Counselor Explores the Challenges of Mental Health and Substance Abuse

The impact of mental health and substance abuse issues has become more prevalent than ever.

In this episode, we have Chandell Miller, a substance abuse and mental health counselor, sharing his personal journey, the challenges he has faced, and the important work he is doing to help those in need.

Join us as we delve into the complexities of mental health and substance abuse issues in our society.

Conclusion:
Chandell highlights the critical issues of mental health and substance abuse in our society. Chandell's dedication to helping others overcome these challenges is commendable, and his holistic approach to counseling sets him apart.

By addressing emotional attachments, cultural influences, and the need for awareness and resources, Chandell is making a difference in the lives of his clients.

Website: rossaddictionscounseling.com

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Full Interview:

Transcription:

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Chandell Miller Teaser 00:00

They're all tied in and always tell people, let's say, if you don't have money or have money, the reason is your emotional attachment to it.

So we address that emotion. Then we can start solving other problems . A lot of us are caught up into whatever comes out on that TV, I have to get it and buy it. And that's part of the reason why we don't have it.

Intro 00:22

Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview?

If so, you've come to the right place. Gresh values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I Am CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 00:51

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I am CEO podcast. I have a very special guest on the show. I have Chandell or Chandie. Great to have you on the show, sir.

Chandell Miller 00:59

Yes, indeed. Great to be here. Thanks for having me.

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Gresham Harkless 01:01

Yeah, absolutely. So we're here live in Intelligent Office. You're doing some phenomenal things where we get the opportunity to do a podcast interview here and learn a little bit more about Chandell or Chandie, I should say and all those awesome things.

But I guess to kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more about you, your story. We'll let you get started with all thell awesome work you're doing.

Chandell Miller 01:17

I am a substance abuse and mental health counselor. I am now in the northern Virginia area, but I've started out in Philadelphia. That's where I'm from. So, I've worked in several different capacities there. I worked as a 911 dispatcher in Philadelphia. I've worked with the kids in school tutoring and things of that nature. Then I worked with the delinquents in probation. And I've worked in New Jersey with state-appointed youth who were, it was in a hospital, but it was a secure facility inside of a hospital.

So I've done all that work for many years. I got into substance abuse counseling because I came up in the eighties. And I knew so many people, family members, friends, it were. All of this and all of that, and then when crack came, it was like a nuclear bomb. And the north Philly neighborhood that I lived in was very highly populated and then it just was abandoned.

So, and it never came back. So, I always heard people say you do crack once and you never, you always get hooked. So I said, I want to not try it. I want to get in here to see what I could do to combat. Exactly. So my journey has taken me, all over New Jersey, Philly, Maryland, D. C. Now I'm here in Northern Virginia and I love it here.

I teach full time doing substance abuse counseling and I run my private practice. I have outpatient practice where I do mental health and substance abuse. Counseling here in Virginia.

Gresham Harkless 02:44

Nice. I appreciate you sharing that. So when you say there's not a lot of help, it's not a lot of resources for people to reach out to, or it's not awareness or.

Chandell Miller 02:51

I would say both. It's a lot of myths and even, even when people do have insurance and they go get the help. Yeah. Let's say it's a 30-day program. They go get the help. They only get approved for five days. Really? So it's wow, what are you really doing? So, the stuff that is out there, it needs to be more.

And what it is this is a capitalistic society, whether we like it or not helping people and what mental health and on substances, is it money, right? It's putting out money. So they just put it to the wayside and then you get more of. What's up?

Gresham Harkless 03:26

Yeah I'm definitely sorry to hear that. I appreciate you tremendously, obviously, in the work that you do, but bringing light to that.

And I'm curious, like during, especially during the pandemic, I feel like there's been more talk around mental awareness, but that might just be, you never know, you never check in numbers and has it opened up more of a conversation or awareness from people, individuals, organizations? Have you seen that?

Chandell Miller 03:47

I am hearing a little buzz. Okay. So, yeah. I will say more so people who have been affected directly by it, by stepping up because can I be bad for a minute? I don't call it the plandemic. I call it the plan. So when the plandemic happened it is by storm and the real is a lot of memorize people had to stand up and a lot of people were not prepared to stay in the house.

They didn't know what to do. They ate all of their meals outside. They didn't know how to cook. They didn't do so people were losing it during that time, still haven't come back. So I do see a lot of that then, but I do see a lot of companies. Who are interested in doing more. Yeah. So, I'm not going to name them, but some major companies are at least saying they want more about diversity, equity, inclusion.

They want more about addiction. So, yeah, I've been hearing some of that.

Gresham Harkless 04:44

Yeah. That's, somewhat promising that they hear it.

So I know you mentioned and then the quote came to mind is find something you love to do. You never work a day in your life. What does it look like for you? For people that might be listening to this, that might know somebody or need help themselves. Like, how do you help serve those clients?

