PrevenTable: A PreventEd Podcast

Ben Wood, Director of Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health Services at Williams & Associates, shares more about the organization’s mission to address health disparities in marginalized communities. Ben emphasizes the importance of promoting health equity and explains the variety of health support services Williams & Associates provides to address these types of issues.

Annie O’Donoghue and Laura Silverman join Nichole for the second time to discuss the alcohol-free movement that has gained SO MUCH momentum. They explain the difference between the words that float around the AF space, like zero-proof, non-alcoholic, alcohol-free, and mocktails, and why they prefer some over others.

Brandon Anderson, Vice President of Safety at Associated General Contractors, and Ricky Reams, Vice President of Safety and Quality with Murphy Company, highlight initiatives that are addressing mental health, suicide prevention, and substance misuse in the construction industry. The pair reveal how hard discussions are saving lives and emphasize the real change that’s occurring in the field.

Acting Executive Director of MONetwork, Michelle Charbonnier, has been offering harm reduction services and recovery support to community members in South City since she began volunteering in 2017. She joins Nichole to discuss the meaning of harm reduction and how resources like fentanyl test strips and syringe services programs work to keep people who use drugs alive and safe — the basic goal of reducing harm.

When LOVEtheLOU Executive Director and Founder Lucas Rouggly moved to North St. Louis with his wife, they had a simple mission: to spread love to their neighbors. Since 2008, Lucas has brought together a team of passionate workers and hundreds of volunteers to help serve the city and restore the neighborhood of Enright. Lucas sits down at the PrevenTable to talk more about being a grassroots organization, creating future leaders, and being intentional in his mission.

High schoolers Ashok and Nick and PreventEd Associate Director of Community Strategy Kristin Bengtson join the PrevenTable to talk about Hear Us, an annual advocacy event where St. Louis area high schoolers talk to Missouri state legislators about drug prevention, policy, and advocacy. They provide perspective on navigating conversations with elected officials and finding a middle ground while keeping in mind that you don’t need political power to empower.

Matt Woods, Digital Content Producer for KMOV News, discusses his documentary, “Contaminated: The Fentanyl Crisis in St. Louis”, that breaks down the causes behind the rise in fentanyl overdose deaths in the area. Matt hits on barriers to substance use disorder treatment, erasing the stigma around substance misuse from the top down, and making the significant relevant by telling the stories of real people.

Prevention Educator Joy Carter sits down with Nichole to talk about all things Teen Institute along with former participant and intern, Jess Kagan. The pair provide insight into what Teen Institute REALLY is — four days and three nights of fun, combined with small group activities, team building, and leadership exercises that equip high schoolers for preventing substance misuse among their peers.

Andy Bowman and Jennie Payne, PreventEd’s newest peer specialists in the Lincoln County office, join us to discuss how they guide people in recovery through lived experience. They share wisdom on setting boundaries as a peer, how recovery is a conscious choice every day, and dive into launching the Lincoln County program.

Rafe Williams, local stand-up comedian, sketch comedian, improv-er, and radio personality, sits down with Annie to discuss the healing power of comedy and how it relates to mental health and his sobriety.

Amber Campbell, Yoga Teacher and PreventEd staff person, joins the PrevenTable to talk about the role yoga has played in her life, her journey in recovery, and how the Yoga of 12 Step Recovery (Y12SR) brought the two together.

Huvona Watkins and Nora Mosby from the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence join the PrevenTable to talk about the relationship between domestic and sexual violence and substance use, their root causes, and the power of prevention.