Ep54 Addiction Professionals Protect Your Soul

Ep54 Addiction Professionals Protect Your Soul

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Chris Langley: Hi. Welcome to Addiction Recovery Place Podcast, the podcast championing addiction treatment professionals around the world. I'm your host Chris Langley, and I'm very pleased to introduce today's guest Tricia Parido, who is an international mental health practitioner, master addiction specialist, and a psycho nutrition consultant.

Tricia is also the Founder of Turning Leaf Recovery and is based in California. Welcome to Addiction Recovery Place Podcast, Tricia. It's so good to have you with us today.

Tricia Parido: Good morning. Good morning. Thank you for having me. My first podcast of the year. Excellent. Excellent.

Chris Langley: Well, I'm really excited to speak to you and find out about your very extensive career.

You know the work that you're doing. So, can you tell us about yourself and your journey to becoming the founder of Turning Leaves Recovery?

Tricia Parido: Well, you know it was It was an interesting one. and, and it really started in, in my own journey. And that's a really long one. So I'll skip to the end of the journey that led to this, but I was, you know, in my own recovery space.

where physiological addiction had set in due to, you know, probably we'll call it inappropriate prescription medications knowing I was a low level daily drinker. Anyway, so I went to, because the combination that I had going was alcohol and benzodiazepines, very risky detox. I went, you know, I went to a treatment and, and, and.

In that space, at my age, at my level of knowledge, and in all of my life experiences, when it came time to discharge, it was find a home group and see a therapist once a week. Well, that didn't suit me, right? Like, that didn't suit who I was as a human being. I, I And, and don't get me wrong because I, I think, I think love value, what, what the rooms of AA do and what they provide.

But for me sitting in the same chair day after day, telling my story for 30 years was mortifying. and, and I needed something more productive and proactive. And, and so, you know, I decided that what I needed. Was to learn everything that I could about what happened because I had a 30 year long relationship with, with alcohol, trauma, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, you know, just traumas, right?

Like I long, I had a long life. And, and so. You know, I was like, I needed to understand. So I engaged in, you know, first, you know, addiction treatment counseling. So the human services program. And from there I realized, you know, like I really wanted to go in and, and, and study behavioral psych. And I did a main, main focus and process behavioral and chemical addiction.

And then I went into an intensive because I identified that coaching was going to be the modality that I wanted because Therapy was too still for my personality. Counseling was too still. But while I was doing that, I of course was working in every level of addiction treatment, so I was noticing these gaps and, and the gaps were in that.

You know, from my own story, but also in other people's stories, the clients that I was serving when I was in detox, when I was in partial hospitalization, long term residential, intensive outpatient, you know, etc. even when I was working as a patient care director, I noticed gaps. And so I started building my system and, and, Working with folks as they were, after they left the program and, and as a coach was able to do that, you know, cross state lines and, and, and all these things, but it was for the now what, what's next.

So I, what I did was I took the psychological skill sets, tips, tools, tactics, methods, modalities that, you know, you talk about here and there in treatment programs, but I converted them into a coaching model to make them very teachable as a practical application. In each individual's lives as it would serve.

So nothing that was very, so that's, I mean, that's how it, how it became right. And so I became determined to, to create this space. for filling those needs. And of course, it expanded and grew from there. But that's how I, that's how I got started.

Chris Langley: Oh, so when, so when did this, when did this journey begin for you starting, Turning Leaves Recovery? What was the, how long ago did this start?

Tricia Parido: 12 years ago.

Chris Langley: Goodness me.

Tricia Parido: Yeah. Yeah. 12 years ago.

Chris Langley: Oh, congratulations. That's amazing. Yeah, it really is. Can you tell us a bit more about Turning Leaves Recovery and who you work with, Tricia?

Tricia Parido: Sure. Sure. So, like I said, you know, over the years, we've stayed very consistent with that foundational space as a a program, right?

Like we have that core foundational. So there's always folks coming in and out that are in early recovery that are looking for these steps. But what I found along the way was family members, the codependents, the, and I'm not one to use You know, generalized terminology, but for the sake of being in this space, I will use terms that people use.

So those codependence, the family members would come to me and, you know, say, look, I don't have an addiction, but I wonder if you could help me. Everything that you're teaching or that you're talking about is resonating in my life. So, right. Lo and behold, I dug in and I started working with some folks and made some tweaks and adjustments there.

