The Shield

S2E8: Emotional Sobriety, Creative Compass, and Life After Addiction with Heidi Moos

What happens after you get sober? Quitting the substance is just the beginning; building a life you actually want to live is the next step. Welcome back to Season 2 of The Shield! Today, Nichole sits down with Heidi Moos, the founder of Creative Compass and a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. Heidi shares her incredible journey from being a middle school teacher for the "quiet kids" to helping adults navigate life after addiction. We dive deep into the concept of "emotional sobriety," how to regulate your nervous system through creative play, and why Heidi launched "Art Lab"—a wildly popular, free community art class for people in recovery and their friends. (Spoiler: You don't have to be "good at art" to attend! ) In this episode, we cover: * Emotional Sobriety: How to self-soothe and level up once the substance is gone. * The "Whole Student": Why good teachers change lives, and why Heidi created a "Fan Club" for the middle school misfits. * The Evolution of Recovery: Moving away from "fixing losers" to treating the whole human. * Art Lab: Why process matters more than the finished product, and how to join. * A Hack for Anger: Heidi’s personal art technique for clearing the mind. Thank you to our Season 2 sponsor: The Children's Trust Fund of Alabama. For more content, make sure to check us out on Instagram and YouTube! https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/ [https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/] https://www.youtube.com/@AddictionCoalition

S2E7: Harm Reduction, Heavy Bass, and Safe Spaces with Slinger Entertainment

Electronic music, heavy bass, and... Narcan? In this episode of The Shield, Nichole sits down with Anthony Phillips, Sam, and Parker—the team behind Birmingham’s own Slinger Entertainment. Slinger isn't just throwing immersive EDM and bass music events; they are actively working to keep their community alive and safe. We discuss how Slinger partnered with APC to distribute over 600 Narcan cases to concertgoers. The guys also open up about navigating the entertainment industry's party culture, Parker's inspiring 6-year sobriety journey, and why harm reduction is the ultimate form of community building. In this episode, we cover: * Why Slinger views Narcan like a "fire extinguisher". * How Parker navigates the EDM scene while being 6 years sober. * The genius behind "Fat Stack" events for local DJs. * The secret to mixing a live band versus electronic music. * Finding your community in Birmingham's Avondale and Woodlawn scenes. Thank you to our Season 2 sponsor: The Children's Trust Fund of Alabama. 🔗 Resources Mentioned: * Follow Slinger Entertainment on Instagram for upcoming shows (like May 30th at Saturn!). For more content, make sure to check us out on Instagram and YouTube! https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/ [https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/] https://www.youtube.com/@AddictionCoalition

S2E6: Aging, Caregiver Burnout, and Grandparents Raising Grandkids with Morgan Rhodes

How does the addiction crisis affect our oldest generations? You might be surprised. Welcome back to Season 2 of The Shield! In this episode, Nicole sits down with Morgan Rhodes, a program coordinator at the Area Agency on Aging (based out of the United Way of Central Alabama). Morgan pulls back the curtain on the unique mental health challenges older adults face and the incredible, free resources available to them and their families. We dive deep into the emotional toll of caregiving, the rising trend of grandparents raising grandchildren due to the opioid crisis, and how a new influx of opioid settlement dollars is providing a lifeline to these families. Plus, Morgan shares expert advice on how to protect seniors from rampant Medicare fraud and modern digital scams. In this episode, we cover: * The transition from being a full-time caregiver to finding a new identity. * How to have the difficult "giving up the car keys" conversation. * The Older Relative Caregiver Program for those impacted by substance use. * Why seniors are heavily targeted by Medicare and phishing scams. * The upcoming free Fraud Summit on May 12th in Hoover. Thank you to our Season 2 sponsor: The Children's Trust Fund of Alabama. For more content, make sure to check us out on Instagram and YouTube! https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/ [https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/] https://www.youtube.com/@AddictionCoalition

S2E5: The Final Walk: Celebrating 10 Years of Impact with Alabama

10 years ago, the End Addiction Walk was born out of a desperate need to take to the streets and let Birmingham know that help was available. Today, as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we are preparing for our most impactful event yet—and our final one. Nicole and board member Alabama Cole (The Q 103.7) discuss the evolution of the walk, the new resources available this year (including HIV/Hep C screenings and peer support rows), and why it’s time for APC to graduate into a new chapter. Register now to join us for this historic event on April 25th, 2026. https://secure.swell.gives/ENDADDICTIONBHAM/tickets/#/ticket For more content, make sure to check us out on Instagram and YouTube! https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/ [https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/] https://www.youtube.com/@AddictionCoalition

S2E4: Street Medicine, Housing First, and Reaching the Unhoused | Cat Cruz & Dr. Craig Borne

What happens when you take healthcare out of the clinic and bring it directly to the streets? Welcome back to Season 2 of The Shield Podcast!  In this episode, Nicole sits down with Cat Cruz (One Roof) and Dr. Craig Bourne (Cahaba Medical Care) to discuss a groundbreaking new initiative in Birmingham: Care for Our Journey. This interdisciplinary street medicine coalition combines housing navigation, addiction resources, and holistic medical care to meet the unhoused population exactly where they are. From administering joint injections out of a "soccer mom van" to navigating the complexities of the "savior complex" in social work, Cat and Craig pull back the curtain on what street outreach truly looks like. We discuss the realities of Housing First initiatives, the importance of building trust, and why true success might just mean helping someone get their state ID. In this episode, we cover: * What is "Street Medicine" and why is it essential for Birmingham?  * Breaking the stereotype: Why some individuals choose to sleep rough while working full-time. * How One Roof, Cahaba Medical Care, and Recovery Resource Center collaborate to reduce barriers to care. * How to support the Care for Our Journey initiative. Thank you to our Season 2 sponsor: The Children's Trust Fund of Alabama. Resources: * Learn more & view the Amazon Wishlist at One Roof: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1BSQCXXQCWBEB?ref_=wl_share [https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1BSQCXXQCWBEB?ref_=wl_share] For more content, make sure to check us out on Instagram and YouTube! https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/ [https://www.instagram.com/addictionpreventioncoalition/] https://www.youtube.com/@AddictionCoalition