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“Full House” star Jodie Sweetin Helps The Council on Recovery to Raise More Than $460,000

Star of the hugely popular 90’s sitcom “Full House” Jodie Sweetin inspired a crowd of more than 800 Houstonians at The Council on Recovery’s 38^th Annual Spring Luncheon on Friday, April 21, 2023. Co-chaired by Kim and Kevin Boone and Matthew and Meredith Goldsby, the event raised more than $460,000 to help individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Board of Trustees Chair Amanda Polich opened the luncheon with a warm welcome and highlighted the Speaker Series’ legacy of education and awareness. Reverend Cindy Cline of Unity Church provided the invocation. Polich returned to bestow the Community Champion Award to the Halliburton Charitable Foundation, which has given nearly half a million dollars in support of our services for children and youth through their annual golf tournament and employee matching gifts.

cor b 4327 — Board of Trustees Chair Amanda Polich

cor b 4335 1 — Board of Trustees Chair Amanda Polich

The Council’s President & CEO, Mary H. Beck, LMSW, CAI, highlighted the direction and future of The Council, and emphasized the need to normalize conversations on substance use and mental health at home, in schools, workplaces, and beyond.

“Recovery shouldn’t have to be hidden,” she said. “It should be ok for people to ask for help when they are struggling with substances. It should be ok to ask for help at school. It should be ok to ask for help at work. It should be ok to ask for help from your doctor or clergy. It should be ok to ask for help from your family.”

Luncheon Co-Chairs Kim Boone and Matthew Goldsby followed with moving testimonials on how addiction has impacted their own lives.

“As a parent of 2 middle school-aged girls, I am acutely aware of the pressures my kids will face that can too easily lead them to a pathway of substance abuse,” said Boone. “And that’s a huge part of why I am so passionate about my work with The Council. I want to ensure that my kids are armed with the right information and tools to make good decisions in the face of adversity.”

Keynote Speaker Jodie Sweetin then took the stage in an entertaining, thoughtful, and inspiring conversation with Dr. Sean Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of The Jung Center of Houston. They discussed her adoption and upbringing, acting career in “Full House,” and the years of struggle and recovery that followed.

Sweetin stressed the importance of prevention and education efforts for young people in her address, saying, “I’m so grateful that my daughters live in a time when conversations around addiction and mental health are easier to have.” She also praised the work of The Council, saying, “An important thing that The Council does is work with teens and their parents to address the family system.”

In her closing remarks, Sweetin said, “If you’re here today and you’re struggling, please know that it will change, and you can ask for help. It will be okay.”

cor b 4549 — Dr. Sean Fitzpatrick and Jodie Sweetin

Announcing Jodie Sweetin as Keynote Speaker for our 38th Annual Spring Luncheon

The star of the classic 90’s sitcom “Full House,” Jodie Sweetin, will share her story of recovery at The Council’s premiere fundraising event on Friday, April 21, 2023 at the Hilton Americas – Houston Hotel.

The Council on Recovery is excited to welcome Jodie Sweetin to Houston as the keynote speaker for our 38th Annual Spring Luncheon! Actress, producer, host, author and activist Jodie Sweetin garnered the love of millions in her role as Stephanie Tanner on ABC’s long-running, hugely popular sitcom “Full House” and the widely popular Netflix spinoff “Fuller House.”

She previously pulled double duty as co-Executive Producer and star in the rom-com Just Swipe and just wrapped production on “Craft Me a Romance” where she once again stars and serves as co-Executive Producer. Jodie also co-hosts the popular parenting podcast “Never Thought I’d Say This,” which is currently in its fifth season. She is a published author of her memoir UnSweetined, in which she chronicles her struggle with substance use disorder until becoming sober more than a decade ago. She is now a passionate advocate for substance use prevention among youth and young adults.

Since its inception 40 years ago, The Council’s speaker series has promoted a message of hope and healing, and helped to reduce the shame and stigma of substance use and related disorders in the Houston community and beyond. The Council provides treatment and recovery support to individuals affected by substance use and other co-occurring mental health conditions, regardless of their ability to pay. Funds raised through our annual luncheons ensure that no family in need is ever turned away.

For more information about our Speaker Series, visit our speaker series website. Tables and individual tickets will be sold at a later date.

Combatting the Stigma of Addiction

We have understood addiction to be a disease for nearly a century, yet shame and stigma continue to keep people from seeking treatment and support. This has always been the case, but skyrocketing overdose deaths, substance abuse, and suicide rates both locally and nationwide renew a sense of urgency in our mission to combat false narratives, beliefs and assumptions around this chronic disease. This is the first in a blog series exploring the many facets of stigma that perpetuate addiction. Before we dive in, it is important to start with the basics:

Addiction is a disease.

Contrary to the belief that addiction is an individual moral failing, addiction is a complex, chronic disease that changes the chemical balance of the reward center of the brain. It is caused by a combination of biological, environmental, and developmental factors, and according to the American Psychological Association, about half the risk for addiction is genetic. Long-term substance use can also change the parts of the brain that affect learning, judgement, decision making, self-control and memory.

Addiction is treatable. Recovery is possible.

There is not a cure to addiction, but it can be treated and managed. In fact, a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that 3 out of 4 people who experienced addiction went on to recover.

Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives and strive to reach their full potential. Recovery from substance use disorders looks different for each individual and can consist of pharmacological, social and psychological treatment. Regardless of the route taken, we want people struggling with substances to know that a life in recovery can be joyous, fulfilling and whole.