And then expanded into disordered eating, and recovery fitness, recovery, nutrition, and all of the things that really encompass. Today, I'd say, while all of those folks are being served, I also serve and my primary clientele are those high functioning. and I won't say that they're all, you know, business entrepreneurs or solopreneurs or anything like that because they're not, a lot of them are, you know, stay at home, stay at home parents or whatever.

Right. But high functioning individuals, who still find a lot of turmoil, right? A lot of irritation, agitation, frustration in their life, but also a lot of overwhelm or fear. So the anxiety, et cetera. so, you know, what we, we do is we do kind of that coping audit and we look at how are they really experiencing living because the true crux of the work that I do, is, is, Truly seated in my blown up expanded version of of what the locus of control theory really represents in our day to day life as beings who are existing in a very highly reactive, impulsive, instant gratification Gotta have it now.

I need to be seen, heard, understood. You know, like this kind of a world where we're doing constant comparison, constant, etc. Right? Like it's, it's really taking a toll on folks. And so this is, this is where I'm spending. And this is where I'm noticing, the, the majority of my clientele is coming in for, and from, and to do.

And, and so, you know, that's where we're sitting. And, and so a lot of those habits. You know, that habit audit, that coping audit that we do, a lot of that is, looking at those things that people are relying on. Okay. So this could be as simple as, and I heard this a lot, especially as that, as the pandemic was coming to an end, but there was a lot of bouncing back and forth with kids like, Oh, they can come to school this week. Oh, oops. Nope. They gotta, you gotta keep them home.

And so those stay at home parents were like, What is happening? Right? So a lot of times what I heard was You know, a lot of annoyance, right? Life's, you know, full days just crumbling because they couldn't make it to their 6 a. m spin class. And, and so we've got to teach that emotional agility that peace that says, huh, I can't go at 6 a.

m., but I can go at 6 p. m. when my spouse is home, right? So let me just tweak and make some adjustments and stay in that, that high vibe, that high energy that I'm ready to embrace my day, no matter what it throws at me, I can sit in it and move through it. And, and it's really what I teach people because stress, whether it's new stress, distress, or just, you know, overwhelming anxiety, right?

Like we're, There's a way to sit in and move through it to where it doesn't derail you, but it's a choice. But we have to learn. Anyway, I could talk for hours on that.

Chris Langley: Well, please do. I mean, this is fascinating stuff that you're telling us about. It really is. I mean, so how does your program work? do people come and see you personally or is it a lot online?

Tricia Parido: Oh, this is the part I love to bring to light because I was an international provider before the pandemic, I've been online for a really long time. I'd say for a good 10 years, I've been an online practitioner. so even when I had brick and mortar, I saw a very small amount of people there because I found even in the area I live in.

Right. Like three towns away is a 45 minute drive to where I am. And, and so, you know, for people to drive 45 minutes for an hour session, and then, you know, that's three hours out of their day. And, and I, you know, so, so I shifted and I really only do, online because I, I did close my brick and mortar.

That was only maybe 25 percent in person. most of my clients were online. And, so I just shifted to, you know, I'll call it 99. 7 percent online only. Do have some real locals that I will get together with. and we, you know, we hang out in, cafes or whatever. But so, so the way that my work is set up is all of my clients, have direct access to me.

So they have my cell phone, they have a link to my calendar, they get to book what they need, depending upon which package they've purchased, right? So it's anywhere from, you know, my clients will spend anywhere from one to three hours with me a week, depending upon what they need. Some only book a half hour, you know, high functioning, they get it.

the rest of it is pre-recorded lessons. And, and the reason I do that is so that they can actually digest. And, and so they can actually observe. So they can actually test it out and go back and, and, you know, really be connected with it. So there's a daily touch point. I have a, an advanced life skills group where we, you know, as a small number of people are invited, they're screened obviously for suitability to be in the same space with each other.

and that's, you know, that's a group on Mondays, where we do. Very focused topics in four week segments. and you know, really it's, it's in that I, you know, I look at it as a coach, right? Like I'm, if I was my swim team coach who followed my career from seven years old to junior Olympics to, you know, whatever, till I, you know, stopped, but his job was to stand over the pool, right.

And, and watch me swim so that he could see any nuances that were going to slow me down. That, that might cause my time to lag, to get disqualified, whatever it was, that was his job. And that's my job. If I'm not immersed with my clients in their life, at the level they need, this is not about me.

