PrevenTable: A PreventEd Podcast

PreventEd Director of Education Kelly Wieser joins Nichole at the PrevenTable for a nuanced conversation on talking about cannabis with kids. She explains the importance of laying the foundation for future discussions of substance misuse, the success of consistent reinforcement, and how programs can be the difference for adolescents with a family history of substance use disorder.

A delicious $135 multi-course meal with NA beverages to pair? Sounds like a deal to us! This week on the PrevenTable, Executive Chef Max Bredenkoetter delves into his idea for Temperance Kitchen, a St. Louis pop-up series designed to support restaurant workers in recovery. Max explains the prevalence of substance misuse in the hospitality industry and reveals his biggest cooking inspirations in both chefs and ingredients.

“Don’t just talk about it, be about it.” It’s advice that Councilwoman Shalonda Webb lives by as an elected official in District 4 of Missouri. As our guest this week on the PrevenTable, Shalonda describes the challenges of balancing politics with a full work week as a software engineer at Boeing, the stigma of being an elected official, and her work to reduce the number of alcohol outlets in her district and limit open carry for minors.

Prevention Educator Emma Wilson is joined by Kaine, a Northwest High School senior, to talk with Nichole about the It’s Complicated program. With Emma running It’s Complicated and Kaine being a trainee, the pair give the inside scoop on the benefits of joining the program, the effectiveness of peer-to-peer learning, and the nuance needed in discussions about cannabis.

Dawn Price, founder and CEO of The Sophia Project, Inc., sits down with Nichole this week to discuss how her life’s purpose is dedicated to the transformative journey of young women. Dawn shares how the name “Sophia” has a spiritual meaning that connects with her life’s purpose and how her light bulb moment evolved into what she teaches today.

In case you haven’t heard, PreventEd is welcoming in a new Interim Executive Director next week! Get to know Jenny Armbruster on today’s episode of the PrevenTable. Jenny shares how she got started in the prevention space and joined NCADA, the ways her and Nichole’s working partnership perfectly balances one other out, and the future of the PrevenTable podcast.

Angela Roberts, Director of Business Development at Sana Lake Recovery Center, joins this week’s PrevenTable with over 15 years of experience in the substance use field. Angela talks about the link between eating disorders and substance use disorder, the Members for Life program, and centering recovery programs around the idea of family and trust.

Our In the Weeds episode this week features Kristin Bengtson, Director of Community Services at PreventEd, and Lili Schliesser, Director of the All In Clayton Coalition. As experts in substance use prevention, they talk about the importance of decreasing accessibility of cannabis for adolescents and the function of stash bags, which allow parents to lock away their substances.

We have a triple threat of guests joining us for our In the Weeds episode this week: Courtney Hinton, Community Strategist III at PreventEd; Gerald Watson, Executive Director of Fresh Start Community Coalition; and Danyeal Crittenden of Lewis Place Coalition. With experience in substance use prevention, the trio discusses the generational differences in how cannabis is perceived, the ways that cannabis is depicted in media, and the importance of safe storage.

Alcohol freedom coach Allison Barber sits down with Nichole to share more about helping people navigate their drinking habits. Allison touches on the difficulty of breaking out of an alcohol-saturated culture, describes how she talks to her family about alcohol, and explains the lifestyle changes she made as a person who no longer drinks.

Associate Director of GuidEd, Presley Menendez, is our second #IntheWeeds guest as we navigate through the questions surrounding cannabis and its legalization in Missouri. Presley discusses her approaches to talking with adolescents about cannabis, ways to rebuild trust between kids and parents, and touches on guiding conversations with empathy and not judgment.

Tom Etling, President of PreventEd’s Board of Directors, sits down at the PrevenTable to talk more about his marketing expertise and time working with nonprofits. He shares how he helped PreventEd kickstart its rebrand and create the name we all know today, delves into changing misconceptions about people in need while at St. Patrick Center, and even chats about being an Eisenhower Fellow.