Let’s continue the conversation about what a community can do about addiction started by Maia Szalavitz ‘s visit to Blacksburg, Virginia!

Continuing the Conversation:
What’s a Town to Do About Addiction?
A Community Discussion

Wednesday, August 31, 2016
7:00 PM
Blacksburg Library
200 Miller Street
Blacksburg, Virginia

The event is free and open to the public.

If you’ll sign up on the Facebook event page we’ll know how many chairs to set up!

If you’d like to prepare for the conversation, feel free to try any or all of these:

• Read about how to help a loved one with addiction in the New River Valley.
• Watch, listen to, and/or read Maia Szalavitz’s presentation, “What’s A Town to Do About Addiction?”
• Read or listen to our selections from articles and recordings by Maia Szalavitz published since the release of Unbroken Brain.
• Make your own selections from our curated list of over 30 articles and recordings published since the release of Unbroken Brain.
• Read 5 Addictions Myths Challenged by Unbroken Brain.
• Read or listen to Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction by Maia Szalavitz. Here are discussion questions for Unbroken Brain. Here are addictions myths challenged by Unbroken Brain.

For more information, please contact Anne Giles, [email protected], 540-808-6334.

. . . . .

Handshake Media, Incorporated was honored to present “What’s a Town to Do About Addiction? A Conversation with Maia Szalavitz, Author of Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction” on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, at New River Valley Community Services in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Anne Giles made the introduction, Mike Wade of New River Valley Community Services filmed the presentation, and Shawn You and Daeshaun McClintock of Mor11 Media photographed the event. Laurel Sindewald transcribed the presentation, with almost 9000 total words spoken in about one hour.

In her presentation, Maia Szalavitz mentions initiatives in Ithaca, NY. We’ve compiled a report here.

Photos from the event are on Facebook here.

The invitation describing the August 3 event is here.

For more information about local efforts to organize an effective response to local addictions challenges, please contact Anne Giles, [email protected], 540-808-6334.

A page with the above information, the video, plus a transcript of the presentation, is here.

Maiz Szalavitz has written on the neuroscience of addiction for more than a quarter of a century, synthesizing and illuminating that work in her most recent book, Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction. 

Since publication of Unbroken Brain in April of this year, Maia has written more than 30 additional articles which have appeared in multiple news sources including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Guardian.  She has been interviewed numerous times, including by Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air and by Johann Hari with VolteFace. I have attempted to curate Maia Salavitz’s prolific work since April, 2016 here. Maia released a series of pre-publication images via Twitter that we have curated and transcribed as 5 Addiction Myths Challenged by Maia Szalavitz in Unbroken Brain.

Maia Szalavitz will be speaking in Blacksburg, Virginia on August 3, 2016.

For those who haven’t yet read Unbroken Brain, but would like an orientation to Maia’s work, I offer these suggested highlights.

If you only have time to read one article:

• Can You Get Over an Addiction?, New York Times, 6/26/16

If you only have time to listen to one podcast:

• ‘Unbroken Brain’ Explains Why ‘Tough’ Treatment Doesn’t Help Drug Addicts, NPR, 7/7/16

If opioid addiction is of interest:

• What Science Says To Do If Your Loved One Has An Opioid Addiction, FiveThirtyEight, 7/19/16

If addictions treatment is of interest:

• The Rehab Industry Needs to Clean Up Its Act. Here’s How, The Influence, 2/4/16

If addictions recovery advocacy is of interest:

• The Rules Around Opioid Maintenance Would Be Seen as Unconscionable in Any Other Branch of Medicine, The Influence, 7/27/16

If an interview with Maia is of interest:

• Meeting Maia Szalavitz, interview, VolteFace, 7/25/16

And if you want to have what you thought you knew about addiction torched, try these:

• The public scorns the addiction treatment Prince was going to try. They shouldn’t. Washington Post, 5/9/16
• Why we should decriminalize all drugs, The Guardian, 7/5/16
• Addictions are harder to kick when you’re poor. Here’s why, The Guardian, 6/1/16
• Does Addictions Treatment Require a Higher Power?, NPR, 5/1/16

. . . . .

Handshake Media, Incorporated is honored to present “What’s a Town to Do About Addiction? A Conversation with Maia Szalavitz, Author of Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction” at 7:00 PM EST on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Thanks to its generous donation of meeting space, the event will be held in the New River Room at New River Valley Community Services, 700 University City Boulevard, Blacksburg, Virginia.

Directions to New River Valley Community Services (NRVCS) in Blacksburg, Virginia

The event is free and open to the public and will include time for Q & A with author Maia Szalavitz.

Can’t attend? NRVCS will be livestreaming the event on its Facebook page on Wednesday, August 3, 7:00 PM EST.

