Rory and Chris Earley both grew up in homes with alcoholic parents. When they got married and started their own family, they thought about ways in which they would do things differently in raising their own children. Rory is sober, and Chris drinks on occasion. But it is more than just about examining their relationship with alcohol. "We're all abo…

From a young age, Senator Patrick O'Connor has been passionate about public service, so it is only natural that he would serve his community as an elected official. For the past eight years, he has worked with his constituents and his colleagues on Beacon Hill to address various public health issues, like the opioid crisis. His experiences living a…

Kathleen Mahoney has an enormous territory and a huge responsibility serving as a Nicotine Compliance Officer for several towns on the South Shore of Massachusetts. She must stay on top of state law and local regulations for each community and ensure that retailers are not in violation. One of her primary tasks is to make sure youth are not given a…

In 2017, Hingham resident Lori McCarthy co-founded the Herren Wellness Center in Seekonk with acclaimed speaker and former basketball star Chris Herren. Both of them are in recovery from substance use, and their mission was to provide a holistic service that would positively impact the lives of individuals and their families. Lori talks about the p…

Roger Oser has been the principal of the William J. Ostiguy High School in Boston for the past 17 years, incorporating his extensive background working with youth to his role. Ostiguy High is a recovery high school that was founded by Willie Ostiguy, who is a previous guest on this podcast. The school provides a safe and supportive school environme…

Chris Herren is known for playing in the NBA for teams like the Boston Celtics, but he was a basketball phenom starting at a young age. Chris broke records; he had a book written about him when he was just 16; and he attended Boston College on a full scholarship. However, all of that success was taken away by an addiction that plagued him from his …

Genny Soper lost her son one night in what she calls "an accident that was completely avoidable." Clay had just finished his freshman year of college and was at a party. He texted his mom to say he was going to stay the night and even joked with his friends as he put himself to bed. However, Clay never woke up. He and his friends had taken prescrip…

Lori Tobin is a former smoker and watched as both her parents died of smoking-related illnesses. She kicked the habit many years ago and has been living a healthy life since. However, when she saw former students in her hometown vaping, she felt called to prevent young people from doing harm to their bodies. Lori collaborated with the local cable a…

Officer Jermaine Galloway, aka Tall Cop, has been working to combat drug and alcohol abuse problems in communities all over the country and the world for decades. Officer Galloway uses his vast knowledge of availability of substances and trends in their use to educate people and to provide strategies to those who find themselves on the front lines.…

Lenny Clarke is a familiar face to many, both for his work in the comedy industry as well as in film and television. Lenny is also known for the fundraising work he does as a way to give back out of gratitude for everything he has been through himself and for all of the people who have supported him. "I make people laugh, but I take my sobriety ver…

It's only fitting that a new way of addressing the opioid crisis was launched in the birthplace of our country. Officials in Plymouth County, MA were at the forefront of this innovative approach. In 2015 when the number of opioid deaths began skyrocketing, District Attorney Tim Cruz and Sheriff Joe McDonald took a hard look at what was going on in …

Steve Sweeney has been dubbed the legendary King of Boston comedy, but he wears many hats. He is an actor, producer, writer and comedian. And while his humor may not always be for the faint of heart, his personal recovery journey and the work he currently does in the correctional system is guaranteed to warm your heart. Steve has been in recovery f…

Willie Ostiguy paved the way in the recovery community by founding the first recovery high school in Massachusetts. Since then he has opened several sober houses for men and one for women. Willie is a person in recovery himself. In this interview, he talks about his personal story as well as his family's history of substance use issues. He also des…

Amy Tee has been a fixture on the Boston comedy scene for decades. In this raw and honest interview, she discusses the challenges she faced during childhood, what led her to pursue a career in comedy, how her battle with substances began and the ways in which she copes with her mental health today. Amy grew up as an obese child who was teased and b…

Laura Stack of Johnny's Ambassadors talks about the risks of modern marijuana and its impact on the developing teen brain. Laura is extremely knowledgeable about the various new forms of marijuana (i.e. waxes, dabs, shatter), how marijuana differs in potency from even 10 years ago and the science behind marijuana's addictive nature. Laura also shar…

Karen Beatty has been the health teacher at Hingham High School, Hingham, MA., for over 20 years. She talks about a unique prevention program that she incorporates into her 10th-grade health classes and its impact on her students. She also shares information on past and current trends in youth substance use and also delves into the critical role pa…

Dr. Todd Kerensky reveals the science behind addiction, breakthroughs in treatment and the reasons underage use of drugs and alcohol is so risky. He also describes how different substances impact the body and shares a poignant personal story of what brought him into this line of work. Dr. Kerensky has had a long career in the field of addiction and…

Sarah Holler, John Jenkins and Rachel O'Connor are students at Hingham High School, Hingham, MA., where they run the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) program. SADD is designed to provide students with the tools necessary for making healthy choices in a variety of ways, including around substances. Sarah, John and Rachel talk about the …

Kathi Meyer began to speak about alcohol awareness and the importance of making good choices in 2009 after her daughter passed away from underage drinking. She met her future husband, Chris Sullivan, when she presented at her first parent night. A former NFL player, Chris was attending not as a parent, but as a man suffering from substance use diso…