The TPAS Drop: Alumni Insights On the Go

Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Careers
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to The TPAS Drop, the podcast for treatment professionals dedicated to building meaningful, effective alumni programs. Each episode is designed to fit into your day and fuel your work, featuring real-world case studies, conversations with alumni professionals, and highlights from TPAS’s monthly training workshops, on the go. You’ll hear what’s working (and what’s not) from the field, with practical takeaways to strengthen your alumni engagement, enhance outcomes, and stay inspired in the work. Tune in, drop in, and keep growing with us.

  1. Aug 24

    Alumni Strategic Planning: Are You Measuring the Wrong Thing?

    Most alumni programs measure what's easy — events held, calls made, registrations logged. But do those numbers tell you whether people are actually staying connected and well? In this episode of The TPAS Drop, pulled from a recent member training, Executive Director, Gina Thorne makes the case for measuring impact over activity — and gets into what it looks like to tie every activity you run to a real human outcome. You'll hear three members, Christy, Dina, and Whitney, share the moments that never show up in a spreadsheet: parent calls that grew into a community of their own, a weekly Jenga night that opened up honest conversation, and an alumni-led book club members now run themselves. If you build or lead an alumni program in behavioral health or recovery, this one will change how you tell your story. In this episode:— Why activity counts aren't the same as impact — Starting with the truth: knowing your program before you plan it (and the food-truck event that flopped) — Recovery happens in community — connection, belonging, and purpose — How to connect every activity to an outcome — Three real member stories of impact you can't put on a report — The challenge: one priority, one owner, one measurable outcome in 90 days Resources: Gina's 90-day strategic planning template, available in the TPAS app.

  2. Jul 13

    What Do I Do Now? - Helping Clients Build Sober Leisure Into Their Recovery with Abigail Bernard

    "What do I do now?" That's the question Abigail Bernard kept hearing from patients leaving treatment — and couldn't find a good answer for. So she wrote one. In this episode, Abigail shares the framework behind her workbook 12 Steps to Sober Leisure, which reframes the 12 steps through the lens of leisure and recreation. For alumni professionals, it's a powerful reminder that the events and programming you're creating aren't just nice extras — they're essential tools for building recovery capital. The conversation covers: Why unstructured free time is one of the biggest challenges people face when they leave treatmentThe use of time worksheet — a powerful visual exercise that helps people see what addiction actually took from themHow sober leisure addresses the fears people carry into early recovery — FOMO, boredom, not fitting inWhy the opposite of addiction isn't just sobriety — it's connection — and how leisure makes connection possibleHow alumni events can be intentionally designed to help people discover meaningful interests, not just give them somewhere to beThe question that should shape every alumni event you planResources: 12 Steps to Sober Leisure by Abigail BernardConnect with TPAS: tpassociation.orgTPAS Members: Access the full training in the TPAS app

  3. Jun 29

    The ROI of Alumni: How to Make the Business Case for the Work You're Already Doing

    You're doing the work. But is your leadership seeing the value? In this episode, Colton Morgan, Founder and CEO of Team Recovery, and Gary Garth, Founder and CEO of elev8, break down the business case for alumni programming — with the data, the math, and the language you need to make it land with your CEO. The conversation covers: How to define and qualify alumni engagement — and what a healthy engagement rate actually looks likeThe two metrics that define alumni ROI: readmissions and alumni referralsWhy alumni is a marketing function, not an admissions function — and why that distinction matters for your budgetThe real math: how one program went from a $65k payroll to a $5M annual return on investmentHow alumni referrals convert at nearly double the rate of paid digital channelsWhat executives actually want to see — and how to build a dashboard that speaks their languageHow to advocate for yourself and get credit for the admissions your program is already drivingConnect with Team Recovery: teamrecovery.com Connect with elev8.io: elev8.io Connect with TPAS: tpasrecovery.org TPAS Members: Access the full training in the TPAS app

  4. Jun 15

    Radical Candor: Why Saying the Hard Thing is the Kindest Thing You Can Do

    Clarity is kindness. That's the idea at the heart of this conversation — and once you hear it framed this way, it's hard to unsee. In this episode, Gina sits down with Michael Maassel to talk about Radical Candor, the framework developed by Kim Scott that challenges all of us to lead and love the people around us by telling the truth — with care, with compassion, and without flinching. For alumni professionals, this one hits close to home. Whether you're navigating a hard conversation with a staff member, a colleague, or an alumni who needs to hear something difficult, Michael gives you the language and the mindset to do it well. The conversation covers: Why avoiding hard conversations is actually the unkind choice — and what it costs your alumni and your programThree phrases you can use right now to open a difficult conversation with careHow radical candor connects directly to recovery — and why secrets keep people and organizations sickWhat it means to be in the delivery business, not the results businessHow to manage the anxiety of saying the hard thing and still show up with integrityResources: Radical Candor by Kim ScottKim Scott's podcast: Radical CandorLearn more at radicalcandor.com

