Contributing writers share their stories.
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The Power of Education: Interview with Mallory Henry, Director of Family Education at Caron Treatment Centers
How a personal experience taught one educator how to think, not what to think. A long-time educator, Mallory Henry has devoted the last 14 years toward developing programs for families so that they are better equipped to understand and navigate Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Her interest in supporting and empowering families — through knowledge and resources — is personal. Mallory, now 39 years old, grew up with a brother, now 35, who suffered from a SUD from a very early age. Below, Mallory tells journalist and Be a Part of the Conversation supporter Vera Gibbons how her brother’s disease landed [...]
“Between Pitches”
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. Let’s get rid of the clock. Let’s talk about it. Let’s throw the curveball addiction finally misses. "Between Pitches" by Linda Geraghty In 2022, when Major League Baseball announced the pitch clock, I didn’t like it. To me, the slow was what made baseball special. I liked that the pitcher could take the time he needed to decide what to throw. At Citizens Bank Park, my sons sat with sunflower seeds packed into one cheek, mumbling through the other about what should happen next. When their mouths were free enough to yell, [...]
“Hey You Kids!”
Today (July 30, 2026) would have been Father Bill’s 95th birthday. If you were fortunate enough to know him, you’ve probably said something along these lines about Father Bill: “they broke the mold” or “there will never be another Father Bill” or “he was one of a kind” or “one of the blessings of my life was knowing Father Bill.” William J. Hultberg, Jr. was special in so many ways ... as a priest, as a counselor and educator, as a decorated serviceman, as a friend, and as a person in recovery. Father Bill was a rule-breaker and a [...]
From Evidence to Impact: Healing Happens Through Connection
What helps people heal? For many of us, the answer lies in connection with people who understand, who listen without judgment, and who remind us that we're not alone. In a recent episode of the Evidence to Impact podcast,host Michael Donovan welcomed Be a Part of the Conversation Director of Programs and Partnerships Bob Lamb and licensed clinical social worker, group psychotherapist, and Philadelphia Area Psychodrama Institute co-founder Haydn Briggs for a thoughtful discussion about recovery, family healing, and the role community plays in helping people heal. The conversation brought together perspectives across lived experience, clinical practice, nonprofit leadership, and [...]
Giving Your Child the Gift of Desperation
I heard this phrase from a mom I was speaking with, as she was signing up to take the Family Recovery Course. She was told she needed to give her child the gift of desperation. It took me a minute to think about that concept. Wow! So, what does this even mean? When you have a child that suffers with substance use disorder, you understand or will understand, if you are just embarking on this journey. And even after you ascertain this concept early on, it’s not until the end of a long journey that you are able to encompass [...]
“Two Sickies Don’t Make a Wellie.”
Over the years that my daughter struggled with substance use disorder, I came to understand some hard truths about myself. One was that I was just as sick as she was and neither of us had a chance at being well if something – or someone – didn’t change. The reality was that “two sickies don’t make a wellie.” The idea that I was sick seemed impossible at first. After all, I was a high-functioning, well organized, ready-to-do-battle-with-addiction kind of mom. I honestly believed I could fix my daughter on my own. I was a heroic, caped-crusader and world-class rescuer [...]
Why Family Education Must Be Central to Recovery
In my brother’s many treatment placements, our family was often invited to attend what were called “family sessions.” These sessions typically looked the same no matter the program: the four of us—my brother, my parents, and me—sitting in a room with a therapist who would ask us to talk about our boundaries. At the time, I didn’t have language for why those sessions felt so destabilizing, only that they almost always ended badly. Someone would cry. Someone would shut down. Someone would storm out. And everyone would leave carrying more weight than they arrived with. The expectation seemed to be [...]
Be a Part of the Conversation is Expanding Substance Use Programming into Delaware
Be a Part of the Conversation volunteers and team members tabling in Delaware. From left to right: Lisa Sabrick, Cindy Seigafuse, Kim Porter, Kathy Greeley & Stephanie Barry. At Be a Part of the Conversation, we have been committed to helping families and communities understand substance use, addiction, and related health issues in Pennsylvania and beyond since 2011. Now, as our next step forward in serving our local communities, we are expanding our programming into Delaware with the support of the Sussex County Health Coalition. We're dedicated to equipping families with education, skills, and supportive spaces to explore [...]
The Road to Recovery is Paved with Boundaries
For years I lived in self imposed isolation while I obsessively searched for the answer to this question: How can I stop my son from using drugs? I couldn’t stop thinking about where he was and what he was doing. At home I felt like I was living with a person I didn’t know. He was sleeping all day and out all night. Our communication had degraded to me interrogating him about every move; normal conversation was gone. I was consumed by a toxic mix of anger, fear, and guilt that was slowly destroying our once loving and trusting relationship. Like [...]
A Sibling’s Perspective on Addiction
I am the other child. The ok one I am the sober child. The one on the sidelines. I am the observer. The one watching him slowly killing our parents. I am the angry one. The one who’s pissed because he’s destroying our family. I am the sad one. The one losing her first best friend. I am the reassuring one. The one holding her Momma as she cries. I am the torn one. The broken one trying to hold everyone together. I am the confused one. The one who wonders how we became so unimportant and invisible. I am [...]