There is a significant correlation between addiction and mental health. One could even argue that in order to understand addiction, you must have insight into a user’s mental state. Learn more about the connection between mental health and substance use disorders.
Alcohol is often touted as a do-it-all wonderdrug that can fix any unpleasant situation, particularly, the stressful ones. Songs, movies, tv shows, and advertisements all perpetuate this notion that alcohol makes things better. While it can make you feel good at the...
Researchers and medical professionals have known for some time now that there are many connections between substance use and mental health. However, alcohol and bipolar disorder have an interesting effect in common: blackouts. In recognition of World Bipolar Day on...
Not long ago, one of our staff had a friend post on Twitter to pose a difficult question. She wanted to know why, as bad as it feels to be accused of something which you have not done, it always feels worse to have actually done something wrong. The staff member in...
We recently covered lust in our series on the Seven Deadly Sins, but we did not mention one seemingly related topic: sex addiction. To some, this would seem like a notable omission. That said, it was actually very intentional. We left it out primarily so that we could...
We all lose things. Even people. These things and people may be quite dear to us, or they may be things without which we can live quite happily. But no matter what the circumstances, each and every one of us will encounter loss at some point in our lives. To expect...
If there is one thing for which addicts and alcoholics are not widely known, it is our emotional stability. We may have our good days. We may spend years as high-functioning addicts and alcoholics, able to appear normal despite our intoxication. At times, we may even...
This is a time of holiday cheer for many, yet there are some who react to the holiday season with absolute chagrin. While certain people may have various reasons for feeling a bit down as the winter arrives—separation from family, financial troubles that make it hard...
We often refer to addiction and alcoholism as a disease, but what do we mean by that? We certainly aren’t talking about some airborne, Outbreak-style virus. Some non-addicts despise the disease model, as they believe it to be a mere excuse for destructive behavior....
When we reach acceptance of our situation, we can begin to open up honest communications with those we love and stop trying to hide our emotions behind denial and emotional outbursts. (Dreamstime) This is the final article in our series on addiction and the five...
Those of us who suffer from depression will, on occasion, need a literal shoulder to cry on. We cannot go it alone. (Depositphotos) We are winding down our discussion of addiction and the five stages of grief. Now that we have covered denial, anger, and bargaining, we...
Our multi-part series on addiction and the five stages of grief continues with bargaining, the third stage. While the five stages do not necessarily occur in a specific order, feel free to read our articles on denial and anger for more detailed information on how we...
There are healthy ways to express anger, but it takes a fair amount of understanding and self-awareness to realize just how unhealthy our general expressions of anger can be. (Shutterstock) This is the third article in our multi-part series on addiction and the five...
Sometimes it feels as if a person in denial just won’t listen to reason. But we have to understand denial if we are to deal with it in a healthy manner. (Depositphotos) We recently published an introduction to our multi-part series on addiction and the five stages of...
In the 1969 book On Death and Dying, Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross outlines five stages of grief that terminally ill patients must go through before they can begin to accept their fate. Less than fifty years have passed since this book was published, yet...
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Whether you or your family member is struggling with addiction, you are not alone in this journey. Explore our expansive addiction resources, including our guides for teens, parents, and spouses, as well as relatable recovery stories from Amethyst Alumni.
Call our 24/7 helpline to speak with an admissions cordinators and get the support you need when you need it.
Laurel McGinnisLaurel, as the Director of Corporate Compliance for USR, is responsible for ensuring that the facility follows all federal and state regulatory requirements, accreditation standards and industry best practices. Laurel has over twenty years’ experience in legal and regulatory affairs in both the public and private sectors. She attended the University of Kansas where she studied political science, and she is designated by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) as a Certified National Investigator and Inspector (CNII). Prior to joining Amethyst, she served as the Director of Enforcement for a state regulatory body.
Brie RodriguezBrie joined the Amethyst Recovery team in 2017 as an HR assistant. Her over 15 years’ experience working in healthcare administration and management quickly launched her into a leadership role. Now serving as the Director of Human Resources since 2018, she leads our organization through the intricate requirements of recordkeeping, recruitment, staff development as well as compliance. While also directing all aspects of HR including payroll, benefits administration, performance management, and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, as well as licensing and accreditation standards.
Brie graduated as a high school valedictorian with a major in Health Technologies and continued her studies at Springfield Technical Community College with a focus on healthcare. She served in Operations and HR for a finance company for ten years, before returning to healthcare and eventually arriving at USR.
Brie works closely with the leadership team to develop and implement effective HR strategies that support our organization’s goals and values. As an HR professional, Brie’s primary focus is on ensuring that our organization attracts and retains the most talented and qualified individuals to help us fulfill our mission of providing compassionate care to those struggling with addiction. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by those working in the substance abuse field, Brie is committed to creating a positive and supportive work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to make a difference in the lives of others.
Brie is known for being compassionate and empathetic as well as for her ability to navigate complex and sensitive situations and find solutions that benefit everyone involved. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and their fur babies!
CORI BAIZACori’s key responsibilities include supervising financial operations, and daily financial reporting and account management. Cori’s goal is to ensure all patient’s needs are met in an accurate and timely manner. She is a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator with The Florida Certification Board and licensed Notary Public in the state of Florida. Her experience includes accounting and finance training.
JOHN GAUJohn’s key responsibilities include maintaining the day-to-day operations from both a clinical and housing perspective. John’s goal is to monitor every department to ensure proper policies and procedures are in place and client care is carried out effortlessly. John joined Amethyst as a behavioral health technician where he quickly developed strong personal relationships with the clients through support and guidance. John understands first hand the struggles of addiction and strives to provide a safe environment for clients. John is a Certified Recovery Residence Administrator.
MARK GUDIMMark’s key responsibilities include handling day-to-day maintenance matters and oversees our Environment of Care management plan in conjunction with Joint Commission and DCF regulations. Mark’s goal is to provide a safe environment where distractions are minimized, and treatment is the primary focus for clients and staff alike. Mark received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Economics from the University of Rhode Island. He is a licensed residential home inspector in the state of Florida and relates his unique experience of analyzing a property and/or housing condition to determining any necessary course of action at our facility.
Jeffrey M. Bishop, D.O.Dr. Jeffer M. Bishop was born and raised in Florida. He joined the U.S. Navy while attending the University of Nebraska for this undergraduate degree in Medicine. When he left the Navy, he went on to graduate from e Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1985.
He worked in Family Medicine for 35 years before retiring from his practice. He then went on to be the Chief Medical Officer at Wellington Regional Medical Center for an additional seven years until resigning from his position in 2013 and started Addiction Medicine.
He is a member of over a dozen professional medical associations and in his free time enjoys a number of different activities. Although now retired from racing, was a member of the International Motor Sports Association and Sports Car Club of America. Dr. Bishop is also a certified open water scuba diver, he enjoys fishing, traveling, and hunting.
AMANDA MARINELLI, DNP, BBA, AG NP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CARN-APAmanda Marinelli is a Board Certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with over 10 years of experience in the field of mental health and substance abuse. Amanda completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice and Post Masters Certification in Psychiatry at Florida Atlantic University. She is a current member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and the Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society.