Right? Like I'm not dependent on it, but if I'm not available to them when they need, now let me, you know, I'm not a sponsor. So within, within the boundaries, right? Within the boundaries and, and, you know, in the, in during office hours, but if I'm not there to help them make tweaks and adjustments and et cetera, then, then I'm not at, I'm not enough as effective of a coach.

So that's why there's so many touch points. You know, there's a video, there's a, a milestone, something they can watch. There's a workbook, there's, you know, time with me, there's group, there's all kinds of ways to, to engage.

Chris Langley: It sounds pretty extensive. And the fact you do recordings as well, and you do live work as well, that's, that's very involved.

That sounds, that sounds perfect, for someone that just wants the, the help from you.

Tricia Parido: If removing people from regular life, right? If it worked by itself, standalone, because again, there's a purpose for detox. There's a purpose for residential treatment. There's a purpose for IOP.

There's a purpose for partial hospitalization. They all have their purpose. But if that worked for everybody, it worked, that's enough for some. Right? Like it's enough for some to go to treatment for 30 days. 30 days wasn't undoing 30 years of conditioned way of being for me, right? So, so what we, you know, what we have to think about is That, that space of what do people actually need?

I have clients that'll come in, we'll get started and I'll say, Hey, wait, right? Like you're, you're bouncing in and out too much, right? Like perhaps we need to go get a little stabilization first, right? Like you need 30 days of abstinence to be ready and we'll dive in. Or I'll say, huh, you know, your relationship with food, right?

Is still a really big issue. I think, you know, perhaps, right. Like we need some, I've sent people to treatment for refeeding because they're just not right. They're not gaining. They're not. so, you know, it's about that. And, you know, so as a. As a credential case manager, right? Like it's my job to make sure to build them a collaborative team, if necessary.

And so we have to, right? Like we have to say, like, you know, like I said, I have some clients, I might see them every other week. Some clients I see three times a week. Some, some text me, some never do, but it's there, right? For us to say, what do you need? And, and is it, and is this the right space for you?

Chris Langley: Yeah, most definitely. I'd just like to ask something as well, because you, you have a colleague, Kirsten Fielder. How long have you been working together and what's her role?

Tricia Parido: well, Kirsten this year stepped into the role of of lead coach, administrative liaison, really to, because you know what I noticed, and I think this is important as a practitioner.

So if you're listening and you're either a client or somebody looking for somebody, or you're a practitioner, you know, I think it's really important as practitioners that we, that we know, not just our scope of practice, that we, we understand Who we can serve best. And the farther I get away from,

we'll call it being 30 years old and having five kids at home, right? Like I wanted to grandkids. I have five grandchildren and the oldest is almost 17, right? Like, so there's just, it's not to say that I've, I've switched from a certain age group to another. It's just that my energy, my focus. Who I am as a being today as a practitioner serves, you know, a very specific, you know, type of people.

And so I like to have that ability to say like, wow, you know what, you and Kristen are really going to resonate. so, you know, so I've, I've really brought her in as that lead coach to be in that space of, of, you know, she, she knows what I know. She has. You know, similar credentials and her level is, is in that space so that when we identify, you know, who's a, who's a fit for one or the other.

And so it just really, it keeps me from having to say, wow, right? Like, I don't think our personalities are going to mesh well. Right. her and then her other, you know, her other space and, and, and another reason I wanted to bring her in. in that, in that space is, or into this position is, is her connection with recovery in, in some areas and elements that, that I'm not a master in, right?

Chakra work, right? Oils and, and different things, right? Like that, that I'm, I haven't studied. And, and how cool is that? Because I haven't studied it, but I have a master that's, that has. And, and so we have that ability to teach people even more.

Chris Langley: So it certainly extends your services as well as what's available for your clients.

Tricia Parido: Yeah, definitely.

Chris Langley: So it's only been a year that you've been working with Kristen, yeah?

Tricia Parido: Well, no, because Kristen came to me early on for mentoring as an, as a private practitioner. So, and, and I know that, you know, we had talked about potentially talking about my academy that I call the, you know, the Ultimate EQ Academy, that has four tiers, but, you know, so she came to me before it was called that.

I've been doing this, I've been teaching, training, and mentoring, Coaches for probably six years, as a credentialing instructor and actually maybe even a longer than six years, six to eight, I don't know. I'd have to go back and look at the calendar time, the older you get time flies faster. but anyway, so she came to me.

for mentoring from transitioning out of standardized treatment into private practice. And, and so we've worked together really building that confidence. But more importantly, and the thing that the reason that I, I'm very passionate about the academy is outside of getting your credentials and understanding your scope of practice, there's something that all practitioners need to have.

