Thriving with Addiction with Dr. Jonathan Avery

Dr. Timothy Fong is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.Dr. Fong completed his undergraduate and medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago. He then came to UCLA and finished his residency in adult general psychiatry in 2002 and was the first accredited addiction psychiatry fellow at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute (2002-2004).He is the co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program (UGSP). The purpose of this program is to examine the underlying causes and clinical characteristics of gambling disorder in order to develop effective, evidence-based treatment strategies.Since 2009, he has been the director of the UCLA Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, a one-year accredited program that provides clinical training in addiction psychiatry.Finally, he is part of the faculty leadership of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, a multidisciplinary effort to examine the full impact of cannabis on the body, mind and brain.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Dr. Kibby McMahon is a clinical psychologist, CEO of KulaMind, and host of "A Little Help For Our Friends" podcast, specializing in helping people who have loved ones struggling with mental health or addiction. With training from Columbia, Duke, and Weill Cornell, she combines her clinical expertise in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and other evidence-based CBT's with personal experience to support families affected by behavioral health issues. Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Dr. Yasmin Hurd is the Ward-Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience and the Director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai.Dr. Hurd's multidisciplinary research investigates the neurobiology underlying substance use disorders and related psychiatric illnesses.  A translational approach is used to examine molecular and neurochemical events in the human brain and comparable animal models in order to ascertain neurobiological correlates of behavior.  A major focus of the research focuses on opioid abuse and the developmental effects of cannabis. The group also conducts human clinical trials towards developing novel therapies for opioid use disorder. Based on her accomplishments Dr. Hurd was inducted into both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Laura is the author of the bestselling memoir We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life and Push Off From Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Life (and Everything Else).Her work explores the intersection of addiction, recovery, emotional sobriety, and the complexities of relationships. She has written for The New York Times and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The TODAY Show, and more.In 2020, she founded The Luckiest Club, a global sobriety support community, and she writes Love Story, a popular Substack newsletter about sobriety, relationships, recovery, and writing. She is currently working on her third book.Website: lauramckowen.comInstagram: @Laura_McKowenLinkedIn: @lauramckowenFollow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

DREW RAMSEY, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, author, and leading voice in Nutritional Psychiatry and integrative mental health. He is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the founder of the Brain Food Clinic and Spruce Mental Health. For twenty years, he served as an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, where he taught and supervised psychotherapy and nutritional psychiatry.Dr. Ramsey has authored four previous books, including the international bestseller Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety and three e-courses. He is a dynamic speaker, podcast host and educator who has delivered three TEDx talks and his work has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, NPR and other notable outlets. He lives in Jackson, WY with his wife and family. Learn more at www.DrewRamseyMD.comFollow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Lindsey Metselaar is a native New Yorker and host of We Met At Acme podcast, which has amassed over 10 million downloads since its creation in 2017. We Met At Acme is a dating podcast that delves into sex, relationships, and vulnerability, with some hilarious anecdotes along the way. Lindsey also has a food blog called Don't Expect Salads (@dontexpectsalads) with over 100,000 followers. Since creating We Met At Acme, Lindsey has expanded to touring over the country and also continues to host mixers and events around NYC.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, MD is a general and addiction psychiatrist in Manhattan, specializing in sexual compulsivity and is the co-editor of the text Behavioral Addictions (2014, Elsevier Press). He is the author of two books for the public, Infidelity: Why Men and Women Cheat (2018, publisher Hachette) and Bedlam (2019, publisher Penguin Random House). Dr. Rosenberg teaches at Weill Cornell Medical Center where he has been a voluntary faculty member for the past 40 years.  He is also a filmmaker recognized by Emmy, Columbia duPont and Peabody awards, and one of his films was shortlisted for an Oscar. He is the winner of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award of the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and the proud recipient of the AAAP Arts and Advocacy Award.