I know you mentioned the teaching and then the outpatient aspect of like, how, and what ways do you serve your clients?

Chandell Miller 05:06

So with me, I will talk to people. Who call and just have questions, you don't necessarily have to come on and sign on and be my client. But I do speak with clients who have questions cause I want them to get the right information. And I also let them know if you have any questions, call back and ask for me, here's my email, whatever.

So, I like doing that, but once they come in I'm building a report with them from the beginning. If I answer the phone, so I have a couple of staff to answer. If I get the phone, I'm making sure I get the correct information, right? And I asked specific questions to get them on track, so they don't get lost.

So I asked specific questions for that. But I'm doing a report when they get here again, it's more report building. No shame blaming. I think I have a little flavor. So I'll bring that to the table my personality and I've had several of them tell me, Hey, you have a big personality thanks. So, I use that and then we get down to the nitty-gritty.

Gresham Harkless 06:05

Okay. And those can be people that are going through substance issues or have that, or even people that have mental health issues or everything in between.

Chandell Miller 06:12

I'm getting them all. All now, this is a funny thing when it comes down to substance abuse. A lot of old-school substance abuse counselors.

Just you're an addict. I don't use that term. I don't call people addicts. Even if you call yourself one, I don't.

Gresham Harkless 06:27

And people that have mental health and then also substance abuse. Are you catering to them all?

Chandell Miller 06:31

I cater to them all because at the root of it, it is mental health. So if I do the substances, I'm covering up my feelings of abandonment, rape divorce low self-esteem. It's still a mental health issues, but substances exactly. Help me forget or, whatever the case may be.

Yeah. So I think that's The bottom are those mental health issues. So they go hand in hand.

Gresham Harkless 06:56

Yeah. And I've heard that people have said that it's I don't know if it's an epidemic within itself, mental health and not being addressed, not being talked about and let alone treated.

Chandell Miller 07:07

Yeah, and I've had the pleasure of having so many people here from around the globe. And I must say. It's been a lot of information directed towards this kind of being a year a European and a especially the United States thing you get these people because they like who depression, what's that panic attacks. What are you talking about? Bipolar. What? Huh? clueless.

So I think a lot of it here gets stigmatized. We diagnosed in everything, everything. So I think it's a little extra with that. Now I'm into the nutrition as well. So, I have a health coach certificate as well, and I'm going for the nutrition coaching. But that has a major impact as well of what we're eating with, those genetically modified food.

And now we wonder why these kids are not look what we're feeding. So, that has a major part to it. I even had a guy came here from central America and he said, listen, I could look right at a fruit and tell you if it's genetically modified. And I bought, I called him on, I bought it. I bought two different ones in.

Yeah, bam. And one of the things was, it was, if it's too shiny and polished and cleaning, it's not real, it's supposed to be rugged and rough looking and whatever the case may be with the seed inside. So, I think that's the big part. So I'll talk about nutrition life planning goals, and you start shaping it up in one area and it shapens up. And others.

Gresham Harkless 08:42

Yeah. I was wondering, do you feel like that's part of what I call your secret sauce? The thing you feel says you or the organization party makes it unique. Is it that kind of lack of better term holistic view that you have on? I think sometimes we could think mental health is just here.

Health is here. Fitness is here. But they're all part of that human experience. So I feel like that is something you have a great perspective on.

Chandell Miller 09:04

Most definitely. They're all tied in and always tell people, let's say, if you don't have money or have money, the reason is your emotional attachment to it.

So we address that emotion. Then we can start solving other problems. A lot of us are caught up into whatever comes out on that TV, I have to get it and buy it. And that's part of the reason why we don't have it. Another reason when you look to globally, the United States, only place that, that I know of that has hoarders and it's because we're consuming, consume, consume, consume, consume, consume.

Consume and then you get consumed by consuming. So I think that's another issue as well. So I think hoarders are a reflection of people on substances. The way that house look is the way that person on drug head looks stuff cluttered all over the place. So it's the same, even the. 600 plus people, the same difference.

Every corner is a fast food, so it's very easy for me to eat poorly because that's what's there. Then after the pandemic, all of the prices went skyrocketing. Then Uber Eats. Uber was out. Uber was selling fine. After that, prices went sky-high. The little man who used to do deliveries at places, they got thrown out of the way because now you do Uber Eats and pay this, pay this, pay this.

So we get so used to allegedly getting with the times and then we lose ourselves. Yeah.

Gresham Harkless 10:40

So yeah. And I feel like the overall essence of the, who we are as human, like even the community feel and just looking after one another and all those things. But I appreciate you giving that visual. I wanted to switch gears a little bit. . And I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an app, a book, or even a habit that you have, but what's something you think makes you more effective and efficient?

