We are You-Speaker Series - Laguna Beach Unified School District

Origins Behavioral HealthCare and The Bell Tower Foundation Present
We are You-Speaker Series
Shattering Stigmas, Raising Awareness on Addiction
JOIN US MAY 6th at 6pm
at The Bell Tower Regional Community Center in Rancho Santa Margarita
Host: Jason Wahler
MTV’s Laguna Beach,
The Hills and Celebrity Rehab
Bret Boone
Former MLB Player, Three-time
All-Star and 4 Gold Glove recipient
Amber Smith
Internationally recognized
Supermodel and Actress
Dr. Harry Haroutunian
Physician Director of the
Betty Ford Center
Bob Forrest
Certified Addiction Specialist
Dr. Drew’s right hand man
In this day and age we have all come face-to-face with the reality and prevalence of addiction to drugs and alcohol.
This experience is scary, overwhelming and many often have no idea what to do. Some families brush it under the rug,
some try and support healthy behaviors and see no change, while others give up on their loved ones completely. We are
here to share our experience and provide hope. There is frequently bad information made available about addiction.
It is a disease, it is treatable but not curable, and many people from all walks of life have gone on to live abundant
lives. There are examples of success, of hope and of opportunity.
Join Jason Wahler, Amber Smith, Bret Boone, Dr. Harry Haroutunian and Bob Forrest for an entertaining round
table event hosted by The Bell Tower Foundation. You will hear personal stories, obtain information on the disease,
and gain insight as to what steps to take if you or a loved one faces this battle. We will show you what you’re up against
while presenting solutions. You can’t control the uncontrollable and fix a problem until you are armed with the right
information. Stigma kills as many young addicts and alcoholics as the disease itself and we are here to tell you it is ok,
there is a solution, and the best way to prepare is to start the conversation.
SPONSO RED
OriginsRecovery.com
I
888.U.GET.WELL
BY
BellTowerFoundation.org
I
(949) 216-9700
Dr. Harry Haroutunian
Dr. Harry L. Haroutunian, known by all his patients as “Dr. Harry” is an internationally known speaker on topics of the addiction field. He
has developed the “Recovery 101” lecture series on topics of Addiction Medicine, Recovery Issues, Communication Skills and Relapse
Prevention. As Physician Director of the Betty Ford Center, Dr. Haroutunian has contributed to the development of a variety of programs,
including the Extended Care Program the Licensed Professional Program and the Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation Program. He is the author
of “Being Sober: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting To, Getting Through and Living in Recovery” and collaborated with Dr. Louis Teresi,
author of “Hijacking the Brain: How Drug and Alcohol Addiction Hijacks our Brains - The Science Behind Twelve-Step Recovery.”
Amber Smith
An internationally recognized supermodel and actress for the past 20 years, today Amber Smith is perhaps even more recognizable as one
of the top reality TV stars in America. Her participation in the VH-1 TV series “Celebrity Rehab,” “Sober House” and “Sex Rehab w/ Dr.
Drew,” has propelled her to a new level of fame…
Brave enough to admit, confront, and overcome a 16-year addiction to painkillers on national television, Amber says, “It’s amazing how
many people come up to me, telling me how inspirational I’ve been throughout their personal struggles with addiction. Many times they
will reveal their addictions to me when they haven’t even told their spouse or family members. I’m truly touched that they see me as a safe
person to talk to.”
After her battle with prescription painkillers, Amber went on her third VH-1 reality program, “Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew” to confront love
addiction (obsessional “love” that stems from unresolved trauma from early abandonment). Substance abuse will temporarily “medicate”
underlying issues such as co-dependency and love addiction-, which was the case for Amber.
After her emotional, yet transformation appearances, Amber finally achieved her “Big O” – Oprah that is! In the Fall of 2009, Amber and
Dr. Drew appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” captivating audiences with their takes on addiction. It is now Amber’s mission to inspire
individuals to seek treatment and help others recognize that there are many different kinds of addiction. Amber now resides in Los Angeles,
California.
Bret Boone
Bret Boone, born on April 6, 1969, is a former MLB second baseman. As a four-time Gold Glove recipient, two-time Silver Slugger Award
winner and a three-time All- Star, Boone has played for the Seattle Mariners, the Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and
the Minnesota Twins.
Throughout his 14-year-long career, Boone became a beloved athlete and fan favorite – especially in Seattle, where he had his MLB debut
in 1992 and returned to the team in 2001. However, by 1993, Boone was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, where he played from 1994-1998. In
1994, Boone had one of his best years at bat, hitting a whopping .320 average Boone went on to play for the Atlanta Braves in 1999, and
then for the Padres in 2000. By 2001, he was back playing for the Mariners, and he began racking up the awards and accolades.Between
2001 and 2004, Boone received two Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Gloves – adding to the Gold Glove Award he received as a
Cincinnati Red in 1998.
His accomplishments were well deserved, and only solidified him as being one of baseball’s all-time greats. Boone is the son to Bob Boone,
a former MLB catcher and manager, and the brother of former infielder Aaron Boone. His debut in 1992 made him the first third-generation
big leaguer in MLB history. Bret Boone retired from the MLB in 2005, and now enjoys being a father of four and a Special Assistant for the
Oakland Athletics.
Bob Forrest
Musician Bob Forrest is known as the lead singer of the Los Angeles bands Thelonious Monster and The Bicycle Thief. He is also known
as a drug counselor on VH1’s hit reality shows Celebrity Rehab and Sober House. Bob is a Certified Addiction Specialist who has been in
recovery for more than thirteen years. He has worked side-by-side with Dr. Drew Pinsky serving as his Head Counselor and Program Manager
for many years. He is also the former Chemical Dependency Program Director at Las Encinas Hospital, in addition to recently launching
his own Recovery Services and Malibu-based sober living facilities. As for his music career, he released his first solo album in 2006 called
Modern Folk and Blues Wednesday. He is also responsible for the song “Moonshiner” on the soundtrack for I’m Not There, a biographical
musical film inspired by the life of Bob Dylan.
Jason Wahler
Jason Wahler is a Host, Actor and TV personality who appeared on Laguna Beach, The Hills, Celebrity Rap Superstar and eventually
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, after battling through a public struggle with addiction. Sober since July 2010, Jason has since dedicated
his life to raising awareness towards addiction and hopes to one day change the public’s negative perception of this deadly disease.
Currently the Treatment and Recovery Advocate at Origins Behavioral Health Care, Jason’s vision aligns strategically with the treatment
center’s aim to raise awareness and promote recovery from a global standpoint. He continues to use his personal experience and his
presence in the public eye to inspire people who struggle with addiction and alcoholism to get help. His involvement with the recovery
community has changed his life and has allowed him to be a resource for thousands of individuals who need help but don’t know where
to start.
Recently, Jason has partnered with Supermodel/Reality TV Star, Amber Smith, in the establishment of Speakers In Recovery, a speakers
bureau bringing together the leaders in addiction recovery. On a regular basis Jason works with various media outlets, in addition to
celebrities, young adults, schools, law enforcement, churches, and athletes in order to promote addiction education and prevention.
Jason serves on the Honorary Boards often PRISM Awards, The Los Angeles Mission, and the Brent Shapiro Foundation, as well as regularly contributing to the highly respected Huffington Post. Through his work and dedication to his own recovery program, Jason hopes to
be able to continue to change the way addiction is perceived. Most importantly, Jason hopes to be a resource for anyone who struggles
with the hopelessness that accompanies addiction, and to show people that life in recovery is truly incredible and absolutely worth living.