This Badass Sober Life Podcast Avani Dilger

What about Alcohol?

Join this new episode of our “This Badass Sober Life” PODCAST and listen how Dr. Shelly Mahon, the director of the Boulder Parent Engagement Network, and Avani Dilger, Founder and Director of Natural Highs talk about the upcoming community showing of the acclaimed European Documentary “Alcohol – The Magic Potion” and how you can be part of the discussion on alcohol and healthy alternatives.

Your Host in this Episode:

Shelly Mahon, PhD.

Shelly is passionate about supporting parents in navigating the challenging, emotional, and rewarding experience of having a loving, lasting relationship with their child. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies, with a minor in Prevention Science and specialties in adolescent development, program development and evaluation, and parent-child relationships. As the Executive Director, Shelly is responsible for the oversight and direction of the organization, fundraising, advocacy, and managing external relationships and collaborations. Shelly believes that PEN provides a context in which parents can both celebrate their accomplishments and have constructive conversations when real issues arise. She has been with PEN since 2007, first as a parent volunteer, then as a consultant and board member. Shelly has been the Executive Director since Jan. 2015.

Your Guest in this Episode:

Avani G. Dilger, MEd, MA, LPC, BC-DMT, CAC III, ADS,

In this Episode you will learn:

- How Natural Highs got connected to the acclaimed European Documentary “Alcohol – The Magic Potion” by Andreas Pichler

- How Iceland could reduce their teenage drinking rates from 42% to under 5% in 10 years

- Next community showing of the documentary on Thursday, September 24, 6-8pm

- What Natural Highs offers during Covid-19 times

- What the “Alcohol- The Magic Potion” documentary covers: Practices of the alcohol industry and how it exploits human vulnerabilities for profit & healthy alternatives, such as the Iceland Model & Natural Highs in action.

- Healthy alternatives to substance abuse, such as herbs, acupuncture, etc.

- How to use this film to start a conversation on alcohol and alternatives with loved ones

- How to challenge alcohol’s role in our culture

- How can adults challenge their own habits around alcohol

- How to participate in our Natural Highs’ healthy alternative drink competition

- Introduction to Natural Highs’ “This Badass Sober Life” Podcast

- Where to get tickets for “Alcohol-The Magic Potion” on September 24, 6-8pm

Want to connect with Natural Highs?

· Get connected at www.naturalhighs.org

· Sign up for FREE emails for current groups & events: naturalhighs.org

· Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturalhighsofficial/

· Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturalhighsofficial/

· Questions? Get in touch with Avani – avani@naropa.edu

· Want to be a guest or have a guest recommendation for “This BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast? Get in touch with Avani – avani@naropa.edu

· We would love to hear your FEEDBACK: avani@naropa.edu

Be well and live your “BADASS Sober Life”!!!

Natural Highs Podcast “Wisdom from Dark Places”

In this episode of “The BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast, Avani Dilger, the founder and Executive Director of Natural Highs is interviewing Morgan, a Natural Highs Peer Mentor who connected to Natural Highs while she was involved in the Justice System. She tells her life story and what experiences have contributed to her using substances to deal with severe loss, grief and trauma. She describes how Natural Highs has changed her life and which elements of Natural Highs were especially helpful to her to live a sober lifestyle. She volunteers as a Peer Mentor for Natural Highs and is helping other women in the Justice System turn their lives around.

Your Guest in this Episode:

Morgan is a Peer Mentor and is on the Natural Highs Team, teaching women on Probation:

“My name is Morgan. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend. I am an addict, I am a fighter, a dancer, a lover... I am an athlete... a dreamer... I have recently become a Reiki practitioner and Peer Mentor but best of all, I am a mother....”

Your Host in this Episode:

Avani G. Dilger, MEd, MA, LPC, BC-DMT, CAC III, ADS

In This Episode you will learn:

· How a journey into drug addiction can start with severe loss and grief

· How the lack of support around loss and grief can lead to self-medicating with substances

· The frequent co-occurrence of trauma and substance abuse

· How Natural Highs is different from other programs

· The difference between “white knuckle sobriety” and the “Natural Highs Lifestyle”

· How to support people with addiction issues in the Justice System

· How to turn pain and trauma into strength and hope for others

· Wisdom from the dark places

Want to connect with Natural Highs?

· Please SUBSCRIBE to our Podcast if you liked this episode!!!!

