risk and is not intended to replace professional healthcare services. 

45: Can AI Replace Scientific Podcasters?

Get your critical thinking caps on! ‘Think Twice’ discusses controversial topics in the field of neuroscience with the goal of bringing more nuance and rigor to mainstream media. We’ll take you past the headlines by breaking down relevant neuroscience topics, interviewing experts in the field and overcoming misinformation/disinformation with evidence-based content. This podcast is run by a small group of graduate students at the Centre for Neuroscience Studies at Queen’s University. We hope to bring down barriers to the dissemination of scientific information, give early-career neuroscientists a voice, and foster a culture of entertaining and accessible science communication.

The Placer Life shares gripping, touching, humorous or interesting stories of the amazing people and places of beautiful Placer County -- California’s best kept secret. From harrowing tales of wilderness survival to fascinating oral history from Placer’s greatest generation, hear from the real people of Placer why it’s the best place on earth to live, work, play and learn - and why we are proud to enjoy what we call the Placer Life. The Placer Life is a production of Placer County, California.

Montana’s Peer Network is a statewide peer run 501c3 non-profit recovery organization with a mission to lead the development of the peer support workforce and create pathways for wellness and recovery in communities throughout Montana.  We are a network of 1800+ individuals across Montana in recovery from mental health, substance abuse and or addiction struggles. We provide information, education, training, peer support and resources across the state using our own “lived experience” in long term recovery. This is the recovery movement. A national shift from a maintenance model of behavioral health to a recovery model, where every individual has access to care, choices, and the message that “recovery is possible.

The University of Iowa College of Public Health is a top-ranked school of public health, meeting the public health challenges of the 21st century through education, research, outreach, and community engagement.

New tracks tagged #Substance USe