Awareness 2 Action
A podcast focused on promoting wellness in the Shenandoah Valley through conversation, connection, and action. Join us for thoughtful discussions with individuals making a difference in our community.
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Episodes
Episodes
Wednesday Aug 10, 2022
Wednesday Aug 10, 2022
On this summer’s bonus episode, the Awareness 2 Action team gathers to discuss their highlights and takeaways from Season 2.
Our guests are the incredible team members who bring you this show every other week! NWCSB Prevention and Wellness Services Coordinator Shannon Urum, and Prevention and Wellness Specialists Denise Wakeman, Corialise Pence, Rebekah Schennum, and Casey Dwyer sit down to discuss this project, and the guests who made Season 2 so memorable.
Stay tuned for Season 3 coming your way this September!
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
Tuesday Jun 14, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re talking with Amanda Quintana & Colleen Jones, hosts of The Hidden Addiction Podcast about their work to address problem gambling, utilizing innovation & technology in human services, and connecting individuals with care.
Amanda Quintana works as a Program Manager for the Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center in New York State. She is passionate about providing support and resources to those in need and working to raise awareness of gambling addiction.
Colleen Jones is a Program Manager for the Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center in New York State. In her role she works to connect clients who have been negatively impacted by problem gambling to services and supports.
TRIGGER WARNING: Problem and disordered gambling is discussed in throughout this conversation.
NCPG 24 Hour Confidential National Hotline: 1-800-522-4700
New York Council on Problem Gambling: NYProblemGambling.org
National Council on Problem Gambling: https://www.ncpgambling.org/
National Council on Problem Gambling, Virginia: https://www.ncpgambling.org/state/virginia/
Gam-Anon: https://www.gam-anon.org/
Mind Ride: https://mindrideny.com/
Podcasts Mentioned
The Hidden Addiction Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/midhudsonpgrc/
ALL IN The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast: https://endgamblingharm.com/all-in/
FALL IN The The Problem Gambling Podcast for Military Service Members and Veterans: https://endgamblingharm.com/fall-in/
The Broke Girl Society Podcast: https://thebrokegirlsociety.com/
The Ambitious Addicts Podcast: https://ambitiousaddicts.com/
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday May 31, 2022
Tuesday May 31, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re talking with Jordan Brooks about reducing the stigma associated with suicide, starting meaningful conversations, and the noteworthy resources available in our state.
Jordan Brooks serves as the Regional Suicide Prevention Program Manager for DBHDS Region 1, as well as the Lock and Talk Virginia Coordinator— a comprehensive suicide prevention initiative provided across the Commonwealth. Jordan has served in the Prevention field for 4 years, with a passion for mental health education/awareness and suicide prevention. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor within the Commonwealth of Virginia and has over 12 years of experience working as a crisis clinician for both youth and adults. Jordan is a certified Instructor for training programs to include: Mental Health First Aid for Youth, Adult, Public Safety and Fire/EMS Curricula, safeTALK, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), REVIVE!, and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) for law enforcement and first responders. Jordan currently co-chairs the Suicide Prevention Awareness and Resource Council (SPARC) in Charlottesville, VA.
TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide loss and suicidal ideation are discussed throughout this conversation.
Jordan’s Contact Information: jordan.brooks@regionten.org
Lock and Talk VA: https://lockandtalk.org
Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/
SafeTALK: https://www.livingworks.net/safetalk
QPR Institute: https://qprinstitute.com/
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Tuesday May 17, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re talking with Stephen Hill about [expansion of epi descriptors]
Stephen Hill is the founder of Speak Sobriety and a renowned national speaker on substance use prevention & mental health awareness. Stephen is also an attorney, recovery coach, and bestselling author of A Journey to Recovery: Speak Sobriety. Stephen has presented in front of thousands of people for over 300 schools, drug free community coalitions, alliances, and organizations across the country, sharing his cautionary tale of addiction to recovery and beyond, leaving people better educated, feeling hopeful, and motivated to make smart choices and positive change.