  5. Jun 1

    Building a Thriving Virtual Alumni Community: Practical Strategies That Actually Work

    Virtual alumni engagement isn't a consolation prize for programs that can't meet in person. Done well, it's one of the most powerful tools you have for keeping alumni connected, supported, and coming back. In this episode, Mickenzie Vought and Whitney Sylvia share what they've learned building virtual alumni communities from the ground up — including what finally moved the needle after showing up to meetings alone. The conversation covers: Why consistency is the single most important factor in building virtual community — and what it actually looks like in practiceHow to create community guidelines that alumni will actually followPractical course correction strategies for when someone takes the meeting off trackCreative content ideas beyond the weekly meeting — book clubs, journal challenges, bingo, and moreHow alumni-led meetings can transform engagement and develop unexpected leaders in your communityThe personal touches that keep alumni feeling seen even when you never meet in personTPAS Members: Access the full monthly workshop in the TPAS app.

  6. May 4

    Building a Movement: How She Recovers is Changing the Recovery Landscape for Women

    How does a personal blog become a global movement of 300,000 people? In this episode, Gina sits down with Dawn Nickel, CEO and Co-Founder of She Recovers, to explore how an accidental idea born out of one woman's struggle with workaholism grew into one of the most expansive recovery communities in the world. She Recovers supports women and non-binary individuals recovering from substances, mental health challenges, trauma, and the full range of life experiences that require healing. And for alumni professionals, it may be one of the most powerful resources you're not yet using. The conversation covers: The origin story behind She Recovers and why Dawn calls it an accidental movementHow She Recovers approaches multiple pathways — and why they always recommend 12-step firstThe trusted resources program and what it means for treatment centers serving womenRetreat partnerships, in-person sharing circles, and other ways She Recovers can support your alumni programThe secret sauce behind long-term engagement and what alumni professionals can learn from itWhat Dawn would tell any treatment center looking to keep alumni connected beyond year oneConnect with She Recovers: Website: sherecovers.orgEmail Dawn directly: dawn.nickel@sherecovers.orgCertifications & training: sherecovers.org/coursesOnline gatherings, retreats, and sharing circles listed at sherecovers.orgConnect with TPAS: tpassociation.org

  7. Apr 20

    Live from the TPAS Collaborative

    There's something that happens at the TPAS Collaborative that's hard to describe until you've been in the room. This episode is the closest thing to being there. In this episode, we're bringing you directly onto the Collaborative floor — where alumni professionals from across the country gather not just to learn, but to challenge each other, tell the truth, and leave with something real. You'll hear Whitney Silivia, Director of Alumni Services at AMFM and Florida Chapter Co-Chair of TPAS and Board Member, Mickenzie Vought of Onsite, lead the room through a conversation on ownership that will make you rethink how you show up in your work and your life. Then Mickenzie Vought makes the case that the most powerful thing you can do for your alumni community is create a space where people actually feel free to disagree. And then you'll hear from the attendees themselves — their biggest breakthroughs, their barriers, and what they're taking back to their programs. This is what the Collaborative feels like. If you've been on the fence about joining us — consider this your sign to join us this fall in Malibu!

  8. Apr 6

    “The Five A’s: A Simple Framework for Powerful Alumni Groups”

    Today on the TPAS Drop, we're bringing you another powerful excerpt from one of our monthly workshops. Join Lori Obenauer, co-founder of TPAS, alumni professional and coach, as she walks us through the 5A's framework for facilitation. It's a simple, repeatable method for planning any group from choosing your anchor to creating follow-up actions that stick. Whether you've been running groups for years or you're just starting out, this episode will give you a practical roadmap to make your sessions more impactful without crossing into the therapist's territory. To celebrate this milestone year, we’re offering 15% off your first year of TPAS membership for all new members and first-time Collaborative attendees now through April 30, 2026. For 15 years, TPAS has championed ethical, innovative alumni programming—and we’d love for you to be part of what’s next. If you’ve been thinking about joining, this is your moment. Email gina@tpasrecovery.org or visit our site to learn more.

See All (25)

Trailer

About

Welcome to The TPAS Drop, the podcast for treatment professionals dedicated to building meaningful, effective alumni programs. Each episode is designed to fit into your day and fuel your work, featuring real-world case studies, conversations with alumni professionals, and highlights from TPAS’s monthly training workshops, on the go. You’ll hear what’s working (and what’s not) from the field, with practical takeaways to strengthen your alumni engagement, enhance outcomes, and stay inspired in the work. Tune in, drop in, and keep growing with us.

Information

  • Creator
    Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services
  • Show Website
    The TPAS Drop: Alumni Insights On the Go