In this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery, we are joined by Julia Brunson, Communications Manager at the National Council on Problem Gambling, about the Gift Responsibly Campaign — an annual initiative educating communities on the risks of giving lottery tickets to children. Julia shares how the campaign has evolved over the years, expanding from a lottery-focused effort to a broader movement that now includes community organizations and the new Too Young to Bet. Together, we explore why gifting lottery tickets to minors isn’t as harmless as it seems, how early exposure increases the risk of future gambling problems, and how the campaign uses positive, accessible messaging to drive awareness and cultural change. We also discuss this year’s updates, key deadlines, and how organizations can get involved before the November 26th registration cutoff for inclusion in the official press release.

About the Guest:

Julia Brunson joined the National Council on Problem Gambling in May 2022. In this position, she assists in the development of multi-channel content, manages social media accounts, and helps execute communications strategy across all NCPG digital channels. Julia is an experienced communicator with several years of marketing and development experience in a non-profit setting. She has a BA in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has received several leadership certificates and fellowships. She has a passion for all things digital and Gen Z. In her spare time, Julia enjoys writing, hiking, and browsing Tik Tok.

Links:

https://www.ncpgambling.org/

https://www.ncpgambling.org/responsible-gambling/gift-responsibly-campaign/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail talkingaddictionandrecovery@gmail.com

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

Life at times can feel like a knot. Whether that’s the physical tension in our bodies, the emotional turmoil, the mental confusion, or the spiritual exhaustion; many of us can relate to the connection of feeling twisted and the impact it has on several areas of our lives. Elena Huggins, author of “Untwist Me”, guides readers through common, but often unspoken, challenges like trauma, anxiety, addiction, shame, and spiritual battles. Listen as she offers raw, biblical grounded strategies to reframe mind, body, and soul to help us untwist and break free from feeling stuck.

About the Guest:

Elena Huggins is a passionate communicator who desires to inspire, challenge, and empower her audience to make the changes they need to live better lives. She is a lover of Jesus, a musician, and an entrepreneur. Over the last eighteen years, Elena has spoken across a variety of stages to different audiences using a straightforward approach, unapologetic challenges, and biblical truths.

She is devoted to the Gospel and seeing God's people strengthened, free and more in love with Jesus. She has had much experience in the area of mental and emotional health, with her journey to overcoming trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Her experience includes: working with trafficked victims, working at the rape crisis center, endless one-on-one coaching sessions, and pastoral care.

She resides in the mountains with her two beautiful daughters.

Links:

Get a copy of Untwist Me: https://www.amazon.com/Untwist-Uncomplicated-Life-Hacks-Emotional-Liberation/dp/B0CPCQ2VP1

Learn more about Elena here: https://www.elenahuggins.com/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail talkingaddictionandrecovery@gmail.com

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.

Unlock true freedom from addiction, trauma, and mental health struggle with Jason Shiers who is founder of The Infinite Recovery Project. Drawing from his own journey through early loss, addiction, and the limits of traditional recovery, Jason reframes the path to healing. He argues that recovery isn’t about perfect fixes or rigid treatments. It’s about remembering who you already are and reconnecting to the wholeness beneath the pain as part of our intuition of home.

In this episode, you’ll hear about how addiction can be a meaningful, though misaligned, response to life’s challenges; what recovery looks like when it grows from insight instead of force; and how spiritual awareness, somatic healing, and compassionate truth lead not away from your story, but deeper into your freedom.

About the Guest:

Jason Shiers is the founder of The Infinite Recovery Project, a movement born from his decades-long journey through loss, addiction, and healing. After witnessing his father’s tragic death at age five, Jason turned to food, isolation, and eventually substances as coping tools. By his early teens, that path led him into crime, homelessness, psychiatric wards, and rehab.

Though he committed for many years to traditional recovery—12-step work, therapy, endless credentials—he came to realize that peace and healing can’t be found only in external solutions. The breakthrough came when he turned inward: embracing presence, somatic healing, spiritual awakening, psychological awareness, and acknowledging that addiction is often a survival mechanism.

Today, Jason helps others rediscover their own inner wholeness, not through rigid formulas, but through deeper truth, embodied knowing, and real transformation from the inside out.

Links:

Website:https://infiniterecoveryproject.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Recovery-Project-Intelligence-Addiction-ebook/dp/B0FD8QSYFP/

Support the show

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

To learn more about the podcast visit www.andrewjschreier.com

To inquire being a guest on the podcast or sponsorship opportunities you can e-mail talkingaddictionandrecovery@gmail.com

Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.