Stephen’s Contact Information: stephen.hill@speaksobriety.com; 845-323-1888
Speak Sobriety: https://speaksobriety.com/
Stephen’s Book, A Journey to Recovery: https://speaksobriety.com/memoir/
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday May 03, 2022
Tuesday May 03, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re talking with Gail Maddox Taylor about listening to and investing in communities, building coalitions, and why prevention matters.
Gail Maddox Taylor is the Director of the Office of Behavioral Health Wellness for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, also known as the NPN, where she provides leadership in Virginia’s prevention efforts. She also leads Virginia’s statewide initiatives, including Problem Gambling Prevention, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health First Aid, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Behavioral Health Equity and Disparities initiatives. Gail is the 2020 recipient of the National Association of Substance Abuse Director’s National Prevention Network Ketty Award presented annually to a current NPN who has made outstanding contributions to the NPN organization and the field of prevention and received the 2021 Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Outstanding State Award. These awards were received because of the hard work of the OBHW team, CSBs and Virginia community Coalitions. Gail has served as the NPN liaison on the Board of the Society of Prevention Research, is on CADCA’s Coalition Advisory Council (CAC), and serves as the National NPN 1st Vice-President.
TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide, substance use, trauma, domestic violence, and mental health issues are discussed in broad ways throughout this conversation.
Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services:
https://dbhds.virginia.gov/
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
Tuesday Apr 19, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re talking with Dorris Walker-Taylor about Thistle Farms- a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking, and addiction. Dorris is a Senior Ambassador and a 2012 graduate from Thistle Farms. Dorris also recently authored her first book, Hope is Always Real.
TRIGGER WARNING: Substance use, sexual assault, trafficking, trauma, gun violence, incarceration, and prositution. If you feel it might be best for your own mental wellness to avoid this part of the conversation, you can skip ahead to the 10 minute mark of the episode.
Thistle Farms: https://thistlefarms.org/
Dorris Walker-Taylor’s Contact Information: dorris@thistlefarms.org
Hope is Always Real: https://changeherstory.org/products/hope?_pos=1&_sid=206be16b4&_ss=r
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
Tuesday Apr 05, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re sitting down with Laura Cross to discuss the importance of prioritizing authenticity with ourselves, what it looks like to develop community within a profession or field, and how to encourage positive workplace culture.
Laura Cross is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified EFT Therapist and Supervisor and owner of a group private practice, Individual and Relationship Therapy Center (IRTC) in Denver, Colorado. Laura is also an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Practicum Supervisor for the University of Colorado Denver’s Couple and Family Therapy program. The first 22 years of Laura’s career were spent in Washington, DC, specializing in sales and marketing in the medical device industry. During her time in this space, she gained valuable experience that continues to inform her work, and allows her to maximize each client’s engagement in their therapy journey.
Individual Relationship and Therapy Center Website: https://www.individualrelationshipcenter.com/
IRTC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndividualAndRelationshipTherapyCenter/
IRTC Twitter: https://twitter.com/IRTherapyCenter
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
On this week’s episode, we’re revisiting a conversation from Season 1 with Keith Cartwright to discuss Adverse Childhood Experiences, where prevention and health promotion should begin, and how we can build better relationships in our homes, our workplaces, and our communities.
Keith Cartwright is a Behavioral Health Wellness Consultant for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. In this role, he leads the statewide initiative to grow awareness in communities about the developmental impacts of adverse childhood experiences. To date, the initiative has trained over 200 ACE Interface trainers and presenters in Virginia. Keith also works part-time as the Alcohol and Drug Education Coordinator at Randolph-Macon College.
Mentioned Resources:
ACES Overview: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html
Nadine Burke Harris – How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime: https://www.ted.com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects_health_across_a_lifetime
Johann Hair’s Lost Connections: https://thelostconnections.com/mobile/
ACES Trainers across Virginia are working to raise awareness through education and connect people to helpful resources in an effort to reduce ACES and ultimately improve the health of our communities. If you are interested in scheduling a custom ACES training for your group and are located in the City of Winchester or the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, or Warren, please contact Northwestern Prevention and Wellness at shannon.urum@nwcsb.com.
The views and opinions expressed on Awareness 2 Action are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Prevention Department or Northwestern Community Services.