Everyone is worthy of recovery.

We believe everyone is deserving of a chance to live a life of recovery, regardless of the path that brought them to our doorstep. Anyone who comes to us for help is welcomed with the respect and compassion they need to feel safe enough to begin this vulnerable process of healing and renewal.

If you, a loved one, or a patient is struggling with substance use, contact us today to inquire about treatment options.

Growing Our Own: The Council’s Fellowship Experience

At The Council on Recovery, we know we can’t solve addiction alone. That’s why training medical and behavioral health professionals is an essential part of our work – and has been since as early as 1955! For ten years, our Mary Bell Behavioral Health Clinical Fellowship has been a pillar in our efforts to train the next generation of behavioral health professionals. We sat down with Nina Tahija, LMSW, our current Mary Bell Behavioral Health Clinical Fellow at the Center for Recovering Families to discuss her experience:

Tell me about yourself and what you do at The Council.

I graduated from University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work in 2021. While I was there, I completed a clinical internship at Baylor Psychiatry Clinic, a trauma fellowship, and a specialization in health and behavioral health. I’m also a trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator. I have a strong passion for providing trauma-informed care for my clients.

I currently work as a Mary Bell Behavioral Health Clinical Fellow. In this role, I co-facilitate psychotherapy groups, lead a Dialectical Behavior therapy-informed skills group, conduct assessments and provide individual therapy.

Blog Thumbnails 12 edited — Nina Tahija, LMSW

Why did you want to become a fellow with us?

I was looking for a supportive and collaborative environment to continue honing my clinical skills. I had heard former interns and fellows speak highly of the tremendous growth they got as part of the clinical team, so I thought it would be a natural next step for me. The fellowship program at The Council offered the opportunity to work with individuals struggling with substance abuse and/or other mental health struggles, while receiving intensive training through weekly didactics, supervision, and treatment team meetings.

What are some major takeaways from your experience as a fellow with the Center for Recovering Families?

One of the biggest takeaways for me is the power of connection in one’s recovery. As a group facilitator, I have witnessed the profound impact this space provides for clients to share openly and vulnerably, ask for what they need, and support each other. I also learned the importance to meet clients where they are, understanding that each person has unique lived experiences and are in different parts of their healing journey.

What is some advice you have for people wanting to go into social work and behavioral health?

Know your why for going into this field. Be open to continually reflect on your own experiences, positionality, and biases so you are mindful of the lens that you are working with. Also know that you don’t have to go through this process alone. One of the highlights of my time in graduate school is finding a supportive community through my peers and mentors.

Addiction & The Family: Unwritten Roles & Unspoken Rules

This blog post is the second in a series contributed by Rachel Evans, LMSW, of the Center for Recovering Families at The Council on Recovery and Ashley Taylor, MSW, LMSW, of Heights Family Counseling. Read the first post here.

When someone has a substance use disorder, the people within their close circle – whether it be family, friends or a combination of both – adapt to the associated behaviors. Many roles that these people embody contribute to the functionality of the system itself. There are a few adaptations of these roles, but the most common are the hero, the scapegoat, the addict, the mascot, the caretaker, and the lost child.

(For a breakdown of these roles and their impact on the system, read our blog post.)

While someone in the family unit might outwardly display particular character traits, there are also feelings that exist beneath the surface that are harder to recognize. Not every family system will reflect these roles, but oftentimes, these roles are displayed in some form or fashion. By taking on these roles, people within the system are able to assert some control over the outcome of their situation and maintain a sense of normalcy in a situation where one can feel a loss of control.

In families that deal with substance use disorders, there are also unwritten rules that members abide by in order to prevent disruption within the system. These rules are: Don’t talk, don’t trust, and don’t feel. People within the system follow these rules to maintain the status quo. “Everyone in the system often begins to believe that their needs no longer matter,” says Rachel Evans, Family Therapist at the Center for Recovering Families. These rules are adaptations made beyond the roles that people within the family unit follow that help protect their goal, which is to manage life with someone struggling with a substance use disorder.

Family members can come to understand it like this: We don’t talk about the addiction. Secrecy allows the addiction to thrive. We cannot trust the person with a substance use disorder. Addiction often comes with inconsistent behaviors, so family members often learn not to trust their loved one, and often suppress their emotional experiences of the addiction. Because of these learned rules, recovery often begins with talking openly about the addiction safely, rebuilding trust, and identifying emotions in every family member.

If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder, or if you recognize any of these roles and rules in your own life, contact us today to inquire about counseling and treatment options.

Announcing Danny Trejo as Keynote Speaker for our 37th Annual Spring Luncheon

The actor, activist, author and restauranteur Danny Trejo will tell his story of recovery and redemption on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the Hilton Americas – Houston hotel.

The Council on Recovery is excited to welcome Danny Trejo as the keynote speaker for our 37^th Annual Spring Luncheon on Thursday, April 21, 2022. Danny Trejo is an actor, activist, author and restauranteur, best known for his starring roles in the Spy Kids, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Machete film series, as well as recurring roles in the television series Breaking Bad, King of the Hill, and Sons of Anarchy. He most recently appeared in the popular Star Wars series, The Book of Boba Fett.

Trejo struggled with addiction at as early as 12 years old, found sobriety through attending 12-step meetings while in prison, and has been sober for more than five decades. He chronicled his harrowing and inspiring story in his critically acclaimed 2021 memoir Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, & Hollywood.

To reserve your table today, visit our speaker series website. Individual tickets will be sold at a later date.

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