Read the full event details here. For more information about the evnt, please contact Anne Giles, 540-808-6334, [email protected]

Handshake Media, Incorporated is honored to present “What’s a Town to Do About Addiction? A Conversation with Maia Szalavitz, Author of Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction” at 7:00 PM EST on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, in Blacksburg, Virginia.

UPDATE: Video and transcript are here.

Thanks to its generous donation of meeting space, the event will be held in the New River Room at New River Valley Community Services, 700 University City Boulevard, Blacksburg, Virginia.

Directions to New River Valley Community Services (NRVCS) in Blacksburg, Virginia

The event is free and open to the public and will include time for Q & A with author Maia Szalavitz.

No time to read Unbroken Brain prior to the event?

Here are our top picks from her most recent publications.

Read Author to lead conversation on the science behind addiction by Luanne Rife for The Roanoke Times.

Unbroken Brain braids together three narratives: Maia Szalavitz’s personal story, what the science reports about addiction, and a call to action to change belief-based addictions treatment to evidence-based treatment.

• Sign up on the Facebook event page
• Submit a question to ask Maia
• Want to share the event flyer? Here’s a .pdf. Here’s a .jpg.

The author will be available to sign audience members’ previously purchased copies of Unbroken Brain after the conversation. Here’s a link to multiple ways to buy Unbroken Brain prior to the event.

Can’t attend? NRVCS will be livestreaming the event on its Facebook page on Wednesday, August 3, 7:00 PM EST.

To learn more about why Maia Szalavitz was invited to Blacksburg:

• Anne Giles’s editorial on the Handshake Media blog
• Anne Giles’s personal commentary on Unbroken Brain, published by The Fix
• Let’s expand this list of recovery resources in the Blacksburg, VA area for the estimated 16,000 in our area with alcohol and other drug challenges.

If you would like more information about Maia Salavitz’s visit to Blacksburg, Virginia, please contact Anne Giles.

. . . . .

Maia Szalavitz will give a public lecture on drug addiction at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise in Wise, Virginia on Thursday, August 4, 2016, 6:00 PM at the Banquet Room in Cantrell Hall. The lecture is free of charge and open to the public. Persons with family members or loved ones with addiction are especially invited to attend. For additional information, contact Hugh O’Donnell, 540-395-3926 or 540-762-0590.

Directions to Cantrell Hall in Wise, Virginia

. . . . .

Community Discussion of Unbroken Brain on August 31

Let’s continue the conversation after Maia Szalavitz’s visit to Blacksburg!

We’ll gather for a community book discussion of Unbroken Brain on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room at Blacksburg Library, 200 Miller Street, in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The book discussion is free and open to the public.

We invite you to prepare for a lively discussion by considering these questions.

No time to read the book?

• Read Anne’s top picks from Maia’s most recent publications.
• Try a selection from our curated list of her recent publications.
• Read 5 Addictions Myths Challenged by Maia Szalavitz in Unbroken Brain.

If you’ll sign up on the Unbroken Brain discussion Facebook event page we’ll know how many chairs to set up!

To learn more about author Maia Szalavitz:

• Here’s a list of Maia Szalavitz’s most recent publications and interviews.  Maia Szalavitz writes currently and extensively on the science of addiction and on public policy regarding addiction.
• Here’s a list of questions for thought about Unbroken Brain.
• Maia Szalavitz updates her Twitter stream frequently with commentary and links to science-based news on addictions (and cute cats!).
• Maia Szalavitz’s site
• Maia Szalavitz’s bio on Wikipedia

If you would like more information, please contact Anne Giles.

Last updated 7/28/16

Looky!

That’s me in the photo! I’m recording my very first episode for my own podcast channel!

Honestly, I was reluctant at first. How would I have time to both create episodes for a podcast show and co-launch podcast services in our locale with Laurel Sindewald, Handshake Media’s podcast producer? Sure, I could write the talk – I wrote how to prepare to podcast myself – but who had time to record the talk?!

Laurel said people need to be able to hear what I have to say, not just read it.

Look at her face.

I said okay.

I dragged my feet. The task seemed too huge. Laurel broke it down for me. I said, I don’t know what to say. Laurel said, looky, here’s what makes a good podcast. I read her list casually, then intently. I thought, oh, I could do that. And I’ve got that…

I sequestered myself with our recording device over the weekend. I did nothing. I finally tried early Monday morning but couldn’t remember how the buttons worked. I posted an update in our project management software, Basecamp, whining that it was just too hard for me.

Laurel sent an update back (I have her permission to share): Would you like to try doing your podcast recording together? We could feel our way forward on podcast content one bit at a time, recording together and working together on what you might want to say. Perhaps dialogue is an easy way for you to hit upon your truths.