And that is advanced emotional intelligence. And I don't mean so that you can be more empathetic. Although of course that's important. We learn these things. We wouldn't be doing it if we're not and being active listeners, et cetera. It's to protect your soul because we wouldn't be in this industry. If, if we didn't want to help save people in their lives, but in that, right?

Like we have a tendency to take on people's problems and want to be the hero and want to write like all of these things. So we have to know how to protect ourselves and allow that empathy to still be there. So what I've, what I've come to, to understand, and witness and eat and sleep and breathe is, is that core foundational work that I do with my clients actually serves when we do it at an advanced level serves as that protective shield.

It allows you to work with people in deep trauma. It allows you to work with, and I'm going to say this, it allows you to work with addict seeking behavior where people will turn on you in a minute. and blast you on, on the internet for being horrible, right? Because it happens. It protects your soul from even being derailed by it.

Like I, I've, I've seen it all. I've also had clients die. We're in risky business. People die by suicide, people overdose, people give up, people don't make it, but we have to make it. And the only way we can do that, I mean, I literally just. Saturday went to a celebration of life for, I have to say, and I don't like to say this, but literally my favorite client of all times.

and You know, she turned her life around from where I met her in an in bed, depressed, suicidal, to living life fully, embracing everything, living for herself first, repairing relationships, et cetera, et cetera, in just a nine month period of time. But by month 12, she died suddenly from a brain aneurysm.

Right. And, and so, but she had that last year. of beautiful life experiences. so you have to protect your soul. There was nothing harder than going to that celebration of life and having yourself be the hardest person for people to meet because of the level of gratitude for giving them that last bit of time with her in a good space.

Took me by surprise. It was very emotional to, you know, to have that ability to protect myself was And so that's, that's what the academy is for, right? And, and so of course we've added things to help you know who and how you want to be experienced as a practitioner, and things like that. But it's really to teach you how to protect your soul.

Self care is so important in this profession. I think any profession where you're dealing with people who are going through trauma. It's so much beyond self care. I can't even tell you, like, it's, it's crazy. I've met with mediums who have actually said they can see. The, the perfect, beautiful, crystal clear shield that I have created and how, how they, they can see what is allowed in and what isn't.

and it, and it was, Mind blowing to have them ask me about that, not knowing anything about it.

Chris Langley: That must've been a very interesting conversation.

Tricia Parido: It's evidence, right? Like it was evidence.

Oh, goodness me.

Chris Langley: That's incredible. That really isn't, you know, like you said, self care, it does go beyond that. But just being aware of.

One self as well when you're working with clients is, is, is vital. I mean, burnout is one of the biggest things in the profession, I think as well. I'm going to touch on that later, but I'd just like to ask you about your other program that you have, the certification. can you tell us about the certification program that you have at Turning Leaves Recovery, please?

Tricia Parido: Sure. Let's, let's put a big disclaimer on that, right? Like I am a licensed instructor for Another organization. Okay. I offer it through Turning Leaves, as a way to, to raise awareness and to serve people, but I am an instructor for the Addictions Academy. and I, and so I'm, I teach four classes that I'm highly passionate about.

Okay. I teach international mental health coaching and I teach this to even business coaches and, and there's a big reason for it. And if we have time, we can lean into why having mental health coaching is beneficial to just about everybody, right? Whether you don't, even if you don't want to be a coach and even if you don't want to address mental health.

I also teach. Recovery coaching levels one and two. Well, I teach level one, level two is, is, self paced. and I teach international adolescent. Addiction and motivation. So it's for adolescents and young adults. An amazing course because we touch so much on family dynamics and parenting styles and this and that.

so that's a, that's a class that is good for parents, but it's also good for aspiring professionals. I teach that to a lot of organizations. One in particular is called Rise. They're actually out in the Carolinas. but amazing class. And then I teach family recovery for those folks that, you know, kind of want to lean into, you know, couples work and, and things like that.

so those are the four that I teach. I, I do have direct, a direct beeline to, to, we'll call them specials or, you know, anything like that, that might be going on, discounts, et cetera, but you know, there's, there's a whole list. There's, there's a spiritual coaching, there's trauma, there's even for autists, you know, for autism, if you want to coach people that have autism.

