What does it take to advocate on behalf of others who are impacted by substance use? Sarah Laurel, Executive Director of Savage Sisters, begins where it matters most: the community. She joins this episode to share about her own journey and how it led to developing services related to housing, harm reduction, developing the first Xylazine training, and addressing public health issues that go unnoticed. Listen as she talks about her motivation to continue advocating for people who use substances, harm reduction, public health, and social justice and her vision as her team continues to knock down barriers to provide crucial services to their communities.

About the Guest:

Sarah Laurel (Executive Director of Savage Sisters)

After recovering from substance use disorder, Sarah sought to offer resources to women like herself. What began organically grew into a program providing housing, street-based outreach and nationwide training. Sarah uses her lived experiences to serve others and stay relatable to those still struggling. She leverages her corporate background to lead the Savage team thoughtfully, productively, and sustainably. Sarah is the recipient of several awards, including a Congressional Medal of Honor. She was featured on two Emmy award-winning episodes of Vice News and CBS News. Additionally, she created the first Xylazine training, delivering it both locally and nationally. Her advocacy for people who use substances, harm reduction, public health, and social justice has been consistent and groundbreaking.

Website:

https://savagesisters.org/

Social Media Links:

https://www.instagram.com/sarah.laurel.517/

https://www.facebook.com/sarah.laurel.90

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-laurel-7314631b6/

Thank you for listening to this episode of Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast.

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Talking Addiction & Recovery Podcast is the follow-up to the book "Addiction & Recovery" by author and clinician Andrew J. Schreier. This podcast explores discussions regarding important issues related to addiction and recovery. Information you learn here is not typical of what you will find in academic textbooks and resources; and comes from the experiences of a clinical supervisor, clinical substance abuse counselor, and licensed professional counselor and the work with individuals and others involved in this field. Listen as guests join the show and cover a wide range of topics looking to educate individuals, families, communities, organizations, institutions, mental health professionals, educators, and anyone else impacted by addiction and recovery. Content is not intended to be treatment and is not affiliated with any specific group.