Women’s Recovery Group – Weekly
This on-going group is open to NEW members. Please call Insight Counseling, LLC
(203) 431-9726 for more information.
WRG-Flyer-2015 byThis on-going group is open to NEW members. Please call Insight Counseling, LLC
(203) 431-9726 for more information.
WRG-Flyer-2015 byEarlier this month on “Straight Talk from the Sober Chicks at Insight Counseling”, we introduced you to the new phenomenon we are calling, “Weed Fundamentalism.” The new “religion” we have seen take hold amongst many of the teenagers we meet in treatment. In part one of this ongoing series we discussed key narratives we hear expressed by those that view marijuana as an infallible plant, a gift from god, with no negative impacts on their growing brains. Check out our breakdown of the issue and some real sobering facts about the impact of marijuana use: 5 Signs That Might Mean You’re a “Weed Fundamentalist”
This week the Sober Chicks, Liz Driscoll Jorgensen & Sarah Allen Benton breakdown for parents some hard facts they can share with their teens about the impact and repercussions of marijuana use and we offer three useful pieces of advice for how to best deal with the weed fundamentalist in your household!
In my personal opinion, the decriminalization of marijuana is a good thing in that it no longer sends people to jail for something as small as marijuana use. It saves every taxpayers money when we don’t lock people up for smoking a joint; people are better served going to treatment as opposed to serving jail time and living with a criminal record. However, with it’s decriminalization in many states and legalization in others, the Sober Chicks think it might be time for a public health campaign that sheds light on some of the dangers of regular marijuana use.
Many of our clients are minors and we have had more than one get in trouble with the law over their marijuana usage. These teens and many others have expressed a clear misinterpretation of the law. Our practice, Insight Counseling, LLC is located in Connecticut where marijuana use is decriminalized. Many teens we have worked with fail to understand even the difference between legalization and decriminalization and how it applies to them as minors. One client pulled over by police after smoking pot proceeded to argue that it wasn’t a crime for him to use marijuana, to which the officer explained that yes it was because they were under 21.
Public health campaigns have done a great job at informing young people about the dangers of other legal, but dangerous substances such as alcohol and tobacco. Clients who are expressed “Weed Fundamentalist” have shared with us a clear understanding of the dangers of both alcohol and tobacco, but clearly believe that marijuana is a benign, if not beneficial, substance!
Parents often struggle with their teens in this battle to make kids understand that smoking pot isn’t as safe as they think it is. Here are three pieces of advice for dealing with a stubborn teen, hellbent on smoking pot:
This is a topic that we will continue to address on further episodes of, “Straight Talk From the Sober Chicks at Insight Counseling,” as a part of an ongoing series on “Weed Fundamentalism.” If you have any questions about marijuana use, or any other parenting issue, just ask the Sober Chicks! We would love to hear your thoughts and questions and we will share the answer on an upcoming episode of, “Straight Talk.” Use the contact form below and put “Question for the Sober Chicks” in the subject line.
Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to take your sobriety seriously, but not yourself too seriously!
– Liz & Sarah
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A growing trend that we have noticed in our practice here at Insight Counseling and we are calling it “Weed Fundamentalism.” Quite often we find ourselves working with clients that deny that marijuana causes damage to the growing teenage brain and can actually reduce your I.Q. 8-10 points over the course of your lifetime. In this episode of “Straight Talk from the Sober Chicks,” we break down five key identifiers that you might be, or might know, a “Weed Fundamentalist,” and share some great research studies that prove marijuana might not be as good for you as they preach.
These are some of the common justifications and arguments as to why marijuana is a benign substance; if you know anyone that has shown any of the following signs, he or she might be a convert to this new, growing “religion”:
Our main issue with those that preach the message that marijuana is a benign substance. We want to share with our podcast listeners some great resources that you can review that prove otherwise. Many of the clients we work with that express these beliefs also have a firm understanding that other substances, like alcohol and tobacco, are harmful substances.
With growing legislation to decriminalize and legalize marijuana, we feel it is important to have a public discussion about the facts and research that has been published on marijuana use and its effect on the brain. Here are some facts you can share with any “Weed Fundamentalist” that you might know to make sure they know the risk they take when they use marijuana:
Here are some great resources for you to do your own research and be informed:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24190588
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25936584
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2809%2961037-0/fulltext?rss=yes
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byParenting can be difficult, but the Sober Chicks at Insight Counseling have seen parents using their kids good grades or high achievement as an excuse not to deal with their unhealthy use of drugs or alcohol. The Sober Chicks, Liz Jorgensen and Sarah Allen Benton offer tips on how to deal with kids who are succeeding on paper but might be developing some unhealthy habits at an early age.
For more Sober Chicks: https://insightcounselingllc.com/?cat=5
Interested in having Liz Jorgensen, Owner & Director of Insight Counseling come speak at your school? Check out some of Insight Counseling’s programs for parents and teens: https://insightcounselingllc.com/?page_id=81
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byWith recent criticism of AA and other 12-Step Programs, the Sober Chicks at Insight Counseling wanted to break down the differences between 12-Step programs and Moderation Management. They share the benefits of each program and describe why AA might be a great path to sobriety for some and how Moderation Management works for others.
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