So there's a lot of things available at the Academy. We're actually adding. And I shouldn't say we, I'm just an instructor there, but, you know, we're adding, even CEU units for, say, practitioners who need continuing education. So therapists and counselors can actually come in and, and get continuing education units.

so, so it's a wonderful organization. And, and, you know, the, it's accredited, which is important. and I, and I'm big on that. Everywhere that I've gotten any level, any education, five and a half years of study, 15 credentials, they're all accredited. They're all from accredited organizations. I've been the acting president and sit on the board for the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators.

It is important. Education is important. Don't wing it with people's lives. If you haven't studied it and been trained, don't do it. Sorry, there's my soapbox.

Chris Langley: 100 percent agree with you, everything you just said there, Tricia. It really is. you mentioned something earlier, because you, you know, being a coach yourself, you also work with coaches, so what are some of the possible challenges that you come across working with coaches?

Fellow coaches.

Tricia Parido: Well, in today's age, my biggest nemesis with coaches is social media because everybody thinks as long as I'm posting and I'm doing this and I'm doing that, like I'm going to make it. And it's like, well, no, you have to have conversation. You need to go shake hands. You need to create relationships.

People need to hear you. They need to know you. And that's not a 15 second TikTok video. Although perhaps that is for certain age groups. I know my daughter says I get all my, you know, she'll say to me, I get my, all my mental health from TikTok. She's not a buyer. She's not signing up with anybody.

She's just listening and learning. Right. So, so, you know, that's, that's my biggest nemesis is that people think that if I'm, if I have a big presence on Facebook and Instagram or TikTok, that I'm going to be some big star. And that, that, That's not the people that we serve, right? That's not the people we serve.

This is, this is real life stuff. Yeah. This, this is pain. This is stuff that people aren't publicly raising their hands and saying, hi, my name is, and I'm a, on social media. I mean, some do, right? But, but as a general rule, people aren't, people will say to me, you don't get much engagement. Let me help you grow that.

I'm 12 years I've never had big engagement. Publicly, you don't have insight into my, my messenger or anything else, right? So it's that. It's, confidence. All right. Because we may have confidence that our, our desire to help people is real, but do we have confidence that we can be a leader, in, in a way that isn't just, let me show you what I did and how it worked for me, because you know, it was so great.

Like, do you have that confidence that says, I know how to add, edit, delete, change, shift, morph something to help you. so confidence, social media and failure to launch, right? Like that fear of failure. Is just so huge. People are so scared to go into a local networking or, you know, to go into the chamber and say, look, here I am.

This is what I do. Can I get on a soapbox? Can I come to your group? Can I come to your next meeting and introduce myself and talk? People are afraid to do that. I know. Cause I was like, Oh, you don't, you know, you're great at public speaking. And I'm like, I really, I'm not, you put me in somewhere where it's.

on the topics that I'm passionate about. Yeah, I will. But, you know, so, you know, it's, it's good. It's creating the, the, the speaking ability. and, and that translates into how well you can do one on one sessions also, because if you can't speak or translate, or you can be creative with what somebody is telling you they need, which means you're not hearing them properly, but if you don't have that ability, Right.

your, your, your clients are going to run the show and you got to remember who you're dealing with, right? We, this is an addiction podcast, right? Like, so we're talking about people that are addicts at some level or another, right? Like you've got to be running the show, not them, even though it's for them in their lives.

Chris Langley: Can I just ask what what were you, when you, when you started Turning Leaves Recovery, Tricia, what were some of the biggest hurdles that you experienced when you, when you started your, your, your service? What would you say? Two biggest things.

Tricia Parido: Confidence, right?

So,

my biggest thing was that confidence, right? I came out of a, you know, a really long, robust. Study place, right?

Like, and, and with credentials and diplomas and degrees and blah, blah, blah. And I still felt below, we'll say, the addiction treatment doctor. And in the day that I realized, huh, sure. He's got a leg up on me when it comes to addiction medicine, but he has zero idea of the concept. And the reason he brought us in is because he doesn't have any idea of the psychological perspectives and what do I do with it?

So we're, it immediately helped me become a peer. And then it was the licensed clinical therapist, right? Like I kind of felt, you know, a little less than. Because that wasn't me, right? Then I, when I realized like, huh, they're, you know, an LMFT, they studied this. They didn't study addiction. They maybe took a couple of classes.

They may have a passion, right? Like, but, and, you know, so it was just like really that confidence of, of really saying, you know what, there isn't, because I chose my path. Processed behavioral and chemical addiction, right? Just because that, that makes me the master over here. And as soon as I owned that, believed it, and trusted it, everything changed.

