Hopestream is the defacto resource for parents who have a teen or young adult child who’s misusing drugs or alcohol, hosted by Brenda Zane. Brenda is a Mayo Clinic Certified health & wellness coach, CRAFT Parent Coach, and mom of a son who nearly lost his life to addiction. Guests include addiction, prevention, and treatment experts, family members impacted by their loved one’s substance use, and wellness and self-care specialists. You’ll also hear heartfelt messages from me, your host. It’s a safe, nurturing respite from the chaos and confusion you live with. We gather in our private communities between the episodes, The Stream for moms and The Woods for dads. Learn more at www.hopestreamcommunity.org.
Growing Up: Family Trauma and Early Warning Signs Pattie Vargas raised her three children in a small Arizona town of 3,500 people, where faith and family were central to their lives. Steven was born in 1980, Joel in 1981, and Rebecca (Bekah) in 1985. The family’s stability shattered when Bekah was nine years old and
When your child is struggling with substance use, one of the most frustrating challenges parents face is figuring out how to help when communication breaks down. Whether your child refuses to talk, lives across the country, or insists they don’t have a problem, the CRAFT approach offers practical strategies that can work even in difficult
Parenting a teenager who uses marijuana daily can feel like walking a tightrope between protecting them and pushing them away. Susan, a single mom of three, knows this struggle intimately. When she first noticed her son using substances in seventh or eighth grade, her instinct was to control the situation through any means necessary—including literally
When parents discover their teen or young adult is struggling with substance use, the path forward can feel overwhelming and confusing. Heather Hayes, a licensed counselor and board registered interventionist, brings a unique perspective to this challenge—she’s both a professional in the field and someone who got sober at age 21 after struggling with addiction
In our dopamine-saturated world, understanding how substances hijack the brain’s reward system has never been more critical for parents. Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, brings 25 years of clinical experience to help us understand what’s happening in our
Parenting a child who struggles with substance misuse creates an overwhelming level of stress that impacts every area of your life. The constant worry, fear, and uncertainty can feel like being trapped in an unbearably hot sauna with no way out. But there are ways to reduce your suffering without abandoning your child or your
The Perfect Storm: Menopause Meets Challenging Kids For mothers parenting children through substance misuse and addiction, the challenges can feel overwhelming on their own. Add perimenopause or menopause to the mix, and many women find themselves in what feels like an impossible situation. Dr. Robin Sinclair understands this intersection intimately—both as a naturopathic doctor specializing
When a young person struggles with substance use, mental health challenges, and questions about their gender identity, parents often feel overwhelmed and uncertain about how to help. Licensed therapist Sean Garcia brings a unique perspective to these intersecting issues—both as a professional who works with neurodiversity, gender identity, and personal development, and as someone who
When your child is misusing drugs or alcohol, it’s easy to fall into dangerous thinking patterns that make everything harder. These mental traps can leave you feeling stuck, exhausted, and unable to help your child effectively. Understanding these patterns and learning what to do instead can dramatically improve your wellbeing and your relationship with your
When a child returns home from residential treatment, parents often hope for reconnection and progress. But what happens when your son comes home unmotivated, anti-everything, and emotionally disconnected from the family? This coaching episode explores one mother’s journey through exactly this challenge. The Journey: From Crisis to Treatment to Home Jane’s story began two years