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Jared Gordon is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC’s lightweight division. A New York native, he began wrestling as a child and transitioned to MMA after a standout amateur career. Known for his durability, high pace, and well-rounded skill set, he is widely respected for his work ethic, resilience, and longevity in one of the sport’s deepest weight classes. He is also open about his recovery journey and has become an outspoken advocate for mental health, using his platform to challenge stigma in combat sports.https://www.instagram.com/jaredflashgordon/?hl=enhttps://jaredflashgordon.com/Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Tim Requarth is the author of the newsletter The Third Hemisphere, a neuroscientist’s field notes on how AI is (or isn’t) rewiring our brains. A contributing writer at Slate and a columnist at The Transmitter, his work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, The New Republic, Foreign Policy, and Scientific American, among others. He received his PhD in neuroscience from Columbia University, and for nine years he directed NeuWrite, an international network of workshops for scientists and writers. He was a 2018 UC Berkeley-11th Hour Food & Farming Journalism Fellow and is a 2019-2020 Brown Institute for Media Innovation “magic grant” recipient. His essay, The Final Five Percent, won the National Association of Science Writers 2020 Science in Society Journalism Award in the Longform Narratives category, and appeared in Best American Science & Nature Writing 2020. He’s currently a Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience & Physiology and Director of Graduate Science Writing at the Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he studies how AI affects cognition and education.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Lauren Sisler is an ESPN and SEC Network sideline reporter, host of SEC Nation, and an Emmy-winning sports journalist known as much for her authenticity as her on-air presence. Behind the scenes, Lauren carries a deeply personal story: as a college freshman, she lost both of her parents within hours to prescription drug overdoses. In her 2024 memoir, Shatterproof: How I Overcame the Shame of Losing My Parents to Opioid Addiction (and Found My Sideline Shimmy), Lauren writes candidly about grief, shame, faith, and how telling the truth became a path to healing. Today, she uses her platform to speak openly about addiction, resilience, and what it means to keep showing up—on the sidelines and in life.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Ben Westhoff is an award-winning investigative reporter whose books are taught around the country and have been translated around the world, including Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Created the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic, the bombshell first book about the fentanyl epidemic. He has advised officials at the top levels of government about the opioid crisis, and been interviewed as an expert commentator on CNN, NPR, and CSPAN, and on full, dedicated episodes of Fresh Air and the Joe Rogan Experience. His new documentary, called Antagonist, is about the suppression of the opioid treatment drug naltrexone (best known as Vivitrol) by big-money interests. He publishes a Substack newsletter called Drugs + Hip-Hop, and has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and the Guardian. Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Montee Ball Jr. is one of the most accomplished running backs in college football history whose life ultimately became defined not just by records, but by recovery. A dominant high school and University of Wisconsin star, Ball set NCAA records for career touchdowns, earned multiple All-American honors, won the Doak Walker Award, and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting. Drafted in the second round by the Denver Broncos in 2013, his NFL career was cut short as injuries took their toll. After legal trouble and personal challenges, Ball entered recovery, rebuilt his life, and is now sober, a father, and doing incredible work to help others. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2025 and now uses his story to help those facing addiction and identity loss.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Dr. Andrea Temkin-Yu is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. With training in evidence-based treatments for youth and young adult mental health, Dr. Temkin-Yu is an expert in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and parent focused interventions. The author of the new book, Supporting Your Teen’s Mental Health: Science-based Parenting Strategies for Repairing Relationships and Helping Young People Thrive, she is passionate about increasing community education on mental health. Her research focuses on improving access to mental health support through easy-to-use treatments and the use of technology. Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Actor, writer and producer David Koechner is well-known for his roles as Todd Packer on “The Office” and Champ Kind from “Anchorman” and “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” He recently appeared on ABC’s “The Goldbergs,” ABC’s “Bless This Mess,” CBS's "Superior Donuts," ShowTime's "Twin Peaks," Comedy Central’s “Another Period” IFC's "Stan Against Evil" and co-hosted A&E’s “America’s Top Dog.” Koechner voices reoccurring characters on FOX’s “American Dad” and Ne_lix’s “F is for Family” and "The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants." In film, recent projects include “Then Came You,” “Braking for Whales” “A Week Away,” “Vicious Fun” and “National Champions.” Upcoming releases include “Half Baked 2” and “Ganymede.”An alumnus of Chicago’s Second City Theater, Koechner got his first break as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” and has since become an instantly recognizable face appearing in more than 200 films and television shows. Additional notable film credits include “Waiting,” “Out Cold,” “Talladega Nights,” “Get Smart,” “Extract,” “Thank You for Smoking,” “A Haunted House,” “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse,” “Priceless,” Legendary’s “Krampus,” and the dark, twisted, film festival award-winning thriller, "Cheap Thrills."When not filming, Koechner performs live comedy across the country. He also co-hosts Big Slick Celebrity Weekend - an annual charity event benefitng Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City - with fellow KC natives, Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis and Eric Stonestreet. Koechner currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.www.davidkoechner.comX & Instagram: @davidkoechner www.youtube.com/davidkoechner www.facebook.com/dkoechnerFollow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Dr. Joseph J. Avery is an Assistant Professor at the Miami Herbert Business School. He has additional appointments in Miami’s Department of Psychology and its Institute for Data Science and Computing, and he is an Affiliated Fellow at Yale Law School’s Information Society Project.Dr. Avery’s research interests are at the intersection of business, law, and artificial intelligence. His scholarship has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals as well as top law reviews.Prior to joining Miami’s faculty, Dr. Avery received a PhD from Princeton University and a JD from Columbia Law School. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale Law School.Beyond academia, Dr. Avery has practiced law and founded a National Science Foundation-supported legal technology company.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy was the lead author of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2013, he founded The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in mental health and addiction. In 2015, Kennedy co-authored the New York Times Bestseller, “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction,” which details a bold plan for the future of mental health care in America. In 2023, The Kennedy Forum launched the Alignment for Progress, a movement to align leaders from across industry and across the aisle to achieve 90/90/90 by 2033: 90% of all individuals will be screened for mental health and substance use disorders; 90% of those screened will be able to receive evidence-based treatment; 90% of those receiving treatment will be able to manage their symptoms in recovery. Kennedy’s second co-authored book “Profiles in Mental Health Courage” available April 2024 will delve into the compelling stories of a diverse group of Americans who have struggled with their mental health – many of whom are sharing their stories for the first time.Kennedy is also the founder of DontDenyMe.org, an educational campaign that empowers consumers and providers to understand parity rights and connects them to essential appeals guidance and resources; co-founder of One Mind, an organization that pushes for greater global investment in brain research; co-chair of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response); and co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Robin Kellner and John Sicher have dedicated their lives to advocacy and community service after long and varied careers. Robin built and sold a successful recruitment business, and after the loss of her daughter Zoe in 2007, she partnered with NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell to fight stigma around mental health and substance use and to promote harm reduction. John’s career was in corporate law and publishing, and since selling his business he has worked with Robin to support NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell initiatives that help keep people who use drugs safe. Alongside their advocacy, Robin pursues art and John photography, both finding creative ways to connect and give back.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Holly Whitaker is a New York Times bestselling author of Quit Like a Woman, creator of the audio guide 30 Days to a New Relationship with Alcohol, and founder of Tempest, Inc. (acquired by Monument in 2022). A writer, researcher, and person in long-term recovery, she believes individual healing is the foundation for collective liberation, and that equity, social justice, and love ethic are inseparable from addiction recovery. Holly is currently writing her third book. She writes the Substack Recovering. You can follow Holly on Instagram.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md

Welcome to Thriving with Addiction with Dr. Jonathan Avery — a new podcast coming in 2026 that reimagines recovery from substance use through science, connection, and courage. In this trailer episode, Dr. Avery introduces the mission of the show: to break down stigma, expand understanding, and help listeners build real-world pathways to healing.Follow Thriving with Addiction:www.thrivingwithaddiction.comwww.instagram.com/jonathanaverymdx.com/jonathanaverymdwww.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-avery-md