Chris Langley: How long did that take you to get to that point in your life?

Tricia Parido: Not long. Not long. I'd say, you know, within the first year of being in practice. And, and the reason I can say that is because consistently my client base, my client base has had well over a 95 percent life satisfaction rate. I won't say everybody stayed clean and sober because it wasn't the, it wasn't the aspiration of all of my clients.

Right. I, I do a lot of work with folks that, we'll say either, you know, need to put down, say the prescription pain meds. But they don't, alcohol is never something that's going to suck them in. And I can relate to that because alcohol may suck me in, but there's, there's no way an opiate is ever going to suck me in.

Like I, I literally won't even take them because to me they're pointless and worthless. All they do is give me a headache. Constipate me and, you know, look, they don't, they don't even help my pain, right? Like, so, so I have a lot of folks that are that, but when it comes to how I'm experiencing living, my ability to sit in and move through hard things, right?

Taking ownership of what brings me peace, joy, comfort, relief, value, validity, and worthiness. Those folks, well over a 95 percent success rate from year one. And it's been consistent for, for the remainder of the years. So, and I do attribute that to knowing who to bring on board and who not, but right.

Did I answer your question?

That is answered it perfectly and the fact you know you said about confidence that that says so much about you as a professional as well because you're so conscientious about delivering what you want to deliver for your clients but going out on your own is always a little bit scary and you're always going to have that little negative thing but you've done so overwhelmed so well to overcome this I mean from what you've been telling me this morning it's just been just been incredible here in the journey so far and what you're providing all your client. It really is.

I have to say it was quite wonderful.

To know that or to experience, right? Like the small investment that we made in myself, believing in, you know, what I wanted to do, knowing that I had, you know, someplace to go back to if, it didn't work, but to never have to dip in to personal funds. For 12 years is amazing. That's, that's rare. It's rare.

It's really rare. And I know this because I I engage in a lot of things and I've spent. A lot of money, right? Like six figures easily on learning things that were unnecessary, right? So as a, as a private practitioner, I'd say one of the things that I teach the, those that I mentor is how not to get sucked in by other people's programs that aren't necessary.

Right. Again, let me teach you how to go viral on social media. Like I've done a lot of these things. I get, I've invested in a lot of things that, you know, I learned things, but none of them moved the needle. Right. Like I know where my clients come from. It's word of mouth, referral, Psychology Today, Google, right.

Cause people, people that see me on LinkedIn, they're still going to Google me. They're still going to go, "I need to know more." Right. Even though on LinkedIn, like everything is there, but it's, I, I'm still need to know more before I'm going to reach out to you. So without, you know, easy, easy accessibility, right.

but you know, I've had people follow me for years on Facebook and by, when they finally reach out, it's through a search engine, right? Like I needed to, you know, like actually go, go check you out and see what's going on, it's never been any of these. Black Friday deal. Like that doesn't work in our industry.

Nobody, no addict is sitting there or no codependent or nobody that's stuck in overwhelm is sitting there going, where's her Black Friday deal? It's just that, you know, it's not what's happening. Right.

What are your plans for Tony Lee's recovery this year? What are you, what are you going to do by the end of the year? December 2025. What would you like to do?

Well, that's a loaded one. I'm, you know, there's, there's twofold here, right? There's Tricia Parido, the brand, which took a back seat for the last couple of years with a very specific purpose.

and so, you know, I'm, I'm, hmm, bringing myself back out to be seen as, as who I am, how I am, and what I'm doing and living. So, you know, this year is all about that. Not all. Half of it is about that. The other half with Turning Leaves is just really showing up for other people. you know, obviously that's where, where I serve my clients, right?

Like we choose which program is going to suit them and serve them best. And that's where everything's housed. but, when it comes to the organization, the practice, I'm not hellbent on growing it to 15 practitioners and this, that, and everything. If that happens, great. Right? Like I have people come in and I never know, right?

