Breaking Down Shame and Stigma: Building Bridges for Better Care Across Health Professions
Shame and stigma aren’t just “addiction issues”—they’re everywhere in healthcare. For people with substance use disorders, these barriers don’t stop at the clinic door; they ripple out into every provider encounter, from primary care to mental health, pain management, and beyond. The result? Clients disengage, clinicians burn out, and opportunities for healing get lost in translation.
In this practical, honest session, Belle Morey shares what it’s like to navigate the healthcare system as both a substance use counselor and a person in long-term recovery. Drawing on lived experience and clinical expertise, she explores how shame and stigma quietly shape the stories clients tell (and don’t tell), the way professionals communicate, and the systems we all work within.
Participants will leave with a better understand…
