343: Breaking the Stigma Around Addiction and Recovery in the Workplace with Cheryl Brown-Merriwether

Addiction is not a new problem in the workplace. In fact, about 70% of folks that are using illicit drugs are employed in the workplace, either full-time or part-time. However, this is not a comfortable topic for people to talk about obviously due to the stigma around it.

How do we then bridge that gap and break the silence so people get the help they need, and for total recovery to take place?

On today's episode, Duane speaks with Cheryl Brown-Merriwether, HR professional and recovery support professional, about the innovations in the workplace as well as addiction and recovery from a workplace perspective and a human relations perspective.

Cheryl holds a number of certifications with several years of experience working with clinical professionals in addiction and recovery support services. Through educational programs, Cheryl is committed to helping people in the workplace understand addiction, substance use disorder, and recovery. Cheryl hopes to reduce the stigma and change the whole perspective around addiction and recovery in the workplace.

In this episode, you will hear:

• What’s changing in the workplace
• How to break the stigma of recovery
• The benefits of external partnership
• Working with people who struggled with addiction
• The importance of connecting at all three levels of the workplace
• How to extend the workforce and empower the frontliners
• About the International Center of Addiction and Recovery Education

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Supporting Resources:

ICARE International Center for Addiction and Recovery Education

⁠NovusMindfulLife.com⁠

Episode Credits

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