Chandell Miller 11:01

Ah, good question. I like being put on my toes like that. I'm always learning, always. So I'm always reading. I don't read, I've been studying my own research since the eighties. So, the school they give us, they beat me over the head with Martin Luther King. And in the first and second grade, I was saying, is there anybody else?

Besides Martin Luther King. So that's all they gave us. So I did my own research. So I still research. I'm like Dora the Explorer. I formally will go to school and research on my own. So but on my own is where I found the most information. . So, I do that and I never say I've seen it all and done it all.

So every day is a new day and I learn from my clients. So it's not me, I'm so and so that it's about a community thing and learning and listening. So, I really I say I would hold those things to. My special remedy or whatever the case may be.

Gresham Harkless 12:04

Yeah, it's huge to have that curiosity and I'll say insatiable curiosity where you're always learning, always trying to learn more. So what would you consider to be what I call a CEO nugget? This is a little bit more word of wisdom or piece of advice. I like to say it might be one of the organizations that you would give advice to, or if you were to happen to a time machine, you might tell your younger business self.

Chandell Miller 12:24

Don't be afraid to get into early, the earlier, the better network you want to network because you don't want to become stagnant and you don't want to become like a silo.

And, so you need other people around you. I had a friend called me the other day for a high-powered job, she was interviewing for her. So she was like, give me some information on this. Cause I'm not too skilled on that. She was like, wow, you've been saying that.

I'm like, yes, but we always go by what the industry says and what the big companies are saying, look, they're there for money.

So I'm saying here are the issues that are revolutionary. Let's address them. So, I would say those are nuggets definitely in the network and have it's like having a little army of people you could go to when there's a problem.

Gresham Harkless 13:17

Yeah. It's so powerful. I think Einstein said that you can see so much further by standing on the shoulders of giants.

But if you don't have any giants around, if you're not talking to judge, not having those conversations, then how are you gonna see further? How are you gonna be able to have and tap into those conversations, expertise and knowledge experiences of people other than have those people that you're connecting with?

Chandell Miller 13:36

Most definitely. Yeah, so we have to do it. And when you're doing this networking, I would say, don't always look for somebody who looks and sounds and acts and talks like you, you have to go outside of that comfort zone and get another frame of reference.

Gresham Harkless 13:53

I appreciate you sharing that. So, now, I want to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO or our goal is to have different quote-unquote CEOs on this show.

So Chandie, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Chandell Miller 14:05

A CEO for me is it's a lot of basic stuff, nothing like highly educated and but you have to. You have to have a vision, you have to have some entrepreneur mannerisms and ways about you so meaning risk-taking and you have to be able to diversify and expand.

Because you don't want to be a one-trick pony. So that's where the networking comes in at and planning and being a visionary. So, that's, I would say where I'm at. I'm in the process of that now and expanding and, freeing myself. from some daily duty so I can do more in other places.

Gresham Harkless 14:47

Yeah, that makes so much sense. I think so many times when we have a vision, we think you just step and roll into it, but in reality, a lot of times you have to expand into whatever that vision is and that requires us to get out of our comfort zones and do different things.

Chandell Miller 14:59

Most definitely. Yeah and I've always been that way, but sometimes when you're, doing a day-to-day and you don't have any help. Yes, I have some help. I want more. I have some help, but I have to say. Step back and, let the others come in. So that has been happening for me. So I'm able to start spreading out and doing some other things.

Gresham Harkless 15:23

Yeah, That's definitely something as the, as we talked about in the beginning, there's more hands that are needed, there's more brains, there's more feet, whatever you can do there, there's more, it is needed.

So obviously appreciate your time. Yes, indeed. And what I want to do now is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you can let our readers and listeners know.

And of course, how best people can get a view, find about all the awesome things you're taking to work on.

Chandell Miller 15:43

If people want to contact me my email is a long one is CMille@Rossaddictionscounseling. com. And the number is seven zero three. 2248929. I'm working on some social medias.

So I don't have any of that stuff because I don't like putting people business out socially. So those are 2 good ways to get in contact with.

Gresham Harkless 16:08

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. I appreciate that. We're going to have. The links and information in the show notes as well, too, so that everybody can follow up with you and get a hold of you.

So thank you so much for what you do your time, and I hope you have a phenomenal day.

Chandell Miller 16:19

Yes indeed. You as well. It's a pleasure.

Outro 16:21

Thank you for listening to the I Am CEO podcast, powered by CB Nation and Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us iamceo.co. I Am CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community.

Want to level up your business even more? Read blogs, listen to podcasts, and watch videos at cbnation.co. Also, check out our I am CEO Facebook group. This has been the I am CEO podcast with Gresham Harkless Jr. Thank you for listening.

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