I got tears in my eyes.

We co-created how we’ll price creating podcast channels and the list of needed items for creating a podcast channel. I provided these to Laurel then she she sent me very own podcast URL:

http://annegiles.libsyn.com

I felt thrilled!

The photo of me in this post is taken by Laurel as she listened to me record my very first podcast episode.

I think I am not alone in needing help to get started with a podcast. When I’m alone, I don’t talk to myself or to my cats. I contentedly observe silence. But when I’m with others, I readily talk and listen.

To start a podcast, I needed help with the technology, a listener for my talking, and an audience for my show. Laurel was stellar at all three.

And now what I have to say can be both read and heard.

. . . . .

If you live in the New River Valley of Virginia and my experience appeals to you, get in touch with me, Anne, [email protected], 540-808-6334. We’ll help you start your own podcast channel so you can be heard, too.

. . . . .

I wrote about getting “podcaster’s block” and more of my personal experience on starting a podcast channel in What I Learned About Myself from Creating a Podcast at annegiles.com.

. . . . .

In this episode from my podcast channel, I am reading the preface to Phoenix Rising. My plan is to release the book by chapter in a series of podcast episodes, then compile the entire recording into a single audiobook.

This episode was edited and mastered by Laurel Sindewald and produced by Handshake Media, Incorporated.

• Podcast Services
• Podcast Pricing
  
• How We Price Podcast Channels
• Ready to Podcast? Here’s How to Prepare
• What Makes a Good Podcast?
• Handshake Media’s Podcast Channel
• Contact us!

A podcast, much like other media, is most popular when it entertains or enriches the listener’s life in some way. In answering the question of “what makes a good podcast,” we decided to take a peek at what people are already enjoying, and investigate why these podcasts have captivated listeners. Other articles have listed popular podcasts, but in this post we break a handful of different podcasts into the elements that make them engaging.

Serial by This American Life and WBEZ Chicago – “One story told week by week”

Serial began as a true crime story of a girl who was murdered in Baltimore in 1999. Much like a TV show, listeners were kept in suspense as the host, Sarah Koenig, interviewing local people, family members, and dug deep to document what happened. The full story is told through Season One. A dedicated audience awaits a new story in Season Two.

Serial features:

• Several musical themes to introduce the episode, ease transitions, and to cue the listener into important parts
• A brief, compelling introduction with music telling the listener who is producing the show, who is speaking, and what the podcast is about
• Interviews with many different people
• Interesting, true subject matter
• A common theme and a question to answer
• An engaging storyteller
• Professionally edited audio (no filler words such as “um,” and no background noise)

Embedded by NPR – “Takes a story from the news and goes deep”

Kelly McEvans chooses a story she finds intriguing and investigates the story further. Stories are varied and shocking, including coverage of an HIV epidemic due to prescription opioids in a small town in Indiana, a recent biker shootout in Waco, and how gangs stopped buses in El Salvador. Kelly asks the hard questions, such as what is it like to experience withdrawals from pain pills. She takes a story and makes it personal.

Embedded has some of the same features as Serial:

• Music to introduce the episode, for transitions, and for emphasis
• A brief introduction of the show producer, the speaker, and the topic
• Interviews with people involved in the story
• Interesting, true subject matter
• A common theme
• An engaging storyteller
• Narrated parts are carefully edited (no filler words or background noise)

Freakonomics Radio by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt – “The podcast that explores the hidden side of everything”

Covers the enormous economic relevance of ideas that may have been obscure or unpopular in the past. The show is hosted by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt, who supplement their own research and insights with excerpts of recordings and interviews with the major players in each topic. Examples of the subject matter they have investigated include whether the world is ready for a guaranteed basic income, the economics of sleep, and the real-world effects of payday loans.

Stephen and Steven’s initial partnership yielded a book first, described on their About page; “Levitt and Dubner wrote Freakonomics, a book about cheating teachers, bizarre baby names, self-dealing Realtors, and crack-selling mama’s boys. They figured it would sell about 80 copies. Instead, it took up long-term residency on the Times best-seller list, and went on to sell more than 5 million copies in 40 languages.”

• Music backs the entire episode, with a variety of excerpts of songs from artists the hosts enjoy.
• Each episode is introduced with music, the episode’s sponsor, speaker, a little bit about what the show covers before introducing the episode’s topic.
• The hosts interview relevant people and leaders for each episode.
• Hosts have vibrant, engaging speaking styles.
• Topics are highly relevant to modern professional Americans.
• The channel has a common theme.
• Voice tracks and interviews are clearly edited and mastered to remove “ums” and improve audio quality.