Like, I don't know, right? Kristen's been in and around Turning Leaves for almost three years now, I think, right? But she could decide tomorrow that she's ready to move on and go do something less or, you know, just, I don't know, right? Like people come and go. I'm here to train. I'm here to serve and to mentor and to train you for however long you want to be around because I'm passionate

about the professionalism of the industry. I see people, and I'm going to take it away from our industry just so that I'm not slapping anybody in the face, right? I'm going to tell you, I was looking for resources for a coach that I was working with, and I, you know, I was digging and searching for, and it was for a specific type of service, and it was for a, we'll call it a mental health

diagnosis, whatever, right? And, and, and it wasn't bipolar it, but it was autism. And so I was seeking and searching for additional resources. And I had already, you know, I had the one for, for the Addictions Academy. I don't believe in steering. So here it was, I had the one for the Addictions Academy. I found another one that wasn't master level.

Cause I was looking for something below that because all of my research pointed to if you want to serve people in the autistic community, you need to be trained and educated, right? Which was, you know, I didn't really need to research that, but I needed the evidence, right? To back me up. And so I found only had two resources and I was looking for more.

So I'm on LinkedIn and I find this, this person, right? Like the page is amazing. They touting themselves as the experts. They've got all this stuff going on, following the this and the that. And I get into this conversation and they're like, well, what resources do you have? And I shared that, you know, da, da, da, well, thanks.

I actually am not trained or educated. I've had no formal training.

I still, to this day, it has been months, months, months. I still to this day have not revisited the page or even responded to that because I am just still flabbergasted, right? That, that people are out there. And they're so good at sales and they have the money to invest in these private photo shoots and media marketing and this and that, but they're playing with people's lives, right?

Like you're winging it just because whatever you did for yourself worked really well for you, doesn't make you the master. It doesn't make you a master even, except for a master for yourself. Anyway, so that's my plan with Turning Leaves is, you know, serving who comes. That's it. That's all it's ever been.

So, you know, whether it's just somebody wants credentialing, whether it's somebody wants, you know, some, some training to protect their soul right in this, in this heavy weighted business

Chris Langley: thank you for that. That, that, that makes an awful lot of sense to me. It really does. you, you mentioned something, burnout earlier, Tricia, and, how can you, how, what advice would you give to a professional who is feeling this and how can they make sure that they're taking themselves, taking care of themselves mentally and also physically?

That's so important.

Tricia Parido: I have, I have a really unique. Thought process when it comes to overwhelm and burnout. in that you're really not either of those things. You're unfocused. Your dream or your aspiration, you've outgrown it. What you're trying to do isn't a good fit for you, right? Like people are always trying to fit themselves either into somebody else's box or, you know, if you get too big for the pair of shoes, right?

Like if you, if you're trying to squeeze your feet and like, and I, I bring this one up because I had to, I had to cut myself off. I had a shoe addiction for a while and I literally bought a pair of juicy coutures that were a size five and I wear a six and a half and my addict brain said. I'll just get them heat stretched.

Well, heat stretching only goes wider. The length of the sole is the length of the sole, right? So if the shoe no longer fits, It's time to go shopping, right? Like it's time to broaden that. So if you sit, if you're sitting here and you're like, I'm just burned out, right? I'm burned out. I'm overwhelmed, whatever, right?

Like you don't have the right focus. You don't have the right dream. You, you, you're trying to get from A to Z without doing B through Y or perhaps your B through Y, maybe you, for some reason or another E, F and G is missing. And that's why you can't get from here to here. I don't know yet because I don't know what you're, what you're dealing with.

But even when I felt compassion fatigue. Okay. So even when I was experiencing compassion fatigue, it wasn't that I couldn't be of service. It was, I need to look at why, right? Why am I feeling a reduced level of compassion for whoever this person, right? I can't attach it to other people.

He'll just bark at me until I open the door. This is real life guys. Like I live unfiltered. So, if you cut it out, great. I get it. If you don't, cool beans too, right? Like I think we try to put on a facade too much, but anyway, so burnout, right? Like if you're experiencing burnout, grab a call, right?

Like with me, because Here's the deal. I don't charge for consultations anyway, right? Grab some time. I'm always down for a good conversation. If we need a little extra time, right, like maybe make note of that. But you know, we got to look at why is whatever you're doing not fulfilling you anymore? And usually it's because you've grown and you've neglected to allow whatever it is you're trying to do To grow with you, right?

I started with the treatment transition to life. That was the population I started to serve. After two years. I was like, Hmm, right? Like, and I started getting those little inquiries and I was like, Hmm, right? Like there's something missing. And I was like, Oh, okay. So I took a little reflection time and I noticed where was I getting the most fulfillment?

The client was getting the most fulfillment with, with those that I was doing recovery nutrition. And, and so it was like, right, bring it in. Fold it in. Then it was, Oh, I got to add personal. I've got to add a focus on confidence. I've got to add what life balance really means to me, right? Because it's not homework in life, right?