· Get connected at www.naturalhighs.org

· Check out our STORE with Audios, Video Courses and ways you can support our nonprofit

· Sign up for FREE emails for current groups & events: naturalhighs.org

· Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturalhighsofficial/

· Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturalhighsofficial/

· Questions? Get in touch with Avani – avani@naropa.edu

· Want to be a GUEST or have a GUEST RECOMMENDATION for “This BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast? Get in touch with Avani – avani@naropa.edu

· We would love to hear your FEEDBACK: avani@naropa.edu

· Want to be a SPONSOR or COLLABORATOR? Get in touch with us: avani@naropa.edu

Be well and live your “BADASS Sober Life”!!!

A Natural Highs Vision for Inuit Youth: Tara interviews Kara In this episode of “This BADASS Sober Life” Podcast, your host, Tara Spies, a Natural Highs Peer Mentor, is interviewing Kara Ashley. Kara is planning to start a Natural Highs Program for Inuit youth in the Arctic territory of Nunavut. You will hear about Kara’s personal story around substance use and sobriety and why she is passionate about starting Natural Highs for Inuit Youth. Your Guest in this Episode: Kara Ashley grew up in two places, Long Point, Ontario and Iqaluit, Nunavut. The unique ecological communities of these two places have deeply rooted her love for being in nature. They also sparked her passion for facilitating nature connection with adults and children and ensuring that the outdoor industry shifts to an inclusive community that supports equitable access to nature and outdoor recreational activities. Kara is an expedition sea kayak guide in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, and a child caregiver. She is mesmerized by children’s curiosity and uninhibited spiritual connection and she would be happy spending the rest of her days working with children and youth. Kara is also a recent undergrad graduate whose Interdisciplinary degree is an integration of an Adventure Guiding diploma program at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, Canada, and Environmental Studies and Peace Studies at Naropa University. Kara’s social innovation thesis focused on developing a summer climbing empowerment program Natural Highs Iqaluit, for youth who live in Iqaluit, Nunavut. This program will also act as a new pilot site for the Natural Highs Community! The summer climbing empowerment program was developed through the integration of rock climbing, nature connection, mindfulness practices, addictions research, and Indigenous methodologies; this program aims to be a healthy and safe space for youth to nourish their personal resilience. Your Host in this Episode: Tara Spies started going to Natural Highs classes in 2015 and quickly realized a strong passion for the sustainability of being sober. They are a non binary person who enjoys the community of music festivals and concerts. They believe whole-heartedly in the power of nature to heal and inspire. As well as a peer mentor with Natural Highs, they are a Hairstylist at Zinke Hair Studio, a volunteer with Rainbow Lightning Children’s Village, and a certified Reiki practitioner.

● Kara’s connection to Natural Highs through the Natural Highs Class at Naropa University and then joining the Natural Highs team  ● A brief history of the creation of Nunavut through the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement  ● Kara’s experiences with substances through adolescence  ● Kara’s journey of developing Natural Highs Iqaluit, which is a summer rock climbing empowerment program for youth in her hometown of Iqaluit, Nunavut.  ● How to mindfully support youth through nature connection, rock climbing, brain chemistry education, mindful movement, and Inuit philosophy  ● How safe spaces can foster resiliency  ● Substance abuse as a desperate way for youth to find belonging  ● How federal neglect and systemic racism contribute to the many social crises in Nunavut  ● The importance of experiential and safe spaces for expressing emotions ● Kara’s message to the world: Remembering that we are all nature can foster compassion for all human experiences  ● Kara’s second message to the world: There is an intelligence behind every action!

In this Second Episode of “This BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast, Beau Chilson who is a high school student in Boulder, CO is interviewing Aaron Huey about his personal past which led him to his founding of Fire Mountain Treatment Center in Estes Park, CO. You will learn about Aaron's struggle with substance abuse and how he turned his life around to escape the addiction and help others do the same.