The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan, an actor and comedian, hosts long conversations (two hours!) with various prominent people, including “comedians, actors, musicians, MMA instructors and commentators, authors, artists, and porn stars.” According to his about page, “The Joe Rogan Experience was voted the Best Comedy Podcast of 2012 on iTunes.”

• Podcast is introduced with episode sponsor and the speaker. The channel, as well as each episode is sponsored by multiple companies, who are introduced at length before the podcast starts.
• The entire show is videotaped, presented as audio and video on the podcast site. The video is also available on YouTube, while the audio is available on iTunes.
• Episode audio is professionally recorded and mastered, but fillers such as “um” are not removed.
• Though the show has a wide variety of content depending on the guest, it does have a common theme: two different personalities and minds chatting casually about the world

Radiolab by WNYC

“Radiolab is a show about curiosity. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience.” Various hosts from Radiolab interview experts and prominent figures sharing stories on interesting topics, such as two prominent scientists discussing the earliest evolution of multicellular life. The Radiolab website also has a blog and a collection of videos.

• The episode begins with an introduction of the show, the host, the guests, and the topic.
• Episodes are professionally recorded and mastered.
• Diverse, theatrical music and sound effects are added in different places to illustrate the topic being discussed.
• Guest speakers and hosts are tonally expressive and playful with their speech.
• The show has the feel of a performance rather than simply an interview.
• Sponsors are showcased at the end of the podcast.

2 Dope Queens by WNYC

Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams have made their show popular with their incredibly funny and vivacious personalities and relaxed repartee. 2 Dope Queens is an increasingly popular comedy podcast featuring primarily Phoebe and Jessica, “with their favorite comedians, for stories about sex, romance, race, hair journeys, living in New York, and Billy Joel. Plus a whole bunch of other s**t.”

• The episode begins by introducing the sponsors, a joke, music, and the hosts.
• Jokes and pop culture references are continuously woven throughout their content.
• A live audience is present for their show.
• The show is professionally recorded and mastered in a studio.

Common qualities from all of these great podcasts are clearly great content, professional quality audio, and reliable, themed content. Podcasts reviewed here also bring in a variety of voices and minds, indicating that the best podcast shows, while consistent in content and hosts, keep things fresh with new personalities and human voices.

For more great podcasts, take a look at Buzzfeed’s review of podcasts in 2016, Time’s analysis of the best podcasts in 2015, and podbay.fm’s top podcasts.

Inspired? If you would like to start your own podcast channel, take a look at Handshake Media’s Podcast Services.

Handshake Media considers a number of variables when we draft an invoice for a new podcast channel. Creating a channel can take a great deal of time depending on how you want your channel to look and what features you want. The start-up fee for creating your channel includes:

• creating your channel on Libsyn where it is stored or “hosted,”
• customizing your channel’s appearance with images, logos, and text,
• customizing where your channel’s RSS feed is sent, such as your website or blog, and
• setting up an iTunes account and/or syncing your Libsyn account with your iTunes account if you wish to sell your podcast episodes.

We use Libsyn for podcast channel hosting, and storage costs vary depending on:

• how often you wish to post,
• how long you want your episodes to be, and
• whether you want your episodes to be available for download in .mp3 or .wav format (.wav files are much larger than .mp3).

We may need to charge more for episode production and editing if you would like to add music or other elements to your podcast episodes because it will take more time to create each episode.

We drafted an example invoice for how these variables play out in pricing a podcast channel with weekly episodes of up to ten minutes long: Anne Giles Podcast Channel Invoice.

To see prices of all of our available services, visit our Pricing Page! If you have any questions, please feel welcome to contact us.

Handshake Media has been in the publishing business since 2008 – blogs, books, and, most recently, mobile applications. We’re excited to expand to publishing podcasts and would welcome your feedback and guidance as we move forward!

If you would please take this quick survey for us, that would be fantastic!

A podcast is a way you can tell your story in your voice to reach your
audience and target market. It’s your show. Listeners can hear you anytime, anywhere, on a mobile device or computer.

Many people want to do podcasts. But they don’t have the equipment,
tech savvy, and editing skills to make it happen quickly, even at all.
We do.

Here’s an example of how your podcast might be featured on our
site. You can also embed the podcast on your website or blog. Thank
you, empowerment coach Sarah Beth Jones, for helping us create our first demo!

Note the quality of Sarah Beth’s recording – with an audience present! We have top equipment and Handshake Media’s Laurel Sindewald is a musician and professional soundtrack editor.

If you care to offer suggestions as comments on this post, those would be welcomed.

Thanks for helping us explore how to best meet your needs with our new podcast production services!

With appreciation,
Anne