Staying engaged with my own wellbeing is as important to me as living a purposeful life. A life that is aligned with my son’s legacy as well as his struggles. And for that I am devoting time advocating for breaking the stigma about mental health and addiction, as well as building trauma-informed communities. All that keeps me connected with my son’s life and the struggles he had.

Just because cannabis is going mainstream does not mean it is a good thing. We only have to look at alcohol or tobacco. Children look to their parents for guidance. I believe that our culture has taken a position of convenience when it comes to substance use of any kind. We want things “fixed” because our lives don’t seem to allow otherwise. Instead, there is so much we can do to reclaim our very own innate powers to heal and help re-regulate our emotional ups and downs, from mindfulness practices, therapies, and other healthy lifestyle changes. So much is about sitting in the driver’s seat again and depending less on drugs.