For the fifth time, we unite for an evening of understanding, healing and hope. Our in-person event will include 3 speakers in recovery who will share their lived experiences; a candlelight vigil lead by local clergy leaders; resources and our Community Pledge. The 5th Annual Community Addiction Awareness Vigil is all set for Wednesday, September 1st. Save the date! 6:30 …
Last evening, we held our first in-person Pathway Session in 16 months. It was a great success. The audience, made up of mostly parents and recovery coaches, heard Linda Rost, LCSW speak about both trauma and EMDR Therapy. (EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). This therapy has been gaining notoriety and popularity recently. The hype appears to be …
I’m grateful for Greg Williams sharing his insights yesterday, May 12, 2021, during our Pathway Session. The replay is here: https://bit.ly/3ofwVl5. To sum, Greg first discussed his film projects. He is firmly convinced–as I am–that the key to opening hearts is through authentic storytelling. I personally loved watching The Anonymous People, Greg’s first full-length documentary. In it, authentic recovery stories by Michael Askew, …
I’m grateful to the CT Post for publishing an op-ed I wrote on public health safeguards for marijuana legalization. I have sent to politicians in Hartford, and can only hope they read it! 3 PUBLIC HEALTH STEPS NEEDED TO LEGALIZE ADULT-USE CANNABIS On July 15, 2015, my world was changed forever. My beloved son Evan went to heaven. He died …
Dr. Cyril D’Souza’s April 14 presentation on Cannabis Use & Addiction was informative and captivating. He presented a number of facts, based in large part on research studies he has conducted himself. As a Professor and Researcher at the Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. D’Souza has received NIH funding for studies out of New Haven that have received national …
Today is the first day of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, and it is appropriate that we use this day to review our last community event with Ken Winters, PhD called The Developing Brain and THC. Ken’s presentation was in three parts: 1) brain development; 2) addiction and 3) cannabis/THC. Key points included: The limbic system of the …
Back in 2018, we were honored to host Ruth Potee, MD’s talk about the adolescent brain. She gave a provocative presentation—defining addiction as a pediatric disease. The reason: first use of substances usually begins in the teen years, when the reward system of the brain is more vulnerable to “hijacking”. In a worthy follow-up to that session, I’m excited to …
On Friday, February 26th the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) conducted a Public Hearing on non-medical marijuana legalization, specifically on the Governor’s Bill SB-888: An Act Responsibly and Equitably Regulating Adult-Use Cannabis. The testimony and Q&A went on for over 12 hours, given over 130 people signed up to testify. This was an opportunity for me to …
Poor timing: During the week, the Governor’s Office released the Governor’s two-year budget that did not include big tax or spending increases. However, he decided to include a provision to legalize “recreational” cannabis. Because of public health risks due to COVID, increased mental stress especially among our young adults, and peak levels of drug overdoses–this is the worst time to …
Weed, Inc: The Science Behind Today’s Marijuana took place last Wednesday, January 13 on Zoom. We had more than 220 attendees including many New Canaan High School sophomores and their health class teachers. Ben Cort, author, TED Talk speaker, and addiction recovery advocate, told us the shocking truth about potency of today’s marijuana products. He detailed the criteria for cannabis …