Your Guest in this Episode: Aaron Huey: Aaron has been working with children, teens, and parents for over 18 years. After ten years directing camps and empowerment programs around the world, Aaron opened Fire Mountain because he wanted to work with kids and families on a deeper level. Over the first few years of running programs like Teen Rites of Passage and The Warrior Phoenix Challenge, and numerous cries for help from parents, Aaron realized the need to turn his efforts towards teens struggling with drugs, alcohol and the behaviors and issues related to addiction. As a person in recovery since 2000, he felt a calling to put together an expert team and open Fire Mountain. His mission is to awaken confidence and leadership. “It‘s not about being better, it‘s about giving up the struggle to be different from who you are.” Aaron’s formal educational background is in acting. He graduated from the top acting school in the US, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1990. His skills in comedy and drama make him an influential speaker and presenter, and a favorite among the kids. His confidence, compassion, and humor set the tone for deep healing, and fun. Aaron is also trained as an EMT, a Wilderness Survival Instructor and Martial Arts teacher, all of which he weaves into the Fire Mountain RTC curriculum Your Host in this Episode: Beau Chilson is a Natural Highs Peer Mentor and high school student in Boulder, CO. He works with Natural Highs because he thinks that it is incredibly important to help his peers realize the repercussions of drug use on their brains. “I love working with Natural Highs and it has taught me a lot about myself.” He started a weekly teen run club called “First Step” that helps teens realize their habits and gives them reliable support as they try to change. In this Episode of “The BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast you will learn: • Beau’s and Aaron’s personal connection • Aaron’s personal history and relationship with drugs that caused him to start the Fire Mountain Residential Center and his parenting podcast, Beyond Risk and Back • Aaron’s idea for why he started using, and his opinion on the question of Why people start using • The origins of Fire Mountain Treatment Center and Aarons goal with Fire Mountain, keeping kids out of recovery and helping parents • What Aaron and his counselors actually do at Fire Mountain.  • Aaron’s base advice for parenting • The five basic human needs  • Accepting your responsibility in a situation rather than blaming a sibling or child for being the “bad” guy • The importance of allowing your kid to fail • Aaron’s connection to Natural Highs • Aaron’s First Message to the world: Nobody thinks they’re “the bad guy”, don’t try and convince people that they are, you can’t hate the world or yourself into something you love, separation causes pain • Aaron’s Second Message to the world: Everybody takes a shit sitting down.  • Life is all about giving up the struggle to be different from who you are

In this FIRST “This BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast Episode, Beau Chilson who is a high school student in Boulder, CO is interviewing Avani Dilger about the story behind the “Natural Highs” nonprofit program. You will find out what personal experiences led Avani start this grassroots movement involving teens as leaders and what the groundbreaking elements of Natural Highs are. Get the insider view from a Natural Highs Teen Peer Mentor and the founder of the Natural Highs Program, Avani Dilger.

Your Host in this Episode:

Beau Chilson is a Natural Highs Peer Mentor and high school student in Boulder, CO. He works with Natural Highs because he thinks that it is incredibly important to help his peers realize the repercussions of drug use on their brains. “I love working with Natural Highs and it has taught me a lot about myself.” He started a weekly teen run club called “First Step” that helps teens realize their habits and gives them reliable support as they try to change.

Your Guest in this Episode:

Avani G. Dilger, MEd, MA, LPC, BC-DMT, CAC III, ADS, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Certified Addiction Counselor, a Somatic Psychotherapist, an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and a Motivational Interviewing Trainer (MINT), who specializes in substance abuse prevention and treatment with adults, teens and their families. She is the founder and Executive Director of the “Natural Highs – Healthy Alternatives to Drugs & Alcohol” nonprofit program, an innovative, grassroots substance abuse prevention and intervention program that empowers teens and adults to become leaders around healthier lifestyles and positive peer culture. In addition to teaching the Natural Highs program in high schools in Boulder and at Naropa University, Avani works as a psychotherapist with teens, families and adults with issues around substance abuse, addiction and trauma using cutting-edge approaches such as Somatic Psychotherapy, Brainspotting and Systemic Constellationwork. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and trains Motivational Interviewing for criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse professionals.

In this Episode of “The BADASS Sober LIFE” Podcast you will learn:

· An Introduction to the Natural Highs Program

· Learn about Beau who is a Natural Highs Teen Peer Mentor

· Avani’s life experiences that led to starting Natural Highs

· The origins of Natural Highs

· The potential in trauma, pain, loss and hardship

· The role of non-judgment in Natural Highs

· Natural Highs for Adults

· The Role of the Yerba Mate Ritual in Natural Highs

· The social dynamic in substance use and in sobriety

· A Vision for the future of Natural Highs

· The Online Natural Highs Resources that are going international now

· How to get your FREE Natural Highs Care Packets of inspiration wherever you are in the world

· How to access FREE Natural Highs Online Groups for TEENS

· How to become a Peer Mentor with Natural Highs

· Avani’s message for the world: “Turn your pain into a resource to help others”

· Beau’s message to the world: “Be yourself”

· How you can be part of the Natural Highs Movement