Like there's 14 categories we look when we're talking about life balance, boundaries. practice. Completely different. Like, so you know, you gotta, you gotta let your business grow with you. You gotta let your practice grow with you. Give it space to breathe. Burnout isn't burnout. It's suffocation. Sorry.

Chris Langley: That's, that's a really interesting answer and it's something I'm not, no, that, that's fascinating. That makes so much sense. People need to hear this. Because everyone gets to that stage in their career, I think, where you're like, Oh, for goodness sake,

Tricia Parido: I didn't start out right. Like I didn't start out as a psycho nutrition consultant.

I started out as an addiction recovery coach. Then I became a master addiction specialist.

Then I became a mental health practitioner. Then I became a trainer. Or an instructor and then I became a mentor, right? Like it's, it's, you don't have to beat everything straight out the gate because things are going to change and shift and morph. And let me tell you, man, in my mid fifties, like, I have done a lot of morphing over the years.

I was just in a group last night, my, my Monday night group, my advanced insight and impact focus group. We're talking about stress and their client is in, right? I've worked with her off and on for probably five years, right? People need tune ups. They have different situations that arise. yada yada right and she was there and i was explaining boundaries the way that i explained boundaries today and she's like i've never heard you say it like that that is awesome i love that that hit that resonated boom and and so you just never know like if you if you stay here and you don't expand

Chris Langley: I think you've just answered my next question, but I'm going to ask it anyway, Tricia, because, what would your advice be to anyone who's about to enter the profession of addiction therapy? What was your number one piece of advice?

Tricia Parido: Training, education, get yourself a guide or a mentor. It doesn't have to be me, but you know, somebody that can help you and maybe you know, or you think, you know, like, how do you, how do you want to start out?

You know, where, where's your starting point, right? Like who is that person that I want to serve? And why? You got to know your why and your why better be attached to your soul, right? I want people to be able to say this is this part of my work lights my soul on fire and and that's where you sit. But then it's what journey and and this is a pet peeve of mine and and I get meeting the clients where they are and showing up for their one on one session to to address their needs in the moment.

But my goodness. Again, we're talking about mental health, addiction, recovery, even if it wasn't chemical substance, even codependence. They need training and education and direction also. So put together a program. It's also part of my academy, right? Like, for those that want to, I, I, I train them in my methods.

I allow, I brand it for them and I allow them to utilize my evidence based programs so they don't have to start from scratch.

Chris Langley: Great bit of advice. Education, training, that really, that's, that's the core of it. It really is. Have a path, have a journey. Yep, yep. Like you said, have a passion for working with the client group.

That's very, that's number one, definitely. last, last question, Tricia. Do you have a message for anyone listening to this podcast who is going through addiction and feels the need for help? What would you, what would you say to them?

I will always say

that the practitioner interview them if they don't speak your language. If what they have to say, what they believe, or their methods or their modalities don't If you don't feel them, if you're, if you don't understand, if you feel confused, right? Like that, maybe move on to the next place, the next person.

it doesn't have to be an individual person. It doesn't have to be a resident, you know, it doesn't, whatever you choose, right? Like some people come to me, they never go to treatment. They come straight to me, right? Like it doesn't matter. They have to speak your language. It has to be meaningful to you.

It's your journey. It's your life. It gets to look, feel, be however you want it to. You get to choose and it gets to be amazing. Sorry, that's my life motto, but so don't feel like, don't let yourself be sold on what program is right for you. Yeah, absolutely.

last question. Can you tell our listeners how to best contact you and to find your service online, please, Tricia?

Tricia Parido: I'm going to say be. Two ways. Go to turningleavesrecovery.com and just fill out a contact form or send me a text message. My phone number is on the page. It's the only phone number I have. Send me a text message that says, hey, can you shoot me a consultation link? I'd love to chat with you.

Perfect, right? You can answer all of the private stuff when you're booking the time, right? You don't have to tell me in a, in a text if you don't feel comfortable with that, but text or a contact me form, best way.

Tricia, thank you so much for your time today. I've thoroughly enjoyed this last hour talking to you and finding out about your career and the amazing work that you're doing with all of your clients and for the professionals that you work with daily.

thank you so much for your time.

Thank you for what you're doing. This is amazing. What a great space.

Chris Langley: Well, thank you so much. Take care.

do,